Protective effects of quercetin and vitamin C against oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration

Clinical trials of several neurodegenerative diseases have increasingly targeted the evaluation of various antioxidants' effectiveness. The human diet contains several thousand phytochemicals, many of which have significant bioactivities. Vitamin C, a naturally occurring antioxidant, is known to reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Quercetin, one of the major flavonoids in some fruits and vegetables, has much stronger antioxidative and anticarcinogenic activities than vitamin C. Therefore, we investigated the protective effects of quercetin on hydroxy peroxide-induced neurodegeneration. To determine the protective effects, PC12 cells were preincubated with quercetin and vitamin C before H(2)O(2) treatment for 2 h. Results showed that cell viability was clearly improved with quercetin, and quercetin showed a higher protective effect than vitamin C. Because oxidative stress is known to increase neuronal cell membrane breakdown, we further investigated lactate dehydrogenase and trypan blue exclusion assays. We observed that quercetin decreased oxidative stress-induced neuronal cell membrane damage more than vitamin C. These results suggest that quercetin, in addition to many other biological benefits, contributes significantly to the protective effects of neuronal cells from oxidative stress-induced neurotoxicity, such as Alzheimer disease.     

A review of the epidemiological evidence for the 'antioxidant hypothesis'

OBJECTIVE: The British Nutrition Foundation was recently commissioned by the Food Standards Agency to conduct a review of the government's research programme on Antioxidants in Food. Part of this work involved an independent review of the scientific literature on the role of antioxidants in chronic disease prevention, which is presented in this paper. BACKGROUND: There is consistent evidence that diets rich in fruit and vegetables and other plant foods are associated with moderately lower overall mortality rates and lower death rates from cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer. The 'antioxidant hypothesis' proposes that vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids and other antioxidant nutrients afford protection against chronic diseases by decreasing oxidative damage. RESULTS: Although scientific rationale and observational studies have been convincing, randomised primary and secondary intervention trials have failed to show any consistent benefit from the use of antioxidant supplements on cardiovascular disease or cancer risk, with some trials even suggesting possible harm in certain subgroups. These trials have usually involved the administration of single antioxidant nutrients given at relatively high doses. The results of trials investigating the effect of a balanced combination of antioxidants at levels achievable by diet are awaited. CONCLUSION: The suggestion that antioxidant supplements can prevent chronic diseases has not been proved or consistently supported by the findings of published intervention trials. Further evidence regarding the efficacy, safety and appropriate dosage of antioxidants in relation to chronic disease is needed. The most prudent public health advice remains to increase the consumption of plant foods, as such dietary patterns are associated with reduced risk of chronic disease.     

In vivo antioxidative activity of propolis evaluated by the interaction with vitamins C and E and the level of lipid hydroperoxides in rats

In vivo antioxidative activity of propolis was evaluated on the basis of ameliorative effects on the oxidative stress induced by vitamin E deficiency in rats. The control group was fed vitamin E-deficient diet, and the propolis group was fed vitamin E-deficient diet supplemented with 1% of propolis for 4 and 8 weeks. Comparisons were made in tissue concentrations of vitamin C, vitamin E, and lipid hydroperoxides between these groups. No significant difference was observed in tissue vitamin E concentration between these groups after both 4 and 8 weeks. After 4 weeks, the plasma vitamin C concentration of the propolis group was significantly higher than that of the control group. After 8 weeks, the tissue concentrations of vitamin C in the kidney, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine of the propolis group were significantly higher than those of the control group. These results suggest that some components of propolis are absorbed to circulate in the blood and behave as a hydrophilic antioxidant that saves vitamin C. The concentration of lipid hydroperoxides in the large intestine of the propolis group was significantly lower than that of the control group after 8 weeks. These results suggest that propolis exerts its antioxidative effect where it is assumed to accumulate, such as on the kidney, where it is excreted, and on the gastrointestinal tract, where propolis influences these tissues even from the outside of the cell.     

Individual and combined antioxidant effects of seven phenolic agents in human erythrocyte membrane ghosts and phosphatidylcholine liposome systems: importance of the partition coefficient

Antioxidant activities of seven phenolic agents against Fe(2+)-induced lipid oxidation were compared with alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, and vitamin C in human erythrocyte membrane ghosts and liposome systems. The antioxidant activity of five test flavonoids followed the order catechin > epicatechin > rutin > quercetin > myricetin in both systems (p < 0.05), which was negatively correlated with their partition coefficients. The antioxidant interaction of these phenolic agents with alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, or vitamin C in inhibiting Fe(2+)-induced lipid oxidation was examined. Synergistic effects were present in the combinations of alpha-tocopherol plus caffeic acid, catechin, or epicatechin as well as in all combinations of vitamin C plus phenolic antioxidants. On the basis of the stronger individual and combined effects present in caffeic acid, catechin, and epicatechin, the application of these three phenolic agents with or without alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, and vitamin C may provide stronger protective benefits against lipid oxidation, which may be helpful for oxidation-related diseases prevention.     

Time trend investigation of PCBs, PBDEs, and organochlorine pesticides in selected n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid rich dietary fish oil and vegetable oil supplements; nutritional relevance for human essential n-3 fatty acid requirements

In addition to being used in the food and animal feed industry, fish oils have also been used traditionally as dietary supplements. Due to the presence of long-chain n-3 fatty acids, fish oils have therapeutic benefits in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular, immunological, and arthritic diseases, as well as childhood deficiency diseases such as rickets, because of a high content of vitamin D. However, fish oils are also susceptible to contamination with lipophilic organic chemicals that are now ubiquitous contaminants of marine ecosystems. Many vegetable oils are sources of the shorter chain precursor forms of n-3 fatty acids, and in recent years the specialist dietary supplement market has expanded to include these oils in a variety of different formulations. This paper reports analytical results of selected contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, for a range of commercially available n-3 fatty acid rich fish and vegetable oil dietary supplements. Using principal component analysis, the values are compared with historic samples to elucidate time trends in contamination profiles. Levels of contaminants are discussed in relation to the nutritional benefits to the consumer of long- and short-chain forms of n-3 fatty acids.     

Determination of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid in different fractions of tomato by capillary electrophoresis with electrochemical detection

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), one of the most important crops worldwide, contains different classes of substances with antioxidant properties such as carotenoids, vitamin C, and phenolics. A method based on capillary electrophoresis with electrochemical detection has been developed to analyze ascorbic acid and phenolics in the peel, pulp, and seeds of tomatoes. Operating in a wall-jet configuration, a 300 microm diameter carbon disk electrode was used as the working electrode, which exhibits a good response at +0.90 V (vs saturated calomel electrode) for the analytes. Under optimum conditions, the analytes were baseline separated within 20 min in a 50 mmol/L borate buffer (pH 8.7). Notably, excellent linearity was obtained over 3 orders of magnitude with detection limits (S/N=3) ranging from 1x10(-8) to 2x10(-7) g/mL for all analytes. This proposed method has been successfully applied to monitor the content of ascorbic acid and phenolics in real samples, and the assay results were satisfactory.     

Effect of Nitrogen Supply and Storage Temperature on Vitamin C in Two Species of Baby Leaf Rocket,and the Potential of These Crops for a Nutrient Claim in Australia

Baby leaf crops such as rocket are popular in mixed salads and add flavor and diversity to these dishes. Rocket leaves contain many beneficial compounds to human health, including vitamin C. It is important to determine abiotic factors that influence the concentration of this compound; in order to improve the supply of quality produce with a high nutritional value. The possibility of a nutrient claim for leaves of perennial wall rocket [Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC.] and annual garden rocket (Eruca sativa Mill.) was examined under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) framework. Crops were supplied with 0, 100, 200, and 300 kg · ha^?1 of nitrogen (N); leaves were stored at 0, 4, and 7°C for 15 days. The cultivar and amount of nitrogen supplied to perennial wall rocket did not affect the concentration of vitamin C in leaves at harvest, with a mean of 79.6 mg 100 g^?1. For annual garden rocket there was an interaction between cultivar and nitrogen supply, with higher levels of supply generally resulting in lower vitamin C concentrations at harvest. The postharvest stability of vitamin C in both crops was best maintained at the lowest storage temperature. The results of this study illustrate that if stored at 0°C, both species contain vitamin C in sufficient quantities 15 days after harvest, to result in a “good source” health claim [>25% recommended daily intake (RDI)]. However, the storage temperature in the supply chain is typically ～7°C, still permitting a “source” health claim (>10% RDI) for both species.     

温室作物生态健康智能监护系统(GH-Healthex)的研制与测试

研制温室作物生态健康智能监护系统是为了解决目前温室环境监控系统普遍存在的自动获取的数据未与具体作物健康生育的特殊需求相结合，也未被用于病虫害的智能化防治等问题。该文报导的温室作物生态健康智能监护系统(GH-Healthex)实现了这类数据在植物健康监护和病虫害智能化防治中的利用。以番茄为研究案例，系统通过对温室环境监测数据的分析，结合作物种植知识库中番茄生长发育及其病虫害发生规律可以进行智能化决策，即当温室内出现了不利于作物生长的气象条件时，系统会自动的通过系统界面提示用户采取相应措施，以保证温室番茄的优质、高效生产。该系统提供了一个作物知识库平台，若以其他作物的种植和病虫害防治数据替代番茄数据，便能更广泛地推广应用。     

Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of common vegetables

Epidemiological studies have shown that consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases. Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables containing high levels of phytochemicals has been recommended to prevent chronic diseases related to oxidative stress in the human body. In this study, 10 common vegetables were selected on the basis of consumption per capita data in the United States. A more complete profile of phenolic distributions, including both free and bound phenolics in these vegetables, is reported here using new and modified methods. Broccoli possessed the highest total phenolic content, followed by spinach, yellow onion, red pepper, carrot, cabbage, potato, lettuce, celery, and cucumber. Red pepper had the highest total antioxidant activity, followed by broccoli, carrot, spinach, cabbage, yellow onion, celery, potato, lettuce, and cucumber. The phenolics antioxidant index (PAI) was proposed to evaluate the quality/quantity of phenolic contents in these vegetables and was calculated from the corrected total antioxidant activities by eliminating vitamin C contributions. Antiproliferative activities were also studied in vitro using HepG(2) human liver cancer cells. Spinach showed the highest inhibitory effect, followed by cabbage, red pepper, onion, and broccoli. On the basis of these results, the bioactivity index (BI) for dietary cancer prevention is proposed to provide a simple reference for consumers to choose vegetables in accordance with their beneficial activities. The BI could be a new alternative biomarker for future epidemiological studies in dietary cancer prevention and health promotion.     

Factors influencing phenolic compounds in table olives (Olea europaea)

The Mediterranean diet appears to be associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular and Alzheimer's diseases. Olive products (mainly olive oil and table olives) are important components of the Mediterranean diet. Olives contain a range of phenolic compounds; these natural antioxidants may contribute to the prevention of these chronic conditions. Consequently, the consumption of table olives and olive oil continues to increase worldwide by health-conscious consumers. There are numerous factors that can affect the phenolics in table olives including the cultivar, degree of ripening, and, importantly, the methods used for curing and processing table olives. The predominant phenolic compound found in fresh olive is the bitter secoiridoid oleuropein. Table olive processing decreases levels of oleuropein with concomitant increases in the hydrolysis products hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol. Many of the health benefits reported for olives are thought to be associated with the levels of hydroxytyrosol. Herein the pre- and post-harvest factors influencing the phenolics in olives, debittering methods, and health benefits of phenolics in table olives are reviewed.     

Technique for rapid, small-scale analysis of vitamin C levels in fruit and application to a tomato mutant collection

We present a technique for easy, rapid analysis of both total and reduced forms of vitamin C in fruits using microplates and a plate reader. This technique has been compared with a spectrofluorometric technique classically used for assaying vitamin C in fresh tomato. We have applied these methods to a population of 118 tomato mutant lines and controls in search of variability for this trait. Six lines, identified as having high vitamin C levels, and four lines having low vitamin C levels have been chosen for further study. The vitamin C levels have been compared with sugar concentration, dry matter content, fruit weight, titratable acidity, and firmness. The correlations that often exist in tomato varieties between sugar and vitamin C content (positive correlation) or fruit weight and vitamin C content (negative correlation) can be uncoupled in the lines selected for further analysis.     

Processed sweet corn has higher antioxidant activity

Processed fruits and vegetables have been long considered to have lower nutritional value than the fresh produce due to the loss of vitamin C during processing. Vitamin C in apples has been found to contribute <0.4% of total antioxidant activity, indicating most of the activity comes from the natural combination of phytochemicals. This suggests that processed fruits and vegetables may retain their antioxidant activity despite the loss of vitamin C. Here it is shown that thermal processing at 115 degrees C for 25 min significantly elevated the total antioxidant activity of sweet corn by 44% and increased phytochemical content such as ferulic acid by 550% and total phenolics by 54%, although 25% vitamin C loss was observed. Processed sweet corn has increased antioxidant activity equivalent to 210 mg of vitamin C/100 g of corn compared to the remaining 3.2 mg of vitamin C in the sample that contributed only 1.5% of its total antioxidant activity. These findings do not support the notion that processed fruits and vegetables have lower nutritional value than fresh produce. This information may have a significant impact on consumers' food selection by increasing their consumption of fruits and vegetables to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.     

Very low vitamin C activity of orally administered L-dehydroascorbic acid.

The biological activity of L-dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), which is easily formed from L-ascorbic acid (ASC) during storage and cooking processes, has been considered to be equivalent to that of ASC on the basis of studies made several decades ago, when a specific method to determine ASC was not available. The nutritional activity of orally ingested DHA has now been evaluated by comparing ASC concentrations in 12 tissues of rats administered four different doses of ASC. Determinations were made by using the specific and sensitive method, which had been developed by us. Here it is shown that the efficiency of DHA was almost 10% of that of ASC on a molar basis, based on animal experiments using the inherently scorbutic ODS rat, which is a convenient human model animal to investigate the metabolism of vitamin C. On the basis of these findings, it is proposed that it is necessary to reevaluate the nutritional requirement of vitamin C based on both ASC and DHA contents of foods.     

Nitrogen fertilizers and the amount of vitamins in plants: A review

Effect of mineral fertilizers on the vitamin content of plants has received very little attention by scientists in English‐speaking countries, especially in recent years. A review of the literature, however, has revealed a rich source of information mostly published in non‐English journals. Based on these reports, nitrogen fertilizers, especially at high rates, seem to decrease the concentration of vitamin C in many different fruits and vegetables, among them potatoes, tomatoes and citrus fruits, the major sources of this vitamin in human nutrition in many societies. Nitrogen fertilizers are also shown to increase the concentrations of carotenes and vitamin B₁ in plants. Since excess use of nitrogen fertilizers increases the concentration of NO₃ in plant foods and simultaneously decreases that of ascorbic acid, a known inhibitor for the formation of carcinogenic N‐nitroso compounds from nitrite, it appears that the use of these fertilizers may have a double negative effect on the quality of food plants. Vitamin C and several carotenoids have antioxidant properties and reportedly reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and some forms of cancer. Whether long‐term consumption of food plants grown with excess use of nitrogen fertilizers would have an overall positive or negative effect on the total intake of antioxidative vitamins by consumers warrants investigation.     

影响禾谷类作物籽实营养素含量的遗传因素分析

禾谷类作物是最重要的粮食作物,为人类提供了必需的营养物质,淀粉、脂肪、蛋白质、维生素和矿物质作为谷物的主要营养素,其含量是培育健康谷物的关键。为给育种研究中有效提升禾谷类籽实的营养品质及谷物的有效利用提供参考,并为培育更具全面营养的谷物提供理论依据,从饮食源头上为人类健康保驾护航。本文基于近年来相关文献资料的梳理归纳,对几种主要的禾谷类作物小麦、大麦、燕麦、水稻和玉米中的几种主要营养素含量进行比较分析,对影响这些营养物质含量和品质的遗传因素进行分析总结,认为小麦、大麦、燕麦、水稻、玉米等禾谷类籽实所含的各类营养物质有较大差异,不同物种遗传背景的差异是导致不同禾谷类籽实营养物质差异的根本原因,而在进化过程中基因突变的平行性又是导致禾谷类籽实中相同营养元素被同类基因编码调控的直接原因。     

Apple peels as a value-added food ingredient

There is some evidence that chronic diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, may occur as a result of oxidative stress. Apple peels have high concentrations of phenolic compounds and may assist in the prevention of chronic diseases. Millions of pounds of waste apple peels are generated in the production of applesauce and canned apples in New York State each year. We proposed that a valuable food ingredient could be made using the peels of these apples if they could be dried and ground to a powder without large losses of phytochemicals. Rome Beauty apple peels were treated with citric acid dips, ascorbic acid dips, and blanches before being oven-dried at 60 degrees C. Only blanching treatments greatly preserved the phenolic compounds, and peels blanched for 10 s had the highest total phenolic content. Rome Beauty apple peels were then blanched for 10 s and dried under various conditions (oven-dried at 40, 60, or 80 degrees C, air-dried, or freeze-dried). The air-dried and freeze-dried apple peels had the highest total phenolic, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents. On a fresh weight basis, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of these samples were similar to those of the fresh apple peels. Freeze-dried peels had a lower water activity than air-dried peels on a fresh weight basis. The optimal processing conditions for the ingredient were blanching for 10s and freeze-drying. The process was scaled up, and the apple peel powder ingredient was characterized. The total phenolic content was 3342 +/- 12 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g dried peels, the flavonoid content was 2299 +/- 52 mg catechin equivalents/100 g dried peels, and the anthocyanin content was 169.7 +/- 1.6 mg cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents/100 g dried peels. These phytochemical contents were a significantly higher than those of the fresh apple peels if calculated on a fresh weight basis (p < 0.05). The apple peel powder had a total antioxidant activity of 1251 +/- 56 micromol vitamin C equivalents/g, similar to fresh Rome Beauty peels on a fresh weight basis (p > 0.05). One gram of powder had an antioxidant activity equivalent to 220 mg of vitamin C. The freeze-dried apple peels also had a strong antiproliferative effect on HepG(2) liver cancer cells with a median effective dose (EC(50)) of 1.88 +/- 0.01 mg/mL. This was lower than the EC(50) exhibited by the fresh apple peels (p < 0.05). Apple peel powder may be used in a various food products to add phytochemicals and promote good health.     

Effects of microwave cooking conditions on bioactive compounds present in broccoli inflorescences

Cooking as a domestic processing method has a great impact on food nutrients. Most Brassica (Brassicaceae, Cruciferae) vegetables are mainly consumed after being cooked, and cooking considerably affects their health-promoting compounds (specifically, glucosinolates, phenolic compunds, minerals, and vitamin C studied here). The microwave cooking process presents controversial results in the literature due to the different conditions that are employed (time, power, and added water). Therefore, the aim of this work was to study the influence of these conditions during microwave cooking on the human bioactive compounds of broccoli. The results show a general decrease in the levels of all the studied compounds except for mineral nutrients which were stable under all cooking conditions. Vitamin C showed the greatest losses mainly because of degradation and leaching, whereas losses for phenolic compounds and glucosinolates were mainly due to leaching into water. In general, the longest microwave cooking time and the higher volume of cooking water should be avoided to minimize losses of nutrients.     

The co-evolutionary perspective of the food-medicine continuum and wild gathered and cultivated vegetables

Accumulated evidence suggests that our genes are still adapted to a pre-agriculturalist diet, which was devoid of refined sugars and dairy products and that our modern dietary behaviour is in great part responsible for several modern life style diseases. Especially the consumption of fruits, spices and vegetables, cultivated or gathered from the wild, are perceived as being healthy or endowed with a prophylactic effect and therefore many of these dietary items are regarded as both at the same time: food and medicine. I argue that green leafy vegetables began to contribute substantially to the human diet only with the beginning of agriculture, when the ecological niche of weeds began to prosper. Wild gathered vegetables added to the agriculturalists’ dietary need in form of a back-up resource in times of shortage and in form of micronutrients and allelochemicals promoting the development of the modern pharmacopoeias. Similarly to wild gathered foods are cultivated staples recently getting more attention by phytochemists and pharmacologists. Especially local cultivars and agro-ecotypes may present interesting opportunities for phytochemical and pharmacological analysis in the attempt of identifying bioactive dietary allelochemicals. Chemical and biological characterization of local crop cultivars serves for the selection of varieties with specific nutraceutical properties. Germplasm can be obtained from several local organizations, which arrange easy access to seeds and products of rare crop cultivars, foster their commercialization and secure catering through the conservation of agro-biodiversity.     

Nutritive and antioxidative potential of fresh and stored pomegranate industrial byproduct as a novel beef cattle feed

Pomegranate peel is a nutritive-rich byproduct whose amounts are extensively growing due to the exponential increase in the production of pomegranate juice and "ready to eat" arils. Pomegranate peel is a rich source for antioxidants and thus may serve in the prevention of cattle diseases and in the improvement of beef products, making it an attractive component in beef cattle diets. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of commonly used storage practices on the nutritive and antioxidative properties of pomegranate peel. In general, storage conditions preserved most antioxidant capacity. Ensiling ambivalently affected the nutritive values of the peel and promoted increased levels of antioxidative components. In addition to polyphenols, nonphenolic components, such as alpha- and gamma-tocopherols, contributed to the total antioxidative capacity, and several minerals found in the peel added to its nutritional value. Dietary supplementation with fresh peels promoted significant increases in feed intake and alpha-tocopherol concentration in the plasma, with positive tendency toward increased weight gain of bull calves. All in all, the nutritive value and the antioxidant capacity of pomegranate peel turn it into a favorable health-promoting constituent of feedlot beef cattle diet.