Lifting properties of the alkamide fraction from the fruit husks of Zanthoxylum bungeanum

The fruits of various Zanthoxylum species are used as a spice in the Chinese and Japanese cuisine because of their delicate flavour and tingling properties. The lipophilic hydroxyalkamides hydroxy α‐ and β‐sanshools ( 1a,b ) have been identified as the tingling principles of these plants, and previous studies have validated a sanshool‐rich lipophilic extract from the fruit husks of Z. bungeanum Maxim. (Zanthalene^®) as an anti‐itching cosmetic ingredient. Because tingling is a sort of ‘paralytic pungency’, and Zanthalene^® potently inhibits synaptic transmission, we have investigated its capacity to relax subcutaneous muscles and act as a topical lifting agent for wrinkles. An anti‐wrinkles extract rich in spilanthol ( 2 ), a lipophilic alkamide having sensory properties similar to those of Zanthalene^®, was used as a reference. Short‐term (lifting effect) and long‐term (anti‐wrinkle) improvements of skin roughness parameters were evaluated by both objectives’ and subjectives’ measurements. An immediate ‘lifting’ effect was observed with the sanshool‐rich lipophilic extract, at dosages at which the reference alkamide extract was inactive in the objective assays. Limited desensitization after repeated application and good overall tolerability were observed, although a modest long‐term anti‐wrinkle effect was shown by both products. Taken together, these observations validate the use of sanshool‐rich lipophilic extracts as an efficacious, immediate‐action lifting agent, and exemplify the relevance of sensory observations to foster the development of innovative cosmetic ingredients.     

辣椒总碱与花椒麻味素不同质量比对高脂模型大鼠肠道健康的影响

目的：研究辣椒总碱和花椒麻味素不同质量比对大鼠肠道健康的影响。方法：将56 只Sprague-Dawley（SD）雌性大鼠按体质量随机分为空白对照组、高脂对照组、高脂并灌胃3 mg/kg花椒麻味素（HF-3S组）、高脂并灌胃9 mg/kg辣椒总碱（HF-9C组）、高脂并灌胃1 mg/kg花椒麻味素和8 mg/kg辣椒总碱（HF-1S∶8C组）、高脂并灌胃2 mg/kg花椒麻味素和7 mg/kg辣椒总碱（HF-2S∶7C组）、高脂并灌胃3 mg/kg花椒麻味素和6 mg/kg辣椒（HF-3S∶6C组）,共7 组,每组8 只,饲养期间自由采食和饮水,喂养30 d后解剖,测定盲肠内容物质量、盲肠壁面积、游离氨、pH值、短链脂肪酸和微生物。结果：HF-2S∶7C组的采食量、盲肠壁湿质量、pH值及总的短链脂肪酸含量都显著增加,肠球菌显著降低、乳酸菌和厌氧菌显著增加、大肠杆菌显著降低。结论：辣椒总碱和花椒麻味素对高脂大鼠肠道健康的最佳质量比为7∶2。     

青花椒挥发油化学成分的研究

分别采用二氧化碳超临界萃取法与同时蒸馏萃取法提取青花椒精油,并用色谱-质谱联用仪对比分析了两种青花椒挥发油化学成分及其百分含量。从中分离出60余种化合物,共鉴定出13种主要化合物,占挥发油总量的70%以上。结果证明,两种方法提取的青花椒精油主成分不完全相同,超临界CO2萃取高沸点多烯烃化合物有效,而同时蒸馏萃取法萃取里哪醇更有效。     

花椒麻素的生物功能研究进展

花椒麻素作为最主要的呈麻味物质,其与多种热点药物靶点受体（大麻素受体、香草酸受体）的亲和力极强,可激活或阻断多种离子通道,在体内发挥广泛的生物学效应。本文综述了花椒麻素的结构、理化性质、呈味机理及其生物活性作用,重点探讨了不同结构花椒麻素的感觉、对肠蠕动的影响、抗癌作用、镇痛作用、减肥功效和对糖尿病的辅助治疗作用,并展望了未来花椒麻素的研究方向,为其结构与功能研究提供参考。     

超临界CO2分步萃取花椒香气和麻味物质的初步研究

采用超临界CO2萃取法分步提取九叶青花椒香气和麻味物质。以气相色谱-质谱联用仪对其化学成分进行检测,并用色谱峰面积归一化法确定各化学成分的相对含量。结果表明,低压萃取的花椒提取物得率为5.0%,检测到50种化学成分及其相对含量,未检测出多烯酰胺类物质;高压萃取的花椒提取物得率为2.0%,检测到13种化学成分及其相对含量,呈麻味的多烯酰胺类物质含量较高。     

花椒麻素的抗氧化活性

为研究花椒麻素的抗氧化活性,采用体外抗氧化实验,评价不同剂量花椒麻素的总抗氧化能力、还原力以及对羟自由基（.OH）和1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼（1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,DPPH）自由基的清除作用,并以人肝癌细胞HepG2为模型,探讨其在细胞水平的抗氧化能力。结果表明：花椒麻素具有一定的还原力和总抗氧化能力,且呈现良好的剂量-效应关系;但对DPPH自由基、.OH的清除作用较弱。花椒麻素在较低质量浓度（0～50 μg/mL）条件下可使HepG2细胞内超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase,SOD）活性降低,丙二醛（malondialdehyde,MDA）含量增加,但当花椒麻素质量浓度达到100 μg/mL时,细胞SOD活性显著增加,MDA含量则显著降低（P＜0.05）。因此,花椒麻素是一类潜在的抗氧化物质,可用于此类功能食品的开发。