Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth herbal tea: Effect of fermentation and drying methods on the consumer acceptance, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities

Histological Assessment of the Anti-Inflammatory Effectiveness of Peperomia pellucida Extract Administered to the Gingival Sulcus in Rats Induced with Periodontitis

This study aims to assess the impact of Peperomia pellucida extract on periodontitis in rats, using the Papillary Bleeding Index (PBI), gingival index (GI), and histological evaluation of key inflammatory cells such as osteoclasts, osteoblasts, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), macrophages, and fibroblasts to explore its potential in reducing inflammation and preserving periodontal tissue.The extract was prepared using the reflux method with 96% ethanol as a solvent, followed by phytochemical screening and antibacterial testing via the disk diffusion method. This in vivo study utilized a posttest control group experiment with 24 Wistar rats, divided into four groups: nonperiodontitis, no-treatment, chlorhexidine-treated (CHX), and extract-treated groups, with the latter three groups induced with periodontitis. Induction was performed using a 0.3-mm ligature wire and plaque from periodontitis patients, along with nicotine administration (0.001 mg/L) for 7 days. The extract group received a topical application of 2.5 µL of P. pellucida leaf extract, while the CHX group was administered 0.05 mL of CHX daily for 1 week. Observations of GI and PBI were made on days 0, 3, 5, and 7. Histological changes were assessed on day 7 by evaluating the cell counts of osteoclasts, osteoblasts, fibroblasts, macrophages, and PMNs.Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis with Mann-Whitney post hoc tests for pairwise comparisons.Phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of alkaloids, polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, quinones, monoterpenoids, and sesquiterpenoids in P. pellucida extract. The extract demonstrated antibacterial activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis, a key pathogen in periodontitis. Clinical and histological assessments showed significant improvements in the extract-treated group, with outcomes comparable to the CHX-treated group after 7 days.Based on these findings, P. pellucida (L.) Kunth extract contains phytochemicals and exhibits antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, as demonstrated by clinical and histological parameters in rats induced with periodontitis.

Effect of Drying Temperature on Sensory Quality, Flavor Components, and Bioactivity of Lichuan Black Tea Processed by Echa No. 10

Lichuan black tea (LBT) is a well-known congou black tea in China, but there is relatively little research on its processing technology. Echa No. 10 is the main tea tree variety for producing LBT. This study investigated the sensory quality, flavor components, and bioactivity of Echa No. 10 Lichuan black tea (LBT) at different drying temperatures (70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, and 130 °C). During 80-120 °C, increasing the drying temperature enabled a higher sweet aroma concentration and enhanced the sweetness in the taste, in contrast to reducing the floral, fruity, and sweet aromas, and increasing the bitterness and astringency, at >120 °C. Additionally, with an increasing drying temperature, the contents of tea polyphenols and total catechins significantly decreased, with the theaflavins decreasing first and then increasing, and the alcohols, aldehydes, esters, and hydrocarbons increasing first and then decreasing. Meanwhile, compounds (including linalool, (Z)-linalool oxide (furanoid), (E)-linalool oxide (furanoid), cis-β-Ocimene, and methyl salicylate) contribute more to the floral and fruity aromas at <110 °C. Furthermore, low-temperature drying favors the antioxidant and inhibitory effects of the α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and glucose absorption activity. Both the tea quality and bioactivity results revealed 80-110 °C as the optimal drying temperature range for LBT.

Cardioprotective Effect of Peperomia pellucida against Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Wistar Rats via Modulation of Electrocardiographic and Cardiac Biomarkers

Objectives

This study assessed the electrocardiographic pattern and cardiac inflammatory response of doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury in Wistar rats treated with Peperomia pellucida ethanol extract.

Methods

Female Wistar rats (190-200 g) were assigned into five groups of seven rats each. The Group 1 (Control group) was given rat chow and drinking water while the Group 2 (doxorubicin group) received intraperitoneal administration of doxorubicin (2 mg/kg) once weekly for three weeks. The Group 3 (Peperomia pellucida group) received 200 mg/kg of ethanolic extract of Peperomia pellucida daily. Group 4 (Doxorubicin + P. pellucida group) received doxorubicin in addition to Peperomia pellucida. Group 5 (Captopril (50 mg/kg) was administered to another group in addition to P. pellucida while the doxorubicin + captopril group was administered captopril in addition to doxorubicin. Electrical recording and cardiac markers were evaluated.

Results

The results revealed a significant (p < 0.01) elevation of T-wave and altered electrocardiographic parameters in the doxorubicin group than the control, P. pellucida, and other experimental groups. The heart rate, cardiac troponin level, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, angiotensin-converting enzyme activities, and inflammatory biomarkers were significantly (p < 0.01) higher while nitric oxide level was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the doxorubicin-only group compared to the control. Cardiac cell hypertrophy and inflammatory cell infiltration were observed due to doxorubicin administration. Treatment with P. pellucida extract and captopril reversed these trends and improved the antioxidants and inflammatory activities.

Conclusion

Peperomia pellucida extract improves electrocardiographic pattern, has cardioprotective ability, and prevents doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury probably due to its phytochemical constituents and anti-inflammatory properties.

Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth suppresses glycation-induced inflammatory response in human retinal pigment epithelial cell line ARPE-19 via JAK-STAT3 signaling

The formation of advanced glycation end product (AGE) is a risk factor for diabetic retinopathy. Since the current treatment for diabetic retinopathy is accompanied by side effects, preliminary findings have suggested Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth as a potential alternative therapeutic option for diabetic retinopathy. This study aimed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of P. pellucida in the AGE-stimulated human retinal pigment epithelial cell line ARPE-19. Phytochemical analysis revealed phenylpronanoids, terpenes, and fatty acids in P. pellucida. Through in vitro cell viability assay, the P. pellucida methanolic extract (IC50 = 8.70 mg/mL) and ethyl acetate fraction (IC50 = 7.34 mg/mL) were considered as non toxic for ARPE-19. AGE induced an inflammatory response in ARPE-19 by upregulating the gene (2.4-5.8-fold) and protein (1.4-2.3-fold) expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, matrix metalloproteinase 2, and vascular endothelial growth factor. At 1.5 mg/mL, P. pellucida methanolic extract suppressed IL-8 expression (p < 0.05), implying its anti-inflammatory action at the early inflammatory stage through the Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT3 pathway. The methanolic extract also restored the ARPE-19 viability under AGE-induced inflammatory stress. The downregulation of inflammatory biomarkers along the JAK-STAT3 pathway suggested P. pellucida as a promising anti-inflammatory source for diabetic retinopathy.

Formation of phenazines, phenoxazines, and benzoxazoles in the browning reactions of o-quinones

Quinone-induced browning is widely produced in foods and is mostly considered a consequence of quinone/nucleophile reactions. However, even in the absence of amino acids or proteins, o-quinones develop browning. In an attempt to better understand the reaction pathways involved in this browning development, this study describes the reactions of 4-methyl-1,2-benzoquinone with alcohols, ammonia, and short chain aldehydes. These reaction mixtures developed browning at 37 °C and the main produced compounds were isolated by semipreparative HPLC and characterized by NMR and MS as phenazines, phenoxazines, and benzoxazoles. A reaction pathway that explains the formation of all these compounds is proposed. The formation of phenazines is responsible, at least partially, for the produced browning, and the formation of benzoxazoles inhibits such browning. Browning development seems to be a consequence of a competition among the reactions of formation of phenazines, phenoxazines, and benzoxazoles, which appear to be produced from a single intermediate.

Enhancement of anti-diabetic activity of pomelo peel by the fermentation of Aspergillus oryzae CGMCC23295: In vitro and in silico docking studies

In this work, pomelo peel was fermented by Aspergillus oryzae CGMCC23295 to enhance its anti-diabetic properties. Results showed the total phenolic and flavonoids contents, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), scavenging capacities against 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radicals, as well as inhibitory abilities against α-amylase and α-glucosidase of pomelo peel were increased and fermentation for 8 days was the best. Additionally, the fermented sample could also enhance the glucose consumption and glycogen of HepG2 cell. Based on UPLC-MS/MS analysis, binding energy calculation, concentration determination and IC50 measurement, purpurin, apigenin, genistein, and paxilline could be concluded to be the main compounds to enhance the inhibition activities of fermented sample against α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Furthermore, computational studies were performed to reveal the the binding site and molecular interactions between paxilline and α-amylase, as well as purpurin and α-glucosidase. These findings provide a base for the utilization and valorization of pomelo peels as functional food additives by fermentation.

Influence of Five Drying Methods on Active Compound Contents and Bioactivities of Fresh Flowers from Syringa pubescens Turcz

The flower of Syringa pubescens Turcz. is used in Chinese folk medicine and also as a flower tea for healthcare. The effects of five drying methods on the active compound contents, the antioxidant abilities, anti-inflammatory properties and enzyme inhibitory activities were evaluated. The plant materials were treated using shade-drying, microwave-drying, sun-drying, infrared-drying and oven-drying. The seven active compounds were simultaneously determined using an HPLC method. Furthermore, the chemical profile was assessed using scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The antioxidant capacities and protective effects on L02 cells induced with hydrogen peroxide were measured. The anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells were investigated. The enzyme inhibitory activities were determined against α-amylase, α-glucosidase cholinesterases and tyrosinase. The results indicated that drying methods had significant influences on the active compound contents and biological properties. Compared with other samples, the OD samples possessed low IC50 values with 0.118 ± 0.004 mg/mL for DPPH radical, 1.538 ± 0.0972 for hydroxyl radical and 0.886 ± 0.199 mg/mL for superoxide radical, while the SHD samples had stronger reducing power compared with other samples. The SHD samples could be effective against H2O2-induced injury on L02 cells by the promoting of T-AOC, GSH-PX, SOD and CAT activities and the reducing of MDA content compared with other samples. Furthermore, SPF samples, especially the SHD sample, could evidently ameliorate inflammation through the inhibition of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α expression. All the studied SPF samples exhibited evidently inhibitory effects on the four enzymes. The IC50 values of inhibitory activity on α-glucosidase and α-amylase from SHD sample were 2.516 ± 0.024 and 0.734 ± 0.034 mg/mL, respectively. SD samples had potential inhibitory effects on cholinesterases and tyrosinase with IC50 values of 3.443 ± 0.060 and 1.732 ± 0.058 mg/mL. In consideration of active compound contents and biological activities, it was recommended that SHD and SD be applied for drying SPF at an industrial scale.

Aroma Difference Analysis of Partridge Tea (Mallotus oblongifolius) with Different Drying Treatments Based on HS-SPME-GC-MS Technique

Partridge tea has high medicinal value due to its rich content of terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, and other related bioactive components. In order to study the best drying method for partridge tea, four treatments, including outdoor sun drying (OD), indoor shade drying (ID), hot-air drying (HAD), and low-temperature freeze-drying (LTD), were performed. The results showed that the OD and HAD treatments favored the retention of the red color of their products, while the ID and LTD treatments were more favorable for the retention of the green color. The HS-SPME-GC-MS results showed that a total of 82 compounds were identified in the four drying treatments of partridge tea, and the most abundant compounds were terpenoids (88.34-89.92%). The HAD-treated tea had the highest terpenoid content (89.92%) and high levels of flavor compounds typical of partridge tea (52.28%). OPLS-DA and PCA showed that α-copaene, β-bourbonene, caryophyllene, α-guaiene, and δ-cadinene could be considered candidate marker compounds for judging the aroma quality of partridge tea with different drying treatments. This study will not only provide a basis for processing and flavor quality control but also for spice and seasoning product development in partridge tea.

Blueberry-added black tea: Effects of infusion temperature, drying method, fruit concentration on the iron-polyphenol complex formation, polyphenols profile, antioxidant activity, and sensory properties

Herein, a food-to-food fortification with blueberries and black tea was performed for people suffering from iron deficiency, creating a new functional product with high consumer acceptance. Black tea was mixed with varying concentrations of sun-dried or freeze-dried blueberries and infused at different temperatures. Spectrophotometric analysis revealed that the addition of blueberries to black tea inhibited the formation of the iron-polyphenol complex by up to 97 % (p <.001). Using β-carotene bleaching and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assays, 50 % freeze-dried blueberry and 50 % black tea (FDFBT₅₀) was determined to be the sample with the highest antioxidant activity (p <.001).The polyphenol profiles were investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to categorize the tea samples. The findings demonstrated that the FDFBT₅₀ sample was the best candidate among the samples, considering both the consumer acceptance and the bioactive parameters that showed statistically significant differences.

The chemical profiling and assessment of antioxidative, antidiabetic and antineurodegenerative potential of Kombucha fermented Camellia sinensis, Coffea arabica and Ganoderma lucidum extracts

The scientific interest in the medicinal properties of Kombucha beverages, a carbonated drink with live microorganisms, has increased recently. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the chemical profile and to examine the antioxidant, antidiabetic and antineurodegenerative potential of unfermented and also Kombucha fermented Camellia sinensis (green tea), Coffea arabica (coffee), and Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) extracts. The extracts were prepared as follows: the first (unfermented) set contained 1 L of water, 50 g of sucrose and 20 g of dried and ground green tea, coffee, or Reishi basidiocarp, while the second (fermented) set contained all of the aforementioned ingredients individually inoculated with Kombucha and fermented for 21 days. The chemical analysis was conducted using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH, total reducing power (TRP), and β-carotene bleaching assays. The inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity was used to estimate the antidiabetic potential, while the level of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and tyrosinase (TYR) was used to evaluate the antineurodegenerative activity. The results suggested that the fermented extracts of green tea, coffee, and Reishi exert significant antioxidant effects, although they were lower compared to the unfermented extracts. The unfermented green tea extract exhibited the highest DPPH-scavenging activity (87.46%) and the highest preservation of β-carotene (92.41%), while the fermented coffee extract showed the highest TRP (120.14 mg AAE per g) at 10 mg mL^-1. Although the extracts did not inhibit the activity of α-amylase, they were quite effective at inhibiting α-glucosidase, especially the unfermented Reishi extract, inhibiting 95.16% (at a concentration of 10 mg mL^-1) of α-glucosidase activity, which was slightly higher than the positive control at the same concentration. The most effective AChE inhibitor was unfermented green tea extract (68.51%), while the fermented coffee extract inhibited 34.66% of TYR activity at 10 mg mL^-1. Altogether, these results are in accordance with the differences found in the extracts' chemical composition. Finally, this is the first report that highlights the differences in the chemical profile between the unfermented and Kombucha fermented green tea, coffee and Reishi extracts, while it also reveals, for the first time, the antineurodegenerative potential of Kombucha fermented Reishi extract. The examined extracts represent potent functional foods, while their more detailed mechanisms of action are expected to be revealed in future research.

Potential Use of Cardunculus Biomass on Pleurotus eryngii Production: Heteroglycans Content and Nutritional Properties (Preliminary Results)

The new perspective of using waste biomass to cultivate mushrooms as a source of protein for human nutrition, in line with the circular economy principles, is receiving increasing attention in the scientific community and represents great wealth in terms of environmental sustainability. Pleurotus eryngii is a mushroom also known as cardunculus mushroom due to its ability to grow on this plant. This study explores the potential intrinsic properties of cardunculus (for example, the presence of inulin in the roots) as raw material for the growth of cardunculus mushrooms, and the influence on heteroglycan content and nutrition parameters of the fruiting bodies. Both mycelium and fruiting bodies were used to determine the heteroglycan content in the presence of inulin or cardunculus roots rich in inulin. To produce heteroglycans from P. eryngii in greater quantities and shorter times without having to wait for the formation of the fruiting bodies, the mycelium could be used. The results showed that the presence of cardunculus biomass positively influences the heteroglycan content of P. eryngii. In terms of nutritional parameters, higher contents of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity were detected in P. eryngii grown on the cardunculus stem and root substrate. In conclusion, recycling cardunculus biomass to generate growth blocks for edible mushrooms is a winning choice due to the opportunity to use this biomass waste, which is gaining more and more attention due to the increase in cultivated areas and the use of fruiting bodies of P. eryngii as a functional food and source of molecules with potential biological activities.

Preparation, characterization, and bioactivity of Zingiber officinale Roscoe powder-based Pickering emulsions

BACKGROUND

Biocompatible Pickering emulsions (PE) stabilized by tailor-made antioxidant-loaded particles have been known for some time now, but antioxidant-rich natural plant particle-based emulsions are much less well known. This study aimed to investigate the physico-chemical properties of commercial Zingiber officinale powders obtained from biological and conventional agricultural practice and ginger powder-based PE.

RESULTS

The physico-chemical and biological properties of Zingiber officinale powders (GDPs) obtained from conventional (GDPC1 and GDPC2) and biological agricultural (GDPBIO) practices, and the properties of derived PE (PE_GDPs) were examined. All GDPs showed weak aggregation in aqueous media and a sufficiently hydrophobic surface to stabilize oil-in-water (O/W) PE against coalescence for at least 1 month. Zingiber officinale powders (2% w/w) derived from biological agricultural practices (GDPBIO) demonstrated the best emulsifying properties. The Zingiber officinale powders and PE_GDPs were also characterized by their phytochemical profiles. All the investigated samples exhibited ferric reducing ability power greater than the positive control, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), with values ranging from 91.21 to 102.63 μmol L-1 Fe (II) g-1 for GDPC2 and 05PE_GDPC1 (O/W=1:1), respectively. In β-carotene bleaching test the following trend GDPC1 > GDPBIO > GDPC2 was observed. A 05PE_GDPBIO sample with the oil volume fraction equal to 50% was stable to oxidation and exhibited a promising α-amylase inhibitory activity.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that ginger powder should be used as a starting point to design biocompatible PEs for different applications in the functional food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries. In fact, powder and based PE are characterized by a promising antioxidant activity, carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzyme and lipase inhibitory properties. Further in vivo studies are necessary to confirm these findings. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

From Function to Metabolome: Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Effect of Probiotic Fermentation on the Chemical Compositions and Biological Activities of Perilla frutescens Leaves

This study aimed to investigate the impact of probiotic fermentation on the active components and functions of Perilla frutescens leaves (PFL). PFL was fermented for 7 days using six probiotics (Lactobacillus Plantarum SWFU D16, Lactobacillus Plantarum ATCC 8014, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus ATCC 53013, Streptococcus Thermophilus CICC 6038, Lactobacillus Casei ATCC 334, and Lactobacillus Bulgaricus CICC 6045). The total phenol and flavonoid contents, antioxidant abilities, as well as α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase inhibition abilities of PFL during the fermentation process were evaluated, and its bioactive compounds were further quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Finally, non-targeted ultra-HPLC-tandem mass spectroscopy was used to identify the metabolites affected by fermentation and explore the possible mechanisms of the action of fermentation. The results showed that most of the active component contents and functional activities of PFL exhibited that it first increased and then decreased, and different probiotics had clearly distinguishable effects from each other, of which fermentation with ATCC 53013 for 1 day showed the highest enhancement effect. The same trend was also confirmed by the result of the changes in the contents of 12 phenolic acids and flavonoids by HPLC analysis. Further metabolomic analysis revealed significant metabolite changes under the best fermentation condition, which involved primarily the generation of fatty acids and their conjugates, flavonoids. A total of 574 and 387 metabolites were identified in positive ion and negative ion modes, respectively. Results of Spearman's analysis indicated that some primary metabolites and secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, phenols, and fatty acids might play an important role in the functional activity of PFL. Differential metabolites were subjected to the KEGG database and 97 metabolites pathways were obtained, of which biosyntheses of unsaturated fatty acids, flavonoid, and isoflavonoid were the most enriched pathways. The above results revealed the potential reason for the differences in metabolic and functional levels of PFL after fermentation. This study could provide a scientific basis for the further study of PFL, as well as novel insights into the action mechanism of probiotic fermentation on the chemical composition and biological activity of food/drug.

Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from Peperomia obtusifolia

Peperomia obtusifolia (L.) A. Dietr., native to Middle America, is an ornamental plant also traditionally used for its mild antimicrobial properties. Chemical investigation on the leaves of P. obtusifolia resulted in the isolation of two previously undescribed compounds, named peperomic ester (1) and peperoside (2), together with five known compounds, viz. N-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl]-3,4-dihydroxybenzamide (3), becatamide (4), peperobtusin A (5), peperomin B (6), and arabinothalictoside (7). The structures of these compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR techniques and HREIMS analyses. Compounds 1–7 were evaluated for their anthelmintic (against Caenorhabditis elegans), antifungal (against Botrytis cinerea, Septoria tritici and Phytophthora infestans), antibacterial (against Bacillus subtilis and Aliivibrio fischeri), and antiproliferative (against PC-3 and HT-29 human cancer cell lines) activities. The known peperobtusin A (5) was the most active compound against the PC-3 cancer cell line with IC₅₀ values of 25.6 µM and 36.0 µM in MTT and CV assays, respectively. This compound also induced 90% inhibition of bacterial growth of the Gram-positive B. subtilis at a concentration of 100 µM. In addition, compound 3 showed anti-oomycotic activity against P. infestans with an inhibition value of 56% by using a concentration of 125 µM. However, no anthelmintic activity was observed.

Characterization of Roasting Time on Sensory Quality, Color, Taste, and Nonvolatile Compounds of Yuan An Yellow Tea

Roasting is crucial for producing Yuan An yellow tea (YAYT) as it substantially affects sensory quality. However, the effect of roasting time on YAYT flavor quality is not clear. To investigate the effect of roasting time on the sensory qualities, chemical components, odor profiles, and metabolic profile of YAYTs produced with 13 min roasting, 16 min roasting, 19 min roasting, 22 min roasting, and 25 min roasting were determined. The YAYTs roasted for 22 min got higher sensory scores and better chemical qualities, such as the content of gallocatechin (GC), gallocatechin gallate (GCG), free amino acids, solutable sugar, meanwhile the lightness decreased, the hue of tea brew color (b) increased, which meant the tea brew got darker and yellower. YAYTs roasted for 22 min also increased the contents of key odorants, such as benzaldehyde, nonanal, β-cyclocitral, linalool, nerol, α-cedrol, β-ionone, limonene, 2-methylfuran, indole, and longiborneol. Moreover, non-targeted metabolomics identified up to 14 differentially expressed metabolites through pair-wise comparisons, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, sucrose, and critical metabolites, which were the main components corresponding to YAYT roasted for 22 min. In summary, the current results provide scientific guidance for the production of high quality YAYT.

Comparative Analysis of In Vitro Enzyme Inhibitory Activities and Phytochemicals from Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco via Solvent Partitioning Method

The extraction of plant bioactive compounds from Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco remains a great challenge due to the different chemical groups. This study aimed to compare the bioactive compounds with enzyme inhibitory effect from P. orientalis via solvent partitioning method. Dried leaf samples were macerated and fractionated with six solvents of different polarities. The phenolic, flavonoid, tannin, saponin, alkaloid and pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antioxidant and anti-glycation potential were compared across the six plant fractions. Toxicity assessment was performed with an in vivo brine shrimp model. The varying levels of bioactive compounds in ethyl acetate (phenolics, flavonoids), hexane (saponins, tannins) and chloroform (alkaloids) fractions clearly demonstrated the significant impact of solvent polarity on the extraction of bioactive compounds. The reducing potential (r = 0.67), IC₅₀ of α-amylase inhibition (r = -0.71), IC₅₀ of advanced glycation end-product inhibition (r = -0.93) and dicarbonyl compound inhibition (r = 0.57) in the plant fractions were correlated (p<0.05) with the flavonoids. Besides, the alkaloid, saponin and tannin were associated with cyclooxygenase-1 inhibitory activity. Principal component analysis confirmed that solvent polarity (23.9%) and plant extraction yield (37.1%) collectively contributed to 61% of bioactivity variation in P. orientalis. Among the six plant fractions, ethyl acetate fraction exhibited relatively high anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antioxidant and anti-glycation potential while the non-toxic methanolic and aqueous fractions displayed optimal hyaluronidase and lipoxygenase inhibitory activities, respectively. The current study has identified semi-polar ethyl acetate fraction of P. orientalis as a good alternative source of bioactive compounds for future pharmaceutical product development.

Chemical Composition of Leaves, Stem, and Roots of Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth

Peperomia pellucida is a species known in the Amazon as “erva-de-jabuti” that has been used in several therapeutic applications based on folk medicine. Herein, we describe the classes, subclasses, and the main compounds of the leaves, stems, and roots from P. pellucida by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry associated with molecular networks, mirror plot on the GNPS library, and machine learning. These data show compounds that were annotated for the first time in the Peperomia genus, such as 2′,4′,5′-trihydroxybutyrophenonevelutin, dehydroretrofractamide C, and retrofractamide B.

Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth and eye diseases: A review on phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology

Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth is a medicinal plant used to manage inflammatory illnesses such as conjunctivitis, and gastrointestinal and respiratory tract disorders in tropical and subtropical regions. However, little is known about its pharmacological mechanism of action against eye diseases. This review aims to critically discuss the phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of P. pellucida as well as its roles in the treatment of cataract, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Recent developments in the uses of P. pellucida for healthcare and nutraceutical products by the pharmaceutical industry are also covered in this review. For this review, a literature search was performed with PubMed, ScienceDirect, SciFinder Scholar and Scopus databases, using relevant keywords. Among the various phytochemicals identified from P. pellucida, β-caryophyllene, carotol, dillapiole, ellagic acid, pellucidin A, phytol and vitexin exhibit strong pharmacological activities within the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-κB signalling pathways in inflammatory eye diseases. The antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and anti-angiogenic activities displayed by P. pellucida extracts in many in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies suggest its potential role in the management of inflammatory eye diseases. P. pellucida extract was non-toxic against normal cell lines but displayed mild toxicity in animal models. The growing public interest in P. pellucida has inspired the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries to process the plant into health products. Although the potential pharmacological mechanisms against eye diseases have been summarized, further studies of the interactions among constituent phytochemicals from P. pellucida within various signalling pathways shall support the use of the plant as an alternative therapeutic source.

Polyphenol bioactivity evolution during the spontaneous fermentation of vegetal by-products

Food industry by-products such as grape pomace (GP), tomato pomace (TP), and spent coffee grounds (SCG) are rich in polyphenols (PP) but are easily biodegradable. The aim of this study is to test Spontaneous Fermentation (SF) as treatment to modify PP profile and bioactivity. The results highlighted that the by-products' organic matter and the microbial populations drove the SF evolution; heterolactic, alcoholic, and their mixtures were the predominant metabolisms of TP, GP, and SCG + GP co-fermentation. Increases in the extractable amounts and antiradical activity occurred for all the biomasses. Regarding the aglycate-PPs (APP), i.e. the most bioreactive PPs, significant changes occurred for TP and GP but did not influence the anti-inflammatory bioactivity. The co-fermentation increased significantly chlorogenic acid and consumed most of the APPs, acting as a purification system to obtain a highly concentrated APP fraction, so that the extract might be employed for a specific purpose.

Metabolomics Provides A Novel Interpretation of the Changes in Main Compounds during Black Tea Processing through Different Drying Methods

This study aimed to compare the effect of hot roller (HR) drying and hot air (HA) drying on the sensory evaluation, chemical quality, antioxidant activity, and metabolic profile of Yihong Congou black tea processed from E’cha NO1. The Yihong Congou black tea dried with HA obtained higher sensory scores and better chemical qualities such as the hue of tea brew color (a and b), content of theaflavins, thearubigins, water extract, free amino acids, tea polyphenol, and the ratio of polyphenol to amino acids as well as higher antioxidant capacities compared to that dried with HR. The HA drying tea increased the contents of volatile compounds that had positive correlation with sweet and flowery flavor, while the HR drying tea increased the contents of volatile compounds related to fruity flavor. Moreover, non-targeted metabolomics data indicated that the levels of most free amino acids significantly increased, while the levels of most soluble sugars reduced in the HA drying method compared to the HR drying method. The metabolic analysis was also consistent with the above results and revealed that D-ribose and gallic acid were the main characteristic metabolites of HA drying. Our results could provide a technical reference and theoretical guide to processing a high quality of Yihong Congou black tea.

Impact of post harvest treatment on antioxidant activity and phenolic profile of Moringa oleifera lam leaves

Abstract

Moringa oleifera leaves are an important source of dietary phytochemicals, such as flavonoids with high antioxidant activity (AOA). These components are however influenced by the post-harvest treatments applied as well as the processing conditions. Hence, it is crucial to determine the most appropriate post-harvest treatment that preserves or enhances AOA. To this effect the influence of steam blanching, fermentation / oxidation, oven drying and roasting of fresh Moringa leaves on their AOA was investigated. Processing conditions of time and temperature for each treatment were optimised using response surface methodology. The effect of the different treatments at optimal conditions on phenolic profile and AOA were compared. Roasting achieved the most significant (p < 0.05) improvement in phenolics (43%) and AOA (22–31%), which was accompanied by the formation of 2 new compounds, quercetin-3-O-acetylglucoside and Quercetine-3-O-rhamnoside. Steam blanching had the most deleterious effect on phenolics (− 31%) and AOA. Post-harvest treatments qualitatively and quantitatively affect phytochemical profile of Moringa leaves.

Graphical abstract

Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum enriched with organic/inorganic selenium on the quality and microbial communities of fermented pickles

Lactobacillus enriched with organic/inorganic selenium and pickles fermented with the Lactobacillus plantarum R were prepared. The results showed that selenium-enriched Lactobacillus plantarum R enhanced the antioxidant capacity, inhibition rate of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), nitrite degradation, and the organic acid production of fermented pickles, while Lactobacillus plantarum R enriched with inorganic selenium (R-Se-IN) showed the best performance. Twenty-three aroma-active substances and seven characteristic compounds were detected in the R-Se-IN group. Moreover, the bacterial community result revealed that Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, and Leuconostoc were predominant in the R-Se-IN group, while the other groups contained Enterobacter, Halomonas, and Klebsiella. Furthermore, the correlations between environmental factors, differential flavor substances, and microbial communities were explored based on multivariate statistical analysis. These results indicate that the addition of Lactobacillus plantarum R enriched with organic/inorganic selenium influenced the environmental factors, differential flavor substances, and microbial communities of the fermented pickles.

Obtainment of the spray-dried extracts of Peperomia pellucida L. (H.B.K.) using different atomization temperatures: physicochemical characterization and technological development for pharmaceutical applications

Spray-dried extracts are prepared as powders or granules after solvent removal, which can be obtained in the presence or absence of pharmaceutical adjuvants. This work aimed to optimize the process of obtaining dried extracts of Peperomia pellucida L. (HBK) by spray drying. The characterization of the extract was performed by thermal analysis, specific surface area, particle size and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); then, capsules were developed for antimicrobial treatment, evaluating four bench lots by the determination of the angle of repose and time of flow, scanning electron microscopy, porosity and physicochemical quality control. There were no significant differences between the extracts obtained by spray drying at atomization temperatures of 140 °C, 160 °C and 180 °C, which was confirmed by thermal analysis. Specific surface area varied inversely with the mean particle size. Regarding the marker content by HPLC, no significant differences were found between the samples, although the flavonoid fraction was more stable at 160 °C. Bench lots (I to IV) were developed using the diluents Flowlac®, Starch® 1500, microcrystalline cellulose 250 and Cellactose® 80. Based on the results, the bench lot I, containing Flowlac®, was selected. The results of physicochemical quality control demonstrated that the selected formulation meets the pre-established parameters, and proving to be economically viable.