Beta-Glucan-Rich Extract from<i>Pleurotus sajor-caju</i>(Fr.) Singer Prevents Obesity and Oxidative Stress in C57BL/6J Mice Fed on a High-Fat Diet

Mushrooms have been used in folk medicine for thousands of years. In this study, the effect ofβ-glucan-rich extract ofP. sajor-caju(GE) on lipid lowering and antioxidant potential was assessed in C57BL/6J mice fed on a high-fat diet. Obesity was induced in C57BL/6J mice by feeding a high-fat diet. The control groups in this study were ND (for normal diet) and HFD (for high-fat diet). The treated groups were ND240 (for normal diet) (240 mg/kg b.w) and HFD60, HFD120, and HFD240 (for high-fat diet), where the mice were administrated with three dosages of GE (60, 120, and 240 mg GE/kg b.w). Metformin (2 mg/kg b.w) served as positive control. GE-treated groups showed significantly reduced body weight, serum lipid, and liver enzymes levels. GE also attenuated protein carbonyl and lipid hydroperoxide levels by increasing the enzymic antioxidants (SOD, CAT, and GPx) activities in the mice. GE-treated groups induced the expression of hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) while downregulated the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), sterol regulatory binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Hence, GE prevented weight gain in the mice by inducing lipolysis and may be valuable in the formulation of adjuvant therapy for obesity.</jats:p

Chemical composition and antioxidant properties of extracts of fresh fruiting bodies of pleurotus sajor-caju (Fr.) singer

The chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of aqueous butanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Pleurotus sajor-caju were investigated in this study. Twenty-two compounds comprising methyl esters, hydrocarbon fatty acids, ethyl esters, and sterols were identified in ethyl acetate extracts, while cinnamic acid, nicotinamide, benzeneacetamide, and 4-hydroxybenzaldyhde were identified in butanol extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and NMR analysis. The antioxidant activity was determined by a beta-carotene bleaching method, ferric reducing antioxidant power, trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, and lipid peroxidation assays, while the total phenolic content in P. sajor-caju was assessed by Folin-Ciocalteau's method. The aqueous and butanol extracts exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, corresponding to the total phenolic content. The subfractions from the ethyl acetate extract (EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4), however, showed moderate antioxidant activity. The regular consumption of P. sajor-caju as a part of our diet may render nutritional and nutraceuticals benefits for good health

Growth, spectral, thermal, mechanical, linear and nonlinear optical studies of divalent metal ions doped zinc tris-thiourea sulphate single crystals

193-198<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-GB">Zinc tris-thiourea sulphate (ZTS) and divalent metal ions (Cd2+ and Ni2+) doped zinc tris-thiourea sulphate materials are synthesized from aqueous solution and single crystals are grown from aqueous solution by slow evaporation technique. The unit cell parameters of the grown crystals are evaluated by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns are recorded and indexed for further confirmation of crystalline nature of grown crystals. The presence of functional groups in the grown crystals has been confirmed by FTIR analysis. The incorporation of cadmium and nickel ions entered into ZTS crystals is confirmed from SEM-EDX analysis. TGA/DTA thermal analyses revealed that the materials have good thermal stability. Mechanical behaviour have been studied using Vicker’s microhardness measurements. UV-visible transmission spectra have been recorded in the spectral range 200-900 nm to find the cut-off wavelength and optical band gap Eg of grown crystals in non-linear applications. The nonlinear optical properties of pure and doped ZTS crystals were confirmed by Kurtz Perry powder method using Nd:YAG laser source.</span