Search Results (17,592)

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum sp. isolate XCC1, is a major postharvest disease causing significant quality deterioration and economic losses in ‘Cat Chu’ mango during storage. This study evaluated the effectiveness of sodium alginate–carboxymethyl cellulose (SA-CMC) coating with natamycin for controlling anthracnose and maintaining postharvest fruit quality. Mango fruits were treated with the SA-CMC-Natamycin coating and stored under controlled conditions (25 ± 2 °C; RH = 60 ± 5%) to assess disease development, plant defense enzyme activities, and fruit quality attributes. Natamycin inhibited spore germination of Colletotrichum sp. isolate XCC1 with a Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 6.25 µg mL⁻¹. The SA-CMC-Natamycin coating significantly reduced anthracnose development, resulting in a three-fold decrease in disease incidence and a 3.86-fold reduction in disease severity compared with the control on day 9 of storage. However, the persistence of the treatment was limited since no significant disease incidence reduction was observed after 15 days. The treatment also enhanced chitinase (CHI) and β-1,3-glucanase (GLU) activities and increased phenolic compound accumulation. In addition, the coating delayed fruit ripening by maintaining firmness, titratable acidity (TA), vitamin C, and chlorophyll while suppressing increases in color change and total soluble solids (TSS). These results demonstrate that SA-CMC-Natamycin coating is a promising eco-friendly strategy for controlling anthracnose and preserving postharvest quality of ‘Cat Chu’ mango. Full article

Background: Treatment options for recurrent ovarian cancer (OC) are limited, leading to poor prognosis. Targeting tumor-promoting signaling transduction pathways (STPs), such as Hedgehog (HH) and Phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) STPs, might be an option for treatment. This study evaluates the efficacy of itraconazole as a targeted treatment in HH and/or PI3K active recurrent OC. Methods: We assessed HH and PI3K STP activity in recurrent OC patients. If activity was aberrantly high in either STP, patients received itraconazole treatment, which has been shown to inhibit both HH and PI3K pathways. The primary objective is to compare progression-free survival (PFS) on itraconazole therapy (PFS2) to the PFS on therapy prior to enrolment (PFS1). A PFS2/PFS1 ≥ 1.0 was considered successful. Secondary objectives included side effects, best overall response, one-year survival, and CA125 levels, though this was not a secondary endpoint. Results: Of sixteen patients with successful STP analysis, 93% were eligible for itraconazole therapy. Nine patients started treatment, with a mean duration of 55 days. None achieved a PFS2/PFS1 ratio ≥ 1.0 (mean 0.26, range 0.1–0.7). One patient had radiologically stable disease, while the others experienced disease progression. Side effects were mostly limited to grade 1–2, including fatigue, nausea, dysgeusia, dyspnea, cough, vertigo, and edema. No grade ≥ 3 adverse effects were linked to treatment. One-year survival was 22%. CA125 levels did not correlate with the treatment outcome, but increased rapidly after ceasing treatment. Conclusions: Itraconazole monotherapy for recurrent HH and/or PI3K aberrantly active OC is an ineffective treatment. While CA125 did not correlate with treatment outcome, the rapid increase in CA125 after therapy cessation suggests tumor inhibitory effects. Full article

Background: Posture–inhibitory control dual-tasking is critical for safe daily functioning. Although functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a non-invasive neuroimaging tool, is increasingly used to examine neural mechanisms of dual-tasking, its reliability across posture transitions remains unclear. This study examined the reliability of behavioral and neural measures during sit-to-stand transitions and explored the neural mechanisms underlying posture–inhibitory control dual-tasking. Methods: Eighteen healthy adults (M age 42.8, SE = 3.3) completed tasks with varying posture challenges (sitting, standing, and tandem stance) and inhibitory demands (no task, congruent, and incongruent). Cortical activation was measured using fNIRS and reassessed after a 1 min sit-to-stand task. Results: Under lower task demands, activation in prefrontal and pre/postcentral regions increased with greater postural and inhibitory load, whereas this pattern reversed under higher demands. Behavioral performance demonstrated poor-to-excellent reliability (ICC range: 0.24 to 0.95; |r| = 0.33–0.97), whereas fNIRS measures showed poor-to-good reliability following sit-to-stand transitions (ICC range: <0 to 0.72; |r| = 0.02–0.79). Exploratory analyses suggested a shift from under- to over-additive cortical activation after posture transitions. Conclusions: Findings support the Capacity Sharing Theory, suggesting that postural and cognitive tasks compete for shared resources. Additionally, our findings reveal variable reliability of behavioral and neural measures across posture transitions. Future studies should account for postural changes when interpreting behavioral and neural findings. Full article

Background: The global healthcare system faces a significant challenge due to the escalating prevalence of type 2 diabetes, affecting over 10% of the world’s population. Suppression of postprandial hyperglycemia through inhibition of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes is an effective therapeutic strategy. Although curcumin effectively inhibits α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities, its lower solubility and bioavailability restrict its clinical application. In this study, five mono-carbonyl curcumin analogues (CA1–CA5) were synthesized and evaluated for their antidiabetic potential following selective experimental methods both in vitro, and in vivo. Enhanced delivery for the most potent analogue was achieved through PEGylated graphene oxide (PEG-GO) to overcome the shortcomings of curcumin compounds. Methods: In silico ADME profiling was conducted using SwissADME, and molecular docking studies were performed with AutoDock Vina (v1.5.7) to assess enzyme binding interaction. The synthesized compounds were further evaluated using in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays, followed by in vivo blood profile analysis. The most active analogue CA3 (chloro derivative) was loaded onto PEG-GO and characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Results: Among all of the compounds, CA3 exhibits the strongest binding affinity and highest enzyme inhibitory activity, followed by CA2 and CA4. PEG-GO-CA3 demonstrated significantly enhanced biological activity compared to its free form. In vivo studies showed marked improvements in body weight and lipid profile, along with significant reductions in blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels over a 28-day treatment period as compared to a diabetic control. Spectroscopic and morphological analyses confirmed successful loading of CA3 onto PEG-GO (27.7–31.5%) with a release profile of 38–57% after 12 and 36 h in a controlled environment at pH 7. Conclusions: These findings suggest that PEG-GO-loaded mono-carbonyl curcumin analogues represent promising therapeutic candidates for the management of T2DM. Full article

Background and Objectives: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis in children, and approximately 10–20% of patients develop resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), which is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery complications. Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in innate immune regulation, but the temporal dynamics of NK-cell regulatory receptors during KD and their relationship with IVIG response remain unclear. Materials and Methods: In this prospective observational study, we performed longitudinal immunophenotyping in children with KD treated at a tertiary referral center. Peripheral blood samples were obtained before IVIG administration (D0) and at three follow-up timepoints after treatment (D2, D14, and D56). NK-cell subsets and receptor expression—including the activating receptor NKG2D and inhibitory receptor NKG2A—were analyzed using multiparameter flow cytometry. Associations with IVIG response were evaluated using Firth penalized logistic regression for baseline predictors and linear mixed-effects models to assess longitudinal immune trajectories. Results: A total of 69 patients with KD were included, of whom 17 (24.6%) were classified as IVIG resistant. Baseline NK-cell subsets and receptor expression did not differ significantly between IVIG-sensitive and IVIG-resistant patients, although the NKG2D/NKG2A ratio tended to be lower in resistant patients (median 2.51 vs. 3.34, p = 0.054). Longitudinal mixed-effects analysis demonstrated significant temporal changes in NK-cell regulatory signaling following IVIG therapy. Both NKG2A (P(time) = 0.019) and NKG2D (P(time) < 0.001) expression showed significant time effects across the disease course. Importantly, the NKG2D/NKG2A ratio demonstrated a significant time-by-group interaction (P(interaction) = 0.030), indicating divergent trajectories of activating and inhibitory NK-cell signaling according to IVIG response. At the convalescent phase (D56), IVIG-resistant patients showed significantly higher NKG2A expression (p = 0.038) and a lower NKG2D/NKG2A ratio (p = 0.023) than IVIG-sensitive patients. Conclusions: While baseline NK-cell immunophenotypes were not associated with IVIG response, longitudinal analysis revealed that IVIG-resistant patients exhibited a distinct immune trajectory, characterized by increased NKG2A expression and a lower NKG2D/NKG2A ratio during the convalescent phase. These findings suggest that differences in IVIG responsiveness may be related to alterations in immune regulatory processes during the resolution phase of inflammation. However, the clinical implications of these findings remain to be established and require validation in larger, multicenter studies with longitudinal outcome data. Full article

In this study, we investigated the antifungal potential of methanolic extracts and essential oils obtained from five medicinal plants (Salvadora persica, Mentha spicata, Achillea millefolium, Matricaria chamomilla, and Zingiber officinale) against 25 clinical isolates of Candida albicans collected from patients with denture stomatitis. Antifungal susceptibility was assessed using broth microdilution as the primary method, with agar diffusion assays performed to provide complementary visual confirmation. Nystatin was included as a reference control. Across the tested samples, essential oils consistently showed stronger antifungal effects than the corresponding methanolic extracts. Notably, Z. officinale essential oil exhibited the highest level of activity, inhibiting 15 out of 25 isolates and, in several cases, demonstrating efficacy comparable to or exceeding that of nystatin. Chemical profiling by GC–MS indicated that the ginger essential oil was dominated by sesquiterpene and monoterpene hydrocarbons, with zingiberene (21.49%) being the major constituent, followed by β-sesquiphellandrene, α-curcumene, sabinene, and α-citral. This terpene-rich composition may contribute to the observed antifungal activity, potentially through the disruption of fungal cell membrane integrity. Taken together, these results suggest that Z. officinale essential oil represents a promising natural antifungal candidate for the management of denture-associated C. albicans infections. Further studies, including biofilm-based assays and in vivo evaluations, will be necessary to confirm its clinical applicability. To the best of our knowledge, this study is among the first to comparatively assess these five medicinal plants against clinical C. albicans isolates derived specifically from denture stomatitis patients. Full article

Honeysuckle berries (Lonicera caerulea) represent a valuable source of bioactive compounds, primarily flavonoids, and iridoids. This study compared the chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic properties of resin-purified extracts from ripe, unripe, and unripe lactofermented honeysuckle berries. Polyphenols and iridoids were identified using UPLC-ESI-qTOF-MS/MS and quantified using HPLC-PDA. A total of 6 anthocyanins, 7 phenolic acids, 9 flavan-3-ols, 8 iridoids, 8 flavonols, 3 flavones, and 1 flavanonol were identified in the extracts. The extract from ripe fruits was characterized by a high cyanidin glycoside content (273.59 mg/g) and high iridoid content (138.30 mg/g). The amount of individual iridoids varied among the extracts, with the highest level of loganic acid detected in the unripe fruit extract (39.42 mg/g) and the highest level of sweroside in the ripe fruit extract (55.59 mg/g). Phenolic acid content was approximately twofold higher in extracts from unripe and fermented fruits compared with ripe fruit extracts, suggesting a decrease during ripening, while fermentation did not significantly affect phenolic acid content. Among flavonols, quercetin and isorhamnetin derivatives were identified, with quercetin 3-O-rutinoside being the predominant compound in all extracts. The ripe fruit extract exhibited the strongest radical scavenging activity (in ABTS and DPPH assays), ferric ion-reducing power (FRAP), and α-amylase inhibition, while all extracts exhibited comparable α-glucosidase inhibition. These findings indicate that L. caerulea extracts, especially from ripe fruits, are a rich source of biologically active compounds with potential relevance for managing oxidative stress and hyperglycemia. Full article

Background/Objectives: The androgen receptor (AR)-driven transcriptional program plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of prostate cancer. The binding of androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to AR initiates transcriptional activation, thereby altering the transcriptional landscape. DHT-induced long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been recognized as crucial players in prostate cancer pathogenesis. This study aims to identify and explore the important role of such lncRNAs in prostate cancer. Methods: This study first analyzed transcriptome data from an androgen-dependent cell line, LNCaP, treated with different DHT concentrations and found a batch of lncRNAs exhibiting DHT concentration dependence. TCGA data suggested a correlation between the DHT-induced lncRNA and prostate cancer. Finally, a series of in vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed the effect and mechanism of lncRNA in prostate cancer. Results: AC092718.4 was highly expressed in AR-positive prostate cancer cell lines and tissues, and its expression in patients with Gleason scores 6–9 was significantly higher than in a normal control group. Notably, the expression level of AC092718.4 was upregulated in a concentration-dependent manner with DHT. In vitro experiments revealed that overexpression of AC092718.4 promoted cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis. Conversely, knockdown of AC092718.4 suppressed tumorigenesis in vivo. Furthermore, our investigation into the pathogenetic mechanism demonstrated that AC092718.4 could act as an miRNA sponge for miR-138-5p, attenuating its inhibitory effect on downstream oncogenes, such as FERMT2, RHOC, and HIF1A. These AC092718.4/miR-138-5p/mRNA axes, in turn, facilitated the progression of prostate cancer. Conclusions: For the first time, we demonstrate that AC092718.4 may function as an oncogenic factor in prostate cancer. The AC0927.8.4/miR-138-5p/mRNA axes potentially offer promising diagnostic and therapeutic targets for prostate cancer. Full article

Miang, a traditional fermented tea produced from Camellia sinensis var. assamica, is of notable cultural and socio-economic relevance in Northern Thailand. Traditionally, the non-filamentous fungi-based process (NFP) in western Lanna uses only young tea leaves, resulting in substantial amounts of mature leaves being discarded as agricultural waste. This study aimed to utilize the mature tea leaves by adapting the filamentous fungi growth-based process (FFP) of eastern Lanna using selected tannin-tolerant microorganisms, including Aspergillus niger MLF3, Cyberlindera rhodanensis P3, and Lactiplantibacillus pentosus A14-6. Study on fermentation dynamics and bioactive compound formation based on a 2-step fermentation process: 3-day solid-state fermentation with A. niger MLF3, followed by 7-day submerged fermentation by co-culture of C. rhodaninsis P3, and L. pentosus A14-6 in 500 mL sterile distilled water at 30 °C. Increased activities of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes and organic acids were clearly observed during solid-state fermentation, while the significant changes in polyphenol, antioxidant, and reducing sugar content in cell-free supernatant (CFS) were found after submerged fermentation. The obtained CFS shows inhibitory effects of 90 ± 2.5% and 95 ± 1.8% on α-glucosidase and α-amylase, respectively. Analysis of CFS by E-tongue and E-nose clearly indicated the influence of microbial mixture on the taste and aroma of the fermented products. These results demonstrate not only a high-yielding strategy for the effective biotransformation of mature tea leaves into functional drink products but also significant implications for reducing agricultural waste. Full article

Background: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a critical modulator of the tumor immune microenvironment (TME). Its clinical significance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains controversial because of HPV-dependent tumor biology and the limitations of single-timepoint biomarker assessments. This preliminary study evaluates whether dynamic changes in circulating MIF (ΔMIF) in an HPV-stratified longitudinal cohort reflect disease severity and treatment response. Methods: Ninety-six serial serum samples were analyzed from 27 HNSCC patients (22 HPV-positive, 5 HPV-negative) from diagnosis through therapy and follow-up. Serum MIF and anti-HPV16 E7 IgG were quantified by ELISA, and ΔMIF was defined as the change in MIF concentration between consecutive visits. Results: Baseline MIF did not correlate with clinical stage in the total cohort (p = 0.63). However, 56% of HPV-positive patients exhibited a positive correlation between elevated MIF and advanced stage. Following chemoradiotherapy, the HPV-negative group showed a consistent and significant decline in MIF (mean ΔMIF = −1.23, p = 0.031), corresponding with no evidence of disease (NED). In contrast, the HPV-positive group showed heterogeneous trajectories (mean ΔMIF = +0.21, p = 0.94), with several patients demonstrating paradoxical declines in MIF during active disease or relapse, followed by recovery upon reaching NED. In select cases, MIF dynamics were closely synchronized with anti-E7 IgG levels. Conclusions: Serum MIF dynamics are strongly dependent on HPV status. While MIF serves as a reliable therapy-monitoring marker in HPV-negative HNSCC, it may play a complex and paradoxical immunomodulatory role in HPV-positive disease. These preliminary findings support the need for larger prospective, HPV-stratified trials. Full article

We evaluated the antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities of a bacteriocin purified from a recently identified marine Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) NAN6399 strain, a lactic acid bacterium recovered from Mediterranean coastal waters near Alexandria, Egypt, and identified by combined API 50 CHL phenotypic profiling and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacteriocin purification was achieved by sequential ammonium sulfate precipitation and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The purified bioactive fraction had an approximate molecular weight of 20 kDa by SDS-PAGE and a 106-amino-acid N-terminal sequence that, upon BLAST alignment, returned 98.1% overall identity to the Lactococcin 972 family bacteriocin AAK06118.1 from L. lactis IL1403, with divergence confined exclusively to the terminal two C-terminal residues. This sequence is structurally and functionally distinct from canonical Lcn972 (L. lactis IPLA 972): the two peptides share an identical 25-residue signal peptide but diverge entirely in their mature bioactive domains, which exhibit only 9.1% sequence identity. Canonical Lcn972 operates through Lipid II-mediated septum disruption and inhibits only Lactococcus species; the NAN6399 peptide, correctly designated as a novel member of the Lcn972-like peptide family, demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy against multiple indicator organisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecalis), producing inhibition zones of up to 30 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values as low as 1.25 μg/mL against S. aureus. Antioxidant capacity was assessed using the DPPH radical scavenging assay, with the purified preparation achieving 73.14 ± 0.34% inhibition. Collectively, these data establish L. lactis NAN6399 as the producer of a bifunctional Lcn972-family bacteriocin with both antimicrobial and antioxidant potential, provide the first experimental characterization of the antimicrobial activity of this Lcn972-family branch, and highlight marine LAB as a productive reservoir for novel bioactive peptide discovery. Full article

Sparassis crispa (cauliflower mushroom) is an edible medicinal fungus known for its diverse array of bioactive metabolites. Despite its established nutritional and pharmacological relevance, its antimicrobial, antiviral, and antiparasitic activities remain insufficiently investigated. In the present study, extracts of the fruiting bodies of S. crispa were prepared using four solvents (water, 60% ethanol, methanol–acetone–water [3:1:1], and 1% acetic acid) and evaluated for their chemical composition and broad-spectrum biological activities. UHPLC-MS/MS profiling revealed distinct metabolite profiles among the extracts, including identification of nucleosides such as adenosine and methylthioadenosine. All extracts exhibited nematicidal activity against Rhabditis sp. nematodes in a dose-dependent manner, with the 60% ethanol extract being the most potent (LD₅₀ = 4.2 mg/mL). In antiviral assays, the water extract partially inhibited Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) replication, reducing infectious titers by approximately 2 log units, whereas none of the extracts showed a significant effect against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Antibacterial testing demonstrated activity only for the 1% acetic acid extract, which inhibited several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at minimum inhibitory concentrations of 10–20 mg/mL. No antifungal activity against Candida spp. was observed. These findings identify Sparassis crispa as a promising edible source of bioactive compounds, exhibiting pronounced nematicidal and moderate antimicrobial activities, and support its potential application in the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals. They further justify targeted isolation and mechanistic studies to characterize the metabolites responsible for these effects and to clarify their relevance for food-based health promotion. Full article

Dental implants are widely used to replace missing teeth, but peri-implantitis remains a major biological complication associated with bacterial biofilm formation on implant surfaces. The increasing incidence of peri-implant infections underscores the need for alternative antimicrobial strategies that effectively decontaminate complex titanium implant surfaces. This study evaluated the inhibitory effect of low-temperature microwave argon plasma on bacteria in an experimental model simulating peri-implant conditions and compared the responses of microorganisms with different biological characteristics. A 3D-printed mandibular bone segment model with an inserted Straumann BLX Roxolid^® dental implant was used to reproduce the peri-implant environment. Bacterial suspensions of Streptococcus mutans NBIMCC 1786 and the extremophilic bacterium Chromohalobacter canadensis NBIMCC 9077 have been exposed to a microwave non-equilibrium argon plasma jet (2.45 GHz, atmospheric pressure) for 1–7 min. Optical density measurements and colony growth analysis were used to assess antimicrobial effects. Plasma treatment induced a pronounced reduction in bacterial growth during the early post-treatment period. In C. canadensis, growth inhibition reached a plateau (~47–55% at 24 h) regardless of exposure time. In contrast, S. mutans showed a nonlinear response, with stable inhibition after short exposures (1–3 min) and partial recovery after longer treatments (5–7 min). These findings indicate that microwave argon plasma exhibits significant antimicrobial activity under controlled in vitro conditions, although its effectiveness depends on microorganism-specific biological characteristics. Because the present model was based on simplified single-species systems, direct clinical extrapolation remains limited and should be addressed in future studies using polymicrobial peri-implant biofilm models. Full article

Neuronal ferroptosis is a key contributor to secondary brain injury following cerebral ischemia, yet the metabolic mechanisms governing this process remain poorly understood. Enriched environment (EE) is a housing paradigm that provides enhanced sensory, cognitive, and social stimulation through complex physical surroundings and increased opportunities for voluntary activity. Our preliminary data indicate that EE confers cerebroprotection against ischemia-induced ferroptosis; however, whether this effect is associated with glycogen metabolic regulation and the underlying molecular pathways has not been elucidated. This study aimed to determine whether EE may influence ferroptosis-associated pathways, potentially via Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)/protein kinase B (AKT)/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β)-related mechanisms of glycogen metabolism. Using a mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and an oxygen–glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) cellular model, we performed behavioral assessments, molecular and biochemical analyses, and pharmacological interventions to elucidate mechanistic pathways. EE was associated with improved neurological outcomes and reduced infarct volume after ischemia. Mechanistically, EE appeared to activate the SIRT1/AKT pathway and increase the inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK3β and relieving its suppressive effect on glycogen synthase, which may underlie the observed increase in glycogen levels within ischemic brain tissue. Pharmacological inhibition of SIRT1 largely diminished these metabolic and neuroprotective benefits. Consistently, at the cellular level, SIRT1 overexpression contributed to the restoration of glycogen metabolism and robustly attenuated ferroptosis under ischemic conditions. Collectively, these findings suggest that EE may attenuate ferroptosis-related pathways possibly involving SIRT1/AKT/GSK3β-dependent glycogen metabolic remodeling, providing a novel metabolic perspective on EE-induced cerebroprotection and highlighting SIRT1-centered regulation of glycogen metabolism as a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke. Full article

This study investigated the antimicrobial potential of Coptis chinensis rhizome extract against key oral pathogens and evaluated the safety and clinical efficacy of a CCE-loaded mouthwash. CCE exhibited broad-spectrum bactericidal activity, with low minimum inhibitory concentrations (0.002–0.008%) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (0.004–0.016%) against Streptococcus mutans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Time-kill kinetics revealed that CCE promptly eradicated Porphyromonas gingivalis. To balance antimicrobial potency and sensory acceptability, specifically the extract’s bitterness, we established the CCE concentrations in the mouthwash at 0.01% and 0.02% (w/v). Preclinical safety evaluations in animal models, including oral mucosal irritation and skin sensitization tests, confirmed the biocompatibility of 0.02% CCE, yielding “None” and “Non-sensitizer” ratings, respectively. Furthermore, a four-week, randomized, double-blind clinical trial (n = 73) revealed that 0.02% CCE mouthwash substantially reduced halitosis-inducing volatile sulfur compounds (hydrogen sulfide by 59.5% and methyl mercaptan by 50.0%). Significant improvements were also observed in the Plaque Index (55.2% reduction), Gingival Index (52.0% reduction), and Bleeding on Probing (77.3% reduction), with no adverse effects. These findings provide preliminary evidence that CCE mouthwash improves halitosis-related parameters and gingival indices in adults with self-reported halitosis, though further research is required to evaluate its long-term impact on broader periodontal disease states. Full article