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Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are used globally to control pests in the food industry. However, some have been banned due to their toxicity. Although they have been banned, OCPs are still discharged into the environment and persist for long periods of time. Therefore, this review focused on the occurrence, toxicity, and chromatographic determination of OCPs in vegetable oils over the last 22 years (2000–2022) (111 references). Literature search shows that OCPs kill pests by destroying endocrine, teratogenic, neuroendocrine, immune, and reproductive systems. However, only five studies investigated the fate of OCPs in vegetable oils and the outcome revealed that some of the steps involved during oil processing introduce more OCPs. Moreover, direct chromatographic determination of OCPs was mostly performed using online LC-GC methods fitted with oven transfer adsorption desorption interface. While indirect chromatographic determination was favored by QuEChERS extraction technique, gas chromatography frequently coupled to electron capture detection (ECD), gas chromatography in selective ion monitoring mode (SIM), and gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) were the most common techniques used for detection. However, the greatest challenge still faced by analytical chemists is to obtain clean extracts with acceptable extraction recoveries (70–120%). Hence, more research is still required to develop greener and selective extraction methods toward OCPs, thus improving extraction recoveries. Moreover, advanced techniques like gas chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) must also be explored. OCPs prevalence in vegetable oils varied greatly in various countries, and concentrations of up to 1500 µg/kg were reported. Additionally, the percentage of positive samples ranged from 1.1 to 97.5% for endosulfan sulfate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration of chemical compounds from packaging polymers to food presents a multifaceted challenge with implications for food safety and public health. This review explores the interaction between packaging materials and food products, focusing on permeation, migration, and sorption processes. The different migration mechanisms of contact migration, gas phase migration, penetration migration, set-off migration, and condensation/distillation migration have been discussed comprehensively. The major migrating compounds are plasticizers, nanoparticles, antioxidants, light stabilizers, thermal stabilizers, monomers, oligomers, printing inks, and adhesives, posing potential health risks due to their association with endocrine disruption and carcinogenic effects. Advanced analytical methods help in the monitoring of migrated compounds, facilitating compliance with regulatory standards. Regulatory agencies enforce guidelines to limit migration, prompting the development of barrier coatings and safer packaging alternatives. Furthermore, there is a need to decipher the migration mechanism for mitigating it along with advancements in analytical techniques for monitoring the migration of compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthesis plays a vital role in acclimating to and mitigating climate change, providing food and energy security for a population that is constantly growing, and achieving an economy with zero carbon emissions. A thorough comprehension of the dynamics of photosynthesis, including its molecular regulatory network and limitations, is essential for utilizing it as a tool to boost plant growth, enhance crop yields, and support the production of plant biomass for carbon storage. Photorespiration constrains photosynthetic efficiency and contributes significantly to carbon loss. Therefore, modulating or circumventing photorespiration presents opportunities to enhance photosynthetic efficiency. Over the past eight decades, substantial progress has been made in elucidating the molecular basis of photosynthesis, photorespiration, and the key regulatory mechanisms involved, beginning with the discovery of the canonical Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle. Advanced chromatographic and mass spectrometric technologies have allowed a comprehensive analysis of the metabolite patterns associated with photosynthesis, contributing to a deeper understanding of its regulation. In this review, we summarize the results of metabolomics studies that shed light on the molecular intricacies of photosynthetic metabolism. We also discuss the methodological requirements essential for effective analysis of photosynthetic metabolism, highlighting the value of this technology in supporting strategies aimed at enhancing photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration of chemical compounds from packaging polymers to food presents a multifaceted challenge with implications for food safety and public health. This review explores the interaction between packaging materials and food products, focusing on permeation, migration, and sorption processes. The different migration mechanisms of contact migration, gas phase migration, penetration migration, set-off migration, and condensation/distillation migration have been discussed comprehensively. The major migrating compounds are plasticizers, nanoparticles, antioxidants, light stabilizers, thermal stabilizers, monomers, oligomers, printing inks, and adhesives, posing potential health risks due to their association with endocrine disruption and carcinogenic effects. Advanced analytical methods help in the monitoring of migrated compounds, facilitating compliance with regulatory standards. Regulatory agencies enforce guidelines to limit migration, prompting the development of barrier coatings and safer packaging alternatives. Furthermore, there is a need to decipher the migration mechanism for mitigating it along with advancements in analytical techniques for monitoring the migration of compounds.

This review aims to explore the various antinutritional factors found in grains and oilseeds, their sources, and the different methods employed to mitigate their effects. Both traditional and innovative processing techniques have been utilized to reduce antinutrients. Traditional methods such as dehulling, soaking, boiling, pressure cooking, sprouting, and fermentation have proven effective in reducing specific antinutrients like α-galactosides, phytic acid, enzyme inhibitors, lathyrogens, lectins, saponins, and tannins. However, optimization of these techniques is necessary to maximize their effectiveness and minimize antinutrient content. The review also provides an overview of various analytical methods used to quantify antinutritional factors in grains and oilseeds. These methods encompass classical gravimetric and titrimetric analysis, potentiometric titrations, chromatographic and electrophoretic separation techniques, as well as spectroscopic methods, fluorescence, and biosensors. A systematic and chronological review of these analytical approaches and detection systems is presented. Furthermore, the review identifies research gaps and highlights potential areas for future exploration in the field of antinutrients in grains and oilseeds. By addressing these gaps, we can further enhance our understanding and develop more effective strategies to mitigate antinutrients, thus promoting the utilization of grains and oilseeds for their optimal health benefits.

Quality control analysis of medicinal plants even their derived formulations are contributed to the quality, safety, and efficacy as well as to their regulatory purpose. Chromatography and their hyphenation with spectroscopic techniques are the most used analytical methods for quality assessment and authentication of medicinal plants and their derived products, also. With a thorough explanation of the analytical techniques used in authentication, the existing situation, and future projections, the present study aims to analyze the quality elements of the authentication of medicinal plants and the formulations developed from them. The results of the review suggested that determining the quality of medicinal plants based on targeted and non-targeted metabolites depends on the verification that the plants are from the same species, the gathering of high-quality raw materials, the extraction process, and the solvents that are acting to make the process more suitable. For thorough metabolomic profiling, a variety of cutting-edge chromatographic and analytical techniques, including HPTLC-MS, HPLC-MS, LC-MS, GC-MS, etc., are utilized. Moreover, chemometric approaches improved the ability to extract crucial chemical information from a wide range of original data. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is the most widely used technique in chemometrics analysis to represent the high dimensionality of metabolite-based data sets for validity, efficacy, and consistency. In order to confirm the scientific evidence for their regulatory purpose and get insights into the current situation and the future horizons for their quality-based standardization of medicinal plants and their derived formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to the nutritional and therapeutic benefits, Argan oil is praised for its unique bio-ecological and botanic interest. It has been used for centuries to treat cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and skin infections, as well as for its anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties. Argan oil is widely commercialized as a result of these characteristics. However, falsifiers deliberately blend Argan oil with cheaper vegetable oils to make economic profits. This reduces the quality and might result in health issues for consumers. Analytical techniques that are rapid, precise, and accurate are employed to monitor its quality, safety, and authenticity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of studies on the quality assessment of Moroccan Argan oil using both untargeted and targeted approaches. To extract relevant information on quality and adulteration, the analytical data are coupled with chemometric techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As they become more health conscious, consumers are paying increasing attention to food quality and safety. In coffee production, fraudulent strategies to reduce costs and maximize profits include mixing beans from two species of different economic value, the addition of other substances and/or foods, and mislabeling. Therefore, testing for coffee authenticity and detecting adulterants is required for value assessment and consumer protection. Here we provide an overview of the chromatography, spectroscopy, and single-nucleotide polymorphism-based methods used to distinguish between the major coffee species Arabica and Robusta. This review also describes the techniques applied to trace the geographical origin of coffee, based mainly on the chemical composition of the beans, an approach that can discriminate between coffee-growing regions on a continental or more local level. Finally, the analytical techniques used to detect coffee adulteration with other foods and/or coffee by-products are discussed, with a look at the practice of adding pharmacologically active compounds to coffee, and their harmful effects on health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive chemical characterization of different lipid components, namely fatty acid composition after derivatization in fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), triacylglycerols (TAGs), phospholipids (PLs), free fatty acids (FFAs), sterols, carotenoids, tocopherols, and polyphenols in Chia seed oil, obtained by Soxhlet extraction, was reported. Reversed phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) coupled to UV and mass spectrometry (MS) detectors was employed for carotenoids, polyphenols, and TAGs determination; normal phase-LC in combination with fluorescence detector (FLD) was used for tocopherols analysis; PL and FFA fractions were investigated after a rapid solid phase extraction followed by RP-LC-MS and NanoLC coupled to electron ionization (EI) MS, respectively. Furthermore, gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization (FID) and MS detectors were used for FAMEs and sterols analysis. Results demonstrated a significant content of bioactive compounds, such as the antioxidant tocopherols (22.88 µg mL−1), and a very high content of essential fatty acids (81.39%), namely α-linolenic (62.16%) and linoleic (19.23%) acids. In addition, for the best of authors knowledge, FFA profile, as well as some carotenoid classes has been elucidated for the first time. The importance of free fatty acids in vegetable matrices is related to the fact that they can be readily involved in metabolic processes or biosynthetic pathways of the plant itself. For a fast and reliable determination of this chemical class, a very innovative and sensitive NanoLC-EI-MS analytical determination was applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma from patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is a valuable source of information indicating altered metabolites associated with the risk or progression of the disease. Neurotoxicity of dopaminergic neurons, which is triggered by aggregation of α-synuclein, is the main pathogenic feature of PD. However, a growing body of scientific reports indicates that metabolic changes may precede and directly contribute to neurodegeneration. Identification and characterization of the abnormal metabolic pattern in patients' plasma are therefore crucial for the search for potential PD biomarkers. The aims of the present study were (1) to identify metabolic alterations in plasma metabolome in subjects with PD as compared with the controls; (2) to find new potential markers, some correlations among them; (3) to identify metabolic pathways relevant to the pathophysiology of PD. Plasma samples from patients with PD (n = 25) and control group (n = 12) were collected and the gas chromatography-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry GC-TOFMS-based metabolomics approach was used to evaluate the metabolic changes based on the identified 14 metabolites with significantly altered levels using univariate and multivariate statistical analysis. The panel, including 6 metabolites (L-3-methoxytyrosine, aconitic acid, L-methionine, 13-docosenamide, hippuric acid, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid), was identified to discriminate PD from controls with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.975, with an accuracy of 92%. We also used statistical criteria to identify the significantly altered level of metabolites. The metabolic pathways involved were associated with linoleic acid metabolism, mitochondrial electron transport chain, glycerolipid metabolism, and bile acid biosynthesis. These abnormal metabolic changes in the plasma of patients with PD were mainly related to the amino acid metabolism, TCA cycle metabolism, and mitochondrial function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food, drugs, dyes, extracts, and minerals are all made up of complex elements, and utilizing unidimensional chromatography to separate them is inefficient and insensitive. This has sparked the invention of several linked chromatography methods, each of them with distinct separation principles and affinity for the analyte of interest. Multidimensional chromatography consists of the combination of multiple chromatography techniques, with great benefits at the level of efficiency, peak capacity, precision, and accuracy of the analysis, while reducing the time required for the analysis. Various coupled chromatography techniques have recently emerged, including liquid chromatography–gas chromatography (LC–GC), gas chromatography–gas chromatography (GC–GC), liquid chromatography–liquid chromatography (LC–LC), GCMS–MS, LCMS–MS, supercritical fluid techniques with chromatography techniques, and electro-driven multidimensional separation techniques. In this paper, the different coupled chromatography techniques will be discussed, along with their wide spectrum of applications for food, flavor, and environmental analysis, as well as their usefulness for the pharmaceutical, color, and dyes industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coconut (CO) and virgin coconut oil (VCO) are popular functional oils owing to their health benefits. The fraudsters intentionally blend cheap and poor-quality vegetable oils with CO and VCO for economic benefits. Adulteration causes safety and health issues for consumers. In this context, there is a need for rapid, accurate, and precise analytical techniques to detect adulteration in CO and VCO. Conventional analytical methods are arduous and lengthy processes using toxic chemicals and involve tedious sample preparation. Thus, food researchers are in search of precise, rapid, and green analytical techniques to detect and quantify the adulteration of CO and VCO. The present review focuses on summarizing all the analytical techniques along with chemometric tools developed in recent times. Various techniques, such as chromatographic, spectroscopic, and thermal techniques coupled with chemometrics, have been successfully applied in this field. The NIR-based spectroscopic technique is a very optimisable and practical method for adulteration detection in CO and VCO. The official methods currently used must be upgraded as they are comparatively less sensitive than the latest methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is a global pandemic infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The herbal formula, Ping An Fang Yu Yin (PAFYY), has been used to prevent respiratory viral infections for many years. This study aims to evaluate the effect of PAFYY on SARS-CoV-2 infection, oxidative stress, and inflammation via in vitro, investigate the chemical composition by full constituent quantitative analysis, and verify its anti-viral potential against SARS-CoV-2 using in silico. In this study, a total of eleven compounds, twenty amino acids, saccharide compositions, and trace elements were found and quantitatively determined by chromatographic techniques. PAFYY displayed free radical scavenging activity (DPPH, SC50: 1.24 ± 0.09 mg/mL), SOD activity (68.71 ± 1.28%), inhibition of lipoxygenase activity (75.96 ± 7.64 mg/mL) and interfered the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (48.04 ± 3.18%). Furthermore, in-silico analysis results supported that liquiritin, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and luteolin-7-O-glucoside with the highest affinity between SARS-CoV-2 RBD and human angiotensin-converting enzyme II (hACE2) receptor. Our findings suggest that PAFYY has the potential for anti-SARS-CoV-2 infection, anti-oxidation stress, and anti-inflammation, and may be used as supplements for amelioration or prevention of COVID-19 symptoms, as well as the representative compounds can be used for quality control of PAFYY in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparative High Performance Liquid Chromatography (pre-HPLC) is one of the most modern instrumental liquid chromatography available today. The methodological development phase requires time and skills, especially when dealing with complex samples, as in the case of polyphenol-rich herbal matrices. Polyphenols are the most widely distributed constituents of secondary metabolism in plants of medicinal interest, presenting social and economic importance, contributing to the investigation of their complex structures and therapeutic properties. Considering the challenges of isolation of this class of bioactives, the bibliography of the last five years presented in Scopus, Science Direct and Wiley Online Library databases was discussed in this work, bringing together the methodological strategies of pre-HPLC, from sample preparation to post-isolation analysis, for the separation and recovery of polyphenols from crude extracts or enriched fractions. The impacts of obtaining isolated compounds were observed and addressed according to the contribution in building the identity of plant species, the establishment of model methodologies, the elucidation of structure-activity and correlation of isolates as responsible for the therapeutic properties of plant species, in processes involving the removal of free radicals, modulation of enzymatic pathways and inhibition of microbial growth. Results were observed that generate new perspectives on the deepening of knowledge of plant species, highlighting the importance of this as a primary step in the development of nutraceuticals, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products with the delivery of polyphenols, isolated, in concentrated fractions or even in their initial form present in the complex herbal matrices. [Display omitted] • Recents advances of isolation of polyphenols by prep-HPLC. • Important contribution of methods in the construction of medicinal plant identities. • Predictions of mechanisms involved in complex therapeutic actions of polyphenols. • Use of polyphenols as waste recovery strategy. • Development of nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products from polyphenol delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk is one of the most easily adulterated foods, and the fact that its milk composition is influenced by factors such as animal species and processing methods makes the identification of adulterated dairy products even more challenging. Therefore, there is a need for more accurate, faster and comprehensive techniques to address the problem of dairy product adulteration. As one of the rapidly developing technologies in recent years, omic techniques have found increasing application for the identification of dairy products due to their high throughput, wide applicability and more accurate reflection of food status. This review provides an important overview of the nutritional characterization and adulteration identification of milk products by omic techniques over the last few years. This paper highlights the differences between different breeds and processing methods of bovine milk from omic perspective, and introduces the scope, advantages and disadvantages of different omic techniques in dairy products. It is found that metabolomics, proteomics and lipid omics are widely used in the study of dairy products, and promising results have been achieved, and it is strongly recommended to apply multiple analysis techniques jointly to enhance the compound coverage and obtain comprehensive information for the future omics studies. • Reviewed effects of processing and origin on milk components of untarget analysis. • Omic technology is increasingly being used in identifying milk adulteration. • The benefits and drawbacks of omic techniques in milk analysis were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antioxidants are crucial in reducing oxidative stress and enhancing health, necessitating precise quantification in food matrices. Advanced techniques such as biosensors and nanosensors offer high sensitivity and specificity, enabling real-time monitoring and accurate antioxidant quantification in complex food systems. These technologies herald a new era in food analysis, improving food quality and safety through sophisticated detection methods. Their application facilitates comprehensive antioxidant profiling, driving innovation in food technology to meet the rising demand for nutritional optimization and food integrity. These are complemented by electrochemical techniques, spectroscopy, and chromatography. Electrochemical methods provide rapid response times, spectroscopy offers versatile chemical composition analysis, and chromatography excels in precise separation and quantification. Collectively, these methodologies establish a comprehensive framework for food analysis, essential for improving food quality, safety, and nutritional value. Future research should aim to refine these analytical methods, promising significant advancements in food and nutritional science., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The use of high polar pesticides such as glyphosate and metabolites has increased due to their low cost, low persistence in the environment and high effectiveness. The use of glyphosate is currently permitted in the European Union until 15 December 2022. However, the possible toxic effects on human health and the environment are under debate. Their widespread application on various crops might lead to residues in food intended for animal consumption. For this reason, the Commission, implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/601, recommends the analyses of polar pesticides, not only in matrices of plant origin, but also in those of animal origin such as fat, liver, milk and eggs throughout the years 2022, 2023 and 2024. The determination of polar pesticides is hampered by their chemical nature, which poses challenges both in the instrumental detection (poor column retention, low molecular weight MS/MS fragments, etc.) and in the management of matrix effects, which may vary significantly from matrix to matrix within the same food commodity group. For these reasons, nowadays, there is a limited number of methods for the detection of polar pesticides in food of animal origin. This brief review discusses the different approaches for the simultaneous determination of polar pesticides in food of animal origin using both chromatographic and non-chromatographic techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by numerous comorbidities, including various metabolic and nutritional abnormalities. In many children with ASD, problems with proper nutrition can often lead to inadequate nutrient intake and some disturbances in metabolic profiles, which subsequently correlate with impaired neurobehavioural function. The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the relationship between supplementation, levels of homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and the behaviour of children with ASD using quantitative urinary acid determination and questionnaires provided by parents/caregivers. The study was carried out on 129 children between 3 and 18 years of age. HVA and VMA were extracted and derivatized from urinary samples and simultaneously analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, parents/caregivers of children with ASD were asked to complete questionnaires containing information about their diet and intake/non-intake of supplements. The application of the Mann–Whitney U test showed a statistically significant difference between the level of HVA and vitamin B supplementation (p = 1.64 × 10−2) and also omega-6 fatty acids supplementation and the levels of HVA (p = 1.50 × 10−3) and VMA (p = 2.50 × 10−3). In some children, a reduction in the severity of autistic symptoms (better response to own name or better reaction to change) was also observed. These results suggest that supplementation affects the levels of HVA and VMA and might also affect the children's behaviour. Further research on these metabolites and the effects of supplementation on their levels, as well as the effects on the behaviour and physical symptoms among children with ASD is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides are synthetic chemicals that destroy pests and insects, improving vegetation and damaging the ruling class. Pesticides gain the vegetation; However, the protective use of pesticides goes against the traditional ethics of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), leading to environmental concerns. It has been observed that neonicotinoid pesticides and their metabolites can continue and accumulate in soils. They are freely soluble in water and compulsive, draining into waterways, and more are found in environmental samples, eventually affecting human well-being. Therefore, regional instability, the traditional principles, and anthropogenic versus natural origin of conceivably dangerous title pesticide in soils and water assessment are precariously main to evaluate human impact. This review article mainly focuses on extensive information about the sample preparation methods, discovery methods, and the developed systems to samples from various fields of soils and water to detect the neonicotinoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Approximately 1 million adenovirus immunochromatography (IC) kits are annually used in Japan. However, no practical strategies have been developed regarding their use for detecting adenovirus. The present study aims to verify the usefulness of clinical manifestations in making decisions regarding the use of adenovirus IC kits for children with upper respiratory infections (URI). Methods: The medical records of 825 pediatric cases tested by IC kits for adenovirus were extracted from clinical laboratory department database over a 3‐year period at our hospital. Among them, 585 patients were suspected adenovirus URI, and their clinical manifestations were reviewed. After data cleaning, 10 types of clinical manifestations were statistically analyzed between adenovirus IC kit‐positive and ‐negative groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to select significant clinical manifestations using adenovirus IC kit positivity as the objective variable. Results: Among 585 pediatric patients, the cases of 420 patients, with suitable data for whom no other pathogen was detected, were reviewed. Adenovirus was detected in 86 cases. Multivariate analysis identified a significant difference for three clinical manifestations: (1) fever ≥ 39.0°C, (2) rhinorrhea, and (3) tonsillar exudate. The negativity rate for the IC kit was 90% when none of the three manifestations was observed. Conclusions: The results suggested that IC kits for adenovirus tend to give negative results in cases that lack all the three above mentioned clinical manifestations. Highlight: Fever ≥39.0°C, rhinorrhea, and tonsillar exudate are useful clinical manifestations in making decisions regarding the use of adenovirus immunochromatographic kits for children with URI.Multivariate analysis identified a significant difference for three clinical manifestations: (1) fever ≥ 39.0°C, (2) rhinorrhea, and (3) tonsillar exudate.Kits for adenovirus tend to give negative results in cases that lack all the three above mentioned clinical manifestations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tamoxifen (TAM), a non-steroidal antiestrogen, has revolutionized female breast cancer treatment. The mechanism involves is to compete with 17β-estradiol (E2) at the receptor site and blocking the promotional role of E2 in breast cancer. Tam is a pioneering medicine because of its widespread usage in breast cancer treatment and chemoprevention, as well as research into novel selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). In the vast majority of patients, TAM is cost-effective, life-saving, and free of significant adverse effects. In this context, this review presents several nanoformulations for selectively delivered lower dosages of TAM to breast tumors. Various TAM-containing nanosystems have been effectively created to deliver TAM to particular molecular targets with decreasing harmful effects. Following that, there is a summary of chromatographic techniques to quantify the drug in human biological samples. The quantification of the drug in different biological matrices is the major importance to assist the control of quality, efficacy, and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to the nutritional and therapeutic benefits, Argan oil is praised for its unique bio-ecological and botanic interest. It has been used for centuries to treat cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and skin infections, as well as for its anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties. Argan oil is widely commercialized as a result of these characteristics. However, falsifiers deliberately blend Argan oil with cheaper vegetable oils to make economic profits. This reduces the quality and might result in health issues for consumers. Analytical techniques that are rapid, precise, and accurate are employed to monitor its quality, safety, and authenticity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of studies on the quality assessment of Moroccan Argan oil using both untargeted and targeted approaches. To extract relevant information on quality and adulteration, the analytical data are coupled with chemometric techniques.

A comprehensive chemical characterization of different lipid components, namely fatty acid composition after derivatization in fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), triacylglycerols (TAGs), phospholipids (PLs), free fatty acids (FFAs), sterols, carotenoids, tocopherols, and polyphenols in Chia seed oil, obtained by Soxhlet extraction, was reported. Reversed phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) coupled to UV and mass spectrometry (MS) detectors was employed for carotenoids, polyphenols, and TAGs determination; normal phase-LC in combination with fluorescence detector (FLD) was used for tocopherols analysis; PL and FFA fractions were investigated after a rapid solid phase extraction followed by RP-LC-MS and NanoLC coupled to electron ionization (EI) MS, respectively. Furthermore, gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization (FID) and MS detectors were used for FAMEs and sterols analysis. Results demonstrated a significant content of bioactive compounds, such as the antioxidant tocopherols (22.88 µg mL−1), and a very high content of essential fatty acids (81.39%), namely α-linolenic (62.16%) and linoleic (19.23%) acids. In addition, for the best of authors knowledge, FFA profile, as well as some carotenoid classes has been elucidated for the first time. The importance of free fatty acids in vegetable matrices is related to the fact that they can be readily involved in metabolic processes or biosynthetic pathways of the plant itself. For a fast and reliable determination of this chemical class, a very innovative and sensitive NanoLC-EI-MS analytical determination was applied.

Antibody drugs are becoming increasingly popular in disease diagnosis, targeted therapy, and immunoprevention owing to their characteristics of high targeting ability, strong specificity, low toxicity, and mild side effects. The demand for antibody drugs is steadily increasing, and their production scale is expanding. Upstream cell culture technology has been greatly improved by the high-capacity production of monoclonal antibodies. However, the downstream purification of antibodies presents a bottleneck in the production process. Moreover, the purification cost of antibodies is extremely high, accounting for approximately 50%-80% of the total cost of antibody production. Chromatographic technology, given its selectivity and high separation efficiency, is the main method for antibody purification. This process usually involves three stages: antibody capture, intermediate purification, and polishing. Different chromatographic techniques, such as affinity chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, mixed-mode chromatography, and temperature-responsive chromatography, are used in each stage. Affinity chromatography, mainly protein A affinity chromatography, is applied for the selective capture and purification of antibodies from raw biofluids or harvested cell culture supernatants. Other chromatographic techniques, such as ion-exchange chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and mixed-mode chromatography, are used for intermediate purification and antibody polishing. Affinity biomimetic chromatography and hydrophobic charge-induction chromatography can produce antibodies with purities comparable with those obtained through protein A chromatography, by employing artificial chemical/short peptide ligands with good selectivity, high stability, and low cost. Temperature-responsive chromatography is a promising technique for the separation and purification of antibodies. In this technique, antibody capture and elution is controlled by simply adjusting the column temperature, which greatly eliminates the risk of antibody aggregation and inactivation under acidic elution conditions. The combination of different chromatographic methods to improve separation selectivity and achieve effective elution under mild conditions is another useful strategy to enhance the yield and quality of antibodies. This review provides an overview of recent advances in the field of antibody purification using chromatography and discusses future developments in this technology.

Food, drugs, dyes, extracts, and minerals are all made up of complex elements, and utilizing unidimensional chromatography to separate them is inefficient and insensitive. This has sparked the invention of several linked chromatography methods, each of them with distinct separation principles and affinity for the analyte of interest. Multidimensional chromatography consists of the combination of multiple chromatography techniques, with great benefits at the level of efficiency, peak capacity, precision, and accuracy of the analysis, while reducing the time required for the analysis. Various coupled chromatography techniques have recently emerged, including liquid chromatography–gas chromatography (LC–GC), gas chromatography–gas chromatography (GC–GC), liquid chromatography–liquid chromatography (LC–LC), GCMS–MS, LCMS–MS, supercritical fluid techniques with chromatography techniques, and electro-driven multidimensional separation techniques. In this paper, the different coupled chromatography techniques will be discussed, along with their wide spectrum of applications for food, flavor, and environmental analysis, as well as their usefulness for the pharmaceutical, color, and dyes industries.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic has become a major public health issue worldwide. Developing and evaluating rapid and easy‐to‐perform diagnostic tests is a high priority. The current study was designed to assess the diagnostic performance of an antigen‐based rapid detection test (COVID‐VIRO®) in a real‐life setting. Two nasopharyngeal specimens of symptomatic or asymptomatic adult patients hospitalized in the Infectious Diseases Department or voluntarily accessing the COVID‐19 Screening Department of the Regional Hospital of Orléans, France, were concurrently collected. The diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of COVID VIRO® results were compared to those of real‐time reverse‐transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) results. A subset of patients underwent an additional oropharyngeal and/or saliva swab for rapid testing. A total of 121 patients confirmed to be infected and 127 patients having no evidence of recent or ongoing infection were enrolled for a total of 248 nasopharyngeal swab specimens. Overall, the COVID‐VIRO® sensitivity was 96.7% (CI, 93.5%–99.9%). In asymptomatic patients, symptomatic patients having symptoms for more than 4 days and those with an RT‐qPCR cycle threshold value ≥ 32, the sensitivities were 100%, 95.8%, and 91.9%, respectively. The concordance between RT‐qPCR and COVID VIRO® rapid test results was 100% for the 127 patients with no SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. The COVID‐VIRO® test had 100% specificity and sensitivity greater than 95%, which are better than the recommendations set forth by the WHO (specificity ≥ 97%–100%, sensitivity ≥ 80%). These rapid tests may be particularly useful for large‐scale screening in emergency departments, low‐resource settings, and airports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peperomia pellucida is a member of the Piperaceae family. Extraction of plant material was carried out by Soxhlet extraction method using hexane and ethylacetate as solvents respectively. The extract was concentrated using a rotary evaporator, followed by isolation and purification using column and thin layer chromatographic techniques. Fraction C20 showed a clearly defined single spot with Rf value of 0.51. Using 1HNMR, 13C-DEPT, COSY, HSQC and HMBC and by comparison with literature values, the structure of the compound was established as an Ursane-type triterpenoid. The use of P. pellucida in ethnomedicine for the treatment of various ailments could be attributed to the Ursane-type triterpenoid and other bioactive chemical compounds present in the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by numerous comorbidities, including various metabolic and nutritional abnormalities. In many children with ASD, problems with proper nutrition can often lead to inadequate nutrient intake and some disturbances in metabolic profiles, which subsequently correlate with impaired neurobehavioural function. The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the relationship between supplementation, levels of homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and the behaviour of children with ASD using quantitative urinary acid determination and questionnaires provided by parents/caregivers. The study was carried out on 129 children between 3 and 18 years of age. HVA and VMA were extracted and derivatized from urinary samples and simultaneously analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, parents/caregivers of children with ASD were asked to complete questionnaires containing information about their diet and intake/non-intake of supplements. The application of the Mann–Whitney U test showed a statistically significant difference between the level of HVA and vitamin B supplementation (p = 1.64 × 10−2) and also omega-6 fatty acids supplementation and the levels of HVA (p = 1.50 × 10−3) and VMA (p = 2.50 × 10−3). In some children, a reduction in the severity of autistic symptoms (better response to own name or better reaction to change) was also observed. These results suggest that supplementation affects the levels of HVA and VMA and might also affect the children’s behaviour. Further research on these metabolites and the effects of supplementation on their levels, as well as the effects on the behaviour and physical symptoms among children with ASD is needed.

The use of high polar pesticides such as glyphosate and metabolites has increased due to their low cost, low persistence in the environment and high effectiveness. The use of glyphosate is currently permitted in the European Union until 15 December 2022. However, the possible toxic effects on human health and the environment are under debate. Their widespread application on various crops might lead to residues in food intended for animal consumption. For this reason, the Commission, implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/601, recommends the analyses of polar pesticides, not only in matrices of plant origin, but also in those of animal origin such as fat, liver, milk and eggs throughout the years 2022, 2023 and 2024. The determination of polar pesticides is hampered by their chemical nature, which poses challenges both in the instrumental detection (poor column retention, low molecular weight MS/MS fragments, etc.) and in the management of matrix effects, which may vary significantly from matrix to matrix within the same food commodity group. For these reasons, nowadays, there is a limited number of methods for the detection of polar pesticides in food of animal origin. This brief review discusses the different approaches for the simultaneous determination of polar pesticides in food of animal origin using both chromatographic and non-chromatographic techniques.

Dissotis rotundifolia is used traditionally in various parts of Africa for the treatment of various ailments. The air dried and pulverized leaves of Dissotis rotundifolia was extracted with distilled n-hexane and ethylacetate, using Soxhlet apparatus. Isolation and purification were carried out using column and thin layer chromatographic techniques. Fraction B14 gave a single spot on thin layer chromatography with a retention factor (Rf) value of 0.57. Characterization of B14 was doneusing ¹ H-NMR, 13C-DEPT, COSY, HSQC, HMBC and by direct comparison with literature values and pheophytin A was proposed as the structure of the compound. Pheophytin A exhibited a free radical scavenging activity of 10.10±0.05 and 19.51±0.02% at minimum and maximum concentrations of 1.00 and 4.00 mg/mL, respectively. The acclaimed ethnomedicinal uses of D. rotundifolia by the African natives could be linked to the presence of pheophytin A and other phytoconstituents in the plant. This is the first report of the isolation of pheophytin A from D. rotundifolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of pollutants and chemicals with the potential to reach the environment is still largely unknown, which poses great challenges for researchers in various fields of science, environmental scientists, and analytical chemists. Chromatographic techniques, both gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with different types of detection, are now invaluable tools for the identification of a wide range of chemical compounds and contaminants in water. This review is devoted to chromatographic techniques GC-MS, GC-Orbitrap-MS, GC-MS/MS, GC-HRMS, GC × GC-TOFMS, GC-ECD, LC-MS/MS, HPLC-UV, HPLC-PDA, UPLC-QTOFMS, used to determinate emerging organic contaminants in aquatic media, mainly in urban water, published in the scientific literature over the past several years. The article also focuses on sample preparation methods used in the analysis of aqueous samples. Most research focuses on minimizing the number of sample preparation steps, reducing the amount of solvents used, the speed of analysis, and the ability to apply it to a wide range of analytes in a sample. This is extremely important in the application of sensitive and selective methods to monitor the status of urban water quality and assess its impact on human health.

Chiral pesticides with S atoms as asymmetric centers are gaining great importance in the search for new pesticides with new modes of action. As for the rest of the chiral pesticides, the determination of the stereoisomers separately has become crucial in the environmental risks assessment of these pesticides. Therefore, the development of suitable extraction and clean-up methods as well as efficient stereoselective analytical techniques for stereoisomers determination in environmental samples is essential. Currently, liquid/solid phase extraction, microextraction, and QuEChERS-based methods are most commonly used to obtain chiral pesticides from environmental samples. Gas, liquid, and supercritical fluid chromatography together with capillary electrophoresis techniques are the most important for the determination of the stereoisomers of chiral pesticides containing S atoms in its structure. In this study, all these techniques are briefly reviewed, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed.

In this study we investigated the chemical constituents of bioactive methanol extract of Euphorbia schimperi C. Presl. For this the methanol extract was fractionated into 20, 40, 60, 80% MeOH in CHCl3, and 100% MeOH fractions respectively by vacuum liquid chromatography. Excision wound surface of the animals were topically treated with these fractions at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight for twenty days. Povidone-iodine ointment was used as a reference drug. Wound contraction measurement and period of epithelialization were used to assess the effect of fractions on wound repairing. The 100% MeOH fraction treated animals achieved significant (p < 0.001) value by showing 100% wound contraction and minimum period of epithelization (17.75±0.47) on the 20th day as compared to standard drug treated animals on the same day. The active 100% MeOH fraction was subjected to various chromatographic techniques led to the isolation of miquelianin (1), kaempferol 3-O-glucuronide (2) and quercitrin (3). Compounds (1-3) were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Background: Aedes aegypti, dengue fever mosquito, is predominantly accompanying the transmission of dengue in tropical and subtropical countries of the world, causing millions of deaths every year. Materials and Methods: The current research was carried out to evaluate the larvicidal efficiency of Andrographis paniculata and Tinospora cordifolia against third instar larvae of A. aegypti using in silico and experimental study. Results: The methanolic extract of A. paniculata and ethanolic extract of T. cordifolia showed the highest larvicidal activity with LC50 and LC90 value of 15.75 ppm; 349.60 and 100.64 ppm; 386.37 ppm, respectively after 48 h exposure, which was statistically significant (P = 0.05). However, the combined action of methanolic extract of A. paniculata + ethanolic (50:50) extract of T. cordifolia and the bioactive fraction of methanolic extract of A. paniculata showed the effective larvicidal activity with LC50 value of 113.20 ppm and 236.08 ppm respectively after 24 h treatment which was statistically significant (P = 0.05). The m/z values in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry graph of bioactive fraction of methanolic extract of A. paniculata predicted the possible amount of bioactive compound class like flavone, phenols, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, phenolic acid, alkaloids, isopalmitic acid, diterpenoids and quinic acid. The best energy binding affinity score against sterol carrying protein-2 of A. aegypti, panicolin (-9.86 kcal/mol), berberine (-10.13 kcal/mol) and their combination (50:50) showed effective larvicidal movement with LC50 value of 25.41 ppm, 23.15 ppm and 17.56 ppm after 24 h treatment. Conclusion: The crude extracts, bioactive fractions and synthetic bioactive compounds and their combination study of A. paniculata and T. cordifolia can be utilized as bio-control agents against A. aegypti mosquito. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectroscopic techniques, electrochemical methods, nanozymes, computer vision, and modified chromatographic techniques are the emerging techniques for determining the quality and safety parameters (e.g., physical, chemical, microbiological, and classified parameters, as well as inorganic and organic contaminants) of tea products (such as fresh tea leaves, commercial tea, tea beverage, tea powder, and tea bakery products) effectively. By simplifying the sample preparation, speeding up the detection process, reducing the interference of other substances contained in the sample, and improving the sensitivity and accuracy of the current standard techniques, the abovementioned emerging techniques achieve rapid, cost‐effective, and nondestructive or slightly destructive determination of tea products, with some of them providing real‐time detection results. Applying these emerging techniques in the whole industry of tea product processing, right from the picking of fresh tea leaves, fermentation of tea leaves, to the sensory evaluation of commercial tea, as well as developing portable devices for real‐time and on‐site determination of classified and safety parameters (e.g., the geographical origin, grade, and content of contaminants) will not only eliminate the strong dependence on professionals but also help mechanize the production of tea products, which deserves further research. Conducting a review on the application of spectroscopic techniques, electrochemical methods, nanozymes, computer vision, and modifications of chromatographic techniques for quality and safety determination of tea products may serve as guide for other types of foods and beverages, offering potential techniques for their detection and evaluation, which would promote the development of the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia oil is obtained from the camellia seed with various cultivated species (Camellia. oleifera (C. oleifera), C. meiocarpa, C. vietnamensis, C. yuhsienensis, C. chekiangoleosa, C. semiserrata, C. reticulata, C. gigantocarpa, C. octopetala, C. semiserrata var. abliflora etc.), by widely used cold press extraction. As the earliest specie with high oil yield (40–60%) in China, C. oleifera , has become the most commonly available seed for camellia oil manufacturing. Because of its high nutritional and economic value, camellia oil is frequently adulterated with other cheap oils. Additionally, its quality is also susceptible to different species or regions, and various extraction technologies. These factors result in the incorrect labeling of camellia oil, and destabilize the local camellia oil market economies. Therefore, a rapid and accurate method should be prerequisite to authenticate camellia oil. The officially recommended methods are tedious, and destructive to detect camellia oil adulteration. Therefore, various rapid, precise, and non-destructive techniques should be developed for camellia oil authentication. This present review provides a critical overview of these existing analytical methods in the past few years. The mass-chromatographic, spectroscopy techniques, and other techniques including electronic noses (e-noses), isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) and DNA, have been used for camellia oil authentication. Compared with the traditional chromatographic methods, infrared spectroscopy (IR), Fourier transformed (FT)-Raman, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and fluorescence spectroscopy, combined with chemometrics, respectively, are efficient alternative analytical techniques for camellia oil quality control. • Camellia oil is frequently adulterated with other cheap oils. • Camellia oil quality is susceptible to different species and extraction methods. • Various rapid and non-destructive techniques could authenticate camellia oil. • Spectroscopy with chemometrics is efficient for camellia oil authentication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhus pentaphylla (Jacq.) Desf. is an Algerian food and medicinal specie used to treat diarrhea and abdominal colic and is employed as a digestive [1,2,3], yet there is little information available concerning its bioactive composition. The aim of this study was to quantify bioactive compounds and to investigate antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of extracts obtained from leaves of R. pentaphylla in order to prove its possible use as potential natural source for human health. The bioactive compounds were quantified using colorimetric methods. The phytochemical analysis was carried out using chromatographic techniques. The antioxidant activity was assayed using several test systems, namely total antioxidant capacity, DPPH, ABTS and OH radical scavenging activity, a ferric reducing power assay, and a ferrous ion chelating capacity and β-carotene bleaching assay. The acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity was determined using bioautographic and spectrophotometric methods. The results showed that extracts of R. pentaphylla are an excellent source of phenolic compounds, especially regarding its high flavonoid and hydrolysable tannin contents (36.26 ± 1.77 mg CE/g DE and 898.64 ± 26.56 mg TAE/g DE, respectively), promoting high antioxidant activity. The phytochemical analysis led to the identification of several phenolic compounds that were dominated by flavonoids and phenolic acids. The extracts showed potential antioxidant activity in the different tests. This could be attributed to their polyphenol, tannin, and flavonoid contents. The extracts of R. pentaphylla also exhibited anti-acetylcholinesterase activity. Owing to its phenolic profile and biological activities, R. pentaphylla could be considered as potential functional ingredient for pharmaceutical applications.

Camellia genus (Theaceae) is comprised of world famous ornamental flowering plants. C. japonica L. and C. sasanqua Thunb are the most cultivated species due to their good adaptation. The commercial interest in this plant linked to its seed oil increased in the last few years due to its health attributes, which significantly depend on different aspects such as species and environmental conditions. Therefore, it is essential to develop fast and reliable methods to distinguish between different varieties and ensure the quality of Camellia seed oils. The present work explores the study of Camellia seed oils by species and location. Two standardized gas chromatography methods were applied and compared with that of data obtained from proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR) for fatty acids profiling. The principal component analysis indicated that the proposed 1H-NMR methodology can be quickly and reliably applied to separate specific Camellia species, which could be extended to other species in future works.

The heartwood of two European larch trees was examined for the content of hydrophilic extractives. Ethanol was used as a solvent for extractions of adequately pretreated samples, while gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID), gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPLC-SEC) were applied for analyses. Different phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids and lignans were identified and quantitatively evaluated. The most abundant flavonoids were taxifolin and dihydrokaempferol, while the main lignan was secoisolariciresinol. Contents of flavonoids and lignans, measured at different stem heights, varied between 10.6 and 15.7 mg/g. At lower and medium heights flavonoids prevailed, while at upper stem positions the concentrations of lignans significantly increased. In addition, some trimeric and tetrameric phenolic structures were also detected. There was very little variation in the composition of hydrophilics between the two examined trees. The identified flavonoids and lignans are classified as very strong antioxidants.

The use of natural dyes in several areas is regulated by current European and non-European legislation, due to various problems with synthetic dyes. The analysis revealed that the lichen studied: Xanthoria parietina has potential natural dye sources and provides bright colors for extraction solvents. Furthermore, dyed wool and toile fabric have good fastness properties in ammonia fermentation and boiling water, both with and without mordants. The sample dyes with Xanthoria parietina were characterized by several analytical techniques: high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and electrospray ionization with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-Q-ToF). As compounds from Xanthoria parietina form a complex with mordants and tissues, it is impossible to identify the molecules responsible for coloring using chromatographic techniques. However, we have evaluated the dyeing power of their major molecule, parietin. To further confirm the coloring power of the isolated parietin molecule, we performed a dye test with pure parietin. Thus, CIALAB analyses have shown parietin is the molecule responsible for the coloring obtained by Xanthoria parietina. The utilization of parietin derived from lichens facilitates the development of sustainable dyes for textile coloring, presenting an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic dyes while simultaneously enriching lichen biodiversity., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

As the use of medicinal plants continues to gain popularity worldwide, there is dire need for herbal medicines to be guaranteed in their safety and efficacy. South Africa has a largely under-explored medical flora scientifically due to the vast number of plant species that are consumed for medicinal purposes by the public, creating an urgent need to better define plants with therapeutic effects. To meet these aims, a combination of high-throughput analytical techniques that are sensitive and versatile are used for the standardization and authentication of commercialized natural products as part of quality control regimes. These methods also serve to highlight the role of analytical methods in providing accurate and reliable information pertaining to the biochemicals of medicinal plants in those species whose chemistry remains partially understood or poorly characterized. The review highlights the advancements made in analytical technology for the assessment of biochemical profiles, biomarker compounds and quality control in chosen commercialized products, produced from indigenous South African species. We also summarize studies on the phytochemistry, pharmacology, clinical trials and available patents associated with some of South Africa's medicinal plants where commercialization has occurred or is imminent. This was achieved through a detailed literature search using web-based database searches including Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) as well as ethnobotanical literature on South African medicinal plants. Bibliometric analysis was performed on the data mined from WoS. It is clear that future advancements and further development of the natural products industry in South Africa will benefit from a diverse range of technological approaches. • Analytical techniques applied in some South African medical plants are highlighted. • Biomarkers and their relevance in herbal/product standardization is discussed. • Spectrometric and genomic techniques used for quality control are provided. • Clinical studies are amongst the major highlighted natural product research areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serine proteases and its inhibitors are involved in physiological process and its deregulation lead to various diseases like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), pulmonary emphysema, skin diseases, atherosclerosis, coagulation diseases, cancer, inflammatory diseases, neuronal disorders and other diseases. Serine protease inhibitors have been described in many species, as well as in plants, including cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp). Here, we purified and characterized a protease inhibitor, named VuEI (Vigna unguiculata elastase inhibitor), from Vigna unguiculata, with inhibitory activity against HNE (human neutrophil elastase) and chymotrypsin but has no inhibitory activity against trypsin and thrombin. VuEI was obtained by alkaline protein extraction followed by three different chromatographic steps in sequence. First, an ion exchange chromatography using Hitrap Q column was employed, followed by two reversed-phase chromatography using Source15RPC and ACE18 columns. The molecular mass of VuEI was estimated in 10.99 kDa by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The dissociation constant (Ki) to HNE was 9 pM. These data indicate that VuEI is a potent inhibitor of human neutrophil elastase, besides to inhibit chymotrypsin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]