Bovine Albumin Research Articles

Modulation of Albumin Esterase Activity by Warfarin and Diazepam

Data are accumulating on the hydrolytic activity of serum albumin towards esters and organophosphates. Previously, with the help of the technology of proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, we observed the yield of acetate in the solution of bovine serum albumin and p-nitrophenyl acetate (NPA). Thus, we showed that albumin possesses true esterase activity towards NPA. Then, using the methods of molecular docking and molecular dynamics, we established site Sudlow I as the catalytic center of true esterase activity of albumin. In the present work, to expand our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of albumin pseudoesterase and true esterase activity, we investigated—in experiments in vitro and in silico—the interaction of anticoagulant warfarin (WRF, specific ligand of site Sudlow I) and benzodiazepine diazepam (DIA, specific ligand of site Sudlow II) with albumins of different species, and determined how the binding of WRF and DIA affects the hydrolysis of NPA by albumin. It was found that the characteristics of the binding modes of WRF in site Sudlow I and DIA in site Sudlow II of human (HSA), bovine (BSA), and rat (RSA) albumins have species differences, which are more pronounced for site Sudlow I compared to site Sudlow II, and less pronounced between HSA and RSA compared to BSA. WRF competitively inhibits true esterase activity of site Sudlow I towards NPA and does not affect the functioning of site Sudlow II. Diazepam can slow down true esterase activity of site Sudlow I in noncompetitive manner. It was concluded that site Sudlow I is more receptive to allosteric modulation compared to site Sudlow II.

B-292 Detection of natural toxins derived from potatoes by biotin-streptavidin direct ELISA

Abstract Background α-solanine (SO) and α-chaconine (CHA) are natural toxins of potato and often cause food poisoning worldwide. We have previously developed a polyclonal antibody (anti-Sold antibody) that bind to SO and CHA and used it in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our previously constructed ELISA (conventional ELISA) has a weak point of low sensitivity in detecting SO and CHA, we have tried to improve it in this study. Methods Solanidine, a chemical compound found in both SO and CHA, was conjugated with bovine albumin, and this complex was repeatedly injected into two rabbits for two months. Anti-Sold antibody was then purified from rabbit serum using affinity column chromatography. In our ELISA method, named “B-S direct ELISA”, biotin-labeled anti-Sold antibody is bound to SO and CHA in the sample, followed by the binding of peroxidase-labeled streptavidin. To simulate biological samples from patients with potato food poisoning, SO and CHA powders were mixed with commercially available human serum and urine, and SO and CHA levels were then measured using ELISA. Lastly, SO and CHA levels were detected in extracts from rotten potato (Irish Cobbler) sprouts, peels, and tubers. Results The absorbance of the samples containing SO and CHA prepared in 10 mM phosphate buffer saline (PBS) was about 5-fold higher than that of the conventional ELISA. Furthermore, the absorbance of the samples containing SO and CHA prepared in human serum and urine was enhanced about 2.5- and 1.6-fold, respectively, compared to that of the conventional ELISA. The limit of detection in B-S direct ELISA was 0.32 ng/mL in 10 mM PBS, 2.08 ng/mL in serum, and 4.88 ng/mL in urine, respectively. Using this ELISA, it was also possible to measure the content of SO and CHA in extracts of potato tubers, peels, and sprouts. Both SO and CHA in the extracts from rotten potato tubers and peels were detected as approximately 1.4- and 2.2-fold higher, respectively, in each part than those in the extracts from fresh potatoes. Furthermore, the potato sprout extract contained approximately 50-fold more SO and CHA than the tuber and 9-fold more than the peel. On the other hand, B-S direct ELISA cross-reacted with solanidine and solasodine, which have similar chemical structures to SO and CHA, and also with cholesterol and vitamin D3 in serum. Conclusions Based on our results, B-S direct ELISA presented greater performance in detecting SO and CHA than our conventional ELISA. The non-specific reactions in the serum samples and influence of urea in the urine samples may underlie the reduced detection performance of SO and CHA in ELISA, respectively. Although this ELISA has a detection performance applicable to human biological samples, cross-reactivity should be fully considered when judging the results.

Gold-based nanomaterial boosts resolution and sensitivity of imaging cartilage damage

Made using an environementally sustainable process of modifying serum bovine albumin, new material provides path forward as contrast agent for multiple imaging modalities.

Chemical profile and therapeutic potential of the essential oil and nanoemulsions of Citrus x sp (Tanja Lemon)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical profile and therapeutic potential of the essential oil and nanoemulsions of Citrus x sp (Tanja Lemon). Hydrodistillation was used to extract the essential oil. Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) was used for the analysis of chemical constituents. The phenolic content (CFT) was analyzed by the Folin-Ciocalteau assay, and flavonoids (CFLT) by complexation with aluminum. The nanoemulsions were formulated by the phase inversion method. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by a hydroxyl radical assay and the anti-inflammatory activity by protein denaturation, and antiarthritic activity by a cyclooxygenase inhibition assay in bovine albumin serum. By means of GC/MS, limonene was identified as the major component (70.25%). The determination of CFT and CFLT quantified 227.645 mg EAT g-1 and 86.57 mg EQ g-1. For antioxidant capacity, nanoemulsions have EC50 values of 9.10-11.28 mg L-1. In anti-inflammatory activity, synergies quantified 4.63-11.03 mg L-1. For the antiarthritic activity, it is noted that among the nine synergies formulated, some manifested excellent antiarthritic activity, with EC50 values of 1.9-1.98 mg L-1. It can be affirmed that the formulations produced from Citrus x sp presented satisfactory results, evidencing the efficacy of their properties.

Ultrasonic Sensor: A Fast and Non-Destructive System to Measure the Viscosity and Density of Molecular Fluids.

This study presents the design and development of an ultrasonic sensor as a fundamental tool for characterizing the properties of fluids and biofluids. The analysis primarily focuses on measuring the electrical parameters of the system, which correlate with the density and viscosity of the solutions, in sample volumes of microliters and with high temporal resolution (up to 1 data point per second). The use of this sensor allows the fast and non-destructive evaluation of the viscosity and density of fluids deposited on its free surface. The measurements are based on obtaining the impedance versus frequency curve and the phase difference curve (between current and voltage) versus frequency. In this way, characteristic parameters of the transducer, such as the resonance frequency, phase, minimum impedance, and the quality factor of the resonant system, can characterize variations in density and viscosity in the fluid under study. The results obtained revealed the sensor's ability to identify two parameters sensitive to viscosity and two parameters sensitive to density. As a proof of concept, the unfolding of the bovine albumin protein was studied, resulting in a curve that reflects its unfolding kinetics in the presence of urea.

Hydrophilic coating of membrane by UV-induced radical and cationic curing of photosensitive resins: Lower shrinkage, smoother surface and better anti-fouling performance

Hydrophilic coating is frequently used to enhance the anti-fouling performance of membrane. However, traditional strategies often suffer from defects of cumbersome steps, high energy consumption, and unstable coating. Herein, radical and cationic photopolymerization are used for hydrophilic coating of membranes. Two photosensitive resins were first synthesized either by direct radical copolymerization of 3-ethyl-3-(methacryloyloxy) methyloxetane and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (Poly(HEA-EMO)) or through post-polymerization modification of poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) with vinyl groups (Poly(HEA-MA)). Subsequently, hydrophilic coating was conducted on the membrane surface by UV-induced curing of different photosensitive resins, either through radical photopolymerization of vinyl-functional Poly(HEA-MA) or cationic photopolymerization of Poly(EMO-HEA) with pendent oxetane groups. The modified membranes showed enhanced hydrophilicity and underwater oleophobicity than the original membrane. Moreover, the coating (PAN / HEA(C5)) by cationic photopolymerization exhibited lower shrinkage, smoother surface, and more excellent antifouling performance than that by radical photopolymerization. After bovine albumin fouling-cleaning cycles, the flux recovery rate (FRR) of the original membrane was only 68.6 %, while the FRR of PAN / HEA(C5) was as high as 98.0 %. Furthermore, it showed superior long-term operational stability, proving the stability of the coating formed by cationic photopolymerization.

Molecular Serum Albumin Unmask Nanobio Properties of Molecular Graphenes in Shungite Carbon Nanoparticles.

Serum albumin is a popular macromolecule for studying the effect of proteins on the colloidal stability of nanoparticle (NP) dispersions, as well as the protein-nanoparticle interaction and protein corona formation. In this work, we analyze the specific conformation-dependent phase, redox, and fatty acid delivery properties of bovine albumin in the presence of shungite carbon (ShC) molecular graphenes stabilized in aqueous dispersions in the form of NPs in order to reveal the features of NP bioactivity. The formation of NP complexes with proteins (protein corona around NP) affects the transport properties of albumin for the delivery of fatty acids. Being acceptors of electrons and ligands, ShC NPs are capable of exhibiting both their own biological activity and significantly affecting conformational and phase transformations in protein systems.

Mass Spectrometry of Putrescine, Spermidine, and Spermine Covalently Attached to Francisella tularensis Universal Stress Protein and Bovine Albumin.

Bacterial and mammalian cells are rich in putrescine, spermidine, and spermine. Polyamines are required for optimum fitness, but the biological function of these small aliphatic compounds has only been partially revealed. Known functions of polyamines include interaction with nucleic acids that alters gene expression and with proteins that modulate activity. Although polyamines can be incorporated into proteins, very few naturally occurring polyaminated proteins have been identified, which is due in part to the difficulty in detecting these adducts. In the current study, bovine albumin and the recombinant universal stress protein from Francisella tularensis were used as models for mass spectrometry analysis of polyaminated proteins. The proteins were covalently bound to putrescine, spermidine, or spermine by the action of carbodiimide or microbial transglutaminase. Tryptic peptides, subjected to liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), were identified using Protein Prospector software. We describe the search parameters for identifying polyaminated peptides and show MS/MS spectra for adducts with putrescine, spermidine, and spermine. Manual evaluation led us to recognize signature ions for polyamine adducts on aspartate, glutamate, and glutamine, as well as neutral loss from putrescine, spermidine, and spermine during the fragmentation process. Mechanisms for the formation of signature ions and neutral loss are presented. Manual evaluation identified a false-positive adduct that had formed during trypsinolysis and resulted in peptide sequence rearrangement. Another false positive initially appeared to be a 71 kDa putrescine adduct on a cysteine residue. However, it was an acrylamide adduct on cysteine for a sample extracted from a polyacrylamide gel. The information presented in this report provides guidance and serves as a model for identifying naturally occurring polyaminated proteins.

Improvements in in vitro spermatogenesis: oxygen concentration, antioxidants, tissue-form design, and space control.

Incorporation of bovine serum-derived albumin formulation (AlbuMAX) into a basic culture medium, MEMα, enables the completion of in vitro spermatogenesis through testicular tissue culture in mice. However, this medium was not effective in other animals. Therefore, we sought an alternative approach for in vitro spermatogenesis using a synthetic medium without AlbuMAX and aimed to identify its essential components. In addition to factors known to be important for spermatogenesis, such as retinoic acid and reproductive hormones, we found that antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C, and glutathione) and lysophospholipids are vital for in vitro spermatogenesis. Moreover, based on our experience with microfluidic devices (MFD), we developed an alternative approach, the PDMS-ceiling method (PC method), which involves simply covering the tissue with a flat chip made of PDMS, a silicone resin material used in MFD. The PC method, while straightforward, integrates the advantages of MFD, enabling improved and uniform oxygen and nutrient supply via tissue flattening. Furthermore, our studies underscored the significance of lowering the oxygen concentration to 10-15%. Using an integrated cultivation method based on these findings, we successfully achieved in vitro spermatogenesis in rats, which has been a long-standing challenge. Further improvements in culture conditions would pave the way for spermatogenesis completion in diverse animal species.

Effects of processing on component interactions and peptide profiles of preterm infant formula based on peptidomics by Q Exactive plus analysis

The study aimed to investigate the effects of processing on the component interactions, the peptide profile as well as the bioactive peptides of preterm infant formula after digestion through EASY-nLC1200 Q Exactive Plus system. Results indicated that whey proteins and caseins transferred from serum and pellet fractions to fat fraction to recombine the milk fat globule membrane destroyed after homogenization. Protein interactions caused the changes of nitrogen distribution, protein profiles, and morphology after pasteurization and spray drying. Peptidomics analysis demonstrated that the component interactions of preterm infant formula affected the peptide profiles after digestion shown by the different peptide intensities of certain amino acid compositions and the totally different abundance of the peptides in heatmap. The hydrolysates of five groups exhibited 334, 274, 421, 214, and 265 unique peptides belonging to 144, 116, 185, 101, and 231 master accession proteins respectively. The top 8 abundant proteins identified were β-casein, Lipocln, αS1-casein, αS2-casein, κ-casein, bovine Glycosylation-dependent cell adhesion molecule, α-lactalbumin, and Albumin. The number of bioactive peptides increased after processing but were different from each other. In total, component interactions during processing of preterm infant formula could change the peptide profile and bioactive peptides after in vitro digestion.

B-052 Establishment of New Antibodies and ELISA System to Detect the Potato Alkaloids α-Solanine and α-Chaconine

Abstract Background Food poisoning by potato alkaloids, α-solanine (SO) and α-chaconine (CHA), currently occurs worldwide, however laboratory methods have not yet been established to detect these toxins in biological samples. In this study, we established new antibodies to detect SO and CHA and evaluated the practicality of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) using these antibodies in laboratory medicine. Methods Solanidine, a chemical compound found in both SO and CHA, was conjugated with bovine albumin, and this complex was repeatedly injected into two rabbits for two months. Two types of polyclonal solanidine antibodies were then purified from rabbit serum using affinity column chromatography. Using these antibodies, two forms of direct ELISAs (Sold ELISA-1, 2) were constructed. The basic detection performance of the ELISAs was confirmed by measuring the levels of SO and CHA diluted in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). To simulate biological samples from patients with potato food poisoning, SO and CHA powders were mixed with commercially available human serum and urine, and SO and CHA levels were then measured using ELISA. Lastly, SO and CHA levels were detected in extracts from rotten potato (Irish Cobbler) sprouts, peels, and tubers. Results In samples of SO diluted in PBS, the limit of quantification (LoQ) was determined as 2.56 ng/mL and 9.55 ng/mL for Sold ELISA-1 and -2, respectively. In CHA diluted in PBS, the LoQs of Sold ELISA-1 and -2 were 1.36 ng/mL and 4.8 ng/mL, respectively. The LoQs of SO in the serum were calculated as 14.25 ng/mL and 19.41 ng/mL using Sold ELISA-1 and -2, respectively. In contrast, the LoQs of CHA in the serum were 12.48 ng/mL and 16.92 ng/mL using Sold ELISA-1 and -2, respectively. The LoQs of SO in the urine were determined as 30.28 ng/mL and 45.16 ng/mL using Sold ELISA-1 and -2, respectively. Conversely, the LoQs of CHA in the urine were 22.92 ng/mL and 38.15 ng/mL using Sold ELISA-1 and -2, respectively. Using Sold ELISA-1, both SO and CHA in the extracts from rotten potato tubers and peels were detected as approximately 1.7- and 2.3-fold higher, respectively, in each part than those in the extracts from fresh potatoes. When both SO and CHA were measured in the same samples using Sold ELISA-2, the levels were approximately 1.6- and 2.4-fold higher, respectively, in the tubers and peels than those in fresh potato samples. Furthermore, the potato sprout extract contained approximately 80-fold more SO and CHA than the tuber and 8-fold more than the peel. Discussion and Conclusion Based on our results, Sold ELISA-1 presented greater performance in detecting SO and CHA than Sold ELISA-2. The non-specific reactions in the serum samples and influence of urea in the urine samples may underlie the reduced detection performance of SO and CHA in ELISA, respectively. Although the sensitivity depends on the sample type, these ELISAs may be effective as future clinical and food testing methods.

Determination of Phenolics and Biological Activity of Viola dalatensis Gagnep. by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Multivariate Analysis

Viola dalatensis, belonging to the Violaceae family, is an endemic species to Vietnam. The present study aimed to determine phenolic compounds in extracts from aerial parts of the plant species using high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD). In addition, free radical scavenging and bovine albumin denaturation inhibition assays were performed to evaluate the antioxidant and in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts. Most of the phenolic compounds in the methanolic extract were detected at the greatest concentrations compared to the other extracts, which was also supported by the highest total phenolic content (26.70 ± 0.1059 mg GAE/g). In general, the antioxidant activities of the methanolic and ethanolic extracts were found to be stronger than those of the other extracts. The aqueous extract exhibited the most potent inhibitory effect on albumin denaturation (IC50 = 90.39 ± 8.415 µg/mL), comparable with that of diclofenac. Through principal component analysis, 88.60% of the total variance in the phenolic dataset was explained. The correlation analysis showed that chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, epigallocatechin gallate, rutin, and kaempferol may play important roles in antioxidant activity while gallic acid could contribute to in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts. The findings of this study provide the first evidence of the bioactive compounds present in V. dalatensis and shed light on the potential health-promoting properties linked to its aerial parts.

Synergistic Antimicrobial Hybrid Bio-Surface Formed by Self-Assembled BSA Nanoarchitectures with Chitosan Oligosaccharide.

Innovation in green, convenient, and sustainable antimicrobial packaging materials for food is an inevitable trend to address global food waste challenges caused by microbial contamination. In this study, we developed a biogenic, hydrophobic, and antimicrobial protein network coating for food packaging. Experimental results show that disulfide bond breakage can induce the self-assembly of bovine albumin (BSA) into protein networks driven by hydrophobic interactions, and chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) with antimicrobial activity can be stably bound in this network by electrostatic interactions. The inherent antimicrobial activity of COS and the numerous hydrophobic regions on the surface of the BSA-network give the BSA@COS-network significant in vitro antimicrobial ability. More importantly, the BSA@COS-network coating can prolong the onset of spoilage of strawberries in various packaging materials by nearly 3-fold in storage. This study shows how surface functionalization via protein self-assembly is integrated with the biological functioning of natural antibacterial activity for advanced food packaging applications.

Examination of the interaction between bovine albumin and gold nanoparticles

Examination of the interaction between bovine albumin and gold nanoparticles

HPLC-UV-MS/MS Profiling of Phenolics from Euphorbia nicaeensis (All.) Leaf and Stem and Its Antioxidant and Anti-Protein Denaturation Activities

This work focuses on the leaves and stems of Euphorbia nicaeensis All. to confirm its historical use by the Moroccan population. The phytochemical profile of the plant by HPLC-UV-MS/MS was identified for the first time, and the biological activities of each plant organ was evaluated separately by maceration and ultrasonic-assisted extraction. The evaluation of antioxidant activity based on DPPH assay and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay showed that leaves could be used as a natural source of antioxidants as they provide a potent antioxidant effect (DPPH IC50 = 23.47±0.62 µg/ml), (H2O2 IC50 = 110.27 ± 3.59 µg/ml) compared to stems. These results were proven by HPLC-UV-MS/MS analysis and revealed that E. nicaeensis leaves are richer in phenolic compounds, especially quercetin and derivatives, known for their antioxidant properties. In contrast, the stems could be considered a potential anti-inflammatory agent considering their solid anti-inflammatory activity. The most potent effects were obtained at a concentration of 2 mg/ml, which induced 83.98% and 82.04% inhibition against bovine albumin and egg albumin denaturation, respectively, compared to the control. In addition, the stem phytochemical profile indicated the presence of some compounds with anti-inflammatory effects, such as fargesin and nuciferine. Likewise, the findings showed that ultrasound-assisted extraction was more effective than maceration.

High-Flux lamellar MoSe2 membranes for efficient dye/salt separation

Membrane-based technology is emerging as an efficient technique for wastewater treatment in recent years. Membranes made up of two-dimensional materials provide high selectivity and water flux compared to conventional polymeric membranes. Herein, we report the synthesis and use of MoSe2 membrane for dye and drug separation in wastewater, mainly from textile and pharmaceutical industries. The as-prepared MoSe2 membrane shows ∼ 100% rejection for organic dyes and ciprofloxacin drug with a water flux reaching up to ∼ 900 Lm-2h-1bar-1. Further, the MoSe2 membrane shows lower NaCl rejection of ∼ 1.9% for the dye/salt mixture. The interlayer spacing in the MoSe2 membrane allows the water molecules and ions from the salt to pass through freely but restricts the movement of large contaminants. The membrane is stable against the bovine albumin serum fouling with a flux recovery rate of 96%. It also shows good performance even in harsh environments (pH 3–10). To the best of our knowledge, the MoSe2 membranes were fabricated for the first time for wastewater treatment application. The dye/salt separation performance of the MoSe2 membrane is significantly better than several other membranes. This work highlights the promising potential for using two-dimensional materials for textile and pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.

A facile strategy to develop highly stable antifouling NF membranes with chlorine resistance based on polyamide-sulfonamide active layer

In practical applications, Nanofiltration (NF) membranes are confronted with inevitable challenges, including the terrible fouling and the deterioration by chlorine, which hinders the wider application. In this study, 2-aminophenol-4-sulfonamide (APSA) was incorporated to form the polyamide-sulfonamide active layer, thus highly stable antifouling NF membranes with chlorine resistance were fabricated. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results showed APSA successfully grafted on the membrane surface. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) images indicated a smooth membrane surface. Water contact angle of the PA-SA NF membranes declined to 19.7° compared with the PA NF membranes. Flux recovery rates (FRR) of bovine albumin (BSA), humic acid (HA), sodium alginate (SA) and oil/water emulsion were 96.4%, 96.8%, 96.0% and 94.6%, respectively. Besides, slight decline occurred to FRR value for BSA after three fouling cycles. No obvious decline of the rejection and water flux was observed on long-term stability. Notably, slight rejection rate decline and no obvious FRR value decline were observed after chlorination. Overall, the PA-SA NF membranes possessed highly stable antifouling property and chlorine resistance. It might be due to the fact that APSA including various hydrophilic groups grafted onto the active layer. N–H bonds of sulfonamide could act as a sacrificial unit against free chlorine. It is anticipated that this work could provide a facile strategy to develop NF membranes with highly stable antifouling property and chlorine resistance.

Dynamic and structural properties of porcine serum albumins

ABSTRACT Porcine serum albumin (PSA) is one of the promising biomarkers for pork detection. Pork contamination is a serious concern for the global halal food industry since many manufacturers mix pork into halal beef products to reduce production costs. Many studies have thus been devoted to designing effective PSA-detecting biosensors. PSA is closely related to Bovine serum albumin (BSA); therefore; the molecular insight into PSA characteristics becomes crucial to identify PSA. To understand PSA properties, Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were employed. The three-dimensional structures of PSA were obtained from homology modelling and Alphafold. Both models give similar results. PSA seems to have high hydrophobicity and unique electrostatic properties. Unlike BSA, PSA has no large electropositive patch on the rear of domain III. This property can be used to differentiate PSA from BSA. In the case of drug sites, PSA provides comparable sizes of drug sites to those of canine serum albumin (CSA) which are larger than those of bovine, human and feline albumins. Such larger binding pockets can imply the ability of PSA to accommodate a broader spectrum of ligands. The findings here, especially the difference between BSA and PSA, can serve as a base to design effective biosensors to detect PSA contaminants.

Probing Serum Albumins and Cyclodextrins as Binders of the Mycotoxin Metabolites Alternariol-3-Glucoside, Alternariol-9-Monomethylether-3-Glucoside, and Zearalenone-14-Glucuronide.

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites of molds. Chronic exposure to alternariol, zearalenone, and their metabolites may cause the development of endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic effects. Alternariol-3-glucoside (AG) and alternariol-9-monomethylether-3-glucoside (AMG) are masked derivatives of alternariol. Furthermore, in mammals, zearalenone-14-glucuronide (Z14Glr) is one of the most dominant metabolites of zearalenone. In this study, we examined serum albumins and cyclodextrins (CDs) as potential binders of AG, AMG, and Z14Glr. The most important results/conclusions were as follows: AG and AMG formed moderately strong complexes with human, bovine, porcine, and rat albumins. Rat albumin bound Z14Glr approximately 4.5-fold stronger than human albumin. AG-albumin and Z14Glr-albumin interactions were barely influenced by the environmental pH, while the formation of AMG-albumin complexes was strongly favored by alkaline conditions. Among the mycotoxin-CD complexes examined, AMG-sugammadex interaction proved to be the most stable. CD bead polymers decreased the mycotoxin content of aqueous solutions, with moderate removal of AG and AMG, while weak extraction of Z14Glr was observed. In conclusion, rat albumin is a relatively strong binder of Z14Glr, and albumin can form highly stable complexes with AMG at pH 8.5. Therefore, albumins can be considered as affinity proteins with regard to the latter mycotoxin metabolites.

Exploring phenolic contents, antioxidant and in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of Ficus hispida L.f. leaves

Ficus hispida L.f. (FH) is among the widely cultivated tree species in Asian regions. The aim of this work was to determine phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant, in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of FH extracts prepared with methanol (ME), ethanol (ET) and ethyl acetate (EA). The extract obtained from ethyl acetate contained the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents (92.75  5.14 mg GAE/g and 5.67  0.65 mg QE/g), followed by ME and ET. The capacity to scavenge ABTS free radical of the extracts followed the order: EA > ME > ET while their DPPH activity differed insignificantly. ME exerted significantly higher reducing power activity in comparison with ET and EA. The inhibitory effect of EA and ME on bovine albumin denaturation (IC50 = 362.84  29.05 and 386.95  11.10 g/mL, respectively) were higher than that of ET. Correlation analysis showed a high positive correlation between total phenolic content and ABTS activity. The findings of the study would be useful for development of new nature-derived agents for prevention and treatment of diseases.