High Amounts Of Lipids Research Articles

The potential of third-generation biodiesel from Tolypothrix sp. CACIAM22 as a feedstock

Renewable energy has been recognized as an alternative to fossil fuels as a step to transform the energy produced and consumed worldwide. Cyanobacteria and microalgae are currently being considered as substitutes to the traditional feedstock used to produce biofuels due to their ability to achieve high amounts of lipids under cellular stress conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the utilization of Tolypothrix sp. CACIAM 22 cyanobacterial biomass as a feedstock for biodiesel production, specifically by examining the effects of supplementing with hydrolysate of Brazil nutshell (HBNS) on biomass generation, lipid production, fatty acid composition, and quality of synthesized biodiesel. The supplementation of HBNS led to a significant increase of 12g.L−1 in wet biomass production. The lipid content reached 41 % of the biomass produced in HBNS supplemented cultures when nitrate source was deprived. The quality evaluation of cyanobacteria-derived biodiesel was performed using Biodiesel Analyzer ver 2.2 software, revealing superior quality compared to biodiesel produced from plant sources. The biodiesel exhibited values of 23 h for oxidative stability, 65 for cetane number, and an iodine index of 31 (g I2. 100 g−1fat), indicating promising potential as a renewable source. This study is the first to utilize HBNS as an organic supplement for cyanobacteria culture medium and assess its impact on biomass and lipid production in Tolypothrix sp., supporting the hypothesis of utilizing this biomass as a renewable feedstock for biodiesel production as a viable alternative to plant sources based on biomass production, lipid productivity, and biodiesel quality.

Oleaginous fungi: a promising source of biofuels and nutraceuticals with enhanced lipid production strategies.

Oleaginous fungi have attracted a great deal of interest for their potency to accumulate high amounts of lipids (more than 20% of biomass dry weight) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which have a variety of industrial and biological applications. Lipids of plant and animal origin are related to some restrictions and thus lead to attention towards oleaginous microorganisms as reliable substitute resources. Lipids are traditionally biosynthesized intra-cellularly and involved in the building structure of a variety of cellular compartments. In oleaginous fungi, under certain conditions of elevated carbon ratio and decreased nitrogen in the growth medium, a change in metabolic pathway occurred by switching the whole central carbon metabolism to fatty acid anabolism, which subsequently resulted in high lipid accumulation. The present review illustrates the bio-lipid structure, fatty acid classes and biosynthesis within oleaginous fungi with certain key enzymes, and the advantages of oleaginous fungi over other lipid bio-sources. Qualitative and quantitative techniques for detecting the lipid accumulation capability of oleaginous microbes including visual, and analytical (convenient and non-convenient) were debated. Factors affecting lipid production, and different approaches followed to enhance the lipid content in oleaginous yeasts and fungi, including optimization, utilization of cost-effective wastes, co-culturing, as well as metabolic and genetic engineering, were discussed. A better understanding of the oleaginous fungi regarding screening, detection, and maximization of lipid content using different strategies could help to discover new potent oleaginous isolates, exploit and recycle low-cost wastes, and improve the efficiency of bio-lipids cumulation with biotechnological significance.

EFFECTIVE AYURVEDIC DRUGS FOR HYPERLIPIDEMIA : REVIEW ARTICLE

Hyperlipidemia is a condition in which blood contains an abnormally high amount of lipids i.e. fats. These factors can accumulate and cause blockages in blood vessels. This is why having high cholesterol may increase the risk of damaging organs that don’t receive enough blood from arteries. Life threatnening emergencies like heart attack and brain stroke can arise from untreated chronic hyperlipidemia. Today’s sedentary lifestyle, ready to eat or instant food items, increasing use of technologies which decreases physical activities, all these factors prone for increase in abnormal lipid levels in body. Foods that have cholesterol, saturated fat, and trans fats can raise blood cholesterol level. These include Cheese, Fried and processed foods, Ice cream, Pastries, Red meat etc. According to WHO, the global prevalence of raised total cholesterol among adults was 39% (37% for males and 40% for females) in 2008. According to a study by ICMR-INDIAB, prevalence of dyslipidemia in a large representative sample of four selected regions in India showed that 79% had abnormalities in one of the lipid parameters. Meda dhatu from Ayurveda is an entity which is correlated to lipids. Medoroga, Medodosha, Sthaulya are the synonyms used for diseases with excessive formation and accumulation of Meda dhatu. Two main treatment modalities present in Ayurveda, Shodhan and Shaman, play an efficient role in treating this disease. So, there is a challenge of treating the disease without interference in the daily routine of an individual. This paper specifically throws light on meeting aforesaid needs with some effective Ayurvedic drugs possessing Medopachaka, Agnideepaka, Vatanulomaka and Rasayana properties.

Study on Relationship of Socio Demographic, Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Fast Food Intake among University of Cyberjaya Medical Students

Background and objectives: Fast food is defined as food which can be cooked quickly or is ready made to eat. Fast food restaurants have been mushrooming in all around the world even though fast food has been well known to have high amount of lipid, salt, sugar and food additives. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the relationship between fast food consumption in terms of socio demographic, knowledge, attitude and practice among medical students of University of Cyberjaya. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in Faculty of Medicine students from University of Cyberjaya (UoC) using an online form using convenience sampling method. Data was analyzed using JASP software. Results: Overall, out of 393 respondents, the majority of them were female (66.9%), single (99.2%), Malay (53.4%) and Malaysian (96.7%). Almost half of the respondents take fast food 0 to 5 times per month (53.9%) and most frequently have it together with friends (43.8%). All of the respondents have a high level of knowledge on fast food and 91.6% of the respondents have a positive attitude for fast food. Our study also found that there is a significant association between knowledge score and attitude score about fast food and intake pattern (p <0.001, p = 0.008 respectively). We also found that race and estimated parent’s/caretaker/own monthly income have significant association with frequency of fast food intake (p = 0.003, p = 0.002 respectively). Besides, our study identified the significant factors that attract university students towards fast food is fast food being the first thought that comes into student’s minds and speed of fast food preparation is fast (p <0.001, p <0.001 respectively). Conclusion: The study result showed that the predominant factor that influences the university students to choose fast food at the very first line is their socio demographic factors.

Toward the Exploitation of Sustainable Green Factory: Biotechnology Use of Nannochloropsis spp.

Securing food, energy, and raw materials for a growing population is one of the most significant challenges of our century. Algae play a central role as an alternative to plants. Wastewater and flue gas can secure nutrients and CO2 for carbon fixation. Unfortunately, algae domestication is necessary to enhance biomass production and reduce cultivation costs. Nannochloropsis spp. have increased in popularity among microalgae due to their ability to accumulate high amounts of lipids, including PUFAs. Recently, the interest in the use of Nannochloropsis spp. as a green bio-factory for producing high-value products increased proportionally to the advances of synthetic biology and genetic tools in these species. In this review, we summarized the state of the art of current nuclear genetic manipulation techniques and a few examples of their application. The industrial use of Nannochloropsis spp. has not been feasible yet, but genetic tools can finally lead to exploiting this full-of-potential microalga.

Development and characterization of solid lipid-based formulations (sLBFs) of ritonavir utilizing a lipolysis and permeation assay

As a high number of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) under development belong to BCS classes II and IV, the need for improving bioavailability is critical. A powerful approach is the use of lipid-based formulations (LBFs) that usually consist of a combination of liquid lipids, cosolvents, and surfactants. In this study, ritonavir loaded solid LBFs (sLBFs) were prepared using solid lipid excipients to investigate whether sLBFs are also capable of improving solubility and permeability. Additionally, the influence of polymeric precipitation inhibitors (PVP-VA and HPMC-AS) on lipolysis triggered supersaturation and precipitation was investigated. One step intestinal digestion and bicompartmental permeation studies using an artificial lecithin-in-dodecane (LiDo) membrane were performed for each formulation. All formulations presented significantly higher solubility (5 to >20-fold higher) during lipolysis and permeation studies compared to pure ritonavir. In the combined lipolysis-permeation studies, the formulated ritonavir concentration increased 15-fold in the donor compartment and the flux increased up to 71 % as compared to non-formulated ritonavir. The formulation with the highest surfactant concentration showed significantly higher ritonavir solubility compared to the formulation with the highest amount of lipids. However, the precipitation rates were comparable. The addition of precipitation inhibitors did not influence the lipolytic process and showed no significant benefit over the initial formulations with regards to precipitation. While all tested sLBFs increased the permeation rate, no statistically significant difference was noted between the formulations regardless of composition. To conclude, the different release profiles of the formulations were not correlated to the resulting flux through a permeation membrane, further supporting the importance of making use of combined lipolysis-permeation assays when exploring LBFs.

Effects of Aurantiochytrium acetophilum as a source of docosahexaenoic acid for juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) on growth, nutrient apparent digestibility, tissue fatty acid composition and expression of lipid metabolism-related genes

Thraustochytrids are a group of unicellular marine protists that are noted for their ability to produce high amounts of lipids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), making them a valuable source for replacing fish oil in aquafeeds. Varying levels of Aurantiochrytrium acetophilum meal (TM) were evaluated as replacement of fish oil in extruded diets for juvenile Atlantic salmon on growth, nutrient apparent digestibility, fatty acid composition in muscle and liver and expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism. Four experimental diets were tested: a control diet without the inclusion of A. acetophilum meal and three experimental diets derived from the control diet, in which fish oil was progressively replaced by the addition of A. acetophilum meal at 2.5% (TM 2.5), 6.5% (TM 6.5) and 12% (TM 12) respectively. After 12 weeks of feeding, the growth, feed conversion, condition factor and survival of the fish were not affected by the inclusion of A. acetophilum in the diet. However, the 12% inclusion significantly decreased the viscerosomatic index of the fish and the digestibility of protein, lipids, ash and energy compared to the other experimental diets. The lipid content and fatty acid profile of the liver and muscle were significantly affected by diet composition. In both tissues, fish fed the TM 12 diet retained the highest levels of DHA. However, it was also observed that EPA concentrations lessened with increasing dietary content of A. acetophilum meal. Finally, the decrease in the expression of Δ5fad in the fish fed with the TM 6.5 and TM 12 diets showed that fish do not require a higher expression of this desaturase for DHA production, due to the high content of this fatty acid in A. acetophilum meal.

Clinical evaluation of a novel gallotannin-enriched Galla Rhois extract (GRE) on vital cognitive functions in healthy volunteers: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Background: Oxidative damage has emerged as one of the significant factors in the onset of neurodegenerative disorders, primarily owing to a) higher usage of oxygen by brain cells and b) higher amounts of lipids in the neuronal membranes. Together, these have resulted in higher susceptibility of brain cells to ROS-induced lipid peroxidation, damage to other cellular macromolecules, including nucleic acids and proteins, and death of neurons by apoptosis, ferroptosis, and necrosis. The design of therapeutics to prevent oxidative damage-induced brain stroke or other irreversible injuries has remained a challenge owing to the continuous production of free radicals at the site of damage. In this respect, plant-derived tannins and tannic acid derivatives have exhibited promising results in scavenging free radicals and inhibiting lipid peroxidation.Objective: This investigation reports the effect of Ghala Rois extract (GRE), a methyl gallate enriched gall formed on the nutgall sumac tree, Rhus javanica L. (Anacardiaceae), on enhancing the cognitive function and overall well-being through a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, parallel-group design study on 80 healthy adult volunteers over a period of six consecutive weeks.Results: Administration of GRE in the dosage of 750 mg/day p.o. (with an equal amount of corn starch as a placebo) after breakfast resulted in significant improvement in cognitive functions as assessed by HappyNeuroPro, a digital therapy tool, and the cognitive tools under Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) and Adult ADHD Self-Reported Scale (ASRSv1.1). Concomitantly, the GRE-treated subjects also scored significantly higher (p = 0.033) in the roles of Physical and Emotional Problems, Energy/Fatigue, Emotional well-being, and pain as evaluated by linearly independent pairwise comparisons among the estimated marginal means and computed using alpha = 0.05. In the Global Evaluation Questionnaire, over 77% of the treated subjects believed that the product increased their attention span, and helped their memory by 70%, and they also indicated their willingness to buy the commercially available GRE. Evaluation of the complete metabolic profile in the GRE-treated subjects significantly lowered the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (11.98 mg/dL) as compared to placebo (13.27 mg/dL) (p = 0.011) as well as SGPT/ALT from 28.09 U/L (placebo) to 18.17 U/L (GRE-treated) (p<0.001). However, the vital parameters, including heart rate and systolic/diastolic pressure, were not affected by the consumption of GRE extract.Conclusion: The study demonstrated that GRE could be used as an effective new phytotherapeutic for reversing oxidative damage-induced neuronal degeneration and improving cognitive health in these study individuals.Keywords: Galla Rhois extract (GRE); Rhus javanica L. (family Anacardiaceae); Cognitive functions; ADHD; Executive function; Verbal memory; Safety, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)

Effect of addition of rich sources of lipids on the bioaccessibility of lutein and β-carotene from raw baby spinach leaves

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of the addition of lipids with different origin and unsaturation degree on the bioaccessibility of major carotenoids from raw baby spinach leaves. The standardized INFOGEST protocol of static in vitro digestion was applied to determine the bioaccessibility of lutein and β-carotene from baby spinach, before and after the addition of avocado pulp (5% and 10%) and sour cream (10% and 20%), as lipid sources. Baby spinach leaves, avocado fruits and sour cream were characterized in terms of carotenoid composition, lipid content and fatty acids profile by C30-HPLC-DAD and GC-MS. The bioaccessibility of lutein was lower (7.1%) than that of β-carotene (9.05%) from unsupplemented baby spinach leaves. Addition of avocado and sour cream determined a significant decrease of lutein bioaccessibility, especially in the case of high concentration of sour cream (20%). Oppositely, the bioaccessibility of β-carotene was increased by the addition of both lipid sources, at both concentrations, with a significant improvement for 10% sour cream, from 9.05% to 13.28%. Generally, the highest amount of lipid did not result in better bioaccessibility of carotenoids.

Formulation and evaluation of thiabendazole-loaded nanoparticles

Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative novel drug delivery formulations of Thiabendazole to improve its intestinal absorption and reduce its side effects during regular therapy. The Thiabendazole nanoparticles were prepared by hot homogenization method under high magnetic stirring using stearic acid as lipid, and poloxamer 188 was used as a surfactant. Initial pre-formulation studies using FTIR spectroscopy reveal that there are no interactions between Thiabendazole and other excipients; hence, they can be used to prepare nanoparticles. The entrapment efficiencies varied from a minimum of 43.62±0.93 to a maximum of 82.14 ± 0.61%, and it can be concluded that a higher amount of lipid is necessary for obtaining a good entrapment efficiency. The drug content of Thiabendazole nanoparticles for all formulations ranges from 66.8 % to 99.3%. A spherical shape was observed for the particles, and the particles had a smooth morphology when examined under SEM. In vitro release studies of the formulations carried out in pH 7.4 PBS showed that the total amount of drug is released for 9 hours with sustained effect. The formulations showed a drastic increase in size when stored at room temperature, where particles increased from an initial to 345.9 ±8.9 nm at the end of 1 month to 899.7 ± 5.8 nm at the end of 2 months. The entrapment efficiency of the formulation was determined at each interval to ensure that the drug molecules didn't undergo any degradation during storage.

Formulation and evaluation of triclabendazole nanoparticles

The aim of the study is the formulation and evaluation of triclabendazole nanoparticles. There is a need to develop alternative novel drug delivery formulations of Triclabendazole to improve its intestinal absorption and also reduce its side effects during regular therapy. The Triclabendazole nanoparticles were prepared by hot homogenization method under high magnetic stirring using stearic acid as lipid, and poloxamer 188 was used as a surfactant. Initial pre-formulation studies using FTIR spectroscopy reveal no interactions between Triclabendazole and other excipients; hence, they can be used for the preparation of nanoparticles. The entrapment efficiencies varied from a minimum of 44.63 ± 0.94 to 83.15 ± 0.62%, and it can be concluded that higher amount of lipid is necessary for obtaining a good entrapment efficiency. The drug content of Triclabendazolenanoparticles for all formulations ranges from 65.9 % to 98.4%. Triclabendazole, being a hydrophobic drug, has moderate entrapment efficiency. A spherical shape was observed for the particles, and the particles had a smooth morphology when examined under SEM. In vitro release studies of the formulations carried out in pH 7.4 PBS showed that the total amount of drug is released for 9hrs with sustained effect. The formulations showed a drastic increase in size when stored at room temperature, where particles increased from an initial to 346.8 ±8.8 nm at the end of 1 month to 899.8 ± 5.9 nm at the end of 2 months. The entrapment efficiency of the formulation was determined at each interval to ensure that the drug molecules didn't undergo any degradation during storage.

Peroxisomal NAD(H) Homeostasis in the Yeast Debaryomyces hansenii Depends on Two Redox Shuttles and the NAD+ Carrier, Pmp47.

Debaryomyces hansenii is considered an unconventional yeast with a strong biotechnological potential, which can produce and store high amounts of lipids. However, relatively little is known about its lipid metabolism, and genetic tools for this yeast have been limited. The aim of this study was to explore the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway in D. hansenii. To this end, we employed recently developed methods to generate multiple gene deletions and tag open reading frames with GFP in their chromosomal context in this yeast. We found that, similar as in other yeasts, the β-oxidation of fatty acids in D. hansenii was restricted to peroxisomes. We report a series of experiments in D. hansenii and the well-studied yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that show that the homeostasis of NAD+ in D. hansenii peroxisomes is dependent upon the peroxisomal membrane protein Pmp47 and two peroxisomal dehydrogenases, Mdh3 and Gpd1, which both export reducing equivalents produced during β-oxidation to the cytosol. Pmp47 is the first identified NAD+ carrier in yeast peroxisomes.

Seasonal variation in the nutrient composition of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from farms in Boka Kotorska Bay, Southern Adriatic Sea

The aim of this study was to investigated the seasonal variation in the nutrient composition of Mytilus galloprovincialis, cultivated in Boka Kotorska Bay, Montenegro, during all seasons in one year. Biometric parameters, meat yield, condition index, proximate composition, minerals, and the lipid and fatty acid compositions of mussels were analyzed. The most significant factors determining these parameters were temperature, food amount and gametogenesis The biometric parameters showed no significant differences during the sampling period. In the spring, meat yields and mussel condition index increased at substantial levels. Low values od meat yield and condition index during cold months have resulted from food shortage and reproductive cycle, when mussels use carbohydrates and protein reserves. The highest amount of protein was detected in mussels harvested in August (10.76%), while the highest amount of lipids was recorded in the winter months (2.11%). Docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid were the most abundant PUFA. The concentration of metals found in mussels from the study area is within the range of mean values reported in the literature. Our results indicate that the best period for mussels harvesting was during the spring and summer (April and August), opposite the winter months when the mussels were not favorable for harvesting.

Insights into Cellular Localization and Environmental Influences on the Toxicity of Marine Fish-Killing Flagellate, Heterosigma akashiwo.

Heterosigma akashiwo is a unicellular microalga which can cause massive mortality in both wild and cultivated fish worldwide, resulting in substantial economic losses. Environmental parameters such as salinity, light, and temperature showed a significant effect on bloom initiation and the toxicity of H. akashiwo. While in previous studies a one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approach was utilized, which only changes one variable at a time while keeping others constant, in the current study a more precise and effective design of experiment (DOE) approach, was used to investigate the simultaneous effect of three factors and their interactions. The study employed a central composite design (CCD) to investigate the effect of salinity, light intensity, and temperature on the toxicity, lipid, and protein production of H. akashiwo. A yeast cell assay was developed to assess toxicity, which offers rapid and convenient cytotoxicity measurements using a lower volume of samples compared to conventional methods using the whole organism. The obtained results showed that the optimum condition for toxicity of H. akashiwo was 25 °C, a salinity of 17.5, and a light intensity of 250 μmol photons m-2 s-1. The highest amount of lipid and protein was found at 25 °C, a salinity of 30, and a light intensity of 250 μmol photons m-2 s-1. Consequently, the combination of warm water mixing with lower salinity river input has the potential to enhance H. akashiwo toxicity, which aligns with environmental reports that establish a correlation between warm summers and extensive runoff conditions that indicate the greatest concern for aquaculture facilities.

Medicinal Herbs as an Alternative Treatment in the Management of Hyperlipidemia

The medical disorder known as hyperlipidemia is characterized by unusually high amount of lipids in the blood (fatty substances). This illness is also associated with being overweight. Even though hypolipidemic drugs are commonly used to treat cardiovascular diseases and stroke, there is a possibility that they may cause undesirable side effects. Many different medicinal plants have been successfully utilized in the treatment of various conditions in India. The treatment of hyperlipidemia was the primary focus of this investigation into the therapeutic properties of a variety of plants.

Multi-Omics Analysis Demonstrates the Critical Role of Non-Ethanolic Components of Alcoholic Beverages in the Host Microbiome and Metabolome: A Human- and Animal-Based Study.

It is known that alcoholic beverages alter the human gut microbiome. This study focused on the potential impact of non-ethanolic ingredients in whisky on the gut bacteriome. A pilot study was carried out on 15 whisky drinkers, 5 rice beer drinkers, and 9 non-drinkers to determine the effect of alcoholic beverages on the host microbiome and metabolome. Additionally, a mouse model was used to assess the differential impact of three whisky brands (each with an equal ethanol concentration). The results indicate that the non-ethanolic components have an impact on the gut microbiome, as well as on the metabolites in blood and feces. The amount of Prevotella copri, a typical core Indian gut bacterium, decreased in both the human and mouse groups of whisky type 1, but an increase in abundance of Helicobacteriaceae (p = 0.01) was noticed in both groups. Additionally, the alcohol-treated cohorts had lower levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), specifically butyric acid, and higher amounts of lipids and stress marker IL1-ß than the untreated groups (p = 0.04-0.01). Furthermore, two compounds, ethanal/acetaldehyde (found in all the whisky samples) and arabitol (unique to whisky type 1), were tested in the mice. Similar to the human subjects, the whisky type 1 treated mouse cohort and the arabitol-treated group showed decreased levels of Prevotella copri (p = 0.01) in their gut. The results showed that non-ethanolic compounds have a significant impact on host gut bacterial diversity and metabolite composition, which has a further vital impact on host health. Our work further emphasizes the need to study the impact of non-ethanolic ingredients of alcoholic beverages on host health.

Silkmoth pupae: potential and less exploited alternative source of nutrients and natural antioxidants

Increasing global populations and decreasing sources of nutrients to feed them, has necessitated the drive for alternative and more sustainable sources of nutrients. Such alternatives should contribute to meet the demand for food and minimise negative effects on the environment. Edible insects, which have been traditionally part of human diets, stand out as the most probable and sustainable alternative. Silkmoth pupae, by-products of the sericulture sector are among the traditional foods consumed in Asia. In this study we determined the nutritional composition, phytochemical contents, and antioxidant activities of freeze-dried pupae from 2 domesticated and 3 wild silkmoth species. Our results showed that both Bombyx mori L. and Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval pupae had the highest amounts of proteins, 78.9 and 76.0 mg bovine serum albumin equivalents /g, respectively. Significantly high amounts of lipids (26.7%) were observed in B. mori pupae. Domesticated silkworm species recorded significantly high amounts of protein compared to the wild species. In addition, all silkmoth pupae had substantial amounts of phytochemicals that varied significantly between the studied species. We further demonstrated that all pupae samples exhibited antioxidant activities for both 50% methanolic and 100% hexane extracts, at very low concentrations of 2.5 and 30 mg/ml, respectively, with Anaphe panda pupae samples recording the highest activities. The multivariate analysis confirmed significant differences in the chemical composition of silkmoth pupae between species and type of diet they consume. Therefore, our findings suggest that the studied silkmoth pupae are rich alternative source of nutrients and natural antioxidants.

Bioactive properties of Persea lingue Ness (Lauraceae) fruit and leaf extracts.

Persea lingue Ness is a tree species that lives mainly in temperate forests of south-central Chile. Its leaves are used in ethnomedicine, the fruit is a drupe similar to that of the avocado and has not been studied. The aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxicity in leukemia cell and antibacterial activity, along with some chemical content characteristics of P. lingue fruit and leaf extracts. The antibacterial activity was determined by the inhibition of bacterial growth in liquid medium assay against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The leukemia cell lines Kasumi-1 and Jurkat were used to evaluate the cytotoxic activity by using propidium iodide and AlamarBlue assays. Total phenolic, flavonoid, condensed tannin, alkaloid and lipid contents were evaluated in the fruit and in the leaf extracts. The antioxidant activity of both extracts were also elavaluated. Leaf extract presented the highest content of total phenols, condensed tannins and flavonoids, and also the highest antioxidant activity. While the fruit extract has a higher amount of lipids and alkaloids and the high antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus megaterium and Micrococcus luteus. The leaf extract only showed activity against M. luteus. Concerning the cytotoxic activity, only the fruit extract showed cytotoxicity against the cell lines Jurkat and Kasumi-1. P. lingue fruit extract is a potential source of biologically active molecules for the development of new drugs to be used in some types of leukemia, as well as antibacterial agent.

A comprehensive lipidomic analysis of oilseeds using LC-Q-TOF-MS and dispersive micro-solid phase (D-μ-SPE) extraction techniques

Growing public health awareness increased the demand for natural products with positive health benefits. Vegetable oils containing omega-3 fatty acids (FA) such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) has been proposed as a possible source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In this work, a comprehensive lipidome analysis and comparison of seven oilseeds, including flaxseed, chia, hemp, black cumin, white sesame, black sesame and poppy using dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-μ-SPE) coupled with liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS) was performed. The detailed characterisation of oilseed lipid profiles was presented. The identified lipid classes included lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC) and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), glycerophosphatidylcholines (PC) and glycerophosphatidylethanolamines (PE), diacylglycerols (DG), and triacylglycerols (TG). Multivariate data analysis demonstrated that flax, hemp, and chia seeds were very similar in their lipid content. These seeds contained higher amounts of lipids with less saturated FA substituents, while black cumin, black and white sesame samples shared similar lipid composition with more saturated FA substituents. ALA and linoleic acid (LA) were present in all detected classes of lipids.

Silkmoth pupae: potential and less exploited alternative source of nutrients and natural antioxidants

Increasing global populations and decreasing sources of nutrients to feed them, has necessitated the drive for alternative and more sustainable sources of nutrients. Such alternatives should contribute to meet the demand for food and minimise negative effects on the environment. Edible insects, which have been traditionally part of human diets, stand out as the most probable and sustainable alternative. Silkmoth pupae, by-products of the sericulture sector are among the traditional foods consumed in Asia. In this study we determined the nutritional composition, phytochemical contents, and antioxidant activities of freeze-dried pupae from 2 domesticated and 3 wild silkmoth species. Our results showed that both Bombyx mori L. and Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval pupae had the highest amounts of proteins, 78.9 and 76.0 mg bovine serum albumin equivalents /g, respectively. Significantly high amounts of lipids (26.7%) were observed in B. mori pupae. Domesticated silkworm species recorded significantly high amounts of protein compared to the wild species. In addition, all silkmoth pupae had substantial amounts of phytochemicals that varied significantly between the studied species. We further demonstrated that all pupae samples exhibited antioxidant activities for both 50% methanolic and 100% hexane extracts, at very low concentrations of 2.5 and 30 mg/ml, respectively, with Anaphe panda pupae samples recording the highest activities. The multivariate analysis confirmed significant differences in the chemical composition of silkmoth pupae between species and type of diet they consume. Therefore, our findings suggest that the studied silkmoth pupae are rich alternative source of nutrients and natural antioxidants.