The present study revealed black and red rice bran shows high antioxidant activities and they contain high amount of phenolic compounds. Indeed, black and red rice bran could be better raw materials for manufacturing the food with high antioxidant activity.
Neurodegenerative diseases are major threats to human health. Here, through fluorescence, colorimetric, immunoblotting, spectroscopy, and laser scanning confocal microscopic techniques, we investigated the neuroprotective properties of chlorogenic acid‐rich Solanum melongena extracts (SM extract) in rotenone‐induced PC‐12 cell death. The results showed that rotenone caused apoptosis to PC‐12 cells by elevating Bax/Bcl‐2 ratio and increasing caspase‐3 activity. Rotenone also increased ROS in cells while suppressing SOD and catalase activities. This resulted in the depletion of ATP in cells by blocking mitochondria complex I activity. Pretreatment of the cells with SM extract at concentrations of 100, 250, and 500 μg/ml before incubation for 24 hr with rotenone significantly prevented apoptosis, decreased ROS, and increased ATP production in the cells. SM extract upregulated SOD and catalase activities in the cells. These results unveil evidence that SM extract content neuroprotective properties that can be exploited to prevent and treat neurodegenerative diseases.
Practical applications
Solanum melongena eggplant is a popular ingredient in many traditional recipes and is well known in Asia for its medicinal benefits. Despite numerous scientific reports of the potential health benefits of this plant, reports on its effects in neurodegenerative diseases is still lacking. This pilot study demonstrates that S. melongena eggplant can protect against neurotoxicity in neurodegenerative diseases. The results of this research serves as a base for further research on eggplant that will result in its usage on a larger scale as functional food materials.
(CP), a rich source of flavonoids, has been used as a traditional medicine for purposes of exhaustion, cold, and cancer treatment in East Asia including China and Korea. This study investigated the effect of CP extracts on palmitate-induced lipotoxicity in hepatocytes, HepG2. Cell viability and apoptosis were measured by Tryphan blue staining and Hoechst staining, respectively. Cellular uptake of free fatty acid was measured by Oil Red O staining. The results show that CP extracts attenuated palmitate-induced intracellular lipid accumulation and lipotoxicity in HepG2 cells. CP extracts also blocked the expression of apo B protein, an apolipoprotein with functional roles in intracellular lipid accumulation. Moreover, CP extracts inhibited the release of the mitochondrial cytochrome c through regulation of apoptosis-related proteins, Bax and Bcl-2. These results demonstrated a novel function of CP extracts in preventing lipotoxicity in HepG2 cells, implicating a promising phytotherapeutic approach for lipo-detoxification.
This study was performed to provide information for improving the quality characteristics of tangerine peel Soksungjang. Tangerine peel Soksungjangs were prepared with 10% tangerine peel powder by addition of different koji such as Rhizopus oligosporus (RS, RTS) and Aspergillus oryzae (AS, ATS). As a result, the moisture content was not changed and crude protein content decreased during fermentation in all samples. The pH of RS (Soksungjang manufactured with Rhizopus oligosporus koji) and RTS (Soksungjang manufactured with Rhizopus oligosporus koji and 10% tangerine peel powder) was not changed, whereas pH of AS (Soksungjang manufactured with Aspergillus oryzae) and ATS (Soksungjang manufactured with Aspergillus oryzae koji and 10% tangerine peel powder) decreased rapidly after 10 days of fermentation. The acidity values of all the samples increased during fermentation. The major free sugars were glucose, fructose, and maltose; while, the major organic acids were citric acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, and lactic acid in all the samples. The amino nitrogen content and protease activity were highest in the AS and ATS. Conversely, the reducing sugar content and α-amylase activity were highest in the RS and RTS. The major free amino acids in all samples were glutamic acid, lysine, leucine, and arginine. Sixty kinds of volatile flavor compounds were identified from all samples; the majority of which were 21 alcohols, 14 hydrocarbons, 5 esters, and others identifies as acids, ketones, and aldehydes.
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