Determination of anthocyanins and non-anthocyanin polyphenols by ultra performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-MS) in jussara (Euterpe edulis) extracts

Safety Assessment of Palm-Derived Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety (Panel) reviewed the safety of 8 palm tree (Euterpe edulis (juçara) and Euterpe oleracea (açaí))-derived ingredients as used in cosmetic products; these ingredients are reported to function mostly as skin conditioning agents. The Panel reviewed relevant data relating to the safety of these ingredients in cosmetic formulations. Industry should continue to use good manufacturing practices to limit impurities. The Panel concluded that palm tree (açaí and juçara)-derived ingredients are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment.

Hypoglycemic activities of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and identification of anti-oxidant components by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging detection

Objective

To identify phytochemical constituents present in the extract of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and evaluate their anti-oxidant and anti-hyperglycemic capacities.

Methods

The AlCl3 colorimetric method and Prussian Blue assay were used to determine the contents of total flavonoids and total phenolic acids in extraction layers, and the bioactive layers was screened through anti - oxidative activity in vitro. The Waters ACQUITY UPLC system and a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.0 mm × 150 mm, 5 μm) were used to identify the ingredients. And anti-oxidative ingredients were screened by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. The ameliorative role of it was further evaluated in a high-fat, streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rat model and the study was carried out on NADPH oxidase (PDB ID: 2CDU) by molecular docking.

Results

Combined with the results of activity screening in vitro, the anti - oxidative part was identified as the ethyl acetate layer. A total of 24 chemical constituents were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the ethyl acetate layer and 13 main anti-oxidative active constituents were preliminarily screened out through off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. In vivo experiments showed that flowers of X. sorbifolia could significantly reduce the blood glucose level of diabetic mice and alleviate liver cell damage. Based on the results of docking analysis related to the identified phytocompounds and oxidase which involved in type 2 diabetes, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, and isoquercitrin showed a better inhibitory profile.

Conclusion

The ethyl acetate layer was rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids and had significant anti-oxidant activity, which could prevent hyperglycemia. This observed activity profile suggested X. sorbifolia flowers as a promising new source of tea to develop alternative natural anti-diabetic products with a high safety margin.

Low-cost electronic-nose (LC-e-nose) systems for the evaluation of plantation and fruit crops: recent advances and future trends

An electronic nose (e-nose) is a device designed to recognize and classify odors. The equipment is built around a series of sensors that detect the presence of odors, especially volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and generate an electric signal (voltage), known as e-nose data, which contains chemical information. In the food business, the use of e-noses for analyses and quality control of fruits and plantation crops has increased in recent years. Their use is particularly relevant due to the lack of non-invasive and inexpensive methods to detect VOCs in crops. However, the majority of reports in the literature involve commercial e-noses, with only a few studies addressing low-cost e-nose (LC-e-nose) devices or providing a data-oriented description to assist researchers in choosing their setup and appropriate statistical methods to analyze crop data. Therefore, the objective of this study is to discuss the hardware of the two most common e-nose sensors: electrochemical (EC) sensors and metal oxide sensors (MOSs), as well as a critical review of the literature reporting MOS-based low-cost e-nose devices used for investigating plantations and fruit crops, including the main features of such devices. Miniaturization of equipment from lab-scale to portable and convenient gear, allowing producers to take it into the field, as shown in many appraised systems, is one of the future advancements in this area. By utilizing the low-cost designs provided in this review, researchers can develop their own devices based on practical demands such as quality control and compare results with those reported in the literature. Overall, this review thoroughly discusses the applications of low-cost e-noses based on MOSs for fruits, tea, and coffee, as well as the key features of their equipment (i.e., advantages and disadvantages) based on their technical parameters (i.e., electronic and physical parts). As a final remark, LC-e-nose technology deserves significant attention as it has the potential to be a valuable quality control tool for emerging countries.

Effect of nanopesticides (azoxystrobin and bifenthrin) on the phenolic content and metabolic profiles of strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa)

BACKGROUND

Nanoencapsulation has opened promising fields of innovation for pesticides. Conventional pesticides can cause side effects on plant metabolism. To date, the effect of nanoencapsulated pesticides on plant phenolic contents has not been reported.

RESULTS

In this study, a comparative evaluation of the phenolic contents and metabolic profiles of strawberries was performed for plants grown under controlled field conditions and treated with two separate active ingredients, azoxystrobin and bifenthrin, loaded into two different types of nanocarriers (Allosperse® polymeric nanoparticles and SiO2 nanoparticles). There were small but significant decreases of the total phenolic content (9%) and pelargonidin 3-glucoside content (6%) in strawberries treated with the nanopesticides. An increase of 31% to 125% was observed in the levels of gallic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol in the strawberries treated with the nanoencapsulated pesticides compared with the conventional treatments. The effects of the nanocarriers on the metabolite and phenolic profiles was identified by principal component analysis.

CONCLUSION

Overall, even though the effects of nanopesticides on the phenological parameters of strawberry plants were not obvious, there were significant changes to the plants at a molecular level. In particular, nanocarriers had some subtle effects on plant health and fruit quality through variations in total and individual phenolics in the fruits. Further research will be needed to assess the impact of diverse nanopesticides on other groups of plant metabolites. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Juçara Fruit (Euterpe Edulis Martius) Valorization Combining Emergent Extraction Technologies and Aqueous Solutions of Alkanediols

Anthocyanins from juçara fruits were extracted by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) or ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), using aqueous solutions of 1,2-alkanediols and glycerol ethers as biobased solvents. The PLE (100 bar, 13 min, 1 mL/min flow rate) in the optimal extraction conditions originated 23.1 mg_anthocyanins·g_{dry biomass}^-1. On the other hand, the UAE was 10 min long, and the optimal conditions using 1,2-propanediol were 42.6 wt%, 160 W, and pH 7.0, leading to 50 mg_anthocyanins·g_{dry biomass}^-1. Extractions at the UAE optimized conditions, with aqueous solutions of five different 1,2-alkanediols and three glycerol ethers were performed, and compared to water and ethanolic extracts. The biobased solvent solutions presented anthocyanin yields up to 33% higher than water, and were shown to be as efficient as ethanol/water, but generated extracts with higher antioxidant capacity. The anthocyanin-rich extract of juçara, obtained with 1,2-propanediol, was used in the production of a natural soap and incorporated into a cream, showing that the addition of the juçara extract resulted in an antioxidant capacity in both products.

Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Compounds of Native Brazilian Fruits of the Arecaceae Family and Its Potential Applications for Health Promotion

The fruits from the Arecaceae family, although being rich in bioactive compounds with potential benefits to health, have been underexplored. Studies on their composition, bioactive compounds, and effects of their consumption on health are also scarce. This review presents the composition of macro- and micronutrients, and bioactive compounds of fruits of the Arecaceae family such as bacaba, patawa, juçara, açaí, buriti, buritirana, and butiá. The potential use and reported effects of its consumption on health are also presented. The knowledge of these underutilized fruits is important to encourage production, commercialization, processing, and consumption. It can also stimulate their full use and improve the economy and social condition of the population where these fruits are found. Furthermore, it may help in future research on the composition, health effects, and new product development. Arecaceae fruits presented in this review are currently used as raw materials for producing beverages, candies, jams, popsicles, ice creams, energy drinks, and edible oils. The reported studies show that they are rich in phenolic compounds, carotenoids, anthocyanins, tocopherols, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and fatty acids. Moreover, the consumption of these compounds has been associated with anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antiobesity, and cardioprotective effects. These fruits have potential to be used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Despite their potential, some of them, such as buritirana and butiá, have been little explored and limited research has been conducted on their composition, biological effects, and applications. Therefore, more detailed investigations on the composition and mechanism of action based on in vitro and/or in vivo studies are needed for fruits from the Arecaceae family.

Anthocyanins in Different Food Matrices: Recent Updates on Extraction, Purification and Analysis Techniques

Anthocyanins (ANCs), a kind of natural pigments, are widely present in food substrates. Evidence has shown that ANCs can promote health in terms of anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammation. However, the oxidative stability of ANCs limits accurate quantitation and analysis. Therefore, faster, more accurate, and highly sensitive extraction and determination methods are necessary for understanding the role of ANCs in medicine and food. This review presents an updated overview of pretreatment and detection techniques for ANCs in various food substrates since 2015. Liquid-liquid extraction and various green solvent extraction methods, such as accelerated solvents extraction, deep eutectic solvents extraction, ionic liquids extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction, are commonly used pretreatment methods for extraction and purification of ANCs. Liquid chromatography coupled with different detectors (tandem mass spectrometry and UV detectors) and spectrophotometry methods are some of the determination methods for ANC. This study has updated, compared, and discussed different pretreatment and analysis methods. Moreover, the advanced methods and development prospects in this field are comprehensively summarized, which can provide references for further utilization of ANCs.

Therapeutic mechanisms of mulberry leaves in type 2 diabetes based on metabolomics

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is considered as one of the most significant metabolic syndromes worldwide, and the long-term use of the drugs already on the market for T2D often gives rise to some side effects. The mulberry leaf (ML), Morus alba L., has advantages in terms of its comprehensive therapeutic efficacy, which are characterized as multicomponent, multitarget, multipathway, and matching with the complex pathological mechanisms of diabetes.

Methods: T2D rats were established by a high-fat diet combined with an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin; an evaluation of the hypoglycemic effects of the ML in combination with fasting blood glucose and other indicators, in addition to the utilization of metabolomics technology, was performed to analysis the metabolite changes in serum of rats.

Results: MLs significantly reduced the fasting blood glucose of T2D rats, while improving the symptoms of polyphagia and polyuria. ML treatment altered the levels of various metabolites in the serum of T2D rats, which are involved in multiple metabolic pathways (amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and lipid metabolism), played a role in antioxidative stress and anti-inflammation, modulated immune and gluconeogenesis processes, and improved obesity as well as insulin resistance (IR).

Conclusion: The ML contains a variety of chemical components, and metabolomic results have shown that MLs regulate multiple metabolic pathways to exert hypoglycemic effects, suggesting that MLs may have great promise in the development of new hypoglycemic drugs.

Probiotics in anthocyanin-rich fruit beverages: research and development for novel synbiotic products

Anthocyanin-rich fruit beverages are of special interest as functional products due to their antioxidant activity, antimicrobial properties against pathogens, and, more recently, evidence of prebiotic potential. The stability and bioactivity of anthocyanins, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics have been extensively documented in beverage models and reviewed separately. This review summarizes the most recent works and methodologies used for the development of probiotic and synbiotic beverages based on anthocyanin-rich fruits with a synergistic perspective. Emphasis is made on key optimization factors and strategies that have allowed probiotic cultures to reach the minimum recommended doses to obtain health benefits at the end of the shelf life. The development of these beverages is limited by the high acidity and high content of phenolic compounds in anthocyanin-rich fruits. However, a proper selection of probiotic strains and strategies for their media adaptation may improve their viability in the beverages. Fermentation increases the viability of the probiotic cultures, improves the safety and stability of the product, and may increase its antioxidant capacity. Moreover, fermentation metabolites may synergistically enhance probiotic health benefits. On the other hand, the inoculation of probiotics without fermentation allows for synbiotic beverages with milder changes in terms of physicochemical and sensory attributes.

Polyphenols and their potential role to fight viral diseases: An overview

Fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs are a potential source of phenolic acids and polyphenols. These compounds are known as natural by-products or secondary metabolites of plants, which are present in the daily diet and provide important benefits to the human body such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-allergic, antihypertensive and antiviral properties, among others. Plentiful evidence has been provided on the great potential of polyphenols against different viruses that cause widespread health problems. As a result, this review focuses on the potential antiviral properties of some polyphenols and their action mechanism against various types of viruses such as coronaviruses, influenza, herpes simplex, dengue fever, and rotavirus, among others. Also, it is important to highlight the relationship between antiviral and antioxidant activities that can contribute to the protection of cells and tissues of the human body. The wide variety of action mechanisms of antiviral agents, such as polyphenols, against viral infections could be applied as a treatment or prevention strategy; but at the same time, antiviral polyphenols could be used to produce natural antiviral drugs. A recent example of an antiviral polyphenol application deals with the use of hesperidin extracted from Citrus sinensis. The action mechanism of hesperidin relies on its binding to the key entry or spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Finally, the extraction, purification and recovery of polyphenols with potential antiviral activity, which are essential for virus replication and infection without side-effects, have been critically reviewed.

Analytical determinations of luteolin

Plants, through the photosynthesis process, produce the substances necessary for all the life cycles of nature, which are called "primary metabolites." Moreover, there are some plants that synthesize, in addition to these, other substances with more specific functions, which are known as "secondary metabolites." It is inside this group that flavonoids are located, whose main function is to protect organisms from damage caused by different oxidizing agents. Luteolin (3,4,5,7-tetrahydroxy-flavone) belongs to the sub-class of flavonoids known as flavones and is one of 10,000 flavonoids currently known, being one of the most bio-active flavonoids. Its various beneficial properties for health, together with the increasing reduction in the use of synthetic antioxidants, make the study of luteolin a very active field. Within this, the quantification of this molecule has become a subject of very special interest given that it is transversal to all fields. In this review article, we aim to give the reader a broad and deep vision of this topic, focusing on the events reported in the last 5 years and covering all possible techniques related to analytical determinations. We will discuss in terms of advantages and disadvantages between techniques, selectivity, sensitivity, costs, time consumption, and reagents as well as in the complexity of operations.

Biological activities of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and juçara (Euterpe edulis Mart.) intake in humans: an integrative review of clinical trials

Açaí (E. oleracea) and juçara (E. edulis) are berries considered a source of bioactive compounds, especially anthocyanins and unsaturated fatty acids, with recognized health-promoting activities. An integrative review was conducted to identify available clinical trials that evaluated the effects of açaí and juçara intake on the human organism. Science Direct and Medline databases were searched. Human studies that evaluated any biological activities after açaí and juçara intake were included in this review. Twenty-three clinical trials were identified up to April 12, 2020. Studies evaluated the biological effects of açaí (n = 17), juçara (n = 5), or both berries simultaneously (n = 1). The results of these trials suggest both types of berries may contribute to improved antioxidant defense and to attenuating metabolic stress and inflammation. However, considerable heterogeneity was observed among trials, and few studies explored the bioactive compounds of the food matrix provided in the interventions. More clinical trials are encouraged to strengthen the current evidence on human biological outcomes, including comparative analysis between these berries.

Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant Capabilities, and Bioavailability: Ellagic Acid or Urolithins?

Oxidative stress (OS), triggered by overproduction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, is the main mechanism responsible for several human diseases. The available one-target drugs often face such illnesses, by softening symptoms without eradicating the cause. Differently, natural polyphenols from fruits and vegetables possess multi-target abilities for counteracting OS, thus representing promising therapeutic alternatives and adjuvants. Although in several in vitro experiments, ellagitannins (ETs), ellagic acid (EA), and its metabolites urolithins (UROs) have shown similar great potential for the treatment of OS-mediated human diseases, only UROs have demonstrated in vivo the ability to reach tissues to a greater extent, thus appearing as the main molecules responsible for beneficial activities. Unfortunately, UROs production depends on individual metabotypes, and the consequent extreme variability limits their potentiality as novel therapeutics, as well as dietary assumption of EA, EA-enriched functional foods, and food supplements. This review focuses on the pathophysiology of OS; on EA and UROs chemical features and on the mechanisms of their antioxidant activity. A discussion on the clinical applicability of the debated UROs in place of EA and on the effectiveness of EA-enriched products is also included.

R. R, K. M, K. M. M, E. M. A, M. P, Balachandran I. Chemical profiling of a polyherbal formulation by tandem mass spectroscopic analysis with multiple ionization techniques

Background

Gugguluthiktham Kashayam (GTK) is the decoction form of Panchatikta Guggulu Ghrita, a classical Ayurvedic formulation used for treating various diseases like skin disorders, ulcers, sinus, asthma, cardiac diseases, arthritis, and cancer.

Results

Tandem mass spectroscopic analysis of GTK was carried out by different ionization techniques such as electro spray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) in both positive and negative modes using Quadrupole Time-of-Flight (Q-TOF) mass spectroscopy. Data processing of molecular ions obtained by ESI and APCI mass fragmentation led to the identification of several phytoconstituents belonging to various classes of compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, and coumarins.

Conclusion

The study concluded that GTK contains variety of phytochemicals with numerous biological properties that might be responsible for its various therapeutic effects.

CYP2C9, a Metabolic CYP450s Enzyme, Plays Critical Roles in Activating Ellagic Acid in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Background

The metabolic processing of ellagic acid (EA) by cytochrome P450s (CYP450s) expressed in the intestines is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of CYP450s that are highly expressed in HIEC cells on metabolic activity of EA.

Material/Methods

HIEC cell models expressing 2B6, 2C9, 2D6, and 3A4 were generated by stably transfecting with CYP450 genes using a lentivirus system. PCR and Western blot assay were used to detect expression of CYP450s. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to examine the cytotoxic effect of EA on CYP450s-expressing HIEC cells. Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate apoptosis of CYP450s-expressing HIEC cells after addition of EA. Metabolic clearance rate of EA in vitro by the constructed HIEC cell models was measured using UPLC-MS method.

Results

CYP450s expression HIEC cell models, including CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4, were successfully established. EA treatment at different concentrations (10 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL) remarkably decreased cell viability of HIEC cells expressing CYP2C9 compared to the untreated control (p<0.01), in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. Expression of CYP2C9 significantly increased the apoptosis rate of HIEC cells treated with EA compared to that in HIEC cells without any CYP450s expression (p<0.01). The clearance rate of EA in CYP2B6-expressing (p<0.05) and CYP2C9-expressing (p<0.001) HIEC cell models was remarkably reduced after 120 min.

Conclusions

Ellagic acid was effectively activated by CYP2C9 in HIEC cells and caused cytotoxicity and apoptosis of HIEC cells. Therefore, CYP2C9 is main metabolic enzyme of EA when compared to other CYP450 HIEC cell models.

Simultaneous Estimation of Twenty Eight Phenolic Compounds by a Novel and Expeditious Method Developed on Quaternary Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography System with a Photodiode Array Detector

Plant secondary metabolites including phenolics and flavonoidsare synthesized through phenylpropanoid and phenylpropanoid–acetate pathways and significantly contribute against adverse effect of abiotic and biotic stresses. Herein, we present the development and execution of a novel and expeditious ultra-performance liquid chromatographic-photodiode array (UPLC–PDA) method for qualitative and quantitative analysis of 28 phenolic compounds comprising of flavonoids, phenolic acids, aldehydes and alcohols. The method is able to separate phenolic compounds in just 17 min with the separation of isobaric species such as 3,4 dihydroxybenzoic acid and 3,5 dihydroxy benzoic acid; quercetin and taxifolin. Linear curves concentrations ranged from 6–18 µg/mL (3,5 dihydroxy benzoic acid), 4–12 µg/mL (catechin and salicylic acid) and 2–6 µg/mL for rest of the compounds and correlation coefficients were >0.994. The limit of detection (LOD) varied from 0.04–0.45 µg/mL. Cotton root samples were used to assess the method in terms of recovery efficiency (85–120%), precision (0.12–4.09%) and intermediate precision (0.32–4.0%).Phenolics and flavonoidsin root samples of healthy and diseased plants as well as leaf samples of healthy plants were successfully quantified using this novel method without an expensive Mass Spectrometer.

Identification and Quantification of Bioactive Compounds in Diaphragma juglandis Fructus by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS and UHPLC-MS/MS

Diaphragma juglandis fructus is the dry wooden diaphragm inside walnuts and a byproduct in food processing of walnut kernels. The purpose of our research is to enrich the information on compounds in Diaphragma juglandis fructus to further discover and exploit its potential nutritional value. In this study, new quali-quantitative analytical approaches were developed to identify and determine bioactive compounds in Diaphragma juglandis fructus. Two-hundred compounds, including hydrolyzable tannins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and quinones, were identified by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, more than 150 of which were first discovered in Diaphragma juglandis fructus. Among them, 21 major dietary polyphenols with health-promoting effects were successfully quantified using UHPLC-MS/MS, with total contents of 2.88-6.18 mg/g. This successful characterization and quantification of bioactive compounds in Diaphragma juglandis fructus gives a better understanding of its potential nutritional value and supports efficiently developing and reusing it instead of discarding it as agrofood waste.

Neuroprotective effect of juçara (Euterpe edulis Martius) fruits extracts against glutamate-induced oxytosis in HT22 hippocampal cells

This study investigated the neuroprotective effect of juçara fruit extracts against glutamate-induced oxytosis in HT22 cells. Potential relationships between the extracts' polyphenolic composition and their protective/antioxidant capacities were also investigated. Experiments with the addition of either the crude methanolic extract or hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and butanol fractions 24 h before glutamate (pretreatment) and together with glutamate (co-treatment) were performed. At the concentration of 10 μg ml^-1, the hexane and dichloromethane fractions were able to protect cells, both in pretreatment and co-treatment. These fractions presented the highest number of quantified polyphenolics (24 and 21, respectively) although the total levels were 63-fold higher in the dichloromethane fraction. Syringaldehyde, vanillin and 4-aminobenzoic, cinnamic, salicylic and syringic acids were found only in these fractions. The dichloromethane fraction presented higher 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity, while the butanol and ethyl acetate fractions showed higher ferric reducing antioxidant power. These results suggest juçara fruits extracts as promising for the reduction of the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.