Extraction and Characterization of Peppermint (Mentha piperita) Essential Oil and its Assessment as Antioxidant and Antibacterial

ABSTRACT       The aim of this study is to extract and characterize peppermint essential oil and assess it as antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The extraction processes, chemical composition, total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), antioxidant and antibacterial activity were studied. The oil was extracted by three methods: steam distillation, solvent and soxhelet.  The results indicated that the highest oil extraction was obtained by soxhelet method 1.5±0.12 and 1.2±0.12 ml/100 gm and the lowest result recorded by steam distillation 1.1±0.09 and 0.9±0.14 ml/100gm from fresh and dry samples, respectively. The chemical composition of fresh and dry sample were determined by using gas chromatography and the results showed that there were 26 components of volatile compounds were identified in the essential oil isolated from peppermint. The antibacterial potential of mint essential oils was evaluated by Muller Hinton agar well diffusion method against selected bacteria. The essential oils showed higher activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella 19±1.41 and 16.5±2.12 mm, respectively, for fresh sample and showed lower activity against Escherichia coli and Klebsilla pneumonia 8.5±0.70 mm and nil, respectively, for dry sample. The TPC of fresh and dry samples were 14.00±0.12 and 8.80±0.09 mg /kg, respectively. TFC of the mint essential oil was determined in comparison with rutin were 8.1±0.09 and 5.0±0.07mg/kg, for fresh and dry sample, respectively. The results showed decrease in peroxide value at 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 min compared with blank sample without essential oil for wet and dry mint. DPPH inhibition percentages were recorded and inhibition concentrations at 50% activity (IC50) were 0.651±0.09, 0.683±0.6 and 0.161±0.07 mg/mL for wet, dry samples and standard respectively. It can be recommended that further study on sensory analysis of food products containing mint essential oil to evaluate its acceptability and shelf life.

Efek Pelarut yang Berbeda terhadap Toksisitas Ekstrak Akar Tuba (Derris Elliptica)

Akar tuba (Derris elliptica) digunakan sebagai racun pada penangkapan ikan air tawar. Rotenon sebagai bahan aktif dari akar tuba sangat efektif untuk membunuh ikan tetapi penelitian tentang toksisitasnya masih sangat terbatas. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui tingkat toksisitas ekstrak akar tuba menggunakan pelarut etanol, heksan dan akuades dengan menggunakan dua hewan uji yaitu artemia (Artemia sp.) dan ikan mas (Cyprinus carpio). Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap (RAL) dengan 5 tingkat konsentrasi yang berbeda. Jumlah rendemen hasil ekstraksi pada pelarut etanol, heksan dan akuades berturut-turut 5; 3,6; 2,5%. Hasil penelitian pada artemia menunjukkan bahwa tingkat mortalitas 100% pelarut heksan terjadi pada konsentrasi 63 dan 100 mg/l; etanol 100 mg/l dan akuades 1000 mg/l. Hasil analisis probit pada artemia menunjukkan nilai LC50 (Lethal Concentration) 24 jam pada heksan, etanol dan akuades berturut-turut 37,03; 46,77; 307,47 mg/l. Hasil penelitian pada ikan mas menunjukkan bahwa tingkat mortalitas 100% pelarut heksan terjadi pada konsentrasi 3,979; 6,30 dan 9,96 mg/l dan pelarut etanol 9,96 mg/l. Hasil analisis probit pada hewan uji ikan mas menunjukkan nilai LC50-96 jam heksan dan etanol berturut-turut 3,83 dan 6,85 mg/l. Penelitian ini diharapkan mampu menjadi data awal untuk penggunaan akar tuba baik untuk meracuni ikan maupun untuk membius ikan

Ultrafast Transfer and Transient Entrapment of Photoexcited Mg Electron in Mg@C-60

Electron relaxation is studied in endofullerene Mg@C-60 after an initial localized photoexcitation in Mg by nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations. Two approaches to the electronic structure of the excited electronic states are used: (i) an independent particle approximation based on a density-functional theory description of molecular orbitals and (ii) a configuration-interaction description of the many-body effects. Both methods exhibit similar relaxation times, leading to an ultrafast decay and charge transfer from Mg to C-60 within tens of femtoseconds. Method (i) further elicits a transient trap of the transferred electron that can delay the electron-hole recombination. Results shall motivate experiments to probe these ultrafast processes by two-photon transient absorption or photoelectron spectroscopy in gas phase, in solution, or as thin films

Screening of Guava genotypes to natural infestation of fruit flies (Diptera:Tephritidae) in River Nile, Sennar and North Kordofan States, Sudan

The infesting species and their infestation indices of fruit flies were determined for guava genotypes (Psidium guajava L.),grown in River Nile, Sennar and North Kordofan States during the period from June to August 2010 .Twenty genotypes were selected from each state to be evaluated ,where ten mature fruits from each genotypes were harvested randomly from insecticide unsprayed trees. Fruits were brought to the laboratory and placed in individual plastic vials containing sand at the bottom to obtain the pupae. Infestation indices were estimated by means of total number of pupae/fruit. Pupal viability was then calculated based on the percentage of pupae resulted in fly emergence. Data was analyzed using analysis of variance and Duncan multiple range test for mean separations. Results showed that Guava fruits were infested by four fruit fly species Ceratitis cosyra, C.quinaira, C capitata and Bactrocera dorsalis constitute (82.2), (0.8), (16.7), (0.3% ) and 28.35 ,0.01 ,10.1 and 61.56% in River Nile and Sennar States respectively. While in North Kordofan State guava fruits were infested by C.cosyra, C.capitat and B.dorsalis 98.4,0.4 and 1.2% respectively. All the evaluated genotypes in River Nile and Sennar States were infested by the fruit fly with varying degrees only two genotypes 15 red flesh fruit and 19 white flesh fruit in Kordofan state were found free from fruit fly infestation. Infestation was much higher in Sennar and River Nile states (32 and 29 pupae/fruit) respectively compared to North Kordofan (1.6 pupae/fruit).The higher infestation rate occurred in ripe guava fruits (33) compared to 18 and 6 pupae/fruit in mature green and immature green fruit respectively

Wave function-dependent mobility and suppression of interface roughness scattering in a strained SiGe p-channel field-effect structure

The 4 K Hall mobility has been measured in a top-gated, inverted, modulation-doped Si/Si0.8Ge0.2 structure having a Si:B doping layer beneath the alloy. From comparisons with theoretical calculations, we argue that, unlike an ordinary enhancement-mode SiGe p-channel metal–oxide–semiconductor structure, this configuration leads to a decrease of interface roughness scattering with increasing sheet carrier density. We also speculate on the nature of the interface charge observed in these structures at low temperature

Chiral symmetry and the axial nucleon to Delta(1232) transition form factors

We study the momentum and the quark mass dependence of the axial nucleon to Delta(1232) transition form factors in the framework of non-relativistic chiral effective field theory to leading-one-loop order. The outcome of our analysis provides a theoretical guidance for chiral extrapolations of lattice QCD results with dynamical fermions.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figure

Prevalence of Color Blindness Among Students of Four Basic Schools in Koya City

Color blindness or color vision deficiency is X-linked recessive disorder that affects males more frequently than females. Abnormality in any one or all three cone photoreceptors caused Congenital disorders. Protanopia, deuteranopia results when long wavelength (L), photopigments (red), middle wavelength (M) and photopigments (green) are missing. This cross-sectional study was done to find out the prevalence of color vision deficiency among basic school students in Koya city with different ages and genders. The study was conducted in four basic schools that were present in Koya city (Zheen, Zanst, Nawroz and Najibaxan). All students screened by using Ishihara 24 plates. For the study (n=400, male=206, female=194, age=8-14) were selected & examined. The result revealed that the prevalence rate of the deficiency in four primary schools 3.39% (7) in males and 0% females.  The study concluded that color blindness is different between students in each school, cannot find the prevalence of Color blindness in females in each school and affects males more than females because color blindness is an X-linked recessive disorder. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of color blindness in some basic schools in Koya city, Kurdistan Region/ Iraq

Klauder's coherent states for the radial Coulomb problem in a uniformly curved space and their flat-space limits

First a set of coherent states a la Klauder is formally constructed for the Coulomb problem in a curved space of constant curvature. Then the flat-space limit is taken to reduce the set for the radial Coulomb problem to a set of hydrogen atom coherent states corresponding to both the discrete and the continuous portions of the spectrum for a fixed \ell sector.Comment: 10 pages, no figure

Oral-health-related background factors and dental service utilisation among Sudanese children with and without a congenital heart defects

Background: Sudanese children with congenital heart defects (CHDs) were found to have poorer oral health than those without CHDs. The aims of this study were to: describe the patterns of oral-health-related background factors in children with and without CHD and explore any differences, and to evaluate the effects of background factors on caries and gingivitis prevalence and dental services utilisation. Methods: In this analytical cross-sectional study, caregivers of children aged 3–12 years with (CHD cases n = 111) and without CHDs (Controls n = 182), underwent face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire items covered several oral health background factors (independent variables) including: child’s health status, oral hygiene practices, dental services utilization, mother’s level of education, and caregiver’s perception and awareness of their child’s oral health. The relationship between these factors and occurrence of ‘caries’ and ‘gingivitis’ as well as ‘child’s dental services utilisation’ (dependent variables) were explored using multiple adjusted and hierarchal logistic regression analyses. Results: Compared with controls, CHD cases had lower frequencies of brushing and use of fluoridated toothpaste, and their caregivers were less knowledgeable about caries. Among CHD cases, the variables (brushing and fluoridated toothpaste use) had significant impacts on caries prevalence (odd ratio (OR) =5.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4–22.8 and OR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1–0.8 for infrequent compared to frequent ones, respectively) as well as the mother’s level of education (OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.0–6.4). When differences in background factors were controlled for, the adjusted ORs for caries and gingivitis prevalence in CHD cases compared with controls were 1.8, (95% CI: 1.1–3.2) and 5.3 (95% CI: 2.9–9.4), respectively. Among CHD cases, the child’s age (8–12 years: OR = 11.9, 95% CI: 1.9–71.6), and the mother’s level of education (lower education: OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.03–0.9) were significantly associated with the child’s dental services utilisation. Conclusions: Lower frequencies of brushing and use of fluoride tooth paste were reported among CHD cases, and brushing had the predominant significant impact on caries prevalence. The child’s age and the mother’s level of education were the main factors affecting the child’s (CHD cases) dental services utilisation