Ligands of the CB2 cannabinoid receptors augment activity of the conventional antidepressant drugs in the behavioural tests in mice

Although a lot of information can be found on the specific dual role of the endocannabinoid system in the emotional-related responses, little is known whether stimulation or inhibition of the cannabinoid (CB) receptors may affect the activity of the frequently prescribed antidepressant drugs. Our interests have been particularly focused on the potential influence of the CB$_{2}$ receptors, as the ones whose central effects are relatively poorly documented when compared to the central effects of the CB$_{1}$ receptors. Therefore, we evaluated the potential interaction between the CB$_{2}$ receptor ligands (i.e., JWH133 - CB$_{2}$ receptor agonist and AM630 - CB$_{2}$ receptor inverse agonist) and several common antidepressant drugs that influence the monoaminergic system (i.e., imipramine, escitalopram, reboxetine). In order to assess the antidepressant-like effects we used two widely recognized behavioural tests, the mouse forced swim test (FST) and the tail suspension test (TST). Brain concentrations of the tested antidepressants were evaluated by the HPLC method. Intraperitoneal co-administration of per se ineffective doses of JWH133 (0.25 mg/kg) or AM630 (0.25 mg/kg) with imipramine (15 mg/kg), escitalopram (2 mg/kg), and reboxetine (2.5 mg/kg) significantly shortened the immobility time of mice in the FST and the TST, whereas it did not disturb their spontaneous locomotor activity. Furthermore, the brain levels of antidepressants were not changed. Summarizing, the results of the present study revealed that both activation and inhibition of the CB2 receptor function have a potential to strengthen the antidepressant activity of drugs targeting the monoaminergic system. Most probably, the described interaction has a pharmacodynamic background

Hydroxymethylfurfural content, diastase activity and colour of multifloral honeys in relation to origin and storage time

Celem pracy było porównanie jakości miodów wielokwiatowych dostępnych na polskim rynku detalicznym w zależności od ich pochodzenia (krajowe vs. zagraniczne) oraz czasu przechowywania (przed lub po upływie daty minimalnej trwałości). Badaniami objęto 24 próby miodów wielokwiatowych, w tym krajowe (tj. niekonfekcjonowane zakupione na bazarach bezpośrednio od pszczelarzy i nabyte w detalicznej sieci handlowej) i zagraniczne (z krajów członkowskich Unii Europejskiej i spoza niej) zakupione w hipermarketach. Dodatkowo oceniono 5 prób zakupionych wcześniej miodów, dla których minęła już data ich minimalnej trwałości. W miodach oznaczono zawartość 5-hydroksymetylofurfuralu (5-HMF), wartość liczby diastazowej (LD) oraz barwę wg CIE L*a*b*. W świeżych miodach wielokwiatowych (niezależnie od pochodzenia) zawartość 5-HMF wahała się od 1,17 do 18,54 mg·kg-1 , a wartość LD od 8,36 do 34,88. Tym samym wszystkie próby spełniały ustawowe wymagania (8 wg skali Schade dla LD). Wykazano istotne (P≤0,01) obniżenie jakości miodów po upływie daty minimalnej trwałości. Przeciętna zawartość HMF (93,87 mg·kg-1) była dwukrotnie większa niż wartość dopuszczalna, podobnie średnia wartość LD (6,45) była niższa od przyjętego limitu. Wykazano istotne różnice (P≤0,01) pomiędzy średnimi wartościami wszystkich parametrów barwy miodów w zależności od czasu przechowywania. Barwa miodów po upływie daty minimalnej trwałości była istotnie ciemniejsza i o mniejszym nasyceniu (L*=43,18 i C*=21,23) w porównaniu do miodów świeżych (L*=62,11 i C*=32,66).The aim of the study was to compare the quality of multifloral honeys in relation to origin (domestic vs. foreign), and storage time (before vs. after the date of minimum durability) available on the Polish retail market. The study was conducted on 24 samples of multifloral honey, including domestic ones (i.e. originated directly from beekeepers in open-air markets, or purchased in a retail chain), and foreign (i.e. from inside or outside the EU) bought in hypermarkets. In addition, the study comprised 5 samples of honey after the date of minimum durability. The content of hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), diastase number (DN) and colour according to CIE L*a*b* were determined in honeys. In the fresh multifloral honeys (irrespective of origin) the content of 5-HMF ranged from 1.17 to 18.54 mg·kg-1, and DN ranged from 8.36 to 34.88. Thus all samples met the legal requirements (5-HMF<40 mg·kg-1 and DN<8 on the Schade scale). Significant (P≤0.01) deterioration in the quality of the honey was noted after the date of minimum durability. The mean HMF content (93.87 mg·kg-1) was twice as high as the acceptable value, and the mean DN (6.45) was lower than the accepted limit. Significant differences (P≤0.01) were noted between mean values for all colour coordinates considering the date of minimum durability. The colour of the honey after the date of minimum durability was significantly darker and had lower saturation (L*=43.18 and C*=21.23) than the fresh honey (L*=62.11 and C*=32.66)

Nutritional value and physicochemical properties of red deer and wild boar meat after frozen storage under vacuum

Celem podjętych badań było porównanie właściwości fizykochemicznych mięsa jeleni i dzików zapakowanego próżniowo i zamrożonego przez 60 dni, a następnie przechowywanego chłodniczo przez 7 dni. Materiał do badań stanowiły mięśnie szkieletowe z łopatki (element handlowy bez kości) jeleni szlachetnych (n=9) i dzików (n=9). Po rozmrożeniu elementów, mięśnie rozpakowywano i przechowywano w warunkach chłodniczych przez 7 dni, w trakcie których dokonywano pomiarów właściwości fizykochemicznych: pH i przewodności elektrycznej właściwej (w 1, 2, 3 i 7 dniu), wyróżników barwy wg CIE L*a*b*, parametrów wodochłonności i testu szerometrycznego (w 1 i 7 dniu). Oznaczono podstawowy skład chemiczny (zawartość wody, popiołu, białka i tłuszczu) oraz obliczono proporcję woda:białko, wartość kaloryczną i wskaźniki jakości odżywczej (NQI) dla białka i tłuszczu. Mięso jeleni zawierało istotnie (P0,05) mniej tłuszczu i charakteryzowało się wyższą wartością NQI dla białka w porównaniu do dzików. Mięśnie obu gatunków przechowywane do 3 dnia po rozmrożeniu wykazywało pH poniżej 6,0 oraz zbliżoną barwę. Jakkolwiek przechowywanie chłodnicze wpłynęło istotnie na zwiększenie jasności (L*) i obniżenie udziału barwy żółtej (a*). Dziczyzna przechowywana dłużej po rozmrożeniu wykazywała istotnie mniejszą wodochłonność (P0,05) (większy ubytek po gotowaniu i ilość wody wolnej). Mięso dzików było istotnie (P0,05) twardsze (większa siła i energia cięcia) od jeleni. Jakkolwiek nie obserwowano istotnej poprawy kruchości mięsa obu gatunków w czasie przechowywania chłodniczego do 7 dnia po rozmrożeniu, to mięso jeleni można zaklasyfikować jako „kruche”, a dzików jako „pośrednie”. Przeprowadzona ocena wartości odżywczej i właściwości fizykochemicznych mrożonych detalicznych elementów handlowych z dziczyzny upoważnia do stwierdzenia, że jest to dobry surowiec spełniający zarówno kryteria dla mięsa kulinarnego, jak i wymagania dla mięsa do przetwórstwa.The objective of the present research was the comparison of physicochemical properties of red deer and wild boar meat frozen under vacuum for 60 days and then cold stored during 7 days. The research material included vacuum-packed, frozen and stored for 60 days skeletal muscles from shoulder (deboned retail cut) of red deer (n=9) and wild boar (n=9). Following thawing, muscles were removed from the packaging and then cold stored 7 days. Measurements of physicochemical properties as follow: pH and electrical conductivity (1, 2, 3 and 7 d), CIE L*a*b* colour characteristics, parameters of water holding capacity and shear force test (1 and 7 d) were determined. The proximate composition of meat (contents of moisture, ash, protein and fat), as well water:protein ratio, energy value and nutritional quality index (NQI) for protein and fat were calculated. Red deer meat showed significantly (P0.05) lower content of fat and higher NQI for protein compared to wild boar. Muscles of both species stored for 3 d following thawing displayed pH below 6.0, and similar colour characteristics. However, cold storage significantly (P0.05) influenced the increase of lightness (L*) and decrease of redness (a*). Venison stored up to 7 d following thawing indicated significantly (P0.05) lower water holding capacity (higher cooking loss and free water amount). Meat of wild boar was significantly (P0.05) tougher (higher shear force and shear energy) than red deer. Although, the improvement of tenderness for meat of both species during cold storage was not observed up to 7 d following thawing, the red deer meat should be considered “tender”, and wild boar “intermediate”. The assessment of the nutritional value and physicochemical properties of retail elements from frozen venison indicate their high quality, fulfilling criterions for fresh meat in culinary and processing purposes

Fatty Acid Composition and Oxidative Stability of the Lipid Fraction of Skin-On and Skinless Fillets of Prussian Carp (Carassius gibelio)

The aim of the study was to compare the fatty acid profile and content and the oxidative stability of the lipid fraction of Prussian Carp (Carassius gibelio) fillets with and without skin. Carp specimens were obtained in spring from a fish farm located in the Lublin Voivodeship. The research material consisted of skin-on (n = 12) and skinless (n = 12) fillets (hand-filleted). Their chemical composition (water, ash, protein, and fat content), calorific value, and nutritional quality index (NQI) were analysed, as well as their fatty acid content and profile. The oxidative stability of the lipids was assessed on the basis of the peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value, and the content of the conjugated dienes and trienes (CD and CT), while determination of the degree of fat hydrolysis was based on the acid value (AV) and free fatty acids (FFA). The Carp fillet with skin contained significantly (p &le; 0.01) more fat (by 2.69 pp) and calories (by 92.16 kJ∙100 g&minus;1) than the skinless fillet, and over three times as much n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), including eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. In the skin-on fillet, the lipid oxidation and hydrolysis parameters were significantly higher, but did not deviate from the values specified for fresh fish and/or fish fit for consumption

Nutritional value and physicochemical properties of red deer and wild boar meat after frozen storage under vacuum

The objective of the present research was the comparison of physicochemical properties of red deer and wild boar meat frozen under vacuum for 60 days and then cold stored during 7 days. The research material included vacuum-packed, frozen and stored for 60 days skeletal muscles from shoulder (deboned retail cut) of red deer (n=9) and wild boar (n=9). Following thawing, muscles were removed from the packaging and then cold stored 7 days. Measurements of physicochemical properties as follow: pH and electrical conductivity (1, 2, 3 and 7 d), CIE L*a*b* colour characteristics, parameters of water holding capacity and shear force test (1 and 7 d) were determined. The proximate composition of meat (contents of moisture, ash, protein and fat), as well water:protein ratio, energy value and nutritional quality index (NQI) for protein and fat were calculated. Red deer meat showed significantly (P0.05) lower content of fat and higher NQI for protein compared to wild boar. Muscles of both species stored for 3 d following thawing displayed pH below 6.0, and similar colour characteristics. However, cold storage significantly (P0.05) influenced the increase of lightness (L*) and decrease of redness (a*). Venison stored up to 7 d following thawing indicated significantly (P0.05) lower water holding capacity (higher cooking loss and free water amount). Meat of wild boar was significantly (P0.05) tougher (higher shear force and shear energy) than red deer. Although, the improvement of tenderness for meat of both species during cold storage was not observed up to 7 d following thawing, the red deer meat should be considered “tender”, and wild boar “intermediate”. The assessment of the nutritional value and physicochemical properties of retail elements from frozen venison indicate their high quality, fulfilling criterions for fresh meat in culinary and processing purposes

Relationships between the Content of Phenolic Compounds and the Antioxidant Activity of Polish Honey Varieties as a Tool for Botanical Discrimination

The study compared the content of eight phenolic acids and four flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of six Polish varietal honeys. An attempt was also made to determine the correlations between the antioxidant parameters of the honeys and their polyphenol profile using principal component analysis. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity (ABTS) and reduction capacity (FRAP) were determined spectrophotometrically, and the phenolic compounds were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The buckwheat honeys showed the strongest antioxidant activity, most likely because they had the highest concentrations of total phenols, total flavonoids, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, vanillic acid and chrysin. The principal component analysis (PCA) of the data showed significant relationships between the botanic origin of the honey, the total content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of the six Polish varietal honeys. The strongest, significant correlations were shown for parameters of antioxidant activity and TPC, TFC, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid. Analysis of four principal components (explaining 86.9% of the total variance), as a classification tool, confirmed the distinctiveness of the Polish honeys in terms of their antioxidant activity and content of phenolic compounds

Comparison of Physicochemical Properties, Fatty Acid Composition and Mineral Contents in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) Fillet and the Native Traditional Product Carp Ham

Based on the analysis of the proximate composition, mineral contents and fatty acid profiles, the objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value of the traditional product Carp Ham produced from common carp raw fillets. Significant differences were found in the proximate composition and mineral contents between the raw fillets and the final product. The contents of protein, fat and ash in 100 g of the traditional product (21.94, 8.63 and 6.58 g) were higher (P<0.01) than in fillets (19.28, 1.53 and 1.22 g), with an exception of the moisture content (63.60 vs. 77.79 g). Significantly higher energetic value showed Carp Ham (692 kJ/100 g) as compared to fillets (384 kJ/100 g). Carp fillet and Ham showed high values of the index of nutritive quality (INQ) for protein (8.43 and 5.44). Processing had a significant influence (P<0.05) on the decrease of K, Mg and Ca contents in Carp Ham (3107.8, 236.2 and 107.7 mg/kg), and the increase of Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu concentrations (2.10, 3.10, 0.50 and 0.16 mg/kg). Among the fatty acids, the only significant differences were stated for C20:1n-9 (2.22 vs. 1.76%) and C22:6n-3 (1.34 vs. 0.83%), with the higher values determined for fillets. The traditional product, Carp Ham, preserved positive nutritional features, which were better highlighted by the fatty acid composition, health-related indices and oxidative stability. The study indicated that the traditional manufacturing method retains the most part of the nutritional constituents present in the carp fillets

Effect of Pork Meat Replacement by Fish Products on Fatty Acid Content, Physicochemical, and Sensory Properties of Pork Pâtés

The aim of the study was to assess the influence of the addition of fish raw materials (roe or fish meat) on the quality and nutritional value of pork p&acirc;t&eacute;s. The control group (n = 4) consisted of pork p&acirc;t&eacute;s, I experimental group (n = 6) of p&acirc;t&eacute;s with 20% addition of roe (perch and pike), and II group of p&acirc;t&eacute;s with 20% addition of fish (perch and pike meat) (n = 6). The p&acirc;t&eacute;s&rsquo; pH, color, and profiled texture analysis were instrumentally measured and water, protein, fat, ash, and fatty acid content were determined by reference methods. To assess the oxidative stability of lipids the measurement of peroxide number, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and content of conjugated dienes and trienes was used. The degree of fat hydrolysis was determined on the basis of acid value. Sensory analysis was carried out using the scaling method, taking into account 12 unit quality characteristics. Products with roe and meat contained less fat (accordingly 15.9% and 14.1%) and showed lower calorific value (accordingly 225.6 and 208.6 kcal/100 g) compared to pork p&acirc;t&eacute;s (20.2% of lipids, 267 kcal/100 g). Moreover, the addition of fish raw materials improved the index of nutritional quality for protein (from 3.2 to 3.9) and beneficially reduced the nutritional index for fat (from 2.2 to 1.9). Fish constituents modified, to a certain extent, the color, texture, and sensory properties of p&acirc;t&eacute;s, while maintaining full acceptability in consumer assessment. The addition of fish roe significantly increased the healthful quality by improving the fatty acid profile of p&acirc;t&eacute;s, in which the significantly highest content of n-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (accordingly 252.21, 43.17, and 107.94 mg/100 g product), as well the highest concentration of saturated branched chain fatty acids were determined (18.75 mg/100 g product)

Relationships Linking the Colour and Elemental Concentrations of Blossom Honeys with Their Antioxidant Activity: A Chemometric Approach

The antioxidant activity of honey depends on the botanical origin, which also determines their physicochemical properties. In this study, a multivariate analysis was used to confirm potential relationships between the antioxidant properties and colour parameters, as well as the content of seven elements in five types of artisanal honey (rapeseed, buckwheat, linden, black locust, and multifloral). The type of honey was found to significantly influence most of its physicochemical properties, colour parameters, and the content of potassium, manganese and copper. Antioxidant parameters were shown to be significantly positively correlated with redness and concentrations of copper and manganese, but negatively correlated with the hue angle and lightness. The principal component analysis confirmed that the darkest buckwheat honey had the highest antioxidant activity in combination with its specific colour parameters and content of antioxidant minerals (manganese, copper and zinc). The level of these parameters can be potentially used for the identification of buckwheat honey

Residues of Pesticides and Heavy Metals in Polish Varietal Honey

The levels of chemical pollutants were determined in 30 samples of varietal honey from southeastern Poland, including 223 pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, acaricides, plant growth regulators, and veterinary drugs) and 5 heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, Cu, and Zn). In 10% of the samples, no pesticide residues were found. The most frequently identified pesticides were thiacloprid (90% of the samples, max 0.337 mg/kg), acetamiprid (86.6%, max 0.061 mg/kg), carbendazim (60%, max 0.049 mg/kg), DMF (56.6%, max 0.038 mg/kg), total amitraz (53.3%, max 0.075 mg/kg), thiamethoxam (26.6%, max 0.004 mg/kg), thiacloprid-amide (13.3%, max 0.012 mg/kg), dimethoate (10%, max 0.003 mg/kg), azoxystrobin (10%, max 0.002 mg/kg), tebuconazole (6.66%, max 0.002 mg/kg), and boscalid (3.33%, max 0.001 mg/kg). The acceptable limits for the compounds were not exceeded in any sample. The Pb content ranged between 0.044 and 0.081 mg/kg. The concentration of Hg and Cd did not exceed 5.0 &micro;g/kg and 0.02 mg/kg, respectively. The honey variety significantly (p &lt; 0.01) influenced the content of Cu, which ranged from 0.504 (rapeseed honey) to 1.201 mg/kg (buckwheat). A similar tendency (p &gt; 0.05) was observed for the Zn content, which ranged from 0.657 mg/kg (linden) to 2.694 mg/kg (buckwheat). Honey produced in southeastern Poland was shown to be safe for human consumption