A GC-SIM-MS Method for the Determination of Butylidenephthalide in Rat Plasma and Tissue: Application to the Pharmacokinetic and Tissue Distribution Study

Abstract

Butylidenephthalide is one of the major active components isolated from Rhizoma Chuanxiong. This paper describes a simple, rapid, specific and sensitive method for the quantification of butylidenephthalide in rat plasma and tissue distribution using a liquid-liquid extraction procedure followed by capillary gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring mode-mass spectrometry (GC-SIM-MS) analysis. The calibration curves were linear over the concentration ranging from 0.02–10.0 µg/mL (r > 0.99) for plasma samples and 0.18–7.25 µg/g (r > 0.99) for the tissue samples. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 1.0 ng/mL or 1.0 ng/g (ten times signal/noise ratio). Within- and between-day precisions expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD) for the method were 2.39–2.98% and 2.97–4.26%, respectively. The methods of recovery for all samples were greater than 80% at the low, medium, and high concentrations. The method has been successfully applied to a pharmacokinetics study in rats after an oral administration of Butylidenephthalide with a dose of 20.0 mg/kg. The main pharmacokinetic parameters obtained were T _max  = (0.22 ± 0.06) h, C _max = (3 ± 1) µg/mL, AUC = (32 ± 6) h?µg/mL, and K _a  = (8.5 ± 0.8)/h. The results showed that the butylidenephthalide was easily absorbed. The concentrations of butylidenephthalide in rat kidney, lung, heart, and cerebellum were higher than those in other organs. To determine free fraction in serum, samples were filtered using ultrafiltration membranes with a molecular weight cut-off of 10,000 Da and extracted using liquid-liquid extraction. The extracts were evaporated and analyzed by GC-MS. The protein binding in rat plasma, human plasma, and human serum albumin were 83 ± 4%, 94 ± 3%, and 89 ± 3%, respectively.     

Determination of surfactants and levoglucosan from selected vegetation by spectroscopic colorimetric method

Vegetation is one of the natural sources which contribute to the amount of surface active agent into the environment. It is believed that surfactants can be derived from various kinds of sources such as biomass burning or soil and these excessive level of surfactants emitted into the atmosphere can influence both cloud formation and climate. The objective of this study was to determine the concentration of both anionic and cationic surfactants as well as levoglucosan from vegetation and soot and at different weather conditions around the tin mine lakes environment. The samples were prepared by cutting several parts of tropical plant species, namely Cinnamomum Iners, Gliricidia Sepium and Hopea Odorata, which were mainly leaves and stems. After that, samples were allowed to dry in an oven at a temperature of 40°C for 2 h. The concentrations of levoglucosan and surfactant such as methylene blue active substance (MBAS) and disulphine blue active substance (DBAS) were analysed through the colorimetric method. The results showed that higher concentrations for both anionic and cationic surfactants were found in C. Iners leaves which give the concentrations of 86.92 ± 38.99 and 22.33 ± 10.59 µg/g. It was noted that the concentrations of anionic and cationic surfactants in this research were correlated to each other, indicating the possibility of similar sources that affect both levels of surfactants in the vegetation. In addition, the highest level of levoglucosan was dominated by the leaves from G. Sepium species with the concentration of 25.62 ± 12.65 mg/g, respectively. A positive significant correlation (r = 0.8447, 0.8355 and p = 0.0001 < 0.05) between anionic surfactants and levoglucosan was also discovered in this study.     

Determination of non-toxic and potentially toxic elements concentration and antioxidant capacity in selected natural and essential oils with high market values

Natural oils (NOs) and essential oils (EOs) are widely used in the food and beverage, medical, aromatherapy and cosmetic industries, but little is known about their elemental composition or antioxidant ability. Microwave-assisted acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy were used to determine the non-toxic elements (Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Se and Zn) and potentially toxic elements (As, Cr, Cd, Mn, Ni and Pb) concentrations in 13 selected NOs and EOs. The per cent recoveries of laboratory-fortified blanks analysed for quality control were 94–110%. The elemental concentrations varied widely in NO and EO samples, as demonstrated by the large standard deviation obtained for some elements. The average levels of non-toxic elements (Al (14.5 ± 3.7 μg/g); Ca (278 ± 138 μg/g); Cu (7 ± 14 μg/g); Fe (16 ± 5 μg/g); K (36 ± 31 μg/g); Mg (56 ± 27 μg/g); Na (266 ± 277 μg/g); Se (0.7 ± 0.3 μg/g) and Zn (6.1 ± 2.6 μg/g)) were determined in NOs and EOs. Comparatively, low levels of potentially toxic elements (As (0.1 ± 0.2 μg/g); Cd (0.1 ± 0.0 μg/g); Cr (0.2 ± 0.1 μg/g); Mn (0.8 ± 0.1 μg/g); Ni (4.5 ± 2.2 μg/g); and Pb (0.3 ± 0.2 μg/g)) were obtained in the oils. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first two principal components explained 100% of the variability in the elemental concentrations. Na, Ca, Mg and K were the main contributors to PCA. Non-toxic element pairs were strongly correlated (R² > 0.9440) indicating a common source in these oils, but toxic element pairs were poorly correlated. Although toxic element concentrations were low, routine monitoring in oils is recommended. The antioxidant ability of NOs and EOs to potentially reduce free radicals, which are often involved in several degenerative diseases, such as ageing, stroke, diabetes and cancers was determined by DPPH (2,2-di(4-tert-octylphenyl)-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Jasmine, castor and tea tree lemon oils were the best antioxidants. The oils in this study have the potential to replace artificial antioxidants used in foods, cosmetics and other products.     

RP-HPLC method for estimation of sesamin in two Zanthoxylum species

Zanthoxylum naranjillo and Z. tingoassuiba (Rutaceae) are traditional herbal medicines with various biological activities including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antimalarial action. In this work, we have developed a simple HPLC-DAD method to quantify sesamin, a bioactive lignan present in Z. naranjillo and Z. tingoassuiba; egonol was the internal standard. According to the developed method, 11.07 ± 1.66, 8.69 ± 0.95, and 15.11 ± 0.72 µg/mL sesamin was present in the ethanol extract of Z. naranjillo leaves, in the methanol extract of Z. naranjillo leaves, and in the methanol extract of Z. tingoassuiba bark, respectively. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.32 and 1.06 µg/mL, respectively. The developed method can be easily applied during routine analysis of sesamin in these medicinal plants.     

Reversed–Phase Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Zaleplon in Human Plasma and its Pharmacokinetic Application

Abstract

A simple, rapid, specific, and reliable high performance liquid chromatographic assay of zaleplon in human plasma has been developed. Reversed‐phase chromatography was conducted using a mobile phase of methanol∶ammonium acetate buffer (50∶50) v/v, pH 3.2 adjusted with orthophosphoric acid, UV detection at 232 nm. After extraction from plasma by precipitation the drug was chromatographed using a C₁₈ reversed‐phase analytical column. The average recoveries of zaleplon from spiked plasma in the concentration range from 0.005–0.2 µg/ml were 93.29%, and their respective CV% was 2.557%. Regression analysis for the calibration plot for plasma standards obtained on three different days for the drug concentrations between 0.005–0.2 µg/ml indicated excellent linearity (r>0.999) and the coefficient of variation of the slopes of the three lines was less than 2%. The limit of detection was 5 ng/ml. Analysis of variance of the data showed no detectable difference in the slopes of the three standard plots (F=3.1, P>0.01). The high correlation coefficients and the similarities in the slopes are good indications of the excellent reproducibility and linearity of the proposed method. The proposed method was applied to study the bioequivalence of a commercial product of zaleplon, using as reference standard the innovator drug product. The study was conducted by using one capsule (1×10 mg) of each of the commercial product and the reference standard in a two‐way open randomized crossover design involving 24 volunteers. The criteria used to assess bioequivalence of the products were AUC (0?∞), C_max, t_max, t_1/2, and K. The obtained values for these parameters were 0.246±0.03 µg h/ml, 0.150±0.013 µg/ml, 1 h, 1.26±0.36 h, and 0.5928±0.1732 h^?1 for product A whereas, for product B they were 0.256±0.044 µgh/ml, 0.142±0.014 µg/ml, 1 h, 1.18±0.33 h, and 0.63±0.1747 h^?1, respectively.     

N,N′-(hexane-1,6-diyl)bis(N-((1-aryl/alkyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl)-4-methyl benzenesulfonamide): Synthesis,antibacterial, antioxidant,and DNA-cleavage activities

Thirteen novel bis-1,2,3-triazole derivatives were synthesized under copper (I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of N,N′-(hexane-1,6-diyl)bis(4-methyl-N-(prop-2-yn-1-yl)benzenesulfonamide) with different aryl azides and evaluated their biological activity. All the newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by ¹H-NMR, infrared, and elemental analysis and mass spectral studies. The synthesized bis-1,2,3-triazoles were evaluated for their antioxidant activity, and some of them were found to exhibit good to excellent antioxidant activity (IC₅₀: 11.13 ± 1.5 to 98.98 ± 1.7 μM) in comparison with standard references, Trolox (11.73 ± 1.5 μM) and ascorbic acid (3.34 ± 1.8 μM). The bistriazoles also exhibited excellent-to-moderate anti-bacterial activity (MIC: 2.253 to 75 µg mL^?1 against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa when compared with streptomycin. N,N′-(hexane-1,6-diyl)bis(N-((1-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl)-4-methyl benzenesulfonamide) has completely cleaved the DNA at a concentration of 100 mg mL^?1, and the remaining compounds have partially cleaved the DNA.     

Identification and in vitro antioxidant activities of phenolic compounds isolated from Cynoglossum cheirifolium L.

In an extensive search for bioactive compounds from plant sources, the quantitative and qualitative characterisation of the compounds present in Cynoglossum cheirifolium extracts was studied. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined by spectrophotometric techniques. In vitro antioxidant and radical scavenging profiling was determined through DPPH^? scavenging activity and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Our study showed that leaves produce more phenolic compounds, followed by flowering aerial part. The butanolic fraction obtained from leaves extract exhibited the highest total phenolics (78.65 ± 3.58 mg GAE/g DW) and flavonoids (22.15 ± 4.66 mg CE/g DW). In contrast, this fraction displayed the highest DPPH^? scavenging ability with IC₅₀ values of 0.06 ± 0.003 mg/mL. The RP-HPLC-PDA analysis of phenolic compounds from leaves of C. cheirifolium lets to identify: rosmarinic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, syringic acid, sinapic acid and rutin. The obtained results indicate that this plant represent a valuable source of natural antioxidants.     

Determination of Aluminium by Electrothermal Atomization Atomic Absorption Spectrometry in Serum to Characterize Hemodialysis Toxicity

A simple and cost-effective method is described for the determination of aluminum by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET-AAS) in serum of hemodialysis patients and healthy subjects. The only preparative step required is the dissolution of the serum sample in 0.2% magnesium nitrate matrix modifier and separate diluents 0.01 M EDTA and 0.1% Triton X-100. The calibration curve was linear from 20 to 100 µg/L with correlation coefficients of 0.9993 and 0.9998 for EDTA and Triton X-100, respectively. The sensitivity of the method for aluminum at the 309.3 nm line was 74 pg. The instrumental and method limits of detection were 2.2 µg/L and 4.4 µg/L, respectively. The aluminum concentrations of forty serum samples from hemodialysis patients and healthy subjects were determined and the mean values were 170.9 ± 6.8 µg/L and 47.3 ± 9.3 µg/L, respectively, whereas the permissible limit for aluminum in blood serum is 10 µg/L. The high level of Al in serum was related to oral phosphate binding agents and dialysis treatment.     

Determination of Nimesulide by Ion Pair High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Using Tetrabutylammonium as the Counterion

A new method for nimesulide was developed using ion-pair reversed phase liquid chromatography and tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate as the ion-pairing reagent. The influence of the ion pair forming reagent concentration, pH, and mobile phase composition on the retention time of nimesulide were studied. The optimum experimental conditions included a C18 column, a mobile phase of a 50/50 (v/v) mixture of acetonitrile and 15 mM phosphate buffer (pH 8.00) containing 6 mM tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate, 25°C, isocratic elution, a flow rate of 1 mL/min, a run time of 10 minutes, and photodiode array detection at 404 nm. From the analysis of the results, the mechanism for the separation of nimesulide was also established. The retention time for nimesulide was 4.76 ± 0.05 min. The method was linear between concentrations of 9 µg/mL to 64 µg/mL, with limits of detection and quantification of 1.111 µg/mL and 3.390 µg/mL, respectively. The method is simple, rapid, accurate, and precise, and successfully applied for the determination of nimesulide in pharmaceutical products.     

A Simple and Fast Method for Manganese Determination in Antihypertensive Drugs by Slurry Sampling Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Abstract

A simple and rapid procedure for the determination of manganese in anti‐hypertensive drugs is proposed. The samples were treated with dilute nitric acid (1.2% v/v) with stirring using a vortex stirrer to yield a slurry. To determine the best conditions for analysis by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS), a planning factorial was initially employed that demonstrated that the non‐use of chemical modifiers and the use of lower pyrolysis temperatures were more appropriate. Next, the pyrolysis and atomization temperature curves were obtained. The best pyrolysis and atomization temperatures encountered were 500 and 2200°C, respectively. Calibration was performed by matrix matching. The characteristic mass was 0.70±0.14 pg (the recommended mass was 0.60 pg); the limits of detection and quantification were 0.23 and 0.77 µg l^?1, respectively. The precision obtained in the intra‐ and inter‐assay studies of the drug spiked with 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 µg l^?1 of Mn did not exceed 11% (n=7). Recovery studies of the drug spiked with three levels (n=7) of Mn yielded results between 101.0±4.5 and 116.3±9.7%. The results of an analysis of a certified urine sample (two levels of Mn) agreed at a 95% level of confidence. Forty‐eight antihypertensive drug samples were analyzed, and the results varied from 2.9 ng to 1.9 µg of Mn per capsule^?1.     

Determination of phosphate in freshwater samples by flow-injection with lucigenin chemiluminescence

Lucigenin chemiluminescence (CL) in conjunction with flow-injection analysis (FIA) is used for the determination of phosphate in freshwater samples. The procedure is based on the formation of molybdophosphoric heteropoly acid (MoP–HPA) by the reaction of phosphate and ammonium molybdate under acidic conditions. CL emission was observed as a result of oxidation of lucigenin in aqueous sodium hydroxide solution in the presence of MoP–HPA. Calibration was linear up to 500?µg?L^?1 (r ^2?=?0.9998; n?=?8), with a detection limit (S/N?=?3) of 0.95?µg?L^?1. An injection throughput of 120 h^?1, and relative standard deviation (RSD; n?=?4) of 1.3–3.2% were achieved in the concentration range studied. An on-line chelating column was used to remove interfering cations. The method was applied to freshwater samples, and the results (51?±?1.0 – 107?±?2.0?µg?L^?1) did not differ significantly from results obtained using a spectrophotometric method (52.5?±?1.0 – 102?±?2.0?µg?L^?1) at 95% confidence level (t-test).     

Innovative Spectrophotometric Methods for Determination of Almitrine Dismesylate and Raubasine in Duxil Tablets

Abstract

Ratio subtraction and isosbestic point are two methods used to determine a mixture of almitrine dismesylate and raubasine. Linear correlations were obtained in the range from 4 to 18 µg ml^?1 for almitrine dismesylate and 2 to 16 µg ml^?1 for raubasine, with mean accuracies 99.87 ± 1.053 for almitrine dismesylate and 99.75 ± 1.301 for raubasine. Almitrine dismesylate and raubasine (II) in their mixtures were analyzed by the two methods where the total content was determined at the isosbestic point at 214.0 nm and raubasine was determined by ratio subtraction. The proposed methods were validated to be suitable for analysis of the pharmaceuticals.     

Dissipation of the herbicide active ingredient glyphosate in natural water samples in the presence of biofilms

Dissipation of the herbicide active ingredient glyphosate was investigated in natural waters. To assess combined effects, glyphosate was applied in its pure form (glyphosate isopropylammonium salt) and in preparation Roundup Classic® formulated with polyethoxylated tallowamines (POEA). Standing and running surface water samples originated from Lake Balaton and River Danube between early May and mid-June of 2015. The kinetics of dissipation of glyphosate, measured by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with UV-VIS absorbance detection or tandem mass spectrometry, was investigated under laboratory conditions in aquaria with or without the presence of biofilms. The quantity and the biofilm structure of algal biomass were determined by in vivo fluorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. The presence of POEA affected the dissipation of glyphosate, and dissipation profiles differed in the investigated natural waters. Significantly higher initial concentrations of glyphosate were measured in River Danube for treatment with formulated glyphosate (101.4 ± 6.2 µg L^?1), than with glyphosate alone (79.9 ± 6.6 µg L^?1), and dissipation to a residual level (57.6 ± 1.4 µg L^?1) consequently took longer (approximately by 1 day). Degradation of glyphosate from the initial level (91.24 ± 5.9 µg L^?1) in Lake Balaton was not detected. Phytotoxic effects of glyphosate, particularly if enhanced by a formulant on algal biomass, were observed. Thus, 5–18% and 11–33% of algal biomass reduction was determined in River Danube upon treatments with glyphosate and Roundup Classic®, respectively. Corresponding biomass decreases in Lake Balaton were 1.3–13% and 9–14%, respectively, accompanied by an overall decay in the algal biofilms. In River Danube, treatments resulted in the occurrence of 1.4–5.8% of green algae in the algal biomass in 28 days, while green algae were not detected in the untreated control. The results indicate that glyphosate is capable of modifying the structure of the algal community and to induce increased secretion of extracellular polymeric substances matrix in the biofilms assessed.     

Spectrophotometric Methods for the Determination of Acediasulfone in Mixture with Cinchocaine

Abstract

Derivative spectrophotometry techniques (ratio‐spectra first derivative and zero‐crossing first derivative) were described for simultaneous determination of acediasulfone and cinchocaine. Acediasulfone was also determined via the formation of a colored product as a result of its reaction with p‐dimethylaminobenzaldehyde. In the ratio‐spectra first derivative method, the measurements were taken at 310 and 233.9 nm for acediasulfone and cinchocaine, respectively. By the zero‐crossing first derivative method, lines of regression were taken at 318 and 233 nm for acediasulfone and cinchocaine, respectively. In the colorimetric method, absorbance measurements were obtained at 452 nm. Acediasulfone showed linearity over concentration ranges 2–14 µg/ml, 2–16 µg/ml, and 12–60 µg/ml for ratio‐spectra first derivative, zero‐crossing first derivative, and colorimetric methods, whereas cinchocaine showed linearity over concentration ranges 1–10 µg/ml and 2.28–16 µg/ml for ratio‐spectra first derivative and zero‐crossing first derivative techniques. The proposed methods proved to be specific and accurate for the analysis of the cited drugs in laboratory‐prepared mixtures and dosage form. The obtained results agree statistically with those obtained by reference methods.     

Characterization of airborne particulate matter collected at Jakarta roadside of an arterial road

A total of 44 pairs of airborne particulate matter samples were collected in the intersection of Simprug, Pondok Indah, South Jakarta. Sampling of airborne particulate matter was conducted in July 2008–July 2009 using a Gent stacked filter unit sampler in two size fractions of <2.5 µm (fine) and 2.5–10 µm (coarse). Mass concentrations, black carbon as well as elemental concentrations were investigated as a pre-study in step to the evaluation of air quality in these roadside areas. Black carbon was determined by reflectance and elemental analysis was performed using proton induced X-ray emission, PIXE. The data set of fine particulate matters obtained from the characterization was then analyzed using receptor modeling EPA PMF3 for source apportionment. Source apportionment identified 5 factors, i.e. soil (9.2 %), construction mixed with road dust (20.9 %), motor vehicles (31.5 %), biomass burning mixed with seasalt (30.9 %), and industry (7.5 %). Motor vehicles is the dominant sources that contributes to the fine particulate matter in Jakarta.     

Chemical composition and in vitro anticancer,antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oil and methanol extract from Rumex nervosus

Chemical composition, antioxidant, anticancer, and antimacrobial activities of essential oil obtained from leaves of Rumex nervosus has been evaluated here for the first time. GC/MS analysis reveals the presence of Palmitoleic Acid (28.35%) and Palmitic acid, (25. 37%) as their methyl ester as major components. The essential oil showed significant DPPH radical scavenging activity (94.907 ± 0.1089% and 94.003 ± 0.0749%) at concentration (100 and 80) μg/mL respectively. The oil showed promising activity against staph aureus, while showed weak activity against (Hela and 3T3) cell lines. The crude extract / fractions of R. nervosus (leaves) showed significant antioxidant activity at dose (100 and 80) μg/mL. Futhermore the crude showed significant activity against (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) cell lines with IC₅₀ (20.5138 ± 0.933 and 25.1728 ± 0.9176) μg/mL respectively, and chloroform fraction showed good activity against (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) cell lines with IC₅₀ (31.154 ± 0.965 and 42.269 ± 2.1045) μg/mL.     

Monoclonal Antibody-Based Immunoassay for the Detection of Maduramicin in Chicken Tissues

Abstract

This paper reports on the preparation of a monoclonal antibody (Mab) against maduramicin (MD) and the development of a simple and sensitive ELISA for MD in chicken tissues. MD was conjugated to bovine serum albumin for immunogens and ovalbumin for coating antigens by mixed anhydride (MA) and active ester (AE) methods. Hybridoma cells were generated using spleen cells from a mouse immunized with MD-BSA conjugate. After screening with ELISA, the Mab with high anti-interference ability and high affinity was selected, and it exhibited negligible cross-reactivity with other usual-used polyether antibiotics. After optimization, the developed ELISA showed an IC₅₀ value of 2.12 ± 0.46 ng/ml (n = 20). Chicken muscle and liver samples were extracted with methanol-8% NaCl solution (4:1) and then directly diluted with PBS-10% methanol for analysis. The recoveries of MD from spiked chicken tissues at levels of 40–480 µg/kg ranged from 81.3% to 91.3% with variation coefficients of 5.2–12.1%, and the detection limits were 6.5 µg/kg in muscle and 9.2 µg/kg in liver, respectively (n = 20).     

Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone-maleic anhydride-styrene) grafted terpolymer: Synthesis,characterization, and bactericidal property evaluation against E. coli and S. epidermidis

Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone-maleic anhydride-styrene) terpolymer was prepared using AIBN initiator with acetone as solvent. The terpolymer was grafted with anti-bacterial agents para-aminobenzoic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenol to introduce bactericidal activity to the terpolymer. The terpolymer and the grafted polymers were characterized by FTIR, ¹H-NMR, and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopic methods. Thermal properties were determined by differential scanning calorimetric technique and thermogravimetric analysis. The glass transition temperature was found to be 111°C (terpolymer), 150°C (VMS-G-PABA) and 130°C (VMS-G-DCP). Terpolymer starts degradation at 288°C and grafted terpolymers at 104°C (VMS-G-PABA) and 129°C (VMS-G-DCP), respectively. The anti-bacterial activity of grafted terpolymers were evaluated by the shake flask method against gram positive and gram negative bacteria E. coli and S. epidermidis. The grafted terpolymers showed effective inhibition against both the bacteria, the minimum inhibition concentration was observed to be 75 µg/mL and 80 µg/mL for VMS-G-PABA and 50 µg/mL for VMS-G-DCP against E. coli and S. epidermidis, respectively. The new polymers showed 90% bacterial growth inhibition at 200 µg/mL.     

Polyphenolic profiling of Ipomoea carnea Jacq. by HPLC-DAD and its implications in oxidative stress and cancer

Ipomoea carnea Jacq. is an important folklore medicinal plant, assessed for its underexplored biological potential. Antioxidant, cytotoxic, antiproliferative and polyphenolic profile of whole plant was evaluated using various techniques. Maximum extract recovery (29% w/w), phenolic [13.54 ± 0.27 μg GAE/mg dry weight (DW)] and flavonoid (2.11 ± 0.10 μg QE /mg DW) content were recorded in methanol-distilled water (1:1) flower extract. HPLC-DAD analysis quantified substantial amount of six different polyphenols ranging from 0.081 to 37.95 μg/mg extract. Maximum total antioxidant and reducing potential were documented in methanol-distilled water and acetone-distilled water flower extracts (42.62 ± 0.47 and 24.38 ± 0.39 μg AAE/mg DW) respectively. Ethanol-chloroform root extract manifested highest free radical scavenging (IC₅₀ of 61.22 μg/mL) while 94.64% of the extracts showed cytotoxicity against brine shrimps. Ethanol leaf extract exhibited remarkable activity against THP-1 cell line (IC₅₀ = 8 ± 0.05 μg/mL) and protein kinases (31 mm phenotype bald zone).     

Seed coat metabolite profiling of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) accessions from Ghana using UPLC-PDA-QTOF-MS and chemometrics

Abstract

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) is an important grain legume in Africa exhibiting high morpho-genetic diversity. However, not much information exists on the phytochemical profiles of its hulls. This study explored the metabolite profiles of seed-coats from thirteen cowpea accessions of varying phenotypes using UPLC-QTOF-MS and chemometric analysis. A total of 34 secondary metabolites were identified, which comprised phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, sphingolipids and fatty acids. Quantification of selected phenolic compounds revealed marked variations among the cowpea accessions. The chemical profiles of the test accessions were distinguished by multivariate analysis, and the results revealed a marked influence of seed-coat pigmentation on the observed differences in their metabolite profiles. Moreover, delphinidin (traces to 2257.6 µg/g), catechin glucoside (traces to 2840.6 µg/g), catechin (traces to 2089.2 µg/g) and epicatechin (26.3 to 3222.7 µg/g) contributed to the segregation amongst the studied samples. The concentrations of the discriminant metabolites were greater in the dark seeded cowpeas compared to their lighter seeded counterparts. The findings represent a useful contribution to the literature on cowpea seed coat metabolites, and also reveal their potential for use in the development of food and pharmaceutical products.