Antioxidant activity,phytochemical screening,and total phenolic content of extracts from three genders of carob tree barks growing in Morocco

We evaluated the in vitro antioxidant property and phytochemical constituents of the crude ethyl acetate and methanol extract of the three genders of carob tree barks (spontaneous male, spontaneous female, and grafted female). The scavenging activity on DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) was determined, as well as the phenolic contents (Folin–Ciocalteu method) of both the extracts. The highest antioxidant activity and the higher amounts of total phenols were shown in methanol crude bark extract for the three genders. Variety significantly affected the phenol content and the antioxidant activity, with the spontaneous male variety globally showed a higher polyphenol concentration and antioxidant activity than the grafted female and spontaneous female.     

Conductivity,structure, and thermal properties of chitosan‐based polymer electrolytes with nanofillers

This paper focus on the effect of nanosize (<50 nm BET) inorganic alumina (Al₂O₃) filler on the structural, conductivity, and thermal properties of chitosan‐based polymer electrolytes. Films of chitosan and its complexes were prepared using solution‐casting technique. Different amounts of Al₂O₃ viz., 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9, 12, and 15 wt% were added to the highest room temperature conducting sample in the chitosan–salt system, i.e. sample containing 60 wt% chitosan–40 wt% NH₄SCN. The conductivity value of the sample is 1.29 × 10^?4 S cm^?1. On addition of 6 wt% Al₂O₃ filler the ionic conductivity increased to 5.86 × 10^?4 S cm^?1. The amide and amino peaks in the spectrum of chitosan at 1636 and 1551 cm^?1, respectively, shift to lower wavenumbers on addition of salt. The glass transition temperature T_g for the highest conducting composite is 190°C. The increase in T_g with increase in more than 6 wt% filler content is attributed to the increase in degree of crystallinity as proven from X‐ray diffraction studies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polymeric emulsion and crosslink-mediated synthesis of super-stable nanoparticles as sustained-release anti-tuberculosis drug carriers

This study focused on evaluating four emulsion-based processing strategies for polymeric nanoparticle synthesis to explicate the mechanisms of nanoparticle formation and the influence on achieving sustained-release of two anti-tuberculosis drugs, isoniazid and rifampicin. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles were formulated with and without sorbitan mono-oleate as a stabilizer using emulsion-solvent-surfactant-evaporation (ESSE) and emulsion-solvent-evaporation (ESE) approaches. An alginate solution gelled by ionic crosslinking with calcium chloride was employed to prepare alginate hydrogel nanoparticles via reverse-emulsion-cationic-gelification (RECG) and reverse-emulsion-surfactant-cationic-gelification (RESCG) approaches. In vitro drug release analysis was performed. The size, zeta potential and morphology of the nanoparticles were analyzed. Molecular mechanics energy relationships (MMER) were employed to explore the spatial disposition of alginate and PLGA with respect to the emulsifying profile of sorbitan monooleate and to corroborate the experimental findings. Results revealed that particle size of the PLGA nanoparticles was influenced by the stabilizer concentration. Nanoparticles synthesized by the ESSE approach had smaller sizes of 240±8.7 nm and 195.5±5.4 nm for rifampicin- and isoniazid-loaded nanoparticles, respectively. This was a substantial size reduction from nanoparticles generated by the ESE approach (>1000 nm). The RESCG approach produced stable and higher nanoparticle yields with desirable size (277±1.0 nm; 289±1.2 nm), a low polydispersity index (27.1±0.3 mV; 28.5±0.5 mV) and drug entrapment efficiency of 73% and 75% for isoniazid and rifampicin, respectively. Drug release from the ESSE and RESCG synthesized nanoparticles displayed desirable release of the two anti-TB drugs with sustained zero-order kinetics over a period of 8h. MMER supported the mechanisms of nanoparticle formation with a sphericalized interlaced network configuration.     

Application of Heteropolyacids as Heterogeneous and Recyclable Catalysts for One-Pot Synthesis of 3-Cyanopyridine Derivatives

A simple, clean and environmentally benign route to the synthesis of 3-cyanopyridines is described via a one-pot multi-component reaction of 3,4-dimethoxyacetophenone, malonitrile or ethylcyanoacetate, aldehyde and ammonium acetate using heteropolyacids as heterogeneous and recyclable catalysts in very good yields.     

A chitosan–polypyrrole magnetic nanocomposite as μ-sorbent for isolation of naproxen

An extracting medium based on chitosan–polypyrrole (CS–PPy) magnetic nanocomposite was synthesized by chemical polymerization of pyrrole at the presence of chitosan magnetic nanoparticles (CS-MNPs) for micro-solid phase extraction. In this work, magnetic nanoparticles, the modified CS-MNPs and different types of CS–PPy magnetic nanocomposites were synthesized. Extraction efficiency of the CS–PPy magnetic nanocomposite was compared with the CS-MNPs and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles for the determination of naproxen in aqueous samples, via quantification by spectrofluorimetry. The scanning electron microscopy images obtained from all the prepared nanocomposites revealed that the CS–PPy magnetic nanocomposite possess more porous structure. Among different synthesized magnetic nanocomposites, CS–PPy magnetic nanocomposite showed a prominent efficiency. Influencing parameters on the morphology of CS–PPy magnetic nanocomposite such as weight ratio of components was also assayed. In addition, effects of different parameters influencing the extraction efficiency of naproxen including desorption solvent, desorption time, amount of sorbent, ionic strength, sample pH and extraction time were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum condition, a linear calibration curve in the range of 0.04–10 μg mL⁻¹ (R² = 0.9996) was obtained. The limits of detection (3S_b) and limits of quantification (10S_b) of the method were 0.015 and 0.04 μg mL⁻¹ (n = 3), respectively. The relative standard deviation for water sample spiked with 0.1 μg mL⁻¹ of naproxen was 3% (n = 5) and the absolute recovery was 92%. The applicability of method was extended to the determination of naproxen in tap water, human urine and plasma samples. The relative recovery percentages for these samples were in the range of 56–99%.     

Synthesis,Electrical Conductivity,Spectral and Thermal Stability Studies on Poly(aniline-co-o-nitroaniline)

o-Nitroaniline units were incorporated in the polyaniline backbone through copolymerization with aniline. The copolymers were synthesized for 1:3 and 1:1 molar ratios of aniline and o-nitroaniline in acidic medium using potassium persulphate as oxidant and their properties were compared with that of polyaniline. The polymers showed less electrical conductivity than polyaniline. Unlike polyaniline, the presence of nitro group caused higher frequency dependence of electrical conductivity. Electronic spectra showed a blue shift in both the band of the copolymers due to the decrease in the extent of conjugation leading to lower conductivity, which could also be explained in terms of a decrease of delocalization of electron as evinced from electron para magnetic resonance (EPR) data. Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that copolymer derived from 1:1 molar ratio showed comparable thermal stability with polyaniline and the one derived from 1:3 molar ratios is thermally less stable than polyaniline. Activation energies for thermal degradation were estimated using Broido equation. The temperature dependence of electrical conductivity suggested charge transport is mainly through variable range hopping.     

Chromium Trioxide Supported onto Wet Silica Gel: Rapid Oxidation of Alcohols to Carbonyl Compounds Under Microwave Irradiation in Solventless System

In an environmentally benign system, alcohols are rapidly oxidized to carbonyl compounds using CrO 3 supported onto wet silica gel as an oxidant under microwave irradiation.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of Ferula latisecta and Mozaffariania insignis from Iran

The hydrodistilled oils from the aerial parts of Ferula latisecta and Mozaffariania insignis, which is endemic to Iran, were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. (Z)-Ocimenone (32.4%), (E)-ocimenone (20.3%), and cis-pinocarvone (11.4%) were the main components among the 22 constituents characterized in the oil of F. latisecta, representing 87.7% of the total components detected. Twenty-five compounds were identified in the oil of M. insignis, representing 99.0% of the total oil, with octyl acetate (41.1%), β-pinene (30.3%), and α-pinene (23.9%) as the main constituents. The essential oils were examined for their potential antimicrobial activities. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 561–563, November–December, 2006.