Preservation of (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate Antioxidant Properties Loaded in Heat Treated β-Lactoglobulin Nanoparticles

(−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was loaded in heat treated β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) for the preservation of antioxidant activity. The effects of pH (2.5–7.0), the heating temperature of β-Lg (30–85 °C), the molar ratio of β-Lg to EGCG (1:2–1:32), and the β-Lg concentration (1–10 mg/mL) on the properties of β-Lg–EGCG complexes were studied. All four factors significantly influenced the particle size, the ζ-potential, and the entrapment efficiency of EGCG and EGCG loading in β-Lg particles. A stable and clear solution system could be obtained at pH 6.4–7.0. The highest protection of EGCG antioxidant activity was obtained with β-Lg heated at 85 °C and the molar ratio of 1:2 (β-Lg: EGCG). β-Lg–EGCG complexes were found to have the same secondary structure as native β-Lg

Separation of abietane-type diterpenoids from <i>Clerodendrum kaichianum</i> Hsu by high-speed counter-current chromatography using stepwise elution

<p>High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was successfully used for the separation of abietane-type diterpenoids from the medicinal plant <i>C. kaichianum</i>, which were not separated in our previous study using preparative HPLC. The HSCCC separation employed the lower phases of <i>n</i>-hexane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (HEMW) 4:5:4:5 and HEMW 4:5:5:4 as the mobile phase for stepwise elution while the upper phase of HEMW 4:5:4:5 was used as the stationary phase. HSCCC separation yielded 90.5 mg of compound <b>1</b>(kaichianone A), 137.7 mg of compound <b>2</b> (kaichianone B), 125.0 mg of compound <b>3</b> (teuvincenone E), and 227.6 mg of compound <b>4</b> (taxusabietane A) with purities of 95.3%, 97.2%, 97.8%, and 98.6%, respectively, as determined by HPLC. Compounds <b>1</b>–<b>2</b> are two new abietane-type diterpenoids while Compounds <b>3</b>–<b>4</b> are known abietane-type diterpenoids, analyzed by ESIMS and NMR data. The results demonstrated that HSCCC can be an excellent alternative for other separation methods. The two new compounds showed significant cytotoxicity against ileocecal carcinoma HCT-8 and breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells.</p> <p>High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was successfully used for the separation of abietane-type diterpenoids from the medicinal plant <i>C. kaichianum</i>, which were not separated in our previous study using preparative HPLC. </p

Uptake of Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) by the Plant Benincasa hispida and Its Use for Lowering DEHP Content of Intercropped Vegetables

Uptake of di­(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) by the plant Benincasa hispida and its use for topical phytoremediation were investigated by cultivation of plants in DEHP-contaminated environments. The results showed that major plant organs of B. hispida, including leaves, stems, and fruits, readily absorbed DEHP from the air. The amount of DEHP that accumulated in leaves, stems, and fruits was mainly dependent upon exposure time, and most DEHP accumulated in their inner tissues. A single plant of B. hispida with a gourd was able to absorb more than 700 mg of DEHP when it was exposed to DEHP-contaminated air for 6 week. B. hispida reduced air DEHP concentration by 65–76% as the air DEHP concentration ranged from 2351 to 3955 μg/m³ (high DEHP level) and 85–92% as the air DEHP concentration ranged from 35.1 to 65.3 μg/m³ (low DEHP level) in greenhouse experiments. When intercropping of B. hispida and Brassica chinensis or Brassica campestris, B. hispida reduced more than 87% of DEHP accumulation in the latter, which indicates that B. hispida has excellent use potential for lowering the DEHP content of intercropped vegetables