Extract E1 Research Articles

Wood Colouring with Natural Dye Extracts. New Research and Perspectives

The aims of the present research were to test new types of natural dye extracts for wood as a possible alternative to synthetic dyes and to evaluate the colour changes after a period of one year of exposure to natural light, in indoor conditions. Three types of extracts using raw materials: nutshell from Juglans regia L. (E1), onion peels (E2), and dry plant of Chelidonium majus L. (E3) were employed. Spruce wood (Picea abies L. Karst) samples with dimensions of (120x80x5) mm were used. The dye aqueous solutions with a concentration of 5% (E1, E3) and 2.5% (E2) were obtained by solid-liquid extraction at 100°C for three hours. The extracts E1, E2, E3 were modified by the addition of mordant ferrous sulphate Fe2(SO4)3 3% and coded EM1, EM2, EM3 respectively. The wood was coloured by dipping procedure at 60° C for 30 min. Three replicates were employed for each type of dye solution. After conditioning, two replicates together with the uncoloured samples (M) were further exposed indoors, and one coloured sample remained unexposed, as a control. Colour measurements in the CIELab system were performed before and after each period of exposure (30, 60, and 365 days), and the colour differences ΔL, Δa, Δb, and ΔE were calculated. Generally, all the samples dyed with natural extracts had fewer colour differences compared with the uncoloured wood. The lower value for colour change was registered for the E2 extract, followed by the E3, and E1 extract, respectively. According to the exposure time, the colour differences values ΔE range correspond to a medium colour up to different colours in visual perception. For mordant dye extracts EM1, EM2, and EM3 the results indicated a different colour in visual perception. The ΔE values registered were even higher than the uncoloured samples (M). The results were in accordance with similar research in the field. The present study opens new research opportunities in wood finishing and new colouring perspectives with eco-friendly dyes.

Natural Luffa cylindrica sponge sorbent for the solid phase extraction of estrone, 17-β-estradiol, and testosterone in aquaculture water

The bare natural fibrous skeleton of Luffa cylindrica (LC) sponge gourd was simply prepared and used as a sorbent in the vortex-assisted solid phase extraction (VA-SPE) of three steroid hormones, estrone (E1), 17-β-estradiol (E2), and testosterone (T) from aquaculture water samples. The extracted compounds were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). Extraction with the prepared sorbent was highly efficient, completing within 10 min. The developed method showed good linearity in a concentration range of 15–1000 μg L−1 for E1, E2, and T. The limits of detection (LODs) were 9.6 ± 0.1 μg L−1 for E1, 9.8 ± 0.1 μg L−1 for E2, and 9.7 ± 0.1 μgL−1 for T. The respective limits of quantitation (LOQs) were 32.1 ± 0.3 μg L−1, 32.7 ± 0.4 μg L−1, and 32.2 ± 0.5 μg L−1. Good reproducibility (RSD < 3.5%, n = 6), good precision (RSD < 6.8%, n = 6), and excellent reusability (n = 22, RSD < 8%) were achieved. Recoveries from real spiked samples ranged from 70.2 ± 0.1% to 98.9 ± 4.7% with RSDs lower than 6.0%. The proposed method is simple, fast, inexpensive, and eco-friendly, with potential applications in the trace analysis of steroid hormones. Novelty statementOnly a few studies have focused on sample preparation for the simultaneous determination of steroid hormones in aquaculture water. The authors believe that the use of unmodified naturally available Luffa cylindrica as a solid phase extraction (SPE) sorbent has not yet been reported. This work successfully developed, for the first time from the bare fibrous skeleton of Luffa cylindrica, a very simple and low-cost SPE sorbent to extract E1, E2, and T for simultaneous determination by HPLC.

Influence of In Vitro Gastric Digestion of Olive Leaf Extracts on Their Bioactive Properties against H. pylori.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of in vitro gastric digestion of two olive leaf extracts (E1 and E2) on their chemical composition and bioactive properties against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), one of the most successful and prevalent human pathogens. HPLC-PAD/MS analysis and anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities of both olive leaf extracts were carried out before and after their in vitro gastric digestion. The results showed that gastric digestion produced modifications of the chemical composition and bioactive properties of both olive leaf extracts. The main compounds in the extract E1 were hydroxytyrosol and its glucoside derivatives (14,556 mg/100 g), presenting all the identified compounds a more polar character than those found in the E2 extract. E2 showed a higher concentration of less polar compounds than E1 extract, with oleuropein (21,419 mg/100 g) being the major component. Gastric digestion during the fasted state (pH 2) induced an overall decrease of the most identified compounds. In the extract E1, while the anti-inflammatory capacity showed only a slight decrease (9% of IL-8 production), the antioxidant properties suffered a drastic drop (23% of ROS inhibition), as well as the antibacterial capacity. However, in the extract E2, these changes caused an increase in the anti-inflammatory (19% of IL-8 production) and antioxidant activity (9% of ROS inhibition), which could be due to the hydrolysis of oleuropein and ligustroside into their main degradation products, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, but the antibacterial activity was reduced. Gastric digestion during fed state (pH 5) had less influence on the composition of the extracts, affecting in a lesser degree their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, although there was a decrease in the antibacterial activity in both extracts similar to that observed at pH 2.

Olive-Leaf Extracts Modulate Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Associated with Human H. pylori Infection.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the major human pathogens and the main cause of pathological damages that can progress from chronic gastritis to gastric cancer. During the colonization of gastric mucosa, this bacterium provokes a strong inflammatory response and subsequent oxidative process, which are associated with tissue damage. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the ability of two olive-leaf extracts (E1 and E2) to modulate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in H. pylori-infected human gastric AGS cells. The obtained results showed that both extracts significantly decreased interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in human gastric AGS cells. Both extracts also showed antibacterial activity against different H. pylori strains. HPLC-PAD-MS characterization demonstrated that extract E1 was mainly composed of highly hydrophilic compounds, such as hydroxytyrosol (HT) and its glucosides, and it was the most effective extract as an antibacterial agent. In contrast, extract E2 was composed mostly of moderately hydrophilic compounds, such as oleuropein (OLE), and it was more effective than extract E1 as an anti-inflammatory agent. Both extracts exhibited similar potential to decrease ROS production. These results show the importance of standardizing the extract composition according to the bioactive properties that should be potentiated.

Evaluation of the antibacterial activity on strains responsible for diarrhoea; antioxidant and cytotoxic activities in vitro of the leaves and trunk bark of Vernonia conferta Benth (Asteraceae)

The high incidence of infectious diseases and the emergence of resistance to modern drugs are current public health concerns. This situation leads to the search for alternatives via medicinal plants. The objective of this study was to assess the properties of Vernonia conferta. We performed an experimental study. The plant material consisted of the leaves and trunk bark of V. conferta. The extraction was carried out by maceration using aqueous and hydro-ethanolic solvents, followed by phytochemical screening of the extracts. An evaluation of the antibacterial potential was carried out by the micro-dilution method and was followed by the evaluation of the antioxidant properties (DPPH and FRAP test) and cytotoxicity (resazurin staining) of the extracts. The E2 and E4 extracts exhibited better extraction yields. The phytochemical screening noted the presence of families of compounds in common (polyphenols, tannins and quinones) and those which are different. The hydro-ethanolic extracts exhibited antibacterial activity on the strains of interest with MICs varying from 2 to 32 mg / mL with a possibility of synergistic action between the compounds. The evaluation of the antioxidant properties showed that the extracts E1, E3 and E4 showed better properties with IC50 = 25.1 ± 0.410; 2.456 ± 0.002; 2.363 ± 0.015 µg / mL respectively according to the tested method. The extracts showed their non-cytotoxicity with CC50&gt; 1000 µg / mL. The activities of hydro-ethanolic extracts of V. conferta suggest that the latter would be a potential raw material for the production of improved traditional medicines.

Soybeans agroindustrial residues as Staphylococcus epidermidis and S. aureus biofilm inhibitors

The reuse of agroindustrial waste has been the subject of several studies since they present rich chemical composition and their disposal generates costs to industries and harmful potential to the environment. Compounds present in soybean residues may have a potential antibiofilm activity, a property still very little explored in this raw material. The seek for active compounds against biofilms, has been extremely important, since they represent a challenge in clinical and industrial environments. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the potential antibiofilm and antimicrobial activities of extracts obtained from soybeans processing residues against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of two crude extracts were evaluated using absorbance (620 nm), colony-forming units (CFU) counting, and the crystal violet method, respectively. The safety of these compounds was assessed using the alternative model Caenorhabditis elegans. The extract obtained from fragments of the grain and stalks (E1) had its chemical characterization investigated and was submitted fractionation by ultrafiltration. The proteomic and metabolomic analysis of an active fraction was performed using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. E1 (4 mg/mL) inhibited 75 % of the S. epidermidis biofilm formation with no inhibition of bacterial growth. Antibiofilm activity of E1 was lost when it was submitted to a heat treatment, while the enzymatic treatment with proteinase K led to a loss of 30 % in the activity of the extract, suggesting that the antibiofilm molecules may be of protein origin. When submitted to the ultrafiltration process, the antibiofilm activity was observed mainly when two fractions (fraction> 50 kDa (R50) and fraction <10 kDa (F10′)) were combined, suggesting that the biological activity is dependent on the combination of the active molecules. The metabolomic analysis of F10′ indicated the presence of flavonoids, lipids, peptides, organic compounds and nucleosides while in the proteomic analysis of R50 a total of 19 proteins were identified. The extract E1 and the active fraction (R50+F10′) showed low toxicity in C. elegans. This work shows that soybeans agroindustrial residues may be a potential source of molecules with activity against bacterial biofilms.

Lasius fuliginosus Nest Carton as a Source of New Promising Bioactive Extracts with Chemopreventive Potential

Six new water extracts (E1–E6) were obtained from nest carton produced by jet black ants Lasius fuliginosus and tested for their biochemical and bioactive properties, including antioxidative and anticancer effects. The present study demonstrated significant qualitative and quantitative differences in the content of individual biochemical constituents, as well as bioactive properties between the investigated samples. All tested extracts demonstrated antioxidant properties (determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) methods), and the highest antioxidative potential was recorded in extracts E1 and E2 (188.96 and 313.67 μg/mL of ascorbic acid equivalent for ABTS and 176.42 and 202.66 μg/mL for DPPH reagent). Furthermore the six extracts exhibited strong inhibitory activity towards human melanoma cells of the A-375 CRL-1619 line in a dose-dependent manner. The most interesting chemopreventive activity was exhibited by extract E2, which inhibited the proliferation of A-375 cells to the greatest extent, while having a minimal effect on Vero cells. The effect on cancer cells has been confirmed using the Electric Cell-substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS) technique. Significant impedance changes have been detected in A-375 and Vero cells following the administration of extract E2. The obtained results are really promising and constitute the basis for further research on the nest carton of jet black ant.

Supercritical Extracts from Arctium lappa as a Potential Inhibitor for the Activation of Complement System

Abstract Arctium lappa is a perennial species of the Asteraceae family originally from Europe and Asia. Considered a weed species in the southern region of Brazil, it is popularly used as a natural anti-inflammatory. The complement system is an important component of the innate immune response. However, its exacerbated activation can lead to harmful conditions like autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Plants that inhibit the activation of complement can be a promising tool in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Here, we evaluated the effect of A. lappa leaves extracts on the activation of the classical and alternative pathways of complement system. Two extracts were obtained under supercritical conditions using scCO2 with ethanol as cosolvent, at 313.15K, 15 MPa (E1) and 25 MPa (E2). Classical and alternative activation were evaluated using complement fixation test. Different concentrations of A. lappa extracts E1 and E2 showed an inhibitory effect on both complement pathways, and heparin was used as control. The IC50 of E1, E2, and heparin were 28.26, 20.12 and 92.54 µg/mL for classical and 26.12, 27.70, 27.78 µg/mL for the alternative pathway. Results demonstrate that A. lappa is a promising complementary treatment for diseases associated with complement activation.

Marine-derived Fungi Extracts Enhance the Cytotoxic Activity of Doxorubicin in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Cells A459.

Background:Drug resistance is a major concern in the current chemotherapeutic approaches and the combination with natural compounds may enhance the cytotoxic effects of the anticancer drugs. Therefore, this study evaluated the cytotoxicity of crude ethyl extracts of six marine-derived fungi – Neosartorya tsunodae KUFC 9213 (E1), Neosartorya laciniosa KUFC 7896 (E2), Neosartorya fischeri KUFC 6344 (E3), Aspergillus similanensis KUFA 0013 (E4), Neosartorya paulistensis KUFC 7894 (E5), and Talaromyces trachyspermum KUFC 0021 (E6) – when combined with doxorubicin (Dox), in seven human cancer cell lines.Materials and Methods:The antiproliferative activity was primarily assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.Results:Two extracts, E1 and E2, demonstrated a significant enhancement of Dox’s cytotoxicity in nonsmall cell lung cancer A549 cells. Accumulation of Dox in the nuclei increased when A549 cells were treated in combination with extracts E1 and E2, with induction of cell death observed by the nuclear condensation assay. The combination of E2 with Dox increased the DNA damage as detected by the comet assay. Ultrastructural observations by transmission electron microscopy suggest an autophagic cell death due to an increase of autophagic vesicles, namely with the combination of Dox with E1 and E2.Conclusion:These findings led to the conclusion that the fungal extracts E1 and E2 potentiate the anticancer action of Dox, through nuclear accumulation of Dox with induction of cell death mainly by cytotoxic autophagy.SUMMARYFungal extracts increase the cytotoxic activity of doxorubicin (Dox) in lung cancer cellsNuclear accumulation of Dox, DNA damage, and cell death as a mechanism of actionFungal extracts may potentiate the anticancer activity of conventional drugs.Abbreviations Used: A375: Human malignant melanoma cell line, A549: Human non small lung cancer cell line, DAPI: 4,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole, DMEM: Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium, DMSO: Dimethylsulfoxide, Dox: Doxorubicin, DSBs: DNA double-strand breaks, E1: Neosartorya tsunodae KUFC 9213, E2: Neosartorya laciniosa KUFC 7896, E3: Neosartorya fischeri KUFC 6344, E4: Aspergillus similanensis KUFA 0013, E5: Neosartorya paulistensis KUFC 7894, E6: Talaromyces trachyspermum KUFC 0021, FBS: Fetal bovine serum, HCT116: Human colorectal carcinoma cell line, HEPES: (N-[2-hydroxyethyl] piperazine-N’- [2-ethane-sulfonic acid]), HepG2: Human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HT29: Human Caucasian colon adenocarcinoma Grade II cell line, IC50: Concentration of the extract or Dox that inhibits cell viability by 50%, LRP: Lung resistance-related protein, MCF7: Human breast adenocarcinoma cell line, MEM: Minimum Essential Medium Eagle, MRPs: Multidrug resistance-associated proteins, MTT: 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline, NSCLC: Nonsmall cell lung cancer, P-gp: P-glycoprotein, ROS: Reactive oxygen species, RPMI: Roswell Park Memorial Institute Medium, TEM: Transmission electron microscopy, U251: Human glioblastoma astrocytoma cell line.

In vitro Antitumour Activity of Tomato-Extracted Carotenoids on Human Colorectal Carcinoma

The aim of this research was to establish whether all-trans lycopene extracted from fresh and frozen tomatoes is able to inhibit the in vitro proliferation of colon cancer cells, to trigger apoptosis by reactive oxygen species modulation and to reveal its influence on NF-kβ signalling, through the p65 transcription factor and expression of two TNF receptors: GITR and CD27. The carotenoid extracts containing all-trans lycopene were obtained from fresh (E1) and frozen/thawed (E2) tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), hybrid ‘Menhir’ F1. DLD-1 and HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines were co-cultivated with the two extracts and cytotoxicity, apoptosis, antioxidant activity, reactive oxygen species as well as modulation of NF-kβ signalling pathway were assessed. Tomato extracts E1 and E2 were able to inhibit colon cancer cell growth in vitro. E2 contained a higher proportion of all-trans lycopene and displayed superior cytotoxicity and a better apoptosis inducing capacity. The two extracts proved antioxidant activity against DPPH radicals and were able to scavenge the reactive oxygen species in the treated tumour cells. This study also showed that lycopene acts mainly through p65 protein and moderately by TNF receptors GITR and CD27 to deactivate the NF-kβ signalling pathway involved in cancer cell proliferation.

Rapid characterization of heteroatomic molecules in a bio-oil from pyrolysis of rice husk using atmospheric solids analysis probe mass spectrometry

Bio-oil from pyrolysis of rice husk (RHBO) was investigated using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer equipped with an atmospheric solids analysis probe ion source to afford rapid and accurate characterization of molecular information. RHBO was sequentially extracted with n-hexane, tetrachloromethane, benzene, dichloromethane, trichloromethane and ethyl acetate in order of increasing solvent polarity to acquire extracts E1 to E6. Heteroatomic species, especially oxygen-containing compounds, in the extracts were well characterized and statistically compared. Solvents with low polarity inclined to extract species with relative low molecular mass and low polarity from RHBO. There were amounts of lignin monomers identified in the extracts and most of them contained 1∼4 oxygen atoms, which was consistent with the acidity of bio-oil due to the existence of phenolic OH inside. Species with molecular mass over 500Da were detected with around 5% of relative content, which could not be revealed by other analytical methods such as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Removal of estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) from wastewater by liquid–liquid extraction

• Huge concerns about occurrence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in water. • EDCs have tendency to distribute to organic solvents. • Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane was effective to extract E1, E2 and EE2. • The distribution coefficients were not affected by pH up to pH 9.5. • Liquid–liquid extraction was effective to remove estrogenic potency from water. With the recent wide spread concerns of the environmental and public health effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), it is becoming important to develop new techniques to remove these substances from wastewater. EDCs find their way to the environment mainly via effluents from WWTPs. They are often cited as moderately hydrophobic, hence they have tendency to distribute to organic solvents and can then be removed using liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) techniques. However, despite being a mature chemical engineering unit operation, LLE has not been studied for the removal of EDCs in water. This study investigated the removal of three EDCs of concerns including estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) using decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) as an extraction solvent in three water matrix types (Milli-Q, tap water, and a secondary treated wastewater). The study showed that all three EDCs were distributed to D5 but at varying distribution coefficients: K E1 = 2.66, K E2 = 0.61 and K EE2 = 1.67 ± 5% at pH 6 and 20 °C. Due to the high p K a values of the three EDCs, pH had no significant effect on K EDCs up to about pH 9.5 but higher pHs reduced the distribution ratios up to almost zero at pH 12. Van’t Hoff equation described the effect of temperature on K EDCs and showed that the process was endothermic. The overall estrogenic potency of the three EDCs in mixtures was quantified with an E2 equivalent potency, which was found to distribute well into the solvent at a K E2EQ = 1.43. The study suggests that LLE is an effective method to remove estrogenic potency of wastewater.

Polysaccharide extracts of the brown alga Sargassumasperifolium possess in vitro cancer chemopreventive properties

The cancer chemopreventive activity of the polysaccharide extracts (E1–E4) of Sargassum asperifolium, a brown alga in Red Sea shores in Egypt, was investigated. Tumour anti-initiation activity (the modulation of carcinogen metabolism) indicated that E3 and E4 were potent anti-initiators by inhibiting the carcinogen activator cytochrome P450-1A, and enhancing carcinogen detoxification enzymes glutathione-S-transferase. Only E4 significantly enhanced quinone reductase activity. All polysaccharide extracts possessed anti-promotion property by their anti-inflammatory activity. E3 and E4 dramatically induced the growth of spleen macrophages. E2, E3 and E4 significantly inhibited nitric oxide generation from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated spleen macrophages, while E1, E3 and E4 led to significant inhibition of LPS-induced tumour necrosis factor-α. The extracts E1, E2 and E4 showed cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells, where E2 and E4 induced cell death due to apoptosis. In conclusion, E3 and E4 are promising cancer chemopreventive extracts, since they had tumour anti-initiating activity via their protective modulation of carcinogen metabolism.

Anti-genotoxic effect of the Sargassum dentifolium extracts: prevention of chromosomal aberrations, micronuclei, and DNA fragmentation.

The alga Sargassum dentifolium (Turner) C. Agardh, belongs to Sargassaceae, is a brown seaweed in red sea shores in Egypt. This work aimed to extract different water-soluble polysaccharide extracts (E1, E2, and E3) from S. dentifolium and to investigate their protective effect against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced genotoxicity. Mice bone marrow cells (BMCs) were collected and analyzed for the chromosomal aberration, micronucleated BMCs (MN-BMCs), the mitotic index, DNA fragmentation by comet assay, and histone deacetylases (HDACs), and radical scavenging capacity of extracts was evaluated by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay. The results indicated that E2 and E3 significantly inhibited CP-induced multiple chromosomal aberrations, where E1 and E3 significantly suppressed the number of CP-induced formation of tetraploidy. The extracts prohibited the cytotoxic effect of CP and recovered the mitotic activity, whereas E1 possessed the highest recovery and mitosis. In absence of MN, CP induced formation of bi- and poly-nucleated BMCs. E1 prohibited CP-induced formation of bi-nucleated BMCs, while E2 and E3 prohibited CP-induced formation of poly-nucleated BMCs. CP-induced MN-BMCs were accompanied with mono-, bi- and poly-nucleated cells. E1 and E3 remarkably suppressed mono-nucleated MN-BMCs, while E2 inhibited bi-nucleated MN-BMCs. All the extracts significantly inhibited the CP-induced formation of poly-nucleated MN-BMCs. CP-induced DNA fragmentation was inhibited by all extracts, where E1 was the strongest inhibitor as concluded from the comet tail moment. All the extracts were strong OH scavengers, while only E3 was ROO scavenger. The results revealed a drastic decline in HDACs activity by E1 and E3. In conclusion, S. dentifolium polysaccharide extracts E1 and E3 possessed a potential anti-genotoxic and a promising anti-mutagenic activity.

Antimicrobial effect of cranberry juice and extracts

The antimicrobial effect of cranberry juice and of three cranberry extracts (water-soluble (E1) and apolar phenolic compounds (E2), and anthocyanins (E3)) was investigated against seven bacterial strains (Enterococcus faecium resistant to vancomycin (ERV), Escherichia coli O157:H7 EDL 933, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Listeria monocytogenes HPB 2812, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442, Salmonella Typhimurium SL1344, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213). Each cranberry sample was analyzed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the maximal tolerated concentration (MTC) at neutral pH. The results, reported in μg phenol/mL, indicated that all the bacterial strains, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative, were selectively inhibited by the cranberry phenolic compounds. The extract rich in water-soluble phenolic compounds caused the most important growth inhibitions. The bacteria ERV, and to a lesser degree, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and E. coli ATCC 25922, were the most sensitive to the antimicrobial activity of extract E1. The growth of P. aeruginosa and E. coli ATCC was also affected by the presence of the anthocyanin-rich cranberry extract E3, although the observed antibacterial effect was not as important as with extract E1. In general, L. monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium were the most resistant to the antibacterial activity of the cranberry extracts. Within 30 min of exposure with pure neutralized cranberry juice, L. monocytogenes and ERV were completely inactivated.

Utilization of tomato waste as a source of polyphenolic antioxidants

This study is concerned with the effects of two extraction procedures (using ultrasonic bath and high performance homogenizer) on the extraction efficiency of polyphenolics present in the tomato waste. The isolation of flavonoid fraction of obtained extracts was performed by solid-phase extraction. The antioxidant activity of flavonoid fractions was determined using different spectrophotometric tests, including reducing power and 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assays. The content of total polyphenolics and flavonoids in extract obtained employing homogenizer (E2) was higher than in the extract obtained employing ultrasonic bath (E1), and it was 14.33 mg/g and 7.70 mg/g, respectively. The flavonoid fraction (EF2) of extract E2 showed higher antioxidant activity than flavonoid fraction (EF1) of extract E1. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity of fractions EF1 and EF2, expressed as EC50 value, were 0.78 mg/ml and 0.45 mg/ml, respectively. The obtained results show that tomato wastes can be used as an easily accessible source of antioxidant polyphenolics.

Densidade básica e variação dimensional de um híbrido clonal de Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis

Espécies de rápido crescimento como as do gênero Eucalyptus apresentam sérios problemas durante as diversas fases de processamento de desdobro, secagem e beneficiamento. Assim, este trabalho objetivou estudar as propriedades físicas da madeira de um híbrido clonal de Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis de duas idades, provenientes de regeneração florestal por talhadia simples e por reforma, em diferentes intensidades de desbaste, com diâmetros entre 28,0 e 30,0 cm. Os resultados indicaram que o extrato de maior idade com intervenção de dois desbastes (E2) apresentou os maiores valores médios da densidade básica ao longo do fuste e na direção medula-casca, além de menores contrações volumétricas médias e menor fator anisotrópico médio (1,66). Apesar de o extrato E1, com talhadia e 70 meses de idade, cujo fator anisotrópico médio foi igual a 1,92, ser próximo do extrato E3, em que foi realizada apenas uma reforma aos 70 meses de idade, com fator anisotrópico igual a 2,04 ao longo do fuste, o extrato E1 apresentou os menores resultados de densidade básica média e retratibilidade média na primeira tora em relação à segunda. O mesmo comportamento foi verificado na contração volumétrica. O coeficiente de anisotropia na tora 2 foi menor do que na tora 1, nos extratos E1 e E3.

Limits of Linear Rate Coding of Dynamic Stimuli by Electroreceptor Afferents

We estimated the frequency-intensity (f-I) curves of P-unit electroreceptors using 4-Hz random amplitude modulations (RAMs) and using the covariance method (50-Hz RAMs). Both methods showed that P units are linear encoders of stimulus amplitude with additive noise; the gain of the f-I curve was, on average, 0.32 and 2.38 spikesxs(-1)xmicroV(-1) for the low- and high-frequency cutoffs, respectively. There were two sources of apparent noise in the encoding process: the first was the variability of baseline P-unit discharge and the second was the variation of receptor discharge due to variability of the stimulus slope independent of its intensity. The covariance method showed that a linear combination of eigenvectors representing the time-weighted stimulus intensity (E1) and its derivative (E2) could account for, on average, 92% of the total response variability; E1 by itself accounted for 76% of the variability. The low gain of the low-frequency f-I curve implies that detection of small (1 microV) signals would require integration over many receptors ( approximately 1,200) and time (200 ms); even then, signals that elicit behavioral responses could not be detected using rate coding with the estimated gain and noise levels. Weak signals at the limit of behavioral thresholds could be detected if the animal were able to extract E1 from the population of responding P units; we propose a tentative mechanism for this operation although there is no evidence as to whether it is actually implemented in the nervous system of these fish.

Studies of anticancer and antipyretic activity of Bidens pilosa whole plant.

Screening of different extracts and fractions from the plant Bidens pilosa Linn. var. (Asteraceae) has been conducted using the in-vitro comet assay for anticancer and the antipyretic action, which was done with in-vivo models. The extract from whole plant was extracted with n-hexane, chloroform and methanol extract (E1 - E3). The extracts were fractioned by column chromatography method and fractioned with ethyl acetate, acetone and water (F1 - F3). All the extracts and fractions were tested for anticancer and antipyretic activity. Among extracts E1 shows remarkable anticancer activity and E3 bears maximum antipyretic activity. In the antipyretic activity, paracetamol was used as the standard test drug. The most promising material (LC50 < 1500 microg/ml) was F1 ethyl acetate fractions of methanolic extract and methanolic crude extract of whole plants. However, little correlation was observed in the degree of antipyretic activity between the test drug and standard drug. In conclusion, the extract obtained from the whole plant of Bidens pilosa showed a significant cytotoxic effect to methanolic extract against Hela cells by in vitro method and showed a comparable antipyretic activity effect to paracetamol in rabbit pyrogen test.

Neoallergens in Heated Soybean Hull

Background: During the process of harvest, transport and storage, microbial and mold contamination can raise the temperature of soybeans to 75°C or higher. The purposes of this study were (1) to evaluate the allergenicity of fresh and stored soybean hulls and (2) to ascertain whether heat alters the allergenicity of stored soybean hulls. Methods: Allergen extracts were prepared from (1) stored soybean hulls, (2) fresh soybean hulls and (3) stored soybean hulls heated to 37°C (E1), 55°C (E2) and 80°C (E3) or kept at room temperature (E4) for 16 h. Individual serum from 68 soybean asthmatic (SA) subjects, 30 nonallergic subjects and two serum pools made from 4 SA sera and 4 sera from asthmatics not sensitive to soybean were studied. All sera and serum pools were assayed for content of specific IgE (radioallergosorbent test) and IgG4 (ELISA). The following additional studies were done for extracts E1–E4: (1) SDS–PAGE, (2) SDS–PAGE/Western blot for specific IgE and IgG4 using both serum pools, and (3) study of the effects of heat on inhibiting activity of the extracts prepared from stored soybean hulls using the pool of SA sera. Results: Test results demonstrated a reduced binding of specific IgE and IgG4 to fresh soybean hull extract compared to stored soybean hull extract, and an increased binding for heated extracts (E1–E3) compared to unheated ones (E4). Moreover, there was an increase in potency for IgE and IgG4 bindings for the heated (E1–E3) compared to unheated (E4) extract, as measured by the amount of protein to produce 50% inhibition. Several protein bands with a molecular weight (MW) higher than 20 kD were absent from the SDS–PAGE for E3 but were present in E1, E2 and E4, and a new protein band (MW 15.3 kD) appeared for E3 only. Two new protein bands, with MWs of 15.3 and 10 kD, which bind specific IgE, were present on Western blot and one of the 3 main soybean hull allergens, probably Gly m 2, disappeared in E3. IgG4 Western blot showed similar results, but only the 10 kD protein band was present. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that soybean hull allergenicity is affected by heat, and suggest that the heat generated during storage and transport of soybeans could generate 2 new allergen determinants or increases in epitope exposure as a result of conformational changes. The significance of these new IgE and IgG4 binding proteins has yet to be determined.