Chemical Markers Research Articles

Morpho- and Chemotyping of Holopelagic Sargassum Species Causing Massive Strandings in the Caribbean Region

The specific identification of three major morphotypes of the tropical holopelagic Sargassum species causing massive strandings on the African and Caribbean coastlines was attempted by morphological characterisation as well as quantitative and qualitative analyses of several metabolites. Of the 25 morphological variables studied on 208 samples from the North Atlantic Ocean, 22 were used to establish a dichotomous identification key, allowing without any doubt the identification of each morphotype based on their morphological criteria alone. We also attempted to differentiate morphotypes using chemical fingerprintings (HR-MAS NMR) and markers by analysing pigment level and composition using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, terpene profiles by Thin Layer Chromatography, phenolic compound levels by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay and structures by 2D Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, and fatty acid composition by Gas Chromatography. While pigment level and composition, terpene profiles, and phenolic contents were not discriminating, quantification of eight fatty acids enabled the differentiation of the three morphotypes. Furthermore, phlorotannin purification permitted their structural characterisation allowing discrimination between the three morphotypes. Our study highlights the potential of the free fatty acid profile and phlorotannin structure as good chemomarkers in order to discriminate between the three morphotypes of holopelagic Sargassum.

Sensitive Electrochemical Sensor for Gallic Acid Determination in Honey Based on g-C3N4/AuNPs Modified Carbon Paste Electrode

Gallic acid (GA) is a well-known polyphenol that occurs naturally in plants and is used as a chemical marker or standard antioxidant in analytical research. Here, a carbon paste electrode was modified with a nanocomposite of graphitic carbon nitride and gold nanoparticles (g-C3N4/AuNPs/CPE). The g-C3N4/AuNPs was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and differential pulse voltammetry methods were used to investigate the electrochemical behavior of GA on the electrode. EIS analysis exhibited lower charge-transfer resistance in g-C3N4/AuNPs/CPE than CPE; 250 vs 1500 Ω, respectively. The g-C3N4/AuNPs/CPE was used to GA sensing with limit of detection and linear response range of 0.025 and 0.16–4.10 μM, respectively via DPV. Then, the GA content in Iranian honey samples with different floral origins such as Ziziphus, Barberry, Thyme, Astragalus, Eucalyptus and Coriander was successfully determined. According to result, the fabricated electrochemical sensor could be useful for GA evaluation in food samples.

Chemical Characterization of Moringa oleifera Lam. from Six Growth Locations in Central of Java: An Initiation of Standardization `

Moringa oleifera Lam. is in high demand as a raw material for pharmaceutical constituents and dietary supplements, particularly for producing stunting supplements. However, recommendations regarding M. oleifera quality standards have not supported this claim as scientific evidence of its safety and effectiveness. This research intends to expand knowledge regarding the quality standards of M. oleifera leaves, particularly their chemical properties. Height-variant samples of M. oleifera were collected from six locations in the Central Java, Indonesia. A hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was performed to group the most each parameter's values. The parameters included water-soluble extract, ethanol-soluble extract, total ash content, acid-insoluble ash, total flavonoid content was quantified as quercetin, and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) fingerprint. The suggestion of specific value for each parameter as a future reference for M. oleifera, including water- and ethanol-soluble extract content of at least 41% and 19%, and a total- and acid-insoluble ash content of a maximum of 11% and 4%, respectively. The minimal quercetin contains as the chemical marker compound of M. oleifera was a minimum of 1.285%. The chromatogram profile of TLC suggested 7 (254 nm) and 8 (366 nm) spots.

Flavonoid quantitative HPLC-DAD analysis of Petiveria alliacea

Petiveria alliacea L. (Petiveriaceae), a medicinal plant found in tropical regions of South and Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa, is mainly used to treat inflammatory process and respiratory problems. In this study, we have evaluated the antibacterial activity of P. alliacea crude extract and fractions, investigated the chemical composition, and developed and validated a simple method to quantify flavanones. To verify the antibacterial activity, we determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Phytochemical investigations were carried out by chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis. To quantify astilbin and engeletin, we developed a method based on HPLC coupled to a diode array detector (DAD) and validated it. The P. alliacea crude extracts and fractions exhibited MIC ranged from 10 to 25 mg/mL. Chemical investigation of P. alliacea revealed the presence of trans-N-methyl-4-methoxyproline (1), ethyl-β-galactoside (2), ethyl-α-galactoside (3), and ethyl-β-fructofuranoside (4). The developed HPLC-DAD method proved suitable for determining flavonoids in P. alliacea: it presented good linearity, specificity, and satisfactory accuracy and precision. The developed HPLC-DAD method can quantify the P. alliacea chemical markers. The isolated compounds (2–4) have been described in P. alliacea for the first time.

Machine learning for authentication of black tea from narrow-geographic origins: Combination of PCA and PLS with LDA and SVM classifiers

This study investigates the feasibility of using UV–Vis spectroscopy coupled with machine learning methods to authenticate tea samples based on their geographical origins in a narrow longitudinal strip (200 km). Several preprocessing methods, such as standard normal variate (SNV), auto-scaling, multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), mean centring (MC), first derivative, and their combinations, were applied to eliminate the noninformative information. The partial least squares-linear discriminant analysis (PLS-LDA) model using first derivative spectra represented the following results, including 98.0% sensitivity, 99.5% specificity, and a mean accuracy of 98.0%. The support vector machine (PLS-SVM) classifier using first derivative spectra represented 94.0% sensitivity, 98.6% specificity, and a mean accuracy of 94.0%. The satisfactory results of the models depicted that the chemical components of tea, such as polyphenols, chlorogenic and fatty acids that absorb UV radiation are the chemical markers that can discriminate tea samples based on their geographical origin. Therefore, UV–Vis spectral fingerprinting combined with machine learning methods could be a practical, feasible, and simple method for classifying tea based on their geographical origins in a narrow longitudinal strip.

FT-IR Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of Patchouli Oil from West Aceh and Aceh Jaya using PCA and HCA

This study aims to characterize and compare the chemical composition of patchouli oil from various regions in Aceh, Indonesia, using Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) combined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). Patchouli oil samples from five distinct locations within West Aceh and Aceh Jaya Regencies were analyzed, focusing on the 1800-500 cm⁻¹ range. The FT-IR spectra revealed significant chemical markers, with notable absorption bands corresponding to aliphatic C-H, C=O, and C=C stretching vibrations. Multivariate analyses showed distinct clustering patterns, with four samples (POSM, POSP, POT, and POW) exhibiting high chemical similarity and clustering together, while one sample (POP) formed a separate cluster, indicating a lower degree of similarity. PCA analysis of the original spectra in the 1800-500 cm⁻¹ range yielded a cumulative PC1 and PC2 value of 89%. The HCA dendrogram highlighted a significant relative distance of 10 between the POP sample and the other four samples, indicating minimal relatedness, with the closest relatedness observed between POSM and POSP, having a relative distance of 1.1. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of FT-IR spectroscopy combined with PCA and HCA in distinguishing chemical profiles of patchouli oil from different regions, providing insights into geographical and varietal influences on oil composition. The findings are crucial for quality control and standardization in the patchouli oil industry, with further molecular studies recommended to corroborate and enhance understanding of genetic diversity among patchouli varieties in Aceh.

Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids from the stem barks of Voacanga africana and their chemotaxonomic significance

The phytochemical investigation of the stem barks of Voacanga africana resulted in the isolation of fifteen known monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (1–15). The structures of the alkaloids were determined by comparison of their physical and spectroscopic data with those reported in literature. Twelve of these metabolites (4–15) were previously unreported within the genus Voacanga, thus they can serve as chemotaxonomic markers for V. africana to differentiate between V. africana from other species of the genus Voacanga. The alkaloids 3-oxoconopharyngine (6), ervahainanmine (10), crassanine (14) and conolobine A (15) hold the potential to serve as chemical markers for distinguishing V. africana from other family species. Furthermore, compounds 3, 6, 10, 12 showed potential antimicrobial activities against Candida albicans and Bacillus subtilis with MIC values of 6.25–12.50 μg/mL.

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) induces psychostimulant, anxiolytic-like effects and improvement of motor performance in rats

Ethnopharmacological relevanceSugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is reported by traditional medicine as tonic, stimulating and beneficial in increasing resistance to fatigue. Previous preclinical studies in rats using aqueous extract of sugarcane leaves (AE) revealed pharmacological effects on the central nervous and cardiovascular systems involving the participation of dopaminergic pathways. This neurotransmission system is also related to motor, emotional and cognitive activities, which could, in part, justify the ethnopharmacological information. Aim of studyThe present study aimed to investigate the motor, emotional and cognitive activities of rats submitted to AE treatment using behavioral tests in order to correlate the pharmacological effects with the therapeutic benefits postulated by traditional medicine. Additionally, the chemical profile of AE was evaluated by HPLC-UV/Vis, and the presence of shikimic acid, vitexin, and ferulic acid, as possible chemical markers, was investigated through comparisons of chemical parameters with the authentic patterns, and a UV–Vis scan of known spectra. Material and methodsRats received water (1.5 mL/kg, p.o.) and AE (0.5, 10 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.) in the absence and presence of haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), 90 min before open field; rotarod; elevated plus maze and inhibitory avoidance tests for investigation of motor; emotional and cognitive responses. As a positive control was used apomorphine (0.25 mg/kg, s.c.). The chemical profile of AE was evaluated by HPLC-UV/Vis and the presence of shikimic acid, vitexin and ferulic acid, as possible chemical markers, was investigated through comparisons with the retention times, an increase of the integral of the peak area determined by co-injection of AE with the authentic patterns, and a UV–Vis scan of known spectra. ResultsIn open field, it revealed that AE increased locomotion; reduced rearing but did not change freezing and grooming. Besides, AE increased motor performance in rotarod and reduced anxiety in elevated plus maze. A relation dose-response was observed in these tests where the lowest dose of AE was more effective in developing pharmacological responses. Previous administration of haloperidol inhibited the responses of AE. Inhibitory avoidance test revealed that AE did not modify fast-learning and associative memory. ConclusionsSugarcane induced psychostimulant, anxiolytic-like effects, and improvement of motor performance in rats, with the involvement of dopaminergic pathways. The present study points to AE as a potential adaptogen but, in addition to behavioral assessments, metabolic and molecular aspects, that involve the participation of a variety of regulatory systems, will be investigated in futures studies. Phytochemical analyses showed that AE is a complex matrix and revealed shikimic acid, vitexin, and ferulic acid as potential chemical markers.

Comprehensive analysis of the effects of climate change on the species distribution and active components of Leonurus japonicus Houtt.

With the intensification of climate change, species migration or extinction events may occur on a wide scale. Leonurus japonicus Houtt. is an important medicinal species distributed globally. However, the potential effect of climate change on its distribution is not known. In this study, we developed a MaxEnt model for the global distribution of L. japonicus and identified locations of ecological suitability. From this we predicted future distribution changes under four different climate change scenarios. Furthermore, we assessed the medicinal value of L. japonicus in different locations according to the expression of chemical markers, then employed transcriptomics to explore genes associated with its ecological suitability and medicinal value. Our findings indicated that the primary environmental factors influencing its distribution include the precipitation of warmest quarter, the mean temperature of coldest quarter, and AWC range. L. japonicus is primarily distributed in Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, and the Gulf of Mexico. Future projections show an expanding distribution trend with migration towards higher latitudes. Highly and moderately suitable areas were more favorable for cultivating medicinal L. japonicus. We identified 103 transcription factors associated with its ecological suitability and 22 genes linked to its medicinal value. In summary, this study provides valuable guidance for the cultivation of L. japonicus under the changing climate. Additionally, it offers new insights into the accumulation patterns of medicinal components.

Component analysis using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and quality evaluation using fingerprinting and chemometrics for hops

Hops, extensively cultivated in China for their food and medicinal applications, currently lack well-defined chemical markers to evaluate variations in their quality. The study aimed to explore variations in the quality of Chinese hops by the chemical characteristics of hops, employing UPLC-Q-TOF/MS, integrated with chemical fingerprinting and chemometrics. The results indicated that Chinese hops are abundant in polyphenols and bitter acids. The integration of UPLC-Q-TOF/MS, Chemical fingerprinting, and chemometrics revealed to be an accurate and effective approach for assessing the quality of Chinese hops. In this study, ten important chemical markers were found to be useful in differentiating various hop varieties. Moreover, the support vector machine showed a prediction accuracy of 92.3077% in identifying Chinese hop varieties. The strategy of the study lays the groundwork for classifying Chinese hop varieties and serves as a prerequisite for future quality control studies, particularly focusing on chemical compositions.

Revealing the effects and mechanism of wine processing on Corni Fructus using chemical characterization integrated with multi-dimensional analyses

Corni fructus (CF) is always subjected to wine processing before prescription in clinic, for an enhancing effect of nourishing liver and kidney. While, the underlying mechanism for this processing on CF remains obscure. In this study, a sensitive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method combined multi-dimensional analyses was established to monitor chemical characterizations of raw and wine-processed CF (WCF) and hence reveal the effects and underlying mechanism of wine processing on CF. As indicated, a total of 216 compounds were tentatively identified, including 98 structurally complex and variable home/hetero-polymers, that were composed of iridoid glucosides, gallic acids, caffeic acid and/or 5-HMF. Interestingly, 53 of these compounds probably characterized potential novel, including 35 iridoid glucosides or their dimers, 9 iridoid glucoside-gallic acid dimers, 7 gallic acids derivatives and 2 gallic acid-caffeic acid dimers, which provides ideas for natural product researchers. Meanwhile, the multi-dimensional analyses including principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and linear regression analysis were used to explore the differences between CF and WCF. The results showed that 23 compounds as chemical markers greatly contributing to the distinction were screened out, and 3 of which (7α/β-O-ethyl-morroniside, gallic acid and 5-HMF) in WCF indicated an increasing trend in intensities in relative to those in CF. Additionally, linear regression analysis showed that in WCF 53 compounds exhibited an increasing in intensities, while 132 ones did a decreasing trend, compared with those in CF. As our investigation demonstrated, acetal reaction of morroniside, ester hydrolysis in different organic acid derivatives as well as glycoside bond cleavage during wine processing probably resulted in the distinctions. The findings of this study provide a further understanding of the effect and mechanism of wine processing on CF.

Regional comparison study of Epimedium koreanum using UHPLC-QTOF/MS-based metabolomics approach

The untargeted metabolomics-based molecular networking approach combined with multivariate analysis, proves to be an effective strategy for distinguishing raw materials in herbal medicine according to specific criteria. It exhibits the correlations between chemical constituents and the geographical habitats of plants, providing a valuable tool for ensuring quality control in mass production within the industry. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of the chemical compositions of Epimedium koreanum Nakai and performed comparative analyses on four extracts collected from distinct regions in South Korea using untargeted metabolomics tools. Through the comprehensive use of UPLC-QTOF/MS analysis and advanced statistical techniques, we elucidated the chemical composition, leading to the identification of key chemical markers. Additionally, the molecular networking analysis revealed distinct clusters of flavonoids and phenolic acids, highlighting the influence of regional factors on the metabolite profiles. These findings offer a promising avenue for enhancing quality control and traceability in the herbal medicine industry, underscoring the important role of geographical variation in the chemical profiles of herbal products.

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Based on Babassu Oil and Copaiba Oleoresin: A Promising Approach for Prostate Cancer Therapy.

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) represent promising nanostructures for drug delivery systems. This study successfully synthesized SLNs containing different proportions of babassu oil (BBS) and copaiba oleoresin (COPA) via the emulsification-ultrasonication method. Before SLN synthesis, the identification and quantification of methyl esters, such as lauric acid and β-caryophyllene, were performed via GC-MS analysis. These methyl esters were used as chemical markers and assisted in encapsulation efficiency experiments. A 22 factorial design with a center point was employed to assess the impact of stearic acid and Tween 80 on particle hydrodynamic diameter (HD) and polydispersity index (PDI). Additionally, the effects of temperature (8 ± 0.5 °C and 25 ± 1.0 °C) and time (0, 7, 15, 30, 40, and 60 days) on HD and PDI values were investigated. Zeta potential (ZP) measurements were utilized to evaluate nanoparticle stability, while transmission electron microscopy provided insights into the morphology and nanometric dimensions of the SLNs. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of the SLNs (10 µg/mL, 30 µg/mL, 40 µg/mL, and 80 µg/mL) was evaluated using the MTT assay with PC-3 and DU-145 prostate cancer cell lines. Results demonstrated that SLNs containing BBS and COPA in a 1:1 ratio exhibited a promising cytotoxic effect against prostate cancer cells, with a percentage of viable cells of 68.5% for PC-3 at a concentration of 30 µg/mL and 48% for DU-145 at a concentration of 80 µg/mL. These findings underscore the potential therapeutic applications of SLNs loaded with BBS and COPA for prostate cancer treatment.

Sustainable analytical method for determination of bioactive compounds in solid oral formulations (capsules and tablets) containing green tea (Camellia sinensis) marketed in Brazil

This study presents the development of a sustainable analytical method using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for determination and quantification of bioactive compounds in Herbal Dietary Supplements (HDS) solid oral formulations containing green tea (Camellia sinensis). Four compounds [gallic acid, (+)-catechin, caffeine and caffeic acid] were determined in fifteen HDS samples (capsules and tablets) containing green tea marketed in Brazil. After optimizing the extraction process using factorial planning and response surface analysis, it was possible to develop the method. Methanol and acetic acid (0.25%) were components of the mobile phase, showing it as a more sustainable alternative to the use of acetonitrile. The samples evaluated demonstrated a lack of standardization in the concentrations (in mg g−1) of the chemical markers studied gallic acid (<LOD to 1.39), (+)-catechin (<LOD to 13.8), caffeine (<LOQ to 22) and caffeic acid (<LOD to 1.7). This concern has driven significant scientific research on the topic. The chromatographic method proved to be effective, sensitive and robust for qualification and quantification of the 4 chemical markers studied. This study found variations in the levels of chemical markers in HDS containing green tea sold in Brazil. Therefore, it can contribute to the regulation and quality control of these solid oral products (capsules and tablets) containing this plant.

Therapeutic potential of Erxian decoction and its special chemical markers in depression: a review of clinical and preclinical studies.

The increasing prevalence of depression is a major societal burden. The etiology of depression involves multiple mechanisms. Thus, the outcomes of the currently used treatment for depression are suboptimal. The anti-depression effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulations have piqued the interest of the scientific community owing to their multi-ingredient, multi-target, and multi-link characteristics. According to the TCM theory, the functioning of the kidney is intricately linked to that of the brain. Clinical observations have indicated the therapeutic potential of the kidney-tonifying formula Erxian Decoction (EXD) in depression. This review aimed to comprehensively search various databases to summarize the anti-depression effects of EXD, explore the underlying material basis and mechanisms, and offer new suggestions and methods for the clinical treatment of depression. The clinical and preclinical studies published before 31 August 2023, were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Database. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Clinical studies have demonstrated that EXD exhibits therapeutic properties in patients with menopausal depression, postpartum depression, and maintenance hemodialysis-associated depression. Meanwhile, preclinical studies have reported that EXD and its special chemical markers exert anti-depression effects by modulating monoamine neurotransmitter levels, inhibiting neuroinflammation, augmenting synaptic plasticity, exerting neuroprotective effects, regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, promoting neurogenesis, and altering cerebrospinal fluid composition. Thus, the anti-depression effects of EXD are mediated through multiple ingredients, targets, and links. However, further clinical and animal studies are needed to investigate the anti-depression effects of EXD and the underlying mechanisms and offer additional evidence and recommendations for its clinical application. Moreover, strategies must be developed to improve the quality control of EXD. This review provides an overview of EXD and guidance for future research direction.

Association of ischemic placental disease in a Southern California Birth Cohort and PM2.5 chemical species and oxidative potential markers

Road traffic is a significant source of particulate matter pollution, whose exposure is a significant risk factor in pregnancy-related health outcomes. The exact mechanisms behind the relationship between traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes remain unclear. We aim to assess the relationship between exposure to brake and tire wear-associated metals and oxidative potential and ischemic placental disease (IPD). Data were assembled from a final population of 178 women who sought specialized prenatal care at UCLA between 2016 and 2019 in Los Angeles, CA. Modeled first trimester exposures to chemical constituents and oxidative stress potential of PM2.5, black carbon, and PM2.5 mass concentration. Speciated measurements included tracers of brake wear (barium), tire wear (zinc), and oxidative potential markers based on metal concentrations (KM-SUB-ELF ROS) or laboratory assays (DTT loss, OH radical formation). Exposures were modeled by integrating data from filter samples, a low-cost PM2.5 sensor network, and land-use data. We used logistic regression to estimate the associations between air pollution exposures and IPD, adjusting for covariates assessed through medical records and interviews. Scaled to the interquartile range, odds ratios (95% CI) were as follows: barium OR: 1.7 (1.1, 2.7), zinc OR: 1.4 (.86, 2.4), and oxidative potential markers, both modeled as well as measured through DTT loss and OH formation assays (ORs ranging from 1.1-2.0). Point estimates of effect sizes for PM2.5 and black carbon were lower than most measurements (ORs: 1.3-1.4). mass and black carbon. Our findings suggest two key points: (i) metals associated with brake and tire wear, currently unregulated, may play a role in the relationship between TRAP and adverse pregnancy outcomes, and (ii) reducing tailpipe emissions may not be sufficient to protect pregnant women from TRAP.

Effect of Different Yeasts on the Higher Alcohol Content of Mulberry Wine.

Healthy, nutritious, and delicious mulberry wine is loved by everyone, but there is no specific yeast for mulberry wine. To screen for yeasts with low-yield higher alcohols for the fermentation of mulberry wine, we tested five commonly used commercial yeasts available on the market to ferment mulberry wine. All five yeasts were able to meet the requirements in terms of yeast fermentation capacity, speed, and physical and chemical markers of mulberry wine. The national standards were met by the fermentation requirements and the fermented mulberry wine. We identified yeast DV10 as a yeast with low-yield higher alcohols suitable for mulberry wine fermentation. The total higher alcohol content in fermented mulberry wine was 298 mg/L, which was 41.9% lower than that of fermented mulberry wine with yeast EC118. The contents of 17 free amino acids and five sugars in mulberry juice and five yeast-fermented mulberry wines were tested. The results showed that the higher the amino acid and sugar content in yeast-fermented mulberry wine, the higher the content of higher alcohols produced by fermentation. A correlation analysis performed on each higher alcohol produced when yeast DV10 fermented the mulberry wine indicated decreased sugar and related amino acids. The findings demonstrated a substantial negative correlation among the levels of increased alcohol, decreased sugar, and matching amino acid content. Considering the correlation values among increased alcohol, decreased sugar, and related amino acids, the very slight difference suggests that both sugar anabolism and amino acid catabolism pathways have an equivalent impact on the synthesis of higher alcohols during the fermentation of mulberry wine. These results provide a theoretical basis for reducing the content of higher alcohols in mulberry wines, given the history and foundation for producing mulberry wine.

Comparative metabolite profiling in single and multiple bulb cultivars of shallot (Allium cepa L. Aggregatum group)

Tuk-Tuk and Sanren F1 are two shallot cultivars that exhibit divergent bulb multiplication traits. Tuk-Tuk typically produces one bulb. In contrast, Sanren F1 tends to produce multiple bulbs. This study used metabolomics during bulb development and harvesting. The objective of the study was to identify the metabolites that might affect the bulb multiplication of shallot. The initial samples of both cultivars were collected during the bulbs developmental stage i.e, 11 weeks after sowing (WAS), while the second sample was gathered during harvesting stage (16 WAS). The Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR) analysis was applied to freeze-dried shallot bulbs formetabolomics analysis. Multivariate analysis utilizing Principal Component Analysis (PCA) followed by Orthogonal Projections Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) were conducted using MetaboAnalyst 5.0. The 1H NMR spectra revealed 28 putative metabolites. All data, including both cultivars during development and harvesting, was not clearly separated by PCA. However in the development stage, Sanren F1 was observed to have higher histidine than Tuk-Tuk, indicating the involvement of histidine kinase signaling system in the bulb multiplication. Hence, histidine kinase known for its role in the cytokinin signaling which contributing in the cell division regulation and may affect Sanren F1 bulb multiplication. Four metabolites i.e., sucrose, arginine, acetic acid, and myricetin were higher in Tuk-Tuk than Sanren F1, a cultivar tends to produce a single bulb. Valine, phenylalanine, formic acid, and α-linolenic acid were considerably higher in Sanren F1 than Tuk-Tuk during harvesting. There were also several metabolites with greater relative concentrations than the others. Though not all of those metabolites significantly differed amongst the examined cultivars, it was thought that they had an impact on bulb development. It would be of great interest to ascertain whether metabolites detected in Sanren F1 at higher levels have the potential to function as chemical markers for distinguishing shallot cultivars that are capable of producing multiple bulbs.

Wind Tunnel Evaluation of Plant Protection Products Drift Using an Integrated Chemical–Physical Approach

The use of plant protection products (PPPs) has become fundamental to guarantee excellent field productivity. Nevertheless, their usage presents critical issues, such as the quantity of substances used, the relative toxicity, and the contamination of nearby fields caused by atmospheric drift. This study focuses on the characterization of aerosol droplets of PPPs produced by spraying a chemical marker, fluorescein, with an orchard airblast sprayer equipped with conventional hollow cone (HC) and anti-drift air inclusion (AI) nozzles, using a wind tunnel as a controlled environment. A particle/droplet image analysis was employed to study the droplet production of the nozzles, while a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analysis allowed us to evaluate samples collected using a cascade impactor located at 5 m, 10 m, and 20 m from the emission point. Overall, HC nozzles are very accurate at producing specific drop size distributions (DSDs), while AI nozzles produce a much wider DSD, concentrating the largest part of the distributed volume into droplets of a larger size. The marker concentration was much lower for the AI nozzles compared to the HC nozzles; moreover, the two nozzles show a similar trend in the coarse droplet range, while significantly differing in the fine droplet spectrum.

Comparative study of Scleromitrion diffusum and Oldenlandia corymbosa: Microscopy, TLC, HPLC, and antioxidant activity.

Quality control of herbal medicines is crucial, especially the role of herbal drug identification. This is essential for preventing the misuse of herbs, which can affect efficacy or cause toxicity. Scleromitrion diffusum is a common herb, yet it is often mistaken for Oldenlandia corymbosa. This study analyzed the morphology, microscopy, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) using two markers, asperuloside and scandoside methyl ester, to distinguish between S. diffusum and O. corymbosa with the analysis included 10 samples of S. diffusum and 10 samples of O. corymbosa collected from the Taiwan market. By quantifying the total polyphenols and flavonoids, we investigated the antioxidant activity, including the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging effect, 2,2'-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•+) scavenging effect, and reducing power to further elucidate the biological effects of the two herbs. The results of this study revealed notable differences in microscopy and suggested a TLC method for distinguishing between the two herbs in the market. In HPLC, the ratios of asperuloside and scandoside methyl ester differed between the two herbs. S. diffusum contained a higher asperuloside content. In contrast, O. corymbosa contained higher concentrations of scandoside methyl esters. With more total polyphenols and flavonoids in S. diffusum than those in O. corymbosa, the antioxidant activity of S. diffusum was superior to that of O. corymbosa. This study provides a comprehensive understanding for the identification and quality evaluation of S. diffusum in the market. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The study consolidates and clarifies the morphological and microscopic differences between Scleromitrion diffusum and Oldenlandia corymbosa - a common adulterant species of S. diffusum on the Taiwan markets. Using Asperuloside and Scandoside methyl ester as two chemical markers, the study proposes a TLC method for rapidly testing S. diffusum and O. corymbosa on the market. Through HPLC analysis, our results showed that S. diffusum and O. corymbosa had a clear difference in the ratio of two markers, Asperuloside and Scandoside methyl ester: Asperuloside/Scandoside methyl ester in S. diffusum is higher than that in O. corymbosa. Through phytochemicals contents, including total phenols content, flavonoids content, and antioxidant activity, including DPPH, ABTS•+ scavenging activity, and reducing power, S. diffusum showed slightly higher levels of phenols and flavonoids as well as a better antioxidant activity than O. corymbosa.