Search Results (33)

Background/Objectives: Plants and fruits of Physalis philadelphica Lam. Solanacea are commonly used in traditional medicine to improve some illnesses such as diabetes, in North and Central American countries. The aim was to evaluate the effects of aqueous maceration (He-M) and ultrasound-assisted (He-US) extracts of P. philadelphica husk on hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and oxidative stress in obese rats. Methods: The effects of husk extracts on carbohydrate and lipid absorption were evaluated using oral starch and lipid tolerance tests in healthy male Wistar rats. Obesity was then induced using a high-fructose and saturated fat diet, followed by 16 weeks of extract administration. Results: He-US significantly reduced the postprandial glycemic spike, while both extracts lowered serum triglyceride levels (~50%) following lipid loading, compared with the negative control. In obese rats, both extracts reduced body weight gain (~10%) and lowered fasting glucose levels (22% for He-M and 15% for He-US), compared with the obese control. He-US also reduced insulin levels (~32%), insulin resistance (~53%), and free fatty acids (~52%), while He-M improved hepatic steatosis and reduced liver triglycerides (~26%). Both extracts reduced hepatic nitrite levels, although only He-M significantly decreased lipid peroxidation (~32%). Additionally, both treatments enhanced hepatic antioxidant enzyme activity. Conclusions: Husk extracts exerted beneficial effects on hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and oxidative stress markers in obese rats. Full article

Extraction strategies impact the efficiency and nature of extracted compounds. This work assessed the chemical composition and antioxidant capacity of ethanolic, hydroethanolic, and aqueous versus enzyme-assisted extracts (isolated or with the sequential use of alcalase^®, cellulase^®, and viscozyme^®) of the macroalgae Fucus vesiculosus (brown, Phaeophyceae) and Porphyra dioica (red, Rhodophyta. For both macroalgae, enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE) was the most efficient process compared to solvent-assisted extraction (SAE), independent of solvent. Fucus vesiculosus extraction yields were higher for EAE than for SAE (27.4% to 32.2% and 8.2% to 30.0%, respectively). Total phenolics content (TPC) was at least 10-fold higher in EAE extracts (229.2 to 311.3 GAE/g_extract) than in SAE (4.34 to 19.6 GAE/g_extract) counterparts and correlated well with antioxidant capacity (ABTS and ORAC methods), with EAE achieving values up to 8- and 2.6-fold higher than those achieved by SAE, respectively. Porphyra dioica followed F. vesiculosus’s trend for extraction yields (37.5% to 51.6% for EAE and 5.7% to 35.1% for SAE), TPC, although of a lower magnitude, (0.77 to 8.95 GAE/g_extract for SE and 9.37 to 14.73 GAE/g_extract for EAE), and antioxidant capacity. Aqueous extracts registered the highest DPPH values for both macroalgae, with 2.3 µmol TE/g_extract and 13.3 µmol TE/g_extract for F. vesiculosus and P. dioica, respectively. EAE was a more efficient process in the extraction of soluble protein and reducing sugars in comparison to SAE. Furthermore, an improved effect of enzyme-assisted combinations was observed for almost all analyzed parameters. This study shows the promising application of enzyme-assisted extraction for the extraction of valuable compounds from F. vesiculosus and P.dioica, making them excellent functional ingredients for a wide range of health and food industrial applications. Full article

The present study was performed to determine the chemical constituents, cytotoxicity, antioxidant and enzyme inhibition activities of the aerial parts of Glaucium acutidentatum Hausskn. and Bornm. (family Papaveraceae). Methanolic and aqueous extracts were prepared by maceration, homogenizer-assisted extraction (HAE) and infusion. Results showed that the highest total phenolic and flavonoids contents were obtained from the methanol extracts obtained by HAE (53.22 ± 0.10 mg GAE/g) and maceration (30.28 ± 0.51 mg RE/g), respectively. The aporphine, beznyltetrahydroisoquinoline, and protopine types of Glaucium alkaloids have been tentatively identified. Among them, glaucine was identified in all extracts. Flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, organic acids and fatty acids were also detected. Methanolic extract obtained using the HAE method displayed the highest anti-DPPH (41.42 ± 0.62 mg TE/g), total antioxidant (1.20 ± 0.17 mmol TE/g), Cu²⁺ (113.55 ± 6.44 mg TE/g), and Fe³⁺ (74.52 ± 4.74 mg TE/g) reducing properties. The aqueous extracts obtained by infusion and HAE methods exerted the best anti-ABTS (103.59 ± 1.49 mg TE/g) and chelating (19.81 ± 0.05 mg EDTAE/g) activities, respectively. Methanolic extract from HAE recorded the highest acetylcholinesterase (2.55 ± 0.10 mg GALAE/g) and α-amylase (0.51 ± 0.02 mmol ACAE/g) inhibition activities, while that obtained by maceration showed the best butyrylcholinesterase (3.76 ± 0.31 mg GALAE/g) inhibition activity. Both extracts revealed the best tyrosinase inhibitory activity (25.15 ± 1.00 and 26.79 ± 2.36 mg KAE/g, p ≥ 0.05). G. acutidentatum maceration-derived aqueous extract showed selective anticancer activity against cells originating from human hypopharyngeal carcinoma. In conclusion, these findings indicated that G. acutidentatum is a promising source of alkaloids and phenolic compounds for variable pharmaceutical formulations. Full article

Brown seaweed is a promising source of polysaccharides and phenolics with industrial utility. This work reports the development of a green enzyme-assisted extraction method for simultaneously extracting polysaccharides and phenolics from the brown seaweed Padina gymnospora. Different enzymes (Cellulast, Pectinex, and Alcalase), individually and in combination, were investigated, with Alcalase alone showing the highest efficiency for the simultaneous extraction of polysaccharides and phenolics. Yields from Alcalase-assisted aqueous extraction were higher than those obtained using either water alone or conventional ethanol extraction. Alcalase-assisted extraction was subsequently optimized using a response surface methodology to maximize compound recovery. Maximal polysaccharide and phenolic recovery was obtained under the following extraction conditions: a water-to-sample ratio of 61.31 mL/g, enzyme loading of 0.32%, temperature of 60.5 °C, and extraction time of 1.95 h. The extract was then fractionated to obtain alginate-, fucoidan-, and phenolic-rich fractions. Fractions exhibited potent 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity with IC₅₀ values of 140.55 µg/mL, 126.21 µg/mL, and 48.17 µg/mL, respectively, which were higher than those obtained from conventional extraction methods. The current work shows that bioactive polysaccharides and phenolics can be obtained together in high yield through a single aqueous-only green and efficient Alcalase-assisted extraction. Full article

An ultrasound-enzyme-assisted extraction (UEAE) was optimized to extract, simultaneously, the hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds from three berry pomaces (raspberry, strawberry and blackberry). First, an enzyme screening designated a thermostable alkaline protease as the most suitable enzyme to recover, in an aqueous medium, the highest yields of polyphenols and oil in the most efficient way. Secondly, the selected enzyme was coupled to ultrasounds (US) in sequential and simultaneous combinations. The simultaneous US–alkaline enzyme combination was selected as a one-single-step process and was then optimized by definitive screening design (DSD). The optimized parameters were: US amplitude, 20% (raspberry pomace) or 70% (strawberry and blackberry pomaces); pH, 8; E/S ratio, 1% (w/w); S/L ratio, 6% (w/v); extraction time, 30 min; temperature, 60 °C. Compared to conventional extractions using organic solvents, the UEAE extracted all the polyphenols, with around 75% of the active polyphenols (measured by the DPPH^● method) and up to 75% of the initial oil from the berry pomaces. Characterized lipophilic compounds were rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), tocols and phytosterols. The polyphenolics were analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS; characteristic ellagitannins of the Rosaceae family (sanguiin H-6 or agrimoniin, sanguiin H-10, …) and ellagic acid conjugates were found as the major components. Full article

To obtain the optimal process for the enzyme−assisted aqueous extraction of polysaccharides from Acanthopanax senticosus, and study the physicochemical properties of polysaccharides of different molecular weights, the extraction of Acanthopanax polysaccharides was optimized using the BBD response surface test. The polysaccharides with different molecular weights were obtained by ethanol−graded precipitation at 40%, 60%, and 80%, which were presented as ASPS40, ASPS60, and ASPS80. The polysaccharides were analyzed by HPGPC, ion chromatography, FT−IR, UV, SEM, TGA, XRD, Congo red, and I₂−KI tests. The antioxidant assay was used to evaluate their antioxidant properties in vitro. The findings demonstrated that the recovery rate of Acanthopanax polysaccharide was 10.53 ± 0.682%, which is about 2.5 times greater compared to the conventional method of hot water extraction. Based on FT−IR, TGA, polysaccharides with different molecular weights did not differ in their structure or thermal stability. The XRD suggests that the internal structure of ASPSs is amorphous. Congo red and I₂−KI showed that all three polysaccharides had triple helix structures with longer branched chains and more side chains. Furthermore, the antioxidant results showed the antioxidant activity of polysaccharides is not only related to the molecular weight size but also can be related to its composition and structure. These studies developed a green, and scalable method to produce polysaccharides from Acanthopanax senticosus and evaluated the properties of Acanthopanax polysaccharides of different molecular weights. Full article

Phallus indusiatus, or bamboo mushroom, has been reported for its nutraceutical properties, while its cosmeceutical properties remain unclear. In this study, we conducted extractions of whole, fresh P. indusiatus using both aqueous and ethanolic methods. Among the extracts, ultrasonic-assisted extraction method with DI showed the highest antioxidant activity compared to the others. For cosmeceutical assessment, we evaluated the extracts’ inhibitory effects against ECM-degrading enzymes and found that they exhibited a modest inhibitory effect of approximately 50%. Remarkably, ultrasonic-assisted extraction with DI demonstrated promising cosmeceutical properties. Additionally, pressure-assisted extraction with DI showed a potentially protective effect against H₂O₂-induced DNA damage. To investigate the anti-melanogenic effect on MNT-1 cells, we treated them with the extracts and observed a significant decrease in cellular tyrosinase activity under α-MSH stimulation. This resulted in a relative reduction in melanin content. Notably, autoclaving extraction exhibited a significantly greater anti-melanogenic effect than the other extracts at the lowest concentration tested. Furthermore, the extracts demonstrated a reduction in NO production under LPS-induced inflammation. Hot water extraction with DI and ethanol exhibited a stronger anti-inflammatory effect compared to diclofenac, without any cytotoxicity. These findings highlight the hidden cosmeceutical properties of P. indusiatus and suggest its potential use as a bioactive ingredient in cosmetic formulations. Full article

Harmful algal blooms impact human welfare and are a global concern. Sargassum spp., a type of algae or seaweed that can potentially bloom in certain regions of the sea around Thailand, exhibits a noteworthy electron capacity as the sole reducing and stabilizing agent, which suggests its potential for mediating nanoparticle composites. This study proposes an eco-friendly microwave-assisted biosynthesis (MAS) method to fabricate silver nanoparticles coated with Sargassum aqueous extract (Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME). Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME were successfully synthesized in 1 min using a 20 mM AgNO₃ solution without additional hazardous chemicals. UV–visible spectroscopy confirmed their formation through a surface plasmon resonance band at 400–500 nm. XRD and FTIR analyses verified their crystalline nature and involvement of organic molecules. TEM and SEM characterization showed well-dispersed Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME with an average size of 36.43 nm. The EDS results confirmed the presence of metallic Ag⁺ and Cl⁻ ions. Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME exhibited significant antioxidant activity against free radicals (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP), suggesting their effectiveness. They also inhibited enzymes (tyrosinase and ACE) linked to diseases, indicating therapeutic potential. Importantly, the Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME displayed remarkable cytotoxicity against cancer cells (A375, A549, and Caco-2) while remaining non-toxic to normal cells. DNA ladder and TUNEL assays confirmed the activation of apoptosis mechanisms in cancer cells after a 48 h treatment. These findings highlight the versatile applications of Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals. Full article

Processing wood leads to the accumulation of considerable amounts of forest waste, such as branches, leaves and especially bark. These byproducts can be exploited for their high content of biomolecules. Our aim was to histo-anatomically and phytochemically characterize the older oak bark and evaluate the potential biological activities. After the histo-anatomical characterization and processing the plant material, the aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts were obtained using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). After the quantification of the total polyphenol content (TPC) and the total tannins content (TTC), the bark extracts were evaluated for antioxidant, antimicrobial and enzyme inhibitory activity. In the transverse section, the rhytidome (the succession of periderms) and the dead secondary phloem can be observed. The results of the polyphenol content of the oak bark extracts show that the hydroethanolic oak bark obtained using MAE has the highest absolute value of the TPC (347.74 mg/g). In comparison with the extracts obtained using UAE, the bark extracts obtained using MAE showed a significantly higher TPC. The greatest antioxidant and antibacterial activity were also recorded for the tested extracts. For gram-positive bacteria, the MBC values ranged from 0.3 (S. aureus) to 5 mg/mL and the oak bark extract obtained using MAE showed good activity against C. krusei (MIC—2.5 mg/mL). Among the assayed enzyme inhibitory activities, the extracts showed a significant antidiabetic effect in vitro with the highest activity corresponding to an IC₅₀ of 3.88 µg/mL. The older oak bark represents a potential source of compounds with antibacterial, antioxidant or antidiabetic activity, which can be exploited through the biorefining processes. Full article

The northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) is an ornamental oak species native to eastern America, being an invasive species in Europe, with increasing coverage. The aim of this work was to evaluate the biological potential of red oak bark extracts. Aqueous and ethanolic preparations were obtained by two extraction methods: ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave assisted extraction (MAE). The total phenolic and tannin contents were measured using spectrophotometric methods. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by two complementary methods (DPPH and ABTS). Antimicrobial potential was tested against five bacteria and three Candida species, and the effect on biofilm formation and synergism with gentamicin was also evaluated. Finally, enzyme inhibitory properties were assessed for α-glucosidase, tyrosinase, and acetylcholinesterase. The results indicated a higher phenolic content for the extracts obtained through MAE, while UAE bark extracts were rich in tannins. All the extracts exhibited antioxidant, anti-glucosidase, and anti-tyrosinase activity, while the antibacterial potential was mostly observed for the MAE extracts, especially against S. aureus, C. parapsilopsis, and C. krusei; inhibition of biofilm formation was observed only for MRSA. These findings show that the red oak bark might be an important source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Full article

Apricot kernel, a by-product of apricot fruit, is a rich source of proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates. Moreover, it can be used for medicinal purposes and the formation of food ingredients. Several techniques have been adopted for the extraction of bioactive compounds from the apricot kernel such as solvent extraction, ultra-sonication, enzyme-assisted, microwave-assisted, and aqueous extraction. Apricot kernels may help to fight against various diseases such as cancer and cancer immunotherapy, as well as reduce blood pressure. Additionally, the kernel is famous due to its diverse industrial applications in various industries and fields of research such as thermal energy storage, the cosmetic industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and the food industry. Especially in the food industry, the apricot kernel can be used in the preparation of low-fat biscuits, cookies, cakes, and the fabrication of antimicrobial films. Therefore, in this review article, the bioactivity of the apricot kernel is discussed along with its chemical or nutritional composition, characterizations, and applications. Full article

Enzyme-assisted extraction is a valuable tool for mild and environmentally-friendly extraction conditions to release bioactive compounds and sugars, essential for silver nanoparticle (AgNP) green synthesis as capping and reducing agents. In this research, plant and fungal kingdoms were selected to obtain the enzyme-assisted extracts, using green synthesized AgNPs. For the synthesis, pseudo-cereal Fagopyrum esculentum (F. esculentum) and lichen Certaria islandica (C. islandica) extracts were used as environmentally-friendly agents under heating in an aqueous solution. Raw and enzyme-assisted extracts of AgNPs were characterized by physicochemical, phytochemical, and morphological characteristics through scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The synthesized nanoparticles were spherical in shape and well dispersed, with average sizes ranging from 10 to 50 nm. This study determined the total phenolic content (TPC) and in vitro antioxidant activity in both materials by applying standard methods. The results showed that TPC, ABTS^•+, FRAP, and DPPH^• radical scavenging activities varied greatly in samples. The AgNPs derived from enzymatic hydrolyzed aqueous extracts C. islandica and F. esculentum exhibited higher antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial pathogens than their respective crude extracts. Results indicate that the extracts’ biomolecules covering the AgNPs may enhance the biological activity of silver nanoparticles and enzyme assistance as a sustainable additive to technological processes to achieve higher yields and necessary media components. Full article

In this research, we aimed to compare the biological activities related to cosmeceutical applications of glutinous rice husk extracted by aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) and conventional solvent extraction. Cellulase enzymes were used to assist the extraction process. The vanillic and ferulic acid contents of each extract were investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography, and their antioxidant and anti-aging activities were investigated by spectrophotometric methods. The irritation effects of each extract were investigated by the hen’s egg test on chorioallantoic membrane. The rice husk extract from AEE using 0.5% w/w of cellulase (CE0.5) contained the significantly highest content of vanillic and ferulic acid (p < 0.05), which were responsible for its biological activities. CE0.5 was the most potent antioxidant via radical scavenging activities, and possessed the most potent anti-skin wrinkle effect via collagenase inhibition. Aside from the superior biological activities, the rice husk extracts from AEE were safer than those from solvent extraction, even when 95% v/v ethanol was used. Therefore, AEE is suggested as a green extraction method that can be used instead of the traditional solvent extraction technique given its higher yield and high quality of bioactive compounds. Additionally, CE0.5 is proposed as a potential source of natural antioxidants and anti-aging properties for further development of anti-wrinkle products. Full article

Over recent years, the food industry has striven to reduce waste, mostly because of rising awareness of the detrimental environmental impacts of food waste. While the edible oils market (mostly represented by soybean oil) is forecasted to reach 632 million tons by 2022, there is increasing interest to produce non-soybean, plant-based oils including, but not limited to, coconut, flaxseed and hemp seed. Expeller pressing and organic solvent extractions are common methods for oil extraction in the food industry. However, these two methods come with some concerns, such as lower yields for expeller pressing and environmental concerns for organic solvents. Meanwhile, supercritical CO₂ and enzyme-assisted extractions are recognized as green alternatives, but their practicality and economic feasibility are questioned. Finding the right balance between oil extraction and phytochemical yields and environmental and economic impacts is challenging. This review explores the advantages and disadvantages of various extraction methods from an economic, environmental and practical standpoint. The novelty of this work is how it emphasizes the valorization of seed by-products, as well as the discussion on life cycle, environmental and techno-economic analyses of oil extraction methods. Full article

Flavonoid-rich leaves of the Ficus carica L. plant are usually discarded as waste. In this work, ultrasonic enzyme-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction (UEAATPE) was proposed as an innovative method to estimate the total flavonoids present in F. carica L. leaves. Total flavonoids were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by UPLC-QTOF-MS. At 38% (w/w) ethanol/18% (w/w) ammonium sulfate, we achieved the optimum conditions in which to establish an easy-to-form aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) as the final system. The optimal UEAATPE conditions were set at an enzymatic concentration of 0.4 U/g, 150 min enzymolysis time, an enzymolysis temperature of 50 °C, a liquid–solid ratio of 20:1 (mL/g), and 30 min ultrasonic time. The yields of the total flavonoids, i.e., 60.22 mg/g, obtained by UEAATPE were found to be 1.13-fold, 1.21-fold, 1.27-fold, and 2.43-fold higher than those obtained by enzyme-assisted ATPE (EAATPE), ultrasonic-assisted ATPE (UAATPE), ATPE, and soxhlet extraction (SE) methods, respectively. Furthermore, eleven flavonoids from the leaves of the F. carica L. plant were completely identified and fully characterized. Among them, ten flavonoids have been identified for the first time from the leaves of the F. carica L. plant. These flavonoids are quercetin 3-O-hexobioside-7-O-hexoside, 2-carboxyl-1,4-naphthohydroquinone-4-O-hexoside, luteolin 6-C-hexoside, 8-C-pentoside, kaempferol 6-C-hexoside-8-C-hexoside, quercetin 6-C-hexobioside, kaempferol 6-C-hexoside-8-C-hexoside, apigenin 2″-O-pentoside, apigenin 6-C-hexoside, quercetin 3-O-hexoside, and kaempferol 3-O-hexobioside. Therefore, F. carica L. leaves contain new kinds of unidentified natural flavonoids and are a rich source of biological activity. Therefore, this research has potential applications and great value in waste handling and utilization. Full article