This work reports the antioxidant activity of peptides produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of crude egg white with pepsin. Four peptides included in the protein sequence of ovalbumin possessed radical ...scavenging activity higher than that of Trolox. The hydrolysate of egg white with pepsin for 3 h was previously found to exhibit a strong angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity in vitro. The combined antioxidant and ACE inhibition properties make it a very useful multifunctional preparation for the control of cardiovascular diseases, particularly hypertension. No correlation was found between antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activities. However, the peptide Tyr-Ala-Glu-Glu-Arg-Tyr-Pro-Ile-Leu, which was a strong ACE inhibitor (50% inhibitory concentration, 4.7 micromolar) also exhibited a high radical scavenging activity (oxygen radical absorbance capacity-fluorescein value, 3.8 micromol of Trolox equivalent per micromol of peptide) and delayed the low-density lipoprotein lipid oxidation induced by Cu2+ at a concentration of 0.16 mg/mg of low-density lipoprotein. Present results support that antioxidant peptides and amino acids not only act individually, but also cooperatively and synergistically.
Almond (Prunus dulcisMill. D.A. Webb) skins have been proposed as a source of bioactive polyphenols. In this article, the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of almond skins obtained from ...different processes (blanching freeze-drying, blanching + drying, and roasting) were studied. A total of 31 phenolic compounds corresponding to flavan-3-ols (33% to 56% of the total of phenolic compounds identified), flavonol glycosides (9% to 36%), hydroxybenzoic acids and aldehydes (6% to 26%), flavonol aglycones (1.7% to 18%), flavanone glycosides (3% to 7.7%), flavanone aglycones (0.69% to 5.4%), hydroxycinnamic acids (0.65% to 2.6%), and dihydroflavonol aglycones (0% to 2.8%) were determined in the skins from 3 different varieties of almonds. The total contents of phenolic compounds identified were significantly (P < 0.05) higher (around 2-fold) in the roasted samples than in the blanched almonds (freeze-dried). Industrial drying (oven drying) of the blanched almond skins produced an increase (< 2-fold) in the contents of phenolic compounds, although the results were only statistically significant (P < 0.05) for some samples. The antioxidant activity (ORAC values) was higher for the roasted samples (0.803 to 1.08 mmol Trolox/g), followed by the samples subjected to blanching + drying (0.398 to 0.575 mmol Trolox/g) and then the blanched (freeze-dried) samples (0.331 to 0.451 mmol Trolox/g). Roasting is the most suitable type of industrial processing of almonds to obtain almond skin extracts with the greatest antioxidant capacity.
This study investigated the sensitization pattern of crustacean‐allergic patients according to tolerance to molluscs. Thirty‐one patients with anaphylaxis to crustaceans (14 with mollusc allergy and ...17 with mollusc tolerance) were studied using skin prick tests (SPTs), specific IgEs (sIgEs) and SDS‐PAGE immunoblotting. IgE‐reactive shrimp proteins were identified by proteomic analyses. Patients with mollusc allergy presented more frequently SPTs positive to molluscs and higher sIgE titres in response to both molluscs and crustaceans. Shrimp‐sIgE and rPen a1‐sIgE values of 1.57 kUA/l and 4.38 kUA/l, respectively, showed positive likelihood ratios of 4.3 and 10.9 for the identification of mollusc allergy. Patients with mollusc allergy reacted more frequently to tropomyosin in immunoblots than did patients without it (93% vs 35%, respectively, P = 0.004). Reactivity to proteins other than tropomyosin (n = 14) was not different between the two groups. Among patients with crustacean anaphylaxis, patients with mollusc allergy and mollusc tolerance show a different pattern of sensitization, something that may help identify them.
Diaz-Palacios et al discuss the case of a 43-year-old male farmer who developed recurrent episodes of rhinoconjunctivitis, bronchospasm, and eyelid edema after pulling out weeds in his orange fields. ...The patient had never experienced food allergy symptoms until he developed urticaria, angioedema, and dyspnea after ingesting passion fruit. Samples of the weed were identified as Araujia sericifera. Skin prick tests with A. sericifera extracts were positive, as well as commercial tests with latex and related foods. The patient had negative specific IgE levels to latex but positive levels to purified extracts of its molecular components. Immunoblot and inhibition assays revealed crossreactivity between latex allergens and A. sericifera proteins. The primary sensitization to A. sericifera chitinases may have predisposed the patient to an allergic reaction to passion fruit. This case highlights the importance of considering crossreactivity between aeroallergens and food allergens in the diagnosis and management of allergies.
The colonic microbiota plays an important role in the bioavailibility of dietary polyphenols. This work has evaluated the impact on the gut microbiota of long-term feeding with both a red wine ...polyphenolic extract and the flavan-3-ol metabolizer strain Lactobacillus plantarum IFPL935. The study was conducted in the dynamic Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME). The feeding of the gut microbiota model with red wine polyphenols caused an initial decrease in the counts of total bacteria in the ascending colon (AC), with Bacteroides, Clostridium coccoides/Eubacterium rectale and Bifidobacterium being the most affected bacterial groups. The bacterial counts recovered to initial numbers faster than the overall microbial fermentation and proteolysis, which seemed to be longer affected by polyphenols. Addition of L. plantarum IFPL935 helped to promptly recover total counts, Lactobacillus and Enterobacteriaceae and led to an increase in lactic acid formation in the AC vessel at the start of the polyphenol treatment as well as butyric acid in the transverse (TC) and descending (DC) vessels after 5 days. Moreover, L. plantarum IFPL935 favoured the conversion in the DC vessel of monomeric flavan-3-ols and their intermediate metabolites into phenylpropionic acids and in particular 3-(3′-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid. The results open the possibilities of using L. plantarum IFPL935 as a food ingredient for helping individuals showing a low polyphenol-fermenting metabotype to increase their colonic microbial capacities of metabolizing dietary polyphenols.
Cassia angustifolia, or senna, is a plant belonging to the Fabaceae family, widely used as a laxative and as a colouring agent in hair dyes. Senna is rarely reported as an occupational allergic ...sensitizer in the current literature.
To describe the case and diagnostic approach of a suspected occupational senna allergy.
A male phytopharmaceutical warehouse worker reported bronchial, conjunctival and nasal symptoms immediately upon exposure to senna. We were able to document in vitro sensitization, finding IgE-binding proteins in senna, and in vivo sensitization through positive skin tests and conjunctival provocation test.
Our study confirms that senna may cause occupational rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms with an IgE-dependent mechanism and is the first to confirm it through specific conjunctival provocation test.
Olive is widely consumed as a food and used as raw material to obtain olive oil. Despite its widespread intake, cases of allergy to olive have seldom been reported. The olive allergens identified to ...date include the thaumatin-like protein Ole e 13, which is responsible for occupational allergy in olive oil mill workers. The presence of 7S globulins (vicilins) has also been identified in olive seeds at both the transcriptomic and the biochemical level. We present a case of anaphylaxis after consumption of olive in brine (water, salt, spices, and garlic), where 2 IgEreactive proteins were detected, namely, the olive thaumatinlike protein Ole e 13 and an olive protein that shares peptides with the vicilin Ara h 1.
Aims: To investigate the effect of seven wine phenolic compounds and six oenological phenolic extracts on the growth of pathogenic bacteria associated with respiratory diseases (Pseudomonas ...aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Moraxella catarrhalis, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus sp Group F, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus pneumoniae). Methods and Results: Antimicrobial activity was determined using a microdilution method and quantified as IC50. Mor. catarrhalis was the most susceptible specie to phenolic compounds and extracts. Gallic acid and ethyl gallate were the compounds that showed the greatest antimicrobial activity. Regarding phenolic extracts, GSE (grape seed extract) and GSE‐O (oligomeric‐rich fraction from GSE) were the ones that displayed the strongest antimicrobial effects. Conclusions: Results highlight the antimicrobial properties of wine phenolic compounds and oenological extracts against potential respiratory pathogens. The antimicrobial activity of wine phenolic compounds was influenced by the type of phenolic compounds. Gram‐negative bacteria were more susceptible than Gram‐positive bacteria to the action of phenolic compounds and extracts; however, the effect was species‐dependent. Significance and Impact of Study: The ability to inhibit the growth of respiratory pathogenic bacteria as shown by several wine phenolic compounds and oenological extracts warrants further investigations to explore the use of grape and wine preparations in oral hygiene.