Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Different Organs of Potentilla fruticosa L. from Two Main Production Areas of China

This report compared the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of the leaves, flowers, and stems of Potentilla fruticosa L. collected from two main production areas of P. R. China (Taibai Mountains and the Qinghai Huzhu Northern Mountains). The results indicated that there were significant differences in the phenol contents and antioxidant activities among the different organs and between the two productions. High‐performance liquid‐chromatography analysis indicated that hyperoside, (+)‐catechin, ellagic acid, and rutin were the primary compounds in leaves and flowers; for stems, the content of six phenolic compounds, from two productions, were the lowest. The 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) di‐ammonium salt (ABTS), ferric reducing power (FRAP), lipid peroxidation assays, and microbial test system (MTS) were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity. The results demonstrated that the leaves from two productions exhibited powerful antioxidant activity than other organs, which did not significantly differ from that of the positive control (rutin), followed by the flowers and stems. The correlation between the content of phytochemicals and the antioxidant activities of different organs showed that the total phenol, tannin, hyperoside, and (+)‐catechin contents may influence the antioxidant activity, and these compounds can be used as markers for the quality control of P. fruticosa.     

Biological Activities of Triterpenoids and Phenolic Compounds from Myrica cerifera Bark

Seven triterpenoids, 1  –  7 , two diarylheptanoids, 8 and 9 , four phenolic compounds, 10  –  13 , and three other compounds, 14  –  16 , were isolated from the hexane and MeOH extracts of the bark of Myrica cerifera L. (Myricaceae). Among these compounds, betulin ( 1 ), ursolic acid ( 3 ), and myricanol ( 8 ) exhibited cytotoxic activities against HL60 (leukemia), A549 (lung), and SK‐BR‐3 (breast) human cancer cell lines (IC₅₀ 3.1 – 24.2 μm ). Compound 8 induced apoptotic cell death in HL60 cells (IC₅₀ 5.3 μm ) upon evaluation of the apoptosis‐inducing activity by flow cytometric analysis and by Hoechst 33342 staining method. Western blot analysis on HL60 cells revealed that 8 activated caspases‐3, ‐8, and ‐9 suggesting that 8 induced apoptosis via both mitochondrial and death receptor pathways in HL60. Upon evaluation of the melanogenesis‐inhibitory activity in B16 melanoma cells induced with α‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone (α‐MSH), erythrodiol ( 7 ), 4‐hydroxy‐2‐methoxyphenyl β‐d ‐glucopyranoside ( 13 ), and butyl quinate ( 15 ) exhibited inhibitory effects (65.4 – 86.0% melanin content) with no, or almost no, toxicity to the cells (85.9 – 107.4% cell viability) at 100 μm concentration. In addition, 8 , myricanone ( 9 ), myricitrin ( 10 ), protocatechuic acid ( 11 ), and gallic acid ( 12 ) revealed potent DPPH radical‐scavenging activities (IC₅₀ 6.9 – 20.5 μm ).     

Structure-antioxidant and anti-tumor activity of Teucrium polium phytochemicals

Chemical characterization as well as antioxidant and anti-tumor activity are reported for isolated metabolites from Teucrium polium L. (Lamiaceae). Structures were identified using standard MS and NMR spectroscopic methods. Sesquiterpene absolute stereochemistry was determined based on a modified Mosher’s reaction. Biological activity was evaluated by a cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assay and select compounds screened for anti-tumor activity. (1R,4S,10R) 10,11-dimethyl-dicyclohex-5(6)-en-1,4-diol-7-one and (R)-mandelonitrile-β-laminaribioside, together with ten previously reported compounds were identified. Antioxidant versus tumor-inhibition relationships was examined.     

Metabolite profiling of Neptunia oleracea and correlation with antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities using 1H NMR-based metabolomics

Neptunia oleracea is a plant consumed as vegetable and used as a traditional herb to treat several ailments. This study evaluated metabolite variations among N. oleracea leaf and stem subjected to air drying (AD), freeze drying (FD) and oven drying (OD) using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) based metabolomics. The correlation was also studied for the metabolite content with total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH free radical scavenging and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. A total of 18 metabolites were identified from N. oleracea extracts, including 10 primary metabolites, 5 flavonoids and 3 phenolic acids using NMR. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis (UHPLC-MS/MS) confirmed the presence of the secondary metabolites and revealed the flavonoid derivatives present. All the identified phenolics are first reported from this plant. Multivariate data analysis (MVDA) showed strong correlation between the metabolites with the antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of FD N. oleracea leaves. The compounds suggested to be responsible for the high activity of FD leaves include vitexin-2-O-rhamnoside, catechin, caffeic acid, gallic acid and derivatives of quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin. This study demonstrates that FD N. oleracea leaves are a potential natural source for antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitors.     

A novel procedure for the assessment of the antioxidant capacity of food components

Carbonylation, an oxidative modification of the amino group of arginine and lysine residues caused by reactive oxygen species, has emerged as a new type of oxidative damage. Protein carbonylation has been shown to exert adverse effects on various protein functions. Recently, the role of food components in the attenuation of oxidative stress has been the focus of many studies. Most of these studies focused on the chemical properties of food components. However, it is also important to determine their effects on protein functions via post-translational modifications. In this study, we developed a novel procedure for evaluating the antioxidant capacity of food components. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced protein carbonylation in HL-60 cells was quantitatively analyzed by using fluorescent dyes (Cy5–hydrazide dye and IC3–OSu dye), followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) and fluorescence determination. Among a panel of food components tested, quinic acid, kaempferol, saponin, squalene, trigonelline, and mangiferin were shown to be capable of suppressing protein carbonylation in HL-60 cells. Our results demonstrated that this fluorescence labeling/SDS–PAGE procedure allows for the detection of oxidative stress-induced protein carbonylation with high sensitivity and quantitative accuracy. This method should be useful for the screening of new antioxidant food components as well as the analysis of their suppression mechanism.     

Plant Ontogeny as a Conditionality Factor in the Protective Effect of Ants on a Neotropical Tree

The outcome of any interspecific interaction is often determined by the ecological context in which the interacting species are embedded. Plant ontogeny may represent an important source of variation in the outcome of ant–plant mutualisms, as the level of investment in ant rewards, in alternative (non‐biotic) defenses, or both, may be modulated by the plant's developmental stage. In addition, the abundance and identities of the ants involved in the interaction may change during ontogeny of the host‐plant. Here, we evaluated if plant ontogeny affects the interaction between ants and a savanna tree species (Caryocar brasiliense) that produces extrafloral nectar. We found fewer ants per branch and fewer species of ants per tree in juvenile than in reproductive trees of medium and large size. In addition, large‐sized reproductive trees were more likely to host more aggressive ants than were medium‐sized reproductive or juvenile trees. Such differences strongly affected the outcome of the interaction between ants and their host‐plants, as the magnitude of the effect of ants on herbivory was much stronger for large trees than for juvenile ones. The fact that we did not find significant ontogenetic variation in the concentration of leaf tannins suggests that the observed differences in herbivory did not result from a differential investment in chemical defenses among different‐sized plants. Overall, the results of our study indicate that the developmental stage of the host plant is an important factor of conditionality in the interaction between C. brasiliense and arboreal foraging ants.     

The effect of dietary methionine levels on fattening performance and selected blood and tissue parameters of turkeys

A total of 490 eight-week-old female Hybrid Converter turkeys (body weight 4.11 ± 0.03 kg) were divided into 5 groups with 7 replicates of 14 birds each. For 8 weeks, basal diets were supplemented with methionine (Met) at following levels (weeks 9–12/weeks 13–16 of age): Group 1 – 0.34/0.29%, Group 2 – 0.39/0.34%, Groups 3 and 4 – 0.45/0.38% and 0.51/0.41%, respectively, Group 5 – 0.58/0.47%. Only in the first feeding phase the body weight gain (BWG) was affected by Met levels with the significantly highest BWG in Group 3. No treatment effects were found for feed conversion ratio, carcass yield, carcass composition and meat colour. The blood superoxide dismutase activity was significantly highest in Groups 2 and 3. The concentrations of reduced glutathione in the liver were linearly increased (p = 0.018), whereas the ratio of reduced glutathione to oxidised glutathione was highest in Group 3 (quadratic contrast, p = 0.004). It can be concluded that turkeys from Group 3 (Met levels age depending 15% and 10% above recommendations by NRC) were characterised by a well-balanced physiological response. Attention should be paid to the immune response of birds to higher dietary Met levels: plasma IgA concentrations decreased, whereas IL-6 and TNF-α levels increased in turkeys fed diets with the highest Met content.     

Effects of grape seed extract as a natural antioxidant on growth performance,carcass characteristics and antioxidant status of rabbits during heat stress

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of dietary supplementation of grape seed extract (GSE) on growth performance, carcass traits and antioxidant status of rabbits under heat stress conditions (temperature humidity index 87.5–93.5). Weaned male New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits about 6 weeks old (n = 144, mean body weight 705 g) were randomly allotted to four dietary groups. The Control group was fed a basal diet without GSE; the experimental groups received the basal diet with 100, 200 and 300 mg GSE/kg (Groups 100 GSE, 200 GSE and 300 GSE, respectively). The experimental period lasted for 8 weeks. Compared with other groups, rabbits of Group 300 GSE had the best body weight gain and feed conversion ratio and the lowest mortality. Dietary GSE improved carcass weight, percentage of hot carcass, intestine and edible giblets, while total non-edible parts were reduced (p ≤ 0.05) in comparison with the Control group. In Groups 200 GSE and 300 GSE, plasma total protein, albumin and globulin were increased (p ≤ 0.05). In contrast, all supplementation levels of GSE reduced (p ≤ 0.05) the plasma concentrations of total lipids, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins. Antioxidant enzymes of rabbits (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione transferase) and total antioxidant capacity in blood were increased (p ≤ 0.05) by adding dietary GSE. However, malondialdehyde was reduced (p ≤ 0.001) with increasing GSE levels. Generally, grape seeds can be considered as rich source of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The results of the study revealed that all tested levels of GSE were useful as a natural protection against heat stress to maintain performance, carcass traits and antioxidant status and could reduce the negative effects of heat stress in rabbits.     

冰片"引经" 丹参对脑缺血/再灌注损伤的保护作用研究

目的:探讨丹参单用与丹参冰片合用对大鼠脑缺血/再灌注(Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion,CI/R)损伤的影响。方法:结扎颈总动脉缺血2 h再灌注48 h复制CI/R模型,将实验大鼠随机分为假手术组、模型组、丹参组以及丹参-冰片组,每组8只。采用2,3,5-氯化三苯基四氮唑蓝(TTC)染法测定脑梗死面积,苏木精-伊红(HE)染色法观察心肌病理学形态变化,并检测超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、丙二醛(MDA)水平以及细胞核Nrf2蛋白表达水平。结果:与模型组比较,丹参单用与丹参-冰片组神经功能学评分均明显降低,脑梗死面积缩小,脑组织的病理损伤改善,MDA的含量显著降低,SOD的含量以及细胞核Nrf2蛋白表达水平增加(P0.05),且丹参-冰片组效果优于丹参组(P0.05)。结论:丹参单用与丹参冰片合用均能发挥脑保护作用,且丹参冰片配伍发挥脑保护作用明显优于丹参单用,其机制可能与抗氧化作用相关。