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The effectiveness of hydrocolloids (2% maximum in various combinations) from various sources, including maltodextrins (MD) with polymerization degree (DP) 18 and ziziphus gum (ZG), on the dough properties and quality of panned bread, as well as the possibility of using them to delay the bread staling process, have been investigated after 24, 72, and 96 h of storage. By evaluating the pasting capabilities of wheat flour slurry, dough properties, and the final product, the effects of the ziziphus gum (ZG) and maltodextrins (MD) were ascertained. A TA-TXT texture analyzer, a texture profile analysis test, and Micro-doughLab were used to evaluate the dough mixing properties. Additionally, a hedonic sensory evaluation of the overall acceptance of the bread, as well as its texture, aroma, taste, and color, was done. It is clear that MD had a more distinct impact than ZG on the way dough was mixed, the texture of the gel, and the finished product. The combination of MD and ZG significantly altered the bread's physical characteristics and its aging over time. The decreased peak viscosity and noticeably smaller setback of wheat flour gels, which corresponded to lower gel hardness, serve as evidence of reduced amylose retrogradation. At 2%, MD outperformed ZG in terms of increasing water absorption, dough stability, and bread loaf volume. With the exception of the blend that included three times as much MD as ZG, all mixes, including the control, exhibited an increase in bread firmness as a function of time after storage. Overall, the panelists liked (score of 5 and above) the bread made with mixes that had either MD or ZG, or a combination of both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ziziphus nummularia, a small bush of the Rhamnaceae family, has been widely used in traditional folk medicine, is rich in bioactive molecules, and has many reported pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Objective: To gather the current knowledge related to the medicinal characteristics of Z. nummularia. Specifically, its phytochemical contents and pharmacological activities in the treatment of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, are discussed. Methods: Major scientific literature databases, including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Chemical Abstracts, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Abstracts, Henriette's Herbal Homepage, Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases, were searched to retrieve articles related to the review subject. General web searches using Google and Google scholar were also utilized. The search period covered articles published between 1980 and the end of October 2021.The search used the keywords 'Ziziphus nummularia', AND ('phytochemical content', 'pharmacological properties, or activities, or effects, or roles', 'anti-inflammatory', 'anti-drought', 'anti-thermal', 'anthelmintic', 'antidiabetic',' anticancer', 'anticholinesterase', 'antimicrobial', 'sedative', 'antipyretic', 'analgesic', or 'gastrointestinal'). Results: This plant is rich in characteristic alkaloids, especially cyclopeptide alkaloids such as nummularine-M. Other phytochemicals, including flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, tannins, and phenolic compounds, are also present. These phytochemicals are responsible for the reported pharmacological properties of Z. nummularia, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, anticancer, analgesic, and gastrointestinal activities. In addition, Z. nummularia has anti-drought and anti-thermal characteristics. Conclusion: Research into the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Z. nummularia has demonstrated that this plant is a rich source of novel bioactive compounds. So far, Z. nummularia has shown a varied pharmacological profile (antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective), warranting further research to uncover the therapeutic potential of the bioactives of this plant. Taken together, Z. nummularia may represent a new potential target for the discovery of new drug leads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of 2% and 5% Cordia (CG) and Ziziphus (ZG) gums on dough characteristics and cookie quality was investigated. Micro-DoughLab, a texture analyzer (TA), a rapid viscoanalyzer (RVA), and solvent retention capacity were used to examine the effect of CG and ZG gums on dough physicochemical parameters (SRC) and cookie quality. The diameter, thickness, spread, and sensory evaluation of cookies were evaluated. With the addition of CG and ZG, dough softness, mixing time, and mixing tolerance index (MTI) increased, whereas stability and water absorption decreased. TA data showed that adding gums resulted in softer and less sticky doughs than the control, whereas RVA data showed that adding CG resulted in a significant increase in peak viscosity, but no change in flour gel setback. In comparison to the control and CG samples, the ZG samples exhibited the most dough extensibility. The thickness and diameter of the cookies increased but the spread decreased, due to the added gums. The gum-containing cookies had a lower overall acceptability by panelists than the control, although only by a small margin. Gum-containing cookies, on the other hand, can deliver up to 5% soluble fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ziziphus spina-christi L. (ZSC-L) is a tree with thorny branches, belongs to the family Rhamnaceae and grows in the sub-tropics. The purpose of this research is to isolate and partially purify bioactive components from the crude ethanol extract of the stem bark of ZSC-L. Besides, bioassay-guided fractionation of ZSC-L stem bark was conducted using different solvents. The solvents were reutilized to minimize the production cost and environmental harm. In addition, the antimicrobial activities of the fractions were analyzed, followed by metabolic profiling using LC-HRMS. The n-butanol fraction showed the highest antimicrobial efficacy, so it was subjected to further purification. For the first time, two major compounds were isolated from the stem bark of ZSC-L and identified as lupane-type pentacyclic triterpenoids betulinic acid and betulin. Both compounds were used as antibacterial and anticancer agents and considered as a green product as the extraction procedure reduced the use of hazardous chemicals. Metabolic characterization of ZSC-L and its bioactive fractions were performed using LC-HR-ESI-MS and the results revealed the dereplication of 36 compounds belonging to different chemical classes. Flavonoids and triterpenes were the most prominent metabolite classes in the different fractions. The molecular docking results were obtained by studying the interaction of betulin and betulinic acid with antimicrobial receptors (4UYM, 1IYL, 1AJ2, 6J7L, 1AD4, 2VEG) to support the in vitro results. Our study highlights that Ziziphus spina-christi and its phytoconstituents, especially triterpenoids, act as a promising antimicrobial candidate in pharmaceutical and clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to investigate the chemical composition, antioxidant activities and hepatoprotective effect of flavonoids from Ziziphus jujuba cv. Jinsixiaozao (ZJF). The composition of ZJF was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and antioxidant properties were investigated by biological assays in vitro. The hepatoprotective activity of ZJF was evaluated in acetaminophen (APAP)-treated BALB/c mice. Results indicate that ZJF displayed significant antioxidant capacity. Pretreatment with ZJF significantly decreased APAP-elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TB). Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were enhanced with ZJF administration, while malondialdehyde (MDA) level and glutathione (GSH) depletion were reduced. Meanwhile, ZJF reversed the suppression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) nuclear translocation, and up-regulated the protein expression of NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1) in liver damage mice. Furthermore, ZJF attenuated APAP-induced inflammatory mediator production, such as nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Expression of p65 showed that ZJF dampened nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation. The results strongly indicate that the hepatoprotective role of ZJF in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity might result from its induction of antioxidant defense via activation of Nrf2 and reduction of inflammation via inhibition of NF-κB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jua (juá in Portuguese) is an underexplored fruit from Brazil's northeast. This fruit is rich in antioxidant substances. However, there is a dearth of information about jua's bioactive potential. The present study evaluated two extraction methods (continuous agitation and ultrasound-assisted extraction—UAE) and employed three different solvents (water, ethanol, and acetone) to efficiently recover soluble phenolic compounds. Aqueous extracts obtained by UAE showed the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and antiradical activity. Besides being an eco-friendly procedure, extraction and/or solubility in an aqueous medium is also important for food application. Ellagic acids were the predominant phenolics (80%) found in aqueous jua pulp extract obtained by UAE, as determined by HPLC, while its TPC was 405.8 gallic acid equivalent per gram of fruit. This extract also exhibited a higher scavenging activity towards peroxyl radicals when compared to that of several other fruits from the literature, including grape, strawberry, cranberry, and walnuts, which are known references in terms of antioxidants. This is the first report that demonstrates jua pulp's potential as an alternative source of ellagic acid and other phenolic acids and flavonoids. Therefore, the outcome of this study provides new information that can be useful for functional food and nutraceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zizyphus lotus L. is a perennial shrub particularly used in Algerian folk medicine, but little is known concerning the lipophilic compounds in the most frequently used parts, namely, root bark, pulp, leaves and seeds, which are associated with health benefits. In this vein, the lipophilic fractions of these morphological parts of Z. lotus from Morocco were studied by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and their antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities were evaluated. GC–MS analysis allowed the identification and quantification of 99 lipophilic compounds, including fatty acids, long-chain aliphatic alcohols, pentacyclic triterpenic compounds, sterols, monoglycerides, aromatic compounds and other minor components. Lipophilic extracts of pulp, leaves and seeds were revealed to be mainly composed of fatty acids, representing 54.3–88.6% of the total compounds detected. The leaves and seeds were particularly rich in unsaturated fatty acids, namely, (9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoic acid (2431 mg kg−1 of dry weight) and (9Z)-octadec-9-enoic acid (6255 mg kg−1 of dry weight). In contrast, root bark contained a high content of pentacyclic triterpenic compounds, particularly betulinic acid, accounting for 9838 mg kg−1 of dry weight. Root bark extract showed promising antiproliferative activity against a triple-negative breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 4.23 ± 0.18 µg mL−1 of extract. Leaf extract displayed interesting antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermis, presenting minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values from 1024 to 2048 µg mL−1 of extract. Our results demonstrate that Zizyphus lotus L. is a source of promising bioactive components, which can be exploited as natural ingredients in pharmaceutical formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) (Z. lotus) is a medicinal plant largely distributed all over the Mediterranean basin and is traditionally used by Moroccan people to treat many illnesses, including kidney failure. The nephrotoxicity of gentamicin (GM) has been well documented in humans and animals, although the preventive strategies against it remain to be studied. In this investigation, we explore whether the extract of Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) Fruit (ZLF) exhibits a protective effect against renal damage produced by GM. Indeed, twenty-four Wistar rats were separated into four equal groups of six each (♂/♀ = 1). The control group was treated orally with distilled water (10 mL/kg); the GM treated group received distilled water (10 mL/kg) and an intraperitoneal injection of GM (80 mg/kg) 3 h after; and the treated groups received ZLF extract orally at the doses 200 or 400 mg/kg and injected intraperitoneally with the GM. All treatments were given daily for 14 days. At the end of the experiment, the biochemical parameters and the histological observation related the kidney function was explored. ZLF treatment has significantly attenuated the nephrotoxicity induced by the GM. This effect was indicated by its capacity to decrease significantly the serum creatinine, uric acid, urea, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, albumin, calcium, sodium amounts, water intake, urinary volume, and relative kidney weight. In addition, this effect was also shown by the increase in the creatinine clearance, urinary creatinine, uric acid, and urea levels, weight gain, compared to the rats treated only with the GM. The hemostasis of oxidants/antioxidants has been significantly improved with the treatment of ZLF extract, which was shown by a significant reduction in malondialdehydes levels. Histopathological analysis of renal tissue was correlated with biochemical observation. Chemical analysis by HPLC-DAD showed that the aqueous extract of ZLF is rich in phenolic compounds such as 3-hydroxycinnamic acid, catechin, ferulic acid, gallic acid, hydroxytyrosol, naringenin, p- coumaric Acid, quercetin, rutin, and vanillic acid. In conclusion, ZLF extract improved the nephrotoxicity induced by GM, through the improvement of the biochemical and histological parameters and thus validates its ethnomedicinal use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of all cancer-related deaths. Despite major improvements in treating PC, low survival rate remains a major challenge, indicating the need for alternative approaches, including herbal medicine. Among medicinal plants is Ziziphus nummularia (family Rhamnaceae), which is a thorny shrub rich in bioactive molecules. Leaves of Ziziphus nummularia have been used to treat many pathological conditions, including cancer. However, their effects on human PC are still unknown. Here, we show that the treatment of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells (Capan-2) with Ziziphus nummularia ethanolic extract (ZNE) (100–300 μg/mL) attenuated cell proliferation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine, an ROS scavenger, attenuated the anti-proliferative effect of ZNE. In addition, ZNE significantly decreased the migratory and invasive capacity of Capan-2 with a concomitant downregulation of integrin α2 and increased cell–cell aggregation. In addition, ZNE inhibited in ovo angiogenesis as well as reduced VEGF and nitric oxide levels. Furthermore, ZNE downregulated the ERK1/2 and NF-κB signaling pathways, which are known to drive tumorigenic and metastatic events. Taken together, our results suggest that ZNE can attenuate the malignant phenotype of Capan-2 by inhibiting hallmarks of PC. Our data also provide evidence for the potential anticancer effect of Ziziphus nummularia, which may represent a new resource of novel anticancer compounds, especially ones that can be utilized for the management of PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild jujube "Ziziphus lotus (L.) Desf." belongs to the Rhamnaceae family and is a traditionally herbaceous medicinal plant. It is very common in arid and semi-arid regions and is currently used for its antidiabetic, sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic activities. The aim of the present work was to characterize the physico-chemical properties and the phytochemical profile of wild jujube sample collected from the Guercif region, in order to determine the polyphenolic compounds and the antioxidant ability Analyses were carried out directly after the harvest for the determination of pH, refractive index, total soluble solid (°Brix), dry matter, sugar/acidity, total sugars, reducing sugars, as well as lipid and protein content. Results showed that the investigated fruit is acidic (pH 4.9 ± 0.23) and rich in sugars (80.2 g/100 g ± 3.81). The GC-MS analysis of the fruit revealed a number of volatile compounds, as many as 97, belonging to different chemical classes. The HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis showed the presence of a total of 20 polyphenolic compounds in both EtOAc and MeOH-water extracts. Among them, p-Hydroxybenzoic acid was the most abundant in the EtOAc extract (185.68 µg/100 mg ± 0.5) whereas Quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside-7-O-glucoside was found in higher amounts in the MeOH-water extract (25.40 µg/100 mg ± 0.5). These components have medical interest, notably for human nutrition, as well as health benefits and therapeutic effects. Therefore, Moroccan jujube "Zizyphus lotus (L.)" fruit may have potential industrial applications for food formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ziziphus nummularia is an important source of valuable phytoconstituents, which are widely used in traditional medicine system of Indo-Pak sub-continent. In this study we investigated the distribution of phenolic compounds in the fruit pericarps of six different genotypes (ZNP01-06) of Z. nummularia growing in the unexplored hilly areas of Pakistan. The methanolic extracts of these genotypes were screened for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant, and cholinesterase inhibitory potentials. The observed biological potentials were explained in terms of the outcome of molecular docking and HPLC analyses. Among them, genotype ZNP02 displayed high TPC (88.50 ± 1.23 μg/mL) and showed potent scavenging activity against DPPH (67.03 ± 1.04 μg/mL) and ABTS (65.3 ± 1.74 μg/mL) in comparison to ascorbic acid (68.7 ± 0.47 μg/mL). Moreover, genotypes ZNP01, ZNP02, and ZNP04 displayed potent inhibition against acetyl and butyryl cholinesterases (AChE and BChE) with IC50 values of 21.2, 20.5, and 23.7 μg/mL (AChE) and 22.7, 24.4, and 33.1 μg/mL (BChE), respectively. Furthermore, the individual compounds in the most potent species ZNP01 responsible for potent enzyme inhibition (identified through HPLC-UV analysis), were computed via docking simulation software to the enzyme structures. Among these compounds rutin exhibited significant binding affinity with value of −9.20 kcal/mol. The differences amongst the phytochemical compositions of the selected genotypes highlighted the genotypic variations in them. Based on our results it was concluded that the selected plant can be used as remedy of oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases. However, further studies are needed to isolate responsible compounds and test the observed potential in vivo, along with toxicological evaluations in animal models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was to present the effect of different parameters of combined methods of drying such as vacuum-microwave (VMD: 480, 120 W), hot air (CDD: 70, 60, 50 °C) and combined methods as pre-drying by CD and finish drying by VMD (CD-VMD: 60 °C + 480/120W) in order to avoid a rapid increase in temperature at the critical moisture content of ca. 1 kg/kg dm (dry mass). Control samples were prepared by freeze-drying (FD). Drying kinetics, including the temperature profile of dried material, as well as on some quality factors of the finished product as phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, and color were evaluated. The increase in air temperature during CD as well as the increase in material temperature during VMD deteriorated dried product quality in terms of the content of phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity and color. Dried jujube fruits have a long shelf life and therefore may be a fine alternative to fresh fruit all year round. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]