Ehretia asperula Zoll. & Moritzi was a common medicinal herb found in several Asian nations. This herb was found in many provinces in northern Vietnam, especially Hoa Binh province. Leaves of E. asperula cultivated in Tay Ninh Province were used to isolate compounds and evaluate their potential as antioxidants by five methods, including TAC, RP, FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS•+. Seven compounds were isolated and elucidated from the ethyl acetate fraction, including kaempferol (1), astragalin (2), nicotiflorin (3), rutin (4), caffeic acid (5), (-)-loliolide (6), and daucosterol (7), where compounds 1, 4, 6, and 7 were found from this species for the first time. All isolated compounds from E. asperula leaves exhibited antioxidant activity, consisting of 5.70 ± 0.01 to 299.13 ± 10.19 μg/mL for EC50 values. Especially compound 5 had a very strong antioxidant effect based on five methods TAC (EC50 = 8.43 ± 0.15 μg/mL), RP (EC50 = 6.79 ± 003 μg/mL), FRAP (EC50 = 12.72 ± 006 μg/mL), DPPH (EC50 = 5.57 ± 0.02 µg/mL), and ABTS•+ (EC50 = 5.70 ± 0.01 μg/mL). From our results, Tay Ninh Province's E. asperula leaves are abundant in naturally occurring antioxidants, indicating their potential use as therapeutic materials.

Insights into antibiotic-carrier interactions in the silk-fibroin-based nanoparticles and considerations on the formulation process greenness are limited. Hence, this work developed and characterized polyethylene glycol-functionalized silk fibroin nanoparticles for oral delivery of cefotaxime (PEG/SFPs-CTX), with a focus on the in silico simulations and process greenness. The particles were formulated by the two methods of co-condensation and adsorption. Dependent on the processes, the particles possessed spherical shape, smooth/rough surfaces, nanosize (170-650 nm), negative charge (-23 to -30 mV), and drug entrapment efficiency of ∼50%. The system rapidly absorbed the drug within 30 min, followed second-order kinetics, and significantly controlled the drug release rate in the simulated gastrointestinal system, which could bypass the stomach acidic pH. Interestingly, in silico docking revealed that CTX mostly bound strongly and noncovalently with fibroin, particularly at glutamic acid, via hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, and π-π interactions, while PEG enhanced the stability of the system. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the complex's stability under physiological conditions. Lastly, life cycle assessment analysis showed that both formulation methods were environmental friendly, with limited impacts on the ecosystem, and the adsorption method was "greener" than the co-condensation method.

The recovery of polyphenol compounds is seen as an arduous task because polyphenol compounds are available as free aglycones, as sugar or ester conjugates, or as polymers with several monomeric components. The response surface method (RSM) as a tool to optimize the factors that affect extraction efficacy as well as to obtain maximum recovery of the compounds of interest. This study optimizes ultrasound-assisted polyphenol extraction from Curcuma zedoaria rhizomes using response surface methodology (RSM). Three variables were considered: Ethanol concentration (70 - 90 %, v/v), temperature (60 - 80 °C), and ultrasound time (15 - 25 min). Data were analyzed by ANOVA, yielding an R2 of 0.9993, a significant interaction effect (p < 0.0001), and an insignificant lack-of-fit test (p = 0.6684). Optimal conditions for maximum polyphenol content (TPC = 31.05 ± 0.53 mg GAE/g powder) were 80.02 % ethanol, 68 °C, 20.47 min ultrasound time, and 1/10 (w/v) raw material/solvent ratio. Experimental values matched RSM predictions, confirming successful extraction optimization from Curcuma zedoaria rhizomes. The polyphenol-rich optimum extract from Curcuma zedoaria rhizomes has been studied for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties in vitro. The results were found, the optimum extract of Curcuma zedoaria rhizomes could perform effective neutralization activities of free radicals performed in DPPH test (IC50 = 5.89 ± 0.23 µg/mL), NO· (IC50 = 5.89 ± 0.23 µg/mL) and ABTS·+ (IC50 = 8.28 ± 0.12 µg/mL). Besides, this optimum extract had the ability to protect red blood cell membranes and inhibit protein denaturation due to heat with IC50 times values ​​such as 29.06 ± 0.35 and 30.24 ± 0.32 µg/mL. In addition, it also significantly inhibited α-amylase, α-glucosidase enzyme activities with IC50 values ​​of 5.89 ± 0.23 and 9.62 ± 0.11 μg/mL, respectively. This investigation showed that the polyphenol-rich optimum extract from Curcuma zedoaria rhizomes was a promising antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic agent. HIGHLIGHTS Using ultrasound and the Box-Behnken design to extract polyphenols from Curcuma zedoaria rhizomes can speed up and improve extraction efficiency. The goal of this study is to maximize the extraction parameters for polyphenols from the rhizomes of Curcuma zedoaria. There is strong agreement between the experimental data and the model that predicts the polyphenol content in the Box-Behnken design. In vitro biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antioxidant properties are significantly correlated with polyphenol concentration. The findings of our investigation show a noteworthy enhancement in the bioavailability of polyphenol compounds through increased extraction efficiency and bioactivity. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Anthocyanins, natural antioxidants found in Clitoria ternatea L. flowers, exhibit instability when exposed to high temperatures. Therefore, to heat-protect the anthocyanins, this investigation produced C. ternatea extract-loaded polymeric (polyethylenimine (PEI) or poly-(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)) functionalized silk fibroin nanoparticles using a green/sustainable process. The nanoparticles were effectively generated using a simple green one-pot desolvation method with simple ingredient mixing, with entrapment efficiencies (>80%), nanosizes (200-800 nm), spherical shapes, and appropriate chemical interactions. Using the standard 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant method, the C. ternatea flower extract possessed an IC₅₀ of 0.46 ± 0.09 μg/mL, which was much better than that of standard ascorbic acid (3.94 ± 0.48 μg/mL). The nanoparticles exhibited excellent antioxidant activity (0.65 ± 0.12 μg/mL), comparable to that of the free extract. Interestingly, as analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, the extract was efficiently protected under high-temperature conditions by being encapsulated in the nanoparticle system. After 4 h of incubation at 70 °C, the DPPH scavenging efficiency of the extract-loaded nanoparticles was ∼85%, whereas that of the free extract was only ∼17%. In addition, the sustainability and environmental impacts of the formulation process were assessed using life cycle assessment (LCA), which showed that our green method was not harmful to the environment in terms of all critical aspects of ecotoxicity, acidification, and, especially, climate change. In conclusion, the polymeric functionalized fibroin nanoparticles could be a potential system for protecting encapsulated drugs/extracts, and the novel one-pot green process for nanoparticle formulation could provide insights for future research.

Mansoa alliacea is a member of the Bignoniaceae family and a common medicinal herb found in Asian nations. However, scientific studies conducted on this species are still limited. Therefore, this study was conducted to optimize the extraction process of M. alliacea flowers and evaluate the therapeutic activity of the optimized alkaloid-rich extract. The optimization process was developed using response surface methodology with Box–Behnken model, assisted by ultrasound. The optimal extraction conditions were: temperature, 79°C; ultrasound time, 16 minutes; ethanol concentration, 80% (v/v); and raw material–solvent ratio 1:30 (w/v). The stated conditions yielded the total alkaloid content of 196.58 mg of atropine equivalent (AE)/g extract. This prediction model was determined to be highly reliable. The optimized extract had excellent anti-obesity activity, with IC50 values observed in various assays as follows: anti-cholesterol activity (IC50= 18.64 ± 0.32 µg/mL), pancreatic lipase inhibition (IC50= 12.24 ± 0.05 µg/ mL), and inhibition of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes including α-amylase (IC50 = 13.49 ± 0.23 µg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC50 = 68.56 ± 1.99 µg/mL). Additionally, the extract showed antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ values ranging from 11.87 ± 0.23 µg/mL to 30.43 ± 2.13 µg/mL, depending on the assay used, and exhibited antibacterial activity against the Gram-negative bacterium Enterobacter cloacae, with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 21.90 ± 0.66 mm to 46.60 ± 0.53 mm. These bioactivities were related to the alkaloid content of the optimal extract. These findings indicated that M. alliacea flower could be used as a potential pharmaceutical product.