Asparagus Research Articles

Population Parameters and Feeding Preference of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Different Asparagus officinalis Tissues.

Spodoptera litura is an important pest that seriously affects Asparagus officinalis production. To clarify the population characteristics and feeding preference of S. litura on different asparagus tissues, asparagus stems and leaves were selected as the research objects, related studies were conducted by constructing the life table and the feeding preference experiment. The results showed that S. litura could complete its development and reproduction normally on asparagus stems or leaves. Although the adult longevity and fecundity of S. litura on the two types of tissues were not significantly different, the development duration of larvae and pupae, and total preoviposition period on leaves were significantly longer than those raised on stems. The intrinsic rate of increase and finite rate of increase were 0.186 d-1 and 1.204 d-1 on stems, which were significantly higher than those fed on leaves (0.161 d-1 and 1.175 d-1). The mean generation time on stems (32.88 d) was significantly lower than on leaves (36.88 d). It indicated that stems were more suitable for its population growth. In the feeding preference, the third and fifth instar larvae preferred to feed on leaves, and other instar larvae (except for the sixth instar of 2.5 h) had no significant difference. These results will provide a theoretical reference for further research and forecasting and integrated control.

Distinct Quality Changes of Asparagus during Growth by Widely Targeted Metabolomics Analysis

Asparagus is a popular vegetable and traditional medicine consumed worldwide due to its health benefits. The quality of asparagus, mainly attributed to small components like flavonoids and steroid, is quite differential as a result of different environments and maturities. However, the accumulation pattern and regulatory mechanism of metabolites in asparagus remain unclear so far. Herein, widely targeted metabolomics analysis was employed to study the quality and chemical composition variances of four asparagus, including three green asparagus of different maturities and one white asparagus. A total of 1045 metabolites were annotated in asparagus in which flavonoids and phenolic acids accounted for 37.51% of the total. Green asparagus was found to be rich in flavonoids, while white asparagus contained more steroids. Additionally, 461 biomarkers were screened between matured green and white asparagus, which is much more than that filtered among three green asparagus at different growth stages. These results indicated that sunlight has a stronger effect on the metabolism of asparagus compared to the general development of asparagus. Linoleic acid metabolism and alpha-linolenic acid metabolism were active during green asparagus growth, while flavone and flavonol biosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis resulted as two of the most important pathways when asparagus was exposed to sunlight.

Nutritional composition of green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.), edible part and by-products, and assessment of their effect on the growth of human gut-associated bacteria

Asparagus is considered a healthy food with a high content of bioactive compounds. In this study, the proximate and mineral composition, non-digestible carbohydrates and bioactive compounds of edible spear, spear by-product and root have been evaluated. Their activity on the growth of human gut-associated bacteria has been studied. The results support the high nutritional and functional value of the asparagus, including its by-products, highlighting the potential of the non-edible parts to be used as prebiotics. A remarkable content in xylose, inulin, flavonoids and saponins has been found. It has been shown that the spear by-product can be selectively used to promote the growth of commensal or probiotic lactobacilli and bifidobacteria strains. It has been confirmed that any part of the asparagus has a potential future as a healthy food or as health-promoting ingredients, however more work is required to identify the compounds able to modulate the human gut microbiota.

Ethnoveterinary practices of medicinal plants among the Zemmour and Zayane tribes, Middle Atlas, Morocco

The widespread usage of medicinal plants in native nations' healthcare practices is a foundation for creating natural drugs. The current study sought to establish thorough ethnoveterinary knowledge of medicinal plants utilized for therapeutic reasons. The field investigation was carried out from January 2016 to December 2020 in the Zemmour and Zayane tribes (Middle Atlas). Three hundred local informants were interviewed, using open-ended and semi-structured interviews. The advantages, coverage, and significance of ethnoveterinary were quantified using a variety of parameters such as informant consensus factor, fidelity level, relative popularity level, rank-order priority, and Jaccard index. A total of 150 species and subspecies belonging to 129 genera and 56 families were employed in ethnoveterinary preparations. The study area's most commonly used ethnoveterinary plant species was Allium sativum L. (16.7%). Leaves are the most frequent plant part used (46.5%). The highest factor informant consensus value was 0.9 for digestive diseases. Artemisia herba-alba Asso and Asparagus officinalis L. Both show a 100% fidelity level for diarrhea and rabies, respectively. Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (rank-order priority = 74) was shown to be the most preferred plant species for fever remedies. The present study demonstrates that local communities in the Middle Atlas have consistent knowledge of ethnoveterinary plants. In this inquiry, we invite the attention of chemists and pharmacologists to further phytochemical and pharmacological studies of medicinal plants having high rank-order priority, fidelity level, and factor informant consensus significance. • Traditional veterinary medicine refers to the collective knowledge of an indigenous community about relationships between people and nature. • The field study was carried out from January 2016 to December 2020 in the Zemmour and Zayane tribes. • A total of 150 plant species belonging to 129 genera and 56 families were found to be used in ethno-veterinary practices • The present study showed that local communities in the Middle Atlas have consistent knowledge of ethno-veterinary plants.

Ecological wastewater treatment with activated clays and its reuse in asparagus plants

Water treatment, abundant clay in the area, for the elimination of particles and microorganisms in wastewater and disinfection through alcoholic extract of the molle, which has a high concentration of tannins that acts as a germicide, not affecting the asparagus during cold washing, saving thousands of cubic meters of groundwater daily. The study has explanatory level and experimental design. The weekly sample (drinking water, residual water and treated water) taken during 3 months, equivalent to 36 water samples. The flocculant capacity of the activated clays depends on the pH of the wastewater, tests were carried out to determine the pH, the experimental tests indicated that pH‹7 its flocculant capacity is restricted as with pH› 7, for which it is worked with a pH7, that is to say neutral. It is concluded that the flocculant capacity of the activated clays was 82.92%, ensuring water treatment. The adequate concentration of activated clays is 60 mg/L, achieving a maximum flocculation of 82.92%. Activated clays have action on pathogenic microorganisms: Escherichia coli, fecal coliforms and total coliforms, which are eliminated, since they are dragged by the flocs to the bottom of the container, leaving the supernatant water free.

Yamogenin-Induced Cell Cycle Arrest, Oxidative Stress, and Apoptosis in Human Ovarian Cancer Cell Line

Steroidal saponins are a group of compounds with complex structures and biological activities. They have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, fungicidal, and antitumor properties. Yamogenin is one of the spirostane saponins and occurs in Trigonella foenum-graecum, Asparagus officinalis, and Dioscorea collettii. It is a stereoisomer of diosgenin-a well-known compound whose activity and mechanisms of action in cancer cells are determined. However, the antitumor effect of yamogenin is still little known, and the mechanism of action has not been determined. In this study, we evaluated the effect of yamogenin on human ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells in vitro by determining the cellular factors that trigger cell death. The viability of the cells was assessed with a Real-Time xCELLigence system and the cell cycle arrest with flow cytometry. The activity of initiator and executioner caspases (-8, -9, and -3/7) was estimated with luminometry and flow cytometry, respectively. The mitochondrial membrane depolarization, the level of oxidative stress, and DNA damage in the yamogenin-treated cells were also evaluated by flow cytometry. Genes expression analysis at the mRNA level was conducted with Real-Time PCR. Bid activation and chromatin condensation were estimated with fluorescent microscopy. The obtained results indicate that yamogenin has cytotoxic activity in SKOV-3 cells with an IC50 value of 23.90 ± 1.48 µg/mL and strongly inhibits the cell cycle in the sub-G1 phase. The compound also triggers cell death with a significant decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, an increase in the level of oxidative stress (over two times higher in comparison to the control), and activation of caspase-8, -9, -3/7, as well as Bid. The results of genes expression indicate that the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Receptor Superfamily Members (TNF, TNFRSF10, TNFRSF10B, TNFRSF1B, and TNFRSF25), Fas Associated via Death Domain (FADD), and Death Effector Domain Containing 2 (DEDD2) were significantly upregulated and their relative expression was at least two times higher than in the control. Our work shows that yamogenin induces apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells, and both the extrinsic and mitochondrial-intrinsic pathways are involved in this process.

Deciphering the mitochondrial genome of Hemerocallis citrina (Asphodelaceae) using a combined assembly and comparative genomic strategy.

Hemerocallis citrina is a perennial herbaceous plant that is dedicated to mothers in Chinese culture and is widely distributed across the country. As a popular species with a long history of cultivation and utilization, it is renowned for its remarkable edible and medicinal value. In this study, we integrated Illumina short-read and Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing to generate a complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) assembly of H. citrina. The H. citrina mitogenome has a multiple chromosomal structure consisting of three circular molecules that are 45,607 bp, 239,991 bp, and 182,864 bp long. We correspondingly annotated 66 genes, comprising 45 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 17 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Comparative analysis of gene organization indicated that six syntenic gene clusters were conserved in the mitogenomes of the compared plants. The investigation of repeat content revealed repeat-rich nature of the H. citrina mitogenome, for which plentiful dispersed repeats were characterized to correlate with the size of the mitogenome. The codon usage behavior disclosed that Leucine (Leu) and Serine (Ser) were the most preferred amino acids in H. citrina, and nearly all of the codons with relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) values greater than 1 showed the preference of A or T ending. Moreover, we inferred a total of 679 RNA editing sites in all mitochondrial PCGs, which presented perfect C-to-U types and tended to lead to the alteration of internal codons. Subsequent selective pressure analysis showed that the majority of the PCGs had undergone evolutionary negative selections, with atp9 in particular undergoing strong stabilizing selection, reflecting its indispensable function in mitogenomes. According to the phylogenetic analysis, H. citrina is close to the species Allium cepa (Amaryllidaceae) and Asparagus officinalis (Asparagaceae) in evolutionary terms. Overall, this project presents the first complete mitogenome of H. citrina, which could provide a reference genome for the comprehensive exploration of the Asphodelaceae family and can facilitate further genomic breeding and evolutionary research on this medicine-food homologous plant.

Metabolomics and sensory evaluation of white asparagus ingredients in instant soups unveil important (off-)flavours

Split-stream processing of asparagus waste stream is a novel approach to produce spray-dried powder and fibre. Asparagus ingredients processed by this method and a commercial asparagus powder were compared by evaluating their flavour profile in a soup formulation. Professional sensory panel and untargeted metabolomics approaches using GC–MS and LC–MS were carried out. Unsupervised and supervised statistical analyses were performed to highlight discriminatory metabolites and correlate these to sensory attributes. The spray-dried powder scored higher on asparagus flavour compared to the commercial powder. The fibre negatively impacted the taste and mouthfeel of the soups. GC-O-MS confirmed the role of dimethyl sulphide, 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl pyrazine and 2-methoxy-3-isobutyl pyrazine in asparagus odour. Seven new volatile compounds are also proposed to contribute to asparagus flavour notes, most of which were more abundant in the spray-dried powder. This research demonstrates the feasibility of upcycling asparagus waste streams into flavour-rich ingredients with good sensorial properties.

Effects of Cultivar and Cropping Type on the Growth and Yield of Female and Male Asparagus Plants

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is a dioecious perennial plant. Male plants have a higher yield than female plants; therefore, all-male cultivars are more commonly produced. In contrast, female plants have a higher spear weight than that of male plants. To increase profitability, selective cultivation of only female plants would increase the yield of asparagus with a thick spear, which has a higher unit price. However, the effects of cultivar and cropping type on the growth and yield of male and female asparagus plants have rarely been examined. This study compared the growth and yield of female and male plants of three cultivars grown under various cropping types: a rootstock planting forcing culture; a long-term harvest production system in an open field; and a semi-forcing culture. As a measurement of growth, the rootstock weight was significantly higher for female plants compared with that of male plants with the rootstock planting forcing culture. Regarding yield measurements, the spear weight and yield were not significantly different with the rootstock planting forcing culture. However, with the long-term harvest production system in the open field and semi-forcing cultures, the weight and yield of female plants were equivalent to or significantly higher than those of male plants, regardless of the cultivar, except during some harvest periods. These results indicated that the selective production of female plants may be advantageous in terms of growing heavier spears with a higher unit price in a long-term harvest production system in the open field and semi-forcing cultures in Japan. Additionally, the development of a simple and low-cost method for sex identification would be beneficial.

Effects of Asparagus officinalis on immune system mediated EAE model of multiple sclerosis.

About 5 to 10 percent of the population in developed countries are affected by autoimmune diseases. One of the most important autoimmune disease with high prevalence rate is Multiple sclerosis in which there is currently no definitive cure for it, and most medications such as interferons are used only to limit the disease. The present study aims to investigate the effect of using Asparagus Officinalis fractions in an immune system mediated model of multiple sclerosis. Fractionation was performed by maceration using n-hexane, chloroform, chloroform-methanol (9: 1), n-Butanol and methanol solvents from aerial parts of Asparagus Officinalis. Thin layer chromatography, NMR and phenolic component measurement were done and two fractions were selected for checking in MS induced in vivo model. It was observed that chloroform-methanolic and N-Butanol fractions had higher content of saponin in comparison of other extracts. Also, it was showed that the methanolic and n-Butanol extracts contains the highestportion of glycosylic steroid saponins in comparison to other fractions. Regarding experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) score, Butanolic and methanolic fractions with doses higher that 100mg/kg showed a potent supportive effects as long as locomotor activity protection even in lower dose in comparison to phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group. Considering the proved different effects of saponin compounds on the immune system we observed that those fractions altered the circulatory peripheral blood cells and also remit the clinical signs after EAE induction along with enhanced myelin sheath content in the median region of corpus callusom. It could be inferred that this fractions are promising candidates for further investigation as dose-dependent immune system regulating compounds in multiple sclerosis patients.

The Effect of Aqueous and Alcoholic Extract of Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) Roots on the inhibition of some Bacteria and Fungi

This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory leverage of the aqueous and alcoholic extracts from Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) root as in inhibiting inhibit the growth of the pathogenic bacterium, and fungus in vitro study. Concentrations of 50, 100, and 150 mg.ml-1 were used as aqueous extract and alcohol extract of Asparagus root against selected organisms, which tested using a drilling method, adding a 0.2 ml aqueous extract and alcohol extract of Asparagus root in every per well. Also 0.2 ml of distilled water and methanol alcoholic add as control and tetracycline as an antibiotic. GC/MS test results showed that the Asparagus root extract (ARE) contains various major phytochemical compounds such as flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids, glycosides, steroid, resin, saponins, and tannins. Also, it was observed that the alcoholic ARE had a higher inhibitory effect than aqueous ARE of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The highest diameter of inhibition at alcoholic extract concentrations of 50, 100 and 150 (mg.ml-1) were 28, 32, 35, and 26, 31, 35 mm respectively for aqueous ARE, compared to other concentrations. Whereas the effect of the aqueous extract was higher for the Pseudomonas 17, 25 and 34 mm compared to other concentrations, except for the antibiotic, which obtained the highest value (41mm). Aqueous extract concentrations 50, 100 and 150 mg.ml-1 showed higher efficiency than alcohol extract, antibiotic and control; when used against the fungus Aspergillus niger, and pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, the retarding diameters were 14, 17 and 23, and 11, 13 and 15 mm, respectively.

Protective effects of Asparagus officinalis (asparagus) against lead toxicity in mice.

One of the most prevalent harmful heavy metals is lead (Pb). It is generally recognized to be harmful to the testicles. Asparagus officinalis has many saponins, flavonoids, and other phenolics with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The effects of A. officinalis (asparagus) aqueous extract (AOAE) on testicular damage caused by lead acetate (PbAc) were investigated in this study. In this way, 20mg/kg PbAc was injected intraperitoneally 2h after mice were administered 400mg/kg AOAE orally for 14days. In the biochemical analysis of testicular tissue, PbAc decreased enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant molecules in testicular tissue, while increasing lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, inflammatory markers [nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1 β), IL-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)], and apoptotic-related proteins. Additionally, PbAc was discovered to reduce sperm motility and increase the percentage of dead sperm. However, due to its antioxidant qualities, AOAE has been found to reduce oxidative stress, therefore protecting against inflammation and apoptosis. It also allowed the AOAE sperm parameters to restore to their previous values in the control group. According to the findings, AOAE could be a natural substance that could be used to treat Pb-induced testicular toxicity; this protection may be attributed to its anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. However, this study warrants further works to explore in detail the underlying mechanisms of the alleviating effects of AOAE against Pb-induced toxicity and which of its active ingredients is responsible for this protection.

Enhancing the Production of the Phenolic Extracts of Asparagus Using an Advanced Green Process.

Asparagus officinalis L. is a common vegetable widely consumed due to its high consumer acceptance. In addition to its flavor, green asparagus contains a high amount of bioactive compounds with health-promoting effects. In this sense, the growing concern of the public health system to promote a diet with a higher consumption of vegetables makes research on phytochemicals from this food of interest. In order to study the content of bioactive compounds from plant matrices, the combination of advanced extraction and analytical techniques within the context of green chemistry is an indispensable working model in today’s research. In the present experimental work, the composition of the phytochemicals of green asparagus from the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) located in Huétor Tájar, Granada (Spain), was evaluated by environmentally friendly extraction techniques. In order to carry out this work, the recovery of bioactive compounds was evaluated by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) using GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) solvents (mixtures of water and ethanol). The extraction was optimized using a Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on a 24 factorial Central Composite Design (CCD). The experimental model was followed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC–ESI-TOF-MS) analytical methodology for a comprehensive characterization. The optimized methodology was compared with conventional solid–liquid extraction protocols using ethanol and water. The results highlighted the potential of advanced PLE techniques compared to conventional systems for the recovery of green asparagus phytochemicals. Moreover, the analytical characterization allowed the identification and quantitation of major phenolic compounds belonging to phenolic acids and flavonoids families. Therefore, an easy, fast, and novel methodology to optimize the extraction of bioactive compounds from green asparagus has been optimized, using Green and GRAS methodology, which enables a better understanding of the bioactive composition of this widely consumed food.

Investigation of sulfur-containing compounds in spears of green and white Asparagus officinalis through LC-MS and HS-GC–MS

Asparagus officinalis is largely consumed as food in many parts of the world, and due to its content in secondary metabolites can be considered as a vegetable with health-promoting value. Part of its organoleptic qualities can be ascribed to the presence of sulfur-containing compounds, nevertheless qualitative data about the volatile and non-volatile pools of these compounds in green and white spears of asparagus are poorly investigated. Due to the wide alimentary use of this crop and the potential biological properties of S-containing compounds, research aimed at filling this gap is required. In this paper, a comprehensive characterization of S-metabolites in asparagus performed by LC-MS and GC–MS is reported. Both green and white varieties of asparagus were considered. The fresh vegetal material was subjected to different sample preparation procedures, such as solvent extraction, distillation, and headspace sampling. Furthermore, a derivatization protocol with 4,4′-dithiodipyridine was used for low-molecular weight thiols, and both derivatized and underivatized compounds were analysed by LC-MS. The methods allowed to identify 80 S-containing metabolites in asparagus samples, and to assess the distribution of these compounds in different parts of the spears. Results were discussed comparing the literature, and the identified compounds were considered to explain some peculiar taste and odorous properties of green and white asparagus, although further research is required to confirm our hypotheses.Overall, in this work we report for the first time an exhaustive characterization of S-compounds profile in spears of green and white Asparagus varieties. Furthermore, results indicate that multiple approaches should be used to study the S-containing metabolites of this plant, due to their diverse chemical properties.

Development and applications of a collection of single copy gene-based cytogenetic DNA markers in garden asparagus.

Garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis, 2n = 2x = 20 chromosomes) is an important dioecious vegetable crop and a model species for studying sex chromosome formation and evolution. However, few molecular cytogenetic studies on garden asparagus have been reported because of its small metaphase chromosomes, the scarcity of distinguished cytogenetic markers, and the high content of repetitive sequences. In this study, a set of single copy genes free of repetitive sequences with sizes ranging from 4.3 kb to 8.2 kb were screened and used as probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to identify individual chromosomes of garden asparagus. The chromosome-specific signal distribution patterns of these probes enabled the distinguishment of each pair of chromosomes. The sequence assembly and cytogenetic map were successfully integrated, and the results confirmed that the chromosome 1 representing the sex chromosome in the genome assembly is chromosome 5 in the karyotype analysis. The cytogenetic identification of the male-specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY) was implemented using a mixed probe derived from a number of MSY-specific single copy sequences. In addition, the chromosome orthologous relationship between garden asparagus (A1–A10, karyotypic analysis) and its hermaphrodite close relative, A. setaceus (B1–B10, karyotypic analysis), was analyzed using this collection of chromosome-specific cytological markers. The results showed that B3 is the ortholog of sex chromosome A5 and thus may represent the ancestral autosome of the current sex chromosome in garden asparagus. Chromosomes B5, B4, B1, B8, B7, and B9 are the orthologs of A2, A3, A4, A7, A8, and A10, respectively. The chromosome identification, cytogenetic recognition of MSY, and the orthologous relationship analysis between garden asparagus and A. setaceus are valuable for the further investigation of the sex chromosome emergence and evolutionary mechanism of garden asparagus and genome structure evolution in the Asparagus genus.

Genetic Variability Assessment of a Diploid Pre-Breeding Asparagus Population Developed Using the Tetraploid Landrace ‘Morado de Huétor’

Different studies have reported a narrow genetic base for garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) due to its common origin, a diploid population (‘Purple Dutch’). The present study focused on the development of new diploid plant material that may be useful to widen the genetic base of the crop by using a tetraploid landrace ‘Morado de Huétor’ (A. officinalis × A. maritimus). With this purpose, a diploid pre-breeding population (n = 1000) carrying introgressions of ‘Morado de Huétor’ has been obtained. This new population derived from crosses under open pollination of a parental collection (n = 77) that was developed in a previous study. The parental collection derived from the first backcrossing using different diploid cultivated plants as a recurrent parent and ‘Morado de Huétor’ as a donor. The genetic diversity of the pre-breeding population was assessed using a set of EST-SSR markers (AG7, AG8, TC1, TC3, TC7, TC9) in a collection of plants (n = 57), which was randomly sampled in the pre-breeding population. The results were compared to previous data obtained from the parental collection, a set of current diploid asparagus cultivars and the landrace ‘Morado de Huétor’. The average of PICm (Polymorphic Information Content) values obtained in the pre-breeding population (0.75) resulted higher than the value obtained in the diploid cultivars (0.63) but lower than in ‘Morado de Huétor’ (0.83). Twenty-two alleles (52.4%) detected in the new diploid population were specific from ‘Morado de Huétor’. Principal Coordinate Analyses (PCoA) revealed that the new population had a genetic diversity distribution different from the current cultivars. This new population was also evaluated for different morpho-agronomic traits (earliness, stalk number, branching height and stalk thickness) for two years. Significant differences among plants (p < 0.001) were found for these five traits and, therefore, a genotype variation is suggested. As a result, 71 plants were selected to develop a breeding base population. The genetic variability of those selected plants was also analyzed and similar genetic variability to the pre-breeding population was obtained. The results obtained in this study show that this new population could be used to enlarge the genetic base of the current diploid asparagus cultivars.

Synergistic effect of standardized extract of Asparagus officinalis stem and heat shock on progesterone synthesis with lipid droplets and mitochondrial function in bovine granulosa cells

Progesterone (P4) is a well-known steroid hormone that plays a key role in oocyte growth and the maintenance of pregnancy in mammals, including cattle. Heat stress (HS) has an adverse effect on P4 synthesis through an imbalance in the cellular redox status. We have recently revealed that a standardized extract of Asparagus officinalis stem (EAS) increases P4 through non-HS induction of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and a synergistic increase of HSP70 by enhancing the intracellular redox balance, which was adversely affected by HS in bovine granulosa cells (GCs). Bovine GCs collected from bovine ovarian follicles were cultured at 38.5 °C and 41 °C for 12 h with or without 5 mg/mL EAS. After treatment, cells and culture suppernatant were collected for the analysis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect in P4 levels. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect expression of steroidogenesis related genes. Fluorescence staining was used to detect mitochondrial activity and lipid droplet. P4 level was increased by EAS treatment in association with increase in steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), mitochondrial membrane activity and lipid droplet both under non-HS and HS conditions. Notably, synergistic effect of EAS with HS co-treatment was observed to show a greater increase in P4 synthesis when comparison with EAS treatment under non-HS condition. Furthermore, inhibition of HSP70 significantly reduced EAS-induced P4 synthesis, mitochondrial activity and synthesis of lipid droplets. These results suggest that P4 synthesis by EAS is mediated by the steroidogenesis pathway via HSP70-regulated activation of STAR and 3β-HSD, together with improved mitochondrial activity and lipid metabolism in bovine GCs. Moreover, effect of EAS has a synergistic effect of with HSP70-regulated steroidogenesis pathway.

Effect of processing treatments on the phytochemical composition of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) juice

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is a widely consumed vegetable with high nutritional value and health benefits. However, little is known about how different processing treatments affect the nutritional and phytochemical composition of asparagus juice. This study investigated the effects of physical, thermal, and enzymatic juicing treatments on the nutritional and phytochemical composition (phenolic compounds, protodioscin, amino acids, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) of asparagus juices prepared from green and white asparagus spears. Both asparagus type and processing method affected the nutrient and phytochemical composition. Green asparagus juices contained more phenolic compounds and amino acids, whereas white asparagus juices were enriched with protodioscin. The type and content of VOCs also differed with asparagus type. Physical processing was favorable for amino acid retention. Thermal treatment significantly increased the phenolic and VOC contents in green asparagus juice. Enzymatic treatment optimized the juice yield and protodioscin extraction from both green and white asparagus (0.46 and 22.59 mg/g, respectively), but significantly reduced the phenolic and amino acid contents and altered the VOCs. Our results indicate that green asparagus has desirable properties for juice production, particularly with appropriate thermal treatment.

A comparative study on the quality attributes, phenolic content and antioxidant activity of cultivated and wild asparagus as influenced by seasonal variations

AbstractThe wild asparagus Asparagus acutifolius L. is common in the Mediterranean Basin. Wild asparagus spears are an important food source within their native range, and can be used as a sustainable nutrition source. In addition, interest has risen in wild relative species of Asparagus as a source of genetic improvement in Asparagus officinalis L. In this study, the quality traits (spear colour, total soluble solid content, dry matter content and chlorophyll and sugar fractions) and health-related compounds (total phenolics and antioxidant capacity) of fresh spears of wild and cultivated asparagus grown in Turkey were compared using the same three harvest periods for two consecutive years. The results of this study indicated that spears of wild asparagus contained a higher level of greenness (–a*), hue angle, total soluble solid, dry matter, chlorophyll, sugars, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, compared to cultivated asparagus. Although there was no significant difference in the total soluble solid, glucose, sucrose and antioxidant activity in the contents of the spears of both species throughout the season, the colour, dry matter, chlorophyll, fructose, total sugar and total phenolic content were subject to seasonal variations. Colour, chlorophyll and total phenolic content showed some minor fluctuations over the course of the season, but the patterns of fructose and total sugar differed, which tended to increase throughout the harvest season. The present work suggests greater quality traits and biochemical compounds of the spears of A. acutifolius compared with those of commonly cultivated species.

Asparagus officinalis combined with paclitaxel exhibited synergistic anti-tumor activity in paclitaxel-sensitive and -resistant ovarian cancer cells

PurposeAlthough paclitaxel is a promising first-line chemotherapeutic drug for ovarian cancer, acquired resistance to paclitaxel is one of the leading causes of treatment failure, limiting its clinical application. Asparagus officinalis has been shown to have anti-tumorigenic effects on cell growth, apoptosis, cellular stress and invasion of various types of cancer cells and has also been shown to synergize with paclitaxel to inhibit cell proliferation in ovarian cancer.MethodsHuman ovarian cancer cell lines MES and its PTX-resistant counterpart MES-TP cell lines were used and were treated with Asparagus officinalis and paclitaxel alone as well as in combination. Cell proliferation, cellular stress, invasion and DMA damage were investigated and the synergistic effect of a combined therapy analyzed.ResultsIn this study, we found that Asparagus officinalis combined with low-dose paclitaxel synergistically inhibited cell proliferation, induced cellular stress and apoptosis and reduced cell invasion in paclitaxel-sensitive and -resistant ovarian cancer cell lines. The combined treatment effects were dependent on DNA damage pathways and suppressing microtubule dynamics, and the AKT/mTOR pathway and microtubule-associated proteins regulated the inhibitory effect through different mechanisms in paclitaxel-sensitive and -resistant cells.ConclusionThese findings suggest that the combination of Asparagus officinalis and paclitaxel have potential clinical implications for development as a novel ovarian cancer treatment strategy.