Structures of the galactomannans from seeds of Annona muricata, Arenga saccharifera, Cocos nucifera, Convolvulus tricolor, and Sophora japonica

US Immigration Westernizes the Human Gut Microbiome

Many US immigrant populations develop metabolic diseases post immigration, but the causes are not well understood. Although the microbiome plays a role in metabolic disease, there have been no studies measuring the effects of US immigration on the gut microbiome. We collected stool, dietary recalls, and anthropometrics from 514 Hmong and Karen individuals living in Thailand and the United States, including first- and second-generation immigrants and 19 Karen individuals sampled before and after immigration, as well as from 36 US-born European American individuals. Using 16S and deep shotgun metagenomic DNA sequencing, we found that migration from a non-Western country to the United States is associated with immediate loss of gut microbiome diversity and function in which US-associated strains and functions displace native strains and functions. These effects increase with duration of US residence and are compounded by obesity and across generations.

Exploring the Therapeutic Ability of Fenugreek against Type 2 Diabetes and Breast Cancer Employing Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is used as a spice throughout the world. It is known for its medicinal properties such as antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, and immunological activities. The present study shows the properties and the nutritional quality of fenugreek seed extract and focuses on screening of active compounds in drug designing for type 2 diabetes and breast cancer. Quantitative analysis was used to calculate the percentages of protein, carbohydrates moisture, fatty acid, galactomannan, oil, and amino acid. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols, proteins, saponins, and tannins in fenugreek seed extracts. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation-based computational drug discovery methods were employed to address the role of fenugreek seed constituents against type 2 diabetes and breast cancer. The computational results reveal that the compound galactomannan can be ascribed as potential drug candidate against breast cancer and type 2 diabetes rendered by higher molecular dock scores, stable molecular dynamics (MD) simulations results, and lower binding energy calculations.

Antioxidant Compounds from Algerian Convolvulus tricolor (Convolvulaceae) Seed Husks

Seed husk extracts of Convolvulus tricolor L. (Convolvulaceae) afforded six compounds, identified for the first time from this plant: isorhamnetin 3- O-β-D-galactopyranoside (1), isorhamnetin 3- O-β-D-(6″-acetyl)-galactopyranoside (2), isorhamnetin 3- O-robinobioside (3), 3,4-di- O-caffeoylquinic acid (4), gentisic acid 5- O-glucoside (5), and scopoletin (6). Separation of compounds was carried out by CC and CPC. Structural elucidations were performed by HPLC-UV-DAD, HPLC-ESI/MS (negative mode) and NMR.

Seed Galactomannans: An Overview

Seed galactomannans are vegetable, heterogeneous polysaccharides widely distributed in nature. Generally, they possess (1-->4)-linked D-mannopyranose (Man) main chains to which are attached (1-->6)-linked D-galactopyranosyl (Gal) units. The Man/Gal ratios differ from gum to gum, resulting in a change in structure, which, in turn, determines the various industrial applications of seed galactomannans. These materials are important in paper, textile, petroleum-drilling, pharmaceutics, food, cosmaceutics, and explosives industries. In this review, the biodiversified applicability of galactomannan gums is discussed, particularly with respect to structural aspects, properties, human consumption, and technical applications. Especially important is that the solution properties (rheological behaviour, viscosity, emulsifying tendency, etc.) of natural and chemically modified galactomannans can be tuned by interaction with other (carbohydrate-based) monomers or polymers.

Guar seed beta-mannan synthase is a member of the cellulose synthase super gene family

Genes for the enzymes that make plant cell wall hemicellulosic polysaccharides remain to be identified. We report here the isolation of a complementary DNA (cDNA) clone encoding one such enzyme, mannan synthase (ManS), that makes the beta-1, 4-mannan backbone of galactomannan, a hemicellulosic storage polysaccharide in guar seed endosperm walls. The soybean somatic embryos expressing ManS cDNA contained high levels of ManS activities that localized to Golgi. Phylogenetically, ManS is closest to group A of the cellulose synthase-like (Csl) sequences from Arabidopsis and rice. Our results provide the biochemical proof for the involvement of the Csl genes in beta-glycan formation in plants.

Five new monotetrahydrofuran ring acetogenins from the leaves of Annona muricata

Bioactivity-directed fractionation of the leaves of Annona muricata resulted in the isolation of annopentocins A (1), B (2), and C(3), and cis- and trans-annomuricin-D-ones (4, 5). Compounds 1-3 are the first acetogenins reported bearing a mono-tetrahydrofuran (THF) ring with one flanking hydroxyl, on the hydrocarbon side, and another hydroxyl, on the lactone side, that is one carbon away from the THF ring. Compounds 4 and 5 were obtained in a mixture and are new mono-THF ring acetogenins bearing two flanking hydroxyls and an erythro-diol located between the THF and the ketolactone rings. Compound 1 was selectively cytotoxic to pancreatic carcinoma cells (PACA-2), and 2 and 3 were selectively cytotoxic to lung carcinoma cells (A-549); the mixture of 4 and 5 was selectively cytotoxic for the lung (A-549), colon (HT-29), and pancreatic (PACA-2) cell lines with potencies equal to or exceeding those of Adriamycin.

Five novel mono-tetrahydrofuran ring acetogenins from the seeds of Annona muricata

Bioactivity-directed fractionation of the seeds of Annona muricata L. (Annonaceae) resulted in the isolation of five new compounds: cis-annonacin (1), cis-annonacin-10-one (2), cis-goniothalamicin (3), arianacin (4), and javoricin (5). Three of these (1-3) are among the first cis mono-tetrahydrofuran ring acetogenins to be reported. NMR analyses of published model synthetic compounds, prepared cyclized formal acetals, and prepared Mosher ester derivatives permitted the determinations of absolute stereochemistries. Bioassays of the pure compounds, in the brine shrimp test, for the inhibition of crown gall tumors, and in a panel of human solid tumor cell lines for cytotoxicity, evaluated relative potencies. Compound 1 was selectively cytotoxic to colon adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29) in which it was 10,000 times the potency of adriamycin.