Metabolic profiling and in vitro evaluation of Juncus decipiens (Buchenau) Nakai (common rush) extracts for antioxidant and skin hypopigmentation potential

The Intestinal Metabolome: An Intersection Between Microbiota and Host

Blood metabolomics in human prenatal and newborn health studies

Chromolaena odorata (Syn: Eupatorium odoratum L.) (Asteraceae) is a perennial herb consisting of biologically potent chemical. It is mainly found in the humid tropics and sub-tropics in worldwide. C. odorata displayed allelopathic effects and have been reported to cause livestock death. C. odorata is used against dysentery, malaria, diarrhea, wound healing, toothache and headache in traditional medicine. In the present study, we investigated the assays tested for the presence of several phytochemicals (alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, saponins, phenols, cardiac glycosides, resins and anthraquinones) in different extracts which included ethanol, methanol, petroleum ether and aqueous. All the extracts were tested against Bacteria. Furthermore, we studied phytochemical screening by QTOF-MS analysis it represents various acids, flavonoids etc. Phytochemical profiling revealed the presence of approximately 20 compounds each from the leaf and stem extracts whereas root consisted of 10 compounds. Among these, the main compounds were Vanillic acid, Chlorogenic acid, Benzoic acid, Genkwanin, Naringenin and Luteolin. The ethanol and methanol extracts were found active alongside the tested bacteria as they showed potential phytochemical constituents. The bacteria, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis showed promising activity against ethanol and methanol leaf, stem and root extracts which proved that the plant extracts are potential candidates for antibiotic resistance against such bacteria. In addition, the Chlorogenic acid present in leaf, stem and root extracts of the plant helps process blood sugar in a way that helps prevent and reduce the number of blood sugar spikes. It also helps boost metabolism, helping people with diabetes maintain a healthy weight.

Postharvest responses of sweet cherry fruit and stem tissues revealed by metabolomic profiling

Anti-diabetic properties of the Canadian lowbush blueberry Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.

IntroductionMultiple myeloma (MM), a malignant plasma cell disorder, is still an incurable disease. Thus, the identification of novel therapeutic targets is of utmost importance. Here, we evaluated the peripheral blood-based metabolic profile of patients with MM.Material & methodsPeripheral blood plasma levels of 188 endogenous metabolites, including amino acids, biogenic amines, acylcarnitines, glycerophospholipids, sphingomyelins, and hexoses were determined in patients with plasma cell dyscrasias: monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, a precursor stage of MM (MGUS, n = 15), newly diagnosed MM, (NDMM, n = 32), relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM, n = 19) and in 25 healthy controls by mass spectrometry.ResultsPatients with NDMM, RRMM and MGUS have a substantially different metabolomic profile than healthy controls. The amount of eight plasma metabolites significantly differs between the NDMM and MGUS group: free carnitine, acetylcarnitine, glutamate, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and four phosphatidylcholine (PC) species. In addition, the levels of octadecanoylcarnitine, ADMA and six PCs were significantly different between RRMM and MGUS patients. 13 different concentrations of metabolites were found between RRMM and NDMM patients (free carnitine, acetylcarnitine, creatinine, five LysoPCs and PCs). Pathway analyses revealed a distinct metabolic profile with significant alterations in amino acid, lipid, and energy metabolism in healthy volunteers compared to MGUS/MM patients.ConclusionWe identified different metabolic profiles in MGUS und MM patients in comparison to healthy controls. Thus, different metabolic processes, potentially the immunoregulation by indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase-1 (IDO), which is involved in cancer development and progression supporting inflammatory processes in the tumor microenvironment and glutaminolysis, can serve as novel promising therapeutic targets in MM.

Cranberry fruits are rich in phenolics, however little is known about phenolic content and antioxidant activity in cranberry leafs or stems. Tissues were harvested from three cranberry cultivars, grown at four locations, in three states. Phenolic content was determined by gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and antioxidant capacity was measured for runner leaf (RL), upright leaf (UL), runner stem (RS), and upright stem (US) tissue extracts. LDL oxidation in the presence/absence of extracts was induced with 10uM Cu++ and quantified (A234nm lag‐time) at extract concentrations of 100μg/L, 10μg/L, and 1μg/L to determine antioxidant activity. There was a complex plant‐tissue relationship between UL, US, RL, and RS, cultivar, harvest location, and extract concentration (four‐way‐interaction). All leaf extracts had a significantly higher GAE than all stem extracts, but no similar trends were seen between runner and upright orientations. RL, UL and US extracts from Mullica Queen (MQ) demonstrated superior antioxidant activity relative to Early Black and Demoranville stem extracts. With the exception of MQ, all other leaf extracts (R/U) demonstrated better antioxidant capacity than the remaining stem extracts. Understanding the complexities of cranberry plant phenolics and antioxidant activity may be important for the development of future cranberry‐derived health products.

Vector-borne diseases continue to transmit many dangerous pathogens to humans. After decades of continuous use of insecticides, many types of vectors have shown the ability to build resistance to them. This has necessitated the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly alternatives in the form of bioinsecticides. Plants contain a wide range of phytochemicals with specific targeting, rapid biodegradability, environmental sustainability and a variety of medicinal properties, making them a valuable source of biologicals. Moreover, this has led to the development of highly effective new drugs. This study aimed to identify the active ingredients in Ceratonia siliqua L., gathered from two consecutive fruiting seasons which were then divided into C. siliqua fresh (CSF), dry (CSd), and old (stored) stem (CSO) extracts Ceratonia siliqua. Metabolomics profiling was performed using UPLC/MS and multivariate data analysis. The UPLC/MS study resulted in the tentative identification of 54 secondary metabolites. These compounds included flavonoids, phenolic acids, withanolides, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, etc. CSd showed the highest number of identified components followed by CSO and CSF. The % identification was nearly equal in the negative ion mode for the three extracts while for the positive ion mode it followed the order of CSF > CSd > CSO. After several exposure periods, the plant methanol extracts in this research showed significant insecticidal activity against mosquito larvae, Cx. pipiens, and housefly larvae M. domestica. (CSd) demonstrated the highest insecticidal activity (100 MO%) against Cx. pipiens (LC50 = 0.09 and 0.07 mg/ml) following 24- and 48-hour post-treatments at 1.0 mg/ml. The (CSF) was the most effective on M. domestica larvae (LC50 = 2.32 and 1.80 mg/ml), 24 and 48 h post-treatment with 25 mg/ml concentration. Both CSd and CSF extracts were the most effective at killing mosquito and house fly larvae, followed by the CSO extract. Therefore, C. siliqua extracts may serve as an effective bio-agent for specific vector-borne infection control.

Over 30% of cancer survivors experience chronic fatigue. An alteration in energy metabolism is one of the hypothesized mechanisms for cancer-related fatigue (CRF). No studies have evaluated for changes in metabolic profiles in cancer survivors with CRF. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate for differences in metabolic profiles between fatigued and non-fatigued survivors of colorectal cancer (CRC). Survivors were recruited from the surgical outpatient department and the oncology clinic of a medical center in northern Taiwan. Fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Symptom Inventory. Fasting blood samples were collected on the day the fatigue questionnaire was completed. Metabolomic profile analysis was performed using non-targeted, liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Fold change analyses, t-tests, and pathway analyses were performed to identify differences in metabolomic profiles between the fatigued and non-fatigued survivors. Of the 56 CRC survivors in this study, 28.6% (n = 16) were in the fatigue group. Statistically significant differences in carnitine, L-norleucine, pyroglutamic acid, pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid, spermine, hydroxyoctanoic acid, and paraxanthine were found between the two fatigue groups. In addition, two pathways were enriched for these metabolites (i.e., glutathione metabolism, D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism). Findings from this pilot study provide preliminary evidence that two pathways that are involved with the regulation of ATP production and cellular energy (i.e., glutathione metabolism, D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism) are associated with fatigue in CRC survivors. If these findings are confirmed, they may provide new therapeutic targets to decrease fatigue in cancer survivors.

Editor's evaluation: Early life infection and proinflammatory, atherogenic metabolomic and lipidomic profiles in infancy: a population-based cohort study

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of different extracts (methanol and ethyl acetate) of leaf and stem of Bryophyllum pinnatum were studied. The screening for the secondary metabolites was carried out using the standard methods. The antioxidant capacities of the different extracts were assessed using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radicals and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) while the antimicrobial activity of the extracts obtained were screened against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Salmonella spp., Vibrio cholerae, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger) using Agar well diffusion method. Both extracts obtained from leaf and stem of Bryophyllum pinnatum contained most of the phytochemical compounds tested for. However, anthocyanins and anthraquinone were not detected in leaf extracts while coumarin was absent in stem extracts. Quantification of bioactive compounds showed that both extracts contained the highest concentration of polyphenols (34.49 ±0.47 mg GAE/g and 32.32 ±1.2 mg GAE/g for methanol leaf and stem extracts respectively) while the least concentration was recorded for alkaloids (0.03±0.02 mg/g for methanol stem extract). Results revealed that the extracts showed dose-dependent scavenging of DPPH as well as the ability of the extracts to reduce FeCl3 solution, with methanol extracts exhibiting the highest scavenging and reducing capacity. However the leaves of Bryophyllum pinnatum had greater antioxidant activity than the stem by DPPH and ferric reducing assays, with IC50 values ranging from 3.147µg/ml to 3.80µg/ml for DPPH and 331.9 - 451 µg/ml for FRAP assays. The antimicrobial activity of various solvent extracts of leaf and stem reveal that microorganisms exhibited different sensitivities towards these extracts in a dose-dependent manner. Methanol leaf extract showed no activity against Escherichia coli while Pseudomonas aeruginosa was insensitive to ethyl acetate leaf extract. For stem extracts, Aspergillus niger, Vibrio cholerae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were resistant to methanol extract while Aspergillus niger, Salmonella spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant towards ethyl acetate stem extract. The results obtained in this study showed that Bryophyllum pinnatum is a reservoir of bioactive compounds and both extracts exhibited significant antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.

Phenolic extracts from berry seeds have been extensively studied for their health benefits. However, few studies have been conducted on the effects of phenolic extracts from Vitis L. canes and berry stems. The Chinese spine grape (V. davidii Foex) is an important and widely distributed wild species of Vitis L. The present study explored the metabolomic profile and evaluated the antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds in extracts from V. davidii Foex. canes and stems, with a focus on their role in preventing DNA damage caused by free radicals and inhibiting the growth of breast (MCF-7) and cervical (HeLa) cancer cells. Total phenolic compounds in the dried berry stems of spine grapes were higher than that in vine canes. Analysis of the extracts showed that proanthocyanins, epicatechin, catechin, and phenolic acid were the main phenolic compounds in V. davidii Foex, but in higher quantities in berry stems than in vine canes. However, trans-resveratrol and kaempferol 3-O-glucoside were present in the vine canes but not in the berry stems. Antioxidant analysis by FRAP and ABTS showed that extracts from berry stems and vine canes had a higher antioxidant activity than thinned young fruit shoots before flowering, leaves, peel, pulp, and seeds in V. davidii Foex. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of extracts from berry stems was higher than that in other grape species, except for muscadine. In vitro analyses further showed that the extracts significantly increased H2O2 scavenging ability and conferred a protective effect against DNA damage. Furthermore, a low concentration of phenolic compounds in extracts from the vine canes and berry stems of spine grapes inhibited the proliferation of the MCF-7 and Hela cancer cells. These research results provided some important useful information for the exploitation of V. davidii Foex canes and berry stems and indicated that canes and stems of V. davidii Foex had good antioxidant properties, anticancer activity and prevented DNA damage, providing evidence for medical utilization of V. davidii Foex.

Metabolomic profiling of early inactive hepatic alveolar and cystic echinococcosis

The phytochemicals in the aerial parts of Euphorbia paralias (also known as Sea Spurge) and their anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities were investigated. The methanolic extract was characterized using GC-MS and HPLC techniques. The anti-inflammatory feature was estimated through a Human Red Blood Cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization technique, while the antimicrobial feature was evaluated by the disc diffusion agar technique, minimum bactericidal concentration, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) via micro-broth dilution method. The GC/MS results demonstrated the existence of various phytochemicals, such as n-hexadecenoic acid, cis-11-eicosenoic acid, and methyl stearate, recognized for their anti-inflammatory and antibacterial features. The similarity of the phytochemical composition with other Euphorbia species emphasizes the genus-wide similarity. The anti-inflammatory activity exhibited a noteworthy inhibitory effect comparable to the reference drug indomethacin. The extract's antimicrobial potential was tested against a range of microorganisms, demonstrating significant action against Gram-positive bacteria and Candida albicans. The quantification of total phenolics and flavonoids further supported the therapeutic potential of the extract. The methanolic extract from E. paralias emerges as a successful natural source of important active constituents with potential applications as anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents. This research provides a first step to valorize Euphorbia paralias insights as a source of worthwhile phytochemicals that have potential applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

Galls were induced to form on the stems of tomato plants by inoculation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens . Free ether-soluble auxins in the galls and in normal tomato stem tissue were extracted and the acidic and neutral fractions of the extracts were examined by paper chromato­graphy. Evidence for the presence of 3-indolylacetie acid ( IAA ), 3-indole-carboxylic acid ( ICA ) and 3-indolyl-acetonitrile ( IAN ) was found in both the crown-gall and normal stem tissue extracts. This evidence was based on R f values, chromogenic reactions, bioassay results and in the case of ICA on fluorescence in ultra-violet light. Further confirmation of the presence of IAN was obtained by its conversion to IAA by alkaline hydrolysis. The auxins in the gall extracts were the same as those in the normal stem extracts, but were present in greater amounts. The amount of free IAA in the crown-gall tissue was estimated to be 8 to 12 μg/kg. A transient IAA -like colour reaction with Ehrlich reagent was observed in the IAA position on chromatograms containing gall or normal stem tissue extracts. The position of the spot corresponded closely with that of IAA in all solvents investigated. It was concluded that the reaction was not due to IAA but to a compound with properties which enable it to be readily mistaken for IAA on chromatograms treated with Ehrlich reagent. Areas were present on chromatograms of both normal stem and gall tissue extracts which corresponded with the ‘inhibitor β ’ of Bennet-Clark & Kefford (1953). Unknown water-soluble growth promoting substances insoluble in ether were found to be present in the aqueous fluids expressed from both tissues.