Photopolymeritation of Methyl Methacrylate and Styrene by Sulfur Ylides

The photoinitiating ability of some sulfur ylides was studied. Diphenylsulfonium bis (methoxycarbony1)methylide (DPSY) could photoinitiate methyl methacrylate and styrene. A free radical mechanism was confirmed by a kinetic study, the inhibiting effect of benzoquinone, and the copolymer composition. From an analysis of the photodecomposition products it is suggested that the phenyl radical generated from the bond fission between the sulfur atom and the phenyl group participates in the initiation of this free radical polymerization. Methylphenylsulfonium bis (methoxycarbonyl) methylide, as well as DPSY, served as a photoinitiator, but dimethylsulfonium bis (methoxycarbony1)methylide did not. The differences are explained based on UV spectra.     

Polymers Derived from 4-Substituted Salicylic Acids as Antifungal Agents

4-Amino-, chloro-, and bromo-substituted salicylic acid-formaldehyde polymers and their metal chelates were screened for their antifungal activity. Various copolymers prepared from 4-chloro-(bromo)salicylic acid, formaldehyde, and other comonomers were also screened for their antifungal activity. All these polymers, copolymers, and polychelates were found active against several fungi Their fungicidal activities are compared with those of the corresponding monomers and monomeric chelates.     

Feasibility of Polyvinyl Alcohol as a Transdermal Drug Delivery System for Terbutaline Sulphate

A series of terbutaline sulphate drug incorporated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix films were produced by the solvent evaporation method. The effect of xanthan gum and plasticizers (propylene glycol and dibutyl phthalate) on the rate and amount of drug diffusion from PVA membrane across the hydrated cellophane membrane has been evaluated, using an open glass diffusion‐tube. The obtained films were clear, smooth and flexible having sufficient mechanical strength. The mechanical performance of the dry PVA films with xanthan gum and plasticizers were also ascertained. Polyvinyl alcohol‐xanthan gum blends showed a high rate of drug release compared to that of polyvinyl alcohol film alone. Among the two plasticizers employed, propylene glycol showed better permeability. Among different formulations studied, the formulation PVA/xanthan gum/propylene glycol (F7) was found to be an optimized composition for efficient transdermal delivery of the model drug, terbutaline sulphate. The mechanism of drug diffusion has been evaluated using the Peppas model. Stability studies carried out on polymer‐drug formulations revealed that the drug is stable at 40°C and 75% RH for a period of 6 weeks.     

Development of a sensitive and reliable high performance liquid chromatography method with fluorescence detection for high-throughput analysis of multi-class mycotoxins in Coix seed

As an edible and medicinal plant, Coix seed is readily contaminated by more than one group of mycotoxins resulting in potential risk to human health. A reliable and sensitive method has been developed to determine seven mycotoxins (aflatoxins B₁, B₂, G₁, G₂, zearalenone, α-zearalenol, and β-zearalenol) simultaneously in 10 batches of Coix seed marketed in China. The method is based on a rapid ultrasound-assisted solid–liquid extraction (USLE) using methanol/water (80/20) followed by immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up, on-line photochemical derivatization (PCD), and high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). Careful optimization of extraction, clean-up, separation and detection conditions was accomplished to increase sample throughput and to attain rapid separation and sensitive detection. Method validation was performed by analyzing samples spiked at three different concentrations for the seven mycotoxins. Recoveries were from 73.5% to 107.3%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) lower than 7.7%. The intra- and inter-day precisions, expressed as RSDs, were lower than 4% for all studied analytes. Limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.01 to 50.2 μg kg⁻¹, and from 0.04 to 125.5 μg kg⁻¹, respectively, which were below the tolerance levels for mycotoxins set by the European Union. Samples that tested positive were further analyzed by HPLC tandem electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for confirmatory purposes. This is the first application of USLE-IAC-HPLC-PCD-FLD for detecting the occurrence of multi-class mycotoxins in Coix seed.     

Physical and Rheological Characteristics of Emulsion Model Structures Containing Iranian Tragacanth Gum and Oleic Acid

The physical and rheological properties of oil in water model emulsion systems containing Iranian tragacanth gum (TG) (0.5, 1 g/100 ml emulsions), whey protein isolate (WPI) (2, 4 g/100 ml emulsions), and oleic acid (5, 10 ml/100 ml emulsions) were investigated for droplet-size distribution, creaming index, and rheological properties of emulsions. The shear-thinning behavior of all dispersions was modeled using power law, Cross, and Ellis models. The power law model described the flow behavior of dispersions for its lowest standard error (0.29) and highest determination coefficient (R²) (0.99). Rheological investigation showed that both loss (G″) and storage (G′) modules increased as gum and oil content increased. Delta degree was 0.1 and increased as frequency increased, indicating that liquid-like viscose behavior dominated solid-like elastic behavior. Droplet-size distribution was measured by light scattering and microscopic observations revealed a flocculated system. Gum, WPI, and oil contents decreased the emulsion creaming index with gum concentration having the greatest effect.     

Development of Immunonutrient from Pumpkin (Cucurbita Moschata Duchense Ex. Lamk.) Seed

Pumpkin seeds has long been used as a source of nutrition. Based on its content, it is possible that part of this plant used as immunonutrient. The purpose of this research is to study the immunomodulatory activity of pumpkin seeds. It effects on the non-specific immune response was determined through carbon clearance test, organ indexes (liver, spleen and thymic gland) and mice peritoneal exudate activity (PEA). The effects on specific immune response were determined through total antibody titre, delayed type of hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction and number of lymphocytes. On non specific immune response test, pumpkin seed at a low dose (PLD-3.8 g/kg bw) and at a high dose (PHD-7.6 g/kg bw) showed immunostimulanting effect with phagocytic index of 1.219 and 1.347, respectively. PHD increased PEA activity (p<0.01) in lysing microbes. On specific immune response test, PLD and PHD showed immunostimulation effect indicated through 50% haemaglutination activity (HA titre) i.e., 1:512 and 1:2048, respectively compared to than that of control (1:256) for secondary antibody titre. Through cellular immunity test, 48 hours after challenged, PHD showed significant (p<0.05) increased in footpad thickness. After 7 days administration, both doses of pumpkin increased lymphocytes number significantly (p<0.05). Based on the data it can be concluded that, pumpkin seeds have immunomodulatory effects, and can therefore be used as immunonutrient     

Anti-Helicobacter pylori Activity of Artemisia ludoviciana subsp. mexicana and Two of Its Bioactive Components,Estafiatin and Eupatilin

Artemisia ludoviciana subsp. mexicana has been traditionally used for the treatment of digestive ailments such as gastritis, whose main etiological agent is Helicobacter pylori. In a previous screening study, the aqueous extract exhibited a good in vitro anti-H. pylori activity. With the aim of determining the efficacy of this species as a treatment for H. pylori related diseases and finding bioactive compounds, its aqueous extract was subjected to solvent partitioning and the fractions obtained were tested for their in vitro anti-H. pylori effect, as well as for their in vivo gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities. The aqueous extract showed a MIC = 250 µg/mL. No acute toxicity was induced in mice. A gastroprotection of 69.8 ± 3.8%, as well as anti-inflammatory effects of 47.6 ± 12.4% and 38.8 ± 10.2% (by oral and topical administration, respectively), were attained. Estafiatin and eupatilin were isolated and exhibited anti-H. pylori activity with MBCs of 15.6 and 31.2 µg/mL, respectively. The finding that A. ludoviciana aqueous extract has significant anti-H. pylori, gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities is a relevant contribution to the ethnopharmacological knowledge of this species. This work is the first report about the in vivo gastroprotective activity of A. ludoviciana and the anti-H. pylori activity of eupatilin and estafiatin.     

A New Approach for Controlling Mesoporosity in Activated Carbon by the Consecutive Process of Air Oxidation,Thermal Destruction of Surface Functional Groups,and Carbon Activation (the OTA Method)

A new and simple method, based entirely on a physical approach, was proposed to produce activated carbon from longan fruit seed with controlled mesoporosity. This method, referred to as the OTA, consisted of three consecutive steps of (1) air oxidation of initial microporous activated carbon of about 30% char burn-off to introduce oxygen surface functional groups, (2) the thermal destruction of the functional groups by heating the oxidized carbon in a nitrogen atmosphere at a high temperature to increase the surface reactivity due to increased surface defects by bond disruption, and (3) the final reactivation of the resulting carbon in carbon dioxide. The formation of mesopores was achieved through the enlargement of the original micropores after heat treatment via the CO₂ gasification, and at the same time new micropores were also produced, resulting in a larger increase in the percentage of mesopore volume and the total specific surface area, in comparison with the production of activated carbon by the conventional two-step activation method using the same activation time and temperature. For the activation temperatures of 850 and 900 °C and the activation time of up to 240 min, it was found that the porous properties of activated carbon increased with the increase in activation time and temperature for both preparation methods. A maximum volume of mesopores of 0.474 cm³/g, which accounts for 44.1% of the total pore volume, and a maximum BET surface area of 1773 m²/g was achieved using three cycles of the OTA method at the activation temperature of 850 °C and 60 min activation time for each preparation cycle. The two-step activation method yielded activated carbon with a maximum mesopore volume of 0.270 cm³/g (33.0% of total pore volume) and surface area of 1499 m²/g when the activation temperature of 900 °C and a comparable activation time of 240 min were employed. Production of activated carbon by the OTA method is superior to the two-step activation method for better and more precise control of mesopore development.     

Supercritical Fluid Extract of Putranjiva roxburghii Wall. Seeds Mitigates Fertility Impairment in a Zebrafish Model

Putrajeevak (Putranjiva roxburghii Wall.; synonym Drypetes roxburghii (Wall.) Hurus) seeds have been used since ancient times in the treatment of infertility in the Ayurvedic system of medicine in India. In this study, the oil component of Putrajeevak seeds (PJSO) was extracted using the supercritical fluid extraction (SCFE) method using liquid CO₂ and the constituents were analyzed using gas chromatography-flame ionized detectorand high-performance thin-layer chromatography. PJSO contained trace amounts of β-sitosterol with oleic and linoleic acids as the major fatty acid constituents. Male and female zebrafish were mutagenized with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) and fish that produced less than 20 viable embryos were selected for the study. SCFE oil extracts from the P. roxburghii seeds were used in this study to reverse fertility impairment. The mutant fish were fed with PJSO for a period of 14 days and the rates of fertility, conception, and fecundity were determined with wild-type healthy fish as a breeding partner. Treatment with PJSO increased the ovarian follicle count as well as the number of mature eggs, while reducing the number of ovarian cysts. Sperm count as well as sperm motility were greatly enhanced in the ENU-mutagenized male zebrafish when treated with PJSO. The results obtained in this study demonstrate the effectiveness of P. roxburghii seed oil in reversing impaired fertility in both male and female zebrafish models.