The impacts of the raising regime of Salmon species on their triacylglycerol composition revealed by easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry.

Marine fish consumption is rising around the world due to the high quality of its nutritional components, including long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), which are abundant and found as triacylglycerol (TAG) in the muscle and skin of Salmonidae family. Farm raised and wild species of Salmon have different diets, that directly influences their TAG composition. In this work, we demonstrate the evaluation of TAG composition of salmon species as an authenticity screening parameter. For this purpose, we propose the use of ambient mass spectrometry, here represented by the thermal imprinting (TI) easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI-MS), to offer a fast and ecofriendly method for TAG extraction and characterization of fish muscles and skins. Specifically, TI-EASI-MS was employed to obtain the TAG profiles of different species from Salmonids, which were compared using multivariate statistical analysis. Clear differentiation of wild-raised fishes was achieved based on their higher content of ions attributed to TAG containing PUFA when compared to farm-raised fishes. The TI extraction method was also compared to the standard Bligh & Dyer extraction protocol and the techniques were equivalent for Salmon species differentiation.

Lipidomic Profiling of Plasma and Erythrocytes From Septic Patients Reveals Potential Biomarker Candidates.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis remains the primary cause of death from infection, despite advances in modern medicine. The identification of reliable diagnostic biomarkers for the early detection of this disease is critical and may reduce the mortality rate as it could allow early treatment. The purpose of this study was to describe the changes in the plasma and red cells blood lipidome profiling of patients diagnosed with sepsis and septic shock with the aim to identify potentially useful metabolic markers. METHODS: Lipids from plasma and erythrocytes from septic patients (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 20) were evaluated by electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and the fatty acid composition of the phospholipids fraction of erythrocytes was determined by gas chromatography. The data were treated with multivariate data analysis, including principal component analysis and (orthogonal) partial least squares discriminant analysis. RESULTS: Potential biomarkers including lysophosphatidylcholines (lyso-PCs) and sphingomyelin (SMs) with specific fatty acid chains were identified. Both Lyso-PCs and SMs were downregulated, whereas the saturated and unsaturated phosphatidylcholines (PCs) were upregulated in the plasma and erythrocytes of septic patients. An increase in oleic acid (C18:1 n-9) accompanied by a decrease in the unsaturation index as well as in the levels on n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was observed in erythrocytes phospholipids patients as compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that lipidome profiling has great potential in discovering potential clinical biomarkers for sepsis and helping to understand its underlying mechanisms.

Antiproliferative activity, antioxidant capacity and chemical composition of extracts from the leaves and stem of Chresta sphaerocephala

AbstractIn this study, antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of crude extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol) from leaves and stem of Chresta sphaerocephala DC., Asteraceae, were investigated. Antiproliferative activity was tested in vitro against ten human cancer cells and against VERO (no cancer cell). Antioxidant activities were determined using DPPH and ORAC-FL assays and the total phenolic content was estimated by Folin–Ciocalteu method. Hexane and ethyl acetate extracts (leaves and stem) exhibited antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines with total growth inhibition (TGI) between 50.40 and 250 µg/ml. For VERO cell, TGI values were >250 µg/ml for all extracts, except to hexane extract of the stem (TGI 80.92 µg/ml). In an initial evaluation, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts (leaves and stem) have shown levels of phenolic compounds between 6.94 and 30.96 mg GAE/kg in Folin–Ciocalteu assay, DPPH free-radical scavenging activity with SC50 in the range of 75.22 and 400 µg/ml and antioxidant capacity between 290.08 and 1088 µmol TE/g of extract in ORAC-FL assay. HPLC-DAD and ESI-MS analysis allowed the identification of flavonoids in the methanol extract from the leaves of C. sphaerocephala. Three steroids and nine triterpenoids were identified in the bioactive hexane extracts using HRGC.

Comparative study of the effect of green and roasted water extracts of mate (Ilex paraguariensis) on glucosyltransferase activity of Streptococcus mutans.

Glucosyltransferase (GTF) plays an important role in the development of dental caries. This study was carried out to compare the efficiency of green mate (GM) and roasted mate (RM) water extracts, drinks rich in polyphenolic compounds consumed in the subtropical region of South America, on the extracellular GTF activity from Streptococcus mutans. The RM extract exhibited a greater inhibitory effect (IC50 of 10 mg/mL) despite presenting lower polyphenolic content. The kinetic analysis showed that there were significant differences (P < 0.05) between the extracts with respect to the values for K(m) and K(i), whereas the values for V(max) were the same, implying the competitive nature of GTF inhibition. GTF activity was also measured using selected polyphenols as inhibitors, and the most effective inhibitors were rutin and caffeoylshikimic acid. The characterization of the extracts by ESI-MS and UPLC-MS showed that the compounds formed during roasting, possibly shikimic acid derivatives and other unindentified compounds formed by the Maillard reaction, appeared to contribute to the inhibition of GTF activity.

Antitrypanosomal activity of Brazilian propolis from Apis mellifera.

Extracts from different samples of Brazilian propolis were obtained by Soxhlet extraction or maceration at room temperature using ethanol, water, and accombination of both solvents. Analysis of their composition using HPLC revealed that no major differences were seen when a propolis sample was subject to different extraction methods. The activity of the 15 extracts was assayed against bloodstream trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas' disease. Multivariate analysis was applied to evaluate the efficiency of the different extracts and the trypanocidal activity. The extracts could be divided into two groups. In the first, in which, extracts were obtained by reflux in Soxhlet using 100% ethanol, there was a lower content of bioactive compounds and consequently lower trypanocidal activity. Extract 136-Et100 stands out in this group, since it had the highest levels of bioactive compounds together with highest activity against the parasite when compared with all other extracts. The second group comprises extracts with intermediate levels of bioactive compounds and higher activity against T. cruzi.

Analysis of the hepatoprotective activity and the toxicological, chemical and physical-chemical profiles of a sample of Brazilian propolis

In the present assay, the hepatoprotective activity of a sample of propolis from Rio Azul (PR) BRazil was studied using the model of acute hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The physical-chemical, chemical and toxicological profiles of the sample were also studied. The chemical analyses of the sample indicated the presence of gallic acid derivatives, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy cinnamaldehyde as well as other unidentified compounds....

Análise química, toxicológica e antiulcerogênica preliminar de uma amostra de própolis da região do Paraná / Preliminary chemical, toxicological and anti-ulcerogenic analysis o of sample of propolis from the region of Paraná

O presente trabalho investigou a constituição química e as propriedades toxicológicas e farmacológicas de uma amostra de própolis oriunda da região de Rio Azul (PR), Brasil. As análises químicas foram realizadas por cromatografia líquida de alta resolução acompanhadas do estudo físico-químico da velocidade de oxidação por permanganato de potássio. O ensaio toxicológico consistiu na determinação da toxicidade aguda em dose simples, dose letal mediana (DL50) e Screening Hipocrático em camundongos, pela administração per os da amostra. A análise da atividade antiulcerogênica foi conduzida em protocolo de úlcera induzida pela administração subcutânia de indometacina a ratos albinos. Os resultados das análises químicas indentificaram alguns compostos derivados do ácido e o 3-metoxi-4-hidroxicinamaldeído, bem como outros ainda não indentificados.Do ponto de vista toxicológico a amostra pesquisada não evidenciou efeitos deletérios sobre a função do sistema nervoso central, autônomo e atividade motora, revelando valor de DL50 superior a 5000mg.kg 1. A dose de 1,0 g.kg1 de própolis foi competente em reduzir o índice médio das lesões ulcerativas em 72,06 por cento nas unidades experimentais tratadas com a indometacina, evidenciando significante atividade antiulcerogênica.