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P. nigrum L. extracts and the piperine alkaloid have important antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of P. nigrum L. extracts and piperine, a compound isolated from the extracts of P. nigrum L. Extracts obtained via maceration, soxhlet, and purification steps, in addition to isolated piperine, were used in this study. Spectroscopic methods, such as nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and differential scanning calorimetry, were used to characterize piperine. In the microbiological analyses, the extract obtained via maceration-derived sample showed high efficiency in inhibiting Salmonella spp. (MIC < 100 μg/mL). The extract obtained via a soxhlet-derived sample showed promising inhibitory activity against almost all microorganisms, with negligible inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Favorable inhibition coefficients were also observed against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. (MIC < 100 μg/mL) for the extract obtained via purification of the steps-derived sample. Piperine showed an excellent inhibition coefficient against most microorganisms, with inactivity only observed against P. aeruginosa. Cytotoxicity evaluation assays in cancer cell lines revealed that piperine exhibited inhibitory potential on all tested tumor cell lines, causing a decrease in cell viability and achieving an IC50 of less than 30 μg/mL. The analyzed extracts from P. nigrum L. seeds showed cytotoxic activity against tumor and non-tumor cell lines.

Resumo Produtos zeolíticos foram sintetizados a partir de um resíduo industrial do processo de beneficiamento de caulim. O material de partida foi submetido a tratamento térmico a 700 °C durante 2 h. As sínteses foram realizadas com a reação do resíduo com NaOH e uma fonte adicional de sílica, em condições hidrotermais, para relações molares de SiO2/Al2O3 de 2 a 4, tempos de cristalização de 24 a 72 h e temperaturas de 90 a 120 °C. A matéria-prima inicial foi caracterizada por FRX, DRX, MEV e TG/DSC, e os produtos sintetizados por meio de DRX, MEV, TG/DSC, FTIR, área específica BET e distribuição de diâmetro de poros. O ensaio realizado a 90 °C, com 48 h de cristalização e relação SiO2/Al2O3 igual a 3 revelou melhor resultado com a formação de sodalita como única fase cristalina. A partir das técnicas de caracterização, foi possível confirmar a formação da sodalita, observando-se os principais aspectos referentes a essa zeólita.

Fish skin is a raw material used for gelatin production. It can satisfy consumers with specific socio-cultural and religious needs. Different technologies have been studied for drying gelatin. Therefore, it is relevant to understand the influence of drying conditions on the final product. This study aims to optimize drying methods such as convection hot air alone and combined with infrared radiation to obtain gelatin from acoupa weakfish skin by using composite central rotational designs 22 and 23 and response surface methodology. The gelatin obtained from the optimized conditions were characterized based on their physical, chemical, technological, and functional properties. The desirability function results show the convection hot air as the most effective method when conducted at 59.14 °C for 12.35 h. Infrared radiation at 70 °C for 2.0 h and convective drying at 70 °C for 3.5 h were the best condition of the combined process. The gelatins obtained had gel strength of 298.00 and 507.33 g and emulsion activity index of 82.46 and 62.77 m2/g in the combined and convective methods, respectively, and protein content above 90%. These results indicate that the processes studied can be used to produce gelatin with suitable technological and functional properties for several applications.

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