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Monday, 1 February 2016

Detailed analyses of fresh and dried maqui (Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz) berries and juice (Article)

Volume 190, 2016, Pages 308-316


a  University of Hohenheim, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, Garbenstrasse 25, Stuttgart, Germany
b  King Abdulaziz University, Biological Science Department, P.O. Box 80257, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

In this study, a detailed chemical characterization of nutritionally-relevant, quality-determining constituents in dried and fresh fruits as well as juices of maqui (Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz) is provided. A total of 8 glycosylated anthocyanins was characterized in maqui fruits, being composed of differently substituted cyanidin and delphinidin derivatives. During processing into juice, a substantial loss in total anthocyanin contents (TAC) was observed. TAC values were also reduced after drying of maqui berries. Likewise, the browning index (BI) of fresh fruits increased during processing. Being composed of flavonol glycosides and ellagic acids, 17 non-anthocyanin phenolics were characterized in all maqui samples. Besides characterizing phenolic compounds, antioxidant activities, total phenolics, major sugars, non-volatile organic acids, minerals and trace elements were quantitated. Moreover, total lipid contents and the fruits' mainly unsaturated fatty acid profiles are reported. The presented results indicate the high potential of maqui as so far under-utilized but extremely pigment-rich "superfruit". © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Author keywords

Antioxidant activity; Drying; Lipid content; Mineral content; Phenolic compounds; Superfruit

Indexed keywords

Engineering controlled terms: Antioxidants; Drying; Fatty acids; Fruits; Organic minerals; Phenols; Sugars; Trace elements; Unsaturated fatty acids
Anti-oxidant activities; Lipid content; Mineral content; Phenolic compounds; Superfruit
Engineering main heading: Anthocyanins
EMTREE drug terms: anthocyanin; arabinoside; astragalin; carbohydrate; coumaric acid; delphinidin; ellagic acid; flavonoid glycoside; galactoside; gallic acid; glucoside; hyperin; isoquercitrin; kaempferol; myricetin; myricetin 3 galactoside; myricetin 3 galloylglucoside; myricetin 3 glucoside; phenol derivative; plant medicinal product; proanthocyanidin; quercetin; quercetin 3 arabinoside; quercetin 3 xyloside; quercetin derivative; rutoside; sambubioside; trace element; trolox C; unclassified drug; unsaturated fatty acid
EMTREE medical terms: antioxidant activity; Aristotelia chilensis; Article; berry; electrospray mass spectrometry; food analysis; food processing; fruit juice; high performance liquid chromatography; lipid composition; moisture; nutritional value
Species Index: Aristotelia chilensis
Chemicals and CAS Registry Numbers: arabinoside, 50986-18-0; astragalin, 480-10-4; coumaric acid, 25429-38-3; delphinidin, 528-53-0; ellagic acid, 476-66-4; gallic acid, 149-91-7; glucoside, 50986-29-3; hyperin, 482-36-0; isoquercitrin, 21637-25-2, 482-35-9; kaempferol, 520-18-3; myricetin, 529-44-2; proanthocyanidin, 18206-61-6; quercetin, 117-39-5; rutoside, 153-18-4, 22519-99-9; trolox C, 56305-04-5
ISSN: 03088146 CODEN: FOCHDSource Type: Journal Original language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.05.097Document Type: Article
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
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The medicinal potential of plants from the genus Plantago (Plantaginaceae)

Volume 83, May 01, 2016, Pages 213-226


Faculty of Sciences and Technology, MeditBio, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Ed. 8, Faro, Portugal

Abstract

Plantago is a genus comprising more than 200 plant species used extensively all over the world as functional foods and remedies for a wide range of diseases. This review summarizes the traditional uses, bioactive compounds and pharmacological activities of this genus. The medicinal value of Plantago species in part reflects the gel nature of the polysaccharides extracted from their seeds, which are not only therapeutic, but can also be used for drug delivery and toxin removal. Phytochemical studies have shown that Plantago species also produce other important bioactive compounds such as phenylpropanoid glycosides, iridoids, triterpenes, flavonoids and phenolic acids. Bioactive extracts and isolated compounds can therefore be developed as therapeutic formulations. Some traditional uses of these plants have been pharmacologically validated by identifying specific bioactive molecules, although the mechanisms of action remain unclear. The Plantago genus is also a promising source of novel bioactive molecules and multifunctional polysaccharides because only a few species have been investigated comprehensively thus far. © 2016 .

Author keywords

Bioactive compounds; Keywords; Plantago; Polysaccharides; Secondary metabolites; Traditional medicine

Indexed keywords

Engineering controlled terms: Metabolites; Molecules; Polysaccharides
Bioactive compounds; Bioactive molecules; Isolated compounds; Keywords; Pharmacological activity; Phenylpropanoid glycosides; Plantago; Secondary metabolites
Engineering main heading: Seed
Species Index: Plantaginaceae; Plantago
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Polyphenols rich fraction from Geoffroea decorticans fruits flour affects key enzymes involved in metabolic syndrome, oxidative stress and inflammatory process (Article)

Volume 190, 10 June 2016, Pages 392-402


a  Laboratorio de Investigación de Productos Naturales (LIPRON), Instituto de Química del NOA (INQUINOA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
b  Laboratorio de Química de Productos Naturales, Instituto de Química de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Talca, Casilla 747, Talca, Chile
c  Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Arturo Prat, Casilla 121, Iquique, Chile

Abstract

Geoffroea decorticans (chañar), is widely distributed throughout Northwestern Argentina. Its fruit is consumed as flour, arrope or hydroalcoholic beverage. The chañar fruits flour was obtained and 39 phenolic compounds were tentatively identified by HPLC-MS/MSn. The compounds comprised caffeic acid glycosides, simple phenolics (protocatechuic acid and vanillic acid), a glycoside of vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid and its phenethyl ester as well as free and glycosylated flavonoids. The polyphenols enriched extract with and without gastroduodenal digestion inhibited enzymes associated with metabolic syndrome, including α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase and hydroxyl methyl glutaryl CoA reductase. The polyphenolic extract exhibited antioxidant activity by different mechanisms and inhibited the pro-inflammatory enzymes (ciclooxygenase, lipoxygenase and phospholipase A2). The polyphenolic extract did not showed mutagenic effect by Ames test against Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains. These findings add evidence that chañar fruit flour may be considered a functional food with preventive properties against diseases associated with oxidative stress, inflammatory mediators and metabolic syndrome. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Author keywords

Anti-inflammatory activity; Antioxidant activity; Chañar flour; Genotoxicity; Geoffroea decorticans; Metabolic syndrome; Polyphenolic compounds

Indexed keywords

Engineering controlled terms: Antioxidants; Enzymes; Fruits; Metabolism; Plants (botany); Salmonella; Sugars
Anti-inflammatory activity; Anti-oxidant activities; Genotoxicities; Geoffroea decorticans; Metabolic syndromes
Engineering main heading: Polyphenolic compounds
EMTREE drug terms: acarbose; acetylsalicylic acid; alpha glucosidase; amylase; caffeic acid; enzyme; flavonoid; gallic acid; hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase; lipoxygenase; naproxen; nimesulide; para coumaric acid; phospholipase A2; plant glycoside; polyphenol derivative; pravastatin; prostaglandin synthase; protocatechuic acid; quercetin; tetrahydrolipstatin; triacylglycerol lipase; vanillic acid
EMTREE medical terms: Ames test; animal experiment; antibacterial activity; antiinflammatory activity; antioxidant activity; Article; bacterial strain; controlled study; digestion; drug determination; duodenum; enzyme inhibition; enzyme metabolism; flour; fractionation; fruit; Geoffroea decorticans; high performance liquid chromatography; hyperglycemia; IC50; inflammation; medicinal plant; metabolic syndrome X; mutagenic activity; nonhuman; oxidative stress; phytochemistry; Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium; tandem mass spectrometry
Species Index: Geoffroea decorticans; Salmonella typhimurium
Chemicals and CAS Registry Numbers: acarbose, 56180-94-0; acetylsalicylic acid, 493-53-8, 50-78-2, 53663-74-4, 53664-49-6, 63781-77-1; alpha glucosidase, 9001-42-7; amylase, 9000-90-2, 9000-92-4, 9001-19-8; caffeic acid, 27323-69-9, 331-39-5; gallic acid, 149-91-7; hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, 37250-24-1; lipoxygenase, 9027-17-2, 9029-60-1; naproxen, 22204-53-1, 26159-34-2; nimesulide, 51803-78-2; para coumaric acid, 7400-08-0; phospholipase A2, 9001-84-7; pravastatin, 81093-37-0, 81131-70-6; prostaglandin synthase, 39391-18-9, 59763-19-8, 9055-65-6; protocatechuic acid, 99-50-3; quercetin, 117-39-5; tetrahydrolipstatin, 96829-58-2; triacylglycerol lipase, 9001-62-1; vanillic acid, 121-34-6
ISSN: 03088146 CODEN: FOCHDSource Type: Journal Original language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.05.068Document Type: Article
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Funding Details
Acronym; Sponsor: FONDECYT; Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico
Acronym; Sponsor: MINCyT; Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico
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Gastrointestinal digested Sambucus nigra L. fruit extract protects in vitro cultured human colon cells against oxidative stress (Article)

Volume 197, 15 April 2016, Pages 648-657


a  Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 48, Poznań, Poland
b  INCELL Corporation, LLC, San Antonio, TX, United States

Abstract

Elderberry (EDB) Sambucus nigra L. is one of the oldest medicinal plants which is useful for therapeutic and nutritional purposes due to a large amount of biologically active constituents, including compounds with a high antioxidant capacity. The present study focused on the antioxidant potential of the colon-available EDB fruit extract, derived from the artificial gastrointestinal tract, with regard to human colonic mucosa cells cultured in vitro. Despite the significant loss of EDB bioactive compounds due to the digestion process, the colon-digested extract was able to reduce the excessive intracellular ROS production (22%) and oxidative DNA damage (46%) in the colon cells at a dose of 1 mg of freeze-dried EDB powder/ml. Moreover, the colon-digested EDB extract inhibited oxidant-induced mutagenicity (26%) in the Salmonella typhimurium TA102 strain, as determined by the Ames test. In conclusion, the current in vitro study confirmed that the fruits of S. nigra are capable of protecting colonic cells against the detrimental effects of oxidative stress. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Author keywords

Antimutagenic activity; Antioxidant capacity; Colon cells; DNA damage; Elderberry; ROS generation

Indexed keywords

Engineering controlled terms: Antioxidants; Cells; Fruits; Salmonella
Antimutagenic activity; Antioxidant capacity; Colon cells; DNA damages; Elderberry; Ros generations
Engineering main heading: Cytology
EMTREE drug terms: 4 hydroxybenzoic acid; anthocyanin; cyanidin 3 glucoside; cyanidin 3 o rutinoside; cyanidin 3 o sambubioside; cyanidin 3 o sambubiosyl 5 o glucoside; cyanidin 3,5 o diglucoside; gallic acid; pelargonidin 3 o glucoside; pelargonidin 3 o sambubioside; peonidin 3 o glucoside; peonidin 3 o sambubioside; quercetin; quinic acid; reactive oxygen metabolite; Sambucus nigra extract; unclassified drug
EMTREE medical terms: aerobic metabolism; antioxidant activity; Article; colon mucosa; cytotoxicity; digestion; electrospray mass spectrometry; fruit; genotoxicity; high performance liquid chromatography; human; human cell; in vitro study; mutagenic activity; mutagenicity; nonhuman; oxidative stress; Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium
Chemicals and CAS Registry Numbers: 4 hydroxybenzoic acid, 456-23-5, 99-96-7; cyanidin 3 glucoside, 7084-24-4; gallic acid, 149-91-7; quercetin, 117-39-5; quinic acid, 36413-60-2, 562-73-2, 77-95-2, 7729-33-1
ISSN: 03088146 CODEN: FOCHDSource Type: Journal Original language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.11.017Document Type: Article
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
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Chemical constituents of Ligularia alticola Worosch. leaves and their biological activities (Article)

Volume 15, 1 March 2016, Pages 46-52


G.B Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pr. 100-let Vladivostoku 159, Vladivostok, Russian Federation

Abstract

Seven eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes (1-7), six cycloartane derivatives (8-13) and α-amyrin acetate (14) were isolated from the leaves of the far-eastern plant Ligularia alticola Worosch. (Family Asteraceae). (4S,5R,8S,10R)-8-Ethoxyeremophil-7(11)-en-12(8)-olide (1), 8α,11-epidioxy-8β-methoxyeremophil-6-ene (2) and 29-norcycloartan-3α-ol (8) have not been previously reported. Fukinone α-epoxide (3) was isolated for the first time from a natural source. The structures of all the compounds were established by the extensive analysis of their 1D and 2D NMR spectra and HR ESI mass spectrometry. The absolute stereochemistry of 1 was determined by comparison of theoretical and experimental ECD spectra with the application of B3LYP-TDDFT and B3LYP-GIAO calculations as well as by NMR spectroscopy. Compound 1 showed cytotoxic action against human cancer HL-60, Raji, and THP-1 cell lines (IC50 12.6, 6.0 and 6.9 μM, respectively). Compounds 2 and 4 demonstrated significant cytotoxic activities against HL-60 (IC50 2.8 and 5.8 μM, respectively) and Raji cells (IC50 2.9 and 4.2 μM, respectively). Compound 6 was cytotoxic against Raji cells (IC50 4.6 μM). None of tested compounds were cytotoxic against RAW 264.7 cells. Compounds 1 and 4-7 significantly decreased intracellular ROS levels, induced by endotoxic LPS from Escherichia coli in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

Author keywords

4 14-Dimethylsteroids; Anti-inflammatory activity; B3LYP; Cytotoxicity; Eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes; Ligularia alticola

Indexed keywords

EMTREE drug terms: 29 norcycloartan 3 alpha ol; 7,8 dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene 9,10 oxide; 8 alpha,11 epidioxy 8 beta methoxyeremophil 6 ene; 8 ethoxyeremophil 7(11) en 12(8) olide; alpha amyrin; cytotoxic agent; fukinone alpha epoxide; lipopolysaccharide; reactive oxygen metabolite; sesquiterpene; unclassified drug
EMTREE medical terms: animal cell; Article; biological activity; cancer cell line; cell level; cytotoxicity; drug cytotoxicity; drug isolation; Escherichia coli; human; human cell; IC50; Ligularia alticola; macrophage; mass spectrometry; medicinal plant; nonhuman; nuclear magnetic resonance; plant leaf; priority journal; Raji cell line; stereochemistry
Chemicals and CAS Registry Numbers: alpha amyrin, 638-95-9
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Combining internal and external motivations in multi-actor governance arrangements for biodiversity and ecosystem services

Environmental Science & Policy
Volume 58, April 2016, Pages 1–10


  • a Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
  • b Leiden University, The Netherlands
  • c University of Greifsald, Germany
  • d Sapienza Universita di Roma, Italy
  • e Radbout University, The Netherlands
  • f Natural Resources Institute Finland, Finland
  • g University of Manchester, United Kingdom
  • h Aix-Marseille University, France
  • i Belgian Biodiversity Platform, Federal Science Policy Office, Belgium
  • j Institute of Biology ZRC SAZU, Slovenia
  • k University of Eastern Finland, Finland
Received 3 July 2015, Revised 30 November 2015, Accepted 7 December 2015, Available online 11 January 2016
doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2015.12.003
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Highlights

•
Presents an EU-wide survey of 34 multi-actor biodiversity governance arrangements.
•
Non-economic motivations are compatible with involvement of private companies.
•
Identifies actor self-determination as a key success factor.
•
Inclusive governance contributes to opting in of internally motivated behaviour.
•
Internally motivated behaviour compatible with economic benefits to society.

Abstract

This paper analyses the possibility of building a mutually supportive dynamics between internally and externally motivated behaviour for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services provision. To this purpose a face to face survey amongst 169 key actors of 34 highly successful and prominent biodiversity arrangements in seven EU countries was conducted. The main finding of the paper is the feasibility of combining inherently intrinsically motivated behaviours (providing enjoyment, pleasure from experimentation and learning, aesthetic satisfaction) and internalized extrinsic motivations (related to the identification with the collective goals of conservation policy) through a common set of governance features. Successful initiatives that combine internal and external motivations share the following features: inclusive decision making processes, a broad monitoring by “peers” beyond the core staff of the initiatives, and a context that is supportive for the building of autonomous actor competences. These findings are in line with the psycho-sociological theory of motivation, which shows the importance of a psycho-social context leading to a subjective perception of autonomy and a sense of competence of the actors.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

  • Internal motivations; 
  • Biodiversity; 
  • Multi-actor governance; 
  • Payment for ecosystem services; 
  • Crowding out
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In vitro antimicrobial and anti-proliferative activities of plant extracts from Spathodea campanulata, Ficus bubu, and Carica papaya.

2016 Jan 22:1-10. [Epub ahead of print]


Mbosso Teinkela JE1,2,3, Assob Nguedia JC4, Meyer F2, Vouffo Donfack E5, Lenta Ndjakou B6, Ngouela S5, Tsamo E5, Adiogo D1, Guy Blaise Azebaze A3, Wintjens R2.

Abstract

Context African medicinal plants represent a prominent source of new active substances. In this context, three plants were selected for biological investigations based on their traditional uses. Objective The antimicrobial and anti-proliferative features of three plants used for medicinal purpose were evaluated. Materials and methods The antimicrobial activities of methanol extracts of Ficus bubu Warb. (Moraceae) stem bark and leaves, of Spathodea campanulata P. Beauv. (Bignoniaceae) flowers, as well as those of Carica papaya Linn. (Caricaceae) latex, were determined using the microbroth dilution method against a set of bacteria and fungi pathogens including: Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, S. saprophyticus, S. epidermididis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhimurium, Candida albicans, and Trichophyton rubrum. The tested concentrations of extracts ranged from 2500.0 to 2.4 μg/mL and MIC values were evaluated after 24 h incubation at 37 °C. Subsequently, MTT assay was used to estimate anti-proliferative activity of these methanol extracts and of F. bubu latex on three human cancer cell lines (U373 glioblastoma, A549 NSCLC, and SKMEL-28 melanoma). Results The methanol extract of F. bubu stem bark exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against C. albicans with a MIC value of 9.8 μg/mL, while the F. bubu latex and the methanol extract of F. bubu leaves induced significant anti-proliferative activity against lung (IC50 values of 10 and 14 μg/mL, respectively) and glioma (IC50 values of 13 and 16 μg/mL, respectively) cancer cells. Conclusion These results indicate that effective drugs could be derived from the three studied plants.

KEYWORDS:

Bioactivity; cancer; latex; medicinal plants
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Sunday, 31 January 2016

Lars Thorup Larsen (2015): “The problematization of fertility treatment: biopolitics and IVF policy in Denmark”, Distinktion 16(3): 318-36.


Abstract:
With the demographic challenges facing many European states, one would perhaps expect the state to invoke a biopolitical imperative to ‘faire vivre’, as Foucault termed it, and attempt to regulate birth rates. This expectation is too simple, however, as this article shows both theoretically and empirically. In order better to understand the possible counterweights to biopolitical concerns about the birth rate, the conceptual distinction between biopolitics and governmentality is useful. Scholarly debates about biopolitics and governmentality have been surprisingly silent on what constitutes the internal relationship between the two or how they may come into conflict. The article elaborates this conceptual distinction and demonstrates its relevance in a genealogy of how fertility treatment has been problematized in Danish assisted reproduction policy. Since access to IVF treatment does not appear to follow a biopolitical imperative to ‘faire vivre’, it is interesting to explore and compare how IVF treatment – and its doctors, patients, and children – has been problematized instead. In a variety of different ways, the biopolitical concern about the low birth rate has been overshadowed by concerns about how to govern. Either the new treatment has been problematized as an unnecessary cover for private or special interests, for instance doctors’ illegitimate attempts to self-govern, or problematization has centered on prospective parents characterized as demanding or selfish. The interface between biopolitics and fertility treatment is thus only understandable with a view to problems of governing and the resulting tension between governmentality and the biopolitical imperative to ‘faire vivre’.
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