Antioxidant phenolics and their microbial production by submerged and solid state fermentation process: A review

Fermented pomegranate wastes as sustainable source of ellagic acid: Antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory action, and controlled release under simulated digestion conditions

Wastes deriving from production of wines by yeast fermentation of Punica granatum (fermented pomegranate wastes, FPW) showed a marked antioxidant activity in a series of conventional chemical tests. HPLC/MS analysis of the methanol extract showed the presence of ellagic acid (EA) as the main phenolic component at levels up to 40% on a w/w basis. Experiments using murine macrophages showed that FPW extract is able to reduce the LPS-induced expression of pro-inflammatory genes IL-1β, TNF-α and iNOS. A remarkable increase in the antioxidant properties and extractable EA content was observed following acid hydrolytic treatment of FPW. Under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, EA was slowly released from FPW up to 80% of the overall content over 2 h incubation at the slightly alkaline pHs simulating the small intestine environment, suggesting a potential of the material in nutraceuticals and other applications.

Effect of growth conditions on β-glucosidase production using Flourensia cernua leaves in a solid-state fungal bioprocess

Flourensia cernua foliage was used in a solid-state fungal bioprocess to identify factors that could affect β-glucosidase production such as growth medium components and partial identification of molecules from the plant material. Under an exploratory experimental design, each variable had their distinctive result on conditions, which affects and could further improve β-glucosidase production. Under the experimental design, 1482 U/L of β-glucosidase were detected, which marks an improvement in production compared to levels obtained in a control treatment with an activity of 1092 U/L. It was shown that inoculum, water content and pH were the factors with the greater effect on β-glucosidase production. Polyphenolic content and cellulosic fiber in the form of raw fiber were measured to assess compound degradation of the plant material. Although fiber content was apparently unaffected, polyphenolic content decreased; β-glucosidase was produced by A. niger GH1. This behavior could be associated with fiber level and polyphenolic content because molecules of this type can be hydrolyzed by β-glucosidase. According to our results, F. cernua biomass can be used as a carbon source for β-glucosidase production in a short culture time.

Hydroxycinnamic Acids and Their Derivatives: Cosmeceutical Significance, Challenges and Future Perspectives, a Review

Bioactive compounds from natural sources, due to their widely-recognized benefits, have been exploited as cosmeceutical ingredients. Among them, phenolic acids emerge with a very interesting potential. In this context, this review analyzes hydroxycinnamic acids and their derivatives as multifunctional ingredients for topical application, as well as the limitations associated with their use in cosmetic formulations. Hydroxycinnamic acids and their derivatives display antioxidant, anti-collagenase, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-tyrosinase activities, as well as ultraviolet (UV) protective effects, suggesting that they can be exploited as anti-aging and anti-inflammatory agents, preservatives and hyperpigmentation-correcting ingredients. Due to their poor stability, easy degradation and oxidation, microencapsulation techniques have been employed for topical application, preventing them from degradation and enabling a sustained release. Based on the above findings, hydroxycinnamic acids present high cosmetic potential, but studies addressing the validation of their benefits in cosmetic formulations are still scarce. Furthermore, studies dealing with skin permeation are scarcely available and need to be conducted in order to predict the topical bioavailability of these compounds after application.

Antioxidant capacity, anti-acetylcholinesterase activity and inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation in mice brain homogenate of Achillea millefolium

Objective:

(

Methods:

Methanol extracts (ME) and ethanol extracts (EE) of

Results:

ME had higher antioxidant activities compared to EE. Both extracts displayed a competitive inhibition of acetylcholinesterase; however, the inhibitory activity of ME was higher than EE. The inhibitory constant (K

Conclusions:

Our results showed that

Red Fruits: Extraction of Antioxidants, Phenolic Content, and Radical Scavenging Determination: A Review

Red fruits, as rich antioxidant foods, have gained over recent years capital importance for consumers and manufacturers. The industrial extraction of the phenolic molecules from this source has been taking place with the conventional solvent extraction method. New non-conventional extraction methods have been devised as environmentally friendly alternatives to the former method, such as ultrasound, microwave, and pressure assisted extractions. The aim of this review is to compile the results of recent studies using different extraction methodologies, identify the red fruits with higher antioxidant activity, and give a global overview of the research trends regarding this topic. As the amount of data available is overwhelming, only results referring to berries are included, leaving aside other plant parts such as roots, stems, or even buds and flowers. Several researchers have drawn attention to the efficacy of non-conventional extraction methods, accomplishing similar or even better results using these new techniques. Some pilot-scale trials have been performed, corroborating the applicability of green alternative methods to the industrial scale. Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) and bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) emerge as the berries with the highest antioxidant content and capacity. However, several new up and coming berries are gaining attention due to global availability and elevated anthocyanin content.

Identification and characterization of phenolics and terpenoids from ethanolic extracts of Phyllanthus species by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS

Phyllanthus species plants are a rich source of phenolics and widely used due to their medicinal properties. A liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method was developed using high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) for the identification and characterization of quercetin, kaempferol, ellagic acid and their derivatives in ethanolic extracts of Phyllanthus species. The chromatographic separation was carried out on Thermo Betasil C₈ column (250 mm×4.5 mm, 5 µm) using 0.1% formic acid in water and 0.1% formic acid in methanol as the mobile phase. The identification of diagnostic fragment ions and optimization of collision energies were carried out using 21 reference standards. Totally 51 compounds were identified which include 21 compounds identified and characterized unambiguously by comparison with their authentic standards and the remaining 30 were tentatively identified and characterized in ethanolic extracts of P. emblica, P. fraternus, P. amarus and P. niruri.

Response Surface Methodology Modelling of an Aqueous Two-Phase System for Purification of Protease from Penicillium candidum (PCA 1/TT031) under Solid State Fermentation and Its Biochemical Characterization

Penicillium candidum (PCA 1/TT031) synthesizes different types of extracellular proteases. The objective of this study is to optimize polyethylene glycol (PEG)/citrate based on an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to purify protease from Penicillium candidum (PCA 1/TT031). The effects of different PEG molecular weights (1500-10,000 g/mol), PEG concentration (9%-20%), concentrations of NaCl (0%-10%) and the citrate buffer (8%-16%) on protease were also studied. The best protease purification could be achieved under the conditions of 9.0% (w/w) PEG 8000, 5.2% NaCl, and 15.9% sodium citrate concentration, which resulted in a one-sided protease partitioning for the bottom phase with a partition coefficient of 0.2, a 6.8-fold protease purification factor, and a yield of 93%. The response surface models displayed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) response which was fit for the variables that were studied as well as a high coefficient of determination (R²). Similarly, the predicted and observed values displayed no significant (p > 0.05) differences. In addition, our enzyme characterization study revealed that Penicillium candidum (PCA 1/TT031) produced a slight neutral protease with a molecular weight between 100 and 140 kDa. The optimal activity of the purified enzyme occurred at a pH of 6.0 and at a temperature of 50 °C. The stability between different pH and temperature ranges along with the effect of chemical metal ions and inhibitors were also studied. Our results reveal that the purified enzyme could be used in the dairy industry such as in accelerated cheese ripening.