Studies on bio-accumulation of <Superscript>51</Superscript>Cr by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Piper nigrum</Emphasis>

The present study is performed to examine the accumulation efficiency of ⁵¹Cr(III) and ⁵¹Cr(VI) by the alkaloid piperine, derived from the fruits of Piper nigrum (Family Piperaceae) as well as using the fruit commonly known as black pepper by radiometric technique. The pH dependence and the effect of the concentration of chromium on the accumulation have also been examined. The maximum accumulation (52%) of Cr(III) is found by black pepper at pH 4 whereas piperine shows slight accumulation at this condition. Accumulation of Cr(VI) by black pepper is always negligible. It has also been observed that some other constituents of the black pepper like gum, terpenoid, etc., besides piperine is responsible for the accumulation of chromium.     

Biological Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles by Fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Epicoccum</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">nigrum</Emphasis>

Gold nanoparticles exhibit unique optical, thermal, chemical and physical properties. The microorganisms have high potential for production of nanoparticles with wide applications. Application of fungi to produce nanoparticles is potentially exciting because of their ability to secrete large amounts of enzymes. In this study, we investigated biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by the fungus Epicoccum nigrum isolated from Andalian gold mine in north-west of Iran. The gold nanoparticles were produced intra and extracellular by reaction of an aqueous solution of chloroauric acid with the biomass of fungus E. nigrum. The produced gold nanoparticles were in the size range of 5–50 nm in spherical and rod shapes. This is the first report on the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by the fungus E. nigrum.     

GC-EIMS analysis,antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic activity of Capsicum chinense and Piper nigrum fruits and their bioactive compounds capsaicin and piperine upon Aspergillus parasiticus

Abstract

GC-EIMS analysis, antifungal- and anti-aflatoxigenic activities of the ethanolic extract of Capsicum chinense and Piper nigrum fruits and their main bioactive compounds were evaluated upon Aspergillus parasiticus. The GC-EIMS analysis showed capsaicin (50.49%) and piperine (95.94%) as the major constituents in C. chinense and P. nigrum, respectively. MIC₅₀ values revealed that capsaicin (39?μg/mL) and piperine (67?μg/mL) were lower than those from fruit extracts of C. chinense (381?μg/mL) and P. nigrum (68?μg/mL). Extracts and bioactive compounds showed anti-aflatoxigenic activity. Maximum aflatoxin inhibition occurred at 150?µg/mL of extracts and compounds. The present study showed satisfactory results concerning the effects of ethanolic extract of C. chinense and P. nigrum fruits upon A. parasiticus, showing the capabilities of inhibiting fungal growth development and altering aflatoxins production.     

Comparative Quantification of the Phenolic Compounds,Piperine Content,and Total Polyphenols along with the Antioxidant Activities in the Piper trichostachyon and P. nigrum

India is the largest producer in the world of black pepper and it is the center of origin for Piper. The present study gives a comparative account of the chemical composition of the Piper nigrum and its wild putative parent the P. trichostachyon. Microextractions were performed and the quantification of six phenolic compounds (namely epicatechin, gallic acid, catechol, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and catechin), piperine from leaves, petioles, and the fruits of both the species, were accomplished using the RP-UFLC system. The polyphenols (phenolic, flavonoid) and their antioxidant activities were also estimated. Among the six phenolic compounds studied, only three were detected and quantified. The polyphenol content correlating to the antioxidant activities was higher in the P. trichostachyon, whereas the piperine content was 108 times greater in the P. nigrum fruits. The Piper trichostachyon comparatively showed a higher content of polyphenols. The microextractions reduced the solvent consumption, the quantity of the plant material, and the amount of time used for the extraction. The first report on the TPC, TF, and the antioxidant activity of the P. trichostachyon has been described, and it also forms a scientific basis for its use in traditional medicine. The petioles of both species are good sources of phenolic compounds. A quantitative chemical analysis is a useful index in the identification and comparison of the species.     

Composition of Volatiles Obtained from Spices by Microdistillation

Organic volatiles obtained by microdistillation from five common spices (Coriandrum sativum L., Foeniculum vulgare Miller, Piper nigrum L., Anethum graveolens L., Pimpinella anisum L.) using an Eppendorf Micro-Distiller were analyzed by GC/MS. The results are presented in a comparative manner with conventional water distillation.     

Direct from solid natural products to pure compounds in a single step: Coupling online extraction with high‐speed counter‐current chromatography

Extraction is the most important step in the purification of bioactive compounds from natural products. This study introduces a simple online extraction strategy coupled with high‐speed counter‐current chromatography for efficient extraction and purification of bioactive components from solid natural products. For online extraction strategy, 1.0 g of ground Mangnolia officinalis or Piper nigrum was loaded into a guard column, which was then positioned on the manual injection valve instead of the sample loop. Bioactive components were directly extracted by the mobile phase of high‐speed counter‐current chromatography, and then transferred into high‐speed counter‐current chromatography for purification. In addition, the compatibility of the developed methodology for direct purification of bioactive components from fresh M. officinalis was successfully demonstrated. Obviously, in comparison with traditional offline heat‐reflux extraction, online extraction avoided the instrument, time, solvent, and energy consumption, and purified two phenolic compounds (honokiol and magnolol) from M. officinalis and three alkaloids (piperyline, piperine, and piperanine) from P. nigrum with high extraction efficiency. The superiority of the developed methodology is to establish an easy, rapid, and efficient technique for the purification of a wide variety of bioactive components from solid natural products.     

Characteristics of the pigments from anthocyan-containing food plants, raw material for production of bioflavonoid dyes

Data are presented on the composition of anthocyans of the fruits and pulp of the food plants bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillis L), high-bush cranberry (Viburnum opulus L.), elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.), cherry (Cerasus vulgaris Mill.), crowberry (Empetrum nigrum L.), cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris Pers.), currant (Ribes nigrum L.), and mulberry (Morus nigra L.) growing in the Ukraine. The anthocyan pigments differ qualitatively and quantitatively owing to genetic peculiarities in the different species of fruits and the localization of the pigments in them.Odessa State Academy of Food Technology, fax (0482) 25 32 84. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 118–120, March–April, 2000.     

Aedes aegypti larvicide from the ethanolic extract of Piper nigrum black peppercorns

Due to unavailability of a vaccine and a specific cure to dengue, the focus nowadays is to develop an effective vector control method against the female Aedes aegypti mosquito. This study aims to determine the larvicidal fractions from Piper nigrum ethanolic extracts (PnPcmE) and to elucidate the identity of the bioactive compounds that comprise these larvicidal fractions. Larvicidal assay was performed by subjecting 3rd to 4th A. aegypti instar larvae to PnPcmE of P. nigrum. The PnPcmE exhibited potential larvicidal activity having an LC₅₀ of 7.1246 ± 0.1304 ppm (mean ± Std error). Normal phase vacuum liquid chromatography of the PnPcmE was employed which resulted in five fractions, two of which showed larvicidal activity. The most active of the PnPcmE fractions is PnPcmE-1A, with an LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ of 1.7101 ± 0.0491 ppm and 3.7078 ppm, respectively. Subsequent purification of PnPcmE-1A allowed the identification of the larvicidal compound as oleic acid.     

Preparative isolation and purification of steroidal glycoalkaloid from the ripe berries of Solanum nigrum L. by preparative HPLC–MS and UHPLC–TOF‐MS/MS and its anti‐non‐small cell lung tumors effects in vitro and in vivo

Overcoming epidermal growth factor receptor resistance is a critical problem that needs to be solved in clinical practice. Drugs that downregulate the fatty acid synthase‐epidermal growth factor receptor will become novel treatments for non‐small cell lung cancer. Solanum nigrum, extracted with water at 4°C, shows strong cytotoxic activity and inhibits tumor growth in Lewis tumor bearing‐mice in a dose‐dependent manner. A novel active compound in S. nigrum, solaoiacid, was successfully separated and purified from S. nigrum by preparative high‐performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry and ultra high performance liquid chromatography with time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry. The IC₅₀ of solaoiacid on lung cancer cells was 2.3 µmol/L, which was significantly lower than that of the known steroidal glycoalkaloid. Label‐free proteomics and STRING Network analysis were used to identify significantly deregulated proteins in lung cancer cells that were treated with the fresh ripe fruit extracts of S. nigrum. S. nigrum regulates multiple signal pathways, including the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway. S. nigrum downregulated 24 main proteins with direct roles in fatty acid biosynthesis. Both S. nigrum and solaoiacid showed strong downregulation of the fatty acid synthase‐epidermal growth factor receptor and anti‐non‐small cell lung cancer effects, and thus will become a novel drug for the treatment of non‐small cell lung cancer.     

GC–MS Analysis of the Essential Oils of Piper nigrum L. and Piper longum L.

A simple, rapid and solvent-free method based on gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) following microwave distillation and headspace solid-phase microextraction (MD–HS-SPME) was developed for the analysis of the essential oils in two traditional Chinese medicines, Piper nigrum L. and Piper longum L. Thirty compounds were separated and identified from P. nigrum L. The main components were β-caryophyllene (23.49%), 3-carene (22.20%), d-limonene (18.68%), β-pinene (8.92%) and α-pinene (4.03 %). Forty-five compounds were separated from P. longum L. and identified. The main components were β-caryophyllene (33.44%), 3-carene (7.58%), eugenol (7.39%), d-limonene (6.70%), zingiberene (6.68%) and cubenol (3.64%). To demonstrate its advantages, MD–HS-SPME was compared to conventional HS-SPME. With conventional HS-SPME, only 28 and 33 compounds were detected in P. nigrum L. and P. longum L, respectively. Relative standard deviation (RSD) values of MD–HS-SPME for the essential oils in P. nigrum L. under optimal conditions were less than 10%. The results show that microwave distillation has a high extract efficiency and good precision and can be used to compare similarities and differences of essential oils.     

Switchable‐hydrophilicity solvent liquid‐liquid microextraction versus dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction prior to HPLC‐UV for the determination and isolation of piperine from Piper nigrum L

Switchable‐hydrophilicity solvent liquid‐liquid microextraction and dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction were compared for the extraction of piperine from Piper nigrum L. prior to its analysis by using high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Under optimum conditions, limits of detection and quantitation were found as 0.2–0.6 and 0.7–2.0 μg/mg with the two methods, respectively. Calibration graphs showed good linearity with coefficients of determination (R²) higher than 0.9962 and percentage relative standard deviations lower than 6.8%. Both methods were efficiently used for the extraction of piperine from black and white pepper samples from different origins and percentage relative recoveries ranged between 90.0 and 106.0%. The results showed that switchable‐hydrophilicity solvent liquid‐liquid microextraction is a better alternative to dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction for the routine analysis of piperine in food samples. A novel scaled‐up dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction method was also proposed for the isolation of piperine providing a yield of 102.9 ± 4.9% and purity higher than 98.0% as revealed by NMR spectroscopy.     

LC-MS/MS Based Identification of Piperine Production by Endophytic Mycosphaerella sp. PF13 from Piper nigrum

Piper nigrum is very remarkable for its medicinal properties due to the presence of metabolites like piperine. Emerging understanding on the biosynthetic potential of endophytic fungi suggests the possibility to have piperine producing fungi in P. nigrum. In the current study, endophytic fungi isolated from P. nigrum were screened for the presence of piperine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). This resulted in the identification of a Mycosphaerella sp. with the ability to produce piperine extracellularly. The biosynthesis of piperine (C₁₇H₁₉NO₃) by the endophytic fungal isolate was confirmed by the presence of m/z 286.1 (M + H⁺) in the LC-MS/MS analysis using positive mode ionization. This was further supported by the presence of specific fragment ions with masses 135, 143, 171 and 201 formed due to the fragmentation of piperine present in the fungal extract.     

RP–LC Simultaneous Determination of Aconitine,Solanine and Piperine in an Ayurvedic Medicine

By optimizing the extraction, separation and analytical conditions, a reliable, rapid, simple and accurate liquid chromatography method with UV detection was developed for the simultaneous quantitative determination of aconitine, solanine and piperine in an ayurvedic preparation prepared from Aconitum ferox, Solanum indicum, Piper nigrum and Piper longum. The separation of these alkaloids was achieved on an reversed phase C-18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm ID, 5 μm particle size), with isocratic elution using a mixture of acetonitrile–potassium hydrogen phosphate buffer (10 mM, pH 7.5)–methanol (60:25:15, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL min⁻¹ with UV detection at 227 nm for aconitine and solanine while 343 nm for piperine. The calibration curves were linear with correlation coefficients of 0.9990, 0.9942, 0.9989 for solanine, piperine and aconitine, respectively. The % Relative standard deviation (%RSD) values were less than 2% in the concentration range of 10–100 μg mL⁻¹ for all the three alkaloids. Intra-day assay and inter-day assay precision of the analytes were less than 2%, and the average recovery rates obtained were in the range of 98–102% for all with %RSD below 2%. Quantitative analysis of the alkaloids in the laboratory and marketed formulations showed that the contents of the alkaloids varied significantly. This method can provide a scientific and technical platform to the product manufacturers for setting up a quality control standard as well as to the public for quality and safety assurance of the proprietary ayurvedic formulations.

     

Preconcentration of 198Au in a green alga, Rhizoclonium</p> </p>

Summary The bioaccumulation of ¹⁹⁸Au radionuclide, by Rhizoclonium riparium a member of Chlorophyceae has been studied. It has been observed that accumulation of gold on Rhizoclonium is almost pH independent and slightly higher at basic pH. Accumulation of gold was studied with ¹⁹⁸Au radiotracer, 0.1, 1 and 5 ppm concentrations of gold. It has been concluded from the biochemical analysis that the gold accumulation is due to adsorption in the cellulose and not in protein, fat and carbohydrate. Accumulated gold was recovered when washed with conc. HNO₃.</p> </p>     

Iridoide aus Verbascum nigrum L. 182. Mitteilung über organische Naturstoffe

Iridoids from Verbascum nigrum L. Two new iridoid glycosides, nigroside 1 ( ? 6-O-(3-O-einnamoyl-α-L-rhamno-pyranosyl)aucubin (2) , and nigroside 2 (?6-O-(2-O-cinnamoyl-α-L-rhamnopy-ranosyl)aucubin (3) , and the known compound laterioside (1) have been isolated from extracts of the stems of Verbascum nigrum L., and their structures established primarily on the basis of NMR. spectroscopy. Harpagoside (4) , a known iridoid glucoside, was also isolated from the roots of this plant.     

Anticholinesterases and antioxidant alkamides from Piper nigrum fruits

The anticholinesterase and antioxidant effects of five different extracts of Piper nigrum were evaluated. Twenty-one known alkamides were isolated from active ethyl acetate extract and investigated for their cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant effects. Among them, piperine (2), piperettine (5) and piperettyline (20) exhibited dual inhibition against AChE and BChE, and feruperine (18) was the most potent selective inhibitor of BChE. Molecular docking simulation was performed to get insight into the binding interactions of the ligands and enzymes. In addition, N-trans-feruloyltyramine (3) contributed to the strongest DPPH radical-scavenging activity. The self-induced Aβ aggregation inhibition of 2, 5 and 18 was further evaluated. Results indicated that some alkamides could be multifunctional lead candidates for Alzheimer’s disease therapy.     

Two New Insecticidal Amides and a New Alcoholic Amide from Piper nigrum Linn.

Three new amides, pipgulzarine ( 1 ), pipzorine ( 2 ), and piptahsine ( 3 ), have been isolated from the dried seeds of Piper nigrum Linn. along with nine known constituents: (2E,4E,8Z)‐N‐(isobutyl)eicosatrienamide, pellitorine, pipercide, piperine, stigmastanol, stigmasterol, decurrenal, stigmasterol 3‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside, and 5,10(15)‐cadinen‐4‐ol. The structures of the new constituents have been established as (2E,11E)‐12‐(benzo[1,3]dioxol‐5‐yl)‐N‐(2‐methylpropyl)dodeca‐2,11‐dienamide ( 1 ), (2E,12Z)‐N‐(4‐methylpentyl)octadeca‐2,12‐dienamide ( 2 ), and (2E,4S)‐4‐hydroxy‐N‐(2‐methylpropyl)hex‐2‐enamide ( 3 ). The structures of 1 – 3 were derived by spectral studies and chemical reactions, and by comparison of spectral data in the case of known constituents. Compounds 1 and 2 , and most of the already known compounds, exhibited toxicity against fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegypti Liston. The isolated (Z) double bond in 2 was assigned on the basis of its EI‐MS fragmentation pattern and its reaction with OsO₄. The (S) configuration at C(4) of 3 was determined by Horeau's method. This is the first report of the isolation of a 4‐methylpentylamide from P. nigrum, while shorter branched amides have been reported from this genus [1].     

Effects of different rootstocks on cadmium accumulation of grafted Cyphomandra betacea seedlings

ABSTRACT

To study whether grafting can reduce the heavy metal uptake of Cyphomandra betacea, C. betacea seedlings were grafted onto three different rootstocks (eggplant, Solanum nigrum, and tomato) and planted in cadmium (Cd)contaminated soil. Compared with ungrafted seedlings, S. nigrum rootstock increased the biomass of different organs of C. betacea seedlings, while eggplant and tomato rootstocks decreased it or had no significant effect. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll contents of C. betacea seedlings were ranked as follows: S. nigrum rootstock > ungrafted > eggplant rootstock > tomato rootstock. The three rootstocks had no significant effects on the superoxide dismutase activity of C. betacea seedlings. Solanum nigrum rootstock enhanced the peroxidase and catalase activities and soluble protein content of C. betacea seedlings, while the other rootstocks reduced or had no significant influence on these parameters. The three rootstocks increased the Cd content of aboveground organs of C. betacea seedlings as follows: S. nigrum rootstock > eggplant rootstock > tomato rootstock > ungrafted. Grafting onto S. nigrum rootstock can therefore promote the growth of C. betacea; however, all rootstocks investigated in this study promote Cd uptake in C. betacea and thus cannot be used in Cd-contaminated areas.     

Verbascenin,ein macrocyclisches Spermin-Alkaloid aus verbascum 184. Mitteilung über organische Naturstoffe

Verbascenine, a Macrocyclic Spermine Alkaloid Isolated from Verbascum The new spermine alkaloid verbascenine ( 1 ) has been isolated from extracts of the aerial parts of Verbascum phoeniceum L. and V nigrum L. The structure of the alkaloid was elucidated by chemical degradation and by a study of the spectral properties of the alkaloid and its derivatives. Compared to the 13-membered alter native 7 the 17-membered structure 1 is preferred on the basis of mass spectral arguments.     

Two New Insecticidal Amide Dimers from Fruits of Piper nigrum Linn.

The methanolic extract of dried ground seeds of Piper nigrum Linn . afforded fourteen compounds, of which thirteen were amides, including two new isomeric insecticidal amides, pipsaeedine ( 1 ) and pipbinine ( 2 ), along with eleven known amides and piptaline; (this is the first report of isolation of these compounds from this plant). The structures of 1 and 2 have been elucidated as (E,E)‐1‐[(E)‐5‐(7‐{6‐[5‐(piperidin‐1‐yl)‐5‐oxopent‐3‐enyl]‐1,3‐benzodioxol‐4‐yl}‐1,3‐benzodioxol‐5‐yl)‐1‐oxopenta‐2,4‐dienyl]piperidine and (E,E)‐1‐[(E)‐5‐(4‐{6‐[5(piperidin‐1‐yl)‐5‐oxopent‐3‐enyl]‐1,3‐benzodioxol‐4‐yl}‐1,3‐benzodioxol‐5‐yl)‐1‐oxopenta‐2,4‐dienyl]piperidine, respectively, through extensive 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectral studies, while the known constituents have been identified through comparison of their spectral data with those reported in the literature. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited toxicities of 45.0 and 40.0 ppm, respectively, against fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegypti Liston.