Achillea millefolium L. is a member of the Asteraceae family and has been used in folk medicine in many countries. In this study, 19 compounds in A. millefolium essential oil (AM-EO) have been identified; the major components are artemisia ketone (14.92%), camphor (11.64%), linalyl acetate (11.51%) and 1,8-cineole (10.15%). AM-EO can suppress the inflammatory responses of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, including decreased levels of cellular nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide anion production, lipid peroxidation and glutathione (GSH) concentration. This antioxidant activity is not a result of increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, but rather occurs as a result of the down-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression, thus reducing the inflammatory response. Therefore, AM-EO can be utilized in many applications, including the treatment of inflammatory diseases in the future.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative stress is reportedly associated with progressive neuronal cell damage. Glechoma hederacea L. (Lamiaceae), belonging to the Labiatae family, has demonstrated several biologic activities including depigmentation, antimelanogenic, antitumor, antioxidative, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities. Previously, we reported that rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, genistin, and ferulic acids were the most abundant phytochemicals detected in hot water extracts of G. hederacea L. (HWG). This study aimed to study the neuroprotective effects of phenolic acids and flavonoid-rich HWG against hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 )-induced oxidative damage in PC12 cells and its inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The experiment analyzed cytotoxicity, ROS production, mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MMP) level, and caspase-3 activity and used comet assay and antioxidant enzyme activity to determine the redox status of PC12 cells. Results showed that the inhibitory effect of HWG on AChE was in a competitive pattern (IC50 , 23.23 mg/ml). HWG antagonized H2 O2 -mediated cytotoxicity and DNA damage, reduced ROS production, stabilized MMP, and inhibited caspase-3 activity and apoptosis. Furthermore, HWG inhibited the release of cytochrome C and apoptosis-inducing factors (AIF) and decreased the malondialdehyde levels in PC12 cells. Collectively, HWG rich in antioxidant phenolic acids and flavonoids may have neuroprotective effects. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Polyphenolic compounds are one of the most important natural products, known to possess a range of health-promoting effects. In this study, it was found that HWG, which is rich in antioxidant phenolic acids and flavonoids, can protect PC12 cells from oxidative stress induced by H2 O2 and may have neuroprotective effects.
Red bean (Phaseolus radiatus L. var. Aurea) is a leguminous seed and mainly used as one of the popular ingredients in oriental desserts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of 50 g/kg ethanolic extract of red bean (RBE) by measuring lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expressions of nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in RAW 264.7 macrophages. On the other hand, the antioxidant activity of RBE was determined by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances method and comet assay using H2O2-induced macrophages. The results showed that RBE at the concentrations of 50-200 μg/mL can significantly suppress the inflammatory responses in LPS-stimulated macrophages through the reduction of cellular NO and downregulation of the gene expressions of iNOS, COX-2, TNF-α, and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, RBE can diminish H2O2-induced oxidative damage in RAW 264.7 macrophage. Phenolic compounds and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside from BRE may have efficacy as overall in vitro anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Red bean exerts an anti-inflammatory response and has potential as a health-promoting ingredient.
Summary The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of fermentation time on the antioxidant activity of tempeh, a fermented product from soybean. Rhizopus oligosporus was used to ferment soybean for 0, 1, 2, 5 and 10 days. Lyophilised tempeh powder was extracted with hexane followed by petroleum ether, ether, 95% ethanol and water. Antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated with various models including α,α‐diphenyl‐β‐pricryl‐hydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide‐scavenging activities, reducing power and inhibitory activity towards lipid peroxidation. The results revealed that tempeh showed greater antioxidant activities than unfermented soybean. On behalf of a DPPH scavenger, water extracts were as good as 95% ethanol extracts. In comparison of superoxide anion‐scavenging activity, inhibition of lipid peroxidation and reducing power, 95% ethanol extracts were superior to water extracts. Tempeh fermented with R. oligosporus for 10 days exhibited the highest antioxidant activities than the others.
Graptopetalum paraguayense E. Walther is a popular traditional Chinese herb and possesses several health benefits. In earlier studies, we demonstrated that G. paraguayense showed no genotoxicity and showed several biological activities. However, the constituents of G. paraguayense have not been studied yet. In this present study, we isolated and identified the constituents of the leaves of G. paraguayense E. Walther.A total of seven flavonoid compounds were isolated from the methanolic extract of G. paraguayense. The four major compounds isolated were flavonoid glucoside derivatives of quercetin (1, 3) and kampferol (2, 4), each presenting a 3-hydroxyl-3-methylglutaroyl (HMG) substituent; compounds 3 and 4-the 2´´-acetyl derivatives of 1 and 2, respectively-are novel compounds isolated from nature for the first time. High-performance liquid chromatography for the quantitative analyses of the four major HMG-substituted flavonoid glycosides in G. paraguayense E. Walther were accomplished to acquire the high yields of 1-4 in the methanolic extract (4.8, 5.7, 4.3, and 2.5 mg/g, respectively). Furthermore, the antioxidant activities, including radical-scavenging, reducing power and lipid peroxidation inhibitory effects of these isolated flavonoids were also evaluated. All seven of the isolated flavonoid compounds possessed antioxdative activity.In this study of the constituents of the leaves of G. paraguayense E. Walther, we isolated four major components from its methanolic extract and determined their structures to be (acetylated) HMG-substituted flavonol glycosides, which are rare in nature. All seven of the isolated compounds possessed antioxdative activity, and those flavonoid compounds may be responsible for the functional ingredients in G. paraguayense. Further investigation of their bioactivities or pharmacological activities will be continued.
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