Composition Of Phenolic Compounds Research Articles

ИЗУЧЕНИЕ ХИМИЧЕСКОГО СОСТАВА И АНТИОКСИДАНТНОЙ АКТИВНОСТИ СУХОГО ЭКСТРАКТА ТРАВЫ ПОСКОННИКА КОНОПЛЯНОГО

The article presents the results of a study of a polyphenolic extract of the herb Eupatorium cannabinum L., which grows on the territory of the Krasnodar Territory. The aim of the study was to conduct a phytochemical analysis of the BAS of a dry extract of Eupatorium cannabinum L. and determination of its antioxidant activity. Thus, as a result of the conducted studies, it was found that a diverse composition of phenolic compounds is identified in the dry extract of Eupatorium cannabinum L., among which the presence of rutin, quercetin salicylic, chlorogenic, caffeic, ferulic, π-coumaric and gallic acids was revealed. It was found that the content of phenolic carboxylic acids in the dry extract of Eupatorium cannabinum L. averaged 15.10%, flavonoids – 4.34%. The results of the studies conducted on the in vitro model system revealed the ability of the dry extract of Eupatorium cannabinum L. reduce the accumulation of Fe2+-induced POL products, which indicates the presence of direct antioxidant action. The mechanism of action of the resulting extraction product on the one hand may be related to the ability of phenolic compounds that make up the dry extract to act as free radical traps and restore reactive oxygen species, on the other hand, the resulting extract can act as chelators of Fe2+ ions, which significantly reduces the rate of free radical processes. The obtained data complement the previously discovered information about the antimicrobial effect of the dry extract of the cannabis herb and allow us to predict the potential effectiveness of the use of drugs based on it for the treatment of infectious and inflammatory skin diseases due to the presence of combined antimicrobial and antioxidant effects.

In Vitro and in Silico Insights on the Biological Activities, Phenolic Compounds Composition of Hypericum perforatum L. Hairy Root Cultures

Three Hypericum perforatum hairy root lines (HR B, HR F and HR H) along with non-transformed roots were analyzed for phenolic compounds composition and in vitro enzyme inhibitory properties. In silico molecular modeling was performed to predict the interactions of the most representative phenolic compounds in HR clones with enzymes related to depression, neurodegeneration and diabetes. Chromatographic analyses revealed that HR clones represent an efficient source of quinic acid and hydroxybenzoic acids, epicatechin and procyanidin derivatives, quercetin and kaempferol glycosides, as well numerous xanthones. In vitro antidepressant activity of HR extracts through monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibition was attributed to the production of oxygenated and prenylated xanthones. The neuroprotective potential of HR extracts was related to the accumulation of quercetin 6-C-glucoside, epicatechin, procyanidins and γ-mangostin isomers as potential inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Vanillic acid and prenylated xanthones in HR clones as promising inhibitors of tyrosinase additionally contributed to the neuroprotective activity. Five preeminent xanthones in HR (γ-mangostin, mangiferin, garcinone C, garcinone E and 1,3,7-trihydroxy-6-metoxy-8-prenyl xanthone) along with the flavonol quercetin 6-C-glucoside effectively inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase indicating the antidiabetic properties of HR extracts. Transgenic roots of H. perforatum can be exploited for the preparation of novel phytoproducts with multi-biological activities.

Comparative Phytochemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Citrus Peel Essential Oils and Phenolic Compounds

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is imposing an alarming public health threat in regard to the irrational use of the currently available antibiotics and the lack of new antimicrobi-als. Objective: The current study aims to comparatively investigate the antimicrobial potential and phytochemical compositions of citrus peel essential oils (EOs) and phenolic compounds (PCs) as an approach to combat life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections. Methods: Citrus EOs and PCs were extracted from Citrus aurantifolia, Citrus reshni, Citrus lati-folia and Citrus paradisi peels and phytochemically characterized by GC-MS and HPLC, respec-tively. The antimicrobial potential of citrus peel EOs and PCs was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Pseudomonas ae-ruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium and Candida albicans using disc diffusion and broth micro-dilution assays. Results: The compositional analysis of citrus peel EOs revealed that limonene was the major volatile constituent, comprising 81.38%, 79.39%, 76.40% and 52.35% of grapefruit, mandarin, orange and lemon EOs, respectively. In addition, naringenin was the most abundant PC in grape-fruit, orange and mandarin peel methanolic extracts, whereas catechin was the major PC in lemon peel. Lemon EO displayed the highest inhibitory effects against the investigated Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as Candida albicans. Moreover, mandarin PCs exhibited the highest antibacterial effects, while orange PCs displayed the highest anticandidal effects. Fur-thermore, Gram-positive bacteria displayed higher sensitivity to both citrus peel EOs and PCs. Conclusion: Citrus peel extracts possess versatile bioactive compounds that can be utilized as promising antimicrobial candidates. other: -

Antifungal Activity of Medicinal Mushrooms and Optimization of Submerged Culture Conditions for Schizophyllum commune (Agaricomycetes).

The main goal of the present study was the exploration of the antifungal properties of Agaricomycetes mushrooms. Among twenty-three tested mushrooms against A. niger, B. cinerea, F. oxysporum, and G. bidwellii, Schizophyllum commune demonstrated highest inhibition rates and showed 35.7%, 6.5%, 50.4%, and 66.0% of growth inhibition, respectively. To reveal culture conditions enhancing the antifungal potential of Sch. commune, several carbon (lignocellulosic substrates among them) and nitrogen sources and their optimal concentrations were investigated. Presence of 6% mandarin juice production waste (MJPW) and 6% of peptone in nutrient medium promoted antifungal activity of selected mushroom. It was determined that, extracts obtained in the presence of MJPW effectively inhibited the grow of pathogenic fungi. Moreover, the content of phenolic compounds in the extracts obtained from Sch. commune grown on MJPW was several times higher (0.87 ± 0.05 GAE/g to 2.38 ± 0.08 GAE/g) than the extracts obtained from the mushroom grown on the synthetic (glycerol contained) nutrient medium (0.21 ± 0.03 GAE/g to 0.88 ± 0.05 GAE/g). Flavonoid contents in the extracts from Sch. commune varied from 0.58 ± 0.03 to 27.2 ± 0.8 mg QE/g. Identification of phenolic compounds composition in water and ethanol extracts were provided by mass spectrometry analysis. Extracts demonstrate considerable free radical scavenging activities and the IC50 values were generally low for the extracts, ranging from 1.9 mg/ml to 6.7 mg/ml. All the samples displayed a positive correlation between their concentration (0.05-15.0 mg/ml) and DPPH radical scavenging activity. This investigation revealed that Sch. commune mushroom has great potential to be used as a source of antifungal and antioxidant substances.

Organic vs. Non-Organic Plant-Based Foods—A Comparative Study on Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Capacity

A plant's stress response involves the production of phytochemicals, including phenolic compounds. Their synthesis can be modulated by organic (ORG) or non-organic (NORG) farming systems in which they are grown. To examine this issue, thirteen plant-based foods cultivated in ORG and NORG systems were compared in terms of antioxidant capacity, total content of phenolics, anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols and flavonols. The results showed that NORG fruits tended to have higher phenolic compounds content, whereas ORG fruits had more antioxidant capacity. NORG legume stood out for having higher values from all the parameters analyzed in comparison to its ORG equivalent. ORG nuts showed more flavan-3-ols and flavonols than their NORG counterparts, nonetheless, tended to be less antioxidant. ORG vegetables displayed higher phenolics and anthocyanins, which reflected in higher antioxidant capacity than NORG ones. These findings suggest that farming systems differentially modulate phenolic compound composition and antioxidant capacity based on the plant species studied.

Phenolic composition of ten plants species used as ethnoveterinary medicines in Omusati and Kunene regions of Namibia.

The therapeutic benefits of phenolic compounds found in plants are well known. The purpose of this study was to determine the phenolic content of ten plant species used as ethnoveterinary treatments in Namibia's Omusati and Kunene regions. The plants of concern were Aloe esculenta, Fockea angustifolia, Boscia albitrunca, Combretum imberbe, Acacia nilotica, Colophospermum mopane, Acacia erioloba, Ziziphus mucronata, Ximenia americana, and Salvadora persica. An LC-MS approach was used to identify the compounds. To analyse high-resolution UPLC-UV/MS, a Waters Acquity ultra-performance liquid chromatograph (UPLC) with a photodiode array detector was connected to a Waters Synapt G2 quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MS). The current study identified a total of 29 phenolic compounds. Flavonoids (epicatechin, (-)-Epigallocatechin, and rutin,) were the most abundant, followed by 2R, 3S-Piscidic acid. Methylisocitric acid was found in all species investigated, with the highest quantities in A. esculenta and X. americana leaf extracts. There were differences in composition and quantity of phenolic compounds in aerial and ground sections between species. The overall findings of the present study would act as a standard for subsequent investigations into the pharmacological potentials of plants species utilized as ethnoveterinary remedies. Priority should be given to isolating, purifying, and defining the active compounds responsible for these plants' activity.

Comparative analysis of anthocyanin content in various tomato samples in connection with breeding

Relevance. Anthocyanin pigments can be synthesised in the stem, leaves, calyx, peel and pulp of tomato fruit. These compounds protect the photosynthetic apparatus of the plant, neutralise free radicals, increase the efficiency of phosphorus and nitrogen assimilation, have an osmoregulatory function, antimicrobial activity and increase the level of adaptation to unfavourable environmental conditions. In addition, anthocyanins from plant foods play an important role in the prevention of type II diabetes, neurodegenerative processes, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Therefore, the cultivation of tomatoes with anthocyanin-coloured fruits is a perspective area for the vegetable industry in Russia. Vegetable products containing antioxidant substances belong to the functional products and conform to the concept of a healthy diet. As one of the most popular and frequently consumed vegetable crops, the anthocyanin content of tomato is advisable to increase in the fruit (peel and pulp).Material and methods. In this work we studied breeding samples of FSBSI FSVC: L-Ch-365, L-IR-2080, L-Zemba, hybrid combination F1 Zemba x L-Ch-365, variety of Siberian Botanical Garden Bosare blue. The aim of our research was to determine the quantitative composition of phenolic compounds - anthocyanins in different tomato samples, and on this basis to determine the objectives of breeding to improve the content of phenolic compounds.Results. As a result of the research, the quantitative content of anthocyanins in fruits of dif- ferent tomato specimens has been studied, on which the dietary and medicinal quality of the fruits depends. The sources of high content of anthocyanins (L-Zemba, L-IR-2080) have been obtained, which will make possible to conduct directed breeding work for high content of phenolic compounds. It has been shown that anthocyanin-rich tomato samples can be rich in carotenoids, which gives an opportunity to create new varieties and hybrids with high content of water- and fat-soluble antioxidants. Potential samples for breeding according to the complex of biochemical indicators have been identified: L-Zemba, L-IR-2080, Bosare blue. It has been shown that selection for high content of anthocyanins can be performed at various stages of fruit ripening (large ripe fruit, blangetongue, biological ripeness), selecting the most intense colouring. The Zemba tomato variety developed at FSBSI FSVC has a sufficiently high anthocyanin content and is recommended for cultivation in production.

Chemical exchange in the vine shoots-wine system when used as an innovative enological procedure.

Pruned vine shoots prepared as toasted fragments (SEGs) have recently been proposed as enological additives capable of producing differentiated quality wines. In this work, the composition of phenolic and volatile compounds of SEGs, before and after contact with wines, has been studied. SEGs from Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon were used, which were kept in contact for 30 days with red wines made with the same varieties. Phenolic compounds were the ones with the highest sorption in SEGs, but a variety-dependent behavior was observed in anthocyanins and flavonols, with an increase in some malvidin derivatives only in Tempranillo wine and an increase in (-)-epicatechin in SEGs and Cabernet Sauvignon wine. trans-Resveratrol was transferred from SEGs to wine but also increased in SEGs regardless of the variety used. The volatile compounds that were most retained in SEGs were phenylethyl alcohol and ethyl lactate, but in lower proportions than the phenolic compounds and without important changes in wines. The high content of phenolic compounds in SEGs after their use as enological additives suggests that they could be considered as a source of anthocyanins and as raw materials for phenolic compounds with recognized antioxidant properties. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparing the extraction methods, chemical composition, phenolic contents and antioxidant activity of edible oils from Cannabis sativa and Silybum marianu seeds

In the study the cold-pressed, natural (unfiltered, unrefined) vegetable oils: hemp and milk thistle seed oils were tested for their chemical composition and antioxidant properties. The physico-chemical parameters, content of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were determined. Solid phase extraction and simple extraction with the use of methanol, ethanol, 80% methanol, 80% ethanol were used to obtain the extracts for the analysis of antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds in oils. The composition of phenolic compounds was studied by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC–DAD) and spectrophotometric test with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The antioxidant property of extracts was established by means of the following methods: with the DPPH• (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical, ABTS•+ (2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) cation radical, FRAP (ferric ion reducing antioxidant parameter) and CUPRAC (cupric-reducing antioxidant capacity). Moreover the influence of chlorogenic acid on the inhibition of lipid peroxidation process in the hemp and milk thistle seed oils was also investigated. The tested oils showed different antioxidant properties which was related to the their different chemical composition. The main phenolic compounds present in hemp seed oil were vanillic, ferulic and p-coumaric acids, (-)epicatechin, catechin, kaempferol and procyanidin B2, whereas in milk thistle seed oil—catechins, procyanidin B2, procyanidin C1, p-coumaric acid, phloridzin, quercetin, protocatechuic acid, kaempferol, and syringic acid. The methanolic extracts of hemp and milk thistle seed oils showed the highest antiradical activity, whereas the ethanolic extracts revealed the best reducing properties. The obtained antioxidant parameters for hemp seed oil were: the IC50 = 3.433 ± 0.017 v/v (DPPH test), the percent of ABTS•+ inhibition = 93.301 ± 1.099%, FRAP value = 1063.883 ± 39.225 µmol Fe2+, CUPRAC value = 420.471 ± 1.765 µmol of Trolox. Whereas the antioxidant parameters for milk thistle seed oil were: the IC50 = 5.280 ± 0.584 v/v (DPPH test), 79.59 ± 3.763% (ABTS test), 2891.08 ± 270.044 µmol Fe2+ (FRAP test), 255.48 ± 26.169 µmol of Trolox (CUPRAC assay). Chlorogenic acid effectively inhibited the lipid peroxidation process in hemp and milk thistle seed oils.

Conventional vs. Green Extraction Using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents-Differences in the Composition of Soluble Unbound Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of green solvents, natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES), in comparison with conventional solvents on the extraction of free unbound phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of extracts of dried bilberry fruit, bilberry leaves and green tea leaves. After preparation of the extracts via ultrasound-assisted extraction using NaDES and conventional solvents (water and ethanol), spectrophotometric determination of total phenolic and flavonoid content, HPLC analysis of extracted polyphenols and antioxidant determination using FRAP, DPPH and ABTS assays were conducted. The results showed that NaDES have a great potential as agents for the extraction of phenolic compounds with potent antioxidant activity; the highest values of phenolic content and antioxidant activity were detected in the samples obtained by extraction using the NaDES combination betaine + urea. The bilberry leaves exhibited the highest flavonoid content among all extracts and turned out to be more active than bilberry fruits, to which they are often just a by-product during processing. The most active extract of all was the betaine-urea green tea leaves extract. Further research into the most active NaDES extracts should be performed.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Common and Lemon Verbena.

The nutritional profiles of common and lemon verbena leaves were analyzed (proximate constituents, free sugars, organic acids, tocopherols, and fatty acids) and the leaves were prepared in hydromethanolic and aqueous (decoctions and infusions) extracts. The phenolic compound composition and antioxidant activity (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH); 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP); and cupric-reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assays) of the extracts were characterized. The nutritional composition varied between the studied species, with lemon verbena showing higher amounts of protein, ash, and fat than common verbena, whereas the opposite trend was recorded for the dietary fiber content. The main free sugars detected in both species were fructose, glucose, and sucrose, which were present in higher amounts in the common verbena samples. Succinic acid was the most abundant organic acid in both species while high amounts of oxalic acid were detected in lemon verbena. The main fatty acids in both species were α-linolenic, palmitic, and linoleic acid. Regarding the phenolic compound content, the extracts of lemon verbena presented higher amounts of total phenolic compounds (TPCs), total flavonoids (TFs) and total phenolic acids (TPAs) than the common verbena extracts while the aqueous extracts (infusions and decoctions) were richer in TPCs, TFs, and TPAs than the hydromethanolic ones in both species. Nine phenolic compounds were identified and quantified, including seven phenolic acids and two flavonoids. The lemon verbena samples were characterized by higher antioxidant activity compared to the common verbena samples while the aqueous extracts showed higher antioxidant efficacy than the hydromethanolic ones. In conclusion, both species showed promising results in terms of the nutritional value, chemical composition, and antioxidant activities, which were positively correlated with the phenolic compound contents. Moreover, the extraction protocol may affect the chemical composition and bioactive properties of both species, with aqueous extracts showing better results than hydromethanolic ones.

Transcriptome and metabolome analyses of Shatian pomelo (Citrus grandis var. Shatinyu Hort) leaves provide insights into the overexpression of the gibberellin-induced gene CcGASA4.

The gibberellic acid (GA)-stimulatedArabidopsis (GASA)gene familyis highly specific to plants and plays crucial roles in plantgrowth and development. CcGASA4 is a member of the GASA gene family in citrus plants; however, the current understanding of its function in citrus is limited. We used CcGASA4-overexpression transgenic citrus (OEGA) and control (CON) plants to study the role of CcGASA4 in Shatian pomelo. The RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis showed that 3,522 genes, including 1,578 upregulated and 1,944 downregulated genes, were significantly differentially expressed in the CON versus OEGA groups. The Gene Ontology enrichment analysis showed that 178 of the differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) were associated with flowers. A Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were enriched in 134 pathways, including "plant-pathogen interaction", "MAPK signaling pathway-plant", "phenylpropane biosynthesis", "plant hormone signal transduction", "phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis", and "flavonoid and flavonol biosynthesis". The most significantly-enriched pathway was "plant-pathogen interaction", in which 203 DEGs were enriched (126 DEGs were upregulated and 78 were downregulated). The metabolome analysis showed that 644 metabolites were detected in the OEGA and CON samples, including 294 differentially-accumulated metabolites (DAMs; 83 upregulated versus 211 downregulated in OEGA compared to CON). The metabolic pathway analysis showed that these DAMs were mainly involved in the metabolic pathways of secondary metabolites, such as phenylpropanoids, phenylalanine, flavone, and flavonol biosynthesis. Thirteen flavonoids and isoflavones were identified as DAMs in OEGA and CON. We also discovered 25 OEGA-specific accumulated metabolites and found 10 that were associated with disease resistance. CcGASA4 may therefore play a functional role in activating the expression of MAPK signaling transduction pathway and disease resistance genes, inhibiting the expression of auxin- and ethylene-related genes, and activating or inhibiting the expression of brassinosteroid biosynthesis- and abscisic acid-related genes. CcGASA4 may also play a role in regulating the composition and abundance of flavonoids, isoflavones, amino acids, purines, and phenolic compounds. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of action of CcGASA4 in citrus plants.

Research on the phenolic profile, antiradical and anti-inflammatory activity of a thick hydroalcoholic feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium L.) herb extract

The aim – to study the phenolic complex of a thick hydroalcoholic extract of the feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium (L.) herb (FTHAE), its antiradical activity and anti-inflammatory properties in a model of carrageenan and histamine oedema.
 Materials and methods. The studied extract was obtained from the Tanacetum parthenium herb, collected in Sumy and Poltava regions of Ukraine during the period of mass flowering (June-August): degree of grinding of raw materials 2.0-3.0 mm, extraction temperature - 25 °C, extractant – 70 % ethanol, raw material/extractant ratio – 1:12, infusion time – 12 hours, multiplicity of extractions – 3. HPLC and spectrophotometric methods were used to determine the composition and amount of phenolic compounds of FTHAE. HPLC analysis was performed using a “Waters e2695 Alliance system” (Waters, Milford, MA, USA) with a photodiode array detector “Waters 2998” according to the HPLC–PDA method for phenolic compounds. The scavenging of ABTSA radical cation evaluated the radical scavenging activity. In addition, the anti-inflammatory properties of FTHAE were studied on carrageenan and histamine paw oedema in rats. Anti-inflammatory activity (AIA) was evaluated as the ability to reduce oedema compared to the control pathology. FTHAE was used at a dose of 50 mg/kg.
 The results. The content of the sum of hydroxycinnamic acids in the obtained extract was determined by spectrophotometry, which was 13.92±0.02 % and the content of the sum of flavonoids – 5.16±0.03 %. The content of 12 compounds with a total amount of 72432.09µg/g was identified and determined by HPLC. The dominant compounds were hydroxycinnamic acids, namely 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic, 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic and сhlorogenic acids. The antiradical activity of the extract was 620.19±4.53µmol/g. On the model of carrageenan oedema, the maximum effect of oedema suppression was 71.0-73.2 %. In the model of histamine oedema, the anti-inflammatory effect of the extract was 57.8; 51.8; and 49.1 % for 30 minutes, 1 and 1.5 hours of oedema, respectively. The severity of the anti-inflammatory activity of the extract during the first hour is not inferior to the diclofenac sodium, quercetin and loratadine.
 Conclusions. Due to the HPLC method, 12 compounds were determined to cause antiradical activity, among which chlorogenic acid and rutin were identified.
 The studied extract has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, which is due to the antiradical properties of the extract and its inhibitory effect on inflammatory mediators

Evaluation of the Phytochemical Composition of Phenolic and Triterpene Compounds in Fruit of Large Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) Grown in Latvia.

We carried out a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the phytochemical composition of the fruits of large cranberry cultivars ‘Ben Lear’, ‘Bergman’, ‘Kalnciema agra’, ‘Lemunyon’, ‘Pilgrim’, ‘Stevens’, and ‘Tina’ grown in Latvian climatic conditions. The following predominant compounds were found in cranberry fruit samples: peonidin-3-O-galactoside, peonidin-3-O-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside, myricetin-3-galactoside, quercetin-3-galactoside, quercetin-3-α-L-arabinofuranoside, quercetin 3-rhamnoside, ursolic acid, and oleanolic acid. During the berry ripening period (from 16 August until 15 September), a trend of decreasing amounts of compounds was found in the fruit samples of the studied cranberry cultivars: the total amount of proanthocyanidins decreased by 1.3 times, the total amount of the identified flavonols decreased by 1.3 times, the total amount of triterpenoids decreased by 1.2 times, and the total amount of chlorogenic acid decreased by 1.7 times. During the period from 16 August until 15 September, the total amount of anthocyanins in the cranberry fruit samples increased by 2.6 to 17 times. The highest total amount of anthocyanins (5305.80 ± 27 µg/g) was detected in fruit samples of the cranberry cultivar ‘Kalnciema agra’ collected on 15 September. The amount of biologically active compounds in cranberry fruit samples varies during berry ripening. Thus, the choice of the picking time is one of the factors that determines the phytochemical composition of raw cranberry material.

Phenolic Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Alchemilla Species.

The genus Alchemilla, belonging to the Rosaceae family, is a rich source of interesting secondary metabolites, including mainly flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic acids, which display a variety of biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. Alchemilla species are used in traditional medicine for treatment of acute diarrhea, wounds, dysmenorrhea, and menorrhagia. In this review, we focus on the phenolic compound composition and antioxidative activity of Alchemilla species. We can assume that phytomedicine and natural products chemistry are of significant importance due to the fact that extract combinations with various bioactive compounds possess the activity to protect the human body rather than disturb damaging factors.

Polyphenols from Indian cereal grains inhibit 3T3-L1 adipogenesis through modulating early and late phase adipogenic markers

Cereal grains, millets in particular, are known to contain health-beneficial phenolic compounds. Despite the fact that various studies have been performed worldwide, the need of hour is to find the benefecial effect of dietary polyphenols against obesity, which is a serious health concern.The current study aimed to investigate the anti-adipogenic effect of the polyphenols of selected cereal grains (pearl millet, proso millet, little millet, kodo millet, barnyard millet, and foxtail millet) using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Polyphenols were extracted from six different cereal grains using different solvents under various conditions. The anti-adipogenic effect of polyphenol-rich extracts from grains was evaluated by means of analyzing lipid accumulation using oil red-O staining, triglycerides content, and the expression of adipogenic markers in 3T3-L1 cells. The total polyphenol content was comparatively higher in ethanol (80%) extracts of the millets. The polyphenolic profile of millets on HPLC revealed different compositions of phenolic compounds in each grain, which mainly included the phenolic acids and the flavonoids. Ethanol extract of proso millet significantly suppressed the intracellular lipid accumulation, and also the triglycerides content. Further, the grain polyphenolic compounds significantly down-regulated the expression of PPARγ, CEBPα, FAS, SREBP-1c, and pSREBP at both the early and late phase of adipogenesis. It is understood from our study that cereal grain polyphenols have the potential to redress the adipogenic effect in vitro.

Chemical variability of lemon beebalm (Monarda citriodora Cerv. ex Lag.) during plant phenology

Lemon beebalm (Monarda citriodora Cerv. ex Lag.) is a well-known source of thymol and other active ingredients with recognised antimicrobial properties. However, no previous research investigated the chemical variability of M. citriodora organs during plant phenology. In this paper, above-ground organs of lemon beebalm harvested during three phenological stages were studied for the content and composition of essential oil (EO) and phenolic compounds as well as antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. The EO content in leaves and inflorescences during the full flowering stage was 3.34% and 3.83%, respectively. The phenological stage of plants mainly influenced the content and chemical composition of EO in leaves. The main component of the EOs both from leaves and inflorescences was thymol (52.63–61.83%). The EOs from these organs collected at the full flowering stage inhibited the growth of all the tested microbial strains at the concentration range 0.156–0.625 µL × mL-1. Plant organs differed in the content of total phenolics, flavonoids, and individual phenolic compounds. The effect of phenological stage on these contents was more pronounced in leaves and stems than in inflorescences. Total flavonoid content in stems and inflorescences was higher than in leaves. Leaves harvested during vegetative stage were characterised by the highest level of linarin, a flavone glycoside (80.66 mg × 100 g-1 of dry raw material). All the tested parts of plants were found to be rich in rosmarinic acid, in particular inflorescences (507.41 mg × 100 g-1). The identified high antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the studied EOs and extracts can be explained by the high content of thymol in EO and rosmarinic acid in the aerial parts of plants.

Multi-omics analysis of the metabolism of phenolic compounds in tea leaves by Aspergillus luchuensis during fermentation of pu-erh tea

Aspergillus fungi are extensively used in traditional food fermentation, so their functions, mechanisms, and safety risks are worth exploring. In this study, a dominant fungal strain (P1) was isolated from a fermented pu-erh tea and identified as A. luchuensis by phylogenetic analysis of fungal internally-transcribed spacer sequencing, partial β-tubulin and calmodulin genes. A pure-strain fermentation of tea leaves was developed, and tea compounds were analyzed by widely-targeted metabolomics, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The mycotoxins, aflatoxin (B1, B2, M1 and M2), fumonisin B1 and B2, ochratoxin A, citrinin, were not detected in fermented tea leaves using methods in the National Standard of the Peoples’ Republic of China. The genome of 36.60 Mb with 11,836 protein-coding genes was sequenced by PacBio sequencing and annotated. Expression of fungal genes during fermentation was analyzed by Illumina HiSeq 2500; genes encoding enzymes including glycoside hydrolases, phenolic acid esterases, laccases, tyrosinases, dehydrogenases, peroxidases, dioxygenases, monooxygenases, decarboxylases and O-methyltransferases were identified. These enzymes catalyze hydrolysis, oxidation, ring cleavage, hydroxylation, decarboxylation and O-methylation of phenolic compounds , significantly (p < 0.05) changing the phenolic compound composition. While, phenolic compounds were degraded through degradation of aromatic compounds pathways and xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism pathways. These findings advance knowledge of the functions and mechanisms of action of Aspergillus in traditional food fermentation.

Anticholinergic, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Properties of Vitex Agnus-Castus L. Seed Extract: Assessment of Its Phenolic Content by LC/MS/MS.

In this current study, Vitex agnus-castus seed ethanol extracts were analyzed for their phytochemical component content, anticholinergic and antioxidant activities, and antibacterial properties. The phenolic compound composition of these seeds was determined by using LC/MS/MS. Antioxidant activity of the seeds was examined by the DPPH, ABTS, Fe3+ -Fe2+ reducing, and CUPRAC. Also, the anticholinergic activity was measured by the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The antibacterial activity was performed by disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration methods. The main phenolic compound was vanillic acid (22812.05 μg/L) and followed by luteolin, fumaric acid, quercetin, caffeic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, salicylic acid, kaempferol, butein, ellagic acid, resveratrol, catechin hydrate, phloridzin dehydrate, naringenin, respectively. The DPPH free radical scavenging value of ethanol extract of plant seeds was 9.41 %, while the ABTS radical scavenging activity was determined as 12.66 %. The ethanol extract of the seeds exhibited antibacterial activity on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella Typhimurium, differently. S. aureus was found to be more susceptible to the extract than other bacteria. Also, the inhibition effect of seed ethanolic extract on the AChE with IC50 values were 36.34±5.6 μg/mL. From the results, V. agnus-castus seed can be suggested as a promising natural antioxidant and antibacterial candidate for the preservation of foods.

Effect of Root Storage and Forcing on the Carbohydrate and Secondary Metabolite Composition of Belgian Endive (Cichorium intybus L. Var. foliosum).

Belgian endive is grown in a two-step cultivation process that involves growing of the plants in the field, cold storage of the taproots, and a second growth period in dark conditions called forcing to yield the witloof heads. In this study, the changes in the carbohydrate content and the secondary metabolite composition were studied in different tissues of Belgian endive during the cultivation process. Belgian endive heads contain between 336–388 mg/g DW of total soluble carbohydrates, predominantly fructose and glucose. The heads also contain phenolic compounds and terpenoids that give Belgian endive its characteristic bitter taste. The terpenoid and phenolic compound composition of the heads was found to be constant during the cultivation season, regardless of the root storage time. In roots, the main storage carbohydrate, inulin, was degraded during storage and forcing processes; however, more than 70% of total soluble carbohydrates remained unused after forcing. Additionally, high amounts of phenolics and terpenoids were found in the Belgian endive taproots, predominantly chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, and sesquiterpene lactones. As shown in this study, Belgian endive taproots, which are currently discarded after forcing, are rich in carbohydrates, terpenes, and phenolic compounds and therefore have the potential for further valorization. This systematic study contributes to the understanding of the carbohydrate and secondary metabolite metabolism during the cultivation process of Belgian endive.