Acid Phenolic Compounds Research Articles

Revealing the Phenolic Acids in Cardamine violifolia Leaves by Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses.

Cardamine violifolia, a species belonging to the Brassicaceae family, is a selenium hyperaccumulator and a nutritious leafy vegetable. Our previous study showed that C. violifolia leaves are rich in total phenolic acids, but the composition and corresponding genes remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the phenolic acid compounds and potential gene regulation network in the outer leaves (OL) and central leaves (CL) of C. violifolia using transcriptome and metabolome analyses. Results showed that the OL contained a higher total phenolic acid content than the CL. Metabolome analysis revealed a total of 115 phenolic acids, 62 of which (e.g., arbutin, rosmarinic acid, hydroxytyrosol acetate, and sinapic acid) were differentially accumulated between the CL and OL of C. violifolia. Transcriptome analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in the pathways of secondary metabolite biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Conjoint analysis of the transcriptome and metabolome indicated that seven genes (CYP84A1, CYP84A4, CADH9, SGT1, UGT72E1, OMT1, and CCR2) and eight phenolic acids (sinapic acid, sinapyl alcohol, 5-O-caffeoylshikimic acid, sinapoyl malate, coniferin, coniferyl alcohol, L-phenylalanine, and ferulic acid) constituted a possible regulatory network. This study revealed the phenolic acid compounds and possible regulatory network of C. violifolia leaves and deepened our understanding of its nutrient value.

Antioxidant activity and phenolic acid constituents of two andean Hypericum L. species from Colombia

Antioxidant capacity of extracts of different polarity obtained from two Hypericum L. species (H. juniperinum and H. mexicanum) was assessed by means of total polyphenolic content (TPC), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. Their phenolic acid composition was also determined by HPLC. The ethyl acetate extract of H. juniperinum was the most active in the ABTS, FRAP and TPC assays with 10867.48 ?mol TEAC/g, 242.80 mg AAE/g and 491.08 mg GAE/g respectively. On the other hand, the methanol extract obtained from H. mexicanum appeared as the most active extract in the DPPH assay (3714.23 ?mol TEAC/g). Similarly, the butanol fraction coming from the methanolic extract of H. mexicanum showed the highest activity in the ORAC assay (12910.06 ?mol TEAC/g). HPLC analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of phenolic acid compounds, such as chlorogenic (50.09 mg/g) and p-coumaric acids (63.36 mg/g) in H. mexicanum and p-coumaric acid (8.45 mg/g) in H. juniperinum. A high correlation between antioxidant activity and total polyphenol content was established. Specifically, H. mexicanum exhibited the highest ORAC capacity, which may be associated with the high content of chlorogenic and p-coumaric acids present in medium to polar extracts. Our results constitute a significant contribution to the study of antioxidant activity and the determination of the phenolic acid profile in both species. The analysed extracts showed promising antioxidant activity that could be useful in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries.

Integration of LC/MS-based molecular networking and molecular docking allows in-depth annotation and prediction of the metabolome: A study of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge

Plant secondary metabolites play essential roles in plant-environment interactions and biological communication. Although untargeted metabolomics is widely used in plant research, it suffers from limited annotated metabolites and relatively poor reliability. Herein, we report a technical route of untargeted metabolomics that involves using MS-DAIL to preprocess the data, using Cytoscape to construct a molecular network and quickly expand secondary metabolites annotation, using SIRIUS4 to construct a mass spectrum tree and summarize the fragmentation rules, and using bioinformatics analysis and molecular docking to predict the latent effect of new compounds. The new method annotates metabolites and finds new substances according to mass spectrometry similarity, and predicts its potential application value before separating new substances. 34 tanshinones and 31 phenolic acids were rapidly annotated by the technical route, and the structures of two new salvianolic acids with large molecular weights were deduced by the summarized mass spectrometry fragmentation rules. The results of molecular docking indicated that the two new substances may act on aldose reductase and plasminogen . The new technical route established in this study is helpful for the identification of plant secondary metabolites and the prediction of potential application value of new compounds. The method established in this study is helpful to promote plant metabolomics studies. • A new technical route for rapid compound annotation is proposed. • The method identified two new phenolic acid compounds in Salvia miltiorrhiza. • Molecular docking methods are used to predict the potential activity of novel compounds.

Isolation of Aloe saponaria-Derived Extracellular Vesicles and Investigation of Their Potential for Chronic Wound Healing.

A chronic wound is caused by a failure to progress through the normal phases of wound repair in an orderly and timely manner. To induce skin regeneration while inhibiting chronic inflammation, numerous natural products, and in particular, plant-derived biomaterials, have been developed. Aloe saponaria, is known to contain flavonoid and phenolic acid compounds with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we isolated extracellular vesicles (EVs) from Aloe saponaria by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based precipitation and investigated their potential as a therapeutic for chronic wound healing. The Aloe saponaria-derived EVs (AS-EVs) showed no significant cytotoxicity on several cell types, despite a high level of intracellular uptake. When lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with AS-EVs, significant reductions in the expression of pro-inflammatory genes, such as interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β, were observed. Proliferation and migration of human dermal fibroblasts, as determined by the water-soluble tetrazolium salt-8 and transwell migration assay, respectively, were shown to be promoted by treatment with AS-EVs. It was also demonstrated that AS-EVs enhanced tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, indicating a stimulatory activity on angiogenesis; one of the crucial steps for effective wound healing. Collectively, our results suggest the potential of AS-EVs as a natural therapeutic for chronic wound healing.

Effect of processing on the phytochemicals and quality attributes of vermicelli developed from colored wheat

Biofortified colored wheat is rich in anthocyanin and phenolic acid compounds that have demonstrated positive physiological effects in humans and animals. This study aimed to develop vermicelli from black and purple colored wheat and compared it with non-colored white wheat. Vermicelli (roasted and unroasted) was developed from various colored wheat. Both roasted and unroasted versions were examined for the effect of processing on the quality characteristics such as cooking quality, shelf life, sensory parameters, macronutrients, anthocyanins, phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity. The order of relative content of protein, anthocyanins, phenolics and flavonoids in both the forms was black > purple > white. Higher flour solubility and higher cooking losses in the soup gave black wheat a better texture and taste. Extrusion and roasting reduced anthocyanins, flavonoids, and soluble phenolics but enhanced insoluble phenolics and antioxidant activity. Three-month storage did not affect its quality attributes. Major anthocyanin in black wheat flour and its products was delphinidin-3-o-rutinoside. Several new anthocyanins, including coumaric acid derivatives were identified through MS/MS analysis. Anthocyanin stability followed the trend of peonidin-3-o-glucoside > cyanidin-3-o-glucoside > malvidin-3-o-glucoside > peonidin-3-rutinoside > delphinidin-3-o-galactoside > cyanidin-3-o-rutinoside. Thus, black wheat vermicelli with good shelf life was found to be best in terms of antioxidant activity, protein content, taste, and sensory attributes.

Unfolding Biomechanism of Dolichos lablab Bean as A Dietary Supplement in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Management through Computational Simulation

Dietary intervention, particularly legumes consumption, plays a significant role in promoting health status in diabetes mellitus management. As poorly known legumes, Dolichos lablab (DL) is possibly to be one of the dietary options for diabetes intervention. However, the predictive or precise mechanism of DL’s anti-diabetic activity remains inconclusive. This study aimed to determine the nutritional and phytochemical content in addition to anti-diabetic properties of DL. Total protein, crude fat, crude fibers, and gross energy were evaluated, while anti-diabetic properties were predicted using molecular docking according to identified compound from Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS) analysis. Screened compound from molecular docking then passed to physicochemical properties and bioactivity prediction using Swiss-ADME and molinspiration, separately. The result showed that DL has high protein fiber and gross energy content with a lower fat percentage. Additionally, DL has numerous phenolic acid and flavonoid compounds according to LC-HRMS analysis. From the docking analysis, fourteen compounds have substantial probability to give the beneficial effect of glucose metabolism regulator and insulin signaling repairers through inhibition of ɑ-amylase, DPP4, and PTP1B. Finally, from the physicochemical properties and bioactivity estimations, 19-Norandrostenedione, 19-Nortestosterone, Icariside B1, Ilicic Acid, and Psilostachyin B have excellent pharmacokinetic properties along with considerable biological activity as enzyme inhibitors and nuclear receptor ligands. In conclusion, nutritional evaluation and molecular docking analysis revealed that DL might serve as a suitable dietary intervention for diabetes mellitus management.

Defense Responses and Metabolic Changes Involving Phenylpropanoid Pathway and PR Genes in Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) following Cucumber mosaic virus Infection

The current study focuses on the effects of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) infection on phytochemical changes and pathogenesis- and phenylpropanoid pathway-associated gene activities in squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) plants during a time course of 2 to 12 days post inoculation (dpi). The identity of the CMV isolate was confirmed by DAS-ELISA, TEM, and coat protein gene sequence. The CMV infection initially boosts and then suppresses transcript levels of the defense-related genes PR-1, PR-2, PAL, HQT, and CHS during the investigated time course compared to controls. The expression profile during the time-course study indicated that early, transient induction of PR-1 occurs during CMV infection, while CMV induced the expression of PR-2 in systemically infected squash tissues at all time points and suppressed the expression of PAL and HQT at 8-12 dpi. CHS transcript levels fluctuated between up- and down-regulation, but by 12 dpi, CHS expression reached its peak. The HPLC and GC–MS analyses of CMV-infected squash extracts revealed that different phenolic, flavonoid, and fatty acid compounds could be induced or suppressed upon CMV infection. In particular, CMV could suppress the synthesis of most phenolic compounds, specifically chlorogenic acid, possibly leading to the virus’s rapid spread.

A dynamic rhizosphere interplay between tree roots and soil bacteria under drought stress.

Root exudates are thought to play an important role in plant-microbial interactions. In return for nutrition, soil bacteria can increase the bioavailability of soil nutrients. However, root exudates typically decrease in situations such as drought, calling into question the efficacy of solvation and bacteria-dependent mineral uptake in such stress. Here, we tested the hypothesis of exudate-driven microbial priming on Cupressus saplings grown in forest soil in custom-made rhizotron boxes. A 1-month imposed drought and concomitant inoculations with a mix of Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas stutzeri, bacteria species isolated from the forest soil, were applied using factorial design. Direct bacteria counts and visualization by confocal microscopy showed that both bacteria associated with Cupressus roots. Interestingly, root exudation rates increased 2.3-fold with bacteria under drought, as well as irrigation. Forty-four metabolites in exudates were significantly different in concentration between irrigated and drought trees, including phenolic acid compounds and quinate. When adding these metabolites as carbon and nitrogen sources to bacterial cultures of both bacterial species, eight of nine metabolites stimulated bacterial growth. Importantly, soil phosphorous bioavailability was maintained only in inoculated trees, mitigating drought-induced decrease in leaf phosphorus and iron. Our observations of increased root exudation rate when drought and inoculation regimes were combined support the idea of root recruitment of beneficial bacteria, especially under water stress.

Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Ethanolic and Water Extracts of Stingless Bees Tetrigona binghami, Heterotrigona itama, and Geniotrigona thoracica Propolis Found in Brunei

In the present study, the antibacterial activities of ethanolic and water extracts of propolis produced by stingless bees Tetrigona binghami, Heterotrigona itama, and Geniotrigona thoracica found in Brunei against four different bacterial strains were quantified. Additionally, spectroscopic and colorimetric methods, including Fourier transform infrared, absorption, fluorescence, aluminum chloride, and Folin-Ciocalteu analyses were used to characterize the propolis extracts. Flavonoid, phenolic, and aromatic acid compounds in the propolis extracts were also quantified, as these compounds are responsible for their antioxidant capacity. The antibacterial activity was determined based on bacterial growth inhibition zones using the disc diffusion, and it was further confirmed by the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations, which were evaluated using the broth macrodilution method. The propolis extracts exhibited antibacterial activities but were lower compared to streptomycin, which was used as a standard antibiotic. The MIC values of the water extracts were 2500 μg/mL, and those of the ethanolic extracts were in the range of 2500‒10000 μg/mL, much higher than other reported propolis from different countries. Their MBC test further suggested that the propolis extracts were bacteriostatic. The overall findings evidenced the quantities of the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of the propolis extracts, although the results suggested low antibacterial activities of the propolis extracts from Brunei stingless bees.

Dietary Ferulic Acid Ameliorates Metabolism Syndrome-Associated Hyperuricemia in Rats via Regulating Uric Acid Synthesis, Glycolipid Metabolism, and Hepatic Injury.

Ferulic acid is a well-known phenolic acid compound and possesses multiple health-promoting and pharmacological effects. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hyperuricemia (HUA) have become health problems worldwide and are closely connected. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of ferulic acid on MetS-related HUA and its underlying mechanisms. Rats were administered high-fructose and high-fat diet (HFFD) with or without ferulic acid (0.05 and 0.1%) for 20 weeks. Intake of HFFD resulted in obesity, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, which were alleviated by ferulic acid consumption. Treatment of rats with ferulic acid diminished the levels of lipids and inflammatory cytokines and enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the liver caused by HFFD. Additionally, administration of ferulic acid blocked a HFFD-induced elevation in activities and mRNA expression of enzymes involving in uric acid (UA) synthesis. Molecular docking analysis denoted that ferulic acid bound to the active center of these enzymes, indicative of the potential interaction with each other. These two aspects might partially be responsible for the decrement in serum UA content after ferulic acid ingestion. In conclusion, ferulic acid supplementation ameliorated lipid and glucose metabolic abnormalities, hepatic damage, and UA formation in MetS rats. There was a dose correlation between lipid deposition and UA synthesis-related indicators. These findings implied that ferulic acid could be applied as a promising dietary remedy for the management of MetS-associated HUA.

Rosmarinic Acid Inhibits Platelet Aggregation and Neointimal Hyperplasia In Vivo and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Dedifferentiation, Proliferation, and Migration In Vitro via Activation of the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE Antioxidant System.

The activation of platelets and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the vascular intima play an essential role in the pathological mechanism of vascular restenosis (RS). Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a natural phenolic acid compound. However, its mechanism of action on platelets and VSMCs is still unclear. This study investigated the effects of RA on platelet function, VSMCs phenotypic conversion, proliferation, and migration in vascular remodeling with a specific focus on the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway. RA inhibited platelet aggregation and Ca2+ release and significantly reduced the release of platelet microvesicles. In addition, RA inhibited the phenotypic transition of VSMCs in vitro and in vivo. In vitro experiments showed that RA could effectively inhibit the proliferation and migration of VSMCs induced by the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. PDGF-BB triggered ROS generation and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, which were inhibited by RA. Mechanistically, after artery injury or treatment with PDGF-BB, VSMCs presented with inhibition of the Nrf2/antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling pathway. RA treatment reversed this profile by activating the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway; stabilizing Keap1 protein; upregulating HO-1, NQO1, GCLM, and GST protein levels; promoting typical Nrf2 nuclear translocation; and preventing VSMCs from oxidative stress damage. On the other hand, RA also inhibited the NF-κB pathway to reduce inflammation. In summary, these results indicate that RA inhibits platelet function and attenuates the proliferation, migration, and phenotypic transition of VSMCs induced by PDGF-BB in vitro and vascular remodeling in vivo. Therefore, RA treatment may be a potential therapy for preventing or treating RS.

Lithosepermic Acid Restored the Skin Barrier Functions in the Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis-like Animal Model.

(1) Background: Psoriasis is a T helper 1/T helper 17 cells-involved immune-mediated genetic disease. Lithospermic acid, one of the major phenolic acid compounds of Danshen, has antioxidation and anti-inflammation abilities. Due to the inappropriate molecular weight for topical penetration through the stratum corneum, lithospermic acid was loaded into the well-developed microemulsion delivery system for IMQ-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis treatment. (2) Methods: BALB/c mice were administered with topical imiquimod to induce psoriasis-like dermatitis. Skin barrier function, disease severity, histology assessment, autophagy-related protein expression, and skin and spleen cytokine expression were evaluated. (3) Results: The morphology, histopathology, and skin barrier function results showed that 0.1% lithospermic acid treatment ameliorated the IMQ-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis and restored the skin barrier function. The cytokines array results confirmed that 0.1% lithospermic acid treatment inhibited the cutaneous T helper-17/Interleukin-23 axis related cytokines cascades. (4) Conclusions: The results implied that lithospermic acid might represent a possible new therapeutic agent for psoriasis treatment.

Ameliorating Effect of Malva neglecta Wallr on Obesity and Diabetes in Wistar Rats: A Mechanistic Study.

A high caloric food causes deposition of fats that may progress to obesity. Obesity is a risk factor for various metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, including but limited to diabetes mellitus. This study is aimed at determining the ameliorating effect of Malva Neglecta wallr aqueous-methanolic extract (MNME) on obesity and diabetes in Wistar rats. The MNME was chemically characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The plant extract was evaluated by in vitro α-amylase inhibition and DPPH scavenging activities. Obesity was induced by administering high sugar and fat diet (HSFD) to rats for six weeks, followed by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg) to induce diabetes. Oral treatments with MNME 250, 500, and 750 mg/kg/day were given to diabetic obese rats for 14 days. The HPLC analysis showed the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids. The plant extract showed significant antioxidant (P < 0.001) and alpha-amylase (P < 0.0001) inhibition activities. The administration of MNME displayed a considerable decrease in fasting blood glucose, body weight, liver function tests, urea, cholesterol, leptin, and insulin levels in diabetic obese rats as compared to the disease control group and maximum effect were observed at 750 mg/kg/day of MNME. The MNME significantly increased (P < 0.05 − 0.001) the levels of GSH, SOD, and CAT in the liver, kidney, and pancreas while notably (P < 0.05 − 0.001) reduced the malondialdehyde level in kidney and pancreas of diabetic obese rats in contrast to disease control rats. This experimental study concludes that the MNME had exhibited antiobesity and antidiabetic activities through reduction of oxidative stress, leptin, α-amylase activity, and insulin resistance due to the presence of phenolic acid and flavonoid compounds.

Responses of purple rice variety to light intensities and soil zinc application on plant growth, yield and bioactive compounds synthesis

Low light intensity restricts rice productivity, however, no deep information is evaluated on purple rice production and its bioactive compound. This study investigated the effects of light intensity on plant growth, yield, and bioactive compounds synthesis during the vegetative (experiment 1) and reproductive (experiment 2) stages of purple rice varieties grown with and without zinc fertilizer application. At the seedling stage in experiment 1, low and intermediate light intensities significantly decreased the total dry weight by 31% and 63%, respectively, compared with the full light intensity. The lower light intensity also decreased the concentrations of seedling total anthocyanin by 81% and total phenol by 36% compared to the full light intensity. At the reproductive stage in experiment 2, shading at early and seed development stages decreased grain yield by 15% compared to the unshaded grains. The concentrations of total anthocyanin and total phenol, DPPH activity, and anthocyanin compounds were increased by shading, while phenolic acid and flavonoid compounds were fluctuated depending on the compound species. Applying soil zinc fertilizer produced no significant improvement in productivity or bioactive compounds but did increase grain zinc concentration by from 6% to 13% compared to zero zinc application. These results will be useful for improving grain yield and quality in purple rice cultivation during the rainy season.

Natural Antioxidants as a Tool to Protect the Organs from Tumors Induced Ehrlich Ascites in Mice

The objective of this study was to estimate if pre-treatment with pomegranate or beetroot juice and their combination for EAC which induces tumor in mice has the antitumor effect. Therefore, antioxidant activity DPPH scavenging was determined. The organs liver, spleen, and kidney were weighted to body weight in mice injected with EAC and treated by cisplatin, pomegranate, beetroot, and both of each pomegranate and beetroot and compared with the mice normal group. Single-cell suspension from the spleen was determined and RNA was extracted from the liver using a total RNA isolation kit and mRNA gene expression in EAC Cells was quantitative Real-Time PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis. The results showed that the pomegranate and beetroot contained high amounts of phenolic acid and flavonoid compounds and the highest antioxidant activity, which gave the highest DPPH scavenging activity. Moreover, the changes in the organ weight of vital organs were determined and compared with the control group. Because homologous recombination appears a new objective for cancer treatment by pomegranate and beetroot juice as an alternative to anticancer drugs. Therefore, pomegranate and beetroot juice have antitumor and antiproliferative influences on the Ehrlich tumor. Therefore, the pomegranate or beetroot and their combination were homologous recombinations that sensitize cells to growth inhibition and apoptosis. Keywords: Pomegranate, Beetroot juice, Ehrlich Ascites, Cisplatin, Cancer

Chitosan-grafted-phenolic acid copolymers against Shewanella putrefaciens by disrupting the permeability of cell membrane.

Chitosan (CS) is a kind of high molecular polymer with antibacterial properties. A copolymer with high bacteriostatic activity can be formed by grafting phenolic acid compounds into the chitosan molecular chain, which can inhibit the growth of dominant spoilage bacteria in aquatic products. The study aimed to investigate the antibacterial effect and mechanism of chitosan-grafted-phenolic acid copolymers on Shewanella putrefaciens (S. putrefaciens). CS-grafted-protocatechuic acid (CS-g-PA) and CS-grafted-gallic acid (CS-g-GA) were attained by EDC/NHS coupling reaction. The antibacterial tests indicated that CS-g-PA and CS-g-GA had the same minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (1.25mg/mL) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) (5.0mg/mL) against S. putrefaciens. According to the change trend of growth curve, the growth of S. putrefaciens was significantly restrained under 2MIC graft copolymers (P < 0.05). Moreover, the increment of alkaline phosphatase (AKPase) activity and electrical conductivity demonstrated that the cell wall and membrane permeability of S. putrefaciens were damaged respectively. In addition, the increase of lactate dehydrogenase (LDHase) activity, protein and nucleic acid absorbance and the decrease of adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity suggested that the cell membrane was incomplete and poor fluidity. The irregular shape of bacteria and the outflow of intercellular contents were also observed from scanning electron microscope (SEM). The above results manifested a great potential of CS-g-PA and CS-g-GA for use as food preservatives to aquatic products.

Cynanchi atrati and Its Phenolic Constituent Sinapic Acid Target Regulator of Calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) to Control Skin Inflammation.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disorder, and numerous pharmacological approaches are employed to reduce symptoms. Natural products of plant-derived materials have been accepted as complementary therapy for the treatment of a wide range of inflammatory diseases. Cynanchi atrati (CA) is an oriental medicinal herb used in the treatment of acute urinary infection, febrile diseases, and laryngopharyngitis. However, the role of CA root extract in skin inflammation such as AD has not been explored yet. In this study, we examined the possible effect of CA root extract on skin inflammation and evaluated the underlying signaling mechanism using in vitro and in vivo modeling systems. Raw264.7 macrophages were used for in vitro experiments, and an oxazolone-induced AD mouse model was used to evaluate in vivo effects. CA extract significantly inhibited the expression levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in RAW264.7 macrophages. The CA root extract mediated suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and was associated with the decreased nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) gene transcriptional activation. Moreover, CA root extract attenuated the in vivo expression of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and ear swelling in the AD mouse models. We also observed that the inhibitory effect of CA root extract on skin inflammation was accompanied by the upregulation of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) expression, which functions in the inflammatory pathways by suppressing NF-κB signaling. We consistently observed that the immunosuppressive effect of CA root extract in AD was significantly perturbed in the RCAN1 knockout mice. In addition, we isolated a phenolic acid compound, sinapic acid (SA), from the CA root extract and found that SA consistently exerted an immunosuppressive effect in RAW264.7 macrophages by inducing RCAN1 expression. Our results provide the first evidence that CA root extract and its phenolic acid constituent, SA, modulate NF-κB signaling pathways by inducing RCAN1 expression in the skin inflammation process. Thus, we suggest that CA root extract has a therapeutic value for the treatment of AD by targeting endogenous immune regulators.

Variability in essential oil composition and phenolic acid profile of Thymus daenensis Celak. populations from Iran

Natural compounds have been widely used as food additives to replace synthetic preservatives. Essential oil (EO) and phenolic acid compounds of thyme are well known for treating a wide range of diseases. The present study was conducted to evaluate the EO yield and composition, and also phenolic acid profile for 11 populations of Thymus daenensis Celak. growing in the different areas of Iran. The EO yield (0.71–2.92 g 100 g−1 DW) was significantly different among the populations. The GC-MS identified a total of 17 components, repressing 96.1–99.7% of the total volatile oil and being mainly monoterpenes (84.2–94.3%). The main EO constitute of T. daenensis populations was thymol (63.6–83%) followed by p-cymene (0.47–7.55%), Carvacrol (1.91–4.32%), and (E)-Caryophyllene (1.37–8.5%), and 1.8-cineole (0.77–4.66%). The phenolic acid compounds determined by HPLC were rosmarinic acid (130–227 µg g-1), Caffeic acid (24.6–66.4 µg g-1), cinnamic acid (15.1–33.53 µg g−1), p-Coumaric acid (10.7–17 µg g-1), Gentisic acid (8.8–10.8 µg g−1), and chlorogenic acid (9.7–29.7 µg g−1). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that (E)-Caryophyllene and carvacrol were the prominent compounds of Isf2 and Zan populations, respectively. The dendrogram of agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) for main EO component showed four and three distinguished classes of populations according to main EO composition and phenolic acid profile, respectively, where Zan population was significantly distinguished from others. Heat map analysis showed p-cymene, 1.8-cineole, (E)-caryophyllene, and chlorogenic acid had the higher variability; however, the minimum changes occurred in thymol and gentisic acid.

Phenolic profiles and bioactivities of different milling fractions of rice bran from black rice

Phytochemicals are unevenly distributed in grain kernels and concentrated in bran fractions. However, their specific distribution in the grain bran, especially colored grains, is not clarified. This study divided rice bran from black rice into five fractions by stepwise milling to obtain BF1(outermost layer) to BF5 (the innermost layer). Each fraction accounted for approximately 2% of the whole kernel. The total content of phenolics (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), and anthocyanins (TAC) of five fractions significantly decreased from BF1 to BF5. The TPC, TFC and TAC of BF1 contribute 25.7%, 28.2%, 28.4% to the total of five fractions, respectively. HPLC analysis showed that the contents of most anthocyanin and phenolic acids compounds decreased from BF1 to BF5. Together with α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities of BF1, the antioxidant activity was higher than those of other fractions. These results can guide the moderate processing of black rice and the utilization of its bran.

Research Progress on the Pharmacological Mechanism of Sour Date Palm in the Treatment of Insomnia with Anxiety and Depression

Insomnia with anxiety and depression is one of the common psychological disorders, which are closely related and usually appear in the form of co-morbidity. The pathogenesis of this disease is still unclear, but it is mostly related to the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), neurotransmitter regulation, and inflammatory response. According to Chinese medicine, this disease belongs to the category of "sleeplessness", "depression" and "dirty restlessness", involving the five internal organs and six internal organs. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that sour date kernel contains flavonoids, saponins, triterpenoids, and phenolic acid compounds. It is also found to act simultaneously through sedative-hypnotic, anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, neurotransmitter regulation, inflammation inhibition, and brain nerve protection. In this paper, the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of the active ingredients of Ziziphus jujube were described by reviewing the pharmacological research literature related to Ziziphus jujube, to illustrate the positive efficacy and medicinal value of Ziziphus jujube in the treatment of insomnia with anxiety and depression.