Pharmacological and Chemical Analysis of Bauhinia divaricata L. Using an In Vitro Antiadipogenic Model.

Obesity is characterized by an excessive and abnormal accumulation of fat. According to the 2022 National Health and Nutrition Survey, in Mexico, the prevalence of overweight and obesity-diagnosed if one's body mass index (BMI) was ≥25 kg/m2-in adults was 75.2%. A strong association between the amount of visceral fat and diseases such as diabetes mellitus type II has been recognized. Species of the Bauhinia genus have lipid-lowering and antidiabetic properties. The aim of this work was to evaluate the lipolytic and antiadipogenic activity of Bauhinia divaricata L. in 3T3-L1 cells and to identify the major compounds in the bioactive treatments. The extraction of aerial parts allowed us to obtain hexanic (BdHex), ethyl acetate (BdEAc), and hydroalcoholic (BdHA) extracts. Lipid levels were measured in 3T3-L1 cells differentiated into adipocytes. Our evaluation of cell viability identified an IC50 > 1000 µg/mL in all the extracts, and our evaluation of the antiadipogenic activity indicated that there was a significant reduction (p < 0.001) in the accumulation of lipids with hydroalcoholic (60%) and ethyl acetate (75%) extracts of B. divaricate compared with metformin at 30 mM (65%). The major compounds identified in these extracts were as follows: triacetin (1), 2,3-dihydroxypropyl acetate (2), (3E)-2-methyl-4-(1,3,3-trimethyl-7-oxabicyclo[4.1.0]hept-2-yl)-3-buten-2-ol (3), 2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (4), (3R)-3-hydroxydodecanoic acid (5), kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside (6), and quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside (7). Some of these naturally occurring compounds have been related to the anti-obesity effects of other medicinal plants; therefore, these compounds isolated from B. divaricata could be responsible for inhibiting the differentiation process from preadipocytes to mature adipocytes.

Optimisation of Low-Toxicity Solvent Employment for Total Lipid and Tocopherol Compound Extraction from Patagonian Squid By-Products.

The extraction of total lipids and tocopherol compounds from Patagonian squid (Doriteuthis gahi) by-products (viscera, heads, skin, etc.), resulting from squid mantel commercialisation, was studied. An optimisation simplex-lattice design by employing low-toxicity solvents (ethanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate) was carried out taking into account their relative concentrations. The variance analysis of data showed that the quadratic model was statistically significant (p < 0.05); empirical coded equations were obtained as a function of the low-toxicity solvent ratios. The optimised lipid extraction was obtained by employing the 0.642/0.318/0.040 (ethanol/acetone/ethyl acetate) solvent ratio, respectively, leading to an 84% recovery of the total lipids extracted by the traditional procedure. In all extracting systems tested, the presence of α-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol compounds was detected, α-tocopherol being the most abundant. For α-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol compounds, the optimisation process showed that acetone extraction led to the highest concentrations in the lipid extract obtained (2736.5, 36.8, and 2.8 mg·kg-1 lipids, respectively). Taking into account the recovery yield on a by-product basis, the values obtained for the three tocopherols were included in the 88.0-97.7%, 80.0-95.0%, and 25-75% ranges, respectively, when compared to the traditional extraction. This study provides a novel and valuable possibility for α-tocopherol extraction from marine by-products.

Ethyl acetate fractions of Myrciaria floribunda, Ocotea pulchella, and Ocotea notata exhibit promising in vitro activity against Sporothrix brasiliensis isolates with low susceptibility to itraconazole.

Sporothrix brasiliensis with low susceptibility isolates were described from the Brazilian zoonotic sporotrichosis hyperendemics. The aim of this work was to evaluate distinct fractions of Ocotea pulchella, Ocotea notata, Myrciaria floribunda, and Hypericum brasiliense plant extracts against itraconazole-sensitive and low susceptibility S. brasiliensis isolates. Crude extracts were tested against clinical isolates and the ATCC MYA4823 to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and fungicidal or fungistatic activities (MFC). A high MICs and MFCs amplitude (1 - > 128 µg/mL) were obtained for seven extracts. The highest antimicrobial activities against sensitive S. brasiliensis were displayed by the ethyl acetate extracts of O. notata (MIC = 2-128 µg/mL) and M. floribunda (MIC = 1-8 µg/mL). A fungicidal effect was observed for all fraction extracts. Ocotea spp. and M. floribunda ethyl acetate extracts provide promising profiles against itraconazole-sensitive or low susceptibility S. brasiliensis. Future studies will determine if these extracts can contribute as alternative therapies to this neglected zoonosis.

Ethyl acetate partition obtained from the methanol extract of Muntingia calaburaleaf exerts effective in vitroantiproliferative activity against the HT-29 colon cancer / La partición de acetato de etilo obtenido del extracto metanólico de la hoja de Muntingia calabura ejerce una actividad antiproliferativa in vitro eficaz contra el cáncer de colon HT-29

Methanol extract of Muntingia calabura L. leaf (MEMCL) has been shown to exert the antiproliferative activity against the HT-29 (human colon adenocarcinoma) cell line. To further investigate on the medicinal potential of this plant, MEMCL was sequentially partitioned to obtain the petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and aqueous partitions, whichwas then tested against the HT-29 cell line and also subjected to the in vitro anti-inflammatory study. The most effective partition was also subjected to the phytoconstituents analysis using the UHPLC-ESI-MS. Findings showed that the ethyl acetate partition (EAP) exerts the most effective antiproliferative activity (IC50 = 58.0 ± 12.9 µg/mL) without affecting the 3T3 normal fibroblast cells, exhibits the highest anti-inflammatory effect when assessed using the lipoxygenase (> 95%) and xanthine oxidase (> 70%) assays, and contained various types of polyphenolics. In conclusion, M. calabura exerts apoptotic-mediated antiproliferative activity, partly via the anti-inflammatory action and synergistic action between the polyphenolics.

Se ha demostrado que el extracto metanólico de hoja de Muntingia calabura L. (MEMCL) ejerce actividad antiproliferativa contra la línea celular HT-29 (adenocarcinoma de colon humano). Para investigar más a fondo el potencial medicinal de esta planta, MEMCL se dividió secuencialmente para obtener el éter de petróleo, el acetato de etilo y las particiones acuosas, que luego se probó contra la línea celular HT-29 y también se sometió al estudio antiinflamatorio in vitro. La partición más eficaz también se sometió al análisis de fitoconstituyentes utilizando UHPLC-ESI-MS. Los resultados mostraron que la partición de acetato de etilo (EAP) ejerce la actividad antiproliferativa más efectiva (IC50= 58.0 ± 12.9 µg/mL) sin afectar las células de fibroblastos normales 3T3, exhibe el mayor efecto antiinflamatorio cuando se evalúa usando la lipoxigenasa (> 95%) y ensayos de xantina oxidasa (> 70%), y contenían varios tipos de polifenoles. En conclusión, M. calabura ejerce una actividad antiproliferativa mediada por apoptosis, en parte a través de la acción antiinflamatoria y la acción sinérgica entre los polifenoles.

Anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive effects and involvement of opioid receptors in the antinociceptive activity of Eugenia uniflora leaves obtained with water, ethanol, and propylene glycol mixture.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Eugenia uniflora (Myrtaceae) is a species native to Brazil and has a traditional use in the treatment of inflammation. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects, and the involvement of opioid receptors in the antinociceptive activity of extract and fractions from Eugenia uniflora leaves. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TLC and HPLC were used to characterize the spray-dried extract (SDE) and fractions. In the in vivo assays, Swiss (Mus musculus) mice were used. Carrageenan-induced hind-paw edema and carrageenan-induced peritonitis models were used to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of the extract (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg). Acetic acid-induced writhing, tail-flick, and formalin tests were used to determine the antinociceptive effect of the extract (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg). The aqueous (AqF) and ethyl acetate (EAF) fractions (6.25, 12.5, and 25 mg/kg) were then combined with naloxone to evaluate the involvement of opioid receptors in the antinociceptive activity. RESULTS: In this work, the TLC and HPLC analysis evidenced the enrichment of EAF, which higher concentration of gallic acid (5.29 ± 0.0004 %w/w), and ellagic acid (1.28 ± 0.0002 %w/w) and mainly myricitrin (8.64 ± 0.0002 %w/w). The extract decreased the number of total leukocytes and neutrophils in the peritoneal cavity (p < 0.05), at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg and showed significant inhibition in the increase of paw edema volume (p < 0.05). The treatment per oral route (doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) significantly reduced the nociceptive response in acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing (p < 0.05). The effect of the extract on the tail-flick test showed a significant increase in latency time of animals treated at doses of 200 and 100 mg/kg (p < 0.05). The extract and ethyl acetate fraction reduced the nociceptive effect in both phases of formalin at all tested doses. The naloxone reversed the antinociceptive effect of EAF, suggesting that opioid receptors are involved in mediating the antinociceptive activity of EAF of E. uniflora in the formalin test. CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrates the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of water: ethanol: propylene glycol spray-dried extract from E. uniflora leaves using in vivo pharmacological models in mice. Our findings suggest that spray-dried extract and ethyl acetate fraction exhibit peripheral and central antinociceptive activity with the involvement of opioid receptors that may be related to the presence of flavonoids, mainly myricitrin.

Flavoring properties that affect the retention of volatile components during encapsulation process.

Flavorings are widely used in food and beverage industries and spray drying is the most cost-effective encapsulation technique to deliver stable products. Generally, the same slurry is used to encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic flavors which led sometimes to lower retention. The same slurry formulation composed by Modified Starch and Maltodextrin 20DE was loaded with 35% of two different flavorings (orange and passion fruit) and, spray dried under the same conditions. The flavorings selected had different octanol/water partition coefficients and their composition affected the emulsion stability. Orange flavoring presented clearly better emulsion stability than passion fruit flavoring, confirmed by size distribution and Turbiscan Stability Index (TSI orange ≪ TSI passion fruit). A key learning from this work is that the best infeed emulsion achieved by the most hydrophobic flavoring, presented the lowest droplet size and yielded in final bigger particle size and the best encapsulation efficiency result (>92%).

In Vitro Assessment of Organic and Residual Fractions of Nematicidal Culture Filtrates from Thirteen Tropical Trichoderma Strains and Metabolic Profiles of Most-Active.

The nematicidal properties of Trichoderma species have potential for developing safer biocontrol agents. In the present study, 13 native Trichoderma strains from T. citrinoviride, T. ghanense (2 strains), T. harzianum (4), T. koningiopsis, T. simmonsii, and T. virens (4) with nematicidal activity were selected and cultured in potato dextrose broth to obtain a culture filtrate (CF) for each. Each CF was partitioned with ethyl acetate to obtain organic (EA) and residual filtrate (RF) fractions, which were then tested on second-stage juveniles (J2s) of the nematodes Meloidogyne javanica and M. incognita in a microdilution assay. The most lethal strains were T. harzianum Th43-14, T. koningiopsis Th41-11, T. ghanense Th02-04, and T. virens Th32-09, which caused 51-100% mortality (%M) of J2s of both nematodes, mainly due to their RF fractions. Liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray-high resolution mass spectrometry analysis of the most-active fractions revealed sesquiterpene and polyketide-like metabolites produced by the four active strains. These native Trichoderma strains have a high potential to develop safer natural products for the biocontrol of Meloidogyne species.

Biflavones from Platonia insignis Mart. Flowers Promote In Vitro Antileishmanial and Immunomodulatory Effects against Internalized Amastigote Forms of Leishmania amazonensis.

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease that affects millions of people worldwide, making the search essential for more accessible treatments. The species Platonia insignis Mart. (Clusiaceae) has been extensively studied and has gained prominence for its pharmacological potential. The objective of this work was to evaluate the antileishmania activity, cytotoxic effect and activation patterns of macrophages of hydroalcoholic extract (EHPi), ethyl acetate fractions (FAcOEt) and morelloflavone/volkensiflavone mixture (MB) from P. insignis flowers. EHPi, FAcOEt and MB demonstrated concentration-dependent antileishmania activity, with inhibition of parasite growth in all analyzed concentrations. EHPi exhibited maximum effect at 800 µg/mL, while FAcOEt and MB reduced the growth of the parasite by 94.62% at 800 µg/mL. EHPi, FAcOEt and MB showed low cytotoxic effects for macrophages at 81.78, 159.67 and 134.28 µg/mL, respectively. EHPi (11.25 µg/mL), FAcOEt (11.25 and 22.5 µg/mL) and MB (22.5 µg/mL) characterized the increase in lysosomal activity, suggesting a possible modulating effect. These findings open for the application of flowers from a P. insignis flowers and biflavones mixture thereof in the promising treatment of leishmaniasis.

Influence of extrusion process on the release of phenolic compounds from mango (Mangifera indica L.) bagasse-added confections and evaluation of their bioaccessibility, intestinal permeability, and antioxidant capacity.

Extruded polyphenol-rich by-products like mango bagasse (MB) could be used to manufacture functional confections. However, few reports have assessed the extrusion impact on MB polyphenols within a food matrix. This research aimed to evaluate the impact of extrusion on the bioaccessibility, intestinal permeability, and antioxidant capacity of phenolic compounds (PC) from non-extruded and extruded MB-added confections (EMBC and MBC, respectively). The inhibition of 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals and in silico approaches were used to evaluate the antioxidant capacity. MBC displayed the highest gastric bioaccessibility (%) of xanthones and flavonoids, whereas selective release of gallic acid, mangiferin, and quercetin glucoside was shown for EMBC. Lower PC' apparent permeability coefficients were found in EMBC compared to MB (0.11 to 0.44-fold change, p < 0.05). EMBC displayed the highest antioxidant capacity by the DPPH method for the non-digestible fraction, being mangiferin the highest in silico contributor (-4 kcal/mol). Our results showed that the extrusion process helps release selective phenolics from MBC, which increases their bioaccessibility and intestinal permeability.

Toxicity evaluation of Eleutherine plicata Herb. extracts and possible cell death mechanism.

Eleutherine plicata has been shown to be a promising medicinal plant, and its activity has been associated with naphthoquinones. The present study aimed at evaluating the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and oral toxicity of the ethanol extract (EEEp), dichloromethane fraction (FDMEp) of E. plicata, and isoeleutherin. For the cytotoxicity evaluation, the viability test (MTT) was used. Genotoxicity was accessed through the Comet assay (alkaline version), acute and subacute oral toxicities were also evaluated. The antioxidant capacity of the samples in the wells where the cells were treated with E. plicata was evaluated. Furthermore, the participation of caspase-8 in the possible mechanism of action of isoeleutherin, eleutherin, and eleutherol was also investigated through a docking study. FDMEp and isoeleutherin were cytotoxic, with higher rates of DNA fragmentation observed for FDMEp and isoeleutherin, and all samples displayed higher antioxidant potential than the control. In the acute oral toxicity test, EEEp, FDMEp, and isoeleutherin did not cause significant clinical changes. In the subacute toxicity assay, EEEp and FDMEp also did not cause clinical, hematological, or biochemical changes. The three compounds bound similarly to caspase-8. Despite the results of cytotoxicity, in vitro studies demonstrated that the use of EEEp appears to be safe and cell death may involve its binding to caspase-8.

Gastrointestinal metabolism of monomeric and polymeric polyphenols from mango (Mangifera indica L.) bagasse under simulated conditions.

Mango bagasse (MB) is an agro-industrial by-product rich in bioactive polyphenols with potential application as a functional ingredient. This study aimed to delineate the metabolic fate of monomeric/polymeric MB polyphenols subjected to simulated gastrointestinal digestion. The main identified compounds by LC/MS-TOF-ESI were phenolic acids [gallic acid (GA) and derivates, and chlorogenic acid], gallotannins and derivatives [di-GA (DA) and 3GG-to-8GG], benzophenones [galloylated maclurins (MGH, MDH)], flavonoids [Quercetin (Quer) and (QuerH)] and xanthones [mangiferin isomers]. The bioaccessibility depended on the polyphenols' structure, being Quer, 5G to 8G the main drivers. The results suggested that the gastrointestinal fate of MB polyphenols is mainly governed by benzophenones and gallotannins degalloylation and spontaneous xanthone isomerization in vitro to sustain GA bioaccessibility.

Alkaloids of Phaedranassa dubia (Kunth) J.F. Macbr. and Phaedranassa brevifolia Meerow (Amaryllidaceae) from Ecuador and its cholinesterase-inhibitory activity.

Alzheimer's disease is considered the most common cause of dementia and, in an increasingly aging population worldwide, the quest for treatment is a priority. Amaryllidaceae alkaloids are of main interest because of their cholinesterase inhibition potential, which is the main palliative treatment available for this disease. We evaluated the alkaloidal profile and the in vitro inhibitory activity on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) of bulb alkaloid extract of Phaedranassa dubia and Phaedranassa brevifolia collected in Ecuador. Using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), we identified typical Amaryllidaceae alkaloids in these species, highlighting the presence of lycorine-type alkaloids in P. dubia and haemanthamine/crinine-type in P. brevifolia. The species P. dubia and P. brevifolia showed inhibitory activities against AChE (IC50 values of 25.48 ± 0.39 and 3.45 ± 0.29 µg.mL-1, respectively) and BuChE (IC50 values of 114.96 ± 4.94 and 58.89 ± 0.55 µg.mL-1, respectively). Computational experiments allowed us to understand the interactions of the alkaloids identified in these samples toward the active sites of AChE and BuChE. In silico, some alkaloids detected in these Amaryllidaceae species presented higher estimated binding free energy toward BuChE than galanthamine. This is the first study about the alkaloid profile and biological potential of P. brevifolia species.

Evaluation of bioaerosols by flow cytometry and removal performance in a biofilter treating toluene/ethyl acetate vapors.

The removal efficiency (RE) and bioaerosol emission of a perlite biofilter treating vapors of toluene (T) and/or ethyl acetate (EA) were assessed, under different operating conditions, during 171 days. Under the first stages of operation, a mixture of EA and T was treated, with equivalent inlet loads (ILs) of each compound (ranging from 26 to 84 g m-3 h-1), achieving a 100% RE of EA, and a maximum elimination capacity (EC) of T of 58.7 g m-3 h-1. An inhibition of T removal was noted in presence of EA, as T was treated subsequently to EA, along biofilter depth. A 17 days starvation period induced no global deterioration of performance regarding EA removal, but a 50% lower RE of T. Suspension of one contaminant, with interspersed feeding of only one component of the mixture, caused a permanent drop of the RE of EA (to 87.3%), after a T only feeding of 41 days. Flow cytometry (FC) was applied for quantification of bioaerosols, allowing for differentiation between viable, dead and damaged cells. During the overall biofilter operation, bioaerosol emission was not statistically different from bioaerosol retention. However, the biofilter significantly emitted bioaerosols (mostly viable cells) during start-up and IL increase, whereas a global retention of dead cells was observed during the interspersed feeding of one contaminant. Bioaerosols measured by FC (107 Cells m-3) were three orders of magnitude greater than with plate counting dishes, indicating that FC does not underestimate bioaerosols as culture dependent techniques.

Effect of Byrsonima sericea DC. leaf extracts on mice gastrointestinal tract.

Byrsonima sericea DC. (Malpighiaceae) leaves are popularly folk medicine in Brazil used to treat gastro-intestinal disorders including diarrhea and gastric diseases. Ethanol extract (BSEE), ethyl acetate extract (BSEAE) and hexane extract (BSHE) of the leaf part of Byrsonima sericea DC were characterized for their total phenolics, proanthocyanidins and flavonoids content. The total antioxidant capacity of extracts was determined. The ethnopharmacological use of B. sericea leaves was evaluated by assaying BSEE for gastroprotective activity in stomach ulcer induced by indomethacin, intestinal motility and toxicity. Abundance of phenols mainly tannins was found in BSEE. Total phenolics, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins content in BSEE were found to be 0.371, 0.172 and 1.3 × 10-4 (mg/g) respectively. BSEE showed concentration dependent significant scavenging of DPPH values 90.0 (%) respectively. Moreover, oral doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg did not cause mortality, and there was no difference in animals weight, organs relative weight and alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST), as compared to the control group. Doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg inhibited the gastric lesions induced by indomethacin in 52, 60 and 62 % respectively. The dose of 1000 mg/kg decreased intestinal motility in animals. The presence of phenolic compounds, including tannins could be associated with the anti-diarrheal action and the antioxidant properties could collaborate to the gastroprotective and anti- diarrheal activities, confirming its popular use of the plant.

Anxiolytic-like and proneurogenic effects of Trichilia catigua ethyl-acetate fraction in mice with cerebral ischemia

Abstract Trichilia catigua A. Juss., Meliaceae, known as "catuaba" in Brazil, has been popularly used as a tonic for fatigue, impotence and memory deficits. Previously, we have demonstrated that T. catigua ethyl-acetate fraction exerted antidepressive-like effects in mice. Affective-like symptoms are also well recognized outcome of cerebral ischemia in clinical and preclinical settings. Therefore, here we evaluated the effects of ethyl-acetate fraction on the emotional outcomes and its relation with hippocampal neurogenesis in ischemic mice. Male Swiss mice were subject to the bilateral common carotid occlusion during 20 min. The animals received ethyl-acetate fraction (400 mg/kg, orally) 30 min before and once per day during 7 days after reperfusion. Emotional outcomes were assessed using the open field test, elevated zero maze, and the tail suspension test. After the behavioral testing, the animals were sacrificed and their brains were processed to immunohistochemistry and Nissl staining. Ischemic mice exhibited anxiogenic-like behaviors in the elevated zero maze, hippocampal neurodegeneration and decreased hippocampal neurogenesis. The anxiogenic-like effect was counteracted by ethyl-acetate fraction administration. Furthermore, ethyl-acetate fraction restored the number of newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus of hippocampus of ischemic mice. In conclusion, T. catigua ethyl-acetate fraction promoted functional recovery and restored hippocampal neurogenesis in ischemic mice.

Enhanced production of prodigiosin by Serratia marcescens FZSF02 in the form of pigment pellets

Background: Prodigiosin has been demonstrated to be an important candidate in investigating anticancer drugs and in many other applications in recent years. However, industrial production of prodigiosin has not been achieved. In this study, we found a prodigiosin-producing strain, Serratia marcescens FZSF02, and its fermentation strategies were studied to achieve the maximum yield of prodigiosin. Results: When the culture medium consisted of 16.97 g/L of peanut powder, 16.02 g/L of beef extract, and 11.29 mL/L of olive oil, prodigiosin reached a yield of 13.622 ± 236 mg/L after culturing at 26 °C for 72 h. Furthermore, when 10 mL/L olive oil was added to the fermentation broth at the 24th hour of fermentation, the maximum prodigiosin production of 15,420.9 mg/L was obtained, which was 9.3-fold higher than the initial level before medium optimization. More than 60% of the prodigiosin produced with this optimized fermentation strategy was in the form of pigment pellets. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on this phenomenon of pigment pellet formation, which made it much easier to extract prodigiosin at low cost. Prodigiosin was then purified and identified by absorption spectroscopy, HPLC, and LCMS. Purified prodigiosin obtained in this study showed anticancer activity in separate experiments on several human cell cultures: A549, K562, HL60, HepG2, and HCT116. Conclusions: This is a promising strain for producing prodigiosin. The prodigiosin has potential in anticancer medicine studies.

Investigation of the anti-inflammatory and the analgesic effects of the extracts from Smilax ornata Lem. (Jamaican sarsaparilla) plant.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Smilax ornata Lem. is used in folklore medicine to treat rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatic pain. This particular claim has never been scientifically validated before in this plant species and hence, it forms the reason for this investigation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Smilax ornata Lem. possess anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in Sprague-Dawley rats. METHODS: The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities were investigated using carrageenan-induced paw oedema model and the tail-flick model respectively. RESULTS: The methanol extracts (200 and 400 mg/kg) and the ethyl acetate extract (400 mg/kg) exhibited significant (P < 0.05) anti-inflammatory activity when compared with that of their control groups (saline and vegetable oil respectively), with an onset of 150 min and a duration of 2.5 h. The methanol extract (200 mg/kg) exhibited significant (P < 0.05) analgesic activity, with an onset of 60 min and a duration of 2 h. Also, the methanol and the ethyl acetate extracts (400 mg/kg) exhibited significant (P < 0.05) analgesic activity when compared with that of their control groups (saline and vegetable oil respectively), with an onset of 30 min and a duration of 2.5 h. CONCLUSION: The present study provided scientific justification that the extracts of Smilax ornata Lem. possess significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities.

Formalin-ethyl acetate concentration, FLOTAC Pellet and anal swab techniques for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites.

The aim of this study was to compare formalin-ethyl acetate concentration and FLOTAC Pellet techniques for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites in human stool samples. The anal swab method was used for the specific detection of Enterobius vermicularis. The study was performed in children and youth from Puerto Madryn (South Argentina). A total of 174 individuals were examined using the formalin-ethyl acetate concentration technique (FECT), the FLOTAC Pellet technique with saturated sodium chloride and zinc sulphate flotation solutions and anal swabs. The performance of copromicroscopic techniques was evaluated according to sensitivity, negative predictive value and Kappa index. Overall, 39.1% of the individuals were parasitised. The most prevalent species was Blastocystis sp. (19%) followed by E. vermicularis (17.8%), Giardia lamblia (6.3%), Entamoeba coli (5.7%), Hymenolepis nana and Endolimax nana (1.1%). The FECT was the most sensitive technique for Blastocystis sp., G. lamblia and E. coli infections, whereas FLOTAC Pellet techniques were the most sensitive for H. nana diagnosis. Anal swabs detected the highest percentage of E. vermicularis infection. This was the first time that the FLOTAC Pellet technique was used to detect intestinal parasites in humans. The FECT continues to be a reliable method for detecting protozoa and the FLOTAC Pellet technique gains importance in the diagnosis of helminths. Anal swab test remains the method of choice for the detection of E. vermicularis. However, when comparing techniques, key factors as preservation methods, preservation times and flotation solutions should be taken into account.

Temporal and longitudinal biofilm matrix analysis of a biofilter treating ethyl acetate during ozonation.

The present paper focuses on the biofilm composition and pattern of biomass in gas biofiltration of ethyl acetate working under continuous addition of ozone (O3). Two biofilters were operated for 230 days, one under continuous addition of O3 (90 ppbv) and another one without. Throughout the operation time, the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), the main components in the extracellular matrix (ECM), were extracted from the biofilm and characterized qualitatively using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) and quantitatively by analyzing its main constituents: carbohydrates, proteins, and glucuronic acid. To date, EPS characterization has been attempted mainly with biofilm aggregates related to water treatment, not air biofiltration. The results of this study may be helpful and provide more information about EPS structure when O3 was added. O3 addition only affected the amount of EPS and not its composition. The greater effect was observed on carbohydrate content since it is the main component in EPS. The EPS/biomass ratio measured was twice lower with O3 addition. Higher removal efficiency (RE) and mineralization rates were obtained with the biofilter subjected to O3 addition, and a smaller volume of a reactor would be necessary to treat all contaminant under this condition. EPS content is only quantitatively reduced by O3 addition, and at the low O3 concentration applied, no structural alteration is noted regarding the composition of the EPS.

Kinetic resolution of drug intermediates catalyzed by lipase B from Candida antarctica immobilized on immobead-350.

Novozyme 435, which is a commercial immobilized lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB), has been proven to be inadequate for the kinetic resolution of rac-indanyl acetate. As it has been previously described that different immobilization protocols may greatly alter lipase features, in this work, CALB was covalently immobilized on epoxy Immobead-350 (IB-350) and on glyoxyl-agarose to ascertain if better kinetic resolution would result. Afterwards, all CALB biocatalysts were utilized in the hydrolytic resolution of rac-indanyl acetate and rac-(chloromethyl)-2-(o-methoxyphenoxy) ethyl acetate. After optimization of the immobilization protocol on IB-350, its loading capacity was 150 mg protein/g dried support. Furthermore, the CALB-IB-350 thermal and solvent stabilities were higher than that of the soluble enzyme (e.g., by a 14-fold factor at pH 5-70°C and by a 11-fold factor in dioxane 30%-65°C) and that of the glyoxyl-agarose-CALB (e.g., by a 12-fold factor at pH 10-50°C and by a 21-fold factor in dioxane 30%-65°C). The CALB-IB-350 preparation (with 98% immobilization yield and activity versus p-nitrophenyl butyrate of 6.26 ± 0.2 U/g) was used in the hydrolysis of rac-indanyl acetate using a biocatalyst/substrate ratio of 2:1 and a pH value of 7.0 at 30°C for 24 h. The conversion obtained was 48% and the enantiomeric excess of the product (e.e.p ) was 97%. These values were much higher than the ones obtained with Novozyme 435, 13% and 26% of conversion and e.e.p, respectively. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:878-889, 2018.