Selenium content, chemical composition and volatile components of essential oil and hydrosol from flowers of Cardamine violifolia.

Cardamine violifolia is a unique selenium hyperaccumulating vegetable in China, but its flowers are commonly wasted in large-scale cultivation. To better utilize this resource, this study explored the selenium content, chemical composition, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of hydro-distilling essential oil (EO) and hydrosol from C. violifolia flowers. ICP-MS results indicated that the EO and hydrosol contained selenium reaching 13.66±2.82 mg/kg and 0.0084±0.0013 mg/kg, respectively. GC-MS analysis revealed that organic acids, hydrocarbons, and amines were the main components of EO. Additionally, benzyl nitrile, benzaldehyde, benzyl isothiocyanate, benzyl alcohol, megastigmatrienone, and 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol also existed in considerable amounts. The hydrosol extract had fewer components, mainly amines. HS-SPME-GC-MS corresponded to the composition analysis and aromatic compounds were the prevalent VOCs, while HS-GC-IMS primarily identified C2-C10 molecular alcohols, aldehydes, ethers, and sulfur-containing compounds. This study first described the chemical composition and VOC profiles of EO and hydrosol from selenium hyperaccumulating plant.

Selenium speciation and volatile flavor compound profiles in the edible flowers, stems, and leaves of selenium-hyperaccumulating vegetable Cardamine violifolia.

Cardamine violifolia is a unique selenium (Se)-hyperaccumulating vegetable in China. The total Se content and Se speciation of three edible parts, including flowers, stems, and leaves were detected by HPLC-ICP-MS. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) greatly impact food flavor. The VOCs of three samples were analyzed by E-nose, HS-GC-IMS, and HS-SPME-GC-MS. The results showed that the total Se content in flowers was significantly higher than that in leaves and was the lowest in stems. Organic Se accounts for more than 98% of the total Se content, primarily selenocystine, followed by methyl selenocysteine. A total of 102 VOCs were identified from C. violifolia, mainly esters, aldehydes, alcohols, and ketones. Flowers contained abundant VOCs, while stems and leaves contained fewer but similar profiles. Moreover, multivariate statistical analysis was applied to investigate the VOC variations and marker VOCs. This work can provide useful knowledge for understanding the Se characteristics and flavor of C. violifolia.

Recent advances in the development of bitter gourd seed oil: from chemical composition to potential applications.

Non-conventional seed oils are being considered novelty foods due to the unique properties of their chemical constituents. Numerous such seed oils serve as nutritional and functional supplements, making them a point of interest for scholars. Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) seed oil (BGSO) has been widely used in folk medicine worldwide for the treatment of different pathologies, such as diabetes, cancer, and several inflammatory diseases. Therefore, its nutritional and medicinal value has been extensively studied. Considering the potential use of BGSO, it is imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of this product to develop and use its biologically active ingredients in innovative food and pharmaceutical products. An extensive understanding of BGSO would also help improve the economic feasibility of the bitter gourd seed processing industry and help prevent environmental pollution associated with the raw waste produced during the processing of bitter gourd seeds. This review addresses the potential uses of BGSO in terms of food and pharmaceuticals industry perspectives and comprehensively summarizes the oil extraction process, chemical composition, biological activity, and the application prospects of BGSO in clinical medicine.

Studies on the interaction between homological proteins and anthocyanins from purple sweet potato (PSP): Structural characterization, binding mechanism and stability.

The protein-bound anthocyanin complexes are naturally existed in food systems by their spontaneous interaction. In this study, the interaction mechanism of homological proteins (p-PSP) and anthocyanins (FAC-PSP) was investigated to explore the binding characteristic of native protein-bound anthocyanins from purple sweet potato (p-BAC-PSP). The structural characterization, stability and anti-ultraviolet property of p-BAC-PSP were also evaluated. Results revealed that hydrophobic interaction is dominant binding force for forming p-BAC-PSP. The binding resulted in protein secondary structure changes with more ß-sheet and lower ß-turn, random coil structures. Fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated that FAC-PSP quenched p-PSP fluorescence in a combination of static and dynamic mode (static dominant) with a binding constant of 105 L/mol reflecting strong affinity of FAC-PSP to p-PSP. Moreover, the complex form exhibited better protective effects on anthocyanins for pH, light, thermal stabilities and higher anti-ultraviolet activity. These findings further expanded the application of anthocyanins as stable, functional food and cosmetic ingredients.

Structural characterization, acute toxicity assessment and protective effects of selenylated apple pectin on dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis.

This study was aimed at investigating the structural characterization, acute toxicity and protective effect of selenylated apple pectin on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. Selenylated apple pectin was characterized by ion chromatography, NMR and SEC-RI-MALLS. The acute toxicity and protective effect of selenylated apple pectin against UC were investigated by gavage administration in mice. The organ state and coefficients, inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α) contents in serum, GSH-Px activity and MPO content in colon tissues were also evaluated. The results indicated that selenylated apple pectin was non-toxic and contained 244.28 µgselenium per g. The monosaccharide composition with different molar ratios, different relative molecular weights and a weakened signal peak (CH2-O group) at 3-4 ppm were observed after selenylation. The selenylated apple pectin showed the protective effect against UC by down-regulating IL-6 and TNF-α contents and up-regulating the IL-10 content in serum, as well as increasing the GSH-Px activity and decreasing the MPO content in colon tissues. Moreover, DSS-induced alterations were effectively recovered by a high-dose sample. These findings provide evidence in support of selenylated apple pectin as a novel dietary selenium supplement for UC protection.