High-Performance Liquid Chromatography – Diode Array Detection (HPLC-DAD) Method for the Determination of Phenolic Compounds of Water Chesnut (Trapa natans L.)

Discriminating geographical origins and determining active substances of water caltrop shells through near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with chemometric methods were used to discriminate the geographical origins of the water caltrop shells from different regions of China. Two active substances, the total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) in the water caltrop shells were determined through the technique as well. Principal component analysis (PCA) combined with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was adopted to build the geographical discriminant model. Quantitative analysis models of TPC and TFC were built using partial least squares (PLS) regression. 1st derivative and randomization test (RT) methods were used to optimize the quantitative analysis models. It was found that the geographical discriminant model can correctly recognize the water caltrop shells from different regions of China with a total accuracy of 93.33%. The values of TPC and TFC obtained by the optimized models and the standard method are close. The coefficient of determination (R2) and the ratio of prediction to deviation for the two substances were 0.91, 0.89 and 3.02, 3.02, respectively. The results demonstrated the feasibility of NIRS combined with chemometric methods for the geographical discrimination of water caltrop shells and the quantitative analysis of TPC and TFC in water caltrop shells.

Characterization of Some Dermato-Cosmetic Preparations with Marine Lipids from Black Sea Wild Stingray

The traditional knowledge about the therapeutic and nutritional value of fish has been unanimously recognized among the population since ancient times. So, thanks to the therapeutic virtues of these marine animals, it was possible to develop therapies for certain pathologies as well as the use of bioactive compounds as adjunctive therapies incorporated into the treatment regimen of patients. In the present study, stingray liver oil from wild species collected from the Romanian coast of the Black Sea was isolated and analyzed. Fatty acid analysis was performed by gas chromatography. The analysis of the distribution of fatty acids in the composition of stingray liver oil indicates a ratio of 2.83 of omega 3 fatty acids to omega 6, a ratio of 1.33 of polyunsaturated fatty acids to monounsaturated fatty acids, an iodine index of 111.85, and a total percentage of 68.98% of unsaturated fatty acids. Stingray liver oil was used to evaluate the healing action after preparing a fatty ointment. According to the experimental data, a complete regeneration capacity of the wounds was noted in 12 days without visible signs. Four emulgels with stingray liver oil were formulated and analyzed from a rheological and structural point of view in order to select the optimal composition, after which the anti-inflammatory effect on inflammation caused in laboratory rats was studied and an anti-inflammatory effect was found significant (a maximum inhibitory effect of 66.47% on the edemas induced by the 10% kaolin suspension and 65.64% on the edemas induced by the 6% dextran solution).

Formulation and Development of Bioadhesive Oral Films Containing Usnea barbata (L.) F.H.Wigg Dry Ethanol Extract (F-UBE-HPC) with Antimicrobial and Anticancer Properties for Potential Use in Oral Cancer Complementary Therapy

Medical research explores plant extracts’ properties to obtain potential anticancer drugs. The present study aims to formulate, develop, and characterize the bioadhesive oral films containing Usnea barbata (L.) dry ethanol extract (F-UBE-HPC) and to investigate their anticancer potential for possible use in oral cancer therapy. The physicochemical and morphological properties of the bioadhesive oral films were analyzed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and X-ray diffraction techniques. Pharmacotechnical evaluation (consisting of the measurement of the specific parameters: weight uniformity, thickness, folding endurance, tensile strength, elongation, moisture content, pH, disintegration time, swelling rate, and ex vivo mucoadhesion time) completed the bioadhesive films’ analysis. Next, oxidative stress, caspase 3/7 activity, nuclear condensation, lysosomal activity, and DNA synthesis induced by F-UBE-HPC in normal blood cell cultures and oral epithelial squamous cell carcinoma (CLS-354) cell line and its influence on both cell types’ division and proliferation was evaluated. The results reveal that each F-UBE-HPC contains 0.330 mg dry extract with a usnic acid (UA) content of 0.036 mg. The bioadhesive oral films are thin (0.093 ± 0.002 mm), reveal a neutral pH (7.10 ± 0.02), a disintegration time of 118 ± 3.16 s, an ex vivo bioadhesion time of 98 ± 3.58 min, and show a swelling ratio after 6 h of 289 ± 5.82%, being suitable for application on the oral mucosa. They displayed in vitro anticancer activity on CLS-354 tumor cells. By considerably increasing cellular oxidative stress and caspase 3/7 activity, they triggered apoptotic processes in oral cancer cells, inducing high levels of nuclear condensation and lysosomal activity, cell cycle arrest in G0/G1, and blocking DNA synthesis. All these properties lead to considering the UBE-loaded bioadhesive oral films suitable for potential application as a complementary therapy in oral cancer.