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Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume is traditionally served as a functional tea in China. In this work, the antioxidant activities of L. robustum (Rxob.) Blume extract (LRE) were evaluated and its inhibitory effect and mechanism on pancreatic lipase were further investigated. With the high contents of phenols (139.70 ± 1.41 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract) and flavonoids (326.46 ± 7.36 mg rutin equivalent/g extract), LRE showed significant antioxidant activities (p < 0.05) for scavenging free radicals and hydrogen peroxide, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and providing strong reducing power. Meanwhile, LRE displayed remarkable inhibitory activity on pancreatic lipase with a low half‐effective inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 2.469 ± 0.005 mg/ml which was further determined as non‐competitive inhibition. The spectroscopic results showed that LRE inhibited the activity of pancreatic lipase by modifying the tertiary and secondary structures of lipase. Moreover, four phenolic compounds (acteoside, lipedoside A, oleuropein and ligurobustoside C) were identified from LRE by the high performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole‐ time of flight‐mass spectrometry. In addition, according to molecular docking analysis, the four phenols could interact with pancreatic lipase by hydrogen bonds, so as to change the spatial structure of pancreatic lipase and inhibit its catalytic activity. The present results suggest that LRE not only exhibits strong antioxidant capacity but possesses effectively inhibitory activity on pancreatic lipase, which might have the potential to be developed as functional food and nutraceuticals for the prevention of metabolic diseases. Practical Application: Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume extract has been confirmed to possess antioxidant activity and lipase inhibitory activity, which indicates that the L. robustum extract has the potential to prevent oxidative stress and regulate fat metabolism. This work suggests that L. robustum extract can be served as a novel resource to prepare nutraceuticals and functional food in food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological, physicochemical, and biochemical properties of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber from seven types of algae were investigated. The soluble dietary fiber (SDF) contents (6.48 to 60.90% of the total fiber) in most of the investigated algae were significantly lower than the insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) contents (39.10 to 93.52% of the total fiber). It can be inferred from the infrared and UV‐Vis spectra that the SDF and IDF of algae may contain cellulose, hemicellulose, various monosaccharides, phenolic compounds, and quinone pigments. The bound phenolic in the seven algae varied widely in contents (3.76 to 14.08 mg GAE/g in IDF and 1.94 to 8.61 mg GAE/g in SDF), whose antioxidant activities in the IDF were stronger than those in SDF because of different phenolic compositions. The HPLC‐mass spectrometry (MS)/MS results showed that the IDF may contain methyl‐8α‐hydroxy‐grindelate‐7β‐O‐7′β‐ether hydrate, hydroxydecanoic acid, and malyngic acid. Practical Application: Polysaccharides of high content in algae cannot be digested by humans, hence regarded as dietary fibers. A large amount of bound phenolic compounds in dietary fibers can add to the biological activities of dietary fibers. These topics are important to the development of seaweed‐based functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pectinase is a well‐known enzyme used in the food processing industry to produce fruit juice and concentrate. This study evaluated the anticancer and antiangiogenesis activities of pectinase‐treated Prunus mume fruit concentrate (PC) and its phenolic components. PC treatment (250 to 1,000 µg/mL) resulted in decreased proliferation of SW480 human colorectal cancer cells through S‐phase cell cycle arrest; however, equivalent concentrations of PC did not show toxicity toward CRL‐1539 colon normal cells. Furthermore, PC‐induced caspase‐dependent apoptosis in SW480 cells, which was characterized by accumulation of apoptotic cell population, cell shrinkage, formation of apoptotic bodies, upregulation of proapoptotic Bax, cleaved PARP, caspase‐3, caspase‐8, and caspase‐9, and downregulation of antiapoptotic Bcl‐2. Antiangiogenesis effects of PC were assessed using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). We found that PC did not inhibit HUVECs proliferation at concentrations of 500 to 1,500 µg/mL. In addition, treatment with PC at nontoxic concentrations (500 to 1,000 µg/mL) blocked vascular endothelial growth factor induced cell migration, invasion, capillary‐like tube formation, and angiogenesis from rat aortic rings. HPLC‐PDA analysis showed that there were at least four different phenolics including 5‐HMF, neochlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid, and syringic acid. Taken together, these results indicated that PC could be used as a good source of phenolic compounds with selective anticancer and antiangiogenesis activities. Practical Application: Pectinases are one of the well‐known enzyme used in the part of food processing. Treatment of pectinase is a useful strategy to reduce viscosity, turbidity, and pulp particles in the production of fruit juice, extract, and concentrate. In the present study, we found that pectinase‐treated P. mume fruit concentrate significantly suppresses colorectal cancer proliferation and angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The significance of our findings is that pectinase‐treated P. mume concentrate may be used as a commercial functional food material to inhibit colorectal cancer and angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orostachys japonicus has traditionally been used as a food product and a fork medicine in Asia to treat various diseases. Angiogenesis is a critical process that contributes to various chronic diseases via excessive delivery of oxygen and nutrients. Common anti‐angiogenic drugs have serious problems related to high costs and side effects; thus, natural products with low costs and no cytotoxicity have garnered increasing interest. In this study, we evaluated and compared the anti‐angiogenic effects and phenolic compound contents between wild (WOEs) and cultivated O. japonicus extracts (COEs) prepared under various extract conditions. WOEs and COEs suppressed cell proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor‐induced chemotactic migration, invasion, and capillary‐like tube formation in HUVECs. Among COEs, that prepared by 70% EtOH (70% CE) showed the most effective anti‐angiogenic activity in HUVECs. When compared to WOEs, total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents were 1.28 to 4.38 times higher in COEs, and 70% CE contained the greatest flavonoid contents (28.28 ± 0.93 mg%), as well as the highest levels of major phenolic compounds including gallic acid (21.84 µg/mL), epicatechin‐gallate (6.58 µg/mL), kaempferol (6.32 µg/mL), and quercetin (8.55 µg/mL). Although further studies are required to identify the molecular mechanisms behind these anti‐angiogenic effects, 70% CE could be used as an herbal medicine, functional food ingredient, and potent angiogenesis inhibitor. Practical Application: Environmental factors such as altitude, nutrients, exposure to sunlight, and temperature can influence the type and quantity of bioactive components in plants. The advantage of cultivated plants is that the above‐mentioned factors can be artificially adjusted compared to wild plants. Based on economic efficiency, productivity, and consistent quality, anti‐angiogenesis activity of cultivated O. japonicus is of greater commercial value as a functional food than wild O. japonicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brewer's spent grain (BSG), a major brewing industry byproduct, is generated in large quantities annually. This review summarizes research into the composition and preservation of BSG, different extraction techniques for BSG proteins and phenolic acids, and the bioactivities of these phenolic components. Moreover, this article also highlights BSG integration into foodstuff for human consumption and animal feed supplements. BSG is considered a rich source of fiber, protein, and phenolic compounds. The phenolic acids present in BSG are hydroxycinnamic acids (ferulic, p-coumaric, and caffeic acids), which have many biofunctions, such as antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antiatherogenic, and antiinflammatory activities. Previously, attempts have been made to integrate BSG into human food, such as ready-to-eat snacks, cookies and bread, to increase fiber and protein contents. The addition of BSG to animal feed leads to increased milk yields, higher fat contents in milk, and is a good source of essential amino acids. Therefore, many studies have concluded that integrating the biofunctional compounds in BSG into human food and animal feed has various health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eight phenolic compounds including: p-coumaric acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, trolox, quercetin, curcumin, and resveratrol were treated with riboflavin (RF) photosensitization and in vitro antioxidant capacities of the mixtures were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2' azino bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Mixtures containing p-coumaric acid and vanillic acid under RF photosensitization showed increases in ferric ion reducing ability and radical scavenging activity of DPPH, whereas mixtures of other compounds had decreases in both radical scavenging ability and ferric reducing antioxidant power. Hydroxycoumaric acid and conjugated hydroxycoumaric and coumaric acids were tentatively identified from RF photosensitized p-coumaric acid, whereas dimmers of vanillic acid were tentatively identified from RF photosensitized vanillic acid. RF photosensitization may be a useful method to enhance antioxidant properties like ferric ion reducing abilities of some selected phenolic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broccoli, ( Brassica oleracea var. Italica), is generally recognized as a nutritive food rich in natural antioxidants, including vitamins and phenolics compounds. Phytochemical composition of 3 different purple sprouting broccoli varieties according with their production cycle: EEP (Extra Early), EP (Early), and LP (Late) were determined. The 3 cultivars tested were grown under the same conditions in an experimental field (SE Spain) where they were not previously cultivated since these cultivars are typical of cold, Northern-European areas. EP variety showed greater growth according to the photosynthetic rate and C assimilation. However, it was not possible to obtain inflorescences for variety LP. The health-promoting compounds (vitamin C, phenolic compounds, and glucosinolates) were higher in purple broccolis than in traditionally grown green broccolis and showed differences according to the variety. With respect to the use of broccoli byproducts as source of antioxidants, any variety would be suitable although the leaves of EP variety seems the richest in total phenolic acids, whereas the amount of anthocyanins was higher in LP variety, followed by EP and EEP varieties. Under our experimental conditions, the levels of glucosinolates were higher in purple broccoli than in green cultivars and also higher than other purple broccolis grown under different climate conditions. Therefore, the results reported data for production of the EEP and EP varieties in the Mediterranean climate with potential to obtain vegetables with improved nutritional quality. Practical Application: The results of this study reported data of the health-promoting nutrients and natural antioxidants of EEP, EP, and LP purple sprouting broccoli varieties grown under the Mediterranean climate. The vitamin C, phenolic compounds, and glucosinolates in these purple varieties were higher than in traditionally grown green broccolis and other purple broccolis grown under different climate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new spectrometric method ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric with high precision and rapid analysis was developed to separate 17 phenolic compounds. Different species of cherries, including 10 sweet cherry ( Prunus avium L.) cultivars, a tart cherry ( P. cerasus L.) rootstock (CAB), and a hybrid rootstock 'Colt' ( P. avium × P. pseudocerasus), were analyzed for phenolics contents by this method. The results showed that significant differences were observed among the phenolic compound contents in different cherry species. In 10 sweet cherry cultivars, the contents of neochlorogenic acid and cyanidin-3O-rutinoside were much higher in red-colored fruits (for example, 64.60 and 44.50 mg/100 g fresh weight in Burlat, respectively) than those in bicolored ones. Principal component analysis revealed that cyanidin-3O-rutinoside was an effective index for grouping the cultivars with similar species and fruit colors. Moreover, there were strong positive correlations between phenolics content and antioxidant activity, which was higher in red-colored cherries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]