Background: Avocado peels (Persea americana Mill.) contain polyphenolic compounds that can be used as alternative medicinal plants, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal agents. This research aims to determine the acute toxicity of ethanol extract from Avocado peels on ddY strain mice. Methods: This experimental research using Acute Toxic Class Method (OECD 423) was conducted on 15 female mice ddY strain that were divided into five groups with one control group (CG) and four treatment groups. The four treatment groups administrated by ethanolic extract of Avocado peel at Group 1 (G1) with 300 mg/kgBW single dose, Group 2 (G2) with 300 mg/kgBW repeated dose, Group 3 (G3) with 2,000 mg/kgBW single dose, and Group 4 (G4) with 2,000 mg/kgBW repeated dose were observed for 14 days. Results: The results showed that Avocado peels did not cause any toxic symptoms, including mortality (0%). No behavioral abnormalities or macroscopic changes in organ color, size, and relative organ weight were observed. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in the relative liver and kidney weight between the control and treatment groups (P>0.05). Although a reduction in body weight was noted, it was not statistically significant (P>0.05) Conclusion: All doses of the ethanolic extract of Avocado peels fall into the practically non-toxic category (category 5) based on Globally Harmonised System (GHS).

Background and purpose: Intestinal bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics; but there are some reports on the effects of medicinal plants in digestive disorders. Today, medicinal herbs are more suggested due to increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics, people are more relying on the medicinal herbs. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial effect of orange peel extract.Materials and methods: After collecting orange peel samples, the methanol extract was provided using maceration method and the effect of this extract against the standard strains of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella enterica) was assessed using microdilution (well plates) in brain-heart infusion medium.Results: In this study, all the standard strains of bacteria in wells were sensitive to the extract. Meanwhile, different minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were observed in various genera. The first group (Bacillus cereus) was the most sensitive due to receiving MIC=3.12 m/ml of the extract. In the second group, Staphylococcus and Salmonella were expressed as they were administered administered MIC 6.25 m/ml of the extract. The third group (Klebsiella and Pseudomonas) was listed as the most resistant group, which received MIC=12.5 m/ml of the extract.Conclusion: Research on the use of natural products, which are used in traditional medicine for gastrointestinal disorders, can be valuable in terms of antibacterial activity and adjustment of microbial flora. In this study, it was demonstrated that orange peel can inhibit the growth of many bacteria in-vitro.

Textile industries consume a lot of water through their various textile production processes. Increased demand for textile products, ultimately increases the formation of wastewater, which labels the textile industry a main source of severe pollution problems worldwide. The agricultural wastes used for adsorbing pollutants were revealed to be efficient and economical adsorbents with high potential for removing dyes from polluted water. In this study, the synthetic textile effluent was simulated using Orange 2 sodium salt (OSS) dye mixed with tap water. The treatment of OSS dye solution by adsorption process was conducted in a batch reactor employing the Avocado seeds activated carbon (ASAC). The impacts of temperature, adsorption contact time, OSS dye initial concentration, ASAC biosorbent dosage, and OSS solution pH on the adsorption efficiency were explored and optimized by the Box Behnken design (BBD) of Response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum conditions for the dye removal were: temperature 40°, C, adsorbent dosage 0. 1g and initial dye concentration 10 mg/L. The yield of the OSS dye removal resulted to 96. 5%. The OSS dye adsorption has best fitted with the Freundlich isotherm of adsorption (R2 = 0. 9922), suggesting the occurrence of a multilayer adsorption on the non-homogeneous surfaces of the ASAC. The kinetic study fitted with the kinetic model of Pseudo-second order. Also, the dye adsorption thermodynamics manifested that the adsorption of OSS dye was feasible and spontaneous with negative Gibbs free energy changes (-Δ, Go) such as-2. 18KJ/mol at 303K,-3. 18KJ/mol at 308K,-3. 58KJ/mol at 313K and-7. 32KJ/mol at 323K. The adsorption was endothermic with positive enthalpy change (+74. 73KJ/mol). The entropy study resulted in 0. 25KJ/molK, revealing the augmenting chaos at the interface of the sorbent and dye solution during adsorption process. The use of Avocado seeds as biosorbent enables the valorization of this agro-waste and waste management alongside efficient textile effluent treatment.

Background: Growth factors and chemical stimulants have key role in cartilage tissue engineering, but these agents have unfavorable effects on cells. Avocado soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) has chondroprotective and anti‑, inflammatory effects. In this study, fibrin2nanoparticles (FNP)/ASU, as a new delivery system, with stem cells applied for cartilage tissue engineering in poly (lactic‑, co‑, glycolic) acid (PLGA) scaffold. Materials and Methods: FNP/ASU prepared by freeze milling and freeze drying. NFP/ASU was characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS). PLGA‑, NFP/ASU scaffold was fabricated and assessed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Human adipose‑, derived stem cells (hADSCs) were seeded on scaffold and induced for chondrogenesis. After 14 days, cell viability and gene/protein expression evaluated. Results: The results of DLS and SEM indicated that nanoparticles had high quality. The expression of type II collagen and SOX9 and aggrecan (ACAN) genes in differentiated cells in the presence of ASU was significantly increased compared with the control group (P and lt,0. 01), on the other hand, type I collagen expression was significantly decreased and western blot confirmed it. Conclusions: This study indicated FNP/ASU loaded in PLGA scaffold has excellent effect on chondrogenic differentiation of hADSCs and tissue engineering.

Background and Objective: Pomegranate peel contains many compounds of glycosides, flavonoids and anthocyanins. Candida albicans is the commonest cause for oral fungal infections in individuals with immune system deficiency and people with diabetes. This study was an endeavor to illustrate the effects of pomegranate peel on some blood parameters including creatinine, urea, total protein, albumin, and liver enzymes AST, ALT and ALP in rats infected with Candida albicans.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study 30 male Wistar rats were allocated to six groups of five. In the control group, the diabetic rats were contaminated by an infectious dose of fungus Candida albicans. Then, the rats were treated with dissolved extract of itraconazole in drinking water. The remaining four groups received pomegranate peel extract dissolved in drinking water at doses of 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg according to their body weight for 7 days 24 hours. The effectiveness of pomegranate peel extract was compared with itraconazole. Their weight was measured on days zero and seven.Results: The results showed a significant increase in the plasma concentration of albumin and total protein levels than the control group (p<0.01). Liver enzymes decreased in a dose dependent manner according to the concentration changes (p<0.001).Conclusion: The administration of pomegranate peel extract showed significant improvement in oral Candidiasis lesions and repair of mucosal tissue. However, the presence of flavonoids and alkaloids in Punicaceae plants has negative effect on biomedical parameters and lead to disorders in functioning of vital organs.

Purpose: This work aimed to evaluate whether salicylic acid (4.0 mM) is able to preserve the quality and antioxidant metabolism of Avocado fruit 'Quintal' cultivar. Research method: 'Quintal' Avocados harvested at physiological maturity were immersed in salicylic acid (SA) solution (0 and 4.0 mM) for 15 minutes at 25 ºC and stored at 15 ºC and 85 % RH for 16 days. The physical-chemical and biochemical quality parameters of the fruits were evaluated every four days. Findings: The treatment with SA (4.0 mM) reduced/delayed respiratory activity by up to two days compared to untreated fruits (control). There was also less loss of fresh mass, firmness, sugar synthesis (soluble solids), and degradation of organic acids (titratable acidity). In antioxidant metabolism, SA preserved the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase resulting in higher phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and lower polyphenoloxidase activity at the end of 16 days. Research limitations: One of the main limitations of this research is that ethylene production (a key player for climacteric fruit) was not measured in Avocado fruits during storage. Originality/Value: In addition to being the first report on the application of SA in postharvest Avocados, our results demonstrate that SA (4.0 mM) is an effective and low-cost alternative to preserve the quality and antioxidant potential of Avocados ‘Quintal’.

Background and purpose: Articular cartilage defects aren’ t repaired by itself. Numerous studies have been conducted in the area of cartilage tissue engineering and some of them considered herbal products. An attempt was made in this study to compare the effects of pomegranate fruit extract (PFE), Avocado/soybean unsaponifiable (ASU), and their equal proportional mixture on the chondrogenesis of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). Experimental approach: PFE was prepared through the percolation method. ASU powder was dissolved in ethanol at 10 μ g/mL concentration and was sterilized. The hADSCs first were isolated, expanded in monolayer culture and identified, and next seeded on fibrin scaffolds. The hADSCs/fibrin scaffolds were divided into 4 groups of control, ASU, PFE, and PFE+ ASU and subjected to in vitro induction for 2 weeks. The control group received chondrogenic medium, other groups received chondrogenic medium plus ASU, PFE, or PFE + ASU, respectively. The MTT assay was performed for cell viability evaluation, real-time polymerase chain reaction for expression of cartilage genes, and the toluidine blue, safranin-O, and immunohistochemistry for staining of the constructs. Findings / Results: Cell viability, cartilage genes expression, matrix staining density, and collagen II protein levels in PFE samples were significantly higher than those of the other groups (P < 0. 05). Histological assessments revealed more chondrogenic centers (P < 0. 05) in the PFE group compared to the other groups. Conclusion and implications: In this study, it was revealed that PFE can be considered as an induction factor for future chondrogenic studies.