Heterocyclic chalcone (E)-1-(2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-3-(thiophen-2-yl) prop-2-en-1-one derived from a natural product with antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic effect in adult zebrafish.

Diabetes is a disease linked to pathologies, such as chronic inflammation, neuropathy, and pain. The synthesis by the Claisen-Schmidt condensation reaction aims to obtain medium to high yield chalconic derivatives. Studies for the synthesis of new chalcone molecules aim at the structural manipulation of aromatic rings, as well as the replacement of rings by heterocycles, and combination through chemical reactions of synthesized structures with other molecules, in order to enhance biological activity. A chalcone was synthesized and evaluated for its antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic effect in adult zebrafish. In addition to reducing nociceptive behavior, chalcone (40 mg/kg) reversed post-treatment-induced acute and chronic hyperglycemia and reduced carrageenan-induced abdominal edema in zebrafish. It also showed an inhibitory effect on NO production in J774A.1 cells. When compared with the control groups, the oxidative stress generated after chronic hyperglycemia and after induction of abdominal edema was significantly reduced by chalcone. Molecular docking simulations of chalcone with Cox -1, Cox-2, and TRPA1 channel enzymes were performed and indicated that chalcone has a higher affinity for the COX-1 enzyme and 4 interactions with the TRPA1 channel. Chalcone also showed good pharmacokinetic properties as assessed by ADMET. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03696-8.

Methods of Microencapsulation of Vegetable Oil: Principles, Stability and Applications - A Minireview.

In addition to being used in food, fuel and lubricants, vegetable oils are promising in many other applications such as food additives, nutritional supplements, cosmetics and biomedicine; however, their low oxidative stability can limit their use. Microencapsulation is a well-established method for the preservation of oil against degradation, controlled release of active ingredients, protection against external factors during storage, and enhanced durability. In this article, microencapsulation methods for vegetable oil are reviewed, including physical methods (spray-drying and freeze-drying), physicochemical methods (complex coacervation, ionic gelation and electrostatic layer-by-layer deposition), and chemical methods (interfacial/in situ polymerization). This article also provides information on the principles, parameters, advantages, disadvantages and applications of these methods.

Preparation and characterization of carboxymethyl cashew gum grafted with immobilized antibody for potential biosensor application.

This report details the design of carboxymethylated cashew gum (CG) as a platform for antibody (Ab) immobilization, which can then be used as a biosensor for bacteria detection. The CG was isolated and characterized, followed by conversion to carboxymethyl cashew gum (CMCG). The CMCG film was a viable support for antibody immobilization; it was electrodeposited on gold surface using the cyclic voltammetry technique, applying a potential sweep from -1.0 V to 1.3 V with a scan rate of 50 mV s-1 and 10 scans. The COOH groups on the surface of the film were critical in promoting Ab bonding. The immobilization of the Ab was mediated by protein A (PrA) for recognition of the antigen. Voltammetry studies were used to monitor the antibody immobilization. Finally, the analytical response of the CMCG-PrA-Ab system was evaluated with the chronoamperometry technique and was found to detect Salmonella Typhimurium bacteria rapidly and efficiently.

Development of an amperometric immunosensor for detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin type A in cheese.

This paper reports a novel electrochemical immunosensor for the sensitive detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) based on self-assembly monolayer (SAM) and protein A immobilization on gold electrode. Three different methods of protein A immobilization were tested: physical adsorption, cross-linking using glutaraldehyde and covalent binding after activation with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)/N-ethyl-N'-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) on cysteamine-modified gold electrode. The EDC/NHS method for protein A immobilization was selected to lead development of the biosensor. The coating steps of the surface modification were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and the biosensor response by chronoamperometry. The advantages of the immunosensor were exposed in its high sensitivity and specificity. The proposed amperometric immunosensor was successfully used for determination of SEA in contaminated and non-contaminated cheese samples with excellent responses.

Produção de anticorpos policlonais anti-ricina / Production of polyclonal anti-ricin antibodies

A ricina é uma proteína bastante tóxica presente nas sementes de mamona que impossibilita o uso da torta de mamona "in natura", como ração. A torta de mamona destoxificada necessita ainda de métodos de análise que garantam a ausência de traços dessa proteína. Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, produzir e avaliar a sensibilidade e especificidade de anticorpos policlonais anti-ricina, para serem empregados como possíveis componentes de métodos sorológicos na detecção de ricina em torta de mamona destoxificada. Foram avaliadas três doses da proteína: 400, 180 e 100 µg cada uma dividida em duas aplicações em coelhos. A primeira dose foi injetada no animal no início do experimento e a segunda após 21 dias. O método de ELISA indicou que as duas doses menores (100 e 180 µg) induziram respostas imunológicas primária e secundária com produção de anticorpos específicos. Enquanto a dose maior (400 µg) de ricina apresentou uma resposta primária com elevação dos títulos de anticorpos, seguida de uma supressão da resposta. Esse perfil é sugestivo de tolerância imunológica. Pela técnica de Western blotting verificou-se que os anticorpos policlonais produzidos são bastante específicos para a ricina, no entanto, por detectarem ricina na forma nativa e desnaturada não são recomendados para o monitoramento de ricina em torta de mamona destoxificada por tratamento térmico.

Ricin is a very toxic protein found in castor bean plants, making it impossible to use natural castor cake as animal food. The detoxificated castor cake needs to be analyzed by methods that ensure the absence of traces of this protein. This work had the objective to produce and to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of anti-ricin polyclonal antibodies, to be employed as component of sorologic methods as the ELISA in the detection of ricin in detoxificated castor cake. Three doses of protein, 400, 180 and 100 µg were evaluated each one injected twice into rabbit, with one half in the begin of the experiment and the other half after 21 days of immunization. The ELISA method indicated that the lower doses (100 e 180 µg) induced primary and secondary immunological response with production of specific antibodies, while the higher dose of ricin (400 µg) showed a primary response with increase of the antibody titre, followed of immunological suppression. This profile suggests immunological tolerance. By Western blotting technique it was verified that polyclonal antibodies are too specific to ricin, however, they detected ricin in native and denaturated form and are not recommended for the monitoring of ricin in detoxificated castor bean cake by heat treatment.