Application of two forms of silicon and their impact on the postharvest and the content of bioactive compounds in cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.)fruits

The metabolic activity of the fruits continues even after harvest,which results in the loss of bioactive compounds,a decrease in the quality of the fruits,softening and browning,among other negative effects.The use of certain elements such as silicon can improve postharvest quality,since it is involved in the metabolic,physiological and structural activity of plants,moreover can increase the quality of the fruits.In addition,nanotechnology has had a positive impact on crop yield,nutritional value,fruit quality and can improve antioxidant activity.For these reasons,the use of beneficial elements such as silicon in the form of nanoparticles can be a viable option to improve the characteristics of the fruits.In the present study was evaluated the application of potassium silicate(125,250 and 500 mg L^(−1))and SiO_(2) nanoparticles(125,250 and 500 mg L^(−1))during the development of the crop.The results showed that the application of silicon(potassium silicate and silicon nanoparticles)increased the content of total soluble solids(up to 15.6%higher than control),titratable acidity(up to 38.8%higher than control),vitamin C(up to 78.2%higher than control),phenols(up to 22%higher than control),flavonoids(up to 64.6%higher than control),and antioxidant activity in lipophilic compounds(up to 56.2%higher than control).This study suggests that the use of silicon can be a good option to increase the content of bioactive compounds in cucumber fruits when they are applied during the development of the crop.

Neuroprotective effect of antioxidant compounds

Neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of individuals worldwide.It has been estimated that the number of patients affected by neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease（AD）,Parkinson’s disease（PD）,Huntington’s disease（HD）,

Potential of the use of an antioxidant compound to promote peripheral nerve regeneration after injury

The peripheral nervous system is a vital part of the body because it transfers information to coordinate all actions.Peripheral nerve injuries are detrimental to the proper function of this system and can cause loss of sense and movement.It is of utmost importance to research approaches to the treatment of peripheral nerve damage because such injuries can drastically change a person’s life,

Supplemental blue light increases growth and quality of greenhouse pak choi depending on cultivar and supplemental light intensity

To evaluate the supplementary blue light intensity on growth and health-promoting compounds in pak choi（Brassica campestris ssp.chinensis var.communis）,four blue light intensity treatments（T0,T50,T100 and T150 indicate 0,50,100,and 150μmol m^（-2） s^（-1）,respectively）were applied 10 days before harvest under greenhouse conditions.Both of cultivars（greenand red-leaf pak choi）under T50 had the highest yield,content of chlorophyll and sugars.With light intensity increasing,antioxidant compounds（vitamin C and carotenoids）significantly increased,while nitrate content showed an opposite trend.The health-promoting compounds（phenolics,flavonoids,anthocyanins,and glucosinolates）were significantly higher under supplementary light treatment than T0,so as the antioxidant capacity（2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric-reducing antioxidant power）.The species-specific differences in photosynthetic pigment and health-promoting compounds was found in green-and red-leaf pak choi.T50 treatment could be used for yield improvement,whereas T100 treatment could be applied for quality improvement.Results showed that blue light intensity can regulate the accumulation of biomass,morphology and health-promoting compounds in pak choi under greenhouse conditions.

Ultrasound-assisted intensified aqueous extraction of phenolics from waste Syzygium cumini leaves:Kinetic studies and evaluation of antioxidant,antidiabetic and anticancer potential

This is the first report illustrating the extraction of total phenolic compounds(TPC)using the ultrasound-assisted aqueous extraction(USAE)technique from waste Syzygium cumini leaves(WSCL).A kinetic study indicated that Peleg’s model was appropriately fitted to the experimental data when the effect of different parameters was checked on extraction with respect to time.Extraction yields of total phenolic contents(TPC)and total flavonoid contents(TFC)were 78.38 mg GAE/g,and 10.15 mg CE/g,respectively,at optimized parameters of 1:25 WSCL:water,35℃ temperature,134 W power,50%duty cycle and in 9 min of sonication time.Cumulative yields of TPC and TFC obtained by 5 sequential stirred batch extraction were 79.36 mg GAE/g and 10 mg CE/g,respectively.The cost and energy requirement of the USAE process was around 3000 times less than that of the Soxhlet technique.SEM images showed the changes in the morphology of the WSCL surface area before and after ultrasonic extraction.FTIR analysis showed the presence of O-H,N-H,C-H,C=C,and halogenated functional groups.The obtained WSCL extract showed antioxidant potential with an IC_(50) value of 15.64μg/mL.IC_(50) values of extract forα-amylase andα-glucosidase inhibitions were 8.3 and 6.64μg/mL.Antiproliferation activity against breast,cervical,and lung cancer showed the potential with GI50 values 252.8,112.5,and 97.8μg/mL,respectively.Aqueous extract of Syzygium cumini leaves can be used to treat oxidative stress,diabetes,and cancer.