Glucose Recovery Research Articles

FicD sensitizes cellular response to glucose fluctuations in mouse embryonic fibroblasts

During homeostasis, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) maintains productive transmembrane and secretory protein folding that is vital for proper cellular function. The ER-resident HSP70 chaperone, binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP), plays a pivotal role in sensing ER stress to activate the unfolded protein response (UPR). BiP function is regulated by the bifunctional enzyme filamentation induced by cyclic-AMP domain protein (FicD) that mediates AMPylation and deAMPylation of BiP in response to changes in ER stress. AMPylated BiP acts as a molecular rheostat to regulate UPR signaling, yet little is known about the molecular consequences of FicD loss. In this study, we investigate the role of FicD in mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) response to pharmacologically and metabolically induced ER stress. We find differential BiP AMPylation signatures when comparing robust chemical ER stress inducers to physiological glucose starvation stress and recovery. Wildtype MEFs respond to pharmacological ER stress by down-regulating BiP AMPylation. Conversely, BiP AMPylation in wildtype MEFs increases upon metabolic stress induced by glucose starvation. Deletion of FicD results in widespread gene expression changes under baseline growth conditions. In addition, FicD null MEFs exhibit dampened UPR signaling, altered cell stress recovery response, and unconstrained protein secretion. Taken together, our findings indicate that FicD is important for tampering UPR signaling, stress recovery, and the maintenance of secretory protein homeostasis.

Two-Step Macromolecule Separation Process with Acid Pretreatment and High-Shear-Assisted Extraction for Microalgae-Based Biorefinery

A simple two-stage extraction and recovery method for macromolecules from microalgae biomass, termed CASS (concentrating the microalgae solution, acid pretreatment, high-shear-assisted lipid extraction, and separation), was developed. This method effectively processed the wet biomass of Chlorella sp. ABC-001 at a moderately low biomass concentration (50 g/L). The optimal conditions were acid pretreatment with 5 wt.% H2SO4 at 100 °C for 1 h, followed by high-shear extraction using hexane at 3000 rpm for 30 min. The acid pretreatment hydrolyzed carbohydrates and phospholipids, disrupting the cell wall and membrane, while high-shear mixing enhanced mass transfer rates between solvents and lipids, overcoming the hydraulic barrier at the cell surface. Within 10 min after completing the process, the extraction mixture achieved natural phase separation into water, solvent, and biomass residue layers, each enriched with carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, respectively. The CASS process demonstrated high esterifiable lipid yields (91%), along with substantial recovery of glucose (90%) and proteins (100%). The stable phase separation prevented emulsion formation, simplifying downstream processing. This study presents the results on cell disruption, optimal acid treatment concentration, and high-shear mixing to achieve macromolecule separation, expanding the lipid-centric microalgal process to a comprehensive biorefinery concept.

Yeast based biorefinery for xylitol and ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse

Lignocellulosic biomass is one of the biggest renewable reservoirs for organic carbon that can be exploited as feed for various value-added products like fuel, nutraceuticals enzymes, and proteins. Biofuel is not only valuable but also a top priority target to address the energy crisis. Hence the current work was planned to valorize the cellulose-rich residual biomass (CRB), left after xylitol production for ethanol fermentation by yeast. Xylose-rich hydrolysate was prepared with dilute acid pretreatment (0.1 M H2SO4, 145 ℃, and 90 min) for xylitol production and CRB was further processed for enzymatic hydrolysis (crude cellulase). Acid hydrolysis offered maximum reducing sugars of 0.33±0.01 g⋅g−1biomass comprised of xylose 0.31±0.01 g⋅g−1biomass. Besides sugar, biomass hydrolysis also produced 0.21 ±0.01 g.L−1 furans and 0.34±0.11 g.L−1 acetic acid. Pichia guilliermondii RLV-04 (MH588234.1) have shown 0.90±0.02 gxylitol.g−1xylose conversion of xylose to xylitol. The primary process has left more than 50–55 % biomass that was rich in cellulose. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the CRB using crude cellulase showed maximum glucose recovery of 0.56±0.02 g⋅g−1available cellulose at 15 FPU at 50 ℃, after 12 h. In addition, yeast biomass recovered from xylitol production was hydrolysed and used as a nitrogen source. Under an anaerobic environment, a maximum ethanol yield of 0.36±0.01 g.g−1glucose was achieved with commercial baker’s yeast while the addition of yeast biomass hydrolysate improved the alcohol yield to 0.48±0.02 g.g−1glucose. Reutilization of biocatalysts as nitrogen source not only upgraded fermentation processes but also lowered process waste and improved process economics.

Glycine Receptor Beta Subunit (GlyR-β) Promotes Potential Angiogenesis and Neurological Regeneration during Early-Stage Recovery after Cerebral Ischemia Stroke/Reperfusion in Mice.

Ischemic stroke is mainly caused by cerebral artery thrombosis. This study investigated the role of glycine receptor beta subunit (GlyR-β) in the recovery from cerebral ischemia stroke/reperfusion. The oxygen glucose deprivation and recovery (OGD/R) bEnd3 cell model and the middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) mouse model were used in this study. Expression of both the GlyR-β gene and vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegf), cell proliferation, and tube formation ability was decreased in bEnd3 cells after OGD/R, and was reversed by overexpression of GlyR-β. Neurological function, asindicated by Zea Longa scores, area of cerebral ischemia, and pathological changes were increased in mice after MCAO/R, and were ameliorated by overexpression of the glycine receptor beta (Glrb) gene at 24 h and 7 d after MCAO/R. Expression of GlyR-β and Gap-43 was decreased, and the expression of CD34, Vegf, and Bdnf, and cell growth as determined by a bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) assay, increased in the affected brain tissue of MCAO/R mice in a time-dependent manner. GlyR-β overexpression resulted in enhanced expression of CD34, Vegf, Growth association protein 43 (Gap-43), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) and cell growth in affected brain tissue of MCAO/R mice in a time-dependent manner. GlyR-β promoted potential angiogenesis and neurological regeneration in affected brain tissue, thus promoting recovery from cerebral ischemia stroke/reperfusion.

Anti-Obesity and Antidiabetic Effects of Fig (Ficus carica L.) Fermented Extract Using Lactobacillus plantarum BT-LP-01

This study aimed to assess the effect of fermented fig (Ficus carica L., FF) on obesity and diabetes in a mouse model. FF was cultured with the lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum BT-LP-01 and isolated from fig peels. The antioxidant results demonstrated that FF exhibited DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities. In addition, FF showed high levels of total polyphenol and total flavonoids. Body and organ weight and dietary intake were significantly decreased in the FF groups compared to the HFD group. The FF group showed improved recovery in lipid metabolism and liver function compared to the HFD group. In addition, the FF group showed a significant decrease in serum C-P and insulin concentrations compared to the HFD group. FF-administered mice showed a dose-dependent recovery of fasting blood glucose and IPGTT and AUC levels compared to the HFD group. Furthermore, FF groups showed a decreased expression in FAS, C/EBPα, and FABP4, as well as significantly increased expression in ACC in the liver. This study demonstrates that FF is effective in reducing and inhibiting adipogenesis as well as lowering body weight, the blood glucose level, and lipid-related factors. These research findings demonstrate that FF is effective in treating obesity and diabetes.

Anti-hyperglycemic effects of Cissus quadrangularis extract via regulation of gluconeogenesis in type 2 diabetic db/db mice.

Introduction: Cissus quadrangularis is a vining plant widely used as a traditional herbal remedy for various ailments. In this study, the therapeutic effects of C. quadrangularis extract (CQR-300) on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were investigated in a leptin receptor-mutated db/db mouse model. Methods: CQR-300 was orally administered to db/db mice (n = 6/group) at different doses (50, 100, and 200mg/kg) for 8weeks. Blood glucose levels and oral glucose tolerance were assessed using the AccuCheck glucometer. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to evaluate insulin and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in the blood of db/db mice. Liver and pancreatic tissues from db/db mice were examined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemical staining. The protein levels of gluconeogenesis-, lipogenesis-, and oxidative stress-related factors were evaluated using western blotting. Results and discussion: CQR-300 treatment effectively reduced body weight, blood glucose, and insulin levels. HbA1c levels were increased by leptin receptor mutation. Additionally, in the oral glucose tolerance tests, the CQR-300 treated group had a faster blood glucose recovery rate than the db/db group. H&E and Oil red-O staining of the liver showed decreased lipid accumulation in the CQR-300 treated group than the db/db group. Western blot analysis confirmed that CQR-300 effectively inhibited gluconeogenesis, lipogenesis, and oxidative stress-related factors. Our findings suggest that CQR-300 has the potential to be used as a T2DM supplement.

Red Pine Bark Extract Alleviates Akt/GSK-3β Signaling Disruption in the Hippocampus of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Sprague-Dawley Rats.

This study investigates whether red pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.) bark extract (PBE) can alleviate diabetes and abnormal apoptosis signaling pathways in the hippocampus of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Two dosages of PBE (15 and 30 mg/kg of body weight/day) were administered orally to STZ-induced diabetic SD rats for 20 days. Blood glucose level and body weight were measured once per week. After 20 days of oral administration of PBE, the rat hippocampus was collected, and the production of Akt, p-Akt, GSK-3β, p-GSK-3β, tau, p-tau, Bax, and Bcl-2 proteins were determined by western blot analysis. A decrease in blood glucose level and recovery of body weight were observed in PBE-treated diabetic rats. In the Akt/GSK-3β/tau signaling pathway, PBE inhibited diabetes-induced Akt inactivation, GSK-3β inactivation, and tau hyperphosphorylation. The protein production ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was restored to the control group level. These results suggest that PBE, rich in phenolic compounds, can be used as a functional food ingredient to ameliorate neuronal apoptosis in diabetes mellitus.

Veterinary antibiotics and metals impact the mass, composition and hydrolysis of biomass cultivated in piggery wastewater treatment photobioreactors

Photobioreactors are a promising alternative for piggery wastewater treatment which allows to produce valuable biomass, but the presence of antibiotics or heavy metals in the pig manure can influence the biomass composition and the posterior valorization processes. This study evaluates the effect of these pollutants on mass, composition and hydrolysis yields of the consortia of microalgae and bacteria obtained in a 1280 L photobioreactor treating pig manure. The photobioreactor feed was doped with 1) veterinary antibiotics; 2) copper, zinc, and arsenic; and 3) combination of both pollutants. The pollutants presence decreased the mass of biomass grown in the photobioreactor by up to 35% while glucose content of the biomass by up to 42% and increased protein and xylose by 30% and 16% due to oxidative stress. Likewise, they increased the protein solubilization yield by acid hydrolysis at 120 ºC by 32% while reduced glucose solubilization by 49% after alkaline hydrolysis at 120 ºC. Applying enzymatic hydrolysis and ultrasound assisted enzymatic extractions, glucose and xylose recoveries were drastically reduced in presence of heavy metals (∼100%). Antibiotics increased xylose solubilization by ultrasonication (74%), but also its degradation, decreasing xylose recovery. Thus, the presence of all these pollutants in pig manure affected biomass production and valorization and these results must be considered for biorefinery processes.

Recovery of sulfuric acid during sugar purification from pretreated wheat straw hydrolysate using electro-electrodialysis system for 2G bioethanol production

Concentrated acid hydrolysis (CAH) of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is an established method to obtain a near theoretical yield of monomeric sugars from the biomass. The CAH process produced 83.23 % of glucose from pretreated wheat straw (PWS) at optimum conditions (i.e., stage I = 74 % w/w acid, 1:2 biomass loading, and 50 °C for 1 h; and stage II = 30 % w/w acid, 90 °C for 2 h). However, the separation of sugar from acidic hydrolysate is a major constraint of this technology. In this study, an electro-electrodialysis (EED) process using a novel anion exchange membrane (AEM) has been developed to recover sulfuric acid from biomass hydrolysate. The synthetic hydrolysate (i.e., feed acid concentration = 2 M; glucose = 80 g L−1) was used to optimize the EED process parameters. The acid was successfully recovered from alkali pretreated wheat straw (PWS) hydrolysate using the most effective EED process parameters. This resulted in an 82.72 % acid recovery in the permeate under the following conditions: current density of 88 mA cm−2, flow rate of 3 L h−1, and feed acid content of 2 M. During the EED process, the highest glucose recovery in the feed was 90.98 %, achieved with a maximum current efficiency of 93.57 % and the lowest energy consumption of 0.052 kW h mol−1 at optimal conditions using PWS Hydrolysate. Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermented the acid-free PWS hydrolysate, resulting in a maximum ethanol yield of 92.3 %. The EED process cost of $0.049 kg H2SO4−1 and total revenue was $0.02 kg biomass−1 from the second batch onwards suggest the feasibility of the EED process for large-scale 2G bioethanol productions.

Sustainable co-production of plant lipids and cellulosic sugars from transgenic energycane at an industrially relevant scale: A proof of concept for alternative feedstocks

Development of sustainable and scalable technologies to convert lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels is critical to achieving carbon neutrality. The potential of transgenic bioenergy crops as a renewable source of sugars and lipids has been demonstrated at bench-scale. However, scaling up these processes is important for holistic analysis. Here proof-of-concept for chemical-free hydrothermal pretreatment of transgenic energycane-oilcane line L13 at an industrially relevant scale to recover vegetative lipids along with cellulosic sugars is presented. Pilot-scale processing of 97 kg of transgenic energycane-oilcane L13 stems and high solids pretreatment of bagasse enhanced the recovery of cellulosic glucose and xylose by 5-fold as compared to untreated bagasse and helped in the enrichment of vegetative lipids in the biomass residues which allowed its recovery at the end of the bioprocess. Palmitic and oleic acids were the predominant fatty acids (FAs) extracted from stems and leaves. The processing did not affect lipid composition. The efficiency of lipid recovery from untreated biomass was 75.9% which improved to 88.7% upon pretreatment. The vegetative tissues of transgenic energycane-oilcane L13 contained 0.42 metric tons/hectare of lipids. Processing vegetative tissues yielded 0.38 metric tons/hectare of lipids. This approaches an oil yield similar to soybean (global average 0.44 metric tons/hectare) and is almost twice as high as the oil yield from sugarcane engineered to hyperaccumulate lipids (0.20 metric tons/hectare). The study suggests that further optimization by state-of-the-art metabolic engineering and biomass processing can establish transgenic bioenergy crops for commercial drop-in fuel production.

Negligible In Vitro Recovery of Macromolecules from Microdialysis Using 100 kDa Probes and Dextran in Perfusion Fluid

Microdialysis is applied in neurointensive care to monitor cerebral glucose metabolism. If recoverable, macromolecules may also serve as biomarkers in brain disease and provide clues to their passage across the blood–brain barrier. Our study aimed to investigate the in vitro recovery of human micro- and macromolecules using microdialysis catheters and perfusion fluids approved for clinical use. In vitro microdialysis of a bulk solution containing physiological or supraphysiological concentrations of glucose, lactate, pyruvate, human IgG, serum albumin, and hemoglobin was performed using two different catheters and perfusion fluids. One had a membrane cut-off of 20 kDa and was used with a standard CNS perfusion fluid, and the other had a membrane cut-off of 100 kDa and was perfused with the same solution supplemented with dextran. The flow rate was 0.3 µl/min. We used both push and push–pull methods. Dialysate samples were collected at 2-h intervals for 6 h and analyzed for relative recovery of each substance. The mean relative recovery of glucose, pyruvate, and lactate was > 90% in all but two sets of experiments. In contrast, the relative recovery of human IgG, serum albumin, and hemoglobin from both bulk solutions was below the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ). Using a push–pull method, recovery of human IgG, serum albumin, and hemoglobin from a bulk solution with supraphysiological concentrations were above LLOQ but with low relative recovery (range 0.9%–1.6%). In summary, exchanging the microdialysis setup from a 20 kDa catheter with a standard perfusion fluid for a 100 kDa catheter with a perfusion solution containing dextran did not affect the relative recovery of glucose and its metabolites. However, it did not result in any useful recovery of the investigated macromolecules at physiological levels, either with or without a push–pull pump system.

Glucose stockpile in the intestinal apical brush border in C. elegans

Revealing the mechanisms of glucose transport is crucial for studying pathological diseases caused by glucose toxicities. Numerous studies have revealed molecular functions involved in glucose transport in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a commonly used model organism. However, the behavior of glucose in the intestinal lumen-to-cell remains elusive. To address that, we evaluated the diffusion coefficient of glucose in the intestinal apical brush border of C. elegans by using fluorescent glucose and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Fluorescent glucose taken in the intestine of worms accumulates in the apical brush border, and its diffusion coefficient of ∼10−8 cm2/s is two orders of magnitude slower than that in bulk. This result indicates that the intestinal brush border is a viscous layer. ERM-1 point mutations at the phosphorylation site, which shorten the microvilli length, did not significantly affect the diffusion coefficient of fluorescent glucose in the brush border. Our findings imply that glucose enrichment is dominantly maintained by the viscous layer composed of the glycocalyx and molecular complexes on the apical surface.

Optimisation study of Ulmus pumila woody biomass fractionation by steam explosion for bioproducts production

Ulmus pumila represents a promising lignocellulosic biomass source for biofuels and bioproducts production since it can grow in low rainfall and extreme temperature zones. A first step in the conversion process is biomass fractionation to enhance the performance of the hydrolysis and subsequent biological conversion steps. The aim of this work is to optimise the main variables (temperature, residence time and the addition or not of sulphuric acid) of steam explosion to pretreat Ulmus pumila biomass. The optimal conditions to maximise both glucose and xylose recovery were 204.8 °C and 30 mg H2SO4/g biomass, obtained through a multilevel factorial design of experiments. Additionally, enzymatic hydrolysis using high solid loads (15% and 20% (w/w)) and different enzyme doses was studied. As a result, steam explosion at optimal conditions followed by enzymatic hydrolysis with 20% solid loading and 60 mg protein/g cellulose of enzyme allow the recovery of 70% of the potential sugars.

Predictive value of serum Gal-13, GLP-1 and VEGF levels in adverse pregnancy outcomes of gestational diabetes mellitus

To explore the application value of serum Gal-13, GLP-1 and VEGF in the prevention and guidance of adverse pregnancy outcomes in gestational diabetes (GDM). A retrospective study with case-control method was used to select 1 012 GDM patients from Haikou Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2019 to December 2022 as the study objects, and they were divided into poor pregnancy outcome group (n=342) and good pregnancy outcome group (n=670) according to whether they had adverse pregnancy outcomes. The medical records of 521 healthy women with normal glucose metabolism were selected as the control group. Serum Gal-13 and GLP-1 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and VEGF was determined by IAMMGE specific protein analyzer. After comparing the differences of the above factors among the three groups, multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients, and ROC curve was drawn to analyze the predictive value of serum Gal-13, GLP-1 and VEGF levels on adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients. The results showed that Fasting blood glucose (FPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting insulin (FINS) in the adverse pregnancy outcome group were 5.92(4.98, 6.41) mmol/L, 5.32(4.96, 5.47)%, 62.56(49.21,99.50) pmol/L, VEGF was 495.47(389.14, 567.13) ng/L, TSH was 1.48(1.34, 1.58) mIU/L, right ventricular myocardial work index (Tei index) was 0.59(0.45, 0.67), 89 cases of elderly parturients; FPG was 4.45(4.16, 5.03) mmol/L, HbA1c was 5.04(4.86, 5.29)%, FINS was 57.41(46.90, 74.08) pmol/L, VEGF was 405.84(348.02, 462.68) ng/L, TSH was 1.42(1.25, 1.50) mIU/L, Tei index was 0.50(0.47, 0.64), there were 142 cases of old women. In the control group, FPG was 4.33(4.05, 4.75) mmol/L, HbA1c was 5.01(4.13, 5.18)%, FINS was 38.48(36.76, 41.72) pmol/L and VEGF was 302.45(283.14, 336.56) ng/L, TSH was 1.32(1.24, 1.47)mIU/L, Tei index was 0.48(0.39, 0.59), and there were 106 elderly parturiencies. The levels of FPG, HbA1c, FINS, VEGF, TSH and Tei index in the adverse pregnancy outcome group and the good pregnancy outcome group were higher than those in the control group, and the proportion of elderly parturients was higher than that in the control group, and the adverse pregnancy outcome group was higher than that in the good pregnancy outcome group. The differences were statistically significant (H=8.620, P<0.001, H=2.616, P=0.014, H=6.156, P<0.001, H=3.051, P<0.001, H=4.892, P=0.044, χ2=2.548, P=0.045). In the adverse pregnancy outcome group, Gal-13 was 15.27(8.35, 24.45)pg/ml, GLP-1 was 9.27(8.26, 12.35) pmol/L and FT4 was 11.59(9.67, 13.48) pmol/L. In the group with good pregnancy outcome, Gal-13 was 25.34(20.14, 29.73) pg/ml, GLP-1 was 12.38(10.25, 15.63) pmol/L and FT4 was 13.86(10.67, 15.10) pmol/L. In the control group, Gal-13 was 31.21(27.48, 34.45) pg/ml, GLP-1 was 11.34(10.40, 14.37) pmol/L and FT4 was 14.15(10.75, 15.43)pmol/L. The levels of Gal-13, GLP-1 and FT4 in the adverse pregnancy outcome group and the good pregnancy outcome group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the adverse pregnancy outcome group was lower than that in the good pregnancy outcome group. The differences were statistically significant (H=6.458, P=0.011, H=8.445, P<0.001, H=5.694, P<0.001). The levels of Gal-13 and GLP-1 in normal blood glucose recovery group were higher than those in non-normal blood glucose recovery group, and the levels of VEGF were lower than those in non-normal blood glucose recovery group (P<0.05).In multivariate logistic regression analysis, Gal-13, GLP-1, VEGF, TSH, FT4 and Tei indexes were independent influencing factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes with GDM (P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of Gal-13, GLP-1 and VEGF alone in predicting adverse pregnancy were 0.779, 0.761 and 0.615, respectively. The value of the combined diagnosis was the highest (AUC=0.912), the sensitivity was 90.1%, and the specificity was 80.0%. In conclusion, Gal-13, GLP-1 and VEGF may be independent influencing factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients, and the combined detection of the three may help to improve the auxiliary diagnostic efficacy for predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Imeglimin: the New Kid on the Block.

This review aims to collect all the data regarding imeglimin and present it as one of the options for managing diabetes. It is a new drug that has recently been approved as an oral anti-diabetic drug, either as monotherapy or in combination with other oral antidiabetic drugs including insulin, with modest HbA1c reduction, and a fairly safe profile. Imeglimin was first approved in 2021 in Japan and China and is available in India from October 2022. Imeglimin is the first compound in a new class of oral anti-diabetic medications known as "glimins" that include a tetrahydrotriazine ring. Glimins act by amplifying glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and preserving β-cell mass, leading to augmented insulin secretion. Furthermore, It also intensifies insulin action by inhibiting of hepatic glucose output and recovery of altered insulin signalling in both hepatocytes (liver) and myocytes (skeletal muscle). This is a unique mode of action than has been demonstrated to be distinct from other classes of drugs, as it targets both insulin secretion and insulin resistance by correcting the mitochondrial dysfunction. Imeglimin has been studied in various phase III trials which have equivocally shown it to be effective in lowering glucose levels and improving pancreatic function and its recommended dose set at 1000 mg bid.

Paris polyphylla Sm. extract enriched with diosgenin as an antidiabetic agent: In vitro and in vivo study

BackgroundThe global epidemic of diabetes mellitus (DM) has become a severe metabolic disorder and a threat to public health. Medicinal plants as a remedy for managing diabetes is accepted worldwide due to their long-term effectiveness and fewer side effects, mainly attributed to the phytochemicals. Paris polyphylla is a valuable medicinal herb endowed with steroidal saponins of therapeutic importance. The plant is popularly used as an anticancer agent. However, the antidiabetic potential of P. polyphylla has not been explored. So, the present study was undertaken to investigate the antidiabetic potential of P. polyphylla extract enriched with diosgenin (PPED) in vitro and in vivo in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. MethodP. polyphylla rhizomes were used to extract diosgenin-enriched extracts. The P. polyphylla extract enriched with diosgenin (PPED) was quantified using standard diosgenin in HPLC. The in vitro antidiabetic efficacy of PPED was determined by α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzyme inhibitory activity. PPED 1 (200 mg/kg b.w) and PPED 2 (400 mg/kg b.w) was administered in normal glycemic rats to evaluate the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). PPED 1 and PPED 2 were orally dosed for 28 days daily in STZ-induced diabetic rats, and the fasting blood glucose level and body weight were monitored every 7 days. Furthermore, the antioxidant, serum biochemical parameters, and pancreatic histopathology were studied. ResultsP. polyphylla extract enriched with diosgenin was quantified. PPED exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes with IC50 275.7 ± 0.59 μg/mL and 121.9 ± 1.21 μg/mL. Daily oral dosage of PPED 1 and PPED 2 for 28 days leads to a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose level and recovery of body weight compared to the diabetic control. The liver and kidney antioxidant parameters also improved with PPED dosage. According to our study, the PPED 1 and PPED 2 treated groups showed a decrease in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and hyperlipidemia, as well as an improvement in protein, liver, and kidney function parameters. Moreover, PPED administration also ameliorates the pancreatic islets' size and β-cell granularity compared to the diabetic control group. It is, therefore, possible to conclude that PPED has the potential as an antidiabetic agent. ConclusionThis is the first report of P. polyphylla extract enriched with diosgenin as a potent antidiabetic agent. The present study broadens the therapeutic horizon of P. polyphylla as an invaluable medicinal plant.

Enhancement of glucose recovery from banana stem by 4-cycle enzymatic hydrolysis

Valorisation of banana waste into value-added products has gained an increasing interest since decades ago. To date, there is still limited information on the rational direction of banana stems, which are conventionally dumped and burnt at the field or disposed into water streams, leading to serious environmental pollution. In this work, we present a novel approach to maximise the recovery of glucose from banana stem. Initially, the effect of substrate load (1%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 9%) on the enzymatic hydrolysis by liquozyme and spirizyme was investigated. Following that, 4-cycle enzymatic hydrolysis was performed and the recovery of glucose was determined for every cycle. The results showed that the optimum substrate concentration for the enzymatic hydrolysis of the banana stem was 1% (w/v) which gave the best hydrolysis yield. Evaluation of one to five cycles of enzymatic hydrolysis showed that the highest hydrolysis yield and rate were achieved during the fourth cycle, which was 2.3-fold and 4.4-fold compared to that achieved in the first cycle. Moreover, the glucose concentration recovered in the fourth cycle was 2.4-fold higher than that attained in the first cycle. Our results clearly showed the advantages of conducting multiple cycles of enzymatic hydrolysis of banana stems. In summary, this work presents a novel approach for maximising the glucose recovery from the banana stem where the method may also be applicable for recovering sugar from other agricultural wastes.

Physicochemical Pretreatment of Vietnamosasa pusilla for Bioethanol and Xylitol Production.

The consumption of fossil fuels has resulted in severe environmental consequences, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Therefore, transitioning to alternative energy sources, such as cellulosic ethanol, is a promising strategy for reducing environmental impacts and promoting sustainable low-carbon energy. Vietnamosasa pusilla, an invasive weed, has been recognized as a high potential feedstock for sugar-based biorefineries due to its high total carbohydrate content, including glucan (48.1 ± 0.3%) and xylan (19.2 ± 0.4%). This study aimed to examine the impact of NaOH pretreatment-assisted autoclaving on V. pusilla feedstock. The V. pusilla enzymatic hydrolysate was used as a substrate for bioethanol and xylitol synthesis. After treating the feedstock with varying concentrations of NaOH at different temperatures, the glucose and xylose recovery yields were substantially higher than those of the untreated material. The hydrolysate generated by enzymatic hydrolysis was fermented into bioethanol using Saccharomyces cerevisiae TISTR 5339. The liquid byproduct of ethanol production was utilized by Candida tropicalis TISTR 5171 to generate xylitol. The results of this study indicate that the six- and five-carbon sugars of V. pusilla biomass have great potential for the production of two value-added products (bioethanol and xylitol).

Microwave-assisted autohydrolysis of avocado seed for the recovery of antioxidant phenolics and glucose

This study describes the valorization of avocado seed (AS) within a green biorefinery concept using microwave-assisted autohydrolysis. After the treatment at temperatures of 150–230 °C for 5 min, the resulting solid and liquor were characterized. The temperature of 220 °C led to the simultaneous optimal values of antioxidant phenolics/flavonoids (42.15 mg GAE/g AS, 31.89 RE/g AS, respectively) and glucose + glucooligosaccharides (38.82 g/L) in the liquor. Extraction with ethyl acetate allowed the recovery of the bioactive compounds while maintaining the polysaccharides in the liquor. The extract was rich in vanillin (99.02 mg/g AS) and contained several phenolic acids and flavonoids. The solid phase and the phenolic-free liquor were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis to produce glucose, reaching values of 9.93 and 105 g glucose/L, respectively. This work demonstrates that microwave-assisted autohydrolysis is a promising technology to obtain fermentable sugars and antioxidant phenolic compounds from avocado seeds following a biorefinery scheme.

Fungal Hydrolysis of Food Waste: Review of used Substrates, Conditions, and Microorganisms

Food production generates significant amounts of organic waste that can have negative effects on the environment, such as water, soil and air pollution, due to lack of efficient utilisation solutions and insufficient disposal practices. Fungi have great enzymeproducing abilities that can be used for hydrolysing various types of food waste. Carried out in optimal conditions, fungal hydrolysis of generated food waste can be fast and efficient. Currently, fungal hydrolysis capacity for waste treatment has only been briefly demonstrated in previous studies. This review focuses on and summarizes different practises showing the potential of fungal hydrolysis for the use inefficient resource management. The main accent was put on what organisms and waste have been used in previously conducted studies. In addition, temperature, pH level and glucose recovery yields were reviewed. It was concluded that food waste can be efficiently hydrolysed and used as substrates for downstream production of value-added products. The optimal temperature for fungal hydrolysis is above 45 °C, and optimal pH level can differ depending on the process. The possibility of fungal strain optimization and creation of the enzymeproducing mutant, as well as the use of other GRAS fungi should be investigated. To explore a wider range of waste residues, researchers must collaborate with manufacturers to conduct tests and valorise new residues for fungal hydrolysis.