HERBAL COSMECEUTICALS - INTENSIFIES HEALTH AND BEAUTY OF THE SKIN

Cosmetics with biologically active chemicals that claim to provide medical or drug-like advantages are referred to as cosmeceuticals. Cosmeceuticals are used to improve and nourish the appearance of the skin and treat various dermatological conditions. In recent days, a number of cosmeceutical products have been placed on the market with greater effectiveness. Moisturizers, sunscreens, pigment brighteners and other formulations have been revamped into makeshift forms with the addition of drug-like ingredients for better results. Although the effects may be small, these products still improve the feel and appearance of the skin with continued use over a period time; so there is a great opportunity to explore this avenue. This review aims to highlight current scenario of cosmeceutical industries and describes existing compound classes like retinoids, botanicals, hydroxy Acids used in cosmeceutical industries.

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Organocatalytic Name Reactions Enabled by NHCs

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma13163574 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (16) ◽

pp. 3574

Author(s):

Krzysztof Dzieszkowski ◽

Izabela Barańska ◽

Karina Mroczyńska ◽

Michał Słotwiński ◽

Zbigniew Rafiński

Keyword(s):

Organic Chemistry ◽

Total Synthesis ◽

Heterocyclic Carbenes ◽

Biologically Active Compounds ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Active Compounds ◽

Great Opportunity

Giving reactions the names of their discoverers is an extraordinary tradition of organic chemistry. Nowadays, this phenomenon is much rarer, although already named historical reactions are still often developed. This is also true in the case of a broad branch of N‑heterocyclic carbenes catalysis. NHCs allow many unique synthetic paths, including commonly known name reactions. This article aims to gather this extensive knowledge and compare historical reactions with current developed processes. Furthermore, this review is a great opportunity to highlight some of the unique applications of these procedures in the total synthesis of biologically active compounds. Hence, this concise article may also be a source of knowledge for scientists just starting their adventure with N‑heterocyclic carbene chemistry.

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TIPdb: A Database of Anticancer, Antiplatelet, and Antituberculosis Phytochemicals from Indigenous Plants in Taiwan

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1155/2013/736386 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Ying-Chi Lin ◽

Chia-Chi Wang ◽

Ih-Sheng Chen ◽

Jhao-Liang Jheng ◽

Jih-Heng Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Throughput Screening ◽

Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Endemic Plant ◽

Indigenous Plants ◽

Great Opportunity ◽

Chemical Structures ◽

The Rich ◽

Endemic Plant Species ◽

Chemical Class

The unique geographic features of Taiwan are attributed to the rich indigenous and endemic plant species in Taiwan. These plants serve as resourceful bank for biologically active phytochemicals. Given that these plant-derived chemicals are prototypes of potential drugs for diseases, databases connecting the chemical structures and pharmacological activities may facilitate drug development. To enhance the utility of the data, it is desirable to develop a database of chemical compounds and corresponding activities from indigenous plants in Taiwan. A database of anticancer, antiplatelet, and antituberculosis phytochemicals from indigenous plants in Taiwan was constructed. The database, TIPdb, is composed of a standardized format of published anticancer, antiplatelet, and antituberculosis phytochemicals from indigenous plants in Taiwan. A browse function was implemented for users to browse the database in a taxonomy-based manner. Search functions can be utilized to filter records of interest by botanical name, part, chemical class, or compound name. The structured and searchable database TIPdb was constructed to serve as a comprehensive and standardized resource for anticancer, antiplatelet, and antituberculosis compounds search. The manually curated chemical structures and activities provide a great opportunity to develop quantitative structure-activity relationship models for the high-throughput screening of potential anticancer, antiplatelet, and antituberculosis drugs.

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Chemical Ecology in Insect-microbe Interactions in the Neotropics

Planta Medica ◽

10.1055/a-1229-9435 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Carla Menegatti ◽

Taise T. H. Fukuda ◽

Mônica T. Pupo

Keyword(s):

Natural Products ◽

Small Molecules ◽

Social Insects ◽

Chemical Ecology ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Symbiotic Interactions ◽

Insect Biodiversity ◽

Biodiversity Preservation ◽

Current Scenario ◽

Microbe Interactions

AbstractSmall molecules frequently mediate symbiotic interactions between microorganisms and their hosts. Brazil harbors the highest diversity of insects in the world; however, just recently, efforts have been directed to deciphering the chemical signals involved in the symbioses of microorganisms and social insects. The current scenario of natural products research guided by chemical ecology is discussed in this review. Two groups of social insects have been prioritized in the studies, fungus-farming ants and stingless bees, leading to the identification of natural products involved in defensive and nutritional symbioses. Some of the compounds also present potential pharmaceutical applications as antimicrobials, and this is likely related to their ecological roles. Microbial symbioses in termites and wasps are suggested promising sources of biologically active small molecules. Aspects related to public policies for insect biodiversity preservation are also highlighted.

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The Revaluation of Plant-Derived Terpenes to Fight Antibiotic-Resistant Infections

Antibiotics ◽

10.3390/antibiotics9060325 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 325 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Floriana Cappiello ◽

Maria Rosa Loffredo ◽

Cristina Del Plato ◽

Silvia Cammarone ◽

Bruno Casciaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Products ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Antibiotic Resistant ◽

Lead Compounds ◽

Potential Development ◽

Microbial Infections ◽

New Antibiotics ◽

Current Scenario ◽

Resistant Strains ◽

Unique Source

The discovery of antibiotics has revolutionized the medicine and treatment of microbial infections. However, the current scenario has highlighted the difficulties in marketing new antibiotics and an exponential increase in the appearance of resistant strains. On the other hand, research in the field of drug-discovery has revaluated the potential of natural products as a unique source for new biologically active molecules and scaffolds for the medicinal chemistry. In this review, we first contextualized the worldwide problem of antibiotic resistance and the importance that natural products of plant origin acquire as a source of new lead compounds. We then focused on terpenes and their potential development as antimicrobials, highlighting those studies that showed an activity against conventional antibiotic-resistant strains.

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Characterization of photosystem II with the atomic-force microscope

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100130365 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 1146-1147

Author(s):

Kathleen M. Marr ◽

Mary K. Lyon

Keyword(s):

Photosystem Ii ◽

Atomic Force Microscope ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Freeze Etching ◽

Image Averaging ◽

Oxygen Evolving ◽

Averaging Techniques

Photosystem II (PSII) is different from all other reaction centers in that it splits water to evolve oxygen and hydrogen ions. This unique ability to evolve oxygen is partly due to three oxygen evolving polypeptides (OEPs) associated with the PSII complex. Freeze etching on grana derived insideout membranes revealed that the OEPs contribute to the observed tetrameric nature of the PSIl particle; when the OEPs are removed, a distinct dimer emerges. Thus, the surface of the PSII complex changes dramatically upon removal of these polypeptides. The atomic force microscope (AFM) is ideal for examining surface topography. The instrument provides a topographical view of individual PSII complexes, giving relatively high resolution three-dimensional information without image averaging techniques. In addition, the use of a fluid cell allows a biologically active sample to be maintained under fully hydrated and physiologically buffered conditions. The OEPs associated with PSII may be sequentially removed, thereby changing the surface of the complex by one polypeptide at a time.

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Depletion and Reconstitution of Active E. Coli Ribosomes

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100116826 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

pp. 640-641

Author(s):

M. Boublik ◽

W. Hellmann ◽

F. Jenkins

Keyword(s):

Protein Biosynthesis ◽

Large Subunit ◽

High Resolution Electron Microscopy ◽

Small Subunit ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Biological Macromolecules ◽

E Coli ◽

Resolution Electron ◽

And Function

Correlations between structure and function of biological macromolecules have been studied intensively for many years, mostly by indirect methods. High resolution electron microscopy is a unique tool which can provide such information directly by comparing the conformation of biopolymers in their biologically active and inactive state. We have correlated the structure and function of ribosomes, ribonucleoprotein particles which are the site of protein biosynthesis. 70S E. coli ribosomes, used in this experiment, are composed of two subunits - large (50S) and small (30S). The large subunit consists of 34 proteins and two different ribonucleic acid molecules. The small subunit contains 21 proteins and one RNA molecule. All proteins (with the exception of L7 and L12) are present in one copy per ribosome.This study deals with the changes in the fine structure of E. coli ribosomes depleted of proteins L7 and L12. These proteins are unique in many aspects.

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Fractionation of the Biologically Active Large Molecular Components of Human Gastric Content

Gastroenterology ◽

10.1016/s0016-5085(19)35388-0 ◽

1959 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 439-444 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ranwel Caputto ◽

William O. Smith ◽

Jordan Tang ◽

Raul E. Trucco ◽

Walter Joel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gastric Content ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Molecular Components

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Bioavailability of naringenin chalcone in humans after ingestion of cherry tomatoes

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831/a000574 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 90 (5-6) ◽

pp. 411-416 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Carina Kolot ◽

Ana Rodriguez-Mateos ◽

Rodrigo Feliciano ◽

Katharina Bottermann ◽

Wilhelm Stahl

Keyword(s):

Plasma Levels ◽

Average Concentration ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Thiol Groups ◽

Structural Element ◽

Active Molecule ◽

Reactive Center ◽

Average Maximum ◽

Alpha Beta ◽

Cherry Tomatoes

Abstract. Chalcones are a type of flavonoids characterized by an α-β unsaturated structural element which may react with thiol groups to activate pathways such as the Nrf2-Keap-1 system. Naringenin chalcone is abundant in the diet but little is known about its bioavailability. In this work, the bioavailability of naringenin chalcone from tomatoes was investigated in a group of healthy men (n=10). After ingestion of 600 grams of tomatoes providing a single dose of 17.3 mg naringenin chalcone, 0.2 mg of naringenin, and 195 mg naringin plasma levels of free and conjugated naringenin and naringenin chalcone (glucuronide and sulfate) were analyzed by UHPLC-QTOF-MS at 0.5, 1, 3, and 6 h post-consumption. Plasma levels of conjugated naringenin increased to about 12 nmol/L with a maximum at about 3 h. Concentrations of free naringenin hardly elevated above baseline. Plasma levels of free and conjugated naringenin chalcone significantly increased. A maximum of the conjugated chalcone was reached at about 3 h after ingestion with an average concentration of about 0.5 nmol/L. No free chalcone was detectable at baseline but low amounts of the unconjugated compound could be detected with an average maximum of 0.8 nmol/L at about 1 h after ingestion. The data demonstrate that naringenin chalcone is bioavailable in humans from cherry tomatoes as a dietary source. However, availability is poor and intramolecular cyclisation as well as extended metabolism likely contribute to the inactivation of the reactive alpha-beta unsaturated reactive center as well as the excretion of the biologically active molecule, respectively.

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