In vitro lipolysis and physicochemical characterization of unconventional star anise oil towards the development of new lipid-based drug delivery systems

Lipid-based drug delivery systems are widely used for enhancing the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. However, following oral intake, lipid excipients often undergo gastrointestinal lipolysis, which drastically affects drugs solubility and bioavailability. That's why developing new lipid excipients which are resistant to digestion would be of great interest. We studied here the potential role of the unconventional Chinese star anise whole seedpod oil (CSAO) as an alternative multifunctional lipid excipient. Pancreatic lipase-mediated digestion of the extracted crude oil emulsion was assessed in vitro. Pancreatic lipase, being a strict sn-1,3-regioselective lipase, showed a high (16-fold) olive oil to CSAO activity ratio, which could be attributed to fatty acids composition and triglycerides intramolecular structure. For the sake of comparison, the non-regioselective lipase Novozyme® 435 exhibited higher activity than pancreatic lipase on CSAO emulsion, perhaps due to its ability to release fatty acids from the internal sn-2 position of TAGs. Apart counteracting lipolysis, CSAO oil also showed additional biopharmaceutical benefits including moderate antioxidant and antihypertensive activities. Altogether, these findings highlight for the first time the potential use of star anise unconventional whole seedpod oil as a multifunctional lipid excipient for the development of new lipid formulations.

Nutritional properties, identification of phenolic compounds, and enzyme inhibitory activities of Feijoa sellowiana leaves

The nutritional values, the identification of individual phenolic compounds as well as the functional properties (in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and pancreatic lipase inhibition) of Tunisian Feijoa sellowiana (O.Berg) leaves were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array and mass spectrometry detector. Feijoa Sellowiana  leaves Extract (FSLE) were evaluated in the present work. Macronutrient components (proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, lipids, and ashes) of FSLE as well as their fatty acids and mineral content were determined. The individual phenolic composition was characterized by the presence of flavonols (mostly quercetin glycosides), flavan-3-ols (procyanidins and catechins), and phenolic acid derivatives. To understand the possible inhibition mechanism exerted by the extract components, enzyme kinetic studies using derived Lineweaver-Burk (LB) plots and Michaelis-Menten were performed. The obtained results evidenced that FSLE exhibited important AChE inhibitory effect, behaving as a noncompetitive inhibitor. Furthermore, the leaves' extract inhibited irreversibly the pancreatic lipase, with maximum inhibition (70%) achieved at 1 mg/ml. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In many countries of the world, Feijoa Sellowiana leaves are used as an alternative to tea drinks and as a folkloric medicine. Moreover, it is well known that the phytochemical compounds are a practical alternative for the prevention of many chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's and obesity. For this reason, the present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional, individual phenolic compounds, and functional properties of Feijoa Sellowiana leaves to valorize them as a food and pharmaceutical bioactive human source.

Identification of a new natural gastric lipase inhibitor from star anise

The identification and isolation of bioactive compounds are of great interest in the drug delivery field, despite being a difficult task. We describe here an innovative strategy for the identification of a new gastric lipase inhibitor from star anise for the treatment of obesity. After plant screening assays for gastric lipase inhibition, star anise was selected and investigated by bioactivity guided fractionation. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and peptide mass fingerprinting allowed the detection of an inhibitor covalently bound to the catalytic serine of gastric lipase. A mass-directed screening approach using UPLC-HRMS and accurate mass determination searching identified the flavonoid myricitrin-5-methyl ether (M5ME) as a lipase inhibitor. The inhibitory activity was rationalized based on molecular docking, showing that M5ME is susceptible to nucleophilic attack by gastric lipase. Overall, our data suggest that M5ME may be considered as a potential candidate for future application as a gastric lipase inhibitor for the treatment of obesity.

Inhibition of pancreatic lipase and amylase by extracts of different spices and plants

The aim of this study is to search new anti-obesity and anti-diabetic agents from plant and spices crude extracts as alternative to synthetic drugs. The inhibitory effect of 72 extracts was evaluated, in vitro, on lipase and amylase activities. Aqueous extracts of cinnamon and black tea exhibited an appreciable inhibitory effect on pancreatic amylase with IC₅₀ values of 18 and 87 μg, respectively. Aqueous extracts of cinnamon and mint showed strong inhibitory effects against pancreatic lipase with IC₅₀ of 45 and 62 μg, respectively. The presence of bile salts and colipase or an excess of interface failed to restore the lipase activity. Therefore, the inhibition of pancreatic lipase, by extracts of spices and plants, belongs to an irreversible inhibition. Crude extract of cinnamon showed the strongest anti-lipase and anti-amylase activities which offer a prospective therapeutic approach for the management of diabetes and obesity.

Purification and biochemical characterization of a halotolerant Staphylococcus sp. extracellular lipase

We have isolated a lipolytic halotolerant bacterium, designated as CJ3, that was identified as a Staphylococcus sp. Culture conditions were optimized and the highest extracellular lipase production amounting to 5 U/ml was achieved after 24 h of cultivation. The extracellular lipase was purified 24-fold by ammonium sulfate precipitation and a Sephacryl S-200 chromatography, and its molecular mass was found to be around 38 kDa, as revealed by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration. The lipase substrate specificity was investigated using short (tributyrin) and long (olive oil) chain triglyceride substrates. The lipase was inhibited by submicellar concentrations of Triton X-100, and maximum specific activities were found to be 802 U/mg on tributyrin and 260 U/mg on olive oil at pH 8.0 and 45 °C. The lipase was fairly stable in the pH range from 6.0 to 9.0, and about 69% of its activity was retained after incubation at 45 °C for 60 min. The enzyme showed a high tolerance to a wide range of salt concentration and a good stability in organic solvents, especially in long-chain alcohols.

Bilateral cystic lymphangioma of the adrenal gland

We report the case of a 22-year-old woman with a large, bilateral lymphangiomatous cyst originating from the adrenal glands. Since she was having persistent pain and the diagnosis was uncertain, we did surgery.