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Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Despite its well-known fragrance in cosmetics and medicine, a complete understanding of the phytochemical properties within by-products generated during commercial...
Despite its well-known fragrance in cosmetics and medicine, a complete understanding of the phytochemical properties within by-products generated during commercial extraction of Damask rose remains elusive. Cultivated in Thailand for their essential oil, Damask rose varieties, including Mon Dang Prasert, Mon Klai Kangwon, and Bishop's Castle, share phenylethyl alcohol (57.62-61.11%) as the dominant component, which is responsible for their characteristic floral, sweet, rosy, and bready aroma. Through a circular hydro-distillation process, three different by-product fractions, including distilled water (D), hydrosol (H), and rose dreg (R), were recovered. Subsequently, we assessed their pharmaceutical potential, including the antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-melanogenesis properties of these residual substances. The H fraction displayed the highest total phenolics (10.56 mgGAE/g) and flavonoids (6.93 mgCE/g) and significant antioxidant activity (IC, 0.67-0.97 µg/mL). While the H fraction inhibited melanin formation at 50 μg/mL, the R fraction of MK (100 μg/mL) surprisingly promoted melanin production in B16-F10 cells. Nevertheless, the antimicrobial assay against , , , , , and revealed no antimicrobial activity in any fraction. Murine macrophage stimulation (J774A.1) with lipopolysaccharide revealed no anti-inflammatory effects from the by-products, as measured by IL-1β production. In summary, the H fraction exhibited the highest level of phenolic and flavonoid contents, as well as antioxidant and anti-melanogenesis activities. Therefore, this by-product is a desirable choice for the development of value-added products such as functional food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products.
PubMed: 38931037
DOI: 10.3390/plants13121605 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024In this study, hybrid skeleton material ZIF-8@ZIF-67 was synthesized by the epitaxial growth method and then was utilized as a carrier for encapsulating lipase (PFL)...
In this study, hybrid skeleton material ZIF-8@ZIF-67 was synthesized by the epitaxial growth method and then was utilized as a carrier for encapsulating lipase (PFL) through the co-precipitation method, resulting in the preparation of immobilized lipase (PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67). Subsequently, it was further treated with glutaraldehyde to improve protein immobilization yield. Under optimal immobilization conditions, the specific hydrolytic activity of PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67 was 20.4 times higher than that of the free PFL. The prepared biocatalyst was characterized and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). Additionally, the thermal stability of PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67 at 50 °C was significantly improved compared to the free PFL. After 7 weeks at room temperature, PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67 retained 78% of the transesterification activity, while the free enzyme was only 29%. Finally, PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67 was applied to the neryl acetate preparation in a solvent-free system, and the yield of neryl acetate reached 99% after 3 h of reaction. After 10 repetitions, the yields of neryl acetate catalyzed by PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67 and the free PFL were 80% and 43%, respectively.
Topics: Enzymes, Immobilized; Pseudomonas fluorescens; Lipase; Esterification; Enzyme Stability; Zeolites; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Temperature; Acetates; X-Ray Diffraction; Biocatalysis; Imidazoles
PubMed: 38930986
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122922 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024This study presents fibers based on methacrylic acid-methyl methacrylate (Eudragit L100) as Cu(II) adsorbents, resulting in antimicrobial complexes. Eudragit L100, an...
This study presents fibers based on methacrylic acid-methyl methacrylate (Eudragit L100) as Cu(II) adsorbents, resulting in antimicrobial complexes. Eudragit L100, an anionic copolymer synthesized by radical polymerization, was electrospun in dimethylformamide (DMF) and ethanol (EtOH). The electrospinning process was optimized through a 2-factorial design, with independent variables (copolymer concentration and EtOH/DMF volume ratio) and three repetitions at the central point. The smallest average fiber diameter (259 ± 53 nm) was obtained at 14% / Eudragit L100 and 80/20 EtOH/DMF volume ratio. The fibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance mode (FTIR-ATR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The pseudo-second-order mechanism explained the kinetic adsorption toward Cu(II). The fibers exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity (q) of 43.70 mg/g. The DSC analysis confirmed the Cu(II) absorption, indicating complexation between metallic ions and copolymer networks. The complexed fibers showed a lower degree of swelling than the non-complexed fibers. The complexed fibers exhibited bacteriostatic activity against Gram-negative () and Gram-positive () bacteria. This study successfully optimized the electrospinning process to produce thin fibers based on Eudragit L100 for potential applications as adsorbents for Cu(II) ions in aqueous media and for controlling bacterial growth.
Topics: Copper; Polymethacrylic Acids; Anti-Infective Agents; Adsorption; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Staphylococcus aureus; Methacrylates; Kinetics; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; Microbial Sensitivity Tests
PubMed: 38930901
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122835 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Due to the intricate complexity of the original microbiota, residual heat-resistant enzymes, and chemical components, identifying the essential factors that affect dairy...
Due to the intricate complexity of the original microbiota, residual heat-resistant enzymes, and chemical components, identifying the essential factors that affect dairy quality using traditional methods is challenging. In this study, raw milk, pasteurized milk, and ultra-heat-treated (UHT) milk samples were collectively analyzed using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), high-throughput liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results revealed that raw milk and its corresponding heated dairy products exhibited different trends in terms of microbiota shifts and metabolite changes during storage. Via the analysis of differences in microbiota and correlation analysis of the microorganisms present in differential metabolites in refrigerated pasteurized milk, the top three differential microorganisms with increased abundance, ( 0.01), unclassified class ( 0.05), and ( 0.01), were detected; these were highly correlated with certain metabolites in pasteurized milk ( > 0.8). This indicated that these genera were the main proliferating microorganisms and were the primary genera involved in the metabolism of pasteurized milk during refrigeration-based storage. Microorganisms with decreased abundance were classified into two categories based on correlation analysis with certain metabolites. It was speculated that the heat-resistant enzyme system of a group of microorganisms with high correlation ( > 0.8), such as and , was the main factor causing milk spoilage and that the group with lower correlation ( < 0.3) had a lower impact on the storage process of pasteurized dairy products. By comparing the metabolic pathway results based on metagenomic and metabolite annotation, it was proposed that protein degradation may be associated with microbial growth, whereas lipid degradation may be linked to raw milk's initial heat-resistant enzymes. By leveraging the synergy of metagenomics and metabolomics, the interacting factors determining the quality evolution of dairy products were systematically investigated, providing a novel perspective for controlling dairy processing and storage effectively.
Topics: Microbiota; Animals; Milk; Food Storage; Pasteurization; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Dairy Products; Metagenomics; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Food Handling; Bacteria; Metabolome
PubMed: 38930811
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122745 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The current study was designed to uncover the chemistry and bioactivity potentials of growing wild in Jordan. In this context, the fresh aerial parts obtained from the...
The current study was designed to uncover the chemistry and bioactivity potentials of growing wild in Jordan. In this context, the fresh aerial parts obtained from the plant material were subjected to hydrodistillation followed by GC/MS analysis. The main components of the HDEO were γ-patchoulene (23.79%), β-dihydro agarofuran (23.50%), α-guaiene (14.11%), and valencene (13.28%). Moreover, the crude thanolic extract was partitioned to afford two main major fractions, the aqueous methanol (BLM) and butanol (BLB). Phytochemical investigation of both fractions, using conventional chromatographic techniques followed by careful inspection of the spectral data for the isolated compounds (NMR, IR, and UV-Vis), resulted in the characterization of five known compounds, including α-spinasteryl (), ethyl arachidate (), ethyl myristate (), quercetin-3--β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-4")-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (), and isorhamnetin-3--β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-4")-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (). The TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity testing of both fractions and HDEO revealed an interesting ABTS scavenging potential of the BLB fraction compared to the employed positive controls, which is in total agreement with its high TP and TF contents. Cytotoxic evaluation tests revealed that BLM had interesting cytotoxic effects on the normal breast cell line MDA-MB-231 (ATCC-HTB-26) and the normal dermal fibroblast (ATCC PCS-201-012) and normal African green monkey kidney Vero (ATCC-CCL-81) cell lines. Despite both the BLB and BLM fractions showing interesting AChE inhibition activities (IC = 217.9 ± 5.3 µg/mL and 139.1 ± 5.6 µg/mL, respectively), the HDEO revealed an interestingly high AChE inhibition power (43.8 ± 2.7 µg/mL) that far exceeds the one observed for galanthamine (91.4 ± 5.2 µg/mL). The HDEO, BLM, and BLB exhbitied no interesting antimicrobial activity against , , , , or .
Topics: Jordan; Plant Extracts; Antioxidants; Animals; Bupleurum; Humans; Vero Cells; Phytochemicals; Chlorocebus aethiops; Cell Line, Tumor; Plant Components, Aerial; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Cell Survival; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
PubMed: 38930796
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122730 -
Microorganisms Jun 2024Enhanced denitrification has been reported under weak electric fields. However, it is difficult to investigate the mechanism of enhanced denitrification due to the...
Enhanced denitrification has been reported under weak electric fields. However, it is difficult to investigate the mechanism of enhanced denitrification due to the complex interspecific interactions of mixed-culture systems. In this study, , capable of denitrification under anaerobic conditions, was selected for treating low COD/N (2.0, ratio between concentration of chemical oxygen demand and NO-N) artificial wastewater under constant external voltages of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 V. The results revealed that exhibited the highest efficiency in nitrate reduction at 0.2 V. Moreover, the maximum nitrate removal rate was 15.96 mg/(L·h) among the closed-circuit groups, 19.39% higher than that under the open-circuit group. Additionally, a notable reduction in nitrite accumulation was observed under weak electric fields. Enzyme activity analysis showed that the nitrate reductase activities were significantly increased among the closed-circuit groups, while nitrite reductase activities were inhibited. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and energy metabolism were increased, enhancing the resistance of to environmental stress and the efficiency of carbon source utilization for denitrification. The current study examined the impacts of weak electric fields on enzyme activities and microbial metabolic pathways and offers valuable insights into the mechanism by which denitrification is enhanced by weak electric fields.
PubMed: 38930600
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061218 -
Microorganisms Jun 2024The World Health Organization (WHO) has prioritized developing new drugs against specific bacteria and fungi, such as and spp. While is commonly called the...
The World Health Organization (WHO) has prioritized developing new drugs against specific bacteria and fungi, such as and spp. While is commonly called the "cure-everything", its scientifically proven benefits are limited to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. Therefore, this study aims to determine the spectrum of antimicrobial activity of and assess its cytotoxicity. Thus, broth microdilution test was conducted according to the CLSI M7-A9 and M27-A3 reference methods. After screening, microbial species with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were selected for biofilm tests. These tests evaluated biomass using the crystal violet (CV) test, metabolic activity using the MTT assay, and structural analysis via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Cytotoxicity was evaluated in human gingival fibroblasts (FMM-1). There were reductions of 29.4 and 42.7% in CV and MTT assays for spp. biofilm. and biofilms showed a decrease of 15.7 and 28.6%, respectively. Cell viability tests indicated 55.1, 56.9, and 65.5% of viability after contact with 1.93, 0.96, and 0.48 mg/mL of the extract, respectively. The extract showed antimicrobial action, displayed MIC values, and antibiofilm action on , and . The cytotoxicity on the FMM-1 cell line was dose-dependent. Therefore, extract holds significant potential for developing new drugs.
PubMed: 38930547
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061165 -
Microorganisms Jun 2024Cherry tomatoes, a very popular fruit, are highly susceptible to microbial infestation, which cause significant economic losses. In order to preserve cherry tomatoes...
Cherry tomatoes, a very popular fruit, are highly susceptible to microbial infestation, which cause significant economic losses. In order to preserve cherry tomatoes better, we treat them with a Chitosan (CTS) and Curdlan (CUR) composite coating. The lowest inhibitory concentration of CTS/CUR composite coating on and , the growth curves, and the changes of the cell lysis rate were determined to explore the inhibitory mechanism of CTS/CUR composite coating on and and the microscopic morphology of and was observed using scanning electron microscopy at the same time. The results showed that the CTS/CUR composite coating could effectively inhibit the growth of and , and the inhibitory effect reflected the concentration-dependent characteristics. The electron microscopy results indicated that the inhibition of and by the CTS/CUR composite coating might originate from its disruptive effect on the cell wall and cell membrane of the bacterium.
PubMed: 38930531
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061149 -
Microorganisms May 2024and are extensively utilized to investigate fungal pathogenic mechanisms and to develop biological control agents. Notwithstanding, notable distinctions exist in their...
and are extensively utilized to investigate fungal pathogenic mechanisms and to develop biological control agents. Notwithstanding, notable distinctions exist in their pathogenicity against the same host insect. This study aimed to elucidate the pathogenic differences between and by examining the impact of various ratios of strain AJS91881 and strain SXBN200920 on fifth instar larvae of , focusing on early infection stages and intestinal microbial community structure. The lethal time 50 (LT) for was significantly lower than that for , indicating greater efficacy. Survival analyses in mixed groups (ratios of 1:9, 1:1, and 9:1 to ) consistently demonstrated higher virulence of . Intestinal microbial diversity analysis revealed a significant increase in and in larvae infected with , whereas was notably higher in those infected with Additionally, significant shifts in microbial genera abundances were observed across all mixed infection groups. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated that and employ distinct pathogenic strategies during early infection stages. tests confirmed the superior growth and stress resistance of compared to but the antifungal ability of was better than that of In conclusion, our findings provide preliminary insights into the differential pathogenic behaviors of and during the early infection stages in larvae, enhancing our understanding of their mechanisms and informing biological pest control strategies in agriculture and forestry.
PubMed: 38930511
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061129 -
Microorganisms May 2024aeruginosa is a pathogen that causes healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) worldwide. It is unclear whether isolated from the natural environment has the same...
aeruginosa is a pathogen that causes healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) worldwide. It is unclear whether isolated from the natural environment has the same pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance potential as clinical strains. In this study, virulence- and resistance-associated genes were compared in 14 genomic sequences of clinical and environmental isolates of using the VFDB, PATRIC, and CARD databases. All isolates were found to share 62% of virulence genes related to adhesion, motility, secretion systems, and quorum sensing and 72.9% of resistance genes related to efflux pumps and membrane permeability. Our results indicate that both types of isolates possess conserved genetic information associated with virulence and resistance mechanisms regardless of the source. However, none of the environmental isolates were associated with high-risk clones (HRCs). These clones (ST235 and ST111) were found only in clinical isolates, which have an impact on human medical epidemiology due to their ability to spread and persist, indicating a correlation between the clinical environment and increased virulence. The genomic variation and antibiotic susceptibility of environmental isolates of suggest potential biotechnological applications if obtained from sources that are under surveillance and investigation to limit the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistant strains.
PubMed: 38930498
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061116