Germination Improves the Polyphenolic Profile and Functional Value of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.)

Unveiling the potential of germinated black bean extracts: Targeting topoisomerase IIα through in silico and in vitro approaches

This study investigates the potential of germinated black bean extracts (GBBE) to modulate the activity of topoisomerase IIα (topo IIα), a key enzyme involved in DNA replication and repair, particularly in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Germination significantly elevated the polyphenolic content of black beans, thereby enhancing their antioxidant properties. Molecular docking studies demonstrated a strong interaction between GBBE and the active site of topo IIα, suggesting a possible mechanism for its inhibitory action. In vitro experiments revealed a significant inhibitory effect of GBBE on topo IIα ATPase activity, which was further confirmed by the decatenation assay, with bean extracts germinated for three days showing the highest effect. The study underscores the significance of GBBE as a promising natural source of bioactive compounds with the capacity to inhibit topo IIα activity, offering a potential novel therapeutic strategy against TNBC. Warranting further investigation to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects.

Maximizing the Nutritional Benefits and Prolonging the Shelf Life of Millets through Effective Processing Techniques: A Review

Maximizing the nutritional benefits and extending the shelf life of millets is essential due to their ancient significance, rich nutrient content, and potential health benefits, but challenges such as rapid rancidity in millet-based products underscore the need for effective processing techniques to enhance their preservation and global accessibility. In this comprehensive review, the impact of diverse processes and treatments such as mechanical processing, fermentation, germination, soaking, thermal treatments like microwave processing, infrared heating, radio frequency, nonthermal treatments like ultrasound processing, cold plasma, gamma irradiation, pulsed light processing, and high-pressure processing, on the nutritional value and the stability during storage of various millets has been examined. The review encompasses an exploration of their underlying principles, advantages, and disadvantages. The technologies highlighted in this review have demonstrated their effectiveness in maximizing and extending the shelf life of millet-based products. While traditional processes bring about alterations in nutritional and functional properties, prompting the search for alternatives, novel thermal and nonthermal techniques were identified for microbial decontamination and enzyme inactivation. Advancements in millet processing face challenges including nutrient loss, quality changes, resource intensiveness, consumer perception, environmental impact, standardization issues, regulatory compliance, and limited research on combined methods.

The Impact of ZnO and Fe2O3 Nanoparticles on Sunflower Seed Germination, Phenolic Content and Antiglycation Potential

The enhancement of seed germination by using nanoparticles (NPs) holds the potential to elicit the synthesis of more desired compounds with important biomedical applications, such as preventing protein glycation, which occurs in diabetes. Here, we used 7 nm and 100 nm ZnO and 4.5 nm and 16.7 nm Fe2O3 NPs to treat sunflower seeds. We evaluated the effects on germination, total phenolic content, and the anti-glycation potential of extracted polyphenols. Sunflower seeds were allowed to germinate in vitro after soaking in NP solutions of different concentrations. Polyphenols were extracted, dosed, and used in serum albumin glycation experiments. The germination speed of seeds was significantly increased by the 100 nm ZnO NPs and significantly decreased by the 4.5 nm Fe2O3 NPs. The total phenolic content (TPC) of seeds was influenced by the type of NP, as ZnO NPs enhanced TPC, and the size of the NPs, as smaller NPs led to improved parameters. The polyphenols extracted from seeds inhibited protein glycation, especially those extracted from seeds treated with 7 nm ZnO. The usage of NPs impacted the germination speed and total polyphenol content of sunflower seeds, highlighting the importance of NP type and size in the germination process.

Mung bean as a potent emerging functional food having anticancer therapeutic potential: Mechanistic insight and recent updates

Cancer is still a major challenge for humans. In recent years, researchers have focused on plant-based metabolites as a safe, efficient, alternative or combinatorial, as well as cost-effective preventive strategy against carcinogenesis. Mung bean is an important nutritious legume, and known for providing various health benefits due to various bioactive phytochemicals and easily digestible proteins. Regular intake of mung bean helps to regulate metabolism by affecting the growth and survival of good microbes in the host gut. Mung bean has also been reported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory properties. These properties may possess the preventive potential of mung bean against carcinogenesis. Bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research literature were searched through a structured conceptual approach using focused review questions on mung beans, anticancer, therapeutics, and functional foods along with inclusion/exclusion criteria. For the appraisal of the quality of retrieved articles, standard tools were employed. A deductive qualitative content analysis methodology further led us to analyze outcomes of the research and review articles. The present review provides recent updates on the anticancer potential of mung bean and the possible mechanism of action thereof to prevent carcinogenesis and metastasis. Extensive research on the active metabolites and mechanisms of action is required to establish the anticancer potential of mung bean. Keeping the above facts in view, mung bean should be investigated for its bioactive compounds, to be considered as functional food of the future.

The Effect of Illumination Patterns during Mung Bean Seed Germination on the Metabolite Composition of the Sprouts

Mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) sprouts are popular over the world because of their taste, nutritional value, well-balanced biochemical composition, and other properties beneficial for human health. Germination conditions affect the composition of metabolites in mung bean sprouts, so a detailed study into its variability is required. This article presents the results of a comparison of the metabolite composition in the leaves of mung bean sprouts germinated first in the dark (DS) and then in the light (LS). Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) made it possible to identify more than 100 compounds representing various groups of phytochemicals. Alcohols, amino acids, and saccharides predominated in the total amount of compounds. The analysis of metabolomic profiles exposed a fairly high intra- and intervarietal variability in the metabolite content. DS and LS differed in the qualitative and quantitative content of the identified compounds. The intravarietal variability was more pronounced in DS than in LS. DS demonstrated higher levels of saccharides, fatty acids, acylglycerols, and phenolic compounds, while amino acids were higher in LS. Changes were recorded in the quantitative content of metabolites participating in the response of plants to stressors-ornithine, proline, GABA, inositol derivatives, etc. The changes were probably induced by the stress experienced by the sprouts when they were transferred from shade to light. The analysis of variance and principal factor analysis showed the statistically significant effect of germination conditions on the content of individual compounds in leaves. The identified features of metabolite variability in mung bean genotypes grown under different conditions will contribute to more accurate selection of an illumination pattern to obtain sprouts with desirable biochemical compositions for use in various diets and products with high nutritional value.

Modification on phenolic profiles and enhancement of antioxidant activity of proso millets during germination

Changes in phenolic profiles and antioxidant activity of three varieties of proso millet during germination were investigated. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) increased significantly with prolongation in germination period. After germination for 6 days, TPC of the free and bound fractions increased 6.30-8.66-fold and 77.65-116.18%, respectively. The free and bound phenolic compounds identified by UPLC-MS/MS, displayed significant variations. Feruloylquinic acid and N,N'-bis-(p-coumaroyl)-putrescine biosynthesized during germination, are reported for the first time in proso millets. Other phenolics including trans- and cis-ferulic, trans-p-coumaric, vanillic acid and ferulic acid dimers (DFAs) were increased significantly along with a new DFA (8,5'-DFA) seemingly produced during germination. The germinated proso milllets displayed superior antioxidant activity than the corresponding ungerminated samples indicating that germination could be one applicable method for improving phenolic profiles and antioxidant capacity of proso millets. Thus germinated proso millet could be exploited as a functional ingredient in several products.

Effect of ultrasound combined with exogenous GABA treatment on polyphenolic metabolites and antioxidant activity of mung bean during germination

Mung bean seeds were treated by a combination of ultrasound and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Effect of these treatments on the free polyphenols content, antioxidant activity, and digestibility of mung bean sprouts was evaluated. Additionally, phenolic compounds were analyzed and identified using a metabolomics approach. The combined ultrasound and GABA treatments significantly enhanced the free polyphenols and flavonoids content (P < 0.05) of mung bean sprouts depending on sprouting duration. Besides, a positive correlation (P < 0.05) was found between the polyphenols content and in vitro antioxidant activity of mung bean sprouts. Moreover, a total number of 608 metabolites were detected, and 55 polyphenol compounds were identified, including flavonoids, isoflavones, phenols, and coumarins. Also, the KEGG metabolic pathway analysis revealed 10 metabolic pathways of phenols, including flavonoid, isoflavone, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Powder of 48 h sprouted mung bean released polyphenols during simulated gastric digestion and possessed antioxidant activity.

Widely targeted metabolomics analysis characterizes the phenolic compounds profiles in mung bean sprouts under sucrose treatment

Phenolic compounds are one of the wholesome substances of mung bean sprouts, showing numerous health-promoting functions. Here, effects of sucrose on phenolic compounds profiles of mung bean sprouts were investigated. Results showed that the content and composition of phenolic compounds were significantly altered by 1‰ and 5‰ sucrose, respectively. The antioxidant capacity was significantly improved by sucrose. Based on metabolomics, 251 metabolites were detected, of which 106 were phenolic compounds. Correlation analysis showed 21 phenolics were positively correlated with antioxidant capacity. The changes in phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity after sucrose treatment were mainly due to the enrichment of phenolic biosynthesis pathways. Moreover, the gene expression and enzyme activity analysis of key phenolic biosynthetic genes contributed to elucidate the phenolic profile under sucrose treatment. In summary, mung bean sprouts are promising sources of dietary phenolic compounds and sucrose treatment is a good process to produce phenolic-rich mung bean sprouts.

Effect of Germination and Illumination on Melatonin and Its Metabolites, Phenolic Content, and Antioxidant Activity in Mung Bean Sprouts

Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) sprouts are increasingly consumed and have become part of a healthy diet. The sprouts are composed of proteins, carbohydrates, and biochemical compounds. During germination, the phytochemical compounds are significantly elevated, especially under stress conditions such as salinity, drought, extreme temperature, and illumination. The present study examined the effects of light and germination time on the bioactive compounds in mung bean sprout extracts. Mung bean seeds were sprouted under different light exposure conditions, and the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of sprout extracts were determined compared to seeds. The results show that tryptophan sharply decreased during germination. On the contrary, melatonin, polyphenols, and total phenolic content (TPC) were elevated with increased germination time, correlated with increased antioxidant activity. Sprouts germinated in the dark presented higher levels of melatonin and TPC compared with those germinated under 12 h light exposure (3.6- and 1.5-fold, respectively). In conclusion, germination can enhance valuable phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of mung bean sprouts. Mung bean sprouts may be a good alternative functional food for promoting human health.

Molecular mechanisms of flavonoid accumulation in germinating common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) under salt stress

Flavonoids are important secondary metabolites, active biomolecules in germinating beans, and have prominent applications in food and medicine due to their antioxidant effects. Rutin is a plant flavonoid with a wide biological activity range. In this study, flavonoid (rutin) accumulation and its related molecular mechanisms in germinating common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) were observed at different time points (0–120 h) under salt stress (NaCl). The rutin content increased from germination onset until 96 h, after which a reducing trend was observed. Metabolome analysis showed that salt stress alters flavonoid content by regulating phenylpropanoid (ko00940) and flavonoid (ko00941) biosynthesis pathways, as well as their enzyme activities, including cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), peroxidase (POD), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and flavonol synthase (FLS). The RNA-seq and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses also showed that these two pathways were linked to changes in flavonoid content following salt treatment. These results reveal that salt stress effectively enhanced rutin content accumulation in germinating beans, hence it could be employed to enhance the functional quality of germinating common beans.

Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Colon Cancer Activities of Mung Bean Grown in Burkina Faso

Widely used in traditional medicine in Asia and recently introduced in Burkina Faso under the name Beng-tigré, mung bean is a legume consumed throughout the world and more so in India. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the mung bean grown and consumed in Burkina Faso and to study its biological properties such as anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity of the natural and sprouted seeds. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was tested on Artemia salina larvae, and the anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in vitro by albumin denaturation method using diclofenac as reference molecule. The anticancer activity of hydro-ethanol extracts was evaluated on rats made cancerous with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) using 5-fluorouracil as reference molecule. The results showed that the highest yield of the plant extraction was observed with the hydro-ethanol solvent, both for the natural form of mung bean (MBN) and for its sprouted form (MBG). The cytotoxicity test showed no toxicity of the extracts toward shrimp larvae. The ethanolic extract of germinated mung bean seeds gave the highest anti-inflammatory activity at 95.13 ± 0.22% inhibition with significant difference (p < 0.05) between the extracts. Cancer induction with DMH was inhibited by both MBN and MBG extracts. The test of preventive effects of the extracts showed the best activity with significant difference in biochemical results. These results confirm that the mung bean grown in Burkina Faso, as a nontoxic legume, is a functional food that can be integrated into the population's dietary habits for a double interest. Moreover, they open perspectives for the research of active principles of plant origin with anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.

Neuroprotective Potential of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.) Polyphenols in Alzheimer's Disease: A Review

Mung bean contains various neuroprotective polyphenols, so it might be a healthy food for Alzheimer's disease (AD) prevention. Totally, 19 major phenolic compounds were quantified in mung bean, including 10 phenolic acids and 9 flavonoids. After summarizing their contents and effective doses in rodent AD models, it was speculated that vitexin, isovitexin, sinapic acid, and ferulic acid might be the major bioactive compounds for mung bean-mediated neuroprotection. The mechanisms involved inhibition of β-amyloidogenesis, tau hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation, and promotion of autophagy and acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity. Notably, the neuroprotective phenolic profile in mung bean changed after germination, with decreased vitexin and isovitexin, and increased rutin, isoquercitrin, isorhamnetin, and caffeic acid detected. However, only studies of individual phenolic compounds in mung bean are published at present. Hence, further studies are needed to elucidate the neuroprotective activities and mechanisms of extractions of mung bean seeds and sprouts, and the synergism between different phenolic compounds.

The Use of Sprouts to Improve the Nutritional Value of Food Products: A Brief Review

Sprouts are vegetable foods rich in phytonutrients, such as glucosinolates, phenolics, and isoflavones. Many studies have shown that sprouts also have high concentrations of vitamins and minerals. In addition to the high concentration of nutrients, sprouts can present a reduction of anti-nutritional factors such as phytates, tannins, and oxalates, which increases the bioaccessibility of minerals. However, their nutritional composition depends on several factors, such as the type of sprout and the germination conditions. In recent years, these foods have been highly demanded because they are associated to many health benefits. Moreover, germination is an easy and fast process, and does not depend on specific climatic conditions (potentially more sustainable to growth). The use of sprouts for the elaboration of food products can be a good strategy to increase the nutritional value of certain products that are widely consumed worldwide. In this sense, studies that evaluated the impact of adding sprouted grains on the nutritional value of some products, as well as the effect on their sensory properties were searched in the scientific literature. Most of them used germinated grain flours to replace wheat flour in food products. The satisfactory results of these products were associated with the type of sprout used and with the level of replacement of the wheat flour. This review briefly explored the nutritional benefits and the sensory acceptance of food products made with added sprouts.