Introduction: Amphotericin B (AmB) is an old antifungal agent and the drug of choice for systemic fungal infection. Unfortunately, this antibiotic has shown some dose dependent side effects such as nephrotoxicity. Therefore, recently this study aimed at producing a newly-formulated in the codition of in vitro in order to reduce the effect of toxicity in this drug as well as increase its effectiveness.Materials and Methods: AmB nanocapsules were made from polymers, such as poly D and L-lactide-co-glycolide by means of a solvent displacement technique. The nanocapsules suspensions were then made into dried powder through the nanoprecipitation of polyesters using SiO2 as adjuvant. Next, the efficacy of the capsulated AmB was measured using spectrophotometry technique to be assessed and compared with other formulations. Besides,the MICs of these nanocapsules for Candida albicans (ATCC 90028) was determined and compared to those of the respective free AmB, using microdilution method. Finally, the effect of in vitro toxicity (haemolysis) of the nanocapsules was determined on human RBCs.Results: Drug entrapment efficacy for nanocapsules was calculated as 75% ± 0.13. The MICs of AmB nanocapsules against Candida albicans tested were reduced as compared to those of free antibiotic. The AmB-loaded nanocapsules was found to be 5.89 times less toxic than free AmB in terms of the effect on RBCs.Conclusion: The results suggest that new AmB-loaded nanocapsules produced in this research may be an appropriate alternative for AmB to be used in the treatment of fungal infections.

In this research, rehydration behavior of dried figs was studied at different temperatures (25, 60, 70, 80, and 90oC). The rehydration kinetic was examined using the four most frequently used empirical models, namely, Weibull, Peleg, first-order, and exponential association models. The Weibull model gave the highest coefficient of determination (R2) and the lowest values of root mean square error (RMSE), sum of squared error (SEE), and chi-square (X2) was considered the best. In all models examined, the equilibrium moisture content showed statistically significant differences as compared to the rehydration temperature. The temperature dependence of kinetic constants was described in terms of Arrhenius relationship. The average activation energy for the four models was 24.362 kJ mol-1. During the rehydration process hardness of dried figs decreased, which was further confirmed by microscopic evaluation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of rehydrated figs indicated porous structure proposing the presence of free water.

The aim of this study was preparation of a standard extract from the leaves of Artemisia absinthium in order to add into a suspention formula as a laxative agent for use in animal husbandry. As approved by the commission E, the Artemisia absinthium preparations are used internally for loss of appetite, dyspeptic, liver, and gallbladder complaints. A. absinthium is commonly used in food industry in the preparation of aperitifs, bitters, and spirits and is of growing importance in agriculture and in pharmacology. The presence and determination of Quercetin and Isorhamnetin in the leaf extract of A. absinthium can justify its use in laxative preparations with plant origin. Artemisia absinthium leaves were air-dried and minced at room temprature and extracted using ethanol and water as solvents according to a maceration method. The aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts were dried up in vaccium. The flavonoids Quercetin and Isorhamnetin in leaves, dried aqueous, and hydroalcoholic extracts were identified and determined by means of a HPLC method. Quercetin and Isorhamnetin were present in 0.49 and 0.05 percent in leaves; 0.95, 0.08 percent in dried aqueous extract; 1.96 and 0.10 percent in dried hydroalcoholic extract respectively. In this study, we report the presence of Quercetin and its 3-methyl ether derivative known as Isorhamnetin in the leaves of Artemisia absinthium and quantifying them individually by HPLC. This will permit an estimation to be made of the laxative effect in terms of the hepatoprotective activity expected from the plant extract in appreciable quantities. The dried hydroalcoholic extract contained the highest amounts of Quercetin and Isorhamnetin compared to either leaf extract or dried aqueous extract. The procedures in this work can serve as an efficient quality control facility for monitoring the finished products.

Osmotic drying process is using of hypertonic solution (osmotic) for the disposal of water in the product. In this study, optimizing in the drying of strawberry was investigated based on chemical and sensory properties. Water loss (%WL) and solid gain (%SG) were used to choose of the best treatment to produce of dried strawberries during 5 hours and at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hours by different osmotic solutions at two different temperatures. The used treatments were including of different osmotic solutions and different content of calcium chloride (%0.75 and %1.5) at 35oC and 45oC. The results showed that the best treatment among the eight different treatments was the treatment 8 (osmotic solution containing 50% fructose and 20% sucrose, 1.5% calcium chloride and treatment time of 5 hours at 45oC) which made to the better drying of strawberries in compared with the other treatments. Moisture content (%28 and %88), pH (3.55 and 3.15), acidity (%0.043 and % 0.053), Brix (%24 and %6), total sugar (%14.5 and %4.5), vitamin C (9 and 25.5mg/100 g) and Anthocyanin (75.5 and 102.75 mg/kg) were in the strawberry samples dried by osmotic method and the control, respectively. Moreover, sensory properties of osmotic dried strawberries including, appearance, color, firmness and flavor were better in comparison to control sample.

Osmotic dehydration, the process for partial water elimination from food stuffs, that is called partial drying, involves product immersion in a hypertonic aqueous solution. The process has been used mostly as a pretreatment before different drying methods Such as: Hot air-drying, Vacuum drying, Freeze drying, Microwave drying, therefore. Osmotic dehydration process was used as a pretreatment before air drying of carrot. For identification of optimum operating conditions, several factors such as solution concentration, its temperature, contact time and the rate of salt and glucose gains in carrot texture were investigated. Temperature treatments including: 25, 40, 55oc and time treatments were 15, 30, 60, 120, 240 and 360 minutes. Three levels of glucose syrup (30, 40 and 50%) and three levels of sodium chloride (5, 10 and 15%) were used to provide nine different solutions. The optimum operating conditions in view of water loss and solid gain were at 40oc for 240 minute. The results showed that the glucose and salt solution of the concentration 50% + 5%, respectively, that was the best concentration has a smaller solid gain (SG) and large water loss (WL).

Dried figs collected from various exporting companies (2, 461 samples) and local stores (219 samples) were analyzed using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to determine and compare the incidence of aflatoxins, the effectiveness of the regulation limits and monitoring system to select non-compliant samples and the mean daily aflatoxin exposures. The incidence rates of aflatoxin contamination were higher in the domestic samples (47.5%) than in the samples intended for export (23.6%). According to the European regulation limits (2 ng g-1 for aflatoxin B1 and 4 ng g-1 for total aflatoxin, sum of B1+B2+G1+G2), non-compliant samples were 6 and 24.2% of the dried figs for export and domestic market, respectively. The respective rates of 2.2 and 16.4% were obtained with the national limit. The dietary intakes of aflatoxins through the consumption of dried figs were calculated as 1.27 and 0.2 ng kg-1 body weight×day for domestic market and export, respectively. Dried figs contaminated with high levels of aflatoxins can lead to acute and chronic human toxicities. Reducing contamination and exposure to an acceptable level by the implementation of strict periodic monitoring and application of effective new prevention measures might also help to decrease the significant health and economic risks in exported and domestic commodities.