Evaluation of antioxidant property and quality of breads containing Auricularia auricula polysaccharide flour

The polysaccharide in the fruit bodies of Auricularia auricula (commonly called black woody ear or tree ear) was extracted, lyophilized and ground. Auricularia auricula polysaccharide (AAP) flour blended bread was developed. Physical qualities and antioxidant activities of breads with different levels of substitution of AAP flour for wheat flour were analyzed.The results showed that up to 9% of AAP flour could be included in bread formulation without altering the sensory acceptance of the blended bread. The incorporation of AAP in bread markedly increased the antioxidant property of the bread as tested by DPPH free radical-scavenging method. Breads containing AAP flour can broaden the utilization of the fruit bodies of Auricularia auricula and may be regarded as possible health-promoting functional foods.     

Dietary Intervention with AHP, a Functional Formula Diet, Improves Both Serum and Hepatic Lipids Profile in Dyslipidemia Mice

ABSTRACT:  Aurricularia aurricula , hawthorn ( Crataegus pinnatifida ), and  Pueraria radix  are well known for both traditional food and folk medicine. Each of the above 3 plants possesses a distinct pathway contributing to treat dyslipidemia. To develop a health-promoting diet against dyslipidemia, the polysaccharides from  A. aurricula , polyphenol from hawthorn, and  P. radix  were combined to postulate as a functional formula diet (AHP) in the present study and its pharmaceutical effects and underlying mechanisms were elucidated  in vivo . The dyslipidemia model associated with fatty liver was induced by cholesterol-enriched diet (CED) for up to 12 wk in male ICR mice. Mice were randomly divided into 5 groups, that is, regular diet (RD), CED, Xuezhikang treatment (positive control group, PG), low and high (150 or 450 mg/kg/d) of AHP treatment groups. Compared with the CED group, AHP groups maintained lipid profiles through lowering serum total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), inhibiting the accumulation of hepatic TC and triglyceride (TG). AHP could also improve both serum and hepatic biochemical activity profiles including antioxidant status, serum nitric oxide (NO), and hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase levels. Hepatic histopathological examinations showed markedly decreased fatty deposits in the liver of AHP-treated mice, illustrating the ability to reverse a condition of fatty liver. Our study indicated that this functional formula diet would be a potent alternative as a health-promoting diet, simultaneously targeting on the complexity and redundancy of dyslipidemia.     

Chemical Properties of a Polysaccharide Purified From Solid‐State Fermentation of Auricularia Auricular and its Biological Activity as a Hypolipidemic Agent

A water‐soluble crude polysaccharide was extracted by hot water from Auricularia auricular mycelium grown under solid‐state fermentation (SSF). The crude polysaccharide was purified by DEAE Sephadex A‐50 and Sephadex G‐200 chromatography. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy were used to investigate the structure of the purified A. auricular polysaccharide (AAP‐I) and revealed that it is α‐glycosidically linked. After 14 and 28 days of AAP‐I orally administered, the AAP‐I significantly decreased the levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol in mice in which hyperlipidemia had been induced by a high fat diet (P < 0.05). The results revealed that AAP‐I from SSF of A. auricular mycelium possesses potent hypolipidemic properties. The polysaccharide may be useful as a functional food additive and a hypolipidemic agent.     

Effect of protein hydrolysates from sardinelle (Sardinella aurita) on the oxidative status and blood lipid profile of cholesterol-fed rats

This study was designed to test the hypolipidemic properties and antioxidative activities of sardinelle (Sardinella aurita) protein hydrolysates (SPHs) obtained by treatment with crude enzyme preparations from Bacillus pumilus A1(SPHA1), Bacillus mojavensis A21(SPHA21) and crude enzyme extract from sardinelle viscera (SPHEE).Wistar rats were fed during 7 weeks a standard laboratory diet, a cholesterol-enriched diet (1%) or a cholesterol SPH-enriched diet. The hypercholesterolemic diet induced the elevation of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Supplementing cholesterol-enriched diet with SPHs or whole sardinelle protein (WSP) at a concentration of 5% (w/w) increased the serum level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and HDL-C/TC ratio and decreased the serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio significantly.The thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) level, as an indicator of lipid peroxidation, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) were examined. The hepatic antioxidant enzymes activities were significantly decreased and the malondialdehyde (MDA) level was increased in rats fed a cholesterol-enriched diet compared to those fed a standard diet. The treatment of hypercholesterolemic (HCD) diet rats with SPHs reduced the MDA concentration and increased the antioxidant enzyme activities.These results suggested that the hypolipidemic effect of SPHs might be due to their abilities to lower serum TC, TG, and LDL-C levels as well as to their antioxidant activities preventing the lipid peroxidation process.     

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction of melanin from Auricularia auricula fruit bodies

In this paper, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) conditions of natural melanin from dried fruit bodies of Auricularia auricula (A. auricula) were investigated. By single-factor experiments, ultrasound power was determined at 250 W and the other factors (temperature, liquid–solid ratio and duration) were chosen to further optimize extraction conditions using response surface methodology (RSM). The Box–Behnken experimental results showed the optimum extraction conditions as follows: a temperature of 63 °C, a liquid–solid ratio of 43 mL/g and a duration of 36 min. Under these conditions, two extractions sufficiently reached the maximal melanin yield (120.05 mg/100 g). Light absorbance, solubility and redox properties of the melanin extracted from A. auricula were similar to those of the typical melanin.Industrial relevanceAuricularia auricula (A. auricula) has been used as food and drug in China for a long time. The annual production of A. auricula in China was 1.44 million tons in 2007 (http://www.mushroommarket.net/news/show.asp?id=19769). However, most of this precious macro-fungus product was only used as cuisine materials, and many of its functional components, such as melanin, a healthful natural food colorant, were not fully developed and employed. In this paper, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was applied to melanin extraction from A. auricula fruit bodies to improve the extraction efficiency. This research helps to develop a new and economical method of extracting natural melanin and to fully use this edible mushroom.     

Effect of Dongchunghacho (Cordyceps militaris) on hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetic db/db mice

Controlling hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia is associated with reduced risks for diabetic complications. The present study examined the effect of dongchunghacho (Cordyceps militaris; CM) on hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in an animal model of type 2 diabetes. Fiveweek-old db/db mice were fed an AIN-93G diet or a diet containing 1% CM water extract, whereas db/+ mice were offered the AIN-93G diet for 6 weeks. Consumption of CM significantly decreased blood glycated hemoglobin and serum glucose levels, as well as homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), in db/db mice. CM significantly lowered serum triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, and increased HDL-cholesterol level. CM water extract inhibited rat intestinal α-glucosidase, with an IC₅₀ of 182 μg/mL in vitro. These results indicate that CM exerted hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in db/db mice.     

Enrichment of Bread with Nutraceutical‐Rich Mushrooms: Impact of Auricularia auricula (Mushroom) Flour Upon Quality Attributes of Wheat Dough and Bread

Edible mushrooms contain a variety of bioactive molecules that may enhance human health and wellbeing. Consequently, there is increasing interest in fortifying functional foods with these nutraceutical‐rich substances. However, incorporation of mushroom‐based ingredients into foods should not adversely affect the quality attributes of the final product. In this study, the impact of incorporating powdered Auricularia auricula, a widely consumed edible mushroom, into bread products was examined. The rheological and structural properties of wheat dough and bread supplemented with 0% to 10% (w/w) A. auricula flour were measured. Supplementation of wheat doughs with A. auricula flour increased the peak viscosity and enhanced their water holding capacity. Rapid viscosity analysis showed that peak and final viscosities of the blended flour (wheat flour with A. auricula flour) were higher than wheat flour alone. However, dough stability and elastic modulus were reduced by blending wheat flour with A. auricula flour. SEM observation showed that doughs with up to 5% (w/w) A. auricula flour had acceptable gluten network microstructure. Characterization of the quality attributes of bread indicated that incorporation of A. auricula flour at levels >5% negatively impacted bread volume, height, texture, and appearance.     

Effect of Polysaccharide from Auricularia auricula on Blood Lipid Metabolism and Lipoprotein Lipase Activity of ICR Mice Fed a Cholesterol-Enriched Diet

ABSTRACT:  Polysaccharides from Auricularia auricula (AAP) extracted in hot water and precipitated by ethanol were chemically well defined, including 42.5% total carbohydrate, 19.6% uronic acids, 15.8% sulfate groups, 1.7% N, and 20.3% ash. Gas chromatography analysis demonstrated that the neutral sugars were mainly composed of rhamnose, xylose, and glucose and smaller amounts of mannose, galactose, and arabinose. The present study was designed to investigate the antioxidant capacity of AAP on blood lipid metabolism and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in ICR mice fed cholesterol-enriched diet (CED) for the 1st time. Furthermore, the relationship between the atherosclerotic index (AI) and LPL activity to total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was studied. Thirty-six ICR mice were randomly assigned to 3 groups ( n = 12). The mice in control group (NG) received regular diet and the mice in model group (MG) received CED; these 2 groups were provided with distilled water by oral gavage. The experimental group (EG) was fed CED with oral gavage of AAP (120 mg/kg/d body weight) for an 8-wk period. After 2, 4, 6, and 8 wk, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) levels of the serum were determined by enzymatic methods. The results indicated that the polysaccharides significantly lowered the concentrations of serum TC and LDL-C compared with the CED control group ( P < 0.05). Moreover, oral administration of polysaccharides significantly improved TAC, LPL activity, and decreased MDA level, as well as AI. These conclusions revealed the beneficial effects of AAP on the preventive actions against hypercholesterolemia.     

碱提醇沉黑木耳多糖体外和体内降血脂功能

目的:探讨黑木耳多糖体内和体外降血脂功能。方法:采用离体实验模拟人体胃和肠道的p H值环境,探讨不同溶剂提取黑木耳多糖及其不同醇沉片段对胆酸盐的结合能力,评价其体外降血脂功能。以高脂饲料喂养小鼠建立高血脂模型,通过黑木耳多糖的治疗,比较治疗前后小鼠体质量、血清总胆固醇(total cholesterol,TC)、总甘油三酯(triglyceride,TG)、低密度总胆固醇(low density lipoprotein cholesterol,LDL-C)、高密度总胆固醇(high density lipoprotein cholesterol,HDL-C)含量及其关键酶卵磷脂胆固醇酰基转移酶(lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase,LCAT)、肝脂酶(liver lipase,HL)和脂蛋白脂酶(lipoprotein lipase,LPL)的活性,研究碱提黑木耳多糖对高血脂模型小鼠的降血脂作用。结果:体外降血脂实验结果表明:3种不同的黑木耳多糖样品中,碱提黑木耳多糖的结合效果最好;不同体积分数乙醇醇沉黑木耳多糖片段的结合效果比较显示,70%醇沉片段结合胆酸盐效果最好。体内降血脂实验结果发现,碱提+70%醇沉黑木耳多糖能够缓解小鼠体质量的增长,显著缓解TC、TG和LDL-C含量的下降,显著提升HDL-C水平,控制LCAT含量、HL和LPL活性的降低。结论:碱提+70%醇沉黑木耳多糖具有降血脂功能。     

山楂及山楂黄酮提取物调节大鼠血脂的效果研究

为研究山楂和山楂黄酮调节血脂的效果 ,本课题观察了山楂黄酮和山楂汁对高脂血症大鼠血清脂质和肝脏脂水平的影响。大鼠高脂饲料含有 1%胆固醇、10 %猪油、10 %蛋黄粉和 79%基础饲料。结果显示第五周末实验结束时 ,山楂黄酮和山楂汁使高脂血症大鼠血清甘油三酯、肝脏甘油三酯明显降低 (P <0 0 5 ) ,山楂黄酮和山楂汁使肝脏胆固醇明显降低 (P <0 0 5 ) ,但两种受试物都未降低血清胆固醇。本研究提示山楂和山楂黄酮对高脂血症大鼠的甘油三酯代谢具有良好的改善作用 ,而对胆固醇代谢的影响有待进一步研究     

黑木耳多糖的磷酸化修饰及其抗氧化活性研究

本研究对黑木耳胞外多糖(Auricularia auricular polysaccharide,AAP)进行磷酸化修饰,通过响应面法优化了磷酸化修饰黑木耳多糖的工艺条件,并对磷酸化黑木耳多糖(phosphorylated auricularia auricula polysaccharide,P-AAP)进行抗氧化活性研究。结果显示磷酸化修饰黑木耳多糖的最佳条件为磷酸化试剂中三聚磷酸钠(sodium tripolyphosphate,STPP)与三偏磷酸钠(sodium trimetaphosphate,STMP)质量比为5:2,反应温度88℃,反应时间5 h,反应pH为8.6,此条件下多糖中磷酸根含量为9.93%。抗氧化活性试验结果表明,与AAP相比,经过DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow柱及葡聚糖凝胶G-100柱纯化后的P-AAP1对DPPH自由基的清除率提高了34.37%,半抑制浓度(IC₅₀)为1.07 mg/mL;对羟基自由基的清除率提高了30.39%,IC₅₀值为0.91 mg/mL;对超氧阴离子自由基的清除率提高了26.40%,IC₅₀值为0.41 mg/mL。因此,黑木耳胞外多糖通过磷酸化修饰后其抗氧化活性能被显著提高。     

Potentiation of the hypolipidemic influence of dietary tender cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) by garlic in cholesterol fed rats

Tender cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) (CB), a rich source of soluble fibre was evaluated for hypolipidemic influence in atherogenic situation along with a known hypocholesterolemic spice garlic in rats. Wistar rats were rendered hypercholesterolemic by feeding 0.5% cholesterol diet for 8 weeks. Inclusion of CB (15%), garlic (1%) and their combination in high-cholesterol diet produced significant hypolipidemic effects. The combination produced 56% decrease in serum cholesterol. Decrease in serum cholesterol seen in basal groups by these dietary interventions was additive with the combination. Increase in serum triglycerides was countered in animals fed CB, garlic or their combination. Elevation in hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides was countered by CB and garlic, the combination reducing it even more. Biliary secretion of bile acids was increased by CB, garlic and their combination in atherogenic condition. Thus, garlic potentiated the beneficial influence of dietary CB on serum, liver and biliary lipids in high-cholesterol fed situation.     

Cholesterol lowering and vascular protective effects of ethanolic extract of dried fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida,hawthorn (Shan Zha), in diet-induced hypercholesterolaemic rat model

Consumption of functional foods for managing plasma cholesterol level has gained acceptance globally. The hypocholesterolaemic and vascular protective effects of the dried fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida, hawthorn (Shan Zha), were investigated in rats fed with normal diet, high cholesterol diet (HCD) or HCD plus Shan Zha 80% ethanolic extract treatment (30 or 100 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for 4 weeks. Shan Zha extract markedly reversed the increased plasma total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol induced by HCD with a dose-dependent improvement on the atherogenic index. It also demonstrated good hepatoprotective function by reducing lipid content in the liver. The blunted endothelium-mediated aortic relaxation in HCD-fed rats was restored by high dosage of Shan Zha extract treatment. The current results showed that Shan Zha extract could provide its cholesterol lowering effect by up-regulating hepatic CYP7A1 mRNA expression which leads to enhanced bile acid biosynthesis. It is postulated that the hypocholesterolaemic effect is the primary beneficial effect given by Shan Zha extract; it then leads to other secondary beneficial effects such as vascular protective and hepatoprotective functions. Thus, Shan Zha extract could provide an overall improvement on the hepatic and vascular systems that may be important in relieving hypercholesterolaemia-related complications.     

Discrimination of Producing Areas of Auricularia auricula Using Visible/Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Visible and near infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometric methods was applied for the discrimination of producing areas of Auricularia auricula. Four major varieties of commercial A. auricula were prepared for spectral acquisition. Some pretreatments were performed, such as Savitzky–Golay smoothing, standard normal variate, and the first and second Savitzky–Golay derivative. The scores of the top four latent variables, extracted by partial least squares, were considered as the inputs of back propagation neural network (BPNN) and least squares-support vector machine (LS-SVM). The performance was validated by 60 validation samples. The excellent recognition ratio was 98.3% by BPNN and 96.7% by LS-SVM model with the threshold prediction error ±0.1. The results indicated that Vis/NIR spectroscopy could be used as a rapid and high-precision method for the discrimination of different producing areas of A. auricula by both BPNN and LS-SVM methods.     

Evaluation of physicochemical characteristics,nutritional composition and antioxidant capacity of Chinese organic hawthorn berry (Crataegus pinnatifida)

Hawthorn berry (Crataegus pinnatifida), approved as ‘medicine food homology’ fruit by China’s National Health Commission, has been associated with positive effects on human health. In-depth study of nutritional composition and antioxidant capacity can provide basic information on food value of Chinese organic frozen (OFHB)/freeze-dried (OFDHB) hawthorn berries. Higher levels of dietary fibre, pectin, ascorbic acid, mineral and antioxidant capacity were found compared with some common fruits and other species hawthorn. Both OFHB and OFDHB samples have much higher content of potassium (1.02 × 10⁴ and 9.73 × 10³ mg kg⁻¹) than sodium (54.23 and 42.31 mg kg⁻¹). OFDHB had a more desirable ratio (2.68:1) of insoluble/soluble dietary fibre which is suitable for use as a food ingredient. Antioxidant capacity varied considerably depending on the part (peel > pulp) and reaching up to 577.5 µmol Trolox equivalent g⁻¹. OFHB and OFDHB are excellent natural nutrient-dense and antioxidant sources for dietary supplements and functional foods development.     

茯砖茶通过调节肠道菌群和胆汁酸代谢预防肥胖及高胆固醇血症作用机制

为探究茯砖茶水提物（Fuzhuan brick tea water extract,FTE）预防肥胖及高胆固醇血症的作用机制,本实验以SPF级SD大鼠为研究对象,设置了正常饮食组、高脂饮食组以及不同剂量FTE干预组,采用降脂药物血脂康作为阳性对照组,对比茯砖茶在预防肥胖型血脂异常的效果。结果表明,FTE能通过调节大鼠肠道微生物群结构和功能,影响肠-肝胆汁酸（bile acid,BA）代谢循环,增强机体抗氧化作用,促进全身性脂质消耗,并对肝脏与肠道的结构和功能具有明显保护作用,同时改善脂质谱与炎症反应,抑制高脂饮食环境下大鼠体质量的过快增长。综上,FTE能够对营养型肥胖以及高胆固醇血症具有显著预防作用,在预防体质量增长和脂质积累、增加脂质消耗、抑制肝功能酶活性以及调节胆汁酸代谢方面比降脂药物血脂康具有优势。     

Investigation of the cholesterol-lowering action of insoluble fibre derived from the peel of Citrus sinensis L. cv. Liucheng

A water-insoluble fibre-rich fraction (WIFF) was isolated from the peel of Citrus sinensis L. cv. Liucheng. The effects of a WIFF-containing diet on lipid and cholesterol absorption in hamsters were investigated and compared with those of a cellulose-containing diet and fibre-free diet, as controls. Results demonstrated that WIFF could significantly (P<0.05) decrease the levels of serum triglyceride, serum total cholesterol, liver total lipids, and liver cholesterol, while it could also significantly (P<0.05) increase the levels of fecal total lipids, fecal cholesterol, and fecal bile acids, as well as the fecal bulk and moisture. The pronounced hypocholesterolemic and hypolipidemic effects of WIFF might be attributed to its ability to enhance cholesterol and bile acids excretion. These results suggest that WIFF could be a potential cholesterol-lowering ingredient in human diets or new formulations of fibre-rich functional foods.     

Piper species protect cardiac,hepatic and renal antioxidant status of atherogenic diet fed hamsters

Pre-clinical and clinical studies points to the use of antioxidants as an effective measure to reduce the progression of oxidative stress related disorders. The present study evaluate the effect of three Piper species (Piper guineense, Piper nigrum and Piper umbellatum) for the protection of cardiac, hepatic and renal antioxidant status of atherogenic diet fed hamsters. Hamsters were classified into eight groups: a normal control, atherogenic control and six other experimental groups (fed atherogenic diet supplemented with different doses of P. nigrum, P. guineense and P. umbellatum (1 and 0.25 g/kg) for 12 weeks. At the end of the feeding period the heart, liver and kidney from each group were analyzed for lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes activities. Atherogenic diet induced a significant (P < 0.001) increase in the lipid profile across the board and equally significantly altered the antioxidant enzyme activities. Supplementation with Piper species significantly inhibited the alteration effect of atherogenic diet on the lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes activities. The Piper extracts may possess an antioxidant protective role against atherogenic diet induced oxidative stress in cardiac, hepatic and renal tissues.     

Hypolipidemic and antioxidative effects of dika nut (Irvingia gabonensis) seeds and nkui (Trimphetta cordifolia) stem bark mucilages in triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipidemic rats

Two different mucilages were extracted from dika nut (Irvingia gabonensis) kernels and nkui (Trimphetta cordifolia) stem barks and the hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects were studied on Triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipidemic rats. The GC analysis revealed that, dika nut mucilage is an arabinogalactan type while nkui is a rhamnogalacturonane type. The mucilage of nkui (200 mg/kg) showed the greatest hypolipidemic effect (p<0.05). An oxidative stress marker analysis suggested that the level of malonyl dialdehyde was significantly decreased in serum by the 2 mucilages (p<0.05). There was also a significant decrease in hydroperoxide level for the tested fibers. Moreover, nkui mucilage gave the highest levels in liver homogenate and in the hemolysate and tissues (p<0.05). The results suggest that the hypolidemic effect of mucilages varies with their chemical nature. They would be effective in the prevention of increase of serum lipid levels, in the reduction of lipid peroxidation and in the improvement of antioxidant status.     

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of carvacrol microencapsulated in hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin

Carvacrol is a hydrophobic compound that exhibits high antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Cyclodextrins are used to increase solubility and dissolution through water-insoluble compounds inclusion into their hydrophobic cavities. Hence, this study aimed to characterize carvacrol inclusion complexes with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) by establishing the physico-chemical properties and evaluate their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Inclusion complexes were prepared by kneading (KN) and freeze-drying (FD) methods. Entrapment efficiency was 78.09 ± 1.24% for KN, and 83.74 ± 1.15% for FD. Polydispersity index was greater than 0.2 for both methods. Particle size for KN and FD were 0.360 ± 0.003 and 0.377 ± 0.007 μm, respectively. Carvacrol–HPBCD antimicrobial activity was higher (P < 0.05) than for free carvacrol for both bacteria, Escherichia coli K12 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2, indicating that HPBCD increased water solubility and consequently increased contact between carvacrol and bacteria in medium. Antioxidant activity was lower (P < 0.05) for inclusion complexes indicating HPBCD makes carvacrol less available to react with free radical. The stability study indicated that light did not affect (P > 0.05) degradation, indicating that the microparticles were stable throughout storage. Therefore, carvacrol–HPBCD complexes may have important applications in the food industry as stable antimicrobial systems.