A novel approach for synchronous transformation and extraction of psoralen from fig (Ficus carica L.) leaves based on polarity of different macroporous adsorption resins

Study on the extraction, purification, stability, free radical scavenging kinetics, polymerization degree and characterization of proanthocyanidins from Pinus koraiensis seed scales

To efficiently harness resources from Pinus koraiensis seed scales, a type of forestry waste, rigorous studies on the extraction, purification, stability, and free radical scavenging capacity of the proanthocyanidins derived from these seed scales were conducted. Kinetic models showed that under ultrasonic conditions, the proanthocyanidins content reached 2.66 mg/g within 0.5 h. The optimal storage parameters include darkness, 4 °C, and pH 4. The degrees of polymerization of the mixture and the high- and low-polymer components were 4.89, 7.42 and 3.07, respectively, with the low-polymer component exhibiting the highest radical scavenging activity. Through HPLC-QE-MS/MS, 1H NMR, and FT-IR analyses, we identified proanthocyanidin B1, proanthocyanidin B2, (-)-epicatechin, and polymeric trimer esters. The Pinus koraiensis proanthocyanidins exhibited a high molecular weight, a complex internal molecular structure, and commendable stability, with crystallization requiring elevated temperatures. Therefore, the proanthocyanidins from Pinus koraiensis seed scales have emerged as highly promising novel natural antioxidants.

A surface multiple imprinting layers membrane with well-oriented recognition sites for selective separation of chlorogenic acid from Ficus carica L

Chlorogenic acid (CGA), known as an important natural antioxidative compound in Ficus carica L, has valuable application prospects on health food, functional food, nutrition and dietary formulations. In this study, a surface multiple imprinting layers membrane (SMILM) was developed and applied to separate CGA from F. carica. Two different imprinting layers were integrated onto the membrane surface in sequence. The first imprinting layer was formed by dopamine polymerization and the second imprinting layer was fabricated by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and boronate affinity. The prepared SMILM with well-oriented multiple recognition sites exhibited high adsorption capacity (52.08 mg·g-1 in 60 min) for CGA and specific selectivity with imprinting factor (IF) of 3.06. Furthermore, the recognition mechanism of SMILM was clarified by molecular simulation and NMR. The SMILM was successfully applied to separate CGA from the fruits, peels and leaves of F. carica with recoveries of 90.22, 83.31 and 84.95 %, respectively.

A novel absorbent, HOF-3@PU: Preparation and application for sustainable and efficient purification of catalpol and ajugol from Rehmannia glutinosa leaves

This study introduced the preparation of a novel HOF-loaded PU sponge (HOF-3@PU) composite for the sustainable and efficient purification of catalpol and ajugol from Rehmannia glutinosa leaves for the first time. HOF-3 was selected as the best adsorbent from the five synthesised HOFs. HOF-3@PU was prepared by ultrasonication, and the loading conditions were optimised. The results showed that the optimum adsorption conditions are as follows: adsorption liquid volume: 160 mL, flow rate: 3.0 mL/min, pH: 6.0, concentration: 1.62 mg/mL for catalpol and 2.18 mg/mL for ajugol. The optimum desorption conditions are as follows: desorption agent: ethanol, volume fraction: 60%, flow rate: 2.0 mL/min, volume: 300 mL and pH: 6.0. Under the optimal process conditions, the adsorption capacities of catalpol and ajugol were 75.62 and 68.41 mg/g, the desorption rates were 78.5 and 86.4% and the purities were 38.7 and 36.5%, respectively.