Binding of curcumin to β-lactoglobulin and its effect on antioxidant characteristics of curcumin

The binding of curcumin (CCM) to bovine β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) was investigated by Fourier transform infrared and fluorescence. The effect of binding on antioxidant activity of CCM was determined by using ABTS and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity and total reducing ability. Our results showed that when CCM binds to β-Lg, it lead to a partial change in protein structure. In fact, CCM was bound respectively to two different sites of protein at pH 6.0 and 7.0 via hydrophobic interaction. CCM–β-Lg complex was formed by one molecule of protein combining with one molecule of CCM. Moreover, the average distance from one binding site to Trp residues in protein is similar with another. This result suggested that fluorescence resonance energy transfer cannot be used as unique method to study the characteristics of binding of ligands to proteins. The antioxidant activity of CCM might be improved by binding with β-Lg.     

The fucoidans from brown algae of Far-Eastern seas: Anti-tumor activity and structure–function relationship

The sulfated polysaccharides from brown algae – the fucoidans – are known to be a topic of numerous studies, due to their beneficial biological activities including anti-tumour activity. In this study the effect of fucoidans isolated from brown algae Saccharina cichorioides, Fucus evanescens, and Undaria pinnatifida on the proliferation, neoplastic transformation, and colony formation of mouse epidermal cells JB6 Cl41, human colon cancer DLD-1, breast cancer T-47D, and melanoma RPMI-7951 cell lines was investigated. The algal fucoidans specifically and markedly suppressed the proliferation of human cancer cells with less cytotoxic effects against normal mouse epidermal cells. The highly sulfated (1 → 3)-α-l-fucan from S. cichorioides was found to be vitally important in the inhibition of EGF-induced neoplastic transformation of JB6 Cl41 cells. In colony formation assay the fucoidans from different species of brown algae showed selective anti-tumour activity against different types of cancer, which depended on unique structures of the investigated polysaccharides. These results provide evidence for further exploring the use of the fucoidans from S. cichorioides, F. evanescens, and U. pinnatifida as novel chemotherapeutics against different types of cancer.     

Isolation and identification of an antiproliferative substance from fructose–tyrosine Maillard reaction products

We isolated a substance from fructose–tyrosine Maillard reaction products (MRPs) and investigated its antiproliferative effect on six human cancer cell lines. The ethyl acetate fraction of fructose–tyrosine MRPs showed a strong antiproliferative effect; this fraction was isolated and purified using silica gel column chromatography, semipreparative RP-HPLC, and recycling HPLC. The structure of the purified compound was determined using spectroscopic methods. The isolated compound was identified as 2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal (C₁₆H₁₄O₃, HPB242). HPB242 inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner (10–80 μg/ml) on the six human cancer cell lines. The IC₅₀ values of HPB242 on the six human cancer cell lines were 17.34 μg/ml (MCF-7), 29.21 μg/ml (HCT-116), 34.57 μg/ml (H-460), 34.87 μg/ml (HepG2), 48.77 μg/ml (PC-3), and 55.83 μg/ml (MKN-45).     

Essential oil composition,phenolic compound,and antioxidant potential of Inulaviscosa as affected by extraction process

The purpose of this study was to compare the essential oil composition of Inula viscosa leaves by hydrodistillation (HDE), ultrasonic (UDE) and solvent (SE) extractions followed by hydrodistillation. The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents and their antioxidant effects were studied by different solvent of extraction: ethanol (ET), ethyl acetate (EA), methanol (ME) and aqueous (AE). The principal compounds for HDE were: 2-hexenal (3.70%), caryophyllene oxide (3.11%), γ-selinene (3.09%), 3-hexen-1-ol (2.00%), eugenol (1.70%) and trans-caryophyllene (1.34%), while for UDE were: γ-selinene (5.68%), caryophyllene oxide (4.87%), trans-caryophyllene (1.99%) and nerolidol (1.74%). The oil obtained by SE was shown to contain tridecane (3.89%), dodecane (3.08%), trans-caryophyllene (2.94%), caryophyllene oxide (2.56%) and nerolidol (2.53%). Significant changes on phenolic contents were found between the different solvent of extraction. ME and AE extracts led to the highest total polyphenol (PHL) and flavonoid (FL) amounts. The anti-radical activity and reducing power were maximal in AE and ME extract. HPLC examination established that the ferulic acid as major phenolic acid in ME and AE fractions, whereas luteolin was the main compound of EA and ET fractions.     

Release of α-Tocopherol from Poly(lactic acid) films, and its effect on the oxidative stability of soybean oil

Poly(94% l-lactic acid) (PLA) films (PT0) and PLA films containing 2.58% wt. α-Tocopherol (PT2.5) were extruded in a pilot-plant size blown-extrusion machine. PT2.5 films were obtained with a slightly yellowish color and absorption of UV-visible light at 320-260 nm. The kinetics of release of α-Tocopherol from the PT2.5 films to ethanol and vegetable oil at temperatures between 13 and 43 °C was evaluated. Diffusion of the α-Tocopherol from the PT2.5 films to ethanol showed a Fick’s behavior with diffusion coefficients (D) at levels between 10⁻¹¹ and 10⁻¹⁰ cm²/s and with 26.9-99% of release. Diffusion of α-Tocopherol to oil was slower than to ethanol with 5.1-12.9% of release. However, it was enough to delay the induction of the oxidation of soybean oil stored in contact with the PT2.5 film at 20 and 30 °C, compared with that of oil in contact with the PT0 film. The processing conditions and the temperature of diffusion process had an effect on the reduction of the weight average molecular weight (M_W) of PLA. PLA packaging added with α-Tocopherol could be used for protection of oily foods stored at room temperature.     

Bioactive compounds extracted from Gamtae (Ecklonia cava) by using enzymatic hydrolysis, a potent α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitor, alleviates postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetic mice

This study was designed to investigate whether the brown alga gamtae (Ecklonia cava) may inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, and alleviate postprandial hyperglycemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. For that purpose, we prepared an enzymatic hydrolysate from gamtae (EHG) by using the carbohydrase, Celluclast. EHG evidenced prominent inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase and α-amylase. The IC₅₀ values of EHG against α-glucosidase and α-amylase were 0.62 and 0.59 mg/mL, respectively, which evidenced the higher activities than that of acarbose. EHG did not exert any cytotoxic effect in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) at various concentrations (from 0.25 to 2 mg/mL). The increase of postprandial blood glucose levels were significantly suppressed in the EHG administered group than those in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic or normal mice. Moreover, the area under curve (AUC) was significantly reduced via EHG administration (6,102 vs. 10,425 mg·min/dL) in the diabetic mice as well as it delays absorption of dietary carbohydrates. These result indicated that EHG might be a potent inhibitor for α-glucosidase and α-amylase.     

Migration of α-tocopherol from LDPE films to corn oil and its effect on the oxidative stability

The migration of α-tocopherol (α-T) from low density polyethylene (LDPE) films, added with 20 (film A) and 40 mg g^?1 (film B) to corn oil for 12 weeks at 5, 20 and 30 °C was determined. A LDPE film added with no α-T was used as control (film C). Diffusion coefficient (D) values for the film A system were 1.4 × 10^?11, 7.1 × 10^?11 and 30.3 × 10^?11 cm² s^?1 at 5, 20 and 30 °C, respectively. Meanwhile, D values for the film B system were 1.3 × 10^?11, 9.6 × 10^?11 and 51.1 × 10^?11 cm² s^?1 at the same temperatures. The activation energy (E_a) for the diffusion of α-T was 126.5 (film A) and 105.9 kJ mol^?1 (film B). The effect of the migration of α-T on the oxidative stability of corn oil was evaluated by monitoring hexanal content by solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) and gas chromatography. The hexanal content in the oil showed that both films added with α-T resulted suitable to maintain the oxidative stability of the oil for about 16 weeks at 30 °C, compared to 12 weeks for the oil in contact with the film C.     

Purification of β-carotene 15,15′-monooxygenase from pig intestine and its enzymatic hydrolysis of pigment in soybean oil

β-Carotene 15,15′-monooxygenase was isolated and purified from the intestinal mucosa of pigs, and then, it was applied to hydrolyse the pigment in soybean oil, and thus, vitamin A fortified soybean oil was obtained. The pig intestinal mucosal protein solution was purified to a specific activity of 2.487 × 10⁻⁴ U mg⁻¹, maximum reaction velocity (V_max) of 8.42 × 10⁻⁹ mol/h and Michaelis constant (K_m) of 2.03 × 10⁻⁵ m . The protein solution had a molecular mass of 156 kDa by gel filtration. The sodium deoxycholate concentrations, optimum pH, Tween 40 amount and enzyme amount for vitamin A production in soybean oil were determined to be 6.0 mm , 8.0, 3.0% (w/v) and 0.2 U/mL enzyme, respectively. Under these conditions, β-carotene 15,15′-monooxygenase produced 14.65 mg/L vitamin A after 20 h, with a conversion yield of β-carotene of 33.29% (w/w). Therefore, the nutrients in soybean oil were improved.     

Extraction optimisation,antioxidant activity and inhibition on α-amylase and pancreatic lipase of polyphenols from the seeds of Syzygium cumini

The objectives of this study were to determine the optimal extraction conditions of polyphenols from Syzygium cumini seeds by response surface methodology and investigate their antioxidant activity and inhibition on α-amylase and pancreatic lipase. As results, the optimal extraction conditions in the ultrasonic extraction process which maximised total polyphenols content, minimised the IC₅₀ values of α-amylase and pancreatic lipase were determined as follows: extraction time 60 min, ethanol concentration 63% and solvent/solid ratio 44 mL g⁻¹. The main phenolic compounds in partially purified fraction of Syzygium cumini seeds were catechin, epicatechin, kaempferol, gallic, 5-caffeoylquinic, caffeic and ferulic acids. In addition, the partially purified fraction inhibited 87.66 ± 5.55 and 86.61 ± 3.15% of α-amylase and pancreatic lipase, respectively. The results suggested that Syzygium cumini seeds could be explored as a natural antioxidant and could be used as a source of highly antidiabetic and anti-obesity bioactive compounds.     

The enzyme-oriented regulation of theaflavin-3, 3′-digallate synthesis and the accurate determination of its yield

Theaflavin-3,3′-digallate (TFDG) is the main product formed by oxidative condensation between (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and (−)-Epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG). Some sub-products, such as homo- and hetero-oligomers of EGCG and ECG, are also produced simultaneously, which significantly decreases the yield of TFDG. In general, the optimum temperature for TFDG synthesis is 20 °C below which can reduce its generation resulting in the coexistence of a large amount of unreacted substrates (ECG and EGCG). Therefore, a higher possibility of increasing the formation of TFDG could be achieved if a suitable synthetic method can be developed at a low temperature. Our results showed that simultaneous dropwise addition of both EGCG and ECG could markedly enhance the content of TFDG at ice bath. Using such technique, the production of TFDG increased by 47.60% as compared to the group synthesised under the optimum temperature. The absorbance of TFDG at 278 nm is 2.36 times higher than that of ECG with equimolar concentration. Therefore, a rapid, simple and accurate calculation method of TFDG yield was developed via the spectral correlation. Based on the counting method, the yield of TFDG was 30.58% by using the novel synthetic method of TFDG.     

Purification, characterization, and production of β-mannanase from Bacillus subtilis TJ-102 and its application in gluco-mannooligosaccharides preparation

A novel β-mannanase-producing strain, Bacillus subtilis TJ-102, was identified and characterized. Response surface method was applied to improving and enhancing the enzyme production. The optimized media components were obtained: 45.25 g/L konjac, 9.29 g/L Na₂HPO₄·12H₂O, 2.60 g/L CaCO₃, 1.0 g/L (NH₄)₂SO₄, 0.3 g/L KH₂PO₄, 1.0 g/L NaCl, 1.0 g/L MgCl₂·6H₂O, and 0.01 g/L FeSO₄. Under these conditions, the β-mannanase activity could achieve 205.3 U/mL in a 7-L fermentor. Then, β-mannanase was 7.39-fold purified by salting out, ultrafiltration, anion-exchange, and size-exclusion preparative chromatography with a recovery of 21.41 % and a specificity of 125.36 U/mg proteins. β-Mannanase was stable below 65 °C and pH 5.0–8.0, which exhibited excellently enzymatic efficiency in the preparation of gluco-mannooligosaccharides (GMOS) by hydrolyzing konjac flour. The GMOS yield of 57.76 % has been achieved with 8.71 % of mannose and 14.49 % of glucose, demonstrating the potential use of β-mannanase in food industry.     

Effect of high-pressure processing on flavonoids,hydroxycinnamic acids,dihydrochalcones and antioxidant activity of apple ‘Golden Delicious’ from different geographical origin

The influence of high-pressure processing (HPP) (400, 500 and 600 MPa at 35 °C for 5 min) on different classes of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity (AA) of ‘Golden Delicious’ apple from two different growing regions, northeastern of Spain (lowland climate) (S-apples) and north of Italy (mid-mountain climate) (I-apples) was investigated. Total hydroxycinnamic acids, total dihydrochalcones and total flavan-3-ols content were higher in S-apple (untreated and HPP-treated) than in I-apples and total flavonols content was higher in I-apples. HPP affected phenolic compounds and AA depending on the apple geographical origin. 400 MPa/35 °C/5 min increased total flavonols (30%) and maintained total phenolic compounds determined by HPLC (TP-HPLC) in S-apples. The higher increase of TP-HPLC (54%) was achieved when I-apple was treated at 600 MPa. Untreated and HPP-treated I-apples displayed higher AA than S-apples. HPP (400 and 600 MPa) increased AA in I-apple. Positive correlations were found between TP-HPLC and AA (TP-FC, DPPH^·, ABTS^·+ and FRAP) in both Italian and Spanish apples.Industrial relevanceThe apples of cultivar ‘Golden Delicious’ are one of the most consumed fruits in the UE. High-pressure processing (HPP) of these fruits acquires great importance to obtain ingredients and apple functional foods highly demanded by consumers. For this, it is necessary to know the process variables and plant material that favor greater extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity characteristics. This paper provides useful results to help fruit processor to select the appropriate HPP conditions and the geographical origin of ‘Golden Delicious’ apple to obtain apple-based products with high content on different classes of phenolic compounds with beneficial health effects.     

Purification, chemical characterization, and antioxidant activity of a polysaccharide from the fruiting bodies of sanghuang mushroom (Phellinus baumii Pilát)

A purified water-soluble polysaccharide was isolated from the fruiting bodies of sanghuang mushroom (Phellinus baumii Pilát) using hot water extraction, DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow anion exchange and High-Resolution Sephacryl S-1000 gel-filtration chromatography. The purified polysaccharide was a complex β-d-glucan, with a molecular mass of 230 kDa. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), methylation analysis, and NMR spectroscopy of sanghuang mushroom polysaccharide (PBF3) indicated that the polysaccharide contained (1→3)-β-d-, (1→4)-β-d-, and branched (1→3,6)-β-d-glucopyranosyl residues. On the basis of hydroxyl radical assay, superoxide radical assay, and DPPH radical assay, its antioxidant activities were investigated. PBF3 had significant effect on scavenging hydroxyl radicals, an equivalent inhibiting ability to vitamin C on superoxide radical, and a little lower scavenging activity on DPPH radical than vitamin C, and should be explored as a novel potential antioxidant.     

Supercritical CO₂extraction of oleoresin from marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) flowers and determination of its antioxidant components with online HPLC-ABTS(·+) assay

BACKGROUND: Marigold is a traditional medicine herb which shows good pharmacological activity in many aspects. It is very important to obtain and investigate the specific bioactive compounds from marigold. The objective of the study was to extract the oleoresin from marigold with supercritical CO₂ (SC‐CO₂) at different pressures and temperatures, detect the fatty acid composition by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and investigate the antioxidative components in the extracts by combined online high‐performance liquid chromatography‐2,2‐azinobis‐(3‐ethylbenzothiazolin‐6‐sulfonic acid (HPLC‐ABTS^?+) post‐column assay and HPLC‐tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: For the pressure range (20–40 MPa) and temperature range (30–70 °C), 30 MPa/70 °C gave the highest yield of oleoresin (58.9 g kg^?1). The dominant fatty acids of marigold flower oleoresin were linoleic acid (>26.41%), palmitic acid (>24.22%) and oleinic acid (>20.12%). Significant effects of the extraction pressure and temperature on the antioxidant activity were observed (P < 0.05). Lutein esters, α‐tocopherol, β‐tocopherol, γ‐tocopherol and δ‐tocopherol were the dominant antioxidant compounds in the extracts. CONCLUSION: The study has shown that the yield and total antioxidant activity of the marigold extracts were affected by the pressure and temperature of SC‐CO₂, and that online HPLC technique could be used as an efficient and rapid method for separation and identification of bioactive compounds from a complex mixture. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Size of native and heated casein micelles,content of protein and minerals in milk from Norwegian Red Cattle—effect of milk protein polymorphism and different feeding regimes

Milk samples of 59 cows of the Norwegian Red Cattle breed receiving three different supplementary concentrates, were analysed for genotypes of caseins and whey proteins, the content of different milk salts (Ca²⁺, Ca, Mg and citrate), the content of total protein, casein and whey protein and the mean micellar size of native and heated casein micelles. The genotype of α_s1-casein had a statistically significant effect on the content of protein and casein, and the content of whey protein and the casein number were significantly influenced by different feeding regimes, and the content of citrate. The mean size of native and heated casein micelles was significantly influenced by the feeding regimes, genotype of α_s1-casein (native mean size only) and κ-casein, pH and the content of casein, whey protein and casein number. The heat-induced changes in mean micellar size were significantly affected by the calcium ion activity which accounted for approximately 40% of the total variation.     

Selenium,iodine, ω-3 PUFA and natural antioxidant from Melissa officinalis L.: A combination of components from healthier dry fermented sausages formulation

A new formulation of dry fermented sausage, including ingredients that improve the nutritional and health benefits of this type of product is presented. Se yeast (2 g/kg), iodized salt (26 g/kg), linseed:algae (3:2) emulsion (62.5 g/kg), and lyophilized water extract of Melissa officinalis L. as a source of natural antioxidants (686 mg/kg), yielded dry fermented sausages with technological and sensory properties similar to traditional ones.