Adding Kaffir Lime (Citrus hystrix) Leaf Essential Oil to Gelatin Coating for Extending the Shelf Life of Red Snapper Fillet

Red Snappers contain high content protein and water which makes them highly perishable. However, they are widely processed into the fillet. One of the disadvantages of filleting is the short shelf life due to the high water content turning the fillets into an ideal media for bacteria. The edible coating protects the meat from perishability by reducing the water vapor, aroma, and lipid migration. One of the potential protein sources for coating is gelatin. The essential oil content that has a role in inhibiting bacterial growth is citronellal. The present study aimed to determine the effects of adding Kaffir limes (Citrus hystrix) leaf essential oil to a gelatin coating on the shelf life of red snappers’ fillet. An experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with four treatment groups based on the concentration of Citrus hystrix essential oil and five replications (n = 3 per group). In this regard, the treatments were named P0 (0% of Citrus hystrix), P1 (1% of Citrus hystrix), P2 (1.5% of Citrus hystrix), and P3 (2% of Citrus hystrix). The investigated parameters included total plate count, sensory quality, and acidity. Data analysis was performed using ANOVA followed by Duncan’s multiple range test. The results showed that the addition of 1.5% and 2% Citrus hystrix essential oil decreased the number of bacteria, and led to a higher sensory quality. In conclusion, The addition of Citrus hystrix essential oil in the gelatin-coating process can be used as a method of processing the fishery products to extend the shelf life of red snappers’ fillet at room temperature and inhibit bacterial growth.

Anti-Proliferative Activity of Piper trioicum Leaf Essential Oil Based on Phytoconstituent Analysis, Molecular Docking and In Silico ADMET Approaches

Background: The essential oils isolated from several medicinal plants are reported to have anticancer activities. Both the essential oil and extracts of many Piper species (Piperaceae) possess potential cytotoxic effect against cancer cell lines and are being used in traditional system of medicine for the treatment of cancer. There is a need to evaluate and validate the anticancer properties of essential oils extracted from other wild species of Piper. Objective: The current research was undertaken to determine the chemical composition and investigate the anti-proliferative activity of wild growing Piper trioicum leaf essential oil. The selected five major constituents were subjected to molecular docking to identify possible modes of binding against serine/threonine-protein kinase (MST3) protein Methods: The essential oil of leaf of P. trioicum was extracted by hydro distillation method and its chemical composition was carried out by GC-FID and GC-MS. The anti-proliferative activity of the essential oil was evaluated by MTT assay against normal (3T3-L1) and various cancer (HCT 116, HT-29, PC-3 and HepG2) cell lines. Molecular docking analysis was performed using AutoDock 4.2 software. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the major constituents were determined using absorption, distribution, metabolization, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) analysis. Results: The GC-MS analysis revealed the identification of 45 constituents with δ-cadinene (19.57%), germacrene-D (8.54%), β-caryophyllene (6.84%), 1-epi-cubenol (4.83%) and α-pinene (4.52%) were found to be predominant constituents in the leaf essential oil of P. trioicum. The highest cytotoxicity of essential oil was observed against HT-29 cells (IC50 value of 33.14 µg/ml). 1-epi-cubenol and δ-Cadinene exhibited low binding energy values of -6.25 and -5.92 kcal/mol, respectively. For prediction of in silico pharmacokinetic and druglike properties of the major compounds, ADMET prediction tool was also used, the results of which came within the ideal range. Conclusion: The present findings demonstrated that P. trioicum essential oil possesses significant anti-proliferative activity and could be effective against cancer treatment.

Seasonal Variation, Fractional Isolation and Nanoencapsulation of Antioxidant Compounds of Indian Blackberry (Syzygium cumini)

Indian blackberry (Syzygium cumini L.) is an evergreen tree in the Myrtaceae family. It is used in traditional medicine due to its significant bioactivities and presence of polyphenols with antioxidant activities. The present study describes the effect of seasonal variations on Indian blackberry leaf essential oil yield and chemical composition, production of fractions from essential oil using high vacuum fractional distillation and slow cooling to low temperature (−50 °C) under vacuum, and bioactivities of the essential oil, fractions, and nanoparticles. The results show that Indian blackberry essential oil yield was higher in spring season as compared to winter season. Indian blackberry essential oil fractionation processes were effective in separating and concentrating compounds with desired bioactivities. The bioactivities shown by magnesium nanoparticles were comparatively higher than barium nanoparticles.