Presence Of Phytosterols Research Articles

Preparation and physicochemical evaluation of phytosterol‐enriched sesame oil microemulsions

AbstractSesame oil, known for its nutritional benefits, was selected as source for phytosterol extraction. Optimal conditions of 40°C, oil‐to‐solvent ratio of 1:25, and a saponification duration of 150 min were employed to separate the phytosterols from sesame oil. The extracted phytosterols were encapsulated using microemulsion method. Various variables, such as percent of sesame oil, surfactant‐to‐cosurfactant ratio, and presence of phytosterols, were evaluated to determine their impact on particle size, polydispersity, pH, viscosity, surface tension, and stability. The particle size and PDI demonstrated significant increase with increasing oil and addition of phytosterols. A higher S:C ratio resulted in the formation of smaller microemulsion droplets. The viscosity and surface tension of the microemulsions increased significantly with an increase in the oil percent. In conclusion, the optimal composition of the microemulsion was found to be 10 wt% sesame oil with an S:C ratio of 3:1. FESEM micrographs revealed a microstructure consisting of cylindrical micelles.Practical applicationsResearch has shown that consuming 2–3 g of plant sterols and stanols can lower blood cholesterol levels by 10% and LDL levels by 15%. However, incorporating phytosterols into food products is challenging due to oxidation, insolubility, and high melting point. Most phytosterols are esterified to enrich low‐fat foods but they can be expensive and impure. The synthesis of phytosterols often involves carcinogenic chemicals and requires additional purification. Extracting phytosterols from plant sources has been proposed as a solution. However, incorporating phytosterols into food products is challenging due to their susceptibility to oxidation, particularly during processing and storage at high temperatures, their insolubility in water, and their limited solubility in fats and oils. The main aim of this study was to enrich sesame oil microemulsions with phytosterols through encapsulation. Phytosterols were extracted from sesame seed oil, followed by purification, and finally, enriched microemulsions were prepared. The optimal formulation was determined based on the evaluation of several parameters, including the mean volume diameter of particles, polydispersity index, pH, viscosity, surface tension, and physical stability.

Safety evaluation of Plukenetia volubilis seeds: a metabolomic profiling and network toxicology approach.

Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) seeds and oil have been integrated into daily diets. However, scientific reports have raised concerns regarding potential health risks associated with saponins and alkaloids in this seeds. This study employed a combination analysis using proton-NMR, GC-MS, LC-QTOF, and GNPS molecular networking to evaluate the chemical composition of these seeds. In silico toxicology analysis and in vitro cytotoxicity assays were conducted to investigate the potential toxicity effects of Sacha Inchi seeds and their contained metabolites. The results revealed that major components of these seeds are oils (linoleic, linolenic, and oleic acids) and sugars, with minor amounts of phytosterols and trigonelline, a pyridine alkaloid. GNPS analysis suggested the absence of saponins, instead, it identified trigonelline and a few other nitrogen-containing metabolites (amino acids and oligopeptides). In silico toxicology analysis indicated that this sample did not exhibit toxicity. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxicity screening demonstrated no cytotoxic effects against NIH-3T3 cells, even at 400 μg mL-1. In general, these findings collectively indicated the absence of saponins, the presence of phytosterols and trigonellin (a pyridine alkaloid), and a low safety risk related to saponin and alkaloid content in the Sacha Inchi seeds.

Chemical profiling and anti-breast cancer potential of hexane fraction of Sphaeranthus indicus flowers

Purpose: The current study aimed to determine the phytochemicals and anti-breast cancer potential of Sphaeranthus indicus.Methods: S. indicus flowers were extracted with methanol followed by fractionation using n-hexane. For the chemical composition of n-hexane fraction, qualitative phytochemical and GC-MS analysis were performed. The anti-proliferative activity was measured by MTT assay, whereas, cytotoxic and proapoptotic effects in MCF-7 (breast cancer) cells were determined using propidium iodide, 4′,6-diamidino- 2-phenylindole, dichlorofluorescin diacetate, and JC-1 staining through fluorescent microscopy.Results: The phytochemical analysis indicated presence of phytosterols, oils and resins in the nhexane fraction. GC-MS analysis showed that n-hexane fraction comprises of 11 compounds including methyl esters of caprylic acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and behanic acid. The tested fraction showed remarkable cytotoxic activity against breast cancer (MCF-7) cells while it was found less toxic towards non-cancerous (BHK-21) cells. Furthermore, morphological assessment through fluorescent microscopy revealed cytotoxic and apoptotic effects by improved cell membrane permeability, increased reactive oxygen species level, compromised mitochondrial activity and condensation of chromatin network.Conclusion: The n-hexane fraction of S. indicus contains phytosterols, oils and fatty acid methyl esters and produced apoptotic effect against breast cancer cells.

High-performance thin-layer chromatography based approach for bioassay and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy for the evaluation of antioxidant compounds from Asparagus racemosus Willd. aerial parts.

Asparagus racemosus Willd. is widely used to combat various diseases owing to its medicinal properties. In this study, arial parts of A. racemosus were investigated for their total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidative potential. A high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method combined with effect-directed-analysis was also developed to screen the antioxidant effects of A. racemosus and quantify biologically active compounds on chromatograms from A. racemosus. Total phenolics (154 mg gallic acid equivalent/g), flavonoid contents (497 mg quercetin/g) and IC50 (15.25 μg/ml) were found to be higher in methanolic extract of A. racemosus than in n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts. HPTLC hyphenated with chemical derivatizations (DPPH•, p-anisaldehyde/sulfuric acid, and ferric chloride) was used to evaluate antioxidant activity and the presence of phytosterols, terpenoids and polyphenolic contents. The same compounds at 100*retention factor = 58, 68, 74 and 65 in extracts were responsible for antioxidant activity. Hyphenated HPTLC allowed a rapid characterization of the active compound with a combination of effect-directed-analysis and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Spectral analysis of the band from attenuated total reflectance identified myricetin, quercetin, p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid as responsible for the antioxidant activity.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF LEAVES OF FIVE COMMON INDIGENOUS WEEDS FOUND IN CENTRAL INDIA

Weeds are unwanted plants that interfere with land and water resource use. They can have detrimental effects on human health. Weed flora has not been well studied from a phytosociological and ecological point of view. Weeds can be useful sources of life-saving drugs. The field of phytochemicals is growing in scientific and commercial importance. Many plant compounds and pigments have now a major initiative to research and understand these substances at a fundamental level with important health consequences. The present research deals with the physicochemical and phytochemical evaluation of the leaves of five common indigenous weeds, i.e. Lantana camara Linn., Ocimum gratissimum Linn., Cassia alata Linn, Zephyranthes minuta (Kunth) D.Dietr 8 Parthenium hysterophorus Linn. The results of this work can serve as a valuable source of information for future investigations and recommendations for further work. The powdered leaves of all plant weeds were subject to very promising preliminary physical and phytochemical analyses. Physical and fluorescent values of the plant pulver powder have been calculated under ordinary light and UV. The presence of alkaloids is considered to be helpful in the treatment of contaminated or ulcerated tissues and has important cancer prevention and anti-cancer activity. The studies revealed the presence of phytosterols and triterpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, sugar, protein, amino acid, fat, and oils and also concluded that all studied weed leaves may be a good source of phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals. Supplementation of these weeds leaves may be useful for human health associated emerging diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

Impact of Parenteral Lipid Emulsion Components on Cholestatic Liver Disease in Neonates

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is a life-saving intervention for infants that are unable to feed by mouth. Infants that remain on TPN for extended periods of time are at risk for the development of liver injury in the form of parenteral nutrition associated cholestasis (PNAC). Current research suggests the lipid component of TPN is a factor in the development of PNAC. Most notably, the fatty acid composition, vitamin E concentration, and presence of phytosterols are believed key mediators of lipid emulsion driven PNAC development. New emulsions comprised of fish oil and medium chain triglycerides show promise for reducing the incidence of PNAC in infants. In this review we will cover the current clinical studies on the benefit of fish oil and medium chain triglyceride containing lipid emulsions on the development of PNAC, the current constituents of lipid emulsions that may modulate the prevalence of PNAC, and potential new supplements to TPN to further reduce the incidence of PNAC.

Identification of bottlenecks in 4-androstene-3,17-dione/1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione synthesis by Mycobacterium neoaurum JC-12 through comparative proteomics

Intermediates such as 4-androstene-3,17-dione (AD) and 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione (ADD) have extensive clinical applications in the production of steroid pharmaceuticals. The present study explores the effect of two factors in the production of these intermediates in Mycobacterium neoaurum JC-12: the precursor, phytosterol and a molecule that increases AD/ADD solubility, hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD). Differentially expressed proteins were separated and identified using 2D gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS/MS). In total, 31 proteins were identified, and improved expression levels of ten proteins involved in metabolism was induced by phytosterol and/or HP-β-CD, which strengthened the stress resistance of the strain. In the presence of phytosterol and/or HP-β-CD, five proteins involved in the synthesis of AD/ADD, acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase (AAT), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), enoyl-CoA hydratase (EH) and short-chain dehydrogenase 1 and 2, increased their expression levels. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to verify the 2-DE results and the transcriptional level of these five proteins. This analysis identified AAT, ADH, EH, and electron transfer flavoprotein subunit α/β as the possible bottlenecks for AD/ADD synthesis in M.neoaurum JC-12, which therefore are suggested as targets for strain modification.

A preliminary investigation into the unsaponifiable fraction of donkey milk: Sterols of animal origin, phytosterols, and tocopherols

We investigated the main sterols, phytosterols, and the α- and γ-tocopherol content in donkey milk during the first 2 mo of lactation. Cholesterol was the main sterol in milk (mean ± standard deviation = 0.97 ± 0.443 g/100 g of fat). Lanosterol was the main minor sterol of animal origin, followed by desmosterol (0.003 ± 0.001 and 0.001 ± 0.001 g/100 g of fat, respectively). Of the phytosterols, β-sitosterol was the main sterol of vegetal origin in donkey milk (0.005 ± 0.002 g/100 g of fat), but lower levels of campesterol, brassicasterol, and stigmasterol were also recorded. Mean levels of α- and γ-tocopherol were 0.01 ± 0.007 and 0.003 ± 0.001 g/100 g of fat, respectively. We observed no significant changes in sterol or tocopherol content during the first 2 mo of lactation. The presence of lanosterol in donkey milk is of particular interest, because lanosterol is a potential drug and has important physiological effects. The presence of phytosterols, which are considered nutraceutical molecules, enhances the nutritional quality of donkey milk fat for consumers.

The study of biological effects of different geographical origin goji berries in rats with alimentary hypercholesterolemia

In the berries of L. barbarum (China) and L. chinense (Kazakhstan), the composition of monosaccharides, the content of vitamins (D, E, C), minerals (Mg, Ca, Se), phenolic compounds and steroid substances as well as catalase and superoxide dismutase activity and total antioxidant activity was determined. Biological experiment lasted 186 days, it was carried out on Wistar rats, divided into intact (n=10) and experimental animals (n=48), in which alimentary hyperlipidemia was reproduced for 100 days (diet containing animal fats 5.0-19.0% and cholesterol 0.5-2.0%), further animals were divided in control rats with hyperlipidemia, consuming a standard diet (group 1) and experimental rats, which were supplemented for 86 days with L. barbarum (group 2) and L. chinense (group 3) in an amount of 20% of the diet carbohydrate component. On the 128th and 186th days of the experiment, rats' blood serum was analyzed for total protein, albumin, creatinine and urea, triacylglycerides, total cholesterol, high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, malondialdehyde and the total antioxidant activity of blood serum was measured. L. chinense berries, which are characterized by a high content of phenolic compounds (20% higher than in L. barbarum berries), when administered to rats with alimentary hyperlipidemia on the 28th day, reduced the concentration of total cholesterol by 44.1% and low-density lipoproteins by 35.8% relative to control animals, on day 86 contributed to an increase in the concentration of high density lipoproteins to 79.6%. The effect of L. barbarum berries, characterized by an increase in high density lipoproteins in rat blood (by 62.3%), may be due to a higher content of vitamins C, E and selenium (35, 11 and 22% more than in L. chinense), the presence of phytosterols and phytostanols, in particular dodecanoic acid. The data obtained indicate a pronounced antioxidant effect of L. barbarum and L. chinense berries and the possibility of their use in the diet to correct lipid metabolism disorders.

GC-MS and HPLC-ESI-MS-MS Characterization of Sanchezia oblonga (Acanthaceae) Extracts

The genus Sanchezia (Acanthaceae) comprises neotropical herbs and shrubs with showy flowers. Sanchezia oblonga (syn. S. nobilis) is a shrub of the rainforests of central and south America. The ethanolic extracts of leaves and stems from S. oblonga were analyzed by GC-EI-MS and RPHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. Fatty acids (free and esterified) and phytosterols were detected by the former method. Benzyl alcohol glycosides (21 and 25), sinapic acid glycoside esters (29 and 31), ethyl rosmarinate (24), sinapic acid-O-glucoside (28), dihydrosinapic acid-O-glucoside (26), catechin-O-arabinoside (36), in addition to flavonols glycosides (23, 32, 33 and 35) and rosmarinic acid-3’-O-glucoside (34) were detected by RPHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. Three new compounds, detected only in leaves, were tentatively identified as phenylpropane glyceride derivatives 1-O-coumaroyl-2-hydroxy propanal (20) and 1-O-coumaroyl-2-O-glycosyl propanal (22, 30). Compounds 20, 22 and 30 from S. oblonga are similar with phenylpropane glycerides present in red sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench) and Lilium longiflorum Thunb. It is noteworthy that S. oblonga could be used in cooking as a complement after more detailed studies. Sorghum grain foods exhibit potential health benefits against chronic diseases related to over-nutrition. Lilium longiflorum possess flower buds and bulbs that are used for both culinary and medicinal purposes in many parts of the world. Studies on chemical composition and biological activity of the genus Sanchezia are scarce. The presence of phytosterols and flavonol glycosides were recently reported in leaves from this species. However, the chemical profile of the extracts analyzed in this work differs from that previously reported for aerial parts of S. nobilis (sin. S. oblonga). Further studies, including statistical methods, such as principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis will be needed to evaluate chemical markers for this species.

HPTLC based approach for bioassay-guided evaluation of antidiabetic and neuroprotective effects of eight essential oils of the Lamiaceae family plants

A high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method combined with effect-directed-analysis (EDA) was developed to screen the antioxidant, neuroprotective and antidiabetic effects in essential oils derived from lavender flower, lemon myrtle, oregano, peppermint, sage, and rosemary leaves (Lamiaceae family). HPTLC hyphenated with microchemical (DPPH•, p-anisaldehyde, and ferric chloride) derivatizations, was used to evaluate antioxidant activity, presence of phytosterols and terpenoids, and polyphenolic content, while the combination with biochemical (α-amylase and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) enzymatic) derivatizations was used to asses α-amylase and AChE inhibitory activities. The superior antioxidant activity of oregano leaf extract is attributed to the presence of high levels of aromatic compounds, like polyphenolic acids. The strongest α-amylase inhibition was observed in lemon myrtle and rosemary plus extracts due to the presence of monoterpenes. Rosemary and sage extracts exhibit the highest AChE inhibition activity, with 1 μL essential oils being more potent than the recommended daily dose of donepezil. This superior neuroprotection was attributed to the presences of di- and triterpenes that displayed strong AChE inhibition and antioxidant potential in DPPH• free radical assay. Antioxidant activity was related to phenolic content (R = 0.49), while α-amylase inhibitory activity was positively related to antioxidant activity (R = 0.20) and terpenoid/sterol content (R = 0.31). AChE inhibitory activity was correlated (R = 0.80) to the combined effect of phenolics and terpenoids. Thus, the superior AChE inhibitory and neuroprotection potential of rosemary and sage essential oils could be attributed to joint effects of main phenolic and terpene constituents. The hyphenated HPTLC method provided rapid bioanalytical profiling of highly complex essential oil samples.

Genome-wide response on phytosterol in 9-hydroxyandrostenedione-producing strain of Mycobacterium sp. VKM Ac-1817D

BackgroundAerobic side chain degradation of phytosterols by actinobacteria is the basis for the industrial production of androstane steroids which are the starting materials for the synthesis of steroid hormones. A native strain of Mycobacterium sp. VKM Ac-1817D effectively produces 9α-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (9-OH-AD) from phytosterol, but also is capable of slow steroid core degradation. However, the set of the genes with products that are involved in phytosterol oxidation, their organisation and regulation remain poorly understood.ResultsHigh-throughput sequencing of the global transcriptomes of the Mycobacterium sp. VKM Ac-1817D cultures grown with or without phytosterol was carried out. In the presence of phytosterol, the expression of 260 genes including those related to steroid catabolism pathways significantly increased. Two of the five genes encoding the oxygenase unit of 3-ketosteroid-9α-hydroxylase (kshA) were highly up-regulated in response to phytosterol (55- and 25-fold, respectively) as well as one of the two genes encoding its reductase subunit (kshB) (40-fold). Only one of the five putative genes encoding 3-ketosteroid-∆1-dehydrogenase (KstD_1) was up-regulated in the presence of phytosterol (61-fold), but several substitutions in the conservative positions of its product were revealed.Among the genes over-expressed in the presence of phytosterol, several dozen genes did not possess binding sites for the known regulatory factors of steroid catabolism. In the promoter regions of these genes, a regularly occurring palindromic motif was revealed. The orthologue of TetR-family transcription regulator gene Rv0767c of M. tuberculosis was identified in Mycobacterium sp. VKM Ac-1817D as G155_05115.ConclusionsHigh expression levels of the genes related to the sterol side chain degradation and steroid 9α-hydroxylation in combination with possible defects in KstD_1 may contribute to effective 9α-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione accumulation from phytosterol provided by this biotechnologically relevant strain. The TetR-family transcription regulator gene G155_05115 presumably associated with the regulation of steroid catabolism. The results are of significance for the improvement of biocatalytic features of the microbial strains for the steroid industry.

High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography Hyphenated with Microchemical and Biochemical Derivatizations in Bioactivity Profiling of Marine Species.

Marine organisms produce an array of biologically active natural products, many of which have unique structures that have not been found in terrestrial organisms. Hence, marine algae provide a unique source of bioactive compounds. The present study investigated 19 marine algae and one seagrass collected from Torquay beach, Victoria, Australia. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) hyphenated with microchemical (DPPH•, p-anisaldehyde, and Fast Blue B) and biochemical (α-amylase and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) enzymatic) derivatizations was used to evaluate antioxidant activity, presence of phytosterols and phenolic lipids, α-amylase and AChE inhibitory activities of extract components. Significant α-amylase and AChE inhibitory activities were observed in samples 2, 6, 8 and 10. Antioxidant activities in the samples were found to be correlated to phytosterol content (R2 = 0.78), but was not found to be related to either α-amylase or AChE inhibitory activities. α-Amylase inhibitory activities were correlated to AChE inhibition (R2 = 0.77) and attributed to the phytosterol content, based on the similar peak position in the chromatograms with the β-sitosterol chromatogram. Samples 1, 8, and especially sample 20, were found to contain phenolic lipids (alkyl resorcinol derivatives) with significant antioxidant activities. The results suggest that these marine species have a significant number of bioactive compounds that warrant further investigation.

Phenolic profiling, sugar composition and antioxidant capacity of arta (Calligonum comosum L.), a wild Tunisian desert plant

Calligonum comosum, commonly known as “arta", occurs in Tunisia and North African deserts and it is often used in folk medicine. Total polyphenols, flavonoids, condensed tannins, and radical scavenging activities were determined in four extracts (water, methanol, hexane and ethyl acetate) of three organs of the plant (roots, stem and leaves). Comparison of plant extracts yield showed that methanol was the most effective for polyphenols and flavonoids extractions. The analysis of DPPH radical scavenging activity showed that leaves and stems exhibited higher activity (74.54% and 40.36%) compared to the roots (22.54%). Methanol extracts of the three organs were screened by HPLC/MS and the identified phenolic compounds were further quantified. Results showed that the presence of phytosterols and phenolic compounds was diverse among the three organs. In total, 12 flavonoids and 12 phenolic acids were identified. Flavanols (catechin (+) and epicatechin) and flavonols (quercetrin) were predominant. In addition, saponin in C. comosum organs was analyzed for the first time and results showed a considerable quantity in roots (16.1 mg/g). Sugar contents and mineral composition were also investigated in three organs of C. comosum. The minerals K, Mg, Na, and Ca were detected as interestedly high quantities. The sugar contents were ranged between 8.09% for stem, and 1.43% for roots. The overall results showed that C. comosum is an excellent source of diverse bioactive molecules with high radical scavenging capacity, which could be an interesting material forindustrial purposes. Further studies on the isolation of such compounds appear to be of high interest.

Pharmacognostical Studies and Evaluation of Quality Parameters of Spinacia oleracea

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is an edible flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae native to central and western Asia. Its leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Spinach has a high nutritional value because it is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, iron , riboflavin vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, and dietary fiber. Pharmacognostic standardization, physicochemical evaluation of the Leaves of Spinacia oleracea was carried out to determine its macro-and microscopical characters and also total ash, insoluble ash, alcohol- and water-soluble extractive values were determined for phytochemical evaluations. Preliminary phytochemical screening was also done to detect different phytoconstituents. The Proximate analysis of powder was also carried out in which extractive value, ash value, foreign matter, loss on drying were determined and also successive solvent extraction was carried out using soxhlet extractor in which ethanol was used. Aqueous extract was also carried out by maceration method. Preliminary phytochemical screening of various successive extracts of leaves was done qualitatively which revealed the presence of phytosterol, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, carbohydrates, tannins and amino acids.

Phytosterols isolated from endophytic fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides(Melanconiaceae)

ABSTRACTEndophytic fungi are fungi that colonize internal tissues of plants. There are few studies of compounds isolated from endophytic fungi of Amazon plants. Thus, the aim this study was the isolation and structural identification of sitosterol (1), stigmasterol (2), sitostenone (3), squalene (4), ergosterol (5) and ergosterol peroxide (6) from fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioidesisolated as endophytic from Virola michelli, a typical Amazon plant, used in folk medicine against skin infection. Compounds were isolated by chromatography column on silica and identified by 1H and 13C NMR and MS. The presence of phytosterols in fungi is rare and this is the first report of the isolation of the phytosterols sitosterol, stigmasterol and sitostenone from the genus Colletotrichum.

Editorial Vol 9 - 2015

This is the ninth Volume of the OUSL Journal, the Journal of the Open University of Sri Lanka. The articles published in this issue cover research on photochemistry, health science, emotional Intelligence on job performance, zoology, transport, phytoremediation and English literature. Increasing drug resistance of pathogens and negative consequences of antibiotic usage has made scientists search for alternative medicines from plant materials found in nature. Sivagnanasundaram and Karunanayake, in their article, investigate the antimicrobial and phytochemical properties of Artocarpus heterophyllus and Artocarpus altilis leaf and stem bark extracts. Phytochemical screening confirms the presence of phytosterols, anthraquinone, terpenoids, phenols, glycosides, flavonoids and diterpenes, which are known to possess antimicrobial properties. OUSL Journal Vol.9 2015

Phytosterol and amino acid profiles of palm kernel oil: possible metabolic implications

Hypothesis and Aim: Compositions of an edible material can influence its metabolic fate. Palm kernel oil (PKO) contains more saturated fat than unsaturated fat, indicating a propensity to elevate serum total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c). Its phytosterol and amino acid profiles may also have metabolic implications. The aim of the study was to examine PKO for the presence of phytosterols and its Amino Acid (AA) profile. Methodology: Palm kernel oil was examined for the presence of phytosterols, AA compositions, AA groupings and Essential AA (EAA) scores, using palm oil (PO) as a reference. Results: The PKO did not contain phytosterols and as such may not competitively inhibit uptake of dietary cholesterol. Its total AA content (g/100 g protein) was 6.87 ± 0.49 compared to PO’s 49.45 ± 1.36. The Total Non-EAA (TNEAA)/ Total EAA (TEAA, with His) ratios of PKO and PO were 1.04 ± 0.01 and 0.98 ± 0.00, respectively; suggesting that PKO contained more TNEAA than TEAA (with His) while the reverse was the case in PO. The PKO did not contain some EAAs like Ile, Val, His and Thr and as such its EAAs cannot support protein synthesis based on the all-or-none principle of EAAs in respect of protein synthesis, but would rather be used for energy, converted to carbohydrate or fat, and stored as such. Conclusion: The palm kernel oil lacked phytosterols and some essential amino acids and these may contribute to its acclaimed atherogenicity.

Evaluation of the anxiolytic effect of the methanol stem extracts of Cissus quadrangularis

Objective: To investigate the potentials of the stem of Cissus quadrangularis (C. quadrangularis) in the control of anxiety and related motor coordination effects in mice using experimental models. Methods: The methanol extract of the stem of C. quadrangularis was studied in mice using elevated plus maze, hole board, open field and stair case tests. Acute toxicity and phytochemical analysis were also carried out. Results: The methanol extract (100, 200, 300 and 400 mg/kg) exhibited significant anxiolytic effects, as evident by significant (P<0.05) increase in the number of crossings at 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg dose and number of rearing at 200, 300 and 400 mg/kg dose in open field behavior test. Time spent in the open arms and number of entrances in the open arms increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01) at the dose of 200 and 300 mg/kg in elevated plus maze test. Post hoc analysis showed that C. quadrangularis at the dose of 200 and 300 mg/kg significantly (P<0.05) increased the number of steps taken and number of head dips. Significant (P<0.05) reduction in time duration on the bar and number of rearing were observed at the dose of 200, 300 and 400 mg/kg. The acute toxicity test revealed an oral LD50 above 5 000 mg/kg, while phytochemical studies showed the presence of phytosterols, terpenoids, saponins, flavanoids, tannins, carbohydrates and aminoacids. Conclusions: The stem extracts of C. quadrangularis is anxiolytic in nature, which contribute to its use in traditional medicine as anxiolytic. Peer reviewer

Sterol Composition of the Indian Green Lipped Mussel Perna virdis

Sterol composition of green lipped mussel Perna virdis was analysed using GCMS. Cholesterol was found to be the dominant sterol (54.162% of the total sterol content). Other sterols such as Cholesta-5,22-dien-3-ol (3β), ergosta-5,22-dien-3-ol (3 β,22E, 24S), 26,26-dimethyl-5,24 (28)-Ergostadien-3β-ol, 26-nor-5cholesten- 3β-ol, stigmasterol and γ sitosterol were also detected. Presence of phytosterols like stigmasterol and γ sitosterol underlines high nutritional potential and food value of this bivalve mollusk.