Analytical, nutritional and biological evaluation of various brands of fortified and non-fortified wheat flour

In Pakistan, a funded flour fortification program was launched for malnourished population, residing mainly in rural low income areas, but the urban population having comparatively better nutritional as well as economic status was focused wherein excessive intake of fortificants might cause complications. Therefore, the present study describes the physicochemical properties, elemental composition, nutritional components and hemoglobin/ferritin increasing potential of fortified and non-fortified flour. Domesticated chicken [Gallus gallus domesticus], either sex, age one month, weight 380 +/- 18.28 g, were randomly segregated into 4 groups [n=6]. The group I, II and III were fed on fortified flour, whereas group IV was fed on non-fortified flour for 30 days. The birds were weighed and blood samples of each of the birds were analyzed for determination of markers of iron status, hemoglobin [Hb] and serum ferritin [SF]. Moisture, ash and iron contents were found to be lower in non-fortified flour than that of the fortified samples. Hb and SF levels in groups fed on fortified flour were significantly higher than the one received non-fortified flour [P < 0.05]. The consumption of iron-fortified flour increases iron stores in the body without any further complication but long-term usage needs to be monitored.

Rapid separation and determination of betulinic acid from a complex matrix using combination of TLC and RP-HPLC

Hitherto, only a few studies are reported about using the combination of TLC and RP-HPLC for the separation and determination of analyte[s] from a complex matrix. The present study is aimed to develop a simple and rapid method for the separation and determination of betulinic acid from a complex matrix, extracts of Orthosiphon stamineus, using a combination of the two techniques. The samples having higher contents of the analyte and fewer interfering species were prepared using TLC. The samples were then eluted through C[18] column using isocratic solvent system comprising acetonitrile, methanol and acetic acid acidified water of pH 2.8 in a ratio of 70: 20: 10 [v/v/v], respectively, and detection was carried out at 210 nm. The method was validated and applied successfully to quantify betulinic acid in various types of extracts of the plant. The limit of detection [LOD] and limit of quantification [LOQ] were found to be 0.0005 and 0.0050 micro g/ml, respectively. The method exhibited linearity in a concentration range of 0.005-100.00 micro g/ml [R[2]= 0.9999]. The recovery was found to be 97.10 - 97.60% [RSD < 5%], whereas, intra-day and inter-days accuracy values were 97.13 - 98.67% [RSD < 5%] and 96.45 - 98.00% [RSD < 5%], respectively. The results of the present study indicate that the developed method is simple, rapid, sensitive and accurate, and may be of a value to natural product industry and researchers for the standardization of extracts containing betulinic acid in a lesser time and consuming fewer solvents