Study on the interaction and functional properties of Dolichos lablab L. protein-tea polyphenols complexes.

Tea polyphenols (TP) and plant proteins are significant materials in the food industry, the interactions between them are beneficial for their stability, functional properties, and biological activity. In this study, the mechanism and interaction between Dolichos lablab L. protein (DLP) obtained from nine treatments and three tea polyphenol monomers (EGCG, ECG, and EGC) were investigated. The results showed that the fluorescence of DLP was noticeably quenched and exhibited static quenching after the addition of polyphenols. DLP exhibited 1-2 binding sites for EGCG and ECG, but weakly binding to EGC (<1). The binding sites of DLP-TP were found to be in close proximity to the tyrosine residues, primarily interacting through hydrophobic interactions, van der Waals forces, and hydrogen bonds. The antioxidant capacity of DLP-TP compound was significantly improved after digestion. ECG showed a strong resistance to intestinal digestion. Compared with ECG (653.456 µg/mL), the content of free tea polyphenols of 20/40 kHz-ECG after digestion was 732.42 µg/mL. DLP-TP complexes significantly improved the storage stability, thermal stability, and bioaccessibility of tea polyphenols. The interaction between TP and DLP, as a protein-polyphenol complex, has great potential for application in preparing emulsion delivery systems due to their antioxidant activity and improved stability.

Dawning public health services dogma: An indigenous Southwest Chinese perspective in managing hypertension-with or without the "BPHS"?

Background: To alleviate the rising mortality burden due to hypertension and other non-communicable diseases, a new public health policy initiative in 2009 called the Basic Public Health Services (BPHS). Program was introduced by the Chinese government. The goal of the study is to assess the feasibility and impact of a nationwide health care service-the "BPHS". Methods: From January to December 2021, a stratified multistage random sampling method in the survey was conducted to select 6,456 people from 8 cities/districts in Yunnan Province, China, who were above the age of 35 years. 1,521 hypertensive patients were previously aware of their high blood pressure status were matched to the BPHS program database based on ID number and then further divided into BPHS group and non-BPHS (control) group. The results of the current study are based on their responses to a short structured questionnaire, a physical examination, and laboratory tests. The association between BPHS management and its effect on the control of hypertension was estimated using multivariable logistic regression models. We evaluated the accessibility and efficacy of BPHS health care services by analyzing various variables such as blood pressure, BMI, lifestyle modification, anti-hypertensive drugs taken, and cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Among the 1,521 hypertensive patients included in this study, 1,011 (66.5%) were managed by BPHS programme. The multivariable logistic regression model demonstrated that the BPHS facilitated hypertension control (OR = 1.640, 95% CI: 1.237-2.175). A higher proportion of participants receiving lifestyle guidance from the BPHS management showed lowering of total cholesterol. In comparison to the non-BPHS group, those under BPHS management adhered better to antihypertensive medications either single drug (54.3%) or in combination (17.3%) of drugs. Additionally, we also noticed that urban areas with centralized and well-established digital information management system had better hypertension treatment and control. Conclusions: Nearly two-thirds of the hypertensive patients in Yunnan Province were included in BPHS management. The impact of the national BPHS program was evident in lowering risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, promoting healthy lifestyles, lowering blood pressure, increasing medication adherence, and the better control rate of hypertension.

A high gauge-factor wearable strain sensor array via 3D printed mold fabrication and size optimization of silver-coated carbon nanotubes.

The development of 3D print technology provided an opportunity to achieve fast and accurate fabrication of wearable sensor arrays. In this paper, high-sensitivity flexible and stretchable silver-coated carbon nanotube (Ag@CNT) wearable strain sensor arrays are fabricated using 3D printing technology and composite nanomaterial synthesis. Ag@CNTs with uniform and compact particles were synthesized with different sizes of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using a reduction method. Strain sensor arrays were fabricated accurately and efficiently with the aid of 3D printed molds. Sensors with different Ag@CNTs were then compared comprehensively, and it was found that the Ag@CNT (short) sensor, which had a gauge factor (GF) of 62.8 in the 0% to 14.44% stretch range and a GF of 831.3 in the 14.44% to 21.11% stretch range, can significantly enhance the detection of small movements. These wearable strain sensor arrays were utilized in the application of traditional Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis and gesture recognition.

Degradation of phenylethanoid glycosides in Osmanthus fragrans Lour. flowers and its effect on anti-hypoxia activity.

This study was aimed at investigating the chemical stability (the thermal, light and pH stability) of phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) in Osmanthus fragrans Lour. flowers, identifying the degradation products of acteoside and salidroside (major PhGs in O. fragrans flowers) by UPLC-QTOF-MS and studying the anti-hypoxia activity of PhGs after degradation. The degradation of PhGs followed first-order reaction kinetics, and the rate constant of acteoside (4.3 to 203.4 × 10-3 day-1) was higher than that of salidroside (3.9 to 33.3 × 10-3 day-1) in O. fragrans flowers. Salidroside was mainly hydrolyzed to tyrosol during storage, and the degradation products of acteoside were verbasoside, caffeic acid, isoacteoside, etc. In a model of cobalt chloride (CoCl2)-induced hypoxia in PC12 cells, the anti-hypoxia ability of PhGs decreased after degradation, which resulted from the reduction of PhGs contents. Particularly, caffeic acid exhibited stronger anti-hypoxia ability than acteoside and could slightly increase the anti-hypoxia ability of degraded acteoside. The results revealed that high temperature, high pH and light exposure caused PhGs degradation, and thus the anti-hypoxia ability of PhGs reduced.

Origin Discrimination of Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii Flowers using GC-MS and UPLC-PDA Combined with Multivariable Analysis Methods.

INTRODUCTION: Osmanthus fragrans flowers are used as folk medicine and additives for teas, beverages and foods. The metabolites of O. fragrans flowers from different geographical origins were inconsistent in some extent. Chromatography and mass spectrometry combined with multivariable analysis methods provides an approach for discriminating the origin of O. fragrans flowers. OBJECTIVE: To discriminate the Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii flowers from different origins with the identified metabolites. METHODS: GC-MS and UPLC-PDA were conducted to analyse the metabolites in O. fragrans var. thunbergii flowers (in total 150 samples). Principal component analysis (PCA), soft independent modelling of class analogy analysis (SIMCA) and random forest (RF) analysis were applied to group the GC-MS and UPLC-PDA data. RESULTS: GC-MS identified 32 compounds common to all samples while UPLC-PDA/QTOF-MS identified 16 common compounds. PCA of the UPLC-PDA data generated a better clustering than PCA of the GC-MS data. Ten metabolites (six from GC-MS and four from UPLC-PDA) were selected as effective compounds for discrimination by PCA loadings. SIMCA and RF analysis were used to build classification models, and the RF model, based on the four effective compounds (caffeic acid derivative, acteoside, ligustroside and compound 15), yielded better results with the classification rate of 100% in the calibration set and 97.8% in the prediction set. CONCLUSIONS: GC-MS and UPLC-PDA combined with multivariable analysis methods can discriminate the origin of Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii flowers. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Osmanthus fragrans flower phenylethanoid glycoside-rich extract: Acute and subchronic toxicity studies.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii (O. fragrans) flower has been consumed as folk medicine for thousands of years. O. fragrans flower extract is a well-characterized phenylethanoid glycoside-rich extract, which has been used as a natural anti-oxidant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of O. fragrans flower phenylethanoid glycoside-rich extract (OFFE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The OFFE was extracted by 80% (v/v) aqueous ethanol with 0.01% sodium isoascorbate (w/v) from the O. fragrans flower and purified on HPD300 resins. The total phenylethanoid glycosides content and individual phenylethanoid glycosides was determined by photocolorimetric method and reversed phase UPLC respectively. An acute oral toxicity study, reverse mutation test, bone marrow cell micronucleus test, and sperm abnormality test as well as a 90-day oral toxicity study were performed on experimental animals. RESULTS: The total content of phenylethanoid glycosides in OFFE was 73.4g acteoside equivalent per 100g of extract, include acteoside (52.5g per 100g of extract), salidroside (13.8g per 100g of extract), and isoacteoside (2.6g per 100g of extract) and so on. No acute lethal effect at the maximal tested OFFE dose of 10g/kg body weight (bw) in either rats or mice was observed, suggesting that OFFE can be considered nontoxic. No evidence for mutagenicity was detected in any of the three mutagenic tests. Administration at levels of 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00g/kg bw to rats for 90 days failed to induce any significant hematological, clinical, chemical, or histopathological changes. The no-observed adverse-effect-level for OFFE was >2.00g/kg bw for the study on subchronic toxicity. CONCLUSION: The results showed that consuming OFFE has no adverse effects and poses no health risk in the acute oral toxicity study, subchronic oral toxicity study, and in the micronucleus test, which may provide supportive evidence for the safety of OFFE powder that has been used in medicine as well as in functional foods, and dietary supplements.

Osmanthus fragrans Flower Extract and Acteoside Protect Against d-Galactose-Induced Aging in an ICR Mouse Model.

Osmanthus fragrans flower extract (OFE) is an organic extract from O. fragrans flower, which exhibits neuroprotective, free radical scavenging, and antioxidant effects. Therefore, the protective effect of OFE and acteoside against aging was studied. An aging ICR mouse model was established by chronically administering d-galactose (250 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. d-galactose induced spatial learning and memory impairments that were successfully inhibited by OFE and acteoside, which could shorten escape latency, improve platform crossing times, and increase zone time. The antioxidant potential of OFE and acteoside in vivo was evaluated by estimating the following: activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase and aging-related enzyme, particularly monoamine oxidase; contents of lipid peroxidation methane dicarboxylic aldehyde, advanced glycation end products, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (a DNA damage product); and levels of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2. OFE and acteoside also inhibited d-galactose-induced neurological aging by suppressing the increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurotrophin-3. Considering the dose-dependent protective effects of OFE and acteoside, we concluded that OFE, rich in acteoside, was a good source of natural antiaging compounds.

Phase-Shifted PFH@PLGA/Fe3O4 Nanocapsules for MRI/US Imaging and Photothermal Therapy with near-Infrared Irradiation.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) utilizes photothermal conversion reagents to generate heat energy from absorbed light to effectively treat various malignant diseases. This approach has attracted broad and increasing interest in cancer treatment. Near-infrared (NIR)-induced PTT is particularly attractive because of its minimal absorbance by normal tissue and relatively deep tissue penetration. To improve the efficacy of PTT, we have developed nanocapsules encapsulating superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) as synergistic agents for NIR-induced PTT. In this study, phase-shift and NIR photoabsorbing poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocapsules (perfluorohexane (PFH)@PLGA/Fe3O4) were fabricated for MRI/US dual-modal imaging-guided PTT. The multifunctional nanocapsules can be used not only to increase the local tumor temperature by absorbing the NIR energy but also as bimodal contrast agents for both MRI and US imaging. Such nanocapsules can be converted into microbubbles under NIR irradiation, which produces excellent contrast for US imaging and enhanced cancer ablation. We refer to the nanocapsule phase transition process induced by the infrared lamp as NIR radiation droplet vaporization (NIRDV).