Characterization and bioavailability of liposomes containing a ukon extract

In order to use liposomes as an efficient carrier of functional food materials, liposomes encapsulating a ukon extract (LUE) were prepared by the mechanochemical method under different conditions, and were physico-chemically and biochemically characterized. After a homogenization treatment, the size of LUE decreased with decreasing concentration of the extract from 10 to 2.5 wt %, but did not decrease below 570 nm. LUE were thus subjected to microfluidization. The LUE solutions obtained from less than 5 wt % of the extract remained well dispersed for at least 14 d, whereas those from 10 wt % showed phase separation. With 5 wt % of the extract, the size of LUE obtained at an inlet pressure of 100 MPa was smaller than that obtained at 20 MPa, and reached below 180 nm. Under optimal conditions, resulting LUE was confirmed to be small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) with a diameter of approximately 100 nm by freeze-fracture electron microscopy (FFEM). When used for treating simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, LUE obtained by microfluidization showed a 2-fold higher residual rate of curcumin than the uncapsuled extract itself. The bioactivity of LUE was further examined for its suppressive effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced liver injury by using mice. Orally administrated LUE at a dose of 10 mg/kg as the extract had a much higher suppressive effect on the serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, compared to the uncapsuled extract at a dose of 33 mg/kg

Free and Glycosidically Bound Volatile Compounds in Okinawan Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

Fruit plants produce various volatile compounds that emit distinct aroma characteristics and contribute to their flavor qualities. However, some of these substances, especially hydroxyl-group molecules, are in non-volatile glycosylated forms. This study aimed to determine free and glycosidically bound volatile compounds in three Okinawan pineapple cultivars (‘N67-10′, ‘Yugafu’, and ‘Yonekura’). The free volatile components of squashed pineapple juice were analyzed using solid-phase microextraction (SPME)–arrow-gas chromatography–flame ionization detection/mass spectrometry (GC-FID/MS). The glycosides were collected through solid-phase extraction, hydrolyzed by β-glucosidase, and the released volatile compounds were measured. The sugar moieties of the glycosides were confirmed using GC-MS, and their glycoside constituents were analyzed using liquid chromatography (LC)-MS. Okinawan pineapple varied in its content and composition of free volatile components, which were predominantly comprised of esters, followed by alcohols, terpenes, and ketones. Eight hydroxyl-group compounds, including chavicol, eugenol, geraniol, phenylethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 1-hexanol, and 3-methyl-2-butenol, were released from their glycosylated forms via enzymatic hydrolysis, wherein the amounts of most of them were greater in ‘Yonekura’ than in the other cultivars. Moreover, two glycosides, chavicol-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and eugenol-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, were identified in all the cultivars, wherein the aglycones of both glycosides could be potential odor sources of the medicinal-herbal aromas. These results provide important information regarding both volatile-aroma qualities and bounded-aroma resources in Okinawan pineapple for fresh consumption and agroindustrial processing

Free and Glycosidically Bound Volatile Compounds in Okinawan Pineapple (<i>Ananas comosus</i>)

Fruit plants produce various volatile compounds that emit distinct aroma characteristics and contribute to their flavor qualities. However, some of these substances, especially hydroxyl-group molecules, are in non-volatile glycosylated forms. This study aimed to determine free and glycosidically bound volatile compounds in three Okinawan pineapple cultivars (‘N67-10′, ‘Yugafu’, and ‘Yonekura’). The free volatile components of squashed pineapple juice were analyzed using solid-phase microextraction (SPME)–arrow-gas chromatography–flame ionization detection/mass spectrometry (GC-FID/MS). The glycosides were collected through solid-phase extraction, hydrolyzed by β-glucosidase, and the released volatile compounds were measured. The sugar moieties of the glycosides were confirmed using GC-MS, and their glycoside constituents were analyzed using liquid chromatography (LC)-MS. Okinawan pineapple varied in its content and composition of free volatile components, which were predominantly comprised of esters, followed by alcohols, terpenes, and ketones. Eight hydroxyl-group compounds, including chavicol, eugenol, geraniol, phenylethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 1-hexanol, and 3-methyl-2-butenol, were released from their glycosylated forms via enzymatic hydrolysis, wherein the amounts of most of them were greater in ‘Yonekura’ than in the other cultivars. Moreover, two glycosides, chavicol-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and eugenol-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, were identified in all the cultivars, wherein the aglycones of both glycosides could be potential odor sources of the medicinal-herbal aromas. These results provide important information regarding both volatile-aroma qualities and bounded-aroma resources in Okinawan pineapple for fresh consumption and agroindustrial processing

Survey on chest CT findings in COVID-19 patients in Okinawa, Japan: differences between the delta and omicron variants

Abstract To investigate the frequency of pneumonia and chest computed tomography (CT) findings in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the fifth Delta variant-predominant and sixth Omicron variant-predominant waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Okinawa, Japan. A survey on chest CT examinations for patients with COVID-19 was conducted byhospitals with board-certified radiologists who provided treatment for COVID-19 pneumonia in Okinawa Prefecture. Data from 11 facilities were investigated. Indications for chest CT; number of COVID-19 patients undergoing chest CT; number of patients with late-onset pneumonia, tracheal intubation, and number of deaths; and COVID-19 Reporting and Data System classifications of initial chest CT scans were compared by the chi-squared test between the two pandemic waves (Delta vs. Omicron variants). A total of 1944 CT scans were performed during the fifth wave, and 1178 were performed during the sixth wave. CT implementation rates, which were the number of patients with COVID-19 undergoing CT examinations divided by the total number of COVID-19 cases in Okinawa Prefecture during the waves, were 7.1% for the fifth wave and 2.1% for the sixth wave. The rates of tracheal intubation and mortality were higher in the fifth wave. Differences between the distributions of the CO-RADS classifications were statistically significant for the fifth and sixth waves (p < 0.0001). In the fifth wave, CO-RADS 5 (typical of COVID-19) was most common (65%); in the sixth wave, CO-RADS 1 (no findings of pneumonia) was most common (50%). The finding of “typical for other infection but not COVID-19” was more frequent in the sixth than in the fifth wave (13.6% vs. 1.9%, respectively). The frequencies of pneumonia and typical CT findings were higher in the fifth Delta variant-predominant wave, and nontypical CT findings were more frequent in the sixth Omicron variant-predominant wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Okinawa, Japan

Effect of Liposome-Encapsulated Chlorella Extract on Hypertension in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

We prepared liposome-encapsulated chlorella extract (LEC) using lecithin via combined mechanochemical method of homogenization and microfluidization. LEC was confirmed to comprise small unilamellar vesicles with a diameter of approximately 150nm by freeze fracture electron microscopy. The bioactivity of LEC was examined for the suppressive e ect of hypertension on blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Continuous 10-week administration of LEC (3.6％ (w/w) chlorella extract diet) showed a significant anti-hypertensive e ect compared to the control administration for 8 and 10 weeks. Moreover, oral LEC administration showed much higher anti-hypertensive e ect compared to non-capsulated extract administration. In addition, the active substance responsible for anti-hypertensive e ect in the extract presumed to comprise the peptides was confirmed to have a strong ACE inhibitory activity (IC_ :0.014mg/ mL). However, the extract showed a decrease in its ACE inhibitory activity following enzymatic digestion. Consequently, encapsulation for oral administration of LEC prevented digestion of the chlorella extract allowing for its high anti-hypertensive e ect on SHR.新しいタイプの機能性食品の開発を目的として，食品用レシチンを用いて，クロレラエキスを内包するリポソーム（LEC）の調製を行った．得られたLECを含む飼料で高血圧自然発症ラット（SHR）を長期飼育し，その血圧上昇抑制作用について検討した．また併せて，クロレラエキス中の活性成分およびLECにおける血圧上昇抑制の作用機序を推察するため，ACE阻害活性の測定を行った．（1）　超高圧ホモジナイザーの処理条件を100MPa, 1パスとして調製したLECの膜構造は1枚膜であり，リポソームの平均粒子径は150±32nmであった．（2）　連続投与試験において，クロレラエキス投与群では対照群と比べて収縮期血圧の有意な差を認めなかったが，LEC投与群では有意な収縮期血圧上昇の抑制が認められた．（3）　クロレラエキス中の血圧上昇抑制に関与する成分はACE阻害活性を有するペプチドであると考えられた．また，クロレラエキスは人工消化液処理による著しい活性低下を示した．以上の結果から，LECの摂取ではクロレラエキスのリポソーム化によって消化酵素による分解が抑制されたために，SHRに対する血圧上昇抑制効果を示したと考えられた