Special Issue on “Phenolic Compounds: Extraction, Optimization, Identification and Applications in Food Industry”

Interest has grown regarding natural plant extracts in food and beverage applications, their vital role in food quality and technology, and their therapeutic use in inhibiting several diseases [...]

Peningkatan Kemampuan Kader Melalui Edukasi Pemanfaatan Bahan Alam Untuk Meningkatkan Produksi ASI Di Kelurahan Banjarsari Surakarta

Background: The benefits of breastfeeding for infants include reducing infant mortality due to diarrhea and infection, reducing mortality among malnourished children, protecting against gastrointestinal infections, as well as being a source of energy and nutrition for infants aged 6 to 23 months. While the benefits for mothers who are breastfed are reducing the risk of ovarian cancer and providing breast support after milk production, as a natural prevention method in the first six months of birth, and helping to lose weight faster with pregnancy. Vegetables / natural plants that are easily available around us that can be used to increase breast milk production. Research in addition to carbohydrates, these vegetables also contain protein, minerals (phosphorus, calcium and iron, as well as a number of vitamins A, B1 and C). Methods: The method used is to present a booklet through education. The number of respondents was 20 mothers of health cadres. Results: The result of this community service activity is an increase in knowledge about the use of style materials for breastfeeding from 75% sufficient knowledge to 80% good knowledge. Conclusion: increasing knowledge and understanding of health cadres before and before providing education through natural plant booklets to increase breast milk.

Nanocellulose enhances the dispersion and toxicity of ZnO NPs to green algae Eremosphaera viridis

The widespread cellulose nanomaterials from industrial production and natural plant degradation inevitably lead to the accumulation of nanocellulose in aquatic environment. However, the effect of nanocellulose on the fate, transport...

Potential Role of Natural Plant Medicine Cyclocarya paliurus in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common chronic metabolic disease that has become increasingly prevalent worldwide. It poses a serious threat to human health and places a considerable burden on global social medical work. To meet the increasing demand for T2DM treatment, research on hypoglycemic drugs is rapidly developing. Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja is a medicinal plant that grows in China. The leaves of C. paliurus contain polysaccharides, triterpenoids, and other chemical components, which have numerous health benefits. Therefore, the use of this plant has attracted extensive attention in the medical community. Over the past few decades, contemporary pharmacological studies on C. paliurus extracts have revealed that it has abundant biological activities. Multiple in vitro and in vivo experiments have shown that C. paliurus extracts are safe and can play a therapeutic role in T2DM through anti-inflammatory and antioxidation activities, and intestinal flora regulation. Its efficacy is closely related to many factors, such as extraction, separation, purification, and modification. Based on summarizing the existing extraction methods, this article further reviews the potential mechanism of C. paliurus extracts in T2DM treatment, and we aimed to provide a reference for future research on natural plant medicine for the prevention and treatment of T2DM and its related complications.

Effect of Soil-Applied L-tryptophan on the Amount of Biomass and Nitrogen and Sulfur Utilization by Maize

As natural plant growth stimulators, amino acids are widely used to improve crop yield and quality. There are numerous studies documenting the influence of amino acids on plants, which is not always positive. This study was conducted to determine the effect of soil-applied L-tryptophan (L-TRP) on the accumulation and utilization of nitrogen and sulfur by maize. The study was carried out under the conditions of a pot experiment. The experimental design included three treatments: soil without fertilization (control), soil with mineral fertilization (NPKS), and soil with mineral fertilization and L-tryptophan addition (NPKS + L-TRP). The application of tryptophan to the soil, supported by mineral fertilization, caused a significant increase in maize biomass. Although no significant differences in nitrogen and sulfur contents in maize biomass were found between treatments without and with the addition of L-tryptophan, significantly higher intakes of both elements were observed in the NPKS + L-TRP treatment. The application of L-tryptophan increased the biosynthesis of Chlorophyll a. Utilization of nitrogen and sulfur by maize in the NPKS + L-TRP treatment was more than 27% and 17% higher, respectively, compared to the NPKS treatment. Maintaining the recommended contents of individual nutrients in the rhizosphere is not a guarantee of optimal quantitative and qualitative intake of nutrients. Problems with maintaining optimal relationships between individual nutrients may be compounded by soil properties.

Nanocellulose Hybrid Lignin Complex Reinforces Cellulose to Form a Strong, Water-Stable Lignin–Cellulose Composite Usable as a Plastic Replacement

The significant challenges in the use of cellulose as a replacement for plastic are its mechanical properties’ degradation and uncontrolled deformation during the rewetting process. Herein, inspired by the reinforcement of cellulose by lignin in natural plant tissue, a strong and water-stable lignin–cellulose composite (LCC) was developed. A nanocellulose hybrid lignin complex (CHLC) created from bagasse residue after enzymatic hydrolysis was added into a pulp of bleached fibre extracted from pine to produce a lignin–cellulose sheet. The lignin as a water-stable reinforcing matrix, via the hydrogen bonding of the nanocellulose in the CHLC with the fibre was efficiently introduced onto the fibres and the fibre network voids. Compared with a typical lignin-free cellulose sheet, the dry strength and wet strength of the LCC were 218% and 2233% higher, respectively. The developed LCC is an eco-friendly and biodegradable alternative to plastic.

Cunninghamella bertholletiae’s Toxins from Decomposing Cassava: Mitigation Strategy for Toxin Reduction Using Nepenthes mirabilis ‘Monkey Cup’ Digestive Fluids

A fermentation technique was utilised to assess a fungus, i.e. Cunninghamella bertholletiae/polymorpha, isolated from rotting cassava, ability to produce mycotoxins and resultant oxidation by-products of the mycotoxins using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Thus, the mycotoxins/secondary metabolites, fumonisin B1 (FB1) and deoxynivalenol (DON) were produced while, heptadecanone, octadecanamide, octadecenal and 3-keto-deoxynivalenol (DON) were successfully identified as biodegradation by-products in the fermentation broth treated with hydrolysing ‘monkey cup’ juice from Nepenthes mirabilis. Exposure to the mycotoxins and the biodegradation by-products through consumption of contaminated produce including contact due to the cumulative presence in arable agricultural soil can be harmful to humans and animals. Therefore, this work reports on a strategy for the mitigation and reduction of mycotoxins in agricultural soil using natural plant pitcher juices from N. mirabilis’ ‘monkey cup’.

Preparation and Freeze-Thaw Resistance of Geopolymer-Based Natural Plant Fiber Composites

Slag, alkaline activator solution and straw fibers were used to manufacture geopolymer-based natural plant fiber composites. In this study, three influences of water glass modulus, fiber content and water-binder ratio on bending strength were studied by orthogonal experiment and single factor analysis. The results indicate that the order of the factors affecting the bending strength is: water-binder ratio > fiber content > water glass modulus. When the water-binder ratio is 0.4, the fiber content is 12%, and the water glass modulus is 1.9, the bending strength of composite is up to 9.1MPa, which exceeds the standard requirements (9MPa) for qualified products specified in the standard (GB/T 24312-2009). The SEM and appearance of specimens indicate that the geopolymer-based natural plant fiber composites have good freeze-thaw resistance.