Background and objectives: Nigella sativa is a delicate floral vegetable belonging to Ranunculaceae family. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the dominant active component in Nigella sativa seed oil which has a variety of pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. However, TQ is a quinone derivative, which may le...

Since the various membrane abnormalities of sickle erythrocytes might result from excessive accumulation of oxidant damage, we have measured the generation of superoxide, peroxide, and hydroxyl radical by normal and sickle erythrocytes using assays involving reduction of cytochrome c, aminotriazole inhibition of catalase, and methane evolution from dimethyl sulfoxide, respectively. Compared wit...

This paper will look at the industrial uses for oxygen. It will categorize oxygen using processes into: 1) the purpose of oxygen in the process and 2) the effect oxygen enrichment has on the overall process. The paper will also look at four methods of producing oxygen: cryogenics, pressure swing absorption, membrane filter technology and electrolysis. It will compare each against one another in...

In this article, we report metal-enhanced singlet oxygen generation (ME(1)O2). We demonstrate a direct relationship between the singlet oxygen yield of a common photosensitizer (Rose Bengal) and the theoretical electric field enhancement or enhanced absorption of the photosensitizer in proximity to metallic nanoparticles. Using a series of photosensitizers, sandwiched between silver island film...

The development of activatable photodynamic therapy (PDT) has demonstrated a utility for effective photosensitizer quenchers. However, little is known quantitatively about Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) quenching of photosensitizers, even though these quenchers are versatile and readily available. To characterize FRET deactivation of singlet oxygen generation, we attached various quen...

The ability to scavenge superoxide anion radicals ((*)O(2)(-)) was determined using an oxygen electrode. The method is based on the determination of (*)O(2)(-) generated by the reaction of nitrilotriacetatoiron(III) with hydrogen peroxide and a decrease in the concentration of (*)O(2)(-) by a scavenging reaction, converting into a change in the generation of oxygen molecules through an electron...

The photosensitized generation of reactive oxygen species, and particularly of singlet oxygen [O2 (a(1) Δg )], is the essence of photodynamic action exploited in photodynamic therapy. The ability to switch singlet oxygen generation on/off would be highly valuable, especially when it is linked to a cancer-related cellular parameter. Building on recent findings related to intersystem crossing eff...

The capacity for the generation of oxygen radicals by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was assessed in 29 patients with measles and in control groups. Patients with secondary bacterial infections showed a significantly decreased generation of oxygen radicals; this abnormality did not persist for more than 2 months after disease onset. Normal PMNs incubated with T lymphocytes from these measl...

Prostate specific antigen, the clinical marker for prostate cancer, is a neutral serine protease whose function is to lyse seminal proteins. Recent work by our laboratory has suggested that prostate specific antigen stimulates the generation of reactive oxygen species in prostate cancer cells. Using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate, a dye that fluoresces in the presence of hydrogen peroxide o...

Novel coronavirus causes the outbreak of COVID-19. There is still no verified treatment regimen against this novel virus; however, different drugs and compounds have been tested against it. Ample proposals have led to a good understanding of pathogenesis and drug efficacy against the novel virus disease. Excess systemic inflammation, which is described as cytokine storm, in the severe cases of ...