Optimization of an Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Technique and the Effectiveness of the Sunscreen Components Isolated from Bletilla striata.

Bletilla striata is the dried tuber of B. striata (Thund.) Reichb.f., which has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant and wound healing effects. Traditionally, it has been used for hemostasis therapy, as well as to treat sores, swelling and chapped skin. In this study, we used the ultraviolet (UV) absorbance rate of B. striata extracts as the index, and the extraction was varied with respect to the solid-liquid ratio, ethanol concentration, ultrasonic time and temperature in order to optimize the extraction process for its sunscreen components. The main compounds in the sunscreen ingredients of Baiji (B. striata) were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. The sunscreen properties were subsequently evaluated in vitro using the 3M tape method. The results show that the optimal extraction conditions for the sunscreen components of B. striata were a solid-liquid ratio of 1:40 (g/mL), an ethanol concentration of 50%, an ultrasonic time of 50 min and a temperature of 60 °C. A power of 100 W and an ultrasonic frequency of 40 Hz were used throughout the experiments. Under these optimized conditions, the UV absorption rate of the isolated sunscreen components in the UVB region reached 84.38%, and the RSD was 0.11%. Eighteen compounds were identified, including eleven 2-isobutyl malic acid glucose oxybenzyl esters, four phenanthrenes, two bibenzyl and one α-isobutylmalic acid. An evaluation of the sunscreen properties showed that the average UVB absorption values for the sunscreen samples from different batches of B. striata ranged from 0.727 to 1.201. The sunscreen ingredients of the extracts from B. striata had a good UV absorption capacity in the UVB area, and they were effective in their sunscreen effects under medium-intensity sunlight. Therefore, this study will be an experimental reference for the extraction of sunscreen ingredients from the B. striata plant, and it provides evidence for the future development of B. striata as a candidate cosmetic raw material with UVB protection properties.

Pilot-scale membrane-covered composting of food waste: Initial moisture, mature compost addition, aeration time and rate.

The impact of different operational parameters on the composting efficiency and compost quality during pilot-scale membrane-covered composting (MCC) of food waste (FW) was evaluated. Four factors were assessed in an orthogonal experiment at three different levels: initial mixture moisture (IMM, 55 %, 60 %, and 65 %), aeration time (AT, 6, 9, and 12 h/d), aeration rate (AR, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 m3/h) and mature compost addition ratio (MC, 2 %, 4 %, and 6 %). Results indicated that 55 % IMM, 6 h/d AT, 0.4 m3/h AR, and 4 % MC addition ratio simultaneously provided the compost with the maximum cumulative temperature and the minimum moisture. It was shown that the IMM was the driving factor of this optimum composting process. On contrary, the optimal parameters for reducing carbon and nitrogen loss were 65 % IMM, 6 h/d AT, 0.4 m3/h AR, and 2 % MC addition ratio. The AR had the most influence on reducing carbon and nitrogen losses compared to all other factors. The optimal conditions for compost maturity were 55 % IMM, 9 h/d AT, 0.2 m3/h AR, and 6 % MC addition ratio. The primary element influencing the pH and electrical conductivity values was the AR, while the germination index was influenced by IMM. Protein was the main organic matter limiting the composting efficiency. The results of this study will provide guidance for the promotion and application of food waste MCC technology, and contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in MCC for organic solid waste treatment.

Optimization of Fermentation Process for New Anti-Inflammatory Glycosylceramide Metabolite from Aspergillus sp.

A novel ceramide compound, named Aspercerebroside A (AcA), was successfully isolated from the ethyl acetate layer of the marine symbiotic fungus Aspergillus sp. AcA exhibited notable anti-inflammatory activity by effectively inhibiting the production of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells at concentrations of 30 µg/mL and 40 µg/mL, offering a promising avenue for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. To optimize the yield of glycosylceramide (AcA), a series of techniques, including single-factor experiments, orthogonal experiments, and response surface optimization, were systematically employed to fine-tune the composition of the fermentation medium. Initially, the optimal carbon source (sucrose), nitrogen source (yeast extract powder), and the most suitable medium salinity (14 ppt) were identified through single-factor experiments. Subsequently, orthogonal experiments, employing an orthogonal table for planning and analyzing multifactor experiments, were conducted. Finally, a mathematical model, established using a Box-Behnken design, comprehensively analyzed the interactions between the various factors to determine the optimal composition of the fermentation medium. According to the model's prediction, when the sucrose concentration was set at 37.47 g/L, yeast extract powder concentration at 19.66 g/L, and medium salinity at 13.31 ppt, the predicted concentration of glycosylceramide was 171.084 µg/mL. The experimental results confirmed the model's accuracy, with the actual average concentration of glycosylceramide under these conditions measured at 171.670 µg/mL, aligning closely with the predicted value.

Optimization of extraction technology of volatile oil from Blumea balsamifera and analysis on its compositions / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To opti mize the supercritical CO 2 extraction technology of volatile oil from Blumea balsamifera ，and compare the components of the volatile oil from B. balsamifera obtained by supercritical CO 2 extraction and steam distillation. METHODS The volatile oil of B. balsamifera was extracted by supercritical CO 2 extraction. Using extraction rate of volatile oil as index，extraction temperature ，extraction pressure and extraction time as factors ，based on single-factor experiment ，orthogonal experiment was used to optimize the supercritical CO 2 extraction technology. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify the components of volatile oil from B. balsamifera . Peak area normalization was used to calculate the relative contents of each component. Taking the volatile oil obtained by steam distillation as a reference ，the extraction rates ，components and contents of volatile oil by the two methods were compared. RESULTS The optimal supercritical CO 2 extraction technology of volatile oil from B. balsamifera included extraction pressure of 30 MPa，extraction temperature of 50 ℃ and extracting for 50 min. After 3 times of validation tests ，average extraction rate of volatile oil was 4.64％（RSD＝0.54％，n＝3）. Thirty-nine components such as tritriacontane，stigmasterol，squalene were identified in the volatile oil of B. balsamifera obtained by supercritical CO 2 extraction； and 51 components such as triacontane ，ledol，humulene epoxide Ⅰ were identified by steam distillation. The extraction rate of volatile oil from B. balsamifera obtained by 2 methods were 4.64％ and 0.99％. A total of 26 common components were obtained ， such as xanthoxylin ，L-borneol，β-caryophyllene. Except for xanthoxyline （34.829％ by supercritical CO 2 extraction，30.676％ by steam distillation method ）and phytol （2.401％ by supercritical CO 2 extraction，1.273％ by steam distillation ），the relative contents of the components of volatile oil obtained by supercritical CO 2 extraction were lower than those of steam distillation. CONCLUSIONS The optimal supercritical CO 2 extraction technology is stable and feasible ；the components and contents of volatile oil obtained by two methods varies greatly ，and main compounds are aldehydes and ketones ，alkenes，alcohols and other components.

Determination of Total Nitrogen in Nidus Vespae by Salicylic Acid and Sodium Hypochlorite Spectropho-tometry / 中国药师

Objective:To establish a method for the content determination of total nitrogen in Nidus Vespae by salicylic acid and sodium hypochlorite spectrophotometry. Methods:The content of total nitrogen in Nidus Vespae from different areas with various batches was detected. Nidus Vespae was treated with sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide, and colored by salicylic acid and sodium hypochlo-rite. Using ammonium chloride as the control sample, the content of total nitrogen in the samples was tested at 650 nm. To ensure the method reliability, single factor experiments were performed to study the effects of temperature, reaction time and reagent dosage; or-thogonal experiments were used to screen optimum amounts of phosphate buffer solution, sodium salicylate solution and sodium hypo-chlorite solution. Results:The results showed that the optimum temperature was ambient, and the optimum time was 1. 5h. The opti-mum amount of phosphate buffer solution , sodium salicylate solution and sodium hypochlorite solution was 4 ml,7 ml and 1. 5 ml, re-spectively. The linear range of total nitrogen was 0. 06-0. 78 μg·ml-1(r=0. 9998), and the average recovery was 100. 98% (RSD=2. 10%,n=6). Conclusion:The method can be used to determine the total nitrogen content in Nidus Vespae. The total nitrogen content in Nidus Vespae is various in various areas with different batches.

Extraction Process Optimization of Fufang Jinsha Lidan Granule by Orthogonal Experiments / 中国药师

Objective:To optimize the extraction technology of Fufang Jinsha Lidan granule. Methods:According to the properties of traditional Chinese medicines in the formula, orthogonal experiments were used to optimize the extraction process of Fufang Jinsha Li-dan granule. The volume of water, boiling time and boiling frequency were used as the three influencing factors with three different lev-els in the orthogonal experiments. Moreover, the content of paeoniflorin and the yield of extract were chosen as the evaluation indices. The orthogonal experiments were carried out according to the L9 (34 ) orthogonal table. Results:The optimal extraction process of Fu-fang Jinsha Lidan granule was as follows:boiled twice, and one hour per time with 12-fold amount of water ( soaked for 30 min with 14-fold amount of water for the first extraction process) . Conclusion:The extraction process has such properties as high extraction rate, stability, simple operation, high yield of extract and controllable quality, which is worthy of wide application.

Optimizing the conditions for extraction of Daoguleebusi-7 capsule by orthogonal experiments / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To research the optimal conditions for extraction of Daoguleebusi-7 capsule. Methods A comprehensive investigation for the process of extraction by water and ethanol was made using orthogonal experiments.Results The optimal process conditions were: gardenia and another drug were added into 12 volumes of water, extracted 2 times and two hours per time; Sophorae Flavescentis and other four dugs were added into 12 volumes of 85% ethanol,extracted 3 times and two hours per time, elecampane was crushed and screened through 100 mesh sieve to electuary.Conclusion The extraction process is simple and feasible for operation.

STUDY ON THE FERMENTATION CONDITION PRODUCING 2-KETO-LGLUCONIC ACID BY USING MIXED CULTURE OF MICROORGANISM / 微生物学通报

Vitamin C precusor-2-keto-L-gulonic acid can be prepared directly by mixed culture of Ghiconobacter oxy-dans SCB329 and Guconobacter subaxydans SCB110. To obtained its high yield, firstly, the proportion of the two micro- organisms, the ingredients of medium and the initial pH were optimized in shake flaskd, then L9 (34) orthogonal experiment confirmed that urea, C. S. L had high degree statistical meaning. Based on these data, an optimized fermentation media was obta ined: D-Sorbitol 9g, C. S.L1.5g, Urea1.5g, KH2PO40.1g, CaCO30.2g. By-product can be inhabited to the greatest extent and the yield increases by 20%.