Biological properties of butanol extracts from green pine cone of Pinus densiflora.

This study examined the biological functions of the butanol extracts of green pine cones (GPCs) that had not ripened completely. The butanol extracts of GPC showed 78.22% DPPH-scavenging activity, 53.55% TEAC and 71.50% hyaluronidase (HAase) inhibition activity. They also exhibited inhibition activity against food poisoning microorganisms. The contents of total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids were 296.75 and 26.07 mg/g, respectively. Biologically active compounds were analyzed and separated using HPLC related to the DPPH-scavenging and HAase inhibition activities. Gallotannin was the primary biologically active compound with DPPH-scavenging and HAase inhibition activities in the GPC butanol extracts.

Optimal Fermentation Conditions of Hyaluronidase Inhibition Activity on Asparagus cochinchinensis Merrill by Weissella cibaria.

This study was conducted to evaluate the hyaluronidase (HAase) inhibition activity of Asparagus cochinchinesis (AC) extracts following fermentation by Weissella cibaria through response surface methodology. To optimize the HAase inhibition activity, a central composite design was introduced based on four variables: the concentration of AC extract (X1: 1-5%), amount of starter culture (X2: 1-5%), pH (X3: 4-8), and fermentation time (X4: 0-10 days). The experimental data were fitted to quadratic regression equations, the accuracy of the equations was analyzed by ANOVA, and the regression coefficients for the surface quadratic model of HAase inhibition activity in the fermented AC extract were estimated by the F test and the corresponding p values. The HAase inhibition activity indicated that fermentation time was most significant among the parameters within the conditions tested. To validate the model, two different conditions among those generated by the Design Expert program were selected. Under both conditions, predicted and experimental data agreed well. Moreover, the content of protodioscin (a well-known compound related to anti-inflammation activity) was elevated after fermentation of the AC extract at the optimized fermentation condition.

Optimization of Hyaluronidase Inhibition Activity from Prunus davidiana (Carriere) Franch Fruit Extract Fermented by its Isolated Bacillus subtilis Strain SPF4211.

Strain SPF4211, having hyaluronidase (HAase) inhibition activity, was isolated from P. davidiana (Carriere) Franch fruit (PrDF) sugar extract. The phenotypic and biochemical properties based on 16S rDNA sequencing and an API 50 CHB kit suggested that the organism was B. subtilis. To optimize the HAase inhibition activity of PrDF extract by fermentation of strain SPF4211, a central composite design (CCD) was introduced based on three variables: concentration of PrDF extract (X1: 1-5%), amount of starter culture (X2: 1-5%), and fermentation time (X3: 0-7 days). The experimental data were fitted with quadratic regression equations, and the accuracy of the equations was analyzed by ANOVA. The statistical model predicted the highest HAase inhibition activity of 37.936% under the optimal conditions of X1 = 1%, X2 = 2.53%, and X3 = 7 days. The optimized conditions were validated by observation of an actual HAase inhibition activity of 38.367% from extract of PrDF fermented by SPF4211. These results agree well with the predicted model value.

Recovery of H2SO4 from waste acid solution by a diffusion dialysis method.

A diffusion dialysis method using anion exchange membrane was used to recover H2SO4 from waste sulfuric acid solution produced at the diamond manufacturing process. Effects of flow rate, operation temperature, and metal ion concentration on the recovery of H2SO4 were investigated. The recovery of H2SO4 increased with the concentration of H2SO4 and operation temperature. It also increased with the flow rate ratio of water/H2SO4 solution up to 1, above which no further increase was observed. The flow rate did not affect the rejection of Fe and Ni ions. About 80% of H2SO4 could be recovered from waste sulfuric acid which contained 4.5M free-H2SO4 at the flow rate of 0.26x10(-3) m3/hm3. The concentration of recovered H2SO4 was 4.3M and the total impurity was 2000 ppm. Preliminary economic evaluation has revealed that the dialysis system is highly attractive one that has payback period of only few months.