Cold pressed pumpkin seed oil fatty acids, carotenoids, volatile compounds profiles and infrared fingerprints as affected by storage time and wax-based oleogelation.

BACKGROUND: Pumpkin seed and sunflower oil are rich in bioactive compounds, but are prone to oxidation during storage. Their fatty acids, carotenoid and volatile compounds and their Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) profiles were studied during 8 months storage in order to assess the overall quality, but also to assess the impact of the oleogelation as conditioning process. RESULTS: The fatty acids methyl esters were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The linoleic acid was the most abundant in the oils (604.6 g kg-1 in pumpkin and 690 g kg-1 in sunflower), but also in oleogels. Through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), lutein and ß-carotene were determined as specific carotenoid compounds of the pumpkin seed oil and oleogel, in a total amount of 0.0072 g kg-1 . The volatile compounds profile revealed the presence of alpha-pinene for the pumpkin seed oil and oleogels and a tentative identification of limonene for the sunflower oil. Hexanal was also detected in the oleogels, indicating a thermal oxidation, which was further analyzed through infrared spectroscopy. CONCLUSIONS: During 8 months storage, the decrease of polyunsaturated fatty acid total amount was 5.72% for the pumpkin seed oil and 3.55% for the oleogel, while in the sunflower oil samples of 2.93% and 3.28% for the oleogel. It was concluded that oleogelation might protect specific carotenoid compounds, since the oleogels displayed higher content of ß-carotene at each storage time. Hexanal and heptanal were detected during storage, regardless of the oil or oleogel type. FTIR analysis depicts the differences in the constituent fatty acids resulting due to thermal oxidation or due to storage. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pharmacological Property and Cytotoxic Effect Showing Antiproliferative Potency in Human Melanoma Cell Lines (A375) of Combretum racemosum P. Beauv. Leaf and Root Extracts Used in Benin.

Combretum racemosum, a plant from the Combretaceae family, is traditionally used in Benin for various health problems. However, scientific research on Beninese samples of this plant is limited. The aim of this study was to identify and assess the bioactive compounds in the plant's leaves and roots. Initial screening involved analyzing powders derived from these parts for total polyphenols, flavonoids, and both condensed and hydrolyzable tannins. The polyphenolic compounds were analyzed using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS. To evaluate the plant's antimicrobial properties, the agar diffusion method was employed, while FRAP and DPPH assays were used to determine its antioxidant capacity. For anti-inflammatory activity, the study utilized tests for in vitro protein denaturation inhibition and in vivo acute edema induced by carrageenan. Additionally, an antiproliferative assay was conducted using the human melanoma cell line A375. The analysis revealed the presence of significant polyphenolic compounds in both the leaf and root extracts of C. racemosum. Notably, compounds like Pedunculagin, Vescalagin, Casuarictin, and Digalloyl-glucoside were abundant in the leaves, with Vescalagin being especially predominant in the roots. The study also found that the dichloromethane extracts from the leaves and roots exhibited bactericidal effects on a substantial percentage of meat-isolated strains. Moreover, the antioxidant activities of these extracts were confirmed through FRAP and DPPH methods. Interestingly, the dichloromethane root extract showed strong activity in inhibiting thermal albumin denaturation, while the water-ethanol leaf extract demonstrated significant edema inhibition. Finally, the study observed that C. racemosum extracts reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with leaf extracts showing more pronounced antiproliferative effects than root extracts. These findings highlight the potential of C. racemosum leaves and roots as sources of compounds with diverse and significant biological activities. In conclusion, C. racemosum's leaves and roots exhibit promising biological activities, highlighting their potential medicinal value.

ATR-FTIR-MIR Spectrometry and Pattern Recognition of Bioactive Volatiles in Oily versus Microencapsulated Food Supplements: Authenticity, Quality, and Stability.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy on the middle infrared region (ATR-FTIR-MIR) proved to be a convenient and reliable technique to evaluate foods' quality and authenticity. Plants' essential oils are bioactive mixtures used as such or in different oily or microencapsulated formulations, beneficial to human health. Six essential oils (thyme, oregano, juniperus, tea tree, clove, and cinnamon) were introduced in three oily formulations (Biomicin, Biomicin Forte, and Biomicin urinary) and these formulations were microencapsulated on fructose and maltodextrin matrices. To study their stability, the microencapsulated powders were kept under light irradiation for 14 days at 25 °C or introduced in biopolymer capsules. All variants were analysed by ATR-FTIR-MIR, recording wavenumbers and peak intensities (3600-650 cm-1). The data were processed by Unscrambler and Metaboanalyst software, with specific algorithms (PCA, PLSDA, heatmaps, and random forest analysis). The results demonstrated that ATR-FTIR-MIR can be successfully applied for fingerprinting and finding essential oil biomarkers as well as to recognize this pattern in final microencapsulated food supplements. This study offers an improved ATR-FTIR-MIR procedure coupled with an adequate chemometric analysis and accurate data interpretation, to be applied for the evaluation of authenticity, quality, traceability, and stability during storage of essential oils incorporated in different matrices.

Stability limits of a red Carthamin-cellulose complex as a potential food colourant.

This study covers aspects of stability and colouration of Carthamin- a unique red chalcone extracted from Carthamus tinctorius L. Due to its fast degradation in aqueous solutions even at room temperature, Carthamin has no significant use in the food industry. Therefore, obtaining Carthamin in a stable form is of high interest. Comparing UV-Vis spectra of Carthamin solutions and RGB-data of Carthamin-cellulose complex in the wet state showed a predominant formation of stable Carthamin conformation on the cellulose phase. It was determined that the wet Carthamin-cellulose complex acquires a stable and rich magenta colour in the pH range of 1-5. In aqueous suspensions with pH >6, the Carthamin-cellulose complex gets a purple colour, which is absolutely uncharacteristic for pure Carthamin in an aqueous solution. IR spectra indicate the fixation of Carthamin molecules on the cellulose, which presumably causes hindrance of free internal rotation of Carthamin molecules in the cellulose phase. The reduction of water activity in the cellulosic phase represents an additional stabilizing factor. As a result, the Carthamin-cellulose complex withstands heating up to 70 °C for 15 min in the pH range of 2-5, showing up to 90% of stability. These conditions are typical for the preparation of a wide range of food products. High stability in a food-like environment and magenta colour make the Carthamin-cellulose complex a prospective natural food dye.

The Chemical and Biological Profiles of Leaves from Commercial Blueberry Varieties.

Blueberries have seen an ascending production line boosted by World Health Organization (WHO) approvals for their contributions to a healthy diet and the evidence that they act against different diseases. This increase resulted in significant amounts of discarded leaves, which could be a valuable source of bioactive compounds. In the present study, ultrasound-assisted extraction technology was used to determine and compare the chemical and biological profiles of leaves from six commercial blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) varieties. Feruloylquinic acid was the major compound identified, ranging from 19.23 ± 0.18 mg/g (at the lowest level, registered in the Spartan variety) to 49.62 ± 0.41 mg/g (at the highest level, registered in the Nelson variety). Rutin was the second major compound identified, for which Toro, Nelson, and Elliot leaves registered the highest values, with 35.77 ± 0.19 mg/g, 32.50 ± 0.20 mg/g, and 31.53 ± 0.1 mg/g, respectively. Even though analogous polyphenols were detected in the six cultivars, their concentrations and amounts were different. The leaf extracts of the cultivars Toro, Elliot, and Nelson appear to be good sources of antioxidants, registering high percentage inhibitions of DPPH radicals, of 70.41%, 68.42%, and 58.69%, respectively. The blueberry leaf extracts had a strong antibacterial activity and a low antifungal capacity, and a low-to-moderate antimutagenic capacity towards Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains, with Toro leaf being the best candidate. All of these biological activities indicate health-related benefits, recommending them as suitable candidates for medical and pharmaceutical applications. The present paper adds significant knowledge to the field of blueberry leaves via chemical and biological profiles, supporting the ultrasound-assisted extraction technique as a useful and green method to provide alternative sources of bioactive compounds.

Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of the Nord-West Romanian Wild Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) Leaves.

This study was performed to evaluate and compare the in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antimutagenic activities, and the polyphenolic content of the Nord-West Romanian wild bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) leaves from three different natural habitats (Smida, Turda, Borsa). In the case of both species, the flavanols level was higher in Smida habitat (altitude 1100 m), whereas quercetin derivates were more abundant in Borsa habitat (altitude 850 m). The bilberry leaf extracts contained in the highest amounts the feruloylquinic acid (59.65 ± 0.44 mg/g for Borsa habitat) and rutin (49.83 ± 0.63 mg/g for Borsa habitat), and showed relevant 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant activity (271.65 mM Trolox/100 g plant material for Borsa habitat, 262.77 mM Trolox/100 g plant material for Smida habitat, and 320.83 mM Trolox/100 g plant material for Turda habitat), for all the three extracts. Gallocatechin was the dominant flavanol in lingonberry species, with the highest amount being registered for Smida habitat (46.81 ± 0.3 mg/g), revealing a DPPH antioxidant activity of 251.49 mM Trolox/100 g plant material. The results obtained in the antimicrobial tests showed that the best inhibitory effect among bilberry species was attributed to the Turda (altitude 436 m) and Smida locations, against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. For lingonberry, the differences in habitat did not influence the antibacterial effect, but the antifungal effect, only in the case of Candida zeylanoides. A strong antimutagenic effect was registered by the bilberry leaves toward Salmonella typhimurium TA100. Our study may be able to provide a better understanding of the correlation between natural habitat conditions and the accumulation of secondary metabolites and their related bioactivities in studied leaves.

Biodiesel-Derived Glycerol Obtained from Renewable Biomass-A Suitable Substrate for the Growth of Candida zeylanoides Yeast Strain ATCC 20367.

Used kitchen oil represents a feasible and renewable biomass to produce green biofuels such as biodiesel. Biodiesel production generates large amounts of by-products such as the crude glycerol fraction, which can be further used biotechnologically as a valuable nutrient for many microorganisms. In this study, we transesterified used kitchen oil with methanol and sodium hydroxide in order to obtain biodiesel and crude glycerol fractions. The crude glycerol fraction consisting of 30% glycerol was integrated into a bioreactor cultivation process as a nutrient source for the growth of Candida zeylanoides ATCC 20367. Cell viability and biomass production were similar to those obtained with batch cultivations on pure glycerol or glucose as the main nutrient substrates. However, the biosynthesis of organic acids (e.g., citric and succinic) was significantly different compared to pure glycerol and glucose used as main carbon sources.

Evaluation of phenolic profile, antioxidant and anticancer potential of two main representants of Zingiberaceae family against B164A5 murine melanoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Curcuma longa Linnaeus and Zingiber officinale Roscoe are two main representatives of Zingiberaceae family studied for a wide range of therapeutic properties, including: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, antibacterial, analgesic, immunomodulatory, proapoptotic, anti-human immunodeficiency virus properties and anticancer effects. This study was aimed to analyse the ethanolic extracts of Curcuma rhizome (Curcuma longa Linnaeus) and Zingiber rhizome (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) in terms of polyphenols, antioxidant activity and anti-melanoma potential employing the B164A5 murine melanoma cell line. RESULTS: In order to evaluate the total content of polyphenols we used Folin-Ciocâlteu method. The antioxidant activity of the two ethanolic extracts was determined by DPPH assay, and for the control of antiproliferative effect it was used MTT proliferation assay, DAPI staining and Annexin-FITC-7AAD double staining test. Results showed increased polyphenols amount and antioxidant activity for Curcuma rhizome ethanolic extract. Moreover, 100 µg/ml of ethanolic plant extract from both vegetal products presented in a different manner an antiproliferative, respectively a proapoptotic effect on the selected cell line. CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes that Curcuma rhizome may be a promising natural source for active compounds against malignant melanoma.

Evaluation of phenolic profile, antioxidant and anticancer potential of two main representants of Zingiberaceae family against B164A5 murine melanoma cells

BACKGROUND: Curcuma longa Linnaeus and Zingiber officinale Roscoe are two main representatives ofZingiberaceae family studied for a wide range of therapeutic properties, including: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, antibacterial, analgesic, immunomodulatory, proapoptotic, anti-human immunodeficiency virus properties and anticancer effects. This study was aimed to analyse the ethanolic extracts of Curcuma rhizome (Curcuma longa Linnaeus) and Zingiber rhizome (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) in terms of polyphenols, antioxidant activity and anti-melanoma potential employing the B164A5 murine melanoma cell line. RESULTS: In order to evaluate the total content of polyphenols we used Folin-Ciocâlteu method. The antioxidant activity of the two ethanolic extracts was determined by DPPH assay, and for the control of antiproliferative effect it was used MTT proliferation assay, DAPI staining and Annexin-FITC-7AAD double staining test. Results showed increased polyphenols amount and antioxidant activity forCurcuma rhizome ethanolic extract. Moreover, 100 μg/ml of ethanolic plant extract from both vegetal products presented in a different manner an antiproliferative, respectively a proapoptotic effect on the selected cell line. CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes that Curcuma rhizome may be a promising natural source for active compounds against malignant melanoma.