Biodiesel is a renewable fuel usually produced from vegetable oils and animal fats. This study investigates the extraction of oil and its conversion into biodiesel by base-catalyzed transesterification. Firstly, the effect of various solvents (methanol, n-hexane, chloroform, di-ethyl ether) on extraction of oil from non-edible crops, such as R. communis and M. azedarach, were examined. It was observed that a higher concentration of oil was obtained from R. communis (43.6%) as compared to M. azedarach (35.6%) by using methanol and n-hexane, respectively. The extracted oils were subjected to NaOH (1%) catalyzed transesterification by analyzing the effect of oil/methanol molar ratio (1:4, 1:6, 1:8 and 1:10) and varying temperature (20, 40, 60 and 80 °C) for 2.5 h of reaction time. M. azedarach yielded 88% and R. communis yielded 93% biodiesel in 1:6 and 1:8 molar concentrations at ambient temperature whereas, 60 °C was selected as an optimum temperature, giving 90% (M. azedarach) and 94% (R. communis) biodiesel. The extracted oil and biodiesel were characterized for various parameters and most of the properties fulfilled the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard biodiesel. The further characterization of fatty acids was done by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS) and oleic acid was found to be dominant in M. azedarach (61.5%) and R. communis contained ricinoleic acid (75.53%). Furthermore, the functional groups were analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The results suggested that both of the oils are easily available and can be used for commercial biodiesel production at a cost-effective scale.

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/10/4/427/pdf

Biodiesel Production from Melia azedarach and Ricinus communis Oil by Transesterification Process

Allelopathy is gaining popularity worldwide probably for decreasing the cost of production and environment friendly weed suppressing approach. Repeated field studies conducted during 2011-12 and 2012-13 at Agricutural Research Institute Tarnab, Peshawar, Pakistan where allelopathic water extracts of Oryza sativa, Parthenium hysterophorus, Phragmites australis and Datura alba along with reduced doses of phenoxaprop-p-ethyl and bromoxinil+MCPA were tested for controlling weeds in wheat. It was observed that weed density was encouragly suppressed whereas spike length (cm), number of spikelets spike -1 and 1000 grain weight (g) of the wheat were improved when the allelopathic plant water extracts were used in combination with lower doses of herbicides. Thus, allelochemicals provide weed suppressing option in wheat. However, more studies are required to fully explore the possibility of weed management and isolation of the chemicals involved in weed suppression for environment friendly weed management in wheat. Such studies may decrease the cost of crop production and total use of herbicides.

Reduced herbicide doses in combination with allelopathic plant extracts suppress weeds in wheat

Tephrosia apollinea is a leguminous plant and is native to southwest Asia, Arabia, northwestern India and northeast Africa. In traditional system, it is used for medicinal and coloring purpose. The present study aims to explore the phytochemical, proximate analysis, element contents and antioxidant potential of T. apollinea extract. The phytochemical screening was done with qualitative methods. Proximate analysis and elemental composition were performed from powdered sample. In vitro antioxidant assays such as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and reducing power-scavenging assays were used for evaluating the antioxidant properties. Qualitative screening of methanolic extract of T. apollinea showed the presence of alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides and saponins. The methanolic extract of T. apollinea exhibited a significant dose dependent inhibition of DPPH activity, with a 50% inhibition (IC50) at a concentration found to be 29.41 µg/ml, which was compared with standard GAE (IC50 = 31.09 μg/ml). The reducing power shows good linear relationship in both standard gallic acid (R2 = 0.956) and T. apollinea extract (0.984). The results of our study clearly suggested that the methanolic extract of T. apollinea may serve as potential source of natural antioxidant for nutraceutical application.

/pdf/medicinally-active-principles-analysis-of-tephrosia-19ibf0dt51.pdf

Medicinally active principles analysis of Tephrosia apollinea (Delile) DC. growing in the United Arab Emirates

This research aimed to characterize the physicochemical and nutraceutical composition from two Mexican R. communis L. leaves accessions (R1 and R2) to valorize their use as a source of macromolecules, minerals, and bioactive compounds. The physicochemical (proximal composition, X-ray fluorescence and diffraction, FT-IR, and SEM) and nutraceutical composition (phenolic compounds and mono/oligosaccharides, GC–MS, untargeted metabolomics, and in silico interactions) were conducted for the analysis of the leaves. Both accessions exhibited a high amount of protein (41.70–39.58%) and ash (11.81–12.51%). The untargeted metabolomic profiled a major impact on antioxidative pathways. Compared to R1, R2 showed a higher (p < 0.05) content of ellagic and p-coumaric acids and catechin. Correlations with the in vitro antioxidant capacity and in silico analysis suggested ellagic acid, (+)-catechin, and ricin as candidates for the antioxidant potential. The mineral characterization highlighted calcium and potassium as the most abundant minerals, both confirmed by the SEM analysis. The FTIR spectra of the leaves partially identified the presence of ricin and ricinine, major protein and alkaloid, respectively, of the leaves. These results indicate that R. communis L. leaves are an attractive by-product that can serve as an alternative source for the obtention of protein, minerals, and antioxidant compounds.

Valorization of Mexican Ricinus communis L. Leaves as a Source of Minerals and Antioxidant Compounds

Medicinal properties of Equisetum arvense L. have been recognised since ancient times and are used in the treatment of various diseases. It is reported to contain 5-8 % elemental silica. Recently, silica has been reported to promote collagen synthesis and help bone mineralization. It was therefore hypothesized that its inclusion to the basic supplement of calcium, vitamin D, and zinc may prove beneficial to osteoporotic patients. The present study was thus undertaken. Its nutritional activity and radical scavenging potential were also included in the study as these are other aspects reported to help patients of osteoporosis. The results show that ethanolic extract of aerial parts of E. arvense may prove beneficial in the anabolic treatment of osteoporosis by boosting bone formation activity.

/pdf/evaluation-of-proximate-free-radical-scavenging-activity-and-4w90bzm5jw.pdf

Evaluation of proximate, free radical scavenging activity, and phytochemical analysis of Equisetum Arvense L. extracts

The aim of this study was to find out the nutritional value of some selected plants of family Zygophyllaceae and Euphorbiaceae which are traditionally used in different parts of Pakistan. The five plants Fagonia cretica L., Peganum harmala L., Tribulus terrestris L., Chrozophora tinctoria (L.) Raf. and Ricinus communis L., were collected from Peshawar and Attock Hills during winter, 2009. In the present study it was found that the mean values exhibited that Peganum harmala excelled in high moisture contents, fat, carbohydrate, protein than Fagonia cretica and Tribulus terrestris L. Peganum harmala might be considered a good nutritive plant followed by Fagonia cretica that contained the highest fibre. The Tribulus terrestris also contained maximum protein and gross energy. The differences found in the proximate composition of these medicinal plants might be attributed to the habitat, environment and time of harvest. Chrozophora tinctoria and R. communis revealed variation in various analyzed biochemicals. The mean values showed that C. tinctoria had high moisture, ash, fibre and carbohydrate than its counterpart R. communis. Ricinus communis had more protein, fats and gross energy than C. tinctoria. The cultivation of R. communis should be encouraged on large scale for the development of biodiesel that will help people. Its seeds can be helpful for pharmaceutical, insecticidal and food industries.

/pdf/proximate-analysis-of-plants-of-family-zygophyllaceae-and-10hlyj0q16.pdf

Fatima Khattak

Papers

Proximate analysis of plants of family Zygophyllaceae and Euphorbiaceae during winter