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The total antioxidant capacity of Pinus gerardania, or Chilgoza and the presence of antioxidant compounds which typically exist in pine nuts were quantified. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and 2, 2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+) radical cation scavenging assays were conducted on dichloromethane, ethanol, ethyl acetate, hexane, methanol and water extracts of Chilgoza. The water and dichloromethane extracts displayed the highest antioxidant activity across all assays. Antioxidant compounds such as gallocatechin, catechin, lutein, lycopene, caretenoids and tocopherols were present in all extracts. Gallocatechin had the highest presence out of all the compounds. Its amounts present in the water and dichloromethane extracts were 64.9 and 56.9 µg per gram fresh weight (µg/g), respectively. The total carotenoid contents in the water and dichloromethane extracts were 14.72 and 14.26 µg/g, respectively, while the total tocopherol contents were 1.05 and 2.53 µg/g, respectively.

The free radical scavenging activity of Aspalathus linearis (Rooibos tea) and its effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were investigated in two in vitro disease models of cancer and diabetes. Although the antioxidant activity of this tea has been reported in several studies, its effects in disease models of ROS-induced oxidative stress have not been systematically evaluated to date. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay was used in this study to quantify the antioxidant capacity of the extract, whereas the ROS scavenging ability in hyperglycemia-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and HeLa cells were investigated. The CAT and SOD assays were also carried out in the two disease models in order to evaluate the effect of the extract in the stimulation of these two enzyme activities. The extract was observed to have reduced ROS in a dose-dependent manner in both HUVECs and HeLa cells. The stimulation of the CAT and SOD enzyme activities were observed to be dose-dependent as well. The high ORAC value of the extract indicated the presence of antioxidant compounds which could directly quench ROS, whereby this mechanism of action could be hypothesized to have been further complemented through the stimulation of CAT and SOD. Overall, the Aspalathus linearis extract was observed to have increased the CAT and SOD activities in two in vitro disease models of cancer and hyperglycemia. Given the correlation between the ORAC values, the increases in CAT and SOD activities and the reduction in ROS in a dose-dependent manner, it could be hypothesized that the extract had a significant therapeutic potential for either the prevention of the onset of the two diseases or their progression because ROS has been identified as their root causes.

The antioxidant activities of curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, Indian malabar leaves, red silk cotton tree leaves, cowitch leaves, holyfruit tree leaves, and black mustard seeds were compared. Their effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were investigated. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay determined the antioxidant potential of the extracts, while the ROS scavenging ability was explored in hyperglycemia-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The SOD assay determined if the extracts stimulated the enzyme activity in the HUVECs. Curry leaf and fenugreek extracts had high ORAC values and superior free radical scavenging abilities compared with the rest of the extracts. The curry leaf extract had also increased the SOD activity. Fenugreek extract had not increased the SOD activity of the HUVECs. Thus, the two herbs displayed two distinct pathways of action for scavenging of ROS.

Abstract Background Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent for melioidosis, a disease with significant mortality and morbidity in endemic regions. Its versatility as a pathogen is reflected in its relatively huge 7.24 Mb genome and the presence of many virulence factors including three Type Three Secretion Systems known as T3SS1, T3SS2 and T3SS3. Besides being a human pathogen, it is able to infect and cause disease in many different animals and alternative hosts such as C. elegans. Results Its host range is further extended to include plants as we demonstrated the ability of B. pseudomallei and the closely related species B. thailandensis to infect susceptible tomato but not rice plants. Bacteria were found to multiply intercellularly and were found in the xylem vessels of the vascular bundle. Disease is substantially attenuated upon infection with bacterial mutants deficient in T3SS1 or T3SS2 and slightly attenuated upon infection with the T3SS3 mutant. This shows the importance of both T3SS1 and T3SS2 in bacterial pathogenesis in susceptible plants. Conclusions The potential of B. pseudomallei as a plant pathogen raises new possibilities of exploiting plant as an alternative host for novel anti-infectives or virulence factor discovery. It also raises issues of biosecurity due to its classification as a potential bioterrorism agent.

Pterocarpus marsupiumis a popular spice incorporated into culinary preparations around the world, which is also used for its antidiabetic treatment in traditional medicine. The objective of the study was to evaluate the antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory properties ofPterocarpus marsupiumleaves. The total antioxidant capacity, total phenolics content, starch hydrolase inhibitory activities and superoxide dismutase mimetic (SODm) activity of various leaf extracts ofPterocarpus marsupiumwere studied. Extracts of dichloromethane (DCM), ethanol (EtOH), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), hexane (HEX), methanol (MeOH) and water were compared. The total phenolics contents of the extracts decreased in the order of water > EtOH > EtOAc > MeOH > DCM > HEX. The antioxidant and SODm activity values of the extracts decreased in the same order as the total phenolics contents, while the DPPH EC50values increased in the reverse order. Pterosupin and pterostilbene had the highest content out of all the phenolic compounds quantified across all solvent extracts. The highest starch hydrolase inhibitory activities were observed in the water extract.Pterocarpus marsupiumwas observed to be a good source of antioxidant compounds and therapeutic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total antioxidant capacity ofBrassica nigraseeds (black mustard seeds) and the presence of phenolic compounds which are known to exist in seeds of this family were quantified. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2, 2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical scavenging assays were conducted on dichloromethane, ethanol, ethyl acetate, hexane, methanol, and water extracts of the seeds. Water and ethanol extracts displayed the highest antioxidant activity. Phenolic compounds which have been known to demonstrate antioxidant properties such as catechin, epicatechin, gallic acid, myricetin, quercetin, and rutin were present in all extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BACKGROUND Eighteen edible plants were assessed for their antioxidant potential based on oxygen radical absorbance capacity ( ORAC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl ( DPPH) radical scavenging activity, total phenolics, vitamin C content and various lipophilic antioxidants. The inhibitory activities of the plant extracts against the enzymatic activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase were also evaluated. RESULTS The antioxidant and starch hydrolase activities of the plants varied widely across a single batch of analysis. The ORAC and DPPH radical scavenging EC50 values varied between 298 and 1984 Trolox equivalents g−1 fresh weight and between 91 and 533 mg kg−1 fresh weight, respectively. The total phenolics and vitamin C contents varied between 32 and 125 mg gallic acid equivalents g−1 fresh weight and between 96 and 285 µg g−1 fresh weight, respectively. All the plants contained neoxanthin, violaxanthin, and α- and β- carotene in varying amounts. Coccinia grandis, Asparagus racemosus, Costus speciosus, Amaranthus viridis and Annona muricata displayed the highest inhibitory activities against starch hydrolases. They were the most efficient against the breakdown of seven starches exposed to the two enzymes as well. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the edible plants were observed to display a high antioxidant potential with starch hydrolase inhibitory properties, which were beneficial in their being recognized as functional food. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the phosphoglucose isomerase from a Bacillus subtilis native strain were carried out. The crystals belonged to the monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 145.7, b = 136.0, c = 109.1 Å, β = 119.4°. The diffraction quality of the crystal was significantly improved from 2.4 Å to greater than 1.9 Å resolution by using the in situ flash-annealing method. A 98% complete data set with an overall Rmerge of 4.6% was collected using an R-AXIS IV++ image-plate system and a copper rotating-anode X-ray generator. The crystals contained four molecules per asymmetric unit and the predicted solvent content and the Matthews coefficient ( VM) were 46.8% and 2.3 Å3 Da−1, respectively. Structure determination by the molecular-replacement method provided a reasonable solution for model building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent for melioidosis, a disease with significant mortality and morbidity in endemic regions. Its versatility as a pathogen is reflected in its relatively huge 7.24 Mb genome and the presence of many virulence factors including three Type Three Secretion Systems known as T3SS1, T3SS2 and T3SS3. Besides being a human pathogen, it is able to infect and cause disease in many different animals and alternative hosts such as C. elegans., Results: Its host range is further extended to include plants as we demonstrated the ability of B. pseudomallei and the closely related species B. thailandensis to infect susceptible tomato but not rice plants. Bacteria were found to multiply intercellularly and were found in the xylem vessels of the vascular bundle. Disease is substantially attenuated upon infection with bacterial mutants deficient in T3SS1 or T3SS2 and slightly attenuated upon infection with the T3SS3 mutant. This shows the importance of both T3SS1 and T3SS2 in bacterial pathogenesis in susceptible plants., Conclusions: The potential of B. pseudomallei as a plant pathogen raises new possibilities of exploiting plant as an alternative host for novel anti-infectives or virulence factor discovery. It also raises issues of biosecurity due to its classification as a potential bioterrorism agent.

Aims: The Genous endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) capture stent is a bioengineered R stent coated with immobilised antibodies on its stent struts to allow for the capture of circulating EPCs to promote rapid endothelisation. We assessed the impact of this stent in the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and examined its long term clinical outcomes., Methods and Results: All patients with acute STEMI without cardiogenic shock who underwent primary PCI between January 2005 and April 2007 and received the stent were enrolled in the study. The study endpoints were major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as death, MI and target vessel revascularisation (TVR) at 30 days, six months and one year. A total of 321 enrolled patients received 357 EPC capture stents during the study period. The cohort comprises 81.0% males with mean age of 54.6+/-11.6 years. The mean stent length used was 20.98+/-5.50 mm and mean stent size was 2.99+/-0.32 mm. Ninety-four percent of patients achieved Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 3 flow post-procedurally. The cumulative MACE rate was 8.1% at 30 days, 10.0% at six months and 12.2% at one year. There was one patient who developed acute stent thrombosis and another two with subacute stent thromboses. No late thrombosis or late cardiac mortality was observed in our cohort. The need for TVR was 4.4% at one year., Conclusions: The use of EPC capture stents in patients who underwent primary PCI for STEMI is safe and showed good clinical outcomes, with low rates of TVR and no late stent thrombosis.

Scutellaria barbata (SB) is a medicinal plant that contains flavonone compounds such as scutellarein, scutellarin, carthamidin, isocarthamidin, and wogonin. A functional proteomic approach was used to study the inhibitory effects of a chemically standardized extract from SB in human colon adrencarcinoma, LoVo. In this work, a stable isotope was not used in the proposed method developed. The whole cell lysates from the control and treated cells were digested with trypsin, and the peptides were separated by two-dimensional (cation-exchange and reversed-phase) liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. The differentially expressed proteins identified using the current approach supported the data obtained from cell-cycle analysis with flow cytometry. With flow-cytometry analysis, a significant increase in the sub G1 phase was observed with a higher dose of extract from SB. Our results suggest that the chemically standardized extract from SB can induce cell death in the human colon cancer cell line. Our current work showed that the proposed platform provided a rapid approach to study the molecular mechanism because of the inhibitory effects of different doses of the botanical extracts on LoVo cell lines. This included a network of proteins involved in metabolism, regulation of the cell cycle, and transcription-factor activity.