Anethole Research Articles

Anethole alleviates Doxorubicin-induced cardiac and renal toxicities: Insights from network pharmacology and animal studies

Doxorubicin (Dox) is widely used as a chemotherapy drug, while anethole (AN) is primarily known as the main aromatic component in various plant species. This research focused on the impact of AN on the cardiac and renal toxicity induced by Dox and to understand the underlying mechanisms. For cardiac toxicity, Wistar rats were categorized into four groups: a Control group; a Dox group, where rats received 2.5 mg/kg of Dox intraperitoneally every other day; and two Dox + AN groups, where animals were administered Dox (2.5 mg/kg/every other day, IP) along with 125 mg/kg or 250 mg/kg of AN, respectively. The renal toxicity study included similar groups, with the Dox group receiving a single dose of 20 mg/kg of Dox intraperitoneally on the tenth day, and the Dox + AN groups receiving 125 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg of AN for two weeks, alongside the same dose of Dox (20 mg/kg, IP, once on the 10th day). Parameters assessed included ECG, cardiac injury markers (CK, CK-MB, and LDH), and kidney function tests (Cr, BUN, uric acid, LDL, Kim-1, NGAL, and CysC). Antioxidant activity, lipid peroxidation, inflammation, and apoptotic markers were also monitored in heart and renal tissues. Gene expression levels of the TLR4/MyD88/NFκB pathway, along with Bax and Bcl-2, were evaluated. Dox significantly altered ECG, elevated cardiac injury markers, and renal function markers. It also augmented gene expressions of TLR4/MyD88/NFκB, amplified oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines and apoptotic markers. Conversely, AN reduced cardiac injury markers and kidney function tests, improved ECG, diminished TLR4/MyD88/NFκB gene expression, and alleviated oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities and reducing inflammatory cytokines. AN also enhanced Bcl-2 levels and inhibited Bax and the cleavage of caspase-3 and 9. AN countered the lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis induced by Dox, marking it as a potential preventive strategy against Dox-induced nephrotoxic and cardiotoxic injuries.

Anti-oral streptococci and anti-biofilm properties of Etlingera pavieana essential oil and its bioactive compounds proposed for an alternative herbal mouthwash

Oral streptococci are the major group of bacteria in the oral cavity. Some of their species cause oral diseases that may lead to tooth loss and quality-of-life reduction, such as dental caries. One of prevention techniques to promote oral health is rinsing mouthwash after toothbrushing. This study aimed to determine the potential uses of local food, also remedy, plant in Thailand called Reaw-Horm or Etlingera pavieana for alternative herbal mouthwash. The essential oil from E. pavieana rhizome (Eo) is used for anti-streptococci including Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus and anti-biofilm activities. The main components of Eo are methyl chavicol (MC) and trans-anethole (TA). The disk diffusion method showed the inhibition zone of Eo in a dose-dependent manner. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Eo and TA was >1.6 % v/v, and 0.4 % v/v of MC. Regarding anti-biofilm activities, MC showed nearly equal anti-biofilm formation of S. mutans and S. sobrinus, whereas Eo and TA acted toward S. sobrinus more than S. mutans biofilm. Sub-MIC killing effects on cells under biofilm were observed in Eo and MC. Therefore, MC was recommended as an active compound for anti-streptococci activities. Biocompatibility of Eo and MC were shown to be safe for epidermal cell lines. Herbal mouthwashes containing Eo were developed and had antioxidant and antimicrobial actions with established for 3 months. This study provides in vitro support on the use of herbal mouthwash with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities for dental caries prevention and well-being of individuals.

Effect of anethole and anethole+itraconazole assiciantion on experimental arthritis induced by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

In this study, the effect of treatment with anethole (AN) and the combination anethole+itraconazole (AN+IT) compared to IT, on infectious arthritis induced by Paracoccidiodes brasiliensis, was evaluated. The animals were treated for 14 days at doses of anethole (AN - 62.5, 125 and 250 mg/kg), itraconazole (IT - 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg) and the combination of anethole+itraconazole (AN+ IT - 62.5 and 12.5 mg/kg). The parameters evaluated were: the development of knee edema, the number of leukocytes recruited into the joint cavity, the body weight of the animals, the walking capacity, the plasmatic concentration of nitric oxide, the concentration of TNF in the knee joint exudate, the production of anti-Pb antibodies and the activity of plasma transaminases (AST and ALT). Histological changes in the right knee joint of the hind paw were evaluated using Hematoxylin-eosin and Grocott staining. The results showed that treatment with monotherapies and combinations reduced knee joint edema, the number of leukocytes recruited into the synovial cavity and improved the animals' gait. The concentration of plasma NO, tissue TNF and anti-Pb were reduced by treatment with IT at all doses tested and with the AN+IT combination. Treatment with AN only reduced the plasma concentration of NO and tissue TNF at a high dose. Altogether, the data showed that treatments with IT monotherapy and the combination of AN + IT showed a similar inhibitory effect on the development of arthritis.

Hot "Dissolving" Extrusion of Lurasidone with Natural Liquid Small Molecule for Amorphous Solid Dispersion Based Self-Assembled Submicron Emulsion.

Nowadays, ≈90% of new drug candidates under development are poorly bioavailable due to their low solubility and/or permeability. Herein, a natural liquid small molecule trans-anethole (TA) is introduced into the drug-polymer system lurasidone (LUS)-poly (1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) (VA64), notably improving the compatibility of components for the successful preparation of amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) and facilitating the formation of self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) during dissolution. LUS-TA-VA64 ASD shows enhanced supersaturation with a long maintenance time of at least 24 h over pure LUS. The strong non-covalent force between VA64 (as emulsifier) and TA (as oil phase)/ water promotes the self-assembly of submicron emulsion and ensures its stability for at least 10 h. Compared to the commercial salt form of LUS, the ASD shows twofold increase in peak plasma concentration (Cmax ) and area under plasma concentration-time profiles (AUC), 1.5-fold increase in peak time (Tmax ), and twofold decrease in AUC-based coefficient of variation (CV) (59%→26%) after a single oral dose to a rabbit.

Trans-Anethole Alleviates DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis by Remodeling the Intestinal Flora to Regulate Immunity and Bile Acid Metabolism.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is the most common inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); it is incurable, and the treatment is expensive. Trans-anethole (TA), the main component of fennel, exhibits various biological activities. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the efficacy of herbal active ingredients in the treatment of UC. This study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of TA in UC. In this study, we have experimented on mice with dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-induced UC. The TA group was gavaged with 62.5 mg/kg TA by gavage once daily on days 8-14. To observe the effect of TA on the colon tissue, various investigations were performed, including western blot and immunohistochemistry for intestinal barrier protein expression, TUNEL staining for apoptosis, western blot, and ELISA for inflammation level, flow cytometry for Th17/Treg, LC-MS for blood bile acid content, GC-MS for blood fatty acid content, and 16s RNA for intestinal contents. TA alleviated weight loss in mice with UC; increased colon length; alleviated intestinal mucosal damage; upregulated claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1 protein expression levels; reduced inflammatory factors in the colon and serum; and alleviated apoptosis. TA reduced fatty acid and bile acid levels by inhibiting colony abundance and reducing Th17/Treg cell differentiation in the colon. We found that TA alleviates DSS-induced UC by remodeling the intestinal flora to regulate immunity and bile acid metabolism.

Trans-anethole pretreatment ameliorates hepatic ischemia–reperfusion injury via regulation of soluble epoxide hydrolase

Hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) is a risk factor for early graft nonfunction and graft rejection after liver transplantation (LT). The process of liver IRI involves inflammatory response, oxidative stress, apoptosis and other pathophysiological processes. So far, there is still a lack of effective drugs to ameliorate liver IRI. Trans-anethole (TA) is an aromatic compound. Many medications as well as natural foods contain TA. TA has multiple effects such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress and anti-apoptosis. However, the mechanism of TA pretreatment in liver IRI is unclear. The mice hepatic IRI model was constructed after gavage pretreatment with TA (10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg) for 7 consecutive days. Our study confirmed that TA pretreatment significantly improve liver function and reduce serum AST, ALT in hepatic IRI. HE staining showed that TA pretreatment alleviated liver injury. Meanwhile, TA (20 mg/kg) pretreatment attenuated hepatocyte apoptosis in hepatic IRI. In addition, TA (20 mg/kg) pretreatment reduced the inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6 and infiltration of CD11b positive cells in liver tissues during hepatic IRI in mice. TA pretreatment also alleviated oxidative stress in mice hepatic IRI. Our study further indicated that TA pretreatment attenuated mice hepatic IRI through inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation via regulation of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). This study provides a novel and effective potential drug with few side effects for easing liver IRI.

Neuroprotective Potential of Trans-Anethole Following Crush Injury of the Sciatic Nerve in Rats

Background and Aim: Sciatic nerve injury is a common condition that can lead to significant functional deficits. Although current treatments are effective in reducing symptoms, more effective and safer treatments are still required. In this research, the effect of trans-anethole (TA) was investigated on improving the sciatic nerve function in a rat model. Methods and Materials/Patients: Twenty-eight adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups. Animals were subjected to deep anesthesia. Then, to create a model of the sciatic nerve, the right leg of the rats was compressed above the location of the trifurcation of the nerve. The control and negative groups received saline. Trans-anethole 125 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg were injected intraperitoneally into two groups of the sciatica model. Finally, muscle histological changes were evaluated. Results: The results indicated that the injection of TA improved motor recovery in rats. The highest recovery rate was related to the dose of 250 mg/kg. The morphometric analysis suggested that the number of fibers and the thickness of the myelin sheath were significantly higher in the group treated with TA compared with the control group. An increase in muscle mass and a decrease in muscle atrophy were observed in the groups treated with TA compared with the negative control group. Conclusion: These data showed that TA improves nerve damage and can be used as an option to improve inflammation-induced sciatica.

Some quality and essential oil classifications of Turkish aniseed (Pimpinella anisum L.)

ABSTRACT For industries that use aniseed as a raw material, essential oil content and aroma composition are critical factors. Anise fruits were collected from 15 locations to determine these criteria. The essential oil procured by hydrodistillation was analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC – MS). The locations were divided into five classes according to the cluster analysis of essential oil components. The most important components that made up the classes were estragole (2.33%), trans–anethole (93.90%), cis-anethole (0.21%), carvone (0.097%), p-anisaldehyde (0.651%), longifolene (1.35%), carvacrol (0.06%) and α-himachalane (0.12%). The rate of essential oil varied between 0.33-3.01% in the locations. Trans–anethole is the main component of the essential oil, while their rates changed according to the populations (90.8–96.6%). Location has a significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on the essential oil, fruit width, fruit length and a thousand fruit weight; furthermore, it is positively related.

Evaluation of the star anise extract as a natural cold flow improver for enhancing the cold flow properties of diesel fuel

High-proportioned normal-alkanes in diesel are liable to crystallize and gel in cold climates, which considering as the major reasons for the poor cold flow properties (CFPs) of diesel. In this study, trans anethole (TA) was successful extracted from the naturally renewable substance of star anise, and first used to polymerize with alkyl methacrylate (C14MC) in different ratios. So, a novel kind of natural cold flow improvers (CFIs) of alkyl methacrylate-trans anethole copolymers (C14MC-TA) were prepared to enhance the CFPs of diesel. The depressing effects of these CFIs on cold filter plugging point (CFPP) and solid point (SP) of diesel were explored and discussed in-depth. The investigation concludes that the natural C14MC-TA as a CFI exerted positive effects on enhancing the CFPs of diesel. As the molar ratio of C14MC and TA was 1:1, C14MC-TA achieved the best optimal depressing effect at 2000 ppm dosage, and the reductions of CFPP and SP were up to 14 °C and 22 °C, respectively. The depressing mechanism of the natural CFIs were also discussed by polarizing optical microscope, differential scanning calorimeter, rheological analysis and X-ray diffractometer.

The monoterpene position isomers estragole and anethole attenuates zymosan-induced arthritis in mice

The isomers estragole (EST) and anethole (ANT) has been reported to present anti-inflammatory activity in different experimental models of inflammation. This study investigated the effects of EST and ANT on leukocytes migration into the knee joint, the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO), the levels of nitric oxide (NO), cytokines and the oxidative status in the joint tissue. EST and ANT equally inhibit the zymosan-induced neutrophils influx and the levels of NO and MPO activity into the joint. EST reduced the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 at the dose of 250 mg/kg and500 mg/kg. Only 500 mg/kg ANT reduced in minor extension the levels of TNF-α and IL-6. In contrast, the IL-10 joint levels were increased in mice treated with both ANT and EST. In addition, both EST and ANT reduced the zymosan-induced oxidative stress in the joint; however, ANT was more potent than EST to this respect. The latter could be attributed to an additional reactive species scavenging due to the double bond of the propenyl chain conjugated with the aromatic ring in ANT, but not present in EST. This same structural difference should be responsible by the distinct modulation of zymosan-induced cytokine production in the joint.

Immunomodulatory effects of trans-anethole-treated Staphylococcus aureus Newman strain

In our former studies based on a human whole-blood model infected with trans-anethole (TA)-treated Staphylococcus aureus Newman strain, we have observed that selected parameters/mechanisms of innate and acquired immune response were more enhanced in comparison to samples infected with non-treated bacteria. Due to this observation, the current study aimed to evaluate the concentration of selected proteins involved in both types of responses (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17, TNF-α, IFN-γ, G-CSF, C5a, CCL1—CCL5, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL9—CXCL11, MMP-8, TLR2, and PGLYRP1) in healthy participants' plasma after blood stimulation of TA-treated S. aureus Newman strain. Determination of analyzed protein concentration was conducted using Luminex and ELISA assays. Based on the results, it has been proven that the immunomodulatory potential of TA-treated S. aureus Newman strain on increasing IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-12, G-CSF, C5a, CCL2—CCL4, CXCL1, CXCL2, MMP-8 and PGLYRP1 levels in plasma. Moreover, it has been also demonstrated an association between TNF-α and CCL4 in a blood model infected with TA-treated cells. More research is warranted to find more underlying mechanisms involved in the effects of TA-treated S. aureus Newman in human blood, mainly whether the observed “immunity boost” can be regulated after bacteria elimination. Therefore, the potential of TA should be further explored to understand under which conditions it might help treat or prevent infections caused by S. aureus.

Anethole Pretreatment Modulates Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion: The Role of JNK, p38, MMP-2 and MMP-9 Pathways.

Anethole (AN) is one of the major constituents of several plant oils, demonstrating plentiful pharmacological actions. Ischemic stroke is the main cause of morbidity and death worldwide, particularly since ischemic stroke therapeutic choices are inadequate and limited; thus, the development of new therapeutic options is indispensable. This study was planned to explore the preventive actions of AN in ameliorating cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced brain damage and BBB permeability leakage, as well as to explore anethole's potential mechanisms of action. The proposed mechanisms included modulating JNK and p38 as well as MMP-2 and MMP-9 pathways. Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly assigned into four groups: sham, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), AN125 + MCAO, and AN250 + MCAO. Animals in the third and fourth groups were pretreated with AN 125 or 250 mg/kg orally, respectively, for two weeks before performing middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced cerebral ischemic/reperfusion surgery. Animals that experienced cerebral ischemia/reperfusion exhibited amplified infarct volume, Evans blue intensity, brain water content, Fluoro-Jade B-positive cells, severe neurological deficits, and numerous histopathological alterations. MCAO animals exhibited elevated MMP-9 and MMP-2 gene expressions, enzyme activities, augmented JNK, and p38 phosphorylation. On the other hand, pretreatment with AN diminished the infarct volume, Evans blue dye intensity, brain water content, and Fluoro-Jade B-positive cells, improved the neurological score and enhanced histopathological examination. AN effectively lowered MMP-9 and MMP-2 gene expression and enzyme activities and diminished phosphorylated JNK, p38. AN decreased MDA content, amplified GSH/GSSG ratio, SOD, and CAT, decreased the serum and brain tissue homogenate inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β), NF-κB, and deterred the apoptotic status. This study revealed the neuroprotective ability of AN against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in rats. AN boosted blood-brain barrier integrity via modulating MMPs and diminished oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis through the JNK/p38 pathway.

Staphyloxanthin inhibitory potential of trans-anethole: A preliminary study

The reduction of staphyloxanthin (STX) production in Staphylococcus aureus under trans-anethole (TA) influence was proven in former studies. However, no tests concerning the impact of TA on a biosynthetic pathway of this carotenoid pigment have been published so far. Thus, for the first time, the present preliminary study evaluated the influence of TA on the expression level of genes (crtOPQMN operon and aldH) encoding STX pathway enzymes. Additional attention was paid to the identification of STX and its intermediates. Gene expression and identification of extracted compounds were conducted using quantitative real-time PCR and HPLC-MS techniques, respectively. The analyzes showed no difference in crtM, crtN, crtO, crtP, crtQ, and aldH gene expression between bacterial samples isolated from the non-stimulated (control) medium and the stimulated one with TA. Compared to the control group that showed the presence of all metabolic intermediates and STX, the TA-treated bacteria were characterized by a lack or a significant reduction of the majority of compounds, except 4,4′-diaponeurosporenoate, the content of which was elevated in the TA-treated sample. Moreover, in silico molecular docking analysis revealed that TA is capable to create relatively strong interactions with both 4,4′-diapophytoene synthase and 4,4′-diapophytoene desaturase. The preliminary findings indicate that the previously observed TA effect reducing the number of S. aureus colonies pigmentation is probably not associated with the expression levels of genes encoding STX pathway enzymes. It has been proven that adding TA to the medium can interfere with the formation of STX at different levels of its biosynthetic pathway.

New electroanalytical method for the determination of trans-anethole in spices and sweets

A completely new method for the determination of trans–anethole (TAN) based on the anodic oxidation of this flavouring substance in pure acetonitrile using differential–pulse voltammetry has been developed. A nonaqueous carbon paste electrode bulk-modified with solid sodium dodecyl sulphate of 40 % (w/w) content was chosen as optimum. To propose TAN electrode reaction mechanism, its electrochemical behaviour was investigated at glassy carbon electrode in nonaqueous media. At optimum working conditions, the current response could be calibrated within a linear range 2–200 µmolL−1 TAN, a coefficient of determination of 0.9971, a sensitivity of 0.1122µALµmol−1, and a detection limit of 0.7 µmolL−1. A satisfactory precision (relative standard deviation of 4 %) has been achieved. The validation performed by analysis of spices and sweets provided comparable results with reference reverse–phase HPLC with spectrophotometric detection, thus confirming the practical use of the developed voltammetric method in food analysis.

Use of stability statistics in the selection of Clausena heptaphylla (Roxb.) Wight & Arn for novel anethole rich strain (Jor Lab CH-2).

Anethole is an industrially important compound which is extensively used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumery, food and confectioneries. Anethole is primarily obtained from fennel, anise, and star anise which is highly expensive. Therefore, a study was performed to identify a cost-effective and natural anethole rich strain of Clausena heptaphylla through selection and confirmed through multilocation trial. The study was conducted using 23 accessions collected from North eastern region of India from 2014-2018 (initial evaluation trial) and 2018-2022 (multilocation trial). The initial trial was conducted in the experimental farm of CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, Assam using Complete Randomized Block Design with three replications. Five agronomical traits (plant height, leaf length, leaf width, number of stem branching, herbage yield per plant per cutting) along with essential oil yield and anethole content were evaluated which led to the identification of anethole rich strain of C. heptaphylla. This identified strain was further evaluated along with the two check genotypes for stability based on three yield parameters viz. herbage yield, essential oil yield and anethole content at four multi-locations (Imphal, Jorhat, Runne and Madang) for four years using the same experimental design. The identified superior line (Jor Lab CH-2) showed consistent performance for the studied yield parameters across all the environments maintaining its superiority. The identified strain exhibited average herbage yield of 1.2 Kg/plant/cutting and essential oil yield of 1.22%. The GC-MS analysis of the essential oil depicted trans anethole as the major constituent (93.25%) followed by estragole (4.85%) while benzene, 1,2-dimethoxy-4-(1-propenyl Isoeugenol methyl ether and cis-anethole were the trace components. This is the first novel report of anethole rich variant of C. heptaphylla which has undergone multilocational trial over the years. Jor Lab CH-2 strain will open a new scope for the industries to isolate anethole from a different source in a cost-effective approach.

Trans-anethole exerts protective effects on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute jejunal inflammation of broilers via repressing NF-κB signaling pathway

This study aimed to explore the effects of trans-anethole (TA) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute jejunal inflammation model of broilers. A total of 160 one-day-old broilers (male; Arbor Acres) were randomly allocated into four treatment groups with 8 replicates of 5 birds each. On d 20, the dose of 5 mg/kg body weight LPS solution and the equal amount of sterile saline were intraperitoneally injected into LPS-challenged and unchallenged broilers, respectively. Compared with the control group, LPS decreased (P < 0.05) the villus height (VH) and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (VCR) but increased (P < 0.05) the crypt depth (CD), meanwhile, enhanced (P < 0.01) the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) but decreased (P < 0.01) the level of interleukin-10 (IL-10). The group supplemented with 600 mg/kg of TA had lower (P < 0.01) CD and higher (P < 0.01) VCR than the LPS group. TA increased (P < 0.01) the level of IL-10 and decreased (P < 0.01) the level of IL-1β. The mRNA expression levels of IL-6, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), TNF-α were up-regulated (P < 0.05) and the levels of IL-10 and inhibitor of NF-κB alpha (IκBα) were down-regulated (P < 0.05) by LPS as compared with the control group. TA down-regulated (P < 0.05) the increased mRNA expression levels of genes caused by LPS, as well as up-regulated (P < 0.05) the levels of IL-10 and IκBα. Furthermore, LPS down-regulated (P < 0.05) and up-regulated (P < 0.05) the protein expression levels of IκBα and NF-κB p65, respectively. TA up-regulated (P < 0.05) the level of IκBα and down-regulated (P < 0.05) the level of NF-κB p65. The conclusion of this study is that TA could exert protective effect on the LPS-induced acute jejunal inflammation of broilers via repressing the activation of NF-κB and the 600 mg/kg is the optimal dose against LPS-induced acute jejunal inflammation of broilers.

Polymeric organophosphate-hafnium unconventional MOFs nanohybrids enable high-efficiency upgrading of biomass feedstocks via cascade catalytic transfer hydrogenation-dehydration

Efficiently selective catalytic conversion of biomass into biofuels and high-value chemicals using robust and porous catalysts is of great significance for valorization of renewable carbon resources. With respect to this, to reduce the supply dependence on natural oils, heterogeneous catalysis provides the opportunity for versatile anethole (AN) synthesis from bio-derived 4′-methoxypropiophenone (4-MOPP) via the one-pot cascade reactions of catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) followed by dehydration, using an alcohol hydrogen donor and a Lewis/Brønsted acid catalyst. Herein, a sustainable and green strategy for catalytic upgrading of 4-MOPP to AN was developed via the cascade CTH-dehydration process, which was remarkably promoted by polymeric organophosphate unconventional MOFs-hafnium nanohybrids (PDVP-Hf) prepared via a simple solvothermal method. Interestingly, Brønsted/Lewis acidity, Lewis basicity, and hydrophobicity of PDVP-Hf could be effectively regulated by simply adjusting the composite components, among which PDVP-Hf-3 having an amorphous and porous inorganic-organic framework structure (with mesopores centered at 6.52 nm), an enhanced acidity of a suitable B/L molar ratio with lower basicity, and a strong hydrophobicity (water contact angle of 113°), was demonstrated to be efficient for selective conversion of 4-MOPP to AN with a maximum yield of 98.9% using 2-pentanol as hydrogen donor. Moreover, this developed catalytic system exhibited broad substrate generality, and could be employed for reductive upgrading of various carbonyl compounds to alcohols, or further coupled with dehydration to afford olefins. The catalyst synergistic roles of L acid-base couple sites (Hf 4+ -O 2− ) and B acid species (-OH) contributed to its pronounced performance, while high thermostability and robust hydrophobicity of PDVP-Hf-3 endowed its superior reusability, with no significant decline in reactivity for five consecutive recycles. The involved catalytic mechanisms and reaction pathways were explicitly elucidated by control experiments and theoretical calculations. This work sheds light on the appropriate design of unconventional MOF-polymer nanohybrids by combining both advantages for enhanced biomass upgrading via tough cascade reactions. • Hf-containing UMOFs-polymer hybrids were prepared via a simple solvothermal method. • PDVP-Hf-3 enabled biomass transformation of cascade CTH-dehydration. • Synergy of acid-base sites in PDVP-Hf-3 contributed up to 99.7% conversion. • PDVP-Hf-3 was highly reusable due to robust UMOFs-polymer and strong hydrophobicity. • DFT calculations and GC-MS revealed the reaction mechanism and pathways.

Cascade upgrading of bio-based 4’-methoxypropiophenone to anethole enabled by hot-compressed alcohol over a Hf-phytic acid coordination catalyst

Hot compressed solvents (alcohol, water) have been widely used in the production of value-added chemicals from biomass due to their sufficiently low viscosity, high diffusivity, and environmentally-benign features. Anethole (AN) is a unique kind of natural aromatic compound, while its green synthesis method still requires to be explored. Herein, a novel porous acid-base bifunctional phytic acid (PA)-hafnium (Hf)(1:2.5) catalyst was prepared by a simple assembly of PA with Hf under a one-pot hydrothermal method (120 °C, 24 h). The PA-Hf(1: 2.5) possessed outstanding catalytic activity for the synthesis of AN from 4’-methoxypropiophenone (4-MOPP) at 220 °C and 15 bar in 2-pentanol (4-MOPP conversion: 99.8%, AN yield: 98.8%), which can be ascribed to its moderate surface area (95.3 m2/g), pore volume (0.18 cm3/g), mesopores (4.0 nm), and acid-base couple sites (density: 3.6 vs 1.7 mmol/g). 2-Pentanol was determined to serve as the superior hydrogen donor and solvent for the overall conversion process, which can remarkably hinder side reactions in this hot-compressed medium. Moreover, the cooperative interaction of Lewis acid-base couple sites (Hf4+-O2−) and Brønsted acidic species (-OH) of PA-Hf(1:2.5) led to its excellent catalytic performance. PA-Hf(1:2.5) was highly reusable with constant activity after five reaction cycles.

Regulatory and Enterotoxin Gene Expression and Enterotoxins Production in Staphylococcus aureus FRI913 Cultures Exposed to a Rotating Magnetic Field and trans-Anethole.

The study aimed to examine the influence of a rotating magnetic field (RMF) of two different frequencies (5 and 50 Hz) on the expression of regulatory (agrA, hld, rot) and staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE—sea, sec, sel) genes as well as the production of SEs (SEA, SEC, SEL) by the Staphylococcus aureus FRI913 strain cultured on a medium supplemented with a subinhibitory concentration of trans-anethole (TA). Furthermore, a theoretical model of interactions between the bacterial medium and bacterial cells exposed to RMF was proposed. Gene expression and SEs production were measured using quantitative real-time PCR and ELISA techniques, respectively. Based on the obtained results, it was found that there were no significant differences in the expression of regulatory and SE genes in bacteria simultaneously cultured on a medium supplemented with TA and exposed to RMF at the same time in comparison to the control (unexposed to TA and RMF). In contrast, when the bacteria were cultured on a medium supplemented with TA but were not exposed to RMF or when they were exposed to RMF of 50 Hz (but not to TA), a significant increase in agrA and sea transcripts as compared to the unexposed control was found. Moreover, the decreased level of sec transcripts in bacteria cultured without TA but exposed to RMF of 50 Hz was also revealed. In turn, a significant increase in SEA and decrease in SEC and SEL production was observed in bacteria cultured on a medium supplemented with TA and simultaneously exposed to RMFs. It can be concluded, that depending on SE and regulatory genes expression as well as production of SEs, the effect exerted by the RMF and TA may be positive (i.e., manifests as the increase in SEs and/or regulatory gene expression of SEs production) or negative (i.e., manifests as the reduction in both aforementioned features) or none.

The effect of dietary supplemented dried fennel and rosemary on the performance and caecal microflora of growing rabbits

The objective of this study is to evaluate the possible effect of fennel and rosemary dietary supplements on the performance of rabbits. Therefore fifty-six weaned rabbits (40 days old) from white New Zealand breed were divided into two groups and submitted to the following dietary treatments: A) control diet and B) FR diet consisted of 2.5% Foeniculum vulgare seeds (fennel) and Rosmarinus officinalis leaves (Rosmary) as powder mixed by control diet for thirty days. The growth rate, feed conversion ratio, carcass yield, and mortality were not influenced by dietary fennel and rosemary supplementation. The antimicrobial effect of fennel and rosemary (2.5%) was not observed against E. coli in the caecum of the rabbit treated. The essential oils of Foeniculum vulgare and Rosmarinus officinalis are predominantly composed by Trans Anethole and 1-8 cineole successively. Low antibacterial activity was observed with two essential oils against the strain tested in this study. The addition of the 2.5% combination of fennel and rosemary in rabbit feed did not influence the zootechnical parameters of the rabbits