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1.
Molecules ; 26(19)2021 Oct 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34641598

ABSTRACT

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for catechins and related compounds in Miang (traditional Lanna fermented tea leaf) was developed to overcome the matrices during the fermentation process. We investigated a variety of columns and elution conditions to determine seven catechins, namely (+)-catechin, (-)-gallocatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin, (-)-epicatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, (-)-gallocatechin gallate, (-)-epicatechin gallate, as well as gallic acid and caffeine, resulting in the development of reproducible systems for analyses that overcome sample matrices. Among the three reversed-phase columns, column C (deactivated, with extra dense bonding, double endcapped monomeric C18, high-purity silica at 3.0 mm × 250 mm and a 5 µm particle size) significantly improved the separation between Miang catechins in the presence of acid in the mobile phase within a shorter analysis time. The validation method showed effective linearity, precision, accuracy, and limits of detection and quantitation. The validated system was adequate for the qualitative and quantitative measurement of seven active catechins, including gallic acid and caffeine in Miang, during the fermentation process and standardization of Miang extracts. The latter contain catechins and related compounds that are further developed into natural active pharmaceutical ingredients (natural APIs) for cosmeceutical and nutraceutical products.


Subject(s)
Catechin/analysis , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/standards , Plant Extracts/analysis , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Validation Studies as Topic , Caffeine/analysis , Camellia sinensis/chemistry , Catechin/analogs & derivatives , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical , Gallic Acid/analysis , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Reference Standards , Thailand
2.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis ; 15(9): e0009360, 2021 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34591844

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Post-market surveillance is a key regulatory function to prevent substandard and falsified (SF) medicines from being consumed by patients. Field deployable technologies offer the potential for rapid objective screening for SF medicines. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We evaluated twelve devices: three near infrared spectrometers (MicroPHAZIR RX, NIR-S-G1, Neospectra 2.5), two Raman spectrometers (Progeny, TruScan RM), one mid-infrared spectrometer (4500a), one disposable colorimetric assay (Paper Analytical Devices, PAD), one disposable immunoassay (Rapid Diagnostic Test, RDT), one portable liquid chromatograph (C-Vue), one microfluidic system (PharmaChk), one mass spectrometer (QDa), and one thin layer chromatography kit (GPHF-Minilab). Each device was tested with a series of field collected medicines (FCM) along with simulated medicines (SIM) formulated in a laboratory. The FCM and SIM ranged from samples with good quality active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) concentrations, reduced concentrations of API (80% and 50% of the API), no API, and the wrong API. All the devices had high sensitivities (91.5 to 100.0%) detecting medicines with no API or the wrong API. However, the sensitivities of each device towards samples with 50% and 80% API varied greatly, from 0% to 100%. The infrared and Raman spectrometers had variable sensitivities for detecting samples with 50% and 80% API (from 5.6% to 50.0%). The devices with the ability to quantitate API (C-Vue, PharmaChk, QDa) had sensitivities ranging from 91.7% to 100% to detect all poor quality samples. The specificity was lower for the quantitative C-Vue, PharmaChk, & QDa (50.0% to 91.7%) than for all the other devices in this study (95.5% to 100%). CONCLUSIONS: The twelve devices evaluated could detect medicines with the wrong or none of the APIs, consistent with falsified medicines, with high accuracy. However, API quantitation to detect formulations similar to those commonly found in substandards proved more difficult, requiring further technological innovation.


Subject(s)
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/instrumentation , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/methods , Counterfeit Drugs/analysis , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/instrumentation , Substandard Drugs/analysis , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods , Lab-On-A-Chip Devices , Quality Control , Sensitivity and Specificity
4.
J Chromatogr A ; 1652: 462374, 2021 Aug 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34246965

ABSTRACT

There is a great need for efficient analysis of the composition of vegetable oils and fats, since it affects the physical and technical properties. However, due to the complex nature of these kind of samples, it is often difficult and costly. In the present study, we developed a Non-Aqueous Reversed-Phase HPLC method that can be used to separate and quantify different free fatty acids, fatty acid esters, monoacylglycerides, diacylglycerides and triacylglycerides, including regioisomers such as SOS/SSO and 1,2- and 1,3-diolein. Two 25 cm Nucleodur C18 Isis columns in series, sub-ambient column temperature and a mobile phase gradient composed of acetonitrile, acetic acid, isopropanol and heptane were used for the separation. The lipids were detected and quantified using a charged aerosol detector and it was found that the peak shape highly affected the detector response as well as the response uniformity, even when inverse gradient compensation was employed. Thus, calibration and determination of response factors were necessary for reliable quantification. A correlation between response factors and peak width at half peak height was found and used for quantification of non-calibrated components. A quantification approach was suggested including an appropriate selection of calibrated components, depending on sample composition and the accuracy required. It was shown in a complex oil sample that the reduced calibration approach, using only 6 instead of 33 calibrated components, resulted in virtually the same composition, but yielded a more accurate result compared to using relative area that neglects response factors. The method validation showed good reproducibility and accuracy, making it an excellent tool for extensive analysis of complex lipid mixtures.


Subject(s)
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical , Chromatography, Reverse-Phase , Lipids , Aerosols/analysis , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/methods , Lipids/analysis , Plant Oils/analysis , Reproducibility of Results
5.
J Chromatogr A ; 1653: 462401, 2021 Sep 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34289410

ABSTRACT

Two novel extraction chromatography resins (ECRs) containing two diglycolamide (DGA) -functionalized calix[4]arenes with n-propyl and isopentyl substituents at the amide nitrogen atom, termed as ECR-1 and ECR-2, respectively, were evaluated for the uptake of Th(IV) from nitric acid feed solutions. While both the resins were having a quite high Th(IV) uptake ability (Kd >3000 at 3 M HNO3), the uptake was relatively lower with the resin containing the isopentyl DGA, which appeared magnified at lower nitric acid concentrations. Kinetic modeling of the sorption data suggested fitting to the pseudo-second order model pointing to a chemical reaction during the uptake of the metal ion. Sorption isotherm studies were carried out showing a good fitting to the Langmuir and D-R isotherm models, suggesting the uptake conforming to monolayer sorption and a chemisorption model. Glass columns with a bed volume of ca. 2.5 mL containing ca. 0.5 g lots of the ECRs were used for studies to assess the possibility of actual applications of the ECRs. Breakthrough profiles obtained with feed containing 0.7 g/L Th(NO3)3 solution resulted in breakthrough volumes of 8 and 5 mL, respectively, for the ECR-1 and ECR-2 resins. Near quantitative elution of the loaded metal ion was possible using a solution of oxalic acid and nitric acid. A method for the separation of Th-234 from natural uranium was demonstrated for the possible application of ECR-1.


Subject(s)
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical , Thorium , Uranium , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/methods , Chromatography/methods , Kinetics , Nitric Acid/chemistry , Thorium/isolation & purification , Thorium/metabolism , Uranium/isolation & purification
6.
Pak J Pharm Sci ; 34(2): 621-627, 2021 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34275838

ABSTRACT

Rhizoma Drynariae, the dried rhizome of Drynaria fortunei (Kunze), is rich in flavonoids and has varieties of pharmacological activities. To optimize the extract conditions for bioactive flavonoids, a response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized to assess the effects of three independent variables (liquid-to-solid ratio (mL/g), extract temperature (°C) and ethanol concentration (%) on the total flavonoids content (TFC). To test the chelation with metal ion, the UV-visible spectrophotometer was used to detect metal ion chelation of extracted flavonoids. Regression analysis displayed a good fit of the experimental data. The optimal condition was liquid-to-solid ratio with 50:1, extract temperature with 80 °C and ethanol concentration with 40.22%. The total flavonoids had a better chelation with metal ions Cu2+, Fe2+, Fe3+ than Zn2+. These results suggested that the model employed is suitable and the application of RSM in optimizing the extract conditions is successful. The experimental values were in fine agreement (the yield 24.05±0.69mg/g) with predicted values. The total flavonoids from the extract presented good chelation against four metal ions (Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+ and Fe3+), which provided a good evidence for Alzheimer's disease treatments.


Subject(s)
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/methods , Flavonoids/chemistry , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Polypodiaceae , Rhizome , Chelating Agents/pharmacology , Chemistry, Pharmaceutical , Copper , Ethanol , Ferric Compounds , Ferrous Compounds , Flavonoids/pharmacology , Plant Roots , Solvents , Temperature , Zinc
7.
Mar Drugs ; 19(6)2021 May 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34071995

ABSTRACT

The nutrient composition of 15 commercially available microalgae powders of Arthrospira platensis, Chlorella pyrenoidosa and vulgaris, Dunaliella salina, Haematococcus pluvialis, Tetraselmis chuii, and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae was analyzed. The Dunaliella salina powders were characterized by a high content of carbohydrates, saturated fatty acids (SFAs), omega-6-polyunsaturated fatty acids (n6-PUFAs), heavy metals, and α-tocopherol, whereas the protein amounts, essential amino acids (EAAs), omega-3-PUFAs (n3-PUFAs), vitamins, and minerals were low. In the powder of Haematococcus pluvialis, ten times higher amounts of carotenoids compared to all other analyzed powders were determined, yet it was low in vitamins D and E, protein, and EAAs, and the n6/n3-PUFAs ratio was comparably high. Vitamin B12, quantified as cobalamin, was below 0.02 mg/100 g dry weight (d.w.) in all studied powders. Based on our analysis, microalgae such as Aphanizomenon and Chlorella may contribute to an adequate intake of critical nutrients such as protein with a high content of EAAs, dietary fibers, n3-PUFAs, Ca, Fe, Mg, and Zn, as well as vitamin D and E. Yet, the nutritional value of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae was slightly decreased by high contents of SFAs. The present data show that microalgae are rich in valuable nutrients, but the macro- and micronutrient profiles differ strongly between and within species.


Subject(s)
Dietary Supplements/analysis , Microalgae/chemistry , Nutrients/analysis , Nutritive Value , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical , Humans , Micronutrients/analysis , Powders
8.
Molecules ; 26(11)2021 May 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34072026

ABSTRACT

Pineapple is consumed on a large scale around the world due to its appreciated sensorial characteristics. The industry of minimally processed pineapple produces enormous quantities of by-products (30-50%) which are generally undervalued. The end-of-life of pineapple by-products (PBP) can be replaced by reuse and renewal flows in an integrated process to promote economic growth by reducing consumption of natural resources and diminishing food waste. In our study, pineapple shell (PS) and pineapple core (PC), vacuum-packed separately, were subjected to moderate hydrostatic pressure (225 MPa, 8.5 min) (MHP) as abiotic stress to increase bromelain activity and antioxidant capacity. Pressurized and raw PBP were lyophilized to produce a stable powder. The dehydrated samples were characterized by the following methodologies: chemical and physical characterization, total phenolic compounds (TPC), antioxidant capacity, bromelain activity, microbiology, and mycotoxins. Results demonstrated that PBP are naturally rich in carbohydrates (66-88%), insoluble (16-28%) and soluble (2-4%) fiber, and minerals (4-5%). MHP was demonstrated to be beneficial in improving TPC (2-4%), antioxidant activity (2-6%), and bromelain activity (6-32%) without affecting the nutritional value. Furthermore, microbial and mycotoxical analysis demonstrated that powdered PC is a safe by-product. PS application is possible but requires previous decontamination to reduce the microbiological load.


Subject(s)
Ananas/chemistry , Ananas/physiology , Antioxidants/chemistry , Functional Food/analysis , Benzothiazoles/chemistry , Biphenyl Compounds/chemistry , Bromelains/analysis , Carbohydrates/chemistry , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical , Color , Dietary Fiber , Food Packaging , Food Preservation , Freeze Drying , Fruit/chemistry , Mycotoxins/chemistry , Nutritive Value , Phenol/chemistry , Picrates/chemistry , Powders , Pressure , Sulfonic Acids/chemistry , Water/chemistry
9.
Molecules ; 26(11)2021 May 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34072598

ABSTRACT

Essential oils (EOs) were extracted from Eugenia patrisii, E. punicifolia, and Myrcia tomentosa, specimens A and B, using hydrodistillation. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to identify the volatile constituents present, and the antioxidant capacity of EOs was determined using diphenylpicryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays. For E. patrisii, germacrene D (20.03%), bicyclogermacrene (11.82%), and (E)-caryophyllene (11.04%) were identified as the major constituents of the EOs extracted from specimen A, whereas specimen B primarily comprised γ-elemene (25.89%), germacrene B (8.11%), and (E)-caryophyllene (10.76%). The EOs of E. punicifolia specimen A contained ß-Elemene (25.12%), (E)-caryophyllene (13.11%), and bicyclogermacrene (9.88%), while specimen B was composed of (E)-caryophyllene (11.47%), bicyclogermacrene (5.86%), ß-pinene (5.86%), and γ-muurolene (5.55%). The specimen A of M. tomentosa was characterized by γ-elemene (12.52%), germacrene D (11.45%), and (E)-caryophyllene (10.22%), while specimen B contained spathulenol (40.70%), α-zingiberene (9.58%), and γ-elemene (6.89%). Additionally, the chemical composition of the EOs was qualitatively and quantitatively affected by the collection period. Furthermore, the EOs of the studied specimens, especially specimen A of E. punicifolia, showed a greater antioxidant activity in DPPH rather than TEAC, as represented by a significantly high inhibition percentage (408.0%).


Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Eugenia/metabolism , Myrtaceae/metabolism , Oils, Volatile/analysis , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Leaves/metabolism , Antioxidants/chemistry , Biphenyl Compounds/chemistry , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/methods , Chromans/chemistry , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry , Oils, Volatile/chemistry , Picrates/chemistry , Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes/analysis , Sesquiterpenes/analysis , Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane/analysis
10.
J Chromatogr A ; 1651: 462304, 2021 Aug 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34118531

ABSTRACT

Hemp and cannabis industry is undergoing a renewed interest due to legalization of marijuana (a topic that all countries are discussing, especially in recent years) and the growing importance of therapeutic properties of cannabinoids. Together with an increment in the production of hemp and recreational cannabis, there has been an increasing demand for accurate potency testing of products (i.e. quantification of main cannabinoids present in the plant in terms of weight percentage) prior commercialization. This translates in an urgent need of reliable analytical methods to characterize cannabis and hemp samples. Cannabis and hemp preparations are commercialized under various forms (e.g., flowers, oils, candies or even baked goods) usually containing a large number of often very similar compounds making their separation very challenging. Strictly connected to this, another emerging topic concerns the need for the developing of large scale separation techniques for the purification of cannabinoids from complex matrices and for the preparation of analytical-grade standards (including the chiral ones). This paper reviews the most recent achievements in both these aspects. Cutting-edge applications and novel opportunities in potency testing by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection (which is becoming the golden standard, according to several pharmacopeias, for this kind of measurements) are discussed. The focus has been given to the very important topic of enantio-discrimination of chiral cannabinoids, for which supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) appears to be particularly suitable. The last part of the work covers the purification of cannabinoids through preparative chromatography. In this regard, particular attention has been given to the most innovative multi-column techniques allowing for the continuous purification of target molecules. The most recent advancements and future challenges in this field are discussed.


Subject(s)
Cannabinoids/analysis , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/methods , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Chromatography, Supercritical Fluid , Cannabis/chemistry , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/instrumentation , Flowers/chemistry , Plant Extracts/chemistry
11.
J Sep Sci ; 44(16): 3070-3079, 2021 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34165880

ABSTRACT

Quil-A is a purified extract of saponins with strong immunoadjuvant activity. While specific molecules have been identified and tested in clinical trials, Quil-A is mostly used as a totum of the Quillaja Saponaria bark extract. Quality control of the extract stability is usually based on the monitoring of specific saponins, whereas the comparison of samples with an initial chromatogram seems more appropriate. A reference fingerprint based on comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography offers a rapid detection of nonconform samples. To fulfill quality control constraints, off-line configuration using basic instrumentation was promoted. Hence, reversed-phase liquid chromatography × reversed-phase liquid chromatography and hydrophilic interaction chromatography × reversed-phase liquid chromatography methods with ultraviolet and single-quadrupole mass spectrometry detection were kinetically optimized. The reversed-phase liquid chromatography × reversed-phase liquid chromatography method used a pH switch between dimensions to maximize orthogonality. Despite diagonalization, it led to a high peak capacity of 831 in 2 h. On the other hand, the combination of hydrophilic interaction chromatography and reversed-phase liquid chromatography offered a larger orthogonality but a lower, yet satisfactory peak capacity of 673. The advantages of both methods were illustrated on degraded samples, where the reversed-phase liquid chromatography × reversed-phase liquid chromatography contour plot highlighted the loss of fatty acid chains, while the hydrophilic interaction chromatography × reversed-phase liquid chromatography method was found useful to evidence enzymatic loss of sugar moieties.


Subject(s)
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical , Chromatography, Liquid/methods , Quillaja/metabolism , Saponins/analysis , Chromatography, Reverse-Phase/methods , Kinetics , Plant Bark/metabolism , Plant Extracts/analysis , Quality Control , Quillaja Saponins/analysis , Reference Values
12.
J Chromatogr A ; 1651: 462307, 2021 Aug 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34161837

ABSTRACT

The difficulty of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) researches lies in the complexity of components, metabolites, and bioactivities. For a long time, there has been a lack of connections among the three parts, which is not conducive to the systematic elucidation of TCM effectiveness. To overcome this problem, a classification-based methodology for simplifying TCM researches was refined from literature in the past 10 years (2011-2020). The theoretical basis of this methodology is set theory, and its core concept is classification. Its starting point is that "although TCM may contain hundreds of compounds, the vast majority of these compounds are structurally similar". The methodology is composed by research strategies for components, metabolites and bioactivities of TCM, which are the three main parts of the review. Technical route, key steps and difficulty are introduced in each part. Two perspectives are highlighted in this review: set theory is a theoretical basis for all strategies from a conceptual perspective, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is a common tool for all strategies from a technical perspective. The significance of these strategies is to simplify complex TCM researches, integrate isolated TCM researches, and build a bridge between traditional medicines and modern medicines. Potential research hotspots in the future, such as discovery of bioactive ingredients from TCM metabolites, are also discussed. The classification-based methodology is a summary of research experience in the past 10 years. We believe it will definitely provide support and reference for the following TCM researches.


Subject(s)
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/methods , Chromatography, Liquid , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry , Mass Spectrometry , Medicine, Chinese Traditional/trends , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/trends , Humans , Research Design
13.
J Sep Sci ; 44(16): 3031-3040, 2021 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34102001

ABSTRACT

A new and efficient reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry method was developed for the simultaneous separation and determination of SeO3 2- and seleno-dl-methionine in kefir grains. For the system, limits of detection and quantitation values for SeO3 2- and seleno-dl-methionine were calculated as 0.52/1.73 mg/kg (as Se) and 0.26/0.87 mg/kg (as Se), respectively. After performing the system analytical performance, recovery experiment was done for kefir grains and percent recovery results for SeO3 2- and seleno-dl-methionine were calculated as 98.4 ± 0.8% and 93.6 ± 1.0%, respectively. It followed by the feeding studies that the kefir grains were exposed to three different concentrations of SeO3 2- (20, 30, and 50 mg/kg) for approximately 4 days at room temperature to investigate the conversion/non-conversion of SeO3 2- to seleno-dl-methionine. Next, the fed grains were extracted with tetramethylammonium hydroxide pentahydrate solution (20%, w/w) and then sent to the developed system. There was no detectable seleno-dl-methionine found in fed kefir grains at different concentrations of SeO3 2- while inorganic or elemental selenium in the fed kefir grains was determined between 1579.5 - 3116.0 mg/kg (as Se). Selenium species in the kefir grains samples was found in the form of SeO3 2- proved by using an anion exchange column.


Subject(s)
Food Analysis/methods , Kefir/analysis , Selenious Acid/analysis , Selenomethionine/analysis , Antioxidants , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Chromatography, Ion Exchange , Equipment Design , Limit of Detection , Selenium , Spectrophotometry/methods
14.
J Chromatogr A ; 1651: 462305, 2021 Aug 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34147833

ABSTRACT

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) has been shown to play an important role in the immune escape process of tumors, and therefore is considered as a promising target for tumor immunotherapy. In this study, off-line and on-line capillary electrophoresis methods were developed for IDO1 inhibitors screening from natural product extracts. The optimized separation conditions of CE were achieved with 32 mM sodium tetraborate (pH 9.22) as background electrolyte, using a separation voltage of 21 kV. The off-line CE method was verified by the determination of enzymatic kinetic parameters and inhibitory mechanisms of two known inhibitors. A partial filling on-line CE method combined with rapid polarity switching was used for rapid screening of IDO1 inhibitors. The whole reaction and separation process was completed within 5 min. The on-line CE screening results showed that six of 18 natural products had inhibitory effect on IDO1, namely Carthamus tinctorius, Schisandra chinensis, Raisin, Coffee, Hawthorn and Radix angelicae sinensis. The results of on-line CE experiments were consistent with the off-line results, which proved the practicability and effectiveness of the method for inhibitors screening.


Subject(s)
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/methods , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods , Electrophoresis, Capillary , Enzyme Inhibitors/isolation & purification , Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/antagonists & inhibitors , Biological Products/chemistry , Enzyme Activation/drug effects , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Humans
15.
Molecules ; 26(11)2021 May 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34071612

ABSTRACT

Vitamin D deficiency is being recognized as a global issue and has been implicated in many health issues. Hence, there is an increased interest in developing sensitive, reproducible, and non-invasive assays to measure Vitamin D levels. This study aimed to apply a sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric assay to hair samples to develop and validate a clinical assay to provide a quarterly average level of vitamin D in one test. Hair samples were collected from 70 male university students/young adults and pulverized/sonicated in methanol/water for 2 h to extract Vitamin D metabolites. A sensitive liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric assay was employed to quantitate vitamin D and metabolites. Of the eight Vitamin D and metabolites screened, only the primary, clinically significant form of vitamin D (25OHD3) was detected and quantified in hair samples in the range of 17-1541 pg/mg. One-third of the hair samples (21 out of 70) had Vitamin D levels below the LLOD of the assay (10 pg/mg). The mean and standard deviation values for hair (25OHD3) were 276.7 ± 329.9, respectively. This pilot study reveals the potential of the vitamin D hair test in clinical assays as a complementary test to a vitamin D blood test, which would provide a quarterly average.


Subject(s)
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical , Cholecalciferol/analysis , Hair , Adolescent , Adult , Calibration , Chromatography, Liquid , Disease Progression , Humans , Limit of Detection , Male , Pilot Projects , Reproducibility of Results , Sonication , Tandem Mass Spectrometry , Vitamin D/analysis , Young Adult
16.
Carbohydr Polym ; 261: 117866, 2021 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33766354

ABSTRACT

Almost all plant cells are surrounded by a wall constructed of co-extensive networks of polysaccharides and proteoglycans. The capability to analyse cell wall components is essential for both understanding their complex biology and to fully exploit their numerous practical applications. Several biochemical and immunological techniques are used to analyse cell walls and in almost all cases the first step is the preparation of an alcohol insoluble residue (AIR). There is significant variation in the protocols used for AIR preparation, which can have a notable impact on the downstream extractability and detection of cell wall components. To explore these effects, we have formally compared ten AIR preparation methods and analysed polysaccharides subsequently extracted using high-performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC-PAD) and Micro Array Polymer Profiling (MAPP). Our results reveal the impact that AIR preparation has on downstream detection of cell wall components and the need for optimisation and consistency when preparing AIR.


Subject(s)
Cell Wall/chemistry , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/methods , Plant Cells/chemistry , Polysaccharides/isolation & purification , Arabidopsis/chemistry , Cell Membrane/chemistry , Chromatography/methods , Microarray Analysis , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Plant Preparations/isolation & purification , Plant Stems/chemistry , Polymers/analysis , Polymers/isolation & purification , Polysaccharides/chemistry , Nicotiana/chemistry
17.
Anal Bioanal Chem ; 413(6): 1749-1764, 2021 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33527181

ABSTRACT

Comprehensive analysis and identification of chemical components are of great significance for evaluating the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines, as well as for drug exploitation and development. Here we developed a "force iteration molecular designing" strategy, by combing a database-based in-house software for a precursor ion list (PIL) and PIL-triggered collision-induced dissociation-MS2 and high-energy C-trap dissociation-MS2 (PIL-CID/MS2-HCD/MS2) on an LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer, aiming for the systematic characterization and discovery of new protostane triterpenoids (PTs) from Alisma Rhizoma (AR). AR was a well-known herbal remedy widely used for diarrhea, but its systematic characterization and comparison between two botanical origins have not been reported. Firstly, in-house software was developed based on force iteration, to generate a PIL that contains 483 accurate precursor ions. Secondly, to facilitate the acquisition of rich fragments and diagnostic ions sufficient for the structural elucidation of different types of PTs, a hybrid data acquisition method, namely PIL-CID/MS2-HCD/MS2, was generated. Thirdly, a total of 473 PTs were rapidly characterized from two botanical origins of AR according to an established four-step interpretation method, and the common constituents were 277 with ratio 70% (277/395) and 78% (277/355) in the rhizome of Alisma plantago-aquatica and A. orientale, respectively. Finally, two new PTs were isolated and unambiguously identified by NMR verifying the feasibility of this combined data acquisition strategy. This integrated strategy could improve the efficiency in the detection of new compounds in a single run and is practical to comprehensively characterize the complex components in herbal medicines.


Subject(s)
Alisma/metabolism , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/methods , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Mass Spectrometry/methods , Triterpenes/analysis , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Ions , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Reproducibility of Results , Software
18.
Int J Biol Macromol ; 171: 275-287, 2021 Feb 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33422511

ABSTRACT

In this work, cashew apple pectin (CP) of the species Anacardium occidentale L. was used as an encapsulation matrix for hydrophobic drugs. The model drug chosen was mangiferin (Mf), a glycosylated C-xanthone which has antioxidant properties but low solubility in aqueous medium. CP (1-100 µg mL-1) was not toxic to human neutrophils and also did not significantly interfere with the pro-inflammatory mechanism of these cells in the concentration range of 12.5 and 100 µg mL-1. The results are promising because they show that pectin encapsulated mangiferin after spray drying presented an efficiency of 82.02%. The results obtained in the dissolution test, simulating the release of mangiferin in the gastrointestinal tract (pH 1.2, 4.6 and 6.8) and using Franz diffusion cells (pH 7.4), showed that cashew pectin may be a promising vehicle in prolonged drug delivery systems for both oral and dermal applications.


Subject(s)
Anacardium/chemistry , Drug Carriers/administration & dosage , Drug Compounding/methods , Neutrophils/drug effects , Pectins/administration & dosage , Spray Drying , Xanthones/administration & dosage , Capsules , Cell Degranulation/drug effects , Cells, Cultured , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical , Delayed-Action Preparations , Diffusion , Drug Liberation , Fruit/chemistry , Humans , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Pectins/isolation & purification , Peroxidase/analysis , Solubility , Viscosity
19.
Nat Prod Res ; 35(2): 354-358, 2021 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31184511

ABSTRACT

Stryphnodendron adstringens is a typical tree from Brazilian Savanah used in medicine as an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agent. It is secondary metabolites has biological activities, so the development of efficient extraction methods is essential. Microwave irradiation through assisted extraction is innovative and highly efficient for bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to optimize an extractive method for phenolics compounds, as tannins, from the stem bark of "barbatimão" by microwave irradiation using a statistical planning and to evaluate its consistency with conventional extraction. Microwave irradiation extraction, 16.36-22.12% of phenols and 15.91-18.69% of tannins, has a better yield when compared to conventional extraction, 14.99% of phenols and 16.70% of tannins. The method by microwave irradiation is consistent with the conventional one. However, extraction by microwave irradiation had a reduction in reaction time, reagent volume, samples amount and energy consumption when compared to conventional extraction.


Subject(s)
Chemical Fractionation/methods , Fabaceae/chemistry , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Brazil , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical/statistics & numerical data , Fabaceae/metabolism , Microwaves , Phenols/analysis , Phenols/isolation & purification , Plant Bark/chemistry , Tannins/analysis , Tannins/isolation & purification
20.
J Altern Complement Med ; 27(1): 45-57, 2021 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33121261

ABSTRACT

Objectives: In parts I and II of our review of physicochemical research performed on homeopathic preparations, we identified relevant publications and analyzed the data in terms of individual experiments, looking for the most promising techniques that were used in the past. In this third part, we analyze the results of the experiments seeking to extract information about the possible modes of action underpinning homeopathic preparations. Methods: We summarized the results from the 11 experimental areas previously introduced, extracting the general findings and trends. We also summarized the results in terms of specific research topics: aging, medium used for potentization, sample volume, temperature, material of potentization vessel, and, finally, the use of molecules to probe homeopathic samples. Results: We identified a number of effects that appear consistently throughout the data: Differences to controls seem to increase with: time, moderate temperature, small samples volume, and in ionic medium, whereas high temperatures seem to abolish differences to controls. Based on the present analysis, there is no consistent evidence to date for the nanoparticle hypothesis to explain specific homeopathic treatment effects. However, the quantum coherence domain hypothesis, the dynamic water cluster hypothesis, and the weak quantum theory are still contenders and need to be further assessed experimentally. Conclusions: The field requires further targeted experimentation to validate past findings reporting differences between homeopathic dilutions and controls, and to expand these findings by specifically testing the three main working hypotheses that are currently at hand.


Subject(s)
Bibliometrics , Homeopathy , Materia Medica , Chemical Phenomena , Chemistry Techniques, Analytical , Humans , Materia Medica/analysis , Materia Medica/chemistry , Nanoparticles , Quantum Theory , Research Design
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