Vegetable sources

Polysaccharides of vegetable origin have emerged as an important class of bioactive compounds because of their multiple biological properties, including anti-neoplastic 

From Portulaca oleracea, a known vegetable used in folk medicine in several countries, a crude polysaccharide fraction POL-P was isolated, from which the polysaccharide POL-P3b was further purified and tested for its anticancer activity against HeLa cells and in U14-bearing mice. POL-P3b exhibited an antiprohferative effect in a concentration-dependent manner on HeLa cells with IC values of 1225.32, 489.17 and 407.23 microg/mL at 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. Moreover, the in-vivo study performed on U14-bearing mice showed that 50-200 mg/kg of POL-P3b significantly inhibited tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner [46]. 

Inflammation is a complex and well-coordinated response of the innate and adaptive immune system following infection or injury. This process is characterized by a vascular response and recruitment of circulating leukocytes, defined initially by polymorphonuclear granulocytes followed by monocytes, which differentiate locally into macrophages [47]. 

Natural polysaccharides also displayed very interesting anti-inflammatory/immu-nomodulating properties (Table 1.2). 

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Eats and oils from a number of animal and vegetable sources are the feedstocks for the manufacture of natural higher alcohols. These materials consist of triglycerides glycerol esterified with three moles of a fatty acid. The alcohol is manufactured by reduction of the fatty acid functional group. A small amount of natural alcohol is also obtained commercially by saponification of natural wax esters of the higher alcohols, such as wool grease. 

Fatty acids derived from animal and vegetable sources generally contain an even number of carbon atoms siace they are biochemically derived by condensation of two carbon units through acetyl or malonyl coenzyme A. However, odd-numbered and branched fatty acid chains are observed ia small concentrations ia natural triglycerides, particularly mminant animal fats through propionyl and methylmalonyl coenzyme respectively. The glycerol backbone is derived by biospeciftc reduction of dihydroxyacetone. 

Fats and oils may be synthesized in enantiomerically pure forms in the laboratory (30) or derived from vegetable sources (mainly from nuts, beans, and seeds), animal depot fats, fish, or marine mammals. Oils obtained from other sources differ markedly in their fatty acid distribution. Table 2 shows compositions for a wide variety of oils. One variation in composition is the chain length of the fatty acid. Butterfat, for example, has a fairly high concentration of short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids. Oils derived from cuphea are also a rich source of capric acid which is considered to be medium in chain length (32). Palm kernel and coconut oils are known as lauric oils because of their high content of C-12 saturated fatty acid (lauric acid). Rapeseed oil, on the other hand, has a fairly high concentration of long-chain (C-20 and C-22) fatty acids. 

The quaHty, ie, level of impurities, of the fats and oils used in the manufacture of soap is important in the production of commercial products. Fats and oils are isolated from various animal and vegetable sources and contain different intrinsic impurities. These impurities may include hydrolysis products of the triglyceride, eg, fatty acid and mono/diglycerides proteinaceous materials and particulate dirt, eg, bone meal and various vitamins, pigments, phosphatides, and sterols, ie, cholesterol and tocopherol as weU as less descript odor and color bodies. These impurities affect the physical properties such as odor and color of the fats and oils and can cause additional degradation of the fats and oils upon storage. For commercial soaps, it is desirable to keep these impurities at the absolute minimum for both storage stabiHty and finished product quaHty considerations. 

In 1933, R. Kuhn and his co-workers first isolated riboflavin from eggs in a pure, crystalline state (1), named it ovoflavin, and deterrnined its function as a vitamin (2). At the same time, impure crystalline preparations of riboflavin were isolated from whey and named lyochrome and, later, lactoflavin. Soon thereafter, P. Karrer and his co-workers isolated riboflavin from a wide variety of animal organs and vegetable sources and named it hepatoflavin (3). Ovoflavin from egg, lactoflavin from milk, and hepatoflavin from Hver were aU. subsequently identified as riboflavin. The discovery of the yeUow en2yme by Warburg and Christian in 1932 and their description of lumiflavin (4), a photochemical degradation product of riboflavin, were of great use for the elucidation of the chemical stmcture of riboflavin by Kuhn and his co-workers (5). The stmcture was confirmed in 1935 by the synthesis by Karrer and his co-workers (6), and Kuhn and his co-workers (7). 

Tall oil [8002-26-4] has been referred to as the largest and fastest growing source of extractives such as turpentine and resin. It can be refined to give tall oil fatty acids (see Carboxylic acids) and tall oil pitch as well as resins. These fatty acids compete with fatty acids from vegetable sources for many of the same industrial markets. 

With each succeeding year in the 1950s and 1960s there was a swing away from coal and vegetable sources of raw materials towards petroleum. Today such products as terephthalic acid, styrene, benzene, formaldehyde, vinyl acetate and acrylonitrile are produced from petroleum sources. Large industrial concerns that had been built on acetylene chemistry became based on petrochemicals whilst coal tar is no longer an indispensable source of aromatics. 

An absolutely scientific definition of the term essential cr volatile oils is hardly possible, but for all practical purposes they may be defined as odoriferous bodies of an oily nature obtained almost exclusively from vegetable sources, generally liquid (sometimes semi-solid or solid) at ordinary temperatures, and volatile without decomposition. This definition must be accepted within the ordinary limitations which are laid down by the common acceptation of the words, which will make themselves apparent in the sequel, and show that no more restricted definition is either advantageous or possible. Many essential oils, for example, are partially decomposed when distilled by themselves, and some even when steam distilled. 

They obtain a substantial part of their proteins from vegetable sources, mostly grains... 

The resins are substances derived mostly from vegetable sources some have been used as binders in the preparation of paints and varnishes, others as incense burned in ritual ceremonies, and a few, such as amber, have been used on their own, as semiprecious stones. It should be noted, however, that since the midtwentieth century the term resin has acquired a new meaning that of a synthetic pliable "plastic" material that can be shaped, mostly when hot. Synthetic resins are used mainly for packaging and for making textile fibers and automobile parts. In the discussion that follows the term resin is used to refer only to resins of natural origin (Serpico and White 2000a Parry 1918). 

The GALDI-MS measurements covered a selection of natural ester waxes, both from animal (beeswax, shellac wax, spermaceti) and vegetable sources (candelilla, cane, carnauba, cotton fibre, esparto, ouricouri). Generally, the waxes were readily distinguishable by their characteristic distribution of molecular masses. In some cases, markers could be identified on the basis of literature data. 

Naturally occurring rosins are derived from vegetable sources in the forms of exudates, i.e., gums. Rosin and rosin esters have found a number of applications within the rubber industry. Rosin acids are easily oxidised and thus it is more usual to find rosin presented to the rubber industry in a... 

Linseed is one of the few vegetable sources of the omega 3 class of essential fatty acids, hence it is ideally suited for this type of product. The combination of linseed and soya produces a bread that has a low glycemic index, which is another bonus for this sort of product. This reduced glycemic index makes the product more attractive to slimmers and diabetics. 

Numerous accidental spills of sodium cyanide or potassium cyanide into rivers and streams have resulted in massive kills of fishes, amphibians, aquatic insects, and aquatic vegetation. Sources of poisonings were storage reservoirs of concentrated solutions, overturned rail tank cars, or discharge of substances generating free HCN in the water from hydrolysis or decomposition (Leduc... 

Stachydrine (4) and 3-hydroxystachydrine (16) have been isolated from numerous vegetable sources, listed below in alphabetical order of family, genus and species. They are... 

In 1899 R. C. Guerbet discovered the self-condensation reaction of alcohols, which, via the aldehyde as an intermediate, lead to branched structures (2-alkyl alcohols) (Fig. 4.21) - the Guerbet alcohols. Starting with fatty alcohols from vegetable sources, such as octanol and decanol, the corresponding C1(, and C2o alcohols are produced (2-hexyldecanol and 2-octyldecanol, respectively). The reaction is carried out under alkali catalysis and high temperatures (>200 °C). Over the years, both products have proven to be efficient emollients, but are also used for other applications, such as plasticizers or components for lubricants (Fig. 4.21). 

Epoxidation of a Mixture of FAMEs from Vegetable Sources... 

The traditional major source for the nonionic surfactant industry is fatty acid triglycerides from both animal and vegetable sources as the saturated or unsaturated acids. The saturated acids include lauric acid (w-dodecanoic), myristic acid (n-tetradecanoic), palmitic acid ( -hexadecanoic),and stearic acid (n-octadecanoic). The unsaturated acids include oleic acid (Z-9-octadecenoic) and linoleic acid (Z,Z-9,12-octadecadienoic). Of the 200 non-ionic surfactants... 

Biogenic material derived from bacterial or vegetation sources. 

The classical techniques for the solvent extraction of chemical compounds from vegetable material are based upon the correct choice of solvent and conditions e. g. heating or agitation. A range of commercially important pharmaceuticals, flavours and colourants are now derived from vegetable sources. It has been shown that the solvent extraction of organic compounds contained within the body of plants and seeds is significantly improved by the use of power ultrasound [25]. 

CCM indexed to an equimolar Ca dose of milk (Ca index for milk set at 100) consistently exceeded that of milk (138), other dairy products (86-100), Ca salts used as fortificants (86-93), Ca-fortified soy milk (77), and other vegetable sources (18-103). 

The Zupthen Elderly Study found a weak inverse association between flavonoid intake from fruit and vegetables sources and cancer of the alimentary and respiratory tracts combined [209]. The same authors observed no independent association with mortality from other causes between flavonoid intake and cancer mortality in the Seven Country Study [204]. 

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