Antimicrobial and food barrier properties of polyvinyl alcohol-lactic acid food packaging films.

Microbial contamination and the need for sustainable food production are driving the shift toward biodegradable food packaging materials. There is an urgent need to develop smart food packaging materials that can prevent contamination and prolong the shelf life of meat. To achieve this, the physical-chemical characteristics of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based packaging films were enhanced through incorporation of lactic acid and anthocyanins to act as a pH indicator.

Green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles and its efficiency in degradation of rifampicin antibiotic.

In recent ages, green nanotechnology has gained attraction in the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles due to their cost-effectiveness, simple preparation steps, and environmentally-friendly. In the present study, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were prepared using Parthenium hysterophorus whole plant aqueous extract as a reducing, stabilizing, and capping agent. The CuO NPs were characterized via UV-Vis Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS).

Stimuli-Responsive and Antibacterial Cellulose-Chitosan Hydrogels Containing Polydiacetylene Nanosheets.

Herein, we report a stimuli-responsive hydrogel with inhibitory activity against prepared by chemical crosslinking of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCs) and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC). The hydrogels were prepared by esterification of chitosan (Cs) with monochloroacetic acid to produce CMCs which were then chemically crosslinked to HEC using citric acid as the crosslinking agent. To impart a stimuli responsiveness property to the hydrogels, polydiacetylene-zinc oxide (PDA-ZnO) nanosheets were synthesized in situ during the crosslinking reaction followed by photopolymerization of the resultant composite.

Advances in green nanotechnology: Data for green synthesis and characterization of iron nanoparticles synthesized using and leaf extracts, and their application in degradation of methylene blue dye and rifampicin antibiotic.

This data article reports contents of the information derived from an efficient, environmentally friendly, and low-cost method of synthesis and recovery of iron nanoparticles using and aqueous leaf extracts as reducing, stabilizing, and capping agents, and applications of the nanoparticles in degradation of organic dyes and antibiotics. Various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques were used to collect the data. Data is displayed in the form of .

Cellulose nanofibrils and silver nanoparticles enhances the mechanical and antimicrobial properties of polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite film.

Recent findings of microplastics in marine food such as fish, crabs and shrimps necessitate the need to develop biodegradable packaging materials. This study reports on the development of a biodegradable packing material from cellulose nanofibril-polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite embedded with silver nanoparticles. Microcrystalline cellulose was isolated from sugarcane bagasse via the kraft process followed by conversion of cellulose I to cellulose II using NaOH/urea/water solution.

Profile of Trace Elements in Selected Medicinal Plants Used for the Treatment of Diabetes in Eritrea.

This study was designed to investigate the profile of certain trace elements having therapeutic properties related to diabetes mellitus. The investigated plants were , , , . These plants are traditionally used in the management of diabetes in Eritrea.

Ethnobotanical study of anthelmintic and other medicinal plants traditionally used in Loitoktok district of Kenya.

Aim Of The Study: The objective of the study was to investigate and document the utilization of medicinal (with emphasis on anthelmintic) plants by the people of Loitoktok district in Kenya for the management of both animal and human health.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted between May and October 2009. Information was gathered from 23 traditional health practitioners, from across the district, by use of semi-structured questionnaires; transect walks, oral interviews and focus group discussions.

Antimicrobial activities of skincare preparations from plant extracts.

In this study, Tithonia diversifolia Helms. (A Gray), Aloe secundiflora (Miller) and Azadirachta indica (A. Juss) plant extracts were used to make herbal soaps while Thevetia peruviana (Schum) seed oil was used to make a herbal lotion for skincare.

Screening of some Kenyan medicinal plants for antibacterial activity.

Eleven medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Machakos and Kitui District were screened, namely: Ajuga remota Benth, Aloe secundiflora Engl, Amaranthus hybridus L, Cassia didymobotrya Fes, Croton macrostachyus Del, Entada leptostachya Harms, Erythrina abyssinica DC, Harrisonia abyssinica Oliv, Schkuhria pinnata O. Ktze, Terminalia kilimandscharica Engl and Ziziphus abyssinica Hochst for potential antibacterial activity against four medically important bacterial strains, namely: Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Micrococcus lutea ATCC 9341 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. The antibacterial activity of methanol extracts was determined as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).

Direct detection of triterpenoid saponins in medicinal plants.

Direct detection of saponins in medicinal plants using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is reported in this paper. Crude dry plant powders were mixed with potassium bromide (KBr) powder and compressed to a thin pellet for infrared examination. FTIR spectra of the test samples showed -OH, -C=O, C-H, and C=C absorptions characteristic of oleanane triterpenoid saponins.

Antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants used by herbalists in Eastern province, Kenya.

The aqueous extracts from medicinal plants commonly used by herbalists in Mbeere, and Embu districts of Eastern province, Kenya, were tested for their inhibitory activity against three selected strains of bacteria. All the selected plant extracts (infusions: 1.0 g sample in 100 ml water) investigated showed activity against Escherichia coli with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 5.

Traditional medicines among the Embu and Mbeere peoples of Kenya.

Ethnobotanical information and traditional medicines were investigated and documented in Embu and Mbeere districts, Eastern Province of Kenya. Oral interviews were obtained from over 100 herbalists, both men and women aged between 40 and 80 years. All the herbalists interviewed were Christians and had little formal education.