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Research Interests: Nutrition and Dietetics, Nutrition, Biology, Diet, Medicine, and 15 moreAnimal Production, Humans, Female, Animals, Male, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Intestines, Biotransformation, Food Sciences, Base Sequence, Phytoestrogens, Intestinal Microbiota, flavanones, Humulus lupulus, and In Vitro Techniques
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ABSTRACT We aim to provide an overview of the objectives achieved by metabolomics in relation to plant-food intake, paying attention to the new biomarkers, the influence of the gut microbiota and the modifications of the human metabolome... more
ABSTRACT We aim to provide an overview of the objectives achieved by metabolomics in relation to plant-food intake, paying attention to the new biomarkers, the influence of the gut microbiota and the modifications of the human metabolome resulting. The information included will help the design and the production of further manufactured foods with interesting health effects, hence enhancing our capacity to modulate metabolic pathways through the diet.
Research Interests: Analytical Chemistry, Metabolism, Biology, Metabolomics, Phytochemical, and 4 moreNmr, DB, Ms, and GC
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Carnosic acid (CA) and rosemary extracts (REs) have antiobesity effects but the mechanisms are not understood. We investigated some of the potential mechanisms contributing to the metabolic effects of an RE enriched in CA. An RE (∼40% CA)... more
Carnosic acid (CA) and rosemary extracts (REs) have antiobesity effects but the mechanisms are not understood. We investigated some of the potential mechanisms contributing to the metabolic effects of an RE enriched in CA. An RE (∼40% CA) was administered to lean (Le, fa/+) and obese (Ob, fa/fa) female Zucker rats for 64 days. Several adipocytokines, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase, and hepatic gene expression changes were investigated. The RE significantly decreased circulating tumor necrosis factor alpha (RE/CT = 0.36, p < 0.0003), IL-1β (0.48, p < 0.032), and leptin (0.48, p < 0.002), and upregulated adiponectin (1.47, p < 0.045) in the Le rats. The RE also induced phase I and phase II gene expression and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha. Notably, the RE decreased adipose phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase and did not affect hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha in the Ob rats. Our results show that an RE rich in CA exerts anti-inflammatory effects and affects hepatic metabolism in normal Le rats. We report significant differences in the expression and regulation of key metabolic sensors between Le and Ob rats that may contribute to explain the different ability of the two genotypes to respond to the RE.
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Research Interests: Atherosclerosis, Cardiovascular disease, Gene expression, Low Dose, Cholesterol, and 15 moreFemale, Animals, Male, Hypercholesterolemia, Disease Prevention, Lipid metabolism, FABP, Microarray Analysis, Food Sciences, Metabolic Disorder, Fatty Acid Binding Protein, Biochemistry and cell biology, High fat diet, Dietary fats, and Lipoprotein Lipase
Research Interests: Engineering, Technology, Mass Spectrometry, Pharmacognosy, Structural Analysis, and 15 moreElectrospray, Triticum Aestivum, Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Chemical Analysis, High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Glycosylation, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, Qualitative Analysis, CHEMICAL SCIENCES, Liquid Chromatography, Gramineae, Relative Abundance, Flavones, Beta Vulgaris, and HPLC Chromatography
Oak leaves have a high concentration of ellagitannins. These phytochemicals can be beneficial or poisonous to animals. Beef cattle are often intoxicated by oak leaf consumption, particularly after suffering feed restriction. The severity... more
Oak leaves have a high concentration of ellagitannins. These phytochemicals can be beneficial or poisonous to animals. Beef cattle are often intoxicated by oak leaf consumption, particularly after suffering feed restriction. The severity of the poisoning has recently been associated with the ruminal microbiota, as different bacterial populations were found in animals that tolerated oak leaves and in those that showed clinical and pathological signs of toxicity. Intoxication has previously been linked to the production of phenolic metabolites, particularly catechol, phloroglucinol, and resorcinol. This suggested that the microbial metabolism of ellagitannins could also be associated with its tolerance or intoxication in different animals. Therefore, it is essential to understand the metabolism of ellagitannins in cattle. Here we show that ellagitannins are metabolized in the cattle rumen to urolithins. Different urolithins were detected in ruminal fluid, feces, urine, and plasma. Oak leaf ellagitannins declined as they were converted to urolithins, mainly isourolithin A and urolithin B, by the ruminal and fecal microbiota. Urolithin aglycons were observed in rumen and feces, and glucuronide and sulfate derivatives were detected in plasma and urine. Sulfate derivatives were the main metabolites detected in plasma, while glucuronide derivatives were the main ones in urine. The main urolithins produced in cattle were isourolithin A and urolithin B. This is a relevant difference from the monogastric mammals studied previously in which urolithin A was the main metabolite produced. Low molecular weight phenolics of the benzoic, phenylacetic, and phenylpropionic groups and metabolites such as catechol, resorcinol, and related compounds were also detected. There was a large variability in the kinetics of production of these metabolites in individual animals, although they produced similar metabolites in all cases. This large variability could be associated with the large variability in the rumen and intestine microbiota that has previously been observed. Further studies are needed to demonstrate if the efficiency in the metabolism of ellagitannins by the microbiota could explain the differences observed in susceptibility to intoxication by the different animals.
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Research Interests: Engineering, Mass Spectrometry, Diet, Identification, Humans, and 15 moreBirds, Animals, Insects, Agricultural, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, CHEMICAL SCIENCES, Cattle, Coumarins, Feces, Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Hydroxylation, Biological Availability, Body Fluids, Ellagic acid, and HPLC Chromatography
Research Interests: Engineering, Chemistry, Chromatography, Flavonoids, Medicine, and 9 moreGlycosylation, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, CHEMICAL SCIENCES, Liquid Chromatography / Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry, Brassica oleracea, Brassica, Industrial Waste, Agricultural and Food Chemistry, and Acylation
Ellagitannin-containing foods (strawberries, walnuts, pomegranate, raspberries, oak-aged wine, etc.) have attracted attention due to their cancer chemopreventive, cardioprotective, and antioxidant effects. Ellagitannins (ETs) are not... more
Ellagitannin-containing foods (strawberries, walnuts, pomegranate, raspberries, oak-aged wine, etc.) have attracted attention due to their cancer chemopreventive, cardioprotective, and antioxidant effects. Ellagitannins (ETs) are not absorbed as such but are metabolized by the intestinal flora to yield urolithins (hydroxydibenzopyran-6-one derivatives). In this study, Iberian pig is used as a model to clarify human ET metabolism. Pigs were fed either cereal fodder or acorns, a rich source of ETs. Plasma, urine, bile, lumen and intestinal tissues (jejunum and colon), feces, liver, kidney, heart, brain, lung, muscle, and subcutaneous fat tissue were analyzed. The results demonstrate that acorn ETs release ellagic acid (EA) in the jejunum, then the intestinal flora metabolizes EA sequentially to yield tetrahydroxy- (urolithin D), trihydroxy- (urolithin C), dihydroxy- (urolithin A), and monohydroxy- (urolithin B) dibenzopyran-6-one metabolites, which were absorbed preferentially when their lipophilicity increased. Thirty-one ET-derived metabolites were detected, including 25 urolithin and 6 EA derivatives. Twenty-six extensively conjugated metabolites were detected in bile, glucuronides and methyl glucuronides of EA and particularly urolithin A, C, and D derivatives, confirming a very active enterohepatic circulation. Urolithins A and B as well as dimethyl-EA-glucuronide were detected in peripheral plasma. The presence of EA metabolites in bile and in urine and its absence in intestinal tissues suggested its absorption in the stomach. Urolithin A was the only metabolite detected in feces and together with its glucuronide was the most abundant metabolite in urine. No metabolites accumulated in any organ analyzed. The whole metabolism of ETs is shown for the first time, confirming previous studies in humans and explaining the long persistency of urolithin metabolites in the body mediated by an active enterohepatic circulation.
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Hand-squeezed navel orange juice contains 839 mg/L phenolics, including flavanones, flavones, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. The flavanones are the main phenolics in the soluble fraction (648.6 mg/L) and are also present in the... more
Hand-squeezed navel orange juice contains 839 mg/L phenolics, including flavanones, flavones, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. The flavanones are the main phenolics in the soluble fraction (648.6 mg/L) and are also present in the cloud fraction (104.8 mg/L). During refrigerated storage of fresh juice (4 degrees C), 50% of the soluble flavanones precipitate and integrate into the cloud fraction. Commercial orange juices contain only 81-200 mg/L soluble flavanones (15-33%) and the content in the cloud is higher (206-644 mg/L) (62-85%), showing that during industrial processing and storage the soluble flavanones precipitate and are included in the cloud. An in vitro simulation of orange juice digestion shows that a serving of fresh orange juice (240 mL) provides 9.7 mg of soluble hesperidin (4'-methoxy-3',5,7-trihydroxyflavanone-7-rutinoside) and 4.7 mg of the C-glycosylflavone vicenin 2 (apigenin, 6,8-di-C-glucoside) for freshly squeezed orange juice, whereas pasteurized commercial juices provide 3.7 mg of soluble hesperidin and a higher amount of vicenin 2 (6.3 mg). This means that although orange juice is a very rich source of flavanones, only a limited quantity is soluble, and this might affect availability for absorption (11-36% of the soluble flavanones, depending on the juice). The flavanones precipitated in the cloud are not available for absorption and are partly transformed to the corresponding chalcones during the pancreatin-bile digestion.
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White table grapes, var. Superior, were treated with UV-C light after harvest to increase stilbenes concentration, especially trans-resveratrol (RES), because this may be of relevance to the health-promoting properties assigned to these... more
White table grapes, var. Superior, were treated with UV-C light after harvest to increase stilbenes concentration, especially trans-resveratrol (RES), because this may be of relevance to the health-promoting properties assigned to these compounds. However, irradiated grapes also developed some browning on the surface on the third day of storage at 22 degrees C, with the subsequent detriment in the sensorial quality of the fruit. Possible causes for browning development during storage were investigated. The phenolic-related oxidative enzymes, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD), were not specifically activated, and no new isoforms appeared upon UV-C treatment. UV-treated grapes had lower content of chlorophyll b than control grapes on the fourth day of storage, concomitant with the increase of pheophytins (chlorophyll degradation derived compounds). Microscopy data showed lower fluorescence emission in chloroplasts from the UV-treated samples, which may explain the decrease of chlorophylls content in the corresponding grape berries extracts. In addition, microscopy images showed cell wall thickening in the skin tissue of UV-treated grapes which could be considered as a general wound response in plant tissues. These results suggest that the development of browning in Superior white grapes after UV-C treatment is not closely related with the evolution of oxidative enzymes during storage and may be mainly due to the decrease of chlorophylls content.
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Research Interests: Engineering, Chemistry, Mass Spectrometry, Flavonoids, Middle East, and 15 moreArecaceae, Date Palm, Fruit, Agricultural, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, CHEMICAL SCIENCES, Phenolic compound, Liquid Chromatography, Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Molecular weight, Flavonoid, Polyphenol, Catechin, Glycosides, and Electrospray Ionization
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Orange juice manufactured at industrial scale was subjected to digestion under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions (pH, temperature, and enzyme and chemical conditions) to evaluate the influence of individual industrial processing... more
Orange juice manufactured at industrial scale was subjected to digestion under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions (pH, temperature, and enzyme and chemical conditions) to evaluate the influence of individual industrial processing treatments on flavanone solubility, stability, and ability to permeate through a membrane under simulated physiological conditions. Four industrial processes including squeezing, standard pasteurization, concentration, and freezing were evaluated. Hand squeezing was compared with industrial squeezing. After in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of the orange juices, the flavanones able to permeate through a dialysis membrane, and those remaining in the retentate were evaluated by HPLC as were those present in the insoluble fraction. In all of the assayed orange juices, a high content of precipitated chalcones ( approximately 70% of the total flavanones) was formed under the physiological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. Hand squeezing provided a higher concentration of flavanones in the permeated fraction and lower transformation to chalcones than industrial squeezing. Standard pasteurization did not influence the solubility and permeability of the orange juice flavanones and chalcones. Industrial concentration did not affect the amount of flavanones able to permeate but decreased the chalcones produced. Juices produced from frozen orange juice contained considerably smaller amounts of both soluble flavanones and insoluble chalcones.
Research Interests: Engineering, Chemistry, Crystallization, Flavonoids, Medicine, and 15 moreConcentration, Digestion, Citrus, Agricultural, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, CHEMICAL SCIENCES, Beverages, Digestive System, Chalcone, Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Freezing, Drug Stability, Hesperidin, food handling, and flavanones
Bacteria are able to communicate and coordinate certain processes using small secreted signaling molecules called autoinducers. This phenomenon, known as "quorum... more
Bacteria are able to communicate and coordinate certain processes using small secreted signaling molecules called autoinducers. This phenomenon, known as "quorum sensing" (QS), may be essential for the synchronization of virulence factors as well as biofilm development. The interruption of bacterial QS is acknowledged to attenuate virulence and considered to be a potential new therapy to treat infections caused by pathogenic bacteria. N-Acyl-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) have been identified as the main bacterial signaling molecules in Gram-negative bacteria. This study evaluates the capacity of chestnut honey and its aqueous and methanolic extracts to inhibit bacterial AHL-controlled processes in Erwinia carotovora , Yersinia enterocolitica , and Aeromonas hydrophila . This study is the first in applying liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry to determine the QS inhibitory activity of honey against pathogenic bacteria. The tandem mass spectrometry analysis of culture supernatants confirmed the presence of three main AHLs: N-(3-oxohexanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL) and N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL) in E. carotovora and Y. enterocolitica and N-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL) in A. hydrophila. The effect of chestnut honey and its aqueous and methanolic extracts (0.2 g/mL) on AHL concentration and biofilm formation in bacterial cultures was determined. The obtained results revealed their potential use as QS inhibitors or regulators of the degradation of QS signals, with the methanolic extract showing less inhibitory capacity. Thus, the QS inhibitory activity of chestnut honey seems to be related to the aqueous phase, suggesting that the carbohydrate fraction contains an antipathogenic substance responsible for the inhibitory activity.
Research Interests: Engineering, Biofilms, Honey, Biofilm, Cell, and 14 moreBacteria, Quorum Sensing, Agricultural, CHEMICAL SCIENCES, Gram-negative bacteria, Plant extracts, Liquid Chromatography, Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Aeromonas Hydrophila, Butyrolactone, Aesculus, Yersinia Enterocolitica, Down-Regulation, and Pectobacterium carotovorum
Twenty four phenolic compounds have been characterised in medicinal Sideritis species (aerial parts) from Macedonia by liquid chromatography–UV diode array coupled to ion-trap mass spectrometry with electrospray ionisation interface... more
Twenty four phenolic compounds have been characterised in medicinal Sideritis species (aerial parts) from Macedonia by liquid chromatography–UV diode array coupled to ion-trap mass spectrometry with electrospray ionisation interface (negative mode).Three new phenylethanoid glycosides, alyssonoside, echinacoside, and forsythoside were detected for the first time in the genus of Sideritis, along with two known phenylethanoid glycoside verbascoside and leucoseptoside A. Three
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Research Interests: Engineering, Chemistry, Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, Fruit, and 14 moreTandem Mass Spectrometry, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, CHEMICAL SCIENCES, Beverages, Liquid Chromatography / Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry, Plant extracts, Reproducibility of Results, Agricultural and Food Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Polyphenol, Hydrolysis, Hydrochloric Acid, Ellagic acid, and Punicaceae
Polyphenols are beneficial for health, but are metabolised after consumption.
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ABSTRACT
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Research Interests: Chemical Engineering, Analytical Chemistry, Biology, Metabolomics, Medicine, and 15 moreHumans, Female, Male, Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Urine, Eating, Citrus, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, Aged, Urinalysis, Beverages, Electrophoresis, Biological markers, Metabolome, and Biochemistry and cell biology
Polyphenols are beneficial for health, but are metabolised after consumption.
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Recently, it was shown that the exposure to the potent hop phytoestrogen 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) depends on intestinal bacterial activation of isoxanthohumol (IX), but this occurs in only one-third of tested individuals. As the... more
Recently, it was shown that the exposure to the potent hop phytoestrogen 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) depends on intestinal bacterial activation of isoxanthohumol (IX), but this occurs in only one-third of tested individuals. As the butyrate-producing Eubacterium limosum can produce 8-PN from IX, a probiotic strategy was applied to investigate whether 8-PN production could be increased in low 8-PN producers, thus balancing phytoestrogen exposure. Using fecal samples from high (Hop +) and low (Hop -) 8-PN-producing individuals, a Hop + and Hop - dynamic intestinal model was developed. In parallel, Hop + and Hop - human microbiota-associated rats were developed, germ-free (GF) rats acting as negative controls. IX and then IX + E. limosum were administered in the intestinal model and to the rats, and changes in 8-PN production and exposure were assessed. After dosing IX, 80% was converted into 8-PN in the Hop + model and highest 8-PN production, plasma concentrations, and urinary and feca...
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... Pergamon Press plc ANTIMICROBIAL PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS FROM THREE SPANISH HELLCHRYSUM SPECIES FRANCISCO TOMAS-BARBERAN, ESTHER INIESTA-SANMARTIN,FRANCISCO TOMAS-LORENTE and ... 6. Homans, A. and Fuchs, A. (1970) J. Chromatogr. ...