The phytochemicals and health benefits of Cyclocarya paliurus (Batalin) Iljinskaja.

Cyclocarya paliurus (C. paliurus), a nutritional and nutraceutical resource for human and animal diets, has been constantly explored. The available biological components of C. paliurus were triterpenoids, polysaccharides, and flavonoids. Recent studies in phytochemical-phytochemistry; pharmacological-pharmacology has shown that C. paliurus performed medicinal value, such as antihypertensive, antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immunological activities. Furthermore, C. paliurus and its extracts added to drinks would help to prevent and mitigate chronic diseases. This review provides an overview of the nutritional composition and functional applications of C. paliurus, summarizing the research progress on the extraction methods, structural characteristics, and biological activities. Therefore, it may be a promising candidate for developing functional ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine. However, a more profound understanding of its active compounds and active mechanisms through which they perform biological activities is required. As a result, the plant needs further investigation in vitro and in vivo.

Enzymatic Acylation of Flavonoids from Bamboo Leaves: Improved Lipophilicity and Antioxidant Activity for Oil-Based Foods.

The goal of this study was to expand the applications of bamboo leaf flavonoids (BLFs) by improving their lipophilicity through enzymatic acylation with vinyl cinnamate. Characterization of the acylated BLFs using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, electrospray ionization with tandem mass spectrometry, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated that acylation occurred at the C6-OH position of glucoside moieties. The highest degree of acylation (18.61%) was obtained by reacting BLFs with vinyl cinnamate (1:5, w/w) at 60 °C for 48 h. Acylation significantly improved the lipophilicity of BLFs and their capacity to inhibit lipid peroxidation, as evidenced by the reduced production of lipid hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde in rapeseed oil and rapeseed oil-in-water emulsions during storage at 37 °C for 15 days. The study findings provide important data that will enable the use of BLFs in lipid or lipophilic matrices, such as oil-based foods.

Dietary polyphenols: regulate the advanced glycation end products-RAGE axis and the microbiota-gut-brain axis to prevent neurodegenerative diseases.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are formed in non-enzymatic reaction, oxidation, rearrangement and cross-linking between the active carbonyl groups of reducing sugars and the free amines of amino acids. The Maillard reaction is related to sensory characteristics in thermal processed food, while AGEs are formed in food matrix in this process. AGEs are a key link between carbonyl stress and neurodegenerative disease. AGEs can interact with receptors for AGEs (RAGE), causing oxidative stress, inflammation response and signal pathways activation related to neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases are closely related to gut microbiota imbalance and intestinal inflammation. Polyphenols with multiple hydroxyl groups showed a powerful ability to scavenge ROS and capture α-dicarbonyl species, which led to the formation of mono- and di- adducts, thereby inhibiting AGEs formation. Neurodegenerative diseases can be effectively prevented by inhibiting AGEs production, and interaction with RAGEs, or regulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis. These strategies include polyphenols multifunctional effects on AGEs inhibition, RAGE-ligand interactions blocking, and regulating the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota, and intestinal inflammation alleviation to delay or prevent neurodegenerative diseases progress. It is a wise and promising strategy to supplement dietary polyphenols for preventing neurodegenerative diseases via AGEs-RAGE axis and microbiota-gut-brain axis regulation.

Physicochemical, Antioxidant and Anticancer Characteristics of Seed Oil from Three Chenopodium quinoa Genotypes.

Chenopodium quinoa Willd. is recognized to be an excellent nutrient with high nutritional content. However, few genotypes of quinoa were analyzed, so we found a knowledge gap in the comparison of quinoa seeds of different genotypes. This study aims to compare the physicochemical, antioxidant, and anticancer properties of seed oil from three C. quinoa genotypes. Seeds of three genotypes (white, red, and black) were extracted with hexane and compared in this study. The oil yields of these quinoa seeds were 5.68-6.19% which contained predominantly polyunsaturated fatty acids (82.78-85.52%). The total tocopherol content ranged from 117.29 to 156.67 mg/kg and mainly consisted of γ-tocopherol. Total phytosterols in the three oils ranged from 9.4 to 12.2 g/kg. Black quinoa seed oil had the highest phytosterols followed by red and white quinoas. The chemical profile of quinoa seed oils paralleled by their antioxidant and anticancer activities in vitro was positively correlated with the seed coat color. Black quinoa seed oil had the best antioxidant and anti-proliferation effect on HCT 116 cells by the induction of apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, which may play more significant roles in the chemoprevention of cancer and other diseases related to oxidative stress as a source of functional foods.

The bioactive compounds and cellular antioxidant activity of Herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall) seed oil from China.

Herbaceous peony (HP) seed oil has been consumed in some regions of China, yet little information is available on its bioactive composition and antioxidant activity. This study aimed to evaluate the fatty acid compositions, micronutrients contents, and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) of HP seed oil from five varieties. Results indicated that this oil had high percentages of monounsaturated (32.15 to 45.92%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (58.65 to 61.95%), and the α-linolenic acid C18:3 was the highest in Fushao seed oil. Additionally, the high concentrations of tocopherol and phytosterol were found in all seed oils, and 10 individual polyphenols have been evaluated. Fushao seed oil had the highest polyphenols levels and showed higher CAA values. Both hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis have been used to distinguish HP seed oil from different varieties. This information is valuable for the nutritional value and industrial interest of HP seed oil in China. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This research showed that Herbaceous peony seed oil had higher levels of minor components and polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially, α-linolenic acid, and our results could also provide the theoretical foundation for the health benefits of Herbaceous peony seed oil as the vegetable oils. However, the variety of Herbaceous should be considered when extracting oil from Herbaceous peony seeds in the industry.

Protective effects of p-coumaric acid against oxidant and hyperlipidemia-an in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

Dietary phenols are antioxidants with diverse physiological functions that are beneficial for human health. The objective of this research work was to investigate antioxidant activity of p-coumaric acid (p-CA) using four in vitro methods, the protective effects against oxidative stress in PC12 cells, and hypolipidemic effects on High fat-diet (HFD) mice model. The p-CA exhibited moderate antioxidant activity in the selected in vitro assay. The highest chelating activity of p-CA at 50 µg/mL was found to be 52.22%. Pretreatment with p-CA significantly enhanced cell viability of PC12 cell and suppressed AAPH-induced intracellular ROS generation and AAPH-induced LDH release. The hypolipidemic effects of p-CA (100 mg/kg BW) was directly linked to the increased expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) by 2.0-fold, Glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) by 3.8-fold, Superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) by 1.6-fold, Heme oxygenase (HO-1) by 1.72-fold and NAD(P)H Quinone Dehydrogenase 1 (NQO-1) by 1.5-fold compared with HFD group. In addition to these effects, p-CA decreased total cholesterol and atherosclerosis index levels, and increased catalase (CAT) level in serum, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels in liver as compared HFD group. Administration of p-CA also promoted the recovery of hyperlipidemia steatohepatitis in mice by ameliorating lipid peroxidation. These results suggested that p-CA is a potent antioxidant with potential therapeutic efficacy for treating hyperlipidemia symptoms.

Phytochemical and Biological Characteristics of Mexican Chia Seed Oil.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the chemical profile, nutritional quality, antioxidant and hypolipidemic effects of Mexican chia seed oil (CSO) in vitro. Chemical characterization of CSO indicated the content of α-linolenic acid (63.64% of total fatty acids) to be the highest, followed by linoleic acid (19.84%), and saturated fatty acid (less than 11%). Trilinolenin content (53.44% of total triacylglycerols (TAGs)) was found to be the highest among seven TAGs in CSO. The antioxidant capacity of CSO, evaluated with ABTS•+ and DPPH• methods, showed mild antioxidant capacity when compared with Tocopherol and Catechin. In addition, CSO was found to lower triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels by 25.8% and 72.9%respectively in a HepG2 lipid accumulation model. As CSO exhibits these chemical and biological characteristics, it is a potential resource of essential fatty acids for human use.

Isolation, Structures, and Bioactivities of the Polysaccharides from Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino: A Review.

Polysaccharides obtained from Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino have promising prospects in functional food and nutraceuticals due to its broad range of biological activities including antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antitumor, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and antifatigue activities. These beneficial biological activities are related to chemical composition and structure of the G. pentaphyllum polysaccharides. The molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and chemical structures could be influenced by both different extraction/purification techniques employed to obtain polysaccharide enriched products. The purpose of this article is to review previous and current literature regarding the extraction, purification, structural characterization, and biological activity of G. pentaphyllum polysaccharides. This review provides a useful bibliography for the further investigation, production, and application of G. pentaphyllum polysaccharides as functional foods and nutraceuticals.

Determination of Key Active Components in Different Edible Oils Affecting Lipid Accumulation and Reactive Oxygen Species Production in HepG2 Cells.

Owing to the poor ability of cells to decompose triglycerides, most studies of edible oil have depended on animal or clinical trials. However, such trials are expensive and time-consuming, and the results are limited to considerable individual differences. This is the first study to comprehensively investigate the effect of different oils on the lipid accumulation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in HepG2 cells by hydrolyzing oil to fatty acids with integrated fat content. In addition, the key components of fatty acid composition, phytosterol, polyphenols, and tocopherol/tocotrienol in different oils, contributing to a decrease in content of lipid accumulation, cholesterol, ROS, and malondialdehyde (MDA), were analyzed using multivariate analysis. The results showed that the lipid accumulation content of coconut oil, Pu'er tea oil, olive oil, and flaxseed oil at a concentration of 200 µM decreased by 45.98 ± 0.75, 50.35 ± 1.37, 40.43 ± 2.44, and 42.76 ± 1.88%, respectively, compared with the lard. In addition, the ROS contents of Pu'er tea oil, olive oil, and flaxseed oil had no significant difference from that of control cells ( p < 0.05). In the results, (3ß,5α)-stigmastan-3-yl, cholane-5,20(22)-diene-3b-ph, and ß-sitosterol were determined to be the key components in edible oils associated with lipid accumulation and ROS production.

Characterization of Positional Distribution of Fatty Acids and Triacylglycerol Molecular Compositions of Marine Fish Oils Rich in Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids.

The regiospecific characteristics of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in triacylglycerol (TAG) significantly affect the physicochemical and physiological properties of marine fish oils. In this study, the TAG molecular species composition and positional distributions of fatty acids were investigated in three marine fish species rich in omega-3 PUFAs (anchovy, tuna, and salmon). The regiospecific distribution of the fatty acids was measured with the allylmagnesium bromide (AMB) degradation method. The TAG compositions were analyzed with HPLC and the TAG molecular species were identified with APCI/MS. DHA was preferentially distributed at the sn-2 position of TAG, whereas EPA was evenly distributed along the glycerol backbone. The combinations of FAs, DDO, EOP, EPS, DSS, OOS, and PPS were the predominant TAG molecular species, and OOP, DOS, and DPoPo were the characteristic TAG molecules in the anchovy, salmon, and tuna, respectively. These data can be used to distinguish other marine fish species. The TAG composition categorized by TCN and ECN showed well-structured distributions, with double or triple peaks. These findings should greatly extend the use of marine fish oils in food production and may significantly affect the future development of the fish oil industry.

Synthesis and antidiabetic activity of selenium nanoparticles in the presence of polysaccharides from Catathelasma ventricosum.

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were prepared by adding Catathelasma ventricosum polysaccharides (CVPs) to the redox system of selenite and ascorbic acid. Taking particle size as an investigation index, the optimal synthesis conditions of CVPs-SeNPs were obtained by orthogonal test. Herein, the diameter, morphology, and stability of the CVPs-SeNPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, the antidiabetic activities of CVPs-SeNPs were evaluated by STZ (streptozocin)-induced diabetic mice. The obtained results showed that, optimum synthesis conditions of CVPs-SeNPs were: ultrasonic time 60min, concentration of Vc 0.04M, reaction time 2h, pH7.0. Under these conditions, mean diameter of the synthesized CVPs-SeNPs was around 49.73nm. TEM of CVPs-SeNPs prepared in optimal conditions showed individual and spherical nanostructure. CVPs-SeNPs (particle size of about 50nm) could be stable for approximately 3months at 4°C, but only 1month at 25°C. The results on serum profiles and antioxidant enzymes levels revealed that CVPs-SeNPs had a potential antidiabetic effect. In addition, CVPs-SeNPs showed significantly higher antidiabetic activity (p<0.05) than other selenium preparations such as SeNPs, selenocysteine, sodium selenite.

Rapid Analysis and Guided Isolation of Astragalus Isoflavonoids by UHPLC-DAD-MSn and Their Cellular Antioxidant Defense on High-Glucose-Induced Mesangial Cell Dysfunction.

Isoflavonoids, including isoflavones, isoflavans, and pterocarpans, the principal components in Astragalus membranaceus, have a great deal of versatile health-promoting benefits. In this work, as a continuation of our search for bioactive constituents from A. membranaceus, a fast high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-multiple-stage mass spectrometry method was first used to analyze the isoflavonoid profile of A. membranaceus roots extract. Twelve diverse isoflavonoids in subclasses of isoflavones, isoflavans, and pterocarpans present in glycoside/aglycone pair forms were tentatively characterized; of those 12, eight major isoflavonoids were finally isolated and simultaneously quantified by the established fast UHPLC method. Furthermore, the results confirmed for the first time that Astragalus isoflavonoid aglycones could attenuate mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation triggered by high glucose levels, and the primary mechanism might be via protecting intracellular antioxidant enzymes activities and enhancing endogenous antioxidant function to lower levels of cellular oxidative damage induced by high glucose levels. Collectively, diverse Astragalus isoflavonoid antioxidants have the potential to ameliorate high-glucose-induced mesangial cell dysfunction through the regulation of cellular antioxidant defense.

The characterization, selenylation and antidiabetic activity of mycelial polysaccharides from Catathelasma ventricosum.

The mycelial polysaccharide from Catathelasma ventricosum (mCVP-1S) was found to be a heteropolysaccharide with an average size of 230kDa composed mainly of ß-glucopyranosyl residues. The selenylation of mCVP-1S, performed using an HNO3-Na2SeO3 method, produced a series of selenized mCVP-1Ss (SemCVP-1Ss). Varying the reaction time, temperature and Na2SeO3 dosage altered the yield and selenium content of the SemCVP-1Ss. NMR spectra showed substitution mostly at C-6, and Congo red tests indicated excessive selenylation might destroy the triple-helical structure of SemCVP-1Ss. The antidiabetic activities of SemCVP-1Ss with varying selenium contents (low, middle and high) were tested in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. In SemCVP-1Ss with triple-helical structure, increasing selenium content enhanced antidiabetic activity, but damage to the triple-helical structure weakened antidiabetic activity. The ability of SemCVP-1Ss to normalize key biochemical parameters in diabetic mice was greater than that of the polysaccharide from the fruiting body of C. ventricosum.

In vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity of polyphenols extracted from black highland barley.

The objective of this study was to determine the antioxidant capacity of polyphenols extracted from black highland barley (BHLPE) in vitro and in vivo. BHLPE was found to have strong superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power and moderate metal ion-chelating activity. Compared with a high fat diet (HFD) group, mice that were administered 600mg BHLPE/kg body weight showed significant decreases in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the atherosclerosis index, in addition to markedly increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Furthermore, the antioxidant defense system and antioxidant gene expression were significantly improved in vivo in mice that were administered BHLPE compared with mice in the HFD group. These results suggest that BHLPE has significant potential as a natural antioxidant to promote health and to reduce the risk of disease.