Influence of heat treatment before and/or after high-pressure homogenization on the structure and emulsification properties of soybean protein isolate.

This study investigates the effects of heat treatment before high-pressure homogenization (HHPH) and heat treatment after high-pressure homogenization (HPHH) at different pressures (20, 60, and 100 MPa) on the structural and emulsification properties of soy protein isolate (SPI). The results indicate that HHPH treatment increases the surface hydrophobicity (H0) of the SPI, reduces ß-fold and irregular curls, leading to the formation of soluble aggregates, increased adsorbed protein content, and subsequent improvements in emulsification activity index (EAI) and emulsion stability index (ESI). In contrast, the HPHH treatment promoted the exchange of SH/SS bonds between protein molecules and facilitated the interaction of basic peptides and ß-subunits, leading to larger particle sizes of the soluble aggregates compared to the HHPH-treated samples. However, excessive aggregation in HPHH-treated aggregates leads to decreased H0 and adsorbed protein content, and increased interfacial tension, negatively affecting the emulsification properties. Compared to the HPHH treatment, HHPH treatment at homogenization pressures of 20 to 100 MPa increases EAI and ESI by 5.81-29.6 % and 5.31-25.9 %, respectively. These findings provide a fundamental basis for soybean protein manufacturers to employ appropriate processing procedures aimed at improving emulsification properties.

Qishen Yiqi Dripping Pills for Cardiovascular Diseases: Effects and Mechanisms.

Qishen Yiqi Dripping Pills (QSYQ) is a compound of Chinese medicine, which has been used to treat coronary heart disease and cardiac dysfunction. Its natural components include astragaloside IV, flavonoids, danshensu, protocatechualdehyde, salvianolic acid B, salvianolic acid A, ginsenosides Rg1, ginsenosides Rb1, and essential oils, etc. It exerts effects of nourishing qi and promoting blood circulation to relieve pain. In this review, the bioactive components of QSYQ and its effects for treating cardiovascular diseases and possible mechanism were summarized, providing references for further study and clinical application of QSYQ.

Ethanol extract of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Harms induces liver cancer cell apoptosis through inhibiting NF-κB.

BACKGROUND: Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Harms, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat various diseases, including ischemic, heart diseases, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hypertension and neurasthenia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anticancer activity of A. senticosus (ASE). MATERIALS: MTT assay, clonogenicity, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), flow cytometry and Western blot were employed to evaluate the viability and invasion of liver cancer cells. In addition, luciferase assay was used to delineate the inhibitory activity of ethanol extract against NF-κB. RESULTS: Our results showed that the ethanol extract of ASE could decrease the viability of cancer cells. In addition, the ethanol extract could decrease the protein levels of Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, t-protein kinase B (Akt) and p-Akt, but increase those of E-cadherin. Nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB)-Luciferase assay showed the ethanol extract could effectively inhibit the activity of NF-κB. Furthermore, fourteen compounds including seven active compounds were isolated and activities against NF-κB were investigated. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that the ASE could be as an alternative or complementary therapy to treat liver cancer.

Extraction and Purification of Capsaicin from Capsicum Oleoresin Using a Combination of Tunable Aqueous Polymer-Phase Impregnated Resin (TAPPIR) Extraction and Chromatography Technology.

Capsaicin, which mainly comes from pepper, exhibits anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-obesity properties. This work aims to construct a comprehensive technology for the extraction and purification of capsaicin from capsicum oleoresin. The tunable aqueous polymer phase impregnated HZ816 resins were selected in extraction step. In the extraction process, 3 g of impregnated HZ816 macroporous resin was employed per system. The results showed that a higher molecular weight of Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate ([Emim] [OAc]) are more beneficial to the improvement of the yield of capsaicin. Screening experiment using fractional factorial designs indicated that the amount of sample loading, pH, and concentration of [Emim] [OAc] and PEG 6000 significantly affect the yield of capsaicin. Mathematical models of capsaicin yield in tunable aqueous polymer-phase impregnated resins were established and optimum condition was obtained using response surface methodology. The optimum impregnated phase was the polymer phase of an aqueous two-phase system which contained 18.5% (w/w) PEG6000, 15% (w/w) sodium citrate, and 10% (w/w) [Emim] [OAc] at pH 6.5. Under the optimal conditions, the yield of capsaicin reached 95.82% when the extraction system contains 0.25 g capsicum oleoresin. Ultimately, capsaicinoids extract was purified by reverse-phase resin (SKP-10-4300) chromatographic column. The capsaicin recovery and purity achieved 85% and 92%, respectively.

Extraction and purification of capsaicin from capsicum oleoresin using an aqueous two-phase system combined with chromatography.

Capsaicin was extracted from capsicum oleoresin using an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) composed of an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide (EOPO) copolymer, salt and ethanol. Capsaicin was concentrated in the top polymer-rich phase. To determine the optimal conditions, the partitioning of capsaicin in the ATPS was investigated, considering a single-factor experiment including the salt concentration, polymer concentration, buffer pH, ethanol concentration, sample loading and extraction duration. Response surface methodology was applied to investigate the effects of the polymer concentration, buffer pH and sample loading on capsaicin partitioning. A capsaicin yield of 95.5% was obtained using the optimal extraction system, which consisted of 16.3% UCON 50-HB-5100/10% K2HPO4/1% ethanol, a buffer pH of 4.35 and 0.24g of capsicum oleoresin. Capsaicin was purified from the capsaicinoid extract using a two-step macroporous adsorption resin (MAR) method. After purification using non-polar MAR ADS-17, the recovery and purity of capsaicin were 83.7% and 50.3%, respectively. After purification using weakly polar MAR AB-8, the recovery and purity of capsaicin were 88.0% and 85.1%, respectively.

Aqueous two-phase extraction combined with chromatography: new strategies for preparative separation and purification of capsaicin from capsicum oleoresin.

Capsaicin was preparatively separated and purified from capsicum oleoresin with a new method combined with aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) and chromatography. Screening experiments of ATPE systems containing salts and hydrophilic alcohols showed that potassium carbonate/ethanol system was the most suitable system for capsaicin recovery among the systems considered. Response surface methodology was used to determine an optimized aqueous two-phase system for the extraction of capsaicin from capsaicin oleoresin. In a 20 % (w/w) ethanol/22.3 % (w/w) potassium carbonate system, 85.4 % of the capsaicin was recovered in the top ethanol-rich phase while most oil and capsanthin ester were removed in the interphase. The capsaicinoid extract was then subjected to two chromatographic steps using D101 macroporous resin and inexpensive SKP-10-4300 reverse-phase resin first applied for the purification of capsaicin. After simple optimization of loading/elution conditions for D101 macroporous resin chromatography and SKP-10-4300 reverse-phase resin chromatography, the purities of capsaicin were improved from 7 to 85 %. In the two chromatography processes, the recoveries of capsaicin were 93 and 80 % respectively; the productivities of capsaicin were 1.86 and 4.2 (g capsaicin/L resin) per day respectively. It is worth mentioning that a by-product of capsaicin production was also obtained with a high purity (90 %).

Combination of aqueous two-phase extraction and cation-exchange chromatography: new strategies for separation and purification of alliin from garlic powder.

In this study, a two-step process combining aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) with chromatography was developed for extraction and purification of alliin from garlic powder. The partition coefficient and yield value of alliin in different types of aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) were compared and response surface methodology (RSM) was used for analyzing and optimizing the extraction process. The optimal extraction conditions of 19% (w/w) (NH4)2SO4, 20% (w/w) 1-prpanol, at 30°C, pH 2.35 with 8.54% (w/w) NaCl was chosen based on the higher yield. Compared to the results obtained with the conventional extraction method, this method had an evident advantage on yield (20.4mg/g versus the original yield of 15.0mg/g) and the concentration of alliin in extract solution by ATPE was close to three times of that with conventional extraction. The purification of alliin was carried out with the ammonium form of sulfonic acid cation-exchange resins 001×7. Sample solution with alliin concentration of 1mg/mL was passed through resins and the desorption of alliin was accomplished by water at the flow velocity of 0.5mL/min, 1.5mL/min, respectively. The purity and recovery of alliin after purification were 80% and 76%, respectively.