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Dietary fiber has been considered a key element in shaping the beneficial host-microbe symbiosis. In the present study, we identified Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruits as a promising dietary fiber source. The physicochemical properties and in vitro fermentability by human fecal microbes of R. roxburghii pomace water insoluble dietary fiber (RIDF) obtained from ultrasonic extraction and ultrahigh pressure (90 MPa)-treated RIDF (RIDF-90) were compared to those of R. roxburghii Tratt pomace (R). Ultrahigh pressure modification significantly increased the water holding, oil holding, and swelling capacity of RIDF-90 in comparison to R and RIDF. RIDF-90 displayed the slowest fermentation rate yet yielded the highest butyrate production. The superior butyrogenic properties of both RIDF-90 and, in part, RIDF were reflected by increased Coprococcus and Ruminococcus levels, demonstrating that ultrasonic extraction and/or further ultrahigh pressure treatment of insoluble fibers promotes the prebiotic value of R. roxburghii Tratt.

Background The association between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and atrial fibrillation (AF) was already described by several authors. In fact, botulinum toxin injection in this tissue reduces new-onset AF after open-heart surgery. Our previous results showed an elevation of adiposity in epicardial stromal vascular cells (SVC), assessed by the higher levels of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) in AF patients; and a higher lipid accumulation in these cells after chronic acetylcholine treatment. We wanted to identify the proteins released from EAT SVC in presence/absence of mature adipocytes, that could be exerting a paracrine effect over the myocardium. The identification of these proteins might shed light on possible triggers in epicardial SVC and the mechanisms underlying botulinum toxin benefits on AF. Material and methods Proteomic studies were performed in 32 samples from 8 patients undergoing open-heart surgery (4 with and 4 without AF). Epicardial SVC were isolated by collagenase digestion and cultured in M199 medium. Then, cells were induced or not to adipocyte differentiation. After this intervention, cells were treated or not with acetylcholine (10uM) for 30 min. Conditioned medium was stored until be used. Differential released proteins were identified by nano-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Triple-Time of flying (TOF) analysis, and quantified by SWATH-Ms proteomics anaylisis. Results The quantitative proteomic approach has identified 111 common proteins in EAT SVC from patients with and without AF. A 79,3% of the genes which encoded the proteins identified were citoplasmic. A 78,4% were classified as components of the cellular exosomes, followed by genes related with centrosome (37,1%), nucleosome (15,5%), lysosomes (40,5%) and nucleolus (37,1%). Acute cholinergic treatment with ACh at 10 uM decreased α-defensin 3 (DEFA3, ID: 59666; p-value = 0,0297) secretion from EAT SVC of AF patients in comparison with EAT SVC from non-AF patients. In the same line, Peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase A (PPIA, ID: P62937) showed a lower secretion from SVC of AF patients (p=0,0326). After adipogenesis-induction, adipocyte presence modified the protein secretion under ACh treatment: Differences between AF and non-AF patients lied on 2 different proteins: profilin 1 (PFN1, ID: P07737, p-value = 0,0286) and β-enolase (ENO3, ID: P13929, p-value = 0,0414), showing a higher and lower secretion in AF patients regarding non-AF patients, respectively. Conclusions EAT SVC showed a differential protein secretion according adipocyte and AF presence. Although further studies are needed, the proteins differentially secreted in EAT SVC are related to inflammation (DEFA3), structure (PFN1) and glucose metabolism (ENO3), pointing the pathways that could be modified in AF patients. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Plan Estatal de I+D+I 2016-2020 and ISCIII-Subdirecciόn General de Evaluaciόn y Fomento de la Investigaciόn el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) Figure 1. Common proteins secreted from EAT SVCFigure 2. Differentially secreted proteins in AF

In this study, the digestion and fermentation properties of a bioactive polysaccharide (MOP-2) purified from Moringa oleifera leaves and its impact on the human colonic microbiota were determined using simulated saliva-gastrointestinal digestion and human fecal fermentation models in vitro. The results showed that the simulated saliva and gastric juices had no effect on the average molecular weight (MW) of MOP-2. The MW of MOP-2 slightly decreased from 155.29 to 145.02 kDa during intestinal digestion, and the reducing sugar content increased from 0.159 to 0.234 mg/ml, indicating that MOP-2 was partially degraded during intestinal digestion. During fermentation, MOP-2 was largely used by human fecal inoculums. Notably, MOP-2 could significantly regulate the structure of the microbial community by improving the relative abundances of some beneficial gut microbiota, such as Phascolarctobacterium, Coprococcus, Roseburia, and Bacteroides. Additionally, after fermentation for 48 hr, MOP-2 could significantly improve the production of short-chain fatty acids, especially n-butyric acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, and n-valeric acid. These results suggested that MOP-2 could potentially be a gut microbiota manipulator aimed at promoting gut health. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Gut microbial community is an important part of the human intestinal environment. The health of gut microbiota is closely associated with host heath. This work reported that a polysaccharide (MOP-2) purified from Moringa oleifera leaves could modulate the microbial structure by improving the relative abundances of some beneficial gut microbiota, which provided useful information for the application of MOP-2 as a prebiotic additive in food industry.

The physical structure of type 1 resistant starch (RS 1) could influence the metabolite production and stimulate the growth of specific bacteria in the human colon. In the present study, we isolated intact cotyledon cells from pinto bean seeds as whole pulse food and RS 1 model and obtained a series of cell wall integrities through controlled enzymolysis. In vitro human fecal fermentation performance and microbiota responses were tested, and we reported that the cell wall integrity controls the in vitro fecal fermentation rate of heat-treated pinto bean cells. The concentration of butyrate produced by pinto bean cell fermentation enhanced with weakened cell wall integrity, and certain beneficial bacterial groups such as Blautia and Roseburia genera were remarkably promoted by pinto bean cells with damaged cell wall integrity. However, the intact cell sample had a shape more similar to microbiota composition with the purified cell wall polysaccharides, rather than the damaged cells.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the release of phenolics, biological activity variation and prebiotic potential of whole gold kiwifruit and pomace by in vitro digestion and colonic fermentation. The released phenolics of whole kiwifruit and pomace after digestion were 99.53 and 101.04 mg GAE per 100 g FW, respectively. Six compounds were quantified, and catechin, gallic and caffeic acid were mainly released in the oral phase, protocatechuic acid in the gastric phase, and coumaric and hydroxybenzoic acid during fermentation. The whole kiwifruit possessed higher antioxidant activity than the pomace, while both showed decreases during the whole digestion and fermentation process. After S-intestine digestion, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of pomace and whole kiwifruit were 1.33 and 3.11 mg acarbose per g FW, respectively. The fermentation of the whole kiwifruit and pomace caused reduction of the pH and variation of the gut microbiota diversity. Compared with whole kiwifruit, the pomace showed stronger modulative effects on the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes. These findings provide scientific evidence for the utilization of pomace and whole gold kiwifruit.

Molecular conformation is closely related to the functional properties of macromolecules. In order to prove that the bioactivity of mulberry fruit polysaccharides (MFPs) is greatly affected by the conformation, and to improve adsorption properties, we have designed Fe3O4@MFPNPs core-shell nanoparticles. The spherical Fe3O4@MFPNPs have been successfully synthesized with particle size distribution in the ranges of 3-10 nm and 68-164 nm, which are smaller than their previously prepared original polysaccharides and MFP-Fe(iii). The Fe3O4@MFPNPs showed better antioxidant activity in comparison to MFP and MFP-Fe(iii). The difference in the antioxidant activity between Fe3O4@MFPNPs and MFP-Fe(iii), both of which were modified based on elemental iron, may be attributed to their different conformations: MFP-Fe(iii) were rod-shaped, while Fe3O4@MFPNPs were spherical. Furthermore, Fe3O4@MFPNPs also exhibited greater absorption in the small intestine, which can promote its application in human health.

Glycosylation has a great effect on the antioxidant ability of proteins, which is due to the structural conformational change of peptides in the protein. In this study, a chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) was selected as the saccharide for glycation with lactoferrin (LF) by a wet-heat method, and a new stripe at a higher molecular zone in the gel of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and a change in the bond revealed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and fluorescence spectroscopy analyses were used to confirm that the chitosan oligosaccharide was successfully covalently bound to lactoferrin. The ABTS and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays indicated that lactoferrin exhibited a stronger antioxidant activity after glycation with the chitosan oligosaccharide. High-resolution mass spectroscopy further illuminated the relationship of enhanced antioxidant capacity and structural conformational change of peptides in lactoferrin at a molecular level.

This study was aimed at investigating the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of a polysaccharide (RTFP) isolated from Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit on type-2 diabetic db/db mice. The results indicated that the oral administration of RTFP could significantly decrease the body weight, fat, and liver hypertrophy and the levels of fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, and serum lipids of the db/db mice. Histopathological observation showed that RTFP could effectively protect the pancreas, liver, and epididymal fat against damage and dysfunction. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed that the gene expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-γ (PPAR-γ), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase-1 (ACC-1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6 Pase) were significantly down-regulated in the liver of db/db mice after treatment with RTFP. Moreover, RTFP treatment reversed gut dysbiosis by lowering the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio and enhancing the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria including Bacteroidaceae, Bacteroidaceae S24-7 group, and Lactobacillaceae. These findings suggest that RTFP can be used as a promising functional supplement for the prevention and treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus.

In the present study, the digestion and fermentation of blackberry polysaccharides (BBPs) with different molecular weights (Mw) were investigated. The results showed that the Mw decrease rates of BBP, BBP-8, BBP-16, and BBP-24 were 77.48, 69.61, 56.87, and 52.89%, respectively. The antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of BBPs were decreased under gastrointestinal condition, which might be due to the variation of Mw during digestion. The bile acid-binding ability of BBPs showed an Mw-dependent manner for higher Mw polysaccharides with higher viscosity. Through fermentation, the BBPs affected the ecosystem of the intestinal tract by promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids, lowering the pH of colon, and decreasing the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. All BBPs showed almost a similar modulation effect on the gut bacteria, but the lower Mw polysaccharide was more easily utilized by bacteria.

β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) was modified using octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) to introduce amphiphilic groups (hydrophilic carboxyl and lipophilic octenyl chains) by esterification under alkaline conditions. The FT-IR results indicated that the OSA-modified β-CD (OCD) showed new absorption peaks of an ester bond and a carboxylate (RCOO-) at 1724 and 1570 cm-1, respectively, confirming the successful preparation of OCD. Then the embedding effects of β-CD and OCD on β-carotene and the emulsifying and antioxidant properties of their inclusion complexes were evaluated. The results of XRD showed that the β-CD (or OCD)/β-carotene inclusion complexes were converted from a cage-type structure to a channel-type structure. AFM and SEM showed that the crystal characteristics and surface morphologies of the inclusion complexes were different from those of the physical mixture. The emulsion stabilized by OCD exhibited smaller droplet sizes and larger zeta-potentials than that stabilized by β-CD. In addition, the inclusion complexes-prepared emulsion exhibited lower POV values and TBARS contents than did the physical mixture. OCD/β-carotene inclusion complexes can improve the physical and oxidative stability of the emulsion, which is of great significance to the food industry.

A ferulic acid-sugar beet pulp pectin complex (FA-SBPP) was prepared using an immobilized enzyme (Novozym 435®) as the catalyst at 60 °C in a vacuum-controlled system. The structure of FA-SBPP was characterized by FT-IR and NMR (1H and 13C). In addition, the antioxidant activity of FA-SBPP was evaluated according to the DPPH free radical scavenging ability and ORAC values. Moreover, the physical and oxidation stability of the emulsion was evaluated by particle size distribution, cream index (CI), peroxide value (POV), and 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) formation. The results showed that esterification between FA and SBPP was confirmed, and the reaction mainly occurred at the C-2, C-3, and C-6 positions. When the concentration was 1.0 mg/mL, the DPPH scavenging activity and total antioxidant activity of FA-SBPP-3 were 80.03% and 355.72 μmol TE/g, respectively. Compared with SBPP, FA-SBPP-stabilized emulsions exhibited significant smaller droplet sizes and lower CIs, POVs and TBARS amounts. Thus, the introduction of FA changed not only the chemical reactivity but also the polarity of SBPP, thereby improving its antioxidant ability and affinity for the oil-water interface. Thus, we provide a multifunctional stabilizer that can reduce the dose of antioxidants or even replace them in oil-in-water emulsions.

A polysaccharide, designated as PSP-1, was isolated and purified from Sargassum pallidum. Physicochemical characterization showed that PSP-1 with the average molecular weight of 1.036 × 106 Da was composed of fucose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid in a molar ratio of 18.45:2.15:19.06:1.89:16.07:1.00:5.74:20.09. The results of antioxidant assays indicated that PSP-1 had good DPPH radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, cellular antioxidant activity, and reactive oxygen species inhibition activity, and could significantly improve cellular antioxidant enzymes of ABAP-induced HepG2 cell model. The results of hypoglycemic assays showed that PSP-1 possessed favorable α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, and could remarkably enhance glucose consumption, glycogen synthesis and the activities of pyruvate kinase and hexokinase in insulin-resistance HepG2 cells. The results suggest that PSP-1 can be exploited as a potential antioxidant and hypoglycemic candidate for functional and nutraceutical applications.

This study was carried out to study the effects of selenylation on physicochemical and biological properties of polysaccharide (SPP) extracted from Sargassum pallidum. The selenized derivative of SPP (Se-SPP) with the selenium content of 2419 μg/g was synthesized by sodium selenite/dilute nitric acid method. Physicochemical characterization indicated that selenylation modification resulted in some changes in chemical composition, monosaccharide composition, molecular weight and surface morphology of polysaccharides. FT-IR spectroscopy showed that a new absorption peak appeared at 675 cm−1 in Se-SPP probably due to the substitution of selenyl groups. Bioactivity assay showed that Se-SPP exhibited higher scavenging radical activities and ferrous ion chelating activities than native SPP. Compared with SPP and acarbose, Se-SPP showed more significantly inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase activity in a noncompetitive inhibition type. The IC50 values of SPP, Se-SPP and acarbose were determined as 1.579, 0.896 and 2.742 mg/mL, respectively. These results suggest that Se-SPP can be used to develop a new selenium-complementary ingredient in functional foods.

Background Dietary fiber is the undigested carbohydrate that escapes small intestinal digestion and absorption, and then reaches the large intestine for partial or complete fermentation by the colonic microbiota. Fermentation of dietary fiber into short-chain fatty acids (i.e., acetic, propionic, and butyric particularly) in the colon has been reported to bring about positive changes in microbiota composition and reduce the risk of colon-related diseases as well as some metabolic syndromes, such as obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and systemic inflammation. Scope and approach There is a growing interest in the fate of different dietary fibers in the gastrointestinal tract regarding their rate and extent (location) of fermentation and microbiota changes, particularly from data obtained with static and dynamic in vitro models. These models provide information on the fermentation performance and microbiota modulation by dietary fibers with diverse structures and enable the formulation of functional foods with health benefits. Key findings and conclusions This review summarizes the fermentation performance of various dietary fibers using in vitro models. Both the physical and chemical structures of dietary fibers are critical factors that determine fermentation rate, short-chain fatty acid profiles and growth of different bacterial groups. Considering the potential relationship between fermentation performance and health, three principles for designing fermentable dietary fiber are proposed: slow fermentation in the colon; high butyrate and/or propionate production; and selective bacterial growth, promoting the beneficial bacteria that improve the intestinal barrier function.

A novel polysaccharide (MFP4P) was isolated from mulberry fruits (Morus alba L.) pulp using a combination of DEAE-Sepharose fast-flow and Sephadex G-100 chromatographic columns. Structural characterization revealed that MFP4P was composed of arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, glucose and galacturonic acid with a molecular weight of 198.2 kDa. The linkage types of MFP4P were proved to be (1 → 6)-linked α-D-Glc, (1 → 2)-linked α-L-Rha, (1 → 3)-linked α-D-Gal, (1 → 3)-linked β-L-Rha and (1 → )-linked α-L-Ara. The MFP4P showed good antioxidant activity with an oxygen radical absorbance capacity value of 121.8 ± 16.5 μM trolox equivalent/g. In addition, the MFP4P promoted pancreatic cell proliferation, increased insulin secretion, and enhanced glucose consumption. In the non-toxic range, the polysaccharide and zinc complexes (MFP4P-Zn) exhibited higher antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities than MFP4P at the same concentration. In vivo hypoglycemic study, MFP4P and MFP4P-Zn both showed decreased blood glucose level and glucose tolerance compared with the model control group.

In this study, hot water, 0.1 M HCl and 0.1 M NaOH and 0.1 M NaCl solution were separately used for extraction of blackberry polysaccharides (BPs: Hw, Ac, Al and Na). The physicochemical properties and biological activities were then investigated and compared. Results showed that the extraction yield, molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, particle size, triple-helical structure, surface morphology and rheological properties of BPs were greatly affected by extraction solvents. Bioactivity assays implied that the four BPs showed that the polysaccharides (Hw and Na) with higher molecular weight had stronger antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Moreover, anti-glycated assay indicated that BPs with higher molecular weight and higher content of galacturonic acid possessed better inhibition of AGEs formation. These results suggested that the higher molecular weight of blackberry polysaccharide could be developed as a beneficial bioactive ingredient for diabetes mellitus and complications.

In vitro digestion and fermentation of blackberry fruit was investigated, and results showed that the phenolics were mainly released in gastric phase while carbohydrates in small intestinal phase. The bioaccessibility for phenolics and carbohydrates were 42.80% and 69.30%, indicating most of phenolics still remain in colon and available for intestinal flora. The total phenolics released during the digestion account for the improvement of antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities. Especially, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside with higher released amount and bioaccessibility index (63.21%), exhibited the strongest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. After fermentation, the non-digestible fractions of blackberry affected the ecosystem of the intestinal tract by decreasing the colonic pH (△pH = 1.10), enhancing the production of SCFAs and modulating gut microbiota composition (the ratio of Firmicute/Bacteroidetes decreased from13.18 to 0.87). The results provided insights into the digestive properties and health benefits of blackberry fruit after consumption.

The cell wall microstructure has been recognized to modulate the digestibility and bioaccessibility of nutrients in whole pulse foods, while the role of cell wall integrity is unclarified in the hydrolysis of intracellular nutrients during human gastrointestinal transit. Intact pea cells were isolated to prepare a series of cell wall integrity subjected to cooking and followed by the in vitro hydrolysis of starch and protein properties using the INFOGEST 2.0 in vitro simulation. Thermal properties showed that cell samples either in raw or cooked form with different wall integrity exhibited similar and higher starch gelatinization temperatures compared to the isolated starch counterpart. It was found that intact pea cells showed the limited hydrolysis extent of the maltose (16.2%) and NH2 (6.7%) compared to the damaged cells. In addition, intact cells also withheld the cell wall integrity throughout gastrointestinal digestion with minor rupture, and presented the higher protein molecular weight (70 kDa) in the SDS-PAGE profiles. Results suggested that the in vitro starch and protein digestion properties are modulated by the cell wall integrity, which may lead to lower glycemic response and open up the possibilities of designing health food products.

This study aimed at investigating the structure, hypoglycemic activity and the underlying mechanism of a homogeneous polysaccharide (PSP-2) purified from Sargassum pallidum. Structural characterization revealed that PSP-2 with a molecular weight of 144.8 kDa was composed of fucose (21.6%), arabinose (2.5%), galactose (22.4%), glucose (2.2%), xylose (18.8%), mannose (1.2%), glucuronic acid (7.7%) and galacturonic acid (23.6%). The backbone chain of PSP-2 was composed of →1)-β-d-Xylp-(3→, →1,3)-β-l-Fucp-(4→, →1)-α-d-Galp-(6→, and →1)-α-d-GlcpNAc-(2→, and the side chains were composed of →1,3,6)-α-d-Galp-(2→, →3)-β-l-Fucp-(1,4→, β-d-GalpNAc-(1→, and α-d-Manp-(1→. In vitro hypoglycemic assays indicated that PSP-2 could significantly enhance glucose consumption, glycogen synthesis, and pyruvate kinase (PK) and hexokinase (HK) activities of insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. Furthermore, the underlying mechanistic studies revealed that PSP-2 could ameliorate insulin resistance by up-regulating the expression levels of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), glycogen synthase (GS), phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) and glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4). These results suggested that PSP-2 may be a potential candidate for the prevention and treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Defective glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) induced by chronic exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, it is of great interest to search for biofunctional agents with antioxidant activity to protect pancreatic islet cells from oxidative damage. In the present study, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) functionalized with a novel polysaccharide (RTFP-3) extracted from Rosa roxburghii fruit were first prepared via a facile, single-step and green in situ synthesis method. The in vitro protective effects of RP3-SeNPs on INS-1 cells against H2O2-induced cell apoptosis were investigated. Structural characterization indicated that RTFP-3-functionalized SeNPs (RP3-SeNPs) with an average diameter of 104.5 nm were highly uniform and extremely stable in comparison with bare SeNPs. The results of bioassays revealed that RP3-SeNPs possessed much higher protective and suppressive activities against H2O2-induced apoptosis of INS-1 cells in comparison with their individual components. After treatment with an RP3-SeNPs solution (2 μg mL-1), the cell viability of INS-1 cells reached about 89.34%. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that RP3-SeNPs effectively blocked the overproduction of intracellular ROS, mitochondrial damage, and the activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 in INS-1 cells, which indicated that RP3-SeNPs functioned via attenuating oxidative stress and downregulating the expression of uncoupling protein-2 (UCP-2). Our findings suggest that RP3-SeNPs can function as a promising candidate to prevent or limit the dysfunction of β-cells.

In the present study, the digestion properties of a polysaccharide from Rosa roxburghii fruit (RTFP-3) under saliva, simulated gastric and small intestinal conditions were studied for the first time. The results indicated that human saliva had no effect on RTFP-3. RTFP-3 was slightly degraded in simulated gastric and small intestinal juices. The molecular weight (Mw) of RTFP-3 was decreased from 67.59 to 44.22 kDa. Meanwhile, the reducing sugars were increased from 0.503 to 1.744 mM. Then, the prebiotic effects of RTFP-3 were examined by in vitro fermentation model. RTFP-3 could significantly increase the production of total short-chain fatty acids from 23.49 to 44.29 mM, and 60.28% of total carbohydrate was consumed after 48 h fermentation. Furthermore, RTFP-3 could significantly modulate the microbial structure by lowering the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes from 14.89 to 4.68 after 48 h fermentation, and improving the relative abundances of some beneficial gut microbiota.

This study aims to investigate the bioaccessibility, bioactivity and gut microbiota modulation effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation. A total of 24.95 ± 0.91 mg GAE per g DM and 21.66 ± 1.41 mg RE per g DM of phenolics and flavonoids were released during digestion. The HPLC-ESI-TOF/MS analysis showed that the major phenolic compound 6,8-di-C-glucosylapigenin was released during oral digestion, catechin during gastric digestion, and quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucoside and ferulic acid during small intestine digestion. The antioxidant activity of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves during the whole digestion process was in line with the release of phenolics and flavonoids. In addition, the fermentation of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves induced the production of acetic, propionic, and n-butyric acids leading to a decrease in pH, as well as the growth of beneficial colonic bacteria. The results suggested that Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves are a promising candidate for healthy food.

Modulation of the starch digestion rate and extent is a major target for increasing nutritional value of potato-based food. In order to understand the effect of controlled gelatinization on the structure and in vitro digestion properties of whole potato food, intact parenchyma cells were isolated as a model through soaking in mild acid and alkali solutions, and then hydrothermally treated at different incubation temperatures in excess water. The morphological and structural changes of entrapped starch granules as well as in vitro starch digestion properties were investigated. Three classes of starch digestion of potato cells are identified: (1) when the temperature of hydrothermal treatment was set at 55 °C or 60 °C, the efficient physical barrier of intact cell walls resulted in a limited starch digestion extent; (2) when the temperature is set at 65 °C, the cell wall structures apparently reduced the digestion rate but only slightly reduced the final extent compared to the starch counterpart, probably because starch swelling weakens the physical barrier; (3) at 70-95 °C, the damaged cell wall still reduced the digestion rate but did not reduce the digestion extent compared to the starch counterpart. The results suggest that controlling hydrothermal processing temperature is a viable approach to develop potato ingredients with enhanced nutritional functionality.

In this study, the structure characteristics and the hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities of mulberry fruit polysaccharides obtained by the commonly used hot water (MFPh)-, ultrasonic (MFPu)-, acid (MFPc)- and alkali (MFPa)-assisted extraction methods were investigated. NMR analysis indicated that the four polysaccharides had similar glycosidic linkage patterns. Scanning electron microscopy analyses showed that the surface morphology of the polysaccharides was greatly affected by the extraction methods. The results of the bioactivity assays indicated that MFPh exhibited stronger antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory activities than the other polysaccharides. Moreover, all the polysaccharides showed good α-glucosidase inhibitory activities except for MFPu with the lowest molecular weight. These results suggested that acid, alkali, and ultrasonic-assisted extractions have different effects on the degradation of polysaccharides without changing the main structure compared with hot water extraction. In addition, the molecular weight of polysaccharides plays a key role in the bioactivity of the mulberry fruit polysaccharides.

This study examined the effects of different extraction temperatures (30 °C and 90 °C) on the physicochemical properties and bioactivities of polysaccharides (MFPs-30-60, MFPs-30-80, MFPs-90-40, MFPs-90-60 and MFPs-90-80) extracted at same ethanol gradation (40, 60 and 80%). The polysaccharides were extracted from Fructus Mori, and their antioxidant, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities were evaluated. The results showed that all the polysaccharide fractions contained the same monosaccharides but at different molar ratios. MFPs-30-80 had the highest content of glucose (30.33%), and MFPs-90-40 had the highest content of uronic acid (43.46%). In addition, compared to the extraction temperature of 30 °C, the higher temperature (90 °C) caused the degradation of the extracted polysaccharides. Generally, MFPs-30-80 showed superior antioxidant activity, MFPs-90-40 displayed good bile acid-binding ability, and both MFPs-30-80 and MFPs-90-40 exhibited the strongest inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity. This study concludes that the bioactivities of mulberry fruit polysaccharides depend on a combination of structural factors that are greatly affected by the extraction temperature.

Intact parenchyma cells were successfully isolated from potato tuber and chemically cross-linked with 5–12 wt.% sodium trimetaphosphate/sodium tripolyphosphate for investigating the effect of cross-linking on the structural characteristics and enzyme susceptibility of starch encapsulated within the cell walls. The results indicated that both starch and cell wall polysaccharides were cross-linked, and the swelling power of starch was significantly decreased with increasing degree of cross-linking. The cross-linking reaction also significantly reduced the rate and extent of starch digestion in both intact and disrupted cells after cooking. In addition, the cell-wall barrier effect on starch digestion increased with the degree of cross-linking, due probably to that limited starch swelling and pectin solubilization during cooking process partially protected cell wall integrity and thus decreased cell wall permeability. Overall, the study suggests that chemically cross-linking of cell wall polysaccharides can slow down the in vitro starch digestion of cooked potato foods.

Angiogenic growth factors play an important role in wound healing. However, their associations with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) in humans have rarely been investigated. We examined the relationships between circulating concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and placenta growth factor (PlGF), and DFU risk.We recruited 447 participants, including 169 DFU patients, 182 diabetes patients without DFUs, and 96 diabetes-free individuals. Plasma VEGF-A and PlGF concentrations were measured using commercial enzyme immunoassay kits.Concentrations of VEGF-A and PlGF in DFU patients were higher than those in diabetes-free controls (P 0.05), but lower than those in the diabetic controls (P 0.05). Increased concentrations of VEGF-A and PlGF were associated with a reduced risk of DFUs. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 0.93 (0.88, 0.97) for every 10 pg/ml increase in VEGF-A concentrations, and 0.96 (0.94, 0.99) for every 5 pg/ml increase in PlGF concentrations. VEGF-A concentrations were positively related to BMI, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), hypertension, and neuropathy, and PlGF was positively correlated to age, HbA1c, and hypertension, among DFU patients.VEGF-A and PlGF play important roles in the development of DFU but need to be confirmed in prospective studies.

Background: Previous studies have shown that hypertension is an important factor contributing to the occurrence and progression of diabetic kidney damage. However, the relationship between the patterns of blood pressure (BP) trajectory and kidney damage in the diabetic population remains unclear. This prospective study investigated the effect of long-term systolic BP (SBP) trajectory on kidney damage in the diabetic population based on an 8-year follow-up community-based cohort. Methods: This study included 4556 diabetic participants among 101,510 participants. BP, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and urinary protein were measured every 2 years from 2006 to 2014. SBP trajectory was identified by the censored normal modeling. Five discrete SBP trajectories were identified according to SBP range and the changing pattern over time. Kidney damage was evaluated through eGFR and urinary protein value. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the influence of different SBP trajectory groups on kidney damage. Results: We identified five discrete SBP trajectories: low-stable group (n = 864), moderate-stable group (n = 1980), moderate increasing group (n = 609), elevated decreasing group, (n = 679), and elevated stable group (n = 424). The detection rate of kidney damage in the low-stable group (SBP: 118–124 mmHg) was the lowest among the five groups. The detection rate of each kidney damage index was higher in the elevated stable group (SBP: 159–172 mmHg) compared with the low-stable group. For details, the gap was 4.14 (11.6% vs. 2.8%) in eGFR

Anthocyanins in rind extracts of three sugarcane cultivars, ROC 22, Haitang 22 and Guitang 21, were characterized using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) combined with electrospray ionization quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF-MS/MS). A total of thirteen anthocyanins were identified and quantified. Except for cyanidin-3-glucoside, twelve anthocyanins were reported for the first time from sugarcane. The total anthocyanin content (TAC) varied significantly from 10.8 (Haitang 22) to 132.0 μg/g dry rind weight (DW) (ROC 22). Regarding single anthocyanins, ROC 22 contained 79.8 μg/g DW cyanidin-3-glucoside but this anthocyanin was not identified in the other two cultivars. Instead, Guitang 21 contained 94.6 μg/g DW malvidin-3-p-coumaroyl-rhamnoside-5-glucoside. The rinds of red sugarcane cultivars ROC 22 and Guitang 21 had higher total antioxidant activities than green sugarcane Haitang 22, which was attributed to much higher contents of free and total phenolics. This study provides useful information for the production of valuable nutraceuticals from sugarcane.

Increasing evidence indicates that gut microbiota is an important factor in mediating the development of metabolic disorders, especially type 2 diabetes. Herein, we investigated the protective effects of polysaccharides from mulberry fruit on diabetic db/db mice. We observed an inhibition in the body weight increase, a decrease in the blood glucose levels, and an improvement in glucose tolerance. Furthermore, our data showed increased enzymatic activities as evidenced by parameters such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT). In addition, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) increased, while total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), lipid peroxide content malonaldehyde (MDA), and free fatty acid (FFA) levels decreased, accompanied by the recovery from damage to the liver, kidneys and pancreas. Meanwhile, metformin and polysaccharide similarly shifted the abundance of the main gut microbiota, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, in diabetic mice toward levels observed in healthy mice. Especially at the genus level, the enrichment of some key bacteria like Bacteroidales, Lactobacillus, Allobaculum, Bacteroides, and Akkermansia was observed. Taken together, our findings suggest that polysaccharides from the mulberry fruit modulate gut microbiota, including enriching functional bacteria and reducing microbial diversity, which may contribute to their antidiabetic effects.

In this work, recovery of phenolics from sugarcane bagasse was performed and total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activities were measured. Four fractions were yielded after extraction with various solvents and ethyl acetate fraction was performed into further purification, producing 30 sub-fractions (G1–G30). Six compounds were isolated and their structures were identified by high resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) and high definition nuclear magnetic resonance (HD-NMR) spectroscopy as p -coumaric acid, tricin, luteolin, tricin 7-O-β-glucopyranoside, protocatechuic acid and diosmetin 6-C-glucoside which was identified in this species for the first time. Tricin expressed highest antioxidant activity in ORAC assay (9.76 ± 1.01 μmol TE/μmol) but no antioxidant activity in PSC and CAA assays. The structure-activity relationship was discussed to elucidate the different activities of the isolated phenolics in ORAC and CAA assays. Luteolin, p -coumaric acid and protocatechuic acid showed antiproliferative effect against MCF-7 cells with the EC 50 at 28.45, 1856.90 and 3670.56 μM, respectively. This work reported the recovery of individual phenolics from bagasse, which suggested bagasse could be an abundant source of bioactive phenolics.

In the present work, optimization of microwave-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Sargassum thunbergii was investigated. The physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and in vitro antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities were determined. The optimal extraction conditions with a yield of 2.84±0.09% for extraction of polysaccharides (STP-1) were extraction time 23min, microwave power 547W, extraction temperature 80°C, and the ratio of raw material to water 1:27g/mL. STP-1 contained 32.7% of total carbohydrate, 1.86% of protein, and 15.2% of sulfates. STP-1 had a major molecular weight of 190.4kDa, and comprised of arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid with molar percentages of 1.94, 30.7, 4.54, 23.2, 17.6, 8.11, and 13.9%, respectively. In addition, STP-1 showed strong antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, and could improve the glucose uptake in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells, suggesting that STP-1 can be exploited as a promising natural antioxidant and hypoglycemic agent.

V-type starch carriers with different single helix contents were prepared using alcoholic-alkaline treatment followed by ethanol precipitation. Ethylene gas was entrapped into V-type starch carriers using a solid encapsulation method. The morphological and structural properties of inclusion complexes (ICs) were characterized using scanning electron and light microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, 13 C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Raman spectroscopy. Aqueous ethanol treatment resulted in swelling and aggregation of starch granules, and B-type diffraction reflections were either reduced or completely lost with evolution of V-type pattern. Ethylene concentrations in ICs vary from 15.4% to 23.6% (w/w), which was positively correlated with the single helix content in V-type starch carriers. The formation of ICs was confirmed by appearance of the characteristic peak associated with ethylene molecule on the 13 C NMR (123.14 ppm) and Raman (1630 cm −1 ) spectra. For the first time, we demonstrated that the single helix in V-type starch carrier determines the encapsulation capacity of ethylene.

Summary Adinandra nitida tea (Shiyacha) is a well-known resource of functional foods with many healthful features. Effect of stir frying on phenolics, aromatic compounds, cellular antioxidant and antiproliferative activities in A. nitida tea was investigated. Stir-fried samples depicted a significant increase in total water-soluble solid, phenolics and flavonoids contents, respectively. In stir-fried treated samples, main compounds were higher than in corresponding untreated samples. Similar trend was observed in aromatic compounds. Hydrophilic peroxyl radical scavenging capacity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity were enhanced immensely in the treated samples. Furthermore, cellular antioxidant activities of treated samples were higher than those of untreated samples. Stir-fried samples exhibited higher antiproliferative activity on HepG2 cells, whereas an lack in untreated samples. These findings suggest that stir frying could be an effective technique to improve A. nitida tea quality, and support that A. nitida tea could act as a potential functional food against intracellular oxidative stress and inhibitor of liver cancer.

Phytochemical profiles, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of berry extracts were evaluated and compared in four subspecies of Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.). Among the subspecies, Hippophae rhamnoides L. subsp. sinensis exhibited highest total phenolics content (38.7±1.3mgGA equiv./g DW) and corresponding total antioxidant activity. Whereas maximum cellular antioxidant and antiproliferative activities were determined in Hippophae rhamnoides L. subsp. yunnanensis. Total antioxidant activity was significantly associated to total phenolics, isorhamnetin-3-rutinoside and isorhamnetin-3-glucoside. The cellular antioxidant activity and antiproliferative activity of phytochemicals were fairly correlated to phenolic acids and flavonoid aglycones. Lower median effective dose (EC50) of individual compounds against human liver cancer HepG2 cells proliferation studies confirmed the better correlation between antiproliferative activity of Sea buckthorn extracts and flavonoid aglycones, including isorhamnetin, quercetin and kaempferol.

Morus alba L. is an edible fruit with multiple medical function. To reveal the geographic variation pattern of polysaccharide content in the mulberry fruits and its antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities, the fruit samples were collected and analyzed from seven geographic locations throughout the distribution areas in China. The polysaccharide content in the mulberry fruits ranged from 4.13 ± 0.04% to 1.07 ± 0.07%. All the polysaccharides derived from mulberry fruit showed certain antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities with a significant variation. Significant differences were observed among polysaccharide content, antioxidant activity, and sunshine hours, but no clear geographical or polysaccharide content variation patterns were observed for hypoglycemic activity. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the annual average sunshine hours was significantly correlated to the polysaccharide content and antioxidant activity. According to the polysaccharide contents and bioactivities, certain natural populations of M. alba L. such as Xinjiang, Hunan, and Anhui were recommended for food and medical use in future. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Morus alba L. belonging to the family Moraceae, is cultivated across an extensive range of geographical, climatic, and soil conditions. Polysaccharides from mulberry fruit have been proved to have the function of enhancing immunity, antiaging, anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic effects with no toxic record in clinic. It has been reported that the phytochemicals accumulation in plants is greatly affected by genetic, climatic, and harvesting factors during the growing period. We revealed the geographic variation pattern of polysaccharide content in the mulberry fruits and its antioxidant activity. Based on the polysaccharide contents and bioactivities, certain natural populations of M. alba L. such as Xinjiang, Hunan, and Anhui were recommended for food and medical use in future. The information obtained by this study could be useful for the selection of natural populations with adequate polysaccharide content, as well as high food and medical use for M. alba L.

Mulberry fruit polysaccharide (MFP) was obtained from Morus alba L. by a hot water extraction method, and mulberry polysaccharide fractions named MFP1, MFP2 and MFP3 were isolated by DEAE cellulose-52 column chromatography. Monosaccharide analysis of MFP1, MFP2 and MFP3 showed that the three components had the same monosaccharide compositions with different ratios, and galacturonic acid was the main monosaccharide component. Molecular weight measurements showed that MFP1 and MFP2 are heteropolysaccharides and MFP3 is a homogeneous polysaccharide. In addition, the chelate mechanism of iron(iii) and polysaccharide is proposed in which iron(iii) as a core is enwrapped by the polysaccharide as a ligand by hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, which induces a morphology change from flat sheets to rods and increases the size. Furthermore, the polysaccharides showed strong antioxidant activity to eliminate hydroxyl radicals and inhibit MDA production in healthy mouse liver homogenate. Also, the polysaccharide-iron(iii) chelates exhibited stronger superoxide radical scavenging ability than the polysaccharides. These results suggest that the polysaccharides derived from Morus alba L. are promising candidates for fabricating organic iron supplements with good antioxidant activity.

Little work has been conducted on the evaluation of antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of different sesame seed varieties. This article compared the total phenolics, antioxidant contents, and the antiproliferative activities of six varieties of white sesame seeds. Total contents of phenolics and flavonoids ranged between 370.5–786.8 mg GAE/100 g, DW and 714.0–1354.7 mg CE/100 g, DW, respectively. Antioxidant activity was determined by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), hydrogen peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC) and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assays. According to the ORAC and PSC assays, the white sesame seeds showed high antioxidant values of 33.94 μmol Trolox equiv./g, DW and 9.39 μmol Vit. C equiv./g, DW, respectively. The free CAA values ranged from 55.66 to 224.45 μmol QE/100 g, DW in the no PBS wash protocol, and 21.88–57.36 μmol QE/100 g, DW in the PBS wash protocol. The proliferation of HepG2 human liver cancer cells were inhibited significantly after exposure to the white sesame seed extracts, with EC50 of antiproliferative activities ranging from 102.54 to 43.92 mg mL−1. Free phenolics make a major contribution to total phenolic content, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. This study suggested that white sesame seeds are potential sources of functional food to prevent chronic diseases.

In the present study, polysaccharides from Gracilaria lemaneiformis (GLP) were obtained by citric acid extraction, and had a low molecular weight (21.2 kDa) with a high amount of galactose. GLP showed effective inhibitory effects on α-amylase activity. After a six-week animal trial, GLP was found to combat streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes and associated with oxidative stress, via its regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, repair of pancreatic β-cells, protection of liver and kidney function, promotion of the activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, and suppression of lipid peroxidation. A dose-dependent manner was found in these examinations except for the glucokinase level, superoxide dismutase activity, and malondialdehyde content. GLP treatments were also more effective at regulating the insulin level, lipidemic parameters and blood urea nitrogen level than metformin treatment. Thus, GLP is more advantageous than metformin not only in the naturalness of GLP but also in the action of combating STZ-induced diabetes. Accordingly, GLP may be utilized as a potential functional food supplement for diabetes prevention in the future.

Adinandra nitida tea (Shiyacha) is a traditional eminent and flourishing tea with a long history in Southeast Asia. However, transformation of phytochemicals of A. nitida tea infusion during in vitro simulated digestions is vague. Herein, we investigated cellular antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of phytochemicals obtained from A. nitida tea infusion subjected to in vitro gastrointestinal conditions. Phenolic, flavonoid, flavonol, and anthocyanin contents found in A. nitida tea infusion were evaluated by normal colorimetric methods. Subsequently, the main compounds were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The antioxidant activity was evaluated based on peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA). The antiproliferative activity towards Caco-2 cells was determined by the cell methylene blue colorimetric assay. It was found that in simulated gastrointestinal fluids, the contents of phenolics and flavonols increased, whereas the contents of flavonoids and anthocyanins decreased. Moreover, the content of (−)-epigallocatechin and camellianin B increased, whereas that of L-epicatechin, quercitrin, and camellianin A decreased. Furthermore, the oxygen radical scavenging capacity and cellular antioxidant activity values increased, whereas the PSC values decreased. Most importantly, the gastrointestinal fluids of A. nitida tea infusion exhibited a strong antiproliferative activity towards Caco-2 cells and affected caspase 3/9 signaling pathway, and apoptosis induction might serve as the underlying mechanism for this antiproliferative activity. It can be concluded that A. nitida tea infusion may act as a potential intracellular antioxidant and colon cancer cell proliferation inhibitor.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammation effects of blueberry extracts through NLRP3 inflammasome. The anti-inflammation activities of blueberry extracts were detected using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activated the mononuclear macrophage (RAW264.7), and then detected the gene expression levels of NLRP3, Caspase-1, apoptosis-associated specked-like protein (ASC) and inflammatory factor including IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and iNOS. Blueberry extracts could significantly inhibit the gene expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and iNOS, but the inhibitions were showed differently among the varieties of Blomidom (BD), North Country (NC) and JK-M7 (JK). The protein expressions of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in the blueberry treated groups were significantly lower than the LPS treated group. Quercetin significantly inhibited LPS-induced ROS and inhibited the mRNA expression and protein levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in RAW264.7 cells.

Phenolics, antioxidant and antiproliferative properties of Sea buckthorn berries were evaluated using a simulated in vitro digestion and compared with a chemical extraction method. Digested samples were subjected to antiproliferation evaluation against human liver, breast and colon cancer cells. Furthermore, the bioaccessibility of digested berries was evaluated using a Caco-2 cell culture model. Results revealed that after enzymatic digestion the phenolic compounds were quite different from the chemical extracts, more flavonoid aglycones were released, whereas less total phenolics, phenolic acids and flavonoid glycosides were detected. Although the extracellular antioxidant activity of the digesta was lower than that of extracts, the cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) and antiproliferative effects of berries were significantly enhanced by digestion. This was attributed to their higher flavonoid aglycone content and could be verified by testing individual active compounds, suggesting that the cellular uptake of samples might be improved, which was also certified by the Caco-2 cell uptake model. The digested samples showed an almost 5-fold cellular accumulative amount of isorhamnetin than pure isorhamnetin, which was attributed to the significant down regulation of the mRNA expression level of efflux transporters MRP2 and P-gp. This finding indicated that the digestion enhanced the bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds of berries.

Cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) and inhibition of hepato-cellular carcinoma (HepG2) proliferation were evaluated for the first time in the pulp and peel of mango cultivars. Comparatively, peel had high flavonoids and tocopherols content and showed significant antioxidant activity. Among all the studied cultivars, the Xiao Tainong peel was predominant with highest fistein, mangiferin and alpha-tocopherol content and significant cellular antioxidant activity value 2986 ± 380 μmol QE/100 g FW. The HepG2 cells antiproliferation was maximum in the peel of Da Tainong and pulp of Aozhou with lowest EC50 values, 2.35 ± 0.65 (peel) and 185.4 ± 10.9 (pulp) mg mL−1, in a dose-dependent manner. Negative associations of flavonoids and tocopherol compounds with CAA and antiproliferative activity in mango confirmed synergistic, additive or antagonistic actions of phytochemicals. The current study suggests that mango peel could be used as a value added ingredient or functional food and may contribute considerably to promote consumer health.

Flaxseed is one of the richest seed sources of lignan and other bioactive compounds. The present study characterized lignan biosynthesis and potential health benefits in flaxseeds during 10-day germination. The transcription levels of lignan biosynthesis, along with variation of bioactivities, including cellular antioxidant activity and antiproliferative activity of flaxseed sprouts during germination, were studied. The results showed that 8-day germination brought about a 6.3-fold increase in secoisolariciresinol diglucoside and 4.5-fold increase in secoisolariciresinol compared to ungerminated flaxseeds. The highest amount of total phenolics and total flavonoids were found in 10-day geminated flaxseed, namely a 5.6-fold and 55-fold increase compared to ungerminated flaxseed. Transcription analysis revealed that five key-encoding genes in the lignan biosynthetic pathway were up-regulated during germination. Furthermore, the highest antioxidant and antiproliferative activities were found on day 10. These findings suggest that germination for 8-10 days leads to optimal lignan production and potential health benefits if incorporated into the human diet.

The phenolic contents, antioxidant, and antiproliferative activities of Malus doumeri were evaluated. Heyuanxiaoguo variety contained higher level of total phenolics (101.9 mg GAE/g fruit, DW), whereas Xinyishanzha variety exhibited the highest total flavonoids (85.35 mg CE/g fruit, DW), and highest cellular antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Higher ORAC and PSC values were found in Limushan variety. Chlorogenic acid, phloretin-2′-xyloglucoside and ursolic acid were the predominant phenolics in M. doumeri , their contents were highest in Limushan (1850 mg/100g fruit, DW), Xinyishanzha (2212 mg/100g fruit, DW), and Heyuanxiaoguo variety (506.3 mg/100g fruit, DW), respectively. Among the 14 compounds identified, chlorogenic acid and phloretin glycosides accounted for 55.95% of the extracellular antioxidant capacity, while quercetin, luteolin, ursolic acid, and chlorogenic acid contributed significantly to the intracellular antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the intracellular antioxidant property of the Xinyishanzha extracts was related to the protection of endogenous antioxidant enzymes activities and inhibition of reactive oxygen species production.

The digestibility of mulberry fruit polysaccharides (MFPs) and its effect on lipid digestion were investigated in the simulated saliva, gastric and intestinal model. Results showed that the saliva, especially the salivary amylase had no effect on MFPs, while the gastric juice had greater effects on the MFPs digestion than intestinal juice, which could be evidenced from the decrease in molecular weight (Mw) from 128.7 ± 6.1, 13.6 ± 1.4 and 2.9 ± 0.1 to 84.3 ± 4.7, 5.2 ± 0.1 and 1.2 ± 0.1 KDa, respectively. It was observed that the amount of reducing ends were increased from 0.051 ± 0.003 to 0.451 ± 0.011 mM and no monosaccharide was released from the polysaccharide during the whole digestion period, indicating that gastrointestinal digestion cleaves the glycosidic bonds and produces no free monosaccharide. In addition, under the simulated saliva, gastric and intestinal digestion conditions, MFPs could reduce the rate and extent of lipid digestion in a concentration-dependent manner. Our findings provide information on the digestibility of polysaccharides from Morus nigra L. in vitro .