Yields, phenolic profiles and antioxidant activities of Ziziphus jujube Mill. in response to different fertilization treatments.

Increasing demand for more jujube (Ziziphus jujube Mill.) production requires understanding the specific fertilization needs of jujube trees. This study was conducted to compare fruit yields, phenolic profiles and antioxidant activity of jujube in response to different fertilizers. Application of organic fertilizer appeared to enhance the phenolics and antioxidant activity accumulation of jujubes, compared to conventional fertilized jujubes. Amongst inorganic fertilizers, supplemental potassium as an individual nutrient improved the accumulation of phenolics in jujubes. Our results demonstrate that phenolics levels and antioxidant activity of jujube can be manipulated through fertilizer management and tracked by following proanthocyanidin concentrations. In a practical production context, the combination of organic fertilizers and inorganic fertilizers such as more supplemental individual potassium, and less supplemental individual nitrogen and phosphorus, might be the best management combination for achieving higher phenolic concentration, stronger antioxidant activity and a good harvest.

Quercetin and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide are equally effective in ameliorating endothelial insulin resistance through inhibition of reactive oxygen species-associated inflammation.

SCOPE: Quercetin represents antioxidative/antiinflammatory flavonoids widely distributed in the human diet. Quercetin is efficiently metabolized during absorption to quercetin-3-O-glucuronide. This study aims to parallelly investigate whether quercetin and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide exert protection against palmitate (PA)-induced inflammation and insulin resistance in the endothelium. METHODS AND RESULTS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were pretreated with quercetin and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide for 30 min, and then incubated with 100 µM PA for 30 min or 12 h with or without insulin. PA stimulation led to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production with collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm). Quercetin and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide inhibited ROS overproduction and effectively restored Δψm, demonstrating their chemorpotection of mitochondrial function through antioxidative actions. Also, quercetin and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide inhibited ROS-associated inflammation by inhibition of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α production with suppression of IKKß/NF-κB phosphorylation. Inflammation impaired insulin PI3K signaling and reduced insulin-mediated nitric oxide (NO) production. Quercetin and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide facilitated PI3K signaling by positive regulation of serine/tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and restoration of downstream Akt/eNOS activation, leading to an increased insulin-mediated NO level. CONCLUSION: The above-mentioned evidence indicates that quercetin and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide are equally effective in inhibiting ROS-associated inflammation and ameliorating insulin resistant endothelial dysfunction by beneficial regulation of IRS-1 function.

Phenolics content and antioxidant activity of tartary buckwheat from different locations.

Two tartary buckwheat samples (Xingku No.2 and Diqing) grown at three locations were analyzed for free and bound phenolic content and antioxidant properties. Moreover, the relative contributions of variety and growing environment to phenolic content and antioxidant properties were determined, as well as correlations of these properties to growing conditions. The total phenolic contents varied from 5,150 to 9,660 µmol of gallic acid equivalents per 100 gram of dry weight (DW) of tartary buckwheat and the free phenolics accounted for 94% to 99%. Rutin content was in the range from 518.54 to 1,447.87 mg per 100 gram of DW of tartary buckwheat. p-Hydroxybenzoic, ferulic and protocatechuic acids were the prominent phenolic acids and other phenolics, including p-coumaric, gallic, caffeic, vanillic and syringic acids were also detected. Tartary buckwheat exhibited higher DPPH· and ABTS·+ scavenging activities and was more effective at preventing the bleaching of ß-carotene in comparison with reference antioxidant and plant phenolics constituents. Additionally, growing conditions and the interaction between variety and environment may have more contribution than variety to individual phenolics and antioxidant properties of tartary buckwheat. Environmental parameters such as higher altitudes may also have an increasing effect on rutin and phenolic acids. This study suggests that tartary buckwheat has potential health benefits because of its high phenolic content and antioxidant properties. These components could also be enhanced by optimizing the growing conditions of a selected variety.