Lemon Citrus Research Articles

A new utility of 1,3,3-tri(1H-indol-3-yl)propan-1-one as a precursor for synthesizing of oxoketene gem-dithiol and 1,2-dithiole-3-thione, using eco-friendly lemon juice as a catalyst

We have synthesized 1,3,3-tri(1H-indol-3-yl)propan-1-one (5) catalyzed by pure citrus lemon juice via direct alkylation reaction of indole (4) with chalcone (3) in an eco-friendly manner. The key synthon, alkylated indole (5) on treatment with carbon disulfide in an alkaline medium afforded the required oxoketene gem-dithiol (6). Treatment of the substrate (6) with some amines afforded pyrimidine derivatives (8) and/or (10). On subjecting oxoketene gem-dithiol (6) to reaction with phosphorus pentasulfide, it afforded 1,2-dithiole-3-thione derivative (11) as a novel synthesized compound. Cycloaddition reactions of 1,2-dithiole-3-thione (11) with quinones, and/or maleic anhydride in different reaction conditions were applied and furnished 2-(1,1,3-tri(1H-indol-3-yl)-3-thioxoprop-an-2-ylidene)-3a,7a-dihydrobenzo[d] [1,3]dithiole-4,7-dione (13); 2-(1,1,3-tri(1H-indol-3-yl)-3-thioxopropan-2-ylidene)dihydro-[1,3]dithiolo[4,5-c]furan-4,6-dione (15); 3-(di (1H-indol-3-yl)methyl)-3-(1H-indole-3-carbonothioyl)-2-thioxo-2,3,3a,7a-tetrahydro- benzo[b]thiophene-4,7-dione (16) and 3-(di(1H-indol-3-yl)methyl)-3-(1H-indole-3-carbono-thioyl)-2-thioxo-2,3,3a,9a-tetrahydronaphtho[2,3-b]thiophene-4,9-dione (18).

PERENDAMAN DENGAN PERASAN BUAH JERUK LEMON (Citrus lemon) DAPAT MENURUNKAN KEKERASAN RESIN KOMPOSIT NANOHYBRID

Composite resin is a restoration material that is often used because the composite resin has good aesthetic value like mimetic the teeth color. Composite resins have a physical and mechanical condition. One of the mechanical condition is hardness. The surface hardness of composite resins is the surface resistance of the composite resin material to the applied pressure. One of the factors influencing composite hardness is the food and beverages consumed. Consuming acidic drinks continuously for a long time period can erode composite resin filling. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of soaking into a citrus lemon on the hardness of nanohybrid composite resin. This type of research was true experimental with pre-test post-test with control group design using 24 composite resin samples which are divided into 4 groups with 6 samples each. The groups in this study were nanohybrid composite resins soaked with citrus lemon and aqua dest for 60 minutes and 120 minutes. The hardness tested using a Vicker hardness tester. The results of the study using the LSD (Least Significant Difference) test showed that the significance value of p= 0.014 (p<0.05), which means that the use of citrus lemon for 120 minutes affected the hardness of nanohybrid composite resin. In conclusion, soaking with citrus lemon for 120 minutes reduces more the hardness of nanohybrid composite resin compared with soaking for 60 minutes.

Determination of an effective method of Citrus aurantifolia lime and Citrus lemon varieties plant explants sterilization for in vitro introduction into the culture

Potted citrus plants are in constant demand, but the propagation of such plants requires the use of a winter greenhouse and several well-developed mother plants to obtain planting material. The use of microclonal propagation can accelerate the production of seed material though it requires detailed development of in vitro cultivation techniques. The aim of the research was to study the effectiveness of sterilizing substances and methods of sterilization on the yield of viable micro shoots of lime plants (Citrus aurantifolia) as well as Meyer and Jubilee lemon varieties and their growth in vitro. The research was conducted in the interdepartmental "Biotechnological Laboratory" of the Agrobiotechnological Faculty of Bila Tserkva NAU. The source material was microshoots from lime plants (Citrus aurantifolia), and lemon varieties (Citrus lemon) Meyer and Jubilee. The objects of the study were selected according to the diversity of genotypes, development type and varietal characteristics. The possibility of using different parts of plants for reproduction is a feature of in vitro culture. We used microshoots with a bud in our research. To neutralize the exogenous bacterial and fungal microflora, we used 70 % ethanol solution C2 H5 OH, sodium hypochlorite 5 %, 15 % solution of hydrogen peroxide H2 O2 , sulema (0.1) and washed the material in sterile water (for 5–10 min) under several schemes. The study revealed the influence of different sterilization regimes for obtaining sterile explants and the introduction into plant culture of explants of the species of lime Citrus aurantifolia as well as Meyer and Jubilee lemon varieties. It was found that the use of step sterilization using 2.5 % solutions of sodium hypochlorite gives a high percentage of sterile viable material – 27.7 %, which is significantly higher than in other variants of the experiment. Key words: microshoots, lime, sterile material, micropropagation, sterilization, hydrogen peroxide, viability of explants.

Chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of essential oils from tangerine (Citrus reticulata L.), grapefruit (Citrus paradisi L.), lemon (Citrus lemon L.) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume).

The phytochemical and biological properties of tangerine (Citrus reticulata L.), grapefruit (Citrus paradisi L.), lemon (Citrus lemon L.) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume) essential oils were examined. The chemical composition of the essential oils determined using chromatography analysis revealed that D-limonene and cis-cinnamaldehyde were the main components. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the essential oils have been studied by the DPPH radical-scavenging assay and the disc-diffusion method, respectively. All essential oils had antimicrobial activity against saprophytic (Bacillus subtilis, Penicillium chrysogenum, Fusarium moniliforme, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and pathogenic microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Salmonella abony, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans), with the highest inhibitory activity being observed in cinnamon oil, followed by grapefruit zest oil, tangerine zest oil and lemon zest oil; the MIC ranging from 6 to 60ppm. In addition, they exhibited high antioxidant activity with the highest antioxidant activity being determined for the grapefruit zest essential oil, followed by the lemon zest essential oil, the tangerine zest essential oil and the cinnamon essential oil. The demonstrated promising results for the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the studied essential oils would give reason for their inclusion in the development of bio-preservation strategies for food emulsion preservation.

Phytochemical constituents and antibacterial activity of Citrus lemon leaves

BackgroundThe study investigated the phytochemical constituents and antibacterial activity of Citrus lemon volatile oil extracted from pruning leaves collected from a private farm at Nobariya district against Gram-positive "Staphylococcus aureus NRRL B-313 and Bacillus cereus NRC" and Gram-negative "Pseudomonas aeruginosa NRC B-32 and Escherichia coli NRC B-3703".ResultsThe oil obtained from powdered dried C. lemon leaves was analyzed by GC–MS to identify their constituents. The analysis revealed the presence of sabinene, carene, limonene, and β-ocimene. The leaves volatile oil showed a remarkable inhibition against S. aureus (32 ± 0.01 mm) and P. aeruginosa (49 ± 0.01 mm) and it had a strong effect on the DNA, RNA, lipids, and protein biosynthesis in cells of S. aureus and had a strong effect on the lipids biosynthesis in cells of P. aeruginosa.ConclusionThe results in this study suggested that C. lemon leaves could be beneficial in developing a novel antibiotic and studied its mode of action on the pathogenic microorganism’s cells.

The Effect of Citrus lemon Aromatherapy on Emesis Gravidarum Patient

This research aimed to know the effect of citrus lemon aromatherapy on patients with emesis gravidarum. This quasi-experimental research was done through One Group Pretest-Posttest Design. Samples were taken using total sampling which was 30 pregnant mothers in their first trimester experiencing nausea. The measurement tool used in this research was PUQE. The normality test of this research was carried out by using the skewness and kurtosis value in which it resulted in normal distribution so that the statistical test used was Paired T-test. The research found that the average of morning sickness level during the pretest was 9.57 while after the intervention it decreased to 6.40. In addition, the statistical result obtained was p=0.000. It can be concluded that the provision of citrus lemon aromatherapy can affect the patients with emesis gravidarum.

Physiological alterations involved in inactivation of autochthonous spoilage bacteria in orange juice caused by Citrus essential oils and mild heat

This study investigated physiological alterations involved in the inactivation of Levilactobacillus (L.) brevis and Leuconostoc (Lc.) mesenteroides in orange juice caused by Citrus lemon essential oil (CLEO) and C. reticulata essential oil (CREO) alone and combined with mild heat treatment (MHT). Damage in DNA, membrane integrity, membrane potential, metabolic and efflux activity of bacterial cells were measured after exposure (6 and 12 min) to CLEO or CREO (0.5 μL/mL) and/or MHT (54 °C) using flow cytometry. Limonene was the major constituent in CLEO (66.4%) and CREO (89.4%). The size of the damaged cell subpopulations increased (p < 0.05) after longer exposure time and varied with the tested essential oil and/or bacterial isolate. After exposure to CLEO and CREO alone, the cell subpopulations with damage in measured physiological functions were in a range of 19.6–66.8% and 23.8–75.9%, respectively. Exposure to CREO resulted in larger Lc. mesenteroides cell subpopulations (35.4–68.7%) with damaged DNA, permeabilized and depolarized membrane and compromised metabolic or efflux activity compared to L. brevis (23.8–58.0%). In contrast, exposure to CLEO led to higher damaged L. brevis cell subpopulations (35.1–77%) compared to Lc. mesenteroides (25.3–36.6%). Exposure to combined treatments (CLEO or CREO and MHT) affected the measured physiological functions in almost the entire L. brevis and Lc. mesenteroides cell population (up to 99%), although the damage extension on each isolate varied with tested essential oil. Results show that inactivation of L. brevis and Lc. mesenteroides cells caused by CLEO and CREO alone and combined with MHT in orange juice involves a multi-target action, which causes DNA damage, altered permeability and depolarization of membrane and compromised metabolic and efflux activities.

Effects of essential oils on symptoms and course (duration and severity) of viral respiratory infections in humans: A rapid review

Oral doses of certain essential oils may reduce symptoms of acute respiratory infections of viral origin. It is likely that the commercially available essential oil capsules Myrtol® (a mixture of essential oils of eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus, sweet orange Citrus sinensis, myrtle Myrtus communis and lemon Citrus limonum) and Tavipec® (spike lavender Lavandula latifolia) could also provide mild to moderate symptom relief in patients with viral respiratory diseases. Myrtol® may also improve the course (duration and severity) of acute bronchitis of viral origin, in humans. Both products were well tolerated, with most of the mild to moderate side-effects affecting the gastrointestinal tract. This review found no research evidence describing the clinical effect of inhalation of essential oils for acute respiratory viral infections.

Inhibitory effects of citrus lemon oil and limonene on Streptococcus sobrinus – Induced dental caries in rats

ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine and compare the anti-caries effects of citrus lemon oil (CLO) and limonene in rats. MethodsThe minimal inhibitory concentrations of CLO and limonene were measured using the disk diffusion method. The rats were infected with Streptococcus sobrinus and assigned into four groups: (1) Chlorhexidine, (2) CLO, (3) limonene, and (4) distilled water (H2O). The total cultivable microbiota and Streptococcus sobrinus in the mouth of the rats were counted, and the caries lesions were measured by Keyes’ scoring and DIAGNOdent examination. ResultsThe minimal inhibitory concentrations of CLO and limonene against Streptococcus sobrinus were 4.50 and 21.00 mg/mL, respectively. The chlorhexidine group had the lowest total microbiota counts (p < 0.05), while there were no significant differences among the CLO, limonene and H2O groups (p > 0.05). The proliferation of Streptococcus sobrinus was remarkably inhibited by chlorhexidine, limonene and CLO (p < 0.05). The Keyes’ scoring and DIAGNOdent results indicated that the caries lesions were reduced in the CLO and limonene groups compared to that of the vehicle control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between CLO and limonene (p > 0.05). ConclusionLimonene and CLO have similar anti-caries abilities in a bacteriostatic manner in vivo.

Genetic Diversity and Characterization of Sweet Lemon (Citrus limetta) Fruits

Citrus fruit tree has great importance in Brazil. Despite having many commercial cultivars, the lemon crop in Brazil is basically from &amp;ldquo;Tahiti&amp;rdquo; cultivar and there is a lack of studies about the characterization and assay of genetic diversity of sweet lemon (Citrus limetta) fruits. Therefore, this work aimed to characterize and evaluate the genetic diversity from nine stock plants produced in Porto Nacional-TO. Fruits in fully physiologic ripening were harvested and evaluated for weight, length, diameter, juice yield, soluble solids content, and color of peel and pulp. The experimental design was completely randomized with 9 treatments (stock plants) and five replications. For the characterization, the data were subjected to Tukey&amp;rsquo;s test and similarity measure and clustering of the stock plants were performed by Tocher&amp;rsquo;s method and UPGMA dendrogram. Weight, length, and diameter of all stock plants have not differed from each other. The coordinate b* indicated that stock plant 1 had fruits with peel and pulp clear when compared to the yellow color of the other stock plants. There was genetic diversity between the assessed stock plants and three groups were created, which stock plant 1 and 2 were the most divergent and compose group 3, according to Tocher&amp;rsquo;s method. The features contributed similarly to total variation.

Agroclimatic risk zoning of lemon (citrus aurantifolia) in the hydrographic basin of Paraná River III, Brazil

A lima ácida Tahiti está entre as dez variedades de frutas mais importantes produzidas e consumidas no Brasil, sendo o quinto maior produtor mundial. O objetivo desse trabalho foi realizar o zoneamento de risco agroclimático para o limoeiro (Citrus aurantifolia) na bacia do Rio Paraná III. Foram elaborados mapas temáticos por meio de interpolação e regressões, além de gráficos de probabilidade para a análise do risco. O risco agroclimático para o limoeiro foi pautado nas exigências da espécie, sendo estas, precipitação, deficiência hídrica, temperatura do ar média e máxima, unidade térmica/graus dia e risco de geada. A maior parte da área da bacia foi apta para o cultivo. Não houve áreas inaptas, apenas restritas demonstrando assim, o potencial para a produção na região.

Comportamiento de Alnus nepalensis D. Don en asocio con tres especies forestales Schizolobium parahyba (Vell.) S.F.Blaque, Swietenia macrophylla King, y Cordia alliodora Ruiz &amp; Pav. bajo sistema agroforestal

La disminución de las fuentes que proveen madera enel Ecuador como son los bosques naturales, se estánreduciendo y con ello se hace necesario encontrar nuevase innovadoras alternativas para el manejo silviculturalde especies forestales. Las tecnologías agroforestalesofrecen una producción sostenible de bienes y serviciosentre estos productos madereros. El objetivo de lapresente investigación fue estudiar el comportamientode las especies forestales Alnus nepalensis, Schizolobiumparahyba, Swietenia macrophylla y Cordia alliodora enasocio con tres especies frutales perennes: Citrus lemon,Citrus aurantifolia y Annona muricata, bajo un arregloagrosilvícola. El estudio se realizó en la comunidadSanta Marianita de Caliche, cantón Mira, provincia delCarchi. El diseño experimental utilizado fue bloquesalzar con tres repeticiones, se estableció el ensayo enhileras intercaladas entre especies forestales y frutales;se realizaron evaluaciones mensuales de las variables:sobrevivencia, altura, diámetro basal y se determinó elincremento corriente anual (ICA). La información seanalizó utilizando estadística descriptiva, prueba de t deStudent, frecuencias, regresión y correlación. Las variablesanalizadas se consideran en su mayoría homogéneas contendencia a distribución normal; los coeficientes r y r2permiten inferir que las especies presentan un crecimientoproporcional. En sobrevivencia, crecimiento en altura,diámetro basal e incremento corriente anual A. nepalensispresenta los mejores resultados. A partir de la prueba det de Student se determinó que el comportamiento delas cuatro especies forestales es estadísticamente muydiferente, sin embargo, existiendo diferencias en lastasas de crecimiento se evidencia que las cuatro especiesforestales presentan una tendencia de crecimiento lineal.

Adsorption in a binary system of Pb (II) and Ni (II) using lemon peels

The elimination of pollutants in water sources is a widely studied issue with the purpose of preserving the environment. In this work, the use of lemon peel (citrus lemon) as a bio-sorbent in the removal of Pb (II) and Ni (II) is studied, varying the temperature, adsorbent dose, and particle size. The materials were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis, to determine the bio adsorbent’s physicochemical properties. FTIR and EDS techniques confirmed the precipitation of ions on the adsorbent after the adsorption process. It was found that the optimal conditions according to the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) are: particle size for Ni (II) of 1 and 0.355 mm, adsorbent dose 0.077 g and 0.117 g, and temperatures of 34 and 45 ºC, for Pb (II) and Ni (II), respectively. The results reported that the Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm and the pseudo-second-order model are more in line with the experimental data, suggesting that the adsorption process is driven by physisorption and occurs in multilayers. Thermodynamic parameters suggest that the process is exothermic for Ni (II) and endothermic for Pb (II), and irreversible. The binary study showed that there is no competition for active sites between the ions.

Citrus lemon essential oil nanoemulsion (CLEO-NE), a safe cell-depended apoptosis inducer in human A549 lung cancer cells with anti-angiogenic activity

Aims: Citrus lemon essential oil (CLEO) has been introduced as a strong antioxidant mixture. However, it is not efficient enough due to its hydrophobic nature. Nanoemulsions improve the drugs’ bio-compatibility in aqueous conditions.Methods: The CLEO nanoemulsion (CLEO-NE) was formulated by ultrasound-based-emulsification and they were characterised. The anti-angiogenic and antioxidant activities were studied by the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and antioxidant (ABTS and DPPH) assays, respectively. Finally, the apoptotic property of CLEO-NE on both HFF and A549 was evaluated by [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assay and real time-PCR (measuring Cas-3 gene expression).Results: The 30.2-nm CLEO-NE droplets significantly increased Cas-3 in A549 cells and decreased angiogenesis in chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (p < 0.01).Conclusion: In conclusion, CLEO-NE has the potential to be used as a safe cell-depended anticancer agent for human lung cancer. However, further genes and cell lines have to be studied to clarify its targeted-anticancer activity.

Color and Size Analysis of Lemon Slice (Citrus lemon L.) during Drying Process

Narenciyenin özellikle de limonun tüketimi tüm dünyada oldukça yaygındır. Narenciyeyi saklamak için farklı yöntemler mevcuttur ancak içindeki nemin büyük oranda uzaklaştırarak saklama yöntemi (kurutma) yüzyıllardır süregelen bir uygulamadır. Limon dilimlerinin kurutulması ve kurutulmasının incelenmesi (uygun sıcaklık ve nem kapasitesinin belirlenmesi) akademik olarak da araştırılan konuların başında gelmektedir. Yapılan bu çalışmada, çakışık merkezli fan-rezistans ile kontrol edilen gıda kurutma fırınında 50 °C’de kurutulan limon dilimlerinin zamana bağlı olarak görüntü kaydı ve kinematik özelliklerinden ağırlığın (nem kaybının) ölçümü yük hücresi ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Verilerin ve parametrelerin güvenirliliği arttırmak için üçer defa tekrarlanan deneyler, Türk Standartları Enstitüsü’nün TS 13706 kurutulmuş limon standardına uygun olarak (kurutulmuş limonda % 10 nem kalıncaya dek) gerçekleştirilmiştir. Toplamda 330 dakika süren kurutma sürecinde, fırın içine yerleştirilen sayısal kamera ile 30 dakikalık aralıklarla görüntü kaydedilmiştir. Yapılan deneyler sonucunda elde edilen verilere göre normalize ağırlık kaybı % 75.8 olarak kaydedilmiştir. Limon dilimi görüntüleri kenar belirleme algoritmaları ile işlenerek piksel sayısı belirlenmiş ve % 19.42 azalma gösterdiği ölçülmüştür. RGB verileri sayısal kameradan elde edilerek MATLAB programı ile analiz edilmiştir. Renkte oluşan değişim değerlendirildiğinde fark % 13.78 olarak tespit edilmiştir. Böylece limon dilimlerin renginin ve alanının değişimi ortaya çıkartılmıştır. Bu matematiksel değişimler (renk, alan, ağırlık) arasında karmaşık ağ yapıları ile matematiksel olarak bağlantı kurularak, kurutma sürecinin yönetimi, kontrolü sağlanabilir.

A Study on Redox Potential of Phytochemicals and their Impact on DNA

The phytochemicals are endowed with antioxidant activities because of the presence of plentiful polyphenols and many other phytochemicals. However, some recent reports have suggested that phytochemicals from certain plant species exhibit DNA damaging properties mainly due to presence of alkaloids. In the present study, pBR322, Salmonella typhi DNA, insect DNA and human DNA were treated with hexanolic extract of Argemone mexicana and Thevesia peruviana leaves to assess their DNA damaging abilities. Another set of experiments was carried out using the methanolic extracts of Citrus lemon leaves to assess their DNA protecting abilities from damage of DNA by extracts of A. mexicana and T. peruviana at 150000 ppm for all DNAs used. The results indicated that the leaves extract of A. mexicanaand T. peruviana demonstrated significant DNA damaging potential at higher concentrations. In contrast, the extracts from C. limonat 15000 ppm showed maximum DNA protective properties for all DNAs used.

PRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE COMPOSITION OF SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE EXTRACTS FROM EXOCARPY CITRUS MEYERI TAN.

The purpose of this work is to evaluate the effectiveness of using supercritical carbon dioxide extraction to obtain essential oils from exocarpy of Meyer lemon in comparison with the pressing method.&#x0D; The plant material is represented by the exocarpy of Meyer lemon Citrus meyeri Tan., Rutovye family – Rutaceae, collected in the vicinity of Khujand (Republic of Tajikistan), in November 2014. Supercritical carbon dioxide extracts (CO2 extracts) were obtained at the Research Center for Ecological GORO resources (Rostov-on-Don) at the KOERS1 installation. As a comparison, we used the essential oil obtained by direct pressing on hydraulic presses without heating. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the components was carried out by gas chromatography with chromatography-mass spectrometric detection.&#x0D; As a result of the study, it was found that the optimal parameters of CO2 extraction, which provide the highest content of limonene and γ-terpinene in the extract, are: 50 °С, 16 MPa, and 30 min. A comparative analysis of the content of extract components showed that the yield of limonene during supercritical extraction, compared with traditional technology, increased by 7.5%, the γ-terpinene content was 1.5 times. In addition, significant differences were found in the qualitative and quantitative composition of the essential oil and the CO2 extract of Meyer lemon. In essential oil, the content is higher: α- and β-pinene, p-cumene, geranial, and others. In the CO2 extract, the content is higher: sabinene, α-humulene, β-bisabolene and other low-volatile compounds, with an additional 9 components: α-thuen, terpenolene, geranyl acetate, etc., which indicates the need for an additional pharmacological study of the CO2-extract of Meyer lemon.

A Harmful Thrips Species on Lemon in The Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey: Thrips hawaiiensis (Morgan) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Some thrips species (Thysanoptera) are known as major pests because of causing the damage, especially to young citrus lemon fruits. Therefore, thrips surveys were carried out in from flowering period until the fruit reached a size of 4-5 cm in diameter in Adana and Mersin provinces, Turkey. In each orchard, 100 fruits were randomly collected and checked individually to determine thrips damage on young fruits. A total of 13 thysanopteran species were determined. Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) was the most common thrips species on different citrus varieties in Adana province, but Thrips hawaiiensis (Morgan) dominated thrips fauna in the citrus lemon groves in Mersin province. No thrips damage was recorded in the groves where F. occidentalis was commonly present. Thrips hawaiiensis appeared to be harmful on lemon flowers and fruits. Thrips caused silvery or bronzed stains on flowers and fruits. Thrips damage was observed in the mid-May when the flower density was low i.e. third or fourth weeks following petal fall. The staining rates on fruits due to T. hawaiiensis in the sampled lemon orchards ranged from 20 to 34%.

Fluorescent-Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots Derived from Citrus Lemon Juice: Green Synthesis, Mercury(II) Ion Sensing, and Live Cell Imaging.

In this study, we report a green and economical hydrothermal synthesis of fluorescent-nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs) using citrus lemon as a carbon source. The prepared NCQDs possess high water solubility, high ionic stability, resistance to photobleaching, and bright blue color under ultraviolet radiation with a high quantum yield (∼31%). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results show that the prepared NCQDs have a narrow size distribution (1–6 nm) with an average particle size of 3 nm. The mercury ion (Hg2+) sensing efficiency of the NCQDs was studied, and the result indicated that the material has high sensitivity, high precision, and good selectivity for Hg2+. The limit of detection (LOD) is 5.3 nM and the limit of quantification (LOQ) is 18.3 nM at a 99% confidence level. The cytotoxicity was evaluated using MCF7 cells, and the cell viabilities were determined to be greater than 88% upon the addition of NCQDs over a wide concentration range from 0 to 2 mg/mL. Based on the low cytotoxicity, good biocompatibility, and other revealed interesting merits, we also applied the prepared NCQDs as an effective fluorescent probe for multicolor live cell imaging.

Effects of lemon decoction on malaria parasite clearance and selected hematological parameters in Plasmodium berghei ANKA infected mice

BackgroundCitrus plants particularly lemon (Citrus limon L.) concoctions are ethno-medically used for treatment of infectious diseases including malaria. Therefore, we set an experiment to investigate the effects of lemon decoction in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA parasites.MethodsAntimalarial activity was determined using Rane’s curative test on 25 Theiler’s albino mice. Twenty mice were each injected with 2 × 107 infected red blood cells (iRBCs). The mice were divided into four groups, consisting of five mice per group. Each group received an oral dose of either 5% carboxymethyl cellulose/placebo (negative infected control), lemon decoction (Citrus limon [CILI extract]) alone or a combination of artemether/lumefantrine (A/LU, 28 mg/kg) and CILI extract and A/LU alone. A fifth group of mice consisted of uninfected mice as parasite-negative control.ResultsWithin 72 hours after initiation of treatment, the mean percentage parasitemia ± standard deviation of the CILI extract group (24.2% ± 9.83%) was lower compared to placebo group (40.0% ± 14.78%), p = 0.037. CILI extract group was found to have an increased survival rate (11 days ± 1.6 days) as compared to placebo group (8.6 days ± 3.4 days), p = 0.226. Mice in the combination group (A/LU + CILI extract) had the highest mean counts in terms of hemato-immunological parameters, whereas those in the CILI extract alone had the lowest hematocrit levels. The study also found that mice that received a combination of CILI extract and A/LU exhibited a decreased lag time with regards to time required to clear 99% of parasites (58.8 h vs. 64.2 h, p = 0.681) as compared to the A/LU alone group.ConclusionLemon decoction demonstrated antimalarial activity in mice infected with P. berghei ANKA through parasites suppression by 39% as compared to those received placebo. However, when used alone, lemons did not suffice as a cure but in combination with standard antimalarials, lemons promoted early parasite clearance with an improved hematological parameters.