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This study explores the role of a biostimulant derived from the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (AN) in mitigating salt stress in rice plants. The weekly (S+W) and biweekly (S+B) biostimulant treatments exhibited enhanced shoot and root biomass, maintained ionic balance, and increased pigment content (total chlorophyll increased by 26.35% and 31%, carotenoids by 11.90% and 16.67% in S+W and S+B treatments, respectively) compared to untreated salt-stressed plants (CS). Improved gas exchange parameters and PSII efficiency were observed in S+W and S+B treatments. AN-biostimulant treatments mitigated salt-induced oxidative stress by positively regulating the antioxidant defense system. Notably, a strong negative correlation was observed between antioxidants and oxidative markers. Furthermore, AN-biostimulant treatments induced key metabolites (organic acids, sugars, amino acids, flavonoids), emphasizing the integrated role of multiple pathways in enhancing salt tolerance in rice. These findings highlight the potential of AN biostimulants as eco-friendly tools for crop enhancement in challenging environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study further examined the biological potential of winery effluent based kombucha products. The antioxidant compounds and antioxidant potential of obtained kombucha samples were determined. Methods: In order to establish the most suitable fermentation parameters the kombucha fermentation process was performed at 20, 25 and 30 °C on the winery effluent substrate with 3, 5 and 7% of total sugars during 0, 3, 6 and 9 days. The antioxidant potential was measured by DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity, as well as reducing power determination by spectrophotometric methods. Very well-known antioxidant compounds, vitamin C and phenolic acids were determined by HPLC and total phenols were determined by spectrophotometric method. Results: The content of vitamin C, total phenols and phenolic acids (gallic, p-hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, syringic, p-coumaric acid) was measured. All samples showed the DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity, as well as reducing power. Conclusion: The most suitable production variables for kombucha beverage with the highest antioxidant potential were 25 °C and 3 days of fermentation. Statistical analysis indicated strong positive correlation between gallic acid content and DPPH radical scavenging capacity and gallic acid content and reducing power. Modelling of antioxidant potential and antioxidant compounds content was performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant products, especially medicinal herbs and spices, have been used for centuries as a remedy to support human health and improve the flavor of food. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify plant species distinguished by their high content of phenolic compounds and high antioxidant activity using advanced multivariate statistical techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). To realize the purpose of the study, the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoids (FC) content, antioxidant activity (TAC) and Fe(II) ion chelating capacity (FIC) of medicinal herbs and spices from plants belonging to three botanical families, Lamiaceae, Apiaceae and Asteraceae were determined. The interpretation of the obtained data revealed that the studied samples are localized in the PCA and HCA plots according to their TPC, FC, TAC and FIC values. Chemometric analysis confirmed that medicinal herbs and spices from plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family are richer sources of phenolic compounds and exhibit stronger antioxidant activity than those raw materials from plants in the Apiaceae family. In addition, no significant differences were found in terms of TPC, FC, TAC and FIC values between medicinal herbs and spices from the same plant species, i.e., oregano (Origanum vulgare), common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), caraway (Carum carvi) and lovage (Levisticum officinale). A close relationship between antioxidant properties and contents of phenolic compounds was also confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial infections have consistently been identified as one of the major threats to global health. In this regard, the current study was designed to synthesize and evaluate the antibacterial activity of Mo‐AgNPs at various concentrations (2, 4, and 8 mg/mL), temperatures (4 °C, 25 °C, 37 °C, and 85 °C) and pH (4, 7, and 11) against Gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Aeromonas veronii) and Gram‐positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) by the well diffusion method as well as antioxidant potential using DPPH assay at 2 mg/mL and 4 mg/mL. Fabrication of Mo‐AgNPs was authenticated by UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Mo‐AgNPs produced a significant zone of growth inhibition (21.0±0.3 mm) against B. subtilis at 8 mg/mL. At 25 °C, a significant zone of growth inhibition (21.0±0.8 mm) was measured against E. coli. Similarly, at pH 4, Mo‐AgNPs showed significantly highest growth inhibition zones of 12.0±7.5 mm, 12.0±6.3 mm, and 12.0±9.8 mm against P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, and A. veronii, respectively. The present study results indicated that Mo‐AgNPs are stable under varied conditions. Significant free radical scavenging activity (82±0.5 %) of Mo‐AgNPs at 4 mg/mL was observed, which revealed the antioxidant potential of the Mo‐AgNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for therapeutic agents that improve kidney function against doxorubicin-induced renal toxicity is important. Herein, the potential nephroprotective activity by Asparagus falcatus L. (AF, Asparagaceae) leaf extracts against doxorubicin-induced renal toxicity (5 mg/kg, ip) in Wistar rats (n = 6/group) after oral administration of hexane (55 mg/kg), ethyl acetate (35 mg/kg), butanol (75 mg/kg), and aqueous (200 mg/kg) extracts of AF for 28 consecutive days was investigated. It was noticed that the treatment with the selected extracts of AF significantly attenuated doxorubicin-induced elevations of serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, β2-microglobulin, cystatin C, and proteinuria in experimental rats. The histology showed attenuation of the features of acute tubular injury. Treatment regimens significantly reversed the doxorubicin-induced reduction in total antioxidant status, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activity in renal tissue homogenates. A suppression in lipid peroxidation was noted with hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol extracts of AF. Moreover, a reduction in the concentration of the pro-inflammatory mediator TNF-α (p < 0.05), and immunohistochemical expression of COX-2 were observed. The immunohistochemical expression of pro-apoptotic Bax protein was decreased and the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 was increased in renal tissues following the treatments. In conclusion, it was revealed that, hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol, and aqueous extracts of AF attenuate doxorubicin-induced renal toxicity in Wistar rats through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic pathways. The plant, AF could be recommended as a promising therapeutic agent to minimize renal toxicity induced by doxorubicin in cancer patients, however, subsequent clinical trials are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aims to analyze Mentha piperita L. as a potential raw material for the development of new health-promoting products (nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products). A lot of scientific publications were retrieved from the Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases which enable the study and generalization of the extraction procedures, key biologically active compounds of essential oil and extracts, biological properties, and therapeutic potential of M. piperita, along with perspectives on the development of its dosage forms, including combinations of synthetic active substances and herbal preparations of M. piperita. The results of this review indicate that M. piperita is a source rich in phytoconstituents of different chemical nature and can be regarded as a source of active substances to enhance health and to develop medicinal products for complementary therapy of various conditions, especially those related with oxidant stress, inflammation, and moderate infections. Essential oil has a broad spectrum of activities. Depending on the test and concentration, this essential oil has both anti- and prooxidant properties. Gram-positive bacteria are more sensitive to the essential oil of M. piperita than Gram-negative ones. This review also considered some facets of the standardization of essential oil and extracts of M. piperita. Among the identified phenolics of extracts were caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, eriocitrin, luteolin derivates (luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoronide), and hesperidin. The concentration of these phenolics depends on the solvent used. This review also considered the relationships between the chemical component and biological activity. The results showed that the essential oil and extracts reduced inflammation in vitro by inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and in vivo by reducing the paw edema induced using carrageenan injection in rats. Therefore, herbal preparations of M. piperita are promising medicinal and cosmetic preparations for their usage in skincare and oral cavity care products with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties. This plant can also be regarded as a platform for the development of antibacterial preparations and combined anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective medicinal products (synthetic active substances plus herbal preparations). This review could be considered for the justification of the composition of some medicinal products during their pharmaceutical development for writing a registration dossier in the format of Common Technical Document. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mango is a fruit consumed worldwide, but generates wastes, which have potential to be valorised, because they possess compounds with demonstrated positive implications for the consumer's health. For this reason, in the present study, biscuits with mango pulp and powders developed from its wastes were developed. The chemical composition was determined for the mango peel, pulp, and seed according to AOAC procedures, but also for the mango biscuit and a reference. The total phenolic content (TPC) was assessed with the Folin-Ciocâlteu method, while the antioxidant potential was tested using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. Titratable acidity and alkalinity were also determined. The textural and colour parameters of the mango-based biscuit were compared with those of a reference. The newly developed product was rich in proteins (7.26%), due to the inclusion of mango peel and seed powders, and presented increased fat content. The mango-based biscuit registered a TPC of 123.90 mg GAE/100 g, while the seed had a higher TPC of 3893.33 mg GAE/100 g. High antioxidant potential was determined for the mango waste ingredients (94.76% RSA DPPH inhibited for the seed and 93.9% RSA DPPH inhibited for the peel), but for the mango-based biscuit the antioxidant potential was lower. The hardness of the mango biscuit was high and the colour was different from that of the reference; thus, more studies regarding an optimal formulation are still necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The repeated use of cooking oils and ghee for the deep frying of food materials may affect their nutritional quality. The present study evaluated the effect of repeated frying on the physicochemical characteristics and antiradical potential of canola oil and ghee. The oil and ghee were used for frying of fish and chicken for 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 frying cycles followed by the analysis of physicochemical, oxidative stress, and antiradical parameters. Regression analysis of the data showed a frying cycle‐dependent significant linear increase in saponification (R2 = 0.9507–0.9748), peroxide and acid values (R2 = 0.956–0.9915), and malondialdehyde (MDA) production (R2 = 0.9058–0.9557) of canola oil and ghee subjected to fish and chicken frying but exponential increase in saponification value (R2 = 0.9778) and MDA production (R2 = 0.7407) of canola oil and ghee used for fish frying. The increase in the number of frying cycles linearly decreased the iodine value (R2 = 0.9781–0.9924), and 1, 1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, and 2, 2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) radical scavenging potential (R2 = 0.9089–0.9979) of canola oil and ghee. Repeated frying in cooking oil and ghee increases oxidative stress and decreases their physicochemical and antioxidant qualities. Canola oil was comparatively more oxidative resistant than canola ghee. The regression equations derived from regression analysis will guide researchers to conduct similar types of univariate studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orange waste is one of the most underutilized biowastes. It accounts for 50% of the fruit weight after juice extraction, presenting an environmental problem due to inappropriate disposal. Industrial waste exploitation is a sustainable way to obtain bioproducts and bioenergy. However, the efficiency of chemical treatments and enzymatic cocktails is still a bottleneck in these processes. One potential route to reduce costs is to design consecutive extraction and hydrolysis stages to yield more products from different fractions of the same feedstock, reducing the use of time and bulk materials. This study assessed the economic performance of an orange processing waste (OPW) biorefinery for xylooligosaccharides (XOS), pectin, and bioenergy, involving three aspects: (1) experimental procedures, (2) a simulation approach, and (3) optimization tools. The optimization of hydrothermal treatment for pectin extraction decreased material costs by more than 60% and preserved the xylan content for xylooligosaccharide production by enzymatic hydrolysis. This study analyzed different biorefinery capacities, and solid waste exploitation for heat and steam generation, improving sustainability. The production cost per kg of high‐purity pectin and xylooligosaccharides is 3.67 $ with an efficient solvent recovery and self‐sufficiency for standard power usage. These results proved the economic feasibility and low environmental impact of the OPW biorefinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the bioactive potential of young shoots from blackcurrant, European blueberry, and mountain cranberry, widely employed in gemmotherapy and phytotherapy, as rich sources of antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, and anti-inflammatory components. The primary aims of this study were to enhance the extraction conditions for bioactive compounds from blackcurrant young shoots using Modde software for experimental design, to conduct a comprehensive phytochemical analysis of blackcurrant, European blueberry, and mountain cranberry young shoot extracts through LC–MS analysis, and to evaluate the in vitro biological activities of these optimized extracts. The experimental design comprised multiple variables: extraction techniques, solvent type, extraction time, apparent pH, and the solvent-to-vegetal product ratio. The responses included total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, condensed tannin content, and total antioxidant activity determined through the DPPH assay. Furthermore, the antioxidant potential of the extracts was validated through in vitro cell culture experiments, in addition to the cytotoxicity assessments conducted on both normal and cancer cell lines. Extracts obtained through Ultra-Turrax extraction using 70% acetone displayed high levels of polyphenolic compounds and enhanced antioxidant potential, regardless of young shoots origin. LC–MS analysis revealed the predominant occurrence of chlorogenic acid, hyperoside, and isoquercitrin in all examined samples. The optimized extracts also displayed significant biological potential when evaluated in vitro on cell lines. These results provide valuable insights into the potent bioactive components present in these young shoot extracts, paving the way for further exploration in therapeutic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sequestration of contaminants from wastewater, such as heavy metals, has become a major global issue. Multiple technologies have been developed to address this issue. Nanotechnology is attracting significant interest as a new technology, and numerous nanomaterials have been produced for sequestrating heavy metals from polluted water due to their superior properties arising from the nanoscale effect. This study reports biosynthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-NPs) and their applications for adsorptive sequestration of various metal ions from aqueous solutions. Biosynthesis of IO-NPs has been carried out by using leaf extract of Spilanthes acmella, a medicinal plant. FTIR analysis of the leaf extract and biosynthesized IO-NPs marked the role of various functional groups in biosynthesis of IO-NPs. FESEM analysis revealed the average size range of IO-NPs as 50 to 80 nm, while polydisperse nature was confirmed by DLS analysis. EDX analysis revealed the presence of Fe, O, and C atoms in the elemental composition of the NPs. The antioxidant potential of the biosynthesized IO-NPs (IC50 = 136.84 µg/mL) was confirmed by DPPH assay. IO-NPs were also used for the adsorptive removal of As3+, Co2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+ ions from aqueous solutions with process optimization at an optimized pH (7.0) using dosage of IO-NPs as 0.6 g/L (As3+ and Co2+) and 0.8 g/L (Cd2+ and Cu2+). Adsorption isotherm analysis revealed the maximum adsorption efficiency for As3+ (21.83 mg/g) followed by Co2+ (20.43 mg/g), Cu2+ (15.29 mg/g), and Cd2+ (13.54 mg/g) using Langmuir isotherm model. The biosynthesized IO-NPs were equally efficient in the simultaneous sequestration of these heavy metal ions signifying their potential as effective nanoadsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Ferula gummosa Boiss is a well-known Iranian endemic plant that has been used in Iranian traditional medicine against various diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and cytotoxic capacity of F. gummosa gum on prostate cancer PC-3 cells.Materials and Methods: In this study, we evaluated the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant potentials of the gum. The MTT experiment was conducted to assess the cytotoxic potential of the gum on PC-3 cells. The clonogenic, micronucleus formation, and acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining methods were used to evaluate the survival and proliferation of PC-3 cells. DNA degradation and caspase 3/7 activity evaluations were used to assess apoptosis. The inhibitory effect on the migration of PC-3 cells was examined by in vitro wound-healing experiment.Results: Total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant potential of the gum were 9.22 mg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g, 3.6 mg of quercetin equivalents (QE) /g of the extract, and 13 μg/ml, respectively (compared to gallic acid and quercetin, respectively) (p

In this work, the phytochemical composition and the biological activity of the ethanolic extracts obtained from Ajuga reptans L. (Lamiaceae) leaves and roots (growing in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland) were compared. The phytochemical composition of the extracts were determined by the high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC–DAD) method. The dominant compounds in both extracts were verbacoside, isoverbacoside, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and rosmarinic acid. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2’-azobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS) tests. The Folin–Ciocalteu assay was used to determine the total polyphenolic content. Additionally, enzyme (tyrosinase, collagenase) inhibition tests and metal chelating ability were studied to assess the anti-aging properties of the extracts. Moreover, the A. reptans extracts’ capacity to absorb the whole range of ultraviolet radiation and high-energy visible (HEV) light was evaluated. The skin irritation test (SIT) EpiDerm was applied to evaluate the safety of the bugle extracts. The noteworthy point is that there is a lack of literature on the assessment of A. reptans root extract activity. Our study is the only one that compares the quantitative composition and biological activity of extracts from the root and leaves of A. reptans. The obtained results indicated that both of the extracts exhibit high antioxidant, chelating and photoprotective activity, but the extract from A. reptans roots showed a higher enzyme inhibition effect for mature skin. The A. reptans root extract, similarly to the leaf extract, could be applied as potentially multi-functional, safe and sensitive cosmetic raw materials, especially in anti-aging and anti-pollution cosmetics.

Brassica campestris (syn. Brassica rapa) is often known as mustard and is grown worldwide owing to its health-promoting characteristics associated with the presence of nutrients and phytochemicals. Along with the nutritional components, B. campestris also contains anti-nutrients (phytates, oxalates, tannins, alkaloids, saponins) that can cause adverse severe health effects to consumers, including rashes, nausea, headaches, bloating and nutritional deficiencies. In the present study, heating (blanching) and fermentation (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) treatments were applied to reduce the load of the anti-nutrients of B. campestris leaves harvested at three different growth stages: the first stage (fourth week), the second stage (sixth week) and the third stage (eighth week). Results revealed that fermentation treatment using Lp. plantarum increases the ash (5.4 to 6%), protein (9 to 10.4%) and fiber (9.6 to 10.7%) contents, whereas moisture (0.91 to 0.82%), fat (9.9 to 9.1%) and carbohydrate (64.5 to 64.2%) contents decreased among B. campestris samples, and the trend was similar for all three stages. Blanching and fermentation lead to the reduction in phytates (46, 42%), saponins (34, 49%), tannins (1, 10%), oxalates (15, 7%) and alkaloids (10, 6%), separately as compared to raw samples of B. campestris leaves. In contrast, fermentation had no considerable effect on phytochemical contents (total phenolic and total flavonoids) and antioxidant potential (DPPH and FRAP). The action of blanching followed by fermentation caused more decline in the aforementioned toxicants load as compared to blanching or fermentation alone. Structural modifications in blanching and the biochemical conversions in fermentation lead to enhanced stability of nutrients and antioxidant potential. Taken together, these findings suggest blanching followed by fermentation treatments as a reliable, cost-effective and safer approach to curtail the anti-nutrient load without affecting the proximate composition, phytochemical attributes and antioxidant activity.

The study aims to compare the nutrient composition, antioxidant potential, and polyphenol bioaccessibility of the fruit, leaves, and pomace of black chokeberry. Phytochemical characterization, antioxidant activity, and the effect of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the individual phenolic compounds of fruit, leaves, and pomace of black chokeberry were assessed. Results showed that leaves had a higher content of polyphenols (61.06 mg GAE/g dw), flavonoids (8.47 mg QE/g), and tocopherols (1172.20 mg/kg) than fruit (27.99 mg GAE/g dw polyphenols, 5.23 mg QE/g flavonoids, 38.48 mg/kg tocopherols) and pomace (22.94 mg GAE/g dw polyphenols, 1.89 mg QE/g flavonoids and 157.19 mg/kg tocopherols), with superior in vitro antioxidant activity. Chlorogenic acids were the dominant phenolic compounds in black chokeberry undigested samples (2.713 mg/g in fruit, 17.954 mg/g in leaves, and 1.415 mg/g in pomace) but are poorly absorbed (bioaccessibility index in intestinal phase of 28.84% for fruit, 8.81% for leaves, and 31.90% for pomace). Hydroxybenzoic acids were highly stable in leaves and fruit during simulated digestion and had high bioaccessibility. In conclusion, residues from black chokeberry processing are also valuable sources of bioactive compounds, but the pomace had higher polyphenol bioaccessibility than leaves and might be a promising supplement for the food industry.

Malt is a natural additive to bread in amounts below 1%. However, there is a lack of research on supplementing bread with a larger dose of malt. The study aimed to evaluate the partial replacement of wheat flour with oat flour (10%) with/without the addition of malted oat flour (0.6%) and scalded malt flour (10%) on the technological and health-promoting quality of bread. At the dough preparation stage, the malted flour was scalded. The dough was prepared using the single-phase method, and laboratory baked goods were prepared using a standard baking test for pan bread. It was found that the preparation of the dough by the preliminary scalding of malt flour resulted in an improvement in the bread volume and a lower increase in crumb hardness during 2-day storage, i.e., delayed staling, compared to the control bread. Replacing wheat flour with 10% oat flour contributed to an increase in the dietary fiber content of bread and a decrease in its energy value. The measurable effect of adding 10% scalded oat malt flour to bread was a 1.5-fold increase in the total polyphenols content and an almost 2.5-fold increase in antioxidant activity compared to bread supplemented with oat flour.

In today's food industry, fortifying food products with several nutrients is a priority, and animal nutrition represents a key strategy for achieving this goal. Nevertheless, the scarcity and high costs of conventional feedstuffs lead to investigation of industrial by-products as alternative solutions in livestock nutrition. White grape pomace, a by-product of the winery industry, is well-known for its rich resveratrol content. Nevertheless, in addition to this, it can present significant quantities of other nutrients and antioxidant compounds, which exert beneficial effects when incorporated into ruminants’ nutrition. Our study revealed a remarkable concentration of the white grape pomace nutrients, with important minerals, particularly manganese (106.35 mg/kg). The fatty acids profile showed a high composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids (65.05 g/100 g FAME), with a great amount of omega 3 fatty acids (62.66 g/100 g FAME). Concerning the antioxidant compounds, white grape pomace exhibited a concentration of 12.49 mg/g GAE for total polyphenols and 3.27 mg/kg for total flavonoids. Also, our study highlighted its high antioxidant potential, especially assessed through the DPPH radical scavenging assay (74.26 mM eq. Trolox), ABTS radical scavenging assay (75.07 mM eq. Trolox), and total antioxidant capacity (286.26 mM eq. ascorbic acid).

Turmeric has been used as a traditional medicine in Southeast Asian countries and can serve as a spice, food preservative, and coloring agent. Turmeric owes its unique properties and color to curcuminoids, biologically active substances that encompass curcumin, de-methoxycurcumin, and bis-demethoxycurcumin. The purpose of the study was to investigate the nutritional properties of turmeric and curcumin extract, as potential dietary supplements for poultry nutrition. Turmeric was characterized by a content of 7.89 % crude protein, 4.61 % crude fiber, 1.76 % crude fat, and 7.47 % ash. The proximate composition of curcumin extract showed lower values when compared to turmeric. The chromatographic analysis of vitamin E isomers revealed α-tocopherol of 1.97 mg/kg in turmeric vs 8.09 mg/kg in curcumin, γ-tocopherol of 3.01 mg/kg in turmeric vs 10.4 mg/kg in curcumin, and δ-tocopherol of 13.84 mg/kg, while in curcumin was not detected. The antioxidant yellow pigments lutein and zeaxanthin were in higher amounts in curcumin extract, which was also characterized by an increased concentration of total polyphenols (76.50 mg/g GAE). Turmeric had higher levels of flavonoids (47.42 mg/g vs 24.71 mg/g). The outcomes of this study can serve as a foundation for developing innovative food products by using poultry nutrition and harnessing the potential benefits of this ancient spice.

In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in the utilization of microbial exopolysaccharides (EPS) because of the added advantage of their renewable, biocompatible, and biodegradable nature in addition to intended applications. The endowed properties of bacterial EPS make them valuable candidates for a wide array of industrial applications. Modification of native EPS is known to enhance various physico-chemical and functional properties. Various modifications such as physical, chemical, biological, and enzymatic modifications were practiced improving the bioactivity of EPS. This paper comprehensively aims to review the most recent chemical modification techniques employed to modify the physico-chemical and functional changes of bacterial EPS in comparison with the unmodified forms. Chemical modification entails strategic alterations to the structure and properties of EPS through various synthetic and semi-synthetic methodologies. Emphasis is given to the antioxidant potential and functional role of these EPS derivatives in human health. Antioxidant properties reveal a significant augmentation in activity compared to their native counterparts. Such enhancement holds a strong promise for potential benefits and therapeutic applications. Chemical derivatives of EPS with overwhelming functional benefits could surely encourage EPS application, particularly as potential hydrocolloids in industrial and biomedical contexts.

Wheat bran, the primary by-product from the wheat milling process, represents an abundant reservoir of essential nutrients, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, synergistically contributing to commendable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This review explored the proximate compositions of wheat bran, highlighting its potential as a nutritional powerhouse. Wheat bran proteins exhibit nutritionally balanced amino acid compositions and show significant potential as a plant-based source of dietary protein. Enzymatic and fermentation bioprocessing can enhance the hydrolysis of wheat bran protein, improving its functionality and digestibility. Furthermore, dietary fiber derived from wheat bran promotes bowel health, reduces cholesterol, and mitigates the risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and obesity, along with several other physiological activities. Its rich mineral content supports body metabolic function and homeostasis, factors that can be improved through strategies such as hydrothermal treatment, particle size reduction, and fermentation. Bioactive peptides and arabinoxylan in wheat bran exhibit immunomodulating, antihypertensive, osteoprotective, and antimicrobial properties. Processing techniques that focus on the release of these bioactive compounds foster the utilization of these valuable compounds in functional food and nutraceutical applications. Lastly, this review delves into the challenges associated with breadmaking when incorporating wheat bran into whole-wheat bread. Various strategies have been implemented to overcome these barriers, such as different pretreatments, fermentation, and the addition of enzymes. This review contributes valuable insights into nutrition, functional food research, and healthier wheat-based products, with the ultimate goal of benefiting consumer health.

Abstract The bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba Mart.) peel corresponds to 15% of the whole fruit and is rich in antioxidants with potential application in product development. In nanotechnology, emulsified formulations such as nanoemulsions stand out for providing modified release and improving the bioavailability of conveyed substances. The aim of this work was to develop nanoemulsified systems from baru oil containing hydroalcoholic extract from the bacaba peel, evaluate their stability and antioxidant potential. After the HLB (Hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) determination of the baru oil, thirty-two formulations were developed, varying the proportions of surfactants, aqueous phase, and baru oil. Of those 32, 16 formed emulsified systems, and the ones with a higher amount of oil (20%) were incorporated with the BPE. The systems were submitted to stability studies to verify their viability. After that, several tests were performed, such as rheological characteristics, hydrodynamic diameter of the droplets, polydispersion index, zeta potential, and antioxidant potential by DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging methods. After the studies, two samples remained stable and presented a non-Newtonian pseudoplastic profile with thixotropy, hydrodynamic diameter of less than 200 nm, monodispersity, and negative zeta potential. The BPE showed antioxidant potential, with superior activity when incorporated into the nanoemulsified system. A strong negative correlation was found between the two antioxidant methods, where both demonstrated the same profile of potential antioxidant activity for the extract and formulations. The studied formulation showed that the use of BPE is a viable alternative for the development of new products based on sustainable technologies.

OBJECTIVE: Immunosuppression and microbial resistance are the major drawbacks in conventional pharmaceutics. The present research work was planned to screen and characterize phytochemical constituents present in Phyllanthus emblica and to explore the immunomodulation potential of P. emblica by evaluating stress markers and different biochemical parameters in animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The phytochemical analysis explored the presence of antioxidant profiles and revealed the radical scavenging activities. In the second phase, an animal trial was performed using female albino rats. Female rats (n=18) were administered three different doses of P. emblica (low dose 100 mg/kg, intermediate 200 mg/kg, and high dose 300 mg/kg) for three weeks. After a significant change (p<0.05) in antioxidant status i.e., TOS and TAS, hematological, biochemical parameters, and immunoregulation i.e., IgM and IgG were elevated. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) illustrates that these selected plants have a great impact on microbial resistance and immunosuppression and have shown highly significant results. RESULTS: The results of all in vitro and in vivo assays conducted as part of the recent research work offer considerable evidence that the chosen medicinal plant has the ability to induce specific hormone release and boost the immune system. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, it is proposed that medicinal herbs may be isolated using cutting-edge approaches to tackle the issues of immunosuppression and microbial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing popularity of the use of nutraceuticals in the prevention and alleviation of symptoms of many diseases in humans and dogs means that they are increasingly the subject of research. A representative of the nutraceutical that deserves special attention is turmeric. Turmeric belongs to the family Zingiberaceae and is grown extensively in Asia. It is a plant used as a spice and food coloring, and it is also used in traditional medicine. The biologically active factors that give turmeric its unusual properties and color are curcuminoids. It is a group of substances that includes curcumin, de-methoxycurcumin, and bis-demethoxycurcumin. Curcumin is used as a yellow-orange food coloring. The most important pro-health effects observed after taking curcuminoids include anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant effects. The aim of this study was to characterize turmeric and its main substance, curcumin, in terms of their properties, advantages, and disadvantages, based on literature data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of an analysis of the extrusion-cooking process and of the antioxidant potential of extruded snack pellets and expanded snacks enriched with apple pomace. The use of pomace in the production of food extrudates has great processing potential as it not only contributes to reducing the negative impact of fruit industry by-products on the environment, but also allows for the enrichment of snack products with valuable nutrients. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the addition of apple pomace on the extrusion-cooking process and also to determine the antioxidant activity of the obtained products. In the research conducted it was observed that the addition of pomace has the effect of reducing the energy consumption of the extrusion-cooking process, and that the efficiency of the manufacturing process decreases slightly with an increase in the amount of pomace addition in the mixture. During the chemical analyses, it was noted that increases in the phenolic compound content is accompanied by increases in the functional additive content. The results obtained demonstrate that apple pomace is an additive with a functional nature with possible uses in the production of extruded snack pellets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) had been synthesized by pomegranate peel extract (PPE). The antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities of the synthesized Se NPs, as well as their hemocompatibility, were investigated. Se NPs were characterized by UV–Vis., SEM, XRD, HR-TEM, DLS, EDX, FTIR, and mapping techniques. HR-TEM image represented the spheroidal forms with moderately monodispersed NPs with a mean diameter 14.5 nm. The SEM image of Se NPs, incorporated with PPE, exhibits uniform NP surfaces, and the appearance was clear. The antimicrobial results confirmed the potential of Se NPs to hinder the growth of some tested pathogenic microbes. Results revealed that Se NPs exhibited promising antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus mutans where inhibition zones were 29, 16, 41, 22, and 54 mm, respectively. Likewise, it exhibited antifungal activity where the values of inhibition zones were 41, 40, 38, and 36 mm against Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and A. niger, respectively. The antioxidant activities of Se NPs at concentrations 250–4000 µg/mL were greater than 90% in all cases. Se NP concentrations of 500 µg/mL or less are safe in usage according to hemocompatibility study. Se NPs had an IC50 of 113.73 µg/mL in a cytotoxicity experiment. Results revealed that Se NPs have promising anticancer activities against MCF7 and Mg63 cancerous cell line, where IC50 was 69.8 and 47.9 μg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, Se NPs were successfully biosynthesized using PPE for the first time; these Se NPs had promising antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary fibers and phenolic acids are recognized for their various health benefits; thus, cellulose was selected as a carrier polymer of phenolic acids, including gallic acid and caffeic acid. Dried cellulose particles were prepared through the complexation of different amounts of cellulose (2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10%, w/v) with a constant amount of phenolic acids. Additionally, the complexation time was 15 or 60 min with the goal to determine an impact of the duration of complexation on the adsorption of phenolic acids onto cellulose. The prepared particles were stored at ambient temperature for 12 months to assess their storage stability. Cellulose particles were assessed for the amount of adsorbed phenolic acids and antioxidant activities. For both phenolic acids, the same correlation was established, i.e., reduction of adsorption of phenolic acids occurred with the increase of cellulose amount during complexation. The duration of complexation was not a significant factor in the adsorption of phenolic acids. Antioxidant activity generally followed the trend that was obtained for the amount of adsorbed phenolic acids. Comparing both phenolic acids, cellulose had a higher affinity for caffeic acid (4.665 g/kg) than for gallic acid (3.399 g/kg). However, greater stability of gallic acid/cellulose particles was observed throughout the storage. After storage, the content of gallic acid in cellulose particles slightly decreased (up to 3%), while that of caffeic acid decreased from 10 to 20%. The complexation of phenolic acids with cellulose was proven by recording infrared spectra. Formulated cellulose particles can be a valuable tool for the preparation of plant-based functional additives which can be used for the enrichment of products with phenolic acids in order to improve their antioxidant potential and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their nutritional and sensorial characteristics, tropical fruits like guava, mamey sapote, and passion fruit are regularly incorporated into daily diets. Their by-products, especially peels, are approximately 10 to 35% of their weight and possess an important content of bioactive compounds, such as dietary fiber and phenolics. The nutritional, technological, physio-functional properties and phenolic compound compositions of guava, mamey sapote, and passion fruit peels were studied. Peels had promising techno- and physio-functional characteristics, good dietary fiber contents (45.18-61.42 g/100 g), and phenolic profiles with ferulic acid, gallic acid, p-coumaric, and catechin as the main compounds. Peel powders also showed excellent DPPH radical scavenging activity (125.3-252.4 µmol TE/100 g) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC (369.2-656.8 µmol TE/100 g). The a-amylase and lipase inhibitory activity varied from 28.15 to 51.4% and 30.89 to 57.15%, respectively. Higher values of a-glucosidase inhibition capacity were found, ranging from 51.64 to 70.32%. The chemical composition and properties reported in the present work suggest that peel powders of these guava, mamey sapote, and passion fruit could be used as constituents in different foods, such as bakery and meat goods, with beneficial health effects like control of hyperglycemia, improved intestinal function, and control of overweight; however, more studies are necessary for animal models and humans to confirm these bioactivities conclusively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Betalains are natural red colorants characterized by their stability to anthocyanins, particularly in acidic foods. Beetroot stalks are a good source of betalains, with higher bioactive components than the whole root. Hence, the current study aims to investigate the potential use of beetroot stalk water extract (BSE) as a functional colorant for raspberry-flavored stirred yogurt. For this purpose, the betalains of BSE and their stability at pH 4 and 5 were investigated in addition to the phenolic and flavonoid content. Furthermore, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of BSE were characterized. Subsequently, BSE was added to raspberry-flavored stirred yogurt at concentrations of 1 (T1), 2 (T2), and 5% (T3) to study the stability of betalains, the physicochemical properties, the nutritional value, and the viability of lactic acid bacteria during storage (14 days/4 °C). BSE showed a considerable amount of betalains (456.82 mg/L) and phenolics (139.87 mg/g), with a high content of chlorogenic and ferulic acids. The betalains showed greater stability at pH 4 than pH 5 after 14 days of cold storage (275.05 and 247.00 mg/L, respectively). Applying BSE resulted in a functional beverage with high phenolic content (116.55 ± 1.23 mg/g) and flavonoids (71.77 ± 0.57 mg/g) in T3 (5%) compared to the control (95.11 ± 1.12 and 64.72 ± 0.29 mg/g, respectively). The beverages shared high DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 = 71.68 ± 1.30– 69.18 ± 0.48) compared with the control (78.47 ± 3.27 µL/mL). BSE significantly increased the betalain level in yogurt from 44.19 ± 0.05 mg/L to 67.86 ± 0.54 mg/L, resulting in pale red beverages with a redness value of 6.38–9.68 on day 1. By day 14, the redness of the treatments decreased by 6–18% compared with the first day, reaching 5.25 ± 0.03 (T1), 7.87 ± 0.03 (T2), and 8.43 ± 0.05 (T3) due to the degradation of betalains. Generally, BSE is a promising natural colorant when added to stirred yogurt, and it has preferable physical and sensory properties, as it improves the stability of the red color throughout cold storage and increases the nutritional quality. The use of beet stalks as a natural and functional colorant is presented for the first time in the current investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the antioxidant capacity of thiol-containing compounds using the photochemiluminescence technique. The study aims to determine the level of inhibition of the photochemiluminescence reaction at different concentrations. The results indicate that substances with free thiol groups have a stronger inhibitory effect on light emission compared to those with blocked or oxidized thiols. Glutathione, a well-known thiol-containing antioxidant, exhibits superior antioxidant activity across all tested concentrations. The article discusses the role of thiols as antioxidants in biological systems and their potential implications for preventing and treating diseases associated with oxidative stress. Additionally, it explores the use of the chemiluminescence technique to measure the antioxidant capacity of thiol-containing compounds. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: There is a high demand for white fish meal in the diet of eels (Anguilla spp.). A reduced supply and higher price of white fish meal heavily limit the sustainability of the eel aquaculture industry. It is essential to explore a practical strategy to reduce the consumption of white fish meal. In the current study, we investigated the effects of low-quality brown fish meal with compound additives to replace the high-quality white fish meal on the parameters of growth and intestinal health status of juvenile American eels (Anguilla rostrata). The results implied that low-quality brown fish meal combined with compound additives could successfully replace 20% white fish meal without adversely affecting the intestinal health status of this fish species. With a reduced supply and increased price of white fish meal (WFM), the exploration of a practical strategy to replace WFM is urgent for sustainable eel culture. A 70-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing WFM with low-quality brown fish meal (LQBFM) with compound additives (CAs) on the growth performance and intestinal health of juvenile American eels (Anguilla rostrata). The 300 fish (11.02 ± 0.02 g/fish) were randomly distributed in triplicate to four groups (control group, LQBFM20+CAs group, LQBFM30+CAs group and LQBFM40+CAs group). They were fed the diets with LQBFM replacing WFM at 0, 20%, 30% and 40%, respectively. The CAs were a mixture of Macleaya cordata extract, grape seed proanthocyanidins and compound acidifiers; its level in the diets of the trial groups was 0.50%. No significant differences were found in the growth performance between the control and LQBFM20+CAs groups (p > 0.05), whereas those values were significantly decreased in LQBFM30+CAs and LQBFM40+CAs groups (p < 0.05). Compared to the control group, the activity of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase was significantly increased in LQBFM30+CAs and LQBFM40+CAs groups, while lysozyme activity and complement 3 level were significantly decreased in those two groups (p < 0.05). There were decreased antioxidant potential and intestinal morphological indexes in the LQBFM30+CAs and LQBFM40+CAs groups, and no significant differences in those parameters were observed between the control group and LQBFM20+CAs group (p > 0.05). The intestinal microbiota at the phylum level or genus level was beneficially regulated in the LQBFM20+CAs group; similar results were not shown in the LQBFM40+CAs group. In conclusion, with 0.50% CA supplementation in the diet, LQBFM could replace 20% of WFM without detrimental effects on the growth and intestinal health of juvenile American eels and replacing 30% and 40%WFM with LQBFM might exert negative effects on this fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the nutritional value and (selected) physiochemical properties of extruded snack pellets enriched with fresh chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) fruits were analyzed from the perspective of being a new product for the functional food sector. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the addition of fresh chokeberry and variation in content and screw speed on extruded snack pellet basic compositions, fatty acid profiles, antioxidant activity, as well as water absorption and solubility indexes, fat absorption and color profiles. The obtained results revealed a significant increase in antioxidant activity for all samples (above 90% of free radical scavenging) in comparison to potato-based control samples (just over 20% of free radical scavenging). The total phenolic content assay revealed the most valuable results for samples enriched with 30% chokeberry, while Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) analysis allowed the determination of the most important phenolic acids. Of interest, chokeberry addition decreased the fat absorption index (FAI) after expansion by frying. Moreover, the highest values of crude protein and crude ash were observed in snack pellets supplemented by the application of 30% chokeberry. In such samples, the crude protein content was at the level of 4.75–4.87 g 100 g−1 and crude ash content at 4.88–5.07 g 100 g−1. Moreover, saturated fatty acids (SFA) content was lower in snack pellets with chokeberry addition, and increasing the amount of chokeberry additive from 10% to 30% in extruded snack pellet recipes resulted in more than double an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) proportion in the total fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of propolis varies between different types, due to the specific vegetation found near the hives and the climatic and soil conditions worldwide. Green propolis is exclusive to Brazil, produced by bees, with the resin of the plant Baccharis dracunculifolia. Brown propolis is a specific variety produced mainly in Northeast Brazil from the plant Hyptis divaricata, also known as "maria miraculosa". Dark propolis is a variety of propolis produced by bees from the resin of the plant known as Jurema Preta (Mimosa hostilis benth). In this study, the aqueous extracts of green, brown, and dark propolis were analyzed for their antioxidant capacity using ABTS, FRAP, and DPPH, and their chemical profiles were determined using paper spray mass spectrometry. Among the three extracts, green propolis had the highest content of total phenolic compounds (2741.71 ± 49.53 mg GAE. 100 g−1), followed by brown propolis (1191.55 ± 36.79 mg GAE. 100 g−1), and dark propolis had the lowest content (901.79 ± 27.80 mg GAE. 100 g−1). The three types of propolis showed high antioxidant capacity, with green showing the highest antioxidant capacity for the three methods used. Using paper spray mass spectrometry, it was possible to suggest the presence of 116 substances, including flavonoids (56), phenylpropanoids (30), terpenes (25), carboxylic acids (1), benzoic acid derivatives (1), fatty acids (1), amino acids (1) and alkaloids (1). The compounds in the green, brown, and dark propolis extracts reinforce the bioactive potential for application in these tree extracts' food and pharmaceutical products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using plant extracts as reducing agents is an environmental friendly and cost-effective approach. This study aims to provide a detailed overview on the antioxidant, antimetastatic and apoptotic potential of leaf derived (L-AgNPs) and callus derived (C-AgNPs) silver nanoparticles of Hyptis suaveolens. The IC50 value of L-AgNPs was found to be 74.22 µg/ml and for C-AgNPs it was 74.66 µg/ml. Antimetastatic potential of both L-AgNPs and C-AgNPs were tested on MDA-MB-231 cell line. Both IC50 concentrations of L-AgNPs (74.22 µg/ml) and maximum concentration of 100 µg/ml was used for all the tests conducted. Similar procedure was adopted for C-AgNPs as well. The maximum adhesion inhibition was 75.64% while cellular invasion reduction was 72.66% and wound recovery was 49.61% with respect to L-AgNPs. C-AgNPs also showed similar type of results as L-AgNPs when compared to control. The antioxidant potential of L-AgNPs and C-AgNPs was tested by using DPPH radical scavenging activity, FRAP activity and reducing power. The L-AgNPs and C-AgNPs showed highest antioxidant potential when compared to control. [Display omitted] • Green synthesis of AgNPs and its characterization. • L-AgNPs and C-AgNPs exhibited maximum antioxidant potential. • L-AgNPs and C-AgNPs significantly reduced cellular adhesion and invasion. • L-AgNPs and C-AgNPs inhibited the cell migration. • L-AgNPs and C-AgNPs increased TUNEL positive cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cannabis is a dioecious plant belonging to the family Cannabaecae. Objective: The present work was conducted to study the antimicrobial activity, antioxidant potential and GC-MS-based metabolite profiling of Cannabis. Methods: The antimicrobial activity of Cannabis extract was assessed through disc-diffusion method. The anti-oxidant potential of CEO was checked through DPPH assay and FRAP assay. We also assessed the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC) of the extract. The phytocompounds present in the Cannabis extract were characterized by using GC-MS. Results: The antimicrobial assay revealed significant activity against Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, whereas moderate antioxidant activity was shown by Cannabis extract, having 76.54% inhibition in DPPH assay and 56.10% inhibition in FRAP assay. TPC and TFC were 26.77 mg GAE/g D.E. and 34.45 mg QE/g D.W, respectively. The chemical characterization of Cannabis extract by GC-MS shows the presence of cannabinoids, terpenes, aliphatic compounds, alkanes and sesquiterpenes. Conclusion: The current study revealed that Cannabis found in Pakistan, possesses medicinally potent metabolites responsible for its anti-microbial and antioxidant potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the qualitative and quantitative performance of five green solvents, namely 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF), cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME), p-cymene, d-limonene and ethanol to substitute n-hexane, for sesame seed oil extraction. In fact, both CPME and MeTHF gave higher crude yields than n-hexane (58.82, 54.91 and 50.84%, respectively). The fatty acid profile of the sesame seed oils remained constant across all the solvent systems, with a predominance of oleic acid (39.27–44.35%) and linoleic acid (38.88–43.99%). The total sterols gained the upmost amount with CPME (785 mg/100 g oil) and MeTHF (641 mg/100 g oil). CPME and MeTHF were also characterized by the optimum content of tocopherols (52.3 and 50.6 mg/100 g oil, respectively). The highest contents of total phenols in the sesame seed oils were extracted by CPME (23.51 mg GAE/g) and MeTHF (22.53 mg GAE/g) as compared to the other solvents, especially n-hexane (8 mg GAE/g). Additionally, sesame seed oils extracted by MeTHF and CPME also had the highest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as compared to the other green solvents and n-hexane, encouraging their manufacturing use for sesame seed oil extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive compounds from plants play an important role in slowing many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, by inhibiting cholinesterase enzymes. Studies have shown that oxidative stress is associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease. In traditional medicine of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Teucrium montanum is used to treat numerous diseases. The chemical composition and biological activity of the essential oil (EO) and aqueous (AE) and methanol extract (ME) of this plant were studied. The chemical composition of EO was studied using GC-MS, while the composition of the extracts was studied using HPLC-DAD. Antioxidant activity was tested using the DPPH and FRAP methods. The protection of lipids and proteins from oxidation was tested using the ammonium thiocyanate and BSA oxidation methods. The ability to inhibit cholinesterases was tested by the Ellman method. The main identified EO compounds were α-cadinol, ß-selinene, δ-cadinene, epi-α-cadinol, germacrene D-4-ol, and α-pinene. The main phenolic compounds of the extracts were p-coumaric acid, ellagic acid and caffeic acid. The tested extracts showed good antioxidant radical scavenging and reducing potential and a very good ability to protect lipids and proteins from oxidation. The EO showed moderate AChE and BChE inhibition potential, while the extracts showed weak or no ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine is a crucial microelement necessary for the proper functioning of human and animal organisms. Plant biofortification has been proposed as a method of improving the iodine status of the population. Recent studies in that field have revealed that iodine may also act as a beneficial element for higher plants. The aim of the work was to evaluate the efficiency of the uptake and accumulation of iodine in the plants of dandelion grown in a pot experiment. During cultivation, iodine was applied through fertigation in inorganic (KI, KIO3) and organic forms (5-iodosalicylic acid, 5-ISA; 3,5-diiodosalicylic acid, 3,5-diISA) at two concentrations (10 and 50 µM). The contents of total iodine and iodosalicylic acids, as well the plant biomass and antioxidant capacity of dandelion leaves and roots, were analyzed. The uptake of inorganic and organic forms by dandelion plants was confirmed with no negative effect on plant growth. The highest efficiency of improving iodine content in dandelion leaves and roots was noted for 50 µM KI. The applicability of iodosalicylates, especially 5-ISA, for plant biofortification purposes was confirmed, particularly as the increase in the iodine content after the application of 5-ISA was higher as compared to that with commonly used KIO3. The chemical analyses have revealed that iodosalicylates are endogenous compounds of dandelion plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rose essential oil is one of the most valuable and pivotal raw materials in the perfume industry. However, the limited yield of essential oil in rose flowers increased the interest of both breeders and scientists to create and discover species that have potential for multifaceted applications aiming to increase the economic viability of rose cultivation. Consequently, garden roses (Rosa hybrida) through ongoing development emerge as possibly profitable for cultivation and processing. This opens possibilities for numerous applications in both food and pharmaceutical industries. The main objective of this study was to identify the essential oil composition of R. hybrida cv. Mileva and compare it against essential oil chemical compositions of 32 accessions of other non-commercial (wild and hybrid) roses available literature. The dominant compound detected in R. hybrida cv. Mileva essential oil was geranyl acetate (47.9%), followed by nonadecane and heneicosane. It was shown that the essential oil possesses moderate antimicrobial activity, good antioxidant potential and strong anti-inflammatory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous plants such as lemongrass and celery are rich sources of nutrients. There is a need to test their efficacy for ameliorating nephrotoxicity. Plant-derived drugs have emerged as alternative medicine. Previous studies have focused only on the formulation of detoxifying drinks but its in vivo studies were not performed. The present research was conducted to formulate and evaluate the nutritional composition and antioxidant potential of detoxifying drink variants and to assess their ameliorative effect on the renal toxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) at 0.5ml/kg/day i.p in Wistar albino rats. Different detoxifying drink variants were prepared by adding 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% of lemongrass powder (LG5, LG10 and LG15) and celery powder (CL5, CL10 and CL15) respectively to the standard drink SD. These additions resulted in a significant increase (p=0.05) in all the nutritional parameters. In vivo data revealed that CCl4 induced toxicity by increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) (6.87nmoles/ml RBC lysate), decreased glutathione concentration (3.44µmole/ml RBC lysate) and attenuated antioxidant enzymes activity (U/mg protein) of SOD (0.82), GPx (5.83) and CAT (1.66). Detoxifying drinks significantly (p=0.05) corrected urea, uric acid and creatinine levels in plasma. Group VI and VIII receiving LG15 and CL15 variants of detoxifying drink restored the enzymatic (SOD, GPx and CAT) activity (p=0.05) and non-enzymatic parameters (GSH) and attenuated the lipid peroxidation in erythrocyte lysate. The detoxifying drink variant with 1.5% celery powder was equivalent to silymarin (herbal medicine) in protecting the kidney against CCL4-induced toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to study the physicochemical, nutritional, and antioxidant characteristics of the pulp and seeds of the jackfruit collected in the East Cameroon region to reduce the malnutrition problems encountered in the said region. To achieve this work, we first administered a survey. We observed that 50 people from Bertoua knew the fruit among the 200 people surveyed. After that, the physicochemical characteristics and nutritional value of Artocarpus heterophyllus pulp and seeds from Bertoua were evaluated. Finally, the antioxidant compounds (total phenolic and flavonoid contents) and the antioxidant activities were evaluated through the DPPH free radical scavenging capacity, the ability to reduce ferric ions, and the hydroxyl radical scavenging ability using the aqueous, ethanolic, and hydro‐ethanolic extracts of these samples (pulp and seeds). Results (means ± standard deviation) were obtained in triplicate and analyzed statistically by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) at the 0.05 probability level. The results revealed that the jackfruit pulp has a water content (89.85% ± 0.49) significantly higher than that of seeds (60.075% ± 0.12). The pH of jackfruit pulp (5 ± 0) is significantly lower than that of seeds (6 ± 0). Jackfruit pulp had a carbohydrate content (54.39% ± 0.47) significantly higher than that of seeds (49.01% ± 0.43). The protein content of jackfruit pulp (18.35% ± 0.04) is lower than that of the seeds (21.66% ± 0.31). For mineral content, the maximum contents of K (848 mg/100 g ± 10.34) and Na (69.53 mg/100 g ± 0) were identified in the jackfruit pulp while those of Ca (132 mg/100 g ± 9.42), Mg (43.73 mg/100 g ± 9.12), and P (101.51 mg/100 g ± 4.02) were found in the seeds. However, all extracts possessed both antioxidant compounds (phenols and flavonoids) and antioxidant activities. In conclusion, the jackfruit appears to be a fruit that can improve the nutritional status of the populations of eastern Cameroon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh-cut pitaya (dragon fruit) is attractive and nutritious but deteriorates easily and the quality is difficult to monitor. This study evaluated the effect of ozone on the quality parameters of fresh-cut pitaya for over 10 days. The physical and chemical qualities (firmness, weight loss, soluble solids, titratable acid, color changes), nutritional indices (total phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and ascorbic acid), and antioxidant potential (superoxide dismutase [SOD], peroxidase, and antioxidant capacity) were comprehensively determined. An electronic tongue was used to evaluate human sweetness, sourness, saltness, bitterness, and richness. The kinetic models of biochemical and physical parameters were established and verified. The majority of quality attributes are well preserved following ozone treatment and are applicable to the logistic regression equation. This study elucidated the preservative effect of ozone treatments and showed the change in quality parameters during food production and storage. In addition, kinetic data provides a powerful tool for controlling storage, ensuring good nutritional value, and sensory quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional remedies for management of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related cognitive deficits are not curative but relieves the symptoms and they cause adverse side effects. Alternatively, use of herbal therapies to manage cognitive illnesses has increased substantially. Vigna unguiculata is commonly utilized for nutritional benefits and management of neurological disorders in herbal medicine. The present study evaluated cognitive enhancing potential of V. unguiculata leaf aqueous extract in mice with ketamine-induced AD-like cognitive deficits. Cognitive performance indicated by step-through latency was assessed using passive avoidance test. Anti-acetylcholinesterase (anti-AChE) and antioxidant potential of the extract was assessed using brains of the test animals. Further, phytochemical constituents of the extracts were determined using LC-MS. Aqueous extract of V. unguiculata leaf demonstrated significant prowess to combat cognitive deficits in the test animals. This was evidenced by significantly higher (p < 0.001) step-through latencies in extract-treated mice than the untreated cognitively damaged mice. Moreover, cognitively damaged mice given the studied extract exhibited significantly less (p < 0.001) malondialdehyde levels and acetylcholinesterase activity than the negative control mice. This result confirmed antioxidant and anti-AChE properties of V. unguiculata, indicating its potential to attenuate oxidative stress in the brain and augment cholinergic transmission. Notably, some conventional therapies for cognitive disorders especially AD are AChE inhibitors. The studied extract contained phytocompounds such as flavonoids and phenolics with confirmed antioxidant and anti-AChE activities, thus, its cognitive enhancing efficacy could be attributed to these phytoconstituents. Collectively, this study upholds V. ungiculata usefulness in management of cognitive illnesses. [ J Adv Biotechnol Exp Ther 2023; 6(1.000): 231-242]

The aim of the research was to assess the content of components showing antioxidant activity in the milk of Holstein-Friesian cows and changes in the total antioxidant status during subsequent lactations and their stages. The material for analysis consisted of milk collected from 90 cows (30 for each analysed lactation number: I - primaparous; II - multiparous in second lactation; III - multiparous in third lactation) during three periods: 1 - up to 100 days of lactation, 2 - 101-200 days of lactation, and 3 - 201-305 days of lactation. The basic chemical composition, casein content, somatic cell counts, selected whey proteins and fat-soluble vitamins were determined in the milk. The total antioxidant status (TAS) of milk was also measured. With the subsequent lactation, the content of components with antioxidant properties, i.e. vitamins A and E, and albumins (α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin), decreased significantly (p≤0.01). Simultaneously, a decrease in the level of TAS in milk was noted. The lactation phase had a minor effect on the antioxidant potential of milk. The obtained high correlation coefficients between the value of the TAS and the content of vitamins A, E and β-lactoglobulin indicate that the content of these compounds largely determines the antioxidant potential of milk. On the other hand, the obtained negative correlations between the level of antioxidant potential and the daily milk yield (r = -0.347, p≤0.05) suggest that the high productivity of cows negatively affects the antioxidant value of milk.

Prolonged drought presents a serious challenge to the agricultural sector. The main concern of this work was to assess the phenotypical, physiological, and molecular responses of five teosinte (Zea mexicana Schrad L.) genotypes (Ba, Gm1, Gm2, Gm3 and Gm4). In a two-season (2020 and 2021) field experiment, fifteen-day-old teosinte plants were subjected to well-watered (15-day watering frequency) as a control, moderate drought (25-day watering frequency), and extreme drought (35-day watering frequency) treatments. Drought negatively affected growth, yield, chlorophyll, and POD activity of all genotypes, but promoted soluble sugars and proteins, osmoregulatory molecules (glycinebetaine, amino acids, and proline), non-enzymatic antioxidants (phenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids), and SOD activity. Furthermore, long-term water stress upregulated MOCOS, Rad17, NCED1, CAT1, and P5CS genes expression, with Gm3 and Gm4 being the most drought-tolerant genotypes. These findings could be employed in breeding programs to develop tolerant genotypes to address the challenges posed by climate changes like drought.

Maize bran is a by-product obtained after the milling of maize kernels and separated as by-product. The current research aimed to extract and characterize the arabinoxylans (AXs) and their gels from maize bran. Initially, maize bran was evaluated for its proximate composition and dietary fiber profile. Then, AXs were extracted through alkali extraction method, and in vitro gelation of AXs was performed through enzymes (laccase from Termites versicolor). Their structure was characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Further, the phenolic compounds and their activity was assessed through three different assays including diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and ABTS+. The results regarding the chemical composition of maize bran showed that maize bran majorly comprised moisture, ash, crude fat, fiber, crude protein and nitrogen-free extract with 10.13 ± 0.46, 1.87 ± 0.15, 1.26 ± 0.26, 7.53 ± 1.00, 12.67 ± 0.75, and 66.54 ± 0.82 g/100 g of the sample. Further, dietary fiber profile showed that maize bran comprised 6.97 ± 0.5 and 35.20 ± 4.1% soluble and insoluble fractions of dietary fibers. Then, the structural characterization of maize bran through FTIR spectroscopy showed a typical spectrum and presented the peaks at different wavelengths, which was similar to structural features as described in previous studies. Surface morphology of gel through SEM showed micrographs with small pores, which according to our information was formed due to laccase (enzymes) activity. However, quantification of polyphenols including total phenolic content and total flavonoid content showed the results including 6.42 ± 0.18 GAE/g and 1.84 ± 0.66 CE/g and their activity assessed through DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS+ assays showed the values including 31.62 ± 0.16, 34.87 ± 0.18, and 14.21 ± 0.18 μmol TE/g, respectively. The results in this study showed that maize bran AXs and their gels showed an interesting trend in their structural and antioxidant potential.

The current research aimed to extract and characterize arabinoxylans (AX) from psyllium seeds husk for their nutritional and structural properties. For this purpose, psyllium husk (PH) was procured from the local market and subjected for the nutritional profile, dietary fiber (DF) composition, and AXs extraction. The extraction of AXs from psyllium seed husk was done through enzymatic method and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used for its structural characterization. Further, the antioxidant activity of AXs was also elucidated using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) assays. Results showed that psyllium seed husk is a good source of DFs (61.5 ± 2.6%) and the proximate composition including moisture, ash, crude fat, crude protein, crude fibers, and Nitrogen free extract (NFE) was 4.9 ± 0.01, 4.1 ± 0.01, 1.2 ± 0.01, 3.9 ± 0.05, 20.23 ± 0.4 and 78.2 ± 4.01 g/100 g, respectively. Furthermore, AXs content was 68.29 ± 3.4 g/100 g of PH. Different monosaccharides including xylose, arabinose, rhamnose, glucose, and galactose contents in PHAXs were 64.23 ± 1.04%, 13.38 ± 0.16%, 1.43 ± 0.04%, 1.89 ± 0.05%, and 3.64 ± 0.07%, respectively. FTIR absorption peaks from 900 to 1100 cm−1 showed spectra of AXs with the highest peak from 980 to 1015 cm−1 reflecting arabinose and xylose ratio. Additionally, the substitution positions on the xylan backbone were 2800–3400 cm−1 of O-H stretching vibrations and peaks of C-H stretching at 2853 and 2923 cm−1. The antioxidant activity of PHAXs exhibited that the FRAP value of extracted AXs was 1.39 ± 0.06 μmol Fe2+/g and the DPPH value was 3.01 ± 0.15 Trolox mg/g. It is depicted that PH is a good source of AXs (non-starch polysaccharide) with better antioxidant potential.

A polyphenolic component of ginger, 6-gingerol, is widely reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. In the current study, it was aimed to investigate the anticancer effects of 6-gingerol (6-Gin) on azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon cancer in rats. The results reveal that 6-Gin treatment significantly improves the antioxidant status disturbed by AOM intoxication. The 6-Gin treatment animal group showed enhanced activity of catalase (CAT) (46.6 ± 6.4 vs. 23.3 ± 4.3 U/mg protein), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (81.3 ± 7.6 vs. 60.4 ± 3.5 U/mg protein) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) (90.3 ± 9.4 vs. 53.8 ± 10 mU/mg protein) (p < 0.05) as compared to the disease control group. Furthermore, the results reveal that AOM significantly enhances the inflammatory response and 6-gingerol potentially attenuates this response, estimated by markers, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (1346 ± 67 vs. 1023 ± 58 pg/g), C-reactive protein (CRP) (1.12 ± 0.08 vs. 0.92 ± 0.7 ng/mL) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (945 ± 67 vs. 653 ± 33 pg/g). In addition, the lipid peroxidation estimated in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA) provoked by AOM exposure is significantly reduced by 6-gingerol treatment (167 ± 7.5 vs. 128.3 nmol/g). Furthermore, 6-gingerol significantly maintains the colon tissue architecture disturbed by the AOM treatment. Loss of tumor suppressor protein, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression was noticed in the AOM treated group, whereas in the animals treated with 6-gingerol, the positivity of PTEN expression was high. In conclusion, the current findings advocate the health-promoting effects of 6-gingerol on colon cancer, which might be due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential.

Graphical presentation of whole experimental process.