Cold Water Extract Research Articles

The pre-shearing effect on the rheological properties of okra mucilage

We investigated the effect of pre-shearing on the rheological properties of mucilage extracted from okra pods. Okra mucilage was extracted by using a cold water extraction protocol. The rheological properties were surveyed utilizing steady shear, oscillatory, time-dependent ramp measurements. Our findings reveal that the pre-shearing effect induced a drop in the viscosity of okra mucilage at high shear rates ranging between 100s−1 and 1,000s−1. In addition, the pre-shearing effect could partially reduce the elastic modulus of okra mucilage. In contrast, the viscous modulus part was found to be increased at the same time. Consequently, pre-shearing may affect the viscoelastic elements of okra mucilage, due to irreversible changes induced in the macro-structures of the okra mucilage. When the shearing deformation rate reached a limit, the large-sized hydrocolloid random coil group degraded into smaller crops. Therefore, addition of shear force could change the interior elastic energy consumption of the okra mucilage. Our findings may influence the preparation strategies of the okra polysaccharide process.

Effect of malting regimen on diastatic power, cold and hot water extracts of malts from sorghum

SummaryIn this study, sorghum grains were malted using different malting regimens and the malt qualities were analysed for cold water extract (CWE), hot water extract (HWE) and diastatic power (DP). Results showed that malting regimen produced sorghum malts with peak CWE, HWE and DP within the pre‐determined limits of malting regimen. From this, predictive models of sorghum malt quality were developed and tested. Whilst steeping duration interacts significantly with the germination period to cause variations in CWE and HWE, only the germination period significantly influenced the DP of sorghum malts. However, the kilning temperature showed no significant impact on the parameters studied. Besides CWE, HWE and DP correlating positively with each other, the developed predictive models were significant (P < 0.05) and satisfy the quality of fit (R2 > 0.70) of the proposed models. The result demonstrated that wort for different purposes can be obtained by varying the malting operational conditions in the predictive model, thus saving time, resources, preliminary studies and research designs. Besides the promotion of a cheaper local alternative material for industrial wort production and brewing purpose, this research provides valuable insight on the brilliant prospect of variable malting regimen in predicting and adjusting the quality characteristics of sorghum malt and wort. Future studies are required to develop models for wort produced from peak CWE, HWE and DP, for predicting wort quality characteristics.

Characterization of the Colloidal Properties of Dissolved Organic Matter From Forest Soils

Components of dissolved organic matter (DOM) span from sub-nm molecules to colloidal aggregates of several hundred nm. The colloidal fraction is important for the transport of organic matter and associated elements in the environment, and for the stability of DOM constituents with respect to microbial decomposition. This study focuses on the colloidal properties of DOM extracted from spruce forest soils of a chronosequence. The DOM samples were obtained by common water extraction procedures at 21 and 100°C, respectively. We applied an experimental approach combining chemical analysis with light and X-ray scattering techniques that informed on the colloidal size, charge, and structure of DOM. Results showed that two main types of colloids were present: semi-flexible cylinders and fractal aggregates. The cylinders consisted of carbohydrates, presumably hemicelluloses, while the aggregates were a composite material containing a large fraction of carbohydrates together with aliphatics and clay particles. These fractal aggregates dominated the cold-water extracts whereas the strong increase in total organic carbon by hot-water extraction caused a concomitantly strong increase of semi-flexible cylinders, which became the predominant species. Comparison between the chronosequence soils showed that with increasing forest age, the amount of carbon extracted per gram of soil declined and the concentration of the semi-flexible cylinders decreased. Thus, the distribution between the fractal aggregates and cylinders in the forest soil DOM samples depends on the composition of the soil organic matter and the leaching temperature. Changes in this distribution may have important implications for the reactivity and stability of DOM colloids.

BIOACTIVITY AND PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE MUSHROOM Rigidoporus lignosus (Klot) IMAZEKI

The antagonistic effect of hot and cold water extracts of Rigidoporus lignosus was investigated in-vitro against some pathogenic microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans. The extracts showed a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the hot and cold water extracts against Staphylococcus aureus were 16g/150ml and 20g/150ml respectively. For Candida albicans, the MIC of the hot and cold water extracts were 16g/150ml and 14g/150ml respectively.The MIC of E. coli was 20g/150ml for both cold and hot water extracts.The extracts did not inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of cold water extract against Staphylococcus aureus was 20g/150ml. The hot water extract showed an MBC greater than 20g/150ml for this organism. The MBC of E coli for both hot and cold water extract was >20g/150ml.With cold water extract, the MBC for C. albicans was 16g/150ml but >20g/150ml using hot water extract.The lowest zone of inhibition against C. albicans was 6.00± 00mm at 6hours using 20g/150ml of either hot or cold water. This organism had the widest zone of inhibition of 12.67± 0.33mm at 24 hours using hot water. The next was E coli with a zone diameter of 12.36±0.09mm at 72hours using hot water extract. This was not significantly different (P=0.05) from that of S.aureus (12.33±0.33mm) at 24 hours using 16g/150ml. Phytochemical analysis of the extract showed it to contain flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids which are probably responsible for its biological activity. Both hot and cold water extracts of the mushroom Rigidoporus lignosus will be helpful in managing bacterial and fungal infections or employed as food preservative.

Analysis of the trend of pH changes of concrete pore solution during the hydration by various analytical methods

The pH is an important parameter in concrete health monitoring. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the environmental elements that influence the pH value of concrete. This study focussed on the investigation of the pore solution in concrete throughout the hydration process during a 90-day timeframe. The concrete pore solution was extracted by ex-situ leaching methods (ESL) including cold water and hot water extraction (CWE and HWE). The pH of the solutions was obtained by various techniques such as titration, direct measurement by pH electrode, back calculation method, and the thermodynamic modelling based on the measured alkali concentrations. For both ex-situ leaching processes, the changes in pH and alkali concentration appear to be similar. Due to the dilution effect of water addition, direct pH measurement with a pH electrode and titration method underestimates the real pH value. The results obtained from the measured alkali concentrations were more reliable and indicated that the pH of the fresh concrete was around 13.1 and increased gradually up to 13.8 with time. Back calculation of the pH of the concrete using the dilution of the H+ ions show the high pH values. Therefore, the actual pH of the concrete pore solution can be evaluated using a thermodynamic modelling based on the alkali content of the extracted solution.

A Concise Review on Taro Mucilage: Extraction Techniques, Chemical Composition, Characterization, Applications, and Health Attributes.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is an important source of carbohydrates as an energy source and is used as a staple food throughout the world. It is rich in mucilage and starch granules, making it a highly digestible ingredient. Mucilage can act as a matrix and a thickening, binding, emulsifying, or foaming agent in food, pharmaceutical, and several other fields of research. Moreover, mucilage can be extracted from several living organisms and has excellent functional properties, such as water-holding, oil-holding, and swelling capacities. Therefore, these remarkable functional properties make mucilage a promising ingredient with possible industrial applications. Furthermore, several extraction techniques, including enzyme-assisted, ultrasonication, microwave-assisted, aquatic, and solvent extraction methods, are used to obtain quantitative amounts of taro mucilage. Coldwater extraction with ethanol precipitation can be considered an effective and cost-effective technique to obtain high-quality mucilage with suitable industrial applications, whereas the ultrasonication method is more expensive but results in a higher amount of mucilage than other emerging techniques. Mucilage can also be used as a fat replacer or reducer, dye remover, coating agent, and antioxidating agent. Therefore, in this review, we detail the key properties related to the extraction techniques, chemical composition, and characterization of taro mucilage, along with its suitable applications and health benefits.

Assessment of aromatic amides in printed food contact materials: analysis of potential cleavage to primary aromatic amines during simulated passage through the gastrointestinal tract

Recent analyses conducted by German official food control reported detection of the aromatic amides N-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)acetamide (NDPA), N-acetoacetyl-m-xylidine (NAAX) and 3-hydroxy-2-naphthanilide (Naphthol AS) in cold water extracts from certain food contact materials made from paper or cardboard, including paper straws, paper napkins, and cupcake liners. Because aromatic amides may be cleaved to potentially genotoxic primary amines upon oral intake, these findings raise concern that transfer of NDPA, NAAX and Naphthol AS from food contact materials into food may present a risk to human health. The aim of the present work was to assess the stability of NDPA, NAAX and Naphthol AS and potential cleavage to 2,4-dimethylaniline (2,4-DMA) and aniline during simulated passage through the gastrointestinal tract using static in vitro digestion models. Using the digestion model established by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM, Bilthoven, NL) and a protocol recommended by the European Food Safety Authority, potential hydrolysis of the aromatic amides to the respective aromatic amines was assessed by LC–MS/MS following incubation of the aromatic amides with digestive fluid simulants. Time-dependent hydrolysis of NDPA and NAAX resulting in formation of the primary aromatic amine 2,4-DMA was consistently observed in both models. The highest rate of cleavage of NDPA and NAAX was recorded following 4 h incubation with 0.07 M HCl as gastric-juice simulant, and amounted to 0.21% and 0.053%, respectively. Incubation of Naphthol AS with digestive fluid simulants did not give rise to an increase in the concentration of aniline above the background that resulted from the presence of aniline as an impurity of the test compound. Considering the lack of evidence for aniline formation from Naphthol AS and the extremely low rate of hydrolysis of the amide bonds of NDPA and NAAX during simulated passage through the gastrointestinal tract that gives rise to only very minor amounts of the potentially mutagenic and/or carcinogenic aromatic amine 2,4-DMA, risk assessment based on assumption of 100% cleavage to the primary aromatic amines would appear to overestimate health risks related to the presence of aromatic amides in food contact materials.

Screening Asclepias syriaca for Antimicrobial Activity

Antibiotic resistance, as well as the evolution and spread of new strains of disease causing agents are of great concern to the global health community. The high cost of antibiotics has made it inevitable to search for cheaper sources of antimicrobials. There has been considerable interest in the use of plant materials as an alternative method of controlling pathogenic microorganisms.
 Asclepias syriaca is one of such plants that need to be investigated in view of its acclaimed medicinal uses. It has been reported to contain certain bioactive chemicals which could be antimicrobial in action. This work investigated Asclepias syriaca stem for antimicrobial activity. Cold water, Hot water and Methanolic extracts of Asclepias stem were prepared using standard methods. The extracts were used to carry out susceptibility test, determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the stem extract on Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The extracts were found to be effective on the three test organisms, with the methanolic extract being most active, followed by hot water extract, then cold water extract. Inhibitory zone diameter ranged between15 to 26mm for Methanolic extract, 14 to 23mm for Hot water extract, and 12 to 20mm for Cold water extract. The extracts were most active on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, then Salmonella typhi, and lastly Salmonella typhimurium. The MIC of the extract on Salmonella typhimirium was 200mg/mL for both the Cold and Hot water extracts, but 100 mg/mL for methanolic extract. The MIC of the extract on Salmonella typhi was 12.50mg/mL for Methalonic extract and for both Cold and Hot water extracts. For Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the MIC was 3.125mg/mL for all the extracts, i.e Cold and Hot water extracts, as well as Methanolic extract. MIC of the standard antibiotic was 3.125mg/mL.
 The MBC result showed no inhibition by all the extracts on Salmonella typhimurium, even at 400 mg/mL. All the extracts had MBC at 400 mg/mL for Salmonella typhi. All the extracts had MBC at 200 mg/mL on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while MBC of the standard control on all test bacteria was 6.25 mg/mL. From our results, it is evident that Asclepias syriaca stem extracts possesses antimicrobial property which can be exploited to treat Salmonella typhi infection as used traditionally, as well as infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Selected Medicinal Plant Leaf Extracts Against Pathogens Implicated in Poultry Diseases.

Antimicrobial resistant poultry pathogens are responsible for treatment failure and economic losses, and can also be a source of resistant zoonotic infections representing a risk to human health. In 2006 the European Union banned the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in farm animals and other regions are likely to follow suit. Alternative products and strategies are sought to help maintain animal gut health to reduce the prevalence of pathogens in the food chain. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of organic and aqueous leaf extracts of Alchornea laxiflora, Ficus exasperata, Morinda lucida, Jatropha gossypiifolia, Ocimum gratissimum, and Acalypha wilkesiana were tested against bacterial poultry pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., and fungal species (Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, and Candida albicans) using a 2-fold serial microdilution method. Activity of extracts against biofilms of the pathogens was done using a modified crystal violet staining in vitro assay. The safety of extracts was determined against Vero and Caco-2 cells using a tetrazolium-based in vitro assay. Acetone and cold water extracts of M. lucida had the best activity against three bacteria (MIC = 0.05–0.07 mg/ml) and two fungal (MIC = 0.03–0.15 mg/ml) organisms, respectively. The E. coli isolate and A. flavus were the most susceptible bacteria and fungi, respectively. Caco-2 cells generally displayed higher selectivity index (SI) values compared to Vero cells and average SI values against Vero and Caco-2 cells for both bacteria and fungi ranged from 0.01 to 4.48 and 0.005 to 16.41, respectively. All plant extracts had good anti-biofilm activity (>50%) against at least one organism. The disruption of established biofilm growth by the plant samples proved to be more difficult to achieve than efficacy against planktonic forms of bacteria. This study shows that some of the plant species are potential candidates as alternative feed additives in poultry production. In the future, a poultry feed trial to evaluate their in vivo efficacy as herbal feed additives will be conducted.

Antibacterial Activities of Annona senegalensis Pers. (Annonaceae) Extracts on Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumonia

This study investigated the presence of phytochemicals in the stem bark of Annona senegalensis. Phytochemicals extracted were alkanoid, flavonoid, tannin, saponin, and phenol, and the three extracts were: Cold Water Extract (CWE), Hot Water Extract (HWE) and Methanol Extracts (ME). The extracts of A. senegalensis were tested on Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumonia isolates in order to measure their antimicrobial and bactericidal activities. Irrespective of the method of extraction, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was found to be 3.125 µl/ml. Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) required to kill the test organisms were also recorded. While CWE needs 100 µl/ml to kill each of the test organisms, HWE and ME both required concentrations of 50 µl/ml to completely kill E. coli and K. pneumonia. For P. mirabilis, the HWE needed a concentration of 400 µl/ml, while ME needed a concentration of 100 µl/ml to kill the organism. It was therefore concluded that the extracts of A. senegalensis had the potential to inhibit the growth (MIC) or even kill (MBC) the studied microorganisms at particular concentrations. This study is preliminary; therefore, an in vivo study should be undertaken to further test the potency and toxicity of the extracts with the view of standardizing the dosage and educating the traditional medicine practitioners on how to achieve healing without causing harm to patients.

Evaluation of the Phytochemical and Pharmacological Potential of Taif's Rose (Rosa damascena Mill var. trigintipetala) for Possible Recycling of Pruning Wastes.

This study investigated the phytochemical contents of Taif’s rose pruning wastes and their potential application as phytomedicine, thereby practicing a waste-recycling perspective. In the Al-Shafa highland, four Taif rose farms of various ages were chosen for gathering the pruning wastes (leaves and stems) for phytochemical and pharmacological studies. The leaves and stems included significant amounts of carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, and other phenolic compounds. The cardiac glycoside and flavonoid contents were higher in Taif rose stems, while the phenolic and alkaloid contents were higher in the plant leaves. Cardiovascular glycosides (2.98–5.69 mg g−1), phenolics (3.14–12.41 mg GAE g−1), flavonoids (5.09–9.33 mg RUE g −1), and alkaloids (3.22–10.96 mg AE g−1) were among the phytoconstituents found in rose tissues. According to the HPLC analysis of the phenolic compounds, Taif’s rose contains flavonoid components such as luteolin, apigenin, quercetin, rutin, kaempferol, and chrysoeriol; phenolics such as ellagic acid, catechol, resorcinol, gallic acid, and phloroglucinol; alkaloids such as berbamine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, reticuline, isocorydine, and boldine. Warm water extract was highly effective against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Proteus vulgaris, whereas methanol and cold water extracts were moderately effective against Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans. The study’s findings suggested that Taif’s rose wastes could be used for varied medical purposes.

Polysaccharides from Basidiocarps of the Polypore Fungus Ganoderma resinaceum: Isolation and Structure.

In this study, we focused on the isolation and structural characterization of polysaccharides from a basidiocarp of polypore fungus Ganoderma resinaceum. Polysaccharide fractions were obtained by successive extractions with cold water at room temperature (20 °C), hot water under reflux (100 °C), and a solution of 1 mol L−1 sodium hydroxide. The purity of all fractions was controlled mainly by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and their composition and structure were characterized by organic elemental analysis; neutral sugar and methylation analyses by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector (GC/FID) and mass spectrometry detector (GC/MS), respectively; and by correlation nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The aqueous extracts contained two main polysaccharides identified as a branched O-2-β-d-mannosyl-(1→6)-α-d-galactan and a highly branched (1→3)(1→4)(1→6)-β-d-glucan. Mannogalactan predominated in the cold water extract, and β-d-glucan was the main product of the hot water extract. The hot water soluble fraction was further separated by preparative anion exchange chromatography into three sub-fractions; two of them were identified as branched β-d-glucans with a structure similar to the corresponding polysaccharide of the original fraction. The alkaline extract contained a linear (1→3)-α-d-glucan and a weakly branched (1→3)-β-d-glucan having terminal β-d-glucosyl residues attached to O-6 of the backbone. The insoluble part after all extractions was identified as a polysaccharide complex containing chitin and β-d-glucans.

Chinese Caterpillar Mushroom, Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Ascomycota), Cold-Water Extract Relaxes the Rat Isolated Bladder

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a popular medicinal mushroom used for various health conditions, including alleviation of frequent urination, which is a major symptom of overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the effect of O. sinensis (OCS02 cultivar) cold-water extract (CWE) against bladder contractility using the organ bath technique. The bladder was removed from male Sprague-Dawley rats and cut into longitudinal strips of 2 mm × 8 mm. In some experiments, the urothelium was removed to study its role in CWE-induced responses. CWE elicited a biphasic response consisting of an immediate, transient contraction that was followed by a sustained relaxation in bladder strips precontracted with carbachol, a muscarinic agonist. Removal of urothelium did not alter the magnitude of the contractile response but significantly attenuated the relaxation response. In the presence of L-NAME (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor) and sodium nitroprusside (nitric oxide donor), CWE-induced transient contraction was enhanced, whereas the relaxation response was significantly reduced. Following preincubation with CWE, the amplitude and the frequency of the spontaneous myogenic contractions induced by carbachol, as well as the contractile response toward calcium, were significantly suppressed. Findings from this study show that the urothelium plays a role in the relaxant effect of CWE. Its mechanisms of action include the regulation of nitric oxide and inhibition of calcium influx.

Selection of Effective Plant Extract as A Disinfecting Agent using Hot and Cold-water Extraction

The purpose of the study was to determine the antibacterial activity of the cold and hot water extract of the Mangifera indica, Morinda citrifolia and Syzygium cumini leaves by agar well diffusion method. Among the plant extracts that showed the best antibacterial activity was further used to evaluate the colony count reduction of plant extracts after application on the floor surfaces and to analyse the phytochemical present. The study showed that hot water extracts of S.cumini leaves showed the best antibacterial activities against all the test organisms and it was also observed that the number of microorganisms reduced significantly after application on the floor surfaces. The phytochemical analysis of hot water extract of S.cumini leaves showed the presence of tannin, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponin, phenol but absence of alkaloids. Thus, hot water extract of S.cumini leaves can be selected as the best plant extract for plant-based disinfecting agent among the other plant extracts. This is the first report for hot water extract of S.cumini leaves which is tested for efficacy of plant-based disinfecting agent.

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF Allium cepa (ONIONS) EXTRACTS

The evolution of resistivity by microorganisms is a worldwide public health contest that renders antimicrobial agents impotent, leading to an upsurge in diseases and mortality in man and livestock. The current study was designed to ascertain the antimicrobial activities of Allium cepa (onions) extracts. The antimicrobial activities of the onion extracts on the trial organisms, including both gram-positive and -negative bacteria, were carried out using the Agar Well Diffusion method. The tube macro-dilution method determined the extracts' MIC (mg/mL). We investigated the MBC and MFC of the extracts. The antimicrobial assay proved that; the microorganisms tested were sensitive at 50mg/mL but resistant at 3.125mg/mL. From the MIC results, the increasing order of activity of the extracts was Staphylococcus epidermidis (MIC 3.125mg/mL), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium (MIC 6.25mg/mL), Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 12.5mg/mL) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (25mg/mL). The MBC results proved that the onion extracts (50mg/mL) were bactericidal except for Staphylococcus aureus and fungistatic. Comparatively, at a 5% alpha level, pronounced differences were observed between the zones of inhibition and the solvent extracts by cold and hot water extract on the experimental organisms. However, no significant disparity was observed between the effect of aqueous and solvent extracts. Hence, the study recommends using onions, natural herbal medicine, and antimicrobial agents.

In Vitro Inhibition of Melanin Formation and Enhancement of Collagen Production by a Mushroom Sclerotial Water Extract from the Tiger Milk Mushroom, Lignosus rhinocerus (Agaricomycetes), with No Skin and Eye Irritation.

Lignosus rhinocerus has bioactive properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiglycation, and immunomodulatory effects, that are beneficial to the skin. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of cosmeceutical compounds, including linoleates, ascorbic acid dipalmitate, and all-trans-squalene, in the mushroom sclerotium. We further investigated the depigmentation and antiaging activities of L. rhinocerus cultivar TM02 sclerotia cold water extract (TM-CWE). TM-CWE at 10% (v/v) inhibited melanin production at the intra- and extracellular levels of B16-F1 melanoma cells (50.6-53.3%) and downregulated microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, the key protein for melanogenic enzyme expression, at the intracellular level (44.5 ± 2.6%). The extract also promoted human procollagen type 1 production in HaCat cells by 51.30 ± 2.87% at 12.5% (v/v). Irritation tests using three-dimensional eye and skin models further indicated that TM-CWE is a nonirritant with > 75% viability. Therefore, L. rhinocerus TM02 demonstrated the capacity to be a beneficial ingredient for skin care application.

Aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Artemisia annua L. improved insulin resistance via decreasing TNF-alpha, IL-6 and free fatty acids in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Objective:Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disease that influences many people worldwide. Management of insulin resistance in T2DM without side effects of chemical drugs, is the ultimate goal of the medical community. Artemisia annua L. is used for the treatment of diabetes in folkloric medicine. The present study investigated the effects of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of A. annua (AA) on insulin resistance in high-fat diet/STZ-induced diabetic mice. Material and Methods: Mice were divided into groups including control with a normal diet, un-treated high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice, and diabetic mice treated by oral administration of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight of water (hot and cold) and alcoholic extracts of AA. After four weeks of treatment with AA, blood sampling was carried out to measure factors involved in insulin resistance such as low-density lipoprotein/ High-density lipoprotein (LDL/HDL) ratio, free fatty acids, Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) as an index of insulin resistance. Results:The results showed that all AA extracts (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) and metformin (250 mg/kg) significantly reduced the serum levels of free fatty acids, TNF-alpha, IL-6, LDL/HDL ratio, and HOMA-IR in diabetic mice compared to untreated diabetic mice (p<0.0001). Notably, the 400 mg/kg dose of cold-water extract was more effective than metformin in reduction of TNF-alpha and IL-6 (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). Conclusion:These data illustrated that AA extracts attenuated insulin resistance by reducing the lipid profile and adipocytokines.

Antibacterial activity of Jatropha tanjorensis leaf extracts against bacteria associated with wound infections from the clinical setting

Abstract. Babayemi OO, Oke EA, Bayode MT. 2021. Antibacterial activity of Jatropha tanjorensis leaf extracts against bacteria associated with wound infections from the clinical setting. Nusantara Bioscience 13: 260-267. The use of microbial agents to treat infectious wounds based on ethnobotanical knowledge is still minimal. Antibacterial activity of Jatropha tanjorensis J.L.Ellis &amp; Saroja leaf crude extracts and commercial antibiotics were evaluated against bacterial isolates associated with wound samples using agar well diffusion and disc diffusion techniques, respectively. Phytochemical analysis of the sections was carried out using standard methods. Saponin (58 mg/g) was the highest phytochemical in the methanol extract while flavonoid (0.1 mg/g) was the lowest percentage in the coldwater extract. Methanol extract had had the highest Zone of Inhibition (ZOI) of 33 mm against Staphylococcus aureus coagulase-positive, while the lowest ZOI (5 mm) against S. aureus coagulase-positive was obtained from cold water extract. Methanol extract resulted in the highest ZOI ranging from 16 mm to 17 mm against Escherichia coli while the lowest ZOI was obtained from coldwater extract (3-4 mm). The highest Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) value of all extracts (100 mg/mL) was obtained against P. aeruginosa while the lowest MIC value was obtained against coagulase-positive S. aureus (12.5 mg/mL). All extracts contain Octadecanoic acid, n-hexadecanoic acid, and phytol. The study's outcome revealed that methanol extract had the highest inhibitory activity against bacteria isolated from wound samples compared to other crude extracts and ciprofloxacin. Jatropha tanjorensis could be used as a potent herbal remedy to reduce the adverse effects of wound infection.

Immunomodulatory Effect and an Intervention of TNF Signalling Leading to Apoptotic and Cell Cycle Arrest on ORL-204 Oral Cancer Cells by Tiger Milk Mushroom, Lignosus rhinocerus.

SUMMARYResearch backgroundTiger milk mushroom (Lignosus rhinocerus) is a medicinal mushroom that is geographically distributed in the region of South China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea. Consumption of its sclerotium has been reported to treat various ailments. However, its anticancer potential towards oral cancer cell lines is yet to be determined considering the traditional method of its consumption by biting/chewing of the sclerotium.Experimental approachMushroom sclerotial powder of cultivar TM02® was extracted and fractionated in a chromatographic column prior to cytotoxicity testing against a panel of human oral cancer cell lines. The capability of the identified bioactive fraction in regulating several molecules associated with its tumour necrosis factor (TNF) pathway was investigated.Results and conclusions2,5-Diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) proliferation assay indicated that cell lines ORL-48 (derived from gingiva), ORL-188 (derived from the tongue) and ORL-204 (derived from buccal mucosa) were inhibited by cold water extract of L. rhinocerus sclerotia and its high-molecular-mass fraction (HMM) in varying degrees with ORL-204 being most affected. Hence, the treatment of ORL-204 with HMM mushroom extract was further investigated. HMM mushroom extract induced apoptosis and G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest through caspase-3/7 cleavage. Activities of MIP2 and COX-2 were downregulated by 0.2- and 4.6-fold respectively in the HMM mushroom extract-treated ORL-204 cells.Novelty and scientific contributionUsing ORL-204, we showed that HMM mushroom extract may act via the TNF pathway at various network sites as a potential dietary compound for cancer prevention and natural adjunct therapeutic to conventional cancer treatment.

Effect of some two tree extractives on Sclerotium cepivorum causing white rot in Allium spp.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of using different extracts of two types of trees (Jatropha curcas seeds and Taxodium distichium cones). The solvents used were distilled water and ethanol. Determination of bioactive components of each extract was carried out using gas chromatography/ Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. In general, ethanolic extract was the most effective on the both of linear growth, sclerotial numbers and mycelium characteristics of Sclerotium cepivorum than both of the cold or hot water extracts compared to control. Under In vitro conditions, treated with 20% of ethanol solvent showed a fungicidal effect meanwhile, fungistatic effects appeared at 5% for reduction of the mycelium growth..In the greenhouse experiments, the results indicated that onion transplants treated with ethanolic extract of taxodium and jatropha at 20% resulted in significant reduction to the disease with a significant increase in bulb yield compared with a check treatments. This report is one of few papers which using taxodium cones and jatropha seeds as antifungal substances against plant pathogens especially S. cepivorum under worldwide and Egypt conditions.