The consumption of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) effectively alleviates type 2 diabetes symptoms in spontaneous diabetic rats

Characterizations of White Mulberry, Sea-Buckthorn, Garlic, Lily of the Valley, Motherwort, and Hawthorn as Potential Candidates for Managing Cardiovascular Disease-In Vitro and Ex Vivo Animal Studies

Cardiovascular diseases are a broadly understood concept focusing on vascular and heart dysfunction. Lack of physical exercise, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, thromboembolism, and kidney and lung diseases all contribute to the development of heart and blood vessel dysfunction. Although effective and important, traditional treatment with diuretics, statins, beta blockers, calcium inhibitors, ACE inhibitors, and anti-platelet drugs remains a second-line treatment after dietary interventions and lifestyle changes. Scientists worldwide are still looking for an herbal product that would be effective and free from side effects, either taken together with or before the standard pharmacological intervention. Such herbal-originated medication therapy may include Morus alba L. (white mulberry), Elaeagnus rhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson (sea-buckthorn), Allium sativum L. (garlic), Convallaria majalis L. (lily of the valley), Leonurus cardiaca L. (motherwort), and Crataegus spp. (hawthorn). Valuable herbal raw materials include leaves, fruits, seeds, and even thorns. This short review focuses on six herbs that can constitute an interesting and potential therapeutic option in the management of cardiovascular disorders.

Biopolymers-Based Macrogels with Applications in the Food Industry: Capsules with Berry Juice for Functional Food Products

The present study focused on the development of gel-based capsules from sodium alginate and the fresh juice from different berries: chokeberry, sea buckthorn, and blueberry. Obtained through the extrusion method, the macrocapsules were added into yogurt, a well-known and consumed dairy product. In order to establish the changes that can occur for the food product, the samples were tested over 7 and 15 days of storage in refrigeration conditions. According to the results, the antioxidant activity increased during storage and gels can represent a good option for bioactive substances' encapsulation. Sensorial analysis performed indicated that consumers are open to consuming yogurt berry capsules and, according to the results observed in the scientific literature, they no longer rejected the product due to the bitterness and sourness of sea buckthorn or aronia. Sea buckthorn capsules were brighter (L*) than chokeberry and blueberry capsules due to carotene content and dark colors. Minimal diameter variations and small standard deviations (SD = 0.25/0.33) suggest that extrusion methods and the Caviar box are good for gel capsule development. Yogurt luminosity varied with capsules; control had the highest, followed by sea buckthorn yogurt. Samples with chokeberry and blueberry (dark) capsules had lower luminosity. Over 8 and 15 days, luminosity slightly decreased, while a* and b* (hue and saturation) increased. Post-storage, the sample with chokeberry capsules showed a light purple color, indicating color transfer from capsules, with increased antioxidant activity. Differences between the samples and control were less pronounced in the sample with sea buckthorn capsules. Values for color differences between yogurt samples during the storage period revealed the most significant difference during the first storage period (day 1-8), with blueberries showing the lowest difference, indicating the stability of the blueberry capsules' wall during storage.

Total flavonoids of Hippophae rhamnoides L. improves type 2 diabetes symptoms in rats through down-regulating of the DAG/PRKCA/MAPK10/p65/TNF-α signalling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Dry mature fruits of Hippophae rhamnoides L. (HRL), Elaeagnaceae, have traditional functions of invigorating spleen and improving spleen insufficiency. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinics have been proved that HRL is in favor of diabetes treatment. Modern pharmacological studies demonstrated that total flavones of Hippophae rhamnoides (TFH) are the main substance for HRL to develop anti-inflammation and anti-diabetes functions. However, chemical features, active ingredients and anti-diabetes pharmacological mechanism of HRL still remain unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Key targets and metabolites in anti-type-II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) of TFH have been explored based on AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications. The anti-T2DM mechanism of TFH has been elaborated from comprehensive perspectives, including target prediction, metabolites, potential metabolic pathways, and so on.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, a qualitative test of chemical composition of HRL was carried out based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The anti-T2DM targets and pathways of HRL were predicted through network pharmacological approach. The T2DM rat model was induced by high-fat and high-glucose diet combined with streptozotocin (STZ). The T2DM model was evaluated through fasting blood glucose level, body weight, serum biochemical indicators, insulin levels and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance. The key metabolic pathways were screened through the correlation between metabolites and key targets. Finally, the quantitative analysis of key targets and metabolites was verified through experiments.

RESULTS

After TFH intervention, the fasting blood-glucose level of T2DM rats induced by high-fat and high-glucose diet combined with streptozotocin (STZ) was downregulated significantly, while body weight, serum liquid level, insulin levels and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were improved. According to ELISA, Western blotting (WB) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), TFH significantly downregulates expression levels of diglyceride (DAG)-activated protein kinase C (PRKCA), mitogen activated protein kinase 10 (MAPK10), human nuclear factor κB subunit p65 (NF-κB p65) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in pancreas of STZ-induced rats.

CONCLUSIONS

TFH downregulates expressions of PRKCA, MAPK10 and p65 TNF-α as well as level of the key metabolite DA in the DAG/PRKCA/MAPK10/TNF-α/p65 pathways, improves lipid metabolism disorder, inhibits inflammatory response and thereby relieves symptoms of T2DM.

In Search of Authenticity Biomarkers in Food Supplements Containing Sea Buckthorn: A Metabolomics Approach

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) (SB) is increasingly consumed worldwide as a food and food supplement. The remarkable richness in biologically active phytochemicals (polyphenols, carotenoids, sterols, vitamins) is responsible for its purported nutritional and health-promoting effects. Despite the considerable interest and high market demand for SB-based supplements, a limited number of studies report on the authentication of such commercially available products. Herein, untargeted metabolomics based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-ESI+MS) were able to compare the phytochemical fingerprint of leaves, berries, and various categories of SB-berry herbal supplements (teas, capsules, tablets, liquids). By untargeted metabolomics, a multivariate discrimination analysis and a univariate approach (t-test and ANOVA) showed some putative authentication biomarkers for berries, e.g., xylitol, violaxanthin, tryptophan, quinic acid, quercetin-3-rutinoside. Significant dominant molecules were found for leaves: luteolin-5-glucoside, arginine, isorhamnetin 3-rutinoside, serotonin, and tocopherol. The univariate analysis showed discriminations between the different classes of food supplements using similar algorithms. Finally, eight molecules were selected and considered significant putative authentication biomarkers. Further studies will be focused on quantitative evaluation.

The Study on Sea Buckthorn (Genus Hippophae L.) Fruit Reveals Cell Division and Cell Expansion to Promote Morphogenesis

Due to its unique flavor and high antioxidant content, the sea buckthorn (genus Hippophae L.) fruit is increasingly favored by consumers. Developing from the perianth tube, the sea buckthorn fruit varies greatly among species in both size and shape. However, the cellular regulation mechanism of sea buckthorn fruit morphogenesis remains unclear. This study presents the growth and development patterns, morphological changes, and cytological observations of the fruits of three Hippophae species (H. rhamnoides ssp. sinensis, H. neurocarpa, and H. goniocarpa). The fruits were monitored every 10-30 days after anthesis (DAA) for six periods in their natural population on the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. The results showed that the fruits of H. rhamnoides ssp. sinensis and H. goniocarpa grew in a sigmoid mode, while H. neurocarpa grew in an exponential mode under the complex regulation of cell division and cell expansion. In addition, cellular observations showed that the mesocarp cells of H. rhamnoides ssp. sinensis and H. goniocarpa were larger in the area with prolonged cell expansion activity, while H. neurocarpa had a higher cell division rate. Elongation and proliferation of the mesocarp cells were found to be essential factors affecting the formation of fruit morphology. Finally, we established a preliminary cellular scenario for fruit morphogenesis in the three species of sea buckthorn. Fruit development could be divided into a cell division phase and a cell expansion phase with an overlap between 10 and 30 DAA. In particular, the two phases in H. neurocarpa showed an additional overlap between 40 and 80 DAA. The description of the sea buckthorn fruit's transformation and its temporal order may provide a theoretical basis to explore the growth mechanism of fruits and regulate their size through certain cultivation techniques.