This is the first study on the modeling of the controlled release of the estimated antioxidants (flavonoids or flavonolignans) from β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)/hydrophilic vegetable extract complexes and the modeling of transdermal pharmaceutical formulations based on these complexes using an overall estimation by the spectrophotometric method. The Korsmeyer–Peppas model was chosen for evaluating the release mechanisms. β-CD/chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L., Asteraceae) ethanolic extract and β-CD/milk thistle (Silybum marianum L., Asteraceae) ethanolic extract complexes were obtained by the co-crystallization method with good recovering yields of 55–76%, slightly lower than for β-CD/silibinin or silymarin complexes (~87%). According to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Karl Fischer water titration (KFT), the thermal stability of complexes is similar to β-CD hydrate while the hydration water content is lower, revealing the formation of molecular inclusion complexes. In the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, β-CD/M. chamomilla flower extract complexes reveal Case II transport mechanisms, while the corresponding complexes with leaf extracts indicate non-Fickian diffusion for the controlled release of antioxidants in ethanol 60 and 96%. The same non-Fickian diffusion was revealed by β-CD/S. marianum extract and β-CD/silibinin complexes. On the contrary, almost all model transdermal pharmaceutical formulations based on β-CD/M. chamomilla extract complexes and all those based on β-CD/S. marianum extract complexes revealed non-Fickian diffusion for the antioxidant release. These results indicate that H-bonding is mainly involved in the diffusion of antioxidants into a β-CD based matrix, while the controlled release of antioxidants in model formulations is mainly due to hydrophobic interactions. Results obtained in this study can be further used for studying the particular antioxidants (namely rutin or silibinin, quantified, for example, by liquid chromatographic techniques) for their transdermal transport and biological effects in innovatively designed pharmaceutical formulations that can be obtained using “green” methods and materials.

Germination is widely recognized as an effective strategy to enhance the nutritional quality and reduce anti-nutritional factors in plant foods. This study evaluated the impact of germination on Cruciferous vegetables (family Cruciferae or Brassicaceae) broccoli and kale by assessing changes in proximate composition, macro- and microelement profiles, total and individual polyphenols, phytic acid content, antimicrobial activity, and structural characteristics using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Small- and Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS/WAXS) analyses. Germination significantly increased protein content (30.33% in broccoli sprouts and 30.21% in kale sprouts), total phenolic content (424.40 mg/100 g in broccoli sprouts and 497.94 mg/100 g in kale sprouts), and essential minerals, while reducing phytic acid levels in both species (up to 82.20%). Antimicrobial effects were matrix-dependent, being detected in broccoli and kale seed powders, while no inhibitory activity was observed for the corresponding sprout powders under the tested conditions. FTIR spectra indicated notable modifications in functional groups related to carbohydrates, proteins, and phenolic compounds, while SAXS analysis revealed structural reorganizations at the nanoscale. Overall, germination improved the nutritional and phytochemical quality of broccoli and kale while decreasing anti-nutritional compounds, highlighting its potential to enhance the health-promoting value of Brassica sprouts.

This study aims to investigate the possibility of using lentil flour in its native and germinated form as microgreen in bread-making technology, as well as how the fermentation process (with yeast or sourdough) influences the chemical, nutritional, antinutritional, physical and technological parameters of the bread. For this purpose, 14 bread samples were obtained using composite flours (wheat flour and black lentil flour) with the addition of 10, 20, and 30% lentil flour (LF) relative to wheat flour (WF), as well as composite flours (wheat flour and germinated lentil powder GL) in proportions of 2.5, 5, and 7%. Each flour sample was used in bread production using the direct fermentation method with yeast (yeast lentil bread BLY and yeast germinated lentil bread BGLY) and the indirect method with sourdough (sourdough lentil seed bread BLS and sourdough germinated lentil bread BGLS). Experimental results regarding nutritional composition showed a significant increase in protein content compared to the control (wheat flour bread), with the highest value recorded in the sample with 7.5% germinated lentil fermented with sourdough (29.18%), which also stood out for the highest total polyphenol content (1183.84 mg/100 g) and the lowest phytic acid content. Regarding the physical properties of the bread, an increase in elasticity, porosity, and height/diameter ratio was observed in the samples with an intermediate addition of lentil flour (20%) and germinated lentil flour (7.5%). The physical color parameters of the final product are also significantly influenced by the addition of black lentil flour, as well as germinated lentils. In conclusion, it can be stated that the use of lentil flour in its germinated form increases the nutritional and functional properties of bread, while the use of sourdough in the technological process leads to a decrease in the phytic acid content of the samples. Among the tested formulations, the addition of 20% lentil flour or 5% lentil germinated lentil resulted in the most favorable balance between bread elasticity, porosity, and H/D ratio.