Simultaneous extraction and separation of oil, proteins, and glucosinolates from Moringa oleifera seeds

Effects of Octacosanol Isolated from Moringa oleifera Leaves on Inhibiting the Activity of Pancreatic Lipase

Moringa oleifera Lam., a perennial species of the Moringaceae family, is esteemed for its multifaceted nutritional, medicinal, and economic properties. M. oleifera leaves are abundant in bioactive compounds with potential health benefits, yet existing structural and functional studies of these bioactives remain insufficiently comprehensive. This study aimed to isolate the active compound from M. oleifera leaves and investigate its mechanism of inhibiting lipid absorption and its potential as a pancreatic lipase inhibitor. In the present study, octacosanol (OCT) was isolated and purified from M. oleifera leaves, demonstrating notable pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity with an IC50 of 7.87 ± 0.72 μg/mL, and effectively suppressing lipid uptake in HepG2 cells. Simulated digestion assays indicated that OCT retained 73.5% of its pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity, with a recorded inhibition rate of 63.62%. Molecular docking analyses revealed that OCT binds to pancreatic lipase with an affinity comparable to orlistat and stronger than that of 4-nitrophenyl palmitate. The binding of OCT to key active sites (Ser152, His263, and Asp176) likely disrupts the enzyme's conformation, decreasing its substrate affinity. Additionally, OCT significantly attenuated lipid absorption and the synthesis of total cholesterol and triglycerides. This study elucidates the lipid-lowering mechanism of OCT and provides a theoretical foundation for its potential application in food production and biomedicine.

Nutritional Composition, Physicochemical Properties, Antioxidant Activity, and Sensory Quality of Matricaria chamomilla-Enriched Wheat Bread

This study evaluates the effects of fortifying bread with different concentrations (3%, 10%, and 30%) of Matricaria chamomilla L. (MC) infusion and powder, derived from the plant's aerial parts (stem, leaf, and flower). UPLC/MS-MS analysis of MC infusion and powder ethanolic extract confirmed the presence of polyphenolic compounds, including flavonoids, contributing to enhanced antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties. The physicochemical, antioxidant, and sensory properties of the enriched breads were assessed. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that breads enriched with 30% MC powder (BP-MC 30%) and infusion (BI-MC 30%) exhibited superior overall quality compared with other formulations. The enriched breads showed increased protein, fiber, and antioxidant content. Specifically, BI-MC 30% demonstrated superior antioxidant activity, while BP-MC 30% provided the highest fiber content. Sensory evaluation indicated that the enriched breads retained sensory properties similar to those of the control bread, despite the nutritional improvements. These findings suggest that incorporating Matricaria chamomilla, particularly at 30%, enhances the nutritional profile and antioxidant properties of bread while maintaining sensory characteristics close to those of traditional bread. This research highlights the potential of using chamomile's aerial parts in the valorization of plant-based by-products for functional bakery product development.

The Potential of Glucosinolates and Their Hydrolysis Products as Inhibitors of Cytokine Storms

A cytokine storm is an intense inflammatory response characterized by the overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines, resulting in tissue damage, and organ dysfunction. Cytokines play a crucial role in various conditions, such as coronavirus disease, in which the immune system becomes overactive and releases excessive levels of cytokines, including interleukins, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). This anomalous response often leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and multiple organ injury (MOI). Glucosinolates are plant secondary metabolites predominantly found in Brassica vegetables, but are also present in other species, such as Moringa Adens and Carica papaya L. When catalyzed by the enzyme myrosinase, glucosinolates produce valuable products, including sulforaphane, phenethyl isothiocyanate, 6-(methylsulfinyl) hexyl isothiocyanate, erucin, goitrin, and moringin. These hydrolyzed products regulate proinflammatory cytokine production by inhibiting the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cell (NF-κB) signaling pathway and stimulating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. This action can alleviate hyperinflammation in infected cells and modulate cytokine storms. In this review, we aimed to examine the potential role of glucosinolates in modulating cytokine storms and reducing inflammation in various conditions, such as coronavirus disease. Overall, we found that glucosinolates and their hydrolysis products can potentially attenuate cytokine production and the onset of cytokine storms in diseased cells. In summary, glucosinolates could be beneficial in regulating cytokine production and preventing complications related to cytokine storms.

The thermal degradation of glucomoringin and changes of phenolic compounds in moringa seed kernels during different degrees of roasting

The effect of heat treatment on the abundant bioactive compounds in moringa seed kernels (MSKs) during different degrees of roasting remains sparingly explored despite the flour of roasted MSKs has been incorporated into the human diet (e.g., cakes, cookies, and burgers) as a substitute to enrich the nutritional content. Therefore, we investigated the impacts of different roasting conditions (e.g., temperature and duration) on bioactive compounds (e.g., glucosinolates (GSLs), phenolic acids and alkaloids) and antioxidant capacity of MSKs. Our results showed that light and medium roasting increased the glucomoringin (GMG, the main GSL in MSKs) content from 43.7 (unroasted MSKs) to 69.7-127.3 μmol/g MSKs (dry weight), while excessive/dark roasting caused thermally-induced degradation of GMG (trace/undetectable level) in MSKs, resulting in the formation of various breakdown products (e.g., thiourea, nitrile, and amide). In addition, although roasting caused a significant reduction of some phenolic compounds (e.g., gallic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric acids, and trigonelline), other phenolic acids (e.g., caffeic and ferulic acids) and alkaloids (e.g., caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline) remarkably increased after roasting, which may contribute to the enhanced total phenolic content (up to 2.9-fold) and antioxidant capacity (up to 5.8-fold) of the roasted MSKs.

Enhancing feed fermentation in rice straw basal diets using leaf protein concentrate as a novel ruminant supplement derived from Indigofera zollingeriana

Background and Aim

Rice straw, a widely available agricultural byproduct globally, has significant potential as a basal diet for livestock. The major challenge lies in obtaining high-protein foliage that can be easily extracted using natural water rather than chemical solvents. This study aimed to assess the ability of distilled water to extract protein concentrate from Indigofera leaves (Indigofera zollingeriana Miq.) and to evaluate its effectiveness in enhancing rumen feed fermentation and digestibility in low-quality rice straw basal diets.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted in two experimental series. Experiment 1 was designed to explore the ability of distilled water to extract protein concentrate from fresh and dry Indigofera leaves by comparing it with the 0.1 N NaOH standard solvent. Experiment 2 focused on the in vitro digestibility of protein concentrates extracted from fresh Indigofera leaves based on optimal findings from experiment 1. Five treatments consisting of 0.5% and 1.0% protein concentrate and two extractants (distilled water and 0.1 N NaOH) were used to extract protein from Indigofera leaves. These extracts were then added to rice straw-based diets. Rice straw without supplements was used as a control. The treatments were arranged using a randomized complete design with five replicates.

Results

The results of experiment 1 showed that distilled water was superior to 0.1 N NaOH for extracting protein concentrate from fresh Indigofera leaves, as revealed by higher dry matter, protein yield, total amino acids (AA), and total essential AA (EAA) production. For in vitro experiment 2, supplementation with distilled water-extracted protein concentrates successfully increased rumen fermentation and digestibility in rice straw basal diets, as indicated by higher gas production, total volatile fatty acid, and microbial protein levels compared with 0.1 N NaOH.

Conclusion

Findings from this study confirm that Indigofera leaf protein concentrate offers a new alternative for enhancing rumen feed fermentation and the digestibility of low-quality rice straw diets. This study implies that it is an easy, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly approach, particularly beneficial for smallholders, to extract protein concentrate from fresh Indigofera leaves using distilled water and use it to enhance the quality of rice straw for ruminant feed. The limitation of this study is that the Indigofera supplement was established using in vitro digestibility under controlled laboratory conditions, which does not reflect real rumen conditions. Therefore, further studies using in vivo digestibility in ruminant animals are required to confirm the ability of the protein extracted from indigofera to enhance rumen feed fermentation in low-protein basal diets.

Ultrasonication-Assisted Green Synthesis and Physicochemical and Cytotoxic Activity Characterization of Protein-Based Nanoparticles from Moringa oleifera Seeds

Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) is globally recognized for its medicinal properties and offers high-quality, protein-rich seeds. This study aimed to explore the potential of M. oleifera seeds as a significant source of protein-based nanoparticles (PBNPs) using the ultrasonication technique after desolvation and to evaluate their cytotoxicity in the human leukemia cell line (THP-1) for the first time. The properties of the PBNPs were confirmed by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The extracted protein from moringa seed cake flour had a significant protein content of 54.20%, and the resulting PBNPs had an average size of 134.3 ± 0.47 nm with a robust zeta potential of -43.15 mV. Notably, our study revealed that PBNPs exhibited cytotoxic potential at high concentrations, especially against the THP-1 human leukemia cell line, which is widely used to study immunomodulatory properties. The inhibitory effect of PBNPs was quantitatively evidenced by a cytotoxicity assay, which showed that a concentration of 206.5 μg mL-1 (log conc. 2.315) was required to inhibit 50% of biological activity. In conclusion, our findings highlight the potential of M. oleifera seeds as a valuable resource in the innovative field of eco-friendly PBNPs by combining traditional medicinal applications with contemporary advancements in protein nanotechnology. However, further studies are required to ensure their biocompatibility.

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles via Moringa oleifera seed extract: antioxidant, antibacterial and anticarcinogenic activity on lung cancer

Plant-mediated biosynthesis of nanoparticles is a green method that allows synthesis in one-pot process. Synthesis of gold nanoparticles with plant extracts has gained interest in the field of biomedicine due to its variety of applications. This study presents the synthesis via green chemistry of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the methanol extract of Moringa oleifera seeds. The AuNPs were synthesized at room temperature. UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed the formation of AuNPs by identifying the surface plasmon resonance located at 546 nm. TEM analysis shows spherical nanoparticles. FTIR analysis demonstrated the presence of specific bioactive molecules responsible for the Au3+ ion reduction process. The antioxidant activity of the nanoparticles was evaluated on the stabilization of the DPPH radical (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) hydrazyl). The antimicrobial activity analysis was developed by broth microdilution method at different concentrations against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Minimum inhibitory concentration were 400 µg/mL and 200 µg/mL, respectively. A549 lung cancer cell proliferation was measured according to the MTT protocol, indicating a dose-dependent response and a IC50 of 163.9 ± 13.27 µg/mL. The AuNPs synthesized using M. oleifera seeds showed promise as active materials for antimicrobial or anticancer products.

Protein Hydrolysate from Underutilized Legumes: Unleashing the Potential for Future Functional Foods

Proteins play a vital role in human development, growth, and overall health. Traditionally, animal-derived proteins were considered the primary source of dietary protein. However, in recent years, there has been a remarkable shift in dietary consumption patterns, with a growing preference for plant-based protein sources. This shift has resulted in a significant increase in the production of plant proteins in the food sector. Consequently, there has been a surge in research exploring various plant sources, particularly wild, and underutilized legumes such as Canavalia, Psophocarpus, Cajanus, Lablab, Phaseolus, and Vigna, due to their exceptional nutraceutical value. This review presents the latest insights into innovative approaches used to extract proteins from underutilized legumes. Furthermore, it highlights the purification of protein hydrolysate using Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography. This review also covers the characterization of purified peptides, including their molecular weight, amino acid composition, and the creation of three-dimensional models based on amino acid sequences. The potential of underutilized legume protein hydrolysates as functional ingredients in the food industry is a key focus of this review. By incorporating these protein sources into food production, we can foster sustainable and healthy practices while minimizing environmental impact. The investigation of underutilized legumes offers exciting possibilities for future research and development in this area, further enhancing the utilization of plant-based protein sources.

The Research Progress of Bioactive Peptides Derived from Traditional Natural Products in China

Traditional natural products in China have a long history and a vast pharmacological repertoire that has garnered significant attention due to their safety and efficacy in disease prevention and treatment. Among the bioactive components of traditional natural products in China, bioactive peptides (BPs) are specific protein fragments that have beneficial effects on human health. Despite many of the traditional natural products in China ingredients being rich in protein, BPs have not received sufficient attention as a critical factor influencing overall therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the current methodologies for the preparation, isolation, and identification of BPs from traditional natural products in China and to classify the functions of discovered BPs. Insights from this review are expected to facilitate the development of targeted drugs and functional foods derived from traditional natural products in China in the future.

Determination of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in glucosinolate-rich vegetables and oilseeds using infrared spectroscopy: A systematic review

Cruciferous vegetables and oilseeds are rich in glucosinolates that can transform into isothiocyanates upon enzymic hydrolysis during post-harvest handling, food preparation and/or digestion. Vegetables contain glucosinolates that have beneficial bioactivities, while glucosinolates in oilseeds might have anti-nutritional properties. It is therefore important to monitor and assess glucosinolates and isothiocyanates content through the food value chain as well as for optimized crop production. Vibrational spectroscopy methods, such as infrared (IR) spectroscopy, are used as a nondestructive, rapid and low-cost alternative to the current and common costly, destructive, and time-consuming techniques. This systematic review discusses and evaluates the recent literature available on the use of IR spectroscopy to determine glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in vegetables and oilseeds. NIR spectroscopy was used to predict glucosinolates in broccoli, kale, rocket, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, brown mustard, rapeseed, pennycress, and a combination of Brassicaceae family seeds. Only one study reported the use of NIR spectroscopy to predict broccoli isothiocyanates. The major limitations of these studies were the absence of the critical evaluation of errors associated with the reference method used to develop the calibration models and the lack of interpretation of loadings or regression coefficients used to predict glucosinolates.

Antiviral perspectives of economically important Indian medicinal plants and spices

Human respiratory diseases caused by viral infections leads to morbidity. Among infectious diseases, viral infections associated with the respiratory tract remain the primary reason for global deaths due to their transmissibility. Since immemorial, traditional Indian medicinal plants, their extracts, and several phytochemicals can treat various diseases. Sources for this review paper are data derived from a peer-reviewed journal that emphasizes the economic importance of medicinal plants. Several plant-based medicines have been reported to be effective against multiple viral infections, including the Human Adenovirus, Enterovirus, Influenza virus, Hepatitis virus, etc. This review emphasizes use of the Indian medicinal plants like as Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha, Winter Cherry), Moringa oleifera (Drumstick), Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Curcuma longa (Turmeric), Terminalia chebula (Chebulic Myrobalan), Punica granatum (Pomegranate) and the Indian household spices (ginger, garlic and black pepper). It further describes their secondary phytoconstituents extraction procedure, mode of action and the potential application to improve clinical outcomes of neutraceuticals against various viral infections.

Ultrasound-assisted processing: Science, technology and challenges for the plant-based protein industry

The present-day consumer is not only conscious of the relationship between food consumption and positive health, but also keen on environmental sustainability. Thus, the demand for plant-based proteins, which are associated with nutrition and environmental sustainability. However, the plant-based protein industry still demands urgent innovation due to the low yield and long extraction time linked with traditional extraction methods. Although ultrasound is an eco-innovative technique, there exist limited data regarding its impact with plant-based protein. In this paper, the scientific principles of ultrasonication with regards to its application in plant-based protein research were reviewed. After comparing the cavitational and shearing impacts of different ultrasonic parameters, the paper further reviewed its effects on extracted protein characteristics and techno-functional properties. Additionally, current technological challenges and future perspectives of ultrasonication for the plant-based protein industry were also discussed. In summary, this review does not only present the novelty and environmental sustainability of ultrasound as a plant-based protein assisted-extraction method, but also highlights on the correlation between protein source, structure and subsequent functional properties which are important crucial factors for maximum application of ultrasound in the growing plant-based protein market.

A Review on the Extraction and Processing of Natural Source-Derived Proteins through Eco-Innovative Approaches

In addition to their nutritional and physiological role, proteins are recognized as the major compounds responsible for the rheological properties of food products and their stability during manufacture and storage. Furthermore, proteins have been shown to be source of bioactive peptides able to exert beneficial effects on human health. In recent years, scholarly interest has focused on the incorporation of high-quality proteins into the diet. This fact, together with the new trends of consumers directed to avoid the intake of animal proteins, has boosted the search for novel and sustainable protein sources and the development of suitable, cost-affordable, and environmentally friendly technologies to extract high concentrations of valuable proteins incorporated into food products and supplements. In this review, current data on emergent and promising methodologies applied for the extraction of proteins from natural sources are summarized. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of these novel methods, compared with conventional methods, are detailed. Additionally, this work describes the combination of these technologies with the enzymatic hydrolysis of extracted proteins as a powerful strategy for releasing bioactive peptides.

Rapid screening and characterization of glucosinolates in 25 Brassicaceae tissues by UHPLC-Q-exactive orbitrap-MS

Glucosinolates (GSLs) are secondary plant metabolites that occur mainly in the Brassicaceae plants, which are desirable compounds in human foods due to their diverse biological activities. In this study, we developed an integrated data filtering and identification strategy to characterize the GSLs. An in-depth GSLs profiling was performed on 25 commonly Brassicaceae tissues in Jinan, China. By comparison with the reference standards and previous researches, we tentatively identified 47 GSLs including 8 unknown ones. The GSLs profiles of 25 Brassicaceae tissues were established, and 11 markers of GSLs could be used to distinguish the Brassica and Raphanus. This approach enables accurately characterization the GSLs of Brassicaceae tissues, and demonstrates the potential of GSLs profiles for Brassicaceae species discrimination.

Role of Plant-Derived Natural Compounds in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis: A Review of the Treatment Potential and Development Strategy

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that is mainly mediated by pathological T-cells. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a well-known animal model of MS that is used to study the underlying mechanism and offers a theoretical basis for developing a novel therapy for MS. Good therapeutic effects have been observed after the administration of natural compounds and their derivatives as treatments for EAE. However, there has been a severe lag in the research and development of drug mechanisms related to MS. This review examines natural products that have the potential to effectively treat MS. The relevant data were consulted in order to elucidate the regulated mechanisms acting upon EAE by the flavonoids, glycosides, and triterpenoids derived from natural products. In addition, novel technologies such as network pharmacology, molecular docking, and high-throughput screening have been gradually applied in natural product development. The information provided herein can help improve targeting and timeliness for determining the specific mechanisms involved in natural medicine treatment and lay a foundation for further study.

Potential of Germination in Selected Conditions to Improve the Nutritional and Bioactive Properties of Moringa (Moringa oleifera L.)

Moringa oleifera L. is greatly appreciated for its high content of phytochemicals. Although most parts of moringa tree have been widely studied, seeds remained scarcely explored. The first goal of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of germination to improve the nutritional composition (proximate composition and levels of vitamins B1 and B2), content of bioactive compounds (glucosinolates, phenolics and γ-aminobutyric acid, GABA) and antioxidant activity of moringa seed. Germination improved protein, fat, fiber, riboflavin, phenolics, some individual glucosinolates (GLS) and GABA contents, as well as the antioxidant potential in moringa sprouts, but the extent of the improvement depended on germination conditions. The second objective of this work was to identify the optimal germination conditions to maximize nutritional and bioactive quality of moringa by applying multi-response optimization (response surface methodology, RSM). RSM models indicated that 28 °C and 24 h were the optimal conditions to enhance the accumulation of riboflavin, phenolics and antioxidant activity of sprouts, while the highest GABA and total GLS contents were observed at 36 °C for 96 h and thiamine achieved the maximum content at 36 °C for 24 h. These results show that moringa sprouts are promising functional foods that might be also used as ingredients for the elaboration of novel foodstuffs.

Glucosinolates: Natural Occurrence, Biosynthesis, Accessibility, Isolation, Structures, and Biological Activities

Glucosinolates (GSLs) are secondary plant metabolites abundantly found in plant order Brassicales. GSLs are constituted by an S-β-d-glucopyrano unit anomerically connected to O-sulfated (Z)-thiohydroximate moiety. The side-chain of the O-sulfate thiohydroximate moiety, which is derived from a different amino acid, contributes to the diversity of natural GSL, with more than 130 structures identified and validated to this day. Both the structural diversity of GSL and their biological implication in plants have been biochemically studied. Although chemical syntheses of GSL have been devised to give access to these secondary metabolites, direct extraction from biomass remains the conventional method to isolate natural GSL. While intact GSLs are biologically inactive, various products, including isothiocyanates, nitriles, epithionitriles, and cyanides obtained through their hydrolysis of GSLs, exhibit many different biological activities, among which several therapeutic benefits have been suggested. This article reviews natural occurrence, accessibility via chemical, synthetic biochemical pathways of GSL, and the current methodology of extraction, purification, and characterization. Structural information, including the most recent classification of GSL, and their stability and storage conditions will also be discussed. The biological perspective will also be explored to demonstrate the importance of these prominent metabolites.

Adsorptive Removal of Antibiotic Ciprofloxacin from Aqueous Solution Using Protein-Modified Nanosilica

The present study aims to investigate adsorptive removal of molecular ciprofloxacin using protein-modified nanosilica (ProMNS). Protein was successfully extracted from Moringa seeds while nanosilica was synthesized from rice husk. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to evaluate the characterization of protein. Adsorption of protein onto nanosilica at different pH and ionic strength was thoroughly studied to modify nanosilica surface. The removal efficiency of antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CFX) increased from 56.84% to 89.86% after surface modification with protein. Effective conditions for CFX removal using ProMNS were systematically optimized and found to be pH 7.0, adsorption time 90 min, adsorbent dosage 10 mg/mL, and ionic strength 1 mM KCl. A two-step model was successfully used to fit the adsorption isotherms of CFX onto ProMNS at different ionic strength while a pseudo-second-order model could fit adsorption kinetic of CFX onto ProMNS very well. Maximum adsorption capacity was very high that reached to 85 mg/g. Adsorption of CFX onto ProMNS decreased with increasing KCl concentration, suggesting that adsorption of CFX onto ProMNS is mainly controlled by electrostatic attraction between positively charged ProMNS surface and anionic species of CFX. Adsorption mechanisms of CFX onto ProMNS were discussed in detail based on adsorption isotherms, the change in surface charge by zeta potentail and the change in functional groups by FT-IR. The removal of CFX after three regenerations was greater than 73% while CFX removal from an actual hospital wastewater using ProMNS reached to 70%. Our results suggest that ProMNS is a new and eco-friendly adsorbent to remove antibiotics from aqueous solutions.