Macroporous Resin Research Articles

Fabrication and characterization of a toughened spherical chitosan adsorbent only through physical crosslinking based on mechanism of Chain Rearrangement.

Chitosan extracted from natural products has gained tremendous attention in the field of adsorption and separation due to its inherent biocompatibility and potential applications. In this research, we synthesized a new type of spherical chitosan adsorbent (SCA) by controlling the mass transfer rate of the entanglement of the polymer chains in the recombination process. This SCA is a highly crystalline polymer material with outstanding mechanical strength, high adsorption capacity, a porous surface and suitable particle size distribution. The value of the sphericity of attrition of this SCA was 89.8%, which is the same as that of the commercial macroporous resin with a polystyrene matrix. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves showed a significant change from powder to spherical structure and confirmed that the SCA is highly ordered and crystalline. Optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that the SCA was composed of a tightly stacked fiber structure, indicating the homogeneity of the polymerization. The porous structure of the surface provided a channel for mass transfer, which was indicated by a test of the ion exchange capacity and the adsorption performance of the SCA with Cu(ii) as the adsorbed subject. The adsorption capacity was higher than those of all reported non-composite chitosan materials. Therefore, we have successfully synthesized a completely green, nontoxic and environmentally friendly adsorbing resin equipped with excellent mechanical properties and adsorption capacity for future applications in many new fields.

Isolation of Water-Soluble Metabolites from Marine Invertebrates and Microorganisms.

The isolation of pure organic compounds from biological sources, reaction media, or other complex molecular matrixes is the first step to overcome before further biological and chemical investigations. While the isolation of chemicals soluble in organic solvents is commonly accomplished, the isolation of water-soluble organic compounds is less often addressed. We present here a simple method for the isolation of water-soluble organic compounds, using adsorptive macroporous resins and reversed-phase chromatography.

Extraction of flavonoids from Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride using a deep eutectic solvent.

Flavonoids are the main active ingredient in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride (CRPV). In this study, a deep eutectic solvent (DES) was explored to extract the main flavonoids from CRPV, including narirutin (NAR) and hesperidin (HES). A total of 30 DESs were prepared, and DES-20 (proline : urea) was selected as the optimal solvent. According to the single factor and response surface methodology experiments, the optimal extraction conditions for the flavonoids included a molar ratio of 1 : 2, water content of 30%, extraction time of 28 min, extraction power of 240 W, and a liquid-to-solid ratio of 70 mL g−1 and the optimal extraction yields of NAR and HES were 21 ± 2 mg g−1 and 60 ± 2 mg g−1, respectively. The recovery rate of NAR and HES with macroporous resin SP825 were 88 ± 3% and 86 ± 4%, respectively. Compared with traditional extraction methods, this novel method greatly improved extraction efficiency and saved time. Scanning electron microscopy results showed that this novel method could destroy the plant cell wall to enhance the extraction efficiency. Then, 21 flavonoids were identified through an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) technique and nine of them were discovered for the first time in CRPV extracts. Furthermore, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was simultaneously used to determine NAR and HES in CRPV extracts upon methodological validation. Finally, antioxidant and cytotoxic experiments in vitro showed that the flavonoids extracted from the CRPV exhibited certain antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. The above results indicated that the DES was a green solvent, which can effectively extract NAR and HES from CRPV.

Lab Scale Extracted Conditions of Polyphenols from Thinned Peach Fruit Have Antioxidant, Hypoglycemic, and Hypolipidemic Properties.

Thinned peach polyphenols (TPPs) were extracted by ultrasonic disruption and purified using macroporous resin. Optimized extraction conditions resulted in a TPPs yield of 1.59 ± 0.02 mg GAE/g FW, and optimized purification conditions resulted in a purity of 43.86% with NKA-9 resin. TPPs composition was analyzed by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS; chlorogenic acid, catechin, and neochlorogenic acid were the most abundant compounds in thinned peaches. Purified TPPs exhibited scavenging activity on DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl radical, and FRAP. TPPs inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase by competitive and noncompetitive reversible inhibition, respectively. TPPs also exhibited a higher binding capacity for bile acids than cholestyramine. In summary, TPPs from thinned peaches are potentially valuable because of their high antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic capacities, and present a new incentive for the comprehensive utilization of thinned peach fruit.

Optimization of Green Extraction Process of Total Flavonoids from Dendrobium Officinale Flower

Objective: To make full use of the flavonoids in Dendrobium officinale flowers, a green and efficient extraction process was developed. Methods: Taking the yield of flavonoids from Dendrobium officinale flowers as an index, using new deep eutectic solvents, based on single factor experiments and response surface methodology, the extraction process of total flavonoids was optimized. And macroporous adsorption resins were used to investigate the recycling capacity of DESs. Results: DES composed of choline chloride and ethylene glycol (molar ratio 1:4) had the highest yield. The yield reached 22.457 mg/g under the optimal extraction conditions (water content 18.9 %, temperature 88.2 ℃, liquid-solid ratio 23.3:1 mL/g, time 38.0 min). The adsorption rate and desorption rate of ADS-8 for total flavonoids were 78.32 % and 83.55 %, respectively, and the recycling rate of recovered DES reached 95.47 %. Conclusion: The deep eutectic solvent is an efficient and green method that could be recycled to extract the total flavonoids from Dendrobium candidum flowers.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE SEPARATION OF THE COMPONENTS FROM GREEN TEA USING THE PREPARATIVE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY BY DESIGN OF PERIODICAL PROCESS

Leaves of the green tea plant camellis sinensis contain up to 36 % polyphenols. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most interesting polyphenols because it exhibits a strong antioxidant effect. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that EGCG has an antimutagenic and an anticancer effects, an antibacterial effect and a beneficial effect on cholesterol level in blood. Therefore, is needed to isolate EGCG in a pure form in high yield by simple and commercial process. This method for isolation of EGCG contents the following steps: a) selection of macroporous polar resin for the preparative liquid chromatography; b) selection of polar elution solvent; c) determination the temperature and pressure for adsorbtion and desorbtion of the polyphenols of the green tea. Therefore, it was searched the interconnection between yield of EGCG and the range of temperature and amount of eluent. Finally, the process for the separation of Epigallocatechin gallate from green tea extract was developed in the laboratory and EGCG was isolated with the concentration 92% by the yield 43%. Accordingly, the technology of EGCG production based on the preparative liquid chromatography was launched and introduced on the market.

A novel approach for synchronous transformation and extraction of psoralen from fig (Ficus carica L.) leaves based on polarity of different macroporous adsorption resins

In this study, using fig leaves as materials, strong acidic cation exchange resin of D072 with –SO3H functional group was selected as catalyst to promote the conversion of psoralen-glucoside (PO) to psoralen (PSO), and the strong acidic cation exchange resin transformation method (SACERTM) was developed for efficient extraction of PSO from fig leaves. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the yield of PSO was 36.74 mg/g. The transformation efficiency of PO to PSO reached 70.41% using 2 g of D072 resin as catalyst. Then, PSO in fig extract was enriched efficiently by X-5 macroporous adsorption resin (MAR). After eluting with 14-fold of column volume of 70% ethanol at 0.64 BV/h of elution flow rate, the purity of PSO was 24.8-fold higher than before enrichment. The results show that SACERTM combined with MAR purification is an efficient method for extracting and enriching PSO from fig leaves.

Adsorption Equilibrium and Thermodynamics of Tea Theasinensins on HP20-A High-Efficiency Macroporous Adsorption Resin.

The separation and preparation of theasinensins have been hot spots in the field of tea chemistry in recent years. However, information about the mechanism of efficient adsorption of tea theasinensins by resin has been limited. In this study, the adsorption equilibrium and thermodynamics of tea theasinensins by a high-efficiency macroporous adsorption HP20 resin were evaluated. The adsorption of theasinensin A, theasinensin B, and theasinensin C on HP20 resin were spontaneous physical reaction processes. Adsorption processes were exothermic processes, and lowering the temperature was beneficial to the adsorption. The Freundlich model was more suitable to describe the adsorption of tea theasinensins. The adsorption equilibrium constant and maximum adsorption capacity of theasinensin A were significantly higher than theasinensin B and theasinensin C, which indicated that the adsorption affinity of theasinensin A was stronger than that of theasinensin B and theasinensin C. The phenolic hydroxyl groups and intramolecular hydrogen bonds of theasinensin A were more than those of theasinensin B and theasinensin C, which might be the key to the resin’s higher adsorption capacity for theasinensin A. The HP20 resin was very suitable for efficient adsorption of theasinensin A.

Isolation, structural modification, characterization, and bioactivity of polysaccharides from Folium Isatidis

The purification process of Folium Isatidis polysaccharide (FIP) was optimized by response surface method (RSM) using AB-8 macroporous resin. A major homogeneous polysaccharide, named FIP-Ⅱ, was purified from FIP through DEAE-650 M and Sephadex G-75 column chromatography. The structure of the FIP-Ⅱ was investigated through the combination of HPLC, GC, FT-IR, sequential acid hydrolysis, peroxide oxidation, Smith degradation, and NMR analysis. Then, the sulfated, phosphorylated, and carboxymethylated derivatives of FIP-Ⅱ, namely FIP-Ⅱ-S, FIP-Ⅱ-P, and FIP-Ⅱ-C, were prepared. Their structures were characterized by extensive analysis of chromatographic and spectroscopic methods including UV, HPLC, GC, FT-IR, Congo red, CD, SEM-EDX, XRD, TG, DTG, and DSC. Results of RSM showed that optimum purification conditions were elution flow rate 2.76 BV/ h, the sample concentration 2.03 mg/mL, and the elution volume was 1.26 BV. The average comprehensive score of purification was up to 76.28%. FIP-Ⅱ and its derivatives were heteropolysaccharides composed of different molar ratios of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose, and galactose, with a molecular weight of 775.64, 911.75, 1288.31, and 1013.61 kDa. The structure modification influences the solution conformation, surface morphology, crystalline nature, and thermal properties of the FIP-Ⅱ and its derivatives. Antioxidant activity tests showed that structure modification could significantly enhance the activity of the polysaccharides differently. It could be a potential ingredient in the functional food and pharmaceutical industry.

Research progress of tannins in traditional Chinese medicines in recent ten years

In this paper, the newly isolated tannins were sorted after a review of the literature concerning tannins in recent 10 years, and their research progress was summarized in terms of extraction, isolation, pharmacological activity and metabolism. Hydrolysable tannins and condensed tannins are the main structural types. Modern research shows that tannins have many pharmacological effects, such as bacteriostasis, antioxidation, antitumor, antivirus and blood glucose reduction, and have broad development prospects. They are usually extracted by water, ethanol and acetone and isolated and purified by macroporous resin and gel column chromatography. The packings commonly adopted for the column chromatography mainly included Sephadex LH-20, Diaion HP-20, MCI-gel CHP-20 and Toyopearl HW-40. Modern analytical techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(NMR), fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry(FAB-MS) and circular dichroism(CD) are generally used for the structural identification of tannins. Howe-ver, their isolation, purification and structural identification are still challenging. It is necessary to use a variety of high-throughput screening methods to explore their pharmacological activities and to explore the material basis responsible for their functions through experiments in vivo.

High-yield production of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside from flaxseed hull by extraction with alcoholic ammonium hydroxide and chromatography on microporous resin

This study used alcoholic ammonium hydroxide to directly hydrolyze and extract secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) from flaxseed hull in a one pot reaction. The optimal extraction conditions, including the concentration of ammonium hydroxide, extraction time, and temperature, were examined in single factor experiments, followed by response surface methodology (RSM) with 3-level, 3-factor Box-Behnken experiments. As a result, the optimal extraction conditions were determined as follows: material-liquid ratio 1:20, percentage of reagent ammonium hydroxide (25–28% of NH3 in water) in ethanol 33.7% (pH = 12.9), extraction time 4.9 h, and extraction temperature 75.3 °C. Under these conditions, the yield of SDG, as measured by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, was 23.3 mg/g, consistent with the predicted content of SDG in flaxseed hull (23.0 mg/g). Further, 30.0 g of pulverized flaxseed hull was extracted under the optimal conditions, and the extract was subjected to a single run of macroporous resin chromatography to obtain 772.1 mg of a fraction with an SDG content exceeding 76.1%. Subsequent chromatography on Sephadex LH20, yielded 602.8 mg SDG of 98.0% purity, and the yield was 20.1 mg/g (2.0%) from flaxseed hulls. Thus, one-pot hydrolysis and extraction of SDG using alcoholic ammonium hydroxide is simple, and of high-yield.Graphical abstract

Ultrasonic extraction, structural characterization, and antioxidant activity of oligosaccharides from red yeast rice.

Red yeast rice is consumed as a medicinal food to lower blood lipids. Besides, it is used to color food, make wine, etc. In this study, water‐soluble oligosaccharides in red yeast rice were extracted by ultrasonic‐assisted extraction method. The parameters to extract oligosaccharides from red yeast rice were optimized by the Box‐Behnken design under the following optimal extraction conditions: extraction temperature, 60°C; extraction time, 97 min; and liquid/material ratio, 25 ml/g. The structure and the antioxidant activity of the new oligosaccharide were preliminarily investigated. Total carbohydrates extracted from red yeast rice with 80% ethanol–water solution (v/v) were first removed from pigments using D101 macroporous adsorption resin. The total sugar contents were then purified by DE52 resins and Sephadex G‐25 resins to obtain red yeast rice oligosaccharides, coded as RYRO1. Structural characterization experiments indicated that RYRO1 is an oligosaccharide with a weight average molecular weight of 874 Da and a theoretical degree of polymerization of 4.86. RYRO1 is composed of mannose, glucosamine, glucose, and galactose with a molar ratio of 0.248:0.019:1:0.026. The ABTS, DPPH, and hydroxyl free radical scavenging assays showed antioxidant nature of RYRO1.

Large-scale targetedly isolation of biflavonoids with high purity from industrial waste Ginkgo biloba exocarp using two-dimensional chromatography coupled with macroporous adsorption resin enrichment

Seeds and leaves of Ginkgo biloba have been widely applied for industrial application, viewing and medicinal resource. However, the exocarp of G. biloba is usually abandoned and considered as industrial waste. In this work, an efficient and industrially viable protocol for large-scale targetedly isolation of bioactive biflavonoids with high purity from industrial waste G. biloba exocarp was established firstly. Macroporous adsorption resin was used for enriching bioflavonoids, and targeted on-line recognition of biflavonoids was based on their characteristic UV absorption at 210, 270 and 330 nm. Two-dimensional preparative normal phase/reversed phase HPLC-DAC50 system was applied for isolating biflavonoids. A total of 3 biflavonoids including bilobetin, ginkgetin and isoginkgetin were isolated and their purity > 99.0%, dozens or hundreds of milligrams were obtained in one isolation within 30 min. This work will not only provide an effective method for isolating large-scale high purity biflavonoids, but contribute to making full use resources of industrial waste G. biloba exocarp.

Pomegranate peel-derived punicalagin: Ultrasonic-assisted extraction, purification, and its α-glucosidase inhibitory mechanism

The pomegranate peel is a by-product of pomegranate fruit rich in polyphenols. In this study, pomegranate peel polyphenols were explored using LC-MS/MS, and punicalagin was the most abundant compound. The highest yield (505.89 ± 1.73 mg/g DW) of punicalagin was obtained by ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) with the ethanol concentration of 53%, sample-to-liquid ratio of 1:25 w/v, ultrasonic power of 757 W, and extraction time of 25 min. Punicalagin was further purified by the macroporous resin D101 and prep-HPLC, reaching the purity of 92.15%. The purified punicalagin had the IC50 of 82 ± 0.02 µg/mL against α-glucosidase, similar to the punicalagin standard with IC50 of 58 ± 0.014 µg/mL, both exhibiting a mixed inhibitory mechanism. Molecular docking further revealed that a steric hindrance with the intermolecular energy of −7.99 kcal/mol was formed between punicalagin and α-glucosidase. Overall, pomegranate peel is a promising source of punicalagin to develop anti-diabetic functional foods.

Ultrasonic-Assisted Diels-Alder Reaction Exfoliation of Graphite into Graphene with High Resveratrol Adsorption Capacity.

Scalable preparation of graphene with high adsorption capacity is an important prerequisite for fully realizing its commercial application. Herein, we propose an environmentally friendly route for exfoliation of graphene, which is established based on the Diels–Alder reaction. In our route, N-(4-hydroxyl phenyl) maleimide enters between the flakes as an intercalating agent and participates in the Diels–Alder reaction as a dienophile to increase the interlayer spacing of graphite. Then, graphite is exfoliated into graphene with the aid of ultrasound. The exfoliated product is hydroxyl phenyl functionalized graphene with a thickness of 0.5–1.5 nm and an average lateral size of about 500–800 nm. The exfoliation process does not involve any acid or catalyst and would be a safe and environmentally friendly approach. In addition, the exfoliated graphite shows high resveratrol adsorption capacity, which is ten times that of macroporous resins reported in the literature. Thus, the method proposed herein yields exfoliated graphite with high resveratrol adsorption capacity and is of great significance for the mass production of graphene for practical applications.

Integration of Choline Chloride-Based Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents and Macroporous Resin for Green Production of Enriched Oil Palm Flavonoids as Natural Wound Healing Agents.

Huge quantities of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) leaves (OPL) are generated as agricultural biomass from oil palm plantations. OPL are known to contain significant amounts of flavonoids. For maximal exploitation of these valuable antioxidant compounds, an innovative and sustainable extraction method employing natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) combined with ultrasonic assisted extraction was developed. Various NaDES composed of choline chloride as the hydrogen bond donor (HBD) and 1,2 propanediol (PD), 1,4 butanediol (BD), glycerol (GLY), glucose (GLU), maltose (MAL), and lactic acid (LA) as the hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) were synthesized. The influence of these compositions, the methods of their synthesis, molar ratios, and water contents on their capacity to extract flavonoids from OPL was evaluated. Based on the results, it was found that methods which incorporate a heating step produced NaDES with the best capacity to extract OPL flavonoids. These thermal methods combined with molar ratios of 1:3 or 1:4 and water contents of 17 to 50% were found to be the optimal conditions for preparing NaDES, specifically when applied to the PD, BD, and GLY NaDES. Subsequently, UHPLC-UV/PDA-MS/MS analysis revealed NaDES extracts recovered by macroporous adsorption resin XAD7HP were able to optimally extract at least twelve luteolin and apigenin derivatives in OPL NaDES extracts prepared from glycerol and 1,4-butanediol demonstrated better and comparable efficiency as aqueous methanol in extracting flavonoids from OPL. The in vitro studies of antioxidant and wound healing properties supported these findings by exhibiting good free radical scavenging, cell proliferation, and migration activities. Additionally, the NaDES extracts also showed non-cytotoxicity effects at 1000 µg/mL and below on 3T3 fibroblast cells. Results of the study showed that NaDES could be a promising eco-friendly green solvent to extract bioactive OPL flavonoids that have great potential for applications as wound healing agents.

The Potential Protective Effect of Iridoid Glycosides Isolated From Osmanthus fragrans Seeds Against the Development of Immune Liver Injury in Mice.

Objective: The iridoid glycosides were extracted and separated from Osmanthus fragrans seeds, and the potential protective effect of Osmanthus fragrans seed extract on concanavalin A-induced immune liver injury in mice was studied. Methods: Osmanthus fragrans seeds were extracted by 95% ethanol reflux. Then, the iridoid glycosides were enriched by extraction refined through petroleum ether (60°C–90°C), ethyl acetate, and water-saturated n-butanol in sequence, so as to purify the n-butanol part (Osmanthus fragrans seed’s n-butanol extraction, OFSN) by macroporous resin. Specnuezhenide and Nuezhenoside G13 were used as the reference substances to determine the concentration of iridoid glycosides by HPLC. On this basis, a mouse immune liver injury model was established by tail intravenous concanavalin A (20 mg/kg); the contents of serum ALT, AST, IFN-γ, and TNF-α and the contents of liver tissue MDA and SOD were determined; the pathological changes of the liver by HE staining were observed; and the expression levels of p38MAPK and p-p38mapk in liver tissue were detected by WB. Results: The linearity, precision, repeatability, recovery, and stability of HPLC all met the requirements by validating with the methodology. The contents of Specnuezhenide and Nuezhenoside G13 in the n-butanol extracts were 39.20% and 39.88%, respectively. Actually, their contents can reach up to 82.56% and 87.9% after being purified by macroporous resin. The results of animal experiments show that OFSN could significantly reduce the liver and spleen index, reduce the ALT and AST contents in plasma and the MDA content in liver tissue, and then increase the SOD content. Besides, OFSN could also reduce the plasma IFN-γ and TNF-α levels. The HE staining result indicates that the pathological changes in the liver tissues of mice treated with OFSN are alleviated to different degrees while the WB result suggests that OFSN could significantly inhibit the expression of p-p38mapk. Conclusion: Osmanthus fragrans seeds are rich in iridoid glycosides, which has a good protective effect on mouse immune liver injury caused by concanavalin A. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the phosphorylation of p38MAPK, inhibiting the release of inflammatory mediators, improving the antioxidant capacity of liver cells, and weakening the occurrence of lipid peroxidation.

Fabrication of Supported Titanium Xerogel Adsorbent and Performance Evaluation for Arsenite Removal

Although the adsorption capacity of titanium xerogel(TAX) for arsenite(As(Ⅲ)) is high(254 mg·g-1), the adsorption rate is slow. Therefore, TAX was loaded onto activated carbon, sponge, and resin to fabricate a supported adsorbent, and the arsenite removal performance was evaluated. Except sponge, activated carbon and resin could successfully load TAX. The results showed that resin and activated carbon loaded TAX improved the As(Ⅲ) removal performance, and more significantly by the resin-based materials. Through wet digestion and adsorption kinetics experiments, the amount of titanium loaded was approximately 1.4% and 5% in the activated carbon-based(TAX@AC) and resin-based(TAX@resin) materials, respectively. For the initial concentration of 1.0 mg·L-1 As(Ⅲ) solution, the adsorption rate constant of TAX@D201 was 0.85 mg·(g·min) -1, which was 21 times higher than that of unloaded TAX[0.04 mg·(g·min) -1]. Columns packed with TAX@resin could effectively lower arsenite concentration for up to 560 bed volumes, which is 2.8 times greater than that of the iron-based composites with the same metal mass. Therefore, loading TAX on macroporous resin is an effective strategy and provides an effective approach for the application of TAX in arsenite-containing groundwater.

Physalin B ameliorates inflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury mice by inhibiting NF-κB and NLRP3 via the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway

Ethnopharmacological relevancePhysalin B (PB) is an active constituent of Physalis alkekengi L. var. Franchetii, which is a traditional medicine for clearing heat and detoxification, resolving phlegm, and diuresis. It has been commonly applied to treat sore throat, phlegm-heat, cough, dysuria, pemphigus, and eczema. Aim of studyPhysalin B has shown efficacy as an anti-acute lung injury (ALI) agent previously; however, its mechanisms of action remain unclear. In the present study, we established a lipopolysaccharide-induced septic ALI model using BALB/c mice to further confirm the therapeutic potential of PB and to assess the underlying molecular mechanisms. Materials and methodsWe used 75% ethanol and macroporous resin for extraction, separation, and enrichment of PB. The LPS-induced ALI mouse model was used to determine anti-inflammatory effects of PB. The severity of acute lung injury was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, wet/dry lung ratio, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in lung tissue. An automatic analyzer was used to measure the arterial blood gas index. Protein levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung tissue was measured using an ELISA. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to measure changes in RNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the lungs. A fluorometric assay kit was used for determination of apoptosis-related factors to assess anti-apoptotic effects of PB. Western blotting was used to assess levels of key pathway proteins and apoptosis-related proteins. Connections between the pathways were tested through inhibitor experiments. ResultsPretreatment with PB (15 mg kg-1 d-1, i.g.) significantly reduced lung wet/dry weight ratios and MPO activity in blood and BALF of ALI mice, and it alleviated LPS-induced inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue. The levels of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β and their mRNA levels in blood, BALF, and lung tissue were reduced following PB pretreatment. PB pretreatment also downregulated the apoptotic factors caspase-3, caspase-9, and apoptotic protein Bax, and it upregulated apoptotic protein Bcl-2. The NF-κB and NLRP3 pathways were inhibited through activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway due to PB pretreatment, whereas administration of PI3K inhibitors increased activation of these pathways. ConclusionsTaken together, our results suggest that the anti-ALI properties of PB are closely associated with the inactivation of NF-κB and NLRP3 by altering the PI3K/Akt pathway. Furthermore, our findings provide a novel strategy for application of PB as a potential agent for treating patients with ALI. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to elucidate the underlying mechanism of action of PB against ALI.

Anti-obesity Effect of Mulberry Anthocyanins in C57BL/6J Mice

Background: In this study, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of purified mulberry anthocyanins using PB-600 macroporous resin (RPA), and investigated their effects on the weight of the body, liver, and epididymal white adipose tissue, lipid profiles, and mRNA gene expression for lipid metabolism in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese C57BL/6J male mice.<BR>Methods and Results: Four-week-old C57BL/6J mice (n = 12/group) were fed an HFD (HFD group) with RPA (HFD + RPA group, 5,000 ㎎/㎏/day, 761.85 ㎎· cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalent/g) for 12 weeks. Mice fed HFD showed increased body weight, insulin resistance, and serum and hepatic lipid levels. In comparison, the HFD + RPA group showed significantly lower body weight and fat mass with a decreasing food efficiency ratio than the HFD control mice. Additionally, the RPA group showed significantly lower levels of total cholesterol and blood glucose, decreased homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score, attenuated lipid accumulation, and decreased leptin secretion. Regarding the mRNA expression of genes related to anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties, RPA decreased the expression levels of PPARγ, FAS, IL-6, and TNFα, compared to the HFD control, while increased the CPT 1 expression levels increased.<BR>Conclusions: These results confirm that RPA, a purified mulberry anthocyanin has anti-obesity, and anti-inflammatory effects and could be used for functional and health-promoting activities, such as reducing obesity and insulin resistance at high doses in obese animals models.