Fraction F1 Research Articles

Volatile Bioactive Compounds from Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae IBRL OS-64, an Endophytic Fungus Residing in the Leaf of Ocimum sanctum

Endophytic fungi are known as potential novel compound producers with promising antimicrobial activities. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the possible bioactive compounds present in the ethyl acetate extract of Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae IBRL OS-64. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited significant antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in disc diffusion assay. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was performed with chloroform, acetone and ethyl acetate (1:2:1, respectively) used as a solvent system and nine spots with diverse polarities were obtained. The TLC chromatogram with the active spot was localized with bioautography assay and the finding revealed that the dark spot with an Rf value of 0.5882 showed good antibacterial activity against all test bacteria. The fraction F5 exhibited promising antibacterial activity upon partial purification of dark spot via column chromatography and the GC-MS analysis of fraction F5 resulted in the detection of a major compound, 2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono (2-ethylhexyl) ester with 90% matching factor. Thus, this compound may greatly contribute to the antibacterial activity of the fraction and has the potential to be developed as an antibiotic. The findings indirectly indicate that fungal endophytes from the medicinal plant could be a potential candidate for bioactive compounds with pharmaceutical properties.

Assessing the environmental risk and mobility of cobalt in sediment near nonferrous metal mines with risk assessment indexes and the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique

The Jialing River is the tributary of the Yangtze River with the largest drainage area. In recent years, the Jialing River has suffered a series of environmental problems, such as discharge of industrial effluent and sand mining activities, which have severely threatened the aquatic ecosystem of the river. In the present study, we employed risk assessment indexes, sequential extraction and the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique to assess environmental risks and study the remobilization of cobalt (Co) in sediments. The potential ecological risk index and risk assessment code results demonstrated that Co may pose a low environmental and ecological risk to the local aquatic environment. However, BCR sequential extraction showed that the sum of the F1, F2 and F3 fractions of Co still accounted for over 50% of the Co in the study areas, indicating that sediments may be a source of Co release. The DGT results showed an increasing trend for DGT-labile Co in deep sediments (−8 cm to −12 cm), and the calculated flux values ranged from 0.08 to 15.54 ng cm2·day−1, indicating that Co tends to transfer across the sediment-water interface at all sampling sites. Correlation analysis showed that F1–Co, F2–Co and F3–Co are the fractions readily captured by DGT and can be used for predicting Co remobilization in sediment. Sand mining activities contribute substantially to the release of Co from the F1 and F3 fractions as a result of strong stirring of sediments and introduction of oxygen into the sediments. The reductive dissolution of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) hydroxides or oxides causes the release of Co and Fe/Mn in the sediment, which leads to Co release from the reducible fraction. The above work suggests that sand mining in the Jialing River should be reasonably regulated to prohibit illegal sand mining activities.

Analysis of the Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Potential of the Fractions Obtained From the Ethyl Acetate Partition of the Leaves of Diplopterys Pubipetala

Aims: The objective of this work was to analyze the anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of the fractions of ethyl acetate from the leaves of D. pubipetala.
 Methodology: Liquid-liquid partitioning was performed, the ethyl acetate partition was eluted in classical liquid chromatography, followed by thin layer chromatography. Antioxidant activity was performed by the DPPH photochlorimetric method and the levels of interleukin (IL‑6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‑α), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and nitric oxide (NO) were identified in supernatants of cell cultures.
 Results: Fractions F4, F5 and F10 showed antioxidant activity. The F10 fraction indicated efficient anti-inflammatory activity by the production of IL-10 and nitric oxides. Fractions F4, F5 and F9 stimulated the production of IL-6 and TNF-α.
 Conclusion: These results indicate a possible synergistic action of the extract and the partition of ethyl acetate, since after fractionation the potential presented in previous studies was lower.

Characterization of the Compounds Released in the Gaseous Waste Stream during the Slow Pyrolysis of Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.).

This study aims to characterize and valorize hemp residual biomass by a slow pyrolysis process. The volatile by-products of hemp carbonization were characterized by several methods (TGA, UV-VIS, TLC, Flash Prep-LC, UHPLC, QTOF-MS) to understand the pyrolysis reaction mechanisms and to identify the chemical products produced during the process. The obtained carbon yield was 29%, generating a gaseous stream composed of phenols and furans which was collected in four temperature ranges (F1 at 20–150 °C, F2 at 150–250 °C, F3 at 250–400 °C and F4 at 400–1000 °C). The obtained liquid fractions were separated into subfractions by flash chromatography. The total phenolic content (TPC) varied depending on the fraction but did not correlate with an increase in temperature or with a decrease in pH value. Compounds present in fractions F1, F3 and F4, being mainly phenolic molecules such as guaiacyl or syringyl derivatives issued from the lignin degradation, exhibit antioxidant capacity. The temperature of the pyrolysis process was positively correlated with detectable phenolic content, which can be explained by the decomposition order of the hemp chemical constituents. A detailed understanding of the chemical composition of pyrolysis products of hemp residuals allows for an assessment of their potential valorization routes and the future economic potential of underutilized biomass.

Effect-directed analysis of toxic organics in PM2.5 exposure to the cellular bioassays in vitro: Application in Shanxi of China

To optimize the effect-directed analysis (EDA) approach to identify the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) bound organic toxicants, Jinzhong city, in the Shanxi Province of China, was selected as the object of our study. First, PM2.5 samples were collected and their organic extracts were separated out in 9 fractions (F1–F9) using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography after purification using gel permeation chromatography. Second, the toxicity effects of each fraction were measured by human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) in vitro. And toxicity effects included antioxidant stress (ROS, LDH, and CAT) and an inflammatory response (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α). The results showed that the scores of the toxicity effects on multiple lines of evidence were the highest in the F3 and F4 fractions compared with those of the control. Subsequently, the main poisons, o-cymene, p-cymene, benzene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene, were identified using GC×GC-TOF/MS. Finally, to confirm the above possible candidates, (1) the levels of o-cymene, p-cymene and BTEXS in daily PM2.5 were measured using GC-MS in November 2020, and the rates of detection of these pollutants were 100% in PM2.5. Among them, o-cymene and p-cymene were first reported as the key toxic substances of PM2.5, and their average concentration values were 0.16 ± 0.11 and 0.18 ± 0.15 ng‧m–3, respectively. (2) the toxicity of p-cymene may be no less than that of other benzene derivatives according to their LC50 in Daphnia magna. (3) based on canonical correlation analysis, the exposure to p-cymene, benzene, and styrene in PM2.5 was most likely associated with the toxicity effects (CAT, IL-6, and TNF-α), which in turn caused the observed toxicity. In conclusion, p-cymene, benzene, and styrene were found to be the key toxic organics in PM2.5 for cells in vitro. EDA technology avoids the limitations of chemical analysis and uncertainty of the biological testing and adds new toxicants to the control list of PM2.5, contributing to this study field. However, the application of EDA to PM2.5 still faces challenges such as the selection of biological effects, loss of toxicity with the separation process, influence of the dosing method, and identification of the unknown effects of pollutants.

Immunostimulatory activity of soybean hull polysaccharide on macrophages.

Water-soluble polysaccharide isolated from soybean hull and fractionated using ion-exchange chromatography were investigated to determine their molecular characteristics and immunostimulating activity. In the present study, soybean hull polysaccharide (SHP) was separated and purified to obtain three main fractions (F1, F2 and F3), and their chemical and monosaccharide compositions were analyzed. SHP was mainly composed of carbohydrates (64.3%), proteins (16.2%) and sulfates (12.5%), with minor levels of uronic acid (3.2%), and predominantly contained glucose and mannose as monosaccharides. Moreover, when compared with cells treated with RPMI medium, SHP was revealed to promote the proliferation and pinocytosis of RAW264.7 cells, and to enhance the production of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. Furthermore, flow cytometry demonstrated that CD11b and CD40 were involved in the immune regulation of RAW264.7 cells by SHP. Moreover, western blotting and other experiments revealed that SHP, a type of pathogen-associated molecular pattern, was specifically recognized by the Toll-like receptor 2, which, in turn, upregulated the expression levels of proteins downstream of the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor κB pathways. Notably, the immune activity of the F2 fraction was markedly higher than that of the crude polysaccharides. In summary, the purified F2 fraction of SHP may be an effective nutritional supplement for human disorders associated with low immunity.

Assessment of the biotechnological activity of wheat hydrolysates prepared with the Biarum bovei extract

In this study, Biarum bovei extract was used to produce bioactive peptides from wheat gluten protein and the biological and functional properties of the hydrolysates were determinated. The results showed that Biarum bovei extract has its highest protease activity (7.3 U/mg protein) at 45 °C and pH 5. Based on electrophoresis analysis, the molecular weight of hydrolysate was < 10 kDa. F1 fraction had the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH (65.85 ± 2.64 µmol TE/g)) and ABTS radical scavenging assays (295.81 µmol TE/g). F2 fraction with 86.3 ± 0.48 had the ability to inhibit the ACE enzyme. The F3 and F1 fractions had statistically the highest inhibition rate (49.37 ± 0.12%. and 79.19 ± 1.13%) in alpha-glucosidase and alpha amylase, respectively. The F1, F2 fractions hydrolysate had an inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus. Functional properties of hydrolysates with increasing molecular weight, increased significantly. The presence of high levels (p ≤ 0.05) of amino acids with hydroxyl groups, hydrophobic and positive charged in fractions had critical role on biological and technological activity. These findings confirmed the efficiency of gluten hydrolysates with low molecular weight (F1 < 3 kDa) on biofunctionality such as scavenging radical activity, ACE inhibitory, antidiabetic and antibacterial activity could be beneficial from health and technological perspectives.

Gelidiales Are Not Just Agar-Revealing the Antimicrobial Potential of Gelidium corneum for Skin Disorders.

In recent decades, seaweeds have proven to be an excellent source of bioactive molecules. Presently, the seaweed Gelidium corneum is harvested in a small area of the Portuguese coast exclusively for agar extraction. The aim of this work was to fully disclosure Gelidium corneum as a sustainable source of antimicrobial ingredients for new dermatological formulations, highlighting its potential to be explored in a circular economy context. For this purpose, after a green sequential extraction, these seaweed fractions (F1–F5) were chemically characterized (1H NMR) and evaluated for their antimicrobial potential against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Cutibacterium acnes. The most active fractions were also evaluated for their effects on membrane potential, membrane integrity and DNA damage. Fractions F2 and F3 displayed the best results, with IC50 values of 16.1 (7.27–23.02) μg/mL and 51.04 (43.36–59.74) μg/mL against C. acnes, respectively, and 53.29 (48.75–57.91) μg/mL and 102.80 (87.15–122.30) μg/mL against S. epidermidis, respectively. The antimicrobial effects of both fractions seem to be related to membrane hyperpolarization and DNA damage. This dual mechanism of action may provide therapeutic advantages for the treatment of skin dysbiosis-related diseases.

Effects of In Vitro Digestion on Anti-α-Amylase and Cytotoxic Potentials of Sargassum spp.

This is the first study to examine the effects of in vitro digestion on biological activities of Sargassum spp., a broadly known brown seaweed for therapeutic potential. Three fractions (F1–F3) were obtained from hexane extract by column chromatography. Under in vitro simulated digestion, the anti-α-amylase capacity of F1 in oral and intestinal phases increases, while it significantly decreases in the gastric phase. The α-amylase inhibition of F2 promotes throughout all digestive stages while the activity of F3 significantly reduces. The cytotoxic activity of F1 against U266 cell-line accelerates over the oral, gastric, and intestinal stages. The fractions F2 and F3 exhibited the declined cytotoxic potentialities in oral and gastric phases, but they were strengthened under intestinal condition. Palmitic acid and fucosterol may play an active role in antidiabetic and cytotoxic activity against multiple myeloma U266 cell line of Sargassum spp. However, the involvement of other phytochemicals in the seaweed should be further investigated.

Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis-Induction Potential of Fraction F3 from Fruits of Bersama engleriana (Melanthaceae) against Human Cervical Cancer Cells

Cervical cancer is one of the most life-threatening malignancies worldwide, despite intensive research for more efficacious chemotherapeutic agents. Recent efforts geared towards eradicating the scourge of cancer have embodied a major surge of interest in natural products as promising lead molecules in pharmaceutical development and therapeutic translation. Consequently, this study aimed to assess the cytotoxicity of a previously identified plant Fraction (F3) from Bersama engleriana against cervical cancer (HeLa) cells and non-cancerous normal human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF cells). Flow cytometric analysis via Annexin V/PI in HeLa cells was carried out to assess apoptosis induction. We report here the 50% Inhibitory Concentration (IC50) of fraction F3 to be 96.15 µg/mL and a 50% Cytotoxic Concentration (CC50) of 527.4 µg/mL, as well as a Selectivity Index (SI) of 5.48, thus confirming that fraction F3 is relatively non-toxic to the normal cells compared to the cancer cells evaluated. In addition, microscopic observations showed a higher reduction of cells, aggregated with dark color in HeLa cells treated with fraction F3 compared to control (cells only). The Annexin V/PI analysis showed the percentages of apoptotic cells were 4.6±0.05, 7.9±0.9 and 7.6±0.15, respectively, for the control and treatments of cells with 120 and 150 µg/mL fraction F3 in early apoptosis (Annexin V+/PI-) 48 h post-treatment. Percentages of apoptotic cells were 2.1±0.1, 8.9±0.2 and 7.7±0.2, respectively, for control, 120 and 150 µg/mL fraction F3 treatments in late apoptosis (Annexin V+/PI+) after 48 h posttreatment. Nevertheless, a comparison of the lowest percentage inhibition of apoptosis with the highest number of reduced cells observed with fluorescence microscopy suggests that fraction F3 may exert its growth inhibitory action on HeLa cells via another mechanism. The results established that fraction F3 from B. engleriana is a promising source for exploring antitumor activity.

Anti-Cancer Activity of Buthus occitanus Venom on Hepatocellular Carcinoma in 3D Cell Culture.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most dominant primary liver cancer, which can be caused by chronic hepatitis virus infections and other environmental factors. Resection, liver transplantation, and local ablation are only a few of the highly effective and curative procedures presently accessible. However, other complementary treatments can reduce cancer treatment side effects. In this present work, we evaluated the activity of Moroccan scorpion venom Buthus occitanus and its fractions obtained by chromatography gel filtration against HCC cells using a 3D cell culture model. The venom was fractionated by gel filtration chromatography, each fraction and the crude venom was tested on normal hepatocytes (Fa2N-4 cells). Additionally, the fractions and the crude venom were tested on MCTSs (multicellular tumor spheroids), and this latter was generated by cultivate Huh7.5 cancer cell line with WI38 cells, LX2 cells, and human endothelial cells (HUVEC). Our results indicate that Buthus occitanus venom toxin has no cytotoxic effects on normal hepatocytes. Moreover, it is reported that F3 fraction could significantly inhibit the MCTS cells. Other Protein Separation Techniques (High-performance liquid chromatography) are needed in order to identify the most active molecule.

Chemical Speciation, Risk Assessment and Pollution Level of Lead Metals in Road Dust of some Industry Zones and Urban Areas in Northern Vietnam

This study analyzed the chemical speciation of Pb metal in road dust samples from six provinces in northern Vietnam. Samples were extracted according to Tesser's sequential extraction procedure. [22] and measured by the ICP/MS method, with the total recovery of Pb ranged from 90.9% to 107%. The analysis results showed that Pb existed mainly in the form of residual fraction F5 (38.6%) &gt; organic fraction (29.0%), &gt; Fe/Mn oxide fraction (19.2%) &gt; exchange fraction, and carbonate fraction (5.00% and 8.32%, respectively). The pollution indices such as geological accumulation index (Igeo), individual contamination factor (ICF), and risk assessment index (RAC%) were utilized to evaluate pollution levels. The values of Igeo of Pb in samples ranged from 1.80 to 2.65, with a mean value of 2.24. The value of ICF varied from 0.60 to 2.87, with a mean value of 2.04. The values of RAC ranged from 4.47% to 23.2%, with a mean value of 13.3%. In general, the concentration of Pb in most of the studied samples in the six provinces were classified as low pollution and risk levels according to Igeo, ICF and RAC. However, in some provinces which have many industries producing electronic components, steel ore, and densely populated urban areas, the pollution level of Pb was from moderate to large, potentially affecting the environment of the studied areas.

Isolated Components From Spider Venom Targeting Human Glioblastoma Cells and Its Potential Combined Therapy With Rapamycin.

Glioblastomas (GBs) are responsible for a higher mortality rate among gliomas, corresponding to more than 50% of them and representing a challenge in terms of therapy and prognosis. Peptide-based antineoplastic therapy is a vast and promising field, and these molecules are one of the main classes present in spider venoms. Recently, our research group demonstrated the cytotoxic effects of Phoneutria nigriventer spider venom (PnV) in GBs. The present study aimed to select the purified PnV-components with potential antineoplastic effects, as well as to compare different metabolic conditions. Human GB (NG97) cells were treated with the PnV fractions: F1 (less than 3 kDa), F2 (between 3 and 10 kDa), and F3 (greater than 10 kDa). After treatments, viability (MTT), proliferation (CFSE), death (Annexin V/propidium iodide-PI), and cell cycle (PI) assays were performed. The F1 and F2 fractions in acute periods (1 and 5 h) and low concentrations (0.1 and 1 μg/ml) showed more relevant effects and were repurified in subfractions (SF1–SF11); from these, SF3 and SF4 showed the most significant effects. The previous inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin had a synergistic effect with SFs, reducing cell viability even more significantly than the untreated control. Taken together, the results point to components present in SF3 and SF4 as potential prototypes for the development of new drugs for GB treatment and stimulate studies to use these compounds in combination therapy with a rapamycin-like activity. Future studies will be conducted to characterize, synthesize the molecules, and to evaluate the efficacy and safety in preclinical models.

Aggregate size distribution of arid and semiarid laboratory soils (

Soil aggregation is an important property, affecting issues such as soil structure and dust load. To investigate the potential to evaluate soil aggregation status via proximal sensing, we conducted a comprehensive study using the legacy soil spectral library (SSL) of Israel representing arid and semiarid environments. The SSL was segregated into six soil aggregate size fractions as follows: 2–1.4 mm, F1; 1.4–1.0 mm, F2; 1.0–0.5 mm, F3; 0.5–0.25 mm, F4; 0.25–0.1 mm, F5; <0.1 mm, F6; and the average aggregate size (AVG, in mm) was calculated. In addition, another 74 soil attributes were measured along with their sample reflectance spectra across the 0.4–2.5-μm spectral region. A comprehensive correlation matrix between all soil attributes enabled isolating four cementing agents (CAs) that bind the primary particles into aggregates: clay content, clay mineral (smectite), organic matter and free iron oxide content. Generating pedotransfer functions (PTFs) with these CAs revealed equations that fairly predicted the aggregate size fractions F1 (R2 = 0.68), F2 (R2 = 0.79), F3 (R2 = 0.67), F5 (R2 = 0.61) and AVG (R2 = 0.78) with high accuracy. The six aggregate size fractions and AVG were divided into three groups based on their relation to the CAs: group A (F1, F2, F3, AVG) presenting positive correlations with the CAs, group B (F4, F6) presenting poor relationships with the CAs, and group C (F5) presenting negative correlations with the CAs. As the CAs were found to be chromophoric substances, it was possible to predict each CA from spectral-based models. A separate spectral-based analysis was also performed to evaluate the aggregate size fractions directly with no a priori information or PTF adoption. This analysis revealed high statistical agreement with spectral assignments for the four selected CAs. Whereas groups A and C were successfully predicted in the validation stage spectral-based models (F1 [R2 = 0.68], F2 [R2 = 0.79], F3 [R2 = 0.7], F5 [R2 = 0.57] and AVG [R2 = 0.67]), the predictions of group B were poorer relationships against the selected CAs that present important spectral assignments. We concluded that soil aggregation stage can be assessed directly or indirectly (via PTF) using spectral analysis and a data-mining approach. Assuming that the reflectance information from hyperspectral remote-sensing means, such as EMIT (NASA initiative), will soon be available from orbit (2022), this approach may pave the way for monitoring soil aggregation status from afar, to determine the soil's potential as a dust source.

Stabilization of Lead-Contaminated Mine Soil Using Natural Waste Materials

Stabilization was applied as a remediation option for immobilizing lead (Pb) in contaminated mine soil. Four types of waste materials were used as stabilizing agents, namely waste oyster shells (WOS), calcined oyster shells (COS), natural starfish (NSF), and spent-coffee-grounds-derived biochar (SCGB). The Pb-contaminated mine soil was treated with the stabilizing agents ranging from 0 to 10 wt% and a curing period of 28 days. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) was employed for evaluating the effectiveness of the remedial process. The Pb immobilization mechanism in the treated mine soil was investigated using scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) analyses. The obtained results showed that the TCLP Pb levels decreased as the stabilizing agent dosage increased. The WOS and COS stabilizing agents immobilized Pb effectively in the contaminated mine soil. Application dosages of 4 wt% and 2 wt% for WOS and COS, respectively, were sufficient for compliance with the TCLP regulatory level of 5 mg/L. For the NSF and SCGB treatments, 4 wt% and 10 wt%, respectively, were necessary to meet the TCLP regulatory limit. The effectiveness of Pb immobilization was found to increase in the following order: SCGB &lt; NSF &lt; WOS &lt; COS. The chemical fraction analyses showed that the lower F2 (weak acid soluble) fraction and higher F3 (reducible) and F4 (oxidizable) fractions were most likely associated with the high level of Pb immobilization. Moreover, the SEM-EDX analysis results showed that the most effective Pb immobilization could be strongly associated with the pozzolanic reaction products.

Contribution to the chemodiversity of ex Cystoseira sp. - Gongolaria barbata and Ericaria crinita from the Adriatic Sea: Volatiles, fatty acids and major pigments

The aim of present research was to contribute to G. barbata and E. crinita chemodiversity and to the knowledge of specially protected Cystoseira areas. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and hydrodistillation (HD) were applied to the fresh (FrGb) and air-dried G. barbata (DrGb) and to the fresh (FrEc) and air-dried E. crinita (DrEc). Sesquiterpenes dominated in the headspace (HS) of FrGb, particularly τ-cadinol and δ-cadinene. Drying of G. barbata caused major change in the HS profile (reduction of the major compounds and increase of alkanes and benzyl alcohol). Cadinane-type sesquiterpenes were the major constituents in HD of FrGb and predominant was τ-cadinol and dolabella-4(16),7-diene-3,18-diol similar as in DrGb HD. The major saturated fatty acid (SFA) in G. barbata was palmitic acid followed by stearic and myristic acids. Besides oleic acid isomers, a significant amounts of arachidonic acid (ARA) were found among polyunsaturated FAs. The major G. barbata pigment was fucoxanthin in F3 fraction and β-carotene in F4 fraction. HS-FrEc main compound was dictyopterene D followed by dictyopterene C. HS-DrEc chemical profile was notable different from HS-FrEc (dictyopterene D was significantly reduced while benzyl alcohol and benzaldehyde increased). The most prominent compound in HD-FrEc was (E)-phytol followed by isopachydictyol A along with different FA esters and hexadecanoic acid. Drying of E. crinita caused notable changes in HD profile (the percentage of phytol decreased followed by the increased of phytone and phyatne and different carbonyl compounds). Like in G. barbata, palmitic, stearic and myristic acids were major SFAs, while higher levels of oleic acid isomers and ARA were determined in E. crinita in comparison to G. barbata. In E. crinita, fucoxanthin was dominant in F3, while in F4 chlorophyll a was detected. Performed research indicates great variability, particularly among the volatile organic compounds of both algae suggesting their chemotaxonomic differences.

Antioxidative hydrolysates from corn gluten meal may effectively reduce lipid oxidation and inhibit HepG2 cancer cell growth

Peptides hydrolyzed from food proteins are potentially healthy antioxidants for food applications. In this study, corn gluten meal (CGM) was hydrolyzed by different enzymes to obtain antioxidative hydrolysates. The CGM hydrolysates using Neutrase was further fractionated through membrane ultrafiltration, and the medium sized fraction (F3, 3–5 kDa) exhibited promising antioxidant capacities as measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, ABTS scavenging activity, and metal ion (Fe 2+ ) chelating activity. Addition of the F3 fraction into an oil-in-water emulsion system greatly reduced the formation of primary and secondary oxidation products during 15 days incubation, with an average reduction of 82.17 and 90.71%, respectively. The F3 fraction also resulted in 49.17% reduction of lipid oxidation when added to ground pork at 1000 mg/kg. Peptide composition of the F3 fraction was further identified through RP-HPLC followed by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS analysis. The toxicity and anticancer performance of the F3 fraction was evaluated in a human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cell line at 50 and 200 μg/mL for 6 days, resulting a significant growth inhibition by 64.2 and 71.6%, respectively. However, cell viability remained the same, indicating that the F3 peptides are not toxic for food applications as antioxidant additives. This study demonstrated that the corn gluten meal hydrolysates could be effective as antioxidants in delaying lipid oxidation and inhibiting cancel cell growth. • Corn gluten meal (CGM) is a protein-rich coproduct from corn wet milling. . • Enzymatic hydrolysis of CGM produced hydrolysates with antioxidant properties. • Adding the hydrolysate fraction improved oxidation stability of emulsion and meat. • Adding the hydrolysate fraction effectively inhibited HepG2 cancel cell growth. • Adding the peptides did not affect cell viability, implying non-toxicity for foods.

Isolation and characterization, antioxidant, and antihypertensive activity of novel bioactive peptides derived from hydrolysis of King Boletus mushroom

King Boletus mushroom protein hydrolysate (KBMPH) was prepared using bromelain and isolated by membrane ultrafiltration into four molecular size fractions (>10, 3–10, 1–3, and <1 kDa). All fractions were assessed for their characteristics, antioxidant and angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities. KBMPHF4 (<1 kDa) showed the highest surface hydrophobicity (S0), and high levels of hydrophobic amino acid (HAA). KBMPHF4 at 1 mg/mL exhibited antioxidative against DPPH• and ABTS•+ and linoleic acid oxidation, and ACE inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.12 mg/mL). Peptide fraction-51 from ion-exchange-chromatography (IEC) showed high protein content, and biological properties. Three novel peptides (SETGGGHTTSCETDLGEFL, AAPLPGP, and GTDPTGEMLT) from F1 fraction had the highest antioxidant capacity and moderate ACE inhibitory activity. Six novel peptides (DLDLLEKGIRKT, NGGNAPI, VSWNVLQEP, DTGRGLGASH, IDDNLDNLIIKL, and LIYAQGFSK) from F4 fraction had moderate antioxidant capacity and the highest ACE inhibitory activity. LIYAQGFSK peptide had the greatest ACE-binding energy (−9.2 kcal/mol) through hydrogen bonds. Overall, novel peptides from KBMPHF4 could be potential use as natural antioxidants and antihypertensives in functional food and nutraceutical.

A Diterpene Isolated from Ficus sur Forssk (Moraceae) and it’s Alpha-Amylase Inhibition Activity

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing worldwide. The objective is to investigate and characterize the alpha-amylase inhibition principles of the leaves of Ficus sur Forssk (Moraceae) used in ethnomedicine for management of diabetes mellitus. Powdered leaves were successively macerated with N-hexane, chloroform and 70% ethanol respectively for three consecutive days. The extracts were assessed for phytochemicals and inhibition of alpha-amylase. Alpha-amylase inhibition was assessed using porcine α-amylase. Bioactive n-hexane extract was fractionated on column chromatography packed with Silica Gel G (mesh 60-120) and eluted with gradient mixture of hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol. Active fractions (F1 - F5) were purified on preparative thin layer chromatography. Active pure compounds were assessed for bioactivity and identified by spectroscopy (UV, IR, MS and NMR). The n-hexane extracts of the plant exhibited highest significant (p &lt; 0.05) inhibition. Fraction F4 was the most active and was and compound FB was characterized from it as a novel abietane-type diterpene (4,7,10-b-trimethyl-benzofuro[c]-6,6-a,8,9,10,10-a-hexahydroisochromene-7-carboxylic acid) with 55% inhibition of alpha-amylase at 50µg/ml. This work reports for the first time a novel diterpenoid from Ficus sur with alpha-amylase inhibition activity.

Anti-Inflammatory, Fibrinolytic and Anti-Oxidant Activities of the N-Hexane Extract of Ficus sur Forssk (Moraceae) Leaves

This study investigates the anti-inflammatory, fibrinolytic and anti-oxidant activities of the n-hexane extract and fractions of Ficus sur Forssk leaves. The extract was separated on column chromatography using a gradient elution of hexane, dichloromethane and ethanol. Pooled column fractions were assayed for membrane stabilizing for anti-inflammatory, Streptokinase inhibition for fibrinolytic and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) reduction for anti-oxidant activity. Column fractions were pooled into five fractions (F1 – F5). The n-hexane crude extract and the fraction F3 consistently exhibited anti-inflammatory and fibrinolytic ability. The leaf extract of F. sur showed negligible anti-oxidant activity. Except for F1 all the fractions and the crude extract showed very high dose-dependent anti-inflammatory property even significantly higher (p &lt;0.05) than the reference drug – diclofenac. Crude extract, F2 and F3 exhibited fibrinolytic ability. F1 showed the lowest assayed biological activity consistently. The study shows that the column fractions of n-hexane extract of F. sur leaves have fibrinolytic and anti-inflammatory activity and can be used in the management of thrombosis and inflammation.