New Technologies in Rice Derivatives ANSELMI, Cecilia; CENTINI, Marisanna; BUONOCORE, Anna
Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology,
2019/10/11, Volume:
65, Issue:
Supplement
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
In this research the incapsulation of ferulic acid (FA) in advanced systems of protection with the aim of improving its stability and photostability was studied. Lipoparticles and polymeric ...microparticles as incapsulation systems were prepared and characterized. Lipoparticles were completely of natural origin, while microparticles were obtained using chitosan as natural polymer. In both systems FA stability was greatly increased and its organoleptic properties in the emulsions did not change.
Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is a systemic disorder with the lung and the vasculature being the preferred targets. Patients with interstitial lung diseases represent a category at high risk of ...progression in the case of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 infection, and as such deserve special attention. We first describe the combination of acute exacerbation and pulmonary embolism in an elderly ILD patient after booster anti-COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. Vaccines availability had significantly and safety impacted COVID-19 morbidity and mortality worldwide. Immunization against COVID-19 is indisputable but must not be separated from the awareness of potential adverse effects in fragile patients.
This study focused on bioglea in thermal material sampled at Saturnia spa (Tuscany, Italy). Bioglea is the term used to define the thermal plankton consisting of biogenic substances that have been ...investigated little from the chemical and biological points of view. Bioglea is mainly formed of cyanobacteria, particularly from the Oscillatoriales subsection, and it seems to have an important role in the maturation of thermal mud for the development of organic matter. This cyanobacteria-dominated community develops in a large outdoor pool at the spa, where the spring water is collected, over the sediments, with matter floating at the surface. Throughout the year, the cyanobacterial species of bioglea were the same, but their relative abundance changed significantly. For chemical characterization an extractive method and several analytical techniques (HPLC, GC-MS, SPME) were used. We also studied the radical scavenging activity using in vitro tests (DPPH, ORAC, ABTS). We found various groups of compounds: saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, hydroxyl acids, alcohols, phenols, amino acids. Many of the compounds have already been identified in the mud, particularly the lipid component. SPME indicated several hydrocarbons (C11–C17) and long-chain alcohols (C12–C16). The qualitative composition of volatile substances identified in bioglea was very similar to that of the mud previously analysed. These results contribute to our knowledge on thermal photosynthetic community and its possible exploitation.
The antioxidant activity of some esters of ferulic acid with the linear fatty alcohols C7, C8 (branched and linear), C9, C11, C12, C13, C15, C16, and C18 has been studied in homogeneous and ...heterogeneous phases. Whereas in homogeneous phase all of the alkyl ferulates possessed similar radical-scavenging abilities, in rat liver microsomes they showed striking differences, the more effective being C12 (7) (IC50 = 11.03 μM), linear C8 (3) (IC50 = 12.40 μM), C13 (8) (IC50 = 18.60 μM), and C9 (5) (IC50 = 19.74 μM), followed by C7 (2), C15 (9), C11 (6), branched C8 (4), C16 (10), and C18 (11) (ferulic acid was the less active, IC50 = 243.84 μM). All of the molecules showed similar partition coefficients in an octanol-buffer system. Three-dimensional studies (NMR in solution, modeling in vacuo) indicate that this behavior might be due to a different anchorage of the molecules with the ester side chain to the microsomal phospholipid bilayer and to a consequent different orientation/positioning of the scavenging phenoxy group outside the membrane surface against the flux of oxy radicals. Keywords: Alkyl ferulates; antioxidant/radical scavenging activity; acellular and cellular models; conformational analysis; intervention in biological membranes
With the aim to search and design more effective and safe antioxidant molecules to be used as functional ingredients in cosmetic formulations for UV protection, we evaluated the antioxidant/radical ...scavenging activities of ferulic acid and of some alkyl ferulates in both acellular and cellular systems. Ferulic acid esters, equipotent as antioxidant in homogeneous phase, showed when tested in membranous systems (rat liver microsomes, rat erythrocytes) marked differences in antioxidant potency. The
n-C
12 derivative was the most potent, followed by
n-C
8,
n-C
16 and branched C
8, and then by ferulic acid.
A conformational study carried out by NMR and modelling, indicates that the different antioxidant activity of ferulates in membrane models is due to the different spatial conformation and arrangement of the side chain of the molecule, which governs the access and binding to the phospholipid bilayer, the modality of orientation of the scavenging/quenching nucleus (phenol moiety), and hence the overall antioxidant potency of the derivative.
These results emphasize the need of analytical studies (NMR and molecular modelling) addressed to the knowledge of the conformational parameters in combination with conventional antioxidant testings for understanding the antioxidant behaviour of a molecule in a biological membrane/system.
An observational study involving patients recovered from COVID-19 was conducted in order to evaluate the presence/absence of vein wall thickness increasing, according to the severity of pulmonary ...involvement quantified with a CT-scoring system.
The venous wall thickness (VWT) of 31 patients (23 males and 8 females) with COVID 19 previously admitted to Federico II University Hospital of Naples was evaluated through ultrasound measurement of the common femoral Vein 1 cm proximal to the saphenous-femoral junction and the popliteal Vein 1 cm distal to the confluence of gemellary veins. Measurements were taken with an automated tool to avoid human error. All patients were evaluated in the supine position. Patients were then stratified into two groups, VWT > 1 mm and VWT < 1 mm. Lung damage was assessed through thoracic High Resolution Computer Tomography and subsequently quantified using the scoring system set out by Chung et al. CEAP-C class was calculated for all patients.
The mean value of COVID score in VWT > 1 mm group was 7.4 (S.D. 4.83), whilst the mean value of the COVID score in the VWT < 1 mm group was 3.82 (S.D 3.34). These findings were determined to be statistically significant in a two-tie Student-T test. The linear regression test between VWT and Covid score values demonstrated a direct relationship between the two variables.
These results demonstrate a link between two different aspects of the pathological effects on the vessels during a SARS-COV 2 infection. As such a common primum movens can be hypothesized in both micro-thrombotic and inflammatory processes relating to COVID 19.
We propose a new approach for photoprotection. 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), one of the most widely used UV filters, was encapsulated in microspheres, with a view to overcoming problems ...(percutaneous absorption, photodegradation and lack of lasting effect) arising with organic sunscreens, and to achieve safe photoprotection. We focused on this filter in the light of the Cosmetics Europe opinion concerning its possible effects on the thyroid gland. Microspheres were prepared by emulsification-solvent evaporation, using different amounts of 4-MBC and characterized for morphology, encapsulation efficiency and particle size. The particles were then mixed in O/W emulsions. The in vitro sun protection factors, in vitro release and photostability were investigated and compared with emulsions containing the free sunscreen. The new microspheres offer good morphology and loading (up to 40%), and the same photoprotection as the free filter while at the same time protecting it from photodegradation. The systems also give a slower release from the emulsions.
Ferulic acid (FA) is a highly effective antioxidant and photo-protective agent, already approved in Japan as a sunscreen, but it is poorly suited for cosmetic application because of its low ...physicochemical stability. We prepared the inclusion complex of FA with α-cyclodextrin by co-precipitation from an aqueous solution, and used
1H NMR and molecular dynamics to investigate the most probable structure of the inclusion complex. In rotating frame nuclear Overhouser effect spectroscopy (ROESY) experiments FA penetrated the α-CD hydrophobic cavity with the α,β-unsaturated part of the molecule and some of its aromatic skeleton. In proton chemical shift measurements of FA and α-cyclodextrins we determined the stoichiometry of the association complex (1:1) by Job's method, and its stability constant (
K
1:1 1162
±
140
M
−1) and described the molecular dynamics of the complex on the basis of theoretical studies. Encapsulation with α-cyclodextrin improves (i) the chemical stability of FA against UVB stress (10 MED Minimal Erythemal Dose: 1 MED
=
25
mJ/cm
2 for skin phototype II: 30), since no degradation products are formed after irradiation, and (ii) the bioavailability of FA on the skin, slowing its delivery (Strainer cell model).
Several new multifunctional molecules derived from natural sources such as amino acids and hydroxycinnamic acids were synthesized. They exhibit various activities such as emulsifying, UV-protecting, ...and radical scavenging, thereby conforming to the latest requirements for cosmetic ingredients. The synthesis comprises only a few steps: (i) the amino acid, the acid groups of which are protected by esterification, is coupled with ferulic or caffeic acid; (ii) the p-hydroxyl group of the cinnamic derivative reacts with dodecyl bromide in the presence of potassium carbonate (the resulting compounds are highly lipophilic and tested as water/oil (W/O) emulsifiers); (iii) these molecules, by deprotonating the acid groups of the amino acids, with successive salification, are more hydrophilic, with stronger O/W emulsifying properties. The new multifunctional surfactants might prove useful for the treatment of multiple skin conditions, including loss of cellular antioxidants, damage from free radicals, damage from UV, and others.
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