Oils

Pumpkin-seed oil (PSO), a natural supplement rich with antioxidant ingredients, was given to rats in which arthritis was induced using Freund's complete adjuvant. Its effect was compared with that of indomethacin, as a classical anti-inflammatory agent. Two experimental patterns were studied, an acute phase that was applied only with PSO and a chronic phase applied for both PSO and indomethacin.

The overall goal of this study was to develop cremophor-free oral microemulsions of paclitaxel (PAC) to enhance its permeability and oral absorption. The mechanism of this enhancement, as well as characteristics of the microemulsions relevant to the increase in permeability and absorption of the low solubility, low permeability PAC was investigated. Phase diagrams were used to determine the macroscopic phase behavior of the microemulsions and to compare the efficiency of different surfactant-oil mixtures to incorporate water. The microemulsion region on the phase diagrams utilizing surfactant-myvacet oil combinations was in decreasing order: lecithin: butanol: myvacet oil (LBM, 48.5%) > centromix CPS: 1butanol: myvacet oil (CPS, 45.15%) > capmul MCM: polysorbate 80: myvacet oil (CPM, 27.6%) > capryol 90: polysorbate 80: myvacet oil (CP-P80, 23.9%) > capmul: myvacet oil (CM, 20%). Oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsions had larger droplet sizes (687-1010 nm) than the water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsions (272-363 nm) when measured using a Zetasizer nano series particle size analyzer. Utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), the self-diffusion coefficient (D) of PAC in CM, LBM and CPM containing 10% of deuterium oxide (D 2 O) was 2.24 Â 10 À11 , 1.97 Â 10 À11 and 0.51 Â 10 À11 m 2 /s, respectively. These values indicate the faster molecular mobility of PAC in the two w/o microemulsions (CM and LBM) than the o/w microemulsion -CPM. The in situ permeability of PAC through male CD-IGS rat intestine was 3-and 11-fold higher from LBM and CM, respectively, than that from the control clinical formulation, Taxol Ò (CE, cremophor: ethanol) in a single pass perfusion study. PAC permeability was significantly increased in the presence of the pgp/CYP3A4 inhibitor cyclosporine A (CsA). This enhancement may be attributed to the pgp inhibitory effect of the surfactants, oil and/or the membrane perturbation effect of the surfactants. The oral disposition of PAC in CM, LBM and CPM compared to CE was studied in male CD-IGS rats after a single oral dose (20 mg/kg). The area-under-the-curve of PAC in CM was significantly larger than LBM, CPM and CE. Oral microemulsions of PAC were developed that increased both the permeability and AUC of PAC as compared to CE.

Doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) microemulsions were produced using a shirasu-porous-glass (SPG) membrane emulsification technique. Soybean oil was used as the oil phase; polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) or tetraglycerol polyricinoleate (TGPR) was used as the surfactant to stabilize the feed W/O emulsions, while Tween 20 was used in the external water phase to stabilize oil droplets containing water droplets. Increasing the feed pressure from 50 to 90 kPa increased the particle size of W/O/W emulsions, whereas it was decreased by increasing the agitator speed. The smallest particle sizes of multiple emulsions were obtained at the feed pressure of 50 kPa and agitator speed of 350 rpm. Under this set of conditions, the increase in the concentration of PGPR or TGPR showed a decrease in the particle size of DOX-loaded W/O/W emulsions. The optimized formulation comprising of 5% w/v PGPR and 3% w/v Tween 20 in the oil phase and external water phase, respectively, ...

From 1995 to 1999, four experiments were conducted on greenhouse roses to assess the effectiveness of the nC24 petroleum spray oil (PSO), D-C-Tron Plus, against two-spotted mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acarina: Tetranychidae), and to determine how the oil could be most efficiently and effectively used in combination with the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acarina: Phytoseiidae) in an integrated pest management program. The results showed that 0.5% PSO applied fortnightly to roses gave excellent protection from T urticae infestation when the mite population was not already established. However, PSO applied after roses were infested with T. urticae above the economic threshold only stabilised populations without reducing them below that threshold. Populations of P. persimilis in the upper and lower canopies were unchanged after two sprays of PSO at 7-day intervals, and application of PSO to the upper canopy was as effective in controlling T. urticae in the p...

The low temperature microwave activation of biomass has been investigated as a novel, energy efficient route to bio-oils. The properties of the bio-oil produced were considered in terms of fuel suitability. Water content, elemental composition and calorific value have all been found to be comparable to and in many cases better than conventional pyrolysis oils. Compositional analysis shows further differences

Anaerobic digestion is an appropriate technique for the treatment of sludge before final disposal and it is employed worldwide as the oldest and most important process for sludge stabilization. In general, mesophilic anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge is more widely used compared to thermophilic digestion. Furthermore, thermal pre-treatment is suitable for the improvement of stabilization, enhancement of dewatering of the

Oily sludge obtained from a refinery in India contained 10e11% oil associated with fine particulates. Along with Fe, Ca and Mg various toxic elements were associated with the sludge solids (Pb, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Bi, Cd, Cr, Co, Ni and V). The oil contained 41e56% asphaltenes and the maltenes comprised of 49 ± 4%, 42 ± 2% and 4 ± 2%, aliphatic, aromatic and polar fractions, respectively. Biodegradation studies with the maltene fraction of oil provided as sole substrate revealed higher degradation by various 3-5 membered reconstituted consortia compared to pure bacterial strains and up to 42 ± 8% degradation could be achieved over 30 days. In contrast, over the same period up to 71.5 ± 2% oil degradation could be achieved using dried oily sludge (15% w/v) as sole substrate. Significant biodegradation observed in the un-inoculated controls indicated the presence of indigenous microorganisms in oily sludge. However, large variability in oil degradation was observed in the un-inoculated controls. Greater biodegradation of the maltene fraction led to significant enrichment of asphaltenes in residual oil associated with the sludge.

A halothermotolerant Gram-positive sporeforming bacterium was isolated from petroleum reservoirs in Iran and identified as Bacillus licheniformis sp. strain ACO1 by phenotypic characterization and 16S rRNA analysis. It showed a high capacity for bioemulsifier production and grew up to 60°C with NaCl at 180 g l -1 . The optimum NaCl concentration, pH and temperature for bioemulsifier production were 4% (w/v), 8.0, and 45°C, respectively. Although ACO1 did not utilize hydrocarbons, it had a high emulsifying activity (E 24 = 65 ± 5%) on different hydrophobic substrates. Emulsification was optimal while growing on yeast extract as the sole carbon source and NaNO 3 as the nitrogen source. The efficiency of the residual oil recovery increased by 22% after in situ growth of B. licheniformis ACO1 in a sand-pack model saturated with liquid paraffin.

Using fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled dextran (FITC-dextran 40, FD40) as a hydrophilic model compound, microspheres were prepared by a WOW double emulsion technique. Influence of process parameters on microsphere morphology and burst release of FD40 from PLGA microspheres was studied. Internal morphology of microspheres was investigated by stereological method via cryo-cutting technique and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Drug distribution in microspheres was observed with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Polymer nature (RG503 and RG503H) had significant influence on the micro-morphology of microspheres. Increase in continuous water phase volume (W2) led to increased surface porosity but decreased internal porosity. By increasing PVA concentration in the continuous phase from 0.1 to 1%, particle size changed marginally but burst release decreased from 12.2 to 5.9%. Internal porosity of microspheres decreased considerably with increasing polymer concentration. Increase in homogenization speed during the primary emulsion preparation led to decreased internal porosity. Burst release decreased with increasing drug loading but increased with drug molecular weight. Drug distribution in microspheres depended on preparation method. The porosity of microspheres decreased with time in the diffusion stage, but internal morphology had no influence on the release behavior in the bioerosion stage. In summary, surface porosity and internal morphology play a significant role in the release of hydrophilic macromolecules from biodegradable microspheres in the initial release phase characterized by pore diffusion.

A number of N,N-dialkylated tryptamines show psychoactive properties in man which resulted in a renewed interest in psychopharmacological research. Attempts to manufacture these derivatives are increasing within a clandestine environment, where literature procedures are adapted and information is exchanged on the Internet. One such example is based on the thermolytic decarboxylation of tryptophan to tryptamine as the precursor to psychoactive derivatives. This procedure was proposed to make use of household solvents such as turpentine substitute and white spirit to facilitate decarboxylation. Discussions on websites also suggested the catalytic use of natural oils in order to accelerate these reactions. In this research, the analytical characterization of this preparation procedure was carried out using gas chromatography-ion trap single and tandem stage mass spectrometry in electron and chemical ionization mode that led to the identification of previously unreported 1-mono and 1,1-disubstituted tetrahydro-␤carboline (THBCs) by-products. The tryptamine product and several THBC by-products were determined quantitatively and a "fingerprint" analysis of the crude products allowed for the differentiation between the essential oil catalysts involved as indicated by the presence of tetrahydro-␤-carbolines and their imine intermediates.

The aim of the present paper was to investigate the influence of different formulation parameters on the rheological and functional properties of emulgels (gelified emulsions), intended for the buccal administration of the antiinflammatory drug flurbiprofen. The influence of formulation parameters, such as (a) the amount of gelling polymeric emulsifier (Pemulen 1621 TR-1) used, (b) the oil to water ratio present in the O/W emulgel and finally (c) the pH of the formulation, was studied by a experimental design (DoE) approach. Formulations were analyzed in term of size and morphology of the internal semi-solid oil droplets as well as in term of rheological properties in the presence or in the absence of flurbiprofen by "shear stress vs. shear rate tests" and "frequency sweep tests". Emulgels were also characterized in vitro both by bioadhesion tests and release studies. In particular release studies demonstrated that flurbiprofen is released by the emulgels in a co...

Environmental contamination caused by leakage of fuels and lubricant oils at gas stations is of great concern due to the presence of carcinogenic compounds in the composition of gasoline, diesel, and mineral lubricant oils. Chromatographic methods or non-selective infrared methods are usually used to assess soil contamination, which makes environmental monitoring costly or not appropriate. In this perspective, the present work proposes a methodology to identify the type of contaminant (gasoline, diesel, or lubricant oil) and, subsequently, to quantify the contaminant concentration using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and multivariate methods. Firstly, gasoline, diesel, and lubricating oil samples were acquired from gas stations and analyzed by gas chromatography to determine the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) fractions (gasoline range organics, diesel range organics, and oil range organics). Then, solutions of these contaminants in ...

The present work describes a water/oil emulsion technique for the production of microspheres by cross-linking soluble starch with epichlorohyrin, which is a very e cient divalent cross-linking agent for starch. Because they are important features for potential applications, such as pulmonary administration, special attention has been paid to control the mean particle size and size distribution. Microspheres ranging from 0.3±250 mm with narrow size distributions could be obtained. Due to the strongly basic nature of the aqueous phase, no stable emulsions could be obtained in the water/oil emulsion domains. In this context, the stirring rate during the emulsi®cation step was crucial for controlling the particle size. Additionally, a high organic-to-aqueous phase ratio and the presence of a surfactant agent helped to prevent the coalescence of the droplets during the formation of the microspheres. The process was not sensitive to modi®cations of the chemical conditions, such as the cross-linking ratio, which allows variation of the chemical nature of the polymer forming the core of the microspheres without modifying their morphological characteristics.

Oil cakes have been in use for feed applications to poultry, Wsh and swine industry. Being rich in protein, some of these have also been considered ideal for food supplementation. However, with increasing emphasis on cost reduction of industrial processes and value addition to agro-industrial residues, oil cakes could be ideal source of proteinaceous nutrients and as support matrix for various biotechnological processes. Several oil cakes, in particular edible oil cakes oVer potential beneWts when utilized as substrate for bioprocesses. These have been utilized for fermentative production of enzymes, antibiotics, mushrooms, etc. Biotechnological applications of oil cakes also include their usages for vitamins and antioxidants production. This review discusses various applications of oil cakes in fermentation and biotechnological processes, their value addition by implementation in feed and energy source (for the production of biogas, bio-oil) as well.

The interest in biomass as a source of renewable energy and chemicals has been increasing in keeping up with the transition to a sustainable bio-based economy. An important initial step of chemicals recovery from biomass-derived pyrolysis oil is water extraction where most of polar compounds are isolated in the aqueous phase. This study was done to investigate the effects of stirring rate and water-to-oil ratio on the extraction capability (distribution coefficient and yield), water content, and atomic composition of both aqueous and organic phases. The results show that the stirring rate above 300 rpm has no influence on the equilibrium. Increasing the water-to-oil ratio dilutes the aqueous phase without changing the atomic distribution. Forest residue-derived pyrolysis oil should be extracted at a water-to-oil ratio of 0.65-0.7, whereas pine-derived pyrolysis oil is preferably extracted at the lowest feasible water-to-oil ratio where complete phase separation occurs, which is 0.5 in this study.

Purpose: The aim of this work was to prepare the stable water/oil/water multiple emulsions (MEs), to investigate the usage of poloxamine 908, to observe the influence of surfactant percentage on the properties of MEs. Method: MEs were prepared by liquid paraffin, cetyl dimethicone copolyol and poloxamine 908 by a two-step emulsification procedure. Caffeine was used as a water-soluble model. The viscosity, conductivity and globule size of MEs were followed over time. Results: The formulations containing 1% cetyl dimethicone copolyol and 1 or 2% poloxamine 908 were the most stable systems. The globule size of MEs ranged from 20 to 37 µm and did not change during time. The yield of MEs was between 99.6% and 98.7%. The conductivity increased and the viscosity of systems decreased during time. Increase in poloxamine 908 influenced the viscosity of the system, with the viscosity decreasing as the hydrophilic surfactant concentrations were increased. Caffeine release from the MEs was slow; the release was affected by both surfactant concentrations. Conclusion: Poloxamine 908 could be used as a hydrophilic surfactant for formulation of w/o/w MEs. The concentration of poloxamine 908 was a very important parameter in preparing stable MEs. It was concluded that caffeine might be transported out by molecular diffusion and through a reverse micellar mechanism controlled by the viscosity of the system

This is a new electrochemical method for determination of lipase activity in biological fluids, including serum, plasma, and duodenal juice. Advantages of turbidimetric methods--short reaction time, and small sample and reagent volumes--are combined with those of titrimetric methods: measurement of absolute activity (i.e., no standardization required), saturated substrate conditions, and direct measurement of reaction products. The proposed method is easy, inexpensive, and takes only 3 min. Precision is good: CV = 3.74% within day and 7.3% between days at the clinical-decision concentration, CV = 1.86% within day and 4.65% between days for above-normal lipase activities. The standard curve is linear up to 4500 U/L. Results (y) correlate well with those by turbidimetry (x): y = 0.9287x - 65.3 (r = 0.9719). Reference values are between 0 and 130 U/L.

The influence of carrier oil type on the bioaccessibility of vitamin D 3 encapsulated within oil-in-water nanoemulsions prepared using a natural surfactant (quillaja saponin) was studied using a simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) model: mouth; stomach; small intestine. The rate of free fatty acid release during lipid digestion decreased in the following order: medium chain triglycerides (MCT) > corn oil % fish oil > orange oil > mineral oil. Conversely, the measured bioaccessibility of vitamin D 3 decreased in the following order: corn oil % fish oil > orange oil > mineral oil > MCT. These results show that carrier oil type has a considerable impact on lipid digestion and vitamin bioaccessibility, which was attributed to differences in the release of bioactives from lipid droplets, and their solubilization in mixed micelles. Nanoemulsions prepared using long chain triglycerides (corn or fish oil) were most effective at increasing vitamin bioaccessibility.

A simple, reproducible, feasible and innovative reversed-phase highperformance liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the quantitative determination of paclitaxel dissolved in various oils. The method was validated after extraction of the analyte from capryol 90, triacetin and olive oil. The method was conducted on a Hypersil BDS C18 column, 250 3 4.6 mm, 5 mm particle size, with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile: 10 mM KH 2 PO 4 buffer ( pH 3.5) (55:45, v/v) and detection at 227 nm. The linearity, in the range of 5 to 50 mg/mL, presented determination coefficients of 0.9983, 0.9997 and 0.9990 in capryol 90, triacetin and olive oil, respectively, calculated by the least-squares regression method. Intraday precision values for percentages recovered were 0.68 to 0.80, 0.83 to 1.13 and 0.97 to 1.88, and inter day precision values were 1.52 to 1.92, 1.43 to 1.83 and 1.26 to 2.06 for capryol 90, triacetin and olive oil, respectively. The recovery of paclitaxel from the capryol 90, triacetin and olive oil ranged from 97.94 to 103.55, 96.85 to 103.27 and 97.14 to 103.64%, respectively. This developed and validated method was successfully applied to quantitatively assess paclitaxel dissolved in various oils. The solubility of paclitaxel was found to be higher in triacetin than in other tested oils.

The correct identification of drying oils plays an essential role in providing an understanding of the conservation and deterioration of artistic materials in works of art. To this end, this work proposes the use of peak area ratios from fatty acids after ensuring that the linear responses of the detector are tested. A GC-MS method, previously reported in the literature, was revisited to its developed and validated in order to identify and quantify of eight fatty acids that are widely used as markers for drying oils in paintings, namely myristic acid (C 14:0), palmitic acid (C 16:0), stearic acid (C 18:0), oleic acid (C 18:1), linoleic acid (C 18:2), suberic acid (2C 8), azelaic acid, (2C 9) and sebacic acid (2C 10). The quaternary ammonium reagent m-(trifluoromethyl)phenyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (TMTFAH) was used for derivatization prior to GC-MS analysis of the oils. MS spectra were obtained for each methyl ester derivative of the fatty acids and the characteristic fragments were identified. The method was validated in terms of calibration functions, detection and quantification limits and reproducibility using the signal recorded in SIR mode, since two of the methyl derivatives were not totally separated in the chromatographic run. The proposed method was successfully applied to identify and characterise the most widely used drying oils (linseed oil, poppy seed oil and walnut oil) in the painting La Encarnación. This 17th century easel painting is located in the main chapel of the cathedral in Granada (Spain) and was painted by the well-known artist of the Spanish Golden Age, Alonso Cano (1601-1667).

Thermal and catalytic pyrolysis are efficient processes for the transformation of biomass to bio-oil, a liquid energy carrier and a general source of chemicals. The elucidation of the bio-oil's composition is essential for a rational design of both its production and utilization process. However, the complex composition of bio-oils hinders their complete qualitative and quantitative analysis, and conventional chromatographic techniques lack the necessary separation power. Two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-offlight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-ToFMS) is considered a suitable technique for bio-oil analysis due to its increased separation and resolution capacity. This work presents the tentative qualitative and quantitative analysis of bio-oils resulting from the thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of standard xylan, cellulose, lignin and their mixture by GC × GC-ToFMS. Emphasis is placed on the development of the quantitative method using phenol-d 6 as internal standard. During the method development, a standard solution of 39 compounds was used for the determination of the respective Relative Response Factors (RRF) employing statistical methods, ANOVA and WLSLR, for verification of the data. The developed method was applied to the above mentioned bio-oils and their detailed analysis is presented. The different compounds produced and their diverse concentration allows for an elucidation of the pyrolysis mechanism and highlight the effect of the catalyst.

Mixed oxides of TiO 2 -MgO obtained by the sol-gel method were used to convert waste cooking oil into biodiesel. Titanium improved the stability of the catalyst because of the defects induced by the substitution of Ti ions for Mg ions in the magnesia lattice. The best catalyst was determined to be MT-1-923, which is comprised of an Mg/Ti molar ratio of 1 and calcined at 923 K, based on an assessment of the activity and stability of the catalyst. The main reaction parameters, including methanol/oil molar ratio, catalyst amount, and temperature, were investigated. The catalytic activity of MT-1-923 decreased slowly in the reuse process. After regeneration, the activity of MT-1-923 slightly increased compared with that of the fresh catalyst due to an increase in the specific surface area and average pore diameter. The mixed oxides catalyst, TiO 2 -MgO, showed good potential in large-scale biodiesel production from waste cooking oil.

ABSTRACT: Essential oils as natural sanitizing agents were sprayed on Swiss chard leaves produced by organic methods. Samples were stored at 0 and 5°C and 97% to 98% relative humidity. Microbial populations, peroxidase activity, and sensory attributes were monitored during storage. No significant differences were observed between treated and control samples stored at 0°C. However, samples treated with the essential oils of eucalyptus, tea tree, and clove and stored at 5°C presented microbial counts significantly lower than those of control samples. The essential oils of eucalyptus, tea tree, lemon, rosemary, and clove presented peroxidase activity inhibition that, in the case of eucalyptus, increased to 65% during storage. Although some of the essential oils did appear to reduce microbial counts and peroxidase activity compared with controls, they were not effective in extending the shelflife of the Swiss chard leaves from a sensory point of view.

Objectives: To study the effects of passive rest (PR) and sports massage with (SMOZO) and without (SM) ozonised oil on sports performance psycho-physiological indices in competitive amateur cyclists after 3 pre-fatiguing Wingate cycle and post-recovery ramp tests. Design: An intra-subjects experimental design with repeated measures. Setting: Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, University of Padua. Participants: Fifteen male competitive cyclists (age: 27 AE 3.5 years, body weight: 77.6 AE 8.3 kg, height: 178 AE 7.7 cm) were studied. Main outcome measures: Subjects' power output (P), heart rate (HR), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and blood lactate (BL) clearance in response to PR, SMOZO and SM recoveries were compared. Results: There were no significant differences in cyclists' heart rate patterns in the three experimental conditions (p > 0.05). After SMOZO recovery, athletes showed a higher P max (p < 0.05) and a lower perceived fatigue VAS score (p < 0.033) in the ramp test. Blood lactate decreased more at T2 (mid-time point of treatment) and T3 (final time point of treatment) than T1 (beginning of treatment) compared to SM and PR conditions. Conclusions: These findings suggest that use of ozonised oil during sports massage increases blood lactate removal, improves performance and reduces the perception of fatigue in cyclists from 3 Wingate tests.

"The aromatics trade is a luxury trade with origins in distant antiquity. Ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian techniques at perfume production are the roots of the Arabic perfume industry so famous in the Middle Ages. The south Arabian incense trade, so important to the Greeks and Romans, seemingly appears fully grown with the domestication of the camel. However, this trade and the production of perfumes arose from a much older tradition of which the sources are difficult to grasp. There are no texts which describe perfume production before the Middle Assyrian period, nor did the ancient Mesopotamians state where many of the raw materials they imported came from.

This work sheds light on some of the origins of this trade by examining the aromatics industry as it existed in the Old Babylonian Kingdom of Larsa. Section one lays the groundwork for this discussion, starting with a history of aromatic scholarship, moving on to a textual discussion; and ending by stating both the modern and ancient terms used to describe aromatics and perfumes, as well as defining the use and non use of the šim determinative. Section two describes the manufacture of aromatic products; beginning with an examination of the materials used in production, moving on to an overview of the methods involved in perfume manufacture, then describing the perfumer, and finishing by exploring the places of aromatic production. Section three discusses how aromatics and fragrances fit into the society and economy of the Kingdom of Larsa. This section investigates the sources of aromatic raw materials, the people involved in the aromatics trade, and the availability and uses of aromatics in the Kingdom of Larsa’s society."

The aim of this work is to develop, optimize and characterize cold process emulsions that are stable at acidic pH. The main surfactant was selected according to the hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) concept and surface tension, whereas polymers were selected by viscoelastic measurements and analytical centrifugation. It was showed that the inclusion of methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride copolymer crosslinked with decadiene (PVM/MA) increased the storage modulus (G 0 ) of the gels (23.9-42.1 Pa) two-fold and the droplet migration decreased from 3.66% to 0.95%/h. Cetrimide was selected as a preservative based on its microbiological results and additional contribution to the stability of the emulsions. Four emulsions were developed that differed by the co-emulsifier used (PEG-20 glyceril laurate and polyglyceryl-4-isostearate) and the glycol (2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol and ethoxydiglycol). Viscoelastic measurements and droplet size/microscopic analysis showed that the structure of PEG-20 glyceril laurate emulsion (' ¼ 76.0 Pa.s at 0.01 Hz and 32.9 AE 3.7 mm, respectively) was stronger compared to polyglyceryl-4-isostearate (' ¼ 37.4 Pa.s at 0.01 Hz and 37.8 AE 15.7 mm, respectively). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results were in accordance with the latter and showed that PEG-20 glyceril laurate with 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol corresponded to the strongest structure (j224.4j W C g À1 ). This cold process allowed a total production savings of more than 17% when compared to the traditional hot process.

The present investigation was aimed to develop self-nanoemulsifying tablets (SNETs) as novel nanosized solid oral dosage forms for Irbesartan (IRB). In the first part of the investigation, IRB-loaded self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) were developed using Capryol 90 -Cremophor RH40 -Transcutol P as three component (oil -surfactantcosurfactant) SNEDDS system. On the basis of ternary phase diagram IRB-loaded SNEDDS were optimized by using Design of Experiments (DoE) and Principal component analysis (PCA) with amount of oil and surfactant: cosurfactant ratio (K m ) as factors. The optimized batch of IRBloaded SNEDDS comprised of 31.62% w/w of Capryol 90 as oil phase, 49.90% w/w Cremophor RH40 as surfactant and 18.48% w/w of Transcutol P as cosurfactant exemplified a mean globule size as 23.94 nm. Further, with an aim to provide enhanced patient compliance the optimized batch of liquid SNEDDS was transformed into SNETs by liquisolid compaction technique. Solid state characterization of IRB-loaded liquisolid mixtures revealed a decrease in the magnitude of crystallinity of IRB. The results of in vitro drug release study of optimized batch of IRB-loaded SNET illustrated a remarkable improvement in the dissolution rate as compared to marketed tablets (Avapro Õ 75). The results of in vivo pharmacokinetic study on Wister rats revealed 1.78fold enhancement in oral bioavailability for IRB-loaded SNETs against marketed tablets. The present study proposed SNEDDS as one of the suitable approach for developing nanosized solid oral dosage forms of poorly water soluble drugs like Irbesartan.

A solid acid catalyst was prepared by sulfonating pyrolyzed rice husk with concentrated sulfuric acid, and the physical and chemical properties of the catalyst were characterized in detail. The catalyst was then used to simultaneously catalyze esterification and transesterification to produce biodiesel from waste cooking oil (WCO). In the presence of the as-prepared catalyst, the free fatty acid (FFA) conversion reached 98.17% after 3h, and the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield reached 87.57% after 15 h. By contrast, the typical solid acid catalyst Amberlyst-15 obtained only 95.25% and 45.17% FFA conversion and FAME yield, respectively. Thus, the prepared catalyst had a high catalytic activity for simultaneous esterification and transesterification. In addition, the catalyst had excellent stability, thereby having potential use as a heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production from WCO with a high FFA content.

Break-Free CLP ® is a commercial cleaning, lubricating and preserving compound used in both the military and civilian sectors for maintenance of small-and large-caliber weapons. Like many commercial mixtures, there is very little information available on the toxicity of Break-Free CLP. Studies were conducted to characterize the biological effects of single or repeat dermal application of Break-Free CLP to the clipped backs of CD-1 mice. Break-Free CLP was applied neat, 50 µ µ µ µ µl three times of week for up to 2 weeks. Foci of epithelial ulceration were observed in skin sections from 22% of Break-Free CLP-treated animals in conjunction with markedly thickened epithelium suggesting that robust epithelial regeneration was occurring in these animals. Skin histopathology of Break-Free CLP-treated animals closely matched the histopathology from mice treated repeatedly with 2% croton oil in acetone (dermal irritation positive control). Serum alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly (P < < < < < 0.05) lower for mice treated with Break-Free CLP, 2% croton oil or 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) compared with negative and vehicle control mice. Skin nitric oxide (NO) levels were not significantly elevated for mice treated with Break-Free CLP but were significantly elevated for mice treated with dermal irritation positive control compound DMBA. The cumulative skin changes in Break-Free CLPtreated animals support conducting a subchronic dermal application study. The observed decreases in serum alkaline phosphatase activity suggest that future studies should include the liver and bone as possible target organs. Additionally, dermal penetration studies could provide key health risk assessment information for characterizing the potential health risks associated with chronic dermal exposure to Break-Free CLP. Published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

0 Emulsification of mineral oil by phospholipids donated by liposomes composed of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine, dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol, cholesterol, and lipid A by extrusion resulted in the formation of oil-in-water liposomal emulsions containing a substantial number of intact liposomes. Increasing the proportion of liposomes from 25 mM to 150 mM phospholipid and increasing the oil content from 2.5% (v/v) to 42.5% (v/v) changed the flow characteristics of the emulsions from fluid liquidlike to viscous. Likewise, the degree of stability of the emulsions was liposomal phospholipid concentration-dependent, ranging from partial emulsification in the range 25−100 mM to complete stabilization in the range 125−150 mM. Despite some loss of liposome integrity, as evidenced by the release of liposomal trapped glucose, emulsification of liposomes containing encapsulated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) exhibited antigen-specific immunostimulation in mice. These results suggest that liposomes containing encapsulated antigen can serve as constituents for the formulation of oil-in-water vaccines.

To enhance the solubility and bioavailability of poorly absorbable fexofenadine, microemulsion system composed of oil, surfactant and co-surfactant was developed for intranasal delivery. Phase behavior, particle size, viscosity and solubilization capacity of the microemulsion system were characterized. Histopathology and in vivo nasal absorption of the optimized microemulsion formulations were also investigated in rats. A single isotropic region was found in the pseudo-ternary phase diagrams developed at various ratios with Lauroglycol 90 as oil, Labrasol as surfactant and Plurol oleiqueCC49 or its mixture with PEG-400 (1:1) as cosurfactant. An increase in the microemulsion region in pseudo-ternary phase systems was observed with increased surfactant concentration. The optimized microemulsion formulations showed higher solubulization of fexofenadine, i.e., F1 (22.64mg/mL) and F2 (22.98mg/mL), compared to its intrinsic water solubility (1.51mg/mL). Nasal absorption of fexofenadine fr...

In vitro biodegradation of the Prestige heavy fuel oil has been carried out using two microbial consortia obtained by enrichment in different substrates to simulate its environmental fate and potential utility for bioremediation. Different conditions, such as incubation time (i.e., 20 or 40 d), oil weathering, and addition of an oleophilic fertilizer (S200), were evaluated. Weathering slowed down the degradation of the fuel oil, probably because of the loss of lower and more labile components, but the addition of S200 enhanced significantly the extension of the biodegradation. n-Alkanes, alkylcyclohexanes, alkylbenzenes, and the two-to three-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were degraded in 20 or 40 d of incubation of the original oil, whereas the biodegradation efficiency decreased for higher PAHs and with the increase of alkylation. Molecular markers were degraded according to the following sequence: Acyclic isoprenoids Ͼ diasteranes Ͼ C 27 -steranes Ͼ ␤␤-steranes Ͼ homohopanes Ͼ monoaromatic steranes Ͼ triaromatic steranes. Isomeric selectivity was observed within the C 1 -and C 2 -phenanthrenes, dibenzothiophenes, pyrenes, and chrysenes, providing source and weathering indices for the characterization of the heavy oil spill. Acyclic isoprenoids, C 27steranes, C 1 -and C 2 -naphthalenes, phenanthrenes, and dibenzothiophenes were degraded completely when S200 was used. The ratios of the C 2 -and C 3 -alkyl homologues of fluoranthene/pyrene and chrysene/benzo[a]anthracene are proposed as source ratios in moderately degraded oils. The 4-methylpyrene and 3-methylchrysene were refractory enough to serve as conserved internal markers in assessing the degradation of the aromatic fraction in a manner similar to that of hopane, as used for the aliphatic fraction.