Chemical composition and biological activity of staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)

New insight in secretory structures and secretion composition in Rhus typhina L. - Anatomical, histochemical, and ultrastructural studies

Rhus typhina is a valuable plant used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries due to the presence of biologically active substances accumulated in its organs, especially in secretory structures, i.e. trichomes and secretory ducts. Light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to examine the structure of glandular and non-glandular trichomes, as well as secretory ducts present in inflorescence peduncles of R. typhina. The chemical composition of the secretion produced by trichomes and ducts was assessed using histochemical techniques, including observations under brightfield and fluorescence microscopes. Two types of capitate glandular trichomes producing secretions with a similar composition and non-glandular trichomes exhibiting secretory activity were identified. The secretion of glandular trichomes was dominated by acidic and neutral lipids, essential oil, sesquiterpenes, and steroid-containing terpenes. The schizogenic secretory ducts located in the phloem produced a viscous milky substance with acidic polysaccharides, acidic lipids, phenolic compounds, and proteins. The secretion was released into the duct lumen through notches in the walls of the secretory epithelial cell facing the duct lumen. The location, type, and traits of the non-glandular trichomes and secretory structures, as well as the composition of the secreted products are considered important taxonomic features in the family Anacardiaceae and the Rhus genus. Additionally, these characters are important diagnostic markers for the pharmacobotanical identification of the species in medicinal and cosmetic raw materials. The various compounds present in the secretory structures of R. typhina may contribute to plant protection against pathogens or herbivory and probably play a role as attractants for pollinators and seed dispersers.

Physicochemical, nutritional properties, and antioxidant potential of 'limilla' fruit (Rhus aromatica var. schmidelioides (Schltdl.) Engl.)

Rhus aromatica inhabits humid oak and oakpine forests in the State of Michoacán (Mexico). The fruit of R. aromatica is edible and is traditionally used in the preparation of soft drinks, ice pops, ice creams and 'atole'. The objective of the present investigation was to carry out a physical and chemical characterization and analysis of the antioxidant capacity of fruit. For the physical characterization, the equatorial and longitudinal diameter, weight and percentage of pulp were determined. In the chemical characterization, a proximal analysis was carried out, quantification of polyphenols and flavonoids was performed, and the antioxidant capacity was determined. The results showed that the fruit had a longitudinal diameter of 6.58 ± 1.02 mm, an equatorial diameter of 7.17 ± 0.66, a weight of 55.22 ± 5.47 mg, and a 40 % pulp proportion. The chemical characterization analysis indicated 8.7 % moisture, 30.6 % lipids, 8.7 % proteins, 29.4 % total sugars, 3.8 % ashes and 18.7 % crude fibre, 3.1 °Brix, pH 3.1, 1.92 % acidity total and a caloric intake of 4.27 kcal/g. The polyphenol content was higher in 60 % ethanol extracts with 88.6 ± 50.89 mg EAG/g; for flavonoids from extracts with 100 % acetone, it was 26.52 ± 0.65 mg EQ/g, and the total carotenoid content was 46.37 mg/100 g. The total antioxidant activity was higher in extracts with 80 % acetone, with 87.17 % inhibition of the DPPH radical and 90 % inhibition of ABTS without showing a significant difference with the different solvents used. The lowest IC50 values were presented in 100 % ethanol and 60 % methanol extracts for the DPPH radical and for the ABTS radical were the 80 % ethanol and 60 % methanol extracts. The lipid, protein, carotenoid, and polyphenol contents and antioxidant capacity of the fruit of R. aromatica were as high as those of other fruits consumed in the human diet.

Element and Water-Soluble Vitamins Profile of Rhus coriaria L. (Sumac) Grown in Different Regions

In this study, the amounts of some elements and water-soluble vitamins in Rhus coriaria L. (Sumac) samples grown in different regions were analyzed by ICP-OES and HPLC, respectively. The maximum amount of Na, K, Mg, and P was determined in the sumac samples of Kadana, Sheladize, Maraş, and Derishke regions, respectively. The richest regions in terms of trace elements such as Zn, Cu, Fe, Se, Mn, Cr, Mo, Ni, and B were Charput, Derishke, Ranya, Charput, Ranya, Derishke, Elazığ, Derishke, and Kadana, respectively. The highest amount of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg in sumac samples were determined in Kadana, Kadana, Trawanish, and Charput regions, respectively, while the lowest amounts were determined in Maraş, Sheladize, Elazig, and Trawanish regions sumac samples. Since target hazard coefficient (THQ) and total target hazard coefficient (TTHQ) values calculated for minor, toxic and heavy metals investigated in sumac samples are well below one; therefore, they do not pose a health risk. From the result obtained, sumac is a good food additive spice in terms of water-soluble vitamins except ascorbic acid. The amounts of ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotine amide, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid, and cyanocobalamin in sumac samples varied between 78.90-36.57, 173.57-61.11, 518.4-182.3, 314.0-105.6, 1292.1-788.7, 779.2-301.7, 385.8-133.4, 826.2-473.1, and 192.6-73.9 µg/g dw, respectively. Differences in the amount of elements and water-soluble vitamins among sumac samples from different regions may be due to geographical and ecological reasons.

Donkey Gelatin and Keratin Nanofibers Loaded with Antioxidant Agents for Wound Healing Dressings

Acute and chronic wounds present a significant healthcare challenge, requiring innovative solutions for effective treatment. The exploitation of natural by-products with advanced cell regeneration potential and plant-based materials, which possess bioactive properties, is an innovative topic in wound management. This study investigates the potential of donkey gelatin and keratin for blending with natural bioactive extracts such as sumac, curcumin, and oak acorn to fabricate antioxidant and antimicrobial nanofibers with accelerated wound healing processes. The fabricated nanofibers possess good in vitro biocompatibility, except for the sumac-based donkey nanofibers, where cell viability significantly dropped to 56.25% (p < 0.05 compared to non-treated cells). The nanofiber dimensions showed structural similarities to human extracellular matrix components, providing an ideal microenvironment for tissue regeneration. The donkey nanofiber-based sumac and curcumin extracts presented a higher dissolution in the first 10 min (74% and 72%). Curcumin extract showed similar antimicrobial and antifungal performances to rivanol, while acorn and sumac extracts demonstrated similar values to each other. In vitro tests performed on murine fibroblast cells demonstrated high migration rates of 89% and 85% after 24 h in the case of acorn and curcumin nanofibers, respectively, underscoring the potential of these nanofibers as versatile platforms for advanced wound care applications.

Three complete chloroplast genomes from two north American Rhus species and phylogenomics of Anacardiaceae

BACKGROUND

The suamc genus Rhus (sensu stricto) includes two subgenera, Lobadium (ca. 25 spp.) and Rhus (ca. 10 spp.). Their members, R. glabra and R. typhina (Rosanae: Sapindales: Anacardiaceae), are two economic important species. Chloroplast genome information is of great significance for the study of plant phylogeny and taxonomy.

RESULTS

The three complete chloroplast genomes from two Rhus glabra and one R. typhina accessions were obtained with a total of each about 159k bp in length including a large single-copy region (LSC, about 88k bp), a small single-copy regions (SSC, about 19k bp) and a pair of inverted repeats regions (IRa/IRb, about 26k bp), to form a canonical quadripartite structure. Each genome contained 88 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes, eight ribosomal RNA genes and two pseudogenes. The overall GC content of the three genomes all were same (37.8%), and RSCU values showed that they all had the same codon prefers, i.e., to use codon ended with A/U (93%) except termination codon. Three variable hotspots, i.e., ycf4-cemA, ndhF-rpl32-trnL and ccsA-ndhD, and a total of 152-156 simple sequence repeats (SSR) were identified. The nonsynonymous (Ka)/synonymous (Ks) ratio was calculated, and cemA and ycf2 genes are important indicators of gene evolution. The phylogenetic analyses of the family Anacardiaceae showed that the eight genera were grouped into three clusters, and supported the monophyly of the subfamilies and all the genera. The accessions of five Rhus species formed four clusters, while, one individual of R. typhina grouped with the R. glabra accessions instead of clustering into the two other individuals of R. typhina in the subgenus Rhus, which showed a paraphyletic relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

Comparing the complete chloroplast genomes of the Rhus species, it was found that most SSRs were A/T rich and located in the intergenic spacer, and the nucleotide divergence exhibited higher levels in the non-coding region than in the coding region. The Ka/Ks ratio of cemA gene was > 1 for species collected in America, while it was < 1 for other species in China, which dedicated that the Rhus species from North America and East Asia have different evolutionary pressure. The phylogenetic analysis of the complete chloroplast genome clarified the Rhus placement and relationship. The results obtained in this study are expected to provide valuable genetic resources to perform species identification, molecular breeding, and intraspecific diversity of the Rhus species.

Quality and sensorial evaluation of beef burgers added with Sicilian sumac (Rhus coriaria L)

The Sicilian sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) is considered an excellent source of natural polyphenols whose antioxidant activity is able to affect specific technological functions. The effect of the Rhus coriaria addition on the quality of beef burgers before and after cooking was evaluated, by pH, colour, protein (-SH) and lipid oxidation, total phenol content and antioxidant activity (ABTS assay). The sumac in burgers (THs) resulted in a significant increase in all dry matter components (P < 0.05), while water content and pH value decreased. Furthermore, THs, compared with control burgers (CHs), were characterised by lower L* and peroxidation values and higher a* and b* values (p < 0.05). The Rhus added in the burgers positively influenced the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity values. Cooking reduced content of phenols, -SH groups and antioxidant activity. However, in THs the reduction of -SH, phenols and antioxidant activity was more limited than in CHs (p < 0.05). Sensory analysis showed a higher appreciation for THs by consumers for all the considered attributes. The ground meat incorporated with sumac could be a valid strategy to improve its quality and sensorial evaluation.

Inhibition of Food-Borne Pathogen Growth and Biogenic Amine Synthesis by Spice Extracts

Food-borne pathogens and their toxins cause significant health problems in humans. Formation of biogenic amines (BAs) produced by microbial decarboxylation of amino acids in food is undesirable because it can induce toxic effects in consumers. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the effects of natural additives with high bioactivity like spice extracts to inhibit the growth of these bacteria and the formation of BAs in food. In the present study, the antibacterial effects of diethyl ether spice (sumac, cumin, black pepper, and red pepper) extracts at doses of 1% (w/v) on Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Campylobacter jejuni, Aeromonas hydrophila, Salmonella Paratyphi A, and Yersinia enterocolitica) food-borne pathogen bacterial strains (FBP) were established. In addition, the accumulation of ammonia (AMN), trimethylamine (TMA), and biogenic amines (BAs) in tyrosine decarboxylase broth (TDB) was investigated by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sumac extract exhibited the highest antibacterial potential against all FBPs, followed by cumin and peppers. AMN (570.71 mg/L) and TMA (53.66 mg/L) production were strongly inhibited by sumac extract in the levels of 55.10 mg/L for Y. enterocolitica and 2.76 mg/L for A. hydrophila, respectively. With the exception of S. aureus, black pepper dramatically reduced the synthesis of putrescine, serotonin, dopamine, and agmatine by FBP especially for Gram-negative ones. Furthermore, sumac extracts inhibited histamine and tyramine production by the majority of FBP. This research suggests the application of sumac extracts as natural preservatives for inhibiting the growth of FBPs and limiting the production of AMN, TMA, and BAs.

Tannin in Ruminant Nutrition: Review

Tannins are polyphenols characterized by different molecular weights that plants are able to synthetize during their secondary metabolism. Macromolecules (proteins, structural carbohydrates and starch) can link tannins and their digestion can decrease. Tannins can be classified into two groups: hydrolysable tannins and condensed tannins. Tannins are polyphenols, which can directly or indirectly affect intake and digestion. Their ability to bind molecules and form complexes depends on the structure of polyphenols and on the macromolecule involved. Tannins have long been known to be an "anti-nutritional agent" in monogastric and poultry animals. Using good tannins' proper application protocols helped the researchers observe positive effects on the intestinal microbial ecosystem, gut health, and animal production. Plant tannins are used as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics, and many factors have been described by researchers which contribute to the variability in their efficiencies. The objective of this study was to review the literature about tannins, their effects and use in ruminant nutrition.

Antioxidant properties of edible sea weed from the Northern Coast of the Sea of Japan

Introduction. New natural antioxidants remain a relevant research task of food science. Natural antioxidants neutralize free radicals in food systems, as well as in human body. The antioxidant properties of seaweed have attracted scientific attention for many years. However, most experiments featured non-polar extracts while aqueous extracts still remain understudied. The present research objective was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of hydrothermal extracts of edible seaweed from the Northern Coast of the Sea of Japan. Study objects and methods. The study featured hot-water and autoclave (30 and 60 min) extracts of three edible seaweed species from Russia’s Far East. The research focused on dry matter yield, total phenol content, phenolic profile, antiradical properties, hydroxylion (OH•) scavenging activity, and superoxide radical (O2•−) scavenging activity. Results and discussion. The hot-water extracts appeared to have a higher yield than the autoclave extracts. The hot-water extract of red-purple seaweed Gracilaria verrucosa had the highest yield – 15.90%. The extract of brown seaweed Sargassum miyabei demonstrated the highest total phenol content. The phenolic profile of the extracts revealed 10 compounds, syringic acid and epicatechin being the major ones. The radical scavenging activity of the extracts varied from 48.2 to 88.9%, the highest value was observed in the hot-water extract of S. miyabei. The autoclave S. miyabei extracts also had a high radical scavenging activity, which exceeded other samples by 5.0–13.3%. The hot-water (30 min) extract of G. verrucosa had the lowest antiradical activity. Hot-water and autoclave extracts of S. miyabei showed the best OH• scavenging activity. Only the samples of G. verrucosa demonstrated signs of superoxide radical scavenging. Conclusion. The extracts of brown seaweed S. miyabei proved to be the most active. The hot-water and autoclave extracts had the highest total phenol content and the strongest DPPH and OH• inhibitory activity.

Antibacterial and fungicidal activities of ethanol extracts from Cotinus coggygria, Rhus typhina, R. trilobata, Toxicodendron orientale, Hedera helix, Aralia elata, Leptopus chinensis and Mahonia aquifolium

The search for promising plants with bactericidal and fungicidal activity is of great interest for practical and veterinary medicine, This article reveals the high antibacterial effect of the use of ethanol extracts from 8 species of plants of the families Anacardiaceae (Cotinus coggygria Scop., Rhus typhina L., Rhus trilobata Nutt. and Toxicodendron orientale Greene), Araliaceae (Hedera helix Linnaeus and Aralia elata (Miq.) Seem.), Phyllanthaceae (Leptopus chinensis (Bunge) Pojark.), Berberidaceae (Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt.) against 23 strains of bacteria and one strain of fungi. The in vitro experiment revealed the zone of inhibition of growth of colonies exceeding 8 mm during the application of ethanol extracts of C. coggygria against twelve species of microorganisms (Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Bacillus cereus, Listeria ivanovi, Corynebacterium xerosis, Rhodococcus equi, Proteus vulgaris, P. mirabilis, Serratia marcescens and Candida albicans), Rhus typhina – against twelve species (E. faecalis, E. coli, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, L. ivanovi, C. xerosis, Rh. equi, P. vulgaris, Salmonella typhimurium, S. adobraco, S. marcescens and C. albicans), Rhus trilobata – against fourteen (E. faecalis, E. сoli, S. аureus, S. epidermidis, B. subtilis, B. cereus, L. ivanovi, C. xerosis, Rh. equi, P. vulgaris, P. mirabilis, Рseudomonas аeruginosa, Yersinia enterocolitica and C. albicans), Toxicodendron orientale – against eleven (E. faecalis, S. аureus, L. іnnocua, C. xerosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Rh. equi, P. vulgaris, P. mirabilis, Р. аeruginosa and C. albicans), Hedera helix – against seven (S. аureus, S. epidermidis, L. monocytogenes, C. jejuni, Rh. equi, P. vulgaris and C. albicans), Aralia elata – against nine (E. coli, S. aureus, B. cereus, C. xerosis, P. vulgaris, P. mirabilis, S. typhimurium, S. marcescens and C. albicans), Leptopus chinensis – only against four (E. coli, S. epidermidis, B. cereus and P. mirabilis) and Mahonia aquifolium – against only three species (S. epidermidis, C. jejuni and P. vulgaris). As a result of the research, the most promising for studying in future regarding in vivo antibacterial activity were determined to be C. coggygria, Rhus typhina, R. trilobata, Toxicodendron orientale and Aralia elata.

Assessment of the Use of Natural Extracted Dyes and Pancreatin Enzyme for Dyeing of Four Natural Textiles: HPLC Analysis of Phytochemicals

In the present study, four natural textiles (cotton, linen, wool, and silk) were dyed with 14 naturally extracted dyes, and pancreatin enzyme was used in the dyeing process. The effects of pancreatin enzyme and its buffer on naturally dyed textile samples were evaluated. Two concentrations of pancreatin enzyme and buffer were used as pretreatments for dyed textiles. Proteinic fabrics showed the highest relative color strength (RCS) values of 137.23% and 132.2% when the pancreatin enzyme was applied on wool and silk dyed with pomegranate skin and bloodroot at concentrations A and B, respectively. Linen fiber dyed with catechu tree showed the highest total color difference (TCD) values with buffer (6.83) and pancreatin enzyme A (5.7) and B (6.3). This shows that there were no side effects of the pancreatin enzyme on the studied dyed textiles. By high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, the root extract from madder showed the presence of salicylic acid (1758.91 mg/kg extract), quercetin (844.23 mg/kg extract), ellagic acid (784.86 mg/kg extract) and benzoic acid (582.68 mg/kg extract) as main compounds. In cochineal extract the main compounds were rutin (37.732 mg/kg extract), kampherol (1915.98 mg/kg extract), myricetin (809.97 mg/kg extract), quercetin (496.76 mg/kg extract) and salicylic acid (193.87 mg/kg extract).

Conflicting actions of 4-vinylcatechol in rat lymphocytes under oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide

4-Vinylcatechol (4VC) has been identified as an aroma compound in roasted foods, especially coffee. It is also a component in traditional herbal medicines. This compound may be subconsciously ingested through foods and herbs. Recent experimental evidence has shown that 4VC possesses an antioxidative action. However, the antioxidative action of 4VC at cellular levels is not well characterized. The effects of 4VC (0.1-100 µM) were examined on rat thymic lymphocytes without and with oxidative stress induced by 300 µM hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Cell treatment with 100 µM 4VC alone for 4 h significantly increased the population of dead cells. Thus, 4VC at 100 µM or above elicits cytotoxicity. However, 4VC at sublethal concentrations (1-10 µM) significantly attenuated the H₂O₂-induced increase in cell lethality in a concentration-dependent manner. While application of 10 µM 4VC slowed the process of cell death induced by H₂O₂, 4VC did not antagonize the H₂O₂-induced reduction of cellular nonprotein thiols. Although 4VC at 10 µM did not affect intracellular Ca²⁺ and Zn²⁺ levels, the agent potentiated the H₂O₂-induced increases in these levels. These actions of 10 µM 4VC are adverse to the cells under the oxidative stress. However, 10 µM 4VC partly attenuated the cell death induced by 100 nM A23187, a calcium ionophore. There are conflicting actions of 4VC at 1-100 µM on the cells under oxidative stress although the agent is used for an antioxidant. Thus, caution is required when using 4VC as a therapeutic agent.

Volatile profiling in Rhus coriaria fruit (sumac) from three different geographical origins and upon roasting as analyzed via solid-phase microextraction

Rhus coriaria (sumac) is a fruit grown worldwide for its culinary use as a flavoring agent and for its health benefits. Despite several studies on R. coriaria non-volatile metabolites, much less is recognized concerning volatile composition within that genus. In an effort to expand on flavor profile sumac and its food products, we report on volatile profiling from three accessions of different origins including Palestine, Jordan and Egypt in addition to its cold tea and post roasting via headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Under optimized conditions, 74 volatile components were identified belonging to alcohols, aromatics, esters, ethers, furan/aldehyde, hydrocarbons, ketones, monoterpenes, oxides and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Major identified components included α-pinene, naphthalene and o-cymene in Palestinian, Jordanian and Egyptian sumac, respectively. Whereas sesquiterpenes amounted for the major volatile class in fresh R. coriaria at ca. 40–58%, furan/aldehydes were the predominant classes in roasted fruits (58%). Volatile abundance data was further subjected to multivariate data analyses revealing furfural and nonanal enrichment in roasted compared to fresh fruits and their cold tea preparation. Seeds exhibited no aroma components which justified their removal in R. coriaria prior to its use as a food flavor. Such knowledge is expected to be the key for understanding the olfactory and taste properties of R. coriaria and its several food products.