Antioxidant properties and UPLC-MS/MS profiling of phenolics in jacquemont's hazelnut kernels (Corylus jacquemontii) and its byproducts from western Himalaya

High-Altitude Medicinal Plants as Promising Source of Phytochemical Antioxidants to Combat Lifestyle-Associated Oxidative Stress-Induced Disorders

Oxidative stress, driven by reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and sulphur species (ROS, RNS, RSS), poses a significant threat to cellular integrity and human health. Generated during mitochondrial respiration, inflammation, UV exposure and pollution, these species damage cells and contribute to pathologies like cardiovascular issues, neurodegeneration, cancer, and metabolic syndromes. Lifestyle factors exert a substantial influence on oxidative stress levels, with mitochondria emerging as pivotal players in ROS generation and cellular equilibrium. Phytochemicals, abundant in plants, such as carotenoids, ascorbic acid, tocopherols and polyphenols, offer diverse antioxidant mechanisms. They scavenge free radicals, chelate metal ions, and modulate cellular signalling pathways to mitigate oxidative damage. Furthermore, plants thriving in high-altitude regions are adapted to extreme conditions, and synthesize secondary metabolites, like flavonoids and phenolic compounds in bulk quantities, which act to form a robust antioxidant defence against oxidative stress, including UV radiation and temperature fluctuations. These plants are promising sources for drug development, offering innovative strategies by which to manage oxidative stress-related ailments and enhance human health. Understanding and harnessing the antioxidant potential of phytochemicals from high-altitude plants represent crucial steps in combating oxidative stress-induced disorders and promoting overall wellbeing. This study offers a comprehensive summary of the production and physio-pathological aspects of lifestyle-induced oxidative stress disorders and explores the potential of phytochemicals as promising antioxidants. Additionally, it presents an appraisal of high-altitude medicinal plants as significant sources of antioxidants, highlighting their potential for drug development and the creation of innovative antioxidant therapeutic approaches.

Hazelnut and its by-products: A comprehensive review of nutrition, phytochemical profile, extraction, bioactivities and applications

As output of hazelnut increases worldwide, so does the amount of by-products, leading to huge waste and environmental stress. This paper focuses on the varieties of hazelnut that have been studied more in the past two decades, and summarizes the research status of hazelnut and its by-products from the aspects of nutritional value, phytochemicals, extraction methods, biological functions and applications. Hazelnut and its by-products are rich in a variety of bioactive constituents, mainly polyphenols, which have antioxidant, antibacterial and prebiotic effects. Moreover, hazelnut shells, husks, and leaves contain taxanes such as paclitaxel, which can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. They are potentially good natural sources of paclitaxel compared to the slower growing yew. Therefore, it is essential to further integrate the extraction techniques and health-promoting properties of these nutrients and bioactive substances to expand their application and enhance their value.

In-vitro cytotoxicity of nickel oxide nanoparticles against L-6 cell-lines: MMP, MTT and ROS studies

In the present work we synthesize nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) using Rhododendron arboretum (flower) (RNi), Tinospora cordifolia (stems) (GNi), Corylus jacquemontii (seeds) (CNi), and Nardostachys jatamansi (roots) (NNi) extracts by co-precipitation method. The synthesized NiO NPs were characterized in detail in terms of their morphological, crystalline nature, structural and antiproliferative activity against rat skeletal myoblast (L-6) cell lines. Morphological studies confirmed the formation of nanoparticles, while the structural and compositional characterization revealed the well-crystallinity and high purity of the synthesized nanoparticles. For biological applications and cytotoxicity examinations of the synthesized NPs, the rat skeletal myoblast (L-6) cell lines were subjected to study. By detailed cytotoxic investigations, it was observed that among the four kinds of NiO NPs prepared through different plant extracts, the Tinospora cordifolia (stems) showed strong antiproliferative activity against rat skeletal myoblast (L-6) cell lines and the calculated IC₅₀ was 1.671 mg/mL. The observed antiproliferative activity towards different NiO NPs were in the order of GNi > NNi > RNi > CNi. The present studies demonstrate that simply synthesized NiO can efficiently be used as antiproliferative agents.

Hazelnut Shells as Source of Active Ingredients: Extracts Preparation and Characterization

Hazelnut shells represent a waste material (about 42% of the total biomass) deriving from hazelnut harvest. These are mainly used as a heating source; however, they represent an interesting source of polyphenols useful in health field. The impact on phenolic profile and concentrations of hazelnut shell extracts obtained by three extraction methods (maceration, ultrasonic bath, and high-power ultrasonic), as well as temperature, extraction time, and preventive maceration, was studied. The prepared extracts were characterized in terms of chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Eighteen different phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by chemical analysis and gallic acid was the most abundant in all the extracts analyzed. Other relevant compounds were chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid and catechin. Preventive maceration had a positive effect on the extraction of different types of compounds regardless of the method performed. Application of the high-power ultrasonic method had different effects, either positive or negative, depending on the type of compound and extraction time. All the prepared extracts showed antioxidant activity especially those prepared by maceration, and many of them were able to inhibit the growth of both B. subtilis and B. cereus.

Screening of Indian bee pollen based on antioxidant properties and polyphenolic composition using UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS: A multivariate analysis and ANN based approach

The present investigation aims to examine the polyphenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of bee pollen samples procured from various regions of India. Total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) content ranged from 15.50 ± 1.25-25.63 ± 1.42 mg GAE/g and 9.72 ± 0.28-15.61 ± 0.74 mg RE/g, respectively. Coriander pollen showed the significantly (p < 0.05) higher antioxidant activity than other samples, demonstrated by DPPH radical scavenging activity (93.75 ± 0.05%), ferric reducing antioxidant power (103.98 ± 0.82 mmol Fe²⁺/g), ABTS^+• radical scavenging activity (96.58 ± 0.65%) and metal chelating activity (84.62 ± 4.37%). The observed antioxidant properties were strongly correlated with TPC and effectively predicted using artificial neural network. Sixty polyphenolic compounds including 38 flavonoids and derivatives, 21 phenolic acid and derivatives and one glucosinolates were identified using UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS wherein the presence of daidzein and sinigrin was acknowledged for the first time. Further, principal component analysis identified three principal components, illustrating 91.24% of total variation to differentiate the pollen samples which were also classified by hierarchical cluster analysis.

Antioxidant Properties of Jatropha curcas L. Seed Shell and Kernel Extracts

The purpose of this study was to determine the antioxidant activity of the seed shells and kernels of Jatropha curcas L. The extracts obtained from five solutions (0%–95% ethanol) were tested and compared. Overall, the antioxidant capacity of seed shell extracts was higher than that of seed kernel extracts. The seed shell extract obtained using 95% ethanol exhibited the best antioxidant activity among the five solutions. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and free radical scavenging ability of 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) were 13.63 ± 0.15 and 6.75 ± 0.51 μg/mL, respectively. The reduction ability and total phenol content were 95.14 ± 27.04 μg ascorbic acid equivalents/mg of extract and 536.33 ± 8.62 μg gallic acid equivalents/mg of extract, respectively. In in vitro cytotoxicity assays, solutions with less than 250 μg/mL of seed shell extract had no major cytotoxicity. The seed shell of Jatropha curcas L. can be used as an antioxidant material and has potential for biomedical applications.

Protective role of hazelnut peptides on oxidative stress injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

The crude protein hydrolysates of wild hazel have good immunoregulation and antioxidation effects. However, the components responsible for their antioxidation effect remain unknown. In this study, six antioxidative peptides (EW, DWDPK, ADGF, SGAF, ETTL, and AGGF) were tested for their protective effects on oxidative stress injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The results demonstrated that the six peptides are nontoxic and have a protective effect on oxidative stress injury induced by Ang II. Three peptides (EW, ADGF, and DWDPK) inhibited the morphological changes, downregulated the content of lactate dehydrogenase and malondialdehyde, upregulated the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase, total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and scavenged reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HUVECs. Quantitative reverse transcriptive polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays indicated that these three peptides regulated NADPH oxidase activity and ROS production by reducing NOX4 and p22phox levels. Overall, they have a significant protective effect against oxidative stress injury and have potential application in developing new functional foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Corylus heterophylla Fisch is a good quality wild hazel distributed in Northeast China. Wild hazelnut of the species C. heterophylla Fisch was selected as experimental object and has high nutritive values and have abundant proteins (20%-30%), fats (40%-50%), carbohydrates (13%-24%), dietary fibers (8.2%-9.6%), vitamins, and micronutrients. Our results indicate that hazelnut peptides (EW, ADGF, and DWDPK) can ensure normal growth of cells by protecting important antioxidant enzyme systems, by enhancing antioxidant defense, by directly affecting nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity, and by reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in HUVECs, indicating that the three antioxidative peptides have a protective effect against Ang II-induced oxidative stress injury. Therefore, the antioxidative peptides from C. heterophylla Fisch may be a promising candidate for functional food ingredients and/or pharmaceuticals.

UPLC-DAD quantification of chemical constituents of Potentilla atrosanguinea roots and their antioxidant activity

Potentilla atrosanguinea, native to Himalayan region, is well known for its curative effects in traditional medicinal system. An ultra performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection method for the quantification of constituents of root part of P. atrosanguinea has been developed along with antioxidant activity evaluation. A simple and sensitive quantification method developed for seven compounds however only four compounds; p-coumaric acid (4), rutin (7), tiliroside (14) and kaempferol (16) were quantified as others were in lesser amount. Syringic acid and quercetin were found in trace amount whereas chlorogenic acid was absent in the ethanol extract of roots of P. atrosanguinea. Total polyphenolic and flavonoid contents were determined to be 21.75 mg of gallic acid equivalent and 8.57 mg of quercetin equivalent per gram of dry plant material, respectively. Antioxidant activity of extract was assessed using three assays; 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The IC₅₀ values; 35.75 μg/ml and 30.35 μg/ml by DPPH and ABTS assays for ethanolic extract showed excellent free radical scavenging potential of its root part. The ferric reducing ability (FRAP) value, 26.67 mg of ascorbic acid per gram also indicated its higher antioxidant potential.

Bioactivity-based antioxidative components screening and evaluation in grape seed proanthocyanidin extract

Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE), a type of functional food, possesses potent antioxidant activity. In this study, GSPE protected human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) cells from H₂O₂-induced cell injury and oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. The key effective constituents that exerted the most potent antioxidative activity in GSPE were screened by using a modified ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF MS) integrated 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical cation antioxidative activity analysis system. Two compounds, which were presumed to be Procyanidin B2 and Procyanidin C2, showed obvious antioxidant activity. H₂O₂ scavenging effect of Procyanidin B2 in HEK 293 cells was visualized in situ by a molecular imaging technique via a novel N-borylbenzyloxycarbonyl-3,7-dihydroxyphenoxazine (NBCD) fluorescent probe to detect levels of H₂O₂. In conclusion, the application of UPLC-Q/TOF MS integrated modified ABTS radical cation antioxidative activity analysis system and NBCD fluorescent probe successfully screened out and confirmed the antioxidative components from GSPE.

Evaluation of unexplored pomegranate cultivars for physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activity

The aim of present study was to evaluate the different pomegranate cultivars for physicochemical properties and to identify the best cultivars suitable for food processing and future breeding. Various attributes of fruit (including length, weight and diameter), rind (thickness and weight), calyx (length), aril (weight, percentage, length and width), seed (length and width) and juice (titratable acidity and soluble solids or TSS) were evaluated. Total and reducing sugar, pH, ascorbic acid, total phenolic contents, antioxidant activity and maturity index were also evaluated. A significant difference in all tested parameters was noted amongst the tested cultivars except calyx length, rind thickness, arils and seed dimensions. The antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents of pomegranate cultivars were ranged from 15.77 to 42% and 1158.9 to 1540.7 mg GAE L^-1. The cultivars Tor-390 and Sorkhak-859 were sweet in taste, while the rest of the cultivars have sweet sour taste. The study concluded that the majority of cultivars were rich source of total phenolics, ascorbic acid, total soluble solid and total sugars, which are beneficial to health. Some of the elite cultivars (NKP-561, SRK-296, SZR-385, SRK-878) showed high quality attributes and were suitable for future breeding programs.

A benign alternative process for efficient separation of pure commercially important flavonoid nutraceuticals from edible plants

The present study signifies the development of a unique, optimized procedure for both selective determination and separation of different flavonoid nutraceuticals from edible plants. Totally ten different flavonoids were determined (HPLC-DAD) and isolated from five different plants using the developed process with a remarkable purity of 91-98% and recovery of 88-95%. Box-Behnken experimental design model yielded a optimized amount of 40.36 mg/g of AI extract (Pinostrobin) and 28.95 mg/g of AI extract (Baicalein) with a high correlation coefficient (0.98-0.99), indicating a good fit between the second order regression model and the experimental observations. The final purity of compounds through optimized process is 97.1% (Pinostrobin) and 93.5% (Baicalein) respectively. The optimized yields depicted a total recovery of 92% for pinostrobin, and 89% for Baicalein respectively. Thus, the developed process worked as a potential alternative which when statistically optimized results in a remarkable recovery of flavonoids from various plants. Being an environmentally friendly protocol the process could be useful in industrial separation of commercially important flavonoids widely applied in food industry.