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Chemical composition and antioxidant capacity of the aqueous extract of Phellodendron amurense
Abstract
The aqueous extract of Phellodendron amurense Rupr. (Amur Cork Tree) provides a rich source of antioxidants and chemical compounds, and can be used for food and wood preservative materials. In this study, we characterized the chemical composition of this extract by GC and GC/MS. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated using a variety of antioxidant assays (superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide radical, and DPPH radical scavenging activity). Additionally, total polyphenolic content was determined. Phenolic acids and acetone derivatives were major compounds of the extract capable of scavenging the DPPH free radical and reducing ferric ions. DPPH and ferric ion reduction results were strongly correlated with total phenolic content of the extract which also exhibited strong nitric oxide, hydroxyl radical scavenging and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities. © 2017 Northeast Forestry University and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature
... The supplementation of natural antioxidants has become a pressing research topic [64][65][66]. Different studies have confirmed the many favorable effects of dietary ω-3 PUFA, including anti-oxidative properties and lipid peroxidation, as well as immune response effects [36,67]. For instance, dietary ω-3 PUFA can modulate the immune response in poultry [68]. ...
... A moderate intake of ω-3 PUFAs enhances anti-oxidative properties, such as glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, in laying hens [36] and decreases lipid peroxidation in abdominal fat and serum [36,67]. Ebeid et al. [54] reported that adding FO and LO at a level of 20 g/kg to Japanese quail diets significantly increased both the total antioxidant capacity and GSH-Px activity, and decreased the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the serum compared with the negative control. ...
... SO-enriched diets led to a reduction in the deposition of abdominal fat [77]. Additionally, adding SO and LO to the diet of birds led to a greater decrease in abdominal fat deposition than that observed after adding olive oil and tallow [67]. The addition of SO in broiler diets significantly increased (p < 0.05) the relative weight of the abdominal fat pad [51], whereas the abdominal fat of broilers was decreased with fish oil [64,78]. ...
Simple Summary: In this review, we discuss previous studies, state-of-the-art technology, and the potential implications of utilizing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in poultry diets, as well as the application of these fatty acids in the poultry industry for improving poultry production and health. Essential roles are played by these fatty acids in development and metabolism, growth and productive performance, immune response and anti-oxidative properties, improving meat quality, bone growth and development, and improving fertility rates and semen quality. Abstract: Omega-3 (ω-3) and omega-6 (ω-6) fatty acids are important components of cell membranes. They are essential for health and normal physiological functioning of humans. Not all fatty acids can be produced endogenously owing to the absence of certain desaturases; however, they are required in a ratio that is not naturally achieved by the standard diet of industrialized nations. Poultry products have become the primary source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), with one of the most effective solutions being to increase the accretion of PUFAs in chicken products via the adjustment of fatty acids in poultry diets. Several studies have reported the favorable effects of ω-3 PUFA on bone strength, bone mineral content and density, and semen quality. However, other studies concluded negative effects of LC-PUFA on meat quality and palatability, and acceptability by consumers. The present review discussed the practical application of ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids in poultry diets, and studied the critical effects of these fatty acids on productive performance, blood biochemistry, immunity, carcass traits, bone traits, egg and meat quality, and semen quality in poultry. Future studies are required to determine how poultry products can be produced with higher contents
... The deciduous tree is enriched in various chemical compounds such as limonoids, alkaloids, phenolic, polysaccharides, flavonoids, phytosterols, essential oils, and fatty acids . The major active ingredients are benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, including berberine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, magnoflorine, magnocurarine, phellodendrine, and tetrahydropalmatine (Velmurugan et al., 2017;Balaźǒváet al., 2022;Erhan et al., 2023;Feng et al., 2023), which are commonly used as anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and antibacterial medicines, promoting blood circulation, dysentery, diuretic, hemorrhage, and blood glucose regulating (Kim et al., 2011;Steinmann et al., 2011;Velmurugan et al., 2017;Sun et al., 2019). The yellow, flexible, and tough wood of this medicinal plant boasts an excellent texture and can be used to create furniture and industrial art (Sun et al., 2015). ...
... The deciduous tree is enriched in various chemical compounds such as limonoids, alkaloids, phenolic, polysaccharides, flavonoids, phytosterols, essential oils, and fatty acids . The major active ingredients are benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, including berberine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, magnoflorine, magnocurarine, phellodendrine, and tetrahydropalmatine (Velmurugan et al., 2017;Balaźǒváet al., 2022;Erhan et al., 2023;Feng et al., 2023), which are commonly used as anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and antibacterial medicines, promoting blood circulation, dysentery, diuretic, hemorrhage, and blood glucose regulating (Kim et al., 2011;Steinmann et al., 2011;Velmurugan et al., 2017;Sun et al., 2019). The yellow, flexible, and tough wood of this medicinal plant boasts an excellent texture and can be used to create furniture and industrial art (Sun et al., 2015). ...
Phellodendron amurense is the essential source of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs), making it a highly valued raw material in traditional Chinese medicine. The plant’s root secondary metabolism is intricately linked to the microbial communities that surround it. However, the root-associated microbiomes of P. amurense, as well as the potential correlation between its bioactive compounds and these microbiomes, remain poorly understood. Here, the metabolic profiles of root, rhizosphere, and bulk soils of P. amurense revealed the dramatic differences in the relative content of plant-specialized metabolites. A total of 31, 21, and 0 specialized metabolites in P. amurense were identified in the root, rhizosphere soil, and bulk soil, respectively, with higher content of the seven major BIAs observed in the rhizosphere compared with that in the bulk soils. The composition of the bulk and rhizosphere microbiomes was noticeably distinct from that of the endospheric microbiome. The phylum Cyanobacteria accounted for over 60% of the root endosphere communities, and the α-diversity in root was the lowest. Targeted seven BIAs, namely, berberine, palmatine, magnocurarine, phellodendrine, jatrorrhizine, tetrahydropalmatine, and magnoflorine, were significantly positively correlated with Nectriaceae and Sphingobacteriaceae. This study has illuminated the intricate interaction networks between P. amurense root-associated microorganisms and their key chemical compounds, providing the theoretical foundation for discovering biological fertilizers and laying the groundwork for cultivating high-quality medicinal plants.
... The results imply that the AESPs could be effective in the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity. The amount of the total phenolics of the aqueous extract of Phellodendron amurense (70 μg GAE/mg) [31], fresh Selaginella willdenowii leaf (6.22 mg GAE/g dry matter) [32], Psidium guajava L., Camellia sinensis, Toona sinensis Roem, and Rosemarinus officinalis L. leaves (154.36, 149.27, 64.95, 185.04 mg GAE/g, respectively) [18] was reported. ...
... Aqueous extract of Phellodendron amurense possessed good DPPH scavenging activity. When compared to the positive control of L-ascorbic acid it has less activity but there is little difference at a concentration of 500 μg/mL [31]. Total antioxidant capacity assays of leaf extracts from Cressa cretica indicated higher antioxidant potential in the order: BHT > ethanolic extract > aqueous extract. ...
Aqueous extract of Senjed peel (AESP) as a natural antioxidant was added to cold-pressed sesame oil at different concentrations of 0 (T0), 100 (T100), 200 (T200), 500 (T500), and 750 (T750) mg/kg and compared with synthetic antioxidant tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) (200 mg/kg). Extraction yield, radical scavenging activity (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method), total phenol content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) of AESP was 9.55 ± 0.35% (g/100 g dried Senjed peel), 58.17 ± 2.33%, 573.31 ± 3.57 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per 100 g fresh weight (FW) (mg GAE/100 g FW), and 151.33 ± 2.67 mg catechin equivalents (CAE) per 100 g fresh weight (mg CAE/100 g W), respectively. The extract preserved 59.08% of antioxidant activity after heating at 185 ℃ for 80 min. The highest free fatty acid content (FFA%), peroxide value (PV), and para-Anisidine value (PA-V) belonged to oil samples containing 0 ppm of AESP and followed by 100, 200, 500, and 750 ppm, respectively. Oil samples containing TBHQ and 750 mg/kg of AESP showed the highest oxidative stability index (15.39 h).
... The results imply that the aqueous extract of Senjed peel could be effective in the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity. The amount of the total phenolics of the aqueous extract of Phellodendron amurense was 70 μg mg -1 (Velmurugan et al., 2018). ...
... angustifolia L. fruit was 1.036, 1.65, 1.28 and 2.51 μg trolox/g, respectively. Velmurugan et al. (2018) reported that the aqueous extract of P. amurense possesses good DPPH scavenging activity. When compared to the positive control of L-ascorbic acid it has less activity but there is little difference at a concentration of 500 μg. ...
The Senjed peel aqueous extract was added to sesame cold-pressed oil at different concentration of 0, 100, 200, 500 and 750 mg/kg and compared with TBHQ (200 mg/kg). The Senjed peel aqueous extract showed 9.55 ± 0.35% extraction yield, 58.17 ± 2.33% antioxidant activity, 573.31 ± 3.57 (mg GAE/100 g FW) total phenolic content, and 151.33 ± 2.67 (mg CAE/100 g FW) total flavonoid content. The extract preserved 59.08% of antioxidant activity after heating at 185 ℃ for 80 min. Increasing the concentration of the extract caused a significant (p<0.05) qualitative improvement in the oil samples. At all storage times, the highest FFA%, peroxide and P-anisidine value belonged to oil samples containing 0 ppm of Senjed peel aqueous extract and followed by 100, 200, 500 and 750 ppm, respectively. The highest oxidative stability index was observed in oil samples containing TBHQ and 750 mg/kg concentration of extract (both 15.39 h). Oil samples containing 750 ppm of Senjed peel aqueous extract and TBHQ showed almost similar qualitative characteristics. Results showed that Senjed peel aqueous extract have antioxidant potential for stabilization of oils.
... Phellodendron amurense Rupr. is a perennial medicinal and precious tree species, mainly distributed in East Asia. It produces various medicinal active ingredients, including flavonoids, organic acids, volatile oils, and alkaloids [1,2]. Previous studies showed that its medicinal value was determined by the content of alkaloids, such as berberine, jatrorrhizine, phellodendrine, and palmatine, which serve to treat dyspepsia, hepatitis, dysentery, gynecological inflammation, and meningitis [3][4][5][6][7]. ...
Phellodendron amurense Rupr. is a precious medicinal tree species in northeast China. However, P. amurense resources have been severely destroyed due to uncontrolled overharvest and the limited innovation of new germplasms by traditional cross-breeding. In this study, polyploid breeding was introduced to the improvement program of P. amurense. Fifty-four tetraploid plants of P. amurense were first produced by colchicine-induced adventitious bud chromosome doubling in stem segment explants. The induction frequency reached 36.16% (1.0 g L−1 colchicine solution for 48 h treatment) and 50.00% (2.0 g L−1 colchicine solution for 24 h treatment), respectively, showing the high efficiency of the somatic chromosome doubling based on the organogenesis system. Tetraploidization resulted in significant phenotypic variation, such as larger and thicker leaves, thicker stems, and bigger stomata. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) analysis identified 59 differentially accumulated alkaloids (DAAs) between the leaf and stem samples of tetraploids, including 32 upregulated and 27 downregulated in stems. For both leaf and stem samples, 18 DAAs were identified between diploids and tetraploids, with 16 DAAs upregulated in tetraploid leaves and 8 upregulated in tetraploid stems, suggesting that polyploidization caused significant alterations in alkaloid contents in leaves and stems of P. amurense. The contents of the main medicinal compounds, such as berberine, jatrorrhizine, phellodendrine, and palmatine, increased significantly in the leaf and/or stem samples after polyploidization. This finding implied that polyploid breeding might be an effective approach for improving P. amurense, beneficial to preserving and exploiting natural resources.
... Herbaceous plants and products derived from them have become widely popular, and their importance is recognized around the world [36]. Increased interest in these plants is due to their characteristics, which can have a positive impact on the performance of end products in poultry production [37,38]. The use of plant extracts in poultry production is expanding due to their positive effects on digestion, appetite stimulation, and improvement of various physiological functions. ...
Background and Aim
Poultry meat is an excellent animal protein source accessible to many low-income families in developing countries. It is also part of a balanced diet and contains valuable nutrients necessary for maintaining human health. The poultry sector implements improved processes to increase the quality and nutritional value of poultry meat. This study aimed to determine the influence of licorice root extract on the amino acid, fatty acid, vitamin, mineral composition, nutritional value, and productivity of quail meat.
Materials and Methods
Two groups were formed from Japanese quails: A control group and one experimental group, each consisting of 50 individuals. Quails from both the experimental and control groups received the same complete diet. Quails in the experimental group had licorice root extract added to their water at a dosage of 10 g/L, starting from the age of 3 days to 42 days of growth. At 42 days of age, 30 birds from each group were slaughtered to examine their meat productivity and chemical composition. The quail carcasses were analyzed for the following parameters: Live weight, carcass weight, nutritional value, mineral substances, vitamin content, fatty acid composition, amino acid composition, and amino acid score.
Results
This study demonstrated that quails in the experimental group receiving water with licorice extract exhibited higher indicators than those in the control group. Calcium (21.05%), magnesium (20.83%), and phosphorus (23.53%) were the most elevated mineral substances in the meat of the experimental birds. Vitamins E (22.22%) and C (20.0%) showed the greatest increase in vitamin content. The fatty acid composition parameters 17:0 margaric acid (8.16%), 18:3 linolenic acid (6.25%), and 20:4 arachidonic acid (4.49%) showed the highest increase. There was a clear increase in the amino acids valine (4.61%), lysine (4.32%), threonine (5.99%), tryptophan (4.87%), phenylalanine (5.87%), and cysteine (14.17%). The application of licorice root extract also positively impacted the amino acid score of quail meat, except for leucine, which remained within the range compared with the control group. Quails in the experimental group weighed 7.96% more live weight before slaughter than the controls. Moreover, the carcass weight was in favor of the experimental group (8.59%).
Conclusion
The use of licorice root extract positively influences the quality and biological value of quail meat. Data on amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, trace elements, and other important components of quail meat will significantly expand our understanding of the biological value of licorice root extract. These findings can be used in the formulation of balanced diets for children and adults and highlight the importance of this issue.
... M edicinal herbs, spices, and aromatic plants play essential roles in making food taste, smell, and look better and also have health benefits for people and animals (Abd-El-Hack and Alagawany, 2015;Abd-el-Hack et al., 2018, 2020a. Individuals in the livestock industry are becoming more interested in these plants because they have qualities that can improve the quality of the final products from poultry, such as the carcass and meat quality (Abdelnour et al., 2018;Alagawany et al., 2018a, b;Saeed et al., 2018;Velmurugan et al., 2018). This article is about Glycyrrhiza glabra, a member of the Fabaceae (legume) family. ...
Authors' Contribution AU, SK: Study design, feed formulation, animal trial, laboratory experiment, statistical analysis, and writing. MS, SUH, AS, MSU, KL: Data analysis and evaluation, manuscript writing, and review. MA, AK, QU, WA: Manuscript writing and manuscript review. This study was conducted to examine the effect of liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) extract on growth performance, gut morphometry, and economics in broilers. One hundred and twenty days old broiler chicks were used for the experiment and were divided into four groups each with three replicates of ten birds. Group 1 was control with normal water while 1, 1.5, and 2ml/liter of liquorice extract (LE) in drinking water were provided to the remaining three groups. The results showed significantly reduced feed consumption, increased weight gain, and better FCR in 2ml/l of LE group. Similarly, 2ml/l of LE group showed increased (P<0.05) villus height, crypt depth, villus width, and villus height to crypt depth ratio. The digestibility of dry matter, ash, crude fiber, crude protein, ether extract, and calcium was also calculated significantly higher in the 2ml/l of LE group. Total cost in the control group while the gross and net return was recorded significantly higher in the group containing 2ml/l of LE. The dressing percentage had a significantly higher value in 1.5, and 2ml/l of LE groups than in the remaining treatment groups. Mortality was recorded significantly higher in 1 ml/l of LE group as compared to all other groups. It was concluded that liquorice extract at 2ml/l water has a useful effect on growth performance, gut morphology, and economics in broilers.
... The rational development and utilization of key metabolites in medicinal plants has become a research hotspot in recent years. Previous studies have demonstrated that P. amurense contains a variety of medicinal active ingredients, including flavonoids, alkaloids, organic acids, and volatile oils (Ma et al., 2015;Velmurugan et al., 2018). In P. amurense, the alkaloids beneficial to the therapy of diseases primarily consist of berberine, jateorhizine, phellodendrine, tetrahydroberberine, magnoline, corytuberine and canadine (Liu et al., 2013). ...
Phellodendron amurense (Rupr.) is a well-known medicinal plant with high medicinal value, and its various tissues are enriched in various active pharmaceutical ingredients. Isoquinoline alkaloids are the primary medicinal component of P. amurense and have multiple effects, such as anti-inflammation, antihypertension, and antitumor effects. However, the potential regulatory mechanism of isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis during stem development in P. amurense is still poorly understood. In the present study, a total of eight plant hormones for each stem development stage were detected; of those, auxin, gibberellins and brassinosteroids were significantly highly increased in perennial stems and played key roles during stem development in P. amurense. We also investigated the content and change pattern of secondary metabolites and comprehensively identified some key structural genes involved in the isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis pathway by combining the transcriptome and metabolomics. A total of 39,978 DEGs were identified in the present study, and six of those had candidate structural genes (NCS, GOT2, TYNA, CODM, TYR, TAT and PSOMT1) that were specifically related to isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis in P. amurense. Corydalmine, cyclanoline, dehydroyanhunine, (S)-canadine and corybulbine were the most significantly upregulated metabolites among the different comparative groups. Three differentially expressed metabolites, dopamine, (S)-corytuberine and (S)-canadine, were enriched in the isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis pathway. Furthermore, bHLH and WRKY transcription factors play key roles in the isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis pathway in P. amurense. The results not only provide comprehensive genetic information for understanding the molecular mechanisms of isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis but also lay a foundation for the combinatory usage of the medicinal active ingredient of P. amurense.
... Phellodendron amurense Rupr. is an important Chinese medicinal plant, and its bark, leaves, roots, and fruits are rich in alkaloids, flavonoids, polysaccharides and terpenes, and other compounds (Wang et al., 2015), which endows it with biological activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial health care, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood sugar and clearing the lungs and relieving cough (Velmurugan et al., 2018). It has attracted widespread attention due to its excellent biological activity, which for the separation of essential oil components is mainly concentrated in leaves and fruits, and compared to leaves, the essential oil content in fruits can reach 2% (Lis et al., 2004). ...
The essential oil was separated from the fresh leaves of Phellodendron amurense Rupr. by solvent-free microwave-assisted distillation in a rotating state with n-hexane extraction and LiCl addition, which ingeniously designed lithium salt addition, rotation unit, and n-hexane extraction effectively improved the yield and separation rate of essential oils. The factors that may affect essential oils yield were screened and optimized by single factor optimization, response surface methodology, and kinetic model to obtain the optimal conditions for the separation of essential oils by this method, which were LiCl content of 8%FW, microwave irradiation power 600 W and microwave irradiation time 40 min. And the yield of essential oils is 2.39 ± 0.12 mg/g in the optimum conditions by this method, which is highly consistent with the predictions from the response surface method (2.39 mg/g) and the first-order kinetic model (2.42 ± 0.04 mg/g). This method effectively ensures the uniform heating of the plant material and the rapid overflow of the essential oil by employing the rotating unit and the addition of LiCl, which effectively avoids the loss of the heat-sensitive components in the essential oil. Moreover, the solvent-free distillation of this method highly improves the heating rate, and the added LiCl can also be effectively recovered and reused, which effectively reduces the economic cost, and environmental stress and will result in a cleaner product. And an accurate quantitative analysis method of essential oils was established by n-hexane extraction-ultraviolet spectroscopy, which not only effectively avoided the loss of water-soluble components but also provided a new strategy for quantitative analysis of essential oils. In addition, the results of the kinetic model indicated that the separation rate constant of essential oils in this method was 1.34 times that of microwave-assisted hydrodistillation and 5.05 times that of conventional hydrodistillation. Therefore, this method is an efficient, green, and clean essential oil preparation method, which is very promising to replace existing methods in the future.
... Herbal plants and their products have gained great popularity and their importance is being realised throughout the world (Dhama et al., 2018;Shu et al., 2018). Increasing interest in these plants is due to their properties which can benefit the quality of final products from poultry, such as carcass and meat quality (Abdelnour et al., 2018;Alagawany et al., 2018a;2018b;Saeed et al., 2018;Velmurugan et al., 2018). This article focusses on liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), which is a plant belonging to the Fabaceae (legume family). ...
Supplementation of poultry diets with medicinal plants containing bioactive molecules have shown promising results in promoting growth performance, enhancing feed efficiency, and improving carcass traits and meat quality. There are many studies using herbal plants and their derivatives involving liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), while studies using only liquorice are very limited. Liquorice contains bioactive components such as glycyrrhizin and flavonoids, and has been linked to many pharmacological effects like immunomodulatory, anti-oxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity. Supplementation of liquorice in poultry diets had beneficial impacts on growth and performance by improving organ development. In addition, there are appetite and digestion stimulating factors in liquorice. Dietary liquorice supplementation at level of 2.5 g/kg showed the best results in broiler chicken, and demonstrated it can be safely used in poultry diets. Addition of liquorice in diets up to 0.5% inclusion before sexual maturity enhanced performance of laying hens. Furthermore, broilers receiving drinking water containing 450 mg/l liquorice under heat stress significantly improved feed conversion and economic efficiency. Abdominal fat in broiler chickens was decreased when liquorice was included at 2 g/kg in feed or 0.3 g/l in drinking water. Broiler chickens with access to drinking water containing 450 mg/l of liquorice increased the dressing percentage, with or without giblets. Carcass organoleptics were improved in birds receiving drinking water with liquorice at levels of either 1, 2 and 4 mg/ kg body weight. This review describes the chemical composition, health benefits and beneficial applications of the liquorice herb and its effect on growth and productive performance, carcasses and meat quality, which will be useful for researchers, physiologists, nutritionists, veterinarians, scientists, pharmacists, pharmaceutical industries, and poultry breeders.
... More common growth parameters and physiological endpoints can be more informative about the interactions between NPs and crop types (Thiruvengadam et al. 2018). The most common physiological parameters are antioxidants enzymes, which are well known for scavenging ROS through their increased activity under various stresses (Velmurugan et al. 2018;Baskar et al. 2018;Alhaithloul et al. 2019;Moustafa-Farag et al. 2020a). ROS has many fundamental roles in gene expression, especially those genes regulating several key developmental processes, like cell cycle, response to stresses, and systemic signaling. ...
... More common growth parameters and physiological endpoints can be more informative about the interactions between NPs and crop types (Thiruvengadam et al. 2018). The most common physiological parameters are antioxidants enzymes, which are well known for scavenging ROS through their increased activity under various stresses (Velmurugan et al. 2018;Baskar et al. 2018;Alhaithloul et al. 2019;Moustafa-Farag et al. 2020a). ROS has many fundamental roles in gene expression, especially those genes regulating several key developmental processes, like cell cycle, response to stresses, and systemic signaling. ...
Nanotechnology applications are increasingly utilized to improve crops. Besides their use as antifungal and antimicrobial agents, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are currently exploited to improve seed germination, plant development, and photo-synthetic efficiency. In the current study, we evaluated the effect of biosynthesized AgNPs in the seedlings of Zea mays L., Trigonella foenum-graecum L., and Allium cepa L. AgNPs were biosynthesized in the blue gum (Eucalyptus globules) leaves and characterized by UV-Visible spectra, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopic analyses. The biosafety of the AgNPs was tested by cytotoxicity assay, antibacterial activity, and determination of MIC and MBC. The effects of biogenic AgNPs application at different concentrations (25, 50, 75 < and 100 mg L −1) on seed germination, seedling growth, oxidative stress status, and antioxidant enzyme activities were studied. Applications of AgNPs significantly improved seed germination and growth of Z. mays L., T. foenum-graecum L., and A. cepa L. (p < 0.05). Notably, growth was stimulated by an increase in the concentration of AgNPs. Applications of AgNPs also enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes, including catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase as well as glutathione and ascorbate contents, whereas the malondialdehyde content was reduced by increasing the concentration of AgNPs. The expression levels of antioxidant enzymes were upregulated in AgNP-treated seedlings compared with those of the control. Our study demonstrated that the application of silver nanoparticles significantly enhanced seed germination and antioxidant machinery and improved the early growth characteristics in both monocot and dicot crops.
... Many physiological studies indicate that the reproductive functions and male sexual differentiation are controlled by regulating the numerous hormones (Geetha & Chakravarthula, 2018;Velmurugan, Kalpana, Cho, & Lee, 2018). McLachlan (2000) stated that the hormonal regulation initiates with the foetus and remains until the puberty and adulthood. ...
Royal jelly (RJ) is one of the furthermost valuable curative products mentioned by natural medicine scientists due to its promising medical and nutritional purposes. It possesses many impacts, including antioxidants, antimicrobial, antitumor, anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions in human and animal that benefit their health and welfare, resulting in its widespread use in medical and commercial products and healthy food. Recently, favourable functions of RJ on male fertility have been reported in different animals. According to earlier literatures, the level of RJ supplementation in animal diet ranged from 100 to 200 mg/kg. Oral exposure to RJ has been reported to have oestrogenic influences in the adult female rats. Also, RJ may be influential in improvement of pregnancy and lambing rates of ewes. Oral administration of RJ at 100 mg/kg diet before sexual maturity enhanced sexual behaviour and semen quality of male rabbits. Moreover, RJ administration (up to 400 mg/kg diet once weekly) for male rabbits exposed to heat stress can counteract “summer infertility” and improve physiological responses. Furthermore, supplementation of freezing extender media with 0.1 or 3% RJ had a protective influence on cryopreserved and chilled spermatozoa of buffalo and ram respectively. However, the high dose of RJ oral administration (800 mg/kg) by pubescent male rats for 1 month had an undesirable effect on the reproductive system; however, the somewhat unfavourable influences were mitigated by the discontinuation of the administration. This review shows the chemical composition, favourable applications and health benefits of RJ and its effects on reproductive aspects, semen quality and in vitro fertilization outcomes which are advantageous for scientists, researchers, nutritionists, physiologists, embryologists, pharmacists, veterinarians, pharmaceutical industries and animal's breeders.
... The addition of various nutritional supplements and additives to foods/diets including growth promoters, antioxidants, nutraceuticals, herbs, green tea, coffee, probiotics and others for enhanced production performances, improved immunity, and health benefits in humans, animals, poultry, and other species is showing an increasing trend Dhama, Tiwari, Chakrabort, et al., 2014;Dhama, Tiwari, Khan, et al., 2014;Laudadio et al., 2015;Mahima et al., 2013;Suez, Zmora, Segal, & Elinav, 2019;Xing, Zhang, Qi, Tsao, & Mine, 2019). Particularly, plants, herbs and shrubs that possess high medicinal values have attracted the attention of worldwide researchers owing to their multiple beneficial health applications (Abd El-Hack & Alagawany, 2015;Alagawany et al., 2019;Mahima et al., 2012;Tiwari et al., 2018;Velmurugan, Kalpana, Cho, & Lee, 2018;Yatoo et al., 2017). Nowadays, green tea is becoming popular (Cooper, 2012; as it is the second mostconsumed beverage throughout the world (Conde, Alves, Oliveira, & Silva, 2015). ...
Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is a popular herbal plant with abundant health benefits, and thus, it has been used as a potent antioxidant for a long time. Based on the available literature, the diversity and the availability of multifunctional compounds in green tea offer its noteworthy potential against many diseases such as liver and heart diseases, inflammatory conditions and different metabolic syndromes. Owing to its bioactive constituents including caffeine, amino acids, l‐theanine, polyphenols/flavonoids and carbohydrates among other potent molecules, green tea has many pharmacological and physiological effects. The effects of green tea include anti‐oxidative, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐arthritic, anti‐stress, hypolipidaemic, hypocholesterolaemic, skin/collagen protective, hepatoprotective, anti‐diabetic, anti‐microbial, anti‐infective, anti‐parasitic, anti‐cancerous, inhibition of tumorigenesis and angiogenesis, anti‐mutagenic, and memory and bone health‐improving activities. Apart from its utilization in humans, green tea has also played a significant role in livestock production such as in dairy, piggery, goatry and poultry industries. Supplementation of animal feeds with green tea and its products is in line with the modern concepts of organic livestock production. Hence, incorporating green tea or green tea by‐products into the diet of poultry and other livestock can enhance the value of the products obtained from these animals. Herein, an effort is made to extend the knowledge on the importance and useful applications of green tea and its important constituents in animal production including poultry. This review will be a guideline for researchers and entrepreneurs who want to explore the utilization of feeds supplemented with green tea and green tea by‐products for the enhancement of livestock production.
... 81 A direct relationship between higher antioxidant activities and total poly phenolic content was indicated in the case of bark aqueous extract of Phellodendron amurense tree. 82 In this way, synergistic antioxidant and antibacterial impacts may result from various secondary metabolites adhering on the surface of MNPs or MONPs. 83,84 4. CONCLUSIONS Use of ecofriendly substances to prevent entrance of toxic materials into the environment is an important duty of green chemistry. ...
Consideration of lichen organisms as the ecofriendly source of metal nanoparticles (MNPs) and metal oxide NPs (MONPs) synthesis is seldom. In this study, Ag and Cu MNPs as well as TiO2, ZnO, and Fe3O4 MONPs were green synthesized by Protoparmeliopsis muralis lichen aqueous extract. Firstly, physicochemical characterization by UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, FT-IR, FESEM, and TEM techniques demonstrated the presence possibility of secondary metabolites around formed MNPs/MONPs with different diameters and shapes (spherical, triangular, polyhedral, and cubic). Then, antibacterial, antibiofilm, antiquorum sensing, and antioxidant abilities of these MNPs/MONPs against multi drug resistant (MDR) bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300) and reference bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853) were evaluated by in vitro tests. Results of disc diffusion and MIC/MBC assays of Ag NPs as an effective antibacterial agent illustrated higher sensitivity of P. aeruginosa pathogen than E. coli and S. aureus. In next steps, significant reduction was observed in biofilm formation of each bacterium and pyocyanin synthesis by P. aeruginosa under Ag NPs. Totally, this investigation presented novel clean production of five MNPs/MONPs with prominent advantages of ecofriendly, cost-effective, and antipathogen properties.
Because star anise is underutilized in the baking sector and the antifungal targets are unclear, this study aimed to investigate the antifungal effect and mechanism of star anise extract (SAE) on spoilage fungi in bread. SAE was prepared by ethanol extraction and 31 substances were identified by GC-MS, among which trans-anethole (62.62%), estragole (7.82%) and linalool (4.66%) were the major components. The antifungal activity of SAE and the three main components against Penicillium roqueforti and Aspergillus niger were determined by using the Oxford cup method and the sesqui-dilution method. The inhibition zones were 9.88 mm and 15.09 mm, while the minimum inhibitory concentrations were 125.00 μL/mL and 31.25 μL/mL. Trans-anethole and estragole both showed antifungal activity against Penicillium roqueforti and Aspergillus niger, while linalool only showed antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger. Propidium iodide and fluorescein diacetate staining analysis, leakage of cellular components (nucleic acids and proteins) and rise in ergosterol content indicated that SAE disrupted the integrity and permeability of the cell membrane. Malondialdehyde was increased after SAE treatment, indicating that SAE caused lipid peroxidation in the cell membrane, further confirming that it disrupted the cell membrane. At the same time, SAE interacted with membrane proteins and altered their conformation, resulting in cell membrane dysfunction. Finally, the shelf life test showed that SAE extended the shelf life of the bread by up to 6 days. In general, this study highlights the antifungal effect of SAE against Penicillium roqueforti and Aspergillus niger, which indicated that SAE can be used as an antifungal agent to extend the shelf life of bread.
Fucoidan is a sulphated polysaccharide isolated from brown seaweeds. It has attracted a lot of attention due to its multiple physiological and biological properties. The most dominant polysaccharides in brown seaweeds are laminarin and alginic acid. Fucoidan extracted from brown seaweed possess various biological functions including anti‐inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antitumour, antibacterial, antiviral, anticoagulant, antioxidant, neuroprotective, cardio‐protection and growth‐promoting effects. Dietary supplementation of fucoidan showed significant therapeutic influences on aquatic organisms, human, livestock and poultry. This review highlights the medicinal importance and nutritional values of fucoidan polysaccharides for fish, animals and humans, to be used as a natural agent for the treatment of various pathological disorders and to replace the synthetic antibiotics. Previously, most studies are focused on in vitro model and in mice. Further studies are warranted on in vivo model and focusing on a molecular basis to understand the mechanisms of action of fucoidan as an alternative therapeutic drug for fish, animals and humans. Another objective of this review is to give more light about the beneficial impacts of fucoidan on productive performance of animals and poultry as well as aquatic organisms.
The current study was investigated the impact of dietary oil source (soybean, corn, peanut, flaxseed, olive and sunflower oils as sources of omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids) on productive and reproductive traits, egg quality, hematological and biochemical blood parameters of laying Japanese quails. A total of 360 birds 8-weeks mature Japanese quail were randomly divided into 6 groups fed for eight weeks on a basal diet included with 1.5% of different oil sources. Results showed that the highest egg weights and the best feed conversion ratio (P<0.01) were recorded for quails fed diets supplemented with 1.5% soybean and peanut oil. The highest hatchability percentages (P<0.05) were recorded for quails fed diets supplemented with corn oil as compared to the other oils. Furthermore, diets enriched with corn, olive or sunflower oils had higher values of blood lymphocytes (%) compared to the other treated groups. Blood total cholesterol significantly decreased in quails fed on corn, peanut, flaxseed, or olive oil sources as compared to soybean or sunflower oil groups. Immunologically, the highest levels (P<0.001) of immunoglobulins (G and M) were recorded for quails fed on corn or olive oil sourced compared to other oil sources. Quails consumed olive oil included diets showed a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities and a significant decrease on malondialdehyde (MDA) level compared with those consumed the other oil sources. It could be concluded that varying the oil source can affect productive, reproductive and helth aspects of Japanese quail. Soybean oil showed good results regarding production aspects, however, olive oil was the best regarding the health spects.
Berberine (BBR) is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent extracted from plants. However, traditional extraction of BBR depends on the massive consumption of organic solvent, leading to serious environmental pollutions. Here, the authors established a novel microbial method for BBR extraction from pulverized Phellodendron. A microbial consortium consisting of three Bacillus bacteria was constructed based on cellulase enzyme activities. The three bacteria together showed high cellulase enzyme activities for plant cell wall degradation. Moreover, no BBR degradation was detected during the cultivation of each strain. After the cultivation of this Bacillus consortium and pulverized Phellodendron for 56 h, BBR was successfully extracted into the medium. More importantly, the by-products of extraction such as phellodendrine were efficiently dissimilated by bacteria during the extraction, and the peak area of BBR occupied more than 60% of the total in the end of fermentation. The determination of extraction waste indicated that less than 10% of BBR remained in the extraction residue. Finally, the extraction residue that contains Bacillus consortium was applied as fertilizer used in improving soil bacterial diversity. After the cultivation for 9 days, the amount of Bacillus genus in the soil was almost kept the same with initiation, meaning that Bacillus was colonized in the experimental soil. Overall, this is the first report on microbial extraction of chemicals from the plant, and this work provided a new way for resource re-utilization in the traditional Chinese medicine extraction industry.
Residues of wood, such as bark, represent an attractive source for natural antioxidants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the total polyphenols, heavy metals content and antioxidant capacity from oak (Quercus robur L.) and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) barks grown in the central region of Poland. Identification and quantification of flavonoids and phenolic acids were done by HPLC-MS analysis. The phenolic extraction yields for oak barks were higher than for pine barks, while higher content of total flavonoids was determined in pine bark extracts. Generally, the content of the metals in raw barks and their extracts decreased in the order: Zn > Cu > Cr > Pb > Ni > Cd. The extracts were able to quench DPPH· radicals and to reduce the cupric complex exhibiting good antioxidant properties. They can be utilised as additives in nutraceutical and cosmetic products as well as for wood preservative materials.
The purpose of this review is to give the reader a thorough background to the fundamentals and applications of pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) for the analysis of bioactive compounds. We summarize the field in the period 2009–14, and include fundamentals of water as a solvent: equipment; method optimization; applications; coupling; and, future prospects. We highlight that solvent properties of water are tunable by changing the temperature, particularly self-ionization, dielectric constant, viscosity, diffusivity, density and surface tension. Furthermore, important aspects to consider are the risk of degradation of the analytes and other potential reactions, such as hydrolysis, caramelization and Maillard reactions that may lead to erroneous results. For the extraction of bioactive compounds, we report PHWE methods based on using water of 80–175°C and short extraction times. In conclusion, PHWE provides advantages over conventional extraction methods, such as being “greener”, faster and more efficient.
The ethanol leaf extracts of four medicinal plants named Hibiscus mutabilis, Leucas aspera, Ixora coccinea and Polyalthia longifolia were examined for their possible regulatory effect on nitric oxide (NO) levels using sodium nitroprusside as a NO donor in vitro. Most of the extracts tested demonstrated direct scavenging of NO and exhibited significant activity and the potency of scavenging activity was in the following order: Leucas aspera > Ixora coccinea > Hibiscus mutabilis> Polyalthia longifolia. All the evaluated extracts exhibited a dose-dependent NO scavenging activity. The ethanolic leaf extract of Leucas aspera showed the greatest NO scavenging effect of 80.50% at 320 µg/ml with IC50 value of 94.15 µg/ml as compared to the positive control ascorbic acid where 74.56 % scavenging was observed at similar concentration with IC50 value of 62.48 µg/mL. The maximum NO scavenging of Ixora coccinea, Hibiscus mutabilis and Polyalthia longifolia were 79.65 %, 78.60% and 70.67 % with IC50 values of 43.72 µg/ml, 147.64 µg/ml and 167.08 µg/ml respectively. The present results suggest that these plants might be potent and novel therapeutic agents for scavenging of NO and the regulation of pathological conditions caused by excessive generation of NO and its oxidation product.
A sensitive and selective chemiluminescence method has been used to detect hydroxyl radicals during the growth of white-rot fungi. The investigation reveals that fungal growth is accompanied by a generation of hydroxyl radicals which in turn are considered to be responsible for the initial phase of fungal-mediated wood degradation.
This study focuses on the biodegradability measurements of tall oil-based wood preservatives and their raw materials in groundwater as determined by the respirometric BOD OxiTop method. Certain substances were also analyzed in standard conditions described by OECD 301 F. Results show that creosote oil, a traditional wood preservative, does not biodegrade at all in groundwater over a period of 28 days, while tall oil and linseed oil biodegrade to some degree (13.4% and 14.8%, respectively). On the other hand, degrees of biodegradation of linseed oil, tall oil and creosote oil in the extra mineral and microbe including conditions described by OECD 301 F were 72.9%, 54.3% and 24.9% after 28 days, respectively. Studied raw materials of tall oil-based wood preservative production biodegrade to some degree in groundwater (variability from 11.9% to 18%) and quite effectively in OECD 301 F test (variability from 39% to 71.7%) over a period of 28 days. Abiotic degradation may also be significant with the studied substances.
The antioxidant activity of 10 Japanese and Chinese crude drugs (Kampo drugs) was determined in vitro. Extract of Magnolia cortex, which had the highest antioxidant activity, contained phenolic compounds magnolol and honokiol. However, inhibitory effects
of these compounds on lipid oxidation were weaker than that of α-tocopherol as measured by thiobarbituric acid assay. The
structure-activity relationship of phenolic compounds showed that antioxidant activities were in the order 4-allyl-2,6-dimethoxyphenol
≥ p,p′-biphenol > eugenol > 2-allyl-6-methylphenol > honokiol > magnolol > caffeic acid > p-ethylphenol > guaiacol. As expected, these results showed that an electron donor and/or bulky groups at the ortho- or para-position of the phenol were required for inhibition of lipid oxidation. Electron spin resonance spin trapping experiments
showed that phenol compounds with an allyl substituent on their aromatic rings directly scavenged superoxide (O
2
−
), and that only eugenol trapped hydroxyl radicals. These findings suggest that phenolic compounds that contain allyl groups
may be effective antioxidants because of the scavenging ability of O
2
−
or hydroxyl radical, whereas other phenols, without an allyl moiety such as α-tocopherol, may play a role in the termination
of free radical chain reactions.
Chikusaku-eki and Mokusaku-eki are natural resources and acidic liquid by-products of bamboo and broad leaved trees charcoal burner. These products contain more than 200 ingredients, including phenols, poly phenols and acetic acids. These by-products were tested for their fungicidal activity against sapstaining fungi. There are no studies about the antifungal activity of Chikusaku-eki and Mokusaku-eki against wood staining fungi in the literature. According to the recent findings, this is the first report about the antifungal activity of Chikusaku-eki and Mokusaku-eki against wood staining fungi. These extracts were more effective against sapstaining fungi at minimum concentrations (0.10-1.0 %) used in 2 % (malt extract agar) medium. Three Chikusaku-eki (Chikusaku-eki-I, Chikusaku-eki-II and Chikusaku-eki-III) and 2 Mokusaku-eki (Mokusaku-eki-I, Mokusaku-eki-II) extracts were tested against 4 sapstaining fungal samples to evaluate the inhibition range on sapstaining fungal growth. Ophiostoma flexuosum , Ophiostoma tetropii , Ophiostoma polonicum and Ophiostoma ips were the sapstaining fungi used in this study against bamboo and wood extracts. The initial calibration of extracts was done by calculating the specific gravity, tar calculation and total organic content. The chloroform fractions of these extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and both the extracts contained 2,6 dimethoxy phenol, dehydroacetic acid and 2,3,5 trimethoxytoluene. Results revealed that compounds of Chikusaku-eki and Mokusaku-eki markedly inhibited fungal growth at lower concentration. The Chikusaku-eki and Mokusaku-eki have both antifungal, antioxidant properties and a potential to be used as natural preservative in wood industries. Wood slice tests displayed the effective role of both extracts in laboratory level.
A fully automated-continuous flow 40-sample/ hour procedure was adapted from the Singleton-Rossi method of analysis for total phenols in wine and other plant extracts. It was compared with small-volume manual and semiautomated versions of this analysis. The agreement in mg of gallic acid equivalent phenol (GAE) per liter among a series of dry wines was excellent by all three procedures. The coefficients of variation in replicate analyses averaged 5.8% for the manual, 6.2% for the semi-automated and 2.2% for the automated procedure. This greater reproducibility, plus savings of about 70% in labor and up to 40% in reagents, makes the automated procedure attractive for laboratories doing enough total phenol analyses to recoup the cost of the automating equipment. For continuous flow, color development with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent in alkaline solution must be hastened by heating compared to slower room temperature development for the manual methods. Heating of sugar-containing samples in the alkaline solution gives interference presumably from endiol formation. Examples are given of corrections which were used successfully to estimate the true phenol content of sweet wines.
Antifungal activities were examined and compared for some 40 kinds of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, alcohols, phenolic compounds, ether compounds and hydrocarbons from essential oils and for some related compounds, using seven fungi.
Phellodendron amurense has been used for many years as a medical plant in traditional Chinese medicine and has shown great prospect in recent clinical trials for future applications. Berberine is an essential active compound contained in P. amurense. Our objective in this study was to quantify the content of berberine in P. amurense from sites at different elevations on Changbai Mountain. We collected samples of P. amurense from five different elevations on Changbai Mountain. Berberine in samples was extracted by ultrahigh pressure extraction (UPE). And the quantity was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). First, the optimal HPLC conditions for berberine were identified with satisfactory precision (relative standard deviation, R SD R E R 2 = 0.9998) in the range of 6.576–328.8 mg·L−1. Second, the combination of UPE and HPLC methods in quantitative analysis of berberine showed high repeatability (R SD = 3.28 %), reproducibility (R SD = 4.72 %), stability (R SD HPLC method is simple, reliable and low-cost for quantitative analysis of berberine. Content of berberine in P. amurense varied significantly by site on Changbai Mountain.
The essential oils from fruits, leaves and flowers of the Amur cork tree (Phellodendron amurense Rupr.) were analysed by GC, GC–MS and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. About 80 compounds were identified in each oil. Myrcene (62.3–70.3%) and β-caryophyllene (6.8–10.5%) dominated in the oils from unripe and ripe fruits. The leaf oil contained β-elemol (18.5%) and (Z)-β-ocimene (12.6%) as the main constituents, whereas in the flower oil these were (Z)-β-ocimene (9.5%), β-elemol (9.4%), myrcene (7.8%) and nonacosane (7.7%). Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The mechanism of wood degradation by white-rot fungi is not understood in detail other than it is involving phenol oxidases (which are lignin-degrading enzymes) and cellulases. The possible role of hydroxyl radicals in degradation by the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was studied. The production of a low-molecular-weight substance that is secreted was measured periodically. The substance catalyzes a redox reaction between O2 and an electron donor producing hydroxyl radicals in the culture fluid of this fungus with glucose or wood as the carbon source. We examined the possible role(s) of one-electron oxidation activity by phenol oxidases and hydroxyl radicals in wood degradation by this fungus. Assays of phenol oxidase activity showed that P. chrysosporium produced much manganese peroxidase in wood culture, and that the activity peaked early in incubation. The generation of hydroxyl radicals in the redox reaction was related to the rate of wood degradation, but the activity of phenol oxidases was not related. Therefore, hydroxyl radicals are important in wood degradation by this fungus.
The effect of substituents on phenolic antioxidants was studied extensively in the 1960s. Based on our recent study, however, there remain some unclear points in the interpretation of the functions of o- and p- substituents. In this work, a phenol having an ortho-alkoxy substituent, in particular methoxy, has been investigated in detail. Interestingly, it has been found that the introduction of a p-substituent such as an alkoxy or alkyl group develops antioxidant activity in o-methoxy phenols, although this phenol itself does not have any antioxidant activity. The p-substituent is considered to have two functions. One is the increase in the electron density on phenolic hydroxyl oxygen by the electron-donating nature of the substituent. Another is to localize the radical electron on the p-position by the inductive effect of the p-substituent. These functions of a p-substituent accelerate hydrogen abstraction by a peroxy radical from the phenol to enhance kinh and decrease the coupling of phenoxy radicals, that is, increase the n value.
The essential oils of Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum, Mentha spicata, Lavandula angustifolia, and Salvia fruticosa exhibited antifungal properties against the human pathogens Malassezia furfur, Trichophyton rubrum, and Trichosporon beigelii. Of the four oils, O. vulgare subsp. hirtum oil showed the highest fungicidal activity and at a dilution of 1/50000 caused a 95% reduction in the number of metabolically active cells within 6 h of exposure. Among the main components of the four oils, carvacrol and thymol exhibited the highest levels of antifungal activity. The therapeutic efficacy of the O. vulgare subsp. hirtum essential oil was tested in rats experimentally infected with T. rubrum and yielded promising results. Furthermore, the above essential oils were tested with the Ames test and did not exhibit any mutagenic activity. Keywords: Essential oils; Origanum vulgare; Mentha spicata; Lavandula angustifolia; Salvia fruticosa; Malassezia furfur; Trichophyton rubrum; Trichosporon beigelii; Dermatophytosis; antifungal; mutagenic; in vivo studies
Three Origanum essential oils, Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum, Origanum dictamnus, and a commercially available Origanum oil, were analyzed by gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC−MS) and showed a high content of carvacrol, thymol, γ-terpinene, and p-cymene representing 73.7%, 92.8%, and 87.78% of the total oil, respectively. The three essential oils exhibited high levels of antimicrobial activity against eight strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Among the major components of the three oils, carvacrol and thymol exhibited the highest levels of antimicrobial activity, while their biosynthetic precursors γ-terpinene and p-cymene were inactive. The essential oil of O. vulgare ssp. hirtum was extremely bactericidal at 1/4000 dilution and even at dilutions as high as 1/50000 caused considerable decrease in bacterial growth rates. The same essential oil also exhibited high levels of cytotoxicity against four permanent animal cell lines including two derived from human cancers. Keywords: Origanum vulgare; Origanum dictamus; essential oils; carvacrol; thymol; antimicrobial activity; cytotoxicity; terpenes; cancer
Phenolic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and monotertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) are hindered phenols with antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial activity of phenolic antioxidants appears to depend on the presence of a hydroxyl group on the molecule, the lipid solubility of the compound and the degree of steric hindrance. The use of phenolic antioxidants in food products is regulated by federal agencies. In general, these compounds are permitted in concentrations up to 200 ppm, based on the fat or oil content of the food product. Certain food products have special regulations. The antimicrobial activity of phenolic antioxidants has been studied in meat and its products, poultry and its products, milk and its products, seafood, rice, applesauce and food ingredients.
The antimicrobial activity of phenolic antioxidants is modified by at least 10 factors such as microbial species/strain, stressed microorganisms, type and concentration of phenolic antioxidants, concentration of microbial challenge, combination of phenolic antioxidants, combination of phenolic antioxidants with other antimicrobials, combination of phenolic antioxidants with temperature and food additives, food components, carriers of phenolic antioxidants and the mode of addition of phenolic antioxidants.
The antimicrobial activity of phenolic antioxidants in foods has been examined against growth and by-products of bacteria (gram positive and negative, spore and nonspore formers, spoilage and pathogenic), molds and yeasts. The concentration of phenolic antioxidants that had antimicrobial activity in food products was in the range of 30–10,000 ppm.
The mechanism of inhibition by phenolic antioxidants has been found to affect the function and composition of the cellular membrane, the synthesis of DNA, RNA, protein and lipid, and the function of the mitochondrion.
The important roles of reactive oxygen species in diseases related to aging and the necessity and benefits of antioxidative nutraceuticals in the prevention of diseases and promotion of healthy aging have been extensively reported in recent years. Oxygen is an essential component of living organisms. The generation of reactive oxygen species such as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and singlet oxygen is inevitable in aerobic metabolism of the body. Reactive oxygen species cause lipid oxidation, protein oxidation, DNA strand break and base modification, and modulation of gene expression. In the past several years, unprecedented progress has been made in the recognition and understanding of roles of reactive oxygen species in many diseases. These include atherosclerosis, vasospasms, cancers, trauma, stroke, asthma, hyperoxia, arthritis, heart attack, age pigments, dermatitis, cataractogenesis, retinal damage, hepatitis, liver injury, and periodontis, which are age-related. The body protects itself from the potential damages of reactive oxygen species. Its first line of defense is superoxide dismutases, glutathione peroxidases, and catalase. Scientists have indicated that antioxidant nutraceuticals supplied from daily diets quench the reactive oxygen species or are required as cofactors for antioxidant enzymes. Nutraceuticals play significant roles in the prevention of a number of age-related diseases and are essential for healthy aging. Epidemiological studies also reported the relevance of antioxidative nutraceuticals to health issues and the prevention of age-related diseases. Health-conscious consumers have made antioxidative nutraceuticals the leading trend in the food industry worldwide in recent years.
The rate of scavenging of peroxyl radicals and of diphenylpicrylhydrazyl radicals by flavanones, flavones, flavanols and
flavonols commonly occurring in foods was found, when determined by ESR spin trapping and by stopped-flow spectroscopy, respectively,
to be the highest for the most reducing of the flavonoids. Among 12 flavonoids investigated a threshold potential of approximately
+0.4 V seems to exist, above which the flavonoids become ineffective radical scavengers, as determined by ESR spectroscopy
using 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide as spin trap. Scavenging of diphenylpicrylhydrazyl radicals showed (pseudo) first order kinetics for excess of flavonoids,
and the reaction half-life could also be determined for the less effective flavonoids. For kaempferol and eriodictyol, flavonoids
with very similar reduction potentials for their phenoxyl radicals, rate constants for the bimolecular scavenging could be
determined in methanol and had the value (7.0 ±0.7)×102 s−1 M−1 and 33±1 s−1 M−1 at 25°C, respectively, showing that other factors than the driving force, such as hydrophilic/lipophilic balance are important,
as was further confirmed in an oxygen consumption assay based on a linoleic acid emulsion, where decreasing antioxidant efficiency
followed the order: (+)-catechin>(±)-taxifolin≥luteolin>kaempferol>quercetin>>naringenin.
The potential use of organosilicons as protective agents against basidiomycetes attack of wood used in outdoor applications was investigated using Scots pine sapwood and beech specimens. Both mini-blocks and EN 113 specimens were subjected to brown-rot and white-rot fungi. A dose–response could be observed showing that with higher weight percentage gain of the organosilicon, the resistance (i.e., efficacy) against fungi increased. At relatively low weight percentage gains, which are assumed to be economically feasible, Scots pine could be partly protected against decay by Postia placenta and Coniophora puteana and beech could be partly protected against decay by C. puteana and Trametes versicolor. Full protection was achieved by some silicons for Scots pine sapwood against C. puteana and for beech against T. versicolor. The most promising products were a solvent-based mixture of the alkoxysilanes methyltrimethoxysilane (MTM) and octyltriethoxysilane (OTES) and a water-based micro-emulsion of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and triethoxysilane (TES) when applied above 20 and 30% weight gain for Scots pine and above 30 and 40% weight gain for beech. A water-based mixture of dimethylmethylhydrogen siloxane (DMS) and N-octyltriethoxysilane (n-OTES) was able to protect beech at weight gains above 30%.
The antiradical activities of various antioxidants were determined using the free radical, 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH*). In its radical form. DPPH* has an absorption band at 515 nm which dissappears upon reduction by an antiradical compound. Twenty compounds were reacted with the DPPH* and shown to follow one of three possible reaction kinetic types. Ascorbic acid, isoascorbic acid and isoeugenol reacted quickly with the DPPH* reaching a steady state immediately. Rosmarinic acid and δ-tocopherol reacted a little slower and reached a steady state within 30 min. The remaining compounds reacted more progressively with the DPPH* reaching a steady state from 1 to 6 h. Caffeic acid, gentisic acid and gallic acid showed the highest antiradical activities with a stoichiometry of 4 to 6 reduced DPPH* molecules per molecule of antioxidant. Vanillin, phenol, γ-resorcylic acid and vanillic acid were found to be poor antiradical compounds. The stoichiometry for the other 13 phenolic compounds varied from one to three reduced DPPH* molecules per molecule of antioxidant. Possible mechanisms are proposed to explain the experimental results.
This study was designed to examine the in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the essential oil and various extracts prepared by using solvents of varying polarity from Cyclotrichium origanifolium (Labill.) Manden. & Scheng. The essential oil was particularly found to possess stronger antimicrobial activity while other non-polar extracts and subfractions showed moderate activity and polar extracts remained almost inactive. GC and GC/MS analysis of the oil resulted in the identification of 26 compounds, representing 99.6% of the oil; pulegone (49.8%), menthone (32.5%) and limonene (6.0%) were the main components. The samples were also subjected to a screening for their possible antioxidant activity by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and β-carotene-linoleic acid assays. In the first case, the free radical scavenging activity of polar subfraction of deodorized methanol extract (DeMW) was superior to all other extracts. Especially polar extracts exhibited strongest activity than the non-polar extracts. In the case of linoleic acid system, oxidation of linoleic acid was effectively inhibited by non-polar (chloroformic) subfraction methanol extract (MC), where the oil was less effective. MC extract exhibits 79.2% inhibition that is close to synthetic antioxidant reagent BHT when compared to the other extracts tested.
The antioxidant capacity of the main phenolic compounds present in wood smoke and smoke flavourings used in the food industry was investigated by three methods, based on a kinetic and thermodynamic approach: the bleaching of the carotenoid crocin, the scavenging of the DPPH radical, and the determination of the oxidation potential. The reaction with the DPPH radical was evaluated calculating the effective concentration (EC50) and the antiradical efficiency (AE). The compounds tested were 2-methoxyphenols (guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, 4-ethylguaiacol, 4-vinylguaiacol, 4-propylguaiacol, eugenol, isoeugenol, vanillin, acetovanillone, 2-propiovanillone), 2,6-dimethoxyphenols (syringol, 4-methylsyringol, 4-allylsyringol, syringaldehyde, acetosyringone) and dihydroxybenzenes (catechol, 3-methylcatechol, 4-methylcatechol, 3-methoxycatechol and hydroquinone). The trend in antioxidant capacity was similar in all the three methods, with dihydroxybenzenes > 2,6-dimethoxyphenols > 2-methoxyphenols, although some discrepancies in the ranking within the groups were present. Considering the overall ranking, isoeugenol was amongst the most active compound, like dihydroxybenzenes, evidencing the role of a conjugated double bond at para position for the stabilization of the phenoxyl radical in the radical scavenging process.
Moisture management remains the most critical factor for controlling mold growth on wood and wood products during storage, construction, and while in service. When moisture management practices fail to adequately control moisture, plant extracts demonstrating antifungal properties may provide protection for these applications. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antifungal properties of natural plant extracts, such as essential oils, for use on wood. Seven essential oils were evaluated for their ability to inhibit growth of Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma viride, and Penicillium chrysogenum on southern yellow pine (SYP) stakes that were either dip treated or exposed to vapors of the test oils. Thyme and Egyptian geranium oil inhibited growth of all test fungi for 20 weeks. Likewise, dill weed oil vapors inhibited all test fungi for at least 20 weeks. Comparison of two mold test apparatuses—Petri dish test and tank test chambers—gave similar results for thyme oil. These findings support the application of essential oils for surface treatment or vapor exposure of wood to prevent mold infestation.
This study investigated effects of alkyl chain length of eight aliphatic gallates from C1 to C18 on their antifungal activity and free radical scavenging activity, which are two important indicators in developing wood preservatives. Results from the agar plate test showed that the antifungal activity against wood-rot fungi of gallates was related to alkyl chain length. It increased with increasing alkyl chain length, reaching a maximum at octyl gallate (C8), and then decreased as chain length increased. Octyl gallate also exhibited potential antifungal activity against soft-rot Chaetomium globosum and copper-tolerant fungi Wolfiporia extensa and Poria placenta, which are difficult to combat with current copper-based wood preservatives. Octyl gallate is a potent antifungal agent with excellent antifungal activity over a broad antifungal spectrum. All of the gallates tested, regardless of their alkyl chain length, showed strong scavenging activity on the DPPH radical with EC50 values around 1–5 μg ml−1, indicating that the alkyl chain length was not directly related to this activity. Results from the soil block test showed that excellent antioxidants such as propyl gallate (C3) and octyl gallate impart wood with good resistance against wood-decay fungi. This suggests that antioxidants have potential as environmentally benign wood preservatives.
The interaction of enkephalins (leu-enkephalin and met-enkephalin) and other tyrosine amino-terminal peptides with reactive oxygen species has been investigated. All the peptides tested exhibited hydroxyl radical and superoxide anion scavenging ability and the capacity to reduce the rate of lipid peroxidation induced by 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane). The scavenging activity was observed in the 0.1–1 mM concentration range. It has been observed that enkephalins underwent an oxidative modification by Fenton systems. The tyrosine amino-terminal residue was attacked by hydroxyl radical, being converted to dopa. The overall transformation produced opiomelanin pigments. This oxidative process provides evidence of a possible route for opiomelanin synthesis without any enzyme intervention.
The antioxidant properties of 25 edible tropical plants, expressed as Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), were studied using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical) scavenging and reducing ferric ion antioxidant potential (FRAP) assays. Their cupric ion chelating activities (CCA) and total polyphenol contents (TPC) were also determined. A strong correlation between TEAC values obtained for the DPPH assay (TEACDPPH) and those for the FRAP assay (TEACFRAP) implied that compounds in the extracts were capable of scavenging the DPPH free radical and reducing ferric ions. A satisfactory correlation of TPC with TEACDPPH and TEACFRAP suggested that polyphenols in the extracts were partly responsible for the antioxidant activities while its correlation with CCA was poor, indicating that polyphenols might not be the main cupric ion chelators. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that TEACDPPH, TEACFRAP and TPC contributed to the total variation in the antioxidant activities of the plants.
Ascorbate (vitamin C), an important dietary derived antioxidant, reportedly shows decreasing "antioxidant efficiency" with increasing concentrations in indirect radical trapping methods of antioxidant capacity. This study investigated the effect of concentration on antioxidant efficiency of ascorbate using a direct test of antioxidant capacity, the ferric reducing/antioxidant power test (FRAP assay). Results showed that the antioxidant efficiency factor of ascorbate was 2 and was constant over a wide concentration range in both plasma and pure aqueous solution. However, the absolute amount of ascorbate lost per unit of time increased with concentration. Furthermore, ascorbate was less stable in plasma than in aqueous solutions of similar pH and less stable in ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) than in heparinized plasma. Results indicate that previously reported concentration-dependent changes in antioxidant efficiency of ascorbate may have been caused by loss of ascorbate prior to and during testing, and by methodologic characteristics of indirect peroxyl radical trapping tests of antioxidant capacity. Therefore, it is suggested that the premise that the antioxidant efficiency of ascorbate is concentration-dependent is largely methodologically derived and does not reflect the antioxidant behavior of ascorbate per se.
To assess the effectiveness of the traditional Chinese herb Phellodendron amurense in treating urological disorders.
Prostate smooth muscle relaxant activity of an extract from the bark of Phellodendron amurense was tested on contractions of isolated rat prostate gland induced by electrical nerve stimulation and direct muscle stimulation.
Electrical field stimulation (0.5 ms, 60V, 1-20 Hz) induced nerve mediated contractions of isolated rat prostate were inhibited by Phellodendron amurense extract dissolved in either dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), acetic acid or water (P<or=0.022, n=6 for each) but not boiling water (P=0.619, n=6). Phellodendron amurense extract also inhibited contractions of isolated rat prostates elicited by exogenous administration of noradrenaline (10nM to 100 microM), acetylcholine (10nM to 100 microM) or adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP, 100 nM to 100 microM) (P<or=0.004, n=6-8 for each).
Phellodendron amurense is able to inhibit prostatic contractility suggesting that it may be useful in the treatment of urological disorders caused by prostatic urethral obstruction such as in the case of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Process engineering operations in food and nutraceutical industries pertaining to the design of extraction of value-added products from biomass using pressurized liquids involve a careful selection of the solvent and optimal temperature conditions to achieve maximum yield. Complex molecular structure and limited physical property data in the literature of biological solutes extracted from biomass compounds have necessitated the process modeling of such operations. In this study, we have applied the Hansen 3-dimensional solubility parameter concept to optimize the extraction of molecularly complex solutes using subcritical fluid solvents. Hansen solubility spheres characterized by the relative energy differences (RED) have been used to characterize and quantify the solute-subcritical solvent interactions as a function of temperature. The solvent power of subcritical water and compressed hydroethanolic mixtures above their boiling points has been characterized using the above-mentioned method. The use of group contribution methods in collaboration with computerized algorithms to plot the Hansen spheres provides a quantitative prediction tool for optimizing the design of extraction conditions. The method can be used to estimate conditions for solute-solvent miscibility, an optimum temperature range for conducting extractions under pressurized conditions, and approximate extraction conditions of solutes from natural matrices.
Acupuncture treatment has been accepted worldwide. Many clinical trials have been conducted especially in analgesia. The present review includes almost all the important trials since 1970. Among all the pain conditions, postoperative pain, lower back pain, osteoarthritis of the knee and chronic headache are the most popular topics. We found that there are diverse conclusions in each condition; however, most trials agree that acupuncture is an effective therapeutic strategy for analgesia. As with regard to the placebo effect, there is no consensus. In chronic headache treatment, the placebo effect of acupuncture seems to be large. However, in osteoarthritis, the placebo effect is minimal. Another issue is the non-specific physiologic response to piercing the skin. We believe that this effect produces analgesia in some heterogeneous syndrome such as lower back pain. However, this effect is not superior to the specific therapeutic effect of acupuncture based on TCM theory in all the pain conditions reviewed here. We also notice that the design of the sham acupuncture or the placebo has great impact on the result. Rigorous design can minimize the non-specific and placebo effects of acupuncture. Therefore, the real effect of acupuncture can be investigated well. We conclude that acupuncture is a proven treatment for relieving pain. This conclusion is based on specific effects of acupuncture rather than placebo.
The stimulating or inhibiting influences of 33 phenolic compounds on the prostaglandin synthetase of rat renal medulla were tested. Dihydroxyphenylcarbonic acids clearly proved to be activators of the prostaglandin synthetase. Dimethoxyphenylcarbonic acids were ineffective. Aminoethylphenols as well as p-substituted monohydroxybenzenes with a carbonic acid side chain were clear stimulators in contrast to their alkyl derivatives which are pronounced inhibitors. Among the tested bioflavonoids (+)-cyanidanol-3 and morin were inhibitors of the prostaglandin synthesis. Flavonoids with polar substitution in 3,5,7-position such as rutin on the other hand showed activating properties.
Hydroxyl radicals, generated by reaction of an iron-EDTA complex with H2O2 in the presence of ascorbic acid, attack deoxyribose to form products that, upon heating with thiobarbituric acid at low pH, yield a pink chromogen. Added hydroxyl radical "scavengers" compete with deoxyribose for the hydroxyl radicals produced and diminish chromogen formation. A rate constant for reaction of the scavenger with hydroxyl radical can be deduced from the inhibition of color formation. For a wide range of compounds, rate constants obtained in this way are similar to those determined by pulse radiolysis. It is suggested that the deoxyribose assay is a simple and cheap alternative to pulse radiolysis for determination of rate constants for reaction of most biological molecules with hydroxyl radicals. Rate constants for reactions of ATP, ADP, and Good's buffers with hydroxyl radicals have been determined by this method.
Because curcumin, a compound with anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity, inhibits induction of nitric oxide synthase in activated macrophages and has been shown to be a potent scavenger of free radicals we have investigated whether it can scavenge nitric oxide directly.
Curcumin reduced the amount of nitrite formed by the reaction between oxygen and nitric oxide generated from sodium nitroprusside. Other related compounds, e.g. demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin and diacetylcurcumin were as active as curcumin, indicating that the methoxy and the phenolic groups are not essential for the scavenging activity.
The results indicate curcumin to be a scavenger of nitric oxide. Because this compound is implicated in inflammation and cancer, the therapeutic properties of curcumin against these conditions might be at least partly explained by its free-radical scavenging properties, including those toward nitric oxide.
The volatile oils of black pepper [Piper nigrum L. (Piperaceae)], clove [Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & Perry (Myrtaceae)], geranium [Pelargonium graveolens L'Herit (Geraniaceae)], nutmeg [Myristica fragrans Houtt. (Myristicaceae), oregano [Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum (Link) Letsw. (Lamiaceae)] and thyme [Thymus vulgaris L. (Lamiaceae)] were assessed for antibacterial activity against 25 different genera of bacteria. These included animal and plant pathogens, food poisoning and spoilage bacteria. The volatile oils exhibited considerable inhibitory effects against all the organisms under test while their major components demonstrated various degrees of growth inhibition.
We previously proposed that extractives in highly durable heartwood may protect wood against fungal colonization and subsequent degradation by dual mechanisms: the extractives have some fungicidal activity and are also free radical scavengers (antioxidants). In short-term laboratory decay tests using two different wood species and decay fungi, the antioxidant 2,6-dimethyl-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT) alone had little or no preservative effect. In contrast, the combination of BHT with different organic commercial biocides always showed an increase in efficacy compared to the organic biocide alone. Consequently, we conclude that the combination of a commercial antioxidant and biocide is synergistic. This implies that extractives may protect wood by more than simply being fungicidal.
Tea catechin oxypolymers (TCOP) were prepared by oxidizing tea catechin (TC, the content of EGCG was >85%) with H2O2. Their antioxidant and pro-oxidant effects were tested using a deoxyribose assay, a photoreduction of NBT assay, a lipoxygenase assay, a POV assay, and animal tests. The scavenging effects of TCOP to both the hydroxyl radical and superoxide radical were stronger than that of TC, and also they had no pro-oxidant effect; the rate constant for reactions of TC and TCOP for hydroxyl radical were 1.0 x 10(10) and (1.4-2.8) x 10(10) M(-1) x S(-1), respectively. TCOP can inhibit lipid peroxidation and lipoxygenase effectively, and it also can activate red cell SOD and reduce the MDA content in serum of mice very significantly. These results suggested that the antioxidant activity of TCOP was not less than or even more notable than that of TC.
The essential oils obtained from the aerial parts of Origanum scabrum and Origaum microphyllum, both endemic species in Greece, were analyzed by means of GC and GC-MS. Forty-eight constituents were identified, representing 98.59 and 98.66% of the oils, respectively. Carvacrol, terpinen-4-ol, linalool, sabinene, alpha-terpinene, and gamma-terpinene were found as the major components. Furthermore, both samples exhibited a very interesting antimicrobial profile after they were tested against six Gram-negative and -positive bacteria and three pathogenic fungi.
The fungicidal activity of analogues of β‐thujaplicin, a natural product responsible for the durability of heartwood of several cupressaceous trees, was investigated in vitro on the growth of different white and brown rot fungi involved in wood biodegradation, Coriolus versicolor, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Poria placenta and Gloephyllum trabeum . The study shows that 2‐hydroxycyclohepta‐2,4,6‐trienone (tropolone), easily prepared according to a literature procedure, possesses interesting fungicidal activity when compared to β‐thujaplicin, azaconazole, tebuconazole and copper oxine, which suggests this compound should be examined further as a potential biocide for wood preservation.
© 2001 Society of Chemical Industry
Wood extractives can be envisaged to protect heartwood by at least three different mechanisms, i.e. fungicide, free radical scavengers/antioxidants and as metal chelators. In short-term laboratory decay tests using two different wood species and decay fungi, the combination of different organic fungicides with various antioxidants and/or metal chelators gave enhanced activity as compared to the organic biocide alone, with the best results usually obtained with all three compounds. Outdoor ground-contact stakes treated with a biocide and antioxidant combination and exposed for 30 months also gave enhanced protection against both decay fungi and termites. It was concluded that the combination of an organic biocide with metal chelating and/or antioxidant additives gives enhanced protection to wood against fungi as compared to the biocide alone and, consequently, it may be possible to develop environmentally-benign wood preservative systems based on this idea.
The use of and search for drugs and dietary supplements derived from plants have accelerated in recent years. Ethnopharmacologists, botanists, microbiologists, and natural-products chemists are combing the Earth for phytochemicals and "leads" which could be developed for treatment of infectious diseases. While 25 to 50% of current pharmaceuticals are derived from plants, none are used as antimicrobials. Traditional healers have long used plants to prevent or cure infectious conditions; Western medicine is trying to duplicate their successes. Plants are rich in a wide variety of secondary metabolites, such as tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids, which have been found in vitro to have antimicrobial properties. This review attempts to summarize the current status of botanical screening efforts, as well as in vivo studies of their effectiveness and toxicity. The structure and antimicrobial properties of phytochemicals are also addressed. Since many of these compounds are currently available as unregulated botanical preparations and their use by the public is increasing rapidly, clinicians need to consider the consequences of patients self-medicating with these preparations.
Twenty two oxygenated aromatic essential oil compounds were chosen for the study of the antifungal activity against two wood-decaying fungi, the white-rot Trametes versicolor, which mainly metabolizes lignin, and the brown-rot Coniophoha puteana, which digests cellulose in plant cell walls. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by the agar dilution method, using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the solvent for the selected compounds and potato-dextrose agar (PDA) as the growth medium for both fungi. The MICs were then used to generate a tree structure, which represents the structuring of the essential oil compounds by the nature and position of the substituents in their aromatic rings, and as dependent variables (log(1/MIC)) in the QSAR analysis. Data structuring proved that a relationship between the molecular structures of the essential oil compounds and their antifungal activity exists, and the hypotheses derived therefrom were complemented by performing a QSAR analysis using the partial least squares (PLS) method. Statistically significant PLS models were obtained with the 1-octanol-water partition coefficient (C log P), the energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital (E(HOMO)), and the number of hydrogen-bond donor atoms in the molecules of the compounds studied (Donor) for T. versicolor and with C log P and the fractional negative surface area (FNSA1) for C. puteana.
The nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activities of traditional polyherbal drugs like abana, chyavanaprasha, geriforte, septilin, mentat and triphala were examined using sodium nitroprusside as a NO donor in vitro. All the drugs tested demonstrated direct scavenging of NO and were superior to Gingko biloba, which was used as a positive control. The extracts of various polyherbal drugs exhibited dose-dependent NO scavenging activities and the potency was in the following order: abana > chyavanaprasha > triphala > geriforte > septilin > mentat > Gingko biloba. The present results suggest that the traditional Indian polyherbal crude drugs may be potent and novel therapeutic agents for scavenging of NO, and thereby inhibit the pathological conditions caused by excessive generation of NO and its oxidation product, peroxynitrite. These findings may also help to explain, at least in part, the pharmacological activities like rejuvenating, adaptogenic, anti-infection, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective and neuroprotective activities of these traditional, clinically used non toxic drugs.
Flavonols are polyphenolic secondary plant metabolites that are present in varying levels in commonly consumed fruits, vegetables and beverages. Flavonols have long held an interest for nutritionists, which has increased following a Dutch study in the early 1990's showing that dietary intake of flavonols was inversely correlated with the incidence of coronary heart disease. The main factors that have hindered workers in the field of flavonol research are (i) the accurate measurement of these compounds in foods and biological samples, and (ii) a dearth of information on their absorption and metabolism. This review aims to highlight the work of the authors in attempting to clarify the situation. The sensitive and selective HPLC procedure to identify and quantify common flavonols and their sugar conjugates is described. In addition, the results of an on-going screening program into the flavonol content of common produce and beverages are presented. The bioavailability of dietary flavonols is discussed with reference to an intervention study with onions, as well as pilot studies with tea, red wine and cherry tomatoes. It is concluded that flavonols are absorbable and accumulate in plasma and that consuming high flavonol-containing varieties of fruits and vegetables and particular types of beverages could increase their circulatory levels.
Huangbai (cortex Phellodendri, the dried bark of Phellodendron amurense or Phellodendron chinense) is one of the important traditional Chinese medicines. Protoberberine alkaloids were reported to contribute to the biological activity of this species. A highly specific and sensitive method using (1)H NMR has been developed for the quantitative determination of protoberberine alkaloids in Phellodendron species and their commercial traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. In the region of delta 8.6-8.9, the signals of H-13 of berberine (1) and palmatine (2), were well separated from other signals in methanol-d(4). The quantity of the compounds was calculated by the relative ratio of the integral values of the target peak of each compound to the known amount of internal standard anthracene. This method allows rapid and simple quantization of protoberberine alkaloids from Phellodendron species or the more complex commercial prescriptions in 5 min without any pre-purification steps. The recoveries of berberine and palmatine from P. amurense were in the range of 95-106%. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of them were 1.0 and 1.8 microg/mL, respectively. The advantages of the method were that no reference compounds are required for calibration curves, the quantification could be directly realized on a crude extract, the better selectivity for protoberberine alkaloids and a very significant time-gain could be achieved, in comparison to conventional HPLC methods, for instance.