Flavone-Rich Fractions and Extracts from Oroxylum indicum and Their Antibacterial Activities against Clinically Isolated Zoonotic Bacteria and Free Radical Scavenging Effects

Oroxylum indicum extracts from the seeds collected from Lampang and Pattani provinces in Thailand, and young fruits and flowers exhibited in vitro display antioxidant and antibacterial activities against clinically isolated zoonotic bacteria including Staphylococcus intermedius, Streptococcus suis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, β-hemolytic Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The orange crystals and yellow precipitates were obtained from the preparation processes of the seed extracts. The orange-red crystals from the seeds collected from Lampang province exhibited strong in vitro 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging effects (EC₅₀ value = 25.99 ± 3.30 μg/mL) and antibacterial effects on S. intermedius and β-hemolytic E. coli while the yellow precipitate from the same source exhibited only antioxidant activity. Quantitative analysis of phytochemicals in O. indicum samples by spectrophotometric and HPLC techniques showed that they contained different amounts of total phenolic, total flavonoid and three major flavones; baicalin, baicalein and chrysin contents. Young fruit extract, which contained low amounts of flavone contents, still promoted antibacterial effects against the tested bacteria with IC₅₀ values lower than 1 mg/mL and MIC values between 4 to 10 mg/mL in S. intermedius, S. aureus and S suis while higher IC₅₀ and MIC values against P. aeruginosa and β-hemolytic E. coli were found. From scanning electron microscopy, the extract of the young fruit of O. indicum promoted morphological changes in the bacterial cells by disrupting the bacterial cell walls, inducing leakage of the cellular content, and generating the abnormal accumulation of cells. The mechanism of action of the extract for this antibacterial effect may be the disruption of the cell membrane and abnormal cell aggregations. Regression analysis of the results suggests the correlation between total phenolic and total flavonoid contents and antioxidant and antibacterial effects. Baicalin was found to have a high correlation with an inhibitory effect against β-hemolytic E. coli while three unidentified peaks, which could be flavones, showed high correlations with an inhibitory effect against S. intermedius, S. suis, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus.     

Increase in Tc and spin glass transition in La0.9Ca0.1Mn1−yCryO3 (y=0, 0.1 and 0.2)

We report on the structural, frequency dependent ac susceptibility, dc magnetization and magnetoresistance (MR) measurements on polycrystalline samples of La_0.9Ca_0.1Mn_1−yCr_yO₃ (y=0, 0.1 and 0.2) prepared by sol-gel technique. For y=0, a paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition is observed at T_c=136 K. Both for y=0.1 and 0.2, T_c increases from 136 to 180 K. For y=0, the imaginary part of the ac susceptibility shows a broad transition at T_f<T_c which does not depend very much on the frequency. However, for y=0.1 and 0.2, the frequency dependence resembles that of a spin glass. Though all the three samples show a semi-conducting behavior between 300 and 5 K, a negative MR is observed corresponding to T_c and T_f. The value of MR decreases for the Cr substituted samples.     

Design of Turmeric Rhizome Extract Nano-Formula for Delivery to Cancer Cells

Novel turmeric rhizome extract nanoparticles (TE-NPs) were developed from fractions of dried turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.) rhizome. Phytochemical studies, by using HPLC and TLC, of the fractions obtained from ethanol extraction and solvent–solvent extraction showed that turmeric rhizome ethanol extract (EV) and chloroform fraction (CF) were composed mainly of three curcuminoids and turmeric oil. Hexane fraction (HE) was composed mainly of turmeric oil while ethyl acetate fraction (EA) was composed mainly of three curcuminoids. The optimal TE-NPs formulation with particle size of 159.6 ± 1.7 nm and curcumin content of 357.48 ± 8.39 µM was successfully developed from 47-run D-optimal mixture–process variables experimental design. Three regression models of z-average, d₅₀, and d₉₀ could be developed with a reasonable accuracy of prediction (predicted r² values were in the range of 0.9120–0.9992). An in vitro cytotoxicity study using MTT assay demonstrated that the optimal TE-NPs remarkably exhibited the higher cytotoxic effect on human hepatoma cells, HepG2, when compared with free curcumin. This study is the first to report nanoparticles prepared from turmeric rhizome extract and their cytotoxic activity to hepatic cancer cells compared with pure curcumin. These nanoparticles might serve as a potential delivery system for cancer therapy.     

Properties of Cr-substituted M-type barium ferrites prepared by nitrate–citrate gel-autocombustion process

The Cr-substituted M-type barium hexaferrites, BaFe_12−xCr_xO₁₉, with x=0.0–0.8$x=0.0–0.8$ have been successfully prepared by nitrate–citrate auto-combustion process using citric acid as a fuel/reductant and nitrates as oxidants. The resulting precursors were calcined at 1100 °C for 1 h and followed by sintering at 1200 °C for 12 h in oxygen atmosphere. The ferrites were systematically investigated by using powder X-ray diffractometer (XRD), magnetic hysteresis recorder, Mössbauer spectrometer, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The XRD data show the formation of pure magnetoplumbite phase without any other impurity phases. Both a and c lattice parameters calculated by the Rietveld method systematically decrease with increasing Cr content. The effects of Cr³⁺ ions on the barium ferrites were reported and discussed in detail. The site preference of Cr³⁺ and magnetic properties of the ferrites have been studied using Mössbauer spectra and hystereses. The results show that the magnetic properties are closely related to the distributions of Cr³⁺ ions on the five crystallographic sites. The saturation magnetization systematically decreases, however, the coercivity increases with Cr concentration. The magnetization and Mössbauer results indicate that the Cr³⁺ ions preferentially occupy the 2a, 12k, and 4f_VI sites. The average size of hexagonal platelets obtained by SEM photographs tends to decrease with respect to Cr content.     

Effects of Gd<Superscript>3+</Superscript> doping on structural and dielectric properties of PZT (Zr:Ti = 52:48) piezoceramics

The purpose of this research is to study the effect of doping Gd into Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ ceramics prepared by solid state reaction. X-ray diffraction patterns show that all PGZT samples are of tetragonal structure and the highest doping should be no more than 2 mole % Gd at which the unreacted oxides start to appear. The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of PGZT's indicate that Gd³⁺ can enter both A site of the perovskite structure instead of only A site as widely believed. The ESR peaks resonance shift towards low fields as the concentration is higher, which is due to the change in crystal field experienced by Gd³⁺ ions. At x =0.001, 0.005 and 0.01 dopings, two sets of powder ESR signals arising from Gd³⁺ (4f⁷, spin 7/2) ions at A site. The first set shows some fine structure having strong absorption peaks centered at 76.26 mT (g = 8.550). The second is a seven-peak spectrum centered at 206.01 mT (g = 3.165), which belongs to the Gd³⁺ ions at B sites. Furthermore, the overlapped ESR strong absorption peaks from 309.17 mT to 314.49 mT (g = 2.2818-2.1087) belong to Gd³⁺ of unreacted Gd₂O₃. The local environments of Gd³⁺ ions were verified from the calculated ESR spectra using appropriate spin Hamiltonian parameter, i.e. gyromagnetic tensor g, zero-field splitting D and hyperfine tensor A.     

Phase and thermal stability of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite prepared via microwave heating

A simple method to prepare nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (nHAP) is performed using a precipitation method assisted with microwave heating method. This method can be reported notably with high reproducibility and productivity. The received ceramic powder possesses characteristic of needle-shaped nanocrystals with dimension about 50 nm in diameter and 200 nm in length. The particle size distribution has been confirmed being in the range of 28-159 nm. Thermal analyses revealed that nHAP has at least three thermal events influenced by elevated temperatures. Phase stability and microstructure evolution of the nHAP calcined at temperatures range between 700 and 1200 °C are discussed in terms of the formation of secondary phases, the decomposition of HAP releasing carbonate and water. Various experimental techniques have been employed in this work, including powder X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, DSC and TGA thermal analyses, dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy.     

α-Hydroxylation of Carboxylic Acids and Amides Using Bis(Trimethylsilyl)Peroxide

Bis(trimethylsilyl)peroxide is shown to react with enolate anions derived from carboxylic acids and amides to give the corresponding α-hydroxy derivatives.     

A convenient synthesis of 8-oxoprotoberberine derivatives

The annulation of isoquinoline derivatives to form the 8-oxoprotoberberine derivatives is described. The key step of the reaction involves intramolecular alkylation of the Reissert compounds.     

Determination of caffeoyl quinic acids and flavonoids in Acanthopanax trifoliatus leaves by HPLC

Extracts from the leaves of Acanthopanax trifoliatus, harvested at different seasons, were quantitatively analyzed for phenolic contents using high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods. Samples collected in winter contained high amounts of the major active components, mono and di-caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and flavonoid glycosides. It was found that January and November were the preferred periods for collecting plant material containing high amounts of caffeoyl quinic acid and flavonoid constituents.