Fortifying jelly foods with microencapsulated anti-anaemic compounds, ferrous gluconate, ascorbic acid and folic acid.

Low ferrous iron bioavailability presents a challenge for food fortification programmes. In this study, jelly foods were fortified with spray-dried chitosan microparticles that had been loaded with ferrous gluconate (FeG) and folic acid (FA) to alleviate iron deficiency anaemia and FA deficiency anaemia, respectively. The presence of FA and ascorbic acid (AA) increased the in vitro iron bioavailability of the FeG-AA-FA microparticles up to sixfold. Furthermore, the iron bioavailability of the fortified jelly foods increased more than 5 folds compared to that of the FeG-AA-FA microparticles. The use of lower temperature during the preparation of fortified jelly foods is recommended to avoid the microparticles' decomposition and a Maillard browning reaction. These findings can help food technologists and product developers select formulations with higher ferrous bioavailability to reduce the prevalence of anaemia. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-022-05599-7.

Nanoemulsions containing Garcinia mangostana L. pericarp extract for topical applications: Development, characterization, and in vitro percutaneous penetration assay.

A highly stable oil-in-water nanoemulsion for topical applications, containing mangostins extracted from the pericarp of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.), is a promising strategy to protect mangostins as well as to improve penetration of these important antioxidants through the skins. Nanoemulsions consisted of virgin coconut oil as the oil phase, Tween-80 and Span-80 as surfactants, and xanthan gum as the thickening agent, were prepared using the high-energy and low-energy emulsification methods. The nanoemulsions that were stable up to 28 days had oil droplet diameter of 220 nm to 353 nm and zeta potential of -46.9 mV to -63.7 mV. The accelerated stability test showed that the most stable nanoemulsions were those prepared using the low-energy emulsification method with an estimated shelf life of eleven months, composed of 11% oil phase, 17% surfactant, and 72% aqueous phase. The in vitro percutaneous penetration test for the nanoemulsion with added xanthan gum provided high cumulative skin penetration of mangostins of up to 114 µg/cm2. The results of this study indicate that virgin coconut oil-based nanoemulsions containing mangostins, prepared using the low-energy emulsification method, stabilized by xanthan gum and mixed at 40°C can prospectively be used for topical applications.

Water-in-Oil-in-Water Nanoemulsions Containing Temulawak (Curcuma xanthorriza Roxb) and Red Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) Extracts.

Hydrophobic curcumin in temulawak extract and hydrophilic betacyanin in red dragon fruit extract are high-value bioactive compounds with extensive applications in functional food. In this study, these extracts were encapsulated in water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) nanoemulsions as a delivery system using a two-step high-energy emulsification method. PGPR and Span 20 were used as lipophilic emulsifiers for the primary w/o emulsion. The most stable w/o/w formulation with the least oil phase separation of 5% v/v consisted of w/o emulsion (15% w/w) and Tween 80 (1.5% w/w) as hydrophilic emulsifier. The formulation was characterized by a 189-nm mean droplet diameter, 0.16 polydispersity index, and -32 mV zeta potential. The freeze-thaw stability may be attributed to the combination of low w/o emulsion content and high Tween 80 concentration in the outer water phase of the w/o/w nanoemulsions used in this study. The IC50 values of the nanoemulsion and the red dragon fruit extract were similar. It means that the higher concentration of curcumin in the nanoemulsions and the lower IC50 value of temulawak extract ensured sufficient antioxidant activities of the w/o/w nanoemulsions.

Polyalcohols as Hydrogen-Bonding Donors in Choline Chloride-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents for Extraction of Xanthones from the Pericarp of Garcinia mangostana L.

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) is a fruit that is rich in xanthones, utilized as health supplements or additives in food products due to their high antioxidant activities. Choline chloride (ChCl)-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) with polyalcohols (ethylene glycol, glycerol, propanediols, and butanediols) as hydrogen bonding donors (HBDs) were used to extract the xanthones from the pericarp of mangosteen. DESs with 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, and 1,2-butanediol as HBDs (ChCl to HBD mole ratio of 1:3) afforded the highest extraction yields (2.40-2.63%) of α-mangostin, the most abundant component that represents xanthones. These DESs have intermediate Nile Red polar parameter values similar to that of ethanol and provide extraction yields with a quadratic dependence on the polar parameter. Polarity and viscosity, the important physicochemical properties to consider in the selection of DES as an extraction solvent, could be adjusted based on the consideration of the molecular structure of the polyalcohols. The following factors qualifies the ChCl-1,2-propanediol DES as a designer solvent for green extraction: It is selected from a set of DESs having a homologous class of HBDs to deliver the highest α-mangostin extraction yield, its extract composition similar to that obtained using ethanol, it has low or negligible vapor pressure, both of its components are generally recognized as safe chemicals so that direct utilization of a DES extract is possible, and this DES is used for utilization of agricultural waste products as the resource of bioactive compounds.

A new angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor from Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth

Objective: To isolate, identify, and evaluate a new angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor from Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth herbs. Methods: A dried sample of Peperomia pellucida herb was successively macerated with n-hexane and ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate extract solution was evaporated to obtain the crude extract. Vacuum liquid column chromatography and thin layer chromatography were performed to obtain two pure compounds. Then, both compounds were elucidated and identified using the spectroscopic method. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity studies of both compounds were determined using angiotensin-converting enzyme kit WST-1 with spectrophotometer microplate reader 96-well at 450 nm wavelength. Results: Two bioactive compounds were successfully isolated from Peperomia pellucida herb, including a new compound of 2,3,5-trimethoxy-9-(12,14,15-trimethoxybenzyl)-1H-indene and pellucidin A. Both compounds demonstrated angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 72 μM (27.95 μg/mL) and 11 μM (4.4 μg/mL), respectively. Conclusions: In the present study, two active angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were successfully isolated and purified from Peperomia pellucida which is used as an antihypertensive in traditional medicine, and support its use as an angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibiting drug.

Deacidification of palm oil using betaine monohydrate-based natural deep eutectic solvents.

In the palm oil industry, the deacidification process is performed by steam stripping which causes the loss of most of palm oil's natural antioxidants due to high temperature. The liquid-liquid extraction process which is carried out at low temperature is preferable in order to preserve these compounds. The use of hydrated ethanol can reduce the losses of antioxidants, but the ability of this solvent to extract free fatty acids also decreases. Betaine monohydrate-based natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have extensive potential for this process. The selectivity of these NADES was determined to select a preferable solvent. The betaine monohydrate-glycerol NADES in a molar ratio of 1:8 was determined to be the preferred solvent with the highest selectivity. This solvent has an efficiency of palmitic acid extraction of 34.14%, and the amount of antioxidants can be preserved in the refined palm oil up to 99%. The compounds are stable during extraction.

Review of Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitory Assay: Rapid Method in Drug Discovery of Herbal Plants.

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is a signaling pathway which responsible in the blood pressure regulation. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is one of the key elements responsible for the hypertensive mechanism. It converts angiotensin-I to angiotensin-II. The discovery history of the ACE inhibitory activity assay method has been through a long stage for decades and development continues until today. The ACE inhibitory activity has become an effective screening method in the search for new antihypertensive agents from herbal plants. Some of in vitro assay methods were used to examine the activity of ACE inhibitors based on the substrate usage, such as; Cushman and Cheung Method using a substrate hippuryl-histidyl-leucine (HHL), Holmquist method using a substrate furanacryloyl-tripeptide, Elbl and Wagner method using a substrate benzoil-[l-14C] glicyl-L-histidine-L-leucine, Carmel and Yaron method using a substrate o-aminobenzoylglycyl-p-nitrophenylalanilproline, and Lam method using 3-hydroxybutyrylglycyl-glycyl-glycine as substrate. Several different methods to measure the results of enzymatic reactions or separating substrate with products, including spectrophotometric, fluorometric, high-performance liquid chromatography, electrophoresis, and radiochemistry. Application of the test method for screening the ACE inhibitors activity and investigation of active compounds from natural products can be done easily with this method, it is very helpful in research because the results obtained are simple, accurate, and rapid.