Mycotoxins occurrence in medicinal herbs dietary supplements and exposure assessment

The multimycotoxin analysis of aflatoxins (AFs), zearalenone (ZEA), ochratoxin A (OTA), enniatins (ENNs) and beauvericin (BEA) was performed in 85 samples of medicinal herbs dietary supplements. The samples were classified in 64 samples of one herbal ingredient and 21 mixed samples. The extraction was performed by QuEChERS method and the determination by liquid chromatography coupled to ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS-IT). Then, the risk characterization to mycotoxins through the consumption of medicinal herbs dietary supplements was assessed. The results showed that ZEA, OTA, ENNs and BEA showed in the samples with incidences between 1 and 34%, being ENNB the most detected mycotoxin. Mycotoxins contents ranged from LOQ to 3850.5 µg/kg while the mean of positives samples were 65.5 µg/kg (ENNA), 82.7 µg/kg (ENNA1), 88.7 µg/kg (ENNB), 324.9 µg/kg (ENNB1), 137.9 µg/kg (BEA) and 1340.11 µg/kg (ZEA), respectively. OTA was detected in one herbal mix tablet for insomnia at concentration of 799 μg/kg. In herbal drugs the European Pharmacopoeia Commission has implemented limits of 2 µg/kg for AFB1 and 4 µg/kg for total AFs. In the present study AFs have not been detected in the analyzed medicinal herbs dietary supplements. The Estimated Daily Intakes (EDIs) values were calculated using a deterministic method, considering two exposure scenarios (lower bound (LB) and upper bound (UB)). The values obtained were in general far below the Tolerable Daily Intakes (TDIs) established. Graphical abstract

Medicinal plants used in cosmetics for skin and hair care

This study aimed at reviewing the importance of medicinal plants for the treatment of common hair problems such as baldness, alopecis hair fall, gray hair, dryness and most comman drandruff. The various herbal ingredient are used in the formation are Aloe, Amla, Curry leaves, Camphore, Coconut oil, Eclipta alba, Hibiscus, Heena, Neem, Fenugreek, Sage, Apamarg, Onion, grape seeds, Jatamanshi, Rosamary, Thyme, Tulsi, Garlic and Neem. All ingredients provide essential nutrients such as Vitamin, terpenoids and many essential oils to maintain normal function of sebaceous gland and overall care of skin and hair.

Biophysical and Computational Landscapes of Mycobacterial Pyrophosphatase: A Closer View of Drug Repurposing With Different Natural and Synthetic Compounds.

Mycobacterial pyrophosphatase (Mt-ppa) play essential role in bacterial in vitro and in vivo survival. This family of proteins reacts on pyrophosphates to release orthophosphates and protect bacteria from pyrophosphates toxicity. Rv3628 encodes pyrophosphate protein which is a type I pyrophosphate protein. This protein is engaged in hydrolysis of tri and diphosphates (majorly GTP, ATP and GDP) and its catalysis is metal ion dependent. Mt-ppa was showed efficient interaction with GTP molecule, whose Kd was 37.9µM, ΔH was -11Kcal/mol and ΔG was -6.06Kcal/mol. The protein was interacted with ATP family genes that resemble that it is participator in conversion of diphosphates moiety to the residual monophosphates. W102G, V150G, F44G, I119G, L93F, F3G, F122G, I108G, L32G, M82G, Y17G, L59G, V5G, V26G, I7G, W140D, W140G, W140A, F80G, W140S, L49G, L56G, I9G, V60G, V19G, V92G, L28G, L61G, Y126E and F123G are the top 30 mutation hits and Y126G, Y42G, R30G, E8G, K16G are top mutational hits in active site of Mt-ppa. Mt-ppa is temperature and pH sensitive as increasing temperature and pH decreases protein stability. It is also the receptor for several kinases that phosphorylate this protein at different Ser/Thr/Tyr sites. Virtual screening of 700 compounds from herbal ingredient targets (HITs) subset of zinc database give ZINC000003979028, ZINC000003870413, ZINC000003870412, ZINC000150338758, ZINC0000070450948, ZINC000150338754, ZINC000095098891, ZINC000000119985, ZINC000005085286 as the top target hits and Mac0182344 and NAV_2729 as the top GTPase inhibitor that can target and hinders Mt-ppa activity.

Concentrating rosmarinic acid from Orthosiphon aristatus extract for high antioxidative candies

Extraction and fractionation were carried out to concentrate the rosmarinic acid from Orthosiphon aristatus in order to increase the value of herbal candy formulated using polyphenolic rich extract. The herb was extracted and fractionated in column chromatography, and then analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The collected plant fractions with similar chromatographic profiles were combined and determined for antioxidant capacities expressed in radical scavenging activity. The results showed that the antioxidant capacity was in good agreement with the concentration of rosmarinic acid in the combined fractions. The combined fraction II showed the highest rosmarinic acid content, 3.8%w/w and the highest antioxidant capacity (IC50=14.922 ppm). The incorporation of rosmarinic acid rich extract into candy formulation did not statistically affect the antioxidant capacity. Hence, the rosmarinic acid rich extract could be another choice of ingredient to enhance the beneficial property of candies. Candy is another form of carrier to deliver herbal ingredient for health promotion.

Phytoconstituent Based Microemulgel: A Novel Topical Drug Delivery Approach

A huge amount of Indian medicinal plants are accredited with various pharmacological activities. Extract of medicinal plant and extracted oil have more or less pharmacological property, some natural penetration enhancers have advantages such as low cost, better safety profile hence they increase their acceptances in the formulation of microemulgel. Some of oil may assist the therapeutic action of API. It is convenient, cost-effective to use of herbal oil as oil phase or API, penetration enhancer, surfactant or other constituent in microemulgel formulation. Microemulgel is a microemulsion and gel combination with herbal ingredient, with small sized globule present in an emulsion. Microemulsion consists of delivering a drug dissolved in a mixture of one or more excipient like mono, di, and triglycerides, lipophilic and hydrophilic co surfactant. Microemulsion is formed when entropy changes in that dispersion is greater than the free energy require increasing the surface area between oil and aqueous phase of dispersion. Microemulgel has a dual action of micro-emulsion and gel. Emulsion based gel, the drug get entrapped in cross linkage network of gelling agent. In that small drug get entrapped and release in controlled manner. Microemulgel have other advantages like good uniformity, easily spreadable, greaseless as well as bio-friendly, detachable, non-staining, emollient, longer shelf-life, transparent, pleasant appearance, the ability of patients for self-medication, termination of medications will be easy.

A Promising View of Kudzu Plant, Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willd.) Sanjappa & Pradeep: Flavonoid Phytochemical Compounds, Taxonomic Data, Traditional Uses and Potential Biological Activities for Future Cosmetic Application

Pueraria montana var. lobata is widely known as kudzu especially in Japan, China, Korea, and other Asian countries. This plant is an ingredient for traditional food and an herbal ingredient for traditional medicines, particular in Japan and China. There are a few reports on its cosmetic uses. Interestingly, many phytochemical compounds from this plant have been continuously reported, particularly flavonoid compounds, which are well-known as potential bioactive ingredients for cosmetics. This work aims to illustrate promising views of kudzu plant, focusing on the diversity of flavonoid phytochemical compounds, taxonomic data, traditional uses, and potential biological activities for future cosmetic applications, i.e., antioxidant, antiglycation, skin regeneration, and melanogenesis inhibitory activities.

Nationwide Online Survey Enables the Reevaluation of the Safety of Coleus forskohlii Extract Intake Based on the Adverse Event Frequencies

The formulations of the functional ingredients of dietary supplements was studied with a small number of subjects, with a particular focus on their effectiveness, but not enough to evaluate their safety. In this regard, the reevaluation and estimation of the safe use of marketed products, with regards to their adverse event (AE) frequencies, are important. To address this issue, a post-marketing nationwide online survey was conducted for the herbal ingredient Coleus forskohlii extract (CFE), a popular weight-loss ingredient. The questionnaire included product names, adherence to the claimed amount, and AE experiences. The safe intake amount was estimated by the relationship between the claimed amount of CFE and the frequencies of AEs of each product. The number of users who experienced AEs was 75 (10.5% of all users). Gastrointestinal symptoms accounted for 92.0% (n = 69) of all AEs, and diarrhea alone accounted for 81.3% (n = 61). The amount of CFE was significantly associated with the occurrence of diarrhea (p = 0.005). The fitted curve showed that the safe intake amount of CFE was less than 250 mg/day; however, considering its effectiveness, 500 mg/day of CFE might be acceptable. In conclusion, nationwide online surveys of users enable us to confirm and reevaluate the safety of herbal supplements.