Concentrations Of Vanillic Acid Research Articles

Inhibitory effect of chlorogenic acid and vanillic acid on fluorescent advanced glycation end products formation in low-temperature-processed pork meat

This work aimed to investigate the effects of chlorogenic acid (CA) and vanillic acid (VA) on structural changes in myofibrillar protein (MP) and fluorescent advanced glycation end products (fAGEs) formation in low-temperature-processed pork meat. Raw pork was prepared, different concentrations (0, 0.005%, 0.010%, 0.020%, 0.040%) of CA or VA were added, and then heated at 50 °C for 12 h. The results suggested that the degree of lipid oxidation significantly declined with increase in amounts of CA (from 12.166 ± 0.469 to 4.661 ± 0.333) or VA (from 11.771 ± 0.355 to 5.451 ± 0.362), and carbonyls, surface hydrophobicity, tryptophan fluorescence intensity, and protein oxidation products also showed a significant downward trend (p < 0.05). Compared with the control (498.183 ± 10.849), there were marked decrease of fAGEs intensity in samples containing CA (70.958 ± 4.114) or VA (76.667 ± 3.882). Besides, mitigating capacity of CA on fAGEs accumulation was just greater than that of VA. Therefore, CA and VA can impede MP and lipid oxidation of raw pork, which further reduce fAGEs formation in low-temperature-processed pork meat. This study is expected to provide a new strategy to prevent the oxidation of MP and reduce fAGEs contents in the meat industry.

Integrated whole genome sequencing and transcriptomic analysis reveal the biodegradation mechanism of vanillic acid in Herbaspirillum aquaticum KLS-1

Vanillic acid (VA) is a phenolic compound frequently present in wastewater and agricultural soil. High concentrations of VA will increase the burden of sewage treatment and pose toxicity to crop plants. Although advanced oxidation has been successfully used to remove VA, green and sustainable treatments for VA pollution with efficient VA-degrading microbes, especially about the full pathways of VA degradation, are not well documented. In this study, a full investigation of VA degradation ability and associated metabolic mechanisms in the new VA-degrading bacterium Herbaspirillum aquaticum KLS-1 was performed. Results showed that strain KLS-1 completely removed 500 mg/L VA within 36 h following a zero-order degradation kinetic model with a degradation half-time of 15.01 h. An efficient VA degradation occurred under the conditions with pH values of 7–9, temperatures of 30–40 °C, and shaking speeds of 150–200 rpm. A fed-batch experiment and SEM analysis showed that strain KLS-1 exhibited a good ability to remove up to 46.8 mg VA without cellular damage. The protocatechuate ortho-cleavage pathway was probably associated with efficient VA degradation in strain KLS-1 according to the whole genome sequencing and transcriptomic analysis. This study has offered a comprehensive understanding of full VA degradation mechanisms in microbes by using genomic sequencing coupled with transcriptomic analysis and provided a new VA-degrading bacterium for potential bioremediation of VA pollution.

Novel dual-action vanillic acid pretreatment for efficient hemicellulose separation with simultaneous inhibition of lignin condensation

Aromatic acids play a selective role in the separation of hemicellulose. Phenolic acids have demonstrated an inhibitory effect on lignin condensation. In the current study, vanillic acid (VA), which combines the characteristics of aromatic and phenolic acids, is used to separate eucalyptus. The efficient and selective separation of hemicellulose is achieved simultaneously at 170 °C, 8.0% VA concentration, and 80 min. The separation yield of xylose increased from 78.80% to 88.59% compared to acetic acid (AA) pretreatment. The separation yield of lignin decreased from 19.32% to 11.19%. In particular, the β-O-4 content of lignin increased by 5.78% after pretreatment. The results indicate that VA, as a “carbon positive ion scavenger”, it preferentially reacts with the carbon-positive ion intermediate of lignin. Surprisingly, the inhibition of lignin condensation is achieved. This study provides a new starting point for the development of an efficient and sustainable commercial technology by organic acid pretreatment.

Trace element, rare earth element and trace carbon compounds in Subglacial Lake Whillans, West Antarctica

Whillans Subglacial Lake (SLW) lies beneath 801 m of ice in the lower portion of the Whillans Ice Stream (WIS) in West Antarctica and is part of an extensive and active subglacial drainage network. Here, the geochemical characterization of SLW rare earth elements (REE), trace elements (TE), free amino acids (FAA), and phenolic compounds (PC) measured in lakewater and sediment porewater are reported. The results show, on average, higher values of REEs in the lakewater than in the porewater, and clear changes in all REE concentrations and select redox sensitive trace element concentrations in porewaters at a depth of ~15 cm in the 38 cm lake sediment core. This is consistent with prior results on the lake sediment redox conditions based on gas chemistry and microbiological data. Low concentrations of vanillyl phenols were measured in the SLW water column with higher concentrations in porewater samples and their concentration profiles in the sediments may also reflect changing redox conditions in the sediments. Vanillin concentrations increased with depth in the sediments as oxygenation decreases, while the concentrations of vanillic acid, the more oxidized component, were higher in the more oxygenated surface sediments. Collectively these results indicate redox changes occurring with the upper 38 cm of sediment in SLW and provide support for the existence of a seawater source, already hypothesized, in the sediments below the lowest measured depth, and of a complex and dynamic geochemical system beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.Our results are the first to detail geochemical properties from an Antarctic subglacial environment using direct sampling technology. Due to their isolation from the wider environment, subglacial lakes represent one of our planets last pristine environments that provide habitats for microbial life and natural biogeochemical cycles but also impact the basal hydrology and can cause ice flow variations.

Antioxidant Activity of Vitex rotundifolia Seeds and Phytochemical Analysis Using HPLC-PDA

This study assessed in vitro antioxidant activity (ABTS+ and DPPH) of Vitex rotundifolia seeds collected from two different regions in Korea (Jungjang City and Sindu City). Three extraction methods using ethanol, methanol, and water were prepared separately and subjected to quantification by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC-PDA) analysis as well as antioxidant testing. Among them, the water-based extract exhibited superior activity in the ABTS+ compared with the ethanol- and methanol-based extracts, while the DPPH assay analysis, revealed that the methanol-based extract had very low antioxidant activity. The concentrations of vanillic acid (1), luteolin (2), vitexicarpin (3), and artemetin (4) were quantified using HPLC-PDA analysis. Vanillic acid (1) was identified as the main antioxidant in V. rotundifolia seeds. Combining the antioxidant activity and quantitative analysis results, the water-based extract was considered to have the highest antioxidant activity. Furthermore, vanillic acid (1) was detected in the leaves and stems of V. rotundifolia plants from different regions, indicating that this species has the potential for use in future antioxidant-applications.

Deciphering the competitive binding interaction of β-lactoglobulin with benzaldehyde and vanillic acid via high-spatial-resolution multi-spectroscopic

Interaction between protein and added flavor constituents strongly affects the sensory quality and consumer acceptability of dairy products. Here, the molecular basis of how benzaldehyde and vanillic acid competitively interact with β-lactoglobulin was described by applying various complementary techniques to study the structural modification of β-lactoglobulin with benzaldehyde and vanillic acid as flavor ligands. Mass shift of β-lactoglobulin recorded by mass spectrometry spectra suggested that the covalent addition of benzaldehyde and non-covalent addition of vanillic acid both in 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. Protein limited proteolysis experiments demonstrated the benzaldehyde and vanillic acid were localized on peptide fragment of Val41-Lys60, which reduced the allergenicity of β-lactoglobulin. Molecular docking studies predicted the covalent interaction between aldehyde carbonyl group on the aromatic ring of benzaldehyde and the ε-amino group of Lys60 residue along with a series of non-covalent bonds to form adduct. The non-covalent bonds between vanillic acid and β-lactoglobulin were also predicted. In addition, fluorescence studies of the binary systems indicated that benzaldehyde/vanillic acid interacted with β-lactoglobulin through the static quenching mechanism and benzaldehyde had a higher affinity for β-lactoglobulin. The quenching constant values of the ternary systems illustrated that benzaldehyde dislodges vanillic acid from the binding site, resulting in an increased free vanillic acid concentration. This study presents detailed information about flavor interactions with dairy products and confirms the conformational changes of β-lactoglobulin due to interaction with flavor. These findings provided new insight into the interactions between β-lactoglobulin and flavors facilitating flavor regulation in dairy products.

Metabolome analysis, nutrient and antioxidant potential of aerial and underground parts of Ajuga parviflora Benth

Ajuga parviflora is a traditionally important herb to treat fever, diarrhoea, obesity, and diabetes. Earlier reports suggested that a limited chemical including nutritional information’s are available for A. parviflora. Hence, its metabolome analysis, nutritional and antioxidant activities are required to understand the role in health benefits. Metabolomics studies of aerial and underground part extracts (water, ethanol and 50 % ethanol) of A. parviflora were performed using UPLC-ESI-MS, UHPLC-Q-TOF-IMS coupled with multivariate statistical analysis. An UPLC-ESI-MS had identified sixty metabolites while 675 were using UHPLC-Q-TOF-IMS data-based search against METLIN database. Among thirteen targeted polyphenols, eight polyphenols were shown presence with higher concentration of vanillic acid (0.057 ± 0.002 mg/g), caffeic acid (0.002 ± 0.001 mg/g), and ferulic acid (3.766 ± 0.054 mg/g). Further, total phenolics (TP), flavonoids (TF), iridoid (TI) contents, nutritional components, amino acids, and antioxidant activities of extracts were conducted and found significant. Ethanol extracts of A. parviflora showed highest TP, TF, and TI contents while energy value was between 0.826 and 3.964 Kcal. Moreover, targeted, and untargeted metabolites diversifications among samples were monitored by multivariate statistical analysis. The metabolic variabilities were visualized with the percentage variance in PC 1–5 as 77.26, 21.06, 1.26, 0.25 and 0.15, respectively. The metabolomics-based information predicted a speculative metabolites biosynthetic pathway. The current understandings of metabolome information, nutritional component and antioxidant activities has supported A. parviflora for health benefits. This comprehensive investigation will help in quality agrotechnological interventions and value-added health benefit products.

Vanillic Acid Inhibited the Induced Glycation Using In Vitro and In Vivo Models.

Glycation is implicated in the pathophysiology of many diseases, including diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and aging. Several natural and synthetic compounds were investigated for their antiglycation activity. We evaluated the antiglycation effect of vanillic acid (VA) using in vitro and in vivo experimental models. In vitro, bovine serum albumin (BSA) (50 mg/ml) was incubated with glucose (50 mM) with or without VA at 1.0-100 mM for 1 week at 37°C, and then, excitation/emission fluorescence was measured at 370/440 nm to determine glycation inhibition. The cytoprotective effect of VA was evaluated using RAW 264.7 cells incubated with or without VA at 7.8-500 μM along with 100-400 μM of methylglyoxal for 48 hours, and cell viability was determined using the MTT assay. Aminoguanidine (AMG) was used as a positive control in both in vitro and cell culture experiments. In vivo, 52 streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups and treated with 0, 1.5, 4.5, or 15 mg/kg VA for four weeks. Serum fructosamine and blood glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were then measured, and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) were detected in the kidneys and the skin of deboned tails using an immunohistochemistry assay. VA caused a concentration-dependent effect against BSA glycation (IC50 of 45.53 mM vs. 5.09 mM for AMG). VA enhanced cell viability at all concentrations of VA and methylglyoxal. VA did not affect serum fructosamine or blood HbA1c levels, although it markedly decreased AGEs in the kidney in a dose-dependent manner and decreased AGEs in the skin of deboned tail tissues. VA had significant antiglycation activity at cellular and long-term glycation.

Separation of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid with 2-ethyl hexanol, isobutyl acetate and 1-butanol

4‑hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid (vanillic acid), a benzoic acid derivative, is an oxidised version of vanillin that is widely utilised as a flavouring and smell ingredient, particularly in the food and pharmaceutical sectors. It is easily created through a clean and environmentally friendly fermentation process, however separating the acid from the fermenter is a difficult procedure. At normal temperature and pressure, 2-ethyl hexanol, isobutyl acetate, and 1-butanol were employed to separate vanillic acid from aqueous stream solvents. The performance of various solvents was evaluated using characteristics as distribution coefficient (KD), as well as extraction efficiency (%).The maximum extraction efficiency of 72.59% was obtained using solvent 2-ethyl hexanol at vanillic acid concentration of 3.87 mmol L−1 at 298.15 K and atmospheric pressure The data acquired will be valuable in the design of an integrated process for the aqueous streams vanillic acid separation from fermentation broths and effluents.

Antineuroinflammatory Effect of Amburana cearensis and Its Molecules Coumarin and Amburoside A by Inhibiting the MAPK Signaling Pathway in LPS-Activated BV-2 Microglial Cells.

Microglia plays an important role in the neuroinflammatory response, identified as one of the major factors in the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Amburana cearensis and its bioactive compounds, including coumarin (CM), vanillic acid (VA), and amburoside A (AMB), exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective activities, on 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity in rat mesencephalic cells determined by our group. The present study investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of the dry extract from A. cearensis (DEAC), CM, AMB, and VA on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated microglial cells and elucidated the possible molecular mechanism of action. The DEAC was characterized by HPLC-PDA (chemical markers: CM, AMB, and VA). The BV-2 microglial cell line was pretreated with increasing concentrations of DEAC, CM, AMB, or VA in the presence or absence of LPS to evaluate the toxicity and anti-inflammatory activity. The cytotoxicity of DEAC, CM, AMB, or VA on BV-2 cells was evaluated by the MTT test, the free radical scavenging activity of test drugs was investigated, and the nitric oxide (NO) production was determined using the Griess reagent, while cytokine levels were measured by ELISA. The expressions of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), MAPK members (JNK and ERK1/2), and iNOS were determined through Western blot analysis. DEAC, CM, AMB, or VA (5-100 μg/mL) did not induce any detectable cytotoxicity in BV-2 cells. All test drugs (100 μg/mL) showed free radical scavenging activity (hydroxyl and superoxide radicals); however, only DEAC, CM, and AMB (5-100 μg/mL) significantly reduced NO production. DEAC (100 μg/mL), as well as CM (50 and 100 μg/mL) and AMB (25 μg/mL), reduced at least 50% of NO produced and markedly decrease the production of TNF-α and IL-6 but they did not significantly affect IL-10 levels. Only DEAC (100 μg/mL) and AMB (25 μg/mL) reduced the expression of iNOS, and they did not affect arginase activity. DEAC (100 μg/mL) suppressed the activation of the MAPKs JNK and ERK1/2 in LPS-activated BV-2 cells but it did not suppress the expression of TLR-4 nor the phosphorylation of NF-κB. In conclusion, DEAC, CM, and AMB exerted anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-activated microglial cells as observed by the reduction in the production of inflammatory mediators and the expression of iNOS. We identified the MAPK signaling pathway as a probable mechanism of action to the anti-inflammatory effects observed.

Vanillic acid induces mitochondrial biogenesis in SH-SY5Y cells.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been recognized as an important mechanism of neurodegeneration. Accumulating evidence now suggests that defects in mitochondrial biogenesis can cause mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Therefore, identifying small molecules that can stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis may represent a therapeutic strategy for neuroprotection. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a natural compound vanillic acid (VA) on mitochondrial biogenesis and the expression of PD-related genes in SH-SY5Y cells. After determining the IC50 and non-toxic concentrations of VA, SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to a non-toxic dose of VA (300 µM) for 18h. VA treatment resulted in significant increases in the mRNA expressions of mitochondrial biogenesis markers, PGC-1α and TFAM. Moreover, treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with 300 µM VA for 24h significantly elevated the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and mitochondrial mass. Furthermore, the effects of VA on the expression of PD-related genes were analyzed using a real-time PCR array. The PCR array analysis revealed that VA can induce the expression of some genes involved in neuronal differentiation and also affect the expression of two PARK genes, PARK2 and LRRK2, whose mutations cause familial PD. Together, these findings indicate that VA could serve as a potential neuroprotective agent by virtue of its ability to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis in neuronal cells and to alter the expression of some genes related to the pathogenesis of PD and neuronal differentiation.

Vanillic acid alleviates lipopolysaccharides-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation in human lung fibroblasts by `inhibiting MAPK and NF-κB pathways

Persistent endoplasmic reticulum stress promotes aberrant inflammation and induces cell death, and inflammation is implicated in the pathogenesis of pneumonia. Vanillic acid exerts pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects. However, the role of vanillic acid in pneumonia has not been elucidated yet. Human lung fibroblasts (WI-38 and MRC-5) were incubated with different concentrations of lipopolysaccharides to mimic the cell model of pneumonia. Lipopolysaccharides-treated lung fibroblasts were then incubated with different concentrations of vanillic acid. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay were used to measure the levels of inflammatory factors. Western blot assay was used to detect endoplasmic reticulum stress and downstream pathway. Lipopolysaccharides induced decrease of cell viability in WI-38 and MRC-5 whereas vanillic acid increased cell viability of lipopolysaccharides-treated lung fibroblasts. Lipopolysaccharides-induced increase of cell apoptosis in lung fibroblasts was suppressed by vanillic acid through up-regulation of BCL2, and down-regulation of BCL2 associated X (BAX) and cleaved caspase-3. Vanillic acid reduced levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), and IL-1β in lipopolysaccharides-treated lung fibroblasts. Protein expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), X-box binding protein 1 (XBP-1), activating transcription factor-6 (ATF-6), ATF-4, and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) in lung fibroblasts were up-regulated by lipopolysaccharides while reduced by vanillic acid. Vanillic acid attenuated lipopolysaccharides-induced decrease of IκBα and increase of p-IκBα, p-p65, p-ERK, and p-JNK in fibroblasts. Vanillic acid exerted anti-inflammatory effect against lipopolysaccharides-induced human lung fibroblasts by inhibiting mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor kappa B pathways.

Mitigation of vanillic acid‐promoted faba bean Fusarium wilt by faba bean–wheat intercropping

AbstractLong‐term continuous monocropping of faba beans increases the incidence of faba bean wilt, while faba bean–wheat intercropping can effectively control it. This study aimed to understand the underlying mechanism of faba bean–wheat intercropping for the control of Fusarium oxysporum and vanillic acid (VA)‐promoted occurrence of faba bean wilt. The occurrence of faba bean wilt was investigated among the monocropped and intercropped plants of faba beans in a field experiment. The contents and types of phenolic acids were examined in the rhizosphere soil. Monocropped and intercropped faba beans were examined under the dual stress of F. oxysporum and different concentrations of VA (0, 50, 100, 200 mg/L) to understand the alleviating mechanism of faba bean–wheat intercropping. Exogenous addition of high concentrations of VA significantly inhibited the growth and reproduction of F. oxysporum, but under the dual stress of F. oxysporum and different concentrations of VA, it significantly inhibited the defence enzymes of faba bean roots, stems, and leaves, and rhizosphere soil enzymes. Interestingly, faba bean–wheat intercropping alleviated VA stress and thereby the incidence and disease index of faba bean Fusarium wilt by improving plant resistance and soil enzyme activity. The dual stress of F. oxysporum and VA promotes the occurrence of Fusarium wilt by damaging the defence system of the faba bean root system and rhizosphere soil environment. However, faba bean–wheat intercropping effectively alleviates the autotoxicity of VA by improving the physiological and biochemical resistance of faba beans and soil enzyme activities, and thus controls the occurrence of Fusarium wilt.

Effects of environment, nitrogen, and sulfur on total phenolic content and phenolic acid composition of winter wheat grain

AbstractBackground and objectivesHealth benefits of whole wheat are partially attributed to phenolic compounds. This study reports the effects of harvest year (Y), nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization, and wheat variety (V) on total phenolic content (TPC) and phenolic acid composition of wheat grains.FindingsThe year effect was significant for TPC and all phenolic acids except for syringic acid. The TPC and phenolic acid composition significantly differed among the varieties, except for vanillic acid concentration. Increased nitrogen fertilizer led to increased production of trans‐ferulic acid, and sulfur application affected the response to nitrogen fertilizer application. Varieties also differed in the response of phenolic acid concentration and composition to sulfur application.ConclusionsYear, sulfur fertilization, and wheat variety significantly influenced the total phenolic content and phenolic acid composition of wheat grains. Though nitrogen and sulfur applications had significant effect on wheat phytochemicals, environment (e.g., year), and variety, differences dominated the analysis of variance.Significance and noveltyTo our knowledge, this is the first study that reports the effects of nitrogen, sulfur, variety, harvest year, and their interactions on phenolic profiles of hard red winter wheat grains. These results will benefit future wheat production practices that aim to produce wheat grains enriched with natural antioxidants.

酚酸物质对红松种子萌发及苗木生长和生理特性的影响

通过室内模拟试验，阐明阔叶红松林中已测得含量较高的3种酚酸物质（苯甲酸、丁香酸和香草酸）对红松种子萌发及苗木生长的影响，为探索阔叶红松林内化感作用机理及解决红松更新障碍问题提供科学依据。采用培养皿培养法及室内盆栽培养法，以红松种子和3年生红松苗为试验对象，设置不同浓度（2、20、200 mg/L）苯甲酸、丁香酸、香草酸处理液，以蒸馏水为对照（CK），进行红松种子萌发试验及红松苗木生长试验，研究3种酚酸物质对红松种子发芽、苗木生长、光合色素、抗氧化酶活性、膜脂过氧化作用及渗透调节物质的影响。结果表明，（1）不同浓度3种酚酸均抑制红松种子萌发，但酚酸浓度变化仅对红松种子发芽率影响差异显著。（2）3种酚酸对红松苗木生长及物质积累抑制作用显著。浓度变化对红松苗株高及地径影响不显著，对生物量、根干重和茎干重影响显著。（3）针叶叶绿素a、叶绿素b、类胡萝卜素含量变化对酚酸处理反应一致，20 mg/L的3种酚酸均显著抑制光合色素产生，而200 mg/L丁香酸溶液及2 mg/L香草酸溶液均显著促进叶绿素a和类胡萝卜素积累。（4）酚酸处理使红松苗针叶中POD、CAT活性降低，SOD活性增加。针叶中MDA含量显著增加，200 mg/L丁香酸溶液处理组针叶MDA含量高于CK处理组70.51%。（5）不同浓度苯甲酸溶液促进可溶性糖增加，抑制可溶性蛋白增加；不同浓度丁香酸溶液促进可溶性蛋白增加，而不同浓度香草酸溶液抑制可溶性蛋白增加，二者对可溶性糖含量影响受浓度变化影响显著。苯甲酸、丁香酸、香草酸影响红松种子萌发，通过对红松苗光合色素、抗氧化酶活性及渗透调节物质的影响导致其生长受抑制、生物量减少，产生膜脂过氧化伤害。因此，解决阔叶红松林内红松更新障碍问题时，凋落物及土壤中酚酸物质的化感作用不容忽视。;Through the relevant indoor simulation experiments, this research aims to clarify the effects of three phenolic acids (benzoic acid, syringic acid, and vanillic acid) with high content in broad-leaved Pinus koraiensis forest on the seed germination and seedling growth of Pinus koraiensis, so as to provide scientific basis for exploring the allelopathy mechanism of broad-leaved Pinus koraiensis forest and solving the problem of regeneration obstacle of Pinus koraiensis. The experiment adopts petri dish culture method and the indoor potted culture method. The Pinus koraiensis seeds and triennial Pinus koraiensis seedlings as experimental object were treated with different concentrations (2, 20, and 200 mg/L) of benzoic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid solution, and distilled water was used as control. The germination experiment of Pinus koraiensis seed and the Pinus koraiensis seedling growth test were carried out to study the effects of three phenolic acids on germination, seedling growth, photosynthetic pigment, antioxidant enzyme activity, membrane lipid peroxidation, and osmoregulation substances of Pinus koraiensis seeds. The results show that: (1) all the three phenolic acids with different concentrations had the effects of inhibiting germination of Pinus koraiensis seeds, but the change of phenolic acid concentration only had a significant difference in the germination rate of Pinus koraiensis seeds. (2) The three phenolic acids had significant inhibitory effects on the growth and substance accumulation of Pinus koraiensis seedlings. Phenolic acid concentration had no significant effect on plant height and root length, but had significant effect on biomass, root weight and stem weight. (3) The changes in the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids in needles had same reaction to the phenolic acid treatment. All the three phenolic acids of 20 mg/L had significant inhibition on the production of photosynthetic pigments, while the syringic acid solution of 200 mg/L and the vanillic acid solution of 2 mg/L had significant effects on promoting the accumulation of chlorophyll a and carotenoids. (4) Phenolic acid treatment reduced the activity of peroxidase and catalase and increased the activity of superoxide dismutase. The content of malondialdehyde in needles was significantly increased, while the content of MDA in needles treated with 200 mg/L syringic acid group was 70.51% higher than that in control group. (5) Benzoic acid solutions of different concentrations could promote the increase of soluble sugar and inhibit the increase of soluble protein. Different concentrations of syringic acid could promote the increase of soluble protein, while different concentrations of vanillic acid could inhibit the increase of soluble protein. The concentration changes of both had a significant influence on the change of soluble sugar content. Benzoic acid, syringic acid, and vanillic acid affected the germination of Pinus koraiensis seeds, which led to growth inhibition, biomass reduction and membrane lipid peroxidation of Pinus koraiensis seedlings by affecting photosynthetic pigment, antioxidant enzyme activity and osmotic regulation substances. Therefore, allelopathy of phenolic acids in litter and soil should not be ignored when solving the problem of Pinus koraiensis regeneration in broad-leaved Pinus koraiensis forests.

Profiling and characterization of oat cultivars (Avena sativa L.) with respect to bioactive compounds, pesticide residues and mycotoxin

ABSTRACT Oat predominately cultivated as forage crop and is not explored for its value-added bioactive moieties. This study was aimed to characterize five selected oat (Avena sativa L.) cultivars with respect to organic sugars, antioxidant activities, pesticide residues, mycotoxin and phenolic acids as measured HPLC. Five indigenous oat cultivars (Avon, PD2LV65, S2000, SGD2011, SGD81) were profiled for seven phenolic acids (gallic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid). Highest concentrations of vanillic acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid were detected in the SGD2011, SGD81, S2000, SGD2011, S2000, SGD2011 and PD2LV65 respectively. TPC in case of all oat cultivars ranged 50.88–101.56 mg/100 g. Among all oat cultivars, SGD-81 exhibited the highest DPPH activity, TPC, TFC and TFoC contents whereas, SGD-2011 showed the highest total anthocyanin content followed by AVON. S2000 showed the highest concentration of mycotoxin M1 (18.51 ppm), while lowest M1 content (10.51 ppm) were exhibited by SGD-81. Abamectin and permethrin pesticide residues were undetected in oat cultivars whereas, Dieldrin was only detected in SGD-81 and chloropyrifos was not detected in S2000 and SGD-81. Mandipropamid, parathion methyl, chlorthalonil, indoxacarb and lufernon were detected in the highest concentrations in SGD2011 and S2000 oat cultivars. Moreover, fructose, glucose and sucrose were found in highest amounts in S2000, PD2LV65 and SGD2011, respectively. Conclusively, it was evident from the results that SGD-81, SGD2011 and SG2000 could be utilized as source of important and promising phytochemicals of nutraceutical significance. Moreover, significant potential of these oat cultivars can be harnessed owing to value addition and exploitation in formulations of functional food ingredients and foodstuffs.

Autotoxic effects of applied vanillic acid on Dynamic succession of soil microbial community

We studied the degradation of vanillic acid in soil was studied by high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. Illumina MISEQ high-throughput sequencing was used to identify the abundance of bacteria and fungi in soil. The results showed that when the concentration of vanillic acid decreased to a certain level in the soil, its degradation rate became slow. The application of vanillic acid gradually decreased the total number of bacterial OTUs in soil, while the total number of fungal OTUs increased. At the same time, the richness and diversity of bacteria were always higher than fungi. Key microbial taxa at different degradation stages of vanillic acid were identified at the phylum and genus level, including bacteria (&lt;i&gt;Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Methylibium, Methylobacillus, Aeromicrobium, Pseudonocardia&lt;/i&gt;) and Fungi (&lt;i&gt;Ascomycota, Zygomycota, Basidiomycota, Rhodotorula, Mortierella

Allelopathic Potential and Active Substances from Wedelia Chinensis (Osbeck).

Wedelia chinensis (Asteraceae) is a wetland herb native to India, China, and Japan. It is a valuable medicinal plant recorded to have pharmaceutical properties. However, the phytotoxic potential of Wedelia chinensis has not yet been examined. Thus, we carried out this study to establish the allelopathic effects of Wedelia chinensis and to identify its phytotoxic substances. Extracts of Wedelia chinensis exhibited high inhibitory activity against the root and shoot growth of cress, alfalfa, rapeseed, lettuce, foxtail fescue, Italian ryegrass, timothy, and barnyard grass. The inhibition was varied with species and was dependent on concentrations. The extracts were separated through several purification steps, and the two effective substances were isolated and characterized as vanillic acid and gallic acid using spectral analysis. Vanillic acid and gallic acid significantly arrested the growth of cress and Italian ryegrass seedlings. The concentrations of vanillic acid and gallic acid needed for 50% inhibition (I50 values) of the seedling growth of the cress and Italian ryegrass were 0.04–15.4 and 0.45–6.6 mM, respectively. The findings suggest that vanillic acid and gallic acid may be required for the growth inhibitory activities of Wedelia chinensis.

Phenolic Acids Released in Maize Rhizosphere During Maize-Soybean Intercropping Inhibit Phytophthora Blight of Soybean.

Interspecies interactions play a key role in soil-borne disease suppression in intercropping systems. However, there are limited data on the underlying mechanisms of soil-borne Phytophthora disease suppression. Here, a field experiment confirmed the effects of maize and soybean intercropping on Phytophthora blight of soybean caused by Phytophthora sojae. Experimentally, the roots and root exudates of maize were found to attract P. sojae zoospores and inhibit their motility and the germination of cystospores. Furthermore, five phenolic acids (p-coumaric acid, cinnamic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, and ferulic acid) that were consistently identified in the root exudates and rhizosphere soil of maize were found to interfere with the infection behavior of P. sojae. Among them, cinnamic acid was associated with significant chemotaxis in zoospores, and p-coumaric acid and cinnamic acid showed strong antimicrobial activity against P. sojae. However, in the rhizosphere soil of soybean, only p-hydroxybenzoic acid, low concentrations of vanillic acid, and ferulic acid were identified. Importantly, the coexistence of five phenolic acids in the maize rhizosphere compared with three phenolic acids in the soybean rhizosphere showed strong synergistic antimicrobial activity against the infection behavior of P. sojae. In summary, the types and concentrations of phenolic acids in maize and soybean rhizosphere soils were found to be crucial factors for Phytophthora disease suppression in this intercropping system.

In Vitro Antibacterial Activity and Mechanism of Vanillic Acid against Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacter cloacae.

Vanillic acid (VA) is a flavoring agent found in edible plants and fruits. Few recent studies exhibited robust antibacterial activity of VA against several pathogen microorganisms. However, little was reported about the effect of VA on carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae (CREC). The purpose of the current study was to assess in vitro antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of VA against CREC. Here, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of VA against CREC was determined via gradient diffusion method. Furthermore, the antibacterial mode of VA against CREC was elucidated by measuring changes in intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration, intracellular pH (pHin), cell membrane potential and membrane integrity. In addition, antibiofilm formation of VA was measured by crystal violet assay and visualized with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The results showed that MIC of VA against E. cloacae was 600 μg/mL. VA was capable of inhibiting the growth of CREC and destroying the cell membrane integrity of CREC, as confirmed by the decrease of intracellular ATP concentration, pHin and membrane potential as well as distinctive variation in cellular morphology. Moreover, crystal violet staining, FESEM and CLSM results indicated that VA displayed robust inhibitory effects on biofilm formation of CREC and inactivated biofilm-related CREC cells. These findings revealed that VA exhibits potent antibacterial activity against CREC, and thus has potential to be exploited as a natural preservative to control the CREC associated infections.