Nelumbo nucifera leaves as source of water-repellent wax: Extraction through polar and non-polar organic solvents

Nelumbo nucifera leaves are rich source of natural wax possessing super-hydrophobic properties. It provides protection to them from ecological turbulences and climatic wear and tear. In this study, various experiments have been conducted to observe the yield of extraction and the determination of various functional groups, which are present in natural wax, derived from Nelumbo nucifera leaves. The natural wax has been extracted from lotus leaves through non-polar (hexane) and polar (ethanol) solvent via different extraction methods. The superhydrophobic wax has been successfully extracted with hexane. Whereas, ethanol did not extract the water-repellent wax of lotus leaf. Considering the cumulative amount, i.e. (desired + undesired), the maceration shows the extraction of 2.9% (%w/w, through hexane) and 10.2% (%w/w, through ethanol), while it was found 2.5% (%w/w, cycle period 15 min) and 9.0% (%w/w, cycle period 26 min) respectively, in case of Soxhlet extraction technique. For this specific case of natural wax recovery from biomass (lotus leaf), the maceration (traditional method) resulted a little bit superior extraction yield in comparison to the Soxhlet extraction method for extraction of crude wax. In the case of non-polar solvent (hexane), an extraction yield of 1.97% (%w/w) through maceration method was observed while in the case of non-polar solvent (ethanol), an extraction yield of 1.62% (%w/w) through Soxhlet extraction was observed. The TLC analysis on both types of extracts was performed. For the detection of various hydrocarbon chains in the crude wax extracts, FTIR was also performed. Topography of wax surface and wax-coated waterproof fabric was compared through SEM.     

Validated ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of pramipexole in human plasma

A sensitive and high throughput ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS-MS) method has been developed for the determination of pramipexole, a dopamine agonist, in human plasma. Sample preparation involved liquid-liquid extraction of pramipexole and ranitidine as the internal standard (IS) in ethyl acetate from 100 μL human plasma. The chromatographic separation is achieved on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) analytical column using an isocratic mobile phase, consisting of 10 mM ammonium formate (pH 7.50)-acetonitrile (15:85, v/v), at a flow-rate of 0.5 mL/min. The precursor → product ion transition for pramipexole (m/z 212.1 → 153.0) and IS (m/z 315.0 → 176.1) were monitored on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, operating in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and positive ion mode. The method was validated over a wide dynamic concentration range of 20-4020 pg/mL. Matrix effect is assessed by post-column infusion experiment and the process efficiency were 91.9% and 85.7% for pramipexole and IS, respectively. The method is rugged and rapid with a total run time of 1.5 min and is applied to a bioequivalence study of 0.25 mg PPX tablet formulation in 30 healthy Indian male subjects under fasting condition.     

Liquid crystals based on calix[4]arene Schiff bases

New liquid crystals based on calix[4]arene Schiff base were prepared by the reaction of tetraamino-calix[4]arene with aldehydes (4-hydroxy benzaldehyde, 2-vanillin, 4-vanillin and 2-hydroxy naphthaldehyde). Dielectric investigations on a magnetically oriented sample forming N, SmA, and SmC phases were carried out. The dielectric constant (ε’ and ε”) and dielectric loss (tan δ) have been determined as a function of frequency (20 Hz–2 MHz). The synthesized derivatives were purified and characterized by FT-IR, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR and MALDI-TOF MS. All the synthesized compounds were investigated for liquid crystalline properties using DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry), DTA (Differential Thermal Analysis) and POM (Polarizing Optical Microscopy) attached with a hot stage. They generally exhibited nematic and typical fanlike or mosaic texture, which suggest the ordered smectic mesophases. Compounds were found to adopt a specific molecular structure due to the rigid bowl like calix[4]arene core, i.e., a cone-like structure with mesogenic units aligned within the molecule.     

CONTRASTING STRUCTURAL IMPACTS INDUCED BY cis-syn CYCLOBUTANE DIMER AND (6–4) ADDUCT IN DNA DUPLEX DECAMERS: IMPLICATION IN MUTAGENESIS AND REPAIR ACTIVITY

Abstract—
The relative biological importance of cis-syn cyclobutane dimer and pyrimidine(6–4)pyr-imidone photoadduct ([6–4] photoadduct) appears to be dependent on the biological species, dipyrimidine sites and the local conformational variation induced at the damaged sites. The single-stranded deoxyn-ucleotide 10-mers containing the site-specific (6–4) adduct or cis-syn cyclobutane dimer of thymidylyl (3'-5')-thymidine were generated by direct photolysis of d(CGCATTACGC) with UVC (220–260 nm) irradiation or UVB (260–320 nm) photosensitization. Three-dimensional structures of the duplex cis-syn and (6–4) decamers of d(CGCATTACGC)d(GCGTAATGCG) were determined by NMR spectroscopy and the relaxation matrix refinement method. The NMR data and structural calculations establish that Watson-Crick base pairing is still intact at the cis-syn dimer site while the hydrogen bonding is absent at the 3'-side of the (6–4) lesion where the T → C transition mutation is predominantly targeted. Overall conformation of the duplex cis-syn decamer was B-DNA and produced a 9° bending in the DNA helix, but a distinctive base orientation of the (6–4) lesion provided a structural basis leading to 44° helical bending. The observed local structure and conformational rigidity at the (6–4) adduct of the thymidylyl(3'-5')-thymidine (T-T [6–4]) lesion site suggest the potential absence of hydrogen bonding at the 3' sides of the (6–4) lesion with a substituted nucleotide during replication under SOS conditions. Contrasting structural distortions induced by the T-T (6–4) adduct with respect to the T-T cis-syn cyclobutane pyrimidine photodimer may explain the large differences in mutation spectrum and repair activities between them.     

Morphology of solution crystallized trans-1,4-polyisoprene

The film formation method has been successfully used to grow single crystals and other complex morphological features of low melting form (LMF) and high melting form (HMF) of trans-1,4-polyisoprene (TPIP). Below 40 °C dilute amyl acetate solution gave hexagonal shaped LMF crystals. Thick and elongated hexagonal shaped morphology was shown by HMF crystals at temperatures above 40 °C. Straight faces and sharp corners of the single crystals, and also of complex crystals, acquired round shapes when highly polydispersed TPIP was used for crystallization.     

Synthesis, characterization and pharmacological activities of 2-[4-cyano-(3-trifluoromethyl)phenyl amino)]-4-(4-quinoline/coumarin-4-yloxy)-6-(fluoropiperazinyl)-s-triazines

A series of 2-[4-cyano-(3-trifluoromethyl)phenyl amino)]-4-(4-quinoline/coumarin-4-yloxy)-6-(fluoropiperazinyl)-s-triazines has been synthesized by a simple and efficient synthetic protocol. The antimicrobial activity of the compounds was studied against several bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 96, Bacillus cereus MTCC 619, Escherichia coli MTCC 739, Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 741, Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC 109, Salmonella typhi MTCC 733, Proteus vulgaris MTCC 1771, Shigella flexneria MTCC 1457) and fungi (Aspergillus niger MTCC 282, Aspergillus fumigatus MTCC 343, Aspergillus clavatus MTCC 1323, Candida albicans MTCC 183) using paper disc diffusion technique and agar streak dilution method. Newly synthesized compounds were also tested for their in vitro antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv using BACTEC MGIT and Lowenstein-Jensen MIC method.     

Electrosynthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and atmospheric pressure carbon dioxide

The use of CO(2) for the preparation of value-added compounds has dramatically increased due to increased global warming concerns. We herein report an electrochemical cell containing a copper cathode and a magnesium anode that effectively converts epoxides and carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates under mild electrochemical conditions at atmospheric pressure.     

Effect of substituent of terpyridines on the DNA-interaction of polypyridyl ruthenium(II) complexes

An octahedral complexes of ruthenium with 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmphen) and substituted terpyridine have been synthesized. The Ru(II) complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analyses, magnetic moment measurements, FT-IR, electronic, (1)H NMR and FAB mass spectra. The binding strength and mode of interaction of the complexes with Herring Sperm DNA has been investigated using absorption titration and viscosity measurement studies. Results suggest that the substituent on terpyridine ligand affects the binding mode and binding ability of the complexes. Effect of time and ionic strength on DNA cleavage ability of complex has also been studied by gel electrophoresis. Results suggest that more than 200 mM concentration of NaCl decreases the cleavage ability of complex.