Gardenia Fruit Research Articles

Inactivation effect of extracts of gardenia fruit, licorice and Torilis japonica fruit against Bacillus spores

Inactivation effect of extracts of gardenia fruit, licorice and Torilis japonica fruit against Bacillus spores

An Exploratory Study on the Rapid Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds in Gardenia Fruit Using the Heracles NEO Ultra-Fast Gas Phase Electronic Nose.

Gardenia fruit is a popular functional food and raw material for natural pigments. It comes from a wide range of sources, and different products sharing the same name are very common. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important factors that affect the flavor and quality of gardenia fruit. This study used the Heracles NEO ultra-fast gas phase electronic nose with advanced odor analysis performance and high sensitivity to analyze six batches of gardenia fruit from different sources. This study analyzed the VOCs to find a way to quickly identify gardenia fruit. The results show that this method can accurately distinguish the odor characteristics of various gardenia fruit samples. The VOCs in gardenia fruit are mainly organic acid esters, ketones, and aldehyde compounds. By combining principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant factor analysis (DFA), this study found that the hexanal content varied the most in different gardenia fruit samples. The VOCs allowed for the fruit samples to be grouped into two main categories. One fruit sample was quite different from the fruits of other origins. The results provide theoretical support for feasibility of rapid identification and quality control of gardenia fruit and related products in the future.

Unveiling molecular mechanisms of pigment synthesis in gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) fruits through integrative transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis

This study conducted a combined transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis in premature and mature developmental stages of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis fruits to identify the molecular mechanisms of pigment synthesis. The transcriptomics data produced high-quality clean data amounting to 46.98 gigabytes, exhibiting a mapping ratio of 86.36% to 91.43%. Transcriptomics analysis successfully identified about 3,914 differentially expressed genes which are associated with pivotal biological processes, including photosynthesis, chlorophyll, biosynthetic processes, and protein-chromophore linkage pathways. Functional diversity was clarified by the Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) classification, which focused mainly on pigment synthesis functions. Pathways analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) revealed critical pathways affecting pigment development. Metabolomics studies were carried out utilizing Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography and mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). About 480 metabolites were detected via metabolomics investigation, the majority of that were significantly involved in pigment synthesis. Cluster and pathway analyses revealed the importance of pathways such as plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis, biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids and plant hormone signal transduction in pigment synthesis. Current research advances our comprehension of the underlying mechanisms at the molecular level governing pigment synthesis in gardenia fruits, furnishing valuable insights for subsequent investigations.

A Self-Polymerizing Mesh of Nano-Tethers for the Mechanical Constraint of Degraded Intervertebral Discs-A Review of 25 Years of Pre-Clinical and Early Clinical Research.

Genipin polymers are self-forming tensile-load-carrying oligomers, derived from the gardenia fruit, that covalently bond to amines on collagen. The potential therapeutic mechanical benefits of a non-discrete in situ forming mesh of genipin oligomers for degraded spinal discs were first conceived in 1998. Over more than two decades, numerous studies have demonstrated the immediate mechanical effects of this injectable, intra-annular polymeric mesh including an early demonstration of an effect on clinical outcomes for chronic or recurrent discogenic low back pain. This literature review focused on articles investigating mechanical effects in cadaveric animal and human spinal discs, biochemical mechanism of action studies, articles describing the role of mechanical degradation in the pathogenesis of degenerative disc disease, initial clinical outcomes and articles describing current discogenic low back pain treatment algorithms. On the basis of these results, clinical indications that align with the capabilities of this novel injectable polymer-based treatment strategy are discussed. It is intended that this review of a novel nano-scale material-based solution for mechanical deficiencies in biologically limited tissues may provide a helpful example for other innovations in spinal diseases and similarly challenging musculoskeletal disorders.

Whey protein isolate-stabilized gardenia fruit oil nanoemulsions: Ultrasonic preparation, characterization and applications in nutraceuticals delivery

In the current research, ultrasound was applied to make whey protein isolate (WPI)-gardenia fruit oil nanoemulsion. Effects of preparation conditions on physicochemical characteristics of nanoemulsions were investigated. The smallest droplet size was obtained at the oil content of 10% (v/v) and the WPI concentration of 0.5% (w/v) with ultrasound (2.4 W/mL, 12 min). Ultrasound led to a more uniform nanoemulsion with smaller droplet sizes (< 300 nm). The nanoemulsion prepared with ultrasound remained relatively stable for more than one week, while the crude emulsion prepared without ultrasound layered after 1 day storage. The nanoemulsion was more stable at lower temperature, alkaline condition and lower Na+ concentration. The formation of nanoemulsions significantly reduced the generation rate and amount of POV and TBARS during the 14-day accelerated oxidation experiment, increasing the oxidation stability of gardenia fruit oil. Additionally, the nanoemulsion could encapsulate β-carotene, hesperetin and naringenin at the efficiency of 79.61%, 51.29% and 46.06%, which further improved the oil oxidation stability and retarded free fatty acids release during the stimulated digestion in vitro.

Geniposide from Gardeniae Fructus exerts antipyretic effect in febrile rats through modulating the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThe desiccative ripe fruits of Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) (called Zhizi in China) are known with cold character and the effects of reducing fire except vexed, clearing away heat evil, and cooling blood and eliminating stasis. Zhizi is often clinical formulated to treat various types of fever. Fever is a sign of inflammation and, geniposide from Zhizi has been proved with anti-inflammatory in various inflammatory models. Aim of studyThe aim of this study was to investigate the antipyretic role of geniposide with three classical inflammatory fever models and explore the underlying mechanisms. Materials and methodsWater extract (WE), high polar part (HP), iridoid glycoside part (IG), and gardenia yellow pigment part (GYP) from Gardeniae Fructus (GF) were obtained from Zhizi. The antipyretic activities of these composes were tested with dry yeast induced fever rats. Geniposide was further purified from IG and the antipyretic activity was evaluated by gavage, intraperitoneal injection, and caudal intravenous injection to rats of fever induced by dry yeast, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and 2, 4-dinitrophenol (DNP) in rats. Then, the mechanism of geniposide by intragastric administration was studied. The contents of thermoregulatory mediators and inflammatory factors relating to TLR4/NF-κB pathway in serum were determined by ELISA and Western blot, and the pathological changes of the hypothalamus were observed by HE staining. ResultsThe temperature was decreased by geniposide in the three fever model rats. Geniposide can not only inhibit the increase of inflammatory factors in serum but also protect the hypothalamus from fever pathological damage in the three fever models. Western blot showed that geniposide could inhibit the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. ConclusionGeniposide exerts antipyretic effect in febrile rats through modulating the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Gardenia yellow pigment: Extraction methods, biological activities, current trends, and future prospects

Food coloring plays a vital role in influencing consumers' food choices, imparting vibrant and appealing colors to various food and beverage products. Synthetic food colorants have been the most commonly used coloring agents in the food industry. However, concerns about potential health issues related to synthetic colorants, coupled with increasing consumer demands for food safety and health, have led food manufacturers to explore natural alternatives. Natural pigments not only offer a wide range of colors to food products but also exhibit beneficial bioactive properties. Gardenia yellow pigment is a water-soluble natural pigment with various biological activities, widely present in gardenia fruits. Therefore, this paper aims to delve into Gardenia Yellow Pigment, highlighting its significance as a food colorant. Firstly, a thorough understanding and exploration of various methods for obtaining gardenia yellow pigment. Subsequently, the potential functionality of gardenia yellow pigment was elaborated, especially its excellent antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. Finally, the widespread application trend of gardenia yellow pigment in the food industry was explored, as well as the challenges faced by the future development of gardenia yellow pigment in the field of food and health. Some feasible solutions were proposed, providing valuable references and insights for researchers, food industry professionals, and policy makers.

Natural Pigments from Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis and Peristrophe bivalvis (L.) Merr for Food Coloring

Food coloring not only provides an attractive appearance but also aids in the quality of the food. Currently, colorants derived from natural sources, especially plants, are widely used for food coloring, with many benefits for health and the environment. This study used yellow and purple pigments extracted from Gardenia fruits and Peristrophe leaves for chemical component analysis and antioxidant and toxicity tests. Results from LC/MS analysis demonstrated that the major compounds contributing to the yellow color of the Gardenia extract and purple color of the Peristrophe extract were Crocin‐1 (C44H64O24) and Perisbivalvine B (C13H10N2O4), respectively. Moreover, the physiochemical tests showed that yellow and purple pigments were stable in a wide temperature range from 40 to 100°C. The yellow pigment was stable in a pH range of 1.0–12.0, while the purple pigment was not stable in acid media. These extracts also possessed moderate antioxidant activities with IC50 values of 0.33 g/L and 0.31 g/L for Gardenia and Peristrophe extract, respectively. In addition, toxicity tests on zebrafish embryos indicated that these extracts had low toxic activities with high LD50 values of 1.31 g/L for Gardenia extract and 0.74 g/L for Peristrophe extract. These tested extracts had also no acute toxicity on mice. Conclusively, this study provided important information about the major chemical components, which create yellow and purple colors for the Gardenia and Peristrophe extracts, and strongly suggested that the pigments extracted from Gardenia and Peristrophe can be safely used as food colorants.

One-step extraction and hydrolysis of crocin into crocetin by recyclable deep eutectic solvents

Crocetin, an aglycone derived from crocin, is synthesized in biological systems through the hydrolysis of crocin as a bioactive metabolite, which is closely associated with its pharmacodynamic effects. This research demonstrates, for the first time, that deep eutectic solvents (DES) could not only exhibit excellent solubilizing properties for crocin-based compounds, but also offer a protic medium capable of catalyzing the cleavage of glycosides to yield crocetin. A series of bifunctional and recyclable DES was proposed and characterized using attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and cytotoxicity analysis. The benzyltriethylammonium chloride-oxalic acid dihydrate (TEBAC-OA, 1:1.5, mol/mol) was tailor-made for the simultaneous extraction and conversion process with a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:20 and heating at 80 °C for 30 min. The yield of crocetin could reach 8.485 mg/g. Following the processing, DES and crocetin were successfully recovered separately, resulting in a 94% recovery rate for crocetin. The used DES was then utilized in the subsequent processing step, maintaining a production efficiency of 95.8%. Additionally, the cytotoxicity assessment revealed that the final used eutectic systems exhibited lower cytotoxicity compared to other commonly used solvents. The hydrogen bonding energy between DES and crocin, as well as the acidity of DES, were found to have a strong correlation with the yield of crocetin. Consequently, this study has successfully developed a sustainable, efficient, and simple technique for the one-step production of crocetin from gardenia fruit.

Simultaneous extraction of crocin and geniposide from gardenia fruits (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) by probe-type ultrasound-assisted natural deep eutectic solvents and their inhibition effects on low density lipoprotein oxidation

The simultaneous extraction of crocin and geniposide from gardenia fruits (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) was performed by integrating natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). Among the eight kinds of NADES screened, choline chloride-1,2-propylene glycol was the most suitable extractant. The probe-type ultrasound-assisted NADES extraction system (pr-UAE-NADES) demonstrated higher extraction efficiency compared with plate-type ultrasound-assisted NADES extraction system (pl-UAE-NADES). Orthogonal experimental design and a modified multi-index synthetic weighted scoring method were adopted to optimize pr-UAE-NADES extraction process. The optimal extraction conditions that had a maximum synthetic weighted score of 29.46 were determined to be 25 °C for extraction temperature, 600 W for ultrasonic power, 20 min for extraction time, and 25% (w/w) for water content in NADES, leading to the maximum yields (7.39 ± 0.20 mg/g and 57.99 ± 0.91 mg/g, respectively) of crocin and geniposide. Thirty-three compounds including iridoids, carotenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and triterpenes in the NADES extract were identified by LC-Q-TOF-MS2 coupled with a feature-based molecular networking workflow. The kinetics evaluation of the conjugated dienes generation on Cu2+-induced low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation via the four-parameter logistic regression model showed that crocin increased the lag time of LDL oxidation in a concentration-dependent manner (15 μg/mL, 30 μg/mL, 45 μg/mL) by 12.66%, 35.44%, and 73.42%, respectively. The quantitative determination for fluorescence properties alteration of the apolipoprotein B-100 exhibited that crocin effectively inhibited the fluorescence quenching of tryptophan residues and the modification of lysine residues caused by reactive aldehydes and malondialdehydes. The pr-UAE-NADES showed significant efficiency toward the simultaneous extraction of crocin and geniposide from gardenia fruits. And this study demonstrates the potential utility of gardenia fruits in developing anti-atherogenic functional food.

Multi-omics analysis reveals the molecular basis of flavonoid accumulation in fructus of Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis)

BackgroundThe fruits of Gardenia are rich in flavonoids and geniposides, which have various pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome and metabolome of gardenia peel and kernel at different growth stages, revealed the regulatory network related to flavonoid synthesis, and identified the key regulatory genes.ResultsThe results showed that in terms of flavonoid metabolic pathways, gardenia fruits mainly synthesized cinnamic acid through the phenylpropanoid pathway, and then synthesized flavonoids through the action of catalytic enzymes such as 4-coumaroyl-CoA ligase, chalcone synthase, chalcone isomerase and flavanol synthase, respectively. In addition, we found that the metabolomics data showed a certain spatial and temporal pattern in the expression of genes related to the flavonoid metabolism pathway and the relative content of metabolites, which was related to the development and ripening process of the fruit.ConclusionsIn summary, this study successfully screened out the key genes related to the biosynthesis metabolism of flavonoids in gardenia through the joint analysis of transcriptome and metabolome. This is of certain significance to the in-depth study of the formation mechanism of gardenia efficacy components and the improvement of quality.

Rapid extraction of bioactive compounds from gardenia fruit using new and recyclable deep eutectic solvents.

The utilization of deep eutectic solvent as an alternative and environmentally friendly option has gained significant attention. This study first proposed a series of benzylammonium chloride based-deep eutectic systems for the extraction of bioactive compounds from Gardenia jasminoides Ellis. Through the implementation of response surface methodology, the optimal solvent was determined to be dodecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride-levulinic acid (1:3, mol/mol) with 35% (v/v) water, specifically tailored to extract geniposide, genipin-1-β-d-gentiobioside, crocin-1, and crocin-2 from gardenia fruits with the ratio of solid to liquid of 1:20 at 86°C for 16min. Their total extraction yields could reach 70.6mg/g, outperforming those obtained by other solvents and corresponding techniques. Furthermore, the eutectic system was retrieved after first-cycle extraction, and then applied in the subsequent extraction progress, yielding a consistent extraction efficiency of 97.1%. As compared to previous traditional methods, a quick, high-yielding, and green extraction procedure was achieved through simple heating settings that did not constrain the instrument. Therefore, dodecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride-levulinic acid could serve as a sustainable and reusable solvent for efficient extraction of natural bioactive compounds from plant-based raw materials. The application of deep eutectic solvents has demonstrated their potential as designable solvents with stronger extraction capabilities than traditional organic solvents.

Transcriptome and metabolome analysis revealed the changes of Geniposide and Crocin content in Gardenia jasminoides fruit.

Gardenia jasminoides Ellis is a perennial evergreen shrub of G. jasminoides of Rubiaceae. Geniposide and Crocin are important components in the fruit of G. jasminoides. In addition to being used as medicinal materials, they are also widely used in food, medicine, cosmetics, and other fields. They have high medicinal value, economic value, and ornamental value. However, at present, the utilization rate of G. jasminoides resources is low, mainly focused on germplasm cultivation, primary processing, and clinical pharmacology, and there are few studies on the quality of Gardenia fruit. Based on transcriptome sequencing and metabolic group analysis, the morphological and structural changes of Gardenia fruit with young fruit, middle fruit, and ripe fruit were analyzed, and the formation mechanism and content changes of Geniposide and Crocin in Gardenia fruit were studied. The content of Geniposide decreased with the development of fruit, so did the expression of the main structural gene GES, G10H, and IS in its synthesis pathway, while the content of Crocin increased with the development of fruit, and the expression of the main structural gene CCD, ALDH, and UGT in its synthesis pathway also increased. The relationship between the morphological structure of G. jasminoides and the accumulation of Geniposide and Crocin was summarized. This study not only provides a theoretical basis for the mining and utilization of Geniposide and Crocin, but also provides a theoretical basis for genetic background for the identification and cloning of bioactive substances in gardenia fruit in future. At the same time, it provides support for increasing the dual-use value of G. jasminoides and breeding excellent germplasmresources.

Hydrogel Coating Optimization to Augment Engineered Soft Tissue Mechanics in Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessels.

Tissue engineering has the advantage of replicating soft tissue mechanics to better simulate and integrate into native soft tissue. However, soft tissue engineering has been fraught with issues of insufficient tissue strength to withstand physiological mechanical requirements. This factor is due to the lack of strength inherent in cell-only constructs and in the biomaterials used for soft tissue engineering and limited extracellular matrix (ECM) production possible in cell culture. To address this issue, we explored the use of an ECM-based hydrogel coating to serve as an adhesive tool, as demonstrated in vascular tissue engineering. The efficacy of cells to supplement mechanical strength in the coating was explored. Specifically, selected coatings were applied to an engineered artery tunica adventitia to accurately test their properties in a natural tissue support structure. Multiple iterations of three primary hydrogels with and without cells were tested: fibrin, collagen, and gelatin hydrogels with and without fibroblasts. The effectiveness of a natural crosslinker to further stabilize and strengthen the hydrogels was investigated, namely genipin extracted from the gardenia fruit. We found that gelatin crosslinked with genipin alone exhibited the highest tensile strength; however, fibrin gel supported cell viability the most. Overall, fibrin gel coating without genipin was deemed optimal for its balance in increasing mechanical strength while still supporting cell viability and was used in the final mechanical and hydrodynamic testing assessments. Engineered vessels coated in fibrin hydrogel with cells resulted in the highest tensile strength of all hydrogel-coated groups after 14 d in culture, demonstrating a tensile strength of 11.9 ± 2.91 kPa, compared to 5.67 ± 1.37 kPa for the next highest collagen hydrogel group. The effect of the fibrin hydrogel coating on burst pressure was tested on our strongest vessels composed of human aortic smooth muscle cells. A significant increase from our previously reported burst pressure of 51.3 ± 2.19 mmHg to 229 ± 23.8 mmHg was observed; however, more work is needed to render these vessels compliant with mechanical and biological criteria for blood vessel substitutes.

Geniposide alleviates pressure overload in cardiac fibrosis with suppressed TGF-β1 pathway

BackgroundCardiac fibrosis is one of the main contributors to the pathogenesis of heart failure. Geniposide (GE), a major iridoid in gardenia fruit extract, has recently been reported to improve skeletal muscle fibrosis through the modulation of inflammation response. This investigation aimed to illuminate the cardio-protective effect and the potential mechanism of GE in cardiac fibrosis. Material and methodsA transverse aortic contraction (TAC) induction mice model was established and GE (0 mg/kg; 10 mg/kg; 20 mg/kg; 40 mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage daily for 4 weeks. Hemodynamic parameters, Masson’s trichrome stain, and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining were estimated and cardiomyocyte fibrosis, interstitial collagen levels, and hypertrophic markers were analyzed using qPCR and western blot. In vitro, H9C2 cells were exposed to the Ang II (1 μM) pretreated with GE (0.1 μM, 1 μM, and 10 μM). Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected. Moreover, the transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad2 pathway was assessed in vivo and in vitro. ResultsGE significantly ameliorated TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy, ventricular remodeling, myocardial fibrosis, and improved cardiac function in vivo, and it inhibited Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis in vitro. We further observed that the inflammatory channel TGF-β1/Smad2 pathway was suppressed by GE both in vivo and in vitro. ConclusionThese results indicate that GE inhibited myocardial fibrosis and improved hypertrophic cardiomyocytes with attenuated the TGF-β1/Smad2 pathway and proposed to be an important therapeutic of cardiac fibrosis reduced by TAC.

Triple-induced gardenia fruit extract-enriched gelatin/polysaccharides microgels for O/W emulsions, and food 3D printing

Gardenia fruit extract like gardenia blue is untable under light exposure and its application need expansion. Gardenia blue was proposed to be stabilized in triple-induced microgels from cooperative effects of gelatin, β-cyclodextrin and chitooligosaccharide, and its emulsifying ability and 3D printing potential were subesequently explored. The synergetic effects on gardenia blue due to the intermolecular interactions including hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction, contributed to the high UV irradiation stability of complexes. The complex microgels could absorb onto oil-water interface with emulsifying property, and the obtained high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) illustrated outstanding centrifugal stability and great storage stability with low and uniform optical microscopic droplet diameters. The obtained HIPEs possessed excellent shearing thinning properties, excellent structure reversibility, high-degree reticulation, outstanding thixotropy, great elasticity, high cohesive energy and mechanical strength. 3D printing of HIPEs onto food also demonstrated high shape fidelity with low deviation. The findings illustrate the way of stabilizing gardenia blue in microgels by triple synergies, demonstrate the potential as stabilizer for developing HIPEs, and offered reference for highly-added-value utilization in the personalized 3D food products.

Genipin Attenuates Sepsis-Induced Splenocyte Apoptosis via the Inhibition of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) dysfunction is characterized by ER stress, which can be triggered by sepsis. Recent studies have reported that lessening ER stress is a promising therapeutic approach to improving the outcome of sepsis. Genipin is derived from gardenia fruit, which is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb for anti-inflammation. Here, mice were treated with genipin (2.5 mg/kg) intravenously to assess its biological effects and underlying mechanism against polymicrobial sepsis. Furthermore, the present study focused on detecting the levels of ER stress-related proteins, including protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK), glucose-regulated protein of 78 kDa (GRP78), phosphorylated-eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (p-eIF2α), and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP). The results demonstrated that genipin significantly decreased the serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6, alleviated histopathological damage to the lungs, livers and spleens, and even improved the survival rates of septic mice. Moreover, sepsis significantly upregulated the protein expression levels of splenic GRP78, PERK, p-eIF2α and CHOP, but their levels were significantly suppressed by genipin. Furthermore, genipin also significantly downregulated cleaved caspase-3 expression levels and reduced sepsis-induced splenocyte apoptosis. In conclusion, genipin potentially improved the survival rate of sepsis and attenuated sepsis-induced organ injury and an excessive inflammatory response in mice. The effects of genipin against sepsis were potentially associated with decreased splenocyte apoptosis via the attenuation of sepsis-induced ER stress to further inhibit ER stress-induced apoptosis.

Significant association between HLA-B*35:01 and onset of drug-induced liver injury caused by Kampo medicines in Japanese patients.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a severe and life-threatening immune-mediated adverse effect, occurring rarely among treated patients. We examined genomic biomarkers in the Japanese population that predict the onset of DILI after using a certain class of drugs, such as Kampo products (Japanese traditional medicines). A total of 287 patients diagnosed as DILI by hepatology specialists were recruited after written informed consent was obtained. A genome-wide association analysis and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing in four digits were performed. We found a significant association (p=9.41×10-10 ) of rs146644517 (G>A) with Kampo product-related DILI. As this polymorphism is located in the HLA region, we evaluated the association of HLA types and found that 12 (63.2%) of 19 Kampo-DILI patients contained HLA-B*35:01, whereas only 15.2% were positive for this HLA among healthy volunteers. The odds ratio was 9.56 (95% confidence interval 3.75-24.46; p=2.98×10-6 , corrected p=4.17×10-5 ), and it increased to 13.55 compared with the DILI patients not exposed to Kampo products. The individual crude drug components in the Kampo products, including Scutellaria root (ougon in Japanese), rhubarb (daiou), Gardenia fruit (sanshishi), and Glycyrrhiza (kanzou), were significantly associated with HLA-B*35:01. HLA-B*35:01 is a genetic risk factor and a potential predictive biomarker for Kampo-induced DILI in the Japanese population.

Colorimetric Paper Sensor for Food Spoilage Based on Biogenic Amine Monitoring.

Biogenic amines (BAs), nitrogenous molecules usually present in different foods, can be considered an indicator of freshness and food quality since their amount increases during food spoilage. Their detection, possibly in real time via the use of smart packaging, is therefore of crucial importance to ensure food safety and to fulfill consumers' demand. To this end, colorimetric sensors are considered one of the most feasible solutions. Here, we report a user-friendly colorimetric sensing paper able to detect BAs via the naked eye. The sensing molecule is the aglycone genipin, a natural cross-linking agent extracted from gardenia fruit, able to bind BAs producing water-soluble blue pigments. The paper sensor was applied to chicken meat quality monitoring and a quantitative analysis was performed with image acquisition via a smartphone camera, achieving a limit of detection equivalent to 0.1 mM of putrescine. The suitability of the BA sensing paper was assessed by integrating the sensor into smart packaging and analyzing commercial chicken meat samples stored at different temperatures; the results of the sensor paralleled the "best before date" indicated on the label, confirming the potential applicability of the sensor as a smart label.

Ultrasound-assisted aqueous enzymatic extraction of gardenia fruits (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) oil: Optimization and quality evaluation

Ultrasound-assisted aqueous enzymatic extraction of gardenia fruits (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) oil: Optimization and quality evaluation