Search

Seashore mallow ( Kosteletzkya pentacarpos ) is a flowering perennial halophytic herb belonging to the family Malvaceae that is found in marshes along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Fourteen accessions were collected from wild populations along the Atlantic (n = 8) and Gulf (n = 6) coasts of the United States and fatty acid profiles were determined from seeds cultivated in one or more of three controlled environments. Those growth environments were a greenhouse and field plots irrigated with freshwater and field plots irrigated with saltwater, all of which were located in Lewes, DE. Twenty-four of the 42 combinations were selected for fatty acid analysis. The principal fatty acid identified in all accessions was linoleic acid (53.1 ± 2.8%), with significant amounts of palmitic (20.7 ± 1.3%), oleic (13.7 ± 1.4%), and stearic (1.8 ± 0.5%) acids also detected. Additionally, significant amounts of cyclopropyl fatty acids such as malvalic (5.2 ± 0.7%) and dihydrosterculic (1.2 ± 0.5%) acids were also identified, along with trace amounts of sterculic acid. Minor fatty acids (<1.0%) included myristic, palmitoleic, vaccenic, linolenic, arachidic, and behenic acids. Statistical evaluation revealed that growth environment did not affect fatty acid composition, as statistically equivalent profiles were obtained regardless of whether accessions were grown in a greenhouse or in field plots with freshwater or saltwater irrigation. One-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences in palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acid content between Gulf and Atlantic coast accessions, with Gulf coast accessions providing lower mean oleic and palmitic acid content and higher mean linoleic and stearic acid content. In addition, Gulf coast accessions contained lower mean dihydrosterculic and malvalic acid content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, Lactobacillus plantarum glycolipid (GL1) molecule in β-configuration and its fatty acid analogues were synthesized using trichloroacetimidate methodology. The β-configuration of the GL1 molecule was unambiguously assigned by NMR studies using 2D-ROESY (NOE) and J -coupling analysis. Dihydrosterculic acid was synthesized using Furukawa's reagent and the selective esterification of dihydrosterculic acid at C-3 position of glycerol was achieved with EDC-HCl at 0 °C. In vitro cytotoxicity of the GL1 molecule and its fatty acid analogues was evaluated against DU145, A549, SKOV3 and MCF7 cell lines. Among all the synthesized molecules, the GL1 molecule and compound 7d showed moderate activity, while the compound 7b showed promising activity against all the tested cell lines with IC 50 values of 20.1, 18.2, 19.1 and 17.6 μM, respectively. In addition, all tested compounds showed poor cytotoxicity against normal HUVEC cells. The MCF7 cells when treated with compound 7b showed lower bromodeoxyuridine incorporation levels as compared to untreated cells, suggesting that the compound 7b was highly effective and inhibited the cell proliferation. In addition, the compounds showed significant increase in caspases 3 and 9 levels by inducing apoptosis in MCF 7 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Human milk samples were obtained from lactating Spanish women. • After lipid extraction, GC–MS was applied for CPFAs determination in human milk fat. • For the first time, DHSA was detected in human breast milk fat as minor fatty acids. • The relationship between the dietary habits and CPFAs in human milk must be assessed. Cyclopropane fatty acids (CPFAs), such as dihydrosterculic acid (DHSA), are secondary fatty acids of microbial origin recently identified in foods and human plasma. Their plasmatic concentration is suggested to be affected by consumption of CPFA-rich foods, especially dairy products. However, very little is known about the occurrence of CPFAs in human tissues and their nutritional value. This preliminary screening aims to investigate the presence of CPFAs in breastmilk obtained from lactating Spanish women following a free-living diet by performing the GC–MS method previously applied for CPFA determination in dairy products. For the first time, DHSA was detected in human breast milk fat (at about 0.4 mg/ 100 mL breastmilk), supporting the importance of better understanding its occurrence in vivo that may be related to the dietary habits followed by the lactating mother. Future studies are needed to determine its biological role both in adults and infants, who would be exposed to this CPFA during the breastfeeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]