Regulation of isoflavone production in hydroponically grown Pueraria montana (kudzu) by cork pieces, XAD-4, and methyl jasmonate

A mini-hydroponic growing system was employed for seedlings of kudzu vine (Pueraria montana) and contents of isoflavones (daidzein, genistein, daidzin, genistin, and puerarin) from shoot and root parts of seedlings were analyzed quantitatively. In addition, exogenous cork pieces, polymeric adsorbent, XAD-4, and universal elicitor, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), were used to regulate the production of these isoflavones. It was shown that cork pieces up-regulate the production of daidzein and genistein up to seven- and eight-fold greater than the levels obtained for control roots. In contrast, levels of glucosyl conjugates, daidzin and genistin, decrease up to five- and eight-fold, respectively. Cork treatment also induces the excretion of the root isoflavone constituents into the growth medium. Minimal levels of isoflavones are absorbed by the cork pieces. XAD-4 stimulates the production of glucosyl conjugates, daidzin and genistin, in root parts about 1.5-fold greater than that obtained in control roots. These are the highest amounts of daidzin and genistin that are observed (5.101 and 6.759 mg g⁻¹ dry weight, respectively). In contrast to these two adsorbents, MeJA increases the accumulation of isoflavones in shoot rather than in root parts of seedlings, about three- to four-fold over control levels, with the exception of genistein. These studies reveal new observations on the regulation of isoflavone production in hydroponically grown Pueraria montana plants by two adsorbents (cork pieces and XAD-4) and MeJA elicitor.     

Inhibitory effect of isoflavones on peroxynitrite-mediated low-density lipoprotein oxidation

Peroxynitrite, a potent oxidant formed in vivo from the reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide, can mediate low-density liprotein (LDL) oxidation which is thought to increase the risk of atherosclerosis. This study investigates the inhibitory effect of the isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, together with their glycosidic forms, genistin and daidzin, on the peroxynitrite-mediated LDL oxidation and nitration of tyrosine. Genistein and daidzein were observed to dose-dependently inhibit peroxynitrite-mediated LDL oxidation, while their glucoside conjugates showed less activity. Moreover, all the isoflavones used in this study were found to be potent peroxynitrite scavengers, preventing the nitration of tyrosine. The ability of the isoflavones at 50 microM to decrease the tyrosine nitration induced by peroxynitrite (1 mM) was in the ratios of genistein (49%), daidzein (40%), daidzin (41%) and genistin (42%) when compared to the control (tyrosine incubated only with peroxynitrite). These results suggest that an intake of isoflavones could contribute to protecting against cardiovascular diseases and chronic inflammatory diseases.     

葛藤与葛根中异黄酮类成分的比较

分析比较了野葛〔Ｐｕｅｒａｒｉａｌｏｂａｔａ（Ｗｉｌｄ．）Ｏｈｗｉ〕的藤（葛藤）和根（葛根）的主要异黄酮类活性成分。从葛藤中首次分离得到３个化合物,经化学方法和光谱鉴定,证实为大豆甙元（Ａ）、大豆甙（Ｂ）和葛根素（Ｃ）。采用双波长薄层扫描法测定葛藤与葛根中上述３种异黄酮化合物的含量,葛藤中大豆甙元、大豆甙和葛根素的含量分别为０．１９５％,３．９３３％和２．４８１％;葛根中则分别为０．０５９％,０．７１４％和４．３１５％。研究结果为葛藤新药源的开发利用提供了科学依据     

Coumestrin a coumestan derivative from soybean roots

A new coumestrol glycoside, coumestrin, has been isolated from soybean roots together with its aglycone, coumestrol, and the known isoflavones genistin, genistein, daidzin and daidzein. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic technique (¹H NMR, UV, IR, EIMS, CIMS and FDMS) and by some chemical transformations.     

Isoflavonoid Constituents of Soybeans and Isolation of a New Acetyl Daidzin

The flavonoid constituents of defatted soybeans were studied. Two kinds of new natural isoflavones and four kinds of isoflavones were isolated by rechromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH–20 columns of ethyl acetate extracts.

One of the new isoflavones was identified as 6″-O-acetyl daidzin, C₂₃H₂₂O₁₀, by UV, IR, PMR and CMR, and the four kinds of isoflavones were also identified as daidzein, daidzin, genistein and genistin.

High performance liquid chromatography of the ethyl acetate and acetone extracts were carried out, and six main peaks corresponding to the six isoflavones were recognized.

Glycitein and glycitein-7-O-glucoside were not detected in the soybeans.     

Bioconversion of soy isoflavones daidzin and daidzein by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bifidobacterium</Emphasis> strains

Twenty-two strains of Bifidobacterium, representative of eight major species of human origin, were screened for their ability to transform the isoflavones daidzin and daidzein. Most of the strains released the aglycone from daidzin and 12 gave yields higher than 90%. The kinetics of growth, daidzin consumption, and daidzein production indicated that the hydrolytic activity occurred during the growth. The supernatant of the majority of the strains did not release the aglycone from daidzin, suggesting that cell-associated β-glucosidases (β-Glu) are mainly responsible for the metabolism of soybean glyco-conjugates. Cell-associated β-Glu was mainly intracellular and significantly varied among the species and the strains. The lack of β-Glu was correlated with the inability to hydrolyze daidzin. Although S-equol production by anaerobic intestinal bacteria has been established, information on S-equol-producing bifidobacteria is contradictory. In this study, 22 bifidobacteria failed to transform daidzein into reduced metabolites under all the experimental conditions, excluding any role in the reductive pathway of daidzein toward the production of S-equol. These results suggest that selected probiotic strains of Bifidobacterium can be used to speed up the release of daidzein, improving its bioavailability for absorption by colonic mucosa and/or biotransformation to S-equol by other intestinal microorganisms.     

豆粕营养成分对蝙蝠蛾拟青霉发酵产物的影响

为探索培养基中的豆粕以及制备豆粕的原材料大豆对蝙蝠蛾拟青霉发酵产物的影响,我们比较了不同品种大豆和用其制成的豆粕的主要营养成分含量,包括粗蛋白、粗脂肪、6种微量元素（钙、镁、铜、锌、铁、锰）和总异黄酮（大豆苷、黄豆黄苷、染料木苷、大豆苷元、黄豆黄素、染料木素）,以及豆粕作为培养基对蝙蝠蛾拟青霉发酵产物的生物量和有效成分含量包括腺苷、腺嘌呤、虫草素和麦角甾醇的影响,结果表明大豆中钙和大豆苷与发酵产物中腺苷含量正相关。豆粕中钙、大豆苷、大豆苷元、染料木素与发酵产物中腺苷含量正相关;豆粕中钙、镁、大豆苷、大豆苷元、染料木素、总异黄酮与发酵产物中腺嘌呤含量负相关;豆粕中铁与菌丝体干重值正相关。结果表明,培养基中的豆粕和原料大豆主要营养成分含量对蝙蝠蛾拟青霉发酵产物品质有显著影响。     

Isolation of an isoflavone-metabolizing, Clostridium-like bacterium, strain TM-40, from human faeces

Recently, the biological effects of isoflavones have attracted much attention. Intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the metabolism and bioavailability of isoflavones. However, few reports have discussed intestinal bacteria that metabolize daidzein into dihydrodaidzein. In this study, we isolated the dihydrodaidzein-producing intestinal bacterium TM-40 from a healthy boy's faeces. The bacteria from faecal samples were incubated with daidzein. Among all tested bacteria, one strain (strain TM-40) produced dihydrodaidzein both from daidzein and daidzin. However, in our experimental conditions, strain TM-40 did not produce equol from daidzein. The 16S rRNA partial sequence of strain TM-40 (AB249652) exhibited a 93% similarity to that of Coprobacillus catenaformis (AB030218). This strain seems to be a new species.     

Daidzein and genistein content of fruits and nuts

Dietary phytoestrogens such as the isoflavones daidzein and genistein are thought to protect against chronic diseases that are common in Western societies, such as cancer, osteoporosis, and ischemic heart disease. In addition, there are concerns regarding the deleterious effects of hormone-like compounds, especially with respect to the development of infants. However, there is little information regarding the phytoestrogen content of foods, and therefore epidemiologic investigations of phytoestrogens are limited. As part of a study quantifying the consumption of phytoestrogens, the objective of this work was to assess the daidzein and genistein content of fruits and nuts commonly eaten in Europe. Eighty different fruits and nuts were sampled, prepared for eating, and freeze-dried. Daidzein and genistein were extracted from the dried foods, and the two isoflavones were quantified after hydrolytic removal of any conjugated carbohydrate. Completeness of extraction and any procedural losses of the isoflavones were accounted for using synthetic daidzin (7-O-glucosyl-4'-hydroxyisoflavone) and genistin (7-O-glucosyl-4'5-dihydroxyisoflavone) as internal standards. Of the 80 foods assayed, 43 contained no detectable daidzein or genistein, at a limit of quantification of 1 microg/kg dry weight of food. Nine foods contained more than 100 microg of the two isoflavones combined per kilogram wet weight, and 28 contained less than this amount. Currants and raisins were the richest sources of the isoflavones, containing 2,250 microg and 1,840 microg of the two isoflavones combined per kilogram of wet weight of food. Although fruits and nuts are not as rich in isoflavone phytoestrogens as are soy and other legumes, this is the first documentation of levels of daidzein and genistein occurring in these foods.     

Light Effect on the Tissue Contents and Distribution of Isoflavones in the Developing Seedling of Soybean

The contents of isoflavones in the developing soybean seedling tissues under different light conditions were examined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results indicated that the total contents of isoflavones in soybean seedling tissues were remarkably different, being the highest in the cotyledons and lower in the leaves and roots. In the cotyledons, the isoflavones like daidzin, genistin and their malonyl conjugates were the major metabolites and were increased markedly with the time of light exposure. In contrast, there was a decrease in the content of isoflavones in the dark. When the dark grown seedlings were tranferred to the light, an increase of the isoflavone content was observed. In the leaves and roots, there was also a marked difference in the contents and types of isoflavones due to various light conditions. Leaves contained mainly the isoflavones such as genistin, malonyl gensistin and flavones rutin, which were increased gradually under light condition, but in the dark, daidzin and malonyl daidzin were the major metabolites and did not change markedly with time. In the roots, no isoflavone was detected in the dark, while five isoflavones were found in the light-grown seedlings, and all root sections were predominated by daidzein and its conjugates. These results provided the evidence that light strongly stimulates the accumulation of isoflavones in soybean seedling tissues.     

Isolation of human intestinal bacteria metabolizing the natural isoflavone glycosides daidzin and genistin

Fecal bacteria from a healthy individual were screened for the specific bacteria involved in the metabolism of dietary isoflavonoids. Two strains of bacteria capable of producing primary and secondary metabolites from the natural isoflavone glycosides daidzin and genistin were detected. The metabolites were identified by comparison of their HPLC/mass, 1H NMR and UV spectra with those of standard and synthetic compounds. Both Escherichia coli HGH21 and the gram-positive strain HGH6 converted daidzin and genistin to the their respective aglycones daidzein and genistein. Under anoxic conditions, strain HGH6 further metabolized the isoflavones daidzein and genistein to dihydrodaidzein and dihydrogenistein, respectively. The reduction of a double bond between C-2 and C-3 to a single bond was isoflavonoid-specific by strain HGH6, which did not reduce a similar bond in the flavonoids apigenin and chrysin. Strain HGH6 did not further metabolize dihydrodaidzein and dihydrogenistein. This is the first study in which specific colonic bacteria that are involved in the metabolism of daidzin and genistin have been detected.     

Isoflavone glucoside stress metabolites of soybean leaves

The isoflavone glucosides daidzin, genistin and ononin, the isoflavones daidzein and formononetin, and glyceollins I-III accumulated in soybean leaves inoculated with phytopathogenic bacteria. Treatment of leaves with sodium iodoacetate or yeast extract also led to isoflavonoid accumulation. Various other stress-inducing treatments were not effective. Bacterially-induced accumulation of isoflavone glucosides and the occurrence of ononin and formononetin in soybean are reported for the first time.     

光照对大豆幼苗组织中异黄酮含量和分布的影响

利用高效液相色谱（ＨＰＬＣ）测定了不同光照处理的大豆（Ｇｌｙｃｉｎｅｍａｘ（Ｌ．）Ｍｅｒｒｉ．）幼苗不同组织的异黄酮类含量。子叶中最高,叶片和根部相对较少。子叶的异黄酮以大豆甙和染料木甙及其丙二酰基结合体为主,且在光照条件下,异黄酮含量随光照时间的增加而显著升高;相反,黑暗中的异黄酮含量随苗龄的增加呈下降趋势;当子叶由黑暗转为光照处理以后,异黄酮含量同样随光照时间的增加而升高。在叶片和根部异黄酮含量和种类也因光照条件的不同而有很大差异。光照条件下,叶片中以染料木甙及其丙二酰结合体和黄酮芦丁为主,且随时间增加呈上升趋势;黑暗中的黄化叶片,则以大豆甙和丙二酰结合体为主,但随时间的变化不明显。在幼苗根部,黑暗条件下几乎检测不出异黄酮的存在;光照条件下,则可检测到５种异黄酮,其中以大豆甙元及其衍生物占主要部分。实验证实了光照对大豆异黄酮的积累有明显的促进作用     

Genistein inhibition of the growth of human breast cancer cells: independence from estrogen receptors and the multi-drug resistance gene

The effect of isoflavones on the growth of the human breast carcinoma cell lines, MDA-468 (estrogen receptor negative), and MCF-7 and MCF-7-D-40 (estrogen receptor positive), has been examined. Genistein is a potent inhibitor of the growth of each cell line (IC50 values from 6.5 to 12.0 micrograms/ml), whereas biochanin A and daidzein are weaker growth inhibitors (IC50 values from 20 to 34 micrograms/ml). The isoflavone beta-glucosides, genistin and daidzin, have little effect on growth (IC50 values greater than 100 micrograms/ml). The presence of the estrogen receptor is not required for the isoflavones to inhibit tumor cell growth (MDA-468 vs MCF-7 cells). In addition, the effects of genistein and biochanin A are not attenuated by overexpression of the multi-drug resistance gene product (MCF-7-D40 vs MCF-7 cells).     

Identification of isoflavones in Acca sellowiana and two Psidium species (Myrtaceae)

Several types of isoflavonoid-like immunoreactivity were detected in water-ethanolic extracts from Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret, Psidium guajava L. and Psidium littorale Raddi (Myrtaceae) leaves. Chromatographic mobility of the immunoreactive substances was compared to that of authentic standards, revealing a spectrum of isoflavonoid metabolites in both genera. Aglycones as well as glycosides were detected, namely daidzin, genistin, daidzein, genistein, formononetin, biochanin A, prunetin, and several incompletely characterized isoflavones. Subsequent HPLC–MS study verified the identities of the main immunoreactive isoflavones and found several others, namely glycitein, glycitin, ononin, sissotrin, including the malonylated and acetylated glucosides. It is concluded that the isoflavonoid metabolic pathway is present in the Myrtaceae family.     

Genistein and daidzein induce neurotoxicity at high concentrations in primary rat neuronal cultures

Summary It is known that estrogen can protect neurons from excitotoxicity. Since isoflavones possess estrogen-like activity, it is of interest to determine whether isoflavones can also protect neurons from glutamate-induced neuronal injury. Morphological observation and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay were used to estimate the cellular damage. It is surprising that, contrary to estrogen, isoflavones, specifically genistein and daidzein, are toxic to primary neuronal culture at high concentration. Treatment of neurons with 50 μM genistein and daidzein for 24 h increased LDH release by 90% and 67%, respectively, indicating a significant cellular damage. Under the same conditions, estrogen such as 17β-estradiol did not show any effect on primary culture of brain cells. At 100 μM, both genistein and daidzein increased LDH release by 2.6- and 3-fold, respectively with a 30-min incubation. Furthermore, both genistein and daidzein at 50 μM increased the intracellular calcium level, [Ca²⁺]_i, significantly. To determine their mode of action, genistein and daidzein were tested on glutamate and GABA_A receptor binding. Both genistein and daidzein were found to have little effect on glutamate receptor binding, while the binding of [³H]muscimol to GABA_A receptors was markedly inhibited. However, 17β-estradiol did not affect GABA_A receptor binding suggesting that the toxic effect of genistein and daidzein could be due to their inhibition of the GABA_A receptor resulting in further enhancement of excitation by glutamate and leading to cellular damage. Ying Jin, Heng Wu contributed equally to this article.     

Anti-obesity activities of fermented soygerm isoflavones by Bifidobacterium breve

Soygerm isoflavones were subjected to fermentation by Bifidobacterium breve. Most of isoflavone glycosides (daidzin, glycitin and genistin) in soygerms were deglycosylated to their corresponding isoflavone aglycones (daidzein, glycitein and genistein) within 24 h fermentation. Fermented isoflavones significantly inhibited pancreatic lipase activity in fermentation-time and dosage dependant manner. When fermented isoflavones were orally administered with olive oil to SD rats, the triglyceride (TG) level in plasma after 2 h of ingestion was significantly lower than the control of only olive oil administered group whereas no such significant decrease in plasma TG was observed in unfermented isoflavone administered group. This result indicates that oral administration of fermented isoflavones effectively suppressed absorption of excessive lipid into a body. Addition of either unfermented or fermented soygerm isoflavones effectively inhibited adipocyte differentiation from 3T3-L1 in a dose dependent manner. In conclusion, B. breve successfully converted soygerm isoflavones into their aglycones, and these aglycones were more effective in suppressing lipid absorption as well as adipocytes differentiation than their glycosides.     

Stimulatory effect of genistein and daidzein on protein synthesis in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells: Activation of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase

The effect of genistein and daidzein on protein synthesis in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells in vitro was investigated to determine a cellular mechanism by which the isoflavones stimulate bone formation. Cells were cultured for 48 h in -minimal essential medium containing either vehicle, genistein (10^–7–10^–5 M) or daidzein (10^–7–10^–5 M). The 5,500 g supernatant of cell homogenate was used for assay of protein synthesis with [³H]leucine incorporation in vitro. The culture with genistein or daidzein caused a significant elevation of protein synthesis in the cell homogenate. The effect of genistein (10^–5 M) or daidzein (10^–5 M) in elevating protein synthesis was significantly prevented, when cells were cultured for 48 h in a medium containing either actinomycin D (10^–7 M) or cycloheximide (10^–6 M) in the absence or presence of isoflavones. Moreover, when genistein (10^–7–10^–5 M) or daidzein (10^–6 and 10^–5 M) was added to the reaction mixture containing the cell homogenate obtained from osteoblastic cells cultured without isoflavone, protein synthesis was significantly raised. This increase was markedly blocked by the addition of cycloheximide (10^–7 M). In addition, [³H]leucyl-tRNA synthetase activity in the cytosol of osteoblastic cells was significantly increased by the addition of genistein (10^–6 and 10^–5 M) or daidzein (10^–5 M) into the enzyme reaction mixture. The present study demonstrates that genistein or daidzein can stimulate protein synthesis in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. The isoflavones may have a stimulatory effect on osteoblastic bone formation due to increasing protein synthesis.     

Characterization of a β-glucosidase from Sulfolobus solfataricus for isoflavone glycosides

The specific activity of a recombinant β-glucosidase from Sulfolobus solfataricus for isoflavones was: daidzin > glycitin > genistin > malonyl genistin > malonyl daidzin > malonyl glycitin. The hydrolytic activity of this enzyme for daidzin was highest at pH 5.5 and 90°C with a half-life of 18 h, a K _m of 0.5 mM, and a k _cat of 2532 s⁻¹. The enzyme converted 1 mM daidzin to 1 mM daidzein after 1 h with a molar yield of 100% and a productivity of 1 mM h⁻¹. Among β-glucosidases, that from S. solfataricus β had the highest thermostability, k _cat, k _cat/K _m, conversion yield, and productivity in the hydrolysis of daidzin.