ABTS Radical Research Articles

Physicochemical Characterization of a Fern Polysaccharide from Alsophila spinulosa Leaf and Its Anti-Aging Activity in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Alsophila spinulosa, as a rare tree fern with potential medicinal value, has attracted extensive attention. Herein, the physicochemical properties, antioxidant and anti-aging activities of polysaccharide from A. spinulosa leaf (ALP) were investigated. ALP was composed of galactose, arabinose, glucose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, mannose, and fucose. (1→), (1→6), and (1→2) bond types were the primary glycosidic bond in ALP. Surprisingly, ALP displayed the wonderful activity of antioxidant and anti-aging, including excellent scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS radicals in vitro; prolonging the life span, improving activity of antioxidative enzymes (SOD and CAT), and decreasing the level of ROS, MDA in Caenorhabditis elegans. Meanwhile, ALP promoted DAF-16 to move into the nuclear. Overall, our results illustrated that ALP could be further developed as a functional food ingredient.

Bound phenolics release from dried bamboo shoots prepared by different processes during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion: bioaccessibility and bioactivity

SummaryIn this work, the release pattern of bound phenolics in salt‐dried bamboo shoots (SDBS), steamed dried bamboo shoots (TDBS), fumigation dried bamboo shoots (UDBS) and fermentation dried bamboo shoots (FDBS) during simulated in vitro digestion was studied. The result exhibited that polyphenols in dried bamboo shoots (DBS) mainly existed in the form of bound phenolics, amongst them the content of FDBS was the highest, followed by SDBS and TDBS, and UDBS was the lowest. In addition, release amounts of bound phenolics in SDBS, TDBS, UDBS and FDBS after gastrointestinal digestion were significantly higher than that after gastric digestion, accounting for 19.61%, 19.40%, 45.64% and 19.66% of the total, respectively. Moreover, IC50 values for scavenging ability of DPPH and ABTS radicals by gastric and gastrointestinal digestion supernatant for DBS were in a descending order: FDBS, UDBS, SDBS and TDBS. Rutin, p‐coumaric and ferulic acid were discovered to be the predominant compounds in digestion supernatant. Trustworthy, fluorescence microscope pictures of DBS at different digestion stages further confirmed the release regularity of bound phenolics. Therefore, these findings could provide a theoretical support for the optimal processing of DBS.

Extraction of Polyphenols and Valorization of Fibers from Istrian-Grown Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.).

Pomegranate fruit is an ancient fruit that is used not only because of its deep-red color and tasty arils but also due to the health benefits of its extracts. Pomegranate is a valuable source of bioactive compounds, including colorful anthocyanins and other polyphenols. The main objective of the present study was to gain comprehensive knowledge of the phenolic composition and antioxidative activity of a new pomegranate cultivar, grown in Northwest Istria, a part of the North Adriatic coastal area. Various parts of the pomegranate fruit parts were extracted in 70% ethanol or water. Total phenolic content and antioxidative capacity were respectively determined with Folin–Ciocalteu reagent and ABTS radical. Phenolics were examined and analyzed with TLC, LC-MS, and HPLC. Pomegranate juice was prepared from red arils and after thermal treatment, the stability of anthocyanins was monitored for several months to understand the effect of storage. The highest total phenolics were determined in ethanol pomegranate peel extracts (30.5 ± 0.6 mg GAE/g DM), and water peel extracts exhibited the highest antioxidative activity (128 ± 2 µg TE/g DM). After five months of storage of thermally treated pomegranate juice, 50–60 percentage points increase in anthocyanin degradation was observed. Pomegranate peel was further tested as a sustainable inedible food source for papermaking. Due to the low content of cellulose and the high percentage of extractives, as well as a distinguished texture and appearance, the paper made from pomegranate peel is best suited for the production of specialty papers, making it particularly interesting for bioactives recovery, followed by material restructuring.

Effect of particle size on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.)Vahl leaf powders

Four powders of Forsythia suspensa leaf were prepared by coarse grinding and subsequent ball milling. The effects of particle size on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of the powders were evaluated. The results showed that the particle size of the powder decreased from 107.99 to 29.20 μm by ball milling for 5 h. In addition, the ball-milled powders had substantial advantages in water holding, solubility and swelling capacities. Thus, the ball-milled powders had a better dissolution of phenolic, flavonoid, and polysaccharide components (25.45, 1.99 and 44.19 mg/g of powder for 5 h of ball milling), ultimately resulting in a superior antioxidant activity (maximum reductions of 14.96% and 19.20% for DPPH and ABTS radicals, respectively). The FTIR analysis showed that the structure of the active ingredients remained intact after ball milling. In conclusion, ball milling is a promising technique for preparing Forsythia suspensa leaf powder with improved physicochemical and biological properties. • Forsythia suspensa powders were obtained by coarse grinding and ball milling. • The properties and activities of the powder are correlated with the milling time. • The hydration properties of ball-milled powders rise with decreasing particle size. • Decline of the flow and thermal properties after ball milling treatment was found. • Antioxidant activity enhanced with higher active ingredients of ball-milled powders.

Chemical composition and potential bioactivities of essential oil from Quercus mongolica bark

The chemical composition and potential bioactivities of essential oil from Quercus mongolica bark (EOQMB) were researched for value-added utilization processing by-product. The results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis showed that 30 components accounting for 98.42% were identified in EOQMB, with pentadecanoic acid the most abundant compound accounting for 34.90%, which was further confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared observation. EOQMB exerts antioxidant activities, and the IC 50 values for scavenging DPPH radical, ABTS radical, and hydroxyl radical were 8.48, 0.77, and 3.54 mg/mL, respectively. The effects of EOQMB on prolonging activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time and on decreasing fibrinogen are similar to those of heparin, and the promising anticoagulant activities of EOQMB could be largely contributed by pentadecanoic acid. Herein, the present study uncovered that the waste Q. mongolica bark can serve as a new potential material in pharmaceutical products.

Influence of Nitrogen Fertilizer on the Antioxidative Potential of Basil Varieties (Ocimum basilicum L.).

Total phenolic content (TPC) in extracts of basil depended on the cultivar and type of fertilization used in cultivation. TPC was determined spectrophotometrically with the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent. The antioxidant activity of extracts was analyzed by scavenging of DPPH and ABTS radicals, on the basis of metal chelating ability (MetChel) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The greatest TPC was determined in the purple cultivars—141.35 and 165.44 mg gallic acid/g d.m. for fertilized with ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4), respectively. Their extracts had the greatest antioxidant capacity in the majority of the methods used. The results varied depending on the modelling system used. The amount of polyphenols in individual basil cultivars differed significantly (p < 0.05) depending on the fertilization used in the culture. Regarding TPC, DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and MetChel variables, we observed a significant effect for the applied cultivation. In the case of MetChel factor, lower results of all investigated basil species were observed for cultivation with ammonium sulfate. PCA demonstrated in the present study shows that Sweet and Cinnamon Basil samples cultivated with ammonium nitrate create a separated group. We recommend cultivation with ammonium sulfate fertilizers for these varieties of basil. The high content of phenolic compounds demonstrated in Sweet and Cinnamon Basil cultivated with ammonium sulfate, and thus associated antioxidant activity, indicates that it can constitute a valuable source for bioactive compounds in a balanced diet.

Physicochemical, Structural and Antioxidant Properties of Collagens from the Swim Bladder of Four Fish Species.

This study aimed to isolate and characterize pepsin-solubilized collagen (PSC) from marine and freshwater fish swim bladders. The physicochemical properties, protein pattern, amino acid composition, structure, thermal denaturation temperature, and antioxidant activity of PSC from four different swim bladder sources were investigated and compared. The results demonstrated that the four types of collagen extracted were all type I collagen. The yield of PSC extracted from grass carp (GCSB-PSC), bighead carp (BCSB-PSC), grouper (GSB-PSC), and monkfish swim bladders (MSB-PSC) were 38.98, 27.97, 18.16, and 10.35%, respectively. Compared to the other three PSCs, BCSB-PSC has the highest thermal denaturation temperature (38.60 °C). Based on FTIR spectroscopy and circular dichroism (CD) analysis, the extracted PSCs retained the triple helix and secondary structure well. Antioxidant studies showed that in the swim bladders of four species the swim bladder PSC could scavenge DPPH and ABTS radicals. Overall, swim bladders from marine and freshwater fish can be utilized as raw materials for collagen extraction, and the extracted collagen has potential commercial applications.

Antioxidant and hypoglycemic effect of Vasconcellea candicans (A. Gray) A. DC. in albino mice: a native fruit of the Peruvian flora

“Mito”, “Andean Papaya” and “kerko” are the popular names of Vasconcellea candicans (A. Gray) A. DC. In some regions in Peru, this species is a shrub tree, endemic to the Peruvian Andes and Ecuador. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and hypoglycemic effect of the ethanolic extract of Vasconcellea candicans fruit on alloxaninduced hyperglycemia in albino mice. Vasconcellea candicans fruits were collected in Uruiza, Lucanas-Ayacucho, Peru. Phytochemical analysis was carried out to confirm chemical groups, and antioxidant activity in vitro was measured using two methods, 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonicacid) diammonium salt radical cation (ABTS). In the pharmacological evaluation, hyperglycemia was induced with alloxan using doses of 170 mg/kg in albino mice, animals with a glucose level of more than 250 mg/dL were included in the treatment. Animals were randomized into five groups (I: Alloxan 170 mg/kg; II, III, and IV: Vasconcellea candicans extract: 100, 300, and 500 mg/kg body weight; and V: glibenclamide 5 mg/kg). The phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, saponins, and phenolic compounds. It was observed that at doses of 100, 300, and 500 mg/kg, blood glucose was reduced by 43.6%, 60.8%, and 70.5 %, respectively, after 16 days of treatment. The ethanolic extract had an IC50 = 19.6±0.5 µg/mL and 5.05±0.01 µg/mL against DPPH and the ABTS radical, respectively. In conclusion, the ethanolic extract of the Vasconcellea candicans fruit was demonstrated to be effective at 500 mg/kg following 14 days of treatment in mice.

Effects of steam on polysaccharides from Polygonatum cyrtonema based on saccharide mapping analysis and pharmacological activity assays

BackgroundPolygonatum cyrtonema, one of origins of Polygonata Rhizoma (HuangJing in Chinese), is traditionally steamed repeatedly before being used as herbal medicine in China. However, there has no standard for steaming of HuangJing. Therefore, a comprehensive study for effects of steam on polysaccharides from Polygonatum cyrtonema based on saccharide mapping, a powerful method developed for polysaccharides analysis, and pharmacological activity are still necessary, which is helpful to explore the effect of steam on the physiochemical and biological activities of its polysaccharides and develop steaming standard of Polygonatum cyrtonema.MethodsTo explore the effect of steam on physiochemical and biological activities of P. cyrtonema polysaccharides (PCP), six polysaccharides named PCP0, PCP1, PCP2, PCP3, PCP4 and PCP5 were extracted from the herb consecutively steamed for 0–5 times, respectively. Their molecular weight distribution, monosaccharide composition and PACE fingerprints were investigated through HPSEC-MALLS-RID, HPAEC-PAD and saccharide mapping based on polysaccharides analysis by using carbohydrate gel electrophoresis (PACE) and HPTLC, respectively. In addition, their antioxidant ability and immunostimulatory activities on RAW 264.7 cells in terms of NO production and phagocytosis were compared.ResultsResults suggested that molecular weights could be changed during steam, which increased by first steaming and then decreased with further steaming though all polysaccharides’ molecular weights were 105-107 Da. They all showed irregularly spherical conformation in aqueous solution based on AFM imaging. Their monosaccharide composition and PACE fingerprints were significantly different after steaming, i.e., galactose increased while glucose and mannose decreased, and β-1,4-Galp appeared while β-1,4-Manp increased, after steaming. Steamed PCP significantly increased scavenging activity against ABTS radicals, while PCP0 had the best immunostimulatory effect on RAW 264.7 in terms of NO production and phagocytosis.ConclusionsIn summary, steam significantly affected the chemical composition and bioactivities of polysaccharides from P. cyrtonema. Considering the balance beneficial effects of steaming on antioxidant and immunopotentiation activities of PCP, 2 times of continuous steam is the optimal choice under the given conditions.

Assessment of Cosmetic Properties and Safety of Use of Model Washing Gels with Reishi, Maitake and Lion's Mane Extracts.

Natural cosmetics are becoming more and more popular every day. For this reason, this work investigates the properties of mushroom extracts, which are not as widely used in the cosmetics industry as plant ingredients. Water extracts of Grifolafrondosa (Maitake), Hericiumerinaceus (Lion’s Mane) and Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) were tested for their antioxidant properties, bioactive substances content, skin cell toxicity, ability to limit TEWL, effect on skin hydration and pH, and skin irritation. Our research showed that Maitake extract contained the highest amount of flavonoids and phenols, and also showed the most effective scavenging of DPPH and ABTS radicals as well as Chelation of Fe2+ and FRAP radicals, which were 39.84% and 82.12% in a concentration of 1000 µg/mL, respectively. All tested extracts did not increase the amount of ROS in fibroblasts and keratinocytes. The addition of mushroom extracts to washing gels reduced the irritating effect on skin, and reduced the intracellular production of free radicals, compared with the cosmetic base. Moreover, it was shown that the analyzedcosmetics had a positive effect on the pH and hydration of the skin, and reduced TEWL.

RETRACTED: Injectable and reactive oxygen species-scavenging gelatin hydrogel promotes neural repair in experimental traumatic brain injury

Oxidative stress caused by the overexpression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Accumulation of ROS can lead to cell death, neurodegeneration, and neurological deficit. Therefore, the design and application of functional materials with ROS scavenging ability is of great significance for neural repair. Herein, an injectable and antioxidant hydrogel was developed for TBI treatment based on the Schiff base reaction of gallic acid-conjugated gelatin (GGA) and oxidized dextran (Odex). The resulting GGA/Odex hydrogel could effectively scavenge DPPH and ABTS radicals, as well as protect cells from the oxidative damage in vitro. Moreover, GGA/Odex hydrogel possessed well biocompatible features. In a moderate TBI mouse model, in situ implantation of GGA6Odex hydrogel efficiently facilitated neurogenesis and promoted the motor, learning and memory abilities. Also, this composite hydrogel suppressed oxidative stress and inflammation via the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and the regulating of inflammatory factors secretion and macrophage/microglia polarization. Therefore, this injectable and ROS-scavenging GGA6Odex hydrogel is a promising biomaterial for tissue regenerative medicine, including TBI and other tissue repair relevant to raised ROS circumstance.

Structural Characterization, Rheological Properties and Protection of Oxidative Damage of an Exopolysaccharide from Leuconostoc citreum 1.2461 Fermented in Soybean Whey.

Soybean whey is a kind of agricultural by-product enriched with nutritional value but with low utilization. The extracellular polysaccharides secreted by lactic acid bacteria during the fermentation possess a variety of structural characteristics and beneficial properties. In this study, an exopolysaccharide (EPS) was isolated from Leuconostoc citreum 1.2461 after fermentation in optimized soybean whey-enriched 10% sucrose at 37 °C for 24 h. The water-soluble EPS-1 was obtained by DEAE-52 anion exchange chromatography, and the structural characterization of EPS-1 was investigated. The EPS-1 was homogeneous with an average molecular weight of 4.712 × 106 Da and consisted mainly of glucose. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum and flourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum indicated that the EPS-1 contained →3)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ and →6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ residues. The rheological properties of EPS-1 under the conditions of changing shear rate, concentration, temperature and coexisting ions showed its pseudoplastic fluid behaviors. In addition, the EPS-1 exhibited certain scavenging activity on the ABTS radical and chelating activity on metal ions at relatively high concentrations. Furthermore, EPS-1 with a certain concentration was confirmed to have significant protective effects on yeast cell injury induced by hydrogen peroxide. This study reported the structural characteristics of exopolysaccharide from Lc. citreum 1.2461 and provides a basis for its potential application in the field of functional foods.

An efficient approach for the extraction of anthocyanins from Lycium ruthenicum using semi-continuous liquid phase pulsed electrical discharge system

Lycium ruthenicum is regarded as a good source of natural anthocyanins. In this work, we proposed a novel semi-continuous liquid-phase pulsed discharge (LPD) system for the extraction of anthocyanins from Lycium ruthenicum. The optimized conditions for this method were: 20% ethanol concentration, 7 pH value, 8 kV input voltage, 27 mL/min volume flow, and 8 min treatment time. Under these conditions, a maximum anthocyanins recovery rate (95.69%) was obtained. Compared with batch LPD and heat-assisted extraction (HAE), semi-continuous LPD showed higher anthocyanins yield, shorter time, and lower energy consumption. The antioxidant activity of extracts was determined by scavenging ability of DPPH and ABTS radicals and, reducing ability of Fe3+. The results indicated that the antioxidant activity of batch LPD, HAE, and semi-continuous LPD were similar. Besides, the HPLC chromatograms showed that three methods had similar anthocyanins composition. Thus, semi-continuous LPD was an good and promising method for the extraction of natural anthocyanins.

Network pharmacology, molecular docking and in vivo and in vitro experiments to explore the molecular mechanism of licorice green tea beverage to scavenge oxygen free radicals.

Excessive oxygen free radicals can lead to aging, cancer, and other diseases. Therefore, searching for effective antioxidants to scavenge oxygen free radicals has become the focus of modern medicine. In this study, the molecular mechanism of Licorice Green Tea Beverage (LGTB) in scavenging oxygen free radicals was investigated by means of network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental verification. Network pharmacology studies have shown that paeonol, eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, swertisin, rutin, glycyrrhetinic acid, oleic, pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside and quercetin, kaferempol were the main active components of LGTB, and SOD and CAT are important targets for LGTB in scavenging oxygen free radicals. The results of molecular docking showed that these representative compounds had good affinity to SOD and CAT target proteins. In vitro free radical scavenging experiments showed that LTGB had significant scavenging effects on both DPPH and ABTS radicals, and had strong total reducing power. In vitro cell experiments showed that LGTB could protect HaCaT cells from oxidative stress induced by H2 O2 . The mechanism of LGTB was related to the increase of SOD and CAT activity. Western blotting showed that LGTB could inhibit PI3K/AKT/HIF-1 signaling pathway and improve the antioxidant capacity of HaCaT cells. In vivo experiments showed that LGTB could significantly increase mouse visceral index, increase serum SOD and GSH-Px activity, decrease the content of MDA, and improve liver and kidney pathological state. This study reported the molecular mechanism of LTGB scavenging oxygen free radicals, which provided scientific basis for the treatment and clinical research of aging and other diseases caused by excessive free radicals. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Free radicals are produced by the normal response of cells during aerobic respiration and perform various functions, such as signaling and providing protection against infection. However, excessive free radicals can lead to aging, cancer, and other diseases. The antioxidant can overcome the harm caused by excessive free radicals. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of scavenging oxygen free radicals of Licorice Green Tea Beverage (LGTB) through network pharmacology and molecular docking, and its efficacy was verified by free radical scavenging experiment in vitro, HaCaT cell oxidative stress injury induced by H2 O2 , D-galactose to establish an aging model in mice and Western blotting experiment. It not only elucidates its mechanism at the system level, but also proves its validity at the biological level. It provides the theoretical basis and experimental evidence for the follow-up research and promotion of the product.

Synthesis of p-coumaroyl amino acid derivatives and evaluation of their anti-oxidative and anti-tyrosinase activities

P-coumaroyl amino acid ethyl esters (p-CAAEEs, ãf) were successfully synthesized with p-coumaric acid (p-Coa) and amino acid ethyl ester hydrochloride under the catalysis of 1-ethyl-3- (dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt). The new derivatives were characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, and UPLC-MS spectroscopy techniques. The antioxidative activities of p-CAAEEs were evaluated in terms of scavenging capabilities of DPPH, hydroxyl and ABTS radicals. Among these compounds, d and f exhibited the stronger strength to scavenge free radicals. In addition, their anti-tyrosinase activities were determined through monophenolase and diphenolase experiments. In the anti-tyrosinase diphenolase experiment, all p-CAAEEs had stronger inhibitory abilities than that of p-Coa. In particular, compound f exhibited potential both anti-oxidative and anti-tyrosinase activities.

A bioprintable gellan gum/lignin hydrogel: a smart and sustainable route for cartilage regeneration

In this work a hydrogel, based on a blend of two gellan gums with different acyl content embedding lignin (up to 0.4%w/v) and crosslinked with magnesium ions, was developed for cartilage regeneration. The physico-chemical characterizations established that no chemical interaction between lignin and polysaccharides was detected. Lignin achieved up to 80 % of ascorbic acid's radical scavenging activity in vitro on DPPH and ABTS radicals. Viability of hMSC onto hydrogel containing lignin resulted comparable to the lignin-free one (>70 % viable cells, p > 0.05). The presence of lignin improved the hMSC 3D-constructs chondrogenesis, bringing to a significant (p < 0.05) up-regulation of the collagen type II, aggrecan and SOX 9 chondrogenic genes, and conferred bacteriostatic properties to the hydrogel, reducing the proliferation of S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Finally, cellularized 3D-constructs were manufactured via 3D-bioprinting confirming the processability of the formulation as a bioink and its unique biological features for creating a physiological milieu for cell growth.

An orally administered gold nanocluster with ROS scavenging for inflammatory bowel disease treatment

Oxidative stress that is induced by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) is considered to be a key pathophysiological mechanism of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and restoring redox homeostasis in the inflammatory region by eliminating ROS is an effective way to treat IBD. Herein, ultrasmall Au25 nanoclusters (Au25 NCs) were synthesized using a simple improved protocol, which has good physiological stability and biosafety and can be noninvasively monitored by clinical computed tomography (CT) after oral administration. Au25 NCs can eliminate ROS such as ABTS radicals, superoxide free radicals (•O2−), and hydroxyl free radicals (•OH), upregulate the expression level of antioxidant enzymes, inhibit the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and finally interrupt the inflammatory circuit of IBD to achieve the effective prevention and delayed treatment of IBD. This work will demonstrate the protective effect of Au25 NCs on IBD in living animals, which suggests a new nanomedicine strategy for IBD treatment.

Antioxidant and cytoprotective properties of seeds and seed by-products from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

The seed of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., commonly known as Chinese lotus, has been used as an indigenous medicine in Taiwan. The present study aims to evaluate the variable antioxidant activity of Nelumbo nucifera ethanolic extracts (NNEE) collected from different parts of the lotus. The seed epicarp had significantly higher extractable total phenolic content (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC) than the seed and seed pod. Compared to the seed and seed pod, the seed epicarp also exhibited lower IC50 values of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), EC50 for reducing power, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging activity. Moreover, DPPH and ABTS radicals, reducing power activity, and H2O2 scavenging activity by NNEE were highly and significantly associated with TPC and TFC. Seed epicarp NNEE at a concentration of 25 μg/mL gave significantly higher protection to Raw 264.7 mouse macrophages against H2O2 induced damage compared with blanks. Seed epicarp NNEE was also found to have the most significant protection effect on oxidative DNA damage. Therefore, the NNEE of seed epicarp exhibited higher in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant activity, and can be used as a functional ingredient representing a potential source of natural antioxidants to prevent and treat oxidative stress-related disorders.

Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Bubble Belly Massage Oil and their Crude Ingredients

Bubble Belly massage oil is popular among Malaysians since its commercialization in 2018. The massage oil contains lemon oil, vitamin E oil, aloe vera oil, eucalyptus oil, ginger oil, black pepper, fenugreek, Caesalpinia sappan, Usnea barbata, and Helicteres isora. The massage oil is believed to reduce weight, cellulite, menstrual pain, body ache, and scar appearances. The study evaluated oil and its crude ingredients for antioxidant activity using DPPH and ABTS assays, antibacterial activity was evaluated by using disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays. The crude ingredients soaked in the massage oil were dried and underwent aqueous extraction. Phenols, tannins, and quinones were detected qualitatively in the samples. Highest DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging of 73.1% at 0.78% (v/v), and 98.2% at 12.5% (v/v), respectively were shown by the oil. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Enterococcus faecalis were susceptible to the oil at 100% (v/v) with a zone of inhibition of 15.0 mm, 14.0 mm, 12.0 mm, 9.0 mm, and 14.0 mm, respectively. All the tested bacteria were resistant to the crude ingredients. The MIC values against B. cereus, MRSA, K. pneumonia, and E. coli treated with oil were in the range of 0.39 to 0.78% (v/v). Both the crude ingredients and oil showed MBC values of 12.5 mg/mL and 0.39% against B. cereus and MRSA, respectively. In a nutshell, the massage oil showed significant inhibitory and radical scavenging activities and thus is potential as an antibacterial and antioxidant agent.

Extraction, purification, and characterization of polysaccharides from Alhagi pseudoalhagi with antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities

Alhagi pseudalhagi is a well-known herbal remedy in traditional medicine. The current study aims to isolate and characterize the polysaccharides of A. pseudalhagi, as well as assess their antioxidative and hypoglycemic effects in vitro. Using DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100 chromatographic columns, obtained one neutral (APs-1) and two acidic (APs-2, APs-3) polysaccharides. HPGPC, GC–MS, UV, FT–IR, Congo red, CD, and SEM analyses were used to characterize their physicochemical properties. The major monosaccharides in APs-1 and APs-2 were rhamnose, mannose, glucose and galactose, while in APs-3 was only rhamnose and galactose. They were heteropolysaccharides with average molecular weights of 57.8 kDa, 630 kDa, and 707 kDa, respectively. All three polysaccharides were in α-glycosidic linkage and had a triple-helical conformation with varying degrees of asymmetry. APs-1and APs-2 exhibited relatively loose, curly, honeycomb-like texture, whereas APs-3 was cross-linked filamentous with a smooth surface. In vitro, all three polysaccharides demonstrated remarkable antioxidant effects on the DPPH and ABTS radicals, with, APs-3 demonstrating excellent α-glucosidase inhibiting capacity of the three polysaccharides. showed better ABTS scavenging and α-glucosidase inhibiting capacity compared to APs-1 and APs-2. These findings suggest that A. pseudalhagi polysaccharides have the potential to act as an antioxidant and a hypoglycemic agent.