Medicinal significance, pharmacological activities, and analytical aspects of anthocyanidins ‘delphinidin’: A concise report

Antiviral Flavonoids: A Natural Scaffold with Prospects as Phytomedicines against SARS-CoV2

Flavonoids are vital candidates to fight against a wide range of pathogenic microbial infections. Due to their therapeutic potential, many flavonoids from the herbs of traditional medicine systems are now being evaluated as lead compounds to develop potential antimicrobial hits. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 caused one of the deadliest pandemics that has ever been known to mankind. To date, more than 600 million confirmed cases of SARS-CoV2 infection have been reported worldwide. Situations are worse due to the unavailability of therapeutics to combat the viral disease. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop drugs against SARS-CoV2 and its emerging variants. Here, we have carried out a detailed mechanistic analysis of the antiviral efficacy of flavonoids in terms of their potential targets and structural feature required for exerting their antiviral activity. A catalog of various promising flavonoid compounds has been shown to elicit inhibitory effects against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV proteases. However, they act in the high-micromolar regime. Thus a proper leadoptimization against the various proteases of SARS-CoV2 can lead to high-affinity SARS-CoV2 protease inhibitors. To enable lead optimization, a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis has been developed for the flavonoids that have shown antiviral activity against viral proteases of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. High sequence similarities between coronavirus proteases enable the applicability of the developed QSAR to SARS-CoV2 proteases inhibitor screening. The detailed mechanistic analysis of the antiviral flavonoids and the developed QSAR models is a step forward toward the development of flavonoid-based therapeutics or supplements to fight against COVID-19.

Antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity of hemolymph lectin (NagLec) isolated from the freshwater crab, Oziotelphusanaga

Lectins are non-immune glycoproteins or proteins having a unique capacity to interact with carbohydrate ligands found on the surface of their host cells. In the present investigation, the lectin was purified from the hemolymph of freshwater crab, Oziotelphusa naga and its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity was analysed. The preliminary characterization of the hemagglutinin was carried out to identify the erythrocyte and sugar specificity, optimum pH and temperature and cation dependency. The agglutinin was found to be highly specific to rabbit erythrocyte and inhibited by fetuin and α-lactose. Maximum hemagglutination activity was noted at pH 7.5-8 and temperature 20-40 °C. An O-acetyl sialic acid specific 75 kDa hemolymph lectin, designated as NagLec was isolated from the freshwater crab, Oziotelphusa naga by affinity chromatography on fetuin coupled Sepharose 4 B, with a purification fold of 185. The bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis and fungus Candida albicans had the greatest zone of inhibition when treated with NagLec. The results of the Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays showed that the purified lectin inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus at 0.031 and 0.065 μg/ml, which proved the bactericidal property of NagLec. NagLec generated alterations on the bacterial cells and led to protein leakage, which was dosage (24 and 48 μg/ml) and time dependent (10-40 min). COX and LOX enzyme was inhibited to 49.43% and 61.81% with 100 μg/ml concentration of NagLec respectively, demonstrating NagLec's ability to reduce inflammation. Furthermore, NagLec (500 μg) suppressed protein denaturation up to 77.12% whereas diclofenac sodium (a standard drug) was inhibited by 89.36%. The results indicate that NagLec, a sialic acid specific lectin isolated from the freshwater crab O. naga could be formulated as a nano drug in future owing to its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic potential that could be targeted to specific pathogenic microbes and treat arthritis.

Transcriptome Analysis of Key Genes Involved in Color Variation between Blue and White Flowers of Iris bulleyana

Iris bulleyana Dykes (Southwest iris) is an extensively distributed Iridaceae species with blue or white flowers. Hereby, we performed a systematic study, employing metabolomics and transcriptomics to uncover the subtle color differentiation from blue to white in Southwest iris. Fresh flower buds from both cultivars were subjected to flavonoid/anthocyanin and carotenoid-targeted metabolomics along with transcriptomic sequencing. Among 297 flavonoids, 24 anthocyanins were identified, and 13 showed a strong down-accumulation pattern in the white flowers compared to the blue flowers. Significant downregulation of 3GT and 5GT genes involved in the glycosylation of anthocyanins was predicted to hinder the accumulation of anthocyanins, resulting in white coloration. Besides, no significant altered accumulation of carotenoids and expression of their biosynthetic genes was observed between the two cultivars. Our study systematically addressed the color differentiation in I. bulleyana flowers, which can aid future breeding programs.

Evaluation of delphinidin as a storage medium for avulsed teeth

BACKGROUND

Delphinidin (DP), an anthocyanidin found in blueberries, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of DP as a storage medium for avulsed teeth.

METHODS

Human periodontal ligament cells were cultured and exposed to DP solution (10, 50, and 100 μM), Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium, Hank's balanced salt solution and tap water. Cell counting kit-8 assays were performed after 0.5, 1, 6, and 24 h to measure the cell viability. Nitric oxide assays and gelatin zymography were performed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of DP. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines.

RESULTS

The viability of periodontal ligament cells was greatest at 100 μM DP. At 1 h, 100 μM DP decreased nitric oxide synthesis (p < .0167). Matrix metallopeptidase-9 activity was inhibited by DP in a dose-dependent manner (p < .0167). Moreover, treatment with 100 μM DP decreased the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8 in periodontal ligament cells (p < .0167).

CONCLUSIONS

Within the limits of this study, DP preserved the viability and suppressed the inflammatory response of periodontal ligament cells. These findings suggest that DP could be promising for preservation of avulsed teeth.

Phytochemicals That Interfere With Drug Metabolism and Transport, Modifying Plasma Concentration in Humans and Animals

Phytochemicals (Pch) present in fruits, vegetables and other foods, are known to inhibit or induce drug metabolism and transport. An exhaustive search was performed in five databases covering from 2000 to 2021. Twenty-one compounds from plants were found to modulate CYP3A and/or P-gp activities and modified the pharmacokinetics and the therapeutic effect of 27 different drugs. Flavonols, flavanones, flavones, stilbenes, diferuloylmethanes, tannins, protoalkaloids, flavans, hyperforin and terpenes, reduce plasma concentration of cyclosporine, simvastatin, celiprolol, midazolam, saquinavir, buspirone, everolimus, nadolol, tamoxifen, alprazolam, verapamil, quazepam, digoxin, fexofenadine, theophylline, indinavir, clopidogrel. Anthocyanins, flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavonoid glycosides, stilbenes, diferuloylmethanes, catechin, hyperforin, alkaloids, terpenes, tannins and protoalkaloids increase of plasma concentration of buspirone, losartan, diltiazem, felodipine, midazolam, cyclosporine, triazolam, verapamil, carbamazepine, diltiazem, aripiprazole, tamoxifen, doxorubicin, paclitaxel, nicardipine. Interactions between Pchs and drugs affect the gene expression and enzymatic activity of CYP3A and P-gp transporter, which has an impact on their bioavailability; such that co-administration of drugs with food, beverages and food supplements can cause a subtherapeutic effect or overdose. Therefore, it is important for the clinician to consider these interactions to obtain a better therapeutic effect.

Antioxidant activity of delphinidin and pelargonidin: Theory and practice

The quantum chemical density functional theory and in vitro chemical-based antioxidant assays were used to research the reaction mechanism of delphinidin/pelargonidin with free radicals including superoxide anion radicals (O₂ ^- ∙) and hydroperoxide radicals (OOH∙). The geometric configuration, bond dissociation energy, PCM (polarizable continuum model) solvent model reaction enthalpy changes were studied to explain the transition states, and the reaction enthalpy change value was calculated to determine the active site. From the results of spatial configuration, delphinidin showed a stronger conjugation effect than that of pelargonidin. The dihedral angle between the three rings of delphinidin was almost 180°, and the angle between the B and C rings was only -2.81868°. Both coplanar and antioxidant activity of delphinidin was better than pelargonidin. The consequences of reaction enthalpy change in PCM were consistent with the bond dissociation energy. The phenolic hydroxyl bond dissociation energy of delphinidin was slightly smaller than that of pelargonidin. Moreover, the C4' site of delphinidin and the C3 site of pelargonidin were the active sites for scavenging free radicals. The free radical scavenging ability of delphinidin was marginally higher than that of pelargonidin. On the other hand, in vitro antioxidant results proved the scavenging ability of delphinidin and pelargonidin on superoxide anions, DPPH, and ABTS^∙+ free radicals. It was shown that the chemical-based antioxidant activity was consistent with the theoretical calculation results, with delphinidin showing greater antioxidant activity. These results could explain the antioxidant mechanism of delphinidin/pelargonidin in scavenging free radicals from chemical reactions. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This manuscript explained the antioxidant mechanism of delphinidin/pelargonidin in scavenging free radicals through the analysis of the geometric configuration of delphinidin/pelargonidin and the theoretical calculation of the reaction transition state. It could also speculate on the possible reaction sites, and provide a basis for judging how to efficiently select antioxidants with great antioxidant activity.

Medicinal Importance, Pharmacological Activities and Analytical Aspects of an Isoflavone Glycoside Tectoridin

Background:

Polyphenols are a group of plant secondary metabolites that are produced in plants as a protective system against oxidative stress, UV radiation, pathogens and predator’s attack. Flavonoids are major class of plant phenolics found to be present in fruits, vegetables, tea and red wine. Tectoridin also called 40,5,7-thrihydroxy-6-methoxyisoflavone-7-Ob-D-glucopyranoside is an isoflavone glycoside found to be present in the flower of Porites lobata.

Methods:

Present work focused on the biological importance, therapeutic potential and pharmacological activities of tectoridin in medicine. Numerous scientific data has been collected from different literature databases such as Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed and Scopus in order to know the health beneficial potential of tectoridin. Pharmacological data have been analyzed in the present work to know the biological effectiveness of tectoridin against human disorders. Analytical data of tectoridin have been collected and analyzed in the present work in order to know the importance of modern analytical method in the isolation, separation and identification of tectoridin.

Results:

Scientific data analysis revealed the biological importance and therapeutic benefit of tectoridin in medicine, signifying the therapeutic potential of tectoridin in the healthcare systems. Biological activities of tectoridin are mainly due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet, anti-angiogenic, hepatoprotective, anti-tumor, estrogenic, antioxidant and hypoglycemic activity. However effectiveness of tectoridin against rat lens aldose reductase, nitric oxide, skeletal and cardiac muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum and enzymes have been also presented in this work. Analytical data signified the importance of modern analytical techniques for the separation, identification and isolation of tectoridin.

Conclusion:

Present work signified the biological importance and therapeutic benefit of tectoridin in the medicine and other allied health sectors.

The regulation of protein acetylation influences the redox homeostasis to protect the heart

The cellular damage caused by redox imbalance is involved in the pathogenesis of many cardiovascular diseases. Besides, redox imbalance is related to the alteration of protein acetylation processes, causing not only chromatin remodeling but also disturbances in so many processes where protein acetylation is involved, such as metabolism and signal transduction. The modulation of acetylases and deacetylases enzymes aids in maintaining the redox homeostasis, avoiding the deleterious cellular effects associated with the dysregulation of protein acetylation. Of note, regulation of protein acetylation has shown protective effects to ameliorate cardiovascular diseases. For instance, HDAC inhibition has been related to inducing cardiac protective effects and it is an interesting approach to the management of cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, the upregulation of SIRT protein activity has also been implicated in the relief of cardiovascular diseases. This review focuses on the major protein acetylation modulators described, involving pharmacological and bioactive compounds targeting deacetylase and acetylase enzymes contributing to heart protection through redox homeostasis.

A Comprehensive Analysis into the Therapeutic Application of Natural Products as SIRT6 Modulators in Alzheimer's Disease, Aging, Cancer, Inflammation, and Diabetes

Natural products have long been used as drugs to treat a wide array of human diseases. The lead compounds discovered from natural sources are used as novel templates for developing more potent and safer drugs. Natural products produce biological activity by binding with biological macromolecules, since natural products complement the protein-binding sites and natural product-protein interactions are already optimized in nature. Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) is an NAD+ dependent histone deacetylase enzyme and a unique Sirtuin family member. It plays a crucial role in different molecular pathways linked to DNA repair, tumorigenesis, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, neurodegeneration, cardiac hypertrophic responses, etc. Thus, it has emerged as an exciting target of several diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, aging, diabetes, metabolic disorder, and heart disease. Recent studies have shown that natural compounds can act as modulators of SIRT6. In the current review, a list of natural products, their sources, and their mechanisms of SIRT6 activity modulation has been compiled. The potential application of these naturally occurring SIRT6 modulators in the amelioration of major human diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, aging, diabetes, inflammation, and cancer has also been delineated. Natural products such as isoquercetin, luteolin, and cyanidin act as SIRT6 activators, whereas vitexin, catechin, scutellarin, fucoidan, etc. work as SIRT6 inhibitors. It is noteworthy to mention that quercetin acts as both SIRT6 activator and inhibitor depending on its concentration used. Although none of them were found as highly selective and potent modulators of SIRT6, they could serve as the starting point for developing selective and highly potent scaffolds for SIRT6.

The dietary anthocyanin delphinidin prevents bone resorption by inhibiting Rankl-induced differentiation of osteoclasts in a medaka (Oryzias latipes) model of osteoporosis

The anthocyanin delphinidin is a natural compound found as water-soluble pigment in coloured fruits and berries. Anthocyanin-rich diets have been proposed to have bone protective effects in humans and mice, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we used a medaka (Oryzias latipes) osteoporosis model to test the effects of delphinidin on bone cells in vivo. In this model, inducible transgenic expression of receptor-activator of NF-kβ ligand (Rankl) leads to ectopic formation of osteoclasts and excessive bone resorption, similar to the situation in human osteoporosis patients. Using live imaging in medaka bone reporter lines, we show that delphinidin significantly reduces the number of osteoclasts after Rankl induction and protects bone integrity in a dose-dependent manner. Our in vivo findings suggest that delphinidin primarily affects the de novo differentiation of macrophages into osteoclasts rather than the recruitment of macrophages to sites of bone resorption. For already existing osteoclasts, delphinidin treatment affected their morphology, leading to fewer protrusions and a more spherical shape. Apoptosis rates were not increased by delphinidin, suggesting that osteoclast numbers were reduced primarily by impaired differentiation from macrophage progenitors and reduced maintenance of pre-existing osteoclasts. Importantly, and in contrast to previously reported cell culture experiments, no effect of delphinidin on osteoblast differentiation and distribution was observed in medaka in vivo. Our study is the first report on the effects of delphinidin on bone cells in fish embryos, which are a unique model system for compound testing that is suitable for live imaging of bone cell behaviour in vivo.

A mechanistic study of Solenostemma argel as anti-rheumatic agent in relation to its metabolite profile using UPLC/HRMS

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Solenostemma argel (Argel) is a traditional perennial edible herb that is commonly used in folkloric medicine for the treatment of rheumatic pain, inflammation, bronchitis, cold, diabetes, gastrointestinal cramps, and urinary tract infections. No previous reports traced the mechanistic activity of this plant for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in relation to its chemical constituents.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study was designed to substantiate the anti-arthritic potential of S. argel and identification of its secondary metabolites responsible for the action using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC/HRMS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The air-dried powder of S. argel was subjected to liquid-liquid fractionation method to yield polar metabolites fraction (PMF) and nonpolar metabolites fraction (NPMF) where the metabolites that represent each fraction were identified using UPLC/HRMS. The in-vitro anti-arthritic effects of both fractions were tested using protein denaturation, membrane stabilization and proteinase inhibition assays, in addition to in-vitro enzyme inhibition assays of COXs, LOX and collagenases. Adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) model was also established to evaluate their anti-arthritic effects in-vivo at two doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) in compared to the standard ibuprofen (5 mg/kg). Physical changes with hind paw edema and body weight gain as well as the assessment of serum rheumatoid biomarkers, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress markers, and the activity of hyaluronidase and β-glucouronidase enzymes were studied. The histopathological study of ankle and knee joints and immunohistochemistry of caspase-3 and TNF-α in joint synovium were also examined.

RESULTS

The PMF significantly (P < 0.05) reduced paw edema, serum rheumatoid markers, pro-inflammatory mediators, degeneration enzymes of cartilage and bone, and oxidative stress biomarkers. Interestingly, flavonoid glycosides and phenolic acids dominated the polar fraction, which showed the promising anti-arthritic activity of Argel compared to the NPMF which was dominated by pregnane glycosides.

CONCLUSIONS

Since arthritis is a chronic disease and there are imperative needs for a lifelong treatment with desirable pharmacological action and lower cost than the currently approved synthetic drugs having severe side effects, the PMF of Argel could be used as a potent anti-rheumatic agent.

A computational study of the interactions between anthocyans and cyclodextrins

The interactions between six anthocyans (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, malvidin-3-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside, malvidin-3-O-rutinoside) and cyclodextrins were investigated by means of computational techniques. Four different structures of the aforementioned anthocyans were considered, as a result of the dependence structure - pH value (flavylium cations in acidic medium, hemiketals in neutral solutions and two tautomeric quinones in alkaline environment). The results outlined that the anthocyanidin-3-O-rutinoside are favored for the obtaining of inclusion complexes with the cyclodextrins, mostly due to the larger number of OH groups involved in the formation of hydrogen bonds. For all the four types of structures, best results have been obtained for β- and γ-cyclodextrins.

Phytochemical Profile, Pharmacological Attributes and Medicinal Properties of Convolvulus prostratus - A Cognitive Enhancer Herb for the Management of Neurodegenerative Etiologies

Convolvulus prostratus Forssk., a nootropic herb used in traditional medicinal systems, is also frequently known by its taxonomic synonym Convolvulus pluricaulis. In Indian medicinal system - Ayurveda - it is named as Shankhpushpi. According to the ancient literature, this herb has been attributed with several therapeutic properties, such as anxiolytic, neuroprotective, antioxidant, analgesic, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic and cardioprotective activities. This medicinal herb has been reported to contain many bioactive phytoconstituents, such as, alkaloid (convolamine), flavonoid (kaempferol) and phenolics (scopoletin, β-sitosterol and ceryl alcohol), that have been ascribed to the observed medicinal properties. Several research teams across the globe have highlighted the neuro-pharmacological profile of C. prostratus, wherein, the neuroprotective, nootropic and neuro-modulatory roles have been described. Besides, role of C. prostratus extracts in neurodegeneration has been well demonstrated. Despite of such elaborative preclinical pharmacological profile, detailed clinical investigations and mechanistic mode-of-action studies of this important herb are yet to be executed. The present review is attempted to showcase the phytochemical profile, pharmacological attributes and medicinal information of C. prostratus; with comprehensive research gap analysis. It is hoped that the scientific update on the ethnomedicinal aspects of this herb would thrive research propagation and development of the CNS phytopharmaceuticals, originated from C. prostratus.

The antioxidant activity and active sites of delphinidin and petunidin measured by DFT, in vitro chemical-based and cell-based assays

A computational DFT B3LYP method with 6-311G (d,p) basis set, the in vitro chemical-based and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assays were applied in this study to explain the structure-antioxidant activity relationships of delphinidin and petunidin. The compound molecular structures, spectral properties, frontier orbital energy, and transition state of delphinidin and petunidin were compared. In transition state, the result of the active site (O21-H32 and O22-H33) was consistent with the result of bond length. The frontier orbital theory results indicated that the probable antioxidant activity order was petunidin (0.09126 a.u.) > delphinidin (0.09175 a.u.), which agreed well with the cell-based antioxidant activity determined by CAA. However, the order of ABTS^•+ and DPPH radical scavenging activity was delphinidin > petunidin. Our study could help to provide a rational approach for the investigation of antioxidant activity of phytochemicals. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: As anthocyanins, delphinidin and petunidin with great antioxidant activity are widely found in various fruits and vegetables. However, there are many kinds of methods used to measure their antioxidant activity and the antioxidant mechanism which are not concrete and clear. Therefore, it is crucial to study the antioxidant actvity of anthocyanins utilizing the DFT method combined with in vitro chemical-based and cell-based assays. Our study could contribute not only to the elucidation of chemical mechanism of antioxidants and exploration the structural features in essence, but also to promote the further development of phytochemicals in the field of food chemistry and pharmacy.

A computational exploration into the structure, antioxidant capacity, toxicity and drug-like activity of the anthocyanidin "Petunidin"

A computational investigation on the structure and antioxidant property of a natural food colorant Petunidin (PT) was performed under DFT/B3LYP/6-31+ G (d, p). PT has a drug score of +0.804 which indicates its drug-like nature. The antioxidant property of PT was well explained by HAT mechanism and it has been found that the electron releasing substituents decreases the BDE value. PT has lowest BDE value at C3 position and is confirmed by the lowest pKa value, high atomic charge and lowest bond order. PT easily donates the hydrogen atom and exists in the deprotonated form in blood as the pKa value at C3 is less than the pH value of blood. PT shows no violation to Lipinski's rule of 5 indicating its nature as an orally admissible drug. More over PT has considerable bioactivity against nuclear receptor ligand while it shows only moderate activity towards GPCR and ion channel modulator. Also it shows moderate activity as an enzyme inhibitor and protease inhibitor but shows considerable activity as a kinase inhibitor. PT is non toxic in nature and all these factors favor its use as a potential antioxidant and a drug.

Influence of feeding colored wheat varieties on selected quality parameters of broiler chicken”™s meat

The effect of feeding colored wheat varieties (PS Karkulka and Skorpion) on chicken´s performance and texture, color and sensory characteristics of broiler chicken´s meat were evaluated in this study. The experiment was performed with 66 of Ross 308 cockerels. Cockerels were divided into three equal groups. The two experimental groups received feed mixtures containing 40% of wheats with different grain colour: groups PS Karkulka (n = 22) with PS Karkulka wheat cultivar and Skorpion (n = 22) with Skorpion cultivar. The third group (n = 22) had 40% of common wheat Vánek cultivar (Control). The live weight of broilers between all three groups was not significant different, as well as carcass yield and chemical composition of breast and thigh meat of chickens. In the parameter Razor Shear Force was found statistically significant higher breast meat tenderness in PS Karkulka against Control and Skorpion groups. In parameters L* and b* of colour of the meat samples was found statistically significant higher value in L* parameter in Skorpion group and b* parameter was higher in Control group. The total colour change was 2.25 and 2.53 for PS Karkulka and Skorpion group, respectively. In sensory analysis of broilers breast muscle was found statistically significant differences in odour, colour, fibreness, chewiness, juiciness and flavour parameter. The fatty taste parameter was non-significant. The odour parameter of chicken´s breast muscle was significantly lower in Skorpion group against PS Karkulka and Control groups. The significantly most intense colour of breast muscle was found in Control group versus Skorpion and PS Karkulka groups (91.71 mm, 79.71 mm and 71.15 mm, respectively). The fibreness parameter was significantly higher for Control group, as well. Significantly higher chewiness of breast meat was in Control (68.49 mm) than PS Karkulka (52.02 mm) and Skorpion (43.32 mm) group. The feeding of wheat cultivars with different grain pigmentation had no effect on performance parameters of broiler chicken´s as well as to it´s body and chemical composition of breast and thigh meat in this study.

Anthocyanin bio-fortified colored wheat: Nutritional and functional characterization

Colored wheat, rich in anthocyanins, has created interest among the breeders and baking industry. This study was aimed at understanding the nutritional and product making potential of our advanced, high yielding and regionally adapted colored wheat lines. Our results indicated that our advanced colored wheat lines exhibited higher anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity than donor wheat lines and it varied in the order of white<purple<blue<black wheat. UPLC chromatogram revealed that anthocyanin composition and peak pattern is not only dependent on donor genotype but also background of recipient genotype. Interestingly, the purple wheat extract showed highest anti-inflammatory effect and followed the trend of white<blue<black<purple. Nutritional (carbohydrates, sugar, protein, ash, dietary fibre and vitamins) and processing parameters in relation to end-use quality (SDS sedimentation, gluten content, alveograph) of advanced colored lines were similar to high yielding white wheat cultivar. Colored wheat lines showed high iron and zinc content compared to white wheat indicating double bio-fortification. Therefore, our advanced colored wheat lines with high anthocyanin, iron and zinc contents showed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and possessed desirable features for product making and commercial utilization.

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. as a source of nutrients, bioactive compounds and colouring agents

The nutritional and bioactive composition of plants have aroused much interest not only among scientists, but also in people's daily lives. Apart from the health benefits, plants are a source of pigments that can be used as natural food colorants. In this work, the nutritional composition of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. was analysed, as well as its bioactive compounds and natural pigments. Glucose (sugar), malic acid (organic acid), α-tocopherol (tocopherol) and linoleic acid (fatty acid) were the major constituents in the corresponding classes. 5-(Hydroxymethyl) furfural was the most abundant non-anthocyanin compound, while delphinidin-3-O-sambubioside was the major anthocyanin both in its hydroethanolic extract and infusion. H. sabdariffa extracts showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, highlighting that the hydroethanol extract presents not only lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity, but also bactericidal/fungicidal inhibition ability for all the bacteria and fungi tested. Furthermore, both extracts revealed the absence of toxicity using porcine primary liver cells. The studied plant species was thus not only interesting for nutritional purposes but also for bioactive and colouring applications in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Analysis of natural product regulation of cannabinoid receptors in the treatment of human disease

The organized, tightly regulated signaling relays engaged by the cannabinoid receptors (CBs) and their ligands, G proteins and other effectors, together constitute the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system governs many biological functions including cell proliferation, regulation of ion transport and neuronal messaging. This review will firstly examine the physiology of the ECS, briefly discussing some anomalies in the relay of the ECS signaling as these are consequently linked to maladies of global concern including neurological disorders, cardiovascular disease and cancer. While endogenous ligands are crucial for dispatching messages through the ECS, there are also commonalities in binding affinities with copious exogenous ligands, both natural and synthetic. Therefore, this review provides a comparative analysis of both types of exogenous ligands with emphasis on natural products given their putative safer efficacy and the role of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) in uncovering the ECS. Efficacy is congruent to both types of compounds but noteworthy is the effect of a combination therapy to achieve efficacy without unideal side-effects. An example is Sativex that displayed promise in treating Huntington's disease (HD) in preclinical models allowing for its transition to current clinical investigation. Despite the in vitro and preclinical efficacy of Δ9-THC to treat neurodegenerative ailments, its psychotropic effects limit its clinical applicability to treating feeding disorders. We therefore propose further investigation of other compounds and their combinations such as the triterpene, α,β-amyrin that exhibited greater binding affinity to CB₁ than CB₂ and was more potent than Δ9-THC and the N-alkylamides that exhibited CB₂ selective affinity; the latter can be explored towards peripherally exclusive ECS modulation. The synthetic CB₁ antagonist, Rimonabant was pulled from commercial markets for the treatment of diabetes, however its analogue SR144528 maybe an ideal lead molecule towards this end and HU-210 and Org27569 are also promising synthetic small molecules.

Forest biorefinery: Potential of poplar phytochemicals as value-added co-products

The global forestry industry after experiencing a market downturn during the past decade has now aimed its vision towards the integrated biorefinery. New business models and strategies are constantly being explored to re-invent the global wood and pulp/paper industry through sustainable resource exploitation. The goal is to produce diversified, innovative and revenue generating product lines using on-site bioresources (wood and tree residues). The most popular product lines are generally produced from wood fibers (biofuels, pulp/paper, biomaterials, and bio/chemicals). However, the bark and other tree residues like foliage that constitute forest wastes, still remain largely an underexploited resource from which extractives and phytochemicals can be harnessed as by-products (biopharmaceuticals, food additives and nutraceuticals, biopesticides, cosmetics). Commercially, Populus (poplar) tree species including hybrid varieties are cultivated as a fast growing bioenergy crop, but can also be utilized to produce bio-based chemicals. This review identifies and underlines the potential of natural products (phytochemicals) from Populus species that could lead to new business ventures in biorefineries and contribute to the bioeconomy. In brief, this review highlights the importance of by-products/co-products in forest industries, methods that can be employed to extract and purify poplar phytochemicals, the potential pharmaceutical and other uses of >160 phytochemicals identified from poplar species - their chemical structures, properties and bioactivities, the challenges and limitations of utilizing poplar phytochemicals, and potential commercial opportunities. Finally, the overall discussion and conclusion are made considering the recent biotechnological advances in phytochemical research to indicate the areas for future commercial applications from poplar tree species.