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Salvia miltiorrhiza, a widely used traditional Chinese medicine, contains a complex matrix of hydrophobic diterpenoids and hydrophilic phenolic acids, presenting significant challenges in comprehensive analysis. In this study, an online polarity-partitioned two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (2D-LC-MS) method was developed for comprehensive analysis of both lipophilic and hydrophilic active components in Salvia miltiorrhiza. The method integrated hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), facilitating the efficient separation of compounds across a wide range of polarities. An online dilution strategy was implemented, minimizing sample loss and enhancing the method's utility for quality control and chemical characterization of complex herbal matrices. Compared with other LC methods, this approach significantly improved analyte coverage, resolution, and analysis efficiency. Under optimal conditions, 150 active components were successfully identified, including 33 compounds newly discovered in Salvia miltiorrhiza. Additionally, the validated online method was applied to the quantitative determination of 16 quality markers of Salvia miltiorrhiza from different sources. The results demonstrated the online method's potential as a superior alternative to existing techniques, offering broader applicability in traditional Chinese medicine research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Owning to the hydrophobic characteristics of microporous organic networks (MONs), their utilizations still largely limited in non- and weak-polar analytes. To expend their applications, here we reported the synthesis of a novel hollowed H-MON-PEI 1800 -2 composite via sacrifice template method and subsequent modification with polyethyleneimine (PEI) for efficient solid phase extraction of polar and ionic phenolic acid (PAs) from fruit juice samples. H-MON-PEI 1800 -2 exhibits large surface area, rapid extraction kinetics, remarkable chemical and thermal stabilities, and provides synergistic electrostatic, π-π, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interaction sites for PAs. The developed method owns low limit of detection, wide linear range, large enrichment factors, and good reusability. The recoveries of H-MON-PEI 1800 -2 for PAs are 1-3 orders of magnitude higher than those of commercial adsorbents like activated carbon, C18 and Oasis HLB. This work highlights the prospects of functional H-MONs for enriching polar and ionic targets from complex sample matrices., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Phenolic acids, essential compounds in whole grains, are renowned for their health-enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Variations in concentration, particularly of hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, are observed among grain types. Their antiobesity and antidiabetes effects are linked to their modulation of key signaling pathways like AMPK and PI3K, crucial for metabolic regulation and the body's response to inflammation and oxidative stress. Processing methods significantly influence phenolic acid content and bioavailability in whole grains. Thermal techniques like boiling, baking, or roasting can degrade these compounds, with loss influenced by processing conditions. Nonthermal methods such as germination, fermentation, or their combination, can protect or enhance phenolic acid content under ideal conditions. Novel nonthermal approaches like ultrahigh pressure (UHP), irradiation, and pulsed electric fields (PEF) show promise in preserving these compounds. Further research is needed to fully comprehend the impact mechanisms of these innovative methods on the nutritional and sensory attributes of cereals.

The metabolism research of bioactive phenolic acids  widely found in natural products is of great significance for elucidating pharmacologic mechanisms and screening lead compounds. However, it is time-consuming and vulnerable to interference to conduct the traditional metabolism approach by applying organisms or biomaterials. Herein, a bionic technology was established by combining online electrochemistry-mass spectrometry (EC-MS) with offline electrochemistry-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (EC-LC-MS) to investigate the oxidative transformation and metabolic processes of the active phenolic acids (including salvianolic acid A, caffeic acid, 3, 5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, ferulic acid, salvianic acid A, and protocatechuic acid). Phase I metabolism of the phenolic acids were simulated by applying a three-electrode controlled potential electrochemical reactor with a boron-doped diamond electrode, with glutathione mixed into the oxidative products simultaneously for obtaining the phase II metabolites. Finally, structural characterization of the simulated metabolites of the phenolic acids was achieved successfully, including hydroxylation, methylation, demethylation, decarboxylation, etc. It was revealed that the simulated metabolism process based on an electrochemical system was effective in yielding a wide variety of metabolites for these compounds, which was also compared with the metabolism results applying rat liver microsomes. Consequently, this bionic technology is expected to be a powerful tool to investigate the material basis for the efficacy of active ingredients of natural products., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Polygonatum rhizome is a traditional Chinese medicine of the same origin as food and medicine, and it has high economic value and social benefits. To screen the excellent germplasm resources of Polygonatum kingianum ( P. kingianum ) and clarify the nutritional and medicinal value of the rhizome of P. kingianum , we used widely targeted metabolomics to analyze the traits and metabolomics of rhizomes of different germplasms of P. kingianum from different growth years. The results showed that different germplasms and growth years of P. kingianum were rich in different nutritional and medicinal components. Among them, Polygonatum kingianum 'Linyun 1' rhizome (PWR) was richer in amino acids and derivatives, alkaloids, and phenolic acids, while Polygonatum kingianum rhizome (PRR) was richer in flavonoids, organic acids, and phenolic acids. Most of the differential compounds were mainly enriched in PRR when the growth year was one, and PWR had a greater variety and higher content of differential compounds in the third year, which also reflected the advantages of Polygonatum kingianum 'Linyun 1' ( P. kingianum 'Linyun 1') as an excellent new variety of P. kingianum . The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathway analysis showed that in P. kingianum with the same age and different germplasms, the significantly enriched metabolic pathway was more active in biosynthesis in PWR. In the same germplasm of P. kingianum from different years, the metabolites involved in PRR were mainly the highest in one-year-old P. kingianum (PR-1) or three-year-old P. kingianum (PR-3), and the metabolites involved in PWR were mainly the highest in three-year-old P. kingianum 'Linyun 1' (PW-3). The above results showed that the three-year-old PWR had more advantages based on chemical substances. Therefore, this study provided a new theoretical reference for the development of P. kingianum products and the breeding of new varieties.

The composition and stability of the microbial community structure of roots and root zone soils play a key role in the healthy growth of plants. We examined the distribution characteristics of phenolic acids and saponins, as well as microbial communities in the root space (root endosphere, rhizoplane soil, rhizosphere soil, and bulk soil) of healthy and root rot disease-affected Panax notoginseng . The results showed that after infection with root rot, the rhizoplane soil exhibited significant decreases in organic matter and hydrolyzable nitrogen and significant increases in available phosphorus, available potassium, and total nitrogen. The contents of phenolic acids (except benzoic acid) and ginsenoside Rg2 in the root endosphere significantly increased. Ferulic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid in the rhizoplane soil significantly increased. Rhodococcus increased significantly in the root endosphere, rhizoplane, and rhizosphere soil; Nitrospira decreased significantly in the rhizoplane, rhizosphere, and bulk soil; and Plectosphaerella decreased significantly in the root endosphere and rhizoplane soil. Moreover, the accumulation of most autotoxins can promote the growth of pathogens. In summary, the spatial autotoxic substances and microbial community differences in P. notoginseng roots jointly induce the occurrence of root rot.IMPORTANCE Panax notoginseng is highly susceptible to soil-borne diseases induced during planting, and root rot, which usually occurs in the root and stem parts of the plant, is the most severe. We divided the root environment of P. notoginseng into four parts (root endosphere, rhizoplane soil, rhizosphere soil, and bulk soil) and studied it with unplanted soil as the control. In this study, we examined the changes in the content of autotoxic substances in the root space of P. notoginseng , along with the interplay between these substances and microorganisms. This study revealed the mechanism underlying root rot and provided a theoretical basis for alleviating continuous cropping obstacles in P. notoginseng ., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

This study explored the effect of geographical and floral origins on the antioxidant activities of Saudi honey samples related to their content of short peptides originated from honeybee proteins. The studied antioxidants were the total protein concentration, catalase activity, phenolic acids and flavonoids. The antioxidant activity assays included were the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and Ascorbic acid Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (AEAC). The studied honey samples were obtained from the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia, namely Asir (65) and Jazan (25). The floral origins of the honey samples were Acacia (51), Ziziphus (4) and polyfloral (35). The LC/MS technique was used to detect the short peptides and the mascot database was used to identify the short peptides, their precursor proteins and the protease enzymes that produce them. Jazan honey was characterized by high number of short peptides. The short peptides were originated from honeybee proteins by the action of proteases from the honeybees and bacteria. The antioxidant activity of the honey samples increase with the increase of their content of short peptides and proteins. The amino acids type and sequence of the short peptides qualify them to act as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertension, immunomodulatory and cholesterol lowering peptides., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

To date, no study has focused on Uvaria macrophylla leaves with various traditional efficiencies. This paper therefore applied a database affinity ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS) strategy to analyze the lyophilized aqueous extract of U. macrophylla leaves. Through database comparison and MS fragment elucidation, this study has putatively identified 41 constituents belonging to flavonoid, phenolic acid, steroid, and saccharide natural product classifications. Significantly, four groups of isomers (liquiritigenin vs. isoliquiritigenin vs. pinocembrin; oroxylin A vs. wogonin vs. galangin 3-methyl ether; isoquercitrin vs. hyperoside; protocatechuic acid vs. 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid) have been successfully distinguished from each other. All of 41 constituents were then subjected to a quantitative analysis based on linear regression equation established by the above UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS strategy and an ABTS +• -scavenging antioxidant assay. Finally, the chemical content was multiplied by the corresponding ABTS +• -scavenging percentage to calculate the antioxidant contribution. It was shown that the chemical contents of 41 constituents varied from 0.003 ± 0.000 to 14.418 ± 1.041 mg/g, and gallic acid showed the highest antioxidant contribution. Gallic acid is considered as a suitable antioxidant quality-marker (Q-marker) of U. macrophylla leaves. These findings have scientific implications for the resource development and quality control of U. macrophylla leaves.

Due to its high polyphenol content, black rice plays a significant role in good nutrition; however, these antioxidant compounds are affected by heat treatments required for the rice consumption. The aim of this work was to investigate how cooking affects the composition of Artemide black rice, comparing innovative methods, such as sous vide, with traditional domestic techniques (risotto and pilaf). Proteins and ashes were not affected by cooking, except for pilaf rice, where a 42 % ashes decrease was observed; fiber content increased after all cooking methods, reaching a 29 % increase in the risotto. Antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins were reduced on average of 40 %, 34 %, 43 % and 39 %, respectively. Individual anthocyanins decreased, while phenolic acids and other flavonoids presented different behaviours, also depending if considered in their free or bound form. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was reduced up to 56 % in the sous vide cooked rice at 99 °C, and only by 45 % and 37 % in the risotto and sous vide cooked rice at 89 °C, respectively. Traditional risotto preparation and the innovative sous vide cooking at 89 °C also maintained the highest antioxidant polyphenols content, saving 63 % of the antioxidant activity in respect to the raw black rice. Concluding, these last techniques can be suggested for a better preservation of bioactive compounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

A precursor feeding strategy was used for the first time in agitated microshoot cultures of Aronia × prunifolia . This strategy involved the addition of biogenetic precursors of simple phenolic acids (phenylalanine, cinnamic acid, and benzoic acid) and depsides (caffeic acid) into the culture media, with an assessment of its effect on the production of these bioactive compounds. The in vitro cultures were maintained in Murashige-Skoog medium (1 mg/L BAP and 1 mg/L NAA). Precursors at five concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 mmol/L) were fed into the medium at the time of culture initiation (point "0") and independently on the 10th day of growth cycles. The contents of 23 compounds were determined in methanolic extracts of biomass collected after 20 days of growth cycles using an HPLC method. All extracts contained the same four depsides (chlorogenic, neochlorogenic, rosmarinic, and cryptochlorogenic acids) and the same four simple phenolic acids (protocatechuic, vanillic, caffeic, and syringic acids). Chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids were the predominant compounds in all extracts (max. 388.39 and 263.54 mg/100 g d.w.). The maximal total contents of all compounds were confirmed after feeding with cinnamic acid (5 mmol/L, point "0") and caffeic acid (10 mmol/L, point "0"), which caused a 2.68-fold and 2.49-fold increase in the contents of the estimated compounds vs. control cultures (603.03 and 558.48 mg/100 g d.w., respectively). The obtained results documented the efficacy of the precursor feeding strategy in enhancing the production of bioactive compounds in agitated cultures of A. × prunifolia and suggest a potential practical application value.

Rosehips are a prominent source of numerous bioactive compounds. However, despite their extensive potential, the metabolic profiles among different rosehip species have not been fully elucidated. In this study, 523 secondary metabolites from rosehips of 12 Rosa species were identified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. They were primarily composed of flavonoids and phenolic acids. A K-means analysis revealed the characteristic metabolites in different rosehips. For example, R. persica contained a more abundant supply of phenolic acids, while R. roxburghii harbored a richer array of terpenoids. A total of 73 key active ingredients were screened from traditional Chinese medicine databases, and they indicated that R. persica is more promising for use in functional foods or health supplements compared with the other fruits. Moreover, a differential analysis identified 47 compounds as potential contributors to the astringent taste of rosehips, including ellagic acid 4-O-glucoside and cadaverine. This study provides valuable information to develop new functional foods of rosehips and improve the quality of their fruits., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

During pregnancy, controlling nutrition is crucial for the health of both mother and foetus. While polyphenols have positive health effects, some studies show harmful outcomes during pregnancy. This study evaluated polyphenol intake in a cohort of mother-child pairs and examined its effects on foetal anthropometric parameters. Polyphenol intake was assessed using food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) and 24-h dietary recalls, and analysed with the Phenol-Explorer database. Gestational age and birth measurements were retrieved from medical records. Statistical analyses validated dietary records and assessed polyphenol impact using multivariate generalised linear models. The study found that mean gestational age was 39.6 weeks, with a mean birth weight of 3.33 kg. Mean total polyphenol intake by FFQ was 2231 mg/day, slightly higher than 24-h recall data. Flavonoids and phenolic acids constituted 52% and 37% of intake, respectively, with fruits and legumes as primary sources. This study highlights the use of FFQs to estimate polyphenol intake. Furthermore, the study found associations between polyphenol consumption and anthropometric parameters at birth, with the effects varying depending on the type of polyphenol. However, a more precise evaluation of individual polyphenol intake is necessary to determine whether the effects they produce during pregnancy may be harmful or beneficial for foetal growth.

Objective: To establish a high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS/MS) method for detecting 13 kind of free and bound phenolic acids(chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, gallic acid, gentisic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, sinapic acid, rosmarinic acid, salicylic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid) in fruits, and optimize the pre-treatment conditions to meet the detection requirements for phenolic acid content in various types of fruits., Methods: Free phenolic acids in fruits were extracted using methanol through ultrasonic extraction. Conjugated phenolic acids in the centrifuged residue were released by alkaline hydrolysis and extracted with ethyl acetate. The two extracts were combined, concentrated, and analyzed using HPLC-MS/MS. Separation was achieved using an Agilent ZORBAX SB-C_(18) chromatography column(3.0 mm×100 mm, 3.5 μm), and detection was performed in multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) mode., Results: All 13 standard phenolic acids achieved complete separation within 10 minutes, with linear correlation coefficients greater than 0.998 and detection limits ranging from 0.172 to 3.471 ng/mL. After optimization of the pre-treatment method, the recovery rates of the method for four types of fruits-apples, strawberries, oranges, and peaches-ranged from 80.0% to 119.4%, and the precision were lower than 7.00%(n=6). The result of testing on four categories of twelve types of fruits demonstrated significant variations in the content of phenolic acids among different fruits, and within the same category, the composition of phenolic acids did not exhibit consistency., Conclusion: The HPLC-MS/MS method exhibits high sensitivity, precision, and accuracy. It is suitable for the detection of both free and bound phenolic acids in various types of fruits.

A magnetic MXene aerogel (Fe 3 O 4 @MXene@PEI) was prepared by crosslinking amino modified MXene with polyethyleneimine using epichlorohydrin as a cross-linker. Adsorption properties of Fe 3 O 4 @MXene@PEI aerogel for phenolic acids were evaluated by adsorption kinetics and isotherms experiments, showing that the high adsorption affinity was governed by multilayer chemisorption process. An efficient MSPE/HPLC method was developed for the determination of phenolic acids with excellent selectivity, good linearity (0.025-5.0 μg mL -1 ), low LODs (0.007-0.017 μg mL -1 ), and satisfactory recoveries (80.0-120.0 %). Moreover, the antioxidant activity of the Fe 3 O 4 @MXene@PEI purified compounds was superior to that of the conventional method as demonstrated by the results of scavenging experiments on 2,2 -diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay. Finally, 65 organic acids were identified in the Fe 3 O 4 @MXene@PEI treated honeysuckle extracts by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS/MS analysis. The proposed sorbent exhibits remarkable promise for the selective separation and purification of organic acids from herbal products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Prunella vulgaris L. (P. vulgaris) has great application value and development prospects in improving sleep. In this study, we continued to evaluate the sleep-improvement function and mechanism of P. vulgaris from both chemical characterization and function based on sleep-improvement functional ingredients, rosmarinic acid and salviaflaside, screened out in the previous stage as the index components. The chemical constituents of P. vulgaris and its phenolic acid fraction were characterized by the UPLC-MS n technology. The quality of the sleep-improvement phenolic acid fraction of P. vulgaris was scientifically evaluated by fingerprints combined with quantitative analysis of rosmarinic acid and salviaflaside. The function of phenolic acid parts of P. vulgaris in improving sleep was verified by different insomnia models including the PCPA-induced insomnia model and surface platform sleep deprivation model. HE staining was used to observe the effect of P. vulgaris on the morphology of nerve cells in different brain regions. In vivo experiments and molecular docking explored the sedative-hypnotic effects of functional ingredients of P. vulgaris. All these results investigated the material basis and mechanism of P. vulgaris to improve sleep from multiple perspectives, which contribute to providing a basis for the development of functional food to improve sleep., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The retention of bioactive compounds in the blend of wheat and rye flours and 4% roasted buckwheat hulls, dough before and after fermentation, and obtained bread were determined. In parallel, the content of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) and antioxidant capacity (AC) during technological steps of bread production were studied. The dough formation and fermentation process increased the content of phenolic acids and flavonoids and reduced the content of tocopherols, and no changes in glutathione as compared to the blend were noted. Moreover, the increased level of available lysine and AC were observed after dough fermentation. The baking process resulted in further increased phenolic acids, and flavonoids and decreased the tocopherols and glutathione contents. The bread was characterized by the highest values of parameters related to MRPs, such as the content of fluorescent intermediary compounds and final browning index compared to other analyzed steps., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Although nanozymes sensor arrays have the potential to recognize multiple target substances simultaneously, they currently rarely identify phenolic acids in food due to limited catalytic performance and complex preparation conditions of nanozymes. Here, inspired by the structure of polyphenol oxidase, we have successfully prepared a novel gallic acid-Cu (GA-Cu) nanozyme with laccase-like activity. Due to the different catalytic efficiency of GA-Cu nanozymes towards six common phenolic acids, a three-channel colorimetric sensor array was constructed using reaction kinetics as the sensing unit to achieve high-throughput detection and identification of six phenolic acids within a concentration range from 1 to 100 μM. This method avoids the creation of numerous sensing units. Notably, the successful discrimination of six phenolic acids in samples of juice, beer, and wine has been achieved by the sensor array. Finally, aided by smartphones, a portable technique has been devised for the detection of phenolic acids., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Spelt Triticum aestivum L. subsp. spelta (cv. Wirtas), einkorn Triticum monococcum L. (cv. Samopsza) and emmer Triticum dicoccum Schrank (Schuebl) (cv. Płaskurka biała and Płaskurka ciemna) spring wheat cultivars were analyzed and compared to common wheat Triticum aestivum L. subsp. aestivum (cv. Harenda, Kandela, Mandaryna, Serenada, Goplana, Kamelia, Nimfa, Rusałka, Struna, Zadra) cultivated in an organic production system. Moreover, the performance of four common wheat cultivars (cv. Harenda, Kandela, Mandaryna, Serenada) grown in organic, conventional and integrated production systems were compared. The UHPLC-DAD-MS and TLC-DPPH • analyses of specific substances (phenolic acids and alkylresorcinols) were evaluated to ascertain the potential of spring wheat cultivars for promoting human health and suitability for cultivation in an organic production system. The highest yield was observed for the T. aestivum L. subsp. aestivum (modern hull-less) cv. Nimfa (4.45 t/ha), which also demonstrated the lowest resistance to Fusarium spp. infection. Among the contemporary hull-less cultivars, cv. Mandaryna and cv. Harenda exhibited the highest resistance to this pathogen (2.4% and 3.7% of grains infected by Fusarium , respectively), while simultaneously displaying the highest organic phenolic acid content (900.92 and 984.55 µg/g of the grain) and the highest antioxidant potential. It is noteworthy that the cereal hulls of T. monococcum L. (old hulled) (cv. Samopsza) exhibited a markedly elevated content of phenolic acids (approximately 4000 µg/g of the grain). This may have contributed to the reduced incidence of Fusarium infection (9.3% of grains infected) observed in the grains of this cultivar. Furthermore, the hulls proved to be a rich source of phenolics with high antioxidant activity, which is beneficial for human and animal health.

Background: Researchers have investigated different techniques for synthesis of carbon dots. These techniques include Arc discharge, laser ablation, oxidation, water/solvothermal, and chemical vapor deposition. However, these techniques suffer from some limitations like the utilization of gaseous charged particles, high current, high temperature, potent oxidizing agents, non-environmentally friendly carbon sources, and the generation of uneven particle size. Therefore, there was a significant demand for the adoption of a new technology that combines the environmentally friendly aspects of both bio-based carbon sourcing and synthesis technique., Results: Medicago sativa L (alfalfa)-derived N, S-CDs have been successfully synthesized via microwave irradiation. The N,S-CDs exhibit strong fluorescence (λ ex/em of 320/420 nm) with fluorescence quantum yield of 2.2 % and high-water solubility. The produced N,S-CDs were characterized using TEM, EDX, Zeta potential analysis, IR, UV-Visible, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The average diameter of the produced N, S-CDs was 4.01 ± 1.2 nm, and the Zeta potential was -24.5 ± 6.63 mv. The stability of the produced nano sensors was also confirmed over wide pH range, long time, and in presence of different ions. The synthesized N, S-CDs were employed to quantify the antibacterial drug, nifuroxazide (NFZ), by fluorescence quenching via inner filter effect mechanism. The method was linear with NFZ concentration ranging from 1.0 to 30.0 μM. LOD and LOQ were 0.16 and 0.49 μM, respectively. The method was applied to quantify NFZ in simulated gastric juice (SGJ) with % recovery 99.59 ± 1.4 in addition to pharmaceutical dosage forms with % recovery 98.75 ± 0.61 for Antinal Capsules® and 100.63 ± 1.54 for Antinal suspension®. The Method validation was performed in compliance with the criteria outlined by ICH., Significance and Novelty: The suggested approach primarily centers on the first-time use of alfalfa, an ecologically sustainable source of dopped-CDs, and a cost-effective synthesis technique via microwave irradiation, which is characterized by low energy consumption, minimized reaction time, and the ability to control the size of the produced CDs. This is in line with the growing global recognition of the implementation of green analytical chemistry principles., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Danggui-Jianzhong decoction (DGJZ) is a famous classical traditional Chinese medicine formula, which ingredients are complex and the quality is difficult to control. Our study aimed to identify the overall chemical profile of DGJZ qualitatively by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and UPLC. A total of 77 components, including terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, gingerols and other components, were firstly detected and characterized by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and 18 peaks marked after analyzing the UPLC fingerprint. Finally, paeoniflorin, liquiritin, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, glycyrrhizic acid and 6-gingerol were quantified, which was validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, repeatability and recovery. Taken together, the chemical constitutes of DGJZ were systematically identified and a reliable quantitative method coupled with fingerprint analysis was successfully employed for evaluating the holistic quality, which will provide a robust foundation for the quality control of DGJZ., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Ainsliaea fragrans Champ, a strong heat-clearing and detoxifying traditional Chinese medicine, has been effectively used for treating chronic cervicitis, endometritis, pelvic inflammatory diseases, and other conditions caused by damp heat. It shows a good effect in the treatment of cervicitis and has broad clinical application prospects. Nevertheless, there is no comprehensive study on its in vivo and in vitro chemical analysis. UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS combined with the non-targeted characteristic filter analysis were used to conjecture and characterize the chemical components and in vivo metabolites of rats following oral administration of Ainsliaea fragrans Champ. In this study, A total of 85 compounds were identified in Ainsliaea fragrans Champ, including 29 flavonoids, 14 sesquiterpenoids, 25 chlorogenic acids, and 17 other compounds. In the plasma of rats after administration of Ainsliaea fragrans Champ, 160 compounds were deduced (19 prototype compounds and 141 metabolites). The 141 metabolites consist of 50 flavonoids, 80 phenolic acids and 11 Chlorogenic acids. The related metabolic pathways mainly involved demethylation, reduction, sulfonation, decarboxylation, hydroxylation, methylation, and glucuronide conjunction. In summary, the chemical components and metabolites of Ainsliaea fragrans Champ were comprehensively identified by using a rapid and accurate analysis method, which laid a foundation for dissecting its bioactive substances. In addition, it provides a scientific basis for the in-depth study of the material basis of Ainsliaea fragrans Champ efficacy and theoretical support for illustrating the mechanism of medical action and its clinical application., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Qianggan capsule (QGC) is a complex preparation composed of 16 traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) that can clear heat and dampness, fortify the spleen and blood, typify qi and relieve depression. However, the chemical composition of QGC remains incompletely understood, despite its clinical use in treating chronic hepatitis and liver injury. The objective of this study was to explore the quality markers of QGC through qualitative and quantitative analysis of its chemical components. First, the chemical composition of QGC was qualitatively analyzed using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Subsequently, the LC-sMRM method was developed and optimized to accurately quantify various chemical components of 10 batches of QGC. Finally, the variations in chemical components between batches were analyzed via multivariate statistical analysis. UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis revealed 167 chemical constituents in QGC, comprised of 48 flavonoids, 32 terpenoids, 18 phenolic acids, 9 coumarins, 9 phenylpropanoids, and 51 nucleosides, sugars, amino acids, anthraquinones, and other compounds. The LC-sMRM method was established for the quantitative analysis of 42 chemical components in 10 batches of QGC. The ultrasonic-assisted extraction parameters were optimized using RSM. Compared with conventional MRM, sMRM demonstrated superior sensitivity and precision. PCA and OPLS-DA identified eight chemical components with content differences among batches. This study established the chemical composition of QGC, offering useful guidance for assessing its quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Persimmon fruit processing-derived waste and by-products, such as peels and pomace, are important sources of dietary fiber and phytochemicals. Revalorizing these by-products could help promote circular nutrition and agricultural sustainability while tackling dietary deficiencies and chronic diseases. In this study, fiber-rich fractions were prepared from the by-products of Sharoni and Brilliant Red persimmon varieties. These fractions were quantified for their phenolic composition and assessed for their ability to promote the growth of beneficial human colonic Firmicutes species and for their in vitro anti-inflammatory potential. Gallic and protocatechuic acids, delphinidin, and cyanidin were the main phenolics identified. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii strains showed significantly higher growth rates in the presence of the Brilliant Red fraction, generating more than double butyrate as a proportion of the total short-chain fatty acids (39.5% vs. 17.8%) when compared to glucose. The fiber-rich fractions significantly decreased the inflammatory effect of interleukin-1β in Caco-2 cells, and the fermented fractions (both from Sharoni and Brilliant Red) significantly decreased the inflammatory effect of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in the RAW 264.7 cells. Therefore, fiber-rich fractions from persimmon by-products could be part of nutritional therapies as they reduce systemic inflammation, promote the growth of beneficial human gut bacteria, and increase the production of beneficial microbial metabolites such as butyrate.

This study established an ultra-performance liquid chromatography(UPLC) fingerprint of abandoned stems and leaves of Artemisia selengensis and quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker(QAMS) for five phenolic acid components. Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C_(18) chromatography column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm) was used. The gradient elution was carried out with the mobile phase composed of 0.1% phosphoric acid water and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.3 mL·min~(-1) and a column temperature at 30 ℃. The detection wavelength was 330 nm, and the injection volume was 2 μL. Similarity evaluation and cluster analysis were conducted on the fingerprint data, and 15 common components in 13 batches of abandoned stems and leaves of A. selengensis were identified. The relative correction factors of ferulic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid B, and isochlorogenic acid C were calculated using chlorogenic acid as the internal reference. The QAMS for determining five components in the abandoned stems and leaves of A. selengensis was established. At the same time, the content of these five components was determined using the external standard method(ESM), and the results showed that there were no significant differences in their content determined by the QAMS and the ESM. The results indicated that the content of phenolic acid components in the abandoned stems and leaves of A. selengensis from different varieties and different origins had obvious differences. In addition, the content of phenolic acid components in the abandoned stems and leaves of lignified A. selengensis was significantly higher than that of non-lignified A. selengensis. In summary, QAMS established in this study can be quickly, accurately, and economically used to determine the content of five phenolic acid components in abandoned stems and leaves of A. selengensis, laying a foundation for the resource development and utilization of abandoned stems and leaves of A. selengensis.

Germination is a process that enhances the content of health-promoting secondary metabolites. However, the bioaccessibility of these compounds depends on their stability and solubility throughout the gastrointestinal tract. The study aimed to explore how germination time influences the content and bioaccessibility of γ-aminobutyric acid and polyphenols and antioxidant capacity of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) sprouts during simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Gamma-aminobutyric acid showed a decrease following gastrointestinal digestion (GID) whereas phenolic acids and flavonoids exhibited bioaccessibilities of up to 82.56 and 114.20%, respectively. Although the digestion process affected the profile of phenolic acids and flavonoids, certain isoflavonoids identified in 7-day sprouts (G7) showed resistance to GID. Germination not only favored antioxidant activity but also resulted in germinated samples exhibiting greater antioxidant properties than ungerminated counter parts after GID. Intestinal digests from G7 did not show cytotoxicity in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and notably, they showed an outstanding ability to inhibit the production of reactive oxygen species. This suggests potential benefit in mitigating oxidative stress. These findings contribute to understand the dynamic interplay between bioprocessing and digestion in modulating the bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds in lupin, thereby impacting health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

In this study, a beverage made from a combination of Agave sap (AS) and prickly pear juice (PPJ) was analyzed for its nutrients and bioactive and potentially health-promoting compounds. The beverage was evaluated for its ability to act as an antioxidant, regulate glycemic properties, and undergo gut bacterial fermentation in vitro. The major mono- and oligosaccharides present in the beverage were galacturonic acid (217.74 ± 13.46 mg/100 mL), rhamnose (227.00 ± 1.58 mg/100 mL), and fructose (158.16 ± 8.86 mg/mL). The main phenolic compounds identified were protocatechuic acid (440.31 ± 3.06 mg/100 mL) and catechin (359.72 ± 7.56 mg/100 mL). It was observed that the beverage had a low glycemic index (<40) and could inhibit digestive carbohydrases. The combination of ingredients also helped to reduce gas production during AS fermentation from 56.77 cm 3 to 15.67 cm 3 . The major SCFAs produced during fermentation were butyrate, acetate, and propionate, with valerate being produced only during the late fermentation of the AS. This beverage is rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and dietary fiber, which will bring health benefits when consumed.

Broccoli is commonly consumed as food and as medicine. However, comprehensive metabolic profiling of two broccoli varieties, Romanesco broccoli (RB) and purple broccoli (PB), in relation to their anticholinergic activity has not been fully disclosed. A total of 110 compounds were tentatively identified using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS metabolomics. Distinctively different metabolomic profiles of the two varieties were revealed by principal component analysis (PCA). Furthermore, by volcano diagram analysis, it was found that PB had a significantly higher content of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and glucosinolates, indicating the different beneficial health potentials of PB that demonstrated higher antioxidant and anticholinergic activities. Moreover, Pearson's correlation analysis revealed 18 metabolites, mainly phenolic and sulfur compounds, as the main bioactive. The binding affinity of these biomarkers to the active sites of acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase enzymes was further validated using molecular docking studies. Results emphasize the broccoli significance as a functional food and nutraceutical source and highlight its beneficial effects against Alzheimer's disease., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The objective of our study was to analyse the extracts from six medicinal herb roots (marshmallow, dandelion, liquorice, angelica, burdock, and comfrey) in terms of antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH) and inhibition of advanced glycation end product (AGEs) formation. The quantification of phenolic acids and flavonoids was analysed using the UHPLC-DAD-MS method. Fifteen polyphenolic compounds were detected in the studied herbs. The higher number of polyphenols were found in marshmallows (ten polyphenols), while the lowest was in comfrey (five compounds). Liquorice root revealed the highest individual phenolic concentration (382 µg/g dm) with the higher contribution of kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside. Comfrey root extract was characterised by the most abundant TPC (Total Phenolic Content) value (29.79 mg GAE/ g dm). Burdock and comfrey showed the strongest anti-AGE activity studies with the BDA-GLU model. Burdock root was also characterised by the highest anti-AGE activity in the BSA-MGO model. The highest antioxidant capacity was determined by ABTS (72.12 µmol TE/g dw) and DPPH (143.01 µmol TE/g dw) assays for comfrey extract. The p-coumaric acid content was significantly correlated with anti-AGE activity determined by the BSA-MGO model. This research sheds new light on the bioactivity of root herbs, explaining the role of p-coumaric acid in preventing diabetes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The present work carries out a quantitative analysis of the major bioactive compounds found in the native Mexican purple tomatoes. Total phenolic content ranged from 7.54 to 57.79 mg TPC/g DM, total flavonoid content ranged from 1.89 to 16.93 mg TFC/g DM, total anthocyanin content ranged from 0.29 to 2.56 mg TAC/g DM, and total carotenoid content ranged from 0.11 to 0.75 mg TCC/ g DM. In addition, 14 phenolic acids were identified, among which caffeoylquinic acid derivatives were the most abundant compounds with chlorogenic acid concentration up to 9.680 mg/g DM, together with flavonoids, such as rutin and quercetin-hexoxide. The qualitative analysis also showed the presence of 9 acylated anthocyanins and 2 carotenoids with significant functional features. As for anthocyanins, their chemical structures disclosed special structural features: glycosylated anthocyanins exhibited cis-trans hydroxycinnamic moieties and petunidin-3-(trans-p-coumaroyl)-rutinoside-5-glucoside was reported to be the main anthocyanin, whitin the range of concentrations between 0.160 and 1.143 mg/g DM., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Yerba Mate drink made from dried and crushed leaves and twigs of Paraguayan holly ( Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.), which is a valuable source of bioactive substances, in particular antioxidants. The available literature lacks data on changes in the content and profile of bioactive compounds such as tannins, caffeine, the phenolic acid profile of flavonoids and carotenoids, as well as total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity in Yerba Mate infusions depending on different brewing conditions, and how different brewing conditions affect the physicochemical properties of these infusions. Therefore, this study evaluated the physicochemical properties of dried and Yerba Mate infusions prepared via single and double brewing processes at 70 °C and 100 °C. The organoleptic evaluation, as well as the instrumental color measurement, showed significant changes in the total color difference (Δ E ) and the L * a * b * chromatic coordinates of dried Yerba Mate samples and their infusions. Moreover, the research showed higher contents of tannins (mean 1.36 ± 0.14 g/100 g d.m.), caffeine (mean 17.79 ± 3.49 mg/g d.m.), carotenoids (mean 12.90 ± 0.44 μg/g d.m.), phenolic acids (mean 69.97 ± 7.10 mg/g d.m.), flavonoids (mean 5.47 ± 1.78 mg/g d.m.), total polyphenols (mean 55.26 ± 8.51 mg GAE/g d.m.), and antioxidant activity (mean 2031.98 ± 146.47 μM TEAC/g d.m.) in single-brewed Yerba Mate infusions compared to double-brewed (0.77 ± 0.12 g/100 g d.m., 14.28 ± 5.80 mg/g d.m., 12.67 ± 0.62 μg/g d.m., 57.75 ± 8.73 mg/g d.m., 3.64 ± 0.76 mg/g d.m., 33.44 ± 6.48 mg GAE/g d.m. and 1683.09 ± 155.34 μM TEAC/g d.m., respectively). In addition, infusions prepared at a lower temperature (70 °C) were characterized by a higher content of total polyphenols and higher antioxidant activity, in contrast to the tannin and carotenoid contents, the levels of which were higher at 100 °C than at 70 °C. Considering the high amount of bioactive ingredients, in particular antioxidants, and a wide range of health benefits, it is worth including Yerba Mate in the daily diet.

Corinthian currants are dried fruits produced from Vitis vinifera L. var. Apyrena grape. This study investigated the distribution of phenolic compounds in male Wistar rat livers following two distinct Corinthian currant long-term dietary intake protocols (3 and 10% w/w). Method optimization, comparing fresh and lyophilized tissues, achieved satisfactory recoveries (>70%) for most analytes. Enzymatic hydrolysis conditions (37 °C, pH 5.0) minimally affected phenolics, but enzyme addition showed diverse effects. Hydrolyzed lyophilized liver tissue from rats consuming Corinthian currants (3 and 10% w/w) exhibited elevated levels of isorhamnetin (20.62 ± 2.27 ng/g tissue and 33.80 ± 1.38 ng/g tissue, respectively), along with similar effects for kaempferol, quercetin, and chrysin after prolonged Corinthian currant intake. This suggests their presence as phase II metabolites in the fasting-state liver. This study is the first to explore phenolic accumulation in rat liver, simulating real conditions of dried fruit consumption, as seen herein with Corinthian currant.

This study established an ultrasound-assisted extraction-high performance liquid chromatography method for simulta-neously determinining the content of 11 bioactive compounds including iridoids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids in Lonicera japonica flowers. The flowers at six stages from the rice bud stage(ML) to the golden flower stage(JH) of L. japonica varieties 'Sijuhua' and 'Beihua No.1' in two planting bases in Shandong province were collected. The established method was employed to determine the content of 11 target compounds, on the basis of which the dynamics of active components in L. japonica sampels during different development stages was investigated. The correlation analysis was carried out to reveal the correlations of the content of iridoids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. Furthermore, the antioxidant activities of samples at different developmental stages were determined, and the relationship between antioxidant activity and chemical components was analyzed by the correlation analysis. The results showed that the total content of the 11 components in 'Sijihua' changed in a &quot;W&quot; pattern from the ML to JH, being the highest at the ML and the second at the slight white stage(EB). The total content of 11 compounds in 'Beihua No.1' was the highest at the ML and decreased gra-dually from the ML to JH. The samples of 'Sijihua' had higher content of iridoids and lower content of phenolic acids than those of 'Beihua No.1'. The content of flavonoids and phenolic acids showed a positive correlation(R~2=0.90, P&lt;0.05) in 'Sijihua' but no obvious correlation in 'Beihua No.1'. The antioxidant activity and phenolic acid content showed positive correlations, with the determination coefficients(R~2) of 0.84(P&lt;0.05) in 'Beihua No.1' and 0.73(P&lt;0.05) in 'Sijihua'. The antioxidant activity of both varieties was the strongest at the ML and the second at the EB. This study revealed that the content dynamics of iridoids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids in 'Sijihua' and 'Beihua No.1' cultivated in Shandong province during different developmental stages. The results indicated that the antioxidant activity of L. japonica flowers was significantly correlated with the content of phenolic acids at different deve-lopmental stages, which provided a basis for determining the optimum harvest time of L. japonica flowers.

3D printing technology has attracted great attention in various fields of science and technology. Application of this technology in manufacturing analytical tools is developing fast. High precision in manufacturing designed objects, fast production and low cost also green production approach by using biodegradable materials like polylactic acid is promising bright future in scientific researches. The development of new approaches in improving the functional groups of the surface of 3D printed objects in order to make 3D printed parts more functional with conventional 3D printed materials, causes the entry of many advanced materials in this field. In this study, a novel solid phase microextraction fiber was prepared based on Co-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets in-situ growth on 3D-printed aluminum-polylactic acid (PLA) composite and its application for determination of phenolic acids (PAs) including vanillic acid (VA), ferulic acid (FA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), protocatechuic acid (PCA) and caffeic acid (CA) in fruit juice samples was investigated. The proposed fiber was prepared via a robust one-step hydrothermal synthesis of Co-Al LDH on an anodized 3D-printed Al-PLA fiber. Factors crucial for the extraction, including pH, extraction and desorption time and ionic strength were explored in detail. Under the optimal experimental conditions, for all PAs except PCA, LOD, LOQ and LDR were obtained as 0.03, 0.1 and 0.1-100.0 µgL -1 , respectively. For PCA, LOD, LOQ and LDR were obtained as 0.15, 0.50 and 0.5-100.0 µgL -1 , respectively., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Wine pomace (WP) is a major byproduct generated during winemaking, and skin pomace (SKP) comprises one of the most valuable components of WP. Since SKP differs in composition and properties from seed pomace (SDP), precise knowledge of SKP will aid the wine industry in the development of novel, high-value products. The current review summarizes recent advances in research relating to SKP presents a comprehensive description of the generation, composition, and bioactive components, primarily focusing on the biological activities of SKP, including antioxidant, gastrointestinal health promotion, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and metabolic disease alleviation properties. Currently, the separation and recovery of skins and seeds is an important trend in the wine industry for the disposal of winemaking byproducts. In comparison to SDP, SKP is rich in polyphenols including anthocyanins, flavonols, phenolic acids, stilbenes, and some proanthocyanidins, as well as dietary fiber (DF). These distinctive benefits afford SKP the opportunity for further development and application. Accordingly, the health-promoting mechanism and appropriate application of SKP will be further elucidated in terms of physiological activity, with the progress of biochemical technology and the deepening of related research.

Quinoa is known to be a rich source of nutrients and bioactive components. Quinoa bran, used mainly as animal feed in processing by-products, is also a potential source of bioactive ingredients being conducive to human health. The importance of nutrition and function of quinoa seed has been discussed in many studies, but the bioactive properties of quinoa bran often are overlooked. This review systemically summarized the progress in bioactive components, extraction, and functional investigations of quinoa bran. It suggests that chemically assisted electronic fractionation could be used to extract albumin from quinoa bran. Ultrasound-assisted extraction method is a very useful method for extracting phenolic acids, triterpene saponins, and flavonoids from quinoa bran. Based on in vitro and in vivo studies for biological activities, quinoa bran extract exhibits a wide range of beneficial properties, including anti-oxidant, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammation, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer functions. However, human experiments and action mechanisms need to investigate. Further exploring quinoa bran will promote its applications in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and poultry feed in the future.

Allelopathy is the main reason for disease control in intercropping systems. The effects of different extracts, root secretions and phenolic acids of wheat and faba bean on Fusarium oxysporum f. fabae (FOF) growth were studied to explore the allelopathy mechanism of wheat in disease control of faba bean. Various extracts and root exudate of faba bean were promoted but those of wheat inhibited the growth and reproduction of FOF. High-performance liquid chromatography revealed significant differences in the contents of phenolic acids in the various extracts and root exudate of wheat and faba bean. The total content of syringic acid (SA) was much higher, but that of other five phenolic acids were lower in wheat than in faba bean. The in vitro addition of these phenolic acids revealed that cinnamic acid (CA), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA), benzoic acid (BA), vanillic acid (VA) and ferulic acid (FA) exhibited significant promoting effects and SA exhibited strong inhibitory effects on the growth of FOF. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of various extracts and root exudates from wheat on FOF growth may be due to differences in phenolic acid content and high levels of SA.

Eriodictyon species, commonly known as yerba santa, are plants native to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The plants are known for their medicinal properties and have been used by indigenous people for centuries to treat various ailments, in particular, respiratory conditions. Despite a long history of traditional use, many of the species have never been fully chemically characterized, and the constituent range of the species has not been comprehensively reported. In an effort to establish a quality control and chemical characterization method, an extensive set of Eriodictyon species samples including E. californicum (n = 85), E. angustifolium (n = 8), E. trichocalyx (n = 5), E. crassifolium (n = 9), E. tomentosum (n = 2), E. traskiae (n = 1), and E. capitatum (n = 1) were investigated. Fourteen compounds comprised of flavonoids and phenolic acids were quantified utilizing an UHPLC/DAD method. The results from the method validation demonstrated excellent linearity (R 2 > 0.99) and sensitivity as evidenced by LOD (0.01-0.1 µg/mL) and LOQ (0.05-0.2 µg/mL). Likewise, the method was found to be precise (RSD < 2.78%) with recoveries between 88.9% and 103.2%. Furthermore, by using UHPLC/ESI/Q-ToF data and protonated, deprotonated, and adduct and fragment ions in positive and negative ion modes, we were able to identify 53 compounds in yerba santa plant samples. To the best of our knowledge, this work encapsulates the most comprehensive data set currently available for the chemical characterization and quantification of the primary constituents in Eriodictyon species. Additionally, results of this study also demonstrated the applicability of the developed method for quality assessment of raw material and commercial herbal products containing different Eriodictyon species., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The potential contribution of Arabic gum to wine astringency was discussed in this study. Two universally used Arabic gum (concentration of 0.2-1.2 g/L) were investigated in model wine based on the polyphenol fractions (phenolic acids, monomeric/oligomeric, and polymeric procyanidin) and protein interaction system. Both physicochemical analyses and sensory evaluation revealed that the modulation of Arabic gum on astringency was affected by the structural properties and concentration of Arabic gum and polyphenolic fractions. Arabic gum at 0.2 g/L appeared as the optimal dose to reduce astringency compared to 0.6 and 1.2 g/L. It inhibited astringency induced by polymeric procyanidin more than that of oligomeric procyanidins and phenolic acids mainly by forming soluble ternary complexes with polyphenols and proteins, and preferentially binding proteins/polyphenols to decrease polyphenol-protein reactions. Arabic gum also inhibited the self-aggregation of polyphenols, exhibiting more binding sites when its higher molecular weight and more/longer branches, leading to competition with polyphenols for bind proteins., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Antioxidant properties and phenolic acid content in the pulp of five pumpkin species were evaluated. The following species cultivated in Poland were included: Cucurbita maxima 'Bambino', Cucurbita pepo 'Kamo Kamo', Cucurbita moschata 'Butternut', Cucurbita ficifolia 'Chilacayote Squash', and Cucurbita argyrosperma 'Chinese Alphabet'. The content of polyphenolic compounds was determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with HPLC, while the total content of phenols and flavonoids and antioxidant properties were determined by spectrophotometric methods. Ten phenolic compounds (protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid, salicylic acid, kaempferol) were identified. Phenolic acids were the most abundant compounds; the amount of syringic acid was found to be the highest, ranging from 0.44 ( C. ficifolia ) to 6.61 mg∙100 g -1 FW ( C. moschata ). Moreover, two flavonoids were detected: catechin and kaempferol. They were found at their highest level of content in C. moschata pulp (catechins: 0.31 mg∙100 g -1 FW; kaempferol: 0.06 mg∙100 g -1 FW), with the lowest amount detected in C. ficifolia (catechins: 0.15 mg∙100 g -1 FW; kaempferol below the limit of detection). Analysis of antioxidant potential showed significant differences depending on the species and the test used. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of C. maxima was 1.03 times higher than C. ficiofilia pulp and 11.60 times higher than C. pepo . In the case of the FRAP assay, the multiplicity of FRAP radical activity in C. maxima pulp was 4.65 times higher than C. Pepo pulp and only 1.08 times higher compared to C. ficifolia pulp. The study findings show the high health-promoting value of pumpkin pulp; however, the content of phenolic acids and antioxidant properties are species dependent.

Guelder rose ( Viburnum opulus L.) is known for its health benefits. V. opulus contains phenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids), a group of plant metabolites with wide biological activities. They are good sources of natural antioxidants in human diets owing to their prevention of the oxidative damage responsible for many diseases. In recent years, observations have shown that an increase in temperature can change the quality of plant tissues. So far, little research has addressed the problem of the common impact of temperature and place of occurrence. Towards a better understanding of phenolics concentration that could indicate their potentials as therapeutic agents and towards predicting and controlling the quality of medicinal plants, the aim of this study was to compare phenolic acids and flavonoids content in the leaves of cultivation and wild collection V. opulus , and to examine the impacts of temperature and place of occurrence on their content and composition. Total phenolics were determined using the spectrophotometric method. Phenolic composition of V. opulus was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The following hydroxybenzoic acids there were identified: gallic, p-hydroxybenzoic, syringic, salicylic, benzoic, as well as hydroxycinnamic acids: chlorogenic, caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, o-coumaric and t-cinnamic. The analysis of extracts from V. opulus leaves has indicated the presence of the following flavonoids: flavanols: (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin; flavonols: quercetin, rutin, kaempferol, myricetin; and flavones: luteolin, apigenin and chrysin. The dominant phenolic acids were p-coumaric and gallic acids. The major flavonoids found in V. opulus leaves were myricetin and kaempferol. Temperature and plant location affected the concentration of tested phenolic compounds. The present study shows the potential of naturally grown and wild V. opulus for the human.

Ester-linked p-hydroxybenzoate occurs naturally in poplar lignin as pendent groups that can be released by mild alkaline hydrolysis. These 'clip-off' phenolics can be separated from biomass and upgraded into diverse high-value bioproducts. We introduced a bacterial chorismate pyruvate lyase gene into transgenic poplar trees with the aim of producing more p-hydroxybenzoate from chorismate, itself a metabolic precursor to lignin. By driving heterologous expression specifically in the plastids of cells undergoing secondary wall formation, this strategy achieved a 50% increase in cell-wall-bound p-hydroxybenzoate in mature wood and nearly 10 times more in developing xylem relative to control trees. Comparable amounts also remained as soluble p-hydroxybenzoate-containing xylem metabolites, pointing to even greater engineering potential. Mass spectrometry imaging showed that the elevated p-hydroxybenzoylation was largely restricted to the cell walls of fibres. Finally, transgenic lines outperformed control trees in assays of saccharification potential. This study highlights the biotech potential of cell-wall-bound phenolate esters and demonstrates the importance of substrate supply in lignin engineering., (© 2022 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The feasibility of using dwarf kiwi fruits ( Actinia arguta Miq.) as a healthy and sustainable food, compared to other types of commercial kiwi fruits, was evaluated in the present study. The overall antioxidant capacity of these fruits was assessed by either extraction-dependent methods (ABTS, ORAC) or the direct method called Quick, Easy, New, CHEap, Reproducible (QUENCHER) (DPPH, FRAP, Folin-Ciocalteu), applied for the first time to analyze kiwi fruits. With this methodology, all the molecules with antioxidant capacity are measured together in a single step, even those with high molecular weight or poor solubility in aqueous extraction systems, such as antioxidant dietary fiber. The effect of kiwi extracts on physiological and induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production on IEC-6 cells was also analyzed, as well as total phenolic content (TPC) by Fast Blue BB, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids, and hydroxybenzoic acids. A. arguta fruits showed the highest values in all the antioxidant assays, being remarkably higher than the other kiwi species for Q-FRAP and Q-DPPH. Dwarf kiwi showed the highest potential in reducing physiological ROS and the highest values of TPC (54.57 mgGAE/g), being hydroxybenzoic acids the main phenolic family found (2.40 mgGAE/g). Therefore, dwarf kiwi fruits are a natural source of antioxidants compared to conventional kiwi fruits, being a sustainable and healthy alternative to diversify fruits in the diet.

Bambara groundnut (BGN) is an underexploited crop with a rich nutrient content and is used in traditional medicine, but limited information is available on the quantitative characterization of its flavonoids and phenolic acids. We investigated the phenolic profile of whole seeds and cotyledons of five BGN varieties consumed in South Africa using UPLC-qTOF-MS and GC-MS. Twenty-six phenolic compounds were detected/quantified in whole seeds and twenty-four in cotyledon, with six unidentified compounds. Flavonoids include flavan-3-ol (catechin, catechin hexoside-A, catechin hexoside-B), flavonol (quercetin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, rutin, myricetin, kaempherol), hydroxybenzoic acid (4-Hydroxybenzoic, 2,6 Dimethoxybenzoic, protocatechuic, vanillic, syringic, syringaldehyde, gallic acids), hydroxycinnamic acid (trans-cinnamic, p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic acids) and lignan (medioresinol). The predominant flavonoids were catechin/derivatives, with the highest content (78.56 mg/g) found in brown BGN. Trans-cinnamic and ferulic acids were dominant phenolic acid. Cotyledons of brown and brown-eyed BGN (317.71 and 378.59 µg/g) had the highest trans-cinnamic acid content, while red seeds had the highest ferulic acid (314.76 µg/g) content. Colored BGN had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher content of these components. Whole BGN contained significantly (p < 0.05) higher amount of flavonoids and phenolic acids, except for the trans-cinnamic acid. The rich flavonoid and phenolic acid content of BGN seeds highlights the fact that it is a good source of dietary phenolics with potential health-promoting properties.

Lonicera japonica Thunb [...].

Quince ( Cydonia oblonga Mill.) is a potential source of polyphenolic compounds related with beneficial biological processes. In this study polyphenols from quince fruit were extracted with aqueous acetone at different ratios. A polyphenol profile was identified and quantified by LC-ESI-QqQ. The antioxidant capacity (ORAC and DPPH) and anti-inflammatory effect (inhibition of COX-2 cyclooxygenase) were evaluated in vitro. The results indicated an effect of the aqueous acetone ratio on the extraction of polyphenolic compounds. The higher extraction yields of polyphenolic compounds were attained with 60-75% aqueous acetone. However, extracts obtained with 85% aqueous acetone promoted higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Optimal scaling analysis indicated that hydroxycinnamic acids (quinic and chlorogenic), hydroxybenzoic acids (vanillic and syringic), flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol), dihydrochalcones (neohesperidin) and flavones (acacetin) are related to the antioxidant activity of quince. While phenolic acids, flavonols (kaempferol-3-O-glucoside and rutin) and flavanols (epicatechin) generated the anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting 52.3% of the COX-2 enzyme. Therefore, a selective extraction of phenolic mix can reduce oxidative stress or inflammatory processes. This suggests the use of quince as a natural source with significant nutraceutical potential.

Introduction: Silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) is one of the most valuable conifer wood species in Europe. Among the main opportunistic pathogens that cause root and butt rot on silver fir are Armillaria ostoyae and Heterobasidion abietinum. Due to the different enzymatic pools of these wood-decay fungi, different strategies in metabolizing the phenols were available., Objective: This work explores the changes in phenolic compounds during silver fir wood degradation., Methodology: Phenols were analyzed before and after fungus inoculation in silver fir macerated wood after 2, 4 and 6 months. All samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometer., Results: Thirteen compounds, including simple phenols, alkylphenyl alcohols, hydroxybenzoketones, hydroxycinnamaldehydes, hydroxybenzaldehydes, hydroxyphenylacetic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids and hydroxycoumarins, were detected. Pyrocatechol, coniferyl alcohol, acetovanillone, vanillin, benzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillic acid contents decreased during the degradation process. Methyl vanillate, ferulic acid and p-coumaric were initially produced and then degraded. Scopoletin was accumulated. Pyrocatechol, acetovanillone and methyl vanillate were found for the first time in both degrading and non-degrading wood of silver fir., Conclusions: Despite differences in the enzymatic pool, both fungi caused a significant decrease in the amounts of phenolic compounds with the accumulation of the only scopoletin. Principal component analysis revealed an initial differentiation between the degradation activity of the two fungal species during degradation, but similar phenolic contents at the end of wood degradation., (© 2021 The Authors. Phytochemical Analysis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Baru (Dipteryx alata) almond is an emerging nut from the Brazilian savannah, that presents unique flavor and an interesting specialty oil. In this study, we aimed at investigating the effects of pressure, temperature, type (alcohol and/or water), and concentration of polar cosolvent on the extraction yield and tocopherol contents of baru oil obtained by supercritical-CO 2 extraction (SC-CO 2 ); and to investigate the effect of temperature and pressure on phytosterol, phenolic, and volatile compounds' profile in the oil when H 2 O was the cosolvent. Baru oil extracted with SC-CO 2 using alcohol as a cosolvent showed a higher extraction yield (20.5-31.1%) than when using H 2 O (4.16-22.7%). However, when 0.3% H 2 O was used as cosolvent, baru oils presented the highest γ-tocopherol (107 and 43.7 mg/100 g) and total tocopherol (212 and 48.7 mg/100 g) contents, depending on the temperature and pressure used (50°C and 10 MPa or 70°C and 30 MPa, respectively). Consequently, the lowest pressure (10 MPa) and temperature (50°C) values resulted in baru oils with better γ/α-ratio, and the highest contents of β-sitosterol (107 mg/100 g) and phenolic compounds (166 mg/100 g). However, the highest pressure (30 MPa) and temperature (70°C) values improved the volatile profile of oils. Therefore, although alcohol as a cosolvent improved oil yield, small amounts of H 2 O provided a value-added baru oil with either high content of bioactive compounds or with a distinctive volatile profile by tuning temperature and pressure used during SC-CO 2 extraction.

Magnolia flower buds are a source of herbal medicines with various active compounds. In this study, differences in the distribution and abundance of major essential oils, phenolic acids, and primary metabolites between white flower buds of Magnolia heptapeta and violet flower buds of Magnolia denudata var. purpurascens were characterised. A multivariate analysis revealed clear separation between the white and violet flower buds with respect to primary and secondary metabolites closely related to metabolic systems. White flower buds contained large amounts of monoterpene hydrocarbons (MH), phenolic acids, aromatic amino acids, and monosaccharides, related to the production of isoprenes, as MH precursors, and the activity of MH synthase. However, concentrations of β-myrcene, a major MH compound, were higher in violet flower buds than in white flower buds, possibly due to higher threonine levels and low acidic conditions induced by comparatively low levels of some organic acids. Moreover, levels of stress-related metabolites, such as oxygenated monoterpenes, proline, and glutamic acid, were higher in violet flower buds than in white flower buds. Our results support the feasibility of metabolic profiling for the identification of phytochemical differences and improve our understanding of the correlated biological pathways for primary and secondary metabolites.

This paper evaluates the effect of must hyperoxygenation on final wine. Lower concentrations of caftaric acid (0.29 mg·L -1 ), coutaric acid (1.37 mg·L -1 ) and Catechin (0.86 mg·L -1 ) were observed in hyperoxygenated must in contrast to control must (caftaric acid 32.78 mg·L -1 , coutaric acid 5.01 mg·L -1 and Catechin 4.45 mg·L -1 ). In the final wine, hydroxybenzoic acids were found in higher concentrations in the control variant (gallic acid 2.58 mg·L -1 , protocatechuic acid 1.02 mg·L -1 , vanillic acid 2.05 mg·L -1 , syringic acid 2.10 mg·L -1 ) than in the hyperoxygenated variant (2.01 mg·L -1 , 0.86 mg·L -1 , 0.98 mg·L -1 and 1.50 mg·L -1 respectively). Higher concentrations of total flavanols (2 mg·L -1 in hyperoxygenated must and 21 mg·L -1 in control must; 7.5 mg·L -1 in hyperoxygenated wine and 19.8 mg·L -1 in control wine) and polyphenols (97 mg·L -1 in hyperoxygenated must and 249 mg·L -1 in control must; 171 mg·L -1 in hyperoxygenated wine and 240 mg·L -1 in control wine) were found in both the must and the control wine. A total of 24 volatiles were determined using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Statistical differences were achieved for isobutyl alcohol (26.33 mg·L -1 in control wine and 32.84 mg·L -1 in hyperoxygenated wine), or 1-propanol (7.28 mg·L -1 in control wine and 8.51 mg·L -1 in hyperoxygenated wine), while esters such as isoamyl acetate (1534.41 µg·L -1 in control wine and 698.67 µg·L -1 in hyperoxygenated wine), 1-hexyl acetate (136.32 µg·L -1 in control wine and 71.67 µg·L -1 in hyperoxygenated wine) and isobutyl acetate (73.88 µg·L -1 in control wine and 37.27 µg·L -1 in hyperoxygenated wine) had a statistically lower concentration.

The sensory features of white peony teas (WPTs) significantly change with storage age; however, their comprehensive associations with composition are still unclear. This study aimed to clarify the sensory quality-related chemical changes in WPTs during storage. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based on widely targeted metabolomics analysis was performed on WPTs of 1-13 years storage ages. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to correlate metabolites with sensory traits including color difference values and taste attributes. 323 sensory trait-related metabolites were obtained from six key modules via WGCNA, verified by multiple factor analysis. The decline and transformation of abundant flavonoids, tannins and amino acids were related to the reduced astringency, umami and increased browning of tea infusions. In contrast, the total contents of phenolic acids and organic acids increased with storage. This study provides a high-throughput method for the association of chemical compounds with various sensory traits of foods., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)