Dear Colleagues,

The extraction, purification and analysis of active ingredients from natural products and plants is one of the most attractive research fields in the relative literature. Determining the active ingredients in natural products or plants is essential for their application. The analysis of the composition of extracted compounds via chromatography, mass spectrometry and related techniques is a relevant step in determining the performance of the extraction process and the purity of the extracted compounds to be used for pharmaceutical applications.

Therefore, it is my pleasure to invite you to contribute your research articles, communications or reviews to this Special Issue dedicated to the extraction, purification and analysis of chemical compositions of natural products and plants.

Dr. Xiumei Li
Guest Editor

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• extraction
• separation and purification
• analysis
• chemical composition
• natural products

Title: In vitro antitrypanosomal and anthelminthic activities of Syzygium aromaticum
Authors: Muizedeen Tanko1, Theresa Appiah Agana1, Yaw Duah Boakye1, Vivian Etsiapa Boamah1, Christian Agyare1
Affiliation: 1Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Abstract: Neglected Tropical Diseases remain a major concern and a heavy health burden in developing countries. This study was conducted to investigate the antitrypanosomal and anthelminthic properties of S. aromaticum fruit extracts. Powdered fruits of S. aromaticum were extracted with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water. Qualitative phytochemical screening, Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy analysis, and Column chromatography were performed to characterize the phytoconstituents present. The extracts were screened for their in-vitro anti-trypanosomal and antihelminthic activities. The synergistic influence of the extracts on the anthelmintic activities of albendazole was investigated. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, saponins, and alkaloids. GC-MS analysis revealed several compounds, including eugenol, stearic acid, and palmitic acid. FTIR showed the presence of -OH, C=C, C-O and C-C functional groups. All the extracts of S. aromaticum demonstrated a dose-dependent anthelmintic activity. However, Syzygium aromaticum methanol extract (SAme) showed better paralytic (EC50 = 1.51 mg/mL) and lethal effects (EC50 = 2.18 mg/mL). Fractionation of SAme yielded three fractions, SAmeFA, SAmeFB, and SAmeFC, all of which showed dose-dependent anthelmintic activity. The sub-inhibitory concentrations of all solvent extracts of S. aromaticum had a synergistic and inhibitory influence on the anthelmintic efficacy of albendazole. All solvent extracts of S. aromaticum exhibited antitrypanosomal activity with the petroleum ether extract (SApe) showing better activity (IC50 = 6.31 µg/mL). Fractionation of the SApe yielded three fractions, SApeFA, SApeFB, and SApeFC all of which exhibited antitrypanosomal activity. However, SApe extract demonstrated better antitrypanosomal activity compared to its fractions. S. aromaticum, possesses antihelminthic and antitrypanosomal activities.

Title: Effect of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. leaves extracts in ameliorating against diabetes associated hypertension in rat model
Authors: 1Sheenam Sharma, 1Aarti Manchanda, 1Sapna Rani, 2Kirti Goel, 1Karan Goel, 3Nidhi Gupta, 1Rishabh Chaudhary, 1Seeema Bansal, 4Nasir A. Siddiqui, 4Omer I Fantoukh, 1*Sumeet Gupta
Affiliation: 1Department of Pharmacology, M. M. College of Pharmacy, M. M. (Deemed to be University), Mullana, (Ambala) 133207, India. 2Department of Pharmaceutics, M. M. College of Pharmacy, M. M. (Deemed to be University), Mullana, (Ambala) 133207, India. 3Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, M. M. College of Pharmacy, M. M. (Deemed to be University), Mullana, (Ambala) 133207, India. 4Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-11451
Abstract: Background Trigonella foenum-graecum L. is a traditional herb that can be employed in controlling diabetes mellitus. The study investigates the outcome of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. leaf extract against diabetes-induced hypertension in a rat model Methods Dexamethasone was administered in rats via subcutaneous and biochemical parameters were noted at different intervals. Trigonella foenum-graecum L. leaves extracts (chloroform and hydroethanolic) were administered orally at different doses (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg) in diabetic rats for 45 days. Blood pressure and other biochemical parameters were measured at different intervals. Histopathological studies and HPLC analysis in the serum of rats were analyzed at the end of the experiment. Result The findings indicated that the hydroethanolic extract at a higher dose showed the best protective activity in different parameters against diabetes-induced hypertension. Confirmation of Quercetin present in the serum of rats after being treated with extracts showed the evidence in diabetic treatment. Additionally, histopathological studies stated the protective effect in different extract groups against dexamethasone-induced hypertension in rats. Conclusion Therefore, the results were concluded in a promising way, So Trigonella foenum-graecum L. leaves extract may give new alternatives for the clinical management of type II diabetes and its associated disorders.

Title: DNA barcoding of over 1000 marine yeast isolates reveals newly distributed and previously unbarcoded species
Authors: Chinnamani PrasannaKumar, Baskar Venkidasamy, Kavita Sharma
Affiliation: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, Tamil Nadu, India, Kasiska Division of Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA
Abstract: For the yeast population and diversity marine habitats are the least explored niches. The aim of the present study is to create a comprehensive DNA barcode library for marine derived yeast species. As we sequenced the ITS DNA region for 1017 isolates belonging to 157 marine derived yeast species in 55 genera, 28 families, 14 orders, 8 classes of 2 Phyla (viz., Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) of which 13 yeast species previously unbarcoded. We witnessed new distributional records of yeast species of both terrestrial and marine endemic origin. Due to the large volume of sequencing trace files, the variable length of extracted ITS sequences, and the lack of reference sequences in public databases, difficulties were faced in taxonomic sequence validation. The length of the majority (62.24%) of the sequences were between 600 and 649 base pairs. K2P intra-species distance analysis performed for selective groups yielded an average of 0.33% which is well within the previously proposed yeast barcode gap. ITS gene tree based identification conducted for selective species, precisely clustered the same species in a single group. Approximately 60% of the yeast species documented were previously unrecorded from the marine environment, of which 16.5% were recognized as potential human pathogens. Apart from releasing the barcode data in GenBank, provisions were made to access the entire dataset along with meta-data in the Barcode of Life Database. This research constitutes the largest dataset to date for collecting marine derived yeast isolates and their barcodes.

Title: Variations in Essential Oil Biological Activities of Female Cones at Different Developmental Stages from Azorean Cryptomeria japonica (Thunb. ex L.f.) D. Don (Cupressaceae)
Authors: Alexandre Janeiro; Ana Lima; Filipe Arruda; Tanner Wortham; Tânia Rodrigues; José Baptista; Elisabete Lima
Affiliation: Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Research and Technology (IITAA), University of the Azores, 9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
Abstract: In the Azores Archipelago, Cryptomeria japonica is, currently, the most cultivated forestry tree for timber production, landscaping, and gardening, generating large amounts of foliage waste that is used for local essential oils (EOs) production. However, existing literature on the EOs´ biological potential from different C. japonica foliage parts, such as female cones (FC), remains limited. Thus, in the present study, the EOs extracted by hydrodistillation from Azorean C. japonica immature and mature FC (IFC and MFC), as well as some major EO components, were screened for (i) antioxidant capacity, evaluated by DPPH–free radical-scavenging activity (FRSA) and β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching activity (BCBA), (ii) antimicrobial activities, assessed by the disc diffusion method against eight bacteria and one fungus, and (iii) toxicity against Artemia salina. Among both FC EO samples, the IFC EO exhibited a significative higher DPPH–FRSA, BCBA, and growth-inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis and Penicillium italicum, as well as a slightly increased toxic potential, due to their differential compositions, as assessed by GC–MS analysis. Thus, FC’s maturation process decreased their EOs bioactivities. In conclusion, this finding could help in determining the optimal developmental stage for enhancing the antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds content in FC EO. In turn, this contributes to increasing the commercial potential of C. japonica’s EO industry.

Title: Modified Aloe Polysaccharide Juice: Enzyme based modification and process optimization for food application.
Authors: Tapas Roy, Mohammed Shafiq Alam, Surekha Bhatia, Nitin Kumar
Affiliation: Department of Processing and Food Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab and Department Food Engineering, NIFTEM, Kundli, India
Abstract: For several thousand years, aloe vera has been used for its medicinal significance but the aloe polysaccharide imparted less medicinal activities in human bodies because of its higher molecular weight. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to reduce the molecular weight of aloe polysaccharide using enzymatic treatment with the help of process optimization. A Box Behnken design was applied for the process optimization of the Modified aloe polysaccharide (MAP) juice with the following independent parameters i.e. cellulase enzyme concentration (6-12 mg/L), exposure time (60-120 min), and air temperature (30-50 ºC). Modified juice properties were evaluated by examine its moisture content (MC), total soluble solid (TSS), colour, optical density (OD), refractive index (RI), Turbidity, pH, viscosity, fiber content (FC), polysaccharide content (PC), and molecular weight (MW). The optimized conditions (achieving minimum molecular weight and higher polysaccharide content) were as follows: cellulase enzyme concentration (EC): 6.0 mg/L, exposure time (ET): 60 min and air temperature (AT): 35.97 ºC. The optimum responses obtained as TSS: 0.86 ºBrix, color value (L): 30.04, viscosity: 1.07 cP, PC: 56.87 % (w/w), and Mw: 50.67 kDa respectively. The developed MAP may be used for the development of polysaccharide based functional food products.

Title: Chemical modification of Desacetylmatricarin and its biological activities
Authors: Samjhana Pradhan 1 N. Evelin Paucar 2, Rosemary Anibogwu 1, Karl De Jesus 1, Srinath Pashikanti 1,3, Sameena Mateen 3 and Kavita Sharma 1,3 *
Affiliation: 1Department of Chemistry, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA 2Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Idaho State University, Pocatello 83209, ID 3Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kasiska Division of Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA
Abstract: Chemical modification of Desacetylmatricarin and its biological activities