One-step sustainable extraction of Silymarin compounds of wild Algerian milk thistle (Silybum marianum) seeds using Gas Expanded Liquids.

This work reports the application of Gas Expanded Liquid (GXL) extraction to concentrate the flavonolignan fraction (silymarin) and taxifolin from Silybum marianum seeds, which have proven to be highly valuable health-promoting compounds. GXL using green solvents was used to isolate silymarin with the objective of replacing conventional methods. In one hand, the effect of different compositions of solvents, aqueous ethanol (20%, 50% or 80% (v/v)) at different CO2/liquid (25, 50 and 75%) ratios, on the GXL extraction was investigated. The obtained extracts have been chemically and functionally characterized by means of UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS (triple quadrupole) and in-vitro assays such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cholinergic and antioxidant. Results revealed that the operating conditions influenced the extraction yield, the total phenolic content and the presence of the target compounds. The best obtained yield was 55.97% using a ternary mixture of solvents composed of CO2:EtOH:H2O (25:60:15) at 40 °C and 9 MPa in 160 min. Furthermore, the results showed that obtained extracts had significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities (with best IC50 value of 8.80 µg/mL and 28.52 µg/mL, respectively) but a moderate anti-cholinesterase activity (with best IC50 value of 125.09 µg/mL). Otherwise, the concentration of silymarin compounds in extract can go up to 59.6% using the present one-step extraction method without further purification, being silybinA+B the predominant identified compound, achieving value of 545.73 (mg silymarin/g of extract). The obtained results demonstrate the exceptional potential of GXL to extract high-added values molecules under sustainable conditions from different matrices.

Optimization of Pressurized Liquid Extraction and In Vitro Neuroprotective Evaluation of Ammodaucus leucotrichus. Untargeted Metabolomics Analysis by UHPLC-MS/MS.

Ammodaucus leucotrichus is a spontaneous plant endemic of the North African region. An efficient selective pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) method was optimized to concentrate neuroprotective extracts from A. leucotrichus fruits. Green solvents were tested, namely ethanol and water, within a range of temperatures between 40 to 180 °C. Total carbohydrates and total phenolics were measured in extracts, as well as in vitro antioxidant capacity (DPPH radical scavenging), anticholinesterase (AChE) and anti-inflammatory (LOX) activities. Metabolite profiling was carried out by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-q-TOF-MS/MS), identifying 94 compounds. Multivariate analysis was performed to correlate composition with bioactivity. A remarkable effect of the temperature using water was observed: the higher temperature, the higher extraction yield, the higher total phenolic content, as well as the higher total carbohydrates content. The water extract obtained at 180 °C, 10.34 MPa and 10 min showed meaningful anti-inflammatory (IC50LOX = 39.4 µg/mL) and neuroprotective activities (IC50AChE = 55.6 µg/mL). The Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and the cluster analysis correlated these activities with the presence of carbohydrates and phenolic compounds.

Plant oils: From chemical composition to encapsulated form use.

The last decade has witnessed a burgeoning global movement towards essential and vegetable oils in the food, agriculture, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and textile industries thanks to their natural and safe status, broad acceptance by consumers, and versatile functional properties. However, efforts to develop new therapy or functional agents based on plant oils have met with challenges of limited stability and/or reduced efficacy. As a result, there has been increased research interest in the encapsulation of plant oils, whereby the nanocarriers serve as barrier between plant oils and the environment and control oil release leading to improved efficacy, reduced toxicity and enhanced patient compliance and convenience. In this review, special concern has been addressed to the encapsulation of essential and vegetable oils in three types of nanocarriers: polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles. First, the chemical composition of essential and vegetable oils was handled. Moreover, we gather together the research findings reported by the literature regarding the different techniques used to generate these nanocarriers with their significant findings. Finally, differences and similarities between these nanocarriers are discussed, along with current and future applications that are warranted by their structures and properties.

Nanocapsules containing Saussurea lappa essential oil: Formulation, characterization, antidiabetic, anti-cholinesterase and anti-inflammatory potentials.

Plant-based remedies have been widely used for the management of variable diseases due to their safety and less side effects. In the present study, we investigated Saussurea lappa CB. Clarke. (SL) given its largely reported medicinal effects. Specifically, our objective was to provide an insight into a new polymethyl methacrylate based nanocapsules as carriers of SL essential oil and characterize their biologic functions. The nanoparticles were prepared by nanoprecipitation technique, characterized and analyzed for their cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer and antidiabetic effects. The results revealed that the developed nanoparticles had a diameter around 145 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.18 and a zeta potential equal to +45 mV and they did not show any cytotoxicity at 25 µg·mL-1. The results also showed an anti-inflammatory activity (reduction in metalloprotease MMP-9 enzyme activity and RNA expression of inflammatory cytokines: TNF-α, GM-CSF and IL1ß), a high anti-Alzheimer's effect (IC50 around 25.0 and 14.9 µg·mL-1 against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, respectively), and a strong antidiabetic effect (IC50 were equal to 22.9 and 75.8 µg·mL-1 against α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively). Further studies are required including the in vivo studies (e.g., preclinical), the pharmacokinetic properties, the bioavailability and the underlying associated metabolic pathways.

Encapsulation of Essential Oils via Nanoprecipitation Process: Overview, Progress, Challenges and Prospects.

Essential oils are of paramount importance in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agricultural, and food areas thanks to their crucial properties. However, stability and bioactivity determine the effectiveness of essential oils. Polymeric nanoencapsulation is a well-established approach for the preservation of essential oils. It offers a plethora of benefits, including improved water solubility, effective protection against degradation, prevention of volatile components evaporation and controlled and targeted release. Among the several techniques used for the design of polymeric nanoparticles, nanoprecipitation has attracted great attention. This review focuses on the most outstanding contributions of nanotechnology in essential oils encapsulation via nanoprecipitation method. We emphasize the chemical composition of essential oils, the principle of polymeric nanoparticle preparation, the physicochemical properties of essential oils loaded nanoparticles and their current applications.

Poly(ethyl acrylate-co-methyl Methacrylate-co-trimethylammoniethyl methacrylate chloride) (Eudragit RS100) Nanocapsules as Nanovector Carriers for Phoenix dactylifera L. Seeds Oil: a Versatile Antidiabetic Agent.

Food waste valorization practices have gained considerable attention focusing on the conversion of the waste into valuable products. In this context, the present study provides an insight into a new Eudragit RS100 based nanosystem as a carrier of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds oil known for its an antidiabetic activity. A priori systematic study was carried out in order to understand the individual impact of all contributing factors considered by the nanoprecipitation method. Then, date seeds oil nanoparticles were prepared, characterized and analyzed for their in vitro inhibition activity against: α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The results showed that the developed nanoparticles had an average diameter around 207 nm, a ζ-potential of +59 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency equal to 97 ± 1% with a loading capacity of 0.48 mg·mg-1. The α-amylase and α-glucosidase IC50 were found to be 87.6 and 155.3 µg·mL-1, respectively. Therefore, this study may surely open new perspectives for the development of novel health-promoting plant oils loaded-nanocarriers for several purposes.