Molecules最新文献

We discovered that the chloroform extracted from Sophora alopecuroides L. exhibited the capacity to counteract multidrug resistance in breast cancer significantly. However, the precise active ingredients and their underlying mechanisms of action remain to be elucidated, necessitating the urgent undertaking of in-depth studies. In this study, an extract of Sophora alopecuroides L. was obtained through ethanol extraction and chloroform solvent extraction. Subsequent isolation and multi-round screening using MCF-7/ADR cells yielded the highly active chloroform derivative SaL-30. The active compound group of Sophora alopecuroides L. (SACG), consisting of 13 compounds, was confirmed by HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS and compositional screening. Network pharmacological analysis and molecular docking technology demonstrated that SACG reversed breast cancer resistance through an intricate multi-component (flavonoids/alkaloids), multi-target (AKT1/TNF/CDK2), and multi-pathway (PI3K-AKT/FoxO/MAPK) synergistic mode of action, with the PI3K-AKT pathway acting as the core regulator. Cell experiments further demonstrate that SaL-30 has strong toxicity against MCF-7/ADR by cellular assay, with an IC₅₀ value of 8.941 ± 0.327 µg/mL and a synergistic index of CI = 0.3258, exhibiting a strong synergistic anti-breast cancer effect when co-administered with Adriamycin. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for elucidating the anti-drug resistance mechanism of Sophora alopecuroides L.

Natural antibacterial food packaging materials endowed with environmental responsiveness are garnering substantial research interest in sustainable food preservation. This study reports the development of a pH-responsive antimicrobial composite film through encapsulation of eugenol-a natural phenolic compound-within zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8). The engineered eugenol@ZIF-8 system demonstrated pH-dependent release characteristics, with cumulative release reaching 32.2% at pH 6 versus merely 0.61% at pH 7 over 4 h. Subsequent integration of this nanocarrier into a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (HACC) matrix yielded a multifunctional composite film for active food packaging applications. The characterization of film revealed that while eugenol@ZIF-8 incorporation slightly compromised mechanical strength (tensile resistance decreased by 18.7%) and flexibility (elongation at break reduced to 54.3% of control), it significantly enhanced hydrophobicity (water contact angle increased to 92.5°) and thermal stability (decomposition temperature elevated by 34 °C). The composite film demonstrated synergistic antibacterial efficacy through the combined action of Zn²⁺ ions, ZIF-8 nanostructures, and eugenol, achieving 88% inhibition against E. coli. Practical validation through fresh noodle preservation trials confirmed the material's effectiveness, with the optimized formulation (PVA-HACC-2% eugenol@ZIF-8, PHEZ2) extending shelf life by >5 days compared to conventional packaging. This work establishes a novel strategy for engineering intelligent ZIF-based packaging systems that respond to food spoilage microenvironments, offering significant potential for reducing food loss.

The rapid and accurate detection of pathogenic bacteria and viruses is essential for controlling infectious disease outbreaks and ensuring food safety. Conventional detection methods such as microbial culture, immunoassays, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), although effective, often suffer from drawbacks including time-consuming procedures, complex operations, and limited multiplexing capabilities. In recent years, electrochemical aptasensors have emerged as a promising alternative for rapid detection of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and by-products (toxins) due to their high sensitivity, excellent specificity, low cost, and potential for miniaturization. Aptamers can be applied as biorecognition elements of the biosensor, remarkably offering advantages such as high binding affinity, thermal stability, and ease of chemical synthesis. Meanwhile, nanomaterials which provide large surface area, superior conductivity, and modifiable surfaces are widely employed in signal amplification and sensor platform construction. This review discusses the cutting-edge innovations in electrochemical aptasensors in recent years that utilize various types of nanomaterials to accurately identify and quantify diverse types of pathogens and toxins. This review focuses on nanomaterials such as metal nanostructures, carbon nanomaterials, metal, metal oxides, and carbon nanocomposites that can synergistically enhance detection sensitivity, specificity, and operational stability. This review also highlights the promising practical application of the proposed electrochemical aptasensors in clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and food safety.

Diacetyl has been a known key volatile compound for almost one century, a metabolite naturally produced by different microorganisms during fermentation processes, with traditional applications in food products preparations. Since its discovery, diacetyl has been recognized and actively explored regarding its buttery aroma, which is beneficial for a variety of fermented dairy foods. It is primarily synthesized by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and other microbial groups through citrate metabolism, a pathway that is strain-dependent and strongly influenced by environmental conditions. Moreover, beyond its sensory relevance, diacetyl has attracted increasing scientific attention because of its antimicrobial activity, including synergistic interactions with bacteriocins and other microbial metabolites, which may enhance food preservation and biotechnological strategies. In contrast, its presence merits attention and needs to be carefully monitored in alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine, where excessive accumulation may compromise product quality. Some studies suggested that diacetyl may have negative health influences and presents safety concerns, as inhalation exposure was associated with pulmonary toxicity and occupational diseases, and was even suggested as one of the risk factors in electronic cigarettes. Emerging studies suggest that diacetyl may exhibit pharmacological potential, including antioxidant, antifungal, and even neuroprotective properties, although research is still in early stages and merits deeper scientific evaluation. Considering its dual nature, beneficial and harmful, this review provides an overview of diacetyl's properties, safety considerations, and promising applications in biotechnology, biomedicine, and fermented food systems, but with a focus on potential industrial and health hazards. In the current review, we have presented evidence for diacetyl's beneficial properties and discussed its hazards.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has emerged as a pressing global public health concern, making the identification of renal fibrosis inhibitors a key research focus. In this study, seven undescribed abietane-type diterpenoids, pinusyunins A-G (1, 2, 4, and 7-10) and three known analogues (3, 5, and 6), were isolated from Pinus yunnanensis resin, which were identified by spectroscopic analyses and quantum computational chemistry methods. Biological evaluation showed that all the isolates exhibited inhibitory activity against the expression of collagen I, fibronectin, and α-SMA in transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced NRK-52E and NRK-49F cells. Specifically, compounds 1-10 reduced the expression of α-SMA at 40 μM in both cell lines, while compounds 6-8 and 10 decreased the expression of these three markers at 40 μM in both cell lines with the potency of compound 10 superior to the others in α-SMA inhibition in NRK-52E cells. Variations in activity are associated with differences in substituents at the C-13 position. Further studies demonstrated that these abietane-type diterpenoids block the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway by inhibiting the phosphorylation of Smad2/3. In particular, compounds 1, 3, 6, and 7 suppressed only p-Smad3 other than p-Smad2, indicating their specificity. The research on these abietane-type diterpenoids provides novel candidate molecules and a scientific underpinning for developing anti-renal fibrosis drugs.

The anticancer activity of two novel microbial lipopeptide biosurfactants, amphisin and viscosinamide, was evaluated against human (A375) and murine (B16 4A5) melanoma cells. Normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) were used as a control. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, while membrane integrity was analysed by the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release test. Early and late stages of apoptosis were investigated using Annexin V-FITC and Hoechst 33342 staining, respectively. In addition, the expression of apoptosis-related genes bax and bcl-2 was quantified by RT-qPCR. Finally, the wound healing (scratch) assay was performed to evaluate the effect of the tested lipopeptides on the migratory ability of melanoma cells. Both lipopeptides inhibited melanoma cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner and exhibited significantly lower cytotoxicity toward NHDF cells, indicating selective antitumor activity. Viscosinamide exhibited stronger cytotoxic activity than amphisin. LDH release and fluorescence microscopy confirmed that the main mechanism of cytotoxicity was cell membrane damage and induction of apoptosis, including phosphatidylserine externalization and characteristic changes in the cell nucleus, such as chromatin condensation and cell nucleus fragmentation. Gene expression analysis demonstrated increased levels of bax and decreased levels of bcl-2, indicating activation of the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. In addition, tested compounds effectively inhibited cell migration. The studies show that amphisin and viscosinamide exhibit selective anticancer potential related to the cell membrane and are promising molecules for further development as melanoma treatments.

Ultrafine W powder is a key material for manufacturing high-performance W-based products. In this study, ultrafine W powder was prepared via the H₂ reduction of carbon-containing WO₃, and the parameters of reduction temperature (740-830 °C) and C/WO₃ molar ratio (0.5-2.5) were mainly considered. The results demonstrated that, with the increase in reduction temperature, the reaction rate gradually increased, while the particle size of W powder exhibited a trend showing an initial decrease and then increase, with a minimum value of 146 nm at 770 °C. The results also showed that, with the increase in C/WO₃ molar ratio, the reaction rate gradually decreased, while the particle size of W powder also first decreased and then increased, with its minimum value at a C/WO₃ molar ratio of 1.0. The reduction pathways of H₂ reduction of WO₃ to W was given as WO₃→WO_2.9→WO_2.72→WO₂→W. Due to the co-actions of nucleating agent and the synergistic reduction effect, the particle size of W powder obtained by reducing carbon-containing WO₃ was smaller than that obtained by reducing pure WO₃, and a possible reaction mechanism was proposed.

This review is a collection of information on bioactive compounds found in the grain of different Triticum species, both old and modern. The whole wheat grain, as well as its parts, e.g., bran, contains compounds, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, alkylresorcinols, benzoxazinoids, tocopherols, carotenoids, and others. These compounds differ in both their chemical structure and biological properties. There are significant differences in the content and composition of these compounds between Triticum species. Apart from the wheat species, there are many other factors influencing these differences, e.g., cultivars, environmental factors, growth conditions, and farming systems. The Triticum species the best researched and described in terms of the content of bioactive compounds are Triticum aestivum L., T. durum Desf., T. spelta L., T. turgidum L., T. monococcum L., T. dicoccum Schrank, T. timopheevii, and T. polonicum L.

The rapid development of organic chemistry in the early 19th century also saw the development of heterocyclic chemistry [...].

The overuse of antibiotics in animal husbandry is a primary driver of antimicrobial resistance, creating a pressing need for safe and effective natural alternatives. This study systematically evaluated the potential of the edible aromatic plant Elsholtzia cypriani as a comprehensive alternative by investigating its chemical composition, bioactivities, and preliminary safety. Methods included solvent extraction and systematic chromatographic fractionation from the plant aerial parts, complemented by a series of in vitro assays assessing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties, along with an acute toxicity study. A total of thirty compounds were isolated and their structures were elucidated, including two new and twenty-eight known compounds reported for the first time in this species. Key isolates, such as ethyl caffeate and luteolin, demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial action against pathogens like Escherichia coli. Acute toxicity assessment revealed no adverse effects at the tested dosage. In conclusion, E. cypriani is rich in diverse bioactive compounds which exhibit direct antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities in vitro, and shows a favorable preliminary safety profile. This work systematically establishes the chemical and pharmacological basis for this plant, highlighting its potential for further development and evaluation as a multifunctional natural feed additive.