Simultaneous determination of polysaccharides and 21 nucleosides and amino acids in different tissues of Salvia miltiorrhiza from different areas by UV–visible spectrophotometry and UHPLC with triple quadrupole MS/MS

Salvia miltiorrhiza, a traditional Chinese medicine, is a widely used herbal medicine to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In this study, ultraviolet (UV)–visible spectrophotometry and ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry analytical methods were used for rapid quantification of polysaccharides and 21 nucleosides and amino acids in S. miltiorrhiza to determine 17 samples of different tissues from different areas. Based on the total contents, hierarchical clustering analysis and principal components analysis were performed to classify these samples. The established methods were validated with good linearity, precision, repeatability, stability, and recovery. Chemical analysis revealed a higher content of total analytes in the sample of inflorescence from Nanjing (34.17 mg/g), sample of root and rhizome from Shaanxi (34.13 mg/g) and sample of stem and leaf from Nanjing (31.14 mg/g), respectively, indicating that root and rhizome from Shaanxi and the aerial parts from Nanjing exhibited the highest quality due to their highest content. In addition, contents of nucleosides and amino acids in the aerial parts (14.67 mg/g) were much higher than that in roots and rhizomes (9.17 mg/g). This study suggested that UV–visible spectrophotometry and ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry are effective techniques to analyze polysaccharides, nucleosides, and amino acids in plants, and they provided valuable information for the development and utilization value of the aerial parts of S. miltiorrhiza. This analysis would also provide useful information for the quality control of S. miltiorrhiza.     

Determination of fatty acids in the seeds of Lepidium apetalum Willdenow,Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl,and Draba nemorosa L. by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a charged aerosol detector

Both the contents of fatty acids and the ratios of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids are important parameters for determining the nutritional values of oils. Thus, we herein evaluated the fatty acids present in the seed oils of Lepidium apetalum Willdenow, Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl, and Draba nemorosa L. as sources of Lepidii seu Descurainiae Semen seeds in Northeast Asian Countries. We developed a method based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography using a charged aerosol detector for the quantitative analysis of fatty acids in the seed oils. This technique is less time-consuming than previous methods as derivatization of the oils is not required. Our method was developed though the comparison of a UV detector with a charged aerosol detector, and various stationary phases and gradient programs were tested. In addition, method validation was carried out according to the International Conference on Harmonization guidelines with respect to linearity, precision, and accuracy. We found that the quantities of unsaturated fatty acids (6.051–282.376?mg/g) were higher than those of saturated fatty acids (0.855–12.548?mg/g) in all plant seed oils. The proposed method is reproducible and convenient, and therefore, is suitable for the quantitative analysis of fatty acids in plant oils.     

Distribution of free amino acids,polyphenols and sugars of Ziziphus jujuba pulps harvested from plants grown in Tunisia

Ziziphus jujuba pulps are very much appreciated by the inhabitants and have been recently exported. This article reports on the chemical composition (amino acids, polyphenols and sugars) of the pulps of four Z. jujuba ecotypes (Choutrana, Mahdia, Mahres and Sfax). The major amino acids identified were proline, aspartic acid and glutamic acid. Among these, proline was the most abundant amino acid (17.4 mol). Considerable differences in total phenolic contents (15.85 mg/L) were found. Predominant phenols identified by using HPLC were rutin (1.09 mg/L) and chlorogenic acid (2.57 mg/100 g). Sugars isolated from Ziziphus pulps were found at a rate of 43.52%. Using HPLC method, three sugars from the pulp extract were identified: glucose, galactose and sucrose. The Mahdia ecotype was the richest in these sugars with 0.45, 136.51 and 113.28 mg/L, respectively.     

Physicochemical characteristics of the Lasiococca comberi Haines seeds

Physicochemical characteristics and fatty acid composition of Lasiococca comberi Haines (Euphorbiaceae), an endangered forest tree species, were determined for the first time. The oil, protein, crude fibre and carbohydrate contents in seeds were 41.5, 13.8, 22.2 and 11.6%, respectively. The refractive index, pH, specific gravity, saponification value, iodine value, peroxide value and p-anisidine value of seed oil were 1.4781, 6.4, 0.9, 178.4 mg KOH/g, 196 g I₂/100 g of oil, 5.1 mEq O₂/kg and 188.4, respectively. The predominant fatty acids were linolenic acid (65.3%), oleic acid (13.8%), linoleic acid (7.1%) and palmitic acid (5.3%). HPLC analysis revealed the presence of α-tocopherol (13.2 mg/100 g) and γ-tocopherol (6.3 mg/100 g) as the major tocopherols. The results indicated that L. comberi seed oil can be classified as drying oil having possible applications in different industries and as an important dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids.     

Physico-chemical properties of Tecoma stans Linn. seed oil: a new crop for vegetable oil

Tecoma stans Linn. is known to have various medicinal and therapeutic properties. However, to our knowledge, no information is available regarding their seed oils. In this study, the fatty acid (FA) compositions, physico-chemical properties and antioxidant capacities of T. stans seed oils (TSOs) were investigated. The oil content of the seeds was 15%. The FAs of the TSOs were analysed by GC–MS. α-Linolenic (45.47%), oleic (23.56%), linoleic (11.48%), palmitic (6.09%) and stearic (4.12%) acids were the major detected FAs. γ-Linolenic acid and stearidonic acid, unusually FAs, were also present (1.04% and 6.65%, respectively). The total tocol content in the TSOs was found to be 266.06 mg/100 g. The main component was γ-tocopherol (78.93%). The total phenolic content (168.69 mg GAE/100 g oil) and total flavonoid content (5.54 mg CE/g oil) were also determined in the TSOs.     

Free Amino Acids of Sinorhizobium meliloti, Biomass and Roots of Medicago sativa after Inoculation

The amino-acid composition of active symbiotic nitrogen-fixing Sinorhizobium meliloti in addition to the biomass and roots of Medicago sativa after inoculation was studied. The bacterium contains in its cells and releases to the substrate 13-16 free amino acids. The greatest amount of free amino acids appears in 10-day cultures of strains 125 and 131 (203.26 and 255.15 mg%). Inoculation of seeds helps to increase the content of free amino acids and protein in biomass and roots of alfalfa, which significantly increases its value and improves the soil condition.     

Fast Analysis of Free Amino Acids in Tobacco by HPLC with Fluorescence Detection and Automated Derivatization

A fast, simple, and sensitive HPLC method for the determination of free amino acids in tobacco was described. A fully automated sample processor performed precolumn derivatization of both primary and secondary amino acids with o‐phthalaldehyde/3‐mercaptopropionic acid and 9‐fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC‐Cl), respectively. All reactions were fully automated by means of an injector programme and accomplished in 10 min. Sample preparation consisted of a single step of extraction with 0.1 mol/L HCl at ambient temperature (assisted by sonication) in 30 min, followed by filtration of an aliquot and derivatization. By optimization of sample preparation and HPLC conditions, separation of 20 amino acids in 30 min was achieved. Detection limits ranged from 0.50 to 1.40 μg/g; coefficients of variation ranged from 1.8% to 3.9%; recoveries ranged from 84.6% to 108.5%. The method was applied to the analysis of amino acids contents of tobacco leaves in different varieties and flue‐curing period.     

Analysis of Free Amino Acids and Protein Contents of Mature Human Milk from Turkish Mothers

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate free amino acid (FAA) composition and total protein in mature human milk from Turkish mothers. Free amino acid concentrations in mature human milk were determined in all subjects using a high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with postcolumn derivatization system, with a fluorescence detector. Total protein content was determined by the classical biuret method. Total protein concentration was found to be 1.3±0.4 mg/dl. Glutamic asid plus glutamine is the most abundant amino acid (1275 µmol/L), followed by taurine (353 µmol/L) and alanine (261 µmol/L). Glutamic acid plus glutamine accounts for the most free amino acids in mature human milk and their sum represents 40% of total FAA. On the other hand, some amino acid derivatives such as citrulline, ethanolamine, ammonium, ornithine, ortophosphoserine, and phosphoethanolamine, not usually a part of protein, are determined and this fraction represented ～21% of the total FAA in mature human milk in the present study.     

Metal‐Free Decarboxylative Cyclization/Ring Expansion: Construction of Five‐, Six‐, and Seven‐Membered Heterocycles from 2‐Alkynyl Benzaldehydes and Cyclic Amino Acids

A one pot synthesis of 1H‐benzo[g]indoles, tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinolines, and naphtho[1,2‐b]azepines from 2‐alkynyl benzaldehydes and cyclic amino acids is reported. The salient feature of the strategy involves formation of three new bonds (one C? N and two C? C bonds) by a metal‐free decarboxylation/cyclization/one‐carbon ring expansion sequence in one pot.     

Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Opuntia ficus indica</Emphasis> seed oil from Tunisia

The lipid fraction of Opuntia ficus indica seeds was extracted and analyzed for its chemical and physical properties such as acid value, free fatty acid percentage (% FFA), iodine index, peroxide value, and saponification value as well as refractive index and density. The yield of seed oil was calculated as 11.75%. The acid and free fatty acid values indicated that the oil has a fairly low acidity. The triacylglycerols, fatty acids, sterols, and tocopherols were identified and their concentrations determined. The main TAGs were LLL (25.60%), OLL (21.53%), PLL (15.53%), and POL + SLL (12.73%). Linoleic acid (60.69%) was the dominant fatty acid, followed by oleic (21.42%) and palmitic (12.76%) acids, respectively. A high level of sterols making up 16.06 g/kg seed oil was present. The sterol marker, β-sitosterol, accounted for 71.60% of the total sterol content in the seed oil. Among the tocopherols present in the oil, γ-tocopherol (421.08 mg/kg) was the main constituent.     

HPLC Determination of α-Amino Acids in Phytoplanktonic Marine Cells

Abstract

A procedure for the quantitative determination of 17 amino acids in a marine matrix using HPLC is reported. Pre-column derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde, separation on C₁₈-bonded silica with phosphate buffer (pH 7.2)-acetonitrile as eluent and fluorescence detection have been used. The good variation coefficient (average 2% with working curves in real matrix) and the low detection limit (1-5 fmoles) make the procedure suitable for the determination of total or free amino acids in matrix cultures.     

Proximate composition,amino acid and fatty acid composition of fish maws

Fish maws are commonly recommended and consumed in Asia over many centuries because it is believed to have some traditional medical properties. This study highlights and provides new information on the proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid composition of fish maws of Cynoscion acoupa, Congresox talabonoides and Sciades proops. The results indicated that fish maws were excellent protein sources and low in fat content. The proteins in fish maws were rich in functional amino acids (FAAs) and the ratio of FAAs and total amino acids in fish maws ranged from 0.68 to 0.69. Among species, croaker C. acoupa contained the most polyunsaturated fatty acids, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapntemacnioc acid, showing the lowest value of index of atherogenicity and index of thrombogenicity, showing the highest value of hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio, which is the most desirable.     

Characterization of Bioactive Compounds of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Seeds from Spanish Cultivars

Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. is the Cactaceae plant with the greatest economic relevance in the world. It can be used for medicinal purposes, animal nutrition, production of biofuels and phytoremediation of soils. Due to its high content of bioactive compounds, the prickly pear has antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer properties. The aim of this study was to determine the polyphenolic, fatty acid and amino acid profile and characterize the antioxidant capacity of seeds of seven Spanish prickly pear cultivars. A total of 21 metabolites, mainly phenolic acids and flavonols, were identified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography photodiode detector quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-Q/TOF-MS). Significant differences were found in the phenolic concentrations of the investigated varieties. The highest amount of phenolic compounds (266.67 mg/kg dry matter) were found in the “Nopal espinoso” variety, while the “Fresa” variety was characterized by the lowest content (34.07 mg/kg DM) of these compounds. In vitro antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with the amount of polyphenols. The amino acid composition of protein contained in prickly pear seeds was influenced by the variety. Glutamic acid was the predominant amino acid followed by arginine, aspartic acid and leucine, independent of prickly pear variety. Overall, 13 different fatty acids were identified and assessed in prickly pear seeds. The dominant fatty acid was linoleic acid, with content varying between 57.72% “Nopal ovalado” and 63.11% “Nopal espinoso”.     

Development and validation of a hydrophilic interaction ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for rapid simultaneous determination of 19 free amino acids in rat plasma and urine

Determination of amino acids in biofluids is a challenging task because of difficulties deriving from their high polarity and matrix interference. A simple, reliable and high‐throughput hydrophilic interaction UHPLC–MS/MS method was developed and validated for the rapid simultaneous determination of 19 free amino acids in rat plasma and urine samples in this paper. Hydrophilic method with a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH Amide column (100 × 2.1 mm,1.7 μm) was used with a gradient mobile phase system of acetonitrile and water both containing 0.2% formic acid. The analysis was performed on a positive electrospray ionization mass spectrometer via multiple reaction monitoring. Samples of 10 μL plasma and 50 μL urine were spiked with three deuterated internal standards, pretreated with 250 μL acetonitrile for one‐step protein precipitation and a final dilution of urine samples. Good linearities (r > 0.99) were obtained for all of the analytes with the lower limit of quantification from 0.1 to 1.2 μg/mL. The relative standard deviation of the intra‐day and inter‐day precisions were within 15.0% and the accuracy ranged from ?12.8 to 12.7%. The hydrophilic interaction UHPLC–MS/MS method was rapid, accurate and high‐throughput and exhibited better chromatography behaviors than the regular RPLC methods. It was further successfully applied to detect 19 free amino acids in biological matrix.     

Chemical composition and antioxidant,antibacterial activity of Cirsium rivulare (Jacq) All. roots

The mixture of three phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol), β-sitosterol 3-O-glucoside and syringin were isolated from hexane and methanol extract of Cirsium rivulare roots after chromatographic separation. The main component of the source was syringin which was obtained with the yield 0.08% of the dry source. In hexane extract, the qualitative and quantitative composition of fatty acids was determined. The predominant component was linoleic acid (23.31 mg/g of extract). The extracts showed antioxidant activity. The ability to scavenge DPPH? free radical was in correlation with appointed total phenol content. The not-defatted methanolic extract was the most active. Hexane and defatted methanol extracts showed moderate antibacterial activity against G(+) and G(?) strains with MIC and MBC ranged from 25 to 200 μg/mL.     

超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定茶叶中游离氨基酸成分

建立了使用超高效液相色谱-串联质谱（UHPLC-MS/MS）高效、快速直接测定茶叶中游离氨基酸的方法。通过对质谱、色谱条件及氨基酸提取条件的优化，以含0.2%（体积分数）甲酸的5 mmol/L乙酸铵水溶液和甲醇为流动相进行梯度洗脱，在电喷雾离子（ESI）源正离子扫描模式下检测，通过UHPLC-MS/MS测定，共解析了茶叶中的20种氨基酸。结果表明，茶氨酸（Thea）、Arg、Asn和Asp在50~500 μg/L范围内线性关系良好，其他氨基酸在10~250 μg/L范围内线性关系良好，相关系数均大于0.99；加标回收率为92.3%~109.2%，相对标准偏差为2.00%~9.88%，检出限为0.001~0.011 mg/L，定量限为0.010~0.053 mg/L。该方法灵敏、准确，具有良好的重复性和稳定性，可有效检测出茶叶中的20种氨基酸及氨基类成分。     

Contents of Functionally Bioactive Peptides,Free Amino Acids,and Biogenic Amines in Dutch-Type Cheese Models Produced with Different Lactobacilli

Cheese ripening involves a number of biochemical processes, mainly of a proteolytic nature, which are initially triggered principally by milk-coagulating enzymes and, afterward, by microorganisms or enzymes of microbial origin. The proteolytic reactions affect, primarily, the synthesis of macro- and medium-molecular peptides from casein. In turn, the advanced proteolysis ends in the formation of short peptides and free amino acids. Further reactions may lead to the formation of nutritionally unfavorable biogenic amines. The present study aimed to determine changes in the contents of bioactive peptides (anserine and L-carnosine), free amino acids, and biogenic amines throughout the ripening of cheese models produced with the addition of Lactobacillus genus bacteria. The contents of amino acids varied considerably in the cheese models, depending on the bacterial strain added and ripening time. After five weeks of ripening, the total content of free amino acids in the cheese models ranged from 611.02 (a cheese model with Lactobacillus casei 2639) to 1596.64 mg kg⁻¹ (a cheese model with Lb. acidophilus 2499). After the same time, the contents of the total biogenic amines in the cheese models with the addition of lactobacilli were lower than in the control cheese model (except for the model with Lb. rhamnosus 489). Anserine was detected in all cheese models (79.29–119.02 mg kg⁻¹), whereas no L-carnosine was found over a five-week ripening period in the cheese models with Lb. delbrueckii 490 and Lb. casei 2639. After a five-week ripening, the highest total content of bioactive peptides was determined in the cheese models containing Lb. acidophilus 2499 (136.11 mg kg⁻¹).     

The Free-Amino-Acid Content in Six Potatoes Cultivars through Storage

Potatoes of six cultivars (Solanum tuberosum L.) with red, purple, and yellow flesh were stored at 2 and 5 °C for 3 and 6 months, and the influence of these factors on the content of free amino acids was determined. The potato cultivar and storage time had the greatest impact on the free amino acid content. The tubers of red-fleshed (Rote Emma) and purple-fleshed (Blue Congo) potatoes contained over 28 mg/g DM of free amino acids, and the Blaue Annelise cultivar with purple flesh had over 18 mg/g DM. After 6 months, the highest increase in their content (by 36%) was recorded in tubers of the Fresco cultivar (yellow-fleshed). In the analysed potatoes, the content of alanine, proline, serine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and α-aminoadipic acid increased, while that of asparagine, aspartic acid, and glutamine decreased. Asparagine decreased to the greatest extent in “Blaue Annelise” potatoes (by 24%) and that of glutamine in tubers of Rote Emma and Vineta by 18%.     

Hemp Seeds of the Polish ‘Bialobrzeskie’ and ‘Henola’ Varieties (Cannabis sativa L. var. sativa) as Prospective Plant Sources for Food Production

This publication characterizes the nutritional value of the Polish hemp seeds of the ‘Bialobrzeskie’ and ‘Henola’ varieties, including the profile/content of fatty acids and amino acids. Hemp seeds were found to be rich in protein, fat, and dietary fiber. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) dominated the unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) profile. Their average share within the total fatty acids (FA) was as high as 75%. Linoleic acid belonging to this group accounted for 55% of the total FA. Lipid profile indices (Σ n − 6/Σ n − 3, Σ PUFA/Σ SFA, the thrombogenicity index, the atherogenicity index and the hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio) proved the high nutritional value of hemp oil. Considering the tyrosine + phenylalanine and histidine contents, hemp protein exhibited a great degree of similarity to egg protein, which is known and valued for its high biological value.     

反相高效液相色谱法测定不同烟叶中的游离氨基酸

用乙醇水溶液提取烟叶中的游离氨基酸并通过阳离子交换柱纯化后,采用OPA(邻苯二甲醛丹酰氯)、FMOC(9-芴基甲氧基羰酰氯)联合在线衍生反相高效液相色谱法对烤烟、白肋烟和香料烟中的游离氨基酸进行了对比研究,发现白肋烟、香料烟和烤烟的烟叶中所含游离氨基酸总量分别为14.0mg/g、7.7mg/g和3.3mg/g;三者在所含主要氨基酸种类上存在显著差别。用该方法考察了不同产地烟叶中游离氨基酸的含量。