Shedding light on curcumin stability.

The stability of molecular curcumin (purcumin, 1a) in solution is strongly light-dependent. Under laboratory artificial light, a relative stability is observed only at neutral pH, while more intense light and/or solar light can trigger degradation via a combination of hydrolytic and oxidative fragmentation of the heptadiendione moiety. Minor curcuminoids in commercial curcumin (purcuminoids) can improve the stability of molecular curcumin, but only under conditions of low irradiation.

Detailed Phytochemical Characterization of Bergamot Polyphenolic Fraction (BPF) by UPLC-DAD-MS and LC-NMR.

Bergamot ( Citrus bergamia) is cultivated in Southern Italy almost exclusively to produce the prized essential oil, a top note in several perfumes. The juice of bergamot, until recently poorly studied, is the object of a growing scientific interest due to its claimed activity to treat metabolic syndrome. The aim of this investigation was a detailed characterization of bergamot juice polyphenolic fraction (BPF) based on a UPLC-DAD-MS analysis complemented by preparative chromatographic separations, followed by NMR characterization of the isolated compounds.

Combined use of isotopic fingerprint and metabolomics analysis for the authentication of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) extracts.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens, SP) is the most expensive oil source of the pharmaceutical and healthfood market, and its high cost and recurrent shortages have spurred the development of designer blends of fatty acids to mimic its phytochemical profile and fraudulently comply with the current authentication assays. To detect this adulteration, the combined use of isotopic fingerprint and omic analysis has been investigated, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to handle the complex databases generated by these techniques and to identify the possible source of the adulterants. Surprisingly, the presence of fatty acids of animal origin turned out to be widespread in commercial samples of saw palmetto oil.

Metabolomics study of Saw palmetto extracts based on 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Preparations containing Saw palmetto extracts are used in traditional medicine to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. According to the European and the American Pharmacopoeias, the extract is obtained from comminuted Saw palmetto berries by a suitable extracting procedure using ethanol or supercritical carbon dioxide or a mixture of n-hexane and methylpentanes. In the present study an approach to metabolomics profiling using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been used as a finger-printing tool to assess the overall composition of the extracts.

Metabolomic evaluation of ginsenosides distribution in Panax genus (Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius) using multivariate statistical analysis.

Ginseng is any one of the eleven species belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae and is found in North America and in eastern Asia. Ginseng is characterized by the presence of ginsenosides. Principally Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius are the adaptogenic herbs and are commonly distributed as health food markets.

New liquid chromatography method with ultraviolet detection for analysis of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins in Vaccinium myrtillus fruit dry extracts and commercial preparations.

The Vaccinium myrtillus fruits (bilberry) are a well-known anthocyanins source, and their extracts are widely used in dietary botanicals and pharmaceutical products for the treatment of vascular and vision disorders. Different analytical methods used for standardization of the bilberry extracts and their preparations are available from pharmacopeias and from the literature. However, the methods reported in the literature do not allow the detection of free anthocyanidins, which are markers of poor product quality.

Single-laboratory validation for the determination of terpene lactones in Ginkgo biloba dietary supplement crude materials and finished products by high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detection.

A single-laboratory validation was completed for a method to determine total terpene lactones in Ginkgo biloba products. The method determines terpene lactones on the basis of the main terpene lactones (Bilobalide, Ginkgolide A, Ginkgolide B, Ginkgolide C, and Ginkgolide J) by high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detection after extraction. Nine matrixes were chosen for study, including crude leaf material, standardized dry powder extract, single- and multiple-entity finished products, and alcohol and glycerin tinctures.

A Loose Cage for Transition Metals.

The octamine cage 5, L, incorporates Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) in aqueous solution by a fast and reversible process. Equilibrium studies indicated the formation of metal complexes of protonated forms of the ligands, i.e.