Comparison of Antioxidant Constituents of Agriophyllum squarrosum Seed with Conventional Crop Seeds

Effect of dietary Agriophyllum squarrosum on average daily gain, meat quality and muscle fatty acids in growing Tan lambs

The herb A. squarrosum is reputed to possess medicinal properties for humans, and has the potential to be a feed resource for livestock. We hypothesized that this herb would improve the meat quality of lambs. To test this hypothesis, 24 Tan ewe-lambs (27.7 ± 0.45 kg) were offered diets containing 0 (CON), 100 (AS₁₀₀), 200 (AS₂₀₀) and 300 (AS₃₀₀) g A. squarrosum/kg DM, and average daily gain, carcass traits, blood metabolites, meat quality and fatty acid profiles were determined. Drip loss % and cooking loss % decreased with the AS₁₀₀ and AS₂₀₀ diets (P < 0.05). Dietary A. squarrosum reduced muscle fiber area and diameter and increased density of the meat (P < 0.05), which indicated that the meat was more tender. The concentrations of C10:0 and C18:1n-9 t were 1ower and of C17:0 and C18:3n-3 were greater in the AS₂₀₀ and AS₃₀₀ treatments than CON (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that feeding lambs up to 200 g/kg DM of A. squarrosum can increase the water-holding capacity and L* value of meat without compromising growth. Further research is needed to determine the optimal level.

Supplementing Diets with Agriophyllum squarrosum Reduced Blood Lipids, Enhanced Immunity and Anti-Inflammatory Capacities, and Mediated Lipid Metabolism in Tan Lambs

Agriophyllum squarrosum (sand rice), a widespread desert plant, possesses anti-hyperglycemic and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many years. However, its effects on ruminants are unknown. To fill this gap, we examined the effects of A. squarrosum on the immune and anti-inflammatory responses of lambs. A total of 23, 6-month-old Tan ewe-lambs (27.6 ± 0.47 kg) were divided into four groups and offered a basic diet (C—control), or a diet that contained 10%, 20%, or 30% A. squarrosum, on a dry matter basis, for 128 days. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol were lower (p = 0.004) in the 30% supplemented lambs than controls, while concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were lower (p = 0.006) in the 10% and 20%, but not in 30% supplemented lambs than controls. Serum-cortisol concentrations were lower (p = 0.012) in the 30% supplemented lambs and free fatty acid concentrations were higher in the 10% and 20% supplemented lambs than in control lambs (p < 0.001). Supplementation with A. squarrosum decreased (p < 0.05) the area of adipocytes in subcutaneous adipose tissue, but there was no difference between the 20% and 30% diets. Conversely, the area in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) increased (p < 0.05), especially for the 10% and 20% supplemented diets. Supplementation with A. squarrosum also enriched immune and anti-inflammatory related and lipid and glucose-metabolic pathways and associated differentially expressed gene expressions in adipose tissue. A total of 10 differential triacylglycerol, 34 differential phosphatidylcholines and seven differential phosphatidylethanolamines decreased in the diet with 30% supplementation, when compared to the other diets. Finally, adipocyte-differentiation genes, and immune and inflammatory response-related gene expression levels decreased in lamb adipocytes cultured with an aqueous A. squarrosum extract. In conclusion, supplementing lamb diets with A. squarrosum reduced blood lipids, enhanced immunity and anti-inflammatory capacities, and mediated lipid metabolism in adipose tissue and adipocytes of Tan lambs. A level of approximately 10% is recommended, but further research is required to determine the precise optimal level.

Mongolian medicine in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease via FXR/LXR-mediated P2X7R/NLRP3/NF-κB pathway activation

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are the most problematic metabolic diseases in the world. NAFLD encompasses a spectrum of severity, ranging from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis, increasing the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Importantly, NAFLD is closely linked to obesity and tightly interrelated with insulin resistance and T2DM. T2DM and NAFLD (T2DM-NAFLD) are called as the Xike Rixijing Disease and Tonglaga Indigestion Disease respectively, in Mongolian medicine. Xike Rixijing Disease maybe develop into Tonglaga Indigestion Disease. Forturnately many Mongolian medicines show efficient treatment of T2DM-NAFLD, such as Agriophyllum squarrosum, Haliyasu (dried powder of camel placenta), Digeda-4 (herbs of Lomatogonium carinthiacum, rhizomata of Coptis chinensis, ripe fruits of Gardenia jasminoides, herbs of Dianthus superbus), Guangmingyan Siwei Decoction Powder (Halite, ripe fruits of Terminalia chebula, rhizomata of Zingiber officinale, fruit clusters of Piper longum), Tonglaga-5 (ripe fruits of Punica granatum, barks of Cinnamomum cassia, ripe fruits of Amomum kravanh, fruit clusters of Piper longum, flowers of Carthamus tinctorius), Tegexidegeqi (rhizomata of Inula helenium, ripe fruits of Gardenia jasminoides, rhizomata of Platycodon grandiflorum, rhizomata of Coptis chinensis, heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan), Ligan Shiliu Bawei San (ripe fruits of Punica granatum, barks of Cinnamomum cassia, ripe fruits of Amomum kravanh, fruit clusters of Piper longum, flowers of Carthamus tinctorius, ripe fruits of Amomum tsao-ko, rhizomata of Zingiber officinale), etc. Principles of Mongolian medicine in treating diseases: by balancing “three essences or roots” and “seven elements”, strengthening liver and kidney function, transporting nutrients to enhance physical strength and disease resistance, and combined with drugs for comprehensive conditioning treatment. However, their molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this review, we prospect that Mongolian medicines might be a promising treatment for T2DM-NAFLD by activating P2X7R/NLRP3/NF-κB inflammatory pathway via lipid-sensitive nuclear receptors (i.e., FXR and LXR).

Lemon Balm and Corn Silk Extracts Mitigate High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Mice

Lemon balm and corn silk are valuable medicinal herbs, which exhibit variety of beneficial effects for human health. The present study explored the anti-obesity effects of a mixture of lemon balm and corn silk extracts (M-LB/CS) by comparison with the effects of single herbal extracts in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice. HFD supplementation for 84 days increased the body weight, the fat mass density, the mean diameter of adipocytes, and the thickness of fat pads. However, oral administration of M-LB/CS significantly alleviated the HFD-mediated weight gain and adipocyte hypertrophy without affecting food consumption. Of the various combination ratios of M-LB/CS tested, the magnitude of the decreases in weight gain and adipocyte hypertrophy by administration of 1:1, 1:2, 2:1, and 4:1 (w/w) M-LB/CS was more potent than that by single herbal extracts alone. In addition, M-LB/CS reduced the HFD-mediated increases in serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein, prevented the reduction in serum high-density lipoprotein, and facilitated fecal excretion of cholesterol and triglyceride. Moreover, M-LB/CS mitigated the abnormal changes in specific mRNAs associated with lipogenesis and lipolysis in the adipose tissue. Furthermore, M-LB/CS reduced lipid peroxidation by inhibiting the HFD-mediated reduction in glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. Therefore, M-LB/CS is a promising herbal mixture for preventing obesity.

Effect of heat-moisture treatment on the structural and physicochemical characteristics of sand rice (Agriophyllum squarrosum) starch

A small granule starch from sand rice (Agriophyllum squarrosum) was subjected to heat-moisture treatment (HMT) at different moisture contents (MCs,15%-30%). With MC≤20%, a higher MC resulted in increases in the starch orders (i.e., short-range and crystalline structure) with unchanged granule morphology. Nonetheless, a further elevated MC (>20%) gradually destroyed the granule morphology and starch orders. Also, HMT gradually vanished the lamellar structure as MC increased during HMT. These structural evolutions in HMT-modified starch resulted in greater thermal stability, higher pasting temperature, lower pasting viscosity and weakened digestibility. Particularly, HMT applied directly in sand rice starch at 20% MC obtained the highest amount of SDS and RS (23.6%), which was 2.2-fold higher than that of native starch. Therefore, the small granule sand rice starch can be modulated by HMT through controlled MC to expand their application range in food production.

Healthy values and de novo domestication of sand rice (Agriophyllum squarrosum), a comparative view against Chenopodium quinoa

Sand rice (Agriophyllum squarrosum) is prized for its well-balanced nutritional properties, broad adaptability in Central Asia and highly therapeutic potentials. It has been considered as a potential climate-resilient crop. Its seed has comparable metabolite profile with Chenopodium quinoa and is rich in proteins, essential amino acids, minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and phenolics, but low in carbohydrates. Phenolics like protocatechuic acid and quercetins have been characterized with biological functions on regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism in addition to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Sand rice is thus an important source for developing functional and nutraceutical products. Though historical consumption has been over 1300 years, sand rice has undergone few agronomic improvements until recently. Breeding by individual selection has been performed and yield of the best genotype can reach up to 1295.5 kg/ha. Furthermore, chemical mutagenesis has been used to modify the undesirable traits and a case study of a dwarf line (dwarf1), which showed the Green Revolution-like phenotypes, is presented. Utilization of both breeding methodologies will accelerate its domestication process. As a novel crop, sand rice research is rather limited compared with quinoa. More scientific input is urgently required if the nutritional and commercial potentials are to be fully realized.

Characterization of the Heat-Stable Proteome during Seed Germination in Arabidopsis with Special Focus on LEA Proteins

During seed germination, desiccation tolerance is lost in the radicle with progressing radicle protrusion and seedling establishment. This process is accompanied by comprehensive changes in the metabolome and proteome. Germination of Arabidopsis seeds was investigated over 72 h with special focus on the heat-stable proteome including late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins together with changes in primary metabolites. Six metabolites in dry seeds known to be important for seed longevity decreased during germination and seedling establishment, while all other metabolites increased simultaneously with activation of growth and development. Thermo-stable proteins were associated with a multitude of biological processes. In the heat-stable proteome, a relatively similar proportion of fully ordered and fully intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP) was discovered. Highly disordered proteins were found to be associated with functional categories development, protein, RNA and stress. As expected, the majority of LEA proteins decreased during germination and seedling establishment. However, four germination-specific dehydrins were identified, not present in dry seeds. A network analysis of proteins, metabolites and amino acids generated during the course of germination revealed a highly connected LEA protein network.

In vivo hepatoprotective activity and the underlying mechanism of chebulinic acid from Terminalia chebula fruit

BACKGROUND

The fruit of Terminalia chebula Retz. is one of the most widely used herbal drug in Traditional medicine prescriptions including those for liver diseases. In the screening of bioactive constituents that have potential hepatoprotective activity, chebulinic acid (CA) which is a major chemical constituent of T. chebula fruit showed potent activity.

PURPOSE

This work was conducted to investigate the hepatoprotective activity and mechanisms of CA.

METHODS

The hepatoprotective effect of CA was examined on hepatotoxic models of cells, zebrafish larvae and mice caused by tert-butyl hydrogen peroxide (t-BHP), acetaminophen (APAP) and CCl4, respectively.

RESULTS

Pretreatment with CA could prevent t-BHP-induced damage in L-02 hepatocytes by blocking the production of ROS, reducing LDH levels and enhancing HO-1 and NQO1 expression via MAPK/Nrf2 signaling pathway. In animal experiments, CA significantly protected mice from CCl4-induced liver injury, as demonstrated by reduced ALT, AST and MDA levels, enhanced SOD activity, improved liver histopathological changes, and the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. CA metabolized to chebulic acid isomers with DPPH radical scavenging activity. In a transgenic zebrafish line with liver specific expression of DsRed RFP, CA diminished the hepatotoxicity induced by 10 mM APAP.

CONCLUSION

Experiments in cell and two animal models demonstrated consistent results and comprehensively expounded the hepatoprotective effects of CA.

New progress in the pharmacology of protocatechuic acid: A compound ingested in daily foods and herbs frequently and heavily

Protocatechuic acid is a natural phenolic acid, which widely exists in our daily diet and herbs. It is also one of the main metabolites of complex polyphenols, such as anthocyanins and proanthocyanins. In recent years, a large number of studies on the pharmacological activities of protocatechuic acid have emerged. Protocatechuic acid has a wide range of pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, antiosteoporotic, analgesia, antiaging activties; protection from metabolic syndrome; and preservation of liver, kidneys, and reproductive functions. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that the absorption and elimination rate of protocatechuic acid are faster, with glucuronidation and sulfation being the major metabolic pathways. However, protocatechuic acid displays a dual-directional regulatory effect on some pharmacological activities. When the concentration is very high, it can inhibit cell proliferation and reduce survival rate. This review aims to comprehensively summarize the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity of protocatechuic acid with emphasis on its pharmacological activities discovered in recent 5 years, so as to provide more up-to-date and thorough information for the preclinical and clinical research of protocatechuic acid in the future. Moreover, it is hoped that the clinical application of protocatechuic acid can be broadened, giving full play to its characteristics of rich sources, low toxicity and wide pharmacological activites.

Constituents from the Leaves of Tetraena mongolica and Their Protective Activity in HEK 293t Cells Damaged by CdCl2

Tetraena mongolica Maxim, a relict originating from the Tertiary Period, is an endemic species of Zygophyllaceae in China. Three new monoterpenoids (1-3), two new phenols (4, 5) with unusual O-sulfoglucosyl groups, a new flavonoid (6), and nine known compounds were isolated from the leaves of T. mongolica. The structures of these compounds were determined by interpretation of NMR, MS, and ECD data. Some of the isolated compounds showed protective effects on HEK 293t cells damaged by CdCl₂, with IC₅₀ values being 55.7 and 80.3 μM for compounds 7 and 8, respectively, at the time point of 48 h after treatment.

Phenolic profile and antioxidant properties of sand rice (Agriophyllum squarrosum) as affected by cooking and in vitro digestion

BACKGROUND

Sand rice (Agriophyllum squarrosum) is an underutilized pseudocereal bearing edible seeds. In this study, the phenolics and antioxidant activity of sand rice seeds after cooking and in vitro digestion were extensively investigated.

RESULTS

Total phenolic content (TPC) of the sand rice seeds was slightly increased whereas total flavonoid content (TFC) decreased after boiling. Furthermore, nine compounds were detected in the uncooked seeds, with hyperoside (169.19 ± 6.59 µg g^-1 dry weight (DW)), protocatechuic acid (167.46 ± 7.21 µg g^-1 DW), and rutin (83.15 ± 3.26 µg g^-1 DW) as the major components. Apart from the bioaccessible phenolics in the aqueous fraction, these compounds retained in the solid residue of the porridge were released to varying degrees during simulated digestion. In addition, these phenolic extracts also exerted considerable antioxidant potency, which was positively correlated with their corresponding TPC, TFC, and phenolic profiles.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that both boiling and in vitro digestive treatments could considerably enhance the release of bioactive compounds and thus contribute antioxidant properties to sand rice porridge. These findings suggest that sand rice seed is a potential functional food and an excellent natural antioxidant source. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Inhibitory Effect of Opuntia humifusa Fruit Water Extract on Solar Ultraviolet-Induced MMP-1 Expression

Opuntia humifusa is a type of cactus whose fruits have been used in folk medicine for the treatment of several diseases. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether O. humifusa fruit water extract (OHE) has inhibitory effects against solar ultraviolet (sUV)-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression. In ex vivo human skin, we found that OHE suppressed sUV radiation-induced MMP-1 expression. The inhibitory effect of OHE was confirmed in human dermal fibroblasts. OHE treatment reduced sUV-induced MMP-1 expression by suppressing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and phosphorylation of c-Jun, a component of transcription factor activator protein 1 (AP-1). On the other hand, OHE recovered the tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and type 1 collagen production attenuated by sUV. As upstream signaling pathways for AP-1, MKK4-JNK, MEK-ERK, and MKK3/6-p38 phosphorylation were downregulated by OHE treatment. In addition, OHE exhibited DPPH radical scavenging activity. These findings demonstrate that OHE has a preventive effect against sUV-induced skin damage via suppression of pathways triggered by ROS.