Microwave-assisted one-step extraction-derivatization for rapid analysis of fatty acids profile in herbal medicine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Effect of derivatization method (KOH and BF3) on fatty acid profile data of boiled Tetracarpidium conophorum, and egusi pudding oils

Fatty acids are present in many foods, either free or esterified. Their presence helps to characterize and classify the food. The nature of these fatty acids is also associated with the treatments applied. To assess the fatty acid profile of these matrices, extractions are carried out using different solvents that influence the nature and lipid profile. The subsequent derivatization of fatty acids to more volatile fatty acyl methyl esters (FAMEs) prior to determination of the fatty acid profile takes into account the nature of the extraction solvent. Thus, the present work proposes to determine the fatty acid profile by Gas Chromatography Flame Ionisation Detector (GC-FID) of two lipid extracts derivatized by the MeOH/KOH and Hexane/MeOH/MeOH-BF3 procedures. Freshly harvested Tetracarpidium conophorum nuts from fields in the Fombap locality were brought to the laboratory where they were boiled (95 °C; 30 min), shelled, cut into small cubes and dried for 48 h at 45 °C. The dried seeds were ground and the resulting paste macerated in hexane for 48 h. The liquid fraction obtained was concentrated using a rotavapor, and the lipid extracts were stored at -15 °C. The egusi pudding was obtained by mixing 100 g of egusi seed paste with 0.50 g of white Piper nigrum powders, then packed in bulrush leaves and steamed for 120 min. After cooking, the product was stored for 4 days at room temperature and reheated twice a day. At the end of the last day, the lipid fraction oil was extracted following the methodology of Bligh and Dyer [1], then concentrated and preserved as before. The lipid extracts were then methylated using MeOH/KOH and Hexane/MeOH/MeOH-BF3 methods before injection into a GC-FID equipped with a Stabil Wax®-DA column. Supelco's standard mix of 37 FAMEs was used to identify and quantify the fatty acids present in the various samples. The results obtained enable us to identify the different fatty acids according to the retention time of their corresponding FAMEs and to quantify them. The fatty acids obtained were classified as saturated and unsaturated (mono and polyunsaturated). These analyses showed that the rapid derivatization method (MeOH/KOH) identified the same number of fatty acids as the Hexane/MeOH/MeOH-BF3 method in the lipid extract from the egusi pudding, whereas the Hexane/MeOH/MeOH-BF3 method identified four more fatty acids in the lipid extract coming from Tetracarpidium conophorum. Although the number of fatty acids was similar, the derivatization method influenced the nature of the fatty acids in the egusi pudding lipid extract. Overall, polyunsaturated fatty acids were the most abundant in the different oils. Omega-3 were the majority subclass in Tetracarpidium conophorum nuts, while omega-6 were in egusi pudding. The derivatization method did not influence the majority fatty acid (alpha linolenic) in Tetracarpidium conophorum nuts, whereas derivatization with BF3 gave trans linoleic and KOH cis linoleic in egusi pudding. These results show that the choice of derivatization method for fatty acid profiling and quantification is very important and depends on the technique and extraction solvents used.

Fatty Acids Profile and the Relevance of Membranes as the Target of Nutrition-Based Strategies in Atopic Dermatitis: A Narrative Review

Recently, the prevalence of atopic dermatitis has increased drastically, especially in urban populations. This multifactorial skin disease is caused by complex interactions between various factors including genetics, environment, lifestyle, and diet. In eczema, apart from using an elimination diet, the adequate content of fatty acids from foods (saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids) plays an important role as an immunomodulatory agent. Different aspects regarding atopic dermatitis include connections between lipid metabolism in atopic dermatitis, with the importance of the MUFA levels, as well as of the omega-6/omega-3 balance that affects the formation of long-chain (C20 eicosanoic and C22 docosaenoic) fatty acids and bioactive lipids from them (such as prostaglandins). Impair/repair of the functioning of epidermal barrier is influenced by these fatty acid levels. The purpose of this review is to drive attention to membrane fatty acid composition and its involvement as the target of fatty acid supplementation. The membrane-targeted strategy indicates the future direction for dermatological research regarding the use of nutritional synergies, in particular using red blood cell fatty acid profiles as a tool for checking the effects of supplementations to reach the target and influence the inflammatory/anti-inflammatory balance of lipid mediators. This knowledge gives the opportunity to develop personalized strategies to create a healthy balance by nutrition with an anti-inflammatory outcome in skin disorders.

The Role and Mechanism of Perilla frutescens in Cancer Treatment

Perilla frutescens is an annual herb of the Labiatae family and is widely grown in several countries in Asia. Perilla frutescens is a plant that is used medicinally in its entirety, as seen in its subdivision into perilla seeds, perilla stalks, and perilla leaves, which vary more markedly in their chemical composition. Several studies have shown that Perilla frutescens has a variety of pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, detoxifying, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective. In the absence of a review of Perilla frutescens for the treatment of cancer. This review provides an overview of the chemical composition and molecular mechanisms of Perilla frutescens for cancer treatment. It was found that the main active components of Perilla frutescens producing cancer therapeutic effects were perilla aldehyde (PAH), rosmarinic acid (Ros A), lignan, and isoestrogen (IK). In addition to these, extracts of the leaves and fruits of Perilla frutescens are also included. Among these, perilla seed oil (PSO) has a preventive effect against colorectal cancer due to the presence of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. This review also provides new ideas and thoughts for scientific innovation and clinical applications related to Perilla frutescens.

Ethnomedicinal, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Investigations of Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt

Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. (PF) is an annual herbal medicinal, aromatic, functional food, and ornamental plant that belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. The origin of perilla traces back to East Asian countries (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and India), where it has been used as a valuable source of culinary and traditional medicinal uses. The leaves, seeds, and stems of P. frutescens are used for various therapeutic applications in folk medicine. In the absence of a comprehensive review regarding all aspects of perilla, this review aims to present an overview pertaining to the botanical drug, ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and biological activity. It was found that the taxonomic classification of perilla species is quite confused, and the number of species is vague. Perilla has traditionally been prescribed to treat depression-related disease, anxiety, asthma, chest stuffiness, vomiting, coughs, colds, flus, phlegm, tumors, allergies, intoxication, fever, headache, stuffy nose, constipation, abdominal pain, and indigestion, and acts as an analgesic, anti-abortive agent, and a sedative. Until now, 271 natural molecules have been identified in perilla organs including phenolic acids, flavonoids, essential oils, triterpenes, carotenoids, phytosterols, fatty acids, tocopherols, and policosanols. In addition to solvent extracts, these individual compounds (rosmarinic acid, perillaldehyde, luteolin, apigenin, tormentic acid, and isoegomaketone) have attracted researchers' interest for its pharmacological properties. Perilla showed various biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-allergic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotection effects. Although the results are promising in preclinical studies (in vitro and in vivo), clinical studies are insufficient; therefore, further study needs to be done to validate its therapeutic effects and to ensure its safety and efficacy.

Phytochemical and phytopharmacological review of Perilla frutescens L. (Labiatae), a traditional edible-medicinal herb in China

Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt., a worldwide distributed plant, is an important economic crop and with a long cultivation history in China as well as some other countries in Asia. Except for the edible applications, the plant of P. frutescens is also traditionally used as a medicinal herb in China for thousands years. The leaves, seeds and stems of P. frutescens are recommended by the Chinese Pharmacopeia as three medicinal materials for various therapeutic applications. In the past decades, amount investigations have been done about different aspects for P. frutescens. However, no literature review about these works has been compiled. This review aims to present the findings of research conducted up-to-date (2015) on the traditional use, phytochemicals, pharmacological activities and toxicities of P. frutescens to provide scientific evidence for well-understanding and future research of P. frutescens. It was found that more than 100 compounds have been reported for P. frutescens and most of them are contributed to its medical benefits such as anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anticancer, anti-microbial, anti-depressive and anti-cough effects. Toxicology studies have been conducted to evaluate the safety of P. frutescens to provide information on their dosages and usages.

[Rapid determination of fatty acids in Ranunculus ternatus Thunb by microwave-ultrasonic synergistic one-step extraction-derivatization and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry]

A rapid and simple microwave-ultrasonic synergistic one-step extraction-derivatization (MUED) method and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was established for the determination of low content fatty acids (FAs) profile in Ranunculus ternatus Thunb. The critical experimental parameters for MUED method were optimized with response surface methodology by taking the chromatographic peak areas of total FAs as a major response index. The best technological parameters were determined as 5.0 g of Ranunculus ternatus Thunb. powder, 50.0 mL of n-hexane, 500 W of microwave power, 50 degree C of reaction temperature, 0.30 g of catalyst (KOH), 4.0 mL of derivatization reagent (methanol) and the time of extraction-derivatization of 8 min. The contents of individual FAs were quantified by internal standard method. The results showed that the chromatographic peak areas of the total FAs and the total unsaturated FAs contents obtained with MUED were (3.327 +/- 0.023) x 10(7) (n = 3) and (13.59 +/- 0.30) mg/g (n = 3) respectively. They were markedly higher than those obtained by the conventional method which were (2.410 +/- 0.036) x 10(7) (n = 3) and (12.05 +/- 0.34) mg/g (n = 3) respectively. The MUED method simplified the complicated sample handling steps, shortened the sample preparation time, reduced the cost of analysis, and improved the extraction and derivatization efficiency of the lipids, especially weakened the oxidization and decomposition of the unsaturated FAs. The simplicity, speed and practicability suggest the proposed method has significant potential for the determination of lowcontent FAs in herbal medicines.

Microwave-assisted dissolution and delignification of wood in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate

Microwave irradiation can facilitate the dissolution and delignification of lignocelluloses in ionic liquids compared to simple oil bath heating as demonstrated here where 92.5% of 0.5 g ground southern yellow pine was dissolved in 10 g 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate using microwave irradiation in only 4 min. Cellulose-rich material (pulp) regenerated from the wood/ionic liquid solution had a lignin content of ~10%; significantly lower than the lignin content of the original wood (31.9%) or that of pulp obtained from the same experiment but using 16 h of oil bath heating (16-24%). The 10% lignin content obtained with the microwave method was close to that of pulp obtained from the oil bath heating method when polyoxometalate catalysts were used (5-9%).