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Rice in early development stage contains peptides and various bioactive compounds. Rice protein hydrolysate was prepared from Riceberry bran protein hydrolysed with Alcalase® and trypsin. Protein hydrolysate from Alcalase® (MW < 3 kDa) was fractionated into 12 fractions using RP-HPLC and tested for antioxidant, ACE, and ROS-inhibitory activity. Peptide from RP-HPLC fraction 1 showed that the lowest ROS inhibition and highest antioxidant were identified by LC-MS/MS as Val-Leu-Ala-Ala-Gly-Cys-Pro-Leu. Peptide fraction 4 showed that the strongest in vitro ACE-inhibitory activity was identified as Ala-Met-Ser-Phe-Ala-Glu-Met. Young Riceberry milk was then enriched with Alcalase® protein hydrolysate (MW < 3 kDa) and sonicated at amplitude 20% for 30 min and 40% for 60 min. Particle size, transmittance, and Caco-2 cell absorption were measured. The highest peptide content and % absorption was found in young rice milk ultrasonicated at 40% for 60 min. Rice bran protein hydrolysate produced by Alcalase® had much smaller MW bioactive peptides and could be used as a potent functional food ingredient. The young rice milk fortified with bioactive peptides after high power ultra-sonication could increase the in vitro intestinal absorption.

The effects of dry processing and maturity on antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, total procyanidins, and identity of phenolic compounds in coffee leaves were evaluated. Fresh coffee leaves were tray-dried at 40 &deg, C for 8 h before total phenolic content, total procyanidins, and antioxidant activity were analyzed. The drying process significantly (p &lt, 0.05) improved the release of total phenolic content and total procyanidins compared with the fresh leaves. The results showed that the young leaves exposed to drying processes had the highest total phenolic content, total procyanidins, and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Therefore, the effect of different drying temperatures (30, 40, and 50 &deg, C) in the young leaves were further analyzed. The results indicated that DPPH radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content, and total procyanidins were increasingly generated when exposed to an increase in drying temperatures, whereby the highest bioactivity was evident at 50 &deg, C. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of the coffee leaf teas was significantly correlated with total phenolic content and total procyanidins. Identification of Coffea arabica L. bioactive compounds by LC-MS showed the presence of catechin or epicatechin, mangiferin or isomangiferin, procyanidin B, caffeoylquinic acids (CQA), caffeine, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, procyanidin C, rutin, and 3,4-diCQA. Coffea arabica L. leaf tea was confirmed to be a potential functional food rich in phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant activity.

Renal disease is not rare among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and is gaining interest as a target of research. However, related changes in glomerular structural have rarely been investigated. This study was aimed at clarifying the changes in collagens and glomerular filtration barrier (GFB)-related proteins of glomeruli in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model. Acute colitis was induced by administering 3.5% DSS in Slc:ICR strain mice for eight days. Histological changes to glomeruli were examined by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Masson&rsquo, s trichrome staining. Expressions of glomerular collagens and GFB-related proteins were analyzed by immunofluorescent staining and Western blot analysis. DSS-colitis mice showed an elevated disease activity index (DAI), colon shortening, massive cellular infiltration and colon damage, confirming that DSS-colitis mice can be used as an IBD animal model. DSS-colitis mice showed increased glycoprotein and collagen deposition in glomeruli. Interestingly, we observed significant changes in glomerular collagens, including a decrease in type IV collagen, and an increment in type I and type V collagens. Moreover, declined GFB-related proteins expressions were detected, including synaptopodin, podocalyxin, nephrin and VE-cadherin. These results suggest that renal disease in DSS-colitis mice might be associated with changes in glomerular collagens and GFB-related proteins. These findings are important for further elucidation of the clinical pathological mechanisms underlying IBD-associated renal disease.

High amylose rice starch was modified using a pyrodextrinization process under conditions designed to avoid gelatinization of starch. Rice starch was hydrolyzed with 0.5% HCl and 0.5% citric acid solution at 130 °C for 1 h (H1), 2 h (H2), and 3 h (H3) respectively. Hydrolyzed starches (25% moisture content) were then Heat moisture treatment (HMT) at 115 °C for 1 h. Pasting properties, swelling power, solubility, crystallinity and in vitro and in vivo starch digestibility were investigated. Pyrodextrinized-HMT rice starch was then used as wall material for tocopheryl acetate encapsulation by spray drying. The encapsulation capacity, microstructure, in vitro releasing property under simulated gastric (SGF) and intestinal fluid (SIF) were measured. Results show an insignificant increased in rapid digestible starch (RDS) after pyrodextrinization. SDS drastically decreased in proportion to the increase in RS content. Blood glucose responses in Wistar rats fed with pyrodextrinized-HMT starch were slower than those fed with native starch. The pyrodextrinized-HMT starch microcapsule showed higher encapsulation capacity, better resistance to in vitro digestibility, prolonged release in SGF but higher release in SIF without changing its crystalline patterns.

Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.) seed proteins (GSPs) hydrolysate was investigated for angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities. GSPs were hydrolyzed under simulated gastrointestinal digestion using a combination of enzymes, including pepsin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin. The screening of ACE inhibitory peptides from GSPs hydrolysate was performed using two sequential bioassay-guided fractionations, namely hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Then, the peptides in the fraction with the highest ACE inhibitory activity were identified by LC-MS/MS. The flow-through (FT) fraction showed the most potent ACE inhibitory activity when HILIC fractionation was performed. This fraction was further separated using RP-HPLC, and the result indicated that fraction 8 (RP-F8) showed the highest ACE inhibitory activity. In the HILIC-FT/RP-F8 fraction, 14 peptides were identified using LC-MS/MS analysis coupled with de novo sequencing. These amino acid chains had not been recorded previously and their ACE inhibitory activities were analyzed in silico using the BIOPEP database. One fragment with the amino acid sequence of ALVY showed a significant ACE inhibitory activity (7.03 &plusmn, 0.09 &micro, M). The Lineweaver-Burk plot indicated that ALVY is a competitive inhibitor. The inhibition mechanism of ALVY against ACE was further rationalized through the molecular docking simulation, which revealed that the ACE inhibitory activities of ALVY is due to interaction with the S1 (Ala354, Tyr523) and the S2 (His353, His513) pockets of ACE. Bibliographic survey allowed the identification of similarities between peptides reported as in gac fruit and other proteins. These results suggest that gac seed proteins hydrolysate can be used as a potential nutraceutical with inhibitory activity against ACE.

Glyoxalase 1 (GLO1) and HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR) are highly expressed in most tumor cells and little in normal cells. In this study, treatment of HL-60 cells with lovastatin induced characteristic apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. We demonstrated that lovastatin treatment inhibited Ras and Raf protein translocation to cell membrane and eliminated the phosphorylation of the downstream effectors Akt and ERK, and the subsequent NF-κB translocation into nucleus. Specific inhibitors and γ-tocotrienol confirmed the Ras/Raf/ERK/NF-κB/GLO1 and Ras/Akt/NF-κB/GLO1 pathways. Data revealed that lovastatin induced HL-60 cell death was attenuated by mevalonate treatment. We demonstrated also that γ-tocotrienol showed its apoptotic effect on the HL-60 cell through the same pathway. γ-Tocotrienol enhanced the apoptotic effect of lovastatin through the down-regulation of GLO1 and HMGCR resulting in an increase of methylglyoxal and a decrease of cholesterol and led to the apoptosis of HL-60 cells. Data also revealed that both lovastatin and gamma-tocotrienol induced significant HL-60 cell differentiation. These results suggest that both lovastatin and gamma-tocotrienol could induce differentiation and followed by apoptosis.

Although flavonoids have been reported for their benefits and nutraceutical potential use, the importance of their structure on their beneficial effects, especially on signal transduction mechanisms, has not been well clarified. In this study, three flavonoids, pinocembrin, naringenin, and eriodictyol, were chosen to determine the effect of hydroxyl groups on the B-ring of flavonoid structure on their antioxidant activity. In vitro assays, including DPPH scavenging activity, ROS quantification by flow cytometer, and proteins immunoblotting, and in silico analysis by molecular docking between the flavonoids and C1B domain of PKCδ phorbol ester binding site were both used to complete this study. Eriodictyol (10 μM), containing two hydroxyl groups on the B-ring, exhibited significantly higher (p < 0.05) antioxidant activity than pinocembrin and naringenin. The IC50 values of eriodictyol, naringenin, and pinocembrin were 17.4 ± 0.40, 30.2 ± 0.61, and 44.9 ± 0.57 μM, respectively. In addition, eriodictyol at 10 μM remarkably inhibited the phosphorylation of PKCδ at 63.4% compared with PMA-activated RAW264.7, whereas pinocembrin and naringenin performed inhibition activity at 76.8 and 72.6%, respectively. According to the molecular docking analysis, pinocembrin, naringenin, and eriodictyol showed -CDOCKER_energy values of 15.22, 16.95, and 21.49, respectively, reflecting that eriodictyol could bind with the binding site better than the other two flavonoids. Interestingly, eriodictyol had a remarkably different pose to bind with the kinase as a result of the two hydroxyl groups on its B-ring, which consequently contributed to greater antioxidant activity over pinocembrin and naringenin.

Background: The calamondin (Citrus microcarpa Bunge) and the kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia Swingle) are two small-size citrus fruits that have traditionally been consumed in Taiwan; however, there has been a lack of scientific research regarding the active compounds and functionalities of these fruits. Methods: Analysis of volatile composition of essential oil and phytosterol was carried out using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Flavonoid and limonoid were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Moreover, antioxidant capacity from their essential oils and extracts were assessed in vitro. Results: The compositions of the essential oils of both fruits were identified, with the results showing that the calamondin and kumquat contain identified 43 and 44 volatile compounds, respectively. In addition, oxygenated compounds of volatiles accounted for 4.25% and 2.04%, respectively, consistent with the fact that oxygenated compounds are generally found in high content in citrus fruits. In terms of flavonoids, the calamondin exhibited higher content than the kumquat, with disomin-based flavonoids being predominant; on the other hand, phytosterol content of kumquat was higher than that of calamondin, with amyrin being the dominant phytosterol. Both of them contain high amounts of limonoids. The ethanol extracts and essential oils of small-sized citrus fruits have been shown to have antioxidant effects, with those effects being closely related to the flavonoid content of the fruit in question. Conclusions: The present study also reviewed antioxidant activity in terms of specific bioactive compounds in order to find the underlying biological activity of both fruits. The calamondin and kumquat have antioxidant effects, which are in turn very important for the prevention of chronic diseases.

Essential oils are formed by aromatic plants as secondary metabolites and are widely used in traditional medicine. In this research, the composition and biological activities of three commercial oils essential oils, Ocotea, Copaiba and Blue Cypress, were evaluated in cultured cells and in mice. GC/MS revealed different components within these oils. Ocotea and Copaiba did not have an antioxidant activity below 5 % (v/v), and Blue Cypress possessed a moderate anti-oxidant activity. Ocotea was the most potent inhibitor against pro-inflammatory mediators. In addition, Ocotea and a higher concentration of Blue Cypress suppressed LPS-induced PGE2 production. Single high-concentration administration of the oils showed acute toxicity in mice. Blood chemistry analysis showed the three essential oils to be quite safe under a lower sub-lethal dosage. Our findings suggested that essential oils can be useful as active medicines to inhibit over-activation of macrophages followed by stimulation by inflammatory mediators.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of alginate as a vehicle to protect coenzyme Q10 in liposomes.Design/methodology/approachEncapsulation efficiency and stability were conducted at varying temperatures (20, 30, 40°C) for 5 d and at exposure to simulated gastric conditions (pH 2) for 2 h. The content of coenzyme Q10 was determined using HPLC (LC/MS). Cytotoxicity and phagocytosis of mouse macrophages (RAW264.7) was determined.FindingsResults showed that thermostability was strongly improved by alginate complex formation with liposomes. Moreover, alginate could maintain coenzyme Q10 at a significantly higher level in simulated gastric pH for at least 2 h (pPractical implicationsThis allowed a higher amount of coenzyme Q10 remaining to be absorbed in the small intestine. Alginate not only showed no toxic effect on mouse macrophages but also activated their proliferation and phagocytosis ability.Originality/valueAs a consequence, alginate could be applied as an aid to encapsulation stability and immunostimulating potency.

Biomass and extracellular polysaccharide of Ganoderma tsugae have various biological activity including anti-inflamatory activity, antioxidant activity and antitumor activity. However, the growth rate of G. tsugae in nature is very slow. Therefore, many studies have attempted to develop mass culture systems for G. tsugae using laboratory techniques. Many parameters of submerged fermentation for G. tsugae were studies to determine the optimization of process by combination of statistical techniques. Ten parameters from preliminary results and literature reviews (maltose, skim milk, KH2PO4+K2HPO4, MgSO4-7H2O, CaCO3, vitamin B5+B6, olive oil, ethanol, pH and shaking speed) were screened by Packett Berman design. The significant parameters were determined the optimal ranges by path of steepest ascent method. The optimal condition of process was performed by response surface method. Maltose, skim milk and pH are significant parameters for G. tsugae cultivation. The conditions of 31.031 g L-1 maltose, 14.055 g L-1 skim milk and an initial pH of 7.12 resulted in the maximum extracellular polysaccharide content of 415 mg L-1 and the same fermentation broth at an initial pH of 6.46 exhibited the most biomass at 15.776 g L-1. Finally, the optimal condition was compared with un-optimal condition which result indicates that the combination of statistical techniques enhance the productions of biomass and extracellular polysaccharide (13X and 1.5X of the control, respectively). Therefore, these strategies are useful for improvement of submerged fermentation of G. tsugae which it can apply in pharmaceutical industry.

The physicochemical properties of rice flour treated with protease (Protease-RF) and a conventional alkali steeping method (Alkali-RF) were compared with native flour. The physical properties of flour gels were assessed by rapid visco analyzer, texture analysis, and rheology with reference to their composition and impact on their starch structures by the two treatment methods. Alkali-RF exhibited shorter pasting time to peak with higher breakdown but lower setback. However, the textural parameters of both treatments were not significantly different (p > 0.05). The storage modulus for both treatments increased to a greater extent was compared to native flour. Low-MW polypeptides (5‐30 kDa) had less effect on gel-forming properties, since similar texture qualities were obtained either in their presence or absence. The granule-bound SS or GBSS (58‐60 kDa) had less effect since it could not be removed either by proteases or alkali. The high molecular weight polypeptides (>77 kDa), which were partly removed either by alkali or protease treatments, played an important role in impairing the gel-forming property of rice flour. Textural quality was observed to improve after their removal, compared to native flour.

As local varieties of citrus fruit in Taiwan, Ponkan (Citrus reticulata Blanco), Tankan (C. tankan Hayata), and Murcott (C. reticulate × C. sinensis) face substantial competition on the market. In this study, we used carbon dioxide supercritical technology to extract oleoresin from the peels of the three citrus varieties, adding alcohol as a solvent assistant to enhance the extraction rate. The supercritical fluid extraction was fractionated with lower terpene compounds in order to improve the oxygenated amounts of the volatile resins. The contents of oleoresin from the three varieties of citrus peels were then analyzed with GC/MS in order to identify 33 volatile compounds. In addition, the analysis results indicated that the non-volatile oleoresin extracted from the samples contains polymethoxyflavones (86.2~259.5 mg/g), limonoids (111.7~406.2 mg/g), and phytosterols (686.1~1316.4 μg/g). The DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS [2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] scavenging and inhibition of lipid oxidation, which test the oleoresin from the three kinds of citrus, exhibited significant antioxidant capacity. The component polymethoxyflavones contributed the greatest share of the overall antioxidant capacity, while the limonoid and phytosterol components effectively coordinated with its effects.

Antioxidant testing of natural products has attracted increasing interest in recent years, mainly due to the fact that an antioxidant-rich diet might provide health benefits. Activated macrophages are a major source of reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, and peroxynitrite generated through the so-called respiratory burst. Constitutively released proinflammatory cytokine, especially tumor necrosis factor-α, triggers nuclear factor-κB, and activator protein-1 translocation leading to the over production of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species in macrophages. Activation of transcription factors in the long-lived tissue-resident macrophages and/or monocyte-derived macrophages, trigger epigenetic modifications leading to the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. Nutraceuticals including lipid raft structure disruption agent, cholesterol depletion agent, farnesyltransferase inhibitor, nuclear factor-κB blocker (α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds), glucocorticoid receptor agonist, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonist have long been used to inactive macrophage. The inhibition effects on the formation of nitric oxide, superoxide, and nitrite peroxide may be responsible for the anti-inflammatory functionalities. Activated macrophage models could be used to identify the active components for functional diets development through a multiple targets strategy.

Teas can be classified according to their degree of fermentation, which has been reported to affect both the bioactive components in the teas and their antioxidative activity. In this study, four kinds of commercial Taiwanese tea at different degrees of fermentation, which include green (non-fermented), oolong (semi-fermented), black (fully fermented), and Pu-erh (post-fermented) tea, were profiled for catechin levels by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The result indicated that the gallic acid content in tea was directly proportional to the degree of fermentation in which the lowest and highest gallic acid content were 1.67 and 21.98 mg/g from green and Pu-erh tea, respectively. The antioxidative mechanism of the gallic acid was further determined by in vitro and in silico analyses. In vitro assays included the use of phorbol ester-induced macrophage RAW264.7 cell model for determining the inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and PKCδ and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase subunit (p47) activations. The results showed that only at a concentration of 5.00 μM could gallic acid significantly (p < 0.05) reduce ROS levels in phorbol ester-activated macrophages. Moreover, protein immunoblotting expressed similar results in which activations of PKCδ and p47 were only significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated by 5.00 μM treatment. Lastly, in silico experiments further revealed that gallic acid could block PKCδ activation by occupying the phorbol ester binding sites of the protein.

The quantitative effects of oxygen supply in terms of shaking speed and medium volume on the production of mycelia and extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) using Ganoderma tsugae in submerged fermentation were investigated. Mycelia growth required the proper shaking speed at 134 rpm for breaking a larger pellet into several smaller pellets. Furthermore, high level of medium volume for consumption of abundant nutrient is needed for maximum mycelia growth. For EPS, a high agitation is needed to promote a good mass transfer for achieving high product concentrations recovery. The appropriate medium volume was found to be 150.4 mL for aiding to produce a secondary metabolite by promoting the mass transfer of substrates. The dry cell mass (DCM)-EPS diagram of G. tsugae was created from the both production equations which this diagram is an useful tool for submerge fermentation industry for decision about to control the both productions.

Very late antigen-4 (VLA-4)-mediated monocyte adhesion and transendothelial migration are important events during immune surveillance and in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, such as atherosclerosis. Under physiological conditions, circulating monocytes that are in various states of maturation enter tissue microenvironments and participate in immune responses by interacting with other leukocytes. The effects and regulatory mechanisms of eriodictyol on VLA-4 expression, cell adhesion, and migration in U937 cells were investigated. Eriodictyol lowered VLA-4 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner in U937 cells. Moreover, VLA-4- and vascular adhesion molecular-1 (VCAM-1)-mediated adhesion and migration were decreased by eriodictyol. Upon treatment with eriodictyol, NF-κB translocated to the nucleus; the NF-κB inhibitor JSH-23 inhibited this translocation and prevented the decrease of VLA-4 expression by eriodictyol. Thus, eriodictyol regulates immune responses by modulating VLA-4 expression, cellular migration, and VLA-4-mediated adhesion in monocytes – evidence that eriodictyol regulates adhesion molecules during immune responses.

A steam distillation process at pH 9 was conducted to prepare garlic oil for food supplement. A garlic oil predominant in bioactive diallyl monosulphide (8.9%), diallyl disulphide (56.9%) diallyl trisulphide (7.6%) and diallyl tetrasulphide (2.6%) was obtained from peeled garlic cloves. The adhesion molecule leucocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) mediates leucocyte adhesion and migration during immune responses. In this study, we investigated the effects of diallyl sulphide (DAS) and diallyl disulphide (DADS) on LFA-1 expression, cell adhesion and migration in the U937 and peritoneal macrophages from mice. After treatment, DADS, but not DAS, elevated the expression of LFA-1 in a dose- and time-dependent manner in U937 cells and peritoneal macrophages. Moreover, LFA-1 and intracellular adhesion molecular-1 (ICAM-1)-mediated adhesion also was increased by DADS in a dose- and time-dependent manner. After DADS treatment, LFA-1 clustering also increased on U937 surface. In contrast, there was no significant difference in migration of U937 cells between DADS treatment and no treatment. This study indicates the DADS, but not DAS, regulates immune responses by modulating LFA-1 expression, clustering and LFA-1-mediated adhesion in monocytes, evidences that DADS acts as an immune regulator of adhesion molecules during immune responses.

The expression levels of phase I (CYP1A1 and CYP1A2) and phase II (GST and UGT) enzyme-coded genes were measured in liver microsomes of 50 Wistar rats fed sweet cassava polysaccharides (SCP), an arabinogalactan type root mucilage. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the detoxifying enzymes were investigated using reverse transcription polymerase reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time polymerase reaction (Real-time PCR) techniques. The antioxidant properties of the SCP were investigated in vitro and screened and investigated for its hepatoprotective activity in rat. There was significant induction of GSTYa1 and inhibition of CYP1A2. Moreover, an SCP diet was found to significantly increase UGT1A6 mRNA levels and to decrease CYP1A1 mRNA levels in chemically-injured rat liver. SCP ethanol extracts exhibited hydroxyl radical and superoxide scavenging activities in a dose-dependent manner. In vitro and intracellular antioxidative enzyme activity assays demonstrated and confirmed the potential of cassava root extracts as a natural source of mucopolysaccharide substances with potential use in chemoprevention medicine.

Crude extracts from traditional herbs have long been used in the treatment of a variety of acute and/or chronic diseases in many countries. Zingiber zerumbet Smith extract has been reported to have anti-inflammatory potential, especially in asthmatic patients. The aim of this study is to examine the capacity of water extract of Zingiber zerumbet (CC-ZWE) in protecting the lungs by inhibiting the release of inflammatory mediators during short-term treatment, and modulating cytokine gene expressions during long-term treatment. BALB/c mice were sensitised and challenged with ovalbumin to induce anaphylaxis. The anti-hypersensitive and anti-inflammatory potentials of water extract of Zingiber zerumbet Smith (ZZ-CWE) were evaluated using both in vitro and in vivo systems. ZZ-CWE decreased the release of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in vitro and effectively suppressed LTC4 release from lung tissue in vivo (p

This study demonstrated that ergocalciferol was able to inhibit leukemia cell growth in a concentration-dependent manner. Exploration of the acting mechanisms involved this event revealed that ergocalciferol induced DNA fragmentation and increased sub-G1 DNA contents in HL-60 cells, both of which are hallmarks of apoptosis. Analysis of the integrity of mitochondria demonstrated that ergocalciferol caused loss of mitochondrial membrane potential with release cytochrome c to cytosol, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and depletion of glutathione (GSH), suggesting that ergocalciferol may induce apoptosis in HL-60 cells through a ROS-dependent pathway. Further results show that caspases-2, -3, -6, and -9 were all activated by ergocalciferol, together with cleavage of the downstream caspase-3 targets, DNA fragmentation factor (DFF-45), and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. In addition, ergocalciferol led to the increase in pro-apoptotic factor Bax accompanied with the decrease in anti-apoptotic member Mcl-1, and the reduced Mcl-1 to Bax ratio may be a critical event concerning mitochondrial decay by ergocalciferol. Furthermore, ergocalciferol also led to induction of Fas death receptor closely linked to caspase-2 activation, suggesting the involvement of a Fas-mediated pathway in ergocalciferol-induced apoptosis. Totally, these findings suggest that ergocalciferol causes HL-60 apoptosis via a modulation of mitochondria involving ROS production, GSH depletion, caspase activation, and Fas induction. On the basis of anticancer activity of ergocalciferol, it may be feasible to develop chemopreventive agents from edible mushrooms or hop.

A novel patented solar energy-assisted photocatalytic closed-type dryer (SEPCD) was developed to produce dried agro-foods without using chemical additives for antisepsis and/or color retention and to retain higher nutritive value of the fresh produce. The SEPCD was designed to simulate open sun drying with moving dry air and mild temperature. The air temperature in the drying cabinet is maintained at 40–45°C; it is supplied partially by a dehumidification system and partially by a solar energy system. Additionally, the inside of the cabinet was coated with titanium dioxide (TiO2) to cause a bactericidal effect during the drying process. Results showed that the total mold and bacterial counts for the drying cabinet and dried pineapple slices are significantly reduced in the SEPCD while the dried food quality is also better than that dried by conventional hot air drying.

Adlay ( Coxi lachrymal-jobi ), an annual crop, has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for its biological activity and as a nourishing food. Its phytochemical composition has been extensively studied; however, information on its policosanol (PC) and phytosterol content is scarce. The objective of this study was to examine and compare the PC, phytosterol and oleamide contents of different fractions of adlay collected from Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan. Biochemical compositions of the samples were identified using a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC–MS). The adlay bran had higher contents of policosanols (246 mg/kg), phytosterols (4733 mg/kg) and oleamide (45.8 mg/kg) than had hulled and polished fractions. Although plant sterols reduce cholesterol absorption, policosanols may inhibit endogenous cholesterol synthesis. Although adlay contains beneficial phytochemicals that justify its use as a food ingredient or dietary supplement, research is still needed to confirm its traditional use in Asian medicine.

Ten phenolic compounds were isolated from a butanol fraction of sage extracts. Their structures were determined by spectral methods (NMR, MS, IR). Among them, a novel compound, 4-hydroxyacetophenone-4-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, was identified. Two test systems, DPPH free radical scavenging activity and radical cation ABTS•+ scavenging activity, were used to evaluate their antioxidant activity. The most active compounds were found to be rosmarinic acid and luteolin-7-O-β-glucopyranoside. Keywords: Sage; Salvia officinalis; phenolic compounds; antioxidant activity

AIM: To analyze the possible protective role of Arctium lappa L. (AL) in a murine model of ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: BALB/c mice were administered 100 mg/kg AL powder orally each day. After 7 d, colitis was induced by administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) (5% W/V) in drinking water for a further 8 consecutive days. Diarrhea and bloody stools as well as colonic histology were observed. The level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in colonic sections were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: There were significant differences in mean body weight values and disease activity indices between controls and AL-treated animals. Moreover, the histological findings showed that AL treatment can prevent mucosal edema, submucosal erosions, ulceration, inflammatory cell infiltration and colon damage. In addition, immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the levels of the inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and TNF-α were also decreased in AL-treated groups. CONCLUSION: We suggest that AL can prevent intestinal damage and decrease inflammatory cytokines in mice with DSS-induced colitis. Thus, AL could prove to be a useful food for UC.

Proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) catalyzes the biosynthesis of Delta1-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid (P5C). The Bacillus subtilis subsp. natto gene for the proline dehydrogenase (BnPRODH) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the clone revealed an open-reading frame that encodes 302 amino acid polypeptide with a calculated molecular mass of 34.5 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence showed sequence similarity to bacterial PRODH and PutA of E. coli. The BnPRODH gene was cloned into pET21b and was expressed at a high level in E. coli BL21(DE3). The expressed protein was purified by using nickel ion affinity column chromatography to homogeneity before characterization. The purified recombinant BnPRODH was used to produce P5C. Model system composed of P5C and methylglyoxal was set up to study the formation of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline. Our data showed that P5C, derived from the conversion of l-proline by the purified recombinant PRODH, might react directly with methylglyoxal to form 2-AP. P5C/methylglyoxal pathway represents the first report of a biological mechanism by which 2-AP may be synthesized in vitro by PRODH.

Previously, we observed that luteolin effectively inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells. In that study, we also explored the modulatory effects and molecular mechanisms of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on the cytotoxicity of luteolin to HL-60 cells. In this study, we found that PDTC was able to inhibit luteolin-induced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. When HL-60 cells were treated with PDTC for 0.5 h before 60 microM luteolin treatment, the DNA ladder disappeared. Moreover, flow cytometry showed that PDTC had dose dependently decreased the percentage of apoptotic HL-60 cells and had not interfered with luteolin's ability to change the mitochondrial membrane potential or its ability to trigger the release of cytochrome c to cytosol. Detection by Western blotting, however, did show that PDTC had interfered with luteolin's ability to cleave poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase and DNA fragmentation of factor-45. Three hours after the PDTC-pretreated HL-60 cells were treated with 60 microM luteolin, the product cleaved from Akt started to appear. Therefore, not only was PDTC able to stop the apoptosis of HL-60 cells treated with luteolin, it was also found to increase phosphorylation of Akt and caspase-9. These results suggest that in the luteolin-induced apoptotic pathway, phosphorylation of procaspase-9 by survival signals might play an important role in the ultimate fate of HL-60 cells.

(-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) are two important antioxidants in tea. They also display some antitumor activities, and these activities are believed to be mainly due to their antioxidative effects. However, the specific mechanisms of antioxidant action of tea catechins remain unclear. In this study are isolated and identified two novel reaction products of EGCG and one product of EGC when they were reacted separately with H(2)O(2). These products are formed by the oxidation and decarboxylation of the A ring in the catechin molecule. This study provides unequivocal proof that the A ring of EGCG and EGC may also be an antioxidant site. This study also indicates an additional reaction pathway for the oxidation chemistry of tea catechins.

1. Sweet-potato (Ipomoea batatasL. Lam.) strips (SPS) mixed with maize powder (CP) in proportions 10:0, 9:1, 8:2, and 7:3 were ensiled for 1, 2 or 3 months.2. Trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) decreased during ensilage in samples of all treatments while the SPS–CP mixture (7:3, w/w) ensiled for 3 months contained the lowest TIA.3. SPS–CP (8:2, w/w) dried or ensiled for 2 months, or ensiled for 2 months and dried, were each mixed with twice the amount of control diet (1:2, w/w) to make three diets. These three diets together with the control diet were used for a feeding experiment with rats to evaluate the nutritive value.4. General composition analysis (including metabolizable energy), fatty acid composition and amino acid analysis (including percentage of essential amino acids) of the samples did not change during ensilage to an extent which could explain the improved performance of rats fed on ensiled diets.5. Rats fed on diets containing dried SPS–CP (8:2, w/w) showed significantly lower (P< 0.05) body-weight gain than rats fed on the control diet or ensiled SPS diets, at the end of the 8th week. They also showed enlargement of the pancreas. The adverse effect of SPS was associated with TIA which seemed to be prevented to some extent by ensilage.6. The possibility that the starch of SPS may also contribute to the adverse effect cannot be excluded at present.