Ethanol Water Research Articles

Gibbs Energy of the Transfer of Cryptand[2.2.2] from Water to a Water–Ethanol Solvent

Gibbs Energy of the Transfer of Cryptand[2.2.2] from Water to a Water–Ethanol Solvent

Comparative Analyses of Biologically Active Substances and Antioxidant Activity in Fresh and Stored Fruits of Apple Varieties from the Republic of Tajikistan

Our purpose was to carry out a comparative phytochemical analysis of fruits (both fresh and stored for 1 month) of two local apple varieties of the Republic of Tajikistan. Assays were carried out to quantify total phenolic compounds, flavonols, catechins, tannins, phenolcarboxylic acids, pectins, and protopectins by UV spectrometry and ascorbic acid by titration. The profile and levels of phenolic compounds were investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Antiradical activity was quantitated by means of free radical DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). In fresh fruits, total levels of tannins (19 mg/g) and phenolcarboxylic acids (15 mg/g) (including chlorogenic acid: 451 μg/g) and of a flavonol (quercetin: 26 μg/g) and two catechins [epigallocatechin (173 μg/g) and L-epicatechin (50 µg/g)] were shown to be higher in the Surkhseb apple variety than in the Kosimsarkori variety. The antioxidant activity of water–ethanol extracts from Surkhseb apples (20 mg/mL) was also higher in comparison with Kosimsarkori apples. In the latter, concentrations of other detected biologically active substances, such as flavonols (0.78 mg/g), ascorbic acid (65 mg/100 g), and pectins (37 mg/g), were found to be higher, suggesting that the fruits of this apple variety have biological effects other than antioxidant, potentially anti-inflammatory, or antidiabetic. Further phytochemical and pharmacological studies on Kosimsarkori fruits may identify these other potential biological effects that may be useful in the prevention of disease. Fruits of the analyzed apple varieties should preferably be consumed fresh because after the apples were stored in the refrigerator for 1 month, indicators of antioxidant activity (22 mg/g in Surkhseb apples) and levels of almost all biologically active substances (tota) levels of tannins (14 mg/g), phenolcarboxylic acids (9 mg/g) (including chlorogenic acid: 250 μg/g) and catechin L-epicatechin (30 µg/g) in Surkhseb apples decreased. This study highlights the importance of conserving local, unique varieties of major worldwide crop plants because they may unearth novel combinations of compounds beneficial to humanity.

Antioxidant Valorization of PLE Extracts from Macroalgae (Cladophora glomerata): In Vitro Assessment of Nanoemulsions Against Oxidative Stress

Driven by a growing global interest in natural products, macroalgae have emerged as a prime source for nutraceuticals and pharmaceutical applications. In the current research, the effect of oven-drying (OD) and freeze-drying (FD), as well as the pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) conditions, were investigated in relation to the polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, chlorophylls, and tocochromanols levels in Cladophora glomerata extracts. The ethanol–water extracts (1:1) obtained with PLE-150 °C from macroalgae oven-dried (OD)-80 °C displayed the highest total polyphenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFCs), reaching 29.62 mg GAE/g and 5.92 mg QE/g. Aqueous extracts using PLE-200 °C were also an excellent environmentally friendly option for TPC and TFC isolation, which were the main factors accounting for the ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP antioxidant activity of the extracts. The remarkable effects of drying conditions positively affect the carotenoids, chlorophyll α-tocopherol, and α-tocotrienol levels from extracts showing 1.3–6 times higher amounts in extracts of Cladophora glomerata OD at 80 °C compared with other research approaches. Nanotechnology approaches allowed the formulation of antioxidant-loaded nanoemulsions from Cladophora glomerata extracts, providing stability and a great internalization rate that ameliorates to 85% the ROS levels, attenuating the oxidative stress induced by H2O2 in J774.1 macrophage cell line.

Exploring The Antibacterial Potential of Aqueous and Ethanol Extracts from Bawang Dayak (Eleutherine palmifolia (L.) Merr) Against Skin Infectious Bacteria Through KLT-Bioautography

Dayak onion plants (Eleutherine palmifolia (L.) Merr) have chemical compounds that have potential as antibacterials such as alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, phenolics, steroids and tannins. This study aims to determine the antibacterial activity of water extracts and ethanol extracts of dayak onion bulbs (Eleutherine palmifolia (L.) Merr). This research was conducted with the stages of sample extraction, screening of test bacteria, bioautogram profile testing and antibacterial activity by KLT-Bioautography method. Screening test results at a concentration of 1% against test bacteria Propionibacterium acnes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were able to inhibit the growth of test bacteria. Then continued with KLT-Bioautography testing using n-hexan: ethyl acetate (2: 1) eluent. The KLT-Bioautography test results showed that there was 1 active spot with an Rf value of 0.63 in the water extract and an Rf value of 0.60 in the ethanol extract against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria. Based on the research, water extract and ethanol extract of dayak onion bulb (Eleutherine palmifolia (L.) Merr) have potential as antibacterial.Keywords: Antibacterial, KLT-Bioautography, Dayak Onion Bulbs

Preparation of PDMS permeation membrane by emulsion dilution method and its separation performance for aromatics

Natural aroma compounds are a kind of important food additive. Taking bis(2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT) as the surfactant, water-in-n-heptane emulsions were prepared. Then, the emulsions were adopted as the diluter to prepare polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pervaporation membranes using the emulsion templating method (ePDMS), of which the separation layer was controlled by the template action of emulsion drops. The ePDMS membranes were utilized to separate aroma compounds. Field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) analysis revealed that the surface of the ePDMS membrane remained smooth, and white light interferometry confirmed the membrane’s surface smoothness. FESEM cross-sectional analysis exposed the voids left by the evaporation of the emulsion, rendering the separation layer of the ePDMS membrane more porous. Water contact angle measurements demonstrated the hydrophobicity of the ePDMS membrane, which is advantageous for the pervaporation of aromatic compounds. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry analysis confirmed the evaporation and separation of the emulsion, retaining the original chemical properties of the PDMS membrane. In an ethanol–water system, the permeation flux of ethanol in ePDMS membranes prepared with 1 emulsion (Vwater:Vn-heptane = 1:9; mass concentration of AOT of 1.0 mg/ml) is 90.6% higher than that in PDMS membranes, while the separation factor does not change obviously. The separation performance of ePDMS membranes for linalool in water was further studied. Results show that the permeation flux and separation factor of linalool in ePDMS composite membranes at 50 °C are 786 g m−2 h−1 and 17.69, which separately increase by 84.7% and 27.1% compared with those in PDMS membranes. This indicates that adding ethanol exerts a significant synergistic effect on the separation of linalool.

Wetting dynamics and heat transfer of droplet evaporation around boiling point: Facile manipulation by surface roughness

The evaporation of water–ethanol droplets on solid surfaces has vast potential for applications in thermal management, microfluidics, and biomedical sciences, while the approach of manipulating wetting dynamics and heat transfer of droplet evaporation around the boiling point remains open for investigations. The present study proposes a facile approach: fabricating solid surfaces with diverse roughness by sandpaper milling with different grit densities, which can alter the wetting and heat transfer characteristics of droplet evaporation. We discover that when the temperature of the heated surface exceeds the droplet boiling point, the existence of bubbles affects the solid–liquid wetting state; surface roughness alters the ability of bubble departure, thus determining the solid–liquid contact and the contact line retraction time. Consequently, in this case, the solid–liquid contact area and the heat absorbed from heated surfaces for droplets changes with surface roughness, altering the droplet evaporation time and the average heat flux at the solid–liquid interface. Bridged by droplet wetting dynamics, the heat transfer of droplet evaporation above the boiling point can be manipulated by adjusting surface roughness, offering a facile approach to tuning the process of droplet evaporation in the related industrial applications.

Ethanol consumption during gestation promotes placental alterations in IGF-1 deficient mouse placentas

Background During pregnancy, the placenta is an extremely important organ as it secretes its own hormones, e.g. insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), to ensure proper intrauterine fetal growth and development. Ethanol, an addictive and widely used drug, has numerous adverse effects during pregnancy, including fetal growth restriction (FGR). To date, the molecular mechanisms by which ethanol triggers its toxic effects during pregnancy, particularly in the placenta, are not entirely known. For this reason, a murine model of partial IGF-1 deficiency was used to determine ethanol alterations in placental morphology and aspartyl/asparaginyl β-hydroxylase (AAH) expression. Methods Wild type (WT, Igf1 +/+) and heterozygous (HZ, Igf1 +/-) female mice were given 10% ethanol in water during 14 days as an acclimation period and throughout pregnancy. WT and HZ female mice given water were used as controls. At gestational day 19, pregnant dams were sacrificed, placentas were collected and genotyped for subsequent studies. Results IGF-1 deficiency and ethanol consumption during pregnancy altered placental morphology, and decreased placental efficiency and AAH expression in placentas from all genotypes. No differences were found in Igf1, Igf2, Igf1r and Igf2r mRNA expression in placentas from all groups. Conclusions IGF-1 deficiency and ethanol consumption throughout gestation altered placental development, suggesting the crucial role of IGF-1 in the establishment of an adequate intrauterine environment that allows fetal growth. However, more studies are needed to study the precise mechanism to stablish the relation between both insults.

Synergistic Phytochemical and Nanotechnological Exploration of Melia azedarach With Silver Nitrate: Elucidating Multifaceted Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, and Insecticidal Potentials.

Plants are a rich source of bioactive compounds with significant pharmaceutical and health applications. This study explores the phytochemical, therapeutic, and phytotoxic properties of Melia azedarach by analyzing extracts from its bark, flowers, leaves, and fruits using six solvents: ethanol, methanol, acetone, hexane, chloroform, and distilled water. Twenty-one phytochemical tests were conducted, revealing significantly positive results for various tests. However, the ethanolic and methanolic flower extracts yielded no significant results in other tests. The highest total phenolic content was found in the chloroform extract of the leaves (96 ± 0.01 mg/100 g), and the highest antioxidant activity was observed in the ethanolic and hexane leaf extracts, with a 98% DPPH scavenging rate. Antibacterial testing showed significant efficacy against Serratia marcescens, Bacillus subtilis, Kluyvera spp., and Pseudomonas spp., with p values < 0.0001. The fruit chloroform extract demonstrated the highest alpha-amylase inhibition (93 ± 0.05), while the ethanolic leaf extract had the greatest tumor inhibition (85.6 ± 0.5). Insecticidal assays revealed that the acetone bark extract had the highest control values (56% and 57%). Due to their higher reducing potential, the leaves were used to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, EDX, and SEM, revealing an average particle size of 20-30 nm and spherical morphology. The AgNPs exhibited excellent antibacterial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and insecticidal activities. These findings highlight the potential of M. azedarach and its AgNPs for developing novel therapeutic agents.

Determination of Total Flavonoid Content from Extract and Fractions of Mangrove Leaves (Rhizopora mucronata)

Indonesia is an archipelagic country with a very wide coastal area. Lombok Island has a coastal area with quite extensive mangrove forest areas. Rhizopora mucronata was the most dominant species found in the region. The Rhizopora mucronata species was a plant from the Rhizoporaceae family reported to have antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activity. These biological activities were caused by the presence of secondary metabolite compounds in R. mucronata, one of which is flavonoids. Research regarding the flavonoid content of R. mucronata leaves has not been explored. Therefore, the study aimed to determine the total flavonoid content in extracts and fractions of R. mucronata leaves using the spectrophotometric UV-Vis method. R. mucronata mangrove leaves simplicia were extracted using the sonication method using 96% ethanol solvent, then fractionated using the liquid-liquid extraction method with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and water. The percentage yield of 96% ethanol extract, water fraction, ethyl acetate fraction, and n-hexane fraction respectively were 42.33%; 43.147%; 40.49%; 9.74%; and 32.49%. The TLC test showed the presence of flavonoid compounds detected in the extract and fractions which were marked with blue spots. The total flavonoid contents in the 96% ethanol extract, water fraction, ethyl acetate fraction, and n-hexane fraction were respectively (12,980; 14,160; 23,880; and 25,350) mg Quercetin equivalent/gram sample (mg QE/ g). The total flavonoid content of the extract and fractions of R. mucronata leaves were analyzed using the One-way ANOVA test method. The total flavonoid content in the n-hexane fraction and ethyl acetate fraction was significantly higher than the 96% ethanol extract and water fraction. The total flavonoid content of R. mucronata leaves was relatively high, which contributes to several of its biological activities.

Bio-Guided Extraction of a Phenolic-Rich Extract from Industrial Peanut Skin with Antioxidant and Hypotensive Potential.

Peanut composition includes phenolic compounds, especially in the skins, which are often not consumed. High blood pressure affects more than one billion people worldwide and is considered a high-risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have correlated antihypertensive activity with the total phenolic content present in the plants. This study evaluated the hydroethanolic extraction of phenolic compounds from the industrial residue of peanut skin and evaluated the antioxidant and antihypertensive capacity of these extracts using in vitro models. A rotational central composite design (DCCR) was proposed to study the influence of the variables: (1) the ethanol concentration on the hydroalcoholic extractor solution, and (2) the proportion of solid sample (waste) per liquid in the extraction (mass/volume) in a simple solid-a liquid extraction process. The optimal extraction conditions within this model were 50% ethanol in water, and the proportion of sample to extraction solution (m/v) equaled to 0.2. The extract obtained had significant antioxidant capacity, both in chemical (ORAC) and in cellular models, with potential for free radical scavenging. Significant levels of ACE inhibition were also found, indicating antihypertensive activity.

A numerical study of double flow focusing micro-jets

Purpose Double flow-focusing nozzles (DFFNs) form a coaxial flow of primary liquid with micro-crystalline samples, surrounded by secondary liquid and focusing gas. This paper aims to develop an experimentally validated numerical model and assess the performance of micro-jets from a DFFN as a function of various operating parameters for the water–ethanol–helium system, revealing the jet's stability, diameter, length and velocity. Design/methodology/approach The physical model is formulated in the mixture-continuum formulation, which includes coupled mass, momentum and species transport equations. The model is numerically formulated within the finite volume method–volume of fluid approach and implemented in OpenFOAM to allow for a non-linear variation of the fluid's material properties as a function of the mixture concentration. The numerical results are compared with the experimental data. Findings A sensitivity study of jets with Reynolds numbers between 12 and 60, Weber numbers between 4 and 120 and capillary numbers between 0.2 and 2.0 was performed. It was observed that jet diameters and lengths get larger with increased primary and secondary fluid flow rates. Increasing gas flow rates produces thinner, shorter and faster jets. Previously considered pre-mixed and linear mixing models substantially differ from the accurate representation of the water–ethanol mixing dynamics in DFFNs. The authors demonstrated that Jouyban–Acree mixing model fits the experimental data much better. Originality/value The mixing of primary and secondary liquids in the jet produced by DFFN is numerically modelled for the first time. This study provides novel insights into mixing dynamics in such micro-jets, which can be used to improve the design of DFFNs.

Voluntary wheel running exercise rescues behaviorally-evoked acetylcholine efflux in the medial prefrontal cortex and epigenetic changes in ChAT genes following adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure.

Adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure, which models heavy binge ethanol intake in adolescence, leads to a variety of deficits that persist into adulthood-including suppression of the cholinergic neuron phenotype within the basal forebrain. This is accompanied by a reduction in acetylcholine (ACh) tone in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Voluntary wheel running exercise (VEx) has been shown to rescue AIE-induced suppression of the cholinergic phenotype. Therefore, the goal of the current study is to determine if VEx will also rescue ACh efflux in the mPFC during spontaneous alternation, attention set shifting performance, and epigenetic silencing of the cholinergic phenotype following AIE. Male and female rats were subjected to 16 intragastric gavages of 20% ethanol or tap water on a two-day on/two-day off schedule from postnatal day (PD) 25-54, before being assigned to either VEx or stationary control groups. In Experiment 1, rats were tested on a four-arm spontaneous alternation maze with concurrent in vivo microdialysis for ACh in the mPFC. An operant attention set-shifting task was used to measure changes in cognitive and behavioral flexibility. In Experiment 2, a ChIP analysis of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) genes was performed on basal forebrain tissue. It was found that VEx increased ACh efflux in the mPFC in both AIE and control male and female rats, as well as rescued the AIE-induced epigenetic methylation changes selectively at the Chat promoter CpG island across sexes. Overall, these data support the restorative effects of exercise on damage to the cholinergic projections to the mPFC and demonstrate the plasticity of cholinergic system for recovery after alcohol induced brain damage.

Symmetry-Engineered BINOL-Based Porous Aromatic Frameworks for H2O2 Production via Artificial Photosynthesis and In Situ Degradation of Pharmaceutical Pollutants.

Accomplishing visible light-driven H2O2 production at millimolar concentrations is practically challenging, particularly for organic semiconductors. In this context, achieving a maximum H2O2 production rate of 31.60 mmol·g-1·h-1 by using porous aromatic frameworks (PAFs) represents a significant accomplishment. We report the unusual photoactivity of tetraphenylmethane-BINOL-linked PAFs in triplet oxygen activation to facilitate the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as confirmed by their optical and electrochemical responses, despite the absence of a conventional chromophoric moiety. Moreover, an in situ BINOL formation strategy was used to synthesize these PAFs during polymerization in contrast to the reported protocols involving chiral BINOLs as precursors. The as-synthesized polymers had a capsule-like morphology (for TPM-BINOL-6), high thermal stability up to 348 °C, and a high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of up to 1382 m2/g (for TPM-BINOL-4). Interestingly, they showed sunlight-driven production of H2O2 via an oxygen reduction reaction of up to 17.05 mmol·g-1·h-1 in 1:10 isopropanol in water for TPM-BINOL-6, which was quantified by titration with ceric sulfate. It also exhibited exemplary photocatalytic efficiency with an H2O2 production rate of 6.65 mmol·g-1·h-1 in seawater. Interestingly, the H2O2 production rate reached a maximum of 18.03 mmol·g-1·h-1 with an SCC efficiency of 4.5% under an AM 1.5G solar simulator and apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 15.8% (at λ = 456 nm) for TPM-BINOL-6 in ethanol:water = 1:10. Moreover, the exceptionally high H2O2 production rate of 31.60 mmol·g-1·h-1 was achieved in 1:1 ethanol in water under 50 W blue LED light. Furthermore, these PAFs generated adequate ROS, which were utilized in the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline via the superoxide intermediate. Additionally, the as-formed H2O2 was further channelized in the pollution abatement catalytic system for the fast degradation of ciprofloxacin (within 4 h) and the reduction of toxic oxometallate Cr(VI) within 10 min, which is one of the earliest reports of utilizing photosynthesized H2O2 for environmental detoxification.

Pharmacognostic standardization and phytochemical evaluation of Ficus rumphii blume leaves in Thailand

BackgroundFicus rumphii Blume has long been used in ethnomedicinal practices and is regarded as one of the medicinal plants in Thai traditional herbal formulas for diabetes treatment. At present, published data on pharmacognostic study of this plant for its identity, quality, and purity is still limited. ObjectiveThis study aimed to establish the pharmacognostic standardization parameters of Ficus rumphii leaves in Thailand. MethodsThe pharmacognostic study of F. rumphii leaves collected from 12 different sources throughout Thailand was conducted according to the methods described in WHO guidelines including macroscopic, microscopic, physicochemical parameters, phytochemical screening, and TLC fingerprint. ResultsMacroscopic and microscopic characteristics of F. rumphii leaves were reported in this study. Physicochemical parameters showed the value of loss on drying (6.87 ± 0.79 %), total ash (16.28 ± 5.76 %), acid insoluble ash (7.54 ± 4.53 %), water content (9.58 ± 2.49 %), water extractive matters (4.71 ± 1.75 %) and ethanol extractive matters (1.30 ± 0.52 %). Preliminary phytochemical screening of hexane, ethanol, and aqueous extracted revealed the presence of phenolic, flavonoid, diterpene, triterpene, steroid, saponin, and cardiac glycoside which were confirmed by TLC fingerprint profiles of ethanolic extract of this plant. ConclusionThis study is the first report on the pharmacognostic specification of F. rumphii leaves in Thailand, which could be used as a reference for quality control and the species identification of this plant material.

Green Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Apple Pomace from the Cider Industry.

The cider-making industry in Asturias generates between 9000 and 12,000 tons of apple pomace per year. This by-product, the remains of the apple pressing, and made up of peel, flesh, seeds and stems, is a valuable material, containing substantial amounts of antioxidant compounds associated with healthy properties. Polyphenols such as dihydrochalcones and quercetin glycosides, and triterpenic acids, among which ursolic acid is a major compound, are the main antioxidant families described in apple pomace. The simultaneous recovery of those families has been accomplished by low frequency ultrasound-assisted extraction. Working extraction conditions were optimised by response surface methodology (RSM): time, 5.1 min; extractant composition, 68% ethanol in water; solid/liquid ratio, 1/75 and ultrasonic wave amplitude, 90%. This procedure was further applied to analyse those components in the whole apple pomace (WAP), apple peel (AP) and apple flesh (AF). On average, dry WAP contained almost 1300 µg/g of flavonols, 1200 µg/g of dihydrochalcones and 4200 µg/g of ursolic acid. These figures increased in the apple peel to, respectively 2500, 1400 and 8500 µg/g dry matter. Two linear multivariate regression models allowed the antioxidant activity of apple by-products to be predicted on the basis of their bioactive composition. The results derived from this study confirm the potential of industrial cider apple pomace as a source of high-value bioactive compounds, and the feasibility of the ultrasound-assisted extraction technique to recover those components in a simple and efficient way.

Solubility effect of deep eutectic solvent and ethanol concentration on corncob lignin extraction

This research investigates the solubility effect of deep eutectic solvent (DES) mass ratio and ethanol–water solution concentration on corncob lignin extraction. The objective is to propose a solubility matching technique based on like-dissolves-like theory to optimize lignin extraction conditions. The choline chloride (ChCl):lactic acid (LA) mass ratio that maximized lignin extraction was determined by varying DES mass ratio between 1:2 and 1:5, and ethanol–water solution (5–95 % (v/v)) was added to precipitate lignin. By using the solubility matching technique, the maximum lignin extraction was achieved at 1:4 ChCl:LA mass ratio, and 70 % (v/v) ethanol–water concentration yielded the highest lignin precipitation. Lignin is highly soluble where the solubility (δ-values) of lignin, DES, and precipitant are similar. Unlike conventional trial-and-error methods, the solubility matching technique relies on δ-values calculated by the Hildebrand and Scott equation. The proposed technique can also be applied to optimize the extraction conditions of other biomass materials.

Turning Waste into Wealth: Optimization of Microwave/Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction for Maximum Recovery of Quercetin and Total Flavonoids from Red Onion (Allium cepa L.) Skin Waste

This study optimized the extraction conditions to maximize the recovery yields of quercetin and total flavonoids from red onion skin waste using sequential microwave/ultrasound-assisted extraction. Five effective factors of quercetin extraction yield were investigated using response surface methodology. The method was successfully performed under optimal 60 s microwave irradiation conditions followed by 15 min sonication at 70 °C with 70% (v/v, water) ethanol with a solvent-to-solid ratio of 30 mL/g. The variance analysis of the model for both quercetin (Y1) and total flavonoid (Y2) recovery from DOS demonstrated that ultrasound temperature (X2) was the most highly significant and influential factor, with a p-value of &lt;0.0001 for both responses. Additionally, three key interaction terms—X1X2, X2X4, and X2X5—were identified as highly significant, further underscoring the critical role of ultrasound temperature in optimizing the extraction process for both quercetin and total flavonoids. The maximum recovery yields of quercetin and total flavonoids from red onion skin were 10.32% and 12.52%, respectively. The predicted values for quercetin (10.05%) and total flavonoids (12.72%) were very close to the experimental results. The recovery yields obtained from different extraction methods under the identical experimental conditions mentioned earlier were ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction (7.66% quercetin and 10.18% total flavonoids), ultrasound-assisted extraction (5.36% quercetin and 8.34% total flavonoids), and microwave-assisted extraction (5.03% quercetin and 7.91% total flavonoids). The ANOVA confirmed highly significant regression models (p-values &lt; 0.0001), with an insignificant lack of fit (p = 0.0515 for quercetin, p = 0.1276 for total flavonoids), demonstrating the robustness and reliability of the optimization. This study provides valuable insights for improving the extraction of bioactive compounds, which is critical for developing effective cancer treatments and advancing medical research. Additionally, the model shows potential for scaling up food processing applications to recover valuable products from red onion skin waste.

Molding blends of silicone polymer / polypropylene with durable resistant to extreme conditions based on migration and compatibility of molecular chains

Because of low surface energy, silicone polymers would easily peel off from polypropylene (PP) substrate as hydrophobic coatings and they are incompatible with PP in melt-blending process as well. Therefore, ethylene polymers modified with both silicone and alkane side-groups were prepared by nucleophilic substitution in this work. It was confirmed that these prepared polymers could migrate and aggregate to the surface of the blends at that melting temperature when blended with PP due to the low surface energy and high entropy of silicone side groups. Meanwhile, chain entanglement was achieved between alky side-groups of silicone polymers and polymer chain of PP by melt-blending process, so that the compatibility of the blends was improved and the bonding force of two polymers increased simultaneously. Accordingly, molding blends with stable and durable hydrophobility were successfully gained based on migration of silicone and entanglement of alkane and PP. It’s noticeable that the water contact angle of the blend remained to be about 106° from 113°, even soaking in acid (pH = 1) and alkali (pH = 14) solutions, deionized water and anhydrous ethanol, or under multiple strong frictions. This will provide a facile and effective strategy to endow general materials with durable antifouling properties directly by injection molding without additional coating.

Salvia miltiorrhiza in osteoporosis: a review of its phytochemistry, traditional clinical uses and preclinical studies (2014-2024).

Osteoporosis becomes a global public health concern due to its rising prevalence and substantial impact on life quality. Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, SM) has been firstly recorded in Shen Nong's Herbal Classic, and is frequently prescribed in conjunction with other herbs for the management of osteoporosis. This systematic review aims to comprehensively analyze the recent advances of SM on osteoporosis in traditional Chinese clinical uses and preclinical investigations. Literature encompassing pertinent studies were systematically retrieved across multiple databases, including the PubMed, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese VIP Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Original investigations spanning from February 2014 to March 2024, including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical trials and preclinical studies, were employed to analyze the effects and actions of SM on osteoporosis. Thirty-eight TCM clinical trials were identified to employ SM in combination with other herbs for the management of primary and secondary osteoporosis. The overall efficacy was between 77% and 96.67%. Forty preclinical studies were identified to investigate the effects and actions of SM and/or its ingredients on osteoporosis. The anti-osteoporosis actions of this herb may be attributed to inhibit osteoclastogenesis/bone resorption and promote osteoblastogenesis/osteogenesis. The ethanol extracts and its ingredients (tanshinones) inhibit osteoclastogenesis/bone resorption by inhibiting the MAPK/NF-κB/NFATc1 signaling pathway and cathepsin K-induced collagen degradation. Both ethanol extracts (tanshinones) and water extracts (Sal B and tanshinol) contribute to osteoblastogenesis by promoting osteogenesis and angiogenesis via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin/VEGF and ERK/TAZ pathways, and eliminating ROS production targeting Nrf2/ARE/HO-1 pathway. In conclusions, SM may offer a novel strategy for osteoporosis management. Well-designed clinical trials are still needed to evaluate the actions of this herb and its ingredients on bone remodeling.

Surface, micellization, and thermodynamic behavior of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in sodium polystyrene sulfonate with and without methyl red in water–ethanol mixed solvent media at varying temperatures: A tensiometric analysis

In this study, we aim to systematically investigate the surface, micellization, and thermodynamic properties of Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) in Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate (NaPSS) solutions with and without methyl red (MR) dye in water–ethanol mixed solvent media (0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 vol fraction of ethanol at 298.15 ± 0.2 K, 308.15 ± 0.2 K, and 318.15 ± 0.2 K. By employing surface tension measurements, we seek to uncover the effects of solvent composition, temperature, polyelectrolyte presence, and dye addition on the Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) and other key surface and thermodynamic parameters. The CMC, slope (dγdlnC), and γCMC values determined from γ versus ln [CTAB] for the CTAB + NaPSS + MR diminish in contrast to the CTAB + NaPSS in the chosen solvent and the temperature range studied. However, with a rising temperature and ethanol volume fraction, the CMC value rises while the obtained γCMC values fall. Various surface and thermodynamic parameters like γCMC,Amin,Γmax, ΠCMC, adsorption efficiency (PC20), packing parameter (P), aggregation number (Nagg), micellization Gibbs’ energy (ΔGm0), adsorption of Gibbs’ energy (ΔGads0), effective Gibbs’ energy (ΔGeff0), minimum Gibbs’ energy (ΔGmin), and many other parameters have been determined, comparatively discussed, and analyzed for CTAB + NaPSS and CTAB + NaPSS + MR systems. This research provides a deeper understanding of the fundamental behaviors of these complex systems, their stability, and their feasibility, with potential implications for their practical applications in fields such as drug delivery, wastewater treatment, and the formulation of personal care products.