Search

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with anthocyanin extracted from black rice bran (AR) on the growth rate, immunological response, and expression of immune and antioxidant genes in Nile tilapia raised in an indoor biofloc system. A total of 300 Nile tilapia fingerlings (15.14 ± 0.032 g) were maintained in 150 L tanks and acclimatized for two weeks. Five experimental AR diets (0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 g kg

In this research, the pH differential method was explored for the first time using a mobile phone as a detector, replacing UV-Vis spectrophotometry. A smartphone digital image colorimetric (SDIC) system was developed for the determination of the total monomeric anthocyanin content in black rice grains using colour values. The change in colour of anthocyanin cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) at pH 1.0 and pH 4.5 was investigated and described through colour model systems (RGB and CIELAB). Under optimum conditions, the quantitative method based on the chroma difference, was able to quantify the total amount of monomeric anthocyanins with a linear correlation (R2 = 0.989) to that of UV-Vis spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (reference method). The SDIC system displayed good precision (≤1.88% RSD) and a low detection limit (2.2 ± 0.1 μg g-1). The validated results demonstrated that the developed method was a cost-effective alternative for the quantitation of anthocyanins. In addition, the effect of six mineral elements on black rice cultivation was investigated. The results showed that the addition of the Ca fertiliser resulted in black rice grains with an anthocyanin content 2-fold higher than that of the control with a significant difference (p < 0.05).

In this study, we aimed to explore bioactive volatile compounds in leaves of black rice which emphasized on phenolic compounds. Leaves of four black rice varieties including IR1552 and three Thai black glutinous rice varieties, Kam Huai Hong Khrai (KHHK), Kam Chiang Mai (KCM), and Kam Muang Nan (KMN) were extracted by acidic and basic aqueous solution. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of the volatile components in these black rice extracts revealed twelve simple phenols among fifty-five volatile compounds identified. 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol was detected as the most abundant volatile, especially, in the booting stage for KHHK followed by the tillering stage of the same variety. Its highest content was approximately 10-folds greater than that of vanillin at the booting stage. To the best of our knowledge, seven simple phenols were detected in black rice leaves for the first time, which included 4-vinylphenol, 2,6-dimethoxyphenol, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 2-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl)phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)phenol, 4-hydroxy-3,5- dimethoxy-benzaldehyde and 4-((1E)-3-hydroxy-1-propenyl)-2-methoxyphenol. 3-Hexen-1-ol was detected at the highest amount and was only identified in the dough-grain stage for KHHK, KCM and KMN. Two major aldehydes (2E)-2-hexenal and nonanal were detected in high quantities in KCM black rice variety in the dough-grain and mature-grain stage. Among the twelve fatty acids identified, (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid was detected at the highest amount, on average, followed by hexadecadienoic acid and octadecanoic acid. Therefore, it could be suggested that the leaves of black rice are rich in phenolic compounds and could be used to promote natural sources of food ingredients that are of great interest to the food industry.

A new form of Pandanus flavoring has been developed using the ionic gelation method. Among the four Pandanus species investigated by solid-phase microextraction (SPME)–gas chromatography–mass spect...

Anthocyanin-rich extracts derived from the bran of a select Thai black rice cultivar, Leum Pua, were encapsulated by spray drying. In this microencapsulation method, twelve wall materials comprising maltodextrin (M), gum arabic (G), whey protein isolate (W), and their combinations were employed. For comparison, an ionic gelation method was employed using alginate-whey protein isolate (AL-W) as a wall material. Thirteen microcapsules were analysed by scanning electron microscopy, and their encapsulation efficiencies were almost 100%, except for that of the W (83%). M (88%) and its combination with W exhibited the best anthocyanin retention, while pure W contained the highest amount of total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. An in vitro digestion study using simulated gastrointestinal fluids revealed the highest released total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the intestinal fluids when the microcapsule was spray-dried with pure W.

Initial drying techniques have direct impacts on the aromatic characteristics of Makwhaen (Zanthoxylum myriacanthum) fruit essential oil, the new source of natural scent for the fragrance industries. This research aims at investigating the aromatic profiles of hydro-distillated oils from the dried fruits that underwent following conventional drying techniques: sun drying, full-shade drying; and artificial heat drying techniques: oven drying (60 °C), microwave drying at 300 and 450 W (Mic300 and Mic450). The chemical profile of each essential oil was analysed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC MS) and their sensorial attributes were assessed by descriptive analysis. Microwave drying was suitable to dry the fruits based on Fick's model. The essential oils mainly contained chemical compounds representing citrus, woody and fruity characteristics (i.e., limonene, sabinene, α-pinene and β-phellandrene). Dried fruits of different drying techniques gave variations in the chemical profiles. Calculated Odour Activity Value (OAV) advised that the citrus scent was the most powerful when the raw material was dried using microwave at 450 W. The Principle Component Analysis (PCA) of the volatile compounds grouped shade drying and Mic300 into the same cluster. Terms pine, citrus, herb, spice, sweet and woody were selected for descriptive analysis. Essential oil from the fresh fruits illustrates low intensities of those attribute as compared with that of dried samples. The preference test from 40 random testers chose essential oil from shade drying and microwave drying methods as the most preferred types. Overall, microwave drying seems to be the ideal method for initial processing of raw material for the Makwhean essential oil.

Rice bran oil (RBO) comprises various nutrients and phytochemicals which exhibit several health benefits. There are no studies regarding the functional effects of different colours of RBO. This study was aimed to compare the constituents and antioxidant activities of white rice bran oil (WRBO) and coloured rice bran oil (CRBO). Each RBO showed similar free fatty acid profiles. However, greater amounts of vitamin E, phytosterols, carotenoids, and chlorophylls were found in CRBO, which had lower γ-oryzanol content than WRBO. Oxidative stress was induced in male mice by an overdose of acetaminophen (APAP) at 300 mg/kg body weight. The mice were then fed with RBO at the equivalent dose to 100 mg/kg body weight of γ-oryzanol three hours later and sacrificed six hours after APAP treatment. The administration of 100 mg γ-oryzanol equivalent in CRBO ameliorated APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in mice more strongly than 100 mg γ-oryzanol equivalent in WRBO, as evidenced by the significant reduction of serum ALT, hepatocellular necrosis, and hepatic lipid peroxidation. CRBO could improve xenobiotic-metabolizing and antioxidant enzyme activities, including glutathione S -transferase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, and also increase mRNA expression of various antioxidant-responsive genes. Vitamin E, phytosterols, carotenoids, and chlorophyll might be the protective compounds in CRBO that alleviate APAP-induced hepatotoxicity through the interruption of APAP metabolism and the activation of antioxidant systems at both transcriptional and enzymatic levels. These findings might provide a protective role of CRBO on oxidative stress associated with several degenerative diseases.

Rice bran contains a great amount of functional lipids and phytochemicals including γ-oryzanols, tocotrienols, and tocopherols. However, utilization of those compounds is limited and needs some proven guidelines for better implementation. We introduce some effective strategies for the utilization of rice functional lipids, including an introduction of pigmented rice varieties for better bioactive compounds, biofortification of rice tocotrienols, plasma technology for improving rice phytochemicals, supercritical CO2 extraction of high quality rice bran oil, and an example on the development of tocotrienol-fortified foods.

Harvesting makhwaen (Zanthoxylum myriacanthum Wall. ex Hook. f) fruits at the appropriate maturity is the key to ensure that the essential oil quality meets the need of consumers. In common practice, the fruits are usually harvested when their pericarps start to open and fruits are greenish-red in colour depending on the judgment of the farmers. This leads to inconsistencies in the essential oil quality. This research aims at characterising the aromatic profiles of makhwaen essential oil thereby for consumers to choose the quality that best fits their need and eventually identify the optimum harvesting index of the fruits. The effects of maturity states viz. 15, 36, 45 and 60 (MK15-60) days after fruiting on chemical and sensorial quality of the essential oil was evaluated. Fruit sizes ranged from ~3.3&ndash, 3.7 mm and fruits appeared to dry initially when they reached 45 days. Essential oils were extracted from these fruits after they had been oven dried (60 &deg, C) to the same moisture content, about 10%. The chemical profiles of the essential oil were different. L-limonene and sabinene were evaluated as key components for good quality essential oil and they were found to be higher in MK45 and MK60 (max = 139.04 &micro, g&middot, mL&minus, 1 and max = 146.27 respectively). NIR spectral patterns of pure extracted oil for every different harvesting time (of every different harvesting time of MK60 and MK36) were similar. Sensorial descriptive analysis by semi-trained panellists defined six terms for characteristics (woody, citrus, herb, sweet, pine and spice). The panels provided the highest rating score (15 numeric scale) of citrus and pine scents at MK45, while sweet and woody aromas were the highest at MK15. The spice scent was maximum when the fruits were harvested at 36 days after fruiting. From this study we suggest that the optimum harvesting index for the distinctive aroma of essential oil ought to be at late harvesting (45&ndash, 60 days after fruiting). The findings contribute to our understanding of the harvesting maturity, which can also provide significant benefit for the perfumery industry, i.e., the optimum harvesting stage that imparts the essential oil with highest quality.

Rice bran is a good source of nutrients that have large amounts of phytochemicals and antioxidants. Conventional rice bran oil production requires many processes that may deteriorate and degrade these valuable substances. Supercritical CO2 extraction is a green alternative method for producing rice bran oil. This work reviews production of rice bran oil by supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction. In addition, the usefulness and advantages of SC-CO2 extracted rice bran oil for edible oil and health purpose is also described.

This study investigated the accumulation characteristics of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) in the Thai Jasmine rice cultivar, Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML 105) under different soil types and addition of soil nutritional elements. There was significant variation in the 2AP contents of rice leaves, not only among different growth stages, but also among different leaf positions at each growth stage. The highest 2AP content was seen in the third leaves at booting stage (25.10±0.90 µg g-1), whilst for flag leaves it was seen at mature grain stage (8.00±0.72 µg g-1). During the ripening stage, plants in sandy soil acquired higher 2AP content in flag leaves, spikelets, and seeds than in clay soil, with the highest 2AP content in flag leaves at 25.00±0.70 µg g-1. The accumulation of 2AP in basal, middle, and upper branches of panicles showed no significant differences, whereas a steady decrease in 2AP content was detected in the panicle axis and branches. The effects of individual mineral elements (B, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mn, and Se) on 2AP content was different at each growth stage. B enhanced the 2AP content by more than two-fold in the leaves at the heading stage (63.84±4.56 µg g-1) compared to that of the control set, followed by Mn, Cu, and Se. Similar to the above results, the 2AP content was also heightened in grains. The extended knowledge gathered in this study will assist farmers who wish to improve the fragrance qualities of their rice varieties.

The changes in the bioactive phytochemicals of six cultivars of Thai germinated brown rice (GBR) were monitored in parallel to those of cold plasma-treated GBR (PGBR). After treatment with the optimal plasma conditions, the germination percentage, root length, and seedling height measurements of the most sensitive rice cultivar increased by 84%, 57%, and 69%, respectively. For all of the rice cultivars, there were no significant differences in the antioxidant activities of the GBRs and PGBRs. Conversely, higher contents of γ-oryzanols were observed in the PGBR group than in the GBR group during the 2-day germination period. Certain cultivars in the PGBR group reached their maximum values for total phenolic compounds, total vitamin E, certain simple phenolics, phytosterols, triterpenoids, and anthocyanins one day earlier than the same values for GBR. In contrast, the concentrations of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline in both the GBR and PGBR samples were reduced significantly with increased germination time.

In this study, a simultaneous analytical method of tocols, γ-oryzanols, phytosterols, squalene, cholecalciferol and phylloquinone were developed using HPLC-DAD-FLD. The developed method allowed the quantification of 18 compounds in 30 min. Method validation showed linearity of calibration curves (α = 0.05). RSD of intra-day, inter-day and inter-laboratory precision were less than 4.88%. The limit of detections (LODs) and limit of quantifications (LOQs) were low (0.009–2.166 μg g−1) with recoveries around 96.0–102.9%. Results derived from the established method demonstrated a wide variation of detected compounds in rice bran and vegetable oil samples (22.4–1774.6 μg g−1 tocols, ND–26484 μg g−1 γ-oryzanols, ND–12655 μg g−1 phytosterols, ND–3189 μg g−1 squalene, ND–105.3 μg g−1 cholecalciferol, and ND–54.4 μg g−1 phylloquinone). Thus, the developed HPLC-DAD-FLD method is a powerful analytical tool for the above mentioned compounds useful in food and pharmaceutical application.

Among the total of 146 volatiles extracted by SPME from the headspace of some black and white rice bran samples, twenty-eight terpenoid odorants were acculately identified. Most of these terpenoids possess good aroma character and are varied among three groups of Thai rice; black glutinous, black non-glutinous, and white non-glutinous. Of these three groups, black non-glutinous rice contains the greater number of these monoterpenoids. However, the content of the major terpenoid odorants, which are limonene, trans-β-ocimene, β-cymene, and linalool, is the highest in the bran of white Thai jasmine rice, Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML 105). An herbaceous odorant, myrcene, occurs in the bran of all black rice varieties but not in the bran of white rice. The flavor type of rice bran using these rice bran terpenoids was successfully classified using the chemometric principle component analysis method.

Rice bran is a good source of nutrients that have large amounts of phytochemicals and antioxidants. Conventional rice bran oil production requires many processes that may deteriorate and degrade these valuable substances. Supercritical CO

This is the first study to apply plasma technology for improving nutrition value of cereal products. Cold plasma, a mixture of oxygen and argon plasma, was applied to rice seeds before pre-germination process. Plasma condition of 10 watts, 5 seconds, and 5 millimeters distance and 10 watts, 5 seconds, and 8 millimeters distance created high germination rates of pre-germinated brown rice. The latter conditions gave the grains with longer roots and bodies. Plasma treatment could result in increasing contents of total phenolics and γ-aminobutyric acid. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed 13 identifiable compounds: simple phenolic compounds; pyrans; furan; quinone; and fatty acids, in which biosyntheses of these 13 compounds were likely to be promoted by the plasma processing. These findings suggest that plasma technology could provide better quality pre-germinated brown rice.

Because black rice is rich in antioxidants, appropriate methods of post-harvest treatment are necessary for maintaining these bioactive phytochemicals. Drying methods, storage temperatures, storage duration, and packaging methods affected the contents of some bioactive compounds in the two varieties of Thai black rice used in this research. Sun drying reduces the loss of anthocyanins and γ-oryzanols more than does hot air drying. Glutinous black rice stored as paddy at cool room temperature retains more anthocyanins, γ-oryzanols, and vitamin E than does paddy stored at room temperature. Nylon/LLDPE pouches containing N2 are the most suitable packaging for preserving the key aroma compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP), total phenolic, and anthocyanin contents of unpolished aromatic black rice. These pouches also retard the formation of some common off-flavor compounds.

Mulberry 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), a potent α-glucosidase inhibitor, suppresses postprandial blood glucose, thereby possibly preventing diabetes mellitus. At present, mulberry dry teas are commercially supplied as functional foods in many countries, but these products may not provide an effective dose (6 mg DNJ/60 kg human wt) due to their low DNJ content (about 100 mg/100 g of dry wt). Therefore, development of tea with higher DNJ content is desirable. To do this, we investigated distribution of DNJ content and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in 35 Thai mulberry varieties. DNJ content in young leaves varied among mulberry varieties from 30 to 170 mg/100 g of dry leaves. Varieties having highest DNJ content were Kam, Burirum 60 and Burirum 51. Leaf position affected DNJ content: shoots > young leaves > mature leaves. DNJ concentration and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity were highly correlated ( r = 0.84), suggesting that α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of mulberry leaves is mainly due to DNJ. Consequently, high DNJ content mulberry tea was produced from shoots of varieties such as Burirum 60, which contains 300 mg/100 g of dry wt. Tea-making conditions were optimized for highest DNJ extraction using response surface methodology. Approximate 95% of total DNJ in high DNJ content dry tea was extracted when temperature was maintained at 98 °C for 400 s; these conditions could be applicable for preparation of commercial products with high DNJ content. One cup (230 ml, a normal serving) of DNJ-enriched mulberry tea contained enough DNJ (6.5 mg) to effectively suppress postprandial blood glucose.

Recent evidences receiving interests in Japan support several beneficial effects of vitamin E, especially an unsaturated vitamin E, tocotrienols (T3), on inhibition of tumor development. The inhibitory effect of T3 is basically attributable to the antiangiogenic activity minimizing tumor growth and the regulation of growth factor-dependent signaling in endothelial cells. The findings suggest T3 as one of the most attractive compounds for cancer prevention present in foods such as rice bran, cereals, palm and green vegetables.

Recent studies have demonstrated that tocotrienol (T3) is superior to tocopherol (Toc) for cancer chemoprevention. However, there is little information on whether Toc influences the anticancer property of T3. In this study, we investigated the influence of Toc on the cytotoxic effects of delta-T3 in DLD-1 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. Toc, especially alpha-Toc, attenuated delta-T3-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in DLD-1 cells, whereas Toc alone did not exhibit any cytotoxic effect. delta-T3-induced cell cycle arrest and proapoptotic gene/protein expression (e.g., p21, p27, and caspases) were abrogated by alpha-Toc. Furthermore, coadministration of alpha-Toc decreased delta-T3 uptake into DLD-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that alpha-Toc is not only less cytotoxic to cancer cells, but it also reduces the cytotoxicity of delta-T3 by inhibiting its cellular uptake.

Mulberry 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ, a potent alpha-glycosidase inhibitor) has therapeutic potency against diabetes mellitus. However, the amount of DNJ in mulberry leaves is low (about 0.1%), and a more effective extraction method is needed. Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was applied in this study for mulberry DNJ extraction, and five factors, the percentage of ethanol in the extraction solvent (x(1)), ratio of the extraction solvent to mulberry sample (x(2)), ultrasonic power (x(3)), extraction temperature (x(4)) and extraction time (x(5)), were investigated by fractional factorial 2((5-1)) design (FFD) to obtain the optimum extraction efficiency (DNJ yield, Y(1)) and extraction productivity (total yield, Y(2)). The results showed that x(2), x(3) and x(5) had significant impact on Y(1) and Y(2), and were further optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). Under the optimized conditions (x(2), x(3) and x(5) of 7 ml/g, 180 W and 260 s, respectively), DNJ-enriched powder (0.8%) was produced with high extraction efficiency (98%) and productivity (20%), enabling this product to be used for nutraceutical purposes.

Based on the ratios of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and caffeine (CAF) levels found in commercial tea drinks, EGCG and CAF were co-administered to human volunteers at various EGCG/CAF ratios, and plasma EGCG was determined by high performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection. As for the results, in plasma taken after ingestion of a beverage containing 95 mg of EGCG alone, the area under the plasma EGCG concentration-time curve (AUC) was 857 ngxh/ml. A higher AUC (1,370 ngxh/ml) was observed when subjects ingested a beverage containing EGCG (95 mg) and a low amount of CAF (40 mg). In the case of ingestion of a beverage containing EGCG (95 mg) and a high amount of CAF (180 mg), the AUC tended to be somewhat higher (1,165 ngxh/ml), but not significantly so, compared with the beverage with EGCG alone. These findings (modulation of plasma EGCG level by CAF) provide ideas for modulating the bioavailability of tea catechins, which can be applied to tea-related drinks and foods.

Peroxidised phospholipid-mediated cytotoxity is involved in the pathophysiology of many diseases; for example, phospholipid hydroperoxides (PLOOH) are abnormally increased in erythrocytes of dementia patients. Dietary carotenoids (especially xanthophylls, polar carotenoids such as lutein) have gained attention as potent inhibitors against erythrocyte phospholipid hydroperoxidation, thereby making them plausible candidates for preventing diseases (i.e. dementia). To evaluate these points, we investigated whether orally administered lutein is distributed to human erythrocytes, and inhibits erythrocyte PLOOH formation. Six healthy subjects took one capsule of food-grade lutein (9·67 mg lutein per capsule) once per d for 4 weeks. Before and during the supplementation period, carotenoids and PLOOH in erythrocytes and plasma were determined by our developed HPLC technique. The administered lutein was incorporated into human erythrocytes, and erythrocyte PLOOH level decreased after the ingestion for 2 and 4 weeks. The antioxidative effect of lutein was confirmed on erythrocyte membranes, but not in plasma. These results suggest that lutein has the potential to act as an important antioxidant molecule in erythrocytes, and it thereby may contribute to the prevention of dementia. Therefore future biological and clinical studies will be required to evaluate the efficacy as well as safety of lutein in models of dementia with a realistic prospect of its use in human therapy.

As rice bran tocotrienol (T3) has been known to have a wide range of physiological functions (e.g., antiangiogenesis), we aimed at developing a T3-rich rice variety for nutraceutical purposes. T3 content in more than 250 kinds of rice bran samples were investigated, and Milyang23 was found as the best variety rich in T3. The variety was therefore chosen for cross-fertilization with Koshihikari. Among obtained F(2) progenies, some of them became improved in T3 content (up to 2-fold of reference Koshihikari). QTL analysis of the F(2) progenies revealed five putative loci corresponding to T3 biosynthesis, in which the main loci were located near a marker RM3827 on chromosome 6. The results show that cross-breeding is effective in improving rice bran T3 and provides more genetic understanding on T3 biosynthesis in rice plants.

Several lines of evidence support the beneficial effect of tocotrienol (T3; an unsaturated vitamin E) on inhibition of tumor development. Many factors, including decrease in oxidative stress and modulation of cell signaling pathways in tumor and endothelial cells, have been implicated in such anticancer action of T3, while the in vivo potency and exact intracellular mechanisms for the anticancer properties of T3 remain not fully understood. We have hypothesized that the inhibitory effect of T3 on cancer may be attributable to the antiangiogenic activity of T3, and we found that T3 acts as a potent regulator of growth-factor-dependent signaling in endothelial cells and as an antiangiogenic agent minimizing tumor growth. In this work, we review the history and biological action (i.e., anticancer) of vitamin E and describe current research on the antiangiogenic effects of T3 and its mechanisms.

Tocotrienol (T3) is an unsaturated vitamin E having health benefits (e.g., anti-angiogenesis). We measured T3 in commercial eggs, and developed T3-fortified eggs by adding rice bran scum oil (RBO, containing 1.3% T3) to the feed. Commercial eggs contained about 0.11 mg of T3/egg, while the T3 content was improved to 0.62 mg/egg after RBO supplementation to the feed of hens for 7 d.

Tocotrienol (T3), unsaturated vitamin E, has recently gained considerable attention as a potent antiangiogenic agent minimizing tumor growth, the exact intracellular mechanisms of which remain poorly understood. Because hypoxiainducible factor-1a (HIF-1a), its downstream target vascularendothelial growthfactor (VEGF), and other angiogenicfactors such as interleukin-8 (IL-8) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) play critical roles in neovascularization, we tested the hypothesis that the inhibitory effect of T3 on tumor angiogenesis is via regulation of these angiogenic factors. We used 2 cancer cell lines, human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (DLD-1) and human hepatoma cells (HepG2). T3 isomers (2 mmol/L) inhibited hypoxia-induced VEGF secretion from DLD-1, with d-T3 showing potent inhibition. d-T3 suppressed hypoxia-induced VEGF and IL-8 expression in DLD-1 at both mRNA and protein levels, and we found the inhibitory mechanism of d-T3 by reducing HIF-1a protein expression or increasing HIF-1a degradation. Also, d-T3 (2 mmol/L) did not affect hypoxia-induced COX-2 mRNA expression; however, d-T3 tended to suppress (P ¼ 0.044) hypoxia-induced COX-2 protein expression, implying a possible post-transcriptional mechanism by d-T3. Overall, our results confirmed that T3 has an inhibitory effect on angiogenic factor secretion from cancer cells and revealed the possible mechanisms, providing new information about the antiangiogenic effects of T3. J. Nutr. 138: 2136‐2142, 2008.

Anti-angiogenic therapy mediated by drugs and food components is an established strategy for cancer prevention. Our previous cell-culture studies identified a food-derived anti-angiogenic compound, tocotrienol (T3, an unsaturated vitamin E), as a potential angiogenic inhibitor. Among T3 isomers, delta-T3 is considered as the most potent compound. The purpose of this study was therefore to evaluate the inhibitory effect of delta-T3 on tumor angiogenesis. As growth factors (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor and fibroblast growth factor) play critical roles in tumor angiogenesis, a conditioned medium rich in these growth factors from human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (DLD-1-CM) was used as an angiogenic stimulus. Delta-T3 (2.5-5 microM) significantly suppressed DLD-1-CM-induced tube formation, migration, and adhesion on human umbilical vein endothelial cells. These effects were partly associated with reactive oxygen species generation by delta-T3. Western blot analysis revealed that the anti-angiogenic effect of delta-T3 is attributable to regulation of growth factor-dependent phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase (PDK)/Akt signaling as well as to induction stress response in endothelial cells. Moreover, we conducted an in vivo mouse Matrigel plug angiogenesis assay, and found that delta-T3 (10-20 microg) exhibits dose-dependent inhibition of DLD-1-induced vessel formation. These results suggest that T3 has potential use as a therapeutic dietary supplement for minimizing tumor angiogenesis.

In 1922, tocopherol (Toc) was discovered in green leafy vegetables as a micronutrient essential for reproduction [1]. More than 40 years later, tocotrienol (T3) was isolated from latex [2]. Structurally, these two vitamin E differ only in their side chains (Fig. 21.1). Toc has a saturated phytyl side chain, while T3 contains an unsaturated isoprenoid tail. To date, eight substances have been found in nature as vitamin E: α-, β-, γ-, and δ-Toc and α-, β-, γ-, and δ-T3. Vitamin E is synthesized in plastids of plants, and Toc is widely present in a variety of foods such as vegetable oils and nuts. However, T3-containing foods are limited. Rice bran, palm oil, and annatto seeds are rich in T3 [3].

Mulberry 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), a potent α-glycosidase inhibitor, has therapeutic potency in the suppression of postprandial blood glucose levels thereby possibly preventing diabetes mellitus. However, DNJ has a relatively short half-life in vivo (about 2 h). Therefore, several doses of mulberry DNJ are required to achieve optimal therapeutic results. This study aimed to delay the release of mulberry DNJ with biodegradable matrices to maintain the intestinal DNJ concentration and prolong the hypoglycaemic effect in vivo. A novel, simple, and commercially viable method was adopted to develop DNJ-entrapped microspheres (DNJ-MSs). A higher extent of crosslinking and the larger sized DNJ-MS decreased the rate of mulberry DNJ release in vitro. Consequently, an in vivo study was performed in Wistar rats over a 6 h period. The area under curve (AUC) of rats with DNJ-MS was significantly increased, compared to animals dosed with mulberry powder (control). DNJ-MS suppressed postprandial glucose from sucrose administration at the initial and 3 h time points indicating a prolonged hypoglycaemic effect.

Background Phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) is a primary oxidation product of PC, and is markedly accumulated in blood plasma and arterial walls in atherosclerotic animals and humans. The role of PCOOH in the induction of angiogenesis is unknown. Methods In this study, we investigated whether PCOOH stimulated angiogenic responses (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation, and angiogenesis-related gene/protein expression) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and in an ex vivo rat aorta model. Results VEGF induced proliferation, migration, and tube formation of HUVEC, and these angiogenic responses were all enhanced by PCOOH but not by native (nonoxidized) PC. The angiogenic effects of PCOOH are considered to be mediated via generation of reactive oxygen species and activation of both PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways. The angiogenic activities of PCOOH were also confirmed by the rat aortic ring assay. Conclusions These results indicate that PCOOH can elicit several angiogenic responses. General significance The present study implies an important role of PCOOH in atherosclerosis progression and plaque instability.

It has been demonstrated in vivo that lipid glycation products such as Amadori-glycated phosphatidylethanolamine (Amadori-PE) accumulate in the plasma of diabetic humans and animals, but how lipid glycation products are formed under hyperglycemic conditions are not clear. We sought to clarify the occurrence of lipid glycation and its relationships with lipid peroxidation and protein glycation during the development of hyperglycemia using the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model. A significant increase in Amadori-PE was observed in STZ rats 7 days after STZ treatment, and Amadori-PE (especially 18:0-20:4 Amadori-PE) was found at high levels in the blood and in organs that are strongly affected by diabetes, such as the kidney. Significant changes in Amadori-PE appeared to occur prior to changes in levels of oxidized lipids, which increased after 21-28 days. In addition, accumulation of Ne-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), a protein glycation product, proceeded somewhat more slowly and moderately than that of Amadori-PE, suggesting that Amadori-PE and CML are early and advanced glycation products, respectively. Our results suggest that Amadori-PE may be a useful predictive marker for hyperglycemia, particularly in the early stages of diabetes. Similar speculations have been made from previous human studies, but this study provides a direct evidence to support the speculations in rat study.

Squalene hydroperoxide (SQ-OOH), the primary peroxidation product of squalene (SQ), accumulates at the surface of sunlight-exposed human skin. There are however only a few studies on the pathogenic actions (i.e., inflammatory stimuli) of SQ-OOH. Here, we evaluated whether SQ-OOH induced inflammatory responses in immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT). We found that SQ-OOH caused an increase in the expression of inflammatory genes such as the interleukins as well as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). In concordance with the upregulation of COX-2 mRNA, SQ-OOH enhanced reactive oxygen species generation, nuclear factor kappa B activation, COX-2 protein expression, and prostaglandin E2 production. Therefore, the pro-inflammatory effects of SQ-OOH may be mediated in part via COX-2. On the other hand, gamma-tocotrienol (gamma-T3, an unsaturated form of vitamin E) was found to ameliorate the SQ-OOH actions. These results suggest that SQ-OOH induces inflammatory responses in HaCaT, implying that SQ-OOH plays an important role in inflammatory skin disorders. As a preventive strategy, inflammation could be reduced via the use of gamma-T3.

Tocotrienol (T3) is an unsaturated form of natural vitamin E that has been focused on because of its potential health benefits (i.e., antioxidative, antihypercholesterolemic, and antiangiogenic effects). The presence of T3 in some plant sources (e.g., rice bran and palm oil) is known, but its distribution in other edible sources and its daily intake remain unclear. In this study, we aimed at clarifying the distribution of T3 in various food sources and estimating the daily T3 intake of Japanese population. T3 contents of 242 food items and 64 meal items were measured by using normal-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection. As for the results, T3 contents were nondetectable to 12 mg T3/kg wet wt of food items, and nondetectable to 1.3 mg T3/item of processed (cooked) meal. Accordingly, the daily intake of T3 was estimated as 1.9-2.1 mg T3/day/person. The estimated daily intake of T3 appears rather low compared with the intake of tocopherol (8-10 mg/day/person as reported in the Japanese National Nutrition Survey), and additional T3 is important for its therapeutic aspects.

Recently, tocotrienol (T3), a less well-known form of vitamin E, has gained considerable attention as a potent antiangiogenic agent. However, the majority of vitamin E research has focused on tocopherol (Toc), with some studies indicating alpha-Toc may prevent tumor angiogenesis. In this study, we aimed to clarify the differences in antiangiogenic potential between delta-T3 and alpha-Toc. We showed delta-T3 (2.5-5 microM) completely abolished proliferation, migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), whereas a similar dose of alpha-Toc had no such effects. delta-T3 suppressed VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) signaling, and activated caspases in HUVECs. In addition, via an in vivo mouse Matrigel plug angiogenesis assay, we found that delta-T3 (30 microg), but not alpha-Toc, inhibited tumor cell-induced vessel formation. In summary, our results demonstrate delta-T3 has superior antiangiogenic activities to alpha-Toc, and provide insights into the different mechanisms responsible for this effect of T3 and Toc.

Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation induces skin damage and inflammation. One way to reduce the inflammation is via the use of molecules termed photochemopreventive agents . Sulforaphane (4-methylsulfinylbutyl isothiocyanate, SF), which is found in cruciferous vegetables, is known for its potent physiological properties. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of SF on skin inflammation in vitro and in vivo . In in vitro study using immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT), UVB caused marked inflammatory responses [i.e., decrease of HaCaT viability and increase of production of an inflammatory marker interleukin-6 (IL-6)]. SF recovered the cell proliferation and suppressed the IL-6 production. These anti-inflammatory effects of SF were explained by its ability to reduce UVB-induced inflammatory gene expressions [IL-6, IL-1β and cyclooxgenase-2 (COX-2)]. Because SF seems to have an impact on COX-2 expression, we focused on COX-2 and found that SF reduced UVB-induced COX-2 protein expression. In support of this, PGE 2 released from HaCaT was suppressed by SF. Western blot analysis revealed that SF inhibited p38, ERK and SAPK/JNK activation, indicating that the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) by SF would attenuate the expression of inflammatory mediators (e.g., COX-2), thereby reducing inflammatory responses. Moreover, we conducted skin thickening assay using HR-1 hairless mice and found that UVB-induced skin thickness, COX-2 protein expression and hyperplasia were all suppressed by feeding SF to the mice. These results suggest that SF has a potential use as a compound for protection against UVB-induced skin inflammation.