Composition variation in essential oils of Artemisia nilagirica and Artemisia capillaris, growing in India

The present study was aimed to find out the chemical constituents of essential oils of Artemisia nilagirica (Clarke) Pamp. and Artemisia capillaris Thunb. of Asteraceae family, growing in Garhwal region of India. The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation and subjected to detailed GC-MS analysis in order to determine the variation in their volatile constituents. While comparing the common constituents in both of the species, the remarkable variation was observed and it was 6.03, 3.251, 2.093, 33.73, 7.573, 15.041 and 8.00% for trans-caryophyllene, DL-limonene, ?-pinene, ?-thujone, ?-myrcene, ?-ocimene and ?-thujone, respectively

Synergistic Enzyme Cocktail to Enhance Hydrolysis of Steam Exploded Wheat Straw at Pilot Scale

Multiple enzymes are required for efficient hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass and no wild type organism is capable of producing all enzymes in desired levels. In this study, steam explosion of wheat straw was carried out at pilot scale and a synthetic enzyme mixture (EnzMix) was developed by partially replacing the cellulase with critical dosages of commercially available accessory enzymes (β-glucosidase, xylanase and laccase) through central composite design. Highest degree of synergism (DS) was observed with β-glucosidase (1.68) followed by xylanase (1.36). Finally, benchmarking of EnzMix (Celluclast, β-glucosidase and xylanase in a protein ratio of 20.40: 38.43: 41.16, respectively) and other leading commercial enzymes was carried out. Interestingly, hydrolysis improved by 75% at 6 h and 30% at 24 h, respectively in comparison of control. By this approach, 25% reduction in enzyme dosage was observed for obtaining the same hydrolysis yield with opitimized enzyme cocktail. Thus, development of enzyme cocktail is an effective and sustainable approach for high hydrolysis efficiency

A New Triterpenoid Saponin and Antimicrobial Activity of Ethanolic Extract from Sapindus mukorossi

A new acetylated triterpenoid saponin elucidated as hederagenin-3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl (2→1)-[3-O-acetyl-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosylester has been isolated from pericarps of Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn. The structure of the compound was determined by means of chemical and spectral analysis including advanced 2D NMR studies. The ethanolic extract from pericarps of the plant showed significant in vitro antimicrobial activity against various test organisms by Agar well diffusion method

Myricetin: A Dietary Molecule with Diverse Biological Activities

Myricetin is a common plant-derived flavonoid and is well recognised for its nutraceuticals value. It is one of the key ingredients of various foods and beverages. The compound exhibits a wide range of activities that include strong anti-oxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. It displays several activities that are related to the central nervous system and numerous studies have suggested that the compound may be beneficial to protect against diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The use of myricetin as a preserving agent to extend the shelf life of foods containing oils and fats is attributed to the compound’s ability to protect lipids against oxidation. A detailed search of existing literature revealed that there is currently no comprehensive review available on this important molecule. Hence, the present work includes the history, synthesis, pharmaceutical applications and toxicity studies of myricetin. This report also highlights structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of action for various biological activities