Effects Of Pine Needle Extracts Research Articles

Effects of Pine Needle Extracts on the Degradation of LLDPE.

Polyolefin suffers from degradation during processing and application. To prolong the service life, antioxidants are needed in the packing formula of polyolefin products. The usage of natural antioxidants could avoid potential health hazards aroused by synthetic ones. Pine needles have long lives and hardly rot, suggesting their high resistance to degradation. To provide a new candidate of natural antioxidants and add more value to pine needles, pine needle extracts (PNE) were investigated as the antioxidant of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). PNE-modified LLDPE (PE-PNE) exhibited much better short-term and long-term aging resistance than pure LLDPE (PE): Oxidation induction time (OIT) of PE-PNE was 52 times higher than that of PE, and the increments of carbonyl index (CI) of PE-PNE-1st samples placed under daylight and in the dark were approximately 75% and 63% of PE under the same conditions. It could be attributed to the attractive antioxidant capacity of PNE (IC50 of DPPH radical scavenging was 115 μg/mL). In addition, the PE-PNE sample showed high processing stability and maintenance of the mechanical property during multiple extrusions: only a 0.2 g/10 min decrease in melting flow rate was found after five extrusions; the tensile strength and elongation at break were almost unchanged. All results reveal that pine needle extracts could play a role in LLDPE stabilization. Moreover, as pine needles are mainly considered a kind of waste, the present study would benefit the budget-reducing polyolefin industry.

Pine needle extract from Cedrus deodara: Potential applications on hazardous chemicals and quality of smoked bacon and its mechanism

Effect of pine needle extract from Cedrus deodara (PNE) on the quality and safety of Chinese traditional smoked bacon was observed, and its action mechanism was further investigated. With the treatment of PNE, the quality properties of smoked bacon, including moisture content, pH and titratable acidity values, color, texture and volatile compositions, were all ameliorated. Meanwhile, the peroxide value (POV), thiobarbituric acid value (TBARS) and nitrite content of smoked bacon with PNE decreased. In addition, the content of N -nitrosodimethylamine in smoked bacon gradually decreased with the increased concentration of PNE. Moreover, the heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were not detected in smoked bacon with PNE, while the types and contents of light PAHs in smoked bacon were both reduced by PNE. With the measurement of fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism spectroscopy, the secondary and tertiary structures of myofibrillar protein in smoked bacon were both changed though the treatment of PNE. Furthermore, according to the analysis of molecular docking, hydrogen bond was the main molecular force between PNE and meat proteins in smoked bacon. All present results suggested that PNE had the potential value to improve the quality and safety of smoked bacon in food industry. • PNE had the ability to improve the quality of smoked bacon. • PNE could decrease the POV, TBARS and nitrite content of smoked bacon. • PNE could reduce the formation of N -nitrosodimethylamine in smoked bacon. • PNE could inhibit the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoked bacon. • PNE changed the structure and property of meat proteins by noncovalent interaction.

Effect of Cedrus deodara extract on the physiochemical and sensory properties of salted meat and its action mechanism

The effect of pine needle extract from Cedrus deodara (PNE) on the quality of salted meat was reported, and its action mechanism was further investigated. With the treatment of PNE, the physicochemical properties of salted meat were improved. The peroxide value decreased from 16.18 to 6.78mmol O2 /kg, while the thiobarbituric acid value decreased from 0.79 to 0.40mg MDA/kg. Moreover, the salted meat with PNE also had the better texture, color, and volatile compositions. The 0.2% PNE group showed the highest ΔE value (63.16± 0.56), hardness (813.5± 48.7g), and volatility (45.86± 0.39), while the control group showed the lowest ΔE value (43.92± 2.13), hardness (515.8± 17.3g) and volatility (29.97± 0.56). In addition, with the analysis of fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy, the spatial structures of myofibrillar protein (MP) in salted meat were obviously changed by PNE. Meanwhile, methylconiferin, 1-O-feruloyl-β-D-glucose, nortrachelogenin, secoxyloganin, 1-O-(4-coumaroyl)-β-D-glucose and pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside were identified from PNE. Furthermore, according to the analysis of molecular docking, hydrogen bond, hydrophobic force, and electrostatic force were obtained as the main molecular forces between MP and the phenolic compounds of PNE, while arginine, glutamic acid, and glycine residues were the main binding sites. All results suggested that PNE might be a potential candidate to improve the quality of salted meat in the food industry. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The quality deterioration of meat may not only affect its further processing and consumption but also may lead to some food safety problems. In present study, PNE exhibited the fine capability to inhibit the oxidation of meat, while it could ameliorate the texture, color, and physicochemical properties of meat due to its tightly interaction with myofibrillar protein. All result suggested that PNE could be potentially utilized to improve the quality of meat in food industry.

Anti-Obesity Effect of Pine Needle Extract on High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

Background: Obesity due to an excessive intake of nutrient disturbs the hypothalamus-mediated energy metabolism subsequently develops metabolic disorders. In this study, we investigated the effect of pine needle extract (PNE) on the hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons involved in the regulation of energy balance via melanocortin system and fat tissue metabolism. Methods: We performed electrophysiological and immunohistochemical analyses to determine the effect of PNE on POMC neurons. Mice were fed a normal or high-fat diet for 12 weeks, then received PNE for the last 2 weeks to measure the following physiological indices: Body weight, food intake, fat/lean mass, glucose metabolism, and plasma leptin levels. In addition, changes of thermogenic, lipolytic, and lipogenetic markers were evaluated in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) by western blotting, respectively. Results: PNE increased hypothalamic POMC neuronal activity, and the effect was abolished by blockade of melanocortin 3/4 receptors (MC3/4Rs). PNE decreased body weight, fat mass, plasma leptin levels, and improved glucose metabolism after high-fat-induced obesity. However, PNE did not change the expression of thermogenic markers of the BAT in HFD fed groups, but decreased only the lipogenetic markers of WAT. This study suggests that PNE has a potent anti-obesity effect, inhibiting lipogenesis in WAT, even though HFD-induced leptin resistance-mediated disruption of POMC neuronal activity.

Chitosan based antioxidant films incorporated with pine needles (Cedrus deodara) extract for active food packaging applications

Pine needles (Cedrus deodara) comprise curcuminoid pigments, which are natural phenolic compounds. This study aimed to investigate the effect of pine needle extract (PNE) addition 5, 10, and 20% (v/w) on the antioxidant assay, physical, oxygen, water vapor permeability, color, and microstructures of the films were performed on scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The films containing PNE at the concentration of 10 and 20% showed a high antioxidant assay (total phenolics, DPPH, and radical scavenging assessment by the ABTS). The PNE content increase from 5% to 20% in films decreased the oxygen permeability (0.259 ± 0.01 to 0.08 ± 0.01 cm3 mm m−2 day−1 Pa−1) and water vapor permeability (2.18 ± 0.02 to 1.67 ± 0.11 g mm/m2 h kPa) of all films. In contrast, the thickness of films containing PNE slightly increased from 0.032 ± 0.003 to 0.041 ± 0.009 mm. PNE incorporated films had a greenish color, while neat CH film was somewhat yellowish. The notable alterations in terms of surface microstructure in the CH films containing 10 and 20% PNE were noticed. XRD illustrated the excellent compatibility between CH and PNE. CH films gained a significant antioxidant property and improved their characteristic properties by incorporating PNE, presenting a useful food packaging application.

Pine (Pinus morrisonicola Hayata) needle extracts sensitize GBM8901 human glioblastoma cells to temozolomide by downregulating autophagy and O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase expression.

Pine needle extracts of Pinus morrisonicola (Hayata) are commonly used as a functional health beverage. However, it remains unclear what the mechanism is underlying the antitumor activity of pine needle extract. The aims of present study were to investigate the anti-glioblastoma effects of pine needle extracts as well as its bioactive compounds. From three different solvent extracts of pine needles, the water extract displayed the strongest cytotoxicity effects on GBM8901 glioblastoma cells. The isolated compounds were identified as pinocembrin, chrysin, and tiliroside. Chrysin was the most active ingredient of pine needle extract for the induction of apoptosis and suppression of migration and invasion. It also markedly inhibited temozolomide (TMZ)-induced autophagy and O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) expression. Because both autophagy and MGMT overexpression have been implicated to TMZ-induced drug resistance in glioblastoma, our results showed that pine needle extract and chrysin may serve as a potential anticancer agent against glioblastoma, especially with regard to sensitizing glioblastoma cells resistant to TMZ.

Pine needle extract suppresses adiposity via mediating adipogenic gene expressions of white adipose tissue in high fat diet-fed rats

Effect of pine needle extract (PNE) on adiposity was examined through morphologic examination and adipogenic gene expression of white adipose tissue (WAT) in high fat diet (HFD)-fed rats. Four type diets; normal diet (ND), HFD, and diets respectively supplemented with PNE in both ND and HFD, were fed for 8 weeks. The adipose fat mass and the sizes in WAT were significantly lower in PNE-supplemented HFD group than in HFD group. The serum levels of PNE-supplemented HFD group were similar to those of ND group. The supplementation of PNE to HFD markedly increased adiponectin mRNA, but decreased those of leptin and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in WAT, respectively. PNE enhanced glucose uptake of epididymal WAT under insulin stimulation. The results suggest that the beneficial effect of PNE supplementation on adipose fat and serum profiles in HFD-fed rats is partly modulated by adipogenic genes, such as adiponectin, leptin, and TNF-α mRNA in WAT.

적송잎 추출물이 항산화 활성 및 파골세포의 증식에 미치는 영향

아시아 지역 널리 자생하고 있는 소나무는 항암, 조골세포의 콜라겐 합성 등 다양한 연구결과가 보고된 바 있으나, 항산화 활성에 따른 파골세포의 증식 및 분화에 대한 연구는 미비한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 적송잎 추출물별 항산화 활성과 RAW 264.7 세포를 이용하여 적송잎 추출물이 파골세포의 증식과 TRAP 활성에 미치는 영향에 대해 검토하였다. 적송잎 추출물의 총 폴리페놀 함량을 측정한 결과, 열수에탄올 추출물이 140.54 mg/g으로 가장 높은 함량을 나타내었으며, 그 다음은 에탄올 추출물, 열수 추출물, 열수헥산 추출물, 헥산 추출물 순으로 나타났다. SOD 유사활성을 검색한 결과, 열수, 에탄올 및 열수에탄올 추출물이 proanthocyanidin의 47.31%보다 높은 SOD 유사활성을 보였다. MTT assay에 의한 파골세포의 생존율을 측정한 결과, 에탄올 추출물 경우 1 μg/mL의 농도에서 54.04%로 가장 낮은 생존율을 나타내었고 적송잎 헥산 추출물 또한 70% 이하의 생존율을 나타내어, 각 추출물 간의 생존 비율에 차이는 있으나 모든 적송잎 추출물에 있어 파골세포의 성장을 억제하는 결과가 나타났다. 적송잎 추출물의 파골세포 분화 억제 효과를 알아보기 위해 TRAP staining 한 결과, 모든 추출물에서 대조군보다 낮은 TRAP 활성이 나타났다. 특히 열수 및 에탄올 추출물의 경우, 1 μg/mL의 낮은 농도에서 각각 67.8 및 66.3%로 파골세포 분화를 감소시켰으나, 헥산추출물은 약 80%의 분화 감소율을 나타내었다. 100 μg/mL의 고농도 첨가군에서는 오히려 에탄올 추출물의 파골세포분화 감소율이 낮게 나타나, 저농도에서의 효과가 우수한 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 항산화 활성을 가지는 적송잎 추출물이 파골세포의 증식과 분화를 억제하여 골흡수 억제에 효과를 준다는 것이 확인되었으며, 구체적인 기작 연구와 in vivo 연구가 병행된다면 노화 및 골다공증 예방과 관련된 기능성 천연소재로 개발이 가능하리라 사료된다.

적송잎 열수 추출물이 사염화탄소를 투여한 흰쥐의 항산화 활성에 미치는 영향

Pine (pinus densiflora) needles have long been used as a traditional health-promoting medicinal food in Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of pine needle extracts on the hepatic antioxidant system in the damaged liver of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-treated rats. Nine-week-old Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: normal group (NOR), CCl₄-treated group (CCL), pine needle hot water extract and CCl₄-treated group (CCL-P), and Vitamin C and CCl₄-treated group (CCL-V). The enzyme activities and antioxidant effects of the pine needle hot water extracts were investigated at the levels of liver homogenates and serum of rats intoxicated with CCl₄. Serum GOT and GPT activities by CCl₄ treatment increased compared to those of the NOR group. However, they tended to decrease in the hot water extract-administered group. Liver SOD activity in the CCL group was significantly lower than the NOR group (p＜0.05). However, they increased in the CCL-P group compared to the CCL group. Further, the CAT and GPx activities of serum treated with CCl₄ were higher compared to those of the NOR group but lower in the CCL-P group compared to CCL group. These results suggest that pine needle hot water extract increases antioxidant activities.

적송잎 추출물이 조골세포의 collagen 합성에 미치는 영향

솔잎은 항산화력이 우수한 것으로 알려져 있으며, mouse calvaria 유래의 MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cell은 골세포의 세포 활성과 관련된 연구에서 유용하게 이용되어왔다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 MC3T3-E1 세포를 이용하여 적송잎 용매별 추출물이 세포 증식에 미치는 영향과 ALP 활성 및 조골세포의 골 형성을 위한 필수 인자인 콜라겐 합성의 영향에 대해 검토하였다. 적송잎 추출물의 농도(1, 10 50, <TEX>$100\;{\mu}g/ml$</TEX>)에 따른 조골세포 성장에 미치는 영향을 MTT assay로 분석한 결과, proanthocyanidin의 경우 <TEX>$50\;{\mu}g/ml$</TEX> 이상 첨가한 군에서 대조군보다 급격한 증식률을 나타내었다. 에탄올 추출물을 첨가하였을 때 유의적인 증식률이 나타나지 않은 반면, 적송잎 헥산 추출물 처리군에 있어서는 <TEX>$10\;{\mu}g/ml$</TEX> 농도 이상에서 유의적으로 세포증식이 촉진되었다. 적송잎 추출물이 ALP 활성에 미치는 영향을 조사한 결과, 적송잎 추출물이 조골세포의 ALP의 활성을 증가시켜 조골세포의 분화에 영향을 줄 가능성이 제시 되었다. 또한 적송잎의 열수 및 에탄올 추출물보다 헥산 추출물에서 조골세포의 ALP 활성이 증가하여 적송잎의 ALP 활성에 영향을 주는 성분은 수용성 성분보다 지용성 성분인 것으로 추측되었다. 적송잎 추출물이 조골세포의 콜라겐 합성에 미치는 실험결과에서 헥산 추출물뿐만 아니라 열수 추출물에서도 높은 콜라겐 합성능력을 나타내었다. 따라서 단일성분에 의한 것보다 복합적 성분들의 상승작용에 의해 조골세포의 콜라겐 합성이 촉진된 것으로 추측할 수 있다. 적송잎 추출물이 조골세포의 증식, ALP 활성 및 콜라겐 합성을 촉진하여 골 생성에 영향을 줄 수 있는 것이 확인되었으며, 그에 대한 구체적인 기작 연구를 위하여 향후 분자생물학적인 차원에서의 in vitro 및 in vivo 실험을 통한 구체적인 연구가 수행되어야 할 것으로 사료된다. Osteoporosis is a disease involving a decrease in bone mineral density and an increased risk of fractures. The MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblastic cell line is a well-accepted model of osteogenesis in vitro. Pine needles have long been used as a traditional health-promoting medicinal food in Korea. In this study, MTT assay, the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and collagen synthesis of osteoblast cells were investigated to determine the effects of pine needle extracts on cell proliferation and differentiation. Pine needle extracts were prepared using hexane, ethanol and water. The effects of the pine needle extracts were examined by comparing the results with those of commercial agents, such as proanthocyanidin. The MC3T3-E1 cells exposed to proanthocyanidin showed increased proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. The cells exposed to the hexane extract showed a similar increase in proliferation to that observed with proanthocyanidin. The hexane extract showed the highest ALP activity. Moreover, a supplement of pine needle extracts induced collagen synthesis in MC3T3-E1 cells. The pine needle extract produced the highest level of collagen synthesis at concentrations of <TEX>$10{\sim}50\;{\mu}g/ml$</TEX>. These results indicate that pine needle extracts have an anabolic effect on bone by promoting osteoblastic differentiation, and may be used in the treatment of common metabolic bone diseases.

Effects of pine needle extracts on plasma cholesterol, fibrinolysis and gastrointestinal motility

Pine needle (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.) extract has been used to improve cardiovascular disorders, detoxification of nicotine, the infirmities of age and curing diseases of unidentified symptoms in folk medicine. To determine the facts behind the traditional belief, we tried to investigate the effects of fresh and self-fermented pine needle extracts of different aging. Fibrinolytic activities of the extract indicated that activity depends on time and also with aging of the product. It was also found that the extract can lower the blood plasma cholesterol and triglyceride in cholesterol fed rat. Also, Self-Fermented Pine Needle Extracts 7 years old (SFPE 7) (200 μg/mL) reduce the frequency and amplitude of pacemaker currents in Interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICC) of murine small intestine by modulating ATP-sensitive potassium channels. Therefore, the investigation indicated that self-fermentation improves efficacy of the pine needle extracts reducing risk of cardio-vascular related disorders and would be an important source in nutraceutics.

Furfural from Pine Needle Extract Inhibits the Growth of a Plant Pathogenic Fungus, Alternaria mail

The antifungal effect of pine needle extract prepared by a distinguishable extraction method and the dry distillation method, was examined. The effect of this extract itself was insignificant. The chemical components of pine needle extract were then investigated by gas chromatographic analysis, and four chemical components, acetol, furfural, 5-methyl furfural, and terpine-4-ol, were identified. The antifungal effects of those four chemical components against Alternaria mall (A. mail), an agent of Alternaria blotch of apple, were then examined. It was observed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were 6.25, 0.78, 0.78, and 12.5 (mg/ml) of acetol, furfural, 5-methyl furfural, and terpine-4-ol, respectively. MICs of furfural and 5-methyl furfural had the same order of magnitude as that of an antifungal agrochemical, chlorothalonil. Although furfural itself can not be completely substituted for an antifungal agrochemical, a partial mixture of furfural and antifungal agrochemical may be used as a substitute. The use of agrochemicals for the prevention of plant disease caused by pathogenic fungus such as A. mail could be partially reduced by the application of this mixture.

Study on the antimutagenic effect of pine needle extract

The micronulceus test and sister-chromatic exchange (SCE) test were used to research the antimutagenic effect of pine needle extract. The results showed that the mutagenic effect of cyclosphamide (CP) was inhibited by the pine needle extract. The micronucleus frequencies (MNF) of mouse bone marrow and human lymphocytes from peripheral blood were decreased with the effect of the extract (the dose was 2000 mg/kg or 5 mg/ml); the frequency of SCE in human lymphocytes was also reduced significantly, which indicated that the MNF and the SCE frequencies were negatively correlated with the dose of pine needle extract ( r = −0.9782, −0.9587, −.09765, respectively). This suggested that the pine needle extract was an effective antimutagen and it is important to choose the proper doses of pine needle extract for antitumor effect.