Extra Virgin Olive Oil's Main Components' Antioxidant Activity and in Silico Effect on AKT1.

The research was done on the olive oil's main constituents' antioxidant activity and their ability to inhibit the AKT1 protein, which is implicated in the development of colorectal cancer. The findings revealed that all of the examined oils fall within the category of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and have a high oleic acid content, particularly for samples from wild olives. These oils have high levels of ligstroside and oleocanthal, two important phenolic compounds. Wild olive oils stand out from cultivated ones due to their higher bitterness index. In addition, these oils have the highest concentrations of tocopherols and the best oxidative stability. The ability of these olive oil extracts to neutralize DPPH and ABTS radicals and convert ferric ions (Fe3+) to ferrous ions (Fe2+) for the FRAP test demonstrated their antioxidant properties. Molecular docking was applied to assess the interaction between the main compounds identified in the analysed olive oils and the human AKT1 protein, which is involved in the genesis of colorectal cancer. The findings revealed that lutein, oleuropein aglycone, and ligstroside aglycone had the highest binding affinity for the AKT1 protein.

Digested Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl) Bark Extract Modulates Claudin-2 Gene Expression and Protein Levels under TNFα/IL-1ß Inflammatory Stimulus.

Epigenetic changes, host-gut microbiota interactions, and environmental factors contribute to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) onset and progression. A healthy lifestyle may help to slow down the chronic or remitting/relapsing intestinal tract inflammation characteristic of IBD. In this scenario, the employment of a nutritional strategy to prevent the onset or supplement disease therapies included functional food consumption. Its formulation consists of the addition of a phytoextract enriched in bioactive molecules. A good candidate as an ingredient is the Cinnamon verum aqueous extract. Indeed, this extract, subjected to a process of gastrointestinal digestion simulation (INFOGEST), exhibits beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in an in vitro model of the inflamed intestinal barrier. Here, we deepen the study of the mechanisms related to the effect of digested cinnamon extract pre-treatment, showing a correlation between transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) decrement and alterations in claudin-2 expression under Tumor necrosis factor-α/Interleukin-1ß (TNF-α/IL-1) ß cytokine administration. Our results show that pre-treatment with cinnamon extract prevents TEER loss by claudin-2 protein level regulation, influencing both gene transcription and autophagy-mediated degradation. Hence, cinnamon polyphenols and their metabolites probably work as mediators in gene regulation and receptor/pathway activation, leading to an adaptive response against renewed insults.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl) Bark Extract after In Vitro Digestion Simulation.

Cinnamon bark is widely used for its organoleptic features in the food context and growing evidence supports its beneficial effect on human health. The market offers an increasingly wide range of food products and supplements enriched with cinnamon extracts which are eliciting beneficial and health-promoting properties. Specifically, the extract of Cinnamomum spp. is rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer biomolecules. These include widely reported cinnamic acid and some phenolic compounds, such asproanthocyanidins A and B, and kaempferol. These molecules are sensitive to physical-chemical properties (such as pH and temperature) and biological agents that act during gastric digestion, which could impair molecules' bioactivity. Therefore, in this study, the cinnamon's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivity after simulated digestion was evaluated by analyzing the chemical profile of the pure extract and digested one, as well as the cellular effect in vitro models, such as Caco2 and intestinal barrier. The results showed that the digestive process reduces the total content of polyphenols, especially tannins, while preserving other bioactive compounds such as cinnamic acid. At the functional level, the digested extract maintains an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect at the cellular level.

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Cannabinoids from Cannabis Sativa for Medicinal Purpose.

Over the past 20 years, the interest in Cannabis oily extracts for medicinal use compounded in pharmacy has consistently grown, along with the need to have preparations of adequate quality. Hot maceration (M) is the most frequently used method to compound oily solutions. In this work, we systematically studied the possibility of using an ultrasonic homogenizer and a sonotrode (US) as an alternative extraction method. Oily solutions were prepared using two available varieties of Cannabis for medicinal use, called FM2 and Bedrocan. All preparations resulted with an equivalent content in CBD and THC, with the advantage of a faster process using US. In particular, 10 min sonication at the amplitude optimized for the sonotrode used (2 or 7 mm) provides not statistically different total Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (M-FM2: 0.26 ± 0.02 % w/w; US-FM2: 0.19 ± 0.004 % w/w; M-Bedrocan: 1.83 ± 0.17 % w/w; US-Bedrocan: 1.98 ± 0.01 % w/w) and total cannabidiol (M-FM2: 0.59 ± 0.04 % w/w; US-FM2: 0.58 ± 0.01 % w/w) amounts extracted in refined olive oil. It can therefore be confirmed that sonotrode is an efficient and fast extraction technique and its use is without negative consequence on the solvent properties. Despite DSC evidencing that both maceration and sonication modify the Tonset and enthalpy of the event at about -10 °C, the qualitative characteristics of the oil remained constant for the two treatments and similar to the starting material.

The Antioxidant Role of Hemp Phytocomplex in Cannabis Oil-Based Extracts.

The therapeutic use of Cannabis oil extracts is constantly increasing. However, in Italy, they are allowed to be prepared with only a few methods and matrices. With this work, we aimed to assess how the different processes might affect the chemical composition of two different matrices (olive oils and medium chain triglycerides oils - MCT), accounting as variables for both the presence of Cannabis dried apices of the female flower and the adding of tocopherol acetate as an antioxidant. The macerated oils were prepared with four of the methods allowed according to the Italian legislation (Romano-Hazekamp, Cannazza-Citti, SIFAP and Calvi) and analyzed for normal and oxidized tocopherols, oxidized and conjugated fatty acids and volatile carbonyl compounds (VCCs), all using liquid chromatography coupled to UV or PDA detectors. According to our results, neither normal nor oxidized tocopherols are affected by the addition of antioxidants or Cannabis, while the oxidation state (according to the levels of oxidized and conjugated fatty acids) is often altered in either case. The VCCs concentrations, on the other hand, are never notably altered. These results suggest a worthless use of antioxidants in Cannabis macerated oils preparations, while the dried apices of female flowers might have a protective role in maintaining the oil oxidation state.

Temperature Dependence of Oxidation Kinetics of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and Shelf-Life Prediction.

Producers have to guarantee the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) quality characteristics reported in the Regulation (CEE) 2568/91 throughout the product shelf-life (SL). Unfortunately, due to the development of oxidative reactions, some quality indices change during storage leading to a progressive deterioration of EVOO quality. To avoid the risk of product downgrading in the virgin oil category, the development of effective shelf-life prediction models is extremely important for the olive oil industry. In this research, the accelerated shelf-life testing (ASLT) protocol was applied to evaluate the temperature dependence of selected oxidation indexes as well as to develop a shelf-life predictive model. The evolution of conventional (peroxide value, K232, K270, polyphenols, tocopherols and hexanal) and unconventional parameters (conjugated trienes and pyropheophytin a) was monitored in bottled EVOO stored in the dark at increasing temperature (25, 40, 50 and 60 °C). Accordingly, for well-packed products with reduced oxygen in headspace, the best shelf-life index allowing the ability to predict EVOO SL turned out to be K270. In addition, pyropheophytin a (%) has been shown to be more sensitive to temperature changes than the secondary oxidation indices, thus suggesting its use as a freshness indicator for storage temperatures higher than 25 °C.

Development of Perilla seed oil and extra virgin olive oil blends for nutritional, oxidative stability and consumer acceptance improvements.

This study reports the blending at different levels (25, 30, 35, 40 and 45%) of Perilla seed oil (PO) with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Pure oils and blends were evaluated in terms of free acidity, peroxide value, fatty acid composition, sterols, tocopherols and biophenols content, oxidation stability, sensory acceptability and food pairing. Blends with high content of ω - 3 and ω - 6 fatty acids, biophenols, tocopherols, sterols and satisfying oxidation stability were obtained, representing products with improved nutritional properties. All blends resulted acceptable by consumers. Two groups of consumers with opposite preferences for samples with low (25-35%) and high (40-45%) levels of PO were identified. Blends containing 40-45% of PO were mainly paired to strong-flavour and cooked foods, while blends with less PO were preferably matched with raw meat and vegetables. Consequently, PO and EVOO blends showed promising potential as innovative vegetable oils with improved nutritional properties and versatile gastronomic use.

Azeite de oliva vendido no Brasil: qualidade e índice nutricional / Olive oil marketed in Brazil: Quality and nutritional index

Objective: Lately, scientific knowledge on fats and oils has changed dramatically, not only in relation to medical-pharmacological and nutritional s, but also to the knowledge of chemical compounds deriving from oxidative reactions and contaminants (such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) due to undesired effects on human body, associated with several degenerative diseases on the organism such as arteriosclerosis, cardiovascular changes and carcinogenesis. This paper has focused its attention on the presence and quantification of these compounds in olive oils imported and marketed domestically in Brazil. Methods: For analysis of natural antioxidants, determination of hydrolysis and oxidized compounds, and screening and authenticity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, UV high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used following the methods reported in the bibliography. Results: The samples showed significant contents of oxidized composts and low nutritional healthquality indexes. The content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was within the European Community legislation limit. One of the parameters utilized for authenticity determination, based on equivalent carbon number (ECN42) difference analysis, showed values within the legislation limits for all samples analyzed. Conclusions: The samples show significant contents of oxidized compounds and low nutritional health quality indexes, independent of expiry date. The authenticity determination, based on ECN42 difference analysis, show values within the limits for all samples analyzed. The content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminants was within the European Community legislation limit.

Objetivo: O quadro de conhecimento científico acerca dos lipídeos utilizados na alimentação mudou radicalmente, não somente em relação ao campo médico, farmacológico e nutricional, mas também quanto ao conhecimento de antioxidantes ? protetores orgânicos ? e de compostos derivados de reações de hidrólise, oxidação e contaminantes hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos (HPAs) que produzem efeitos indesejáveis ao organismo humano,sendo associados a doenças como arteriosclerose, alterações do sistema cardiovascular em geral, carcinogênese etc. Em face do exposto, esse trabalho tem como objetivo o estudo sobre a concentração desses compostos em marcas registradas de azeites de oliva comercializados dentro do território brasileiro para a avaliação da qualidade, genuinidade e índice nutricional. Métodos: As determinações de antioxidantes naturais, compostosde hidrólise e de oxidação, hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos e de genuinidade, utilizando cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência-UV, segundo métodos referidos em bibliografia, foram aplicadas às amostras de azeite extra virgem de oliva e azeite de oliva de procedências diversas. Resultados: As amostras apresentaram valores significativos em relação à hidrólise e à oxidação, consequentemente, com baixos valores de índicesde qualidade nutricional.Os hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos mostraram teores dentro dos limites aceitos pelos Regulamentos da Comunidade Europeia (CE) e da União Europeia (UE) e da Federação Europeia das Indústrias de Óleos Vegetais (FEDIOL). A genuinidade apresentou valores dentro dos limites estabelecidos pela Legislação Brasileira e pelo Regulamento da União Europeia. Conclusões: As amostras apresentaram resultados significativos de oxidação e baixos índices de qualidade nutricional, independente das datas de vencimento. A genuinidade e os contaminantes hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos, respectivamente, apresentaram teores dentro dos limites permitidos pelaLegislação Brasileira e pelo Regulamento da União Europeia.