Physicochemical Characterization, Antioxidant and Anticancer Activity Evaluation of an Acidic Polysaccharide from Alpinia officinarum Hance.

AHP-3a, a triple-helix acidic polysaccharide isolated from Alpinia officinarum Hance, was evaluated for its anticancer and antioxidant activities. The physicochemical properties and structure of AHP-3a were investigated through gel permeation chromatography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The weight-average molecular weight of AHP-3a was 484 kDa, with the molar percentages of GalA, Gal, Ara, Xyl, Rha, Glc, GlcA, and Fuc being 35.4%, 21.4%, 16.9%, 11.8%, 8.9%, 3.1%, 2.0%, and 0.5%, respectively. Based on the results of the monosaccharide composition analysis, methylation analysis, and NMR spectroscopy, the main chain of AHP-3a was presumed to consist of (1→4)-α-D-GalpA and (1→2)-α-L-Rhap residues, which is a pectic polysaccharide with homogalacturonan (HG) and rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) structural domains containing side chains. In addition, the results of the antioxidant activity assay revealed that the ability of AHP-3a to scavenge DPPH, ABTS, and OH free radicals increased with an increase in its concentration. Moreover, according to the results from the EdU, wound healing, and Transwell assays, AHP-3a can control the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HepG2 and Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells without causing any damage to healthy cells. Thus, AHP-3a may be a natural antioxidant and anticancer component.

Remote Stereoelectronic Effects in Pyrrolidone- and Caprolactam-Substituted Phenols: Discrepancies in Antioxidant Properties Evaluated by Electrochemical Oxidation and H-Atom Transfer Reactivity.

New antioxidants are commonly evaluated via two main approaches, i.e., the ability to donate an electron and the ability to intercept free radicals. We compared these approaches by evaluating the properties of 11 compounds containing both antioxidant moieties (mono- and polyphenols) and auxiliary pharmacophores (pyrrolidone and caprolactam). Several common antioxidants, such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), 2,3,5-trimethylphenol (TMP), quercetin, and dihydroquercetin, were added for comparison. The antioxidant properties of these compounds were determined by their rates of reaction with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and their oxidation potentials from cyclic voltammetry. Although these methods test different chemical properties, their results correlate reasonably well. However, several exceptions exist where the two methods give opposite predictions! One of them is the different behavior of mono- and polyphenols: polyphenols can react with DPPH more than an order of magnitude faster than monophenols of a similar oxidation potential. The second exception stems from the size of a "bystander" lactam ring at the benzylic position. Although the phenols with a seven-membered lactam ring are harder to oxidize, the sterically nonhindered compounds react with DPPH about 2× faster than the analogous five-membered lactams. The limitations of computational methods, especially those based on a single parameter, are also evaluated and discussed.

Characterization of Antioxidant Activity of Heated Mycosporine-like Amino Acids from Red Alga Dulse Palmaria palmata in Japan.

We recently demonstrated the monthly variation and antioxidant activity of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) from red alga dulse in Japan. The antioxidant activity of MAAs in acidic conditions was low compared to that in neutral and alkali conditions, but we found strong antioxidant activity from the heated crude MAA fraction in acidic conditions. In this study, we identified and characterized the key compounds involved in the antioxidant activity of this fraction. We first isolated two MAAs, palythine, and porphyra-334, from the fraction and evaluated the activities of the two MAAs when heated. MAAs possess absorption maxima at around 330 nm, while the heated MAAs lost this absorption. The heated MAAs showed a high ABTS radical scavenging activity at pH 5.8-8.0. We then determined the structure of heated palythine via ESI-MS and NMR analyses and speculated about the putative antioxidant mechanism. Finally, a suitable production condition of the heated compounds was determined at 120 °C for 30 min at pH 8.0. We revealed compounds from red algae with antioxidant activities at a wide range of pH values, and this information will be useful for the functional processing of food.

The Biochemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Fucus vesiculosus from the Arctic Region.

Fucus vesiculosus is one of the most prominent brown algae in the shallow waters of the seas of the Arctic region (Barents (BS), White (WS), Norwegian (NS), and Irminger (IS)). The aim of this study was to determine the biochemical composition of F. vesiculosus from the Arctic at different reproductive phases, and to evaluate the antioxidant properties of F. vesiculosus extracts. The amounts of monosaccharides, phlorotannins, flavonoids, and ash and the mineral composition significantly varied in the algae. A strong correlation was established between monosaccharide, phlorotannin, and flavonoid accumulation and water salinity (Pearson's correlation coefficients r = −0.58, 0.83, and 0.44, respectively; p < 0.05). We noted a negative correlation between the antioxidant activity and the amount of the structural monosaccharides of fucoidan (r = −0.64). A positive correlation of phlorotannins and flavonoids with antioxidant power was confirmed for all samples. The ash accumulation was relatively lower in the sterile phase for the algae from the BS and WS. The correlation between the Metal Pollution Index (MPI) and the reproductive phases was medium with high fluctuation. Meanwhile, the MPI strongly correlated with the salinity and sampling site. The gradient of the MPI values across the sea was in the following ranking order: BS < WS < NS < IS. Taken together, and based on our data on the elemental contents of F. vesiculosus, we believe that this alga does not accumulate toxic doses of elements. Therefore, the Arctic F. vesiculosus could be safely used in food and drug development as a source of active biochemical compounds and as a source of dietary elements to cover the daily nutritional requirements of humans.

Evaluation of the Preservation and Digestion of Seal Meat Processed with Heating and Antioxidant Seal Meat Hydrolysates.

Seal meat is of high nutritive value but is not highly exploited for human food due to ethical issues, undesirable flavors, and loss of nutrients during the processing/cooking step. In this work, commercially available processed seal meat was treated with its hydrolysates as preservatives with the aim of improving nutrient bioavailability. The contents of the nutrients were analyzed after digestion using a simulated dynamic digestion model, and the effects of different processing conditions, i.e., low-temperature processing and storage (25 °C) and high-temperature cooking (100 °C), of seal meat were investigated. Hydrolysates with antioxidant activity decreased the amounts of the less desirable Fe3+ ions in the seal meat digests. After treatment with hydrolysates at room temperature, a much higher total Fe content of 781.99 mg/kg was observed compared to other treatment conditions. The release of amino acids increased with temperature and was 520.54 mg/g for the hydrolysate-treated sample versus 413.12 mg/g for the control seal meat sample treated in buffer. Overall, this study provides useful data on the potential use of seal meat as a food product with high nutritive value and seal meat hydrolysates with antioxidant activity as preservatives to control oxidation in food.

Total Phenolic Levels, In Vitro Antioxidant Properties, and Fatty Acid Profile of Two Microalgae, Tetraselmis marina Strain IMA043 and Naviculoid Diatom Strain IMA053, Isolated from the North Adriatic Sea.

This work studied the potential biotechnological applications of a naviculoid diatom (IMA053) and a green microalga (Tetraselmis marina IMA043) isolated from the North Adriatic Sea. Water, methanol, and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts were prepared from microalgae biomass and evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC) and in vitro antioxidant properties. Biomass was profiled for fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) composition. The DCM extracts had the highest levels of total phenolics, with values of 40.58 and 86.14 mg GAE/g dry weight (DW in IMA053 and IMA043, respectively). The DCM extracts had a higher radical scavenging activity (RSA) than the water and methanol ones, especially those from IMA043, with RSAs of 99.65% toward 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)diammonium salt (ABTS) at 10 mg/mL, and of 103.43% against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) at 5 mg/mL. The DCM extract of IMA053 displayed relevant copper chelating properties (67.48% at 10 mg/mL), while the highest iron chelating activity was observed in the water extract of the same species (92.05% at 10 mg/mL). Both strains presented a high proportion of saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids. The results suggested that these microalgae could be further explored as sources of natural antioxidants for the pharmaceutical and food industry and as feedstock for biofuel production.

Antioxidant, Antimicrobial Activities and Characterization of Polyphenol-Enriched Extract of Egyptian Celery (Apium graveolens L., Apiaceae) Aerial Parts via UPLC/ESI/TOF-MS.

Medicinal plant extracts are increasingly considered a major source of innovative medications and healthcare products. This study focused on preparing a polyphenol enriched water extract of Egyptian celery "Apium graveolens L., Apiaceae" aerial parts (TAE) in an endeavor to accentuate its antioxidant capacity as well as its antimicrobial activity. (TAE) of celery was partitioned against different organic solvents to yield dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EAC), and butanol (BUOH) fractions. (TAE) and the organic fractions thereof besides the remaining mother liquor (ML) were all screened for their antioxidant capacity using various protocols viz. monitoring the reducing amplitudes for ferric ions (FRAP), and radical scavenging potentials of oxygen (ORAC), 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and metal chelation assays. The examination procedure revealed both (TAE) extract and (DCM) fraction, to pertain the highest antioxidant potentials, where the IC50 of the (TAE) using ABTS and metal chelation assays were ca. 34.52 ± 3.25 and 246.6 ± 5.78 µg/mL, respectively. The (DCM) fraction recorded effective results using the FRAP, ORAC, and DPPH assays ca. 233.47 ± 15.14 and 1076 ± 25.73 µM Trolox equivalents/mg sample and an IC50 474.4 ± 19.8 µg/mL, respectively. Additionally, both (TAE) and (DCM) fraction exerted antimicrobial activities recording inhibition zones (mm) (13.4 ± 1.5) and (12.0 ± 1.0) against Staphylococcus aureus and (11.0 ± 1.2) and (10.0 ± 1.3) against Escherichia coli, respectively, with no anti-fungal activity. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of (TAE) and (DCM) fraction were 1250 and 2500 µg/mL, respectively. UPLC/ESI/TOF-MS unveiled the chemical profile of both (TAE) and (DCM) fraction to encompass a myriad of active polyphenolic constituents including phenylpropanoids, coumarins, apigenin, luteolin, and chrysoeriol conjugates.

Preparation and characterization of feruloylated oat ß-glucan with antioxidant activity and colon-targeted delivery.

Ferulic acid (FA) is an effective chemopreventive and therapeutic agent for colorectal cancer. However, FA cannot stably reach the colon through human digestive system, and it can be grafted into oligosaccharides to improve its digestion stability. Therefore, in this study, different degrees of substitution of feruloylated oat ß-glucan (FA-OßG) were prepared by grafting FA onto water soluble oat ß-glucan. FA grafting changed the crystallinity and surface morphology of OßG, and the thermal stability of the FA-OßG improved. As the DS increased, the antioxidant activity of FA-OßG increased, and FA-OßG III with DS of 0.184 showed the same antioxidant activities compared to the equal amount of free FA. The FA-OßG showed higher stability under gastrointestinal and colonic conditions than free FA. Furthermore, the FA-OßG conjugates exhibited good in vitro anticancer activity against human colorectal cancer cells, while FA-OßG III showed better anticancer activity than an equal amount of free FA.

Comprehensive profiling of bioactive compounds in germinated black soybeans via UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and their anti-Alzheimer's activity.

Black soybeans contain several bioactive compounds and commonly consumed due to their health-related activities but rarely cultivated as edible sprouts. The present study investigated the changes that occurred during germination in two new genotypes black soybeans. Raw and germinated seeds were tested against in vitro Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers, including oxidative stress, inflammatory factors and cholinesterase enzymes as well as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels. Sprouts significantly inhibited the cholinesterase enzymes and inflammatory factors (protein denaturation, proteinase and lipoxygenase) than seeds. An increase in phenolic, flavonoid and GABA (10-folds) content and antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP) was observed in germinated seeds. However, anthocyanin content was decreased in sprouts. UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS2 metabolites profiling approach identified 22 compounds including amino acids, peptides, fatty acids, and polyphenols. Among identified compounds, daidzein, genistein, gallic acid, spermidine, L-asparagine, and L-lysine exhibited the highest increase after germination. The current study reveals that germination of black soybeans have promising potential to inhibit/prevent AD and can be used to develop functional foods.

Green Biosynthesis, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Anticancer Activities of Silver Nanoparticles of Luffa acutangula Leaf Extract.

Studies on green biosynthesis of newly engineered nanoparticles for their prominent medicinal applications are being the torch-bearing concerns of the state-of-the-art research strategies. In this concern, we have engineered the biosynthesized Luffa acutangula silver nanoparticles of flavonoid O-glycosides in the anisotropic form isolated from aqueous leave extracts of Luffa acutangula, a popular traditional and ayurvedic plant in south-east Asian countries. These were structurally confirmed by Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy accessed with attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) spectral analyses followed by the scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and the X-ray diffraction (XRD) crystallographic studies and found them with the face-centered cubic (fcc) structure. Medicinally, we have explored their significant antioxidant (DPPH and ABTS assays), antibacterial (disc diffusion assay on E. coli, S. aureus, B. subtilis, S. fecilis, and S. boydii), and anticancer (MTT assay on MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, U87, and DBTRG cell lines) potentialities which augmented the present investigation. The molecular docking analysis of title compounds against 3NM8 (DPPH) and 1DNU (ABTS) proteins for antioxidant activity; 5FGK (Gram-Positive Bacteria) and 1AB4 (Gram-Negative Bacteria) proteins for antibacterial activity; and 4GBD (MCF-7), 5FI2 (MDA-MB-231), 1D5R (U87), and 5TIJ (DBTRG) proteins for anticancer activity has affirmed the promising ligand-protein binding interactions among the hydroxy groups of the title compounds and aspartic acid of the concerned enzymatic proteins. The binding energy varying from -9.1645 to -7.7955 for Cosmosioside (1, Apigenin-7-glucoside) and from -9.2690 to -7.8306 for Cynaroside (2, Luteolin-7-glucoside) implies the isolated compounds as potential bioactive compounds. In addition, the performed studies like QSAR, ADMET, bioactivity properties, drug scores, and toxicity risks confirmed them as potential drug candidates and aspartic acid receptor antagonists. This research auxiliary augmented the existing array of phytological nanomedicines with new drug candidates that are credible with multiple bioactivities.

The enrichment of honey with Aronia melanocarpa fruits enhances its in vitro and in vivo antioxidant potential and intensifies its antibacterial and antiviral properties.

The effect of adding the chokeberry fruit additive to rape honey was studied with regard to the physicochemical properties and biological activity. Two samples of dried powdered fruits were used to enrich the honey (1 and 4% v/v) during creaming. The obtained products were characterized in terms of sugar content, acidity, conductivity, total phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents and HPTLC polyphenol profiles. The antioxidant properties of enriched honeys were studied in vitro (FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS) and in vivo using a S. cerevisiae model. The inhibitory effect against 5 bacterial strains and coronavirus surrogate bacteriophage phi6 was tested. The addition of chokeberry significantly modified the physicochemical properties of honey and enhanced its antioxidant potential (from 3 to 15 times). Using HPTLC analysis, the occurrence of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and anthocyanins in chokeberry enriched honey was determined. The modified honey protected yeast cells against H2O2-induced oxidative stress when used as a pretreatment agent. All tested bacteria were susceptible to enriched honey in a dose-dependent manner. The antiviral potential of enriched honey against the model bacteriophage was discovered for the first time. In terms of numerous health benefits determined, honey enriched with Aronia melanocarpa fruits can be considered as an interesting novel functional food, which may increase the consumption of chokeberry superfruits.

Anticancer, Enhanced Antibacterial, and Free Radical Scavenging Potential of Fucoidan- (Fucus vesiculosus Source) Mediated Silver Nanoparticles.

The present research displays the green synthesis of stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The aqueous solution of Fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus source (brown marine algae) is used as a reducing and capping agent. UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, FT-IR, SEM, EDX, and TEM with selected area electron diffraction are used to characterize the synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The synthesized AgNPs exhibit a surface plasmon resonance at 430 nm after 24 h. The characterization results showed that AgNPs are crystalline in nature and exhibit mostly spherical shapes with an average diameter of 4-45 nm. Silver nanoparticles showed effective antibacterial activity against representative pathogens of bacteria. The activities of commercial antibiotics were enhanced by impregnation with the synthesized AgNPs. It also shows good fungicidal and anticancer activity against liver and lung cell lines and shows significant antioxidant efficacy (84%) at 10 µg/ml AgNP concentration against DPPH. The utilization of environmentally synthesized AgNPs offers numerous benefits of ecofriendliness and compatibility for biomedical applications.

Nephroprotective Effect of Costus (Saussurea costus) Ethanolic Extract on Oxaliplatin®-induced Nephrotoxicity in Adult Male Wistar Rats.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Oxaliplatin^® is an antineoplastic platinum-based compound; nephrotoxicity is one of its most serious side effects. This study aimed to explore the nephroprotective potential of Costus Ethanolic Extract (CEE) against Oxaliplatin^®-induced nephrotoxicity. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Adult male Wistar rats, weighting 140-160 g, were randomly divided into four groups: (1) Normal rats, (2) Rats ingested with CEE (67.08 mg kg¹ day¹), (3) Rats injected (ip) with Oxaliplatin^® (10 mg kg¹ week¹) and (4) rats treated with CEE in combination Oxaliplatin^® injection. <b>Results:</b> After six weeks of treatments, the results revealed that CEE ingestion along with Oxaliplatin^® injection markedly minimized the Oxaliplatin^®-induced renal deterioration; this was evidenced by the significant reduction in serum urea, creatinine, uric acid, Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin 1Beta (IL¹ß) and Sodium ion (Na⁺) levels as well as kidney Malondialdehyde (MDA), Nitric Oxide (NO) and DNA fragmentation values. Controversially, a marked rise in serum Calcium, Potassium Ion (K⁺) and Cluster of Differentiation 4 (CD4) levels besides renal Glutathione (GSH), Catalase (CAT) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) values. Similarly, the histopathological findings confirmed the biochemical ones as the CEE restored the Oxaliplatin^®-induced histological degenerations. <b>Conclusion:</b> In conclusion, CEE exhibited nephron-protection efficiency against Oxaliplatin^®-induced nephrotoxicity; this promising effect may be achieved through the antioxidant and radical scavenging activities of its constituents.

Impact of High-Pressure Processing on Antioxidant Activity during Storage of Fruits and Fruit Products: A Review.

Fruits and fruit products are an essential part of the human diet. Their health benefits are directly related to their content of valuable bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, anthocyanins, or vitamins. Heat treatments allow the production of stable and safe products; however, their sensory quality and chemical composition are subject to significant negative changes. The use of emerging non-thermal technologies, such as HPP (High Pressure Processing), has the potential to inactivate the microbial load while exerting minimal effects on the nutritional and organoleptic properties of food products. HPP is an adequate alternative to heat treatments and simultaneously achieves the purposes of preservation and maintenance of freshness characteristics and health benefits of the final products. However, compounds responsible for antioxidant activity can be significantly affected during treatment and storage of HPP-processed products. Therefore, this article reviews the effect of HPP treatment and subsequent storage on the antioxidant activity (oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacity assay or Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay), and on the total phenolic, flavonoid, carotenoid, anthocyanin and vitamin contents of fruits and different processed fruit-based products.

Effect of steaming process on the structural characteristics and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides from Polygonatum sibiricum rhizomes.

Polygonatum sibiricum (P. sibiricum) rhizomes are widely used as a tonic and functional food, and are often processed to enhance their tonic function by repeated steaming and drying. As the most important constituent, the polysaccharide from P. sibiricum rhizomes (PSP) has demonstrated various activities, but the alteration of structural characteristics and activities of the purified PSPs during steaming process was rarely investigated. To well understand the effect of steaming process on the polysaccharides of P. sibiricum, neutral polysaccharides from P. sibiricum rhizomes (PSP0 ~ PSP9) after steaming were first isolated and purified, and then the chemical properties and antioxidant activities were determined. The results showed that the molar ratios of monosaccharides in PSPs were different. The molecular weights of PSPs were increased significantly after the fourth steaming. Morphological studies showed that the surface of PSPs became much tighter during the steaming process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra displayed the polysaccharides had similar backbones and chemical groups. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of PSPs was measured through radical scavenging tests. It was found that the radical scavenging activity of PSPs was elevated strikingly after steaming, and increased gradually with numbers of steaming process. The biological and chemical variance of PSPs revealed considerable segregation of PSP0, PSP1 ~ PSP4 and PSP5 ~ PSP9. In conclusion, our results proposed the fourth time as the optimal number of steaming to extract functional polysaccharide from P. sibiricum rhizomes.

ZnO nanoparticles stabilized oregano essential oil Pickering emulsion for functional cellulose nanofibrils packaging films with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.

The growth and reproduction of microorganisms can cause food spoilage in the process of food transportation and storage. Active packaging is a good way to inhibit food spoilage and prolong the shelf lives of foods. In this study, O/W Pickering emulsion with ZnO nanoparticles as solid particles and oregano essential oil as the oil phase was prepared and used to functionalize cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) film, and excellent antimicrobial and antioxidant activity was obtained. When the concentration of ZnO nanoparticles was 1.5 wt% and the mass fraction of the oil phase was 20%, the Pickering emulsion with a particle size of 26.85 µm exhibited strong standing stability. The Pickering emulsion was blended with the film-forming matrix CNFs to prepare active packaging films by casting. The Pickering emulsion evenly dispersed in the film to form microcapsules which encapsulated oregano essential oil entirely. The antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes was 89.61%, the DPPH radical scavenging rate was 58.52%, while the barrier properties of the developed films against oxygen, water vapor and visible light were improved. The active CNFs film prepared by Pickering emulsion could inhibit the growth of microorganism and prolong the shelf lives of foods.

The Activity of Chosen Antioxidant Enzymes in Ostrich Meat in Relation to the Type of Packaging and Storage Time in Refrigeration.

The aim of the study was to investigate the changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity in ostrich meat, as influenced by various packaging systems and storage time under refrigeration. Three packaging methods were used: vacuum packaging (VP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in two combinations of gases, MAP1 (40% O2/40% CO2/20% N2) and MAP2 (60% O2/30% CO2/10% N2). Meat samples were taken from the M. ilifibularis (IF) muscles of eight ostriches in each treatment group. The meat samples were stored in a refrigerator in 2 °C and analyzed at days 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16. The lowest level of SOD activity during storage was observed in ostrich muscles packed in vacuum, as compared to MAP1 and MAP2. In turn, the highest increase in GPx activity was recorded in VP, especially up to day 8 of storage, when this parameter reached maximum value (54.37). GR increased up to the eighth day of storage in MAP1 and VP. Between the 12th and 16th days of storage, stabilization of the GR activity level was observed only in VP, while under MAP1, it further decreased. DPPH remained relatively stable until the eighth day of storage and after this period, a decrease in this parameter was recorded, reaching the lowest value on day 12 for all types of packaging systems.

Neuroprotective Effect of 1,4-Naphthoquinones in an In Vitro Model of Paraquat and 6-OHDA-Induced Neurotoxicity.

Targeted screening using the MTT cell viability test with a mini-library of natural and synthetic 1,4-naphthoquinones and their derivatives was performed in order to increase the survival of Neuro-2a neuroblastoma cells in in vitro paraquat and 6-hydroxydopamine models of Parkinson's disease. As a result, 10 compounds were selected that could protect neuronal cells from the cytotoxic effects of both paraquat and 6-hydroxydopamine. The five most active compounds at low concentrations were found to significantly protect the activity of nonspecific esterase from the inhibitory effects of neurotoxins, defend cell biomembranes from lytic destruction in the presence of paraquat and 6-hydroxydopamine, and normalize the cell cycle. The protective effects of these compounds are associated with the suppression of oxidative stress, decreased expression of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide formation in cells and normalization of mitochondrial function, and restoration of the mitochondrial membrane potential altered by neurotoxins. It was suggested that the neuroprotective activity of the studied 1,4-NQs is attributable to their pronounced antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity and their ability to reduce the amount of reactive oxygen species formed by paraquat and 6-hydroxydopamine action on neuronal cells. The significant correlation between the neuroprotective properties of 1,4-naphthoquinones and Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship descriptors describing the physicochemical properties of these compounds means that the hydrophobicity, polarity, charge, and shape of the molecules can be of decisive importance in determining the biological activity of studied substances.

Topical Delivery of Geranium/Calendula Essential Oil-Entrapped Ethanolic Lipid Vesicular Cream to Combat Skin Aging.

The present study deals with the evaluation of the age-defying potential of topical cream formulations bearing Geranium essential oil/Calendula essential oil-entrapped ethanolic lipid vesicles (ELVs). Two types of cream formulations were prepared, viz., conventional and ELVs spiked o/w creams. Essential oil- (EO-) loaded ELVs were characterized by vesicle size, polydispersity index, encapsulation efficiency, and scanning electron microscopy. The cream formulations were evaluated for homogeneity, spreadability, viscosity, pH, in vitro antioxidant capacity, sun protection factor, and in vitro collagenase and elastase inhibition capacity. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was performed to ascertain skin permeation of conventional and vesicular cream. The results of in vitro antioxidant studies showed that GEO-/CEO-loaded vesicular creams have notable antioxidant capacity when compared to nonvesicular creams. GEO- or CEO-loaded vesicular creams exhibited the highest SPF value 10.26 and 18.54, respectively. Both the EO-based vesicular creams showed in vitro collagenase and elastase enzyme inhibition capacity. CLSM images clearly depicted that vesicular cream deep into the skin layers. From the research findings, the age-defying potential and photoprotective effects of GEO and CEO were confirmed. It can be concluded that ELVs are able to preserve the efficiency of EOs and have the potential to combat skin aging.

Multidirectional anti-melanoma effect of galactolipids (MGDG-1 and DGDG-1) from Impatiens parviflora DC. and their synergy with doxorubicin.

The anti-melanoma potential of galactolipids: MGDG-1 and DGDG-1, isolated from Impatiens parviflora, and their synergistic effect with anticancer drug - doxorubicin (DOX) was investigated. Both compounds demonstrated time- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity against human melanoma cells of different metastatic potential. MGDG-1 was more effective than DGDG-1, with the highest activity against A375 cell line (IC50 = 15.14 µg/mL). Both compounds acted selectively, were devoid of hepatotoxicity or mutagenicity. Additionally, MGDG-1 proved to be a tyrosinase inhibitor. Co-administration of MGDG-1 and DGDG-1 with DOX revealed a synergistic cytotoxic effect on melanoma cells. The cytotoxicity of all tested MGDG-1/DOX and DGDG-1/DOX cocktails was considerably higher than that of each agent administered alone. MGDG-1/DOX (Mix3) reduced the viability of A375 melanoma cells almost totally and this effect was 2-fold more potent as compared to DOX alone. Our study indicates that the overall effect is enhanced with the increasing concentration of MGDG-1 in the cocktail. These results open up a possibility for lowering therapeutic doses of chemotherapeutics such as doxorubicin when co-administrated with galactolipids. Thus, MGDG-1 can be prospectively considered as multidirectional anti-melanoma agent and can be recommended for further in vitro and in vivo studies, especially in search for effective combined therapy.