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Halimium halimifolium (Hh) is a shrub used in Algerian folk medicine to treat gastrointestinal pain. An UHPLC-PDA-ESI/MSn method was developed to identify the metabolic profile of the traditionally used infusion (Hh-A) from the aerial parts. The structures of flavanols were confirmed by NMR analysis after the isolation procedure from a hydrohalcolic extract (Hh-B) that also allowed for the identification of phenolic acids, an aryl butanol glucoside, and different derivatives of quercetin, myricetin, and kaempferol. Tiliroside isomers were the chemical markers of Hh-A and Hh-B (54.33 and 36.00 mg/g, respectively). Hh-A showed a significant scavenging activity both against the radicals 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (EC50 = 10.49 µg/mL and TEAC value = 1.98 mM Trolox/mg infusion) and the lipopolysaccharide-induced reactive oxygen species release in A375 and HeLa cells. Moreover, the antihyperglycemic properties, by inhibiting the α -amylase and α -glucosidase enzymes (IC50 = 0.82 mg/mL and 25.01 µg/mL, respectively), were demonstrated. To upgrade the therapeutic effect, a microencapsulation process is proposed as a strategy to optimize stability, handling, and delivery of bioactive components, avoiding the degradation and loss of the biological efficacy after oral intake. Hh-loaded microparticles were designed using cellulose acetate phthalate as the enteric coating material and spray drying as a production process. The results showed a satisfactory process yield (67.9%), encapsulation efficiency (96.7%), and micrometric characteristics of microparticles (laser-scattering, fluorescent, and scanning electron microscopy). In vitro dissolution studies (USPII-pH change method) showed that Hh-loaded microparticles are able to prevent the release and degradation of the bioactive components in the gastric tract, releasing them into the intestinal environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phytochemical investigation of Gymnocarpos decander aerial parts extract afforded two new saponins, 3-O-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl-2β,3β,16α,23-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester (1), 3-O-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl-2β,3β,16α-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester (2), and three new flavonol glycosides, isorhamnetin 3-O-2''''-O-acetyl-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→6)-[β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→2)]-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), isorhamnetin 3-O-2'''-O-acetyl-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), and quercetin 3-O-2'''-O-acetyl-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), together with three known compounds. Their structures were determined by spectroscopicmethods including 1D and 2D NMR analysis and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The newisolateswere investigated for their potential cytotoxic activity on three cancer cell lines. Compounds 1 and 2 showedmoderate antiproliferative activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacological evidences have correlated a low incidence of osteoporosis, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and colon cancer in Asian populations, high consumers of soya, to the properties of soy isoflavones, more specifically to daidzein and genistein. However, in spite of the potent biological activity, their poor water solubility has a strong negative effect on bioavailability. In this study, an innovative technique, nano spray drying, was used to obtain nanoparticles loaded with a soybean dry extract while carboxymethyl cellulose was used as the excipient. The optimization of the process conditions allowed for the manufacturing of stable nanoparticles with a mean size of around 650 nm, a narrow size distribution, and a high encapsulation efficiency (between 78% and 89%). The presence of carboxymethyl cellulose was able to stabilize the isoflavone extract and enhance its affinity with aqueous media, strongly increasing its permeation through biological membranes up to 4.5-fold higher than pure soy isoflavone extract raw material and twice its homologous minispray-dried formulation. These results are very useful for the administration of the extract, either topically or orally, suggesting that the isoflanones extract nanoparticulate powder obtained by nano spray drying has great potential to enhance extract bioavailability and could be used as an ingredient to be enclosed in dietary supplements and nutraceutical and cosmeceutical products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]