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Selenium disulfide (often referred to as SeS2) encompasses a family of mixed selenium-sulfide eight-membered rings, traditionally used as an anti-dandruff agent in shampoos. SeS2 can be produced by reacting hydrogen sulfide (H2S) with selenite (SeO32−) under acidic conditions. This chemistry is also possible with natural spring waters that are rich in H2S, thus providing an avenue for the more sustainable, green production of high-quality SeS2 particles from an abundant natural source. The orange material obtained this way consists of small globules with a diameter in the range of 1.1 to 1.2 µm composed of various SexS8−x chalcogen rings. It shows the usual composition and characteristics of a Se-S interchalcogen compound in EDX and Raman spectroscopy. Since the mineral water from Bad Nenndorf is also rich in salts, the leftover brine has been evaporated to yield a selenium-enriched salt mixture similar to table salt. As the water from Bad Nenndorf—in comparison to other bodies of water around the world—is still rather modest in terms of its H2S content, especially when compared with volcanic waters, this approach may be refined further to become economically and ecologically viable, especially as a regional business model for small and medium-sized enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have witnessed a rather controversial debate on what antioxidants are and how beneficial they may be in the context of human health. Despite a considerable increase in scientific evidence, the matter remains highly divisive as different pieces of new data seem to support both the pro- and the anti-antioxidant perspective. Here, we argue that the matter at the heart of this debate is not necessarily empirical but of semantics. Thus, the controversy cannot be resolved with the traditional tools of natural sciences and by the mere accumulation of new data. In fact, the term "antioxidants" has been part of the scientific language game for a few decades and is nowadays used differently in the context of different scientific disciplines active at different levels of scientific complexity. It, therefore, represents not a single expression but an entire family of words with distinctively different connotations and associations. The transcendent use of this expression from a basic to a more complex discipline, such as going from chemistry to physiology, is problematic as it assigns the term with connotations that are not corroborated empirically. This may lead to false claims and aspirations not warranted by empirical data. Initially, health claims may not even be indented, yet, on occasion, they are welcome for reasons other than scientific ones. To resolve this debate, one may need to refrain from using the term "antioxidants" in disciplines and contexts where its meaning is unclear, limit its use to disciplines where it is essential and beneficial, and, in any case, become more specific in such contexts where its use is warranted, for instance, in the case of "dietary antioxidants". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decades after the Second World War have seen economic growth and prosperity on an unprecedented scale. Yet this incredible turnover of raw materials and energy into goods and eventually waste has brought our planetary systems close to their limits, as witnessed most prominently, yet not exclusively, by climate change and mass extinctions. Changing towards a greener, more sustainable and circular economy without limiting our economic wealth is attractive—yet this change does not seem to be easy or speedy enough to save the planet, its eco- and social systems, and its inhabitants. In contrast, moving towards an economy less demanding on energy and raw materials, and focusing more on the pursuit of immaterial forms of satisfaction and happiness, requires an alternative form of hedonism. By cerishing quality time rather than heaps of money, and social interactions rather than material goods, even a finite planet may allow sustainable and indeed infinite forms and amounts of prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacy is not only a science; it is also a profession, a trade and an art. As such, it frequently encounters society, where it leaves its impact in a way which is probably unique among the natural and life sciences. In turn, individuals and society have become increasingly dynamic and also often critical of modern pharmacy and its products. This poses a multitude of intra- and extra-scientific questions which cannot be studied with the traditional tools of pharmacy. Addressing them requires additional expertise from a wide range of disciplines, including social sciences, psychology, ethics and other branches of philosophy. Pharmasophy aims to bring this kind of wisdom to pharmacy by taking a holistic view of pharmacy and pharmaceuticals, from the process of research and development to regulation, distribution, application and compliance. In doing so, it aims to master some of the challenges facing pharmacy in the 21st century [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of natural products used in Traditional Medicine in Africa is complicated as modern analytical and screening methods are often not available. Computer aided product identification from traditional usage records (CAPITURE) may provide an interesting alternative and has been evaluated in the context of an ethnobotanical survey on fungal diseases and their traditional treatment in Tchamba District (Togo). 53 traditional healers were interviewed and their knowledge recorded. Several indicators, the Use Value (UV), Plant Part Value (PPV), Specific Use (SU) Value, Intraspecific Use Value (IUV) and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), were applied to the data. Those indices, in addition to a bibliographic review, were then fed into a computer-aided approach which predicted two interesting plants out of the 43 species survey-recorded and their specific activities: Pterocarpus erinaceus sap against ringworm, Daniellia oliveri sap against intertrigo and respectively their roots and trunk barks against candidiasis. Subsequent laboratory-based studies have confirmed the predicted antimicrobial activities with MIC (128 μg/mL to 30 mg/mL) and without any notable toxicity on a normal human cell (MRC-5 cells). Although such a method may not be flawless, it is able to provide first leads, and in the face of limited resources, is an attractive alternative worth considering.