In vitro screening for acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition and antimicrobial activity of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica)

BACKGROUND: Chia seeds are gaining increasing interest among food producers and consumers because of their prohealth properties. RESULTS: The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of chia seeds to act as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitors. The highest inhibitory activity against AChE and BChE was observed for colored seed ethanol extracts. A positive correlation was found between the presence of quercetin and isoquercetin as well as protocatechuic, hydroxybenzoic, and coumaric acids and the activity of extracts as AChE and BChE inhibitors. It has also been shown that grain fragmentation affects the increase in the activity of seeds against cholinesterases (ChE). Furthermore, seeds have been shown to be a source of substances that inhibit microbial growth. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that the chia seed extracts are rich in polyphenols and inhibit the activity of ChEs; therefore, their use can be considered in further research in the field of treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.

Enriching novel dark chocolate with Bacillus coagulans as a way to provide beneficial nutrients.

The aim of the present study was to develop a novel type of probiotic chocolate with the additive Bacillus coagulans bacteria and determine the concentration of polyphenols and their bioaccessibility. The manufactured chocolate possessed significantly higher concentrations of polyphenols than the control sample. The sensory profiles of the tested probiotic chocolate were similar to those of the control sample. In future, the probiotic chocolate could be regarded as a functional food product by chocolate producers.

Dissociative electron attachment to coordination complexes of chromium: chromium(0) hexacarbonyl and benzene-chromium(0) tricarbonyl.

Here we report the results of dissociative electron attachment (DEA) to gas-phase chromium(0) hexacarbonyl (Cr(CO)6) and benzene-chromium(0) tricarbonyl ((η6-C6H6)Cr(CO)3) in the energy range of 0-12 eV. Measurements have been performed utilizing an electron-molecular crossed beam setup. It was found that DEA to Cr(CO)6 results (under the given experimental conditions) in the formation of three fragment anions, namely [Cr(CO)5]-, [Cr(CO)4]-, and [Cr(CO)3]-. The predominant reaction channel is the formation of [Cr(CO)5]- due to the loss of one CO ligand from the transient negative ion. The [Cr(CO)5]- channel is visible via two overlapping resonant structures appearing in the energy range below 1.5 eV with a dominant structure peaking at around 0 eV. The peak maxima of the fragments generated by the loss of two or three CO ligands are blue-shifted and the most intense peaks within the ion yield curves appear at 1.4 eV and 4.7 eV, respectively. (η6-C6H6)Cr(CO)3 shows a very rich fragmentation pattern with decomposition leading to the formation of seven fragment anions. Three of them are generated from the cleavage of one, two or three CO ligand(s). The energy of the peak maxima of the [(C6H6)Cr(CO)2]-, [(C6H6)Cr(CO)]-, and [(C6H6)Cr]- fragments is shifted towards higher energy with respect to the position of the respective fragments generated from Cr(CO)6. This phenomenon is most likely caused by the fact that chromium-carbonyl bonds are stronger in the heteroleptic complex (η6-C6H6)Cr(CO)3 than in homoleptic Cr(CO)6. Besides, we have observed the formation of anions due to the loss of C6H6 and one or more CO units. Finally, we found that Cr-, when stripped of all ligands, is generated through a high-energy resonance, peaking at 8 eV.