Alzheimer’s disease, a major cause of dementia, is characterized by impaired cholinergic function, increased oxidative stress, and amyloid cascade induction. Sesame lignans have attracted considerable attention owing to their beneficial effects on brain health. This study investigated the neuroprotective potential of lignan-rich sesame cultivars. Among the 10 sesame varieties studied, Milyang 74 (M74) extracts exhibited the highest total lignan content (17.71 mg/g) and in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity (66.17%, 0.4 mg/mL). M74 extracts were the most effective in improving cell viability and inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) generation in amyloid-β_25-35 fragment-treated SH-SY5Y cells. Thus, M74 was used to evaluate the nootropic effects of sesame extracts and oil on scopolamine (2 mg/kg)-induced memory impairment in mice compared to the control cultivar (Goenback). Pretreatment with the M74 extract (250 and 500 mg/kg) and oil (1 and 2 mL/kg) effectively improved memory disorder in mice (demonstrated by the passive avoidance test), inhibited AChE, and enhanced acetylcholine (Ach) levels. Moreover, immunohistochemistry and Western blot results showed that the M74 extract and oil reversed the scopolamine-induced increase in APP, BACE-1, and presenilin expression levels in the amyloid cascade and decreased BDNF and NGF expression levels in neuronal regeneration.

Min Young Kim, Sungup Kim, Jung In Kim, Eunyoung Oh, Sang Woo Kim, Jeongeun Lee, Eunsoo Lee, and Myoung Hee Lee. Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2022;51:660-70. https://doi.org/10.3746/jkfn.2022.51.7.660

Yoonjeong Kim, Jihwan Kim, Sungup Kim, Min Young Kim, and Younghwa Kim. Prev Nutr Food Sci 2024;29:563-71. https://doi.org/10.3746/pnf.2024.29.4.563

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a globally cultivated crop of significant economic and nutritional importance. The role of gibberellic-acid-stimulated Arabidopsis (GASA) family genes is well established in plant growth, development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. However, there is a gap in understanding the function of GASA proteins in cultivated peanuts, particularly in response to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. Thus, we conducted comprehensive in silico analyses to identify and verify the existence of 40 GASA genes (termed AhGASA) in cultivated peanuts. Subsequently, we conducted biological experiments and performed expression analyses of selected AhGASA genes to elucidate their potential regulatory roles in response to drought and salinity. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that AhGASA genes could be categorized into four distinct subfamilies. Under normal growth conditions, selected AhGASA genes exhibited varying expressions in young peanut seedling leaves, stems, and roots tissues. Notably, our findings indicate that certain AhGASA genes were downregulated under drought stress but upregulated under salt stress. These results suggest that specific AhGASA genes are involved in the regulation of salt or drought stress. Further functional characterization of the upregulated genes under both drought and salt stress will be essential to confirm their regulatory roles in this context. Overall, our findings provide compelling evidence of the involvement of AhGASA genes in the mechanisms of stress tolerance in cultivated peanuts. This study enhances our understanding of the functions of AhGASA genes in response to abiotic stress and lays the groundwork for future investigations into the molecular characterization of AhGASA genes.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure worsens chronic respiratory diseases through oxidative stress and inflammation. Perilla frutescens (L.) has potential respiratory protective properties, but the impact of growth stages on its beneficial metabolites is unclear. We aimed to evaluate how different growth stages affect phenolic acids, flavonoids, and polycosanols in perilla seeds and flowers and their efficacy in countering PM2.5-induced damage. Perilla seeds and flowers from five varieties at 10, 20, 30, and 40 days post-flowering were analyzed for metabolite content. Their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and respiratory protective effects were tested in RPMI 2650 cells. Our findings indicated that perilla flowers contained higher levels of functional components than seeds and exhibited significant variation with maturation. Phenolic acids of perilla flowers were highest at the early stages of maturation after flowering. However, individual flavones of perilla flowers were the highest at the late maturation stages after flowering. Extracts from perilla flowers harvested 20 days after flowering exhibited significant respiratory protection, effectively inhibiting inflammatory cytokines, mucus secretion, and oxidative stress markers. In conclusion, the flower parts of perilla, particularly those harvested 20 days after flowering, are useful materials for obtaining phenolic compounds, including rosmarinic acid, with high antioxidant and respiratory enhancement effects.