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Comparing the antioxidant activities of tomato seed oil extracted from two varieties of tomato fruits (Riogrande and Roma VF) demonstrated by five spectrophotometric methods: DPPH, β- carotene linoleic antioxidant, HRSA, ORAC, FRAP. Tomato seed is the major by-product of the tomato paste manufacturing industry in the world today. The tomato seed was extracted from healthy tomato fruits of the two varieties and were washed with water and dried in an oven at 60oC for 3 days, and milled to powder. Ten gram of the powdered samples was placed in a soxhlet extractor, using 300 ml of n- Hexane, and allowed to boil at 40-60°C for 6 hours repeatedly to obtain the oil. The oil was placed in a water bath at 70°C to remove the excess n-Hexane. The results showed that tomato seed oil (TSO) is stable, translucent and highly penetrating oil and the refractive index, Density and the specific gravity of the oil of both varieties are all in line with the FAO/WHO standard. The fatty acid composition results showed that TSO is an excellent source of essential fatty acids. Though Roma VF seed oil at a lower concentration of DPPH (43.270±0.028), β- carotene linoleic antioxidant (15.855±0.035), FRAP (10.765±0.021) and HRSA (31.010±0.014) demonstrated higher oxidation rates of scavenging free radicals, chelating prooxidative metals, quenching singlet oxygen and photosensitizers, and inactivating lipoxygenase compared to the Riogrande seed oil which had the only lower reducing potential of ORAC (1.480±0.014).

Plant secondary metabolites represent the most efficient and convenient method to control and overcome environmental pollution and insecticidal resistance. This study explored the mosquitocidal activity of the combined extract of seven plants, (HF7) extracted using a Soxhlet extractor against Culex pipiens under laboratory conditions. Exposure of the 3rd instars of Cx. pipiens to HF7 hexane extract resulted in LC50:114.5 μg/mL and LC90:117.0 μg/mL values after 24 h. The ovicidal activities of hexane extract against Cx. pipiens eggs were 21.6%, 48.3%, and 71.6% at 187.5, 93.7, and 46.88 μg/mL, respectively. HF7-treated larvae showed the formation of irregular blebbing of epithelial cells toward the lumen and sloughing into the gut lumen. HF7 extract resulted in 100% adulticidal mortality at the concentration of 3.7 mg/test tube after 30 min of exposure. The IC50 of HF7 extract was 97.03 µg/ml against larvae, at which nuclear and morphological changes were observed. The spectroscopy spectrum of HF7 hexane extract disclosed the presence of 57 different secondary metabolites, among which the dominant compound was eugenol (32.3%). HF7 hexane extract could serve as a botanical insecticide for controlling Cx. pipiens and potentially other mosquito species.

Stereospermum fimbriatum (local name: “Chicha”) has been used traditionally to treat postpartum illness, stomachache, earache and itchy skin in Malaysia. This study was performed to investigate the phytochemical contents of S. fimbriatum (flowers, leaves, twig and stem bark) by phytochemicals screening and GC-MS analysis as well as to determine their antimicrobial potential against eleven skin-associated pathogens. The extraction was done by soxhlet extractor using n-hexane (Hex), dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol, successively. The antimicrobial activity of all extracts was screened by disc diffusion assay and selected active extracts were evaluated for their minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration (MIC & MBC). Phytochemicals such as steroids, terpenoids, tannins, flavonoids and saponins were identified in different plant parts of S. fimbriatum. Hex and DCM extracts of stem bark were the most potent extracts especially against three susceptible pathogens, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (13-15 mm), S. aureus (14-15 mm) and S. epidermidis (16 mm). The range of MIC values for Hex and DCM extracts was 0.4 to 0.8 mg/mL. GC-MS analysis of Hex and DCM extracts showed the presence of numerous bioactive compounds. The stem bark of S. fimbriatum was rich of bioactive compounds and exhibited potent antibacterial activity specifically against Staphylococci sp.

The objective of this study was to compare the relative yields of two extraction methods (maceration and soxhlet extraction) using solvents of different polarities and to quantitively and qualitatively assess the secondary metabolite contents of the Chamærops humilis L. plant. In the experiments, we used the maceration and the extraction processes using soxhlet. Several solvents were used, such as diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water. For the phytochemical screening, we relied on the color and precipitation tests, and for the quantitative determination of the content of total phenol, flavonoids, and flavonols, we used conventional methods. The results showed that the phytochemical screening of the various extracts showed the presence of the majority of metabolite dispersed between the four extraction solvents with exception of alkaloids and proteins which are absent in all the extracts. For the total phenol content, it was in large amounts in the ethanolic extract for the maceration technique and a large amount in the aqueous extract for the soxhlet extraction. In addition to flavonoids and flavonols, experimental tests have shown that ethanol has well extracted these two types of components. The plant Chamærops humilis L. from our region has shown the presence of a high concentration of total phenol and more precisely flavonoids, which can prove its use as an antibiotic for a lot of diseases., Moroccan Journal of Chemistry, Vol 10, No 4 (2022)

Background: Pneumonia is an acute or chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs, affecting the mucosal areas of the lung. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. In some cases, it may be caused by physical or chemical irritants. Kolaviron, a natural bioflavonoid extract from Garcinia kola seeds, has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory properties in Flu-like conditions which are associated with cough. There has been a paucity of information on the likelihood of the effectiveness of kolaviron against pneumonia infections. Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of kolaviron on albino Wistar rats induced with pneumonia using Klebsiella pneumonia. Materials and Methods: Powdered Garcinia kola seeds were extracted with n-hexane and 100% methanol as solvents by using Soxhlet extractor. A standard method was used to obtain kolaviron from the seed extracts. A total of 24 albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups A to F, each comprising four rats. The rats were allowed to acclimatize for 1 hour in very cold environments using ice packs. A standardized 1.0 x10 -5 mg/ml culture suspension was intranasally inoculated to the rats for 10 days to induce pneumonia-like symptoms. Thereafter, the kolaviron was administered to the rats such that a 500mg/kg kolaviron extract was given once daily to groups A (male rats) and B (female rats). Groups C (male rats) and D (female rats) received 250mg/kg of kolaviron extract once daily, while group E rats were given 0.5 ml of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) once daily, which served as the negative control. The rats in Group F received 2.86 mg/kg of ofloxacin once daily and served as the positive control. All the treatments were done for a period of 5 days. Then 10 days after the treatments, the animals were sacrificed and the lungs were harvested for hydrostatic lung test and histopathological examination. An overnight broth culture of Klebsiella pneumonia was streaked in sterile molten nutrient agar maintained at 37°C for 24hrs. Later, a stock of 500mg/ml of kolaviron was prepared in DMSO. Two-fold dilutions were performed to obtain the following concentrations of 100%, 50%, 25%, 12.5%, 6.25%, 3.125%, and 1.565% with the stock. The anti-Klebsiella pneumonia activity of the kolaviron extract was determined using agar well diffusion methods and incubation was done at 37 o C for 24 hrs. Student t-test and Oneway Analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for comparison of mean differences between and among the groups. Results and Discussion: The sensitivity of Klebsiella pneumonia to kolaviron was concentration- dependent. There was an increase in anti-Klebsiella pneumonia activity with a decrease in kolaviron concentration. Kolaviron (KV), at 500mg/kg concentration, was efficacious and showed significant anti-inflammatory effects (P Conclusion: Kolaviron can be used as an agent in the treatment of pneumonia as it possesses anti- inflammatory and anti-Klebsiella pneumonia activities.

Euphorbia lateriflora is used in ethnomedicine for treating several conditions, including genital and urinary tract infections (UTI). Although ethnobotanical claims support its use in therapy, there is limited evidence on its effect on UTI, even though UTI remains a public health problem in Nigeria especially due to increasing antimicrobial resistance. We investigated the activity of E. lateriflora extracts and fractions on bacterial and fungal isolates from symptomatic urinary tract infections and vaginosis respectively. Qualitative phytochemical screening was conducted on dried pulverised leaves. Successive gradient extraction was carried out with the aid of a soxhlet extractor with n-Hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol respectively. Bioactivity guided fractionation was conducted on the ethyl acetate extract using Vacuum Liquid Chromatography. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by disc diffusion was conducted on test isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates to extracts and fractions was done using the agar well diffusion technique. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) and Minimum Biocidal Concentrations (MBC) were determined by agar and broth dilutions respectively. Time-kill assay of the ethyl acetate extract was conducted using the viable count technique. Phytochemicals present include saponins, tannins and flavonoids. The majority of isolates used in this study were multidrug resistant. Extracts and fractions of E. lateriflora produced appreciable zones of inhibition on both antibiotic susceptible and resistant bacteria with MICs of 6.25 mg/mL and MBC ranging from 6.25 mg/mL – 50 mg/mL. Bactericidal activity of the ethyl acetate extract was concentration and time dependent with 100% kill at 25 mg/mL after 6 hours for E. coli and 2 hours for C. albicans. Euphorbia lateriflora contains phytochemicals which possess antimicrobial activity on antibiotic resistant bacteria and has potential in the development of chemotherapeutics for bacterial and fungal infections.

Energy recovery and utilization from waste biomass presently have an attractive scope in the waste management process. The present experimental analysis explores the methodology for biodiesel produ...

Date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) is rich source of nutrition and is consumed as the healthiest alternative food content from fruit source in Saudi Arabia. Due to its popularity date palm is grown extensively in Ha’il region and many oth-er parts of the country. The study was aimed to evaluate phenolic and flavo-noid contents of selected varieties of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruits collected from, Ha’il Saudi Arabia. Total phenolic content of each extract was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method and its absorbance was measured at 760 nm. Total flavonoid was extracted in a Soxhlet extractor with ethanol and then absorbance was measured against a blank at 510 nm. Total phenolic content of the investigated varieties ranged from 154 to 39 mg GAE/100g DM. The highest phenolic content was found in Ajwah, Umm-Hamam, Romaithyyah and Berhi respectively, while the lowest content was observed in Shaishi variety. On the other hand, total flavonoid content of the investigated varieties ranged from 28.85 to 95.31mg GAE/100g DM. The highest flavonoid content was found in Umm-Hamam, while the lowest con-tent was observed in Menefi variety. Such variation in phenolic and flavonoid values could be attributed to several parameters, including date variety, stage of fruit picking, storage, postharvest processing, geographical origin of tree and soil condition. However, regardless this variation in phenolic and flavonoid contents, the current study confirms richness of Ha’il date fruits;Ajwah, Umm-Hamam, Romaithyyah and Berhi of these phytoconstitu-ents which are well-documented to possess important medicinal values.

Aims: Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit, is one of the natural herbs with several medicinal properties. However, many medicinal aspects of this herb still need to be explored. Therefore, our aim was to examine the antioxidant, antimicrobial properties and genoprotective effect of H. suaveolens methanolic extracts (HSME) of seed, stem, and root. Study design: extraction and therapeutic aspects of H. suaveolens. Place and Duration of Study: 1) Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah and 2) Clinical Biochemistry & Natural Product research laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Integral University, lucknow between 2018-2020. Methodology: HSME were extracted through soxhlet extractor and further analyzed for TPC, antioxidant activity through DPPH and FRAP assay followed by antimicrobial potential through zone of inhibition and MIC/MBC assay. We also examined the genoprotective properties of HSME on oxidative DNA damage. Results: Our results showed that TPC (180±5 mg GAE/g dw), DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 value = 72±0.45 µg/ml) and FRAP value (1.443±0.02 µM ferrous ion/mg extract) was highest in HSME seeds followed by root and stem. The results also illustrated that the antimicrobial activity of HSME (seed and stem) against five bacterial strain were found very effective than root part. Moreover, genoprotective effect of HSME seeds (80±3 % retention) was better than stem (41±2 %) and root (32±2 %) extract. Conclusion: The study revealed that HSME seed extract showed potential bioactivities might be due to presence of high TPC and can be used to treat diseases related with oxidative stress or microbial infections.

Inedible mushrooms are endowed with diverse nutritional and nutraceutical compounds. In this study, the amino acid profile, and phytochemical fingerprints of four selected wild inedible mushroom species from Oban Division of Cross River National Park (CRNP), Nigeria including Crepidotus applanatus (Pers.) P. Kumm, Daldinia concentrica (Bolton) Cesati & de Notaris, Oxyporus populinus (Schumach.) Donk and Trametes versicolor (L.) Lloyd were investigated. The fresh sporocarps of study mushroom were collected from the decaying wood during July 2018. Samples for amino acids profiling were dried to constant weight, defatted, hydrolyzed, evaporated in a rotary evaporator and loaded into the cartridge of the Applied Biosystems PTH Amino Acid Analyzer and analyzed for 45 minutes. The samples for phytochemical analysis were subjected to methanol extraction using a Soxhlet extractor and rotatory evaporator and injected into the column of an Agilent gas chromatography mass spectrometer (GCMS). The results of amino acid analysis revealed the presence of ten essential and eight non-essential amino acids in varying quantities across the species. The total amino acid content was highest in C. applanatus followed by D. concentrica, T. versicolor, and O. populinus in decreasing order. Glutamic acid, Arginine, and Aspartic acid were present in the highest amounts while Cystine, Lysine, and Histidine were the least across the species. The phytochemical screening of the samples led to the identification of 24 different compounds in D. concentrica, six compounds each in C. applanatus and O. populinus and three compounds in T. versicolor. In terms of percentage composition, 4H-Imidazo(1,5-a)(1,4)benzodiazepine-3-carboxylic acid, 5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-, ethyl ester, 1-Methylbicyclo[3.2.1]octane, Acetamide, N-(6-acetylaminobenzothiazol-2-yl)-2-(adamantan-1-yl)- and 9,19-Cyclolanost-24-en-3-ol, (3.beta.)-,TMS derivative were the most dominant compounds in C. applanatus, D. concentrica and T. versicolor respectively. The identified compound reportedly shows diverse bioactive activities, including antiviral, anticancer, antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic, anaphylactic, neurostimulant, pesticidal, insecticide and insecticidal activities. This data may represent the baseline information on the amino acid profiles and bioactive constituents of inedible mushroom species from Nigeria, as sources of noble compounds of substantial nutritional, medicinal and agricultural importance.

The present study investigated the potential of Jatropha curcas L. seed oil and lye its ash for soapmaking. Oil was extracted from the seeds using Soxhlet extractor and n-hexane. Lye solution was obtained by boilingash of Jatropha with distilled water. The physicochemical properties (saponification value, Iodine value, acid valueand peroxide value) of the oil (and its blend with palm oil) were found to be consistent with reported values inliterature. The oil content and its relative density were also found to be 31.17% and 0.88g/cm3, respectively. Soapsamples were prepared by treating the oil and the prepared lye solution. Their physicochemical properties (moisturecontent, total alkali content, total fatty matter, pH, foam ability and cleansing ability) were found to be comparablewith reported properties for laundry soaps. The findings indicated that the lye solution from ash of Jatropha and itsseed oil result in soap materials that have acceptable qualities.

Mushrooms used as food have medicinal importance due to their antioxidant compounds. In this context, it is very important to determine the biological potential of fungi and to reveal these medicinal properties. In this study, it was aimed to determine the element contents, total antioxidant status, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index of Suillus collinitus (Fr.) Kuntze mushroom. In this context, the mushroom samples were extracted with ethanol in the Soxhlet extractor. Element contents were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. Total antioxidant (TAS) and total oxidant (TOS) levels and oxidative stress index (OSI) were determined using Rel Assay commercial kits. As a result of the study, it was determined that the TAS value of S. collinitus was 2.467 ± 0.145 mmol/L, TOS value was 17.845 ± 0.273 µmol/L and OSI value was 0.677 ± 0.030. In addition, the Fe content (350.72 ± 10.23), Cu content (68.11 ± 2.51), Pb content (11.58 ± 2.43), Zn content (10.46 ± 1.28) and Ni content (1.47 ± 0.21 mg.kg-1) of S. collinitus measured. As a result, S. collinitus mushroom is thought to be a natural source of antioxidants. It has also been observed that the element contents are at normal levels.

Sesbania cannabina (Retz.) Pers. (Dhaincha) is a member of family Fabaceae spread over several countries in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Sesbania aculeata, Sesbania drummondii, Sesbania grandiflora, Sesbania rostrata, Sesbania sesban, and Sesbania speciosa are other members of this family. The agricultural, nutritional and pharmaceutical applications of Sesbania species are known to farmers, villagers, and the tribes since ages and are well studied by researchers. However, the significance of Sesbania as an industrial crop has not been recognized till now. The objective of this study was extraction and characterization of Sesbania cannabina seed oil (SCSO) for potential engineering applications. The seed oil was extracted with hexane in a Soxhlet extractor. Yield was only 2.32% w/w due to long storage at high temperature in seed house. Sesbania cannabina seed oil methyl ester (SCSOME) was prepared via esterification and transesterification for analysis of fatty acid composition of extracted oil. SCSO has high iodine value (118 g I2/100 g) and high saponification value (185.79 mg KOH/g) making the oil suitable for use as candle stocks or in soap making. However, these applications were ruled out on account of being insignificant for oil available in limited quantity. The oil has high viscosity index (174.19), high onset (382°C) and offset (450°C) decomposition temperatures, endothermic nature, and shear rate thickening behaviour. These properties make SCSO a good candidate for application as specialty lubricant required under severe operating conditions of high temperature and high shear rate or as insulating and cooling transformer oil.

Graphite-oxide (GO) is a valuable compound produced by the chemical oxidation of graphite. The procedure for converting graphite into GO includes two steps: oxidation and subsequent rinsing. Proper rinsing is essential to obtain processable and applicable graphite-oxide. Traditionally, the rinsing involves filtration or centrifugation; both processes are extremely time-consuming, expensive, unsafe, and produce environmentally hazardous liquid waste in large volume. This study reveals an alternative method to rinse graphite-oxide using a Soxhlet extractor. Since only the vapor of the solvent is used for washing, Soxhlet rinsing offers reuse of the same solvent for many automatic subsequent cycles, leading to considerable solvent savings, reducing pollutants and work time, and ensuring safer production. The quality of the produced GO is evaluated by Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), elemental analysis, and electron microscopy. Moreover, we test the electrochemical performances of reduced GO (rGO), the main final product of graphite-oxide. Finally, we discuss the benefits involved in the suggested rinsing method and compare its profitability with traditional methods. Soxhlet rinsing is favored environmentally and economically. Particularly, the automatic operation of many washing sequences saves labor time, and the reuse of the washing solvent spares a large volume of chemically deleterious solvents.

Organosolv pulping performed in a high-pressure Soxhlet extractor using carbon dioxide as a mild and recyclable acid is described. The system reached a liquid to wood ratio of 6.6 yielding 43 wt% of dissolving grade quality pulp from Populus trichocarpa. The set-up enabled to run reductive catalytic fractionation to yield a lipophilic lignin oil without affecting the performance nor the purity of the final pulp.

Graphical abstract, Highlights • Screen the polyphenol compound from red seaweed Gracilaria edulis and Hypnea valentiae. • Purification the polyphenol compound. • Detect the antimicrobial activity of polyphenol compound. • Evaluate the antioxidant activity of polyphenol compound. • Analyze the FT-IR and GC MS of polyphenol compound., In recent years, seaweeds drew the intense attention of the researchers owing their biological properties with their multi assorted applications to the humans. Red seaweeds are well-known for their biological activities due to enrichment of phenolic residues. The present investigation deals with the portrayal of biological behavior of red algae Gracilaria edulis and Hypnea valentiae. Polyphenol was extracted using methanol in a soxhlet extractor for 6 h. The crude polyphenol compound was partially purified in DEAE cellulose52 column. The total phenolic content present in the polyphenol compound was G. edulis (75.49 ± 0.12 %) and H. valentiae (70.08 ± 0.34 %). The phytochemicals present in the two seaweeds were flavonoids, saponins, tannins, phenolics, alkaloids and steroids. The antimicrobial activity of polyphenol compounds was assessed against seven human pathogens, five plant pathogens and three fungal pathogens. The free radical scavenging activity of polyphenol compound was assayed such as total antioxidant capacity, reducing power, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl-scavenging assay, superoxide anion radical scavenging and nitric oxide. Polyphenol compound was analyzed by FT-IR and GC–MS.

Antioxidants are substances that hamper or inhibit the oxidation of oxidizable substrates in the cells. The aerial parts of Blepharis maderaspatensis dry powder was extracted with various solvents (PE, EA and methanol) through Soxhlet extractor. The aerial parts of different concentrates (Pet.ether, ethyl acetate and methanol) of Blepharis maderaspatensis was evaluated for its in-vitro antioxidant potential by hydroxyl radical, total antioxidant activity taking ascorbate used as standard for the both methods and total flavonoids content was estimated as equivalent to rutin. The methanolic concentrates of Blepharis maderaspatensis & standard exhibited antioxidant potential possessing IC50 210µg/ml & 62µg/ml (hydroxyl radical) 200µg/ml & 57µg/ml (Total antioxidant activity) respectively. An IC50 value was originate that methanolic concentrates of Blepharis maderaspatensis more efficient in hydroxyl radical, total antioxidant activity compared EA & PE concentrates. The methanolic and EA concentrates of Blepharis maderaspatensis showed the total flavonoids content (11.230±0.22 and 2.858±0.56 mg of rutin equivalent/g of powder) respectively. The difference in scavenging potential of the extracts can be due to variation in the percentage of bioactive compound flavonoids present in methanolic extracts. Invitro antioxidant studies obviously show methanolic concentrates of Blepharis maderaspatensis have better antioxidant activity due to the presence of total flavonoids content. The findings from the study reveal that the antioxidative potentials of methanolic concentrates Blepharis maderaspatensis could serve as free radical inhibitors, possibly acting as natural antioxidants.

Background The chemical composition of Handal (Citrullus colocynthis L.) seed oil cultivated in Jordan deserts was characterized, and its bioactivity was evaluated. Methods The oil was extracted from the grinded seeds in 500 ml Soxhlet extractor for 24 hr using n‐hexane, and the recovered fatty acids were methylated with methanolic‐HCL. The fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) composition was analyzed using GC‐MS and GC‐FID. The anticancer activity associated with the oil was assessed against colon cancer cell lines (Caco‐2 and HCT‐116) and compared to its cytotoxicity on the human skin fibroblast. Multivariate analysis was used to determine relationship of the fatty acid composition with that of the anticancer activity. Results The results demonstrated that fatty acid composition of Citrullus colocynthis seed oil chiefly contains Linoleic acid, denoted as C18:2n6 (75%), followed by Palmitic acid C16:0 (8%), Stearic acid C18:0 (5%), and Oleic acid C18:1n9 (9%). It is demonstrated as an excellent source of essential fatty acids omega‐6 (e.g., Linoleic acid), whereas omega‐3 (e.g., α‐Linolenic acid) and hydroxy polyunsaturated fatty acids are found at small level. Interestingly, the oil exhibited reasonable anticancer effects against colorectal cancer cell lines with IC50 values varying between 4 and 7 mg/ml. The correlation test revealed a relationship between the fatty acid composition and the effectiveness on treatments. Conclusions Handal plant from Jordan appears to have very high level of Linoleic acid compared to other oils measured in different geographic locations and that there appears to be some anticancer activities associated with the fatty acid content of Handal seed oil.

Infections associated with multidrug resistant organisms result in increased morbidity and mortality in Lesotho and globally, thus, there is immediate need to discover new antibiotics against resistant bacteria through systematic examination of inexpensive local herbs. Here, we report for the first time, the well-defined and publicly available prototype library that consists of 20 different crude extracts derived from crude drug samples of medicinal plants of Lesotho used for treatment of infectious diseases. We also described the coupling of soxhlet extraction with liquid-liquid fractionation to give partially refined organic and aqueous extracts, and disclose that the extracts from the leaves and whole plant contained about twice as much organic soluble phytochemicals as aqueous soluble phytoconstituents. While the roots and bark contained about 2 and 5 times more of aqueous soluble than organic soluble phytochemicals respectively, especially when extracting with 90% ethanol. The library represents the potential phytochemicals in herbal prescriptions dispensed by traditional healers in Lesotho. The extracts are publicly available upon request through the corresponding author and efforts to expand the library are still continuing. This methodology could be followed to develop other libraries.

Lupinifolin from Derris reticulata Craib. was extracted with hexane by Soxhlet extractor and purified by crystallization. The yellow needle-shaped lupinifolin crystals were identified and confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra and Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS). The lupinifolin showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 8 and 16 µg/ml against Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), respectively. The flow cytometry (FCM) was performed to determine the alteration of cytoplasmic membrane (CM) permeability of MRSA by using Propidium iodide (PI) 5 µg/ml as an indicator for bacterial membrane integrity. It was found that the bacterial CM permeability was effected by lupinifolin with the MIC of 8 µg/ml comparable to the control when investigated by Propidium iodide intensity. Additionally, DNA laddering assay was carried out to evaluate apoptosis in bacterial cells. It was shown that the lupinifolin has no effect on DNA fragmentation.

This article deals with the phytochemical, morphological and anatomical investigation of ethanol-based extracts derived from the leaves and stems of the Aegopodium alpestre. The vegetative organs of A. alpestre were conserved according to Strasburger-Fleµming method using a 1:1:1 mixture of alcohol-glycerin-water. A total of 1200 ethanol-based extracts (2 from leaves and 2 from stem tissues per plant) were prepared using the Soxhlet extractor. All extracts were used to identify organic and inorganic compounds in the leaves and stems of the studied plant. Contents of biologically active substances, microelements, vitamins and amino acids were determined. This article is the first paper to display very high concentration and diversity of vitamins (6 types), micronutrients (5 types), and aminoacids (13 types) in the leaves and steams of A. alpestre. Findings conclude that identification of biologically active substances in the above the ground vegetative organs of A. alpestre may be a common practice in the future. Considering the study results, A. alpestre may be used as a medicinal plant on a large scale. For this, the cultivation practice needs to be scaled up.

The study explores the potential of the Croton macrostachyus seed, a non-edible feedstock found in abundance in the southeastern parts of Ethiopia, for the production of biodiesel. Soxhlet extractor was used to extract, 53.34% of the oil from the Croton macrostachyus seed. This oil was further purified and the resulting product was known as the purified Croton macrostachyus seed (P-CMS) oil. After obtaining the P-CMS oil, biodiesel was produced by the transesterification process. Focus was made on the optimization of biodiesel production by varying the identified process parameters, through the Box- Behnken Design using response surface methodology (RSM) (Design-Expert ® Version 11 software). The crude biodiesel was purified, characterized and complied with the ASTM D6751, United States and the EN 14214, European Union standards. The optimum conversion efficiency of the P-CMS oil to fatty acid methyl ether (FAME) was 96% at the optimal conditions (6:1, methanol to oil ratio; 1%, catalyst loading; 50 °C, reaction temperature). A plan for the environmental impact assessment and life cycle assessment were provided to evaluate the sustainability of this new feedstock and the biodiesel produced from it. Results of these studies indicated the prospective of Croton macrostachyus seed as a new biodiesel feedstock.

The present investigation aims to evaluate the phytochemical and antibacterial potential of different parts of A. marmelos. Thousands of species are acknowledged to have medicinal value and the use of different parts of several medicinal plants to cure specific aliments has been in vogue since archaic periods. Keeping this point in view, a study was undertaken to analyze the phytochemical and biological activity of a very valuable medicinal plant ‘Aegle marmelos‘. Pieces of literature were collected from various journal articles, Government institutes and other relevant reports were studied and the major findings were summarized. Leaves of Aegle marmelos has been picked and collected from the local area of Chitwan, Nepal. During the present study, the extraction of the phytochemical was performed by Soxhlet extractor. The leaves were subjected to successive extraction using methanol inclusive of hexane as a solvent to procure extra activity test. Phytochemical screening of methanol extract and hexane extract leaves revealed the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, tannins, etc. For the antibacterial activity test, the Disc diffusion method was used which showed the presence of S. aureus and E.coli. The study concluded that Aegle marmelos plant incorporated miscellaneous phytochemicals along with the antibacterial activity. Such phytochemicals derived from plant has a great prospect in contributing effective antibacterial agents to treat against intractable life-threatening diseases. Within this view, the present study has explored the efficiency of the Aegle marmelos as a valuable natural source.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can be treated by the inhibition of Beta Amyloid protein (Aβ) and inhibition of Acetylcholinesterase (ACHE). Anti-Alzheimer’s potential phytoconstituents from Neolamarckia cadamba methanolic bark extracts were identified through GC–MS/MS analysis and in silico molecular docking analysis. Powdered bark sample was subjected to extract by soxhlet extractor with n-hexane, chloroform and methanol solvents respectively. The methanolic extract was taken for GC–MS/MS analysis, the observed chromatogram was revealed the presence of 61 constituents in the methanolic extract, 59 new phytoconstituents were identified which were not reported earlier as constituents any part of N. cadamba. GC–MS/MS detected phytoconstituents were analysed through the docking analysis by iGEMDOCK software against Aβ (PDB ID: 2LMN) and ACHE (PDB ID: 3LII) and compared with standard known inhibitors of galantamine and curcumin. Docking analysis binding energy was determined and verified by Discovery studio visulaizer. Both inhibition assay top 5 best dock energy compounds were analysed through the in silico modeling through admetSAR web portal for parameters of intestinal absorption, blood brain barrier permeation, carcinogencity, and acute oral toxicity were determined. From that heptadecanoic acid, 16-methyl-, methyl ester; beta-sitosterol acetate and octadecanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, methyl ester inhibitors were identified. Further the top lead successful compound of each target molecular interactions were detected by LigPlot analysis. From this research these three compounds are best to treat AD than standard. Isolation of individual compounds would, however, help to find new compounds for other diseases and lead molecules for AD were identified.

Herbal medicine can be used to overcome the side effects of conventional treatments. This study aimed to evaluate the anticancer activities of ginger and licorice extracts, as well as the synergistic effects of their combination. Ginger ethanolic extract (GEE) and licorice methanolic extract (LME) were isolated by a Soxhlet extractor. Next, the anti-proliferative activity of the extracts, apoptosis induction, tumor growth inhibition, and tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes were investigated. The MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, five diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay showed that GEE and LME decreased the CT26 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner; however, the GEE + LME combination was more effective (P

This work was aimed at evaluating the probable toxicity of the methanol extract of the leaf, stem bark and root of Sacrocephalus latifolius on Artemia nauplii and fronds of Lemna minor. The powder samples of the three morphological parts were independently extracted with soxhlet extractor apparatus using 95% methanol and were dried with aid of ritory evaporator at 40ºC. The extracts were subjected to biological activities involving brine shrimp cytotoxicity and Lemna minor test for phytotoxicity at 10-100 μg /mL respectively. The experiment was done in replicates of three. Concentration-dependent cytotoxic and phytotoxic activities were recorded for the extracts. The results revealed that extract of the leaves demonstrated significant cytotoxic and phytotoxic activities over the other parts of the plant. At 10μg/mL, the three extracts recorded little or no cytotoxic activity. However, at the maximum concentration of 1000 μg /mL, cytotoxicities of 66.67 and 3.33% were recorded for extracts of the leaf and root bark respectively, while the extract of the stem bark showed no activity. However, the LC50 of the leaf was 467.74μg /mL, and that of the other extracts were observed to be ˃1000μg /mL. The results for phytotoxicity followed a similar trend with the extracts of the leaf and root bark recording 52.96 and 23.33 % phytotoxicities respectively at 1000 μg /mL. Having shown a higher activity over the other extracts, the leaf extract of S. latifolius could serves as a natural alternative pesticide and weedicide. Keywords: Sacrocephalus latifolius, phytotoxicity, cytotoxicity, fronds, Artemia nauplii, Lemna minor

Este trabajo se realizó en el Laboratorio de extracción de aceite del Programa de Palma Africana de la Estación Experimental “Santo Domingo” del INIAP, el objetivo fue determinar la eficiencia de tres equipos de extracción de aceite, en tres genotipos de palma aceitera. Los equipos utilizados fueron: extractor de solvente Velp, extractor Soxhlet y la prensa hidráulica de 1500 psi. Los genotipos evaluados forman parte del Banco de Germoplasma del Programa de Palma: palma africana (Elaeis guineensis), palma americana (Elaeis oleífera) y el híbrido interespecífico (E. oleífera x E. guineensis). El diseño experimental utilizado fue un diseño completo al azar (DCA), con 20 observaciones, asistido por las pruebas de significancia de t de student y Tukey al 5 %, para determinar diferencias entre medias de tratamientos. Los resultados mostraron diferencias altamente significativas entre los diferentes factores evaluados. El mayor porcentaje de aceite por racimo se obtuvo con el genotipo E. guineensis en el extractor Soxhlet (18,43 %) y el menor porcentaje para E. oleífera con la prensa hidráulica (0,34%). Realizado el análisis de costos de los tratamientos, se determinó que el menor costo se obtuvo con la prensa hidráulica con 8.20 dólares por muestra de extracción de aceite.

The increasing risk of insecticide resistance in mosquito populations has led to the search for new larvicidal agents. Evaluation of bioassay-guided fractionation of the rhizome extract of Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd against Aedes aegypti was assessed. Bioactive fractions were isolated from the rhizome extract of A. galanga using a Soxhlet extractor and chromatography techniques, and subsequently tested against the fourth instar of Culex pipiens. The lethal concentration (LC) was calculated via log-probit analysis. The active fraction was evaluated by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) and infrared (IR) analysis. The highest larvicidal potential obtained from bioassays using the Soxhlet apparatus was observed in dichloromethane (DCM) and ethyl acetate (EtoAc) extracts, with LC50 values of 124.49 and 176.30 ppm, respectively, after 24 h of exposure. Subsequently, the DCM extract was subjected to column and thin-layer chromatography. Results of the DCM extraction and the active TLC fraction (F133) of the Rf value 0.5 revealed that LC50 and LC90 values decreased over time. The F133 fraction of A. galanga exhibited zero hatchability (100% mortality) at LC50 (63.416 ppm) and LC25 (31.70 ppm) against Cx. pipiens eggs. GC–MS analysis of the active thin-layer chromatography TLC fraction (F133) revealed the presence of phenol 2 4-bis (1 1-dimethylethyl), which was identified as the major compound. Alpinia galanga extract is a promising candidate for the control of mosquito populations. Further study is required to determine the effect of the extracts on non-target organisms.

Introduction. Vegetable raw materials have always been and still remain the main raw material for obtaining extracts. The extraction process is the most important stage during the production of extracts and aromatic spirits. The research objective was to study the extraction process of the target substances from fruit and berry raw materials for the production of alcoholic extracts. Study objects and methods. The study featured cranberries, which are widespread in Siberia and have many useful properties. Cranberries are rich in vitamins C, B1, B2, B5, B6, PP and rarer vitamin K1. The studies were conducted using a Soxhlet extractor. The experimental results were processed using the method of multiple regression analysis. The research also exploited generally accepted methods for assessing the quality of samples of alcoholic beverages. Results and discussion. The experiments made it possible to define the optimal technological regime parameters for the production of aromatic cranberry extract. The maximum values of all three processing parameters exerted the greatest effect on the dry matter content in cranberry extract. The recommended conditions resulted in a cranberry extract with a high content of target components. The presented mathematical description of the extraction process in the Soxhlet extractor makes it possible to preliminarily determine the quality indicators of the resulting beverage at the onset of production. Control experiments conducted under these conditions confirmed the calculated values. Conclusion. By using a Soxhlet extractor, the preparation time for alcoholic cranberry extract was reduced to 20 minutes, which differs by one order of magnitude from the classical infusion production method. The Soxhlet extractor made it possible to use less solvent and raw materials, due to the almost maximum completeness of extraction of the target components of fruit and berry raw materials. This fact is bound to decrease the production expenses and the cost of the final product.