Anti-inflammatory and anti-genotoxic activity of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages

Food Science and Biotechnology - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-genotoxic activity of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)...     

Application of triacylglycerol and fatty acid analyses to discriminate blended sesame oil with soybean oil

Triacylglycerols (TAGs) and fatty acids in the mixture of sesame oil (SO) with soybean oil were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)–an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) and gas chromatography (GC)–a flame ionisation detector (FID). Relative percentage of linolenic acid increased rapidly compared to those of oleic and linoleic acids as the ratio of soybean oil increased in the blended SO. Peak responses of trilinolein (LLL) and trilinolenin (LnLnLn) by HPLC–ELSD was higher than those by GC–FID from the same concentration of TAGs. The presence of LLLn peak, the contents of linolenic acid, and the relative ratio of L/S, O/Ln, and L/Ln from fatty acids or LLL/OOO from TAGs could be useful indicators to detect the blended SO with soybean oil. TAG analysis by HPLC–ELSD coupled with fatty acids by GC–FID can be useful methods to discriminate blended SO with soybean oil.     

Combined effect of ultrasound and organic acids to reduce Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes on organic fresh lettuce

This study was performed to compare the effectiveness of individual treatments (ultrasound and organic acids) and their combination on reducing foodborne pathogens on organic fresh lettuce. Lettuce leaves were inoculated with a cocktail of three strains each of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes and treated with ultrasound (40 kHz) alone, organic acids (0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, and 2.0% — malic acid, lactic acid, and citric acid) alone and combined with ultrasound and organic acids for 5 min. For all 3 pathogens, the combined treatment of ultrasound and organic acids resulted in additional 0.8 to 1.0 log reduction compared to individual treatments, without causing significant quality change (color and texture) on lettuce during 7 day storage. The maximum reductions of E. coli O157:H7, S. Typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes were 2.75, 3.18, and 2.87 log CFU/g observed after combined treatment with ultrasound and 2% organic acid for 5 min, respectively. Our results suggest that the combined treatment of ultrasound with organic acids was effective at increasing pathogen reduction compared to individual treatments without significantly affecting quality, and demonstrates its potential as a novel method to increase the microbial safety on organic fresh lettuce.     

Effects of photosensitisation and autoxidation on the changes of volatile compounds and headspace oxygen in elaidic trans fatty acid and oleic cis fatty acid

Headspace volatiles and oxygen in elaidic or oleic acids under methylene blue photosensitisation at 60 °C for 60 h were analysed by solid-phase microextraction (SPME)–gas chromatography (GC) with a mass selective detector (MS) and GC with a thermal conductivity detector (TCD), respectively. Headspace oxygen was significantly depleted in photosensitised samples compared to those in the dark (p < 0.05). Oleic acid absorbed more oxygen than elaidic acid for 60 h photosensitisation at 60 °C. Total volatiles from elaidic or oleic acids under photosensitisation increased significantly than those from samples in the dark for 60 h, respectively (p < 0.05). The increasing rates of oxidised volatiles in elaidic acid under photosensitisation were higher than those in oleic acid for 60 h. Peak areas of t-2-undecenal, 1-octanol and 1-heptanol were greatly increased in both elaidic and oleic acids under photosensitisation. Photosensitisation accelerated formation of volatiles in elaidic acid more than in oleic acid while oleic acid absorbed more oxygen than elaidic acid at 60 °C for 60 h.     

Development of new assay for sucrose phosphorylase and its application to the characterization of Bifidobacterium longum SJ32 sucrose phosphorylase

Sucrose phosphorylase, a hexosyltransferase, that is an important enzyme in starch and sucrose metabolisms, reversibly catalyzes the conversion of sucrose and orthophosphate to fructose and α-d-glucose-1-phosphate. A simple assay method for sucrose phosphorylase using 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) was developed. Its effectiveness was compared with that of a previously used NAD method. The results establish that the DNS method is comparable to the NAD method for the assay of sucrose phosphorylase. In particular, analysis of the enzyme activity level of sucrose phosphorylase (SPase) from Bifidobacterium longum SJ32 revealed that the DNS method is not only simple and accurate, but it also is a time-saving method for assaying sucrose phosphorylase activity. Most importantly, the DNS method is stable in broad pH ranges (pH 4–10), whereas the NAD method showed inaccurate profiles in the alkaline pH ranges (pH 8–10). Kinetic studies on SPase from B. longum SJ32 were performed using the simple DNS method developed in this study.     

Nanosuspended branched chain amino acids: the influence of stabilizers on their solubility and colloidal stability

This study examined the influence of stabilizers with different hydrophilic-lipophilic balances on the solubility of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and colloidal stability of nanosuspended BCAAs. Initial BCAA solubility increased by homogenization as evidenced by the BCAA solubility in Tween 80-based nanosuspensions, which remained at almost 97% of their initial solubility after 20 days of storage. However, the contents of solubilized BCAAs in Span 80-based nanosuspensions decreased to approximately 85% of their initial solubility after 20 days of storage. In fact, the BCAA:Tween 80 ratio had no effect on the colloidal stability but the same variable changed according to the BCAA:Span 80 ratio. Based on this study, it can be concluded that stabilizers with a hydrophilic trait (Tween 80) could be more effective in improving BCAA solubility and the colloidal stability of nanosuspended BCAAs compared to those with a lipophilic trait (Span 80).     

Application of stabilizer improves stability of nanosuspended branched-chain amino acids and anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells

This study investigated the use of polyglyceryl esters (PGE) as stabilizer in improving stability and anti-inflammatory activity of nanosuspended branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). BCAAs nanosuspended with stabilizer (BS) exhibited improved stability at concentration of 5% saturation level during storage as compared to BCAAs nanosuspended with aqueous solution (BA). Additionally, anti-inflammatory activity of BS was found to be greater than that of BA. Nitric oxide scavenging activity was found to be dose-dependent, with activity of BS in sodium nitroprusside system being significantly higher than that of BA (p < 0.05) at 2.5–20 mg/mL. BS also possesses greater inhibitory activity on production of pro-inflammatory factors including inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells through suppressed phosphorylation of p65 subunit of NF-κB at 0.5, 2, 8 mg/mL. These results suggest that PGE used as stabilizer improves solubility and biological activity of nanosuspended BCAAs.     

Radical scavenging activity and anti-obesity effects in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation of Ssuk (Artemisia princeps Pamp.) extract

Radical scavenging activity of ethanol extracts from ssuk (Artemisia princeps Pampan.) was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-pycryl-hydrazil (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) methods. Also, anti-obesity effects of ssuk extract were tested in vitro using 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. Total phenolic contents of ssuk extract were 42 μM tannic acid equivalent/mg and EC₅₀ of ssuk extract for scavenging DPPH and ABTS radicals were 2.02 and 1.03 mg/mL, respectively. Triacylglycerol content in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells treated with 25, 50, and 100 αg/mL ssuk extract decreased significantly by 63.3, 67.1, and 71.0%, respectively (p<0.05) compared to those in untreated cells. Also, ssuk extract induced the down-regulation of adipogenesis-related genes such as PPARγ, aP2, ACC, and GPDH. The ssuk extract possessed phenolic compounds with radical scavenging ability and had in vitro anti-obesity effects on 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. These results suggest that the extracts of ssuk may be used as obesity controlling food ingredients.