Fatty Acid Composition, Steroid Content, In Vitro Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Potentials of Citrullus lanatus and Carica papaya Seed Oils

Trabajo presentado en XXVI International Horticultural Congress: The Future for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, celebrado en Toronto (Canadá) el 03 de enero de 2004

Phenolic content, enzyme inhibitory and antioxidative activity potentials of Phlomis nissolii and P. pungens var. pungens

To realize the potential of sainfoins to contribute to sustainable agriculture and expand on demonstrated uses and benefits, de novo domestication is occurring to develop perennial Baki™ bean, the trade name used by The Land Institute for pulses (i.e., grain legumes) derived from sainfoins. The objective of this study was to characterize amino acid and fatty acid profiles of depodded seeds from commercial sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) seed lots, and compare these results with data published in the Global Food Composition Database for Pulses. The fatty acid profile consisted primarily of polyunsaturated fatty acids (56.8%), compared to monounsaturated (29.0%) and saturated fatty acids (14.2%), and n-3 fatty acids (39.5%), compared to n-9 (28.4%) and n-6 (17.6%) fatty acids. The essential fatty acid linolenic acid (18,3 n-3) was the most abundant fatty acid (39.2%), followed by oleic acid (18,1 cis-9) (27.8%), and the essential fatty acid linoleic acid (18,2 n-6) (17.3%). The amino acid profile consisted primarily of the nonessential amino acids glutamic acid (18.3%), arginine (11.6%), and aspartic acid (10.8%), followed by the essential amino acids leucine (6.8%), and lysine (5.8%). Essential amino acid content met adult daily requirements for each amino acid. This indicates that sainfoin seeds may be a complete plant protein source. However, further research is necessary to better understand protein quality, defined by protein digestibility in addition to the amino acid profile. By demonstrating favorable fatty acid and amino acid profiles to human health, these results contribute to a growing body of evidence supporting the potential benefits of perennial Baki™ bean, a novel, perennial pulse derived from sainfoins.

Total seed oil and fatty acid compositions of two informal groups of Anchusa officinalis L. were studied in order to provide additional information for the delineation of the groups. Major fatty acids were linoleic (C18:2n6), oleic (C18:1n9), α-linolenic (C18:3n3), γ-linolenic (C18:3n6), palmitic (C16:0) and stearidonic acid (C18:4n3) respectively. The lower levels were observed in stearic (C18:0), eicosenoic (C20:1n9) and erucic acids (C22:1n9). Linoleic (24,4 to 25,8%) and oleic acids (23,2 to 25,5%) were detected in the highest levels. α-linolenic (14,5 to 15,1%) and γ-linolenic acid (12,5 to 12,6%) as an unusual fatty acid in plants were also at the high concentrations in both groups. Saturated fatty acids in total were observed at the lower levels generally (1,9-8,9%). Significantly difference for the fatty acid profiles between the groups were found (p<0,05). Differences were also significant for saturated (palmitic and stearic) and unsaturated fatty acids, and for their some ratios (p<0,05). Total percentages of poly-unsaturated (56,27 to 56,41%), mono-unsaturated (26,47 to 31,38%) and saturated fatty acids (10,12 to 11,95%) were quantified closely in both groups. The parameters examined here may be useful as additional biochemical marker set for the discrimination of Anchusa at infraspesific levels. Valuable concentrations for essential poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) including linoleic, α-linolenic and γ-linolenic acid as special dietetics and nutraceuticals suggest the alternative source potential of A. officinalis .

World aquaculture is expected to continue to grow over the next few decades, which amplifies the need for a higher production of sustainable feed ingredients for aquatic animals. Insects are considered good candidates for aquafeed ingredients because of their ability to convert food waste into highly nutritional biomass. However, commercially available terrestrial insect species lack n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), which are essential biomolecules for marine cultured species. Nevertheless, several coastal insect species feature LC-PUFAs in their natural fatty acid (FA) profile. Here, we analysed the lipidic profile of wild-caught seaweed fly Fucellia maritima, with a focus on their FA profile, to evaluate its potential to be used as an aquafeed ingredient, as well as to screen for the presence of pathogenic bacteria. Results showed that the flies had a total lipid content of 13.2% of their total dry weight. The main classes of phospholipids (PLs) recorded were phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs) (60.8%), followed by phosphatidylcholine (PC) (17.1%). The most abundant FA was palmitoleic acid (C16:0) with 34.9% ± 4.3 of total FAs, followed by oleic acid (C18:1) with 30.4% ± 2.3. The FA composition of the flies included essential fatty acids (EFAs) for both freshwater fish, namely linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6) with 3.4% ± 1.3 and alpha-linoleic acid (C18:3 n-3) with 3.4% ± 1.9, and marine fish, namely arachidonic acid (C20:4 n-6) with 1.1% ± 0.3 and eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5 n-3) with 6.1% ± 1.2. The microbiological analysis found 9.1 colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g) of Enterobacteriaceae and no presence of Salmonella sp. was detected in a sample of 25 g of fresh weight. These findings indicate that Fucellia maritima biomass holds the potential to be used as an additional aquafeed ingredient due to its FA profile and the low count of pathogenic bacteria, which can contribute to the optimal growth of fish and shrimp with a low risk of pathogen transfer during the feed production chain.

The purpose of the study was to determine the antioxidant activity (AA) and fatty acid (FA) profile of sous-vide beef previously marinated in brine with a 10, 20 and 30% addition of kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta cv. 'Ananasnaya') fruit pulp, as well as changes in the parameters studied after 0, 1, 2 and 3 weeks of refrigerated storage in a vacuum package. The FA profile, FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay), ABTS (2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-acid)), total polyphenols, chlorophylls and carotenoids were also determined in the fruit pulp. Lipid indices for meat were calculated based on the obtained FA profile. The values of FRAP and ABTS of experimental meat products were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than those of control samples but decreased with storage time. The proportion of unsaturated FA in the lipids of sous-vide meat was higher in samples with pulp than in control samples and insignificantly decreased with storage time. Meat marinated with kiwiberry pulp was characterized by a significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher proportion of ALA (α-linolenic acid) and LA (linoleic acid), considerably affecting the more favorable value of polyunsaturated FA/saturated FA ratio. A troubling finding was the heightened level of palmitic acid (C16:0) in the lipids of beef subjected to 30% kiwiberry pulp, a factor recognized to play a significant role in the development of various diseases. Beef marinated with 20% kiwiberry pulp addition provides greater nutritional and health benefits than other sample variants because of optimal AA and FA profile changes during refrigerated storage.

Therapeutic Effect of Topical Gamma-Linolenic Acid on Refractory Uremic Pruritus

Breast-feeding, atopy, and asthma

Background: Dermatophytes are well-known fungus having the capability to invade kerat-inized tissues of nails, skin, and hair, of humans and other animals, causing dermatophytosis. Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) seed is a rich source of vitamin E, essential fatty acids, and minerals, bearing var-ious health benefits. Despite the presence of many useful components, the oil is not much explored. Accordingly, the study was planned to investigate the fatty acid profiling, in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential antidermatophytic activity of Citrullus lanatus seed oil against dermato-phytic strains. Methods: The C. lanatus oil was extracted from seeds, and fatty acid profiling was characterized by GC-MS. Further, the oil was subjected to DPPH scavenging activity, and the anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated from Bovine serum albumin assay. The antidermatophytic screening against Microsporum canis, Trichophyton rubrum, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes was carried out by agar well diffusion, broth microdilution assay, and growth kinetics assay. Results: The C. lanatus seed oil exhibited good antioxidant activity close to ascorbic acid, i.e., IC50- 52.22 μg/ml, 35.72 μg/ml, respectively, and the oil exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory ac-tivity (315.2 μg/ml) as that of the standard drug diclofenac sodium (174.3μg/ml). The fatty acid profiling indicates the presence of eight main compounds, out of which ç-tocopherol, butylated hy-droxytoluene, and hexadecanoic acid are predominantly present. The C. lanatus seed oil showed promising activity against T. rubrum with a lower minimum inhibitory concentration value with re-spect to positive controls, Fluconazole and Ketoconazole. The oil also had a strong effect on time-dependent kinetic inhibition against T. rubrum. This was the first report of C. lanatus seed oil against any dermatophyte. Conclusion: In conclusion, the study supports the exploitation of C. lanatus seed oil and its main compounds as a source of natural antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and as a novel agent against dermatophytes for curing superficial fungal infections in the near future.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with fatty acid alterations characterized by low linoleic and docosahexaenoic acid. It is not clear whether these fatty acid alterations are directly linked to cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) dysfunction or result from nutrient malabsorption. We hypothesized that if fatty acid alterations are a result of CFTR dysfunction, those alterations should be demonstrable in CF cell culture models. Two CF airway epithelial cell lines were used: 16HBE, sense and antisense CFTR cells, and C38/IB3-1 cells. Wild-type (WT) and CF cells were cultured in 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) or 10% horse serum. Fatty acid levels were analyzed by GC-MS. Culture of both WT and CF cells in FBS resulted in very low linoleic acid levels. When cells were cultured in horse serum containing concentrations of linoleic acid matching those found in human plasma, physiological levels of linoleic acid were obtained and fatty acid alterations characteristic of CF tissues were then evident in CF compared with WT cells. Kinetic studies with radiolabeled linoleic acid demonstrated in CF cells increased conversion to longer and more-desaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that CFTR dysfunction is associated with altered fatty acid metabolism in cultured airway epithelial cells.

Simple SummaryUntil now, only a limited number of studies have addressed the influence of combining grazing with total mixed rations (TMRs), in Jersey cows, on milk biocomponents and antioxidant capacity. Thus, the main objective of this study was to compare fatty acid (FA) profiles and antioxidant capacity in milk yielded by cows fed either using a TMR or a partial mixed ration (pTMR) combining a TMR and grazing. The second objective consisted in evaluating FA profiles and changes in lipophilic antioxidants in milk during the grazing period and related to pasture chemical composition. Although the pTMR feeding system led to a decreased daily milk production, milk quality was improved. By comparison, cows having access to pasture (pTMR group) yielded a milk with a higher fat and protein content, but with lower saturated FAs (SFA) and a higher content of unsaturated FAs considered benefic for human health (vaccenic acid (VA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and omega-3 FA (n-3 FA)). Similarly, lipophilic antioxidant (α-tocopherol, retinol, and β-carotene) content was higher in the pTMR group, resulting in a higher total antioxidant capacity in milk. The grazing period showed a significant influence on milk quality; in the milk from the pTMR group, the highest concentrations of benefic FAs (VA, CLA, and n-3 FA), the highest concentration of fat-soluble antioxidants, and the best antioxidant activity, respectively, were obtained in the first grazing period (May), in accordance with the pasture’s chemical composition.This study was carried out to assess the effect of using pasture combined with total mixed ration (TMR) on milk production and composition, fatty acid (FA) profiles, fat-soluble antioxidant content, and total milk antioxidant capacity (TAC). In addition, the effect of milk pasteurization and storage at 2 °C for 4 days, lipophilic antioxidants and TAC were assessed. Two homogeneous groups of Jersey cows (n = 8) were constituted, which were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments: TMR (without access to pasture), or partial mixed diet (pTMR: grazing 8 h/day + TMR indoors). To establish FA profiles and lipophilic antioxidants’ changes in milk during the grazing period, in case of the pTMR group the experimental period was spilt in three grazing periods: P1 (May), P2 (June), and P3 (June/July). Milk yielded from cows having limited access on pasture (pTMR diet) showed an improved FA profile, with higher concentrations of FAs considered benefic for human health (vaccenic acid (VA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), omega-3 FA (n-3 FA)) (p < 0.01) and a lower concentration of FAs with hypercholesterolemiant potential (C12:0, C14:0, and C16:0) (p < 0.05), compared to that of the TMR diet. This change in FA profile was correlated with improved sanogenous lipid indices of milk fat (n-6/n-3 FA atherogenic index and thrombogenic index). Milk yielded during the P1 grazing period had higher concentrations of VA, CLA, and n-3 FA (p < 0.05) and lower concentrations of C14:0 and C16:0 (p < 0.01); it exhibited the best values for the main sanogenous fat lipid indices of fat. Moreover, pTMR milk showed a higher α-tocopherol, retinol, and β-carotene content (p < 0.05), positively correlated with TAC values in milk (P1 ˃ P2 ˃ P3). By comparison, cows fed using the TMR diet yielded a higher quantity of milk (p < 0.05), but a lower fat and protein content (p < 0.01), and also a higher saturated FAs and n-6 FA content (p < 0.05) together with a lower concentration of lipophilic antioxidants in milk. Thermal treatment showed no effect on α-tocopherol and retinol content in milk, but their concentrations decreased during the storage, at the same time a TAC decrease. The results of this study prove the positive effect of using pasture combined with TMR on FA profiles, milk antioxidant content, and antioxidant capacity, with beneficial effects on nutrition and health in humans.

Most lipid emulsions for parenteral feeding of premature infants are based on long-chain triacylglycerols (LCTs), but inclusion of medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCTs) might provide a more readily oxidizable energy source. The influence of these emulsions on fatty acid composition and metabolism was studied in 12 premature neonates, who were randomly assigned to an LCT emulsion (control) or an emulsion with a mixture of MCT and LCT (1:1). On study day 7, all infants received [13C]linoleic (LA) and [13C]alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) tracers orally. Plasma phospholipid (PL) and triacylglycerol (TG) fatty acid composition and 13C enrichments of plasma PL fatty acids were determined on day 8. After 8 days of lipid infusion, plasma TGs in the MCT/LCT group had higher contents of C8:0 (0.50 +/- 0.60% vs. 0.10 +/- 0.12%; means +/- SD) and C10:0 (0.66 +/- 0.51% vs. 0.15 +/- 0.17%) than controls. LA content of plasma PLs was slightly lower in the MCT/LCT group (16.47 +/- 1.16% vs. 18.57 +/- 2.09%), whereas long-chain polyunsaturated derivatives (LC-PUFAs) of LA and ALA tended to be higher. The tracer distributions between precursors and products (LC-PUFAs) were not significantly different between groups. Both lipid emulsions achieve similar plasma essential fatty acid (EFA) contents and similar proportional conversion of EFAs to LC-PUFAs. The MCT/LCT emulsion seems to protect EFAs and LC-PUFAs from beta-oxidation.

A series of chalcone‐sulfonate analogs bearing bromo substituents ( A1‐A10 ) were successfully synthesized and structurally characterized by utilizing 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and HRMS. The compounds ( A1‐A10 ) were screened for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and pancreatic lipase (PL) enzyme inhibitory activities and in vitro antioxidant activity. Compounds A8 (0.266 ± 0.06 mM) and A3 (0.274 ± 0.06 mM) exhibited high AChE inhibition levels, as evidenced by their low IC 50 values, which are comparable to that of the positive reference, tacrine (0.230 ± 0.07 mM). Compound A9 was found to be the effective inhibitor of PL in both in silico (−10.7 kcal/mol) and in vitro (IC 50 : 0.522 ± 0.08 mM) studies. Also, the most effective molecular docking interaction of AChE was found with the compounds A3 (−11.7 kcal/mol) and A8 (−11.6 kcal/mol). Furthermore, the antioxidant activities of the compounds ( A1‐A10 ) were found to be low based on the ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging assays. In contrast, their antioxidant activities were measured to be high in the FRAP assay and moderate in the CUPRAC assay. Among these, compound A9 exhibited the most potent antioxidant activity, with values of 0.689 ± 0.087 BHA equivalents in the FRAP assay and 0.315 ± 0.073 BHA equivalents in the CUPRAC assay. The results of this study indicate that the novel chalcone compounds exhibit moderate to good enzyme inhibitory and antioxidant activities, suggesting their potential for inclusion in further supportive and exploratory studies.

Background Plasmalogens are glycerophospholipids characterized by a fatty alcohol at the sn-1 position, a polyunsaturated fatty acid at the sn-2 position, most commonly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or arachidonic acid, and a polar head group at the sn-3 position, mainly phosphoethanolamine. Markedly reduced plasmalogens are seen in peroxisome biogenesis defects, including Zellweger spectrum disorders (ZSD), since the first two steps of plasmalogen synthesis occur in peroxisomes. Disruption of the peroxisomal β-oxidation pathway also causes DHA deficiency in ZSD patients. Since plasmalogens are composed of fatty acids, the deficiency of DHA or other essential fatty acids could further decrease the plasmalogen level in ZSD patients and lower the results of plasmalogen testing in patients without ZSD. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the impact of essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency on plasmalogens in patients with ZSD and individuals with EFA deficiency due to unrelated causes. Methods Red blood cell (RBC) samples were obtained from individuals without ZSD referred to ARUP laboratories for clinical EFA testing (n = 80; age range: birth - 89 years), and from patients with ZSD (n = 7; age range birth - 9 years). Three ZSD patients were older and with a less severe phenotype. A total of 18 intact ethanolamine plasmalogen species were extracted from packed RBCs and quantified using a XEVO TQ-XS Mass Spectrometer in conjunction with Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (Waters). Total plasmalogen values were also calculated; plasmalogen deficiency was defined as ≤60% of age-matched control median. Fatty acids (FAs) were quantified by gas chromatography negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-NCI-MS). EFA deficiency was diagnosed by increased Triene/Tetraene ratio (Mead acid/Arachidonic acid). Data was analyzed using Prism v.8.3.0 software (La Jolla, CA). The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Utah. Results Out of the 80 samples from individuals without ZSD referred for EFA testing, 18% had normal fatty acid profile, 57% were receiving dietary supplements and 25% had elevated Triene/Tetraene ratio suggesting EFA deficiency. EFA deficiency was accompanied by low DHA only in two individuals without ZSD, whereas it was present in most of the samples from ZSD patients evaluated (5/7). None of the individuals without ZSD were deficient in plasmalogens. Moreover, when compared to individuals without ZSD with a normal FA profile, there was no significant difference observed with EFA deficiency or FA supplementation. Although our ZSD cohort is small, no correlation between EFA deficiency and plasmalogen levels was also seen in ZSD: 2 patients with milder phenotype had EFA deficiency but normal plasmalogens, 2 patients had EFA deficiency and low plasmalogens, 2 patients with low plasmalogens had low DHA without EFA deficiency, and 1 patient had low plasmalogens but normal EFA. Conclusions Plasmalogen quantitation in RBCs by LC-MS/MS is not significantly affected by EFA deficiency. Although more data is warranted to elucidate the correlation between plasmalogen levels and ZSD phenotype, plasmalogens can be within normal reference intervals in ZSD regardless of EFA status.

This study aimed to use refined sardine oil as a covering juice in canned Sardina pilchardus. The oil’s fatty acid profile, acidity, peroxide value, and p-anisidine value were analyzed. The biochemical composition, histamine content, and bacteriological stability of the canned sardines were determined. The results showed that canned sardines contained 51.40 g of moisture, 27.87 g of fat, 17.91 g of protein, and 1.03 g of salt per 100 g net weight. The fatty acid composition included 10.35% polyunsaturated fatty acids, 8.86% saturated fatty acids, and 6.27% monounsaturated fatty acids, with the most abundant fatty acids being eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), palmitic acid, oleic acid, myristic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This recipe provided 8.88 g/100 g (net weight) of EPA and DHA. These findings support the interest in using refined fish oil to enrich foods with essential marine fatty acids, highly recommended for their health benefits and leading to encouraging prospects for sardine canneries to develop new and nutritious value products.