Antirheumatoid Arthritis Activities and Chemical Compositions of Phenolic Compounds-Rich Fraction from Urtica atrichocaulis, an Endemic Plant to China

Urtica atrichocaulis, an endemic plant to China, is commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis even though its pharmaceutical activities and chemical constituents were not studied. Herein, we reported our investigations on the chemical compositions of the phenolic compounds-rich fraction from U. atrichocaulis (TFUA) and their antirheumatoid arthritis activities. We found that the TFUA significantly inhibited the adjuvant-induced rats arthritis, carrageenin-induced rats paw edema, cotton pellet-induced mice granuloma, and the acetic acid-induced mice writhing response. Our phytochemical investigations on the TFUA resulted in the first-time isolation and identification of 17 phenolic constituents and a bis (5-formylfurfuryl) ether. The extensive HPLC analysis also revealed the chemical compositions of TFUA. Our further biological evaluation of the main phenolic components, individually and collectively, indicated that the antirheumatoid arthritis activities of TFUA were the combined effect of multiple phenolic constituents

Purification, Characterization and Antitumor Activities of a New Protein from Syngnathus acus, an Officinal Marine Fish

Discovery and development of new antitumor agents from abundant marine fish are attracting an increasing interest. In the present study, we extracted and purified a novel antitumor protein Syngnathusin from the whole body of Syngnathus acus L., a precious marine fish traditionally used for tumors. Syngnathusin was comprised of 16 kinds of amino acids, mainly acidic amino acids. Its molecular weight was 67.3 kDa and its isoelectric point was 4.57. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of Syngnathusin was determined to be Lys-Arg-Asp-Leu-Gly-Phe-Val-Asp-Glu-Ile-Ser-Ala-His-Tyr and showed no significant homology with the known proteins. Syngnathusin could significantly inhibit the growth of A549 and CCRF-CEM cells. However, the obvious proliferation inhibition against human non-tumor cell lines was not observed. Flow cytometry, morphologic assessment and comet assay revealed that Syngnathusin could induce apoptosis in A549 and CCRF-CEM cells and strongly cooperated with MTX. Syngnathusin could inhibit the growth of S180 tumor transplanted in mice. Syngnathusin may be developed as a novel, selective and effective antineoplastic agent

Highly Efficient Oxidative Desulfurization of Fuels by Lewis Acidic Ionic Liquids Based on Iron Chloride

Acidic ionic liquids (ILs) have been employed as extractant and catalyst in the oxidative desulfurization (ODS) process of fuels in recent years. Several Lewisacidic ionic liquids [C63MPy]Cl/nFeCl3 (molar fraction n = 0.5, 1, 2, 3) and [C6MIM]Cl/FeCl3 were prepared and used to remove the aromatic sulfur compounds dibenzothiophene and benzothiophene from fuels. In the ODS process, the used ILs acted as both extractant and catalyst with 30 wt% hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution as oxidant. The effects of Lewis acidity of ILs, IL's cation structure, molar ratio of O/S, reaction temperature, and different sulfur compounds on the sulfur removal of model oil were investigated. The results indicated that the sulfur removal for dibenzothiophene was affected by Lewis acidity of ILs and nearly reached 100% by [C63MPy]Cl/FeCl3 at conditions of 298K, IL/oil mass ratio of 1/3, O/S molar ratio of 4/1, in 20 min. The sulfur removal of real gasoline reached 99.7% after seven ODS runs in the [C63MPy]Cl/FeCl3-H2O2 system

regulatingsulfurremovalefficiencyoffuelsbylewisacidityofionicliquids

It is urgent to develop a new deep desulfurization process of fuels as the environmental pollution increases seriously. In this work, a series of Lewis acidic ionic liquids (ILs) C_4~3MPyCl/nZnCl_2 (n=1, 1.5, 2, 3) were synthesized and used in extraction and catalytic oxidative desulfurization (ECOD) of the fuels. The effects of the Lewis acidity of ILs, the molar ratio of H_2O_2/sulfur, temperatures, and different substrates including dibenzothiophene (DBT), benzothiophene (BT) and thiophene (TS), on sulfur removal were investigated. The results indicated that C_4~3MPyCl/3ZnCl_2 presented near 100% DBT removal of model oil under conditions of 323 K, H_2O_2/DBT molar ratio 6:1. Kinetics for the removal of DBT, BT and TS by the C_4~3MPyCl/3ZnCl_2-H_2O_2 system at 323 K is first-order with the apparent rate constants of 1.1348, 0.2226 and 0.0609 h~(-1), and the calculated apparent activation energies for DBT, BT and TS were 61.13, 60.66, and 68.14 kJ/mol from 298 to 308 K, respectively. After six cycles of the regenerated C_4~3MPyCl/3ZnCl_2, the sulfur removal had a slight decrease. C_4~3MPyCl/ 3ZnCl_2 showed a good desulfurization performance under optimal conditions

Regulating sulfur removal efficiency of fuels by Lewis acidity of ionic liquids

It is urgent to develop a new deep desulfurization process of fuels as the environmental pollution increases seriously. In this work, a series of Lewis acidic ionic liquids (ILs) (C4MPy)-M-3Cl/nZnCl(2) (n=1, 1.5, 2, 3) were synthesized and used in extraction and catalytic oxidative desulfurization (ECOD) of the fuels. The effects of the Lewis acidity of ILs, the molar ratio of H2O2/sulfur, temperatures, and different substrates including dibenzothiophene (DBT), benzothiophene (BT) and thiophene (TS), on sulfur removal were investigated. The results indicated that (C4MPy)-M-3Cl/3ZnCl(2) presented near 100% DBT removal of model oil under conditions of 323 K, H2O2/DBT molar ratio 6:1. Kinetics for the removal of DBT, BT and TS by the (C4MPy)-M-3Cl/3ZnCl(2)-H2O2 system at 323 K is first-order with the apparent rate constants of 1.1348, 0.2226 and 0.0609 h(-1), and the calculated apparent activation energies for DBT, BT and TS were 61.13, 60.66, and 68.14 kJ/mol from 298 to 308 K, respectively. After six cycles of the regenerated (C4MPy)-M-3Cl/3ZnCl(2), the sulfur removal had a slight decrease. (C4MPy)-M-3Cl/3ZnCl(2) showed a good desulfurization performance under optimal conditions

Peptides as carriers of active ingredients: A review

Bioactive compounds are highly valuable in the fields of food and medicine, but their application is limited due to easy deterioration after oral or skin administration. In recent years, the use of peptides as delivery systems for bioactive compounds has been intensively researched because of their special physicochemical characteristics. Peptides can be assembled using various preparation methods and can form several composite materials such as hydrogels, micelles, emulsions and particles. The composite material properties are determined by peptides, bioactive compounds and the construction methods employed. Herein, this paper provides a comprehensive review of the peptides used for active ingredients delivery, fabrication methods for creating delivery systems, structures, targeting characteristics, functional activities and mechanism of delivery systems, as well as their absorption and metabolism, which provided theoretical basis and reference for further research and development of functional composites

Regulating sulfur removal efficiency of fuels by Lewis acidity of ionic liquids

It is urgent to develop a new deep desulfurization process of fuels as the environmental pollution increases seriously. In this work, a series of Lewis acidic ionic liquids (ILs) [(C4MPy)-M-3]Cl/nZnCl(2) (n=1, 1.5, 2, 3) were synthesized and used in extraction and catalytic oxidative desulfurization (ECOD) of the fuels. The effects of the Lewis acidity of ILs, the molar ratio of H2O2/sulfur, temperatures, and different substrates including dibenzothiophene (DBT), benzothiophene (BT) and thiophene (TS), on sulfur removal were investigated. The results indicated that [(C4MPy)-M-3]Cl/3ZnCl(2) presented near 100% DBT removal of model oil under conditions of 323 K, H2O2/DBT molar ratio 6:1. Kinetics for the removal of DBT, BT and TS by the [(C4MPy)-M-3]Cl/3ZnCl(2)-H2O2 system at 323 K is first-order with the apparent rate constants of 1.1348, 0.2226 and 0.0609 h(-1), and the calculated apparent activation energies for DBT, BT and TS were 61.13, 60.66, and 68.14 kJ/mol from 298 to 308 K, respectively. After six cycles of the regenerated [(C4MPy)-M-3]Cl/3ZnCl(2), the sulfur removal had a slight decrease. [(C4MPy)-M-3]Cl/3ZnCl(2) showed a good desulfurization performance under optimal conditions

Isolation, Physicochemical Properties, and Structural Characteristics of Arabinoxylan from Hull-Less Barley

Arabinoxylan (HBAX-60) was fractioned from alkaline-extracted arabinoxylan (HBAX) in the whole grain of hull-less barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum Hook. f. Poaceae) by 60% ethanol precipitation, which was studied for physicochemical properties and structure elucidation. Highly purified HBAX-60 mainly composed of arabinose (40.7%) and xylose (59.3%) was created. The methylation and NMR analysis of HBAX-60 indicated that a low-branched β-(1→4)-linked xylan backbone possessed un-substituted (1,4-linked β-Xylp, 36.2%), mono-substituted (β-1,3,4-linked Xylp, 5.9%), and di-substituted (1,2,3,4-linked β-Xylp, 12.1%) xylose units as the main chains, though other residues (α-Araf-(1→, β-Xylp-(1→, α-Araf-(1→3)-α-Araf-(1→ or β-Xylp-(1→3)-α-Araf-(1→) were also determined. Additionally, HBAX-60 exhibited random coil conformation in a 0.1 M NaNO3 solution. This work provides the properties and structural basis of the hull-less barley-derived arabinoxylan, which facilitates further research for exploring the structure–function relationship and application of arabinoxylan from hull-less barley