Characterization of Conjugates between α-Lactalbumin and Benzyl Isothiocyanate—Effects on Molecular Structure and Proteolytic Stability

In complex foods, bioactive secondary plant metabolites (SPM) can bind to food proteins. Especially when being covalently bound, such modifications can alter the structure and, thus, the functional and biological properties of the proteins. Additionally, the bioactivity of the SPM can be affected as well. Consequently, knowledge of the influence of chemical modifications on these properties is particularly important for food processing, food safety, and nutritional physiology. As a model, the molecular structure of conjugates between the bioactive metabolite benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC, a hydrolysis product of the glucosinolate glucotropaeolin) and the whey protein α-lactalbumin (α-LA) was investigated using circular dichroism spectroscopy, anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid fluorescence, and dynamic light scattering. Free amino groups were determined before and after the BITC conjugation. Finally, mass spectrometric analysis of the BITC-α-LA protein hydrolysates was performed. As a result of the chemical modifications, a change in the secondary structure of α-LA and an increase in surface hydrophobicity and hydrodynamic radii were documented. BITC modification at the ε-amino group of certain lysine side chains inhibited tryptic hydrolysis. Furthermore, two BITC-modified amino acids were identified, located at two lysine side chains (K32 and K113) in the amino acid sequence of α-LA.

Download Full-text

Amino Acid and Vitamin Content of Propolis Collected by Native Caucasican Honeybees

Journal of Apicultural Science ◽

10.1515/jas-2016-0021 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 101-110 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nazife Eroglu ◽

Senem Akkus ◽

Mustafa Yaman ◽

Baris Asci ◽

Sibel Silici

Keyword(s):

Liquid Chromatography ◽

Amino Acid ◽

Acid Content ◽

High Performance ◽

Amino Acid Content ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Chemical Components ◽

Plant Metabolites ◽

Secondary Plant Metabolites ◽

Therapeutic Properties

Abstract The polyphenol content of propolis has received a lot of attention due to the benign biological properties noted in the chemical composition studies. However, there are very limited studies about other chemical components found in trace amounts in nature which contribute to the therapeutic properties of propolis. The present study, therefore, investigated the amino acid and vitamin composition of propolis. Propolis harvested by 60 colonies of Apis mellifera caucasica belonged to local non-migratory beekeepers. The A. m. caucasica is known for its distinctive propolis collecting capability which native to the secluded Ardahan Province of Turkey. Vitamin (Thiamine, Riboflavin) combinations of propolis were determined using the HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) fluorescent detector. An amino acid analysis was also performed with the UFLC (Ultra-Fast Liquid Chromatography) system consisting of binary pump and UV/VIS. Our findings record that the vitamin and amino acid content of propolis samples collected from three areas of different altitudes in the same region differed from each other. Vitamin B1 content and Vitamin B2 content ranged between 0.025-0.16 mg/100g, and 0.304-0.777mg/100g, respectively. A maximum amount of amino acid was reported as leucine, while a minimum amount of amino acid was seen as tryptophan in Ardahan propolis. Consequently, the vitamin and amino acid content of propolis, which derived from secondary plant metabolites of resin, varied depending on their geographical altitudes. Those vitamin and amino acids found in the propolis composition are believed to have beneficial therapeutic properties.

Download Full-text

Nanoencapsulation of Plant Volatile Organic Compounds to Improve Their Biological Activities

Planta Medica ◽

10.1055/a-1289-4505 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hakmin Mun ◽

Helen E. Townley

Keyword(s):

Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Anticancer Activities ◽

Plant Metabolites ◽

Secondary Plant Metabolites ◽

Plant Volatile ◽

Synthetic Chemicals ◽

Volatile Organic

AbstractPlant volatile organic compounds (volatiles) are secondary plant metabolites that play crucial roles in the reproduction, defence, and interactions with other vegetation. They have been shown to exhibit a broad range of biological properties and have been investigated for antimicrobial and anticancer activities. In addition, they are thought be more environmentally friendly than many other synthetic chemicals 1. Despite these facts, their applications in the medical, food, and agricultural fields are considerably restricted due to their volatilities, instabilities, and aqueous insolubilities. Nanoparticle encapsulation of plant volatile organic compounds is regarded as one of the best strategies that could lead to the enhancement of the bioavailability and biological activity of the volatile compounds by overcoming their physical limitations and promoting their controlled release and cellular absorption. In this review, we will discuss the biosynthesis and analysis of plant volatile organic compounds, their biological activities, and limitations. Furthermore, different types of nanoparticle platforms used to encapsulate the volatiles and the biological efficacies of nanoencapsulated volatile organic compounds will be covered.

Download Full-text

Antiviral Activity of Carrageenans and Processing Implications

Marine Drugs ◽

10.3390/md19080437 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (8) ◽

pp. 437

Author(s):

Milena Álvarez-Viñas ◽

Sandra Souto ◽

Noelia Flórez-Fernández ◽

Maria Dolores Torres ◽

Isabel Bandín ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Delivery ◽

Antiviral Activity ◽

Drug Delivery Systems ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Red Seaweed ◽

Processing Conditions ◽

Chemical Modifications ◽

Viral Attachment ◽

Extraction Stage ◽

Composition Structure

Carrageenan and carrageenan oligosaccharides are red seaweed sulfated carbohydrates with well-known antiviral properties, mainly through the blocking of the viral attachment stage. They also exhibit other interesting biological properties and can be used to prepare different drug delivery systems for controlled administration. The most active forms are λ-, ι-, and κ-carrageenans, the degree and sulfation position being determined in their properties. They can be obtained from sustainable worldwide available resources and the influence of manufacturing on composition, structure, and antiviral properties should be considered. This review presents a survey of the antiviral properties of carrageenan in relation to the processing conditions, particularly those assisted by intensification technologies during the extraction stage, and discusses the possibility of further chemical modifications.

Download Full-text

General principle of primary and secondary plant metabolites: Biogenesis, metabolism, and extraction

Preparation of Phytopharmaceuticals for the Management of Disorders ◽

10.1016/b978-0-12-820284-5.00018-6 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 3-23

Author(s):

Charles Oluwaseun Adetunji ◽

Santwana Palai ◽

Chika Precious Ekwuabu ◽

Chukwuebuka Egbuna ◽

Juliana Bunmi Adetunji ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Principle ◽

Plant Metabolites ◽

Secondary Plant Metabolites ◽

Secondary Plant

Download Full-text

Applications of Radiolabelled Curcumin and Its Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22147410 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (14) ◽

pp. 7410

Author(s):

Matteo Mari ◽

Debora Carrozza ◽

Erika Ferrari ◽

Mattia Asti

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Medicine ◽

Early Diagnosis ◽

Clinical Application ◽

Medicinal Chemistry ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Present Review ◽

Chemical Modifications ◽

Technetium 99M ◽

Curcumin Derivatives ◽

Gallium 68

Curcumin is a natural occurring molecule that has aroused much interest among researchers over the years due to its pleiotropic set of biological properties. In the nuclear medicine field, radiolabelled curcumin and curcumin derivatives have been studied as potential radiotracers for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. In the present review, the synthetic pathways, labelling methods and the preclinical investigations involving these radioactive compounds are treated. The studies entailed chemical modifications for enhancing curcumin stability, as well as its functionalisation for the labelling with several radiohalogens or metal radionuclides (fluorine-18, technetium-99m, gallium-68, etc.). Although some drawbacks have yet to be addressed, and none of the radiolabelled curcuminoids have so far achieved clinical application, the studies performed hitherto provide useful insights and lay the foundation for further developments.

Download Full-text

Volatile terpenoids as potential drug leads in Alzheimer’s disease

Open Chemistry ◽

10.1515/chem-2017-0040 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 332-343 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Karolina A. Wojtunik-Kulesza ◽

Katarzyna Targowska-Duda ◽

Katarzyna Klimek ◽

Grażyna Ginalska ◽

Krzysztof Jóźwiak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Mtt Assay ◽

Inhibitory Activity ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Plant Metabolites ◽

Secondary Plant Metabolites ◽

Docking Simulations ◽

Ache Inhibitory Activity ◽

Volatile Terpenoids

AbstractAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is by far the most prevalent of all known forms of dementia. Despite wide-spread research, the main causes of emergence and development of AD have not been fully recognized. Natural, low-molecular, lipophilic terpenoids constitute an interesting group of secondary plant metabolites, that exert biological activities of possible use in the prevention and treatment of AD. In order to identify secondary metabolites possessing both antioxidant activity and the potential to increase the level of acetylcholine, selected terpenoids have been screened for possible acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity by use of two methods, namely Marston (chromatographic assay) and Ellman (spectrophotometric assay). In order to describe the interaction between terpenes and AChE active gorge, molecular docking simulations were performed. Additionally, all analyzed terpenes were also evaluated for their cytotoxic properties against two normal cell lines using MTT assay. The obtained results show that: carvone (6), pulegone (8) and γ-terpinene (7) possess desirable AChE inhibitory activity. MTT assay revealed low or lack of cytotoxicity of these metabolites. Thus, among the investigated terpenes, carvone (6), pulegone (8) and y-terpinene (7) can be recognized as compounds with most promising activities in the development of multi-target directed ligands.

Download Full-text

Molecular structure and biological properties of some 16,16-dimethyl-D-homo-B-nor-9β analogs of steroid estrogens

Russian Journal of General Chemistry ◽

10.1134/s107036321106020x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 81 (6) ◽

pp. 1190-1194 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

S. N. Morozkina ◽

G. L. Starova ◽

S. I. Selivanov ◽

A. G. Shavva

Keyword(s):

Molecular Structure ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Steroid Estrogens

Download Full-text

The effect of plant metabolites on coronaviruses: A comprehensive review focusing on their IC50 values and molecular docking scores

Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.2174/1389557521666210831152511 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

Author(s):

Parastou Farshi ◽

Eda Ceren Kaya ◽

Fataneh Hashempour-Baltork ◽

Kianoush Khosravi-Darani

Keyword(s):

Molecular Docking ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Organosulfur Compounds ◽

Amino Acid Residues ◽

Plant Metabolites ◽

Primary Metabolites ◽

Secondary Plant Metabolites ◽

Protein Receptors ◽

Ic50 Values ◽

Natural Drugs

: Coronaviruses have caused worldwide outbreaks in different periods. SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), was the first emerged virus from this family, followed by MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) and SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV or COVID 19), which is newly emerged. Many studies have been conducted on the application of chemical and natural drugs for treating these coronaviruses and they are mostly focused on inhibiting the proteases of viruses or blocking their protein receptors through binding to amino acid residues. Among many substances which are introduced to have an inhibitory effect against coronaviruses through the mentioned pathways, natural components are of specific interest. Secondary and primary metabolites from plants, are considered as potential drugs to have an inhibitory effect on coronaviruses. IC50 value (the concentration in which there is 50% loss in enzyme activity), molecular docking score and binding energy are parameters to understand the ability of metabolites to inhibit the specific virus. In this study we did a review of 154 papers on the effect of plant metabolites on different coronaviruses and data of their IC50 values, molecular docking scores and inhibition percentages are collected in tables. Secondary plant metabolites such as polyphenol, alkaloids, terpenoids, organosulfur compounds, saponins and saikosaponins, lectins, essential oil, and nicotianamine, and primary metabolites such as vitamins are included in this study.

Download Full-text