Zehra Can

Hepatoprotective Potential of Chestnut Bee Pollen on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatic Damages in Rats

Bee pollen has been used as an apitherapy agent for several centuries to treat burns, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, and various other diseases. The aim of our study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of chestnut bee pollen against carbon tetrachloride (CCI4)-induced liver damage. Total phenolic content, flavonoid, ferric reducing/antioxidant power, and DPPH radical activity measurements were used as antioxidant capacity determinants of the pollen. The study was conducted in rats as seven groups. Two different concentrations of chestnut bee pollens (200 and 400 mg/kg/day) were given orally and one group was administered with silibinin (50 mg/kg/day, i.p.) for seven days to the rats following the CCI4 treatment. The protective effect of the bee pollen was monitored by aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (AST) activities, histopathological imaging, and antioxidant parameters from the blood and liver samples of the rats. The results were compared with the silibinin-treated and untreated groups. We detected that CCI4 treatment induced liver damage and both the bee pollen and silibinin-treated groups reversed the damage; however, silibinin caused significant weight loss and mortality due, severe diarrhea in the rats. The chestnut pollen had showed 28.87 mg GAE/g DW of total phenolic substance, 8.07 mg QUE/g DW of total flavonoid, 92.71 mg Cyn-3-glu/kg DW of total anthocyanins, and 9 mg β-carotene/100 g DW of total carotenoid and substantial amount of antioxidant power according to FRAP and DPPH activity. The results demonstrated that the chestnut bee pollen protects the hepatocytes from the oxidative stress and promotes the healing of the liver damage induced by CCI4 toxicity. Our findings suggest that chestnut bee pollen can be used as a safe alternative to the silibinin in the treatment of liver injuries.

Inhibition of carbonic anhydrase isozymes I and II with natural products extracted from plants, mushrooms and honey

Different natural products and secondary metabolites from mushrooms, teas, honeys, mosses, plants and seaweeds were investigated for their in vitro inhibitory effects on human carbonic anhydrase (hCA, E.C.4.2.1.1) isoforms I and II. Inhibition data were correlated with the total phenol content in the extract and investigated with the pure compounds believed to be responsible for this activity. Methanolic extracts were prepared for 17 such pure chemicals present in the natural products and for 41 diverse natural products. The IC50 values were in the range of 0.11–66.50 μg/mL against hCA I and of 0.09–54.54 μg/mL against hCA II, respectively. The total phenol content was in the range of 0.02–1318.96 (as milligrams of gallic acid equivalents) per gram of sample. These data offer new insights on possible novel classes of CA inhibitors based on natural products, possessing a range of chemical structures not present in the classical inhibitors with pharmacological applications, such as the sulfonamides and sulfamates.

A comparative study of the antihyaluronidase, antiurease, antioxidant, antimicrobial and physicochemical properties of different unifloral degrees of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) honeys

Abstract This study was planned to investigate some physicochemical and anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial properties of three different degrees of unifloral characters of chestnut honeys. Antihyaluronidase, antiurease and antimicrobial activities were evaluated as anti-inflammatory characteristics. Total phenolic contents, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic profiles, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), scavenging activities of 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS+) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals were evaluated as antioxidant properties. Color, optical rotation, conductivity, moisture, pH and ash content were evaluated as physicochemical parameters, and some sugars content, prolin, diastase, HMF and minerals (Na, K, Ca, P, Fe, Cu and Zn) were evaluated as chemical and biochemical parameters. All studied physicochemical and biological active properties were changed in line with the unifloral character of the chestnut honeys. A higher unifloral character was found associated with greater apitherapeutic capacity of the honey, as well as biological active compounds.

A Member of Complementary Medicinal Food Anatolian Royal Jellies, Their Chemical Compositions, and Antioxidant Properties

This study investigated various chemical and antioxidant properties of Anatolian royal jelly samples. Moisture, pH, total protein, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) and sugars were analyzed from 18 samples. Total phenolic contents, ferric reducing antioxidant capacity and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity were measured as antioxidant determinants. 10-HDA contents and total protein content of fresh weight ranged between 1.0% and 3.9%, and 11.4% and 15.8%, respectively. The main sugars detected were glucose and fructose. Maltose, trehalose, and melibiose were detected at less than 1.0% in all samples. Lactose, a milk sugar, was detected in only 3 samples, at values between 0.8% and 1.4%. Total henolic content ranged from 91.0 to 301.0 mg gallic acid equivalents/kg fresh weight. Antioxidant activity is due to both to the total phenolic content, proteins and fatty acids of royal jelly. Anatolian royal jelly samples were not different from other royal jelly samples from across the world.

Honey shows potent inhibitory activity against the bovine testes hyaluronidase

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-hyaluronidase activities of honeys from different botanical origins honeys in order to determine their anti-inflammatory properties. The total phenolic contents, total flavonoids and total tannin levels of six types of honey, chestnut, oak, heather, pine, buckwheat and mixed blossom, were determined. Concentration-related inhibition values were tested turbidimetrically on bovine testis hyaluronidase (BTHase) as IC50 (mg/mL). All honeys exhibited various concentration-dependent degrees of inhibition against BTHase. Inhibition values varied significantly depending on honeys’ levels of phenolic contents, flavonoid and tannin. The honeys with the highest anti-hyaluronidase activity were oak, chestnut and heather. In conclusion, polyphenol-rich honeys have high anti-hyaluronidase activity, and these honeys have high protective and complementary potential against hyaluronidase-induced anti-inflammatory failures.

An investigation on Trakya region Oak (Quercus spp.) honeys of Turkey: their physico-chemical, antioxidant and phenolic compounds properties

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate various physicochemical properties, phenolic composition and antioxidant capacities of the oak honey, large quantities of which are produced in the Thrace region of Northwest Turkey. Methods Hunter color values (Lab), optical rotation, electrical conductivity, moisture and ash were measured as physicochemical determinants. Sugar, proline content, mineral, phenolic acids, total phenolic flavonoids contents were evaluated as chemical parameters. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging were used as antioxidant determinants. Results The results determined that dark-colored honeys (mean 24.95±8.35 L) have proline levels (649.82±203.90 mg/kg), total phenolic content (TPC) (67.29±13.10 mgGAE/100 g) and total flavonoid content (TFC) (10.14±4.78 mgQE/100 g), a high ratio of fructose/glucose (1.65±0.18). Rutin (11.14±8.50 μg/g), p-coumaric acid (6.97±5.80 μg/g) and protocatechuic acid (6.12±4.39 μg/g) were the major phenolic components, and quercetin was also detected in varying amounts in all samples. Potassium (2523±0.28 mg/kg), calcium (63.40±3.20 mg/kg) and magnesium (38.88±0.65 mg/kg) were the major minerals in the honeys. Conclusion Our results showed that physicochemical properties, phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, sugar and mineral contents successfully distinguish the geographical origins of oak honey. These findings will contribute to a more accurate evaluation of oak honey in the literature.

SOME BIOACTIVE PROPERTIES OF WILD AND COMMERCIAL MUSHROOM SPECIES

In this study, the protein and total phenolic contents of some commercially cultivated ( Agaricus bisporus , Pleurotus ostreatus ) and wild mushrooms ( Amanita caesarea , Fistulina hepatica , Meripilus giganteus ) were determined. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of these mushrooms against Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Enterococcus faecalis , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Salmonella typhimurium , Acinetobacter haemolyticus , Proteus mirabilis , Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans were also investigated. The protein contents, total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of the mushrooms were found in the range of 11.00 - 25.1%, 1.111 - 3.858 mg GAE g -1 , and 1.528 - 9.340 μmol FeSO 4 ·7H 2 O g -1 , respectively. Meripilus giganteus had higher protein than all the tested mushrooms. The highest total phenolic content was detected in Agaricus bisporus obtained from B company (3.858 mg GAE g -1 ), whereas the lowest total phenolic content was observed in Meripilus giganteus (1.111 mg GAE g -1 ). Total phenolic and antioxidant properties of mushrooms were found significantly different (P<0.05) by Duncan’s multiple range test. Methanolic extracts of the tested mushrooms showed no inhibitory activity against bacteria and yeast.

Biochemical Properties of Partially Purified Polyphenol Oxidase and Phenolic Compounds of Prunus spinosa L. subsp. dasyphylla as measured by HPLC-UV

ABSTRACT Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme was extracted from Prunus spinosa L. subsp. dasyphylla plum, partially purified by acetone precipitation, and its biochemical properties were investigated. Different substrates (p-coumaric acid, L-tyrosine, p-hydroxyphenyl propionic acid (PHPPA), catechol, 4-methylcatechol (4-MTC), hydrocaffeic acid, gallic acid, quercetin, catechin, and epicatechin) were analysed to determine their affinities with Prunus spinosa PPO (PsPPO). The substrate specificity was in the following order: 4-MTC > catechol > hydrocaffeic acid > catechin > epicatechin. 4-MTC was the most suitable substrate (Km = 0.97 mM and Vmax = 4753 U/mg protein). The optimal pH values were 7.0 for 4-MTC and catechol, 5.0 for catechin and epicatechin, and 4.0–6.0 for hydrocaffeic acid. Optimal temperatures were 40°C for 4-MTC, 30°C for catechol, and 60°C for catechin, epicatechin, and hydrocaffeic acid. In the inhibition tests, the most potent inhibitor was found to be sodium metabisulphite (IC50 = 0.01 mM), followed by ascorbic acid, thiourea, benzoic acid, L-cysteine, and sodium azide. Approximately 80 and 75% of the diphenolase activity was conserved at pH 5.0 and 7.0, respectively, at 4°C after 7 d incubation. Moreover, native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Native-PAGE) of the enriched extract revealed the presence of at least six bands with PPO activity, suggesting the existence of different PPO isoforms. However, the oxidation of diphenol related to browning significantly, so the data obtained in this research provided a basis for the prevention of enzymatic browning of Prunus spinosa during processing. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed the plum extract contained protocatechuic acid, p-OH benzoic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, epicatechin, p-coumaric acid, and luteolin.