Important Phytochemicals Research Articles

Overview of Phytochemical Composition of Brassica oleraceae var. capitata Cultivars

The Brassicaceae family includes a wide range of horticultural crops of economic and traditional importance, consumed either fresh, cooked, or fermented. Cabbage (Brassica oleraceae var. capitata) is one of the most important crops of the family. The present review analyzes the most important phytochemicals present in cabbage, focusing on variation of phytochemical composition between cultivars of B. oleraceae var. capitata f. alba, B. oleraceae var. capitata f. rubra, B. oleraceae var. capitata f. acuta, and B. oleraceae var. capitata f. sabauda. Cabbage form and cultivars significantly affect phytochemical compositions. B. oleraceae var. capitata f. rubra cultivars are generally great sources of phenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins, whereas B. oleraceae var. capitata f. alba cultivars display the highest concentration of glucosinolates; nevertheless, their levels are also dependent on the specific cultivar. B. oleraceae var. capitata f. acuta cultivars may be considered advantageous due to their high glucosinolate content and consistent phytochemical composition. Recognizing the benefits of specific cultivars can be valuable for consumers seeking a healthier lifestyle, as well as for scientists aiming to enhance cultivars through breeding programs or use plants’ extracts to produce high quality pigments and dietary supplements.

Phytochemical Screening and Characterization of Volatile Compounds from Three Medicinal Plants with Reported Anticancer Properties Using GC-MS

Annona senegalensis pers, Sutherlandia frutescens (L.), and Withania somnifera (L.) are abundant plants and widely distributed in the Limpopo, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, North West and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa. The three plants are among those used by traditional healers and herbalists in South Africa for the treatment of a variety of diseases, including cancer. The current study aimed at the phytochemical screening and characterization of volatile compounds from the three medicinal plants using GC-MS. The methanol leaf extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening using standard chemical tests to detect the presence of different classes of compounds. Volatile compounds were detected by GC-MS analysis, and detected compounds were identified by comparing the MS spectral data with those of compounds deposited in the NIST Library (NIST08). Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of different secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, quinones, steroids, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, and terpenoids in all plants. GC-MS chromatograms allowed the detection and identification of 19 volatile compounds among the three plants with known bioactivities that are important in the management of life-threatening diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The results confirm the leaves of Annona senegalensis, Sutherlandia frutescens, and Withania somnifera as sources of important phytochemicals and therefore justify their use for the treatment of various diseases by traditional healers.

Phytochemical screening and evaluation of antibacterial, antipyretic, hypoglycemic, and anxiolytic effects of Adiantum philippense leaf extracts

Adiantum philippense (AP) is a source of various important phytochemicals and has been traditionally used to cure many diseases, including dysentery, ulcers, fevers, cooling, and elephantiasis. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-bacterial, anti-pyretic, analgesic, and anxiolytic effects of AP using a number of in vitro and in vivo test protocols. For this, dried leaves were extracted by the Soxhlet extractor using ethanol. The crude ethanol extract was then fractionated by treating with chloroform and n-hexane. A preliminary phytochemical screening was done for its crude extracts. The antibacterial activity of ethanol, chloroform, and n-hexane extracts of AP was tested against 10 pathogenic bacteria at concentrations of 500 µg/disc. The ethanol extract showed significant activity against Gram (+ve) and Gram (-ve) bacteria. In mice, the chloroform extracts showed significant (p <0.05) antipyretic and hypoglycemic effects, while the ethanol extract exerted significant anxiolytic effects on mice. The results obtained from this study indicate that AP leaf extracts contain important phytochemical groups and exert antibacterial, antipyretic, hypoglycemic, and anxiolytic effects. Further studies are required to isolate the bioactive compounds responsible for these claimed biological activities.

The Potential of Emerging Medicinal Plants and their Phytoconstituents in Treating Alzheimer's Disease

Backgrounds: Alzheimer's disease (AD) impacts a total of 30 million individuals worldwide, resulting in the impairment of brain cells. Despite the approval of medications, there are still poor results and adverse effects that continue to exist, which has led to continued research for more effective treatments. Objectives: We prioritize the study of medicinal plants and their bioactive chemicals to attract researchers and pharmaceutical companies interested in producing powerful herbal medicines and semi-synthetic drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, although minimizing any potential adverse effects. Methods: This review investigate the effective use of medicinal plants and their phytochemicals in the treatment of AD to manage its growth and relieve symptoms via improving cognitive deficits. Result: These medicinal plants and their phytochemicals contribute to the treatment of AD by protecting against cell damage induced by beta amyloid, improving memory and learning abilities, functioning as nerve tonics, and exhibiting strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Furthermore, they have demonstrated therapeutic benefits in the management of AD. The finding suggests that several phytoconstituents/ plant metabolites are present in numerous anti-Alzheimer's plants known for their anti-Alzheimer's properties such as rosmarinic acid, quercetin, kaempferol, gallic acid, β-sitosterol, oleic acid and linalool. In addition, this article emphasizes the anti- Alzheimer's disease significance of various important phytochemicals. Conclusions: The review proposes that medicinal plants and their bioactive phytochemicals hold potential as a viable alternative treatment for AD. The utilization of these medicinal plants can improve memory and decrease the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease in the future.

In vivo and in silico studies of membrane-stabilizing and clot lysis activities of Trachyspermum ammi

Trachyspermum ammi contains many important phytochemicals, including thymol, which is used to treat many diseases. This study aimed to check the membrane-stabilizing and clot-lysis capacity of the ethanol extract of T. ammi (ETA) and its main chemical component, thymol (THY). For this, we used hypotonic solution-induced erythrocyte lysing and egg-albumin protein denaturation for membrane-stabilizing capacity and human blood clot lysis for anti-atherombosis capacity. Further, we observed in silico study of THY and ntric oxide synthase (NOSs) isoform. The stabilizing effects of ETA and THY on the membrane changed depending on the concentration. At the highest concentration (160 μg/mL), they stopped the most bleeding, while the standard drug, acetylsalicylic acid, stopped less bleeding at the same concentration. In the erythrocyte lysing test, ETA showed 102.60 ± 0.01 and 75.83 ± 1.44% membrane protection. In the egg-albumin denaturation test, they showed 27.62 ± 0.02% and 56.71 ± 0.02% membrane protection, respectively. In our clot lysis experiment, ETA and THY also showed significant and concentration-dependent clot lysis capacity. The IC50 and EC50 values of THY were lower than ETA when it came to keeping the membrane stable and breaking up clots, respectively. In our in silico investigation, THY and NOSs showed significant binding interaction. Taken together, ETA and its major component, THY, exhibited potent membrane stabilizing activity and clot lysis activity in in vitro studies. Further studies are required to elucidate its other active principles and their biological effects, along with possible mechanisms.

COVID-19-Associated Sepsis: Potential Role of Phytochemicals as Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals.

The acute manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exhibit the hallmarks of sepsis-associated complications that reflect multiple organ failure. The inflammatory cytokine storm accompanied by an imbalance in the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory host response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leads to severe and critical septic shock. The sepsis signature in severely afflicted COVID-19 patients includes cellular reprogramming and organ dysfunction that leads to high mortality rates, emphasizing the importance of improved clinical care and advanced therapeutic interventions for sepsis associated with COVID-19. Phytochemicals of functional foods and nutraceutical importance have an incredible impact on the healthcare system, which includes the prevention and/or treatment of chronic diseases. Hence, in the present review, we aim to explore the pathogenesis of sepsis associated with COVID-19 that disrupts the physiological homeostasis of the body, resulting in severe organ damage. Furthermore, we have summarized the diverse pharmacological properties of some potent phytochemicals, which can be used as functional foods as well as nutraceuticals against sepsis-associated complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The phytochemicals explored in this article include quercetin, curcumin, luteolin, apigenin, resveratrol, and naringenin, which are the major phytoconstituents of our daily food intake. We have compiled the findings from various studies, including clinical trials in humans, to explore more into the therapeutic potential of each phytochemical against sepsis and COVID-19, which highlights their possible importance in sepsis-associated COVID-19 pathogenesis. We conclude that our review will open a new research avenue for exploring phytochemical-derived therapeutic agents for preventing or treating the life-threatening complications of sepsis associated with COVID-19.

The Anticoccidial In Vitro Effects and Antioxidant Properties of Several Plants Traditionally Used for Coccidiosis in Togo.

Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease that often affects livestock. Identifying plants with inhibitory effects on the development of the parasite could help in finding new natural treatments. This study aimed to evaluate the anticoccidial potentials of extracts from Azadirachta indica leaves (AILs), Combretum micranthum leaves (CMLs), Carica papaya seeds (CPSs), Sarcocephalus latifolius roots (SLRs), and Vernonia amygdalina leaves (VALs). The in vitro anticoccidial efficacy of the extracts was evaluated through oocyst sporulation inhibition and sporozoite viability inhibition assays of Eimeria oocysts. The setup was examined for 72 h (every 24 h) of incubation. The DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power were used to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the extracts. Among the tested extracts, the SLR, CPS, and AIL extracts exhibited the maximum oocyst sporulation inhibition (75.85 ± 1.21%, 74.53 ± 1.65%, and 71.58 ± 0.24%, respectively) at a concentration of 75 mg/mL of plant extracts against the Eimeria species. The Sarcocephalus latifolius root extract showed the highest radical scavenging capacity (76.25 ± 0.53) and reducing power (86.21 ± 4.28). The biochemical screening of the selected plant extracts revealed the presence of antioxidant compounds such as phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, and carbohydrates. The SLR extract contained the highest amounts of phenols (56.11 ± 0.33 µg/mL) and flavonoids (36.65 ± 1.85 µg/mL). In conclusion, the selected hydro-ethanolic extracts from these plants possess excellent anticoccidial and antioxidant activities, which can be attributed to the presence of medicinally important phytochemicals. Further research is needed to identify and isolate the active anticoccidial compounds from these plants, which could be utilized in the development of drugs against coccidiosis.

Kinetic evaluation of Azadirichtin and related phytoconstituents extraction from Azadirachtaindica (neem) and Melia azedarach (chinaberry) seeds using ultrasound assisted extraction and maceration

The comparative extraction of total phenolic compounds from A. indica and M. azedarach seed powder using two different methodologies is evaluated. The solvent screening was done using soxhlet extraction for six different solvents and methanol had the maximum extraction capacity for both seed powder. Extraction of total phenolic compounds from A. indica and M. azedarach seed powder was done using maceration and ultrasound. The kinetics and extraction mechanism was evaluated using popular three empirical and five semi-empirical models along with scanning electron micrograph analysis. The rate constants showed an enhancement in extraction kinetics of about 4.5 fold for M. azedarach and 7.8 fold for A. indica seeds using ultrasound. Based on model evaluation, extraction using maceration for both seeds follows inter-particle diffusion as the rate-limiting step with non-swelling behaviour. Whereas, in the case of ultrasound, the dependence of rate is on the diffusion of solute within the solid and the solid surface to the solvent. In addition, HPLC and GC-MS analysis suggested differences in the composition of extracts and some important phytochemicals were extracted in larger quantities using ultrasound as compared to maceration.

Multifaceted role of phytoconstituents based nano drug delivery systems in combating TNBC: A paradigm shift from chemical to natural.

Triple negative breast cancer is considered to be a malignancy of grave concern with limited routes of treatment due to the absence of specific breast cancer markers and ambiguity of other potential drug targets. Poor prognosis and inadequate survival rates have prompted further research into the understanding of the molecular pathophysiology and targeting of the disease. To overcome the recurrence and resistance mechanisms of the TNBC cells, various approaches have been devised, and are being continuously evaluated to enhance their efficacy and safety. Chemo-Adjuvant therapy is one such treatment modality being employed to improve the efficiency of standard chemotherapy. Combining chemo-adjuvant therapy with other upcoming approaches of cancer therapeutics such as phytoconstituents and nanotechnology has yielded promising results in the direction of improving the prognosis of TNBC. Numerous nanoformulations have been proven to substantially enhance the specificity and cellular uptake of drugs by cancer cells, thus reducing the possibility of unintended systemic side effects within cancer patients. While phytoconstituents offer a wide variety of beneficial active constituents useful in cancer therapeutics, most favorable outcomes have been observed within the scope of polyphenols, isoquinoline alkaloids and isothiocyanates. With an enhanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms of TNBC and the advent of newer targeting technologies and novel phytochemicals of medicinal importance, a new era of cancer theranostic treatments can be explored. This review hopes to instantiate the current body of research regarding the role of certain phytoconstituents and their potential nanoformulations in targeting specific TNBC pathways for treatment and diagnostic purposes.

Eco-friendly and efficient extraction of phenolic compounds from Commiphora gileadensis bark using microwave-assisted extraction

Commiphora gileadensis (C. gileadensis) is a medicinal plant with a variety of biological activity; its bark has several therapeutic potentials, including the treatment of wounds, inflammatory diseases, and treating bacterial infections. This study utilized microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) to optimize the recovery and phenolic components of the ethanolic extracts of C. gileadensis bark. Different MAE process parameters (microwave power, irradiation time, sample/solvent ratio, extraction temperature, and solvent (ethanol) concentration) were studied for their impacts on the extraction process using One-Factor-At-a-Time (OFAT) method. The extracts were further characterized for the presence of different phytochemicals using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (FC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. The experimental findings revealed that the maximum extraction yield, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) of the ethanolic extract of the of C. gileadensis bark using MAE process were 39.40 ± 0.47 w/w%, 166.41 ± 3.97 mg GAE/g d.w., and 52.83 ± 2.95 mg QE/g d.w., respectively. Furthermore, 30 phenolic constituents were discovered in the extract of C. gileadensis bark for the first time, and these compounds showed good in vitro antioxidant activity. Hence, MAE is a suitable technique for efficient and green extraction of different groups of phytochemicals of pharmaceutical importance from the bark of C. gileadensis.

Chemical and Biological Profiling of Derris Scandens (Roxb.) Benth

Plants have been a valuable source of bioactive phytochemicals since ancient times, providing mankind with important compounds that can be utilized in the development of innovative therapeutics for various diseases. Chemical investigation of Derris scandens (Roxb.) Benth., a plant with a long history of traditional use, led to the identification of two flavonoids such as Scandenone and Lupalbigenin. The 1H NMR spectroscopic analysis along with comparison to similar compounds in the literature, helped to elucidate the structures of these compounds. The crude methanol extract was fractionated, and different fractions were evaluated for their antioxidant, cytotoxic, and thrombolytic activities. Among the fractions, the ethyl acetate and chloroform soluble fractions showed the highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity, while the chloroform soluble fraction demonstrated significant lethality in the brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The petroleum ether soluble fraction exhibited substantial thrombolytic activity. The extraction of these important phytochemicals from the plant has brought new insights into the field of drug discovery, potentially facilitating the development and exploration of novel therapeutics. However, additional investigations are advised to gain a comprehensive understanding of their precise molecular mechanisms and potential toxicological effects. Bangladesh J. Bot. 53(2): 227-233, 2024 (June)

Phytochemicals: a promising approach to control infectious bursal disease.

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is one of the dangerous diseases of poultry that affects the bursa of Fabricius, which is an important organ of the bird's immune system. IBD virus is resistant to many drugs, making its control difficult. Vaccination of IBD is in practice for a long time worldwide to control IBD, but secondary issues like vaccine failure and lower efficacy lead to their reduced use in the field. Multiple medicines are currently used, but the phytochemicals have emerged as promising agents for controlling IBD. The drugs to be developed should possess direct antiviral properties by targeting viral entry mechanisms, enhancing the host immune response, and inhibiting viral protein synthesis. Phytochemicals have potential to contribute to food security by minimizing the possibility of disease outbreaks and ensuring that consumers worldwide obtain healthy poultry products. It has been now claimed that direct and indirect activities of phytochemicals can be effective in the control of IBDV. Although available evidence suggest that the phytochemicals can contribute in controlling occurrence IBDV, there is a definite need of focused studies to gain more insight and develop rational strategies for their practical use. This review highlights the disease caused by IBDV, inhibition of viral replication, boosting the immune system, disruption of viral membrane, and important phytochemicals showing antiviral activities against IBDV.

PRELIMINARY PHYSICO CHEMICAL AND CHROMATOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF VASA ARKA (LEAF OF ADATHODA VASICA NEES) FOR DEVELOPMENT OF DOSAGE FORM FOR NEBULISATION

In the present scenario where the number of people being affected with respiratory ailments is at high, a proper management technique with best effect and least side effects has become a necessity. A nebulizing agent is far more potent than an oral medicine due to its increased absorption as well as its assimilation rate. Vasa (Adathoda vasica Nees) is one of the best medicines used for respiratory illness in the science of Ayurveda. According to literature review it possesses swasa kasahara action. Researches have been conducted on this herbal medicine over respiratory ailments and showed positive results. But no information is obtained on the nebulization effect of Vasa. The present study aims to evaluate the physicochemical parameters of Vasa arka &amp; Vasa swarasa and to analyse the chromatography profile of Vasa arka and Vasa swarasa. Through this research, an attempt is done to expand the potential possibilities of Vasa as a nebulizing agent. The Pharmaceutical study includes collection of genuine Vasa leaves followed by its pre- processing and finally conversion to the Vasa swarasa and Vasa arka. Physico-chemical analysis was carried out as per parameters mentioned in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.8. Preliminary phytochemical investigations were carried out by following standard procedure.However In the present study, the preliminary phytochemical analysis of the swarasa and arka of vasa revealed the presence of important antioxidant phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds. The study revealed that vasa is inherently having bronchodilatory action. Preparing arka of the same retained the volatile oil and active principles that were responsible for the bronchodilating action. The present study concluded that vasa arka are effective in the management of respiratory illness in the form of nebulizing agents.

Phyto- and biochemical study on cape gooseberry (physalis peruviana L.) extract incorporated with metal nanoparticles against hepatic injury induced in rats

The study aimed to investigate the role of metal nanoparticles (M-NPs) in improving the efficiency of Physalis peruviana (Cape gooseberry) juice, which is rich in numerous important therapeutic phytochemicals. Therefore, it was subsequently studied against chemically-induced toxicity in rats. The present study demonstrated that C. gooseberry juice was used for the biosynthesis of silver (Ag-NPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). The ZnO-C. gooseberry nano-extract exhibited higher in vitro biological activities compared to the other extracts. It was also found to be safer when administered orally. Moreover, it demonstrated a greater ameliorative effect against hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats. It restored the integrity of the liver tissue by increasing levels of antioxidant enzymes and reducing the inflammatory markers significantly (p ≤ 0.05). The study found that the ZnO-C. gooseberry nano-extract demonstrated greater efficacy in combating CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity compared to the other extracts.

HPLC based Phytochemicals Analysis of Phyllanthus emblica (Indian Gooseberry/Amla): A mini Review

High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is an analytical tool extensively used for the scientific analysis of components in a mixture. Several reports attribute its high analytical potential to bioactive components from different medicinal plants. Hepatic disorders, which have been a major threat to public health for decades, affect cells, tissues, structure, or liver function. The damage caused by this can be triggered by biological causes, autoimmune diseases, excessive alcohol consumption, or the action of different compounds, for instance, few medicines. Phyllanthus emblica Linn. is a therapeutic plant that has been used to treat liver disorders in Asia for many decades now. It is mentioned in the Ayurvedic scriptures for its medicinal value. This review focuses on the intricacies of HPLC-based extraction and analysis of medicinally important phytochemicals, notably for hepatic disorders from the P. emblica plant. This will be useful for future phytochemical analysts working with medicinal plants.

Development and validation of a UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of organic acids and phenolic compounds in Filipendula vulgaris, Polygonum divaricatum, Hypericum linarioides, and Rheum ribes

This research focused on investigating biologically active and pharmaceutically important phytochemicals using reliable and reproducible analytical techniques specifically designed for traditional medicinal plants. Considering the complex chemical diversity present in plant extracts, reliable identification methods are crucial. The goal of this study was to develop and validate a robust UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of organic acids (OAs) and phenolic compounds (PCs). With gradient elution of water containing 0.1 % formic acid and acetonitrile containing 0.1 % formic acid as the mobile phase, OAs and PCs were separated chromatographically on a C18 reversed-phase column. Through the use of an electrospray ionization source operating in negative ionization mode, these compounds were identified on a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer. The validation results clearly indicate that the method exhibited linearity with a squared correlation coefficient (R2 ≥ 0.9986), demonstrating sensitivity (LOQ: 1.08 µg/L-10.79 µg/L), precision (RSD%≤2.73), and trueness (RE% ≤ 1.53) for the OAs and PCs found in the plants. The developed UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was successfully applied to the qualitative and quantitative analysis of OAs and PCs in Turkish plants, which are commonly used in traditional medicine. Our study identified a total of 12 OAs and PCs in F. vulgaris, 12 in P. divaricatum, 9 in H. linarioides, and 11 in R. ribes. In particular, gallic acid had the highest content in F. vulgaris (925.67 µg/g extract) and R. ribes (1358.78 µg/g extract), while H. linarioides (730.66 µg/g extract) and P. divaricatum (4003.02 µg/g extract) had relatively high levels of quinic acid. In conclusion, the developed UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method allows the simultaneous analysis and quantification of 2 OAs and 33 PCs in plants and proves to be a valuable tool for evaluating the efficacy of traditional medicinal plants.

Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant activities, total phenolic and elemental contents of common herbs and spices (Moringa oleifera leaves, Allium sativum (Garlic) and Momordica charantia (ejinrin) leaves) in South-West Nigeria

Abstract Natural remedies are being widely utilized in some disease’s conditions including cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, atherosclerosis hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. The therapeutic intervention of medicinal plants and spices cannot be overemphasized in the management and control of diseases but the exact modes of action of these herbs and plants have not been fully elucidated. This research work was designed to study the expression of selected elements, zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd); the phytochemical and the in vitro antioxidant properties of ethanolic extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves, Allium sativum (Garlic) and Momordica charantia (ejinrin) leaves for their potential involvement in the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases and cancer through different chemical methods. In vitro antioxidant properties were assayed by investigating 2,2-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals scavenging potentials and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP); total phenolic content was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu assay and the elemental contents of these extracts was investigated through the use of Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). All tests were run in triplicates and analysed. Our results revealed that the ethanolic extracts of M. oleifera leaves, A. sativum (Garlic) and M. charantia (ejinrin) leaves possess significant antioxidant activities and express important and beneficial elements (in marginal and trace amounts) and phytochemicals. These results suggest that the medicinal attributes of these plants may be linked to the radical scavenging abilities, beneficial elements and phytochemicals expression of their ethanolic extracts which may likely be a good direction in the area of drug discovery and development.

Physicochemical, rheological, sensory, and proximal properties of yogurt flavored with&amp;nbsp;Aloe vera gel

Aloe vera leaves have a transparent mucilaginous, showing an important polysaccharides content and potential bioactive phytochemicals. This study evaluated the physicochemical, rheological, sensorial, and proximal properties of yogurt elaborated using Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus and flavored with Aloe vera gel. Previous studies have shown that the variation of some ingredients, such as the percentage of fat or inoculum, can modify the sensory and rheological characteristics of fermented dairy beverages. Different treatments were prepared using a 2n factorial design varying the percentage of fat (2 and 3%), inoculum (2 and 3%), and Aloe vera gel (5 and 10%).All the samples presented pseudoplastic behavior, and the power law equation showed a better fit in all the samples. The higher percentage of inoculum decreased the fermentation time and increased the apparent viscosity. An increase in fat concentration amplified yogurt&amp;rsquo;s pH, &amp;deg;Brix, and pseudoplastic behavior. Meanwhile, the gel increased the percentage of syneresis and decreased the apparent viscosity.The formulation with 3% fat, 3% inoculum, and 5% Aloe vera gel obtained higher values in these sensory parameters of smell, flavor, appearance, and acceptability. The production of supplemented probiotic yogurt- up to 5% Aloe vera gel is feasible from an industrial and consumer point of view since it shows acceptable sensory, nutritional, and microbiological characteristics.

Chemical Constituents of Loranthaceae (Mistletoes): A Review

This article review is designed to bring some updates on the phytochemistry of the Loranthaceae family in order to throw more light on future research priorities. Loranthaceae family is the leading pantropical semi parasitic shrubs generally termed mistletoe. They consist of about 75 genera and 1000 species growing in many countries of Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, South America and New Zealand with diverse widespread uses in adornment, food and medication. The literatures for this review was collected from various online databases: Google Scholar, PubMed, Research gate, Science Direct, Scopus and web of Science for nine genera namely, Globimetula, Scurrula, Dendrophtoe, Loranthus, Phragmanthera, Tapinanthus, Taxillus, Tripodanthus and Viscum based on the type of phytochemicals, popularity and environmental setting. Chemical studies of the Loranthaceae species have produced a number of important phytochemicals belonging to different classes. The recent investigations led to the discovery of several secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, lignan and neolignans and triterpenes. Hence this review represents a comprehensive assessment of the phytochemical studies carried out on Loranthaceae plants and could be a source of therapeutically beneficial products.

Phytochemical Contents, GC-MS Analysis and Hepatoprotective Effect of the Methanol Leaf Extract of Camelliasinensis (L.) Kuntze on Paracetamol-Induced Liver Injury in Wistar Rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: _Camellia sinensis_ is a tree popularly called green tea used as a strong antioxidant and for treating diseases such as cancer. This present study was aimed at assessing the phytochemicals and evaluating the hepatoprotective activity of leaf extract in Wistar rats. METHODS: The phytochemical screening was performed by standard methods, GC-MS analysis was carried out in Agilent 7890 A GC coupled to a MS detector, acute toxicity study was evaluated by the OECD guidelines, and hepatoprotective activity were evaluated in randomly groups of five rats of six rats in paracetamol-induced liver toxicity, while liver biomarkers were evaluated using automated methods. RESULTS: The phytochemical screening of leaf extract revealed the presence of major metabolites. The GC-MS analysis showed 18 bioactive compounds which are mainly fatty acids with retention times between 7.436 and 18.462 min. A high total phenolic content (TPC) of 1425.22 mg GAE/g and a total flavonoid content (TFC) of 802.01 mg QE/g were obtained. The acute toxicity did not produce any sign of toxicity at a dose of 5,000 mg/kg of extract. The extract produced a dose-dependent activity on the liver. These protections were statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) when compared to the standard drug silymarin. There were no elevated values in liver function biomarkers in all the animal groups as well as histopathological damages to the liver after eight weeks of treatment at 200 and 400 mg/kg b.w. of extract doses. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the study showed that _C. sinensis_ methanol leaf extract contains important phytochemicals that are protective against paracetamol-induced liver injuries, thus, the plant was considered safe for use as ethnomedicinal remedies for liver disease in traditional medicine.