A new thin layer chromatographic layer using gold nanoparticles grafted 3-triethoxysilyl propylamine modified silica gel (Au NPs-APTS modified silica gel) was developed as a stationary phase for separation and determination of two steroid hormones, namely progesterone and testosterone. Acetoneen-hexane 25:75 (v/v) was used as the mobile phase, and the results were compared with those obtained …
Naturally occurring polymers such as alginate (AL) and chitosan (CS) are widely used in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields in various forms such as nanoparticles, capsules,and emulsions. These polymers have attractive applications in drug delivery because of their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and nontoxic nature. The pharmaceutical applications of essential oils such as turmeric oil a…
Industrial tree crops contribute substantially to the economy of many developing countries on the Asian, African, and Latin American continents. With the World Trade Organization (WTO) substantially focusing on agriculture, the commercial aspects of growing these crops assume considerable economic significance. Within the developing world, there are countries whose sole economic sustenance …
In a relatively brief period the soybean has become a major crop plant in the United States. Based on the utilization of the bean, or products therefrom, a substantial soybean industry has also developed. Its uses, agricultural and industrial, primarily depend on the high content of both protein (ca. 40%) and oil (ca. 20%) in the bean. Soybeans are a cash crop and provide a significant par…
As a consequence of the success of post-World War II agriculture, particularly in western Europe, many in affluent societies have taken food for granted for decades. We lack historical perspective to conclude that the gap between the world demand and supply of food is widening or otherwise. Nonetheless, the recent debate on this gap and the role of research and development in agriculture is a…
In folklore systems of medicine, bilberry fruit and leaf extracts have been used for the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, diabetes, inflammation, and ulcer. The present study was to determine antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiulcerogenic activities of Vaccinium leschenaultii Wight leaf and fruit. The phenolic, tannin, and flavonoid contents of V. leschenaultii leaf and fruit were quanti…
Gentiana rigescens is a rich source of iridoids and is commonly used as a folk medicine for treatment of hepatitis and cholecystitis for over 1000 years. A rapid ultrafast liquid chromatographyeultraviolet method was developed for simultaneous determination of four major iridoid glycosides in G. rigescens. Response surface methodology based on the Box eBehnken design was applied to optimize the…
Diabetes has recently become a leading cause of death worldwide. To date, although there is no means to cure or prevent diabetes, appropriate medication and blood sugar monitoring can enhance treatment efficiency, alleviate the symptoms, and diminish the complications of the condition. This review article deals with current growth areas in the market for blood glucose sensors and possible futu…
The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of heavy metals in bagged and leaf black teas of the same brand and evaluate the percentage transfer of metals to tea infusion to assess the consumer exposure. Ten leaf black teas and 10 bagged black teas of the same brand available in Poland were analyzed for Zn, Mn, Cd, Pb, Ni, Co, Cr, Al, and Fe concentrations both in dry materi…
The present study was undertaken to investigate the foodedrug interaction of carbamazepine (CBZ). Common fruit juices [grapefruit juice (GFJ), limejuice (LJ)], known to inhibit the enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), and some widely consumed beverages [milk (M), black tea (BT)] were involved in this study in the presence of CBZ, as might happen during clinical therapy. The effects of the bever…
This study investigates how long-term (40 mg/kg b.wt) consumption of aspartame can alter the antioxidant status, stress pathway genes, and apoptotic changes in the liver of Wistar albino rats. Numerous controversial reports are available on the use of aspartame as it releases methanol as one of its metabolites during metabolism. To mimic the human methanol metabolism the methotrexate treated r…
In this study, leaves and stems of Talinum triangulare were sequentially extracted with phosphate buffer solution to obtain PTL and PTS (phosphate buffered extracts of T. triangulare leaves and stems), with 75% ethanol to obtained ETL and ETS (ethanol extracts of T. triangulare leaves and stems), or with 90C boiling water to obtain WTL and WTS (water extracts of T. triangulare leaves and stem…
In the vast areas of tropical and subtropical regions there is a category of widely distributed, highly weathered soils known as "Red Earths," also referred to as Ferralsols, Acrisols, Oxisols, Ultisols, Latosols, Lateritic Soils, Krasnozems, Ferrisols, and Ferrallitic Soils. Because of the abundant rainfall and high temperature, this type of soil is considered one of the most important agricul…
A method with few markers to determine multicomponents was established and validated to evaluate the quality of Shenfu injection by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector. The separations were performed on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 (2.1 50 mm2, 1.7 mm) column. Methanol and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution were used as the mobile phase. The flow rate was…
Quercetin (Q), a bioflavonoid ubiquitously distributed in vegetables, fruits, leaves, and grains, can be absorbed, transported, and excreted after oral intake. However, little is known about Q uptake and metabolism by macrophages. To clarify the puzzle, Q at its noncytotoxic concentration (44mM) was incubated without or with mouse peritoneal macrophages for different time periods. Medium alone…
Polygala tenuifolia root is used as a functional food due to its attractive health benefits. In this study, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatographyetandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatographyemass spectrometry (GC-MS) were utilized to characterize the bioactive compounds in P. tenuifolia root. The UPLC-MS/MS information revealed 36 bioactive compounds, including oligosaccha…
A liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method is developed to simultaneously determine 20 synthetic dyes (New Coccine, Indigo Carmine, Erythrosine,Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow FCF, Fast Green FCF, Brilliant Blue FCF, Allura Red AC, Amaranth,Dimethyl Yellow, Fast Garnet GBC, Para Red, Sudan I, Sudan II, Sudan III, Sudan IV, Sudan Orange G, Sudan Red 7B, Sudan Red B, and Sudan R…
A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of maleic acid which was released from starch maleate (SM) through the alkaline hydrolysis reaction. The proper alkaline hydrolysis conditions and LC separation are reported in this study. The starch samples were treated with 50% methanol for 30 minutes, and then hydrolyzed by 0.5N KOH for 2 hours to rel…
Chun Mee tea is a kind of green tea produced in China mainly for export purposes. Foam quantity is usually used as an index for evaluating the quality of Chun Mee tea. In the current study, we compared the concentrations of total saponin and flavonoids between foamy and low-foam Chun Mee tea. Our research confirmed that the total saponin and Oglycosylated flavonoid concentrations were related …
Citrus essential oils are widely applied in food industry as the backbone of citrus flavors.Unfortunately, due to relatively simple chemical composition and tremendous price differences among citrus species, adulteration has been plaguing the industry since its inception. Skilled blenders are capable of making blends that are almost ndistinguishable from authentic oils through conventional gas …
Iron deficiency is one of the most concerning deficiency problems in the world. It may generate several adverse effects such as iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and reduced physical and intellectual working capacity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the Fe(II)-binding activity of collagen peptides from fishery by-products. Lates calcarifer, Mugil cephalus, Chanos chanos, and Oreochromis spp are…
Orthogonal experiment was applied to optimize the water extraction parameters of zinc from Flammulina velutipes, and then the extracts were separated by membrane filter (0.45 mm) and D101 macroporous resin. Six different species of Zn were obtained and the Zn content of various species were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The optimized conditions for the extraction of Zn we…
An aqueous solution of Pectinex (containing cellulase, hemicellulase, and pectinase) at 1%,2.5%, 5%, 7%, and 10% concentrations and 40 C was used to extract anthocyanins (Acys) of saffron tepals at 20, 40, 60, 120 and 180 min reaction times and compared with ethanol solvent under similar conditions. The Acys of the Pectinex solution reached 6.7 mg/g of tepal powder (~40% more than the ethanol m…
The consumption of dietary fiber offers the health benefit of lowering the risk of many chronic diseases. Pineapple core fiber (PCF) in this study was extracted and incorporated into dough and mantou (i.e., steamed bread). The effects of PCF substitution and fiber size on textural and rheological properties of dough and mantou were evaluated by a texture analyzer. The substitution of wheat flou…
Compared with abundant catechins, strictinin is a minor constituent in teas and has been demonstrated to possess inhibitory potency on influenza virus. In this study, strictinin was found as the major phenolic compound in Pu'er teas produced fromleaves and buds of wild trees. Due to its thermal instability, strictinin, in tea infusion or in an isolated form, was completely decomposed to ellagic…
Thirty dried flying fish products were purchased from fishing village stores in Taiwan and tested to detect the presence of histamine and histamine-forming bacteria. Except for histamine and cadaverine, the average content of various biogenic amines in the tested samples was less than 3.5 mg/100 g. Eight (26.6%) dried flying fish samples had histamine levels greater than the United States Food …
Chitosan is a promising biopolymer for drug delivery systems. Because of its beneficial properties, chitosan is widely used in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. In this review,we summarize the physicochemical and drug delivery properties of chitosan, selected studies on utilization of chitosan and chitosan-based nanoparticle composites in various drug delivery systems, and selected studies …
The interactions between trypsin and gallic acid (GA) were investigated by means of fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, resonance light scattering (RLS) spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy, and enzymatic inhibition assay. It was found that GA can cause the fluorescence quenching of trypsin during the process of formation of GA-trypsin complex, resulting in…
A simple and relatively fast image-analysis method using digital images, obtained with a flatbed scanner, has been described. The method was used for the simultaneous determination of four common food dyes, namely, carmoisine, brilliant blue, sunset yellow, and quinoline yellow, in binary mixtures in commercial products without a need for any prior separation steps. The results obtained were va…
Volatile extracts from the seeds of Dendranthema nankingense Hand.-Mazz. and Borago officinalis L. were prepared using simultaneous distillation and extraction, and analyzed with gas chromatographyemass spectrometry on two capillary gas chromatography columns of different polarity. Ninety-five volatile compounds were identified in D. nankingense seeds, with hexanal, benzeneacetaldehyde, borneo…
This book is concerned with the principles by which crop management can influence how plants use environmental resources. It deals with the biological processes that operate in the links between management, the physical environment and agricultural vegetation. It also seeks to identify general principles that operate across tropical species, cropping systems and environments. The purpose of …
Heating effect on total phenol, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and sugar content of six onion varieties has been quantitatively investigated to explore the effect of different temperatures. The onion varieties comprised one red-skinned variety, two white-skinned varieties,and three yellow-skinned varieties. The heating temperature was scanned at 80C,100C, 120C, and 150C for 30 minutes ea…
Vitamins are important food constituents that can be present in almost every foodstuff.Food quality and safety depends on food surveillance by reliable quantitative analysis enabled by appropriate quality control. Certified matrix reference materials are versatile tools to support quality assurance and control. However, in the case of vitamins, which are important in various foods, there is a l…
The concentration of alum additive in deep-fried dough sticks (DFDSs) was investigated using a coaxial probe method based on dielectric properties in the 0.3e10-GHz frequency range. The dielectric spectra of aqueous solutions with different concentrations of alum,sodium bicarbonate, and mixtures thereof were used. The correspondence between dielectric loss and alum concentration was thereby re…
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a traditional medicinal and edible herb with a long history of use in China. In this study, a model of hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in mice was used to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside (K-3-R) and kaempferol 3-O-glucoside (K-3-G), two kaempferol glycosides isolated from C. tinctorius L. K-3-R an…
Indium, a Group IIIA element of the periodic chart and a rare earth metal characterized by high plasticity, corrosion resistance, and a low melting point, is widely used in the electronics industry where released streams can contaminate the environment. Consequently,indium can reach humans mainly by natural ways, which could result in a health hazard. Although reproductive toxicities have been …
Terminalia catappa Linn (TC) is an ornamental tree planted extensively in many countries. It has been known for a long time that the seeds are edible but no research has focused on the realm of its use as food. Our previous data showed that the seed contains high levels of oil content (600 g/kg) and possesses the optimum fatty acid balance indicated in fat dietary guidelines. This study aims to…
In this study, the antioxidant and antiacetylcholinesterase activities of Sorbus torminalis (L.)Crantz fruits were evaluated. Total phenolic and flavonoid compounds, 2,20-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothioazoline-6-sulfonic acid), 2,20-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, and superoxide anion radicals scavenging activities and ferric-reducing antioxidant power of water, ethyl acetate, acetone, and methanol extr…
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisii) and shaddock (Citrus maxima) juices are used in folk medicine for the management of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, but the mechanism of action by which they exert their therapeutic action is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of grapefruit and shaddock juices on angiotensin-1-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in vitro and t…
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition enhances learning and cognitive ability for treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Polysaccharideepeptide complexes were identified in Cordyceps militaris (CPSPs) and characterized for their AChE inhibitory properties. Three polymers (CPSP-F1,-F2, and -F3) were extracted and separated by ultrasound-assisted extraction and diethylaminoethanol (DEAE)eSepharose CL…
The aim of present study was to evaluate antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities of methanol, hexane, and aqueous extracts of fresh Euphorbia royleana. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were estimated as gallic acid and querectin equivalents, respectively. Antioxidant activity was assessed by scavenging of free 2,20- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals and reduction of ferric io…
The surface of a clay teapot tends to be coated with a waterproof film after constant use for tea preparation. The waterproof films of two kinds of teapots (zisha and zhuni) used for preparing oolong tea and old oolong tea were extracted and subjected to gas chromatographyemass spectrometry analysis. The results showed that comparable constituents were detected in these films; they were primari…
Sargassum hemiphyllum is a common plant found on the coasts of Taiwan; it has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent in traditional herbal medicine. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of S. hemiphyllum sulfated polysaccharide (SHSP) using two different mouse models. In both arachidonic acid-induced ear inflammatory gavage and paint models, SHSP decreased ear swelling a…
The present paper describes the development of a high performance liquid chromatographyultraviolet (HPLC-UV) detection method for quantitative determination of peimine and peiminine in Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus (FTB). Separation was achieved using a conventional XBridge™Shield RP 18 column (250mm4.6mm,internal diameter 3.5 mm) with photodiode array detection at 190e400 nm for UV spectr…
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of TNF-a blockers for ulcerative colitis. A systematic search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TNF-a blockers for treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and cochrane clinical trial. We estimated Pooled estimates of the odds ratio (OR) and relevant 95% confidence interval (CI) using fixed effects model o…
Response inhibition has been a core issue in addictive behavior. Many previous studies have found that response inhibition abilities are damaged in those with drug dependence. However, whether heroin addicts who are treated with methadone maintenance have an abnormal response inhibition ability is not clear. In order to investigate the response inhibition functions in heroin addicts who were tr…
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) has been used in folk medicine in many disorders. The present work aimed to investigate effects of clove essential oil as eugenol and water soluble ingredients on mouse splenocytes. Clove extracts were harvested and in different concentrations (0.001e1000 mg/mL) were affected to splenocytes and also phytohemagglutinin (PHA ¼ 5 mg/mL) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS ¼ …
Over recent years, an increase in alcohol-related problems has been noted in China. Taking effective measures against the problem requires clear reviewing and understanding of the evolution of the Chinese alcohol policy. This study is aimed to evaluate the alcohol policy with special focus on reviewing the alcohol production and consumption situation in China and assessing the changes in Chines…
The aim of this work was to design a controlled-release drug-delivery system for the angiotensin-II receptor antagonist drug telmisartan. Telmisartan was encapsulated with different EUDRAGIT polymers by an emulsion solvent evaporation technique and the physicochemical properties of the formulations were characterized. Using a solvent evaporation method, white spherical microspheres with particl…
Investigation of the nutritional as well as trace elements of a wild leafy vegetable, Acalypha alnifolia, and evaluation of the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties of acetone and methanol leaf extracts are the main objectives of the present study. The powdered A. alnifolia leaf sample was subjected to nutritional and mineral analysis. Plant leaves were extracted (using the …