Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of selected phenolic lipids in organic solvent media

Lipase-catalyzed esterification and transesterification reactions of selected phenolic acids with lipids were investigated in organic solvent media. The esterification of linoleyl alcohol with dihydrocaffeic acid (DHA) in neat hexane medium resulted in highest esterification yield (EY) of 17% when a Candida antarctica lipase (Novozym 435) was used to catalyze the reaction. The use of co-solvents t-butanol and 2-butanone with hexane resulted in a dramatic increase in EY. The highest EY of 83% was obtained in hexane:2-butanone mixture of 85:15 (v/v) using Novozym 435; however lower EY (40%) was obtained when a lipase from Rhizomucor meihei (Lipozyme IM 20) was used. Increasing the amount of the co-solvent 2-butanone in the hexane:2-butanone mixture to 75:25 (v/v) resulted in a lower EY of 75% with Novozym 435; using the same enzyme, the esterification of a more unsaturated alcohol, linolenyl alcohol, with DHCA in the hexane:2-butanone mixture of 75:25 (v/v) resulted in EY of 76% which was similar to that obtained with linoleyl alcohol as lipid substrate. The esterification of DHCA and ferulic acid with linolenyl alcohol in the hexane:2-butanone mixture of 65:35 (v/v) resulted in an EY of 58 and 16%, respectively. Both linoleyl and linolenyl alcohols demonstrated mass action effects with EY of 99% in DHCA: fatty alcohol ratio of 1:8. Using a molar ratio of 1:2, the transesterification reactions of DHCA with trilinolein (TLA) and trilinolenin (TLNA) in hexane:2-butanone mixture of 75:25 (v/v) resulted in total transesterification yields (TYs) of phenolic lipids of 66 and 62%, respectively. The TYs of phenolic monoacylglycerols was higher than that of phenolic diacylglycerols for both TLA and TLNA transesterification reactions. A lower molar ratio of DHCA to TLA of 1:4 resulted in a lower TY of 53%. Using a molar ratio of 1:2, the TY of TLA and TLNA with ferulic acid in hexane:2-butanone mixture of 65:35 (v/v) was 16 and 14%, respectively. An equal molar transesterification reaction of DHCA with flaxseed oil, in a hexane:2-butanone mixture of 75:25 (v/v), resulted in the production of only phenolic monoacylglycerols (19%); however, decreasing the molar ratio resulted in the production of both phenolic mono and diacylglycerols. A molar ratio of DHCA to flaxseed oil (1:8) resulted in a TY of 76%, with 43 and 33% phenolic mono and diacylglycerols, respectively. Changing the solvent mixture of hexane:2-butanone from 65:35 to 85:15 (v/v) resulted in an increased in the TY of phenolic diacylglycerols from 24 to 55% with no significant effect on the TY of phenolic monoacylglycerols. The transesterification reaction resulted in a change in the composition of the C18:3 FA from 53% in the unmodified oil to 60 and 65% in the phenolic mono and diacylglycerols. Transesterification reaction of DHCA with fish liver oil in the solvent mixtures of hexane:2-butanone of 75:25 and 85:15 (v/v) resulted in TY of 56 and 65%, respectively. Transesterification in solvent: mixture of 75:25 resulted in a 40 and 16% TY of phenolic mono and diacylglycerols, respectively, whereas that in the solvent mixture of 85:15 (v/v) resulted in a 38 and 37% TY of phenolic mono and diacylglycerols, respectively. The structures of phenolic lipids of linoleyl and linolenyl alcohols with DHCA were confirmed by LC/MS analysis likewise for the phenolic mono and diacylglycerols from transesterification of DHCA with TLA and TLNA as well as flaxseed and fish liver oils. The phenolic esters of the fatty alcohols demonstrated radical scavenging properties similar to that of alpha-tocopherol but less than for DHCA; however, the phenolic lipids obtained with the use of TLA and TLNA as substrate as well as flaxseed and fish liver oil, demonstrated significant radical scavenging effects but less than that of alpha-tocopherol and DHCA

Microplate assay for boron analysis in soil and plant tissue

The boron concentration in soil extracts and ashed plant tissue was quantified with a rapid and reproducible microplate assay. The microsized Azomethine-H method required adjustment to reduce pH and chemical interferences in soil and plant tissue samples. Microplate spectrophotometry permits replication, quality control and is suitable for high throughput analysis.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Phenolic Antioxidants from Potato Peels

A response surface method was used to optimize the microwave-assisted extraction parameters such as extraction time (t) (min), solvent (methanol) concentration (S) (v/v) and microwave power level (MP) for extraction of antioxidants from potato peels. Max. total phenolics content of 3.94 mg g−1 dry weight (dw) was obtained at S of 67.33%, t of 15 min and a MP of 14.67%. For ascorbic acid (1.44 mg g−1 dw), caffeic acid (1.33 mg g−1 dw), ferulic acid (0.50 mg g−1 dw) max contents were obtained at S of 100%, t of 15 min, and MP of 10%, while the max chlorogenic acid content (1.35 mg g−1 dw) was obtained at S of 100%, t of 5 min, and MP of 10%. The radical scavenging activity of the extract was evaluated by using the DPPH assay and optimum antioxidant activity was obtained at S of 100%, t of 5 min, and MP of 10%

Absorption and Metabolism of Phenolics from Digests of Polyphenol-Rich Potato Extracts Using the Caco-2/HepG2 Co-Culture System

The bioactivity of dietary polyphenols depends upon gastrointestinal and hepatic metabolism of secondary microbial phenolic metabolites generated via colonic microbiota-mediated biotransformation. A polyphenol-rich potato extract (PRPE) containing chlorogenic, caffeic, and ferulic acids and rutin was digested in a dynamic multi-reactor gastrointestinal simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem (GI model). Simulated digestion showed extensive degradation of the parent compounds and the generation of microbial phenolic metabolites. To characterize the transport and metabolism of microbial phenolic metabolites following digestion, a co-culture of intestinal Caco-2 and hepatic HepG2 cells was exposed to the PRPE-derived digests obtained from the colonic vessels. Following a 2 h incubation of the digesta with the Caco-2/HepG2 co-cultures, approximately 10–15% of ferulic, dihydrocaffeic, and dihydroferulic acids and 3–5% of 3-hydroxybenzoic, 3-hydroxyphenylpropionic, and coumaric acids were observed in the basolateral side, whereas 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, phenylpropanoic acid, and cinnamic acid were not detected. Subsequent HepG2 cellular metabolism led to major increases in ferulic, dihydrocaffeic, 3-hydroxyphenylpropionic, and coumaric acids ranging from 160–370%. These findings highlight the importance of hepatic metabolism towards the generation of secondary metabolites of polyphenols despite low selective Caco-2 cellular uptake of microbial phenolic metabolites

High Hydrostatic Pressure Pretreatment of Whey Protein Isolates Improves Their Digestibility and Antioxidant Capacity

Whey proteins have well-established antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivities. High hydrostatic pressure processing of whey protein isolates increases their in vitro digestibility resulting in enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study compared the effects of different digestion protocols on the digestibility of pressurized (pWPI) and native (nWPI) whey protein isolates and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the hydrolysates. The pepsin-pancreatin digestion protocol was modified to better simulate human digestion by adjusting temperature and pH conditions, incubation times, enzymes utilized, enzyme-to-substrate ratio and ultrafiltration membrane molecular weight cut-off. pWPI showed a significantly greater proteolysis rate and rate of peptide appearance regardless of digestion protocol. Both digestion methods generated a greater relative abundance of eluting peptides and the appearance of new peptide peaks in association with pWPI digestion in comparison to nWPI hydrolysates. Hydrolysates of pWPI from both digestion conditions showed enhanced ferric-reducing antioxidant power relative to nWPI hydrolysates. Likewise, pWPI hydrolysates from both digestion protocols showed similar enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in a respiratory epithelial cell line as compared to nWPI hydrolysates. These findings indicate that regardless of considerable variations of in vitro digestion protocols, pressurization of WPI leads to more efficient digestion that improves its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

Effects of Simulated Human Gastrointestinal Digestion of Two Purple-Fleshed Potato Cultivars on Anthocyanin Composition and Cytotoxicity in Colonic Cancer and Non-Tumorigenic Cells

A dynamic human gastrointestinal (GI) model was used to digest cooked tubers from purple-fleshed Amachi and Leona potato cultivars to study anthocyanin biotransformation in the stomach, small intestine and colonic vessels. Colonic Caco-2 cancer cells and non-tumorigenic colonic CCD-112CoN cells were tested for cytotoxicity and cell viability after 24 h exposure to colonic fecal water (FW) digests (0%, 10%, 25%, 75% and 100% FW in culture media). After 24 h digestion, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry identified 36 and 15 anthocyanin species throughout the GI vessels for Amachi and Leona, respectively. The total anthocyanin concentration was over thirty-fold higher in Amachi compared to Leona digests but seven-fold higher anthocyanin concentrations were noted for Leona versus Amachi in descending colon digests. Leona FW showed greater potency to induce cytotoxicity and decrease viability of Caco-2 cells than observed with FW from Amachi. Amachi FW at 100% caused cytotoxicity in non-tumorigenic cells while FW from Leona showed no effect. The present findings indicate major variations in the pattern of anthocyanin breakdown and release during digestion of purple-fleshed cultivars. The differing microbial anthocyanin metabolite profiles in colonic vessels between cultivars could play a significant role in the impact of FW toxicity on tumor and non-tumorigenic cells

Microbial Biotransformation of a Polyphenol-Rich Potato Extract Affects Antioxidant Capacity in a Simulated Gastrointestinal Model

A multistage human gastrointestinal model was used to digest a polyphenol-rich potato extract containing chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and rutin as the primary polyphenols, to assess for their microbial biotransformation and to measure changes in antioxidant capacity in up to 24 h of digestion. The biotransformation of polyphenols was assessed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Antioxidant capacity was measured by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Among the colonic reactors, parent (poly)phenols were detected in the ascending (AC), but not the transverse (TC) or descending (DC) colons. The most abundant microbial phenolic metabolites in all colonic reactors included derivatives of propionic acid, acetic acid, and benzoic acid. As compared to the baseline, an earlier increase in antioxidant capacity (T = 8 h) was seen in the stomach and small intestine vessels as compared to the AC (T = 16 h) and TC and DC (T = 24 h). The increase in antioxidant capacity observed in the DC and TC can be linked to the accumulation of microbial smaller-molecular-weight phenolic catabolites, as the parent polyphenolics had completely degraded in those vessels. The colonic microbial digestion of potato-based polyphenols could lead to improved colonic health, as this generates phenolic metabolites with significant antioxidant potential