BACKGROUND: Amomum villosum Lour. is a widely esteemed species of medicinal plant on a global scale. Its medicinal properties have been documented as early as the Tang Dynasty, particularly the fruit, which holds significant medicinal and culinary value. This plant is extensively found in tropical and subtropical regions across Asia. It possesses the properties of warming the middle and dispelling cold, regulating Qi to invigorate the spleen, harmonizing the stomach to alleviate vomiting, and nourishing deficiencies. In recent years, A. villosum has garnered global attention for its remarkable biological activity. Currently, numerous bioactive compounds have been successfully isolated and identified, showcasing a diverse array of pharmacological activities and medicinal benefits.
OBJECTIVE: This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the research advancements in the geographical distribution, botany, traditional applications, phytochemistry, pharmacological activity, quality control, clinical applications, and toxicology of A. villosum. Furthermore, a critical summary of the current research and future prospects of this plant is presented.
METHODS: Obtain information about A. villosum from ancient literature, doctoral and master\'s theses, and scholarly databases including Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), ScienceDirect, plant directories, and clinical reports.
RESULTS: At present, about 500 compounds have been isolated and identified from various organs of A. villosum, including monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, flavonoids, phenols, polysaccharides, and other components. Modern pharmacological studies have revealed that A. villosum exhibits exceptional biological activities in vitro and in vivo, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, liver protection, anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anti-microbial, regulating gastrointestinal activity, immune regulation, regulating flora, anti-obesity, estrogen, and more. Some of these activities have found extensive application in clinical practice.
CONCLUSIONS: A. villosum, as a well-established medicinal herb, holds significant therapeutic potential and is also valued for its culinary applications. Currently, the research on the active components or crude extracts of A. villosum and their potential mechanisms of action remains limited. Furthermore, certain pharmacological activities require further elucidation for a comprehensive understanding of its internal mechanisms. Moreover, it is strongly recommended to prioritize research on pharmacokinetics and toxicity studies. These efforts will facilitate a thorough exploration of the potential of A. villosum and establish a robust foundation for its potential clinical applications.

Calcium hydroxide represents the most commonly used intracanal dressing between sessions; however, it may not be effective against all types of microorganisms. Several compounds of plant origin have attracted increasing attention from researchers in recent years. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytocompatibility and antimicrobial activity of calcium hydroxide associated with the essential oil of Cyperus articulatus and the new bioceramic intracanal medicament Bio-C Temp®. Five experimental groups were designed: group Ca-C. articulatus essential oil; group CHPG-calcium hydroxide associated with propylene glycol; group CHCa-essential oil of C. articulatus associated with calcium hydroxide; and group U-UltraCal® XS; group BCT-Bio-C Temp®. The control group was a culture medium. Cytocompatibility was assessed by the methyltetrazolium (MTT) assay after exposure of the Saos-2 human osteoblast-like cell line to dilutions of commercial products/associations for 24 h and 72 h. The antimicrobial activity against mature Enterococcus faecalis biofilm was evaluated by the crystal violet assay. All commercial products/associations showed a cell viability similar to or even higher than the control group (p > 0.05) for both periods evaluated. C. articulatus essential oil associated or not with calcium hydroxide showed better antibiofilm capacity. C. articulatus associated or not with calcium hydroxide showed superior cytocompatibility and antimicrobial capacity, representing a promissory intracanal medicament.

The ecological impact of emerging contaminants (ECs) in aquatic environments has raised concerns, particularly with regards to urine as a significant source of such contaminants in wastewater. The current investigation used the UV/Peracetic Acid (UV/PAA) processes, an innovative advanced oxidation technology, to effectively separate two emerging pollutants from urine at its source, namely, ciprofloxacin (CIP) and bisphenol A(BPA). The research findings demonstrate that the presence of the majority of characteristic ions has minimal impact on the degradation of ECs. However, in synthetic hydrolyzed urine, only NH4+ inhibits the degradation of two types of ECs, with a more pronounced effect observed on CIP degradation compared to BPA.The impact of halogen ions, specifically Cl- and I-, on the degradation of CIP in synthetic hydrolyzed urine was a complex phenomenon. When these two halogen ions are present individually, the generation of reactive halogen species (RHS) within the system enhances the degradation of CIP. However, when both types of ions coexist, the formation of diatomic radical species partially inhibits degradation. In terms of BPA degradation, while the production of reactive chlorine species (RCS) to some extent hinders the reaction rate, the generation of reactive iodine species (RIS) promotes the overall process. CIP undergoes fragmentation of the piperazine and quinoline rings, decarboxylation, defluorination reactions, as well as substitution reactions, leading to the formation of products with simplified structures. The degradation of BPA occurs gradually through hydroxyl and halogen substitution as well as isopropyl cleavage. The preliminary toxicity analysis confirmed that the presence of halogen ions in urine resulted in the formation of halogenated products in two types of ECs, albeit with an overall reduction in toxicity. The UV/PAA processes was considered to be an effective and relatively safe approach for the separation of ECs in urine.

Efficient treatment of textile dyeing wastewater can be achieved through electrocoagulation (EC) with minimal sludge production; however, the selection of the appropriate electrode is essential in lowering overall costs. Also, the reuse of the treated aqueous azo dye solution from this process has not been explored in detail. With these objectives, this study aims to treat synthetic azo dye solutions and achieve high colour removal efficiency (CRE%) using similar (Ti-Ti) and dissimilar (Ti-Cu) metal electrodes through EC with an attempt to reduce the cost. The aqueous Coralene Rubine GFL azo dye was used to examine the efficiency and cost of the EC process. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy was used to study the EC mechanism, while High Performance Liquid Chromatography was used to analyse the degradation of the dye and the formation of intermediate compounds. The concentration of metal ions in the treated dye solution was quantified using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), with Ti-Ti treated solution having 14.20 mg/L concentration of Ti and Ti-Cu treated solution having 0.078 mg/L of Ti and 0.001 mg/L of Cu, respectively. Colour removal efficiency of 99.49% was obtained for both electrode sets, with a lower operating time and voltage for dissimilar metal combination. Ecotoxicity studies showed negligible toxicity of Ti-Cu treated dye samples compared to untreated solutions. Survival rate, protein estimation, and catalase activity was used to validate the treatment method\'s efficacy. The study found that the dissimilar electrode material exhibited reduced toxicity due to the presence of heavy metals below the permissible limit.

Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) are a new class of emerging pollutants with high octanol-water partition coefficients; however, their transformation behavior and associated risk to environments with high organic matter content has rarely been reported. In this study, we investigated the photodegradation kinetics, mechanism, and toxicity variation of 23 LCMs on leaf wax models (e.g., organic solvents methanol and n-hexane). The order of the photolysis rates of these LCMs were biphenylethyne LCMs > phenylbenzoate LCMs > diphenyl/terphenyl LCMs under simulated sunlight, while the phenylcyclohexane LCMs were resistant to photodegradation. The phenylbenzoate and biphenylethyne LCMs mainly undergo direct photolysis, while the diphenyl/terphenyl LCMs mainly undergo self-sensitized photolysis. The main photolysis pathways are the cleavage of ester bonds for phenylbenzoate LCMs, the addition, oxidation and cleavage of alkynyl groups for biphenylethyne LCMs, and the cleavage/oxidation of chains attached to phenyls and the benzene ring opening for diphenyl/terphenyls LCMs. Most photolysis products remained toxic to aquatic organisms to some degree. Additionally, two quantitative structure-activity relationship models for predicting kobs of LCMs in methanol and n-hexane were developed, and employed to predict kobs of 93 LCMs to fill the kobs data gap in systems mimicking leaf surfaces. These results can be helpful for evaluating the fate and risk of LCMs in environments with high content of organic phase.

Heavy metal pollution is a significant environmental concern with detrimental effects on ecosystems and human health, and traditional remediation methods may be costly, energy-intensive, or have limited effectiveness. The current study aims were to investigate the impact of heavy metal toxicity in Eisenia fetida, the growth, reproductive outcomes, and their role in soil remediation. Various concentrations (ranging from 0 to 640 mg per kg of soil) of each heavy metal were incorporated into artificially prepared soil, and vermi-remediation was conducted over a period of 60 days. The study examined the effects of heavy metals on the growth and reproductive capabilities of E. fetida, as well as their impact on the organism through techniques such as FTIR, histology, and comet assay. Atomic absorption spectrometry demonstrated a significant (P < 0.000) reduction in heavy metal concentrations in the soil as a result of E. fetida activity. The order of heavy metal accumulation by E. fetida was found to be Cr > Cd > Pb. Histological analysis revealed a consistent decline in the organism\'s body condition with increasing concentrations of heavy metals. However, comet assay results indicated that the tested levels of heavy metals did not induce DNA damage in E. fetida. FTIR analysis revealed various functional group peaks, including N-H and O-H groups, CH2 asymmetric stretching, amide I and amide II, C-H bend, carboxylate group, C-H stretch, C-O stretching of sulfoxides, carbohydrates/polysaccharides, disulfide groups, and nitro compounds, with minor shifts indicating the binding or accumulation of heavy metals within E. fetida. Despite heavy metal exposure, no significant detrimental effects were observed, highlighting the potential of E. fetida for sustainable soil remediation. Vermi-remediation with E. fetida represents a novel, sustainable, and cutting-edge technology in environmental cleanup. This study found that E. fetida can serve as a natural and sustainable method for remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils, promising a healthier future for soil.

In this study, we investigated the degradation of the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) using platinized tungsten oxide (Pt/WO3), synthesized via a simple photodeposition method, under visible light. The results of degradation experiments show a significant enhancement in TBBPA degradation upon surface platinization of WO3, with the degradation rate increasing by 13.4 times compared to bare WO3. The presence of Pt on the WO3 surface stores conduction band electrons, which facilitates the two-electron reduction of oxygen and enhances the production of valence band holes (hVB+) and hydroxyl radicals (●OH). Both hVB+ and ●OH are significantly involved in the degradation of TBBPA in the visible light-irradiated Pt/WO3 system. This was verified through fluorescence spectroscopy employing coumarin as a chemical probe and oxidizing species-quenching experiments. The analysis of degradation products and their toxicity assessment demonstrate that the toxicity of TBBPA-contaminated water is significantly reduced after Pt/WO3 photocatalysis. The degradation rate of TBBPA increased with increasing Pt/WO3 dosage, reached an optimum at a Pt content of 0.5 wt%, but decreased with increasing TBBPA concentration. The decrease in degradation efficiency of Pt/WO3 was minor, both in the presence of various anions and after repeated use. This study proposes that Pt/WO3 is a viable photocatalyst for the degradation of TBBPA in water under visible light.

Due to the frequent detection and potential toxicity of moxifloxacin (MOX), its removal technology had attracted attention in recent years. In this research, CuFeS2/MXene was prepared and used to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to remove MOX. The degradation efficiencies, kinetics, influences, and reaction mechanism of MOX by CuFeS2/MXene/PMS were investigated. The synergistic effect of CuFeS2 and MXene significantly enhanced PMS activation, producing SO4•-, HO•, and 1O2 as the main active species. By adding 0.12 g/L CuFeS2/MXene and 0.12 mM PMS, MOX removal efficiency reached 99.1% within 40 min, with a rate constant of 0.1073 min-1. The composite ratios of CuFeS2/MXene impacted PMS activation more significantly than catalyst dosages and PMS concentrations. Acidic conditions were favorable for the degradation of MOX, while HCO3-, HPO42-, Mn2+, and HA had the inhibitory effects. Twelve major products were detected by HPLC-MS, and DFT was used to illustrate possible degradation pathways of MOX, including the removal of nitrogen-containing heterocycle and transformations of quinolone moieties. Toxicity analysis showed that the developmental toxicity, mutagenicity, and acute toxicity of degradation products tended to decrease. CuFeS2/MXene could exhibit excellent reusability, maintaining an average MOX degradation efficiency of 90.8% in the 7-cycle experiments.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a promising antibiotic alternative to overcome drug-resistant bacteria by inserting into the membrane of bacteria, resulting in cell lysis. However, therapeutic applications of AMPs have been hindered by their ability to lyse eukaryotic cells. GF-17 is a truncated peptide of LL-37, which has perfect amphipathicity and a higher hydrophobicity, resulting in higher haemolytic activity. However, there is no significant difference in the cytotoxicity against human lung epithelial cells between the GF-17 and LL-37 groups, indicating that there are significant differences in the sensitivity of different human cells to GF-17. In this study, LL-37 and GF-17 were administered to mouse lungs via intranasal inoculation. Blood routine examination results showed that LL-37 did not affect the red blood cells, platelet, white blood cells and neutrophil counts, but GF-17 decreased the white blood cells and neutrophil counts with the increasing concentration of peptides. GF-17-treated mice suffer a body weight loss of about 2.3 g on average in 24 h, indicating that GF-17 is highly toxic to mice. The total cell counts in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from GF-17-treated mice were 4.66-fold that in the untreated group, suggesting that GF-17 treatment leads to inflammation in the lungs of mice. Similarly, the histological results showed the infiltration of neutrophils in the lungs of GF-17-treated mice. The results suggest that the administration of GF-17 in the lungs of mice does not affect the red blood cells and platelet counts in the blood but promotes neutrophil infiltration in the lungs, leading to an inflammatory response. Therefore, we established a mouse acute lung injury model to preliminarily evaluate the in vivo toxicity of AMPs. For AMPs with a clinical application value, systematic research is still needed to evaluate their acute and long-term toxicity.

Photocatalysis is a prominent alternative wastewater treatment technique that has the potential to completely degrade pesticides as well as other persistent organic pollutants, leading to detoxification of wastewater and thus paving the way for its efficient reuse. In addition to the more conventional photocatalysts (e.g., TiO2, ZnO, etc.) that utilize only UV light for activation, the interest of the scientific community has recently focused on the development and application of visible light-activated photocatalysts like g-C3N4. However, some disadvantages of g-C3N4, such as the high recombination rate of photogenerated charges, limit its utility. In this light, the present study focuses on the synthesis of WO3 fibers/g-C3N4 Z-scheme heterojunctions to improve the efficiency of g-C3N4 towards the photocatalytic removal of the widely used insecticide clothianidin. The effect of two different g-C3N4 precursors (urea and thiourea) and of WO3 fiber content on the properties of the synthesized composite materials was also investigated. All aforementioned materials were characterized by a number of techniques (XRD, SEM-EDS, ATR-FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, DRS, etc.). According to the results, mixing 6.5% W/W WO3 fibers with either urea or thiourea derived g-C3N4 significantly increased the photocatalytic activity of the resulting composites compared to the precursor materials. In order to further elucidate the effect of the most efficient composite photocatalyst in the degradation of clothianidin, the generated transformation products were tentatively identified through UHPLC tandem high-resolution mass spectroscopy. Finally, the detoxification effect of the most efficient process was also assessed by combining the results of an in-vitro methodology and the predictions of two in-silico tools.