Bioguided isolation and identification of the nonvolatile antioxidant compounds from fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) waste

A bioguided isolation of an aqueous extract of fennel waste led to the isolation of 12 major phenolic compounds. Liquid chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (LC/UV/APCI-MS) combined with spectroscopic methods (NMR) was used for compound identification. Radical scavenging activity was tested using three methods: DPPH*, superoxide nitro-blue tetrazolium hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase, and *OH/luminol chemiluminescence. In addition to products described in the literature, eight antioxidant compounds were isolated and identified for the first time in fennel: 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-caffeoylquinic acid, 1,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, rosmarinic acid, eriodictyol-7-O-rutinoside, quercetin-3-O-galactoside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, and kaempferol-3-O-glucoside. The structures of eriodictyol-7-O-rutinoside and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide were completely elucidated by two-dimensional NMR experiments. The isolated compounds exhibited a strong antiradical scavenging activity, which may contribute to the interpretation of the pharmacological effects of fennel.     

Extraction and identification of natural antioxidant from Sideritis euboea (mountain tea)

The dried aerial parts of the mountain tea Sideritis euboea were extracted using n-hexane, methanol, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol. The residues were tested for their antioxidant activity on sunflower oil at 50 degrees C under UV light. The oxidation of the sunflower oil was measured using PV, absorbance E(1%)1 cm, and malondialdehyde by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The butanol extract showed the highest antioxidant activity and was further fractionated by silica and cellulose column chromatography and finally by HPLC. The activity of the final fraction on a range of vegetable oils was compared to that of common used antioxidants (BHT, alpha-tocopherol) using DPPH*, the Rancimat method, and the Schaal oven test. At a level of 400 ppm, the extracted kaempherol showed the highest antioxidant activity among all antioxidants tested. The final fraction was identified (using UV, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, mass spectroscopy, and melting point) as 3,5,7,4'-tetrahydroxy flavone (kaempherol).     

Phenolic composition and antioxidant properties of Polish blue-berried honeysuckle genotypes by HPLC-DAD-MS, HPLC postcolumn derivatization with ABTS or FC, and TLC with DPPH visualization

In this study, different Polish cultivars of blue-berried honeysuckles (Lonicera caerulea L.), wild and bog bilberry, were analyzed for bioactive compounds. The chemical properties verified included composition of anthocyanins and other polyphenols, antioxidant activity, and profiles of antioxidants by HPLC postcolumn derivatization or TLC. The antioxidant activities of different blue-berried honeysuckle cultivars were similar to that of wild-growing bilberries (ranging from 170 to 417 μmol TE/g dm in ABTS and from 93 to 166 μmol TE/g dm in DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu tests). The major anthocyanin in the blue-berried honeysuckle was cyanidin-3-glucoside, which constituted 84-92% of the total anthocyanins. The TLC and HPLC postcolumn antioxidant profiles indicated that anthocyanins are the major antioxidants in all berries studied. Wild berries and the cultivars of the blue-berried honeysuckles are also a similar source of such minerals as K, Mg, and Ca.     

红外热处理对油茶籽油活性成分及综合抗氧化水平的影响

为探究热处理后油茶籽油活性成分的变化规律与其氧化稳定性内在联系,该研究以油茶籽为原料,经热处理后对所得油茶籽油的7个指标进行测定分析（氧化诱导时间、脂肪酸组成、多酚、美拉德产物、β-谷甾醇、角鲨烯、生育酚）,并对整体抗氧化水平构建综合评价体系。结果表明：热处理后油茶籽油各指标均有显著性变化（P<0.05）：氧化诱导时间最大和最小值与未处理对照相比分别增加47.05%和降低36.02%;不饱和脂肪酸在脂肪酸组成中占比最高且易被氧化;总酚、5-羟甲基糠醛(5-HMF)、丙酮醛(MGO)、3-脱氧葡萄糖醛酮(3-DG)、β-谷甾醇、角鲨烯与α-生育酚含量最高分别是对照的7.12、1.69、7.19、4.27、1.13、1.03和1.25倍;总酚与抗氧化能力呈极显著相关（P<0.01）;美拉德产物5-HMF、MGO、3-DG含量与抗氧化能力呈显著相关（P<0.05）,β-谷甾醇、角鲨烯与α-生育酚与温度分别呈正相关、显著负相关、显著正相关;综合评价模型表明极性组分（总酚、美拉德产物）抗氧化能力权重大于非极性组分,热处理110 ℃前非极性组分对油茶籽油的抗氧化水平起主要作用,110 ℃后极性组分起主要作用。与未处理对照相比,适度热处理可以改变油茶籽油中活性物质含量及抗氧化能力并以此调控油脂的氧化稳定性。研究结果为探究油脂氧化稳定机理提供了数据支持,为油茶籽油加工工艺参数选择提供参考。     

Antioxidant activity and diffusion of catechin and epicatechin from antioxidant active films made of poly(L-lactic acid)

Active membranes and food packaging containing antioxidants like catechin and epicatechin, combined with the use of materials made of biopolymers obtained from renewable sources, could create a novel alternative to reduce oxidation in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products. Poly(94% L-lactic acid) films containing 1.28% catechin and 1.50% epicatechin were extruded in a pilot plant-scale extrusion machine. The diffusion kinetics of catechin and epicatechin into 95% ethanol at 20, 30, 40, and 50 °C and 50% ethanol at 40 °C displayed Fickian release behavior and diffusion coefficients between 0.5 and 50 × 10(-11) cm(2)/s. According to the Arrhenius equation, the energy of activation for the diffusion of catechin and epicatechin in the films was 110.43 and 98.92 kJ/mol, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the films was measured in methanol extracts containing 46.42 μg/mL of catechin and 57.52 μg/mL of epicatechin as 32.90 and 36.68% of scavenging the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical, respectively.     

Cell bioassay for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP): comparison with postcolumn derivatization liquid chromatographic analysis and application to the monitoring of PSP in shellfish

We performed a neuroblastoma cell (Neuro2a) culture assay modified slightly from a method reported previously to provide a simple and sensitive evaluation of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxicity in shellfish. The cell bioassay was just as sensitive for C-toxins as for gonyautoxins. The sensitivity of our cell bioassay was 4 times that of the current standard mouse bioassay. Using the cell bioassay, we evaluated PSP toxicity in 361 shellfish samples collected from Mikawa Bay and Ise Bay, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, from April 1999-March 2002. The results were compared with those obtained in a postcolumn derivatization liquid chromatographic analysis. PSP toxins were detected in 236/361 samples by both assays, and there was a fairly good correlation (r = 0.9001, n = 236, p < 0.001) between the results from the two assays. We applied this cell bioassay when short-necked clams in the bay turned poisonous in 2001. The chronological changes in PSP toxicity in the short-necked clams were analyzed and compared with those of the cell density of poisonous plankton (Alexandrium tamarense) occurring in the bay. The PSP toxicity in shellfish peaked 2 weeks after the cell density reached a maximum. We recommend using the cell bioassay for routine monitoring of PSP toxicity in shellfish living in natural marine environments.     

Rapid isolation and purification of 1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3-butene (crambene) from Crambe abyssinica seed meal using immiscible solvent extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

1-Cyano-2-hydroxy-3-butene (crambene) is a nitrile found in cruciferous vegetables that causes significant upregulation of quinone reductase and glutathione S-transferases in vivo and in vitro, making it a likely candidate as a cancer chemopreventive compound. To investigate further the putative anticarcinogenic mechanisms of crambene, a compound of the highest possible purity is vital. Therefore, a rapid and effective method of purification of crambene is necessary to continue studies of its beneficial health effects. A rapid method to isolate and purify natural crambene from either Crambe abyssinica (crambe) seed or commercially processed crambe seed meal was developed using immiscible solvent extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Use of this methodology eliminated the need for time-consuming and relatively inefficient column chromatography, improved extraction efficiency, and resulted in higher purity than previously used methodologies. Elimination of trace amounts of fatty acid residues, unachievable with previous methodologies, also was accomplished.     

Improvement in isolation and identification of food-derived peptides in human plasma based on precolumn derivatization of peptides with phenyl isothiocyanate

For the isolation and detection of food-derived peptides in blood, an approach based on the derivatization of peptides with phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC) was developed. This approach allows hydrophilic peptides to be resolved and specifically detected by reversed-phase (RP) HPLC. For the rapid capturing and clarification of peptides in human plasma, solid-phase extraction by using a mini spin column (5 mmx5 mm) packed with a strong cation exchanger was used. The clarified peptide fraction was further fractionated by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). The peptides in the SEC fractions were derivatized with PITC, and the derivatives were resolved by RP-HPLC by using an ammonium acetate buffer or a trifluoroacetic acid system. An automatic peptide sequencer based on Edman degradation with a modified program can directly analyze the resolved derivatives. Some synthetic peptides and food-derived peptides in human plasma were successfully isolated and identified by this approach.     

Rapid isolation of DNA from chocolate and date palm tree crops

DNA isolation from plants is sometimes difficult due to the existence of high levels of endogenous phenolics, polysaccharides, or other substances that may interfere with DNA extraction. Theobroma cacao produces high levels of anthocyanins in young leaves. These plant polyphenols can interfere with DNA isolation. After examination of various procedures for DNA isolation, two commercial isolation procedures have proved to be repeatedly successful using these types of plants, the D(2) BioTechnologies DNA X-tract Plus kit and the Qiagen DNeasy Plant System DNA kit. These commercial kits were chosen for their speed and ease over the CTAB procedure, which is more labor intensive. All protocols assessed yielded DNA suitable for AFLP or SSR procedures. An additional factor in DNA extraction efficiency is the degree of cell breakage, which may be more difficult with the highly fibrous leaf tissue that is found in many monocots, including date palm. Two commercially produced pieces of equipment were tested and, for cacao, both resulted in template DNA yielding amplification product in AFLP or SSR fingerprinting. However, for the fibrous date palm leaf, the larger FastPrep homogenizer consistently yielded DNA that generated higher signals when amplified than did the smaller Disruptor Genie.     

Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) and European cranberry (Vaccinium microcarpon) proanthocyanidins: isolation, identification, and bioactivities

European, small-fruited cranberries (Vaccinium microcarpon) and lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) were characterized for their phenolic compounds and tested for antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiadhesive, and antiinflammatory effects. The main phenolic compounds in both lingonberries and cranberries were proanthocyanidins comprising 63-71% of the total phenolic content, but anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids, and flavonols were also found. Proanthocyanidins are polymeric phenolic compounds consisting mainly of catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, and epigallocatechin units. In the present study, proanthocyanidins were divided into three groups: dimers and trimers, oligomers (mDP 4-10), and polymers (mDP > 10). Catechin, epicatechin, A-type dimers and trimers were found to be the terminal units of isolated proanthocyanidin fractions. Inhibitions of lipid oxidation in liposomes were over 70% and in emulsions over 85%, and in most cases the oligomeric or polymeric fraction was the most effective. Polymeric proanthocyanidin extracts of lingonberries and cranberries were strongly antimicrobial against Staphylococcus aureus, whereas they had no effect on other bacterial strains such as Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Escherichia coli. Polymeric fraction of cranberries and oligomeric fractions of both lingonberries and cranberries showed an inhibitory effect on hemagglutination of E. coli, which expresses the M hemagglutin. Cranberry phenolic extract inhibited LPS-induced NO production in a dose-dependent manner, but it had no major effect on iNOS of COX-2 expression. At a concentration of 100 μg/mL cranberry phenolic extract inhibited LPS-induced IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α production. Lingonberry phenolics had no significant effect on IL-1β production but inhibited IL-6 and TNF-α production at a concentration of 100 μg/mL similarly to cranberry phenolic extract. In conclusion the phenolics, notably proanthocyanidins (oligomers and polymers), in both lingonberries and cranberries exert multiple bioactivities that may be exploited in food development.     

Purification and identification of water-soluble phosphopeptides from cheese using Fe(III) affinity chromatography and mass spectrometry

Water-soluble phosphopeptides from cheese were isolated using immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). Phosphopeptides from aqueous cheese extracts were completely retained on iminodiacetic acid (IDA) Sepharose equilibrated with FeCl3 and subsequently eluted with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate. Peptides in the eluate from the IMAC-Fe(III) column were identified using reversed phase liquid chromatography-electronic spray identification-tandem mass spectrometry. Phosphopeptides from two different cheeses were analyzed using the described method: a 10-month-old semihard Herrgard cheese made with mesophilic starter and a 24-month-old Parmigiano Reggiano cheese made with thermophilic starter. Elution of the IMAC-Fe(III) column with a gradient of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate resulted in three distinct peaks for Herrgard cheese corresponding to peptides carrying one, two, and four phosphorylated serine residues, respectively. Sixty-five different phosphopeptides were identified from the Herrgard, whereas only 9 from the Parmigiano Reggiano.     

Evaluation of antioxidant activity of vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides L.) oil and identification of its antioxidant constituents

Antioxidant capacities of vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) oil were evaluated by two different in vitro assays: the DPPH* free radical scavenging assay and the Fe2+-metal chelating assay. Results showed that the vetiver oil (VO) possessed a strong free radical scavenging activity when compared to standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and alpha-tocopherol. However, its metal chelating capacity was relatively weak. VO (10 microL/mL) dissolved in methanol exhibited approximately 93% free radical scavenging activity in the DPPH* assay and approximately 34% Fe2+ chelating activity in the metal chelating assay. By contrast, 10 mM BHT and 0.1 mM alpha-tocopherol exhibited 93 and 89% free radical scavenging activities in the DPPH* assay, respectively, and 1 mM EDTA exhibited approximately 97% activity in the metal chelating assay. Among the complex constituents in the crude VO, beta-vetivenene, beta-vetivone, and alpha-vetivone, which had shown strong antioxidant activities, were isolated and identified using various chromatographic techniques including silica gel open column chromatography, silica HPLC, and GC-MS. These results show that VO and some of its inherent components can be potential alternative natural antioxidants.     

Detection of allergenic ingredients using real-time PCR: a case study on hazelnut (Corylus avellena) and soy (Glycine max)

Compliance with the European allergen labeling legislation (Directive 2007/68/EC) is only possible when coupled with appropriate methods to detect allergens in food. The aim of the current study was to develop new real-time PCR assays for the detection of hazelnut and soy and evaluate these assays via comparison with commercially available kits. Although the new assays were not as sensitive as the commercial qualitative assays, they proved to be more specific. Moreover, the cross-reactivity study indicated contamination of some of the food products used with either hazelnut or soy, which presents a risk for the allergic consumer. The assays were able to quantify as few as 5-15 genome copies. This unit, used to express analytical results for allergen detection by means of PCR, needs to be converted to a unit expressing the amount of allergenic ingredient in order to be informative. This study emphasizes that the use of real-time PCR for allergen quantification is complicated by the lack of appropriate reference materials for allergens.     

Separation and identification of phenolic compounds in olive oil by coupling high-performance liquid chromatography with postcolumn solid-phase extraction to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (LC-SPE-NMR)

This study reports the first application of the hyphenated LC-SPE-NMR technique using postcolumn solid-phase extraction to the direct analysis of phenolic compounds in the polar part of olive oil. Apart from the identification and structure elucidation of simple phenols (hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, vanillic acid, vanillin, p-coumaric acid, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol acetates), lignans (pinoresinol and 1-acetoxypinoresinol), flavonoids (apigenin and luteolin), and a large number of secoiridoid derivatives, this technique enables the identification of several new phenolic components, which had not been reported previously as constituents in the polar part of olive oil.     

Isolation and identification of boron-accumulating bacteria from contaminated soils and active sludge

Abstract

High levels of boron are toxic to living organisms. The removal of boron from contaminated water is an important way of dealing with this environmental problem. For this purpose, we screened for bacteria that can absorb high levels of toxic boron from the environment. A range of boron-accumulating bacteria was isolated from boron-contaminated soil in Turkey, from uncontaminated soil in Tokyo, Japan, and from active sludge in Tokyo by semi-quantifying the boron accumulation of each single-cultured bacterium. Intracellular boron concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 1.36?nmol?g^?1 dry weight. Nineteen isolates identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis were most closely related to the genera Bacillus, Variovorax, Pseudomonas, Shewanella, Mycobacterium and Rhodococcus. To our knowledge, this is the first study examining a wide range of bacterial strains in terms of boron accumulation.     

Isolation and identification of boron-accumulating bacteria from contaminated soils and active sludge

High levels of boron are toxic to living organisms. The removal of boron from contaminated water is an important way of dealing with this environmental problem. For this purpose, we screened for bacteria that can absorb high levels of toxic boron from the environment. A range of boron-accumulating bacteria was isolated from boron-contaminated soil in Turkey, from uncontaminated soil in Tokyo, Japan, and from active sludge in Tokyo by semi-quantifying the boron accumulation of each single-cultured bacterium. Intracellular boron concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 1.36 nmol g⁻¹ dry weight. Nineteen isolates identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis were most closely related to the genera Bacillus , Variovorax , Pseudomonas , Shewanella , Mycobacterium and Rhodococcus . To our knowledge, this is the first study examining a wide range of bacterial strains in terms of boron accumulation.     

Spectroscopic identification and antioxidant activity of glucosylated carotenoid metabolites from Cydonia vulgaris fruits

Carotenoid metabolites are common plant constituents with significant importance for the flavor and aroma of fruits. Three new carotenoid derivatives, (2E,4E)-8-hydroxy-2,7-dimethyl-2,4-decadiene-1,10-dioic acid 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (1), (2Z,4E)-8-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-2,7-dimethyl-2,4-decadiene-1,10-dioic acid (3), and 3,9-dihydroxymegastigmast-5-ene-3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), as well as three known compounds, have been isolated from the ethanolic extract of peels of Cydonia vulgaris, the fruit of a shrub belonging to the same family as the apple. All the compounds were identified by spectroscopic techniques, especially 1D and 2D NMR. Antioxidant activities of all the isolated metabolites were assessed by measuring their ability to scavenge DPPH radical and superoxide radical (O2*-) and to induce the reduction of Mo(VI).     

LC-PDA-ESI/MS(n) identification of new anthocyanins in purple Bordeaux radish ( Raphanus sativus L. variety)

An LC-PDA-ESI/MS(n) profiling method was used to identify the anthocyanins of purple Bordeaux radish and led to the assignment of 60 anthocyanins: 14 acylated cyanidin 3-(glucosylacyl)acylsophoroside-5-diglucosides, 24 acylated cyanidin 3-sophoroside-5-diglucosides, and 22 acylated cyanidin 3-sophoroside-5-glucosides. The identifications were supported by the presence of 3-sophoroside-5-diglucoside and 3-sophroside-5-glucoside of cyanidin in the alkaline-hydrolyzed extract. A reliable method to identify the anthocyanins containing 3-(glucosylacyl)acylsophorosyl functions is described. The tentative identifications were obtained from tandem mass data analysis and confirmed by high-resolution mass measurements. Further assignments were made for some anthocyanins from a comparison of the mass and UV-vis data and elution order with those of the anthocyanins in the authors' polyphenol database and from consideration of the structural characteristics of the anthocyanins from similar plants and similar anthocyanins in the literature. The presence of 38 acylated cyanidin 3-sophoroside-5-diglucosides and around 10 acylated cyanidin 3-sophoroside-5-malonylglucosides in plants is reported here for the first time.     

Isolation and characterization of antioxidant protein fractions from melinjo (Gnetum gnemon) seeds

The protein from the seeds of melinjo ( Gnetum gnemon ) was purified using a precipitation method and ion exchange chromatographic techniques to identify the potent antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. Two antioxidant protein fractions were isolated from G. gnemon seed with molecular weights of approximately 30 kDa (Gg-AOPI) and 12 kDa (Gg-AOPII) by SDS-PAGE. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of Gg-AOPII is Gly-Asn-Gly-Lys-Ala-Thr-Val-Ala-Ile-Leu-Val-Lys-Glu-Lys-Val-Glu-Tyr-Gly-Glu-Glu, and the result of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis showed that they were distinct from each other; no protein in database matching was found to both Gg-AOPI and Gg-AOPII. The antioxidant or free radical scavenging activities of Gg-AOPs were investigated by employing in vitro assay systems including the inhibition of linoleic acid autoxidation, scavenging effect on α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), reducing power, chelating abilities of metal ions Cu(2+) and Fe(2+), and protections against hydroxyl radical-mediated DNA damages. The result showed that two protein fractions exhibited significant (p < 0.05) antioxidant activities against free radicals such as DPPH, ABTS, and superoxide anion and showed activities similar to those of glutathione (G-SH) and BHT in a linoleic acid emulsion assay system. Moreover, Gg-AOPI and Gg-AOPII also exhibited notable reducing power and strong chelating effect on Fe(2+) and protected hydroxyl radical induced oxidative DNA damage. The data obtained by the in vitro systems obviously established the antioxidant potency of Gg-AOPs.