Rapid separation and characterisation of triacylglycerols in ostrich oil by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Impact of extraction method on the lipids of Himalayan marmot oil with ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry analysis

RATIONALE

Himalayan marmot oil (SPO) has been used for pharmaceutical purposes for centuries, but its composition is still unclear. The bioactivity of SPO highly depends on the techniques used for its processing. This study focused on the comprehensive lipidomics of SPO, especially on the ones derived from dry rendering, wet rendering, cold pressing, and ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction.

METHODS

We performed lipid profiling of SPO acquired by different extraction methods using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry, and 17 classes of lipids (2 BMPs, 12 LysoPCs, 9 LysoPEs, 41 PCs, 24 PEs, 23 Plasmenyl-PCs, 10 Plasmenyl-PEs, 10 MGs, 63 DGs, 187 TGs, 2 MGDGs, 3 Cer[NDS]s, 22 Cer[NS]s, 2 GlcCer[NS]s, 14 SMs, 14 CEs, and 6 AcylCarnitines) were characterized.

RESULTS

Fifty-five lipids were differentially altered (VIP > 1.5, p < 0.05) between the extraction techniques, which can be used as potential biomarkers to differentiate SPO extracted by various methods. Additionally, the contents of oleic acid and arachidic acid were abundant in all samples that may suggest their medicinal values and are conducive to in-depth research.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings reveal the alterations of lipid profile and free fatty acid composition in SPO obtained with different extraction methods, providing a theoretical foundation for investigating its important components as functional factors in medicines and cosmetics.

Development and Evaluation of a Stable Oil-in-Water Emulsion with High Ostrich Oil Concentration for Skincare Applications

This study investigates the development of an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion enriched with a high concentration of ostrich oil, recognized for its abundant content of oleic acid (34.60 ± 0.01%), tailored for skincare applications. Using Span and Tween emulsifiers, we formulated an optimized emulsion with 20% w/w ostrich oil and a 15% w/w blend of Span 20 and Tween 80. This formulation, achieved via homogenization at 3800 rpm for 5 min, yielded the smallest droplet size (5.01 ± 0.43 μm) alongside an appropriate zeta potential (-32.22 mV). Our investigation into the influence of Span and Tween concentrations, types, and ratios on the stability of 20% w/w ostrich oil emulsions, maintaining a hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) of 5.5, consistently demonstrated the superior stability of the optimized emulsion across various formulations. Cytotoxicity assessments on human dermal fibroblasts affirmed the safety of the emulsion. Notably, the emulsion exhibited a 52.20 ± 2.01% inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation, surpassing the 44.70 ± 1.94% inhibition observed for ostrich oil alone. Moreover, it demonstrated a superior inhibitory zone against Staphylococcus aureus (12.32 ± 0.19 mm), compared to the 6.12 ± 0.15 mm observed for ostrich oil alone, highlighting its enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial properties and strengthening its potential for skincare applications. The optimized emulsion also demonstrates the release of 78.16 ± 1.22% of oleic acid across the cellulose acetate membrane after 180 min of study time. This successful release of oleic acid further enhances the overall efficacy and versatility of the optimized emulsion. Stability assessments, conducted over 6 months at different temperatures (4 °C, 25 °C, 45 °C), confirmed the emulsion's sustained physicochemical and microbial stability, supporting its promise for topical applications. Despite minor fluctuations in acid values (AV) and peroxide values (PV), the results remained within the acceptable limits. This research elucidates the crucial role of emulsification in optimizing the efficacy and stability of ostrich oil in skincare formulations, providing valuable insights for practical applications where stability is paramount.

Neuroinflammation and hypersensitivity evidenced by the acute and 28-DAY repeated dose toxicity tests of ostrich oil in mice

The ostrich oil (OO) has been topically used for decades to treat skin diseases. Its oral use has been encouraged through e-commerce advertising several health benefits to OO without scientific evidence on its safety or effectiveness. This study presents the chromatographic profile of a commercially available OO and its acute and 28-day repeated dose in vivo toxicological profiles. OO anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects were also investigated. Omega-9 (ω-9; oleic acid; 34.6%) and -6 (linoleic acid; 14.9%) were detected as OO main constituents. A high single dose of the OO (2 g/kg of ω-9) demonstrated no or low acute toxicity. However, when orally treated with OO (30-300 mg/kg of ω-9) for 28 consecutive days, mice exhibited altered locomotor and exploratory activities, hepatic damage, and increased hindpaw sensitivity accompanied by increased levels of cytokine and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in their spinal cords and brains. Lack of anti-inflammatory or antinociceptive activities was also evidenced in 15-day-OO treated mice. These results indicate that chronic consumption of OO induces hepatic injury, in addition to neuroinflammation and subsequent hypersensitivity and behavioural changes. Thus, there is no evidence to support OO use to treating illness in humans.

The Triacylglycerol Profile of Oil Bodies and Oil Extracted from Argania spinosa Using the UPLC Along with the Electrospray Ionization Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS)

The triacylglycerol (TAG) matrix of argan oil (AO) bodies (AOB) along with the TAGs of AO extracted from the same kernels using an organic solvent, were identified and quantified using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Generally, both samples showed a similar TAGs profile but AO found to have three extra TAGs in low amount. In total 23 and 26 different TAGs were identified in AOBs and AO, respectively. The most abundant TAGs were OOL, POO, OOO, and POL in both samples. Furthermore, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid were the major fatty acids in both AOBs and AO. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first research that studied the TAGs matrix of an oil body revealing no major difference between the TAGs profile protected by the AOBs membrane and the oil extracted from the whole seed. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Seed and kernels oil bodies emulsion tend to be the new source of emulsified oil in food and cosmetic industries. However, before replacing a product with another, we have to make sure that the new alternative can offer better or at least similar benefits. Our results showed that the triacylglycerols (TAGs) matrix and the argan oil (AO) share the same TAGs profile with a relatively close percentage. Therefore, AO bodies can be the perfect pre-emulsified oil for some food products like sauces and creams.

Ambient-air ozonolysis of triglycerides in aged fingerprint residues

In forensic science, reconstructing the timing of events occurring during a criminal offense is of great importance. In some cases, the time when particular evidence was left on a crime scene is a critical matter. The ability to estimate the fingerprint age would raise the evidentiary value of fingerprints tremendously. For this purpose the most promising approach is the analysis of changes in the chemical compositions of fingerprint residues in the course of aging. The focus of our study is the identification of human specific compounds in fingerprint residues, characterized by a significant aging behavior that could analytically be used for the age determination of fingerprints in future. The first challenge is the sensitive detection of trace amounts of relevant human specific fingerprint compounds. Highly sensitive LC-MS methods were developed for the reliable structure identification of unsaturated triglycerides and their natural degradation products in order to proof the aging mechanism that takes place in fingerprint residues. Thus our results build the fundamental basis for further forensic method development and potential application in forensic investigation. Ozonolysis was found to be one of the major lipid degradation pathways in fingerprint residues in ambient air. High-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HRMS²) was carried out to identify the ozonolysis products (TG48:0-monoozonide) formed under exposure to the highly reactive ozone in atmospheric air. The obtained products were confirmed by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI). Despite several challenges and limitations in the age estimation of fingerprints, the identification of individual degradation products of specific unsaturated lipids in aged fingerprint samples represents a significant analytical progress, resulting in a strong increase in the validity of chemical analysis of fingerprints.

Precolumn Derivatization with Bromine to Improve Separation and Detection Sensitivity of Triacylglycerols in Edible Oil by Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

The complexity of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in edible oils is largely due to the many similar unsaturated TAG compounds, which makes profiling TAGs difficult. In this study, precolumn derivatization with bromine (Br₂) was used to improve the separation and detection sensitivity of TAGs in edible oils by RP-HPLC. Oil samples dissolved in n-hexane and TAGs were derived by reaction with a Br2-CCl₄ (1:1, v/v) solution for 3 h at room temperature. The derivate product solution was stable and was best separated and detected by RP-HPLC using a C18 column, with a mobile phase of methanol-n-hexane (91.5:8.5, v/v) at 25°C. A detection wavelength of 230 nm was used. The results showed that the approach enabled the separation and detection of more similar TAGs by RP-HPLC. The method was applied to profile 20 types of edible oil, and the results presented the differences in the TAG profiles of various edible oils, which may be useful in the identification of edible oils.

Regiospecific Analysis of Fatty Acids and Calculation of Triglyceride Molecular Species in Marine Fish Oils

The regiospecific distribution of fatty acids (FAs) and composition of triglyceride (TAG) molecular species of fishes were analyzed and calculated by pancreatic lipase (PL) hydrolysis and Visual Basic (VB) program. DHA was preferentially located at sn-2 position in TAG molecule, whereas EPA was almost equally distributed in each position of glycerol backbone. DOP, DPP, EPP, PoPP, PPO, and PPP were the predominant TAG species. MPP in anchovy, DDP, DOP, DPP in tuna, and EOO and OOO in salmon were the characteristic TAG molecules, which were meaningful to differentiate marine fish oils. Furthermore, the data management, according to TCN and ECN, was firstly applied to classify the TAG molecular species. The ECN42, ECN46, and ECN48 groups were rich in TAGs. The lower ECN values, compared to the higher TCN values, indicated that the most abundant TAGs exhibited a higher unsaturated degree. Therefore, our study not only offered a simple and feasible approach for the analysis of TAG composition but also firstly summarized the information by data management within ECN and TCN.

Elucidation of penetration enhancement mechanism of Emu oil using FTIR microspectroscopy at EMIRA laboratory of SESAME synchrotron

It has been proposed that Emu oil possesses skin permeation-enhancing effect. This study aimed to address its possible penetration enhancement mechanism(s) using IR microscopy, in accordance with LPP theory. The penetration of Emu oil through the layers of human skin was accomplished by monitoring oil-IR characteristic feature at 3006cm^-1. The unsaturated components of Emu oil accumulated at about 270μm depth of skin surface. The interaction of Emu oil with lipid and protein constituents of SC was investigated in comparison with a commonly used enhancer, IPM. Inter-sample spectral differences were identified using PCA and linked with possible enhancement mechanisms. Emu oil treatment caused a change in the slope of the right contour of amide I band of the protein spectral range. This was also clear in the second derivative spectra where the emergence of a new shoulder at higher frequency was evident, suggesting disorganization of keratin α-helix structure. This effect could be a result of disruption of some hydrogen bonds in which amide CO and NH groups of keratin are involved. The low intensity of the emerged shoulder is also in agreement with formation of weaker hydrogen bonds. IPM did not affect the protein component. No conclusions regarding the effect of penetration enhancers on the SC lipids were obtained. This was due to the overlap of the endogenous (skin) and exogenous (oil) CH stretching and scissoring frequencies. The SC carbonyl stretching peak disappeared as a result of IPM treatment which may reflect some degree of lipid extraction.