Showing papers on "Flavanone published in 2013"

Fermented Orange Juice: Source of Higher Carotenoid and Flavanone Contents

Abstract: The intake of bioactive compounds and moderate alcohol decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. These effects could be joined in a beverage created by a controlled alcoholic fermentation of orange juice. The influence of controlled alcoholic fermentation on the bioactive compound profile of orange juice has not been previously evaluated, and this is the purpose of the present study. Total and individual flavanones and carotenoids significantly increased throughout the fermentation. The reason for this was an enhanced extraction of these compounds from the pulp. Besides, the potential bioavailability of flavanones increased due to a higher content of hesperetin-7-O-glucoside (2-fold higher at the end of the fermentation process). Ascorbic acid did not undergo a significant change, and only total phenolics decreased. Antioxidant capacity was also evaluated. TEAC and FRAP values remained constant throughout the process. However, ORAC and DPPH values significantly increased. Correlation analysis concluded that the increase in ORAC and DPPH values could be due to enhancement of flavanones.

HPLC-PDA-MS and NMR Characterization of a Hydroalcoholic Extract of Citrus aurantium L. var. amara Peel with Antiedematogenic Activity

Abstract: The phytochemical profile of a hydroalcoholic extract of Citrus aurantium var. amara L. peel, used as herbal medicine, was characterized by HPLC-PDA-MS. Two di-C-glycosyl flavones (vincenin II and diosmetin 6,8-di-C-glucoside), a series of flavones (luteolin 7-O-neohesperidoside, rhoifolin, and neodiosmin), and flavanone (neoeriocitrin, naringin, and neohesperidin) 7-O-neohesperidosides and two methoxyflavones (nobiletin and tangeretin), commonly present in Citrus, were identified. Furthermore, brutieridin and melitidin, two 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl flavanone glycosides, were also characterized along with rhoifolin 4'-glucoside and three coumarins (8,3'-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-2'-hydroxy-3'-methylbutyl-7-methoxycoumarin, merazin hydrate, and isomerazin). A preparative isolation procedure followed by NMR spectroscopy confirmed the proposed structures of the major flavonoids and identified the coumarins. The phenolic content was found to be 14.8 mg mL(-1), and naringin and neohesperidin were the compounds present in the highest concentration (3.6 and 2.6 mg mL(-1)). The extract of C. aurantium peel inhibited significantly (p < 0.05) both histamine- and dextran-induced edema in rats in a concentration-dependent manner (IC(50) = 119.6 and 118.3 mg kg(-1), respectively), providing evidence for the therapeutic use of C. aurantium var. amara peel.

The potential of flavonoids as natural antioxidants and UV light stabilizers for polypropylene

Abstract: This article presents a study on the stabilization of polypropylene against thermo-oxidation and UV radiation by using natural phenolic compounds derived from the structures of flavonoids: a flavone (chrysin), a flavanol (quercetin), two flavanone gly- cosides (hesperidin and naringin), and flavanoligand (silibinin). Thermal stabilization has been assessed in an oxidizing atmosphere by means of differential scanning calorimetry both in isothermal and in dynamic conditions. In addition, the effectiveness of these phenolic compounds as thermal stabilizers at high temperature has been quantified with the use of thermogravimetric analysis. Stabi- lization against UV radiation has been estimated by studying the morphology changes of the exposed surfaces by scanning electron microscope (SEM); also, surface chemical changes have been followed by infrared spectroscopy. Global results show that flavonoid compounds of type flavonols (quercetin and silibinin) provide the best results in stabilizing both against oxidation and against the action of UV radiation. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 129: 1707-1716, 2013

Flavanone metabolites decrease monocyte adhesion to TNF-α-activated endothelial cells by modulating expression of atherosclerosis-related genes.

Abstract: Flavanones are found specifically and abundantly in citrus fruits. Their beneficial effect on vascular function is well documented. However, little is known about their cellular and molecular mechanisms of action in vascular cells. The goal of the present study was to identify the impact of flavanone metabolites on endothelial cells and decipher the underlying molecular mechanisms of action. We investigated the impact of naringenin and hesperetin metabolites at 0·5, 2 and 10 μM on monocyte adhesion to TNF-α-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and on gene expression. Except hesperetin-7-glucuronide and naringenin-7-glucuronide (N7G), when present at 2 μM, flavanone metabolites (hesperetin-3'-sulphate, hesperetin-3'-glucuronide and naringenin-4'-glucuronide (N4'G)) significantly attenuated monocyte adhesion to TNF-α-activated HUVEC. Exposure of both monocytes and HUVEC to N4'G and N7G at 2 μM resulted in a higher inhibitory effect on monocyte adhesion. Gene expression analysis, using TaqMan Low-Density Array, revealed that flavanone metabolites modulated the expression of genes involved in atherogenesis, such as those involved in inflammation, cell adhesion and cytoskeletal organisation. In conclusion, physiologically relevant concentrations of flavanone metabolites reduce monocyte adhesion to TNF-α-stimulated endothelial cells by affecting the expression of related genes. This provides a potential explanation for the vasculoprotective effects of flavanones.

Regio‐ and Stereospecific Prenylation of Flavonoids by Sophora flavescens Prenyltransferase

Abstract: Prenylflavonoids are valuable natural products that are widely distributed in plants. They often possess divergent biological properties, including phytoestrogenic, anti-bacterial, anti-tumor, and anti-diabetic activities. The reaction catalyzed by prenyltransferases represents a Friedel–Crafts alkylation of the flavonoid skeleton in the biosynthesis of natural prenylflavonoids and often contributes to the structural diversity and biological activity of these compounds. However, only a few plant flavonoid prenyltransferases have been identified thus far, and these prenyltransferases exhibit strict substrate specificity and low catalytic efficiency. In this article, a flavonoid prenyltransferase from Sophora flavescens, SfFPT, has been identified that displays high catalytic efficiency with high regiospecificity acting on C-8 of structurally different types of flavonoid (i.e., flavanone, flavone, flavanonol, and dihydrochalcone, etc.). Furthermore, SfPFT exhibits strict stereospecificity for levorotatory flavanones to produce (2S)-prenylflavanones. This study is the first to demonstrate the substrate promiscuity and stereospecificity of a plant flavonoid prenyltransferase in vitro. Given its substrate promiscuity and high catalytic efficiency, SfFPT can be used as an environmentally friendly and efficient biological catalyst for the regio- and stereospecific prenylation of flavonoids to produce bioactive compounds for potential therapeutic applications.

RNAi-Mediated Silencing of the Flavanone 3-Hydroxylase Gene and Its Effect on Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Strawberry Fruit

Abstract: Anthocyanin biosynthesis requires the activities of several enzymes in vivo. Flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) converts flavanone into dihydroflavanol at an early step in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. In this study we constructed an RNAi gene-silencing vector that encodes a hairpin F3H RNA. Agrobacterium strain GV3101 harboring the F3H RNAi vector was injected into strawberry fruits which were still attached to the plants 14 days after pollination. The phenotype was observed 10 days postinjection, and fruits were tested by RT-PCR and northern blot assays. The results showed that the F3H gene was downregulated by approximately 70 % in the agroinfiltrated fruits compared with the control. HPLC–MS analysis showed that anthocyanin content was greatly reduced, flavonol was also decreased, and the levels of p-coumaroyl glucoside and p-coumaroyl-1-acetate were markedly increased. We conclude that the precursors were shunted to the phenylpropanoid pathway, and that F3H is one of the key enzymes required for the biosynthesis of flavonoids in strawberry fruit. According to our results, reducing gene function via RNA interference is a rapid, simple, and effective way to identify gene function in strawberry fruit.

Isolation, Structure Determination, and Anti-HIV Evaluation of Tigliane-Type Diterpenes and Biflavonoid from Stellera chamaejasme

Abstract: Five novel tigliane-type diterpenes, stelleracins A-E (3-7), a novel flavanone dimer, chamaeflavone A (8), and six known compounds were isolated from the roots of Stellera chamaejasme. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses. The isolated compounds were evaluated for anti-HIV activity in MT4 cells. New compounds 3-5 showed potent anti-HIV activity (EC90 0.00056-0.0068 μM) and relatively low or no cytotoxicity (IC50 4.4-17.2 μM). These new compounds represent promising new leads for development into anti-AIDS clinical trial candidates.

Comparative study on the antibacterial activity of some flavonoids and their sulfonic derivatives.

Abstract: The antibacterial activity of quercetin, morin, sodium salt of quercetin-5'-sulfonic acid (NaQSA) and sodium salt of morin-5'-sulfonic acid (NaMSA) were tested against six bacterial strains: Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922 and clinical isolates--ESBL), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853 and clinical isolates--carbapenem resistant), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213 and clinical isolats- MRSA). The most effective inhibitors against the model strain S. aureus are NaQSA and NaMSA (MIC = 3.9 microg/mL). Among polyhydroxyflavones used in this investigation, morin exhibits the highest antibacterial activity against tested strains. The structure-activity relationship indicates that 2',4'-dihydroxylation of the B ring in the flavanone structure is important for significant antibacterial activity and that substitution of the sulfo group at position 5' on the lateral phenyl ring enhances antistaphylococcal activity of flavonoids.

Hydrolysis of flavanone glycosides by β-glucosidase from Pyrococcus furiosus and its application to the production of flavanone aglycones from citrus extracts.

Abstract: The hydrolytic activity of the recombinant β-glucosidase from Pyrococcus furiosus for the flavanone glycoside hesperidin was optimal at pH 5.5 and 95 °C in the presence of 0.5% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and 0.1% (w/v) Tween 40 with a half-life of 88 h, a Km of 1.6 mM, and a kcat of 68.4 1/s. The specific activity of the enzyme for flavonoid glycosides followed the order hesperidin > neohesperidin > naringin > narirutin > poncirin > diosmin > neoponcirin > rutin. The specific activity for flavanone was higher than that for flavone or flavonol. DMSO at 10% (v/v) was used to increase the solubility of flavanone glycosides as substrates. The enzyme completely converted flavanone glycosides (1 g/L) to flavanone aglycones and disaccharides via one-step reaction. The major flavanone in grapefruit peel, grapefruit pulp, or orange peel extract was naringin (47.5 mg/g), naringin (16.6 mg/g), or hesperidin (18.2 mg/g), respectively. β-Glucosidase from P. furiosus completely converted naringin and narirutin in 100% (w/v) grapefruit peel extract to 22.5 g/L naringenin after 12 h, with a productivity of 1.88 g L(-1) h(-1); naringin and narirutin in 100% (w/v) grapefruit pulp extract to 8.1 g/L naringenin after 9 h, with a productivity of 0.90 g L(-1) h(-1); and hesperidin in 100% (w/v) orange peel extract to 9.0 g/L hesperetin after 9 h, with a productivity of 1.00 g L(-1) h(-1). The conversion yields, concentrations, and productivities of flavanone aglycones in this study are the highest among those obtained from citrus extracts. Thus, this enzyme may be useful for the industrial hydrolysis of flavanone glycosides in citrus extracts.

Microbial synthesis of dihydrochalcones using Rhodococcus and Gordonia species

Abstract: Chalcones are important compounds in food and cosmetics industry, and in food chemistry research. We have developed a method of synthesis of dihydrochalcones from flavanone and α,β-unsaturated chalcones by microbial hydrogenation. It has been found that bacterial strains of Rhodococcus sp. and Gordonia sp. can be successfully used in the key step of dihydrochalcones synthesis. This kind of activity has not been previously examined. Twelve microorganisms were initially screened for their ability to catalyze biotransformation reactions of selected flavonoid compounds. Of these, Rhodococcus sp. and Gordonia sp. transformed flavanone and chalcones to hydrogenation products in good isolated yield of 13–94%.

Isosakuranetin-5-O-rutinoside: a new flavanone with antidepressant activity isolated from Salvia elegans Vahl.

Abstract: Ursolic acid (1) and a new flavanone, 5-O-(6-rhamnosylglucoside)-7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone (2), were isolated from the leaves of Salvia elegans Vahl. These natural products displayed antidepressant activity in mice as determined by means of a forced swimming test (FST) evaluation. Structural elucidation was carried out by chemical derivatization (acetylation) and spectroscopic analyses, such as 1H- and 13C-NMR and two-dimensional (2-D) COSY, heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence (HMQC), and heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation (HMBC) spectroscopy experiments.

Root restriction affected anthocyanin composition and up-regulated the transcription of their biosynthetic genes during berry development in ‘Summer Black’ grape

Abstract: Root restriction was applied to ‘Summer black’ grape (Vitis vinifera L. × Vitis labrusca L.) to investigate its effect on anthocyanin biosynthesis in grape berry during development. Anthocyanin composition and expression patterns of 16 genes in anthocyanin pathway were thus analyzed. The results showed that the anthocyanin levels in berry skin were significantly increased and the anthocyanin profile was enriched. Gene expression pattern revealed that the increased anthocyanins coincide with the up-regulated expression of all 16 genes investigated, including phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, 4-coumarate CoA ligase, chalcone synthase 1, chalcone synthase 2, chalcone synthase 3, chalcone isomerase, flavanone 3-hydroxylase 1, flavanone 3-hydroxylase 2, flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase (F3′H), flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase (F3′5′H), di-hydroflavonol 4-reductase, leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase, O-methyltransferases (OMT), UDP-glucose:flavonoid 3-O-glucosyl-transferase (3GT), UDP-glucose:flavonoid 5-O-glucosyl-transferase (5GT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST). The increased total anthocyanins predominantly resulted from the increase of tri-hydroxylated, methoxylated and mono-glycosylated rather than di-hydroxylated, non-methoxylated, and di-glycosylated forms, which might be due to the differential regulation of F3′5′H/F3′H, OMT and 3GT, respectively.

Development of Flavone Propargyl Ethers as Potent and Selective Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes 1A1 and 1A2

Abstract: Naturally occurring flavonoids are known to be metabolized by several cytochrome P450 enzymes including P450s 1A1, 1A2, 1B1, 2C9, 3A4, and 3A5. In general flavonoids can act as substrates, inducers, and/or inhibitors of P450 enzymes. The position of the substituents on the flavone backbone has been shown to impact the biological activity against P450 enzymes. To explore the effect of a propargyl ether substitution on flavones and flavanones, 2´-flavone propargyl ether (2´-PF), 3´-flavone propargyl ether (3´-PF), 4´-flavone propargyl ether (4´-PF), 5-flavone propargyl ether (5-PF), 6-flavone propargyl ether (6-PF), 7-flavone propargyl ether (7-PF), 6-flavanone propargyl ether (6-PFN), and 7- flavanone propargyl ether (7-PFN) were synthesized. All of the newly synthesized compounds and the parent hydroxy flavones were tested for both direct inhibition and mechanism-based inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzymes 1A1, 1A2, 2A6, and 2B1. The flavone propargyl ether derivatives were found to be more potent inhibitors of P450s 1A1 and 1A2. None of the flavones and flavanones in our study showed any inhibition of P450 2A6. Only 2´-PF and 6-PFN inhibited P450 2B1. 3´-PF showed direct inhibition of P450 1A1 with the highest observed potency of 0.02 µM, in addition to its ability to cause mechanism-based inhibition with KI and kinactivation values of 0.24 µM and 0.09 min-1 for this enzyme. 7- Hydroxy flavone also exhibited mechanism-based inhibition of P450 1A1 with KI and kinactivation values of 2.43 µM and 0.115 min-1. Docking studies and QSAR studies on P450 enzymes 1A1 and 1A2 were performed which revealed important insights into the nature of binding of these molecules and provided us with good QSAR models that can be used to design new flavone derivatives.

Synthesis and evaluation of novel carbamate-substituted flavanone derivatives as potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and anti-amnestic agents

Abstract: This study was designed to synthesize and evaluate flavanone derivatives with phenylcarbamate moiety as potent acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors and anti-amnestic agents for management of AD. The synthesis of carbamate-substituted flavanone derivatives involved base-catalysed Claisen-Schmidt condensation reaction of 2-hydroxy acetophenone/2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethoxyacetophenone with differently substituted benzaldehydes to yield differently substituted chalcones that underwent intra-molecular oxidative cyclization on refluxing with glacial acetic acid to yield flavanone compounds. Thereafter, refluxing of flavanone compounds with phenyl isocyanate in the presence of petroleum-ether and triethylamine provided phenyl carbamate-substituted flavanone derivatives. The synthesized compounds were screened in vitro for AChE inhibitory activity with donepezil as the standard drug. The most potent test compound (5f′) was evaluated in vivo for memory restorative actions in scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg)-induced amnesia in mice by Morris water maze test. All the compounds exhibited AChE inhibitory activity with carbamate substituted 5,7-dimethoxyflavanone derivatives (5a′–5g′) being the most potent compounds with IC50 ranging from 21.5 ± 1.8 to 9.9 ± 1.6 nM. Compound 5f′ also ameliorated scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice in terms of restoration of time spent in target quadrant and escape latency time. It may be concluded that phenylcarbamate-substituted 5,7-dimethoxyflavanones may be a promising structural template for the development of novel AChE inhibitors in managing amnestic disorders including AD.

New Highly in Vitro Antioxidative 3,8″-Linked Biflav(an)ones and Flavanone-C-glycosides from Garcinia buchananii Stem Bark

Abstract: Very recently, we described highly antioxidative polyphenols isolated from the stem bark extract of the Garcinia buchananii tree. In this study, we describe additional antioxidants from Garcinia buchananii bark extract using hydrogen peroxide scavenging, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays. UPLC-HR-ESI-TOF-MSe analysis, 1- and 2D-NMR, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy led to the unequivocal identification of the antioxidative molecules as a series of five 3,8″-linked biflav(an)ones and two flavanone-C-glycosides. (2S,3R)-Taxifolin-6-C-β-d-glucopyranoside (2), (2R,3S,2″S,3″S)-manniflavanone (3), (2R,3S)-buchananiflavonol (4), and (2S,3R,2″R,3″R)-GB-1 (6) are new compounds, and (2S,3S)-taxifolin-6-C-β-d-glucopyranoside (1) was described so far only in one other plant. The structure of (2R,3S,2″R,3″R)-GB-1 (5) and (2R,3S,2″S)-GB2a (7) were confirmed. The H2O2 scavenging, TEAC, and the ORAC assays demonstrated that these natural products h...

A new flavanone and other constituents from the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus and their antioxidant activities

Abstract: A new flavanone, for which the structure 7,8-dihydroxy-5,6-methylenedioxyflavone (1) was established, and five known compounds, quercetin (2), kaempferol (3), luteolin (4), ginkgetin (5), and isoginkgetin (6), were isolated from the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus L. The new compound 1 showed inhibitory activity in superoxide radical scavenging assay with IC50 value of 3.1 μM. Compounds 2–6 exhibited antioxidant activity in scavenging DPPH and superoxide radicals with IC50 values ranging from 3.1 to 23.7 μM.