Antifungal activity of mango peel and seed extracts against clinically pathogenic and food spoilage yeasts

The antioxidant and antifungal (antiyeast) properties of mango (Mangifera indica) peel and seed by-products were investigated. Nine extracts were obtained using three cultivars and two extraction methods. Significant differences between cultivars and extraction methods were detected in their bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. The antifungal property was determined using agar diffusion and broth micro-dilution assays against 18 yeast species of the genera Candida, Dekkera, Hanseniaspora, Lodderomyces, Metschnikowia, Pichia, Schizosaccharomyces, Saccharomycodes and Zygosaccharomyces. All mango extracts showed antifungal activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values were lower for seed than for peel extracts. MICs and MFCs ranged from values <0.1 to 5 and 5 to >30 mgGAE/mL, respectively. The multivariate analysis showed a relationship between antifungal activity, the capacity to inhibit lipid peroxidation and total phenol content. These properties were associated with high levels of proanthocyanidins, gallates and gallotannins in the extracts.     

A new macrocyclic diterpenoid from Anisomeles indica

Abstract

A new macrocyclic diterpenoid, 4β,5β-dihydroxyovatodiolide (1), together with twenty-two known compounds (2-23) were isolated from the MeOH extract of the dried aerial parts of Anisomeles indica (L.) O. Kuntze (Labiatae). The structure of 1 was established on the basis of spectral evidence. Phenylethanoids, acteoside (5) and isoacteoside (6) showed significant inhibitory to IL-2 secretion of with respect to phorbol myristate acetate and anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody co-stimulated activation of human peripheral blood T cells.     

From salmon pink to blue natural sensitizers for solar cells: Canna indica L., Salvia splendens, cowberry and Solanum nigrum L.

Study on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with extracts of Canna indica L., Salvia splendens, Solanum nigrum L. as sensitizers is firstly reported in this paper. DSSCs were assembled by using natural dyes extracted from C. indica L., S. splendens, cowberry and S. nigrum L. as sensitizers. The energy conversion efficiency of the cells sensitized with dyes of C. indica L., S. splendens, cowberry and S. nigrum L. was 0.29%, 0.26%, 0.13% and 0.31%, respectively. A novel technique was taken to fabricate TiO₂ electrode films by electrophoresis. We present FTIR and UV–vis spectroscopy studies of structures and light absorption of these four kinds of natural dyes. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to analyze the interface resistance of cells. The result indicated that high resistance existed in the interfaces of cell with cowberry extract as sensitizer.     

A new lactam 28-norlimonoid from the leaves of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae)

From an EtOAc-soluble fraction of the leaves of Azadirachta indica, one new lactam 28-norlimonoid named nimbandiolactam-21 (1), together with 2 known limonoids (2 and 3) were isolated. Their relative structures were elucidated based on NMR spectroscopic analysis. Nimbandiolactone-23 (2) showed the most potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, with an IC₅₀ value of 38.7 μM. Compound 1 represents the first naturally occurring example of a 28-norlimonoid having the lactam moiety. The plausible biosynthetic pathway for the formation of lactam moiety in 1 was proposed.     

Crystal structure of nimbin

The crystal structure of nimbin has been determined. The crystals are orthorhombic, space groupP2₁2₁2₁ witha=6.790(2),b=14.875(4),c=27.160(8) Å andZ=4. The packing of the molecules in the lattice is due to C?H…O type of hydrogen bonds.     

Coumarinolignans with Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and NF-κB Inhibitory Activities from the Roots of Waltheria indica

Seven new coumarinolignans, walthindicins A–F (1a, 1b, 2–5, 7), along with five known analogs (6, 8–11), were isolated from the roots of Waltheria indica. The structures of the new compounds are determined by detailed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), circular dichroism (CD) with extensive computational support, and mass spectroscopic data interpretation. Compounds were tested for their antioxidant activity in Human Cervical Cancer cells (HeLa cells). Compounds 1a and 6 showed higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitory activity at 20 μg/mL when compared with other natural compound-based antioxidants such as ascorbic acid. Considering the role of ROS in nuclear-factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation, compounds 1a and 6 were evaluated for NF-κB inhibitory activity and showed a concentration-dependent inhibition in Human Embryonic Kidney 293 cells (Luc-HEK-293).