Search

Coreopsis tinctoria flowering (CTF) tops from the Kunlun Mountains in Xinjing (north-western China) have been used for tea production for about a century. This study was to assess antioxidant, nitrite-scavenging and N-nitrosamine inhibitory and antimicrobial activities of the essential oil extracted from CTF tops. The essential oil was extracted through hydrodistillation and its chemical compositions were analysed by GC-MS. Seventy compounds of the oil were identified, representing 81.87% of total oil. The antioxidant capacities of the oil with IC50 values for scavenging DPPH and ABTS were 287.66 ± 12.60 and 1.251 ± 0.127 μg mL(- 1), respectively. The nitrite-scavenging and N-nitrosamine inhibitory activities (IC50) were 0.3912 ± 0.0127 and 0.6564 ± 0.036 μg mL(- 1), respectively. The oil has a certain antimicrobial capacity, but its capacity was weaker than that of penicillinG (24 μg mL(- 1)). The oil showed antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities and had a stronger nitrite-scavenging and N-nitrosamine inhibitory properties.

Coreopsis tinctoria flowering tops (CTFs) from the Kunlun Mountains in Xinjing (north-western China) have been used for tea production for about a century. This study aims to assess the antioxidant activities and total phenolic, flavonoid and proanthocyanidin contents of various solvent extracts of CTF. CTF was extracted using n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, 75% aqueous ethanol (AEE) and water. The antioxidant activities of the CTF extracts were investigated through DPPH, ABTS, *OH, *O2(-), total antioxidant capacity and reducing power assays. The results showed that n-butanol extract showed the highest contents of total phenols and flavonoids, with DPPH, ABTS and *OH radical-scavenging activities with IC50 values of 134, 90.72 and 13.8 μg mL(-1), respectively. The AEE demonstrated the strongest DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities, with IC50 values of 103 and 75.16 μg mL(-1), respectively. Given its high antioxidant effect, CTF is a good source of natural antioxidants or functional food materials.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant, anti-glucosidase and anti-amylase activities of total flavonoids (TFs) from Cichorium glandulosum seeds, and to analyse its chemical composition by HPLC-ESI/MS. In vitro study, radical scavenging IC50 values of TFs were 7.33±0.093, 9.24±0.100, 154.33±11.38 and 256.7±4.86 μg/ml for DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide anion, respectively. In the 8-64 mg/ml range, α-glucosidase and α-amylase were inhibited by TFs to a certain extent. In vivo, the treatment groups with TFs (100, 200, 400 mg/kg) showed a significant decrease in the malondialdehyde level, the superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels were restored to almost normal levels, and the catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels significantly increased compared to the CCl4-intoxicated group in rats. The present study suggests that C. glandulosum seeds should be given special attention because of their antioxidant and anti-glucosidase, anti-amylase activity., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is an extensively cultivated vegetable in eastern Asia, particularly in China. Both lotus rhizome knot (LRK) and lotus leaf (LL) are waste products of the lotus industry. Extracts from LRK and LL are proposed as antioxidants for meat. Porcine and bovine ground meat samples were subjected to three treatments: CONTROL (with no additives), LRK (lotus rhizomes knot extract 3% w/w), and LL (lotus leaf extract 3% w/w). Raw and cooked samples were stored at 4°C and the antioxidant activity was determined at 1, 3, 6 and 10 days. Antioxidant activity was significantly increased in all meat samples with the addition of both LRK and LL, but LRK was more effective against lipid oxidation. The results show the potential for using LRK and LL extracts in the meat industry to prolong shelf life., (Copyright © 2010 The American Meat Science Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres with a high recognition ability toward the template molecule, ellagic acid, were synthesized based on distillation-precipitation polymerization. The as-obtained polymers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Static, dynamic, and selective binding tests were adopted to study the binding properties and the molecular recognition ability of the prepared polymers for ellagic acid. The results indicated that the maximum static adsorption capacity of the prepared polymers toward ellagic acid was 37.07 mg/g and the adsorption equilibrium time was about 100 min when the concentration of ellagic acid was 40 mg/mL. Molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres were also highly selective toward ellagic acid compared with its analogue quercetin. It was found that the content of ellagic acid in the pomegranate peel extract was enhanced from 23 to 86% after such molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction process. This work provides an efficient way for effective separation and enrichment of ellagic acid from complex matrix, which is especially valuable in industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Cichorium glandulosum Boiss. et Huet was used historically in Uyghur folk medicine. Its roots, seeds, and aerial parts are extensively used by Uyghur residents in Xinjiang to eliminate savda typhoid, dredge and cure obstructive jaundice variety liver disorders. Aim of the study To evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of total flavonoids (TFs) obtained from C. glandulosum seeds against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced liver damage in vitro and in vivo . To investigate the mechanisms of hepatoprotective effects for TFs. Materials and methods The dried seeds of C. glandulosum were extracted with 70% aqueous ethanol, and the extract was chromatographed with D101 macroporous resin. In vitro the antioxidant capacity against lipid peroxidation (LPO) was evaluated using ferrothiocyanate, thiobarbituric acid, β-carotene bleaching, and LPO inhibition assay. The cytotoxicity and hepatoprotective activity of TFs were evaluated in human liver hepatoma cells (HepG2). MTT assay, hepatic injury markers aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) were performed. In vivo the hepatoprotective activity of TFs against CCl 4 -induced acute liver injury was evaluated in rats. A series of biochemical and antioxidant parameter levels were measured in liver homogenate. The suppressive effect on pancreatic lipase activity was determined. Results Results indicated that TFs showed antioxidant capacity against lipid peroxidation (LPO). Administrating CCl 4 (1%, v/v) caused a significant decrease in HepG2 viability. Treatment with TFs at doses (62.5, 125, and 250 μg/ml) could significantly ameliorate the cytotoxicity and decline the levels of AST, ALT, and LDH induced by CCl 4 . The markers including MDA and GSH, which were close to oxidative damage, were restored. Oral treatment with TFs in vivo at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg significantly reduced the levels of AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TB), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) in the serum compared with CCl 4 -induced acute liver injury in rats. TFs showed dose-dependent suppressive effects on pancreatic lipase activity, and the IC 50 was 1.318±0.164 mg/ml. Conclusion TFs from C. glandulosum seeds demonstrated significant hepatoprotection against CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity. TFs exhibited significant suppression of LPO and pancreatic lipase capacity, which may be the mechanisms of hepatoprotective effects against CCl 4 . Our results contribute towards validation of the traditional use of C. glandulosum seeds in the treatment of liver disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]