Fermented Barley Extracts with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1 Rich in Vanillic Acid Modulate Glucose Consumption in Human HepG2 Cells

Objective To investigate the effect of fermented barley extracts with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1（LFBE） for modulating glucose consumption in HepG2 cells via miR-212 regulation. Methods Hepatocellular carcinoma（HepG2） cells were treated with palmitate. After 12 h, palmitate-induced HepG2 cells were treated with LFBE and its main components. Changes in glucose consumption, proinflammatory cytokine secretion, and miRNA-212 expression in HepG2 cells was observed. Results Treatment with LFBE rich in vanillic acid（VA） increased glucose consumption and reduced proinflammatory cytokine secretion in HepG2 cells. LFBE and VA normalized the upregulation of miR-212, which led to the upregulation of dual-specificity phosphatase-9（DUSP9）, a direct target of miR-212, at both protein and mR NA levels. Downregulation of miR-212 markedly increased glucose consumption and reduced proinflammatory cytokine secretion by enhancing DUSP9 expression. Conclusion The results showed the benefit of LFBE and miR-212 downregulation in modulating glucose consumption and reducing proinflammatory cytokine secretion by targeting DUSP9. VA in LFBE was a strong regulator of palmitate-induced abnormal glucose consumption in HepG2 cells and can be a primary mediator.

THERMAL DEGRADATION OF THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE TERPOLYESTERS BASED ON VANILLIC ACID, p-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID AND POLY(ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE )

Nine thermotropic liquid crystalline terpolyesters based on vaniUic acid(V), p-hydroxybenzoic acid(H) and poly(ethylene terephthalate)(E) were investigated by thermogravimetry to ascertain their thermostability and the kinetic parameters for thermal degradation. Overall activation energy data of the degradation had been calculated over the range 5 ～ 70% weight loss. The temperatures and the activation energy of the degradation lie in the ranges of 384 ～ 394 ℃ at a heating rate of 1℃/min and 176 ～ 205 KJ/mol at the weight loss of 5%, respectively, which suggests that the terpolyesters have good thermostability.

Biobased Vanillic Acid and Ricinoleic Acid: Building Blocks for Fully Renewable Copolyesters

New fully biobased polyether/esters have been synthesized by a one-pot polymerization reaction of ricinoleic acid(RA),vanillic acid(VA)and ethylene carbonate(EC).In particular,EC selectively reacts with the phenolic group of VA to obtain in-situ 4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-3-methoxybenzoate(EV),suitable for subsequent copolymerization with RA.The procedure was carried out in a single step,without any solvent.Chemical structure and thermal properties of the new materials were studied in order to explore relationships between composition and final performances.The combination of EV,bearing a rigid aromatic structure,with RA,characterized by high flexibility and potential biocidal activity,allows the production of a novel class of fully biobased aliphatic-aromatic polymers presenting tuneable thermal properties and suitable for a range of applications,for example,in active packaging and biomedical fields.

STRUCTURE OF THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE VANILLIC ACID/P-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID/ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE VHE TERPOLYESTERS

Thermotropic liquid crystalline VHE terpolyesters made from vanillic acid (V),p-hydroxybenzoic acid (H) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (E) were studied by 400 MHz NMR spectra, wide angle X-ray diffraction,scanning electron and polarizing microscopes.It was found that the VHE terpolyesters had random sequence distribution.The VHE terpolyester films exhibited highly oriented fibrillar structure.

Pathological effects of vanillic acid on urinary tract in rats with infectious calculi

Objective:The pathological changes of urinary tract were observed after the treatment of infectious stone by vanillic acid.Methods:40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank control group,infectious stone group,vanillic acid group and acetohydroxamic acid group.Blank control group:4 male Wistar rats were fed without special treatment.Infectious Stone Group:12 male Wistar rats were implanted with 4 mm bacteria bearing foreign body in the front of the polyurethane vein indwelling needle infected with Proteus mirabilis into the bladder to induce the formation of infection stone.In the vanillic acid group,after the model were establishmented,12 male Wistar rats were treated with vanillic acid at 50mg/kg?d for 3 weeks.Acetohydroxamic acid group:after the model were establishmented,12 male Wistar rats were treated with acetohydroxamic acid at 12.5mg/kg?d for 3 weeks.The rats were killed 21 days later.The kidney,ureter and bladder were fixed in 10%paraformaldehyde solution for 24 hours.The specimens were embedded in paraffin,and the pathological analysis was carried out after HE and immunohistochemical staining.Results:In addition to the blank control group,the other three groups of rats had calculus formation in the bladder.No obvious pathological changes were found in the kidney,ureter and bladder in the blank control group,and inflammatory reactions were found in the other three groups:severe urinary tract inflammation was found in the infectious stone group,followed by acetylhydroxamic acid group.In the vanillic acid group,the pathological changes of urinary tract were the lightest,with a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration and mucosal hyperplasia,but no serious pathological changes such as mucosal loss.The expression of Tamm-Horsfall Protein(THP)in the ascending branch of loop of Henle and the proximal part of distal tubule in vanillic acid group was not significant compared with that in the infectious stone group and acetohydroxamic acid group.Conclusion:Proteus mirabilis and its infective stones can lead to the damage of urinary epithelium.Vanillic acid can reduce the inflammatory lesions of urinary tissue.

Dietary ferulic acid and vanillic acid on inflammation,gut barrier function and growth performance in lipopolysaccharide-challenged piglets

Ferulic acid(FA)and vanillic acid(VA)are considered as major phenolic metabolites of cyanidin 3-glucoside,a polyphenol that widely exists in plants that possess a protective effect against oxidative stress and inflammation in our previous study.This study aimed to investigate the effect of FA and VA on inflammation,gut barrier function,and growth performance in a weaned piglet model challenged with lipopolysaccharide(LPS).Thirty-six piglets(PIC 337×C48,28 d of age)were randomly allocated into 3 treatments with 6 replicate pens(2 piglets per pen).They were fed with a basal diet or a diet containing 4,000 mg/kg of FA or VA.Dietary supplementation of VA significantly increased average daily gain(ADG)(P<0.05).Both FA and VA decreased serum levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS),interlukin(IL)-1β,IL-2,IL-6,and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α(P<0.05),and enhanced the expression of tight junction protein oclaudin(P<0.05).Analysis of gut microbiota indicated that both FA and VA increased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio alongside reducing the relative abundance of the Prevotellaceae family including Prevotella 9 and Prevotella 2 genera,but enriched the Lachoiraceaea family including the Lachnospiraceae FCS020 group(P<0.05).Moreover,VA reduced the relative abundance of Prevotella 7 and Prevotella 1 but enriched Lachnospira,Eubacterium eligens group,and Eubacterium xylanophilum group(P<0.05),while FA showed a limited effect on these genera.The results demonstrated that both VA and FA could alleviate inflammation and oxidative stress,but only VA has a significant positive effect on the growth performance of LPS-challenged piglets potentially through modulating gut microbiota.

Constituents of Chinese Drug Fangfeng, the Root of Saposhnikovia divaricata

从防风根的乙醇浸出物中分离鉴定出8个化合物。通过理化数据及光谱分析,分别鉴定为香柑内酯(Ⅰ),花椒毒内酯(Ⅱ),亥茅酚(Ⅲ),异紫花前胡内酯(Ⅳ),东茛菪内酯(Ⅴ),香草酸(Ⅵ),D-甘露醇(Ⅶ)和蔗糖(Ⅷ),其中Ⅳ与Ⅵ为首次自此植物中提得。

Effects of phenolic acids on soil nitrogen mineralization over successive rotations in Chinese fir plantations

Phenolic acids are secondary metabolites of plants that significantly affect nutrient cycling processes.To investigate such effects,the soil available nitrogen(N)content,phenolic acid content,and net N mineralization rate in three successive rotations of Chinese fir plantations in subtropical China were investigated.Net N mineralization and nitrification rates in soils treated with phenolic acids were measured in an ex situ experiment.Compared with first-rotation plantations(FCP),the contents of total soil nitrogen and nitrate in second(SCP)-and third-rotation plantations(TCP)decreased,and that of soil ammonium increased.Soil net N mineralization rates in the second-and third-rotation plantations also increased by 17.8%and 39.9%,respectively.In contrast,soil net nitrification rates decreased by 18.0%and 25.0%,respectively.The concentrations of total phenolic acids in the FCP soils(123.22±6.02 nmol g^-1)were 3.0%and 17.9%higher than in the SCP(119.68±11.69 nmol g^-1)and TCP(104.51±8.57 nmol g^-1,respectively).The total content of phenolic acids was significantly correlated with the rates of net soil N mineralization and net nitrification.The ex situ experiment showed that the net N mineralization rates in soils treated with high(HCPA,0.07 mg N kg^-1 day^-1)and low(LCPA,0.18 mg N kg^-1 day^-1)concentrations of phenolic acids significantly decreased by 78.6%and 42.6%,respectively,comparing with that in control(0.32 mg N kg^-1 day^-1).Soil net nitrification rates under HCPA and LCPA were significantly higher than that of the control.The results suggested that low contents of phenolic acids in soil over successive rotations increased soil net N mineralization rates and decreased net nitrification rates,leading to consequent reductions in the nitrate content and enhancement of the ammonium content,then resulting in enhancing the conservation of soil N of successive rotations in Chinese fir plantation.

Evaluation of the Safety of Three Phenolic Compounds from <i>Dipteryx alata</i>Vogel with Antiophidian Potential

Phenolic compounds from Dipteryx alata Vogel were assayed against the in vitro neurotoxic effect induced by Bothrops jararacussu (Bjssu) venom. Mutagenicity was assessed by the Ames test using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA97a, TA100, and TA102, in experiments with and without metabolic activation. Anti-bothropic activity was obtained by using mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm (PND) preparation and myographic technique. Control experiments with physiological Tyrode solution were used for keeping the PND preparations alive (n = 4). Concentrations of phe-nolic compounds were as follow: protocatechuic and vanillic acids (200 μg/mL, n = 4), vanillin (50 μg/mL, n = 4). These compounds were used alone or pre-incubated with the venom (40 μg/mL), 30 min prior the addition to the organ bath (n = 4). Phenolic compounds significantly inhibited the neuromuscular blockade of Bjssu in the following order of potency: vanillic acid > protocatechuic = vanillin. Vanillic acid added 10 min after the Bjssu venom was also able to avoid the venomblockade evolution. The mutagenicity assay indicated that all phytochemicals were unable to in-crease the number of revertants, demonstrating the absence of mutagenic activity. This study demonstrated both the safety and therapeutical potential of the three phenolic compounds as novel complementary anti-bothropic agents.

“Cachacas”(Sugarcane Spirit)Aged Quantitation of Phenolic Compounds,Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activity

The “cacha&ccedila” is currently one of the fastest growing agro-industrial industries in the country as the drink considered as a symbol of Brazilian nationality. This study aimed to quantify the phenolic compounds, evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of different samples of aged “cacha&ccedila”. The physic-chemical analysis was performed at the Brandy Quality Laboratory of the Federal University of Lavras, and the determination of phenolic compounds was performed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The antimicrobial activity evaluation was held at the Food Mycology Laboratory through the cavity agar diffusion technique and by steam using the micro-organisms Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella choleraesuis, Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH radical sequestering method. The values obtained for the phenolic compounds ranged from 0.41 to 9.69 mg/L, observing the predominance of syringaldehyde, gallic acid and vanillic acid. The phenolic extracts showed a satisfactory antibacterial activity for both Gram-negative and Gram-positive but did not show inhibition against the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antioxidant activity was evidenced by the DPPH test for cacha&ccedilas tested and the “cacha&ccedila” aged in oak barrel showed the highest activity, followed by “cacha&ccedila” aged in jequitibá, amburana and balm barrels.

A New Phenylated Flavone from Melicope pteleifolia

Objective To study the constituents in Melicope pteleifolia.Methods Plant material was isolated with 80% EtOH.Compounds were separated with chromatographic methods and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis(EI-MS,1H-NMR,and 13C-NMR) and chemical evidence.Results Five compounds were isolated from petrol ether or ethyl acetate soluble fraction.Their structures were identified as 3,5,3’-trihydroxy-4’-methoxy-7-(3-methylbut-2-enyloxy) flavone(pteleifolosin C,1),3,7-dimethoxyl kaempferol(kamatakenin,2),vanillic acid(3),tricosanoic acid tetradecyl ester(4),and β-sitosterol(5),respectively.Conclusion Compound 1 is a new structure named pteleifolosin C.Compounds 2-4 are isolated from this plant for the first time.

Bidirectional differentiation of BMSCs induced by a biomimetic procallus based on a gelatin-reduced graphene oxide reinforced hydrogel for rapid bone regeneration

Developmental engineering strategy needs the biomimetic composites that can integrate the progenitor cells,biomaterial matrices and bioactive signals to mimic the natural bone healing process for faster healing and reconstruction of segmental bone defects.We prepared the gelatin-reduced graphene oxide(GOG)and constructed the composites that mimicked the procallus by combining the GOG with the photo-crosslinked gelatin hydrogel.The biological effects of the GOG-reinforced composites could induce the bi-differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs)for rapid bone repair.The proper ratio of GOG in the composites regulated the composites’mechanical properties to a suitable range for the adhesion and proliferation of BMSCs.Besides,the GOG-mediated bidirectional differentiation of BMSCs,including osteogenesis and angiogenesis,could be activated through Erk1/2 and AKT pathway.The methyl vanillate(MV)delivered by GOG also contributed to the bioactive signals of the biomimetic procallus through priming the osteogenesis of BMSCs.During the repair of the calvarial defect in vivo,the initial hypoxic condition due to GOG in the composites gradually transformed into a well-vasculature robust situation with the bi-differentiation of BMSCs,which mimicked the process of bone healing resulting in the rapid bone regeneration.As an inorganic constituent,GOG reinforced the organic photo-crosslinked gelatin hydrogel to form a double-phase biomimetic procallus,which provided the porous extracellular matrix microenvironment and bioactive signals for the bi-directional differentiation of BMSCs.These show a promised application of the bio-reduced graphene oxide in biomedicine with a developmental engineering strategy.