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Background: Euonymus alatus (E. alatus) has traditionally been used for medicinal purposes, and its leaves are considered edible. While E. alatus is known for its diverse biological activities, the antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects of its leaves extracted using different solvents have not been thoroughly investigated. Methods: This study examined the antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, and life-prolonging effects of Euonymus alatus (E. alatus) leaf extract. Results: The phytochemical analysis showed that the ethanol extract contained the highest levels of polyphenols (347.2 mg/mL) and flavonoids (317.7 mg/mL) compared to the water and methanol extracts. In addition, specific phenolics, such as rutin, ellagic acid, and quercetin, were found in the ethanol extract. Antioxidant assays showed that the ethanol extract exhibited superior DPPH, ABTS radical, and H2O2-scavenging activities, as well as reducing power. In addition, the ethanol extract displayed strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in a dose-dependent manner. In cancer cell studies, the ethanol extract selectively inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 (breast) and LNCaP (prostate) cancer cells without affecting normal cells. Apoptosis induction was confirmed by nuclear condensation and increased caspase-3 activity. Furthermore, treatment with 30 mg/kg/day of the extract extended the lifespan of the tumor-bearing mice to 50 days, with no fatalities, indicating a dose-dependent protective effect. Conclusions: E. alatus leaf ethanol extract has potential as an antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, and life-prolonging agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Salicornia herbacea L. is a halophyte that grows in salt marshes and contains significant amounts of salts and minerals. Because it is known as a folk medication to treat diseases, various processed products such as powder, globular type of powder, laver and extract have been developed. However, it is difficult to process as a drink because of its high salinity. In the present study, glasswort vinegar ( GV) containing high amounts of organic acids and minerals was developed via two-step fermentation with unpolished rice substrates and investigated its antioxidant and anti-fatigue activities. RESULTS GV showed various free radical scavenging effects, reducing power, oxidized- LDL inhibition and superoxide dismutase-like activities. Compared with the control group (orally administered 7 g kg−1 distilled water), the GV supplementation group showed increased running endurance and had higher glycogen accumulation in liver and muscles of rats exhausted by exercise. Furthermore, the GV-administered group demonstrated significantly elevated lactate and ATP metabolism, promoting enzyme activities such as muscle creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, whereas serum fatigue biomarkers such as ammonia, lactate and inorganic acid were markedly decreased. CONCLUSION These results indicate that GV can be used as a functional food for the development of a dietary beverage to alleviate fatigue. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruit of Prunus mume (PM) is widely cultivated in East Asia, and it has been used as a folk medication for gastrointestinal disorders, e.g., diarrhea, stomach ache and ulceration. In this study, the pectinase-treated PM juice (PJ) was fermented with Lactobacillus strains containing fundamental organic acids and free amino acids. The PJ fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum and L. casei (FP) was investigated for its protective effect in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice model. The administration of FP reduced lipid peroxidation and histopathological colitis symptoms, e.g., shortening of the colon length, depletion of mucin, epithelial injury and ulceration, in colonic tissues. The FP-supplemented group showed the alleviation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Compared with the DSS control group, the supplementation of FP significantly reduced the levels of serum interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-12 and IL-17 as well as colonic tumor necrosis factor-α, IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-17. Furthermore, the DSS-induced TUNEL-positive area was significantly reduced by the FP supplementation. These results show that the supplementation of FP fermented with mixed lactic acid bacteria, L. plantarum and L. casei, elucidated the protective effect in DSS-induced colitis mice. Hence, this study suggests that FP can be utilized as a natural therapeutic agent for colitis and intestinal inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, poses an emerging threat as it can lead to colorectal cancer, thrombosis, and other chronic conditions. The present study demonstrated the protective effects of peanut sprout extracts (PSEs) prepared from day 2 to day 7 of germination against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced epithelial barrier breakdown. Although the peanut sprout length increased in a time-dependent manner from day 1 to day 7, the extraction yields remained relatively consistent from day 2 to day 7. With regard to antioxidant activities, the PSE from day 6 of germination exhibited the highest oxidative radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content. Similarly, it showed remarkable anti-permeability effects in LPS-stimulated Caco-2 cells and suppressed the degradation and dissociation of junctional markers (e.g., ZO-1 and E-cadherin) at cell-cell junctions. Collectively, these data demonstrate that PSE from day 6 of germination can be used as a functional food resource to reduce inflammatory barrier dysfunction., Competing Interests: AUTHOR DISCLOSURE STATEMENT The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition.)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), often triggered by endothelial barrier disruption through vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is a leading cause of blindness. This study investigated the inhibitory effects of phenolic compounds on VEGF-induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, and permeability using human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (hRECs). Thirty-seven polyphenolic compounds were selected from various databases based on their antioxidant properties, abundance in food, and solubility. These compounds significantly reduced migration, tube formation, and endothelial permeability in VEGF-stimulated hRECs. Notably, formononetin, eriodictyol, biochanin A, and p-coumaric acid were more effective in suppressing VEGF-induced angiogenesis and endothelial permeability than lutein. Molecular docking simulations revealed that formononetin, eriodictyol, and biochanin A had relatively lower binding energies with VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) than lutein and sorafenib. These findings highlight the potential of phenolic compounds to be used as VEGFR2 inhibitors and an alternative strategy for preventing AMD., Competing Interests: AUTHOR DISCLOSURE STATEMENT The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition.)