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This study employed a diverse approach to extract antioxidant peptides from red seaweed Palmaria palmata , recognized for its comparatively high protein content. Initially, an aqueous extraction of the entire seaweed was performed, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of the solid residues prepared from the first step. The effects of three different pH levels (3, 6, and 9) during the aqueous extraction were also examined. Results indicated that the solid fraction from the sequential extraction process contained significantly higher levels of proteins and amino acids than other fractions ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, the solid fractions (IC 50 ranging from 2.29 to 8.15 mg.mL -1 ) demonstrated significantly greater free radical scavengers than the liquid fractions (IC 50 ranging from 9.03 to 10.41 mg.mL -1 or not obtained at the highest concentration tested) at both stages of extraction ( p < 0.05). Among the solid fractions, those produced fractions under alkaline conditions were less effective in radical scavenging than the produced fractions under acidic or neutral conditions. The fractions with most effective metal ion chelating activity were the solid fractions from the enzymatic stage, particularly at pH 3 (IC 50 = 0.63 ± 0.04 mg.mL -1 ) and pH 6 (IC 50 = 0.89 ± 0.07 mg.mL -1 ), which were significantly more effective than those from the initial extraction stage ( p < 0.05). Despite no significant difference in the total phenolic content between these solid fractions and their corresponding liquid fractions (3.79 ± 0.05 vs. 3.48 ± 0.02 mg.mL -1 at pH 3 and 2.43 ± 0.22 vs. 2.51 ± 0.00 mg.mL -1 at pH 6) ( p > 0.05), the observed antioxidant properties may be attributed to bioactive amino acids such as histidine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, tyrosine, and methionine, either as free amino acids or within proteins and peptides.

Bulbine asphodeloides (L.) Spreng (Xanthorrhoeaceae family), popularly known in South Africa as "ibhucu" or "Balsamkopieva," is a perennial plant traditionally used to treat skin diseases, including sunburns, rough skin, dressing burns, itches, and aging. The present study reports the cytotoxic, cellular antioxidant, and antiglucuronidase properties of the ethanol leaf extract from B. asphodeloides . The cytotoxic effect of the plant extract on human dermal fibroblast (MRHF) cells was evaluated by the bis-Benzamide H 33342 trihydrochloride/propidium iodide (Hoechst 33342/PI) dual-staining method. A validated biological cell-based assay was used to determine the cellular antioxidant activity of the extract. The antiglucuronidase and metal chelating activities were evaluated using standard in vitro methods. Lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced RAW 264.7 cell model was used to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of the plant extract, and the immune-modulatory activity was performed using RAW 264.7 cells. The extract demonstrated no cytotoxic effect towards the MRHF cells at all the tested concentrations. Furthermore, the extract also possessed significant cellular antioxidant and antiglucuronidase activities, but a weak effect of metal chelating activity in a dose-dependent manner. However, the extract showed no significant anti-inflammatory and immune-stimulatory activities. Overall, the results showed that B. asphodeloides may be a useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of skin diseases, therefore supporting its ethnomedicinal usage., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Wilfred Otang-Mbeng and Idowu Jonas Sagbo.)

We describe herein a simple procedure for quantifying endospore abundances in ancient and organic-rich permafrost. We repeatedly (10x) extracted and fractionated permafrost using a tandem filter assembly composed of 3 and 0.2 μm filters. Then, the 0.2 μm filter was washed (7x), autoclaved, and the contents eluted, including dipicolinic acid (DPA). Time-resolved luminescence using Tb(EDTA) yielded a LOD of 1.46 nM DPA (6.55 × 10 3 endospores/mL). In review, DPA/endospore abundances were ~2.2-fold greater in older 33 ky permafrost (258 ± 36 pmol DPA gdw -1 ; 1.15 × 10 6  ± 0.16 × 10 6 spores gdw -1 ) versus younger 19 ky permafrost (p = 0.007297). This suggests that dormancy increases with permafrost age., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aims to isolate metal-binding peptides and synthesize promising amino acid sequences to potentially act as neuroprotective compounds in the future, targeting different mechanisms. Fractions of whey metal-binding peptides (Cu, Fe, and Zn) isolated by immobilized metal affinity chromatography showed different amino acid profiles according to the metal. The Cu-binding peptides presented roughly twofold increase in the in vitro antioxidant, as assessed by oxygen radical absorbance capacity and anticholinesterase activities over the hydrolysate. This is probably because of the higher concentration of aromatic and basic residues, the latter being crucial for binding to the anionic sites of acetylcholinesterase. Six peptide sequences were synthesized based on the metal-binding sites, molecular mass, hydrophobicity, and bioactivity probability. Among the synthetic peptides, the VF dipeptide stood out both for its in vitro antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities. This peptide, as well as the fraction of Cu-binding peptides, should be further studied because it may act through different mechanisms related to neurodegenerative diseases, in addition to the chelation of the excess of metals in the central nervous system.

Agave sisalana agro-industrial residue has considerable potential against damage associated with oxidative stress and skin aging. This study aims to demonstrate, in vitro and in vivo, the potential of Agave sisalana agro-industrial residue as a safe and effective alternative for the prevention of damage caused by oxidative stress and aging. The antioxidant activity was evaluated in vitro (total antioxidant capacity, reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging, metal chelating (Fe 2+ and Cu 2+ ), and hydroxyl radical scavenging) and in vivo using the Caenorhabditis elegans organism model. The extract showed in vitro antioxidant activity in all tests performed. Tests with C. elegans showed that the extract was able to reduce the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increase the survival rate of worms. A downregulation of gst-4::GFP expression suggests a direct action against free radicals. Agave sisalana agro-industrial residue extract (AsRE) can therefore be considered as a source of antioxidant biomolecules, and the use of this agro-industrial residue in a new production process can lead to sustainability and socioeconomic development.

Nile perch wastewater was biodegraded using two Bacillus species to recover bioactive substances to enhance its reutilization value. The two Bacillus species successfully produced low-molecular-weight substances with a 47.8% degree of hydrolysis. The antioxidant activities of the Nile perch wastewater increased as the biodegradation proceeded, and the culture supernatant exhibited the highest DPPH (80.1%), ABTS (93.1%) and Fe 2+ chelating (88.5%) antioxidant activities at 60 h. The antioxidant potential of the biodegraded Nile perch wastewater was found to be higher than those of other fish hydrolysates. Moreover, the biodegraded Nile perch wastewater exhibited effective antimicrobial activity against Vibrio vulnificus, exhibiting a minimal inhibitory concentration of 585 μg mL -1 . Two-dimensional thin layer chromatography analysis revealed the specific amino acids responsible for the antioxidant activity, and molecular-weight cut-off ultrafiltration revealed that the <2-kDa fraction exhibited the highest antioxidant activity with the lowest IC 50 values (0.43 and 0.22 mg mL -1 for DPPH and ABTS antioxidant activities, respectively). This is the first report of the reutilization of Nile perch wastewater as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial ingredient for nutraceuticals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Some metal-chelating peptides have antioxidant properties, with potential nutrition, health, and cosmetics applications. This study aimed to simulate their separation on immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography from their affinity constant for immobilized metal ion determined in surface plasmon resonance, both technics are based on peptide-metal ion interactions. In our approach, first, the affinity constant of synthetic peptides was determined by surface plasmon resonance and used as input data to numerically simulate the chromatographic separation with a transport-dispersive model based on Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Then, chromatographic separation was applied on the same peptides to determine their retention time and compare this experimental t R with the simulated t R obtained from simulation from surface plasmon resonance data. For the investigated peptides, the relative values of t R were comparable. Hence, our study demonstrated the pertinence of such numerical simulation correlating immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography and surface plasmon resonance., (© 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Biological and chemical agents cause dangerous effects on human health via different exposing ways. Recently, herbal medicine is considered as a biological and safe treatment for toxicities. Silybum marianum (milk thistle), belongs to the Asteraceae family, possesses different effects such as hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activities. Several studies have demonstrated that this plant has protective properties against toxic agents. Herein, the protective effects of S. marianum and its main component, silymarin, which is the mixture of flavonolignans including silibinin, silydianin and silychristin acts against different biological (mycotoxins, snake venoms, and bacterial toxins) and chemical (metals, fluoride, pesticides, cardiotoxic, neurotoxic, hepatotoxic, and nephrotoxic agents) poisons have been summarized. This review reveals that main protective effects of milk thistle and its components are attributed to radical scavenging, anti-oxidative, chelating, anti-apoptotic properties, and regulating the inflammatory responses.

Background: The role of Fe+2, Cu+2 and Zn+2 in facilitating aggregation of Amyloid β (Aβ) and consequently, the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is well established., Objective: Development of non-toxic metal chelators is an emerging era in the treatment of AD, in which complete success has not been fully achieved. The purpose of this study was to determine plant extracts with high metal chelator and to encapsulate them in nano-micellar systems with the ability to pass through the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB)., Methods: Extracts of 36 different Anatolian plants were prepared, total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined, and the extracts with high content were examined for their Fe+2, Cu+2 and Zn+2 chelating activities. Apolipoprotein E4 (Apo E) decorated nano-formulations of active extracts were prepared using Poly (Lactide-co-Glycolide) (PLGA) (final product ApoEPLGA) to provide BBB penetrating property., Results: Verbascum flavidum aqueous extract was found as the most active sample, incubation of which, with Aβ before and after metal-induced aggregation, resulted in successful inhibition of aggregate formation, while re-solubilization of pre-formed aggregates was not effectively achieved. The same results were obtained using ApoEPLGA., Conclusion: An optimized metal chelator nano-formulation with BBB penetrating ability was prepared and presented for further in-vivo studies., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

In this study, a novel calcium-binding peptide from casein hydrolysate was purified using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and sequenced by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS. The amino acid sequence of the calcium-binding peptide was identified as VLPVPQK (N- to C-terminal, MW = 779.4960 Da). The calcium binding characteristics of VLPVPQK were further investigated using UV absorption spectroscopy, zeta potential and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The results showed that VLPVPQK has a strong calcium binding activity (129.46 mg g-1), 312% higher than that of 3-hour enzymatic hydrolysates. VLPVPQK could chelate calcium with a 1 : 3 stoichiometry, causing a decrease in the positive charge of the peptide-Ca2+ complex. Furthermore, VLPVPQK could effectively enhance calcium transport and absorption in a concentration-dependent manner in Caco-2 cell monolayers, suggesting that VLPVPQK has the potential to be developed as a nutraceutical additive.

Microbial natural products serve as a good source for antioxidants. The mangrove-derived Streptomyces bacteria have been evidenced to produce antioxidative compounds. This study reports the isolation of Streptomyces sp. MUM273b from mangrove soil that may serve as a promising source of antioxidants and UV-protective agents. Identification and characterization methods determine that strain MUM273b belongs to the genus Streptomyces. The MUM273b extract exhibits antioxidant activities, including DPPH, ABTS, and superoxide radical scavenging activities and also metal-chelating activity. The MUM273b extract was also shown to inhibit the production of malondialdehyde in metal-induced lipid peroxidation. Strong correlation between the antioxidant activities and the total phenolic content of MUM273b extract was shown. In addition, MUM273b extract exhibited cytoprotective effect on the UVB-induced cell death in HaCaT keratinocytes. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis detected phenolics, pyrrole, pyrazine, ester, and cyclic dipeptides in MUM273b extract. In summary, Streptomyces MUM273b extract portrays an exciting avenue for future antioxidative drugs and cosmeceuticals development., (© 2019 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Microbial siderophores are multidentate Fe(III) chelators used by microbes during siderophore-mediated assimilation. They possess high affinity and selectivity for Fe(III). Among them, marine siderophore-mediated microbial iron uptake allows marine microbes to proliferate and survive in the iron-deficient marine environments. Due to their unique iron(III)-chelating properties, delivery system, structural diversity, and therapeutic potential, marine microbial siderophores have great potential for further development of various drug conjugates for antibiotic-resistant bacteria therapy or as a target for inhibiting siderophore virulence factors to develop novel broad-spectrum antibiotics. This review covers siderophores derived from marine microbes.

In the present study, six different polysaccharides (RFPs, MAPs, UWPs, AEPs, HWPs and CEPs) were extracted from Chlorella vulgaris using repeated freeze-thawing, microwave-assisted-, ultrasonic wave-, alkali-, hot water-, and cellulase-based methods; and antioxidant property assays were performed both in vitro and in vivo. Radical-scavenging capacity (using DPPH, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals) and metal chelating ability were assessed in vitro; Caenorhabditis elegans was used to assess antioxidant effects in vivo. Based on the in vitro screening tests, UWPs exhibited high antioxidant capacity. The UWP yield was 17.1% ± 2.2%; the DPPH-, superoxide-, and hydroxyl radical-scavenging rates were 65.1% ± 2.4%, 61.2% ± 2.7%, and 56.2% ± 2.2%, respectively, and the metal chelating ability was 63.6% ± 2.5% at a concentration of 0.4 mg/mL. UWPs also exhibited high antioxidant activity in vivo. UWPs significantly increased the lifespan of C. elegans under oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide compared with the control group, enhanced stress-resistance-related enzymes, including catalase and superoxide dismutase by 7.29% ± 1.8% and 24.41% ± 4.8%, respectively. The results of the present study indicate that the extraction methods of C. vulgaris polysaccharides were a key factor influencing antioxidant activity., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the effects of ferrous-ion-chelating peptides from Alaska pollock frames (APFP-Fe) on iron deficiency in anaemic rats. We hydrolysed the Alaska pollock frames to obtain a peptide with an average molecular weight of 822 Da. The bioavailability of APFP-Fe was tested using animal experiments. Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups: an iron deficiency control group, a normal control group, and iron deficiency groups treated with ferrous sulfate (FeSO 4 ) or low-, medium-, or high-dose APFP-Fe. Rats in the iron deficiency groups were fed an iron-deficient diet to establish the iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) model. After the model was established, different iron supplements were given to rats once per day via intragastric administration for 21 days. The results showed that APFP-Fe had restorative effects, returning the body weight, weight gain, height, and haematological parameters in IDA rats to normal levels. In addition, compared with FeSO 4 , APFP-Fe promoted significant weight gain and effectively improved haemoglobin, serum iron and transferrin levels, and recovery of the capacity of iron binding with transferrin, especially at the medium and high doses. These findings suggest that APFP-Fe is an effective source of iron for improving the iron nutritional status in IDA rats and shows promise as a new source of iron supplementation.

Present study was designed to investigate the role of acemannan acetyl group in murine radioprotection. Acemannan, extracted from Aloe vera gel, has molecular weight of 1.02 × 10 6 Da and mainly composed of mannose (84.9%), glucose (7.2%), and galactose (3.9%), with backbone of (1→4)-linked mannose and glucose. Acemannan was over-acetylated and deacetylated to investigate the role of acetyl group. Acetylation enhances acemannan viscosity and thermal stability. Free radicals scavenging and Fenton reaction inhibition was mediated by acemannan acetyl and hydroxyl group respectively. Native or over-acetylated or deacetylated acemannan pre-treatment to mice has shown to reduce the γ-radiation-induced oxidative damage, and hematopoietic injuries by free radical scavenging and microphage activation (secretes pro-hematopoietic factors through TLR-4) respectively. Over-acetylated acemannan has stronger effects on immunomodulation/radioprotection. In summary, acemannan acetyl-group modulates immune system, while hydroxyl-group participate in free radical scavenging, and present finding can be employed in food and pharma industries for enhancing polysaccharide bioactivity., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The industrial and technological advancements in the world have also contributed to the rapid deterioration in the environment quality through introduction of obnoxious pollutants that threaten to destroy the subtle balance in the ecosystem. The environment contaminants cause severe adverse effects to humans, flora and fauna that are mostly irreversible. Chief among these toxicants is arsenic, a metalloid, which is considered among the most dangerous environmental toxins that leads to various diseases which affect the quality of life even when present in small quantities. Treatment of arsenic-mediated disorders still remains a challenge due to lack of effective options. Chelation therapy has been the most widely used method to detoxify arsenic. But this method is associated with deleterious effects leading various toxicities such as hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity and other adverse effects. It has been discovered that indigenous drugs of plant origin display effective and progressive relief from arsenic-mediated toxicity without any side-effects. Further, these phytochemicals have also been found to aid the elimination of arsenic from the biological system and therefore can be more effective than conventional therapeutic agents in ameliorating arsenic-mediated toxicity. This review presents an overview of the toxic effects of arsenic and the therapeutic strategies that are available to mitigate the toxic effects with emphasis on chelation as well as protective and detoxifying activities of different phytochemicals and herbal drugs against arsenic. This information may serve as a primer in identifying novel prophylactic as well as therapeutic formulations against arsenic-induced toxicity., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Oudemansiella radicata mushroom has many functions. Optimal condition of extracting its polysaccharides (ORP) with a yield of 5.85 ± 0.13% were determined by using RSM: extraction temperature 84 °C, extraction time 2.3 h and ratio of water to raw material 20.0 mL/g. ORP-1, ORP-2 and ORP-3 were further obtained by chromatography with an average molecular of 13,921 Da, 14,942 Da and 10,209 Da, respectively. ORP-1 is mainly composed of mannose, ribose, glucose, galactose and xylose in a ratio of 2.46:2.63:3.89:3.22:2.78; ORP-2 is mainly composed of ribose, glucose and xylose in a ratio of 2.63:3.38:2.65; ORP-3 is mainly composed of glucose, xylose in a ratio of 3.38: 2.65. ORP exhibits relatively strong in vitro antioxidant activity. Except crude ORP, ORP-1 has the highest DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, and ORP-3 shows the strongest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and ferrous ion chelating activity, while the three fractions have no significance in scavenging radical superoxide anion., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The production of two new heterocyclic peptide isomers, catenulobactins A (1) and B (2), in cultures of Catenuloplanes sp. RD067331 was significantly increased when it was cocultured with a mycolic acid-containing bacterium. The planar structures and absolute configurations of the catenulobactins were determined based on NMR/MS and chiral-phase GC-MS analyses. Catenulobactin B (2) displayed Fe(III)-chelating activity and moderate cytotoxicity against P388 murine leukemia cells.

Rice-bran albumin (RBAlb), which shows higher tyrosinase-inhibitory activity than other protein fractions, was hydrolyzed with papain to improve the bioactivity. The obtained RBAlb hydrolysate (RBAlbH) was separated into 11 peptide fractions by RP-HPLC. Tyrosinase inhibition and copper chelation activities decreased with increasing retention times of the peptide fractions. RBAlbH fraction 1, which exhibited the greatest activity, contained 13 peptides whose sequences were determined by using LC-MS/MS. Most of the peptide sequences contained features of previously reported tyrosinase-inhibitory and metal-chelating peptides, especially peptide SSEYYGGEGSSSEQGYYGEG. RBAlbH fraction 1 showed more effective tyrosinase inhibition (IC 50 = 1.31 mg/mL) than citric acid (IC 50 = 9.38 mg/mL), but it was less effective than ascorbic acid (IC 50 = 0.03 mg/mL, P ≤ 0.05). It showed copper-chelating activity (IC 50 = 0.62 mg/mL) stronger than that of EDTA (IC 50 = 1.06 mg/mL, P ≤ 0.05). These results suggest that RBAlbH has potential as a natural tyrosinase inhibitor and copper chelator for application in the food and cosmetic industries.

Allium species have been widely used for culinary and medicinal purposes. This study attempts for the first time to investigate into the enzyme inhibitory potential of different plant parts of Allium scorodoprasum L. subsp. rotundum (L.) Stearn, also known as wild garlic or leek in Turkey. The antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory potential of the flower, stem, and bulb extracts of A. scorodoprasum were assessed using in vitro bio-assays. The phenolic composition of the different plant parts was also established. The flower extract, having high phenolic content (27.69 mg GAEg extract), showed potent antioxidant activity as a metal chelating agent (22.27 mg EDTAE/g extract), radical scavenger (34.83 and 66.02 mg trolox equivalent (TE)/g extract, for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assays, respectively) and reducing agent (90.53 mg TE/g extract, for the cupric reducing antioxidant capacity assay). Besides, the flower extract was a potent inhibitor of butyrylcholinesterase (3.16 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g extract) and tyrosinase (55.21 mg kojic acid equivalent/g extract). The flower extract was rich in rosmarinic acid. In silico studies revealed that rosmarinic acid established several hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions in the enzymatic cavity of butyrylcholinesterase. On the other hand, the stem extract of A. scorodoprasum showed inhibitory action against acetylcholinesterase (2.17 mg GALAE/g extract) and α-amylase (0.55 mmol acarbose equivalent/g extract). Interestingly, we noted that the bulb extract of A. scorodoprasum, inferior in phenolic compounds, showed the least activity. These results suggest that the different plant parts of A. scorodoprasum possessed different biological activities and might be used as a medicinal food plants for specific therapeutic applications., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: There are many calcium supplements available in the market, especially those containing calcium in the form of carbonate, which unfortunately is not absorbed by the body to a sufficient degree., Method: Therefore, an attempt was made to prepare new sources of calcium, consuming the chicken eggshells as natural raw materials, which were used in preparation of tablets containing calcium carbonate and calcium citrate as well as tablets with calcium carbonate and calcium bisglycinate. The influence of raw material properties on the pharmaceutical availability of calcium from the obtained tablets was investigated., Results: Based on the obtained calcium release profiles from the prepared tablets, it was found that the optimal source of calcium is a preparation containing calcium from chicken eggshells. It was found that both chicken eggshells and calcium bisglycinate (chelate) may be new, prospective sources of calcium. Calcium citrate prepared using eggshells as starting materials and bisglycinate is completely released within no more than 150 minutes., Conclusion: In turn, calcium carbonate added to calcium bisglycinate statistically significantly prolonges the release of calcium ions to 4 hours., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Heavy metal contamination has become a major problem that causes severe environmental and health issues due to their biosorption, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. This study was designed to evaluate heavy metal chelating abilities of alginic acid (AA) extracted from the brown seaweed Ecklonia cava and two of its derivatives prepared by the partial oxidation of the 2° OH groups (OAA) and partial carboxylation of the monomeric units (CAA) upon reducing the heavy metal biosorption in zebrafish (Danio rerio) modal. Metal ions were quantified using ICP-OES and biopolymers were characterized by FTIR and XRD analysis. All investigated biopolymers indicated potential ability for chelating Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ , Cd 2+ , As 3+ , and Ag + . The sorption capacities were in the order of CAA>OAA>AA. All biopolymers indicated a comparatively higher chelation towards Pb 2+ . AA, OAA, and CAA could effectively reduce Pb 2+ induced toxicity and Pb 2+ stress-induced ROS production in zebrafish embryos. Besides, they could reduce the biosorption of Pb 2+ in adult zebrafish which could lead to bioaccumulation. Since alginic acid purified from E. cava and its derivatives could be utilized as seaweed derived biopolymers to purify heavy metals contaminated water and as a dietary supplement to reduce heavy metal biosorption in organisms., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A calcium-chelating peptide is considered to have the ability to improve calcium absorption. In this study, Pacific cod skin gelatin hydrolysates treated with trypsin for 120 min exhibited higher calcium-chelating activity. Sequential chromatography, involving hydroxyapatite affinity chromatography and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography, was used for the purification of calcium-chelating peptides. Two novel peptides with the typical characteristics of collagen were sequenced as GDKGESGEAGER and GEKGEGGHR based on LC-HRMS/MS, which showed a high affinity to calcium. Calcium-peptide complexation was further characterized by ESI-MS (MS and MS/MS) and FTIR spectroscopy. The results showed that the complexation of the two peptides with calcium was conducted mainly at the ratio of 1 : 1. The amino terminal group and the peptide bond of the peptide backbone as well as the amino group of the lysine side chain and the carboxylate of the glutamate side chain were the possible calcium binding sites for the two peptides. Meanwhile, several amino acid side chain groups, including the hydroxyl (Ser) and carboxylate (Asp) of GDKGESGEAGER and the imine (His) of GEKGEGGHR, were crucial in the complexation. The arginine residue in GEKGEGGHR also participated in the calcium coordination. Additionally, several active fragments with calcium-chelating activity were obtained using MS/MS spectra, including GDKGESGEAGE, GEAGER, GEK, EKG and KGE. This study suggests that gelatin-derived peptides have the potential to be used as a calcium-chelating ingredient to combat calcium deficiency.

The present work aims to evaluate the effect of an acid extraction as well as a combined enzymatic-chemical extraction on structural, thermal and antioxidant properties of the sulphated polysaccharide 'ulvan' from the green seaweed Ulva lactuca. Structural characterization by FTIR and NMR spectroscopies showed the typical peaks of ulvan, namely, uronic acids, rhamnose and sulphate. FTIR analysis revealed that the extraction procedures were able to maintain ulvan structure. Despite differences in the extraction procedures, 13 C NMR spectra were globally similar, proving a comparable chemical structure of ulvans. A major difference has been observed in signal intensity which reflected the resonance of glucose or xylose. Thermal characterization proved that ulvans were thermally stable until approximately 180°C. Antioxidant properties of ulvans were evaluated in vitro through different antioxidant assays. Ulvan, which is extracted at pH 1.5 and 90°C, exhibited the greatest scavenging activity (IC 50 =13.56μg/ml) towards DPPH radical. Result indicated that Mw has influenced inhibitory effect on DPPH radical of ulvan. The current study revealed also a high correlation between sulphate contents of ulvans and their reducing power (R 2 =-0.89) and their metal scavenging activity (R 2 =0.97). Overall, ulvans have peculiar structural, thermal and antioxidant properties which promote their use in food or pharmaceutical products as natural ingredient., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Context: Stachys guyoniana Noë ex. Batt. and Mentha aquatica L. are two Algerian Lamiaceae used in folk medicine., Objective: To investigate their antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antibacterial activities., Material and Methods: n-Butanol (BESG), ethyl acetate (EESG) and chloroform (CESG) extracts of S. guyoniana and methanol (MEMA) and chloroform (CEMA) aerial part extracts of M. aquatica and methanol (MERMA) and acetone (AERMA) roots extracts of M. aquatica were evaluated for their antioxidant activity by the β-carotene-linoleic acid, DPPH • and ABTS • +  scavenging, CUPRAC and metal chelating assays. The anticholinesterase activity was tested against AChE and BChE. The antibacterial activity was assessed by MICs determination against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella heidelberg, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes and Morganella morganii strains., Results: In the β-carotene test, the CESG (IC 50 : 2.3 ± 1.27 μg/mL) exhibited the highest activity. The BESG was the best scavenger of DPPH • (IC 50 : 2.91 ± 0.14 μg/mL). In the ABTS test, AERMA was the most active (IC 50 : 4.21 ± 0.28 μg/mL). However, with the CUPRAC, the BESG exhibited the best activity (A 0.50 : 0.15 ± 0.05 μg/mL) and was active in metal chelating assay with 48% inhibition at 100 μg/mL. The BESG was the best AChE inhibitor (IC 50 : 5.78 ± 0.01 μg/mL) however, the AERMA showed the highest BChE inhibitory activity (IC 50 : 19.23 ± 1.42 μg/mL). The tested extracts exhibited a good antibacterial activity., Conclusion: This study demonstrated good antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antibacterial potential of S. guyoniana and M. aquatica, which fits in well with their use in folk medicine.

Three different varieties of oat grains, Sabzaar, SKO-20, SKO-90 maintained at the moisture level of 12% were γ-irradiated at four different dosage levels - 5, 10, 15, and 20kGy. Starch was extracted and its physicochemical, structural, thermal, and antioxidant properties were studied. Amongst the physico-chemical properties, syneresis, solubility index, swelling index and light transmittance values showed a varied significance from their native counterparts. Irradiation also had an effect on RVA profiles which exhibited a decrease in peak, trough, final and set back viscosities whereas the pasting temperatures showed a significant (P≤0.05) decline. The exposure of hydroxyl groups in starch chain due to irradiation was confirmed via ATR FT-IR. γ-Irradiation resulted in the formation of ridges on the surface of starch as revealed from SEM. Irradiation resulted in a significant improvement in antioxidant activity of the extracted starches., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The rapid proliferation of cyanobacteria in bodies of water has caused cyanobacterial blooms, which have become an increasing cause of concern, largely due to the presence of toxic secondary metabolites (or cyanotoxins). Cyanotoxins are the toxins produced by cyanobacteria that may be harmful to surrounding wildlife. They include hepatotoxins, neurotoxins and dermatotoxins, and are classified based on the organs they affect. There are also non-toxic secondary metabolites that include chelators and UV-absorbing compounds. This paper summarizes the optimal techniques for secondary metabolite extraction and the possible useful products that can be obtained from cyanobacteria, with additional focus given to products derived from secondary metabolites. It becomes evident that the potential for their use as biocides, chelators, biofuels, biofertilizers, pharmaceuticals, food and feed, and cosmetics has not yet been comprehensively studied or extensively implemented., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Phytochelatins (PCs), the heavy metal-binding peptides of plants, play a main function in heavy metal detoxification. In this study, Enhalus acoroides samples collected at six distinct seagrass beds from the coast of Khanh Hoa province, Viet Nam, were evaluated for their PCs. The contents of different PCs in each organ including leaf, rhizome, and root were determined by using HPLC analysis. Significant differences of PC 2 contents among specific organs and their relation were tested by ANOVA, Tukey test, and Pearson's correlation. The results showed that higher PC 2 , appearance of PC 3 and a strong correlation between PC 2 and Pb concentration were found in the root organ collected from a Pb contaminated area. We conclude that high Pb in the sediment induce high PC 2 and PC 3 production in the root. This first report on in situ detection of PCs of seagrass encourages future investigation on the ability to use seagrass for phytoremediation and as a bioindicator of heavy metals based on PC contents.

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), as a new green extraction technology, has been used in extracting various metal species. The solubilities of chelating agents and corresponding metal chelates are the key factors which influence the efficiency of SFE. Other main properties of them such as stability and selectivity are also reviewed. The extraction mechanisms of mainly used chelating agents are explained by typical examples in this paper. This is the important aspect of SFE of metal ions. Moreover, the extraction efficiencies of metal species also depend on other factors such as temperature, pressure, extraction time and matrix effect. The two main complexation methods namely in-situ and on-line chelating SFE are described in detail. As an efficient chelating agent, tributyl phosphate-nitric acid (TBP-HNO 3 ) complex attracts much attention. The SFE of metal ions, lanthanides and actinides as well as organometallic compounds are also summarized. With the proper selection of ligands, high efficient extraction of metal species can be obtained. As an efficient sample analysis method, supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is introduced in this paper. Recently, the extraction method combining ionic liquids (ILs) with supercritical fluid has been becoming a novel technology for treating metal ions. The kinetics related to SFE of metal species is discussed with some specific examples.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway infection is common in cystic fibrosis (CF), a disease also characterized by abundant extracellular DNA (eDNA) in the airways. The eDNA is mainly derived from neutrophils accumulating in the airways and contributes to a high sputum viscosity. The altered environment in the lower airways also paves the way for chronic P. aeruginosa infection. Here, we show that mice with P. aeruginosa airway infection have increased survival and decreased bacterial load after topical treatment with DNase. Furthermore, DNA from the sputum of CF patients showed increased bactericidal activity after treatment with DNase ex vivo. Both degraded DNA of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and genomic DNA degraded by serum, acquired bactericidal activity against P. aeruginosa In vitro, small synthetic DNA-fragments (<100 base pairs) but not large fragments nor genomic DNA, were bactericidal against Gram-negative but not Gram-positive bacteria. The addition of divalent cations reduced bacterial killing, suggesting that chelation of divalent cations by DNA results in destabilization of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) envelope. This is a novel antibacterial strategy where fragmentation of eDNA and DNA-fragments can be used to treat P. aeruginosa airway infection., (© 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.)

Chimarrão or mate is a popular beverage from South America that is drank with successive infusions. Although yerba mate extracts have been widely studied, few studies have described the extract contents in beverages. Using yerba mate samples from Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, we examined the extract chromatographic profiles, total polyphenol content and their capacities to chelate iron. In addition, we analyzed antioxidant activity by examining the ability of the extracts to scavenge DPPH and NO. Our results showed that the amount of extracted compound was highest in yerba mate extract from Uruguay, followed by Argentina, then Brazil. Herbs from all three areas had a significant capacity to inhibit DPPH and NO free radicals. The Brazilian and Uruguayan herbs had an 80% iron chelation capacity (p<0.001), while the iron chelation capacity of the Argentinean herb was lower but still significant (p⩽0.05). We conclude that the compound concentration decreases with successive extractions, while the antioxidant capacity is maintained at significant levels., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Context Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq (Sapindaceae) has been used in traditional medicine as antimalarial, antidiabetic and antibacterial agent, but further investigations are needed. Objective This study determines the antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of six compounds (1-6) and two crystals (1A and 3A) isolated from D. viscosa, and discusses their structure-activity relationships. Materials and methods Antioxidant activity was evaluated using six complementary tests, i.e., β-carotene-linoleic acid; DPPH(•), ABTS(•+), superoxide scavenging, CUPRAC and metal chelating assays. Anticholinesterase activity was performed using the Elman method. Results Clerodane diterpenoids (1 and 2) and phenolics (3-6) - together with three crystals (1A, 3A and 7A) - were isolated from the aerial parts of D. viscosa. Compound 3A exhibited good antioxidant activity in DPPH (IC50: 27.44 ± 1.06 μM), superoxide (28.18 ± 1.35% inhibition at 100 μM) and CUPRAC (A0.5: 35.89 ± 0.09 μM) assays. Compound 5 (IC50: 11.02 ± 0.02 μM) indicated best activity in ABTS assay, and 6 (IC50: 14.30 ± 0.18 μM) in β-carotene-linoleic acid assay. Compounds 1 and 3 were also obtained in the crystal (1A and 3A) form. Both crystals showed antioxidant activity. Furthermore, crystal 3A was more active than 3 in all activity tests. Phenol 6 possessed moderate anticholinesterase activity against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes (IC50 values: 158.14 ± 1.65 and 111.60 ± 1.28 μM, respectively). Discussion and conclusion This is the first report on antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of compounds 1, 2, 5, 6, 1A and 3A, and characterisation of 7A using XRD. Furthermore, the structure-activity relationships are also discussed in detail for the first time.

Context We report the first ever chemical/biochemical study on Crocus mathewii Kerndorff (Iridaceae) - a Turkish endemic angiosperm. This plant has never been explored for its phytochemistry and bioactivities. Objective This study explores C. mathewii corm and aerial parts for the chemical and biological properties of hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water fractions of the extracts. Material and methods Plant material (20 g) was extracted by methanol (250 mL × 5, 3 days each) and fractioned into hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water. All fractions were subjected to β-carotene-linoleic acid, DPPH(·), ABTS(·)(+), CUPRAC, metal chelating and tyrosinase inhibition activities. Hexane fractions were submitted to GC-MS analysis. Results Ethyl acetate fractions showed excellent IC50 values in DPPH(·) (aerial 36.21 ± 0.76 and corm 33.87 ± 0.02 mg/L) and ABTS(·)(+) (aerial 33.01 ± 0.79 and bulb 27.87 ± 0.33 mg/L); higher than the IC50 of the standard α-tocopherol (DPPH 116.25 ± 1.97; ABTS 52.64 ± 0.37 mg/L), higher than BHA in DPPH (57.31 ± 0.25 mg/L), but slightly lower in ABTS (19.86 ± 2.73 mg/L). Methanol extract of aerial parts also showed higher activity than α-tocopherol in DPPH (85.56 ± 11.51 mg/L) but slightly less (72.90 ± 3.66 mg/L) than both the standards in ABTS. Linoleic (aerial 53.9%, corm 43.9%) and palmitic (aerial 22.2%, corm 18%) were found as the major fatty acids. Discussion and conclusion Some fractions of C. mathewii showed higher antioxidant activities than the standards. There is a need to explore more about this plant.

This study aimed to characterise peptide fractions (>5kDa, 3-5kDa and <3kDa) with antioxidative activity obtained from a cod protein hydrolysate. The free amino acids in all fractions were dominated by Ala, Gly, Glu and Ser. The total amino acid composition had high proportions of Lys, Ala and Glu. The 3-5kDa and <3kDa fractions were further fractionated by size exclusion chromatography. All sub-fractions showed high Fe(2+) chelating activity. The DPPH radical-scavenging activity of the 3-5kDa fraction was exerted mainly by one sub-fraction dominated by peptides with masses below 600Da. The DPPH radical-scavenging activity of the <3kDa fraction was exerted by sub-fractions with low molecular weight. The highest reducing power was found in a sub-fraction containing peptides rich in Arg, Tyr and Phe. Both free amino acids and low molecular weight peptides thus seemed to contribute to the antioxidative activity of the peptide fractions, and Tyr seemed to play a major role in the antioxidant activity., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The antioxidant potencies of chondroitin sulfates (CSs) from shark cartilage, salmon cartilage, bovine trachea, and porcine intestinal mucosa were compared by three representative methods for the measurement of the antioxidant activity; DPPH radical scavenging activity, superoxide radical scavenging activity, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. CSs from salmon cartilage and bovine trachea showed higher potency in comparison with CSs from shark cartilage and porcine intestinal mucosa. Next, CS from salmon cartilage chelating with Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Mn(2+), or Zn(2+) were prepared, and their antioxidant potencies were compared. CS chelating with Ca(2+) or Mg(2+) ions showed rather decreased DPPH radical scavenging activity in comparison with CS of H(+) form. In contrast, CS chelating with Ca(2+) or Mg(2+) ion showed remarkably enhanced superoxide radical scavenging activity than CS of H(+) or Na(+) form. Moreover, CS chelating with divalent metal ions, Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Mn(2+), or Zn(2+), showed noticeably higher hydroxyl radical scavenging activity than CS of H(+) or Na(+) form. The present results revealed that the scavenging activities of, at least, superoxide radical and hydroxyl radical were enhanced by the chelation with divalent metal ions.

The aim of this work was to evaluate copper-chelating, iron-chelating and anticariogenic activity of peptides obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of P. columbina protein concentrate and to study the effects of chelating peptides on iron bio-accessibility. Two hydrolyzates were obtained from P. columbina protein concentrate (PC) using two hydrolysis systems: alkaline protease (A) and alkaline protease + Flavourzyme (AF). FPLC gel filtration profile of PC shows a peak having molecular weight (MW) higher than 7000 Da (proteins). A and AF hydrolyzates had peptides with medium and low MW (1013 and 270 Da), respectively. Additionally, AF presented free amino acids with MW around 82 Da and higher content of His and Ser. Peptides from AF showed the highest chelating properties measured as copper-chelating activity (the lowest β-carotene oxidation rate: Ro; 0.7 min(-1)), iron-chelating activity (33%), and phosphorous and Ca(2+) release inhibition (87 and 81%, respectively). These properties could indicate antioxidant properties, promotion of iron absorption and anticariogenic activity, respectively. In fact, hydrolyzates promoted iron dialyzability (≈ 16%), values being higher than that found for P. columbina seaweed. Chelating peptides from both hydrolyzates can maintain the iron in a soluble and bio-accessible form after gastrointestinal digestion.

This work assessed the antioxidant potential, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition and the in vitro cytotoxic activity of extracts of the seagrasses Zostera marina and Zostera noltei collected from southern Portugal. The total phenolic contents (TPCs), the rosmarinic acid (RA) concentration (HPLC/DAD) and the fatty acid (FA) profile (GC/MS) are also described. Z. marina had the highest TPC, radical scavenging activity against DPPH radicals and copper chelating activity. Z. noltei had metal chelation capacity to copper and iron ions. None of the species was able to inhibit AChE. Both seagrasses had high levels of polyunsaturated FAs. Z. marina significantly and selectively reduced the viability of tumorous neuronal cells. Z. noltei was highly toxic for the three cell lines tested and was selective against hepatocarcinoma cells at the concentration of 100 μg/mL. RA was the main compound identified in Z. marina, but not in Z. noltei.

Total Pectins Fraction (TPF) was extracted at room temperature from dried cladodes of Opuntia ficus indica. TPF is constituted of three pectic fractions WSP, CSP and ASP, which are made up of 66.6%, 44.3% and 81.1% (w/w) of galacturonic acid, respectively. The antioxidant ability of TPF increased with the concentration increasing. It scavenged hydroxyl radical by 90% and chelated 90% of ferrous ions at 5 g/L. FTIR study was carried out. Strong characteristic absorption peaks at 1,618 cm(-1) assigned to the vibration of COO(-) group of galacturonic acid. In the fingerprint region, we noticed three well-defined peaks at 1054, 1085, and 1,154 cm(-1) characteristic of pectic polysaccharides. TPF are non-gelling pectins. The co-crosslinking of TPF with carrageenan was carried out and the gelling behavior was successfully improved. Thermo-sensitive hydrogel was obtained with 82% of TPF and 18% of carrageenan (w/w)., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: xopolysaccharides (EPS) are not a well-established group of metabolites. An industrial scale    of this EPS production is limited mainly by low yield biosynthesis. Until now, enzymes and biosynthesis pathways, as well as the role of regulatory genes, have not been described. Some of yeast EPS show antitumor, immunostimulatory and antioxidant activity. Others, absorb heavy metals and can function as bioactive components of food. Also, the potential of yeast EPS as thickeners or stabilizers can be found. Optimal conditions for the biosynthesis of yeast exopolysaccharides require strong oxygenation and low temperature of the culture, due to the physiology of the producer strains. The medium should contain sucrose as a carbon source and ammonium sulfate as inorganic nitrogen source, wherein the C:N ratio in the substrate should be 15:1. The cultures are long and the largest accumulation of polymers is observed after 4 or 5 days of culturing. The structure of yeast EPS is complex which affects the strain and culture condition. The EPS from yeast are linear mannans, pullulan, glucooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides and other heteropolysaccharides containing α-1,2; α-1,3; α-1,6; β-1,3; β-1,4 bonds. Mannose and glucose have the largest participation of carbohydrates for., Methods: t exopolysaccharides (EPS) are not a well-established group of metabolites. An industrial scale    of this EPS production is limited mainly by low yield biosynthesis. Until now, enzymes and biosynthesis pathways, as well as the role of regulatory genes, have not been described. Some of yeast EPS show antitumor, immunostimulatory and antioxidant activity. Others, absorb heavy metals and can function as bioactive components of food. Also, the potential of yeast EPS as thickeners or stabilizers can be found. Optimal conditions for the biosynthesis of yeast exopolysaccharides require strong oxygenation and low temperature of the culture, due to the physiology of the producer strains. The medium should contain sucrose as a carbon source and ammonium sulfate as inorganic nitrogen source, wherein the C:N ratio in the substrate should be 15:1. The cultures are long and the largest accumulation of polymers is observed after 4 or 5 days of culturing. The structure of yeast EPS is complex which affects the strain and culture condition. The EPS from yeast are linear mannans, pullulan, glucooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides and other heteropolysaccharides containing α-1,2; α-1,3; α-1,6; β-1,3; β-1,4 bonds. Mannose and glucose have the largest participation of carbohydrates formin., Results: t exopolysaccharides (EPS) are not a well-established group of metabolites. An industrial scale    of this EPS production is limited mainly by low yield biosynthesis. Until now, enzymes and biosynthesis pathways, as well as the role of regulatory genes, have not been described. Some of yeast EPS show antitumor, immunostimulatory and antioxidant activity. Others, absorb heavy metals and can function as bioactive components of food. Also, the potential of yeast EPS as thickeners or stabilizers can be found. Optimal conditions for the biosynthesis of yeast exopolysaccharides require strong oxygenation and low temperature of the culture, due to the physiology of the producer strains. The medium should contain sucrose as a carbon source and ammonium sulfate as inorganic nitrogen source, wherein the C:N ratio in the substrate should be 15:1. The cultures are long and the largest accumulation of polymers is observed after 4 or 5 days of culturing. The structure of yeast EPS is complex which affects the strain and culture condition. The EPS from yeast are linear mannans, pullulan, glucooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides and other heteropolysaccharides containing α-1,2; α-1,3; α-1,6; β-1,3; β-1,4 bonds. Mannose and glucose have the largest participation of carbohydrates forming EPS.

Over a thousand extracts were tested for phenotypic effects in developing zebrafish embryos to identify bioactive molecules produced by endophytic fungi. One extract isolated from Fusarium sp., a widely distributed fungal genus found in soil and often associated with plants, induced an undulated notochord in developing zebrafish embryos. The active compound was isolated and identified as fusaric acid. Previous literature has shown this phenotype to be associated with copper chelation from the active site of lysyl oxidase, but the ability of fusaric acid to bind copper ions has not been well described. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that fusaric acid is a modest copper chelator with a binding constant of 4.4 × 10(5) M(-1). These results shed light on the toxicity of fusaric acid and the potential teratogenic effects of consuming plants infected with Fusarium sp.

Four lipid-rich microalgal species from the Red Sea belonging to three different genera (Nannochloris, Picochlorum and Desmochloris), previously isolated as novel biodiesel feedstocks, were bioprospected for high-value, bioactive molecules. Methanol extracts were thus prepared from freeze-dried biomass and screened for different biological activities. Nannochloris sp. SBL1 and Desmochloris sp. SBL3 had the highest radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, and the best copper and iron chelating activities. All species had potent butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (>50%) and mildly inhibited tyrosinase. Picochlorum sp. SBL2 and Nannochloris sp. SBL4 extracts significantly reduced the viability of tumoral (HepG2 and HeLa) cells with lower toxicity against the non-tumoral murine stromal (S17) cells. Nannochloris sp. SBL1 significantly reduced the viability of Leishmania infantum down to 62% (250 µg/mL). Picochlorum sp. SBL2 had the highest total phenolic content, the major phenolic compounds identified being salicylic, coumaric and gallic acids. Neoxanthin, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein and β-carotene were identified in the extracts of all strains, while canthaxanthin was only identified in Picochlorum sp. SBL2. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that the microalgae included in this work could be used as sources of added-value products that could be used to upgrade the final biomass value.

Zinc is an essential trace element for human growth and development. In this work, zinc-chelating peptides from rapeseed protein hydrolysates produced with alcalase were investigated by affinity chromatography with immobilized zinc and Sephadex G-25 gel filtration. Four small peptides, namely, Ala-Arg, Asn-Ser-Met (NSM), Gly-Lys-Arg, and Glu-Pro-Ser-His, were obtained and identified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The zinc-chelating ability of the four peptides was further validated by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). NSM was found to exhibit the highest zinc-chelating rate, which was better than that of reduced glutathione. We speculated that the Asn residue at the amino-terminus might facilitate this zinc-chelating ability. Therefore, utilizing small peptides from rapeseed protein as novel carriers for zinc supplement was feasible., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Peptides with the ability to chelate dietary minerals have been reported to have potential as functional food ingredients. A collagen tryptic hydrolysate (CTH), previously shown to chelate iron, was further investigated for the presence of Ca, Fe and Cu chelating peptides. Sequential purification steps, including immobilised metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were employed for the separation of chelating peptides. GPC analysis showed that the mineral chelating peptides were mainly between 500 and 2000 Da. Subsequent identification was carried out using UPLC-ESI-QTOF MS/MS. Overall, 10 sequences were identified as potential chelating peptides. The Ca, Fe and Cu chelating activity of GPAGPHGPPG was 11.52±2.23 nmol/μmol, 1.71±0.17 nmol/μmol and 0.43±0.02 μmol/μmol, respectively. This study identifies collagen as a good source of peptides with potential applications as functional ingredients in the management of mineral deficiencies., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Natural compounds with antioxidant activity can be useful for treatment of reactive oxygen species-related diseases, comprising atherosclerosis, inflammatory injury, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cataracts, autism, and aging. The current study was perform to assay the antioxidant activity different fractions of methanolic extract of golden chanterelle mushroom Cantharellus cibarius, a mushroom found in the north of Iran. Different fractions of methanolic extract of this mushroom, including n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water, were evaluated for antioxidant activity using six in vitro assay systems. Mushroom fruit was obtained from the local market, Sari (northern Iran). The n-hexane fraction had higher amounts of flavonoids contents (40.01 ± 1.30 mg quercetin equivalent g-1 of extract) and the highest exhibition of nitric oxide scavenging activity (77.21 ± 1.48%). The highest content of phenol was observed in the n-butanol fraction, which was 40.97 ± 0.99 mg gallic acid equivalent g-1 of extract. Among all the fractions, the ethyl acetate fraction was found to show higher DPPH scavenging activity (33.43 ± 1.30%) and the aqueous fraction to display the most reducing power. The highest Fe2+ chelating activity was observed in the chloroform fraction and then in the n-hexane fraction (86.13 ± 1.61 and 80.68 ± 2.07, respectively). The results all together signify C. cibarius as a valuable source of natural bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity.

In this study, crude polysaccharides of culinary-medicinal mushroom Auricularia auricular-judae were extracted by hot water extraction and alcohol precipitation, and their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were investigated. An optimum extraction condition was obtained at a ratio of liquid to solid 70 mL/g, temperature 90°C, time 4 h and extraction number 4. Accordingly, the best yield of crude polysaccharides was 6.89% with 76.12% in purity. Some bacteria and fungi were used for antimicrobial studies. It was found that crude A. auricula-judae had great antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, but no activities on the others. The inhibitory diameters of antimicrobial zones for the two were 5.55 ± 0.182 and 9.84 ± 0.076 mm, respectively. Moreover, crude A. auricula-judae had significant antioxidant activities in scavenging free radicals, reducing power assays, and Fe2+ chelating ability assay. Results revealed that crude A. auricula-judae has a great potential as antimicrobial and antioxidant, and it can be a supplementary food for human health.

The recent introduction of the cultivation of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni in Mexico has gained interest for its potential use as a non-caloric sweetener, but some other properties of this plant require studies. Extracts from two varieties of S. rebaudiana Bertoni adapted to cultivation in Mexico were screened for their content of some phytochemicals and antioxidant properties. Total pigments, total phenolic and flavonoids contents of the extracts ranged between 17.7-24.3 mg/g, 28.7-28.4 mg/g, and 39.3-36.7 mg/g, respectively. The variety "Criolla" exhibited higher contents of pigments and flavonoids. Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity ranged between 618.5-623.7 mM/mg and DPPH decolorization assay ranged between 86.4-84.3%, no significant differences were observed between varieties. Inhibition of β-carotene bleaching ranged between 62.3-77.9%, with higher activity in the variety "Criolla". Reducing power ranged between 85.2-86% and the chelating activity ranged between 57.3-59.4% for Cu²⁺ and between 52.2-54.4% for Fe²⁺, no significant differences were observed between varieties. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that polar compounds obtained during the extraction like chlorophylls, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and flavonoids contribute to the antioxidative activity measured. The leaves of S. rebaudiana Bertoni could be used not only as a source of non-caloric sweeteners but also naturally occurring antioxidants., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Simultaneous determination of Cu(II), Pb(II), Al(III) and Fe(III) using cyanidin as a chelating agent was investigated in terms of both quantitative and qualitative detections. Cyanidin was extracted and purified from red cabbage which is a local plant in Thailand. The selectivity of this method was examined by regulating the pH of cyanidin solution operated together with masking agents. It was found that Cu(II), Pb(II), Al(III) and Fe(III) simultaneously responded with the color change at pH 7, pH 6, pH 5 and pH 4, respectively. KF, DMG and the mixture of KF and DMG were used as masking agents for the determination of Fe(III), Al(III) and Pb(II), respectively. Results from naked-eye detection were evaluated by comparing with those of inductively coupled plasma (ICP), and there was no significant difference noticed. Cyanidin using as a multianalyte reagent could be employed for simultaneous determination of Cu(II), Pb(II), Al(III) and Fe(III) at the lowest concentration at 50, 80, 50 and 200μM, respectively, by slightly varying pHs. Moreover, the proposed method could be potentially applied for real water samples with simplicity, rapidity, low cost and environmental safety., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Antioxidant activity of green and black tea and extracts of medicinal plants and their ability to modulate antibiotic susceptibility in Escherichia coli were studied. Among a number of extracts tested the maximal capacity to scavenge DPPH radicals and chelate iron in chemical tests was found in green and black tea, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Vaccinium vitis-idaea. These extracts contained high level of polyphenols and in aerobic conditions exhibited prooxidant features, producing H2O2 and inducing expression of the katG gene encoding catalase HPI in E. coli cells. A good correlation between the polyphenol content and the ability of extracts to protect bacteria against peroxide stress was observed (r = 0.88). Polyphenol-rich extracts and iron chelators demonstrated the highest modulating effect on the antibiotic susceptibility by changing the time period before lysis started and by influencing the colony-forming ability of bacteria. The direction of the modulating effect was dependent on nature of antibiotic applied: under treatment with ciprofloxacin and ampicillin the extracts predominantly provided protective effects, while under treatment with kanamycin a bactericidal action was enhanced. Mechanism of modulating action of extracts on bacterial antibiotic susceptibility probably involves antioxidant, preferentially iron-chelating, or prooxidant properties of polyphenols., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the antioxidant and antihypertensive activities of peptides obtained from protein fractions of Adzuki bean seeds. Peptides were obtained by the use of hydrolytic enzymes in vitro under gastrointestinal conditions. A determination was made of the activity of the peptide inhibitors of the angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE), and the antiradical and ion chelating activity of peptides from different protein fractions. The highest peptide levels after the absorption process (<7 kDa) were noted in the albumin fraction (50.69 μg/ml). Furthermore, it was found that peptides from the prolamin fraction were characterised by the highest antiradical activity and ACE inhibitory activity (IC50=0.17 mg/ml). Peptides obtained from the globulin fraction showed the highest ability to chelate iron ions, and peptides from the glutelin fraction were characterised as being the most effective in the chelation of copper ions., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Context: Longkong [Lansium domesticum Corr. (Meliaceae)] is a popular tropical plant producing economic edible fruits found mainly in Southeast Asia. However, limited information is available concerning anticancer activity of Longkong., Objective: To investigate anticancer activities in human mouth epidermal carcinoma (KB) of Longkong extracts., Materials and Methods: Various parts of Longkong which was collected from Northern and Eastern of Thailand were extracted by the hot and cold processes using water, chloroform, and methanol. The extracts were tested for anti-oxidative activities and anti-proliferation as well as matrix metalloproteinase inhibition on KB cells., Results: The hot water extract of seeds from Northern region (NSEWH), the cold water extract of old leaves from Northern region (NOLWC), and the hot chloroform extract of young leaves from Eastern region (EYLCH) showed the highest free radical scavenging, metal ion chelating, and lipid peroxidation inhibition with SC50, MC50 and IPC50 values of 0.34 ± 0.03, 0.47 ± 1.60 and 0.86 ± 0.31 mg/ml, respectively. The hot and cold chloroform extract of young fruits from Northern region (NYFCH and NYFCC) exhibited anti-proliferation effect against KB cells with IC50 values of 603.45 ± 55.35 and 765.06 ± 46.19 mg/ml, respectively. NYFCC exhibited the highest pro- and active MMP-2 inhibition at 53.03 ± 2.65 and 31.30 ± 0.43%, more than all tested standard anticancer drugs except cisplatin., Discussion and Conclusion: The cold chloroform extract of young fruits from Northern region appeared to contain anticancer active compounds against KB cells because of its high anti-proliferation and MMP-2 inhibition activities.