Drying is fundamental to Scytosiphon lomentarius processing. This study systematically evaluated how vacuum freeze-dried, microwave-dried, and hot-air dried affect its bioactivity and quality. We found that freeze-dried sample demonstrated superior rehydration capacity, notably enhanced antioxidant activity, and elevated bioactive compounds such as total phenols and flavonoids. This anti-inflammatory advantage was further validated in an LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cell model. Untargeted UPLC-ESI-QTOF/MSE identified 135 non-volatile metabolites, with 18 differential metabolites as key to antioxidant activity variation. Molecular docking targeting iNOS revealed a marked increase in potential iNOS inhibitors in freeze-dried samples. Electronic nose analysis distinguished the three drying groups, while HS-GC-MS/MS tentatively identified 125 volatile compounds. Freeze-dried samples better retained Ionone, yielding caramel and creamy baked notes, while hot-air dried generated unpleasant dimethyl trisulfide. Collectively, freeze-dried proves optimal for S. lomentarius processing by best enhancing antioxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory activity, and characteristic volatile metabolites, providing a theoretical foundation for its high-quality production.

China's Citrus x limon Eureka (EU) and Citrus x limon Rosso (RO) have similar powder colors; however, EU is pricier, leading to instances of forgery. This study aimed to differentiate the two lemons by combining sensory characteristics, electronic sensing evaluation and untargeted metabolomics. Results showed that the electronic nose (E-nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue) effectively distinguished the two varieties. EU's TPC (7.13 +/- 0.16 mg GAE/g DW) and TFC (1.87 +/- 0.03 mg RE/g DW) are twice RO's. EU demonstrates excellent antioxidant activity. UPLC-QTOF/MS untargeted metabolomics identified 251 non-volatile compounds, among which 73 differential metabolites mainly included flavonoids and terpenoids. Further KEGG analysis revealed that it was mainly related to the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway. Correlation analysis revealed taxifolin's potential role in EU antioxidant properties. HS-GC-Orbitrap/MS analysis revealed nine significant volatile differences between two lemons, with 1-hexanol, hexanal, alpha-Terpineol, and perillaldehyde being the main substances for EU to exert antioxidant effects. Combined with sensory analysis, it can be concluded that camphor and isovaleraldehyde might potentially contribute to the bitterness and sourness of RO. Collectively, these findings suggested that EU had a higher nutritional value, and that electronic sensing evaluation could be effective tools to distinguish both species.

BACKGROUND:Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is the predominant form of primary osteoporosis. Its etiology remains incompletely elucidated, and the senescence of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is potentially a contributing factor. Kaempferol (Ka), a common flavonoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, is a prospective candidate for therapeutic intervention in osteoporosis. However, its impact on BMSC senescence and the underlying mechanisms remains to be elucidated. PURPOSE:This study sought to elucidate the impact of Ka on BMSCs and to ascertain its potential targets and regulatory mechanisms. METHODS:BMSCs were extracted from ovariectomized (OVX) rats to observe the impact of Ka on cellular senescence, mitochondrial function, and mitophagy. Proteomics was utilized to investigate the potential mechanisms. Molecular docking, cellular thermal shift assay, small molecule pull-down assay, and surface plasmon resonance were employed to evaluate the relationship between Ka and its direct target Sp1. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) were used to investigate the transcriptional regulatory relationship between Sp1 and FUNDC1. Moreover, we performed detailed imaging and histological observations using micro-CT, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Masson staining, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry to assess the role of Ka in rat model of PMOP. RESULTS:Our results indicated that Ka counteracts senescent BMSCs and osteogenic differentiation deficit caused by postmenopausal, which may be achieved by restoring the basal mitophagy level of OVX-BMSCs, mitochondrial function and reducing reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, Ka treatment enhanced bone density and strength, upregulated Sp1 and FUNDC1 expression in the distal femoral region, and the number of γH2AX positive BMSCs decreased. In terms of mechanism, Ka directly binds to Sp1, promoting its transcriptional activation of FUNDC1-mediated mitophagy. Inhibiting mitophagy or Sp1, or FUNDC1 eliminated the therapeutic effect of Ka. CONCLUSIONS:Our findings suggest that Ka ameliorates the senescence of OVX-BMSCs by activating the Sp1/FUNDC1 signaling pathway, promoting mitophagy, and providing a new therapeutic strategy and molecular basis for PMOP.

There are differences in flavor, efficacy, and price between the cardamom varieties Alpinia galanga (H) and Myristica fragrans (R). It is crucial to distinguish their bioactivities and metabolites, given their high economic value and dietary frequency. This study determined total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and in vitro/cellular antioxidant activities of R and H. Their volatile/non-volatile metabolites were analyzed via electronic sensing (E-nose, HS-GC-MS/MS) and untargeted metabolomics (UPLC-ESI-QTOF/MSE). Results demonstrated that R exhibited superior antioxidant capacity to H, with both correlating positively with TPC and TFC. A total of 195 non-volatile metabolites were identified and Malabaricone C, alkyl-DHAP, and (R)-Shinanolone were the key components for distinguishing them. E-nose showed W1C, W2W and W5S sensors were more sensitive. Furthermore, 219 kinds of volatile metabolites were identified, among which 14 key differential volatile components were screened out. The study established a theoretical basis for differentiating and characterizing both cardamoms.

Houttuynia cordata (H. cordata) is a commonly consumed fresh food. However, it is prone to rapid decay after harvesting. The current storage methods possess their own drawbacks. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate a novel type of protectant Methyl jasmonate (MeJA), to explore its effect on the postharvest quality and metabolic changes of H. cordata. The results indicated that MeJA treatment reduced weight loss, decay, malondialdehyde content and oxidase activity while maintaining antioxidant properties. Utilizing untargeted metabolomics, eleven differential phenolic compounds and six volatile components were identified. Correlation analysis revealed that polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was the main enzyme responsible for the decay. Four phenolic compounds, including phloretin, were the substrates that caused the rot. Additionally, 1-Hepten-3-one could be used as a flavor component for evaluating the freshness of H. cordata. In conclusion, MeJA treatment presents a potential approach for maintaining the quality of H. cordata.

Depressive disorder (a subclass of mental disorders) is characterized by persistent affective symptoms. Without timely therapeutic intervention, it leads to clinical deterioration manifested as reduced quality of life and may increase suicide risk in severe cases. Given its complex etiology, intertwined with intrinsic factors such as genetics and environment, and impacted by various issues such as first-pass effect and blood-brain barrier, the therapeutic efficacy of many antidepressant medications is limited for patients. Therefore, by delving into the exploration of novel antidepressant drugs and biomaterials, this review aims to offer fresh perspectives that may facilitate the discovery of innovative antidepressant medications and enhance their therapeutic outcomes. Notably, the review highlights polymers’ crucial role in enhancing antidepressants’ pharmacological efficacy and pharmacokinetic properties by optimizing their parameters, and they will undoubtedly become powerful tools in improving antidepressive outcomes in future research.

Jujube is recognized as a health food, particularly following the traditional "Steaming and Sun-Drying Nine Times" treatment. This study aimed to clarify the scientific rationale of this practice by systematically analyzing changes in metabolite profiles and antioxidant activities. The results demonstrated that repeated steaming and sun-drying significantly increased the levels of phenols, flavonoids and antioxidants in jujube. To comprehensively assess the dynamic changes in metabolites during processing, UPLC-QE-Orbitrap MS and HS-GC-Orbitrap MS were performed to determine the non-volatile and volatile metabolites, respectively. A total of 428 non-volatile and 36 volatile metabolites were identified, revealing substantial compositional differences induced by the treatment. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that the affected metabolites were primarily involved in amino acid and lipid metabolism. Furthermore, correlation analysis demonstrated significant associations between differential metabolites and antioxidant activities. These findings offer comprehensive insights into the biochemical mechanisms underlying the enhancement of jujube quality through traditional steaming and sun-drying.

As a common food in the modern world, milk safety is becoming increasingly concerning, with a major issue being the presence of antibiotic residues. These residues can lead to problems such as drug resistance, immunosuppression, mutagenesis, teratogenesis, and carcinogenesis. In this study, a sensor for the rapid and sensitive detection of CT residues in milk was developed for the first time by re-coating magnetic covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) on a gold electrode. CTs served as the template molecule, while EDTA and NHS were used as cross-linkers. Poly(o-phenylenediamine) was utilized as the MIP layer, and 95

Cherry kernels are a by-product of cherries that are usually discarded, leading to waste and pollution. In this study, the chemical composition of 21 batches of cherry kernels from two different cherry species was analyzed using untargeted metabolomics. The in vitro antioxidant activity, cellular antioxidant activity, and antiproliferative activity of these kernel extracts were also determined, and a correlation analysis was conducted between differential compounds and biological activity. A total of 49 differential compounds were screened. The kernels of Prunus tomentosa were found to have significantly higher total phenol, total flavonoid content, and biological activity than those of Prunus pseudocerasus (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that flavonoids had the greatest contribution to biological activity. The study suggests that both species of cherry kernel, particularly Prunus tomentosa, could be a potential source of bioactive compounds that could be used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.

In this study, we synthesized the composite photocatalytic material AgBr/Ag3PO4/h-BN (AAN) using simple precipitation and anion exchange methods. Comprehensive characterization of the physical, optical, crystalline, and morphological properties was conducted through SEM, EDS, XRD, FT-IR, Raman, XPS, UV-vis, PL, ESR, and LC-MS analyses. The obtained AAN composite demonstrated exceptional stability and high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of the antibiotic tetracycline (TC) under visible light irradiation. The enhanced activity was primarily due to the h-BN nanosheets, which supported AgBr/Ag3PO4, enhancing visible light absorption and facilitating effective spatial separation of photogenerated carriers. Specifically, the photogenerated electrons of AgBr and Ag3PO4 were carried into the h-BN of graphene-like, which effectively suppressed the reduction of silver ions. The reusability of the photocatalyst was validated through six consecutive cycles. We examined the effects of experimental parameters, such as initial pH and temperature, on the TC degradation. Reactive oxidative species including center dot OH, h(+), and center dot O-2(-) were identified as the main active species in the photodegradation process. Additionally, degradation pathways for TC were proposed using DFT and LC-MS, and the toxicity of intermediates was assessed. Based on the experiments, the possible electron transfer pathways and visible light photocatalytic degradation mechanism of TC were discussed in detail. Overall, the AAN composite emerges as a promising photocatalyst for the photodegradation of organic pollutants, contributing to the environmental protection.

Almonds are a commonly consumed nut. They possess significantof nutritional and health benefitsand are commonly processed by roasting. This study aimed to investigatthe effects of roasting on the compound composition and antioxidant activity of almonds. Metabolomics analysis, performed via UPLC-QTOF/MS, and fatty acid analysis, conducted via GC-MS, employed, and the results demonstrated a significant increase in antioxidant activity of post-roasting and in vitro digestion, ranging from 1.16 to 3.44 times. Untargeted metabolomics identified a total of 172 compounds, with notable differences observed in organic oxides, fatty acids, and their derivatives. Correlation analysis identified fatty acids as the primary influencers of changes in antioxidant activity following roasting. Taken together, these findings suggest that roasting enhances the antioxidant activity of almonds, primarily due to alterations in fatty acid analogs, thereby providing valuable insights into optimizing almond consumption for health benefits.

The microenvironment mediated by the microglia (MG) M1/M2 phenotypic switch plays a decisive role in the neuronal fate and cognitive function of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the impact of metabolic reprogramming on microglial polarization and its underlying mechanism remains elusive. This study reveals that cordycepin improved cognitive function and memory in APP/PS1 mice, as well as attenuated neuronal damage by triggering MG-M2 polarization and metabolic reprogramming characterized by increased OXPHOS and glycolysis, rather than directly protecting neurons. Simultaneously, cordycepin partially alleviates mitochondrial damage in microglia induced by inhibitors of OXPHOS and glycolysis, further promoting MG-M2 transformation and increasing neuronal survival. Through confirmation of cordycepin distribution in the microglial mitochondria via mitochondrial isolation followed by HPLC-MS/MS techniques, HKII and PDK2 are further identified as potential targets of cordycepin. By investigating the effects of HKII and PDK2 inhibitors, the mechanism through which cordycepin targeted HKII to elevate ECAR levels in the glycolysis pathway while targeting PDK2 to enhance OCR levels in PDH-mediated OXPHOS pathway, thereby inducing MG-M2 polarization, promoting neuronal survival and exerting an anti-AD role is elucidated.

Background Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill (Schisandraceae) and Acorus tatarinowii Schott (Araceae Juss) (Sc-At) are two traditional Chinese medicinal herbs that are widely used in the treatment of neurological disorders such as insomnia. In our previous study, we found that Sc-At could improve the therapeutic efficacy of Alzheimer’s disease by affecting aromatase activity and estrogen levels, among other pathways. Material and methods In this study, first, the ameliorative effect of Sc-At on cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease model rats was verified by Y-maze test together with Elisa assay. Second, fecal untargeted metabolomics analysis was performed using a UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabolomics approach. 16S rDNA sequencing was utilized to screen the differential flora between groups, and linear discriminantan alysis effect size (LEfSe) was used to find the target flora. Finally, Spearman correlation analysis was combined to find the relationship between differential flora and differential metabolites in feces. Results (1) The results of Y-maze test and Elisa assay indicated that Sc-At could improve the cognitive dysfunction of AD model rats. (2) Metabolomics results showed that fecal metabolite levels were significantly different from those of rats in the blank group, and 18 potential biomarkers in feces were screened, mainly affecting linoleic acid metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, sphingomyelin metabolism, riboflavin metabolism, etc. The 16S rDNA results showed that the abundance and diversity of intestinal flora in AD rats were destroyed, and the Sc-At treatment was able to reverse these changes. (3) Spearman’s correlation analysis showed a significant correlation between differential metabolites in feces and intestinal flora, further suggesting that Sc-At treats Alzheimer’s disease through the gut-brain axis. Conclusions In this study, we explored the mechanism of Sc-At in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease by integrating fecal untargeted metabolomics and 16S rDNA gene sequencing, and the results showed that Sc-At exerts therapeutic effects on Alzheimer’s disease by improving the intestinal flora and related metabolic pathways.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a type of neurodegeneration disease, is characterized by Aβ deposition and tangles of nerve fibers. Schisandrin is one of the main components of Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis. Researches showed that schisandrin can improve the cognitive impairment and memory of AD mice, but the specific mechanism has not been fully elucidated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible mechanism of schisandrin in improving AD pathology. The Morris water maze test was executed to detect spatial learning and memory. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-Triple time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Triple-TOF/MS)-based plasma lipidomics was used to study the changes of plasma lipids. Moreover, we measured the levels of protein and mRNA expression of APOE and ABCA1 in the rat brains and in BV2 microglia. Our study found that schisandrin could improve learning and memory, and reduce Aβ deposition in AD rats. Furthermore, we found that schisandrin can improve plasma lipid metabolism disorders. Therefore, we hypothesized schisandrin might act via LXR and the docking results showed that schisandrin interacts with LXRβ. Further, we found schisandrin increased the protein and mRNA expression of LXR target genes APOE and ABCA1 in the brain of AD rats and in BV2 microglia. Our study reveals the neuroprotective effect and mechanism of schisandrin improves AD pathology by activating LXR to produce APOE and ABCA1.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a latent and progressive neurodegenerative disease. Schisandra chinensis(Turcz.)Baill - Acorus tatarinowii Schott (Sc-At) are effective in treating neurological disorders. Purpose of this study is to explore the mechanism of Sc-At in AD treatment. First, untargeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time of flight/mass spectrometer (UPLC-QTOF/MS) metabolomics was employed to detect the rat brain metabolism. Then, network pharmacology was used to determine the potential anti-AD targets. Bioinformatics, and molecular docking were conducted for further analysis. A MetScape study examined the association between differential metabolites and potential targets. Finally, the targeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) metabolomics and the potential protein activity studies were carried out to elucidate the mechanisms. The results showed that Sc-At improved the neuronal cell alignment disorder in hippocampal CA1 region of AD rats. In brain metabolomics, 30 differential metabolites were screened in the study model versus blank group. The network pharmacology analyzed 54 targets of Sc-At anti-AD where, 14 were correlated with amyloid β-protein (Aβ). Aromatase was selected as an important hub target having the best binding power in molecular docking simulation predictions and also correlated with Aβ. Further tests showed that the brain aromatase activity, and the downstream product 17β-Estradiol levels were elevated in AD rats treated with Sc-At. This work may provide new perspectives for the pharmacological effects and the action mechanisms of natural compounds extracts in treating AD progression.

Mycotoxins pollution is a global concern, and can pose a serious threat to human health. People and livestock eating contaminated food will encounter acute and chronic poisoning symptoms, such as carcinogenicity, acute hepatitis, and a weakened immune system. In order to prevent or reduce the exposure of human beings and livestock to mycotoxins, it is necessary to screen mycotoxins in different foods efficiently, sensitively, and selectively. Proper sample preparation is very important for the separation, purification, and enrichment of mycotoxins from complex matrices. This review provides a comprehensive summary of mycotoxins pretreatment methods since 2017, including traditionally used methods, solid-phase extraction (SPE)-based methods, liquid-liquid extraction (LLE)-based methods, matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD), QuEChERS, and so on. The novel materials and cutting-edge technologies are systematically and comprehensively summarized. Moreover, we discuss and compare the pros and cons of different pretreatment methods and suggest a prospect.

P. pseudocerasus and P. tomentosa are the two native Chinese cherry species of high economic and ornamental worths. Little is known about the metabolic information of P. pseudocerasus and P. tomentosa. Effective means are lacking for distinguishing these two similar species. In this study, the differences in total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and in vitro antioxidant activities in 21 batches of two species of cherries were compared. A comparative UPLC-QTOF/MS-based metabolomics coupled with three machine learning algorithms was established for differentiating the cherry species. The results demonstrated that P. tomentosa had higher TPC and TFC with average content differences of 12.07 times and 39.30 times, respectively, and depicted better antioxidant activity. Total of 104 differential compounds were identified by UPLC-QTOF/MS metabolomics. The major differential compounds were flavonoids, organooxygen compounds, and cinnamic acids and derivatives. Correlation analysis revealed differences in flavonoids content such as procyanidin B1 or isomer and (Epi)catechin. They could be responsible for differences in antioxidant activities between the two species. Among three machine learning algorithms, the prediction accuracy of support vector machine (SVM) was 85.7%, and those of random forest (RF) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) were 100%. BPNN exhibited better classification performance and higher prediction rate for all testing set samples than those of RF. The study herein found that P. tomentosa had higher nutritional value and biological functions, and thus considered for usage in health products. Machine models based on untargeted metabolomics can be effective tools for distinguishing these two species.

Melatonin (MLT) plays a significant role on maintaining the basic physiological functions and regulating various metabolic processes in plentiful organisms. Recent years have witnessed an increase in MLT's share in global market with its affluent functions. However, the worrisome quality issues and inappropriate or excessive application of MLT take place inevitably. In addition, its photosensitive properties, oxidation, complex substrate concentration and trace levels leave exact detection of MLT doubly difficult. Therefore, it is essential to exploit precise, sensitive and stable extraction and detection methods to resolve above questions. In this study, we reviewed the distribution and bioactivities of MLT and conducted a comprehensive overview of the developments of pretreatment and analysis methods for MLT in food samples since 2010. Commonly used pretreatment methods for MLT include not only traditional techniques, but also novel ones, such as solid-phase extraction, QuEChERS, microextraction by packed sorbent, solid phase microextraction, liquid phase microextraction, and so on. Analysis methods include liquid chromatography coupled with different detectors, GC methods, capillary electrophoresis, sensors, and so on. The advantages and disadvantages of different techniques have been compared and the development tendency was prospected.

Polygonatum is a medicinal and edible homologous food, for which nine steaming and nine drying (SAD-9) is the most used processing method. The processed polygonatum not only changes its components, but also causes the fluctuation of metabolites in vivo. UPLC-QTOF/MS (Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-Quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry) was employed to analyze the changes in components and the plasma untargeted metabolomics, thus, the differences in vitro of three groups of polygonatum (Raw Polygonatum, RP; two steaming and two drying, SAD-2; nine steaming and nine drying, SAD-9) and their effects on metabolic fluctuations in vivo were revealed. Results showed that the components, such as protein, fat, polysaccharide, flavonoids, saponins and isoflavones changed after processing. Moreover, 4 types of Lysophosphatidylcholines, the major differential metabolites, were highly expressed in rats' plasma of SAD-9 group. Furthermore, through network pharmacological analysis, it was found that liquiritigenin and 4′,5-dihydroxyflavone activated PLA2 type enzymes to promote the production of lysophosphatidylcholine, and the processing method of SAD-9 was conducive to the role of these two components. These findings indicated the dissimilarity of components and metabolic profiles of polygonatum under different processing times, and revealed the advantages of SAD-9 processing methods.