Dynamika zmian zawartości barwników betalainowych i suchej masy podczas przechowywania buraków ćwikłowych (Beta vulgaris L.)

Red beet is a vegetable which is characterized by a high storage durability. For this it can be used and consumed throughout the all year. Therefore, it is very important to know the dynamics of changes in the content of individual ingredients in the subsequent months of storage. The two croppers of red bee: Boro F1 (spherical root shape) and Regulski Cylinder (cylindrical root shape) were included in this study. The main purpose was to assess the dynamics of changes of selected components in analyzed plant, during the storage period. Moreover, particular attention was paid to the content of ingredients which have a beneficial effect on the quality of red beet. The antiradical activity, content of betalaine pigments and the dry mass were evaluated. The cropper of Regulski Cylinder was chosen as a cultivar recommended for storage. It has been characterized by the smallest decrease in antiradical activity and an increase in the content of betalain pigments during the 5-month storage period.Burak ćwikłowy (Beta vulgaris L.) jest warzywem charakteryzującym się dużą trwałością przechowalniczą, dzięki czemu może być spożywany przez cały rok. Dlatego też bardzo ważna jest wiedza na temat dynamiki zmian zawartości poszczególnych składników w ko-lejnych miesiącach przechowywania. Badaniami objęto dwie odmiany buraka ćwikłowego: Boro F1 (kształt korzenia kulisty) oraz Regulski Cylinder (kształt korzenia cylindryczny). Celem pracy była ocena dynamiki zmian wybranych składników w badanej roślinie w trak-cie okresu przechowywania. W szczególności zwrócono uwagę na zawartość składników mających korzystny wpływ na jakość buraków ćwikłowych, m.in. została oceniona aktyw-ność antyrodnikowa, zawartość barwników betalainowych oraz sucha masa. Jako odmianę polecaną do przechowywania wytypowano odmianę Regulski Cylinder. Cechowała się ona najmniejszym spadkiem aktywności antyrodnikowej oraz wzrostem zawartości barwników betalainowych podczas 5-miesięcznego okresu składowania

Complexes of Ectoine with the Anionic Surfactants as Active Ingredients of Cleansing Cosmetics with Reduced Irritating Potential

For many years, an increasing number of diagnosed atopy and skin problems have been observed. For people affected by the problem of atopy, the selection of skin care products, including cosmetics, is extremely important. Cleansing cosmetics, due to their ability to cause skin irritations and disturb the hydrolipidic barrier, can increase problems with atopic skin. New solutions to reduce the effects of these products on the skin are very important. In this work, the effect of ectoine on the properties of anionic surfactants was analyzed. Based on model systems, analysis of the effect of ectoine on the irritating effect of four anionic surfactants and their ability to solubilize model sebum was performed. Antioxidant activity was also evaluated, and cytotoxic studies were performed on cell cultures. It was shown that the addition of ectoine to the anionic surfactant solutions improves its safety of use. After introducing ectoine to the surfactant solution, a decrease of irritant potential (about 20%) and a decrease in the ability to solubilize of model sebum (about 10–20%) was noted. Addition of ectoine to surfactant solutions also reduced their cytotoxicity by up to 60%. The obtained results indicate that ectoine may be a modern ingredient that improves the safety of cleansing cosmetics

Antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of Jerusalem artichoke tubers and leaves extract on HaCaT and BJ fibroblast cells

Abstract Background Extracts from plants, rich in antioxidants may be used as active ingredients of many preparations, mainly due to their antioxidant, regenerative and anti-aging properties. The work involved a comprehensive evaluation of the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) leaf and tuber extract as a multifunctional raw material. Methods The plant extracts were prepared by using ultrasound-assisted extraction method (UAE).The content of total phenolic and flavonoid compounds of extracts were determined spectrophotometrically using the Folin-Ciocalteu method and aluminium nitrate nonahydrate, respectively. Antioxidant activity of extract was analyzed using DPPH free radical scavenging assay and the effect of the investigated extracts on the proliferation of keratinocytes (HaCaT) and fibroblasts (BJ) was measured. To detect of intracellular reactive oxygen species level in tested cells, the fluorogenic dye H2DCFDA was used. In the next step, the ability of obtained extracts to regulate the expression of genes (SOD-1, Nox-4) involved in oxidative stress in cells was evaluated. Results As a result of the conducted research, it was shown that leaf extract exhibit a higher content of phenols and flavonoids comparing to tuber extracts (5.07 and 7.14 fold higher, respectively). The opposite trend was observed after proliferation assay with Neutral Red test. It was shown that tuber extract in all applied concentrations (25–500 μg·ml− 1) had a positive effect on fibroblast growth. The leaf extract showed proliferative activity only for the smallest tested concentrations (25–100 μg·ml− 1). Similar trends were observed for HaCaT cells. The distinct effect of leaves and tuber extract on the generation of ROS was observed in HaCaT cells. In the present study, it was shown that tuber and leaf extracts may increase the expression of the ROS SOD-1 inactivating enzyme gene in the fibroblast cell line. There were no significant differences in gene expression of the ROS Nox-4 producing enzyme. In the case of keratinocytes, the opposite effect was observed. Conclusions The study suggest that Jerusalem artichoke leaves and tubers extracts affect the cell proliferation and can alter the expression of genes related to oxidative stress

Porównanie właściwości kosmetycznych i dermatologicznych ekstraktu oraz fermentu z owoców rokitnika zwyczajnego otrzymanego w procesie fermentacji z wykorzystaniem grzyba herbacianego kombuchy

Kombucha is a health-promoting beverage produced by fermenting sweetened tea using symbiotic cultures of bacteria belonging to the genus Acetobacter, Gluconobacter and yeast of the genus Saccharomyces along with glucuronic acid. The study compared the cosmetic and dermatological properties of sea buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides L.) fruit extract and its ferment obtained through a fermentation process using a tea fungus. For this purpose, the fermented and non-fermented extracts were compared in terms of chemical composition using the HPLC/ESI-MS chromatographic method. The antioxidant activity of the tested samples was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS assays. Cytotoxicity was also determined by conducting Alamar Blue and Neutral Red assays assessing cell viability and metabolism using skin cell lines: fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Potential anti-aging properties weredetermined by their ability to inhibit the activity of metalloproteinases: collagenase and elastase. In addition, application tests have been carried out showing positive effects of the extracts and ferments on TEWL and skin hydration. The results indicate that both sea buckthorn fruit extract and ferment obtained with kombucha can be valuable ingredients in cosmetic products.Kombucha to napój o działaniu prozdrowotnym wytwarzany poprzez fermentację słodzonej herbaty przy użyciu symbiotycznych kultur bakterii należących do rodzaju Acetobacter i Gluconobacter oraz drożdży z rodzaju Saccharomyces wraz z kwasem glukuronowym. W pracy porównano właściwości kosmetyczne i dermatologiczne ekstraktu z owoców rokitnika zwyczajnego (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) oraz jego fermentu otrzymanego w procesie fermentacji za pomocą grzyba herbacianego. W tym celu fermentowane i niefermentowane ekstrakty porównano pod względem składu chemicznego, poddając je analizie chromatograficznej HPLC/ESI-MS. Oceniono aktywność antyoksydacyjną badanych próbek z wykorzystaniem testówDPPH i ABTS. Określono także cytotoksyczność, przeprowadzając testy Alamar Blue i Neutral Red, oceniające stopień żywotności oraz metabolizm komórek skóry: fibroblastów i keratynocytów. Potencjalne właściwości przeciwstarzeniowe określono na podstawie ich zdolności do hamowania aktywności metaloproteinaz: kolagenazy i elastazy. Ponadto zostały przeprowadzone testy aplikacyjne, które wykazały pozytywny wpływ ekstraktów oraz fermentów na transepidermalną ucieczkę wody z naskórka (TEWL) oraz nawilżenie skóry. Uzyskane wyniki wskazują, że zarówno ekstrakt z owoców rokitnika zwyczajnego, jak i ferment otrzymany za pomocą kombuchy mogą stanowić cenny składnik produktów kosmetycznych

Comparison of the Antiaging and Protective Properties of Plants from the Apiaceae Family

Plant materials play a very significant role as components of products being used both for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Due to the high content of active substances, they can play an important role as extracts with antioxidant, regenerative, and antiaging properties. The skin aging process depends on various pathological and physiological processes, among which the degradation of extracellular matrix biomolecules such as collagen and elastin, which significantly affect the maintenance of good skin condition, is very important. The secondary metabolites and plant extracts may have collagenase and elastase inhibitory activity. This activity is mainly due to the high content of a wide range of various biologically active compounds, such as polyphenols, which include, among others, flavonoids, phenolic acids, tocopherols, and tannins. The work involved a comprehensive assessment of the plant from Apiaceae family such as Meum athamanticum L., Centella asiatica L., and Aegopodium podagraria L. extract as a multifunctional raw material. During study antioxidant properties, phenolic compounds and flavonoids content, effect on collagenase and elastase enzyme activity (antiaging effect), cytotoxic properties on skin cells (keratinocytes and fibroblasts), and cell migration capacity were analyzed. It has been shown that the highest antioxidant capacity can be observed for the extract of herb of Aegopodium podagraria L. When the concentration reached 5% all tested extracts had a positive effect on the cell proliferation of both keratinocytes and fibroblasts. It turned out that the most promising inhibitor of collagenase and elastase enzymes was the extract from Aegopodium podagraria, which inhibits the activity of both enzymes by over 70% in the concentration of 5% positively affecting the condition of skin cells

Positive Effect of Cannabis sativa L. Herb Extracts on Skin Cells and Assessment of Cannabinoid-Based Hydrogels Properties

The skin is an organ that is constantly exposed to many external factors that can affect its structure and function. Due to the presence of different cannabinoid receptors on many types of skin cells, cannabinoids can interact directly with them. Therefore, as part of this work, the impact of two types of Cannabis sativa L. herb extracts on keratinocytes and fibroblasts was assessed. The content of biologically active compounds such as phenols, flavonoids, chlorophylls and cannabinoids was evaluated. The antioxidant capacity of prepared extracts using the DPPH radical, H2DCFDA probe and measurement of superoxide dismutase activity was also assessed. The cytotoxicity of hemp extracts was determined using the Alamar Blue, Neutral Red and LDH assays. The ability of the extracts to inhibit the activity of matrix metalloproteinases, collagenase and elastase, was assessed. Preparations of model hydrogels were also prepared and their effect on transepidermal water loss and skin hydration was measured. The obtained results indicate that hemp extracts can be a valuable source of biologically active substances that reduce oxidative stress, inhibit skin aging processes and positively affect the viability of skin cells. The analysis also showed that hydrogels based on cannabis extracts have a positive effect on skin hydration

Poly(chitosan-ester-ether-urethane) Hydrogels as Highly Controlled Genistein Release Systems

Polymeric hydrogels play an increasingly important role in medicine, pharmacy and cosmetology. They appear to be one of the most promising groups of biomaterials due to their favorable physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. The objective of the presented study was to synthesize new poly(chitosan-ester-ether-urethane) hydrogels and to study the kinetic release of genistein (GEN) from these biomaterials. In view of the above, six non-toxic hydrogels were synthesized via the Ring-Opening Polymerization (ROP) and polyaddition processes. The poly(ester-ether) components of the hydrogels have been produced in the presence of the enzyme as a biocatalyst. In some cases, the in vitro release rate of GEN from the obtained hydrogels was characterized by near-zero-order kinetics, without “burst release” and with non-Fickian transport. It is important to note that developed hydrogels have been shown to possess the desired safety profile due to lack of cytotoxicity to skin cells (keratinocytes and fibroblasts). Taking into account the non-toxicity of hydrogels and the relatively highly controlled release profile of GEN, these results may provide fresh insight into polymeric hydrogels as an effective dermatological and/or cosmetological tool

Phenolic Profile and Comparison of the Antioxidant, Anti-Ageing, Anti-Inflammatory, and Protective Activities of <i>Borago officinalis</i> Extracts on Skin Cells

In this study, methanol and water–methanol extracts of borage (Borago officinalis) herb dried using various methods were analysed for their phenolic profile and biological activity. Twelve compounds, including flavonoids (astragalin, kaempferol 4-glucoside, rutoside, and vitexin) and phenolic acids (caffeic, chlorogenic, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic, ferulic, p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, rosmarinic, and syringic), were determined qualitatively and quantitatively in B. officinalis extracts by the HPLC-DAD method. The highest total flavonoid content was confirmed for the methanol extract from the hot-air-dried herb, while the methanol extract from the air-dried herb was most abundant in phenolic acids. The results of in vitro tests on human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and fibroblasts (BJ) showed that the extracts were able to reduce the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species in skin cells. Tests performed to assess inhibition of protein denaturation, lipoxygenase activity, and proteinase activity demonstrated that borage extracts have anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, the methanol extract of the herb dried in a convection oven showed the strongest inhibition of both collagenase and elastase activity, which is indicative of anti-ageing properties. The results show that the borage extracts are a source of valuable bioactive compounds with beneficial properties in the context of skin cell protection

Positive Effect of <i>Cannabis sativa</i> L. Herb Extracts on Skin Cells and Assessment of Cannabinoid-Based Hydrogels Properties

The skin is an organ that is constantly exposed to many external factors that can affect its structure and function. Due to the presence of different cannabinoid receptors on many types of skin cells, cannabinoids can interact directly with them. Therefore, as part of this work, the impact of two types of Cannabis sativa L. herb extracts on keratinocytes and fibroblasts was assessed. The content of biologically active compounds such as phenols, flavonoids, chlorophylls and cannabinoids was evaluated. The antioxidant capacity of prepared extracts using the DPPH radical, H2DCFDA probe and measurement of superoxide dismutase activity was also assessed. The cytotoxicity of hemp extracts was determined using the Alamar Blue, Neutral Red and LDH assays. The ability of the extracts to inhibit the activity of matrix metalloproteinases, collagenase and elastase, was assessed. Preparations of model hydrogels were also prepared and their effect on transepidermal water loss and skin hydration was measured. The obtained results indicate that hemp extracts can be a valuable source of biologically active substances that reduce oxidative stress, inhibit skin aging processes and positively affect the viability of skin cells. The analysis also showed that hydrogels based on cannabis extracts have a positive effect on skin hydration