In vitro release of aluminum from the geophagic clay "Chacco" in the Peruvian highlands: Chemical characterization and health risk assessment.

In the altiplano zone of Latin America, "Chacco" is one of the clays widely consumed as part of geophagy. The objectives of the study were to chemically characterize "Chacco", determine the zero charge point, evaluate the release of aluminum in vitro, perform the kinetic study and evaluate the health risk. The results by ICP-OES showed that the elements with the highest concentration were Al, Ba, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Si, Sr, Ti and Zn. ATR-FTIR analysis showed the presence of Si-O (693 and 990 cm-1), Al-O (790 cm-1), Al-Al-OH bending vibration (912 cm-1), Si-H bond stretching (2100 to 2500 cm-1) and free -OH groups (3629 cm-1). SEM-EDX results indicate that Al is one of the main constituents of "Chacco" (7.35 wt%). The pHzpc of "Chacco" was 6.83. In the dissolution profiles, the highest Al release occurred at pH 6.8 and in intestinal juice simulated with pseudo-second order dissolution kinetics. The EDIAl and EWIAl were 20.24 and 142.66 respectively, comparing EWIAl with the PTWI established by JECFA (2 mg/kg bw), it is concluded that the weekly intake of "Chacco" represents an appreciable health risk. There are no reports of the carcinogenic factor of Al, so TRAl was not calculated.

Quantification and health risk assessment of lead and cadmium in wheat, rice, and their processed products from Peru.

In Peru, rice grains, wheat, and their processed products are accessible due to their low cost; however, their sale does not have quality certification, so their safety is not guaranteed. This study quantified lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) by voltammetry in 16 samples of grains and processed products from four markets in Arequipa (Altiplano, Andrés Avelino Cáceres, Los Incas, and San Camilo) and evaluated their potential health risk. The maximum concentrations of Pb in rice, wheat, and their processed products were 4.821 mg/kg, 7.962 mg/kg, 4.717 mg/kg, and 6.440 mg/kg, respectively; only seven samples showed Cd. All samples exceeded the maximum level (ML) for Pb, and four samples exceeded the ML for Cd established by the Codex Alimentarius (0.200 mg/kg); the rice product had the highest concentration of Pb and Cd. In relation to the estimation of potential health risk, the estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and target cancer risk (TR), showed that the consumption of all processed rice and wheat products (except Andrés Avelino Cáceres rice and San Camilo wheat) represent a health threat associated with an increased probability of cancer development.

Cytotoxic Activity of Saponins and Sapogenins Isolated from Chenopodium quinoa Willd. in Cancer Cell Lines.

The cytotoxic properties of two extracts from Chenopodium quinoa Willd. and three synthetic sapogenins were evaluated in different cancer cell lines (A549, SH-SY5Y, HepG2, and HeLa) to investigate their cytotoxic effects and determine if these cell lines activate the caspase pathway for apoptosis in response to saponin and sapogenin treatment. The saponin extracts were isolated from the agro-industrial waste of Chenopodium quinoa Willd., while the sapogenins were identified and quantitatively determined by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Among these compounds, ursolic acid was the most active compound, with high IC50 values measured in all cell lines. In addition, hederagenin demonstrated higher caspase-3 activity than staurosporine in HeLa cells, suggesting an anti-cytotoxic activity via a caspase-dependent apoptosis pathway. HPLC analysis showed that the concentration of hederagenin was higher than that of oleanolic acid in ethanolic extracts of white and red quinoa. The ethanolic extracts of white and red quinoa did not show cytotoxic activity. On the other hand, the synthetic sapogenins such as ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, and hederagenin significantly decreased the viability of the four cell lines studied. Finally, by Caspase-3 assay, it was found that HeLa undergoes apoptosis during cell death because hederagenin produces a significant increase in PARP-1 hydrolysis in HeLa cells.

A calix[4]arene derivative and its selective interaction with drugs (clofibric acid, diclofenac and aspirin).

The synthesis and characterisation of a partially substituted calix[4]arene, namely, 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl,25,27-bis[aminoethoxy] 26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene are reported. Its interaction with commonly used pharmaceuticals (clofibric acid, diclofenac and aspirin) was investigated by spectroscopic (1H NMR and UV), electrochemical (conductance measurements) and thermal (titration calorimetry) techniques. It is concluded on the basis of the experimental work and molecular simulation studies that the receptor interacts selectively with these drugs. Preliminary studies on the selective extraction of these pharmaceuticals from water by the calix receptor are reported and the potential for a carrier mediated sensor based on this ligand for 'on site' monitoring of pharmaceuticals is discussed.