Phytochemical Content and Antioxidant Activity of Malus domestica Borkh Peel Extracts

Apple is an important dietary source of carotenoids and phenolic compounds, and its regular consumption is associated with several health benefits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical composition of fresh peels of four red-skinned (“Champion”, “Generos”, “Idared”, “Florina”) and two yellow-skinned (“Golden Delicious”, “Reinette Simirenko”) apple varieties. Antioxidant activity of apple peel extracts was determined by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and ABTS radical scavenging capacity assays. Total carotenoid and polyphenolic contents were determined spectrophotometrically, while the profile of individual carotenoids and anthocyanins (in red-skinned varieties) was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA). Carotenoid composition was specific for each variety, and total carotenoid content was slightly higher in yellow-skinned apple peels compared to red-skinned varieties. In contrast, total phenolic content was higher in the peels of red-skinned cultivars. Anthocyanin profile was predominated by cyanidin-3-O-galactoside. Antioxidant potential followed the trend of the total polyphenolic content, being highest in “Florina”, as measured by both FRAP and ABTS assays. Our results demonstrated apple peels have high phytochemical content with diverse compositions, and their regular consumption can be an excellent source of antioxidants.

IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS OF ACTIVE CAROTENOID COMPOUNDS FROM ENTAWAK FRUIT (ARTOCARPUS ANISOPHYLLUS)

— Isolation and identification of active compounds from mentawak fruit (Artocarpus Anisophyllus) used a plant determination test to determine the plant content. Furthermore, the extraction process was carried out to obtain a crude extract of carotenoid pigments by maceration method using n-hexane as solvent. Furthermore, the obtained macerate was carried out by phytochemical tests to determine the content of the active compounds. The TLC test was carried out to confirm the presence of a positive group of compounds on phytochemical screening, and to determine the chromatographic profile of the extract. The identification results showed that the phytochemicals showed that the active compounds contained in macerate were alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and saponins. The KLT test results obtained an Rf value of 0.875. While the total carotenoid content using a spectrophotometer UV-Vis is 958 µg/ml.

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.

Ecological features of the accumulation of carotenoids in the Black Sea molluscs

The analysis of carotenoids of three species of bivalve filter feeding molluscs: Cerastoderma glaucum, Chamelea galina and Polititapis aureus, inhabiting the same ecotope, in the innermost part of the bay of the Sevastopol city, has been carried out. The dynamics of total carotenoid content (TCC) in these species had shown during 4 seasons of the year. The composition of carotenoids is presented in C. glaucum and P. aureus by 8 carotenoids, and Ch. galina - 11 carotenoids. However, in P. aureus, only 75% of the TCC were analyzed. The TCC of all 3 species of molluscs contained to 75% of the total (identical) carotenoids. Each species of molluscs retained their specific carotenoids. Comparative analysis of carotenoids between Black Sea mollusks and their species analogues from other regions of the World Ocean showed differences in the composition of carotenoids. Thus, changing environmental conditions of the same type of filter-feeding mollusk lead to the implementation of adaptation mechanisms in the body, as a result of which the qualitative composition of carotenoids changes.

Diet affects body color and energy metabolism in the Baikal endemic amphipod Eulimnogammarus cyaneus maintained in laboratory conditions

Proper diet is critical for laboratory-reared animals, as it may affect not only their welfare, but also experimental results. Amphipods (Crustacea: Amphipoda) play important roles in ecosystems and are often used in environmental research. Endemic amphipods from the ancient Lake Baikal are promising for laboratory bioassays; however, there are currently no laboratory cultures. In this work, we determine how different diets affect the color and metabolism of a laboratory-reared Baikal amphipod, Eulimnogammarus cyaneus. We found that in freshly collected blue-colored animals, body color correlated with total carotenoid content. Total carotenoid levels did not differ after long-term (two months) feeding with a close to natural carotenoid-enriched, or even a carotenoid-depleted diet. Nevertheless, antennae color was closer to red in the natural-like diet group. It is likely that the carotenoids from the commercial diet are not properly metabolized in E. cyaneus. The animals fed commercial diets had a higher glycogen content, which may signify a higher metabolic rate. Overall, we show that a carotenoid-enriched diet optimized for decapods is not optimal for amphipods, likely due to different carotenoid compositions, and the diet for long-term rearing of E. cyaneus and other Baikal amphipods requires supplementation.

Changes in Photosynthetic Pigments Content in Non-Transformed and AtCKX Transgenic Centaury (Centaurium erythraea Rafn) Shoots Grown under Salt Stress In Vitro

The effects of graded sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations (0-, 50-, 100-, 150-, and 200-mM) on photosynthetic pigment contents in in vitro grown shoots of important medicinal plant species (Centaurium erythraea Rafn) were investigated. Non-transformed, one AtCKX1 and two AtCKX2 transgenic centaury lines, with altered cytokinin profiles, were used in this study. The chlorophyll (Chl) and carotenoid contents differed in the non-transformed and transgenic lines. In general, salinity significantly reduced the Chl a and Chl b contents in comparison to the NaCl-free medium. The lowest Chl content was observed in AtCKX2 transgenic shoots grown on all the culture media. The total carotenoid content was increased in shoots of non-transformed and both AtCKX2 transgenic lines grown in 50-mM NaCl. On the other hand, in concentrations ˃50-mM NaCl, the total carotenoid content was decreased in all analysed centaury shoots. The Chl a/Chl b ratio in all the shoots increased progressively in the graded NaCl concentrations. Contrarily, the addition of NaCl in the culture medium reduced the Chl/carotenoid ratio in centaury shoots. Taken together, the results of this study partly explained the mode of centaury plant adaptations to salt stress in vitro. Thus, the results on centaury shoots confirmed that the determination of the photosynthetic pigment contents can be a very useful non-destructive screening method in order to discriminate susceptible and resistant plant species/lines to salt stress conditions.

Storage under combined ultraviolet (UV) and light-emitting diodes (LED) enhances carotenoid concentration in mature green tomatoes

Tomato is rich in different bioactive compounds, especially the carotenoid lycopene, which intake is associated with various health benefits. Post-harvest use of ultraviolet light (UV) and light-emitting diode (LED) has been shown to increase the concentration of tomato bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet (A and C) and red-blue LED light on the concentration of carotenoids during a 7-days storage trial of mature green tomatoes. Exposure to combined UV and LED light nearly doubled the total carotenoid concentration and had no negative impact on sensory attributes.

Mucosal Immune Responses and Total Carotenoid Content of Juvenile Male Guppy Fish (Poecilia Reticulata) Fed With Different Herbal Supplements ​

In this experiment, the influences of dietary garlic, onion, and sweet red pepper meals as herbal supplements were studied on some immunological parameters, total carotenoid content, and growth performance of male guppy fish (Poecilia reticulata) in the juvenile stage. The experimental diets were fed to fish as a control (0), and three other diets contained 20 g kg− 1 garlic, or 20 g kg− 1 red onion, and or 20 g kg− 1 sweet red pepper powders. The male guppies with the early weight of 0.642g ± 0.07 were stocked in twelve circular tanks (40 L capacity) at density of 30 fish per tank. Fish were fed to satiation the diets thrice daily. The results showed that dietary herbal additives induced a significant increase (P < 0.05) in some mucosal immunological parameters contained alternative complement (ACH50), total immunoglobulin (Ig), lysozyme, and total protein compared to control, which were the highest in the group with 20 g kg− 1 garlic powder. Also, various dietary herbal additives resulted in higher (P < 0.05) total carotenoids levels of lateral skin body and caudal fin of fish than control, which were the highest in the group with 20 g kg− 1 sweet red pepper. The growth performance and feeding indices enhanced significantly (P < 0.05) in experimental groups compared to the control. As a result, used herbal supplements had beneficial effects on immunological parameters and total carotenoid content of fish. So, the highest immunity and coloration was obtained separately at 20 g kg− 1 respectively with garlic and sweet red pepper meals.