Protective Effect of Carotenoid Extract from Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato on Gastric Ulcer in Mice by Inhibition of NO, IL-6 and PGE2 Production

Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., Convolvulaceae is widely distributed in Asian areas from tropical to warm-temperature regions. Their tubers are known for their antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ulcer activities. The preventive and therapeutic effects of orange-fleshed sweet potato on gastric ulcers have not been investigated. In this study, the carotenoid extract (CE) of orange-fleshed sweet potato was found to protect against gastric ulcers induced by HCl/ethanol in mice. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the carotenoid pigment extract were also evaluated as possible evidence of their protective effects. Administration of CE reduced gastric ulcers. Oral administration of CE (100 mg/kg) protected against gastric ulcers by 78.1%, similar to the positive control, sucralfate (77.5%). CE showed potent reducing power and decreased nitric oxide production in a mouse macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, in a concentration-dependent manner. The production of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 and prostaglandin E2 was also reduced by CE in a dose-dependent manner. The high carotenoid content of orange-fleshed sweet potato could play a role in its protective effect against gastric ulcers. This result suggests the possibility of developing functional products using this nutrient-fortified material.

Carotenoid Assessments and Antioxidant Activities from Flower Petals

The objectives of this study were to evaluate carotenoid pigment profile and the antioxidant activity from 14 commonly grown flowers in Thailand. The result found that orange marigold showed the highest total carotenoid content at as 2,209±75.58 µg/g, followed by deep yellow chrysanthemum at 551.27±47.72 µg/g (P<0.01). The next lower total carotenoid content group was found in yellow silk cotton, yellow trumpetbush, yellow marigold and yellow golden shower with total carotenoid content of 447.42±27.56, 429.46±28.34, 409.85±34.58 and 363.88±12.74 µg/g, respectively. The highest antioxidant activities against DPPH and ABTS radicles were found from orange marigold, which were 32.34±2.16 and 50.08±0.87%, respectively. Deep yellow chrysanthemum, yellow silk cotton, yellow trumpetbush, yellow marigold and yellow golden shower also showed significantly higher antioxidant activities than other flowers (P<0.01). Total carotenoid contents well correlated with antioxidant activities against DPPH and ABTS radicals (r = 0.6924 and r = 0.8270, respectively) at P<0.01. TLC result elucidated that orange marigold, yellow silk cotton and yellow golden shower were a good source of β-carotene, while deep yellow chrysanthemum and yellow marigold were a good source of lutein and/or zeaxanthin. The result indicated that flower petals would be useful as natural carotenoid source and provide antioxidants for food industry.

IDENTIFICATION, CHARACTERIZATION OF CAROTENOID PIGMENT PRODUCING BACTERIA FROM VEGETABLE, FRUITS AND MINI-SURVEY ON PERCEPTION OF URBAN POPULATION TOWARDS BACTERIAL PIGMENTS

Pigments are largely exploited compounds due to their chromophoric variations and enticing properties in several applications such as food, dairy, printing, textile and pharmaceutical industries etc. While synthetic pigments are widely used, toxic reactions and effects of the pigments has led to the prompt diversion of consumers towards natural pigment sources such as microbial pigments (MP). MP hold great promise against existent synthetic counterparts with additional properties such as biodegradability, non-toxicity, therapeutics (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer etc.

Evidence for hybrid breakdown in production of red carotenoids in the marine invertebrate Tigriopus californicus

The marine copepod, Tigriopus californicus, produces the red carotenoid pigment astaxanthin from yellow dietary precursors. This ‘bioconversion’ of yellow carotenoids to red is hypothesized to be linked to individual condition, possibly through shared metabolic pathways with mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Experimental inter-population crosses of lab-reared T. californicus typically produces low-fitness hybrids is due in large part to the disruption of coadapted sets nuclear and mitochondrial genes within the parental populations. These hybrid incompatibilities can increase variability in life history traits and energy production among hybrid lines. Here, we tested if production of astaxanthin was compromised in hybrid copepods and if it was linked to mitochondrial metabolism and offspring development. We observed no clear mitonuclear dysfunction in hybrids fed a limited, carotenoid-deficient diet of nutritional yeast. However, when yellow carotenoids were restored to their diet, hybrid lines produced less astaxanthin than parental lines. We observed that lines fed a yeast diet produced less ATP and had slower offspring development compared to lines fed a more complete diet of algae, suggesting the yeast-only diet may have obscured effects of mitonuclear dysfunction. Astaxanthin production was not significantly associated with development among lines fed a yeast diet but was negatively related to development in early generation hybrids fed an algal diet. In lines fed yeast, astaxanthin was negatively related to ATP synthesis, but in lines fed algae, the relationship was reversed. Although the effects of the yeast diet may have obscured evidence of hybrid dysfunction, these results suggest that astaxanthin bioconversion may still be related to mitochondrial performance and reproductive success.

Assessment of Lycopene Derived Fresh and Processed Tomato Products on Human Diet in Eliminating Health Diseases

Tomato which is scientifically known as Lycopersicon esculentum and basically belonging to the Solanaceae family is categorized as one of the most essential horticultural crops. The red colour in tomatoes and other fruits is primarily due to the presence of a carotenoid pigment particularly lycopene which acts as a phytochemical. Higher concentrations of lycopene pigment are particularly found in fruits like tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, pink guava, red bell pepper, sea buckhorn, wolfberry, and rosehip. Lycopene plays a fundamental role in the process of biosynthesis of several carotenoid pigments specifically available in two forms; Hydrocarbon carotenoids and Xanthophylls thereby responsible for imparting red, yellow, and orange color in addition to photosynthesis and photo-protection in terms of plants, algae and other photosynthetic organisms. It acts as a potential antioxidant among the entire carotenoid pigments because of its characteristics involving strong color and anti-toxicity properties. Vitamins enriched beta carotene provitamin A, and Ascorbic acid in the form of edible compounds have been abundantly found in tomatoes. Daily intake of lycopene through consumption of tomato and processed tomato products helps in reducing the risk of chronic diseases particularly cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Epidemiological studies have indicated the importance of lycopene in eliminating the risk of human diseases thereby preventing it from deterioration of health. Based on the chemical structure of lycopene, it exists in a thermodynamically stable form thereby exhibiting trans-configuration. In this manuscript, major emphasis highlighted in involving an intake of carotenoid enriched fruits and vegetables for further controlling and reducing the risk of occurrence of human diseases has been reviewed. In addition, significance of manufacturing of value added products and its consumption in the form of tomato oil, non-alcoholic flavored drink etc. has also been reviewed. Authentic information in terms of the addition of lycopene in a daily balanced diet either fresh or processed tomato products along with its functions involving the singlet oxygen quenching ability, as well as benefits of consuming lycopene derived fruits has been reviewed in this manuscript.

Analysis Of Types Of Carotenoid Pigments In Crab Sesarmops sp From Manado By Coast

Carotenoid pigments are a group of pigments that are yellow, orange, and red-orange in color. Pigments are natural dyes found in plants and animals, extracts of carotenoid pigments can be separated by chromatographic methods where the common chromatographic methods in determining the type of pigment are Column Chromatography (CC) and Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). The purpose of this study was to determine the types of pigments contained in the carapace extract of the male crab Sesarmops sp. The Sesarmops sp crab has a brown dorsal carapace with blackish-brown leg spots known as mangrove crabs. Crabs in the Sesarmidae family have a carapace formation and wide legs, do not have swimming legs, and have a pair of claws that are faded purple, the presence of these colors can be identified as containing carotenoid pigments. The results of this study obtained the content of carotenoid pigment 25.2 g/gr and the value of the concentration of carotenoid pigment in the male crab extract Sesarmops sp 10.99 g. The results of the separation of the total pigment extract using column chromatography obtained the types of pigments -carotene, Ekinenon, Zeaxanthin, and Astaxanthin. Keywords: Column Chromatography (CC); Carotenoids; Sesarmops sp AbstrakPigmen karotenoid adalah sekelompok pigmen yang berwarna kuning, oranye dan merah oranye. Pigmen adalah zat warna alami yang terdapat pada tumbuhan dan hewan, ekstrak pigmen karotenoid dapat dipisahkan dengan metode kromatografi yang dimana metode kromatografi umum dalam menentukan jenis pigmen adalah Kromatografi Kolom (KK) dan Kromatografi Lapis Tipis (KLT). Tujuan dari penelitian ini untuk mengetahui jenis-jenis pigmen apa saja yang terdapar pada ekstrak karapas kepiting jantan Sesarmops sp. Kepiting Sesarmops sp memiliki karapas dorsal bewarna coklat dengan bintik kaki coklat kehitaman yang dikenal sebagai kepiting mangrove. Kepiting dalam keluarga sesarmidae memiliki bentukan karapas dan kaki yang lebar tidak memiliki kaki renang serta memiliki sepasang capit berwarna ungu pudar, adanya warna tersebut kepiting dapat diidentikasikan mengandung jenis pigmen karotenoid. Dari hasil penelitian ini mendapatkan kandungan pigmen karotenoid 25,2 dan nilai konsentrasi pigmen karotenoid pada ekstrak kepiting jantan Sesarmops sp 10,99 . Hasil pemisahan dari ekstrak pigmen total menggunakan kromatografi kolom didapatkan jenis pigmen β-karoten, Ekinenon, Zeaxantin dan Astaxantin

Ubiquitousness of Haloferax and Carotenoid Producing Genes in Arabian Sea Coastal Biosystems of India

This study presents a comparative analysis of halophiles from the global open sea and coastal biosystems through shotgun metagenomes (n = 209) retrieved from public repositories. The open sea was significantly enriched with Prochlorococcus and Candidatus pelagibacter. Meanwhile, coastal biosystems were dominated by Marinobacter and Alcanivorax. Halophilic archaea Haloarcula and Haloquandratum, predominant in the coastal biosystem, were significantly (p < 0.05) enriched in coastal biosystems compared to the open sea. Analysis of whole genomes (n = 23,540), retrieved from EzBioCloud, detected crtI in 64.66% of genomes, while cruF was observed in 1.69% Bacteria and 40.75% Archaea. We further confirmed the viability and carotenoid pigment production by pure culture isolation (n = 1351) of extreme halophiles from sediments (n = 410 × 3) sampling at the Arabian coastline of India. All red-pigmented isolates were represented exclusively by Haloferax, resistant to saturated NaCl (6 M), and had >60% G + C content. Multidrug resistance to tetracycline, gentamicin, ampicillin, and chloramphenicol were also observed. Our study showed that coastal biosystems could be more suited for bioprospection of halophiles rather than the open sea.

Analysis of Carotenoids in Haloarchaea Species from Atacama Saline Lakes by High Resolution UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-Mass Spectrometry: Antioxidant Potential and Biological Effect on Cell Viability

Haloarchaea are extreme halophilic microorganisms belonging to the domain Archaea, phylum Euryarchaeota, and are producers of interesting antioxidant carotenoid compounds. In this study, four new strains of Haloarcula sp., isolated from saline lakes of the Atacama Desert, are reported and studied by high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS) for the first time. In addition, determination of the carotenoid pigment profile from the new strains of Haloarcula sp., plus two strains of Halorubrum tebenquichense, and their antioxidant activity by means of several methods is reported. The effect of biomass on cellular viability in skin cell lines was also evaluated by MTT assay. The cholinesterase inhibition capacity of six haloarchaea (Haloarcula sp. ALT-23; Haloarcula sp. TeSe-41; Haloarcula sp. TeSe-51; Haloarcula sp. Te Se-89 and Halorubrum tebenquichense strains TeSe-85 and Te Se-86) is also reported for the first time. AChE inhibition IC50 was 2.96 ± 0.08 mg/mL and BuChE inhibition IC50 was 2.39 ± 0.09 mg/mL for the most active strain, Halorubrum tebenquichense Te Se-85, respectively, which is more active in BuCHe than that of the standard galantamine. Docking calculation showed that carotenoids can exert their inhibitory activity fitting into the enzyme pocket by their halves, in the presence of cholinesterase dimers.