Identification and characterisation of anthocyanins in the antioxidant activity-containing fraction of Liriope platyphylla fruits

A novel exopolysaccharide-producing bacterium, Pseudescherichia liriopis sp. nov. isolated from Liriope platyphylla, enhances the growth of Daucus carota subsp. sativus under drought and salinity stress

Biological and abiotic stresses in plant growth are associated with reduced crop yields. Therefore, improving plant stress resistance can be a crucial strategy to improve crop production. To overcome these problems, plant growth-promoting bacteria are emphasized as one of the alternative tools for sustainable agriculture. This study found a novel strain (L3T) of a plant growth-promoting bacterium in fermented Liriope platyphylla fruit. Strain L3T showed the ability to promote plant growth. The L3T strain promoted plant growth of D. carota subsp. sativus, increasing the length (increase rate compared to the control group, 36.98%), diameter (47.06%), and weight of carrots (81.5%), ultimately increasing the edible area. In addition, we confirmed that plant growth was improved even in situations that inhibited plant growth, such as salinity and drought stress. Strain L3T performed indole production, siderophore production, phosphate solubilization, and nitrogen fixation, all characteristics of a strain that promotes plant growth. Genome analysis revealed genes involved in the growth promotion effects of strain L3T. Additionally, the properties of exopolysaccharides were identified and characterized using FTIR, TGA, and UHPLC. Our results demonstrated that L3 isolated from fermented L. platyphylla fruit can be used to simultaneously alleviate drought and NaCl stress.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of Lipophilic Fraction from Liriope platyphylla Seeds Using Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and In Vitro Experiments

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms counteract the pathogenesis of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, aging, and cancer. Therefore, enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions may help manage these pathological conditions. This study aimed to assess the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials of lipophilic fraction of Liriope platyphylla seeds (LLPS) using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro experiments. Here GC-MS analysis tentatively identified forty-three lipophilic compounds in LLPS. LLPS exhibited powerful antioxidant activity, according to the results from chemical-based antioxidant assays on DPPH, ABTS+, superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, and hydroxyl radicals scavenging, lipid peroxidation, reducing antioxidant powers, and total antioxidant capacity. Additionally, LLPS enhanced cellular antioxidant capacity by inhibiting reactive oxygen species formation and elevating antioxidant enzyme levels, including catalase and heme oxygenase-1. Moreover, LLPS attenuated inflammatory response by reducing nitric oxide secretion and downregulating the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and interleukin-1β in lipopolysaccharide-treated macrophages. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses showed that key compounds in LPPS, particularly phytosterols and fatty acid esters, exerted antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties through regulating NFKB1, PTGS1, PTGS2, TLR4, PRKCA, PRKCD, KEAP1, NFE2L2, and NR1l2. Overall, these data suggest that LLPS may be a potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent for developing functional foods.

Mesorhizobium liriopis sp. nov., isolated from the fermented fruit of Liriope platyphylla a medicinal plant

A facultative anaerobic and Gram-negative strain, designated RP14T, was isolated from the fruit of Liriope platyphylla fermented for 60 days at 25°C. Strain RP14T showed 98.0 % 16S rRNA similarity to Mesorhizobium huakuii IFO 15243T, but in the phylogenetic tree, Mesorhizobium terrae NIBRBAC000500504T was its closest neighbour. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain RP14T and 15 genomes of type strains of Mesorhizobium, were 73.8-74.4% and 16.4-20.2 %, respectively, which were lower than the recommended thresholds for species delineation. The strain grew at 25-32°C (optimum, 28°C), at pH 7.0-12.0 (optimum, pH 9.0) and with 0-2% NaCl (optimum, 0 %; w/v). Cells of strain RP14T were catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, rod-shaped and formed yellow-coloured colonies. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. The major fatty acid were C16 : 0, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1  ω7c and/or C18 : 1  ω6c). The DNA G+C content was 62.8 mol%. Based on polyphasic evidence, we propose Mesorhizobium liriopis sp. nov as a novel species within the genus Mesorhizobium. The type strain is RP14T (=KACC 22720T=TBRC 16341T).

Anthocyanins distribution, transcriptional regulation, epigenetic and post-translational modification in fruits

Anthocyanins have indispensable functions in plant resistance, human health, and fruit coloring, which arouse people's favorite. It has been reported that anthocyanins are widely found in fruits, and can be affected by numerous factors. In this review, we systematically summarize anthocyanin functions, classifications, distributions, biosynthesis, decoration, transportation, transcriptional regulation, DNA methylation, and post-translational regulation in fruits.

Lilac (Syringa oblata) genome provides insights into its evolution and molecular mechanism of petal color change

Color change during flower opening is common; however, little is understood on the biochemical and molecular basis related. Lilac (Syringa oblata), a well-known woody ornamental plant with obvious petal color changes, is an ideal model. Here, we presented chromosome-scale genome assembly for lilac, resolved the flavonoids metabolism, and identified key genes and potential regulatory networks related to petal color change. The genome assembly is 1.05 Gb anchored onto 23 chromosomes, with a BUSCO score of 96.6%. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) event shared within Oleaceae was revealed. Metabolome quantification identified delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside (Dp3Ru) and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside (Cy3Ru) as the major pigments; gene co-expression networks indicated WRKY an essential regulation factor at the early flowering stage, ERF more important in the color transition period (from violet to light nearly white), while the MBW complex participated in the entire process. Our results provide a foundation for functional study and molecular breeding in lilac.

Liriopogons (Genera Ophiopogon and Liriope, Asparagaceae): A Critical Review of the Phytochemical and Pharmacological Research

The closely related genera Liriope and Ophiopogon (Asparagaceae), collectively known in English as liriopogons, have similar therapeutic uses in treating cough, rheumatoid arthritis, and cleaning heat. The main aim of this review is to understand the current phytochemical and pharmacological knowledge including an assessment of the quality of the scientific evidence. A literature search was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines, by retrieving available information up to 2020 from five online resources. The bioactive metabolites of liriopogons include steroidal saponins, flavonoids, polysaccharides, organic acids, phenols. Cardiovascular protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, anti-viral, anti-acute myeloid leukemia and hepatoprotective effects have been at the center of attention. From a toxicological perspective Ophiopogon japonicus seems to be safe. Some problems with the quality of the pharmacological evidence stand out including the application of excessive dose level and methodological problems in the design. Additionally, a reasonable link between local/traditional uses and pharmacological assessment is often vague or not reflected in the text. Future researches on liriopogons are required to use rigorous scientific approaches in research on evidence-based natural products for the future benefits of patients.

Counter-Current Fractionation-Assisted Bioassay-Guided Separation of Active Compound from Blueberry and the Interaction between the Active Compound and α-Glucosidase

An efficient strategy for the selection of active compounds from blueberry based on counter-current fractionation and bioassay-guided separation was established in this study. Blueberry extract showed potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. After extraction by different solvents, the active components were enriched in water. The water extract was divided into six fractions via high-speed counter-current chromatography to further track the active components. Results indicated that the α-glucosidase inhibition rate of F4 was remarkable higher than the others. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) with a purity of 94.16% was successfully separated from F4 through column chromatography, and its structure was identified by ultraviolet spectral, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and ¹³C NMR. The interaction mechanism between C3G and α-glucosidase was clearly characterized and described by spectroscopic methods, including fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) in combination with molecular docking techniques. C3G could spontaneously bind with α-glucosidase to form complexes by hydrogen bonds. The secondary structure of α-glucosidase changed in varying degrees after complexation with C3G. The α-helical and β-turn contents of α-glucosidase decreased, whereas the β-sheet content and the irregular coil structures increased. Molecular docking speculated that C3G could form hydrogen bonds with α-glucosidase by binding to the active sit (Leu 313, Ser 157, Tyr 158, Phe 314, Arg 315, and two Asp 307). These findings may be useful for the development of functional foods to tackle type 2 diabetes.

Enzymatic acylation of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) anthocyanins and evaluation of lipophilic properties and antioxidant capacity of derivatives

Anthocyanin-rich fractions isolated from blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) including delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside were enzymatically acylated with lauric acid. All the four anthocyanins were successfully monoacylated, and their relative proportions did not affect the conversion yield. The acylation occurred at the 6″-OH position of the glucosides and at the rhamnose 4‴-OH of the rutinosides. The rutinoside moieties of the anthocyanins were successfully acylated for the first time, and the corresponding acylation sites were verified by NMR analysis. The acylation enhanced the lipophilicity. The hydrophilic anthocyanin rutinosides were more lipophilic after acylation. Introducing lauric acid into the anthocyanins significantly improved the thermostability and capacity to inhibit lipid peroxidation and maintained UV-vis absorbance and antioxidant activity. This research provides important insights into acylation of mixed anthocyanins with different glycosyl moieties.

The protective effects of Sauropus spatulifolius on acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide

BACKGROUND

Sauropus spatulifolius Beille (named 'Long-Li-Ye' in China) is used to make 'herbal tea' to prevent pneumonia. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activities in vitro and the protective effects of Long-Li-Ye on acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

RESULTS

The supernatant after ethanol addition to Long-Li-Ye water extract (LLYCSL) and the resin eluting fraction of LLYCSL (LLY40) showed strong antioxidant activities in vitro. LLYCSL and LLY40 could attenuate ALI via decreasing myeloperoxidase activity, increasing superoxide dismutase activity and decreasing the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and IL-6. In addition, LLY40 could increase catalase activity, increase the levels of IL-10, IL-4 and IL-13 and decrease the TNF-α/IL-10 ratio.

CONCLUSION

Long-Li-Ye could be used as a natural antioxidant for food production and functional food or dietary supplementation for people with ALI. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

The genus Liriope: Phytochemistry and pharmacology

Liriope (Liliaceae) species have been used as folk medicines in Asian countries since ancient times. From Liriope plants (8 species), a total of 132 compounds (except polysaccharides) have been isolated and identified, including steroidal saponins, flavonoids, phenols, and eudesmane sesquiterpenoids. The crude extracts or monomeric compounds from this genus have been shown to exhibit anti-tumor, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective activities. The present review summarizes the results on phytochemical and biological studies on Liriope plants. The chemotaxonomy of this genus is also discussed.

Health Benefits of Anthocyanins and Their Encapsulation for Potential Use in Food Systems: A Review

Anthocyanins are one of the six subgroups of large and widespread group of plant constituents known as flavonoids. These are responsible for the bright and attractive orange, red, purple, and blue colors of most fruits, vegetables, flowers and some cereal grains. More than 600 structurally distinct anthocyanins have been identified in nature. Earlier, anthocyanins were only known for their coloring properties but now interest in anthocyanin pigments has intensified because of their possible health benefits as dietary antioxidants, which help to prevent neuronal diseases, cardiovascular illnesses, cancer, diabetes, inflammation, and many such others diseases. Ability of anthocyanins to counter oxidants makes them atherosclerosis fighters. Therefore, anthocyanin-rich foods may help to boost overall health by offering an array of nutrients. However, the incorporation of anthocyanins into food and medical products is a challenging task due to their low stability toward environmental conditions during processing and storage. Encapsulation seems to be an efficient way to introduce such compounds into these products. Encapsulating agents act as a protector coat against ambient adverse conditions such as light, humidity, and oxygen. Encapsulated bioactive compounds are easier to handle and offer improved stability. The main objective of this review is to explore health benefits of anthocyanins and their extraction, characterization, encapsulation, and delivery.

Phytochemicals and Estrogen-Receptor Agonists from the Aerial Parts of Liriope platyphylla

One new benzofuran, (2R)-(2',4'-dihydroxybenzyl)-6,7-methylenedioxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran (1), one new phenylisocoumarin, 3-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-6,8-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-isocoumarin (2), and one new benzofuroisocoumarin, platyphyllarin C (3), were isolated from the ethanolic extract of Liriope platyphylla aerial parts, along with seventeen known compounds. The structures of the isolates were established by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with the literature data. The results indicated that structures 1-3 are uncommon in Nature. Benzofuroisocoumarin 4, flavonoids 9, 10, and 13-15, and homoisoflavonoids 19 and 20 exhibited significant binding activity to estrogen-receptor α and/or β as demonstrated by the SEAP reporter assay system in an MCF-7 cell-line.

NMR methodologies in the analysis of blueberries

An NMR analytical protocol based on complementary high and low field measurements is proposed for blueberry characterization. Untargeted NMR metabolite profiling of blueberries aqueous and organic extracts as well as targeted NMR analysis focused on anthocyanins and other phenols are reported. Bligh-Dyer and microwave-assisted extractions were carried out and compared showing a better recovery of lipidic fraction in the case of microwave procedure. Water-soluble metabolites belonging to different classes such as sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and phenolic compounds, as well as metabolites soluble in organic solvent such as triglycerides, sterols, and fatty acids, were identified. Five anthocyanins (malvidin-3-glucoside, malvidin-3-galactoside, delphinidin-3-glucoside, delphinidin-3-galactoside, and petunidin-3-glucoside) and 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl quercetin were identified in solid phase extract. The water status of fresh and withered blueberries was monitored by portable NMR and fast-field cycling NMR. (1) H depth profiles, T2 transverse relaxation times and dispersion profiles were found to be sensitive to the withering.

Composition and antioxidant activity of the anthocyanins of the fruit of Berberis heteropoda Schrenk

In present study, the anthocyanin composition and content of the fruit of B. heteropoda Schrenk were determined for the first time. The total anthocyanins were extracted from the fruit of B. heteropoda Schrenk using 0.5% HCl in 80% methanol and were then purified using an AB-8 macroporous resin column. The purified anthocyanin extract (PAE) was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and HPLC-high resolution-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-HR-ESI-MS) under the same experimental conditions. The results revealed the presence of seven different anthocyanins. The major anthocyanins purified by preparative HPLC were confirmed to be delphinidin-3-O-glucopyranoside (30.3%), cyanidin-3-O-glucopyranoside (33.5%), petunidin-3-Ο-glucopyranoside (10.5%), peonidin-3-O-glucopyranoside (8.5%) and malvidin-3-O-glucopyranoside (13.8%) using HPLC-HR-ESI-MS and NMR spectroscopy. The total anthocyanin content was 2036.6 ± 2.2 mg/100 g of the fresh weight of B. heteropoda Schrenk fruit. In terms of its total reducing capacity assay, DPPH radical-scavenging activity assay, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and ABTS radical cation-scavenging activity assay, the PAE also showed potent antioxidant activity. The results are valuable for illuminating anthocyanins composition of B. heteropoda Schrenk and for further utilising them as a promising anthocyanin pigment source. This research enriched the chemical information of B. heteropoda Schrenk.

Dyeing of Silk with Anthocyanins Dyes Extract from Liriope platyphylla Fruits

A new source of natural anthocyanins dyes, from Liriope platyphylla fruit, is proposed. This paper analyzes the dye extracts, the primary color components of the extracts, the color features of the extracts under different pH conditions, and their application in silk dyeing. The research shows that, nine anthocyanins are found in  L. platyphylla fruits by analyzing the results of the HPLC/DAD, MS, and MS/MS spectra. The five major anthocyanins related to delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin derivatives take up 91.72% of total anthocyanin contents. The color of the solution is red under acidic condition (pH < 3.0) and stays in yellow under alkaline condition with pH values above 7.0. The dye extracts applied to silk fabric with mordant free dyeing show different color under different pH conditions, changing between purple, blue, green, and yellow. However, the dyed colors is light and the dyeing rate is low. Metal mordant such as Sn in chelation enhances the dye depth and improves the fastness of the dyed silk fabrics, especially in silk fabrics dyed by premordanting and metamordanting.

Antimicrobial effect of bayberry leaf extract for the preservation of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea)

BACKGROUND

Chemical preservatives have been widely used to keep large yellow croaker fresh. However, the potential harm to human health cannot be ignored. This study was undertaken to investigate the antimicrobial effect of bayberry leaf extract and to evaluate the efficacy of this natural product on the preservation of large yellow croaker.

RESULTS

The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of bayberry leaf extract against bacteria were 1.0 mg mL⁻¹ for Micrococcus luteus, 0.5 mg mL⁻¹ for Staphylococcus aureus, 0.25 mg mL⁻¹ for Escherichia coli, 0.5 mg mL⁻¹ for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 0.0625 mg mL⁻¹ for Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and 0.03125 mg mL⁻¹ for Listeria monocytogenes, respectively. This result was confirmed by the diameters of inhibition zone (DIZ) assay. Further studies showed that the bacterial growth was significantly retarded when large yellow croaker was pretreated with bayberry leaf extract (2 g L⁻¹) compared to that in the control group. Moreover, the generation of total volatile basic nitrogenous compounds (TVB-N), ATP degradation products (K-value) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were significantly reduced compared to that in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrated that the shelf life of large yellow croaker can be extended when supplemented with bayberry leaf extract, which might have implications for natural preservatives.

Antioxidant capacity of anthocyanins from Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Ait.) and identification of the major anthocyanins

The anthocyanins in the fruits of Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (ACN) were extracted by 1% TFA in methanol, and then purified by X-5 resin column and C18 (SPE) cartridges. The purified anthocyanin extract (ART) from the fruits of R. tomentosa showed strong antioxidant activities, including DPPH radical-scavenging capacity, ABTS radical scavenging capacity, reducing power and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). The purified anthocyanin extract was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The major anthocyanins were purified by semi-preparative HPLC and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and were identified as cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, peonidin-3-O-glucoside, malvidin-3-O-glucoside, petunidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside and pelargonidin-3-glucoside by HPLC-ESI/MS and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was considered as the most abundant anthocyanin, which was 29.4 mg/100 g dry weight of R. tomentosa fruits. Additionally, all the major anthocyanins were identified from R. tomentosa fruit for the first time.