Metabolic analysis of unripe papaya (Carica papaya L.) to promote its utilization as a functional food.

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries. While ripe fruit is a popular food item globally, the unripe fruit is only consumed in some Asian countries. To promote the utilization of unripe papaya based on the compositional changes of biological active metabolites, we performed liquid chromatography-Orbitrap-mass spectrometry-based analysis to reveal the comprehensive metabolite profile of the peel and pulp of unripe and ripe papaya fruits. The number of peaks annotated as phenolics and aminocarboxylic acids increased in the pulp and peel of ripe fruit, respectively. Putative carpaine derivatives, known alkaloids with cardiovascular effects, decreased, while carpamic acid derivatives increased in the peel of ripe fruit. Furthermore, the functionality of unripe fruit, the benzyl glucosinolate content, total polyphenol content, and proteolytic activity were detectable after heating and powder processing treatments, suggesting a potential utilization in powdered form as functional material.

Phytochemical Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Nigella sativa L Growing in Morocco.

BACKGROUND: Nigella sativa L (NS) is a powerful antioxidant and medicinal plant with many therapeutic applications particularly in traditional medicine for respiratory, gastrointestinal, rheumatic, and inflammatory disorders, as well as cancer. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to extract the active ingredients from the Moroccan Nigella sativa L and determine its antioxidant properties. We hypothesize that the separation of the compounds from Nigella sativa L has either a positive or negative effect on antioxidants. To study this, we explored different methods to simultaneously extract and separate compounds from Nigella sativa L and performed antioxidant tests (ß-carotene and DPPH) for all collected fractions. METHODS: Nigella sativa L was hot-extracted by Soxhlet and mother extracts and was separated using silica column chromatography with adequate eluents. Qualitative phytochemical tests to determine the chemical families in Nigella sativa L seeds were performed on the fractions. They were also identified and characterized by GC-MS and HPLC-DAD. Then, antioxidant activity was examined by ß-carotene bleaching and DPPH radical scavenger tests. Results and Conclusion. The mother extract hexane FH generated eight different fractions (SH1-8) and the acetone extract FA generated 11 fractions (SA1-11). The FH fractions had a high percentage of fatty acids, and the FA fractions had some interesting polyphenols derivative compounds. Phytochemical screening revealed secondary metabolites such as polyphenols flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, terpenes coumarins, tannins, and saponins. We found that only two solvents (hexane, acetone) of different polarities could easily extract and simultaneously separate the components of Nigella sativa L. The antioxidant fractions that we collected had close activity to reference compounds but were more active than the corresponding mother extracts. Moreover, several IC50 values of fractions from acetone extract were better than those from hexane. Therefore, the antioxidant activity of Nigella sativa L is more attributed to flavonoids and polyphenols than fatty acids. In summary, the separation of hexane extract presents a more pronounced positive effect for antioxidant tests than acetone extract.

An Overview on Dietary Polyphenols and Their Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS).

Polyphenols are natural organic compounds produced by plants, acting as antioxidants by reacting with ROS. These compounds are widely consumed in daily diet and many studies report several benefits to human health thanks to their bioavailability in humans. However, the digestion process of phenolic compounds is still not completely clear. Moreover, bioavailability is dependent on the metabolic phase of these compounds. The LogP value can be managed as a simplified measure of the lipophilicity of a substance ingested within the human body, which affects resultant absorption. The biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS), a method used to classify drugs intended for gastrointestinal absorption, correlates the solubility and permeability of the drug with both the rate and extent of oral absorption. BCS may be helpful to measure the bioactive constituents of foods, such as polyphenols, in order to understand their nutraceutical potential. There are many literature studies that focus on permeability, absorption, and bioavailability of polyphenols and their resultant metabolic byproducts, but there is still confusion about their respective LogP values and BCS classification. This review will provide an overview of the information regarding 10 dietarypolyphenols (ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, quercetin, apigenin, cirsimaritin, daidzein, resveratrol, ellagic acid, and curcumin) and their association with the BCS classification.

Polyphenolic Compounds Extracted and Purified from Buddleja Globosa Hope (Buddlejaceae) Leaves Using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents and Centrifugal Partition Chromatography.

Chemical profiling of Buddleja globosa was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization (HPLC-DAD-ESI-IT/MS) and quadrupole time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF/MS). The identification of 17 main phenolic compounds in B. globosa leaf extracts was achieved. Along with caffeoyl glucoside isomers, caffeoylshikimic acid and several verbascoside derivatives (ß-hydroxyverbascoside and ß-hydroxyisoverbascoside) were identified. Among flavonoid compounds, the presence of 6-hydroxyluteolin-7-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, apigenin 7-O-glucoside was confirmed. Campneoside I, forsythoside B, lipedoside A and forsythoside A were identified along with verbascoside, isoverbascoside, eukovoside and martynoside. The isolation of two bioactive phenolic compounds verbascoside and forsythoside B from Buddleja globosa (Buddlejaceae) was successfully achieved by centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC). Both compounds were obtained in one-step using optimized CPC methodology with the two-phase solvent system comprising ethyl acetate-n-butanol-ethanol-water (0.25:0.75:0.1:1, v/v). Additionally, eight Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADESs) were tested for the extraction of polyphenols and compared with 80% methanol. The contents of verbascoside and luteolin 7-O-glucoside after extraction with 80% methanol were 26.165 and 3.206 mg/g, respectively. Among the NADESs tested in this study, proline- citric acid (1:1) and choline chloride-1, 2- propanediol (1:2) were the most promising solvents. With these NADES, extraction yields for verbascoside and luteolin 7-O-glucoside were 51.045 and 4.387 mg/g, respectively. Taken together, the results of this study confirm that CPC enabled the fast isolation of bioactive polyphenols from B. globosa. NADESs displayed higher extraction efficiency of phenolic and therefore could be used as an ecofriendly alternative to classic organic solvents.

Comparison of the Effects of Conching Parameters on the Contents of Three Dominant Flavan3-ols, Rheological Properties and Sensory Quality in Chocolate Milk Mass Based on Liquor from Unroasted Cocoa Beans.

The content of polyphenols in chocolate depends on many factors related to the properties of raw material and manufacturing parameters. The trend toward developing chocolates made from unroasted cocoa beans encourages research in this area. In addition, modern customers attach great importance to how the food they consume benefits their bodies. One such benefit that consumers value is the preservation of natural antioxidant compounds in food products (e.g., polyphenols). Therefore, in our study we attempted to determine the relationship between variable parameters at the conching stage (i.e., temperature and time of) and the content of dominant polyphenols (i.e.,catechins, epicatechins, and procyanidin B2) in chocolate milk mass (CMM) obtained from unroasted cocoa beans. Increasing the conching temperature from 50 to 60 °C decreased the content of three basic flavan-3-ols. The highest number of these compounds was determined when the process was carried out at 50 °C. However, the time that caused the least degradation of these compounds differed. For catechin, it was 2 h; for epicatechin it was 1 h; and for procyanidin it was 3 h. The influence of both the temperature and conching time on the rheological properties of chocolate milk mass was demonstrated. At 50 °C, the viscosity and the yield stress of the conched mass showed its highest value.

Influence of Abiotic Stress Factors on the Antioxidant Properties and Polyphenols Profile Composition of Green Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).

The influence of stress factors on the plant can, on the one hand, lead to worse functioning of the plant and loss of its crop, but on the other, it can have a positive effect on the metabolism of compounds with documented biological activity. In this study, the effect of light and drought intensity on photosynthetic activity and physiological status of two barley varieties, as well as the antimicrobial, antioxidant properties and profile of polyphenolic compounds of green barley were analysed. It was shown that under the conditions of water shortage, the KWS Olof variety showed a smaller decrease in CO2 assimilation and transpiration and higher values of these parameters at both light intensities. Only in the KWS Olof variety increased stress as a result of increased light intensity. It has also been shown that both the intensity of radiation and drought-related stress have a significant impact on the profile of polyphenolic compounds from green barley, without a simple relationship between the impact of stress factors on the content of polyphenols. Changes in the profile of polyphenolic compounds augmented the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the material. This, in turn, proposes the possibility of reducing the applied doses of herbal material thanks to a greater content of active substances in extracts obtained from the plants used to produce medicinal preparations.

Effect of Different Durations of Solid-Phase Fermentation for Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub) Leaves on the Content of Polyphenols and Antioxidant Activity In Vitro.

Fireweed has recently been recognized as a plant with high antioxidant potential and phenolic content. Its leaves can be fermented to prepare an infusion with ideal antioxidant activity. The aim of this study was to investigate and to determine the influence of solid-phase fermentation of different durations on the variation of polyphenols in the leaves of fireweed. Laboratory experiments were conducted in 2017-2018. The leaves of fireweed, naturally growing, were fermented for different periods of time: not fermented (control) and fermented for 24 and 48 h. The evaluation of polyphenols and antioxidant activity in leaves was performed using high- performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Additionally, principal component analysis was used to characterize differences in bioactive compounds between fireweed samples fermented at different durations. Solid-phase fermented leaves were characterized by higher contents of oenothein B, quercetin and benzoic acid but had lower contents of quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, luteolin and chlorogenic and gallic acids. Antioxidant activity in short- (24 h) and long-term (48 h) fermentation (compared to control) gave the highest level of regression in 2017, but in 2018 the effect was observed only with short-term fermentation and control. In conclusion, solid-phase fermentation can be used to modulate biologically active compounds in fireweed leaves.

Comparison of the Polyphenolic Profile of Medicago sativa L. and Trifolium pratense L. Sprouts in Different Germination Stages Using the UHPLC-Q Exactive Hybrid Quadrupole Orbitrap High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Identification and quantification of polyphenols in plant material are of great interest since they make a significant contribution to its total bioactivity. In the present study, an UPLC-Orbitrap-MS/MS approach using the variable data acquisition mode (vDIA) was developed and applied for rapid separation, identification, and quantification of the main polyphenolic compounds in Medicago sativa L. and Trifolium pratense L. sprouts in different germination stages. Based on accurate MS data and fragment ions identification strategy, a total of 29 compounds were identified by comparing their accurate masses, fragment ions, retention times, and literatures. Additionally, a number of 30 compounds were quantified by comparing to the reference standards. Data were statistically analysed. For both plant species, the sprouts of the third germination day are valuable sources of bioactive compounds and could be used in phytotherapy and nutrition. Although Trifolium pratense L. (Red Clover) is considered to be a reference for natural remedies in relieving menopause disorders, alfalfa also showed a high level of biological active compounds with estrogenic activity.

Potential Application of Hippophae Rhamnoides in Wheat Bread Production.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berries are well known for their content in bioactive compounds, high acidity, bright yellow color, pleasant taste and odor, thus their addition in a basic food such as bread could be an opportunity for modern food producers. The aim of the present research was to investigate the characteristics and the effects of the berry' flour added in wheat bread (in concentration of 1%, 3% and 5%) on sensory, physicochemical and antioxidant properties, and also bread shelf life. Berry flour contained total polyphenols-1467 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g, of which flavonoids-555 mg GAE/100 g, cinnamic acids-425 mg caffeic acid equivalents (CAE)/100 g, flavonols-668 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/100 g. The main identified phenolics were catechin, hyperoside, chlorogenic acid, cis- and trans-resveratrol, ferulic and protocatechuic acids, procyanidins B1 and B2, epicatechin, gallic acid, quercetin, p- and m-hydroxybenzoic acids. The antioxidant activity was 7.64 mmol TE/100 g, and carotenoids content 34.93 ± 1.3 mg/100 g. The addition of berry flour increased the antioxidant activity of bread and the shelf life up to 120 h by inhibiting the development of rope spoilage. The obtained results recommend the addition of 1% Hippophae rhamnoides berry flour in wheat bread, in order to obtain a product enriched in health-promoting biomolecules, with better sensorial and antioxidant properties and longer shelf life.

Total polyphenol intake, polyphenol subtypes and incidence of cardiovascular disease: The SUN cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Polyphenol-rich diets have been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, few prospective epidemiological studies have examined the relationship between classes of ingested polyphenols and risk of CVD. Our aim was to evaluate the association between polyphenol intake and risk of major cardiovascular events in a prospective Spanish cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 17,065 university graduates (60.7% women, mean age: 37.2 years, age range: 20-89) followed-up for a mean of 10.1 years. Polyphenol intake was assessed at baseline using a validated semi-quantitative 136-item food frequency questionnaire and matching food consumption data with the Phenol-Explorer database. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for incident cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke or cardiovascular death). Cherries, chocolate, coffee, apples, and olives were the major sources of variability in polyphenol intake. Participants with higher flavonoids intake (fifth quintile) had a 47% lower incidence of cardiovascular events compared to those in the lowest quintile (HR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.29-0.98; P for trend = 0.09) after adjusting for potential confounders. The results were non-significant for other polyphenol types. CONCLUSION: The intake of flavonoids showed an inverse association with risk of cardiovascular events in a prospective cohort of Spanish middle-aged adult university graduates. REGISTRATION NUMBER FOR CLINICAL TRIALS: NCT02669602 in Clinical Trials.

Harvesting at the Right Time: Maturity and Its Effects on the Aromatic Characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon Wine.

The aim of this paper was to investigate how maturity affects the aroma characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon wine. A series of four Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon wines were produced from grapes of different harvest dates. The berries of sequential harvest treatments showed an increase in total soluble solids and anthocyanin and a decrease in titratable acidity. Berry shriveling was observed as berry weight decreased. In the wines, anthocyanin, dry extract, alcoholic strength, and pH were enhanced with the sequential harvest, whereas polyphenol and tannin were decreased. The concentrations of volatile compounds in sequential harvests were found to be at higher levels. Isopentanol, phenylethyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate, benzaldehyde, citronellol, and linalool significantly increased when harvest was delayed by one or two weeks. Through a principal component analysis, the volatile compounds and phenols characterizing each harvest date were clearly differentiated. These results suggest that sequential harvest may be an optional strategy for winemakers to produce high-quality wine.

[Polyphenolic compounds of the stilbenoid class: classification, representatives, content in plant raw materials, structural features, use in the food industry and pharmacy].

Nowadays, more than 300 representatives of stilbenoids are known - a group of natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic biologic active substances, according to the chemical structure belonging to the group of polyphenolic compounds - phenylpropanoids. Representatives of this group of compounds can be detected in such classes of plants as gymnosperms, angiosperms, bryophytes and pteridophyte. The main food sources are the fruits of grapes, blueberries, blueberries, peanuts, cocoa. The history of their detection is associated with the discovery of the protective functions of plants in response to the action of external stimuli. Further study revealed pronounced antioxidant properties. The mechanism of development of many diseases is associated with the processes of oxidation of free radicals, which can be interrupted by the effect of antioxidants. Possible mechanisms of antioxidant action of stilbenoids and their effect on diseases caused by excessive amounts of free radicals have been studied. Stilbenoids increase the tone and stability of the body to stress factors of the environment, improve the adaptive capacity of the nervous and immune systems, show antitumor, cardio-protective and lipid-lowering activities, inhibit lipid peroxidation. In this regard specialized products, food supplements and drugs containing stilbenoids have been developed. However, representatives of this group of compounds have low consumer properties, are sensitive to environmental factors and have low solubility and absorption. Therefore, solutions of these problems are important when developing new foods and drugs. Nowadays, auxiliary substances (solubilizers) are used, as well as such technological methods as microencapsulation, coacervation, polymerization, and others that can cope with problems of instability, poor solubility, low bioavailability, and unsatisfactory consumer qualities, which improve the effect of stilbenoids on the organism.

Nutraceutical potentialities of Tunisian Argan oil based on its physicochemical properties and fatty acid content as assessed through Bayesian network analyses.

BACKGROUND: Argan oil is traditionally produced by cold pressing in South-western Morocco where rural population uses it as edible oil as well as for its therapeutic properties which give them in counterpart valuable income. Given the economical interest of this oil, several attempts of fraudulency have been registered in the world global market leading to loss of authenticity. Our purpose is to launch a program of Tunisian Argan oil valorization since trees from this species have been introduced sixty years ago in Tunisia. The first step was thus to characterize the physicochemical properties and determine the chemical composition of Tunisian Argan oil in order to assess its quality. METHODS: Physicochemical parameters of oil quality were determined according to the international standard protocols. Fatty acid content analysis of Argan oils was performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrophotometry. A comparative study was realized among Tunisian, Moroccan and Algerian samples differing also by their extraction procedure. The impact of geographical localisation on the fatty acids composition was studied by statistical and modeling Bayesian analyses. RESULTS: Physicochemical parameters analysis showed interestingly that Tunisian Argan oil could be classified as extra virgin oil. Argan oil is mainly composed by unsaturated fatty acids (80%), mainly oleic and linoleic acid (linoleic acid was positively influenced by the geographical localization (r = 0.899, p = 0.038) and the P/S index (r = 0.987, p = 0.002)) followed by saturated fatty acids (20%) with other beneficial compounds from the unsaponifiable fraction like polyphenols and carotenoids. Together with fatty acid content, these minor components are likely to be responsible for its nutraceutical properties and beneficial effects. CONCLUSION: Tunisian Argan oil displayed valuable qualitative parameters proving its competitiveness in comparison with Moroccan and Algerian oils, and could be therefore considered as extra virgin edible oil for nutraceutical purposes as well as for cosmetic use.

HTS-FTIR spectroscopy allows the classification of polyphenols according to their differential effects on the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line.

Breast cancer is a major public health issue among women in the world. Meanwhile new anticancer treatments struggle more and more to be accepted in the pharmaceutical market and research costs still increase. There is therefore a need to find new treatments and new screening methods to test them more quickly and efficiently. Among natural compounds, an increasing interest has been given to polyphenols as they can take action at the different stages of carcinogenesis, from tumour initiation to metastasis formation, by disturbing multiple cellular signalling pathways. They constitute one of the largest groups of plant metabolites and more than 8000 compounds have already been identified based on their chemical structure. Traditionally in pharmacology, new anticancer drugs are first evaluated for their potential to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cell lines. Numerous potential drugs are discarded at this stage even though they could show interesting modes of action. In turn, there is an increasing demand for more systemic approaches in order to obtain a global and accurate insight into the biochemical processes mediated by drugs. Recently, FTIR spectroscopy was demonstrated to be an innovative tool to obtain a unique fingerprint of the effects of anticancer drugs on cells in culture. While this spectral technique appears to have a definite potential to sort drugs according to their spectral fingerprints, characteristic of the metabolic modifications induced, the present challenge remains to evaluate the drug-induced spectral changes in cancer cells on a larger scale. This article presents the results obtained for a 24 h-exposure of the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 to 15 compounds belonging to different classes of polyphenols using FTIR spectroscopy connected to a high throughput screening extension. Through unsupervised and supervised statistical analyses (PCA, MANOVA, Student's t-tests and HCA), a distinction between polyphenol treatments and controls could be well established.

Evaluation of the Antidiabetic Activity and Chemical Composition of Geranium collinum Root Extracts-Computational and Experimental Investigations.

The root of Geranium collinum Steph is known in Tajik traditional medicine for its hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory therapeutic effects. The present study was conducted to evaluate of potential antidiabetic, antioxidant activities, total polyphenolic and flavonoid content from the different extracts (aqueous, aqueous-ethanolic) and individual compounds isolated of the root parts of G. collinum. The 50% aqueous-ethanolic extract possesses potent antidiabetic activity, with IC50 values of 0.10 µg/mL and 0.09 µg/mL for the enzymes protein-tyrosine phosphatase (1B PTP-1B) and α-glucosidase, respectively. Phytochemical investigations of the 50% aqueous-ethanolic extract of G. collinum, led to the isolation of ten pure compounds identified as 3,3',4,4'-tetra-O-methylellagic acid (1), 3,3'-di-O-methylellagic acid (2), quercetin (3), caffeic acid (4), (+)-catechin (5), (-)-epicatechin (6), (-)-epigallocatechin (7), gallic acid (8), ß-sitosterol-3-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (9), and corilagin (10). Their structures were determined based on 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectrometric analyses. Three isolated compounds exhibited strong inhibitory activity against PTP-1B, with IC50 values below 0.9 µg/mL, more effective than the positive control (1.46 µg/mL). Molecular docking analysis suggests polyphenolic compounds such as corilagin, catechin and caffeic acid inhibit PTP-1B and ß-sitosterol-3-O-ß-d-gluco-pyranoside inhibits α-glucosidase. The experimental results suggest that the biological activity of G. collinum is related to its polyphenol contents. The results are also in agreement with computational investigations. Furthermore, the potent antidiabetic activity of the 50% aqueous-ethanolic extract from G. collinum shows promise for its future application in medicine. To the best of our knowledge, we hereby report, for the first time, the antidiabetic activity of G. collinum.

Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Seven Saskatoon Berry (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) Genotypes Grown in Poland.

The basic chemical composition, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity of fruits of three new Polish breeding clones (No. 5/6, type S, and type N) and four Canadian cultivars (cvs.) ("Martin", "Smoky", "Pembina", and "Honeywood") grown in Poland in 2016 were investigated. Fruits were analyzed for their contents of triterpenoids, carotenoids, chlorophylls, and polyphenolics with the ultra-performance liquid chromatography photodiode detector-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-Q/TOF-MS) method, sugar with the high-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD) method, and antioxidant capacity with the ability to reduce free radical (ABTS) and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) method. Thirty-eight bioactive compounds, including twenty-eight polyphenolic compounds (four anthocyanins, nine phenolic acids, nine flavonols, and seven flavan-3-ols), four carotenoids, two chlorophylls, and three triterpenoids were identified in the fruits. The fruits of the tested Saskatoon berry genotypes were found to be rich in phenolic compounds (3773.94-6390.36 mg/100 g·dm), triterpenoids (66.55-91.31 mg/kg·dm), and carotenoids (478.62-561.57 mg/kg·dm), with high ABTS and FRAP capacity (10.38-34.49 and 9.66-25.34 mmol·Trolox/100 g·dm, respectively). Additionally, the berries of these genotypes seemed to be a good source of sugar (9.02-19.69 g/100 g), pectins (0.67%-1.33%), and ash (0.59%-0.67%). Some genotypes of Saskatoon berry, especially the clones type S, type N, and cvs. "Honeywood" and "Smoky", may be selected for their potential applications in commercial cultivation to produce fruits with valuable health-promoting nutritional effects on human health. Additionally, three new genotypes that may offer new functional materials can be recommended for fruit growers.

Dietary intake of 20 polyphenol subclasses in a cohort of UK women.

BACKGROUND: Establishing and linking the proposed health benefits of dietary polyphenols to their consumption requires measurement of polyphenol intake in appropriate samples and an understanding of factors that influence their intake in the general population. METHODS: This study examined polyphenol intake estimated from 3- and 7-day food diaries in a sample of 246 UK women aged 18-50 years. Estimation of the intake of 20 polyphenol subclasses commonly present in foods consumed by the sample studied was done using Phenol-Explorer(®) and USDA polyphenol databases. Women were participants in the Leeds Women's Wellbeing Study (LWW) (n = 143), a dietary intervention study aimed at overweight women (mean age 37.2 ± 9.4 years; mean BMI 30.8 ± 3.1 kg/m(2)), and the Diet and Health Study (DH) (n = 103) which aimed to examine the relationship between polyphenol intake and cognitive function (mean age 25.0 ± 9.0 years; mean BMI 24.5 ± 4.6 kg/m(2)). RESULTS: The estimated intake of polyphenol subclasses was significantly different between the two samples (p < 0.01) with consumption of 1292 ± 844 and 808 ± 680 mg/day for the LWW and DH groups, respectively. Flavanols and hydroxycinnamic acids were the most important contributors to the polyphenols consumed by both groups, owing to tea and coffee consumption. Other major polyphenol food sources included fruits, vegetables and processed foods. CONCLUSION: Older women consumed more polyphenol-containing foods and beverages, which was due to the higher coffee and tea consumption amongst the LWW participants.

Discovery of pentangular polyphenols hexaricins A-C from marine Streptosporangium sp. CGMCC 4.7309 by genome mining.

Many novel microbial nature products were discovered from Actinobacteria by genome mining methods. However, only a few number of genome mining works were carried out in rare actinomycetes. An important reason precluding the genome mining efforts in rare actinomycetes is that most of them are recalcitrant to genetic manipulation. Herein, we chose the rare marine actinomycete Streptosporangium sp. CGMCC 4.7309 to explore its secondary metabolite diversity by genome mining. The genetic manipulation method has never been established for Streptosporangium strains. At first, we set up the genetic system of Streptosporangium sp. CGMCC 4.7309 unprecedentedly. The draft genome sequencing of Streptosporangium sp. CGMCC 4.7309 revealed that it contains more than 20 cryptic secondary metabolite biosynthetic clusters. A type II polyketide synthases-containing cluster (the hex cluster) was predicted to encode compounds with a pentangular polyphenol scaffold by in silico analysis. The products of the hex cluster were uncovered by comparing the metabolic profile of Streptosporangium sp. CGMCC 4.7309 with that of the hex30 inactivated mutant, in which a key ketoreductase gene was disrupted. Finally, three pentangular polyphenols were isolated and named as hexaricins A (1), B (2), and C (3). The inconsistency of the stereochemistry of C-15 in hexaricins A, B, and C indicates a branch point in their biosynthesis. Finally, the biosynthetic pathway of the hexaricins was proposed based on bioinformatics analysis.

Polyphenols: Extraction Methods, Antioxidative Action, Bioavailability and Anticarcinogenic Effects.

Being secondary plant metabolites, polyphenols represent a large and diverse group of substances abundantly present in a majority of fruits, herbs and vegetables. The current contribution is focused on their bioavailability, antioxidative and anticarcinogenic properties. An overview of extraction methods is also given, with supercritical fluid extraction highlighted as a promising eco-friendly alternative providing exceptional separation and protection from degradation of unstable polyphenols. The protective role of polyphenols against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, UV light, plant pathogens, parasites and predators results in several beneficial biological activities giving rise to prophylaxis or possibly even to a cure for several prevailing human diseases, especially various cancer types. Omnipresence, specificity of the response and the absence of or low toxicity are crucial advantages of polyphenols as anticancer agents. The main problem represents their low bioavailability and rapid metabolism. One of the promising solutions lies in nanoformulation of polyphenols that prevents their degradation and thus enables significantly higher concentrations to reach the target cells. Another, more practiced, solution is the use of mixtures of various polyphenols that bring synergistic effects, resulting in lowering of the required therapeutic dose and in multitargeted action. The combination of polyphenols with existing drugs and therapies also shows promising results and significantly reduces their toxicity.

Evaluation of phenolic profile, antioxidant and anticancer potential of two main representants of Zingiberaceae family against B164A5 murine melanoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Curcuma longa Linnaeus and Zingiber officinale Roscoe are two main representatives of Zingiberaceae family studied for a wide range of therapeutic properties, including: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, antibacterial, analgesic, immunomodulatory, proapoptotic, anti-human immunodeficiency virus properties and anticancer effects. This study was aimed to analyse the ethanolic extracts of Curcuma rhizome (Curcuma longa Linnaeus) and Zingiber rhizome (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) in terms of polyphenols, antioxidant activity and anti-melanoma potential employing the B164A5 murine melanoma cell line. RESULTS: In order to evaluate the total content of polyphenols we used Folin-Ciocâlteu method. The antioxidant activity of the two ethanolic extracts was determined by DPPH assay, and for the control of antiproliferative effect it was used MTT proliferation assay, DAPI staining and Annexin-FITC-7AAD double staining test. Results showed increased polyphenols amount and antioxidant activity for Curcuma rhizome ethanolic extract. Moreover, 100 µg/ml of ethanolic plant extract from both vegetal products presented in a different manner an antiproliferative, respectively a proapoptotic effect on the selected cell line. CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes that Curcuma rhizome may be a promising natural source for active compounds against malignant melanoma.