Plants from Urban Parks as Valuable Cosmetic Ingredients: Green Extraction, Chemical Composition and Activity

The research on the possibilities of using biowaste from urban green areas is scarce. In this work, four plants, widely distributed in urban parks in Central Europe (Lotus corniculatus, Medicago lupulina, Knautia arvensis and Plantago major) were extracted using eco-friendly solvents based either on aqueous cyclodextrin solutions (hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin or γ-cyclodextrin) or natural deep eutectic solvents based on glycerol, betaine and glucose. Metal content was determined using total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF). The content of selected metabolites was determined using UV-VIS spectrophotometric methods and HPLC. Skin-related bioactivity was assessed using tyrosinase and elastase inhibition assays. The selected plants contained metals beneficial for skin health, such as zinc and calcium, while having a low content of toxic heavy metals. The extracts contained the bioactive phenolics such as quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin and apigenin. L. corniculatus was the most potent tyrosinase inhibitor, while K. arvensis showed the most pronounced elastase inhibitory activity. The employed solvents actively contributed to the observed bioactivity. The results indicate that the biowaste obtained from urban parks represents an ecologically acceptable alternative to conventional cultivation for the preparation of ecologically acceptable, high-value cosmetic products.

Evaluation of Water Suitability for Sustainable Seaweed (Kappaphycus Alvarezii) Cultivation to Support Science Technopark in North Kalimantan

Tarakan dry seaweed production increased during 2012-2018 for the cultivation of Kappaphycus alvarezii with the longline planting method. This study aims to assess the quality of the waters and their suitability for seaweed cultivation on the coast of Tarakan Island. The environmental parameters of water quality measured were chlorophyll-a, water temperature, salinity, pH, DO, TDS, turbidity, nitrate, phosphate, water depth, current velocity, protection, research location, and distance between settlements. The study was conducted with in-situ and ex-situ measurements based on APHA (2012). Water samples were taken using the multi-parameter Horiba U51. chlorophyll-a was analyzed using spectrophotometric methods, nitrate levels were analyzed using SNI 06-6989.79-2011, while phosphates were analyzed using SNI 06-6989.31-2005. The suitability of the waters is divided into 4 classes, S1 (very suitable), S2 (suitable), S3 (marginally suitable), and N (not suitable). The results showed that the coast of Tarakan Island has 3 categories, namely marginally suitable (S3) 13.20%, suitable (S2) 86.50%, and very suitable (S1) 0.30%. The existing condition of the coastal waters of Tarakan Island supports the cultivation of K. alvarezii seaweed. Tarakan Island coastal existing condition as an areal support seaweed cultivation K. alvarezii with the potential to be developed land area of 33896.73 ha.

METHOD VALIDATION OF SIMVASTATIN IN PCL-PEG-PCL TRIBLOCK COPOLYMER MICELLES USING UV-VIS SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC FOR SOLUBILITY ENHANCEMENT ASSAY

Objective: This study aims to increase the solubility of simvastatin (SIM), a hydrophobic drug, by incorporating it into PCL-PEG-PCL triblock copolymer micelles and validating the assay method used, namely Uv-Vis spectrophotometric. Methods: The shake flask method was used to determine the increase in solubility experienced by SIM after being incorporated into the micellar system. The values ​​of maximum wavelength (λmax), linearity, LOD, LOQ, accuracy, and precision were used as parameters measured to assess the validity of the assay method used. Results: The results showed that PCL-PEG-PCL triblock copolymer micelles could increase SIM solubility by 9.7 times (89.49±5.75 µg/ml) compared to SIM without modification (9.19±0.24 µg/ml). The validation results show the λmax value of 239 nm, a linear calibration curve with an R-value of 0.9994, LOD and LOQ of 0.33 µg/ml and 1.00 µg/ml, accurate measurement with recovery at concentrations of 80%, 100%, and 120% were 102.93±1.32%, 100.78±0.40%, and 104.58±0.79% and also had good precision ​​with RSD<2%. Conclusion: The PCL-PEG-PCL triblock copolymer micelles can increase SIM solubility and the Uv-Vis spectrophotometric method has been validated successfully for the quantitative analysis of SIM in PCL-PEG-PCL triblock copolymer micelles.

Eco-friendly ultraviolet spectrophotometric methods for the determination of clotrimazole and tinidazole in bulk and ointment dosage form

Analyzing a drug over its overlapped spectra utilizes sophisticated instruments and more toxic solvents, which has a deleterious effect on environmental safety. There is an alarming need to develop a simple, novel, and cost-effective method for determining combined substances that are non-toxic to the environment. So, the study aimed to develop four simple, fast and eco-friendly spectrophotometric techniques for quantifying clotrimazole and tinidazole in bulk and ointment dosage form. Stock solutions produced at concentrations of 7 to 13 and 17.5 to 32.5 µg/mL of clotrimazole and tinidazole in 10% v/v ethanol and scanned in the UV-visible range 200-450 nm, and used for all methods. The methods were validated according to the International Council for Harmonization guidelines and found to be within limits. Additionally, the outliers were tested by using the Grubbers test and found within limits. Finally, green evaluation studies show that the method is more environmentally friendly, as confirmed by four assessment tools.

Multivariate analysis of images in spectrophotometric methods: Quantification of soil organic matter

Soil organic matter (SOM) is usually quantified by Walkley-Black titration method or using a spectrophotometric method. This study proposes an alternative method for quantification of SOM using digital image from scanner and mathematical algorithms to replace titration and spectrophotometry procedures. For this, after SOM oxidation by potassium dichromate, digital images were acquired. Posteriorly, extraction of RGB color histograms from images have occurred, followed by the use of multivariate calibration method: partial least squares (PLS). Six soil samples were analyzed. We used the Walkley-Black method as reference. SOM was estimated by images using the PLS tool. The new method, besides being a fast, low cost, and more operational alternative, presented statistically equal results in relation to the reference method, as assessed by the Student t-test and F-test at 95 % confidence.

Different Perspectives of Homeopathic Research Seal the Year 2021

In this last 2021 issue, five articles are published concerning different aspects of homeopathic research, from a review of clinical studies on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and the therapeutic potential of homeopathy to treat these cases (Dewan et al., 2021) to a detailed systematic analysis of nanoparticles suspended in homeopathic preparations (Van Wassenhoven et al., 2021). In between, some interesting reports can also be found, as a case report about the successful treatment of a rectum prolapse in a kitten in a period of a few days with no need of surgery (Makker and Arora, 2021); an opinion article (update article) reported the necessity to develop clinical studies on homeoprofilaxy of Covid-19 in which the key aspects of immunocompetence could be evaluated, such as the serum levels of cytokines, mainly those related to the systemic inflammatory syndrome such as IL-6, and of neutralizing IgG and IgM (Patil, 2021); and an original article about the physicochemical properties of a Covid-19 nosode, in which different patterns were described using spectrophotometric methods, resulting in an electronic signature of each potency (Kumar Singh et al., 2021). Enjoy the reading and happy 2022 for us all! IJHDR Editorial Team

Analyses of Antioxidative Properties of Selected Cyclitols and Their Mixtures with Flavanones and Glutathione

The conditions for determining the antioxidant properties of cyclitols (d-pinitol, l-quebrachitol, myo-, l-chiro-, and d-chiro-inositol), selected flavanones (hesperetin, naringenin, eriodictyol, and liquiritigenin) and glutathione by spectrophotometric methods—CUPRAC and with DPPH radical, and by a chromatographic method DPPH-UHPLC-UV, have been identified. Interactions of the tested compounds and their impact on the ox-red properties were investigated. The RSA (%) of the compounds tested was determined. Very low antioxidative properties of cyclitols, compared with flavanones and glutathione alone, were revealed. However, a significant increase in the determined antioxidative properties of glutathione by methyl-ether derivatives of cyclitols (d-pinitol and l-quebrachitol) was demonstrated for the first time. Thus, cyclitols seem to be a good candidate for creating drugs for the treatment of many diseases associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.

Antioxidant status in children and adolescents with COVID-19

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised the importance of this problem to the first stage and has affected healthcare system around the world. Despite the more favorable COVID-19 course, the child population should be at focus of special attention, due to the active participation in its distribution. The course of COVID-19 includes a cascade of pathological processes accompanied by the generation of reactive oxygen species, which can have extremely negative consequences for the developing organism. The research of these processes in children is vital and will improve the effectiveness of preventive and therapeutic measures. The aim: to analyze changes in enzymatic and non-enzymatic links in the antioxidant defense in children and adolescents with diagnosed COVID-19 infection.Materials and methods. 17 children and adolescents (average age – 12.35 ± 4.01 years) were examined, including 8 boys (47 %) and 9 girls (53 %) with COVID-19 infection. The control group of children and adolescents (practically healthy) according to the «copy-pair» principle was selected. We used spectrophotometric methods.Results. In the group of children and adolescents with diagnosed COVID-19 infection, there were lower levels of total antioxidant activity (p < 0.0001), superoxide dismutase activity (p < 0.0001), content of reduced glutathione (p = 0.048) and retinol (p = 0.015), increase in glutathione reductase activity (p = 0.015) relative to the control.Conclusion. The obtained data indicate the insufficiency of antioxidant system components number in children and adolescents with diagnosed COVID-19 infection and indicate the advisability of antioxidant therapy using to stabilize these indicators.