Effects of solid lipid nanocarrier containing methyl urolithin A by coating folate-bound chitosan and evaluation of its anti-cancer activity.

BACKGROUND: Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems have received much attention over the past decade. In the present study, we synthesized Methyl Urolithin A-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles decorated with the folic acid-linked chitosan layer called MuSCF-NPs and investigated their effects on cancer cells. METHODS: MuSCF-NPs were prepared using a high-pressure homogenization method and characterized using FTIR, FESEM, DLS, and zeta potential methods. Drug encapsulation was assessed by spectrophotometry and its cytotoxic effect on various cancer cells (MDA-MB231, MCF-7, PANC, AGS, and HepG2) by the MTT method. Antioxidant activity was assessed by the ABTS and DPPH methods, followed by expression of genes involved in oxidative stress and apoptosis by qPCR and flow cytometry. RESULTS: The results showed the formation of monodisperse and stable round nanoparticles with a size of 84.8 nm. The drug loading efficiency in MuSCF-NPs was reported to be 88.6%. MuSCF-NPs exhibited selective cytotoxicity against MDA-MB231 cells (IC50 = 40 µg/mL). Molecular analysis showed a significant increase in the expression of Caspases 3, 8, and 9, indicating that apoptosis was occurring in the treated cells. Moreover, flow cytometry results showed that the treated cells were arrested in his SubG1 phase, confirming the pro-apoptotic effect of the nanoparticles. The results indicate a high antioxidant effect of the nanoparticles with IC50 values ​​of 45 µg/mL and 1500 µg/mL against ABTS and DPPH, respectively. The reduction of catalase gene expression confirmed the pro-oxidant effect of nanoparticles in cancer cells treated at concentrations of 20 and 40 µg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, our findings suggest that the MuSCF-NPs are suitable candidates, especially for breast cancer preclinical studies.

Preparation and evaluation of a piperidinium-sulfonate based zwitterionic monolith for HILIC separation.

In this study, a novel piperidinium-sulfonate based zwitterionic hydrophilic monolith was prepared through thermally initiated co-polymerization of a piperidinium-sulfonate monomer 3-(4-((methacryloyloxy)methyl)-1-methylpiperidin-1-ium-1-yl)propane-1-sulfonate (MAMMPS), and a hydrophilic crosslinker N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) using n-propanol and H2O as porogenic system. Satisfactory mechanical and chemical stabilities, good repeatability and high column efficiency (120,000 N/m) were obtained on the optimal monolith. The resulting poly(MAMMPS-co-MBA) monolith showed a typical HILIC retention behavior over an ACN content range between 5 and 95 %. Furthermore, this column exhibited good separation performance for various polar compounds. Compared to quaternary ammonium-sulfonate based zwitterionic hydrophilic monolith, i.e. poly(N,N-dimethyl-N-methacryloxyethyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium betaine-co-MBA), the poly(MAMMPS-co-MBA) monolith displayed stronger retention and better selectivity for the tested phenolic and amine compounds at different pH conditions. Finally, this column was applied for the separation of six sulfonamide antibiotics, and the analytical characteristics of the method were evaluated in terms of precision, repeatability, limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ). Overall, this study not only developed a novel HILIC monolithic column, but also proved the potential of piperidinium-sulfonate based zwitterionic chemistry as stationary phase, which further increased the structure diversity of zwitterionic HILIC stationary phases.

[A new nor-neolignan compound identified from Itea yunnanensis].

Various separation methods in combination with spectral data analysis, X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis, and litera-ture data comparison were employed to clarify the chemical constituents of Itea yunnanensis. Seven compounds were obtained from I. yunnanensis, which were identified as(S)-3-[1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane-2-yl]-4-methoxybenzoate methyl ester(1), iteafuranal B(2), syringaresinol(3), dihydrokaempferol(4), trimethoxybenzene(5), eicosane(6), and nonacosane(7), respectively. Among them, compound 1 was a new nor-neolignan compound named iteanorneoligan A, and the rest of the compounds were identified from I. yunnanensis for the first time. The anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effect of the compound was evaluated based on Sk-hep-1 cells model via MTT assay, and compound 2 showed a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of Sk-hep-1 cells with an IC_(50) of 9.4 µmol·L~(-1). The antioxidant capacity was determined via DPPH, ABTS~(·+), and O■ radical scavenging ability, and compound 1 exhibited a significant ABTS~(·+) radical scavenging effect with an IC_(50) of 0.178 mg·mL~(-1).

[Multi-index evaluation of different parts of Amomum villosum].

To investigate the quality differences between the seeds and husks of Amomum villosum and explore the rationality of using the seeds without husks, this study determined the content of protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, epicatechin, quercitrin, volatile oil, water extract, and ethanol extract. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)(ABTS), and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities were determined to evaluate the antioxidant activities of seeds and husks. The quality differences between the seeds and husks were assessed through orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) and analytic hierarchy process(AHP) combined with the entropy weight method(EWM). Significant differences(P<0.05) were observed in all 10 indicators between the seeds and husks. The levels of epicatechin, quercetin, and volatile oil were higher in the seeds, whereas those of protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, water extract, and ethanol extract were higher in the husks. The seeds showed stronger scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS radicals, while the husks showed a stronger scavenging effect on hydroxyl radicals. OPLS-DA significantly discriminated between the seeds and husks. Furthermore, volatile oil, water extract, DPPH radical scavenging rate, quercitrin, ABTS radical scavenging rate, hydroxyl radical scavenging rate, and vanillic acid were selected as the main differential indicators by variable importance in projection(VIP). Comprehensive scores calculated by AHP combined with EWM indicated that the seeds were superior to husks in terms of overall quality. However, there are still some dominant components and a certain antioxidant effect in the husks. Therefore, it is suggested to using Amomi Fructus with a certain amount of husks or utilizing the husks for other purposes.

Mechanochemical Approach to Obtaining a Multicomponent Fisetin Delivery System Improving Its Solubility and Biological Activity.

In this study, binary amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs, fisetin-Eudragit®) and ternary amorphous solid inclusions (ASIs, fisetin-Eudragit®-HP-ß-cyclodextrin) of fisetin (FIS) were prepared by the mechanochemical method without solvent. The amorphous nature of FIS in ASDs and ASIs was confirmed using XRPD (X-ray powder diffraction). DSC (Differential scanning calorimetry) confirmed full miscibility of multicomponent delivery systems. FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared analysis) confirmed interactions that stabilize FIS's amorphous state and identified the functional groups involved. The study culminated in evaluating the impact of amorphization on water solubility and conducting in vitro antioxidant assays: 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)-ABTS, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-DPPH, Cupric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity-CUPRAC, and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power-FRAP and in vitro neuroprotective assays: inhibition of acetylcholinesterase-AChE and butyrylcholinesterase-BChE. In addition, molecular docking allowed for the determination of possible bonds and interactions between FIS and the mentioned above enzymes. The best preparation turned out to be ASI_30_EPO (ASD fisetin-Eudragit® containing 30% FIS in combination with HP-ß-cyclodextrin), which showed an improvement in apparent solubility (126.5 ± 0.1 µg∙mL-1) and antioxidant properties (ABTS: IC50 = 10.25 µg∙mL-1, DPPH: IC50 = 27.69 µg∙mL-1, CUPRAC: IC0.5 = 9.52 µg∙mL-1, FRAP: IC0.5 = 8.56 µg∙mL-1) and neuroprotective properties (inhibition AChE: 39.91%, and BChE: 42.62%).

Association of exposure to multiple perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and glucose metabolism in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018.

Objective: To investigate the relationships between perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) exposure and glucose metabolism indices. Methods: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018 waves were used. A total of 611 participants with information on serum PFASs (perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA); perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA); perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUA); perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS); perfluorooctane sulfonates acid (PFOS); perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDeA)), glucose metabolism indices (fasting plasma glucose (FPG), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and insulin) as well as selected covariates were included. We used cluster analysis to categorize the participants into three exposure subgroups and compared glucose metabolism index levels between the subgroups. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), multiple linear regression analysis and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to assess the effects of single and mixed PFASs exposures and glucose metabolism. Results: The cluster analysis results revealed overlapping exposure types among people with higher PFASs exposure. As the level of PFAS exposure increased, FPG level showed an upward linear trend (p < 0.001), whereas insulin levels demonstrated a downward linear trend (p = 0.012). LASSO and multiple linear regression analysis showed that PFNA and FPG had a positive relationship (>50 years-old group: ß = 0.059, p < 0.001). PFOA, PFUA, and PFHxS (≤50 years-old group: insulin ß = -0.194, p < 0.001, HOMA-IR ß = -0.132, p = 0.020) showed negative correlation with HOMA-IR/insulin. PFNA (>50 years-old group: insulin ß = 0.191, p = 0.018, HOMA-IR ß = 0.220, p = 0.013) showed positive correlation with HOMA-IR/insulin, which was essentially the same as results that obtained for the univariate exposure-response map in the BKMR model. Association of exposure to PFASs on glucose metabolism indices showed positive interactions between PFOS and PFHxS and negative interactions between PFOA and PFNA/PFOS/PFHxS. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that positive and negative correlations between PFASs and FPG and HOMA-IR/insulin levels are observed, respectively. Combined effects and interactions between PFASs. Given the higher risk of glucose metabolism associated with elevated levels of PFAS, future studies are needed to explore the potential underlying mechanisms.

Unveiling behaviors of 8:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (8:2 FTSA) in Arabidopsis thaliana: Bioaccumulation, biotransformation and molecular mechanisms of phytotoxicity.

8:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (8:2 FTSA) has been commonly detected in the environment, but its behaviors in plants are not sufficiently known. Here, the regular and multi-omics analyses were used to comprehensively investigate the bioaccumulation, biotransformation, and toxicity of 8:2 FTSA in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our results demonstrated that 8:2 FTSA was taken up by A. thaliana roots and translocated to leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds. 8:2 FTSA could be successfully biotransformed to several intermediates and stable perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) catalyzed by plant enzymes. The plant revealed significant growth inhibition and oxidative damage under 8:2 FTSA exposure. Metabolomics analysis showed that 8:2 FTSA affected the porphyrin and secondary metabolisms, resulting in the promotion of plant photosynthesis and antioxidant capacity. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were related to transformation and transport processes. Integrative transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis revealed that DEGs and differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) in plants were predominantly enriched in the carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and lipid metabolism pathways, resulting in greater energy consumption, generation of more nonenzymatic antioxidants, alteration of the cellular membrane composition, and inhibition of plant development. This study provides the first insights into the molecular mechanisms of 8:2 FTSA stress response in plants.

Exploring the Chemical Profile, In Vitro Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Santolina rosmarinifolia Extracts.

In this study, the phytochemical composition, in vitro antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of the aqueous and 60% ethanolic (EtOH) extracts of Santolina rosmarinifolia leaf, flower, and root were examined. The antioxidant activity of S. rosmarinifolia extracts was determined by 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays. The total phenolic content (TPC) of the extracts was measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The anti-inflammatory effect of the extracts was monitored by the Griess assay. The chemical composition of S. rosmarinifolia extracts was analysed using the LC-MS technique. According to our findings, 60% EtOH leaf extracts showed the highest Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) values in both ABTS (8.39 ± 0.43 µM) and DPPH (6.71 ± 0.03 µM) antioxidant activity assays. The TPC values of the samples were in good correspondence with the antioxidant activity measurements and showed the highest gallic acid equivalent value (130.17 ± 0.01 µg/mL) in 60% EtOH leaf extracts. In addition, the 60% EtOH extracts of the leaves were revealed to possess the highest anti-inflammatory effect. The LC-MS analysis of S. rosmarinifolia extracts proved the presence of ascorbic acid, catalpol, chrysin, epigallocatechin, geraniol, isoquercitrin, and theanine, among others, for the first time. However, additional studies are needed to investigate the direct relationship between the chemical composition and physiological effects of the herb. The 60% EtOH extracts of S. rosmarinifolia leaves are potential new sources of natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules in the production of novel nutraceutical products.

Characterization of the Structure and Physicochemical Properties of Soluble Dietary Fiber from Peanut Shells Prepared by Pulsed Electric Fields with Three-Phase Partitioning.

This study evaluated the impact of pulsed electric fields (PEFs) combined with three-phase partitioning (TPP) extraction methods on the physicochemical properties, functional properties, and structural characterization of the soluble dietary fiber (SDF) derived from peanut shells (PS). The findings of this study indicated that the application of a PEF-TPP treatment leads to a notable improvement in both the extraction yield and purity of SDF. Consequently, the PEF-TPP treatment resulted in the formation of more intricate and permeable structures, a decrease in molecular weight, and an increase in thermal stability compared to SDFs without TPP treatment. An analysis revealed that the PEF-TPP method resulted in an increase in the levels of arabinose and galacturonic acid, leading to enhanced antioxidant capacities. Specifically, the IC50 values were lower in SDFs which underwent PEF-TPP (4.42 for DPPH and 5.07 mg/mL for ABTS) compared to those precipitated with 40% alcohol (5.54 mg/mL for DPPH, 5.56 mg/mL for ABTS) and PEF75 (6.60 mg/mL for DPPH, 7.61 mg/mL for ABTS), respectively. Notably, the SDFs which underwent PEF-TPP demonstrated the highest water- and oil-holding capacity, swelling capacity, emulsifying activity, emulsion stability, glucose adsorption, pancreatic lipase inhibition, cholesterol adsorption, nitric ion adsorption capacity, and the least gelation concentration. Based on the synthesis scores obtained through PCA (0.536 > -0.030 > -0.33), which indicated that SDFs which underwent PEF-TPP exhibited the highest level of quality, the findings indicate that PEF-TPP exhibits potential and promise as a method for preparing SDFs.

Investigation of phytochemical composition and bioactivity evaluation of extracts from Myrsine umbellata Mart.

The objective of the study was to carry out phytochemical prospection through colorimetric tests to determine the groups of secondary metabolites and also to determine the total content of phenolic compounds (TPC) present in plant extracts methanol (ME), ethyl acetate (EAE), hexane (HE) and dichloromethane (DE) from the leaves of Myrsine umbellata, as well as to investigate the antimicrobial activity against twelve standard ATCC strains by the broth microdilution technique; the antioxidant potential by the DPPH method and the ABTS method and the antibiofilm potential on the biofilm biomass of standard bacteria by the crystal violet technique and tetrazolium salt reduction (MTT) assay. Phytochemical prospection detected the presence of saponins, steroids, alkaloids, anthocyanins, anthocyanidins, flavonoids, and tannins. The results of the quantitative phytochemical estimation revealed a higher content of total phenolics in DE (280.24 ± 0.037 µM GAE g ext. -1) followed by ME (159.01 ± 0.031 µM GAE g ext. -1). The ME showed the best biological activities when compared to the other extracts tested. We observed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus epidermidis strain (MIC 3.12 and MBC 6.25), antioxidant percentage of 92.58% against the DPPH radical and 420.31 µM Trolox g ext. -1 against the ABTS radical, finally showed antibiofilm action against Gram-positive strain Staphylococcus aureus, with eradication of the biomass in 92.58%. The results suggest that EM from M. umbellata represents an alternative source of plant bioactives for the development of natura products.

Effects of post-fermentation addition of green tea extract for sulfur dioxide replacement on Sauvignon Blanc wine phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity, colour, and mouthfeel attributes.

This study examines the feasibility of replacing SO2 in a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wine with a green tea extract. The treatments included the control with no preservatives (C), the addition of green tea extract at 0.1 and 0.2 g/L (T1 and T2), and an SO2 treatment at 50 mg/L (T3). Five monomeric phenolic compounds were detected in the green tea extract used for the experiment, and their concentrations ranged in the order (-)-epigallocatechin gallate > (-)-epigallocatechin > (-)-epicatechin > (-)-epicatechin gallate > gallic acid. At the studied addition rates, these green tea-derived phenolic compounds contributed to ∼70% of the antioxidant capacity (ABTS), ∼71% of the total phenolic index (TPI), and âˆ¼ 84% of tannin concentration (MCPT) of the extract dissolved in a model wine solution. Among wine treatments, T1 and T2 significantly increased the wine's colour absorbance at 420 nm, MCPT, gallic acid and total monomeric phenolic content. TPI and ABTS were significantly higher in wines with preservatives (i.e., T2 > T1 â‰… T3 > C, p < 0.05). These variations were observed both two weeks after the treatments and again after five months of wine aging. Additionally, an accelerated browning test and a quantitative sensory analysis of wine colour and mouthfeel attributes were performed after 5 months of wine aging. When exposed to excessive oxygen and high temperature (50 °C), T1 and T2 exhibited ∼29% and 24% higher browning capacity than the control, whereas T3 reduced the wine's browning capacity by ∼20%. Nonetheless, the results from sensory analysis did not show significant variations between the treatments. Thus, using green tea extract to replace SO2 at wine bottling appears to be a viable option, without inducing a negative impact on the perceptible colour and mouthfeel attributes of Sauvignon Blanc wine.

Screening and characterization of potential anti-gout components from Polygonum cuspidatum by integration off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with affinity ultrafiltration and on-line HPLC-ABTS.

Polygonum cuspidatum (P. cuspidatum) is a traditional herbal medicine with a long history and proven efficacy in treating gout. However, due to the complexity of composition and extensive content distribution, the substance basis of its anti-gout effectiveness is still unclear. A strategy was proposed via integrating off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) and targeted rapid screening technology based on ultrafiltration-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UF-LC/MS) and on-line high-performance liquid chromatography-2, 2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (HPLC-ABTS) to accomplish high coverage and high throughput screening of anti-gout components from P. cuspidatum. As a result, twenty components were screened from P. cuspidatum extract with both xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory activity and free radical scavenging activity, then were preliminarily identified by high-resolution electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ESI-Q-TOF/MS). The screened results were verified by the in vitro assays. Meanwhile, molecular docking further elucidated that the screened bioactive ingredients had favourable binding capabilities with XOD. The performance of this study can achieve high efficiency and high coverage screening of the anti-gout components from P. cuspidatum, which provides methodology and strategy support for the rapid screening of bioactive ingredients from complex medicinal plants.

"Plant Golden" C. sativus: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of major components in stigmas and petals and their biological activity in vitro.

Crocus sativus L. (C. sativus) has its stigma as the main valuable part used. With extremely low production and high prices, stigma is considered a scarce resource. As a result, its petals, considered as by-products, are often discarded, leading to significant waste. We developed a UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS method for qualitative analysis of stigmas and petals and a UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of 9 characteristic active compounds for the first time, and compared their biological activity in vitro. The results indicated that a total of 63 compounds were identified in the petals and stigmas. The content of flavonoids in the petals was significantly superior to that in the stigma, and the content of quercetin in the petals was 50 times higher than that in the stigma. The results of the in vitro evaluation of biological activity indicated that both the petals （•OH: IC50=39.70 mg/mL; DPPH: IC50=28.37 mg/mL; ABTS: IC50=0.9868 mg/mL）and stigma （•OH: IC50=34.41 mg/mL; DPPH: IC50=38.99 mg/mL; ABTS: IC50=3.194 mg/mL）demonstrated comparable antioxidant activities. However, the tyrosinase inhibitory activity in petals （IC50=21.17 mg/mL） was weaker than that in stigma（IC50=1.488 mg/mL）. This study provides a fast, reliable, and efficient analytical method that can be used for the quality assessment of petals as a natural resource and its related products in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Sulfonic acid-functionalized k-carrageenan/Cr-based metal-organic framework: An efficient and recyclable catalyst for fructose conversion to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

A novel bio-based catalyst was developed by in-situ forming Chromium(III) (Cr)-based metal-organic framework, MIL-101(Cr), in the presence of k-carrageenan (k-Car) and followed by a post-synthetic modification to introduce additional -SO3H functional groups into the composite structure of k-Car/MIL-101(Cr). Different analyses were conducted to confirm the successful catalyst formation. The catalyst performance was evaluated in the solid acid catalyzed dehydration of fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. The Response Surface Method (RSM) optimization determined that employing 33 wt% of the catalyst at 105 °C for 40 min resulted in a remarkable 97.8 % yield. The catalyst demonstrated suitable recyclability, maintaining its catalytic efficiency over four cycles. Comparative studies with k-Car and the non-sulfonated composite highlighted the superior activity of the catalyst, emphasizing the synergy between the k-Car, MIL-101(Cr) and the influence of -SO3H post-functionalizing on the catalytic performance.

Prenatal PFAS exposure, gut microbiota dysbiosis, and neurobehavioral development in childhood.

Studies on the role of the gut microbiota in the associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure and adverse neurodevelopment are limited. Umbilical cord serum and faeces samples were collected from children, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was conducted. Generalized linear models, linear mixed-effects models, multivariate analysis by linear models and microbiome regression-based kernel association tests were used to evaluate the associations among PFAS exposure, the gut microbiota, and neurobehavioural development. Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) exposure was associated with increased scores for conduct problems and externalizing problems, as well as altered gut microbiota alpha and beta diversity. PFHxS concentrations were associated with higher relative abundances of Enterococcus spp. but lower relative abundances of several short-chain fatty acid-producing genera (e.g., Ruminococcus gauvreauii group spp.). PFHxS exposure was also associated with increased oxidative phosphorylation. Alpha and beta diversity were found significantly associated with conduct problems and externalizing problems. Ruminococcus gauvreauii group spp. abundance was positively correlated with prosocial behavior scores. Increased alpha diversity played a mediating role in the associations of PFHxS exposure with conduct problems. Our results suggest that the gut microbiota might play an important role in PFAS neurotoxicity, which may have implications for PFAS control.

Guided isolation of enantiomeric lignans from Cimicifuga heracleifolia Kom. by antioxidant activity and molecular networking.

Under the guidance of antioxidant evaluation combined with molecular networking, six pairs of enantiomeric lignans including seven undescribed ones (1a, 2a/2b-4a/4b), along with five known analogs (1b, 5a/5b-6a/6b) were isolated from Cimicifuga heracleifolia Kom. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic data analysis, including HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR, experimental and calculated ECD. All the enantiomeric isolates were evaluated for antioxidation by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radical scavenging tests. Compounds 1a and 3a/3b exhibited great DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities. The results are of great value for understanding structurally interesting enantiomeric lignans with antioxidant activity from C. heracleifolia in depth and providing its further development in functional evaluation and drug development.

Insight into antioxidant-like activity and computational exploration of identified bioactive compounds in Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) aqueous extract as potential cholinesterase inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Recent reports have highlighted the significance of plant bioactive components in drug development targeting neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thus, the current study assessed antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory activity of the aqueous extract of Talinum triangulare leave (AETt) as well as molecular docking/simulation of the identified phytonutrients against human cholinesterase activities. METHODS: In vitro assays were carried out to assess the 2,2- azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radicals and cholinesterase inhibitory activities of AETt using standard protocols. High performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was employed to identify compounds in AETt. Also, for computational analysis, identified bioactive compounds from AETt were docked using Schrodinger's GLIDE against human cholinesterase obtained from the protein data bank ( https://www.rcsb.org/ ). RESULTS: The results revealed that AETt exhibited a significant concentration-dependent inhibition against ABTS cation radicals (IC50 = 308.26 ± 4.36 µg/ml) with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as the reference. Similarly, AETt demonstrated a significant inhibition against acetylcholinesterase (AChE, IC50 = 326.49 ± 2.01 µg/ml) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE, IC50 = 219.86 ± 4.13 µg/ml) activities with galanthamine as the control. Molecular docking and simulation analyses revealed rutin and quercetin as potential hits from AETt, having showed strong binding energies for both the AChE and BChE. In addition, these findings were substantiated by analyses, including radius of gyration, root mean square fluctuation, root mean square deviation, as well as mode similarity and principal component analyses. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study offers valuable insights into the interactions and dynamics of protein-ligand complexes, offering a basis for further drug development targeting these proteins in AD.

Green Approach to Enhance the Recovery of Polyphenols from Blackcurrant and Bilberry Leaves: Evaluation of Microwave-Assisted and Pressurized Liquid Extraction.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate microwave-assisted (MAE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) for the recovery of polyphenols from blackcurrant and bilberry leaves and the preservation of their antioxidant activity. The extractions were carried out varying the solvent/solid (SS) ratio, temperature and time. During MAE, increasing the SS ratio increased the polyphenol concentration in the extracts from blackcurrant and bilberry leaves, while increasing the temperature had a positive effect only on bilberry polyphenols. During PLE, only a temperature increase was a determining factor for the isolation of blackcurrant leave polyphenols. Based on polyphenol recovery, optimal extraction parameters were established resulting in a yield of 62.10 and 56.06 mg/g dw in the blackcurrant and bilberry MAE extracts and 78.90 and 70.55 mg/g dw in the PLE extracts. The optimized extracts were profiled by UPLC ESI MS2, and their antioxidant capacity was evaluated through FRAP, DPPH, ABTS and ORAC assays. The characterization of the extracts by UPLC ESI MS2 confirmed flavonols as the predominant compounds in both blackcurrant and bilberry leaves, while flavan-3-ols and procyanidins were the main compounds responsible for high antioxidant capacity as confirmed by the ABTS and ORAC assays. Due to the extract composition and antioxidant capacity, PLE proved to be a technique of choice for the production of blackcurrant and bilberry leave extracts with high potential for use as value-added ingredients in the food and nutraceutical industry.

Enzymatic Hydrolysis Optimization of Yak Whey Protein Concentrates and Bioactivity Evaluation of the Ultrafiltered Peptide Fractions.

Yak whey protein concentrates (YWPCs) have good functional properties, but there is still a gap in the study of their peptides. In this study, peptides were obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis, and the bioactivity of each ultrafiltration fraction was evaluated using an optimal process. YWPCs were isolated and purified from yak milk as the raw material. Alkaline protease, trypsin, and papain were used to hydrolyze YWPCs. The protease with the highest degree of hydrolysis (DH) and peptide concentration was selected as the most suitable enzyme. The effects of pH, temperature, time, and the enzyme-to-substrate ratio (E/S) on the DH and peptide concentration were investigated, and response surface methodology was utilized to optimize the hydrolysis process. The hydrolysate was separated using ultrafiltration membranes with molecular weight cut-offs of 10 kDa, 5 kDa, 3 kDa, and 1 kDa. The bioactivity of each ultrafiltration component was analyzed, including the inhibition rates of α-amylase and xanthine oxidase (XOD) activities and the scavenging rates of 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radicals. The results indicated that alkaline protease was the best enzyme for hydrolyzing YWPCs. The peptide concentration in the YWPC hydrolysate was the highest (17.21 mg/mL) at a pH of 8 and a concentration of 7500 U/g, after 2.5 h at 62 °C. The enzymatic hydrolysate was ultrafiltered to yield four peptide fractions, of which the <1 kDa peptides exhibited the highest α-amylase inhibitory activity (22.06%), XOD inhibitory activity (17.15%), and ABTS cationic free radical scavenging rate (69.55%). This demonstrates the potential of YWPC hydrolyzed peptides for hypoglycemic, uric acid-lowering, and antioxidant applications, providing a theoretical basis for the high-value utilization of YWPCs.

Systemic and immunotoxicity induced by topical application of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) in a murine model.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of stable synthetic surfactants that are incorporated into numerous products for their water and oil resistance and have been associated with adverse health effects. The present study evaluated the systemic and immunotoxicity of sub-chronic 28- or 10-day dermal exposure of PFHxS (0.625-5% or 15.63-125 mg/kg/dose) in a murine model. Elevated levels of PFHxS were detected in the serum and urine, suggesting that absorption is occurring through the dermal route. Liver weight (% body) significantly increased and spleen weight (% body) significantly decreased with PFHxS exposure, which was supported by histopathological changes. Additionally, PFHxS significantly reduced the humoral immune response and altered immune subsets in the spleen, suggesting immunosuppression. Gene expression changes were observed in the liver, skin, and spleen with genes involved in fatty acid metabolism, necrosis, and inflammation. Immune-cell phenotyping identified significant decreases in B-cells, NK cells, and CD11b+ monocyte/macrophages in the spleen along with increases in CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells, NK cells, and neutrophils in the skin. These findings support dermal PFHxS-induced liver damage and immune suppression. Overall, data support PFHxS absorption through the skin and demonstrate immunotoxicity via this exposure route, suggesting the need for further examination.