Impact of different roasting conditions on the chemical composition, antioxidant activities, and color of Coffea canephora and Coffea arabica L. samples.

This work aimed to evaluate the physicochemical changes during the roasting process of Robusta and Arabica coffee. The highest content of total phenolics was detected in roasted coffee at temperatures of 135 °C/20.20 min, 210 °C/9.02 min, 210 °C/11.01 min, and 220 °C/13.47 min for both species. Robusta coffee showed greater antioxidant activity compared to Arabica coffee, except for the profiles at 230 °C/17.43 min and 275 °C/7.46 min that did not differ between samples by the DPPH and FRAP methods. For Arabica coffee, the antioxidant activity was independent of the roasting profile used. Robusta coffee presented higher values of the indexes b* (intensity of yellow vs blue), c* (chroma) and hue, being characterized as lighter and with greater chroma and hue. The highest levels of caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA) were observed in Robusta coffee. Arabica coffee had lower trigonelline values. Caffeic acid and hydroxymethylfurfural were identified only in Robusta coffee. However, the results provided solid knowledge for the design of general properties and chemical compounds generated from binomials of roasting time and temperature that are little used in the world market.

Chemical composition of heartwood and sapwood of Tectona grandis characterized by CG/MS-PY.

Teak wood has chemical compounds that can be used for pharmaceutical and textile industries, in addition, this compounds are related to resistance to biodeterioration, color and modification processes. Heartwood and sapwood of T. grandis (teak), 15 years-old, were characterized by Py-CG/MS analysis and syringyl (S)/guaiacyl (G) ratio was evaluated. Heartwood and sapwood were pyrolyzed at 550 °C and 62 and 51 compounds were identified from them, respectively. The acetic acid (10%) and levoglucosan (26.65%) were the most abundant compound in the sapwood and heartwood, respectively. The high acetic acid content enhances the use of teak wood to production of artificial essences for perfumery, paints, dyes. While levoglucosan can be used in the manufacture of epoxy resins, antiparasitic and insecticides. The organic compounds identified include 2-methylanthraquinone as one of the main component responsible for the resistance of the teak wood to biological factors (fungi and termites). The syringyl (S)/guaiacyl (G) ratio of heartwood and sapwood was 0.51 and 0.50, respectively.

Ketoconazole/calix[n]arenes-based compounds improve the antifungal activity against azole-resistant Candida isolates.

Ketoconazole (KTZ) is an antifungal agent; however, its bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy are reduced by the low aqueous solubility of the drug. Aiming at providing to improve the biopharmaceutical properties of KTZ, we studied the water-soluble different calix[n]arenes as carrier systems for KTZ. All calix[n]arene-KTZ tested showed in vitro antifungal activity superior or similar to free KTZ against Candida spp. The CX6Na/KTZ obtained by physical mixture and freeze-drying methods were the most active, decreasing KTZ concentrations required for growth inhibition against azole-resistant isolates (e.g., C. auris). Moreover, CX6Na/KTZ showed no toxic effect on Galleria mellonella larvae and the treatment of infected larvae with C. albicans and C. auris was effective at a lower dose compared with free KTZ. Thus, CX6Na/KTZ may have a potential approach to treat mycosis, especially by improvement of KTZ inhibitory activity against azole-resistant Candida.

A color reaction for the determination of Cu2+ in distilled beverages employing digital imaging.

In this work, we describe for the first time the synthesis of a thiocarbazone for the selective determination of Cu2+ in distilled beverages. The method was based on the complexation reaction of Cu2+ with the thiocarbazone, and the colored product was analyzed using a smartphone application. The thiocarbazone reacts with Cu2+ to form a 1:1 (metal:ligand) complex. The Cu2+ complex was characterized by UV, IR and NMR spectral analyses. The proposed reaction yields a yellow color, and therefore, channel B of the RGB system was used in the analysis. After optimizing the reaction conditions, an analytical curve was obtained to determine Cu2+ concentrations ranging between 0.25 and 6.75 mg L-1; the use of 400 µL sample volumes led to a relative standard deviation (n = 5) of 3.2% and a detection limit of 0.18 mg L-1. Recovery experiments were performed with sugar cane spirits, whiskies and tequilas to evaluate the accuracy of the method, and the recovery obtained ranged from 80.5 to 112.2%.

Fast pyrolysis as a tool for obtaining levoglucosan after pretreatment of biomass with niobium catalysts.

Levoglucosan (LGA) is a promising chemical platform derived from the pyrolysis of biomass that offers access to a variety of value-added products. We report an efficient route to produce LGA via the pretreatment of biomass with niobium compounds (oxalate, chloride and oxide) followed by fast pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) at temperatures of 350-600 °C. Catalytic pretreatment reduces the quantity of lignin in the biomass, concentrates the cellulose and enhance LGA formation during fast pyrolysis. The pretreatment also removes alkaline metals, preventing competitive side reactions. The effect of several parameters such as catalyst weight, time, temperature, and solvent, with the optimal pretreatment conditions determined to be 3 (wt.%) niobium oxalate for 1 h at 23 °C in water. Pretreatment increased the LGA yields by 6.40-fold for sugarcane bagasse, 4.15-fold for elephant grass, 4.13-fold for rice husk, 2.86-fold for coffee husk, and 1.86-fold for coconut husk as compared to the raw biomasses. These results indicate that biomass pretreatment using niobium derivates prior fast pyrolysis can be a promising technique for biomass thermochemical conversion in LGA and others important pyrolytic products.

Combination of entomopathogenic nematodes with acaricides or essential oil of Lippia triplinervis against Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).

This study aimed to evaluate the combination effect of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora HP88 and H. indica LPP1, with the acaricides deltamethrin, amitraz and chlorfenvinphos, and the essential oil (EO) of Lippia triplinervis, against engorged females of Rhipicephalus microplus. In order to verify the effect of acaricides and EO, the adult immersion test was used, and in the groups treated only with entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), 150 infective juveniles were used per female. In the treatments with nematodes in combination with the acaricides or EO, the females were immersed in the solutions (acaricide or EO) and then transferred to Petri dishes for application of the nematodes. The treatment with acaricides resulted in a control percentage lower than 70%, except in the group treated with chlorfenvinphos in the second experiment (84.3%). The control percentage was 73% for L. triplinervis EO, and greater than 90% in all the groups treated with nematodes. For treatments with EPNs combined with the acaricides or EO, the efficacy was greater than 95% (except for deltamethrin + HP88), and reached 100% in the treatment with LPP1 + amitraz. It can be concluded that the EPNs at the concentrations tested were compatible with the acaricides deltamethrin, amitraz and chlorfenvinphos, and with the EO of L. triplinervis. These combinations enhance the effect of these control agents.

Usnic acid enantiomers restore cognitive deficits and neurochemical alterations induced by Aß1-42 in mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia with a complex pathophysiology not fully elucidated but with limited pharmacological treatment. The Usnic acid (UA) is a lichen secondary metabolite found in two enantiomeric forms: (R)-(+)-UA or (S)-(-)-UA, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. Thus, given the role of neuroinflammation and oxidative injury in the AD, this study aimed to investigate experimentally the cognitive enhancing and anti-neuroinflammatory effects of UA enantiomers. First, the interactions of UA on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was assessed by molecular docking and its inhibitory capability on AChE was assessed in vitro. In vivo trials investigated the effects of UA enantiomers in mice exposed to Aß1-42 peptide (400 pmol/mice) intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.). For this, mice were treated orally during 24 days with (R)-(+)-UA or (S)-(-)-UA at 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg, vehicle, or donepezil (2 mg/kg). Animals were submitted to the novel object recognized, Morris water maze, and inhibitory-avoidance task to assess the cognitive deficits. Additionally, UA antioxidant capacity and neuroinflammatory biomarkers were measured at the cortex and hippocampus from mice. Our results indicated that UA enantiomers evoked complex-receptor interaction with AChE like galantamine in silico. Also, UA enantiomers improved the learning and memory of the animals and in parallel decreased the myeloperoxidase activity and the lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) on the cortex and hippocampus and reduced the IL-1ß levels on the hippocampus. In summary, UA restored the cognitive deficits, as well as the signs of LOOH and neuroinflammation induced by Aß1-42 administration in mice.

Anise Essential Oil as a Sustainable Substrate in the Multicomponent Double Povarov Reaction for Julolidine Synthesis.

The use of star anise oil from a natural source as a dienophile in the multicomponent double Povarov reaction (MCPRs) to produce highly substituted julolidines with diverse technological applications is described. Within the framework of green chemistry, these MCPRs have many advantages such as (i) use of water in the reaction, (ii) creation of up to six bonds in one sequence, (iii) water as a sole waste, (iv) 100% of carbon economy, (v) a metal-free process, and (vi) nontoxic and reusable organocatalysts. These advantages, along with a simple workup procedure, make this protocol greener for the synthesis of julolidines.

Tetrahydroquinolines by the multicomponent Povarov reaction in water: calix[n]arene-catalysed cascade process and mechanistic insights.

The catalyst p-sulfonic acid calix[4]arene was effectively used in the three-component Povarov reaction between aromatic anilines and two equivalents of 2,3-dihydrofuran to obtain furano[3,2-c]-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines. These reactions proceeded efficiently using water as a green solvent and nontoxic catalysts that could be efficiently reused; the reactions were metal-free and used only inexpensive and easily available compounds. Together with a simple workup procedure, these advantages make this protocol a very efficient and green alternative to the traditional methods for constructing tetrahydroquinoline structures, through the formation of two new C-C bonds and one C-N bond. Isotopic labelling experiments revealed the mechanism for the Povarov reactions, showing that the reaction proceeds through a sequence of steps via ionic intermediates, and the proposed reaction mechanism was validated.

Calix[n]arene-Catalyzed Three-Component Povarov Reaction: Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Julolidines and Mechanistic Insights.

A new one-pot cascade reaction-based application of Povarov reactions with a p-sulfonic acid calix[4]arene catalyst for the synthesis of a series of 34 julolidine derivatives with substituents at C8 or C9 in good to excellent yields is reported. These microwave-assisted reactions proceeded efficiently, had short reaction times, were metal-free, were low cost, and used an inexpensive, easily available and nontoxic catalyst. These advantages, along with a simple workup procedure, make this protocol a very efficient and green alternative to the traditional methods for constructing these types of N-heterocyclic skeletons. In addition, this protocol allows the formation of julolidine structures, which requires the construction of four new C-C bonds and two C-N bonds. A mechanism for the Povarov reaction involving a stepwise sequence via ionic intermediates was proposed and validated.

Quinolines: Microwave-assisted synthesis and their antifungal, anticancer and radical scavenger properties.

An efficient method for the synthesis of quinolines using microwave irradiation was developed providing 28 quinolines with good yields. The reaction procedures are environmentally friendly, convenient, mild and of easy work-up. Quinolines were evaluated for their antifungal, anticancer and antioxidant properties and exhibited high activities in all tests performed.

Chemical composition and acaricidal activity of the essential oil of Baccharis dracunculifolia De Candole (1836) and its constituents nerolidol and limonene on larvae and engorged females of Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).

Baccharis dracunculifolia DC (common name "alecrim-do-campo" in Brazil) is a plant with widespread distribution in South America that is the botanical origin of green propolis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and acaricidal activity of the essential oil of B. dracunculifolia and its constituents nerolidol and limonene on unengorged larvae and engorged females of Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae). The essential oil yield was 0.8% of dry mass and the major constituents were nerolidol (22.3%), germacrene D (7.2%), limonene (6.9%), ß-pinene (6.7) and bicyclogermacrene (6.5%). The acaricidal activity of the essential oil and the pure compounds nerolidol and (R)-(+)-limonene were assessed in the laboratory through the modified larval packet test (LPT) and the female immersion test (FIT). In the LPT, the essential oil and nerolidol were both active, causing more than 90% mortality at concentrations from 15.0 and 10.0 mg mL(-1), respectively, whereas (R)-(+)-limonene was not active. In the FIT, the oil and nerolidol caused reduction in the quantity and quality of eggs produced, with control percentages of 96.3% and 90.3% at concentrations of 60.0 and 50.0 mg mL(-1), respectively. It can be concluded that the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of B. dracunculifolia and its major component nerolidol have high activity on R. microplus larvae and engorged females.

Organocatalysis in the three-component Povarov reaction and investigation by mass spectrometry.

A diastereoselective three-component cascade reaction, catalyzed by p-sulfonic acid calix[4]arene, provides a unique method to access diverse julolidine derivatives in high yields. Additionally, the reaction was also monitored by mass spectrometry and the mechanistic pathway uncovered.

Calix[n]arenes as goldmines for the development of chemical entities of pharmaceutical interest.

Calix[n]arenes are macrocyclic cone-shaped compounds formed from phenolic units linked by methylene groups in the ortho position. Structural features make calix[n]arenes a versatile class of molecules that are of great interest, particularly in the pharmaceutical field. The cavity-like shape gives calix[n]arenes the ability to selectively encapsulate ions or neutral molecules, which can be used to generate carrier systems capable of increasing the solubility and diffusivity of chemical species. These resulting systems can function as deliverers of bioactive guest molecules. Host-guest molecular interactions act as the cornerstone that prompts the application of calix[n]arenes in the pharmaceutical field. Understanding their interactions in host-guest complexes is essential for the development and application of new therapeutics. In the present review, the most utilized analytical techniques for characterizing calix[n]arene inclusion complexes are discussed, and an overview of the ability of a variety of calix[n]arenes to work as host molecules for the development of chemical entities of pharmaceutical interest is also presented.

Activity of essential oil of Lippia triplinervis Gardner (Verbenaceae) on Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).

The objective of this work was to characterize and investigate the acaricidal activity of the essential oil of the aerial parts of Lippia triplinervis at different concentrations on unengorged larvae and engorged females of Rhipicephalus microplus. The essential oil yielded 2.21 % (w/w to dry matter) and was composed mainly of carvacrol (31.9 %), thymol (30.6 %), and p-cymene (12.3 %). Two tests were performed to assess the acaricidal activity: the modified larval packet test, with concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0, and 20.0 mg/mL and the female immersion test, with concentrations of 10.0, 20.0, 30.0, 40.0, and 50.0 mg/mL. There were ten repetitions for each concentration, and for each test, a control group was formed in which the ticks were treated with Tween 80 (20 mg/mL). The experimental groups were kept in a climate-controlled chamber (27 ± 1 °C and RH >80 %). The mortality of the larvae was above 95 % in all the groups tested and reached 100 % as of the 5.0 mg/mL concentration, while the control group exhibited 0 % mortality. In the female immersion test, there was a significant decline (p < 0.05) in the egg mass weight, egg production index, and hatching percentage starting at the concentration of 30.0, 40.0, and 20.0 mg/mL, respectively, and the control percentage at the concentrations of 40.0 and 50.0 mg/mL were above 90 and 95 %. The L. triplinervis oil as thus an alternative source of the monoterpenes thymol, carvacrol, and p-cymene, and its toxicity on R. microplus larvae and females makes it promising possibility for control of this tick.

Yacon flour and Bifidobacterium longum modulate bone health in rats.

Yacon flour has been considered a food with prebiotic potential because of the high levels of fructooligosaccharides, which allows for its use in formulating synbiotic foods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of yacon flour and probiotic (Bifidobacterium longum) on the modulation of variables related to bone health. Thirty-two Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: control, yacon flour, diet+B. longum, and yacon flour+B. longum. After euthanasia, the bones were removed for analysis of biomechanical properties (thickness, length, and strength of fracture) and mineral content (Ca, Mg, and P); the cecum was removed for analysis of the microbiota and short-chain fatty acids. Tibia Ca, P, and Mg content was significantly (P<.05) higher in groups fed diet+B. longum, yacon flour+B. longum than in the control group. An increase in fracture strength was observed in the yacon flour (8.1%), diet+B. longum (8.6%), and yacon flour+B. longum (14.6%) in comparison to the control group. Total anaerobe and weight of the cecum were higher (P<.05) in rats consuming the yacon flour diet compared with the other groups. Cecal concentration of propionate was higher in all experimental groups compared with the control (P<.05). Yacon flour in combination with B. longum helped increase the concentration of minerals in bones, an important factor in the prevention of diseases such as osteoporosis.

Calixarenes as new platforms for drug design.

Calixarenes, macrocyclic compounds of phenolic units linked by methylene groups at the 2,6-positions, present some of the requirements to serve as platforms for the design and synthesis of biological active compounds. They are also interesting host molecules for chemical biology study purposes. Their basic molecular scaffold has potential ability for molecule recognition; it is promptly synthesized in large amounts, and might be easily modified for maximizing molecular interactions toward relevant guest molecules. Calixarenes present well-defined conformational properties and cavities with molecular dimensions that enable to encapsulate guest drugs. Calixarenes have been shown to have antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities (including HIV as target). We provide here an overview of the use of calixarenes either as new chemical entity of distinct biological activities or as host for bioactive guest molecules. The importance of calixarenes for drugs development is discussed. The use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Mass Spectrometry (MS) techniques for the study of calixarenes as biological molecule hosts is also described.

Proparacaine complexation with beta-cyclodextrin and p-sulfonic acid calix[6]arene, as evaluated by varied (1)H-NMR approaches.

This study focused on the use of NMR techniques as a tool for the investigation of complex formation between proparacaine and cyclodextrins (CDs) or p-sulfonic acid calix[6]arene. The pH dependence of the complexation of proparacaine with beta-CD and p-sulfonic acid calix[6]arene was studied and binding constants were determined by (1)H NMR spectroscopy [diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY)] for the charged and uncharged forms of the local anesthetic in beta-CD and p-sulfonic acid calix[6]arene. The stoichiometries of the complexes was determined and rotating frame Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (ROESY) 1D experiments revealed details of the molecular insertion of proparacaine into the beta-CD and p-sulfonic acid calix[6]arene cavities. The results unambiguously demonstrate that pH is an important factor for the development of supramolecular architectures based on beta-CD and p-sulfonic acid calix[6]arene as the host molecules. Such host-guest complexes were investigated in view of their potential use as new therapeutic formulations, designed to increase the bioavailability and/or to decrease the systemic toxicity of proparacaine in anesthesia procedures.

Topology of a ternary complex (proparacaine-beta-cyclodextrin-liposome) by STD NMR.

The topologies of proparacaine (PPC) in beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD), PPC in egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) liposomes and PPC in beta-CD in EPC were investigated using NMR experiments (1D ROESY and saturation transfer difference (STD)). This is the first description of the STD technique applied to PPC-EPC-beta-CD system, revealing that not only PPC was imbedded in EPC bilayer, but beta-CD was also interacting with liposome vesicles. These results are novel and were rationalized as the spontaneous formation of a ternary complex with some beta-CD molecules bound to external liposome vesicles surfaces.

'Non-covalent synthesis' of a chiral host of calix[6]arene and enantiomeric discrimination.

'Non-covalent synthesis' of novel chiral hosts (calix[6]arene-chiral amine complexes) and its application to enantiomeric discrimination was investigated by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The topology of a ternary complex was proposed for the calix[6]arene-amine-sulfoxide to rationalize the chiral recognition.