Chemical components of Hyssopus seravshanicus: antioxidant activity,activations of melanogenesis and tyrosinase,and quantitative determination by UPLC-DAD

Hyssopus seravshanicus (Dubj.) Pazij has been used as traditional herb and food due to its wide biological properties. Seventeen known compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic data and comparison with published data. Among them, 14 ones were identified from H. seravshanicus for the first time. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities for crude ethanol extract (CEE), ethyl acetate fraction (EAF), butanol fraction (BF) and compounds 1, 3, 8, 10, 11 and 13 were performed. CEE, compounds 1, 3, 11 and 13 exhibited potent antioxidant activities. Compound 1 was found to increase the melanin content and tyrosinase activity of B16 melanoma cells. Moreover, the quantitative estimation of compound 1 in the ethyl acetate fraction was carried out by UPLC-DAD and the method was validated. This is the first report on the isolation and bioactivity research on the non-valotile components of H. seravshanicus.     

Studies of the uptake and binding of trace metals in fungi. Part I: Accumulation and characterization of mercury and silver in the cultivated mushroom,Agaricus bisporus

The champignon mushroom Agaricus bisporus was cultivated on compost labelled with the radioactive traers ^110mAg and ²⁰³Hg and the uptake of these two metals studied. The radiotracer then served as an aid in elucidation and characterization of the fungal metal–protein species using gel chromatography. In the case of the silver–protein complex, but not of mercury, the majority of the metal was contained in the fractions of intermediate (ca 8000–10000 Da) molecular weight possibly corresponding to metallothioneins (MT) or MT-like species.     

PEO‐b‐PCL Block Copolymers: Synthesis,Detailed Characterization,and Selected Micellar Drug Encapsulation Behavior

Summary: A series of poly(ethylene glycol)‐block‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) diblock copolymers was synthesized and fully characterized. In particular, MALDI‐TOF MS results revealed interesting new insights into their molecular architecture. Small and defined micelles could be prepared from these block copolymers. Utilizing a high‐throughput screening approach, it was observed that these micelles are able to encapsulate/solubilize different guest molecules (e.g. drugs) depending on the solubility of the guest in water. Furthermore, it could be proven that a guest is located within a micelle and that these micelles can be utilized as transport vehicles for the encapsulated guest molecules.

PEO‐b‐PCL diblock copolymers can encapsulate small guest molecules in the core of the polymeric micelles.     

Physico-Chemical and Phytochemical Characterization of Moroccan Wild Jujube “Zizyphus lotus (L.)” Fruit Crude Extract and Fractions

Wild jujube “Ziziphus lotus (L.) Desf.” belongs to the Rhamnaceae family and is a traditionally herbaceous medicinal plant. It is very common in arid and semi-arid regions and is currently used for its antidiabetic, sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic activities. The aim of the present work was to characterize the physico-chemical properties and the phytochemical profile of wild jujube sample collected from the Guercif region, in order to determine the polyphenolic compounds and the antioxidant ability Analyses were carried out directly after the harvest for the determination of pH, refractive index, total soluble solid (°Brix), dry matter, sugar/acidity, total sugars, reducing sugars, as well as lipid and protein content. Results showed that the investigated fruit is acidic (pH 4.9 ± 0.23) and rich in sugars (80.2 g/100 g ± 3.81). The GC-MS analysis of the fruit revealed a number of volatile compounds, as many as 97, belonging to different chemical classes. The HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis showed the presence of a total of 20 polyphenolic compounds in both EtOAc and MeOH-water extracts. Among them, p-Hydroxybenzoic acid was the most abundant in the EtOAc extract (185.68 µg/100 mg ± 0.5) whereas Quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside-7-O-glucoside was found in higher amounts in the MeOH-water extract (25.40 µg/100 mg ± 0.5). These components have medical interest, notably for human nutrition, as well as health benefits and therapeutic effects. Therefore, Moroccan jujube “Zizyphus lotus (L.)” fruit may have potential industrial applications for food formulations.     

Surface modified capillary electrophoresis combined with in solution isoelectric focusing and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS: A gel-free multidimensional electrophoresis approach for proteomic profiling—Exemplified on human follicular fluid

Development of miniaturized analytical tools continues to be of great interest to face the challenges in proteomic analysis of complex biological samples such as human body fluids. In the light of these challenges, special emphasis is put on the speed and simplicity of newly designed technological approaches as well as the need for cost efficiency and low sample consumption. In this study, we present an alternative multidimensional bottom-up approach for proteomic profiling for fast, efficient and sensitive protein analysis in complex biological matrices. The presented setup was based on sample pre-fractionation using microscale in solution isoelectric focusing (IEF) followed by tryptic digestion and subsequent capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled off-line to matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS/MS). For high performance CE-separation, PolyE-323 modified capillaries were applied to minimize analyte–wall interactions. The potential of the analytical setup was demonstrated on human follicular fluid (hFF) representing a typical complex human body fluid with clinical implication. The obtained results show significant identification of 73 unique proteins (identified at 95% significance level), including mostly acute phase proteins but also protein identities that are well known to be extensively involved in follicular development.     

Upcycling Rocha do Oeste Pear Pomace as a Sustainable Food Ingredient: Composition,Rheological Behavior and Microstructure Alone and Combined with Yeast Protein Extract

This work explores the potential of Rocha do Oeste pear pomace to be used as a sustainable and healthy food ingredient. Moreover, the enrichment with yeast protein extract (YPE) may be useful to design innovative food products. The main goals of this study were to assess pear pomace concerning: (i) chemical composition and antioxidant capacity; (ii) rheology, texture, and microstructure characterization (alone or enriched with YPE), before and after heating. The results showed that pear pomace was a rich source of dietary fibers (74.5% DW), with phenolic compounds (3.9 mg chlorogenic acid equivalents/g dry weight), also presenting antiradical activity (3.90 μmol Trolox equivalents/g DW). Pear pomace showed a shear thinning behavior and a typical soft-gel behavior, which was not affected by YPE enrichment, thus suggesting that YPE did not affect pear pomace technological properties. Thermal treatment also did not alter pear pomace rheological properties. YPE addition induced a decrease in the apparent viscosity and a destabilizing effect, compared to the samples that were subjected to thermal processing. These results highlight the importance of pear pomace and the use of YPE for protein enrichment, opening new opportunities for their exploitation.     

Effect of Filtrated Osmotic Solution Based on Concentrated Chokeberry Juice and Mint Extract on the Drying Kinetics,Energy Consumption and Physicochemical Properties of Dried Apples

Background: Filtration of osmotic solution affects selective penetration during osmotic dehydration (OD), and after drying is finished, this can influence the chemical composition of the material, which is also modified by OD. Methods: Osmotic dehydration was carried out in filtrated and non-filtrated concentrated chokeberry juice with the addition of mint infusion. Then, this underwent convective drying, vacuum-microwave drying and combined convective pre-drying, followed by vacuum-microwave finishing drying. Drying kinetics were presented and mathematical models were selected. The specific energy consumption for each drying method was calculated and the energy efficiency was determined. Results and Discussion: The study revealed that filtration of osmotic solution did not have significant effect on drying kinetics; however, it affected selective penetration during OD. The highest specific energy consumption was obtained for the samples treated by convective drying (CD) (around 170 kJ·g⁻¹ fresh weight (fw)) and the lowest for the samples treated by vacuum-microwave drying (VMD) (around 30 kJ·g⁻¹ fw), which is due to the differences in the time of drying and when these methods are applied. Conclusions: Filtration of the osmotic solution can be used to obtain the desired material after drying and the VMD method is the most appropriate considering both phenolic acid content and the energy aspect of drying.     

LC-ESI-MS/MS Polyphenolic Profile and In Vitro Study of Cosmetic Potential of Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. Herb Extracts

The aim of the present study was to investigate the phenolic composition and the biological properties of different Aerva lanata (L). Juss. herb extracts obtained with the use of accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), i.e., a green, ecological method, for cosmetic purposes. All samples exhibited high DPPH^• (9.17–119.85 mg TE/g) and ABTS^•+ (9.90–107.58 mg TE/g) scavenging activity. The extracts exhibited considerable anti-lipoxygenase (EC₅₀ between 1.14 mg/mL and 3.73 mg/mL) and anti-xanthine oxidase (EC₅₀ between 1.28 mg/mL and 3.72 mg/mL) activities, moderate chelating activity (EC₅₀ between 1.58 mg/mL and 5.30 mg/mL), and high antioxidant potential in the ORAC assay (0.36–3.84 mM TE/g). Changes in the polyphenol profile of the analysed samples depending on the solvent and temperature used for the extraction were determined with the liquid chromatography/electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) method. Twenty-one phenolic compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, were detected and quantified. It was shown that tiliroside was one of the main phenolic metabolites in the A. lanata (L.) Juss. herb., which may suggest that this compound may be largely responsible for the observed anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts. In addition, the studied extracts exhibited promising skin-related (anti-tyrosinase, anti-elastase, anti-collagenase, and anti-hyaluronidase) activity. This study showed that Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. contains high amounts of phenolic compounds, including tiliroside, and has good skin-related activities. Therefore, the plant may be interesting as a novel source of bioactive agents for cosmetic industries.     

End‐group modified poly(methyl vinyl ether): Characterization and LCST demixing behavior in water

A range of hydrophilic poly(methyl vinyl ether) (PMVE) polymers was synthesized by living cationic polymerization of methyl vinyl ether (MVE), having different hydrophilic or hydrophobic chain‐end functionalities. The dissimilar end‐groups were either introduced by end‐capping of the growing polymer chain with LiBH₄, methanol, and water or by functional initiation with 2‐bromo‐(3,3‐diethoxy‐propyl)‐2‐methylpropanoate. The synthesized PMVEs were characterized by ¹H NMR, size exclusion chromatography, and matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight, displaying a narrow polydispersity. Modulated temperature DSC was applied to study the influence of the nature of the end‐groups on the solubility behavior of PMVE in water. Terminal‐modification with a hydroxyl function improves the solubility, whereas a Br‐containing end‐group causes the polymer to be insoluble in water at room temperature; however, the special type III lower critical solution temperature demixing behavior being maintained. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 461–469, 2006     

Characterization of Phenolic Compounds,Vitamin E and Fatty Acids from Monovarietal Virgin Olive Oils of “Picholine marocaine” Cultivar

Olive oil is an important product in the Mediterranean diet, due to its health benefits and sensorial characteristics. Picholine marocaine is the most cultivated variety in Morocco. The present research aims to evaluate the phenolic compounds, vitamin E and fatty acids of commercial Picholine marocaine virgin olive oils (VOOs) from five different North Moroccan provinces (Chefchaouen, Taounate, Errachidia, Beni Mellal and Taza), using HPLC-photodiode array (PDA)/electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS, normal phase (NP)-HPLC/ fluorescence detector (FLD) and GC-flame ionization detector (FID)/MS, respectively. The obtained results showed an average content of 130.0 mg kg⁻¹ of secoiridoids (oleuropein aglycone, 10-hydroxy-oleuropein aglycone and ligstroside aglycone, oleocanthal and oleacein), 108.1 mg kg⁻¹ of phenolic alcohols (tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol), 34.7 mg kg⁻¹ of phenolic acids (caffeic acid, ferulic acid and elenolic acid), and 8.24 mg kg⁻¹ of flavonoids (luteolin, luteolin glucoside, apigenin). With regard to vitamin E, α-tocopherol was the most abundant vitamin E (57.9 mg kg⁻¹), followed by α-tocotrienol (2.5 mg kg⁻¹), γ-tocopherol (4.5 mg kg⁻¹) and β-tocopherol (1.9 mg kg⁻¹), while δ-tocopherol was not detected. Moreover, 14 fatty acids were found and, among them, oleic acid (76.1%), linoleic acid (8.1%) palmitic acid (8.7%) and stearic acid (2.5%) were the major fatty acids detected. Finally, heat map and principal component analysis allowed us to classify the studied provinces in terms of VOO chemical composition: Chefchaouen (tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol), Taounate (oleuropein aglycone), Errachidia (ferulic acid, w-3 and w-6), Beni Mellal (oleocanthal) and Taza (luteolin and oleic acid).     

A UFLC–MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of eight bioactive constituents from red wine and dealcoholized red wine in rat plasma: Application to a comparative pharmacokinetic study

To explore whether alcohol has an effect on the pharmacokinetic behavior of phenolic acids, the main bioactive constituents in red wine, a highly sensitive and simple ultra‐fast liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UFLC–MS/MS) method was developed for simultaneous quantitation of eight phenolic acids in plasma samples. Plasma samples were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction and the chromatographic separation was achieved on a Zorbax SB‐C₁₈ column within 7.0 min. Results of the validated method revealed that all of the calibration curves displayed good linear regression (r > 0.99). The intra‐ and inter‐day precisions of the analytes were <14.0% and accuracies ranged from ?8.5 to 7.3%. The extraction recoveries of the analytes were from 71.2 to 110.2% and the matrix effects ranged from 86.2 to 105.5%. The stability of these compounds under various conditions satisfied the requirements of biological sample measurement. The method was successfully applied to a comparative pharmacokinetic study of phenolic acids in rat plasma. For gallic acid and gentisic acid, the parameters AUC_0–t and AUC_0–∞ increased remarkably (p < 0.05) after oral administration of red wine, which suggested that alcohol might enhance their absorption. This is the first report to compare the pharmacokinetic behavior of phenolic acids in red wine and dealcoholized red wine.     

LC–MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of flavonoids and physalins in rat plasma: Application to pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii (Chinese lantern) extract

A rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of luteolin, luteolin‐7‐O ‐β ‐D‐glucopyranoside, physalin A, physalin D and physalin L in rat plasma. Scutellarein and dexamethasone were used as the internal standards (IS). Plasma samples were prepared by liquid‐liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. The five constituents were separated on an Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm). A gradient elution procedure was used with acetonitrile (A)‐0.1% aqueous formic acid (B). Mass spectrometric detection was performed in negative ion multiple reaction monitoring mode with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source. This method showed good linearity (r ² > 0.997) over a concentration range of 2.0–500 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification of 2.0 ng/mL for all five compounds. The inter‐ and intra‐day accuracy ranged from 91.7 to 104%, and precisions (RSD) were <6.46% for all analytes. The extraction recoveries of all analytes were >85%. This validated method was successfully applied for the first time to the pharmacokinetic study of five ingredients after oral administration of 70% ethanol extract of Chinese lantern in rats.     

Development and validation of an UPLC‐Q/TOF‐MS assay for the quantitation of neopanaxadiol in beagle dog plasma: Application to a pharmacokinetic study

Neopanaxadiol (NPD), the main panaxadiol constituent of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (Araliaceae), has been regarded as the active component for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. However, few references are available about pharmacokinetic evaluation for NPD. Accordingly, a rapid and sensitive method for quantitative analysis of NPD in beagle dog plasma based on ultra‐performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry was developed and validated. Analytes were extracted from plasma by liquid–liquid extraction and chromatographic separation was achieved on an Agilent Zorbax Stable Bond C₁₈ column. Detection was performed in the positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring of the transitions both at m/z 461.4 → 425.4 for NPD and internal standard of panaxadiol. All validation parameters, such as lower limit of quantitation, linearity, specificity, precision, accuracy, extraction recovery, matrix effect and stability, were within acceptable ranges and the method was appropriate for multitude sample determination. After oral intake, NPD was slowly absorbed and eliminated from circulatory blood system and corresponding plasma exposure was low. Application of this quantitative method will yield the first pharmacokinetic profile after oral administration of NPD to beagle dog. The information obtained here will be useful to understand the pharmacological effects of NPD.     

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant,Anti-Inflammatory,and Enzyme Inhibitory Activities of an Endemic Species from Southern Algeria: Warionia saharae

Warionia saharae Benth. & Coss. (Asteraceae) is an endemic species of North Africa naturally grown in the southwest of the Algerian Sahara. In the present study, this species’ hydromethanolic leaf extract was investigated for its phenolic profile characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector and an electrospray mass spectrometer (UHPLC-DAD-ESI/MS). Additionally, the chemical composition of W. saharae was analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and its antioxidant potential was assessed through five in vitro tests: DPPH^● scavenging activity, ABTS^●+ scavenging assay, galvinoxyl scavenging activity, ferric reducing power (FRP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity. The UHPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis allowed the detection and quantification of 22 compounds, with taxifolin as the dominant compound. The GC–MS analysis allowed the identification of 37 compounds, and the antioxidant activity data indicate that W. saharae extract has a very high capacity to capture radicals due to its richness in compounds with antioxidant capacity. The extract also showed potent α-glucosidase inhibition as well as a good anti-inflammatory activity. However, weak anti-α-amylase and anticholinesterase activities were recorded. Moreover, an in silico docking study was performed to highlight possible interactions between three significant compounds identified in W. saharae extract and α-glucosidase enzyme.     

Phytochemical Characterization,Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Cleome arabica L. Fruits Extract against Formalin Induced Chronic Inflammation in Female Wistar Rat: Biochemical,Histological, and In Silico Studies

In recent decades, the use of herbs and plants has been of great interest, as they have been the sources of natural products, commonly named as bioactive compounds. In specific, the natural compounds from the Capparaceae family which has been proved to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-carcinogenic activities, by several studies. Cleome arabica L. (CA) specie is the most used medicinal plants in Tunisia and elsewhere in North African countries for treatment of various diseases including diabetes, rheumatism, inflammation, cancer, and digestive disorders. The current work was undertaken to estimate the total phenolic, flavonoid and condensed tannin contents, to identify and quantify the polyphenolic compounds, and to evaluate the antioxidant and the anti-inflammatory proprieties of CA fruits extract against formalin induced chronic inflammation in Female Wistar rats. In fact, the antioxidant activity was tested by Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging (DPPH), Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and Nitric Oxide radical (NO·). Anti-inflammatory effect of fruits extract was examined using formalin (2%) induced paw edema in rats. Molecular docking tools were used to investigate the interaction of some compounds from CA fruits extract with the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) target protein. Our results showed that, the total phenolic, flavonoid and tannins contents, which were assessed by the Folin-Ciocalteu, Quercetin, and Catechin methods, respectively, were 230.22 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight (mg GAE/g DW), 55.08 mg quercetin equivalent/g dry weight (QE/g DW) and 15.17 mg catechin equivalents/g dry weight (CatE/g DW), respectively. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of five polyphenolic compounds whose catechin was found to be the most abundant compounds. The antioxidant activity of extract was quantified by DPPH, FRAP and NO· tests and IC₅₀ reached the values of 3.346 mg/mL, 2.306 and 0.023 mg/mL, respectively. Cleome fruits ameliorated the histological integrity of the skin and alleviated the disruptions in hematological parameters (WBC, LYM, RBC, and HGB), inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α), C-reactive protein, and some oxidative stress markers (TBARS (−49%) and AOPP (−42%) levels, SOD (+33%) and GPx (+75%) activities, and GSH (+49%) content) induced by formalin injection. Moreover, the in-silico investigation had shown that CA fruits extract compounds have a stronger interaction with COX-2 active site, more than the reference drug “indomethacin” (two H-bonds). Our research gives pharmacological backing to the healthcare utilization of Cleome plant in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and oxidative harm.     

An Expeditious Method Combining Multi-Components Determination and Fingerprinting Based on Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photo Diode Array-Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Chemometrics: Application for Authentication and Quality Evaluation of Cornus Officinalis Sieb. et Zucc

Selective and efficient analytical methods for authentication and quality evaluation of herbal medicines are significant and necessary. An expeditious method combining multi-components determination and fingerprinting based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA -MS/MS) and chemometrics for authentication and quality evaluation of Cornus Officinalis Sieb. et Zucc was developed. Tandem mass spectrometer operating in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was used for determination of three characteristic constituents (morroniside, sweroside, and loganin) in C. Officinalis. Meanwhile, UPLC fingerprint of C. Officinalis was established and the data set was submitted for classification to a suite of chemometrics method. Combing main biologically active components content level and chemometrics analysis, the effects of cultivation area, harvesting, and storage time on the quality of C. Officinalis were investigated. The study reveals that multi-components determination coupled with fingerprinting could be applied for authentication and quality evaluation of C. Officinalis which is accurate, efficient, and reliable.     

A robust new strategy for high-molecular-weight proteome research: A 2-hydroxyethyl agarose/polyacrylamide gel enhanced separation and ZnO-PMMA nanobeads assisted identification

A new mass spectrometry based analysis strategy has been established here for high-molecular-weight (HMW) proteome research. First, a 2-hydroxyethyl agarose/polyacrylamide (HEAG/PAM) electrophoresis gel was designed for the first time to realize an easy-handling separation method with high spatial resolution for HMW proteins, good reproducibility and mass spectrometry-compatible sliver staining. Second, ZnO-polymethyl methacrylate (ZnO-PMMA) nanobeads were applied here for enriching and desalting the peptides from the HMW proteins. Third, the peptides were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) with the presence of the ZnO-PMMA nanobeads, and their MS signals were enhanced markedly. The success rate of identification for HMW proteins was significantly increased due to high enriching efficiency and salt tolerance capability as well as signal enhancing capability of the ZnO-PMMA nanobeads. We believe that this analysis strategy will inspire and accelerate the HMW proteome studies.     

Analytical techniques for wine analysis: An African perspective; a review

Analytical chemistry is playing an ever-increasingly important role in the global wine industry. Chemical analysis of wine is essential in ensuring product safety and conformity to regulatory laws governing the international market, as well as understanding the fundamental aspects of grape and wine production to improve manufacturing processes. Within this field, advanced instrumental analysis methods have been exploited more extensively in recent years. Important advances in instrumental analytical techniques have also found application in the wine industry. This review aims to highlight the most important developments in the field of instrumental wine and grape analysis in the African context. The focus of this overview is specifically on the application of advanced instrumental techniques, including spectroscopic and chromatographic methods. Recent developments in wine and grape analysis and their application in the African context are highlighted, and future trends are discussed in terms of their potential contribution to the industry.