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Natural Compound Studies for Biomedical and Food Applications

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 10057

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maciej Jarzebski

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Guest Editor

Department of Physics and Biophysics, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland
Interests: plant extracts; saponin; nanomaterials; nanoemulsion; liposomes; particle size determination; colloids; microscopy; food and nanotechnology; nano-bio; biomedical application of nanoparticles
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Wojciech Smułek

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Chemical Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
Interests: bioremediation; enzymatic activity; toxicity; analytical chemistry; wastewater treatment; chemical engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

In an era of increasing awareness of sustainability, experts from the natural sciences are looking hard for inspiration in nature to achieve their desired goals. Since stable multiphase systems and the ability to control phenomena occurring at phase boundaries are essential to the functioning of virtually all areas of industry, many of us are engaged in studying these processes using compounds of natural origin. Among them, natural compounds, such as spaonins, stand out for their versatility of action, interesting physicochemical properties, and biological activity. In recent years, several efforts have been made to better understand the properties of natural compounds, their functionality, and applicability. Our hope is that this Special Issue will serve as an opportunity to present your achievements and the latest developments in the field of natural compounds for biomedical and food industry.

Dr. Maciej Jarzebski
Dr. Wojciech Smułek
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

bioactivity
spectroscopy
molecular structure
interfaces
colloids
saponins
natural surfactants
emulsions
nanoparticles

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Removal of Persistent Sulfamethoxazole and Carbamazepine from Water by Horseradish Peroxidase Encapsulated into Poly(Vinyl Chloride) Electrospun Fibers

by Jakub Zdarta, Oliwia Degórska, Katarzyna Jankowska, Agnieszka Rybarczyk, Adam Piasecki, Filip Ciesielczyk and Teofil Jesionowski

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(1), 272; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23010272 - 27 Dec 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2406

Abstract

Enzymatic conversion of pharmaceutically active ingredients (API), using immobilized enzymes should be considered as a promising industrial tool due to improved reusability and stability of the biocatalysts at harsh process conditions. Therefore, in this study horseradish peroxidase was immobilized into sodium alginate capsules and then trapped into poly(vinyl chloride) electrospun fibers to provide additional enzyme stabilization and protection against the negative effect of harsh process conditions. Due to encapsulation immobilization, 100% of immobilization yield was achieved leading to loading of 25 μg of enzyme in 1 mg of the support. Immobilized in such a way, enzyme showed over 80% activity retention. Further, only slight changes in kinetic parameters of free (K_m = 1.54 mM) and immobilized horseradish peroxidase (K_m = 1.83 mM) were noticed, indicating retention of high catalytic properties and high substrate affinity by encapsulated biocatalyst. Encapsulated horseradish peroxidase was tested in biodegradation of two frequently occurring in wastewater API, sulfamethoxazole (antibiotic) and carbamazepine (anticonvulsant). Over 80% of both pharmaceutics was removed by immobilized enzyme after 24 h of the process from the solution at a concentration of 1 mg/L, under optimal conditions, which were found to be pH 7, temperature 25 °C and 2 mM of H₂O₂. However, even from 10 mg/L solutions, it was possible to remove over 40% of both pharmaceuticals. Finally, the reusability and storage stability study of immobilized horseradish peroxidase showed retention of over 60% of initial activity after 20 days of storage at 4 °C and after 10 repeated catalytic cycles, indicating great practical application potential. By contrast, the free enzyme showed less than 20% of its initial activity after 20 days of storage and exhibited no recycling potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Compound Studies for Biomedical and Food Applications)

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16 pages, 2316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lupinus albus Protein Components Inhibit MMP-2 and MMP-9 Gelatinolytic Activity In Vitro and In Vivo

by Joana Mota, Rosa Direito, João Rocha, João Fernandes, Bruno Sepodes, Maria Eduardo Figueira, Anabela Raymundo, Ana Lima and Ricardo Boavida Ferreira

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(24), 13286; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms222413286 - 10 Dec 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2632

Abstract

Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) are regarded as important clinical targets due to their nodal-point role in inflammatory and oncological diseases. Here, we aimed at isolating and characterizing am MMP-2 and-9 inhibitor (MMPI) from Lupinus albus and at assessing its efficacy in vitro and in vivo. The protein was isolated using chromatographic and 2-D electrophoretic procedures and sequenced by using MALDI-TOF TOF and MS/MS analysis. In vitro MMP-2 and 9 inhibitions were determined on colon adenocarcinoma (HT29) cells, as well as by measuring the expression levels of genes related to these enzymes. Inhibitory activities were also confirmed in vivo using a model of experimental TNBS-induced colitis in mice, with oral administrations of 15 mg·kg⁻¹. After chromatographic and electrophoretic isolation, the L. albus MMP-9 inhibitor was found to comprise a large fragment from δ-conglutin and, to a lower extent, small fragments of β-conglutin. In vitro studies showed that the MMPI successfully inhibited MMP-9 activity in a dose-dependent manner in colon cancer cells, with an IC50 of 10 µg·mL⁻¹ without impairing gene expression nor cell growth. In vivo studies showed that the MMPI maintained its bioactivities when administered orally and significantly reduced colitis symptoms, along with a very significant inhibition of MMP-2 and -9 activities. Overall, results reveal a novel type of MMPI in lupine that is edible, proteinaceous in nature and soluble in water, and effective in vivo, suggesting a high potential application as a nutraceutical or a functional food in pathologies related to abnormally high MMP-9 activity in the digestive system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Compound Studies for Biomedical and Food Applications)

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Review

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26 pages, 19135 KiB

Open AccessReview

Selected Applications of Chitosan Composites

by Kunal Pal, Deepti Bharti, Preetam Sarkar, Arfat Anis, Doman Kim, Renata Chałas, Paweł Maksymiuk, Piotr Stachurski and Maciej Jarzębski

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(20), 10968; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms222010968 - 11 Oct 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3734

Abstract

Chitosan is one of the emerging materials for various applications. The most intensive studies have focused on its use as a biomaterial and for biomedical, cosmetic, and packaging systems. The research on biodegradable food packaging systems over conventional non-biodegradable packaging systems has gained much importance in the last decade. The deacetylation of chitin, a polysaccharide mainly obtained from crustaceans and shrimp shells, yields chitosan. The deacetylation process of chitin leads to the generation of primary amino groups. The functional activity of chitosan is generally owed to this amino group, which imparts inherent antioxidant and antimicrobial activity to the chitosan. Further, since chitosan is a naturally derived polymer, it is biodegradable and safe for human consumption. Food-focused researchers are exploiting the properties of chitosan to develop biodegradable food packaging systems. However, the properties of packaging systems using chitosan can be improved by adding different additives or blending chitosan with other polymers. In this review, we report on the different properties of chitosan that make it suitable for food packaging applications, various methods to develop chitosan-based packaging films, and finally, the applications of chitosan in developing multifunctional food packaging materials. Here we present a short overview of the chitosan-based nanocomposites, beginning with principal properties, selected preparation techniques, and finally, selected current research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Compound Studies for Biomedical and Food Applications)

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