Comparative Study on the Chemical Profile, Antioxidant Activity, and Enzyme Inhibition Capacity of Red and White Hibiscus sabdariffa Variety Calyces

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Family: Malvaceae) is believed to be domesticated by the people of western Sudan sometime before 4000 BC for their nutritional and medicinal properties. This study aimed to investigate the chemical profile, antioxidant activity, and enzyme inhibition property of extracts from red roselle (RR) and white roselle (WR) varieties grown in Sudan. Three aqueous extracts obtained by maceration, infusion, and decoction, in addition to the methanolic one, were prepared from the two roselle varieties. Results showed that the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents of RR were obtained from the extracts prepared by infusion (28.40 mg GAE/g) and decoction (7.94 mg RE/g) respectively, while those from the WR were recorded from the methanolic extract (49.59 mg GAE/g and 5.81 mg RE/g respectively). Extracts of RR were mainly characterized by high accumulation of chlorogenic acid (6502.34−9634.96 mg kg−1), neochlorogenic acid (937.57−8949.61 mg kg−1), and gallic acid (190−4573.55 mg kg−1). On the other hand, neochlorogenic acid (1777.05−6946.39 mg kg−1) and rutin (439.29−2806.01 mg kg−1) were the dominant compounds in WR. All extracts from RR had significant (p < 0.05) higher antioxidant activity than their respective WR except in their metal chelating power, where the methanolic extract of the latter showed the highest activity (3.87 mg EDTAE/g). RR extracts prepared by infusion recorded the highest antioxidant values (35.09, 52.17, 65.62, and 44.92 mg TE/g) in the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), CUPRAC (cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity), and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assays, respectively. All aqueous extracts from the WR exerted significant (p < 0.05) acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity (3.42−4.77 mg GALAE/g; GALAE = galantamine equivalents), while only one extract, obtained by maceration, from RR exerted AChE inhibitory activity (4.79 mg GALAE/g). All extracts of the RR showed relatively higher BChE (butyrylcholinesterase) inhibitory activity (3.71−4.23 mg GALAE/g) than the WR ones. Methanolic extracts of the two roselle varieties displayed the highest Tyr (tyrosinase) inhibitory activity (RR = 48.25 mg KAE/g; WR = 42.71 mg KAE/g). The methanolic extract of RR exhibited the highest amylase (0.59 mmol ACAE/g) and glucosidase (1.46 mmol ACAE/g) inhibitory activity. Molecular docking analysis showed that delphinidin 3,5-diglucoside, rutin, isoquercitrin, hyperoside, and chlorogenic acid exerted the most promising enzyme inhibitory effect. In conclusion, these findings indicated that the chemical profiles and biological activity of roselle varied according to the variety, extraction solvent, and technique used. These two roselle varieties can serve as a valuable source for the development of multiple formulations in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries

Determination of non-adherence in patients receiving Eltrombopag

Eltrombopag, an orally administered thrombopoietin receptor agonist, selectively binds to the transmembrane domain of the thrombopoietin receptor on the surface of platelets, megakaryocytes and megakaryocyte precursor cells (1). The aim of our research is to determine patient non-adherence and its impact on the effectiveness and safety of prescribed therapy, as well as the possibility of treatment failure. The observational, longitudinal, and retrospective study was conducted in the PHO University Clinic of Hematology in Skopje, R.N.Macedonia. 17 patients (9 men and 8 women) were followed from January to August 2023. Five of them were with diagnose aplastic anemia and 12 with immune thrombocytopenia. All of them treated with Eltrombopag. We have systematically reviewed medical records from the Department of Hospital pharmacy, collected anamnestic data and determine non-adherence to therapy, followed by dose frequency, double taking therapy, omitted doses, drug-drug interactions and food/supplement-drug interactions. Thirteen types of non-adherence were identified, of which 3(23,08%) were related to dose frequency, 1(7,69 %) was related to double taking therapy, 5(38,46%) were related to the possibility of drug-drug interactions, 2(15,38%) with possibility for food/supplement-drug interactions and 2(15,38 %) were related with omitted doses. Failure to adherence is a serious problem which not only affects the patient but also the health care system. The clinical pharmacist intervention can improve patient adherencе, because the most important determinants effectiveness and safety are adherence to the prescribed therapy, multiple drug and food/supplement interactions which can vary on dose-response relationship, and risk of insufficient effectiveness of therapy (2)

Surface and Morphological Features of ZrO2 Sol-Gel Coatings Obtained by Polymer Modified Solution

Thin, homogeneous ZrO2 films were obtained by spin coating method from ZrOCl2 8H2O solution, modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) (Mw = 400). The films have thickness of 80 nm and refractive index of about 1.45, which varied with the amount of added PEG. The thermal behaviour of the precursor was studied with thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the presence of a mixture of monoclinic and tetragonal ZrO2 polycrystalline phases with nanosized crystallites. The formation of hydrogen bonds among the organic and inorganic components was proved by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis, while the different defect centres were investigated with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the samples are dense and crack-free, with ganglia-like nanostructure. It was established that the addition of polymer resulted in the introduction of free volume in the films, which also varied with the content of PEG in the precursor solution

HPLC-DAD analysis of phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of Asphodeline lutea roots from Bulgaria and Turkey

Asphodeline lutea (L.) Rchb. is a wild edible plant, traditionally consumed in the Mediterranean diet, but there are limited literature data about its medicinal properties. Methanol extracts of A. lutea roots from Bulgarian (ALB) and Turkish (ALT) origin were evaluated for their antioxidant activity using various in vitro models: phosphomolybdenum assay, free radical scavenging activity, metal chelating activity and ferric and cupric reducing power. Both methanolic extracts were analyzed for phenolic derivatives by HPLC DAD. Caffeic acid was the dominant phenolic acid being present up to 2.19 +/- 0.020 mg/g extract in ALB. The highest content of (+) catechin (1.54 +/- 0.060 mg/g) and (-) epicatechin (3.18 +/- 0.160 mg/g) was found in ALB as well as total polyphenolics (22.45 +/- 0,95 mg/g GAEs/g extract). The ALT revealed the highest total flavonoid content (34.99 +/- 0.39 mg REs/g extract). Free radical scavenging activity of ALB against DPPH (25.39 +/- 0.36 mg TEs/g extract) and ABTS (33.99 +/- 1.06 mg TEs/g) was evaluated. In addition, ALB had stronger metal chelating activity (7.31 +/- 0,31 mg EDTAEs/g extract) and higher ferric (34.67 +/- 0.51 mg TEs/g extract) and cupric (23.82 +/- 0.36 mg TEs/g) reduction ability as compared with the ALT. Total antioxidant capacity of ALB in phosphomolybdenum test was assayed (236.80 +/- 0.86 mg AEs/g extract). A. lutea roots have a significant potential in safeguarding against various induced oxidative stress. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The Readiness of the Water Utilities in Bulgaria for Transition toward a Circular Economy

Urban water systems are still in their infancy regarding the transition toward a circular economy, despite the sporadic successful examples worldwide. This paper was aimed at analyzing the preparedness of four water utilities in Bulgaria for the implementation of circular economy principles and solutions. These utilities provide water supply and sewerage services to about 30% of the population in Bulgaria. SWOT analysis was used as a core tool. Publicly available data such as nonrevenue water, pressure management, energy demand, network digitalization, and sludge utilization were used to explore the internal factors. The external environment was considered through the legislative and socioeconomic framework, climate change, etc. Finally, the credibility of the conclusions was verified in workshops with the water utilities. The key positive outcomes were that the external factors favor the shift to circular systems, while the major weakness, i.e., the aged infrastructure, is actually a good opportunity for the implementation of modern and circular solutions. The efficient collaboration of water utilities with other actors is a precondition for the development of a sustainable market for “circular” products

Bulgaristan ve Türkiye Orjinli Asphodeline lutea (L.) Reichb. Köklerinin xCELLigence Gerçek Zamanlı Hücre Analiz Sistemi Kullanılarak MCF-7 Meme Kanseri Hücre Hatları Üzerine Antifroliferatif Etkilerinin Gözlemlenmesi

Abstract—Blind and semiblind adaptive schemes are proposed for joint maximum likelihood (ML) channel estimation and data detection for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. The joint ML optimisation over channel and data is decomposed into an iterative two-level optimisation loop. An efficient global optimisation search algorithm called the repeated weighted boosting search is employed at the upper level to identify the unknown MIMO channel model while an enhanced ML sphere detector called the optimised hierarchy reduced search algorithm aided ML detector is used at the lower level to perform the ML detection of the transmitted data. A simulation example is included to demonstrate the effectiveness of these two schemes

Multicomponent pattern and biological activities of seven Asphodeline taxa: potential sources of natural-functional ingredients for bioactive formulations

The current study was carried out to evaluate multicomponent pattern, biological and enzymatic activities of seven Asphodeline taxa root extracts as useful ingredients, due to the fact that these plants are commonly used as traditional food supplements in Turkish regions. The extracts were characterized for free anthraquinones and phenolics to obtain a specific chemical fingerprint useful for quality control. These analyzes were coupled to biological and enzymatic activities in order to obtain comprehensive information of the natural product. Free anthraquinones and phenolics were determined using validated HPLC-PDA methods. Antioxidant properties were determined by different procedures including free radical scavenging, reducing power, phosphomolybdenum and metal chelating assays. Ames assay was performed to evaluate mutagenic/antimutagenic properties. Enzyme inhibitory activities were tested against cholinesterase, tyrosinase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase. From the herein reported results, Asphodeline could be valuable for the production of bioactive products or food supplements for cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries

A comparative study of Bulgarian and Turkish Asphodeline lutea root extracts: HPLC-UV profiles, enzyme inhibitory potentials and anti-proliferative activities against MCF-7 and MCF-10A cell lines

Asphodeline lutea (L.) Rchb. is a wild plant traditionally used as a food in the Mediterranean region. The alcoholic extracts of A. lutea roots from different origins (Bulgarian and 'Rakish) were investigated for anti-cholinesterase, anti-tyrosinase, anti-amylase, anti-glycosidase and anti-proliferative activity (against MCF-7 and MCF-10A cell lines). A validated HPLC method for the determination of two anthraquinones, two bianthraquinones, two naphthalenes, two flavonoids and one hydroxycinnamic acid was developed due to the presence of these components in the genus Asphodeline. In addition, total anthraquinones content was determined spectrophotometrically. A. lutea from Bulgaria demonstrated higher level of total anthraquinones (0.81 +/-0.05 mg g(-1)). A naphthalene derivative (2-acetyl-1,8-dimethoxy-3-methylnaphthalene) was the major compound in Bulgarian accession (0.96 +/- 0.03 mg g(-1)), while caffeic acid was the main analyte in Turkish sample (0.42 +/- 0.06 mg g(-1)). Turkish extracts were more potent as cholinesterase and tyrosinase inhibitors but less active as antidiabetic agent. The higher anti-proliferative effect was presented by Bulgarian extract with IC50 values 120 +/- 16.8 mg mL(-1) (for MCF-7) and 256 +/- 16.1 mg mL(-1) (for MCF-10A). (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved