Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids: Potential Health and Beauty Ingredients

Casein hydrolysates (CH) were prepared using papain and modified by the plastein reaction (CH-P) in the presence of extrinsic phenylalanine (CH-P-Phe) or tryptophan (CH-P-Trp). The in vitro protective activity of CH and its modified products against ethanol-induced damage in HHL-5 cells was investigated. The results showed that the modification by the plastein reaction reduced the amino group content of CH. However, the modification by the plastein reaction in the presence of extrinsic amino acids could enhance the antioxidant, proliferative, cell cycle arresting, and anti-apoptosis activity of CH. Biological activities of CH and its modified products in the HHL-5 cells varied depending on the hydrolysate concentration (1, 2, and 3 mg/mL) and treatment time (24, 48, and 72 h). Generally, higher biological activities were found after cell treatment with CH or its modified products at concentration of 2 mg/mL for 48 h compared to other treatments. In addition, CH modified in the presence of tryptophan (CH-P-Trp) showed higher biological activity than that modified in the presence of phenylalanine (CH-P-Phe). Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that casein hydrolysates with enhanced biological activity and potential health benefits can be produced by papain and the plastein reaction with the incorporation of extrinsic amino acids.

Download Full-text

Sprouts vs. Microgreens as Novel Functional Foods: Variation of Nutritional and Phytochemical Profiles and Their In vitro Bioactive Properties

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25204648 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (20) ◽

pp. 4648

Author(s):

Aneta Wojdyło ◽

Paulina Nowicka ◽

Karolina Tkacz ◽

Igor Piotr Turkiewicz

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Ascorbic Acid ◽

Organic Acid ◽

Antioxidant Capacity ◽

Potential Health ◽

Reducing Ability ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Butyrylcholinesterase Activity ◽

Phytochemical Profiles

The aim of the study was to analyze potential health-promoting and nutritional components (polyphenols, L-ascorbic acid, carotenoids, chlorophylls, amino acids, organic acid, sugars, ash and pectins) of selected sprouts (radish, lentil, black medick, broccoli, sunflower, leek, beetroot, mung beans) and microgreens (kale, radish, beetroot, green peas, amaranth). Moreover, antioxidant capacity (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC)), in vitro anti-diabetic potential (inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase), and anti-obesity (pancreatic lipase) and anti-cholinergic (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase) activity were evaluated. The results of this study show that sprouts are effective in antioxidant capacity as a result of a high content of polyphenols and L-ascorbic acid. Additionally, sprouts are better sources of amino acids, pectins and sugars than microgreens. Microgreens were characterized by high content of carotenoids and chlorophylls, and organic acid, without any sugars, exhibiting higher anti-diabetic and anti-cholinergic activity than sprouts. Some selected sprouts (broccoli, radish, lentil) and microgreens (radish, amaranths, kale) should be used daily as superfoods or functional food.

Download Full-text

Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera): Novel Findings and Future Directions for Food and Drug Discovery

Current Drug Discovery Technologies ◽

10.2174/1570163815666180320111937 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 2-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Ali H. El-Far ◽

Babatunji E. Oyinloye ◽

Masood Sepehrimanesh ◽

Mahmoud A. Gab Allah ◽

Ibrahim Abu-Reidah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Fatty Acids ◽

Functional Food ◽

Date Palm ◽

Phoenix Dactylifera ◽

Medicinal Products ◽

Potential Health ◽

Future Directions ◽

Phytochemical Composition ◽

Complete Diet

Phoenix dactylifera is a useful traditional medicinal plant, mainly the fruit is used, which is the edible part of the plant (Ajwa date). It is now considered to be a valuable source of natural medicinal products against various diseases. Phytochemical investigations have shown that the fruit contains anthocyanins, phenolics, sterols, carotenoids, and flavonoids. The fruits are a rich source of carbohydrates, vitamins, and proteins. P. dactylifera is considered as a complete diet because it also contains different fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, and steroidal substances. This review highlights the phytochemical composition, nutritional significance, and potential health benefits of P. dactylifera and discusses its potential as a functional food for disease prevention, management, and treatment.

Download Full-text

Nutritional quality and health benefits of chickpea (Cicer arietinumL.): a review

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114512000797 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 108 (S1) ◽

pp. S11-S26 ◽

Cited By ~ 311

Author(s):

A. K. Jukanti ◽

P. M. Gaur ◽

C. L. L. Gowda ◽

R. N. Chibbar

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Protein Quality ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Essential Amino Acids ◽

Good Source ◽

Potential Health ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Pulse Crop ◽

Storage Carbohydrate

Chickpea (Cicer arietinumL.) is an important pulse crop grown and consumed all over the world, especially in the Afro-Asian countries. It is a good source of carbohydrates and protein, and protein quality is considered to be better than other pulses. Chickpea has significant amounts of all the essential amino acids except sulphur-containing amino acids, which can be complemented by adding cereals to the daily diet. Starch is the major storage carbohydrate followed by dietary fibre, oligosaccharides and simple sugars such as glucose and sucrose. Although lipids are present in low amounts, chickpea is rich in nutritionally important unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic and oleic acids. β-Sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol are important sterols present in chickpea oil. Ca, Mg, P and, especially, K are also present in chickpea seeds. Chickpea is a good source of important vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, folate and the vitamin A precursor β-carotene. As with other pulses, chickpea seeds also contain anti-nutritional factors which can be reduced or eliminated by different cooking techniques. Chickpea has several potential health benefits, and, in combination with other pulses and cereals, it could have beneficial effects on some of the important human diseases such as CVD, type 2 diabetes, digestive diseases and some cancers. Overall, chickpea is an important pulse crop with a diverse array of potential nutritional and health benefits.

Download Full-text

Separating the Wheat from the Chaff: Nutritional Value of Plant Proteins and Their Potential Contribution to Human Health

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12082410 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. 2410

Author(s):

Robert W. Davies ◽

Philip M. Jakeman

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Nutritional Value ◽

Critical Role ◽

Plant Protein ◽

Potential Contribution ◽

Plant Proteins ◽

Natural Form ◽

Potential Health ◽

Plant Source ◽

Animal Source

The quality and nutritional value of dietary proteins are determined by the quantity, digestibility and bioavailability of essential amino acids (EAA), which play a critical role in human growth, longevity and metabolic health. Plant-source protein is often deficient in one or more EAAs (e.g., branched-chain amino acids, lysine, methionine and/or tryptophan) and, in its natural form, is less digestible than animal-source protein. Nevertheless, dietary intake of plant-source protein has been promoted because of its potential health benefits, lower cost of production and lower environmental impact compared to animal-source protein. Implementation of dietary strategies that improve both human and planetary health are of critical importance and subject to growing interest from researchers and consumers. Therefore, in this review we analyse current plant protein intake patterns and discuss possible countermeasures that can enhance plant protein nutrition, examples include: (1) combining different plant proteins with complementary EAA profiles; (2) identification and commercial cultivation of new and novel high-quality plant proteins; (3) industrial and domestic processing methods; and (4) genome-editing techniques.

Download Full-text

Need for Accurate and Standardized Determination of Amino Acids and Bioactive Peptides for Evaluating Protein Quality and Potential Health Effects of Foods and Dietary Supplements

Journal of AOAC International ◽

10.1093/jaoac/91.4.894 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 91 (4) ◽

pp. 894-900 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

G Sarwar Gilani ◽

Chaowu Xiao ◽

Nora Lee

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Amino Acid ◽

Ion Exchange ◽

Bioactive Peptides ◽

Protein Quality ◽

The United States ◽

Health Claims ◽

World Health ◽

Potential Health

Abstract Accurate standardized methods for the determination of amino acid in foods are required to assess the nutritional safety and compositional adequacy of sole source foods such as infant formulas and enteral nutritionals, and protein and amino acid supplements and their hydrolysates, and to assess protein claims of foods. Protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS), which requires information on amino acid composition, is the official method for assessing protein claims of foods and supplements sold in the United States. PDCAAS has also been adopted internationally as the most suitable method for routine evaluation of protein quality of foods by the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization. Standardized methods for analysis of amino acids by ion-exchange chromatography have been developed. However, there is a need to develop validated methods of amino acid analysis in foods using liquid chromatographic techniques, which have replaced ion-exchange methods for quantifying amino acids in most laboratories. Bioactive peptides from animal and plant proteins have been found to potentially impact human health. A wide range of physiological effects, including blood pressure-lowering effects, cholesterol-lowering ability, antithrombotic effects, enhancement of mineral absorption, and immunomodulatory effects have been described for bioactive peptides. There is considerable commercial interest in developing functional foods containing bioactive peptides. There is also a need to develop accurate standardized methods for the characterization (amino acid sequencing) and quantification of bioactive peptides and to carry out dose-response studies in animal models and clinical trials to assess safety, potential allergenicity, potential intolerance, and efficacy of bioactive peptides. Information from these studies is needed for determining the upper safe levels of bioactive peptides and as the basis for developing potential health claims for bioactive peptides. This information is, in turn, needed by regulatory agencies for developing appropriate policy and regulations on adding these substances to foods and for determining if health claims are scientifically substantiated.

Download Full-text

Theoretical Three-Dimensional Zinc Complexes with Glutathione, Amino Acids and Flavonoids

Stresses ◽

10.3390/stresses1030011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 123-141

Author(s):

José Manuel Pérez de la Lastra ◽

Celia Andrés-Juan ◽

Francisco J. Plou ◽

Eduardo Pérez-Lebeña

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Energy Content ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Cellular Level ◽

Zinc Complexes ◽

Conformational Structure ◽

Cellular Functions ◽

Potential Health ◽

Intracellular Zinc ◽

Extracellular Stimuli

Zinc plays an important role in the regulation of many cellular functions; it is a signaling molecule involved in the transduction of several cascades in response to intra and extracellular stimuli. Labile zinc is a small fraction of total intracellular zinc, that is loosely bound to proteins and is easily interchangeable. At the cellular level, several molecules can bind labile zinc and promote its passage across lipophilic membranes. Such molecules are known as ionophores. Several of these compounds are known in the scientific literature, but most of them can be harmful to human health and are therefore not allowed for medical use. We here performed a theoretical three-dimensional study of known zinc ionophores, together with a computational energetic study and propose that some dietary flavonoids, glutathione and amino acids could form zinc complexes and facilitate the transport of zinc, with the possible biological implications and potential health benefits of these natural compounds. The study is based on obtaining a molecular conformational structure of the zinc complexes with the lowest possible energy content. The discovery of novel substances that act as zinc ionophores is an attractive research topic that offers exciting opportunities in medicinal chemistry. We propose that these novel complexes could be promising candidates for drug design to provide new solutions for conditions and diseases related to zinc deficiency or impairment derived from the dysregulation of this important metal.

Download Full-text

Inhibitory Effects of Green Tea Polyphenols on Microbial Metabolism of Aromatic Amino Acids in Humans Revealed by Metabolomic Analysis

Metabolites ◽

10.3390/metabo9050096 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 96 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Yuyin Zhou ◽

Ningning Zhang ◽

Andrea Y. Arikawa ◽

Chi Chen

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Green Tea ◽

Aromatic Amino Acids ◽

Microbial Metabolism ◽

Tea Polyphenols ◽

Green Tea Polyphenols ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbial Metabolites ◽

Metabolomic Analysis ◽

Potential Health

The bioactivities and potential health benefits of green tea polyphenols (GTP) have been extensively investigated, but the metabolic impact of chronic GTP intake on humans is not well defined. In this study, fecal and urine samples from postmenopausal female subjects taking a GTP supplement or placebo for 12 months were compared by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomic analysis. The GTP-derived and GTP-responsive metabolites were identified and characterized by structural elucidation and quantitative analysis of the metabolites contributing to the separation of control and treatment samples in the multivariate models. Major GTP and their direct sulfate and glucuronide metabolites were absent in feces and urine. In contrast, GTP-derived phenyl-γ-valerlactone and phenylvaleric acid metabolites were identified as the most abundant GTP-derived metabolites in feces and urine, suggesting extensive microbial biotransformation of GTP in humans. Interestingly, GTP decreased the levels of microbial metabolites of aromatic amino acids (AAA), including indoxyl sulfate, phenylacetylglutamine, and hippuric acid, in urine. However, it did not affect the levels of AAA, as well as other microbial metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids and secondary bile acids, in feces. 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that the fecal microbiome was not significantly affected by chronic consumption of GTP. Overall, microbial metabolism is responsible for the formation of GTP metabolites while GTP metabolism may inhibit the formation of AAA metabolites from microbial metabolism. Because these GTP-derived and GTP-responsive metabolites have diverse bioactivities, microbial metabolism of GTP and AAA may play important roles in the beneficial health effects of green tea consumption in humans.

Download Full-text

Proximate Composition, Minerals and Amino Acids Profiles of Selected Wild Edible Russula Species from Côte d’Ivoire

Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology ◽

10.24925/turjaf.v4i10.882-886.816 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 (10) ◽

pp. 882 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kouassi Kouamé Appolinaire ◽

Konan Kouassi Hubert ◽

Kouadio Jean Parfait Eugène ◽

Due Edmond Ahipo ◽

Kouamé Patrice Lucien

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Cote D'ivoire ◽

Proximate Composition ◽

Côte D’Ivoire ◽

Essential Amino Acids ◽

Health Food ◽

Crude Fibre ◽

Potential Health ◽

Cote D’Ivoire ◽

Côte D'ivoire

Some wild edible mushrooms of genus Russula are consumed in the center region of Côte d’Ivoire. In this study, the proximate composition, mineral element and amino acid profile of three selected wild edible Russula species from Center of Côte d’Ivoire including Russula delica, Russula lepida and Russula mustelina were investigated. The mushrooms were harvested fresh, dried in an oven at 45°C for 48 hours, ground and analyzed according to standard procedures. Proximate analysis showed high level of proteins (38.08±0.29–38.52±0.23 %), crude fibre (9.59±0.21–19.78±0.7 %), carbohydrate (39.29±1.71-41.64±1.41 %), ash (12.7±0.16– 13.80±0.10 %) and fat (4.06±0.11-5.70±0.05 %) in all species. Mineral analysis of all species indicated that the mushrooms were specifically rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. R. delica contained the highest level of calcium and phosphorus. The mushrooms contained 18 amino acids among with the most predominant ones in all species were glutamic acid and valine. In addition, the ratios of essential amino acids to total amino acids were between 0.40 and 0.45. The high scores of essential amino acids present in these mushrooms implied that they have a high biological protein value. These mushrooms could be considered as a potential health food and may be of use to the food industry as a source of ingredients with high nutritional value.

Download Full-text

Oolong Çayın Üretimi, Bileşimi ve Sağlık Üzerine Etkisi

Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology ◽

10.24925/turjaf.v2i3.154-159.84 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 154 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

İlkay Koca ◽

Şeyda Bostancı

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Green Tea ◽

Camellia Sinensis ◽

North Africa ◽

Black Tea ◽

Potential Health ◽

Purine Alkaloids ◽

Physiological Properties ◽

The World ◽

Tea Production

Tea, one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, is produced from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis L.. Tea has important physiological properties and potential health benefits due to the presence of compounds such as polyphenols, amino acids, vitamins, carbohydrates, caffeine, and purine alkaloids. Tea is produced in three types as green tea (unfermented), oolong tea (partially fermented), and black tea (fully fermented). Black tea is consumed worldwide, whereas green and oolong teas are consumed mainly in Asia and North Africa. The total tea production in the world consists of about 78% black tea, 20% green tea and

Download Full-text