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Distichochlamys benenica is a newly discovered plant belonging to the Distichochlamys family, which exerts many important biological activities. However, the anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant effects of the crude (ME) and fractioned extracts of D. benenica, such as hexane (HE), chloroform (CE), and ethyl acetate extracts (EAE), have not been elucidated yet. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated via DPPH free radical scavenging and phosphomolybdate assays. The anti-inflammatory potential of the extracts was assessed via their inhibitory effects on protein denaturation and nitric oxide production. The anti-cancer effect of the extracts against A549 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines was determined via MTT assay. The results revealed that among four extracts, the polyphenol concentration was highest in EAE (350.59 ± 13.26 mg GAE/g) while the flavonoid content was highest in HE and ME. Furthermore, the greatest DPPH radical capture efficiency was demonstrated by EAE (89.76 ± 0.68%), and total antioxidant activity was greatest in HE (204.18 ± 3.51 mg AAE/g). The greatest suppression of NO generation was similarly shown by EAE and HE, with IC50 values ranging from 3.72-4.06 µg/mL, respectively. Additionally, HE and EAE exhibited an inhibitory effect on protein denaturation (ranging from 12.76%-28.81%). HE and EAE had the greatest effectiveness against MDA-MB-231 cell lines in the antitumor test. These findings validate the potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties of D. benenica extracts, especially EAE and HE, and pave the way for the application of the extracts in the pharmaceutical industry as promising anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer medicines.

Objectives: Houttuynia cordata Thunb., a member of the Saururaceae family, has been demonstrated to have potential in the treatment of different diseases. For the first time, aristolactam BII was isolated from the aerial part of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. and the anti-inflammatory effect of the extract and aristolactam BII was evaluated. Methods: After using chromatography to separate and obtain the compound, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance was used to identify the compound. An in vivo model of carrageenan-induced paw edema on mice was performed to test the anti-inflammation of the extract and compound. Furthermore, a ligand docking experiment was performed to determine the binding free energy of aristolactam to inflammatory proteins including COX-1, COX-2. Results: The findings showed that aristolactam BII effectively reduced the severity of the edema, similar to diclofenac, whereas the methanol extract showed low effectiveness. Particularly, the swelling rate of 50 mg/kg aristolactam BII treated mice was only 26.2 ± 7.1% (p < 0.01) after 5 h treatment. The in silico results described that aristolactam BII might inhibit COX-1 and COX-2 via creating h-bonds at the sites of Ser 530 residues. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the potential anti-inflammatory activity of aristolactam BII. This study would provide more fundamental knowledge about the bioactivities of aristolactam BII isolated from Houttuynia cordata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquafaba, the viscous by-product liquid from cooking chickpeas or other legumes, is recognized as one of the most common plant-based egg alternatives for forming foam and adding more texture to food products. Recently, canned chickpeas aquafaba, have been suggested as a good choice for replacement egg white in vegan products. In this study, the effects of some processing parameters such as chickpeas/cooking water ratio, pH, sea salt, sugar and xanthan gum on foam capacity, foam stability, viscosity on chickpeas cooking water (aquafaba) were evaluated. Based on the results from the tests, the new recipe of whipping cream was developed, in which the chickpea aquafaba obtained from cooking in chickpeas: cooking water ratio (1:4) with salt content of 0.003 g.ml-1, xanthan gum of 0.00005 g.ml-1, pH of 4 and sucrose content of 0.7 g.ml-1 were mixed for 8 min, and then was whipped for 5 min. The results showed that some textural properties of the vegan whipped cream from chickpeas were compared to whipped cream from eggs. The results may be significant to develop new technologies utilizing legume proteins to produce eggless, non-dairy cold desserts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to determine the effects of several factors on the foam properties of lima bean aquafaba (LBA) and to use LBA in eggless cupcakes. The aquafaba was prepared by different processing methods: cooking, a combination of cooking and microwaving, pressure cooking, annealing, and adding table salt and lime juice. The foaming capacity and foam stability of LBA were optimized at heating for 60 min. In addition, using the LBA for replacement of egg in cupcakes improved the volume, cake density, specific volume, weight loss, and texture. In particular, cupcakes prepared with a mixture of 25% LBA and 75% egg white had similar cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness to those prepared with 100% egg white. However, cupcakes prepared with the LBA mixture had lower hardiness indices as compared to those made with 100% egg white. Our study suggests that LBA is a white egg replacer. Practical applications: Nowadays, there is increased demand for plant‐based proteins to replace animal‐based proteins. During cooking of legume seeds, a viscous liquid, called "aquafaba," is obtained and usually discarded. In this study, the effect of some cooking methods on the foam properties of lima bean aquafaba (LBA) and application of this aquafaba in eggless cupcakes were investigated. The results from this study prove LBA as a potential egg alternative for eggless cupcake production. This finding may contribute to reduce the burden on husbandry and establish a sustainable food system, especially for consumers suffering egg allergy or for vegan communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucose isomerase is an enzyme widely used in food industry for producing high-fructose corn syrup. Many microbes, including Bacillus megaterium, have been found to be able to produce glucose isomerase. However, the number of studies of glucose isomerase production from Bacillus megaterium is limited. In this study, we establish the optimal medium components and culture conditions for Bacillus megaterium glucose isomerase production by evaluating the combined influence of multiple factors and different parameters via Plackett–Burman design and response surface methodology in Modde 5.0 software. The optimized conditions, which were experimentally confirmed as follows: D-xylose (1.116%), K2HPO4 (0.2%), MgSO4·7H2O (0.1%), yeast extract (1.161%), peptone (1%), pH 7.0, inoculum size 20% (w/v), shaking 120 rpm at 36.528°C for 48 hours, give rise to production of highest activity of glucose isomerase (0.274 ± 0.003 U/mg biomass). These results provide additional important information for future development of large-scale glucose isomerase production by Bacillus megaterium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several herbal remedies have been used as topical agents to cure burn wound, one of the most common injuries in worldwide. In this study, we investigated the potential use of Cleistocalyx operculatus essential oil to treat the burn wound. We identified a total of 13 bioactive compounds of essential oil, several of which exhibited the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. Furthermore, the essential oil showed the antibacterial effect against S. aureus but not with P. aeruginosa. The supportive effect of essential oil on burn wound healing process also has been proven. Among three groups of mice, wound contraction rate of essential oil treated group (100%) was significantly higher than tamanu oil treated (79%) and control mice (71%) after 20 days (0.22±0.03 versus 0.31±0.02 cm2, resp., p<0.05). Histological studies revealed that burn wounds treated with essential oil formed a complete epidermal structure, thick and neatly arranged fibers, and scattered immune cells in burn wound. On the contrary, saline treated burn wound formed uneven epidermal layer with necrotic ulcer, infiltration of immune cells, and existence of granulation tissue. This finding demonstrated Cleistocalyx operculatus essential oil as promising topical dermatological agent to treat burn wound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three species of the Rutaceae family, including Acronychia pedunculata, Euodia lepta, and Severinia monophylla have been used in traditional medicine. However, the comparison of the chemical composition, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects of the leaf essential oils of these species have not been investigated yet. A total of 38 compounds were identified via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, comprising 96.5-99.8 % of the total composition. Both A. pedunculata and E. lepta essential oils exhibited strong inhibitory effects against cancer cells (IC 50 : 59.04-97.52 μg/mL) while that of S. monophylla showed a lower anti-cancer effect (IC 50 >100 μg/mL). Among three essential oils, only the E. lepta leaf oil demonstrated a high anti-inflammatory effect on LPS-stimulated macrophages (IC 50 =6.47±0.65 μg/mL), while the others showed a moderate anti-inflammatory effect (IC 50 >50 μg/mL). Molecular docking studies also suggested the binding potential of the key compounds from three essential oils against inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, two proteins associated with inflammatory response, with the negative energies ranging from -41.0 to -71.9 kcal/mol. The present findings suggest the leaf essential oils from these species as potential medicines for treatment of cancer or inflammation associated diseases, especially the ones from A. pedunculata and E. lepta oils., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Anaxagorea luzonensis A. Gray, a member of the Annonaceae family, has been used to treat a variety of illnesses for a long time. For the first time, A . luzonensis volatile compounds (ALVCs) were extracted from the leaves, and the components were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Further, the main compositions of ALVCs were also assessed for their ability to bind with anti-inflammatory proteins using a docking model. In addition, in vitro tests e.g. inhibition of protein degradation and the inhibition of nitric oxide release using RAW264.7 macrophage cells were utilized for evaluating the anti-inflammatory activity. The results showed that the principal compounds of ALVCs were bulnesol (34.1 %), cubitene (17.8 %), β -eudesmol (10.4 %), epi -longipinanol (5.9 %), and ( Z )-nerolidyl acetate (5.5 %). Three compounds viz. bulnesol, cubitene, and β -eudesmol bound firmly to cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), as shown by the in silico analysis, similar to the positive control diclofenac. ALVCs effectively inhibited protein degradation with the IC 50 of 31 ± 2.3 μg/mL and inhibited nitric oxide production with the IC 50 of 43.30 ± 3.37 μg/mL. These findings showed that ALVCs might have a promising anti-inflammatory effect by blocking several inflammatory proteins., (© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Distichochlamys genus, belonging to the ginger family, are native to Vietnam and there has not been many research mentioned about biological properties of this genus. In this study, essential oils were extracted from the rhizomes of Distichochlamys benenica (DBEO) and Distichochlamys citrea (DCEO), and the components were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Further, for the first time, the anti-inflammatory activity of these essential oils was evaluated in vitro using nitric oxide inhibitory assay and in silico via binding with the inflammatory cyclooxygenase proteins (COX-1 and COX-2). The main constituents of DBEO and DCEO, according to the results, were 1,8-cineole, (E)-citral and (Z)-citral. The nitric oxide release was inhibited by DBEO and DCEO, with IC 50 values of 27.13±2.43 and 37.44±3.02 µg/ mL, respectively. Moreover, the COX-1 and COX-2 proteins formed strong bonds with 1,8-cineole, (E)- citral, and (Z)-citral, whose free energies roughly ranged from -54.78 to -84.08 kcal/mol. These results suggested that by inhibiting multiple inflammatory proteins, DBEO and DCEO may have a promising anti-inflammatory effect.

Sacha inchi ( Plukenetia volubilis L.) is a well-known oleaginous plant used as food source and traditional medicine by indigenous people for a long time. This study was conducted to evaluate anti-arthritis effect of ethanol extract of Sacha inchi leaves and provide scientific evidence to develop the new anti-arthritis remedy from Sacha inchi. Rheumatoid arthritis model was established by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant into right hind footpads of mice and three doses of ethanol extract of Sacha inchi leaves (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight) were used for treatment. The severity of arthritis was evaluated by measuring the ankle diameter and arthritic score, hematological and biochemical parameters (erythrocytes, leukocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and rheumatoid factor). The pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10) and the histology change of joint were also examined. All three doses of extracts significantly alleviated ankle diameter and arthritic score. Furthermore, the extracts could ameliorate the alternation of inflammatory cytokines as well histological features of CFA-induced mice. The efficacy of extract dose of 300 mg/kg body weight is comparable with reference drug (Mobic, 0.2 mg/kg body weight). This study indicates Sacha inchi leaf extract as the promising remedy for treatment of arthritis., (© Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2023.)