In Vitro Screening of Bioactive Compounds in some Gluten-Free Plants

Electrophoretic, antioxidant, and FTIR profiles of some varieties of amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat seeds and their by products were compared. Water extracts of these products were evaluated by the Folin–Ciocalteau method in order to determine total phenolic content. The antioxidant activities were determined by 2,2′-azobis-2-methyl-propanimidamide, ferric-reducing/antioxidant power, and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity radical scavenging assays. FTIR spectra showed the secondary structure of pseudocereals in the ranges of amides I, II, and III shifts. Results of evaluated methods could be used to control several products (seeds, flours, extracts, flakes, roasting) with high phenolic content and antioxidant activity suitable for supplementation in food applications.

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In Vitro and In Silico Interaction Studies with Red Wine Polyphenols against Different Proteins from Human Serum

Previous reports have shown that consumption of wine has several health benefits; however, there are different types of wine. In the present study, red wines were investigated for their compositions of active ingredients. The interaction of each component in terms of its binding mode with different serum proteins was unraveled, and the components were implicated as drug candidates in clinical settings. Overall, the study indicates that red wines have a composition of flavonoids, non-flavonoids, and phenolic acids that can interact with the key regions of proteins to enhance their biological activity. Among them, rutin, resveratrol, and tannic acid have shown good binding affinity and possess beneficial properties that can enhance their role in clinical applications.     

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Anticancer Effects of the Seeds and Leaves of Indigo (Polygonum tinctorium Ait.) Plant

Seeds and leaves of indigo (Polygonum tinctorium Ait.) plant were investigated and compared with another medicinal plant named prolipid for their properties such as chemical composition, antioxidant, and anticancer effects by Fourier transform infrared, three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy, and electrospray ionization-MS in negative mode. It was found that polyphenols, flavonoids, and flavanols were significantly higher in prolipid (P?<?0.05), following by indigo mature leaves, immature leaves, and seeds. Methanol extract of mature indigo leaves in comparison with the ethyl acetate extract showed higher inhibition of proliferation. The interaction between polyphenol extracts of indigo mature leaves and BSA showed that indigo has a strong ability, as other widely used medicinal plants, to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA by forming complexes. In conclusion, indigo mature leaves were compared with prolipid. High content of bioactive compounds, antioxidant, fluorescence, and antiproliferative properties of indigo justifies the use of this plant as a medicinal plant and a new source of antioxidants.     

Antioxidant and binding properties of methanol extracts from indigo plant leaves

This study was conducted to clarify the effect of ultra-pressure treatment on the extraction of bioactive compounds from indigo plant leaves (Polygonum tinctorium Lour.) and on their properties. Leaves were harvested the in mid-August, 2013, from Naju City (Korea), and treated using two methods: ultra-pressure (550 MPa, 3 min) and hot-air (70°C, 24 h). Then, the leaves were ultrasonically extracted with methanol. The content of indirubin in leaves treated with ultra pressure and hot air was (535.55 ± 26.14) mg kg^?1 and (52.63 ± 6.45) mg kg^?1, respectively, and that of tryptanthrin was (165.55 ± 8.74) mg kg^?1 and (153.00 ± 7.62) mg kg^?1, respectively. Polyphenolic content in the leaves extract was (127.24 ± 13.67) mg kg^?1 after the ultrapressure and (88.22 ± 5.33) mg kg^?1 after the hot-air treatment. The content of flavonoids was (2298.67 ± 83.27) mg kg^?1 after the ultra-pressure and (3224.00 ± 21.45) mg kg^?1 after the hotair treatment. Di(phenyl)-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)iminoazanium (DPPH) radical scavenging activities of the indigo extract obtained by ultra-pressure and hot-air treatment methods at the concentration of 1 mg mL^?1 were (80.25 ± 0.73) % and (66.54 ± 2.35) %, respectively, and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities were estimated as (90.14 ± 0.79) % and (64.45 ± 8.97) %, respectively. The methanol leaf extract after ultra-pressure treatment exhibited higher binding properties to human serum albumin in comparison with catechin and conventional treatments. Consequently, it was assumed that the ultra-pressure treatment is an effective method for the extraction of bioactive compounds from indigo leaves.     

Effect of amaranth seeds (Amaranthus cruentus) in the diet on some biochemical parameters and essential trace elements in blood of high fructose-fed rats

The effect of amaranth seeds on the lipid profile, glucose level, protein metabolism and selected trace element (Na, K, Ca and Mg) levels were determined in high-fructose fed Wistar rats. Fructose addition to rat fodder caused changes mainly in the blood lipid profile, particularly manifesting in an increased triglyceride level within all subsequent pairs of rat groups, and ranged between 85% and 112%. Administration of amaranth seeds to rats did not inhibit the increase of triglyceride induced by fructose. There was an increase in glucose concentration of between 3% and 14%. Uric acid concentrations also increased in all groups (30-37%), while changes in creatinine levels were varied. Fructose addition to fodder also brought about a significant decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity (9-20%).     

Bioactivities of Phenolic Compounds from Kiwifruit and Persimmon

Fruit used in the common human diet in general, and kiwifruit and persimmon particularly, displays health properties in the prevention of heart disease. This study describes a combination of bioactivity, multivariate data analyses and fluorescence measurements for the differentiating of kiwifruit and persimmon, their quenching and antioxidant properties. The metabolic differences are shown, as well in the results of bioactivities and antioxidant capacities determined by ABTS, FRAP, CUPRAC and DPPH assays. To complement the bioactivity of these fruits, the quenching properties between extracted polyphenols and human serum proteins were determined by 3D-fluorescence spectroscopy studies. These properties of the extracted polyphenols in interaction with the main serum proteins in the human metabolism (human serum albumin (HSA), α-β-globulin (α-β G) and fibrinogen (Fgn)), showed that kiwifruit was more reactive than persimmon. There was a direct correlation between the quenching properties of the polyphenols of the investigated fruits with serum human proteins, their relative quantification and bioactivity. The results of metabolites and fluorescence quenching show that these fruits possess multiple properties that have a great potential to be used in industry with emphasis on the formulation of functional foods and in the pharmaceutical industry. Based on the quenching properties of human serum proteins with polyphenols and recent reports in vivo on human studies, we hypothesize that HSA, α-β G and Fgn will be predictors of coronary artery disease (CAD).     

Determination of PAHs, PCBs, minerals, trace elements, and fatty acids in Rapana thomasiana as an indication of pollution

The aim of this investigation was to introduce several analytical methods for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), minerals, trace elements, and fatty acids in Rapana thomasiana as a marine pollution indicator organism. The chemical differences of the gastropod Ra. thomasiana from polluted and nonpolluted sites of the Black Sea on the Bulgarian coast were investigated. Chromatography and high-resolution inductively coupled plasma/MS analyses were used for evaluation of PAHs, PCBs, fatty acids, minerals, and trace elements. These methods can be applied to other marine products.     

Water extraction times for plant and soil materials used in stable isotope analysis

Stable isotopic analysis of water for many ecological applications commonly requires extractions of water from dozens to hundreds of plant and soil samples. With recent advances in mass spectrometry, water extraction, rather than the isotopic analysis itself, is the bottleneck in sample processing. Using cryogenic vacuum distillation, we have created extraction timing curves to determine how much time (T(min)) is required to extract an unfractionated water sample. Our results indicated that T(min) values are 60 to 75 min for stems, 40 min for clay soils, 30 min for sandy soils and 20 to 30 min for leaves. While the extraction times reported here may allow for some reductions relative to times reported in the literature, the extraction process will continue to be a rate-limiting step in plant water analyses. Ultimately, technological advances eliminating the need for extraction are required to greatly increase throughput rates in water isotope analysis for ecological research.     

Dragon Fruits as a Reservoir of Natural Polyphenolics with Chemopreventive Properties

Dragon fruits are a valued source of bioactive compounds with high potential to become a functional food. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the chemopreventive potential and chemical composition of fruits harvested in Thailand and Israel. The amount of different compounds in water and methanol extracts and antioxidant activity was investigated. Moreover, cytotoxic activity against cancer and normal cells of skin, prostate, and gastrointestinal origin was performed, accompanied by anti-inflammatory assay based on NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophage model. Additionally, the quenching properties of polyphenols from fruits were determined by the interaction of the main drug carrier in blood human serum (HSA). The chemometric analysis was used to reveal the relationships between the determined parameters. Dragon fruits harvested in Israel revealed higher antioxidant properties and total content of polyphenols and betacyanins when compared to those from Thailand. The examined fruits of both origins showed significant cytotoxic activity toward colon and prostate cancer cells, with no toxic effect on normal cells, but also no anti-inflammatory effect. Moreover, a high binding ability to HSA was observed for water extracts of dragon fruits. All these predestine dragon fruits are the candidates for the attractive and chemopreventive elements of daily diet.     

In Vitro Studies on the Relationship Between the Antioxidant Activities of Some Berry Extracts and Their Binding Properties to Serum Albumin

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility to use the bioactive components from cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), and cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) extracts as a novel source against oxidation in food supplementation. The quantitative analysis of bioactive compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, flavanols, carotenoids, and chlorophyll) was based on radical scavenging spectrophometric assays and mass spectrometry. The total phenolic content was the highest (P?<?0.05) in water extract of blueberries (46.6?±?4.2 mg GAE/g DW). The highest antioxidant activities by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay and Cupric reducing antioxidant capacity were in water extracts of blueberries, showing 108.1?±?7.2 and 131.1?±?9.6 μMTE/g DW with correlation coefficients of 0.9918 and 0.9925, and by β-carotene linoleate assay at 80.1?±?6.6 % with correlation coefficient of 0.9909, respectively. The water extracts of berries exhibited high binding properties with human serum albumin in comparison with quercetin. In conclusion, the bioactive compounds from a relatively new source of gooseberries in comparison with blueberries and cranberries have the potential as food supplementation for human health. The antioxidant and binding activities of berries depend on their bioactive compounds.