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This study was performed to evaluate the physicochemical properties (pH, contact angle, working time, radio-opacity, and viscosity) of chlorhexidine (CHX) and calcium hydroxide-containing medications in gel form in different concentrations. The pH value was assessed with a pH meter. The contact angle was measured with a goniometer. The radio-opacity and working time measurements were taken in accordance with the standards of the International Organization for Standardization. The viscosity was evaluated using a Brookfield RVDV viscometer. The results showed that CHX did not affect the pH, radio-opacity, and working time of the calcium hydroxide-containing medications (p < 0.05). However, adding CHX lowered the contact angle and increased the viscosity of calcium hydroxide significantly. This research showed that CHX in different concentrations and in combination with calcium hydroxide has satisfactory physicochemical properties to be used as an intracanal medication.

Haskap berries (Lonicera caerulea L.) are a rich source of bioactive molecules. As such, the extraction of anthocyanins is important for the development of many value-added products and functional food ingredients. In this paper, the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of anthocyanins from haskap berries was investigated. Significant independent variables were screened and optimized using Plackett-Burman (PB) and Box-Behnken (BB) designs, respectively. The mathematical model showed a high coefficient of determination (R(2)=0.9396) and the optimum conditions for the extraction were as follows: liquid/solid ratio 25:1 (mL/g), solvent composition of 80% ethanol, addition of 0.5% formic acid, ultrasound bath temperature of 35°C for 20 min. Under these conditions, the total anthocyanin content of 22.73 mg cyaniding 3-glucoside equivalents (C3G)/g dry weight (DW) was consistent with the predicted response of 22.45 mg C3G/g DW from the model (mean error of 1.28%). Five anthocyanins were identified in the optimized extract, namely cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-rutinoside, pelargonidin 3-glucoside, and peonidin 3-glucoside. Thus, UAE is a suitable technique for the extraction of anthocyanins from haskap berries.

BACKGROUND: Haskap berries (Lonicera caerulea L.) are processed into various products (e.g. juice, jam and chutneys). These fruits are rich in bioactive compounds, though losses can occur during frozen storage, affecting the nutritional content of the products. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of freezing storage temperature (-18 and-32 • C) and steam blanching prior to freezing on the the total phenolic content (TPC)/total reducing capacity (TRC), total anthocyanin content (TAC) and antioxidant potential of three Haskap berry varieties; Tundra (T), Berry Blue (BB) and Indigo Gem (IG). METHODS: Berries were stored at-18 or-32 • C for six months, and analyzed monthly for TPC/TRC, TAC, and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Steam blanching prior to freezing was also evaluated. RESULTS: Frozen storage at-18 • C for six months reduced the TPC/TRC by 37.08 to 47.16%. TAC was also reduced, where the highest decrease was for BB (59.24%) followed by IG (46.34%), and DPPH scavenging activity decreased by 26.78 to 30.86%. Blanching prior to freezing improved the retention of bioactive compounds but storage at-32 • C did not yield significant improvements. CONCLUSIONS: Steam blanching prior to freezing followed by frozen storage at-18 • C is recommended for better retention of the bioactive components of haskap berries.

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Haskap berries (Lonicera caerulea L.) are known for their high phenolics, anthocyanins, and antioxidant potential. The data on the phenolic profile of these fruits are lacking. In this study, the phenolic profiles of three haskap varieties; tundra, berry blue, and indigo gem grown in Nova Scotia, Canada were investigated for the first time using spectrophotometery and high-performance liquid chromatography. Berries were analyzed for total phenolic content/total reducing capacity, total anthocyanin content, and antioxidant potential (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity). The total reducing capacity, total anthocyanin content, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl values were 6.17-8.42 mg gallic acid equivalents/gram fresh weight, 4.49-6.97 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents/gram fresh weight, and 78.70-89.55%, respectively. The extracts were analyzed by reversed-phase diode array detector-high-performance liquid chromatography through a gradient elution using Synergi 4 µm Max-RP C12 column and the chromatograms were acquired at 520, 360, and 320 nm for athocyanins, flavonoids, and free phenolic acids, respectively. The identified anthocyanins were cyanidin-3-glucoside (82.81-91.99% of the total anthocyanins), cyanidin 3,5-di-glucoside (2.31-4.27%), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (1.54-9.20%), peonidin-3-O-glucoside (0.75-3.44%), and pelargonidin-3-glucoside (0.77-2.98%). Other flavonoids (quercetin-3-β-D-glucoside and quercetin-3-rutinoside) and free phenolic acids (chlorogenic and neochlorogenic) were also quantified.