1. Tracing colophonium in consumer products
Ann-Therese Karlberg, Mhd-Hussam Albadr, Ulrika Nilsson Contact Dermatitis. 2021 Dec;85(6):671-678. doi: 10.1111/cod.13944. Epub 2021 Aug 8.
Background: Colophonium (rosin) can cause allergic contact dermatitis, mainly due to autoxidation of abietic acid (AbA). Products containing ≥0.1% colophonium should be labeled with EUH208 - "Contains rosin; colophony. May produce an allergic reaction." How should this be measured? Objective: To compare the results from different strategies for estimating colophonium levels in consumer products: (a) from AbA, and (b) the sum of all major resin acids. To investigate the ratio of 7-oxodehydroabietic acid (7-O-DeA)/AbA as indication of autoxidation. Methods: Resin acids were extracted from consumer products, derivatized, and then separated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Results: Resin acids were detected in 9 of 15 products. No product contained colophonium ≥0.1%. Estimation based on AbA resulted in underestimation of the colophonium levels in four of nine products. For three products, the obtained levels from this strategy were only one of two compared to when estimating from the sum of all resin acids. The ratio 7-O-DeA/AbA varied from 74% to 1.4%. Conclusions: We propose to measure colophonium based on the sum of all detectable major resin acids, including 7-O-DeA. The ratio of 7-O-DeA/AbA should be used as a marker of autoxidation, indicating an increased risk of sensitization. The presented analytical method is simple to use and suitable for further screening studies.
2. Biological Properties and Therapeutic Applications of Propolis
José M Sforcin Phytother Res. 2016 Jun;30(6):894-905. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5605. Epub 2016 Mar 14.
Propolis is a resinous material collected by bees from bud and exudates of the plants, mixed with bee enzymes, pollen and wax. In this review, the biological properties of propolis and some therapeutic applications are discussed. The same biological activities have been investigated until today, using samples from different geographic regions. Thus, the study of the biological properties of a given sample should always be associated with its chemical composition and botanical source, representing a particular sample of a given geographic area, exploring its biological potential and the role of its constituents. Efforts have been carried out to explain propolis' mechanisms of action in vivo and in vitro, but the majority of propolis' targets and actions are still unclear. The number of formulations containing propolis and patents have increased, although propolis extracts have been used deliberately with different recommendations, not always mentioning the chemical composition, vegetal source and the methods of extraction. Clinical studies will help to obtain criterious recommendations in view of the expected outcomes. Further investigation should explore the effects of common compounds found in the samples from all over the world in an attempt to standardize the research on propolis and to obtain new drugs.
3. Resin Glycosides from Convolvulaceae Family: An Update
Rani Maharani, Mohamad Fajar, Unang Supratman Molecules. 2022 Nov 23;27(23):8161. doi: 10.3390/molecules27238161.
Resin glycoside is a type of secondary metabolite isolated commonly from the Convolvulaceae family. It consists of oligosaccharides conjugated to organic acids with a larger percentage having a macrocyclic structure. The resin glycosides reported in this review is classified mostly based on the number of sugar units constructing the structure, which is correlated to the biological properties of the compounds. According to preliminary reviews, the protocols to isolate the compounds are not straightforward and require a special technique. Additionally, the structural determination of the isolated compounds needs to minimize the structure for the elucidation to become easier. Even though resin glycosides have a complicated structural skeleton, several total syntheses of the compounds have been reported in articles published from 2010 to date. This review is an update on the prior studies of the resin glycosides reported in 2010 and 2017. The review includes the classification, isolation techniques, structural determination, biological properties, and total synthesis of the resin glycosides.