Levels Of Limonene Research Articles

The relationship between serum monoterpene levels and bone health: a retrospective cross-sectional analysis from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data.

Monoterpenes, a subset of the terpene family composed of two isoprene units, have garnered significant attention in research circles owing to their potential medicinal benefits. Recent experimental studies indicate that they might exert positive effects on bone health. Nevertheless, the impact of monoterpenes exposure on bone health remains unexplored in humans. We examined 748 adults (age ≥ 40 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 to explore the correlation between three monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene), bone mineral density (BMD) in the total lumbar spine and proximal femur, FRAX® scores, and prior bone fracture history. Our analysis unveiled a significant inverse association between a one-unit increase in the natural logarithm (ln) of α-pinene and limonene and total proximal femur BMD (ß = -0.027, S.E. = 0.008, P = 0.004 and ß = -0.019, S.E. = 0.007, P = 0.016, respectively). As serum α-pinene levels ascended across quintiles, there was a notable decrease in total proximal femur BMD (P for trend = 0.025). The inverse relationship between ln α-pinene levels and total proximal femur BMD was more pronounced in women, especially pre-menopausal women. Compared to subjects with α-pinene and limonene levels at or below the 50th percentiles, those exceeding this threshold exhibited the lowest mean value of total proximal femur BMD (0.8628 g/cm2, S.E. = 0.026, P = 0.009). However, the trend was not statistically significant (P = 0.070). Additionally, all three monoterpenes were linked to a higher prevalence of previous spine fractures, whereas β-pinene showed a reduced incidence of other types of fractures. In this comprehensive survey of American adults aged 40 and above, higher serum levels of α-pinene and limonene correlated with decreased total proximal femur BMD. Furthermore, our findings suggest a potential combined effect of α-pinene and limonene on total proximal femur BMD. Further investigation is essential to elucidate the clinical relevance and causative nature of our findings.

Essential oils profile, antioxidant and antibacterial potency of Tunisian fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) leaves grown under conventional and organic conditions

The aim of this work was to study the chemical composition, antioxidant properties and antibacterial activity of Tunisian fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) leaves grown under conventional and organic cultivation conditions. Analysis of chemical composition of fennel leaves showed high sugar contents whatever the cultivation conditions and the tested cultivar, and ranged from 2.7 to 7.39%. Protein contents varied from 5.94 to 7.82 and from 4.41 to 7.15% under conventional and organic cultivation conditions, respectively. Moreover, the chemical composition of the fennel leaves essential oils (EOs) showed high levels of limonene and trans-anethole. Data analysis of EOs antioxidant activity showed that E1 and E4 cultivars grown under conventional and organic cultivation conditions, respectively, had the lowest IC50 with mean values of 0.052 and 0.045 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, antibacterial activity of fennel leaves EOs was shown to be effective against Listeria monocytogenes with an inhibition diameter of 30 mm with a concentration of 100 mg/mL for the EOs extracted from the E3 cultivar cultivated under conventional conditions.

Effect of Starter Culture and Temperature on the Flavor and Sensory Characteristics of Dry-Cured Ham.

This study focused on understanding the effects of yeast and mold on the sensory properties of dry-cured ham aged at 20°C and 25°C. Debaryomyces hansenii isolated from Doenjang and fermented sausages, and Penicillium nalgiovense isolated from fermented sausages were utilized. The CIE a* tended to increase in all treatments as the aging period increased. At 6 weeks of aging, DFD25 showed a significantly higher CIE a* value than other treatments. The shear force tended to increase in all treatments as the aging period increased. At 6 weeks of aging, among the treatments aged at 25°C, DFD25 showed a low tendency to shear force. The PC1 of the electronic nose was 42.872%. At 25°C, the hexane content was higher and levels of ethanol, propan-2-one, 2,4,5-trimethylthiazole, and limonene were lower than that at 20°C. DFD25 showed significantly higher hexane content and significantly lower limonene content than other treatments. The PC1 of the electronic tongue was 84.529%. All treatments, except for the C starter, exhibited higher salt and lower sour levels at 25°C compared to 20°C when the same starter was used. The DFD25 showed the lowest sour taste and a higher tendency of umami than the other treatments. Sensory evaluation revealed that DFD25 had significantly higher scores for texture than C25, whereas no significant differences were observed in other aspects. Therefore, the used starters are considered suitable for aging at 25°C; among them, the DFD starter demonstrates superior qualities and enhanced commercial potential compared to the control.

Antifungal effect of Algerian essential oil nanoemulsions to control Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium expansum in Thomson Navel oranges (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck).

Fungal infection is a potential issue in citrus fruits, while essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus and Citrus limon could be better alternatives to synthetic fungicides in orange preservation. The nanoparticles produced during ultrasonication exhibited a monomodal distribution of particle sizes with a mean zeta potential and a polydispersity index mean value of 74.12 nm, -38.4 mV, and 0.19 for C. citratus and 103 nm, -28.4 mV, and 0.22 for C. limon. The micrographs of the nanoemulsions exhibited spherical morphology with diverse nanometer-scale sizes. Nanoemulsification enhances the levels of neral and geranial in both oils while reducing the levels of limonene, γ-terpinene, and β-myrcene. The essential oils and their nanoemulsions exhibited good MIC values against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, ranging from 2% to 0.12%, while MBC was 4% to 0.25% (v/v) for both. The extended genetic investigation of the isolated fungal strains from Thomson Navel oranges through analysis of the ITS sequences and BLAST indicated 100% homology to those of Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium expansum. Both oils' MIC and MFC values and nanoemulsions ranged from 0.12% to 0.06% and 2% to 0.03% against P. expansum and P. digitatum, respectively. Applying nanoemulsified C. limon and C. citratus as a coating on orange fruits significantly reduced the spread of P. expansum and P. digitatum fungi compared to the control. Coating with nanoemulsions reduced the negative changes in quality parameters during storage, such as weight loss, firmness, TSS, TA, pH, and ascorbic acid content. Citrus limon nanoemulsion did not alter the coated fruits' sensory attributes compared to C. citratus nanoemulsion.

Serum monoterpene levels, glucose homeostasis, lipid profiles, and metabolic syndrome in adults: NHANES, 2013–2014

Monoterpenes are organic compounds which have been studied for their medicinal benefits. However, the association between monoterpene exposure and metabolic parameters in humans is unknown. We investigated the connection between three specific monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene), glucose homeostasis biomarkers, lipid profiles, and metabolic syndrome (MS) in 1627 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013–2014. We found serum levels of α-pinene and β-pinene were positively associated with fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and apolipoprotein B. In addition, increased levels of limonene and Σmonoterpene (sum of three monoterpene chemicals) were linked to higher insulin, β-cell function, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B. Participants with all three monoterpenes above the 50th percentile had notably higher values for total cholesterol and triglycerides compared to those with all three monoterpenes below the 50th percentile (P for trend <0.001). Regarding MS, higher serum concentrations of α-pinene were linked to an increased risk of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) insufficiency and hypertriglyceridemia. Elevated concentrations of β-pinene were associated with a higher prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia. Moreover, increased levels of limonene and Σmonoterpene were connected to a higher risk of MS, larger waist circumference, low HDL-C, hypertriglyceridemia, and higher blood pressure according to MS criteria. In conclusion, serum monoterpenes levels were linked to glucose regulation, lipid profiles, and indicators of MS. Further studies are necessary to clarify the potential causal relationships.

Exogenous Volatile Organic Compound (EVOC®) Breath Testing Maximizes Classification Performance for Subjects with Cirrhosis and Reveals Signs of Portal Hypertension.

Background: Cirrhosis detection in primary care relies on low-performing biomarkers. Consequently, up to 75% of subjects with cirrhosis receive their first diagnosis with decompensation when causal treatments are less effective at preserving liver function. We investigated an unprecedented approach to cirrhosis detection based on dynamic breath testing. Methods: We enrolled 29 subjects with cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A and B), and 29 controls. All subjects fasted overnight. Breath samples were taken using Breath Biopsy® before and at different time points after the administration of 100 mg limonene. Absolute limonene breath levels were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results: All subjects showed a >100-fold limonene spike in breath after administration compared to baseline. Limonene breath kinetics showed first-order decay in >90% of the participants, with higher bioavailability in the cirrhosis group. At the Youden index, baseline limonene levels showed classification performance with an area under the roc curve (AUROC) of 0.83 ± 0.012, sensitivity of 0.66 ± 0.09, and specificity of 0.83 ± 0.07. The best performing timepoint post-administration was 60 min, with an AUROC of 0.91, sensitivity of 0.83 ± 0.07, and specificity of 0.9 ± 0.06. In the cirrhosis group, limonene bioavailability showed a correlation with MELD and fibrosis indicators, and was associated with signs of portal hypertension. Conclusions: Dynamic limonene breath testing enhances diagnostic performance for cirrhosis compared to static testing. The correlation with disease severity suggests potential for monitoring therapeutic interventions. Given the non-invasive nature of breath collection, a dynamic limonene breath test could be implemented in primary care.

The Effect Wilting Tangerine Peel on Characteristics of Powder Used In Food Self-Heater

A food self-heater is a device designed to rapidly heat food by the utilization of exothermic or endothermic reactions. To yet, a food self-heater with a dedicated scent feature has not been developed. The fragrance utilized is derived from residual tangerine peel components. The objective of this study is to investigate the variations in the concentration of the limonene compound in essential oil extracted from tangerine peel, specifically examining the impact of tangerine peel wilting. Additionally, the study intends to identify the most effective food self-heating method by incorporating tangerine peel powder as an aromatic component in the self-heating process. The present study employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of five treatments and three replications. The treatments employed in this study encompassed varying durations of withering time for tangerine peel, denoted as A (0 hours), B (6 hours), C (12 hours), D (24 hours), and E (48 hours). The research findings indicated that the duration of drying tangerine peels had a notable impact on various factors including water content, yield, pH, color, duration for the aromatic self-heating meal to attain the optimal temperature, and aroma. However, no significant influence on limonene levels was seen. Based on the duration required for the aromatic food self-heater to attain the optimal temperature and the organoleptic aroma, treatment D (24-hour withering of tangerine peel) demonstrates the highest efficacy. This treatment exhibits a time frame of approximately 4.5 minutes for the aromatic food self-heater to reach the optimum temperature, accompanied by a fragrance rating of 4.2 in the organoleptic analysis.

Establishing a cell-based screening workflow for determining the efficiency of CYP2C9 metabolism: moving towards the use of breath volatiles in personalised medicine

The use of volatile biomarkers in exhaled breath as predictors to individual drug response would advance the field of personalised medicine by providing direct information on enzyme activity. This would result in enormous benefits, both for patients and for the healthcare sector. Non-invasive breath tests would also gain a high acceptance by patients. Towards this goal, differences in metabolism resulting from extensive polymorphisms in a major group of drug-metabolizing enzymes, the cytochrome P450 (CYP) family, need to be determined and quantified. CYP2C9 is responsible for metabolising many crucial drugs (e.g., diclofenac) and food ingredients (e.g., limonene). In this paper, we provide a proof-of-concept study that illustrates the in vitro bioconversion of diclofenac in recombinant HEK293T cells overexpressing CYP2C9 to 4ʹ-hydroxydiclofenac. This in vitro approach is a necessary and important first step in the development of breath tests to determine and monitor metabolic processes in the human body. By focusing on the metabolic conversion of diclofenac, we have been able to establish a workflow using a cell-based system for CYP2C9 activity. Furthermore, we illustrate how the bioconversion of diclofenac is limited in the presence of limonene, which is another CYP2C9 metabolising substrate. We show that increasing limonene levels continuously reduce the production of 4ʹ-hydroxydiclofenac. Michaelis-Menten kinetics were performed for the diclofenac 4ʹ-hydroxylation with and without limonene, giving a kinetic constant of the reaction, K M, of 103 µM and 94.1 µM, respectively, and a maximum reaction rate, V max, of 46.8 pmol min−1 106 cells−1 and 56.0 pmol min−1 106 cells−1 with and without the inhibitor, respectively, suggesting a non-competitive or mixed inhibition type. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration value (IC50) for the inhibition of the formation of 4ʹ-hydroxydiclofenace by limonene is determined to be 1413 µM.

Dynamic Breath Limonene Sensing at High Selectivity.

Liver diseases (e.g., cirrhosis, cancer) cause more than two million deaths per year worldwide. This is partly attributed to late diagnosis and insufficient screening techniques. A promising biomarker for noninvasive and inexpensive liver disease screening is breath limonene that can indicate a deficiency of the cytochrome P450 liver enzymes. Here, we introduce a compact and low-cost detector for dynamic and selective breath limonene sensing. It comprises a chemoresistive sensor based on Si/WO3 nanoparticles pre-screened by a packed bed Tenax separation column at room temperature. We demonstrate selective limonene detection down to 20 parts per billion over up to three orders of magnitude higher concentrated acetone, ethanol, hydrogen, methanol, and 2-propanol in gas mixtures, as well as robustness to 10-90% relative humidity. Most importantly, this detector recognizes the individual breath limonene dynamics of four healthy volunteers following the ingestion (swallowing or chewing) of a limonene capsule. Limonene release and subsequent metabolization are monitored from breath measurements in real time and in excellent agreement (R2 = 0.98) with high-resolution proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. This study demonstrates the potential of the detector as a simple-to-use and noninvasive device for the routine monitoring of limonene levels in exhaled breath to facilitate early diagnosis of liver dysfunction.

Aroma Perception of Limonene, Linalool and α-Terpineol Combinations in Pinot Gris Wine.

Aromatic white wines contain monoterpenes that can alter aroma qualities based on their concentration and enantiomeric ratios. Limonene has been identified as a monoterpene that is used to differentiate monovarietal white wines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of limonene on aroma perception at different enantiomeric ratios. Its interaction with linalool and α-terpineol compounds was also investigated. Eighteen model wines were created with different ratios and/or concentrations of limonene and diverse concentrations of linalool and α-terpineol. Triangle tests, check-all-that-apply (CATA) and descriptive analysis were used to evaluate the aroma of the wines. Results show that different limonene ratios had no influence on wine aroma. Descriptive analysis showed that the addition of only limonene influenced citrus characteristics depending on the concentration. Linalool addition did not alter aroma quality when the limonene was at low concentrations, but it did change aroma perception at high limonene levels. α-Terpineol only altered the aroma of the wine at medium and high concentrations. At high concentrations, linalool and α-terpineol presented tropical aromas with some floral notes, irrespective of limonene levels. Depending on the desired aroma qualities of the wine, altering the monoterpene content resulted in very different aromatic wines.

The biochar-based nanocomposites influence the quantity, quality and antioxidant activity of essential oil in dill seeds under salt stress

The essential oil content and composition of medicinal plants may be influenced by eco-friendly products for nutrient availability under abiotic stresses. This research was conducted to determine the effects of biochar (30 g kg−1 soil) and biochar-based nanocomposites (BNCs) of iron (30 g BNC-FeO kg−1 soil), zinc (30 g BNC-ZnO kg−1 soil), and their combined form (15 + 15 g) on dill (Anethum graveolens L.) under salinity levels (non-saline, 6 and 12 dS m−1). Application of biochar, particularly BNCs increased iron and zinc content and decreased sodium accumulation in leaf tissues. The seed essential oil content increased under high salinity. Salinity changed the values of major compounds in essential oil and induced the formation of compounds such as alpha,2-dimethylstyrene, cuminyl alcohol, p-cymene, and linalool. Biochar treatments especially BNCs with a higher production of monoterpenes increased the levels of limonene, carvone, apiol, and dillapioll. All extracts showed a considerable DPPH-inhibitory effect with application of BNCs under salinity. The maximum antioxidant activity was observed under high level of salinity with application of the combined form. Therefore, the combined form of nanocomposite was the best treatment to improve the content of basic commercial monoterpenes and consequently antioxidant activity of essential oil in salt-stressed dill plants.

Synthesis of an organic-inorganic composite from calcium carbonate and Kraft lignin and its use as carrier material for controlled release of semiochemical agents.

The control of pests in agricultural systems is currently based on the widespread use of pesticides that efficiently control pests but have negative effects on the environment and humans. Thus, several studies have been conducted to develop alternative sustainable ways to control pests in agriculture. The use of semiochemicals presents a good alternative to develop a sustainable tool monitoring and control insect pests in crops areas. The dispensing carriers of semiochemicals are typically made of non-degradable material, often petroleum derivatives such as butyl rubber, that become polluting waste after application. To develop a biodegradable and low-cost dispenser for semiochemicals, particles of CaCO3 and a CaCO3/Kraft lignin composite were synthesized using CO2 bubbling, characterized and evaluated for 30days as a dispenser of the limonene molecule, which is a common semiochemical in plants and also pheromone component is some insect species, such as the lesser mealworm Alphitobius diaperinus. Furthermore, limonene is volatile molecule that is easy to acquire and low-cost, which makes it an ideal semiochemical to evaluate the potential of the CaCO3 particles and CaCO3/Kraft lignin composite as a semiochemical dispenser for use in agriculture. The pure calcium carbonate I, pure calcium carbonate II, and composite I synthesized particles presented a larger specific surface area than the other composites. All the particles evaluated showed a slow limonene release rate between the 5th and 30th days evaluated, indicating the potential of these materials as pheromone dispensers. The composites with higher specific surface area, calcium carbonate II (19.5 m2/g) and composite I (23.1 m2/g), released a higher level of limonene during the 30days evaluated.

Translational Value of the Transdermal Administration of Bergamot Essential Oil and of Its Fractions.

The essential oil of bergamot (BEO) has consistently proven antinociceptive and antiallodynic properties. Accordingly, the analgesic efficacy of the decolored essential oil (DEC), with higher levels of limonene, and the deterpenated (DET) fraction, with higher levels of linalool and linalyl acetate, was investigated using a formalin test after inhalation. The present study was aimed at characterizing the effects of BEO, its components with the highest pharmacological activity (represented by linalool, limonene, and linalyl acetate), and its DEC and DET fractions on the formalin test after transdermal administration relevant to clinical translation through topical application. To this aim, the schedule of intervention involved administration immediately after formalin injection or as a 5 min pretreatment followed by washout in ddY-strain mice. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the significant analgesic effect of all three constituents in the first and second phases, accounting for the efficacy of the essential oil in the formalin test. While all fractions revealed equal activity toward the phytocomplex in the early phase, the reduction in time of licking/biting during the late phase was more markedly induced by DEC. Moreover, pretreatment with BEO and its fractions followed by washout did not produce a significant reduction in licking/biting time in both phases of formalin-induced nociceptive response.

Discrimination between raw and ginger juice processed Magnoliae officinalis cortex based on HPLC and Heracles NEO ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose.

Magnoliae officinalis cortex (MOC), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used in treating gastrointestinal diseases since ancient time. According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, it includes two kinds of decoction pieces, raw and ginger juice processed Magnoliae officinalis cortex (RMOC and GMOC). The aim of this paper was to study the differences between non-volatile and volatile components in RMOC and GMOC. The non-volatile components were detected by HPLC fingerprinting coupled with content determination (syringin, magnoflorine, honokiol and magnolol). Meanwhile, their odor information was obtained using a Heracles NEO ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose to conduct radar fingerprint analysis, principal component analysis and discriminant factor analysis, and the volatile components were analyzed qualitatively by the Kovats retention index and the AroChemBase database. The HPLC fingerprints were established and 20 common peaks were found in all chromatograms with similarity values of more than 0.900. The content determination results showed that the contents of syringin and magnoflorine decreased, while the contents of honokiol and magnolol increased in GMOC. By the gas phase electronic nose, the two decoction pieces could be distinguished obviously and 16 possible compounds were identified. Among them, the relative contents of (-)-α-pinene and β-pinene increased, while β-phellandrene and (+)-limonene levels decreased. The results suggested that honokiol, magnolol, (-)-α-pinene and β-pinene might be the main substances which could enhance the harmonizing effect on the stomach. Moreover, this paper could lay a foundation for exploring the processing mechanism of MOC and provide a novel method for the research of other traditional Chinese medicine with strong aroma.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Anticholinesterase Properties of the Aerial and Root Parts of Centaurea acaulis Essential Oils: Study of the Combinatorial Activities of Aplotaxene with Reference Standards

In recent years, growing attention has been given to essential oils. Essential oils obtained from medicinal plants show high therapeutic potential against various types of pathologies, including Alzheimer's, cancer and inflammatory diseases. The purpose of this work was to study the chemical composition of the aerial and root parts of Centaurea acaulis essential oils by GC/FID and GC/MS, to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, and in-vitro combinatory effect of aplotaxene isolated from the roots with reference standards, in order to find new and more effective agents for the treatment of degenerative and inflammatory diseases. The statistical analysis clustered the essential oil aerial parts into two distinct groups. The specimens characterized by a humid climate and low altitude was mainly discriminated by the high contents of (E)-β-caryophyllene (3.4-8.4%), hexadecanoic acid (6.3-10.8%) and caryophyllene oxide (6.2-9.9%). While the second group characterized by a humid climate and higher altitudes was characterized by high levels of limonene (15.2-19.2%) and τ-muurolol (12.6-17.2%). In contrast, essential oils of roots were dominated by aplotaxene whatever the climate type. All samples showed very good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The combination of aplotaxene with references gave synergistic effects with excellent activities about 2 times higher than the synthetic references. The neuroprotective activity of essential oils and aplotaxene did not show inhibition against AChE, whereas they inhibited BChE with IC50 values comparable to Galantamine.

Essential Oil Variation within Warburgia salutaris-A Coveted Ethnomedicinal Aromatic Tree.

Warburgia salutaris, known as 'Pepper bark', is an ethnomedicinally important tree found in the southern regions of Africa. A total of 75 fresh leaf specimens of W. salutaris (n=40 wild and 35 cultivated) were collected from the Limpopo (wild) and KwaZulu-Natal provinces (cultivated), two distinct locations in South Africa. In this study, the leaf essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation were characterized using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection (GC/MS/FID). More than 15 compounds, accounting for 90-99 % of the total oil composition were identified. The analysis revealed that myrcene (0.6-65.3 %), (E)-β-ocimene (nd-56.9 %), (Z)-β-ocimene (nd-19.1 %), α-pinene (nd-19.1 %) and limonene (nd-11.7 %) are major constituents of W. salutaris essential oils. Chemometric analysis revealed two major chemotypes within the essential oils with a modeled variation of approximately 60 %. Linalool and germacrene D were revealed as markers associated with the wild-harvested oils, while cultivated oils were distinguished by higher levels of limonene and α-humulene. The intra-population variation indicated two chemically distinct chemotypes from three different populations, however, the season of harvest did not have a direct influence on the chemical profiles of the essential oils.

Volatile profile of cork as a tool for classification of natural cork stoppers

An untargeted approach, focused in the profile of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), was applied to differentiate natural cork stoppers with different levels of porosity, coded as Group 1 (low porosity), Group 2 (intermediate porosity) and Group 3 (high porosity). Statistically significant alterations were found in the levels of several VOCs between cork stoppers of low and intermediate porosity when compared with those of high porosity (Group 1 vs. 3 and Group 2 vs. 3). In addition, the levels of 2-pentylfuran, cyclene, camphene, camphor, limonene and eucalyptol enabled the discrimination of cork stoppers with low porosity (Group 1) into two subgroups, while furfural and 5-methyl-2-furfural enabled the discrimination of subgroups within the intermediate and high porosity stoppers (Group 2 and 3). A headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS/MS) method was developed to quantify the subgroup discriminant compounds, which may provide a proof-of-concept for the development of an efficient method to be applied in cork industry.

Breath Biopsy Assessment of Liver Disease Using an Exogenous Volatile Organic Compound-Toward Improved Detection of Liver Impairment.

INTRODUCTION:Liver cirrhosis and its complication — hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) — have been associated with increased exhaled limonene. It is currently unclear whether this increase is more strongly associated with the presence of HCC or with the severity of liver dysfunction.METHODS:We compared the exhaled breath of 40 controls, 32 cirrhotic patients, and 12 cirrhotic patients with HCC using the Breath Biopsy platform. Breath samples were analyzed by thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Limonene levels were compared between the groups and correlated to bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time international normalized ratio, and alanine aminotransferase.RESULTS:Breath limonene concentration was significantly elevated in subjects with cirrhosis-induced HCC (M: 82.1 ng/L, interquartile range [IQR]: 16.33–199.32 ng/L) and cirrhosis (M: 32.6 ng/L, IQR: 6.55–123.07 ng/L) compared with controls (M: 6.2 ng/L, IQR: 2.62–9.57 ng/L) (P value = 0.0005 and 0.0001, respectively) with no significant difference between 2 diseased groups (P value = 0.37). Levels of exhaled limonene correlated with serum bilirubin (R2 = 0.25, P value = 0.0016, r = 0.51), albumin (R2 = 0.58, P value = 5.3e-8, r = −0.76), and international normalized ratio (R2 = 0.29, P value = 0.0003, r = 0.51), but not with alanine aminotransferase (R2 = 0.01, P value = 0.36, r = 0.19).DISCUSSION:Exhaled limonene levels are primarily affected by the presence of cirrhosis through reduced liver functional capacity, as indicated by limonene correlation with blood metrics of impaired hepatic clearance and protein synthesis capacity, without further alterations observed in subjects with HCC. This suggests that exhaled limonene is a potential non-invasive marker of liver metabolic capacity (see Visual abstract, Supplementary Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/CTG/A388).

Differences in chemical composition of indoor air in rooms associated/not associated with building related symptoms

Building related health effects or symptoms (BRS), known also as sick-building syndrome (SBS), are a phenomenon that is not well understood. In this study, air samples from 51 rooms associated with BRS and 34 control rooms were collected on multi-sorbent tubes and analyzed by a non-target approach using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry techniques. The large amount of data gathered was analyzed using multivariate statistics (principle component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS)).This new analysis approach revealed that in rooms where people experienced BRS, petrochemicals and chemicals emitted from plastics were abundant, whereas in rooms where people did not experience BRS, flavor and fragrance compounds were abundant. Among the petrochemicals benzene and 2-butoxyethanol were found in higher levels in rooms where people experienced BRS. The levels of limonene were sometimes in the range of reported odor thresholds, and similarly 3-carene and beta-myrcene were found in higher concentrations in indoor air of rooms where people did not experience BRS. It cannot be ruled out that these compounds may have influenced the perceived air quality. However, the overall variability in air concentrations was large and it was not possible to accurately predict if the air in a particular room could cause BRS or not.

Identification of non-alkaloid natural compounds of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gilli. (Apiaceae) with cholinesterase and carbonic anhydrase inhibition potential

In current study is done antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes I and II inhibition assays, screening of biological active compounds and electronic microscopy analysis of secretory canals of fruits, flowers, roots, and aerial parts extracts and essential oils of Angelica purpurascens. Phenolic constituents, antioxidant, and anti-lipid peroxidation potentials of variants were estimated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) processes. Cholinesterase inhibition effect was detected through Ellman’s method. The GC/ Mass Spectrometry (MS) and gas chromatography (GC)-flame Ionization Detector (FID) was used for essential oils analysis. NMR techniques was used for identification of the isolated compounds. The fruit hexane and dichloromethane fractions exhibited a greater antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content. The dichloromethane fraction of fruit demonstrated the most higher acetylcholinesterase inhibition (39.86 ± 2.63%), while the fruit hexane fraction displayed the best inhibition towards butyrylcholinesterase (84.02 ± 1.28%). Cytosolic isoenzymes of human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) I, and II isoenzymes were influentially suppressed by flower and fruit dichloromethane fractions with 1.650 and 2.020 µM IC50 values, respectively. The electronic microscopy analysis of secretory canals found that the small number of secretory canals were at leaf while the largest shape of secretory canals was at the fruit. The secretory canals of roots, aerial parts, and fruits include more monoterpene hydrocarbons, while the canals, existing in the flowers are qualified by a higher presence of sesquiterpenes β-caryophyllene (12.1%), germacrene D (4.5%) and ether octyl acetate (11.9%). The highest level of monoterpene β-phellandrene (47.6%) and limonene (8.2%) were found in the fruit essential oil. The next isolated compounds from fruits of A. purpurascens like stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, bergapten, and oxypeucedanin have shown high anticholinesterase and antioxidant activities.