Metabolism of carotenoids in salmonids. Part 2. Distribution and absolute configuration of idoxanthin in various organs and tissues of one atlantic salmon (Salmo salar,L.) fed with astaxanthin

The content of total carotenoids and the ratio astaxanthin/idoxanthin ( = 3,3′-dihydroxy-β,β-carotene-4,4′-dione/3,3′,4′-trihydroxy-β,β-caroten-4-one) in varoius organs and tissues of one Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, L.) reared indoors in a tank were analyzed after feeding ‘racemic’ ((3R,3′R)/(3R,3′S; meso)/(3S,3′S) 1:2:) astaxanthin (90 mg/kg feed) during one yera. Configurational analysis of astaxanthin was carried out via the (?)-dicamphanate derivative and that of idoxanthin after reaction with (+)-(S)-l-(l-naphthyl)ethyl isocyanate. Separation of all eight optical isomers of idoxanthin-tricarbamate derivatives by HPLC is described. In salmon, enzymatic reduction of astaxanthin was found to be sterospecific leading to th (4′R)-hydroxy group irrespective of the configuration at C(3′), thus resulting in four different stereoisomers of idoxanthin formed from (3R,3′R), (3R,3′S; meso)-, and (3S3′S)-astaxanthin present in the diet.     

Efficient syntheses of the keto-carotenoids canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, and astacene

Three keto-carotenoids were prepared by the oxidation of the stable C(40) trisulfone 6, which has been used as the key compound in our beta-carotene synthesis. The first allylic oxidation to the unsaturated ketone and the second oxidation to the alpha-hydroxyketone produced the C(40) trisulfones 7 and 10, respectively. The Ramberg-Backlund reaction of the oxidized C(40) trisulfone was efficiently effected by the use of a mild base, NaOMe, in the presence of CCl(4) as a halogenating agent to give the C(40) disulfones 8 and 11. Base-promoted dehydrosulfonation reaction of the disulfone compounds produced the fully conjugated polyenes of canthaxanthin (1), astaxanthin (2), and astacene (3).     

2,4—二硝基甲苯在鲤鱼体内的生物浓缩,消除与代谢研究

以鲤鱼为被试生物，应用半静态方式，测定了全鱼，肝，肠各组织对２，４－二硝基甲苯（２，４－ＤＮＴ）的生物浓缩曲线，全鱼得到包含下降段的峰形曲线，肝，肠均为包括２个连续出现的峰形趋势态的曲线，全鱼的消除为双曲线形，肝部提取物经高压液相色谱鉴定，得到２种代谢物：４－氨基－２－硝基甲苯及二氨基甲苯，推测浓缩曲线下降段是由于发生了代谢作用，提出包括转化作用的生物浓缩模型，模拟了全鱼生物浓缩过程，得到与实际相     

Ultrafast transient lens spectroscopy of various C40 carotenoids: lycopene, beta-carotene, (3R,3'R)-zeaxanthin, (3R,3'R,6'R)-lutein, echinenone, canthaxanthin, and astaxanthin

The ultrafast internal conversion (IC) dynamics of seven C(40) carotenoids have been investigated at room temperature in a variety of solvents using two-color transient lens (TL) pump-probe spectroscopy. We provide comprehensive data sets for the carbonyl carotenoids canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, and-for the first time-echinenone, as well as new data for lycopene, beta-carotene, (3R,3'R)-zeaxanthin and (3R,3'R,6'R)-lutein in solvents which have not yet been investigated in the literature. Measurements were carried out to determine, how the IC processes are influenced by the conjugation length of the carotenoids, additional substituents and the polarity of the solvent. TL signals were recorded at 800 nm following excitation into the high energy edge of the carotenoid S2 band at 400 nm. For the S2 lifetime solvent-independent upper limits on the order of 100-200 fs are estimated for all carotenoids studied. The S1 lifetimes are in the picosecond range and increase systematically with decreasing conjugation length. For instance, in the sequence canthaxanthin/echinenone/beta-carotene (13/12/11 double bonds) one finds tau1 approximately 5, 7.7 and 9 ps for the S1-->S0 IC process, respectively. Hydroxyl groups not attached to the conjugated system have no apparent influence on tau1, as observed for canthaxanthin/astaxanthin (tau1 approximately 5 ps in both cases). For all carotenoids studied, tau1 is found to be insensitive to the solvent polarity. This is particularly interesting in the case of echinenone, canthaxanthin and astaxanthin, because earlier measurements for other carbonyl carotenoids like, e.g., peridinin partly showed dramatic differences. The likely presence of an intramolecular charge transfer state in the excited state manifold of C40 carbonyl carotenoids, which is stabilized in polar solvents, has obviously no influence on the measured tau1.     

Microbial metabolism. Part 6. Metabolites of 3- and 7-hydroxyflavones

Fermentation of 3-hydroxyflavone (1) with Beauveria bassiana (ATCC 13144) yielded 3,4'-dihdroxyflavone (3), flavone 3-O-beta-D-4-O-methylglucopyranoside (4) and two minor metabolites. 7-Hydroxyflavone (2) was transformed by Nocardia species (NRRL 5646) to 7-methoxyflavone (5) whilst Aspergillus alliaceus (ATCC 10060) converted it to 4',7-dihydroxyflavone (6). Flavone 7-O-beta-D-4-O-metylglucopyranoside (7) and 4'-hydroxyflavone 7-O-beta-D-4-O-methylglucopyranoside (8) were the metabolic products of 7-hydroxyflavone (2) when fermented with Beauveria bassiana (ATCC 7159). One of the minor metabolites of 3-hydroxyflavone (1) was tentatively assigned a beta'-chalcanol structure (9). Compounds 4, 7 and 8 are reported as new compounds. Structure elucidation of the metabolites was based on spectroscopic data.     

Natural Occurrence of Enantiomeric and meso-Astaxanthin. 5. Ex wild salmon (Salmo salar and Oncorhynchus)

The configurational isomers of astaxanthin (3,3′-dihydroxy-β,β-carotene-4,4′-dione) from the flesh of salmon (Salmo salar and Oncorhynchus) caught at different places in Europe and Canada were isolated and analyzed as (?)-camphanic acid diesters by means of HPLC. The biological variation in the composition of the configurational isomers in seven fish was surprisingly similar: 78 to 85% of (3S, 3′S)-astaxanthin, 12 to 17% (3R, 3′R)-astaxanthin and 2 to 6% meso-astaxanthin.     

Chemical Identification of Specialized Metabolites from Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) Collected in Southern Italy

Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) is a biennal forage legume originated from the Mediterranean basin and used for animal feeding due to its high forage quality and palatability. Several species of Hedysarum have been considered for their nutritional, pharmaceutical, and biological properties, and different applications have been reported, both for human consumption and animal nutrition. Although a systematic investigation of the chemical constituents of Hedysarum spp. has been performed in order to provide chemotaxonomic evidences for the genus and to support the pharmacological application of several species within the genus, few data are available on the chemical constituents of H. coronarium, and only the content of condensed tannins and flavonoids in leaves has been previously reported. In the present paper, results from a detailed chemical analysis of the extracts from the leaves and flowers of H. coronarium grown wild in southern Italy are presented. Identification of the main specialized metabolites within the chemical classes of flavonoids, proanthocyanidins and saponins, is described, including considerations on their content in the two plant organs. Information acquired from this study expands the knowledge on H. coronarium as a source of valuable phytochemicals for different applications in human and animal health and nutrition.     

Solvent effects on the S0(1(1)Ag-) --> S2(1(1)Bu+) transition of beta-carotene, echinenone, canthaxanthin, and astaxanthin in supercritical CO2 and CF3H

Solvent-induced spectral shifts of the four C40 carotenoids, beta-carotene, echinenone, canthaxantin, and astaxanthin, have been studied in supercritical CO2 and CF3H. In situ absorption spectroscopic analysis was used to determine the maximum peak position of the electronic transitions from the ground state (1(1)Ag-) to the S2 state (1(1)Bu+) of the carotenoids. The medium polarizability function, R(n) = (n2 - 1)/(n2 + 2) of the refractive index of the solvent was varied over the range R(n) = 0.08-0.14, by changing the pressure of CO2 or CF3H between 90 and 300 bar at the temperature 308 K. For all the carotenoids studied here, a significant hypsochromic shift of ca. 20-30 nm was observed in supercritical fluids as compared to that in nonpolar liquids. The spectral shifts in supercritical fluids were compared with those in liquids and showed a clear linear dependence on the medium polarizability. The temperature-dependent shift of the absorption maxima was less significant. Interestingly, there was almost no difference in the energetic position of the absorption maxima in supercritical CO2 and CF3H at a given R(n) value. This is in contrast to previous extrapolations from studies in liquids at larger R(n) values, which yielded different slopes of the R(n)-dependent spectral shifts for polar and nonpolar solvents toward the gas-phase limit of R(n) = 0. The current experimental results in the gas-to-liquid range show that the polarity of the solvent has only a minor influence on the 1(1)Ag- --> 1(1)Bu+ transition energy in the region of low R(n). We also obtain more reliable extrapolations of this 0-0 transition energy to the gas-phase limit nu(0-0)(gas-phase) approximately (23,000 +/- 120) cm(-1) for beta-carotene.     

Technical Procedures for the Syntheses of Carotenoids and Related Compounds from 6-Oxo-isophorone: Syntheses of (3R,3′R)-Zeaxanthin. Part I

Starting from the readily available, optically active (4R)-4-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone ( 1 ), a new technical synthesis of (3R,3′R)-zeaxanthin is described. According to a 2(C₉ + C₆) + C₁₀ = C₄₀ construction scheme, the ketone 1 was first transformed with (E)-3-methylpent-2-en-4-yn-1-ol ( 5 ) into a C₁₅-intermediate which, by a three-step sequence, could be converted into the known olefinic C₁₅-Wittig salt 4 . Optimized conditions for the final Wittig reaction of 4 with the C₁₀-dialdehyde 3 are discussed. Based on 1 , the overall yield of the entire technical process is ca. 40%.     

Technical Procedures for the Syntheses of Carotenoids and Related Compounds from 6-Oxo-isophorone: Syntheses of (3R,3′R)-Zeaxanthin. Part II

Starting from the readily available, optically active (4R)-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone ( 2 ), a new technical synthesis of (3R,3′R)-zeaxanthin is described. According to a completely new C₉+C₂+C₄ = C₁₅ scheme, the ketone 2 was protected, ethynylated with Li-acetylide, and the C₁₁-intermediate 6 was acetylated, followed by dehydration. The product 10 was protected, deprotonated, and subsequently reacted with methyl vinyl ketone to provide the C₁₅-propargylate 13 . Reduction in situ of 13 with Vitride yielded the olefinic C₁₅-alcohol 11 which was transformed into the known C₁₅-Wittig salt 3 . A double Wittig reaction of this salt with the C₁₀-dialdehyde 4 afforded nature-identical zeaxanthin ( 1 ).     

Separation and Identification of Carotenoids in Flowers of Chelidonium majus L. and Inflorescences of Solidago canadensis L.

The current research project aimed at the carotenoid analysis of total extracts of the inflorescences of Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis L.), and the flowers of greater celandine (Chelidonium majus L.). The plant extracts were separated and analyzed by column liquid chromatography (CLC) and LC. Carotenoids were identified on the basis of their UV–Vis spectroscopic properties in different solvents, chemical reactions [5,6-epoxide → 5,8-epoxide (furanoid oxide rearrangement), (E/Z)-isomerization] and by co-chromatography with authentic reference samples. The parallel use of CLC and LC allowed the identification of numerous minor carotenoids in all extracts and fractions.     

A Comparison of Bioactive Metabolites,Antinutrients, and Bioactivities of African Pumpkin Leaves (Momordica balsamina L.) Cooked by Different Culinary Techniques

Prior to consumption, African pumpkin leaves (Momordica balsamina L.) are generally cooked. In this study, the effects of common household cooking methods (boiling, steaming, microwaving, stir-frying) on bioactive metabolites, carotenoids, antioxidant activity, antinutrients and inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities were examined. A set of 14 bioactive metabolites were identified in raw and cooked African leaves using UPLC-QTOF/MS. The results showed that the four different types of household cooking methods had different effects on the bioactive metabolomics profile of African pumpkin leaves. In comparison to raw leaves and leaves cooked in other methods, the concentrations of six phenolic compounds, rutin, cryptochlorogenic acid (4-caffeoylquinic acid), pseudolaroside A, isorhamnetin 3-O-robinoside, quercetin 3-galactoside, and trans-4-feruloylquinic acid, were highest in stir-fried leaves. Of all household cooking methods tested, stir-frying increased the content of lutein, β-carotene, and zeaxanthin by 60.00%, 146.15%, and 123.51%, respectively. Moreover, stir-frying African pumpkin leaves increased the antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS) and the inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Compared to all four methods of household cooking, stir-frying reduced the antinutritive compounds compared to raw leaves. This work provides useful information to the consumers on the selection of suitable cooking methods for African pumpkin leaves.     

Simultaneous quantitative determination of the synthetic antioxidant ethoxyquin and its major metabolite in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, L), ethoxyquin dimer, by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A method for simultaneous quantitative determination of ethoxyquin (EQ) and its major metabolite in Atlantic salmon tissues, ethoxyquin dimer (EQ dimer), has been developed. The separation was achieved on tandem coupled phenyl-hexyl and C18 columns by 2-phase gradient elution with acetonitrile-ascorbic acid-acetic acid-diethyl amine organized in a 23.5 min sequence. Compounds were extracted with hexane from samples saponified in ethanol-NaOH and protected from air- and light-mediated oxidation by addition of saturated ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ascorbic acid, and pyrogallol. The identity of peaks was confirmed by spiking samples with standards verified by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, mass spectrometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography. The detection limit (at 358/433 nm) of matrix-spiked EQ was 0.02 and 0.06 microg/L for EQ dimer, with 0.5 g sample weighed and resuspension in 0.5 mL hexane. Linearity was in the range of 0.2-175 microg/L for EQ and 0.3-5100 microg/L for EQ dimer. Two more ubiquitous compounds were identified as de-ethylated EQ and quinone imine. Totally, 14 peaks sharing spectral properties of EQ were separated in a single run, including a major peak present in all muscle samples, termed unknown metabolite of EQ (UMEQ). The concentrations of EQ, EQ dimer, and de-ethylated EQ, as well as concentrations of UMEQ (in arbitrary units), in the muscle were correlated to the amount of EQ fed to the salmon, thus indicating their possible metabolic origin. The pattern of 14 peaks in the muscle showed high specificity and could be used to discriminate between wild salmon and salmon fed EQ-supplemented feed. This method will be a useful tool for studying EQ metabolism and kinetics, and for the routine surveillance of residual levels of dietary EQ in farmed Atlantic salmon.     

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy in the study of atopy. Part 3. Interactions between the skin and fomblins.

The near infrared reflectance spectra of the skin of atopic and normal subjects were compared after topical application of perfluorinated polyethers (fomblins) of different molecular weight and viscosity. It was possible to distinguish the two classes of subjects and the different fomblins applied, by principal components analysis.     

Revisiting the Nutritional,Chemical and Biological Potential of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.

The genus Cajanus (Family: Fabaceae) consists of approximately 37 species, and Cajanus cajan (C. cajan) is a significant member of the genus. It is a commercial legume crop widely grown in sub-tropical and semi-arid tropical areas of the world. C. cajan is well known for its folk medicinal uses to treat various disorders, such as toothache, dizziness, diabetes, stomachache, female ailments and chronic infections. These properties have been linked to the presence of several value-added nutritional and bioactive components. Different solvent extracts from C. cajan (leaves, root, stem and seeds) have been evaluated for their phytochemical and biological activities, namely antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory effects. Taken together, and considering the prominent nutraceutical and therapeutic properties of C. cajan, this review article focuses on the important details including ethnomedicinal uses, chemical composition, biological applications and some other medicinal aspects related to C. cajan nutraceutical and pharmacological applications.     

橘、橙、柚皮中橙皮苷和柚皮苷含量的测定

橘、橙、柚皮分别为芸香科植物橘(citrus reticulata Blnco)、橙(citrus simenis ( L.) Osbeck)、柚(citrus grandis ( L.) Osbeck)及其栽培变种的干燥成熟果皮.橘皮(陈皮)为历版药典收录的中药材[1],而橙、柚皮资源的开发多年来被人们忽略,较多地重视其果实的利用,除极少部分作为中药材或提取果胶和香精油的原料外,在果实食用或加工后将占果总重量约40%~50%果皮渣弃去,从环境、经济和资源利用角度都不尽科学合理.橘、橙、柚皮中均含有橙皮苷(hesperidin)和柚皮苷(naringin)2种生物活性成分[2,3].     

紫苏叶与白苏叶的总黄酮和微量元素的比较分析

为比较分析紫苏叶与白苏叶的总黄酮和微量元素的含量差异,用可见分光光度法测定了两者总黄酮的含量,用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法(ICP-AES法)测定了两者微量元素的含量。结果表明,测得紫苏叶与白苏叶中总黄酮的含量分别为7.49%和5.69%,两者均含有Cu、Mn、Zn、Fe等多种微量元素,但含量存在一定的差异。白苏作为紫苏的同种植物资源,有待进一步的开发和利用。