Effectiveness of a new rutin Cu(II) complex in the prevention of lipid peroxidation and hepatotoxicity in hypercholesterolemic rats.

A new rutin copper(II) complex (R-Cu2) was prepared and characterized by spectroscopic methods and elemental analysis. The effects of rutin and R-Cu2 were evaluated on the prevention of hypercholesterolemia in animals feed with high-cholesterol diet (HCD) for 8 weeks. The animals (n = 5) were neither fed with HCD nor treated (control group), or were treated with vehicle, 10 mg/kg simvastatin, rutin (16 and 160 µmol/kg), and R-Cu2 (16 and 160 µmol/kg) administered orally. Total cholesterol (TC) levels were significantly increased (p < .01) in all HCD groups. In rutin and R-Cu2 groups, it was observed a discrete, but not significant, TC and LDL-induced increase inhibition compared with vehicle-treated group. R-Cu2 treatment significantly decreased (p < .05) plasma triglycerides compared with the vehicle-treated group. All groups receiving treatments maintained the malondialdehyde at normal levels. Serum NO levels were reduced in animals treated with rutin and R-Cu2 compared with the vehicle-treated group. In addition, the results also showed that the groups treated with rutin and R-Cu2 reduced significantly (p < .01), the number of neutrophils and prevented histological changes in all evaluated liver zones. R-Cu2 group maintained the ALT, AST, and ALP enzymes at normal levels. Thus, the effects of R-Cu2 in modulating inflammation and protecting liver damage were confirmed. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Rutin, a plant-derived flavonoid, is one of phenolic compounds well known as a nutraceutical due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Findings of this study demonstrate the effects of both rutin and R-Cu2 in modulating inflammation and protecting liver damage in hypercholesterolemic rats. However, some effects analyzed became more evident in R-Cu2. Thereby, it was shown that the synthesis of a new flavonoid compound (R-Cu2) could be applied as a nutraceutical benefit option to prevent hypercholesterolemia condition.

Preconcentration and determination of metal ions from fuel ethanol with a new 2,2'-dipyridylamine bonded silica.

A silica surface chemically modified with [3-(2,2'-dipyridylamine) propyl] groups was prepared, characterized, and evaluated for its metal ion preconcentration in fuel ethanol. To our knowledge, we are the first authors who have reported the present modification on silica gel surface. The material was characterized using infrared spectra, scanning electronic microscopy, and (13)C and (29)Si solid-state NMR spectra. Batch and column experiments were conducted to investigate for metal ion removal from fuel ethanol. The results showed that the Langmuir model describes the sorption equilibrium data of the metal ions in a satisfactory way. From the Langmuir isotherms, the following maximum adsorption capacities (in mmol g(-1)) were determined: 1.81 for Fe(III), 1.75 for Cr(III), 1.30 for Cu(II), 1.25 for Co(II), 1.15 for Pb(II), 0.95 for Ni(II), and 0.87 for Zn(II). Thermodynamic functions, the change of free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH), and entropy (ΔS) showed that the adsorption of metal ions onto Si-Pr-DPA was feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic. The sorption-desorption of the metal ions made possible the development of a preconcentration and quantification method of metal ions in fuel ethanol.

Study on soluble heavy metals with preconcentration by using a new modified oligosilsesquioxane sorbent.

In this work, a new modified oligosilsesquioxane was prepared, characterized and evaluated for its heavy metal adsorption characteristics from aqueous solution. The material was characterized using infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, solid-state (29)Si and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance. Batch and column experiments were conducted to investigate for Fe (III), Cr (III), Cu (II), Cd (II), Pb (II) and Ni (II) removal from dilute aqueous solution by sorption onto modified oligosilsesquioxane. The results obtained in the flow experiments, showed a recovery of ca. 100% of the metal ions adsorbed in a column packed with 2.0 g of nanomaterial, using 3 mL of 1.0 mol L(-1) HCl solution as eluent. The detection limits for Fe, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Ni were 0.26, 0.33, 0.38, 0.41, 0.47 and 0.55 µg L(-1), respectively. The relative standard deviation values (n=12) were <4.82% for Fe, <4.12% for Cr, <3.79% for Cu, <3.03% for Cd, <4.02% for Pb and <2.65% for Ni. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of environmental samples.