Evaluation of the antipyretic and anti-inflammatory potential of aqueous fruit pulp extract of Terminalia bellirica (Combretaceae) v1

Introduction: Inflammation and fever are common clinical manifestations of many deadly diseases. Members of the genus Terminalia were discovered to have the ability to alleviate inflammation and fever. As a result, this research examined the in-vivoanti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties of aqueous fruit pulp extract of Terminalia bellirica in mice and rats. Methods: The acute and subacute anti-inflammatory effects of the plant were evaluated using Carrageenan-induced paw edema. The antipyretic effect of the plant was evaluated using Baker’s yeast-induced pyrexia model. The extract was given to three experimental groups (9 mg/kg, 18 mg/kg, and 36 mg/kg), with Indomethacin 10 mg/kg and Paracetamol 100 mg/kg servings as positive controls for anti-inflammatory and antipyretic tests, respectively. Negative controls for anti-inflammatory and antipyretic testing were with 1% Gum acacia suspension of 3 ml/kg and 10 ml/kg, respectively. Results: In acute anti-inflammatory activity tests, using the Carrageenan paw edema model, TB18 and TB36 displayed a significant reduction in mean paw edema (P<0.01). In subacute anti-inflammatory activity tests, TB36 displayed a significant reduction in mean paw edema (P<0.01). In Baker’s yeast-induced pyrexia tests, the rectal temperature reduced significantly (P<0.0001) in all experimental groups. Conclusion: In summary, the findings of this study showed that the extract displayed significant anti-inflammatory and antipyretic characteristics in mice and rats accordingly. Keywords: Carrageenan,fever, inflammation, yeast

Evolutionary engineering of Wickerhamomyces subpelliculosus and Kazachstania gamospora for baking

The conventional baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , is an indispensable baking workhorse of all times. Its monopoly coupled to its major drawbacks such as streamlined carbon substrate utilisation base and a poor ability to withstand a number of baking associated stresses prompt the need to search for alternative yeasts to leaven bread in the era of increasingly complex consumer lifestyles. Our previous work identified the inefficient baking attributes of Wickerhamomyces subpelliculosus and Kazachstania gamospora as well as preliminarily observations of improving fermentative capacity of potential alternative baker’s yeasts using evolutionary engineering. Here we report the characterisation and improvement in baking traits in five out of six independently evolved lines incubated for longer time and passaged for at least 60 cycles relative to their parental strains as well as the conventional baker’s yeast. In addition, evolved clones produced bread with a higher loaf volume when compared to bread baked with either ancestral strain or the control conventional baker’s yeast. Remarkably, our approach improved the yeasts’ ability to withstand baking associated stresses, a key baking trait exhibited poorly in both the conventional baker’s yeast and their ancestral strains. W. subpelliculosus evolved the best characteristics attractive for alternative baker’s yeasts as compared to the evolved K. gamospora strains. These results demonstrate the robustness of evolutionary engineering in development of alternative baker’s yeasts.

Improving SCOBY starter using co-culture of tapai and bakery yeast

Urbahillah A, Jayus J, Nurhayati N. 2021. Improving SCOBY starter using co-culture of tapai and bakery yeast. Biodiversitas 22: 4617-4624. Kombucha is a beverage fermented by a symbiotic bacteria and yeast known as SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). Bacteria and yeast contribute to the formation of organic acids, aroma, taste, and flavor of kombucha. The commercial yeasts used in Indonesian are baker’s yeast and tapai yeast. This study was conducted to develop SCOBYco-culture with tapai yeast and baker’s yeast and evaluate its activity. The ingredients for the kombucha were cascara, water, and sugar, which were fermented with three formula starter, i.e. original SCOBY 10% w/v (SN), co-culture SCOBY 10% w/v with 0.1% w/v of baker’s yeast (SNR), and co-culture SCOBY 10% w/v with tapai yeast 0.1% w/v (SNT). The starter activity were determined based on the OD (Optical Density) value. Yeast screening was carried out on the dominant starter population. Furthermore, morphologically yeast was identified based on colony type, color, and shape of cell. Then yeast was identified by their fermentation profile using API 20C Aux Kit. Isolate A showed white colony with convex elevation and the cell was round-shaped. Colony of isolate B and isolate C were creamy in color and oval cell shaped. The API results revealed that the first isolate was identified as Candida famata, second isolate was as Candida krusei, and the third isolate was as Candida magnoliae. Three types of fungi were found from SCOBY, namely Mucor sp., Trichoderma sp., and Fusarium sp. Mucor sp. has non-septate hyphae, and round black spores. Trichoderma sp. has septate hyphae, greenish-white spores, and the conidia have the shape of globose to ellipsoidal Fusarium sp. has a mold with septate hyphae, yellowish-white colonies, and the conidia have the shape of obovoid. Bacteria, yeast, and mold present in the medium form a powerful symbiosis for produce metabolite.

Baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) catalyzed synthesis of bioactive heterocycles and some stereoselective reactions

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as baker’s yeast, has gained significant importance as a mild, low-cost, environmentally benign biocatalyst. Initially it was mostly employed as an efficient catalyst for the enantioselective reduction of carbonyl compounds. Over the last decade, baker’s yeast has found versatile catalytic applications in various organic transformations. Many multicomponent reactions were also catalyzed by baker’s yeast. Various heterocyclic scaffolds with immense biological activities were synthesized by employing baker’s yeast as catalyst at room temperature. In this communication, we have summarized baker’s yeast catalyzed various organic transformations focusing primarily on heterocyclic synthesis.