Effects Of Ethanolic Extract Of Cocoa On Blood Glucoseand Lipid Profile In Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

This study aims to investigate the hypoglycaemic and hypocholesterolaemic properties of Malaysian cocoa (Theobroma cacao) polyphenols extract in-vivo and in-vitro. Cocoa extract (contained 190 - 286 mg total polyphenol per g of extract) was prepared from fermented and roasted (140 "C, 20 min) beans by extracting with 80% ethanol in the ratio of 1 to 10. The total phenolic content was estimated according to the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method. The eluted individual polyphenol was monitored by using a normal-phase HPLC. Monomer is the predominant polyphenols present in cocoa extract (CE) followed by dimer and tetramer. To study the effect of CE on plasma glucose levels and lipid profiles in normal and diabetic rats, two different batches of animal (in-vivo) studies were performed. In the first batch, rats were given free excess to diet containing CE in the form of powder, while in the second batch, rats were force-fed with CE suspended in normal saline daily. The CE was given in three dosages (100, 200 and 300 mg per kg body weight) to both batches for a period of 4 weeks. The result showed that 100 mgkg and 300 mgkg CE significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the plasma glucose levels in the diabetic rats of both the first and second batch of studies. In the first batch, supplementation of 100 mgkg and 300 mglkg CE had significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the level of total cholesterol in diabetic rats. In addition, 100, 200 and 300 mgkg CE diets had significantly lowered (p < 0.05) the total triglycerides. Interestingly, this study found that plasma HDL-cholesterol had increased significantly (p < 0.05) in diabetic rats fed with 200 mgkg CE, while the LDL-cholesterol had decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in group treated with 100 mgkg CE. In the second batch, plasma cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels showed no siginificant difference in both normal and diabetic rats. Meanwhile, there was a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in plasma triglyceride level in diabetic rats. In another study, rats were pretreated with CE to investigate the protective effect of CE against streptozotocin diabetogenic action. In 200 mglkg CE pretreated rats, there was a 163% increase in plasma glucose levels, compared with a 226% increase in diabetic control rats. There were no protective effects on plasma lipid profiles in CE pretreated rats. Results also exhibited CE could normalize the body weight loss caused by STZ. BRIN-BD11 cell lines (in-vitro) were used to evaluate the effect of CE on insulin secretion. This invitro study demonstrated that CE at a concentration of 0.1 mglrnl significantly increase (p < 0.05) insulin secretion compared to control. In conclusion, the study shows that Malaysian cocoa polyphenol extract may possess potential hypoglycaernic and hypochlosterolaernic properties. Further studies are needed to elucidate the exact mechanism by which polyphenols present in CE can lower the plasma glucose levels and improved lipid profiles in diabetic rats, and stimulate insulin secretion in BRIN-BDl1 cell lines

The Effect of Maturity and Extraction Solvents on Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Mulberry (Morus alba) Fruits and Leaves

Cultivation location, maturity levels, and extraction solvents could affect the bioactive compounds and biological activities of mulberry (Morus alba Linnaeus). The lack of study on Malaysia grown mulberry causes its underutilization. This study investigated the bioactive compound content and the antioxidant activity of Sabah-grown mulberry at two different maturity stages (fruits: red mature and black fully ripe; leaves: young and mature) extracted using 70% (v/v) methanol, 60% (v/v) ethanol, and 65% (v/v) acetone. Analyses showed that mulberry fruits demonstrated maturity dependent increment (except UHPLC-DAD quantification), while the leaves revealed maturity dependent reduction. Principal component analysis (PCA) displayed 65% (v/v) acetone black fully ripe fruits as the best phenolics and antioxidant sources. However, the 60% (v/v) ethanol black fully ripe fruits contained 20.08–68.43% higher total anthocyanins. Meanwhile, the 65% (v/v) acetone and 70% (v/v) methanol red mature fruits were higher in chlorogenic acid (27.53–47.12%) and rutin (31.42–35.92%) than other fruit extracts, respectively. For leaves, 65% (v/v) acetone young leaves were the best phenolics and antioxidant sources. However, the 60% (v/v) ethanol young leaves possessed greater chlorogenic acid (19.56–74.11%) than other leaf extracts. Overall, Malaysia-grown mulberry is rich in phenolics and antioxidants, suggesting its potential application in food and pharmaceutical products

Technical Data of In Silico Analysis of the Interaction of Dietary Flavonoid Compounds against Spike-Glycoprotein and Proteases of SARS-CoV-2

The spike glycoprotein (S protein), 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CL-Pro), and papainlike protease (PL-Pro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus are widely targeted for the discovery of therapeutic compounds against this virus. Dietary flavonoid compounds were proposed as a candidate for safe therapy for COVID-19 patients. Nevertheless, wet lab experiments for high-throughput screening of the compounds are undoubtedly time and cost consuming. This study aims to screen dietary flavonoid compounds that bind to S protein, 3CL-Pro, and PL-Pro of SARS-CoV-2. For this purpose, protein structures of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S protein (6M0J), 3CL-Pro (6LU7), and PL-Pro (6W9C) were retrieved from the RCSB Protein Data Bank (PDB). Twelve dietary flavonoid compounds were selected for the studies on their binding affinity to the targeted proteins by global and local docking. The docking and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were performed using YASARA software. Out of 12 compounds, the highest binding score was observed between hesperidin against RBD S protein (−9.98 kcal/mol), 3CL-Pro (−9.43 kcal/mol), and PL-Pro (−8.89 kcal/mol) in global docking. Interestingly, MD simulation revealed that the complex between 3CL-Pro and RBD S protein has better stability than PL-Pro. This study suggests that hesperidin might have versatile inhibitory properties against several essential proteins of SARS-CoV-2. This study, nevertheless, remains to be confirmed through in vitro and in vivo assays

The effect of Malaysian cocoa extract on glucose levels and lipid profiles in diabetic rats

The present study aims to investigate the effect of cocoa extract on serum glucose levels and lipid profiles in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Cocoa extract (contained 285.6 mg total polyphenol per gram extract) was prepared from fermented and roasted (140 °C, 20 min) beans by extracting using 80% ethanol in the ratio of 1–10. The extract of three dosages (1, 2, and 3%) was fed to normal and diabetic rats for a period of 4 weeks. In hyperglycaemic group, cocoa extract (1 and 3%) diets were found to significantly lower (p < 0.05) the serum glucose levels compared to the control. Furthermore, supplementation of 1 and 3% cocoa extract had significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the level of total cholesterol in diabetic rats. In addition, 1, 2, and 3% cocoa extract diets had significantly lowered (p < 0.05) the total triglycerides. Interestingly, this study found that serum HDL-cholesterol had increased significantly (p < 0.05) in diabetic rats fed with 2% cocoa extract, while the LDL-cholesterol had decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in the 1% treated group. These results indicate that cocoa extract may possess potential hypoglycaemic and hypocholestrolemic effects on serum glucose levels and lipid profiles, respectively. The results also found that the effect of cocoa extract was dose-dependent

Optimization Process of the Pepsin-Solubilized Collagen from Lizardfish (Saurida tumbil Bloch, 1795) Skins by-Product

By-products from the marine fish processing are rich in organic compounds that can be converted into value-added products like collagen, and it is thought as an ideal candidate polymer for such research and medical applications. The lizardfish (Saurida tumbil Bloch, 1795) skin collagen had been investigated by our previous work, but an effective extraction method is needed to increase the yield of collagen. The purpose of this study was to optimize the method used to extract pepsin-solubilized collagen (PSC) from lizardfish skin. We employed an approach of one factor at a time (OFAT), along with response surface methodology (RSM) utilizing a central composite design (CCD), to attain the highest possible yield of the extracted collagen. Additionally, its properties were also assessed comparatively. The suggested optimal conditions for extraction were a pepsin concentration of 1.87%, a liquid-solid ratio of 24.90 mL/g, and a hydrolysis period of 38.09 h. Using these conditions resulted in a PSC yield of 21.82 g/100g, which closely matched the predicted collagen value

Characterizations of pepsin-soluble collagen derived from lizardfish (saurida tumbil bloch, 1795) skin, bone and scales

Reducing food waste is critical for sustainability. In the case of fish processing, more than sixty percent of by-products are generated as waste. Lizardfish (Saurida tumbil Bloch, 1795) is an economically important species for surimi production. To address waste disposal and maximize income, an effective utilization of fish by-products is essential. This study aims to isolate and characterize pepsin-soluble collagens from the skin, bone and scales of lizardfish. Significant differences (p 70%) in acidic conditions (particularly at pH 4.0) and at low sodium chloride concentrations (0–30 g/L). Microstructural analysis depicted that all extracted collagens were multi-layered, irregular, dense, sheet-like films linked by random coiled filaments. Overall, pepsin-soluble collagens from lizardfish skin, bone and scales could serve as potential alternative sources of collagens

Hypoglycaemic properties of Malaysian cocoa (Theobroma cacao) polyphenols-rich extract

The objective of the study was to investigate the hypoglycaemic properties of Malaysian cocoa (Theobroma cacao) polyphenols extract in-vivo and insulin sensitivity in-vitro. Cocoa extract (CE) (containing 190-286 mg total polyphenol per gram extract) was prepared from fermented and roasted (140°C, 20 min) beans by extracting with 80% ethanol in the ratio of 1 to 10. For the in-vivo study, the CE was administered in three dosages (1%, 2%, and 3%) to groups of normal and diabetic rats for a period of 4 weeks by force-feeding. Results showed that dosages of 1% and 3% CE significantly reduced (p < 0.05) plasma glucose levels in the diabetic rats. An in-vitro study (BRIN-BD11 cell lines) was used to evaluate the effect of CE on insulin sensitivity. The results demonstrated that CE at a concentration of 0.1 mg/ml significantly increased (p < 0.05) insulin level compared to the control. The results of this study showed that Malaysian cocoa polyphenol extract have the potential of being an insulin-mimetic agent. Further studies are on-going to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of polyphenols present in CE that contribute to the reduction of plasma glucose levels and insulin mimicking activity

Protective effect of polyphenol-rich extract prepared from Malaysian cocoa (Theobroma cacao) on glucose levels and lipid profiles in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

BACKGROUND: Cocoa beans are used for preparing cocoa liquor and cocoa powder, which are the main ingredients of cocoa-based products. Previous studies have reported the health benefits of cocoa polyphenols in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, there is no report on the efficacy of cocoa polyphenols on diabetes mellitus. Therefore this study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of cocoa polyphenol-rich extract (CE) on glucose levels and lipid profiles in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into diabetic control, diabetic CE and diabetic glibenclamide groups. RESULTS: Three different dosages of CE (10, 20 and 30 mg per 100 g body weight) were administered orally once a day for 1 week before STZ injection and for 3 weeks thereafter. The results showed that CE could normalise the body weight loss caused by STZ. In the 20 mg CE-pretreated group there was a 143% increase in plasma glucose levels, compared with a 226% increase in diabetic control rats. CE could also normalise total cholesterol, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol at the end of the experiment compared with the baseline. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that pretreatment with CE from roasted cocoa beans could prevent the development of diabetes induced by STZ injection in rats

Microstructural and Physicochemical Analysis of Collagens from the Skin of Lizardfish (Saurida tumbil Bloch, 1795) Extracted with Different Organic Acids

Marine fish collagen has attracted considerable attention due to its characteristics, including its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and weak antigenicity, and is considered a safer material compared to collagen from terrestrial animals. The aim of this study was to extract and characterize collagen from the skin of lizardfish (Saurida tumbil Bloch, 1795) with three different acids. The yields of acetic acid-extracted collagen (AESkC), lactic acid-extracted collagen (LESkC), and citric acid extracted collagen (CESkC) were 11.73 ± 1.14%, 11.63 ± 1.10%, and 11.39 ± 1.05% (based on wet weight), respectively. All extracted collagens were categorized as type I collagen with mainly alpha chains (α1 and α2) detected and γ and β chains to some extent. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed an intact triple-helical structure in the AESkC, LESkC, and CESkC. UV-vis spectra and X-ray diffraction further demonstrated the similarity of the extracted collagens to previously reported fish skin collagens. AESkC (Tmax = 40.24 ◦C) had higher thermostability compared to LESkC (Tmax = 38.72 ◦C) and CESkC (Tmax = 36.74 ◦C). All samples were highly soluble in acidic pH and low concentrations of NaCl (0–20 g/L). Under field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) observation, we noted the loose, fibrous, and porous structures of the collagens. The results suggest that the lizardfish skin collagens could be a potential alternative source of collagen, especially the AESkC due to its greater thermostability characteristic

Biochemical and Microstructural Properties of Lizardfish (Saurida tumbil) Scale Collagen Extracted with Various Organic Acids

The purpose of this research was to extract collagen from the scales of lizardfish (Sauridatumbil) using various acids. Acetic acid-extracted collagen (AScC) produced a higher yield (1.8 mg/g)than lactic acid-extracted collagen (LScC) and citric acid-extracted collagen (CScC) although not significantly different (p> 0.05). All extracted collagens were categorized as type I collagens with the presence of alpha chains (α1 and α2) based on the SDS-PAGE profiles. The triple-helical structure of the collagen was maintained in the AScC, LScC, and CScC as confirmed by the FTIR spectra. The UV-vis and X-ray diffraction spectra observed in all collagens were in agreement with previous work on fish scale and calfskin (commercial) collagens. The thermal stability of AScC (Tmax= 31.61◦C) was greater than LScC (Tmax= 30.86◦C) and CScC (Tmax= 30.88◦C). The microstructure of acid-extracted collagens was characterized as complex, fibrous, and multilayered, with irregular sheet-like structures.All samples were highly soluble in acidic pH (1.0–4.0) and in low concentrations of NaCl (0–20 g/L).In conclusion, the lizardfish scale collagen, particularly AScC, may be used as an alternative to terrestrial animal collagen