Optimization of ultrasonic assisted extraction of fatty acids from Aesculus hippocastanum fruit by response surface methodology

Preparation and properties of thermal responsive 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine fragrance microcapsules with β-CD/CS as wall materials

2,3-Diethyl-5-methylpyrazine (DEMP) is recognized for its unique nutty scent but faces limitations due to rapid evaporation. The primary objective of this study was to explore the effect of incorporating DEMP with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and chitosan (CS) as wall material on the microstructure and thermal release behavior, antibacterial, and antioxidant characteristics. Initially, the microcapsules preparation process underwent optimization with embedding rate of 78.03 % through response surface by ultrasonic technique. The characterization of microcapsules was confirmed through SEM, FT-IR and TEM, with the majority exhibiting smooth and shell core structures that overlapped. Through sustained release kinetics analysis, the release of microcapsules under 80 °C, 50 °C and room temperature was more in line with the first-order kinetic and Avrami kinetic equation. The heat release kinetics analysis yielded a well-matched linear fitting curve. Additionally, microcapsules effectively suppressed the growth of S. aureus and E. coli germs, and demonstrated strong antioxidant properties, compared with DEMP. Adding 10 mg microcapsules to the Heat Not Burning (HNB) cigarette, the sensory quality was significantly improved. This discovery has the potential to pave a new route for the encapsulation of fragrance molecules, and expanding their multifunctional usages for enhancing the flavor of cigarettes and food.

Total triterpenoids from apple peels exert pronounced anti-breast-cancer activity in vivo and in vitro

BACKGROUND

Apples are among the most nutritionally valuable fruits and have a history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. Triterpenoids, the primary bioactive compounds found in apples, demonstrate significant antitumor activity.

RESULTS

Following enrichment and optimization, the total content of major triterpenoids in total triterpenoids from apple peels (ATT) reached 5.76 g kg-1. The growth of MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumors was significantly inhibited after treatment with ATT. Network pharmacology analysis conclusively identified a close association between the antitumor effect of ATT and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway. Experimental validation using MDA-MB-231 cells and a xenograft nude mouse model confirmed that ATT suppressed tumor cell proliferation effectively by modulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, which was consistent with the findings from network pharmacology. The total triterpenoids from apple peels also induced cell apoptosis by mediating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

The total triterpenoids from apple peels can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis effectively through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, suggesting that ATT holds promise as a prospective therapeutic agent for breast cancer treatment. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Microencapsulated granaticins from Streptomyces vilmorinianum YP1: Optimization, physiochemical characterization and storage stability

Granaticins are natural pigments derived from microorganisms with promising bioactivity. However, their practical applications have been restricted due to inherent instability. To improve the stability of granaticins from the novel strain Streptomyces vilmorinianum YP1, microcapsules were prepared using gum Arabic (GA) by a freeze-drying method. The optimal parameters for microencapsulation were determined using response surface methodology. Under the optimal conditions (GA 9.2% (v/v), a wall/-core ratio 4.8 (w/w), encapsulating temperature 29 °C), the maximum encapsulation efficiency achieved was 93.64%. The microcapsules were irregular single crystals with an average particle size of 206.37 ± 2.51 nm. Stability testing indicated improved stability of the microencapsulated granaticins. Notably, granaticnic B retention increased by 17.0% and 6.6% after exposure to sunlight and storage at 4 °C, respectively. These finding suggest that GA as a well material significantly enhances the stability of granaticins from S. vilmorinianum YP1, facilitating their potential applications.

Antisolvent precipitation for the synergistic preparation of ultrafine particles of nobiletin under ultrasonication-homogenization and evaluation of the inhibitory effects of α-glucosidase and porcine pancreatic lipase in vitro

To further enhance the application of nobiletin (an important active ingredient in Citrus fruits), we used ultrasonic homogenization-assisted antisolvent precipitation to create ultrafine particles of nobiletin (UPN). DMSO was used as the solvent, and deionized water was used as the antisolvent. When ultrasonication (670 W) and homogenization (16000 r/min) were synergistic, the solution concentration was 57 mg/mL, and the minimum particle size of UPN was 521.02 nm. The UPN samples outperformed the RN samples in terms of the inhibition of porcine pancreatic lipase, which was inhibited (by 500 mg/mL) by 68.41 % in the raw sample, 90.34 % in the ultrafine sample, and 83.59 % in the positive control, according to the data. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed no chemical changes in the samples before or after preparation. However, the crystallinity of the processed ultrafine nobiletin particles decreased. Thus, this work offers significant relevance for applications in the realm of food chemistry and indirectly illustrates the expanded application potential of nobiletin.

Advances in Natural Product Extraction Techniques, Electrospun Fiber Fabrication, and the Integration of Experimental Design: A Comprehensive Review

The present review explores the growing interest in the techniques employed for extracting natural products. It emphasizes the limitations of conventional extraction methods and introduces superior non-conventional alternatives, particularly ultrasound-assisted extraction. Characterization and quantification of bioactive constituents through chromatography coupled with spectroscopy are recommended, while the importance of method development and validation for biomarker quantification is underscored. At present, electrospun fibers provide a versatile platform for incorporating bioactive extracts and have extensive potential in diverse fields due to their unique structural and functional characteristics. Thus, the review also highlights the fabrication of electrospun fibers containing bioactive extracts. The preparation of biologically active extracts under optimal conditions, including the selection of safe solvents and cost-effective equipment, holds promising potential in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries. Integration of experimental design into extraction procedures and formulation development is essential for the efficient production of health products. The review explores potential applications of encapsulating natural product extracts in electrospun fibers, such as wound healing, antibacterial activity, and antioxidant properties, while acknowledging the need for further exploration and optimization in this field. The findings discussed in this review are anticipated to serve as a valuable resource for the processing industry, enabling the utilization of affordable and environmentally friendly, natural, and raw materials.

Optimization of a New Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Method of Caffeic Acid from the Aerial Parts of Coriandrum sativum by Using Experimental Design and Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is among the most widely used medicinal and aromatic plants. It is well known for its multiple health benefits, most of which are correlated with its phenolic composition. Four phenolic compounds were identified in the extracts of aerial parts of coriander extracts, including caffeic acid, isoquercitrin, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, and rutin. Caffeic acid was the major compound in the extracts. A Box–Behnken Design (BBD) was employed in conjunction with the response surface methodology (RSM) to develop an ultrasound-assisted extraction method for the determination of phenolic compounds in the aerial parts of coriander using the level of caffeic acid as the target response. The following working variables were evaluated: methanol level in the extraction solvent, temperature, sonication time, and liquid-to-solvent ratio. It was found that the methanol concentration is the most significant factor that influences the recovery of caffeic acid. The optimal extraction conditions were: 10 min as the extraction time, 70 °C as the temperature, 50% for methanol in water as the solvent, and 6.51 mL of solvent per gram of sample. The repeatability and reproducibility were calculated and RSD values below 6% were obtained in both cases. The new method was employed for the extraction of real coriander samples and it is suggested that this method could potentially be applied for quality control analyses.

Multivariate optimization and comparison between conventional extraction (CE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) of carotenoid extraction from cashew apple

Carotenoids are an essential component of cashew and can be used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, natural pigment, food additives, among other applications. The present work focuses on optimizing and comparing conventional and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods. Every optimization step took place with a 1:1 (w:w) mixture of yellow and red cashew apples lyophilized and ground in a cryogenic mill. A Simplex-centroid design was applied for both methods, and the solvents acetone, methanol, ethanol, and petroleum ether were evaluated. After choosing the extractor solvent, a central composite design was applied to optimize the sample mass (59-201 mg) and extraction time (6-34 min). The optimum conditions for the extractor solvent were 38% acetone, 30% ethanol, and 32% petroleum ether for CE and a mixture of 44% acetone and 56% methanol for UAE. The best experimental conditions for UAE were a sonication time of 19 min and a sample mass of 153 mg, while the CE was 23 min and 136 mg. Comparing red and yellow cashews, red cashews showed a higher carotenoid content in both methodologies. The UAE methodology was ca. 21% faster, presented a more straightforward composition of extracting solution, showed an average yield of superior carotenoid content in all samples compared to CE. Therefore, UAE has demonstrated a simple, efficient, fast, low-cost adjustment methodology and a reliable alternative for other applications involving these bioactive compounds in the studied or similar matrix.

A Technical System for the Large-Scale Application of Metabolites From Paecilomyces variotii SJ1 in Agriculture

Compared with endophytes, metabolites from endophytes (MEs) have great potential in agriculture. However, a technique for industrializing the production of MEs is still scarce. Moreover, the establishment of effective methods for evaluating the quality of MEs is hampered by the fact that some compounds with beneficial effects on crops have not been clearly identified. Herein, a system was established for the production, quality control and application of MEs by using the extract from Paecilomyces variotii SJ1 (ZNC). First, the extraction conditions of ZNC were optimized through response surface methodology, after which each batch (500 L) met the consumption requirements of crops in 7,467 hectares. Then, chromatographic fingerprinting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were applied to evaluate the similarity and specificity of unknown effective components in ZNC, ensuring a similarity of more than 90% and a quantitative accuracy of greater than 99.9% for the products from different batches. Finally, the bioactivity of industrially produced ZNC was evaluated in the field, and it significantly increased the potato yields by 4.4–10.8%. Overall, we have established a practical technical system for the large-scale application of ZNC in agriculture.

Rhamnusalaternus Plant: Extraction of Bioactive Fractions and Evaluation of Their Pharmacological and Phytochemical Properties

Rhamnus alaternus, is a wild-growing shrub, belonging to the Rhamnaceae family. Widely distributed in the Mediterranean basin, R. alaternus is used in the usual medicine in numerous countries, mostly Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Spain, France, Italy, and Croatia. A large number of disorders-including dermatological complications, diabetes, hepatitis, and goiter problems-can be treated by the various parts of R. alaternus (i.e., roots, bark, berries, and leaves). Several bioactive compounds were isolated from R. alaternus, including flavonoids, anthocyanins, and anthraquinones, and showed several effects such as antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, antigenotoxic, antimutagenic, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative. This review summarizes the updated information concerning the botanical description, distribution, extraction processes applied on R. alaternus, and its ethnopharmacology, toxicity, phytochemistry, and pharmacological effects.

In-situ reactive heat breaking cell wall by SO3 hydration: innovative cell-wall breaking technique to enhance extraction of cinnamaldehyde from cinnamon

Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is one of the major active pharmaceutical ingredient of cinnamon bark. Hydrodistillation (HD) is usually used in CA extraction, however, the extraction yield is lower. The cell wall is a key factor limiting the extraction of essential oils. In-situ reactive heat breaking cell wall (RHB) could destroy the cell wall, which was conducive to the diffusion of CA. The aim of this work was to examine the effect of RHB pretreatment to HD extraction. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize RHB pretreatment parameters, and Box-Behnken Design (BBD) method was performed to evaluate the effects of different operating parameters. The maximum yield was increased to 3.31 ± 0.11% (w/w) from 2.08 ± 0.042% (w/w) after RSM optimization. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis showed that RHB destroyed and disrupted the cell wall of cinnamon bark. The GC analysis demonstrated that the purity of cinnamaldehyde was improved and no new components were presented in the extraction product from the cinnamon via RHB pretreatment. In conclusion, RHB is an effective pretreatment method for the CA extraction, and also may be used in the other herbal medicine extraction.

Ultrasonic Intensification of Mass Transfer in Organic Acid Extraction

The mechanism of ultrasonic extraction was discovered and analyzed in detail for the liquid membrane technique from the consideration of the specific features of the radial vibrations of a droplet of the dispersed phase placed into an immiscible continuous phase subjected to ultrasonic irradiation. Analytical formulas were derived for the rate of mass transfer as a function of the amplitude of acoustic pressure oscillations and the time of ultrasonic treatment of an extraction system. Conditions for achieving the maximum efficiency of the extraction of a substance under the stimulating effect of ultrasound were analyzed. A nonlinear equation was derived for the radial vibrations of a spherical droplet of the dispersed phase in an immiscible continuous phase under forcing in the form of acoustic pressure periodically changing with time. Experimental study of the dependence of sulfosalicylic acid distribution on time in an aqueous two-phase system with ultrasound shows good agreement of experimental results with the calculations performed.

A one-pot process for synthesis of mitomycin analogs catalyzed by laccase/lipase optimized by response surface methodology

To reach the excellent yield as well as environmental friendliness, an efficient one‐pot process for the synthesis of 2‐methyl‐3‐n‐butylaminoyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone, a mitomycin‐like compound by the domino reaction of 2‐methyl‐1,4‐hydroquinone and butylamine using laccase/lipase as co‐catalysts, has been developed. In this present study, the process proposed here was further improved by optimizing the relevant factors using the response surface methodology based on Box–Benkhen Design. The optimum condition that afforded the highest yield (98%) of 2‐methyl‐3‐n‐butylaminoyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone was obtained as follows: molar ratio of amines to hydroquinones 1.16:1, activity ratio of laccase to lipase 1.14:2, and reaction temperature 38.9°C. The results obtained indicate that this process may be useful as a green alternative method for higher yield production of mitomycin analogs.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from avocado leaves (Persea americana Mill. var. Drymifolia): optimization and modeling

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) was performed to extract the total phenolic compounds from avocado (Persea americana Mill. var. Drymifolia; Lauraceae) leaves with different electric powers (UAE 0%, UAE 60%, and UAE 100%) and extraction times. Ultrasonic extraction parameters were optimized by using a mathematical model made by stepwise regression (SWR) for the determination of the maximum total phenolic content (TPC) and their antioxidant activity. Moreover, TPC extraction was modeled applying heterogeneous models to elucidate the involved mechanisms phenomena that determine the extraction rates. Optimization results found that the maximum value of TPC reached 48,732 mg GAE/100 g D.M. at 84.5% electric power and 29.7 min of extraction, which was superior to 0% electric power UAE. It was also found that the ultrasound causes the degradation of phenolic compounds, whereas the final extraction yield of TPC increases and their antioxidant activity decreased with the increase of ultrasound electric power. Proposed models gave a satisfactory quality of fit data using a second-order reaction for the degradation kinetics of TPC under ultrasound application. The estimated effective diffusivity values were in a range from 1.3889 × 10−11 m2/s to 2.2128 × 10−11 m2/s for the UAE 0% and UAE 100%, respectively. UAE significantly increased the extraction yield through the enhancement of the effective diffusivity, demonstrating that it is a promising technology to extract phenolic substances from avocado leaves.

Optimization of Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE) of Kinsenoside Compound from Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall.) Lindl by Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

The purpose of this study was to establish an extraction method for the kinsenoside compound from the whole plant Anoectochilus roxburghii. Ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) and Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method were used to extract and determine the content of kinsenoside, while response surface method (RSM) was used to optimize the extraction process. The best possible range for methanol concentration (0–100%), the liquid-solid ratio (5:1–30:1 mL/g), ultrasonic power (240–540 W), duration of ultrasound (10–50 min), ultrasonic temperature (10–60 °C), and the number of extractions (1–4) were obtained according to the single factor experiments. Then, using the Box-Behnken design (BBD) of response surface analysis, the optimum extraction conditions were obtained with 16.33% methanol concentration, the liquid-solid ratio of 10.83:1 mL/g and 35.00 °C ultrasonic temperature. Under these conditions, kinsenoside extraction yield reached 32.24% dry weight. The best conditions were applied to determine the kinsenoside content in seven different cultivation ages in Anoectochilus roxburghii.

Sono-physical and sono-chemical effects of ultrasound: Primary applications in extraction and freezing operations and influence on food components

Ultrasound is an advanced non-thermal food-processing technology that has received increasing amounts of interest as an alternative to, or an adjuvant method for, conventional processing techniques. This review explores the sono-physical and sono-chemical effects of ultrasound on food processing as it reviews two typical food-processing applications that are predominantly driven by sono-physical effects, namely ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and ultrasound-assisted freezing (UAF), and the components modifications to food matrices that can be triggered by sono-chemical effects. Efficiency enhancements and quality improvements in products (and extracts) using ultrasound are discussed in terms of mechanism and principles for a range of food-matrix categories, while efforts to improve existing ultrasound-assist patterns was also seen. Furthermore, the progress of experimental ultrasonic equipments for UAE and UAF as food-processing technologies, the core of the development in food-processing techniques is considered. Moreover, sono-chemical reactions that are usually overlooked, such as degradation, oxidation and other particular chemical modifications that occur in common food components under specific conditions, and the influence on bioactivity, which was also affected by food processing to varying degrees, are also summarised. Further trends as well as some challenges for, and limitations of, ultrasound technology for food processing, with UAE and UAF used as examples herein, are also taken into consideration and possible future recommendations were made.

Development and optimization of levodopa and benzylhydrazine orally disintegrating tablets by direct compression and response surface methodology

The number of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with the advanced phase and motor fluctuations is increasing. The objective of this study is developing levodopa/benzylhydrazine orally disintegrating tablets (L/B ODTs), which would provide greater convenience and ease of use than conventional tablets for these patients. In the present study, the L/B ODTs were developed successfully with an optimized formulation using response surface methodology (RSM). The direct compression technology was employed for the preparation of L/B ODTs. Considerably shorter disintegration time and faster dissolution profile were obtained under the optimum formulation with microcrystalline cellulose 25.7%, cross-polyvinylpyrrolidone 6.22% and Sodium carboxymethyl starch 5.36%. The content uniformity (%) of levodopa and benzylhydrazine was 50 ± 1.4% and 14.25 ± 0.6%, respectively. Thickness, friability, hardness and wetting time were 2.8 ± 0.05 mm, 0.46 ± 0.21%, 5.42 ± 1.1 kp and 31.2 ± 2.1 s, respectively, and all of data well comply with the General Principles of the Chinese Pharmacopeia. Mannitol of 22% in formulation could bring a pleasant taste: sweet, cool and refreshing. Almost all the volunteers felt that the ODTs had good taste, no roughness, and no gritty feeling, indicating that the ODTs prepared had good palatability, so patients will have good compliance when taking medicine.

Enhancement of multianalyte mass spectrometry detection through response surface optimization by least squares and artificial neural network modelling

In this work, the use of design of experiments and posterior data modelling by artificial neural network (ANN) and least squares (LS) is presented as a suitable analytical tool for the performance optimization of a tandem mass spectrometric detector coupled to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography for the analysis of seventeen veterinary drugs. Firstly, a central composite design was built considering as factors the cone, capillary, extractor and radio frequency voltages of the mass spectrometer in order to obtain a proper combination to improve the sensitivity of the method. Secondly, a one factor design considering the collision voltage was built to define the adequate voltage for each daughter ion. The response surface methodology (RSM) was then applied, and the prediction capability of ANN and LS were compared. As conclusion, the ANN modelling provided better results than LS, both in terms of the ANOVA and predicted areas results. The accuracy of the model prediction was between 85 and 125%, confirming that the estimates of the model were correct, and endorsing the optimization procedure as a suitable way to gather excellent results. The suitability of the new approach and its implications on the simultaneous analysis of seventeen veterinary drugs by ultra-high liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry detection are discussed.

Quickly Identifying High-Risk Variables of Ultrasonic Extraction Oil from Multi-Dimensional Risk Variable Patterns and a Comparative Evaluation of Different Extraction Methods on the Quality of Forsythia suspensa Seed Oil

Generally, essential oils and components of interest are extracted from plants using organic solvent, distillation, ultrasound and supercritical extraction methods. Ultrasonic extraction (UE) has the advantage of high efficiency, but its process is complicated and it has numerous variables. In this study, an L18-Hunter experimental design was applied for the first time to investigate the practicability of applying UE to Forsythia suspensa seed oil. Six potential high-risk variables, including numerical and non-numeric types, were obtained from the risk analysis and their impacts on global yield and antioxidant activity were screened. Furthermore, oils obtained by different extraction processes (i.e., UE, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), soxhlet extraction (SE) and hydrodistillation extraction (HD)) were analyzed. A comparative study of these oils was characterized and compared by FT-IR, GC-MS and antioxidant activity. The obtained results show that the type of solvent, solvent-to-solid ratio, extraction power and time were the significant variables affecting the extraction yield, whereas antioxidant activity was only affected by the type of solvent. The regression coefficients of the yield and antioxidant activity models were 0.79 and 0.91, and the ANOVA of the models were 0.013 and <0.0001, respectively. Beta-Pinene was the main abundant component in the oils for the UE, SFE, SE and HD methods and the content was about 46%~52.4%. In conclusion, the L18-Hunter design could be used as an effective experimental design method for rapid screening of high-risk variables. Regarding extraction efficiency, chemical composition and biological activity, UE not only offered a robust Forsythia suspensa seed oil extraction process, but also provided a time- and cost-effective advantage to the food and pharmaceutical industry when compared to the SFE, SE and HD extraction processes.

Optimization of chemoenzymatic Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone to ε-caprolactone using response surface methodology

ε-Caprolactone (ε-CL) has attracted a great deal of attention and a high product concentration is of great significance for reducing production cost. The optimization of ε-CL synthesis through chemoenzymatic Baeyer-Villiger oxidation mediated by immobilized Trichosporon laibacchii lipase was studied using response surface methodology (RSM). The yield of ε-CL was 98.06% with about 1.2 M ε-CL concentration that has a substantial increase mainly due to both better stability of the cross-linked immobilized lipase used and the optimum reaction conditions in which the concentration of cyclohexanone was 1.22 M, the molar ratio of cyclohexanone:urea hydrogen peroxide (UHP) was 1:1.3, and the reaction temperature was 56.5°C. Based on our experimental results, it can be safely concluded that there are three reactions in this reaction system, not just two reactions, in which the third reaction is that the acetic acid formed reacts with UHP to form peracetic acid in situ catalyzed by the immobilized lipase. A quadratic polynomial model based on RSM experimental results was developed and the R² value of the equation is 0.9988, indicating that model can predict the experimental results with high precision. The experimental results also show that the molar ratio of cyclohexanone to UHP has very significant impact on the yield of ε-CL (p < .0006).