Methyl lucidone inhibits airway inflammatory response by reducing TAK1 activity in human bronchial epithelial NCI-H292 cells.

Background: Methyl lucidone (ML), a methyl derivative of lucidone, has anti-inflammatory properties. However, the molecular mechanisms that reduce the inflammatory effect of ML in human lung epithelial cells remain unkown. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effect of ML. Methods: Four compounds (ML, methyl linderone, kanakugiol, and linderone) from Lindera erythrocarpa Makino were evaluated for their ability to reduce MUC5AC secretion levels in phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated NCI-H292 cells using ELISA. The expression and secretion levels of inflammatory response-related proteins were analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, ELISA, and western blotting. To determine whether ML directly regulates TGF-ß-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), we performed an in vitro kinase assay. Results: ML treatment effectively reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1ß and TNF-α, increased by stimulation. Furthermore, ML downregulated the pathway cascade of both IκB kinase (IKK)/NF-κB and p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase/CREB by inhibiting the upstream kinase TAK1. An in vitro kinase analysis confirmed that ML treatment significantly reduced the kinase activity of TAK1. Conclusion: ML pretreatment repressed the PMA-stimulated inflammation reaction by reducing the TAK1-mediated IKK/NF-κB and p38 MAP kinase/CREB signaling. These findings suggest that ML may improve respiratory health and can be used as a dietary supplement or functional food to prevent inflammatory lung diseases.

Aged black garlic (Allium sativum L.) and aged black elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum L.) alleviate obesity and attenuate obesity-induced muscle atrophy in diet-induced obese C57BL/6 mice.

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a primary dietary component worldwide because of its health benefits and use as a traditional medicine. Elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum L.), a related species in the same genus, is less intense and sweeter than A. sativum. The object of this study was to investigate the alleviative effects of aged black garlic (ABG) and aged black elephant garlic (ABEG) on obesity and muscle atrophy induced by obesity in high fat diet-induced obese mice. We demonstrated that ABG and ABEG alleviated obesity and muscle atrophy and enhanced myogenic differentiation and myotube hypertrophy, and this effect was mediated by the upregulation of Akt/mTOR/p70S6K signaling. Furthermore, a candidate bioactive compound of ABG and ABEG was suggested in this study through analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. In conclusion, ABG and ABEG may alleviate obesity and treat obesity-induced muscle atrophy.

Diplacone Isolated from Paulownia tomentosa Mature Fruit Induces Ferroptosis-Mediated Cell Death through Mitochondrial Ca2+ Influx and Mitochondrial Permeability Transition.

The recently defined type of cell death ferroptosis has garnered significant attention as a potential new approach to cancer treatment owing to its more immunogenic nature when compared with apoptosis. Ferroptosis is characterized by the depletion of glutathione (GSH)/glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPx4) and iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Diplacone (DP), a geranylated flavonoid compound found in Paulownia tomentosa fruit, has been identified to have anti-inflammatory and anti-radical activity. In this study, the potential anticancer activity of DP was explored against A549 human lung cancer cells. It was found that DP induced a form of cytotoxicity distinct from apoptosis, which was accompanied by extensive mitochondrial-derived cytoplasmic vacuoles. DP was also shown to increase mitochondrial Ca2+ influx, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore-opening. These changes led to decreases in mitochondrial membrane potential and DP-induced cell death. DP also induced lipid peroxidation and ATF3 expression, which are hallmarks of ferroptosis. The ferroptosis inhibitors ferrostatin-1 and liproxstatin-1 were effective in counteracting the DP-mediated ferroptosis-related features. Our results could contribute to the use of DP as a ferroptosis-inducing agent, enabling studies focusing on the relationship between ferroptosis and the immunogenic cell death of cancer cells.

Synthesis of Alpha-Linked Glucosides from Soybean Isoflavone Aglycones Using Amylosucrase from Deinococcus geothermalis.

Soybean isoflavone aglycones (SIAs) have many biological activities but are poorly water-soluble in the human body. Glycosylation provides structural diversity to SIAs and can alter their physicochemical properties, including water solubility. An alpha-linked glucosylation of SIA was achieved using amylosucrase from Deinococcus geothermalis. A total of 13 alpha-linked glucosyl SIAs were obtained, and their colors in solution were confirmed. The structures of the isolated compounds were identified by mass spectrometry and multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The amylosucrase transglycosylation formed new isoflavone glycosides with alpha glycosidic bonds at C-7 and/or C-4' of SIAs, followed by the production of isoflavone glycosides with alpha (1 → 6) glycosidic bonds. The products with a glucosyl moiety attached to the C-4' of SIAs were found to be more water-soluble than their counterparts attached to the C-7 and/or beta-linkages. This study suggests a strategy for the synthesis of bioactive compounds with enhanced water solubility through alpha-linked glucosylation.

Self-assembly kinetics of short-chain glucan aggregates (SCGA).

Self-assembly (formation and crystallization) kinetics of short-chain glucan aggregates (SCGAs) prepared at isothermal conditions (4, 20, 40, and 60℃) with or without nucleation (4℃, 1 h) were investigated. The fastest formation and crystallization rates of SCGA were observed when short-chain glucan was stored at 4℃ and 20℃, respectively. SCGA was not formed at 60℃. However, nucleation resulted in SCGA forming-ability at 60℃. Moreover, nucleation increased the yield in all temperature conditions. SCGA with nucleation decreased the crystal melting transition temperature range. All SCGAs had nanosized particles (<500 nm) with B-type crystal patterns regardless of temperature and nucleation. Consequently, self-assembly temperature and presence of nucleation step could change the physicochemical characteristics of SCGA, and manipulation of the nucleation step is expected to be an effective method to increase the yield of SCGA and produce SCGA at high temperature.

Integration of multiplatform metabolomics and multivariate analysis for geographical origin discrimination of Panax ginseng.

As the health food industry grows, the market for ginseng also expands globally. Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) is cultivated in East Asian countries such as Korea, China, and Japan. The metabolic profile of plants can vary depending on the cultivation environment. As such, in this study, we aimed to compare the differences in the metabolic profiles of P. ginseng cultivated in Korea, China, and Japan, and to construct a library of these metabolite data. Using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS), we profiled 62 types of secondary metabolites, ginsenosides, using optimized analysis conditions to separate peaks with a high-resolution for about 30 min. In addition, we selected ginsenosides showing differences between their origins were selected among the possible origins in the S-line plot of orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), which we quantitatively analyzed using UPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The contents of ginsenosides Ra1, Ra2, Ra3, and Rk1 were high in Korean P. ginseng; the contents of ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, and Rc were high in Japanese P. ginseng; and the contents of the ginsenoside Ro was high in Chinese P. ginseng. We also analyzed the primary metabolite contents using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS). Japanese P. ginseng showed a high sucrose content and Korean P. ginseng showed high contents of most amino acids and organic acids. In the PLS-DA results of multivariate statistical analysis using the data obtained from each analysis instrument, we observed a clear clustering among the three origins. Although a genetically identical species, the metabolic profile substantially differs depending on the cultivation environment. Because ginsenoside, having many biological activities, showed origin-dependent origins, when P. ginseng is used for medicinal purposes, its content by origin should be considered. After disclosing the profiling results of these metabolites, we expect that they will be used in future ginseng research.

Effect of Microwave Treatment on Adzuki Beans (Vigna angularis L.) under Dry State-Analyzing Microstructure, Water Absorption, and Antioxidant Properties.

In this study, a microwave was used on adzuki beans (Arari and Geomguseul) without water, in order to investigate their changes in microstructure, water absorption, and antioxidative properties. As the microwave treatment time increased (2450 MHz, 0 to 60 s), the lightness, redness, and yellowness were reduced, and moisture content significantly decreased in both varieties. The microstructure space between the seed coat, cotyledon, and pores within the cotyledon were observed, due to the loss of moisture. Regardless of microwave treatment, the water absorption behavior of the adzuki beans was sigmoidal. However, the water absorption kinetics of Arari increased after microwave treatment, whereas with microwave-treated Geomguseul, the water absorption rate decreased, compared to the control, except for the sample treated for 30 s. During soaking, the water absorption and softening rates in the microwave-treated adzuki bean were twice as fast as the untreated beans. Antioxidant activity, total phenolic compounds, and total flavonoid compounds were greatly improved by microwave treatment. These results indicate that microwave treatment affects the color, hydration, and bioactive compounds, and it can be used as a pretreatment method before processing adzuki beans.

Validation of a Quantification Method for Curcumin Derivatives and Their Hepatoprotective Effects on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Curcumin (CM), demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) are major curcumin derivatives found in the rhizome of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), and have yielded impressive properties to halt various diseases. In the present study, we carried out a method validation for curcumin derivatives and analyzed the contents simultaneously using HPLC with UV detection. For validation, HPLC was used to estimate linearity, range, specificity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). Results showed a high linearity of the calibration curve, with a coefficient of correlation (R2) for CM, DMC, and BDMC of 0.9999, 0.9999, and 0.9997, respectively. The LOD values for CM, DMC, and BDMC were 1.16, 1.03, and 2.53 ng/µL and LOQ values were 3.50, 3.11, and 7.67 ng/µL, respectively. Moreover, to evaluate the ability of curcumin derivatives to reduce liver lipogenesis and compare curcumin derivatives' therapeutic effects, a HepG2 cell model was established to analyze their hepatoprotective properties. Regarding the in vivo study, we investigated the effect of DMC, CM, and BDMC on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) caused by a methionine choline deficient (MCD)-diet in the C57BL/6J mice model. From the in vitro and in vivo results, curcumin derivatives alleviated MCD-diet-induced lipid accumulation as well as high triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels, and the protein and gene expression of the transcription factors related to liver adipogenesis were suppressed. Furthermore, in MCD-diet mice, curcumin derivatives suppressed the upregulation of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, our findings indicated that all of the three curcuminoids exerted a hepatoprotective effect in the HepG2 cell model and the MCD-diet-induced NAFLD model, suggesting a potential for curcuminoids derived from turmeric as novel therapeutic agents for NAFLD.

Infusion of fluorescein into corn and waxy rice starches and its controlled release.

The effects of concentration, temperature, and time on infusion of fluorescein into corn and waxy rice starches and their controlled release pattern were investigated. At low fluorescein concentration (1 µM), temperature significantly affected infusion efficiency. At high fluorescein concentration (50-150 µM), temperature showed little effect; fluorescein concentration significantly affected infusion efficiency. Corn starch showed relatively higher infusion efficiency than waxy rice starch at high concentration. During controlled release, 50% and 81% of infused fluorescein were released from corn and waxy rice starches, respectively, after bacterial α-amylase treatment. However, 61% and 68% of infused fluorescein were released from corn and waxy rice starches, respectively, after pancreatic α-amylase treatment. The dextrose equivalent (DE) value revealed similar patterns, suggesting that degradation of starch by different α-amylases is a major factor affecting release of fluorescein from starch granules. Moreover, granule size of starch greatly affected enzymatic hydrolysis and controlled release in this system. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-022-01059-2.

Infusion efficiency of fluorescein derivatives of different molecular sizes into various starches under atmospheric and high hydrostatic pressures.

Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextrans (FDs) of different molecular weights were infused into corn, waxy rice, tapioca, and potato starches under atmospheric and high hydrostatic pressures (HHP). FD4, FD10, FD20, and FD40 (Mw 4000, 10,000, 20,000, and 40,000, respectively) were used as infusion materials. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed that all FDs except FD40 infused into corn, waxy rice, and tapioca starches. However, no FDs infused into potato starch. Corn starch had the highest amounts of infused FDs. As molar mass increased, the amount of infused FD decreased in all starches. The infused amounts of FDs in corn starch were similar at 200-300 MPa and atmospheric pressure. Infusion of FDs at 400 MPa was reduced due to partial gelatinization. These results confirm that infusion efficiency is inversely proportional to the molecular weight of the infused material and large materials (Mw > 40,000) cannot be infused into starch granules under atmospheric pressure or HHP. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-021-00972-2.

Three New Phthalide Glycosides from the Rhizomes of Cnidium officinale and Their Recovery Effect on Damaged Otic Hair Cells in Zebrafish.

The extract from Cnidium officinale rhizomes was shown in a prior experiment to markedly recover otic hair cells in zebrafish damaged by neomycin. The current study was brought about to identify the principal metabolite. Column chromatography using octadecyl SiO2 and SiO2 was performed to isolate the major metabolites from the active fraction. The chemical structures were resolved on the basis of spectroscopic data, including NMR, IR, MS, and circular dichroism (CD) data. The isolated phthalide glycosides were assessed for their recovery effect on damaged otic hair cells in neomycin-treated zebrafish. Three new phthalide glycosides were isolated, and their chemical structures, including stereochemical characteristics, were determined. Two glycosides (0.1 µM) showed a recovery effect (p < 0.01) on otic hair cells in zebrafish affected by neomycin ototoxicity. Repeated column chromatography led to the isolation of three new phthalide glycosides, named ligusticosides C (1), D (2), and E (3). Ligusticoside C and ligusticoside E recovered damaged otic hair cells in zebrafish.

Instrumental and Sensory Characteristics of Commercial Korean Rice Noodles.

In this study, the rheological properties of several commercial rice noodle strands were investigated. In the bending test, failure stress decreased as the cooking temperature increased from 80 to 90 °C, and the cooking time increased from 3 to 4 min for higher rice content noodles (>60%). The stress-relaxation test and sensory tests were carried out with bundles of noodles to investigate correlations with the bending test. The modulus of elasticity was higher at 80 than 90 °C. However, no correlation was found between cooking temperature and the rheological properties of lower rice content noodles. In the stress relaxation test, the deviation was larger due to the empty space in the bundle. In the correlation analysis, sensory stickiness was correlated with a modulus of elasticity in the bending test. Comparing the bending and stress-relaxation tests, each instrumental variable showed differences in the rheological properties of rice noodles in strands and bundles. However, the bending test measured with noodle strands seemed to be most suitable as a method of measuring the rheological properties of rice noodles.

Aurones and Flavonols from Coreopsis lanceolata L. Flowers and Their Anti-Oxidant, Pro-Inflammatory Inhibition Effects, and Recovery Effects on Alloxan-Induced Pancreatic Islets in Zebrafish.

(1) Background: Many flavonoids have been reported to exhibit pharmacological activity; a preparatory study confirmed that Coreopsis lanceolata flowers (CLFs) contained high flavonoid structure content; (2) Methods: CLFs were extracted in aqueous methanol (MeOH:H2O = 4:1) and fractionated into acetic ester (EtOAc), normal butanol (n-BuOH), and H2O fractions. Repeated column chromatographies for two fractions led to the isolation of two aurones and two flavonols; (3) Results: Four flavonoids were identified based on a variety of spectroscopic data analyses to be leptosidin (1), leptosin (2), isoquercetin (3), and astragalin (4), respectively. This is the first report for isolation of 2-4 from CLFs. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis determined the content levels of compounds 1-4 in the MeOH extract to be 2.8 ± 0.3 mg/g (1), 17.9 ± 0.9 mg/g (2), 3.0 ± 0.2 mg/g (3), and 10.9 ± 0.9 mg/g (4), respectively. All isolated compounds showed radical scavenging activities and recovery activities in Caco-2, RAW264.7, PC-12, and HepG2 cells against reactive oxygen species. MeOH extract, EtOAc fraction, and 1-3 suppressed NO formation in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and decreased iNOS and COX-2 expression. Furthermore, all compounds recovered the pancreatic islets damaged by alloxan treatment in zebrafish; (4) Conclusions: The outcome proposes 1-4 to serve as components of CLFs in standardizing anti-oxidant, pro-inflammatory inhibition, and potential anti-diabetic agents.

Noble 3,4-Seco-triterpenoid Glycosides from the Fruits of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus and Their Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects.

Acanthopanax sessiliflorus (Araliaceae) have been reported to exhibit many pharmacological activities. Our preliminary study suggested that A. sessiliflorus fruits include many bioactive 3,4-seco-triterpenoids. A. sessiliflorus fruits were extracted in aqueous EtOH and fractionated into EtOAc, n-BuOH, and H2O fractions. Repeated column chromatographies for the organic fractions led to the isolation of 3,4-seco-triterpenoid glycosides, including new compounds. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) mass spectrometry (MS) systems were used for quantitation and quantification. BV2 and RAW264.7 cells were induced by LPS, and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators and their underlying mechanisms were measured by ELISA and Western blotting. NMR, IR, and HR-MS analyses revealed the chemical structures of the nine noble 3,4-seco-triterpenoid glycosides, acanthosessilioside G-O, and two known ones. The amounts of the compounds were 0.01-2.806 mg/g, respectively. Acanthosessilioside K, L, and M were the most effective in inhibiting NO, PGE2, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 production and reducing iNOS and COX-2 expression. In addition, it had inhibitory effects on the LPS-induced p38 and ERK MAPK phosphorylation in both BV2 and RAW264.7 cells. Nine noble 3,4-seco-triterpenoid glycosides were isolated from A. sessiliflorus fruits, and acanthosessilioside K, L, and M showed high anti-inflammatory and anti-neuroinflammatory effects.

NMR-Based Metabolomics Approach to Investigate the Effects of Fruits of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus in a High-Fat Diet Induced Mouse Model.

The prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing and is recognized as a serious health problem. To investigate metabolic changes in an obese model after administration of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus, mice were divided into four groups: normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), HFD with treatment fenofibrate, and A. sessiliflorus fruit extract. The liver tissue of mice was analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry-based metabolomics. In multivariate statistical analyses, the HFD group was discriminated from the normal diet group, and the group fed A. sessiliflorus fruit was discriminated from the HFD group. In biomarker analysis between the HFD group and the group fed A. sessiliflorus fruit, alanine, inosine, formate, pyroglutamate, taurine, and tyrosine, with AUC values of 0.7 or more, were found. The levels of these metabolites were distinguished from the HFD mouse model. Changes in these metabolites were confirmed to act on metabolic pathways related to antioxidant activity.

Effect of hydrothermal treatment on physicochemical properties of amorphous granular potato starch (AGPS).

Using restructuring technology, A- or B-type crystalline granular potato starch was produced from amorphous granular potato starch (AGPS). AGPS was prepared using ethanol-heat processing, and hydrothermal treatments were performed with different moisture contents (18, 29, 200% d.b.) and temperatures (4, 25, 40, 60, 80 °C) for 3 weeks. AGPS showed no endothermic peak in a DSC thermogram, while hydrothermally treated AGPS (HAGPS) revealed endothermic peaks. In X-ray diffraction, AGPS displayed an amorphous pattern, and HAGPS displayed A- or B-type crystalline patterns depending on treatment temperature and moisture content. Neither AGPS nor HAGPS had typical RVA pasting curves, and their viscosities gradually increased. Raman spectroscopy and FT-IR confirmed that ordered structure and crystalline regions increased in HAGPS. Resistant starch (RS) and slowly digestible starch (SDS) contents of HAGPS increased but rapidly digestible starch (RDS) content decreased compared to AGPS. These results elucidated that hydrothermal treatment could change the physicochemical properties of AGPS and produce an identical material, such as granular potato starch with A-type and B-type crystalline granular potato starch.

Metabolic Changes in Serum Metabolome of Beagle Dogs Fed Black Ginseng.

The effects of black ginseng, which has many kinds of biological activities, on dogs was investigated. Serum samples of beagle dogs, which were fed with black ginseng for 8 weeks, were measured using high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry. Acquired NMR data from the serum of dogs fed for 0, 4, and 8 weeks were analyzed by metabolic profiling and multivariate statistical analysis. In statistical analysis and biomarker analysis results of metabolite profiles, formate, glutamine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, proline, and valine had variable importance in projection (VIP) scores above 1.0 and excellent area under the curve (AUC) values of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves above 0.9. In the result of multivariate statistical analysis, the score plot showed the discrimination between before and after feeding of black ginseng. These differences in metabolic profiles are considered to be due to the involvement of metabolic processes following black ginseng administration, such as enhancing immunity and energy metabolism. Through metabolomics analysis, we confirmed the biological efficacy of black ginseng in dogs and also confirmed that metabolomics can be applied to the pet health industry.

Starch Retrogradation in Rice Cake: Influences of Sucrose Stearate and Glycerol.

Retrogradation properties and kinetics of rice cakes with the addition of glycerol (GLY) and sucrose fatty acid ester (SE) were investigated. In hardness, both rice cakes with glycerol (RGLY) and rice cakes with sucrose fatty acid ester (RSE) showed lower initial hardening compared with the control for up to 5 days. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of RSE showed a B+V-type pattern, and the relative crystallinity showed that GLY and SE lowered the initial and final crystallization of rice cake. Both GLY and SE affected the retrogradation enthalpy, glass transition temperature, and ice melting enthalpy in differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). However, 1H NMR relaxation time (T2) of rice cake decreased regardless of additives. From these results, the addition of glycerol and sucrose stearate inhibits the retrogradation process of rice cakes, which will solve industrial problems. Applying the Avrami equation for retrogradation kinetics of rice cake was suitable in XRD and DSC with high coefficient of determination (0.9 < R2). Meanwhile, the other retrogradation index improved the R2 when the exponential rise to maximum equation was used. This suggests that there is an alternative of Avrami equation to predict the retrogradation.

Coreolanceolins A-E, New Flavanones from the Flowers of Coreopsis lanceolate, and Their Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects.

(1) Background: Many flavonoids derived from natural sources have been reported to exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Our preliminary study suggested that Coreopsis lanceolata flowers (CLFs) include high flavonoid content; (2) Methods: CLFs were extracted in 80% (v/v) aqueous methanol and fractionated into ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water fractions. Repeated column chromatographies for the organic fractions led to the isolation of seven flavanones. Quantitative analysis of the flavanones was carried out using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. All flavanones were evaluated for their antioxidant and pro-inflammatory inhibition effects; (3) Results: Spectroscopic analyses revealed the chemical structure of five new flavanones, coreolanceolins A-E, and two known ones. The content of the seven flavanones in extracts were determined from 0.8 ± 0.1 to 38.8 ± 0.3 mg/g. All flavanones showed radical scavenging activities (respectively 104.3 ± 1.9 to 20.5 ± 0.3 mg vitamin C equivalents (VCE)/100 mg and 1278.6 ± 26.8 to 325.6 ± 0.2 mg VCE/100 mg) in the DPPH and 2,2'-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays and recovery activities in Caco-2 (59.7 to 41.1%), RAW264.7 (87.8 to 56.0%), and PC-12 (100.5 to 69.9%) cells against reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, all flavanones suppressed nitric oxide production (99.5% to 37.3%) and reduced iNOS and COX-2 expression in lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 cells; (4) Conclusions: Five new and two known flavanones were isolated from CLF, and most of them showed high antioxidant and pro-inflammatory inhibition effects.

Starch nanoparticles prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis and self-assembly of short-chain glucans.

Enzymatic hydrolysis and self-assembly are considered promising methods for preparation of starch nanoparticles (SNPs) because they are environmentally friendly, and time- and cost-effective. These methods are based on the self-assembly of short-chain glucans released from the α-1,6 bonds in amylopectin. Since their discovery, many studies have described the structural and physicochemical properties of self-assembled SNPs. Self-assembled SNPs can be prepared by two methods: using only the soluble portion containing the short-chain glucans, or using the whole hydrolyzate including both insoluble and soluble fractions. Although the structural and physical properties of self-assembled SNPs can be attributed to the composition of the hydrolyzates that participate in self-assembly, this aspect has not yet been discussed. This review focuses on SNPs self-assembled with only soluble short-chain glucans and addresses their characteristics, including formation mechanisms as well as structural and physicochemical properties, compared with SNPs prepared with total hydrolyzates.