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Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences 2023Neuropathic pain (NP) is a type of chronic pain usually caused by damage to the somatosensory system. Bioactive antioxidant compounds, such as curcumin and ginger, are...
BACKGROUND/AIM
Neuropathic pain (NP) is a type of chronic pain usually caused by damage to the somatosensory system. Bioactive antioxidant compounds, such as curcumin and ginger, are widely preferred in the treatment of NP. However, the ingredient-based mechanism that underlies their pain-relieving activity remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of trans-[6]-Shogaol and [6]-Gingerol active ingredients of the Roscoe extract on the spinal cord and cortex in the neuroinflammatory pathway in rats with experimental sciatic nerve injury.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Forty-six volatile phenolic components were identified in ginger samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Thirty 3-month-old male 250-300 g Wistar Albino rats were divided into three groups as (i) sham, (ii) chronic constriction injury (CCI), and (iii) CCI+ginger. NP was induced using the CCI model. A ginger extract treatment enriched with trans-[6]-shogaol and [6]-gingerol active ingredients was administered by gavage at 200 mg/kg/day for 7 days. On the 14th day of the experiment, locomotor activity was evaluated in open field and hyperalgesia in tail flick tests.
RESULTS
In behavioural experiments, a significant decrease was observed in the CCI group compared to the sham group, while a significant increase was observed in the CCI+ginger group compared to the CCI group (p < 0.05). In the spinal cord and cortex tissues, there was a significant increase in the TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18 neuroinflammation results of the CCI group compared to the sham group, while there was a significant decrease in the CCI+ginger group compared to the CCI group.
CONCLUSION
In this study, ginger treatment was shown to have a therapeutic effect on neuroinflammation against sciatic nerve damage.
Topics: Animals; Fatty Alcohols; Catechols; Neuralgia; Rats; Male; Rats, Wistar; Zingiber officinale; Disease Models, Animal; Cytokines; Plant Extracts; Sciatic Nerve; Spinal Cord
PubMed: 38813490
DOI: 10.55730/1300-0144.5728 -
Food Chemistry: X Jun 2024Microbial composition plays an important role in the quality and flavor of bacon. The aims of this study were to detect bacterial community succession using...
Microbial composition plays an important role in the quality and flavor of bacon. The aims of this study were to detect bacterial community succession using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and volatile flavor compound changes using gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) during the production of Zhenba bacon. The results showed that a total of 70 volatile compounds were detected. Among them, ketones, hydrocarbons, aldehydes, esters and alcohols were the main substances in the curing and smoking stages. In addition, the fungal abundance was greater than the bacterial abundance, and there was obvious succession of the microbial community with changes in fermentation time and processing technology. The main functional bacterial genera in the curing and smoking stages were , and , and the main fungal genera were and . Through correlation analysis, we found that pyrrole, 2-pentanol, methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and ethyl acetate (EA) were significantly correlated with , , and ( < 0.01), and it is speculated that they contribute significantly to flavor formation. The results of this study are helpful for understanding the microbial dynamics and characteristic volatile flavor compounds in Zhenba bacon, and provide new insights into the relationship between microorganisms and flavor through potential correlations.
PubMed: 38813459
DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101478 -
PloS One 2024A low technology emanator device for slowly releasing vapour of the volatile pyrethroid transfluthrin was recently developed in Tanzania that provides robust protection...
BACKGROUND
A low technology emanator device for slowly releasing vapour of the volatile pyrethroid transfluthrin was recently developed in Tanzania that provides robust protection against night biting Anopheles and Culex vectors of malaria and filariasis for several months. Here these same emanator devices were assessed in Dar es Salaam city, as a means of protection against outdoor-biting Aedes (Stegomia) aegypti, the most important vector of human arboviruses worldwide, in parallel with similar studies in Haiti and Brazil.
METHODS
A series of entomological experiments were conducted under field and semi-field conditions, to evaluate whether transfluthrin emanators protect against wild Ae. aegypti, and also compare the transfluthrin responsiveness of Ae. aegypti originating from wild-caught eggs to established pyrethroid-susceptible Ae. aegypti and Anopheles gambiae colonies. Preliminary measurements of transfluthrin vapour concentration in air samples collected near treated emanators were conducted by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
RESULTS
Two full field experiments with four different emanator designs and three different transfluthrin formulations consistently indicated negligible reduction of human landing rates by wild Ae. aegypti. Under semi-field conditions in large cages, 50 to 60% reductions of landing rates were observed, regardless of which transfluthrin dose, capture method, emanator placement position, or source of mosquitoes (mildly pyrethroid resistant wild caught Ae. aegypti or pyrethroid-susceptible colonies of Ae. aegypti and An. gambiae) was used. Air samples collected immediately downwind from an emanator treated with the highest transfluthrin dose (15g), contained 12 to 19 μg/m3 transfluthrin vapour.
CONCLUSIONS
It appears unlikely that the moderate levels of pyrethroid resistance observed in wild Ae. aegypti can explain the modest-to-undetectable levels of protection exhibited. While potential inhalation exposure could be of concern for the highest (15g) dose evaluated, 3g of transfluthrin appears sufficient to achieve the modest levels of protection that were demonstrated entomologically. While the generally low levels of protection against Aedes reported here from Tanzania, and from similar entomological studies in Haiti and Brazil, are discouraging, complementary social science studies in Haiti and Brazil suggest end-users perceive valuable levels of protection against mosquitoes. It therefore remains unclear whether transfluthrin emanators have potential for protecting against Aedes vectors of important human arboviruses.
Topics: Animals; Fluorobenzenes; Tanzania; Aedes; Cyclopropanes; Mosquito Control; Insecticides; Mosquito Vectors; Humans; Anopheles; Insect Bites and Stings; Pyrethrins
PubMed: 38809841
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299722 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica are cosmopolitan, destructive postharvest pests. Although research has investigated how high densities of T. castaneum...
Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica are cosmopolitan, destructive postharvest pests. Although research has investigated how high densities of T. castaneum affect attraction to the aggregation pheromone by conspecifics, research into the behavioral response of both species to food cues after high density exposure has been lacking despite its importance to foraging ecology. Our goal was to manipulate and observe the effects of crowding on the behavioral response of both species to common food and pheromonal stimuli and to determine how the headspace emission patterns from grain differed under increasing densities. Densities of colonies for both species was altered (10-500 adults) on a fixed quantity of food (10 g of flour or whole wheat), then the behavioral response to common food and pheromonal cues was evaluated in a wind tunnel and release-recapture experiment, while volatiles were examined through gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Importantly, at least for T. castaneum, crowded conditions attenuate attraction to food-based stimuli, but not pheromonal stimuli. Crowding seemed to have no effect on R. dominica attraction to food and pheromonal stimuli in the wind tunnel, but exposure to high density cues did elicit 2.1-3.8-fold higher captures in traps. The relative composition and abundance of headspace volatiles emitted varied significantly with different densities of beetles and was also species-specific. Overall, our results have implications for expanding our understanding of the foraging ecology of two economically important pests.
Topics: Animals; Tribolium; Coleoptera; Feeding Behavior; Pheromones; Population Density; Behavior, Animal
PubMed: 38806558
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62277-8 -
Methods and Protocols May 2024The European Union's recent decision to renew the authorization for the use of glyphosate until 15 December 2033 has stimulated scientific discussion all around the... (Review)
Review
Chromatographic Methods for the Determination of Glyphosate in Cereals Together with a Discussion of Its Occurrence, Accumulation, Fate, Degradation, and Regulatory Status.
The European Union's recent decision to renew the authorization for the use of glyphosate until 15 December 2033 has stimulated scientific discussion all around the world regarding its toxicity or otherwise for humans. Glyphosate is a chemical of which millions of tons have been used in the last 50 years worldwide to dry out weeds in cultivated fields and greenhouses and on roadsides. Concern has been raised in many areas about its possible presence in the food chain and its consequent adverse effects on health. Both aspects that argue in favor of toxicity and those that instead may indicate limited toxicity of glyphosate are discussed here. The widespread debate that has been generated requires further investigations and field measurements to understand glyphosate's fate once dispersed in the environment and its concentration in the food chain. Hence, there is a need for validated analytical methods that are available to analysts in the field. In the present review, methods for the analytical determination of glyphosate and its main metabolite, AMPA, are discussed, with a specific focus on chromatographic techniques applied to cereal products. The experimental procedures are explained in detail, including the cleanup, derivatization, and instrumental conditions, to give the laboratories involved enough information to proceed with the implementation of this line of analysis. The prevalent chromatographic methods used are LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/SIM, and GC-MS/MS, but sufficient indications are also given to those laboratories that wish to use the better performing high-resolution MS or the simpler HPLC-FLD, HPLC-UV, GC-NPD, and GC-FPD techniques for screening purposes. The concentrations of glyphosate from the literature measured in wheat, corn, barley, rye, oats, soybean, and cereal-based foods are reported, together with its regulatory status in various parts of the world and its accumulation mechanism. As for its accumulation in cereals, the available data show that glyphosate tends to accumulate more in wholemeal flours than in refined ones, that its concentration in the product strictly depends on the treatment period (the closer it is to the time of harvesting, the higher the concentration), and that in cold climates, the herbicide tends to persist in the soil for a long time.
PubMed: 38804332
DOI: 10.3390/mps7030038 -
Journal of Xenobiotics May 2024Disinfection during tertiary municipal wastewater treatment is a necessary step to control the spread of pathogens; unfortunately, it also gives rise to numerous...
Disinfection during tertiary municipal wastewater treatment is a necessary step to control the spread of pathogens; unfortunately, it also gives rise to numerous disinfection byproducts (DBPs), only a few of which are regulated because of the analytical challenges associated with the vast number of potential DBPs. This study utilized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) passive samplers, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS), and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) spectral deconvolution for suspect screening of DBPs in treated wastewater. PDMS samplers were deployed upstream and downstream of the chlorination unit in a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Abu Dhabi, and their extracts were analyzed using GC×GC-TOFMS. A workflow incorporating a multi-tiered, eight-filter screening process was developed, which successfully enabled the reliable isolation of 22 candidate DBPs from thousands of peaks. The NMF spectral deconvolution improved the match factor score of unknown mass spectra to the reference mass spectra available in the NIST library by 17% and facilitated the identification of seven additional DBPs. The close match of the first-dimension retention index data and the GC×GC elution patterns of DBPs, both predicted using the Abraham solvation model, with their respective experimental counterparts-with the measured data available in the NIST WebBook and the GC×GC elution patterns being those observed for the candidate peaks-significantly enhanced the accuracy of peak assignment. Isotopic pattern analysis revealed a close correspondence for 11 DBPs with clearly visible isotopologues in reference spectra, thereby further strengthening the confidence in the peak assignment of these DBPs. Brominated analogues were prevalent among the detected DBPs, possibly due to seawater intrusion. The fate, behavior, persistence, and toxicity of tentatively identified DBPs were assessed using EPI Suite™ and the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard. This revealed their significant toxicity to aquatic organisms, including developmental, mutagenic, and endocrine-disrupting effects in certain DBPs. Some DBPs also showed activity in various CompTox bioassays, implicating them in adverse molecular pathways. Additionally, 11 DBPs demonstrated high environmental persistence and resistance to biodegradation. This combined approach offers a powerful tool for future research and environmental monitoring, enabling accurate identification and assessment of DBPs and their potential risks.
PubMed: 38804286
DOI: 10.3390/jox14020033 -
Heliyon May 2024The growing amount of plastic waste requires new ways of disposal or recycling. Research into the biodegradation of recalcitrant plastic polymers is gathering pace....
The growing amount of plastic waste requires new ways of disposal or recycling. Research into the biodegradation of recalcitrant plastic polymers is gathering pace. Despite some progress, these efforts have not yet led to technologically and economically viable applications. In this study, we show that respirometric screening of environmental fungal isolates in combination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy can be used to identify new strains with the potential for the degradation of plastic polymers. We screened 146 fungal strains, 71 isolated from car repair shops, an environment rich in long-chain hydrocarbons, and 75 isolated from hypersaline water capable of growing at high concentrations of NaCl. When grown in a minimal medium with no carbon source, some strains produced significantly more CO when a pure plastic polymer was added to the medium, some only at high salinity. A selection of these strains was shown by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy to alter the properties of plastic polymers: sp. EXF-13502 on polyamide, EXF-13500 on polypropylene, sp. EXF-10630 on low-density polyethylene and EXF-6848 on polyethylene terephthalate. Respirometry in combination with specific spectroscopic methods is an efficient method for screening microorganisms capable of at least partial plastic degradation and can be used to expand the repertoire of potential plastic degraders. This is of particular importance as our results also show that individual strains are only active against certain polymers and under certain conditions. Therefore, efficient biodegradation of plastics is likely to depend on a collection of specialized microorganisms rather than a single universal plastic degrader.
PubMed: 38803974
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31130 -
Heliyon May 2024This study focused on the testing of castor oil leaf as corrosion inhibitor of mild steel in HSO. It involved the examination of the dynamics of molecular forces at the...
This study focused on the testing of castor oil leaf as corrosion inhibitor of mild steel in HSO. It involved the examination of the dynamics of molecular forces at the inhibitor and mild steel interface. Findings of the study will promote industrial diversification of castor oil leaf. On the experiment, bio-molecular compounds of the leaf were identified by gas chromatography mass spectrophotometer. Then, gravimetric and potentiodynamic polarization techniques were employed, where the efficacy and type of the inhibitor were determined. Considering the gravimetric process, factors of inhibitor concentration (0.2 g/L - 1.0 g/L), temperature (303 K-333 K) and time (8 h-24 h) were considered, with the inhibitor efficiency as the response. The efficiency was determined and optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN). On the other hand, potentiodynamic polarization process was used to identify the type of inhibitor. Adsorption quantities were ascertained through the subjection of the experimental raw data to various adsorption isotherms. The analyses showed that castor oil leaf contains methyl nicotinate and pyridine-4-carbohydrazide. The bio-molecular compounds possess heteroatoms N, S and O, signifying strong corrosion inhibitive tendencies High efficiency (96.25 %) was obtained, with ANN having better prediction capability than the RSM. Potentiodynamic polarization curves revealed castor oil leaf as mixed-type inhibitor On the adsorption phenomenon, the process of the inhibition was best fitted by Frumkin isotherm, revealing physical adsorption mechanism of Gibb's free energy less than -40 kJ/mol. As a mixed-type inhibitor, castor oil leaf should be applied for mitigation of anodic and cathodic corrosion.
PubMed: 38803856
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31168 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2024T (), commonly known as scalp ringworm, is a fungal infection affecting the scalp and hair. Among the causative agents, () stands out, often transmitted from cats to...
BACKGROUND
T (), commonly known as scalp ringworm, is a fungal infection affecting the scalp and hair. Among the causative agents, () stands out, often transmitted from cats to humans (). In this study, we investigated the efficacy of (), fruit extract against dermatophytes, particularly , both and . Additionally, we aimed to identify the active compounds responsible for suppressing fungal growth and assess the toxicity of on human cells.
METHODOLOGY
It conducted in two parts. First, Study include the preparation of fruit extract using methanol as the solvent, Phytochemical analysis of the plant extract including Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was conducted, Cytotoxicity assays were performed using HUH-7 cells, employing the MTT assay (1-(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide), Antimicrobial activity against was evaluated, including: Zone of inhibition (ZI), Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), cell alterations were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Second, , Albino Wistar male rats were included.
RESULTS
The phytochemical analysis of the methanolic extract from papaya revealed several functional groups, including hydroxyl, ammonia, alkane, carbonate, and alcohol. Additionally, the GC-MS analysis identified 15 compounds, with xanthosine and decanoic acid being the predominant components. The methanolic extract of papaya fruits demonstrated potent antifungal activity: ZI = 37 mm, MIC = 1,000 μg/mL, MFC = 1900 μg/mL, MTT results indicated lower cytotoxicity of the fruit extract at concentrations of 20 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, 100 μg/mL, 150 μg/mL, and 200 μg/mL, The IC50 revealed a significant decrease in cell viability with increasing extract concentration. Notably, papaya extract induced considerable alterations in the morphology of hyphae and spores. In animal tissue, improvements were observed among the group of rats which treated with Papaya extract. This study highlights the potential of fruits as a natural antifungal agent, warranting further exploration for clinical applications.
PubMed: 38803379
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1399671 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Gaharu bouya oil obtained from distillation of the woods from Gonystylus genus has attracted essential oil industry interest. However, the information about gaharu bouya...
Gaharu bouya oil obtained from distillation of the woods from Gonystylus genus has attracted essential oil industry interest. However, the information about gaharu bouya essential oil profile is limited. The presence of Gonystylus species is also critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Therefore, exploring the -omics profiles of Gonystylus bancanus, a native plant from Borneo Island, is important for Indonesia to conserve the population. This research investigated the metabolite profiling of G. bancanus oil, especially the volatile components of its essential oils. Distillations were performed in two technical ways: hydrodistillation on a laboratory scale and steam distillation on an industrial scale. According to LC-MS and GC-MS profiles, both essential oils displayed similar chemical compositions. This article also discusses the similarity of the chemical contents of gaharu bouya oil and agarwood oil from the gaharu superior type (Aquilaria) to support the value of the oil. This research also investigated the cytotoxicity of gaharu bouya oil against three cell lines: HeLa, MCF-7, and HT-29.
Topics: Humans; Oils, Volatile; Borneo; Wood; Thymelaeaceae; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Plant Oils; HeLa Cells; Cell Line, Tumor; Indonesia; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Cell Survival
PubMed: 38802441
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58529-2