majid darroudi

The current study aims to achieve synthesized selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) through a green chemistry route using sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) and Caccinia macranthera (C. macranthera) plant extract as stabilizing and reducing agents and to investigate the anticancer effects of the synthesized NPs.

The outcomes affirmed the successful production of the synthesized Se-NPs, as their spherical framework and particle size scale of 54 to 60 nm were exhibited by the images of FESEM/PSA. This spherical frame was also detected in the TEM images at a size of 11.5 nm. The inhibitory effect of Se-NPs was investigated on the proliferation of human liver cancer cells (Huh-7). Additionally, the effect of Se-NPs was studied on the expression of the implicated genes throughout the cell apoptosis using the Real-Time PCR technique. Also, the percentage of apoptotic cells was obtained using Annexin V/PI and DAPI kits. Finally, flow cytometry was exerted to determine the amount of produced ROS. 

The results of laboratory studies showed that Se-NPs can significantly reduce the survival of Huh-7 cancer cells in dosage and time-reliant behavior, while they have very little toxicity on normal L929 cells. Also, Se-NPs were able to induce apoptosis in liver cancer cells, which was observed along with the increased expression of Bax, p53, Caspase3, and Caspase 9 genes. In addition, Se-NPs increased the production of ROS in Huh-7 cells and led to an increase in oxidative stress in these cells. 

Therefore, these NPs can be used in clinical studies of liver cancer.

In premenopausal women, abdominopelvic radiotherapy may have a direct and profound effect on ovarian function. Stabilized selenium Nanoparticles (NPs) with some natural materials have been demonstrated to have high antioxidant activity and reduce radiation damage as a radioprotector. This study was done to compare the ability for the biosynthesis of selenium NPs by Gum Arabic (Se-GA) and Polyanionic Cellulose (Se-PAC) in the protection of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells against radiation damage.

First, Selenium Nanoparticles (SeNPs) were synthesized in the presence of GA and PAC. Then, CHO cells were cultured in-vitro and were randomly divided into six groups in different concentrations of Se-GA and Se-PAC to measure the biocompatibility of NPs. Finally, cells were treated with NPs and radiation (6MV, 2Gy), and the percentage of cell survival was determined by MTT assay. Both NPs with an average size of 20-30 nm and an absorption absorbance peak at about 300 nm using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy.

According to the parametric t-test analysis, Se-GA nanoparticles with a concentration higher than 0.4 ppm significantly increased the radioprotective effect on CHO cells compared to the control group (P<0.05). However, Se-PAC showed no significant increase in radioprotection in contrast to the control group (P>0.05).

Se-GA nanoparticles have antioxidant properties, and the radiation protection properties of Se-GA nanoparticles are significantly higher than control. Consequently, Se-GA nanoparticles showed promising results and may be able to play the role of a radioprotector.

This study was conducted to evaluate the photocatalytic applications and the cytotoxicity effects of Ag-Se doped ZnO-Co3O4-NiO fivenary nanocomposite synthesized using polyanionic cellulose (PAC) polymer as a stabilizer agent. Several procedures such as XRD, FESEM, FTIR, EDX, PSA, and UV-Vis were applied to investigate synthesized nanocomposite. Consistent with the FTIR spectrum, chemical bonds were seen in the structure of the nanocomposite which approved the successful synthesis of them. The XRD pattern of the synthesized nanocomposite revealed sharp diffraction peaks with high crystallinity, and pure phases of Se, Ag, ZnO, NiO, and Co3O4 were approved with XRD analysis. FESEM/PSA images indicate that nanocomposite was synthesized with an average size of 23-49 nm and relatively uniformly distributed, in addition, it has a spherical morphology. The synthesized nanocomposite exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity to methyl orange (MO) dye degradation under a UVA light source. The degradation rate of nanocomposite reached 99% within 80 min. The kinetic studies indicate that the degradation of MO dye follows a first-order kinetic model. The cytotoxicity of the nanomaterial was assessed on normal mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 and cancer mouse melanoma B16F0 cell lines with the MTT assay. The results of the MTT test revealed significant cytotoxic influences on cancer B16F0 cells (IC50 value = 258.5 µg/mL) in comparison to normal cells.

This study aimed to enhance the effectiveness and water solubility of Minoxidil (MXD) by producing its nanocrystal structure, which improves its vasodilator properties and promotes hair growth. In the current study, the hair growth-stimulating activity of the MXD nanoparticles (MXD-NPs) was compared with the hydroethanolic rosemary (RSY) extract on the C57BL/6 mice. The MXD-NPs were produced through a bead mill and ultrasonic process and characterized using various techniques. The cytotoxicity of MXD-NPs was studied on human dermal fibroblasts, and their hair growth-stimulating activity was analyzed in C57BL/6 mice. The results showed that MXD-NPs significantly increased the hair growth rate in mice compared to commercial MXD and hydroethanolic rosemary extract as they were delivered safely and specifically to the target pilosebaceous follicles. The follicular uptake of MXD-NPs was also increased compared to commercial MXD, leading to improved pilosebaceous follicle re-growth and hair growth in treated mice. Therefore, MXD-NPs have the potential to be a safe and efficient iso-formulation structure for hair growth promotion.

Zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) nanostructures, due to their capability of easy surface modification, are considered interesting structures for delivery. In the present study, the surfaces of UIO-66 and NH2-UIO-66 MOFs were modified by polyethyleneimine (PEI) 10000 Da, and their efficiency for plasmid delivery was evaluated. 

Two different approaches, were employed to prepare surface-modified nanoparticles. The physicochemical characteristics of the resulting nanoparticles, as well as their transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity, were investigated on the A549 cell line. 

The sizes of DNA/nanocarriers for PEI-modified UIO-66 (PEI-UIO-66) were between 212–291 nm and 267–321 nm for PEI 6-bromohexanoic acid linked UIO-66 (PEI-HEX-UIO-66). The zeta potential of all was positive with the ranges of +16 to +20 mV and +23 to +26 mV for PEI-UIO-66 and PEI-HEX-UIO-66, respectively. Cellular assay results showed that the PEI linking method had a higher rate of gene transfection efficiency with minimal cytotoxicity than the wet impregnation method. The difference between transfection of modified nanoparticles compared to the PEI 10 kDa was not significant but the PEI-HEX-UIO-66 showed less cytotoxicity. 

The present study suggested that the post-synthetic modification of MOFs with PEI 10000 Da through EDC/NHS+6-bromohexanoic acid reaction can be considered as an effective approach for modifying MOFs’ structure in order to obtain nanoparticles with better biological function in the gene delivery process.

Aspergillus species are found as opportunistic agents to cause a wide variety of clinical manifestations. Regarding the drug resistance emergence against Aspergillus species, new aspects of using nanoparticles (NPs) as antifungal agents are considerable. This study takes a new approach to biosynthesized NPs of zinc oxide, copper oxide, cerium oxide, silver, gold, and selenium influence on the clinical isolates of Aspergillus species.

The antifungal activities of six NPs were examined against a total of 12 clinical isolates of Aspergillus species, including A. flavus (n=4), A. welwitschiae (n= 4), and A. fumigatus (n=4) based on the M38-A2 guideline.

According to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values, NPs of ZnO, Ag, Au, and Se showed a significant antifungal effect. CuO-NPs and CeO2-NPs didn’t show an inhibitory effect against Aspergillus isolates. The MIC ranges of ZnO-NPs, Ag-NPs, Au-NPs, and Se-NPs were 128-512, 26-53, 21-85, and 6-26 µg⁄mL for A. fumigatus; and 512->512, 26-53, 85, and 1-13 µg⁄mL for A. welwitschiae, respectively. In addition, the MIC ranges of Ag-NPs and Se-NPs were 26-53 and 106-425 µg⁄mL for A. flavus, respectively. However, A. flavus were not inhibited by NPs of ZnO and Au.

Among the examined NPs, ZnO, Ag, Au, and Se showed a significant effect against Aspergillus isolates except for CuO and CeO2. However, Ag-NPs seemed to be the most effective nanoparticle against the Aspergillus species. Compared to other Aspergillus species, A. flavus was not inhibited by NPs of ZnO and Au.

In this work, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were synthesized through a simple and efficient hydrothermal method with the usage of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. seeds as a raw material. The synthesis of CQDs was confirmed by the usage of FTIR, FESEM, EDX, TEM, UV-Vis, and PL analyses. The photocatalytic activity of CQDs was investigated for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye as a target pollutant, resulting in the photodegradation percentage of 92% during 80 min, which indicates the effective role of CQDs in RhB decolorization under UVA-light irradiation. Also, the biocompatibility of CQDs was evaluated on normal (rat fibroblast) cell and cancer CT26 cell lines through the MTT assay, and the concentration-dependent cytotoxicity of CQDs was confirmed along with the IC50 value equal to 876 ppm against cancer CT26 cell lines.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have been considered promising non-invasive imaging tools in medicine. However, their high surface energy leads to NPs aggregation, while non-targeted SPIONs can cause cytotoxic effects on normal cells. In this work, we evaluated the in vitro potential of polyethyleneimine (PEI)-SPIONs targeted by PNC27 peptide as a double targeting agent throughout early cancer diagnosis.

Initially, PEI was conjugated to PNC27 with HDM-2-binding domain. Then, SPIONs were loaded into PEI-PNC27 through the ligand exchange method. The physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized NPs were evaluated. The cytotoxicity and targeting efficiency were assayed against HT-29 and CT-26 cell lines along with NIH-3t3 as normal cells by MTT method and Prussian blue staining test, respectively. 

The mean diameter of synthesized carriers was obtained in the range of 86.6 – 116.1 nm with a positive charge. According to the cytotoxicity results, the binding and uptake abilities of the PNC27 peptide by cancer cells were significantly higher than that of the NIH-3t3 cells. However, the results were indicative of the more toxic impacts of targeted synthesized NPs against CT-26 cancer cell line when being compared with HT-29 cells, which may be caused by the different cytotoxicity mechanisms of NPs. In addition, the targeted carriers and SPIONs were present inside and around the cells with HDM-2 expression along with only a few non-targeted vectors, while displaying no appearance throughout the normal cell.

The results indicated the efficiency of targeted PEI-coated SPIONs for cancer diagnostic applications.

Human lymphotropic virus type 1 is the first human oncoretrovirus that can cause Adult T-cell Lukemia/ Lymphoma and HTLV-1 Associated Myelopathy/ Tropical Spastic Paraparesis as serious complications of infection. About 20 million people worldwide are infected with the HTLV-1 virus. Since most people carry this virus are asymptomatics, quick identification of the virus is essential for diagnosis, treatment, and disruption of transmission.This virus has been detected using genetic and serological techniques. main screening technique is the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which is typically followed by confirmatory tests using the western blotting (WB) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. In this study, the various methods for diagnosing HTLV-1 infection were reviewed. The most widely used technical assays for HTLV-1 among all the documented techniques of detection are serological and molecular tests. Without a confirming test, the ELISA technique has a number of restrictions that reduce the reliability of the findings. Further analysis of these methods' accuracy is required in light of the frequency of HTLV-1 and the constraints of the available detection techniques. It is now possible to use cutting-edge technical innovations like biosensors to conduct HTLV-1 diagnostics.

Radiotherapy has a profound impact on ovarian function, leading to depletion of the primordial follicle reserve, premature amenorrhea, and loss of fertility during or shortly after completion of irradiation. The radioprotectors are compounds that can reduce the effects of ionizing radiation (IR). Stabilized selenium nanoparticles and extracts, including rosemary, demonstrated high antioxidant activity. The aim of this study is the evaluation of rosemary extract and selenium nanoparticles ability to scavenge free radicals. After rosemary extract was prepared, nanoparticles were made in their presence, and then CHO cells were cultured in vitro. They were then divided into different groups and treated with different concentrations of nanoparticles and rosemary, and irradiated with ionizing radiation at doses of 0.5, 1, and 2. Finally, the survival rate was measured by MTT assay. The results of the MTT test showed that the effect of radiation protection on nanoparticles is close to rosemary. Furthermore, the protective effect of the two is not significantly different from each other (P>0.05). Contrary to expectations, nanoparticles did not show a synergistic effect compared to rosemary.

Nanotechnology has become one of the most widely used technologies in translational research and may significantly impact the future of healthcare. Because of their distinctive physicochemical characteristics, nanoparticles (NPs) have diverse applications in all areas of science including biomedicine, agriculture, biolabeling, catalysis, electronics, sensors, and fiber optics. Recently, green synthesis technology, as a reliable and eco-friendly method, has been taken into consideration for synthesizing a wide range of nanomaterials of desired sizes, shape, and functionalities. In this regard, zinc selenide nanoparticles (ZnSe-NPs) as a semiconductor nanostructure with low toxicity and high luminescence features have potential applications in different research fields like optoelectronic devices, laser solar cells, and, particularly in medical and biological sciences. ZnSe NPs can be synthesized by various chemical methods, including sol-gel, solvothermal, hydrothermal, wet chemical, and green and biological synthesis approaches. In this study, we have reviewed the green chemical or biological ZnSe nanoparticles synthesis as eco-friendly methods. Also, we have discussed the biological applications of ZnSe nanoparticles, including antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity effect, biomedical imaging and, drug delivery.

This study provides data on the performed synthesis of Metal-organic framework MIL-101(Cr) nanostructure through the application of a hydrothermal method. The prepared catalysts were characterized by the means of FESEM/ EDAX/PSA, FTIR, UV-Vis, BET, and XRD analyses. As the obtained XRD pattern approved the synthesis of MIL-101(Cr) by displaying diffraction peaks, the FESEM images also demonstrated the octahedral construction of this product. In addition, we evaluated the photocatalytic functionality and adsorption of MIL-101(Cr) for degrading methylene blue (MB) dye under UV light and dark conditions, respectively. According to the results, this product displayed an excellent potential for the removal of organic pollutants from aqueous solutions. However, the best outcomes were attained through the sonication method, since the structure and degradation properties of particles were improved due to the usage of chemical sonic.

This study intended to perform a synthesizing procedure for amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) through a green template by the usage of brown rice (BR). ACP nanoparticles were obtained by application of a sol-gel method and comprehensively characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), zeta potential, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Cytotoxic activity of ACP was evaluated in human epithelial type 2 (HEp-2) cell lines. The antibacterial effects of nanoparticles were appraised against Gram-positive Streptococcus mutans and Enterococcus faecalis. The procedures for the evaluation of the characterization outcomes, dispersion, and stability of our product were confirmed by observing the smooth and uniformed surfaces of ACP. The zeta potential value of the synthesized sample was -22 mV, which indicates its acceptable stable condition caused by electrostatic repulsion. The cytotoxicity of the ACP nanoparticles was investigated in HEp-2 cells, and results showed no cytotoxicity for the synthesized nanoparticles. Also, the obtained minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ACP nanoparticles in opposition to S. mutans and E. faecalis was 15 and 20 µg/ml, respectively, indicating the resistance of E. faecalis in comparison to S. mutans and MBC for synthesized nanoparticles against S. mutans and E. faecalis strains was 20 and 25 µg/ml. The present study showed that this compound has no toxicity on the examined cell line. Also, the antibacterial properties of the synthesized ACP were approved by the obtained data, which enables the application of this material for therapeutic purposes in the pharmaceutical industry.

In this paper, we examined the morphology, shape and magnetic and electronic properties of Selenium-doped nickel oxide nanoparticles (Se-doped NiO-NPs), which were achieved through a sol-gel technique that involved the usage of Cydonia oblonga plant extract. The structural and magnetic properties of Se-doped NiO-NPs were evaluated by the employment of XRD, FESEM / EDAX, FT-IR, UV-Vis, and VSM procedures. According to XRD studies, the nanoparticles accommodated a face-centered cubic (fcc) crystalline structure and a space group of (Fm3m). In addition, the size of nanoparticles in optimal conditions (the optimum temperature of 400 °C and 3% Se-doped) were reported to be 7.7 nm while a direct relationship was also observed with increasing the concentration of selenium. The FESEM images confirmed the spherical morphology of Se-doped NiO-NPs. Also, the photocatalytic properties of Se-doped NiO-NPs were evaluated through the usage of methylene blue (MB) pigment degradation under UV light. The outcomes of this evaluation exhibited more than 76 % of degrading within 200 min. To complete the project, the cytotoxicity aspect was also investigated on L929 cell lines, requiring the application of MTT assay, while the results were indicative of toxicity effects that can be used for inhibiting cancer cells.

Plants contain high antioxidant activities due to their redox and the chemical properties are affluent in secondary metabolites such as phenols, flavonoids, and other components. Rheum turkestanicum Janisch is a plant from polygonaceae that is widely used for diabetes. At this project that is a part of national thesis, relative levels of antioxidant activity, total phenols, total flavonoid, total anthocyanin, soluble and non-soluble sugar content of Rheum turkestanicum were measured.

The shoots of Rheum turkestanicum were collected and verified from Dargaz region in north-east of Iran and then they were dried at room temperature. The aerial portion of the plant was powdered by grinding, and five grams of the herbal powder were mixed with 300 mL of deionized water and after 24 h, the resulting mixture was filtered using Whatman No. 1 filter paper. Determination of total phenol, total flavonoid, anthocyanin, soluble sugars and antioxidant properties of aqueous extract was performed by standard Folin chicaletto, aluminum chloride colorimeter, Wagner, phenolic sulfuric acid, DPPH methods using a spectrophotometer.

The results of this project showed that the amount of total phenolic and flavonoid acids in Rheum turkestanicum extract was high at 123.8 and 116 mg/g dry weight, respectively. DPPH scavenging activity was observed to be 6.42 mg/g dry weight of ascorbic acid. The results of this project showed that DPPH scavenging activity was observed to be 6.42 mg/g ascorbic acid dry weight. Total phenolic acid and total flavonoid content of the investigated Rheum turkestanicum were higher in comparison to other components.

This fact indicates that phenolic acids and flavonoids play a major role in the antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties of Rheum turkestanicum. The results also indicate that Rheum turkestanicum can be used as an important source of antioxidants in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its high levels of secondary metabolites such as phenols and flavonoids.

Synthesis of nanoparticles by biological systems is a reliable and eco-friendly process. Silver nanoparticles are applied to medical and industrial processes because of their specific properties. Because of antioxidant property of saffron plant (Crocus sativus), it is considered as a reducing agent to synthesize metal nanoparticles. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of different parts of the saffron plant in reducing silver salt to silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in various temperatures, and present or absent of light.

Three aqueous extracts were prepared from different parts of the plant (stigma, stamen, and purple petal). The Ag-NP synthesize was performed at various temperatures in the present and absent of light in final concentration of 1 mM silver nitrate solution. The prepared Ag-NPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis).</em> The mean particle size was investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS).

The UV-Vis spectrum showed absorption peaks at 400-460 nm. Moreover, the size range of the synthesized nanoparticles was about 15-20 nm. The red stigma and purple petal extracts produced Ag-NPs in the present of light at room temperature. In the absent of light, the absorbance was also observed for the petal extract, whereas the UV-Vis absorption was not observed in stigma extract in the absence of light at room temperature. The stamen extract produced nanoparticles at 60 0</sup>C and 80 0</sup>C in the presence and absent of light, respectively.

Various parts of saffron flower (except green part) showed appropriate ability as reducing and capping agent for synthesis of silver nanoparticles. In addition, light and temperature seemed to have critical effects on the efficiency of plant extracts for producing nanoparticles.

Drug delivery is an engineering technology to control the release and delivery of therapeutic agents to target organs, tissues, and cells. Metallic nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have exceptional properties which enable efficient drug transport into different cell types with reduced side effects and cytotoxicity to other tissues. AuNPs were synthesized by adopting the Turkevich method to reduce tetra chloroauric (III) acid (HAuCl4) solution with sodium citrate. A factorial design of 24 was used to investigate the influence of temperature, stirring speed, and the volume of citrate and gold salt on the size of AuNPs synthesis. The produced chemical-AuNPs (CN-AuNPs) were characterized using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) which was conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) loaded with chloroquine diphosphate. The latter were characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns and Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy. The antimalarial activities of the three formulations were tested on Plasmodium-infected mice. Moreover, the evaluation of curative potentials of the formulations was carried out via parasite counts. The anemic and pathological conditions of nano-encapsulation were investigated for their cytotoxicity level. The CN-AuNPs show surface plasmon resonance absorption ranging from 526 to 529 nm with smaller particle size at the lower citrate volume. The TEM image of CN-AuNPs with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and CN-AuNPs-PEG encapsulated with chloroquine diphosphate revealed spherical shape with EDS showing the appearance of gold (Au) at 2.0, 2.1, and 9.9 KeV. The SAED also revealed that the AuNPs were crystalline in nature. The in vitro time-dependent encapsulation release showed an extension of time release, compared to CN-AuNPs-PEG with parasitemia clearance at the same level of cytotoxicity. Therefore, although improved activity of the CN-AuNPs-PEG encapsulating was achieved but its cytotoxicity still is a limitation.

Polyethylenimine (PEI) is one of the most widely used polymers in gene delivery. The aim of this study was to modify PEI by replacing some of its primary amines with Brevinin 2R (BR-2R) peptide in order to increase the efficiency of gene delivery. Polyethylenimine was modified by BR-2R peptide by two different approaches; A) conjugation methods including (І) using succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate (SPDP), (П) EDC/NHS protocol and (ПІ) EDC/NHS+6-bromohexanoic acid protocol, and B) physical interaction method. The modified polymers were characterized for their ability of plasmid condensation, number of primary amines, size and zeta potential. The transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity were evaluated on HEK293, L929, WEHI164 and Neuro2A cell lines by green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based plasmid (pGFP) reporter gene and viability assays, respectively. Apoptosis induction ability was also evaluated via PI/Annexin V assay. Polyplex had size and zeta potential between 200-270 nm and +21.5- +28.4 mV, respectively. All vectors were able to condense plasmid DNA in C/P=4 (carrier-plasmid ratio). Transfection results on the Neuro2A cell line showed that the vector containing the BR-2R peptide, which was synthesized using EDC-NHS protocol had the best transfection efficiency. Our results showed that conjugation of Brevinin 2R as cell penetrating peptide to polyethyleneimine could enhance the transfection ability of the polymer.

The most important limitation of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-induced photodynamic therapy (PDT) is the efficacy of the cells in converting 5-ALA to protoporphyrin IX. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with the photosensitivity at the surface plasmon resonance wavelength on 5-ALA-mediated PDT.
Material and First of all, the toxicity of 5-ALA, AgNPs, and combined 5-ALA and AgNPs was evaluated on DFW cell line derived from melanoma. After choosing the optimal concentration, both pulsed and continuous light irradiations were conducted at different doses using a light‑emitting diode source in the groups receiving 5-ALA, AgNPs, as well as 5-ALA and AgNPs combination, and the controls. The cell survival was evaluated 24 h after irradiation using MTT assay. According to the results, light exposure did not significantly change cell survival in the absence or presence of AgNPs. However, light exposure in the presence of 5-ALA and AgNPs/5-ALA combination caused a significant reduction in the cell survival. The necessary light exposure to induce 50% cell death (ED50) in the presence of 5-ALA was 1280 mJ/cm2; however, this value was 280 mJ /cm2 in the presence of combined AgNPs and 5-ALA. As the findings indicated, PDT had a higher efficacy in the presence of combined 5-ALA and AgNPs than in the sole 5-ALA presence. Nonetheless, further studies are required to evaluate the definitive mechanism of these findings.

Currently, there have been lots of interests in phytochemicals as bioactive components. The roles of fruit, vegetables, and red pigments in preventing diseases have been partly accredited to the antioxidant properties of their constituent polyphenols, flavonoid, anthocyanins, and etc. Biochemistry parameters including the relative levels of antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, total flavonoid, total anthocyanin, soluble and insoluble sugar content of Ribes khorasanicum, have been calculated in this project. The total anthocyanin content of the investigated Ribes khorasanicum measured to be 62.9 mg/g in dry weight, while displaying high levels when compared to other components, which indicates that the anthocyanin content was the predominant antioxidant components in the investigated plant. This particular plant has the potential to serve as the important source of antioxidant that can be utilized in different biological and medical applications.

Iron oxide nanoparticles are among the most effective tools which can replace current medical techniques for diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. Hepatitis C infection is one of the main health problems in the world, affecting around 3% of the world's population. This infection can develop into liver cirrhosis and liver cancer over the time in 80% of patients.
In this study, the effects of PEG interferon loaded iron oxide nanoparticles on hepatitis C virus infection compared with unloaded nanoparticles was studied in vitro. First, Huh7.5 cells were cultured to replicate the hepatitis C virus. After loading the peg interferon alpha on iron oxide nanoparticles, their effects on the replication of hepatitis C virus was investigated by several methods. The results of this study showed that iron oxide nanoparticles and peg interferon loaded iron oxide nanoparticles were able to reduce the load of hepatitis C virus in infected cell culture, but differences were not statistically significant. These data indicated that hepatitis C viral load was decreased in infected cells after induction of PEG interferon loaded iron oxide nanoparticles, but it needs more research to clarify in animal models or even to examine with other types of bare and drug-loaded nanoparticles in a similar way to our study.

Reduced graphene oxide-ZnO (72/0¡ 36/0¡ 18/0= GO/Zn(Ac)) was synthesized using GO and Zn(Ac) by a chemical bath root. The optical properties were performed by FTIR and DRS spectroscopies and the structural properties by XRD, SEM and EDS observations. The DRS spectra of rGO-ZnO show an absorption edge at about 389 nm. The vibration modes related to ZnO bonds and also reduction of GO were observed by FTIR spectra. The XRD, EDS and SEM results showed that ZnO was formed in a hexagonal structure on the rGO surfaces. The toxicity of the prepared samples was studied on (N2A) cellulose. It was shown that GO and rGO-ZnO with 0.18 and 0.36 GO/Zn(Ac) ratio have similar toxicity behaviors in higher concentration compared to the 0.72 which shows toxicity in lower concentrations.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a member of the Flaviviridae family, which causes approximately 500,000 deaths annually. HCV infection treatment is often associated with significant adverse effects. Curcumin is an active ingredient of turmeric which has therapeutic anti-inflammatory effects in many diseases including infectious ones. Although curcumin is not soluble in water, if it is synthesized in the form of nanomicelles, it will be water soluble and can be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract (GI). In this study, the antiviral effects of curcumin nanomicelles were investigated on the attachment and entry of HCV particles.
The cytotoxicity of curcumin nanomicelles was determined in Huh7.5 cells and their antiviral effects on the attachment and entry of HCV was investigated in a cell culture system.
Curcumin nanomicelles could decrease the viral load in the cell culture supernatants compared to virus control.
According to the results of this research, we determined the antiviral effects of curcumin nanomicelles in the later stages of HCV replication.

Peptide Brevinin-2R has been isolated from frog Ranaridibunda skin secretions. This peptide has anti-bacterial and anti-cancer properties. Cerium oxide (CeO2, ceria) is a lanthanide metal oxide which has the ability to participate in the reduction and oxidation reactions. In this study, antioxidant properties of cerium oxide nanoparticles conjugated with the peptide Brevinin 2R were measured.
Cerium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized in starch solution. Then, the surface of cerium oxide nanoparticles was functionalized with amine and conjugated with peptide Brevinin-2R. Furthermore, antioxidant activity of cerium oxide nanoparticles conjugated with peptide was evaluated by scavenging of DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl and superoxide radicals. Also, inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation was investigated.
Findings: The results showed that cerium oxide nanoparticles conjugated with peptide inhibits oxidation of linoleic acid and also served as radical scavenging of DPPH (IC50=0.2 mg/ml), ABTS (IC50=0.54 mg/ml), superoxide (IC50=0.078 mg/ml) and hydroxyl (IC50=0.1 mg/ml).
Discussion & The results showed that cerium oxide nanoparticles conjugated with Brevinin-2R peptide isolated from frog skin had a strong antioxidant activity. Its antioxidant activity is probably because of presence of amino acids such as cysteine, phenylalanine, and hydrophobic amino acids including leucine and alanine. The antioxidant properties of peptide conjugated nanoparticle could be due to the presence of cerium oxide.

Objective (s): A simple and «green» method was developed for preparing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) in aqueous starch solutions. Starch was used as a stabilizer to control of the mobility of zinc cations and then control growth of ZnO-NPs prepared via a sol-gel method. Because of the special structure of the starch, it permits termination of the particle growth. The dried gel was calcined at different temperatures of 400, 500, 600, and 700 °C. The prepared ZnO-NPs were characterized by different techniques such as X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), transmittance electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-Vis absorption. The XRD results displayed hexagonal (wurtzite) crystalline structure for prepared ZnO nanoparticles with mean sizes below than 50 nm. In vitro cytotoxicity studies on neuro2A cells showed a dose dependent toxicity with non-toxic effect of concentration below 6 μg/mL. The results showed that starch is an eco-friendly material that can be used as a stabilizing agent in the sol-gel technique for preparing of ZnO-NPs in a large scale.