Solvents Of Different Polarity Research Articles

Comprehensive nutritional profiling and activity directed identification of lead antioxidant, antilithiatic agent from Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc

Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc. (family Fabaceae) is traditionally important pulse used for kidney stone degradation, cold,cough, asthma and in bronchial issues. It is well reported for the antilithiatic activity and nutritional profiling but no attempt has been made to find out the mechanism and nutrient responsible for the activity in its seed decoction. Therefore, lead high altitude variety responsible for the highest nutrient content and antilithiatic activity was selected for the study. Boiled spray dried extract (M1), lead fractionation (Spray dried residual water fraction: M2), and crude powder extract (M3) were nutritionally profiled using proximate composition analysis, Atomic absorption spectroscopy (minerals and trace elements), Ion exchange chromatography (carbohydrate analysis) and NMR spectroscopy (polar and non polar metabolite analysis). These extracts were also screened for the antilithiatic activity and found significantly important. M1 showed more activity than M3. Further, boiled extract was fractionated with different polarity of solvents (hexane, chloroform, n-butanol, residual water extract). All fractions and reference standard (cystone) were screened for the antilithiatic activity. M2 showed highest activity followed by ethyl acteate while hexane and chloroform did not show any activity in comparison to standards. Thus, lead fraction and market reference standard (cystone) were validated for the presence of nutritional components. Moreover, the selected nutritional components were individually and in combinations screened for the activity which revealed that kidney stone degradation was due to the synergetic action of components than the individual. The results clearly pave a way that Macrotyloma uniflorum is best for combating with malnutrition and kidney stone related problems.

Exploring electronic structure, and substituent effect of some biologically active benzimidazole derivatives: Experimental insights and DFT calculations

A series of (1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)-N-(4-phenyl)amine derivatives incorporating different electron-donating and withdrawing groups (X = 4OCH3 (1), 4CH3 (2), H (3), 4Cl (4), and 4Br (5)) on the para-position of the phenyl substituent was prepared, characterized and screened for their potential antimicrobial activity against some microbes. The substituent effect on the spectroscopic data (vibrational modes and NMR resonances) is well established by fitting with the Hammett constant. The unsubstituted derivative 4 exhibited comparable activity (MIC = 0.26 μM) to the standard tetracycline (MIC = 0.18 μM) against Staphylococcus aureus. Introduction of a substituent to the phenyl ring led to diminishing of the antibacterial activity. The substituent effect on the electron structure of 1–5 was investigated by TDDFT calculations. The acid dissociation constants of the ionizable NH group correlate well with Kubota's σ− parameter (R2 = 0.9196). The solvatochromism behavior of 1–5, in solvents of different polarity and hydrogen-bond tendency, was investigated by linear solvation–energy relationship equation analysis. Correlation between various quantum chemical descriptors, and antibacterial activity was carried out to verify a structural activity relation for this series of benzimidazole derivatives.

Sequential extraction of red button ginger ( Costus woodsonii ): Phytochemical screening and antioxidative activities

Costus plant is considered as a medicinal plant especially in therapeutic intervention. The current study reports the composition, phytochemical, and antioxidant properties of red button ginger (Costus woodsonii) using sequential extraction. Solvents of different polarities (hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water) were used to sequentially extract the C. woodsonii bract, at increasing polarities. Phytochemical screening showed positive presence of flavonoids (all types of extracts), terpenoids (only in methanolic extract), and tannins (except aqueous extract). Overall, methanolic extracts showed the significantly (p ≤ .05) highest ascorbic acid content (75.76 ± 1.47 mg/100 ml), total phenolic content (249.64 ± 2.83 mg GAE/100 g), DPPH free radical-scavenging activity (78.76 ± 0.97%), ferric reducing antioxidant power (22.55 ± 0.96 mg TEAC/g), superoxide anion scavenging activity (46.60 ± 1.57%) and hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity (50.35 ± 0.96%). In short, sequential extraction provides understanding of polarity specificity of C. woodsonii plant and result indicated high polarity solvent (methanol and water) recovered higher bioactive compounds. Practical applications Sequential extraction procedures have shown a rapid increase in applications, in a wide range of sample types. This study proposed the use of sequential extraction with solvents of different polarities to elute maximum amount of compounds present in Costus woodsonii plant. Many studies indicated that Costus genus plant exhibited high bioactivities such as anticancer, apoptotic effect, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetics, antifungal, and antibacterial properties which revealed the potential values of these plants for nutraceutical application. However, the study on C. woodsonii is very limited. This report would reveal the assessment of sequential extraction performance and its relationship with the properties of C. woodsonii. This would generate considerable interest to the research community to improve the understanding of this plant. Overall, this report is very beneficial to impart a new information to the food industry as well as the pharmaceutical field, which may broaden the application of this plant as a potential functional crop and bioactive ingredient.

Heterogeneous Biocatalytic Processes of the Low-Temperature Synthesis of Esters: Selection of Organic Solvent

Processes of the low-temperature enzymatic synthesis of esters in nonaqueous media of organic solvents with participation of heterogeneous biocatalysts synthesized by the adsorption immobilization of a recombinant lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (Pichia pastoris producer) on macroporous carbon aerogel were investigated. The esterification reaction was conducted using individual organic solvents of different polarity, such as nonpolar ones (lоgP > 2.5) – hexadecane, hexane and toluene, and polar solvents (lоgP < 1) – diethyl ether, tert-butanol and acetone, as well as their binary mixtures of different composition, for example, a mixture of hexane with diethyl ether having the composition 1 : (1/5÷3, vol. fr.). The effect of the solvent and co-solvent nature on the properties of synthesized biocatalysts, namely the enzymatic activity and operational stability, was studied in the batch esterification of heptanoic acid (C7:0) by alcohols, particularly the polar substrates – ethanol and n-butanol, or nonpolar alcohols – n-octanol and n-hexadecanol. Activity of the synthesized biocatalysts was found to depend to a great extent on polarity of both the solvents used in the reaction and the alcohol substrates. The maximum activity of 400 EA·g–1 was observed in a medium of nonpolar and nonviscous hexane (lоgP = 2.9), whereas the minimum activity of 4 EA·g–1 – in acetone (lоgP = 0.4); esterification of heptanoic acid in the presence of tert-butanol (lоgP = 0.6) virtually did not proceed. The activity of biocatalysts was shown to depend nonmonotonically on the lоgP value of individual solvent. In the binary mixtures of organic solvents, such as hexane/diethyl ether, biocatalytic activity linearly increased with an increase in lоgPmixture; in addition, biocatalysts exhibited the maximum operational stability.

Synthesis, Photophysical Characterization, and Sensor Activity of New 1,8-Naphthalimide Derivatives.

Three new 1,8-naphthalimide derivatives M1–M3 with different substituents at the C-4 position have been synthesized and characterized. Their photophysical properties have been investigated in organic solvents of different polarity, and their fluorescence intensity was found to depend strongly on both the polarity of the solvents and the type of substituent at C-4. For compounds M1 and M2 having a tertiary amino group linked via an ethylene bridge to the chromophore system, high quantum yield was observed only in non-polar media, whereas for compound M3, the quantum efficiency did not depend on the medium polarity. The effect of different metal ions (Ag+, Ba2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Mg2+, Pb2+, Sr2+, Fe3+, and Sn2+) on the fluorescence emission of compounds M1 and M2 was investigated. A significant enhancement has been observed in the presence of Ag+, Pb2+, Sn2+, Co2+, Fe3+, as this effect is expressed more preferably in the case of M2. Both compounds have shown significant pH dependence, as the fluorescence intensity was low in alkaline medium and has been enhanced more than 20-fold in acidic medium. The metal ions and pH do not affect the fluorescence intensity of M3. Density-functional theory (DFT) and Time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) quantum chemical calculations are employed in deciphering the intimate mechanism of sensor mechanism. The functional properties of M1 and M2 were compared with polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers of different generations modified with 1,8-naphthalimide.

Secondary Metabolites of Saussurea costus Leaf Extract Induce Apoptosis in Breast, Liver, and Colon Cancer Cells by Caspase-3-Dependent Intrinsic Pathway.

Background Apoptosis, a major form of programmed cell death, plays a vital role in regulating tissue development and maintenance of homeostasis in eukaryotes. Apoptosis can occur via a death receptor-dependent extrinsic or a mitochondrial-dependent intrinsic pathway and can be induced by various chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, the anticancer activity of Saussurea costus and its mode of intervention in human cancer cells of breast, colon, and liver were investigated. Results In this study, the bioactives of S. costus leaves were extensively extracted in five solvents of different polarity. The cytotoxicity and anticancer effect of the extracted secondary metabolites were investigated against breast (MCF-7), liver (HepG2), and colon (HCT116) cancer cell lines using a Sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assay. Secondary metabolites extracted using hexane, methanol, ethyl acetate, and chloroform had the highest cytotoxicity and thus the greatest anticancer effect on all the cancer cell lines tested (IC50; ranging from 0.25 to 2.5 μg/ml), while butanol was comparatively less active (IC50; ranging from 23.2 to 25.5 μg/ml). Further investigation using DNA flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy revealed that the extract arrested the cells in the G1 phase of cell cycle and induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the elevated expression level of proapoptotic proteins and decreased expression level of antiapoptotic proteins confirmed that the intrinsic (mitochondrial) pathway was involved in mediating the apoptosis of cancer cells upon treatment with S. costus extract. These results altogether suggest that S. costus could be a potential anticancer agent. Conclusion These results suggest that the S. costus extract is the potential source of the secondary metabolites that could be used as anticancer agent to treat diverse cancers of breast, colon, and liver.

Assessment of the Chemical/biological activities of extracts and essential oil of Rosmarinus officinalis L. from the Oriental region of Morocco

The interest in natural conservatives, antimicrobial and antioxidants have slightly increased due to their advantageous effects. In this work bioactive compounds were obtained from Rosmarinus officinalis L. At first, the extractions of the essential oils by hydrodistillation was performed. The obtained essential oils from rosemary were yielded of about 1.8%. The GC-MS revealed that the rosemary oil was dominated by 1,8-cineol (52.440 %), Camphor (11.241 %), and α-pinene (8.225%). The extraction of the dry powders using maceration and soxhlet with solvents of different polarity showed a significant yield for ethanol compared to that of hexane. In the same context, the phytochemical screening revealed the richness of the studied plant with secondary metabolites. The antioxidant activity was assessed in vitro using scavenging activity of the free radical DPPH. It revealed that the essential oil and all ethanolic extracts tested using ascorbic acid as a reference, exhibit anti-radical activities. The ethanolic extract of Rosemary leaves showed the highest anti-radical activity (IC50 = 64.27µg/ml), followed by the extract of the latter's stems with an IC50 = 64.74µg/ml. The microbiological results showed that the antimicrobial activity was variable from one bacteria to another, this is due to the variability of the chemical composition of each extract.

Effect of solvent polarity during electrodeposition of asphaltenes from a Colombian oil in the presence of a magnetic field and magnetic nanoparticles

This work focuses on analyzing the electrokinetic behavior of asphaltenes of extra heavy oil. For this, electrodepositions were carried out in asphaltene solutions (4 %w/w) with two solvents of different polarities: toluene and chloroform. In addition, we worked with different magnetic fields, and the effect of adding 1% w/w of magnetic nanoparticles was analyzed. The asphaltenes were extracted with heptane and were characterized by infrared and ultraviolet visible spectroscopy. In the case of toluene, the initial adsorption (without fields) was 4 mg in both anode and cathode. By using an electric field (100 V/m) the deposits increased to 6 mg (anode) and 5 mg (cathode). However, when using a static magnetic field of 0.1 mT, no changes were observed. But, by modifying said field by a dynamic one (0.1 mT and 60 Hz), 15 mg (anode) and 19 mg (cathode) were obtained. Moreover, the addition of nanoparticles (previously characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X ray diffraction) changed the behavior, worsening in the absence of fields, and improving only in the presence of the dynamic field (104 mg, 26 mg in anode and cathode, respectively). Similar results were obtained when using chloroform. Thus, the best performance was obtained by using a dynamic magnetic field. By not considering the nanoparticles, total deposits increased more than 14 times (102 mg versus 7 mg). However, considering them, the increase was greater than 30 times (302 mg versus 10 mg). Therefore, we consider that adding nanoparticles, and supporting the electrodeposition process with a dynamic magnetic field, is an alternative that must be included to improve process performance.

Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Extractives in Norway Spruce and Kurile Larch and Their Role in Brown-Rot Degradation.

Extractives found in the heartwood of a moderately durable conifer (Larix gmelinii var. japonica) were compared with those found in a non-durable one (Picea abies). We identified and quantified heartwood extractives by extraction with solvents of different polarities and gas chromatography with mass spectral detection (GC-MS). Among the extracted compounds, there was a much higher amount of hydrophilic phenolics in larch (flavonoids) than in spruce (lignans). Both species had similar resin acid and fatty acid contents. The hydrophobic resin components are considered fungitoxic and the more hydrophilic components are known for their antioxidant activity. To ascertain the importance of the different classes of extractives, samples were partially extracted prior to subjection to the brown-rot fungus Rhodonia placenta for 2–8 weeks. Results indicated that the most important (but rather inefficient) defense in spruce came from the fungitoxic resin, while large amounts of flavonoids played a key role in larch defense. Possible moisture exclusion effects of larch extractives were quantified via the equilibrium moisture content of partially extracted samples, but were found to be too small to play any significant role in the defense against incipient brow-rot attack.

The antioxidant index and chemometric analysis of tannin, flavonoid, and total phenolic extracted from medicinal plant foods with the solvents of different polarities

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of four solvents (water, methanol, ethyl acetate, and n‐hexane) on the extraction of total phenolic content (TPC), tannin, flavonoid, ferric reducing power (FRAP), and radical scavenging activity from Centella asiatica, Musa acuminata, Peperomia pellucida, and Psophocarpus tetragonolobus. The extraction of TPC, tannin, flavonoid, and antioxidant activity varied significantly according to solvent polarity and plant species. The strong linear correlation found between solvent polarity index and TPC, tannin, FRAP as well as radical scavenging activity indicated solvents with increasing polarity favored the extraction of phenolic antioxidants. Plant species and extraction solvents contributed to 51.7% and 21.8% of total activity variation, respectively. C. asiatica, M. acuminata flower, and P. pellucida were best extracted with 80°C distilled water for a short duration, while methanol was preferred for P. tetragonolobus. The antioxidant index could be a potential ranking tool to identify the ideal extraction solvent for medicinal plants. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Considering the high commercial and health‐oriented values of natural phenolic antioxidants such as tannin and flavonoid, efficient extraction of these phytochemicals from different plant sources remains a challenging task due to their varying physicochemical characteristics and solubility. This study has addressed that the choice of solvents and types of plant species are critical extraction parameters for natural plant products. Comparison of tannin and flavonoid content among the different solvent extracts could reveal the ideal solvent which maximizes the extraction of phenolic antioxidants from different medicinal plants. The finding in this study may inspire nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries to re‐evaluate their procedure in selecting the optimal extraction solvent and condition for different plant materials. The proposed antioxidant index in this study could serve as a potential tool to rank extraction solvents based on the antioxidant values extracted from different medicinal plants.

DFT investigation on the linear and nonlinear optical properties of the tautomers and derivatives of 2-aminobenzothiazole (ABT) in the gas phase and different solvents

This effort was performed to investigate the nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of 2-aminobenzothiazole (ABT) molecule at a sophisticated level of theory (DFT/CAM-B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)). The study included the investigation of NLO properties of the three tautomeric forms of ABT in the gas and solvents of different polarities. The study extended to study the NLO properties of the most stable tautomeric form of ABT (T1ABT) substituted at position C3 with electron-donor/electron-acceptor groups. Additionally, the quantum chemical parameters of the three tautomeric forms in the gas and six solvents were calculated and analyzed.

Experimental and theoretical insight into spectroscopic properties and bioactivity of 4-(4-formylbenzylidene)-2-phenyloxazol-5(4H)-one dye for future applications in biochemistry

The synthesized 4-(4-formylbenzylidene)-2-phenyloxazol-5(4H)-one was characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy. The steady-state and time resolved measurements were applied to investigate its solvatochromism, determine dipole moments and elucidate its biological activity. Photophysical properties of the dye were studied in solvents of different polarities. Solute-solvent interactions were analyzed by means of multi-linear regression method using Catalán parameters whereas linear solvent correlation techniques like Lippert-Mataga, McRae and Bakhshiev polarity functions were used to evaluate the singlet excited state dipole moment. The achieved results indicate that the electronic absorption and fluorescence spectra of the oxazolone dye exhibit positive solvatochromism. Moreover, solvent polarizability is the major factor responsible for the observed red shift, thus the non-specific interactions mainly control the photophysical properties of the dye while the contribution of the specific interactions is weaker and mainly depend on solvent acidity. The rise in dipole moment of the dye occurs upon excitation due to the π-electron density redistribution. The spectroscopic measurements were supported by computational calculations including geometry optimization, spectral and physicochemical properties. The studies were also extended to evaluate bioactivity of the dye. The interaction between oxazolone dye and Concanavalin A was investigated by the fluorescence anisotropy method. The ion transporter action, especially sodium‑potassium pump function, and water transport in epithelial tissue were elucidated by the estimation of skin resistance.

Root Extracts From Ononis spinosa Inhibit IL-8 Release via Interactions With Toll-Like Receptor 4 and Lipopolysaccharide.

Extracts from the roots of Ononis spinosa L. (restharrow roots) are traditionally used for the treatment of patients with urinary tract infections due to its mild diuretic activity, caused by the inhibition of renal human hyaluronidase-1 by isoflavonoids. Preliminary studies also indicated anti-inflammatory effects. The following study aimed at investigating potential anti-inflammatory effects of restharrow extracts, prepared with solvents of different polarity. A dichloromethane extract (OS1), mainly composed of isoflavonoids and triterpenes as characterized by LC-MS, showed a concentration-dependent (25–100 μg/ml) inhibition of IL-8 and TNF-α release from LPS-stimulated human neutrophils. Significant inhibition was also found for the triterpene α-onocerin and the norneolignan clitorienolactone B, isolated from OS1. Further, OS1 and both compounds significantly decreased the expression of the adhesion molecules CD11b/CD18 and conversely increased the expression of CD62L in LPS-stimulated human neutrophils. This finding corresponds to a reduced inflammatory response by the inhibition of adhesion and migration of immune cells. As all of the observed effects are potentially mediated via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling, TLR4 transfected HEK293 cells were incubated with OS1. LPS-induced IL-8 secretion was significantly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner, confirming TLR4 antagonism. This inhibition, however, was in part caused by an interaction of OS1 with LPS. In addition, also an aqueous extract containing high amounts of isoflavonoid glycosides and saponins from the roots of O. spinosa showed anti-inflammatory effects by interacting with the TLR4 signaling pathway. This study rationalizes the traditional use of extracts from O. spinosa for therapy of urinary tract infections, due to its potential anti-inflammatory effects that are mediated via TLR4 receptor antagonism.

Adaptive Hybrid Molecular Brushes Composed of Chitosan, Polylactide, and Poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) for Support and Guiding Human Dermal Fibroblasts.

Hybrid molecular brushes (HMBs) are macromolecular constructs made up of a backbone polymer and side-chain polymers with distinct properties. They adapt to a changing microenvironment via the conformational mechanism and thus may affect mammalian cell proliferation. Two biobenign HMBs were synthesized in this work: (1) polylactide (PLA) grafted to the chitosan (CHI) backbone to form chitosan-graft-polylactide (CHI-g-PLA), a two-component molecular brush, and (2) poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PNVP) grafted to chitosan moieties of CHI-g-PLA to form a three-component HMB. The molecular brushes were used to fabricate polymer coatings and nanofibers, guiding the attachment and growth of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) while silencing the response of macrophages to the scaffolds. The exterior surface composition of the coatings can be switched by exposure to solvents of different polarities: hydrophilic PNVP chains upon exposure to water or hydrophobic PLA chains upon treatment by anisole. Our experiments demonstrate substantial improvement of the HDF cell attachment and proliferation on the surface of the HMBs as compared to the parent polymers CHI, PLA, and PNVP. A Sirius Red assay and immunofluorescence show that HMBs stimulate production of collagen by HDF cells, which propagate on the polymer substrates revealing well-developed focal adhesion structures. On the other hand, a low attachment of macrophages is observed on the HMB surfaces, in particular if HMBs are switched to the hydrophilic state, i.e., PNVP in the top strata.

Synthesis and Absorption Properties of Trisubstituted Hetarylazo Indole Dyes

In this study, as a result of azo coupling of diazonium salts prepared with various aromatic amines with 2-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-indole and 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-indole compounds, a series of new hetarylazo indole dyes were synthesized. N-substituted indole derivatives were synthesized by alkylation of the prepared dyes with the isopropyl alcohol from the N-position by Mitsunobu reaction. The chemical structures of the synthesized compounds were determined by NMR, FT-IR, UV-vis, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. In order to determine the photophysical properties of the dyes obtained, visible region absorption spectra were examined in solvents of different polarity. In addition, the behavior of acid and base addition on absorption maxima were examined in detail.

Determination of Hansen solubility parameters of halloysite nanotubes and prediction of its compatibility with polyethylene oxide

Halloysite nanotubes are extensively studied natural tubular clay mineral that has many potentially important uses in different industrial fields. In this paper, the dispersion behavior of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) in 22 solvents of different polarities was investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ultraviolet spectrophotometer (UV). The result revealed that HNTs can be dispersed in solvents with high polar and hydrogen bond component parameters, and the best dispersions were achieved in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethanol (EtOH), and acetonitrile (ACN). Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs) of HNTs were approximately determined of δd = 16.8 MPa1/2, δp = 12.6 MPa1/2 and δh = 17.4 MPa1/2 based on the dispersion state tests. The HSPs of polyethylene oxide (PEO) were further estimated using the group contribution method to predict the compatibility of HNTs and PEO employing HSP theory. The SEM images of the PEO/ HNTs composites with different HNTs content showed that the HNTs were well dispersed in the PEO matrix. Meanwhile, the PEO/HNTs composites exhibited enhanced thermal stability compared to the pure PEO. The results suggested there existed good compatibility between HNTs and PEO and confirmed the usefulness of this approach.

Solvothermal Synthesis, Characterization and Cytotoxicity Study of Cobalt and Copper of Complexes Sulfamethoxazole

The complexes of Co and Cu with sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) were synthesized in the 1:2 molar ratios. The physical characterization of the ligand and the complexes showed different colours with a good % yield and high melting point/decomposition temperature. The solubility test of the metal complexes and the free drug using various solvents of different polarity and proticity showed that the free drug and the metal complexes are soluble in polar and non-polar solvents. The IR results of the synthesized complexes displayed new peaks that are not present in the free drug, the bands are due to M-O and M-N thus, confirming the coordination. The result from the conductivity measurement shows that the complexes are non-electrolyte. More so, all the complexes were found to be toxic in brine shrimp lethality assay.

Thalictrum foliolosum DC: An unexplored medicinal herb from north western Himalayas with potential against fungal pathogens and scavenger of reactive oxygen species

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antifungal, antioxidant activity and quantification of berberine in different solvent extracts of leaves of Thalictrum foliolosum DC. Cold maceration method was employed for the preparation of extracts using solvents of different polarities (petroleum ether, chloroform, and methanol). Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity, and antifungal activity of T. foliolosum extracts were investigated using various in vitro assays. A high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method was used for the quantification of berberine. In silico studies confirmed the results of in vitro assays and showed that berberine showed a good binding affinity with cytochrome P450 14 alpha-sterol demethylase (CYP51) (antifungal receptor protein) and human peroxiredoxin 5 (antioxidant receptor). TPC and TFC were highest in methanolic extract. HPTLC quantification of berberine showed a higher amount of berberine in chloroform extract followed by methanol extract). Chloroform extract showed the highest antifungal activity as indicated by a diameter of zone of inhibition and lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value against fungal strains [Candida albicans (ATCC90028), C. albicans (MTCC277) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (H1068)]. Among three extracts, maximum antioxidant activity was shown by chloroform extract as evident from the lowest half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value with DPPH and FRAP assay. Molecular docking study also showed that berberine interacts strongly with cytochrome P450 14 alpha-sterol demethylase (CYP51) and human peroxiredoxin 5 proteins. Thus, T. foliolosum leaves can be exploited as an alternative source of berberine, with potent antioxidant and antifungal activity.

Solvatochromic characteristics of dansyl molecular probes bearing alkyl diamine chains.

A series of dansyl-based fluorescent probes bearing linear alkyl-1,n-diamine chains of different length (DA1.n, n=2-8, 10, 12) was characterized in terms of the absorptive and emissive features in solvents of different polarity and hydrogen bond donor/hydrogen bond acceptor character. The probes show solvent-dependent absorption, a feature that is uncommon among dansyl derivatives. The dual emission of DA1.n probes is strong in non-aqueous solvents and is influenced by the chain length and interactions with the solvent. Solvent effects on the spectral parameters were rationalized on the basis of the Kamlet-Taft and Catalán solvatochromic models, in order to quantify the degree of polarity-driven and hydrogen bonding interactions. A comparative discussion of the results predicted by the two models was made. In ground state, the DA1.n probes act as hydrogen bond acceptors. In excited state, hydrogen bonding is less favoured, the solute-solvent interactions being governed by the increasing polarity of the solvent that results in a large bathochromic shift of the emission. A comparison was made with the spectral features previously reported for the corresponding series of bis-dansyl fluorescent probes (2DA1.n).

Phytochemical Contents of Torbangun (Coleus amboinicus Lour) from Fractionation of Pressurized Liquid Extraction

Coleus amboinicus (Lour) (torbangun) has been used traditionally as a breast milk stimulant, flavoring agent in many cuisines, and reported to possess many pharmacological values. The aim of this study was to explore the utility of the Pressurized Liquid Extraction (PLE) technique to identify the phytochemical contents of torbangun. In this study, total phenolic content and flavonoid in torbangun were determined using spectrophotometric method. The GC-MS analysis was used to identify the chemical constituents of torbangun, which was sequentially extracted with a wide range of solvent or solvent mixture from nonpolar-moderately polar and finally polar solvent. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the methanol extract of torbangun were 42.17±2.96 mg GAE/g and 11.20±0.58 mg QE/g, respectively. The identified chemical constituents in torbangun were sugar, hydrocarbon, ketone, terpenes, phenolics, fatty acid, fatty alcohol, steroids, alkaloids, and others, whereas the dominant constituents were phenolic compound, alkane, and sugar. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the effectiveness and rapid extraction of the PLE technique. Many valuable compounds in torbangun were extracted using gradual composition of solvent and were able to identify certain compounds in different polarities of solvents that are important in functional food preparation, pharmaceutical, and metabolomics research. Keywords: bioactive, extract, nontoxic, plant, solvent