Influences of stir-frying and baking on flavonoid profile, antioxidant property, and hydroxymethylfurfural formation during preparation of blueberry-filled pastries.

Bakery products with fruit fillings are growing fast. Blueberry-filled pastries are widely consumed in China. This study aimed to investigate the effects of two thermal processing procedures (stir-frying and baking) on flavonoid profile, antioxidant property, and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) formation during preparation of blueberry-filled pastries. Stir-frying contributed the most to the variations in these values in blueberry filling. Anthocyanins (48%-53% reduction in total) were more susceptible to thermal processing than flavonols (11%-16%). Among anthocyanins, delphinidin glycosides (61%-67% reduction) were the most unstable, followed by malvidin (52%-58%), petunidin (40%-45%), and cyanidin (38%-41%). A high level of HMF (300 mg/kg) was formed during stir-frying. Except for anthocyanins, baking did not significantly influence HMF formation, flavonol degradation, and antioxidant property in the fillings. Stir-frying processing conditions rather than baking must be further investigated for nutrient retention and HMF inhibition.

Maize bran feruloylated oligosaccharides inhibited AGEs formation in glucose/amino acids and glucose/BSA models.

Various Maillard reaction systems were established to investigate the effect of maize bran feruloylated oligosaccharides (FOs) on the formation of both endogenous and exogenous advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) under different pH values. The formation of AGEs and four kinds of dicarbonyl compounds (glyoxal, methylglyoxal, 3-deoxyglucosulose, 2,3-butanedione) were determined by fluorescence spectrophotometry and HPLC, respectively. Results showed that maize bran FOs effectively inhibited the production of fluorescent AGEs. Moreover, increase in pH, temperature and concentration of FOs in reaction systems elevated the inhibition effects of feruloylated oligosaccharides, fluorescent AGEs and dicarbonyl compounds. Mainly because of the ester bond of FOs at high pH and/or temperature systems are readily to be hydrolyzed, resulting in the release of ferulic acid.

MicroRNA-204 protects H9C2 cells against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced injury through regulating SIRT1-mediated autophagy.

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a main cause of acute myocardial infarction, and the pathogenesis of I/R injury is still not definitely confirmed. In the present study, we aimed to explore the roles of miR-204 in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced cardiomyocyte injury in vitro. The H9C2 cells were subjected to hypoxia for 12 h followed by reoxygenation for another 24 h, and we found that miR-204 was significantly down-regulated after H/R treatment. Transfection of miR-204 mimics attenuated the H/R-induced impaired cell viability and increased apoptosis rates. Furthermore, SIRT1 was identified as a direct target of miR-204, and its expression is negatively regulated by miR-204. Forced expression of SIRT1 could partly rescue the effects of miR-204 on H/R-induced apoptosis and autophagy. Taken together, our study first revealed that overexpression of miR-204 has a protective effect against myocardial I/R injury.

Shikonin protects H9C2 cardiomyocytes against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury through activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Myocardial ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury often leads to irreversible myocardial cell death and even heart failure, with limited therapeutic possibilities. In the present study, we evaluated the protective effects of shikonin (SHK) against hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced cardiomyocyte damage and explored the underlying mechanisms. H9C2 cardiomyocytes were pretreated with different doses of SHK prior to H/R exposure. We observed that SHK pretreatment significantly increased cell viability, attenuated LDH release, and suppressed cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by H/R exposure. SHK pretreatment also restored the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and cytochrome c release. In addition, SHK significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3ß in H/R-treated H9C2 cells. These protective effects of SHK were partially reversed by LY294002, a specific PI3K/Akt inhibitor. Therefore, our findings suggested that SHK might be a promising agent for myocardial I/R injury, and PI3K/Akt signaling plays a crucial role during this process.

Absorption of 1-Dicysteinethioacetal-5-Hydroxymethylfurfural in Rats and Its Effect on Oxidative Stress and Gut Microbiota.

The absorption of a 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)-cysteine adduct, 1-dicysteinethioacetal-5-hydroxymethylfurfural (DCH), and its effect on antioxidant activity and gut microbiota were investigated. Results indicated that DCH is more easily absorbed in rats than HMF. Serum DCH concentrations were 15-38-fold of HMF concentrations from 30 to 180 min after intragastrical administration at the level of 100 mg/kg of body weight, and 2.7-4.5% of absorbed DCH was converted to HMF. The malondialdehyde content in the plasma, heart, liver, and kidneys significantly increased after drug (100 mg/kg of bw) administration for 1 week, suggesting that HMF and DCH were oxidative-stress-inducing agents, instead of antioxidant agents, in rats. HMF and DCH also modulated gut microbiota. HMF promoted the growth of Lactobacillus, Tyzzerella, Enterobacter, and Streptococcus. DCH increased the ratio of Firmicutes/ Bacteroidetes and promoted the growth of Akkermansia, Shigella, and Escherichia while inhibiting the growth of Lactobacillus.

Quantification of Total Folate, Folate Species and Polyglutamyl Folate Distribution in Winged Beans (Psophocarus tetragonolobus (L) DC) from Different Cultivars and Growth Stages by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Winged beans are an important natural source of some micronutrients. This paper presents the first complete characterization of folate derivatives including polyglutamyl 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-CH3-H4PteGlun), folate species and total folate accumulating in pods and immature seeds of winged beans from 9 cultivars and 7 growth stages. 5-CH3-H4PteGlun and folate species were determined with a UHPLC-MS/MS method. Accurate determination of 5-CH3-H4PteGlun and folate species was optimized and validated according to EMA guidelines including method selectivity, sensitivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, matrix effect and carry-over. The level of total folate is in the range of 73-200 µg/100 g in the pods and 33-61 µg/100 g in the immature seeds. The predominant folate species in winged beans is 5-CH3-H4PteGlu1. 5-CH3-H4PteGlu5 is the major polyglutamyl folate derivative. The level of total folate is increased about 4 fold with advancing maturity. For pods, the chain length is increased with growth which shifts from 5-CH3-H4PteGlu1 in the early stage to 5-CH3-H4PteGlu5 and 5-CH3-H4PteGlu6 in the 7th stage. Our findings demonstrate that winged beans are good source of folate. The validated UHPLC-MS/MS method allows for the determination of 5-CH3-H4PteGlun and folate species from other vegetable matrices.

New Phloroglucinol Derivatives from the Fruit Tree Syzygium jambos and Their Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activities.

Seven new phloroglucinol derivatives (1-7) were isolated from the fruit tree Syzygium jambos together with four known triterpenoids (8-11) and two known flavones (12 and 13). According to the spectroscopic analyses (infrared, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS), high-resolution ESIMS, 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance), the structures of compounds 1-7 were elucidated as jambone A (1), jambone B (2), jambone C (3), jambone D (4), jambone E (5), jambone F (6), and jambone G (7). All the isolates were determined for their cytotoxic activities on melanoma cells by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and compounds 10 and 11 showed potent activities. Moreover, compounds 1, 2, 4-7, 12, and 13 exhibited weak antioxidant activities under ferric-reducing antioxidant power and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl radical-scavenging assays.

A new diterpenoid from the aerial parts of Andrographis paniculata.

One new and seven known diterpenoids were isolated from the aerial parts of Andrographis paniculata, and their structures elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and spectrometric analysis, as well as chemical methods. The in vitro antiviral activities of these compounds against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were assayed.

Chlorogenic acid increased acrylamide formation through promotion of HMF formation and 3-aminopropionamide deamination.

This research was aimed to investigate why chlorogenic acid, presents at high concentrations in some food raw material, influences acrylamide formation. In the asparagine/glucose Maillard reaction system (pH=6.8), addition of chlorogenic acid significantly increased acrylamide formation and inhibited its elimination. In contrast, the quinone derivative of chlorogenic acid decreased acrylamide formation. Three mechanisms may be involved for increasing acrylamide formation by chlorogenic acid. Firstly, it increased the formation of HMF, which acts as a more efficient precursor than glucose to form acrylamide. Secondly, it decreased activation energy for conversion of 3-aminopropionamide (3-APA) to acrylamide (from 173.2 to 136.6kJ/mol), and enhances deamination from 3-APA. And thirdly, it prevented attack of the produced acrylamide from free radicals by keeping high redox potential during the Maillard reaction.