Effect of pretreatments on mycotoxin profiles and levels in dried figs.

The aim of this explorative study was to investigate how effective drying preservation methods are in reducing mycotoxin content in figs. Dried autochthonous varieties of white and dark figs (Petrovaca Bijela and Saraguja, respectively) were analysed for mycotoxins using an LC-MS/MS "dilute and shoot" method capable of determining 295 fungal and bacterial secondary metabolites. Before drying in a cabinet dryer the figs were preserved with 0.5 % citric acid solution or 0.5 % ascorbic acid solution or 0.3 % L-cysteine solution or 0.2 % chestnut extract solution or 0.15 % Echinacea extract solution by immersion. We found nine metabolites: aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), ochratoxin A, ochratoxin alpha, kojic acid, emodin, altenuene, alternariol methyl ether, brevianamide F, and tryptophol. The most efficient preserver was L-cysteine (15 % reduction), while ascorbic acid favoured mycotoxin production (158 % increase). However, all pretreatment solutions reduced AFB1, which is a major fig contaminant.

Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Antiglycation Effects of Lactarius deterrimus and Castanea sativa Extracts on Hepatorenal Injury in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

The present study aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of the treatment with extracts from the edible mushroom Lactarius deterrimus (Ld) and the chestnut Castanea sativa (Cs), separately and in combination (MIX Ld/Cs), on oxidative stress and advanced glycation end-product (AGE)-mediated hepatorenal injury in a rat model of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes by examining pathways responsible for maintenance of redox homeostasis. An experimental model of diabetes was induced in rats by the administration of 40 mg/kg STZ intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 5 consecutive days. The examined extracts were applied separately at a dose of 60 mg/kg i.p. and in combination (60 mg/kg each extract; i.p.) for 4 weeks, starting from the last day of STZ administration. The improvement of hepatorenal function in diabetic rats treated with the extracts was associated with an improved glycemic and lipid status and suppression of oxidative stress and thereby oxidative damage of lipids and DNA. Besides the fact that both extracts inhibited protein glycation and AGE formation in vitro, they also reduced non-enzymatic glycosylation in diabetic rats in vivo. The observed antiglycation activity of the examined extracts (separately and in combination) was accompanied with the inhibition of CML-mediated RAGE/NF-κB activation and reduction of enzymatic O-GlcNAcylation in liver and kidney tissues of diabetic rats. Taken together, these results reveal that the administration of chestnut and mushroom extracts, either individually or together, activates a coordinated cytoprotective response against diabetes-induced hepatorenal injury not only through recovery of the antioxidant defense system of the cell, but also through a marked antiglycation activity.

Corrigendum to "Protective Effects of the Mushroom Lactarius deterrimus Extract on Systemic Oxidative Stress and Pancreatic Islets in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2015/576726.].

Protective Effects of the Mushroom Lactarius deterrimus Extract on Systemic Oxidative Stress and Pancreatic Islets in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

The aim of this study was to assess the in vivo effects of the extract of the medicinal mushroom, Lactarius deterrimus, when administered (60 mg/kg, i.p.) daily for four weeks to streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced diabetic rats. Diabetic rats treated with the L. deterrimus extract displayed several improved biochemical parameters in the circulation: reduced hyperglycemia, lower triglyceride concentration and reduced glycated hemoglobin, glycated serum protein, and advanced glycation end product (AGE) levels. This treatment also adjusted the diabetes-induced redox imbalance. Thus, higher activities of the antioxidative enzymes, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in the circulation were accompanied by increased levels of free intracellular thiols and glutathionylated proteins after treatment with the L. deterrimus extract. In addition to a systemic antioxidant effect, the administration of the extract to diabetic rats also had a positive localized effect on pancreatic islets where it decreased AGE formation, and increased the expression of chemokine CXCL12 protein that mediates the restoration of ß-cell population through the activation of the serine/threonine-specific Akt protein kinase prosurvival pathway. As a result, the numbers of proliferating cell nuclear antigen- (PCNA-) and insulin-positive ß-cells were increased. These results show that the ability of the L. deterrimus extract to alleviate oxidative stress and increase ß-cell mass represents a therapeutic potential for diabetes management.

Characterisation of volatiles in dried white varieties figs (Ficus carica L.).

The aromatic profile of volatiles in dried figs varieties Bruzetka Bijela and Zimnica were characterised by headspace solid-phase (HS-SPME) procedure with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS). The volatile compounds were distributed by distinct chemical classes, including alcohols, aldehydes, esters, terpenic compounds, and other compounds. The figs were dried in a pilot plant cabinet dryer. Prior to drying process, figs were pre-treated by sulphur dioxide, immersed in solution of citric acid and ascorbic acid, respectively. Several mathematical thin-layer drying models, available in the literature, were fitted to experimental data of figs, implementing non-linear regression analysis techniques. The results showed that pre-treatments of figs decrease significantly the drying time. The best thin-layer drying model in terms of fitting performance was Wang and Singh model. The major volatile compound in dried figs was benzaldehyde. After benzaldehyde, the most abundant aldehyde in dried figs was hexanal. The comparison among dried figs showed the highest abundance of aldehydes, in general, in non-treated (control) dried figs compared to pre-treated samples. Furthermore, ascorbic acid was the most efficient in preserving esters and alcohols in case of Bruzetka Bijela, whereas in case of Zimnica, sulphur dioxide was in advance compared to ascorbic acid. Ethyl acetate was the most abundant ester found in dried figs. Among other compounds, 2-butanone,3-hydroxy was the most abundant identified volatiles. Linalool, as the only identified terpen, was in case of both dried fig varieties, preserved by immersion into ascorbic acid. The immersion into citric acid has not been so successful in volatiles conservation.

The protective effect of a mix of Lactarius deterrimus and Castanea sativa extracts on streptozotocin-induced oxidative stress and pancreatic ß-cell death.

Pancreatic ß-cell death or dysfunction mediated by oxidative stress underlies the development and progression of diabetes mellitus. In the present study, we tested extracts from the edible mushroom Lactarius deterrimus and the chestnut Castanea sativa, as well as their mixture (MIX Ld/Cs), for potential beneficial effects on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced pancreatic ß-cell death. Analysis of chelating effects, reducing power and radical-scavenging assays revealed strong antioxidant effects of the C. sativa extract and MIX Ld/Cs, while the L. deterrimus extract displayed a weak to moderate effect. The antioxidative effect of the chestnut extract corresponds with the high content of phenolics and flavonoids identified by HPLC analysis. In contrast, the mushroom extract contains relatively small amounts of phenols and flavonoids. However, both extracts, and especially their combination MIX Ld/Cs, increased cell viability after the STZ treatment as a result of a significant reduction of DNA damage and improved redox status. The chestnut extract and MIX Ld/Cs significantly lowered the STZ-induced increases in superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, while the mushroom extract had no impact on the activities of these antioxidant enzymes. However, the L. deterrimus extract exhibited good NO-scavenging activity. Different mechanisms that underlie antioxidant effects of the mushroom and chestnut extracts were discussed. When combined as in the MIX Ld/Cs, the extracts exhibited diverse but synergistic actions that ultimately exerted beneficial and protective effects against STZ-induced pancreatic ß-cell death.

Fatty acid profiles of four wild mushrooms and their potential benefits for hypertension treatment.

Mushrooms are useful in balancing human diet and treating different health problems. The main determinant of the fluidity of erythrocyte membranes and rheologic properties of blood is the lipid composition of the membrane, which directly depends on lipids present in the diet. Lipid profiles of 4 European wild edible mushrooms, as well as the ability of mushroom lipids to modify the fluidity of erythrocyte membrane, were examined by using gas chromatography-mass spectometry, gas chromatography-flame ionization detector, and electron paramagnetic resonance spin probing technique. Lipids from 2 species--Macrolepiota procera and Collybia platyphylla--provoked an increase in erythrocyte membrane fluidity. Therefore, introduction of these and other wild mushrooms with similar lipid profiles to the human diet could be very beneficial in the treatment of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases related to decreased fluidity of erythrocyte membranes.