The cellular antioxidant and anti-glycation capacities of phenolics from Georgia peaches

Antioxidant Activities of Dihydromyricetin Derivatives with Different Acyl Donor Chain Lengths Synthetized by Lipozyme TL IM

Dihydromyricetin (DHM) is a phytochemical with multiple bioactivities. However, its poor liposolubility limits its application in the field. In this study, DHM was acylated with different fatty acid vinyl esters to improve its lipophilicity, and five DHM acylated derivatives with different carbon chain lengths (C2-DHM, C4-DHM, C6-DHM, C8-DHM, and C12-DHM) and different lipophilicity were synthesized. The relationship between the lipophilicity and antioxidant activities of DHM and its derivatives was evaluated with oil and emulsion models using chemical and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) tests. The capacity of DHM derivatives to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical (ABTS+•) was similar to that of DHM, except for C12-DHM. The antioxidant activity of DHM derivatives was lower than that of DHM in sunflower oil, while C4-DHM exhibited better antioxidant capacity in oil-in-water emulsion. In CAA tests, C8-DHM (median effective dose (EC₅₀) 35.14 μmol/L) exhibited better antioxidant activity than that of DHM (EC₅₀: 226.26 μmol/L). The results showed that in different antioxidant models, DHM derivatives with different lipophilicity had various antioxidant activities, which has guiding significance for the use of DHM and its derivatives.

Effect of Cyberlindnera jadinii supplementation on growth performance, serum immunity, antioxidant status, and intestinal health in winter fur-growing raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides)

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Cyberlindnera jadinii supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, serum biochemistry, immunity, antioxidant status, and intestinal microbiota of raccoon dogs during the winter fur-growing period.

Methods

Forty-five 135 (±5) day-old male raccoon dogs were randomly assigned to three dietary groups supplemented with 0 (group N), 1 × 10⁹ (group L) and 5 × 10⁹ CFU/g (group H) Cyberlindnera jadinii, with 15 raccoon dogs per group.

Results

The results showed that Cyberlindnera jadinii in groups L and H improved average daily gain (ADG) and decreased feed-to-weight ratio (F/G) (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found in nutrient digestibility and nitrogen metabolism among the three groups (P > 0.05). Compared with group N, serum glucose levels were lower in groups L and H (P < 0.05). The levels of serum immunoglobulins A and G in group L were higher than those in the other two groups (P < 0.05), and the levels of serum immunoglobulins A and M in group H were higher than those in group N (P < 0.05). Supplementation with Cyberlindnera jadinii in groups L and H increased serum superoxide dismutase activity, and the total antioxidant capacity in group H increased compared with group N (P < 0.05). The phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were dominant in raccoon dogs. The results of principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that the composition of microbiota in the three groups changed significantly (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Campylobacterota was increased in the H group compared to the N and L groups (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Sarcina was increased in group L compared with the other two groups (P < 0.05), while the relative abundance of Subdoligranulum and Blautia were decreased in group H compared with the other two groups (P < 0.05). Also, the relative abundance of Prevotella, Sutterella and Catenibacterium was higher in group L (P < 0.05) compared with group H.

Discussion

In conclusion, dietary supplementation with Cyberlindnera jadinii improved growth performance, antioxidant activity, immune status, and improved intestinal microbiota in winter fur-growing raccoon dogs. Among the concentrations tested, 1 × 10⁹ CFU/g was the most effective level of supplementation.

The Traditional Mongolian Medicine Qiqirigan-8 Effects on Lipid Metabolism and Inflammation in Obesity: Pharmacodynamic Evaluation and Relevant Metabolites

Objective: Traditional Mongolian Medicine Qiqirigan-8 (MMQ-8) is a Chinese botanical drug with effective pharmacological properties in obesity. However, the pharmacological mechanism of MMQ-8 remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the active metabolites of MMQ-8 and its therapeutic effects on lipid metabolism and inflammation.

Methods: The active metabolites of MMQ-8 were identified by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatograph Q extractive mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE-MS) assay and network analysis. An obesity rat model induced by high-fat diet was used in the study. Serum levels of lipids and inflammatory factors were detected using biochemical analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pathological analysis of liver tissues and arteries was conducted with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry. Protein expression of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway was investigated by Western-blot. Simultaneously, bone marrow cells were used for RNA sequencing and relevant results were validated by cell culture and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Results: We identified 69 active metabolites and 551 target genes of MMQ-8. Of these, there are 65 active metabolites and 225 target genes closely related to obesity and inflammation. In vivo, we observed that MMQ-8 had general decreasing effects on body weight, white adipose tissue weight, and serum lipids. MMQ-8 treatment notably decreased the liver function markers and hepatic steatosis, and significantly decreased inflammation. In serum, it notably decreased TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (INOS), while elevating IL-10 levels. MMQ-8 treatment also significantly inhibited proteins phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B inhibitor alpha (IκBα), mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38), extracellular regulated kinase 1/2(ERK1/2), and stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK), and decreased vascular endothelium damage and macrophage infiltration and polarization to M1. These findings coincide with the RNA-sequencing data of bone marrow cells and results of in vitro experiments.

Conclusion: We determined the pharmacological actions and relevant metabolites of MMQ-8 in obesity for the first time. Our study revealed MMQ-8 can optimize lipid metabolism and reduce chronic inflammation in obesity. However, more in-depth research is needed, for example, to understand the principle of compound compatibility and the inhibition effects on hepatic steatosis, T cell differentiation, and inflammatory signal transduction.

Microwave-Assisted Extraction Coupled to HPLC-UV Combined with Chemometrics for the Determination of Bioactive Compounds in Pistachio Nuts and the Guarantee of Quality and Authenticity

Two novel microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) methods were developed for the isolation of phenols and tocopherols from pistachio nuts. The extracts were analyzed by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with a UV detector (RP-HPLC-UV). In total, eighteen pistachio samples, originating from Greece and Turkey, were analyzed and thirteen phenolic compounds, as well as α-tocopherol, (β + γ)-tocopherol, and δ-tocopherol, were identified. The analytical methods were validated and presented good linearity (r² > 0.990) and a high recovery rate over the range of 82.4 to 95.3% for phenols, and 93.1 to 96.4% for tocopherols. Repeatablility was calculated over the range 1.8–5.8%RSD for intra-day experiments, and reproducibility over the range 3.2–9.4%RSD for inter-day experiments, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to analyze the differences between the concentrations of the bioactive compounds with respect to geographical origin, while agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) was used to cluster the samples based on their similarity and according to the geographical origin.

Antiglycoxidative Properties of Extracts and Fractions from Reynoutria Rhizomes

Hyperglycemia, when sustained over a long time in diabetes mellitus (DM), leads to biochemical and cellular abnormalities, primarily through the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). In the treatment of diabetes, beside blood-sugar-lowering medications, a consumption of herbal products that can inhibit the AGEs’ formation is recommended. This study investigated the in vitro antiglycoxidative potential of extracts and fractions from the rhizomes of Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian knotweeds (Reynoutria japonica (Houtt.), R. sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Nakai, and R.× bohemica Chrtek et Chrtkova). Their effects on glycooxidation of bovine and human serum albumin were evaluated by incubation of the proteins with a mixture of glucose and fructose (0.5 M) and 150 µg/mL of extract for 28 days at 37 °C, followed by measuring early and late glycation products, albumin oxidation (carbonyl and free thiol groups), and amyloid-β aggregation (thioflavin T and Congo red assays). The highest antiglycoxidative activity, comparable or stronger than the reference drug (aminoguanidine), was observed for ethyl acetate and diethyl ether fractions, enriched in polyphenols (stilbenes, phenylpropanoid disaccharide esters, and free and oligomeric flavan-3-ols). In conclusion, the antiglycoxidative compounds from these three species should be further studied for potential use in the prevention and complementary treatment of DM.

Antidiabetic potential of dietary polyphenols: A mechanistic review

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that has caused enormous harm to the public health worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the potential of phenolic compounds on diabetes management, addressing their mechanisms of action, in addition to discussing the digestion, absorption, metabolism, bioavailability, and toxic effects of these compounds. The intake of phenolic compounds can play a fundamental role on diabetes management, since they can reduce blood glucose levels, oxidative stress, protein glycation, inhibit the activity of dipeptidyl peptidase - IV and other key enzymes related to carbohydrate metabolism, activate various biochemical pathways to improve pancreatic β-cell functions, increase insulin secretion, and improve insulin resistance. In this way, they can be considered a potential strategy in the development of pharmaceutical approaches that aim to reduce complications resulting from the progression of this metabolic pathology.

Antioxidant activities of chlorogenic acid derivatives with different acyl donor chain lengths and their stabilities during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion

In this study, chlorogenic acid (CA) was acylated with vinyl esters of different carbon chain lengths under the action of the lipase Lipozyme RM. Five CA derivatives (C2-CA, C4-CA, C6-CA, C8-CA, and C12-CA) with different lipophilicities were obtained, and their digestive stabilities and antioxidant activities were evaluated. The lipophilicities were positively correlated with the digestive stabilities of CA derivatives. The antioxidant activities of CA derivatives did not change with the reduction of phenolic hydroxyl groups, and their capacity to scavenge 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+•) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) were similar to those of CA. In cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) tests, it was found that the capacity of these derivates to cross cell membranes were enhanced upon enhancing lipophilicity, and their antioxidant activities were improved. C12-CA showed the best antioxidant activity with a median effective dose (EC50) of 9.40 μg/mL, which was significantly lower than that of CA (i.e., 29.08 μg/mL).

Role of Carbon Monoxide in Host-Gut Microbiome Communication

Nature is full of examples of symbiotic relationships. The critical symbiotic relation between host and mutualistic bacteria is attracting increasing attention to the degree that the gut microbiome is proposed by some as a new organ system. The microbiome exerts its systemic effect through a diverse range of metabolites, which include gaseous molecules such as H₂, CO₂, NH₃, CH₄, NO, H₂S, and CO. In turn, the human host can influence the microbiome through these gaseous molecules as well in a reciprocal manner. Among these gaseous molecules, NO, H₂S, and CO occupy a special place because of their widely known physiological functions in the host and their overlap and similarity in both targets and functions. The roles that NO and H₂S play have been extensively examined by others. Herein, the roles of CO in host-gut microbiome communication are examined through a discussion of (1) host production and function of CO, (2) available CO donors as research tools, (3) CO production from diet and bacterial sources, (4) effect of CO on bacteria including CO sensing, and (5) gut microbiome production of CO. There is a large amount of literature suggesting the "messenger" role of CO in host-gut microbiome communication. However, much more work is needed to begin achieving a systematic understanding of this issue.

A comparative UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabolomics approach for distinguishing peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) fruit cultivars with varying antioxidant activity

Peaches (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) are nutritionally and economically important and they are one of the most popular fruits consumed worldwide. Understanding metabolite-caused bioactivity differences among cultivars is essential for designing a peach with enhanced nutritional traits. In this study, we report an untargeted UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabolomics approach for comprehensively discriminating between peaches with different antioxidant activities. Mature fruit from 40 peach cultivars were distinguished using principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis. Seventeen differential metabolites were tentatively identified between peach cultivars with high and low antioxidant potency composite indices, and eight metabolites, including procyanidin C1, procyanidin trimer isomer 1, procyanidin trimer isomer 2, procyanidin B1, procyanidin B2, procyanidin B3, prunus inhibitor b, and phloridzin, were identified as marker compounds responsible for the discrimination of the cultivars base on potential antioxidant activity. Our study highlights the essence and predictive power of metabolomics for detecting small differences and for identifying potential marker metabolites based on their levels and composition in plants exhibiting varying bioactivities. Overall, the variations in the metabolites in peach pulp reflected the diversity in the peach germplasm, and these eight compounds are good candidate markers for future genetic breeding of peach fruit with enhanced antioxidant activity.