Surasak Limsuwan

Ya-Samarn-Phlae infused oil (T-YaSP) is a traditional Thai polyherbal formulation widely used for the treatment of chronic wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers. Although its clinical efficacy has been reported, the underlying pharmacological mechanisms and the stability of its traditional oil form remain insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity, wound-healing efficacy, and phytochemical stability of T-YaSP. Anti-inflammatory effects were assessed using a carrageenan-induced paw edema model, while wound healing was evaluated in non-diabetic Wistar and diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats using a full-thickness wound model. Key biomarkers, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), and collagen Types I and III, were quantified. A 6-month stability study was conducted to monitor major phytochemical markers (α-mangostin, curcumin, and arecoline). T-YaSP significantly reduced inflammatory mediators like tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2 and oxidative stress markers like myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde. Topical application accelerated wound closure in both models, achieving over 90% closure by Day 11. This effect was associated with increased VEGF and TGF-β1 expression and improved collagen remodeling. However, stability analysis revealed significant degradation of key phytochemicals over time. In conclusion, T-YaSP exhibits potent anti-inflammatory and wound-healing activities by modulating inflammatory and angiogenic pathways. However, the instability of its active constituents highlights the need for formulation optimization to ensure consistent therapeutic efficacy.

This study aimed to optimize microencapsulation conditions for Phy-Blica-O (PBO), a traditional Thai polyherbal tonic, and to assess the safety of its consumer-accepted herbal tea formulation, Phy-Blica-D (PBD). PBO decoction and its phenolic-rich extract were spray-dried at different inlet temperatures (140°C, 180°C) and maltodextrin-gum Arabic ratios. Encapsulation efficiency was highest at 140°C with maltodextrin alone, while antioxidant activity was greatest in microcapsules prepared at 180°C with a 6:4 maltodextrin to gum Arabic ratio, as shown by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. PBD demonstrated strong in vitro antioxidant activities and was subsequently assessed in a 90-day subchronic toxicity study in Wistar rats. No treatment-related mortality, clinical abnormalities, organ toxicity, or hematological or biochemical disruptions were seen at doses up to 300 mg/kg/day, indicating a NOAEL above this level. These findings suggest that optimized PBO microcapsules and the PBD tea blend are safe, antioxidant-rich functional ingredients with strong potential for commercialization in complementary and integrative medicine.

Background/Objectives: There is a growing interest in plant-derived antioxidants as functional food ingredients, given their potential to address oxidative stress-related diseases, notably neurodegenerative disorders. This study aims to investigate the antioxidant properties of medicinal plants that have been approved by the Thai FDA for dietary supplementation, with the goal of further utilizing them as food-functional ingredients to prevent neurodegenerative conditions. Methods: A systematic review-based methodology was employed on a list of 211 medicinal plants, and 21 medicinal plants were chosen based on their documented antioxidant activity and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory capacity. The 21 commercially available standardized extracts were subjected to evaluation for their phenolic and flavonoid content, as well as their antioxidant activities utilizing metal-chelating activity, DPPH, ABTS free radical scavenging, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and superoxide anion scavenging techniques. Results: Among the 21, six extracts—Bacopa monnieri, Camellia sinensis, Coffea arabica, Curcuma longa, Tagetes erecta, and Terminalia chebula—emerged as the most promising. These extracts exhibited elevated levels of phenolic (up to 1378.19 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram) and flavonoids, with Coffea arabica and Curcuma longa showing the strongest antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities, indicating their potential for use in functional foods aimed at delaying neurodegenerative diseases. Conclusions: Due to their high levels of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, along with strong metal-chelating abilities and significant free radical scavenging activities, these standardized extracts show potential for functional food applications that may help delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

With the growing consumer demand for natural functional ingredients that promote health and well-being while preventing age-related diseases, this study aimed to develop extruded snacks enriched with Curcuma longa (turmeric) microcapsules, recognized for their significant antioxidant properties. Unripe banana flour (Musa ABB cv. Kluai ‘Namwa’) and rice (Oryza sativa) flour were employed as a gluten-free base to create this novel extruded snack. Curcuma longa extract microcapsules were prepared using a spray-drying technique with varying core-to-wall ratios. Antioxidant capacities were assessed through DPPH, ABTS, superoxide radical scavenging, metal chelating, and ferric-reducing assays. The CM6 microcapsules, prepared at 140 °C with a 1:10 core-to-wall ratio, exhibited potent antioxidant activity, with 58.93 ± 3.31% inhibition for DPPH radicals, 87.58 ± 1.33% for ABTS, and 78.41 ± 1.40% for superoxide radicals. Snacks enriched with 0.25% CM6 microcapsules received high consumer acceptance, with an average liking score of 7.5 out of 9. These findings suggest that snacks made with these gluten-free flours and Curcuma longa microcapsules could be novel, convenient, and appealing functional food products that offer an attractive way to deliver antioxidant benefits with high consumer acceptance. Further research on evaluating the active constituents in the snack, its long-term health benefits, and shelf-life stability is recommended for commercialization.

This work aimed to explore the potential use of Rhodomyrtus tomentosa ethanol leaf extract (RTEL) as an alternative food preservative agent for controlling the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Antibacterial activities against food-isolated S. aureus were performed using disc diffusion and broth microdilution assays, followed by evaluating in vivo subacute oral toxicity of the extract. Salad dressing was used as a food model to study bactericidal properties and consumer acceptability. RTEL remarkably inhibited S. aureus with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 7.81–62.5 µg/mL. Repeated oral doses (5, 50, and 300 mg/kg RTEL) for 28 days did not affect any of the measured toxicity parameters. The no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) of RTEL was noted as more than 300 mg/kg body weight/day. The utilization of RTEL (12.5 mg/mL) in the vinaigrette salad dressing did not affect the consumer acceptability of the product, remarkably killed the pathogen within 3–9 h of exposure. The results indicated that RTEL is safe and effective as a natural anti-staphylococcal controlling agent that could be utilized in food systems. Further work is required on the effects of enterotoxin production, an important virulence factor of S. aureus responsible for food-borne disease.