3 research outputs found
Enzymatic degradation of bacterial cellulose derived carbon nanofibers (BC-CNF) by myeloperoxidase (MPO): Performance evaluation for biosensing
No full textMyeloperoxidase (MPO) is a promising biomarker for early warning of incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Among various sensing mechanisms for detection and quantification of MPO, enzymatic degradation of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) in presence of MPO has unique advantages such as visual change in optical contrast of sample without requiring additional probe chemicals or reagents. While the degradation of various forms of CNPs (including carbon nanotubes and graphene oxide) due to MPO has been reported in literature, the degradation is typically very slow, resulting in response times on the order of multiple hours, and thus presents a significant limitation for CVD diagnosis. Besides, the extent of degradation is highly sensitive to substrate uniformity, necessitating complicated synthesis processes to obtain pristine CNPs. In this work, we have characterized the enzymatic degradation of bacterial cellulose derived carbon nanofibers (BC-CNF) due to MPO in vitro and explored the feasibility of realizing a BC-CNF colorimetric biosensor for measuring MPO activity. The degradation of BC-CNFs is thoroughly characterized using SEM, TEM, Raman and UV–Vis spectroscopy. We report that carboxylic group functionalized BC-CNFs demonstrate noticeable change in optical contrast due to degradation with clinically relevant concentrations of MPO in approximately 1 h, and hold great promise for realizing low-cost biosensors for MPO. © 2022 The Author(s
Pharmacological Evaluation of Bark Extract of Cinnamonum zeylanicum With Cinchona officinalis For Its Synergistic Action on Antihelmintic Activity
No full textThe present investigation aimed to assess the pharmacological potential of a mixed bark aqueous extract (MBAE) prepared from Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Cinchona officinalis for its synergistic anthelmintic activity. Barks of both plants were sourced from local markets in Vijayawada and Nuzvid, shade-dried, powdered, and extracted with distilled water. The extract was subjected to preliminary phytochemical analysis using standard procedures. Anthelmintic activity of MBAE was evaluated against Indian earthworms (Pheretima posthuma) collected from a local vermicomposting unit in Nuzvid. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, and phytosterols. Statistical evaluation using one-way ANOVA (Graph Pad Prism) indicated highly significant results (P < 0.0001). MBAE reduced the time to paralysis and death in earthworms more effectively than the standard reference drug, albendazole. These findings suggest that the synergistic action of C. zeylanicum and C. officinalis, likely due to their polyphenolic constituents, plays an important role in enhancing anthelmintic activity
In situ tunability of bacteria derived hierarchical nanocellulose: current status and opportunities
No full textAbstract: The most commonly occurring biopolymer, cellulose, is typically extracted from plants and trees after harsh chemical processing. Bacterial cellulose (BC), produced by a simple fermentation process using sugar-rich media, is superior to plant cellulose owing to its purity, porosity, crystallinity, water holding capacity, and nanofibrous nature. However, the application of BC is still limited owing to the need for application-specific tunability. The benchtop production of BC in a controlled environment allows in situ tunability of its structure and morphology during synthesis (pre-production and during-production), in addition to the conventional post-production strategies. A review of literature on various modification strategies with an emphasis on in situ modifications is presented and their capability to alter crystallinity, porosity, nanofiber dimensions, mechanical properties, and yield are discussed in detail. This review concludes with a section dedicated to the future scope of applications of BC which can be primarily enabled by in situ modifications. Graphic abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V
