This research was conducted to investigate the compaction performance and mechanical
strength of compacted urea fertilizer in unlubricated and lubricated die systems. The
ground urea 46% N fertilizer was compacted in a 13 mm flat-face cylindrical die set in
both unlubricated and lubricated die systems with vegetable fatty acids and magnesium
stearate as lubricants at various compaction stresses to produce urea fertilizer tablets. In
conclusion, a lubricated die system reduces the frictional effects during the production of
urea fertilizer tablets and also produces a mechanically stronger urea fertilizer tablet than
those produced in an unlubricated die system. In addition, the vegetable fatty acids and
magnesium stearate lubricants are found to improve the compaction performance of urea
fertilizer tablet as well as its mechanical strength.
Phytochemical investigations on the methanolic extract of Melicope ptelefolia Champ ex Benth. resulted in the isolation of three new compounds, identified as 3beta-stigmast-5-en-3-ol butyl tridecanedioate (melicoester) (1), (2Z, 6Z, 10Z, 14Z, 18Z, 22Z, 26E)-3', 7', 11', 15', 19', 23', 27', 31'-octamethyldotriaconta-2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30-octadecanoate (melicopeprenoate) (2) and p-O-geranyl-7"-acetoxy coumaric acid (3). The compounds were isolated along with twenty-one other known compounds, lupeol (4), oleanolic acid (5), kokusaginine (6) genistein (7), p-O-geranyl coumaric acid (8), 4-stigmasten-3-one (9), 3beta-hydroxystigma-5-en-7-one (10) cis-phytyl palmitate (11), dodecane, dodecan-1-ol, ceryl alcohol, hentriacontanoic acid, eicosane, n-amyl alcohol, caprylic alcohol, octatriacontane, nonatriacontane, hexatriencontan-1-ol, methyl octacosanoate, beta-sitosterol, beta-sitosterol glucoside. Structures of all the compounds were established on the basis of MS and 1D and 2D NMR spectral data, as well as comparison with reported data.
Blends of palm stearin (PS), palm kernel oil (PKO) and soybean oil (SBO) at certain proportions were formulated using a mixture design based on simplex-lattice (Design Expert 8.0.4 Stat-Ease Inc., Minneapolis, 2010). All the 10 oil blends were subjected to chemical interesterification (CIE) using sodium methoxide as the catalyst. The solid fat content (SFC), triacylglycerol (TAG) composition, thermal properties (DSC), polymorphism and microstructural properties were studied. Palm-based trans-free table margarine containing ternary mixture of PS/PKO/SBO [49/20/31 (w/w)], was optimally formulated through analysis of multiple isosolid diagrams and was found to have quite similar SMP and SFC profile as compared to the commercial table margarine. This study has shown chemical interesterification are effective in modifying the physicochemical properties of palm stearin, palm kernel oil, soybean oil and their mixtures.
Phaleria macrocarpa, commonly known as Mahkota dewa is a medicinal plant that is indigenous to Indonesia and Malaysia. Extracts of P. macrocarpa have been used since years in traditional medicine that are evaluated scientifically as well. The extracts are reported for a number of valuable medicinal properties such as anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant and vasorelaxant effect. The constituents isolated from different parts of P. macrocarpa include Phalerin, gallic acid, Icaricide C, magniferin, mahkoside A, dodecanoic acid, palmitic acid, des-acetylflavicordin-A, flavicordin-A, flavicordin-D, flavicordin-A glucoside, ethyl stearate, lignans, alkaloids andsaponins. The present review is an up-to-date summary of occurrence, botanical description, ethnopharmacology, bioactivity and toxicological studies related to P. macrocarpa.
Recent environmental problems and societal concerns associated with the disposal of petroleum based plastics throughout the world have triggered renewed efforts to develop new biodegradable products compatible with our environment. This article describes the preparation, characterization and biodegradation study of poly(lactic acid)/layered double hydroxide (PLA/LDH) nanocomposites from PLA and stearate-Zn(3)Al LDH. A solution casting method was used to prepare PLA/stearate-Zn(3)Al LDH nanocomposites. The anionic clay Zn(3)Al LDH was firstly prepared by co-precipitation method from a nitrate salt solution at pH 7.0 and then modified by stearate anions through an ion exchange reaction. This modification increased the basal spacing of the synthetic clay from 8.83 Å to 40.10 Å. The morphology and properties of the prepared PLA/stearate-Zn(3)Al LDH nanocomposites were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile tests as well as biodegradation studies. From the XRD analysis and TEM observation, the stearate-Zn(3)Al LDH lost its ordered stacking-structure and was greatly exfoliated in the PLA matrix. Tensile test results of PLA/stearate-Zn(3)Al LDH nanocomposites showed that the presence of around 1.0-3.0 wt % of the stearate-Zn(3)Al LDH in the PLA drastically improved its elongation at break. The biodegradation studies demonstrated a significant biodegradation rate improvement of PLA in the presence of stearate-Zn(3)Al LDH nanolayers. This effect can be caused by the catalytic role of the stearate groups in the biodegradation mechanism leading to much faster disintegration of nanocomposites than pure PLA.
This study aims to investigate the textural properties and sensory qualities of cookies made from medium- and long-chain triacylglycerol (MLCT)-enriched margarines. Margarine with formulations of MLCT:palm olein:palm stearin, 60:30:10 and 70:20:10, were selected to produce cookies. The textural properties of cookies were determined using a texture analyser. Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) and acceptance test were carried out to describe the attributes and to evaluate the degree of liking of cookies, respectively.
The transdermal delivery of hydrophilic drugs remains challenging owing to their poor ability to permeate the skin; formulation with oil media is difficult without adding chemical permeation enhancers or co-solvents. Herein, we synthesized 12 oil-miscible ionic liquid (IL) drugs comprising lidocaine-, imipramine-, and levamisole (Lev)-hydrochloride with fatty acid permeation enhancers, i.e., laurate, oleate, linoleate, and stearate as counterions. A set of in vitro and in vivo studies was performed to investigate the potency and deliverability of the transdermal drug formulations. All of the synthesized compounds were freely miscible with pharmaceutically acceptable solvents/agents (i.e., ethanol, N-methyl pyrrolidone, Tween 20, and isopropyl myristate (IPM)). In vitro permeation studies revealed that the oleate-based Lev formulation had 2.6-fold higher skin permeation capability than the Lev salts and also superior ability compared with the laurate-, linoleate-, and stearate-containing samples. Upon in vivo transdermal administration to mice, the peak plasma concentration, elimination half-life, and area under the plasma concentration curve values of Lev-IL were 4.6-, 2.9-, and 5.4-fold higher, respectively, than those of the Lev salt. Furthermore, in vitro skin irritation and in vivo histological studies have demonstrated that Lev-IL has excellent biocompatibility compared with a conventional ionic liquid-based carrier. The results indicate that oil-miscible IL-based drugs provide a simple and scalable strategy for the design of effective transdermal drug delivery systems.