Linseed, Baru, and Coconut Oils: NMR-Based Metabolomics, Leukocyte Infiltration Potential In Vivo, and Their Oil Characterization. Are There Still Controversies?

Gastroprotective effects of Polygonatum odoratum in rodents by regulation of apoptotic proteins and inflammatory cytokines

In an increasing interest in natural antiulcer compounds that may have gastric healing effects and possibly prevent ulcer recurrence, Polygonatum odoratum appears as a strong candidate. The gastroprotective potentials of P. odoratum rhizome extract (PORE) were explored on ethanol-induced gastric ulceration in rats. Sprague Dawley rats were caged in 5 groups, normal and ulcer control rats received CMC (1% carboxymethyl cellulose). Omeprazole (20 mg/kg) was given to reference Rats. Experimental rats were treated with 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg PORE, respectively. After an hour, the normal control rats received 1% CMC, whereas rat groups 2-5 were given absolute ethanol by oral gavage. After 60 min, rats received anesthesia and were sacrificed. Dissected gastric tissue was analyzed by histopathological and immunohistochemical techniques. PORE treatment significantly lowered the ethanol-induced gastric injury, as shown by up-surging gastric pH and mucus content, reduced leukocyte infiltration, lower ulcerative areas in mucosal layers, and increased antioxidants (SOD and CAT) and (MDA) levels. Furthermore, PORE pre-treated rats showed significantly increased expression of the Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), HSP-70 protein, and decreased Bax protein in their gastric epithelial layers. PORE treatment showed an important regulation of inflammatory cytokines shown by decreasing the TNF-a, and IL-6 and increasing the IL-10 values. The detected biological activity of PORE is encouraging and presents the scientific evidence for its traditional use as a gastroprotection agent however further studies are required to determine the exact phytochemicals and mechanism pathway responsible for this bioactivity.

The new isolated Archaea strain improved grain yield, metabolism and quality of wheat plants under Co stress conditions

Heavy metal (e.g. cobalt) pollution causes a serious of environmental and agricultural problems. On the other hand, plant growth-promoting microorganisms enhance plant growth and mitigate heavy metal stress. Herein, we isolated and identified the unclassified species strain NARS9, belong to Haloferax,. Cobalt (Co, 200 mg/kg soil) stress mitigating impact of the identified on wheat grains yield, primary and secondary metabolism and grain quality was investigated. Co alone significantly induced Co accumulation in wheat grain (260%), and consequently reduced wheat yield (130%) and quality. Haloferax NARS9 alone significantly enhanced grain chemicals composition (i.e., total sugars (89%) and organic acids (e.g., oxalic and isobutyric acids), essential amino acids (e.g., threonine, lysine, and histidine) and unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. eicosenoic, erucic and tetracosenoic acids). Interestingly, Co stress induced wheat grain yield, reduction were significantly mitigated by Haloferax NARS9 treatment by 26% compared to Co stress alone. Under Co stress, Haloferax NARS9 significantly increased sugar metabolism including sucrose and starch levels and their metabolic enzymes (i.e. invertases, sucrose synthase, starch synthase). This in turn increased organic acid (e.g. oxalic (70%) and malic acids (60%)) and amino acids. levels and biosynthetic enzymes, e.g. glutamine synthetase and threonine synthase. Increased sugars levels by Haloferax NARS9 under Co treatment also provided a route for the biosynthesis of saturated fatty acids, particularly palmitic and stearic acids. Furthermore, Haloferax NARS9 treatment supported the wheat nutritive value through increasing minerals (Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn) and antioxidants i.e., polyphenol, flavonoids, ASC and GSH and total polyamines by 50%, 110%, 400%, 30%, and 90% respectively). These in parallel with the increase in the activity of (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (110%) in phenolic metabolism). Overall, this study demonstrates the potentiality of Haloferax NARS9 in harnessing carbon and nitrogen metabolism differentially in wheat plants to cope with Co toxicity. Our results also suggested that the use of Haloferax NARS9 in agricultural fields can improve growth and nutritional value of wheat grains.

Saponification Value of Fats and Oils as Determined from 1H-NMR Data: The Case of Dairy Fats

The saponification value of fats and oils is one of the most common quality indices, reflecting the mean molecular weight of the constituting triacylglycerols. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectra of fats and oils display specific resonances for the protons from the structural patterns of the triacylglycerols (i.e., the glycerol backbone), methylene (-CH2-) groups, double bonds (-CH=CH-) and the terminal methyl (-CH3) group from the three fatty acyl chains. Consequently, chemometric equations based on the integral values of the 1H-NMR resonances allow for the calculation of the mean molecular weight of triacylglycerol species, leading to the determination of the number of moles of triacylglycerol species per 1 g of fat and eventually to the calculation of the saponification value (SV), expressed as mg KOH/g of fat. The algorithm was verified on a series of binary mixtures of tributyrin (TB) and vegetable oils (i.e., soybean and rapeseed oils) in various ratios, ensuring a wide range of SV. Compared to the conventional technique for SV determination (ISO 3657:2013) based on titration, the obtained 1H-NMR-based saponification values differed by a mean percent deviation of 3%, suggesting the new method is a convenient and rapid alternate approach. Moreover, compared to other reported methods of determining the SV from spectroscopic data, this method is not based on regression equations and, consequently, does not require calibration from a database, as the SV is computed directly and independently from the 1H-NMR spectrum of a given oil/fat sample.