Ten marker compounds-based comparative study of green tea and guava leaf by HPTLC densitometry methods: antioxidant activity profiling

High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method for the separation and quantitative determination of ten markers (catechins, flavonoids, and phenolics) in different extracts of green tea and guava leaf has been developed and the antioxidant activity profiles of the two plant extracts have been determined. Ten marker compounds have been resolved using silica gel 60 F(254) plates, toluene/acetone/formic acid (5:4:1 v/v/v) for markers 1-6, and toluene/ethyl acetate/formic acid/methanol (3:3:0.8:0.2 v/v/v/v) for markers 7-10 as the mobile phases. The high-performance thin layer chromatography densitometry was performed at wavelengths of 282 and 285 nm for the markers 1-6 and 7-10, respectively. Potent antioxidant activity and the presence of phenolics and flavan-3-ols has been observed for the guava leaf extracts suggestive of its use as an alternate economical source of antioxidants over green tea--the well-established food additive/nutraceutical agent.     

Proximate,Elemental, and Functional Properties of Novel Solid Dispersions of Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder

Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) is a rich source of antioxidants, protein, minerals, vitamins, and various phytochemicals and has been used to combat malnutrition in many countries. However, despite its many benefits, MOLP has low a solubility in water, necessitating the development of ways to address this issue. To improve the solubility of MOLP, solid-dispersed Moringa oleifera leaf powders (SDMOLPs) have been developed through freeze-drying, melting, microwave irradiation, and solvent evaporation methods using polyethylene glycols (PEG4000 and PEG6000) (1:1) as hydrophilic carriers. The solid dispersions were evaluated for their proximate composition using standard analytical procedures. Elemental composition was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Water absorption capacity (WAC) and water-solubility were further evaluated as functional properties. Proximate composition revealed that MOLP and SDMOLPs were rich in protein, energy, carbohydrate, ash, and fat contents. MOLP solid dispersions are a major source of minerals (Ca, Mg, Cu, and Zn), and can be used to alleviate many mineral deficiencies. All solid dispersions had significantly higher (p < 0.05) solubilities (ranging from 54 to 64%) and WAC (ranging from 468.86 to 686.37%), relative to that of pure MOLP. The increased solubility of SDMOLPs may be attributed to the hydrogen bonds and intermolecular interactions between MOLP and the hydrophilic carriers. The results indicate that the solid dispersion technique can be successfully employed to improve the solubility of MOLP. And the solid-dispersed MOLPs with enhanced functional properties may be useful as functional ingredients in foods and beverages, dietary supplements, or nutraceutical formulations.     

Chemical Variability and In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Leaf Essential Oil from Ivorian Isolona dewevrei (De Wild. & T. Durand) Engl. & Diels

The chemical variability and the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of the leaf essential oil from Ivorian Isolona dewevrei were investigated for the first time. Forty-seven oil samples were analyzed using a combination of CC, GC(RI), GC-MS and ¹³C-NMR, thus leading to the identification of 113 constituents (90.8–98.9%). As the main components varied drastically from sample to sample, the 47 oil compositions were submitted to hierarchical cluster and principal components analyses. Three distinct groups, each divided into two subgroups, were evidenced. Subgroup I−A was dominated by (Z)-β-ocimene, β-eudesmol, germacrene D and (E)-β-ocimene, while (10βH)-1β,8β-oxido-cadina-4-ene, santalenone, trans-α-bergamotene and trans-β-bergamotene were the main compounds of Subgroup I−B. The prevalent constituents of Subgroup II−A were germacrene B, (E)-β-caryophyllene, (5αH,10βMe)-6,12-oxido-elema-1,3,6,11(12)-tetraene and γ-elemene. Subgroup II−B displayed germacrene B, germacrene D and (Z)-β-ocimene as the majority compounds. Germacrene D was the most abundant constituent of Group III, followed in Subgroup III−A by (E)-β-caryophyllene, (10βH)-1β,8β-oxido-cadina-4-ene, germacrene D-8-one, and then in Subgroup III−B by (Z)-β-ocimene and (E)-β-ocimene. The observed qualitative and quantitative chemical variability was probably due to combined factors, mostly phenology and season, then harvest site to a lesser extent. The lipoxygenase inhibition by a leaf oil sample was also evaluated. The oil IC₅₀ (0.020 ± 0.005 mg/mL) was slightly higher than the non-competitive lipoxygenase inhibitor NDGA IC₅₀ (0.013 ± 0.003 mg/mL), suggesting a significant in vitro anti-inflammatory potential.     

用清除有机自由基DPPH法评价竹叶提取物抗氧化能力

通过对1,1-二苯基苦基苯肼(DPPH)溶液吸收光谱、DPPH溶液反应体系的研究,得出以下结论,分光光度法测定DPPH溶液反应体系的测定波长为518.4 nm,反应体系为4.00 mL 257.7 mg·L-1的DPPH溶液中加1 mL不同浓度的抗氧化剂,反应体系加入抗氧化剂后反应时间为40 min;用上述方法研究评价合成抗氧化剂叔丁基对苯二酚(TBHQ)和2,6-二叔丁基对甲酚(BHT)对DPPH自由基清除率和浓度的关系,以IC₅₀值(清除率为50%时,抗氧化剂的浓度值)作为评价指标,测得合成抗氧化剂和效果最好竹叶提取物样品IC₅₀值分别为,TBHQ(21.14 mg·L-1),BHT(42.09 mg·L-1),M40(108.40 mg·L-1),M40等竹叶提取物可以作为天然抗氧化剂进行开发。     

Isolation of Chalcomoracin as a Potential α-Glycosidase Inhibitor from Mulberry Leaves and Its Binding Mechanism

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease, whereas α-glucosidases are key enzymes involved in the metabolism of starch and glycogen. There is a long history of the use of mulberry leaf (the leaf of Morus alba) as an antidiabetic herb in China, and we found that chalcomoracin, one of the specific Diels–Alder adducts in mulberry leaf, had prominent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and has the potential to be a substitute for current hypoglycemic drugs such as acarbose, which have severe gastrointestinal side effects. In this study, chalcomoracin was effectively isolated from mulberry leaves, and its α-glucosidase inhibition was studied via enzymatic kinetics, isothermal titration (ITC) and molecular docking. The results showed that chalcomoracin inhibited α-glucosidase through both competitive and non-competitive manners, and its inhibitory activity was stronger than that of 1-doxymycin (1-DNJ) but slightly weaker than that of acarbose. ITC analysis revealed that the combination of chalcomoracin and α-glucosidase was an entropy-driven spontaneous reaction, and the molecular docking results also verified this conclusion. During the binding process, chalcomoracin went into the “pocket” of α-glucosidase via hydrophobic interactions, and it is linked with residues Val544, Asp95, Ala93, Gly119, Arg275 and Pro287 by hydrogen bonds. This study provided a potential compound for the prevention and treatment of diabetes and a theoretical basis for the discovery of novel candidates for α-glycosidase inhibitors.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles from Rhizophora apiculata and Studies on Their Wound Healing,Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory,and Cytotoxic Activity

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have recently gained interest in the medical field because of their biological features. The present study aimed at screening Rhizophora apiculata secondary metabolites, quantifying their flavonoids and total phenolics content, green synthesis and characterization of R. apiculata silver nanoparticles. In addition, an assessment of in vitro cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing activity of R. apiculata and its synthesized AgNPs was carried out. The powdered plant material (leaves) was subjected to Soxhlet extraction to obtain R. apiculata aqueous extract. The R. apiculata extract was used as a reducing agent in synthesizing AgNPs from silver nitrate. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis, SEM-EDX, XRD, FTIR, particle size analyzer and zeta potential. Further aqueous leaf extract of R. apiculata and AgNPs was subjected for in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and cytotoxic activity against A375 (Skin cancer), A549 (Lung cancer), and KB-3-1 (Oral cancer) cell lines. All experiments were repeated three times (n = 3), and the results were given as the mean ± SEM. The flavonoids and total phenolics content in R. apiculata extract were 44.18 ± 0.086 mg/g of quercetin and 53.24 ± 0.028 mg/g of gallic acid, respectively. SEM analysis revealed R. apiculata AgNPs with diameters ranging from 35 to 100 nm. XRD confirmed that the synthesized silver nanoparticles were crystalline in nature. The cytotoxicity cell viability assay revealed that the AgNPs were less toxic (IC₅₀ 105.5 µg/mL) compared to the R. apiculata extract (IC₅₀ 47.47 µg/mL) against the non-cancerous fibroblast L929 cell line. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxicity tests revealed that AgNPs had significantly more activity than the plant extract. The AgNPs inhibited protein denaturation by a mean percentage of 71.65%, which was equivalent to the standard anti-inflammatory medication diclofenac (94.24%). The AgNPs showed considerable cytotoxic effect, and the percentage of cell viability against skin cancer, lung cancer, and oral cancer cell lines was 31.84%, 56.09% and 22.59%, respectively. R. apiculata AgNPs demonstrated stronger cell migration and percentage of wound closure (82.79%) compared to the plant extract (75.23%). The overall results revealed that R. apiculata AgNPs exhibited potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and cytotoxic properties. In future, R. apiculata should be further explored to unmask its therapeutic potential and the mechanistic pathways of AgNPs should be studied in detail in in vivo animal models.     

Impact of Gamma Irradiation and Kale Leaf Powder on Amino Acid and Fatty Acid Profiles of Chicken Meat under Different Storage Intervals

The present study was planned to determine the effect of kale leaf powder and gamma rays on variations in the pH, amino acid and fatty acid profiles of chicken meat at different storage intervals. Significant changes (p ≤ 0.05) in the pH, amino acid and fatty acid profiles of chicken meat following different treatments (KLP (1% and 2%) and gamma irradiation (3k Gy)) were reported at 0, 7 and 14 days of storage. The pH value of the chicken meat sample decreased with the addition of kale leaf powder, whereas the value increased following a gamma irradiation dose of 3 kGy and with the passage of time. During different storage intervals, the minimum reduction in the amino acid and fatty acid quantities in the chicken meat samples was reported after gamma irradiation treatment. However, with the addition of KLP, the amount of amino acids and fatty acids in the chicken meat samples increased. Conclusively, the pH was observed to be reduced in the meat following combined treatment (irradiation + KLP), whereas the 2% KLP treatment improved the amino acid and fatty acid profiles of the chicken samples.     

Anti-Inflammatory and Wound Healing Properties of Leaf and Rhizome Extracts from the Medicinal Plant Peucedanum ostruthium (L.) W. D. J. Koch

Peucedanum ostruthium (L.) W. D. J. Koch (Apiaceae) is a worldwide perennial herb native to the mountains of central Southern Europe. The rhizome has a long tradition in popular medicine, while ethnobotanical surveys have revealed local uses of leaves for superficial injuries. To experimentally validate these uses, plant material was collected in the Gran Paradiso National Park, Aosta Valley, Italy, and the rhizome and leaves were micromorphologically and phytochemically characterized. Polyphenol-enriched hydroalcoholic rhizome and leaf extracts, used in cell-free assays, showed strong and concentration-dependent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In vitro tests revealed cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase inhibition by the leaf extract, while the rhizome extract induced only lipoxygenase inhibition. MTT assays on HaCaT keratinocytes and L929 fibroblasts showed low cytotoxicity of extracts. In vitro scratch wound test on HaCaT resulted in a strong induction of wound closure with the leaf extract, while the effect of the rhizome extract was lower. The same test on L929 cells showed similar wound closure induction with both extracts. The results confirmed the traditional medicinal uses of the rhizome as an anti-inflammatory and wound healing remedy for superficial injuries but also highlighted that the leaves can be exploited for these purposes with equal or superior effectiveness.     

基于空间谱的玉米叶片铜铅污染区分及程度监测

利用高光谱遥感技术监测并识别农作物受重金属污染信息是当今热点,研究设置了不同浓度铜离子(Cu2+)、铅离子(Pb2+)胁迫梯度的玉米盆栽实验,并测取了玉米叶片的光谱及叶片中重金属离子与叶绿素含量。基于获取的光谱数据,将光谱划分为紫谷、蓝边、绿峰、红谷、红边和红肩六个光谱特征区间,通过光谱的一阶微分和二维多重信号分类(2D-MUSIC)算法构造空间谱,对各光谱特征区间进行变换分析。实验结果表明：蓝边、绿峰和红边阵列信号的空间谱在Cu2+胁迫下为双高峰,在Pb2+胁迫下为单高峰,以此能够快速、直观地区分玉米叶片所受重金属污染的Cu2+和Pb2+元素类别。红谷和红肩阵列信号空间谱的方位角谱峰值与玉米叶片中Cu2+含量的相关系数分别达到-0.954 5和-0.964 8,说明用于监测Cu2+污染程度时效果理想;紫谷阵列信号空间谱的方位角谱峰值与玉米叶片中Pb2+含量的相关系数达到-0.999 8,说明用于监测Pb2+污染程度时效果理想。同时通过与常规重金属污染监测方法绿峰高度(GH)、红边位置(REP)、红边最大值(MR)、红边一阶微分包围面积(FAR)的应用结果进行比较分析,空间谱法的应用结果与玉米叶片中重金属离子含量的相关性较高,从而验证了空间谱应用于玉米重金属污染信息监测具有更好的有效性和优越性。     

悬浮液进样-火焰原子光谱法测定烟叶中的钾锰

用悬浮液技术处理烟叶样品 ,即将样品烘干、粉碎、过筛 ,并悬浮在 1 .5g L琼脂溶液中制成均匀的悬浮液。以钙作为锰的释放剂和以钡作为钾的消电离剂。用工作曲线法测定 ,以火焰原子发射法 (FAES)测定钾 ,以火焰原子吸收法 (FAAS)测定锰。建立了快速测定烟叶中钾、锰的FAS法。对化学干扰、介质的影响及检出限进行了考察。测定结果的相对标准偏差 <2 .4% ,测定结果与灰化法一致 ,相对误差 <± 2 .5 %。