The protective effect of ascorbate and catechin against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in an isolated rat heart model

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is an important health concern in myocardial infarction and situations such as angioplasty and cardiac surgeries. Therefore, patients and physicians need therapeutic interventions that are applicable at the time of surgery. Flavonoids and ascorbate (vitamin C) are known for their antioxidant activity and may be involved in the currently known health benefits of plant based foods and drinks. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the extent to which ascorbate or catechin alone at levels which could be in blood after dietary supplementation, can protect myocardial tissue in the reperfusion phase of I/R injury, and 2) evaluate the possible cooperative or synergistic protective effect of ascorbate and catechin when given together. Isolated rat hearts (n=48) were perfused in the retrograde mode with modified Krebs-Henseleit buffer, and following the induction of 30 min global ischemia, ascorbate (150 µM) and/or catechin (5 µM) were added directly into the perfusate during 90 min reperfusion. To determine the histopathological features, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain was used in one heart per condition; while to assess the biochemical analysis, the heart tissues were assessed for apoptosis (caspase-3 activity), oxidative stress (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and total malondialdehyde (MDA) levels), and redox status (reduced and oxidized glutathione tissue levels). A comparison of IR hearts with two controls, sham (perfused for a 15 min stabilization period) and continuous perfusion (perfused for 135 min), showed in most but not all measurements that this was a suitable model of IR injury. The treatment experiments showed that 150 µM ascorbate protected the heart against lipid peroxidation and cell apoptosis by 100%, while 5 µM catechin protected by 67% and 90% respectively. No cooperative protective effect could be observed when ascorbate and catechin were used together. None of the treatments significantly affected either reduced or oxidized glutathione levels. In conclusion, this study showed strong protection by ascorbate, which could be used in clinically relevant situations, and is the first to report the protection by catechin at this dose under conditions of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Relationship Among In-Situ and Laboratory Determinations of Soil Field Capacity Under Arid Conditions

To investigate the relationship among field capacity (FC) in–situ and laboratory determinations of soil moisture content under different applied pressures of different soil textural classes, one hundred and sixty-eight of surface samples were collected. The collected samples were classified to seven groups based on the USDA texture triangle. Simulated field determinations of in-situ FC were done and the obtained results revealed that the elapsed time to reach FC and the values of soil moisture tension are different according to soil textural class. Generally, increasing water-holding pores and/or fine capillary pores, both moisture tension at FC (hfc) and elapsed time to reach it after heavy irrigation (tfc) are increased. Sand and loamy sand soils, have the highest significant correlation coefficient between in- situ FC and soil water content balanced with 60 mbar of applied pressure. While sandy loam soil achieves the highest significant value of correlation coefficient, at 100 mbar of applied pressure. The significant correlation coefficients among FC - in situ - and soil moisture content balanced with 330 mbar of applied pressure of the other soil textural classes under study are found

From Maleic Anhydrides to Substituted Resorcinols

Symmetrically substituted maleic anhydrides react at -78 °C with lithiomethyl phenyl sulfone to give the corresponding 4-hydroxy-4-(phenylsulfonylmethyl)-buteno-4-lactones, which, on treatment with Mel/K2CO3 in acetone, are transformed into 5-methyl-5-phenylsulfonylcyclopent-2-ene-1,4-diones. These compounds rearrange in the presence of an excess of lithiomethyl phenyl sulfone at -78 °C and then butyllithium at -5 °C to ambient temperature into 4,5-disubstituted 6-methyl-2-phenylsulfonyl-resorcinols

Formation of Substituted Benzo[a]heptalenes via Bergman Cyclization of Vicinal Di(ethynyl)-heptalenes

By Hafner's synthesis, dimethyl heptalene-4,5-dicarboxylates are easily available from azulenes and dimethyl acetylene-dicarboxylate. Treatment with Takai reagent leads to 4-acetylheptalene-5-carboxylates, which by the procedure of Negishi et al. are further transformed into 4-ethynyl-heptalene-5-carboxylates. Reduction to heptalene-5-methanols, followed by Swern oxidation yields the corresponding heptalene-5-carbaldehydes. Treatment with trimethylsilyldiazomethane in the presence of butyllithium gives 4,5-di(ethynyl)-heptalenes, which on heating in chlorobenzene in the presence of cyclohexa-1,4-diene are transformed into benzo[a]heptalenes

Alkylation reactions at the benzo moiety of 2,4-Dimethoxy-3-(phenylsulfonyl)benzo[a]heptalenes – model compounds of colchicinoids

Alkylation reactions of 3-(X-sulfonyl)benzo[a]heptalene-2,4-diols (X¼Ph, morpholin-4-yl) and their dimethyl ethers were studied. The diols form with K2CO3/MeI in aqueous media the 1-methylated benzoheptalenes, but in yields not surpassing 20% (Table 1). On the other hand, 2,4-dimethoxybenzo[a]heptalenes can easily be lithiated at C(3) with BuLi and then treated with alkyl iodides to give the 3-alkylated forms in good yield (Table 2). Surprising is the reaction with two equiv. or more of t-BuLi since the alkylation at C(4) is accompanied by the reductive elimination of the X-sulfonyl group at C(3) (Table 3). Most exciting is also the course of 2,4-dimethoxy-3-(phenylsulfonyl) benzo[a]heptalenes in the presence of an excess of MeLi. After the expected exchange of MeO against Me at C(4) (Scheme 6), rearrangement takes place under formation of 4-benzyl-2-methoxybenzo[a]heptalenes and concomitant loss of the sulfonyl group at C(3) (Table 4). In the case of X=morpholin-4-yl, rearrangement cannot occur. However, the intermediate benzyl anions of Type E (Scheme 8) react easily with O2 of the air to build up corresponding benzo[a]heptalene-4-methanols (Table 6)

Ethanol and its Halal status in food industries

Background Ethanol is an important organic solvent and substrate which extensively used in research and industries. It is the main ingredient produced during fermentation of carbohydrates derived from fruits and other biomass substances. Halal status of ethanol is controversial and it is rational use is ambiguous. Scope and Approach In this review, the issue of ethanol in food industries is addressed. Ethanol is a sensitive, controversial and main issue in the production of Halal (Permitted, Allowed) products. Setting the limit of ethanol in Halal food industries is needed to facilitate food production and complied with certain religious demands. This review gives an overview of ethanol, types, application, advantages, and disadvantages. An attempt to set a limit of ethanol in food industries, supported by scientific facts and Islamic rules, is described. Key Findings and Conclusion Halal status of ethanol is highly controversial but rarely classified based on its source and concentration. Any ethanol produced by anaerobic fermentation and ranging between 1 and 15% is considered to be Haram (non-Halal, Forbidden), whereas ethanol produced by natural fermentation and less than 1% is considered as preserving agent and its Halal status is allowed. Any ethanolic solution higher than 15% is treated as a toxic solution but still could be used in industries, meanwhile, an ethanolic solution prepared by dilution from absolute or denatured ethanol is allowed for industrial used but toxic for human consumption. However, any concentration varied from 0.1 to 100% prepared with the intention to be used as a beverage drink is consider non-Halal