Assessment of microwave drying for rapid and convenient analysis of medicinal plants for quality assurance.

INTRODUCTION: The safety and quality of many medicinally important herbs are compromised since farmers and small organizations are involved in the cultivation, aggregation, and primary processing of these herbs. Such organizations often lack adequate quality control facilities. To improve the safety and quality of herbal products, simple, rapid, and affordable quality control systems are required. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of microwave oven-drying for moisture content (MC) determination and sample preparation of herbs in small organizations. METHODS: Microwave oven-drying (720 W) and convective oven-drying at 105°C for MC determination were compared. The effects of three different drying methods (microwave oven-drying, low-temperature convective drying, and freeze-drying) on in vitro antioxidant and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity were determined, similarity analysis was conducted using HPLC signature spectra, and validation was performed with LC-MS focusing on one herb. RESULTS: Microwave oven-drying at 720 W significantly reduced the drying time (from hours to minutes), whereas the spatial variation of temperature in convective ovens set at 105°C can cause about 10% underestimation of MC. Microwave oven-drying showed similar macro-properties like freeze-drying and higher extractability (10%-20%) and in vitro antioxidant capacity (33%-66%) and lower PPO activity compared to low-temperature convective drying. HPLC signature spectra revealed strong similarity of soluble components between freeze-dried and microwave oven-dried herbs. LC-MS analysis demonstrated more common compounds between freeze-dried and microwave oven-dried Centella asiatica extracts, whereas convective tray-dried samples had fewer compounds common with samples obtained by freeze-drying or microwave oven-drying. CONCLUSIONS: Microwave oven-drying is rapid (tens of min) and shows small batch-to-batch variation compared to oven-drying at 105°C. The in vitro antioxidant assays and signature spectra can be used for assessing the source and purity or quality of a specific herb variety.

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Containing Dopamine and Grape Seed Extract: Freeze-Drying with Cryoprotection as a Formulation Strategy to Achieve Nasal Powders.

(1) Background: DA-Gelucire® 50/13-based solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) administering the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) and the antioxidant grape-seed-derived proanthocyanidins (grape seed extract, GSE) have been prepared by us in view of a possible application for Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment. To develop powders constituted by such SLNs for nasal administration, herein, two different agents, namely sucrose and methyl-ß-cyclodextrin (Me-ß-CD), were evaluated as cryoprotectants. (2) Methods: SLNs were prepared following the melt homogenization method, and their physicochemical features were investigated by Raman spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). (3) Results: SLN size and zeta potential values changed according to the type of cryoprotectant and the morphological features investigated by SEM showed that the SLN samples after lyophilization appear as folded sheets with rough surfaces. On the other hand, the AFM visualization of the SLNs showed that their morphology consists of round-shaped particles before and after freeze-drying. XPS showed that when sucrose or Me-ß-CD were not detected on the surface (because they were not allocated on the surface or completely absent in the formulation), then a DA surfacing was observed. In vitro release studies in Simulated Nasal Fluid evidenced that DA release, but not the GSE one, occurred from all the cryoprotected formulations. Finally, sucrose increased the physical stability of SLNs better than Me-ß-CD, whereas RPMI 2650 cell viability was unaffected by SLN-sucrose and slightly reduced by SLN-Me-ß-CD. (4) Conclusions: Sucrose can be considered a promising excipient, eliciting cryoprotection of the investigated SLNs, leading to a powder nasal pharmaceutical dosage form suitable to be handled by PD patients.

Application of ultrasonication as pre-treatment for freeze drying: An innovative approach for the retention of nutraceutical quality in foods.

Freeze drying (FD) is an important and highly effective technology in food industry for retaining the quality in final dried product. This drying technique is performed at lower temperatures, restricting the damage suffered by thermally sensitive ingredients. However, FD consumes large amount of energy and required more time than conventional drying methods. The utilization of ultrasonic technology (US) as pre-treatment before FD represents a promising alternative in accelerating the drying process, decreases energy consumption and maintaining quality as compared to the non pre-treated sample. This review summarizes research progress and current studies in ultrasonic as pre-treatment for freeze drying (US + FD) technique. The impact of US + FD on phytochemical, color, texture and micro-structure of food are well summarized. The review also suggests that the optimised US treatment parameters are required to improve heat and mass transfer in food samples which help in speed up the drying process and reduction of drying time.

Selection of cryoprotectants for freezing and freeze-drying of gold nanoparticles towards further uses in various applications.

Recently, cryopreservation of AuNPs without aggregation has been attempted to improve their long-term stability. This study investigated criteria to select cryoprotectants for AuNPs using a variety of materials, including sugar (sucrose), surfactant (Tween 20), polymers (polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)), and biopolymer (pectin). For cryoprotective performance, UV-vis spectroscopy reveals the potential of all cryoprotectants for preventing citrate-capped AuNPs (cit-AuNPs) from irreversible aggregation under freezing. While sucrose, PVP, and pectin were more suitable than Tween 20 and PVA as cryoprotectants for lyophilization of AuNPs with the maintained redispersability. For storage and further use, Luria-Bertani agar plate, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results indicate impacts of the cryoprotectant coexisted with AuNPs after resuspension and imply that washing of the restored AuNPs is encouraged. Otherwise, running the restored AuNPs through applications, such as functionalization, protein conjugation, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), without washing the cryoprotectant could lead to inaccurate results. This study also serves as a guideline for a comprehensive practice flow of AuNP handling, encompassing the synthesis step, cryopreservation, and use after resuspension.

In Situ Stability of Anthocyanins in Lycium ruthenicum Murray.

In this research, the effects of drying method, storage temperature, and color protector glucose on anthocyanin preservation in the Lycium ruthenicum Murr. fruit were studied. Compared with hot-air drying, vacuum freeze-drying preserved about 5.8-fold more anthocyanins. The half-life of anthocyanins in the freeze-dried fruit samples with glucose was 3.6 days, 1.8 days, and 1.7 days at 4 °C, 20 °C, and 37 °C, respectively. On the other hand, the half-life values without glucose addition were 2.2 days, 2.3 days, and 2.1 days at each temperature, respectively, indicating that glucose protected anthocyanins at low temperature. The composition and contents of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins in the freeze-dried Lycium ruthenicum Murr., stored for 20 days, were investigated with a HPLC-MS/MS setup. It was found that most anthocyanidins in Lycium ruthenicum Murr. are linked with coumaroyl glucose to form anthocyanins, while glycosylated and acetyl-glycosylated anthocyanins were also detected. Five anthocyanidins were detected: delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, malvidin, and peonidin, and delphinidin accounts for about half of the total amount of anthocyanidins. It is much more economic to conserve anthocyanins in situ with freeze-drying methods and to store the fruits at low temperatures with glucose.

Antimicrobial Properties of Lyophilized Extracts of Olive Fruit, Pomegranate and Orange Peel Extracts against Foodborne Pathogenic and Spoilage Bacteria and Fungi In Vitro and in Food Matrices.

Several novel antimicrobials with different concentrations of olive, pomegranate, and orange fruit pulp extracts were produced from agricultural byproducts and, after lyophilization, their antimicrobial activity and potential synergistic effects were evaluated in vitro and in food samples against foodborne pathogenic and spoilage bacteria and fungi. The Minimum Inhibitory of the tested bacteria was 7.5% or 10%, while fungi were inhibited at a concentration of 10% or above. The optical density of bacterial and yeast cultures was reduced to a different extent with all tested antimicrobial powders, compared to a control without antimicrobials, and mycelium growth of fungi was also restricted with extracts containing at least 90% olive extract. In food samples with inoculated pathogens and spoilage bacteria and fungi, the 100% olive extract was most inhibitory against E. coli, S. typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes in fresh burger and cheese spread samples (by 0.6 to 1.8 log cfu/g), except that S. typhimurium was better inhibited by a 90% olive and 10% pomegranate extract in burgers. The latter extract was also the most effective in controlling the growth of inoculated fungi (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium italicum, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa) in both yogurt and tomato juice samples, where it reduced fungal growth by 1-2.2 log cfu/g at the end of storage period. The results demonstrate that these novel encapsulated extracts could serve as natural antimicrobials of wide spectrum, in order to replace synthetic preservatives in foods and cosmetics.

A metabolomics approach to evaluate the effect of lyophilization versus oven drying on the chemical composition of plant extracts.

Lyophilization is the "gold standard" for drying plant extracts, which is important in preserving their quality and extending their shelf-life. Compared to other methods of drying plant extracts, lyophilization is costlier due to equipment, material and operational expenses. An alternative method is post-extraction oven-drying, but the effects of this process on extract quality are unknown. In this study, crude extracts from Arthrocnemum macrostachyum shoots were compared using three post-extraction drying methods (lyophilization and oven drying at 40 and 60 °C) and two extraction solvents (water and aqueous 50% ethanol). Untargeted metabolomics coupled with chemometrics analysis revealed that post extraction oven-drying resulted in the loss of up to 27% of molecular features when compared to lyophilization in water extracts only. In contrast, only 3% of molecular features were lost in aqueous 50% ethanol extracts when subjected to oven drying. That is to say, ethanol used as a solvent has a stabilizing effect on metabolites and enhances their resistance to thermal transformation in the oven. Collectively, oven-drying of extracts was as effective as lyophilization in preserving metabolites in extracts only when 50% ethanol was used as a solvent. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the value of selecting solvent-appropriate post-extraction drying methods.

Changes in Physicochemical Properties and Volatile Compounds of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Calyx during Different Drying Methods.

Fresh roselle are high in moisture and deteriorate easily, which makes drying important for extending shelf-life and increasing availability. This study investigated the influence of different drying methods (oven-drying, freeze-drying, vacuum-drying, and sun-drying) on the quality of roselle calyx expressed as physicochemical properties (moisture content, water activity, soluble solids, color), volatile compounds, and microstructure. Oven-drying and freeze-drying reduced moisture content most while vacuum-drying and sun-drying were not as efficient. All drying methods except sun-drying resulted in water activities low enough to ensure safety and quality. Vacuum-drying had no impact on color of the dry calyx and only small impact on color of water extract of calyx. Drying reduced terpenes, aldehydes, and esters but increased furans. This is expected to reduce fruity, floral, spicy, and green odors and increase caramel-like aroma. Sun-drying produced more ketones, alcohols, and esters. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that freeze-drying preserved the cell structure better, and freeze-dried samples resembled fresh samples most compared to other drying techniques. The study concludes that freeze-drying should be considered as a suitable drying method, especially with respect to preservation of structure.

Physicochemical and Quality Properties of Dried Courgette Slices: Impact of Vacuum Impregnation and Drying Methods.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects that the type of impregnating solution and drying method (freeze drying (FD) and vacuum drying (VD) at 45 °C and convective drying (CD) at 50, 60, and 70 °C) had on the physicochemical and quality properties of courgettes. Courgette slices were vacuum-impregnated (6 kPa) in freshly squeezed onion, kale, and onion and kale (50:50) juices with 3% NaCl solution (N). The application of vacuum impregnation (VI) with impregnating solutions from freshly squeezed onions and kale had a beneficial effect on the bioactive values of courgette. The highest contents of quercetin (41.84 µg/g d.m.) and carotenoids (276.04 µg/g d.m.) were found in courgette impregnated with onion juice after freeze drying. The highest values of lutein and zeaxanthin (216.42 µg/g d.m.) were recorded for courgette impregnated with kale juice and convective dried. By analysing the kinetics of convective drying, the best matching of the logistic model was found. Increasing the drying process temperature from 50 to 70 °C reduced the drying time from 15% to 36%, depending on the type of impregnating solution used. Water activity < 0.6 was recorded for courgette dried by freezing, vacuum, and convection at 60 and 70 °C. Conclusions: The vacuum impregnation process and the impregnation solutions from freshly squeezed vegetables can be used to develop new snacks with high levels of bioactive compounds. The FD method is the most appropriate considering both the bioactive compounds content and the obtained colour and water activity.

Quantification of Flavonoids, Phenols and Antioxidant Potential from Dropped Citrus reticulata Blanco Fruits Influenced by Drying Techniques.

Physiologically dropped immature Citrus reticulata Blanco fruits are regarded as waste and discarded in the citrus orchard but are a good source of bioactive compounds including flavonoids, antioxidants and total phenols. A study was undertaken to identify and quantify these bioactive compounds and to investigate the influence of different drying techniques, namely freeze drying and hot air oven drying, on flavonoids namely flavanone glycosides, antioxidant potential and total phenol content in immature dropped fruits of Citrus reticulata Blanco. Flavonoids were quantified in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant activity were investigated with three assays azino-bis [3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid]) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) and total phenol content was determined. Freeze dried samples of 12 and 14 mm size retained maximum hesperidin flavonoid content (27.03% and 27.20%) as compared to the hot air dried samples (17.99%) and retained higher phenolic content ranged from 50.54-54.19 mg GAEL-1. The antioxidant activity in freeze dried fruits was from 12.21-13.55 mM L-1 Trolox and 15.27-16.72 mM L-1 Trolox with ABTS, DPPH assay and FRAP values ranging from 7.31-9.07 mM L-1 Trolox. Significant positive correlation was found between the flavonoid hesperidin with antioxidant assays and total phenolic content (TPC). The results showed that waste citrus fruits can act as potential source of bioflavonoids, especially hesperidin, and antioxidants for pharmaceutical as well as nutraceutical industry.

Thermal and non-thermal processing of red-fleshed apple: how are (poly)phenol composition and bioavailability affected?

The present study evaluated the impact of different thermal (infrared-drying, hot air-drying and purée pasteurization) and non-thermal (freeze-drying) processing technologies on red-fleshed apple (poly)phenolic compounds. We further investigated the processing effect on the (poly)phenol bioavailability in a crossover postprandial study where three subjects consumed three apple products (freeze-dried snack, hot air-dried snack and pasteurized purée). (Poly)phenolic compounds present in the apple products and their biological metabolites in urine were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). When comparing different processes, infrared-drying caused important losses in most of the apple (poly)phenolics, while hot air-drying and purée pasteurization maintained approximately 83% and 65% of total (poly)phenols compared with the freeze-dried snack, respectively. Anthocyanins in particular were degraded to a higher extent, and hot air-dried apple and pasteurized purée maintained respectively 26% and 9% compared with freeze-dried apple snack. The acute intake showed that pasteurized purée exhibited the highest (poly)phenol bioavailability, followed by hot air-drying and freeze-dried snack, highlighting the impact of processing on (poly)phenols absorption. In conclusion, for obtaining affordable new red-fleshed apple products with enhanced (poly)phenol bioavailability, purée pasteurization and hot air-drying represent viable techniques. However, to obtain a red-fleshed apple snack with high anthocyanin content, freeze-drying is the technique that best preserves them.

Lyophilized Kratom Tea as a Therapeutic Option for Opioid Dependence.

BACKGROUND: Made as a tea, the Thai traditional drug "kratom" reportedly possesses pharmacological actions that include both a coca-like stimulant effect and opium-like depressant effect. Kratom has been used as a substitute for opium in physically-dependent subjects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antinociception, somatic and physical dependence produced by kratom tea, and then assess if the tea ameliorated withdrawal in opioid physically-dependent subjects. METHODS: Lyophilized kratom tea (LKT) was evaluated in C57BL/6J and opioid receptor knockout mice after oral administration. Antinociceptive activity was measured in the 55 °C warm-water tail-withdrawal assay. Potential locomotor impairment, respiratory depression and locomotor hyperlocomotion, and place preference induced by oral LKT were assessed in the rotarod, Comprehensive Lab Animal Monitoring System, and conditioned place preference assays, respectively. Naloxone-precipitated withdrawal was used to determine potential physical dependence in mice repeatedly treated with saline or escalating doses of morphine or LKT, and LKT amelioration of morphine withdrawal. Data were analyzed using one- and two-way ANOVA. RESULTS: Oral administration of LKT resulted in dose-dependent antinociception (≥1 g/kg, p.o.) absent in mice lacking the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) and reduced in mice lacking the kappa-opioid receptor. These doses of LKT did not alter coordinated locomotion or induce conditioned place preference, and only briefly reduced respiration. Repeated administration of LKT did not produce physical dependence, but significantly decreased naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in morphine dependent mice. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms the MOR agonist activity and therapeutic effect of LKT for the treatment of pain and opioid physical dependence.

Pulp obtained after isolation of starch from red and purple potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) as an innovative ingredient in the production of gluten-free bread.

Starch based gluten-free bread (formulations containing mixture of corn and potato starch with hydrocolloids) are deficient in nutrients and do not contain health promoting compounds. Therefore they could be supplemented with raw materials rich in such components, especially antioxidants. Among them pseudo-cereals, seeds, fruits and vegetables are often applied to this purpose. Potato pulp produced by processing red fleshed (Magenta Love) and purple fleshed (Violetta) varieties could become a new innovative substrate for gluten-free bread enrichment, because of high levels of endogenous polyphenols, namely flavonoids, flavonols, phenolic acids and especially anthocyanins with high antioxidant potential, as well as dietary fiber. Study material consisted of gluten-free bread enriched in the pulp. Dietary fiber, acrylamide content and antioxidant and antiradical potential of the bread were determined. Sensory evaluation included crumb elasticity, porosity and other characteristics, taste and smell. Among all analyzed gluten-free breads, the sample containing 7.5% share of freeze-dried red potato pulp Magenta Love was characterized by high content of phenolic compounds and dietary fiber, pronounced antioxidant activity, low levels of potentially dangerous acrylamide and good physical and sensory characteristics. Therefore such an addition (7.5% Magenta Love) could be recommended for industrial production of gluten-free bread.

YiQiFuMai Lyophilized Injection ameliorates tPA-induced hemorrhagic transformation by inhibiting cytoskeletal rearrangement associated with ROCK1 and NF-κB signaling pathways.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Thrombolytic therapy with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) after ischemic stroke exacerbates blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown and leads to hemorrhagic transformation (HT). YiQiFuMai Lyophilized Injection (YQFM) is a modern preparation derived from Sheng-mai San (a traditional Chinese medicine). YQFM attenuates the BBB dysfunction induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, whether YQFM can suppress tPA-induced HT remains unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY: We investigated the therapeutic effect of YQFM on tPA-induced HT and explored the underlying mechanisms in vivo and in vitro to improve the safety of tPA use against stroke. METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to 45 min of ischemia and 24 h of reperfusion. tPA (10 mg/kg) were infused 2 h after occlusion and YQFM (0.671 g/kg) was injected 2.5 h after occlusion. The in vitro effect of YQFM (100, 200, 400 µg/mL) on tPA (60 µg/mL)-induced dysfunction of the microvascular endothelial barrier in the brain following oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) was observed in bEnd.3 cells. RESULTS: YQFM suppressed tPA-induced high hemoglobin level in the brain, mortality, neurologic severity score, BBB permeability, expression and activation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and MMP-2, and degradation of tight-junction proteins. Furthermore, YQFM significantly blocked tPA-induced brain microvascular endothelial permeability and phosphorylation of Rho-associated kinase (ROCK)1, myosin light chain (MLC), cofilin and p65 in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSION: YQFM suppressed tPA-induced HT by inhibiting cytoskeletal rearrangement linked with ROCK-cofilin/MLC pathways and inhibiting the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway to ameliorate BBB damage caused by tPA.

Effect of chelating and antioxidant agents on morphology and DNA methylation in freeze-drying rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) spermatozoa.

Freeze-drying (FD) has been exhaustively tried in several mammalian species as an alternative technique to sperm cryopreservation, but few studies have been done in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The main objective of this study was to compare the protective effect of various antioxidants added to EDTA medium on structural and functional components of FD rabbit spermatozoa and on their status of global DNA methylation. FD media used were composed of basic FD medium (10 mM Tris-HCl buffer and 50 mM NaCl) supplemented with either 50 mM EDTA alone (EDTA) or added with 105 µM of rosmarinic acid (RA, EDTA-RA) or 10 µM of melatonin (MLT, EDTA-MLT). The effect of each medium on the preservation of FD spermatozoon structure was evaluated with light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Global DNA methylation was quantified in all FD sperm samples as well as in fresh spermatozoa. Morphologically, fracture points were evidenced in the neck, mid and principal piece of the spermatozoon tail. No differences in spermatozoon fracture points were evidenced among FD treatments: intact spermatozoa were the largest (p < .01) category, whereas the most frequent (p < .01) injury was the neck fracture, resulting in tailless heads. At SEM, the head of spermatozoa showed a well-conserved shape and intact membrane in all treatments. DNA methylation status was the same in all FD treatments. In conclusion, supplementation of EDTA, EDTA-RA and EDTA-MLT during FD preserved rabbit sperm morphological integrity and methylation status as well. Therefore, the difficulty of getting viable offspring using FD semen is likely unrelated to the impact of the lyophilization process on DNA methylation and morphology of lyophilized spermatozoa.

Optimization of Spray-Drying Process of Jerusalem artichoke Extract for Inulin Production.

Jerusalem artichoke is an important natural matrix for inulin production. In this experiment, response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the spray-drying parameters in order to determine the maximal inulin yield. For this study, three independent variables (heating temperature (Tª, 110-120 °C), creep speed (V, 18-22 rpm) and pressure (P, 0.02-0.04 MPa)) were used in the experimental design. Using the Box-Behnken design, the optimal parameters obtained were: drying temperature 114.6 °C, creep speed 20.02 rpm, and pressure: 0.03 MPa. The inulin yield, water content and particle size of inulin obtained by spray-drying and freeze-drying were compared. In this regard, the spray-dried inulin consisted of a white powder having a fine particle size, and the freeze-dried inulin had a pale-yellow fluffy floc. On the other hand, the drying methods had a great influence on the appearance and internal structure of inulin powder, since the spray-dried inulin had a complete and uniform shape and size, whereas the freeze-dried inulin had a flocculated sheet structure. The analysis showed that the spray-drying led to a higher inulin yield, lower water content and better surface structure than freeze-drying.

Encapsulation of antioxidant sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum) aqueous and ethanolic extracts in freeze-dried soy phosphatidylcholine liposomes.

Soy phosphatidylcholine liposomes encapsulating increasing concentrations of two sea fennel extracts (aqueous and ethanolic) prepared by ultrasonication were freeze-dried, using glycerol as lyoprotectant. Particle properties, water dispersibility, colour, thermal properties and antioxidant capacity (radical scavenging capacity, ferric ion reducing power, Folin-reactive substances) of the liposomal preparations were determined. The freeze-drying process caused an overall increase in particle size and polydispersity index, while the zeta-potential became more electronegative. Both sea fennel extracts were rich in chlorogenic acid (42.61 and 58.48 mg/g for the aqueous and ethanolic extracts, respectively) and showed great antioxidant activity. Vitamin C was identified in the aqueous extract, whereas rutin and rosmarinic acid in the ethanolic one. The entrapment efficiency, determined in the liposomes prepared at the highest extract concentration, was 65.6% and 49.1% for the aqueous extract and the ethanolic extract, respectively. The liposomal antioxidant activity and total phenolic content followed a linear increasing tendency as a result of increasing the extract concentration, irrespective of the type of extract. Higher antioxidant activity was found in the liposomes loaded with the ethanolic extract, in a clear relationship to the greater amount of highly antioxidant phenolic compounds extracted, and also to their lower entrapment efficiency, which caused a greater amount of extract to remain outside the liposome. Both extracts were suitable for producing liposomes with antioxidant properties which could be dried and used to design functional foods.

Insights into the development of grapefruit nutraceutical powder by spray drying: physical characterization, chemical composition and 3D intestinal permeability.

BACKGROUND: The development of functional and nutraceutical foods comes from a greater awareness of the relationship between food and health by consumers. In recent years, the idea of purifying and encapsulating bioactive compounds through techniques such as spray drying has been well received by the food industry. The development and characterization of a grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) nutraceutical powder obtained by spray drying is of great interest owing to the different bioactive compounds and the potential health effects. RESULTS: The grapefruit powder was characterized by a low water amount (1.5 g water per 100 g powder) and a high porosity (75%). The color parameters were L* = 80.0 ± 1.8, hab * = 61.7 ± 0.4 and Cab * = 11.4 ± 0.6. The IC50 values determined for the freeze-dried oxalic acid extract (FDOA) and the freeze-dried methanol-water extract (FDMW) were 0.48 and 0.72 mg mL-1 respectively, while the total phenolic content (TPC) ranged between 1274 and 1294 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) per 100 g dry basis (d.b.). Regarding total flavonoid content (TFC), FDOA presented the highest amount (6592 mg quercetin equivalent (QE) per 100 g d.b.). For both extracts, the cell viability in Caco-2 and HT29-MTX was above 90% at 100 µg mL-1 . The bioavailability of the bioactive compounds was analyzed through a 3D intestinal model. Delphenidin-3-glucoside and hesperitin-7-O-glucoside presented a permeation higher than 50%, followed by hesperidin which was close to 30%. CONCLUSION: This work allows to establish that the formulation of grapefruit powder has great potential as a nutraceutical food, with spray drying being a good alternative technique in the food industry. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Spray coating of foley urinary catheter by chlorhexidine-loadedpoly(ε-caprolactone) nanospheres: effect of lyoprotectants, characteristics, and antibacterial activity evaluation.

In this study, chlorhexidine-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) nanospheres (CHX-NS) were prepared and successfully coated on the urinary catheters. Properties of CHX-NS were evaluated including drug loading content and the nanosphere size. Effects of different lyoprotectants for long-term storage of CHX-NS were also investigated. In vitro release study and antibacterial activity were also conducted using 20 cycles coated-urinary catheters. Results showed that the high-pressure emulsification-solvent evaporation technique provided the drug loading content at 1.14 ± 0.16% and the size of nanospheres was 152 ± 37 nm. The suitable lyoprotectant for long-term storage of CHX-NS was sucrose which provided noticeably no aggregation at the degree of reconstitution at 89.95%. The amount of CHX loading on coated catheters was at 4.55 ± 0.31 mg. Drug release from the coated catheters in artificial urine could be prolonged up to 2 weeks and bacteria proliferation was inhibited up to 14 days. These results suggest that the antimicrobial activity of CHX-NS reduces the adherence of the uropathogens to the catheter surface. Chlorhexidine-loaded polymeric nanospheres were fabricated which can be successfully coated on urinary catheters. These systems have potential use for prolonged antimicrobial applications.

Improved freeze-dried kit for the preparation of 188ReN-DEDC/lipiodol for the therapy of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Rhenium-188-N-(DEDC)2/lipiodol (abbreviated as 188ReN-DEDC, where DEDC = monoanionic diethyldithiocarbamate) is a clinically proven radiopharmaceutical for the therapy of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through trans arterial radioembolization (TARE). A two-vial freeze-dried kit for the preparation of [188ReN(DEDC)2] complex using sodium perrhenate (Na188ReO4) obtained from a commercial Tungsten-188/Rhenium-188 generator had been reported earlier. This method required addition of stipulated volume of glacial acetic acid into vial 1 by the user for efficient preparation of [188ReN]2+ intermediate. An error in this step can result in low radiochemical yield of [188ReN]2+ intermediate as well as sub-optimal pH of the reaction mixture for the second step, leading to poor radiochemical purity of 188ReN-DEDC complex. In the present work, a solution to this problem was found by including an oxalate buffer of pH = 3 in vial 1, eliminating the need for the addition of glacial acetic acid by the user. This modification not only made the kits more user-friendly, it resulted in significant improvement in the kinetics of formation of [188ReN]2+ intermediate, wherein > 95% radiochemical purity could be achieved within 5 min incubation at ambient temperature. Moreover, the novel route for the preparation of [188ReN]2+ intermediate may be applied to any radiopharmaceutical based on 188ReN-core.