Metabolite profiling of polyphenols in peels of Citrus limetta Risso by combination of preparative high-speed countercurrent chromatography and LC-ESI-MS/MS

Ameliorating effect of Citrus trifoliata L. fruits extract on motor incoordination, neurodegeneration and oxidative stress in Parkinson's disease model

BACKGROUND

Citrus trifoliate fruit (also known as Trifoliate orange) is one of the commercially-cultivated Citrus genus of plants belonging to the Rutaceae family. It has been traditionally-utilized in treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. However, the scientific evidence verifying this utilization needs further elucidation.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Characterization of the bioactive constituents of C. trifoliata L. fruits extract and evaluating its effect on Parkinson's disease (PD) model.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Rats were classified into 5 groups; control, PD, PD-treated by L-dopa/Carpidopa and PD-treated by oral Citrus trifoliata L. fruits extract (50 and 100 mg/kg). Deterioration in brain functions was evaluated through an in vivo open field, grid and catalepsy tests. The study also assessed the striatal neurotransmitters, oxidative stress markers and histopathological changes.

RESULTS

Citrus trifoliata L. fruit extract has revealed motor improvement comparable to L-dopa and carbidopa. It has also effectively-improved oxidative stress via reduction of striatal malondialdehyde & nitric oxide along with replenishment of the striatal glutathione and superoxide dismutase. The extract caused significant reduction of the striatal myeloperoxidase activity and restoration of dopamine, γ-amino butyric acid (GABA), and acetylcholinesterase. This effect was further confirmed by amelioration of neuronal apoptosis, microgliosis and peri-neuronal vacuolation. Metabolite profiling revealed 40 constituents, with flavonoids representing the main identified class.

CONCLUSION

The neuro-protective effect of Citrus trifoliata extract was achieved through the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of its flavonoids, particularly hesperidin and naringin. This neuro-protective effect was evident at the behavioral, histological and neurotransmitter levels.

Comparative metabolite analysis of Piper sarmentosum organs approached by LC-MS-based metabolic profiling

Piper sarmentosum Roxb. (Piperaceae) is a traditional medicinal and food plant widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, offering both health and culinary benefits. In this study the secondary metabolites in different organs of P. sarmentosum were identified and their relative abundances were characterized. The metabolic profiles of leaves, roots, stems and fruits were comprehensively investigated by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HR-MS) and the data subsequently analyzed using multivariate statistical methods. Manual interpretation of the tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) fragmentation patterns revealed the presence of 154 tentatively identified metabolites, mostly represented by alkaloids and flavonoids. Principle component analysis and hierarchical clustering indicated the predominant occurrence of flavonoids, lignans and phenyl propanoids in leaves, aporphines in stems, piperamides in fruits and lignan-amides in roots. Overall, this study provides extensive data on the metabolite composition of P. sarmentosum, supplying useful information for bioactive compounds discovery and patterns of their preferential biosynthesis or storage in specific organs. This can be used to optimize production and harvesting as well as to maximize the plant's economic value as herbal medicine or in food applications.

Metabolite Profiling of Colvillea racemosa via UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS Analysis in Correlation to the In Vitro Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Potential against A549 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Line

In this study, flower and leaf extracts of Colvillea racemosa were considered a source of bioactive compounds. In this context, the objective of the study focused on investigating the anticancer potential as well as the phytochemical composition of both extracts. The extracts were analyzed by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS, and the bioactivity was tested using in vitro antioxidant assays (FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS) in addition to cytotoxic assays on non-small cell lung cancer cell line (A549). Our results clearly indicated the potent radical scavenging capacity of both extracts. Importantly, the flower extract exhibited a greater antioxidant capacity than the leaf extract. In terms of cytotoxic activity, leaf and flower extracts significantly inhibited cell viability with IC50 values of 17.0 and 17.2 µg/mL, respectively. The phytochemical characterization enabled the putative annotation of 42 metabolites, such as saccharides, phenolic acids, flavonoids, amino acids, and fatty acids. Among them, the flavonoid C-glycosides stand out due to their high relative abundance and previous reports on their anticancer bioactivity. For a better understanding of the bioactive mechanisms, four flavonoids (vitexin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, luteolin, and isoorientin) were selected for molecular docking on hallmark protein targets in lung cancer as represented by γ-PI3K, EGFR, and CDK2 through in-silico studies. In these models, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside and vitexin had the highest binding scores on γ-PI3K and CDK2, followed by isoorientin, so they could be highly responsible for the bioactive properties of C. racemosa extracts.

A green method for anthocyanin extraction from Clitoria ternatea flowers cultivated in southern Brazil: Characterization, in vivo toxicity, and biological activity

This study aimed to develop a green method to obtain an anthocyanin-rich edible extract of Clitoria ternatea flowers grown in southern Brazil. The extract was characterized by UHPLC-MSn and analyzed for toxicological potential in an in vivo model, total phenolic content, and biological activities. By using a 23 multivariate design to study the effects of temperature, acidified solvent, and time on the total anthocyanin content (487.25 mg/g), total phenolic content (2242.47 mgGAE/g), it was possible to determine the optimal point (45 °C, 16 min, and 22.5 mL extraction solution). Thirteen anthocyanins and nine non-anthocyanins were quantified. In vivo toxicity assay using Galleria mellonella showed a safe concentration when administered up to 2.2 g of extract per body kg. The extract showed antioxidant activity and antibacterial action against food pathogens, the method proved to have a low environmental impact, in addition to producing an extract with potential for application in food.

A metabolomics approach for the evaluation of Ficus benghalensis female in vivo reproductive effects relative to its metabolite fingerprint as determined via UPLC-MS and GC-MS

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Ficus benghalensis, commonly known as Banyan Fig, is the national tree of India and its aerial roots are used traditionally to treat female reproductive disorders. However, despite this traditional use, no pharmacological evidence could be traced supporting this use. Additionally, no comprehensive metabolite profiling was reported for F. benghalensis aerial roots.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study attempts to justify biochemically the traditional use of F. benghalensis aerial roots in treatment of female reproductive disorders and in relation to its secondary metabolite profile.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Total ethanol extract (TEE) and subfractions [petroleum ether (PEF), chloroform (CHF), ethyl acetate (EAF) and n-butanol (BUF] were prepared from air-dried powdered aerial roots of F. benghalensis. Detailed in-vivo investigation of the hormonal activity and action mechanism of the total ethanol extract and subfractions was carried out through evaluation of estrogenic and gonadotropic activities. The estrogenic activity was evaluated on ovariectomized immature female rats through estimating uterine weight, vaginal cornification and serum estradiol level along with histological examination of uteri. The gonadotropic activity was measured by assay of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) like activities. Total follicular and corpora lutea counts in immature female rats were used to determine FSH and LH like activities, respectively in addition to histological picture of the genitalia. Comprehensive non-targeted metabolite profiling was carried out for the TEE and subfractions using UPLC-HRMS in negative and positive ionization modes. UPLC-MS fingerprint was subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares analyses to correlate the bioactivities to specific chemical constituents in F. benghalensis different subfractions. GC-MS was further used for non-polar silylated fractions.

RESULTS

Results revealed that only the non-polar PEF and CHF displayed moderate estrogenic and FSH-like activities but with no LH-like activity. Metabolites profiling via (UPLC-HRMS) and multivariate PCA analysis enabled identification and comparison of various chemical classes in F. benghalensis extract and fractions. The active non-polar fractions revealed nearly similar metabolites profile being composed of isoflavonoids, triterpenes, sterols, fatty acids and cyclic peptides. In contrast, polar fractions were more abundant in apocarotenoids, fatty acyl amides, hydroxybenzoates and hydroxycinnamates in addition to two lignans. PLS analysis revealed strong correlation between hydroxylated fatty acids and pyranoisoflavones with estrogenic and FSH-like activities. GC-MS analysis was further employed for non-polar fractions profiling revealing for their enrichment in fatty acids/esters, terpenes, organic acids and phenolics.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to rationalize the use of F. benghalensis aerial root traditionally in treatment of gynecological disorders, revealing that the petroleum ether and chloroform non-polar subfractions of F. benghalensis showed estrogenic and FSH-like activity with absence of LH-like activity. This biological activity could possibly be attributed to its metabolites profile of isoflavonoids, fatty acids, triterpenes, sterols and cyclic peptides identified via UPLC-MS and GC-MS techniques. Consequently, F. benghalensis aerial roots should be used with caution in traditional treatment of female infertility or other reproductive disorders.

Potential Hepatoprotective Effects of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana against Methotrexate-Induced Liver Injury: Integrated Phytochemical Profiling, Target Network Analysis, and Experimental Validation

Methotrexate (MTX) therapy encounters significant limitations due to the significant concern of drug-induced liver injury (DILI), which poses a significant challenge to its usage. To mitigate the deleterious effects of MTX on hepatic function, researchers have explored plant sources to discover potential hepatoprotective agents. This study investigated the hepatoprotective effects of the ethanolic extract derived from the aerial parts of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (CLAE) against DILI, specifically focusing on MTX-induced hepatotoxicity. UPLC-ESI-MS/MS was used to identify 61 compounds in CLAE, with 31 potential bioactive compounds determined through pharmacokinetic analysis. Network pharmacology analysis revealed 195 potential DILI targets for the bioactive compounds, including TP53, IL6, TNF, HSP90AA1, EGFR, IL1B, BCL2, and CASP3 as top targets. In vivo experiments conducted on rats with acute MTX-hepatotoxicity revealed that administering CLAE orally at 200 and 400 mg/kg/day for ten days dose-dependently improved liver function, attenuated hepatic oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, and reversed the disarrayed hepatic histological features induced by MTX. In general, the findings of the present study provide evidence in favor of the hepatoprotective capabilities of CLAE in DILI, thereby justifying the need for additional preclinical and clinical investigations.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-aggregating effects of rangpur in the first trimester of growth: ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry profile and quantification of hesperidin

BACKGROUND

Citrus fruits are a rich source of valuable molecules, and their industrial processing produces bagasses, little explored to generate important by-products. These Citrus residues, including seeds and peels, also contain numerous pharmacologically important substances. To reduce the impact of these Citrus by-products, young, harvested fruits could be used as a functional supplemental food while another part is grown until maturity for industrial production. This study therefore aims to valorize rangpur (Citrus limonia) in the first 3 months of its growth by investigating and comparing its monthly chemical profiles using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS) and its anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet activity.

RESULTS

Extracts obtained from the fruits harvested in November, December, and January, 2017 and 2018 (L221117, L161217, and L160118) showed different UPLC-ESI-MS profiles. Twenty-five of the 26 detected metabolites were identified as cyclitol, pyrrolidine betaine, aryl propanoyl esters, chlorogenic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, and limonoids. Quantification studies indicated an increased concentration of hesperidin from the younger fruits to the older fruits of the series. L160118 reduced nitrogen oxide (NOx), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels more than other extracts. Their activity followed the same trends as the hesperidin concentration in each fruit. In contrast, the most promising antiplatelet activity was observed with the extracts from the two youngest fruits. This suggests combined effects of the chemical components found in these fruits' extracts.

CONCLUSION

The extracts obtained from these young fruits showed considerable anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet activity. Overall, young rangpur could be used as raw material to produce functional foods without producing any waste. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Separation of Dihydro-Isocoumarins and Dihydro-Stilbenoids from Hydrangea macrophylla ssp. serrata by Use of Counter-Current Chromatography

Previously, different Hydrangea macrophylla ssp. serrata cultivars were investigated by untargeted LC-MS analysis. From this, a list of tentatively identified and unknown compounds that differ significantly between these cultivars was obtained. Due to the lack of reference compounds, especially for dihydro-isocoumarins, we aimed to isolate and structurally characterise these compounds from the cultivar 'Yae-no-amacha' using NMR and LC-MS methods. For purification and isolation, counter-current chromatography was used in combination with reversed-phase preparative HPLC as an orthogonal and enhanced purification workflow. Thirteen dihydro-isocoumarins in combination with other metabolites could be isolated and structurally identified. Particularly interesting was the clarification of dihydrostilbenoid glycosides, which were described for the first time in H. macrophylla ssp. serrata. These results will help us in further studies on the biological interpretation of our data.

Phytochemical Characterization of Citrus-Based Products Supporting Their Antioxidant Effect and Sensory Quality

The increasing attention on the impact of food on human and environmental health has led to a greater awareness about nutrition, food processing, and food waste. In this perspective, the present work deals with the investigation of the chemical non-volatile and volatile profiles of two Citrus-based products, produced through a conscious process, using Citrus peels as natural gelling agents. Moreover, the total polyphenol content (TPC) and the antioxidant properties were evaluated, as well as their sensorial properties. Chemical and antioxidant results were compared with those of Citrus fresh fruits (C. reticulata, C. sinensis, and C. limon). Concerning the non-volatile fingerprint, the two samples showed a very similar composition, characterized by flavanones (naringenin, hesperetin, and eriodyctiol O-glycosides), flavones (diosmetin and apigenin C-glucosides), and limonoids (limonin, nomilinic acid, and its glucoside). The amount of both flavonoids and limonoids was higher in the Lemon product than in the Mixed Citrus one, as well as the TPC and the antioxidant activity. The aroma composition of the two samples was characterized by monoterpene hydrocarbons as the main chemical class, mainly represented by limonene. The sensorial analysis, finally, evidenced a good quality of both the products. These results showed that the most representative components of Citrus fruits persist even after the transformation process, and the aroma and sensorial properties endow an added value to Citrus preparations.

Characterization of Tyrosinase Inhibitors in Dryopteris crassirhizoma Rhizome Using a Combination of High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography, Affinity-Based Ultrafiltration, and Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Dryopteris crassirhizoma rhizome (DCR) inhibits melanin production in B16F10 melanoma cells and tyrosinase activity. The melanin content and tyrosinase activity of DCR-treated zebrafish embryos were determined to evaluate the in vivo inhibitory effect of DCR on melanogenesis. Moreover, an off-line hyphenated method combining the high-speed counter-current chromatography, affinity-based ultrafiltration, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to identify and characterize the DCR compounds with tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Our results indicated that DCR significantly decreased the melanin content and tyrosinase activity in zebrafish embryos in a dose-dependent manner; moreover, 22 compounds in DCR presented tyrosinase inhibitory activity. In silico molecular docking prediction data indicated that the 22 compounds in DCR can form stable conformations in the active site pocket of tyrosinase.

Laguncularia racemosa Phenolics Profiling by Three-Phase Solvent System Step-Gradient Using High-Performance Countercurrent Chromatography with Off-Line Electrospray Mass-Spectrometry Detection

The detailed metabolite profiling of Laguncularia racemosa was accomplished by high-performance countercurrent chromatography (HPCCC) using the three-phase system n-hexane–tert-butyl methyl ether–acetonitrile–water 2:3:3:2 (v/v/v/v) in step-gradient elution mode. The gradient elution was adjusted to the chemical complexity of the L. racemosa ethyl acetate partition and strongly improved the polarity range of chromatography. The three-phase solvent system was chosen for the gradient to avoid equilibrium problems when changing mobile phase compositions encountered between the gradient steps. The tentative recognition of metabolites including the identification of novel ones was possible due to the off-line injection of fractions to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) in the sequence of recovery. The off-line hyphenation profiling experiment of HPCCC and ESI-MS projected the preparative elution by selected single ion traces in the negative ionization mode. Co-elution effects were monitored and MS/MS fragmentation data of more than 100 substances were used for structural characterization and identification. The metabolite profile in the L. racemosa extract comprised flavonoids, hydrolysable tannins, condensed tannins and low molecular weight polyphenols.

Advances in Separation and Purification of Bioactive Polysaccharides through High-speed Counter-Current Chromatography

Polysaccharides, with an extensive distribution in natural products, represent a group of natural bioactive substances having widespread applications in health-care food products and as biomaterials. Devising an efficient system for the separation and purification of polysaccharides from natural sources, hence, is of utmost importance in the widespread applicability and feasibility of research for the development of polysaccharide-based products. High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) is a continuous liquid-liquid partitioning chromatography with the ability to support a high loading amount and crude material treatment. Due to its flexible two-phase solvent system, HSCCC has been successfully used in the separation of many natural products. Based on HSCCC unique advantages over general column chromatography and its enhanced superiority in this regard when coupled to aqueous two-phase system (ATPS), this review summarizes the separation and purification of various bioactive polysaccharides through HSCCC and its coupling to ATPS as an aid in future research in this direction.

HPLC-DAD-MS and Antioxidant Profile of Fractions from Amontillado Sherry Wine Obtained Using High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography

In the present work, the polyphenolic profile of a complex matrix such as Amontillado sherry has been processed by means of high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) and characterized by HPLC-DAD-MS. An Amberlite XAD-7 column was used to obtain the wine extract, and three different biphasic solvent systems were applied for HSCCC separation: MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether)/n-butanol/acetonitrile/water (1.1/3/1.1/5+0.1% trifluoroacetic acid), MTBE/n-butanol/acetonitrile/water (2/2/1/5), and hexane/ethyl acetate/ethanol/water (1/5/1/5). As a result, 42 phenolic compounds and furanic derivatives have been identified by means of HPLC-DAD-MS, with 11 of them being identified for the first time in Sherry wines: 3-feruloylquinic acid, isovanillin, ethyl vanillate, furoic acid, dihydro-p-coumaric acid, 6-O-feruloylglucose, ethyl gallate, hydroxytyrosol, methyl protocatechuate, homoveratric acid and veratraldehyde. In addition, the antioxidant capacity (ABTS) of the obtained fractions was determined, revealing higher values in those fractions in which compounds such as gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, protocatechualdehyde, trans-caftaric acid, syringic acid, isovanillin or tyrosol, among others, were present. This is the first time that HSCCC has been used to characterize the phenolic composition of Sherry wines.

Chemical characterization of eight herbal liqueurs by means of liquid chromatography coupled with ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Herbal liqueurs are a large group of diverse alcoholic beverages with an ancient tradition produced by maceration of various herbs and spices and are commonly drunken before or after a meal to aid in the digestion because of their potential functional properties. In the presented work, eight different commercial herbal liqueurs were investigated with regard to their composition of phenolic compounds by liquid chromatography ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-IM-QTOF-MS). This multidimensional analytical platform uses all-ion fragmentation for a deep coverage of the foodome. After an extensive data clean-up, 3225 features were found. 213 features were manually annotated due to the absence of databases and software tools able to consider the drift time or Collison Cross Section (CCS) together with high resolution MS/MS spectra for identification. The identified compounds reflected the large variance between the investigated samples and a wealth of potential bioactive compounds that these liqueurs harbor.

Untargeted metabolite profiling and phytochemical analysis based on RP-HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS and MS/MS for discovering new bioactive compounds in Rumex algeriensis flowers and stems

INTRODUCTION

Natural products with distinctive pharmaceutical activities are considered as the main source of new herbal drugs, functional foods and cosmetic additives. Rumex algeriensis is an endemic medicinal plant with no accessible information about its chemical profile and biological activities.

OBJECTIVE

In the quest for new sources of biologically-active compounds, we intended in the present work to undertake a comprehensive characterisation of phytochemical compounds from Rumex algeriensis flowers and stems hydro-methanolic extract.

METHODOLOGY

Chemical profiles were evaluated by a rapid analytical method reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled to electrospray ionisation-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) using negative and positive ions modes.

RESULTS

In this work, 44 bioactive compounds were tentatively identified using high mass accuracy data and confirmed by MS/MS experiments, among which five compounds were reported for the first time in the Polygonaceae family. These compounds were classified as sugars, hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, flavanones, flavone, flavanols, condensed tannins, hydrolysable tannins and their conjugated derivatives.

CONCLUSIONS

The obtained results highlighted that Rumex algeriensis, even though undervalued and unexplored, contributes to the preclinical knowledge that could be considered as a renewable source of nutraceutical compounds that may be exploited in novel herbal medicinal products, in the food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

UPLC-ESI-MS/MS Profile and Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Antidiabetic, and Antiobesity Activities of the Aqueous Extracts of Three Different Hibiscus Species

The aqueous extracts of Hibiscus calyphyllus (HcA), Hibiscus micranthus (HmA), and Hibiscus deflersii (HdA) growing in Saudi Arabia did not receive enough attention in phytochemical and biological studies. This inspired the authors to investigate the phytochemicals of these extracts for the first time using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS in negative and positive ionization modes. The analysis afforded the tentative identification of 103 compounds including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Moreover, in vitro evaluations of their cytotoxic, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antiobesity activities were carried out. The results showed that aqueous extract of Hibiscus calyphyllus had the highest activity as an antioxidant agent (SC50 = 111 ± 1.5 μg/mL) compared with ascorbic acid (SC50 = 14.2 ± 0.5 μg/mL). MTT assay was used to evaluate cytotoxic activity compared to cisplatin. Hibiscus deflersii showed the most potent cytotoxic effect against A-549 (human lung carcinoma) with IC50 = 50 ± 5.1 μg/mL, and Hibiscus micranthus showed a close effect with IC50 = 60.4 ± 1.7 μg/mL. Hibiscus micranthus showed the most potent effect on HCT-116 (human colon carcinoma) with IC50 = 56 ± 1.9 μg/mL compared with cisplatin (IC50 = 7.53 ± 3.8 μg/mL). HcA and HdA extracts showed weak cytotoxic activity against A-549 and HCT-116 cell lines compared to the other extracts. Eventually, Hibiscus deflersii showed astonishing antidiabetic (IC50 = 56 ± 1.9 μg/mL) and antiobesity (IC50 = 95.45 ± 1.9 μg/mL) activities using in vitro α-amylase inhibitory assay (compared with acarbose (IC50 = 34.71 ± 0.7 μg/mL)) and pancreatic lipase inhibitory assay (compared with orlistat (IC50 = 23.8 ± 0.7 μg/mL)), respectively. In conclusion, these findings are regarded as the first vision of the phytochemical constituents and biological activities of different Hibiscus aqueous extracts. Hibiscus deflersii aqueous extract might be a hopeful origin of functional constituents with anticancer (on A-549 cell line), antidiabetic, and antiobesity activities. It might be a natural alternative remedy and nutritional policy for diabetes and obesity treatment without negative side effects. Isolation of the bioactive phytochemicals from the aqueous extracts of aerial parts of Hibiscus calyphyllus, Hibiscus micranthus, and Hibiscus deflersii and estimation of their biological effects are recommended in further studies.

Characterization of Extra Early Spanish Clementine Varieties (Citrus clementina Hort ex Tan) as a Relevant Source of Bioactive Compounds with Antioxidant Activity

The most relevant nutrients and bioactive compounds (soluble sugars, dietary fiber, ascorbic acid and organic acids, individual phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and tocopherols) as well as antioxidant activity have been characterized in three extra early varieties of clementine (Citrus clementina Hort ex Tan. Basol, Clemensoon and Clemenrubí) cultivated in Valencia (Spain). Clementines are a relevant source of bioactive compounds, such as vitamin C (values around 80 mg/100 g), allowing to satisfy the recommended daily intake with the consumption of a normal portion. Sucrose was the most abundant sugar, and potassium the main mineral while manganese was the least. Fat content was very low (<0.5 mg/100 g), with palmitic acid and α-tocopherol the most abundant fatty acid and vitamin E form, respectively. Flavonoids were the predominant phenolic compounds, with narirutin/naringin and (neo)hesperidin the best represented ones. The antioxidant capacity evaluated by reducing power, DPPH, and β-carotene bleaching inhibition assays was satisfactory with values similar to those reported in other citrus fruits. Thus, this fruit is a relevant source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties of interest for consumers and the food industry.

Natural Products Derived from the Mediterranean Diet with Antidiabetic Activity: from Insulin Mimetic Hypoglycemic to Nutriepigenetic Modulator Compounds

BACKGROUND

The Mediterranean diet is a healthy eating pattern that protects against the development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood sugar levels due to pancreatic beta-cell functional impairment and insulin resistance in various tissues. Inspired by the ancient communities, this diet emphasizes eating primarily plant-based foods, including vegetables, legumes, fruits, cereals, and nuts. Importantly, virgin olive oil is used as the principal source of fat. Red meat is consumed in low amounts while wine and fish are consumed moderately.

OBJECTIVE

Here, we review the most beneficial components of the Mediterranean Diet and tentative mechanisms of action for prevention and/or management of T2DM, based on research conducted within the last decade.

METHODS

The references over the last five years have been reviewed and they have been selected properly according to inclusion/ exclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Several bioactive diet components were evaluated to prevent inflammation and cytokine-induced oxidative damage, reduce glucose concentration, carbohydrate absorption and increase insulin sensitivity and related gene expression.

CONCLUSION

The adherence to a healthy lifestyle, including diet, exercise and habits remains the best approach for the prevention of diabetes as well as frequent check-ups and education. Though diabetes has a strong genetic component, in recent years many reports strongly point to the critical role of lifestyle specific epigenetic modifications in the development of T2DM. It remains to be established how different components of the Mediterranean Diet interact and influence the epigenetic landscape to prevent or treat the disease.

Fast Isolation of Flavonoids from the Endemic Species Nolana ramosissima I.M. Johnst and Its Endothelium-Independent Relaxation Effect in Rat Aorta

The infusion of the desertic plant Nolana ramosissima I.M. Johnst showed vascular smooth muscle relaxation in rat aorta and the presence of several phenolic compounds, which were detected by high resolution UHPLC-Orbitrap-HESI-MS. In addition, five flavonoids were rapidly isolated from a methanolic extract using high-performance counter-current chromatography (HPCCC). The N. ramosissima extract showed endothelium-independent relaxation effect in rat aorta. Sixty-one compounds were detected in the infusion, mainly glycosylated flavonoids, flavanones and several oxylipins, suggesting that a synergistic effect between the compounds in the extracts could be responsible for the relaxation activity. Vascular activity experiments were done in isolated organ bath. In rat aorta, a nitric oxide inhibitor did not prevent the relaxation effects of the extract; however, a selective guanylyl cyclase inhibitor partially blunted this effect. The compound 5,3′-dihydroxy-4′7-dimethoxyflavone presented higher relaxation effect than 100 μg/mL of N. ramosissima extract. The extract and the isolated metabolites from N. ramosissima can show relaxation effects on rat aorta by a mechanism that is independent of the endothelium.

Characterisation and classification of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium varieties based on UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS combined with multivariate statistical analyses

INTRODUCTION

Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP), comprising dried pericarps of Citrus reticulata Blanco and its cultivars, is popularly used for its great medicinal and dietary values. Generally, the pericarps from C. reticulate "Chachi" ("Guangchenpi" in Chinese, GCP) is considered to have superior qualities and merit premium price compared with CRP derived from other cultivars (collectively called "Chenpi" in Chinese, CP). Since its multiple origins and derived economic adulteration, it is significant to systematically compare the chemical profiles of different CRP varieties.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this work was to identify the chemical profiles of CRP from different varieties and find out potential chemical markers for differentiating GCP and CP.

METHODS

In the present study, a total of 42 CRP samples from 10 varieties (including GCP and CP) were analysed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) for chemical profiling. Obtained MS/MS data were further employed in multivariate statistical methods to screen the main compounds which contributed to the characterisation and classification of CRP.

RESULTS

As a result, 73 compounds (mainly flavonoids) were identified or tentatively characterised in these CRP samples. Based on the obtained chemical profiles data, GCP and CP samples could be easily discriminated from each other by statistical analyses. Moreover, seven compounds were selected as having the most discriminating features which contributed to the classification of CRP.

CONCLUSION

This work obtains a better understanding of the chemical profiles of different CRP varieties and provides a practical strategy for the authentication of GCP and CP.

Antioxidant and Antisenescence Effects of Bergamot Juice

Aging is one of the main risk factor for the onset of cardiovascular diseases; one of the possible explanations could be linked to the age-associated overproduction of free radicals. This increase of oxidative stress can be overcome with a high intake of food antioxidants. In this context, a number of studies have been addressed to assess the antiaging potential of natural antioxidant compounds. Recently, it has been shown that the juice of bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso et Poiteau), a fruit mostly produced in the Ionian coastal areas of Southern Italy (Calabria), is a valuable source of health-promoting constituents with, among other, antioxidant properties. In order to investigate the potential antiaging effects of this Mediterranean natural antioxidant source, bergamot juices of three different cultivars (“fantastico,” “femminello,” and “castagnaro”) were herein characterized by the mean of high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. Then, juices were investigated for the evaluation of total polyphenolic and flavonoid contents, cell-free model antioxidant activities, and in vitro antiaging properties on two different cellular models of induced myocardial senescence. The best performing juice was also assessed in vivo. The phytochemical profiles confirmed that juices were rich in flavonoids, both flavone and flavanone glycosides. In addition, two limonoid glycosides were also identified in all cultivars. Each cultivar showed different phenolic and flavonoid contents. In tube results showed the juice robust antioxidant activities that correlate with their phenolic and flavonoid contents. Moreover, for the first time, the ability of juice to counteract the chemical-induced senescence was here demonstrated in both cellular models. Lastly, the in vivo data obtained from mouse hearts evidenced an increase in transcription of genes involved in antiaging and antioxidant responses. The overall results suggest that bergamot juice exerts antioxidant and antisenescence effects, making it useful for nutraceutical purposes.

Use of an online extraction liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry method for the characterization of polyphenols in Citrus paradisi cv. Changshanhuyu peel

Chemical profiling of natural products by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was critical for understanding of their clinical bioactivities, and sample pretreatment steps have been considered as a bottleneck for analysis. Currently, concerted efforts have been made to develop sample pretreatment methods with high efficiency, low solvent and time consumptions. Here, a simple and efficient online extraction (OLE) strategy coupled with HPLC-diode array detector-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS/MS) was developed for rapid chemical profiling. For OLE strategy, guard column inserted with ground sample (2 mg) instead of sample loop was connected with manual injection valve, in which components were directly extracted and transferred to HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS/MS system only by mobile phase without any extra time, solvent, instrument and operation. By comparison with offline heat-reflux extraction of Citrus paradisi cv. Changshanhuyu (Changshanhuyu) peel, OLE strategy presented higher extraction efficiency perhaps because of the high pressure and gradient elution mode. A total of twenty-two secondary metabolites were detected according to their retention times, UV spectra, exact mass, and fragmentation ions in MS/MS spectra, and nine of them were discovered in Changshanhuyu peel for the first time to our knowledge. It is concluded that the developed OLE-HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS/MS system offers new perspectives for rapid chemical profiling of natural products.

Phenylpropanoid profiling reveals a class of hydroxycinnamoyl glucaric acid conjugates in Isatis tinctoria leaves

The brassicaceous herb, Isatis tinctoria, is an ancient medicinal plant whose rosette leaf extracts have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activity. Brassicaceae are known to accumulate a variety of phenylpropanoids in their rosette leaves acting as antioxidants and a UV-B shield, and these compounds often have pharmacological potential. Nevertheless, knowledge about the phenylpropanoid content of I. tinctoria leaves remains limited to the characterization of a number of flavonoids. In this research, we profiled the methanol extracts of I. tinctoria fresh leaf extracts by liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and focused on the phenylpropanoid derivatives. We report the structural characterization of 99 compounds including 18 flavonoids, 21 mono- or oligolignols, 2 benzenoids, and a wide spectrum of 58 hydroxycinnamic acid esters. Besides the sinapate esters of malate, glucose and gentiobiose, which are typical of brassicaceous plants, these conjugates comprised a large variety of glucaric acid esters that have not previously been reported in plants. Feeding with ¹³C₆-glucaric acid showed that glucaric acid is an acyl acceptor of an as yet unknown acyltransferase activity in I. tinctoria rosette leaves. The large amount of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives changes radically our view of the woad metabolite profile and potentially contributes to the pharmacological activity of I. tinctoria leaf extracts.

In vitro and In vivo Postprandial Glycemic Activity of Citrus limetta Peel Flour

Background:

Previous studies of Citrus spp. peel have shown hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities. Citrus limetta has been studied for its therapeutic properties. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a health problem in Mexico and worldwide, that takes a vital importance due to its high incidence. Recently, scientists have searched natural sources to control the disease.

Materials and Methods:

In this study, we evaluated the in vitro hypoglycemic activity and in vivo postprandial glycemic effect of C. limetta peel flour by glucose adsorption and retardation assays as well as postprandial serum glucose levels using a group of female Balb-c mice, respectively.

Results:

C. limetta peel flour showed a glucose adsorption capacity of 16.58 mM, having a similar effect regarding the positive control. The glucose diffusion in the dialysate was elevated, with a glucose dialysis retardation index of 33.79% in a period of 3 h, showing similar results to positive control. Postprandial serum glucose levels in the animal group treated with C. limetta peel flour showed a glucose level of 41.4 mg/dL, being this value significantly lower than negative control group and similar to positive control. Toxicity tests showed good tolerance to the dose of 2000 mg/kg.

Conclusion:

C. limetta peel flour could act as a source of functional compounds for the control of DM.

SUMMARY

Citrus limetta peel flour showed a glucose adsorption capacity similar to the positive control

The glucose diffusion in the dialysate was elevated, showing similar results to positive control

Postprandial serum glucose levels in the animal group treated with C. limetta peel flour showed a glucose level significantly lower than negative control group and similar to positive control

Toxicity tests showed good tolerance

C. limetta peel flour could act as a source of functional compounds for the control of diabetes mellitus.

Abbreviations used: CIATEJ: Center for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of Jalisco; DM: Diabetes mellitus; FGC: Final glucose concentration; GDRI: Glucose dialysis retardation index; IGC: Initial glucose concentration; OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Mass spectrometric evidence for the modification of small molecules in a cobalt-60-irradiated rodent diet

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of radiation on the content of animal diet constituents using global metabolomics. Aqueous methanolic extracts of control and cobalt-60-irradiated Teklad 7001 diets were comprehensively analyzed using nano-liquid chromatography-MS/MS. Among the over 2000 ions revealed by XCMS followed by data preprocessing, 94 positive and 143 negative metabolite ions had greater than 1.5-fold changes and p-values <0.01. Use of MetaboAnalyst statistical software demonstrated complete separation of the irradiated and non-radiated diets in unsupervised principal components analysis and supervised partial least squares discriminant analysis. Irradiation led to an increase in the content of phytochemicals such as glucosinolates and oxidized lipids in the diet. Twenty-eight metabolites that were significantly changed in the irradiated samples were putatively identified at the level of molecular formulae by MS/MS. MS/MS^ALL analysis of chloroform-methanol extracts of the irradiated diet showed increased levels of a number of unique linoleic acid-derived branched fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids. These data imply that gamma irradiation of animal diets causes chemical changes to dietary components, which in turn may influence the risk of mammary cancer. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Isolation, characterization and in silico docking studies of synergistic estrogen receptor a anticancer polyphenols from Syzygium alternifolium (Wt.) Walp

Aim:

This study aims to isolate, characterize, and in silico evaluate of anticancer polyphenols from different parts of Syzygium alternifolium.

Materials and Methods:

The polyphenols were isolated by standard protocol and characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), High performance liquid chromatography - Photodiode array detector coupled with Electrospray ionization - mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The compounds were elucidated based on retention time and molecular ions (m/z) either by [M+H]⁺/[M-H]⁻ with the comparison of standard phenols as well as ReSpect software tool. Furthermore, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME)/toxicity properties of selected phenolic scaffolds were screened using OSIRIS and SwissADME programs, which incorporate toxicity risk assessments, pharmacokinetics, and rule of five principles. Molecular docking studies were carried out for selected toxicity filtered compounds against breast cancer estrogen receptor a (ERa) structure (protein data bank-ID: 1A52) through AutoDock scoring functions by PyRx virtual screening program.

Results:

The obtained results showed two intensive peaks in each polyphenol fraction analyzed with FT-IR, confirms O-H/C-O stretch of the phenolic functional group. A total of 40 compounds were obtained, which categorized as 9 different classes. Among them, flavonol group represents more number of polyphenols. In silico studies suggest seven compounds have the possibility to use as future nontoxic inhibitors. Molecular docking studies with ERa revealed the lead molecules unequivocally interact with Leu³⁴⁶, Glu³⁵³, Leu³⁹¹, Arg³⁹⁴, Gly⁵²¹, Leu⁵²⁵ residues, and Phe⁴⁰⁴ formed atomic π-stacking with dihydrochromen-4-one ring of ligands as like estrodial, which stabilizes the receptor structure and complicated to generate a single mutation for drug resistance.

Conclusion:

Overall, these results significantly proposed that isolated phenolics could be served as potential ER mitigators for breast cancer therapy.

Recent progress in the chemistry and biology of limonoids

Significant limonoids: new isolated limonoids, and recent developments in the total chemical synthesis, and structural modifications of limonoids regarding the bioactivities have been summarised.

Characterization of lemon (Citrus limon) polar extract by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in high resolution mode

Eighty four metabolites (32 flavonoids, 15 amino acids, nine carboxylic acids, six coumarins, six sugars, five phenolic acids and 11 unclassified compounds) have been tentatively identified in a polar extract from lemon, without reference standards, based on their liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight MS/MS spectra and the comparison with databases. Despite information in databases for some families of plant compounds is poor, tentative identification based on MS/MS information (mass of the precursor ion and their fragments, together with neutral mass loss) was possible with the help of known fragmentation patterns for the given families of compounds. Both positive and negative ionization modes and at least two collision energies were always applied to obtain as much information as possible from each molecular entity, thus helping for identification. As the tentatively identified metabolites are the same regardless of the organism they belong, their fragmentation patterns are useful for identification with independence of the sample nature.

Antioxidants: Characterization, natural sources, extraction and analysis

Recently many review papers regarding antioxidants from different sources and different extraction and quantification procedures have been published. However none of them has all the information regarding antioxidants (chemistry, sources, extraction and quantification). This article tries to take a different perspective on antioxidants for the new researcher involved in this field. Antioxidants from fruit, vegetables and beverages play an important role in human health, for example preventing cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and lowering the incidence of different diseases. In this paper the main classes of antioxidants are presented: vitamins, carotenoids and polyphenols. Recently, many analytical methodologies involving diverse instrumental techniques have been developed for the extraction, separation, identification and quantification of these compounds. Antioxidants have been quantified by different researchers using one or more of these methods: in vivo, in vitro, electrochemical, chemiluminescent, electron spin resonance, chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, nuclear magnetic resonance, near infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry methods.