Christopher J Scarlett

The University of Newcastle, Australia

The commercial production of soy milk renders a large quantity of wet soybean by-product (SMB), which is typically dumped, incinerated, or partially used as animal fodder. This wet SMB has a high moisture content that is rich in nutritional and biologically active compounds. This study aimed to characterise the composition and properties of a flour...

Mammalian sirtuins (SIRT1–7) are involved in a myriad of cellular processes, including apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, aging, DNA repair, senescence, viability, survival, and stress response. In this review, we discuss the current information on the mechanistic roles of SIRT1–7 and their downstream effe...

This study aimed to determine the phytochemical, antioxidant, and anticancer activities of the crude extract and its fractions of Cupaniopsis anacardioides . The results showed that total phenolic content (TPC), their secondary metabolites (flavonoids—TFC; proanthocyanidins—TPro), and antioxidant activity were significantly different between the cr...

Virtual screening identified N-(6-((4-bromobenzyl)amino)hexyl)-3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzenesulfonamide (1) a lead compound that bound to the S100A2-p53 binding groove. S100A2 is a Ca²⁺ binding protein with implications in cell signaling and is known to be upregulated in pancreatic cancer. It is a validated pancreatic cancer drug target. Lead 1,...

Flavors and food additives represent over a quarter of the global food market and are usually synthesized chemically or extracted from natural sources. Although chemical synthesis tends to be cheaper, potential health risks associated with this process remain a concern. Enzymatic production of these compounds has received much attention as it offer...

Scaevola spinescens is endemic to Australia and traditionally used as a medicinal plant. Current research has linked the plant with antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties, however, its use is limited due to the instability of bioactive compounds and inconvenience of the extract. Therefore, encapsulation is required t...

Objective To test the “vitamin D-folate hypothesis for the evolution of human skin pigmentation.” Methods Total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) satellite data were used to examine surface UV-irradiance in a large (n = 649) Australian cross-sectional study population. Genetic analysis was used to score vitamin D- and folate-related gene polymorph...

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in taste receptors influence dietary choices that contribute to health and quality of life. Individual differences in sour taste perception and preference have been linked to heritable genetics, yet the impact of sour taste receptor SNPs on sour taste is under-researched, and studies on sour taste SNP associat...

Background S. chinensis extract contains bioactive compounds, which exhibit high antioxidant activities. However, for commercial uses, it is necessary to encapsulate the extract to protect it from degradation. Objective This study aimed to optimise spray-drying conditions and then compare spray-drying with freeze-drying to identify the most suitab...

Background Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) is one of eleven species that belongs to the Sapindaceae family, which is native to Australia. Objective This study aimed to investigate the phytochemicals, antioxidant capacity, and cytotoxic activity in vitro of Tuckeroo extracts prepared from fresh or dried whole fruits, or just their skin, using...

In silico approaches identified 1 , N ‐(6‐((4‐bromo‐ benzyl)amino)hexyl)‐3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)benzene sulfonamide, as a potential inhibitor of S100A2‐p53 protein‐protein interaction, a validated pancreatic cancer drug target. Subsequent cytotoxicity screening revealed it to be a 2.97 µM cell growth inhibitor of the MiaPaCa‐2 pancreatic cell line...

In silico approaches identified 1, N‐(6‐((4‐bromo‐ benzyl)amino)hexyl)‐3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)benzene sulfonamide, as a potential inhibitor of S100A2‐p53 protein‐protein interaction, a validated pancreatic cancer drug target. Subsequent cytotoxicity screening revealed it to be a 2.97 µM cell growth inhibitor of the MiaPaCa‐2 pancreatic cell line....

Scaevola spinescens is endemic to Australia and traditionally used as a medicinal plant. While its bioactive compounds have been studied, their concentrations in different parts of the plant have not been reported. This study compared total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoids, saponins and antioxidant properties, as well as major individual phytoche...

Scaevola spinescens is endemic to Australia and has traditionally been used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to treat a variety of conditions including colds, flu, fever, stomach pain, urinary disorders, sores, tinea, leprosy and cancer. Extracts prepared from S. spinescens are non‐toxic and have been linked with various medicin...

Differences in sour-taste thresholds have been identified in cognition-related diseases. Diet is a modulator of cognitive health, and taste perception influences dietary preferences and habits. Heritable genetics and polymorphisms in the KCNJ2 gene involved in the transduction of sour taste have been linked to variations in sour taste and non-gusta...

Globally, more than one-third of adults are overweight. Overweight and obesity are complex and multifaceted conditions, associated with an increased risk of chronic illness and early mortality. While there are known risk factors, these alone do not fully explain the varying outcomes between individuals. Recently, taste receptors have been proposed...

Background Scaevola spinescens is an endemic Australian shrub that is linked to various health benefits and traditionally used as medicine by decoction. To date, the extraction efficiency of the plant under various conditions has not been well understood. This study aimed to optimize aqueous extraction conditions of S. spinescens, for maximum extra...

Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus) is an important medicinal plant distributed in many countries. It has attracted increasing attention due to it being shown to possess a range of phytochemicals with various biological activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic and anticancer properties. Remarkably, vinblastine and vincris...

Helicteres hirsuta Lour. (H. hirsuta) has been used traditionally as a folk medicine for treating a range of common diseases such as furuncle treatment, pain relief, dysentery, measles, flu, anti-malaria and anti-obesity in some Asian countries, revealing that this plant material contains important bioactive compounds, which are linked with health...

Intense sweeteners (IS) are often marketed as a healthier alternative to sugars, with the potential to aid in combating the worldwide rise of diabetes and obesity. However, their use has been counterintuitively associated with impaired glucose homeostasis, weight gain and altered gut microbiota. The nature of these associations, and the mechanisms...

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) can be divided into transcriptomic subtypes with two broad lineages referred to as classical (pancreatic) and squamous. We find that these two subtypes are driven by distinct metabolic phenotypes. Loss of genes that drive endodermal lineage specification, HNF4A and GATA6, switch metabolic profiles from classi...

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. miR-518f-5p has been shown to modulate the expression of the metastasis suppressor CD9 in prostate cancer. However, the role of miR-518f-5p and CD9 in breast cancer is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the rol...

Treatment options for pancreatic cancer (PC) are severely limited due to late diagnosis, early metastasis and the inadequacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to combat the aggressive biology of the disease. In recent years, plant-derived bioactive compounds have emerged as a source of novel, anti-cancer agents. Used in traditional medicine worldwid...

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death in Western societies. The absence of specific symptoms, late diagnosis and the resistance towards chemotherapy result in significant treatment difficulties. As such, it is important to find more effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of PC. Helicteres hirsuta Lour. (H. hirs...

Pancreatic cancer (PC), with a 5-year survival of <7%, is one of the most fatal of all human cancers. There is an urgent need to develop more effective therapies to move beyond the current dire condition and paucity of PC treatment options.

Banana peel, a by-product rich in phenolics and other bioactive compounds, has great potentials as a natural preservative or healthy food ingredient. However, the instability of bioactive compounds derived from banana peel limits their applications, and as such encapsulation is necessary to improve their stability and widen their applications. This...

This study demonstrated Response Surface Methodology (RSM) optimisation of starch edible coating formulation and its application on apple fruit quality and storage life at two different temperatures (20 °C and 5 °C + 1 day at 20 °C). Films were optimised for physical, mechanical and permeability properties and the optimal formulation was sprayed ov...

This study applied ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) to effectively extract phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties from the Tuckeroo fruits using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The results showed that ultrasonic temperature and time, sample to solvent ratio and acetone concentration significantly affected extraction yields of total p...

Mangiferin has been reported to exhibit anti-viral, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective properties. This study aimed to develop an HPLC method to isolate mangiferin from Salacia chinensis L. root; investigate the impact of solvents on yield; optimise the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) technique; and compare mangi...

Banana peel is a by-product from the food industry, which is rich in dietary fiber and phenolic compounds. It is hypothesised that physicochemical and antioxidant properties of banana peel are significantly changed through different ripening stages. Ethylene treatment for fastening ripening is presumed to influence the changes in physicochemical an...

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (C. roseus) is a well-known medicinal plant for its source of alkaloids solely found in the leaves. Other parts including the root are usually discarded after the alkaloid extraction. This study sought to investigate phytochemical profiles, antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of the C. roseus root ext...

The aim of this study was to assess cytotoxic activity of extracts and fractions from the Paramignya trimera root (PTR) and Phyllanthus amarus (PA) against two pancreatic cancer cell lines (primary: BxPc3 and secondary: CFPAC1). Materials and Methods: The root of PT and whole plant of PA were used in this study. The extracts and fractions from the...

Starch is the most popular plant polysaccharides, which has been widely used for the development of edible coating films because of its abundance, cost-effectiveness, and excellent film-forming abilities. Starch-based films have good optical, organoleptic and gas barrier properties, however, they have poor mechanical properties. Many attempts have...

Banana peel is rich in phenolic compounds and is generally considered as waste. This study aimed to maximise recovery of phenolics from banana peel using water via microwave assisted extraction. The impact of various parameters including pH of solvent, sample to solvent ratio, irradiation time with/without cooling periods, and irradiation power wer...

UV-C (180–280 nm) has been shown to extend the postharvest shelf-life of many horticulture crops. In this study, Tahitian limes (Citrus latifolia) were exposed to 0, 3.4, 7.2 and 10.5 kJ m⁻² UV-C then stored for 28 days in air at 10 °C and 80% RH. Weight loss, peel colour, calyx abscission, ethylene production, respiration rate, total soluble solid...

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a complex, heterogeneous disease with a dismal prognosis. Current therapies have failed to improve survival outcomes, urging the need for discovery of novel targeted treatments. Bispidinone derivatives have yet to be investigated as cytotoxic agents against PC cells. The cytotoxic effect of four bispidinone derivatives (Bi...

Helicteres hirsuta Lour. (H. hirsuta) has been considered as a herbal medicine for the treatment of malaria and diabetes but limited studies have been conducted on its anticancer and antibacterial properties. In this study, the in vitro antibacterial and anticancer properties of the leaf and stem extracts and their two sub-fractions (aqueous and sa...

Objective: We aimed to define preoperative clinical and molecular characteristics that would allow better patient selection for operative resection. Background: Although we use molecular selection methods for systemic targeted therapies, these principles are not applied to surgical oncology. Improving patient selection is of vital importance for...

A rice starch edible coating blended with sucrose esters was developed for controlling the postharvest physiological activity of Cavendish banana to extend postharvest quality during ripening at 20 ± 2 °C. Coating effectiveness was assessed against changes in fruit physiochemical parameters such as weight loss, titratable acidity, total soluble sol...

This data article indicates the in vitro cytotoxicity of kaempferol and gallic acid across different cancer cell lines including A2780 (ovarian), H460 (lung), A431 (skin), MIA PaCa-2 (pancreas), Du145 (prostate), HT29 (colon), MCF-7 (breast), BE2-C (neuroblastoma), SJ-G2, U87 and SMA (glioblastoma). The dataset showed that the inhibitory activity o...

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are produced and secreted from most cells of the body and can be recovered in biological fluids. Although there has been extensive characterisation of the protein and nucleic acid component of EVs, their lipidome has received little attention and may represent a unique and untapped source of biomarkers for...

The aims of this study were to screen the phytochemical content, antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of the extract and its fractions prepared from Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (C. roseus) stem. C. roseus stem was powdered and extracted with methanol using ultrasound-assisted extraction to obtain the crude extract. The crude extr...

Response surface methodology (RSM) based on a three-factor and three-level Box–Behnken design was employed for optimizing the aqueous ultrasound-assisted extraction (AUAE) conditions, including extraction time (35–45 min), extraction temperature (45–55 °C) and ultrasonic power (150–250 W), for the recovery of total phenolic content (TPC) and rutin...

Helicteres hirsuta Lour. (H. hirsuta) is a member of Helicteres genus of the Sterculiaceae family. This plant is widely distributed in Southeast Asian countries, and has been traditionally used as herbal medicine for the treatment of malaria and diabetes. However, there are limited studies on its biological properties. This study aimed to investiga...

Current chemotherapy drugs for pancreatic cancer only offer an increase in survival of up to six months. Additionally, they are highly toxic to normal tissues, drastically affecting the quality of life of patients. Therefore, the search for novel agents, which induce apoptosis in cancer cells while displaying limited toxicity towards normal cells,...

To facilitate intercellular communication, cells release nano-sized, extracellular vesicles (EVs) to transfer biological cargo to both local and distant sites. EVs are enriched in tetraspanins, two of which (CD9 and CD151) have altered expression patterns in many solid tumours, including prostate cancer, as they advance toward metastasis. We aimed...

The green Tahitian limes (Citrus latifolia) were exposed to 7.2 kJ m−2 UV-C and 0.5 μL L−1 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatments both separately and in combination. After treatment, fruit were stored in ethylene free (i.e. air containing < 0.005 μL L−1) or 0.1 μL L−1 ethylene at 20 °C and 100% RH. The results showed that UV-C treatment delayed sk...

Effect of biocomposite edible coatings based on pea starch and guar gum on nutritional quality of 'Valencia' orange during storage', Starch, 'Ultrasound increases the aqueous extraction of phenolic compounds with high antioxidant activity from olive pomace' LWT-Food Science and Technology, 89, 284-290.Effect of low pressure storage on the quality o...

Novel edible composite coatings based on pea starch and guar gum (PSGG), PSGG blended with lipid mixture containing the hydrophobic compounds shellac and oleic acid (PSGG-Sh), and a layer-by-layer (LBL) approach (PSGG as an internal layer and shellac as an external layer), were investigated and compared with a commercial wax (CW) and uncoated fruit...

A large amount of citrus waste is generated annually. This waste is of great economic worth, since it contains high levels of polyphenols, which have attracted scientific interest due to their potent antimicrobial and antiradical activities. Pretreatment is a crucial step that precedes the extraction process and influences the yields and quality of...

Large quantities of Catharanthus roseus leaf have been used for the extraction of alkaloids, which results in a significant amount of waste that includes the stems, roots, and the extracted leaves. This study aimed to determine the optimal extraction conditions, by applying response surface methodology with Box–Behnken design to assess the interact...

Application of environmentally friendly components is an approach for substitution of synthetic substances in commercial waxes applied to citrus. In this study, the effect of biocomposite edible coatings based on pea starch and guar gum (PSGG) on total vitamin C, phenolic, flavonoid, anthocyanins, and carotenoid content, and antioxidant capacity of...

The effect of two lemon by-product aqueous extracts at different concentrations (14, 7, 3.5 and 1 mg mL⁻¹) was tested against the in vitro growth of Alternaria alternata. Prior to extraction, one batch of by-product was dehydrated by freeze-drying (untreated by-product), while the other batch was treated by microwave irradiation in conjunction with...

A large quantity of bananas is produced annually and its peel, which accounts for about one third of the fruit weight, is mostly discarded as waste. The peel has been traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments. This by-product is rich in phenolics with over 40 individual compounds identified. However, composition and levels of these c...

This study aimed to optimise microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) conditions for total phenolic compounds (TPCs) and antioxidant activities of the alga Sargassum vestitum by using response surface methodology with Box–Behnken design. The results showed that solvent concentration had the greatest impact on TPC and antioxidant activities of the extrac...

Green capsicums (Capsicum annum L.) were stored under low pressure (4 kPa) at 10°C for 5 and 11 days with 100% RH. The results showed that the incidence of stem decay under low-pressure storage for 5 and 11 days and storage at ambient atmosphere at 20°C for 3 days was lower compared to fruits that were stored at regular atmosphere at 10°C. Fruit th...

Tetraspanin CD9 is generally considered to be a metastasis suppressor, with decreased levels associated with progression and metastasis in many advanced stage cancers. Little is known about the cause of CD9 dysregulation in prostate cancer, however there are several miRNA-binding sites in the 3'UTR of the transcript suggesting it could be post-tran...

Active food packaging based on pea starch and guar gum (PSGG) films containing natural antioxidants (NAs) was developed. Four kinds of NAs (epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), blueberry ash (BBA) fruit extract, macadamia (MAC) peel extract, and banana (BAN) peel extract) were added into the PSGG-based films as antioxidant additive. The effects of thes...