Okara, an agro-industrial by product of soybean processing, is a potential source of flavonoids, particularly isoflavones. However, its large scale production often exceeds current utilization, resulting in its underexploitation. This study investigates the effect of ethanol-water solvent ratios on the total flavonoid content of dried okara powder and includes physicochemical characterization of the raw material. Extraction was carried out by maceration using ethanol-water mixtures (v/v) of 1:2 and 2:1. The total flavonoid content was 676.88 ± 15.66 µg/g dry weight for the 1:2 solvent system and 137.87 ± 0.53 µg/g dry weight for the 2:1 solvent system. These findings demonstrate that increasing the proportion of water in the solvent system enhances the extraction efficiency of flavonoids from okara.
Breast cancer is a malignant condition characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in breast tissue. Estrogen receptor-β have role as a tumor suppressor, so activating this receptor through specific agonists holds great promise for developing targeted and potential therapeutic agents for breast cancer treatment. This study aims to investigate the potential agonist activity of ten compounds of brown algae (Sargassum muticum) against estrogen-β receptors as candidates for breast cancer treatment through in-silico studies. The study was conducted using computational methods: Lipinski's Rule of Five (RO5) prediction, ADMET prediction, pharmacophore modeling, ligand and receptor preparation, method validation, molecular docking simulation and visualization. The results showed that of the 10 compounds evaluated from brown algae plants, all met the RO5 criteria, so they have potential as oral drug candidates. From the result, eckol compound has the smallest binding energy (-7.85) and inhibition constant (1.77 μM). Eckol interacts with several amino acid residues similarly to the way hydroxytamoxifen, the natural ligand, binds to estrogen-β. The study shows that Eckol has the potential to act as an estrogen receptor β agonist. However, further research, such as in vitro testing, is needed to confirm this agonistic activity.
Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, characterized by elevated total cholesterol and LDL levels. Statins, as first-line therapy, have certain limitations, highlighting the need for safer alternative candidates. Garlic (Allium sativum L.) contains various bioactive compounds with potential cholesterol-lowering activity. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of garlic active compounds as inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase using an in silico approach. The methods included Lipinski’s Rule of Five analysis, ADME-Tox prediction, pharmacophore modeling, and molecular docking using AutoDock against the HMG-CoA reductase receptor (PDB ID: 3CCW), with simvastatin as a positive control. The results showed that all tested compounds met the drug-likeness criteria. ADME-Tox prediction indicated favorable absorption and distribution profiles for most compounds, although potential mutagenicity was observed. Pharmacophore modeling and molecular docking results revealed that tryptophan exhibited the best binding affinity with a binding energy of −6.39 kcal/mol and an inhibition constant of 20.68 μM, along with amino acid interactions similar to simvastatin. Therefore, tryptophan has potential as a cholesterol-lowering drug candidate, although further studies are required to address its safety profile.
Pencemaran air merupakan salah satu permasalahan lingkungan utama yang disebabkan oleh aktivitas industri, terutama akibat keberadaan logam berat yang bersifat toksik, persisten, dan sulit terdegradasi. Logam berat seperti timbal (Pb), kadmium (Cd), dan nikel (Ni) termasuk pencemar prioritas karena berpotensi terakumulasi dalam lingkungan perairan dan membahayakan kesehatan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh waktu reaksi terhadap kinerja proses elektrokoagulasi dalam menurunkan konsentrasi logam berat pada air limbah artifisial sistem single komponen. Proses elektrokoagulasi dilakukan secara batch menggunakan elektroda aluminium dengan variasi waktu reaksi 15, 30, 45, 60, dan 75 menit pada kondisi operasi tetap. Parameter yang dianalisis meliputi konsentrasi akhir logam berat, efisiensi penghilangan, perubahan pH, dan konsumsi energi listrik. Konsentrasi logam berat dianalisis menggunakan metode Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa peningkatan waktu reaksi berpengaruh signifikan terhadap efisiensi penghilangan logam berat hingga mencapai kondisi optimum pada waktu reaksi 60 menit. Efisiensi penghilangan pada sistem single komponen mencapai lebih dari 90% untuk Pb serta mendekati 100% untuk Cd dan Ni. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa elektrokoagulasi berpotensi sebagai teknologi pengolahan air limbah yang efektif dan aplikatif.
Bio-oil is a raw material that can be produced in several ways, one of which is through the biomass pyrolysis process. Biomass pyrolysis has been widely studied previously and has shown promising results as an alternative fuel due to the lignocellulose in biomass. Production of shelled corn in Indonesia reaches 23.1 million tons and leaves waste in the form of corn cobs with a ratio of 1:1 corn to cob. This research aims to produce bio-Oil from corn cobs using varying residence times of 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 minutes. Corn cobs that have been uniform in size to 20 mesh will be inserted into the pyrolysis reactor at a temperature of 400oC for varying times. The highest yield was obtained at a size and residence time of 20 mesh 120 minutes of 72.4632% with a density of 1.3018 g/cm3, viscosity of 1.6712 mm2/s, and heating value of 6.640 Kcal/kg. The results of GC-MS analysis showed acetic acid levels of 37.49% and methyl esters of 22.19%.
