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  1. Fulltext Thin layer drying kinetics and quality dynamics of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) treated with preservatives and solar dried under different temperatures
    Khaliq A, Li WF, Ali S, Shah ST, Ma ZH, Mao J, et al.
    PLoS One, 2022;17(3):e0265111.
    PMID: 35353819 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265111
    Poor postharvest handling, microbial infestation, and high respiration rate are some the factors are responsible for poor storage life of perishable commodities. Therefore, effective preservation of these commodities is needed to lower the damages and extend shelf life. Preservation is regarded as the action taken to maintain desired properties of a perishable commodity as long as possible. Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is perishable fruit with high nutritive value; however, has very short shelf-life. Therefore, effective preservation and drying is needed to extend its storage life. Drying temperature and preservatives significantly influence the quality of perishable vegetables and fruits during drying. The current study investigated the effect of different temperatures and preservatives on drying kinetics and organoleptic quality attributes of persimmon. Persimmon fruits were treated with preservatives (25% honey, 25% aloe vera, 2% sodium benzoate, 1% potassium metabisulfite, and 2% citric acid solutions) under different drying temperatures (40, 45, and 50°C). All observed parameters were significantly affected by individual effects of temperatures and preservatives, except ash contents. Similarly, interactive effects were significant for all parameters except total soluble sugars, ash contents, and vitamin C. Generally, fruits treated with citric acid and dried under 50°C had 8.2% moisture loss hour-1, 14.9 drying hours, 0.030 g H2O g-1 hr-1, 1.23° Brix of total soluble solids, 6.71 pH, 1.35% acidity, and 6.3 mg vitamin C. These values were better than the rest of the preservatives and drying temperatures used in the study. Therefore, treating fruits with citric acid and drying at 50°C was found a promising technique to extend storage life of persimmon fruits. It is recommended that persimmon fruits dried at 50°C and preserved in citric acid can be used for longer storage period.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fruit/chemistry
  2. Preclinical assessment of VPEAV, a new trivalent antivenom for elapid snakebite envenoming in the Philippines: Proteomics, immunoreactivity and toxicity neutralization
    Chan YW, Tan KY, Tan CH
    Toxicon, 2022 Dec;220:106942.
    PMID: 36240856 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.106942
    Snakebite envenoming is an important neglected tropical disease. Antivenom supply, however, remains limited in many parts of the world. This study aimed to examine the protein composition, immunoreactivity and neutralization efficacy of a new antivenom product (VINS Philippine Elapid Antivenoms, VPEAV) developed for the treatment of snakebite envenoming caused by the Philippine Cobra (Naja philippinensis), Samar Cobra (Naja samarensis) and King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah). Size-exclusion chromatography, sodium-dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry showed that VPEAV consisted of F(ab)'2 (∼90% of total antivenom proteins) with minimal protein impurities. Indirect ELISA showed varying immunoreactivity of VPEAV toward the different venoms (EC50 = 4-16 μg/ml), indicating distinct venom antigenicity between the species. In mice, the neutralization potency of VPEAV against the King Cobra venom was moderate (potency, P = 2.6 mg/ml, defined as the amount of venom completely neutralized per unit volume of antivenom). The potency was significantly lower against the N. philippinensis and N. samarensis venoms (P = 0.18-0.30 mg/ml), implying a higher dose may be needed for effective neutralization of the Naja venoms. Together, the findings suggest the potential and limitation of VPEAV in neutralizing the venom toxicity of the three Philippine elapid snakes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Elapid Venoms/chemistry
  3. Fulltext The Efficacy of Traditional Medicinal Plants in Modulating the Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2 and Cytokine Storm
    Choe J, Har Yong P, Xiang Ng Z
    Chem Biodivers, 2022 Nov;19(11):e202200655.
    PMID: 36125969 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202200655
    Selected traditional medicinal plants exhibit therapeutic effects in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients. This review aims to identify the phytochemicals from five traditional medicinal plants (Glycyrrhiza glabra, Nigella sativa, Curcuma longa, Tinospora cordifolia and Withania somnifera) with high potential in modulating the main protease (Mpro) activity and cytokine storm in Covid-19 infection. The Mpro binding affinity of 13 plant phytochemicals were in the following order: Withanoside II>withanoside IV>withaferin A>α-hederin>withanoside V>sitoindoside IX>glabridin>liquiritigenin, nigellidine>curcumin>glycyrrhizin>tinocordiside>berberine. Among these phytochemicals, glycyrrhizin, withaferin A, curcumin, nigellidine and cordifolioside A suppressed SARS-CoV-2 replication and showed stronger anti-inflammatory activities than standard Covid-19 drugs. Both preclinical and clinical evidences supported the development of plant bioactive compounds as Mpro inhibitors.
    Matched MeSH terms: Protease Inhibitors/chemistry
  4. Thermal sintering: a novel technique used in the design, optimization and biopharmaceutical evaluation of propranolol HCl gastric floating tablets
    Venkata Srikanth M, Songa AS, Nali SR, Battu JR, Kolapalli VR
    Drug Dev Ind Pharm, 2014 Jan;40(1):33-45.
    PMID: 23317339 DOI: 10.3109/03639045.2012.744416
    The objective of the present investigation was to study the applicability of thermal sintering technique for the development of gastric floating tablets of propranolol HCl. Formulations were prepared using four independent variables, namely (i) polymer quantity, (ii) sodium bicarbonate concentration, (iii) sintering temperature and (iv) sintering time. Floating lag time and t95 were taken as dependent variables. Tablets were prepared by the direct compression method and were evaluated for physicochemical properties, in vitro buoyancy and dissolution studies. From the drug release studies, it was observed that drug retarding property mainly depends upon the sintering temperature and time of exposure. The statistically optimized formulation (PTSso) was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry studies, and no significant chemical interaction between drug and polymer was observed. Optimized formulation was stable at accelerated conditions for a period of six months. PTSso was evaluated for in vivo buoyancy studies in humans for both fed and fasted states and found that gastric residence time of the floating tablets were enhanced by fed stage but not in fasted state. Optimized formulation PTSso and commercial formulation Ciplar LA 80 were subjected to bioavailability studies in healthy human volunteers by estimating pharmacokinetic parameters such as Cmax, Tmax, area under curve (AUC), elimination rate constant (Kel), biological half-life (t1/2) and mean residence time (MRT). There was a significant increase in the bioavailability of the propranolol HCl from PTSso formulation, which was evident from increased AUC levels and larger MRT values than Ciplar LA 80.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists/chemistry; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical/methods; Excipients/chemistry*; Polymers/chemistry*; Propranolol/chemistry; Sodium Bicarbonate/chemistry*
  5. Effect of polymer, plasticizer and filler on orally disintegrating film
    Liew KB, Tan YT, Peh KK
    Drug Dev Ind Pharm, 2014 Jan;40(1):110-9.
    PMID: 23311593 DOI: 10.3109/03639045.2012.749889
    Difficulty in swallowing tablets or capsules has been identified as one of the contributing factors to non-compliance of geriatric patients. Although orally disintegrating tablet was designed for fast disintegration in mouth, the fear of taking solid tablets and the risk of choking for certain patient populations still exist.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Cholinesterase Inhibitors/chemistry; Excipients/chemistry*; Indans/chemistry; Piperidines/chemistry; Plasticizers/chemistry*; Polymers/chemistry*
  6. Formulation development of paracetamol instant jelly for pediatric use
    Almurisi SH, Doolaanea AA, Akkawi ME, Chatterjee B, Ahmed Saeed Aljapairai K, Islam Sarker MZ
    Drug Dev Ind Pharm, 2020 Aug;46(8):1373-1383.
    PMID: 32619118 DOI: 10.1080/03639045.2020.1791165
    OBJECTIVE: Paracetamol is a common antipyretic and analgesic medicine used in childhood illness by parents and physicians worldwide. Paracetamol has a bitter taste that is considered as a significant barrier for drug administration. This study aimed to develop an oral dosage form that is palatable and easy to swallow by pediatric patients as well as to overcome the shortcomings of liquid formulations.

    METHODS: The paracetamol was encapsulated in beads, which were prepared mainly from alginate and chitosan through electrospray technique. The paracetamol beads were sprinkled on the instant jelly prepared from glycine, ι-carrageenan and calcium lactate gluconate. The paracetamol instant jelly characteristics, in terms of physical appearance, texture, rheology, in vitro drug release and palatability were assessed on a human volunteer.

    RESULTS: The paracetamol instant jelly was easily reconstituted in 20 mL of water within 2 min to form jelly with acceptable consistency and texture. The jelly must be ingested within 30 min after reconstitution to avoid the bitter taste. The palatability assessment carried out on 12 human subjects established the similar palatability and texture of the paracetamol instant jelly dosage comparable to the commercial paracetamol suspension and was found to be even better in overcoming the aftertaste of paracetamol.

    CONCLUSION: Such findings indicate that paracetamol instant jelly will compensate for the use of sweetening and flavoring agents as well as develop pediatric dosage forms with limited undesired excipients.

    Matched MeSH terms: Flavoring Agents/chemistry
  7. How far have we explored fungi to fight cancer?
    How CW, Ong YS, Low SS, Pandey A, Show PL, Foo JB
    Semin Cancer Biol, 2022 11;86(Pt 2):976-989.
    PMID: 33737109 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.03.009
    The use of fungal cultures have been well documented in human history. Although its used in healthcare, like penicillin and statins, have saved countless of lives, but there is still no fungal products that are specifically indicated for cancers. Research into fungal-derived materials to curb cancers in the recent decades have made a considerable progress in terms of drug delivery vehicles, anticancer active ingredients and cancer immunotherapy. Various parts of the organisms have successfully been exploited to achieve specific tasks. Apart from the identification of novel anticancer compound from fungi, its native capsular structure can also be used as drug cargo to achieve higher oral bioavailability. This review summarises the anticancer potential of fungal-derived materials, highlighting the role of capsular polysaccharides, proteins, and other structures in variety of innovative utilities to fit the current pharmaceutical technology. Many bioactive compounds isolated from fungi have also been formulated into nanoparticles to achieve greater anticancer activity. The progress of fungal compounds and their analogues in clinical trials is also highlighted. In addition, the potential of various fungal species to be developed for anticancer immunotherapy are also discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fungi/chemistry
  8. Fulltext Enhancement of Anti-Tumoral Properties of Paclitaxel Nano-Crystals by Conjugation of Folic Acid to Pluronic F127: Formulation Optimization, In Vitro and In Vivo Study
    Sreeharsha N, Prasanthi S, Mahalakshmi SVVNS, Goudanavar PS, Naveen NR, Gowthami B, et al.
    Molecules, 2022 Nov 16;27(22).
    PMID: 36432014 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27227914
    A brand-new nano-crystal (NC) version of the hydrophobic drug Paclitaxel (PT) were formulated for cancer treatment. A stable NC formulation for the administration of PT was created using the triblock co-polymer Pluronic F127. To achieve maximum entrapment effectiveness and minimal particle size, the formulation was improved using the central composite design by considering agitation speed and vacuum pressure at five levels (coded as +1.414, +1, 0, -1, and -1.414). According to the Design Expert software's predictions, 13 runs were created and evaluated for the chosen responses. The formulation prepared with an agitation speed of 1260 RPM and a vacuum pressure of 77.53 mbar can meet the requirements of the ideal formulation in order to achieve 142.56 nm of PS and 75.18% EE, according to the level of desirability (D = 0.959). Folic acid was conjugated to Pluronic F127 to create folate receptor-targeted NC. The drug release profile of the nano-crystals in vitro demonstrated sustained release over an extended period. Folate receptor (FR)-targeted NC (O-PT-NC-Folate) has also been prepared by conjugating folic acid to Pluronic F127. MTT test is used to validate the targeting efficacy on the FR-positive human oral cancer cell line (KB). At pharmacologically relevant concentrations, the PT nano-crystal formulation did not cause hemolysis. Compared to non-targeted NC of PT, the O-PT-NC-Folate showed a comparable but more sustained anti-cancer effect, according to an in vivo anti-tumor investigation in NCI/ADR-RES cell lines. The remarkable anti-tumor effectiveness, minimal toxicity, and simplicity of scale-up manufacturing of the NC formulations indicate their potential for clinical development. Other hydrophobic medications that are formulated into nano-systems for improved therapy may benefit from the formulation approach.
    Matched MeSH terms: Folic Acid/chemistry
  9. Metabolomics in tea products; a compile of applications for enhancing agricultural traits and quality control analysis of Camellia sinensis
    Farag MA, Elmetwally F, Elghanam R, Kamal N, Hellal K, Hamezah HS, et al.
    Food Chem, 2023 Mar 15;404(Pt B):134628.
    PMID: 36283313 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.134628
    Tea is one of the world's most popular beverages, with several health benefits. Polyphenols are the predominant constituents to account for its health benefits. Despite the well-known benefits of tea on health, the uniqueness of its aroma, taste, and features is an added value that contribute to the increased popularity of this beverage worldwide, and they are associated with the alterations in the metabolites during tea processing and cultivation. The manufacturing of tea consists of several stages with various processes as withering, fixing, rolling, fermentation and drying. The classification into tea types is according to such processing. The high-quality production of the various tea classes also depends on agricultural conditions, such as shading, plucking, climate, and soil composition. Metabolomics is well recognized as an effective tool for evaluating the quality of tea products. Applications in controlling the quality of tea products and adulterant detection are discussed in this review.
    Matched MeSH terms: Plant Leaves/chemistry
  10. Removal of organochlorine pesticides using zerovalent iron supported on biochar nanocomposite from Nephelium lappaceum (Rambutan) fruit peel waste
    Batool S, Shah AA, Abu Bakar AF, Maah MJ, Abu Bakar NK
    Chemosphere, 2022 Feb;289:133011.
    PMID: 34863732 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133011
    Unique zerovalent iron (Fe0) supported on biochar nanocomposite (Fe0-BRtP) was synthesized from Nephelium lappaceum (Rambutan) fruit peel waste and were applied for the simultaneous removal of 6 selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from aqueous medium. During facile synthesis of Fe0-BRtP, Rambutan peel extract was used as the green reducing mediator to reduce Fe2+ to zerovalent iron (Fe0), instead of toxic sodium borohydride which were used for chemical synthesis. For comparison, chemically synthesized Fe0-BChe nanocomposite was also prepared in this work. Characterization study confirmed the successful synthesis and dispersion of Fe0 nanoparticles on biochar surface. Batch experiments revealed that Fe0-BRtP and Fe0-BChe nanocomposites combine the advantage of adsorption and dechlorination of OCPs in aqueous medium and up to 96-99% and 83-91% removal was obtained within 120 and 150 min, respectively at initial pH 4. Nevertheless, the reactivity of Fe0-BChe nanocomposite decreased 2 folds after being aged in air for one month, whilst Fe0-BRtP almost remained the same. Adsorption isotherm of OCPs were fitted well to Langmuir isotherm and then to Freundlich isotherm. The experimental kinetic data were fitted first to pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetic model and then to pseudo-first-order reduction kinetic model. The adsorption mechanism involves π-π electron-donor-acceptor interaction and adsorption is facilitated by the hydrophobic sorption and pore filling. After being reused five times, the removal efficiency of regenerated Fe0-BChe and Fe0-BRtP was 5-13% and 89-92%, respectively. The application of this Fe0-BRtP nanocomposite could represent a green and low-cost potential material for adsorption and subsequent reduction of OCPs in aquatic system.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fruit/chemistry
  11. Photonic crystal fibre as a potential medium for radiotherapy dosimetry
    Begum M, Rahman AKMM, Abdul-Rashid HA, Yusoff Z, Mat Nawi SN, Khandaker MU, et al.
    Appl Radiat Isot, 2021 Aug;174:109771.
    PMID: 34048992 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2021.109771
    Present study concerns the key thermoluminescence (TL) properties of photonic crystal fibres (PCFs), seeking development of alternatively structured TL materials that are able to offer a advantages over existing passive dosimeters. In terms of their internal structure and light guiding properties the PCFs, collapsed and structured, differ significantly from that of conventional optical fibres. To investigate the dosimetric parameters of the PCFs use was made of a linear accelerator producing a 6 MV photon beam, delivering doses ranging from 0.5 Gy to 8 Gy. The parameters studied included TL response, linearity index, glow curves, relative sensitivity and TL signal fading, the results being compared against those obtained using TLD-100 chips. At 4 Gy photon dose the Ge-doped collapsed PCFs were found to provide a response 27 × that of structured PCF, also giving a TL yield similar to that of standard TLD-100 chips. Over post-irradiation periods of 15 and 30 days collapsed PCF TL signal fading were 8% and 17% respectively, with corresponding values of 37% and 64% for the structured PCF. Trapping parameters including the order of kinetics (b), activation energy (E) and frequency factor (s-1) were assessed with Chen's peak shape method. Lifetime of trapping centre was found to be (2.36 E+03) s and (9.03 E +01) s regarding the collapsed and structured PCF respectively with 6 Gy of photon beam. For the Ge-doped collapsed PCF, the high TL yield, sensitivity and low fading provide the basis of a highly promising system of TLD for radiotherapy applications.
    Matched MeSH terms: Germanium/chemistry
  12. Rapid characterisation of xanthine oxidase inhibitors from the flowers of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. Using metabolomics approach
    Loh KE, Chin YS, Safinar Ismail I, Tan HY
    Phytochem Anal, 2022 Jan;33(1):12-22.
    PMID: 34000756 DOI: 10.1002/pca.3057
    INTRODUCTION: Hyperuricemia is the key risk factor for gout, in which the elevated uric acid is attributed to the oxidation of hypoxanthine and xanthine to uric acid by xanthine oxidase (XO). Adverse effects of the current treatments lead to an urgent need for safer and more effective alternative from natural resources.

    OBJECTIVE: To compare the metabolite profile of Chrysanthemum morifolium flower fraction with that of its detannified fraction in relation to XO inhibitory activity using a rapid and effective metabolomics approach.

    METHODS: Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H-NMR)-based metabolomics approach coupled with multivariate data analysis was utilised to characterise the XO inhibitors related to the antioxidant properties, total phenolic, and total flavonoid contents of the C. morifolium dried flowers.

    RESULTS: The highest XO inhibitory activity, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, total phenolic and flavonoid content with strong positive correlation between them were observed in the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction. Detannified EtOAc showed higher XO inhibitory activity than non-detannified EtOAc fraction. A total of 17 metabolites were tentatively identified, of which three namely kaempferol, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and apigenin, could be suggested to be responsible for the strong XO inhibitory activity. Additive interaction between 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and apigenin (or kaempferol) in XO inhibition was demonstrated in the interaction assay conducted.

    CONCLUSION: Chrysanthemum morifolium dried flower-part could be further explored as a natural XO inhibitor for its anti-hyperuricemic potential. Metabolomics approach served as an effective classification of plant metabolites responsible for XO inhibitory activity, and demonstrated that multiple active compounds can work additively in giving combined inhibitory effects.

    Matched MeSH terms: Flowers/chemistry
  13. Antiplasmodial and antioxidant isoquinoline alkaloids from Dehaasia longipedicellata
    Zahari A, Cheah FK, Mohamad J, Sulaiman SN, Litaudon M, Leong KH, et al.
    Planta Med, 2014 May;80(7):599-603.
    PMID: 24723007 DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1368349
    The crude extract of the bark of Dehaasia longipedicellata exhibited antiplasmodial activity against the growth of Plasmodium falciparum K1 isolate (resistant strain). Phytochemical studies of the extract led to the isolation of six alkaloids: two morphinandienones, (+)-sebiferine (1) and (-)-milonine (2); two aporphines, (-)-boldine (3) and (-)-norboldine (4); one benzlyisoquinoline, (-)-reticuline (5); and one bisbenzylisoquinoline, (-)-O-O-dimethylgrisabine (6). Their structures were determined on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR, IR, UV, and LCMS spectroscopic techniques and upon comparison with literature values. Antiplasmodial activity was determined for all of the isolated compounds. They showed potent to moderate activity with IC50 values ranging from 0.031 to 30.40 µM. (-)-O-O-dimethylgrisabine (6) and (-)-milonine (2) were the two most potent compounds, with IC50 values of 0.031 and 0.097 µM, respectively, that were comparable to the standard, chloroquine (0.090 µM). The compounds were also assessed for their antioxidant activities with di(phenyl)-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)iminoazanium (IC50 = 18.40-107.31 µg/mL), reducing power (27.40-87.40 %), and metal chelating (IC50 = 64.30 to 257.22 µg/mL) having good to low activity. (-)-O-O-dimethylgrisabine (6) exhibited a potent antioxidant activity of 44.3 % reducing power, while di(phenyl)-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)iminoazanium and metal chelating activities had IC50 values of 18.38 and 64.30 µg/mL, respectively. Thus it may be considered as a good reductant with the ability to chelate metal and prevent pro-oxidant activity. In addition to the antiplasmodial and antioxidant activities, the isolated compounds were also tested for their cytotoxicity against a few cancer and normal cell lines. (-)-Norboldine (4) exhibited potent cytotoxicity towards pancreatic cancer cell line BxPC-3 with an IC50 value of 27.060 ± 1.037 µM, and all alkaloids showed no toxicity towards the normal pancreatic cell line (hTERT-HPNE).
    Matched MeSH terms: Alkaloids/chemistry; Antimalarials/chemistry; Antioxidants/chemistry; Isoquinolines/chemistry; Plant Extracts/chemistry; Lauraceae/chemistry*; Plant Bark/chemistry
  14. Benzimidazoles in Drug Discovery: A Patent Review
    Law CSW, Yeong KY
    ChemMedChem, 2021 06 17;16(12):1861-1877.
    PMID: 33646618 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100004
    Benzimidazole is a heterocyclic ring system that has been widely studied in the pharmaceutical field. For the past decade, numerous benzimidazole derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for their wide range of pharmacological activities, which are beneficial for drug development. This article presents the biological effects of benzimidazole derivatives in each invention from 2015 to 2020. Two patent databases, Google Patents and Lens, were used to locate relevant granted patent applications. Specifically, this review delineates the role of patented benzimidazoles from a disease-centric perspective and examines the mechanisms of action of these compounds in related diseases. Most of the benzimidazoles have shown good activities against various target proteins. Whilst several of them have progressed into clinical trials, most patents presented novel therapeutic approaches for respective target diseases. Hence, their potential in being developed into clinical drugs are also discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Benzimidazoles/chemistry
  15. Review: Structure, function and evolution of GnIH
    Tsutsui K, Osugi T, Son YL, Ubuka T
    Gen Comp Endocrinol, 2018 08 01;264:48-57.
    PMID: 28754274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.07.024
    Neuropeptides that possess the Arg-Phe-NH2 motif at their C-termini (i.e., RFamide peptides) have been characterized in the nervous system of both invertebrates and vertebrates. In vertebrates, RFamide peptides make a family and consist of the groups of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH), neuropeptide FF (NPFF), prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP), kisspeptin (kiss1 and kiss2), and pyroglutamylated RFamide peptide/26RFamide peptide (QRFP/26RFa). It now appears that these vertebrate RFamide peptides exert important neuroendocrine, behavioral, sensory, and autonomic functions. In 2000, GnIH was discovered as a novel hypothalamic RFamide peptide inhibiting gonadotropin release in quail. Subsequent studies have demonstrated that GnIH acts on the brain and pituitary to modulate reproductive physiology and behavior across vertebrates. To clarify the origin and evolution of GnIH, the existence of GnIH was investigated in agnathans, the most ancient lineage of vertebrates, and basal chordates, such as tunicates and cephalochordates (represented by amphioxus). This review first summarizes the structure and function of GnIH and other RFamide peptides, in particular NPFF having a similar C-terminal structure of GnIH, in vertebrates. Then, this review describes the evolutionary origin of GnIH based on the studies in agnathans and basal chordates.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glycoproteins/chemistry*
  16. Heavy metal exposure from cooked rice grain ingestion and its potential health risks to humans from total and bioavailable forms analysis
    Praveena SM, Omar NA
    Food Chem, 2017 Nov 15;235:203-211.
    PMID: 28554627 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.05.049
    Heavy metal in rice studies has attracted a greater concern worldwide. However, there have been limited studies on marketed rice samples although it represents a vital ingestion portion for a real estimation of human health risk. This study was aimed to determine both total and bioaccessible of trace elements and heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Co, Al, Zn, As, Pb and Fe) in 22 varieties of cooked rice using an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. Both total and bioaccessible of trace elements and heavy metals were digested using closed-nitric acid digestion and Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM) in vitro digestion model, respectively. Human health risks via Health Risk Assessment (HRA) were conducted to understand exposure risks involving adults and children representing Malaysian population. Zinc was the highest while As was the lowest contents for total and in their bioavailable forms. Four clusters were identified: (1) Pb, As, Co, Cd and Cr; (2) Cu and Al; (3) Fe and (4) Zn. For HRA, there was no any risks found from single element exposure. While potential carcinogenic health risks present for both adult and children from single As exposure (Life time Cancer Risk, LCR>1×10(-4)). Total Hazard Quotient values for adult and children were 27.0 and 18.0, respectively while total LCR values for adult and children were 0.0049 and 0.0032, respectively.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oryza/chemistry*
  17. Modified Dioscorea hispida starch-based hydrogels and their in-vitro cytotoxicity study on small intestine cell line (FHS-74 Int)
    Ashri A, Amalina N, Kamil A, Fazry S, Sairi MF, Nazar MF, et al.
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2018 Feb;107(Pt B):2412-2421.
    PMID: 29056465 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.10.125
    Starch-based hydrogels are promising smart materials for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, which offer exciting perspectives in biophysical research at molecular level. This work was intended to develop, characterize and explore the properties of hydrogel from starch extracted from new source, Dioscorea hispida Dennst. Starch-mediated hydrogels were successfully synthesized via free radical polymerization method with varying concentrations of acrylic acid (AA),N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in aqueous system. The grafting reaction between starch and AA was examined by observing the decline in intensity peak of hydrogel FTIR spectrum at 3291cm-1 and peak around 1600-1680cm-1, indicating the stretching of hydroxyl group (OH) and stretching of carbon-carbon double bond (CC) respectively. The effects of cross-linker, monomer and NaOH concentration on swelling ratio and gel content in different medium and conditions were also evaluated. The thermal stability and structural morphology of as-synthesized hydrogels were studied by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In-vitro cytotoxicity study using small intestine cell line (FHS-74 Int) revealed that the as-formulated eco-friendly-hydrogel was free from any harmful material and safe to use for future product development.
    Matched MeSH terms: Acrylates/chemistry; Drug Carriers/chemistry; Free Radicals/chemistry; Starch/chemistry*; Water/chemistry; Hydrogels/chemistry*; Dioscorea/chemistry*
  18. Potency and Cytotoxicity of a Novel Gallium-Containing Mesoporous Bioactive Glass/Chitosan Composite Scaffold as Hemostatic Agents
    Pourshahrestani S, Zeimaran E, Kadri NA, Gargiulo N, Jindal HM, Naveen SV, et al.
    ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2017 Sep 20;9(37):31381-31392.
    PMID: 28836753 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b07769
    Chitosan-based hemostats are promising candidates for immediate hemorrhage control. However, they have some disadvantages and require further improvement to achieve the desired hemostatic efficiency. Here, a series of 1% Ga2O3-containing mesoporous bioactive glass-chitosan composite scaffolds (Ga-MBG/CHT) were constructed by the lyophilization process and the effect of various concentrations of Ga-MBG (10, 30, and 50 wt %) on the hemostatic function of the CHT scaffold was assessed as compared to that of Celox Rapid gauze (CXR), a current commercially available chitosan-coated hemostatic gauze. The prepared scaffolds exhibited >79% porosity and showed increased water uptake compared to that in CXR. The results of coagulation studies showed that pure CHT and composite scaffolds exhibited increased hemostatic performance with respect to CXR. Furthermore, the composite scaffold with the highest Ga-MBG content (50 wt %) had increased capability to enhancing thrombus generation, blood clotting, and platelet adhesion and aggregation than that of the scaffold made of pure CHT. The antibacterial efficacy and biocompatibility of the prepared scaffolds were also assessed by a time-killing assay and an Alamar Blue assay, respectively. Our results show that the antibacterial effect of 50% Ga-MBG/CHT was more pronounced than that of CHT and CXR. The cell viability results also demonstrated that Ga-MBG/CHT composite scaffolds had good biocompatibility, which facilitates the spreading and proliferation of human dermal fibroblast cells even with 50 wt % Ga-MBG loading. These results suggest that Ga-MBG/CHT scaffolds could be a promising hemostatic candidate for improving hemostasis in critical situations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Gallium/chemistry*
  19. Effects of storage and yogurt matrix on the stability of tocotrienols encapsulated in chitosan-alginate microcapsules
    Tan PY, Tan TB, Chang HW, Tey BT, Chan ES, Lai OM, et al.
    Food Chem, 2018 Feb 15;241:79-85.
    PMID: 28958562 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.08.075
    Tocotrienol microcapsules (TM) were formed by firstly preparing Pickering emulsion containing tocotrienols, which was then gelled into microcapsules using alginate and chitosan. In this study, we examined the stability of TM during storage and when applied into a model food system, i.e. yogurt. During storage at 40°C, TM displayed remarkably lower tocotrienols loss (50.8%) as compared to non-encapsulated tocotrienols in bulk oil (87.5%). When the tocotrienols were incorporated into yogurt, the TM and bulk oil forms showed a loss of 23.5% and 81.0%, respectively. Generally, the tocotrienols were stable in the TM form and showed highest stability when these TM were added into yogurt. δ-Tocotrienol was the most stable isomer in both forms during storage and when incorporated into yogurt. The addition of TM into yogurt caused minimal changes in the yogurt's color and texture but slightly altered the yogurt's viscosity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tocotrienols/chemistry*
  20. Physicochemical characterization of cellulose nanocrystal and nanoporous self-assembled CNC membrane derived from Ceiba pentandra
    Mohamed MA, W Salleh WN, Jaafar J, Ismail AF, Abd Mutalib M, Mohamad AB, et al.
    Carbohydr Polym, 2017 Feb 10;157:1892-1902.
    PMID: 27987909 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.11.078
    This research involves the rare utilisation of the kapok fibre (Ceiba pentandra) as a raw material for the fabrication of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) and self-assembled CNC membranes. The isolation of CNC from Ceiba pentandra began with the extraction of cellulose via the chemical alkali extraction by using 5wt% NaOH, followed by the typical acidified bleaching method and, finally, the CNC production through acid hydrolysis with 60wt% H2SO4 at the optimum time of 60min. The prepared CNC was then employed for the preparation of self-assembled membrane through the water suspension casting evaporation technique. The obtained CNC membrane was characterised in terms of its composition, crystallinity, thermal stability, as well as, structural and morphological features with the use of several techniques including FTIR, XRD, AFM, TEM, FESEM, and TGA. The FESEM and AFM analyses had illustrated the achievement of a self-assembled CNC membrane with a smooth surface and a well-distributed nano-porous structure, with the porosity of 52.82±7.79%. In addition, the findings proved that the self-assembled CNC membrane displayed good adsorption capability indicated by the recorded efficiency of 79% and 85% for 10mg/L and 5mg/L of methylene blue in an aqueous solution, respectively.
    Matched MeSH terms: Ceiba/chemistry*
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