Feijoa sellowiana Berg Fruit Juice: Anti-Inflammatory Effect and Activity on Superoxide Anion Generation

Chemical characterization, in vivo safety profile and effects of the extract from unconventional food plant Acca sellowiana (O. BERG) Burret on endothelial cells under glucose overload

"Guava" (Acca sellowiana) is an unconventional edible plant from Brazil. It is used in traditional medicine as an anti-diabetic; however, pharmacological studies on this plant are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical and safety profile of an aqueous A. sellowiana peel extract (ASPE) and its effects on endothelial EA.hy926 cells under glucose overload and in vivo (Artemia salina). An ethanolic extract from A. sellowiana peels (ASPEetOH) was also produced and characterized. Results showed that ASPE did not present in vivo toxicity, and it was found to contain high phenolic content and redox capacity. ASPE (50 µg/mL; 24 h) prevented oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, besides positively modulating Sirtuins 1 and 3, and prevented the increase of COX-2 and NF-kβ expression levels in EA.hy926 cells under glucose overload. Chromatographic fractionation, metabolite profiling, spectroscopic and bioinformatics analyses revealed the presence of phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, flavones, flavanones, and anthocyanidins, displaying a diversity of compounds in the crude and fractionated ASPEetOH. This study provided evidence on the safety profile, chemical composition, and pharmacological activities of A. sellowiana.

Effects of resveratrol treatment on quality and antioxidant properties of postharvest strawberry fruit

Strawberry fruit is one of people's favorite fruits. It has high nutritional value and health care effects. Strawberries lose their edible value quickly after being picked because of their thin skin, which is easily damaged. In order to find a method to maintain the quality of strawberries, the effects of resveratrol treatment on the nutritional quality and antioxidant metabolism of strawberry fruit were studied. The result indicated that 100 μM resveratrol was the optimal concentration to delay the occurrence of decay. Strawberry fruit treated with resveratrol delayed the decrease in firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), total phenolics content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), vitamin C (Vc) content,1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbezothi- azot-hiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacities. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content, hydrogen peroxide (H₂ O₂ ) content, and superoxide anion (O₂ ^•- ) production of control fruit were significantly higher than those of treated fruit. Strawberry fruit treated with resveratrol also increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) during storage. Therefore, resveratrol has been proved to effectively improve the nutritional quality and antioxidant properties of strawberry fruit. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Strawberry fruit is rich in nutrients, which is beneficial to human health. But strawberry fruit has high water content and soft tissue, which is easy to be damaged and decayed. Therefore, it is particularly important to find a way to maintain strawberry fruit quality. In this study, resveratrol has good antioxidant, health care, and antibacterial properties. Resveratrol treatment can maintain the nutritional quality of strawberry fruit and can be used as an effective method for strawberry fruit preservation.

Phytochemical profile, enzyme inhibition activity and molecular docking analysis of Feijoa sellowiana O. Berg

Feijoa sellowiana leaves and fruits have been investigated as a source of diverse bioactive metabolites. Extract and eight metabolites isolated from F. sellowiana leaves were evaluated for their enzymatic inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase, amylase, tyrosinase, acetylcholinestrerase and butyrylcholinesterase both in vitro and in silico. Feijoa leaves’ extract showed strong antioxidant activity and variable levels of inhibitions against target enzymes with a strong anti-tyrosinase activity (115.85 mg Kojic acid equivalent/g). Additionally, α-tocopherol emerged as a potent inhibitor of AChE and BChE (5.40 & 10.38 mmol galantamine equivalent/g, respectively). Which was further investigated through molecular docking and found to develop key enzymatic interactions in AChE and BChE active sites. Also, primetin showed good anti BChE (11.70 mmol galantamine equivalent/g) and anti-tyrosinase inhibition (90.06 mmol Kojic acid equivalent/g) which was also investigated by molecular docking studies.

Highlights

Isolation of eight bioactive constituents from Feijoa sellowiana leaves.

In vitro assays using different enzymatic drug targets were investigated.

In silico study was performed to define compound interactions with target proteins.

Feijoa leaf is an excellent source of anti-AChE and antityrosinase bioactives.

Proliferative and Regenerative Effect of Acetonic Extract of Feijoa sellowiana on Stem Cells

BACKGROUND

Feijoa is widely used in medicine due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antitumor properties. The current investigation studied the proliferative and regenerative effect of acetonic extract of Feijoa sellowiana on stem cells.

METHODS

Acetone extract of Feijoa was prepared using percolator and rotary machines. Human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSCs) were used as experimental in vitro model and characterized morphologically, by flowcytometry, and differentiation properties. The toxicity of the extract on hBMSCs was determined by MTT assay. The viability and growth kinetics of hBMSCs treated to Feijoa was determined. Real time PCR was used for changes in expression of proliferative and apoptotic genes on day 7^th.

RESULTS

MTT assay demondtrated that Feijoa at doses less than 200 ng/ml did not show any cytotoxic effect on hBMSCs and increased the cell proliferation until day 3^rd followed by a non-significant slow decreasing trend until day 7^th. Population doubling time (PDT) showed a decline until day 3^rd followed by an increase until day 7^th. A significant rise in expression of Bax and decline in Bcl-2 expression were noted on day 7^th.

CONCLUSION

The modulatory activity of Feijoa may be responsible for its increasing effect on cell proliferation till day 3^rd. Therefore, when faster proliferation during a shorter time period is targeted, Feijoa can be safely added to the culture media in the first three days.

The pharmacological and biological roles of eriodictyol

Eriodictyol is a flavonoid in the flavanones subclass. It is abundantly present in a wide range of medicinal plants, citrus fruits, and vegetables that are considered to have potential health importance. Having the considerable medicinal properties, eriodictyol has been predicted to clarify the mode of action in various cellular and molecular pathways. Evidence for the existing therapeutic roles of eriodictyol includes antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, hepatoprotective, and miscellaneous. Therefore, this review aims to present the recent evidence regarding the mechanisms of action of eriodictyol in different signaling pathways in a specific disease condition. In view of the immense therapeutic effects, eriodictyol may serve as a potential drug source to enhance community health standards.

Nutritional Characteristics and Antimicrobial Activity of Australian Grown Feijoa (Acca sellowiana)

The present study determined the chemical composition, bioactive compounds and biological properties of Australian grown feijoa (Acca sellowiana), including whole fruit with peel, fruit peel and pulp, in order to assess the nutritional quality and antimicrobial activity of this emerging subtropical fruit. Polyphenolic compounds and vitamins were determined by UHPLC-PDA-MS/MS, showing that the feijoa fruit not only contains high amounts of antioxidant flavonoids, but is also a valuable source of vitamin C (63 mg/100 g FW (fresh weight)) and pantothenic acid (0.2 mg/100 g FW). Feijoa fruit is also a good source of dietary fibre (6.8 g/100 g FW) and potassium (255 mg/100 g FW). The edible fruit peel possesses significantly (p < 0.05) higher amounts of antioxidant flavonoids and vitamin C than the fruit pulp. This is most likely the reason for the observed strong antimicrobial activity of the peel-extracts against a wide-range of food-spoilage microorganism. The consumption of feijoa fruit can deliver a considerable amount of bioactive compounds such as vitamin C, flavonoids and fibre, and therefore, may contribute to a healthy diet. Furthermore, the potential use of feijoa-peel as a natural food perseverative needs to be investigated in follow-up studies.

Feijoa Fruit Peel: Micro-morphological Features, Evaluation of Phytochemical Profile, and Biological Properties of Its Essential Oil

Acca sellowiana (O. Berg) Burret (Feijoa) is an evergreen shrub, belonging to the Mirtaceae family. The aim of this study was to investigate the micromorphological features of the feijoa fruit peel and to evaluate the phytochemical profile, as well as the antioxidant, cytoprotective, and antimicrobial properties of its essential oil (EO), by several in vitro cell-free and cell-based assays. The micromorphological analysis showed several schizogenic secretory cavities, immediately below the epidermal layer. Forty compounds were identified and quantified by GC-FID and GC-MS analyses. Sesquiterpenes were the most abundant ones (76.89%), followed by monoterpene hydrocarbons (3.26%), and oxygenated monoterpenes (0.34%). The main compounds were γ-Selinene (17.39%), α-Cariophyllene (16.74%), β-Cariophyllene (10.37%), and Germacene D (5.32%). The EO showed a strong and dose-dependent antioxidant, and free-radical scavenging activity. Furthermore, it showed cytoprotective activity on the lymphocytes, that have been pre-treated with 100 μM tert-butyl-hydroperoxide (t-BOOH), as well as a decrease in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), induced by t-BOOH on erythrocytes. A preliminary antimicrobial screening against GRAM+ and GRAM− bacteria, as well as on fungi highlighted that EO showed the best activity against S. aureus and C. albicans (MIC 2.7 mg/mL). In light of these results, feijoa fruit EO could find various applications, especially in the food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical fields.

Nutritional properties, identification of phenolic compounds, and enzyme inhibitory activities of Feijoa sellowiana leaves

The nutritional values, the identification of individual phenolic compounds as well as the functional properties (in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and pancreatic lipase inhibition) of Tunisian Feijoa sellowiana (O.Berg) leaves were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array and mass spectrometry detector. Feijoa Sellowiana  leaves Extract (FSLE) were evaluated in the present work. Macronutrient components (proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, lipids, and ashes) of FSLE as well as their fatty acids and mineral content were determined. The individual phenolic composition was characterized by the presence of flavonols (mostly quercetin glycosides), flavan-3-ols (procyanidins and catechins), and phenolic acid derivatives. To understand the possible inhibition mechanism exerted by the extract components, enzyme kinetic studies using derived Lineweaver-Burk (LB) plots and Michaelis-Menten were performed. The obtained results evidenced that FSLE exhibited important AChE inhibitory effect, behaving as a noncompetitive inhibitor. Furthermore, the leaves' extract inhibited irreversibly the pancreatic lipase, with maximum inhibition (70%) achieved at 1 mg/ml. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In many countries of the world, Feijoa Sellowiana leaves are used as an alternative to tea drinks and as a folkloric medicine. Moreover, it is well known that the phytochemical compounds are a practical alternative for the prevention of many chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's and obesity. For this reason, the present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional, individual phenolic compounds, and functional properties of Feijoa Sellowiana leaves to valorize them as a food and pharmaceutical bioactive human source.

Phenol-Rich Feijoa sellowiana (Pineapple Guava) Extracts Protect Human Red Blood Cells from Mercury-Induced Cellular Toxicity

Plant polyphenols, with broadly known antioxidant properties, represent very effective agents against environmental oxidative stressors, including mercury. This heavy metal irreversibly binds thiol groups, sequestering endogenous antioxidants, such as glutathione. Increased incidence of food-derived mercury is cause for concern, given the many severe downstream effects, ranging from kidney to cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the possible beneficial properties of Feijoa sellowiana against mercury toxicity were tested using intact human red blood cells (RBC) incubated in the presence of HgCl2. Here, we show that phenol-rich (10-200 µg/mL) extracts from the Feijoa sellowiana fruit potently protect against mercury-induced toxicity and oxidative stress. Peel and pulp extracts are both able to counteract the oxidative stress and thiol decrease induced in RBC by mercury treatment. Nonetheless, the peel extract had a greater protective effect compared to the pulp, although to a different extent for the different markers analyzed, which is at least partially due to the greater proportion and diversity of polyphenols in the peel. Furthermore, Fejioa sellowiana extracts also prevent mercury-induced morphological changes, which are known to enhance the pro-coagulant activity of these cells. These novel findings provide biochemical bases for the pharmacological use of Fejioa sellowiana-based functional foods in preventing and combating mercury-related illnesses.

Eriodictyol protects against Staphylococcus aureus-induced lung cell injury by inhibiting alpha-hemolysin expression

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common pathogenic bacterium that causes various diseases in both humans and animals. With the increased prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, the therapeutic effects of commonly used antibiotics are limited against S. aureus infection. Novel treatment strategies and new antibiotics are needed urgently to address this concern. Many studies have shown that virulence factors secreted from S. aureus play vital roles in their pathogenic processes. Alpha-hemolysin (Hla), an important exotoxin in S. aureus, is one such virulence factor that increases sensitivity of multiple host cells to S. aureus resulting in various diseases. Eriodictyol is a flavonoid compound that exists in many fruits and vegetables. In this study, eriodictyol was demonstrated to inhibit the expression of Hla by hemolysis assays, western blotting, and RT-qPCR at the sub-minimal inhibitory concentration. In live/dead and cytotoxicity assays, the results showed that eriodictyol protected A549 cells against Hla-induced injury in a dose-dependent manner. The minimal inhibitory concentration of eriodictyol against S. aureus was 512 µg/mL. Eriodictyol can downregulate S. aureus Hla at both the expressional and transcriptional levels without affecting S. aureus growth. In addition, cell assays had proved that eriodictyol could protect A549 cells against Hla damage. Eriodictyol could therefore have the potential to treat S. aureus infection targeting Hla.

Traceability of Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller by ICP-MS multi-element profile and chemometric approach

BACKGROUND

Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller fruits, particularly 'Ficodindia dell'Etna' of Biancavilla (POD), 'Fico d'india tradizionale di Roccapalumba' with protected brand and samples from an experimental field in Pezzolo (Sicily) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in order to determine the multi-element profile. A multivariate chemometric approach, specifically principal component analysis (PCA), was applied to individuate how mineral elements may represent a marker of geographic origin, which would be useful for traceability.

RESULTS

PCA has allowed us to verify that the geographical origin of prickly pear fruits is significantly influenced by trace element content, and the results found in Biancavilla PDO samples were linked to the geological composition of this volcanic areas. It was observed that two principal components accounted for 72.03% of the total variance in the data and, in more detail, PC1 explains 45.51% and PC2 26.52%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that PCA is an integrated tool for the traceability of food products and, at the same time, a useful method of authentication of typical local fruits such as prickly pear. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sexual Dimorphic Responses in Lymphocytes of Healthy Individuals after Carica papaya Consumption

Sexual dimorphism in immune response is widely recognized, but few human studies have observed this distinction. Food with endo-immunomodulatory potential may reveal novel sex-biased in vivo interactions. Immunomodulatory effects of Carica papaya were compared between healthy male and female individuals. Volunteers were given fixed meals supplemented with papaya for 2 days. Changes in blood immune profiles and hormone levels were determined. In females, total natural killer (NK) cell percentages decreased (12.7 ± 4.4 vs 14.6 ± 5.8%, p = 0.018, n = 18) while B cells increased (15.2 ± 5.5 vs 14.5 ± 5.0, p = 0.037, n = 18) after papaya consumption. Increased 17β-estradiol (511.1 ± 579.7 vs 282.7 ± 165.0 pmol/l, p = 0.036, n = 9) observed in females may be crucial to this change. Differentiation markers (CD45RA, CD69, CD25) analyzed on lymphocytes showed naïve (CD45RA⁺) non-CD4⁺ lymphocytes were reduced in females (40.7 ± 8.1 vs 46.8 ± 5.4%, p = 0.012, n = 8) but not males. A general suppressive effect of papaya on CD69⁺ cells, and higher percentage of CD69⁺ populations in females and non-CD4 lymphocytes, may be relevant. CD107a⁺ NK cells were significantly increased in males (16.8 ± 7.0 vs 14.7 ± 4.8, p = 0.038, n = 9) but not females. Effect in females may be disrupted by the action of progesterone, which was significantly correlated with this population (R = 0.771, p = 0.025, n = 8) after papaya consumption. In males, total T helper cells were increased (33.4 ± 6.4 vs 32.4 ± 6.1%, p = 0.040, n = 15). Strong significant negative correlation between testosterone and CD25⁺CD4⁺ lymphocytes, may play a role in the lower total CD4⁺ T cells reported in males. Thus, dissimilar immune profiles were elicited in the sexes after papaya consumption and may have sex hormone influence.

JAK2 and AMP-kinase inhibition in vitro by food extracts, fractions and purified phytochemicals

A study of 49 foods shows that ellagitannin containing foods inhibit JAK2 and AMPK kinases.