Radical Scavenging Power Research Articles

PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF EXTRACTS OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS

In current study, we accepted out a systematic record of the relative antioxidant activity in selected medicinal plant species extracts. The total phenol varied from 25.3±7 to 278.4±7 mg g-1 in the extracts. Flavonoid contents were between 56±4.4 and 80.3±3.7. 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging result of the extracts was determined spectrophotometrically. The maximum radical scavenging consequence was observed in Metha pulegiam (Lamiacea) with IC50 = 0.018 mg ml-1. The strength of radical scavenging power of Metha pulegiam extract was about 4 times better than synthetic antioxidant butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT). The superior amount of phenolic compounds leads to further potent radical scavenging result as shown by Metha pulegiam leaves extract.

UPLC-PDA-ESI/MS metabolic profiling of dill shoots bioactive fraction; evidence of its antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects in vitro and in vivo.

Hydroxyl radical (• OH) scavenging capacity of aqueous dill (Anethum graveolens L.) shoot (ADSh) extract was assessed using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. ADSh extract (at concentrations of 0.5 and 10mg/ml) exerted high (OH) radical scavenging power. ADSh extract was further fractionated on Diaion HP-20 column to yield five fractions. EPR spin-trapping assay revealed fraction 4 (eluted with 75% aq. MeOH) to possess (• OH) radical scavenging capacity over a concentration range (0.01-10mg/ml), whereas fraction 2 (eluted with 25% aq. MeOH) appeared to be pro-oxidant at concentration 0.01mg/ml. UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS metabolite profiling of ADSh extract revealed 87 metabolites, of which 64 compounds were identified in fraction 4, the most active fraction. Furthermore, ADSh extract demonstrated a hepatoprotective effect against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Pretreatment of rats with ADSh extract (200mg/kg b.wt) markedly attenuated the increased in the serum hepatic enzyme levels. It also increased free glutathione level and total antioxidant capacity in the serum of treated rats. [Correction added on May 3, 2021, after first online publication: "rates" has been changed to "rats" in the previous sentence.] Additionally, levels of (TNF-α and IL-1β) were back to almost normal levels compared to the control group. The above findings suggest that ADSh extract has a protective effect against APAP-induced liver damage.

A new cyclic polyketide and other constituents from Ononis spinosa growing wildly in Jordan and their antioxidant activity

The new cyclic polyketide 7,9,11-trihydroxytetracos-2-eneoic acid δ-lactone (1), together with other eleven known compounds, were isolated from Ononis spinosa, growing wildly in Jordan. All isolated compounds were identified by thorough investigation of their spectral data including NMR and HRESIMS. Antioxidant activity testing of puerol B, specionin and the new cyclic polyketide revealed that puerol B had the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50 0.09 ± 0.006 mg/ml) as compared to α-tocopherol (IC50 0.039 ± 0.0006 mg/ml), while specionin had the highest ABTS radical scavenging power (IC50 0.013 ± 0.0008 mg/ml) as compared to α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid (IC50 0.042 ± 0.0004; 0.026 ± 0 .0007 mg/ml; respectively).

Valorization of Heat-Treated Brewers' Spent Grain Through the Identification of Bioactive Phenolics by UPLC-PDA and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant Activities.

Thermal processing not only disrupts cell membranes and cell walls, but also cleaves covalent bonds releasing low molecular phenolic. This study examined the impact of various heat treatments (100, 140, and 160°C) on the composition of phenolic acids and antioxidant activities in extracts obtained from defatted brewers spent grain (BSG) meal. Heating BSG at 160°C resulted in a 2-fold increase in total phenolic content [TPC, 172.98 ± 7.3 mg Gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g defatted meal] and total flavonoid content [TFC, 16.15 ± 2.22 catechin equivalents (CE)/100 g defatted meal] compared to the untreated BSG extracts. The antioxidant activities of treated BSG extracts, determined by radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were significantly (p < 0.5) higher than the corresponding untreated BSG extracts. Eleven phenolic acids were identified and quantified in BSG extracts by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography with Photodiode Array (UPLC-PDA). The amounts varied significantly (p < 0.05) depending on the degree of toasting BSG was subjected to. Chlorogenic acid, an ester of caffeic and quinic acid was the predominant phenolic acid present in all fractions. Significant (p < 0.05) increases in TPC, TFC, individual phenolic acids and antioxidant activity were observed in BSG extracts exposed to increasing oven temperatures. These results confirm the ability of heat processing to release bioactive phenolic from their bound forms thereby enhancing the phenolic acids and the digestibility of BSG meal in the intestinal tract.

Statistical Optimization of Flavonoid and Antioxidant Recovery from Macerated Chinese and Malaysian Lotus Root (Nelumbo nucifera) Using Response Surface Methodology.

In this study, the combination of parameters required for optimal extraction of anti-oxidative components from the Chinese lotus (CLR) and Malaysian lotus (MLR) roots were carefully investigated. Box–Behnken design was employed to optimize the pH (X1: 2–3), extraction time (X2: 0.5–1.5 h) and solvent-to-sample ratio (X3: 20–40 mL/g) to obtain a high flavonoid yield with high % DPPHsc free radical scavenging and Ferric-reducing power assay (FRAP). The analysis of variance clearly showed the significant contribution of quadratic model for all responses. The optimal conditions for both Chinese lotus (CLR) and Malaysian lotus (MLR) roots were obtained as: CLR: X1 = 2.5; X2 = 0.5 h; X3 = 40 mL/g; MLR: X1 = 2.4; X2 = 0.5 h; X3 = 40 mL/g. These optimum conditions gave (a) Total flavonoid content (TFC) of 0.599 mg PCE/g sample and 0.549 mg PCE/g sample, respectively; (b) % DPPHsc of 48.36% and 29.11%, respectively; (c) FRAP value of 2.07 mM FeSO4 and 1.89 mM FeSO4, respectively. A close agreement between predicted and experimental values was found. The result obtained succinctly revealed that the Chinese lotus exhibited higher antioxidant and total flavonoid content when compared with the Malaysia lotus root at optimum extraction condition.

Development of a Rapid UHPLC-PDA Method for the Simultaneous Quantification of Flavonol Contents in Onions (Allium cepa L.).

Onion, one of the most consumed vegetables in the world, is also known to contain high levels of antioxidant compounds, with protective effects against different degenerative pathologies. Specifically, onion is rich in flavonols, mainly quercetin derivatives, which are compounds with high antioxidant and free radical scavenging power. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance to count on optimal analytical methods that allow for the determination and quantification of these compounds of interest. A rapid ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-photo-diode array (PDA) method for the separation of the major flavonols in onions was developed using a Box–Behnken design in conjunction with multiresponse optimization on the basis of the desirability function. The conditions that provided a successful separation were 9.9% and 53.2% of phase B at the beginning and at the end of the gradient, respectively; 55 °C column working temperature; and 0.6 mL min−1 flow rate. The complete separation was achieved in less than 2.7 min with excellent chromatographic characteristics. The method was validated, and its high precision, low detection and quantification limits, good linearity, and robustness were confirmed. The correct applicability of the method improves the analysis of the raw material, increasing the quality of onions and its subproducts in terms of bioactive compounds and functional characteristics for consumers.

Fatty acid composition and antioxidant activity of Angelica glauca and Chenopodium album seed extracts from Kashmir

Angelica glauca Edgew. and Chenopodium album Linn. are medicinally important plants with aromatic, nutritious and flavor-enhancing properties. In this study the fatty acid composition of petroleum ether seed extracts (PE) of processed plants were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The PE consisted mainly of unsaturated fatty acids, such as petroselinic acid 74.26% and oleic acid 7.37% for A. glauca and linoleic acid 53.05% and oleic acid 20.74% for C. album. The de-fatted seed extracts were screened for their antioxidant activities using 2,2-di-phenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assay. Almost all the assays resulted in defatted seed extracts showing powerful radical scavenging activity. These findings suggest that the processed plants could be used as ingredients (as a source of natural antioxidants and unsaturated fatty acids) for the formulation of functional foods.

Investigation of Phytochemical and Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities from Abies Extract

Algerian fir (Abies numidica de Lannoy) is an endemic evergreen tree belonging to the Pinaceae family. Little is known about this plant, and few papers have been reported, despite its traditional uses. The objectives of this study were to investigate the chemical composition of n-butanol extract from A. numidica leaves as well as to evaluate its biological activities (antibacterial and antioxidant). The total phenolics and total flavonoids were found in high amounts (381.15±22.70µg GAE/ml; 49.79±2.81 µg QE /ml, respectively). The data of the antibacterial effect showed a potential inhibitory zone, especially against Proteus vulgaris (17.5±0.70 mm). The antioxidant activity findings disclosed that this fraction has a moderate radical scavenging power and metal chelating ability, compared with the standards used. The liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analysis results showed that the major compounds presented in this extract were hyperoside (399.91µg/g), astragalin (147.22 µg/g) and rutin (102.62 µg/g). Thus, A. numidica leaves were suggested as being useful to prevent free radicals and bacterial infections diseases.

An Overview of Phytochemical and Biological Activities: Ficus deltoidea Jack and Other Ficus spp.

ABSTRACTFicus deltoidea Jack (Moraceae) is a well-known medicinal plant used in customary medication among the Malay people to reduce and mend sicknesses such as ulcers, psoriasis, cytotoxicity, cardioprotective, inflammation, jaundice, vitiligo, hemorrhage, diabetes, convulsion, hepatitis, dysentery injuries, wounds, and stiffness. Ficus deltoidea contains a wide variety of bioactive compounds from different phytochemical groups such as alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, terpenes, carbohydrates, and proteins. The genus Ficus has several hundreds of species, which shows excellent therapeutic effects and a wide variety of helpful properties for human welfare. Searching information was collected by using electronic databases including Web of Science, Science Direct, Springer, SciFinder, PubMed, Scopus, Medline, Embase, and Google Scholar. This review is, therefore, an effort to give a detailed survey of the literature on its pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, phytochemical, and pharmacological properties of Ficus and its important species. This summary could be beneficial for future research aiming to exploit the therapeutic potential of Ficus and its useful medicinal species.

Chemical Composition and Bioactivity of Essential Oil of Ten Labiatae Species.

Using antibiotics as feed additives have been successively banned worldwide from 1986; therefore, it is an urgent task to finding safe and effective alternatives. As natural products of plant origin, essential oils (EOs) are an outstanding option due to their reported bioactivity. In this research, ten EOs of Labiatae species were extracted by steam distillation and its chemical constituents were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 123 chemical compounds, including alkenes, phenols, aldehydes and ketones, were identified. The results of antioxidant activity carried out through DPPH free radical scavenging (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), showing that EOs of Ocimum basilicum Linn. (ObEO), Thymus mongolicus Ronn. (TmEO), Origanum vulgare Linn. (OvEO) and Mosla chinensis Maxim. (McEO) have strong antioxidant activities. Their 50%-inhibitory concentration (IC50) value was <1.00, 1.42, 1.47 and 1.92 μg/mL, respectively; and their FRAP value was 1536.67 ± 24.22, 271.84 ± 4.93, 633.71 ± 13.14 and 480.66 ± 29.90, respectively. The results of filter paper diffusion showing that McEO, OvEO and TmEO inhibition zone diameter (IZD) are all over 30 mm. The results of two-fold dilution method showed that McEO, OvEO and TmEO have strong antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and their minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) value was 1 μL/mL, 2 μL/mL, and 2 μL/mL, respectively. In conclusion, the results in this work demonstrate the possibility for development and application of EOs as potential feed additives.

Antioxidant studies by hydrodynamic voltammetry and DFT, quantitative analyses by HPLC-DAD of clovamide, a natural phenolic compound found in Theobroma Cacao L. beans

Clovamide (trans-clovamide, (2S)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-[[(E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyl]amino]propanoic acid) is a naturally occurring caffeoyl conjugate and a potent antioxidant found in the phenolic fraction of Theobroma Cacao L. beans. This work quantified clovamide content in single-origin cocoa beans at different production stages (raw, roasted, and winnowed side and end products) by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). We analyzed the antioxidant activities of clovamide and these extracts by measuring their superoxide radical scavenging capabilities in a Rotating Ring-Disk Electrode (RRDE) electrochemical system against in-situ generated superoxide radical. Our studies concluded a positive correlation between clovamide concentration and the overall antioxidant activities of beans, with the roasting step showing a reduction effect on both. The subsequent refining steps recover the clovamide concentration. Antioxidant studies on clovamide alone by RRDE and density functional theory (DFT) studies led to the conclusion that it is a powerful oxygen radical scavenger, partially contributed by its molecular catechol moieties.

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) fibers extracted from microwave- and steam-blanched recovered fruits: Photo-antioxidant activity in milk proteins

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) discarded at harvesting were upgraded as powerful antioxidant fiber powders for food preservation, and their photo-antioxidant effect on milk proteins evaluated. To stabilize the powders during their processing and use, cherries were first blanched through microwaves or saturated water vapor for comparison. The blanching condition (determined as that required to achieve enough peroxidase (POX) inactivation) was 6 min and 90 °C in the fruit center, and POX was the enzyme selected as indicator of blanching efficiency because it was more resistant than polyphenoloxidase in both processes. Fibers, the water insoluble residues, were then separately extracted from the microwave- or steam-blanched cherries. The fibers obtained after freeze-drying exhibited good hydration properties, as they were essentially constituted by cell wall biopolymers (uronic acids, neutral sugars, cellulose, lignin, proteins). Phenolic, mainly proanthocyanidins (≈600 mg/100 g fiber), were co-extracted together with lower amounts of extractable phenolics (≈120 mg/100 g), mainly cyanidin-3-(6′-p-coumaroyl) glucoside (dark violet color). Powders showed high 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging (≈485 mg/100 g fiber) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (835-674 mg/100 g) capabilities (expressed as ascorbic acid). In whole milk, independently of the blanching process used, the fiber powders obtained exerted almost the same concentration (0–9.0 g fiber/100 mL milk)-dependent protective effect against protein photo-oxidation under UV-C radiation (200–280 nm), measured as carbonyl production. We concluded that the antioxidant power of the cherry fibers was mainly due to phenolics. These powders may be useful for the food industry as natural additives for functional antioxidant preservation of milk protein products.

Evaluation of stability, physicochemical and antioxidant properties of extracted chlorophyll from Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.)

The use of natural dyes in foods enhances the product quality and they are also associated with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. Therefore, they play significant role in human health. Chlorophyll is used as a natural pigment in a variety of foods. This study aims to prepare the extract and chlorophyll from Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.), using enzymatic and ultrasound methods and evaluation of their antioxidant and physicochemical properties. In the present study, the chlorophyll stability was evaluated in different conditions including temperature (− 18, 4 and 10 °C), time (15, 30 and 45 days), pH (4.5 and 5.5) and NaCl concentration (50, 100 and 150 mM). The results showed the chlorophyll a concentration was approximately as twice as the chlorophyll b concentration. In all of the experiments, the enzymatic method has shown better efficiency than the ultrasound one. Also, with the increment of extract concentration, the DPPH free radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) as well as total phenolic compounds, anthocyanin, and flavonoids were increased dramatically. Due to the higher efficiency of enzymatic extraction, the stability assessments were performed based on this method. The result demonstrated that 50 mM of NaCl, temperature − 18 °C, pH 4.5 and time 15 days were associated with the highest chlorophyll a and b values. According to the results the enzymatic method to prepare clover extract and its chlorophyll can be used as an efficient method for indicator pigment production in food and pharmaceutical industries. However, further testing is needed to achieve more information.

Recovery and Stabilization of Anthocyanins and Phenolic Antioxidants of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) with Hydrophilic Deep Eutectic Solvents.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have got huge interest as new green and sustainable solvents for the extraction of bioactive compounds from plants in recent decades. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of hydrophilic DES for the extraction of anthocyanin and polyphenol antioxidants from Roselle. A natural hydrophilic DES constituted of sodium acetate (hydrogen bond acceptor) and formic acid (hydrogen bond donor) designed to evaluate the total phenolic compound (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC), total anthocyanin (TACN), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values of Roselle. Distilled water, 70% ethanol, and 80% methanol used as conventional solvents for comparison. The results indicated that the DES prepared in molarity ratio (SAFAm) was the most efficient. Subsequently, this prominent DES selected for the optimization and the optimum extraction conditions were 1:3.6 molarity ratio, 0% additional water, and 10 mL solvent. TPC, TFC, TACN, FRAP, and DPPH radical scavenging at the optimum point were 233.26 mg GAE/g, 10.14 mg ECE/g, 10.62 mg D3S/g, 493.45 mmol ISE/g, and 343.41 mmol TE/g, respectively. The stability tests showed that anthocyanins were more stable in SAFAm. These findings revealed that SAFAm is an effective green solvent for the extraction of polyphenols from various plants.

Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Potential of Aqueous Extracts of Millettia laurenti, Lophira alata and Milicia excelsa, Commonly Used in the Cameroonian Pharmacopoeia

Aims: As the world nowadays is turning towards the research of biologically active natural compounds, this work aimed at assessing the antioxidant potential of compounds contained in the aqueous extracts of three common Cameroonian pharmacopoeia plants, namely Millettia laurenti (Wengé) seeds, Lophira alata (Azobé) leaves and Milicia excelsa (Iroko) barks and the associated bioactive compounds.&#x0D; Methodology: After being dried and ground, they were macerated in water and the polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, and alkaloids quantified. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was evaluated through DPPH free radical scavenging, NO scavenging, phosphomolybdate method (TAC), and iron-reducing power (FRAP).&#x0D; Results: The mean concentrations obtained ranged between 527 and 1213 µg GAE/g DM for polyphenols, 0.39 and 0.65 µg GAE/g DM for tannins, 19.79 and 27.06 µg QE/g DM for flavonoids, 15.72 and 16.02 µg QuE/g DM for alkaloids. Aqueous extracts of Wengé (AE-WG) and Azobé (AE-AZ) exhibited the highest and significantly similar contents. AE-AZ presented the highest iron reducing power (0.015 µg AAE/g DM at 10 mg/mL) and NO scavenging (IC50=3.63 mg/mL) while AE-WG showed the highest DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 = 4.20 mg/mL) and total antioxidant capacity (0.39 µg AAE/g DM at 10 mg/mL). No significant correlation was observed between studied bioactive compounds and the different antioxidant responses except flavonoids and tannins with TAC (p&lt;0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: AE-AZ and AE-WG exhibited different antioxidant mechanisms and are therefore of high interest for potential use in the food industry and medicine with reserves to toxicological studies.

Ultrasound-promoted Green Synthesis of pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinoline Derivatives and Studies on their Antioxidant Activity.

To a stirred mixture of phthalaldehyde 1 (2 mmol) and methylamine 2 (2 mmol) in water (3 mL) under ultrasonic irradiation was added to activated acetylenic compounds 4 after 20 min. Alkyl bromide 3 and triphenylphosphine 5 react in another pot in water (3 mL) under ultrasonic irradiation for 15 min. After this time, this mixture was added to the first pot. After completion of the reaction, the solid residue was separated by filtration and washed with Et2O to afforded pure title compound 6. In this work, generation of pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives 6 are performed using phthalaldehyde 1, methylamine 2, α-halo substituted carbonyls 3, activated acetylenic compounds 4 and triphenylphosphine 5 in water under ultrasonic irradiation condition at room temperature in excellent yield at short time. In summary, multicomponent reaction of phthaladehyde, methylamine, activated acetylenic compounds, alkyl bromides and triphenylphosphine in water under ultrasonic irradiation at room temperature produced pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives in excellent yields. Also, Diels-Alder reaction of pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives with activated acetylenic compounds and triphenylphosphine under ultrasonic irradiation is investigated in two procedures. Also, the antioxidant activities of 6a, 6c, 6g and 6i were evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging and ferric reducing power analyzes. The compounds 6a exhibit excellent DPPH radical scavenging activity and FRAP compared to synthetic antioxidants BHT and TBHQ. The chief benefits of our method are high atom economy, green reaction conditions, higher yield, shorter reaction times, and easy work-up, which agree with some principles of green chemistry.

Pyrazole Derivatives of Medically Relevant Phenolic Acids: Insight into Antioxidative and Anti-LOX Activity.

From the point of view of medicinal chemistry, compounds containing phenolic and pyrazolic moiety are significant since they are often constituents of bioactive compounds. The aims of this study were to synthesize pyrazole derivatives of medically relevant phenolic acids, confirm their structure, and evaluate their antioxidative and anti-LOX activities. Phenolic pyrazole derivatives were obtained, starting from esters of medically relevant phenolic acids. The structures of all obtained compounds were determined by NMR and IR spectroscopy, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. In addition, the single-crystal X-ray diffraction was used. Pyrazole derivatives were tested for their in vitro antioxidative (DPPH assay), and lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitory activities. Radical quenching mechanism was estimated using DFT and thermodynamic approach, while molecular docking was used to estimate the binding mode within the enzyme. Pyrazole derivatives were obtained in high yields. The crystal structure of a new compound 3e was determined. Pyrazole derivative with catechol moiety 3d exhibited excellent radical scavenging activity, while compound 3b exhibited the best anti-LOX activity. Molecular docking study revealed that there is no direct interaction of any ligand with the active site of LOX-Ib, but pyrazoles 3a-e behave as inhibitors blocking the approach of linoleic acid to the active site. In this research, protocatechuic and vanillic acid pyrazole derivatives have been obtained for the first time. In vitro antioxidative assay suggests that pyrazole derivate of protocatechuic acid is a powerful radical scavenger, while anti-LOX assay indicates a pyrazole derivative with 4-hydroxyphenyl moiety.

Lycopene Quantity and Sources in the Diet of Healthy Young People

Abstract Objectives Lycopene is a major dietary non-vitamin carotenoid, which has a high number of conjugated dienes, and known as a powerful antioxidant and radical scavenger. The present study was designed to assess the level of lycopene intake and to describe which food sources contribute the most to intake. Methods Lycopene's level and its main food sources were assessed using the 24-hour reсall method. Periodicity of intake food sources were assessed using a specialized Food Frequency Questionnaire applying the carotenoids database from the USDA. A survey was conducted among 122 students in age group 20 to 28 years (21.86 ± 1.12) and included 89 females and 33 males. Results Only 43.4% respondents have achieved the recommended level of lycopene (12.64 ± 8.57 mg/day). In this group the following sources of lycopene were presented: red raw tomatoes (47.2%), fast food products – pizza, lasagna, pasta (18.9%), ketchup (15.1%), watermelon (11.3%), tomato juice (5.6%), pink and red grapefruits (1.9%). For 14.7% students the intake of lycopene in the diet was more than half of the recommended level. The main sources of lycopene in this group were red raw tomatoes (61.1%), pizza, sandwiches (33.3%), and ketchup (5.6%). For 15.6% participants the dietary intake of lycopene was less than half of the recommended level. In this group, the major sources of lycopene were the following: ketchup (21.3%), soup and sandwiches (21.1% each), red raw tomatoes (15.8%), canned fish in tomato sauce (10.5%) and tomato juice (5.2%). A quarter of respondents had no sources of lycopene in their diet. An assessment of the results of survey of 122 students revealed that 91 respondents included red raw tomatoes in weekly diet (9.0% – 6–7 times a week, 47.6% – 3–5 times a week, 18.0% – 1–2 times a week). The weekly diet of more than a third of respondents contained tomato-based sources of lycopene: pizza (47.5%), ketchup (46.7%), cheeseburger (34.4%) and hamburger (17.2%). Thus, the significant number of study participants did not include tomato juice (55.7%), red tomatoes (49.1%), persimmon (45.9%), pink or red grapefruit (41.0%). Conclusions The recommended quantity of lycopene intake was achieved by including raw red tomatoes and tomato-containing products in the diet. Additional sources of lycopene (watermelon, red and pink grapefruits, persimmon) in the diet of most students were absent. Funding Sources No funding.

Utilization of undesirable heat-induced precipitates/sediments in soy sauce production to fabricate nanoparticles for curcumin delivery

This study aimed to utilize an unwanted by-product of soy sauce production, the heat-induced precipitates/sediments (HPSS), to fabricate HPSS nanoparticles using a pH-driven method for their use as nano-carriers of unstable curcumin. The results showed that curcumin could successfully complex with HPSS at pH 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0, via hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions and hydrophobic interactions, with high encapsulation efficiency (>96%), stability and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Comparable properties were found among the HPSS nanoparticles and derived HPSS-curcumin nanocomplexes obtained at the three pHs, although the HPSS nanoparticles had the highest curcumin loading amount (10.14 μg/mg) and greatest DPPH radical scavenging power (SC50 0.89 μg/mL) at pH 7.0, and the nanocomplexed curcumin was most stable at pH 6.0. Thus, HPSS can be utilized as delivery vehicles for hydrophobic substances in food and medicinal applications, and pH is a critical variable governing the outcomes.

Mechanisms of Bioactivities of Fucoidan from the Brown Seaweed Fucus vesiculosus L. of the Barents Sea.

The aim of this study was to elucidate some mechanisms of radical scavenging and the anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemic, and anti-coagulant bioactivities of high molecular weight fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus in several in vitro models. Fucoidan has displayed potent 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazil radical scavenging and reduction power activities. It significantly inhibits the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme (IC50 4.3 μg mL−1) with a greater selectivity index (lg(IC80 COX-2/IC80COX-1), −1.55) than the synthetic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin (lg(IC80 COX-2/IC80COX-1), −0.09). A concentration-dependent inhibition of hyaluronidase enzyme with an IC50 of 2.9 μg mL−1 was observed. Fucoidan attenuated the lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase p38. Our findings suggest that the inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) (IC50 1.11 μg mL−1) is one of the possible mechanisms involved in the anti-hyperglycemic activity of fucoidan. At a concentration of 3.2 μg mL−1, fucoidan prolongs the activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time by 1.5-fold and 2.5-fold compared with a control, respectively. A significant increase of prothrombin time was observed after the concentration of fucoidan was increased above 80 μg mL−1. This evidenced that fucoidan may have an effect on intrinsic/common pathways and little effect on the extrinsic mechanism. This study sheds light on the multiple pathways of the bioactivities of fucoidan. As far as we know, the inhibition of hyaluronidase and DPP-IV by high molecular fucoidan was studied for the first time in this work. Our results and literature data suggest that molecular weight, sulfate content, fucose content, and polyphenols may contribute to these activities. It seems that high molecular weight fucoidan has promising therapeutic applications in different pharmacological settings. Anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant drugs have been used for the management of complications of COVID19. Taken as a whole, fucoidan could be considered as a prospective candidate for the treatment of patients with COVID19; however, additional research in this field is required.