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Natural Product Research Oct 2022In this study, the nutritional and mineral composition of fruits from Apulia, Campania, Lazio, Sardinia and Sicily regions was evaluated. Dietary fiber, mineral,...
In this study, the nutritional and mineral composition of fruits from Apulia, Campania, Lazio, Sardinia and Sicily regions was evaluated. Dietary fiber, mineral, pectin, polyphenol, and protein contents were evaluated. Particularly high are the contents of the dietary fiber and pectins. The mineral elements profile was interesting due to its modest content of sodium and high potassium concentration. Protein amounts were in line with the quantities for this fruit. The total polyphenol content of the fruits analysed was very variable, interesting for the quantities found both total and gallic acid. The results obtained confirmed the nutritional value of this fruit even for special dietary regimens such as hypertension and heart diseases and the genuineness of its cultivation in Central-Southern Italy.[Formula: see text].
Topics: Dietary Fiber; Diospyros; Fruit; Gallic Acid; Minerals; Pectins; Polyphenols; Potassium; Sicily; Sodium
PubMed: 33960220
DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2021.1921768 -
Frontiers in Nutrition 2021The purpose of this study is to quantify the effect of adding sodium alginate and pectin to a carbohydrate (CHO) beverage on exogenous glucose (ExGluc) oxidation rate...
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to quantify the effect of adding sodium alginate and pectin to a carbohydrate (CHO) beverage on exogenous glucose (ExGluc) oxidation rate compared with an isocaloric CHO beverage.
METHODS
Following familiarization, eight well-trained endurance athletes performed four bouts of prolonged running (105 min; 71 ± 4% of VOmax) while ingesting 175 mL of one of the experimental beverages every 15 min. In randomized order, participants consumed either 70 gh of maltodextrin and fructose (10% CHO; NORM), 70 gh of maltodextrin, fructose, sodium alginate, and pectin (10% CHO; ENCAP), 180 gh of maltodextrin, fructose, sodium alginate, and pectin (26% CHO; HiENCAP), or water (WAT). All CHO beverages had a maltodextrin:fructose ratio of 1:0.7 and contained 1.5 gL of sodium chloride. Total substrate oxidation, ExGluc oxidation rate, blood glucose, blood lactate, serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration, and RPE were measured for every 15 min. Every 30 min participants provided information regarding their gastrointestinal discomfort (GID).
RESULTS
There was no significant difference in peak ExGluc oxidation between NORM and ENCAP (0.63 ± 0.07 and 0.64 ± 0.11 gmin, respectively; > 0.5), both of which were significantly lower than HiENCAP (1.13 ± 0.13 gmin, < 0.01). Both NORM and HiENCAP demonstrated higher total CHO oxidation than WAT from 60 and 75 min, respectively, until the end of exercise, with no differences between CHO trials. During the first 60 min, blood glucose was significantly lower in WAT compared with NORM and HiENCAP, but no differences were found between CHO beverages. Both ENCAP and HiENCAP demonstrated a higher blood glucose concentration from 60-105 min than WAT, and ENCAP was significantly higher than HiENCAP. There were no significant differences in reported GID symptoms between the trials.
CONCLUSIONS
At moderate ingestion rates (i.e., 70 gh), the addition of sodium alginate and pectin did not influence the ExGluc oxidation rate compared with an isocaloric CHO beverage. At very high ingestion rates (i.e., 180 gh), high rates of ExGluc oxidation were achieved in line with the literature.
PubMed: 35127792
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.810041 -
Polymers Aug 2023Prospective adjuvant anticancer therapy development includes the establishing of drug delivery systems based on biocompatible and biodegradable carriers. We have...
Prospective adjuvant anticancer therapy development includes the establishing of drug delivery systems based on biocompatible and biodegradable carriers. We have designed films and nanoparticles (NPs) based on low-esterified pectin hydrogel using the ionic gelation method. We investigated morphology, nanomechanical properties, biocompatibility and anticancer activity. Hydrogel films are characterized by tunable viscoelastic properties and surface nanoarchitectonics through pectin concentration and esterification degree (DE), expressed in variable pore frequency and diameter. An in vitro study showed a significant reduction in metabolic activity and the proliferation of the U87MG human glioblastoma cell line, probably affected via the adhesion mechanism. Glioma cells formed neurosphere-like conglomerates with a small number of neurites when cultured on fully de-esterified pectin films and they did not produce neurites on the films prepared on 50% esterified pectin. Pectin NPs were examined in terms of size distribution and nanomechanical properties. The NPs' shapes were proved spherical with a mean diameter varying in the range of 90-115 nm, and a negative zeta potential from -8.30 to -7.86 mV, which indicated their stability. The NPs did not demonstrate toxic effect on cells or metabolism inhibition, indicating good biocompatibility. Nanostructured biomaterials prepared on low-esterified pectins could be of interest for biomedical applications in adjuvant anticancer therapy and for designing drug delivery systems.
PubMed: 37571174
DOI: 10.3390/polym15153280 -
International Journal of Biological... Mar 2020Ma-Nuo-Xi Decoction (MNXD) is well-known in Tibetan medicine to be in line with the theory of treatment determination based on syndrome differentiation. However, the...
Ma-Nuo-Xi Decoction (MNXD) is well-known in Tibetan medicine to be in line with the theory of treatment determination based on syndrome differentiation. However, the components responsible for its immunomodulating effect are unknown. In this study, three polysaccharide components-MNXD-P, MNXD-BD-P, and MNXD-AD-P-were isolated from MNXD and its basic and auxiliary prescription decoctions, of which MNXD-BD-P is composed of β-(1,4)-d-glucan and RG-I pectin, MNXD-AD-P contains mainly α-(1,4)-d-glucan and some amount of arabinogalactan and/or arabinorhamnogalactan, and MNXD-P contains components of both MNXD-BD-P and MNXD-AD-P. And treatment with these polysaccharides could significantly improve the host's specific and non-specific immunity, including cellular and humoral immunities, as well as promote recovery from myelosuppression in cyclophosphamide (CTX)-immunosuppressed mice. To our knowledge, this is the first report on chemical and immunoactivity study on polysaccharides from traditional Tibetan medicine compounds, which may provide a new idea for development of carbohydrate drugs from them.
Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Animals; Cyclophosphamide; Immunocompromised Host; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Plant Extracts; Polysaccharides
PubMed: 31838067
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.12.042 -
Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE May 2021Cellulose is the most abundant polymer on Earth generated by photosynthesis and the main load-bearing component of cell walls. The cell wall plays a significant role in...
Cellulose is the most abundant polymer on Earth generated by photosynthesis and the main load-bearing component of cell walls. The cell wall plays a significant role in plant growth and development by providing strength, rigidity, rate and direction of cell growth, cell shape maintenance, and protection from biotic and abiotic stressors. The cell wall is primarily composed of cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose and pectin. Recently plant cell walls have been targeted for the second-generation biofuel and bioenergy production. Specifically, the cellulose component of the plant cell wall is used for the production of cellulosic ethanol. Estimation of cellulose content of biomass is critical for fundamental and applied cell wall research. The Updegraff method is simple, robust, and the most widely used method for the estimation of crystalline cellulose content of plant biomass. The alcohol insoluble crude cell wall fraction upon treatment with Updegraff reagent eliminates the hemicellulose and lignin fractions. Later, the Updegraff reagent resistant cellulose fraction is subjected to sulfuric acid treatment to hydrolyze the cellulose homopolymer into monomeric glucose units. A regression line is developed using various concentrations of glucose and used to estimate the amount of the glucose released upon cellulose hydrolysis in the experimental samples. Finally, the cellulose content is estimated based on the amount of glucose monomers by colorimetric anthrone assay.
Topics: Biofuels; Biomass; Cell Wall; Cellulose; Lignin; Plants
PubMed: 34057450
DOI: 10.3791/62031 -
International Journal of Biological... Apr 2021Platycodonis Radix is widely used as homology of medicine and food in China; polysaccharides are thought to be one of its functional constituents. In this study, a...
Platycodonis Radix is widely used as homology of medicine and food in China; polysaccharides are thought to be one of its functional constituents. In this study, a pectic polysaccharide, PGP-I-I, was obtained from the root of the traditional medicine plant Platycodon grandiflorus through ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. This was characterized being mainly composed of 1,5-α-L-arabinan and both arabinogalactan type I (AG-I) and II chains linked to rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) backbone linked to longer galacturonan chains. In vitro bioactivity study showed that PGP-I-I could restore the intestinal cellular antioxidant defense under the condition of hydrogen peroxide (HO) treatment through promoting the expressions of cellular antioxidant genes and protect against oxidative damages.
Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Cell Line; Chromatography, Gel; Chromatography, Ion Exchange; Dietary Carbohydrates; Galactans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Pectins; Plant Extracts; Plant Roots; Platycodon; Polysaccharides; Swine
PubMed: 33571586
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.02.041 -
Precision Clinical Medicine Jun 2020Increasing resistance to antibiotics has ledthat molecular testing is appropriate as a sub to adoption of seven different bismuth quadruple therapies (BQT) in China...
Increasing resistance to antibiotics has ledthat molecular testing is appropriate as a sub to adoption of seven different bismuth quadruple therapies (BQT) in China without differentiation of first-line or second-line regimens. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of susceptibility-guided BQT for patients who had experienced previous treatment failures. A total of 133 patients was included and was successfully cultured from 101 patients (75.9%) for subsequent antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Based on the AST results, 88 patients completed one of five AST-guided 14-day BQT regimens: esomeprazole and bismuth colloidal pectin, along with either, amoxicillin and clarithromycin (EBAC), amoxicillin and levofloxacin (EBAL), amoxicillin and furazolidone (EBAF), amoxicillin and tetracycline (EBAT), or tetracycline and furazolidone (EBTF). eradication rates were 100% for EBAC (5/5), EBAL (13/13), EBAF (14/14), and EBTF (43/43), but 76.9% for EBAT (10/13). The three patients that failed the EBAT regimen were all cured after subsequent treatment with the EBTF regimen. Our study demonstrates the excellent efficacy of the AST-guided BQT for referred patients, and that the current EBAT regimen, used in clinics, needs to be optimized. In addition, 57 of the isolates were subjected to whole-genome sequencing. Analysis of the sequences revealed that point mutations in 23S rRNA correlated well with the phenotypic clarithromycin resistance with a concordance of 91.2%, while the concordance between phenotypic levofloxacin resistance and point mutations was 82.3%. This suggests that molecular testing is appropriate as a substitute for AST as a more rapid and cost-effective method for determining clarithromycin and levofloxacin resistance in Chinese patients.
PubMed: 35692608
DOI: 10.1093/pcmedi/pbaa010 -
International Journal of Biological... Oct 2023Citrus paradisi Macf. cv. Changshanhuyou and Citrus paradisi Macf. cv. Star Ruby are two emerging processed citrus fruits. The processing produces lots of peel wastes...
Citrus paradisi Macf. cv. Changshanhuyou and Citrus paradisi Macf. cv. Star Ruby are two emerging processed citrus fruits. The processing produces lots of peel wastes rich in pectin. While more attentions were paid on pectin's functional properties, the quality about commercial application like gel grade was little investigated. In this study, we established a method for gel grade determination based on texture analyzer, the new method is economical and can be used on a large scale in the laboratory. The commercial application related qualities of two citrus pectins were also studied in detail. The results showed that the yields of Changshanhuyou and Star Ruby pectins (CHP and SRP) were 20.23 % and 18.33 %, respectively. The indexes of CHP and SRP mostly were in line with the commodity standards, except the dry weight loss. The gel grades of CHP and SRP determined by the new method were 109.9 and 96.8, respectively. The CHP aqueous solution exhibited higher apparent viscosity and better performance in stabilizing acidified milk drink (AMD) compared with commercial pectin. From the view of commercial application related qualities and functional properties, CHP could be a good potential commercial pectin.
PubMed: 37541470
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126129 -
International Journal of Molecular... Dec 2023The need for prehospital hemostatic dressings that exert an antibacterial effect is of interest for prolonged field care. Here, we consider a series of antibacterial and...
The need for prehospital hemostatic dressings that exert an antibacterial effect is of interest for prolonged field care. Here, we consider a series of antibacterial and zeolite formulary treatment approaches applied to a cotton-based dressing. The design of the fabric formulations was based on the hemostatic dressing TACGauze with zeolite Y incorporated as a procoagulant with calcium and pectin to facilitate fiber adherence utilizing silver nanoparticles, and cellulose-crosslinked ascorbic acid to confer antibacterial activity. Infra-red spectra were employed to characterize the chemical modifications on the dressings. Contact angle measurements were employed to document the surface hydrophobicity of the cotton fabric which plays a role in the contact activation of the coagulation cascade. Ammonium Y zeolite-treated dressings initiated fibrin equal to the accepted standard hemorrhage control dressing and showed similar improvement with antibacterial finishes. The antibacterial activity of cotton-based technology utilizing both citrate-linked ascorbate-cellulose conjugate analogs and silver nanoparticle-embedded cotton fibers was observed against and at a level of 99.99 percent in the AATCC 100 assay. The hydrogen peroxide levels of the ascorbic acid-based fabrics, measured over a time period from zero up to forty-eight hours, were in line with the antibacterial activities.
Topics: Silver; Metal Nanoparticles; Zeolites; Hemostatics; Ascorbic Acid; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cotton Fiber; Bandages; Cellulose
PubMed: 38069435
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317115 -
Clinics and Research in Hepatology and... Jan 2023Our team previously reported the use of antofloxacin-based bismuth quadruple therapy for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This study aimed to compare... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of 10 and 14 days of antofloxacin-based versus 14 days of clarithromycin-based bismuth quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A randomized trial.
OBJECTIVE
Our team previously reported the use of antofloxacin-based bismuth quadruple therapy for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of 10 and 14 days of antofloxacin-based versus 14 days of clarithromycin-based bismuth quadruple therapy in the first-line treatment for H. pylori infection.
METHODS
1174 patients with H. pylori infection were randomized into three groups: 10-days and 14-days antofloxacin (ANT10 and ANT14) groups who received 10 and 14 days of antofloxacin-based bismuth quadruple therapy (colloidal bismuth pectin 200 mg t.i.d., esomeprazole 20 mg b.i.d., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d., and antofloxacin 200 mg q.d.), 14-days clarithromycin (CLA14) group who received 14 days of clarithromycin-based bismuth quadruple therapy (colloidal bismuth pectin 200 mg t.i.d., esomeprazole 20 mg b.i.d., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d., and clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d.). Eradication rate, antibiotic resistance and adverse events were analyzed.
RESULTS
The intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses have showed statistically different eradication rates between ANT14 group and ANT10 group (ITT p = 0.001; PP p < 0.001), but no statistical difference between ANT10 group and CLA14 group (ITT p = 0.340; PP p = 0.092). Treatment regimen, drug resistance and therapy duration were important clinical factors related to H. pylori eradication rates in multivariate logistic analysis. Longer durations had significantly higher eradication rates in patients with antibiotic-resistant strains or antibiotic-susceptible strains. The incidences of nausea and bitter taste were significantly higher in CLA group compared with ANT group (p = 0.002 for nausea; p = 0.002 for bitter taste). The ANT10 and ANT14 group had similar adverse event rates of gastrointestinal reactions.
CONCLUSION
The study showed that the H. pylori eradication rate with ANT14 therapy was higher than that with ANT10 and CLA14 therapy without significantly increasing the rates of adverse event. 14 days of antofloxacin-based bismuth quadruple therapy may be a more effective way as the first-line treatment for H. pylori infection.
Topics: Humans; Clarithromycin; Bismuth; Helicobacter pylori; Esomeprazole; Drug Therapy, Combination; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Helicobacter Infections; Amoxicillin; Nausea; Pectins; Treatment Outcome; Proton Pump Inhibitors
PubMed: 36400418
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinre.2022.102052