The novel contributors of anti-diabetic potential in mulberry polyphenols revealed by UHPLC-HR-ESI-TOF-MS/MS

Phenolic acids from medicinal and edible homologous plants: a potential anti-inflammatory agent for inflammatory diseases

Inflammation has been shown to trigger a wide range of chronic diseases, particularly inflammatory diseases. As a result, the focus of research has been on anti-inflammatory drugs and foods. In recent years, the field of medicinal and edible homology (MEH) has developed rapidly in both medical and food sciences, with 95% of MEH being associated with plants. Phenolic acids are a crucial group of natural bioactive substances found in medicinal and edible homologous plants (MEHPs). Their anti-inflammatory activity is significant as they play a vital role in treating several inflammatory diseases. These compounds possess enormous potential for developing anti-inflammatory drugs and functional foods. However, their development is far from satisfactory due to their diverse structure and intricate anti-inflammatory mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the various types, structures, and distribution of MEHP phenolic acids that have been identified as of 2023. We also analyze their anti-inflammatory activity and molecular mechanisms in inflammatory diseases through NF-κB, MAPK, NLRP3, Nrf2, TLRs, and IL-17 pathways. Additionally, we investigate their impact on regulating the composition of the gut microbiota and immune responses. This analysis lays the groundwork for further exploration of the anti-inflammatory structure-activity relationship of MEHP phenolic acids, aiming to inspire structural optimization and deepen our understanding of their mechanism, and provides valuable insights for future research and development in this field.

Hypoglycemic effect of Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented mulberry pomace extract in vitro and in Caenorhabditis elegans

Mulberry pomace is rich in phytochemicals, but there are few studies on its utilization as a by-product. Natural foods containing phytochemicals can alleviate the toxic effects of excessive glucose intake. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented mulberry pomace extract (FMPE) under hyperglycemic conditions. The phenolic compounds and α-glucosidase inhibition of FMPE were determined using UPLC-MS and chemical models. Furthermore, Caenorhabditis elegans was a model system to study the hypoglycemic effects. The results showed that the polyphenolics and α-glucosidase inhibition were improved during fermentation. Three phenolic components (cyanidin, 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde, and taxifolin) were important variables for α-glucosidase inhibition. FMPE and the three key compound treatments reduced the glucose content and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in Caenorhabditis elegans. The protective mechanism occurred by activating DAF-16/FOXO and SKN-1/Nrf2. This study suggests that Lactobacillus plantarum-fermentation was a potential way to utilize mulberry pomace polyphenols as hypoglycemic food ingredients.

Evaluation of mulberry leaves’ hypoglycemic properties and hypoglycemic mechanisms

The effectiveness of herbal medicine in treating diabetes has grown in recent years, but the precise mechanism by which it does so is still unclear to both medical professionals and diabetics. In traditional Chinese medicine, mulberry leaf is used to treat inflammation, colds, and antiviral illnesses. Mulberry leaves are one of the herbs with many medicinal applications, and as mulberry leaf study grows, there is mounting evidence that these leaves also have potent anti-diabetic properties. The direct role of mulberry leaf as a natural remedy in the treatment of diabetes has been proven in several studies and clinical trials. However, because mulberry leaf is a more potent remedy for diabetes, a deeper understanding of how it works is required. The bioactive compounds flavonoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, polyphenols, volatile oils, sterols, amino acids, and a variety of inorganic trace elements and vitamins, among others, have been found to be abundant in mulberry leaves. Among these compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, and polyphenols have a stronger link to diabetes. Of course, trace minerals and vitamins also contribute to blood sugar regulation. Inhibiting alpha glucosidase activity in the intestine, regulating lipid metabolism in the body, protecting pancreatic -cells, lowering insulin resistance, accelerating glucose uptake by target tissues, and improving oxidative stress levels in the body are some of the main therapeutic properties mentioned above. These mechanisms can effectively regulate blood glucose levels. The therapeutic effects of the bioactive compounds found in mulberry leaves on diabetes mellitus and their associated molecular mechanisms are the main topics of this paper’s overview of the state of the art in mulberry leaf research for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Mulberry plant as a source of functional food with therapeutic and nutritional applications: A review

Medicinal plants from the family Moraceae have diverse applications in agriculture, cosmetics, food, and the pharmaceutical industry. Their extensive spectrum of pharmacological activity for treating numerous inflammatory illnesses, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and gastrointestinal problems reflects their biological and therapeutic value. This article summarizes the molecular mechanisms related to the biological implications of mulberry extracts, fractions, and isolated bioactive compounds from different parts in various health-related ailments. Additionally, the food industry and animal nutrition applications are summarized. Phytochemicals such as steroids, saponins, alkaloids, glycosides, polysaccharides, and phenolic compounds including terpenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins are found in this medicinal plant. The aqueous, ethanolic, and methanolic extracts, as well as bioactive compounds, have anti-oxidative, hypoglycemic, nephroprotective, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, anti-mutagenic, hepatoprotective, anthelmintic, immune-modulatory, cardioprotective, and skin protecting activities. Mulberry supplementation in food products improves the stability of phenolics, sensory properties, antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial properties. Mulberry leaves in animal feed increase the nutrient digestibility, growth parameters, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This review summarized the in vivo and in vitro biological activities of the mulberry and isolated constituents in various health conditions. In addition, the food uses such as antioxidant potential, antimicrobial, and physicochemical properties were discussed. Furthermore, in vivo studies revealed mulberry as a significant protein source and its flavonoids as potential animal foliage.

LC-MS Metabolite Profiling and the Hypoglycemic Activity of Morus alba L. Extracts

Morus alba L. is used in traditional Chinese medicine for its anti-diabetic activity; however, the part of the hypoglycemic activity and related active metabolites are still not fully clarified. In this study, the metabolites in the M. alba roots, leaves, twigs, and fruits extracts (70% ethanol extracts) were systematically identified, and their hypoglycemic activity was evaluated by the high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) mouse model. A total of 60 high-level compounds, including 16 polyphenols, 43 flavonoids, and one quinic acid, were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with the fragmentation pathways of standards and the self-established database. Among them, 23 metabolites were reported for the first time from this plant. In contrast to the extracts of M. alba leaves and fruits, the extracts of roots and twigs displayed significant hypoglycemic activity The glycemia was significantly reduced from 32.08 ± 1.27 to 20.88 ± 1.82 mmol/L and from 33.32 ± 1.98 to 24.74 ± 1.02 mmol/L, respectively, after 4 weeks of treatment with roots and twigs extracts. Compound 46 (morusin), which is a high-level component identified from the extracts of M. alba roots, also displayed significant activity in decreasing the blood glucose level of T2D mice reduced from 31.45 ± 1.23 to 23.45 ± 2.13 mmol/L. In addition, the extracts of roots and twigs displayed significant activity in reducing postprandial glycemia. This work marks the first comparison of the metabolites and hypoglycemic activity of M. alba roots, leaves, twigs, and fruits extracts, and provides a foundation for further development of M. alba extracts as anti-diabetic drugs.

Metabolomic Profiling and Identification of Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Compounds from Leaves of Different Varieties of Morus alba Linn Grown in Kashmir

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is commonly cultivated in Asian countries as a traditional medicine and food supplement. Four Kashmiri Morus alba varieties (Zagtul, Chtattatual, Chattatual Zaingir, and Brentul Kashmir) were evaluated for their proximate composition, mineral content, total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant potential, and antihyperglycemic activity. Furthermore, TLC-MS-bioautography was used for the identification of antioxidant and antidiabetic compounds in the best active extract. Lastly, UPLC-MS was employed for metabolomic profiling of the best variety of M. alba. Among all the varieties, the Zagtul variety was found to have the highest phenolic (71.10 ± 0.44 mg GAE/g DW) and flavonoid (53.22 ± 0.69 mg rutin/g DW) content. The highest antioxidant potential (DPPH) with an IC₅₀ value of 107.88 ± 3.8 μg/mL was recorded for the Zagtul variety. Similarly, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition for antidiabetic potential with IC₅₀ 74.76 ± 6.76 and 109.19 ± 5.78 μg/mL, respectively, was recorded in Zagtul variety. TLC-MS-bioautography for identification of bioactive compounds revealed the presence of chlorogenic acid for antioxidant potential and 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) and syringic acid for antidiabetic potential. Further, bioactive compounds responsible for diverse functions of M. alba were confirmed by UPLC-MS in both negative and positive modes. However, major compounds in the Zagtul variety were identified as chlorogenic acid, moracin N, gallic acid, ferulic acid, morin, 1-deoxynojirimycin, and syringic acid. Hence, based on our findings, it can be concluded that M. alba leaves can be consumed as a promising dietary supplement and can be formulated as phytopharmaceutical for the management of various metabolic disorders.

Phytochemicals, Pharmacological Effects and Molecular Mechanisms of Mulberry

There are numerous varieties of mulberry, and each has high medicinal value and is regarded as a promising source of traditional medicines and functional foods. Nevertheless, the nutrients and uses of mulberry differ from species (Morus alba L., Morus nigra L. and Morus rubra L.). Phenolic compounds are prominent among the biologically active ingredients in mulberry, especially flavonoids, anthocyanins and phenolic acids. Epidemiologic studies suggest that mulberry contains a rich, effective chemical composition and a wide range of biological activity, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and so on. However, compared with other berries, there has been a lack of systematic research on mulberry, and this hinders its further expansion as a functional fruit. The main purpose of this review is to provide the latest data regarding the effective chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of mulberry to support its further therapeutic potential and health functions.

A dynamic view on the chemical composition and bioactive properties of mulberry fruit using an in vitro digestion and fermentation model

Mulberry is a kind of fruit rich in nutrients, however, the beneficial effects of mulberry fruits are related not only to the amount consumed, but also to the bioavailability of these nutrients in the organism. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the bioaccessibility of main bioactive compounds from mulberry fruit using an in vitro digestion model, the changes in bioactivities as well as intestinal flora were also investigated. The results showed that the particle size of the mulberry fruit was gradually reduced (from 196.87 to 60.85 μm), as well as the phenolics and carbohydrates were significantly released during the digestion and maximized in the first 15 min in the intestinal phase (1752 ± 2.80 mg GAE per 100 g, DW; 277.402 ± 2.80 mg GE per 100 g, DW, respectively). Meanwhile, the bioaccessibility indices for phenolic compounds and carbohydrates were 55.49% and 84.62%. The antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory effect of the mulberry fruit were positively correlated with their total content of released phenolic compounds. And the phenolic compounds (2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and gallic acid) were the main compounds that inhibit the α-glucosidase activity by binding to its active cavity through hydrogen bonds. In addition, the mulberry fruit undigested fractions could be further fermented by intestinal microorganisms to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which decreased the colon pH value (from 5.93 to 4.79) and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio which was beneficial for obesity. Our results indicated that the mulberry fruit exhibited good bioactivity during digestion and fermentation, and could be a promising candidate as a dietary source of functional foods.

In vitro digestion of the whole blackberry fruit: bioaccessibility, bioactive variation of active ingredients and impacts on human gut microbiota

In vitro digestion and fermentation of blackberry fruit was investigated, and results showed that the phenolics were mainly released in gastric phase while carbohydrates in small intestinal phase. The bioaccessibility for phenolics and carbohydrates were 42.80% and 69.30%, indicating most of phenolics still remain in colon and available for intestinal flora. The total phenolics released during the digestion account for the improvement of antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities. Especially, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside with higher released amount and bioaccessibility index (63.21%), exhibited the strongest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. After fermentation, the non-digestible fractions of blackberry affected the ecosystem of the intestinal tract by decreasing the colonic pH (△pH = 1.10), enhancing the production of SCFAs and modulating gut microbiota composition (the ratio of Firmicute/Bacteroidetes decreased from13.18 to 0.87). The results provided insights into the digestive properties and health benefits of blackberry fruit after consumption.

HPLC-DAD phenolics analysis, α-glucosidase, α-amylase inhibitory, molecular docking and nutritional profiles of Persicaria hydropiper L

BACKGROUND

Natural phenolic compounds and Phenolics-rich medicinal plants are also of great interest in the management of diabetes. The current study was aimed to analyze phenolics in P. hydropiepr L extracts via HPLC-DAD analysis and assess their anti-diabetic potentials using in-vitro and in-silico approaches.

METHODS

Plant crude methanolic extract (Ph.Cme) was evaluated for the presence of phenolic compounds using HPLC-DAD analysis. Subsequently, samples including crude (Ph.Cr), hexane (Ph.Hex), chloroform (Ph.Chf), ethyl acetate (Ph.EtAc), butanol (Ph.Bt), aqueous (Ph.Aq) and saponins (Ph.Sp) were tested for α-glucsidase and α-amylase inhibitory potentials and identified compounds were docked against these target enzymes using Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software. Fractions were also analyzed for the nutritional contents and acute toxicity was performed in animals.

RESULTS

In HPLC-DAD analysis of Ph.Cme, 24 compounds were indentfied and quantified. Among these, Kaemferol-3-(p-coumaroyl-diglucoside)-7-glucoside (275.4 mg g- 1), p-Coumaroylhexose-4-hexoside (96.5 mg g- 1), Quercetin-3-glucoronide (76.0 mg g- 1), 4-Caffeoylquinic acid (58.1 mg g- 1), Quercetin (57.9 mg g- 1), 5,7,3'-Trihydroxy-3,6,4',5'-tetramethoxyflavone (55.5 mg g- 1), 5-Feruloylquinic acid (45.8 mg g- 1), Cyanidin-3-glucoside (26.8 mg g- 1), Delphinidin-3-glucoside (24 mg g- 1), Quercetin-3-hexoside (20.7 mg g- 1) were highly abundant compounds. In α-glucosidase inhibition assay, Ph.Sp were most effective with IC50 value of 100 μg mL-1. Likewise in α-amylase inhibition assay, Ph.Chf, Ph.Sp and Ph.Cme were most potent fractions displayed IC50 values of 90, 100 and 200 μg mL-1 respectively. Docking with the α-glucosidase enzyme revealed top ranked conformations for majority of the compounds with Kaemferol-3-(p-coumaroyl-diglucoside)-7-glucoside as the most active compound with docking score of - 19.80899, forming 14 hydrogen bonds, two pi-H and two pi-pi linkages with the Tyr 71, Phe 158, Phe 177, Gln 181, Arg 212, Asp 214, Glu 276, Phe 300, Val 303, Tyr 344, Asp 349, Gln 350, Arg 439, and Asp 408 residues of the enzyme. Likewise, docking with α-amylase revealed that most of the compounds are well accommodated in the active site residues (Trp 59, Tyr 62, Thr 163, Leu 165, Arg 195, Asp 197, Glu 240, Asp 300, His 305, Asp 356) of the enzyme and Cyanidin-3-rutinoside displayed most active compound with docking score of - 15.03757.

CONCLUSIONS

Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of highly valuable phenolic compounds, which might be responsible for the anti-diabetic potentials of the plant samples.

Some Common Medicinal Plants with Antidiabetic Activity, Known and Available in Europe (A Mini-Review)

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that affected 9.3% of adults worldwide in 2019. Its co-occurrence is suspected to increase mortality from COVID-19. The treatment of diabetes is mainly based on the long-term use of pharmacological agents, often expensive and causing unpleasant side effects. There is an alarming increase in the number of pharmaceuticals taken in Europe. The aim of this paper is to concisely collect information concerning the few antidiabetic or hypoglycaemic raw plant materials that are present in the consciousness of Europeans and relatively easily accessible to them on the market and sometimes even grown on European plantations. The following raw materials are discussed in this mini-review: Morus alba L., Cinnamomum zeylanicum J.Presl, Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Phaseolus vulgaris L., Zingiber officinale Rosc., and Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer in terms of scientifically tested antidiabetic activity and the presence of characteristic biologically active compounds and their specific properties, including antioxidant properties. The characteristics of these raw materials are based on in vitro as well as in vivo studies: on animals and in clinical studies. In addition, for each plant, the possibility to use certain morphological elements in the light of EFSA legislation is given.

Anti-aging effects of the fermented anthocyanin extracts of purple sweet potato on Caenorhabditis elegans

Anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic and antioxidant properties and anti-aging effects as well as potential application as pigments. The metabolism of anthocyanins in fermented food has attracted increasing attention. However, the effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation on its anti-aging activity remains mostly unknown. The current study aimed to investigate the compositions, antioxidant activities and anti-aging effect of fermented purple sweet potato anthocyanins (FSPA) on aging Caenorhabditis elegans compared to raw purple sweet potato anthocyanins (PSPA). Results showed that anthocyanins were degraded into more bioavailable phenolic acids by Weissella confusa fermentation. PSPA and FSPA can extend the lifespan of C. elegans by 26.7% and 37.5%, respectively, through improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes as well as decreasing MDA content, ROS levels and lipofuscin accumulation. Pretreatment of the worms with PSPA and FSPA induced their potential to resist to thermal tolerance and oxidative stress, and FSPA exerted a higher anti-stress effect than PSPA. Moreover, FSPA supplementation upregulated the mRNA expressions of genes daf-16, hsp-16.2, sir-2.1, skn-1 and sod-3 and downregulated the expression of daf-2 in the nematodes, whereas PSPA only induced the increase in the expressions of sir-2.1, skn-1 and sod-3. Overall, FSPA can improve stress resistance and extend the lifespan of C. elegans by both insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway and dietary restriction pathway, providing a theoretical basis for the application of PSPA in fermented food as functional pigments.

Tracking the dynamic changes of a flavor, phenolic profile, and antioxidant properties of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum- and Saccharomyces cerevisiae-fermented mulberry wine

The process of fermentation renders the superior quality of mulberry wine based on the microorganisms utilized. The present study aimed at investigating the changes and correlation between phenols and product quality of mulberry wine fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae combinatorially. Total anthocyanins concentration (TAC), polyphenols concentration (TPC), flavonoids concentration (TFC), and antioxidant capacity decreased significantly with high correlation in the fermentation process. TAC gradually reduced with a loss rate of 47.98% from 0 to third day of fermentation. Fermented mulberry wine obtained indicated a dynamic balance due to the presence of p-hydroxybenzoic acids as compared to the primary phenolic constituent. Chlorogenic acid usually presents in mulberry juice. The relative intensity of sourness was the most prominent and reached the maximum (10.93) on day 2 of fermentation. A total of 21 volatile esters were quantified (6621.59 μg/L), which contributed significantly to the aroma of mulberry wine. The enhanced quality of fermented mulberry wine showed contraindications with decreased constituents and escalated wine quality. Rather than usual single inoculum, fermentation combination of LAB and yeast holistically influenced the color, taste, fragrance, phenolic profiles, and antioxidant properties in mulberry wine, ensuring palatability and fit for commercialization prospects.

Phytochemical and Ethnopharmacological Perspectives of Ehretia laevis

Ehretia laevis Roxb. (Boraginaceae) has been extensively used as a traditional remedy for the treatment of a diverse range of ailments related to the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal tract, the reproductive system, and against several infections. This review critically assesses and documents, for the first time, the fragmented information on E. laevis, including its botanical description, folklore uses, bioactive phyto metabolites and pharmacological activities. The goal is to explore this plant therapeutically. Ethnomedicinal surveys reveal that E. laevis has been used by tribal communities in Asian countries for the treatment of various disorders. Quantitative and qualitative phytochemical investigations of E. laevis showed the presence of important phytoconstituents such as pentacyclic triterpenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, fatty acids, steroids, alkaloids, aliphatic alcohols, hydrocarbons, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Fresh plant parts, crude extracts, fractions and isolated compounds have been reported to exhibit broad spectrum of therapeutic activities viz., antioxidant, antiarthritic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, antidiarrheal, antidysenteric, wound healing and anti-infective activities. E. laevis is shown to be an excellent potential source of drugs for the mitigation of jaundice, asthma, dysentery, ulcers, diarrhea, ringworm, eczema, diabetes, fissure, syphilis, cuts and wounds, inflammation, liver problems, venereal and infectious disorders. Although few investigations authenticated its traditional uses but employed uncharacterized crude extracts of the plant, the major concerns raised are reproducibility of therapeutic efficacy and safety of plant material. The outcomes of limited pharmacological screening and reported bioactive compounds of E. laevis suggest that there is an urgent need for in-depth pharmacological investigations of the plant.

Antidiabetic potential of dietary polyphenols: A mechanistic review

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that has caused enormous harm to the public health worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the potential of phenolic compounds on diabetes management, addressing their mechanisms of action, in addition to discussing the digestion, absorption, metabolism, bioavailability, and toxic effects of these compounds. The intake of phenolic compounds can play a fundamental role on diabetes management, since they can reduce blood glucose levels, oxidative stress, protein glycation, inhibit the activity of dipeptidyl peptidase - IV and other key enzymes related to carbohydrate metabolism, activate various biochemical pathways to improve pancreatic β-cell functions, increase insulin secretion, and improve insulin resistance. In this way, they can be considered a potential strategy in the development of pharmaceutical approaches that aim to reduce complications resulting from the progression of this metabolic pathology.

Quantitative Comparison of the Marker Compounds in Different Medicinal Parts of Morus alba L. Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector with Chemometric Analysis

It is thought that the therapeutic efficacy of Morus alba L. is determined by its biological compounds. We investigated the chemical differences in the medicinal parts of M. alba by analyzing a total of 57 samples (15 root barks, 11 twigs, 12 fruits, and 19 leaves). Twelve marker compounds, including seven flavonoids, two stilbenoids, two phenolic acids, and a coumarin, were quantitatively analyzed using a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector and chemometric analyses (principal component and heatmap analysis). The results demonstrated that the levels and compositions of the marker compounds varied in each medicinal part. The leaves contained higher levels of six compounds, the root barks contained higher levels of four compounds, and the twigs contained higher levels of two compounds. The results of chemometric analysis showed clustering of the samples according to the medicinal part, with the marker compounds strongly associated with each part: mulberroside A, taxifolin, kuwanon G, and morusin for the root barks; 4-hydroxycinnamic acid and oxyresveratrol for the twigs and skimmin; chlorogenic acid, rutin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, and quercitrin for the leaves. Our approach plays a fundamental role in the quality evaluation and further understanding of biological actions of herbal medicines derived from various medicinal plant parts.

Valorisation of black mulberry and grape seeds: Chemical characterization and bioactive potential

Grape (Vitis vinifera L. var. Albariño) and mulberry (Morus nigra L.) seeds pomace were characterized in terms of tocopherols, organic acids, phenolic compounds and bioactive properties. Higher contents of tocopherols (28 ± 1 mg/100 g fw) were obtained in mulberry, whilst grape seeds were richer in organic acids (79 ± 4 mg/100 g fw). The phenolic analysis of hydroethanolic extracts characterised grape seeds by catechin oligomers (36.0 ± 0.3 mg/g) and mulberry seeds by ellagic acid derivatives (3.14 ± 0.02 mg/g). Both exhibited high antimicrobial activity against multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus MIC = 5 mg/mL) and no cytotoxicity against carcinogenic and non-tumour primary liver (PLP) cells. Mulberry seeds revealed the strongest inhibition (p < 0.05) against thiobarbituric reactive substances (IC₅₀ = 23 ± 2 µg/mL) and oxidative haemolysis (IC₅₀ at 60 min = 46.0 ± 0.8 µg/mL). Both seed by-products could be exploited for the developing of antioxidant-rich ingredients with health benefits for industrial application.

Select Polyphenol-Rich Berry Consumption to Defer or Deter Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Complications

Berries are considered "promising functional fruits" due to their distinct and ubiquitous therapeutic contents of anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, phenolic acids, flavonoids, flavanols, alkaloids, polysaccharides, hydroxycinnamic, ellagic acid derivatives, and organic acids. These polyphenols are part of berries and the human diet, and evidence suggests that their intake is associated with a reduced risk or the reversal of metabolic pathophysiologies related to diabetes, obesity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and hypertension. This work reviewed and summarized both clinical and non-clinical findings that the consumption of berries, berry extracts, purified compounds, juices, jams, jellies, and other berry byproducts aided in the prevention and or otherwise management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and related complications. The integration of berries and berries-derived byproducts into high-carbohydrate (HCD) and high-fat (HFD) diets, also reversed/reduced the HCD/HFD-induced alterations in glucose metabolism-related pathways, and markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid oxidation in healthy/obese/diabetic subjects. The berry polyphenols also modulate the intestinal microflora ecology by opposing the diabetic and obesity rendered symbolic reduction of Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio, intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction-restoring bacteria, short-chain fatty acids, and organic acid producing microflora. All studies proposed a number of potential mechanisms of action of respective berry bioactive compounds, although further mechanistic and molecular studies are warranted. The metabolic profiling of each berry is also included to provide up-to-date information regarding the potential anti-oxidative/antidiabetic constituents of each berry.

The role of anthocyanins as antidiabetic agents: from molecular mechanisms to in vivo and human studies

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose concentration. Nowadays, type 2 diabetes or insulin resistant diabetes is the most common diabetes, mainly due to unhealthy lifestyle. Healthy habits like appropriate nutritional approaches or the consumption of certain natural products or food supplements have been suggested as non-pharmacological strategies for the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes. Some of the main bioactive compounds from plant foods are polyphenols, important mainly for their antioxidant capacity in oxidative stress conditions and ageing. Anthocyanins are polyphenols of the flavonoid group, which act as pigments in plants, especially in fruits such as berries. A search of in vitro, in vivo and human studies in relation with antidiabetic properties of anthocyanins has been performed in different electronic databases. Results of this review demonstrate that these compounds have the ability to inhibit different enzymes as well as to influence gene expression and metabolic pathways of glucose, such as AMPK, being able to modulate diabetes and other associated disorders, as hyperlipidaemia, overweight, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, human interventional studies have shown that high doses of anthocyanins have potential in the prevention or treatment of type 2 diabetes; nevertheless, anthocyanins used in these studies should be standardized and quantified in order to make general conclusions about its use and to claim benefits for the human population.

Fabrication of BSA-Pinus koraiensis polyphenol-chitosan nanoparticles and their release characteristics under in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion

BSA and chitosan were used to prepare nanoparticles of polyphenols from the pine cones of Pinus koraiensis (PKP-NPs).

Antitumor, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of kaempferol and its corresponding glycosides and the enzymatic preparation of kaempferol

Kaempferol (kae) and its glycosides are widely distributed in nature and show multiple bioactivities, yet few reports have compared them. In this paper, we report the antitumor, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity differences of kae, kae-7-O-glucoside (kae-7-O-glu), kae-3-O-rhamnoside (kae-3-O-rha) and kae-3-O-rutinoside (kae-3-O-rut). Kae showed the highest antiproliferation effect on the human hepatoma cell line HepG2, mouse colon cancer cell line CT26 and mouse melanoma cell line B16F1. Kae also significantly inhibited AKT phosphorylation and cleaved caspase-9, caspase-7, caspase-3 and PARP in HepG2 cells. A kae-induced increase in DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, inhibition of concanavalin A (Con A)-induced activation of T cell proliferation and NO or ROS production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cells were also seen. Kae glycosides were used to produce kae via environment-friendly enzymatic hydrolysis. Kae-7-O-glu and kae-3-O-rut were hydrolyzed to kae by β-glucosidase and/or α-L-rhamnosidase. This paper demonstrates the application of enzymatic catalysis to obtain highly biologically active kae. This work provides a novel and efficient preparation of high-value flavone-related products.