: The development of biodegradable nanoparticles is an important tool for the biological transport of chemical compounds. The nanoencapsulation reduces the biopharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic drawbacks of compounds and enhances their biological properties. Naturally occurring polymers such as proteins and polysaccharides have been widely applied in the development of nanostructured systems of several therapeutic agents. Among them is chitosan, a crustaceancarapace-chitin derived biopolymer. In addition to its biocompatibility and biodegradability, chitosan is known for its mucoadhesion properties. Chitosan-based nanostructured systems potentiate most of aspects of the loaded drugs, including cellular transport and other biological effects. The use of chitosan nanoparticles enhances permeation, stability, and bioactivity of natural compounds. In this review, an overview of the main features of chitosan nanoparticles that improved in vitro and in vivo effects of bioactive natural molecules is given, emphasizing the results obtained with curcumin.
Antioxidants are an alternative to prevent or retard biodiesel degradation. Soursop (Annona muricata L.) is a native tropical fruit with important antioxidant activity, besides high concentration of phenolic compounds. Peels form about 20 % of the soursop fruit composition and are usually discarded as a waste product. In this study the antioxidant potential of different peel extracts was evaluated by oxidative stability when used as an additive into soybean biodiesel. All samples were analyzed by the Rancimat® 873, using 32 experimental design. The tests were performed with biodiesel B100 with solutions extracted in different conditions, such as pH and residue concentrations. Results demonstrated that all experiments were able to increase significantly the induction period (IP), when compared to a pure biodiesel control sample, and showed similar efficiency with synthetic antioxidants (BHT). Among all experiments, each neutral and alkaline extractions presented induction periods over 8 h, achieving and surpassing the minimum allowed by European standard. However, the highest IP was found to be 10.30 h, with 3 g L-1 in neutral extraction. Results corroborate that soursop peel has a high antioxidant capacity and efficiency to improve the oxidation stability, and could be used as an inexpensive natural antioxidant to biodiesel.
Para atender a um público mais seletivo, o mercado alimentício está buscando por produtos mais interessantes do ponto de vista nutricional e funcional. Sendo assim, os produtos industrializados precisam apresentar algo especial em sua composição. O tomate (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) é industrializado principalmente puro, como concentrado e extrato. Visando o aproveitamento da rica composição nutricional deste alimento, é de grande interesse o desenvolvimento de produtos de consumo direto envolvendo tomate. Sendo a chia (Salvia hispânica L.) uma semente com alto valor nutricional e rica em ômega 3 e 6, com propriedades emulsificantes, este trabalho teve como objetivo a incorporação desse produto em uma pasta de tomate. Para isto, foram feitas três formulações de pasta de tomate, contendo 0, 5 e 10% de chia. A pasta de tomate foi acrescida e temperada com cebola, sal e manjericão desidratado. Foram realizadas análises microbiológicas e físico-químicas dos produtos obtidos, além de análise sensorial utilizando as escalas hedônica e ideal. As análises microbiológicas apresentaram valores adequados para o consumo. A pasta de tomate enriquecida com chia apresentou-se nutricionalmente mais interessante e sensorialmente aceitável. Palavras-chave: alimentos nutritivos, desenvolvimento de novos produtos, mercado consumidor. 1 Introdução Atualmente, os consumidores de alimentos industrializados estão cada vez mais exigentes, deste modo, é necessário que um novo produto traga algo que ainda não seja encontrado no mercado para que tenha sucesso. Isso na maioria das vezes é conseguido através da utilização de
Apocynin is a phenolic compound isolated from the plant Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth. Such a compound has been extensively investigated for its therapeutic potential in diseases involving inflammatory processes or oxidative stress due to its ability to inhibit the NADPH oxidase multienzyme complex. This complex consists of two transmembrane proteins (Nox2 and p22phox) and four cytosolic regulatory proteins (p67phox, p47phox, p40phox, and GTPase-Rac) and their activation occurs after the stimulation of phagocytic cells by the mediation of the enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO). NADPH oxidase is the only enzyme complex that is intended for the production of superoxide anion that is precursor of highly oxidizing substances classified as reactive oxygen species (ROS). NADPH oxidase is an enzyme complex that produces superoxide anion from molecular oxygen. Ta the same time, the superoxide anion is a precursor to reactive oxygen species (ROS) catalyzed by enzymes.These oxidative species, when in excess, can induce burst, causing irreparable tissue damage. They can act by modifying the redox state of DNA, protein or lipid molecules, playing a central role in the development of chronic pathologies and various health complications. One can cite vascular problems, hyperglycemia, diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer, among others. Apocynin, previously activated by MPO, blocks the enzyme complex and prevents the formation of these oxidative species. Therefore, the central biological function of compound is to modulate the action of NADPH oxidase, promoting a positive effect in the prevention/remediation of inflammatory diseases.
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