Bioactive molecules in Kalanchoe pinnata leaves: extraction, purification, and identification

Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. (syn. Bryophyllum pinnatum; family Crassulaceae) is a popular plant used in traditional medicine in many temperate regions of the world and particularly in South America. In Guyana, the leaves are traditionally used as an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic to treat coughs, ulcers, and sores. The purpose of this study was to implement a method for targeting and identifying molecules with antimicrobial activity, which could replace chemical preservatives in cosmetic applications. The leaves were extracted by a method based on pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), using different solvents. A study of antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity tests were performed to select the most interesting extract. To isolate one or more active molecules, the selected crude extract was fractionated by centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) and then antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of each fraction were tested under the same procedure. The last step consisted of identifying the main compounds in the most active fraction by LC-MS/MS.     

Crystalline microstructure and mechanical properties of crosslinked EPDM aged under gamma irradiation

The morphology and the mechanical properties at room temperature of crosslinked EPDM irradiated or not have been studied. It has been shown that these materials are composed of two phases: semicrystalline zones with a crystallinity ratio of 20% and mainly amorphous zones. The semicrystalline zones make a continuous path through the film and therefore control the mechanical properties of the material below the melting temperature. As irradiation (in the tested range of irradiation dose) and crosslinking degree have no significant influence on the arrangement and proportion of the crystalline lamellae, all samples have nearly the same mechanical behavior at small strains. At large strains, the interactions between amorphous and crystalline parts in semicrystalline zones play the main role in the mechanical response; irradiation, by degradation of these interactions, leads to a smaller hardening phenomenon and a decrease in elongation at break. From an application point of view, in spite of the low crystallinity fraction of these materials, the presence of an important number of crystallites, as evidenced by SAXS measurements, strongly limits the consequences of irradiation on the mechanical properties. However, the mechanical reinforcement strongly depending on the presence of these crystallites, it is therefore highly sensitive to temperature: this can be an important issue for the applications of these materials since their use temperature is close to the crystallite melting temperature. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 97–105, 2010     

Broad HOMO-LUMO gap tuning through the coordination of a single phosphine, aminophosphine or phosphite onto a Ru(tpy)(bpy)2+ core

The synthesis of new ruthenium(II) terpyridine bipyridine complexes bearing a phosphorus(III) ligand is presented. The steric and electronic properties of the phosphorus ligand were varied using aminophosphines, alkyl and aryl phosphites and the bulky tri(isopropyl)phosphine. All complexes were characterized by multi-nuclear NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and X-ray diffraction analysis. The electronic properties of the complexes were probed by cyclic voltammetry, absorption and luminescence spectroscopy. The complexes do not show luminescence at room temperature, whereas at 77 K in an alcoholic matrix, emission is observed in the range 600-650 nm with lifetimes of 3.5-5.5 micros, originating from 3MLCT states. The MLCT transition spans over 65 nm, which corresponds to a variation of 0.4 eV in the HOMO-LUMO gap. The oxidation potential of the ruthenium varies over a broad range of 290 mV, from +1.32 V vs. SCE with L = PiPr3 to +1.61 V vs. SCE with L = P(OPh)3. This range is unprecedented upon the variation of a single monodentate ligand coordinated by the same heteroatom in the same oxidation and charge states. This work underlines the specific capacity of phosphorus in bringing up a large variety of electronic properties by changing its substituents.     

Improved DFT-Based Interpretation of ESI-MS of Aqueous Metal Cations

We present results showing that our recently developed density functional theory (DFT)-based speciation model of the aqueous Al³⁺ system has the potential to improve the interpretations of ESI-MS studies of aqueous metal cation hydrolytic speciation. The main advantages of our method are that (1) it allows for the calculation of the relative abundance of a given species which may be directly assigned to the signal intensity in a mass spectrum; (2) in cases where species with identical m?z ratios may coexist, the assignment can be unambiguously assigned based on their theoretical relative abundances. As a demonstration of its application, we study four pairs of monomer and dimer aqueous Al³⁺ species, each with identical m/z ratio. For some of these pairs our method predicts that the dominant species changes from the monomer to the dimer species under varying pH conditions.

Rheology and Drug Release Properties of Bioresorbable Hydrogels Prepared from Polylactide/Poly(ethylene glycol) Block Copolymers

Ring-opening polymerization of L(D)-lactide was realized in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), yielding PLLA/PEG and PDLA/PEG block copolymers. Bioresorbable hydrogels were prepared from aqueous solutions containing both copolymers due to interactions and stereocomplexation between PLLA and PDLA blocks. The rheological properties of the hydrogels were investigated under various conditions by changing copolymer concentration, temperature, time and frequency. The hydrogels constitute a dynamic and evolutive system because of continuous formation/destruction of crosslinks and degradation. Drug release studies were performed on hydrogel systems containing bovine serum albumin (BSA). The release profiles appear almost constant with little burst effect. The release rate depends not only on gelation conditions such as time and temperature, but also on factors such as drug load, as well as molar mass and concentration of the copolymers.     

Cyclobishelicenes: Shape-Persistent Figure-Eight Aromatic Molecules with Promising Chiroptical Properties

Cyclobis[n]helicenes (n=3 or 5) are chiral D₂-symmetric π-conjugated macrocycles with stable lemniscular, or figure-eight, shapes. The conformational analysis of five different cyclobis[n]helicenes revealed that these molecules can only exist as their lemniscular conformers with high barriers to enantiomerization (>200 kJ mol⁻¹). The enantiomers of a cyclobis[5]helicene were resolved by HPLC and their unusual chiroptical properties were attributed to the inherent chirality of their macrocyclic figure-eight.     

Antibacterial polyelectrolyte micelles for coating stainless steel

In this study, we report on the original synthesis and characterization of novel antimicrobial coatings for stainless steel by alternating the deposition of aqueous solutions of positively charged polyelectrolyte micelles doped with silver-based nanoparticles with a polyanion. The micelles are formed by electrostatic interaction between two oppositely charged polymers: a polycation bearing 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine units (DOPA, a major component of natural adhesives) and a polyanion (poly(styrene sulfonate), PSS) without using any block copolymer. DOPA units are exploited for their well-known ability to anchor to stainless steel and to form and stabilize biocidal silver nanoparticles (Ag(0)). The chlorine counteranion of the polycation forms and stabilizes biocidal silver chloride nanoparticles (AgCl). We demonstrate that two layers of micelles (alternated by PSS) doped with silver particles are enough to impart to the surface strong antibacterial activity against gram-negative E. coli. Moreover, micelles that are reservoirs of biocidal Ag(+) can be easily reactivated after depletion. This novel water-based approach is convenient, simple, and attractive for industrial applications.