Arrabidaea chica (HBK) Verlot: phytochemical approach, antifungal and trypanocidal activities

Arrabidaea chica (HBK.) Verlot (Bignoniaceae) vernacular name "Pariri", is a climbing shrub, widespread from South Mexico to Guyana and central Brazil and is traditionally indicated to treat symptoms of inflammations and skin affections. Its ethanol extract was chemically investigated and tested against yeasts and dermatophytic fungi. The trypanocidal activity of the same extract was also evaluated. This work reports the isolation of three flavonoids, the total growth inhibition of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and a significant trypanocidal effect of the ethanol extract and its fractions. No relevant acute toxicity was detected even at a dose of 1000 mg/kgArrabidaea chica (HBK.) Verlot (Bignoniaceae) popularmente, "Pariri", é um arbusto escandente, distribuído do sul do México até a Guiana e Brasil central e é tradicionalmente indicado para tratar sintomas de inflamações e afecções da pele. Seu extrato etanólico foi quimicamente investigado e testado contra leveduras e fungos dermatófitos. A atividade tripanocida do mesmo extrato foi também avaliada. Este trabalho reporta o isolamento de três flavonóides, a inibição total do crescimento de Trichophyton mentagrophytes e um significante efeito tripanocida do extrato etanólico e de suas frações. Não foi detectada qualquer toxicidade aguda relevante, mesmo a uma dose de 1000 mg/k

Análise farmacognóstica das folhas de Arrabidaea chica (Humb. & Bonpl.) B. Verlt., Bignoniaceae

Arrabidaea chica (Humb. & Bonpl.) B. Verlt. is a Bignoniaceae widely used in the popular medicine as anti-inflammatory and astringent agent, and for some illnesses as intestinal colic, diarrhoeas, anaemia and diseases of the skin. Its biological properties and dye biosynthesis lead the species to be used in the cosmetic industry. The use of natural products of vegetal origin implies in pharmacognostic quality control and purity assays that compose the technical specifications of the material. Therefore, the anatomical description of mature and young leaves of A. chica was carried through the use of optic microscopy on histological preparations. The leaves are hipostomatic and dorsiventral with heterogeneous mesophile. In petiole, the epidermis is unistratified, it contains trachoma and it is endowed with thin cuticle. The pharmacopoeia assays included the determination of the grain size distribution of the plant drug, the determination of humidity and the total ashes, beyond the phytochemistry approach of tincture, to establish parameters for its quality control.Arrabidaea chica (Humb. & Bonpl.) B. Verlt. é uma Bignoniaceae amplamente utilizada na medicina popular como anti-inflamatório e adstringente, e para várias doenças como cólicas intestinais, diarréias, anemias e enfermidades da pele. Devido as suas propriedades biológicas e a produção de corante a espécie passou a ser utilizada pela indústria cosmética. A utilização de produtos naturais de origem vegetal implica no controle de qualidade farmacobotânico e em ensaios de pureza que compõem as especificações técnicas da espécie. Para isso foi realizada a descrição anatômica das folhas jovens e maduras de A. chica a partir de observações realizadas ao microscópio óptico, a partir de cortes histológicos. As folhas são hipoestomáticas e dorsiventrais com mesofilo heterogêneo. No pecíolo, a epiderme é uniestratificada contendo tricomas e dotada de cutícula delgada. Os testes farmacopéicos incluíram a determinação da distribuição granulométrica do pó da planta, determinação do teor de umidade e de cinzas totais, além da abordagem fitoquímica da tintura, visando estabelecer parâmetros para seu controle de qualidade

Organogel of Acai Oil in Cosmetics: Microstructure, Stability, Rheology and Mechanical Properties

Organogel (OG) is a semi-solid material composed of gelling molecules organized in the presence of an appropriate organic solvent, through physical or chemical interactions, in a continuous net. This investigation aimed at preparing and characterizing an organogel from acai oil with hyaluronic acid (HA) structured by 12-hydroxystearic acid (12-HSA), aiming at topical anti-aging application. Organogels containing or not containing HA were analyzed by Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy, polarized light optical microscopy, thermal analysis, texture analysis, rheology, HA quantification and oxidative stability. The organogel containing hyaluronic acid (OG + HA) has a spherulitic texture morphology with a net-like structure and absorption bands that evidenced the presence of HA in the three-dimensional net of organogel. The thermal analysis confirmed the gelation and the insertion of HA, as well as a good thermal stability, which is also confirmed by the study of oxidative stability carried out under different temperature conditions for 90 days. The texture and rheology studies indicated a viscoelastic behavior. HA quantification shows the efficiency of the HA cross-linking process in the three-dimensional net of organogel with 11.22 µg/mL for cross-linked HA. Thus, it is concluded that OG + HA shows potentially promising physicochemical characteristics for the development of a cosmetic system

Adsorption of Vi Capsular Antigen of Salmonella Typhi in Chitosan–Poly (Methacrylic Acid) Nanoparticles

The development of a nanoparticulate system for the carrier antigen is now an important tool in the vaccination process, since a smaller number of doses is necessary for effective immunization. Thus, in this work a nanoparticulate system using polymers of chitosan and poly (methacrylic acid) (CS–PMAA) to adsorb the Vi antigen of Salmonella Typhi was developed. CS–PMAA nanoparticles with different proportions of chitosan and poly (methacrylic acid) were obtained and reached sizes from 123.9 ± 2.48 to 234.9 ± 2.66 nm, and spherical shapes were seen in transmission microscopy. At pH 7.2, the nanoparticles had a cationic surface charge that contributed to the adsorption of the Vi antigen. Qualitative analyses of the isolated Vi antigen were performed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, which indicated the presence of all the characteristic bands of the capsular polysaccharide, and nuclear magnetic resonance, which showed signals for the five hydrogens and the N-acetyl and O-acetyl groups which are characteristic of the Vi antigen structure. In the adsorption kinetics study, the Vi capsular antigen, contained in a phosphate buffer solution of pH 7.2, experienced 55% adsorption on the 1–1% (CS–PMAA) nanoparticles. The adsorption kinetics results showed the ability of the nanoparticulate system to adsorb the Vi antigen

Green Extraction by Ultrasound, Microencapsulation by Spray Drying and Antioxidant Activity of the Tucuma Coproduct (Astrocaryum vulgare Mart.) Almonds

The industrial processing amazon fruits, like tucuma, generates a large amount of coproducts with large nutritional potential. Thus, this work obtained the oily extract of the tucuma almonds coproducts by green extraction using palm oil by the ultrasound method and then microencapsulated by atomization and verification of its antioxidant activity. Thermogravimetric techniques, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, moisture content, water activity were applied to characterize the microparticles. Total carotenoids were determined by UV spectroscopy and antioxidant activity was measured by 2,2′-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid and co-oxidation in the system β-carotene/linoleic acid. The oily extract and microparticle had total carotenoid contents of 3.305 mg/100 g ± 0.01 and 2.559 mg/100 g ± 0.01, respectively. The antioxidant activity assessed through the 2,2′-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid value was 584.75 μM/trolox ± 0.01 (oily extract) and 537.12 μM/trolox ± 0.01 (microparticle) were determined. In the system β-carotene/linoleic acid showed oxidation of 49.9% ± 1.8 lipophilic extract and 43.3% ± 2.3 microparticle. The results showed that the oily extract of the tucuma almond coproduct can be used as a carotenoid-rich source and microencapsuled with possible application for functional foods production

A Review of Pickering Emulsions: Perspectives and Applications

Pickering emulsions are systems composed of two immiscible fluids stabilized by organic or inorganic solid particles. These solid particles of certain dimensions (micro- or nano-particles), and desired wettability, have been shown to be an alternative to conventional emulsifiers. The use of biodegradable and biocompatible stabilizers of natural origin, such as clay minerals, presents a promising future for the development of Pickering emulsions and, with this, they deliver some advantages, especially in the area of biomedicine. In this review, the effects and characteristics of microparticles in the preparation and properties of Pickering emulsions are presented. The objective of this review is to provide a theoretical basis for a broader type of emulsion, in addition to reviewing the main aspects related to the mechanisms and applications to promote its stability. Through this review, we highlight the use of this type of emulsion and its excellent properties as permeability promoters of solid particles, providing ideal results for local drug delivery and use in Pickering emulsions

Bioactive compounds and value-added applications of cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum Schum.) agroindustrial by-product

Abstract Cupuassu is a fruitful species from the Amazon basin with great economical potential, due to the multiple uses of its pulp and seeds in the food and cosmetic industries. This fruit generates large amounts of solid waste, which, despite of its high content of bioactive compounds, is discarded in the environment. Therefore, with the aim of reusing these wastes and adding economic value, we investigated the nutritional potential of the seed by-product resulting from industrial cupuassu oil extraction. The by-product was submitted to green extraction, and its contents of bioactive compounds were quantified by HPLC. The extract had a total polyphenol content (16.9 ± 1.8 mg/gDM) and an antioxidant activity, ABTS + (151.0 ± 5.5 mg/100 g) and DPPH. (85.4 ± 1.7 mmol/L). HPLC analysis of the extract identified epicatechin and glycosylated quercetin as the major flavonoids. This by-product shows great potential for being used as a source of the ingredients of high nutritional value, especially dietary fiber and polyphenols

Ucuùba Fat Characterization and Use to Obtain Lipid Nanoparticles by High‐Pressure Homogenization with Full Factorial Design

AbstractUcuùba fat was characterized and used as the lipid phase for the production of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs). The acid, iodine, refraction, and saponification values as well as the oxidative stability of the fat were determined. The myristic acid was found to be the main fatty acid present in the fat. NLCs were produced by high‐pressure homogenization with tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) or Tween 80 as surfactant. A full factorial experimental design 22 was applied to evaluate the impact of production parameters on particle size and polydispersity index (PDI) of the nanocarrier. The design of experiments (DoE) demonstrated that the increase of pressure and number cycle homogenization positively contributed to reduce the mean particle size and PDI of NLCs only when TPGS was present