Author Archives: thi tram anh nguyen

The Controversy Behind Neem Oil

Since 2012, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) of Health Canada has banned neem oil for its use as a pesticide, despite many benefits it brings in the agricultural field. Nonetheless, neem oil has been been the subject of intensive synthetic research for its impressive biological activity.

Neem oil is commonly known as a pesticide. (source)

 

What is neem oil?

Neem oil, or margosa oil, is an extracted vegetable oil from the neem tree’s seeds. The seeds are the richest source containing the naturally occurring pesticide called Azadirachtin.

Structure of Azadirachtin (source)

 

Benefits of neem oil

Azadirachtin is found to be an effective systemic pesticide and to have growth-disrupting effects against more than 200 insect species.

In an urban settings, neem oil is a great solution to a pest infestation. A bottle of neem oil will come in handy when your garden is infested by either mealybugs, thrips, aphids, fungus gnats, spidermites and more. Neem oil effectively eliminates every stage of the pest’s lifecycle, including eggs, larvae, pupas, and adults.

Mealybugs infestation (source)

Ladybugs, earthworms, and other beneficial insects are generally not affected by neem oil.

One other known benefit of neem oil is boosting the process of wound-healing and skin regeneration. Neem oil is also found to help calm eczema and psoriasis. These health benefits are due to neem oil’s components of fatty acids, limonoid, and vitamin E. 

Why banned neem oil?

Despite the proven advantages neem oil has, Health Canada said neem oil has not been certified and registered as a pest control product. The government hasn’t had sufficient evaluation to determine whether neem oil is safe to be used as a pesticide, nor the environmental risk it brings.

There are several case reports of neem oil poisoning in children and elderly caused by neem oil ingestion. These cases report symptoms of nausea, vomiting, seizures, kidney failure, restriction in blood supply to the brain. The long term effect of neem oil is also not clear.

 

 

Forensic science: chemists are detectives in lab coat

Ever wonder how evidence is processed from a crime scene?

In the 19th century, British chemist James Marsh first developed a forensic method for detecting arsenic. And just in a period of ten years, the Marsh test solved 98 poison related cases all over England and Wales. Since then, forensic chemistry has always been an important aspect in a criminal investigation.

Source: Wikimedia

 

Nowadays, different substances can be identified using familiar laboratory instruments such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Thin Layer Chromatography, High Performance Liquid Chromatography, and more. These identifications play a crucial part in a police investigation as they provide investigators with leads suggesting how a crime is committed.

 

 

Different body fluids detection through FTIR. Source: Ayari Takamura and others

 

Remember that scene in the movie where a crime scene investigator sprays chemical onto something, and then trace of blood becomes apparent? This is called Luminol test. In the presence of blood, luminol reacts by fluorescing, thus emitting a blue glow in a dark room. Luminol is a water-based solution that detects blood even after it has been diluted 10,000 times.

The Kastle–Meyer test is another blood detection test that is common in crime labs. Phenolphthalein reacts with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of hemoglobin to turn from colorless to pink.

One important branch of forensic science is toxicology. A toxicology test uses principle of analytical chemistry , biology, and the study of poisons to determine the identity and relative amount of substances presence in one’s body fluids. A tox screen can provide the police with valuable information to the nature of the investigation, such as poisoning, overdose, suicidal or homicidal.

A forensic scientist is Sherlock with a microscope!

Hyaluronic Acid – The New Skincare Regime

Hyaluronic Acid, a viscoelastic and highly hydrated macromolecule, is being praised by researchers of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) for its wide range of applications towards tissue healing and regeneration.

Not just by doctors and dermatologists, HA products become recognized and favoured by users all over the world nowadays.

In the science community, Hyaluronic acid(HA) has been around for quite a while. However, it only recently gain general public’s attention through extraordinary performance in the beauty industry.

Trended since 2021, the period when skincare users had lots of time to do our own research. Because of quarantine, a lot of us discovered our skin type, hence what was right for our skin. And us beauty gurus comes to love HA for its affordability, great benefits, importantly, its suitability toward dry, oily, and even sensitive skin.

What is Hyaluronic acid?

HA is commonly present in our household in the form of beauty products, eyedrops, topical medications, and more.

HA is a glycosaminoglycan that is nonsulfated and non-protein, which can be found in our skin, eyes, joints… Specifically, one HA molecule contains 2 unit of sugars, glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-glucosamine, connecting to another HA molecule creating a polymer.

HA serum from The Ordinary (Toronto-based) receives more than 32,000 reviews on Google, winning media attention for its low price, basic ingredients, and outstanding hydrating effect. Credit: DECIEM.

Why HA?

The nice thing about HA is its viscosity and elasticity, these two properties make HA a great lubricant, also, give it the ability to retain moisture and water.

In our daily life, HA’s moisture retention proves to be beneficial. One can build his or her skincare regime based on Hyaluronic Acid, from facial cleanser, exfoliator, to acne treatment such as toner (AHA/BHA), moisturizer and serum. The benefits of HA are unlimited, from skincare to hair products like shampoo and hair serum, supplements, and more.

In the medical field, HA is widely recommended by doctors and dermatologists for its great ability to heal tissues and regenerate new skin. According to scientists, HA is a highly promising material to explore the process of tissue engineering such as cardiac and cartilage repair.

Hyaluronic Acid – The new skincare regime

Hyaluronic acid(HA) has been around in the science community for quite a while, however, only recently gain recognition from the general public through its extraordinary performance in the beauty industry. Hyaluronic acid became trending in 2021, in the period where, because of Covid, skincare users have lots of time do our own research, thus learn about our skin type and what is right for our skin. Us beauty gurus comes to love HA for its affordability, great benefits, importantly, its suitability toward dry, oily, and even sensitive skin.

What is Hyaluronic acid (HA)? Commonly present in our household in the form of beauty products, eyedrops, topical medications, and more. HA is a glycosaminoglycan that is nonsulfated and non-protein, which can be found in our skin, eyes, joints… (1) Specifically, one HA molecule contains 2 unit of sugars, glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-glucosamine, connecting to another HA molecule creating a polymer. (3)

 

The nice thing about HA is its viscosity and elasticity, these two properties make HA a great lubricant, also, give it the ability to retain moisture and water. (2) In our daily life, HA’s moisture retention proves to be beneficial. Products such as moisturizers, skin/hair serum, toner (AHA/BHA), exfoliator, shampoo,… are various forms of hydrating treatments. In the medical field, HA is widely recommended by doctors and dermatologist for its great ability to heal tissues and regenerate new skin.