Lipid-lowering effect of hot water-soluble extracts of Saururus chinensis Bail on rats fed high fat diets.

We evaluated the inhibition of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation inhibition by a hot water-soluble extract of Saururus chinensis Bail (HWSCB) in vitro and the lipid-lowering effects of HWSCB in rats fed high fat diet (HFD). HFDs were supplemented with 5% HWSCB (HFSCB5 group), 10% HWSCB (HFSCB10 group), or 1% tannic acid (Tannin group). The Tannin group served as a positive control for the study, based on tannic acid's known lipid-lowering effect and water-soluble characteristics. LDL oxidation was dose-dependently inhibited in the presence of HWSCB, and the effect of HWSCB was comparable to that of vitamin C. Significant reductions in triglyceride (P < .05) and cholesterol (P < .05) levels in the plasma and liver of the HFSCB5, HFSCB10, and Tannin groups were observed. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol was elevated (P < .05), but LDL was decreased in a dose-dependent manner for the HFSCB samples. These results were associated with a significant decrease in the atherogenic index for the HFSCB samples, especially for HFSCB10. In addition, fecal excretion of triglyceride with HWSCB supplementation was greater than with tannic acid supplementation. The findings of this study suggest that HWSCB may reduce plasma and hepatic lipids, especially triglyceride, in rats fed high fat diet.

Development of low calorie roasted radish tea beverage with anti-oxidant activity.

A functional radish tea beverage was developed using pressure roasted radish pieces, barley, and cassia seeds. Stevia, short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS), and inverted sugar syrup were used as sugar substitutes. The formula developed for mass production was, pressure roasted radish pieces, barley, and cassia seed teas prepared separately, then mixed (3:1:1, v/v/v). Inverted sugar syrup (54.4 g/L), stevia (0.73 g/L), scFOS (17 g/L), citric acid (0.01%), and vitamin C (0.05%) were added. Sweetness and caloric contents of the roasted radish tea beverage were 6.5°Bx and 19.35 Kcal/100 mL, respectively. Based on consumer acceptance testing (n=60 persons), overall acceptance, taste, and sweetness scores of the roasted radish tea beverage were higher than for a commercially available H tea beverage. Caloric contents were reduced by approximately 23.5% using sugar substitutes. The IC50 value for the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of hot water extracts of dried radish increased 2.5-fold after pressure roasting.

Synergistic action modes of arabinan degradation by exo- and endo-arabinosyl hydrolases.

Two recombinant arabinosyl hydrolases, α-L-arabinofuranosidase from Geobacillus sp. KCTC 3012 (GAFase) and endo-(1,5)-α-L-arabinanase from Bacillus licheniformis DSM13 (BlABNase), were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and their synergistic modes of action against sugar beet (branched) arabinan were investigated. Whereas GAFase hydrolyzed 35.9% of L-arabinose residues from sugar beet (branched) arabinan, endo-action of BlABNase released only 0.5% of L-arabinose owing to its extremely low accessibility towards branched arabinan. Interestingly, the simultaneous treatment of GAFase and BlABNase could liberate approximately 91.2% of L-arabinose from arabinan, which was significantly higher than any single exo-enzyme treatment (35.9%) or even stepwise exo- after endo-enzyme treatment (75.5%). Based on their unique modes of action, both exo- and endo-arabinosyl hydrolases can work in concert to catalyze the hydrolysis of arabinan to L-arabinose. At the early stage in arabinan degradation, exo-acting GAFase could remove the terminal arabinose branches to generate debranched arabinan, which could be successively hydrolyzed into arabinooligosaccharides via the endoaction of BlABNase. At the final stage, the simultaneous actions of exo- and endo-hydrolases could synergistically accelerate the L-arabinose production with high conversion yield.

Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint.

AIMS: To determine the characteristic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). METHODS: MRI was carried out in 11 cases of synovial chondromatosis of the TMJ, which had been confirmed surgically and histologically. RESULTS: Severe bony changes were not apparent. One or more hypointensive loose bodies were seen in 7 of the 11 cases. A considerable amount of synovial fluid, often with capsular expansion, was a common finding. CONCLUSION: A diagnosis of synovial chondromatosis of the TMJ must be considered when the amount of synovial fluid is abnormally large and the disc position is fairly normal, as seen on closed- and open-mouth MRI of the TMJ, without any associated severe changes in disc shape or bony structure.

Detailed modes of action and biochemical characterization of endo-arabinanase from Bacillus licheniformis DSM13.

An endo-arabinanase (BLABNase) gene from Bacillus licheniformis DSM13 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the biochemical properties of its encoded enzyme were characterized. The BLABNase gene consists of a single open reading frame of 987 nucleotides that encodes 328 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of about 36 kDa. BLABNase exhibited the highest activity against debranched α-(1,5)-arabinan in 50 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) at 55°C. Enzymatic characterization revealed that BLABNase hydrolyzes debranched or linear arabinans with a much higher activity than branched arabinan from sugar beet. Enzymatic hydrolysis pattern analyses demonstrated BLABNase to be a typical endo-(1,5)-α-S-arabinanase (EC 3.2.1.99) that randomly cleaves the internal α-(1,5)-linked L-arabinofuranosyl residues of a branchless arabinan backbone to release arabinotriose mainly, although a small amount of arabino-oligosaccharide intermediates is also liberated. Our results indicated that BLABNase acts preferentially along with the oligosaccharides longer than arabinopentaose, thus enabling the enzymatic production of various arabino-oligosaccharides.