In this study, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities in citrus fruits and their peels were determined, and their stimulatory roles on some lactic acid bacteria were investigated. Phenolic compounds in citrus fruits such as mandarin, lemon, orange and grapefruit were determined either in the juices or in the peel extracts. Total phenolic content was determined in a spectrophotometer at 685 nm using the adapted Folin-Ciocalteu method. Total flavonoid content was measured using LC/MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry). The effects of the fruit juices and peel extracts on the selected lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus delbrueckii NRRL B5448, Lb. casei NRRL B1922, Lb. acidophilus NRRL B4495) were investigated. The tested lactic acid bacteria were significantly affected by chlorogenic acid, hesperidin, naringin and caffeic acid compared to the control samples (P?0.05). Antioxidant properties of fruit samples were also measured using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method. The phenolics positively affected the metabolism of bacteria, with the stimulatory effects of the assayed samples being influenced by the phenolic profile.

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from Melissa officinalis L. subsp. officinalis (lemon balm) was partially purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation and dialysis; and then it was characterised in detail in terms of pH and temperature optima, thermal stability, kinetic parameters, and inhibition properties. Based on experimental results, it was found out that (i) the optimum pH and temperature values of PPO were 6.5, 4.0, and 8.5 and 40, 50, and 60°C for catechol, 4-methylcatechol and pyrogallol substrates, respectively; (ii) the best substrate was pyrogallol due to the highest V max /K m value, followed by catechol and 4-methylcatechol; (iii) enzyme activity decreased due to heat denaturation of the enzyme with increasing temperature and inactivation time for all substrates; (vi) gallic acid and l-glutamic acid did not inhibit PPO; and (v) the most effective inhibitor was glutathione. Furthermore, the phenolic and protein contents of lemon balm extract were also determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu and Bradford methods, respectively.

The nanocomposite hydrogels were prepared by dispersing of the nanopomegranate seed particles into poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) blend matrix in an aqueous medium by the solvent casting method. These hydrogels were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, and optical contact angle instruments. The nanopomegranate seed, blend, and hydrogel nanocomposites were tested for microbial activity. In addition, cytocompatibilities of these blend and hydrogel nanocomposites/composites were tested on human lymphocyte with in vitro MTS cell viability assays. Fourier transform infrared spectra revealed that esterification reaction took place among functional groups in the structure of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(acrylic acid). The hydrophilic properties of all hydrogels decreased with increasing nanopomegranate seed content. The mean diameters of the nanopomegranate seed particles were about 88 nm. Nanopomegranate seed particles demonstrated antibacterial properties against gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, and gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli. The lymphocyte viabilities increased after addition of nanopomegranate seeds into the polymer blend. The swelling behavior of blend and hydrogels was dependent on the cross-linking density created by the reaction between poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) blend and nanopomegranate seed. Scanning electron microscopy images were highly consistent with Fourier transform infrared spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, and antibacterial activity results.

In this study, it was aimed to synthesize hydrogel based antibacterial, biocompatible and non-toxic wound dressing materials by solvent removal method usingpoly(vinylalcohol) (PVA), poly(vinylpyrolidone) (PVP) and nano pomegranate seed (PN).The morphology, swelling capacity, contact angle, antibacterial activity, biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of the synthesized films were determined. From the experimental findings, it was found that the PN particles were nano-sized, showed homogeneous and spherical distribution and improved the hydrophobic properties of the materials obtained by the addition of PN. And also, their swelling capacities were decreased with increased PN amount and all of the materials showed similar antibacterial activity, hemocompatibility and cytotoxicity.

The aim of this study was to investigate the structural, thermal, optical and biocompatibility properties of poly(acrylic acid)(PAA)/organo-modified nanohydroxyapatite (OM-nHAp) nanocomposites synthesized by solvent intercalation method. The characterization of PAA/OM-nHAp nanocomposites was made by different techniques. SEM and TEM results showed that OM-nHAp particles were dispersed in the nanoscale into PAA matrix and that they were uniformly distributed within film. Glass transition temperature of PAA increased with OM-nHAp content. Ultraviolet (UV) absorbance experiments showed that PAA had a higher UV transmission than its nanocomposites. The biocompatibility of nanocomposites was also examined in simulated body fluid.