Structure-Dependent Activity of Plant-Derived Sweeteners

Plant-Derived Agents with Anti-Glycation Activity

Plant-derived compounds in treatment of leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a neglected public health problem caused by the protozoan species belonging to the genus Leishmania affecting mostly the poor populations of developing countries. The causative organism is transmitted by female sandflies. Cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral clinical manifestations are the most frequent forms of leishmaniasis. Chemotherapy still relies on the use of pentavale...

Plant K+ channels: structure, activity and function.

Introduction In plants as in animals, K+ channel activity is the major determinant of cell membrane conductance [1,2]. Kt channels are therefore involved in central physiological processes such as setting the resting cell membrane potential, transducing signals and shaping action-potential waveforms. In addition, in plant cells, K t channel activity is thought to be involved in long-term fluxes...

Dynamic molecular structure of plant biomass-derived black carbon (biochar).

Char black carbon (BC), the solid residue of incomplete combustion, is continuously being added to soils and sediments due to natural vegetation fires, anthropogenic pollution, and new strategies for carbon sequestration ("biochar"). Here we present a molecular-level assessment of the physical organization and chemical complexity of biomass-derived chars and, specifically, that of aromatic carb...

Molecular mechanism of species-dependent sweet taste toward artificial sweeteners.

The heterodimer of Tas1R2 and Tas1R3 is a broadly acting sweet taste receptor, which mediates mammalian sweet taste toward natural and artificial sweeteners and sweet-tasting proteins. Perception of sweet taste is a species-selective physiological process. For instance, artificial sweeteners aspartame and neotame taste sweet to humans, apes, and Old World monkeys but not to New World monkeys an...