Tyrosinase Inhibitory Effect and Antioxidative Activities of Fermented and Ethanol Extracts of Rhodiola rosea

This is the first study to investigate the biological activities of fermented extracts of Rhodiola rosea L. (Crassulaceae) and Lonicera japonica Thunb. (Caprifoliaceae). Alcaligenes piechaudii CC-ESB2 fermented and ethanol extracts of Rhodiola rosea and Lonicera japonica were prepared and the antioxidative activities of different concentrations of samples were evaluated using in vitro antioxidative assays. Tyrosinase inhibition was determined by using the dopachrome method with L-DOPA as substrate. The results demonstrated that inhibitory effects (ED50 values) on mushroom tyrosinase of fermented Rhodiola rosea, fermented Lonicera japonica, ethanol extract of Lonicera japonica, and ethanol extract of Rhodiola rosea were 0.78, 4.07, 6.93, and >10 mg/ml, respectively. The DPPH scavenging effects of fermented Rhodiola rosea (ED50 = 0.073 mg/ml) and fermented Lonicera japonica (ED50 = 0.207 mg/ml) were stronger than effects of their respective ethanol extracts. Furthermore, the scavenging effect increases with the presence of high content of total phenol. However, the superoxide scavenging effects of fermented Rhodiola rosea was less than effects of fermented Lonicera japonica. The results indicated that fermentation of Rhodiola rosea and Lonicera japonica can be considered as an effective biochemical process for application in food, drug, and cosmetics

Involvement of F-Actin in Chaperonin-Containing t-Complex 1 Beta Regulating Mouse Mesangial Cell Functions in a Glucose-Induction Cell Model

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of chaperonin-containing t-complex polypeptide 1 beta (CCT2) in the regulation of mouse mesangial cell (mMC) contraction, proliferation, and migration with filamentous/globular-(F/G-) actin ratio under high glucose induction. A low CCT2 mMC model induced by treatment of small interference RNA was established. Groups with and without low CCT2 induction examined in normal and high (H) glucose conditions revealed the following major results: (1) low CCT2 or H glucose showed the ability to attenuate F/G-actin ratio; (2) groups with low F/G-actin ratio all showed less cell contraction; (3) suppression of CCT2 may reduce the proliferation and migration which were originally induced by H glucose. In conclusion, CCT2 can be used as a specific regulator for mMC contraction, proliferation, and migration affected by glucose, which mechanism may involve the alteration of F-actin, particularly for cell contraction

Association among Fibrinolytic Proteins, Metabolic Syndrome Components, Insulin Secretion, and Resistance in Schoolchildren

We investigated the role of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its soluble receptors (suPAR) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in metabolic syndrome (MetS) components, insulin secretion, and resistance in schoolchildren. We enrolled 387 children, aged 10.3 ± 1.5 years, in Taipei. Anthropometry, fibrinolytic proteins, MetS components, insulin secretion, and resistance were measured. Subjects were divided into normal, overweight, and obese groups. Finally, the relationship between fibrinolytic proteins and metabolic syndrome in boys and girls was analyzed. In boys, PAI-1 was positively associated with body mass index (BMI) percentile, hypertriglyceride, insulin secretion, and resistance. In girls, PAI-1 was positively associated with obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and insulin secretion. In girls, uPA was positively associated with insulin secretion. suPAR was positively associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in both boys and girls, and with BMI percentile and body fat in girls. The obese boys had higher suPAR and PAI-1 levels than the normal group. The obese girls had higher uPA, suPAR, and PAI-1 than the normal group. Boys and girls with MetS had higher PAI-1. Fibrinolytic proteins, especially PAI-1, are associated with MetS components and insulin secretion in children. Fibrinolytic proteins changes were more likely to occur in girls than in boys

Ferulic Acid, an Angelica sinensis

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a leading cause of adult nephrotic syndrome but lacks adequate treatment. Different extracts of Angelica sinensis (AS) and one of its active compounds, ferulic acid (FA), were used to evaluate the therapeutic effects in a MN mouse model. The MN model was grouped into three subgroups: no treatment (N-T), treatment at induction of MN (Pre-T), and treatment after full-blown MN (Post-T). The results showed that the methanol (ME) layer of AS extract exhibited a therapeutic effect on MN-induced proteinuria. The ME layer-enriched compound, FA, improved the hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia, and proteinuria in both Pre-T and Post-T groups. Ferulic acid also reduced the formation of oxidative protein products and increased the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes in groups Pre-T and Post-T. Regarding angiogenesis factors, the antiangiogenic factors in renal glomeruli were increased in group N-T, but, after FA treatment, only one of the antiangiogenic factors, thrombospondin-1, showed a significant decrease. Furthermore, the expression of Th2 predominant showed significant decrease in both Pre-T and Post-T groups when compared to that of N-T group. In summary, FA retarded the progression of MN, and the mechanisms involved the regulation of oxidative stresses, angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors, and attenuation of Th2 response

Studies on sensory quality analysis and packaging improvement of Pouchung tea

本研究分兩階段, 第一階段以近紅外線光譜儀進行各種茶樣及包種茶之化 學成份和官能品質分析。第二階段探討不同樣品處理方式對包種茶貯藏期 間品質變化之測定情形。以NIR分析七十種茶葉一般化學成份得之除油脂 外各成份(水分含量、總氮、多元酚及色澤)檢量線之R值皆大於 0.92, 而 實測值與預測值之相關係數(r值)均高於 0.96。在包種茶化學成份分析方 面, 各成份檢量線之R值除青心烏龍及金萱茶之色澤分別為0.91 及 0.93 外, 餘均高於 0.95, 而預測值與實測值之相關係數(r 值)皆高於 0.96。 另胺基酸分析結果顯示部份胺基酸含量較高且範圍大者較易得到高 R 值 及 r 值, 如Aspartic acid、Serine、Proline、Valine 和 Tryptophan 之R值及 r 值均高於 0.90。以近紅外線分析包種茶官能品質特性之結果 ，得知青心烏龍與金萱茶情形相近，其外觀、色澤之相關係數(r值)約 為0.80，香氣成分為二類，第一類為良好氣味(即新鮮成茶所具有之特殊 香味)其r值約為 0.85，第二類為不良氣味(即貯藏過程產生的)其r值約 為 0.75，滋味之r值可達 0.88。青心烏龍與金萱茶經不同包裝條件與貯 藏溫度下貯藏六個月, 定期取出進行水分含量、維生素C、多元酚、兒茶 素、脂肪酸等含量及茶湯色澤之測定與官能品評。及預測之相關係數 (r) 高於以粉末進行掃瞄分析者。 青心烏龍與金萱茶經四種不同包裝材 質OPP/CPP, KOP/PE/EVA, PE瓶及 PET瓶, 進行不同氧濃度 (0%, 10%,20%) 之充氣包裝, 並分別於 -20C, 5 C, 25C, 45 C四種溫度不見光 下外加上25C見光下貯藏六個月後, 分析兩種茶之主要化學成分與整體喜 好性之變化情形。其結果顯示, 採用PET瓶及 KOP/PE/EVA積層袋進行充氮 包裝(氧濃度為0%)於室溫貯藏之包種茶樣與OPP /CPP(或PE)積層袋普通包 裝(氧濃度為20%)於 -20C及5C低溫貯藏者兩相比較結果得知, 維生素 C、 兒茶素及脂肪酸之含量變化趨勢相近, 官能品評之整體喜好性兩者無顯著 差異, 而貯藏壽命, 則前者較後者為長。包種茶之成茶香氣成分經氣相層 析質譜儀鑑定,共計29種, 其中 3- exthoxylpropanal, thiobis methane, dimethyl sulfide, acetic acid ethye ester, 2-hexanone及 trans-2-hexenal 等成分之含量隨貯藏時間之增長而下降, 而 propionaldehyde, 1-penten-3-ol, n-capronaldehyde, acetic acid, pentanal , 2,5-hexane-dione, 4-methyl-2-pentanamine及 2,4-hephadinal 之含量則增加。目錄 圖目錄 表目錄 中文摘要 英文摘要 第一章：緒論 第二章：以近紅外線光譜技術進行茶葉品質分析之研究 第三章：不同樣品處理方式對近紅外線光譜儀測定包種茶貯藏期間品質變化之探討 第四章：包裝條件對包種茶貯藏期間品質之影響 第五章：包種茶貯藏期間成茶香氣成分變化及其與包裝材質之反應 第六章：可食性薄膜對延長包種茶貯藏品質之研究 總結 參考文