Compounds, Volume 2, Issue 3 (September 2022) – 6 articles

Biodiesel is produced by the transesterification of animal fats and vegetable oils, producing a large amount of glycerol as a by-product. The crude glycerol cannot be used in the food or pharmaceutical industries. It is crucial to transform glycerol into value-added products with applications in different areas to biodiesel be economically viable. One of the possible applications is its use as a precursor for the synthesis of carbon materials. The glycerol-based carbon materials have distinct properties due to the presence of sulfonic acid groups on the material surface, making them efficient catalysts. Additionally, the glycerol-based activated carbon materials show promising results concerning the adsorption of gases and liquid pollutants and recently as capacitors. Despite their potential, currently, little research has been carried out on the synthesis and application of those materials. This review summarized the preparation and application of carbon materials from glycerol, intending to show the potential of these materials. Full article

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) has been a famous root crop for its medicinal properties since pre-historical times. Lack of effective therapeutics for most viral diseases, higher cost of some antiviral therapies, and the emergence of antiviral drug resistance are increasingly reported. Drug resistance is predicted to be a leading cause of mortality globally by 2050, thus requiring intervention. The need for effective natural antiviral compounds to mitigate viral diseases, such as curcumin, calls for further studies. Curcumin, a primary curcuminoid compound, has demonstrated a broad activity as an antiviral agent. Due to the need to overcome drug resistance to chemically synthesised drugs, the best option is to improve and adapt the use of natural antiviral agents. The antiviral potential of curcumin is hindered by its solubility and bioavailability. Recently, different techniques, such as the preparation of curcumin carbon quantum dots, have been used to improve curcumin antiviral activity. Therefore, the current review aims to assess curcumin’s benefits as a natural antiviral agent and techniques to improve its medicinal activity. Future use of curcumin will aid in mitigating viral diseases, including resistant strain, hence sustainability of the entire community. In this case, research and innovation are required to improve the solubility and bioavailability of curcumin for medical uses. Full article

Since the second half of the last century, the science of colloids has undergone a true revolution, from being little more than a collection of qualitative observations of the macroscopic behavior of some complex systems to becoming a discipline with substantial theoretical foundations [...] Full article

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), also known as Glitazones, have anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. A simple, efficient and cost-effective synthesis of a thiazolidinedione compound library was developed. The synthesis is facilitated by microwave irradiation in three of the four steps followed by reduction under pressurized hydrogen gas using palladium hydroxide. All reactions, except one, were completed within an hour and provided desired products in moderate to good yields after a simple work-up. Full article