Hypoglycemic and Antioxidant Properties of Extracts and Fractions from Polygoni Avicularis Herba

Our research focused on the hypoglycemic capability and the possible mechanisms of extract and fractions from Polygoni Avicularis Herba (PAH) based on α-glucosidase, α-amylase inhibition assays, glucose uptake experiment, HPLC-MS analysis, and molecular docking experiment. In addition, DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays were used for determining the antioxidant capability. The results of total flavonoids and phenolics contents showed that ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) possessed the highest flavonoids and phenolics with values of 159.7 ± 2.5 mg rutin equivalents/g and 107.6 ± 2.0 mg galic acid equivalents/g, respectively. The results of in vitro hypoglycemic activity showed that all samples had effective α-glucosidase inhibition capacities, and EAF possessed the best inhibitory effect with IC₅₀ value of 1.58 ± 0.24 μg/mL. In addition, n-butanol fraction (NBF) significantly promoted the glucose uptake rate of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. HPLC-MS analysis and molecular docking results proved the interactions between candidates and α-glucosidase. The results of antioxidation capacities showed that EAF possessed the best antioxidation abilities with DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP. In summary, the hypoglycemic activity of PAH might be related to the inhibition of α-glucosidase (EAF > PEF > NBF) and the promotion of glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes (NBF). Simultaneously, the antioxidation capacity of PAH might be related to the abundant contents of flavonoids and other phenolics (EAF > PEF > NBF).     

Biological Evaluation,Phytochemical Screening,and Fabrication of Indigofera linifolia Leaves Extract-Loaded Nanoparticles

Indigofera linifolia is a medicinally important plant, and by virtue of its rich phytochemical composition, this plant is widely used as essential component in traditional medication systems. Due to its wide range of medicinal applications, the extract-loaded chitosan (Ext+Ch), extract-loaded PEG (Ext+PEG), and extract-loaded locust bean gum (Ext+LGB) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared in the present study. The prepared NPs were then evaluated for their antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic potentials. Antibacterial activities of the crude extract and the synthesized NPs were performed following standard procedures reported in the literature. The antioxidant capabilities of extract and NPs were evaluated using DPPH free radical scavenging assay. The antidiabetic potential of the samples was evaluated against α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Ext+PEG NPs showed more potent antibacterial activity against the selected strains of bacteria with the highest activity against Escherichia coli. The lowest antibacterial potential was observed for Ext+LGB NPs. The Ext+LGB NPs IC₅₀ value of 39 μg/mL was found to be the most potent inhibitor of DPPH free radicals. Ext+LGB NPs showed a greater extent of inhibition against α-glucosidase and α-amylase with an IC₅₀ of 83 and 78 μg/mL, whereas for the standard acarbose the IC₅₀ values recorded against the mentioned enzymes were 69 and 74 μg/mL, respectively. A high concentration of phenolics and flavonoids in the crude extract was confirmed through TPC and TFC tests, HPLC profiling, and GC–MS analysis. It was considered that the observed antibacterial, antidiabetic, and antioxidant potential might be due the presence of these phenolics and flavonoids detected. The plant could thus be considered as a potential candidate to be used as a remedy of the mentioned health complications. However, further research in this regard is needed to isolate the exact responsible compounds of the observed biological potentials exhibited by the crude extract. Further, toxicity and pharmacological evaluations in animal models are also needed to establish the safety or toxicity profile of the plant.     

Evaluation of the Health-Promoting Properties of Selected Fruits

In this study, the health-promoting benefits of different fruits grown in Madeira Island, namely lemon (Citrus limon var. eureka), tangerine (Citrus reticulata var. setubalense), pitanga (Eugenia uniflora var. red), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. gordal) and uva-da-serra, an endemic blueberry (Vaccinium padifolium Sm.), were investigated. The phenolic composition (total phenolics and total flavonoids content) and antioxidant capacity (assessed through ABTS and DPPH assays) were measured revealing a high phenolic potential for all fruits, except tomato, while uva-da-serra is particularly rich in flavonoids. In relation to the antioxidant capacity, the highest values were obtained for pitanga and uva-da-serra extracts. The bioactive potential was also assessed through the ability of the extracts to inhibit digestive enzymes linked to diabetes (α-amylase, α- and β-glucosidases) and hypertension (angiotensin-converting enzyme, ACE). The results obtained point to a very high bioactive potential with the selected samples exhibiting very important ACE anti-enzymatic capacities. A statistical analysis of the obtained data reveals a very strong correlation between ABTS and TPC, and a strong contribution of the fruit polyphenols for enzyme inhibition, and thus, presenting high antihypertensive and antidiabetic capacities. Overall, the results obtained clearly show a high bioactive potential of the selected fruits that should be further studied, in terms of specific phenolic composition. Moreover, these results strongly support the valorisation of pitanga seeds usually discarded as a waste, and uva-da-serra, an endemic and wild bush, as potential bioresources of bioactive compounds with impact in human diet.     

Anti-Microbial,Anti-Oxidant,and α-Amylase Inhibitory Activity of Traditionally-Used Medicinal Herbs: A Comparative Analyses of Pharmacology,and Phytoconstituents of Regional Halophytic Plants’ Diaspora

Halophytes are the category of plants growing under harsh conditions of super-salinity, and are wide-spread in the coastal Mediterranean climatic conditions and desert oasis. They are adept at surviving through maintaining excessive production of enzymatic, and non-enzymatic secondary metabolites, especially phenolics and flavonoids that primarily work as anti-oxidants and phytoalexins. Five major halophyte species growing in the kingdom’s Qassim’s high-salted desert regions were investigated for confirming their traditionally used biological activity of sugar-control and anti-infectious properties. In this context, the comparative presence of phenolics, and flavonoids together with anti-microbial, anti-oxidants, and the anti-diabetic potentials of the plants’ extracts were investigated through the α-amylase inhibition method. The highest concentrations of phenolics and flavonoids were detected in Salsola imbricata (360 mg/g of the extract as Gallic-Acid-Equivalents/GAE, and 70.5 mg/g of the extract as Rutin-Equivalents/RE). In contrast, the lowest concentrations of phenolics and flavonoids were detected in Salsola cyclophylla (126.6 mg/g GAE, and 20.5 mg/g RE). The halophytes were found rich in trace elements, a factor for water-retention in high-salinity plants, wherein iron and zinc elements were found comparatively in higher concentrations in Aeluropus lagopoides (4113 µg/kg, and 40.1 µg/kg, respectively), while the copper was detected in higher concentration (11.1 µg/kg) in S. imbricata, analyzed through Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometric (ICP-OES) analysis. The anti-oxidant potentials and α-amylase enzyme inhibition-based anti-diabetic activity of S. imbricata was significantly higher than the other halophytes under study, wherein S. cyclophylla exhibited the lowest level of α-amylase inhibition. The maximum DPPH radicals’ (52.47 mg/mL), and α-amylase inhibitions (IC₅₀ 22.98 µg/mL) were detected in A. lagopoides. The anti-microbial activity against the Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus was strongly exhibited by Zygophyllum simplex (33 mm Inhibition Zone-Diameter, 50 µg/mL Minimum-Inhibitory-Concentration), while Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans growths were moderately inhibited by Tamarix aphylla. The current findings exhibited significant differences among the locally distributed halophytic plants species with regards to their bioactivity levels, anti-oxidant potentials, and the presence of trace elements. The ongoing data corroborated the plants’ traditional uses in infections and diabetic conditions. The enhanced local distribution of the plants’ diaspora and higher density of occurrence of these plants species in this region, in comparison to their normal climatic condition’s counterparts, seemed to be affected by humans’ use of the species as part of the traditional and alternative medicine over a period of long time.     

Phytochemical Composition,Antioxidant Activity,and Enzyme Inhibitory Activities (α-Glucosidase,Xanthine Oxidase,and Acetylcholinesterase) of Musella lasiocarpa

In this study, we aimed to investigate the chemical components and biological activities of Musella lasiocarpa, a special flower that is edible and has functional properties. The crude methanol extract and its four fractions (petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and aqueous fractions) were tested for their total antioxidant capacity, followed by their α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase, and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. Among the samples, the highest total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were found in the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction (224.99 mg GAE/g DE) and crude methanol extract (187.81 mg QE/g DE), respectively. The EtOAc fraction of Musella lasiocarpa exhibited the strongest DPPH· scavenging ability, ABTS·⁺ scavenging ability, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with the IC₅₀ values of 22.17, 12.10, and 125.66 μg/mL, respectively. The EtOAc fraction also showed the strongest ferric reducing antioxidant power (1513.89 mg FeSO₄/g DE) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity ability (524.11 mg Trolox/g DE), which were higher than those of the control BHT. In contrast, the aqueous fraction demonstrated the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 10.11 μg/mL), and the best xanthine oxidase inhibitory ability (IC₅₀ = 5.23 μg/mL) was observed from the crude methanol extract as compared with allopurinol (24.85 μg/mL). The HPLC-MS/MS and GC-MS analyses further revealed an impressive arsenal of compounds, including phenolic acids, fatty acids, esters, terpenoids, and flavonoids, in the most biologically active EtOAc fraction. Taken together, this is the first report indicating the potential of Musella lasiocarpa as an excellent natural source of antioxidants with possible therapeutic, nutraceutical, and functional food applications.     

Phenolic compounds,essential oil composition,and antioxidant activity of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gill

In this study, methanol extracts (MEs) and essential oil (EO) of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gill obtained from different parts (root, stem, leaf, and seed) were evaluated in terms of antioxidant activity, total phenolics, compositions of phenolic compound, and essential oil with the methods of 2,2-azino-bis(3ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•⁺), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH•) radical scavenging activities, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), the Folin–Ciocalteu, liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−MS/MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC−MS), respectively. The root extract of A. purpurascens exhibited the highest ABTS•⁺, DPPH•, and FRAP activities (IC₅₀: 0.05 ± 0.0001 mg/mL, IC₅₀: 0.06 ± 0.002 mg/mL, 821.04 ± 15.96 µM TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity), respectively). Moreover, EO of A. purpurascens root displayed DPPH• scavenging activity (IC₅₀: 2.95 ± 0.084 mg/mL). The root extract had the highest total phenolic content (438.75 ± 16.39 GAE (gallic acid equivalent), µg/mL)). Twenty compounds were identified by LC−MS/MS. The most abundant phenolics were ferulic acid (244.39 ± 15.64 μg/g extract), benzoic acid (138.18 ± 8.84 μg/g extract), oleuropein (78.04 ± 4.99 μg/g extract), and rutin (31.21 ± 2.00 μg/g extract) in seed, stem, root, and leaf extracts, respectively. According to the GC−MS analysis, the major components were determined as α-bisabolol (22.93%), cubebol (14.39%), α-pinene (11.63%), and α-limonene (9.41%) among 29 compounds. Consequently, the MEs and EO of A. purpurascens can be used as a natural antioxidant source.     

Antioxidant Potential of Flower Extracts from Centaurea spp. Depends on Their Content of Phenolics,Flavonoids and Free Amino Acids

Scientists intensely search for new sources of antioxidants, perceived as important health-promoting agents. Some species of the large genus Centaurea provide raw materials for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, as well as produce edible flowers. This is the first study that determines the content of total polyphenols, flavonoids, reducing sugars, free amino acids and the antioxidant potential in the flower extracts of C. nigra L., C. orientalis L. and C. phrygia L. The total polyphenol and flavonoid content is the highest in the extract of C. orientalis, and the lowest in that of C. phrygia. Similarly, C. orientalis shows the greatest scavenging activity on DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl), ABTS [2,2′-azobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate)] and Fe³⁺ reducing power assays, whereas the lowest activity is found for C. phrygia. The highest content of reducing sugars is found in C. nigra, while C. orientalis has the highest levels of free amino acids. We find a strong positive correlation between total phenolics and flavonoids and the antioxidant capacity of all three Centaurea species. Moreover, the content of free amino acids strongly and positively correlates with the levels of total phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant activity assessed by DPPH and ABTS assays and Fe³⁺ reducing power. Summing up, C. orientalis exhibits the strongest antioxidant potential of the investigated Centaurea species. This species could potentially be a natural source of antioxidant substances for the pharmacy, cosmetics and food industries. The content of free amino acids may be used as a marker of the antioxidant status of Centaurea species.     

Anatomical and Phytochemical Characteristics of Different Parts of Hypericum scabrum L. Extracts,Essential Oils,and Their Antimicrobial Potential

Hypericum (Hypericaceae) is a genus that comprises a high number of species around the world. In this study, the roots, aerial parts, flowers, fruits, and aerial parts with flowers from Hypericum scabrum were macerated separately by methanol and water and then fractionated by different solvents of, such as ethyl acetate, n-hexane, butanol, dichloromethane, aqueous residue sub-extracts, and ethnobotanical use. All the extracts, sub-extracts and essential oils of H. scabrum were investigated for the first time in detail for their antimicrobial, total phenolics, and antioxidant activities. Anatomical structures of the root, stem, leaf, upper and lower leaf surface, stamen, sepal, and petal of H. scabrum were examined. The biochemical layout of essential oils was determined by GC and GC/MS. The antioxidant activity was determined by free radical scavenging activity (by DPPH). Antimicrobial activity was applied against Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 19659, and C. tropicalis ATCC 750 using microdilution methods. The essentials of the aerial parts, flower, and fruit are characterized by the presence of monoterpene hydrocarbons, whereas roots oil include alkanes. The GC-FID and GC-MS analysis showed that major components of roots, aerial parts, flowers, and fruits oils were undecane (66.1%); α-pinene (17.5%), γ-terpinene (17.4%), and α-thujene (16.9%); α-pinene (55.6%), α-thujene (10.9%), and γ-terpinene (7.7%); α-pinene (85.2%), respectively. The aerial part sub-extracts indicated a greater level of total phenolics and antioxidant potential. The n-hexane sub-extracts (from aerial part, flower, and aerial part with flower) showed the best activity against B. subtilis, with 39.06 µg/mL MIC value. The presented research work indicates that H. scabrum can be a novel promising resource of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds.     

Changes in Amino Acid Profiles and Bioactive Compounds of Thai Silk Cocoons as Affected by Water Extraction

Silk proteins have many advantageous components including proteins and pigments. The proteins—sericin and fibroin—have been widely studied for medical applications due to their good physiochemical properties and biological activities. Various strains of cocoon display different compositions such as amino-acid profiles and levels of antioxidant activity. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to find a suitable silk protein extraction method to obtain products with chemical and biological properties suitable as functional foods in two strains of Bombyx mori silk cocoon (Nangsew strains; yellow cocoon) and Samia ricini silk cocoon (Eri strains; white cocoon) extracted by water at 100 °C for 2, 4, 6 and 8 h. The results showed that Nangsew strains extracted for 6 h contained the highest amounts of protein, amino acids, total phenolics (TPC) and total flavonoids (TFC), plus DPPH radical-scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging capacity, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), anti-glycation, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition. The longer extraction time produced higher concentrations of amino acids, contributing to sweet and umami tastes in both silk strains. It seemed that the bitterness decreased as the extraction time increased, resulting in improvements in the sweetness and umami of silk-protein extracts.     

Proteome Analysis and In Vitro Antiviral,Anticancer and Antioxidant Capacities of the Aqueous Extracts of Lentinula edodes and Pleurotus ostreatus Edible Mushrooms

In this study, we examined aqueous extracts of the edible mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) and Lentinula edodes (shiitake mushroom). Proteome analysis was conducted using LC-Triple TOF-MS and showed the expression of 753 proteins by Pleurotus ostreatus, and 432 proteins by Lentinula edodes. Bioactive peptides: Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor, superoxide dismutase, thioredoxin reductase, serine proteinase and lectin, were identified in both mushrooms. The extracts also included promising bioactive compounds including phenolics, flavonoids, vitamins and amino acids. The extracts showed promising antiviral activities, with a selectivity index (SI) of 4.5 for Pleurotus ostreatus against adenovirus (Ad7), and a slight activity for Lentinula edodes against herpes simplex-II (HSV-2). The extracts were not cytotoxic to normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). On the contrary, they showed moderate cytotoxicity against various cancer cell lines. Additionally, antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical cation scavenging and ORAC assays. The two extracts showed potential antioxidant activities, with the maximum activity seen for Pleurotus ostreatus (IC50 µg/mL) = 39.46 ± 1.27 for DPPH; 11.22 ± 1.81 for ABTS; and 21.40 ± 2.20 for ORAC assays. This study encourages the use of these mushrooms in medicine in the light of their low cytotoxicity on normal PBMCs vis à vis their antiviral, antitumor and antioxidant capabilities.     

Teucrium polium (L.): Phytochemical Screening and Biological Activities at Different Phenological Stages

The aim of the present study was to investigate the changes in the content of phytochemical compounds and in vitro antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities of Teucrium polium L. aerial parts and root methanolic extracts at different phenological stages (vegetative, flowering, and seeding). The T. polium extracts were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and their antioxidant properties were tested with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide (NO), ferrous ions (Fe²⁺), and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) methods. Forty-nine compounds were identified with the majority of germacrene D, t-cadinol, β-pinene, carvacrol, bicyclogermacrene, α-pinene, and limonene. The results show that the extracts significantly differ between different phenological stages of the plant material used in terms of the phytochemical composition (total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, total alkaloids, and total saponin contents) and bioactivities (antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory) (p < 0.05). The highest total contents of phenolics (72.4 ± 2.5 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry weight), flavonoids (36.2 ± 3.1 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g dry weight), alkaloids (105.7 ± 2.8 mg atropine equivalent (AE)/g dry weight), and saponins (653 ± 6.2 mg escin equivalent (EE)/g dry weight), as well as antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities, were measured for the extract of the aerial parts obtained at the flowering stage. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for the extracts were varied within 9.4–300 µg/mL, while the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were varied within 18.75–600 µg/mL. In addition, they were more active on Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negative bacteria. The data of this work confirm that the T. polium extracts have significant biological activity and hence can be used in the pharmaceutical industry, clinical applications, and medical research, as well as cosmetic and food industries.     

Encapsulation Preserves Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Activities of Cactus Acid Fruit Bioactive Compounds under Simulated Digestion Conditions

Cactus acid fruit (Xoconostle) has been studied due its content of bioactive compounds. Traditional Mexican medicine attributes hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcerogenic and immunostimulant properties among others. The bioactive compounds contained in xoconostle have shown their ability to inhibit digestive enzymes such as α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Unfortunately, polyphenols and antioxidants in general are molecules susceptible to degradation due to storage conditions, (temperature, oxygen and light) or the gastrointestinal tract, which limits its activity and compromises its potential beneficial effect on health. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the stability, antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of encapsulated extract of xoconostle within double emulsions (water-in-oil-in-water) during storage conditions and simulated digestion. Total phenols, flavonoids, betalains, antioxidant activity, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition were measured before and after the preparation of double emulsions and during the simulation of digestion. The ED40% (treatment with 40% of xoconostle extract) treatment showed the highest percentage of inhibition of α-glucosidase in all phases of digestion. The inhibitory activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase related to antidiabetic activity was higher in microencapsulated extracts than the non-encapsulated extracts. These results confirm the viability of encapsulation systems based on double emulsions to encapsulate and protect natural antidiabetic compounds.     

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Six Flavonoids from Smilax glabra Roxb

This study aimed to isolate, prepare and identify the main flavonoids from a standardized Smilax glabra flavonoids extract (SGF) using preparative HPLC, MS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR, determine the contents of these flavonoids using UPLC, then compare their pharmacological activities in vitro. We obtained six flavonoids from SGF: astilbin (18.10%), neoastilbin (11.04%), isoastilbin (5.03%), neoisoastilbin (4.09%), engeletin (2.58%) and (−)-epicatechin (1.77%). The antioxidant activity of six flavonoids were evaluated by determining the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and 2,2′-Azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS⁺) radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). In addition, the anti-inflammatory activity of six flavonoids were evaluated by determining the production of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6), nitric oxide (NO) using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and the NF-κB p65 expression using Western blotting in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The results showed that (−)-epicatechin, astilbin, neoastilbin, isoastilbin and neoisoastilbin had strong antioxidant activities, not only in DPPH and ABTS⁺ radicals scavenging capacities, but in FRAP system. Furthermore, all the six flavonoids could significantly inhibit the secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, NO (p < 0.01) and the protein expression of NF-κB p-p65 (p < 0.01) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. This study preliminarily verified the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of six flavonoids in S. glabra.     

Molecular Interaction Studies and Phytochemical Characterization of Mentha pulegium L. Constituents with Multiple Biological Utilities as Antioxidant,Antimicrobial, Anticancer and Anti-Hemolytic Agents

Multiple biological functions of Mentha pulegium extract were evaluated in the current work. Phytochemical components of the M. pulegium extract were detected by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Moreover, M. pulegium extract was estimated for antioxidant potential by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging, antimicrobial activity by well diffusion, and anticoagulant activity via prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). GC-MS analysis detected compounds including cholesterol margarate, stigmast-5-en-3-ol, 19-nor-4-androstenediol, androstan-17-one, pulegone-1,2-epoxide, isochiapin B, dotriacontane, hexadecanoic acid and neophytadiene. Chrysoeriol (15.36 µg/mL) was followed by kaempferol (11.14 µg/mL) and 7-OH flavone (10.14 µg/mL), catechin (4.11 µg/mL), hisperdin (3.05 µg/mL), and luteolin (2.36 µg/mL) were detected by HPLC as flavonoids, in addition to ferulic (13.19 µg/mL), cinnamic (12.69 µg/mL), caffeic (11.45 µg/mL), pyrogallol (9.36 µg/mL), p-coumaric (5.06 µg/mL) and salicylic (4.17 µg/mL) as phenolics. Antioxidant activity was detected with IC₅₀ 18 µg/mL, hemolysis inhibition was recorded as 79.8% at 1000 μg/mL, and PT and APTT were at 21.5 s and 49.5 s, respectively, at 50 μg/mL of M. pulegium extract. The acute toxicity of M. pulegium extract was recorded against PC3 (IC₅₀ 97.99 µg/mL) and MCF7 (IC₅₀ 80.21 µg/mL). Antimicrobial activity of M. pulegium extract was documented against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aureus, Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but not against black fungus Mucor circinelloides. Molecular docking was applied using MOE (Molecular Operating Environment) to explain the biological activity of neophytadiene, luteolin, chrysoeriol and kaempferol. These compounds could be suitable for the development of novel pharmacological agents for treatment of cancer and bacterial infections.     

The Influence of Ripeness on the Phenolic Content,Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Pumpkins (Cucurbita moschata Duchesne)

Cucurbita moschata Duchesne (Cucurbitaceae) is a plant food highly appreciated for the content of nutrients and bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and carotenoids, which contribute to its antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities. The purpose of this study was to identify phenolic acids and flavonoids of Cucurbita moschata Duchesne using high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detection–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–DAD–ESI-MS) at different ripening stages (young, mature, ripened) and determine its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. According to the results, phenolic acids and flavonoids were dependent on the maturity stage. The mature fruits contain the highest total phenolic and flavonoids contents (97.4 mg GAE. 100 g⁻¹ and 28.6 mg QE. 100 g⁻¹).A total of 33 compounds were identified. Syringic acid was the most abundant compound (37%), followed by cinnamic acid (12%) and protocatechuic acid (11%). Polyphenol extract of the mature fruits showed the highest antioxidant activity when measured by DPPH (0.065 μmol TE/g) and ABTS (0.074 μmol TE/g) assays. In the antimicrobial assay, the second stage of ripening had the highest antibacterial activity. Staphylococcus aureus was the most sensitive strain with an inhibition zone of 12 mm and a MIC of 0.75 mg L⁻¹. The lowest inhibition zone was obtained with Salmonella typhimurium (5 mm), and the MIC value was 10 mg L⁻¹.     

Influence of Salinity Stress on Color Parameters,Leaf Pigmentation,Polyphenol and Flavonoid Contents,and Antioxidant Activity of Amaranthus lividus Leafy Vegetables

This is the first attempt to evaluate the impact of four salinity levels on the color parameters, pigments, polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacities of four promising A. lividus genotypes. The color parameters, such as the yellowness/blueness (b*) and the chroma (C*); the antioxidant components, such as the polyphenols and flavonoids; and the antioxidant capacities of the leaves were remarkably increased by 39, 1, 5, 10 and 43%, respectively, at 50 mM of NaCl, and by 55, 5, 60, 34, 58 and 82%, respectively, at 100 mM NaCl concentrations. The green tower and SA6 genotypes were identified as tolerant varieties. The total phenolic content (TPC) and the total flavonoid content (TFC) played vital roles in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), and they would be beneficial for the human diet and would serve as good antioxidants for the prevention of aging, and they are also essential to human health. A correlation study revealed the strong antioxidant capacities of the pigments and antioxidant components that were studied. It was revealed that A. lividus could tolerate a certain level of salinity stress without compromising the antioxidant quality of the final product. Taken together, our results suggest that A. lividus could be a promising alternative crop for farmers, especially in saline-prone areas in the tropical and subtropical regions.     

Flavonoids and Phenols,the Potential Anti-Diabetic Compounds from Bauhinia strychnifolia Craib. Stem.

Bioactive compounds from medicinal plants are good alternative treatments for T2DM. They are also sources of lead molecules that could lead to new drug discoveries. In this study, Bauhinia strychnifolia Craib. stem, a traditional Thai medicinal plant for detoxification, was extracted into five fractions, including crude extract, BsH, BsD, BsE, and BsW, by ethanolic maceration and sequential partition with hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and water, respectively. Among these fractions, BsE contained the highest amounts of phenolics (620.67 mg GAE/g extract) and flavonoids (131.35 mg QE/g extract). BsE exhibited the maximum inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ 1.51 ± 0.01 µg/mL) and DPP-IV (IC₅₀ 2.62 ± 0.03 µg/mL), as well as dominantly promoting glucose uptake on 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, the four compounds isolated from the BsE fraction, namely resveratrol, epicatechin, quercetin, and gallic acid, were identified. Quercetin demonstrated the highest inhibitory capacity against α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ 6.26 ± 0.36 µM) and DPP-IV (IC₅₀ 8.25 µM). In addition, quercetin prominently enhanced the glucose uptake stimulation effect on 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Altogether, we concluded that quercetin was probably the principal bioactive compound of the B. strychnifolia stem for anti-diabetic, and the flavonoid-rich fraction may be sufficiently potent to be an alternative treatment for blood sugar control.     

In Vivo Antistress Effects of Synthetic Flavonoids in Mice: Behavioral and Biochemical Approach

Natural flavonoids, in addition to some of their synthetic derivatives, are recognized for their remarkable medicinal properties. The present study was designed to investigate the in vitro antioxidant and in vivo antistress effect of synthetic flavonoids (flavones and flavonols) in mice, where stress was induced by injecting acetic acid and physically through swimming immobilization. Among the synthesized flavones (F1–F6) and flavonols (OF1–OF6), the mono para substituted methoxy containing F3 and OF3 exhibited maximum scavenging potential against DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) with IC₅₀ of 31.46 ± 1.46 μg/mL and 25.54 ± 1.21 μg/mL, respectively. Minimum antioxidant potential was observed for F6 and OF6 with IC₅₀ values of 174.24 ± 2.71 μg/mL and 122.33 ± 1.98 μg/mL, respectively, in comparison with tocopherol. The ABTS scavenging activity of all the synthesized flavones and flavonols were significantly higher than observed with DPPH assay, indicating their potency as good antioxidants and the effectiveness of ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) assay in evaluating antioxidant potentials of chemical substances. The flavonoids-treated animals showed a significant (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 and *** p < 0.001, n = 8) reduction in the number of writhes and an increase in swimming endurance time. Stressful conditions changed plasma glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which were used as markers when evaluating stress in animal models. The level of these markers was nearly brought to normal when pre-treated with flavones and flavonols (10 mg/kg) for fifteen days in experimental animals. These compounds also considerably reduced the levels of lipid peroxidation (TBARS: Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), which was significant (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 and *** p < 0.001, n = 8) compared to the control group. A significant rise in the level of catalase and SOD (super oxide dismutase) was also observed in the treated groups. Diazepam (2 mg/kg) was used as the standard drug. Additionally, the flavonoids markedly altered the weight of the adrenal glands, spleen and brain in stress-induced mice. The findings of the study suggest that these flavonoids could be used as a remedy for stress and are capable of ameliorating diverse physiological and biochemical alterations associated with stressful conditions. However, further experiments are needed to confirm the observed potentials in other animal models, especially in those with a closer resemblance to humans. Toxicological evaluations are also equally important.     

Antioxidant and Starch-Hydrolyzing Enzymes Inhibitory Properties of Striga-Resistant Yellow-Orange Maize Hybrids

Most of the health benefits derived from cereals are attributed to their bioactive compounds. This study evaluated the levels of the bioactive compounds, and the antioxidant and starch-hydrolyzing enzymes inhibitory properties of six pipeline Striga-resistant yellow-orange maize hybrids (coded AS1828-1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11) in vitro. The maize hybrids were grown at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria. The bioactive compounds (total phenolics, tannins, flavonoids, and phytate) levels, antioxidant (DPPH^• and ABTS^•+ scavenging capacity and reducing power) and starch-hydrolyzing enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) inhibitory activities of the maize hybrids were determined by spectrophotometry. At the same time, carotenoids were quantified using a reverse-phase HPLC system. The ranges of the bioactive compounds were: 11.25–14.14 mg GAE/g (total phenolics), 3.62–4.67 mg QE/g (total flavonoids), 3.63–6.29 mg/g (tannins), 3.66–4.31% (phytate), 8.92–12.11 µg/g (total xanthophylls), 2.42–2.89 µg/g (total β-carotene), and 3.17–3.77 µg/g (total provitamin A carotenoids). Extracts of the maize hybrids scavenged DPPH^• (SC₅₀: 9.07–26.35 mg/mL) and ABTS^•+ (2.65–7.68 TEAC mmol/g), reduced Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ (0.25 ± 0.64–0.43 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g), and inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase, with IC₅₀ ranges of 26.28–52.55 mg/mL and 47.72–63.98 mg/mL, respectively. Among the six clones of the maize hybrids, AS1828-9 had the highest (p < 0.05) levels of tannins and phytate and the strongest antioxidant and starch-hydrolyzing enzymes inhibitory activities. Significant correlations were observed between total phenolics and the following: ABTS^•+ (p < 0.01, r = 0.757), DPPH^• SC₅₀ (p < 0.01, r = −0.867), reducing power (p < 0.05, r = 0.633), α-amylase IC₅₀ (p < 0.01, r = −0.836) and α-glucosidase IC₅₀ (p < 0.05, r = −0.582). Hence, the Striga-resistant yellow-orange maize hybrids (especially AS1828-9) may be beneficial for alleviating oxidative stress and postprandial hyperglycemia.     

Phenolic Constituents,Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Activities,Enzyme Inhibition Abilities of Five Fractions from Vaccinium dunalianum Wight

The bud of Vaccinium dunalianum Wight has been traditionally consumed as health herbal tea by “Yi” people in Yunnan Province, China, which was locally named “Que Zui tea”. This paper studied the chemical constituents of five fractions from Vaccinium dunalianum, and their enzyme inhibitory effects of α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase, antioxidant activity, and cytoprotective effects on H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells. The methanol extract of V. dunalianum was successively partitioned with petroleum ether (PF), chloroform (CF), ethyl acetate (EF), n-butanol (BF), and aqueous (WF) to obtain five fractions. The chemical profiling of the five fractions was analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), and 18 compounds were tentatively identified. Compared to PF, CF, BF and WF, the EF revealed the highest total phenols (TPC) and total flavonoids (TFC), and displayed the strongest enzyme inhibition ability (α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase) and antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP). Furthermore, these five fractions, especially EF, could effectively inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell apoptosis on H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage protection in HepG2 cells. This inhibitory effect might be caused by the up-regulation of intracellular antioxidant enzyme activity (CAT, SOD, and GSH). The flavonoids and phenolic acids of V. dunalianum might be the bioactive substances responsible for enzyme inhibitory, antioxidant, and cytoprotective activities.