A pair of taxifolin-3-O-arabinofuranoside isomers from Juglans regia L

'Sorrento' and 'Tulare' Walnut Cultivars: Morphological Traits and Phytochemical Enhancement of Their Shell Waste

Walnut processing generates considerable quantities of by-products that could be reprocessed into value-added products that have food and non-food applications. In this context, the aim of this study is to characterize the 'Sorrento' and 'Tulare' walnut cultivars using the UPOV guidelines and analyze the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of their shells. Insight into the chemical composition of the different granulometric fractions of walnut shell, obtained by sieving, was obtained following ultrasound-assisted extraction by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). The total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin content and antiradical capacity, obtained by DPPH and ABTS assays, and the Fe(III) reducing power of the extracts were also evaluated. The UHPLC-HRMS analysis indicated the presence of thirty-two compounds ascribable to four major classes of specialized metabolites. Furthermore, the extraction efficiency of gallic acid, ellagic acid derivatives, as well as glansreginin A, increased with the decrease in shell matrix particle size in contrast to chlorogenic acids and flavonoid glycosides. This is the first study to highlight new knowledge on the chemical composition of walnut shells. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of recovering valuable bioactive components from agro-waste that may be further valorized.

A Review on Extracts, Chemical Composition and Product Development of Walnut Diaphragma Juglandis Fructus

Walnuts are one of the world's most important nut species and are popular for their high nutritional value, but the processing of walnuts produces numerous by-products. Among them, Diaphragma Juglandis Fructus has attracted the attention of researchers due to its complex chemical composition and diverse bioactivities. However, comprehensive reviews of extract activity and mechanistic studies, chemical composition functionality, and product types are scarce. Therefore, the aim of this review is to analyze the extracts, chemical composition, and product development of Diaphragma Juglandis Fructus. Conclusions: For extracts, the biological activities of aqueous and ethanol extracts have been studied more extensively than those of methanol extracts, but almost all of the studies have been based on crude extracts, with fewer explorations of their mechanisms. For chemical composition, the bioactivities of polyphenols and polysaccharides were more intensively studied, while other chemical constituents were at the stage of content determination. For product development, walnuts are mainly used in food and medicine, but the product range is limited. In the future, research on the bioactivity and related mechanisms of Diaphragma Juglandis Fructus can be further expanded to improve its value as a potential natural plant resource applied in multiple industries.

Phytochemicals and Biological Activities of Walnut Septum: A Systematic Review

In the last few decades, scientific evidence has stressed the importance of plants in the prevention and/or supportive treatment of a plethora of diseases, many of them chronic, age-associated disorders. Juglans regia L. is a traditional plant that has been integrated into traditional medicine since ancient times. Due to the presence of biologically active compounds, walnut was used in the treatment of various maladies. Recently, investigations have focused on the walnut by-products and waste products, with research on their valuable constituents and active properties. Among these secondary products, walnut septum was analyzed in several studies, its phytochemical profile described, and some of the biological activities examined. However, compared to other walnut by-products, no comprehensive review to gather all the pertinent scientific knowledge was found in the literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to critically assess the information furnished by peer-reviewed articles regarding the walnut septum chemical composition and the related biological activities, including antioxidant activities, anti-inflammatory effects, antimicrobial properties, antidiabetic activities, anti-tumor properties, and anti-aging potential. In conclusion, as these preclinical studies showed that walnut septum metabolites were responsible for a wide range of preventive and therapeutic uses, further research should confirm the beneficial outcomes in clinical trials.

The Chemical Constituents of Diaphragma Juglandis Fructus and Their Inhibitory Effect on α-Glucosidase Activity

In our current investigation, 37 constituents (1-37), including 11 megastigmanes (1-11), 17 flavonoids (12-28) and 9 phenylpropanoids (29-37), were isolated from a 70%-EtOH extract of Diaphragma juglandis Fructus. Among them, compounds 1-3, 12 and 29 were new compounds and their structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical evidence and meticulous spectroscopic analysis (NMR, HRESIMS and CD). Compounds 13, 16, 21 and 28 showed moderate inhibitory effect on α-glycosidase inhibitory activities, with IC₅₀ values being in the range of 29.47-54.82 µM and stronger than the positive control (acarbose, 60.01 ± 4.82 µM).

Identification and Quantification of Bioactive Compounds in Diaphragma juglandis Fructus by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS and UHPLC-MS/MS

Diaphragma juglandis fructus is the dry wooden diaphragm inside walnuts and a byproduct in food processing of walnut kernels. The purpose of our research is to enrich the information on compounds in Diaphragma juglandis fructus to further discover and exploit its potential nutritional value. In this study, new quali-quantitative analytical approaches were developed to identify and determine bioactive compounds in Diaphragma juglandis fructus. Two-hundred compounds, including hydrolyzable tannins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and quinones, were identified by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, more than 150 of which were first discovered in Diaphragma juglandis fructus. Among them, 21 major dietary polyphenols with health-promoting effects were successfully quantified using UHPLC-MS/MS, with total contents of 2.88-6.18 mg/g. This successful characterization and quantification of bioactive compounds in Diaphragma juglandis fructus gives a better understanding of its potential nutritional value and supports efficiently developing and reusing it instead of discarding it as agrofood waste.

Chemical Constituents of the Ethyl Acetate Extract from Diaphragma juglandis Fructus and Their Inhibitory Activity on Nitric Oxide Production In Vitro

Diaphragma juglandis fructus contains various bioactive constituents. Fourteen compounds were isolated from Diaphragma juglandis fructus by preparative high performance liquid chromatography (pre-HPLC) and high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). Their structures were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Compounds (+)-dehydrovomifoliol (12), (6R,9R)-9-hydroxymegastigman-4-en-3-one (13) and (6R,9S)-9-hydroxymegastigman-4-en-3-one (14) are found from Juglans regia L. for the first time. Compounds dihydrophaseic acid (2), blumenol B (3) and (4S)-4-hydroxy-1-tetralone (11) are isolated from Diaphragma juglandis fructus for the first time. The anti-inflammatory effects of isolated compounds were evaluated by an in vitro model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Compounds gallic acid (1), ethyl gallate (9) and (+)-dehydrovomifoliol (12) exhibited inhibitory activity on the nitric oxide production of RAW 264.7 at a concentration of 25 μM. The result indicated that the combination HSCCC with pre-HPLC is an effective way for compound separation and purification. And Diaphragma juglandis fructus constituents have the potential for the treatment of inflammatory-related diseases.

Quantitative Evaluation of Chinese Herb Medicine in the Treatment of Sialorrhea and Frequent Nighttime Urination in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Aims. To evaluate the efficacy of Lian-Se formula (LSF), one Chinese herb formulation for treating sialorrhea and frequent overnight urination in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods. 96 PD patients suffering from sialorrhea and/or frequent nighttime urination were divided into two groups: an LSF group (n = 48) treated with LSF for 6 weeks and a placebo group (n = 48) treated with a placebo formula whose appearance and taste were the same as LSF for 6 weeks. All patients were treated by standard antiparkinsonism medicine according to the PD guideline of China. The changes of the quantity of saliva (QS) (mL), frequency of nighttime urination (FNU) and early sleep activity (ESA), and nocturnal activity (NA) by analyzing actigraphic records as the primary results and the total score of unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) as the secondary results were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy in both groups. Results. There were no significant differences in the baseline values of QS, FNU, NA, ESA, UPDRS total score, and ESS between the two groups. At the end of week 6, the QS, FNU, NA, and ESA in the LSF group showed superior results to those of the placebo group with no differences in the total UPDRS score between the two groups during the investigation. The ESS was significantly improved at the end of week 6 compared with the baseline and the placebo group. Laboratory test results indicated there were no side effects in either group. Conclusion. The findings of LSF treatment have clear clinical effects in patients with sialorrhea and frequent overnight urination. LSF thus appears to be a potential choice as an additional drug that can improve the sialorrhea and frequent overnight urination symptoms of PD patients.