Polyphenols composition from leaves of Cuphea spp. and inhibitor potential, in vitro, of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE).

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cuphea is the largest genus of the Lythraceae family. It is popularly known as "sete-sangrias" in Brazil used in folk medicine as a diuretic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, laxative and antihypertensive agent. The raw material of Cuphea has shown promising results in the production of fitotherapics, which are chemically characterized by quercetin core flavonoids.

Physical-chemical parameters and validation of a colorimetric method for deoxycholic and ursodeoxycholic acids: kit reagent and optical sensor.

The simple and low cost β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)-phenolphthalein (PHP) inclusion complex was used for both the study of physical-chemical parameters and validation of analytical procedures for deoxycholic acid (DCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) determinations in different formulations. The usefulness of this inclusion complex is proposed either in the form of kit reagent and as an original optical sensor for DCA and UDCA. The results showed that temperature had a negative effect on the equilibrium constant resulting in high negative values of enthalpy and positive values of entropy.

Kinetics and bioreactor studies of immobilized invertase on polyurethane rigid adhesive foam.

A new support, polyurethane rigid adhesive foam (PRAF), which can be used to cover internal surface of metallic tubes, was used to immobilize invertase for application in an enzymatic bioreactor. The kinetic parameters were: Km--46.5±1.

Simple determination of deoxycholic and ursodeoxycholic acids by phenolphthalein-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex.

An expeditious colorimetric methodology for the determination of the deoxycholic acid (DCA) and of the ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in pharmaceutical formulations is reported. The method is based on their competitive complexation reaction with a color indicator to form beta-cyclodextrin-inclusion complexes. Several pH color indicators were tested, but phenolphthalein (PHP) showed the best interaction with the beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) with an inclusion yield higher than 95%.