Unveiling antioxidant capacity of standardized chitosan-tripolyphosphate microcapsules containing polyphenol-rich extract of Portulaca oleraceae.

The medicinal plant Portulaca oleraceae has a long history of usage in traditional medicine. Plant extracts have several interesting pharmacological effects but have some drawbacks that can be addressed via capsulation with chitosan. This work set out to do just that tally up the antioxidant effects of a polyphenol-rich P. olerace extract and see how capsulation affected them. The reflux extraction and response surface methodology (RSM) were carried out to optimize the phenolic and flavonoid content of P. oleraceae extract. Additionally, high-resolution mass spectrometry was employed to determine the secondary metabolite present in the extract. The microcapsules of extract-loaded chitosan were prepared using the ionic gelation method and characterized in terms of size, encapsulation efficiency (EE), and morphology of microcapsules. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) was used to observe the successful production of microcapsules with a principal component analysis (PCA) approach. The antioxidant activity of microcapsules was established using the radical scavenging method. According to RSM, the highest amounts of TPC and TFC were obtained at 72.894 % ethanol, 2.031 h, and 57.384 °C. The compounds were employed from the optimized extract of P. oleraceae including phenolics and flavonoids. The microcapsules were secured with a %EE of 43.56 ± 2.31 %. The characteristics of microcapsules were approved for the obtained product's successful synthesis according to the PCA. The microcapsules have antioxidant activity in a concentration-dependent manner (p < 0.0001). The findings of this study underscored the benefits of employing chitosan as a nanocarrier for extract, offering a promising approach to enhance plant-derived therapies.

Andaliman (Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC.) a herbal medicine from North Sumatera, Indonesia: Phytochemical and pharmacological review.

Andaliman (Z. acanthopodium DC) is a kind of flowering plant that belongs to the Rutaceae family. The habitats are found in southwestern China (Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Tibet, and Yunnan), Bangladesh, Bhutan, northern India, and northeastern India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal), Nepal, Laos, Burma, Vietnam, North Sumatra highlands, Peninsular Malaysia, and northern Thailand. Andaliman is indigenous to North Sumatra, more specifically the Toba Samosir District, North Tapanuli, and the Dairi region. The phytochemical investigation showed some terpenoids as well as other compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, and saponins, but they have not been entirely identified. In Indonesia, the plant is employed both in the culinary industry as an additive for flavoring food and in the traditional medical system for treating various diseases. It was reported to possess antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and wound healing properties, alongside other activities related to pregnancy that were tested in vitro and in vivo. The results of the investigation were based on previously published studies. This review serves as information and a summary, thereby making further exploration of Andaliman to be easier.

Immunomodulatory effects and mechanisms of the extracts and secondary compounds of Zingiber and Alpinia species: a review.

Zingiber and Alpinia species (family: Zingiberaceae) are popularly used in food as spices and flavoring agents and in ethnomedicine to heal numerous diseases, including immune-related disorders. However, their ethnomedicinal uses have not been sufficiently supported by scientific investigations. Numerous studies on the modulating effects of plants and their bioactive compounds on the different steps of the immune system have been documented. This review aimed to highlight up-to-date research findings and critically analyze the modulatory effects and mechanisms of the extracts and secondary compounds of several Zingiber and Alpinia species, namely, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Z. cassumunar Roxb., Z. zerumbet (L.) Roscoe ex Sm., Alpinia galanga Linn., A. conchigera Griff, A. katsumadai Hayata, A. oxyphylla Miq., A. officinarum Hance, A. zerumbet (Pers.) Burtt. et Smith, and A. purpurata (Viell.) K. Schum. on the immune system, particularly via the inflammation-related signaling pathways. The immunomodulating activities of the crude extracts of the plants have been reported, but the constituents contributing to the activities have mostly not been identified. Among the extracts, Z. officinale extracts were the most investigated for their in vitro, in vivo, and clinical effects on the immune system. Among the bioactive metabolites, 6-, 8-, and 10-gingerols, 6-shogaol, and zerumbone from Zingiber species and cardamomin, 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate, yakuchinone, rutin, 1,8-cineole, and lectin from Alpinia species have demonstrated strong immunomodulating effects. More experimental studies using cell and animal models of immune-related disorders are necessary to further understand the underlying mechanisms, together with elaborate preclinical pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, bioavailability, and toxicity studies. Many of these extracts and secondary metabolites are potential candidates for clinical development in immunomodulating agents or functional foods to prevent and treat chronic inflammatory disorders.