Biochemistry Research International最新文献

{"title":"The Effect of the Hydroalcoholic Extract of Watercress on the Levels of Protein Carbonyl, Inflammatory Markers, and Vitamin E in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients.","authors":"Moslem Sedaghattalab,&nbsp;Marzieh Razazan,&nbsp;Mohsen Shahpari,&nbsp;Nahid Azarmehr,&nbsp;Rozina Abbasi Larki,&nbsp;Hossein Sadeghi,&nbsp;Arash Asfaram,&nbsp;Tahere Taheri,&nbsp;Aminollah Pourshohod,&nbsp;Zahra Moslemi,&nbsp;Kazem Abbaszadeh-Goudarzi,&nbsp;Amir Hossein Doustimotlagh","doi":"10.1155/2021/5588464","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5588464","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Chronic kidney disorder is a main public health concern. Inflammatory processes and oxidative stress are common in end-stage renal disease patients. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of watercress (WC) on the inflammatory cytokines and protein carbonyl (PCO) contents in chronic hemodialysis patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a double-blind randomized clinical trial performed on 46 hemodialysis patients. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: intervention group (500 mg hydroalcoholic extract of WC every day for 4 weeks) and control group (500 mg of white flour every night for 4 weeks). The blood samples were taken to determine the levels of vitamin E, PCO, and inflammatory cytokines at baseline and the end of treatment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Forty-five patients completed the study (22 patients in the intervention group and 23 patients in the control group). There was a significant reduction in the PCO level (20.33 ± 4.40 vs. 15.06 ± 6.41, <i>P</i>=0.001) in the intervention group; also, this change was statistically significant relative to the control group. Furthermore, there were significant reductions in hs-CRP (8953.30 ± 5588.06 vs. 7249.86 ± 5091.62, <i>P</i>=0.007) and IL-6 (60.10 (55.99, 73.10) vs. 55.21 (53.39, 60.48), <i>P</i>=0.050) in the intervention group, but these changes were not significant in comparison with the control group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We conclude that the hydroalcoholic extract of WC reduced the PCO content in hemodialysis patients via inhibition of protein oxidation. Although WC administration had caused a significant reduction in IL-6 and CRP levels, these differences were not statistically significant relative to the control group. Further research is needed to identify the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of WC in hemodialysis patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8175173/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39239111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isolation, Extraction, Purification, and Molecular Characterization for Thermostable <i>α</i>-Amylase from Locally Isolated <i>Bacillus</i> Species in Sudan.","authors":"Maha A Rakaz, Mohammed O Hussien, Hanan M Ibrahim","doi":"10.1155/2021/6670380","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2021/6670380","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to isolate some soil bacteria strain that produced <i>α</i>-amylase and subsequent extraction and purification. One hundred soil samples were collected from different geographical areas in Khartoum State such as north Omdurman, Toti Island, and Soba. Samples were analyzed for starch hydrolyzing bacteria. Among several bacteria isolated, <i>Bacillus cereus</i> and <i>Bacillus licheniformis</i> were identified as active <i>α</i>-amylase producers. Both bacteria showed a large zone of clearance of 20 mm when grown on starch-agar plates. The identity was conducted using biochemical characterization and confirmed by sequencing their 16S-rDNA. The constitutive nature of amylase was proved by amplification of the amylase gene from the genome of <i>B. licheniformis.</i> The <i>α</i>-amylase activity from the spent medium of <i>B. cereus</i> and <i>B. licheniformis</i> was optimized at pH 8.0 and temperature of 45°C and 65°C, respectively. The <i>α</i>-amylase produced by both bacteria is alkalophilic and thermophilic. The experiments confirmed that <i>B. licheniformis</i> can be a good source of amylase for industrial applications in Sudan.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8169242/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39023015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of SP/NK1R on the Expression and Activity of Catalase and Superoxide Dismutase in Glioblastoma Cancer Cells.","authors":"Faranak Korfi,&nbsp;Hossein Javid,&nbsp;Reza Assaran Darban,&nbsp;Seyed Isaac Hashemy","doi":"10.1155/2021/6620708","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6620708","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Glioblastoma is the most malignant brain tumor with different therapeutic protocols, including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Substance P (SP), a peptide released by sensory nerves, increases cellular excitability by activating the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) in several human tumor cells. Aprepitant is a potent and long-lasting NK1R antagonist, considered a new agent for inhibiting proliferation and induction of apoptosis in malignant cells. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the SP/NK1R system on the expression and activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the glioblastoma U87 cancer cell line.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cytotoxicity was measured by the resazurin test, 24 hours after treatment, with increasing aprepitant concentrations. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was also measured 24 hours after treatment with SP and aprepitant. Enzymes activity of catalase and SOD was measured using the corresponding assay kits. Real-time PCR also measured their expression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Aprepitant significantly reduced the viability of U87 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. ROS production was significantly reduced, and the activity of catalase and SOD increased after treatment with aprepitant. The expression of catalase and SOD enzymes also increased significantly in the presence of aprepitant.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The present study showed that aprepitant inhibited SP's oxidizing effects via inducing the antioxidant effects of catalase and SOD in the U87 cell line. Therefore, this drug might be introduced as a potential candidate for controlling glioblastoma cancer in animal models and clinical trials.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8084669/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38890300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activities of Eight Plant Essential Oils from Morocco against <i>Escherichia coli</i> Strains Isolated from Different Turkey Organs.","authors":"Hassna Jaber, Asmaa Oubihi, Imane Ouryemchi, Rachid Boulamtat, Ali Oubayoucef, Brahim Bourkhiss, Mohammed Ouhssine","doi":"10.1155/2021/6685800","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2021/6685800","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of the present study was to determine the chemical composition of eight plant essential oils and evaluate their antibacterial activity against <i>Escherichia coli</i> strains isolated from different turkey organs. The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. All essential oil yielded high in a range between 2.2 and 3.12%. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) revealed that the major constituents of <i>Thymus vulgaris, Ocimum basilicum, Artemisia herba-alba,</i> and <i>Syzygium aromaticum</i> oils were thymol (41.39%), linalool (37.16%), camphor (63.69%), and eugenol (80.83%), respectively. Results of the <i>E. coli</i> sensitivity evaluated by the standard antimicrobial sensitivity method varied depending on the organ of isolation. Similarly, the essential oils antimicrobial activity determined by the disc diffusion method varied all along within the organs of isolation. <i>T. vulgaris</i> essential oil showed the highest effective antibacterial activity against <i>E. coli</i> isolated from the throat with an inhibition zone diameter value of up to 23.33 mm. However, all the essential oils showed antibacterial activity and the MIC and MBC values were in the range of 1/3000 to 1/100 (v/v) and the ratios MBC/MIC were equal to 1. In conclusion, this study showed that the essential oils could be promising alternatives to overcome <i>E. coli</i> multiresistance in turkey.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8009720/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38877799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter Clinical Study Comparing the Efficacy and Safety of a Drug Combination of Lopinavir/Ritonavir-Azithromycin, Lopinavir/Ritonavir-Doxycycline, and Azithromycin-Hydroxychloroquine for Patients Diagnosed with Mild to Moderate COVID-19 Infections.","authors":"Purwati,&nbsp;Budiono,&nbsp;Brian Eka Rachman,&nbsp;Yulistiani,&nbsp;Andang Miatmoko,&nbsp;Nasronudin,&nbsp;Soroy Lardo,&nbsp;Yongki Iswandi Purnama,&nbsp;Mafidhatul Laely,&nbsp;Ike Rochmad,&nbsp;Taufik Ismail,&nbsp;Sri Wulandari,&nbsp;Dwi Setyawan,&nbsp;Alfian Nur Rosyid,&nbsp;Herley Windo Setiawan,&nbsp;Prastuti Asta Wulaningrum,&nbsp;Tri Pudy Asmarawati,&nbsp;Erika Marfiani,&nbsp;Shinta Karina Yuniati,&nbsp;Muhammad Rabiul Fuadi,&nbsp;Pepy Dwi Endraswari,&nbsp;Purwaningsih,&nbsp;Eryk Hendrianto,&nbsp;Deya Karsari,&nbsp;Aristika Dinaryanti,&nbsp;Nora Ertanti,&nbsp;Igo Syaiful Ihsan,&nbsp;Disca Sandyakala Purnama,&nbsp;Yuni Indrayani","doi":"10.1155/2021/6685921","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6685921","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>At the present time, COVID-19 vaccines are at the testing stage, and an effective treatment for COVID-19 incorporating appropriate safety measures remains the most significant obstacle to be overcome. A strategic countermeasure is, therefore, urgently required.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination of lopinavir/ritonavir-azithromycin, lopinavir/ritonavir-doxycycline, and azithromycin-hydroxychloroquine used to treat patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 infections. <i>Setting and Design</i>. This study was conducted at four different clinical study sites in Indonesia. The subjects gave informed consent for their participation and were confirmed as being COVID-19-positive by means of an RT-PCR test. The present study constituted a randomized, double-blind, and multicenter clinical study of patients diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Six treatment groups participated in this study: a Control group administered with a 500 mg dose of azithromycin; Group A which received a 200/50 mg dose of lopinavir/ritonavir and 500 mg of azithromycin; Group B treated with a 200/50 mg dose of lopinavir/ritonavir and 200 mg of doxycycline; Group C administered with 200 mg of hydroxychloroquine and 500 mg of azithromycin; Group D which received a 400/100 mg dose of lopinavir/ritonavir and 500 mg of azithromycin; and Group E treated with a 400/100 mg dose of lopinavir/ritonavir and 200 mg of doxycycline.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>754 subjects participated in this study: 694 patients (92.4%) who presented mild symptoms and 57 patients (7.6%) classified as suffering from a moderate case of COVID-19. On the third day after treatment, 91.7%-99.2% of the subjects in Groups A-E were confirmed negative by a PCR swab test compared to 26.9% in the Control group. Observation of all groups which experienced a significant decrease in virus load between day 1 and day 7 was undertaken. Other markers, such as CRP and IL-6, were significantly lower in all treatment groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05 and <i>p</i> < 0.0001) than in the Control group. Furthermore, IL-10 and TNF-<i>α</i> levels were significantly elevated in all treatment groups (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). The administration of azithromycin to the Control group increased CRP and IL-6 levels, while reduced IL-10 and TNF-<i>α</i> on day 7 (<i>p</i> < 0.0001) compared with day 1. Decreases in ALT and AST levels were observed in all groups (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). There was an increase in creatinine in the serum level of the Control, C, D, and E groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas the BUN level was elevated in all groups (<i>p</i> < 0.0001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study findings suggest that the administration of lopinavir/ritonavir-doxycycline, lopinavir/ritonavir-azithromycin, and azithromycin-hydroxychloroquine as a dual drug combination produced a significantly rapid PC","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7881739/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25402764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diverse Effect of Vitamin C and N-Acetylcysteine on Aluminum-Induced Eryptosis.","authors":"Ali Reza Zangeneh, Mohammad Ali Takhshid, Reza Ranjbaran, Mahsa Maleknia, Mohammad Hassan Meshkibaf","doi":"10.1155/2021/6670656","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2021/6670656","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The role of oxidative stress in Aluminum (Al)-induced apoptotic effects has been investigated and suicidal death of erythrocytes, eryptosis, is characterized by cell shrinkage and phosphatidylserine externalization (PSE) at the surface of the erythrocyte cell membrane. Eryptosis is stimulated by an increase in cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration and reactive oxygen species (ROS). This ex vivo study was conducted to evaluate the effect of well-known antioxidants including vitamin C (vit C) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), against Al-induced hemolysis and eryptosis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Isolated erythrocytes from the healthy volunteers were partitioned into various groups (6 replicates/group) and treated by various concentrations of Al (3-100 <i>µ</i>M) in the presence and absence of vit C (0.6 mM) and NAC (1 mM). After 24 hours of treatment, hemolysis was determined from hemoglobin levels in the supernatant. Flowcytometric methods were applied to measure PSE, cell shrinkage, Ca²⁺ content, and ROS abundance using annexin V-binding, forward scatter, Fluo₃-fluorescence, and DCFDA dependent fluorescence, respectively. Reduced glutathione (GSH) was measured by the ELISA method.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results showed that a 24 hours' exposure of the erythrocytes to Al (10-100 <i>µ</i>M) significantly increased hemolysis in a dose and Ca²⁺dependent manner. Al also dramatically decreased forward scatter. The percentage of PSE cells, Fluo₃-fluorescence, and DCFDA fluorescence were increased by Al. Furthermore, cotreatment with NAC inhibited the effect of Al on hemolysis, eryptosis, and ROS production. Vit C decreased Al-induced ROS production. However, increased Al-induced eryptosis. There were no significant changes in glutathione after the ALCL₃ treatment.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Al-induced eryptosis and hemolysis through triggering oxidative stress, while NAC could diverse this effect. In contrast, vit C might intensify Al-induced eryptosis at particular doses through a less known mechanism.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2021-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7815388/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38874199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Role of Glutamine in the Prevention of Ultraviolet-C-Induced Platelet Activation","authors":"M. Mushtaq, U. Kim","doi":"10.1155/2020/8853696","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8853696","url":null,"abstract":"Background and Objectives. The primary function of platelets is to prevent bleeding. The use of UV-C light in the treatment of platelets has become a valuable method for preserving the efficacy of platelet concentrates in blood banks. However, its deleterious effect remains, such as the activation of platelets, thus causing the platelets to lose their physiological function. In this study, we intended to demonstrate the impact of UV-C on platelets and how the use of glutamine could mitigate the loss of physiological function of the platelets caused by UV-C. Materials and Methods. This study was conducted using mouse platelets. We assessed calcium signaling using Fura-2 AM incubation and dense granule secretion of the platelets using luminescence assay by measuring ATP. At the molecular level, the activation of integrin using PAC-1 antibody was analyzed. Phosphorylation of immune-precipitated cPLA2 was assessed using a specific antibody. All the experiments were carried out with or without glutamine in the presence of UV-C. Positive and negative controls were used in all experiments to validate the findings. Results. We have demonstrated that physiological and biochemical damage arises as a result of the exposure of platelet concentrate to UV-C and that the use of glutamine could alleviate this damage. Various experiments, thrombus formation, integrin activation, and phosphorylation of cPLA2 were preserved using 50 mM of glutamine in the presence of UV-C, which reduces 50% of platelet viability. Conclusions. Our study demonstrates that the storage of platelet concentrates under the UV-C activates their physiological process and renders them to the thrombus formation, hence decreasing their viability. The presence of a moderate amount of glutamine can alleviate the toxic effect of UV-C, and platelet concentrates could be kept viable for a long time.","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44491001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interaction of Agaric Acid with the Adenine Nucleotide Translocase Induces Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress.","authors":"Edmundo Chávez,&nbsp;Mabel Buelna-Chontal,&nbsp;Arturo Macías-López,&nbsp;Luz Hernández-Esquivel,&nbsp;Francisco Correa,&nbsp;Natalia Pavón","doi":"10.1155/2020/5253108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5253108","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mitochondrial permeability transition is characterized by the opening of a transmembranal pore that switches membrane permeability from specific to nonspecific. This structure allows the free traffic of ions, metabolites, and water across the mitochondrial inner membrane. The opening of the permeability transition pore is triggered by oxidative stress along with calcium overload. In this work, we explored if oxidative stress is a consequence, rather than an effector of the pore opening, by evaluating the interaction of agaric acid with the adenine nucleotide translocase, a structural component of the permeability transition pore. We found that agaric acid induces transition pore opening, increases the generation of oxygen-derived reactive species, augments the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in the membrane, and promotes the detachment of cytochrome c from the inner membrane. The effect of agaric acid was inhibited by the antioxidant tamoxifen in association with decreased binding of the thiol reagent eosin-3 maleimide to the adenine nucleotide translocase. We conclude that agaric acid promotes the opening of the pore, increasing ROS production that exerts oxidative modification of critical thiols in the adenine nucleotide translocase.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7803168/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38854576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Erratum to \"Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in XPO5 are Associated with Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in a Chinese Population\".","authors":"Ning Wang,&nbsp;Boshen Wang,&nbsp;Jiadi Guo,&nbsp;Suhao Zhang,&nbsp;Lei Han,&nbsp;Juan Zhang,&nbsp;Baoli Zhu","doi":"10.1155/2020/9649346","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/9649346","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2020/9589310.].</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7787785/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38827874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of the Volatile Components of Essential Oils of Selected Plants in Kenya.","authors":"Lydia G Mugao,&nbsp;Bernard M Gichimu,&nbsp;Phyllis W Muturi,&nbsp;Simon T Mukono","doi":"10.1155/2020/8861798","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8861798","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Essential oils are secondary metabolites that plants produce for protection from pests and predators, attraction of pollinators, and seed dispersal. The oils are made up of a mixture of compounds that give a characteristic flavour and odour. Currently, essential oils are receiving great attention in research for their phytochemical and antimicrobial activities. However, there is scanty information on the chemical composition of many plants. This study provides a detailed analysis of the chemical composition of essential oils of ginger, garlic, tick berry, and Mexican marigold in Kenya. The essential oils were extracted by steam distillation and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The study identified a total of 52 different chemical classes from the essential oils of the four different plants that were analysed. Their percentage composition was also found to vary between the test plants. The essential oils of Mexican marigold constituted the highest composition of the identified chemical classes at 71.2%, followed by ginger at 55.8%, while both tick berry and garlic oils constituted 53.8% of the total classes identified. Terpenes constituted the highest composition in the essential oils of all the four test plants. Other major chemical classes included esters, ketones, organosulfurs, alkanes, cycloalkanes, steroids, aromatic hydrocarbons, and alkanols. Some of these chemical compounds have been shown to have a huge utility potential in biopesticides, pharmaceutical, and food industries, and hence, their industrial extraction and purification from the essential oils of these plants are recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7803138/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38854577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}