Microencapsulation of alcohol solvents and high-content actives for efficient transdermal delivery.

The barrier function of the skin in effectively protecting the underlying tissue from the surrounding environment makes it challenging to achieve the efficient transdermal delivery of actives. Herein, we report on alcohol-solvent-encapsulated microcapsules to achieve enhanced skin efficacy. We show that using palm oil as the shell material allows for the microencapsulation of a broad range of alcohol solvents, including ethanol and dipropylene glycol (DPG), as well as on-demand release.

Effect of carbon addition on the passivity of hypoeutectic high chromium cast irons.

The effect of adding C on the passivity of hypoeutectic high chromium cast iron (HCCI) was investigated in a pH 8.4 boric-borate buffer solution. The microstructure of HCCI is composed of austenite and carbide phases, whose fractions and chemical compositions are influenced by the amount of C added.

Biocompatible Wax-Based Microcapsules with Hermetic Sealing for Thermally Triggered Release of Actives.

We present a microfluidic approach that utilizes temperature-responsive and biocompatible palm oil as the shell material in microcapsules to simultaneously achieve hermetic sealing as well as on-demand temperature-triggered release of the encapsulated actives. Unlike common paraffin waxes (e.g.

Effect of processing method on platycodin D content in Platycodon grandiflorum roots.

Platycodon grandiflorum root is a traditional medicine and food material rich in triterpenoid saponins. Its major constituent, platycodin D (PD), is known to have various pharmacological properties, but processing methods may influence the PD content. In this study, a fully validated HPLC-ELSD method was developed for the quantification of PD in various states of 73 P.

Identification of cytoprotective constituents of the flower buds of Tussilago farfara against glucose oxidase-induced oxidative stress in mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells and human keratinocyte HaCaT cells.

A new cytoprotective compound, 1-[(4S)-3,4-dihydro-4-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-benzopyran-6-yl]-ethanone (1) was isolated from the flower buds of Tussilago farfara L. (Compositae), together with eight known compounds, 3,4-dicaffeoyl isoquinic acid (2), trans-cinnamic acid (3), 4-hydroxyacetophenone (4), 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (5), 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (6), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (7), isoquercetrin (8), and ligucyperonol (9). Compounds 2-4 were found in this plant for the first time.

Surface nanocrystallization of pure Cu induced by ultrasonic shot peening.

Peening is mainly used as a method of surface treatment for microstructural modification in order to improve surface mechanical properties. The ultrasonic shot peening (USP) technique can cause severe plastic deformation with its high strain rate on the surface of metallic parts. However, systematic studies of microstructural refinement mechanism upon plastic deformation with consideration of alloy systems are rare.

Nano-eutectic growth in Co-17.8 wt%Gd alloy ribbons and the magnetostrictive properties at different wheel speeds.

Under near-equilibrium solidification conditions, the Co-17.8 wt%Gd eutectic alloy forms rod-like eutectic microstructure of (αCo) solid solution and Co17Gd2 compound. When the solidification condition is far from the equilibrium, the rapid growth of nano-eutectic in Co-17.

Thermoelastic characteristics of thermal barrier coatings with layer thickness and edge conditions through mathematical analysis.

The thermoelastic behaviors of such as temperature distribution, displacements, and stresses in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are seriously influenced by top coat thickness and edge conditions, which were investigated based on the thermal and mechanical properties of plasma-sprayed TBCs. A couple of governing partial differential equations were derived based on the thermoelastic theory. Since the governing equations are too involved to solve analytically, a finite volume method was developed to obtain approximations.

Suppression of splenic lymphocyte proliferation by Eucommia ulmoides and genipin.

We investigated the modulation of innate and adaptive immune cell activation by Eucommia ulmoides Oliver extract (EUE) and its ingredient genipin. As an innate immunity indicator, the phagocytic activity of macrophages was determined by measuring engulfed, fluorescently labeled Escherichia coli. As a surrogate marker for the respective activation of cellular and humoral adaptive immunity, concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induction of primary splenocyte proliferation was assayed in in vitro and ex vivo systems.

Quality evaluation of Perillae Folium by HPLC/PDA.

To establish a standard of quality control for Perillae Folium (Lamiaceae Family), four standard compounds including rosmarinic acid, elemicin, perillaldehyde, and dillapiole were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/photodiode array (PDA). The four standards were analyzed with a Phenomenex Kinetex C18 (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column by gradient elution using 0.

Metabolomics approach for the discrimination of raw and steamed Gastrodia elata using liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

A liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach was applied to metabolite profiling of Gastrodia elata in order to identify raw and steamed G. elata and explore potential biomarkers for each processing state. A statistical classification method, significant analysis of microarrays, was used to select influential metabolites from the different forms.

A metabolomic approach to determine the geographical origins of Anemarrhena asphodeloides by using UPLC-QTOF MS.

An ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF MS) method was developed for metabolite profiling of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge from two different geographical origins. In this study, the metabolite profile data obtained using UPLC-QTOF MS was subjected to multivariate statistical analyses, such as the principal component analysis and the hierarchical clustering analysis, to compare metabolite patterns among A. asphodeloides samples.

Quantitative and pattern recognition analyses of magnoflorine, spinosin, 6'''-feruloyl spinosin and jujuboside A by HPLC in Zizyphi Semen.

Two rapid and simple HPLC methods with UV detector to determine three main compounds (magnoflorine, spinosin and 6'''-feruloyl spinosin) and evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) to determine jujuboside A were developed for the chemical analyses of Zizyphi Semen. Magnoflorine, spinosin, and 6'''-feruloyl spinosin were separated with an YMC J'sphere ODS-H80 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 4 μm) by the gradient elution followed by the isocratic elution using methanol with 0.

Neuroprotective effect of trans-cinnamaldehyde on the 6-hydroxydopamine-induced dopaminergic injury.

The anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of trans-cinnamaldehyde (TCA) were investigated on the inflammatory cells and the dopaminergic degeneration in mice. TCA inhibited the up-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory BV2 microglial cells. To investigate the TCA efficacy on the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced dopaminergic degeneration in mice, an intracerebroventricular injection of 6-OHDA was given to the mice, and TCA (30 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered.

Fabrication of nanosized Al2O3 coated reinforcing particle using electrostatic force.

Titanium carbide (TiC) particles have been coated with aluminum (Al) phase to enhance the compatibility with a metal matrix based on Al, expecting the homogenous dispersion of TiC particles into the matrix. The TiC particles were uniformly dispersed in the aqueous solution of pH 12. The aluminum nitrate as a precursor of Al phase was added to the solution dispersed with the TiC particles.

Quantitative analysis of betaine in Lycii Fructus by HILIC-ELSD.

A rapid and simple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) was developed for the determination of betaine from Lycii Fructus. Betaine was separated with an Atlantis hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography silica column (4.6 × 150 mm, 5 μm, 100 Å) by isocratic elution using 30 mM ammonium acetate buffer and acetonitrile (20:80, v/v %) as the mobile phase.

Inhibitory effects of oleanane-type triterpenes and saponins from the stem bark of Kalopanax pictus on LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine production in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells.

Kalopanax pictus (Araliaceae) is a deciduous tree distributed in Korea, Japan, and China. The stem bark of K. pictus has been functionally used as a traditional crude drug for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases.

Quality assessment and discrimination of the roots of Cynanchum auriculatum and Cynanchum wilfordii by HPLC-UV analysis.

Cynanchum auriculatum and Cynanchum wilfordii are widely used as folk medicine in Eastern Asia. However, the indeterminacy in the authentic original plant material has resulted in the same appellative name being given to the two plants, and they are commonly misused. Therefore, it is necessary to establish an analytical method for discrimination as well as quality control of the two species.

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis for quantitation of marker compounds of Artemisia capillaris Thunb.

Two stable high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods were developed that could quantitatively analyze 10 major marker compounds of Artemisia capillaris Thunb and could also distinguish among 'Injinho' and 'Myeon-injin' and 'Haninjin'--A. capillaris collected in autumn, A. capillaris collected in spring and A.

A new triterpenoid from Alisma orientale and their antibacterial effect.

A new triterpenoid, named alisol Q 23-acetate, as well as fourteen known terpenes, alisol B 23-acetate (2), alisol B (3), alismol (4), 10-O-methyl-alismoxide (5), alismoxide (6), 11-deoxyalisol C (7), 13β,17β-epoxyalisol B 23-acetate (8), 4β,12-dihydroxyguaian-6,10-diene (9), alisol C 23-acetate (10), alisolide (11), 16β-methoxyalisol B monoacetate (12), alisol A (13), 16β-hydroxyalisol B 23-acetate (14), alisol A 24-acetate (15) were isolated from the rhizomes of Alisma orientale. The structures of compounds (1-15) were identified based on 1D and 2D NMR, including (1)H-(1)H COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY spectroscopic analyses. Among these isolates, antibacterial effect of compounds 2, 3, 10, and 15, major constituents of A.

Inhibitory activity of Aralia continentalis roots on protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B and rat lens aldose reductase.

As part of our continuous search for compounds from natural sources that can treat diabetes and its diabetic complications, in the present work, we investigated the protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and rat lens aldose reductase (RLAR) inhibitory activities of the roots of Aralia continentalis. The methanol extract showed a potent inhibitory activity against PTP1B and RLAR. Among the tested fractions, the n-hexane fraction exhibited the highest PTP1B inhibitory activity, while the EtOAc fraction showed highest RLAR inhibitory activity.

Moutan Cortex Radicis inhibits inflammatory changes of gene expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated gingival fibroblasts.

Moutan Cortex Radicis (MCR), the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews (Paeoniaceae), is found in the traditional Chinese medicinal formulae which were used to treat periodontal diseases. This study investigated the changes in gene expression by MCR treatment when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in cultured human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). A genome-wide expression GeneChip was used for the gene array analysis, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was also performed to confirm the gene expression.