Selenium supplementation of amaranth sprouts influences betacyanin content and improves anti-inflammatory properties via NFκB in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages

Abstract Sprouts contain potent compounds which while influencing crucial transduction pathways in cell reveal anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. In this study, we report the biological activity for seeds and colourful sprouts of four types of edible amaranth, as amaranth has recently attracted interest due to its appreciable nutritional value. MTT assay conducted for the amaranth seeds and sprouts did not show any adverse effect on the viability of murine RAW 264.7 cells. As amaranth accumulates selenium, the sprouts were supple-mented with this trace element (10 mg/L; 15 mg/L Se as so-dium selenite) while growing. Selenium concentration in sprouts was observed to be significantly correlated with betacyanins content of the tested species. The amounts of Se and betacyanins in sprouts varied for various Amaranth spe-cies. In the present study, Amaranthus cruentus sprouts with the highest betacyanins (19.30 ± 0.57–28.85 ± 2.23 mg of amaranthin/100 g of fresh weight) and high total selenium (22.51 ± 1.57–1044.75 ± 73.08 μg/L in methanol extracts) content prevented NFκB translocation to the cell nucleus and subsequently exerted an anti-inflammatory effect by sig-nificant decreasing inflammatory interleukin 6 production (587.3 ± 34.2–710.0 ± 88.1 pg/mL) in the cell culture of acti-vated RAW 264.7 macrophages (vs LPS control 1520 ± 114 pg/mL)

Dragon fruits as a reservoir of natural polyphenolics with chemopreventive properties

Dragon fruits are a valued source of bioactive compounds with high potential to become a functional food. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the chemopreventive potential and chemical composition of fruits harvested in Thailand and Israel. The amount of different compounds in water and methanol extracts and antioxidant activity was investigated. Moreover, cytotoxic activity against cancer and normal cells of skin, prostate, and gastrointestinal origin was performed, accompanied by anti-inflammatory assay based on NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophage model. Additionally, the quenching properties of polyphenols from fruits were determined by the interaction of the main drug carrier in blood human serum (HSA). The chemometric analysis was used to reveal the relationships between the determined parameters. Dragon fruits harvested in Israel revealed higher antioxidant properties and total content of polyphenols and betacyanins when compared to those from Thailand. The examined fruits of both origins showed significant cytotoxic activity toward colon and prostate cancer cells, with no toxic effect on normal cells, but also no anti-inflammatory effect. Moreover, a high binding ability to HSA was observed for water extracts of dragon fruits. All these predestine dragon fruits are the candidates for the attractive and chemopreventive elements of daily diet

In vitro studies on the relationship between the antioxidant activities of some berry extracts and their binding properties to serum albumin

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility to use the bioactive components from cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), and cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) extracts as a novel source against oxidation in food supplementation. The quantitative analysis of bioactive compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, flavanols, carotenoids, and chlorophyll) was based on radical scavenging spectrophometric assays and mass spectrometry. The total phenolic content was the highest (P < 0.05) in water extract of blueberries (46.6 ± 4.2 mg GAE/g DW). The highest antioxidant activities by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay and Cupric reducing antioxidant capacity were in water extracts of blueberries, showing 108.1 ± 7.2 and 131.1 ± 9.6 μMTE/g DW with correlation coefficients of 0.9918 and 0.9925, and by β-carotene linoleate assay at 80.1 ± 6.6 % with correlation coefficient of 0.9909, respectively. The water extracts of berries exhibited high binding properties with human serum albumin in comparison with quercetin. In conclusion, the bioactive compounds from a relatively new source of gooseberries in comparison with blueberries and cranberries have the potential as food supplementation for human health. The antioxidant and binding activities of berries depend on their bioactive compounds

Effect of Quinoa Seeds (Chenopodium quinoa) in Diet on some Biochemical Parameters and Essential Elements in Blood of High Fructose-Fed Rats

The effect of Chenopodium quinoa seeds on lipid profile, glucose level, protein metabolism and selected essential elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg) level was determined in high—fructose fed male Wistar rats. Fructose decreased significantly LDL [42%, p < 0.01] and activity of alkaline phosphatase [20%, p < 0.05], and increased triglycerides level [86%, p < 0.01]. The analysis of blood of rats fed quinoa indicated, that these seeds effectively reduced serum total cholesterol [26%, p < 0.05], LDL [57%, p < 0.008] and triglycerides [11%, p < 0.05] when compared to the control group. Quinoa seeds also significantly reduced the level of glucose [10%, p < 0.01] and plasma total protein level [16%, p < 0.001]. Fructose significantly decreased HDL [15%, p < 0.05] level in control group but when the quinoa seeds were added into the diet the decrease of HDL level was inhibited. Quinoa seeds did not prevent any adverse effect of increasing triglyceride level caused by fructose. It was shown in this study that quinoa seeds can reduce most of the adverse effects exerted by fructose on lipid profile and glucose level

Application of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography for the quantification of succinylcholine in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and medicinal product. Identification of new impurities of succinylcholine chloride

A new method, using hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC), for quantification of succinylcholine and impurities in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API), as well as in the medicinal product, was developed. Additionally, the new impurities in API were discovered using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF) technique. The substances were quantified with the application of a UV detector (λ = 214 nm). Chromatographic separation was performed isocratically with the application of 30% phosphate buffer (pH 4,0; 0.05 M) in ACN as a mobile phase. A major feature of the developed method is a very high resolution (Rs > 3), between succinylcholine and its main impurity - succinylmonocholine, whereas the width of peak bands does not exceed 0.7 min. A low value of limits of detection (LOD) were obtained for succinic acid, succinylmonocholine and for succinylcholine, which amounted to 2.4, 6.0 and 11.5 μg ml−1, respectively. Another feature of the developed method is linearity in a very wide range of concentrations: 7.3 μg ml−1 – 670 μg ml−1 amounting to R2 = 0.999. The recovery provided by this method at three different fortification levels for all analytes remained within the following range: 95.7 – 98.9 %. Intra-day and inter-day precision remained within the following range: 1.0 – 5.9 % coefficient of variation (CV), whereas accuracy within the range: −1.3 – 6.3. The developed method of hydrophilic interactions made it possible to quantify two new impurities, probably originating from the synthesis of an API: [2-(trimethylaminium)ethyl]-[2ʹ-(trimethylaminium)vinyl] succinate and [2-(dimethylamino)etyl]-[2ʹ-(trimethylaminium)etyl] succinate, which were identified and described for the first time. In addition, a physicochemical form of peak doublet described in the USP as impurities was studied and it was demonstrated that these peaks are the result of the specific physicochemical interactions in ion pair chromatography