Comparative study of physic-mechanical and antioxidant properties of edible gelatin film from the skin of cuttlefish.

International audiencePhysicochemical properties of edible films based on cuttlefish skin gelatin extracted without (G0) or with different concentrations of pepsins (5 (G5), 10 (G10) and 15 (G15) U/g of skin) were investigated. Edible films prepared with partially hydrolyzed gelatins had lower tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (EAB), but higher water vapour permeability (WVP) and water solubility than the control film. FTIR spectra of obtained gelatin films revealed a significant loss of molecular order of the triple helix. In addition, differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) analysis indicated that partially hydrolyzed gelatine films exhibited lower transition temperature and enthalpy compared with those of control film. The properties of the films were related to their microstructure, which was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Films with G0 and G5 had a smooth surface and a more compact structure, while films prepared with G10 and G15 had coarser surface. Thus, the chain length of extracted gelatin directly affected the properties of corresponding films

Inhibitory Activities of Zygophyllum album: A Natural Weight-Lowering Plant on Key Enzymes in High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats

Obesity is a serious health problem that increased risk for many complications, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The results showed EZA, which found rich in flavonoids and phenolic compounds, exhibited an inhibitory activity on pancreatic lipase in vitro with IC50 of 91.07 μg/mL. In vivo administration of this extract to HFD-rats lowered body weight and serum leptin level; and inhibited lipase activity of obese rats by 37% leading to notable decrease of T-Ch, TGs and LDL-c levels accompanied with an increase in HDL-c concentration in serum and liver of EZA treated HFD-rats. Moreover, the findings revealed that EZA helped to protect liver tissue from the appearance of fatty cysts. Interestingly, supplementation of EZA modulated key enzyme related to hypertension such as ACE by 36% in serum of HFD animals and improve some of serum electrolytes such as Na+, K+, Cl−, Ca2+ and Mg2+. Moreover, EZA significantly protected the liver-kidney function by reverted back near to normal the values of the liver-kidney dysfunction indices AST&ALT, ALP, CPK and GGT activities, decreased T-Bili, creat, urea and uric acid rates. In conclusion, these results showed a strong antihypelipidemic effect of EZA which can delay the occurrence of dislipidemia and hypertension