Beneficial effects of mangiferin on hyperlipidemia in high-fat-fed hamsters

Scope : Mangiferin, a natural polyphenol, has been shown to have hypolipidemic effect in rat and mouse. However, the mechanism of action is not well understood. This study was conducted to determine the effect and mechanism of action of mangiferin on hyperlipidemia induced in hamsters by a high‐fat diet. Methods and results: Forty male hamsters were randomly assigned to normal control, high‐fat control, and high fat with mangiferin (50 and 150 mg/kg BW) groups. Mangiferin treatment significantly decreased final body weight, liver weight and visceral fat‐pad weight, serum triglyceride (TG) and total free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations, hepatic TG levels and hepatic and muscle total FFA contents. Mangiferin upregulated mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α (PPAR‐α), fatty acid translocase (CD36) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT‐1), but downregulated mRNA expression of sterol regulatory element‐binding protein 1c (SREBP‐1c), acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), acyl‐CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT‐2) and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) in liver. Mangiferin also stimulated mRNA expression of PPAR‐α, CD36, CPT‐1 and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in muscle. Conclusions : The results suggest that mangiferin may ameliorate hypertriglyceridemia partly by modulating the expression levels of genes involved in lipid oxidation and lipogenesis.     

Curcumin attenuates diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting PKC-α and PKC-β1 activity in streptozotocin-induced type I diabetic rats

Scope : We hypothesized that curcumin, a potent anti‐oxidant, might be beneficial in ameliorating the development of diabetic nephropathy through inhibition of PKC‐α and PKC‐β1 activity‐ERK1/2 pathway. Methods and results : Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (55 mg/kg) in rats. Three weeks after STZ injection, rats were divided into three groups, namely, normal, diabetic and diabetic treated with curcumin at 100 mg/kg/day, p.o., for 8 wk. At 11 wk after STZ injection, diabetic rats exhibited renal dysfunction, as evidenced by reduced creatinine clearance, increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and proteinuria, marked increases in lipid peroxidation, NOX4 and p67phox and decrease in anti‐oxidant enzyme. All of these abnormalities were significantly reversed by curcumin. Furthermore, the high‐glucose‐induced PKC‐α and PKC‐β1 activities and phosphorylated ERK1/2 was significantly diminished by curcumin. Curcumin also attenuated the expression of TGF‐β1, CTGF, osteopontin, p300 and ECM proteins such as fibronectin and type IV collagen. The high‐glucose‐induced expression of VEGF and its receptor VEGF receptor II (flk‐1) was also ameliorated by curcumin. Conclusion : These results prove that curcumin produces dual blockade of both PKC‐α and PKC‐β1 activities, which suggests that curcumin is a potential adjuvant therapy for the prevention and treatment of diabetic nephropathy.     

Tools to maintain postharvest fruit and vegetable quality through the inhibition of ethylene action: a review

Ethylene is a plant hormone controlling a wide range of physiological processes in plants. During postharvest storage of fruit and vegetables ethylene can induce negative effects including senescence, over-ripening, accelerated quality loss, increased fruit pathogen susceptibility, and physiological disorders, among others. Apart from the endogenous ethylene production by plant tissues, external sources of ethylene (e.g. engine exhausts, pollutants, plant, and fungi metabolism) occur along the food chain, in packages, storage chambers, during transportation, and in domestic refrigerators. Thus, it is a great goal in postharvest to avoid ethylene action. This review focuses on tools which may be used to inhibit ethylene biosynthesis/action or to remove ethylene surrounding commodities in order to avoid its detrimental effects on fruit and vegetable quality. As inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis and action, good results have been found with polyamines and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) in terms of maintenance of fruit and vegetable quality and extension of postharvest shelf-life. As ethylene scavengers, the best results can be achieved by adsorbers combined with catalysts, either chemical or biological (biofilters).     

射频等离子体活性水处理对火腿发色的影响

探讨射频等离子体活性水（radio frequency plasma activated water,RF-PAW）处理对肌红蛋白颜色及火腿发色的影响,对比亚硝酸钠溶液与RF-PAW的发色效果以及这2 种发色剂用于火腿发色后亚硝酸盐的残留量。结果表明,等离子体处理6 min以内得到的PAW,不会对高铁肌红蛋白（metmyoglobin,metMb）的颜色产生显著影响,会使氧合肌红蛋白逐渐氧化成metMb,颜色由鲜红色变为红棕色;肉眼观察发现,采用RF-PAW、亚硝酸盐溶液（nitrite,NI）作为亚硝酸盐来源来腌制火腿,都能使新鲜猪肉发色,且RF-PAW腌制的火腿发色效果更好,RF-PAW中的活性物质并未对火腿发色造成不良影响;色差分析结果显示,PAW腌制出的火腿有更高的a*、C*值以及更低的b*值,色素含量测定显示,PAW处理的火腿具有更高的亚硝化肌红蛋白色素百分比（43.52%）,说明PAW腌制比NI腌制形成更多的亚硝化肌红蛋白色素,使火腿的红色更深;通过亚硝酸盐残留测定发现,NI腌制的火腿亚硝酸盐残留量为54.45 mg/kg,而PAW腌制的火腿亚硝酸盐残留量为52.79 mg/kg,均小于国标限量值70 mg/kg。该研究结果为肉品低温等离子体保鲜与腌制技术的工程化应用提供理论基础和科学指导。     

蒙脱土对植物油脱色效果的综合评价北大核心CSCD

为了开发高效、环保的食用油脱色剂,以一种环保方法(半干法)生产的蒙脱土为研究对象,研究其在不同脱色条件(脱色温度、脱色时间和脱色剂添加量)下对大豆油、葵花籽油和菜籽油品质的影响。结果表明:该蒙脱土具有吸附色素和过氧化物从而降低油脂红值和过氧化值的作用,与脱色前相比,大豆油、葵花籽油和菜籽油的红值最大降幅分别为77.4%、92.3%和87.2%,过氧化值最大降幅分别为82.7%、83.2%和91.2%;蒙脱土用于3种植物油的脱色,植物油中总甾醇和总生育酚含量下降,而酸值总体上缓慢上升。进一步研究发现,在相同的脱色条件下,蒙脱土对大豆油、葵花籽油和菜籽油的酸值、总甾醇含量和吸油率的影响结果均优于活性白土,尤其是吸油率几乎是活性白土的一半。蒙脱土可替代活性白土用于对色泽要求不是很高的植物油脱色中。     

高中空生物质活性碳纤维制备及其对亚甲基蓝的吸附性能

为提高活性碳纤维对有色废水的吸附效率,以牛角瓜纤维为前驱体,采用磷酸活化、高温炭化工艺制备了具有高中空结构的活性碳纤维.采用扫描电镜/能谱仪、红外光谱仪等表征其微观形貌及化学结构,分析了所制备活性碳纤维对水溶液中亚甲基蓝的吸附性能与吸附机制.结果表明:牛角瓜活性碳纤维的平均中空度大于92％,具有粗糙表面和发达介孔结构,...     

木质素基超级电容器碳电极研究进展

超级电容器是功率密度高、充放电速度快和安全可靠的绿色储能装置,其电极材料是超级电容器性能优劣的关键.可再生木质素具有含碳量高、来源广泛和成本低等优点,其通过活化、模板和纺丝等方法可制备出性能优异的木质素基超级电容器碳电极,具有较好的发展前景.本文主要介绍了木质素基超级电容器活性炭电极、模板炭电极和碳纤维电极,并对木质素...     

活性白土中塑化剂含量测定的前处理条件优化

采用溶剂提取活性白土中的3种塑化剂（DBP、DEHP、DINP）,提取液经SPE柱净化后,进气相色谱-质谱仪测定。以3种塑化剂的含量为考察指标,对活性白土中塑化剂含量测定的前处理条件进行了单因素实验和正交实验优化。结果表明,活性白土中塑化剂含量测定的最佳前处理条件为：甲醇饱和的正己烷溶液为提取溶剂,提取溶剂用量5 mL（活性白土1 g）,提取时间3 min,提取温度20 ℃。在最佳前处理条件下,活性白土中3种塑化剂DEHP、DINP、DBP的含量分别为3.621、0004、0.078 mg/kg。     

等离子体活化水对鲜切生菜杀菌效能及贮藏品质影响

目的:研究低温等离子体活化水(plasma activated water,PAW)对鲜切生菜的杀菌作用及品质影响。方法:介质阻挡放电低温等离子体设备在电压为35、55和75 kV条件下处理蒸馏水5 min制备PAW。再用PAW清洗生菜5 min,于4 ℃、85%RH下储藏10 d,每间隔2 d检测样品的微生物(菌落总数、大肠菌群)和生理生化(失重率、颜色、维生素C、叶绿素和多酚氧化酶)等指标。结果:PAW对生菜的杀菌效果随电压的提高而显著提高(P<0.05),贮藏结束时,75 kV处理组的菌落总数和大肠菌群数分别比对照低1.15 lg(CFU/g)和1.38 lg(MPN/100 g)。与对照组相比,不同处理电压的PAW能够有效抑制多酚氧化酶活性,抑制L^*值上升和总色差值下降(P<0.05);35和55 kV处理对样品的维生素C及叶绿素含量无显著影响(P>0.05),但是电压增加到75 kV时会产生不利影响。结论:PAW对鲜切生菜抑菌保鲜的最佳处理电压是55 kV。