Pseudocereal Oils, Authenticated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and their Chemopreventive Properties.

Amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat are the representatives of pseudocereals, different parts and by-products of which are used in daily nutrition and food processing industry. However, only scarce information exists on the bioactivity of their oils. Thus, oils obtained from amaranth, buckwheat, and red, yellow, and white quinoa seeds were evaluated in terms of their nutritional (fatty acid profile, squalene), cytotoxic (against normal and neoplastic gastrointestinal, prostate, and skin cells), anti-inflammatory and antiradical (interleukin 6, TNF-alpha, nitric oxide, DPPH, Total phenolics, and superoxide dismutase) potential in the in vitro model. Linoleic (42.9-52.5%) and oleic (22.5-31.1%) acids were the two main unsaturated, while palmitic acid (4.9-18.6%) was the major saturated fatty acid in all evaluated oils. Squalene was identified in all evaluated oils with the highest content in amaranth oil (7.6 g/100 g), and the lowest in buckwheat oil (2.1 g/100 g). The evaluated oils exerted a high direct cytotoxic impact on cancer cells of different origins, but also revealed anti-inflammatory and antiradical potentials. Yellow quinoa oil was the most active, especially toward skin (A375; IC50 6.3 µg/mL), gastrointestinal (HT29 IC50 4.9 µg/mL), and prostate cancer cells (LNCaP IC50 7.6 µg/mL). The observed differences in the activity between the oils from the tested quinoa varieties deserve further studies. High selectivity of the oils was noted, which indicates their safety to normal cells. The obtained results indicate that the oils are good candidates for functional foods with perspective chemopreventive potential.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Biomass Extracts of the Bay Mushroom, Imleria badia (Agaricomycetes), in RAW 264.7 Cells.

The popular edible bay mushroom, Imleria badia, is rich in phenolic and indole compounds, unsaturated fatty acids, and elements that have anti-inflammatory activity, including zinc. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pro- or anti-inflammatory impact of I. badia biomass extracts on RAW 264.7 cells. We analyzed the influence of I. badia extracts and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) cotreatment on the fatty acid profile of cell membranes. We also analyzed cyclooxygenase-2, prostaglandin E synthase, glutathione S transferase Mul, and nuclear factor (NF)-κB p50 and p65 protein expression, as well as the activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and NF-κB transcription factors. Incubation of cells with I. badia extracts resulted in a decreased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin E2 synthase when compared with the LPS-activated macrophages. Glutathione S transferase Mul expression increased after incubation of cells with I. badia extracts. p50 And p65 NF-κB protein levels were lower in macrophages after extract treatment. Lower activity of NF-κB and higher activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ was observed in cells treated with I. badia extracts in the presence of LPS when compared with cells activated by LPS alone. Our findings suggest the anti-inflammatory properties of I. badia biomass extracts from in vitro cultures, which could contribute to the development of new strategies in the treatment of inflammation.