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Abstract. Background: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of supplementation with flaxseed on anthropometric measurements, lipid profile, insulin resistance, and inflammatory biomarkers in overweight and obese adults. Methods: Fifty overweight and obese adults with body mass index (BMI) of 30.72 ± 3.31 kg/m2 participated in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to take lifestyle advice or lifestyle advice plus 30 g/day milled flaxseed for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was body weight; secondary outcomes included other anthropometric parameters, lipid profile and inflammatory biomarkers. Results: At the end of the study, the following significant mean differences were seen in flaxseed and control groups, respectively: weight [−9.36 vs. −3.09 kg; P 2; P Conclusion: These results suggest that flaxseed supplementation in addition to lifestyle modification is significantly superior to lifestyle modification alone for weight loss. More studies with different dosages of flaxseed are needed to find the optimal dosage. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02410668.

Chondroitin 6 sulphate (C6S) is a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) whose accumulation is notable in mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA and VII. Flaxseed,We assess the effect of total ethanol flaxseed extract (EFSE) in an animal model of C6S accumulation.The study was performed in adult male Wistar rats (Dry EFSE contains total phenols (6.28 mg EAG/g), condensed tannins (2.98 mg ECAT/g) and flavonoids (0.44 mg ECAT/g) with high antioxidant potential [RPE (ICEFSE showed significant potential for chelation. Its use for the treatment of GAG accumulation could be suggested and generalized to a larger study population.

A water-soluble polysaccharide from the green alga Chaetomorpha linum, designated CHS2, was obtained by water extraction, preparative anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. Results of chemical and spectroscopic analyses showed that CHS2 was a sulfated rhamnogalactoarabinan, and its backbone was mainly constituted by 4-linked and 3,4-linked β-l-arabinopyranose with sulfate groups at C-2/C-3 of 4-linked β-l-arabinopyranose. The branching contained 4-linked, 6-linked β-d-galactopyranose and terminal rhamnose residues. Based on the inhibition of human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) aggregation and morphology change of hIAPP aggregates in in vitro tests, it was proved that CHS2 effectively inhibited the hIAPP aggregation and possessed strong antidiabetic activity. CHS2 was nearly no toxicity in NIT-1 cells and could attenuate hIAPP-induced cytotoxicity. CHS2 may significantly reduce the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and hIAPP aggregation-induced oxidative stress in NIT-1 cells. CHS2 was co-localized with mitochondria, and largely protected mitochondria function from hIAPP aggregation-induced damage through stabilizing mitochondrial membrane potential and enhancing the mitochondrial complex I, II or III activity and ATP level. The data demonstrated that CHS2 could have potential prospect to become an antidiabetic drug for type 2 diabetes mellitus treatment.

Dietary fatty acids (FA) have an effect on animal reproduction. The purpose of the study was to find out how supplemental flaxseed can modulate the FA metabolism and how FA can influence the release of ovarian hormones and functions of the uteri through the modulation of their specific receptors. Cycling mice were fed a basal diet (control) and basal diet fortified with 10% flaxseed for 6 weeks to examine its influence on the structure and function of the ovaries and uteri, and serum levels of FA. Unlike controls (30%), 100% of mice fed flaxseed exposed oestrus at the end of the supplemental period. Serum FA were analysed using gas chromatography. The ovaries and uteri underwent histological and immunohistochemical analyses, respectively. The ovarian fragments were cultured with or without follicle-stimulating hormone and culture media were analysed for progesterone (P4) and oestradiol-17β (E2) using immunoassays. Dietary flaxseed increased the serum FA concentration, sizes of the ovaries and primary follicles, the release of P4 and E2, the thickness of endometrium and myometrium, and altered the expression of oestrogen and progesterone receptors in all uterine compartments. Dietary flaxseed can promote ovarian steroidogenesis and uterine activity in the mouse.

The cultivation of herbicide-resistant crops is an effective tool for weed management in agriculture. Weed control in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) remains challenging due to the lack of available herbicide-resistant cultivars. In this study, a mutant resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides was obtained by ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) mutagenesis using an elite cultivar, Longya10. Whole-plant dose–response assays revealed that, compared to Longya10, the mutant was 11.57-fold more resistant to tribenuron-methyl (TBM) and slightly resistant to imazethapyr (resistance index (mutant/Longya10) < 3). In vitro acetolactate synthase assays showed that the relative resistance of the mutant was 12.63 times more than that of Longya10. A biochemical analysis indicated that there was a Pro197Ser (relative to the Arabidopsis thaliana ALS sequence) substitution within the LuALS1, conferring high resistance to sulfonylurea herbicides in the mutant. Additionally, two cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers, BsaI-LuALS1 and EcoO109I-LuALS1, were developed based on the mutation site for marker assistant selection in breeding. Moreover, the mutant did not cause losses in natural field conditions. We find a mutant with ALS-inhibiting herbicide resistance chemically induced by EMS mutagenesis, providing a valuable germplasm for breeding herbicide-resistant flax varieties.

The treatment of skin burns is one of the most important challenge in medical science. The aim of this study is evaluation of the efficacy of Artaderm herbal ointment containing the Henna (Lawsonia inermis) extract, Linseed (Linum usitatissimum) oil, and Honey Wax on wound healing in the rat with second-degree burn wounds. The Artaderm ointment had an effective role in controlling burn wound infections due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, 64 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 8 groups (n = 8). Four groups received Artaderm, 1% Silver Sulfadiazine (SSD 1%), Cod Liver Oil and Fundermol (Alpha) ointments which used in common practices for burn injuries. Another three groups received Henna, Linseed, and Honey Wax alone and a control group that just underwent a second-degree burn injury without any treatments. A second-degree burn was formed on the back of each rat and dressed daily with one of the agents. Burn wounds were macroscopically and microscopically evaluated on the 7th, 14th, and 21st day after burn induction. Rats treated with the Artaderm ointment had significantly faster wound contraction as well as shorter healing time than the rest groups. No scar was observed in rats treated with the Artaderm ointment on the 21st day, while this level of improvement was not observed in other groups at the same time. More than 90% of wounds were healed after on the 14th day in rats treated with Artaderm (94.10 ± 0.18) and Alpha (92.05 ± 0.23) ointments. According to these findings, it can be concluded that Artaderm herbal ointment can be used as a proper alternative for healing of wounds in second-degree burns.

Linseed as a common oil crop that has been implicated in regulating the meat quality of animals. The aim of this investigation was to establish the effects of dietary linseed supplementation on carcass traits, meat quality, muscle fiber characteristics, volatile compounds and antioxidant capacity of sheep. Twenty-four Sunit sheep were distributed into 2 groups with different diet: control (CO) fed a standard diet and linseed (LS, 8% of extruded linseed). The results showed that linseed not only increased M. longissimus thoracis (LT) increased the loin-eye area but also decreased pH24h, L* and shear force. Meanwhile, linseed increased mRNA expression of MyHCI and MyHCIIx and decreased in cross-sectional area (CSA) and muscle fiber diameter. In addition, linseed altered the composition of meat volatile flavor compounds, such as Z-10-Pentadecen-1-ol, pentanal, 2-Octenal, (E)-, decanal, butane, and 2-heptanone. Moreover, linseed increased total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) activity, the mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT), decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Overall, the results suggest that linseed is an effective feed additive in improving meat quality and flavor. The underlying mechanisms for its effectiveness may be partly due to a change in muscle fiber characteristics and antioxidant capacity.

In this paper, we explore potential genetic factors in control of flax phenotypes associated with fiber by mining a collection of 306 flax accessions from the Federal Research Centre of the Bast Fiber Crops, Torzhok, Russia. In total, 11 traits were assessed in the course of 3 successive years. A genome-wide association study was performed for each phenotype independently using six different single-locus models implemented in the GAPIT3 R package. Moreover, we applied a multivariate linear mixed model implemented in the GEMMA package to account for trait correlations and potential pleiotropic effects of polymorphisms. The analyses revealed a number of genomic variants associated with different fiber traits, implying the complex and polygenic control. All stable variants demonstrate a statistically significant allelic effect across all 3 years of the experiment. We tested the validity of the predicted variants using gene expression data available for the flax fiber studies. The results shed new light on the processes and pathways associated with the complex fiber traits, while the pinpointed candidate genes may be further used for marker-assisted selection.

Flaxseeds are typically consumed either as whole flaxseed, ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, partially defatted flaxseed meal, or as a milk alternative. They are considered a rich source of vitamins, minerals, proteins and peptides, lipids, carbohydrates, lignans, and dietary fiber, which have shown hypolipidemic, antiatherogenic, anticholesterolemic, and anti-inflammatory property activity. Here, an in vitro batch culture model was used to investigate the influence of whole milled flaxseed and partially defatted milled flaxseed press cake on the gut microbiota and the liberation of flaxseed bioactives. Microbial communities were profiled using 16S rRNA gene-based high-throughput sequencing with targeted mass spectrometry measuring lignan, cyclolinopeptide, and bile acid content and HPLC for short-chain fatty acid profiles. Flaxseed supplementation decreased gut microbiota richness with Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes becoming the predominant phyla. Secoisolariciresinol, enterodiol, and enterolactone were rapidly produced with acetic acid, butyric acid, and propionic acid being the predominant acids after 24 h of fermentation. The flaxseed press cake and whole flaxseed were equivalent in microbiota changes and functionality. However, press cake may be superior as a functional additive in a variety of foods in terms of consumer acceptance as it would be more resistant to oxidative changes.

Crop plants have an innate capacity to acclimatize and survive myriad stresses in field conditions. This acclimatization to stress enhances crop stand in field and productivity of plant. Inter alia field crops withstand drought stress (hydropenia) by inducing synthesis or accumulation of osmolytes such as (i) proline and other amino acids, (ii) glycine betaine (GB), (iii) soluble carbohydrates, and (iv) reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system as intrinsic drought antagonizing molecules. Precise in vivo induction of osmolytes and their effect on ROS scavenging system in flax/linseed has not been elucidated. The investigation was carried out to identify a tolerant and susceptible cultivar of flax from a core collection of 53 core accessions and evaluate the role of compatible osmolytes in Linum usitatissimum under hydropenia. We screened eight morphometrically diverse flax genotypes in field under irrigated and un-irrigated condition and classified them as tolerant and susceptible genotypes. Further, we examined the effect of ex-foliar glycine betaine application - a signature molecule involved in drought tolerance, on selected tolerant and susceptible varieties. Our results showed stimulatory impact of glycine betaine on accumulation of ROS scavenging antioxidants, total soluble protein and on its own accumulation. While the ex-foliar application had no inhibitory effect on the growth of plants; accumulation of free proline, amino acids and carbohydrates are inhibited par se in flax. Our findings reveal, flax is a non-accumulator of glycine betaine and exogenous application of glycine betaine enhances its own levels during drought stress.

Flavonoids are a class of natural chemicals with variable phenolic structures that have long been recognized for their health advantages, they have recently attracted researchers’ attention for treating diabetes and hyperglycemia. The goal of this research is to develop a novel antihyperglycemic formulation using a combination of three plant flavonoids: Linum usitatissimum L. seeds (FLU), Coriandrum sativum L. seeds (FCS), and Olea europaea var. sylvestris leaves (FOE) based on a mixture design experiment approach which generates the most effective ratio of each component in a mixture instead of the trial-and-error method. Prior to the test, sub-acute toxicity research was conducted to establish a safe and effective dosage. The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) was used to assess the antihyperglycemic impact of these extracts and their combinations in Swiss albino mice. The dose that showed efficacy and safety was 25 mg/kg, which was utilized in all formulations. According to the results, the binary and ternary combinations showed the most significant synergetic effects. The optimum combination with the most potent effect was 37% FLU, 20% FCS, and 43% FOE. This study’s mixture design and prediction model for glycemic variation (GV) may be utilized at an industrial level to develop a novel antidiabetic and antihyperglycemic formulation that is safe and effective.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in composite materials reinforced with natural fibers. Due to the easy and cheap methods of obtaining raw materials, the possibility of recycling, biodegradability, production and processing safe for health, such materials can be a good alternative to composite materials reinforced with glass or carbon fibers. However, due to the lower mechanical properties of natural composites, their use as construction materials is still limited. Nevertheless, natural fiber composites have characteristics that can be used in structural applications as long as the mechanical behavior is well understood, reliable and predictable. The paper presents the results of numerical calculations of the compression process of a composite reinforced with a fabric made of flax and jute fibers (trade names: Biotex Flax 400g/cm2 and Biotex Jute 400 g/cm2) on a basis of Kinetix R240 epoxy resin. The data necessary for the numerical analysis were calculated in the Digimat software using the Double Inclusion micromechanical model, while the simulations of compression of the details were carried out in the Ansys software. Sections with different number of layers were tested. The results were compared with the experiment. Buckling forces obtained in the numerical analysis are nearby experimental results. Two types of C – section buckling modes were obtained and they consisted of two or three half-waves of buckling.

The growth of plants under chronic radiation stress in the Chernobyl area may cause changes in the genome of plants. To assess the extent of genetic and epigenetic changes in nuclear DNA, seeds of the annual crop flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) of the Kyivskyi variety, sown 21 years after the accident and grown for six generations in radioactive (RAD) and remediated (REM) fields were analysed. Flaxseed used for sowing first generation, which served as a reference (REF), was also analysed. The AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) revealed a higher number of specific EcoRI-MseI loci (3.4-fold) in pooled flaxseed samples harvested from the RAD field compared with the REM field, indicating a link between the mutation process in the flax genome and the ongoing adaptation process. MSAP (Methylation-Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism) detecting EcoRI-MspI and EcoRI-HpaII loci in flax nuclear DNA genome showed no significant differences in methylation level, reaching about 33% in each of the groups studied. On the other hand, significant changes in the DNA methylation pattern of flaxseed samples harvested from the RAD field compared with controls were detected. Pairwise F

In a rapidly changing climate, flowering time (FL) adaptation is important to maximize seed yield in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.). However, our understanding of the genetic mechanism underlying FL in this multipurpose crop remains limited. With the aim of dissecting the genetic architecture of FL in flax, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on 200 accessions of the flax core collection evaluated in four environments. Two single-locus and six multi-locus models were applied using 70,935 curated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. A total of 40 quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) associated with 27 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified in at least two environments. The number of QTL with positive-effect alleles in accessions was significantly correlated with FL (r = 0.77 to 0.82), indicating principally additive gene actions. Nine QTL were significant in at least three of the four environments accounting for 3.06-14.71% of FL variation. These stable QTL spanned regions that harbored 27 Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa FL-related orthologous genes including FLOWERING LOCUS T (Lus10013532), FLOWERING LOCUS D (Lus10028817), transcriptional regulator SUPERMAN (Lus10021215), and gibberellin 2-beta-dioxygenase 2 (Lus10037816). In silico gene expression analysis of the 27 FL candidate gene orthologous suggested that they might play roles in the transition from vegetative to reproductive phase, flower development and fertilization. Our results provide new insights into the QTL architecture of flowering time in flax, identify potential candidate genes for further studies, and demonstrate the effectiveness of combining different GWAS models for the genetic dissection of complex traits.

Stinging nettle is a perennial herbaceous species holding value as a multi-purpose plant. Indeed, its leaves and roots are phytofactories providing functional ingredients of medicinal interest and its stems produce silky and resistant extraxylary fibers (a.k.a. bast fibers) valued in the biocomposite sector. Similarly to what is reported in other fiber crops, the stem of nettle contains both lignified and hypolignified fibers in the core and cortex, respectively, and it is therefore a useful model for cell wall research. Indeed, data on nettle stem tissues can be compared to those obtained in other models, such as hemp and flax, to support hypotheses on the differentiation and development of bast fibers. The suitability of the nettle stem as model for cell wall-related research was already validated using a transcriptomics and biochemical approach focused on internodes at different developmental stages sampled at the top, middle, and bottom of the stem. We here sought to complement and enrich these data by providing immunohistochemical and ultrastructural details on young and older stem internodes. Antibodies recognizing non-cellulosic polysaccharides (galactans, arabinans, rhamnogalacturonans) and arabinogalactan proteins were here investigated with the goal of understanding whether their distribution changes in the stem tissues in relation to the bast fiber and vascular tissue development. The results obtained indicate that the occurrence and distribution of cell wall polysaccharides and proteins differ between young and older internodes and that these changes are particularly evident in the bast fibers. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00709-021-01641-1.

International audience; Pectin, the major non-cellulosic component of primary cell wall can be degraded by polygalacturonases (PGs) and pectin methylesterases (PMEs) during pathogen attack on plants. We characterized two novel enzymes,VdPG2 and VdPME1, from the fungal plant pathogen Verticillium dahliae. VdPME1 was most active on citrus methylesterified pectin (55–70%) at pH 6 and a temperature of 40 °C, while VdPG2 was most active on polygalacturonic acid at pH 5 and a temperature of 50 °C. Using LC-MS/MS oligo profiling, and various pectins,the mode of action of VdPME1 and VdPG2 were determined. VdPME1 was shown to be processive, in accordance with the electrostatic potential of the enzyme. VdPG2 was identified asendo-PG releasing both methylesterified and non-methylesterified oligogalacturonides (OGs). Additionally, whenflax roots were used as substrate, acet-ylated OGs were detected. The comparisons of OGs released from Verticillium-susceptible and partially resistant flax cultivars identified new possible elicitor of plant defence responses.

Roasting flaxseed significantly improves the antioxidant activities and flavor of its oil; however, the effect of roasting on phospholipid molecules in flaxseed oil is limited. Herein, on the basis of phospholipidomics and quantum chemistry calculation, phospholipidome in raw, light, and dark roasted flaxseed oils and their changes were systematically explored and compared. Seventy individual phospholipid molecules were detected in raw and roasted flaxseed oils. After light roasting, major classes of phospholipid molecules including phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylinositol increased 11.43-, 36.62-, and 67.88-fold, respectively. PE exhibited 92.06 % reduction after dark roasting. The model reaction showed that the main reaction of PE was the Maillard reaction during roasting. Quantum chemistry calculation demonstrated that the reaction energy barriers of the Maillard reaction (96.81 kJ/mol) was much lower than the hydrolysis (188.84 kJ/mol) for PE. The study is expected to provide new insight into the change mechanism of PE during flaxseed processing.

Flaxseed is categorized as a functional food due to its abundance in oil, α-linolenic acid, dietary fibre, and lignan. However, flaxseed contains cyanogenic glycosides (CGs). Ingestion of CGs can influence nutrient absorption and induce adverse health effects. Due to the presence of CGs in flaxseed many countries prohibit the import and sale of flaxseed and flaxseed-based foods. In this study, whole flaxseed was fermented with a mixed culture of Lactobacillaceae (i.e., Lactobacillus sp., Limosilactobacillus sp., and Lactiplantibacillus sp.) and the concentration of CGs was determined. This process succeeded in completely removing CGs within 72 h in both bench-scale and scale-up studies. In addition, fatty acid composition in flaxseed remained unchanged and concentrations of flaxseed oil, and SDG in flaxseed were increased after fermentation. CG-free flaxseed products are beneficial, as they can be sold as health product ingredients, or as animal feed in markets that currently restrict the use of materials that contain CGs.

A novel film composed of Polygonatum cyrtonema extracts (PCE), xanthan gum (XG), flaxseed gum (FG) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was prepared (XFCP). Addition of PCE has decreased the light transmittance, while enhanced the UV blocking performance, antioxidant activity, tensile strength and elongation at break of XFCP due to polysaccharides, polyphenols, and flavonoid in PCE. Structural analyses by FTIR and XRD indicated the hydrogen-bonding interaction between PCE, XG, FG and CMC. It was found that compared with the control sample, XFCP2.5% with the lowest WVTR was able to prolong the shelf life of mango. The overall quality of mango was also improved in terms of lower decay rate, weight loss rate, total soluble solid, and polyphenol oxidase, higher titratable acidity, V

Populations like to have a healthy diet without changing their fundamental dietary pattern. The importance of dietetic foods with health potential has increased the interest of consumers on crops with nutraceutical messages. Several plant food products from selected ancient crops like flax, chia, black cumin, sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds contain substances with high health benefits. These crops are usually rich sources in fatty acids, sterols, phenolic compounds and dietary fiber which have mainly shown the ability to increase satiety and obesity control, among chronic degenerative diseases and others. These plant seeds offer outstanding features for the food and nutraceutical industries, due to their functional components. This review focuses on scientific evidence of the different potential benefits of these crops on human antiobesity promotion.

In the present work, a novel water-soluble polysaccharide (LWSP) was purified from Katan seeds. Polysaccharide was structurally characterized by NMR spectroscopic analysis, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV absorption. TLC and HPLC showed that LWSP was a polysaccharide consisted mainly of glucose, mannose, xylose, and arabinose. The FTIR spectrum and UV absorption proved polysaccharide characteristic of LWSP. According to XRD, LWSP presented a semicrystalline behavior. The molecular weight was estimated as 64.56 kDa. Results obtained through 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) indicated that LWSP is consisted of four monosaccharide residues with α and β anomers. Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of LWSP were also investigated. Results revealed that LWSP exhibited interesting 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) ( I C 50 = 4.48 mg/ml) and chelating activity ( I C 50 = 4.79 mg/ml), and it displayed moderate reductive capacities. Overall, the findings suggested that LWSP is a promising source of natural additives in various industries fields.

In the present study, the adsorptive removal of methylene blue (MB) from wastewater was studied using the novel composite prepared by sodium alginate (SA) and flax seed ash (FS). The adsorption of MB was carried out using the composite beads consisting of different weight amounts of FS at different pH values and temperatures using different dye concentrations. The characterization studies of the composite beads were performed using Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and Barrett-Joyner-Hallenda (BET-BJH) analyses. BET and BJH surface area values of SA-FS adsorbent beads were found to be 45.01 m2/g and 14.35 m2/g, respectively. During the studies, it was determined that the adsorption percentage of MB reached the maximum with 90% at pH = 7 and 50 °C. Furthermore, Langmuir model fits well for the adsorption of MB using SA-FS with different FS ratios, SA, and FS adsorbents. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained from Langmuir model was found to be 333.3 mg/g for SA-FS-2 composite beads at pH = 7 and 50 °C. The adsorption kinetics were interpreted well by pseudo-second order model for SA, FS and SA-FS adsorbents. The calculated thermodynamic parameters indicated that MB adsorption by FS, SA, and SA-FS were spontaneous and an endothermic.

Abstract. Considering that sex related differences in cardiac response to flaxseed (FSO) and evening primrose oil (EPO) are insufficiently known present investigation assessed the effect of these two oils, on the cardiac function of isolated rat hearts and the possible role of sex in this. The present study was carried out on 60 adult male Wistar albino rats randomly divided into 6 groups: male rats treated with EPO, dose of 10 mg/kg/day; female rats treated with EPO, dose of 10 mg/kg/day; male rats treated with FSO, dose of 300 mg/kg/day; female rats treated with FSO, dose of 300 mg/kg/day; control group of female rats treated with regular laboratory diet for animals; control group of male rats treated with regular laboratory diet for animals. Using the Langendorff technique, markers of the heart function were evaluated: the maximum and minimum rates of pressure development in the left ventricle (LV; dP/dtmax, dP/dtmin), systolic and diastolic left ventricular pressure (SLVP, DLVP, respectively), heart rate (HR) and coronary flow (CF). Male rats treated with EPO had significantly higher (p = 0.016) mean values of dP/dtmax, dP/dtmin, SLVP and DLVP (average increase for all CPPs 20%, 25%, 30% and 110%, respectively), compared to the group of male rats treated with FSO (p = 0.914). Our study results indicate that both types of PUFA oils only slightly changed the function of the isolated rat heart in male but not in female rats. Nevertheless, the difference between oil treatments was found in male rats who had stronger cardiac response after supplementation with EPO.

Sixteen flax ( Linum usitatissimum L.) genotypes were evaluated at Gemmeiza Agricultural Research Station, Agricultural Research Center, El-Gharbia Governorate, Egypt during the two successive seasons 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. Randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation for all studied traits had closely values. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance (as % of mean) for most studied traits. Plant height, technical length and stem diameter were the best selection indices to improve straw yield /plant, along with number of branches, capsules and seeds were effective selection criteria for improving seed yield /plant as proven by phenotypic and genotypic correlation

This research assessed the influence of pickling, fermentation, germination, and tea brewing on lignan content of a variety of food highly consumed in Malaysia. Lignans have been measured by a validated LC-MS/MS method. Secoisolariciresinol (SECO) was the most abundant compound in fermented and germinated samples. Pickling significantly decreased larisiresinol content by approximately 86 %. Fermentation increased lignan content in a mixture of flaxseed and mung beans (799.9 ± 67.4 mg/100 g DW) compared to the unfermented counterpart (501.4 ± 134.6 mg/100 g DW), whereas the fermentation of soybeans and mung beans did not significantly affect the SECO content. Germination increased lignan content, which reached its peak on day 6 of germination for all the tested matrixes. In tea brew, lignans concentration increased with brewing time reaching its highest concentration at 10 min of brewing. The results of this study expand the knowledge on the effect of processing on lignan content in food.

Heat stress has a significant impact on the climatic adaptation of flax, a cool-season economic crop. Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns are crucial for understanding how flax cultivars respond to heat adversities. It is worth noting that the DNA methylome in flax has yet to be investigated at the nucleotide level. Although heat stress above 40°C caused oxidative damage in flax leaves, 5-azacytidine, a hypomethylating agent, reduced this effect by 15%-24%. Differences in the expression of the LuMET1 (DNA methyltransferase) gene suggested that DNA methylation/demethylation may play a major role in the flax heat stress response. Thus, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing-derived DNA methylation profiles in flax, with or without heat stress and 5-azaC, were developed and analyzed here. In response to heat stress, a high percentage of significant differentially methylated regions (DMRs), particularly hypomethylated DMRs, were identified in the CHH nucleotide sequence context (H = A/T/C). Some of these DMRs overlapped with transposable element insertions. The majority of DMRs were discovered in intergenic regions, but several DMR loci were also found near genes relevant to heat stress response and epigenetic processes. These DMRs, in particular, are linked to CpG islands, implying a possible role in promoter methylation and gene silencing. The DMRs discovered in this study are crucial for understanding and identifying the key players in heat stress response in flax, which will help in developing climate-smart flax varieties.

Powdery mildew (PM), caused by the fungus Oidium lini in flax, can cause defoliation and reduce seed yield and quality. To date, one major dominant gene (Pm1) and three quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosomes 1, 7 and 9 have been reported for PM resistance. To fully dissect the genetic architecture of PM resistance and identify QTL, a diverse flax core collection of 372 accessions augmented with an additional 75 breeding lines were sequenced, and PM resistance was evaluated in the field for eight years (2010–2017) in Morden, Manitoba, Canada. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed using two single-locus and seven multi-locus statistical models with 247,160 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the phenotypes of the 447 individuals for each year separately as well as the means over years. A total of 349 quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) were identified, of which 44 large-effect QTNs (R2 = 10–30%) were highly stable over years. The total number of favourable alleles per accession was significantly correlated with PM resistance (r = 0.74), and genomic selection (GS) models using all identified QTNs generated significantly higher predictive ability (r = 0.93) than those constructed using the 247,160 genome-wide random SNP (r = 0.69), validating the overall reliability of the QTNs and showing the additivity of PM resistance in flax. The QTNs were clustered on the distal ends of all 15 chromosomes, especially on chromosome 5 (0.4–5.6 Mb and 9.4–16.9 Mb) and 13 (4.7–5.2 Mb). To identify candidate genes, a dataset of 3230 SNPs located in resistance gene analogues (RGAs) was used as input for GWAS, from which an additional 39 RGA-specific QTNs were identified. Overall, 269 QTN loci harboured 445 RGAs within the 200 Kb regions spanning the QTNs, including 45 QTNs located within the RGAs. These RGAs supported by significant QTN/SNP allele effects were mostly nucleotide binding site and leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs) belonging to either coiled-coil (CC) NLR (CNL) or toll interleukin-1 (TIR) NLR (TNL), receptor-like kinase (RLK), receptor-like protein kinase (RLP), transmembrane-coiled-coil (TM-CC), WRKY, and mildew locus O (MLO) genes. These results constitute an important genomic tool for resistance breeding and gene cloning for PM in flax.

Our study aimed to understand the effects of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) intake on intestinal health, in vitro digestion, and fermentation metabolites in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. MRPs promoted the digestion of pepsin, but was not conducive to the subsequent in vitro digestion of trypsin. MRPs ingestion increased the propionate in intestine, but it could not change the branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). However, MRPs ingestion led to an increase in the Lactobacillus abundance in gut. In the high-dose groups, the abundance of genes in partial amino acid and monosaccharide metabolism increased, while in lipid metabolism decreased compared with the middle dose groups. Therefore, the absorption of MRPs was lowered than that of protein and carbohydrates. Through functional predictive analysis, our study could reveal the effects of long-term intake of MRPs on intestinal health in SD rats.

Background and Objectives: Previous studies demonstrated antioxidant activities for flaxseed and flaxseed oil. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prophylactic and therapeutic anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of flaxseed ethanol extract in acute experimental inflammation. Materials and Methods: The in vivo anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity was evaluated on a turpentine-induced acute inflammation (6 mL/kg BW, i.m.) by measuring serum total oxidative status, total antioxidant reactivity, oxidative stress index, malondialdehyde, total thiols, total nitrites, 3-nitrotyrosine, and NFkB. The experiment was performed on nine groups (n = 5) of male rats: negative control; inflammation; three groups with seven days of flaxseed extract (100%, 50%, 25%) pretreatment followed by inflammation on day eight; three groups of inflammation followed by seven days of treatment with flaxseed extract (100%, 50%, 25%); inflammation followed by seven days of treatment with diclofenac (20 mg/kg BW). Results: Flaxseed extract anti-inflammatory activity was better in the therapeutic plan than in the prophylactic one, and consisted of NO, 3NT, and NF-κB reduction in a dose dependent way. ROS was reduced better in the therapeutic flaxseed extracts administration, and antioxidants were increased by the prophylactic flaxseed extracts administration. Both, ROS and antioxidants were influenced more by the total flaxseed extract, which was also more efficient than diclofenac. Conclusions: flaxseed extract prophylaxis has a useful antioxidant activity by increasing the antioxidants, and flaxseed extract therapy has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities by reducing NF-κB, RNS, and ROS.

Background: Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) is an oil-based seed that contains high amounts of alpha-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, lignans, fiber and many other bioactive components which is suggested for a healthier life. Nowadays, flaxseed is known as a remarkable functional food with different health benefits for humans and protects against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity and altogether metabolic syndrome. Methods: To review the bioactive components of flaxseed and their potential health effects, PubMed and Scopus were searched from commencement to July 2019. Keywords including: "flaxseed", "Linum usitatissimum", "metabolic syndrome", "obesity", "inflammation", "insulin resistance", "diabetes", "hyperlipidemia" and "menopause" were searched in the databases with varying combinations. Conclusions: Consumption of flaxseed in different forms has valuable effects and protects against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, inflammation and some other complications. Flaxseed can serve as a promising candidate for the management of metabolic syndrome to control blood lipid levels, fasting blood sugar, insulin resistance, body weight, waist circumference, body mass and blood pressure.

Flax industry has an adverse effect on health status of exposed workers especially in developing countries with lack of appropriate safety measures to identify the health hazards, health disorders among workers in flax and oil company, and to assess the applied safety measures in the factory. A cross sectional study was conducted in Tanta Flax and Oil Company in Egypt. The company includes eight factories which are divided into four departments according to the manufacturing end products. The study was conducted from August 2018 to December 2019 on 353 workers out of 400 workers. An interview questionnaire and clinical medical examination were done to assess the health status of exposed workers. Check list from occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) standards was filled by researcher to check safety measures in work place environment. Respiratory manifestations were detected in 65% of the examined workers in flax manufacturing departments while allergic manifestations were more obvious in formaldehyde factory department. Approximately one quarter of workers complained that personal protective equipment's are not available. Regarding the mask for dust, nearly half (44.5%) of the workers rarely used them, and only 7.1% always use them. Byssinosis was obvious among workers in flax manufacturing and particle board manufacturing department with statistically significant differences between the four departments, in which 36.9% and 24.1% of workers in these two departments suffered from chest tightness, respectively. The safety measures were inadequate in flax manufacturing departments and to somewhat sufficient in formaldehyde factory department. Most of exposed workers had inadequate health status due to lack of standard safety measures. Therefore, periodic medical examination should be done regularly with investigation of pulmonary functions of exposed workers with application of high level of safety measure standards in the work place environment.

In this study, we purified and characterized flaxseed cysteine protease (FSCP) with strong anticoagulant, antiplatelet, and clot-dissolving properties. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by a combination of gel permeation and ion-exchange column chromatography techniques. The purity of the enzyme was evaluated by SDS-PAGE, RP-HPLC, and MALDI-TOF. FSCP was observed as a single band of approximately 160 kDa in SDS-PAGE under reducing and non-reducing conditions. The exact molecular mass of FSCP was found to be 168 kDa by MALDI-TOF spectrometry. The CD spectra of FSCP revealed the presence of 25.6% helices, 25.8% turns, and 48% random coils with no beta-sheet structures. FSCP hydrolyzed both casein and gelatin with a specific activity of 3.5 and 4.2 unit/mg min respectively. The proteolytic activity of FSCP was completely abolished by iodoacetic acid (IAA), suggesting FSCP is a cysteine protease. The pH optimum for the proteolytic activity of FSCP was pH 6.0; the temperature optimum was 30°C. FSCP exhibited strong anticoagulant effect in both platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) by extending the clotting time from 222 to 1100 s and from 256 to 1210 s, respectively. FSCP degraded human fibrinogen and fibrin clots. The products of fibrinogen degradation by thrombin and FSCP were different. Furthermore, FSCP inhibited aggregation of washed platelets triggered by ADP, epinephrine, thrombin, collagen, arachidonic acid, and platelet activating factor (PAF). FSCP was found to be nontoxic as it did not damage the membrane of red blood cells (RBCs) and did not induce hemorrhage and edema in experimental mice.

Drought stress affects not only crop growth but also its morpho-physiological and biochemical traits to reduce crop productivity. The study reported in this article was designed and implemented to determine the effects of deficit irrigation and bacterial inoculation on flax plants. For this purpose, seeds were inoculated with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (B1 ), Bacillus sp. Strain1 (B2 ), and Azotobacter chroococcum (A) as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). The individual inoculated plants were then grown under field conditions in 2015, while individually and in combination in pots in 2016. The irrigation regimes in either experiments included 50, 75 and 100% crop water requirement. Bacterial cultures were observed to produce ammonia (except B2 ), indole acetic acid and siderophores. Results showed that the PGPRs significantly mitigated the effects of water deficit. Compared with the control plants, the bacterially-inoculated plants had an enhanced relative water content, plant height, water-soluble carbohydrate and proline contents and antioxidant enzyme activities, but a decreased malondialdehyde content. B1 exhibited greater effects on most of the traits investigated under the field conditions rather than those with moderate and severe drought stress, while application of the triple bacteria in pots had greater effects on relative water content, carbohydrate and proline contents as well as malondialdehyde. The significant differences in abiotic stress indicators in PGPR-treated plants suggest that these bacteria could be used as biofertilizers to assist plant growth and to reduce the adverse effects of deficit irrigation.

Since early times, various plants have been used as remedies for treating different kinds of diseases and lesions with satisfying results. The phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites from medicinal plants which include a wide category of compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, stilbenes, curcuminoids, xanthones, coumarins, lignans, etc. Between these, lignans are considered important in cancer prevention and treatment, besides other beneficial health effects, e.g. antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, and anti-estrogenic effects. This review summarizes the most recent literature and the most important results concerning plant lignans and their derivatives in cancer prevention and treatment, both in vitro and in vivo assessments. The mechanistic aspects will be also highlighted.

This study investigates the fabrication, characterization and optimization of Linum usitatissimum mucilage (LSM) with sodium alginate mucoadhesive microspheres loaded metformin HCl, a sustained release dosage form prepared by ionic gelation technique. The effect of changing the polymer ratio with drug was studied for drug encapsulation efficiency and in vitro drug release for 12 h. Drug entrapment efficiency of all formulations was in the range of 77.93 ± 3.67 to 92.25 ± 4.08% with sustained release of 80 ± 0.12% to 88 ± 0.33% for 12 h. It followed Korsmeyers Peppas model (R2 = 0.9786–0.9964) with super case II transport mechanism. Average microsphere size of all formulations was within the range of 817–911 μm. SEM, FTIR were also characterized and swelling behavior of microspheres was affected by pH of buffer medium. These microspheres also showed good mucoadhesivity in wash off test. The optimized LSM-alginate mucoadhesive microspheres containing metformin HCl demonstrated significant hypoglycemic effect in alloxan-induced diabetic rats for prolonged period of time.

The detoxification efflux carriers (DTX)/multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporters encompass an ancient gene family of secondary transporters involved in the process of plant detoxification. A genome-wide analysis of these transporters was carried out in order to better understand the transport of secondary metabolites in flaxseed genome (Linum usitassimum). A total of 73 genes coding for DTX/MATE transporters were identified. Gene structure, protein domain and motif organization were found to be notably conserved over the distinct phylogenetic groups, showing the evolutionary significant role of each class. Gene ontology (GO) annotation revealed a link to transporter activities, response to stimulus and localizations. The presence of various hormone and stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements in promoter regions could be directly correlated with the alteration of their transcripts. Tertiary structure showed conservation for pore size and constrains in the pore, which indicate their involvement in the exclusion of toxic substances from the cell. MicroRNA target analysis revealed that LuDTXs genes were targeted by different classes of miRNA families. Twelve LuDTX genes were chosen for further quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis in response to cold, salinity and cadmium stress at 0, 6, 12 and 24 hours after treatment. Altogether, the identified members of the DTX gene family, their expression profile, phylogenetic and miRNAs analysis might provide opportunities for future functional validation of this important gene family in flax.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of flax seed on the teratogenic activity of lamotrigine in the brain of fetuses of rats who had received the drug. In this experimental study, 40 female rats were assigned randomly into four groups and after mating and confirming the vaginal plug, the control animals (group 1) were kept with no intervention, and the other three experimental groups were intraperitoneally injected with respective lamotrigine (75 mg/kg), and 100 and 200 mg/kg of flax seed hydroalcoholic extract. The drug was administered during the organogenesis period. Rats were sacrificed at the 20th day of gestation (one day before term) and fetuses were macroscopically examined, weighed and crown-rump length measured. Fetal brain specimens were processed for H&E and for histological study, using the ImageJ software. Results showed that fetuses of the experimental groups that received lamotrigine had reduced body weight, prefrontal cortical and hippocampal thickness, and pyramidal neurons in the hip­pocampus; Nevertheless, these factors were improved by high-dose administration of flax seed in the experimental group 3 and 4. Our research concludes that lamotrigine negatively influences the development of brain in rats and flax seed has a protective impact on these complications.

Ionizing radiation in environment comes from various natural and anthropogenic sources. The effect of radioactivity released after the CNPP (Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant) on plant systems remains of great interest. Even now, more than three decades after the nuclear accident, the long-lived radionuclides represent a strong stress factor. Herein, the emphasis has been placed on analysis of genetic variability represented by activation of LTR (Long Terminal Repeat)-retrotransposons. Polymorphism in LTR-retrotransposon insertions has been investigated throughout the genome of two flax varieties, Kyivskyi and Bethune. For this purpose, two retrotransposon-based marker techniques, IRAP (Inter-Retrotransposon Amplified Polymorphism) and iPBS (inter-Primer Binding Site), have been employed. The hypothesis that chronic radioactive stress may induce mechanism of retransposition has been supported by the activation of FL9, FL11 and FL12 LTR-retrotransposons in flax seeds harvested from radioactive environment. Out of two retrotransposon-based approaches, IRAP appears to be more suitable for identification of LTR-retrotransposon polymorphism. Even though the LTR-retrotransposon polymorphism was identified, the results suggest the high level of plant adaptation in the radioactive Chernobyl area. However, it is not really surprising that plants developed an effective strategy to survive in radio-contaminated environment over the past 30 years.

The effects of coextruded full-fat flaxseed and pulses (FFF; 1:1 wt/wt) mixture on n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) enrichment in egg yolk, hepatic attributes, apparent retention (AR) of components, and ceca metabolites were evaluated in broiler breeder hens. The diets were as follows: 1) corn–soybean control, 2) control diet plus 18% FFF (FFF−), and 3) FFF plus enzyme supplement (FFF+) containing galactanase, protease, mannanase, glucanase, xylanase, amylase, and cellulase activities. Twenty-six-week-old Cobb 500 broiler breeder hens were allocated to 30 identical cages (2 hens/cage) and given 1-week adaptation period. The 3 diets were assigned to 10 replicate cages based on postadaptation BW and fed based on breeder curve for 30 D. Excreta samples were collected from day 24 to 27 for determination of AR of components, and eggs were collected from day 28 to 30 for yolk polyunsaturated fatty acids analyses. On day 30, birds were weighed, killed via cervical dislocation, liver weighed, and stored for fat analyses. Ceca digesta samples were taken for concentration of short-chain fatty acids. Liver and yolk weights as well as total yolk FA were not influenced by diets (P > 0.05). Control birds had lower yolk concentration of α-linolenic acid than birds fed either FFF− or FFF+ (P

The present study investigates the purification, structure and in vitro antioxidant activities of a novel water soluble polysaccharide (LWSP) extracted from Linum usitatissimum L. seeds and evaluates the in vivo wound healing performance on CO2 laser fractional burn in a rat model. LWSP is a heteropolysaccharide that consists of glucose, mannose, xylose and arabinose. Three different tests were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of this carbohydrate. The scavenging activity against 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical at a concentration of 5 mg/ml was 99.77%. The total antioxidant capacity of LWSP at 12 mg/ml was equivalent to 166.61 µg acsorbic acid. LWSP displayed a high protection effect against DNA damage induced byhydroxyl radical. No hemolytic activity was observed towards human erythrocytes. LWSP was tested in functional properties. The results showed good emulsion properties and high water (WHC) and oil holding (OHC) capacities (11.23 and 1.05%, respectively). In addition, the application of LWSP on the burn wound site in rat model increased significantly the percentage of burn contraction (98.6%) after 8 days of injury. According to the histological assessment, the LWSP-treated group had a higher content of hydroxyproline (846. 67 ± 92.28 mg/g tissue) than the other groups. Overall, the findings demonstrate that the application of this novel LWSP may open promising opportunities for burn wound healing in modern medicine.

Scope: Studies have suggested that foods rich in dietary fiber may contribute to body weight loss and lower triacylglycerol (TG) levels. This study aimed to investigate the effect of flaxseed meal (FM) (a by-product of flaxseed after oil processing) supplemented biscuits on body weight, body composition, and blood lipids in overweight and obese participants. Method and results: In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, 53 overweight and obese adults (18–36 years of age) were recruited and randomized to consume control biscuits or biscuits supplemented with FM for their breakfast for 60 days (approximately 100 g per day). Significant group × time interaction (P = 0.011) was observed for body weight, and the body weight of the FM group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P = 0.049). We also found significant group × time interactions for body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.008), TG (P = 0.041) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (P = 0.016). In addition, after 60 days of intervention, the body weight, BMI and TG levels of the FM group significantly decreased compared to those of the control group. On day 60, the serum concentration of IL-6 in the FM group was significantly lower than that in the control group. Conclusions: FM supplemented biscuits have a beneficial effect on body weight, BMI and TG of overweight and obese subjects (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: ChiCTR1900022833).

Intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction with dysbiosis of gut microbiota contributes to the occurrence and acceleration of colitis. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of flaxseed oligosaccharides (FOSs) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) mice and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. UC was induced in mice by administering 2% DSS in drinking water for 8 days. Then, FOS (50 mg kg-1 d-1, 100 mg kg-1 d-1 and 200 mg kg-1 d-1) was administered by gavage for 14 days. The results showed that FOS treatment (200 mg kg-1 d-1) significantly ameliorated colitis by decreasing disease activity index (DAI), increasing colon length and improving colonic histology. FOS treatment (200 mg kg-1 d-1) down-regulated the critical markers of oxidative stresses, including malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Furthermore, FOS (200 mg kg-1 d-1) significantly suppressed the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and interleukin (IL)-1β but increased that of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10. The 16S rDNA gene high-throughput sequencing results indicated that FOS treatment increased the gut microbial diversity and inhibited the proliferation of inflammation-related bacteria such as unidentified_Clostridiales. An increase in total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), propionic acid and butyric acid, was also observed by FOS supplementation. FOS (200 mg kg-1d-1) also protected the intestinal barrier by increasing the protein levels of Claudin1 and Occludin. In conclusion, FOS attenuated DSS-induced colitis by modulating the gut microbiota and repairing the intestinal barrier.

Objective The brown seed coat colour of flax (Linum ustiatissimum) results from proanthocyanidin synthesis and accumulation. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), such as the TT19 protein in Arabidopsis, have been implicated in the transport of anthocyanidins during the synthesis of the brown proanthocyanidins. This study fine mapped the g allele responsible for yellow seed colour in S95407 and identified it as a putative mutated GST. Results We developed a Recombinant Inbred Line population with 320 lines descended from a cross between CDC Bethune (brown seed coat) and S95407 (yellow seed) and used molecular markers to fine map the G gene on Chromosome 6 (Chr 6). We used Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to identify a putative GST was identified in this region and Sanger sequenced the gene from CDC Bethune, S95407 and other yellow seeded genotypes. The putative GST from S95407 had 13 SNPs encoding, including four non-synonymous amino acid changes, compared to the CDC Bethune reference sequence and the other genotypes. The GST encoded by Lus10019895 is a lambda-GST in contrast to the Arabidopsis TT19 which is a phi-GST.

Objective: To assess the relative efficacy of flaxseed and fish oils in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: The comparative study was conducted in the outpatient department of Rheumatology at Fatima Memorial Hospital, Shadman, Lahore, Pakistan, from July to December 2017, and comprised rheumatoid arthritis patients who were divided into group A receiving 3g/day of flaxseed oil and group B receiving 3g/day of fish oil for 90 days. Blood samples were taken at baseline and post-intervention to note the difference on biochemical parameters. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Results: Of the 60 patients, there were 30(50%) in each of the two groups. Overall, there were 8(13.3%) males and 52(86.7%) females. Both groups showed significant change in all biochemical parameters compared to baseline values (p

Antiangiogenic agents are commonly used for the management of many types of cancers. Flaxseed oil is a wealthy source of omega-3,omega-6, and lignans, and possesses anticancerous and antioxidant activities.To investigate the antiangiogenic activity of flaxseed oil alone and in combination with mefenamic acid in a dose-response study.Oil was extracted from flaxseeds. The ex vivo rat aorta ring assay was used to screen the flaxseed oil alone and in combination with mefenamic acid for possible antiangiogenic activity. Also, the assay was used to determine the dose-response effect.An in vivo chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay was used to quantify the zone of inhibition of blood vessel by flaxseed oil.The 200,100,50,25,12.5, and 6.25µg/ml of the flaxseed oil inhibited blood vessel growth with values of 91±0.42, 84±2.06,36±2.71, 21±2.15,23±1.56, and 5±0.93%, respectively, withan IC50 value of 45.695 µg/ml. These concentrations showed a dose-dependent inhibition of angiogenesis. At 200, 100, and 50 µg/ml of flaxseed oil in combination with 50 µg/ml of mefenamic acid inhibited blood vessel growth with inhibition percentages of 81.48±0.82,79.63±0.75, and 77.78±1.26, respectively, with an IC50 of 2.27 µg/ml. Also, these concentrations indicated a dose-dependent inhibition of angiogenesis. Flaxseed oil produced a significant inhibition zone of blood vessels in the CAM assay. The LD50 for flaxseed oil was 5.656g/kg.Flaxseed oil alone and in combination with mefenamic acid exhibited antiangiogenic activity both in ex vivo and in vivo assays. At doses of 2.5, 1.25, 0.625, and 0.312 g/kg of flaxseed oil intraperitoneally injected into mice, no symptoms of toxicity or death of mice due to acute toxicity were observed. However, doses of 5 and 10 g/kg of oil resulted in the death of the majority of mice.

Reports on the occurrence of cannabidiol (CBD, 1) in non-cannabis plants are critically reviewed. The isolation of 1 from Humulus Kriya (sic) was fraudulent and from Trema orientalis and stevia dubious, while the occurrence of traces of 1 in flax needs additional confirmation. The presence of high concentration of cannabigerol (CBG, 3a) and its corresponding acidic precursor (GBGA, 3b) in Helichrysum umbraculigerum could not be confirmed, but this plant deserves additional attention due to the possible phytocannabinoids accumulation in selected chemotypes.

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), one of the oldest cultivated crops, continues to be widely grown for oil, fiber and food. Furthermore, the plants show a metal tolerance dependent on species so is ideal for research. Present study was conducted to find out the influence of copper (Cu) toxicity on plant biomass, growth, chlorophyll content, malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, proline production, antioxidative enzymes and metal up taken by L. usitatissimum from the soil grown under mixing of Cu-contaminated soil with natural soil by 0:1 (control), 1:0, 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4. Results revealed that, high concentration of Cu in the soil affected plant growth and development by reducing plant height, plant diameter and plant fresh and dry biomass and chlorophyll contents in the leaves compared with the control. Furthermore, Cu in excess causes generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide radical (O-) and hydroxyl radicals (OH), which is manifested by high malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents also. The increasing activities of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in the roots and leaves of L. usitatissimum are involved in the scavenging of ROS. Results also showed that L. usitatissimum also has capability to revoke large amount of Cu from the contaminated soil. As Cu concentration in the soil increases, the final uptake of Cu concentration by L. usitatissimum increases. Furthermore, the soil chemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity and cation exchange capacity) were increasing to highest levels as the ratio of Cu concentration to the natural soil increases. Thus, Cu-contaminated soil is amended with the addition of natural soil significantly reduced plant growth and biomass, while L. usitatissimum is able to revoke large amount of Cu from the soil and could be grown as flaxseed and a potential candidate for phytoremediation of Cu.

Background The term ‘superfoods’ is used to market foods considered to have significant health benefits. ‘Superfoods’ are claimed to prevent diseases as well as improving overall health, though the lack of explicit criteria means that any food can be labelled ‘super’ without support from scientific research. Typically, these ‘superfoods’ are rich in a particular nutrient for example antioxidants or omega-3 fatty acids. The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional properties of a selection of superfood seeds: flax, chia, hulled sunflower and two types of processed hemp seeds and determine whether they may have potential health benefits. Methods We developed a simple aqueous extraction method for ground seeds and analysed their composition by mineral, protein and monosaccharide analyses. Cell viability assays were performed on Caco-2 and IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cells using increasing doses of the prepared extracts. Results Increased cell viability was observed in both cell lines with increasing concentrations of the flax seed, chia seed or hulled sunflower extracts (P < 0.05). Compositional analyses revealed the presence of polysaccharides, proteins and essential minerals in the aqueous extracts and in vitro assays showed sunflower had the highest antioxidant activity. However, differences in extract composition and antioxidant properties could not be directly related to the observed increase in cell viability suggesting that other components in the extracts may be responsible. Future studies will further characterize these extracts and investigate whether they are beneficial for gastrointestinal health.

Background Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is an important crop for its seed oil and stem fiber. Really Interesting New Gene (RING) finger genes play essential roles in growth, development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses in plants. However, little is known about these genes in flax. Methods Here, we performed a systematic genome-wide analysis to identify RING finger genes in flax. Results We identified 587 RING domains in 574 proteins and classified them into RING-H2 (292), RING-HCa (181), RING-HCb (23), RING-v (53), RING-C2 (31), RING-D (2), RING-S/T (3), and RING-G (2). These proteins were further divided into 45 groups according to domain organization. These genes were located in 15 chromosomes and clustered into three clades according to their phylogenetic relationships. A total of 312 segmental duplicated gene pairs were inferred from 411 RING finger genes, indicating a major contribution of segmental duplications to the RING finger gene family expansion. The non-synonymous/synonymous substitution ratio of the segmentally duplicated gene pairs was less than 1, suggesting that the gene family was under negative selection since duplication. Further, most RING genes in flax were differentially expressed during seed development or in the shoot apex. This study provides useful information for further functional analysis of RING finger genes in flax and to develop gene-derived molecular markers in flax breeding.

Modern flax cultivars are susceptible to many diseases, arguably, the most economically damaging of these is the Fusarium wilt fungal disease. Over the past decades international flax breeding initiatives resulted in the development of resistant cultivars. However, much remains to be learned about the mechanisms of resistance to Fusarium infection in flax. As a first step to uncover the genetic factors associated with resistance to Fusarium wilt disease, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using 297 accessions from the collection of the Federal Research Centre of the Bast Fiber Crops, Torzhok, Russia. These genotypes were infected with a highly pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lini MI39 strain, the wilt symptoms were documented in the course of three successive years. Six different single-locus models implemented in GAPIT3 R package were applied to a selected subset of 72,526 SNPs. A total of 15 QTNs (Quantitative Trait Nucleotides) were detected during at least two years of observation, while eight QTNs were found during all three years of the experiment. Of these, ten QTNs occupied a region of 640 Kb at the start of chromosome 1, while the remaining QTNs mapped to chromosomes 8, 11 and 13. All stable QTNs demonstrate a statistically significant allelic effect across 3 years of the experiment. Importantly, several QTNs spanned regions that harbored genes involved in the pathogen recognition and plant immunity response, including the KIP1-like protein (Lus10025717) and NBS-LRR protein (Lus10025852). Our results provide novel insights into the genetic architecture of flax resistance to Fusarium wilt and pinpoint potential candidate genes for further in-depth studies.