Anti-Herpes Simplex 1 Activity of Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Wax

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider) wax is used for various dermatological and pharmaceutical applications. Several reports have previously shown beneficial properties of Jojoba wax and extracts, including antimicrobial activity. The current research aimed to elucidate the impact of Jojoba wax on skin residential bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis), fungal (Malassezia furfur), and virus infection (herpes simplex 1; HSV-1). First, the capacity of four commercial wax preparations to attenuate their growth was evaluated. The results suggest that the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Malassezia furfur was unaffected by Jojoba in pharmacologically relevant concentrations. However, the wax significantly attenuated HSV-1 plaque formation. Next, a complete dose–response analysis of four different Jojoba varieties (Benzioni, Shiloah, Hatzerim, and Sheva) revealed a similar anti-viral effect with high potency (EC50 of 0.96 ± 0.4 µg/mL) that blocked HSV-1 plaque formation. The antiviral activity of the wax was also confirmed by real-time PCR, as well as viral protein expression by immunohistochemical staining. Chemical characterization of the fatty acid and fatty alcohol composition was performed, showing high similarity between the wax of the investigated varieties. Lastly, our results demonstrate that the observed effects are independent of simmondsin, repeatedly associated with the medicinal impact of Jojoba wax, and that Jojoba wax presence is required to gain protection against HSV-1 infection. Collectively, our results support the use of Jojoba wax against HSV-1 skin infections

Sulfate Fertilization Preserves Tomato Fruit Nutritional Quality

Sulfur is an essential mineral in human nutrition, involved in vital biochemical processes. Sulfur deficient soil is becoming a severe issue, resulting from increased agricultural production and decreased sulfur emissions. Tomato cultivation using sulfur-poor soils and desalinated water is becoming widespread, and might result in plant and fruit sulfur deficiency. In the current work, we aimed at evaluating the effect of sulfur fertilization (0.1–4 mM) on fruit sulfur concentrations, under both low (4 mM) and high (11 mM) nitrogen fertilization, to assess fruit sulfur biofortification, alongside the effect on fruit mineral composition, and on tomato plants. The experiment was performed on a semi-commercial scale, during two seasons, with a real-life fertilization range. We evaluated fruit elemental composition, in addition to young (diagnostic) leaves, as an indication to nutritional status. Our results show no harmful effect of low sulfur treatment on plant growth and high yield. Increased fertilization-sulfur exclusively induced sulfur accumulation in the fruit, while increasing fertilization-nitrogen subsequently increased fruit nitrogen. Sulfur treatments resulted in a consistent negative effect on fruit molybdenum and calcium, as well as a positive effect on fruit sodium levels. At the same time, other fruit minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, and copper, remained unaltered by sulfur treatments. Leaf response trends generally adhered to those of fruit. Taken together, our findings suggest that sulfur fertilization can biofortify tomato with sulfur while retaining fruit mineral composition and nutritional quality, excluding a decrease in Molybdenum levels, to assure food security and maintain fruit and vegetables as a significant source of sulfur and other minerals. Possibilities of practical application of this work’s results include optimization of fertilization levels in crop cultivation under sulfur deficiency for yield and nutritional quality, alongside the biofortification of tomatoes with sulfur and nitrogen with no adverse effect to other fruit minerals

Sulfate Fertilization Preserves Tomato Fruit Nutritional Quality

Sulfur is an essential mineral in human nutrition, involved in vital biochemical processes. Sulfur deficient soil is becoming a severe issue, resulting from increased agricultural production and decreased sulfur emissions. Tomato cultivation using sulfur-poor soils and desalinated water is becoming widespread, and might result in plant and fruit sulfur deficiency. In the current work, we aimed at evaluating the effect of sulfur fertilization (0.1–4 mM) on fruit sulfur concentrations, under both low (4 mM) and high (11 mM) nitrogen fertilization, to assess fruit sulfur biofortification, alongside the effect on fruit mineral composition, and on tomato plants. The experiment was performed on a semi-commercial scale, during two seasons, with a real-life fertilization range. We evaluated fruit elemental composition, in addition to young (diagnostic) leaves, as an indication to nutritional status. Our results show no harmful effect of low sulfur treatment on plant growth and high yield. Increased fertilization-sulfur exclusively induced sulfur accumulation in the fruit, while increasing fertilization-nitrogen subsequently increased fruit nitrogen. Sulfur treatments resulted in a consistent negative effect on fruit molybdenum and calcium, as well as a positive effect on fruit sodium levels. At the same time, other fruit minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, and copper, remained unaltered by sulfur treatments. Leaf response trends generally adhered to those of fruit. Taken together, our findings suggest that sulfur fertilization can biofortify tomato with sulfur while retaining fruit mineral composition and nutritional quality, excluding a decrease in Molybdenum levels, to assure food security and maintain fruit and vegetables as a significant source of sulfur and other minerals. Possibilities of practical application of this work’s results include optimization of fertilization levels in crop cultivation under sulfur deficiency for yield and nutritional quality, alongside the biofortification of tomatoes with sulfur and nitrogen with no adverse effect to other fruit minerals

Gundelia tournefortii: Fractionation, Chemical Composition and GLUT4 Translocation Enhancement in Muscle Cell Line

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic metabolic disease, which could affect the daily life of patients and increase their risk of developing other diseases. Synthetic anti-diabetic drugs usually show severe side effects. In the last few decades, plant-derived drugs have been intensively studied, particularly because of a rapid development of the instruments used in analytical chemistry. We tested the efficacy of Gundelia tournefortii L. (GT) in increasing the translocation of glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) to the myocyte plasma membrane (PM), as a main strategy to manage T2D. In this study, GT methanol extract was sub-fractionated into 10 samples using flash chromatography. The toxicity of the fractions on L6 muscle cells, stably expressing GLUTmyc, was evaluated using the MTT assay. The efficacy with which GLUT4 was attached to the L6 PM was evaluated at non-toxic concentrations. Fraction 6 was the most effective, as it stimulated GLUT4 translocation in the absence and presence of insulin, 3.5 and 5.2 times (at 250 μg/mL), respectively. Fraction 1 and 3 showed no significant effects on GLUT4 translocation, while other fractions increased GLUT4 translocation up to 2.0 times. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry of silylated fractions revealed 98 distinct compounds. Among those compounds, 25 were considered anti-diabetic and glucose disposal agents. These findings suggest that GT methanol sub-fractions exert an anti-diabetic effect by modulating GLUT4 translocation in L6 muscle cells, and indicate the potential of GT extracts as novel therapeutic agents for T2D

Impact of scion/rootstock reciprocal effects on metabolomics of fruit juice and phloem sap in grafted Citrus reticulata.

BACKGROUND:Rootstock has a significant impact on plant growth and development, including fruit maturation. However, the existence of mutual interaction between scion and rootstock is often neglected. To explore the origin of different fruit quality traits in citrus, we studied the effect of rootstock and the reciprocal interaction between scion and rootstock of nine combinations; three mandarin varieties grafted on three different rootstocks. We analyzed the metabolic profile of juice via gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS and LC-MS, respectively). Additionally, we profiled phloem sap composition in the scion and the rootstock. Quality traits of fruit and their physio-chemical characteristics were also evaluated. RESULTS:For all three cultivars, rootstock was found to affect fruit yield and biochemical fruit quality parameters (sugar and acidity) in interactions with the scions. In mandarin juice, eight of 48 compounds (two primary and six secondary) were related directly to the rootstock, and another seven (one primary and six secondary) were interactively affected by scion and rootstock. In scion and rootstock sap, six and 14 of 53 and 55 primary metabolites, respectively, were directly affected by the rootstock, while 42 and 33 were affected by rootstock interactively with scion, respectively. CONCLUSION:In this work, we show for the first time a reciprocal effect between rootstock and scion. Based on our results, the scion and rootstock interaction might be organ, distance or time dependent

Neuroprotective Effects of <i>Pulicaria incisa</i> Infusion on Human Neuroblastoma Cells and Hippocampal Neurons

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress increase susceptibility to neurodegeneration and other age-related pathologies. We have previously demonstrated that an infusion prepared from Pulicaria incisa (Pi) has protective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative effects in glial cells. However, the neuroprotective activities of Pi infusion in cultured neurons and aging mice have never been studied. In the following study, the effects of Pi infusion were explored in a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress model in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. Profiling of the infusion by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry identified chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and aucubin as some of its main constituents. H2O2-induced ROS accumulation and caspase 3 activity decreased SH-SY5Y viability and were prevented upon the pretreatment of cells with Pi infusion. Additionally, the Pi infusion upregulated cellular levels and the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) as well as the phosphorylation of cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB). Aging mice treated daily for 18 months with Pi infusion exhibited reduced neuronal cell death in the hippocampus as compared to age-matched controls. We, therefore, propose Pi infusion as a candidate regulator of oxidative stress in the brain

Role of Squalene in the Organization of Monolayers Derived from Lipid Extracts of Halobacterium salinarum

We have studied interfacial compressibility and lateral organization in monolayer configurations of total (squalene containing) and polar (squalene-devoid) lipid extracts of Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1, an extremely halophilic archaeon. Pressure–area isotherms derived from Langmuir experiments reveal that packing characteristics and elastic compressibility are strongly influenced by the presence of squalene in the total lipid extract. In conjunction with control experiments using mixtures of DPhPC and squalene, our results establish that the presence of squalene significantly extends elastic area compressibility of total lipid extracts, suggesting it has a role in facilitating tighter packing of archaeal lipid mixtures. Moreover, we find that squalene also influences spatial organization in archaeal membranes. Epifluorescence and atomic force microscopy characterization of Langmuir monolayers transferred onto solid hydrophilic substrates reveal an unusual domain morphology. Individual domains of microscopic dimensions (as well as their extended networks) exhibiting a peculiar bowl-like topography are evident in atomic force microscopy images. The tall rims outlining individual domains indicate that squalene accumulates at the domain periphery in a manner similar to the accumulation of cholesterol at domain boundaries in their mixtures with phospholipids. Taken together, the results presented here support the notion that squalene plays a role in modulating molecular packing and lateral organization (i.e., domain formation) in the membranes of archaea analogous to that of cholesterol in eukaryotic membranes

Role of Squalene in the Organization of Monolayers Derived from Lipid Extracts of Halobacterium salinarum

We have studied interfacial compressibility and lateral organization in monolayer configurations of total (squalene containing) and polar (squalene-devoid) lipid extracts of Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1, an extremely halophilic archaeon. Pressure–area isotherms derived from Langmuir experiments reveal that packing characteristics and elastic compressibility are strongly influenced by the presence of squalene in the total lipid extract. In conjunction with control experiments using mixtures of DPhPC and squalene, our results establish that the presence of squalene significantly extends elastic area compressibility of total lipid extracts, suggesting it has a role in facilitating tighter packing of archaeal lipid mixtures. Moreover, we find that squalene also influences spatial organization in archaeal membranes. Epifluorescence and atomic force microscopy characterization of Langmuir monolayers transferred onto solid hydrophilic substrates reveal an unusual domain morphology. Individual domains of microscopic dimensions (as well as their extended networks) exhibiting a peculiar bowl-like topography are evident in atomic force microscopy images. The tall rims outlining individual domains indicate that squalene accumulates at the domain periphery in a manner similar to the accumulation of cholesterol at domain boundaries in their mixtures with phospholipids. Taken together, the results presented here support the notion that squalene plays a role in modulating molecular packing and lateral organization (i.e., domain formation) in the membranes of archaea analogous to that of cholesterol in eukaryotic membranes

Role of Squalene in the Organization of Monolayers Derived from Lipid Extracts of Halobacterium salinarum

We have studied interfacial compressibility and lateral organization in monolayer configurations of total (squalene containing) and polar (squalene-devoid) lipid extracts of Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1, an extremely halophilic archaeon. Pressure–area isotherms derived from Langmuir experiments reveal that packing characteristics and elastic compressibility are strongly influenced by the presence of squalene in the total lipid extract. In conjunction with control experiments using mixtures of DPhPC and squalene, our results establish that the presence of squalene significantly extends elastic area compressibility of total lipid extracts, suggesting it has a role in facilitating tighter packing of archaeal lipid mixtures. Moreover, we find that squalene also influences spatial organization in archaeal membranes. Epifluorescence and atomic force microscopy characterization of Langmuir monolayers transferred onto solid hydrophilic substrates reveal an unusual domain morphology. Individual domains of microscopic dimensions (as well as their extended networks) exhibiting a peculiar bowl-like topography are evident in atomic force microscopy images. The tall rims outlining individual domains indicate that squalene accumulates at the domain periphery in a manner similar to the accumulation of cholesterol at domain boundaries in their mixtures with phospholipids. Taken together, the results presented here support the notion that squalene plays a role in modulating molecular packing and lateral organization (i.e., domain formation) in the membranes of archaea analogous to that of cholesterol in eukaryotic membranes