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Although peach kernels are rich in oil, there is a lack of information about its chemical and biological properties. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the lipid profile, antioxidant capacity, and trypsin inhibitory propriety of peach oil extracted from two varieties (sweet cap and O'Henry) cultivated in Tunisia. The investigated peach kernel oil contains significant amount of unsaponifiable (2.1±0.5-2.8±0.2% of oil) and phenolic compounds (45.8±0.92-74.6±1.3 mg GAE/g of oil). Its n-alkane profile was characterized by the predominance of tetracosane n-C24 (47.24%) followed by tricosane n-C23 (34.43%). An important total tocopherol content (1192.83±3.1 mg/kg oil) has been found in sweet cap cultivar. Although rich in polyphenols and tocopherols, the tested oil did not display an inhibitory effect on trypsin. However, all peach oil samples showed effective antioxidant capacity and the highest values (86.34±1.3% and 603.50±2.6 μmol TE/g oil for DPPH test and ORAC assay, respectively) were observed for sweet cap oil. Peach oil has an excellent potential for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries as source of naturally-occurring bioactive substances.

Jatropha curcas seed shells are the by-product obtained during oil extraction process. Recently, its chemical composition has gained attention since its potential applications. The aim of this study was to identify phenolic compounds profile from a non-toxic J. curcas shell from Mexico, besides, evaluate J. curcas shell methanolic extract (JcSME) antioxidant activity. Free, conjugate and bound phenolics were fractionated and quantified (606.7, 193.32 and 909.59 μg/g shell, respectively) and 13 individual phenolic compounds were detected by HPLC. The radical-scavenging activity of JcSME was similar to Trolox and ascorbic acid by DPPH assay while by ABTS assay it was similar to BHT. Effective antioxidant capacity by ORAC was found (426.44 ± 53.39 μmol Trolox equivalents/g shell). The Mexican non-toxic J. curcas shell is rich in phenolic compounds with high antioxidant activity; hence, it could be considerate as a good source of natural antioxidants.

Two faba bean (Vicia faba L.) subspecies major and minor and lentil seeds grown in Algeria were separated into cotyledons and hulls. These fractions, together with their corresponding whole seeds, were extracted with two solvents, aqueous (70%) acetone and (80%) ethanol, and evaluated for antioxidant activity in relation to their phenolic contents. Acetone selectively extracted tannins from faba beans. The hulls always exhibited high antioxidant activity, measured using the reducing power (RP), antiradical activity (DPPH) or oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. Aqueous ethanol (80%) extract of lentil hulls exhibited high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities preferentially inhibiting 15-LOX (IC(50), 55 μg/ml), with moderate COX-1 (IC(50), 66 μg/ml) and COX-2 (IC(50), 119 μg/ml) inhibitory effects on the COX pathway, whereas faba bean hull extracts exerted relatively mild LOX inhibitory activity., (Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Phenolic lipids are multifunctional compounds which play an important biological role in the body. Their unique biologic functionality stems from their strong amphiphilic character which allows them to be incorporated in erythrocytes. Through membrane incorporation, these compounds exert their biological effects on neurons which are not modulated by hydrophilic compounds. These bioactive compounds are present in nature as secondary plant metabolites, and consequently their availability is limited, for dietary and medical purposes. In this review, the pathways and mechanisms associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease will be described. In addition, the modulatory effects of phenolic lipids on these pathways and a list of several synthetic, semi synthetic and natural sources of phenolic lipids will be examined as having the potential to prevent or combat Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]