M. Moustapha Bah

Autonomous University of Queretaro · Facultad de Química

Los carotenoides son nutrientes esenciales para el ser humano, ya que ayudan a mantener una buena salud y a prevenir diversas enfermedades. La presencia de estos compuestos en la leche materna contribuye al desarrollo neurológico y, en específico, algunos actúan como precursores de la vitamina A, una razón más para considerarla el mejor alimento pa...

Three xanthophylls [(3R,3′R,6′R)-lutein (1), (3R,3′S)-zeaxanthin (2), and (3R,3′S)-astaxanthin (3)] were used for the first time as initiators in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of 3-caprolactone (CL) catalyzed by tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate [Sn(Oct)2] for the synthesis of novel sustainable xanthophyll-containing poly(e- caprolactone)s (xanthoph...

Red Drupelet Reversion (RDR) in blackberry is a physiological disorder where numerous fruit drupelets regress to red from black color during post-harvest handling. The specific mechanism causing RDR is still unknown; however, numerous studies have suggested that anthocyanin contents could be involved in this phenomenon. Recently, it has been report...

Castor bean (Ricinus communis) seeds contain ricinine, an alkaloid with insecticidal and insectistatic activities. Elicitation with salicylic acid (SA) has proven to stress R. communis and might modify the ricinine concentration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of ricinine in the bagasse of seeds from R. communis elicited wi...

The development of sustainable extraction methods to obtain natural products constitutes a challenge for the food industry. The aim of this work was to compare yield, separation efficiency, chemical composition, and physicochemical properties of the mucilage extracted from fresh cladodes (FNM) and mucilage extracted from dehydrated cladodes (DNM) o...

There is still an incomplete defined number of the members of the genus Crataegus (hawthorn) (Rosaceae). Phipps and co-workers estimated between 150 and 200, Tassel and collaborators, 300, while others provide different numbers of species. Most of these plants are employed worldwide in traditional, and now as adjuvants in modern medicines, for the...

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), infests more than 80 crop species and is the principal pest of maize (Zea mays L. (Poaceae) in Mexico. Although insecticides are used to control the pest, they can cause environmental damage and negatively affect human health. Essential oils are an alternate for managing th...

Spodoptera frugiperda J. E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (fall armyworm) is a pest native to the Americas that affects a variety of crops. Its control is based on chemical insecticides. However, this practice has been associated with changes in the susceptibility of pests to various insecticides. The use of plant products represents an eco-friend...

Background and Objectives: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of cancer in childhood. The majority of patients respond to treatment, but those with resistant phenotypes suffer relapse or death. The antifolate methotrexate (MTX) is the most commonly used drug against ALL due to its efficacy. Once inside leukemic cells, MTX is...

A series of twenty segmented poly(ester-urethane)s (PEUs) were synthesized, by the reaction of four different macrodiols derived from ε-caprolactone (CL) and 1,8-octanediol (Oct), 1,6−hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), and three different carotenoids, (3R,3´R,6´R)−lutein (1) obtained from a renewable source such as marigold (Tagetes erecta L.), (3R,...

The aim of this work was to evaluate the larvicidal activity of the chloroform extract of Senna crotalarioides against S. frugiperda. The chloroform extract of S. crotalarioides caused significant larval mortality, and reduced pupal weight and adult emergence. The analysis by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed the pr...

Carotenoids are natural compounds that have important roles in promoting and maintaining human health. Synthetic astaxanthin is a highly requested product by the aquaculture industry, but natural astaxanthin is not. Various strategies have been developed to synthesize this carotenoid. Nonetheless, these approaches have not only provided limited glo...

The vasorelaxing effect of the methanol extract of the flowers of Crataegus gracilior, a Mexican medicinal plant used to treat some cardiovascular diseases, was assessed, and its possible chemical markers identified. The extract produced a potent vasodilator effect on isolated rat aortic rings (EC50 = 1.83 ± 1.39 µg/mL; Emax = 100 ± 3.4%). Vitexin,...

A casein micelle is a natural structure found in milk, based on the association between individual caseins and colloidal calcium phosphate, which can be used as vehicle for the encapsulation of hydrophobic compounds. In this project the capacity of micelles to encapsulate sesamol, a powerful antioxidant present in roasted sesame seeds, was evaluate...

Arterial hypertension is one of the main risk factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it is important to look for new drugs to treat hypertension. In this study, we carried out the screening of 19 compounds (triterpenes, diterpenes, sesquiterpenes, lignans, and flavonoids) isolated from 10 plants used in Mexican traditiona...

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) has been extensively used as animal feed, due to its fiber, protein, minerals, and vitamins, being also a useful source of phenolic compounds with potential therapeutic benefits. Nevertheless, its potential use as human ingredient is scarce. The aim of this work was to assess the nutritional composition, amino acid profile...

Aerial parts of Medicago sativa L. have been used as food and its consumption has been associated with health benefits, one among the most important being menopausal symptoms control. This work was aimed to explore possible pharmacological effects of two new alfalfa-derived products that have recently emerged as daily beverage preparations. In expl...

RESUMEN. El maíz es el principal cultivo y fuente de alimentación en México, sin embargo presenta grandes daños y pérdidas económicas debido a diversas plagas. Una de ellas es el gusano cogollero del maíz Spodoptera frugiperda. Para su control se usan insecticidas químicos sintéticos de manera excesiva e indiscriminada, trayendo como consecuencia u...

The frequent use of plant-based products to promote health leads to the search for scientific information related to efficacy and safety of those products for human consumption. Two alfalfa-derived products (ADP), freeze-dried juice (FDJ) and dehydrated powder (DP), from alfalfa harvested in Mexico, are being developed as new possible nutraceutical...

As a continuous effort to find new natural products with potential herbicide activity, flavonoids acacetin (1), chrysin (2) and 4',7-dimethylnarangenin (3) were isolated from a propolis sample collected in the rural area of Mexico City and their effects on the photosynthesis light reactions and on the growth of Lolium perenne, Echinochloa crus-gall...

Background: Crataegus mexicana, Hyptis albida, Larrea tridentata, Ocimum baislicum, Prunus serotina, and Smilax spp. are used in Mexican traditional medicine to treat respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases such as flu, cough, diarrhea, dysentery, and other parasitic or microbial infections. Therefore this study was aimed at the pharmacological p...

Background: Crataegus mexicana, Hyptis albida, Larrea tridentata, Ocimum baislicum, Prunus serotina, and Smilax spp. are used in Mexican traditional medicine to treat respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases such as flu, cough, diarrhea, dysentery, and other parasitic or microbial infections. Therefore this study was aimed at the pharmacological p...

Millepora complanata is a cnidarian widely distributed in the coral reefs of the Mexican Caribbean. This species is popularly known as “fire coral”, since contact with it causes severe pain, skin eruptions and blisters. Intravenous administration of of M. complanata aqueous extract induces violent convulsions and death in mice within 1 min (LD50 =...

Analyses of calcium compounds in cladodes, soluble dietary fiber (SDF), and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) of Opuntia ficus indica are reported. The characterization of calcium compounds was performed by using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy an...

This study focused on the assessment of the vasorelaxant activity of the organic and aqueous extracts obtained from leaves and fruits of a Mexican hawthorn (Crataegus gracilior) on isolated rat aorta, and on the purification and identification of some of their secondary metabolites by the use of chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The res...

Due to low yields, organic agriculture cannot satisfy the global demand for food, although it can provide products of higher nutraceutical quality. The objective of this research was to incorporate vermicompost leachates (VCLs) into an irrigation system during tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Rafaello) cultivation to evaluate their effects on the l...

Background: Methanol extracts and alkaloid fractions of different parts of four plant species belonging to Solanaceae family and used in Mexican traditional medicine were investigated for their total phenolic contents, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Materials and methods: The total phenolic compounds of each extract was determined...

The chemical constituents of the hexane and methanol extracts obtained from the branch bark of Bursera simaruba (Burseraceae) grown in Querétaro, Mexico, were investigated by GC-MS, HPLC coupled to DAD, and NMR techniques. Seventeen compounds, including terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, long-chain fatty acids (FA), methyl esters of FA and suc...

A phytochemical study of the methanol-soluble fraction of an aqueous extract of a sample of Psittacanthus calyculatus collected from the host plant Prosopsis laevigata (Smooth Mesquite) using several techniques, including co-chromatography coupled with UV detection, chromatographic purifications and IR, NMR and MS studies, resulted in the identific...

This study demonstrated that the aqueous extracts of plants employed in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases are able to modify the tone of arterial smooth muscle. Agastache mexicana (Kunth) Lint & Epling (Labiatae), Chenopodium murale L. (Chenopodiaceae), Chirantodendron pentadactylon Larreat (Sterculiaceae), D...

The main antinutritional factors (tannins, saponins, and phytates) and haemolytic activity of 13 fodder weeds used as animal feed in rural areas of the state of Querétaro, Mexico, were studied. A wide variation was observed for phytates (0.47–4.48 g/100 g of dry plant material as phytic acid equivalent), tannins (0.08–5.1 g/100 g of dry plant mater...

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Purgative convolvulaceous resin glycosides are a family of amphipatic polysaccha- rides exhibiting potent, broad-spectrum of bactericidal and cytotoxic activities. In an attempt to unravel the mechanism of action of this class of biodynamic com- pounds, we studied the interaction of selected members from the tricolorin series, major constituents of...

Many wild weeds are used in Mexico as fodder. Due to their economic value, this investigation was undertaken to determine the chemical composition of 14 species. The mineral, crude protein, fiber, and total phenolic content, as well as the antioxidant activity, was determined. There was a significant variation in the mineral content among the 14 we...

Purification of a CHCl3-soluble extract from seeds of the Mexican medicinal arborescent morning glory, Ipomoea intrapilosa, by means of preparative-scale recycling HPLC, yielded seven new resin glycosides, intrapilosins I-VII (1-7). Their structures were established through the interpretation of their NMR spectroscopic and FABMS data. All pentasacc...

Common beans are rich in phenolic compounds, which can provide health benefits to the consumer. The objective of this work was to study the relationship among antimutagenicity, antioxidant and enzymatic activities of methanolic extract and trolox by principal components multivariate analysis. Antimutagenicity of phenolic compounds present in methan...

Jalap, a pre-Hispanic herbal remedy still considered a useful laxative, is an ingredient in some over-the-counter products sold by herbalists in contemporary Mexico. The purgative crude drugs are prepared from the roots of several morning glories species which all have been identified as members of the Ipomoea genus (Convolvulaceae). Their incorpor...

Sixteen convolvulaceous glycolipids selected from the tricolorin (1 - 7) and orizabin (8 - 16) series, proved to be strong in vitro inhibitors of the enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of 1,3-beta-D-glucan, a major polymer of fungal cell-walls. Results provide an insight into function of the specific structures of these complex macrocyclic lactone...

Bioassay directed fractionation of the (1:1) chloroform-methanol extract of Gentiana spathacea H.B.K (Gentianaceae) led to the isolation of gentiopicroside (gentiopricrin) (1), the major spasmolytic component of the plant. Gentiopicroside inhibited, in a concentration-dependent manner, the spontaneous contractions of isolated guinea pig ileum. Cont...

The present study was performed to investigate the effect of chloroform-methanol (1:1) extracts derived from Baccharis heterophylla H. B. K (Asteraceae), Desmodium grahami Gray (Leguminosae), Dyssodia pinnata var. pinnata Rob. (Asteraceae), Gentiana spathacea H. B. K. (Gentianaceae), Loeselia mexicana Brand. (Polemoniaceae), Selaginella pallescens...

An extensive structural investigation using high field NMR spectroscopy and FAB mass spectrometry led to the characterization of tricolorins F-J, minor phytogrowth inhibitor glycolipids purified by recycling HPLC from the resins of Ipomoea tricolor Cav. (Convolvulaceae). The potential of various two-dimensional NMR techniques in deducing informatio...

Extensive NMR and FAB-MS studies have led to the characterization of tricolorins A-E, major phytogrowth inhibitors present in the allelopathic glycoresin of Ipomoea tricolor Cav. (Convolvulaceae). The purification of these tetraglycosides was successfully achieved by an amino bonded-phase HPLC methodology. Tricolorins B-D differed from the previous...

A study of the hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) contained in Packera candidissima (Greene) Weber & Löve (Senecio candidissimus Greene), a Mexican medicinal plant used for the treatment of kidney ailments and noted for its antiseptic properties, is reported. Analysis by TLC and GC-MS have shown the presence in high levels of both PAs and th...