Lipophilic Extracts Research Articles

Antifungal and Antioxidant Activities of Lipophilic Compounds from Swietenia mahagoni (l.) Jacq. Leaves

The investigation on the n-hexane lipophilic extractives of Swietenia mahagoni, alongside the antifungal and antioxidant properties was conducted. The leaf sample was collected from 2- and 3-years-old trees in Perhutani enterprise of Temanggung, Central Java, Indonesia. In addition, the antifungal activity was tested using the white-rot of Phanerochaete chrysosporium, while the antioxidant property involved the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) method. The results show antifungal of 28.6% and 37.5% growth inhibition in 2- and 3 -years-old leaf, respectively, while 21.7% and 25.4% antioxidant activity were also recorded. Furthermore, the GC-MS results showed the domination of S. mahagoni leaf by fatty acids and hydo-carbons, while the terpenoids and steroids were in minor quantities. These components possibly exhibit growth inhibitory and antioxidant effects against P. chrysosporium and DPPH radicals, respectively.

The effect of the hydrophilic and lipophilic herbal extracts on the oxidative stability of cooking plant oils during low- and high-temperature heating

BackgroundRecently, the most commonly used cooking oils in the world are obtained from corn germ, soybean, sunflower and rape seeds. Also, refined flaxseed oil is preferred for low-heat cooking in some countries. Use these oils instead of solid fats (including butter, shortening, lard and margarine) and tropical oils (including palm and coconut oil) can be healthy choice, because of lower saturated fat content. Unfortunately, repeated or high-temperature heating may result in oil decompose to form unwanted hazardous substances which can pose harmful effects to the health. The well-known natural method to limit oil oxidation is the used of herbs and spices, which also can improve the taste and aroma properties of food. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of added herbal extracts on the oxidative stability of two cooking plant oils (refined rapeseed oil, refined flaxseed oil) during low- and high-temperature heating. MethodsHydro- and lipophilic extracts were prepared from popular commercial dried herbs (thyme, parsley, caraway, oregano, basil, dill) using 70% methanol and n-hexane, respectively. Cooking plant oils were characterized by quality indices, fatty acid composition and content of bioactive compounds, while in the herbal extracts' composition and content of pigments, total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tocols and antioxidant capacity were examined. The oxidative stability of cooking plant oils, without and with the addition of herbal extracts, was determined in the Rancimat test at 110 and 150 °C for refined rapeseed oil and 80 and 110 °C for refined flaxseed oil. ResultsIt was found that the addition of herbal extracts had varied effect on oxidative stability of flaxseed and rapeseed oils at low- and high-temperature heating. Flaxseed oil was generally well-protected by thyme hydro- and lipophilic extracts regardless of temperature heating (induction period increase by 18–24%). Also, hydrophilic parsley and lipophilic oregano extracts improved this oil oxidative stability at low temperature (induction period increase by 10–17%), while lipophilic extracts from caraway and dill were more effective at high temperature (induction period increase by 20–26%). In turn, all extracts improved the rapeseed oil oxidative stability under low-temperature heating (induction period increase by 11–24%), but they were ineffective during high-temperature heating. The better additives for this oil were both type extracts obtained from thyme and oregano, which were characterized by the highest content of antioxidants, total phenolic compounds and tocopherols, mainly α-tocopherol. The results suggest a greater difference in content of phenolic compounds for extracts obtained by using of different solvents then from different herbs. In turn, the herb type had a strong impact on the content of pigments and tocopherols. ConclusionsResults confirmed the possibility of using herbal extracts to increase the oxidative stability of cooking plant oils during thermal heating. However, the type of solvent and herb should be adjusted individually to cooking oil type and heating temperature.

Lipophilic extracts of the thermophilic cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. and chlorophyte Graesiella sp. and their potential use as food and anticancer agents

The lipophilic extracts from the cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. and the microalga Graesiella sp. collected from a hot spring in northern Tunisia were investigated and evaluated for their anti-proliferative effects. From the dry biomasses, total lipid content was obtained with yields of 28.8 and 13% (w/w) for Graesiella sp. and Leptolyngbya sp., respectively. Compositional analysis showed an abundance of saturated fatty acids dominated in Graesiella sp. by palmitic, margaric, myristic, lauric and tridecanoic acids. Oleic, linoleic, linolenic and elaidic acids were found as the main unsaturated fatty acids. Leptolyngbya sp. shared with the microalgal species its richness in palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids, but it is distinguished by high abundance of pamitoleic acid. Besides their adaptive significance to thermophilic conditions, fatty acid profiles exhibited good nutritional properties especially for Graesiella sp. as revealed by their low atherogenic, thrombogenic and hypocholesterolemic indices and high to moderate levels of ω3 PUFA. Analysis of the predicted physico-chemical properties of the prospective biodiesel utility showed in the case of Graesiella sp. that most parameters including saponification value, iodine value, cetane number and oxidation stability adhered to the American ASTM-D6751 and/or the European EN 14214 specifications. The lipophilic extract was further analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and its anti-proliferative activity was measured. Results showed the abundance of diterpenes (neophytadiene, phytol), alkanes/alkenes (pentacosane, heptacosane), sterols (γ-sitosterol), and terpenes (limonene), among others in both extracts. The in vitro assays revealed that both lipophilic fractions concentration-dependently inhibited the proliferation of the human ovarian SK-OV-3 and colon DLD-1cancer cell lines. Collectively, results of the present study indicate that lipophilic fractions of Leptolyngbya sp. and Graesiella sp. hold potential to be exploited as an excellent candidate for the development of natural food supplements and anti-proliferative agents.

Impact of the Pd2Spm (Spermine) Complex on the Metabolism of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Tumors of a Xenograft Mouse Model.

The interest in palladium(II) compounds as potential new anticancer drugs has increased in recent years, due to their high toxicity and acquired resistance to platinum(II)-derived agents, namely cisplatin. In fact, palladium complexes with biogenic polyamines (e.g., spermine, Pd2Spm) have been known to display favorable antineoplastic properties against distinct human breast cancer cell lines. This study describes the in vivo response of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumors to the Pd2Spm complex or to cisplatin (reference drug), compared to tumors in vehicle-treated mice. Both polar and lipophilic extracts of tumors, excised from a MDA-MB-231 cell-derived xenograft mouse model, were characterized through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics. Interestingly, the results show that polar and lipophilic metabolomes clearly exhibit distinct responses for each drug, with polar metabolites showing a stronger impact of the Pd(II)-complex compared to cisplatin, whereas neither drug was observed to significantly affect tumor lipophilic metabolism. Compared to cisplatin, exposure to Pd2Spm triggered a higher number of, and more marked, variations in some amino acids, nucleotides and derivatives, membrane precursors (choline and phosphoethanolamine), dimethylamine, fumarate and guanidine acetate, a signature that may be relatable to the cytotoxicity and/or mechanism of action of the palladium complex. Putative explanatory biochemical hypotheses are advanced on the role of the new Pd2Spm complex in TNBC metabolism.

A feasibility study on green biorefinery of high lignin content agro-food industry waste through supercritical water treatment

This work discusses hydrolysis of defatted grape in supercritical water (SCW) at 380 °C and 260 bar from 0.18 s to 1 s focusing attention to sugars recovery in the liquid phase of the product and detailed characterization of remaining solid phase enriched in polyaromatics (e.g. lignin, flavonoids, etc.). After the longest reaction time of 1 s, 56% of carbohydrates could be recovered in the liquid phase, as a result of carbohydrate hydrolysis. The high content of insoluble lignin in biomass (36%), acts as a mass transfer limitation and presents an important feature in the hydrolysis process, slowing down the conversion of carbohydrate fraction, as after the maximum time of 1s, 10% of carbohydrates still remained in the solid phase. Milled wood lignin, extracted from biomass and dioxane extract from the solid phase were characterized in order to understand the main structural changes during the SCW hydrolysis process. Dioxane (80%) extraction of solids produces a very complex mixture of lipophilic extractives, flavonoids and lignin with a certain amount of chemically linked carbohydrates. 2D NMR analysis of dioxane extract shows remarkably subtle changes in the amounts of main lignin moieties (β-O-4′, β-β’ (resinol) and β-5 (phenylcoumaran)). This subtle change of the main lignin structures is an important feature in the further valorisation of this sulfur-free lignin residue.

Diverse traits of aquatic plants cannot individually explain their consumption by the generalist gastropod Biomphalairia glabrata.

Several experimental studies on aquatic plants have reported the prevalence of chemical defense mechanism against herbivory, as opposed to structural, life-forms or other traits. Here, our laboratory feeding experiments and integrative analysis explored the relationship among palatability (fresh or reconstituted plants used as artificial diet) and various chemical/nutritional traits (i.e., contents of dry mass, ash, nitrogen, protein, and phenols) of diverse aquatic plants and their susceptibility to consumption by the generalist gastropod Biomphalaria glabrata. Biomphalaria glabrata consumed all of the assayed aquatic plants in a hierarchical yet generalized way, with the consumption of fresh plants, their reconstituted forms and defensive properties of lipophilic extracts not being significantly correlated with plant physical or chemical traits to determine the feeding preference of the gastropod. Our results do not reveal a prevalence for a specific plant attribute contributing to herbivory. Instead, they indicate that the susceptibility of aquatic plants to generalist consumers is probably related to a combination of their chemical and physical properties, resulting in moderate grazing rates by generalist consumers.

Quercus rotundifolia Bark as a Source of Polar Extracts: Structural and Chemical Characterization

Quercus rotundifolia bark was studied regarding anatomical, chemical, and antioxidant properties from trees in two sites in southern Portugal and are here reported for the first time. The general structure and anatomy of Q. rotundifolia bark showed a rhytidome with sequential undulated and anastomosed periderms with a small proportion of cork, while the phloem included broad rays with strong cell sclerification, groups of sclereids with embed large prismatic crystals, and abundant druses in parenchyma cells. The mean chemical composition was 15.5% ash, 1.6% dichloromethane extractives, 6.4% ethanol and 9.3% water extractives, 3.0% suberin, 30.5% total lignin, and 33.8% carbohydrates. Carbohydrates included mainly glucose (50.7% of total monomers) and xylose (23.8%), with uronic (3.0%) and acetic acids (1.0%). Suberin was mainly composed of ω-hydroxyacids (48.0% of all compounds) and α,ω-diacids (19.5%). The main compounds found in the lipophilic extracts were triterpenes (43.6%–56.2% of all compounds) and alkanoic acids (32.7%–41.7%). Phenolic content was high especially in the ethanol extracts, ranging from 219.5–572.9 mg GAE/g extract and comprising 162.5–247.5 CE/g extract of flavonoids and 41.2–294.1 CE/g extract of condensed tannins. The extracts revealed very good antioxidant properties with IC50 values of 4.4 µg ethanol extract/mL and 4.7 µg water extract/mL. Similar anatomical, chemical, and antioxidant characteristics were found in the bark from both sites. The high phenolic content and excellent antioxidant characteristics of polar extracts showed holm oak barks to be a promising natural source of antioxidants with possible use in industry and pharmaceutical/medical areas.

Anticandidal activity of dichloromethane extract obtained from the red algae A. armata of the Algerian coast

This work reports for the first time the anticandidal activity of the dichloromethane (DCM) extract from the Algerian invasive red marine algae A. armata Harvey. In a preliminary assessment, the DCM extract was screened for its antifungal activity against two strains of Candida albicans, namely (IP 444) and (ATCC 10231). As a well-established approach, the anticandidal activity was expressed as zone of inhibition by agar well and disk diffusion methods. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was also determined for the two fungal strains. Within this framework, the DCM extract of the red algae A. armata has a strong inhibition effect against the considered Candida albicans strains. In addition, Candida albicans IP444 (MIC = 0.58 mg/mL) was more sensitive to DCM algal extract when compared to Candida albicans ATCC 10231 (MIC = 2.34 mg/mL). GC–MS analysis suggested that brominated compounds and fatty acids are responsible for anticandidal activity of dichloromethane extract of A. armata. These preliminary results may constitute a future applied of lipophilic extract of the red algae A. armata as a promising source of natural compounds with antifungal properties.

Termite Resistance, Chemical and Mechanical Characterization of Paulownia tomentosa Wood before and after Heat Treatment

The introduction of new species in forest management must be undertaken with a degree of care, to help prevent the spread of invasive species. However, new species with higher profitability are needed to increase forest products value and the resilience of rural populations. Paulownia tomentosa has an extremely fast growth. The objective and novelty of this work was to study the potential use of young Paulownia trees grown in Portugal by using heat treatment to improve its properties, thereby allowing higher value applications of the wood. The average chemical composition of untreated and heat-treated wood was determined. The extractive content was determined by successive Soxhlet extraction with dichloromethane (DCM), ethanol and water as solvents. The composition of lipophilic extracts was performed by injection in GC-MS with mass detection. Insoluble and soluble lignin, holocellulose and α-cellulose were also determined. Physical (density and water absorption and dimensional stability) and mechanical properties (bending strength and bending stiffness) and termite resistance was also determined. Results showed that extractive content increased in all solvents, lignin and α-cellulose also increased and hemicelluloses decreased. Compounds derived from the thermal degradation of lignin were found in heat-treated wood extractions. Dimensional stability improved but there was a decrease in mechanical properties. Resistance against termites was better for untreated wood than for heat-treated wood, possibly due to the thermal degradation of some toxic extractives.

Viscum album : from high dilutions to phytotherapy

Background : Besides conventional anticancer therapy, cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine like the medicinal herb mistletoe (Viscum album L.), used in oral form or injections.
 For this condition Viscum album (VA) is also used in high dilutions, in injections, as in Brazil.
 
 Aim:
 Our aim is to compare results of basic research about these two presentations: herbal medicine and high dilutions and to look for an eventual continuity of action between the molecular form (herbal medicine) and the informative one (high dilutions)
 
 Method:
 About VA in herbal medicine : a lot of references in immunology, in particular those published by the team of Srini Kaveri and Stephan Baumgartner.(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
 About VA in high dilutions : the work in immunology of Aloiso Cunha de Carvalho and Leoni Bonamin published in a thesis. (6)
 And then to compare those results with our practice as veterinarian on dogs and cats .
 
 Results : 
 VA in herbal medecine: from basic research results, we know that in low concentration, 
 an immunostimulary action is observed while in higher doses it is a cytotoxic activity.
 These two properties are found in our practical use of VA in dogs or cats : stabilization of the size of tumors for the low concentrations, necrosis of tumors and abscess for the high concentrations. 
 VA in high dilutions (from D3 to D30) : from basic research, an immunostimutating effect is observed. More exactly, on a murin model of tumor of Ehrlich, it is observed an improvement of quality of life, a reduction of the tumor immunosuppressive effect, an enlargement of local inflammations (Oedema) for all concentrations, but only 3D reduces tumor growth, without modifying local necrosis and the immunological parameters.
 In our practice, on two cases of osteosarcoma on dogs, we verify those properties using VA both in herbal medicine and in high dilutions. 
 
 Conclusions:
 From these results, both in basic research and in the practice, we should estimate there is probably a continuity of action fom VA, in High Dynamised Dilutions ( no more molecule), to VA in herbal medicine (molecular activity). From immunostimation to cytotoxicity, from information to molecular activity.
 
 Does each Viscum album’s preparation touch
 the same level of the Immune System ? The same cells ? The same receptors ? A lot of questions remain…
 
 
 References 
 
 
 1) Duong Van Huyen JP and al. Variable sensitivity of lymphoblastoid cells to apoptosis induced by Viscum album Qu FrF, a therapeutic preparation of mistletoe lectin. Chemotherapy. (2001)
 
 2) Duong Van Huyen JP and al. Induction of apoptosis of endothelial cells by Viscum album: a role for anti-tumoral properties of mistletoe lectins. Mol Med. (2002)
 
 3)Duong Van Huyen JP and al Comparative study of the sensitivity of lymphoblastoid and transformed monocytic cell lines to the cytotoxic effects of Viscum album extracts of different origin.. Chemotherapy. (2003)
 
 4) Estko M and al. Tumour cell derived effects on monocyte/macrophage polarization and function and modulatory potential of Viscum album lipophilic extract in vitro.
 BMC Complement Altern Med. 2015
 
 
 5) Saha C, and al Differential Effects of Viscum album Preparations on the Maturation and Activation of Human Dendritic Cells and CD4⁺ T Cell Responses.
 Molecules. 2016 Jul 14;21(7)
 
 6) Aloisio Cunha de Carvalho , ATIVIDADE ANTI-NEOPLÁSICA DE Viscum album (L) EM TUMORES EXPERIMENTAIS: REVISÃO CRÍTICA E ESTUDO EXPERIMENTAL EM TUMOR DE EHRLICH, Thesis Sao Paulo

Inhibitory effects of Prorocentrum donghaiense allelochemicals on Sargassum fusiformis zygotes probed by JIP-test based on fast chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics

The macro- and microalgae have been found to inhibit the growth and photosynthesis of one another due to allelopathic interactions between them. Sargassum fusiformis is a common and commercially cultivated seaweed in coastal waters of the East China Sea (ECS) and usually encounters dense harmful algal blooms (HABs) formed by dinoflagellates during their sexual reproduction period. In the present study, the effects of Prorocentrum donghaiense lipophilic extracted allelochemicals on the growth and photosynthesis of S. fusiformis zygotes were probed by fast chlorophyll fluorescence rise kinetics and chlorophyll a transient analysis (JIP-test). It was found that exposure to the allelochemicals led to decreased chlorophyll a content and photosynthetic rates of the zygotes in comparison to the ones in the control. In addition, using the JIP-test, it was found that the inhibitory effects of allelochemicals on photosynthesis of the zygotes were mainly exerted on the electron transport within PSII. The decrease of photosynthetic parameters such as VJ, Mo, ϕPo, ϕo, ϕEo, PI, PTR, PET in the zygotes exposed to the allelochemicals all revealed that the obstruction of electron transport, and the dominant decrease in PET, both implied that inhibition on the dark reaction contributed to the highest photosynthetic reduction. In addition, some reaction centers (RCs) in the zygotes exposed to the allelocamicals were inactivated, which led to higher dissipation of excitation energy, as demonstrated by the significant enhancement of the photosynthetic parameter DIo/RC. All the results indicated that the lipophilic extracts contained the allelochemicals of P. donghaiense which could inhibit the growth and photosynthesis of S. fusiformis zygotes by damaging the electron acceptors and inactivating RCs, and finally block the electron transport.

Biochemical features of organic extractives from Eucalyptus and Corymbia woods using ethanol as a solvent

The objective of this study is to evaluate chemical characteristics, as well as antioxidant and antibacterial activities of organic compounds extracted from three Eucalyptus woods and Corymbia maculate wood using ethanol as a solvent. To obtain the ethanolic extracts, 15 g of a powdered wood sample was mixed with 150 mL of ethyl alcohol 99 % PA by constant mechanical stirring, which was further magnetically mixed at 60 oC for 24 h. The extractives were analyzed by means of percent yield, Fourier-transform infrared spectrum, inhibitory index (measured after antimicrobial tests), antioxidant activity, and condensed tannins content. The Eucalyptus dunnii extract showed the highest percent yield. The infrared spectra of all the extractives presented similar profiles, with remarkable bands ascribed to the presence of lipophilic extracts, sterols, fatty acids, and other hydroxylated substances, such as carbohydrates and phenolic compounds. In all cases, the higher the concentration of the extractive was, the higher the antioxidant activity was. The antioxidant activity of Eucalyptus saligna extract stood out since overcame that of the positive control (ascorbic acid). Regarding the condensed tannins content, that extract from Eucalyptus grandis excelled

Omics analyses and biochemical study of Phlebiopsis gigantea elucidate its degradation strategy of wood extractives

Wood extractives, solvent-soluble fractions of woody biomass, are considered to be a factor impeding or excluding fungal colonization on the freshly harvested conifers. Among wood decay fungi, the basidiomycete Phlebiopsis gigantea has evolved a unique enzyme system to efficiently transform or degrade conifer extractives but little is known about the mechanism(s). In this study, to clarify the mechanism(s) of softwood degradation, we examined the transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome of P. gigantea when grown on defined media containing microcrystalline cellulose and pine sapwood extractives. Beyond the conventional enzymes often associated with cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin degradation, an array of enzymes implicated in the metabolism of softwood lipophilic extractives such as fatty and resin acids, steroids and glycerides was significantly up-regulated. Among these, a highly expressed and inducible lipase is likely responsible for lipophilic extractive degradation, based on its extracellular location and our characterization of the recombinant enzyme. Our results provide insight into physiological roles of extractives in the interaction between wood and fungi.

Contribution of Bioactive Compounds to the Antioxidant Capacity of the Edible Mushroom Neolentinus lepideus.

Neolentinus lepideus is a fungus consumed by rural communities in Central America and Asia due to its rich flavor; however, little information on its chemical composition is available. With this in mind, the objective of this work was to determine the content of vitamin E and C, ergosterol, and phenolic compounds of this fungus, as well as its antioxidant capacity. The quantified bioactive compounds were two isoforms of vitamin E, highlighting α-tocopherol (3370.35 mg/100 g dry weight, DW) and ergosterol (11.70 mg/100 g DW). The total phenolic content was 164.80 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g, and nine phenolic compounds were identified (protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, vanillic, ferulic, salicylic, p-anisic, trans-cinnamic acids, and scopoletin). The highest antioxidant capacity was detected in the lipophilic extract with TEAC (27688 μmoles Trolox equivalents/100 g). These results suggest that lipophilic compounds are among the main bioactive compounds in N. lepideus, and they might exhibit the highest radical scavenging properties in non-polar extracts.

Oleogel formulation using lipophilic sea buckthorn extract isolated from pomace with supercritical CO2.

Lipophilic sea buckthorn pomace extract isolated by supercritical CO2 (LSBPE) was structurized with different amounts of carnauba wax or beeswax as oleogelators. Oleogels were also made with added water at an LSBPE:water ratio of 70:30. LSBPE was characterized by a favorable ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (1:3) and reasonable amounts of omega-7 fatty acids (4.45% of total), tocopherols (63.0mg/100 g) and carotenoids (700.1mg/100 g). The oleogels were characterized by their structural and rheological properties, and physical and chemical stability during storage. Carnauba wax produced a gel-like structure with a highly condensed network of aggregated crystals, while beeswax oleogels displayed elongated crystals which formed interconnected networks. Carnauba wax gels were harder than beeswax gels with better oil-binding capacity and higher crystallization and melting temperatures. Both oleogels showed good physical and oxidative stability during storage due to the immobilization of oil in the three-dimensional structures, and the presence of strong lipophilic antioxidants in LSBPE, respectively. As the proportion of waxes increased from 5 to 17.5%, the hardness, oil-binding capacity, crystallization, and melting temperatures increased in both gels due to the more developed crystalline associations. Addition of water had no significant effect on the physical and chemical stability of oleogels during storage. Water was distributed as small droplets in the crystalline network of oleogelators. However, hardness and oil-binding capacity decreased as water was added. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and bioactive compounds, LSBPE oleogels offer the opportunity to deliver bioactives while simultaneously acting as fat substitutes.

Extractives in Betula celtiberica stemwood and isolation and identification of diarylheptanoids in the hydrophilic extract

Abstract In Betula celtiberica (Iberian white birch) stemwood, the content and composition of lipophilic and hydrophilic extractives were determined; these have not been reported previously in this species. The total gravimetric amount of extractives was 2.2% of dry wood, of which lipophilic extractives accounted for 0.39% and hydrophilic extractives 1.84% (determined by gas chromatography–flame ionisation detection [GC–FID]). The lipophilic extract contained mainly triterpenoids and steroids. The hydrophilic extract (acetone–water 95:5 v v−1) contained mainly sugars, compounds not eluting on GC, and a large number of unidentified compounds, which accounted for 0.87% of dry wood and dominated the extract. The compounds were isolated from the extract by silica column chromatography and further purified. GC–electron impact (EI)-MS of the silylated compounds showed characteristic mass fragments that suggested them to be diarylheptanoids (DAHs). This is an interesting compound group, as many of them have shown a large variety of beneficial biological effects. Of over 80 detected DAHs, the exact mass of 17 compounds was determined by electrospray ionisation-quadrupole-time-of-flight (ESI-QTOF)-MS, and of these, the structure of 11 compounds was elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). One was a meta,para-bridged diphenylether and 10 were meta,meta-bridged biphenyls, of which one, 3,8,9,17-tetrahydroxy-[7,0]-metacyclophane, has not been described previously. Because of low concentrations, 21 DAHs were only tentatively identified, and of these, as many as 17 seem to be previously undescribed compounds.

Genotypic and Environmental Effect on the Concentration of Phytochemical Contents of Lentil (Lens culinaris L.)

The health-promoting effects of lentil seeds due to phenolic compounds and other antioxidants make lentils a potential source of functional food or feed ingredients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of genotype and growing environment on the phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities such as ABTS (2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assays of soluble extracts from five lentil cultivars grown in ten diverse locations over a 2-year experimental period. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total proanthocyanidin content (TPAC), total hydrolyzed tannin content (TNC), tocopherols and carotenoids were investigated. The major proanthocyanidins and individual polyphenols were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Our results indicated that flavanols were the main phenolic compounds in hydrophilic extracts, followed by phenolic acids. Concerning lipophilic extracts, tocopherols and carotenoids were the main components, with γ-tocopherol and lutein being the predominant isomers, respectively. In general, both genetic and environmental effects had a strong impact on all bioactive components tested. Greater variation due to environmental effects was found for phenolic compounds (TPC, TFC and TPAC) and antioxidant activities; however, tocopherols and carotenoids revealed a high genotypic dependence. The principal component analysis highlighted the genotypes with higher content of antioxidants and stability across environments. The red lentil population “03-24L” was characterized as a promising genetic material due to its high phenolic contents and antioxidant capacity values across environments and is suggested for further investigation. In conclusion, multi-environmental trials are essential for a better understanding of the genotypic and environmental effect on phytochemical profiles of lentils and provide important information for breeding or cultivating lentil varieties of high-bioactive value.

Effect of Seasonal Storage on Single-Stem Bark Extractives of Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

Increasing the net value of forestry side-streams has both ecological as well as economic benefits for emerging biorefining industries. Spruce bark represents one of the nature’s abundant sources of valuable extractives. In this study, the impact of storage on the quality and quantity of Norway spruce (Picea abies) extractives was examined as a function of storage time, environmental conditions and season (i.e., winter or summer). The bark from stored spruce saw logs was extracted with an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) at 120 °C with hexane and water. The produced extracts were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatography with a flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods. The total amount of phenolics in the water extracts was evaluated by the Folin–Ciocalteu method, while the carbohydrate and lignin content of the extractive-free bark was estimated by acidic hydrolysis and acidic methanolysis. According to the results, storage season and temperature dramatically influenced both the chemical composition and degradation rate of bark extractives. After a storage period of 24 weeks, the winter-stored saw log bark retained 22% more hydrophilic extractives than the summer-stored bark. Lipophilic extractives, however, were 14% higher during the summer. Notably, the average amount of monomeric stilbenoids was 61% higher during the winter storage period. The initial total phenolic content in the water extracts was significantly higher during winter, but the degradation rate was about equal during winter and summer. The amount of cellulose in dry bark decreased from 17% to 11% and from 13% to 6% during winter and summer, respectively. By contrast, hemicelluloses increased from 17% to 26% and 15% to 30% during winter and summer, respectively. Overall, it was demonstrated that the seasonal factors of storage greatly affected the degradation rate of valuable spruce bark extractives, which should be considered in the planning stages of the raw materials procurement chain.

The Combination Effects of Immersion and Moderate Electric Field (MEF) Treatments on Enhancement of Deliverable Iron From Kale Leaves (Brassica oleracea L. Var. Sabellica)

Abstract Objectives Due to anti-nutrients found in leafy greens and the physical-chemical properties of inorganic iron found in plant sources, iron bioavailability is lower relative to heme iron rich in red meat. We tested a series of novel food processing techniques (i.e., vacuum treatment, bath-immersion, and moderate electric field (MEF) to improve iron content and potential delivery, using kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. sabellica) as our model green leafy vegetable. Methods A ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) solution was prepared and fresh kale samples (n = 3 per treatment) were immersed in the solution alone (control), treated with vacuum alone, vacuum + water bath (30–50°C), or vacuum + water bath + MEF (15 V/cm at frequency of 60 Hz at 40–60°C) for up to 15 min. Effects of immersion (24 h at 4°C) after each treatment step were also tested. Treated samples were rinsed in deionized water before freezing and lyophilization prior to analysis. Concentrations of chlorophyll and iron chlorophyll derivatives were measured in both lipophilic and polar leaf extracts using ultra high liquid chromatography-diode array detection (UHPLC-DAD). Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure iron concentrations. Differences between treatment groups were analyzed with one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's posthoc testing for pairwise comparisons (P < 0.05 considered statistically significant). Results Vacuum followed by immersion produced kale with ∼1500x more iron than the kale control, while MEF-treated kale had the greatest increase in iron concentration without immersion (∼4000x than control). Two novel metabolites, tentatively iron chlorophyllin derivatives, were observed in the lipophilic extracts of the MEF and immersed kale samples, and identifies are being pursued via UHPLC-high resolution mass spectrometry metabolomics. Conclusions The novel food processing techniques employed here produced kale with iron concentrations significantly higher than the kale control, as well as other iron-rich plant foods (e.g., ∼40x times higher than black beans). Future testing will determine if this” iron-enhanced” kale has the potential to better deliver iron as compared to untreated kale, an FeSO4 supplement, or a heme-rich source. Funding Sources This research was supported by OARDC via a SEEDS grant and also via Hatch #W4122.

The Effects of Chemotherapy on Circulating Plasma Carotenoids and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract Objectives Chemotherapy upregulates inflammatory processes as measured by circulating concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines and their signaling lipids. Our objective was to observe if breast cancer chemotherapy influenced the circulating concentrations of provitamin A and non-provitamin A carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins (FSVs) in free-living patients. Methods Serum samples were collected from patients (n = 34) immediately prior to standard adjuvant and neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer, and 4 months following chemotherapy commencement. Patient multivitamin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drug use was noted at both visits. Lipophilic extracts of serum were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) to quantify α- and β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, retinol, α-tocopherol and phylloquinone. Linear mixed models were developed to assess the relationship between the main factors (i.e., chemotherapy, multivitamin, and NSAID use), and their interaction effects, on serum carotenoid and fat-soluble vitamin concentrations. Random effects included a fixed intercept for each subject. Results Chemotherapy was significantly associated with reduced serum concentrations of α-carotene (P = 0.053) and retinol (P = 0.042), with a trend observed for reduced β-carotene (P = 0.076) and phylloquinone (P = 0.082). There was no main effect of multivitamin or NSAID use on any analytes investigated. An interaction effect was observed for chemotherapy * multivitamin use, with increased concentrations of serum retinol (P = 0.004) and lycopene (P = 0.004), and a trend observed for zeaxanthin (P = 0.087) for those who took multivitamins. Chemotherapy * NSAID use was also significantly associated with a trend in increased serum lutein (P = 0.061) for those who consumed NSAIDS. Conclusions Our results suggest randomized, controlled trials of multivitamin use and/or provitamin A carotenoid-rich food consumption merit further investigation in patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Funding Sources This research was supported by The Ohio State University Stefanie Spielman Breast Cancer Center Kroger Fund, Pelotonia, NIH R01CA189947, NIH Award Number Grant P30 CA016058, OSU, and OSUCCC.