The antioxidant activities of crude methanolic extract (CME) and its fractions using ethyl acetate (EAF), hexane (HF) and water (WF) of black cumin seedcake were investigated. DPPH radical scavenging ...activity, β-carotene–linoleate bleaching, and inhibition of corn oil oxidation were used to evaluate the antioxidant capacity. The total phenolics were found to be 78.8, 27.8, 32.1 and 12.1
mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g in EAF, CME, WF and HF, respectively. The CME and EAF exhibited the highest DPPH followed by WF and HF. The extract/fractions showed high effect on reducing the oxidation of β-carotene. The effect of extract/fractions on the oxidative stability of corn oil at 70
°C was tested in the dark and compared with butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). The oil peroxide and anisidine values were generally lower with addition of PRFs in comparison to a control. The predominant phenolic compounds identified by HPLC–DAD in CME and WF of black cumin seedcake were hydroxybenzoic, syringic and
p-cumaric acids.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The objectives of this study were to determine phenolic content and antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts from different parts of cantaloupe (leaf, stem, skin, seed and flesh). The flesh ...extract afforded the highest yield (89.6
±
0.3%) whilst the lowest yield was obtained from the seed (13.7
±
0.5%) (
p
<
0.05). The leaf extract showed the highest total phenolic content (26.4
±
0.3
mg GAE/g extract) and total flavonoid content (69.7
±
3.37
μg RE/g extract) accompanied with best antioxidant activity through all antioxidant assays (
p
<
0.05). In addition, the stem extract also exhibited good antioxidant activity. Thus, these results suggest that methanolic extracts of cantaloupe leaf and stem may serve as a potential source of natural antioxidant for food and nutraceutical application.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
This study aimed to isolate, identify, and evaluate the probiotic properties of
species from honey of the stingless bee
.
spp. were isolated from five different
meliponicultures, and the isolates ...were characterized through Gram-staining and a catalase test. Tolerance to acidic conditions and bile salt (0.3%), hydrophobicity, and autoaggregation tests were performed to assess the probiotic properties of the selected isolates,
HTI-19 and
HTI-23. Both
isolates exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and possessed significantly high survival rates in 0.3% bile solution for 3 h. Their survival rates in acidic conditions were also comparable to a commercial probiotic strain,
GG. Interestingly, the hydrophobicity and autoaggregation percentage showed no significant difference from
GG, a commercial probiotic strain. The results from this study suggest that
HTI-19 and
HTI-23 isolated from stingless bee honey have considerably good probiotic properties. Therefore, more studies should be done to investigate the effects of these bacteria cultures on gastrointestinal health.
Policosanol, a mixture of long-chain alcohols found in animal and plant waxes, has several biological effects including lipid-lowering that have been extensively studied. However, its bioavailability ...is low. To investigate the effect of nanoemulsified rice bran wax policosanol (NPOL) on plasma homocysteine, heart and liver histology in hyperlipidemic rats, high-fat diet containing 2.5% cholesterol was used to induce hyperlipidemia in Sprague Dawley rats. The hyperlipidemic rats were treated with NPOL and rice bran wax policosanol (POL) in comparison with normal diet (ND), high-cholesterol diet (HCD) and simvastatin-treated rats. Plasma homocysteine, heart and liver histology, and hepatic mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) were evaluated. The NPOL group, similar to the simvastatin group, showed reduced plasma homocysteine, preserved heart and liver histology, and down-regulated hepatic PPARG mRNA in comparison to the control group, and was better than the POL group. The results suggest that the modest effect of NPOL on homocysteine and preservation of heart and liver histology could be through the regulation of PPARG expression on a background of increased assimilation of rice bran wax policosanol.
Background
Clinacanthus nutans
Lindau is a well-known plant, native to tropical Asian countries. Reports on this plant that is rich in phenolic compounds have focused on its therapeutic ...anti-inflammatory, anti-herpes simplex, antioxidant, and anti-cancer characteristics. In this paper, the influence of the extraction parameters—temperatures (60–80 °C), times (80–120 min), and solvent ratios (70:30–90:10) of water:ethanol were investigated using response surface methodology in order to determine the optimum extraction conditions that could produce maximum extraction yields of the phenolic compounds and the highest anti-radical activity of the
C. nutans
extract.
Results
The optimum conditions suggested by the predicted model were: an extraction temperature of 60 °C, an extraction time of 120 min and a water:ethanol solvent ratio of 90:10 v/v%. The residual standard error of 0.2% indicated that there was no significant difference between the actual and predicted values and it proved that the models were adequate to predict the relevant responses. All the independent variables had a significant effect (
p
< 0.05) on all the responses which indicated that all extraction parameters employed in this study were important in the optimization process. The R
2
values for three responses, extraction yields, DPPH radical scavenging activity and TPC were 0.9999, 0.9999 and 0.9983 respectively, suggesting that the quadratic polynomial models developed were satisfactorily accurate to be used in analyzing the interactions of the parameters (response and independent variables).
Conclusion
This study could be useful in the development of cosmeceutical products containing extracts of
C. nutans
.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Dillenia suffruticosa, which is locally known as Simpoh air, has been traditionally used to treat cancerous growth. The ethyl acetate extract of D. suffruticosa (EADs) has been shown to induce ...apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells in our previous study. The present study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in EADs-induced apoptosis and to identify the major compounds in the extract. EADs was found to promote oxidative stress in MCF-7 cells that led to cell death because the pre-treatment with antioxidants α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid significantly reduced the cytotoxicity of the extract (P<0.05). DCFH-DA assay revealed that treatment with EADs attenuated the generation of intracellular ROS. Apoptosis induced by EADs was not inhibited by the use of caspase-inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, suggesting that the cell death is caspase-independent. The use of JC-1 dye reflected that EADs caused disruption in the mitochondrial membrane potential. The related molecular pathways involved in EADs-induced apoptosis were determined by GeXP multiplex system and Western blot analysis. EADs is postulated to induce cell cycle arrest that is p53- and p21-dependent based on the upregulated expression of p53 and p21 (P<0.05). The expression of Bax was upregulated with downregulation of Bcl-2 following treatment with EADs. The elevated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential suggest that EADs-induced apoptosis is mitochondria-dependent. The expression of oxidative stress-related AKT, p-AKT, ERK, and p-ERK was downregulated with upregulation of JNK and p-JNK. The data indicate that induction of oxidative-stress related apoptosis by EADs was mediated by inhibition of AKT and ERK, and activation of JNK. The isolation of compounds in EADs was carried out using column chromatography and elucidated using the nuclear resonance magnetic analysis producing a total of six compounds including 3-epimaslinic acid, kaempferol, kaempferide, protocatechuic acid, gallic acid and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. The cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds was determined using MTT assay. Gallic acid was found to be most cytotoxic against MCF-7 cell line compared to others, with IC50 of 36 ± 1.7 μg/mL (P<0.05). In summary, EADs generated oxidative stress, induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells by regulating numerous genes and proteins that are involved in the apoptotic signal transduction pathway. Therefore, EADs has the potential to be developed as an anti-cancer agent against breast cancer.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
There are reports of improved redox outcomes due to consumption of Edible Bird's Nest (EBN). Many of the functional effects of EBN can be linked to its high amounts of antioxidants. Interestingly, ...dietary components with high antioxidants have shown promise in the prevention of aging and its related diseases like Alzheimer's disease. In this study, the antioxidative potentials of EBN and its constituents, lactoferrin (LF) and ovotransferrin (OVF), were determined and protective effects against hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
)- induced toxicity on SH-SY5Y cells using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and acridine orange and propidium iodide (AO/PI) staining with microscopy were examined. Results showed that EBN and its constituents attenuated H
2
O
2
-induced cytotoxicity, and decreased radical oxygen species (ROS) through increased scavenging activity. Furthermore, LF, OVF, and EBN produced transcriptional changes in antioxidant related genes that tended towards neuroprotection as compared to H
2
O
2
-treated group. Overall, the results suggest that LF and OVF may produce synergistic or all-or-none antioxidative effects in EBN.
The Edible Bird's Nest-induced neuroprotection activity was possibly related to its ability of antioxidant system as well as through activation of SOD1/SOD2/PARP1 transcriptional genes
Policosanol, a mixture of long-chain alcohols found in animal and plant waxes, has several biological effects; however, it has a bioavailability of less than 10%. Therefore, there is a need to ...improve its bioavailability, and one of the ways of doing this is by nanoemulsion formulation. Different droplet size distributions are usually achieved when emulsions are formed, which solely depends on the preparation method used. Mostly, emulsions are intended for better delivery with maintenance of the characteristics and properties of the leading components. In this study, policosanol was extracted from rice bran wax, its composition was determined by gas chromatography mass spectrophotometry, nanoemulsion was made, and the physical stability characteristics were determined. The results showed that policosanol nanoemulsion has a nanosize particle distribution below 100 nm (92.56-94.52 nm), with optimum charge distribution (-55.8 to -45.12 mV), pH (6.79-6.92) and refractive index (1.50); these were monitored and found to be stable for 8 weeks. The stability of policosanol nanoemulsion confers the potential to withstand long storage times.
The present study was aimed at utilizing defatted rice bran (DRB) protein as an iron-binding peptide to enhance iron uptake in humans. DRB samples were treated with Alcalase and Flavourzyme, and the ...total extractable peptides were determined. Furthermore, the iron-binding capacities of the DRB protein hydrolysates were determined, whereas iron bioavailability studies were conducted using an in vitro digestion and absorption model (Caco-2 cells). The results showed that the DRB protein hydrolysates produced by combined Alcalase and Flavourzyme hydrolysis had the best iron-binding capacity (83%) after 90 min of hydrolysis. The optimal hydrolysis time to produce the best iron-uptake in Caco-2 cells was found to be 180 min. The results suggested that DRB protein hydrolysates have potent iron-binding capacities and may enhance the bioavailability of iron, hence their suitability for use as iron-fortified supplements.
Full text
Available for:
IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder with established, well-defined precursors. Obesity and insulin resistance are amongst most important factors in predisposition to diabetes. Rice is a staple ...for about half the global population and its consumption has been strongly linked with diabetogenesis. We assert that tackling the prevalence of predisposing factors by modifying certain rice cultivars could reduce the global burden of obesity and insulin resistance, and by extension type 2 diabetes. Several rice cultivars with various properties were fed to nulliparous rats (five weeks old at the start of the experiment) for 90 days. They were then returned to a diet of standard pellets and mated with males raised on a standard diet. The resulting pups and dams were investigated for obesity and insulin resistance markers. We found that germination did more to reduce predisposition to obesity and insulin resistance than high amylose content. The combined reducing effect of germination and high amylose content on predisposition to obesity and insulin resistance was greater than the sum of their independent effects. Polished (white) rice with a low amylose content predisposed dams on a high-fat diet to markers of insulin resistance and obesity and this predisposition was inherited (in biochemical terms) by their F1 offspring. Overall, the results suggest that harnessing the beneficial properties of germination and amylose in rice would reduce the burden of obesity and insulin resistance, which are known to be key risk factors for development of type 2 diabetes.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
PDF
