@article{GuentzelSchillingHanioetal.2020,
  author    = {G{\"u}ntzel, Paul and Schilling, Klaus and Hanio, Simon and Schlauersbach, Jonas and Schollmayer, Curd and Meinel, Lorenz and Holzgrabe, Ulrike},
  title     = {Bioinspired Ion Pairs Transforming Papaverine into a Protic Ionic Liquid and Salts},
  series = {ACS Omega},
  volume    = {5},
  journal   = {ACS Omega},
  number    = {30},
  doi       = {10.1021/acsomega.0c02630},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-230265},
  pages     = {19202-19209},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Microbial, mammalian, and plant cells produce and contain secondary metabolites, which typically are soluble in water to prevent cell damage by crystallization. The formation of ion pairs, for example, with carboxylic acids or mineral acids, is a natural blueprint to maintain basic metabolites in solution. Here, we aim at showing whether the mostly large carboxylates form soluble protic ionic liquids (PILs) with the basic natural product papaverine resulting in enhanced aqueous solubility. The obtained PILs were characterized by H-1-N-15 HMBC nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and in the solid state using X-ray powder diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and dissolution measurements. Furthermore, their supramolecular pattern in aqueous solution was studied by means of potentiometric and photometrical solubility, NMR aggregation assay, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, and viscosity measurements. Thereby, we identified the naturally occurring carboxylic acids, citric acid, malic acid, and tartaric acid, as being appropriate counterions for papaverine and which will facilitate the formation of PILs with their beneficial characteristics, like the improved dissolution rate and enhanced apparent solubility.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MasotaVoggOhlsenetal.2021,
  author    = {Masota, Nelson E. and Vogg, Gerd and Ohlsen, Knut and Holzgrabe, Ulrike},
  title     = {Reproducibility challenges in the search for antibacterial compounds from nature},
  series = {PLoS One},
  volume    = {16},
  journal   = {PLoS One},
  number    = {7},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0255437},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-260239},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Background Reproducibility of reported antibacterial activities of plant extracts has long remained questionable. Although plant-related factors should be well considered in serious pharmacognostic research, they are often not addressed in many research papers. Here we highlight the challenges in reproducing antibacterial activities of plant extracts. Methods Plants with reported antibacterial activities of interest were obtained from a literature review. Antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were tested using extracts' solutions in 10\% DMSO and acetone. Compositions of working solutions from both solvents were established using LC-MS analysis. Moreover, the availability of details likely to affect reproducibility was evaluated in articles which reported antibacterial activities of studied plants. Results Inhibition of bacterial growth at MIC of 256-1024 μg/mL was observed in only 15.4\% of identical plant species. These values were 4-16-fold higher than those reported earlier. Further, 18.2\% of related plant species had MICs of 128-256 μg/mL. Besides, 29.2\% and 95.8\% of the extracts were soluble to sparingly soluble in 10\% DMSO and acetone, respectively. Extracts' solutions in both solvents showed similar qualitative compositions, with differing quantities of corresponding phytochemicals. Details regarding seasons and growth state at collection were missing in 65\% and 95\% of evaluated articles, respectively. Likewise, solvents used to dissolve the extracts were lacking in 30\% of the articles, whereas 40\% of them used unidentified bacterial isolates. Conclusion Reproducibility of previously reported activities from plants' extracts is a multi-factorial aspect. Thus, collective approaches are necessary in addressing the highlighted challenges.},
  language  = {en}
}