Keratin-Based Composite Bioactive Films and Their Preservative Effects on Cherry Tomato.

In this study, keratins were extracted from pig nail waste through the reduction method using L-cysteine as a reductant. Curcumin was successively incorporated in a mixed solution including keratin, gelatin, and glycerin to prepare different kinds of keratin/gelatin/glycerin/curcumin composite films. The morphology of the keratin/ gelatin/glycerin/curcumin composite films were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The structures and the molecular interactions between curcumin, keratin, and pectin were examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, and the thermal properties were determined through thermogravimetric analysis. The tensile strengths of keratin/gelatin/glycerin/curcumin and keratin/gelatin/curcumin composite films are 13.73 and 12.45 MPa, respectively, and their respective elongations at break are 56.7% and 4.6%. In addition, compared with the control group (no film wrapped on the surface of tomato), the ratio of weight loss of the keratin (7.0%)/gelatin (10%)/glycerin (2.0%)/curcumin (1.0%) experimental groups is 8.76 ± 0.2%, and the hardness value of the tomatoes wrapped with composite films is 11.2 ± 0.39 kg/cm3. Finally, the composite films have a superior antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli because of the addition of curcumin. As the concentration of curcumin reaches 1.0%, the antibacterial activity effect of the film is significantly improved. The diameter of the inhibition zone of E. coli is (12.16 ± 0.53) mm, and that of S. aureus is (14.532 ± 0.97) mm. The multifunctional keratin/gelatin/glycerin/curcumin bioactive films have great potential application in the food packaging industry.

Optimization, characterization, rheological study and immune activities of polysaccharide from Sagittaria sagittifolia L.

To improve the extraction efficiency of polysaccharides from Sagittaria sagittifolia L. (SPU) by ultrasonic assisted extraction (UAE), the optimal extraction conditions were optimized as follows: extraction temperature of 85℃, extraction time of 15 min and ratio of liquid to raw material 43 mL/g, under these conditions, the yield of SPU increased by about 168 % compared with hot water extraction (HWE). After separation and purification by DEAE-52 cellulose column and Sephadex G-50 column, the pure polysaccharide fraction (SPU70-W1) was obtained, and its structure, rheology and immune activity were analyzed. The results indicated that SPU70-W1 (7.70 kDa) contained mannose, glucose and galactose in the molar ratio of 2.06:93.58:4.36 with typical pseudoplasticity fluids behavior and possessed the backbone of →2,6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, →3,6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, α-D-Glcp-(1→ and 6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→. In addition, SPU70-W1 exhibited remarkable immunomodulatory activity. Thus, SPU70-W1 could contribute to the food, medicine, cosmetics as a functional additive.

Purification, characterization, antioxidant and immunological activity of polysaccharide from Sagittaria sagittifolia L.

As a healthy food and traditional Chinese medicine, sagittaria sagittifolia L. has been used for a long history. Nevertheless, reports on the bioactivity and chemical characterization of S. sagittifolia L. polysaccharides are still very rare. In this paper, ultrasound-assisted method (UAE) was used to extract S. sagittifolia L. polysaccharides, after alcohol precipitation and column chromatography isolation, the structural characteristics, antioxidant and immunological activities of the purified polysaccharide (SPU60-W) were preliminarily investigated. The results indicated SPU60-W (16.62 kDa) was a pyranoid polysaccharide containing α-glycosidic bond composed of mannose, xylose, and glucose with a molar ratio of 2.69: 2.04: 95.27. It consisted of slender wormlike strands, which may involve some degree of aggregation of helices, as well as a small proportion of irregular spherical structures. Furthermore, antioxidant activity analysis showed that SPU60-W possess excellent hydroxyl and ABTS radical scavenging activity comparable to vitamin C (Vc), and moderate DPPH radical scavenging activity. Immunity tests suggested that SPU60-W significantly promoted the proliferation, phagocytosis and NO production of mouse macrophage RAW264.7. According to this study, SPU60-W might be utilized as a potent antioxidant and immunomodulator in food and medicinal industry.

Comparison of characterization, antioxidant and immunological activities of three polysaccharides from Sagittaria sagittifolia L.

To investigate and compare the preliminary structural characteristics and biological activity in vitro of polysaccharides from Sagittaria sagittifolia L. (SSs) by different extration methods, three polysaccharides (SSW, SSU, and SSP) were obtained with hot water, ultrasound-assisted, and subcritical water extraction. Their structural features were elucidated using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography (GC), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Zeta Potential and Congo red methods. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity and immunostimulatory effects were investigated in vitro. Molecular weight and monosaccharide composition analysis exhibited that SSW (2275.0 kDa), SSU (148.7 kDa), and SSP (1984.0 kDa) were heteropolysaccharide with dramatically different monosaccharide species and mole ratios. In addition, SSP exhibited stronger antioxidant activity in vitro and more potent immunomodulatory activity than SSW and SSU. SSP has greater potential to be explored as biologicalagents for use in complementary medicine or functional foods.

Antiviral Effect of Epigallocatechin Gallate via Impairing Porcine Circovirus Type 2 Attachment to Host Cell Receptor.

The green tea catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) exhibits antiviral activity against various viruses. Whether EGCG also inhibits the infectivity of circovirus remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the antiviral effect of EGCG on porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). EGCG targets PCV2 virions directly and blocks the attachment of virions to host cells. The microscale thermophoresis assay showed EGCG could interact with PCV2 capsid protein in vitro with considerable affinity (Kd = 98.03 ± 4.76 µM), thereby interfering with the binding of the capsid to the cell surface receptor heparan sulfate. The molecular docking analysis of capsid-EGCG interaction identified the key amino acids which formed the binding pocket accommodating EGCG. Amino acids ARG51, ASP70, ARG73 and ASP78 of capsid were found to be critical for maintaining the binding, and the arginine residues were also essential for the electrostatic interaction with heparan sulfate. The rescued mutant viruses also confirm the importance of the key amino acids of the capsid to the antiviral effect of EGCG. Our findings suggest that catechins could act as anti-infective agents against circovirus invasion, as well as provide the basic information for the development and synthesis of structure-based anti-circovirus drugs.

Antioxidant activities of Sagittaria sagittifolia L. polysaccharides with subcritical water extraction.

In the present study, orthogonal experiment (L9 (3)4) was used to optimize the extraction process of Sagittaria sagittifolia L. polysaccharides (SSP) with subcritical water, and the antioxidant activities of polysaccharides were also investigated. The results showed that the optimum extraction conditions were obtained when pH, extraction temperature, extraction time, and liquid to solid ratio were 7, 170 °C, 16 min and 30:1 (mL/g), respectively. In addition, DPPH/ABTS radical scavenging rate and Fe3+ reducing power of polysaccharides exhibited a certain dose-effect relationship. Furthermore, both yield and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides with subcritical water extraction (SWE) were higher than traditional hot water extraction (HWE). The above results showed that SWE was an effective technique to extract and separate polysaccharides from Sagittaria sagittifolia L., which may be potentially applied in the related polysaccharides extraction.