Search

Leontodon hispidulus Boiss is a wild annual plant growing in Egypt. The present study aims for the first time, to evaluate the phytochemical profile of the main secondary metabolites of the optimized ethanolic extract of the plant using Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. It also aims to assess the anticancer activity of its different fractions against the prostate carcinoma cell line. Moreover, an in-silico docking study was performed using the Hexokinase-two enzyme. LC-qToF-MS analysis revealed the tentative identification of 36 phenolic compounds including the glycosides of (luteolin, quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, isorhamnetin, and daidzein), coumarines (esculin, esculetin, and daphnetin), and phenolic acids (chlorogenic, caffeic, quinic, P-coumaric, and rosmarinic). GC–MS/MS analysis revealed the presence of 18 compounds where palmitic acid, myristic acid, alpha-amyrin, and beta-amyrin were the major ones. The cytotoxic activity results revealed that methylene chloride and ethyl acetate fractions showed the highest cytotoxic activity against the PC3 cell line, with IC50 values of 19, and 19.6 μg/ml, respectively. Interestingly, the docking study demonstrated that apigenin-7-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-glucuronide, quercetin-4′-O-glucoside, esculin, rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, and α-amyrin exhibited high affinity to the selected target, HEK-2 enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Origanum majorana L. as a member of the family Lamiaceae, is cultivated in different areas including the Mediterranean region and Egypt. O. majorana extracts were used as inhibitory agents against food-poisoning microbes. This work is also aimed to assess the antimicrobial effects of O. majorana on canned Mackerel (Trachurus trachurus). It had been noticed that all extracts displayed promising antimicrobial activities toward all tested microbes including food-borne microbes. The prepared extracts exhibited brilliant antioxidant activities especially ethanolic extracts (1040.06 and 1055.44 AAE/ g). In addition, the extracts revealed promising total phenolic contents (532.94 and 900.52 mg GAE/g). GC/Mass analysis had been performed for the four extracts and the results revealed that Terpinen-4-ol (12.82%), Tricyclene (11.08%), 9-Octadecene,1,1'-[1,2-ethanediylbis(oxy)]bis- (Z,Z)(4.74%),-methoxy-6 ethylbenzoic acid (21.04%), Dodecane, 2,2,4,9,11,11-hexamethyl (13.66%) and Ethyl9,12,15-octadecatrienoate (7.57%) were the major compounds. Results of total phenolics and antioxidant results in all extracts namely: rosmarinic acid > chlorogenic acid > kaempferol > catechin and gallic acid. The results revealed that all extracts are safe to be used as food additives (IC50 more than 200µg/ml). Therefore, we recommend incorporate these extracts into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films used to preserve foods from bacterial infections, as well as using these extracts as special food additives with mackerel to preserve them for a period of no less than 30 days and, the sensory characteristics has received excellent acceptance when adding fresh O. majorana instead of dried O. majorana to canned mackerel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High levels of PAHs were detected in heat-treated meats in Egypt. • B[ a ]P induced mutagenicity and oxidative stress in colon cells at food-relevant doses. • B[ a ]P induced alterations in mRNA expressions of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes. • Rosmarinic and ascorbic acids protected colon cells from B[ a ]P-adverse effects. • Consumption of such molecules is advisable at high levels of exposure to B[ a ]P. This study was undertaken to estimate the concentrations of the formed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in heat-treated (boiled, pan-fried and grilled) meats collected from Egypt. Dietary intakes and cancer risks of PAHs among Egyptian adults were calculated. Benzo[ a ]pyrene (B[ a ]P)-induced mutagenicity and oxidative stress in human colon (CaCo-2) cell line and mechanisms behind such effects were also investigated. Finally, protection trials using rosmarinic (RMA) and ascorbic acids (ASA) were carried out. The results indicated formation of PAHs at high levels in the heat-treated meats. Calculated incremental life time cancer risk among Egyptian adults were 7.05179E−07, 7.00604 E−06 and 1.86069 E−05 due to ingestion of boiled, pan-fried and grilled meats, respectively. B[ a ]P-exposed CaCo-2 cells had high abilities for mutagenicity (490.05 ± 21.37 His + revertants) and production of reactive oxygen species. RMA and ASA protected CaCo-2 cells via reduction of B[ a ]P-induced mutagenicity and oxidative stress and upregulation of phase II detoxification enzymes and xenobiotic transporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant that can get entry into human body via ingestion of contaminated foods causing multiple organ damage. This study aimed at monitoring Cd residues in 20 foodstuffs of animal origin that are commonly consumed in Egypt. Health risk assessment was conducted via calculation of Cd dietary intakes and non-carcinogenic target hazard quotient. An in vitro approach was performed to investigate the constitutive effects of Cd on human hepatoma (HepG2) cells under food-relevant concentrations. Trials to reduce Cd-induced adverse effects on HepG2 cells were done using rosmarinic (RMA) and ascorbic acids (ASA). The achieved results indicated contamination of the tested foodstuffs with Cd at high levels with potential human health hazards. Cd at food-relevant concentrations caused significant cytotoxicity to HepG2 cells. This may be attributed to induction of oxidative stress and inflammation, as indicated by the overexpression of stress and inflammatory markers. At the same time, Cd downregulated xenobiotic transporters and upregulated the proliferation factors. Co-exposure of HepG2 cells to Cd and micronutrients such as RMA and ASA led to recovery of cells from the oxidative damage, and subsequently cell viability was strongly improved. RMA and ASA ameliorated the biological responses of HepG2 cells to Cd exposure.