Development of a novel, sustainable, cellulose-based food packaging material and its application for pears.

This study aimed to develop a cellulose-based active food packaging material using paper, a biodegradable, sustainable, recyclable, renewable, and relatively low-cost material. For electrospray coating, fulvic acid (FA), which has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and sericin (S) were used as an active agent and a carrier medium, respectively. Solutions prepared at various concentrations and ratios of FA and S were analyzed, the properties of the active packaging material were examined, and the effect on the quality of pears was studied. The optimum conditions of electrospraying for minimum droplet size and maximum antibacterial effect were 0.8 g/mL concentration of solutions, 1:1 FA:S ratio, 20 kV voltage, 0.75 mL/h flow rate, and 23 cm collector-needle tip distance. FA had static, lethal, and inhibitory effects on Pseudomonas syringae and P. digitatum, the common pathogenic microorganisms on pears. The antioxidant activity of FA was higher than that of S (872.96 mM vs. 239.36 mM). At the end of the 90-day storage period, pears stored in the active packaging material at 7 °C and 90% RH showed better preserved color and texture, matured later, had a lower antimicrobial load, and were more appreciated in sensory evaluation than other samples.

Selective Encapsulation of the Polyphenols on Silk Fibroin Nanoparticles: Optimization Approaches.

The present study proposes a method for designing small bioactive nanoparticles using silk fibroin as a carrier to deliver hydrophobic polyphenols. Quercetin and trans-resveratrol, widely distributed in vegetables and plants, are used here as model compounds with hydrophobic properties. Silk fibroin nanoparticles were prepared by desolvation method and using various concentrations of ethanol solutions. The optimization of the nanoparticle formation was achieved by applying Central Composite Design (CCD) and the response surface methodology (RSM). The effects of silk fibroin and ethanol solution concentrations together with the pH on the selective encapsulation of phenolic compounds from a mixture were reported. The obtained results showed that nanoparticles with an average particle size of 40 to 105 nm can be prepared. The optimized system for the selective encapsulation of the polyphenols on the silk fibroin substrate was determined to be 60% ethanol solution and 1 mg/mL silk fibroin concentration at neutral pH. The selective encapsulation of the polyphenols was achieved, with the best results being obtained in the case of resveratrol and quercetin and encapsulation of gallic and vanillic acids being rather poor. Thin-layer chromatography confirmed the selective encapsulation and the loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles exhibited antioxidant activity.

Ruscogenin interacts with DPPC and DPPG model membranes and increases the membrane fluidity: FTIR and DSC studies.

Ruscogenin, a kind of steroid saponin, has been shown to have significant anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-thrombotic characteristics. Furthermore, it has the potential to be employed as a medicinal medication to treat a variety of acute and chronic disorders. The interaction of a drug molecule with cell membranes can help to elucidate its system-wide protective and therapeutic effects, and it's also important for its pharmacological activity. The molecular mechanism by which ruscogenin affects membrane architecture is still a mystery. Ruscogenin's interaction with zwitterionic dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and anionic dipalmitoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) was studied utilizing two non-invasive approaches, including: Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Ruscogenin caused considerable alterations in the phase transition profile, order, dynamics and hydration state of head groups and glycerol backbone of DPPC and DPPG MLVs at all concentrations. The DSC results indicated that the presence of ruscogenin decreased the main phase transition temperature (Tm) and enthalpy (ΔH) values of both membranes and increased half height width of the main transition (ΔT1/2). The FTIR results demonstrated that all concentrations (1, 3, 6, 9, 15, 24 and 30 mol percent) of ruscogenin disordered the DPPC MLVs both in the gel and liquid crystalline phases while it increased the order of DPPG MLVs in the liquid crystalline phase. Moreover, ruscogenin caused an increase in the dynamics of DPPC and DPPG MLVs in both phases. Additionally, it enhanced the hydration of the head groups of lipids and the surrounding water molecules implying ruscogenin to interact strongly with both zwitterionic and charged model membranes.

Plant-derived tormentic acid alters the gut microbiota of the silkworm (Bombyx mori).

In recent years, phytochemicals have started to attract more attention due to their contribution to health and bioactivity. Microorganisms in the intestines of organisms contribute to the processing, function, and biotransformation of these substances. The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is one of the organisms used for the biotransformation of phytochemicals due to its controlled reproduction and liability to microbial manipulation. In this study, a bioactive compound, tormentic acid (TA), extracted from Sarcopoterium spinosum was used in the silkworm diet, and the alterations of intestinal microbiota of the silkworm were assessed. To do this, silkworms were fed on a diet with various tormentic acid content, and 16S metagenomic analysis was performed to determine the alterations in the gut microbiota profile of these organisms. Diet with different TA content did not cause a change in the bacterial diversity of the samples. A more detailed comparison between different feeding groups indicated increased abundance of bacteria associated with health, i.e., Intestinibacter spp., Flavonifractor spp., Senegalimassilia spp., through the utilization of bioactive substances such as flavonoids. In conclusion, it might be said that using TA as a supplementary product might help ameliorate the infected gut, promote the healthy gut, and relieve the undesirable effects of medicines on the gastrointestinal system.

Eggshell Membrane Based Turmeric Extract Loaded Orally Disintegrating Films.

BACKGROUND: The increasing interest in using natural bioactive compounds as new drug candidates due to their low solubility led to designing and developing novel drug delivery systems. Out of those, orally disintegrating films (ODFs) are a very eminent drug delivery system among pediatrics and geriatrics. OBJECTIVE: In our study, the solvent casting method was used to prepare eggshell membrane-based and turmeric extract loaded orally disintegrating films. METHODS: Characterization of the prepared films was done with FTIR, AFM, and SEM analysis. The release profile of the turmeric extract was determined and fitted to the mathematical models. RESULTS: AFM results showed that the best interaction between components was achieved in Film 2. The highest cumulative release percentage was obtained for the film with 7.5% (w/w) turmeric extract (Film-2) as 41.98%, based on the HPLC measurements. The Higuchi model was the best-- fitted model for Film 2. CONCLUSION: In this study, SEP and CMCH were used for the first time as biopolymers to prepare the orally disintegrating film. Turmeric extract was successfully integrated into films prepared from SEP and CMCH.

Utilization of Eggshell Membrane and Olive Leaf Extract for the Preparation of Functional Materials.

Eggshell membrane (ESM) is a natural proteinaceous by-product of the food industry, especially in the pasteurized egg industry, resulting in the availability of much discarded egg waste. In the literature, eggshell (ES) and ESM usage for their adsorbent properties to remove various organic and inorganic hazardous chemicals, especially from wastewater, has gained interest. In addition, agricultural (olive leaf) and food industry (eggshell and eggshell membrane) waste can together be valorized to produce value-added functional products. This study's objective was to evaluate the eggshell membrane's loading capacity for bioactive compounds obtained from olive leaf extract (OLE) in order to prepare functional biomaterial. In this study, waste eggshell membranes were used to adsorb the phenolic compounds from olive leaf extract to design functional biomaterials. Using the foam separation method, both separation of the eggshell membrane and adsorption of bioactive compounds to the eggshell membrane were achieved simultaneously. The characterization studies showed that OLE was successfully adsorbed to the eggshell membrane. Cytotoxicity and antimicrobial studies showed that prepared OLE-loaded membranes were functional materials with bioactive properties. In conclusion, ESM was determined as a promising protein in the production of functional antioxidative and antimicrobial food or dietary supplement after the adsorption of bioactive olive leaf polyphenols.

Redox-active phytoconstituents ameliorate cell damage and inflammation in rat hippocampal neurons exposed to hyperglycemia+Aß1-42 peptide.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common dementia causing progressive loss of memory and compromised cognitive functions. Although the neurotoxic mechanisms underlying AD have yet to be fully elucidated, hyperglycemia seems to trigger oxidative and inflammatory responses in the brain of afflicted patients. Removal of free radicals reduces the neurotoxic effects of hyperglycemia in AD models. In this study we investigated the neuroprotective effects of the antioxidant phytoconstituents oleuropein (OLE), rutin (RUT), luteolin (LUT) and S-allylcysteine (SAC) in an experimental model combining the exposure to high glucose (HG, mimicking chronic hyperglycemia) plus amyloid-ß peptide 1-42 (Aß1-42, mimicking AD) in primary hippocampal neurons. Cells were pre-treated with OLE, RUT, LUT or SAC (10-1000 nM), and then co-treated with high glucose (GLU, 150 mM) for 24 h plus 500 nM oligomeric Aß1-42 for 24 h more. Cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation were assessed as indices of survival/toxicity and oxidative stress, respectively. Activity/expression of antioxidant enzymes, toxic adducts, inflammatory molecules, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and the pattern of amyloid aggregation were also assessed. The GLU + Aß1-42 treatment significantly decreased cell viability, increased ROS formation, reduced superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities, augmented Advanced Glycation End Products- and 4-hydroxynonenal-adducts generation, increased 3-nitrotyrosine and inflammatory outcomes such as inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin 1ß and Tumor Necrosis Factor α, decreased MMP and augmented amyloid aggregation. All phytoconstituents reduced in a differential manner all toxic endpoints, with SAC showing the highest efficacy in preventing loss of cell viability and oxidative damage, whereas RUT was most efficacious in mitigating inflammatory endpoints. Combined, the results of this study suggest that protection afforded by these compounds against GLU + Aß1-42-induced cell damage in hippocampal neurons is attributable to their properties as redox modulators, which might act through a concerted mechanism oriented to reduce oxidative stress and neuroinflammation.

Simultaneous isolation and selective encapsulation of volatile compounds from essential oil during electrospraying of ß-Cyclodextrin.

This study's primary purpose was to develop a new technique to stabilize high value-added bioactive volatile compounds present in essential oils to ensure their usability as chemical raw materials with enhanced stability. Selective isolation and encapsulation of various volatile compounds by changing the electrospraying process parameter, including voltage, flow rate, and ß-Cyclodextrin concentration, were attributed to the formation of inclusion complexes between ß-cyclodextrin and volatile compounds. Investigations regarding the effects of independent process variables on simultaneous isolation and selective encapsulation of volatile compounds during electrospraying of ß-cyclodextrins were carried out mainly with TLC analyses. The TLC analyses were confirmed with GC, GC-MS, and 1H NMR analyses. It was possible to obtain nanoparticles with an average particle size between 25-160 nm with the designed system. Obtained data revealed that isolation and encapsulation of cumin aldehyde, camphene, isoborneol, and hexadecanoic acid, benzyl benzoate from labdanum essential oil were successfully achieved.

Electroencapsulation (Electrospraying & Electrospinning) of Active Compounds for Food Applications.

With new consumption trends and mindset of a healthier way of life, there is an increasing demand for functional foods. To provide stable and functional products to consumers, the stability of the active compounds must be preserved during the processing of food. For this purpose, encapsulation techniques have been used in various industries in order to overcome problems such as stability, low solubility, and degradation under process conditions for food applications. Electrospinning and electrospraying are two highly versatile and scalable electrohydrodynamic methods, which have gained increasing attention in the various encapsulation applications. This review will give readers an overview of the latest electroencapsulation (electrospraying and electrospinning) of natural bioactive compounds for functional foods applications.

Curcumin and piperine loaded zein-chitosan nanoparticles: Development and in-vitro characterisation.

Curcumin as the active compound of turmeric has antioxidative, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer properties among others. However, its disadvantageous properties like low solubility, poor bioavailability and rapid degradation under neutral or alkaline pH conditions or when exposed to light limit its clinical application. These problems can be solved by a smart combination of using a natural enhancer like piperine and preparing nanoparticles by a proper method like electrospray. Due to these facts it was aimed in this study to develop curcumin and piperine loaded zein-chitosan nanoparticles step by step. For that purpose various formulation parameters like the concentrations of zein, curcumin, piperine and chitosan and the preparation parameters like the applied voltage and the nozzle diameter were investigated step by step. The nanoparticles were characterised by investigating their shapes, morphologies, particle sizes with help of SEM images and the cytotoxicity on neuroblastoma cells. It was succeeded to prepare curcumin and piperine loaded zein-chitosan nanoparticles having a mean particle size of approximately 500 nm and high encapsulation efficencies for curcumin (89%) and piperine (87%). Using a curcumin concentration of 10-25 µg/ml resulted in reduction of the viability of approximately 50% of the neuroblastoma cells. The here developed nanoparticle formulation consisting of solely natural compounds showed good cytotoxic effects and is a promising approach with appropriate properties for final consumption.

Bioactive Sheath/Core nanofibers containing olive leaf extract.

This study aimed at producing silk fibroin (SF)/hyaluronic acid (HA) and olive leaf extract (OLE) nanofibers with sheath/core morphology by coaxial electrospinning method, determining their antimicrobial properties, and examining release profiles of OLE from these coaxial nanofibers. Optimum electrospinning process and solution parameters were determined to obtain uniform and bead-free coaxial nanofibers. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the morphology of the nanofibers. The antimicrobial activities of nanofibers were tested according to AATCC test method 100. Total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity were tested using in vitro batch release system. The quality and quantity of released components of OLE were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The changes in nanofibers were examined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Uniform and bead-free nanofibers were produced successfully. TEM images confirmed the coaxial structure. OLE-loaded nanofibers demonstrated almost perfect antibacterial activities against both of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Antifungal activity against C. albicans was rather poor. After a release period of 1 month, it was observed that ∼70-95% of the OLE was released from nanofibers and it was still bioactive. Overall results indicate that the resultant shell/core nanofibers have a great potential to be used as biomaterials.

Olive leaf extracts protect cardiomyocytes against 4-hydroxynonenal-induced toxicity in vitro: comparison with oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and quercetin.

Olive (Olea europaea) leaf, an important traditional herbal medicine, displays cardioprotection that may be related to the cellular redox modulating effects of its polyphenolic constituents. This study was undertaken to investigate the protective effect of the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of olive leaves compared to the effects of oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and quercetin as a positive standard in a carbonyl compound (4-hydroxynonenal)-induced model of oxidative damage to rat cardiomyocytes (H9c2). Cell viability was detected by the MTT assay; reactive oxygen species production was assessed by the 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate method, and the mitochondrial membrane potential was determined using a JC-1 dye kit. Phospho-Hsp27 (Ser82), phospho-MAPKAPK-2 (Thr334), phospho-c-Jun (Ser73), cleaved-caspase-3 (cl-CASP3) (Asp175), and phospho-SAPK/JNK (Thr183/Tyr185) were measured by Western blotting. The ethanolic and methanolic extracts of olive leaves inhibited 4-hydroxynonenal-induced apoptosis, characterized by increased reactive oxygen species production, impaired viability (LD50: 25 µM), mitochondrial dysfunction, and activation of pro-apoptotic cl-CASP3. The ethanolic and methanolic extracts of olive leaves also inhibited 4-hydroxynonenal-induced phosphorylation of stress-activated transcription factors, and the effects of extracts on p-SAPK/JNK, p-Hsp27, and p-MAPKAPK-2 were found to be concentration-dependent and comparable with oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and quercetin. While the methanolic extract downregulated 4-hydroxynonenal-induced p-MAPKAPK-2 and p-c-Jun more than the ethanolic extract, it exerted a less inhibitory effect than the ethanolic extract on 4-hydroxynonenal-induced p-SAPK/JNK and p-Hsp27. cl-CASP3 and p-Hsp27 were attenuated, especially by quercetin. Experiments showed a predominant reactive oxygen species inhibitory and mitochondrial protecting ability at a concentration of 1-10 µg/mL of each extract, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and quercetin. The ethanolic extract of olive leaves, which contains larger amounts of oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, verbascoside, luteolin, and quercetin (by HPLC) than the methanolic one, has more protecting ability on cardiomyocyte viability than the methanolic extract or each phenolic compound against 4-hydroxynonenal-induced carbonyl stress and toxicity.

Monomer Release from Resin Based Dental Materials Cured With LED and Halogen Lights.

OBJECTIVES: To measure the release of TEGDMA and BisGMA from two commercially available composite resins; Filtek Z 250 (3M ESPE, Germany), Leaddent (Leaddent, Germany) and two fissure sealants; Helioseal F (3M ESPE, Germany) Enamel Loc (Premiere Rev, USA) over 1, 3 and 7 days after polymerization with standard quartz-tungsten halogen Coltolux II (QHL) (Coltene Switzerland) and a standard blue light emitting diode Elipar Freelight 2 (3M ESPE, Germany). METHODS: 9 samples of each material were placed in disc shaped specimens in 1 mm of thickness and 10 mm in diameter (n=36). Each material was polymerized using LED for 20 s (n=12), 40 s (n=12) and halogen for 40 s (n=12), respectively. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure the amount of monomers released over 1, 3 and 7 days. Data was analyzed using one way ANOVA and Bonferroni test for multiple comparisons with a significance level of .05. RESULTS: LED 20 sec group showed the highest release of monomers at 1, 3 and 7 days in sealant groups. Halogen 40 sec group resulted highest release of monomers for Leaddent at all time intervals (P<.05) CONCLUSIONS: Efficiency of the curing unit and applying the recommended curing time of the light activated resin based dental materials is very important to protect the patient from potential hazards of residual monomers.

pH- and electro-responsive characteristics of silk fibroin-hyaluronic acid polyelectrolyte complex membranes.

pH-responsiveness of recently developed silk fibroin (SF) and hyaluronic acid (HA) polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) membranes and their potential use in electro-responsive drug release systems were investigated. PEC membranes were prepared within a narrow pH window (3.0-3.5) for a SF-HA weight ratio of 20 and they were characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy in addition to characterization studies previously reported by our group. Swelling kinetics of the membranes was studied for a pH window of 2.5-7.4 and cyclic swelling test was performed to determine the pH-responsiveness of the membranes. It was shown that membranes swelled more in alkaline conditions and responded to variations in pH of the medium. Electric-stimuli assisted drug permeation and release studies were performed with a custom-made diffusion cell under both passive condition and electric field applied in pulsatile fashion. The instantaneous flux raised as the current was applied and then declined when the current application was terminated, and this process was repeated on subsequent applications. SF-HA complex membranes were found promising for the electric-stimuli-sensitive release of a high molecular weight and charged model drug for a membrane-permeation controlled formulation.

Adsorption of olive leaf (Olea europaea L.) antioxidants on silk fibroin.

The adsorption isotherms of oleuropein and rutin were evaluated at different temperatures, pH values, and solid/liquid ratios. The experimental data of adsorption isotherms were well fitted to a Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacities were determined as 108 mg of oleuropein/g of silk fibroin and 21 mg of rutin/g of silk fibroin. After adsorption of oleuropein and rutin, the antioxidant capacity of silk fibroin increased from 1.93 to 3.61 mmol of TEAC/g. Silk fibroin also gained antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae after adsorption of olive leaf antioxidants. In a desorption process, 81% of rutin and 85% of oleuropein were removed from the adsorbent surface in 70% aqueous ethanol solution. Consequently, silk fibroin was found to be a promising biomaterial for the production of functional food or dietary supplements and for the purification of oleuropein and rutin from olive leaf extracts.

Complex coacervation of silk fibroin and hyaluronic acid.

This study aimed to investigate the pH-induced complexation of silk fibroin (SF) and hyaluronic acid (HA). SF-HA complex coacervation was investigated by monitoring turbidity of the SF-HA system under slow acidification. Gravimetric analysis was performed to determine the yield of complex coacervation and viscosity of the system was measured to study the formation of the complexes at different pH values. The influences of total biopolymer concentration and biopolymer weight ratio on complex coacervation were examined during the analyses. Formation of the complexes was evidenced by the minimum viscosity and the maximum turbidity observed in the system. SF-HA complexes were formed within the pH-window of 2.5-3.5 regardless of the total biopolymer concentration or biopolymer ratio. Complex coacervation of SF-HA showed a reversible behavior and coacervation could be handled even in excess amounts of the biopolymers, which pointed out a non-stoichiometric complexation.

Silk fibroin as a novel coating material for controlled release of theophylline.

The aim of this study was to explore potential use of the silk fibroin (SF) as an aqueous coating material for theophylline tablets. We have examined the film forming and coating properties of heat-treated fibroin, SF solution having different amounts of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) cross-linked SF. Heat-treated SF material possessed a brittle structure, which resulted in poor film forming and coating properties. The optimum PEG amount in SF solution was determined as 17% (by weight) for an acceptable film forming and zero order release profile. EDC cross-linked SF has shown a very good film forming and coating property with a potential for sustaining the drug release from coated theophylline tablets. Dissolution data for coated theophylline tablets were analyzed using Ritger and Peppas equation to describe the mechanism of drug release. Drug release from the EDC coated tablets followed zero-order kinetics. Release rate constants were found to be 0.26, 0.19, 0.16%min(-1) for single-coated, double coated, and triple coated tablets, respectively. These results clearly demonstrated that silk fibroin has high utility as a novel aqueous coating material for controlled release products.