Antioxidative and Anticancer Activity of Extracts of Cherry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus serrulata</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">spontanea</Emphasis>) Blossoms

Organic solvent (methanol, ethanol, and acetone) extracts and water extracts of cherry (Prunus serrulata var. spontanea) blossoms were prepared, and antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated. Methanolic CBE (100 μg/ml) showed the highest total phenol content (104.30 μM), radical scavenging activity (34.2%), and reducing power (0.391). The effect of CBE on DNA damage induced by H₂O₂ in human leukocytes was evaluated by Comet assay. All CBE was a potent dose dependent inhibitor of DNA damage induced by 200 μM of H₂O₂, methanolic CBE showed the most strong inhibition activity. The methanolic CBE of 500 μg/ml showed 38.8% inhibition against growth of human colon cancer cell line HT-29. These results indicated that cherry blossoms could provide valuable bioactive materials.     

Thermal decomposition kinetics of copolymers derived from<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-dioxanone,L-lactide and poly(ethylene glycol)

The kinetic parameters, including the activation energyE, the reaction ordern, and the pre-exponential factorZ, of the degradation of the copolymers based on the poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) or poly(p-dioxanone-co-L-lactide) (PDO/PLLA) and diol-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) segments have been evaluated by the single heating methods of Friedman and Freeman-Carroll. The experimental results showed that copolymers exhibited two degradation steps under nitrogen that can be ascribed to PLLA or PDO/PLLA and PEG segments, respectively. However, copolymers exhibited almost single degradation step in air. Although the values of initial decomposition temperature were scattered, copolymers showed the lower maximum weight loss rate and degradation-activation energy in air than in nitrogen whereas the higher value of temperature at the maximum rate of weight loss was observed in air.     

Antioxidant and Antifungal Activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verbena officinalis</Emphasis> L. Leaves

The scavenging activity against DPPH (1,1-diphenil-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical and the antifungal effect against chloroform, ethyl acetate and 50% methanolic extracts of Verbena officinalis leaves were investigated. The activity of different fractions of 50% methanolic extract and some isolated compounds were also investigated. The results suggest that 50% methanolic extract and caffeoyl derivatives could potentially be considered as excellent and readily available sources of natural antifungal and antioxidant compounds.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pulque</Emphasis>, An Alcoholic Drink from Rural Mexico,Contains Phytase. Its <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> Effects on Corn Tortilla

Pulque is made by fermenting the agave sap or aguamiel of Agave atrovirens with a whole array of microorganisms present in the environment including several lactic acid bacteria and yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Ascorbic acid was determined in pulque and aguamiel, respectively. Phytase activity in lees, liquid and freeze-dried pulque was assayed by measuring the appearance of phosphate from phytate by a colorimetric method likewise phosphate from phytate present in fresh corn tortilla was measured after in vitro incubation with pulque. Iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and selenium contents were measured in pulque and corn tortilla as well as in nixtamalized corn flour (NCF), the latter is used to make instant tortilla, since corn provides most of the energy as well as most of the phytate in the Mexican rural diet. Pulque showed phytase activity but much less ascorbic acid and iron than previously reported; additionally, phytase in pulque hydrolyzed most of phytate’s corn tortilla. Lees, which is mostly made of pulque’s microbiota, significantly accumulated iron and zinc but no selenium. NCF was fortified with iron by the manufacturers but poorly blended. There were significant differences on selenium content between tortillas samples, apparently some soils in central Mexico are selenium deficient. Moderate pulque intake appears to increase the bioavailability of iron and zinc bound by phytate in corn.     

Antioxidant and Antimutagenic Activities of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Randia echinocarpa</Emphasis> Fruit

We report for the first time the antioxidant and antimutagenic activities of fractions from Randia echinocarpa fruit, which is a Rubiaceae plant native to Sinaloa, Mexico. This fruit has been traditionally used in the prevention or treatment of cancer, among other diseases. The pulp of the fruit was sequentially extracted with solvents of different polarity (i.e. hexane, chloroform, methanol and water). A high extraction yield was obtained with methanol (72.17% d.w.). The aqueous extract showed the highest content of phenolics (2.27 mg/g as ferulic acid equivalents) and the highest antioxidant activity based on the β-carotene bleaching method (486.15). The commercial antioxidant BHT was used as control (835.05). Antimutagenic activity of the aqueous extract (0–500 μg/tube) was evaluated using the Salmonella microsuspension assay (YG1024 strain) and 1-NP as the mutagen (50 and 100 ng/tube). The aqueous extract was neither toxic nor mutagenic and the percentage of inhibition on 1-NP mutagenicity was 32 and 53% at doses of 50 and 100 ng/tube, respectively. The results of the double incubation assay suggest that the extract inhibited the mutagenicity of 1-NP by a combination of desmutagenic and bioantimutagenic effects.     

Synthesis,structure, and thermal property of poly(trimethylene terephthalate-<Emphasis Type="Italic">co</Emphasis>-trimethylene 2,6-naphthalate) copolymers

Poly(trimethylene terephthalate-co-trimethylene 2,6-naphthalate)s (P(TT-co-TN)s) with various copolymer composition were synthesized, and their chain structure, thermal property and crystalline structure were investigated by using¹H-NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), respectively. It was found from sequence analysis that all the P(TT-co-TN) copolymers synthesized have a statistical random distribution of TT and TN units. It was also observed from DSC thermograms that the glass transition temperature increases linearly with increasing the TN comonomer content, whereas the melting temperature of copolymer decreases with increasing the corresponding comonomer content in respective PTT- and PTN-based copolymer, showing pseudo-eutectic melting behavior. All the samples melt-crystallized isothermally except for P(TT-co-66 mol % TN) exhibit multiple melting endotherms and clear X-ray diffraction patterns. The multiple melting behavior originates from the dual lamellar population and/or the melting-recrystallization-remelting. The X-ray diffraction patterns are largely divided into two classes depending on the copolymer composition, i.e., PTT and PTNβ-form diffraction patterns, without exhibiting cocrystallization.     

Antioxidant in Mango (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mangifera indica</Emphasis> L.) Pulp

This work was carried out to investigate the pulp composition of four mango cultivars (Haden, Tommy Atkins and Ubá) at the ripening stage in relation to three components with antioxidant potential (total phenolics, carotenoids and ascorbic acid). Total phenolic compound content was estimated by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and total carotenoid content by spectrophotometry at 450 nm. The contents of β-carotene and total vitamin C (ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid) were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. Differences were found among the four mango cultivars in all the components analyzed. The content of phenolic compounds ranged from 48.40 (Haden) to 208.70 mg/100 g (Ubá); total carotenoid from 1.91 (Haden) to 2.63 mg/100 g (Palmer); β-carotene from 661.27 (Palmer) to 2,220 μg/100 g (Ubá) and total ascorbic acid ranged from 9.79 (Tommy Atkins) to 77.71 mg/100 g (Ubá). These results corroborated previous information that mangoes are a good source of antioxidants in human diet.     

Variation in Amylase Activities in Radish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Raphanus sativus</Emphasis>) Cultivars

The radish (Raphanus sativus) is a root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family which shows amylolytic activity in the taproot. However, there is little information about differences in these amylolytic activities among radish cultivars. We analyzed the amylase activities and starch contents of 7 kinds of radish cultivars. The Koshin cultivar showed the highest amylase activity, with a level approximately 6 times higher than that of the Sobutori cultivar, which had the lowest. Cultivars with higher amylase activities showed higher starch contents. These results suggest that there are intraspecies variations in amylolytic activities in radishes, and positive correlations between amylase activity and starch content.     

Volatile Compounds of Dry Beans (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolus vulgaris</Emphasis> L.)

Volatile compounds of uncooked dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars representing three market classes (black, dark red kidney and pinto) grown in 2005 were isolated with headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), and analyzed with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 62 volatiles consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, alkanes, alcohols and ketones represented on average 62, 38, 21, 12, and 9 x 10(6) total area counts, respectively. Bean cultivars differed in abundance and profile of volatiles. The combination of 18 compounds comprising a common profile explained 79% of the variance among cultivars based on principal component analysis (PCA). The SPME technique proved to be a rapid and effective method for routine evaluation of dry bean volatile profile.     

Rutin and Total Quercetin Content in Amaranth (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Amaranthus</Emphasis> spp.)

The aim of the study was to confirm the presence of rutin, one of the most common quercetin glycosides, and other quercetin derivatives in plants of genus Amaranthus, to investigate the influence of the species and variety on rutin distribution in the plant and content changes during growing season. The rutin content was determined by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography in individual plant parts at the beginning of the growth, at the flowering stage and at the maturity stage of five Amaranthus species. The total quercetin content was determined by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography too. The rutin content in amaranth ranged from 0.08 (in seeds) to 24.5 g/kg dry matter (in leaves). Comparison of the determined total quercetin content and the calculated content of quercetin released from rutin did not prove important presence of quercetin or other quercetin derivatives than rutin. Only amaranth leaves sampled at the maturity stage probably contained quercetin or quercetin derivatives. Significant differences in the rutin content were established among species and as well varieties. Amaranthus hybrid and A. cruentus were the best sources of rutin.     

Endosperm-Specific Expression of Serotonin <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Hydroxycinnamoyltransferase in Rice

Serotonin N-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase (SHT) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of feruloylserotonin (FS) and 4-coumaroylserotonin (CS). These serotonin derivatives show strong antioxidant activity, making them valuable for both nutritional and pharmacological use in humans. Ectopic expression of SHT under the control of the endosperm specific-glutelin and prolamin promoters from rice was produced via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. SHT expression was confirmed by Southern blot analysis, followed by Northern blotting and SHT enzyme activity analyses using total RNA and protein, respectively, extracted from transgenic seeds. The glutelin A3 (GluA3) promoter produced low SHT mRNA expression in rice seeds, whereas the prolamin promoter expressed high levels of SHT mRNA. In spite of the ectopic expression of SHT in rice seeds, both transgenic genotypes accumulated levels of serotonin derivatives similar to those found in wild-type rice. Furthermore, our data suggest that serotonin, rather than phenylpropanid-CoAs, is the rate-limiting substrate in the biosynthesis of serotonin derivatives in SHT-overexpressing transgenic rice seeds.     

Composition and Functional Properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lupinus campestris</Emphasis> Protein Isolates

Protein isolates from L. campestris and soybean seeds were prepared using isoelectric precipitation (PI) and micellization (MI) procedures. The amount of protein recovered was considerably higher with the isoelectric precipitation than with the micellization procedure (60% and 30%, respectively). Protein contents were higher than 90% in protein isolates. Antinutritional factors content (alkaloids, lectins, and tannins) were reduced to innocuous levels after protein isolate preparation. Minimum protein solubility for the precipitated lupin protein isolate (LPI) was at pH 4.0, and between pH 4 and 6 for the micellized lupin protein isolate (LMI), increasing at both extremes of the pH scale. Water absorption for the LMI was 1.3 ml/g of protein and its oil absorption 2.2 ml/g of protein. The LPI had 1.7 ml/g of protein in both water and oil absorption. Foaming capacity and stability was pH-dependent. Foaming capacity was higher at pH 2 and lower near the protein isoelectric points. Minimum protein concentration for gelation in LMI was 8% w/v at pH 4, while for LPI was 6% at pH 4 and 6. Amino acid composition in L. campestris flour and protein isolates was high in lysine and low in methionine. Most of the essential amino acids in lupin protein isolates were at acceptable levels compared to a reference pattern for infants and adults. The electrophoretic pattern of both protein isolates showed three bands with different mobilities, suggesting that the protein fractions belong to alpha-conglutin (11S-like protein), beta-conglutin (7S-like protein) and gamma-conglutin. It is proven that some of the functional properties of L. campestris protein isolates are similar to those soybean protein isolates recovered under equal conditions.     

Antioxidant Capacity and Antimutagenic Activity of Natural Oleoresin from Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lycopersicon esculentum</Emphasis>)

Natural oleoresins rich in lycopene were obtained from two varieties of tomato (Zedona and Gironda) and their nutraceutical potential (antioxidant and antimutagenic capacity) was evaluated. Both oleoresins had a high content of lycopene, 58.33 ± 1.67 mg/g (Zedona) and 63.97 ± 0.80 mg/g (Gironda). The antioxidant activity (AA) of the oleoresins by β-carotene method were 56.4–74.5% (Zedona) and 51–72.8% (Gironda), while when using the free radical stable 2,2-diphenyl-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) method, the antiradical activity (ARA) was determined to be 18.2–32.7% (Zedona) and 16.6–26.7% (Gironda) for the concentrations tested that of 200–400 μM equivalents of lycopene. The antimutagenic activity of the oleoresins was tested against aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) using the microsuspension assay, both varieties had a very high antimutagenic potential against AFB₁ (60–66%).These results suggest the NCRT can be taken advantage to obtaining rich oleoresin in lycopene with a nutraceutical value.     

Quantification of Zeaxanthin Dipalmitate and Total Carotenoids in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lycium</Emphasis> Fruits (Fructus Lycii)

An HPLC-DAD method has been developed to quantitatively analyze for the content of zeaxanthin dipalmitate, a major carotenoid in Fructus Lycii, in different species of the genus Lycium. Determination was performed using an Alltima C18 column with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and dichloromethane (42:58). The total contents of carotenoids in these samples were also determined by using UV spectrophotometric assay. Total carotenoid concentrations of different Fructus Lycii are within the range of 0.03–0.5%. Zeaxanthin dipalmitate is a predominant carotenoid, comprising 31–56% of the total carotenoids in Fructus Lycii. This study is the first systematic quantification of the carotenoids in the fruits of different Lycium species. The results demonstrated that these methods are reliable and facile techniques for rapid analysis of carotenoids for crude drug and plant-derived food supplements.     

Applied Biotechnology to Combat Late Blight in Potato Caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora Infestans</Emphasis>

Potato is an important crop, grown worldwide. It suffers from many pests and diseases among which late blight, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, is the worst. The disease is still causing major damage in many potato production areas and control is only possible by applying fungicides frequently. The knowledge on the molecular biology and genetics of the interaction between the plant and the oomycete is developing rapidly. These are relevant fields of study, currently dominated by the discovery of many resistance genes and numerous effector proteins and the analysis of their specific mode of action. These studies may yield essential information needed for the development of durable resistance. The long-term and worldwide effort to breed for resistance so far has had little effect. A novel breeding approach may change this. It is based on cisgenic modification (CM) consisting of marker-free pyramiding of several resistance genes and their spatial and temporal deployment yielding dynamic varieties that contain potato genes only. It is envisioned that this CM approach with potato’s own genes will not only prove societally acceptable but may also result in simplifications in the legislation on use of the CM approach. Various parties in the potato research arena intend to cooperate in this novel approach in a number of developing countries where potato substantially contributes to food security. The use of resources such as land, water and energy improves when the effect of late blight is markedly reduced.     

Antioxidant Activity and Chemical Characterization of Essential Oil of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bunium persicum</Emphasis>

The search for natural antioxidants, especially of plant origin, has notably increased in recent years. Bunium persicum Boiss. is an economically important medicinal plant growing wild in the dry temperature regions in Iran. In this study, chemical constituents of the essential oil of the seed from Bunium persicum Boiss. have been studied by GC/MS technique. The major components were caryophyllene (27.81%), gamma-terpinene (15.19%), cuminyl acetate (14.67%). Individual antioxidant assays such as, DPPH* scavenging activity and beta-carotene bleaching have been carried out. In DPPH* system, the EC(50) value of essential oil was determined as 0.88 mg/mL. In beta-carotene bleaching antioxidant activity of essential oil (0.45%) was almost equal to BHT at 0.01%. In addition, the antioxidant activity of the essential oil was evaluated in crude soybean oil by monitoring peroxide and thiobarbituric acid values of the oil substrate. The results showed that the Bunium persicum essential oil (BPEO) was able to reduce the oxidation rate of the soybean oil in the accelerated condition at 60 degrees C (oven test). The essential oil at 0.06% showed the same effect of BHA at 0.02%. Hence, BPEO could be used as an additive in food after screening.     

Antiproliferation and Apoptosis on RKO Colon Cancer by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Millingtonia hortensis</Emphasis>

Millingtonia hortensis is a medicinal plant widely used in many Asian countries. An aqueous crude extract of this plant has been shown the apoptosis induction on RKO colon cancer cells. However, its mechanism remains unknown. To learn more about this plant extract, we partially purified the crude extract using Sephadex LH-20 and three aqueous fractions were collected. Each fraction was investigated for cytotoxicity using MTT assay. Fraction 1 showed antiproliferative effect on RKO cells with dose-dependent manner, while fraction 2 and 3 had no effect. Induction of apoptosis was determined using flow cytometry and DNA fragmentation method. Apoptotic cell numbers and the appearance of fragmented DNA increased with dose-dependent manner after treatment with fraction 1 for 48 h. We further investigated the expression of apoptotic protein by western blot analysis. Fraction 1 decreased the expression of anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-x_L and p-Bad, while pro-apoptotic protein Bad, was not changed. Fraction 1 also decreased the expression of p-Akt and slightly increased the level of total Akt. These results indicated that fraction 1 is able to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis on RKO cells by decreasing the expression of Bcl-x_L, p-Bad and p-Akt which are involving in survival of cancer cells.     

Fatty Acids and Carotenes in Some Ber (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ziziphus jujuba Mill</Emphasis>) Varieties

Several jujube varieties from the southeast of Spain were analyzed for fatty acid and carotene contents. Triglycerides having medium-chain fatty acids were most abundant in all samples. The main fatty acids were 12:0 (18.3 ± 9.97), 10:0 (12.5 ± 19.0), 18:2n6 (9.27 ± 7.26), 16:1n7 (8.50 ± 5.77), 16:0 (7.25 ± 4.35), and 18:1n9 (5.34 ± 2.52) on total saponifiable oil. The fruits yield 1.33 ± 0.17 g/100 g saponifiable oil on a dry weight basis. Fatty acid profiles of fruits were found to be influenced by their developmental stage. Multivariable data analyses show that the samples could be grouped on the basis of their fatty acid content. Carotenes were found to be in good agreement with other fruits, varying from 4.12 to 5.98 mg/100 g on a dry weight basis. The contribution to vitamin value reach a mdium of 38 g RE/100 g on a fresh weight basis.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">In vivo</Emphasis> Antioxidant Properties of Extracts from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coptis chinensis</Emphasis> Inflorescence

The inflorescence of cultivated Coptis chinensis has been valued for tea production for many years in China. The antioxidant activities of C. chinensis inflorescence extracts prepared by various solvents were investigated by using several established in vitro systems: 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide radical scavenging assays, reducing power assay, and ferrothiocyanate (FTC) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assays. The results showed that the 70% ethanol extract (EE) had the strongest antioxidant activity in vitro among the various extracts. Based on the in vitro results, EE was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of C. chinensis inflorescence in vivo. The liver and kidney of intoxicated animals showed a significant decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) levels, while the malondialdehyde (MDA) level showed a significant increase. These changes were significantly reversed after treatment with EE and the standard vitamin E. Thus, the C. chinensis inflorescence may be a valuable natural source that can be applicable to food industries.     

Carotenoid Composition of Jackfruit (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Artocarpus heterophyllus</Emphasis>), Determined by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS

Carotenoids are pigments responsible for the yellow-reddish color of many foods and are related to important functions and physiological actions, preventing several chronic-degenerative diseases. The objective of this study was to confirm the carotenoid composition of jackfruit by high-performance liquid chromatography connected to photodiode array and mass spectrometry detectors (HPLC-PDA-MS/MS). The main carotenoids were all-trans-lutein (24–44%), all-trans-β-carotene (24–30%), all-trans-neoxanthin (4–19%), 9-cis-neoxanthin (4–9%) and 9-cis-violaxanthin (4–10%). Either qualitative or quantitative differences, mainly related to the lutein proportion, were found among three batches of jackfruit. Since the fruits from batch A showed significantly lower contents for almost all carotenoids, it also had the lowest total carotenoid content (34.1 μg/100 g) and provitamin A value, whereas the total carotenoid ranged from 129.0 to 150.3 μg/100 g in the other batches. The provitamin A values from batches B and C were 3.3 and 4.3 μg RAE/100 g, respectively. The carotenoid composition of jackfruit was successfully determined, where 14 of the 18 identified carotenoids were reported for first time. Differences among batches may be due to genetic and/or agricultural factors.