Acute Oral Toxicity and Genotoxicity Test and Evaluation of Cinnamomum camphora Seed Kernel Oil

Biochemical properties and biological potential of Syzygium heyneanum with antiparkinson's activity in paraquat induced rodent model

Syzygium heyneanum is a valuable source of flavonoids and phenols, known for their antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. This research aimed to explore the potential of Syzygium heyneanum ethanol extract (SHE) in countering Parkinson's disease. The presence of phenols and flavonoids results in SHE displaying an IC50 value of 42.13 when assessed in the DPPH scavenging assay. Rats' vital organs (lungs, heart, spleen, liver, and kidney) histopathology reveals little or almost no harmful effect. The study hypothesized that SHE possesses antioxidants that could mitigate Parkinson's symptoms by influencing α-synuclein, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), TNF-α, and IL-1β. Both in silico and in vivo investigations were conducted. The Parkinson's rat model was established using paraquat (1 mg/kg, i.p.), with rats divided into control, disease control, standard, and SHE-treated groups (150, 300, and 600 mg/kg) for 21 days. According to the ELISA statistics, the SHE treated group had lowers levels of IL-6 and TNF-α than the disease control group, which is a sign of neuroprotection. Behavioral and biochemical assessments were performed, alongside mRNA expression analyses using RT-PCR to assess SHE's impact on α-synuclein, AChE, TNF-α, and interleukins in brain homogenates. Behavioral observations demonstrated dose-dependent improvements in rats treated with SHE (600 > 300 > 150 mg/kg). Antioxidant enzyme levels (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione) were significantly restored, particularly at a high dose, with notable reduction in malondialdehyde. The high dose of SHE notably lowered acetylcholinesterase levels. qRT-PCR results indicated reduced mRNA expression of IL-1β, α-synuclein, TNF-α, and AChE in SHE-treated groups compared to disease controls, suggesting neuroprotection. In conclusion, this study highlights Syzygium heyneanum potential to alleviate Parkinson's disease symptoms through its antioxidant and modulatory effects on relevant biomarkers.

Virtual screening, activity evaluation, and stability of pancreatic lipase inhibitors in the gastrointestinal degradation of nattokinase

Nattokinase is an alkaline serine protease secreted by natto during fermentation. Despite its good thrombolytic effect, it is intolerant to gastrointestinal conditions and is easily digested and degraded into polypeptides, oligopeptides, and amino acids. However, whether these peptides inhibit fat-digesting enzymes and other biological activities remains unknown. To explore the bioactivity of peptides produced through nattokinase degradation, nattokinase was subjected to simulated digestion in the gastrointestinal tract, and 41 small peptides were obtained through the enzymolysis of gastric enzymes, pancreases, and chymotrypsin. Four pancreatic lipase (PL) inhibitory peptides (SW, ASF, GAY, and PGGTY) were selected based on their activity scores, water solubility, and toxicity predictions. The molecular docking results revealed that hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions were the main forces for inhibiting PL activity. The results of enzyme activity verification revealed that all four peptides inhibited PL activity. Among them, GAY exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect, with an inhibitory rate of 10.93 % at a concentration of 1 mg/mL. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that the GAY-1ETH complex demonstrated good stability. Natto foods containing nattokinase own the activity of inhibiting fat-digesting enzymes and show antiobesity potentials.

Effect of Different Medium-Chain Triglycerides on Glucose Metabolism in High-Fat-Diet Induced Obese Rats

Obesity can be associated with significant metabolic disorders. Our previous study found that medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) improved lipid metabolism in obese rats. However, scant attention has been given to exploring the impact of MCTs on glucose metabolism in obese rats. This study is designed to examine the effects and mechanisms of three distinct MCTs on glucose metabolism in obese rats. To induce obesity, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed a high-fat diet, followed by a 12-week treatment with caprylic triglyceride (CYT), capric triglyceride (CT), and lauric triglyceride (LT). The results showed that three types of MCT intervention reduced the levels of lipids (TC, TG, LDL-c, and HDL-c), hyperglycemia, insulin resistance (insulin, OGTT, HOMA-IR, and ISI), and inflammatory markers (IL-4, IL-1β, and TNF-α) in obese rats (p < 0.01), The above parameters have been minimally improved in the high-fat restoring group (HR) group. MCTs can modulate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathways to alleviate insulin resistance and improve glucose metabolism in obese rats. Furthermore, MCTs can activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ and reduce the phosphorylation of PPARγser237 mediated by CDK5, which can improve insulin sensitivity without lipid deposition in obese rats. Among the MCT group, CT administration performed the best in the above pathways, with the lowest blood glucose level and insulin resistance. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the connection between health benefits and the specific type of MCT employed.

Geographic Pattern of Variations in Chemical Composition and Nutritional Value of Cinnamomum camphora Seed Kernels from China

Cinnamomum camphora (camphor tree) is an important non-conventional edible plant species found in East Asia. Here, a detailed characterization for the chemical composition and nutritional value of C. camphora seed kernels (CCSKs) collected from different regions in China is provided. The results showed that there were significant differences among the CCSK samples in weights (1000 fruits, 1000 seeds and 1000 kernels), proximate composition, minerals, phenolics, flavonoids and amino acid contents. The highest contents of oil (62.08%) and protein (22.17%) were found in the CCSK samples collected from Chongqing and Shanghai, respectively. The highest content of mineral in the CCSK samples was K (4345.05-7186.89 mg/kg), followed by P (2735.86-5385.36 mg/kg), Ca (1412.27-3327.37 mg/kg) and Mg (2028.65-3147.32 mg/kg). The CCSK sample collected from Guizhou had the highest levels of total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC), while that from Chongqing had the lowest levels. In addition, the most abundant fatty acid in the CCSK samples was capric acid (57.37-60.18%), followed by lauric acid (35.23-38.29%). Similarities in the fatty acid composition among the CCSK samples were found. The CCSK sample collected from Guizhou had the highest percentage (36.20%) of essential amino acids to total amino acids, and Chongqing had the lowest value (28.84%). These results indicated that CCSK may be developed as an excellent source of plant-based medium-chain oil, protein, dietary fiber, minerals, phytochemicals and essential amino acids.