Py GC/MS

The present investigation was carried out to determine the possible bioactive components of tuber of Ruellia tuberosa L. (Acanthaceae) using GC-MS analysis. Twenty five compounds were identified. The prevailing compounds in the ethanol extract of tuber of R. tuberosa were Lupeol (68.14%), Stigmasterol (8.89%), á-Sitosterol (3.99%), Sucrose (2.24%), Cholest-5-ene, 3-bromo-, (3á- (2.24%), Octadecane, 2-methyl- (2.10%), Nonadecane, 2-methyl- (1.93%), Eicosane, 2-methyl- (1.79%) Heptacosane (1.43%) and Heptacosane (1.29%).

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide and oxidative
stress  is  one  of  the  factors  responsible  for  causing  cancer.
Antioxidants  play  a  very  important  role  in  prevention  of  cancer.
Therefore,  efforts  have  been  made  to  identify  natural  antioxidants
having  anti-cancer  potential.  Various  herbs,  fruits and  vegetables
have diverse phytochemicals that display antioxidant properties and
help  in  reducing  the  risk  of  cancer.  Wheatgrass  has a  potent
antioxidant efficacy and has been used as a health drink to cure many
diseases in folk medicine. In the present study, anumber of solvent
extracts  of  wheatgrass  was  tested  for  their  antioxidant  ability.  The
most  effective  solvent  extract  was  further  evaluated  for  cytotoxic
effect in Hep2 cell lines and apoptotic induction was demonstrated by
propidium iodide (PI) fluorescent staining. The bioactive constituents
were  analysed  by  GC-MS.  Methanol  extract  (ME)  showed  the
highest  quantity  of  phenols  and  flavonoids.  PI  staining  showed
apoptotic  features  like  nuclear  fragmentation  and  chromatin
condensation  and  GC-MS  analysis  showed  the  presence of  nine
bioactive phytoconstituents in methanol extract. Hence we conclude
that  wheatgrass  has  good  antioxidant  and  cytotoxic  property  and
being  a  natural  product,  could  be  a  good  candidate  for  cancer
prevention and treatment.

Phyllanthus emblica  posses a vast ethnomedicinal history and
represents a large group of phytochemical reservoir of medicinal
uses. It is one of the ingredients used from time immemorial in
various ancient literatures like in “Ayurveda” and “Charka
Samhitha” as a potential ingredient for various ailments. The fruit
is studied for various phyto chemical constituents  like rich in
quercetin, gallic acid, tannins, flavonoids, pectin and Vitamin C
and also contains various polyphenolic compounds. A wide range
of phytochemical components from this plant have shown proven
results for biological activities like terpenoids,  alkaloids,
flavonoids and tannins. Many pharmacological studies also have
exhibited proven results for antioxidant, anticarcinogenic,
antitumour, antigenotoxic, antiinflamatory activities supporting its
traditional uses. In view of these studies the present work has been
focused on the GC–MS analysis of ethyl acetate extract of the bark
portion of the  P. emblica  which could be a possible source of
extracting the therapeutically useful products.

The age of a relatively old document is one of the pending issues to be resolved in the field of forensic documentary examination. Although nowadays there are a variety of analytical methodologies focused in the analysis of inks for dating documents, the paper analysis has attained little attention. This work aims to develop two complementary approaches for estimating the age of documents based on paper analysis employing the pyrolysis technique coupled to gas chromatography with detection by mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS): (i) a direct approach using the pyrolytic fingerprints and multivariate regression with artificially aged samples, and (ii) an indirect approach based on the identification of compounds characteristic of the document period. The direct approach has successfully allowed the age estimation of relatively old documents under police custody (up to 30 years of age) and the determination of a relation between the natural and the accelerated aging of paper under the used conditions. This approach is applicable to papers that have the same (or similar) composition and have been stored under comparable storage conditions. Additionally, the indirect approach is presented as an interesting perspective to ratify valuable information of the document age.

Hardwickia  binata Roxb.  (Fabaceae)  root  bark  exudate  has  been
traditionally used by tribes of Chitteri hills to cure breast cancer. The
main  objective  of  this  study  is  to  give  a  scientific  validation  to  the
traditional use of  H. binata. The root bark exudates of  H. binatawas
collected  from  Chitteri  hills,  shade  dried,  coarsely  powdered  and
extracted  with  methanol  using  soxhlet  apparatus.  The  Physico
chemical  properties,  qualitative  phytochemical  studies,  quantitative
phytochemical  studies  and  GC-MS  analysis  was  carried  out.  The
cytotoxic  effect  of  methanol  extract  of  H.binata root  bark  exudate
was  studied  against  cancer  cell  lines  by  MTT  assay. The
phytochemical studies indicated the presence of flavonoids, saponins,
phenols and tannins. GC-MS study also revealed the  presence of 22
organic compounds out of which 18 compounds were reported with
various activities and five compounds reported to possess anticancer
activity.  In  vitro  cytotoxic  activity  on  the  cell  lines  showed  more
degree of inhibition against African Green Monkey Kidney Epithelial
cells  (Vero),  Human  cervical  cancer  cell  lines  (HeLa)  and  Human
breast cancer cells (MCF-7).

For the first time, molecular evidence of the structural role played by succinic acid within the macromolecular structure of Class Ia and Class Id resinites is presented. Using a novel gas chromatographic methodology, communol (Class Ia) and ozol (Class Id) moieties within the polylabdane matrix are shown to be cross-linked with succinic acid. Samples were analysed using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with in situ HMDS derivatisation, using a thermal separation probe to perform the pyrolysis and sample introduction. The relatively slow rate of heating and prolonged pyrolysis of resinites using this new methodology, combined with the use of a mild derivatization reagent, allowed communol pyrolysates from Class Ia resinite and ozol pyrolysates from Class Id resinite to elute with unbroken succinyl ester cross-linkages. These results provide direct molecular evidence that the key role of succinic acid within Class Ia and Class Id resinite is to cross-link the macromolecular structure. In the Class Id resinite, the methodology also allowed the detection succinyl ester linkages between ozol pyrolysates and dehydroabietol, thus, demonstrating that non-polymerized diterpenes contribute structurally to the macromolecular structure of Class Id resinite.

Analytical pyrolysis (Py), especially when coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS), is a powerful
technique for the characterisation and identification of organic materials used in artwork. The thermal degradation of macromolecules
(for example, resins, lacquers, proteins, polysaccharides, oils, modern synthetic polymers, etc.) using heat (thermal energy) generates
smaller molecules (pyrolysis products) which are easier to identify and study. Some of these pyrolysis products are molecular markers
allowing the identification of a specific material despite the sample’s complexity. A micro-sample (50–100 mg) is destroyed during the analysis but the lack of sample preparation makes Py-GC-MS a very attractive techniquewith a much reduced analytical time and cost compared to other chromatographic methods.