Multifaceted Applications of Ferritin Nanocages in Delivering Metal Ions, Bioactive Compounds, and Enzymes: A Comprehensive Review.

Ferritin, a distinctive iron-storage protein, possesses a unique cage-like nanoscale structure that enables it to encapsulate and deliver a wide range of biomolecules. Recent advances prove that ferritin can serve as an efficient 8 nm diameter carrier for various bioinorganic nutrients, such as minerals, bioactive polyphenols, and enzymes. This review offers a comprehensive summary of ferritin's structural features from different sources and emphasizes its functions in iron supplementation, calcium delivery, single- and coencapsulation of polyphenols, and enzyme package. Additionally, the influence of innovative food processing technologies, including manothermosonication, pulsed electric field, and atmospheric cold plasma, on the structure and function of ferritin are examined. Furthermore, the limitations and prospects of ferritin in food and nutritional applications are discussed. The exploration of ferritin as a multifunctional protein with the capacity to load various biomolecules is crucial to fully harnessing its potential in food applications.

Sesamol Attenuates Scopolamine-Induced Cholinergic Disorders, Neuroinflammation, and Cognitive Deficits in Mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease, characterized by memory loss and cognitive deficits accompanied by neuronal damage and cholinergic disorders. Sesamol, a lignan component in sesame oil, has been proven to have neuroprotective effects. This research aimed to investigate the preventive effects of sesamol on scopolamine (SCOP)-induced cholinergic disorders in C57BL/6 mice. The mice were pretreated with sesamol (100 mg/kg/d, p.o.) for 30 days. Behavioral tests indicated that sesamol supplement prevented SCOP-induced cognitive deficits. Sesamol enhanced the expression of neurotrophic factors and postsynaptic density (PSD) in SCOP-treated mice, reversing neuronal damage and synaptic dysfunction. Importantly, sesamol could balance the cholinergic system by suppressing the AChE activity and increasing the ChAT activity and M1 mAChR expression. Sesamol treatment also inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors and overactivation of microglia in SCOP-treated mice. Meanwhile, sesamol improved the antioxidant enzyme activity and suppressed oxidative stress in SCOP-treated mice and ameliorated the oxidized cellular status and mitochondrial dysfunction in SCOP-treated SH-SY5Y cells. In conclusion, these results indicated that sesamol attenuated SCOP-induced cognitive dysfunction via balancing the cholinergic system and reducing neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.

Exploring the Extraction Methods of Phenolic Compounds in Daylily (Hemerocallis citrina Baroni) and Its Antioxidant Activity.

Daylily is a valuable plant resource with various health benefits. Its main bioactive components are phenolic compounds. In this work, four extraction methods, ultrasonic-assisted water extraction (UW), ultrasonic-assisted ethanol extraction (UE), enzymatic-assisted water extraction (EW), and enzymatic-assisted ethanol extraction (EE), were applied to extract phenolic compounds from daylily. Among the four extracts, the UE extract exhibited the highest total phenolic content (130.05 mg/100 g DW) and the best antioxidant activity. For the UE extract, the DPPH value was 7.75 mg Trolox/g DW, the FRAP value was 14.54 mg Trolox/g DW, and the ABTS value was 15.37 mg Trolox/g DW. A total of 26 phenolic compounds were identified from the four extracts, and the UE extract exhibited a higher abundance range of phenolic compounds than the other three extracts. After multivariate statistical analysis, six differential compounds were selected and quantified, and the UE extract exhibited the highest contents of all six differential compounds. The results provided theoretical support for the extraction of phenolic compounds from daylily and the application of daylily as a functional food.

Effects of thermoultrasonic treatment on characteristics of micro-nano particles and flavor in Greenland halibut bone soup.

In order to investigate the effects of thermoultrasonic treatment (TUT) on the formation of colloidal micro-nano particles (MNPs) and the quality of halibut bone soup, nutrients, particle characteristics, and flavor characteristics were analyzed. The morphology of MNPs was studied using an optical microscope. Results showed that TUT could increase the nutrient content (total sugars, 22.15 mg/100 mL; water soluble proteins, 173.24 mg/mL; fatty acids, 1779.7 mg/100 mL; solids, 3.16 g/100 mL), reduce the particle size (605.92 nm) and interfacial tension. Meanwhile, TUT make the halibut bone soup has better emulsifying characteristics and stability. The contents of flavor substances, such as esters, 5'-nucleotides, organic acids in the halibut bone soup were more abundant, while the contents of hexanal and 1-octen-3-ol and fishy off-flavor were reduced in TUT group. The overall odor and taste outline were more harmonious. Therefore, TUT can be used in the production of high quality fish bone soup, and TUT could be considered as a good deep processing technology for halibut bone and improve economic efficiency.

[Effects of leaf extracts of Amorpha fruticosa on seed germination and seedling growth of Amygdalus pedunculata]. / 紫穗槐叶片浸提液对长柄扁桃种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响.

Amorpha fruticosa and Amygdalus pedunculata are common plant species used for greening construction in arid and semi-arid region of Northwest China. In order to explore the feasibility of greening construction and ecological restoration by A. fruticose with A. pedunculata, we exami-ned the allelopathic effects of five concentrations of aqueous leaf extracts of A. fruticosa (0.025, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20 g·mL-1) on eight A. pedunculata varieties (YY1, YY3, YY4, YY5, YY6, SM6, SM7 and SM8), using the methods of paper-petri dish and soilless culture. The results showed that when the concentration of A. fruticosa leaf extracts were 0.025 and 0.05 g·mL-1, the seed germination and seedling growth of YY1 and SM6 were significantly better than other varieties. With increasing concentration of A. fruticosa leaf extracts, the catalase activity of A. pedunculata seedlings first increased and then decreased. The activities of peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, and the contents of soluble protein and chlorophyll showed a downward trend, while the contents of malondialdehyde and soluble sugar and the permeability of cell membrane gradually increased. Results of the principal component and cluster analysis showed that the growth potential of A. pedunculata decreased with the order of YY1, SM6, SM8, SM7, YY6, YY3, YY5 and YY4 under the allelopathic effect of A. fruticose. In conclusion, the artificial collocation and mixed planting of low-density of A. fruticosa with YY1 and SM6 were beneficial to seed germination and seedling growth of A. pedunculata.

Analysis of volatile compound changes in fried shallot (Allium cepa L. var. aggregatum) oil at different frying temperatures by GC-MS, OAV, and multivariate analysis.

Flavor is a key attribute of fried oil that shows a critical correlation with temperature. Therefore, selecting the appropriate temperature is important in preparing fried shallot oil (FSO). Volatile compounds from five different FSOs were identified and comparatively studied using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) coupled with multivariate data analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). GC-MS results identified a total of 93 volatiles, among which aldehydes, alcohols, pyrazines, and sulfur-containing compounds were the major compounds. Eighteen compounds had odor active values (OAV) >1. Among the compounds, hexanal, (E)-2-heptenal, (E)-2-octenal, dipropyl disulfide, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, and 1-octen-3-ol were important to the overall aroma profile of FSOs. In the PCA model, all the detected FSOs were divided into three clusters, which were assigned as cluster A (FSO5), B (FSO4), and C (the rest FSOs). Multivariate data analyses revealed that nonanal, 2-ethyl-5-methylpyrazine, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, (E)-2-heptenal, and hexanal contributed positively to the classification of different FSOs. GC-MS coupled with multivariate data analysis could be used as a convenient and efficient analytical method to classify raw materials.

Characterization of Key Odorants in Hanyuan and Hancheng Fried Pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum) Oil.

Fried pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.) oil has been widely used in traditional Chinese cuisine and has recently become increasingly popular in food manufacturing. Thus, the aroma profiles of Hancheng pepper oil (HCPO) and Hanyuan pepper oil (HYPO) from two regions were investigated by aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O). Results from AEDA showed that more aroma compounds with flavor dilution factors ≥9 were detected in HCPO than in HYPO. The odor activity values (OAVs) revealed 28 odorants with OAVs ≥1 in HCPO or HYPO. High OAVs were in particular obtained for 1,8-cineole, (E)-2-heptenal, ß-myrcene, ß-ocimene, limonene, and linalool. Then, the aroma profiles of HCPO and HYPO were successfully simulated through aroma recombination models. Omission tests suggested that ß-phellandrene, p-cymene, acetic acid octyl ester, octanal, citronellol, and sabinene played key roles in aroma differences between HCPO and HYPO. In addition, varying enantiomeric ratios of linalool (floral) and limonene (citrus-like and lemon-like) in HCPO and HYPO were observed by chiral GC-MS, and the odor impressions of limonene and linalool were in good agreement with the odor descriptions of S-(-)-limonene and S-(+)-linalool.

Influence of Different Frying Processes on the Flavor Characteristics and Sensory Profile of Garlic Oil.

Fried garlic oil has been widely used in traditional Chinese cuisine and, recently, has become increasingly popular in food manufacturing. In this study, the effects of different initial and final frying temperature on the flavor characteristics and sensory profile of fried garlic oil were investigated using solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results showed that the content of flavor compounds changed significantly as the frying temperature was increased. The sample that was treated at an initial temperature of 115 °C and a final temperature of 155 °C contained the highest amount of thioethers and heterocycles, mainly comprising dimethyl trisulfide, diallyl disulfide, and 2-vinyl-4H-1,2-dithiin. Partial least-squares regression elucidated the sensory attributes of fried and roasted garlic, showing a high correlation with thioethers and pyrazines. Furthermore, changes in the 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, dimethyl trisulfide, and diallyl disulfide concentrations were detected every 5 °C during the frying process (initial temperature, 115 °C; final temperature, 155 °C). Dimethyl trisulfide and diallyl disulfide concentrations showed irregular, downward trends, while 2,6-dimethylpyrazine concentration exhibited an increasing trend.

Flavor formation in frying process of green onion (Allium fistulosum L.) deep-fried oil.

Fried allium oil has been widely used in traditional Chinese home cooking and recently has grown in popularity in the food manufacturing industry. Thus, physical and chemical changes during frying process were measured to investigate the flavor formation mechanism in green onion (Allium fistulosum L.) deep-fried oil. With the increase of the oil temperature, important variations took place when the temperature rose above 140 °C during the whole frying process. A detailed study of these changes was made from both macro and micro aspects. From a macro perspective, sensory attributes including burnt, fried, oily, cooked vegetable and salty were strengthened. Meanwhile, the reference points of the oil samples on the fingerprint chart were distinguishable from others by electronic nose. In addition, contents of furans and furanones, sulfur-containing compounds, aldehydes and alcohols increased sharply according to SAFE-GC-MS analysis from a microscopic point of view, and contents of unsaturated fatty acids dropped remarkably while the saturated ones increased. These changes were considered to be caused by interactions between carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the deep-fried system and thermo degradations of sugars, amino acids and fats. The results indicated that the stage, when frying at temperatures ranging from 140 °C to 165 °C, was the most significant period for the flavor formation of the deep-fried oil.

[Studies on difference of chemical compositions in plant species of Tripterygium genus].

We studied the content of chemical compositions and correlation among species of Tripterygium genus by principal component analysis(PCA) and variance analysis(ANOVA), and we also studied the difference among the 3 species.Using [BMIm]PF6 ionic liquid-based ultrasonic-assisted extraction, we determined the contents of 11 compounds including wilforgine, wilforzine, triptophenolide, wilforine, triptoquinone A, triptolide, tripterin, egallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin, and epicatechin in 28 batches of the Tripterygium species by HPLC and PCA. Partial least squares analysis (PLS) and ANOVA were also performed to verify the results.The analysis results of PCA and PLS showed that three species of Tripterygium genus were clustered into three regions respectively, and triptoquinone A was the important factor which affected the aggregation of these three species.There was a significant difference among the contents of 11 chemical components in the three species(P<0.000 1).These results indicated that there was a certain correlation between the chemical compositions and the classification of the species, and the difference of the chemical compositions among the three species was obvious. In this work, the content determination method is rapid and accurate, and the analysis method is simple and convenient, which provides a reference for the classification, the efficacy and the toxicity of the species.

[Chemical constituents from Mylabris phalerata and their cytotoxic activity in vitro].

Ten compounds were isolated from Mylabris phalerata by using preparative HPLC and column chromatography over MCI gel. On the basis of physical-chemical properties, NMR and MS data analysis, the compounds were identified as 5'-[(1 R,2 R,3 S,6R)-1-hydroxymethyl-2-methyl-3,6-epoxycyclohexane-1,2-dicarboximide]- ethyl-2'-methyl-2'-butenoate (1),cantharidin (2), cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Ala) (3), cyclo-(R-Pro-R-Leu) (4), cyclo-(S-Pro-R-Leu) (5), cyclo-(D-Pro-L-Tyr) (6), indole-3-aldehyde (7), 3-indoleacetic acid (8), valerolactam (9), and 4-hydroxyphthalid (10).Compound 1 was a new compound, and compounds 2-10 were obtained from this genus for the first time. Compounds 1-9 were subjected to cytotoxic activity on HCT-116, HepG2, BGC-823, NCI-H1650, A2780 cell lines, and only compound 2 showed inhibitory effect on all cancer cell lines.

The complete chloroplast genome provides insight into the evolution and polymorphism of Panax ginseng.

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (P. ginseng) is an important medicinal plant and is often used in traditional Chinese medicine. With next generation sequencing (NGS) technology, we determined the complete chloroplast genome sequences for four Chinese P. ginseng strains, which are Damaya (DMY), Ermaya (EMY), Gaolishen (GLS), and Yeshanshen (YSS). The total chloroplast genome sequence length for DMY, EMY, and GLS was 156,354 bp, while that for YSS was 156,355 bp. Comparative genomic analysis of the chloroplast genome sequences indicate that gene content, GC content, and gene order in DMY are quite similar to its relative species, and nucleotide sequence diversity of inverted repeat region (IR) is lower than that of its counterparts, large single copy region (LSC) and small single copy region (SSC). A comparison among these four P. ginseng strains revealed that the chloroplast genome sequences of DMY, EMY, and GLS were identical and YSS had a 1-bp insertion at base 5472. To further study the heterogeneity in chloroplast genome during domestication, high-resolution reads were mapped to the genome sequences to investigate the differences at the minor allele level; 208 minor allele sites with minor allele frequencies (MAF) of ≥0.05 were identified. The polymorphism site numbers per kb of chloroplast genome sequence for DMY, EMY, GLS, and YSS were 0.74, 0.59, 0.97, and 1.23, respectively. All the minor allele sites located in LSC and IR regions, and the four strains showed the same variation types (substitution base or indel) at all identified polymorphism sites. Comparison results of heterogeneity in the chloroplast genome sequences showed that the minor allele sites on the chloroplast genome were undergoing purifying selection to adapt to changing environment during domestication process. A study of P. ginseng chloroplast genome with particular focus on minor allele sites would aid in investigating the dynamics on the chloroplast genomes and different P. ginseng strains typing.