The natural (poly)phenols as modulators of microglia polarization via TLR4/NF-κB pathway exert anti-inflammatory activity in ischemic stroke.

Increasing evidences suggest that inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of stroke, a devastating disease second only to cardiac ischemia as a cause of death worldwide. Microglia are the first non-neuronal cells on the scene during the innate immune response to acute ischemic stroke. Microglia respond to acute brain injury by activating and developing classic M1-like (pro-inflammatory) or alternative M2-like (anti-inflammatory) phenotypes. M1 microglia produce pro-inflammatory cytokines to exacerbate neural death, astrocyte apoptosis, and blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption, while M2 microglia play the opposite role. NF-κB, a central regulator of the inflammatory response, was responsible for microglia M1 and M2 polarization. NF-κB p65 and p50 form a heterodimer to initiate a pro-inflammatory cytokine response, which enhances M1 activation and impair M2 response of microglia. TLR4, expressed on the surface of microglia, plays an important role in activating NF-κB, ultimately causing the M1 response of microglia. Therefore, modulation of microglial phenotypes via TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway may be a promising therapeutic approach for ischemic stroke. Dietary (poly)phenols are present in various foods, which have shown promising protective effects on ischemic stroke. In vivo studies strongly suggest that many (poly)phenols have a pronounced impact on ischemic stroke, as demonstrated by lower neuroinflammation. Thus, this review focuses on the anti-inflammatory properties of dietary (poly)phenols and discusses their effects on the polarization of microglia through modulating TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in the ischemic stroke.

Changes in the Antioxidative Activity and the Content of Phenolics and Iridoids during Fermentation and Aging of Natural Fruit Meads.

The aim of the study was to investigate changes in the content of biologically active compounds during the fermentation and aging of natural meads with the addition of three Cornelian cherry juices from three cultivars: 'Koralovyi', 'Podolski' and 'Yantarnyi', in the amount of 10% v/v. After the fermentation process the content of gallic and ellagic acids significantly increased, in relation to wort. Whereas the greatest losses were observed among unstable anthocyanins. The three-month aging process also reduced the content of the analyzed compounds except for ellagic acid, the content of which increased by up to 90%. The content of biologically active compounds, including iridoids and antioxidant phenolics, are constantly changing in the process of fermentation and aging of fruit meads. The studies proved that the addition of Cornelian cherry juice allows significantly enriched classic meads with new biologically active compounds, such as: exceptional iridoids (loganic acid, cornuside, loganine, sweroside), flavonols, phenolic acids and anthocyanins.

Potential Application of Hippophae Rhamnoides in Wheat Bread Production.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berries are well known for their content in bioactive compounds, high acidity, bright yellow color, pleasant taste and odor, thus their addition in a basic food such as bread could be an opportunity for modern food producers. The aim of the present research was to investigate the characteristics and the effects of the berry' flour added in wheat bread (in concentration of 1%, 3% and 5%) on sensory, physicochemical and antioxidant properties, and also bread shelf life. Berry flour contained total polyphenols-1467 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g, of which flavonoids-555 mg GAE/100 g, cinnamic acids-425 mg caffeic acid equivalents (CAE)/100 g, flavonols-668 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/100 g. The main identified phenolics were catechin, hyperoside, chlorogenic acid, cis- and trans-resveratrol, ferulic and protocatechuic acids, procyanidins B1 and B2, epicatechin, gallic acid, quercetin, p- and m-hydroxybenzoic acids. The antioxidant activity was 7.64 mmol TE/100 g, and carotenoids content 34.93 ± 1.3 mg/100 g. The addition of berry flour increased the antioxidant activity of bread and the shelf life up to 120 h by inhibiting the development of rope spoilage. The obtained results recommend the addition of 1% Hippophae rhamnoides berry flour in wheat bread, in order to obtain a product enriched in health-promoting biomolecules, with better sensorial and antioxidant properties and longer shelf life.

Flavonol glycosides in the petal of Rosa species as chemotaxonomic markers.

Thirteen flavonol glycosides were isolated from the petals of Rosa species belonging to the section Gallicanae, and their structures were identified from their spectroscopic data. These flavonol glycosides, along with two flavonol glycosides isolated from Rosa rugosa, in the petals of 31 Rosa species belonging to sections Gallicanae, Cinnamomeae, Caninae, and Synstylae were quantitatively analyzed by UPLC. The results indicated that the species belonging to these sections could be classified into four types (Type A, B, C and D) based on the pattern of flavonol glycoside contents, whereas the R. rugosa flavonol glycosides were detected only in section Cinnamomeae. A principal components analysis (PCA) calculated from the 15 flavonol glycosides contained in these samples supported the presence of four types. The distribution of the species in Type D (a group of Cinnamomeae) was shown to reflect close interrelationships, but species in Type B (one group of Gallicanae) could be subdivided into two groups, one of which contained species in section Synstylae. Moreover, the flavonol glycosides were grouped by sugar moieties: a disaccharide composed of two hexoses (S1), a hexose (S2), including a hexose with galloyl group, a pentose (S3), and a disaccharide composed of a hexose and a pentose (S4). The ratios of the amounts of S1-S4 to total flavonol glycoside content indicated that differences among the four sections were more distinctive than the amounts of the 15 flavonol glycosides. The 31 samples were divided into Type B, composed of one type of Gallicanae and Synstylae, Type A+C, composed of another type of Gallicanae and Caninae, and Type D, composed of Cinnamomeae. The R. rugosa flavonol glycosides were shown to be important chemotaxonomic markers for the classification of species in Cinnamomeae, and this method of using flavonol glycosides as chemotaxonomic markers could be useful for the identification of Rosa species belonging to sections Gallicanae, Cinnamomeae, Caninae, and Synstylae.