Determination of antioxidant activity and characterization of antioxidant phenolics in the plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom (Prunus lannesiana)

Action Mechanism of Extracts from Cerasus serrulata Flower for Hair-Blacking in C57BL/6 Mice

Background

Hair color retention and rejuvenation have recently emerged as a new research hot spot, with many studies focused on developing treatments to prevent premature greying.

Aim

This study is aimed to explore the hair-blacking effects and possible mechanisms of Cerasus serrulata flower extracts (CSE) using a C57BL/6 premature greying mouse model.

Materials and Methods

The variations in hair follicle number, hair follicle depth and cortical thickness were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The quantity changes of melanocytes were also evaluated using Masson-Fontana Melanin staining. The relative abundance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), β-catenin and tyrosinase transcripts following transformed growth were further quantified using RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. The changes in protein level expression of β-catenin, VEGF and tyrosinase were also evaluated by western blot.

Results

The β-catenin and VEGF expression were significantly up-regulated in skin tissues treated with C. serrulata extracts, promoting hair growth and blackening.

Conclusion

CSE can promote the efficient hair-blacking likely via the VEGF pathway, making it a potential therapeutic candidate for treating premature greying.

Antioxidant Capacity Assessment of Plant Extracts for Green Synthesis of Nanoparticles

In this work, water extracts from different bio-based products of plant origin were studied to evaluate their antioxidant capacity and their potential to form metal nanoparticles from aqueous solutions. Two traditional tests, the Folin–Ciocalteu assay and the DPPH radical scavenging capacity method were compared with a more recent one, SNPAC, based on the formation of silver nanoparticles. The silver nanoparticle antioxidant capacity method (SNPAC) was optimized for its application in the characterization of the extracts selected in this work; kinetic studies and extract concentration were also evaluated. The extracts were obtained from leaves of oak, eucalyptus, green tea, white and common thyme, white cedar, mint, rosemary, bay, lemon, and the seaweed Sargassum muticum. The results demonstrate that any of these three methods can be used as a quick test to identify an extract to be employed for nanoparticle formation. Additionally, we studied the synthesis of Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni, and Ag nanoparticles using eucalyptus extracts demonstrating the efficiency of this plant extract to form metallic nanoparticles from aqueous metal salt solutions. Metal nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering techniques.

Inhibition of Solar UV-Induced Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 Expression by Non-Enzymatic Softening Cherry Blossom (Prunus yedoensis) Extract

Cherry blossom (Prunus yedoensis) petals are used as ingredients in many cosmetics. However, despite their use in numerous products, the exact function of cherry blossom petals in cosmetics is unclear. Therefore, we need evidence-based studies to support the labeling claims that are made in cherry blossom products in the cosmetics industry. We investigated the skin anti-aging potential of non-enzymatic softening cherry blossom extract (NES-CBE) in this study. The extract desalinated, to improve its quality such that it can be used as a functional material for the skin. The anti-wrinkle effect of NES-CBE was investigated on human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) under solar UV (sUV) light exposure. We found that NES-CBE reduced the sUV-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 expression and modulated the transactivation of the activator protein (AP)-1. Furthermore, NES-CBE suppressed the phosphorylation of MEK1/2 and ERK proteins, indicating its regulation of sUV-induced MAPK signaling. Additionally, we observed NES-CBE reduced MMP-1 protein expression in a human skin equivalent model. Taken together, these results suggest that NES-CBE reduces sUV-induced MMP-1 protein expression through reducing AP-1 transactivation via regulation of the MEK1/2-ERK pathway.

Towards identification of bioactive compounds in cold vacuum extracted double cherry blossom (Gosen-Sakura) leaves

The present research examines the possibility of finding bio-molecular compounds from the double cherry blossom (termed as 'Gosen-Sakura' of Gosen-city, Niigata-prefecture, Japan) leaves, which have been long used in the preparation of the traditional Japanese sweet (wagashi) - 'sakura-mochi'. Based on its indicated anti-microbial properties historically, our study provides a new low temperature vacuum extraction method for extracting 'near natural form of water soluble leaf (cell) extracts from the Gosen-Sakura, and demonstrates the presence of some 'novel' compound(s) with anti-tumor cell lines proliferation inhibitory affects through the MTT assay. To our knowledge, no reports exist on the sakura tree 'leaf (cell) extracts' inhibiting tumor cell line growth. We further examined and compared the effects of known compounds with anti-tumor activity, coumarin and benzyl alcohol with Gosen-Sakura leaf extract; results lead us to hypothesize that the Gosen-Sakura leaf extract contains substance(s) other than the above two known compounds, with antitumor effect. Additionally, we speculate on the underlying mechanism of action of the Gosen-Sakura leaf extract by targeting cell division at the point of DNA synthesis and causing apoptosis. In conclusion, we present scientific evidence on the presence of certain 'novel' biomolecule(s), with anti-tumor activity, in the Gosen-Sakura leaf which has been long used in Japanese sweet - the 'sakura-mochi'.

Melatonin as a natural ally against oxidative stress: a physicochemical examination

Oxidative stress has been proven to be related to the onset of a large number of health disorders. This chemical stress is triggered by an excess of free radicals, which are generated in cells because of a wide variety of exogenous and endogenous processes. Therefore, finding strategies for efficiently detoxifying free radicals has become a subject of a great interest, from both an academic and practical points of view. Melatonin is a ubiquitous and versatile molecule that exhibits most of the desirable characteristics of a good antioxidant. The amount of data gathered so far regarding the protective action of melatonin against oxidative stress is overwhelming. However, rather little is known concerning the chemical mechanisms involved in this activity. This review summarizes the current progress in understanding the physicochemical insights related to the free radical-scavenging activity of melatonin. Thus far, there is a general agreement that electron transfer and hydrogen transfer are the main mechanisms involved in the reactions of melatonin with free radicals. However, the relative importance of other mechanisms is also analyzed. The chemical nature of the reacting free radical also has an influence on the relative importance of the different mechanisms of these reactions. Therefore, this point has also been discussed in detail in the current review. Based on the available data, it is concluded that melatonin efficiently protects against oxidative stress by a variety of mechanisms. Moreover, it is proposed that even though it has been referred to as the chemical expression of darkness, perhaps it could also be referred to as the chemical light of health.

Effect of cinnamoyl and flavonol glucosides derived from cherry blossom flowers on the production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and AGE-induced fibroblast apoptosis

Cherry blossom flowers are familiar to the Japanese, and some species of the flowers soaked in salty vinegar are used as processed foods. The constituents of aqueous ethanol extract from cherry blossom (Prunus lannesiana) flowers (CBE) were examined and cinnamoyl and flavonol glucosides were isolated. To elucidate the pharmacological functions of CBE and its constituents, their effects on the production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and on AGE-induced fibroblast damage were examined. CBE and 1-O-(E)-caffeoyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (CaG), a principal compound in CBE, significantly suppressed the production of AGEs derived from glucose and albumin at 100 μg/mL. Among the flavonol glucosides, quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (QG) exhibited potent suppressive activity (IC50 : 30 μg/mL). CBE and CaG suppressed glyoxal-induced AGE production in fibroblasts at 10 μg/mL, but QG did not. In addition, CBE and CaG recovered collagen lattice formation consisting of collagen and glycated fibroblasts at 10 μg/mL. Moreover, CBE and its constituents, except kaempferol 3-O-(6″-malony)-β-D-glucopyranoside, significantly suppressed fibroblast apoptosis induced by carboxymethyl lysine-collagen at 10 μg/mL. These results show that cinnamoyl and flavonol glucosides of cherry blossom flowers suppress AGE production and AGE-induced fibroblast apoptosis. Cherry blossom flowers may be effective against skin AGE production and fibroblast damage by AGEs.

Antioxidant effects of phlorotannins isolated from Ishige okamurae in free radical mediated oxidative systems

Three phlorotannins, including phloroglucinol, diphlorethohydroxycarmalol, and 6,6'-bieckol, were isolated from Ishige okamurae by column chromatography. The structures of the phlorotannins were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, including NMR and mass spectrometry (MS) techniques. Antioxidant effects of phlorotannins were measured by direct free radical scavenging activities using the electron spin resonance spectrometry (ESR) technique and cellular systems in vitro. The results indicated that diphlorethohydroxycarmalol and 6,6'-bieckol showed potential radical scavenging activities against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl, alkyl, and superoxide radicals. Moreover, no cytotoxicities of the phlorotannins on human fetal lung fibroblasts cell line (MRC-5), mouse macrophages cell line (RAW264.7), and human leukemic cell line (HL-60) were observed. In addition, diphlorethohydroxycarmalol and 6,6'-bieckol significantly reduced the intracellular reactive oxygen species level assessed by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay in RAW264.7 cells, and myeloperoxide (MPO) activity in HL-60 cells and radical-mediated oxidation of cell membrane proteins in RAW264.7 cells were dose-dependently inhibited in the presence of diphlorethohydroxycarmalol and 6,6'-bieckol. In conclusion, these results suggested that phlorotannins could be used as novel functional foodstuffs or antioxidants in the cosmetic and drug industries.

C-geranylated chalcones from the stems of Angelica keiskei with superoxide-scavenging activity

An ethyl acetate-soluble fraction of a methanol extract from the stems of Angelica keiskei was subjected to chromatographic separation to give three new chalcones, designated as xanthokeismins A-C (1-3), in addition to a known chalcone, xanthoangelol B (4). The structures of 1-3 were determined on the basis of the analysis of their spectroscopic data. Compounds 1-4 exhibited potent superoxide-scavenging activity.