N-Glycosylation Profiling of Human Blood in Type 2 Diabetes by Capillary Electrophoresis: A Preliminary Study

Currently, diagnosing type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a great challenge. Thus, there is a need to find rapid, simple, and reliable analytical methods that can detect the disease at an early stage. The aim of this work was to shed light on the importance of sample collection options, sample preparation conditions, and the applied capillary electrophoresis bioanalytical technique, for a high-resolution determination of the N-glycan profile in human blood samples of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). To achieve the profile information of these complex oligosaccharides, linked by asparagine to hIgG in the blood, the glycoproteins of the samples needed to be cleaved, labelled, and purified with sufficient yield and selectivity. The resulting samples were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis, with laser-induced fluorescence detection. After separation parameter optimization, the capillary electrophoresis technique was implemented for efficient N-glycan profiling of whole blood samples from the diabetic patients. Our results revealed that there were subtle differences between the N-glycan profiles of the diabetic and control samples; in particular, two N-glycan structures were identified as potential glycobiomarkers that could reveal significant changes between the untreated/treated type 2 diabetic and control samples. By analyzing the resulting oligosaccharide profiles, clinically relevant information was obtained, revealing the differences between the untreated and HMG-CoA reductase-inhibitor-treated diabetic patients on changes in the N-glycan profile in the blood. In addition, the information from specific IgG N-glycosylation profiles in T2D could shed light on underlying inflammatory pathophysiological processes and lead to drug targets.     

Effect of Hydroxyl Groups Esterification with Fatty Acids on the Cytotoxicity and Antioxidant Activity of Flavones

Flavonoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids due to low cytotoxicity in vitro studies are suggested as potential substances in the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress. We examined novel 6-hydroxy-flavanone and 7-hydroxy-flavone conjugates with selected fatty acids (FA) of different length and saturation and examined their cytotoxic and antioxidant potential. Our findings indicate that the conjugation with FA affects the biological activity of both the original flavonoids. The conjugation of 6-hydroxy-flavanone increased its cytotoxicity towards prostate cancer PC3 cells. The most noticeable effect was found for oleate conjugate. A similar trend was observed for 7-hydroxy-flavone conjugates with the most evident effect for oleate and stearate. The cytotoxic potential of all tested conjugates was not specific towards PC3 because the viability of human keratinocytes HaCaT cells decreased after exposure to all conjugates. Additionally, we showed that esterification of the two flavonoids decreased their antioxidant activity compared to that of the original compounds. Of all the tested compounds, only 6-sorbic flavanone showed a slight increase in antioxidant potential compared to that of the original compound. Our data show that conjugated flavonoids are better absorbed and enhance cytotoxic effects, but the presence of FA lowered the antioxidant potential.     

Synthesis,Characterization, Thermal Analysis,DFT, and Cytotoxicity of Palladium Complexes with Nitrogen-Donor Ligands

Three new palladium complexes ([Pd(DABA)Cl₂], [Pd(CPDA)Cl₂], and [Pd(HZPY)Cl₂]) bearing dinitrogen ligands (DABA: 3,4-diaminobenzoic acid; CPDA: 4-chloro–o-phenylenediamine; HZPY: 2-hydraziniopyridine) were synthesized, characterized, and tested against breast cancer (MCF-7), prostate carcinoma cell line (PC3) and liver carcinoma cell line (HEPG2). [Pd(DABA)Cl₂] complex exhibited the highest inhibition percentage, lying between 68–71%. The hydrolysis mechanism of each palladium complex, the key step preceding the binding to the biological target, as well as their photophysical properties were explored by means of DFT and TDDFT computations. Results indicate a faster hydrolysis process for the Pd(DABA)Cl₂ complex. The computed activation energies for the first and second hydrolysis processes suggest that all the compounds could reach DNA in their monohydrated form.     

Illicium verum (Star Anise) and Trans-Anethole as Valuable Raw Materials for Medicinal and Cosmetic Applications

Illicium verum Hook f. (star anise) is considered an important species in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is also used in contemporary medicine in East Asian countries. It occurs in natural habitats in southeastern parts of China and Vietnam, and is cultivated in various regions in China. The raw materials—Anisi stellati fructus and Anisi stellati aetheroleum obtained from this species exhibit expectorant and spasmolytic activities. The European Pharmacopoeia (4th edition) indicates that these raw materials have been used in allopathy since 2002. The biological activities of the above-mentioned raw materials are determined by the presence of valuable secondary metabolites such as monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and flavonoids. Recent pharmacological studies on fruit extracts and the essential oil of this species have confirmed their antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities and thus their medicinal and cosmetic value. The aim of this review was to examine the progress of phytochemical and pharmacological studies that focused on possible cosmetic applications. In addition to fruit extracts and essential oil, the current consensus on the safety of trans-anethole, which is the main compound of essential oil used in cosmetology, is underlined here.     

The Antioxidant,Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Potential of Phenolic Acids-Enriched Extract of Elicited Hairy Roots of Salvia bulleyana

Hairy root cultures are valuable sources of a range of phytochemicals. Among them, Salvia bulleyana root culture is a promising source of polyphenols, especially rosmarinic acid (RA), a phenolic acid depside with pleiotropic activity and a wide application in medicine and cosmetology. The aim of the study was to enhance the culture productivity by finding suitable elicitation protocol and to determine its biological potential in terms of antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial properties. The total content of phenols and the levels of particular constituents in root extracts were analyzed using HPLC-PDA. Among four elicitors tested (yeast extract; methyl jasmonate, MJA; trans-anethol; and cadmium chloride), MJA was found to be the most effective. The greatest boost in phenolic production (up to 124.4 mg/g dry weight) was observed after three-day treatment with MJA at 100 µM, with an almost 100% improvement compared to the controls (non-treated root culture). The hydromethanolic extract from the elicited culture exhibited strong antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ values of 11.1 µg/mL, 6.5 µg/mL and 69.5 µg/mL for DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and superoxide anion radical, respectively. Moreover, in concentrations of 0.5–5 mg/mL the extract inhibited the growth of LoVo, AGS and HeLa cell lines, but was safe for the L929 cells up to the concentration of 5 mg/mL. The extract also exhibited moderate antimicrobial activity. Thus, the results confirmed that elicitation can be a beneficial strategy for increase the phenolic acid biosynthesis in hairy roots of S. bulleyana, and that such a highly productive culture can show significant biological potential.     

Phosphorus Fertilizers from Sewage Sludge Ash and Animal Blood as an Example of Biobased Environment-Friendly Agrochemicals: Findings from Field Experiments

Wastes of biological origin from wastewater treatment systems and slaughterhouses contain substantial amounts of phosphorus (P) with high recovery potential and can contribute to alleviating the global P supply problem. This paper presents the performance of fertilizer (AF) and biofertilizer (BF) from sewage sludge ash and animal blood under field conditions. BF is AF incorporated with lyophilized cells of P-solubilizing bacteria, Bacillus megaterium. In the experiments with spring or winter wheat, the biobased fertilizers were compared to commercial P fertilizer, superphosphate (SP). No P fertilization provided an additional reference. Fertilizer effects on wheat productivity and on selected properties of soil were studied. BF showed the same yield-forming efficiency as SP, and under poorer habitat conditions, performed slightly better than AF in increasing yield and soil available P. Biobased fertilizers applied at the P rate up to 35.2 kg ha^–1 did not affect the soil pH, did not increase As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb content, and did not alter the abundance of heterotrophic bacteria and fungi in the soil. The findings indicate that biobased fertilizers could at least partially replace conventional P fertilizers. Research into strain selection and the proportion of P-solubilizing microorganisms introduced into fertilizers should be continued.     

Development of an LC–DAD–MS-Based Method for the Analysis of Hydroxyanthracene Derivatives in Food Supplements and Plant Materials

Products based on plants containing hydroxyanthracene derivatives (HADs)—such as Rheum, Cassia, and Aloe species—are widely used in food supplements or nutraceuticals due to their laxative effects. A more restricted control of HAD contents in food supplements has been implemented by EU Regulation 2021/468, in order to increase the safety of these preparations. Due to their toxicity, aloin A, aloin B, aloe emodin, emodin, and the synthetic derivative danthron have been listed as prohibited substances in food supplements, being tolerated in amounts < 1 mg kg⁻¹ in marketed products. In this work, we report the development of a sensitive and fast LC–DAD–MS-based procedure for the determination of these five compounds in food supplements and plant materials or extracts. The entire procedure includes a simple sample preparation step, where target analytes are concentrated by means of solvent extraction and evaporative concentration (solid samples), or by lyophilisation (liquid samples). The average LOQ of 0.10 mg/L, LOD of 0.03 mg/L, accuracy, and precision with CVs below 12.72 were obtained for the studied analytes. This method is suitable for assessing the compliance of commercial products and raw materials with EU Regulation 2021/468. Furthermore, the proposed method can represent a starting point for the development of a unique and standardised analytical approach for the determination of other HADs under the attention of EU authorities.     

Effect of the Addition of Buckwheat Sprouts Modified with the Addition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii to an Atherogenic Diet on the Metabolism of Sterols,Stanols and Fatty Acids in Rats

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of Fagopyrum esculentum Moench buckwheat sprouts modified with the addition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii to an atherogenic diet on the metabolism of sterols and fatty acids in rats. It was noticed in the study that the group fed with modified sprouts (HFDPRS) had a greater amount of sterols by 75.2%, compared to the group fed on an atherogenic diet (HFD). The content of cholesterol in the liver and feces was lower in the HFDPRS group than the HFD group. In the serum of the HFDPRS group, a more significant amount of the following acids was observed: C18:2 (increase by 13.5%), C20:4 (increase by 15.1%), and C22:6 (increase by 13.1%), compared to the HFDCS group. Regarding the biochemical parameters, it was noted that the group fed the diet with the addition of probiotic-rich sprouts diet had lower non-HDL, LDL-C and CRP ratios compared to the group fed the high-fat diet. The obtained results indicate that adding modified buckwheat sprouts to the diet by adding the probiotic strain of the yeast may have a significant impact on the metabolism of the indicated components in the organism.     

Degradation of organic water pollutants through sonophotocatalysis in the presence of TiO(2)

The degradation of 2-chlorophenol and of the two azo dyes acid orange 8 and acid red 1 in aqueous solution was investigated kinetically under sonolysis at 20 kHz and under photocatalysis in the presence of titanium dioxide particles, as well as under simultaneous sonolysis and photocatalysis, i.e. sonophotocatalysis. The influence on the degradation and mineralisation rates of the initial substrate concentration and of the photocatalyst amount was systematically investigated to ascertain the origin of the synergistic effect observed between the two degradation techniques. The evolution of hydrogen peroxide during kinetic runs was also monitored. Small amounts of Fe(III) were found to affect both the adsorption equilibria on the semiconductor and the degradation paths. Ultrasound may modify the rate of photocatalytic degradation by promoting the deaggregation of the photocatalyst, by inducing the desorption of organic substrates and degradation intermediates from the photocatalyst surface and, mainly, by favouring the scission of the photocatalytically and sonolytically produced H(2)O(2), with a consequent increase of oxidising species in the aqueous phase.