A Facile Green Fabrication and Characterization of Cellulose-Silver Nanoparticle Composite Sheets for an Antimicrobial Food Packaging.

The present study focused on a facile and green approach for the one-step synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) embedded in hard wood bleached kraft fiber. The hydroxyl groups on the cellulose chain induced ionic silver reduction with additional hydrothermal energy, allowing for the in situ formation and deposition of AgNPs on the cellulose fiber. The white color of the bleached fiber transformed to yellow due to the formation of AgNPs. UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the AgNPs were uniformly distributed across the surface of the obtained cellulose fibers. The results indicated that the formation and distribution of AgNPs on surface of cellulose fibers was significantly influenced by the amount and concentration of silver nitrate (AgNO3). The antimicrobial activity of the cellulose-AgNP composite sheet against Escherichia coli was found to be inhibiting. These findings imply that cellulose-AgNP composite sheets can be feasibly used as antimicrobial paper for food packaging.

Anti-obesity effects of pectinase and cellulase enzyme­treated Ecklonia cava extract in high­fat diet­fed C57BL/6N mice.

The present study investigated the anti­obesity effects of enzyme­treated Ecklonia cava extract (EEc) in C57BL/6N mice with high­fat diet (HFD)­induced obesity. The EEc was separated and purified with the digestive enzymes pectinase (Rapidase X­Press L) and cellulase (Rohament CL) and its effects on the progression of HFD­induced obesity were examined over 10 weeks. The mice were divided into 6 groups (n=10/group) as follows: Normal diet group, HFD group, mice fed a HFD with 25 mg/kg/day Garcinia cambogia extract and mice fed a HFD with 5, 25 or 150 mg/kg/day EEc (EHD groups). Changes in body weight, fat, serum lipid levels and lipogenic enzyme levels were determined. The body weight and liver weight were increased in the HFD group compared with those in the ND group, which was significantly reduced by EEc supplementation. In addition, significant reductions in epididymal, perirenal and mesenteric white adipose tissues were present in the EHD groups and all three EHD groups exhibited decreases in insulin, leptin and glutamate pyruvate transaminase levels compared with those in the HFD group. In addition, EEc treatment significantly decreased the serum and hepatic triglyceride levels compared with those in the HFD group. However, the levels of high­density lipoprotein cholesterol/total cholesterol ration increased significantly in EHD­25 and ­150 groups compared with those in the HFD group. Changes in adipogenic and lipogenic protein expression in the liver was assessed by western blot analysis. The EHD­25 and -150 groups exhibited reduced levels of CCAAT/enhancer­binding protein α and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor Î³. However, the phosphorylation ratios of AMP­activated protein kinase and acetyl­CoA carboxylase were significantly increased in the liver tissue obtained from the EHD (5, ­25 and ­150 mg/kg/day) groups compared with those in the HFD group. EEc supplementation reduced levels of sterol regulatory element­binding protein­1c, adipose fatty acid­binding protein, fatty acid synthase and leptin, while it significantly increased glucose transporter type 4 and adiponectin protein levels in the liver tissues of all three EHD groups compared with those in the HFD group. Taken together, these results suggest that EEc exerts anti­obesity effects by reducing body weight and the serum and hepatic levels of obesity­associated factors. Thus, EEc supplementation reduces HFD­induced obesity in C57BL/6N mice and has the potential to prevent obesity and subsequent metabolic disorders.

The chemical constituents of Piper kadsura and their cytotoxic and anti-neuroinflammtaory activities.

The n-hexane and CHCl3 soluble fractions of the MeOH extract of the aerial parts of Piper kadsura were found to potently inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated BV-2 cells, a microglial cell line. From the active fractions, a new stereoisomer of guaiane sesquiterpene, 1α,5ß-guai-4(15)-ene-6ß,10ß-diol, kadsuguain A (1) and a new cyclohexadienone, kadsuketanone A (2), together with twelve known compounds (3-14) were isolated. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by extensive NMR spectral studies. The absolute configuration of 2 was determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Compounds 2, 6, and 11-14 significantly inhibited both nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in the LPS-activated microglia cells. In addition, compounds 4, 6, and 11-14 exhibited cytotoxicity against the A549, SK-OV-3, SK-MEL-2, and HCT15 human tumour cells.

Terpene glycosides and cytotoxic constituents from the seeds of Amomum xanthioides.

Column chromatographic isolation of the MeOH extract of the seeds of Amomum xanthioides afforded a new diterpene glycoside, amoxanthoside A (1), two new monoterpene glycosides, (1 S,4 S,5 S)-5- EXO-hydroxycamphor 5-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2) and (1 R,4 R,5 S)-5-ENDO-hydroxycamphor 5-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), together with four known compounds, hedychiol A (4), pygmol (5), (1 S,4 R,6 R)-(+)-6- ENDO-hydroxycamphor (6), and dihydroyashabushiketol (7). The structures of the new compounds were determined through spectral analysis, including extensive 2D NMR data. The isolated compounds were tested for their cytotoxicity against four human cancer cell lines IN VITRO using a sulforhodamine B bioassay.

Neolignans from Piper kadsura and their anti-neuroinflammatory activity.

Bioassay-guided column chromatographic separation of the methanolic extract of dried aerial parts of Piper kadsura (Piperaceae) led to the isolation of a new neolignan, piperkadsin C (1), together with eight known neolignans (2-9). The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by combined spectroscopic methods. The anti-neuroinflammatory activities of these compounds were evaluated by assessing nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated BV-2 cells, a microglia cell line. Piperkadsin C (1) and futoquinol (2) potently inhibited NO production with an IC(50) value of 14.6 and 16.8microM in microglia cells, respectively. Compounds 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 also exhibited moderate inhibition of NO production in BV-2 cells.