L. Pod Valves: A By-Product with High Potential as an Adjuvant in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease.

L. is a leguminous plant with seeds rich in nutritional compounds, such as polyphenols and L-dopa, a dopamine precursor and first-line treatment for Parkinson's symptoms. Recently, its by-products have been revalued as a sustainable source of bioactive compounds.

Wastewater irrigation and Trichoderma colonization in tomato plants: effects on plant traits, antioxidant activity, and performance of the insect pest Macrosiphum euphorbiae.

The scarcity of freshwater for agriculture in many regions has led to the application of sewage and saline water for irrigation. Irrigation with non-conventional water sources could become a non-harmful process for plant cultivation, and the effects of their use on crops should be monitored in order to develop optimal management strategies. One possibility to overcome potential barriers is to use biostimulants such as Trichoderma spp.

An Amperometric Biosensor Based on a Bilayer of Electrodeposited Graphene Oxide and Co-Crosslinked Tyrosinase for L-Dopa Detection in Untreated Human Plasma.

L-Dopa, a bioactive compound naturally occurring in some Leguminosae plants, is the most effective symptomatic drug treatment for Parkinson's disease. During disease progression, fluctuations in L-DOPA plasma levels occur, causing motor complications. Sensing devices capable of rapidly monitoring drug levels would allow adjusting L-Dopa dosing, improving therapeutic outcomes.

A validated LC-MS/MS method for quantitative determination of L-dopa in Fagioli di Sarconi beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

An analytical method based on ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) and liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS/MS) was validated and applied for determining L-dopa in four ecotypes of Fagioli di Sarconi beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), marked with the European label PGI (Protected Geographical Indication). The selectivity of the proposed method was ensured by the specific fragmentation of the analyte.

Development and Validation of a Reversed-Phase HPLC Method with UV Detection for the Determination of L-Dopa in L. Broad Beans.

L-Dopa (LD), a substance used medically in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, is found in several natural products, such as L., also known as broad beans. Due to its low chemical stability, LD analysis in plant matrices requires an appropriate optimization of the chosen analytical method to obtain reliable results.

Untargeted metabolomic analysis by ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry for the profiling of new Italian wine varieties.

The chemical composition of wine samples comprises numerous bioactive compounds responsible for unique flavor and health-promoting properties. Thus, it's important to have a complete overview of the metabolic profile of new wine products in order to obtain peculiar information in terms of their phytochemical composition, quality, and traceability. To achieve this aim, in this work, a mass spectrometry-based phytochemical screening was performed on seven new wine products from Villa D'Agri in the Basilicata region (Italy), i.

Comparison of sunlight-AOPs for levofloxacin removal: kinetics, transformation products, and toxicity assay on Escherichia coli and Micrococcus flavus.

Levofloxacin (LFX) is a widely used antibiotic medication. Persistent traces of LFX in water and wastewater may induce bacterial resistance. Photon-driven advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) can assist in attaining complete abatement of LFX for environmental protection.

Extract and Solasonine Affected Hemolymph Metabolites and Ultrastructure of the Fat Body and the Midgut in .

Glycoalkaloids, secondary metabolites abundant in plants belonging to the Solanaceae family, may affect the physiology of insect pests. This paper presents original results dealing with the influence of a crude extract obtained from unripe berries and its main constituent, solasonine, on the physiology of (Lepidoptera) that can be used as an alternative bioinsecticide. IV instar larvae were treated with extract and solasonine at different concentrations.

Classification, Toxicity and Bioactivity of Natural Diterpenoid Alkaloids.

Diterpenoid alkaloids are natural compounds having complex structural features with many stereo-centres originating from the amination of natural tetracyclic diterpenes and produced primarily from plants in the , , genera. Corals, , Okinawan/, Alcyonacea (soft corals) and marine sponges are rich sources of diterpenoids, despite the difficulty to access them and the lack of availability. Researchers have long been concerned with the potential beneficial or harmful effects of diterpenoid alkaloids due to their structural complexity, which accounts for their use as pharmaceuticals as well as their lousy reputation as toxic substances.

A Complete Survey of Glycoalkaloids Using LC-FTICR-MS and IRMPD in a Commercial Variety and a Local Landrace of Eggplant ( L.) and their Anticholinesterase and Antioxidant Activities.

Eggplant contains glycoalkaloids (GAs), a class of nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites of great structural variety that may have both adverse and beneficial biological effects. In this study, we performed a complete survey of GAs and their malonylated form, in two genotypes of eggplants: A commercial cultivated type, Mirabella (Mir), with purple peel and bitter taste and a local landrace, named (Sen), characterized by white peel with purple strip and a typical sweet aroma. Besides the analysis of their morphological traits, nineteen glycoalkaloids were tentatively identified in eggplant berry extracts based upon LC-ESI-FTICR-MS analysis using retention times, elution orders, high-resolution mass spectra, as well as high-resolution fragmentation by IRMPD.

Sublethal Effects of Fruit Extract and Its Pure Glycoalkaloids on the Physiology of (Mealworm).

Background: plants produce glycoalkaloids (GAs) that affect various physiological processes of herbivorous insects and they are being tested as potential alternatives for synthetic pesticides. They cause lethal and sublethal effects. Nevertheless, their mode of action remains unclear.

Bitterless guaifenesin prodrugs-design, synthesis, characterization, in vitro kinetics, and bitterness studies.

A respected number of drugs suffer from bitter taste which results in patient incompliance. With the aim of solving the bitterness of guaifenesin, dimethyl maleate, maleate, glutarate, succinate, and dimethyl succinate prodrugs were designed and synthesized. Molecular orbital methods were utilized for the design of the ester prodrugs.

Insecticidal properties of Solanum nigrum and Armoracia rusticana extracts on reproduction and development of Drosophila melanogaster.

Plant-derived substances, because of high biological activity, arouse interest of many scientists. Thus, plant extracts and pure substances are intensively studied on various insects as potential insecticides. In such studies, D.

Ultrastructural and developmental toxicity of potato and tomato leaf extracts to beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (lepidoptera: noctuidae).

Beet Armyworm, Spodoptera exigua is a herbivorous moth and a serious pest of many economically important plants, which are used as food sources. Because of rigorous standards of food quality, usage of synthetic insecticides in crop protection, against pests, is limited. Solanaceae plant extracts may be a relatively cheap source of efficient natural insecticides that can limit usage of synthetic substances.

A Review of Bioinsecticidal Activity of Solanaceae Alkaloids.

Only a small percentage of insect species are pests. However, pest species cause significant losses in agricultural and forest crops, and many are vectors of diseases. Currently, many scientists are focused on developing new tools to control insect populations, including secondary plant metabolites, e.

Stability and removal of spironolactone from wastewater.

Stability and removal of spironolactone (SP) from wastewater produced at Al-Quds University Campus were investigated. Kinetic studies on both pure water and wastewater coming from secondary treatment (activated sludge) demonstrated that the potassium-sparing diuretic (water pill), spironolactone, underwent degradation to its hydrolytic derivative, canrenone, in both media. The first-order hydrolysis rate of SP in activated sludge at 25°C (3.

Stability and removal of atorvastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin from wastewater.

Atorvastatin (ATO), rosuvastatin (RST) and simvastatin (SIM) are commonly used drugs that belong to the statin family (lowering human blood cholesterol levels) and have been detected as contaminants in natural waters. Stability and removal of ATO, RST and SIM from spiked wastewater produced at the Al-Quds University campus were investigated. All three statins were found to undergo degradation in wastewater (activated sludge).

Molecular formula analysis of fragment ions by isotope-selective collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry of pharmacologically active compounds.

The purpose of this work is to explore the mass fragment characterization of commonly used drugs through a novel approach, which involves isotope-selective tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Collision-induced dissociation (CID) was performed with a low-resolution linear ion trap mass spectrometer in positive electrospray ionization. Three pharmacologically active ingredients, i.

Glucosinolate profile and distribution among plant tissues and phenological stages of field-grown horseradish.

Profile and distribution of glucosinolates (GLS) were detected in plant tissues of horseradish at different developmental stages: beginning of vegetative re-growth, flowering and silique formation. The GLS profile varied widely in the different tissues: we identified 17 GLS in roots and sprouts, one of which was not previously characterized in horseradish, i.e.

Stability and removal of dexamethasone sodium phosphate from wastewater using modified clays.

Stability and removal of dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP) from wastewater produced at Al-Quds University Campus were investigated. Kinetic studies in both pure water and wastewater coming from secondary treatment (activated sludge) demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory DSP underwent degradation to its hydrolytic derivative, dexamethasone, in both media. The first-order hydrolysis rate of DSP in activated sludge at 25 degrees C (3.

Fatty acid neutral losses observed in tandem mass spectrometry with collision-induced dissociation allows regiochemical assignment of sulfoquinovosyl-diacylglycerols.

A full characterization of sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerols (SQDGs) in the lipid extract of spinach leaves has been achieved using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry (MS). Low-energy collision-induced dissociation tandem MS (MS/MS) of the deprotonated species [M - H](-) was exploited for a detailed study of sulfolipid fragmentation. Losses of neutral fatty acids from the acyl side chains (i.

Identification of glucosinolates in capers by LC-ESI-hybrid linear ion trap with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-LTQ-FTICR MS) and infrared multiphoton dissociation.

An liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method using electrospray ionization in negative ion mode coupled with a hybrid quadrupole linear ion trap and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer was applied to characterize of intact glucosinolates (GLSs) in crude sample extracts of wild bud flowers of Capparis spinosa (Capparis species, family Capparaceae). Structural information of GLSs was obtained upon precursor ions' isolation within the FTICR trapping cell and subsequent fragmentation induced by infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD). Such a fragmentation was found very useful in terms of chemical identification of all precursor ions [M-H](-) including sulfur-rich GLSs reported here for the first time.

Investigation of glucosinolate profile and qualitative aspects in sprouts and roots of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) using LC-ESI-hybrid linear ion trap with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and infrared multiphoton dissociation.

Within the family of Brassicaceae, an important source of glucosinolates (GLSs) is represented by horseradish ( Armoracia rusticana P. Gaertner, B. Meyer & Scherbius), cultivated for its roots, which are grated fresh or processed into a sauce and used as a condiment.

Establishing the occurrence of major and minor glucosinolates in Brassicaceae by LC-ESI-hybrid linear ion-trap and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.

Glucosinolates (GLSs) are sulfur-rich plant secondary metabolites which occur in a variety of cruciferous vegetables and among various classes of them, genus Brassica exhibits a rich family of these phytochemicals at high, medium and low abundances. Liquid chromatography (LC) with electrospray ionization in negative ion mode (ESI-) coupled to a hybrid quadrupole linear ion trap (LTQ) and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FTICRMS) was employed for the selective and sensitive determination of intact GLSs in crude sample extracts of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. Var.

Novel imazethapyr detoxification applying advanced oxidation processes.

Different degradation methods have been applied to assess the suitability of advanced oxidation process (AOPs) to promote mineralization of imazethapyr [(RS)-5-ethyl-2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)nicotinic acid], a widely used imidazolinone class herbicide, the persistence of which has been demonstrated in surface and ground waters destined to human uses. Independent of the oxidation process assessed, the decomposition of imazethapyr always followed a pseudo-first order kinetic. The direct UV-irradiation (UV) of the herbicide as well as its oxidation with ozone (O₃), and hydrogen peroxide tied to UV-irradiation (H₂O₂/UV) were sufficiently slow to permit the identification of intermediate products, the formation pathway of which has been proposed.