Different Concentrations Of Ethanol Research Articles

Polyphenols extraction from creosote bush, tarbush, and soursop using ultrasound-microwave and their effect against Alternaria alternata and Fusarium solani

<p>Crops are affected by different pathogens that cause damage to the plant and production losses. Quarantine restrictions may also occur due to the presence of a pathogen. In most cases, synthetic chemical products are used to control phytopathogens. However, some of these products have been associated with risks to human health or the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to search for more sustainable alternatives to control these pathogens. This research was carried out under the following objectives: 1. To extract polyphenols from Creosote bush, Tarbush and Soursop leaves using: different mass/volume ratios (m/v), different concentrations of ethanol, simultaneous ultrasound-microwave and 2. To determine the effect of these polyphenols against <em>Fusarium solani</em> and <em>Alternaria</em> <em>alternata</em>. Polyphenols were obtained from Creosote bush, Tarbush and Soursop leaves by combining ultrasound-microwave, and using different massvolume ratios and ethanol percentages. The group of polyphenols (CD) obtained with a mass/volume (m/v) ratio of 1:8 and 70% ethanol from Creosote bush leaves and the group of polyphenols (CA) obtained with a m/v ratio 1:16 and 70% ethanol from Tarbush leaves were the most effective against <em>Fusarium</em> <em>solani</em>, inhibiting 90.4 and 60.67%, respectively. For <em>Alternaria alternata</em>, no differences were found in the mycelial inhibition by the different groups of evaluated polyphenols, with inhibition values between 50-60% in comparison to the negative control (without polyphenols). In the profile of CD polyphenols group obtained from Creosote bush, different polyphenolic compounds reported to have antimicrobial activity were found, among which the following stand out: epirosmanol, rosmadiol, apigenin, catechin, and procyanidin C1. Polyphenolic compounds isolated from Creosote bush, Tarbush, and Soursop leaves using environmentally friendly methods (ultrasoundmicrowave) and solvents (water and ethanol) showed antifungal activity against <em>F. solani</em> and <em>A. alternata</em>.</p>

Screening and Characterization of New Acetobacter fabarum and Acetobacter pasteurianus Strains with High Ethanol−Thermo Tolerance and the Optimization of Acetic Acid Production

The production of vinegar on an industrial scale from different raw materials is subject to constraints, notably the low tolerance of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) to high temperatures and high ethanol concentrations. In this study, we used 25 samples of different fruits from seven Moroccan biotopes with arid and semi-arid environmental conditions as a basic substrate to isolate thermo- and ethanol-tolerant AAB strains. The isolation and morphological, biochemical and metabolic characterization of these bacteria allowed us to isolate a total number of 400 strains with characters similar to AAB, of which six strains (FAGD1, FAGD10, FAGD18 and GCM2, GCM4, GCM15) were found to be mobile and immobile Gram-negative bacteria with ellipsoidal rod-shaped colonies that clustered in pairs and in isolated chains. These strains are capable of producing acetic acid from ethanol, growing on peptone and oxidizing acetate to CO2 and H2O. Strains FAGD1, FAGD10 and FAGD18 show negative growth on YPG medium containing D-glucose > 30%, while strains GCM2, GCM4 and GCM15 show positive growth. These six strains stand out on CARR indicator medium as isolates of the genus Acetobacter ssp. Analysis of 16S rDNA gene sequencing allowed us to differentiate these strains as Acetobacter fabarum and Acetobacter pasteurianus. The study of the tolerance of these six isolates towards pH showed that most of the six strains are unable to grow at pH 3 and pH 9, with an ideal pH of 5. The behavior of the six strains at different concentrations of ethanol shows an optimal production of acetic acid after incubation at concentrations between 6% and 8% (v/v) of ethanol. All six strains tolerated an ethanol concentration of 16% (v/v). The resistance of the strains to acetic acid differs between the species of AAB. The optimum acetic acid production is obtained at a concentration of 1% (v/v) for the strains of FAGD1, FAGD10 and FAGD18, and 3% (v/v) for GCM2, GCM4 and GCM15. These strains are able to tolerate an acetic acid concentration of up to 6% (v/v). The production kinetics of the six strains show the highest levels of growth and acetic acid production at 30 °C. This rate of growth and acetic acid production is high at 35 °C, 37 °C and 40 °C. Above 40 °C, the production of acid is reduced. All six strains continue to produce acetic acid, even at high temperatures up to 48 °C. These strains can be used in the vinegar production industry to minimize the load on cooling systems, especially in countries with high summer temperatures.

Amelioration of TPA-induced skin inflammation by the leaf extract of Vernonia amygdalina involves ERK/STAT3 (Ser727) signaling inhibition

BackgroundUncontrolled inflammation causes health problems. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylates signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) at Ser727, resulting in inflammation. The leaf of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) is a medicinal herb for managing inflammation-associated diseases. Oral administration or topical application of VA leaf extract exerts anti-inflammatory effects in rat models. However, the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of the herb are not fully understood. PurposeIn this study, we aimed to investigate the involvement of ERK/STAT3 (Ser727) signaling in the anti-inflammatory effects of an ethanolic extract of VA leaves. Study design and methodsExtracts of VA leaves were prepared with different concentrations of ethanol. A LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cell model was used for in vitro assays, and a TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate)-induced ear edema mouse model was employed for in vivo assays. The 95% ethanol extract of VA leaves (VAE) exerted the strongest inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-stimulated macrophages; thus it was selected for use in this study. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to examine pathological conditions of mouse ear tissues. Griess reagent was employed to examine NO generation in cell cultures. Immunoblotting and ELISA were used to examine protein levels, and RT-qPCR was employed to examine mRNA levels. ResultsTopical application of VAE ameliorated mouse ear edema induced by TPA. VAE suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK (Thr202/Tyr204) and STAT3 (Ser727); and decreased protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the mouse ear tissues and in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. VAE also inhibited NO production, and lowered mRNA levels of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α in the macrophages. ConclusionsVAE ameliorates TPA-induced mouse ear edema. Suppression of ERK/STAT3 (Ser727) signaling is involved in VAE's anti-inflammatory effects. These novel data provide further pharmacological justifications for the medicinal use of VA in treating inflammation-associated diseases, and lay the groundwork for developing VAE into a new anti-inflammatory agent.

Metformin-loaded ethosomes with promoted anti-proliferative activity in melanoma cell line B16, and wound healing aptitude: Development, characterization and in vivo evaluation

The present work deals with the development of metformin-loaded ethosomes for localized treatment of melanoma and wound healing. Different ethosomal formulations were prepared using different concentrations of ethanol adopting injection technique. The developed formulations were investigated for entrapment efficiency, ex-vivo skin permeation, vesicle size, morphology and permeation kinetics. The optimized formulation was loaded in 5 % carbomer gel that was evaluated for skin permeation, cytotoxic effect against melanoma mice B16 cell line and for wound healing action. Ethosomes having 30 % v/v ethanol displayed superior entrapment for metformin % (55.3 ± 0.07); and a highly efficient permeation via mice skin (85.8 ± 3.7). The related carbomer ethosomal gel exhibited higher skin permeation compared to the untreated metformin gel (P < 0.001). The metformin ethosomes had a substantial antiproliferative activity against melanoma B16 cells compared to corresponding metformin solution as shown by the lower IC50 values (56.45 ± 1.47 and 887.3 ± 23.2, respectively, P < 0.05) and tumour cell viability (P < 0.05). The ethosomal system had a significant wound healing action in mice (80.5 ± 1.9%) that was superior to that of the marketed product Mebo® ointment (56 ± 1 %), P < 0.05.This ethosomal system demonstrated outstanding induction of the mRNA levels of growth factors (IGF-1, FGF-1, PDGF-B and TGF-β) that are essential in the healing process. Those findings were supported by histopathologic examination of wound sections of different treated groups. Thus, the study proved that metformin ethosomes as a promising drug delivery system and a conceivable therapeutic approach for treatment of melanoma and wound healing.

Double Split-Ring Resonator for Dielectric Constant Measurement of Solids and Liquids

This study proposes a 2.45-GHz double split-ring resonator for measuring the dielectric constant in both solids and liquids. Two concentric rectangular rings with asymmetric splits are used in the proposed resonator to achieve a high-quality factor for increasing the sensitivity to resonant frequency changes. The dielectric constants of solids and liquids are obtained based on quadratic polynomial equations with different coefficients, obtained by measuring the frequency shift of reference materials through the maximum return loss of the resonator, which is implemented on an FR4 PCB. The experimental results for the dielectric constants of silicon and rubber obtained using the resonator show errors of 5.92% and 6.81%, respectively, compared with the reference values from certified equipment. The measurement results for liquid samples with different concentrations of ethanol diluted in deionized water indicate a 2.59% error in the estimated dielectric constant. The sensitivities of the proposed resonator were measured to be 2.58% in solids and 0.30% in liquids.

Phenolics, proteins, antioxidant activity and GC – MS analysis of Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam seeds

Artocarpus heterophyllus seeds are available in larger quantity and are good source for many phytochemicals. The seeds are rich in proteins and low in fat content. The present study was carried out to analyse the phenolics, proteins and antioxidant activity of A. heterophyllus seeds. Different aqueous solvents such as acetate buffer pH 5.0, phosphate buffer pH 7.0, tris buffer pH 8.5, different concentration of sodium hydroxide (0.05M, 0.1M, 0.2M, 0.3M, 0.4M, 0.5M), sodium chloride, water and organic solvents like ethanol, methanol and acetone were used for extraction. Sodium hydroxide (0.1M) showed maximum extraction efficiency. Among the organic solvents, ethanol showed maximum phytochemical extraction. Different concentrations of ethanol (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%) containing 0.1M NaOH were also used for extraction and maximum extraction was found in 40% ethanol containing 0.1M NaOH. GC – MS analysis was carried to identify various bioactive compounds present in the extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water) of the seeds.

Correlation of the GC-MS-based metabolite profile of Momordica charantia fruit and its antioxidant activity

Momordica charantia or bitter melon (Cucurbitaceae) is a widely consumed edible fruit with strong antioxidant properties. Due to these properties, it has been commercialised by the natural product industries as a coadjutant in the treatment of various ailments attributable to the deleterious effects of oxidants. The present work aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of M. charantia fruit extracts made with different compositions of ethanol:water, and to identify the metabolites that are responsible for this activity. To this end, the fruit samples were extracted using six different concentrations of ethanol in water (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and multivariate data analysis (MVDA) were used to identify significant antioxidants. The 80% ethanol:water extract showed the most significant (p &lt; 0.05) antioxidant activity when tested with the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) antioxidant assays. The multivariate data analysis revealed that the metabolites related to this antioxidant activity were gentiobiose, glucose, galactonic acid, palmitic acid, galactose, mannose, and fructose.

Investigation of protective effect of ethanol on the natural structure of protein with infrared spectroscopy

The stability of biological drugs with protein as an active substance depends heavily on the retention of natural protein structure during freeze-drying. Stabilizers have become important substances in the process of protein freeze-drying. In order to further understand the mechanism of the interaction between protein and stabilizers, human serum albumin (HSA) and simple hydroxyl compound ethanol were used as models. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics was implemented to investigate the changes of secondary structure and hydration of HSA when different concentrations of ethanol were considered as interference. Through the analysis of the protein secondary structure and hydrated layer, we found that the addition of ethanol-d6 increased the α-helix of HSA and reduced the disordered structure. The hydrogen bond structure around HSA was enhanced and intermolecular aggregation was reduced through the action of the water molecules. The hypothesis was verified by circular dichroism (CD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation by adding different concentrations of ethanol-d6. It was found that a small amount of ethanol could protect the native conformation of HSA. In conclusion, this study revealed the mechanism of ethanol as a protein protector, provided a new idea for protein purification process and a theoretical basis for biomolecular interaction.

The effect of graphene and cobalt on ethanol sensing performance of ZnO based sensor prepared by sol-gel method

The sol-gel method was used to synthesize pure zinc oxide, graphene doped zinc oxide, cobalt doped zinc oxide and graphene/cobalt doped zinc oxide samples to investigate their sensing properties. Different physical properties of the samples have been investigated and compared through X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Using the XRD results, the lattice parameter increased with doping of the samples. Based on the analyses, the formation of zinc oxide in all samples and the related signs of graphene and cobalt were approved. With the aid of an electric circuit, all of the samples were exposed to different concentrations of ethanol. The best response/recovery time was reported for all samples at 3000 ppm. Doping of the samples had a significant effect on reducing the response/recovery time and increasing the sensitivity, which is a significant case for semiconductor gas sensors.

Histological study of Broiler chicken liver infected with Marek’s Disease (MDV)

In chicken the Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is able to cause a variety of syndromes and pathological symptoms. In order to conduct the histopathology, the liver was obtained from broiler chicken in poultry estate, near Gadap, Sindh, the age of birds was 07-10 weeks. Birds had diarrhea, dropping of wings, weight loss, a grey abdomen, anorexia and keel (breastbone) was prominent and protruded out. The disease had a daily mortality rate 0.16 to 0.20 percent of the flock. On postmortem the infected liver was swollen and had lesions, a portion was removed and kept in 10% formalin for 3 days in glass vials and then send to Parasitology Section, Department of Zoology, University of Karachi. Different concentrations of ethanol were used to dehydrate tissue later embedded in paraffin wax at 52°C for 4 days, 10 µm sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H & E). The prepared slides were then observed under the microscope (> ´ 40) and examined for any histological findings. It was observed that several neoplastic foci pleomorphic cells were beginning to occur and it was infiltrated with lymphomatous lesions consisting of lymphoblast and mostly elongated and small to medium sized lymphocytes. These lesions are later transferred into tumor cells and infiltrate different organs and tissues. The occurrence of MDV in 07-10 weeks old broiler chicken even after vaccination could be due to poor biosecurity conditions. Keywords: Chicken; Histology; Liver; Marek’s disease; Pakistan; Sindh http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2021.100107

Physiological and morphological traits of tulip (Tulipa sp.) as affected by different concentrations of ethanol and methanol

Abstract Tulip (Tulipa sp.) is of the highest economic importance and cultivated area among all bulbous ornamental species. The spray of alcohol is regarded as a proper strategy to improve plant yields in sustainable agriculture systems. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different rates of ethanol and methanol on the traits of the tulip in a factorial experiment based on a Randomized Complete Block Design with two factors including ethanol at four levels (0, 10, 20, and 30 vol%) and methanol at four levels (0, 10, 20, and 30 vol%). The estimated traits included anthocyanin, carotenoid, chlorophyll a and b, total chlorophyll, stem and leaf Brix index, leaf length and width, leaf area, total and bulb fresh and dry weight, leaf number, and flowering stalk length. Analysis of variance showed that the simple and interactive effects of different treatments were statistically significant on most estimated traits. The highest anthocyanin content (3.92 mg 100 g-1 DM), leaf length (25.83 cm), leaf area (258.6 cm2), and bulb fresh weight (25.81 g) were obtained from the plants treated with 30% ethanol, and the highest anthocyanin content (3.45 mg 100 g-1 DM) and leaf Brix index (10.15%) were related to 30% methanol. It can be concluded from the results that methanol and ethanol can be used as plant growth regulators.

Oromucosal Alginate Films with Zein Nanoparticles as a Novel Delivery System for Digoxin.

Digoxin is a hydrophobic drug used for the treatment of heart failure that possesses a narrow therapeutic index, which raises safety concerns for toxicity. This is of utmost relevance in specific populations, such as the elderly. This study aimed to demonstrate the potential of the sodium alginate films as buccal drug delivery system containing zein nanoparticles incorporated with digoxin to reduce the number of doses, facilitating the administration with a quick onset of action. The film was prepared using the solvent casting method, whereas nanoparticles by the nanoprecipitation method. The nanoparticles incorporated with digoxin (0.25 mg/mL) exhibited a mean size of 87.20 ± 0.88 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.23 ± 0.00, and a zeta potential of 21.23 ± 0.07 mV. Digoxin was successfully encapsulated into zein nanoparticles with an encapsulation efficiency of 91% (±0.00). Films with/without glycerol and with different concentrations of ethanol were produced. The sodium alginate (SA) films with 10% ethanol demonstrated good performance for swelling (maximum of 1474%) and mechanical properties, with a mean tensile strength of 0.40 ± 0.04 MPa and an elongation at break of 27.85% (±0.58), compatible with drug delivery application into the buccal mucosa. The current study suggests that SA films with digoxin-loaded zein nanoparticles can be an effective alternative to the dosage forms available on the market for digoxin administration.

Long-lasting implications of embryonic exposure to alcohol: Insights from zebrafish research.

The harmful consumption of ethanol is associated with significant health problems and social burdens. This drug activates a complex network of reward mechanisms and habit formation learning that is supposed to contribute to the consumption of increasingly high and frequent amounts, ultimately leading to addiction. In the context of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a consequence of the harmful use of alcohol during pregnancy, which affects the embryonic development of the fetus. FAS can be easily reproduced in zebrafish by exposing the embryos to different concentrations of ethanol in water. In this regard, the aim of the present review is to discuss the late pathological implications in zebrafish exposed to ethanol at the embryonic stage, providing information in the context of human fetal alcoholic spectrum disorders. Experimental FAS in zebrafish is associated with impairments in the metabolic, morphological, neurochemical, behavioral, and cognitive domains. Many of the pathways that are affected by ethanol in zebrafish have at least one ortholog in humans, collaborating with the wider adoption of zebrafish in studies on alcohol disorders. In fact, zebrafish present validities required for the study of these conditions, which contributes to the use of this species in research, in addition to studies with rodents.

DROP: A CMOS Differential Ring-Oscillator Sensing Platform for Nano-Liter Droplet Detection

In this article, a differential ring-oscillator sensing platform for nanodroplet detection is presented. The system targets applications with volume sample requirements as low as 20 nL. The sensing mechanism is based on the dielectric constant variations of an interdigitated capacitor, embedded in a ring-oscillator structure, due to interactions with the liquid sample. Sensing is performed differentially using two oscillators operating at 692 ± 1 and 591 ± 1 MHz resulting in a frequency difference of 101 ± 1 MHz. The prototype of the sensor is fabricated using 180-nm CMOS process and occupies an area of 0.54 × 0.49 mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> . The experimental results validate the performance of the fabricated sensor to detect different concentrations of ethanol and methanol in water with sensitivity of 0.54 MHz/[L/L]% and 0.22 MHz/[L/L]%, respectively. The on-chip sensor is supplied with a 3.2-V voltage source and the average current for nominal operation is 10 mA.

In Vitro Effects of Different Combinations of Phytohormones on Callus Induction from Different Explants of Cabbage Brassica Oleracea Var. Capitata L. Seedlings

The leading purpose of this work is the development of efficient culture conditions to induce calli from cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) under in vitro conditions. The mature seeds were surface sterilized with combinations of different concentrations of ethanol and NaOCl in different time durations and were germinated on MS basal medium. The results revealed that the best sterilization method of cabbage seeds was by using 70% ethanol for one minute, followed by 15 min in 2% (NaOCl). Seedlings were used as donor sources for hypocotyls, cotyledon leaves, true leaves, and shoot tip explants. These explants were cultured on different combinations of cytokinins (TDZ, BAP, Ad) and auxins (IAA, NAA, 2, 4-D) then implanted in Murashige and Skoog (MS) media. 4 weeks after culturing, a significant difference was found among the explants in response to plant hormones. The maximum percentage of callus induction (100%) was using the combinations of 1 BAP + 1 2, 4-D, 1 BAP + 1 NAA, and 1 BAP + 2 2,4-D mg. l-1. In addition, explants responses varied and the hypocotyls showed a superior result (85.71 %) as compared to other explants. For callus fresh weight, the combination of 0.22 TDZ + 79.9 Ad mg. l-1 had a significant effect, causing the highest fresh weight (0.2745g), while control treatment gave the lowest mean of 0.0066 g. Data showed that cotyledon explants were significantly superior in giving highest callus fresh weight with the mean of 0.1723 g. On the other hand, hypocotyl explants gave the lowest mean, reaching 0.1542 g.

Haskap Berry Phenolic Subclasses Differentially Impact Cellular Stress Sensing in Primary and Immortalized Dermal Fibroblasts.

It is generally accepted that dietary phenolics from fruits are of significant importance to human health. Unfortunately, there is minimal published data on how differences in phenolic structure(s) impact biological pathways at cellular and molecular levels. We observed that haskap berry extracts isolated with ethanol:formic acid:water or phenolic subclass fractions separated using different concentrations of ethanol (40% and 100%) impacted cell growth in a positive manner. All fractions and extracts significantly increased population doubling times. All extracts and fractions reduced intracellular free radicals; however, there were differences in these effects, indicating different abilities to scavenge free radicals. The extracts and fractions also exhibited differing impacts on transcripts encoding the antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD1, GPX1, GSS and HMOX1) and the phosphorylation state of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). We further observed that extracts and fractions containing different phenolic structures had divergent impacts on the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1). siRNA-mediated knockdown of SIRT1 transcripts demonstrated that this enzyme is key to eliciting haskap phenolic(s) impact on cells. We postulate that phenolic synergism is of significant importance when evaluating their dietary impact.

Preparation and evaluation of nano-binary ethosomal dispersion for flufenamic acid

This study includes investigation and evaluation of the factors that affect the preparation and characterization of nanobinary ethosmal dispersion for flufenamic acid in comparison to liposomal dispersion to optimize its efficiency and produce prolong action. It is involved in the preparation of eighteen formulas of nanoethosomal dispersion and two conventional liposomal dispersions which are optimized by utilizing different methods of preparation and different concentrations of ethanol, propylene glycol (PG), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and cholesterol. The dispersions were characterized morphologically by transmission electronic microscopic (TEM), physical appearance, pH, ʓ-potential, particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), encapsulation efficiency percentage (EE%) and in vitro drug release. The selected optimized nanoethosomal formula (F8) demonstrated pH (6.53), EE% (85.24%), particle size (226.3 nm), PDI (0.010), ʓ-potential (-93.43 mV), sustained release of 94.52% after 24 h and exhibited acceptable stability for 4 weeks preferentially at refrigerated conditions. These results significantly outperformed the classical liposomal dispersion (F1), which demonstrated EE% (70.00%), vesicles size (635.4 nm), PDI (0.347), ʓ-potential (-9.76 mV) and in vitro release of 55.41% after 24 h' demonstrated the potential influence of ethanol and PG on improving the in vitro characterization of the vesicles dispersions. This work succeeded in preparing a well optimized and stable nanoethosomal dispersion for flufenamic acid that can be utilized to prepare a suitable topical preparation to penetrate deep into the epidermal and dermal tissues, giving its action up to 24 h upon single administration.

A real-time sharp selectivity with In2S3 gas sensor using a nonlinear dynamic response for VOCs

Selectivity continues to be one of the major challenges for gas sensors. This work reports on transient variations in the resistance of In2S3 sensors following injection of different concentrations of ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, acetone and toluene at 350 °C operating temperature. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are recognized using the transient evolution of a single sensing element that offers different characteristics that can be direct or indirect signals detection of the target gas. Novel features for twenty individuals were processed by principal component analysis and hierarchical ascending classification, and four obvious clusters were observed. The output of the VOC detection sensor for the gaseous analyte is represented by the result of analyzes of three data matrices having 9, 7 and 8 dimensional vectors. Result is delivered with a sequence of three digits determined after global execution. Based on this approach, the distinction of one reducing gas from another is demonstrated.

Optimization of extraction conditions and evaluation of Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen fruit peel extract for in vitro \u03b1-glucosidase enzyme inhibition and free radical scavenging potential

BackgroundMost of the edible portions like peel and skin of some fruits is discarded while consuming it, though they are rich in several health beneficial phytochemicals or nutrients. Many reports from literature are about fruit pulp of (Sapota) Manilkara zapota (L) P. Royen having high radical scavenging and antioxidant potential, but the studies relating to peel extracts are scanty. Regardless of its commendable phytoconstituents which could have free radical scavenging potential, this fruit peel is as yet still needed to be assessed for in vitro antidiabetic prospects. Hence, the present study aims at evaluating in vitro free radical scavenging and α-glucosidase enzyme hindrance abilities of this fruit peel.ResultsWith a maximum considerable % extractive yield (18.90%) in 70% ethanol, this study has demonstrated that 70% ethanolic extract of Manilkara Zapota (L.) P. Royen Fruit Peel (MZFP) has the highest in vitro free radical scavenging potential as compared to extracts of other solvents viz. n-hexane, chloroform, acetone, absolute ethanol, and water by DPPH and H2O2 assays. In order to optimize the extraction condition parameters, MZFP sample evaluated with three different concentrations of ethanol (40%, 70%, 100%), extraction times (6 h, 9 h, 12 h), and temperatures (40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C) to get the highest radical scavenging potential. The MZFP when extracted with 70% ethanol, at 50 °C for 12 h, showed higher DPPH (IC50 = 0.34 and 88.42% inhibition at 1 mg/ml) and H2O2 (IC50 = 32.69 and 65.78% inhibition at 50 μg/ml) radical scavenging potential than absolute and 40% ethanolic extracts, when ascorbic acid was used as a reference standard. While further evaluation for in vitro α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition, 70% ethanolic MZFP extract demonstrated high inhibition activity (IC50 = 104.23 ± 1.75 μg/ml) than absolute ethanolic extract (IC50 = 111.65 ± 1.57 μg/ml) with a significant difference (p < 0.05), when acarbose was taken as reference inhibitor (IC50 = 86.93 ± 0.74 μg/ml).ConclusionsOverall results indicated that MZFP 70% ethanolic extract exhibited promising in vitro radical scavenging and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition potential. Thus, suggesting further studies with isolated phytochemicals from peel to explore its potentials for antidiabetic activity through in vitro α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition.

Phytochemical Analysis and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Different Ethanolic Phyto-Extracts of Artemisia annua L.

Artemisia annua L. (AA) has shown for many centuries important therapeutic virtues associated with the presence of artemisinin (ART). The aim of this study was to identify and quantify ART and other secondary metabolites in ethanolic extracts of AA and evaluate the biological activity in the presence of an inflammatory stimulus. In this work, after the extraction of the aerial parts of AA with different concentrations of ethanol, ART was quantified by HPLC and HPLC-MS. In addition, anthocyanins, flavanols, flavanones, flavonols, lignans, low-molecular-weight phenolics, phenolic acids, stilbenes, and terpenes were identified and semi-quantitatively determined by UHPLC-QTOF-MS untargeted metabolomics. Finally, the viability of human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) was evaluated in the presence of the different ethanolic extracts and in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results show that ART is more concentrated in AA samples extracted with 90% ethanol. Regarding the other metabolites, only the anthocyanins are more concentrated in the samples extracted with 90% ethanol. Finally, ART and all AA samples showed a protective action towards the pro-inflammatory stimulus of LPS. In particular, the anti-inflammatory effect of the leaf extract of AA with 90% ethanol was also confirmed at the molecular level since a reduction in TNF-α mRNA gene expression was observed in SH-SY5Y treated with LPS.