The seeds and sprouts of mung bean (Vigna radiata), a common food, contain abundant nutrients with biological activities. This review provides insight into the nutritional value of mung beans and its sprouts, discussing chemical constituents that have been isolated in the past few decades, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, organic acids, amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. Moreover, we also summarize dynamic changes in metabolites during the sprouting process and related biological activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, lipid metabolism accommodation, antihypertensive, and antitumor effects, etc., with the goal of providing scientific evidence for better application of this commonly used food as a medicine.

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A review of phytochemistry, metabolite changes, and medicinal uses of the common food mung bean and its sprouts (Vigna radiata)

Strobilanthes cusia (Nees) Kuntze is a Chinese herbal medicine used in the treatment of respiratory virus infections. The methanol extract of S. cusia leaf contains chemical components such as β-sitosterol, indirubin, tryptanthrin, betulin, indigodole A, and indigodole B that have diverse biological activities. However, the antiviral action of S. cusia leaf and its components against human coronavirus remains to be elucidated. Human coronavirus NL63 infection is frequent among immunocompromised individuals, young children, and in the elderly. This study investigated the anti-Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) activity of the methanol extract of S. cusia leaf and its major components. The methanol extract of S. cusia leaf effectively inhibited the cytopathic effect (CPE) and virus yield (IC50 = 0.64 μg/mL) in HCoV-NL63-infected cells. Moreover, this extract potently inhibited the HCoV-NL63 infection in a concentration-dependent manner. Among the six components identified in the methanol extract of S. cusia leaf, tryptanthrin and indigodole B (5aR-ethyltryptanthrin) exhibited potent antiviral activity in reducing the CPE and progeny virus production. The IC50 values against virus yield were 1.52 μM and 2.60 μM for tryptanthrin and indigodole B, respectively. Different modes of time-of-addition/removal assay indicated that tryptanthrin prevented the early and late stages of HCoV-NL63 replication, particularly by blocking viral RNA genome synthesis and papain-like protease 2 activity. Notably, tryptanthrin (IC50 = 0.06 μM) and indigodole B (IC50 = 2.09 μM) exhibited strong virucidal activity as well. This study identified tryptanthrin as the key active component of S. cusia leaf methanol extract that acted against HCoV-NL63 in a cell-type independent manner. The results specify that tryptanthrin possesses antiviral potential against HCoV-NL63 infection.

https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/10/3/366/pdf

Antiviral Action of Tryptanthrin Isolated from Strobilanthes cusia Leaf against Human Coronavirus NL63.

Summary
Total phenol, flavonoid and saponin content of soy bean and mung bean were systemically compared in order to evaluate their contribution to overall antioxidant activity. Mung bean extract possessed significantly higher total phenol (2.03 GAE g−1 vs. 1.13 GAE g−1) and flavonoid contents (1.49 GAE g−1 vs. 0.41 CAE g−1) than soy bean extract, while the saponin content of the soy beans was 4.5 times greater than that of the mung beans. In several antioxidant assays including DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging, FRAP, SOD-like activity, and a β-carotene bleaching assay, mung bean extract consistently showed significantly greater antioxidant activity than soy bean extract. The specific antioxidant activity, which was evaluated at the same phenolic content suggested that the phenolic compounds present in the mung bean extract were not only of greater quantity but also had better quality to eliminate radicals. The radical scavenging activities of saponins were only marginal.

Comparative analyses of total phenols, flavonoids, saponins and antioxidant activity in yellow soy beans and mung beans

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents a group of intestinal disorders with self-destructive and chronic inflammation in the digestive tract, requiring long-term medications. However, as many side effects and drug resistance are frequently encountered, safer and more effective agents for IBD treatment are urgently needed. Over the past few decades, a variety of natural alkaloids made of plants or medicinal herbs have attracted considerable interest because of the excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; additionally, these alkaloids have been reported to reduce the colonic inflammation and damage in a range of colitic models. In this review paper, we summarize the recent findings regarding the anti-colitis activity of plant-derived alkaloids and emphasize their therapeutic potential for the treatment of IBD; obvious improvement of the colonic oxidative and pro-inflammatory status, significant preservation of the epithelial barrier function and positive modulation of the gut microbiota are the underlying mechanisms for the plant-derived alkaloids to treat IBD. Further clinical trials and preclinical studies to unravel the molecular mechanism are essential to promote the clinical translation of plant-derived alkaloids for IBD.

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Plant-Derived Alkaloids: The Promising Disease-Modifying Agents for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

https://cyberleninka.org/article/n/610712.pdf

Role of traditional Islamic and Arabic plants in cancer therapy.

This study was conducted to isolate the anti-neuroinflammatory component(s) in the 80% EtOH extract of P. tinctoria, and to investigate underlying molecular mechanism of the anti-neuroinflammatory component(s) in LPS-induced BV2 microglial cells. To isolate the active component(s) in the extract, various chromatographic methods were employed, and the structures of the isolated secondary metabolites were determined mainly by analysis of spectroscopic data such as NMR and MS data. Tryptanthrin (1), isolated from P. tinctoria extract, significantly inhibited the protein expression of iNOS and COX-2, and reduced the levels of their products (NO and PGE2) in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Tryptanthrin (1) also downregulated the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. These anti-neuroinflammatory effects of tryptanthrin (1) was elucidated to be correlated with inactivating NF-κB pathway by interrupting the phosphorylation and degradation of the inhibitor of κB-α protein, and inhibiting the DNA binding activity of NF-κB. In addition, tryptanthrin (1) suppressed the activation of p38 MAPK pathway. Furthermore, tryptanthrin (1) inhibited the TLR4 and MyD88 protein expression in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Taken together, it was suggested that tryptanthrin (1) have anti-neuroinflammatory effect by regulating TLR4-MyD88-mediated several inflammatory pathways including p38 and NF-κB pathways in LPS-induced BV2 microglial cells.

Anti-neuroinflammatory effects of tryptanthrin from Polygonum tinctorium Lour. in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 microglial cells.

The effect of nitrogen fertilizer, planting density and sowing date on the yield of okra.

The nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) balances in Korea during 1985-2006, which calculated according to the surface balance method of the PARCOM guidelines, continually increased with the lapse of year, and then might keep the highest levels with about and in 2006 among OECD countries. National phosphorus balance of the developed OECD countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands) in the livestock feeding industries has significantly decreased, due to limit livestock feeding density and nutrient application level by using strong legislation. However, Korean P balance was not apparent decrease, since the number of livestock feeding heads has been increasing, irrespective with the decrease of chemical fertilizer consumption. Manure P portion to the total P input amount of the above four OECD Countries in nutrient balance has continuously inclined to 60-70%. Therefore, the large portion of livestock manure might be used as nutrient source in agricultural side in these countries. In particular, manure P application levels of Belgium and The Netherlands, which have relatively high P balance and manure P portion to total P input dose, was estimated to be in 2004, and it was similar level with that of Korea in 2006. The manure P application levels for agricultural purpose has continuously decreased in these two OECD countries. In contrast, our manure P application rate continuously increased, and therefore we need the strong political countermeasure to control livestock feeding density at the resonable level.

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Evaluation of Livestock Manure Utilization Rates as Agricultural Purpose in Developed OECD Countries by Using Nutrient Balances

This study carried out to investigate the variation of flavonoids contents in mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) according to plant parts, harvesting time, growth stage, and sowing time. Vitexin and isovitexin were found only in the seeds but not in the leaves, petioles, stems, and roots. Vitexin and isovitexin in seeds were detected only in the seed coat at concentration of 51.1 and , respectively, but not in the cotyledon. There were no differences in the content of vitexin and isovitexin in mungbean seeds according to early, recommended and late harvesting times. Rutin in leaves was isolated and identified as a functional substance. The content of rutin was the highest in the leaves and higher in the order of petioles and stems. However, there was no rutin in the seeds, roots, and pods. The highest rutin content in the leaves, petioles and stems was observed at the 3rd leaf stage, which was higher in the order of the 5th and 7th leaf stage.

Variation of Flavonoids Contents in Plant Parts of Mungbean

This study is to analyze the effects of the growth temperature of mungbean sprouts (15~30±1℃) on the yield ratio, content of phenolic compounds and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase), ALDH (aldehyde dehydrogenase) activities of the sprouts. When the growth temperature of mungbean sprouts was higher, the yield ratio of the sprouts was higher while the hard seed rate was lower, but 25±1℃ and 30±1℃ showed no regular tendency. The content of the total phenol from the ethanol extract of the sprouts was higher in the growth temperature of 15±1, 20±1, and 25±1℃, while the content of total flavonoid was higher in the growth temperature of 15±1 and 20±1℃. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of the ethanol extract of the sprouts was higher when the growth temperature was lower, while the activity of ADH and ALDH showed no regular tendency according to the growth temperature. Considering the yield ratio, content of phenolic compounds, biological activities of mungbean sprouts, the optimum cultivation temperature of mungbean sprouts may be 20~25℃.

Kyung-Dong Lee

Papers

Anti-neuroinflammatory effects of tryptanthrin from Polygonum tinctorium Lour. in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 microglial cells.

The effect of nitrogen fertilizer, planting density and sowing date on the yield of okra.

Evaluation of Livestock Manure Utilization Rates as Agricultural Purpose in Developed OECD Countries by Using Nutrient Balances

Variation of Flavonoids Contents in Plant Parts of Mungbean

Phenolic compounds content and DPPH, ADH, ALDH activities of mungbean sprout based on growth temperature