Handbook of Vitamins

Background Food safety and food security remain the major concern of consumers and the food industry. Bacterial contamination continues to be a crucial food safety issue. Smart packaging incorporates both active and intelligent components. Intrinsic antibacterial activity, oxygen and ethylene scavenging (active) and the sensing (intelligent) properties of metal oxide nanoparticles are in research focus for application in smart food packaging, especially bio-nanocomposite films. Scope and approach Metal oxide nanoparticle properties are closely linked to their morphology resulting from the synthesis process. In this review, we cover current innovative synthesis methods for obtaining metal oxide nanoparticles and current incorporation techniques used to obtain smart (active and/or intelligent) packaging, focusing on bio-nanocomposites, commonly used metal oxides and future mixed metal or doped metal oxides. Taking into account safety, we focus on current legislation, and methods for risk assessment due to particle release from the packaging material and a summary of cytotoxic studies of metal oxide nanoparticles on human cells and the gut microbiota. Key findings and conclusions Antimicrobial effectiveness of metal oxide nanoparticles is highly dependent on morphology as a result of the synthesis method. Solution casting and electrospinning are innovative methods applied to synthesize metal oxide incorporated biopolymer films for active packaging with improved mechanical and barrier properties combined with active components (antimicrobial, ethylene scavenging). Metal oxides show sensitivity and selectivity to most gases produced during food spoilage. In selection of metal oxide for smart packaging, particle migration and cytotoxic activity are key issues requiring careful and detailed characterization.

Metal oxide nanoparticles for safe active and intelligent food packaging

The whole world is struggling with current coronavirus pandemic that shows urgent need to develop novel technologies, medical innovations or innovative materials for controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection. The mode of infection of SARS-CoV-2 is still not well known and seems to spread through surface, air, and water. Therefore, the whole surrounding environment needs to be disinfected with continuous function. For that purpose, materials with excellent antiviral properties, cost effective, environmental friendly and practically applicable should be researched. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) under ultraviolet light produces strong oxidative effect and is utilized as photocatalytic disinfectant in biomedical field. TiO2 based photocatalysts are effective antimicrobial/antiviral agents under ambient conditions with potential to be used even in indoor environment for inactivation of bacteria/viruses. Interestingly, recent studies highlight the effective disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 using TiO2 photocatalysts. Here, scope of TiO2 photocatalysts as emerging disinfectant against SARS-CoV-2 infection has been discussed in view of their excellent antibacterial and antiviral activities against various bacteria and viruses (e.g. H1N1, MNV, HSV, NDV, HCoV etc.). The current state of development of TiO2 based nano-photocatalysts as disinfectant shows their potential to combat with SARS-CoV-2 viral infection and are promising for any other such variants or viruses, bacteria in future studies. 

Photocatalytic TiO2 nanomaterials as potential antimicrobial and antiviral agents: Scope against blocking the SARS-COV-2 spread

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2021.214402

Zinc associated nanomaterials and their intervention in emerging respiratory viruses: Journey to the field of biomedicine and biomaterials

Abstract During the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, symptoms of depression are commonly documented among both symptomatic and asymptomatic quarantined COVID-19 patients. Despite that many of the FDA-approved drugs have been showed anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in vitro and remarkable efficacy against COVID-19 in clinical trials, no pharmaceutical products have yet been declared to be fully effective for treating COVID-19. Antidepressants comprise five major drug classes for the treatment of depression, neuralgia, migraine prophylaxis, and eating disorders which are frequently reported symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Herein, the efficacy of eight frequently prescribed FDA-approved antidepressants on the inhibition of both SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV was assessed. Additionally, the in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-MERS-CoV activities were evaluated. Furthermore, molecular docking studies have been performed for these drugs against the spike (S) and main protease (M pro ) pockets of both SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV. Results showed that Amitriptyline, Imipramine, Paroxetine, and Sertraline had potential anti-viral activities. Our findings suggested that the aforementioned drugs deserve more in vitro and in vivo studies targeting COVID-19 especially for those patients suffering from depression. 

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Robust antiviral activity of commonly prescribed antidepressants against emerging coronaviruses: in vitro and in silico drug repurposing studies

Global trials are grappling toward identifying prosperous remediation against the ever-emerging and re-emerging pathogenic respiratory viruses. Battling coronavirus, as a model respiratory virus, via repurposing existing therapeutic agents could be a welcome move. Motivated by its well-demonstrated curative use in herpes simplex and influenza viruses, utilization of the nanoscale zinc oxide (ZnO) would be an auspicious approach. In this direction, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated herein and relevant aspects related to the formulation such as optimization, structure, purity, and morphology were elucidated. In silico molecular docking was conducted to speculate the possible interaction between ZnO NPs and COVID-19 targets including the ACE2 receptor, COVID-19 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and main protease. The cellular internalization of ZnO NPs using human lung fibroblast cells was also assessed. Optimized hexagonal and spherical ZnO nanostructures of a crystallite size of 11.50 ± 0.71 nm and positive charge were attained. The pure and characteristic hexagonal wurtzite P63mc crystal structure was also observed. Interestingly, felicitous binding of ZnO NPs with the three tested COVID-19 targets, via hydrogen bond formation, was detected. Furthermore, an enhanced dose-dependent cellular uptake was demonstrated. The obtained results infer a rationale, awaiting validation from further biological and therapeutic studies.

Investigating the Internalization and COVID-19 Antiviral Computational Analysis of Optimized Nanoscale Zinc Oxide

Fluoxetine hydrochloride loaded lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles showed possible efficiency against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background There is a great need to discover more drugs with antimycobacterial activities to fight lung cancer and tuberculosis (two of the deadliest diseases world-wide). To our knowledge, the present study is the first to report antimycobacterial activity of imidazole-fused heterocycles. Objective Construction of some bis-imidazole fused heterocycles with potential anti-tubercular and/or potent antitumor activities. Method A series of bis-imidazole fused derivatives 6-8 and 13-16 was constructed using bis-phenacyl bromide derivative 2 as a synthetic platform. Compound 2 was also used to access bis-quinoxaline 20, bis-benzothiazine derivatives 23, and bisthiazolopyrimidine derivatives 26. The new bis-imidazole derivatives were evaluated for their anticancer activity against lung carcinoma cell line (A-549) using Cisplatin as a reference drug. The new compounds were also screened for their antitubercular activity against M. tuberculosis (ATCC 25177) using Isoniazid as a reference drug. Result Among the new bis-imidazole derivatives, three examples showed remarkable antitumor activities while five other compounds showed high antimycobacterial activity. Conclusion A novel series of bis-imidazole fused heterocycles was developed. Multiple prototypes of this new series showed remarkable anti-tubercular and/or potent antitumor activities.

Synthesis, Biological Profile, and Molecular Docking of Some New Bis- Imidazole Fused Templates and Investigation of their Cytotoxic Potential as Anti-tubercular and/or Anticancer Prototypes.

Since no proper method is available in literature for the analysis of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, a reversed phase liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for specificity, sensitivity, linearity, precision and accuracy. Nine potential related substances and forced degradation products could be successfully separated from the main peak. The separation was achieved on a Polaris C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm i.d., 5 μm) using a mobile phase consisting of 20 mM ammonium formate in 0.65% formic acid - acetonitrile (98.8:1.2, v/v). Isocratic elution was performed at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and the analytes were detected by UV at 240 nm. The volatile mobile phase allowed also direct coupling to an ion-trap mass spectrometer with a positive electrospray ionization source to characterize unknown peaks in the chromatogram. The method can be used for quality control purposes as required by regulatory authorities to ensure the product's safety and efficacy.

Ahmed El-Khouly

Papers

Investigating the Internalization and COVID-19 Antiviral Computational Analysis of Optimized Nanoscale Zinc Oxide

Fluoxetine hydrochloride loaded lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles showed possible efficiency against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Synthesis, Biological Profile, and Molecular Docking of Some New Bis- Imidazole Fused Templates and Investigation of their Cytotoxic Potential as Anti-tubercular and/or Anticancer Prototypes.

Development of a reversed phase liquid chromatographic method for analysis of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate and its impurities.