Ractopamine at the Center of Decades-Long Scientific and Legal Disputes: A Lesson on Benefits, Safety Issues, and Conflicts

Ractopamine (RAC) is a synthetic phenethanolamine, β–adrenergic agonist used as a feed additive to develop leanness and increase feed conversion efficiency in different farm animals. While RAC has been authorized as a feed additive for pigs and cattle in a limited number of countries, a great majority of jurisdictions, including the European Union (EU), China, Russia, and Taiwan, have banned its use on safety grounds. RAC has been under long scientific and political discussion as a controversial antibiotic as a feed additive. Here, we will present significant information on RAC regarding its application, detection methods, conflicts, and legal divisions that play a major role in controversial deadlock and why this issue warrants the attention of scientists, agriculturists, environmentalists, and health advocates. In this review, we highlight the potential toxicities of RAC on aquatic animals to emphasize scientific evidence and reports on the potentially harmful effects of RAC on the aquatic environment and human health

Analysis of Monoglycerides, Diglycerides, Sterols, and Free Fatty Acids in Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) Oil by 31P NMR Spectroscopy

Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P NMR) was used to differentiate virgin coconut oil (VCO) from refined, bleached, deodorized coconut oil (RCO). Monoglycerides (MGs), diglycerides (DGs), sterols, and free fatty acids (FFAs) in VCO and RCO were converted into dioxaphospholane derivatives and analyzed by 31P NMR. On the average, 1-MG was found to be higher in VCO (0.027%) than RCO (0.019%). 2-MG was not detected in any of the samples down to a detection limit of 0.014%. On the average, total DGs were lower in VCO (1.55%) than RCO (4.10%). When plotted in terms of the ratio [1,2-DG/total DGs] versus total DGs, VCO and RCO samples grouped separately. Total sterols were higher in VCO (0.096%) compared with RCO (0.032%), and the FFA content was 8 times higher in VCO than RCO (0.127% vs 0.015%). FFA determination by 31P NMR and titration gave comparable results. Principal components analysis shows that the 1,2-DG, 1,3-DG, and FFAs are the most important parameters for differentiating VCO from RCO

Studies on Standards for Commercial Virgin Coconut Oil

A minimum set of analytical methods is recommended for the differentiation of virgin coconut oil (VCO) from refined, bleached and deodorized coconut oil (RBD CNO): % fatty acid composition,% moisture by Karl Fischer (0.10%), % volatile matter at 120°C (0.10-0.20%), % free fatty acids as lauric acid (0.2%), peroxide value (3 meq/kg), and microbial contamination by colony forming units (\u3c10 cfu/mL). The% fatty acid composition was determined using an internal standard and molecular weight correction from the fatty acid methyl ester to the fatty acid. This method yields absolute amounts of fatty acid in the oil. The absolute amount of oleic acid and linoleic acid can be used to replace the iodine value. Principal components analysis of the fatty acid composition indicates that it is not affected by the processing method

Standards for essential composition and quality factors of commercial virgin coconut oil and its differentiation from RBD coconut oil and copra oil

Commercial samples of virgin coconut oil (VCO), refined, bleached and deodorized coconut oil (RBD CNO), and copra oil were analyzed using standard chemical parameters: gas chromatography (GC) of the fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), % moisture by Karl Fischer titration, % volatile matter at 120° C, % free fatty acid, iodine value, peroxide value, and microbial contamination. Principal components analysis (PCA) of the GC-FAME results indicates that the various samples cannot be differentiated by their fatty acid composition, indicating that the fatty acid profile is not affected by the processing method. No trans-fatty acid was detected in all samples down to 0.01% (w/w) detection limit. VCO can be differentiated from RBD CNO and copra oil using the following tests: % moisture by Karl Fischer, % volatile matter volatile at 120° C, and peroxide value

Essential quality parameters of commercial virgin coconut oil

Chemical analyses conducted on commercial samples of virgin coconut oil (VCO) produced by four different methods gave the following ranges of values: % Fatty acid composition: C6: 0.24 to 0.49%; C8: 4.15 to 8.30%; C10: 4.27 to 5.75%; C12: 46.0 to 52.6%; C14: 16.0 to 19.7%; C16: 7.65 to 10.1%; C18: 2.86 to 4.63%; C18:1: 5.93 to 8.53%; C18:2: 1.00 to 2.16%; %moisture by Karl Fischer: 0.05 to 0.12%; %matter volatile at 120 0C: 0.12 to 0.18%; %free fatty acids as lauric acid: 0.042 to 0.329%; and peroxide value: none detected to 1.40. The tests for %moisture by Karl Fischer and %matter volatile at 120 0C can be used to differentiate VCO from and refined, bleached and deodorized coconut oil (RBD CNO). No trans-fatty acid was detected in both VCO and RBD CNO down to 0.01% (w/w) detection limit

Tanshinone IIA exhibits anticonvulsant activity in zebrafish and mouse seizure models

Danshen or Chinese red sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza, Bunge) is used by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners to treat neurological, cardiovascular, and cerebrovas- cular disorders and is included in some TCM formulations to control epileptic seizures. In this study, acetonic crude extracts of danshen inhibited pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizure activity in zebrafish larvae. Subsequent zebrafish bioassay-guided fractio- nation of the extract resulted in the isolation of four major tanshinones, which suppressed PTZ-induced activity to varying degrees. One of the active tanshinones, tanshinone IIA, also reduced c-fos expression in the brains of PTZ-exposed zebrafish larvae. In rodent seizure models, tanshinone IIA showed anticonvulsive activity in the mouse 6-Hz psychomotor seizure test in a biphasic manner and modified seizure thresholds in a complex manner for the mouse i.v. PTZ seizure assay. Interestingly, tanshinone IIA is used as a prescription drug in China to address cerebral ischemia in patients. Here, we provide the first in vivo evidence demonstrating that tanshinone IIA has anticonvulsant properties as well