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BACKGROUND: A combination of enzymes and ultrasound treatment was employed to extract bioactive compounds from cashew nut testa, a by‐product of the food industry. The total catechin, flavonoid, and phenolic content of extracts was investigated together with their biological activity. RESULTS: Enzyme and ultrasound‐assisted extraction (E‐UAE) was performed by incubation with Viscozyme L (20 mL kg−1 of testa powder, v/w) for 60 min before sonication for 40 min. Ultrasound and enzyme‐assisted extraction (U‐EAE) was carried out using sonication for 40 min before incubation with Viscozyme L (20 mL kg−1 of testa powder) for 60 min. Under appropriate conditions, the total phenolic, flavonoid, catechin, and epigallocatechin gallate content of the extracts from cashew nut testa obtained from a combination method (U‐EAE or E‐UAE) was significantly higher than that obtained using a single method (EAE or UAE). Extracts of cashew nut testa obtained from E‐UAE displayed significantly higher antioxidant and α‐amylase inhibitory activity than those from the U‐EAE. The E‐UAE extract at a concentration of 100 μg mL−1 had a greater impact on the cell viability of MCF‐7 after treatment (22% cell viability) than did the doxorubicin (DOX) at 4 μg mL−1 (39% cell viability), and the E‐UAE extract at 100 μg mL−1 was considered to be safe for healthy cells because the viability of the bovine aerotic endothelial cells treated with this extract was 91%, which was similar to the DOX treatment. CONCLUSION: The extract of cashew nut testa obtained from E‐UAE is valuable and promising for the development of anti‐inflammatory therapeutic drugs. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alginate/lignin is a synthetic polymer rich in biological activity and is of great interest. Alginate is extracted from seaweed and lignin is extracted from corn stalks and leaves. In this paper, antioxidant activities of alginate/lignin were evaluated, such as total antioxidant activity, reducing power activity, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, and α-glucosidase inhibition activity. Anticancer activity was evaluated in three cell lines (Hep G2, MCF-7, and NCI H460) and fibroblast. Physico-chemistry characteristics of alginate/lignin were determined through FTIR, DSC, SEM_EDS, SEM_EDS mapping, XRD, XRF, and 1H-NMR. The acute toxicity of alginate/lignin was studied on Swiss albino mice. The results demonstrated that alginate/lignin possessed antioxidant activity, such as the total antioxidant activity, and reducing power activity, especially the α-glucosidase inhibition activity, and had no free radical scavenging activity. Alginate/lignin was not typical in cancer cell lines. Alginate/lignin existed in a thermally stable and regular spherical shape in the investigated thermal region. Six metals, three non-metals, and nineteen oxides were detected in alginate/lignin. Some specific functional groups of alginate and lignin did not exist in alginate/lignin crystal. Elements, such as C, O, Na, and S were popular in the alginate/lignin structure. LD0 and LD100 of alginate/lignin in mice were 3.91 g/kg and 9.77 g/kg, respectively. Alginate/lignin has potential for applications in pharmaceutical materials, functional foods, and supporting diabetes treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]