Zsuzsanna Czibulya

Fluorescence spectroscopic investigation of competitive interactions between ochratoxin A and 13 drug molecules for binding to human serum albumin

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a highly toxic mycotoxin found worldwide in cereals, foods, animal feeds and different drinks. Based on previous studies, OTA is one of the major causes of the chronic tubulointerstitial nephropathy known as Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) and exerts several other adverse effects shown by cell and/or animal models. It is a well-known fact that OTA binds to various albumins with very high affinity. Recently, a few studies suggested that reducing the bound fraction of OTA might reduce its toxicity. Hypothetically, certain drugs can be effective competitors displacing OTA from its albumin complex. Therefore, we examined 13 different drug molecules to determine their competing abilities to displace OTA from human serum albumin (HSA). Competitors and ineffective chemicals were identified with a steady-state fluorescence polarization-based method. After characterization the competitive abilities of individual drugs, drug pairs were formed and their displacing activity were tested in OTA-HSA system. Indometacin, phenylbutazone, warfarin and furosemide showed the highest competing capacity but ibuprofen, glipizide and simvastatin represented detectable interaction too. Investigations of drug pairs raised the possibility of the presence of diverse binding sites of competing drugs. Apart from the chemical information obtained in our model, this explorative research might initiate future designs for epidemiologic studies to gain further in vivo evidence of long-term (potentially protective) effects of competing drugs administered to human patients.

Interaction of ochratoxin A with quaternary ammonium beta-cyclodextrin

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a widely spread nephrotoxic food contaminant mycotoxin. Unfortunately, attenuation or prevention of the toxic effects of OTA is still an unresolved problem. Molecular inclusion of OTA by cyclodextrins (CDs) results in complexes with low stability. In the human organism, OTA exists mostly in the dianionic state (OTA(2-)). Therefore, our major goal was to develop a chemically modified cyclodextrin which gives a more stable complex with OTA than the previously published derivatives and which shows stronger preference towards OTA(2-). In our fluorescence spectroscopic study we demonstrate that quaternary ammonium beta-cyclodextrin (QABCD) fulfils both of these requirements. The calculated stability constant of the QABCD-OTA(2-) complex was 28,840 M(-1) (about 200-fold higher than that of the β-CD-OTA(2-) complex). We hypothesize, that QABCD may be a suitable tool for the decontamination of different OTA-contaminated drinks; furthermore, for alleviation of the toxic effects of OTA, such complex formation may reduce its absorption from the intestine.

Degree of conversion and BisGMA, TEGDMA, UDMA Elution from flowable bulk fill composites

The degree of conversion (DC) and the released bisphenol A diglycidyl ether dimethacrylate (BisGMA), triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) and urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) monomers of bulk-fill composites compared to that of conventional flowable ones were assessed using micro-Raman spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Four millimeter-thick samples were prepared from SureFil SDR Flow (SDR), X-tra Base (XB), Filtek Bulk Fill (FBF) and two and four millimeter samples from Filtek Ultimate Flow (FUF). They were measured with micro-Raman spectroscopy to determine the DC% of the top and the bottom surfaces. The amount of released monomers in 75% ethanol extraction media was measured with HPLC. The differences between the top and bottom DC% were significant for each material. The mean DC values were in the following order for the bottom surfaces: SDR_4mm_20s > FUF_2mm_20s > XB_4mm_20s > FBF_4mm_20s > XB_4mm_10s > FBF_4mm_10s > FUF_4mm_20s. The highest rate in the amount of released BisGMA and TEGDMA was found from the 4 mm-thick conventional flowable FUF. Among bulk-fills, FBF showed a twenty times higher amount of eluted UDMA and twice more BisGMA; meanwhile, SDR released a significantly higher amount of TEGDMA. SDR bulk-fill showed significantly higher DC%; meanwhile XB, FBF did not reach the same level DC, as that of the 2 mm-thick conventional composite at the bottom surface. Conventional flowable composites showed a higher rate of monomer elution compared to the bulk-fills, except FBF, which showed a high amount of UDMA release.

The Effect of Temperature on the Color of Red Wines

UNLABELLED The effect of increased temperature on the color of red wines was studied due to its importance during storage and transport. The chemical reactions induced by elevated temperature were investigated by measuring the UV-VIS spectra. The temperature of the wines was increased from its common storage temperature (about 14 °C) to higher temperatures (t= 20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C, and 40 °C) and the UV/VIS spectra were recorded during several hours. The spectral changes obtained indicate the presence of quasi-first-order chemical processes justifying determination of the activation energies using their temperature dependence. The determined decay values (Villányi Portugieser: E(VP) (a,420 nm) = 90.02 kJ/mol, E(VP) (a,520 nm) = 34.18 kJ/mol, E(VP) (a,620 nm) = 54.55 kJ/mol; half-life values of 46.5 d [25 °C] and 9.5 d [35 °C] at 420 nm; 4.67 d [25 °C] and 2.0 d [35 °C] at 520 nm; 9.5 d [25 °C] and 2.4 d [35 °C] at 620 nm; Bikatory wine: E(Bk) (a,420 nm) = 82.07 kJ/mol and half-life values of 41.35 d [25 °C] and 4.001 d [35 °C] at 420 nm) of these reactions highlight a considerable change in the quality of wines stored for a few hours at elevated temperatures. Depending on polyphenol composition the wines show different half-life with regard to their color stability and browning reactions. Higher polyphenolic content helps to stabilize the wine against detrimental temperature effects. PRACTICAL APPLICATION This research can be applicable to estimate the optimal temperature of red wines during storage and transport.

Competitive processes associated to the interaction of a cavitand derivative with caffeic acid

Abstract The interaction of caffeic acid and a newly synthesised cavitand derivative was investigated by UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy in tetrahydrofuran–water matrix. The temperature dependence of the equilibrium constants was determined first, then the thermodynamic parameters were calculated using the van’t Hoff equation. Absorption measurements highlighted entropy-controlled formation of cavitand–caffeic acid complexes with 1:2 stoichiometry. It was proved by fluorescence measurements that caffeic acid dimerisation is followed by the formation of cavitand–caffeic acid complexes with 1:2 stoichiometry. It was also shown that both the caffeic acid dimerisation and the formation of 1:2 complexes are controlled by the entropy gain. PL signal is preferred to use for analytical application in this particular case.