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Quinazoline, a privileged scaffold in medicinal chemistry, offers promising potential in the synthesis of anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) drugs. This heterocyclic compound, characterized by its fused benzene and pyrimidine rings, enables the design of multifunctional agents targeting AD pathology. The drug-like aspects and pharmaceutical features of quinazoline derivatives have the potential to give rise to various therapeutic drugs. AD is a progressive neurodegenerative condition marked by memory decline, cognitive deterioration, and language disorders. Given its complexity and multifaceted nature, there is a pressing need to discover multi-target drugs to effectively address this debilitating disorder. A comprehensive literature review has demonstrated that quinazoline derivatives exhibit a wide range of therapeutic potential for AD. These compounds function as inhibitors of cholinesterases, β-amyloid aggregation, oxidative stress, and tau protein, among other protective effects. Here, we highlight the most significant and recent research on quinazoline-based anti-AD agents, aiming to support the development and discovery of novel treatments for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method based on high-performance liquid chromatography with a UV detector (HPLC-UV) was developed for the simultaneous determination of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and natamycin in yogurt. The method does not require time-consuming, labor-intensive pre-treatment processes or complicated procedures. Using a C18 150 mm × 4.6 mm, 3.0 µm column (Roc) at 25°C, the target analytes were separated within 5 minutes with high sensitivity and selectivity. The mobile phase consisted of trifluoroacetic acid (0.1%) in water containing 100 mM sodium acetate, trifluoroacetic acid (0.1%) in acetonitrile, and trifluoroacetic acid (0.1%) in tetrahydrofuran, in a ratio of 70:20:10 (v/v). Using this mobile phase as an extraction mixture, recoveries ranged from 83.0% to 110.2% at spike levels between 2.5 µg/kg and 80.0 µg/kg. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for these recoveries were below 10%. Intra-day precision and inter-day precision varied from 5.3% to 6.7% and 7.6% to 9.2%, respectively. Additionally, the limits of detection (LOD) were between 0.24 and 0.61 mg/L, and the limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.80 to 2.0 mg/L for sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and natamycin. Principal component analysis revealed that yogurt type had the greatest positive influence on preservative concentration, while the weight or volume of the yogurt package had the greatest negative influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study addressed the challenge of accurately detecting mycotoxins in herbs and spices, which have gained popularity as alternative medicines but pose health risks due to potential contamination. We used a competitive direct ELISA kit (Art No. 8610), Veratox for Ochratoxin, to quantify Ochratoxin A in the herb and spice samples. The samples were first prepared using solid-liquid extraction with 70% methanol. The resulting filtrate was then subjected to ELISA analysis. The results of the analysis were then further analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA). In this study, PCA was used to classify the concentration levels of Ochratoxin A based on various factors, such as the packaging type, country of origin, shelf life, and sample weight. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) values indicate the lowest amount of Ochratoxin A that can be detected and quantified, respectively, with high accuracy and precision. The range of the LOD and LOQ values (0.43-0.58 µg/kg and 1.45-1.95 µg/kg, respectively) suggests that the method used was capable of detecting and quantifying Ochratoxin A in the herb and spice samples at different concentrations with a high degree of accuracy and precision. These results suggest that while most of the samples (73.33%) were below the maximum residue limit (MRL) for Ochratoxin A, a significant number of samples (26.67%) had concentrations of Ochratoxin A that were higher than the MRL. This highlights the importance of monitoring Ochratoxin A in herb and spice samples and ensuring the products are safe for consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occult hepatitis B (OHB) is characterized by the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the blood of individuals who test negative for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). OHB in blood donors can lead to HBV transmission through transfusions, yet the prevalence of OHB in Basrah, Iraq, is unknown. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of OHB in blood donation centers in Basrah and investigate the immune response to HBV in OHB-positive donors. We recruited 450 blood donors and categorized them into four groups based on HBV markers: the HBsAg-negative/HBsAb-negative/HBcAb-positive group, the recovery group (HBsAg-negative/HBsAb-positive/HBcAb-positive), the patient group (HBsAg-positive/HBsAb-negative/HBcAb-positive), and the apparently healthy group (negative for all HBV markers). We measured levels of IgG, IgM, complement components (C3 and C4), ALT, AST, and serum ALP in OHB-positive donors. Of the 450 donors, 97 (21.6%) were OHB-positive. IgG levels were significantly higher than IgM levels in OHB-positive donors. Healthy and HBsAg-negative/HBsAb-positive donors had significantly lower C3 levels than patients. IgG levels were significantly higher than IgM in both the patient and recovery groups. C3 levels were higher than C4 levels in all groups. The serum ALP level was significantly higher in the patient group. OHB prevalence in Basrah blood donors is high, indicating the potential for HBV transmission. OHB-positive donors showed an immune response to HBV. Our study provides insights into OHB prevalence and immune response in Basrah, with implications for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in blood donation centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method was developed for the simultaneous determination and analysis of sildenafil, vardenafil, and tadalafil in honey-mixed herbal sachets using high-performance liquid chromatography with a UV detector (HPLC–UV). This method eliminates the employment of complex procedures and abolishes time-consuming and labour-intensive pre-treatment processes. In ten minutes, the separation process (at 25oC) of sildenafil, vardenafil, and tadalafil using a C18 150 mm × 4.6 mm x 5 μm column (Shim-pack GIST) was successful with high selectivity and sensitivity. The mobile phase was a 60:40 (v/v) mixture of 0.1 percent formic acid in water and 0.1 percent formic acid in acetonitrile. Using the mobile phase as an extraction mixture, it gave recoveries in the range of 93.0-103.3% at spike levels of 50–150 mg/kg with relative standard deviations (RSDs) lower than 10%. The intra-day and interday precision results were in the range of 0.4–0.8% and 1.0–1.7%. Furthermore, the retention times for sildenafil acid, vardenafil acid, and tadalafil were 1.93, 2.47, and 9.62 minutes, respectively, and the limits of detection (LOD) were 1.70, 2.16, and 1.03 mg/L, while the limits of quantification (LOQ) were 5.65, 7.21, and 3.42 mg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is to provide a critical review of the use of ionic liquids in the microextraction of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. It includes an assessment of the advantages and limitations of current applications of ionic liquids in microextraction techniques. The review also aims to illustrate the impact of ionic liquids on the development of novel sorbent materials for analytical applications. The unique physicochemical properties of ionic liquids make them ideal sorbents in separation techniques. Their number of applications in analytical separation has increased considerably over the past 5 years. Therefore, this review focuses on the synthesis, purification, functionalization, and application of ionic liquids for pesticide residue analysis in fruits and vegetables with different sample preparation procedures, covering articles published in the literature since their first application in 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of antibiotics in animals for therapeutic and growth promotion purposes and to meet the need to increase meat production has been reported to cause the development of antibiotic resistance and other health risks due to the consumption of poultry products. Therefore, the need for rapid and accurate analytical methods for the determination of drug residues has become necessary. The Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) technique involves liquidliquid extraction by partitioning with acetonitrile, followed by clean-up with a mixture of magnesium sulphate and a primary secondary amine. The extract obtained was then analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The figures of merit of the analytical methodology were determined using optimized parameters and the calibration curve was linear over the tested concentration range. The linearity ranged from 5 to 500 μg/kg for all the drug residues, and the correlation coefficients (r2) were greater than 0.99. The limit of detection (LOD) ranged within 1.45 - 5.02 μg/kg while the limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged within 4.68 - 6.72 μg/kg. The inter-day and intra-day precisions for beef samples had respective ranges of 1.94 - 19.03 % and 2.78 - 9.04%, and the average recoveries were from 79.48 to 107.48 %. The selectivity was determined by a blank matrix containing external standards and a sample spiked with target analyte and the results indicate a good selectivity with no interferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]