Identification of bioactive compounds and comparison of apoptosis induction of three varieties of sugarcane leaves

Flavonoids and phenolic acids from sugarcane: Distribution in the plant, changes during processing, and potential benefits to industry and health

Sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) plants are grown in warmer climates throughout the world and processed to produce sugar as well as other useful byproducts such as molasses and bagasse. Sugarcane is rich in (poly)phenols, but there has been no attempt to critically evaluate the published information based on the use of suitable methodologies. The objective of this review is to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative (poly)phenolic profiles of individual parts of the sugarcane plant and its multiple industrial products, which will help develop new processes and uses for sugarcane (poly)phenols. The quantitative analysis involves the examination of extraction, concentration, and analytical techniques used in each study for each plant part and product. The qualitative analysis indicates the identification of various (poly)phenols throughout the sugarcane processing chain, using only compounds elucidated through robust analytical methodologies such as mass spectrometry or nuclear magnetic resonance. In conclusion, sugarcane (poly)phenols are predominantly flavonoids and phenolic acids. The main flavonoids, derivatives of apigenin, luteolin, and tricin, with a substantial proportion of C-glycosides, are consistently found across all phases of sugarcane processing. The principal phenolic acids reported throughout the process include chlorogenic acids, as well as ferulic and caffeic acids mostly observed after hydrolysis. The derivation of precise quantitative information across publications is impeded by inconsistencies in analytical methodologies. The presence of multiple (poly)phenols with potential benefits for industrial applications and for health suggests sugarcane could be a useful provider of valuable compounds for future use in research and industrial processes.

Attenuating Colorectal Cancer Using Nine Cultivars of Australian Lupin Seeds: Apoptosis Induction Triggered by Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species Generation and Caspases-3/7 Activation

As Australian lupin cultivars are rich sources of polyphenols, dietary fibers, high-quality proteins, and abundant bioactive compounds with significant antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anticancer activities, this research work is aimed at investigating the colon cancer alleviation activity of nine cultivars of lupin seeds on HCT116 and HT29 colon carcinoma cell lines through anti-proliferation assay, measurement of apoptosis, and identification of the mechanism of apoptosis. Nine cultivars were pre-screened for anti-proliferation of HCT116 and HT29 cells along with consideration of the impact of heat processing on cancer cell viability. Mandelup and Jurien showed significant inhibition of HCT116 cells, whereas the highest inhibition of HT29 cell proliferation was attained by Jurien and Mandelup. Processing decreased the anti-proliferation activity drastically. Lupin cultivars Mandelup, Barlock, and Jurien (dose: 300 μg/mL) induced early and late apoptosis of colon cancer cells in Annexin V-FITC assay. The mechanism of apoptosis was explored, which involves boosting of caspases-3/7 activation and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in HCT116 cells (Mandelup and Barlock) and HT29 cells (Jurien and Mandelup). Thus, the findings showed that lupin cultivars arrest cell cycles by inducing apoptosis of colorectal carcinoma cells triggered by elevated ROS generation and caspases-3/7 activation.

Bioactive compounds as an alternative for the sugarcane industry: Towards an integrative approach

Here, a comprehensive review of sugarcane industrialization and its relationship with bioactive compounds (BCs) detected in various products and by-products generated during its processing is presented. Furthermore, it is discussed how these compounds have revealed important antioxidant, antineoplastic, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial activities. From this bibliographic research highlights the significance of two types of BCs of natural origin (phenolic compounds (PCs) and terpenoids) and a group of compounds synthesized during industrial transformation processes (Maillard reaction products (MRPs)). It was found that most of the studies about the BCs from sugarcane have been conducted by identifying, isolating, and analyzing ones or a few compounds at a specific period, this being a conventional approach. However, given the complexity of the synthesis processes of all these BCs and the biological activities they can manifest in a specific biological context, novel approaches are needed to address these analyses holistically. To overcome this challenge, integrating massive and multiscale methods, such as omics sciences, seems necessary to enrich these studies. This work is intended to contribute to the state of the art that could support future research about the exploration, characterization, or evaluation of different bioactive molecules from sugarcane and its derivatives.

Carnosic acid induces apoptosis associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and Akt inactivation in HepG2 cells

Carnosic acid (CA), a phenolic diterpene isolated from rosemary, shows potential benefits in health promotion and disease prevention. In the present study, the cytotoxic and apoptotic-inducing effects of CA on human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells were investigated. The MTT assay results indicated that CA decreased cell viability in HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with CA caused a rapid Caspase-3 activation and subsequently proteolytic cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), both of which were markers of cells undergoing apoptosis. CA also dissipated mitochondrial membrane potential and decreased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax protein, which mediated cytosolic translocation of cytochrome c from the mitochondria. Furthermore, CA reduced the phosphorylation of Akt, which was partially inhibited by insulin, an activator of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signalling pathway. In conclusion, our data suggest that the mitochondrial dysfunction and deactivation of Akt may contribute to the apoptosis-inducing effects of CA.