Ethanol Maceration Research Articles

Pengaruh Konsentrasi Etanol dan Waktu Maserasi terhadap Rendemen, Kadar Total Fenol dan Aktivitas Antioksidan Ekstrak Rumput Laut Padina australis

Padina australis seaweed is known to contain active compounds that can be utilized in pharmaceutics and cosmetics. Ethanol concentration and maceration time are thought to affect the concentration of active compounds in the extract. This study aims to determine the effect of ethanol concentration and maceration time on yield, antioxidant activity, and the total phenol content (TPC). Seaweed samples were taken from Binuangeun waters, Lebak-Banten. Extraction was conducted by maceration method using 0, 40, and 80 % (v/v) ethanol for 8, 16, and 24 hours. Antioxidant activity was carried out using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test, while the TPC was determined by colorimetry method using FolinCiocalteu reagent. The results showed that the highest extract yield was obtained when using 40 % ethanol and 16 hours maceration time, the highest antioxidant activity was obtained when using 80 % ethanol and 24 hours maceration time, while the highest TPC was obtained when using 40 % ethanol and 8 hours maceration time. Based on this research, the best antioxidant activity of extract was obtained when maceration used 80 % ethanol with a 24-hour maceration time.

AKTIVITAS ANTIOKSIDAN KECIBELING, BAKAU MERAH, DAN KATUK PADA METODE EKSTRAKSI DAN RASIO EKSTRAK YANG BERBEDA

<em></em><em><em>Indonesian medicinal plants, such as </em>Strobilanthes crispa<em> (L.) Blume (locally known as kecibeling), red mangrove (</em>Rhizophora stylosa<em> Griff.) and star gooseberry {</em>Sauropus androgynus<em> (L.) Merr.} contain active compounds that act as antioxidants. The study aimed to determine the effect of extraction methods (maceration and infusion) on the antioxidant activity of both single extract and several combination ratios of the extracts mixture of kecibeling leaves, red mangrove leaves and star gooseberry stems. Dried powdered of the samples of a 40 mesh size were extracted using 96 % ethanol solvent (maceration method) and water solvent (infusion method). A single extract or a combination of the three-single extracts (1: 1: 1; 1: 1: 2; 1: 2: 1; and 2: 1: 1) were then evaluated for their antioxidant activity based on the free radical method 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). In general, extraction method using ethanol (maceration) was better than water (infusion). Antioxidants activities from ethanol extracts of the kecibeling leaves showed the strongest activity with an inhibitory concentration (IC<sub>50</sub>) value of</em> <em>37.65 ppm than the infusion extracts. The combination of a single ethanol extract from the three plants at a ratio of 2: 1: 1 was synergistic, which indicated by its strongest antioxidant activity (IC<sub>50</sub> = 18.78 ppm). However, it still below the antioxidant activity of vitamin C (IC<sub>50</sub> = 4.24 ppm). Ethanol extract of kecibeling leaves singly or combined with the ethanol extracts of red mangrove leaves and star gooseberry stems can be developed as a potential antioxidant.</em><br /></em>

Effects of Vitex trifolia L. leaf extracts and phytoconstituents on cytokine production in human U937 macrophages

BackgroundDysregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) form the basis of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Vitex trifolia L. is a medicinal plant growing in countries such as China, India, Australia and Singapore. Its dried ripe fruits are documented in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat ailments like rhinitis and dizziness. Its leaves are used traditionally to treat inflammation-related conditions like rheumatic pain.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effects of V. trifolia leaf extracts prepared by different extraction methods (Soxhlet, ultrasonication, and maceration) in various solvents on cytokine production in human U937 macrophages, and identify phytoconstituents from the most active leaf extract.MethodsFresh leaves of V. trifolia were extracted using Soxhlet, ultrasonication, and maceration in hexane, dichloromethane, methanol, ethanol or water. Each extract was evaluated for its effects on TNF-α and IL-1β cytokine production by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human U937 macrophages. The most active extract was analyzed and further purified by different chemical and spectroscopic techniques.ResultsAmongst 14 different leaf extracts investigated, extracts prepared by ultrasonication in dichloromethane and maceration in ethanol were most active in inhibiting TNF-α and IL-1β production in human U937 macrophages. Further purification led to the isolation of artemetin, casticin, vitexilactone and maslinic acid, and their effects on TNF-α and IL-1β production were evaluated. We report for the first time that artemetin suppressed TNF-α and IL-1β production. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses revealed the presence of eight other compounds. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of butylated hydroxytoluene, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, campesterol and maslinic acid in V. trifolia leaf extracts.ConclusionsIn conclusion, leaf extracts of V. trifolia obtained using different solvents and extraction methods were successfully investigated for their effects on cytokine production in human U937 macrophages. The findings provide scientific evidence for the traditional use of V. trifolia leaves (a sustainable resource) and highlight the importance of conservation of medicinal plants as resources for drug discovery. Our results together with others suggest further investigation on V. trifolia and constituents to develop novel treatment strategies in immune-mediated inflammatory conditions is warranted.

A PotentIn Vitroα-Amylase Inhibitory Action ofHaplophyllum tuberculatumExtracts

Background:Natural plant active compounds were found to inhibit the activity of several enzymes that may be related to several diseases.Objective:This study aimed at testing the antidiabetic activity related to the phenol content by in vitro α-Amylase inhibitory action effect of aqueous, organic and essential oil extracts of Haplophyllum tuberculatum, collected in the town of Laghouat in the steppe region of Algeria.Methods:Two types of aqueous extracts were prepared: Decoction and Diffusion extracts. The organic extracts were prepared with successful maceration in hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol and methanol. Also, essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation. The analysis of the total Phenol content of our extracts was done with Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, as the flavonoid content was obtained in mixture with aluminum trichloride. The effects of the plant extracts on the catalytic efficiency of α-amylase enzyme were represented by the enzymatic inhibitory percentage of each extract in which the inhibitory activity was expressed as IC50.Results:The total phenol content showed values ranging between 0.27 and 11.97 mg gallic acid equivalent / g dry matter. The flavonoid contents vary from 0.05 to 1.50 mg equivalent of rutin /g of dry matter. All the extracts showed good inhibitory activity against α- amylase of IC50, values ranged from 0.05 to 50.03 mg/ml.Conclusion :This study reports for the first time the inhibitory capacity of Algerian Haplophyllum tuberculatum species against α-amylase which could provide natural biologically active agents to be used in the management of diabetes.

Pengaruh Jenis Pelarut dan Waktu Maserasi terhadap Ekstrak Kulit Biji Kakao (Theobroma cacao L.) sebagai Sumber Antioksidan

Cocoa bean husk is a waste of cocoa processing that is large enough and has not been used optimally. Cocoa bean husk waste can be used more optimally by extracting polyphenol compound and used as natural antioxidant. This research aims to determine the effect of the type of solvent and maceration time of cocoa bean husk extract as a source of antioxidants and to determine the best type of solvent and maceration time to produce cocoa bean husk extract as a source of antioxidants. This experiment uses a randomized block design with two factors. The first factor is the type of solvent consisting of methanol 95 percent, ethanol 96 percent and acetone 90 percent. The second factor is the maceration time consisting of 24, 36 and 48 hours. The data is analyzed by variant analysis and continued with the Tukey test. The results showed that the type of solvent and maceration time is a very significant effect on yield, total phenolic and antioxidant capacity. The interaction between treatment is a very significant effect on total phenolic and antioxidant capacity but did not significantly affect the yield of cocoa bean husk extract. The best treatment to produce cocoa bean husk extract as a source of antioxidants is using ethanol solvent and maceration time for 48 hours with a yield characteristic 11.72±0.45 percent, a total phenolic at 80.76±1.12 mg of GAE/g and Antioxidant capacity 49.55±1.13 mg GAEAC/g.
 Keywords : cocoa bean husk, extraction, solvent, antioxidants.

Bioactivity-directed isolation of antisickling compounds from Cnidoscolus acontifolius (Mill.) I.M. Johnst leaf extract

Context: There is continuous search for therapeutic agents from indigenous plants that can be employed in the treatment of sickle cell anemia. Aims: To evaluate the antisickling potential of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius leaf extract, determine the most active fraction, and isolate the putative compounds. Methods: Oven dried leaves of C. aconitifolius (CA) were extracted by maceration in ethanol for 72 h. The extract was fractionated into n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol using vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC). The crude CA extract and fractions were subjected to inhibitory and reversal antisickling assays at 0.25-4.00 mg/mL concentration range. Bioactivity-directed fractionation of the most active fraction was done on repeated silica gel column chromatography, followed by preparative thin-layer chromatography, and their analyses on thin-layer chromatography. The isolated compounds were characterized using spectroscopic methods of 1H- and 13C- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, COSY, HMBC, HSQC, and LC-MS. Results: The results showed that CA had 80.4 ± 0.15% inhibitory and 56.0 ± 2.90% reversal effects at 4 mg/mL. The ethyl acetate fraction gave significantly higher (p<0.05) inhibitory (68.0 ± 4.32%) and reversal (61.4 ± 6.2%) activities at 4 mg/mL than the other VLC fractions. The positive control Ciklavit® had 59.8 ± 0.3% inhibitory and 56.6 ± 0.2% reversal properties. Two compounds, T1 and T2 were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction and identified as tetramethyl bicosahydropicen-3-ol and 5β-pregnane, respectively. Compound T1 demonstrated an inhibitory effect of 83.6 ± 0.11%. Conclusions: The study concluded that the ethyl acetate fraction of the ethanol extract of C. aconitifolius has the highest antisickling property and identified tetramethylbicosahydropicen-3-ol as a potential antisickling agent.

Larvicidal activity of ethanol extract of carica papaya seed against aedes albopictus (skuse)

Chemical insecticides used for killing mosquitoes have caused side effects such as development of insecticide resistance and environmental pollution. Natural products are the alternative resource for development of new bio-insecticides. This study was conducted to evaluate the lethal effect of Carica papaya seed extract against Aedes albopictus larvae. C. papaya seed was extracted by using ethanol maceration followed by concentration of rotary evaporator. Stock solution of seed extract was prepared in 0.01 g/ml of distilled water. Serial dilution ranging from 1–1000 mg/ml of seeds extracts was used for testing and Abate® was used as positive control. The larvicidal activity, behavioural and morphological changes of Ae. albopictus larvae were observed between 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours. Lethal effect was observed starting from 500 mg/ml and 100% of larval mortality was observed at 1000 mg/ml. Morphological changes of larvae were observed at 1000 mg/ml showing depigmentation of mid gut. Further studies to identify the active compounds in the ethanol extract of Carica papaya seed are needed.

The Influence of Solvent, Host, and Phenological Stage on the Yield, Chemical Composition, and Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Properties of Phragmanthera capitata (Sprengel) S. Balle.

Phragmanthera capitata was reported to possess many biological properties making it a good candidate for the formulation of a phytomedicine with multiple effects. In this work, we studied some factors likely to modify these therapeutic properties with the aim to contribute to its standardization as an improved traditional medicine. P. capitata parasitizing Persea americana, Psidium guajava, and Podocarpus mannii were harvested at three phenological stages (vegetative, flowering, and fruiting stages). The extracts were prepared by maceration in n-hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol, and distilled water. The total phenolic, flavonoid, flavonol, and tannin contents were measured using appropriate methods. The antioxidant potential of extracts was investigated using TAC, DPPH scavenging, and FRAP methods. The α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of extracts were determined using enzymatic methods. The ethyl acetate extracts with the best phenolic content were subjected to HPLC analysis. The extraction yields were higher with methanol. The ethyl acetate extract of P. capitata harvested from P. guajava showed a stable HPLC profile during the development of the plant, while extracts from the plant collected from P. americana and P. mannii showed both qualitative and quantitative variations according to phonological stages of the plant. The inhibition of α-amylase was more pronounced for P. capitata harvested from P. guajava, decreasing during flowering and fruiting, while inhibition of α-glucosidase was not influenced by the phenological stage and the host of the plant. The α-amylase inhibitors were better extracted by ethyl acetate and those of α-glucosidase by ethanol or methanol. The phenolic contents and antioxidant properties of the extracts were influenced by the phenological stage of P. capitata and its hosts. These results suggest that it is preferable to harvest P. capitata during flowering or during fruiting stages on any host. None of the used solvents permitted an optimal extraction of active principles form P. capitata, suggesting that the mixture of solvents must be considered in further studies.

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Antisolvent Fractionation for the Sustainable Concentration of Lavandula luisieri (Rozeira) Riv.- Mart Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Compounds and Comparison with Its Conventional Extracts.

Lavandula stoechas subsp. luisieri is a Spanish subspecies from the Lamiaceae family. Its essential oil has been traditionally used for several medical applications though little is known about other extracts. Similar to many other studies aiming to obtain traditional plant extracts to be used in different applications, this work evaluated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Lavandula luisieri extracts and the correlation with their composition. Traditional hydrodistillation and ethanolic maceration were used to obtain the essential oil and the maceration extract, respectively. A green and sustainable methodology was applied to the maceration extract that was under a Supercritical Antisolvent Fractionation process to obtain a fine solid enriched in rosmarinic acid and the terpenes oleanolic and ursolic acids. Antimicrobial activities of all extracts and pure identified compounds (rosmarinic and ursolic acids) were evaluated against five bacterial strains; Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli and were compared with the pure compounds identified, rosmarinic and ursolic acids. All strains were sensitive against L. luisieri essential oil. The solid product obtained from the supercritical process was concentrated in the identified actives compared to the maceration extract, which resulted in higher antimicrobial and DPPH scavenging activities. The supercritical sustainable process provided L. luisieri compounds, with retention of their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, in a powder exemptof organic solvents with potential application in the clinical, food or cosmetic fields.

UHPLC-HR-MS/MS-Guided Recovery of Bioactive Flavonol Compounds from Greco di Tufo Vine Leaves.

Leaves of Vitis vinifera cv. Greco di Tufo, a precious waste made in the Campania Region (Italy), after vintage harvest, underwent reduction, lyophilization, and ultrasound-assisted maceration in ethanol. The alcoholic extract, as evidenced by a preliminary UHPLC-HR-MS analysis, showed a high metabolic complexity. Thus, the extract was fractionated, obtaining, among others, a fraction enriched in flavonol glycosides and glycuronides. Myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin derivatives were tentatively identified based on their relative retention time and TOF-MS2 data. As the localization of saccharidic moiety in glycuronide compounds proved to be difficult due to the lack of well-established fragmentation pattern and/or the absence of characteristic key fragments, to obtain useful MS information and to eliminate matrix effect redundancies, the isolation of the most abundant extract’s compound was achieved. HR-MS/MS spectra of the compound, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, allowed us to thoroughly rationalize its fragmentation pattern, and to unravel the main differences between MS/MS behavior of flavonol glycosides and glycuronides. Furthermore, cytotoxicity assessment on the (poly)phenol rich fraction and the pure isolated compound was carried out using central nervous system cell lines. The chemoprotective effect of both the (poly)phenol fraction and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide was evaluated.

Phenolic profiles of quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) leaf extracts obtained by different extraction methods

Abstract Extracts from quince leaves are a well-known home remedy used for treating diverse health problems. Most of the beneficial properties of quince leaf extracts may be assigned to their high content of phenolic compounds, particularly tannins. In this research, we have evaluated the efficiency of various methods for phenolic extraction from quince leaves and determined detailed phenolic profiles of different extracts. The results indicated that leaf drying is a suitable pretreatment for enhancing the extraction of phenolic compounds. Higher extraction of phenolics was achieved at higher temperatures (i.e. infusion or decoction). Phenolic profiles of quince leaf extracts differed among the extraction solvents and time of extraction. Flavanols prevailed in extracts obtained by decoction and ethanolic maceration, while extracts obtained by maceration in water and infusion were rich in phenolic acids. A highly concentrated quince leaf extract was attained by ethanolic maceration, using a standard ratio of solvent and leaf material.

Preliminary Biological Study of Two Medicinal Plants used in the Mouhoun Region (Burkina Faso): Boscia angustifolia A. Rich (Caparaceae) and Gardenia erubescens Stapf & Hutch (Rubiaceae)

Aims: Boscia agustifolia and Gardenia erubescens are two medicinal plants widely used in the Mouhoun region. The strong use of these two plants in traditional medicine would be linked to their therapeutic virtues.
 Study Design: The purpose of this work was to carry out a preliminary biological study on two plants widely used by the population of the Mouhoun region (Burkina Faso) against certain diseases.
 Place and Duration of Study: The harvest of plant material was made in the Mouhoun region in March 2019. The phytochemistry and the antioxidant tests were carried out at LABIOCA in June 2019. The microorganism tests were carried out at CRSBAN.
 Methodology: The extracts were obtained by ethanolic maceration. The FRAP method and DPPH were used to evaluate the antioxidant properties of the extracts. The antibiomicrobial activity of the extracts was determined using five microbial strains.
 Results: The ethanolic extract of Gardenia erubescens bark had antioxidant activity through the iron ion reduction capacity (6.71 ± 1.16 mMol EAA/100 g extract. Boscia angustifolia showed inhibitory activity on the five microbial strains.
 Conclusion: The biological activities obtained with these extracts could be justified by the presence of active phytochemicals such as flavonoids. These biological properties to constitute a reason based on the strong use of these two plants in traditional medicine.

Coleus amboinicus extract increases transforming growth factor-1β expression in Wistar rats with cisplatin-induced nephropathy.

Background and Aim:Coleus amboinicus (CA) plants are known to exert antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and demonstrate antiproliferative effects against cancer cells. This study aimed to investigate the activity of CA extract on the expression of transforming growth factor-1β (TGF-1β) in cisplatin-induced nephropathy in Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus).Materials and Methods:CA was obtained from fresh leaves of CA and was extracted using 96% ethanol maceration. This blinded, controlled, randomized post-test study assigned 24 Wistar rats to three groups (n=8). Negative controls received normal saline (P0), nephropathy was induced in rats by cisplatin (5 mg/kg, IP) (P1), and treated with ethanolic coleus extract (500 mg/kg, PO) (P2), respectively, for 7 days. Nephropathy was induced on the 4th day. All rats were sacrificed on the 8th day for blood and kidney sample collection. Concentrations of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and alkaline phosphatase were analyzed using colorimetric analysis. A semi-quantitative analysis was performed on sectioned kidneys to determine the numbers of positive cells for TGF-1β expression and to evaluate structural and functional alterations in the kidneys using histopathological and immunohistochemical staining.Results:The concentrations of BUN, creatinine, and alkaline phosphatase from blood samples in the treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p<0.05). Morphological evaluation of the tubular interstitium and glomeruli revealed that necrotic, degenerating, and infiltration of cells significantly decreased in the treatment group compared to the control group (p<0.05). The mean immunostaining scores indicating the presence of TGF-1β were 7.8 in the ethanolic coleus extract group, 3 in the induction group, and 2.3 in the control group. The expression scores for TGF-β1 were significantly different between the ethanolic coleus extract treatment and control group (p<0.05).Conclusion:Our results suggest that in Wistar rats with cisplatin-induced nephropathy, CA extract inhibits pathological lesions by regulating the renal expression of TGF-1β in areas containing the renal tubules and glomeruli.

Comparative Analysis of Phytochemical Composition of Four Selected Tropical Medicinal Plants Namely: Ocimum gratissimum, Piper guineense, Gongronema latifolium and Vernonia amygdalina

Aim: The aim of the study was to carry out a comparative analysis of the phytochemical composition of the leaves of four selected tropical medicinal plants namely: Ocimum gratissimum, Piper guineense, Gongronema latifolium and Vernonia amygdalina.&#x0D; Methodology: The phytochemicals in the plant leaves were extracted by cold maceration in ethanol and subjected to both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the phytochemicals.&#x0D; Results: The qualitative and quantitative analysis revealed the presence of the bioactive compounds alkaloids, Saponins, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, terpenoids, polyphenols, specific cardiac glycosides, tannins, phytates and reducing compound in the leaves of each plant at varying quantities. Resins were only detected in O. gratissimum. From the quantitative analysis, Gongronema latifolium had the highest percentage content of alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, tannins and reducing sugars. Ocimum gratissimum had the highest flavonoid content.&#x0D; Conclusion: Taken together, G. latifolium on balance had a higher phytochemical content than the other three plants and thus should be more versatile in the treatment of a whole range of diseases. This was followed by V. amygdalina, O. gratissimum and P. guineense in that order. The fact that most of these phytochemicals have antioxidant activity may be responsible for their antidiabetic activities and use in treatment of other free radical prone diseases.

Identification and determination of phenolic acids content in mango “golek” leaves ethanol extract

Ethanol extract from mango “golek” leaves (Mangifera indica L) was obtained by maceration in ethanol 96%. Phenolic acid was isolated from the extract by hydrolysis with and without a hydrolyzing agent (TH). Two different hydrolyzing agents were used separately, i.e., sulfuric acid (HA) and sodium hydroxide (HB). Identification of phenolic acid was made with TLC and High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Determination of phenolic acid content was carried out using TLC Scanner. Standard phenolic acid was used as a control. Phenolic acid compounds were obtained in the HA, HB and TH isolate namely gallic acid. The total gallic acid content was 35.88% consisting of HA, HB and TH fraction of 3.46%; 12.42%; 19.98%.

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Mango Peel Liqueurs (Mangifera indica L.) Produced by Different Methods of Maceration.

The present work had the objective of producing liqueurs from mango peels (varieties “Haden” and “Tommy Atkins”) by processes of alcoholic maceration and maceration with pectinase, as well as to evaluate bioactive compounds by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection and fluorescence-detection (RP-HPLC/DAD/FD) and in vitro antioxidant activity (AOX), for by-product potential reuse. Alcoholic maceration in wine ethanol (65% v/v) produced liqueurs with higher phytochemical and AOX content. Maceration with pectinase resulted in liqueurs with higher quercetin-3-O-glucopyranoside content. In relation to mango varieties, Haden liqueurs presented higher bioactive content than Tommy Atkins liqueurs. The liqueurs presented high antioxidant activity. The main bioactive compounds found were flavanols (epicatechin-gallate, epigallocatechin-gallate), flavonols (quercetin-3-O-glucopyranoside and rutin), and phenolic acids (gallic acid, o-coumaric acid, and syringic acid). The present study showed that the production of liqueur enabled the recovering of an important part of the bioactive content of mango peels, suggesting an alternative for the recovery of antioxidant substances from this by-product.

Solvent extraction and in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion of phenolic compounds from purple sweet potato

SummaryThe total content of phenolic compounds in purple sweet potato (PSP) was determined and the release of such compounds from PSP in gastrointestinal digestion was studied in vitro. The extraction conditions for the maximum recovery of free phenol (FP) and bound phenol (BP) from PSP were determined by response surface methodology (RSM). The maximum recovery of FPPSP was 14.16 ± 0.87 mg GAE per g short for dry weight (DW), which was obtained using 60% (v/v) ethanol maceration with a liquid–solid ratio of 57.21:1 (mL g−1) at 51.93 °C for 2.12 h. The maximum recovery for BPPSP was 7.54 mg GAE per g DW, which was obtained upon hydrolysis with 1.87 mol L−1 NaOH at a liquid–solid ratio of 35.93:1 (mL g−1) for 4.74 h. The maximum phenolic content was released after 1 and 2 h for the in vitro gastric and intestinal digestion respectively. The release of the phenolics was promoted by pepsin and gastric acid during gastric digestion, while it was further promoted by trypsin during intestinal digestion.

Supercritical CO2 extraction and selective adsorption of aroma materials of selected spice plants in functionalized silica aerogels

Static supercritical fluid extraction has been used to concentrate the aroma materials of common herbs and spices. The technique has provided a higher number of components and cleaner extract than the one-step ethanol maceration. The one-step supercritical fluid extraction of the aroma compounds has been combined with their in situ adsorption in hydrophilic and hydrophobic silica aerogels. The extracts have been analyzed by a GC–MS technique and 55 aroma compounds have been identified. Most of the compounds have been adsorbed in both polar and apolar silica aerogels with no direct connection with the surface polarity. However, previously undetected compounds enriched to an analytically significant level, while others competed with each other for the active sites on the surface. Functionalized silica aerogels can be used as a new type of aroma storage materials and as selective and tuneable adsorbents for the extraction and enrichment of potentially active components from a complex matrix.

Antiparasitic activities of hydroethanolic extracts of Ipomoea imperati (Vahl) Griseb. (Convolvulaceae).

Ipomoea imperati is widely used in tropical areas to treat several pathological conditions. The effect of this plant against parasitic species has not been investigated even being used for this purpose in the Brazilian northeastern. This study aimed to evaluate the anthelmintic and acaricide potential of a hydroethanolic extract of I. imperati leaves and stolons. I. imperati leaves and stolons were crushed and subjected to maceration in ethanol 70% (v/v), after which the solvent was removed using a rotary evaporator. The chromatographic profile of the extract was obtained by UV Spectrum high-performance liquid chromatography and compounds were identified by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Identification of the compounds present in the extract was achieved by comparing their retention times and UV spectra with data in the literature. Anthelmintic activity was evaluated by larval exsheathment inhibition assays using Haemonchus contortus larvae and five concentrations of each extract ranging from 0.07 to 1.2 mg/mL. Acaricide activity was evaluated via larval immersion of Rhipicephalus microplus in eight concentrations of each extract ranging from 5.0 to 25.0 mg/mL. Live and dead larvae were counted after 24 hours. The median inhibitory concentration (IC50) for H. contortus larvae and the median lethal concentration (LC50) for R. microplus larvae were calculated. Twelve compounds were observed in the hydroethanolic extract of leaves, with a predominance of the aglycone form of flavonoids and tannins. This extract was effective against H. contortus larvae, presenting an average inhibitory concentration of 0.22 mg/mL, but showed no activity toward R. microplus larvae. The stolon hydroethanolic extract presented 11 compounds, with phenolic acids and glycosylated flavonoids prevailing. This extract showed low activity on R. microplus and no effect on inhibiting H. contortus larval exsheathment at the concentrations tested. This study is the first to assess the anthelmintic and acaricidal activities of I. imperati. Data reported confirm promising potential of I. imperati leaves hydroethanolic extract against H. contortus. This effect could be due to its secondary compounds presents in this extract, such as procyanidin, kaempferol, isoquercitrin and rutin.

Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of young and mature mango (Mangifera indica) and avocado (Persea americana) leave extracts

&lt;p&gt;Polyphenols are groups of secondary metabolites in plants, known with their various biological activities, including their ability to act as antioxidants. Due to the side effects of the use of synthetic antioxidants on human’s health, the search for natural less toxic compounds has significantly increased. This study was carried out to evaluate the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of young and mature avocado (&lt;em&gt;Persea americana&lt;/em&gt;) and mango leaves (&lt;em&gt;Mangifera indica&lt;/em&gt;). Different extracts were prepared by maceration in methanol, ethanol, cold and hot water. The phenolic content of the extracts was determined using the Folic-Ciocalteu Method. A total of three antioxidant tests were done on the extracts: the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl test (DPPH test), the Ferric reducing antioxidant power and the Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. Results of these investigations generally showed that the mature leaves of mango and young leaves of avocado exhibited the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents, as well as the antioxidant activity. They can be recommended as good sources of antioxidants to reduce the damages caused by free radicals and reactive oxygenated species in the body. They can also be recommended as a source of antioxidants for the preservation of oils, food containing lipids and pharmaceutical products.&lt;/p&gt;