Acupuncture alleviates CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors of rats by regulating oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and ferroptosis.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of depression with acupuncture has been documented. The mechanism behind acupuncture's curative and preventative effects is still unknown. METHODS: The current study examined the effects of acupuncture on depression-like behaviors in a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), while also exploring its potential mechanisms. A total of six groups of rats were randomly assigned: control, CUMS, acupuncture, fluoxetine, acupoint catgut embedding and sham acupoint catgut embedding. Fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg) and acupoint catgut embedding were used for comparative research to acupuncture. The modelling evaluation is measured by body weight and behavior tests. Western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the proteins and mRNA expression of Silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1)/ nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/ heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)/ Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway in the hippocampus. The expression of oxidative stress (OS)-related proteins and inflammatory cytokines in the serum was detected with ELISA. Immunofluorescence showed microglia and astrocytes activity in the hippocampus. RESULTS: Acupuncture and fluoxetine could alleviate CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors. Acupuncture was also found to effectively reverse the levels of MDA, SOD, GSH, GSH-PX and T-AOC, IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum of CUMS-induced rats. Rats with CUMS showed decreased levels of Sirt1, Nrf2, HO-1 and GPX4 in the hippocampus, while acupuncture treatment could partly reverse the diminished effects. In addition, acupuncture treatment significantly reduced the activation of hippocampal microglia and astrocytes in CUMS-induced rats. CONCLUSION: The study's findings indicate that acupuncture has the potential to mitigate depression-like behaviors in rats induced with CUMS by mitigating OS and reducing neuroinflammation.

Electroacupuncture ameliorates chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression-like behavior and cognitive impairment through suppressing oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in rats.

BACKGROUND: Depression is associated with lowered mood, anxiety, anhedonia, cognitive impairments, and even suicidal tendencies in severe cases. Yet few studies have directed acupuncture's mechanism toward enhancing axonal repair correlated with synaptic plasticity and anti-inflammatory effects related to oxidative stress in the hippocampus. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group (CON), chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) group, CUMS + electroacupuncture group (EA), and CUMS + fluoxetine group (FLX) (n = 10/group). Rats were given a 28-day treatment at the Shangxing (GV23) and Fengfu (GV16) acupoints with electroacupuncture or fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg). RESULTS: Rats exposed to CUMS induced depression-like behaviors and spatial learning-memory impairment, changed the ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA-1), Vglut1, myelin basic protein (MBP), and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) level of hippocampal, increased the Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), atypical squamous cell (ASC), Caspase level and hippocampal reactive oxygen species (ROS), and prompted the activation of Epha4-mediated signaling and an inflammatory response. Conversely, electroacupuncture administration reduced these changes and prevented depression-like behaviors and cognitive impairment. Electroacupuncture also promoted hippocampal expression of Sirtuin1(SIRT1), Nuclear factor erythroid 2-like (Nrf2), Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1); reduced the expression of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α); and prevented neural damage, particularly the synaptic myelin sheath, and neuroinflammation by regulating Eph receptor A4 (EphA4) in the hippocampal. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that electroacupuncture prevents depression-like behaviors with cognitive impairment and synaptic and neuronal damage, probably by reducing EphA4, which mediates ROS hyperfunction and the inflammatory response.

The effect of acupuncture on lateral habenular nucleus and intestinal microflora in depression model rats.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a severe emotional condition that significantly affects the quality of life. Acupuncture exerts preventive effects on depression in rats with post-chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Methods The study involved chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) depression model mice to administer acupuncture as a preventative measure to investigate the mechanism of acupuncture's antidepressant and observe the effect of acupuncture on impact via the Lateral Habenula (LHb) and Gut-Liver-Brain Axis. The researcher investigated molecules correlating with a nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO/cGMP) pathway and assessed inflammation in the LHb and liver. In addition, 16 S rDNA bioinformatics study revealed the quantity and variety of gut microbiota. Rats were randomly divided into five groups: control (CON), CUMS, CUMS + acupuncture (AP), CUMS + fluoxetine (FX) and CUMS + N(G) -nitro -L- arginine methyl ester (LNAME) group. Except for the CON group, other rats were exposed to CUMS condition for 28 days. Simultaneously, manual acupuncture (at Fengfu and Shangxing acupoints, once every other day) and fluoxetine gavage (2.1 mg/kg, 0.21 mg/mL, daily) were conducted to the groups of AP and FX, respectively, after stressors. Rats in LNAME group were treated with LNAME normal saline (10 mg/kg, 1 mg/mL, i.p.) solution. Behavioural tests and biological detection methods were conducted sequentially to evaluate depressionlike phenotype in rats. RESULTS: The results showed CUMS induced depression-like behaviours, hyper-activation of NO/cGMP signaling pathway, inflammation in serum, LHb and liver, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. These changes could be prevented and ameliorated by acupuncture to varying extents. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture prevented and attenuated depression-like phenotype induced by CUMS, possibly via regulating the NO/cGMP signaling pathway and thus improving inflammation in serum, LHb and liver, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. In addition, these can be evidence of the existence of the gut-liver-brain axis.

The effects of acupuncture on depression by regulating BDNF-related balance via lateral habenular nucleus BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway in rats.

Depression is a major mental disease worldwide, causing dysfunction of Lateral Habenular (LHb). As a non-invasive alternative, acupuncture (AP) has been widely used to treat depression in clinic, yet few basic studies have been focused on the effects and mechanism of acupuncture on synaptic plasticity in LHb. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the potential mechanism of the antidepressant effect of acupuncture. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), AP, fluoxetine (FLX), acupoint catgut embedding (ACE), sham-ACE groups (n = 9/group). Rats were given a 28-day treatment at the Shangxing (GV23) and Fengfu (GV16) acupoints with acupuncture, ACE, sham-ACE or fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg). The results showed that AP, FLX and ACE suppressed the behavioral deficits, increased the level of the 5-hydroxytryptamine and FNDC5/IRISIN in serum, also reduced the expression of pro-BDNF impacted by CUMS. Both AP and FLX ameliorated the %area of IBA-1, GFAP, BrdU and DCX in the LHb and increased the expression of BDNF/TrkB/CREB, with non-significant difference between the two groups These findings suggest that AP therapy relieves depression-related manifestations in depressed rats, suggesting a potential mechanism via the BDNF/TrkB/CREB pathway in LHb.

Acupuncture Alleviates CUMS-Induced Depression-Like Behaviors by Restoring Prefrontal Cortex Neuroplasticity.

Purpose: To explore the therapeutic efficiency of acupuncture and the related molecular mechanism of neural plasticity in depression. Methods: Chronic unpredictable mild stress- (CUMS-) induced rats were established for the depression animal model. There were a total of four rat groups, including the control group, the CUMS group, the CUMS+acupuncture group, and the CUMS+fluoxetine group. The acupuncture group and the fluoxetine group were given a 3-week treatment after the modeling intervention. The researcher performed the open-field, elevated plus maze, and sucrose preference tests to evaluate depressive behaviors. The number of nerve cells, dendrites' length, and the prefrontal cortex's spine density were detected using Golgi staining. The prefrontal cortex expression, such as BDNF, PSD95, SYN, and PKMZ protein, was detected using the western blot and RT-PCR. Results: Acupuncture could alleviate depressive-like behaviors and promote the recovery of the neural plasticity functions in the prefrontal cortex, showing the increasing cell numbers, prolonging the length of the dendrites, and enhancing the spine density. The neural plasticity-related proteins in the prefrontal cortex, including BDNF, PSD95, SYN, and PKMZ, were all downregulated in the CUMS-induced group; however, these effects could be partly reversed after being treated by acupuncture and fluoxetine (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture can ameliorate depressive-like behaviors by promoting the recovery of neural plasticity functions and neural plasticity-related protein upregulation in the prefrontal cortex of CUMS-induced depressed rats. Our study provides new insights into the antidepressant approach, and further studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms of acupuncture involved in depression treatment.

Acupuncture exerts preventive effects in rats of chronic unpredictable mild stress: The involvement of inflammation in amygdala and brain-spleen axis.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture has shown the preventive effects on depression in rats with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). However, the mechanisms of acupuncture for preventing depression still need to be explored. In the study, acupuncture was applied to a rat depression model of CUMS, high-mobility group box 1(HMGB1)/toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and brain-spleen axis were assessed. METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were exposed to CUMS with two stressors per day for 28 days. In the meantime, manual acupuncture (at GV16 and GV23 acupoints, once every other day) and fluoxetine gavage (2.1 mg/kg, 0.21 mg/mL) were administered daily post CUMS stressors. Behavioral tests and biological detection methods were conducted in sequence to evaluate depression-like phenotypes in rats. RESULTS: The results showed CUMS induced depression-like behaviors, hyper-activation of HMGB1/TLR4 signaling pathway, elevated inflammation in amygdala and peripheral blood, and hyperactivation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. These changes could be prevented and reversed by acupuncture to varying extents. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture prevented and ameliorated depression-like symptoms induced by CUMS, possibly via regulating inflammation through brain-spleen axis mediated by HMGB1/TLR4 signaling pathway and HPA axis regulation.

Effect of heat-treating methods on components, instrumental evaluation of color and taste, and antioxidant properties of sea buckthorn pulp flavonoids.

Sea buckthorn has strong physiological activities, which might be attributed to its flavonoid compounds. The heat treatment could speed up the transformation of the flavonoids, so it would affect the properties of the flavonoids. To explore the effect of the heat-treating methods on the sea buckthorn pulp flavonoids, the flavonoid compositions, color and taste properties, and antioxidant activity, prepared by three heating methods, were investigated. The results showed that the extractable sea buckthorn flavonoids rose after heat treatment; the high temperature with high-pressure treatment had the largest yield (3.66 ± 0.21 mg/ml). A total of 16 flavonoid monomers were identified in the sea buckthorn, the content of isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside was the highest in the pulp (589.34 ± 4.72 µg/ml), the concentrations of eight monomers increased after heat-treating, and the treating methods could significantly affect the contents of flavonoid monomers (p < 0.05). The difference in color was positively correlated to the heat-treating time and temperature (p < 0.01); the ΔE value in high pressure with high temperature treatment was the largest (10.59). The heat treatment enhanced bitterness and acidity, while it greatly reduced the saltiness, umami, and sweetness (p < 0.01). The stronger antioxidant capacity of the total flavonoids was accompanied by the higher temperature and longer time of heat treatment. The antioxidant capacity was closely correlated to the contents of flavonoid monomers. Therefore, the heat treatment boosted the content of the flavonoids, enhanced the taste, and improved the antioxidant properties. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study can provide suitable a method for improving the extracting efficiency, improving properties and biological activities of sea buckthorn pulp flavonoids, also provide directions for predicting the antioxidant activity by the flavonoid monomer contents.

Electroacupuncture ameliorates peptic ulcer disease in association with gastroduodenal microbiota modulation in mice.

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a common disease and frequently encountered in the clinic. Accumulating evidence suggests that PUD is associated with the gastrointestinal microbiota. Electroacupuncture (EA) is an improved version of acupuncture, which can improve the clinical effect by increasing the stimulation and delivering appropriate electrical pulses to needles. This method has been widely used in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease. However, its effect on gastrointestinal microbiota remains unclear. Therefore, in the present study, the ameliorative effect of EA was evaluated on the gastroduodenal mucosa, and the regulatory effect of the gastroduodenal microbiota was assessed in PUD mice. A total of 48 male Kun Ming mice were randomly divided into the following groups: normal control group (NC), PUD model group (PUD), Shousanli group (LI10), and Zusanli group (ST36) (n=12). The mice in groups LI10 and ST36 were treated with EA at LI10 and ST36, respectively. This intervention was continued for 7 days. Subsequently, we evaluated the morphological changes in the gastric and duodenal mucosa, and specific indices were measured, including the contents of serum dopamine (DA), the trefoil factor (TFF), and the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). In addition, the gastric and duodenal microbiota were assessed via 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing. The results indicated that EA at LI10 or ST36 significantly reduced the injury of the gastroduodenal mucosa in PUD mice. The gastric microbial community structure of the groups LI10 and ST36 was similar to that of the NC group following comparison with the microbial community structure of the PUD model group. Moreover, the abundance of Firmicutes in the stomach was decreased, whereas that of Bacteroidetes was increased, and the abundance of Firmicutes in the duodenum was decreased. Furthermore, the microbial diversity and richness of the gastric microbiota in group LI10 were also significantly increased, and the serum dopamine and trefoil factor levels in group ST36 were significantly increased. Therefore, it is suggested that EA ameliorating PUD is in association with improving the levels of DA and TFF and regulating the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in the gastric microbiota.

Composition and antioxidant activity of anthocyanins from Aronia melanocarpa extracted using an ultrasonic-microwave-assisted natural deep eutectic solvent extraction method.

A time-saving, efficient, and environmentally friendly ultrasonic-microwave-assisted natural deep eutectic solvent (UMAE-NADES) extraction method was developed for the extraction of anthocyanins from Aronia melanocarpa. Eight different natural eutectic solvents were screened initially, and choline chloride-glycerol was selected as the extraction solvent. The extraction conditions were optimized using the response surface methodology, and the extraction rate of anthocyanins was higher than those achieved using the traditional ethanol method, natural deep eutectic solvent extraction method, and ultrasonic-microwave-assisted ethanol method. Six anthocyanins, including cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-O-xyloside, cyanidin-3,5-O-dihexoside, and the dimer of cyanidin-hexoside were identified and extracted at a purity of 448.873 mg/g using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The compounds extracted using UMAE-NADES had higher antioxidant capacities than those extracted by the other three methods. The UMAE-NADES demonstrated significant efficiency toward the extraction of bioactive substances and has potential utility in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Anti-depressant effects of acupuncture: The insights from NLRP3 mediated pyroptosis and inflammation.

The NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis, which could affect inflammation response, plays a key role in the development of depression. Acupuncture has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression. In this study, we aimed to determine whether acupuncture could confer antidepressant activity via decreasing NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis by reducing inflammation. Here, depression model of rats was induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 4 weeks. Acupuncture group was subjected to acupuncture at the Shangxing (GV23) and Fengfu (GV16) acupoints for 20 min every other day (a total of 14 times). Fluoxetine group was administered with fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg with the concentration of 0.21 mg/mL) by oral gavage (1 mL/100 g) once a day for 28 days. Rats' depression-like phenotypes were reflected with behavioral tests and biological detection methods. Results showed that acupuncture significantly improved the depression-like behavior of CUMS rat, suppressed the expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, GSDMD, IL-1ß, IL-18, HMGB1, IFN-γ, IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum and hippocampus, restored the %area of microglia, astrocytes and neuronal cells in the hippocampus. These indicate that acupuncture can prevent CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors by reducing NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis and inflammation.

TMT-Based Quantitative Proteomics Analyses Reveal the Antibacterial Mechanisms of Anthocyanins from Aronia melanocarpa against Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Aronia melanocarpa anthocyanins (AMAs), as natural plant extracts, can control pathogens and are attracting increasing attention. In this study, a tandem mass tag (TMT) quantitative proteomics method combined with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was used to explore the antibacterial mechanism of AMAs against Escherichia coli at the protein level. The results showed that 1739 proteins were identified in E. coli treated with AMAs, of which 628 were altered, including 262 downregulated proteins and 366 upregulated proteins. Bioinformatics analysis showed that these differentially expressed proteins have different molecular functions and participate in different molecular pathways. AMAs can affect E. coli protein biosynthesis, DNA replication and repair, oxidative stress response, peptidoglycan biosynthesis, and homeostasis. These pathways induce morphological changes and cell death. The results of this study help understand the molecular mechanism of the inhibitory effect of AMAs on food-borne pathogens and provide a reference for further development of plant-derived antimicrobial agents.

Anti-inflammatory and intestinal microbiota modulation properties of high hydrostatic pressure treated cyanidin-3-glucoside and blueberry pectin complexes on dextran sodium sulfate-induced ulcerative colitis mice.

This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) and blueberry pectin (BP) complexes on mice with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis before and after high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting, and 16S rDNA sequencing were used to study the expression of inflammation-related factors, activation of signal pathway-related proteins, and changes in the intestinal flora in ulcerative colitis (UC) mice. The results showed that HHP-treated C3G-BP complexes significantly relieved diarrhea and blood loss in the stool of UC mice and alleviated colon shortening. The potential mechanism of action involved reduction in intestinal oxidative stress mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory factors, improvement in anti-inflammatory factor levels, inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway, increased protein levels of Bcl-2/Bax and caspase-3/cleaved caspase-3 genes, and improved gut microbiota composition. Compared with other experimental groups, the HHP-treated C3G-BP complexes group exhibited the best anti-inflammatory effect on DSS-induced UC mice. The results may provide new ideas for using C3G-BP complexes for treating UC and help develop better processing methods.

[Professor LU Fan's clinical experience in shallow needling technique of acupuncture].

Professor LU Fan adheres to the principle in clinical practice, "the needling principle concentrated on regulating qi ". She takes the advantages of shallow needling technique of acupuncture in treatment of various diseases, e.g. exogenous disease, initial onset of disorder, chronic bi disorder, intractable diseases, disorder of yang nature, disorder of heat nature, thin body, pediatric diseases, disorders on the unilateral side of the body and acute diseases. Besides in compliance with classics, she has broadened the application scope of shallow needling technique of acupuncture and improved the clinical therapeutic effect.

Acupuncture Can Play an Antidepressant Role by Regulating the Intestinal Microbes and Neurotransmitters in a Rat Model of Depression.

BACKGROUND Acupuncture, which has many good effects and few adverse effects, is widely recognized as an alternative therapy for depression in clinical practice. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of acupuncture in antidepressant treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this experiment, Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), acupuncture, and fluoxetine groups. The CUMS, acupuncture, and fluoxetine groups were orphaned and subjected to chronic unpredictable stress for 6 weeks, and the acupuncture and fluoxetine groups were treated with their respective intervention in weeks 4-6. The body weight of rats was monitored weekly. After behavioral tests were completed, serum, feces, and hippocampal tissue of rats were collected. RESULTS The results showed that the acupuncture and fluoxetine treatments could alleviate the behavioral changes caused by CUMS. The treatments increased the total distance of rat crossing in the open-field test, prolonged the activity time of the open cross maze in the open arm, and improved the rate of sucrose consumption in the sucrose preference test. In addition, both the decreased level of dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in serum and hippocampus caused by CUMS were improved after the treatments with acupuncture and fluoxetine, and the decreased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling and the astrocytes in the hippocampus caused by CUMS were increased after the treatments with acupuncture and fluoxetine. Acupuncture and fluoxetine also decreased the ß isoform of calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in the hippocampus, which was increased by CUMS. Furthermore, acupuncture regulated intestinal microbial disorders caused by CUMS, which reduced the relative abundance ratio of Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes in rats. CONCLUSIONS Our experimental results indicate that acupuncture can alleviate depression-like performance in CUMS rats by regulating intestinal microbes and neurotransmitters.

Acupuncture Relieves Stress-Induced Depressive Behavior by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Neuroapoptosis in Rats.

Oxidative stress is closely related to the occurrence of depression. Acupuncture has been proved to be an effective method for treating depression. In order to explore the mechanism of the antidepressant effect of acupuncture, this study performed acupuncture prevention on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) depression model rats, and observed the effect of acupuncture on hippocampal oxidative stress and Nrf2 signaling pathway. Male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, CUMS group, acupuncture group, and fluoxetine group (n = 10/group). Fluoxetine, a common antidepressant, was used as a positive control drug in this study. In the fluoxetine group, rats were given fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg) intragastrically once a day for 28 days. The acupoints of Shangxing (GV23) and Fengfu (GV16) were applied in acupuncture group, once every other day for 14 times in total. Behavioral tests and biological detections were used to evaluate the effects of the interventions and the changes of factors related to oxidative stress, Nrf2 pathway, and neuronal apoptosis. The results showed that both acupuncture and fluoxetine could increase sugar preference rate in SPT and decrease immobility time in FST in depression model rats. It also significantly decreased oxidative stress products such as ROS and H2O2, and elevated the protein and mRNA expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1. From Nissl's staining, there were more abundant nerve cells in two intervention groups compared with CUMS group. Plus, acupuncture down-regulated the expression levels of Bax and caspase-3 and up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2. Our findings indicate that acupuncture improved depression-like behaviors of CUMS rats. And CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors in rats were related to oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis in hippocampus. Acupuncture showed antidepressant effects in reducing oxidative stress products via regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway so that prevented neuronal apoptosis.

Effects of α-casein and ß-casein on the stability, antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility of blueberry anthocyanins with an in vitro simulated digestion.

Blueberry anthocyanins are well-known for their diverse biological functions. However, the instability during digestion results in their weak bioavailability. The current study aimed to investigate the alteration in the stability, antioxidant capacity and bioaccessibility of blueberry anthocyanins with the addition of α-casein and ß-casein in a simulated digestion system using pH differential method, HPLC-MS analysis, peroxyl scavenging capacity (PSC) assay, cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) and penetration test. The results showed that both α-casein and ß-casein could increase the stability of blueberry anthocyanins during intestinal digestion and protect their antioxidant capacity. Moreover, the addition of α-casein or ß-casein would enhance the bioaccessibility of blueberry anthocyanins. In conclusion, our study highlights that the interaction between α-casein or ß-casein with blueberry anthocyanins can protect the compounds against influences associated with the simulated digestion.

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the binding capacity, interaction, and antioxidant activity of the binding products of cyanidin-3-glucoside and blueberry pectin.

In this study, the effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HP) treatment on the binding capacity, interaction, and antioxidant activity of the binding products of blueberry pectin (BP) and cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) were assessed. HP was found to significantly improve the adsorption between C3G and BP. After binding, the C3G concentration was found to be the highest (382.1 ± 13.2 µg/mg for BP) when using a C3G-BP mass ratio of 1:2, a pressure of 400 MPa, and a holding time of 15 min. HP processing decreased particle size and altered the characteristics of C3G-BP complexes. The main binding form of the complexes before HP treatment was pectin-wrapped C3G by hydrogen bond interaction, while HP caused charged groups in pectin to be more exposed and improve the electrostatic interaction between C3G and BP. The antioxidant activity results showed that the presence of BP could protect the ferric-reducing antioxidant power of C3G after HP treatment.

Effect of ultrahigh pressure on structural and physicochemical properties of rice and corn starch in complexes with apple polyphenols.

BACKGROUND: Ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) treatment, a non-thermal processing technology, exerts a bactericidal effect and affects food texture. How UHP treatments influence starch-polyphenol complexes has not yet been reported. Here, we studied the effects of UHP treatment on the structure of common rice starch (CRS)-apple polyphenol (AP) and common corn starch (CCS)-AP mixtures. RESULTS: Overall, UHP treatment decreased the particle size of the CRS-AP and CCS-AP composites. Furthermore, the ΔH values of the CRS-AP and CCS-AP mixtures decreased, and the heating stability was improved after UHP treatment. X-ray diffraction indicated that the relative crystallinity of the mixtures was unaffected by UHP treatment. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy proved that no new absorption peaks were observed in the infrared spectra, and the order of starch-AP was decreased after UHP treatment. These results indicated that UHP treatment inhibited the retrogradation of the starch-AP mixture. Our analyses of the microstructures of CRS-AP and CCS-AP mixtures showed increased folding and more pronounced network structures under high-pressure. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide a theoretical basis for further exploring the properties of starch-AP mixtures following UHP treatment and provide insights regarding the use of UHP treatments for food production. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Beneficial effects of Aronia melanocarpa berry extract on hepatic insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus rats.

We aimed to investigate) the effects of Aronia melanocarpa berry extract (AMBE) on hepatic insulin resistance and its mechanism at the molecular level in high-fat diet (HFD)- and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats. The rats were supplemented with AMBE at doses of 100 and 400 mg/kg body weight (bw) daily for 8 weeks. AMBE significantly reduced blood glucose and serum insulin levels and the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance score; improved glucose tolerance; increased hepatic glycogen content; and regulated glucose metabolism enzyme activity, including glucokinase, pyruvate kinase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and glucose-6-phosphatase in the liver. AMBE also reduced lipid accumulation and oxidative stress along with inflammation in the hepatic tissue of T2DM rats and improved hepatic function. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway was activated by AMBE through the elevation of insulin receptor substrate-2, PI3K, Akt, and glycogen synthase kinase-3ß phosphorylation and glucose transporter 2, which might contribute to the promotion of glycogen synthesis and improvement of hepatic insulin resistance. AMBE shows promise as an ingredient of functional foods for alleviating hepatic insulin resistance in T2DM. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The extract from the berries of Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott (AMBE), with its relatively high content of polyphenolic compounds, has been shown to exert hypoglycemic effects in animal models of diabetes. Our findings support the use of A. melanocarpa as a functional food additive for the alleviation of hepatic insulin resistance and the management of glucose homeostasis in T2DM.

Nitric Oxide and Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate Signaling Mediates the Antidepressant Effects of Acupuncture in the Rat Model of Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress.

BACKGROUND Depression is a major mood disorder. Some patients have been reported to improve following acupuncture. This study aimed to investigate the effects of acupuncture on behaviors associated with depression in the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rat model. The expression of signaling pathway components of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in the rat hippocampus and plasma were also measured. MATERIAL AND METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats (N=40) were divided into the control group (N=10), the model group (N=10), the acupuncture group (N=10), and the non-acupuncture group (N=10). The rat model was established by orphaning combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for six weeks. The acupuncture group was given 21 days of treatment using acupoints (AP) or non-acupoints (NP). Rat behaviors associated with depression were tested using the sucrose preference test (SPT), the open field test (OFT), and the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), and the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits, NR1, NR2A, and NR2B in the rat plasma and hippocampus. RESULTS Acupuncture reversed the behaviors associated with depression in the CUMS rat model and reduced the expression of components of the NO and cGMP pathway in the rat hippocampus and plasma. CONCLUSIONS In the CUMS rat model, treatment with acupuncture reduced behaviors associated with depression, and these effects were associated with changes in the NO and cGMP signaling pathway.