Effect of Artabotrys odoratissimus extract as an environmentally sustainable inhibitor for mild steel corrosion in 0.5 M H2SO4 media

Investigation of Dracocephalum extract based on bulk and nanometer size as green corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in different corrosive media

In recent years, green corrosion inhibitors derived from natural plant resources have garnered much interest. In the present work, at first, we investigated the corrosion behavior of mild steel (st-37) in the presence, and absence of Dracocephalum extract based on bulk size as a corrosion inhibitor in two widely used acidic environments (0.5 M H₂SO₄, and 1.0 M HCl), at room temperature. Then, we used Dracocephalum extract based on nanometer size to reduce the optimal concentration of inhibitor, increase the corrosion resistant, and efficiency. Dracocephalum extract does not contain heavy metals or other toxic compounds, and also good characteristics such as low cost, eco-friendly, and widespread availability, make it suitable nature candidate as an environmentally safe green inhibitor. The anticorrosive behavior was assessed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and potentiodynamic polarization (PP). In all of the studies, the inhibitory efficiency (IE%) increased as the extract dose was increased. But by using nano extract, in addition to maintaining high efficiency, the amount of inhibitor was reduced significantly. The highest IE% is 94% at the best dose of nano extract (75 ppm), but the highest IE% is 89% at the best dose of the bulk extract (200 ppm) in H₂SO₄ solution. Also, for the HCl solution, the highest IE% is 88% at the best dose of nano extract (100 ppm), but the highest IE% is 90% at the best dose of the bulk extract (400 ppm), by polarization method. The PP results suggest that this compound has an effect on both anodic, and cathodic processes, and that it adsorbs on mild steel surface according to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, and a solid UV-Visible reflection spectrum were used to investigate the alloys' surface morphology.

Advocacy for the Medicinal Plant Artabotrys hexapetalus (Yingzhao) and Antimalarial Yingzhaosu Endoperoxides

The medicinal plant Artabotrys hexapetalus (synonyms: A.uncinatus and A. odoratissimus) is known as yingzhao in Chinese. Extracts of the plant have long been used in Asian folk medicine to treat various symptoms and diseases, including fevers, microbial infections, ulcers, hepatic disorders and other health problems. In particular, extracts from the roots and fruits of the plant are used for treating malaria. Numerous bioactive natural products have been isolated from the plant, mainly aporphine (artabonatines, artacinatine) and benzylisoquinoline (hexapetalines) alkaloids, terpenoids (artaboterpenoids), flavonoids (artabotrysides), butanolides (uncinine, artapetalins) and a small series of endoperoxides known as yingzhaosu A-to-D. These natural products confer antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties to the plant extracts. The lead compound yingzhaosu A displays marked activities against the malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum and P. berghei. Total syntheses have been developed to access yingzhaosu compounds and analogues, such as the potent compound C14-epi-yingzhaosu A and simpler molecules with a dioxane unit. The mechanism of action of yingzhaosu A points to an iron(II)-induced degradation leading to the formation of two alkylating species, an unsaturated ketone and a cyclohexyl radical, which can then react with vital parasitic proteins. A bioreductive activation of yingzhaosu A endoperoxide can also occur with the heme iron complex. The mechanism of action of yingzhaosu endoperoxides is discussed, to promote further chemical and pharmacological studies of these neglected, but highly interesting bioactive compounds. Yingzhaosu A/C represent useful templates for designing novel antimalarial drugs.