Recovery of phenolic compounds from peach pomace using conventional solvent extraction and different emerging techniques.

The study compared high-pressure, microwave, ultrasonic, and traditional extraction techniques. The following extraction conditions were implemented: microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) at 900 W power for durations of 30, 60, and 90 s; ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) at 100% amplitude for periods of 5, 10, and 15 min; and high-pressure processing (HPP) at pressures of 400 and 500 MPa for durations of 1, 5, and 10 min. The highest yield in terms of total phenolic content (PC) was obtained in UAE with a value of 45.13 ± 1.09 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g fresh weight (FW). The highest PC content was determined using HPP-500 MPa for 10 min, resulting in 40 mg GAE/100 g, and MAE for 90 s, yielding 34.40 mg GAE/100 g FW. The highest value of antioxidant activity (AA) was obtained by UAE in 51.9% ± 0.71%. The PCs were identified through the utilization of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Utilizing multivariate analysis, the construction of chemometric models were executed to predict AA or total PC of the extracts, leveraging the information from IR spectra. The FTIR spectrum revealed bands associated with apigenin, and the application of HPP resulted in concentrations of 5.41 ± 0.25 mg/100 g FW for apigenin and 1.30 ± 0.15 mg/100 g FW for protocatechuic acid. Furthermore, HPLC analysis detected the presence of protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and apigenin in both green extraction methods and the classical method. Apigenin emerged as the predominant phenolic compound in peach extracts. The highest concentrations of apigenin, p-coumaric acid, and protocatechuic acid were observed under HPP treatment, measuring 5.41 ± 0.25, 0.21 ± 0.04, and 1.30 ± 0.15 mg/kg FW, respectively.

Water extract of Fagopyrum dibotrys (D. Don) Hara straw increases selenium accumulation in peach seedlings under selenium-contaminated soil.

To promote the selenium (Se) uptakes in fruit trees under Se-contaminated soil, the effects of water extract of Fagopyrum dibotrys (D. Don) Hara straw on the Se accumulation in peach seedlings under selenium-contaminated soil were studied. The results showed that the root biomass, chlorophyll content, activities of antioxidant enzymes, and soluble protein content of peach seedlings were increased by the F. dibotrys straw extract. The different forms of Se (total Se, inorganic Se, and organic Se) were also increased in peach seedlings following treatment with the F. dibotrys straw extract. The highest total shoot Se content was treated by the 300-fold dilution of F. dibotrys straw, which was 30.87% higher than the control. The F. dibotrys straw extract also increased the activities of adenosine triphosphate sulfurase (ATPS), and adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductase (APR) in peach seedlings, but decreased the activity of serine acetyltransferase (SAT). Additionally, correlation and grey relational analyses revealed that chlorophyll a content, APR activity, and root biomass were closely associated with the total shoot Se content. Overall, this study shows that the water extract of F. dibotrys straw can promote Se uptake in peach seedlings, and 300-fold dilution is the most suitable concentration.

The water extract of Fagopyrum dibotrys (D. Don) Hara straw promoted the selenium (Se) uptake in peach seedlings under selenium-contaminated soil. The concentration of F. dibotrys straw extract showed a quadratic polynomial regression relationship with the total root and shoot Se. Furthermore, chlorophyll a content, APR activity, and root biomass were closely associated with the total shoot Se. This study shows that water extract of F. dibotrys straw can promote Se uptake in peach seedlings, and 300-fold dilution is the most suitable concentration.

Melatonin Promotes Iron Reactivation and Reutilization in Peach Plants under Iron Deficiency.

The yellowing of leaves due to iron deficiency is a prevalent issue in peach production. Although the capacity of exogenous melatonin (MT) to promote iron uptake in peach plants has been demonstrated, its underlying mechanism remains ambiguous. This investigation was carried out to further study the effects of exogenous MT on the iron absorption and transport mechanisms of peach (Prunus persica) plants under iron-deficient conditions through transcriptome sequencing. Under both iron-deficient and iron-supplied conditions, MT increased the content of photosynthetic pigments in peach leaves and decreased the concentrations of pectin, hemicellulose, cell wall iron, pectin iron, and hemicellulose iron in peach plants to a certain extent. These effects stemmed from the inhibitory effect of MT on the polygalacturonase (PG), cellulase (Cx), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and cinnamoyl-coenzyme A reductase (CCR) activities, as well as the promotional effect of MT on the cinnamic acid-4-hydroxylase (C4H) activity, facilitating the reactivation of cell wall component iron. Additionally, MT increased the ferric-chelate reductase (FCR) activity and the contents of total and active iron in various organs of peach plants under iron-deficient and iron-supplied conditions. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) linked to iron metabolism in MT-treated peach plants were primarily enriched in the aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis pathway under iron-deficient conditions. Furthermore, MT influenced the expression levels of these DEGs, regulating cell wall metabolism, lignin metabolism, and iron translocation within peach plants. Overall, the application of exogenous MT promotes the reactivation and reutilization of iron in peach plants.

Integration of metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses reveals the mechanism of nano-selenium treated to activate phenylpropanoid metabolism and enhance the antioxidant activity of peach.

Foliar spraying to improve the quality of fruits is a general approach nowadays. In this study, 10 ppm nano-selenium (nano-Se) diluted with distilled water was sprayed on peach leaves every 10 days for a total of 7 sprays during the fruit set period. And then their fruit quality was compared with that of control group. It was found that the firmness, soluble solid concentration, total phenol, and proanthocyanidin content of the peaches were raised after the nano-Se treatment. Moreover, the ascorbic acid glutathione loop (ASA-GSH loop) was fully activated in the nano-Se treated group, and the associated antioxidant capacity and enzyme activity were significantly increased. Metabolomics revealed that nano-Se could upregulate some metabolites, such as phenylalanine, naringenin, and pinocembrin, to fully activate the metabolism of phenylpropanoids. Further, based on transcriptomics, nano-Se treatment was found to affect fruit quality by regulating genes related to phenylpropanoid metabolism, such as arogenate/prephenate dehydratase (ADT), genes related to abscisic acid metabolism such as (+)-abscisic acid 8'-hydroxylase (CYP707A), and some transcription factors such as MYB. Based on the comprehensive analysis of physicochemical indicators, metabolomics, and transcriptomics, it was found that nano-Se improved fruit quality by activating phenylpropanoid metabolism and enhancing antioxidant capacity. This work provides insights into the mechanism of the effect of nano-Se fertilizer on peach fruit quality. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The firmness and soluble solid concentration of peaches are higher after nano-Se treatment, which is more in line with people's demand for hard soluble peaches like "Yingzui." The antioxidant capacity, antioxidant substance content, and antioxidant enzyme activity of nano-Se-treated peaches are higher, with potential storage resistance and health effects on human body. The mechanism of nano-Se affecting peach quality was analyzed by metabolomics and transcriptomics, which is a reference and guide for the research and application of nano-Se.

Low temperature inhibits pectin degradation by PpCBFs to prolong peach storage time.

Low-temperature storage is a widely used method for peach fruit storage. However, the impact of PpCBFs on pectin degradation during low-temperature storage is unclear. As such, in this study, we stored the melting-flesh peach cultivar "Fuli" at low temperature (LT, 6°C) and room temperature (RT, 25°C) to determine the effect of different temperatures on its physiological and biochemical changes. Low-temperature storage can inhibit the softening of "Fuli" peaches by maintaining the stability of the cell wall. It was found that the contents of water-soluble pectin and ionic-soluble pectin in peach fruit stored at RT were higher than those stored at LT. The enzyme activities of polygalacturonase (PG), pectate lyase (PL), and pectin methylesterase (PME) were all inhibited by LT. The expressions of PpPME3, PpPL2, and PpPG were closely related to fruit firmness, but PpCBF2 and PpCBF3 showed higher expression levels at LT than RT. The promoters of PpPL2 and PpPG contain the DER motif, which suggested that PpCBF2 and PpCBF3 might negatively regulate their expression by directly binding to their promoters. These results indicated that LT may maintain firmness by activating PpCBFs to repress pectin-degradation-related enzyme genes during storage.

Network pharmacology prediction and experimental verification of Rhubarb-Peach Kernel promoting apoptosis in endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: "Rhubarb-Peach Kernel" herb pair (RP) one of the most frequently used drug pairs, has been used in traditional medicine in China to treat inflammation and diseases associated with pain. Although it is widely used clinically and has a remarkable curative effect, the mechanism of RP treatment for endometriosis (EMs) remains unclear due to its complicated components. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-endometriosis effect of RP, with emphasis on apoptosis via network pharmacology prediction, molecular docking and experimental verification. METHODS: The related ingredients and targets of RP in treating EMs were screened out using Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP), Tool for Molecular mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM), and GeneCards database. The data of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was obtained by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interaction Gene/Proteins (STRING) Database. The Metascape database was adopt for Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. After that, the molecular docking of the main active ingredients and apoptosis targets was performed. Finally, the pro-apoptotic effect of RP was verified in hEM15a cells. RESULTS: A total of 32 RP compounds were collected. Forty-two matching targets were picked out as the correlative targets of RP in treating EMs. Among these, 18 hub targets including P53, CASP3 were recognized by the PPI network. KEGG enrichment analysis discovered that the regulation of apoptosis was one of the potential mechanisms of RP against EMs. Anthraquinone compounds, flavonoids, and triterpenes in RP were identified as crucial active ingredients, involved in the pro-apoptotic effect, which were confirmed subsequently by molecular docking. Additionally, it was verified that RP treatment promoted apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation of EMs cells (assessed by MTT and Flow cytometry). Moreover, the induction of apoptosis in treated EMs cells may be due to the regulation of apoptosis-related protein expression, including P53, BAX, and CASP3. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study demonstrated that RP may exert its therapeutic effects on EMs through the potential mechanism of promoting apoptosis. Anthraquinones, flavonoids and triterpenoids are the possible pro-apoptotic components in RP.

Bees and thrips carry virus-positive pollen in peach orchards in South Carolina, United States.

Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) and prune dwarf virus (PDV) are pollen-borne viruses of important stone fruit crops, including peaches, which can cause substantial yield loss. Although both horizontal and vertical (i.e., seed) transmission of both viruses occurs through pollen, the role of flower-visiting insects in their transmission is not well understood. Bees and thrips reportedly spread PNRSV and PDV in orchards and greenhouse studies; however, the field spread of PNRSV and PDV in peach orchards in the southeastern United States is not explored. We hypothesized that bees and thrips may facilitate virus spread by carrying virus-positive pollen. Our 2-yr survey results show that 75% of captured bees are carrying virus-positive pollen and moving across the orchard while a subsample of thrips were also found virus positive. Based on morphology, Bombus, Apis, Andrena, Eucera, and Habropoda are the predominant bee genera that were captured in peach orchards. Understanding the role of bees and thrips in the spread of PNRSV and PDV will enhance our understanding of pollen-borne virus ecology.

Sodium alginate coating of Ginkgo biloba leaves extract containing phenylpropanoids as an ecofriendly preserving agent to maintain the quality of peach fruit.

Plant constituents are of great interest in the food processing industry as potential natural preservative agents for controlling foodborne pathogens. In this study, the 95% EtOH/H2 O extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves was separated using polarity extraction solvents with petroleum ether (PE), ethyl acetate (EA), n-butanol (nB), and water (W) by the principle of similarity and compatibility. Through TLC and NMR analysis of these extracts, it can be concluded that the main component of PE extract were organic acids, for EA extract were flavonoids, for nB extract were phenylpropanoids, and water extract were oligosaccharides. Twelve monomer compounds were separated from the extracts to verify the composition of each extraction stage. Results of morphological and molecular identification revealed that Monilinia fructicola and Rhizopus stolonifer were the main fungi causing peach rot. After evaluating the antifungal activity and peach quality of the four extract/sodium alginate coatings, it was found that the n-butanol extract/sodium alginate coating containing phenylpropanoids had the lowest decay index and the best preservation effect, providing a sustainable alternative to reduce the harm to the environment of synthetic preservatives. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The abuse of synthetic preservatives poses a threat to the ecological environment and physical health. Therefore, this study developed sodium alginate coating of Ginkgo biloba leaves extract containing phenylpropanoids, which has good effects on the preservation of peaches. The agent is a promising environmentally friendly alternative for synthetic preservatives.

Isomerization and Stabilization of Amygdalin from Peach Kernels.

In this study, isomerization conditions, cytotoxic activity, and stabilization of amygdalin from peach kernels were analyzed. Temperatures greater than 40 °C and pHs above 9.0 resulted in a quickly increasing isomer ratio (L-amygdalin/D-amygdalin). At acidic pHs, isomerization was significantly inhibited, even at high temperature. Ethanol inhibited isomerization; the isomer rate decreased with the ethanol concentration increasing. The growth-inhibitory effect on HepG2 cells of D-amygdalin was diminished as the isomer ratio increased, indicating that isomerization reduces the pharmacological activity of D-amygdalin. Extracting amygdalin from peach kernels by ultrasonic power at 432 W and 40 °C in 80% ethanol resulted in a 1.76% yield of amygdalin with a 0.04 isomer ratio. Hydrogel beads prepared by 2% sodium alginate successfully encapsulated the amygdalin, and its encapsulation efficiency and drug loading rate reached 85.93% and 19.21%, respectively. The thermal stability of amygdalin encapsulated in hydrogel beads was significantly improved and reached a slow-release effect in in vitro digestion. This study provides guidance for the processing and storage of amygdalin.

Post-harvest ripening affects drying behavior, antioxidant capacity and flavor release of peach via alteration of cell wall polysaccharides content and nanostructures, water distribution and status.

Effect of post-harvest ripening on cell wall polysaccharides nanostructures, water status, physiochemical properties of peaches and drying behavior under hot air-infrared drying was evaluated. Results showed that the content of water soluble pectins (WSP) increased by 94 %, while the contents of chelate-soluble pectins (CSP), Na2CO3-soluble pectins (NSP) and hemicelluloses (HE) decreased during post-harvest ripening by 60 %, 43 %, and 61 %, respectively. The drying time increased from 3.5 to 5.5 h when the post-harvest time increased from 0 to 6 days. Atomic force microscope analysis showed that depolymerization of hemicelluloses and pectin occurred during post-harvest ripening. Time Domain -NMR observations indicated that reorganization of cell wall polysaccharides nanostructure changed water spatial distribution and cell internal structure, facilitated moisture migration, and affected antioxidant capacity of peaches during drying. This leads to the redistribution of flavor substances (heptanal, n-nonanal dimer and n-nonanal monomer). The current work elucidates the effect of post-harvest ripening on the physiochemical properties and drying behavior of peaches.

The mechanism of peach kernel and safflower herb-pair for the treatment of liver fibrosis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology: A review.

Peach kernel and safflower herb-pair (PKSH) are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Therefore, network pharmacology was performed to explore potential therapeutic targets and pharmacological mechanisms of PKSH. The active components of PKSH from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform database and potential targets of liver fibrosis from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base, GeneCards, and DrugBank Database were identified. The protein-protein interaction network was constructed using Cytoscape (v3.8.0). Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed for the treatment of liver fibrosis, and molecular docking was carried out to verify the results of network pharmacology analysis. After screening disease-related genes, 179 intersection genes overlapped between 196 target proteins of the active compound and 9189 potential disease targets. Furthermore, we obtained 15 hub nodes and 146 edges to establish a related network diagram using CytoNCA. 2559 Gene Ontology biological processes underlying PKSH have been explored for the treatment of liver fibrosis, in which the response to oxidative stress plays a vital role. Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that PKSH might play a role in inhibiting liver fibrosis, mainly through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. PKSH can regulate the response to oxidative stress through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway for the treatment of liver fibrosis. The main bioactive components in PKSH, including quercetin and luteolin, can activate the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway by binding with the hub targets of the disease, which may provide insights into drug development for liver fibrosis.

Postharvest melatonin treatment enhanced antioxidant activity and promoted GABA biosynthesis in yellow-flesh peach.

The effects of postharvest melatonin treatment on antioxidant activity and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) biosynthesis in yellow-flesh peach fruit stored at 4 °C and 90% RH for 28 d were explored. Results showed that melatonin treatment was effective in maintaining firmness, total soluble solids content and color in peach fruit. Melatonin treatment significantly reduced H2O2 and MDA contents, enhanced high level of non-enzymatic antioxidant system (ABTS∙+ scavenging capacity), and increased the activity or content of antioxidant enzymes including CAT, POD, SOD and APX. Melatonin treatment increased the contents of total soluble protein and glutamate, while reducing total free amino acid content. Moreover, melatonin treatment up-regulated the expression of GABA biosynthesis genes (PpGAD1 and PpGAD4) and suppressed the expression of GABA degradation gene (PpGABA-T), resulting in the accumulation of endogenous GABA. These findings indicated that melatonin treatment exerted positive effects on improving antioxidant activity and promoting GABA biosynthesis in yellow-flesh peach fruit.

Peach extract induces systemic and local immune responses in an experimental food allergy model.

Peach allergy is among the most frequent food allergies in the Mediterranean area, often eliciting severe anaphylactic reactions in patients. Due to the risk of severe symptoms, studies in humans are limited, leading to a lack of therapeutic options. This study aimed to develop a peach allergy mouse model as a tool to better understand the pathomechanism and to allow preclinical investigations on the development of optimized strategies for immunotherapy. CBA/J mice were sensitized intraperitoneally with peach extract or PBS, using alum as adjuvant. Afterwards, extract was administered intragastrically to involve the intestinal tract. Allergen provocation was performed via intraperitoneal injection of extract, measuring drop of body temperature as main read out of anaphylaxis. The model induced allergy-related symptoms in mice, including decrease of body temperature. Antibody levels in serum and intestinal homogenates revealed a Th2 response with increased levels of mMCPT-1, peach- and Pru p 3-specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG2a as well as increased levels of IL-4 and IL-13. FACS analysis of small intestine lamina propria revealed increased amounts of T cells, neutrophils and DCs in peach allergic mice. These data suggest the successful establishment of a peach allergy mouse model, inducing systemic as well as local gastrointestinal reactions.

Tranzschelia discolor as the Causal Agent of Rust on Nectarine, Peach, and Japanese Plum in Highland Areas of Northern Thailand.

A severe outbreak of rust disease was observed on Prunus species, P. persica (peach), P. persica var. nectarina (nectarine), and P. salicina (Japanese plum) cultivated in northern Thailand in the rainy season. Previous reports have identified the causal agents as Tranzschelia discolor and T. pruni-spinosae based on only morphological characteristics. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify rust fungi of Prunus spp. based on morphology and molecular analyses. Between May and July in 2020 and 2022, 18 isolates were collected from five areas in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces. Symptoms of rust consisted of cinnamon brown pustules of uredinia that were hypophyllous and visible as pale greenish to chlorotic yellowish angular spots on the upper leaf surfaces. Urediniospore shape, size, and color were similar to T. discolor. Molecular analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial 28S large subunit (LSU) region rRNA genes confirmed the isolates to be T. discolor. This is the first report of P. salicina as a host of T. discolor in Thailand.

Optimization of Ultrasound- and Microwave-Assisted Extraction for the Determination of Phenolic Compounds in Peach Byproducts Using Experimental Design and Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

The conversion of plant byproducts, which are phenolic-rich substrates, to valuable co-products by implementing non-conventional extraction techniques is the need of the hour. In the current study, ultrasound- (UAE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were applied for the recovery of polyphenols from peach byproducts. Two-level screening and Box-Behnken design were adopted to optimize extraction efficiency in terms of total phenolic content (TPC). Methanol:water 4:1% v/v was the extraction solvent. The optimal conditions of UAE were 15 min, 8 s ON-5 s OFF, and 35 mL g-1, while MAE was maximized at 20 min, 58 °C, and 16 mL g-1. Regarding the extracts' TPC and antioxidant activity, MAE emerged as the method of choice, whilst their antiradical activity was similar in both techniques. Furthermore, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated to determine chlorogenic acid and naringenin in byproducts' extracts. 4-Chloro-4'-hydroxybenzophenone is proposed as a new internal standard in LC-MS/MS analysis in foods and byproducts. Chlorogenic acid was extracted in higher yields when UAE was used, while MAE favored the extraction of the flavonoid compound, naringenin. To conclude, non-conventional extraction could be considered as an efficient and fast alternative for the recovery of bioactive compounds from plant matrices.

Allergy to lipid transfer proteins (LTP) in a pediatric population.

Summary: Background. Lipid transfer proteins (LTP) are considered important plant food allergens in the Mediterranean area, but little is known about LTP allergy in pediatric age. Our aim was to characterize LTP allergy in children.Methods. We reviewed the clinical data from all children evaluated in our department with LTP allergy. From the 76 patients with LTP allergy, 26c hildren were included, 50% female, median age 10 years (1-17). Symptoms included urticaria in 58% (n = 15), anaphylaxis in 46% (n = 12) and OAS in 42% (n = 11). Results. Multiple reactions with different foods occurredin 69%. Cofactors were reported in 27% (n = 7). All patients had positive SPT to peach LTP extract and sIgE Pru p 3. No association between the occurrence of severe reactions and sIgE to Pru p 3 (p = 0.462), sIgE to Cor a 8(p = 0.896), SPT to peach LTP extract (p = 0.846) or the number of positive SPT to fruits/tree nuts (p = 0.972; p = 0.676) was found. Ninety-two percent of the patients tolerated fruits from Rosacea family without peel. Twelve percent reported reactions to new LTP containing foods during follow-up. LTP allergy can occur since early childhood. Conclusions. Since anaphylaxisis common and cofactors act as severity enhancers, it is fundamental to recognizeLTP allergy in children. Currently available diagnostic tests (SPT and sIgE) cannot accurately predict food tolerance or anticipate reaction severity.

Changes in the Phytochemical Profile and Antioxidant Properties of Prunus persica Fruits after the Application of a Commercial Biostimulant Based on Seaweed and Yeast Extract.

Plant biostimulants are formulations that are experiencing great success from the perspective of sustainable agriculture. In this work, we evaluated the effect derived from the application of a biostimulant based on algae and yeast extracts (Expando®) on the agronomic yield and nutraceutical profile of two different cultivars ("Sugar Time" and "West Rose") of Prunus persica (peach). Although, at the agronomic level, significant effects on production yields were not recorded, the biostimulant was able to reduce the ripening time, increase the fruit size, and make the number of harvestable fruits homogeneous. From a nutraceutical point of view, our determinations via spectrophotometric (UV/Vis) and chromatographic (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS) analysis showed that the biostimulant was able to boost the content of bioactive compounds in both the pulp (5.0 L/ha: +17%; 4.0 L/ha: +12%; 2.5 L/ha: +11%) and skin (4.0 L/ha: +38%; 2.5 L/ha: +15%). These changes seem to follow a dose-dependent effect, also producing attractive effects on the antioxidant properties of the fruits harvested from the treated trees. In conclusion, the biostimulant investigated in this work proved to be able to produce more marketable fruit in a shorter time, both from a pomological and a functional point of view.

Identification and characterization of anthocyanins and non-anthocyanin phenolics from Australian native fruits and their antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-Alzheimer potential.

Polyphenols are vital bioactive constituents that have beneficial effects on human health. The aim of this study was to characterize the biologically active phenolic metabolites in Australian native commercial fruits (Kakadu plum, Davidson's plum, quandong peach, and muntries) and their antioxidant, α-glucosidase, and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activities. Polyphenols were measured through total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total condensed tannin (TCT), and total monomeric anthocyanin content (TMAC). Moreover, different in-vitro biological assays (DPPH, ABTS, FICA, OH-RSA, α-glucosidase, and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activities) were conducted to measure the antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-Alzheimer's potential of these selected fruits. LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS was implied for identification and quantification purposes. In this study, a total of 307 bioactive metabolites (51 phenolic acids, 194 flavonoids, 15 tannins, 23 other polyphenols, 5 stilbenes, 12 lignans, and 7 terpenoids) were putatively identified. A total of 41 phenolic compounds were quantified/semi-quantified. Kakadu plum was identified with a higher concentration of polyphenols and biological activities compared to Davidson plum, quandong peach, and muntries. Molecular docking was also conducted to discover the actual role of the most abundant phenolic metabolites in the α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activities.

Near-Infrared Metabolic Profiling for Discrimination of Apricot and Peach Kernels.

Apricot and Peach Kernels are commercial crude drugs used in many formulas of traditional Japanese medicine, Kampo. Although their applications are quite different, it is difficult to distinguish them using conventional methods such as HPLC. The study aimed at near-infrared (NIR) metabolic profiling to discriminate Apricot and Peach Kernels (Armeniacae Semen and Persicae Semen) collected from Japanese markets. A fast, simple, non-destructive, and robust NIR measurement of kernel surface with no sample pre-treatment was achieved in situ. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) models showed discrimination between the two crude drugs with good fitting and prediction values. These results indicate that NIR metabolic profiling is useful for discriminating Apricot and Peach Kernels based on their chemical constituents using a simple and non-destructive procedure.