Curcumin Content Research Articles

Curcumin Doped SiO2/TiO2 Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photocatalytic Reduction of Cr (VI) under Visible Light

In order to further improve the photocatalytic performance of the SiO2/TiO2 composite under visible light irradiation, curcumin-doped SiO2/TiO2 nanocomposites were synthesized via directly incorporating it into the structure of SiO2/TiO2 during the synthesis using an inexpensive and readily available natural pigment (curcumin) as doping agent. The physicochemical properties of SiO2/TiO2 nanocomposites were characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The results indicate that all SiO2/TiO2 nanocomposites exhibited an anatase phase with a typical mesoporous structure. It was found that the dope of curcumin in the SiO2/TiO2 composite could decrease the crystal size, slightly improve the specific surface areas, significantly enhance the visible light absorption, and effectively narrow the band gap energy from 3.04 to 10(eV). Compared with bare SiO2/TiO2, the curcumin-doped SiO2/TiO2 resulted in enhanced photocatalytic reduction activity for Cr(VI) under visible light irradiation, and the CTS (12) sample with the appropriate content of curcumin of 12 wt % shows the photocatalytic yield reaching 100% within 2.5 hours, which is larger than CT (12) without silica. This could be attributed to the curcumin doping and the synergetic effects of SiO2 and TiO2 in SiO2/TiO2 nanocomposites.

Effect of Adding Curcumin on the Properties of Linseed Oil Organogels Used as Fat Replacers in Pâtés.

Beeswax-based organogels were formulated with linseed oil and curcumin according to a statistical design to increase the oxidative stability of spreadable meat products (pâté) where these organogels (OGCur) were incorporated as fat substitutes. The organogels obtained under optimal conditions (9.12% beeswax, 0.54% curcumin) showed a mechanical strength similar to pork backfat determined by back extrusion and high oil binding capacity (OBC; over 90%). The incorporation of curcumin at this concentration did not lead to any change in the arrangement of the crystal network, OBC, and mechanical, thermal, or rheological properties of the organogels. Beeswax organogels with and without curcumin, with a β’ orthorhombic subcell structure, showed a predominant elastic behavior and a melting event wider and shifted to lower temperatures than pure beeswax, suggesting a plasticizer effect of the oil in the wax crystals. The oxidative stability of the organogels under accelerated oxidation conditions increased due to the incorporation of curcumin. A decrease in the curcumin content was found from day 4 at 60 °C, together with a significantly lower formation of both peroxides and malonaldehyde. When pork backfat was partially or totally replaced by OGCur in pâtés, a noticeable protective effect of curcumin against lipid oxidation was found during chilled storage

Identification of curcumin content in raw and vinegar-processed rhizomes of Curcuma kwangsiensis based on electronic nose combined with back propagation neural network

This study aimed to establish a rapid and accurate method for identification of raw and vinegar-processed rhizomes of Curcuma kwangsiensis, in order to predict the content of curcumin compounds for scientific evaluation. A complete set of bionics recognition mode was adopted. The digital odor signal of raw and vinegar-processed rhizomes of Curcuma kwangsiensis were obtained by e-nose, and analyzed by back propagation(BP) neural network algorithm, with the accuracy, the sensitivity and specificity in discriminant model, correlation coefficient as well as the mean square error in regression model as the evaluation indexes. The experimental results showed that the three indexes of the e-nose signal discrimination model established by the neural network algorithm were 100% in training set, correction set and prediction set, which were obviously better than the traditional decision tree, naive bayes, support vector machine, K nearest neighbor and boost classification, and could accurately differentiate the raw and vinegar products. Correlation coefficient and mean square error of the regression model in prediction set were 0.974 8 and 0.117 5 respectively, and could well predict curcumin compounds content in Curcuma kwangsiensis, and demonstrate the superiority of the simulation biometrics model in the analysis of traditional Chinese medicine. By BP neural network algorithm, e-nose odor fingerprint could quickly, conveniently and accurately realize the discrimination and regression, which suggested that more bionics information acquisition and identification patterns could be combined in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, so as to provide ideas and methods for the rapid evaluation and stan-dardization of the quality of traditional Chinese medicine.

Influence of climatic conditions on curcumin content and colour values of turmeric

In this work, Aleppey finger turmeric rhizomes are collected from the Spices Board distribution center Kozhikode, Kerala and are planted in the five selected villages of central Kerala having different climatic conditions. Similar manuaring conditions are employed. After harvesting the collected rhizomes are dried under similar conditions and methods. All samples are extracted using solvents Acetone, Ethyl Acetate and Methanol using Soxhlet extraction. The moisture content of all the samples is determined using Dean-Stark apparatus and are compared. The colour value is determined using UV spectrophotometer. The yield and color values are compared. The total curcumin content and the percentages of Curcumin, Dimethoxy curcumin and Bisdemethoxy curcumin are determined using HPLC (High pressure liquid chromatography) and are compared. Keywords: spectrophotometer, curcumin, physiological, flavor, antimicrobial effect, turmeric fingers, yellow colour

Major Indian spices- An introspection on variability in quality

Indian spices like black pepper, cardamom, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon are valued for their culinary and nutraceutical properties. The quality attributes that impart these properties are essential oil, oleoresin and the aroma/pungent principles. Variability in essential oil constituents of black pepper, relevance of bulk density, codex standards and role of phenolics in deciding quality traits possess great relevance in academic and industrial applications. Curing of turmeric and maturity at harvest play a crucial role in drying and curcumin content. Geographical location has great relevance in deciding the curcumin content of turmeric. Coumarin content of cinnamon and cassia has implications in industrial application. This article provides an introspection in to the research programmes on quality attributes of spices carried out at ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research for the last three decades in comparison with international scenario.

Breeding of a new cultivar "Chuanjianghuang 1" of Sichuan Dao-di herbs Curcumae Longae Rhizoma and Curcumae Radix

The systematic breeding method was adopted to breed a new good cultivar of Curcuma longa, named "Chuanjianghuang 1". From 2014 to 2015, two consecutive years of multi-point test were carried out in Shuangliu, Chongzhou and Wenjiang. The biological characters, phenology, agronomic characters, yield and quality indexes of "Chuanjianghuang 1" were comprehensively evaluated. The results showed that compared with local traditional species, the rhizome yield of the new cultivar "Chuanjianghuang 1" increased by 20.61%.The average content of volatile oil was higher than 24.17% and the average content of curcumin in root tuber was higher than 26.62%. The yield of root tuber increased by 54.59%.The average content of volatile oil is higher than 36.28% and the average content of curcuminoids is higher than 25.31%. Compared with "Huangsi Yujin 1", "Chuanjianghuang 1" increased the average yield of rhizome by 123.68%,the volatile oil increased by an average of 7.69%and the curcumin content increased by an average of 58.23%. The average content of volatile oil is higher than 52.82% and the average content of curcuminoids in root tuber was higher than 38.34%. The new variety "Chuanjianghuang 1" has better yield than the local traditional species, and the internal quality of rhizome and root tuber is better. Compared with "Huangsi Yujin 1", the yield of rhizome is significantly increased, and the internal quality of rhizome and root tuber is better, especially the content of curcumin in rhizome and curcuminoids in root tuber is significantly higher than that of "Huangsi Yujin 1". "Chuanjianghuang 1" is high yield, good quality, good stability and strong adaptability, which is suitable for cultivation and promotion in Chengdu Jinma River Basin, such as Shuangliu, Chongzhou, Wenjiang.

Evaluation of turmeric genotypes in Western zone of Tamil Nadu

A total 148 numbers of turmeric accession from various parts of India along with BSR 1 and 2 as local adopted check varieties were assessed for three sequential years at Agricultural Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Bhavanisagar, Erode district, Tamil Nadu. Regarding the plant phenotypic traits concerned, among the turmeric accessions evaluated at Western Zone of Tamil Nadu, BS 73 recorded the maximum plant height of 77.11cm. The maximum number of leaves per plant (8.65) and number of tillers per plant (2.63) was recorded by the genotype BS 9. A very wide range of difference in mean performance of genotypes was observed for all the yield and quality parameters in this study. The accession BS 9 recorded higher yield per plot (30.01 kg/6m2) followed by the accession CL 101 (27.39 kg/6m2). The accession BS 9 recorded an estimated fresh rhizome yield of 49.82 t/ha, which was the best for rhizome yield than the checks i.e. BSR 1 (33.81 t/ha) and BSR 2 (36.50 t/ha). Highest level of curing per cent was recorded in the genotype CL 204 (18.04%), BSR 1 (18.03%) and the accession BS 9 (17.98%). Estimated cured rhizome yield was recorded highest level in BS 9 (8.96 t/ha) which was followed by CL 101 (8.10 t/ha) and the lowest cured rhizome yield was recorded by the accession CL 206 (6.57 t/ha). Significantly uppermost curcumin content was recorded in the accession CL 206 (5.12%) followed B 3 (5.03%) and BS 9 (4.86%).The highest content of oleoresin was recorded in accession B 9 (11.35%) which was followed by BS 122 (10.87%) and B 2 (10.78%) while the lowest was recorded BS 50 (8.16%). Considerably higher level of essential oil content was recorded in BSR 2 (4.62%) followed by CL 101 (4.52%) and BS 9 (4.47%).

Effect of drying temperature and drying method on drying rate and bioactive compounds in cassumunar ginger (Zingiber montanum)

In this study, influences of drying of cassumunar ginger (Zingiber montanum) slices using a hot air dryer at 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 °C, a large-scale greenhouse solar dryer, and sun drying on drying kinetics, color, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacities were investigated. The Page model was adequate for describing the drying kinetics and increasing of the temperature accelerated the drying rate, therefore the drying time at 80 °C was shortest (1.5 h). The hot air drying effectively preserved curcumin content and color of the dried products. Drying at higher temperatures, however, resulted in losses of essential oil yield. In contrast, solar and sun drying significantly degraded curcumin and therefore adversely affected the color of dried products. Although, all conditions of drying resulted in volatile oil losses of 18–36 %, different drying conditions did not affect the obtained oil compositions. In addition, it was found that the dried sample from the hot air dryer and the greenhouse solar dryer exhibited slightly higher antioxidant capacities than those from sun drying.

Comparative differential expression of CURS genes and determination of curcumin content at different growth stages of Curcuma longa L. and its wild relative C. zanthorrhiza Roxb.

Curcuma zanthorrhiza Roxb. produces significant quantity of curcumin and essential oil in its rhizomes, hence can be used as an alternate source of curcumin. The differential expression of curcumin synthase (CURS) genes and subsequent curcumin production varied at the different developmental stages of the plant. The present study focused on the relative quantification of putative CURS (CURS1, CURS2 and CURS3) genes using qRT-PCR from the rhizomes of C. zanthorrhiza in comparison with C. longa L. and ultra fast liquid chromatography assisted curcumin quantification in both the species. The curcumin content in the rhizomes of C. zanthorrhiza were 111.6 µg/g, 352.6 µg/g, 776.2 µg/g and in C. longa were 72.5 µg/g, 140.1 µg/g and 1705.7 µg/g at the 3rd, 6th and 9th month growth stages respectively. The relative expression of putative CURS1 was 2.39 ± 0.03–6.54 ± 0.06 fold, CURS2 was 1.74 ± 0.01–3.24 ± 0.18 fold and CURS3 was 1.61 ± 0.23–3.48 ± 0.13 fold in C. zanthorrhiza and 3.58 ± 0.13–10.4 6 ± 0.11 fold for CURS1, 1.51 ± 0.06–4.92 ± 0.10 fold for CURS2 and 1.80 ± 0.03–7.01 ± 0.14 fold for CURS3 in C. longa, during the 3rd–9th month with the highest relative expression in the six-month old rhizomes of C. zanthorrhiza and C. longa. The CURS expression was positively correlated with the curcumin content in both the species during the 3rd and 6th month, however, during the 9th month the curcumin content increased and the putative CURS gene was down-regulated. The levels of expression of CURS genes are in the order with the highest expression for the CURS1, followed by CURS3 and CURS2. Thus, it can be suggested that C. zanthorrhiza can be pertinently supersede as an alternate for C. longa.

Effect of organic manures on growth, yield and quality of turmeric (Curcuma longa L)

The use of organic manures in the agricultural plays a vital role in improving the quality of turmeric as well as improving the soil health. Turmeric is having a close relation with human health; hence demand of organically grown turmeric is increasing tremendously. A field trial was conducted to study the effect of different organic manures (generally recommended fertilizer dose, farmyard manure, vermicompost, press mud compost, poultry manure, sugarcane trash, wheat straw, turmeric trash and jeevamrut ) on the yield and curcumin content of turmeric Cv. Phule Swarupa on Inceptisol at Agricultural Research Station, Dist-Sangli, Maharashtra, India. The trial was conducted on the fixed site of soil for the continuous of five years (2009-2013). The maximum dry yield (62.42 q ha-1) of the turmeric was recorded by application of the general recommended dose of fertilizer (GRDF) i. e. 25 MT FYM + 200:100:100 kg N:P2O5:K2O ha-1 which was at par with the vermicompost (11.36 T ha-1). The highest number of leaves per tiller and number of tillers per plant, plant height and curcumin content was recorded in the GRDF, which was at par with vermicompost. The highest benefit: cost ratio (1.59) was also noticed in GRDF, which was at par with the application of vermicompost (1.54) on a nitrogen basis. The soil available nutrient status was taken into consideration during experimentation. The application of vermicompost (11.36 T ha-1) along with Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria and Azospirillium @ 5 kg ha-1, respectively at the time of planting was found superior for higher dry yield (55.45 q ha-1), net monetary returns (Rs. 137035) and maintenance of soil fertility for organic cultivation of turmeric.

Enhancement of loading and oral bioavailability of curcumin loaded self-microemulsifying lipid carriers using Curcuma oleoresins

The therapeutic applications of curcumin, a phenolic compound extracted from Curcuma species, is limited due to poor bioavailability. To enhance the bioavailability, self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) with curcumin were prepared. Ethyl oleate, Tween 80, and Transcutol® P with surfactant: co-surfactant ratio of 2:1 w/w was selected based on the solubility and pseudo-ternary phase diagrams. The optimized formulation (S-Eo3) was evaluated for use of spice oleoresins as curcumin bioenhancers. The oleophilic phase of curcumin containing SMEDDS formulations was then successfully modified by using bioactive oleoresins extracted from two Curcuma species, viz. C. longa (S-CL1) and C. aromatica (S-CA1). The curcumin content in S-Eo3, S-CL1, and S-CA1 were 69.6 ± 0.23, 82.4 ± 0.62, and 88.8 ± 0.46 mg/g, respectively. Thus, by the partial modification of oleophilic phase of SMEDDS with spice oleoresin (acting as bioenhancer) resulted in ∼88 k improvement of curcumin aqueous solubility. The pharmacokinetic study in male Wistar rats showed that the relative bioavailability of curcumin in S-CL1 and S-CA1 were 26- and 29-fold vis-à-vis 22-fold in S-Eo3 compared to curcumin suspension. All the SMEDDS formulations were stable for three months as established by ICH guidelines.

Bioavailability of curcumin in nanoemulsions stabilized with mono- and diacylglycerols structured with conjugated linoleic acid and n-3 fatty acids

Curcumin is a compound with multiple health benefits and limited use because of its low bioavailability. The latter can be significantly improved by means of encapsulation in form of nanoemulsions (NE), which are systems that offer the possibility of incorporating bioactive compounds such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and n-3 fatty acids (n-3FA). In this study, the oral bioavailability of NE and curcumin-carrying emulsions (E) were evaluated in an in vivo model. These were stabilized with mono- (MAG) and diacylglycerols (DAG) structured with CLA and n-3FA. Plasma curcumin content was evaluated at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 h. The animals were sacrificed and their organs (lung, liver, intestine, stomach, heart and kidneys) were collected to determine the distribution of curcumin of the different formulations. It was found that THE bioavailability, according to the emulsifier used and particle size, decreased in the following order: NE-CLA > NE-n-3 FA > E-n-3FA > E-CLA > NE-phosphatidylcholine (PC). The NE stabilized with CLA and n-3FA showed the best values in the pharmacokinetic parameters of area under the curve (AUC), maximum concentration (C max ) in addition to allowing curcumin to remain in high concentrations longer. NE stabilized with CLA and n-3FA showed greater bioavailability in target organs 12 h after oral administration compared to emulsions made with the same emulsifier, and the difference between both NE in terms of distribution in the organs evaluated will allow the possibility of future works for the treatment of particular ailments where curcumin has demonstrated its effectiveness. • Nanoemulsions (NE) can improve the bioavailability of hydrophobic compounds as curcumin. • There are only few studies in vivo that prove the increase in bioavailability of a curcumin nanoemulsions. • The emulsifier used in the stabilization of a nanoemulsion influenced its bioavailability. • NE with MAG and DAG structured with CLA and n-3 FA increased the bioavailability of curcumin in target organs.

An Ultra-Portable Vis-NIR Spectrometer with an Integrated Light Source for Quality Analysis of Food and Agricultural Produce

There is a growing demand for on-site quality analysis of food and agricultural produce along with detection of adulterants for selecting quality produce. Traditional laboratory measurement techniques such as HPLC, GCMS and FTIR have been used as the gold standard for quality control through target chemical detection and quantification. However, such analyses are expensive and time consuming, requiring bulky instruments and usage of a plethora of chemicals, some even very toxic and hard to dispose. Recent developments in miniaturized optical-sensors have enabled the realization of ultra-portable devices that can incorporate chemometric based models for chemical identification and quantification. Chemometrics captures the signature chemical moieties of a compound through their spectrum, and together with the miniature optical sensors provides a potent platform for a rapid, non-destructive, and fairly accurate method for analyzing a wide variety of substances with portable point-of-use spectrometers. We design, fabricate and show one such handheld Vis-NIR spectrometer with an integrated light source, and present results of its performance with two widely used classes of chemometric techniques: classification and prediction.The proposed device (6.5cm x 2.5cm x 6.5cm) consists of a spectral sensor and an LED light source (wavelength 400-1000 nm) encased in a 3D printed thermoplastic holder. Figure 1 shows the complete spectrometer along with custom made sample holders containing powdered samples. Spectral data can be acquired from the device through either wired or wireless communication. Each spectrum can be viewed as a graphical image and also be exported in text format that is used for further data processing. Data analysis and model building were carried out using Mathematica (version 12) and Unscrambler X (version 10.4).Identification and classification of similar compounds is a key element in quality control. To demonstrate this, we analysed the reflectance spectra of four chemically different but optically similar culinary organic powders, namely, corn starch, calcium propionate (C6H10CaO4), icing sugar (C12H22O11) and white flour. All of them were white in colour with similar texture. The aim of this experiment was to classify these white powders from their reflectance spectra alone. Fifteen scans per sample were collected using the device and were subjected to multiplicative scatter correction as a pre-processing step. Figure 2(a) illustrates the results of the scores-plot using the principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm, wherein the four different colours represent the spectra (every point represents one spectrum) of the four powders. As it can be seen, all the spectra of a particular colour lie closely to each other forming a distinct cluster, implying they are similar to each other. Four different clusters represent the four powders, leading to the conclusion that the spectral measurement from this device along with PCA can successfully distinguish one type of substance from the other.Quantifying the active ingredient in medicinal plants is a direct way of analyzing their quality. Prediction with regression modelling has been widely used for such quantification. To demonstrate a prediction task, we have built a regression model to estimate the amount of pharmacologically active curcumin present in turmeric powders. The curcumin content was first accurately quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which served as the reference data. Reflectance spectra of five different varieties of turmeric powders (1-7% curcumin) were collected using the device. The correlation between the processed spectra and the curcumin content was examined by the partial least squared regression (PLSR) algorithm. The model gave a high coefficient of determination (r2 ) of 0.99 and a standard error of 0.17. This model was cross validated with test samples and the plot for the predicted versus actual values of curcumin content are shown in Figure 2(b).An ultra-portable spectrometer with an integrated light source for the acquisition of reflectance spectra and its subsequent analysis is thus demonstrated. The proposed device can help the user in taking faster and better decisions with on-site measurements, taking into account multiple parameters. Figure 1

A Chemometric Study of Vis-NIR Reflectance Spectra of Turmeric Powders to Quantify Total Curcuminoids

This study focuses on the synergistic application of spectroscopy and multivariate analysis for refined quantification of total curcuminoids in powdered turmeric samples. Quantifying the pharmacologically active curcumin is a direct way of analyzing the quality of a particular turmeric sample, and hence paving the way to establish its market value. In this study, the spectra of sieved turmeric powders were collected in the Vis-NIR range (wavelength 360-1030 nm) and subjected to multivariate analysis. The content of total curcuminoids was first accurately quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which served as the reference data. The combination of multiplicative scatter correction, de-resolving, orthogonal scatter correction, and the first derivative of the spectra were used as pre-processing steps to filter the informative features of the spectra by reducing noise. This sample set included curcuminoids in the range of 1-4% as established by HPLC. The correlation between the processed spectra and the curcumin content was examined by the partial least squared regression (PLSR) algorithm through the construction of two kinds of models. A coarse model for broad classification, having 66 samples of 15 scans each (total – 990 spectra), was used as training data, which gave a correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.92 at PLS factor 7. Cross validation was performed on a test data of 10 samples which yielded a root mean squared error of cross validation (RMSECV) of 0.219. Along with this, the ratio of prediction to deviation (RPD) was calculated to estimate the robustness of the model in the long run, and was found to be 3.06. Owing to the diversity in the range of values and the need for poignant accuracy in quantifying the total curcuminoids through its spectrum, two sets of finer models were constructed. The result of the coarse model’s prediction along with the error (\U0001d465±Δ\U0001d465) for a test sample determined which of the finer models was best suited to give the final predicted value of curcumin. The first set of fine models covered the range of 1-2%, 2-3% and 3-4%, while the second set comprised models in the range of 1.5-2.5% and 2.5-3.5%, to eliminate ambiguity for predicted values falling on the border. For each of the finer models, r2 was in the range of 0.90-0.96 (Figure 1(a)), RMSECV was between 0.06-0.13 (Figure 1(b)) and RPD was greater than 4, all confirming good accuracy.Extensive research has been conducted on similar lines with most of them, if not all, exploiting the NIR range (wavelength 700-2500nm) to pick up signatures of specific chemical bonds arising due to their different modes of vibration, and correlating the measured spectrum with the reference curcumin value. For this study, the key takeaway in terms of novelty is the use of curcumin’s signature peak (wavelength 400-450nm) with the added benefits of chemometrics through the construction of a coarse and fine model. The easily available miniaturized light source and detectors in this spectral range along with a robust deployable chemometric model set the stage for the development of portable handheld devices. In conclusion, it is safe to say that the Vis-NIR spectroscopy combined with powerful tools of multivariate analysis could be used as a rapid, non-destructive method for a wide range of curcuminoid measurement in powdered turmeric samples of diverse origins Figure 1

Different Processed Products of Curcumae Radix Regulate Pain-Related Substances in a Rat Model of Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis.

BackgroundCurcumae blood Radix (Yujin) has been widely used to treat Qi stagnation and stasis in TCM. According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the tuberous roots of Curcuma longed L. (i.e., Huangsiyujin, HSYJ) is one of the major species of Yujin. According to the processing theory of TCM, stir-frying HSYJ with vinegar might strengthen the effect of dispersing stagnated hepatoqi to relieve pain, and stir-frying HSYJ with wine might strengthen the effect of promoting blood circulation in order to remove blood stasis. However, the mechanism for the enhancement of clinical efficacy by processing is unclear.Aim/HypothesisThis study was aimed at evaluating the effect of different processed products of HSYJ on chemical constituents and pain-related substances to explore underlying mechanisms of HSYJ in treating pain caused by Qi stagnation and blood stasis.MethodsThe effects of different processing methods on the paste yield of water decoction were analyzed, and the content of the main constituents were detected by HPLC. A rat model of Qi stagnation and blood stasis was established by tail clamp stimulation combined with subcutaneous adrenaline injection. After treatment and intervention with HSYJ and its processed products, β-endorphin (β-EP) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were measured by ELISA, and the expression of c-fos was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.ResultsAfter stir-frying with vinegar or wine, the extract yield and curcumin content increased. Compared with model group, raw HSYJ could significantly improve the abnormality of 5-HT in plasma (P < 0.05) and β-EP in brain (P < 0.01). Stir-frying HSYJ with vinegar or wine could significantly improve the abnormality of 5-HT in plasma, β-EP in brain, and the expression of c-fos (P < 0.01). Stir-frying HSYJ with vinegar could also significantly increase the level of β-EP in plasma (P < 0.05).ConclusionThese results showed that different processing methods have certain effects on the chemical constituents of HSYJ, mainly in increasing the decoction rate and curcumin content. HSYJ and its processed products can reduce 5-HT levels, increase β-EP levels, and inhibit the expression of c-fos in model rats. The effects of stir-frying HSYJ with vinegar on β-EP levels in plasma was superior to others.

Purification of Curcumin from Ternary Extract-Similar Mixtures of Curcuminoids in a Single Crystallization Step

Crystallization-based separation of curcumin from ternary mixtures of curcuminoids having compositions comparable to commercial extracts was studied experimentally. Based on solubility and supersolubility data of both, pure curcumin and curcumin in presence of the two major impurities demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and bis(demethoxy)curcumin (BDMC), seeded cooling crystallization procedures were derived using acetone, acetonitrile and 50/50 (wt/wt) mixtures of acetone/2-propanol and acetone/acetonitrile as solvents. Starting from initial curcumin contents of 67–75% in the curcuminoid mixtures single step crystallization processes provided crystalline curcumin free of BDMC at residual DMC contents of 0.6–9.9%. Curcumin at highest purity of 99.4% was obtained from a 50/50 (wt/wt) acetone/2-propanol solution in a single crystallization step. It is demonstrated that the total product yield can be significantly enhanced via addition of water, 2-propanol and acetonitrile as anti-solvents at the end of a cooling crystallization process.

Effect of Slice Thickness, Boiling and Drying Methods on Curcumin, Oleoresin and Essential Oil Content of Ground Turmeric

A study was carried out to analyze the effect of slicing, boiling, and dryingmethods on the extraction of curcumin, oleoresin, and essential oil contentof ground turmeric. The factors and their levels selected for the study wereslice thickness of 2 mm and 3 mm, boiling methods such as pressureboiling at 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kgcm-2. Drying methods including traydrying, microwave drying, and vacuum drying were also evaluated. A threefactorial completely randomized design was used to study the effect ofslice thickness, boiling, and drying methods on curcumin content, oleoresincontent, essential oil content of ground turmeric. Water boiled and sun-driedwhole rhizomes were kept as the control for the study. CO2 variety of turmericwas used for the study. Highest curcumin content (4.35%) was obtained from2 mm thick, unboiled, and vacuum dried slices, and the lowest curcumincontent (2.34%) was recorded from 3 mm thick, 1 kgcm-2 pressure boiledand microwave dried samples. The highest oleoresin content (8.86%) wasrecorded by unboiled, vacuum dried samples while lowest (7.13%) oleoresincontent was shown by 1 kgcm-2 pressure boiled and tray dried samples.The study revealed that unboiled turmeric showed better quality than waterboiled and pressure boiled turmeric with respect to the curcumin, oleoresin,essential oil content. During pressure boiling, the quality got reduced withan increase in pressure. Mechanical drying methods provided better qualityturmeric than sun-dried turmeric. Vacuum drying yielded superior qualityturmeric than other mechanical drying methods.

The Effect of Auxin and Auxin-Producing Bacteria on the Growth, Essential Oil Yield, and Composition in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants.

Aromatic plants had been used since ancient times for their preservative and medicinal properties, and to impart aroma and flavor to food. Also their secondary metabolites are economically important as drugs, flavor and fragrances, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, dye, and pigments, pesticides, cosmetics, food additives, other industrially biochemical, and also play a major role in the adaptation of plants to their environment. Indoleacetıc acid-producing rhizobacteria inoculations increase in stomatal density and level of secondary metabolite and have a synergistic effect on monoterpene biosynthesis. Bacterial inoculation significantly affected and increased the chemical composition of essential oil, citronellol, and geraniol content in rose-scented geranium; essential oil composition and total phenolic content in marigold; density, number, and size of glandular trichomes in sweet wormwood and peppermint essential oil components such as geranyl acetate, limonene, and β-pinene in coriander; oil yield and content in calendula; yield of the herb in hyssop; oxygenated compounds, essential oil content and yield, anethol and changing the chemical composition in fennel; growth, number of glandular trichomes and essential oil yield, root branching and length, and total amount of essential oil, production of monoterpenes such as pulegone, menthol, menthone, menthofuran, and terpineol content, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in peppermint; growth and essential oil yield in marjoram; glandular hair abundance, essential oil yield, and monoterpene biosynthesis in basil; phellandrene, limonene, borneol, and campor in rosemary; carvacrol, thymol, linalool, and borneol in oregano; and α-thujene, α-pinene, α-terpinene, p-simen, β-pinene, and γ-terpinene contents and essential oil yield in summer savory. Inoculation with IAA-producing bacteria medicinal roots increased the valerenic acid in valerian, essential oil and quality in vetiver, curcumin content in turmeric alkaloid and ginsenoside content in ginseng, and inulin content in Jerusalem artichoke.

Synthesis and characterization of novel polyurethane elastomers that include curcumin with various cross-linked structures

In this work, new polyurethane elastomers were prepared by chain-extension with varying molar ratios of curcumin or blends of the curcumin and different cross-linkers (glycerol 1,3-diglycerolate diacrylate, glycerin, castor oil, acrylate epoxidized soybean oil). All of the used cross-linkers derive from renewable resources. Structural studies performed by means of infrared spectroscopy confirmed that curcumin has been successfully included into the backbone of the polyurethane chains. Thermogravimetric analysis showed better thermal stability for samples with a low content of curcumin. The mechanical properties (such as tensile strength and elongation at break) of the polyurethanes with low curcumin content have proven to be very good and are similar to the values of the compared cross-linked polyurethanes.

Multi environment testing reveals genotype-environment interaction for curcuminoids in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.)

Curcuma longa L. has world-wide importance to cure a variety of ailments, as the plant contains curcumin and its derivatives demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. Turmeric has been valued in both conventional as well as modern medicines and has wide applications in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. However, the study on curcumin constituents in turmeric was based only on total curcumin. In present investigation the total curcuminoids constitute of bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC), demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and curcumin (CUR) were analyzed in 15 genotypes representing major turmeric grown regions of India and evaluated in three different environments. An effort was taken to understand the curcuminoids content in turmeric genotypes and environmental influence on the constituents. The results revealed that the genotype, IISR Prathiba recorded the highest curcumin content and was on par with SLP 389/1, IISR Pragati, Duggirala Red, Rajendra Sonia, BSR 2, CO 2 and Punjab Haldi 1. Among curcuminoids, curcumin was recorded high in all genotypes except Acc. 849 and Narendra Haldi 98, where DMC was more than CUR. Stability model using AMMI revealed that IISR Prathiba and BSR 2 recorded stable BDMC content and SLP 389/1, Acc. 849 and CO 2 recorded stable DMC content across the environments. Stable genotypes for curcumin (CUR) were BSR 2, CO 2, IISR Prathiba and Duggirala Red. Identification of curcuminoids stable genotypes and favourable location for cultivation with respect to curcuminoids may help the farmers and industries to cultivate specified variety based on the need.