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Many studies on broccoli have analyzed the functional components and their functionality in terms of antioxidant and anticancer activities; however, these studies have focused on the florets of different varieties. Investigation of the functionality of broccoli by-products such as leaves, stems, and leaf stems from different cultivars and harvest dates might be valuable for utilizing waste materials as useful food components. Total phenolics and sulforaphane contents, and antioxidant and anticancer activities were measured in the leaves, leaf stems, and stems of early-maturing (Kyoyoshi), middle-maturing (Myeongil 96), and late-maturing broccoli (SK3-085) at different harvest dates. Total phenolics in the leaves of Kyoyoshi were about 1.8-fold to 12.1-fold higher than those in all of the other cultivars and parts. The sulforaphane content of Kyoyoshi was 2.8-fold higher in the stems than in the florets. Antioxidant activities using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity were highest in Kyoyoshi, followed by Myeongil 96 and SK3-085, most notably in the leaves harvested at the immature stage. Inhibition activity of cell growth against the NCI-H1299 cell lines was highest in the leaves of all cultivars in decreasing order of florets, leaf stems, and stems. The leaves harvested in October (nonflowering stage) had the highest inhibition activity, while those harvested in January (mature broccoli) showed the lowest. The results of this study demonstrate that broccoli leaves and stems contain high levels of total phenolics, and high antioxidant and anticancer activities and can provide opportunities for early-maturing broccoli as functional fresh raw vegetables.

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italia) florets were extracted with 80% methanol and the extract was sequentially fractionated with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and distilled water. The extract and the fractions were evaluated for total phenolic content, sulforaphane content, antioxidant activity, and anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The total phenolic content and sulforaphane content of the ethyl acetate fraction (EF) were 35.5 mg gallic acid equivalents/g and 620.2 μg/g, respectively. These values were higher than those of the 80% methanol extract and organic solvent fractions. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity of the EF [1,588.7 μM Trolox equivalents (TE)/mg] was 11-fold higher than that of the distilled water fraction (143.7 μM TE/mg). The EF inhibited nitric oxide release from LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited IκB-α degradation and nuclear factor-κB activation in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. In conclusion, the EF of broccoli florets exerted potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

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The goal of this study was to elucidate the antiinflammatory activities of Psidium guajava L. (guava) leaf. To improve the functionality of guava leaf, it was fermented with Phellinus linteus mycelia, Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The ethanol extract from fermented guava leaf inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) production. Western blot analysis showed that fermented guava leaf extract decreased LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein level in RAW 264.7 cells. To investigate the mechanism involved, the study examined the effect of fermented guava leaf extract on LPS-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation. Fermented guava leaf extract significantly inhibited LPS-induced NF-kappaB transcriptional activity. Immunochemical analysis revealed that fermented guava leaf extract suppressed LPS-induced degradation of I-kappaBalpha. Taken together, the data indicate that fermented guava leaf extract is involved in the inhibition of iNOS and COX-2 via the down-regulation of NF-kappaB pathway, revealing a partial molecular basis for the antiinflammatory properties of fermented guava leaf extract.

Clinical-chemical traits are essential when examining the health status of individuals. The aim of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and the associated positional candidate genes affecting clinical-chemical traits in a reciprocal F(2) intercross between Landrace and Korean native pigs. Following an overnight fast, 25 serum phenotypes related to clinical-chemical traits (e.g., hepatic function parameters, renal function parameters, electrolyte, lipids) were measured in >970 F(2) progeny. All experimental samples were subjected to genotyping analysis using 165 microsatellite markers located across the genome. We identified eleven genome-wide significant QTL in six chromosomal regions (SSC 2, 7, 8, 13, 14, and 15) and 59 suggestive QTL in 17 chromosomal regions (SSC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18). We also observed significant effects of reciprocal crosses on some of the traits, which would seem to result from maternal effect, QTL on sex chromosomes, imprinted genes, or genetic difference in mitochondrial DNA. The role of genomic imprinting in clinical-chemical traits also was investigated. Genome-wide analysis revealed a significant evidence for an imprinted QTL in SSC4 affecting serum amylase levels. Additionally, a series of bivariate linkage analysis provided strong evidence that QTL in SSC 2, 13, 15, and 18 have a pleiotropic effect on clinical-chemical traits. In conclusion, our study detected both novel and previously reported QTL influencing clinical-chemical traits in pigs. The identified QTL together with the positional candidate genes identified here could play an important role in elucidating the genetic structure of clinical-chemical phenotype variation in humans and swine.

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