Green synthesis,characterization, and biological activities of saffron leaf extract-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles: A sustainable approach to reuse an agricultural waste

To increase the profitability and sustainability of agricultural waste, a facile green approach was established to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using saffron leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. Structural characteristics of NPs were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and UV–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. Characterization results revealed that ZnO NPs is highly crystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure and spherical particles with diameter less than 50 nm, as confirmed by XRD and FESEM techniques. UV–Vis absorption spectra depicted an absorption peak at 370 nm, which confirms the formation of ZnO NPs. FTIR spectral analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups and metal oxygen groups. The biological activities of ZnO NPs were also investigated. The antibacterial effect of ZnO NPs was investigated against selected food pathogens (Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Enterococcus faecalis). The study results prove that the green synthesized ZnO NPs show enhanced antibacterial activity against S. Typhimurium when compared with other strains. A dose-dependent free radical scavenging activity was observed for ZnO NPs in both 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) assays. The ZnO NPs were evaluated for their photocatalytic activity during the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye in aqueous solutions. The maximum removal of MB achieved was 64% with an initial ZnO NP concentration of 12 mg/mL under UV light. The present study revealed that the agricultural waste (saffron leaf) provides a simple and eco-friendly option to sustainably synthesize ZnO NPs for use as a photocatalyst. In addition, this is the first report on saffron leaf-mediated synthesis of ZnO NPs.     

Secure and Sustainable Sourcing of Plant Tissues for the Exhaustive Exploration of Their Chemodiversity

The main challenge of plant chemical diversity exploration is how to develop tools to study exhaustively plant tissues. Their sustainable sourcing is a limitation as bioguided strategies and dereplication need quite large amounts of plant material. We examine if alternative solutions could overcome these difficulties by obtaining a secure, sustainable, and scalable source of tissues able to biosynthesize an array of metabolites. As this approach would be as independent of the botanical origin as possible, we chose eight plant species from different families. We applied a four steps culture establishment procedure, monitoring targeted compounds through mass spectrometry-based analytical methods. We also characterized the capacities of leaf explants in culture to produce diverse secondary metabolites. In vitro cultures were successfully established for six species with leaf explants still producing a diversity of compounds after the culture establishment procedure. Furthermore, explants from leaves of axenic plantlets were also analyzed. The detection of marker compounds was confirmed after six days in culture for all tested species. Our results show that the first stage of this approach aiming at easing exploration of plant chemodiversity was completed, and leaf tissues could offer an interesting alternative providing a constant source of natural compounds.     

Expanded separation technique for chlorophyll metabolites in Oriental tobacco leaf using non aqueous reversed phase chromatography

An improved separation method for chlorophyll metabolites in Oriental tobacco leaf was developed. While Oriental leaf still gives the green color even after the curing process, little attention has been paid to the detailed composition of the remaining green pigments. This study aimed to identify the green pigments using non aqueous reversed phase chromatography (NARPC). To this end, liquid chromatograph (LC) equipped with a photo diode array detector (DAD) and an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/mass spectrometer (APCI/MSD) was selected, because it is useful for detecting low polar non-volatile compounds giving green color such as pheophytin a. Identification was based on the wavelength spectrum, mass spectrum and retention time, comparing the analytes in Oriental leaf with the commercially available and synthesized components. Consequently, several chlorophyll metabolites such as hydroxypheophytin a, solanesyl pheophorbide a and solanesyl hydroxypheophorbide a were newly identified, in addition to typical green pigments such as chlorophyll a and pheophytin a. Chlorophyll metabolites bound to solanesol were considered the tobacco specific components. NARPC expanded the number of detectable low polar chlorophyll metabolites in Oriental tobacco leaf.     

Ionic liquid aqueous solvent-based microwave-assisted hydrolysis for the extraction and HPLC determination of myricetin and quercetin from Myrica rubra leaves

An ionic liquid aqueous solvent‐based microwave‐assisted hydrolysis (ILAS‐MAH) approach was proposed for the rapid extraction and accurate determination of myricetin and quercetin from Myrica rubra (M. rubra) leaves for the first time. The effects of the ionic liquid class and concentration, liquid–solid ratio, hydrolysis temperature and time were investigated to obtain the optimal ILAS‐MAH conditions. The optimized conditions were 2.0 mol/L [bmin][HSO4] or 2.5 mol/L acidified [bmin]Br solution, liquid–solid ratio 30:1 (mL : g), hydrolysis temperature 70°C and hydrolysis time 10 min. Under these conditions, the recoveries of myricetin and quercetin were in the range of 86.3–107.3% with relative standard deviation lower than 5.8%. Compared with conventional heating hydrolysis and regular MAH, the proposed approach reduced hydrolysis time and improved yields. The mechanism of ILAS‐MAH was also investigated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

不同产地杜仲叶中金属元素的含量及其变化趋势分析

采用火焰原子吸收光谱法测定了陕西杨凌、陕西安康和河南灵宝产杜仲叶中Fe、Cu、Mg、Ca、Mn、Zn 6种金属元素的含量,并对其含量的变化趋势进行了分析比较.结果表明,杜仲叶中含有丰富的人体必需金属元素,且不同产地来源的样品中金属元素的含量有明显差异,其中尤以Fe、Zn、Mn和Mg含量差异最大,Cu和Ca的差异不明显....     

超声波辅助提取柿子树叶单宁的研究

以70%的丙酮溶液为提取溶剂,采用超声波辅助提取野柿叶中的单宁,考察了超声波的功率、提取温度、提取时间等因素对单宁提取量的影响.采用响应面法对提取条件进行优化,并建立了二次回归模型.实验结果显示:当提取温度为52℃、超声波功率为80 W、提取时间为42 min,在此条件下单宁的提取量为203.15 mr/g,比无超声波...     

High performance hybrid reinforcement of nitrile rubber using short pineapple leaf fiber and carbon black

Rubber composites with very high moduli at low elongation, high elongation at break and high ultimate breaking strength have been developed. The matrix was acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and the hybrid (fibrous and particulate) reinforcements were short, fine pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) and carbon black. The amount of PALF was fixed at 10 parts (by weight) per hundred of rubber (phr) while that of carbon black was varied from 0 to 30 phr. Uniaxial NBR composites were prepared. Tensile strength, elongation at break, modulus and tear strength of the hybrid composites were characterized in both longitudinal (parallel to the fiber axis) and transverse (perpendicular to the fiber axis) directions. The addition of carbon black causes the slope of the early part of the stress–strain curve to increase and also extends breaking to greater strains. At carbon black contents of 20 phr and above, the stress–strain relation displays an upturn at high elongations, providing greater ultimate strength. Comparison with the usual carbon black filled rubber shows that the composite behavior at low strains is determined by the PALF, and at high strains by the carbon black. This high performance PALF-carbon black reinforced NBR shows great promise for engineering applications.     

Quantification of abscisic acid in grapevine leaf (Vitis vinifera) by isotope-dilution liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

A specific, sensitive, precise, and accurate method for the determination of abscisic acid (ABA) in grapevine leaf tissues is described. The method employs high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) in selected ion monitoring mode (SIM) to analyze ABA using a stable isotope-labeled ABA as an internal standard. Absolute recoveries ranged from 72% to 79% using methanol/water pH 5.5 (50:50 v/v) as an extraction solvent. The best efficiency was obtained when the chromatographic separation was carried out by using a porous graphitic carbon (PGC) column. The statistical evaluation of the method was satisfactory in the work range. A relative standard deviation (RDS) of < 5.5% and < 6.0% was obtained for intra-batch and inter-batch comparisons, respectively. As for accuracy, the relative error (%Er) was between −2.7 and 4.3%, and the relative recovery ranged from 95% to 107%.     

Polar Constituents from Sageretia Thea Leaf Characterized by HPLC‐SPE‐NMR Assisted Approaches

Nine glycosides ( 1–9 ) were characterized from the n‐butanol‐soluble fraction of the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Sageretia thea by the general approach. Among these, Compounds 6 and 7 were identified as a mixture. Application of HPLC‐SPE‐NMR in two selected fractions led to the separation of this mixture and the characterization of three additional minors ( 10–12 ). Among these, 7‐O‐methylmyricetin 3‐O‐α‐l ‐arabinofuranoside ( 8 ) is a new natural product and eight compounds, i.e. glucofragulin A ( 1 ), quercetin‐3‐O‐α‐l ‐arabinopyranoside ( 5 ), 3‐O‐β‐d ‐galactopyranoside ( 6 ), 3‐O‐β‐d ‐glucopyranoside ( 7 ), and 3‐O‐α‐l ‐arabinofuranoside ( 11 ), myricetin‐3‐O‐α‐l ‐arabinofuranoside ( 9 ) and 3‐O‐β‐d‐glucopyranoside ( 10 ), and quercetrin ( 12 ), are found for the first time from the title plant.     

Analysis of ginseng root and leaf by multiple columns and detections liquid chromatography

Abstract

A multiple columns and detections liquid chromatography system, including size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and reversed phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), for the analysis of macromolecules and micromolecules in ginseng root and leaf was developed. The columns were connected by two switching valves. Macromolecules were separated on a SEC column (TSK gel SuperMultipore PW-H column, 6?mm× 150?mm, 8?μm) by isocratic elution of 50?mM ammonium acetate aqueous solution, 0.3?mL/min of flow rate and detected by evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD). Micromolecules were analyzed on a Poroshell RP column (Agilent Poroshell 120?SB-Aq column, 4.6?mm × 50?mm, 2.7 µm) with gradient elution of water and acetonitrile, 0.6?mL/min of flow rate and detected by ultraviolet detection (UV). As a result, in the macromolecules chromatogram of ginseng root sample showed two main peaks while only one major peak for ginseng leaf. For micromolecules analysis, 17 compounds (3 nucleosides + 14 saponins) and 17 compounds (3 nucleosides + 1 flavonoid + 13 saponins) were found in ginseng root and leaf, respectively. The developed method is helpful for the quality evaluation of ginseng root and leaf.