Quality Assessment and Origin Identification on Four Species of Curcumae Radix by HPLC Assay and Fingerprint Analysis

BackgroundCurcumae Radix is a multi-source Chinese medicine called Yujin. It is derived from the root tubers of four Curcuma species including Curcuma wenyujin , C. kwangsiensis , C. phaeocaulis and C. longa. The identification of the root tubers of the four Curcuma species often caused confusions. MethodsIn this study, we developed HPLC/PDA methods to differentiate these four species of Curcumae Radix by HPLC assay and fingerprint analysis. The methods developed were also validated with their precision, repeatability and accuracy. ResultsCurdione could only be detected in C. wenyujin . For C. kwangsiensis , C. phaeocaulis , if the relative peak area value of peak 1 and germacrone peak of the samples was more than 1.024, it could be identified as C. phaeocaulis of Curcumae Radix. Curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin and bisdesmethoxycurcumin could only be detected in C. longa . We also developed a simple method to determine curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin and bisdesmethoxycurcumin in C. lon ga and germacrone in the other three species of Curcumae Radix. ConclusionsBecause of the definite difference of main ingredients between curcumin-free group (C. wenyujin , C. kwangsiensis and C. phaeocaulis ) and curcumin containing C. longa from this study, four Curcuma species of Curcumae Radix in the pharmacopeia should be separated into two monographs, with curcumin-free and germacrone containing species as one and curcumin containing C. longa as the second monograph. The HPLC/PDA methods of HPLC assay and fingerprint analysis developed in this study could be used for the quality control of these four species of Curcumae Radix. Keywords: Curcumae Radix, HPLC, assay, fingerprint, curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin, bisdesmethoxycurcumin, germacrone, curdione

Effect of Phytase Addition to Buckwheat Wort on the Selected Fermentable Sugars, Polypeptide Profile and Nitrogen Content from Free Aminoacids

Relatively high levels of phytates in buckwheat malt and the low activity of endogenous phytases that limit the effective use of substrates for fermentation and yeast metabolism (starch, proteins, minerals) are an argument for using phytases in beer production technology. Two mash-in programs were applied: (1) the Congress program, typical for basic raw materials, (2) a program with temperature optimized for phytase activity. Commercial preparations of 3-phytase (Finase P) and 6-phytase (Ronozyme) were used in the study. Monitored levels of selected fermentable sugars indicates a statistically significant effect of phytase addition on the glucose content in both mash-in programs used. The SEC-HPLC chromatography allowed to select a key polypeptide with an estimated molecular weight of 40 kDa, whose relative peak area decreases as a result of the applied mash-increase treatment with phosphorolytic enzymes, although this relation was not statistically confirmed in the analysis of free amino acids content. The analyses carried out also indicate that apart from the target molecules, namely phytate and inositol, the use of phytases in the process of buckwheat wort preparation slightly changes the profile of fermentable sugars and causes significant changes in the polypeptide profile of the final mash.

Lemon Oils Attenuate the Pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Quorum Sensing Inhibition

The chemical composition of three Citrus limon oils: lemon essential oil (LEO), lemon terpenes (LT) and lemon essence (LE), and their influence in the virulence factors production and motility (swarming and swimming) of two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (ATCC 27853 and a multidrug-resistant HT5) were investigated. The main compound, limonene, was also tested in biological assays. Eighty-four compounds, accounting for a relative peak area of 99.23%, 98.58% and 99.64%, were identified by GC/MS. Limonene (59–60%), γ-terpinene (10–11%) and β-pinene (7–15%) were the main compounds. All lemon oils inhibited specific biofilm production and bacterial metabolic activities into biofilm in a dose-dependent manner (20–65%, in the range of 0.1–4 mg mL−1) of both strains. Besides, all samples inhibited about 50% of the elastase activity at 0.1 mg mL−1. Pyocyanin biosynthesis decreases until 64% (0.1–4 mg mL−1) for both strains. Swarming motility of P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 was completely inhibited by 2 mg mL−1 of lemon oils. Furthermore, a decrease (29–55%, 0.1–4 mg mL−1) in the synthesis of Quorum sensing (QS) signals was observed. The oils showed higher biological activities than limonene. Hence, their ability to control the biofilm of P. aeruginosa and reduce the production of virulence factors regulated by QS makes lemon oils good candidates to be applied as preservatives in the food processing industry.

Effects of pyrolysis parameters on the distribution of pyrolysis products of Miscanthus

This work presents a comprehensive study on the effects of pyrolysis parameters (pyrolysis temperature, residence time, and heating rate) on the distribution of pyrolysis products of Miscanthus. Py-GC/MS (Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass) was conducted to identify building blocks of value-added chemical from Miscanthus. The results showed that the main pyrolysis products of Miscanthus were ketone, aldehyde, phenol, heterocycles, and aromatic compounds. The representative compounds of ketone and aldehyde compounds produced at different pyrolysis temperatures changed obviously, while the representative compounds of phenolic, heterocyclic, and aromatic compounds had no obvious change. Large-scale pyrolysis of Miscanthus had begun at 400°C, and the relative content of pyrolysis products from Miscanthus reached the maximum of 98.34% at 700°C. The relative peak area ratio of phenol and aromatic compounds reached the maximum and minimum at the residence time of 5 and 10 s, while the relative peak area ratio of ketone compounds showed the opposite trend. The relative peak area ratio of aldehyde compounds was higher under shorter or longer residence time. For heterocyclic compounds, the relative peak area ratio reached the maximum of 27.0% at residence time of 10 s. The faster or slower heating rate was beneficial to the production of aldehyde and phenol compounds. The relative peak area ratio of ketone compounds reached the maximum at 10,000°C/s, 70°C/s, and 10°C/s, and the relative peak area ratio tendency of heterocyclic compounds was similar to ketone. For aromatic compounds, the overall fluctuations were large, and the relative peak area ratio was the highest at the heating rate of 100°C/s.

Comprehensive Chemical Characterisation of Durio Zibethinus

This study investigated the chemical properties of Durio zibethinus (Durian) in Malaysia. The cultivars included in the present study were D101, D197, and Kampung. A wide range of chemical properties such as proximate nutritional content, minerals, total phenolic content was analysed using established analytical methods. The antioxidant capacity in term of free radical scavenging activity was determined using colorimetric assay, whereas metabolite profiles of samples were analysed by hyphenated high throughput tool like GC-MS. The results showed that D197 durian had the highest content of ash, protein, fat, and carbohydrate, but the lowest moisture level. Potassium was found to be the highest mineral (8.68–11.36 mg g–1), followed by sodium (3.2–7.6 mg g–1), magnesium (0.86–1.88 mg g–1), and calcium (2.74–3.80 mg g–1) in the tested cultivars. The major sulphur containing compounds (% relative peak area) such as hydrogen sulphide (5.0–8.3%), methanethiol (0.5–1.0%), ethanethiol (20.7–35.0%), 1-propanethiol (2.7– 9.5%), and diethyl disulphide (0.6–1.9%), and esters, especially ethyl 2-methylbutanoate (10.0–15.0%), methyl 2-methylbutanoate (1.0%), and propyl 2-methylbutanoate (1.5%) were detected when fresh samples were heated in headspace GC-MS. However, those compounds evaporated during ultrasound assisted extraction and oven drying even at 40 °C.

Ganoderma spore powder contains little triterpenoids

Background Ganoderma spore is a minuscule germ cell ejected from Ganoderma gills during its growth maturity period, it has been considered with high exploitable potential in health-care products manufacture. Methods After testing sporoderm-broken rate, the triterpenoids in 12 batches of broken and unbroken Ganoderma spore powder (GSP) samples were compared with Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body (GL) by high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and further verified by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC–QTOF–MS); meanwhile, the dissolution of triterpenoids after bionic extraction was also investigated by HPTLC. Results The sporoderm-broken rate of all the broken GSP samples was over 85%. The relative peak area of triterpenoids in GSP samples were lower than 50% of that in fruiting body, and the dissolution of triterpenoids in artificial gastrointestinal fluid was lower than in methanol. Conclusions This study demonstrated that there were little triterpenoids in GSP. Triterpenoids in GSP also seldom be dissolved in artificial gastrointestinal fluid.

Biodegradation Behavior of Poly(Butylene Adipate-Co-Terephthalate) (PBAT), Poly(Lactic Acid) (PLA), and Their Blend in Freshwater with Sediment

Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) are well-known biodegadable polyesters due to their outstanding performance. The biodegradation behavior of PLA/PBAT blends in freshwater with sediment is investigated in this study by analyzing the appearance, chemical structure and aggregation structure of their degraded residues via SEM, TG, DSC, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and XPS. The effect of aggregation structure, hydrophilia and biodegradation mechanisms of PBAT and PLA on the biodegradability of PLA/PBAT blends is illuminated in this work. After biodegradation, the butylene terephthalate unit in the molecular structure of the components and the molecular weight of PLA/PBAT blends decreased, while the content of C-O bond in the composites increased, indicating that the samples indeed degraded. After 24 months of degradation, the increase in the relative peak area proportion of C-O to C=O in PLA/PBAT-25, PLA/PBAT-50 and PLA/PBAT-75 was 62%, 46% and 68%, respectively. The biodegradation rates of PBAT and PLA in the PLA/PBAT blend were lower than those for the respective single polymers.

Development of a quantitative NMR spectroscopic method for direct and simultaneous determination of four flavonoids in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extracts

: Scutellaria Baicalensis Georgi (SBG), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used for the treatment of antiviral therapy, contains many flavonoids. A simple, fast and accurate 1H quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-qNMR) method was established for simultaneously determination of four flavonoids (Baicalin, Baicalein, Wogonin and Wogonoside) in SBG extract by using 3,4,5-trichloropyridine as an internal standard (IS). All the NMR determination work was performed at 308 K on an NMR sample tube inserted with a co-axial tube. The NMR sample tube was added with the sample (SBG extract and IS), the co-axial insert tube was added with D2O. Quantification of four flavonoids was carried out by calculating the relative peak area ratio of the selected proton signals from the target compounds and the IS. The validated 1H-qNMR method was successfully used to determine the four flavonoids in 9 batches of SBG from different origins and the results were in good accordance with those obtained from HPLC. The established 1H-qNMR method could be used as a powerful tool for the quality control of SBG from different sources and had potential in the quantification of main components from other TCMs.

Characterization of urban amine-containing particles in southwestern China: seasonal variation, source, and processing

Amine-containing particles were characterized in an urban area of Chongqing during both summer and winter using a single-particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS). Among the collected particles, 12.7 % were amine-containing in winter and 8.3 % in summer. Amines were internally mixed with elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), sulfate, and nitrate. Diethylamine (DEA) was the most abundant among amine-containing particles. Wintertime amine-containing particles were mainly from the northwest direction where a forest park was located; in summer, they were from the northwest and southwest (traffic hub) directions. These origins suggest that vegetation and traffic were the primary sources of particulate amines. The average relative peak area of DEA depended strongly on humidity, indicating that the enhancement of DEA was possibly due to increasing aerosol water content and aerosol acidity. Using an adaptive resonance theory neural network (ART-2a) algorithm, four major types of amine-containing particles were clustered: amine–organic carbon (A-OC), A-OCEC, DEA-OC, and A-OCEC aged. The identified particle types implied that amines were taken up by particles produced from traffic and biomass burning. The knowledge gained in this study is useful to understand the atmospheric processing, origin, and sources of amine-containing particles in the urban area of Chongqing.