Extraction Percentage Research Articles

Total phenols and flavonoids in germinated barley using different solvents.

Sprouts are a source of secondary metabolites as phenolic compounds. Germination and the use of solvents can affect their content. The aim of this work was to identify the total content of phenols and flavonoids in ungerminated and germinated (3, 5, and 7 days) Esmeralda and Perla barley. Different solvents (water, 50% acetone, 80% methanol, 80% ethanol) were used to recover total phenols and flavonoids. The 7-day germination proved to be ideal for total phenol and flavonoid obtention from Esmeralda barley and the highest total phenol and flavonoid content in Perla variety was observed at 5 and 7 days of germination, respectively. Methanol and ethanol (80%) yielded the highest extraction percentage of total phenols; 50% acetone recovered the highest flavonoid concentrations in Esmeralda barley and 80% methanol in Perla barley. The highest total phenol concentration was obtained from Perla samples at 13.60 mg GAE/g, and the highest total flavonoids were observed in Esmeralda barley at 1.73 mg QE/g. A high correlation was found between the concentration of phenols (0.995) and total flavonoids (0.780) with the radicle size in the Esmeralda samples.

Developing of a Counter-Current Copper Leaching Process Using Response Surface Methodology

ABSTRACT Due to the scarcity of water in many parts of the world, wastewater generated by hydrometallurgical processes has been recognized as a valuable resource for recovery or reuse. A method for reusing hydrometallurgical raffinate in the leaching of low-grade oxide copper ore in a counter-current leaching process was evaluated. In the first stage of the investigation, the influential factors on copper leaching, such as the amount of acid consumed (200–400 g/kg of ore), the initial iron concentration of the raffinate (5–25 g/L), the liquid-to-solid ratio (2–10 mL/g), and the duration of the leaching process (15–75 min), were examined using response surface methodology coupled with central composite design. Two responses, copper recovery and final copper concentration, were selected to determine the optimal conditions for the leaching process. Based on the statistical model, it was found that using 325 g/kg of ore of consumed acid, an initial iron concentration of 10 g/L, a liquid-to-solid ratio of 4 mL/g, and a leaching time of 60 min would result in higher values for both responses. Confirmation runs were conducted to validate the selected conditions and the suitability of the statistical model. Additionally, compositional and morphological characterization of samples before and after the leaching process was conducted using field diffusion scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis, which showed the dissolution of compounds such as tenorite and cuprite. In the second stage, a two-unit counter-current leaching system was adopted, as hydrometallurgical processes are usually carried out in multiple stages on an industrial scale. This leaching system was designed to maximize copper dissolution by considering the information obtained from the response surface methodology. The use of this leaching system increased the overall leaching efficiency by up to 80%. By characterizing the solid samples, it was found that the copper extraction percentage in a counter-current leaching system could be increased by simultaneously precipitating iron-bearing compounds.

Rice Water—More a Source of Nutrition Elements or Toxic Arsenic? Multi-Element Analysis of Home-Made (Natural) Rice Water and Commercialized Rice-Based Products Using (HG)-ICP OES

Although rice is a well-known source of nutrients, it unfortunately accumulates As the most compared to other cereal plants. Due to the growing interest in rice-based cosmetics, the aim of the work was the multi-element analysis of various home-made (natural) rice waters and commercialized ready-to-use rice-based cosmetics for skin/hair. The total concentrations of Al, As Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in raw rice and rice products were determined using inductively coupled optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) after wet sample decomposition in the presence of concentrated HNO3. In the case of As, the hydride generation (HG) technique was used as a sample introduction system to the ICP OES instrument. Five different procedures, including washing/rinsing, soaking, boiling, and fermentation steps, and three rice types, i.e., white, brow, and jasmine, were used for this purpose. The effects of the water temperature, the contact time of rice grains with water, and the type of rice on the water-soluble concentrations of elements were examined and compared. A significant difference in the solubility of elements was observed depending on the type of rice, with the lowest percentage of extraction noted for brown rice. The best option was soaking unwashed rice grains in a six-fold excess of cold water for 30 min. The selection criterion was to preserve the highest content of essential elements (Ca (0.76–1.2 mg kg−1), Cu (9.2–43 ng k−1), Fe (0.096–0.30 mg kg−1), Mg (6.9–11 mg kg−1), Mn (0.16–10.32 mg kg−1), and Zn (0.083–0.25 mg kg−1)) with reduced to a minimum As level, i.e., <5 ng g−1 (2.8–4.8 ng g−1), making this water safe for consumption. In contrast, regularly drinking water after boiling or soaking rice grains in hot water carries the risk of consuming an excessive amount of this element due to As content exceeding the permissible value, i.e., 10 ppb. Finally, these home-made products were compared with commercialized cosmetics for skin/hair, with satisfactory results.

Electrodialysis as a potential technology for 4-nitrophenol abatement from wastewater.

4-Nitrophenol is a widely used emerging pollutant in various industries, including the production of agrochemicals, drugs, and synthetic dyes. Due to its potential environmental harmful effects, there is a need to study its reuse and removal from wastewater. This study used electrodialysis technology to separate 4-nitrophenol ions using a four-compartment stack. The effects of supporting electrolyte concentration, pH, voltages, and current density on the performance of electrodialysis for separating 4-nitrophenol were investigated. A high extraction percentage of 77% was achieved with low energy consumption (107 kWh kg-1) when high 4-nitrophenol flows and transport numbers were reached.

A sustainable strategy for targeted extraction of thorium from radioactive waste leachate based on hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent

In this work, the new hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (HDESs) based on 2-hexyldecanoic acid (HDA) as a hydrogen bond donor (HBD) were used to selectively enrich trace Th from radioactive waste leach solution. These HDESs are characterized by low toxicity, bio-friendliness, low viscosity and sufficient hydrophobicity. Compared with Al, Mg, Ca and RE, HDESs exhibited exceptional selectivity for Th extraction, along with high loading capacity, easy stripping and stable reusability. The mechanism of Th extraction by the HDES is a cation exchange reaction. Based on the thymol (TL):HDA (1:3) HDES, a short flow closed-loop recovery process of Th in the leach solution of radioactive waste residue was developed. After a single-step extraction, the extraction percentage (E%) of Th exceeded 98.0%, while the E% of other elements was less than 0.14%. After stripping, the concentration of Th in the concentrated solution reached 2.16 × 103 mg/L with a purity of 74.2%, which could be directly used for subsequent purification. By adjusting the pH to 4.00, the raffinate was used as a feed solution for RE elements recovery. The HDES-based extraction strategy for Th is simple, safe, efficient and environmentally friendly, providing a new idea for the recovery of radioactive waste residues.

A QUECHERS method for sample preparation in the analysis of pesticides in tomato

The tomato is one of the crops that is likely to be attacked by pests. The use of pesticides during its harvest has consequently increased in recent years. This use has raised concerns about the presence of chemical contaminants in food, which may have harmful effects on health. To identify and determine the presence of pesticides efficiently and reliably at any of the stages: washing, peeling and sterilization, a fast, easy, cheap, effective, robust, and safe methodology (QuEChERS) is created. Today, it is successfully implemented for the monitoring of these residues in tomato with recovery percentages and relative standard deviations according to international standards. This review analyzes the application of the QuEChERS methodology for the identification and determination of pesticides in tomato, through a review of the literature in recent years. In addition, a bibliometric analysis of the Scopus database between 2007-2021 is performed, finding that the most published areas are Chemistry and Agriculture, being China the leading country with more publications. It was concluded that in most of research, modifications are made in the methodology such as the use of dicyandiamine sludge, obtaining good results in the extraction and recovery percentages with the advantage of having a lower cost and environmental pollution.

Epigenetic regulation of functional candidate genes for milk production traits in dairy sheep subjected to protein restriction in the prepubertal stage

BackgroundAs the prepubertal stage is a crucial point for the proper development of the mammary gland and milk production, this study aims to evaluate how protein restriction at this stage can affect methylation marks in milk somatic cells. Here, 28 Assaf ewes were subjected to 42.3% nutritional protein restriction (14 animals, NPR) or fed standard diets (14 animals, C) during the prepubertal stage. During the second lactation, the milk somatic cells of these ewes were sampled, and the extracted DNA was subjected to whole-genome bisulfite sequencing.ResultsA total of 1154 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified between the NPR and C groups. Indeed, the results of functional enrichment analyses of the genes harboring these DMRs suggested their relevant effects on the development of the mammary gland and lipid metabolism in sheep. The additional analysis of the correlations of the mean methylation levels within these DMRs with fat, protein, and dry extract percentages in the milk and milk somatic cell counts suggested associations between several DMRs and milk production traits. However, there were no phenotypic differences in these traits between the NPR and C groups.ConclusionIn light of the above, the results obtained in the current study might suggest potential candidate genes for the regulation of milk production traits in the sheep mammary gland. Further studies focusing on elucidating the genetic mechanisms affected by the identified DMRs may help to better understand the biological mechanisms modified in the mammary gland of dairy sheep as a response to nutritional challenges and their potential effects on milk production.

The Optimization of Medium Conditions and Auxins in the Induction of Adventitious Roots of Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana L.) and Their Phytochemical Constituents.

Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana L., is considered a widely spreading invasive plant, while saponin contents accumulated in the roots have pharmaceutical uses, such as rheumatism treatments and anti-inflammation. Adventitious root cultures are an important source of diverse secondary metabolites, which have significant applications in various fields. This study focused on the optimization of parameters for root induction using different medium states and treatments with auxins on a pokeweed leaf. Semisolid and liquid MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) media were supplemented with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 1-naphthylacetic acid (NAA) at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg/L. Root growth parameters, e.g., induction percentage, root numbers, length, and weight, were measured to determine the adventitious root induction efficiency. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, total saponin content, and antioxidant activity were recorded. Results showed that adventitious roots induced in semisolid MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L NAA exhibited a high density of lateral roots. Appropriate medium state and auxin for adventitious root induction in pokeweed were determined as semisolid medium supplemented with 2 mg/L NAA. Considering phytochemicals, adventitious roots induced in liquid medium containing 0.5-1 mg/L NAA had the highest yield extract percentage. Additionally, adventitious roots cultivated in a liquid medium enriched with 1 mg/L NAA exhibited the highest phenolic and saponin contents. A principal component analysis (PCA) biplot and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) heatmap demonstrated different response patterns between semisolid and liquid media applied with NAA. The results of the semisolid media were grouped together due to high expression levels of the root induction parameters, while elevated phytochemical values were observed in the liquid media treatments. The results suggested two different media that provide the highest adventitious root induction efficiency and the greatest phytochemical contents: semisolid medium with 2 mg/L NAA and liquid medium with 1 mg/L NAA, respectively. These culture media can be applied to optimize adventitious root culture of pokeweed and in vitro phytochemical production.

ICE CREAM CONE FORMULATIONS FROMWHEAT FLOUR AND TOFU DREGS FLOUR ADDED WITH BEETROOT (Beta vulgaris L.) EXTRACT

Ice cream cones are a type of wafer with a cone or funnel-like shape used as a container that holds ice cream and baked in an ice cream cone maker with the basic ingredient of wheat flour, which can be added with other ingredients for innovation. A factorial completely randomized design (CRD) was employed with two factors: the ratio of wheat flour to tofu dregs flour (90:10, 80:20, 70:30) and the percentage of beetroot extract in 100 ml of water (30, 40, 50%). This study aimed to determine which ice cream cone formulation(s) from wheat flour, tofu dregs flour, and beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) extract had the highest protein and betacyanin content and was most favored by consumers. Results showed that formulation with the 70:30 flour ratio and 30% beetroot extract produced the highest protein content of 13.55%, and the 90:10 flour ratio and 50% beetroot extract created cones with the highest betacyanin content of 0.074 mg/100g. The product preference test based on organoleptic properties revealed that the panelists mostly preferred cones made with the 80:20 flour ratio and 30% beetroot extract because of the resulting color (3.53, like slightly), taste (3.61, like slightly), aroma (3.78, like slightly), and crispness (4.32, like), with an overall preference of 4.07 (like).

Barley yield and malt quality affected by fall and spring planting under rainfed conditions.

As a result of the changing climate characteristics, it is necessary to reevaluate the planting time for crop plants. The aim of the present study was to determine the quality characteristics of malting barley cultivars in fall and spring plantings. Sixteen malting barley cultivars were used. Two fall-planted and two spring-planted trials were conducted in two consecutive years. The field trials were carried out in a randomized complete block design with four replications in Tokat province of Turkey under rainfed conditions. Grain yields varied between 4.38 and 5.71 t/ha in fall-planted trials and between 3.12 and 4.89 t/ha in spring-planted trials. Malt extracts were between 77.0% and 78.0% kg in fall-planted trials and between 73.9% and 76.9% in spring-planted trials. Alpha amylase activities ranged from 77.9 to 81.4 Ceralpha unit (CU)/g in fall-planted trials and from 80.8 to 100.9 CU/g in spring-planted trials. Diastatic power ranged from 194.5 to 331.1 Windisch-Kolbach unit (°WK) in fall-planted trials and from 129.0 to 259.8 °WK in spring-planted trials. GGE biplot analysis indicated that winter barley cultivar Durusu and facultative barley cultivar Ince-04 were the best with consistent grain yields while Ince-04 was the best with stable malt extract across the trials. In scatter plot graphics, winter barley cultivars Durusu, Aydanhanim, Yildiz and facultative Ince-04 had superior performance in fall-plantings for grain yield and malt extract. In spring planting, facultative Ince-04 had higher performance than those of other cultivars. In spring plantings, facultative or winter barley cultivars that do not have strong vernalization requirement had better yield and malt quality. Appropriate planting time and cultivars can allow a better use of available water in malt barley production under rainfed conditions. Lastly, instead of evaluating the grain yield or malt quality alone, it would be best to evaluate the target product (malt extract percentage) obtained from a particular region, process, or production methodology.

Factors Influencing Human Resource Performance in Riau Prison Building Construction Projects in 2021-2022

This study aimed to identify, analyze human resource performance factors in prison building construction projects in Riau and provide recommendations to find the dominant factors of human resource performance in building construction projects in Riau. The population in this study was the Public Works Agency (KPU), supervisory consultants, contractors that execute the building construction projects in Riau. Quantitative method was applied in this study. The data was collected through questionnaires, while data processing was carried out by SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). The results of this study showed that there are 8 human resource performance factors, such as work ability, work environment, discipline, compensation, experience, competence, motivation, and loyalty. From data processing, 11 new factors were formed becoming the dominant factors, specifically professional and responsible factors. These can be seen in the Total Variance Explained table which show the largest percent of variance are professionalism and responsibility factors with a percentage extraction level which is 14.518%. Of the 8 human resource performance factors, the most dominant is professionalism and responsibility with variables from loyal variables in the application of company rules, ability to comply with project management regulations, responsibility for the work carried out, able to work optimally, effectively and efficiently, and give full time, energy, and mind to the completion of work.

Physical Characteristics of the Development of Edible Film Gelatin-Xylitol Using Butterfly Pea Extract as an Antioxidant

The study aims to determine a gelatin-xylitol edible film with the addition of butterfly pea extract (Clitoria ternatea L) using the Microwave Assisted Extraction method with optimal physical characteristics of the edible film. The research method uses the experimental method with calculations using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), followed by Duncan analysis (DMRT) if there are significant or very significant effects in each treatment. This research method focuses on differences in the percentage of butterfly pea extract in the manufacture of gelatin-xylitol edible films with 5 treatments P0 (0%), P1 (1%), P2 (2%) P3 (3%), and P4 (4%) and 3 repetitions. The results of the second phase of the study showed the effect of different butterfly pea extracts on edible gelatin-xylitol. There was no significant effect (P>0.05) in the sedimentation test, L and a color, there was a significant effect (P<0.05) in the b color test analysis and in the antioxidant test analysis. The functional groups identified in the eggplant extract were alkanes, alkenes, fluorides, and aromatics. The analysis of the Scanning Electron Microscope test showed the presence of particles in the edible film was 3% addition of butterfly pea extract produces an edible film that has antioxidants.

Utilization of purple yam skin (Ipomoea batatas L.) in the making of nata de batatas

Nata de batatas is a product of purple sweet potato peel. The presence of anthocyanin compounds in purple sweet potato skin makes this food very attractive to be processed into nata products that have functional value. The purpose of this research was to determine the yield of nata from purple sweet potato peel made with variations in the percentage of purple sweet potato peel extract and the percentage of coconut water and pellicle thickness, evaluate organoleptic properties including texture, color, aroma, taste, and determine anthocyanin levels. The results showed that the highest nata yield was 70.08%. The thickness of the largest 1.26 cm. The best anthocyanin analysis in nata was 0.47 mg. The organoleptic test showed that the color percentage of purple sweet potato peel extract and the percentage of coconut water were significantly different while the texture, aroma and taste were not significantly different.
 Keywords: nata de batatas, purple sweet potato skin, coconut water, anthocyanin

Green Synthesis of ZNO Nanoparticles using Aloe Vera Leaves Extract

Characterization of the created ZnO nanoparticles using the following techniques: Fouriesr Transform Infra RedSpectrum (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was employed to describe the surface morphology, particle size in nanoscale, dimeter and roughness of the surface for zinc nanoparticles prepared from plant extraction. The morphology images of pure plant extract and biosynthesised zinc nanoparticles that explains the 3D image of the surface morphology.The particle size in nanoscale of pure plant extraction was 87.22nm and zinc nanoparticles were found to have a particle size of 36.42nm. height cumulation distributions that determine the volume percentage of plant extract's grain size particles and biosynthesised zinc nanoparticles, recording 50.269 nm average hight of plant extraction and 21.515 nm average height of synthesized zinc nanoparticles, displays the Granularity Cumulation Distribution, which calculates the volume percentage of the diameter of plant extract and synthetic zinc nanoparticles. The average diameter of plant extract was 133.77 nm, whereas the average diameter of synthetic zinc nanoparticles made by plants extract was 52.84 nm. The roughness of the surface RMS (Root mean square) of pure plant extraction and the synthesized zinc nanoparticles that that RMS of plant extract was 13.2nm, while the RMS of synthesized zinc nanoparticles was 5.21nm. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis explained the morphology of the surface and shape formation of plant extract and synthesized zinc nanoparticles , that exhibits the micrograph of plant extraction and synthesized zinc nanoparticles and shows that the zinc nanoparticles were formed as nanosheets and hierarchical shape in huge quantities and different lengths nanosheets. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) element mapping at the microstructural level shows the distribution and quantities of zinc nanoparticles elements prepared from the plant extract and oxygen.It is noticed that the high amount of zinc prepared. FTIR findings for the crude The appearance of a broad peak at (2320.47 cm-1) in an Aleo vera extract is due to the stretching O-H groups of phenolic groups and carbohydrate monomers.

Machine Learning based Data Analysis for Wordle Game

As wordle game is becoming more and more popular all over the world, the study of the intrinsic patterns and problem-solving techniques of the game has become a popular topic. In this paper, we obtained daily result files of wordle over a period of time, which included data such as words of the day, the number of people who reported their scores on the day, and the number of players who entered the difficult mode, and further analyzed the data. In order to predict the results reported on a future day, this paper first eliminates the abnormal data in the dataset, and then builds the LSTM model and ARIMA model. On the test set, the MAPE (mean absolute error) of the LSTM model is 5.643, and the LSTM is significantly better than the ARIMA model. Secondly, in order to predict the distribution of word results for a given future date, the 12 features of the network training data were first subjected to PCA dimensionality reduction, and the results showed that the percentages were consistent with time by performing the Shapiro-Wilk normalization test on the correlation percentages. Based on this observation, we built a BP-LSTM parallel model to extract word attributes and extract percentage features over time. The model has a MAPE of 6.09, which outperforms a BP neural network that can only extract word attributes.

Preparation of Alcohol Dehydrogenase-Zinc Phosphate Hybrid Nanoflowers through Biomimetic Mineralization and Its Application in the Inhibitor Screening.

A biomimetic mineralization method was used in the facile and rapid preparation of nanoflowers for immobilizing alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). The method mainly uses ADH as an organic component and zinc phosphate as an inorganic component to prepare flower-like ADH/Zn3(PO4)2 organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (HNFs) with the high specific surface area through a self-assembly process. The synthesis conditions of the ADH HNFs were optimized and its morphology was characterized. Under the optimum enzymatic reaction conditions, the Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) of ADH HNFs (β-NAD+ as substrate) was measured to be 3.54 mM, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the positive control ranitidine (0.2-0.8 mM) was determined to be 0.49 mM. Subsequently, the inhibitory activity of natural medicine Penthorum chinense Pursh and nine small-molecule compounds on ADH was evaluated using ADH HNFs. The inhibition percentage of the aqueous extract of P. chinense is 57.9%. The vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, gallic acid, and naringenin have obvious inhibitory effects on ADH, and their percentages of inhibition are 55.1%, 68.3%, 61.9%, and 75.5%, respectively. Moreover, molecular docking analysis was applied to explore the binding modes and sites of the four most active small-molecule compounds to ADH. The results of this study can broaden the application of immobilized enzymes through biomimetic mineralization, and provide a reference for the discovery of ADH inhibitors from natural products.

Thermal performance assessment of an indirect solar dryer: A case study of Bananas

This study presents a design for an absorber used in a solar air collector for an indirect solar dryer. The absorber comprises two aluminium plates corrugated and joined together to form parallel cylinders, enabling airflow within the collector. This research aims to experimentally examine the drying process of two types of bananas, one from Morocco and the other from abroad, using the designed solar air collector. Additionally, the study aims to investigate the peculiarities of the drying process and the performance of the solar dryer employed. The experiments were conducted by subjecting the bananas to the designed solar air collector, and the evolution of drying was monitored. The initial mass of the bananas used was 631.6 g for the Moroccan banana and 713.6 g for the Export banana. After the drying process, the mass of the Moroccan banana reduced to 77.5 g, while the Export banana reduced to 137.3 g, indicating significant moisture removal. The percentage of the amount of water extracted (Q) from the bananas was found to be 87.7% for the Moroccan banana and 80.8% for the Export banana. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the corrugated aluminium plate absorber in facilitating the drying process in the solar air collector. The significant reduction in the mass of the bananas and the high percentage of water extraction highlight the efficiency of the solar dryer in removing moisture from the agricultural produce. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the drying process of bananas and offer valuable insights for the design and optimization of solar drying systems for agricultural applications.

Pine Bark as a Potential Source of Condensed Tannin: Analysis through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX)

This study aimed to evaluate the tannin content in the bark of five pine species from a forest harvesting area of the Ixtlán de Juárez community, Oaxaca, México. The species studied were Pinus patula, Pinus ayacahuite, Pinus rudis, Pinus douglasiana, Pinus pseudostrobus. The bark samples were subjected to a drying, grinding, and sieving process. These compounds were extracted using two methods: by constant reflux with ethanol for three hours or in a water bath with distilled water for two hours. The percentage of total extract, Stiasny number, and condensed tannins were quantified. The quantitative number of condensed tannins present in the bark for each of the five species studied ranged from 0.65% to 5.14% for the ethanolic extracts and 0.14% to 1.46% for the aqueous extracts. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) identified polyphenolic compounds and functional groups characteristic of tannins. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) provided the elemental analysis and chemical composition of the tannin extracts, respectively, finding trace elements of silver, cadmium, phosphorus, iodine, and sulfur, which are minerals present in the soil, meaning that through processes of micronutrient absorption, these can interact with the tannins or polyphenols in the barks of the tree species being studied. The results indicate that the bark of P. patula and P. ayacahuite have a higher concentration of condensed tannins, 5.14% and 4.71%, respectively, in the ethanol extraction, and may be susceptible to exploitation due to the amount of bark generated in forestry activities.

Evaluation of Tribulus terrestris effect on kidney and liver function in healthy mice

This research aims to evaluate the pharmacological efficacy of aqueous spine extracts of Tribulus terrestris (TT) on liver and kidney function through physiological, biochemical, haematological, and histological assessments. Tribulus terrestris is renowned for its therapeutic benefits in traditional medicine practices in China, India, Pakistan, and Sudan for treating various chronic ailments. The study employed 5 weight per volume percentage (% w/v) of TT aqueous spines extract. BALB/c mice, both male and female, aged 4-6 weeks, were maintained in controlled ecological conditions (temperature: 22-24°C, humidity: 50-70%, light/dark cycle: 12-h). The mice were divided into two groups: the control group received normal tap water throughout the experimental period, while the other group was administered 5% (w/v) TT spines solution for 15 days. The outcomes of BALB/c mice treated with 5% Tribulus terrestris were compared with the control group after 15 days, revealing no significant difference in the drug's efficacy. The physiological results indicated reduced body weight, food intake, and adverse effects in the biochemical profile, including urinary and serum electrolyte levels, liver function tests, increased random blood glucosem, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), bilirubin (BIL), cholesterol (CHO), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides (TRI). Similarly, kidney function tests showed increased Urinary Nitrogen and creatinine plasma levels, with low blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urinary creatinine, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). However, no significant difference was observed in haematological profile readings. In conclusion, the findings suggest that the aqueous spine extract of Tribulus terrestris does not demonstrate beneficial effects on liver and kidney function, indicating that this study supports the notion that the plant cannot be utilized as a medicinal remedy.

Bioprospeksi Ekstrak Etanol Batang Serai Dapur Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. sebagai Antibakteri Staphylococcus aureus ATCC : 25923

Bioprospection of medicinal plants does not only require empirical information, but also requires scientific evidence information. One of the potential medicinal plants that require scientific evidence regarding the ability of antibacterial activity is lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus). The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of lemongrass in inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The design of this study was an experiment using ethanol extract samples of lemon grass stems and bacteria S. aureus ATCC : 25923. The research procedures included: determination, preparation, extraction, evaporation, and phytochemical screening of lemon grass stem powder taken from the Pasir Angin area, Bogor, West Java. Treatments in this study included: ethanol extract of lemon grass stems with concentrations of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 30µg chloramphenicol as positive control, and sterile distilled water as a negative control. All treatments were given 30µL on MHA media containing S. aureus culture. Data analysis in this study was carried out with a quantitative descriptive test. The results showed that the yield percentage of the viscous extract was 18.59% with positive phytochemical screening for alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, and terpenoids. The antibacterial test results of the ethanol extract of lemon grass stem 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% against S. aureus were able to produce inhibition zone diameters of 1 mm, 1.25 mm, 2 mm, and 2.41 mm, and 3 mm with sensitivity response category resistant. The conclusion in this study was that the administration of ethanol extract of lemon grass stems with 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% was not effective in inhibiting the growth of S. aureus so that the lemon grass stems were taken from the Pasir Angin area, Bogor, West Java not recommended as a candidate raw material for pharmaceutical formulations.