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Journal of Food and Drug Analysis Jun 2024Nutraceuticals, that include food ingredients and bioactives from natural products, confer physiological health benefits and protection against chronic diseases. Annatto... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Nutraceuticals, that include food ingredients and bioactives from natural products, confer physiological health benefits and protection against chronic diseases. Annatto is a tropical shrub grown in Central and South America and parts of India. Its seeds are rich in the edible carotenoid-derived apocarotenoid pigment, bixin, which is used as a natural colorant in food, textiles, and cosmetics, and is now gaining attention for its potential health-promoting attributes. Here, we compared a green solvent (ethyl lactate) based extraction of bixin and associated metabolites in annatto seeds (crushed and seed coat) with two other conventional solvents (acetone and acid-base). Bixin was characterized in the extracts using UV-visible- and FTIR-spectroscopy and thin-layer chromatography. The bixin-containing solvent extracts were then profiled for other co-existing metabolites using GC-MS analysis, which were found to be sesquiterpenes, terpenes, terpenoids, phytosterols, and tocotrienols. Their bioactivity was evaluated based on antioxidant and wound-healing efficacies and compared with pure bixin, using NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells in-vitro. Pure bixin, as well as the annatto solvent extracts, showed strong antioxidant and wound healing properties, wherein pure bixin and green solvent extract (ethyl lactate coat) exhibited higher levels of antioxidant activity, achieving 46.00% and 44.60% reduction in MDA levels, respectively, as well as enhanced wound-healing activity, with 54.09% and 53.60% wound closure within 24 h. The green solvent extracts of annatto seeds revealed: (a) differential bioactive profiles in annatto seeds (crushed and seed coat) in comparison with other solvents, and (b) strong antioxidant and wound healing properties. Thus, ethyl lactate extraction shows strong potential for sustainable environmental friendly production of functional foods/nutraceuticals from annatto seeds.
Topics: Bixaceae; Seeds; Carotenoids; Mice; Animals; Plant Extracts; Phytochemicals; Antioxidants; Solvents; NIH 3T3 Cells; Green Chemistry Technology
PubMed: 38934695
DOI: 10.38212/2224-6614.3500 -
Journal of Food and Drug Analysis Jun 2024Investigation of utilization possibilities of natural sources has been an important area for research. Tyrosinase inhibitory activity plays a key role in food and...
Investigation of utilization possibilities of natural sources has been an important area for research. Tyrosinase inhibitory activity plays a key role in food and medicine industry. Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), a widely distributed plant among Mediterranean countries, possess fruits and leaves with rich bioactive phytochemicals, especially polyphenolic compounds. In this study, we aimed to investigate the antityrosinase activity of the fruit and leaf extracts of the plant, and to determine the phenolic compounds that contribute to the antityrosinase activity. In this regard, we evaluated the effect of solvent composition on the extraction of phenolic compounds from A. unedo and on its antityrosinase activity using a simplex centroid design approach, and used chromatographic and LC-MS/MS techniques. The leaf extracts prepared using EtOH:water (50:50) provided higher TPC (456.39 mg GAE/g extract) and acetone:EtOH:water (33:33:33) provided higher TFC (56.15 mg QE/g extract) values than of fruit extracts. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed 23 phenolic/flavonoid compounds in leaf extracts (L1-8), and major metabolites were detected as quercitrin, quinic acid, catechin, tannic acid, isoquercitrin, gallic acid, and ellagic acid. Among the leaf extracts, L3 (aceton:water, 50:50) exhibited 72.01% tyrosinase inhibition at 500 μg/mL. After fractionation studies guided by antityrosinase activity, its subfraction L3-Fr2 exhibited 40.06% inhibition at 50 μg/mL concentration (IC: 146 ± 7.75 μg/mL), and catechin (113.19 mg/g), tannic acid (53.14 mg/g), ellagic acid (22.14 mg/g), gallic acid (10.27 mg/g), and epicatechin gallate (8.65 mg/g) were determined as major metabolites. Its subfraction L3-Fr2-sub7 exhibited better antityrosinase activity (IC: 206.23 ± 9.87 μg/mL), and quantitative analysis results revealed the presence of tannic acid (127.40 mg/g), gallic acid (13.96 mg/g), ellagic acid (7.66 mg/g), quercetin-3-O-glucuronide (5.06 mg/g), and quinic acid (3.2 mg/g) as major metabolites, and correlation analysis showed that ellagic acid and quinic acid were positively correlated with antityrosinase activity.
Topics: Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Plant Extracts; Monophenol Monooxygenase; Fruit; Enzyme Inhibitors; Plant Leaves; Chromatography, Liquid; Phenols; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Anacardiaceae; Flavonoids; Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
PubMed: 38934692
DOI: 10.38212/2224-6614.3496 -
Journal of Food and Drug Analysis Jun 2024Globally, the demand for functional foods and beverages has significantly increased due to socioeconomic changes, particularly in health consciousness to enhance their... (Review)
Review
Globally, the demand for functional foods and beverages has significantly increased due to socioeconomic changes, particularly in health consciousness to enhance their functionality. Functional ingredients derived from botanicals are widely used because of their phytochemical properties with health benefits. This study aims to (1) review the capabilities and challenges of botanical addition in functional foods, (2) review current policies and regulations for functional foods containing botanicals in the European Union (EU), Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Thailand, and (3) provide recommendations on effective food safety control measures for better consumer trust and trade facilitation. This critical review was analyzed from online publications and available guidelines, regulations, and control measures published by food industries and governments in the EU and the four selected countries. The result confirmed that potentialities of botanicals arise from numerous bioactive compounds with varieties of sources. However, the usage may potentially raise health risks through hazardous substances in different species or plant parts, contaminants from environments and uncontrolled processes. Inadequate knowledge of botanical formulation and the maximum limit for daily consumption may elevate health risks through food-drug interaction or adverse effect incidents. Current policies and regulations show that varieties of measures are implemented influencing both economic growth and consumer awareness. The novel finding is that countries that provide a comprehensive national food control system influence not only the growth of the functional food subsectors but also build trust in food safety among trade partners and consumers.
Topics: Humans; Food Safety; Functional Food; Beverages; Thailand; Republic of Korea; European Union; Japan; Canada
PubMed: 38934687
DOI: 10.38212/2224-6614.3499 -
Journal of Asian Natural Products... Jun 2024A phytochemical investigation on the 80% EtOH extract of the leaves of (Lour.) Merr. resulted into the isolation of three undescribed iridoid glycosides,...
A phytochemical investigation on the 80% EtOH extract of the leaves of (Lour.) Merr. resulted into the isolation of three undescribed iridoid glycosides, 10----coumaroyl-(4,6)-3,4-dihydro-3-methylthiopaederoside (), 10---feruloyl-(4,6)-3,4-dihydro-2'--3-paederoside (), and 10---caffeoyl-paederosidic acid ethyl ester (). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectral methods such as 1D and 2D (H-H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) NMR spectroscopy, as well as high resolution mass spectrometry. The isolated compounds were tested for cytotoxic activity against five endocrine tumor cell lines. As a result, compound exhibited some cytotoxicities against all the tested tumor cell lines with IC value less than 20.0 μM.
PubMed: 38934326
DOI: 10.1080/10286020.2024.2358820 -
Heliyon Jun 2024A comprehensive study of fruits and leaves extracts of var. Swingle and L. family Rutaceae was accomplished to investigate their antiviral activity along with their...
A comprehensive study of fruits and leaves extracts of var. Swingle and L. family Rutaceae was accomplished to investigate their antiviral activity along with their zinc oxide nanoparticles formulation (ZnONPs) against the avian influenza H5N1 virus. A thorough comparative phytochemical investigation of and leaves and fruits was performed using UPLC-QTOF-MS-MS. Antiviral effects further aided by molecular docking proved the highly significant potential of using and extracts as medicinal agents. Antiviral potency is ascendingly arranged as leaves (LAL) > fruits (LAF) > leaves (CML) at 160 μg. Nano formulation of LAF has the most splendid antiviral upshot. The metabolomic profiling of CMF and LAL revealed the detection of 48 & 74 chromatographic peaks respectively. Docking simulation against five essential proteins in survival and replication of the influenza virus revealed that flavonoid di-glycosides (hesperidin, kaempferol-3--rutinoside, and kaempferol-7-neohesperidoside) have shown great affinity toward the five investigated proteins and achieved docking scores which approached or even exceeded that achieved by the native ligands. Hesperidin has demonstrated the best binding affinity toward neuraminidase (NA), haemagglutinin (HA), and polymerase protein PB2 (-10.675, -8.131, and -10.046 kcal/mol respectively. We propose using prepared crude methanol extracts of both plants as an antiviral agent.
PubMed: 38933965
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32335 -
Heliyon Jun 2024The mangrove ecosystem has emerged as a fascinating source for exploring novel bioresources which have multiple applications in modern agriculture. This study evaluates...
The mangrove ecosystem has emerged as a fascinating source for exploring novel bioresources which have multiple applications in modern agriculture. This study evaluates the potential applications of mangrove endophytic fungi (MEF), such as biocontrol agents against and as biofertilizers for improving the yield of fragrant rice variety Malaysian Rice Quality 76 (MRQ76). Through the antagonism assays, it is observed that among the 14 MEF studied, 4 fungal isolates ( sp. MEFN02, sp. MEFN06, sp. MEFX02 and sp. MEFX10) exhibited promising antagonistic effect against the pathogen compared to the chemical fungicide (Benomyl). These isolates also revealed significant production of enzymes, phytochemicals, indoleacetic acid (40.96 mg/mL) and ammonia (32.54 mg/mL) and displayed tolerance to salt and temperature stress up to 2000 mM and >40 °C respectively. Furthermore, employing the germination and pathogenicity test, inoculation of these endophytes showed lower percentage of disease severity index (DSI%) against , ranging from (24 %-46 %) in MRQ76 rice seedlings. The experiments of soil and seed inoculation methods conducted under greenhouse conditions revealed that these endophytes enhanced plant growth (8-15 % increase) and increased crop yield (≥50 %) in comparison to control treatments. The current findings provide valuable insights into eco-friendly, cost-effective and sustainable alternatives for addressing infection and improving the agronomic performance of the fragrant rice cultivar MRQ76, contributing to food security.
PubMed: 38933943
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32310 -
Future Foods : a Dedicated Journal For... Jun 2024The prevailing global market demands locally produced, sustainable oils for biomedical applications. This study focused on evaluating the quality of cricket-derived oils...
The prevailing global market demands locally produced, sustainable oils for biomedical applications. This study focused on evaluating the quality of cricket-derived oils and meals from Hugel, Tanga, and De Geer common delicacy in Africa, following standard methods for physicochemical properties, fatty acid composition, and phytochemicals (oxalates, phytates, tannins, and polyphenols). The cricket oils physicochemical properties aligned with Codex Alimentarius standards for edible oils, including low solidification temperature (< 2 °C), a high refractive index (1.46), and a specific gravity of 0.88. Notably, peroxide values (1.9 to 2.5 mg mEq O2/kg), acid values (1.1 to 2.2 mg KOH/g), and saponification values (234-246 mg KOH/g) all are indicative of lightness and unsaturated fatty acids. Nutritionally, cricket powder was rich in protein (56.8-56.9% -) and fat (31.7-33.5% -of dry matter), with significant amounts of essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Predominant saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were palmitic (23.9-31.2 mg/100 g-) and oleic acids (10.9-11.4 mg/100 g- of oil), respectively. Antioxidant values (48.0 to 65.0 mg/100 g), inferred from total polyphenols, suggests a stable oil with long shelf-life. These results highlight the promising and sustainable potential of cricket-derived oils for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
PubMed: 38932931
DOI: 10.1016/j.fufo.2024.100316 -
Pharmaceutics Jun 2024Natural compounds such as polyphenols play several positive roles in maintaining the oxidative and inflammatory capacity of cells, which leads to their potential use as... (Review)
Review
Natural compounds such as polyphenols play several positive roles in maintaining the oxidative and inflammatory capacity of cells, which leads to their potential use as anticancer therapeutics. There is promising evidence for the in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity of many polyphenols, including resveratrol and quercetin, specifically in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). There is a clear association between resveratrol and quercetin in interfering with the mechanistic pathways involved in CRC, such as Wnt, P13K/AKT, caspase-3, MAPK, NF-κB, etc. These molecular pathways establish the role of resveratrol and quercetin in controlling cancer cell growth, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting metastasis. The major bottleneck in the progression of the use of resveratrol and quercetin as anticancer therapeutics is their reduced bioavailability in vivo because of their rapid metabolism in humans. Recent advancements in various nanotechnological formulations are promising for overcoming these bioavailability issues. Various nanoformulations of resveratrol and quercetin have shown an optimistic impact on reducing the solubility and improving the stability of resveratrol and quercetin in vivo. A combinatorial approach using nanoformulations of resveratrol with quercetin could potentially increase the impact of resveratrol in controlling CRC cell proliferation. This review discusses the mechanism of resveratrol and quercetin, the two bioactive polyphenolics, in colon cancer, with an emphasis on various types of nanoformulations of the two molecules targeting colon cancer. It also explores the synergistic effect of combining resveratrol and quercetin in various nanoformulations, targeting colon cancer. This research delves into the enhanced pharmacokinetics and potential chemotherapeutic benefits of these bioactive polyphenolics when used together in innovative ways.
PubMed: 38931884
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16060761 -
Pharmaceutics May 2024The phytochemical diversity and potential health benefits of and fruits call for further scientific inquiry. Our study aimed to determine the phytochemical composition...
The phytochemical diversity and potential health benefits of and fruits call for further scientific inquiry. Our study aimed to determine the phytochemical composition of extracts from these fruits and assess their antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer properties in vitro. It was found that the ethanolic extracts of and fruits, which contained more lipophilic compounds, had 2-14 times lower antioxidant activity compared to the dry aqueous extracts of cranberry fruit, which contained more hydrophilic compounds. All tested cranberry fruit extracts (OE, OW, ME, and MW) significantly inhibited the growth of bacterial strains , , , and in vitro compared to the control. Cytotoxic activity against the human prostate carcinoma PPC-1 cell line, human renal carcinoma cell line (CaKi-1), and human foreskin fibroblasts (HF) was determined using an MTT assay. Furthermore, the effect of the cranberry fruit extract samples on cell migration activity, cancer spheroid growth, and viability was examined. The ethanolic extract from fruits (ME) showed higher selectivity in inhibiting the viability of prostate and renal cancer cell lines compared to fibroblasts. It also effectively hindered the migration of these cancer cell lines. Additionally, the fruit extract (ME) demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against PPC-1 and CaKi-1 spheroids, significantly reducing the size of PPC-1 spheroids compared to the control. These findings suggest that cranberry fruit extracts, particularly the ethanolic extract from fruits, have promising potential as natural remedies for bacterial infections and cancer therapy.
PubMed: 38931857
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16060735 -
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Obesity has become a pandemic, as currently more than half a billion people worldwide are obese. The etiology of obesity is multifactorial, and combines a contribution... (Review)
Review
Obesity has become a pandemic, as currently more than half a billion people worldwide are obese. The etiology of obesity is multifactorial, and combines a contribution of hereditary and behavioral factors, such as nutritional inadequacy, along with the influences of environment and reduced physical activity. Two types of adipose tissue widely known are white and brown. While white adipose tissue functions predominantly as a key energy storage, brown adipose tissue has a greater mass of mitochondria and expresses the uncoupling protein 1 () gene, which allows thermogenesis and rapid catabolism. Even though white and brown adipocytes are of different origin, activation of the brown adipocyte differentiation program in white adipose tissue cells forces them to transdifferentiate into "beige" adipocytes, characterized by thermogenesis and intensive lipolysis. Nowadays, researchers in the field of small molecule medicinal chemistry and gene therapy are making efforts to develop new drugs that effectively overcome insulin resistance and counteract obesity. Here, we discuss various aspects of white-to-beige conversion, adipose tissue catabolic re-activation, and non-shivering thermogenesis.
PubMed: 38931457
DOI: 10.3390/ph17060790