Wild vs. Cultivated Zingiber striolatum Diels: Nutritional and Biological Activity Differences.

Compositional, functional, and nutritional properties are important for the use-value assessments of wild and cultivated edible plants. The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, volatile compounds, and potential biological activities of cultivated and wild Zingiber striolatum. Various substances, such as soluble sugars, mineral elements, vitamins, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and volatiles, were measured and analyzed using UV spectrophotometry, ICP-OES, HPLC, and GC-MS methods. The antioxidant capacity of a methanol extract of Z. striolatum, as well as the hypoglycemic abilities of its ethanol and water extracts, were tested. The results showed that the contents of soluble sugar, soluble protein, and total saponin in the cultivated samples were higher, while the wild samples contained higher amounts of K, Na, Se, vitamin C, and total amino acids. The cultivated Z. striolatum also showed a higher antioxidant potential, while the wild Z. striolatum exhibited a better hypoglycemic activity. Thirty-three volatile compounds were identified using GC-MS in two plants, with esters and hydrocarbons being the main volatile compounds. This study demonstrated that both cultivated and wild Z. striolatum have a good nutritional value and biological activity, and can be used as a source of nutritional supplementation or even in medication.

Effects of tea polyphenol ester with different fatty acid chain length on camellia oil-based oleogels preparation and its effects on cookies properties.

Oleogels were prepared by emulsion template method through 3.0% tea polyphenol ester (Tp-ester) particles with four fatty acid chain length (Tp-laurate [C12], Tp-myristate [C14], Tp-palmitate [C16], and Tp-stearate [C18]) and 2.5% citrus pectin, and then were used in cookie production as fat replacer. Effects of the fatty acid chain length on the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of Tp-ester, on the appearance, microstructure, and firmness of dried products, on rheological features of oleogels, on the dynamic viscoelasticity and textural characteristics of cookies dough, and on cookies qualities were revealed. With the increase in the fatty acid chain length, the θo and θw values of four Tp-esters increased, the firmness of dried products with smaller oil droplets got larger, and the gel intensity of oleogels increased, but the quality scores, spread ratio, and break strength of the cookies did not change significantly. With the increase in the replacement levels of butter with oleogels, the harder cookie dough with weaker gel strength and the softer cookies with lower hedonic scores and crispness were found. At 25% and 50% replacement levels, cookies prepared with oleogels using Tp-palmitate or Tp-stearate particles exhibited similar hedonic scores, break strength, spread ratio, and storage stabilities to that of butter cookies. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Cookies are relished by all age groups due to their taste and crispness, but include high content of saturated fatty acids that are harmful to people's health. The result of this study will help the industry to better design cookies through oleogels with tea polyphenols ester and pectin, and will provide healthy cookies with little or no butter for consumers.

[Warming needling combined with Zhuyu Tongluo Xuebi decoction for arteriosclerosis obliterans with stasis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect difference of warming needling combined with Zhuyu Tongluo Xuebi decoction and ciloprost for arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) with stasis. METHODS: A total of 96 ASO patients with stasis were randomly assigned into a combination group and a western medication group, 48 cases in each group. Anti-hypertension, glucose-lowering and lipid lowering therapies were applied in the two groups. Ciloprost was prescribed orally in the western medication group, twice a day, 100 mg a time. The main acupoints in the combination group were Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Zusanli (ST 36), Guanyuan (CV 4), and Xuehai (SP 10), matched with Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Weizhong (BL 40). Warming needling was used at Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Xuehai (SP 10) and Guanyuan (CV 4), 5 times a week, once a day, 20 min a time. At the same time, self-made Zhuyu Tongluo Xuebi decoction was applied in the combination group, 1 dose a day, twice a day. All the treatment was given for continuous 3 courses, 1 month as a course. The indexes were the symptom scores for cool limb skin, sour swelling, numbness, pain, abnormal complexion, ankle brachial index (ABI) and blood biochemical indexes, including fasting blood-glucose (FPG), triacylglycerol (TG), cholesterol total (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT), glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (AST), serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). The adverse reactions were recorded. The clinical effect was evaluated. Two-month follow-up was carried out. RESULTS: After treatment, the symptom scores for cool limb skin, sour swelling, numbness, pain, abnormal complexion and total score decreased in the two groups (all P<0.05), with better results in the combination group (all P<0.05). The bilateral ABI were higher than those before treatment in the two groups (all P<0.05), with better results in the combination group (both P<0.05). The FPG, TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, ALT, AST, Scr, BUN before and after treatment had no statistical significance in the two groups (all P>0.05). There was no adverse reaction on acupuncture and moxibustion. The total effective rate of the combination group was 95.8% (46/48), which was better than 91.7% (44/48) of the western medication group (P<0.05). The recurrence and aggravation rate in the combination group was 8.7% (4/46), which was lower than 18.2% (8/44) in the western medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Warming needling combined with Zhuyu Tongluo Xuebi decoction for ASO are better than simple oral ciloprost, with safety.