Recently, an increased interest in nanotechnology applications can be observed in various fields (medicine, materials science, pharmacy, environmental protection, agriculture etc.). Due to an increasing scope of applications, the exposure of humans to nanoparticles (NPs) is inevitable. A number of studies revealed that after inhalation or oral exposure, NPs accumulate in, among other places, the lungs, alimentary tract, liver, heart, spleen, kidneys and cardiac muscle. In addition, they disturb glucose and lipid homeostasis in mice and rats. In a wide group of nanoparticles currently used on an industrial scale, titanium dioxide nanoparticles—TiO2 NPs—are particularly popular. Due to their white colour, TiO2 NPs are commonly used as a food additive (E 171). The possible risk to health after consuming food containing nanoparticles has been poorly explored but it is supposed that the toxicity of nanoparticles depends on their size, morphology, rate of migration and amount consumed. Scientific databases inform that TiO2 NPs can induce inflammation due to oxidative stress. They can also have a genotoxic effect leading to, among others, apoptosis or chromosomal instability. This paper gives a review of previous studies concerning the effects of exposure to TiO2 NPs on a living organism (human, animal). This information is necessary in order to demonstrate potential toxicity of inorganic nanoparticles on human health.

The neuroprotective role of phenolic acids from food has previously been reported by many authors. In this review, the role of phenolic acids in ameliorating depression, ischemia/reperfusion injury, neuroinflammation, apoptosis, glutamate-induced toxicity, epilepsy, imbalance after traumatic brain injury, hyperinsulinemia-induced memory impairment, hearing and vision disturbances, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, anti-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Chagas disease and other less distributed diseases is discussed. This review covers the in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo studies concerning the prevention and treatment of neurological disorders (on the biochemical and gene expression levels) by phenolic acids.

Anticholinesterase activities of mashes produced using wheat ('Wheat Pale') or barley malts ('Pilsner', 'Pale Ale', 'Munich Light', 'Carahell' or 'Carared') were studied by spectrophotometric method. The highest inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase was observed at 52 C and/or 64 C, followed by a decrease or stabilization of the activity at 72 C. Changes in the total phenolics content in the test mashes were correlated with changes in the acetylcholinesterase and/or butyrylcholinesterase activities. Phenolic acids were singled out from phenolic compounds for more detailed studies owing to their simplicity and structural similarity to well-known cholinesterase inhibitors. The main phenolic acids in the test malts were ferulic, gallic, p-coumaric and vanillic acids followed by chlorogenic, caffeic, syringic, p-OH-benzoic, sinapic and protocatechuic acids. The anticholinesterase activities of the phenolic acids were studied using model standard solutions at concentrations similar to the maximal content of these compounds in the test mashes. Among the phenolic acids, p-coumaric acid had the largest share in the anticholinesterase activity, even though it was present in the test mashes at a significantly lower concentration (~0.38 mM L À1 ) than ferulic acid (~1.00 mM L À1 ). Sinapic acid and p-OH-benzoic acid (0.03 and 0.01 mM L À1 , respectively) were equally efficient inhibitors as ferulic acid at~1.00 mM L À1 . This preliminary study should be extended to other phenolic compounds from malt (wort) in the near future.

Phenolic acids are widely distributed in foods and raw materials. They are easily absorbed by humans due to their simplicity. Once they enter the blood plasma, they act as antioxidants. Beer can be a rich source of phenolic acids in the diet. The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of phenolic acids in two experimental worts and beers as well as in nine market beers (using HPLC‐UV). An examination of the total antiradical activities of phenolic acids with in vitro model systems (using ABTS and DPPH free radicals), at the concentrations comparable to those detected in beers, was performed. Only low fractions of the main phenolic acids present in barley malt (ferulic, vanillic and p‐coumaric acid) were detected in the experimental worts. Moreover, the concentrations of phenolic acids significantly decreased until the last steps of beer production. The main beer phenolic acids (vanillic and ferulic acid) exerted a lower share of total antiradical activity against both free radicals (calculated as the sum of the individual activities of all acids detected in beer) than the minor phenolic acids (caffeic, chlorogenic, o‐coumaric, sinapic or syringic acid). The synergies, between individual phenolic acids in pairs, were also studied with in vitro model solutions using free radicals. The total antiradical activity of the compounds studied in pairs, was at the most as high as the sum of the antiradical activity of the individual phenolic acids, but in most cases it was considerably lower (i.e. no synergy was detected).

Szwajgier D. Anticholinesterase activity of selected phenolic acids and flavonoids: interaction testing in model solutions. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2015; 22(4): 690-694. doi: 10.5604/12321966.1185777 Abstract Introduction. Alzheimer's disease is a progressively developing neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The only present treatment of this disease is the use of acetyl-and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors. Previously, the neuroprotection of phenolic acids and flavonoids in the brain has been indicated. Materials and method. This study measured anticholinesterase activities of 9 phenolic acids and 6 flavonoids, singly or in combination. The synergy/antagonism/zero interaction between compounds was evaluated taking into consideration the statistical significance. Ellman's modified spectrophotometric method was used with the simultaneous measurement of the false-positive effect of compounds. Results. The anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of phenolic acids was as follows: homogentisic acid > 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid > nordihydroguaiaretic acid > rosmarinic acid > caffeic acid > gallic acid = chlorogenic acid > homovanillic acid > sinapic acid. p-Hydroxyphenylpyruvic, caffeic, chlorogenic, gentisic, homogentisic, nordihydroguaiaretic and rosmarinic acids in pairs exhibited, in most cases, a lower inhibitory activity (at p>0.05), than the sum of the activities of single compounds. Also, phenolic acids in pairs with flavonoids (cyanidin, delphinidin, kaempferol, myricetin, phloridzin, pelargonidin or quercetin) presented, in most cases, a lower inhibitory activity than could be calculated for both compounds singly (at p>0.05). Only in the case of a few samples was the inhibitory activity of two compounds higher than the sum of inhibitions exerted by the same compounds tested singly (either at p>0.05 or p<0.05). The lack of synergy of pairs of inhibitors suggests one small binding site, making impossible to accommodate both inhibitors adjacent to one another.

Berries are a rich source of antioxidants and phytochemicals that have received considerable interest for their possible relations to human health. In this study, the anti-adipogenic effect of polyphenol-rich extract obtained from chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliot, raspberry Rubus idaeus L., bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus L. and cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton fruits and its underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipose cells. Treatment with the extract (25–100 μg/mL) significantly decreased lipid accumulation and reactive oxygen species generation in adipocytes without showing cytotoxicity. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that the extract at a concentration of 100 μg/mL suppressed adipogenesis and lipogenesis via the down-regulation of PPARγ (67%), C/EBPα (72%), SREBP1 (62%), aP2 (24%), FAS (32%), LPL (40%), HSL (39%), and PLIN1 (32%) gene expression. Moreover, the extract significantly increased the expression of adiponectin (4.4-fold) and decreased leptin expression (90%) and respectively regulated the production of these adipokines in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The obtained results suggest that the analyzed extract may be a promising source of bioactive compounds that support long-term weight maintenance and promote the effective management of obesity.

In this work, anticholinesterase activities of 24 polyphenolic compounds were tested using the modified Ellman's spectrophotometric method. The most efficient acetyl-and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors were anthocyanins (pelargonidin, delphinidin and cyanidin), flavones (apigenin and luteolin), flavonols (quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin), as well as dihydrochalcone phloridzin and prenylated chalcone xanthohumol. It was established that all the tested compounds were within a narrow molecular weight range of 254.24-354.40 g/mol, which probably was not discriminative for their inhibitory activity. Among all the classes of polyphenolic compounds, the lowest activities were exerted by flavan-3-ols. The inhibitory activity of the tested polyphenols was decreased by the presence of a 3-hydroxyl group. A simultaneous substitution of a carbonyl group at position 4 and a hydroxyl group at position 3 or a lack of both of these substitutions had no effect on the activity of the investigated compounds. The number and position of other hydroxyl groups in the tested molecules played a minor role in this context. Aglycons were more effective cholinesterase inhibitors than their corresponding glycosylated forms. Overall, the results show that phenolic acids can play a role in neuroprotection. However, further in vitro and in vivo studies involving a larger number of polyphenolic compounds simultaneously with well-known cholinesterase inhibitors should be performed in the nearest future to confirm these findings. Unauthenticated Download Date | 5/8/18 4:25 AM

Lactobacillus rhamnosus E/N is a probiotic bacterium, which synthesizes exopolysaccharides (EPS) with significant bifidogenic and antioxidant activities. The sugar composition of the EPSs produced depended on carbohydrates used as a carbon source in the growth media. Five Bifidobacterium strains were tested in vitro for their ability to utilize all the EPSs studied. The highest bifidogenic activity was revealed by EPSs obtained from Lactobacillus cultures supplemented with Gal, Lac, and Mal as the only carbon source, while significant antioxidant effects were observed in EPSs isolated from growth media enriched with galactose, lactose, and sucrose.