Safety Assessment of Hops as Used in Cosmetics

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety (Panel) assessed the safety of Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract (reported functions include antimicrobial agent and hair conditioning agent) and Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Oil (reported function is fragrance). The Panel reviewed the relevant data related to these ingredients. Because final product formulations may contain multiple botanicals, each containing the same constituents of concern, formulators are advised to be aware of these constituents and to avoid reaching levels that may be hazardous to consumers. For these ingredients, the Panel was concerned about the presence of 8-prenylnaringenin, β-myrcene, and quercetin in cosmetics, which could result in estrogenic effects, dermal irritation, and genotoxicity, respectively. Industry should use current good manufacturing practices to limit impurities and constituents of concern. The Panel concluded that Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract and Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Oil are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration when formulated to be non-sensitizing.

Chemical composition and selected quality characteristics of new types of precooked wheat and spelt pasta products

New types of precooked pasta products have been developed based on refined and wholegrain wheat and spelt flours. The resulting dry pasta was then assessed for chemical composition, including amino acids composition, phenolics content, as well as antioxidant activity. The precooked pasta quality was also evaluated for starch gelatinization degree, physical properties, hardness, color profile of dry and hydrated pasta, and sensory characteristics. We found that the application of the extrusion-cooking technique for wheat and spelt pasta processing allows to achieve instant products with good nutritional characteristics and high degree of gelatinization, as well as attractive quality and sensory profiles. Microstructure showed compact and dense internal structure with visible bran particles if wholegrain flours were used. Wholegrain wheat and wholegrain spelt precooked pasta were characterized by better nutritional composition and greater antioxidant potential, but lower firmness and increased adhesiveness when compared with refined flours.

Content of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of New Gluten-Free Pasta with the Addition of Chestnut Flour

Chestnut fruit abounds in carbohydrates, proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, polyphenolic compounds, as well as vitamins and micronutrients, that are behind the health-promoting properties of this plant. The purpose of the discussed research was to obtain innovative gluten-free pasta from rice and field bean flour enriched with a various addition of chestnut flour. Regarding the studied pasta, the following were determined: the content of free phenolic acids, total polyphenols, and antioxidant properties. Chromatographic analysis (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS (high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry)) revealed a wide variety of phenolic acids. In a sample with 20% and higher content of chestnut flour, as many as 13 acids were detected. Isoferulic acid prevailed. The total content of free phenolic acids and total polyphenols increased along with the increasing chestnut content. Moreover, in most cases, the content of individual acids increased with the addition of chestnut flour. Besides, the antioxidant activity was positively correlated with the addition of chestnut fruit flour, the content of free phenolic acids, and total polyphenols. Our research has demonstrated that our innovative gluten-free pasta, with the addition of chestnut flour, has a potential to be a source of polyphenolic compounds, including free phenolic acids, that are valuable for human health.

Extraction Methods for the Isolation of Isoflavonoids from Plant Material

The purpose of this review is to describe and compare selected traditional and modern extraction methods employed in the isolation of isoflavonoids from plants. Conventional methods such as maceration, percolation, or Soxhlet extraction are still frequently used in phytochemical analysis. Despite their flexibility, traditional extraction techniques have significant drawbacks, including the need for a significant investment of time, energy, and starting material, and a requirement for large amounts of potentially toxic solvents. Moreover, these techniques are difficult to automate, produce considerable amount of waste and pose a risk of degradation of thermolabile compounds. Modern extraction methods, such as: ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, and negative pressure cavitation extraction, can be regarded as remedies for the aforementioned problems. This manuscript discusses the use of the most relevant extraction techniques in the process of isolation of isoflavonoids, secondary metabolites that have been found to have a plethora of biological and pharmacological activities.

Quantitative and qualitative investigations of pharmacopoeial plant material polygoni avicularis herba by UHPLC-CAD and UHPLC-ESI-MS methods

INTRODUCTION

Polygonum aviculare L. also known as common knotgrass is an annual herbaceous weed occurring all over the world in the temperate regions. Recent studies report that flavonol glucuronides are major constituents of common knotgrass. There is no comprehensive analytical procedure for the standardisation of Polygoni Avicularis Herba available on the European market.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a method for the proper authentication and standardisation of Polygoni Avicularis Herba and to preliminary evaluate variability in qualitative and quantitative composition among commercial samples and samples from wild harvesting defined as Polygonum aviculare sensu lato.

METHODOLOGY

The UHPLC-ESI(+)-MS method was used for the qualitative screening of nine independent samples of Polygonum aviculare herb. The UHPLC-CAD method was developed for the quantitation of the major compounds in an extract using quercetin-3-O-glucuronide as a standard.

RESULTS

Twenty-five major constituents were detected and characterised. Among them three new natural products were tentatively identified. Twelve compounds were quantitated using a validated UHPLC-CAD method. In all nine samples flavonol glucuronides were confirmed as major compounds. The total flavonoid content was estimated for all samples and varied from 0.70 to 2.20%.

CONCLUSION

The developed procedure may be used for the routine standardisation of common knotgrass. The results indicate that the pharmacopoeial approach to the authentication and standardisation of Polygonum aviculare herb should be revised.

Radical scavenging activity of extruded corn gruels with addition of linden inflorescence

Antioxidant activity is one of the most desirable properties of natural compounds. Among these substances are phenolic compounds which exhibit excellent antiradical activity. The main aim of the present study was determination of the free radical scavenging activity of gruels with 5, 10 and 20% addition of linden inflorescence. The studies were based on two methods: TLC-bioautographic assay and spectrophotometric analysis using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical). The obtained results indicate that the radical scavenging properties of the extracts are positively correlated with the content of phenolic compounds in gruels and that a high-temperature extrusion process does not deactivate antioxidant polyphenolic compounds.

Extraction and isolation of phenolic compounds

Phenolic compounds constitute a major class of plant secondary metabolites that are widely distributed in the plant kingdom and show a large structural diversity. These compounds occur as aglycones or glycosides, as monomers or constituting highly polymerized structures, or as free or matrix-bound compounds. Furthermore, they are not uniformly distributed in the plant and their stability varies significantly. This greatly complicates their extraction and isolation processes, which means that a single standardized procedure cannot be recommended for all phenolics and/or plant materials; procedures have to be optimized depending on the nature of the sample and the target analytes, and also on the object of the study. In this chapter, the main techniques for sample preparation, and extraction and isolation of phenolic compounds have been reviewed-from classical solvent extraction procedures to more modern approaches, such as the use of molecularly imprinted polymers or counter-current chromatography.