Major Phytochemicals: Recent Advances in Health Benefits and Extraction Method.

Recent scientific studies have established a relationship between the consumption of phytochemicals such as carotenoids, polyphenols, isoprenoids, phytosterols, saponins, dietary fibers, polysaccharides, etc., with health benefits such as prevention of diabetes, obesity, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, etc. This has led to the popularization of phytochemicals. Nowadays, foods containing phytochemicals as a constituent (functional foods) and the concentrated form of phytochemicals (nutraceuticals) are used as a preventive measure or cure for many diseases. The health benefits of these phytochemicals depend on their purity and structural stability. The yield, purity, and structural stability of extracted phytochemicals depend on the matrix in which the phytochemical is present, the method of extraction, the solvent used, the temperature, and the time of extraction.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Aedes aegypti variant collected from Tamil Nadu, India.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Accurate mosquito species identification is the basis of entomological surveys and effective vector control. Mosquito identification is either done morphologically using diagnostic features mentioned in taxonomic keys or by molecular methods using cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (coxI) and Internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2). METHODS: We performed a larval survey for Aedes mosquitoes from eight different geographical regions in Tamil Nadu, India. The mosquitoes collected during the survey were characterized using both morphological and molecular markers. RESULTS: During an entomological survey from eight different geographical regions in Southern India, a morphological variety named Aedes aegypti var. luciensis was observed. The variant mosquitoes were characterized using both morphological and molecular markers. The variant mosquitoes differed only in the dark scaling of 5th segment of hind-tarsi. Around one third to two third of the 5th segment in variant mosquitoes was dark which has been described as white in identification keys. No other significant difference was observed in adults or immature stages. The variation was heritable and coexisting in the field with the type form mosquitoes. Comparison of the genetic profile of coxI and ITS2 were similar in variant and the type form indicating both of them to be conspecific. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The morphological variant mosquitoes were found genetically similar to the Ae. aegypti type form. However, considering its high prevalence and coexistence with Ae. aegypti type form in different geographical regions, detailed studies on bionomics, ecology, genetics, behavior as well as its plausible role in disease transmission are warranted.

Comparison of Mechanical Properties of PEEK and PMMA: An In Vitro Study.

AIM: Evaluation and comparison of flexural strength and hardness of heat-cured polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) denture base with polyetheretherketone (PEEK). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 80 samples of PEEK and PMMA were prepared and divided into two groups: group A and group B, of 40 each. Both the groups were further divided into subgroups consisting of 20 samples of PMMA and PEEK. The group A specimens were tested for flexural strength by universal testing machine (UTM), and group B samples were subjected to hardness test using Vickers microhardness tester. The values obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. The readings were subjected to an unpaired t-test for comparison of flexural strength and hardness of PEEK and PMMA. RESULT: The flexural strength of PEEK was 183 MPa, while that of PMMA was 84 MPa. The hardness of PEEK and PMMA was 24 VHN and 19.4 VHN, respectively. CONCLUSION: It was observed that PEEK can be a potential denture base material with superior properties as compared to PMMA. Further researches are needed to be carried out. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: PEEK as a denture base exhibits adequate flexural strength prolonging its clinical longevity and overcoming the most common reason for the failure of PMMA denture base that results in fracture.

Comparison of the Solubility of Conventional Luting Cements with that of the Polyacid Modified Composite Luting Cement and Resin-modified Glass lonomer Cement.

INTRODUCTION: This study was planned to find the solubility of the conventional luting cements in comparison with that of the polyacid-modified composite luting cement and recently introduced resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) with exposure to water at early stages of mixing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An in vitro study of the solubility of the following five commercially available luting cements, viz., glass ionomer cement (GIC) (Fuji I, GC), zinc phosphate (Elite 100, GC), polyacid-modified resin cement (PMCR) (Principle, Dentsply), polycarboxylate cement (PC) (Poly - F, Dentsply), RMGIC (Vitremer, 3M), was conducted. For each of these groups of cements, three resin holders were prepared containing two circular cavities of 5 mm diameter and 2 mm depth. All the cements to be studied were mixed in 30 seconds and then placed in the prepared cavities in the resin cement holder for 30 seconds. RESULTS: From all of the observed luting cements, PMCR cement had shown the lowest mean loss of substance at all immersion times and RMGIC showed the highest mean loss of substanceat all immersion times in water from 2 to 8 minutes. The solubility of cements decreased by 38% for GIC, 33% for ZnPO4, 50% for PMCR, 29% for PC, and 17% for RMGIC. CONCLUSION: The PMCR cement (Principle-Dentsply) had shown lowest solubility to water at the given time intervals of immersion. This was followed by PC, zinc phosphate, and GIC to various time intervals of immersion.

Brazilin from Caesalpinia sappan heartwood and its pharmacological activities: A review

Caesalpinia sappan L. (CS) is a plant of Leguminosae family, commonly known as Brazil or Sappan wood. CS is distributed in Southeast Asia and its dried heartwood has been used as traditional ingredient of food or beverages and has a wide variety of medicinal properties. Higher extraction yield of CS wood was achieved with 95% ethanol for 2h. Chemical constituent's investigation of sappan wood resulted in the isolation of various structural types of phenolic components including one xanthone, one coumarin, three chalcones, two flavones three homoisoflavonoids and brazilin. Brazilin [(6a S-cis)-7, 11b-dihydrobenz[b]indeno[1,2-d]pyran-3,6a,9,10(6H)- tetrol], a major and active compound found in CS heartwood. Most of the folkloric uses of brazilin were validated by the scientific studies such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-photoaging, hypoglycemic, vasorelaxant, hepatoprotective and anti-acne activity. CS heartwood extract is safe and did not produce any acute or subacute toxicity in both male and female rats. Brazilin is the safe natural compound having potential to develop as a medicinal compound with application in food, beverage, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries to screen its clinical use in modern medicine. The information gained could provide the important and potential approach for pharmaceutical researcher to implicate the knowledge of brazilin in the formulation of new drug and to reveal therapeutic and gaps requiring future research opportunities. More studies are needed to evaluate the potential application of brazilin as preservative and coloring agent in food processing industries.

Brazilin from Caesalpinia sappan heartwood and its pharmacological activities: A review

Caesalpinia sappan L. (CS) is a plant of Leguminosae family, commonly known as Brazil or Sappan wood. CS is distributed in Southeast Asia and its dried heartwood has been used as traditional ingredient of food or beverages and has a wide variety of medicinal properties. Higher extraction yield of CS wood was achieved with 95% ethanol for 2 h. Chemical constituent's investigation of sappan wood resulted in the isolation of various structural types of phenolic components including one xanthone, one coumarin, three chalcones, two flavones three homoisoflavonoids and brazilin. Brazilin [(6a S-cis)-7, 11b-dihydrobenz[b]indeno[1,2-d]pyran-3,6a,9,10(6H)- tetrol], a major and active compound found in CS heartwood. Most of the folkloric uses of brazilin were validated by the scientific studies such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-photoaging, hypoglycemic, vasorelaxant, hepatoprotective and anti-acne activity. CS heartwood extract is safe and did not produce any acute or subacute toxicity in both male and female rats. Brazilin is the safe natural compound having potential to develop as a medicinal compound with application in food, beverage, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries to screen its clinical use in modern medicine. The information gained could provide the important and potential approach for pharmaceutical researcher to implicate the knowledge of brazilin in the formulation of new drug and to reveal therapeutic and gaps requiring future research opportunities. More studies are needed to evaluate the potential application of brazilin as preservative and coloring agent in food processing industries.