Processing of Rosmarinus officinalis Linne extract on spray and spouted bed dryers

This article presents an investigation of the potential of spray and spouted bed technology for the production of dried extracts of Rosmarinus officinalis Linne, popularly known as rosemary. The extractive solution was characterized by loss on drying, extractable matter and total phenolic and flavonoid compounds (chemical markers). The product was characterized by determination of loss on drying, size distribution, morphology, flow properties and thermal degradation and thermal behavior. The spray and spouted bed dryer performance were assessed through estimation of thermal efficiency, product accumulation and product recovery. The parameters studied were the inlet temperature of the spouting gas (80 and 150 degrees C) and the feed mass flow rate of concentrated extract relative to the evaporation capacity of the dryer, W-s/W-max (15 to 75%). The atomizing air flow rate was maintained at 20 l/min with a pressure of 196.1 kPa. The spouting gas flow rate used in the drying runs was 40% higher than the gas flow under the condition of minimum spouting. The spray drying gas flow rate was fixed at 0.0118 kg/s. Under the conditions studied, performance in the spray and spouted bed drying of rosemary extract was poor, causing high degradation of the marker compounds (mainly the phenolic compounds). Thus, process improvements are required before use on an industrial scale.

Chitosan microparticles for sustaining the topical delivery of minoxidil sulphate

Given the hypothesis that microparticles can penetrate the skin barrier along the transfollicular route, this work aimed to obtain and characterise chitosan microparticles loaded with minoxidil sulphate (MXS) and to study their ability to sustain the release of the drug, attempting a further application utilising them in a targeted delivery system for the topical treatment of alopecia. Chitosan microparticles, containing different proportions of MXS/polymer, were prepared by spray drying and were characterised by yield, encapsulation efficiency, size and morphology. Microparticles selected for further studies showed high encapsulation efficiency (similar to 82%), a mean diameter of 3.0 mu m and a spherical morphology without porosities. When suspended in an ethanol/water solution, chitosan microparticles underwent instantaneous swelling, increasing their mean diameter by 90%. Release studies revealed that the chitosan microparticles were able to sustain about three times the release rate of MXS. This feature, combined with suitable size, confers to these microparticles the potential to target and improve topical therapy of alopecia with minoxidil.

Spray Drying of Extracts from Red Yeast Fermentation Broth

Red yeast rice is a pigmented material that is traditionally used in Asia as a food colorant. In addition to food applications, red yeast rice is known in traditional Chinese medicine for its therapeutic actions. The aim of this work was to study the quality interactions during spray drying of extracts from the Monascus ruber van Tiegham fermentation broth. The quality indicators used for the dry powder properties were the levels of monacolin K, ratio of red to yellow pigments, as well as their antioxidant activity. The experiments followed a Box-Behnken design to study the effects of the adjuvant/drug ratio, adjuvant incorporation time, and oulet drying temperature on the pharmacotechnical, chemical, and biological properties of the dry extract. The influences of these factors on the characteristics of the dry powder were evaluated by the bulk density, tapped density, Carr index, Hausner factor, residual moisture content, water activity, antioxidant activity, monacolin K, yellow-to-red pigment ratio, and antioxidant activity. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) on experimental data revealed that an increase in drying temperature significantly increased the dry powder yield and caused an improvement in powder flow properties, which may be related to lower moisture contents. The drying temperature did not affect the monacolin K content in dry powder but showed a complex influence on its antioxidant activity. The increase in drying adjuvant-to-drug ratio affected the yield and also indicated a protective effect on the monacolin K content. The duration of drying adjuvant incorporation had little or negligible effect on powder properties. The dry extracts of red yeast rice showed adequate properties and the process proposed herein can be used to prepare nutraceutical products.

Stabilization of Endophytic Fungus Cercospora kikuchii Lipase by Spray Drying in the Presence of Maltodextrin and beta-Cyclodextrin

In this study the effects of spray-drying conditions on the retention of enzyme activity of lipase produced by the endophytic fungus Cercospora kikuchii have been investigated. Drying runs were carried out in a bench-top spray dryer with a concurrent flow regime. The influence of the variables inlet temperature of drying gas, Tgi (86.4 to 153.6 degrees C); mass flow rate of the enzymatic extract fed to the dryer, Ws (2.63 to 9.36g/min); and concentration of the drying adjuvant added to the extract, ADJ (1.95 to 12.05%), on the spray-drying performance and on product quality was evaluated through experimental planning and regression analysis. The use of maltodextrin, as a stabilizing agent, slightly improved the retention of enzyme activity compared to -cyclodextrin. Statistical optimization of the experimental results allowed the determination of the processing conditions that maximized the retention of the enzymatic activity (RAE), namely, concentration of drying adjuvants of 12.05%, inlet temperature of the drying gas of 153.6 degrees C, and flow rate of the enzymatic extract fed to the dryer of 9.36g/min for the both drying adjuvants investigated.

The Preparation of Ternary Solid Dispersions of an Herbal Drug via Spray Drying of Liquid Feed

The present study aimed the preparation and characterization of ternary solid dispersions by direct spray drying of a liquid suspension containing curcumin, a solubility enhancer and a drying aid. The experiments followed a Box-Behnken design in order to evaluate the influence of temperature, ratio of curcumin: lipidic carrier, and the collodial silicon dioxide content on the characteristics of the microparticulated solid dispersions. The angle of repose, Hausner factor, Carr index, water activity, and solubility were used to characterize solid dispersions. The results show that water activity, Hausner factor, and Carr index varied in an acceptable range for pharmaceutical purposes. The condition that maximizes solubility was determined using an exploratory design based on a surface response analysis and allowed a 3200-fold increase in curcumin solubility. Ternary solid dispersion showed a 90% curcumin release after 10min during a dissolution test. The results show that the spray drying of a liquid feed is an attractive and promising alternative to obtain enhanced solubility drug ternary solid dispersions.

SOLID STATE STUDIES ON MOLECULAR INCLUSIONS OF LIPPIA SIDOIDES ESSENTIAL OIL OBTAINED BY SPRAY DRYING

Inclusion complexes of Lippia sidoides essential oil and beta-cyclodextrin were obtained by slurry method and its solid powdered form was prepared using spray drying. The influence of the spray drying, as well as the different essential oil:beta-cyclodextrin ratio on the characteristics of the final product was investigated. With regard to the total oil retention 1:10 mass/mass ratio as optimal was found between the essential oil and beta-cyclodextrin. Thermoanalytical techniques (TG, EGD, TG-MS) were used to support the formation of inclusion complex and to examine their physicochemical properties after accelerated storage conditions. It may be assumed that the thermal properties of the complexes were influenced not only by the different essential oil/beta-cyclodextrin ratio but also by the storage conditions. In the aspect of their thermal stabilities, complex prepared with 1:10 m/m ratio (essential oil: beta-cyclodextrin) was the most stable one.

Lipase Production by Endophytic Fungus Cercospora kikuchii: Stability of Enzymatic Activity after Spray Drying in the Presence of Carbohydrates

The present work deals with improving the production and stabilization of lipases from Cercospora kikuchii. Maximum enzyme production (9.384 U/ml) was obtained after 6 days in a medium supplemented with 2% soybean oil. The lipases were spray dried with different adjuvants, and their stability was studied. The residual enzyme activity after drying with 10% (w/v) of lactose, b- cyclodextrin, maltodextrin, mannitol, gum arabic, and trehalose ranged from 63 to 100%. The enzyme activity was lost in the absence of adjuvants. Most of the adjuvants used kept up at least 50% of the enzymatic activity at 5 degrees C and 40% at 25 degrees C after 8 months. The lipase dried with 10% of beta-cyclodextrin retained 72% of activity at 5 degrees C. Lipases were separated by butyl-sepharose column into 4 pools, and pool 4 was partially purified (33.1%; 269.5 U/mg protein). This pool was also spray dried in maltodextrin DE10, and it maintained 100% of activity.

Thesis summary: Standardized dried extracts of Brazilian medicinal plants: Assessment of technical and economic feasibility of spouted bed drying

This study is an integral part of a research project which seeks the establishment of protocols for the production of standardized herbal dried extracts emphasizing the spouted bed drying. This thesis was conducted at faculty of Pharmaceutical Science of Ribeiro Preto/University of So Paulo, Brazil, under supervision of Prof. Dr. Wanderley Pereira Oliveira*, defended on September 28, 2007.

The relationship between plasma lactate parameters, W-peak and 1-h cycling performance in women

Purpose: The relationship between six descriptors of lactate increase, peak (V) over dot O-2,W-peak, and 1-h cycling performance were compared in 24 trained, female cyclists (peak (V) over dot O-2 = 48.11 +/- 6.32 mL . kg(-1) . min(-1)). Methods: The six descriptors of lactate increase were: 1) lactate threshold (LT; the power output at which plasma lactate concentration begins to increase above the resting level during an incremental exercise test), 2) LT1 (the power output at which plasma lactate increases by 1 mM or more), 3) LTD (the lactate threshold calculated by the D-max method), 4) LTMOD (the lactate threshold calculated by a modified D-max method), 5) L4 (the power output at which plasma lactate reaches a concentration of 4 mmol-L-1), and 6) LTLOG (the power output at which plasma lactate concentration begins to increase when the log([La-]) is plotted against the log (power output)). Subjects first completed a peak (V) over dot O-2 test on a cycle ergometer. Finger-tip capillary blood was sampled within 30 s of the end of each 3-min stage for analysis of plasma lactate. Endurance performance was assessed 7 d later using a 1-h cycle test (OHT) in which subjects were directed to achieve the highest possible average power output. Results: The mean power output (W) for the OHT (+/- SD) was 183.01 +/- 18.88, and for each lactate variable was: LT (138.54 +/- 46.61), LT1 (179.17 +/- 27.25), LTLOG (143.97 +/- 45.74), L4 (198.09 +/- 33.84), LTD (178.79 +/- 24.07), LTMOD (212.28 +/- 31.75). Average power output during the OHT was more strongly correlated with all plasma lactate parameters (0.61 < r < 0.84) and W-peak (r = 0.81) than with peak (V) over dot O-2 (r = 0.55). The six lactate parameters were strongly correlated with each other (0.54 < r < 0.91) and of the six lactate parameters, LTD correlated best with endurance performance (r = 0.84). Conclusions: It was concluded that plasma lactate parameters and W-peak provide better indices of endurance performance than peak (V) over dot O-2 and that, of the six descriptors of lactate increase measured in this study, LTD is most strongly related to 1-h cycling performance in trained, female cyclists.

Decoherence and fidelity in ion traps with fluctuating trap parameters

We consider two different kinds of fluctuations in an ion trap potential: external fluctuating electrical fields, which cause statistical movement (wobbling) of the ion relative to the center of the trap, and fluctuations of the spring constant, which an due to fluctuations of the ac component of the potential applied in the Paul trap for ions. We write down master equations for both cases and, averaging out the noise, obtain expressions for the heating of the ion. We compare our results to previous results for far-off resonance optical traps and heating in ion traps. The effect of fluctuating external electrical fields for a quantum gate operation (controlled-NOT) is determined and the fidelity for that operation derived. [S1050-2947(99)06005-9].

CXTANNEAL: an improved program for estimating solute transport parameters

CXTANNEAL is a program for analysing contaminant transport in soils. The code, written in Fortran 77, is a modified version of CXTFIT, a commonly used package for estimating solute transport parameters in soils. The improvement of the present code is that it includes simulated annealing as the optimization technique for curve fitting. Tests with hypothetical data show that CXTANNEAL performs better than the original code in searching for optimal parameter estimates. To reduce the computational time, a parallel version of CXTANNEAL (CXTANNEAL_P) was also developed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical properties and fluidization behaviour of fresh green bean particulates during fluidized bed drying

Changes in the physical properties (such as particle density, bulk density of the bed, shrinkage and bed porosity) of fresh green bean particulates were investigated during drying. Three length:diameter ratios (1:1, 2:1 and 3:1) were considered, using drying conditions of 50 +/- 2 degrees C and 13 +/- 2% relative humidity in a heat pump dehumidifier system. The fluidization behaviour was also evaluated at 10 levels of moisture content. The fluidization experiments demonstrated that the minimum fluidization velocity decreases as the drying proceeds due to the reduced moisture content and changes in the physical properties of the bean particulates. Empirical relationships of the following nature were developed for the change in shrinkage [VR = 1 - Be-kMR], particle density [rho(p) = A + BMR + C (exp)(-D MR)], bulk density [rho(b) = a(1) + b(1)MR + c(1)MR(2)] and bed porosity [epsilon = a(2) + b(2)MR + c(2)MR(2)] with the moisture content during fluidized bed drying.

Europium luminescent polymeric microspheres fabricated by spray drying process

The spray drying method was used to prepare luminescent microspheres. These microspheres were prepared by spraying an aqueous solution of dextrin and an europium(III) complex with subsequent drying in a hot medium. The spray dried powder was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). Particle size distribution was estimated from SEM images. The ultrasonic spray drying technique was successfully applied to yield a microparticulated and red luminescent powder composed by the [Eu(dpa)(3)](3-) stop (dpa = dipicolinic acid) complex incorporated in dextrin microspheres.

Hematological parameters and anaerobic threshold in Brazilian soccer players throughout a training program

We assessed the responses of hematological parameters and their relationship to the anaerobic threshold of Brazilian soccer players during a training program. Twelve athletes were evaluated at the beginning (week 0, T1), in the middle (week 6, T2), and at the end (week 12, T3) of the soccer training program. On the first day at 7:30 AM, before collecting the blood sample at rest for the determination of the hematological parameters, the athletes were conducted to the anthropometric evaluation. On the second day at 8:30 AM, the athletes had their anaerobic threshold measured. Analysis of variance with Newman-Keuls`post hoc was used for statistical comparisons between the parameters measured during the soccer training program. Correlations between the parameters analyzed were determined using the Pearson`s correlation coefficient. Erythrocytes concentration, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were significantly increased from T1 to T2. The specific soccer training program led to a rise in erythrocytes, hemoglobin, and hematocrit from T1 to T2. We assumed that these results occurred due to the plasma volume reduction and may be explained by the soccer training program characteristics. Furthermore, we did not observe any correlation between the anaerobic threshold and the hematological parameters.