Phenolic compounds in plants and agri-industrial by-products: Antioxidant activity, occurrence, and potential uses

Flavonoid-Loaded Biomaterials in Bone Defect Repair

Skeletons play an important role in the human body, and can form gaps of varying sizes once damaged. Bone defect healing involves a series of complex physiological processes and requires ideal bone defect implants to accelerate bone defect healing. Traditional grafts are often accompanied by issues such as insufficient donors and disease transmission, while some bone defect implants are made of natural and synthetic polymers, which have characteristics such as good porosity, mechanical properties, high drug loading efficiency, biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, their antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and bone repair promoting abilities are limited. Flavonoids are natural compounds with various biological activities, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory and analgesic. Their good anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant activities make them beneficial for the treatment of bone defects. Several researchers have designed different types of flavonoid-loaded polymer implants for bone defects. These implants have good biocompatibility, and they can effectively promote the expression of angiogenesis factors such as VEGF and CD31, promote angiogenesis, regulate signaling pathways such as Wnt, p38, AKT, Erk and increase the levels of osteogenesis-related factors such as Runx-2, OCN, OPN significantly to accelerate the process of bone defect healing. This article reviews the effectiveness and mechanism of biomaterials loaded with flavonoids in the treatment of bone defects. Flavonoid-loaded biomaterials can effectively promote bone defect repair, but we still need to improve the overall performance of flavonoid-loaded bone repair biomaterials to improve the bioavailability of flavonoids and provide more possibilities for bone defect repair.

Extractives from Artemisia afra with Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Fungal Properties

Secondary metabolites were isolated using chromatographic techniques after being extracted sequentially from the roots of Artemisia afra using organic solvents such as ethanol, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, and n-hexane. The isolated compounds were evaluated for anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and cytotoxicity activities. Spectroscopic techniques, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), were used to elucidate the structures of the isolated compounds. The phytochemical investigation of A. afra led to the isolation of eight (A-H) compounds which were identified as 3β-taraxerol (A), 3β-taraxerol acetate (B), dodecyl-p-coumarate (C), ferulic acid (D), scopoletin (E), sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (F), 3,5-di-O-feruloylquinic acid (G) and Isofraxidin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (H) based on spectroscopic data. Compounds A, B, C, F, G, and H are known but were isolated for the first time from the roots of A. afra. The isolated compounds and extracts from A. afra exhibited good anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activity with dichloromethane and ethyl acetate crude extracts (0.078 mg/mL) and compound E (62.5 µg/mL) showed good activities against Escherichia coli. Compounds C and F also showed good activity against Enterococcus faecalis with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 62.5 and 31.25 µg/mL, respectively. Extracts and compounds (A-H) exhibited anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties and showed no toxicity when tested on Vero monkey kidney (Vero) cells.

Heterologous codA Gene Expression Leads to Mitigation of Salt Stress Effects and Modulates Developmental Processes

Transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing the choline oxidase gene from A. globiformis showed an increase in resistance at the level of primary and secondary biosynthesis of metabolites, removing the damage characteristic of salinity and stabilizing the condition of plants. We used 200 mM NaCl, which inhibits the growth of tobacco plants at all stages of development. Leaves of transgenic and wild-type (WT) plants Nicotiána tabácum were used for biochemical, cytological and molecular biological analysis. However, for transgenic lines cultivated under normal conditions (without salinity), we noted juvenile characteristics, delay in flowering, and slowing down of development, including the photosynthetic apparatus. This caused changes in the amount of chlorophyll, a delay in the plastid grana development with the preservation of prolamellar bodies. It also caused changes in the amount of sugars and indirectly downstream processes. A significant change in the activity of antioxidant enzymes and a change in metabolism is probably compensated by the regulation of a number of genes, the expression level of which was also changed. Thus, the tolerance of transgenic tobacco plants to salinity, which manifested itself as a result of the constitutive expression of codA, demonstrates an advantage over WT plants, but in the absence of salinity, transgenic plants did not have such advantages due to juvenilization.

Antimicrobial Peptides: The Production of Novel Peptide-Based Therapeutics in Plant Systems

The increased prevalence of antibiotic resistance is alarming and has a significant impact on the economies of emerging and underdeveloped nations. The redundancy of antibiotic discovery platforms (ADPs) and injudicious use of conventional antibiotics has severely impacted millions, across the globe. Potent antimicrobials from biological sources have been extensively explored as a ray of hope to counter the growing menace of antibiotic resistance in the population. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are gaining momentum as powerful antimicrobial therapies to combat drug-resistant bacterial strains. The tremendous therapeutic potential of natural and synthesized AMPs as novel and potent antimicrobials is highlighted by their unique mode of action, as exemplified by multiple research initiatives. Recent advances and developments in antimicrobial discovery and research have increased our understanding of the structure, characteristics, and function of AMPs; nevertheless, knowledge gaps still need to be addressed before these therapeutic options can be fully exploited. This thematic article provides a comprehensive insight into the potential of AMPs as potent arsenals to counter drug-resistant pathogens, a historical overview and recent advances, and their efficient production in plants, defining novel upcoming trends in drug discovery and research. The advances in synthetic biology and plant-based expression systems for AMP production have defined new paradigms in the efficient production of potent antimicrobials in plant systems, a prospective approach to countering drug-resistant pathogens.

Skincare potential of a sustainable postbiotic extract produced through sugarcane straw fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Postbiotics are defined as a "preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host." They can be produced by fermentation, using culture media with glucose (carbon source), and lactic acid bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus, and/or yeast, mainly Saccharomyces cerevisiae as fermentative microorganisms. Postbiotics comprise different metabolites, and have important biological properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, etc.), thus their cosmetic application should be considered. During this work, the postbiotics production was carried out by fermentation with sugarcane straw, as a source of carbon and phenolic compounds, and as a sustainable process to obtain bioactive extracts. For the production of postbiotics, a saccharification process was carried out with cellulase at 55°C for 24 h. Fermentation was performed sequentially after saccharification at 30°C, for 72 h, using S. cerevisiae. The cells-free extract was characterized regarding its composition, antioxidant activity, and skincare potential. Its use was safe at concentrations below ~20 mg mL-1 (extract's dry weight in deionized water) for keratinocytes and ~ 7.5 mg mL-1 for fibroblasts. It showed antioxidant activity, with ABTS IC50 of 1.88 mg mL-1 , and inhibited elastase and tyrosinase activities by 83.4% and 42.4%, respectively, at the maximum concentration tested (20 mg mL-1 ). In addition, it promoted the production of cytokeratin 14, and demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity at a concentration of 10 mg mL-1 . In the skin microbiota of human volunteers, the extract inhibited Cutibacterium acnes and the Malassezia genus. Shortly, postbiotics were successfully produced using sugarcane straw, and showed bioactive properties that potentiate their use in cosmetic/skincare products.

Dietary Fruit By-Products Improve the Physiological Status of Nile Tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus) and the Quality of Their Meat

By-products from fruit industrialization retain nutritional and functional components; thus, they may find use in animal feeding. This study aimed to assess the effects of dietary fruit industrial by-products on the tilapias blood biochemical and oxidative parameters and on the composition and lipid peroxidation of their fillets. Four diets were supplied to the tilapias: a C-control diet, with no fruit meal, and three diets containing 5% of either acerola (ACM), apple (APM) or grape (GRM) meal. The phenolic compounds and the carotenoids in the meals and their antioxidant capacities were measured. Fish were weighed and measured for the calculation of the growth performance data, their blood was analyzed for health and oxidative status biomarkers and their fillets were analyzed for proximal composition and lipid peroxidation. Grape meal had the highest concentration of phenolics and carotenoids and the highest antioxidant activity, followed by acerola and apple meals. The productive performance was similar among the treatments. The fruit by-product diets either maintained or improved the biochemical biomarkers of health and improved the oxidative status of the fish. The fruit by-product diets increased the concentration of lipids in the fillets and slowed down the onset of the lipid peroxidation during frozen storage.

The Role of Algae Extract (Ulva lactuca and Solieria chordalis) in Fishmeal Substitution in Gibel Carp (Carrassius auratus gibeilo)

The function of algae extract (AE) in fishmeal (FM) substitution with plant proteins in the diets of Gibel carp (Carrassius auratus gibeilo) was investigated during a 56-day trial. Diets 1 and 2 contained 10% FM, Diets 3 and 4 contained 5% FM, and Diet 5 and 6 contained 0% FM. In contrast, Diets 2, 4, and 6 were supplemented with 0.2% AE. The results showed that FM reduction inhibited growth performance, while AE supplementation alleviated growth inhibition. FM reduction significantly decreased the crude protein levels of the whole body, while the contents of whole-body lipids were significantly decreased with AE supplementation. There were no significant changes in ALB, ALP, ALT, AST, TP, GLU, GLU, and TC in plasma. FM reduction with AE supplementation mitigated the decrease in antioxidant capacity by heightening the activity of antioxidant enzymes and related gene expressions, which mitigated the decrease in immune capacity by affecting the expression of inflammatory factors. In summary, AE supplementation could alleviate the negative effects of FM reduction in Gibel carp.

Pachira macrocarpa Schltdl. & Cham., HPLC Profile, and Neuroprotective Potential via Regulation of JNK, miRNA132, and miRNA-125b

In this study, we investigated the polyphenolic profile of Pachira macrocarpa Schltdl. & Cham. by HPLC analysis and we also isolated three compounds from the ethyl acetate leaf extract, which were identified by different spectral data as vitexin 1, luteolin 2, and ferulic acid 3. Moreover, we investigated the three isolated compounds and the plant extract for their therapeutic potential against AlCl3 exposure-induced neurotoxicity in rats. This investigation aims to determine whether vitexin, luteolin, and ferulic acid in Pachira macrocarpa Schltdl. & Cham. extract (P. macrocarpa) have the ability to treat AlCl3-induced brain toxicity in rats. Six groups of rats were created: group 1 (normal group), group 2 treated with AlCl3, and groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 treated with AlCl3 with vitexin, luteolin, ferulic acid, and P. macrocarpa extract, respectively, for 28 days. Neurotoxicity was assessed by measuring plasma IL-8 and IL-33 as well as brain superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSR), B-cell lymphoma-2 (BcL-2), B-cell lymphoma-2 associated-x (Bax), and neurogranin using the ELISA technique and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), miRNA-125b, and miRNA-132 levels using western blot and PCR. HPLC analysis identified major phenolics and flavonoids. Among the phenolics identified, chlorogenic acid was prevalent (2159.14 μg/g), and regarding flavonoids, rutin was prevalent (204.69 μg/g). A significant elevation of IL-8 and IL-33 as well as brain Bax, neurogranin, and JNK levels and of miRNA-125b gene expression levels was observed following AlCl3 exposure. However, significant depletion of SOD, GSR, BcL-2, total protein, and miRNA-132 gene expression was observed in AlCl3-treated rats. Administration of the P. macrocarpa extract and its isolated compounds significantly increased SOD, GSR, BcL-2, total protein, and miRNA132 gene expression and decreased IL-8 and IL-33 as well as brain Bax, neurogranin, and JNK levels and brain miRNA-125b gene expression compared to AlCl3-treated rats. P. macrocarpa extract and its isolated compounds ameliorated AlCl3-induced oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in rats.

Evaluation of Acute and Sub-Acute Toxicity, Oxidative Stress and Molecular Docking of Two Nitrofuranyl Amides as Promising Anti-Tuberculosis Agents

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a widespread infectious disease and one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. Nevertheless, despite significant advances in the development of new drugs against tuberculosis, many therapies and preventive measures do not lead to the expected favorable health results for various reasons. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute and sub-acute toxicity and oxidative stress of two selected nitrofuranyl amides with high in vitro antimycobacterial activity. In addition, molecular docking studies were performed on both compounds to elucidate the possibilities for further development of new anti-tuberculosis candidates with improved efficacy, selectivity, and pharmacological parameters. Acute toxicity tests showed that no changes were observed in the skin, coat, eyes, mucous membranes, secretions, and vegetative activity in mice. The histological findings include features consistent with normal histological architecture without being associated with concomitant pathological conditions. The observed oxidative stress markers indicated that the studied compounds disturbed the oxidative balance in the mouse liver. Based on the molecular docking, compound DO-190 showed preferable binding energies compared to DO-209 in three out of four targets, while both compounds showed promising protein-ligand interactions. Thus, both studied compounds displayed promising activity with low toxicity and can be considered for further evaluation and/or lead optimization.

Gene co-expression network analysis identifies hub genes associated with different tolerance under calcium deficiency in two peanut cultivars

BACKGROUND

Peanut is an economically-important oilseed crop and needs a large amount of calcium for its normal growth and development. Calcium deficiency usually leads to embryo abortion and subsequent abnormal pod development. Different tolerance to calcium deficiency has been observed between different cultivars, especially between large and small-seed cultivars.

RESULTS

In order to figure out different molecular mechanisms in defensive responses between two cultivars, we treated a sensitive (large-seed) and a tolerant (small-seed) cultivar with different calcium levels. The transcriptome analysis identified a total of 58 and 61 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) within small-seed and large-seed peanut groups under different calcium treatments, and these DEGs were entirely covered by gene modules obtained via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the blue-module genes in the large-seed cultivar were mainly enriched in plant-pathogen attack, phenolic metabolism and MAPK signaling pathway, while the green-module genes in the small-seed cultivar were mainly enriched in lipid metabolism including glycerolipid and glycerophospholipid metabolisms. By integrating DEGs with WGCNA, a total of eight hub-DEGs were finally identified, suggesting that the large-seed cultivar concentrated more on plant defensive responses and antioxidant activities under calcium deficiency, while the small-seed cultivar mainly focused on maintaining membrane features to enable normal photosynthesis and signal transduction.

CONCLUSION

The identified hub genes might give a clue for future gene validation and molecular breeding to improve peanut survivability under calcium deficiency.

Unravelling effects of red/far-red light on nutritional quality and the role and mechanism in regulating lycopene synthesis in postharvest cherry tomatoes

The main goal of this study was to explore the role of red/far-red light in the preservation of postharvest quality in cherry tomato fruits and the mechanism of red/far-red light in regulation of lycopene synthesis. Results showed that red/far-red light irradiation inhibited weight loss and promoted colour change during storage, and it also increased the content of lycopene and β-carotene compared to control. Gene PSY, ZDS and LCY-b were overexpressed in fruits treated with red/far-red light during 33 days' storage compared to control. The analysis of genes involved in red/far-red light absorbance (PHYA and PHYB) and mediation (HY5 and PIF3), and fruit ripening (ACS2 and RIN) suggests that red/far-red light promote lycopene accumulation through phytochrome-mediated signalling pathway to induce HY5. Elevated HY5 could either directly bind to PSY or promote the expression of ACS2 to induce RIN through MADS-loop to enhanced lycopene content.

Effects of Replacing Soybean Meal Protein with Chlorella vulgaris Powder on the Growth and Intestinal Health of Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) powder is a novel non-grain single-cell protein with enormous potential to be a protein source. However, it is poorly studied in aquatic animals. The purpose of the present study was to explore the optimum replacement ratio of C. vulgaris powder and the influence of the substitution of soybean meal with C. vulgaris on grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in terms of growth performance, intestinal integrity and the microbial community. Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated by replacing 0% (SM, containing 30% soybean meal), 25% (X25), 50% (X50), 75% (X75) and 100% (X100) soybean meal with C. vulgaris. The feeding trial period lasted 8 weeks. At the end of the experimental trial, the X50 group showed higher FW, WGR and PER than the SM group (p < 0.05). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the X50 group was significantly lower than that of the SM group (p < 0.05). The X50 group showed the highest value of the goblet cell number, intestinal amylase and trypsin activities when compared with the SM group (p < 0.05). Replacing 50% soybean meal with C. vulgaris improved the intestinal barrier integrity, as evidenced by upregulating zo-1, zo-2 and occluding transcript (p < 0.05), and alleviated oxidative stress by an increased SOD enzymatic activity and transcript level, probably mediated through the Nrf2-keap1 signaling pathway (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the X50 group enhanced intestinal immunity, as manifested by increased ACP and LZM activities (p < 0.05), and downregulated the tlr-4, tlr-7, tlr-8 and il-6 through the tlr pathway (p < 0.05). The functionally predicting pathways related to the nitrate respiration and nitrogen respiration were observably activated in the X50 group (p < 0.05). The X50 group improved the biological barrier, as manifested by increased Firmicutes and Rhodobacter (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary C. vulgaris powder could promote the growth performance of grass carp by restoring intestinal morphology, increasing digestive enzyme activities, improving antioxidant properties and immunity and optimizing the microflora structure. A C. vulgaris powder replacement of 50% soybean meal was recommended as feed for grass carp.

Antioxidative Impact of Phenolics-Loaded Nanocarriers on Cytoskeletal Network Remodeling of Invasive Cancer Cells

Natural phenolic compounds have antioxidant properties owing to their free radical-scavenging capability. The combined effect of a mixture of phenolic compounds has been studied; however, the detailed investigation for finding a correlation between single phenolic molecules and antioxidant activity has not been explored. Herein, we revealed that the number of phenolic hydroxyl groups in phenolics played a central role in their antioxidant capacity. Based on the finding, tannic acid showed the most effective antioxidant potential, e.g., 76% in tannic acid versus 22% in vitamin C as a standard antioxidant component. Because cancer progression is closely related to oxidative processes at the cellular level, we further applied the surface treatment of tannic acid drug-delivery nanocarriers. Tannic acid-loaded nanocarriers reduced reactive oxygen species of cancer cells as much as 41% of vehicle treatment and remodeled cytoskeletal network. By a gelatin degradation study, TA-loaded nanocarrier-treated cells induced 44.6% reduction of degraded area than vehicle-treated cells, implying a potential of blocking invasiveness of cancer cells.

Capsicum chinense var. BRS Moema: chemical characterization by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and antiproliferative screening

Capsiate and phenolics present in the free, esterified, glycosylated, and insoluble-bound forms of BRS Moema peppers were characterized and quantified using UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Additionally, the in vitro antiproliferative activity of BRS Moema extract was evaluated. The peppers showed considerable quantities of capsiate and phenolic compounds. Esterified phenolics were the main fraction, followed by the insoluble-bound fraction, indicating that relying solely on the extraction of soluble phenolics may underestimate the total phenolic content. Among the fourteen phenolics identified in extract fractions, gallic acid was the major constituent. Phenolic fractions displayed high antioxidant capacity by TEAC and ORAC assays. Nevertheless, the correlation between phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity suggested that other bioactive or phenolic compounds may contribute to the overall phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of the obtained fractions. Concerning the antiproliferative activity, the extract did not exhibit any effect on cell proliferation within the evaluated concentration range. These findings indicated that BRS Moema peppers can serve as a rich source of phenolic compounds. Therefore, fully utilizing them could bring advantages to the food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as to consumers and producers.

Dietary Fiber from Soybean (Glycine max) Husk as Fat and Phosphate Replacer in Frankfurter Sausage: Effect on the Nutritional, Physicochemical and Nutraceutical Quality

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dietary fiber from soybean (glycine max) husk as fat and phosphate replacer on the nutritional, physicochemical, and nutraceutical quality of Frankfurter sausage. A traditional formulation was used for the pork-based sausage and three treatments were established: control treatment (CT), sausage without SHDF; treatment 1 (T1), sausage and 1% SHDF; treatment 2 (T2), sausage and 1.5% SHDF. T2 showed the best nutritional contribution of the treatments, significantly favoring a lower content of fat and sodium, thus increasing the contribution of dietary fiber and calcium. A positive effect of SHDF on the water-holding capacity of the treatments was also observed. In addition, T2 remained stable during storage, while T1 and CT showed significantly reduced water-holding capacities of approximately 5%; this was in turn linked to hardness, as it was observed that on day 7 of storage, 27% less force was required to deform the T2 sausages. Regarding color, no significant difference was observed with the addition of SHDF to the product. The results suggest that the dietary fiber extracted from soybean husks has potential for application in food and can be used as an ingredient to improve the functional and nutritional quality of Frankfurter sausages by reducing the content of fat and phosphates.

Variation in the Main Health-Promoting Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Three Leafy Vegetables in Southwest China

Malabar spinach (Basella alba), amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor), and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) are leafy vegetables found in Southwest China. The variation of chlorophyll, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, total flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity was studied in the leaves and stems of the three vegetables. The content of main health-promoting compounds and the antioxidant capacity in the leaves were higher than that in the stems, indicating that the leaves of the three vegetables possess greater nutritional value. The trend of total flavonoids in all three vegetables was similar to the trend of antioxidant capacity, suggesting that the total flavonoids may be the major antioxidants wihin these vegetables. Eight individual phenolic compounds were detected in three different vegetables. The most abundant levels of individual phenolic compounds in the leaves and stems of malabar spinach, amaranth, and sweet potato were 6'-O-feruloyl-d-sucrose (9.04 and 2.03 mg g^-1 DW), hydroxyferulic acid (10.14 and 0.73 mg g^-1 DW), and isorhamnetin-7-O-glucoside (34.93 and 6.76 mg g^-1 DW), respectively. Sweet potato exhibited a higher total and individual phenolic compound content compared to malabar spinach and amaranth. Overall, the results demonstrate that the three leafy vegetables possess high nutritional value, and could be used not only for consumption but also in various other fields, including medicine and chemistry.

Chemical decontamination of foods using non-thermal plasma-activated water

The presence of chemical contaminants in foods and agricultural products is one of the major safety issues worldwide, posing a serious concern to human health. Nonthermal plasma (NTP) containing richly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) has been trialed as a potential decontamination method. Yet, this technology comes with multiple downsides, including adverse effects on the quality of treated foods and limited exposure to entire surfaces on samples with hard-to-reach spots, further hindering real-life applications. Therefore, plasma-activated water (PAW) has been recently developed to facilitate the interactions between RONS and contaminant molecules in the liquid phase, allowing a whole surface treatment with efficient chemical degradation. Here, we review the recent advances in PAW utilized as a chemical decontamination agent in foods. The reaction mechanisms and the main RONS contributors involved in the PAW-assisted removal of chemical contaminants are briefly outlined. Also, the comprehensive effects of these treatments on food qualities (chemical and physical characteristics) and toxicological evaluation of PAW (in vitro and in vivo) are thoroughly discussed. Ultimately, we identified some current challenges and provided relevant suggestions, which can further promote PAW research for real-life applications in the future.

Cydonia oblonga Mill. Pulp Callus Inhibits Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Injured Cells

The pharmacological activity of a callus extract from the pulp of Cydonia oblonga Mill., also known as quince, was investigated in murine macrophage (RAW 264.7) and human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell lines. In particular, the anti-inflammatory activity of C. oblonga Mill. pulp callus extract was assessed in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 by the Griess test and in LPS-treated HaCaT human keratinocytes by examining the expression of genes involved in the inflammatory process, including nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), nuclear factor-kappa-B inhibitor alfa (ikBα), and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM). The antioxidant activity was evaluated by quantizing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide-injured HaCaT cell line. The obtained results indicate that C. oblonga callus from fruit pulp extract has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, suggesting its possible application in delaying and preventing acute or chronic diseases associated with aging or in the treatment of wound dressing.

Transcriptomic Analysis on the Peel of UV-B-Exposed Peach Fruit Reveals an Upregulation of Phenolic- and UVR8-Related Pathways

UV-B treatment deeply influences plant physiology and biochemistry, especially by activating the expression of responsive genes involved in UV-B acclimation through a UV-B-specific perception mechanism. Although the UV-B-related molecular responses have been widely studied in Arabidopsis, relatively few research reports deepen the knowledge on the influence of post-harvest UV-B treatment on fruit. In this work, a transcriptomic approach is adopted to investigate the transcriptional modifications occurring in the peel of UV-B-treated peach (Prunus persica L., cv Fairtime) fruit after harvest. Our analysis reveals a higher gene regulation after 1 h from the irradiation (88% of the differentially expressed genes-DEGs), compared to 3 h recovery. The overexpression of genes encoding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chalcone syntase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and flavonol synthase (FLS) revealed a strong activation of the phenylpropanoid pathway, resulting in the later increase in the concentration of specific flavonoid classes, e.g., anthocyanins, flavones, dihydroflavonols, and flavanones, 36 h after the treatment. Upregulation of UVR8-related genes (HY5, COP1, and RUP) suggests that UV-B-triggered activation of the UVR8 pathway occurs also in post-harvest peach fruit. In addition, a regulation of genes involved in the cell-wall dismantling process (PME) is observed. In conclusion, post-harvest UV-B exposure deeply affects the transcriptome of the peach peel, promoting the activation of genes implicated in the biosynthesis of phenolics, likely via UVR8. Thus, our results might pave the way to a possible use of post-harvest UV-B treatments to enhance the content of health-promoting compounds in peach fruits and extending the knowledge of the UVR8 gene network.

Dose-Dependent Effect of Hyperoside on the Physicochemical and Gel Properties of Porcine Myofibrillar Proteins at Different NaCl Concentrations under Oxidative Stress

The effects of HYP (10, 50, and 250 μM/g protein) on the physicochemical and gel properties of myofibrillar proteins (MPs) at different NaCl concentrations under oxidative stress were explored. The incorporation of HYP significantly reduced carbonyl content and decreased the loss of free amine groups in a dose-dependent manner, regardless of NaCl concentration. In addition, HYP induced a dose-dependent decrement in total sulfhydryl content regardless of NaCl concentration, which might result from the formation of thiol-quinone adducts via Michael addition. The surface hydrophobicity was significantly increased with HYP addition. Nevertheless, compared with samples treated with 50 μM/g HYP, 250 μM/g HYP caused a significant decrease in surface hydrophobicity, which might be due to the increase in the extent of MPs unfolding and the concomitant aggregation of MPs by hydrophobic interaction. Furthermore, HYP also showed a dose-dependent increment in the water-holding capacity (WHC) and gel strength of MPs gels, which might be due to more orderly crosslinks via fibrous filaments at 0.2 M NaCl and more regular and lamellar structures with smaller and more homogeneous pores at 0.6 M NaCl. In summary, HYP reduced the oxidation-mediated changes of physicochemical characteristics, preventing the oxidative damage of MPs and reinforcing the ordered crosslinks of MPs-MPs and MPs-HYP during thermal gelation, ultimately resulting in a better gel quality. These results provide a theoretical support for the practical application of HYP as a natural antioxidant in gel-type meat products.

Literature analysis on asparagus roots and review of its functional characterizations

Asparagus root (AR) is utilized globally as a traditional herbal medicine because it contains various bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, saponins, and minerals. The composition profiles of AR are strongly affected by its botanical and geographical origins. Although minerals and heavy metals are minor constituents of AR, they play a crucial role in determining its quality and efficacy. A comprehensive classification of AR, its phytochemistry, and its pharmacology were reviewed and interpreted herein. Potentially eligible articles (in English) were identified through an electronic search of the Web of Science database (2010-2022) and Google (2001-2022). We used the primary search term "Asparagus roots" combined with the words "pharmacology," "bioactive compounds," "physicochemical properties," and "health benefits" to find the relevant literature. We screened the titles, keywords, and abstracts of the publications obtained from the database. A full copy of the article was obtained for further assessment if deemed appropriate. Different asparagus species might potentially be used as herbal medicines and functional foods. Phytochemical studies have revealed the presence of various bioactive compounds as valuable secondary metabolites. The dominant class of bioactive compounds in AR is flavonoids. Furthermore, AR displayed significant pharmacological effects, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic effects, as shown in animal and human studies. This review provides a valuable resource to enable a thorough assessment of the profile of Asparagus root as a functional ingredient for the pharmaceutical and food industries. In addition, it is anticipated that this review will provide information to healthcare professionals seeking alternative sources of critical bioactive compounds.

Advances in the Application of Phytogenic Extracts as Antioxidants and Their Potential Mechanisms in Ruminants

Under current breeding conditions, multiple stressors are important challenges facing animal husbandry in achieving animal wellbeing. For many years, the use of antibiotics has been a social concern in the livestock industry. With the implementation of the non-antibiotics policy, there is an urgent need to find relevant technologies and products to replace antibiotics and to solve the problem of disease prevention during animal growth. Phytogenic extracts have the unique advantages of being natural and extensive sources, having a low residue, and being pollution-free and renewable. They can relieve the various stresses, including oxidative stress, on animals and even control their inflammation by regulating the signaling pathways of proinflammatory cytokines, improving animal immunity, and improving the structure of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby becoming the priority choice for improving animal health. In this study, we reviewed the types of antioxidants commonly used in the livestock industry and their applicable effects on ruminants, as well as the recent research progress on their potential mechanisms of action. This review may provide a reference for further research and for the application of other phytogenic extracts and the elucidation of their precise mechanisms of action.

High Sensitivity and Low-Cost Flavin luciferase (FLUXVc)-based Reporter Gene for Mammalian Cell Expression

Luciferase-based gene reporters generating bioluminescence signals are important tools for biomedical research. Amongst the luciferases, flavin-dependent enzymes use the most economical chemicals. However, their applications in mammalian cells are limited due to their low signals compared to other systems. Here, we constructed Flavin Luciferase from Vibrio campbellii (Vc) for Mammalian Cell Expression (FLUX^Vc) by engineering luciferase from Vibrio campbellii (the most thermostable bacterial luciferase reported to date) and optimizing its expression and reporter assays in mammalian cells which can improve the bioluminescence light output by >400-fold as compared to the non-engineered version. We found that the FLUX^Vc reporter gene can be overexpressed in various cell lines and showed outstanding signal-to-background in HepG2 cells, significantly higher than that of firefly luciferase (Fluc). The combined use of FLUX^Vc/Fluc as target/control vectors gave the most stable signals, better than the standard set of Fluc(target)/Rluc(control). We also demonstrated that FLUX^Vc can be used for testing inhibitors of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Collectively, our results provide an optimized method for using the more economical flavin-dependent luciferase in mammalian cells.

Chlorophyll Pigments of Olive Leaves and Green Tea Extracts Differentially Affect Their Antioxidant and Anticancer Properties

Plant-based extracts possess biological potential due to their high content of phytochemicals. Nevertheless, photosynthetic pigments (e.g., chlorophylls) that are also present in plant extracts could produce undesirable pro-oxidant activity that might cause a negative impact on their eventual application. Herein, the phenolic content of olive leaf (OLE) and green tea (GTE) extracts was assayed, and their antioxidant and anticancer activities were evaluated before and after the removal of chlorophylls. Regarding phenolic content, OLE was rich in hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol as well as oleuropein, whereas the main compounds present in GTE were gallocatechin, epigallocatechin (EGC), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), gallocatechin gallate, and caffeine. Interestingly, fresh extracts’ antioxidant ability was dependent on phenolic compounds; however, the elimination of chlorophyll compounds did not modify the antioxidant activity of extracts. In addition, both OLE and GTE had high cytotoxicity against HL-60 leukemic cell line. Of note, the removal of chlorophyll pigments remarkably reduced the cytotoxic effect in both cases. Therefore, our findings emphasize the remarkable antioxidant and anticancer potential of OLE and GTE and suggest that chlorophylls are of paramount importance for the tumor-killing ability of such plant-derived extracts.

Dietary Grape Pomace Supplementation in Lambs Affects the Meat Fatty Acid Composition, Volatile Profiles and Oxidative Stability

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing grape pomace (GP) in lambs’ diets. A total of 30 lambs homogeneous for body weight (13.1 ± 2.1 kg) and age (25–30 days) were randomly allocated into two groups. The control group (CTR) received a standard diet for 45 days, while in the same period the experimental group (GP+) was fed with a diet containing 10% GP on a dry matter (DM) basis. The meat samples from the two groups showed no significant differences in drip loss, cooking loss, meat color and total lipid amount. However, the experimental feeding strategy influenced the meat fatty acid composition, with an increase in the relative percentages of stearic, vaccenic and rumenic acids. In particular, the increase in rumenic acids is associated with several health benefits attributed to its high bioactive properties. In cooked meat samples stored for 5 days at 4 °C, the dietary GP supplementation induced an increase in nonanal and 1-octen-3-ol and a significant reduction of hexanal, an indicator of oxidation; this improved resistance to oxidation in the GP+ samples and was also confirmed by the thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) test. In summary, the present study showed that the dietary GP supplementation was effective in improving the fatty acid composition and the oxidative stability of lamb meat. The use and valorization of the GP as a matrix of interest for zootechnical nutrition can, therefore, represent a suitable strategy for improving the qualitative aspects of animal production.

Phenolic Content, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antihyperglycemic, and α-Amylase Inhibitory Activities of Aqueous Extract of Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl

Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl essential oil is becoming more popular as a cognitive enhancer and treatment for memory loss. It is high in natural antioxidants and has spasmolytic, antiseptic, analgesic, sedative, and anti-inflammatory properties. Its aqueous extract has hypoglycemic activity and is used to treat diabetic hyperglycemia, but few studies have focused on it. The objective of this work is to evaluate the various biological and pharmacological powers of Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl leaf aqueous extract. Quality control of the plant material was first carried out. Followed by a phytochemical study on the aqueous extract of S. lavandulifolia leaves, namely phytochemical screening and determination of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and condensed tannins contents. Then, the biological activities were undertaken, in particular the antioxidant activity (total antioxidant activity and trapping of the DPPH° radical) and the antimicrobial activity. The chemical composition of this extract was also determined by HPLC-MS-ESI. Finally, the inhibitory effect of the α-amylase enzyme as well as the antihyperglycaemic effect was evaluated in vivo in normal rats overloaded with starch or D-glucose. The aqueous extract obtained by use of the decoction of leaves of S. lavandulifolia contains 246.51 ± 1.69 mg EQ of gallic acid/g DE, 23.80 ± 0.12 mg EQ quercetin/g DE, and 2.46 ± 0.08 mg EQ catechin /g DE. Its total antioxidant capacity is around 527.03 ± 5.95 mg EQ of ascorbic acid/g DE. At a concentration of 5.81 ± 0.23 µg/mL, our extract was able to inhibit 50% of DPPH° radicals. Moreover, it showed bactericidal effect against Proteus mirabilis, fungicidal against Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and fungistatic against Candida krusei. A marked antihyperglycemic activity (AUC = 54.84 ± 4.88 g/L/h), as well as a significant inhibitory effect of α-amylase in vitro (IC50 = 0.99 ± 0.00 mg/mL) and in vivo (AUC = 51.94 ± 1.29 g/L/h), is recorded in our extract. Furthermore, its chemical composition reveals the presence of 37.03% rosmarinic acid, 7.84% quercetin rhamnose, 5.57% diosmetin-rutinoside, 5.51% catechin dimer, and 4.57% gallocatechin as major compounds. The antihyperglycemic and α-amylase inhibitory activities, associated with the antioxidant properties of S. lavandulifolia, justify its use in the treatment of diabetes in traditional medicine and highlight its potential introduction into antidiabetic drugs.

Enhanced production of amylase, pyruvate and phenolic compounds from glucose by light-driven Aspergillus niger-CuS nanobiohybrids

BACKGROUND

The demand for value-added compounds such as amylase, pyruvate and phenolic compounds produced by biological methods has prompted the rapid development of advanced technologies for their enhanced production. Nanobiohybrids (NBs) make use of both the microbial properties of whole-cell microorganisms and the light-harvesting efficiency of semiconductors. Photosynthetic NBs were constructed that link the biosynthetic pathways of Aspergillus niger with CuS nanoparticles.

RESULTS

In this work, NB formation was confirmed by negative values of the interaction energy, i.e., 2.31 × 10⁸ to -5.52 × 10⁸ kJ mol^-1 for CuS-Che NBs, whereas for CuS-Bio NBs the values were -2.31 × 10⁸ to -4.62 × 10⁸ kJ mol^-1 for CuS-Bio NBs with spherical nanoparticle interaction. For CuS-Bio NBs with nanorod interaction, it ranged from -2.3 × 10⁷ to -3.47 × 10⁷ kJ mol^-1 . Further, the morphological changes observed by scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of the elements Cu and S in the energy-dispersive X-ray spectra and the presence of CuS bonds in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicate NB formation. In addition, the quenching effect in photoluminescence studies confirmed NB formation. Production yields of amylase, phenolic compounds and pyruvate amounted to 11.2 μmol L^-1, 52.5 μmol L^-1 and 28 nmol μL^-1, respectively, in A. niger-CuS Bio NBs on the third day of incubation in the bioreactor. Moreover, A niger cells-CuS Bio NBs had amino acids and lipid yields of 6.2 mg mL^-1 and 26.5 mg L^-1, respectively. Furthermore, probable mechanisms for the enhanced production of amylase, pyruvate and phenolic compounds are proposed.

CONCLUSION

Aspergillus niger-CuS NBs were used for the production of the amylase enzyme and value-added compounds such as pyruvate and phenolic compounds. Aspergillus niger-CuS Bio NBs showed a greater efficiency compared to A. niger-CuS Che NBs as the biologically produced CuS nanoparticles had a higher compatibility with A. niger cells. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Phenolic Compounds from Wild Plant and In Vitro Cultures of Ageratina pichichensis and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant Activity

Ageratina pichichensis, is commonly used in traditional Mexican medicine. In vitro cultures were established from wild plant (WP) seeds, obtaining in vitro plant (IP), callus culture (CC), and cell suspension culture (CSC) with the objective to determine total phenol content (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC), as well as their antioxidant activity by DPPH, ABTS and TBARS assays, added to the compound's identification and quantification by HPLC, from methanol extracts obtained by sonication. CC showed significantly higher TPC and TFC than WP and IP, while CSC produced 2.0-2.7 times more TFC than WP, and IP produced only 14.16% TPC and 38.8% TFC compared with WP. There were identified compounds such as epicatechin (EPI), caffeic acid (CfA), and p-coumaric acid (pCA) in in vitro cultures that were not found in WP. The quantitative analysis shows gallic acid (GA) as the least abundant compound in samples, whereas CSC produced significantly more EPI and CfA than CC. Despite these results, in vitro cultures show lower antioxidant activity than WP, for DPPH and TBARS WP > CSC > CC > IP and ABTS WP > CSC = CC > IP. Overall, A. pichichensis WP and in vitro cultures produce phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity, especially CC and CSC, which are shown to be a biotechnological alternative for obtaining bioactive compounds.

A review of the extraction methods and advanced applications of lignin-silica hybrids derived from natural sources

The global trend of increasing energy demand along the large volume of wastewater generated annually from the paper pulping and cellulose production industries are considered as serious dilemma that may need to be solved within these current decades. Within this discipline, lignin, silica or lignin-silica hybrids attained from biomass material have been considered as prospective candidates for the synthesis of advanced materials. In this study, the roles and linking mechanism between lignin and silica in plants were studied and evaluated. The effects of the extraction method on the quality of the obtained material were summarized to show that depending on the biomass feedstocks, different retrieval processes should be considered. The combination of alkaline treatment and acidic pH adjustment is proposed as an effective method to recover lignin-silica with high applicability for various types of raw materials. From considerations of the advanced applications of lignin and silica materials in environmental remediation, electronic devices and rubber fillers future valorizations hold potential in conductive materials and electrochemistry. Along with further studies, this research could not only contribute to the development of zero-waste manufacturing processes but also propose a solution for the fully exploiting of by-products from agricultural production.

Therapeutic Potential of Phenolic Compounds in Medicinal Plants-Natural Health Products for Human Health

Phenolic compounds and flavonoids are potential substitutes for bioactive agents in pharmaceutical and medicinal sections to promote human health and prevent and cure different diseases. The most common flavonoids found in nature are anthocyanins, flavones, flavanones, flavonols, flavanonols, isoflavones, and other sub-classes. The impacts of plant flavonoids and other phenolics on human health promoting and diseases curing and preventing are antioxidant effects, antibacterial impacts, cardioprotective effects, anticancer impacts, immune system promoting, anti-inflammatory effects, and skin protective effects from UV radiation. This work aims to provide an overview of phenolic compounds and flavonoids as potential and important sources of pharmaceutical and medical application according to recently published studies, as well as some interesting directions for future research. The keyword searches for flavonoids, phenolics, isoflavones, tannins, coumarins, lignans, quinones, xanthones, curcuminoids, stilbenes, cucurmin, phenylethanoids, and secoiridoids medicinal plant were performed by using Web of Science, Scopus, Google scholar, and PubMed. Phenolic acids contain a carboxylic acid group in addition to the basic phenolic structure and are mainly divided into hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids. Hydroxybenzoic acids are based on a C6-C1 skeleton and are often found bound to small organic acids, glycosyl moieties, or cell structural components. Common hydroxybenzoic acids include gallic, syringic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, gentistic, and salicylic acids. Hydroxycinnamic acids are based on a C6-C3 skeleton and are also often bound to other molecules such as quinic acid and glucose. The main hydroxycinnamic acids are caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, and sinapic acids.

Influence of Plant-Based Biostimulant (BORTAN) on Qualitative and Aromatic Traits of Rocket Salad (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L.)

In this study, the influence of a new plant-based biostimulant (Bortan) on physiological and aromatic traits of rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L. var. Pamela) was monitored by evaluating physico-chemical parameters (fresh and dry weight, leaf color and chlorophyll content) and biochemical traits (total phenolic compound (TP), total flavonoids (TF), ascorbic acid (AA) and antioxidant activity (AOX). Volatile profiles were also analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, allowing the detection of 32 volatiles belonging to 5 chemical classes. Compared to the control, Bortan application enhanced leaf pigment content, including chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids (+10%, +16% and +28%, respectively) and increased TP (+34%), TF (+26%), AA (+19%) amonts and AOX value (+16%). Principal component analysis revealed a significant discrimination between the two samples. Specifically, treated samples were mainly associated with "green-leaf" volatiles, namely hexanal and 2-hexenal, 3-hexenal and 1-penten-3-one, while control rocket was directly correlated with several alcohols and to all isothiocyanates, associated with the sulfur-like odor of rocket. These findings can add further support, both for farmers and the agro-food industry, in choosing PBs as a new and sustainable practice in complementing enhanced yields with premium-quality produce. To confirm these preliminary data, further experiments are needed by enlarging the sample size, testing different concentrations of Bortan and/or using other food crops.

Chlorogenic Acid of Cirsium japonicum Resists Oxidative Stress Caused by Aging and Prolongs Healthspan via SKN-1/Nrf2 and DAF-16/FOXO in Caenorhabditis elegans

To evaluate the value of Cirsium japonicum (CJ; thistle) as a material for functional foods, we studied the functional composition of cultivated CJ and the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity of the functional substance. The detected phenolics in farmed CJ were chlorogenic acid (CA), linarin (LIN), and pectolinarin (PLIN) by HPLC analysis. As a result of the antioxidant activity of CJ and its phenolics by DPPH and ABTS method, CA had shown the greatest antioxidant activity. We employed Caenorhabditis elegans to validate that in vitro effects of CA are shown in vivo. CA delayed reduction in pumping rate and progeny production during aging of C. elegans. Under both normal and oxidative stress conditions, CA reduced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in worms and increased their lifespan. In particular, CA showed the reducing effect of ROS accumulation due to aging in aged worms (8 days old). To gain insight into the mechanism, we used skn-1/Nrf2 and daf-16/FOXO transformed worms. The CA effects (on catalase activity and lifespan extension) in the wild-type (WT) decreased in skn-1 and daf-16 mutants. In particular, CA strongly relied on daf-16 under mild oxidative condition and skn-1 under overall (from mild to strong) oxidative stress to reduce ROS and extend healthspan. Thus, we conclude that CA, a key bioactive phenolic of CJ, reduces ROS production and ultimately extends healthspan, and this effect is the result of actions of daf-16 or skn-1 at different stages depending on the degree of oxidation or aging. Our results suggest that CJ containing CA can be used as an antiaging material due to its antioxidant properties.

Effect of Wide-Spectrum Monochromatic Lights on Growth, Phytochemistry, Nutraceuticals, and Antioxidant Potential of In Vitro Callus Cultures of Moringa oleifera

Moringa oleifera, also called miracle tree, is a pharmaceutically important plant with a multitude of nutritional, medicinal, and therapeutic attributes. In the current study, an in-vitro-based elicitation approach was used to enhance the commercially viable bioactive compounds in an in vitro callus culture of M. oleifera. The callus culture was established and exposed to different monochromatic lights to assess the potentially interactive effects on biomass productions, biosynthesis of pharmaceutically valuable secondary metabolites, and antioxidant activity. Optimum biomass production (16.7 g/L dry weight), total phenolic contents (TPC: 18.03 mg/g), and flavonoid contents (TFC: 15.02 mg/g) were recorded in callus cultures placed under continuous white light (24 h), and of other light treatments. The highest antioxidant activity, i.e., ABTS (550.69 TEAC µM) and FRAP (365.37 TEAC µM), were also noted under white light (24 h). The analysis of phytochemicals confirmed the significant impact of white light exposures on the enhanced biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites. The enhanced levels of secondary metabolites, i.e., kaempferol (1016.04 µg/g DW), neochlorogenic acid (998.38 µg/g DW), quercetin (959.92 µg/g DW), and minor compounds including luteolin, apigenin, and p-coumaric acid were observed as being highest in continuous white light (24 h with respect to the control (photoperiod). Similarly, blue light enhanced the chlorogenic acid accumulation. This study shows that differential spectral lights demonstrate a good approach for the enhancement of nutraceuticals along with novel pharmacologically important metabolites and antioxidants in the in vitro callus culture of M. oleifera.

Chemical composition of the Kaempferia galanga L. essential oil and its in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities

Introduction

Oxidative stress is closely related to the development of many diseases. Essential oils (EOs) show potent antioxidant activity from natural sources. Kaempferia galanga L. is an important medicine rich in high-value essential oil (KGEO). However, the antioxidant activity of KGEO remains to be fully studied.

Methods

Chemical composition of KGEO was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl radical scavenging assays and reducing power assay in vitro. A zebrafish model was used to evaluate the protective effect of KGEO against H2O2-induced oxidative stress damage in vivo.

Results

The major components of KGEO were found to be trans ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (32.01%), n-pentadecane (29.14%) and trans ethyl cinnamate (19.50%). In vitro pharmacological results showed that KGEO had good free radical scavenging capacity in DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays (IC₅₀ values: 19.77 ± 1.28, 1.41 ± 0.01, and 3.09 ± 0.34 mg/mL, respectively) and weak reducing capacity in the reducing power assay (EC₅₀ value: 389.38 ± 4.07 mg/mL). In vivo zebrafish experiments results indicated that the survival rate and heart rate increased, and ROS generation, cell death, and lipid peroxidation were attenuated after KGEO treatment. In addition, a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increases in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were observed in the KGEO-treated groups.

Discussion

This study validated the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of KGEO, which provides a theoretical basis for a profound study of KGEO and its application in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries.

Concept for the valorization of cereal processing waste: Recovery of phenolic acids by using waste-derived tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and biochar

Valorization of agro-food waste by converting it into a renewable resource plays a crucial role in a bio-based circular economy. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the suitability of distillery stillage (DS), which comes from alcohol production from cereals, for producing value-added products that can be used synergistically. The main objective was to investigate the usefulness of two substances for the recovery of phenolic acids, which have antioxidant activity, from the liquid fraction of DS: namely, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) as a solvent and biochar as an adsorbent, both produced from the solid fraction of cereal processing waste. The effect of THFA concentration (80 and 100%) on phenolic acid yield in ultrasound-assisted extraction was studied. The solubilization predictions of phenolic compounds by the Hansen solubility parameters were in accordance with the experimental results: the yield of phenolic acids in the extracts was highest (3.76 μg g^-1 dry mass) with 80% THFA. Among the extracted phenolic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids predominated over hydroxybenzoic acids, which may affect the bioactive properties of the extracts and their future applications for industrial purposes. Phenolic acids from the extracts were adsorbed on 17-170 g biochar L^-1 and desorbed into water at 40-60 °C. The phenolic acid recovery was highest (∼92%) when the biochar dose was 85 g L^-1 and when desorption was performed at 50 °C. After adsorption/desorption, ∼95% of the antioxidant activity of the phenolic acids in the extracts was maintained. As biochar has a smaller specific surface area than commercial powdered activated carbon (PAC), the biochar dose should be about 5 times higher than an equivalent PAC dose for adsorption efficiency above 90%.

Potential of phenolic compounds from pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) by-product with significant antioxidant and therapeutic effects: A narrative review

The wealth of epidemiological evidence in the scientific world underscores the possibility that a plant-based diet can reduce the prevalence of common diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and stroke. The therapeutic effects of plant sources are partly explained by phenolic secondary metabolites or polyphenolic compounds. Therefore, polyphenolic compounds, which are widely distributed in plants, are of great interest for the development of effective specific drugs with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, polyphenol compounds have no harmful effects due to their natural biocompatibility and safety. Numerous studies have highlighted the potential of some industrial food wastes from plant material processing, including apple peels and mashed potatoes, grape skins, tomato and carrot peels, pomegranate peels and seeds, and many others. These byproducts are considered low-cost sources of natural biological compounds, including antioxidants, which have beneficial effects on human health. The polyphenol complex of pomegranate peel (Punica granatum L.), which makes up half of the pomegranate fruit, has more pronounced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties than other parts. And the most important active components of pomegranate peel, which are found only in this plant, are punicalagin, followed by ellagic acid and gallic acid. It is known that these polyphenolic compounds of pomegranate peel have the most pronounced therapeutic effect. Several studies have shown the protective effect of ellagic acid, punicalagin, against oxidative stress damage caused by free radicals. The potential of pomegranate peel as an antioxidant and therapeutic component in various biological systems is high, according to scientific sources. However, despite extensive research in recent years, a review of sources has shown that there is insufficient evidence to support the therapeutic effects of polyphenolic compounds from pomegranate peels. The role of pomegranate peel polyphenolic compounds, including flavonoids, as antioxidants in various biological systems also requires further research. Of particular importance are the mechanisms by which antioxidants influence the cellular response against oxidative stress. The purpose of this review was to report our current knowledge of plant polyphenolic compounds and their classification, and to evaluate the potential of phenolic compounds from pomegranate peels with significant antioxidant and therapeutic effects.

Bioactive compounds as an alternative for the sugarcane industry: Towards an integrative approach

Here, a comprehensive review of sugarcane industrialization and its relationship with bioactive compounds (BCs) detected in various products and by-products generated during its processing is presented. Furthermore, it is discussed how these compounds have revealed important antioxidant, antineoplastic, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial activities. From this bibliographic research highlights the significance of two types of BCs of natural origin (phenolic compounds (PCs) and terpenoids) and a group of compounds synthesized during industrial transformation processes (Maillard reaction products (MRPs)). It was found that most of the studies about the BCs from sugarcane have been conducted by identifying, isolating, and analyzing ones or a few compounds at a specific period, this being a conventional approach. However, given the complexity of the synthesis processes of all these BCs and the biological activities they can manifest in a specific biological context, novel approaches are needed to address these analyses holistically. To overcome this challenge, integrating massive and multiscale methods, such as omics sciences, seems necessary to enrich these studies. This work is intended to contribute to the state of the art that could support future research about the exploration, characterization, or evaluation of different bioactive molecules from sugarcane and its derivatives.

In vitro anticancer, antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory potentials of endemic Cephalaria elazigensis var. purpurea with in silico studies

In this study, the therapeutic potential and phytochemical composition of ethanolic extract of Cephalaria elazigensis var. purpurea (CE), an endemic species, were investigated. For this purpose, the antiproliferative effect of CE on the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and its effectiveness on colony formation and cell migration was analyzed with clonogenic assay and wound healing assay, respectively. In addition, the cell death detection ELISA (CDDE) assay was conducted to determine the pro-apoptotic capacity of CE. The IC50 value of the CE was determined as 324.2 ± 14.7 µg/mL. Furthermore, upon 1000 µg/mL CE treatment, there was 4.96-fold increase in the population of cells undergoing apoptosis compared to the untreated control cells. The antioxidant activity tests were performed by DPPH free radical, ABTS cation radical, ferric-ion reducing power (FRAP) and ferrous-ion chelating power (FCAP) assays. Antioxidant activity values for the DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays were found to be 125.6 ± 6.3, 34.09 ± 0.1 and 123.4 ± 4.2 µmol TE/mg DE, respectively. We further determined the effect of CE ethanolic extract against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) enzymes. CE plays an effective inhibitory role in AChE and BuChE (AChE: IC50: 10.54 µg/mL, BuChE: IC50: 6.84 µg/mL) respectively. Further, molecular docking stuy was conducted to understand the nature of the all compound against AChE an BChE. It is revealed that α-Linolenic acid shows lowest binding energy (-7.90 kcal/mol) towards AChE, on the other side, Linoleic acid shows good binding affinity (-7.40 kcal/mol) for BChE.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the Antioxidation Mechanism of Loureirin C by Radical Scavenging for Treatment of Stroke

Recent pharmacological studies have shown that dragon's blood has an anti-cerebral ischemia effect. Loureirin C (LC), a kind of dihydrochalcone compound in dragon's blood, is believed to be play an important role in the treatment of ischemia stroke, but fewer studies for LC have been done. In this paper, we report the first experimental and theoretical studies on the antioxidation mechanism of LC by radical scavenging. The experimental studies show that LC has almost no effect on cell viability under 15 μM for the SH-SY5Y cells without any treatments. For the SH-SY5Y cells with oxygen and glucose deprivation-reperfusion (OGD/R) treatment, LC increased the viability of SH-SY5Y cells. The results of 2',7'-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and MitoSox Red experiments indicate that LC is very efficient in inhibiting the generation of the intracellular/mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) or removing these two kinds of generated ROS. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations allowed us to elucidate the antioxidation mechanisms of LC. Fukui function analysis reveals the radical scavenging of LC by hydrogen abstraction mechanism, the complex formation by e-transfer, and radical adduct formation (RAF) mechanism. Among the H-abstraction, the complex formation by e-transfer, and radical adduct formation (RAF) reactions on LC, the H-abstraction at O-H35 position by OH^• is favorable with the smallest energy difference between the product and two reactants of the attack of OH^• to LC of -0.0748 Ha. The bond dissociation enthalpies (BDE), proton affinities (PA), ionization potential (IP), proton dissociation enthalpy (PDE), and electron transfer enthalpy (ETE) were calculated to determine thermodynamically preferred reaction pathway for hydrogen abstraction mechanism. In water, IP and the lowest PDE value at O3-H35 position are lower than the lowest BDE value at O3-H35 position; 41.8986 and 34.221 kcal/mol, respectively, indicating that SEPT mechanism is a preferred one in water in comparison with the HAT mechanism. The PA value of O3-H35 of LC in water is -17.8594 kcal/mol, thus the first step of SPLET would occur spontaneously. The minimum value of ETE is higher than the minimum value of PDE at O3-H35 position and IP value, 14.7332 and 22.4108 kcal/mol, respectively, which suggests that the SEPT mechanism is a preferred one in water in comparison with the SPLET mechanism. Thus, we can draw a conclusion that the SEPT mechanism of is the most favorite hydrogen abstraction mechanism in water, and O-H35 hydroxyl group has the greatest ability to donate H-atoms.

Metabolite Profiling of Antioxidant Rich Fractions of Punica granatum L. Mesocarp and CD36 Expression Regulation

OBJECTIVE

It was aimed at determining which polyphenolic compound(s) in pomegranate mesocarp extract (PME) is liable for the antioxidant, anti-glycation and anti-CD36 activities.

METHODS

The PME was fractionated using liquid-liquid extraction method. The fractions were tested for their polyphenolic content, antioxidant potency, anti-glycation activity and anti-CD36 potential. The metabolite compositions of PME and derived fractions were investigated in an untargeted manner using metabolomics in relation to its antioxidant and anti-glycation activities.

RESULTS

The ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of the pomegranate mesocarp demonstrated highest antioxidant and anti-glycation potencies. These fractions, represented by gallic and ellagic acids monomers, were enriched in tannins and phenolic acids. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminate analysis (OPLS-DA) modeling of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) metabolite profiles from the different pomegranate mesocarp fractions indicated that gallic and ellagic acids were potential contributors to the antioxidant and anti-glycation effects of the pomegranate mesocarp. At cellular level, the polyphenolic-rich crude extract as well as the ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous residual fractions suppressed the protein expression of CD36. The anti-CD36 activity of these extracts and fractions was attributed to the presence of punicalagin, the ellagitannins that occurred in equal amount in the different fractions.

CONCLUSION

This work demonstrated the protective effect of the non-edible part of the pomegranate fruit and showed that gallic and ellagic acids account for the antioxidant and anti-glycation activities while punicalagin is liable for the anti-CD36 activity of PME.

Extraction-HPLC Green Methodology for Determination of Phenolic Compounds from Fruits by using Brij-58 Surfactant

A green, simple and cost-effective, validated high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) with UV detector has been developed an analytical method for the simultaneous determination of the most significant phenolic compounds viz. Gallic acid (GA), Quercetin (QC) and Ferulic acid (FA). The detection limit of GA, QC, FA was 0.303, 0.168, 0.0976 μg/mL and quantitation limit was 0.918, 0.051, 0.295 μg/mL, respectively. All parameters of planned validated method were carried out as per the ICH guidelines. This analytical method was applied to determine the phenolic compounds in fruits cultivated in India. Phenolic compounds in fruits extract were quantified using regression equations. This method can be scaled up to determine the alkaloids from several medicinal and poisonous plants samples in pharmaceutical, forensics and industrial areas.

Microemulsion of Cinnamon Essential Oil Formulated with Tea Polyphenols, Gallic Acid, and Tween 80: Antimicrobial Properties, Stability and Mechanism of Action

The objective of this article was to combine tea polyphenols, gallic acid, and cinnamon essential oil to construct a natural extract-complex microemulsion system (NMs) with good antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, and stability, as well as low irritation. NMs were characterized by particle size distribution, electrical conductivity, and light transmittance. The stability, as well as the antimicrobial, antioxidant, irritation, and antimicrobial mechanisms, of NMs were also studied. The results showed that NMs had a significant antimicrobial function against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Aspergillus brasiliensis. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were 156 μg/mL, 62.5 μg/mL, 125 μg/mL, 250 μg/mL, and 125 μg/mL, respectively. Through the cell membrane permeability test and growth curve test of bacteria and fungi, we concluded that the NMs' mechanism of action on bacteria and fungi could be interpreted as NMs mainly altering the permeability of cell membranes to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi. The results of this study have important implications for utilizing plant extracts as natural preservatives for food and cosmetics.

Fermented Plant Beverages Stabilized with Microemulsion: Confirmation of Probiotic Properties and Antioxidant Activity

The purpose of this study was to experimentally confirm the probiotic properties and antioxidant activity of plant fermented beverages stabilized with microemulsion. The object of the study were beverages obtained from hemp seeds and fermented with Bifidobacterium longum. To stabilize the plant base, the microemulsion with a bioactive substance (curcumin) was introduced with simultaneous ultrasound treatment. A significant increase in the viscosity of beverages with microcellulose-stabilized microemulsion was noted. Non-fermented plant beverages are characterized by their smaller diameter and distribution of particles in the micro-range, from 0.81 to 6.5 µm. When Twin-stabilized microemulsion was added to beverages, a monodisperse distribution of particles sufficiently small in diameter was observed. A significant increase of 29.4–33.6% in the antioxidant activity of plant beverages stabilized by ME with curcumin was established. A maximum concentration of flavonoids was noted in non-fermented plant beverages containing microemulsion. The results of this study proved the possibility of obtaining fermented plant beverages with identified probiotic and antioxidant properties. A positive effect of stabilizing with a microemulsion loaded with biologically active components on the development of probiotic microorganism cultures in the system of fermented plant products and the formation of their antioxidant activity was established.

Biochemical Composition and Biological Activities of Various Population of Brassica tournefortii Growing Wild in Tunisia

Brassica tournefortii Gouan, commonly known (Aslooz) in Tunisia, is an annual plant, native to the North Africa and Middle East. Brassica species are used as food, their young leaves can be cooked, providing nutrients and health-giving phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds, polyphenols and carotenoids. Phytochemical composition and bioactivity of Brassica tournefortii leaf extracts, collected from four different bioclimatic zones in Tunisia, are investigated in the present study. Results showed that location and climatic variations can alter the phytochemical composition of B. tournefortii. Interestingly, HPLC analysis enabled identifying lutein and beta-carotene at high concentrations, especially in extracts of B. tournefortii collected from Gabes (B2) (344 µg/g of lutein) and B. tournefortii collected from Zarzis (B3) (1364 µg/g of beta-carotene). In particular, the antioxidant activity measured by DPPH assay showed that the extract of the plants collected from the growing region of Zarzis exhibits the highest antioxidant activities (0.99 mg/mL). All the Brassica tournefortii extracts showed a relevant antiproliferative activity, especially toward the Caco-2 cell line. These preliminary data resulted in being useful to correlate growth environmental conditions with different accumulation of metabolites in Brassica species still being poorly studied.

Improvement of Phenolic Compound Extraction by Using Ion Exchange Chromatography and Evaluation of Biological Activities of Polyphenol-enriched Fraction of Rosa canina Fruits

Background

Rosa canina has been traditionally known as a medicinal plant. Different applications of fruits (Rose hip) comprise the food, perfume, and cosmetic industries.

Objectives

This study aimed to prepare an enriched polyphenolic fraction from Rosa canina in addition to its biological activities.

Methods

Poly phenolic enriched fraction was prepared using Amberlite XAD-7 for removing unwanted components. Phenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins content analyses showed that they increased significantly compared to the extract. HPLC analysis showed that this fraction is a rich source of ascorbic acid.

Results

The results of the DPPH, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), ABTS, and nitric oxide assay confirmed that the antioxidant activities of the fraction had been increased compared to the extract. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay and cellular antioxidant activity of the fraction also confirmed its potential antioxidant activity. This fraction showed xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity at 100 µg/mL concentration. Comet assay analysis revealed that this fraction at 25 - 100 µg/mL concentrations inhibited H₂O₂ genotoxicity in human lymphocytes.

Conclutions

This study suggests that the fruit of Rosa canina could be considered as a potential antioxidant, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, and an antigenotoxic source, and the application of Amberlite XAD-7 improves extraction efficiencies through enrichment of phenolic compounds in this plant.