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Algae and its metabolites have been a popular subject of research in numerous fields over the years. Various reviews have been written on algal bioactive components, but a specific focus on Antarctic-derived algae is seldom reviewed. Due to the extreme climate conditions of Antarctica, it is hypothesized that the acclimatized algae may have given rise to a new set of bioactive compounds as a result of adaptation. Although most studies done on Antarctic algae are based on ecological and physiological studies, as well as in the field of nanomaterial synthesis, some studies point out the potential therapeutic properties of these compounds. As an effort to shed light on a different application of Antarctic algae, this review focuses on evaluating its different medicinal properties, including antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and skin protective effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Pycnoporus sanguineus is a fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota that has many applications in traditional medicine, modern pharmaceuticals, and agricultural industries. Light plays an essential role in the metabolism, growth, and development of fungi. This study evaluated the mycelial growth and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in P. sanguineus fermentation broth (PFB) cultured under different wavelengths of LED irradiation or in the dark. Compared to the dark cultures, the dry weight of mycelia in red- and yellow-light cultures decreased by 37 and 35% and the yields of pigments increased by 30.92 ± 2.18 mg and 31.75 ± 3.06 mg, respectively. Compared with the dark culture, the DPPH free radical scavenging ability, ABTS + free radical scavenging capacity, and reducing power of yellow-light cultures increased significantly, and their total phenolic content peaked at 180.0 ± 8.34 μg/mL. However, the reducing power in blue-light cultures was significantly reduced, though the total phenol content did not vary with that of dark cultures. In LPS- and IFN-γ-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, nitrite release was significantly reduced in the red and yellow light-irradiated PFB compared with the dark culture. In the dark, yellow-, and green-light cultures, TNF-α production in the inflamed RAW 264.7 cells was inhibited by 62, 46, and 14%, respectively. With red-, blue-, and white-light irradiation, TNF-α production was significantly enhanced. Based on these results, we propose that by adjusting the wavelength of the light source during culture, one can effectively modulate the growth, development, and metabolism of P. sanguineus., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the European Photochemistry Association, European Society for Photobiology.)

Edible bird's nest (EBN) is a precious food made from the solidified saliva of swiftlets. EBN from three types of origin, namely production, swiftlet species and geographical were characterised based on its nutritional composition, physicochemical properties and antioxidant properties. Proximate composition, total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activities were determined following official methods, while mineral and heavy metal contents were obtained by respective atomic adsorption spectrometry (AAS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Amino acids profile and sialic acid were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Calcium and sodium were the major elements in EBN samples at averages of 17,267 mg/kg and 13,681 mg/kg, respectively. Despite protein contents were not significantly different; interestingly the total amino acids in A. fuciphagus EBN, 64.57 g/100 g was found to be 23% higher than in A. maximus EBN. EBN from house, A. fuciphagus and Peninsular Malaysia had greater antioxidant activities, 2.33-3.49 mg AAE/g and higher sialic acid, 13.57 g/100 g while those from cave, A. maximus and East Malaysia contained more minerals like calcium and magnesium. The 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of house, A. fuciphagus and Peninsular Malaysia EBNs were approximately 2 times greater than the others. All samples were complied with the Malaysian Standard MS 2334:2011, except for mercury and nitrite. The overall findings suggest that the quality of EBN was varied following the production, species and geographical origins., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

We evaluated the cytoprotective effects of americanin B, a lignan compound, against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced cell damage. Americanin B decreased the level of DPPH radicals, superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals, and intracellular reactive oxygen species. Americanin B also attenuated DNA damage induced by H2O2 treatment, as shown by the inhibition of formation of comet tails, indicative of DNA strand breakage, and prevented the oxidation of protein and peroxidation of lipid, as determined by protein carbonyls and 8-isoprostane. Furthermore, americanin B protected against H2O2-induced apoptotic cell death, as determined by a reduction in the numbers of apoptotic bodies stained with Hoechst 33342. These findings suggest that americanin B protects cells against oxidative damage by exerting antioxidant effects and inhibiting apoptosis.

Background: Phenylhydrazine, a hemolytic agent, is widely used as a model of experimental hyperbilirubinemia. Palm tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) was shown to exert beneficial effects in hyperbilirubinemic rat neonates., Aim: To investigate the effects of palm TRF supplementation on hepatic bilirubin-metabolizing enzymes and oxidative stress status in rats administered phenylhydrazine., Methods: Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into two groups; one group was intraperitoneally injected with palm TRF at the dose of 30 mg/kg/day, while another group was only given vehicle (control) (vitamin E-free palm oil) for 14 days. Twenty-four hours after the last dose, each group was further subdivided into another two groups. One group was administered phenylhydrazine (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) and another group was administered normal saline. Twenty-four hours later, blood and liver were collected for biochemical parameter measurements., Results: Phenylhydrazine increased plasma total bilirubin level and oxidative stress in the erythrocytes as well as in the liver, which were reduced by the pretreatment of palm TRF. Palm TRF also prevented the increases in hepatic heme oxygenase, biliverdin reductase and UDP-glucuronyltransferase activities induced by phenylhydrazine., Conclusion: Palm tocotrienol-rich fraction was able to afford protection against phenylhydrazine-induced hyperbilirubinemia, possibly by reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting bilirubin-metabolizing enzymes in the liver.

The objective of this study was to improve product quality of dehydrated fruits (apple, pear, papaya, mango) using combined drying techniques. This involved investigation of bioactivity, colour, and sensory assessment on colour of the dried products as well as the retention of the bio-active ingredients. The attributes of quality were compared in regard to the quality of dehydrated samples obtained from continuous heat pump (HP) drying technique. It was found that for apple, pear and mango the total colour change (ΔE) of samples dried using continuous heat pump (HP) or heat pump vacuum-microwave (HP/VM) methods was lower than of samples dried by other combined methods. However, for papaya, the lowest colour change exhibited by samples dried using hot air-cold air (HHC) method and the highest colour change was found for heat pump (HP) dehydrated samples. Sensory evaluation revealed that dehydrated pear with higher total colour change (ΔE) is more desirable because of its golden yellow appearance. In most cases the highest phenol content was found from fruits dried by HP/VM method. Judging from the quality findings on two important areas namely colour and bioactivity, it was found that combined drying method consisted of HP pre-drying followed by VM finish drying gave the best results for most dehydrated fruits studied in this work as the fruits contain first group of polyphenol compounds, which preferably requires low temperature followed by rapid drying strategy., (Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)