p-Coumaric acid and its conjugates: dietary sources, pharmacokinetic properties and biological activities

Accessing p-Hydroxycinnamic Acids: Chemical Synthesis, Biomass Recovery, or Engineered Microbial Production?

p-Hydroxycinnamic acids (i. e., p-coumaric, ferulic, sinapic, and caffeic acids) are phenolic compounds involved in the biosynthesis pathway of lignin. These naturally occurring molecules not only exhibit numerous attractive properties, such as antioxidant, anti-UV, and anticancer activities, but they also have been used as building blocks for the synthesis of tailored monomers and functional additives for the food/feed, cosmetic, and plastics sectors. Despite their numerous high value-added applications, the sourcing of p-hydroxycinnamic acids is not ensured at the industrial scale except for ferulic acid, and their production cost remains too high for commodity applications. These compounds can be either chemically synthesized or extracted from lignocellulosic biomass, and recently their production through bioconversion emerged. Herein the different strategies described in the literature to produce these valuable molecules are discussed.

From Preclinical Stroke Models to Humans: Polyphenols in the Prevention and Treatment of Stroke

Polyphenols are an important family of molecules of vegetal origin present in many medicinal and edible plants, which represent important alimentary sources in the human diet. Polyphenols are known for their beneficial health effects and have been investigated for their potential protective role against various pathologies, including cancer, brain dysfunctions, cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The prevention of stroke promoted by polyphenols relies mainly on their effect on cardio- and cerebrovascular systems. However, a growing body of evidence from preclinical models of stroke points out a neuroprotective role of these molecules. Notably, in many preclinical studies, the polyphenolic compounds were effective also when administered after the stroke onset, suggesting their possible use in promoting recovery of patients suffering from stroke. Here, we review the effects of the major polyphenols in cellular and in vivo models of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in immature and adult brains. The results from human studies are also reported.

Valorization of Gleditsia triacanthos Invasive Plant Cellulose Microfibers and Phenolic Compounds for Obtaining Multi-Functional Wound Dressings with Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties

Gleditsia triacanthos is an aggressive invasive species in Eastern Europe, producing a significant number of pods that could represent an inexhaustible resource of raw material for various applications. The aim of this study was to extract cellulose from the Gleditsia triacanthos pods, characterize it by spectrophotometric and UHPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis, and use it to fabricate a wound dressing that is multi-functionalized with phenolic compounds extracted from the leaves of the same species. The obtained cellulose microfibers (CM) were functionalized, lyophilized, and characterized by ATR-FTIR and SEM. The water absorption and retention capacity as well as the controlled release of phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties evaluated in temporal dynamics were also determined. The antimicrobial activity against reference and clinical multi-drug-resistant Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacter cloacae, Candida albicans, and Candida parapsilosis strains occurred immediately after the contact with the tested materials and was maintained for 24 h for all tested microbial strains. In conclusion, the multi-functionalized cellulose microfibers (MFCM) obtained from the reproductive organs of an invasive species can represent a promising alternative for the development of functional wound dressings with antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, as well as being a scalable example for designing cost-effective, circular bio-economy approaches to combat the accelerated spread of invasive species.

Increase in longevity and amelioration of pesticide toxicity by natural levels of dietary phytochemicals in the honey bee, Apis mellifera

For the past decade, migratory beekeepers who provide honey bees for pollination services have experienced substantial colony losses on a recurring basis that have been attributed in part to exposure to insecticides, fungicides, or their combinations applied to crops. The phytochemicals p-coumaric acid and quercetin, which occur naturally in a wide variety of bee foods, including beebread and many types of honey, can enhance adult bee longevity and reduce the toxicity of certain pesticides. How variation in concentrations of natural dietary constituents affects interactions with xenobiotics, including synthetic pesticides, encountered in agroecosystems remains an open question. We tested the effects of these two phytochemicals at a range of natural concentrations on impacts of consuming propiconazole and chlorantraniliprole, a triazole fungicide and an insecticide frequently applied as a tank mix to almond trees during bloom in California's Central Valley. Propiconazole, even at low field concentrations, significantly reduced survival and longevity when consumed by adult bees in a sugar-based diet. The effects of propiconazole in combination with chlorantraniliprole enhanced mortality risk. The detrimental effects of the two pesticides were for the most part reduced when either or both of the phytochemicals were present in the diet. These findings suggest that honey bees may depend on non-nutritive but physiologically active phytochemical components of their natural foods for ameliorating xenobiotic stress, although only over a certain range of concentrations; particularly at the high end of the natural range, certain combinations can incur additive toxicity. Thus, efforts to develop nectar or pollen substitutes with phytochemicals to boost insecticide tolerance or immunity or to evaluate toxicity of pesticides to pollinators should take concentration-dependent effects of phytochemicals into consideration.

The upshot of Polyphenolic compounds on immunity amid COVID-19 pandemic and other emerging communicable diseases: An appraisal

Polyphenols are a large family of more than 10,000 naturally occurring compounds, which exert countless pharmacological, biological and physiological benefits for human health including several chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases. Their role in traditional medicine, such as the use of a wide range of remedial herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, mint, basil), has been well and long known for treating common respiratory problems and cold infections. This review reports on the most highlighted polyphenolic compounds present in up to date literature and their specific antiviral perceptive properties that might enhance the body immunity facing COVID-19, and other viral infectious diseases. In fact, several studies and clinical trials increasingly proved the role of polyphenols in controlling numerous human pathogens including SARS and MERS, which are quite similar to COVID-19 through the enhancement of host immune response against viral infections by different biological mechanisms. Thus, polyphenols ought to be considered as a potential and valuable source for designing new drugs that could be used effectively in the combat against COVID-19 and other rigorous diseases.

Content of Phenolic Compounds and Organic Acids in the Flowers of Selected Tulipa gesneriana Cultivars

The study focused on the determination of phenolic acids, flavonoids and organic acids in five tulip cultivars ‘Barcelona’, ‘Columbus’, ‘Strong Gold’, ‘Super Parrot’ and ‘Tropicana’. The cultivars grown in field and in a greenhouse were exposed after cutting to different times of storage (0, 3 and 6 days). The phenolic profile contained 4-hydroxybenzoic, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic, gallic, vanillic, syringic, salicylic, protocatechuic, trans-cinnamic, p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, chlorogenic and sinapic acids, as well as quercetin, rutin, luteonin, catechin and vitexin. The mean phenolic acid content was in the following order: ‘Columbus’ and ‘Tropicana’ > ’Barcelona’ > ’Strong Gold’ > ’Super Parrot’, while the levels of flavonoids were as follows: ‘Strong Gold’ > ’Barcelona’ > ’Tropicana’ > ’Columbus’ > ’Super Parrot’. The highest content of phenolic acids was confirmed for Columbus and Tropicana, while the lowest was for Super Parrot. However total phenolic content was very similar, observed between the place of cultivation, time of storage and cultivars. Malonic, succinic, acetic and citric acids were the major organic acid components in tulip petals. More organic acids (except malonic) were accumulated in tulip petals from fields than those from the greenhouse, while changes during storage were strictly correlated with cultivars.

Corrosion Inhibition of Mild Steel by Cetrimonium trans-4-Hydroxy Cinnamate: Entrapment and Delivery of the Anion Inhibitor through Speciation and Micellar Formation

Chemical inhibitors are widely used to protect metallic alloys from corrosion in aqueous environments. This Letter investigates the possible synergistic behavior of a quaternary ammonium carboxylate compound toward the development of a new system taking advantage of the surface activity of a known antimicrobial surfactant molecule, hexadecyl trimethylammonium cation, combined with a known organic corrosion inhibitor, the trans-4-hydroxy-cinnamate anion. Short-term potentiodynamic polarization (PP) studies combined with immersion in aqueous chloride solutions demonstrated the high inhibition efficiency of the combination of ions, and NMR pfg-diffusion measurements revealed micellar formation that was concentration- and pH-dependent. The NMR data suggest that speciation changes occur in the solution that correlate with enhanced corrosion inhibition efficiency at higher pH and at concentrations above the CMC of the compound. This new contribution may provide a rational molecular design toward delivering corrosion inhibitors to a metal surface through controlled speciation in solution.

Recent Advances Regarding the Phytochemical and Therapeutic Uses of Populus nigra L. Buds

Populus nigra L. (Salicaceae family) is one of the most popular trees that can be found in deciduous forests. Some particularities that characterize the Populus genus refer to the fact that it includes more than 40 species, being widespread especially in Europe and Asia. Many residues, parts of this tree can be used as a bioresource for different extracts as active ingredients in pharmaceuticals next to multiple benefits in many areas of medicine. The present review discusses the latest findings regarding the phytochemical composition and the therapeutic properties of Populus nigra L. buds. The vegetal product has been described mainly to contain phenolic compounds (phenols, phenolic acids and phenylpropanoids), terpenoids (mono and sesquiterpenoids), flavones (e.g., apigenol and crysin), flavanones (e.g., pinocembrin and pinostrombin), caffeic/ferulic acids and their derivates, and more than 48 phytocompounds in the essential oils. The resinous exudates present on the buds have been the major plant source used by bees to form propolis. Several studies depicted its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, antitumor, hepatoprotective, hypouricemic properties and its effects on melanin production. All these lead to the conclusion that black poplar buds are a valuable and important source of bioactive compounds responsible for a wide range of therapeutic uses, being a promising candidate as a complementary and/or alternative source for a large number of health problems. The aim of the review is to gather the existing information and to bring an up to date regarding the phytochemical and therapeutic uses of Populus nigra L. buds.

[Effectiveness of hydroxycinamates and beta-glucans as dietary tools against obesity and its associated dysfunctions, and their application as nutraceuticals]

Introduction

Over the last few years the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased, affecting in certain parts of the world more than half of the adult population. Obesity has been related to disorders such as type-2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular diseases, among others, which has made of obesity the second cause of preventable death, only behind smoking. Bearing this in mind, it is necessary to find new strategies to overcome overweight/obesity and its associated pathologies. In this context, nutraceuticals and dietary supplements have become interesting tools thanks to their composition, rich in bioactive compounds beneficial to health. Among bioactive compounds, this study will focus on β-glucans, a type of soluble dietary fiber, and hydroxycinnamic acids, a group of phenols. Both types of compounds show complex and multifactorial effects, acting as hypolipemic, hypoglycemic, antioxidant, prebiotic and satiating agents. They act by modulating different metabolic pathways, affecting the absorption and metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates, reducing oxidative damage, promoting the proliferation of beneficial bacterial species, and reducing dietary intake. It may be concluded that both beta-glucans and hydroxycinnamates have potential as a nutritional tool for the management of obesity and its associated metabolic dysfunctions.

The Anti-tumor Effects of p-Coumaric Acid on Melanoma A375 and B16 Cells

Background: Existing research shows that p-coumaric acid (p-CA) can inhibit the proliferation of a variety of tumor cells in vitro. However, there are no reports on the anti-tumor effects of p-CA on melanoma cells. In this study, the inhibitory effects of p-CA on mouse melanoma B16 and human melanoma A375 cells are reported, and the related mechanisms are investigated. Methods: CCK-8 assay was used to detect the effects of p-CA on cell vitality, colony formation assay was used to observe the effects on cell proliferation, Hoechst 33,258 staining was used to observe the morphology of apoptotic cells, flow cytometry was used to detect the effects on apoptosis and the cell cycle, and western blot was used to measure the levels of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related signaling pathway proteins. Results: p-CA significantly inhibits cell proliferation of A375 and B16 cells in a dose-dependent manner and obviously induced cell morphological changes. p-CA arrested A375 cells in the S phase by downregulating the cell cycle-related proteins Cyclin A and CDK2, and arrested B16 cells in the G0-G1 phase through downregulating the cell cycle-related proteins Cyclin E and CDK2. In addition, p-CA significantly promoted apoptosis of A375 and B16 cells. Furthermore, p-CA significantly upregulated the levels of Apaf1 and Bax and downregulated the levels of Bcl-2, and subsequently increased the levels of cytoplasmic cytochrome c (Cyto-c), cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-9, leading to apoptosis in A375 and B16 cells. Conclusion: p-CA can significantly inhibit the proliferation of human and mouse melanoma cells in vitro. Our research is a step in the development of anti-melanoma drugs.

Insulin polymorphism induced by two polyphenols: new crystal forms and advances in macromolecular powder diffraction

This study focuses on the polymorphism of human insulin (HI) upon the binding of the phenolic derivativesp-coumaric acid ortrans-resveratrol over a wide pH range. The determination of the structural behaviour of HI via X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) is reported. Four distinct polymorphs were identified, two of which have not been reported previously. The intermediate phase transitions are discussed. One of the novel monoclinic polymorphs displays the highest molecular packing among insulin polymorphs of the same space group to date; its structure was elucidated by SCXRD. XRPD data collection was performed using a variety of instrumental setups and a systematic comparison of the acquired data is presented. A laboratory diffractometer was used for screening prior to high-resolution XRPD data collection on the ID22 beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Additional measurements for the most representative samples were performed on the X04SA beamline at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) using the MYTHEN II detector, which allowed the detection of minor previously untraceable impurities and dramatically improved thed-spacing resolution even for poorly diffracting samples.

The central role of the SOS DNA repair system in antibiotics resistance: A new target for a new infectious treatment strategy

Bacteria have a considerable ability and potential to acquire resistance against antimicrobial agents by acting diverse mechanisms such as target modification or overexpression, multidrug transporter systems, and acquisition of drug hydrolyzing enzymes. Studying the mechanisms of bacterial cell physiology is mandatory for the development of novel strategies to control the antimicrobial resistance phenomenon, as well as for the control of infections in clinics. The SOS response is a cellular DNA repair mechanism that has an essential role in the bacterial biologic process involved in resistance to antibiotics. The activation of the SOS network increases the resistance and tolerance of bacteria to stress and, as a consequence, to antimicrobial agents. Therefore, SOS can be an applicable target for the discovery of new antimicrobial drugs. In the present review, we focus on the central role of SOS response in bacterial resistance mechanisms and its potential as a new target for control of resistant pathogens.

Biologically Active Compounds of Plants: Structure-Related Antioxidant, Microbiological and Cytotoxic Activity of Selected Carboxylic Acids

Natural carboxylic acids are plant-derived compounds that are known to possess biological activity. The aim of this review was to compare the effect of structural differences of the selected carboxylic acids (benzoic acid (BA), cinnamic acid (CinA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA), caffeic acid (CFA), rosmarinic acid (RA), and chicoric acid (ChA)) on the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activity. The studied compounds were arranged in a logic sequence of increasing number of hydroxyl groups and conjugated bonds in order to investigate the correlations between the structure and bioactivity. A review of the literature revealed that RA exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and this property decreased in the following order: RA > CFA ~ ChA > p-CA > CinA > BA. In the case of antimicrobial properties, structure-activity relationships were not easy to observe as they depended on the microbial strain and the experimental conditions. The highest antimicrobial activity was found for CFA and CinA, while the lowest for RA. Taking into account anti-cancer properties of studied NCA, it seems that the presence of hydroxyl groups had an influence on intermolecular interactions and the cytotoxic potential of the molecules, whereas the carboxyl group participated in the chelation of endogenous transition metal ions.

Beetroot, a Remarkable Vegetable: Its Nitrate and Phytochemical Contents Can be Adjusted in Novel Formulations to Benefit Health and Support Cardiovascular Disease Therapies

The cardioprotective effects of dietary nitrate from beetroot in healthy and hypertensive individuals are undeniable and irrefutable. Nitrate and nitrate-derived nitrite are precursors for nitric oxide synthesis exhibiting an effect on cardiomyocytes and myocardial ischemia/reperfusion, improving endothelial function, reducing arterial stiffness and stimulating smooth muscle relaxation, decreasing systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Beetroot phytochemicals like betanin, saponins, polyphenols, and organic acids can resist simulated gastrointestinal digestion, raising the hypothesis that the cardioprotective effects of beetroots result from the combination of nitrate/nitrite and bioactive compounds that limit the generation of reactive oxygen species and modulate gene expression. Nitrate and phytochemical concentrations can be adjusted in beet formulations to fulfill requirements for acute or long-term supplementations, enhancing patient adherence to beet intervention. Based on in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials, beet nitrate and its bioactive phytochemicals are promising as a novel supportive therapy to ameliorate cardiovascular diseases.

Phenolamides: Plant specialized metabolites with a wide range of promising pharmacological and health-promoting interests

Phenolamides constitute a family of metabolites, widely represented in the plant kingdom, that can be found in all plant organs with a predominance in flowers and pollen grains. They represent a large and structurally diverse family, resulting from the association of phenolic acids with aliphatic or aromatic amines. Initially revealed as active compounds in several medicinal plant extracts, phenolamides have been extensively studied for their health-promoting and pharmacological properties. Indeed, phenolamides have been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and antimicrobial properties, but also protective effects against metabolic syndrome and neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this review is to summarise this large body of literature, including in vitro and in vivo studies, by describing the diversity of their biological properties and our actual knowledge of the molecular mechanisms behind them. With regard to their considerable pharmacological interest, the question of industrial production is also tackled through chemical and biological syntheses in engineered microorganisms. The diversity of biological activities already described, together with the active discovery of the broad structural diversity of this metabolite family, make phenolamides a promising source of new active compounds on which future studies should be focused.

Thioglycoligase derived from fungal GH3 β-xylosidase is a multi-glycoligase with broad acceptor tolerance

The synthesis of customized glycoconjugates constitutes a major goal for biocatalysis. To this end, engineered glycosidases have received great attention and, among them, thioglycoligases have proved useful to connect carbohydrates to non-sugar acceptors. However, hitherto the scope of these biocatalysts was considered limited to strong nucleophilic acceptors. Based on the particularities of the GH3 glycosidase family active site, we hypothesized that converting a suitable member into a thioglycoligase could boost the acceptor range. Herein we show the engineering of an acidophilic fungal β-xylosidase into a thioglycoligase with broad acceptor promiscuity. The mutant enzyme displays the ability to form O-, N-, S- and Se- glycosides together with sugar esters and phosphoesters with conversion yields from moderate to high. Analyses also indicate that the pKa of the target compound was the main factor to determine its suitability as glycosylation acceptor. These results expand on the glycoconjugate portfolio attainable through biocatalysis.

Evaluation of acacetin inhibition potential against cytochrome P450 in vitro and in vivo

Acacetin is a natural flavonoid that is widely distributed in plants and possesses numerous pharmacological activities. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of acacetin on the activities of the cytochrome P450 family members CYP1A2, CYP2B1, CYP2C11, CYP2D1, CYP2E1, and CYP3A2 in rat liver microsomes in vitro and rats in vivo to evaluate potential herb-drug interactions by using a cocktail approach. Phenacetin, bupropion, tolbutamide, dextromethorphan, chlorzoxazone, and midazolam were chosen as the probe substrates. An ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the simultaneous detection of the probe substrates and their metabolites. In vitro, the mode of acacetin inhibition of CYP2B1, CYP2C11, and CYP2E1 was competitive, while mixed inhibition was observed for CYP1A2 and CYP3A2. The Ki values in this study were less than 8.32 μM. In vivo, the mixed probe substrates were administered by gavage after daily intraperitoneal injection with 50 mg/kg acacetin or saline for 2 weeks. The main pharmacokinetic parameters, area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), plasma clearance (CL), and maximum plasma concentration (C_max) of the probe substrates were significantly different in the experimental group than in the control group. Overall, the in vitro and in vivo results indicated that acacetin would be at high risk to cause toxicity and drug interactions via cytochrome P450 inhibition.

Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Cytotoxic, and Enzyme Inhibitory Activities of Hedychium flavum Rhizome

Hedychium flavum Roxb., a medicinal, edible, and ornamental plant, is widely cultivated throughout China, India, and Southeast Asia. The rhizome from this plant has been used for food flavoring and in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diverse diseases, but the detailed constituents and bioactivities are still limited known. Therefore, phytochemical analysis by GC-MS and UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS, and antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic, and enzyme inhibitory activities tests have been conducted in the current study. Based on the GC-MS results, the essential oil (EO) of rhizome was mainly composed of coronarin E (20.3%), β-pinene (16.8%), E-nerolidol (11.8%), and linalool (8.5%). Among them, coronarin E was reported in H. flavum EO firstly. Furthermore, the spectrophotometric indicated rhizome had high total phenolic content (TPC, 50.08-57.42 mg GAEs/g extract) and total flavonoid content (TFC, 12.45-21.83 mg REs/g extract), no matter in water extract (WE) or in 70% ethanol extract (EE). UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS was applied to further characterize composition, and 86 compounds were putatively identified from WE and EE, including 13 phenolic components. For the bioactivities, both WE and EE showed remarkable antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS tests, being superior to the positive control (butylated hydroxytoluene, BTH). EO revealed significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus vulgaris with DIZ (10.34-24.43 mm), MIC (78.13-312.50 μg/mL), and MBC (156.25-625.00 μg/mL). Moreover, EO exhibited a considerable selectivity to human tumor cell K562 (IC₅₀ = 27.16 μg/mL), and its toxicity was more than 3.5-fold different from that of non-cancerous MRC-5 cell (IC₅₀ = 95.96 μg/mL) and L929 cell (IC₅₀ = 129.91 μg/mL). A series of apoptosis analysis demonstrated that EO induced apoptosis against K562 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In enzyme inhibitory effect assays, WE and EE showed strong α-glucosidase inhibition activity, being superior to the positive control (acarbose). Besides, the EO, WE, and EE didn't show a promising inhibition on tyrosinase (19.30-32.51 mg KAEs/g sample) and exhibited a weak inhibitory effect on cholinesterase. Based on the current results, H. flavum could be considered as a source of bioactive compounds and has high exploitation potential in the cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical industries.

Schinus terebenthifolius Raddi extracts: From sunscreen activity toward protection of the placenta to Zika virus infection, new uses for a well-known medicinal plant

Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi is a well-known medicinal plant native of South America. This species has demonstrated important biological activities such as antihypertensive and vasodilator, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. However, no studies have been, so far, reported with the fruits of S. terebinthifolius as a protector of the placenta against Zika virus infection and as sunscreen agents. The present study aimed to investigate new uses for the ethanolic fruit extracts of S. terebinthifolius, from fruits'peel (STPE) and from the whole fruits (STWFE). Zika virus (ZIKV) has been linked to several fetal malformations, such as microcephaly and other central nervous system abnormalities. Thus, the potential of these natural extracts against ZIKV infection was evaluated, using an in vitro method. The photoprotective potential, determined by spectrometry, along with phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and chemical composition of both extracts were also evaluated. The chemical composition of the extracts was evaluated by HPLC-UV / vis. The cytotoxicity of peel and whole fruit extracts in vero E6 cell lines, in placental cell lines and placental explant cultures were evaluated by the MTT assay. The infectivity of placental cells and explants was evaluated by qRT-PCR and the effects of extracts on ZIKV infection were investigated using HTR-8/SVneo cells, pre-treated with 100 μg mL^-1 of STWFE for 1 h, and infected with MR766 (AD) or PE243 (EH) ZIKV strains. STFE and STWFE were well-tolerated by both placental-derived trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo as well as by term placental chorionic villi explants, which indicate absence of cytotoxicity in all analysed concentrations. Two strains of ZIKV were tested to access if pre-treatment of trophoblast cells with the STWFE would protect them against infection. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that STWFE extract greatly reduced ZIKV infection. The extracts were also photoprotective with SPF values equivalent to the standard, benzophenone-3. The formulations prepared in different concentrations of the extracts (5-10 %) had shown maximum SPF values of 32.21. STWFE represents a potential natural mixture to be used in pregnancy in order to restrain placental infection by ZIKV and might potentially protect fetus against ZIKV-related malformations. The extracts exhibited photoprotective activity and some of the phenolic compounds, mainly resveratrol, catechin and epicatechin, are active ingredients in all assayed activities. The development of biotechnological/medical products, giving extra value to products from family farming, is expected, with strong prospects for success.

Comparison of Phenolic Compounds, Carotenoids, Amino Acid Composition, In Vitro Antioxidant and Anti-Diabetic Activities in the Leaves of Seven Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) Cultivars

Cowpea is a well-known nutrition rich African leafy vegetable that has potential to sustain food and nutrition insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa. Consumption of cowpea legumes is associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the (i) variation in phenolic metabolites in seven cowpea cultivars (VOP1, VOP2, VOP3, VOP4, VOP5, VOP7, and VOP8 using UHPLC coupled with high resolution Q-TOF-MS technique, (ii) in vitro antioxidant activity using ferric reducing/antioxidant capacity (FRAP) assay (iii) in vitro anti-diabetic effects and (iv) composition of carotenoids and amino acids of theses cowpea cultivars. The results of this study demonstrated that gentisic acid 5-O-glucoside, quercetin 3-(2G-xylosylrutinoside) and Quercetin 3-glucosyl-(1->2)-galactoside were highest in VOP1 VOP4 and VOP5, respectively. High inhibition (>50%) of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities was shown by the leaf extracts (50 and 25 mg/mL) of VOP1 and VOP4. Cowpea cultivars VOP1 and VOP4 demonstrated the highest gene expression levels of regulation of glucose transporter GLUT4 in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells, similar to insulin. A positive correlation exited between the phenolic components and the inhibitory effect of antidiabetic enzymes and FRAP activity. Cytotoxic effect was not detected in vitro in any cowpea cultivar. Lutein (124.6 mg/100 g) and all-trans-beta-carotene (92.6 mg/100 g) levels were highest in VOP2 and VOP1, respectively. Cowpea cultivars VOP3 and VOP4 showed potential to fulfil the daily requirements of essential amino acids. Thus, based on this information, cowpea (leaves) genotypes/cultivars can be selected and propagated for the further development of supplementary foods or functional food ingredients.

Synergistic antioxidant effects of phenolic acids and carotenes on H2O2-induced H9c2 cells: Role of cell membrane transporters

Phenolic acids (caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid,) and carotenes (β-carotene, lycopene) were mixed in different ratios to investigate antioxidant interactions on H₂O₂-induced H9c2 cells with ezetimibe (inhibitor of carotenes membrane transporters). Cellular uptake of carotenes, expression of membrane transporters, reactive oxygen species (ROS), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone1 (NQO1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) were analyzed. Results revealed that phenolic acids increased cellular uptake of carotenes and expression of their membrane transporters. Combination groups contained more phenolic acids showed synergistic effects. For example, β-carotene: caffeic acid = 1:2 significantly suppressed the intracellular ROS (+EZT, 66.34 ± 51.53%) and enhanced the accumulation of nucleus-Nrf2 (+EZT, 30.23 ± 5.30) compared to the groups contained more β-carotene (+EZT, ROS: 75.48 ± 2.55%, nucleus-Nrf2: 19.48 ± 4.22). This study provided an implication of functional foods formulation and demonstrated that antioxidant synergism may due to the up-regulation of carotenes membrane transporters by phenolic acids.

Introducing a delivery system for melanogenesis inhibition in melanoma B16F10 cells mediated by the conjugation of tyrosine ammonia-lyase and a TAT-penetrating peptide

Hyperpigmentation disorders negatively influence an individual's quality of life and may cause emotional distress. Over the years, various melanogenesis inhibitors (mainly tyrosinase inhibitors) have been developed, most of which with low efficacy or high toxicity. Although metabolic engineering by deviation in the flux of substrate is of considerable interest, trials to develop a melanogenesis inhibitor based on L-tyrosine (L-Tyr) restriction are missing. We propose a novel proteinaceous melanogenesis inhibitor called tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL), an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of L-Tyr to p-coumaric acid and ammonia. Since the cell membrane can act as a barrier for intracellular protein delivery, we have covalently conjugated a recombinant TAL enzyme from Rhodobacter sphaeroides (RsTAL) to a trans-activator of transcription (TAT) cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) to afford the intracellular delivery. The heterologously expressed TAT-RsTAL fusion protein was delivered successfully into B16F10 melanocytes as confirmed by the direct fluorescence microscopy with increased intensity from 30 to 180 min. TAT-RsTAL showed sufficient intracellular activity of about 0.83 ± 0.04 and 0.34 ± 0.03 nmol•mg^-1 •s^-1 for the native and inclusion body-extracted conjugates, respectively. The conjugate inhibited melanin biosynthesis in B16F10 cells in a time-dependent manner. Melanin accumulation was inhibited by 12.7 ± 6.2%, 28.2 ± 5.7%, and 33.9 ± 2.9% compared to the nontreated control groups after 24, 48, and 72 hr of incubation, respectively. L-Tyr restriction had no significant effect on the cell viability up to a concentration of 100 μgml^-1 even after 72 hr. According to the observed hypopigmentary effect of the conjugate in this study, TAT-RsTAL can be suggested as a melanogenesis inhibitor for further investigations.

Ethnopharmacology of Fruit Plants: A Literature Review on the Toxicological, Phytochemical, Cultural Aspects, and a Mechanistic Approach to the Pharmacological Effects of Four Widely Used Species

Fruit plants have been widely used by the population as a source of food, income and in the treatment of various diseases due to their nutritional and pharmacological properties. The aim of this study was to review information from the most current research about the phytochemical composition, biological and toxicological properties of four fruit species widely used by the world population in order to support the safe medicinal use of these species and encourage further studies on their therapeutic properties. The reviewed species are: Talisia esculenta, Brosimum gaudichaudii, Genipa americana, and Bromelia antiacantha. The review presents the botanical description of these species, their geographical distribution, forms of use in popular medicine, phytochemical studies and molecules isolated from different plant organs. The description of the pharmacological mechanism of action of secondary metabolites isolated from these species was detailed and toxicity studies related to them were reviewed. The present study demonstrates the significant concentration of phenolic compounds in these species and their anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, photosensitizing properties, among others. Such species provide important molecules with pharmacological activity that serve as raw materials for the development of new drugs, making further studies necessary to elucidate mechanisms of action not yet understood and prove the safety for use in humans.

Polyphenol Profile and Biological Activity Comparisons of Different Parts of Astragalus macrocephalus subsp. finitimus from Turkey

The members of the genus Astragalus have great interest as traditional drugs in several folk systems including Turkey. In this sense, the present paper was aimed to explore the biological properties and chemical profiles of different parts (aerial parts, leaves, flowers, stems, and roots) of A. macrocephalus subsp. finitimus. Antioxidant (radical quenching, reducing power, and metal chelating) and enzyme inhibitory (α-amylase and tyrosinase) effects were investigated for biological properties. Regarding chemical profiles, individual phenolic compounds were detected by LC-MS, as well as total amounts. The leaves extract exhibited the strongest antioxidant abilities when compared with other parts. However, flowers extract had the best metal chelating ability. Hyperoside, apigenin, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids were identified as main compounds in the tested parts. Regarding enzyme inhibitory properties, tyrosinase inhibitory effects varied from IC₅₀: 1.02 to 1.41 mg/mL. In addition, the best amylase inhibition effect was observed by leaves (3.36 mg/mL), followed by aerial parts, roots, stems, and flowers. As a result, from multivariate analysis, the tested parts were classified in three cluster. Summing up the results, it can be concluded that A. macrocephalus subsp. finitimus could be a precious source of natural bioactive agents in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical applications.

Baking Optimization as a Strategy to Extend Shelf-Life through the Enhanced Quality and Bioactive Properties of Pulse-Based Snacks

Food processing optimization can enhance the nutrient bioavailability, storage time, and stability of convenience foods. Baking is a heat and mass transfer process with a high impact on the shelf-life of the obtained product; a small variation in the parameters during baking can lead to significant changes in the end baked product, as it significantly affects the food nutrient profile and bioactive compounds. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used for mapping a response surface over a particular region of interest of baking conditions. The combined effect of the two factors (baking temperature and time) on the selected quality and bioactive parameters as dependent factors was evaluated in order to predict the optimal baking conditions which can facilitate the extended shelf-life of the product through maximizing the antioxidant bioactive properties. This design was used to develop models to predict the effect of the temperature and time baking profile and select those conditions where the quality and bioactive parameters reached a balance to obtain pulse snacks with a high quality, enhanced bioactive properties, and thus a longer shelf-life. Simultaneous optimization by the desirability function showed that a maximum temperature of 210 °C and a time of 14 min were the optimum conditions to produce a pulse-based snack with high antioxidant-antihypertensive activity and nutritional quality.

Gastric healing effect of p-coumaric acid isolated from Baccharis dracunculifolia DC on animal model

The p-coumaric acid is a phenolic compound present in large quantities in the extract of Baccharis dracunculifolia DC, a Brazilian medicinal plant used to treat gastric ulcer. Given the necessity for finding new chemical components capable of accelerating gastric healing, in this study, the effects of the p-coumaric acid were evaluated in the acetic acid-induced ulcer model in rats, where histological, inflammatory, and oxidative parameters were analyzed. The healing property was also evaluated in the scratch assay on fibroblast cells (L929) and the cytotoxicity of p-coumaric acid was assessed in both L929 and human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells by MTT assay. The treatment with p-coumaric acid (10 mg/kg, p.o.) for 7 days, twice a day, decreased by 44.6% the acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer compared with the vehicle-treated group. The vehicle control-treated group showed a larger extension of the ulcer base and an extensive damage into the mucosa and submucosa layers, which were mitigated by the treatment with p-coumaric acid. This beneficial effect was also associated with increased levels of mucin and reduced glutathione, decreased amount of lipid hydroperoxides, and increased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities without interfering with the activity of myeloperoxidase in the gastric tissue. The compound promoted the restructuring of the cell monolayer in the scratch test and did not show toxicity in the L929 cell line, while reduced the viability of the AGS, a lineage of human gastric adenocarcinoma. Thus, p-coumaric acid may be considered a natural source for the treatment of gastric ulcers, by reinforcing protective factors of gastric mucosa and by accelerating gastric healing.

Pursuing the Elixir of Life: In Vivo Antioxidative Effects of Manganosalen Complexes

Manganosalen complexes are coordination compounds that possess a chelating salen-type ligand, a class of bis-Schiff bases obtained by condensation of salicylaldehyde and a diamine. They may act as catalytic antioxidants mimicking both the structure and the reactivity of the native antioxidant enzymes active site. Thus, manganosalen complexes have been shown to exhibit superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities, and they could potentially facilitate the scavenging of excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby restoring the redox balance in damaged cells and organs. Initial catalytic studies compared the potency of these compounds as antioxidants in terms of rate constants of the chemical reactivity against ROS, giving catalytic values approaching and even exceeding that of the native antioxidative enzymes. Although most of these catalytic studies lack of biological relevance, subsequent in vitro studies have confirmed the efficiency of many manganosalen complexes in oxidative stress models. These synthetic catalytic scavengers, cheaper than natural antioxidants, have accordingly attracted intensive attention for the therapy of ROS-mediated injuries. The aim of this review is to focus on in vivo studies performed on manganosalen complexes and their activity on the treatment of several pathological disorders associated with oxidative damage. These disorders, ranging from the prevention of fetal malformations to the extension of lifespan, include neurodegenerative, inflammatory, and cardiovascular diseases; tissue injury; and other damages related to the liver, kidney, or lungs.

Withania frutescens: Chemical characterization, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and healing activities

Withania frutescens (W. frutescens) is a medicinal plant that is largely used in the Morrocan pharmacopeia for disease treatment. This work was conducted to investigate the chemical characterization, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and healing activities of W. frutescens. The chemical characterization of W. frutescens extract was done using HPLC; the anti-inflammatory test was performed with doses 300, 400 and 450 mg/kg, and the healing activity was assessed using two creams (extract 5% and extract 10%). Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenolic compounds. The results of the anti-inflammatory test were more pronounced when compared with the reference drug with a maximum inhibition percentage of 82.20% ± 8.69 obtained at the dose of 450 mg/kg. Local application of 10% plant cream induced 80.17% ± 7.89 of inflammation inhibition when compared with the indomethacin drug 92.33% ± 11.27. The studied plant extract showed a promising healing activity with the following percentage: 99.03% ± 0.76 (extract 10%), 98.61% ± 1.91 (extract 5%), and 57.43% ± 2.97 (control); meanwhile, the value reached to 100% ± 0.02 for the drug that was used as a reference within the first 2 weeks. The plant studied in this work would be a promising source for conceptualizing effective drugs against inflammatory diseases.

Natural Sources, Pharmacokinetics, Biological Activities and Health Benefits of Hydroxycinnamic Acids and Their Metabolites

Hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) are important natural phenolic compounds present in high concentrations in fruits, vegetables, cereals, coffee, tea and wine. Many health beneficial effects have been acknowledged in food products rich in HCAs; however, food processing, dietary intake, bioaccessibility and pharmacokinetics have a high impact on HCAs to reach the target tissue in order to exert their biological activities. In particular, metabolism is of high importance since HCAs' metabolites could either lose the activity or be even more potent compared to the parent compounds. In this review, natural sources and pharmacokinetic properties of HCAs and their esters are presented and discussed. The main focus is on their metabolism along with biological activities and health benefits. Special emphasis is given on specific effects of HCAs' metabolites in comparison with their parent compounds.

A role for gut microbiota in host niche differentiation

If gut microbes influence host behavioral ecology in the short term, over evolutionary time, they could drive host niche differentiation. We explored this possibility by comparing the gut microbiota of Madagascar's folivorous lemurs from Indriidae and Lepilemuridae. Occurring sympatrically in the eastern rainforest, our four, target species have different dietary specializations, including frugo-folivory (sifakas), young-leaf folivory (indri and woolly lemurs), and mature-leaf folivory (sportive lemurs). We collected fecal samples, from 2013 to 2017, and used amplicon sequencing, metagenomic sequencing, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, respectively, to integrate analyses of gut microbiome structure and function with analysis of the colonic metabolome. The lemurs harbored species-specific microbiomes, metagenomes, and metabolomes that were tuned to their dietary specializations: Frugo-folivores had greater microbial and metagenomic diversity, and harbored generalist taxa. Mature-leaf folivores had greater individual microbiome variation, and taxa and metabolites putatively involved in cellulolysis. The consortia even differed between related, young-leaf specialists, with indri prioritizing metabolism of fiber and plant secondary compounds, and woolly lemurs prioritizing amino-acid cycling. Specialized gut microbiota and associated gastrointestinal morphologies enable folivores to variably tolerate resource fluctuation and support nutrient extraction from challenging resources (e.g., by metabolizing plant secondary compounds or recalcitrant fibers), perhaps ultimately facilitating host species' diversity and specialized feeding ecologies.

Advances and Prospects of Phenolic Acids Production, Biorefinery and Analysis

Biotechnological production of phenolic acids is attracting increased interest due to their superior antioxidant activity, as well as other antimicrobial, dietary, and health benefits. As secondary metabolites, primarily found in plants and fungi, they are effective free radical scavengers due to the phenolic group available in their structure. Therefore, phenolic acids are widely utilised by pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and chemical industries. A demand for phenolic acids is mostly satisfied by utilising chemically synthesised compounds, with only a low quantity obtained from natural sources. As an alternative to chemical synthesis, environmentally friendly bio-based technologies are necessary for development in large-scale production. One of the most promising sustainable technologies is the utilisation of microbial cell factories for biosynthesis of phenolic acids. In this paper, we perform a systematic comparison of the best known natural sources of phenolic acids. The advances and prospects in the development of microbial cell factories for biosynthesis of these bioactive compounds are discussed in more detail. A special consideration is given to the modern production methods and analytics of phenolic acids.

Effects of p-coumaric acid on microRNA expression profiles in SNU-16 human gastric cancer cells

BACKGROUND

p-Coumaric acid (p-CA), a phenolic compound abundantly found in edible plants, was found to induce apoptosis in SNU-16 gastric cancer cells. However, the effects of p-CA on the microRNA expression pattern in SNU-16 cells have not been reported.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of this study was to investigate microRNA expression profiles in p-CA-treated SNU-16 cells.

METHODS

SNU-16 cells were treated with 1.5 mM p-CA for 48 h. High-throughput RNA sequencing was performed. The accuracy and validity of the RNA sequencing results were tested by real-time PCR. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed using the differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs).

RESULTS

Thirty-two DEMs were identified between p-CA-treated and control cells, 9 of which were upregulated, and 23 downregulated. GO and KEGG pathway analyses of the target genes indicated that these genes were involved in a variety of biological functions and several cancer-related pathways. The miRNA interactive network analysis identified hsa-miR-125a-5p, hsa-miR-30a-5p, and hsa-miR-7-5p as the major nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated that p-CA exerted its anticancer effects in SNU-16 gastric cancer cells by modulating the expression of certain microRNAs, providing a better understanding of the anticancer properties of p-CA in gastric cancer cells.

LC-ESI-QTOF-MS for the Profiling of the Metabolites and in Vitro Enzymes Inhibition Activity of Bryophyllum pinnatum and Oxalis corniculata Collected from Ramechhap District of Nepal

The objective of this study was to profile the chemical components and biological activity analysis of crude extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum and Oxalis corniculata. Results revealed that the analyzed plant materials encompass the high amount of total phenolic and flavonoids content and have significant antioxidant activities. Furthermore, methanol extracts are the potential source of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase, tyrosinase and elastase inhibitors. High resolution mass spectrometry revealed the presence of diverse metabolites such as quercetin 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside, myricetin 3-rhamnoside, bersaldegenin 1,3,5-orthoacetate, bryophyllin C, syringic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and quercetin in B. pinnatum and isoorientin, swertisin, apigenin 7,4'-diglucoside, vitexin, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, ethyl gallate, 3,3',4'-trihydroxy-5,7-dimethoxyflavone, and diosmetin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside in O. corniculata. Our finding suggested that these two plant species have high medicinal importance and are potential source of inhibitors for modern pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and cosmetics industries.

Evaluating Feruloyl Esterase—Xylanase Synergism for Hydroxycinnamic Acid and Xylo-Oligosaccharide Production from Untreated, Hydrothermally Pre-Treated and Dilute-Acid Pre-Treated Corn Cobs

Agricultural residues are considered the most promising option as a renewable feedstock for biofuel and high valued-added chemical production due to their availability and low cost. The efficient enzymatic hydrolysis of agricultural residues into value-added products such as sugars and hydroxycinnamic acids is a challenge because of the recalcitrant properties of the native biomass. Development of synergistic enzyme cocktails is required to overcome biomass residue recalcitrance, and achieve high yields of potential value-added products. In this study, the synergistic action of two termite metagenome-derived feruloyl esterases (FAE5 and FAE6), and an endo-xylanase (Xyn11) from Thermomyces lanuginosus, was optimized using 0.5% (w/v) insoluble wheat arabinoxylan (a model substrate) and then applied to 1% (w/v) corn cobs for the efficient production of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) and hydroxycinnamic acids. The enzyme combination of 66% Xyn11 and 33% FAE5 or FAE6 (protein loading) produced the highest amounts of XOS, ferulic acid, and p-coumaric acid from untreated, hydrothermal, and acid pre-treated corn cobs. The combination of 66% Xyn11 and 33% FAE6 displayed an improvement in reducing sugars of approximately 1.9-fold and 3.4-fold for hydrothermal and acid pre-treated corn cobs (compared to Xyn11 alone), respectively. The hydrolysis product profiles revealed that xylobiose was the dominant XOS produced from untreated and pre-treated corn cobs. These results demonstrated that the efficient production of hydroxycinnamic acids and XOS from agricultural residues for industrial applications can be achieved through the synergistic action of FAE5 or FAE6 and Xyn11.

Methanolic extract of Ephedra ciliata promotes wound healing and arrests inflammatory cascade in vivo through downregulation of TNF-α

Chronic wounds may lead to the development of various pathological conditions such as diabetic foot ulcers and pressure sores. The current study evaluated wound healing and anti-inflammatory potentials of methanolic extract of Ephedra ciliata using series of in vivo models. Methanolic extract of Ephedra ciliata was prepared by maceration (Ec.Me). Qualitative and quantitative (HPLC) phytochemical and metal analyses were conducted to explore the chemical and metal profiles of Ec.Me. Safety profile (behavioural) and, antimicrobial, antioxidant, wound healing, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic potentials of Ec.Me were evaluated using well-established in vitro and in vivo models. ELISA assay was performed to estimate the effects of Ec.Me treatment on serum levels of TNF-α. HPLC analysis identified quercetin as one of the major compounds in Ec.Me. Safety study data showed that Ec.Me was safe up to the dose of 2000 mg/kg. Antimicrobial assay data showed that Ec.Me was active against bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus) as well as fungal (Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger) strains. Ec.Me showed modertate antioxidant potential in in vitro and in vivo models. Data of excision and burn wound healing models showed that Ec.Me, promoted wound closure in a dose and time-dependent manner. Treatment with 20% Ec.Me cream and heparin showed almost the same effects with no statistical differences (p > 0.05). Ec.Me also showed time-dependent anti-inflammatory activities in both acute and chronic models. In carrageenan model, treatment with 200 mg/kg of Ec.Me showed comparable anti-inflammatory effects (p > 0.05) with quercetin and indomethacin throughout the study. In cotton pellet granuloma model treatment with 200 mg/kg of Ec.Me and indomethacin inhibited granuloma formation significantly better (p < 0.05) as compared with the rest of the treatment groups. Histopathological examination of skin samples showed marked improvement in architecture with minimal infiltration of inflammatory cells. Data of in vivo angiogenesis assay showed marked improvement in vessels length, density, branching points, total segments and total nets after treatment with Ec.Me, indicating no toxic effects towards vasculature development. Significant (p < 0.05) downregulation of TNF-α was observed in serum samples of animals treated with Ec.Me. Based on data of the current study, it is concluded that quercetin-rich extract of Ephedra ciliata has wound healing and anti-inflammatory potentials via downregulation of TNF-α. Moreover, it is suggested that the antimicrobial activity of Ec.Me prevented microbial invasion, thus promoted natural wound healing mechanisms as well.

A time-dependent role for the transcription factor CREB in neuronal allocation to an engram underlying a fear memory revealed using a novel in vivo optogenetic tool to modulate CREB function

The internal representation of an experience is thought to be encoded by long-lasting physical changes to the brain ("engrams") . Previously, we and others showed within the lateral amygdala (LA), a region critical for auditory conditioned fear, eligible neurons compete against one other for allocation to an engram. Neurons with relatively higher function of the transcription factor CREB were more likely to be allocated to the engram. In these studies, though, CREB function was artificially increased for several days before training. Precisely when increased CREB function is important for allocation remains an unanswered question. Here, we took advantage of a novel optogenetic tool (opto-DN-CREB) to gain spatial and temporal control of CREB function in freely behaving mice. We found increasing CREB function in a small, random population of LA principal neurons in the minutes, but not 24 h, before training was sufficient to enhance memory, likely because these neurons were preferentially allocated to the underlying engram. However, similarly increasing CREB activity in a small population of random LA neurons immediately after training disrupted subsequent memory retrieval, likely by disrupting the precise spatial and temporal patterns of offline post-training neuronal activity and/or function required for consolidation. These findings reveal the importance of the timing of CREB activity in regulating allocation and subsequent memory retrieval, and further, highlight the potential of optogenetic approaches to control protein function with temporal specificity in behaving animals.

p-Coumaric acid prevents obesity via activating thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue mediated by mTORC1-RPS6

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has long been recognized as an energy-consuming organ and a possible target for combating metabolism disorder. Although numerous studies have demonstrated the ability of phytochemical phenolic acids to improve obesity by activating BAT, the underlying mechanism or mechanism therein remain obscure. In this study, diet-induced obese mice, genetically obese mice, and C3H10T1/2 cells were used to examine the effects of p-Coumaric acid (CA) on metabolism profiles. The results showed that CA prevented metabolic syndromes in the two mice models through the activation of BAT. This phenomenon was closely linked to the upregulation of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and the accelerated burning of fatty acids and glucose, which consequently enhanced the energy expenditure and thermogenesis. Similar results were also obtained in vitro. Importantly, these effects were mediated by the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)-RPS6 pathway. These findings reveal, to the best of our knowledge for the first time, the close correlation between mTORC1-RPS6 and BAT-mediated thermogenesis, and, in addition, the key role played by mTORC1-RPS6 in mediating phenolic acids-induced activation of BAT, thus preventing obesity.

Phenolic Acids of Plant Origin-A Review on Their Antioxidant Activity In Vitro (O/W Emulsion Systems) Along with Their in Vivo Health Biochemical Properties

Nature has generously offered a wide range of herbs (e.g., thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, mint, basil) rich in many polyphenols and other phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant and biochemical properties. This paper focuses on several natural occurring phenolic acids (caffeic, carnosic, ferulic, gallic, p-coumaric, rosmarinic, vanillic) and first gives an overview of their most common natural plant sources. A summary of the recently reported antioxidant activities of the phenolic acids in o/w emulsions is also provided as an in vitro lipid-based model system. Exploring the interfacial activity of phenolic acids could help to further elucidate their potential health properties against oxidative stress conditions of biological membranes (such as lipoproteins). Finally, this review reports on the latest literature evidence concerning specific biochemical properties of the examined phenolic acids.

Assessing the Viability of Recovery of Hydroxycinnamic Acids from Lignocellulosic Biorefinery Alkaline Pretreatment Waste Streams

The hydroxycinnamic acids p-coumaric acid (pCA) and ferulic acid (FA) add diversity to the portfolio of products produced by using grass-fed lignocellulosic biorefineries. The level of lignin-bound pCA in Zea mays was modified by the alteration of p-coumaroyl-CoA monolignol transferase expression. The biomass was processed in a lab-scale alkaline-pretreatment biorefinery process and the data were used for a baseline technoeconomic analysis to determine where to direct future research efforts to couple plant design to biomass utilization processes. It is concluded that future plant engineering efforts should focus on strategies that ramp up accumulation of one type of hydroxycinnamate (pCA or FA) predominantly and suppress that of the other. Technoeconomic analysis indicates that target extraction titers of one hydroxycinnamic acid need to be >50 g kg-1 biomass, at least five times higher than observed titers for the impure pCA/FA product mixture from wild-type maize. The technical challenge for process engineers is to develop a viable process that requires more than 80 % reduction of the isolation costs.

Bioactivity of Selected Phenolic Acids and Hexane Extracts from Bougainvilla spectabilis and Citharexylum spinosum on the Growth of Pectobacterium carotovorum and Dickeya solani Bacteria: An Opportunity to Save the Environment

Phenolic acids and natural extracts, as ecofriendly environmental agents, can be used as bio bactericides against the growth of plant pathogenic bacteria. In this study, isolation trails from infected potato tubers and stems that showed soft rot symptoms in fields revealed two soft rot bacterial isolates and were initially identified through morphological, physiological, and pathogenicity tests. The molecular characterization of these isolates via PCR, based on the 16S rRNA region, was carried out by an analysis of the DNA sequence via BLAST and Genbank, and showed that the soft rot bacterial isolates belong to Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (PCC1) and Dickeya solani (Ds1). The in vitro results of the tested phenolic acids against the cultured bacterial isolates proved that concentrations of 800, 1600, and 3200 μg/mL were the most effective. Ferulic acid was the potent suppressive phenolic acid tested against the Ds1 isolate, with an inhibition zone ranging from 6.00 to 25.75 mm at different concentrations (25–3200 μg/mL), but had no effect until reaching a concentration of 100 μg/mL in the PCC1 isolate, followed by tannic acid, which ranged from 7.00 to 25.50 mm. On the other hand, tannic acid resulted in a significant decrease in the growth rate of the PCC1 isolate with a mean of 9.11 mm. Chlorogenic acid was not as effective as the rest of the phenolic acids compared with the control. The n-hexane oily extract (HeOE) from Bougainvillea spectabilis bark showed the highest activity against PCC1 and Ds1, with inhibition zone values of 12 and 12.33 mm, respectively, at a concentration of 4000 μg/mL; while the HeOE from Citharexylum spinosum wood showed less activity. In the GC/MS analysis, nonanal, an oily liquid compound, was found ata percentage of 38.28%, followed by cis-2-nonenal (9.75%), which are the main compounds in B. spectabilis bark HeOE, and 2-undecenal (22.39%), trans-2-decenal (18.74%), and oleic acid (10.85%) were found, which are the main compounds in C. spinosum wood HeOE. In conclusion, the phenolic acids and plant HeOEs seem to raise the resistance of potato plants, improving their defense mechanisms against soft rot bacterial pathogens.

Food intake biomarkers for green leafy vegetables, bulb vegetables, and stem vegetables: a review

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies acknowledged the importance of an adequate vegetable consumption for human health. However, current methods to estimate vegetable intake are often prone to measurement errors due to self-reporting and/or insufficient detail. More objective intake biomarkers for vegetables, using biological specimens, are preferred. The only concentration biomarkers currently available are blood carotenoids and vitamin C, covering total fruit and vegetable intake. Identification of biomarkers for specific vegetables is needed for a better understanding of their relative importance for human health. Within the FoodBAll Project under the Joint Programming Initiative "A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life", an ambitious action was undertaken to identify candidate intake biomarkers for all major food groups consumed in Europe by systematically reviewing the existent literature. This study describes the review on candidate biomarkers of food intake (BFIs) for leafy, bulb, and stem vegetables, which was conducted within PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science for studies published through March 2019.

RESULTS

In total, 65 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility for leafy vegetables, and 6 full-text articles were screened for bulb and stem vegetables. Putative BFIs were identified for spinach, lettuce, endive, asparagus, artichoke, and celery, but not for rocket salad. However, after critical evaluation through a validation scheme developed by the FoodBAll consortium, none of the putative biomarkers appeared to be a promising BFI. The food chemistry data indicate that some candidate BFIs may be revealed by further studies.

CONCLUSION

Future randomized controlled feeding studies combined with observational studies, applying a non-targeted metabolomics approach, are needed in order to identify valuable BFIs for the intake of leafy, bulb, and stem vegetables.

Chemical Fingerprint of Free Polyphenols and Antioxidant Activity in Dietary Fruits and Vegetables Using a Non-Targeted Approach Based on QuEChERS Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Combined with UHPLC-PDA

Fruits and vegetables are considered a good source of antioxidants, which are beneficial in protecting the human body against damage induced by free radicals and other reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species. In this work, we aimed to evaluate the integral antioxidant activity (AOA) and determine individual polyphenols in fruits and vegetables of frequent consumption. For this purpose, an innovative and high throughput analytical approach based on original QuEChERS assisted by ultrasound extraction (USAE), instead of the manual agitation used in the classical procedure, was optimized and implemented for the isolation of polyphenols. The total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoids, anthocyanins, and betalains were evaluated using different spectrophotometric assays. In addition, free radical scavenging by methods 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) and 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were used to estimate the AOA of the investigated fruit and vegetable extracts. Red onion, tamarillo, and beetroot were the samples with the highest AOA. The quantification and identification of free low molecular weight polyphenols from QuEChERS-USAE extracts was carried out by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography equipped with a photodiode array detection system (UHPLC-PDA). Catechin was the most abundant polyphenol, followed by gentisic and ferulic acids, mainly in the watercress sample. In relation to flavonols, quercetin and kaempferol were found mostly in onion samples, and in small quantities in tomato and watercress. The improved analytical approach, QuEChERS-USAE/UHPLC-PDA, offers an attractive alternative for the analysis of polyphenols from fruit and vegetable samples, providing several advantages over traditional extraction techniques, in terms of reproducibility, simplicity, low cost, analysis speed, and analytical performance.

Synergistic Neuroprotective Effect of Endogenously-Produced Hydroxytyrosol and Synaptic Vesicle Proteins on Pheochromocytoma Cell Line Against Salsolinol

Oxidative stress triggers a lethal cascade, leading to Parkinson's disease by causing degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. In this study, eight antioxidants were screened for their neuroprotective effect on PC12 cells (pheochromocytoma cell line) under oxidative stress induced by salsolinol (OSibS). Hydroxytyrosol was found to be the strongest neuroprotective agent; it improved viability of PC12 cells by up to 81.69% under OSibS. Afterward, two synaptic vesicle proteins, synapsin-1 and septin-5, were screened for their neuroprotective role; the overexpression of synapsin-1 and the downregulation of septin-5 separately improved the viability of PC12 cells by up to 71.17% and 67.00%, respectively, compared to PC12 cells only treated with salsolinol (PoTwS) under OSibS. Subsequently, the PC12+syn++sep- cell line was constructed and pretreated with 100 µM hydroxytyrosol, which improved its cell viability by up to 99.03% and led to 14.71- and 6.37-fold reductions in the levels of MDA and H2O2, respectively, and 6.8-, 12.97-, 10.57-, and 7.57-fold increases in the activity of catalase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase, respectively, compared to PoTwS under OSibS. Finally, alcohol dehydrogenase-6 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was expressed in PC12+syn++sep- cells to convert 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (an endogenous neurotoxin) into hydroxytyrosol. The PC12+syn++sep-+ADH6+ cell line also led to 22.38- and 12.33-fold decreases in the production of MDA and H2O2, respectively, and 7.15-, 13.93-, 12.08-, and 8.11-fold improvements in the activity of catalase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase, respectively, compared to PoTwS under OSibS. Herein, we report the endogenous production of a powerful antioxidant, hydroxytyrosol, from 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde, and evaluate its synergistic neuroprotective effect, along with synapsin-1 and septin-5, on PC12 cells under OSibS.

p-Coumaric Acid Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Lung Inflammation in Rats by Scavenging ROS Production: an In Vivo and In Vitro Study

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), known as lipoglycans and endotoxins found in the cell wall of some type of Gram-negative bacteria, causes acute lung inflammation (ALI). p-Coumaric acid (p-CA) possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. The main purpose of our research was to explore the effect of p-CA on LPS-induced inflammation. In part I, 32 rats were divided into four groups: Control, LPS (5 mg/kg), p-CA (100 mg/kg), and LPS + p-CA to investigate acute lung inflammation caused by LPS. In part II, the effect of LPS-stimulated inflammatory response on A549 cells was investigated. The dosage of LPS and p-CA which used in this part was 1 μg/ml and 20 mM, respectively. ALI rats showed an elevation in antioxidant activity, TNF-alpha, IL-6, MDA, inflammatory parameters, and Nrf2 gene expression. Although pre-treatment with p-CA could return these changes approximately to normal condition in all two-part studies (in vivo and in vitro). The results of in vivo and in vitro study showed that LPS induced lung inflammation. Pre-treatment with p-CA causes modulating of oxidative stress in inflammatory condition in lung injury and A549 cell.

In Vitro Antibacterial and Antiproliferative Potential of Echinops lanceolatus Mattf. (Asteraceae) and Identification of Potential Bioactive Compounds

Many species belonging to the genus Echinops are widely used in traditional medicine to treat infectious diseases and cancers. The present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial and antiproliferative properties of Echinops lanceolatus Mattf. (Asteraceae). The activity of the methanolic extract and subsequent partition fractions was investigated against drug-resistant bacteria (Gram-negative and Gram-positive) and human tumor cell lines using broth microdilution and sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay, respectively. Our findings revealed weak to moderate antibacterial activities of tested extracts, with the recorded minimal inhibitory concentrations ranging from 256 to 1024 µg/mL. The ethyl acetate fraction (EL-EA) was found to be the most effective. Likewise, that fraction displayed strong antiproliferative potential with recorded IC50 of 8.27 µg/mL and 28.27 µg/mL on A549 and HeLa cells, respectively. An analysis based on the ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) of the EL-EA fraction allowed the identification of 32 compounds, of which quinic acid and derivatives, cinnamic acid derivatives, dihydrokaempferol, naringenin-7-O-glucoside, apigenin-7-O-d-glucoside, naringin, apigenin, rhoifolin, coniferyl aldehyde, and secoisolariciresinol are well-known compounds of biological importance. This study is first to report on the biological activity and phytochemical profile of E. lanceolatus. We provide a baseline to consider E. lanceolatus as a valuable source of anti-infective and antiproliferative agents.