A combination extract of kaffir lime, galangal, and lemongrass maintains blood lipid profiles, hepatocytes, and liver mitochondria in rats with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Kaffir lime leaves and the rhizomes of galangal and lemongrass are the main ingredients in several Thai foods with desirable medicinal effects. Based on their beneficial activities, this study aimed to indicate the chemical properties and in vivo efficacy of a combination of the herbs at a 1:2:1 ratio in a water extract form. Its volatile constituents were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer, which mainly consists of eucalyptol, citronellal, and citral.

Isolation and characterization of the acid and base degradation products of andrographolide.

Andrographolide was subjected to degradation under acidic and basic conditions. Three degradation products including two novel compounds, 8,9-didehydroandrographolide (AG-A) and 15-seco-andrographolide (AG-B2), and a known product, 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (AG-B1), were isolated by chromatography and identified on the basis of their NMR and MS data. The degradation product, AG-A, may result from the isomerization of andrographolide under acidic conditions whereas the base degradation products, AG-B1 and AG-B2, were formed most likely due to the dehydration of allyl alcohol and the hydrolysis of andrographolide at the lactone ring, respectively.

Characterisation and immuno-stimulating activity of polysaccharides from Thai medicinal plants.

Water-soluble polysaccharides were isolated from the tubers of Butea superba Roxb. and Pueraria candollei Wall. Ex Benth.

Partial depolymerization of pectin by a photochemical reaction.

Complex heterogeneous polysaccharides that comprise pectin were partially depolymerized by a photochemical reaction using ultraviolet light in the presence of titanium dioxide catalyst. In a period of 6h at pH 7, this UV/TiO(2) process decreased the average molecular weight of pectin from 400kDa to 200kDa. The characterization of the partially depolymerized pectin, which was fractionated by size-exclusion chromatography, was performed by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, and the spectra obtained showed that the resulting oligosaccharides and polysaccharides maintained the intact core structure of pectin.

Photolytic depolymerization of alginate.

A photochemical reaction has been developed for the partial de-polymerization of sodium alginate, a polysaccharide utilized in medicine, pharmacy, basic sciences and foods. An aqueous solution of sodium alginate was photochemically depolymerized to approximately 40% of its average molecular weight using ultraviolet light in the presence of titanium dioxide catalyst at pH 7 over a period of 3h. The products were separated giving four fractions all having an average molecular weight that was smaller than that of the starting material.