Phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, and α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of ethanol extracts of perilla seed meal

Improved skeletal muscle mass and strength through Protamex-mediated hydrolysis of perilla seed cake: Elevated rosmarinic acid levels as a contributing factor

Perilla seed cake (PSC) is a byproduct of oil extraction from perilla seeds. It is rich in proteins and bioactive compounds. PSC was enzymatically hydrolyzed to form PSC hydrolysate (PSCH) to enhance the absorption of PSC, and their effects on muscle health in mice were compared. High performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis revealed that PSC contains several polyphenols, including rosmarinic acid (RA), caffeic acid, apigenin, and luteolin. The hydrolysate showed 1.44- and 7.04-fold increases in RA and caffeic acid contents, respectively, compared to those of PSC. The intake of PSC, PSCH, and RA significantly improved muscle mass and exercise performance in mice by upregulating protein synthesis, myogenic differentiation, oxidative muscle fiber formation, fatty acid oxidation, and mitochondrial biogenesis; however, PSCH had better promoting effects than PSC. In conclusion, PSCH improves muscle health through its bioactive compounds (particularly RA), indicating the potential of PSCH and RA in functional foods.

Multivariate Data Analysis Assisted Mining of Nutri-rich Genotypes from North Eastern Himalayan Germplasm Collection of Perilla (Perilla frutescens L.)

Understanding the nutritional diversity in Perilla (Perilla frutescens L.) is essential for selecting and developing superior varieties with enhanced nutritional profiles in the North Eastern Himalayan (NEH) region of India. In this study, we assessed the nutritional composition of 45 diverse perilla germplasm collected from five NEH states using standard protocols and advanced analytical techniques. Significant variability was observed in moisture (0.39-11.67%), ash (2.59-7.13%), oil (28.65-74.20%), protein (11.05-23.15%), total soluble sugars (0.34-3.67%), starch (0.01-0.55%), phenols (0.03-0.87%), ferric reducing antioxidant power (0.45-1.36%), palmitic acid (7.06-10.75%), stearic acid (1.96-2.29%), oleic acid (8.11-13.31%), linoleic acid (15.18-22.74%), and linolenic acid (55.47-67.07%). Similarly, significant variability in mineral content (ppm) was also observed for aluminium, calcium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sodium, nickel, phosphorus, and zinc. Multivariate analyses, including hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA), revealed the enriched nutritional diversity within the germplasm. Correlation analysis indicated significant positive and negative relationships between nutritional parameters, indicating potential biochemical and metabolic interactions present in the perilla seeds. TOPSIS-based ranking identified promising genotypes for functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and nutritional applications. This study provides a first in-depth report of the nutritional composition and diversity of perilla germplasm in the NEH region, thus aiding in the identification of superior varieties for food and nutritional diversification and security.

Biochemical and Molecular Insights into Variation in Sesame Seed Antioxidant Capability as Revealed by Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Analysis

Sesame seeds are important resources for relieving oxidation stress-related diseases. Although a significant variation in seeds' antioxidant capability is observed, the underlying biochemical and molecular basis remains elusive. Thus, this study aimed to reveal major seed components and key molecular mechanisms that drive the variability of seeds' antioxidant activity (AOA) using a panel of 400 sesame accessions. The seeds' AOA, total flavonoid, and phenolic contents varied from 2.03 to 78.5%, 0.072 to 3.104 mg CAE/g, and 2.717 to 21.98 mg GAE/g, respectively. Analyses revealed that flavonoids and phenolic acids are the main contributors to seeds' AOA variation, irrespective of seed coat color. LC-MS-based polyphenol profiling of high (HA) and low (LA) antioxidant seeds uncovered 320 differentially accumulated phenolic compounds (DAPs), including 311 up-regulated in HA seeds. Tricin, persicoside, 5,7,4',5'-tetrahydro-3',6-dimethoxyflavone, 8-methoxyapigenin, and 6,7,8-tetrahydroxy-5-methoxyflavone were the top five up-regulated in HA. Comparative transcriptome analysis at three seed developmental stages identified 627~2357 DEGs and unveiled that differential regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and stilbene biosynthesis were the key underlying mechanisms of seed antioxidant capacity variation. Major differentially regulated phenylpropanoid structural genes and transcription factors were identified. SINPZ0000571 (MYB), SINPZ0401118 (NAC), and SINPZ0500871 (C3H) were the most highly induced TFs in HA. Our findings may enhance quality breeding.

Comparative Assessment of In Vitro Xanthine Oxidase and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities of Cultured Cambial Meristematic Cells, Adventitious Roots, and Field-Cultivated Ginseng

Panax ginseng, a traditional Chinese medicine with a history spanning thousands of years, faces overexploitation and challenges related to extended growth periods. Tissue-cultured adventitious roots and stem cells are alternatives to wild and field-cultivated ginseng. In this study, we assessed the in vitro xanthine oxidase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of saponin extracts among cultured cambial meristematic cells (CMC), adventitious ginseng roots (AGR), and field-cultivated ginseng roots (CGR). The xanthine oxidase (XO) and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities were determined by uric acid estimation and the p-NPG method, respectively. Spectrophotometry and the Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminum nitrate, and Bradford methods were employed to ascertain the total saponins and phenolic, flavonoid, and protein contents. The calculated IC50 values for total saponin extracts against XO and α-glucosidase were 0.665, 0.844, and >1.6 mg/mL and 0.332, 0.745, and 0.042 mg/mL for AGR, CMC, CGR, respectively. Comparing the total saponin, crude protein, and total phenolic contents revealed that AGR > CMC > CGR. To the best of our knowledge, this study presents the first report on the in vitro comparison of xanthine oxidase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities among AGR, CMC, and CGR. The findings offer valuable insights into the development of hypoglycemic and antihyperuricemic medicinal, nutraceutical, and functional products utilizing AGR and CMC.

Comparative Metabolomics Analysis of Different Perilla Varieties Provides Insights into Variation in Seed Metabolite Profiles and Antioxidant Activities

Perilla seeds are essential functional foods and key ingredients in traditional medicine. Herein, we investigated the variation in phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activities of twelve different perilla seeds. The seeds showed significant variations in total phenolic and flavonoid contents ranging from 16.92 to 37.23 mg GAE/g (GAE, gallic acid equivalent) and 11.6 to 19.52 mg CAE/g (CAE, catechin equivalent), respectively. LC-QqQ-MS (liquid chromatography triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry)-based widely targeted metabolic profiling identified a total of 975 metabolites, including 68-269 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). Multivariate analyses categorized the seeds into four groups based on the seed coat and leaf colors. Most key bioactive DAMs, including flavonoids (quercetin-3'-O-glucoside, prunin, naringenin, naringenin chalcone, butin, genistin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, etc.), amino acids (valine, lysine, histidine, glutamine, threonine, etc.), and vitamins (B1, B3, B6, U, etc.) exhibited the highest relative content in PL3 (brown seed, purple leaf), PL1 (white seed, green-purple leaf), and PL4 (white seed, green leaf) groups, respectively. Meanwhile, key differentially accumulated phenolic acids showed a higher relative content in PL1 and PL4 than in other groups. Both seeds exhibited high antioxidant activities, although those of PL2 (brown seed, green leaf) group seeds were the lowest. Our results may facilitate the comprehensive use of perilla seeds in food and pharmaceutical industries.