Effects of Lipid-Based Encapsulation on the Bioaccessibility and Bioavailability of Phenolic Compounds

Phenolic compounds (quercetin, rutin, cyanidin, tangeretin, hesperetin, curcumin, resveratrol, etc.) are known to have health-promoting effects and they are accepted as one of the main proposed nutraceutical group. However, their application is limited owing to the problems related with their stability and water solubility as well as their low bioaccessibility and bioavailability. These limitations can be overcome by encapsulating phenolic compounds by physical, physicochemical and chemical encapsulation techniques. This review focuses on the effects of encapsulation, especially lipid-based techniques (emulsion/nanoemulsion, solid lipid nanoparticles, liposomes/nanoliposomes, etc.), on the digestibility characteristics of phenolic compounds in terms of bioaccessibility and bioavailability.     

Structural and Vibrational Studies of Sr2[W(CN)8]·10H2O

The crystal structure of distrontium octacyanotungstate decahydrate, Sr₂[W(CN)₈] · 10H₂O, was solved using X‐ray single crystal diffraction. The tungsten atom lies on a two fold axis. Eight cyanide anions create tetragonal antiprismatic coordination sphere of tungsten atom. The two edge‐sharing tetragonal antiprisms of [Sr(NC)₃(OH₂)₅], create a dimer, [Sr₂(CN)₆(H₂O)₆(μ‐H₂O)₂], which lies on the inversion center. One symmetry independent water molecule is located in a void of 40 Å³. Vibrational (FT‐IR and FT‐Raman spectroscopic) behavior of main structural units is discussed. It was spectroscopically confirmed that the geometry of [W(CN)₈]^4– anion is slightly distorted from that corresponding to “free” anion. The number of observed bands is significantly lower than that expected for C₂ point group.     

Fabrication of magnetic gold nanorod particles for immunomagnetic separation and SERS application

The preparation and application of rod-shaped core–shell structured Fe₃O₄–Au nanoparticles for immunomagnetic separation and sensing were described for the first time with this study. To synthesize magnetic gold nanorod particles, the seed-mediated synthetic method was carried out and the resulting nanoparticles were characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were also examined. Characterization of the magnetic gold nanorod particles has proven that the resulting nanoparticles were composed of Fe₃O₄ core and the gold shell. The rod-shaped gold-coated iron nanoparticles have an average diameter of 16 ± 2 nm and an average length of about 50 ± 5 nm (corresponding aspect ratio of 3). The saturation magnetization value for the magnetic gold nanorod particles was found to be 37 emu/g at 300 K. Rapid and room temperature reaction synthesis of magnetic gold nanorod particles and subsequent surface modification with E. coli antibodies provide immunomagnetic separation and SERS application. The analytical performance of the SERS-based homogenous sandwich immunoassay system with respect to linear range, detection limit, and response time is also presented.     

Synthesis,Spectroscopic Studies and Crystal Structure of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>′-bis((thiophene-2-carboxamido)propyl)piperazine

Abstract  A new multidentate ligand N,N′-bis((thiophene-2-carboxamide)propyl)piperazine has been synthesized from the reaction of thiophene-2-carbonylchloride and 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine. The title compound has been characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopic techniques. The crystal structure of the title compound (C₂₀H₃₀N₄O₂S₂Cl₂) has also been determined by X-ray analysis. The title compound crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with a = 9.768(1), b = 12.895(1), c = 10.083(1) ?, β = 115.12(1)°, V = 1149.9(2) ?³, D _x = 1.425 g cm⁻³ and Z = 2. The crystal structure was solved by direct methods and refined by full-matrix least squares to a find R = 0.039 [I > 2σ (I)] for 2,786 observed reflections. Graphical Abstract  The (N,N’–bis((thiophene-2- carboxamido)propyl)piperazine) molecule has been synthesized and its molecule structure has been investigated by using , FT-IR, 13C NMR and 1H-NMR spectroscopic and crystallographic techniques.

Pharmacological Effects of Grifolin: Focusing on Anticancer Mechanisms

Grifolin is a volatile compound contained in essential oils of several medicinal plants. Several studies show that this substance has been the subject of numerous pharmacological investigations, which have yielded interesting results. Grifolin demonstrated beneficial effects for health via its multiple pharmacological activities. It has anti-microbial properties against bacteria, fungi, and parasites. In addition, grifolin exhibited remarkable anti-cancer effects on different human cancer cells. The anticancer action of this molecule is related to its ability to act at cellular and molecular levels on different checkpoints controlling the signaling pathways of human cancer cell lines. Grifolin can induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, autophagy, and senescence in these cells. Despite its major pharmacological properties, grifolin has only been investigated in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, further investigations concerning pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic tests are required for any possible pharmaceutical application of this substance. Moreover, toxicological tests and other investigations involving humans as a study model are required to validate the safety and clinical applications of grifolin.     

Selectivity Tuning by Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADESs) for Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Cytinus hypocistis—Studies of Antioxidative,Enzyme-Inhibitive Properties and LC-MS Profiles

In the present study, the extracts of Cytinus hypocistis (L.) L using both traditional solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, ethanol, ethanol/water, and water) and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) were investigated in terms of their total polyphenolic contents and antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitive properties. The extracts were found to possess total phenolic and total flavonoid contents in the ranges of 26.47–186.13 mg GAE/g and 0.68–12.55 mg RE/g, respectively. Higher total phenolic contents were obtained for NADES extracts. Compositional differences were reported in relation to antioxidant potential studied by several assays (DPPH: 70.19–939.35 mg TE/g, ABTS: 172.56–4026.50 mg TE/g; CUPRAC: 97.41–1730.38 mg TE/g, FRAP: 84.11–1534.85 mg TE/g). Application of NADESs (choline chloride—urea 1:2, a so-called Reline) allowed one to obtain the highest number of extracts having antioxidant potential in the radical scavenging and reducing assays. NADES-B (protonated by HCl L-proline-xylitol 5:1) was the only extractant from the studied solvents that isolated a specific fraction without chelating activity. Reline extract exhibited the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibition compared to NADES-B and NADES-C (protonated by H₂SO₄ L-proline-xylitol 5:1) extracts, which showed no inhibition. The NADES extracts were observed to have higher tyrosinase inhibitory properties compared to extracts obtained by traditional organic solvents. Furthermore, the NADES extracts were relatively better inhibitors of the diabetic enzymes. These findings provided an interesting comparison in terms of total polyphenolic content yields, antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties (cholinesterase, amylase, glucosidase, and tyrosinase) between traditional solvent extracts and NADES extracts, used as an alternative. While the organic solvents showed better antioxidant activity, the NADES extracts were found to have some other improved properties, such as higher total phenolic content and enzyme-inhibiting properties, suggesting functional prospects for their use in phytonutrient extraction and fractionation. The obtained results could also be used to give a broad overview of the different biological potentials of C. hypocistis.     

Anti-Inflammatory and Neuromodulatory Effects Induced by Tanacetum parthenium Water Extract: Results from In Silico,In Vitro and Ex Vivo Studies

Tanacetum parthenium (feverfew) has traditionally been employed as a phytotherapeutic remedy in the treatment of migraine. In this study, a commercial T. parthenium water extract was investigated to explore its anti-inflammatory and neuromodulatory effects. Isolated mouse cortexes were exposed to a K⁺ 60 mM Krebs-Ringer buffer and treated with T. parthenium water extract. The prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) level, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and IL-1β gene expression were evaluated in the cortex. The effects on dopamine (DA) release and dopamine transporter (DAT) gene expression were assayed in hypothalamic HypoE22 cells. A bioinformatics analysis was conducted to further investigate the mechanism of action. The extract was effective in reducing cortex PGE₂ release and IL-1β gene expression. In the same experimental system, IL-10 and BDNF gene expressions increased, and in HypoE22 cells, the extract decreased the extracellular dopamine level and increased the DAT gene expression due to the direct interaction of parthenolide with the DAT. Overall, the present findings highlight the efficacy of T. parthenium water extract in controlling the inflammatory pathways that occur during cortical-spreading depression. Additionally, the inhibition of the hypothalamic DA release observed in this study further supports the role of dopaminergic pathways as key targets for novel pharmacological approaches in the management of migraine attacks.