The effects of different extraction temperatures (4 and 80 °C) on the physicochemical properties and antitumor activity of water soluble polysaccharides (CMPs-4 and CMPs-80) from Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) were evaluated in this study. The results of gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC) showed that a higher extraction temperature could degrade the polysaccharides with 188 kDa, mainly composed of glucose, and increase the dissolution rate of polysaccharides about 308 kDa, mainly consisting of rhamnose and galactose. In addition, the CMPs displayed the same sugar ring and category of glycosidic linkage based on Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, however, their invisible structural difference occurred in the specific rotation and conformational characteristics according to the results of specific optical rotation measurement and Congo red test. In vitro antitumor experiments indicated that CMPs-4 possessed stronger inhibitory effects on human esophagus cancer Eca-109 cells by inducing cell apoptosis more than CMPs-80 did. These findings demonstrated that the polysaccharides extracted with cold water (4 °C) could be applied as a novel alternative chemotherapeutic agent or dietary supplement with its underlying antitumor property.

Dihydroquercetin is a kind of dihydroflavonol compounds with antioxidant, antitumor, antivirus and radioresistance activities. This study attempted to produce the dihydroquercetin complexes with lecithin and β-cyclodextrin, and research their characteristics and bioactivities via ultraviolet spectrum (UV), infrared spectroscopy (IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction spectrum (XRD), and MTT assay. Results showed that the complexes with lecithin and β-cyclodextrin could improve the solubility and dissolution rate, and remove the characteristic endothermic peak of dihydroquercetin. IR spectra proved their interaction, and results of SEM and XRD showed the amorphous characteristics of the dihydroquercetin compounds. These results indicated that dihydroquercetin was combined by lecithin or β-cyclodextrin with better physical and chemical properties, which would effectively improve the application value in the food and drug industries.

Pinocembrin is a natural flavonoid compound which is capable of antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic activities. The present study aimed to enhance the solubility and antioxidant activities of pinocembrin by complex formation with lecithin. The physicochemical characteristics of pinocembrin–lecithin complex were analyzed by ultraviolet (UV), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and solubility assay, and the antioxidant activities of pinocembrin–lecithin complex were evaluated via radical scavenging capacities for 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), hydroxyl, and superoxide-anion. The results indicated that pinocembrin complex with lecithin could significantly improve the solubility of pinocembrin in water and n-octane, the pinocembrin–lecithin complex displayed no characteristic endothermic peak and the appearance of amorphous state, compared to the pinocembrin, and no new covalent bond was produced in the pinocembrin and lecithin compound. It was demonstrated that the antioxidant activities of pinocembrin were obviously enhanced by the complex with lecithin, and the scavenging capacities for hydroxyl radical, DPPH, superoxide-anion radical, and ABTS radical of pinocembrin–lecithin complex were 82.44 ± 2.21%, 40.07 ± 1.32%, 59.15 ± 0.86%, and 24.73 ± 1.04% at 1.0 mg/mL, respectively. It suggested that the pinocembrin–lecithin complex had a great potential application prospect in the healthcare industry and in clinical practice.

Determination of Volatile Compounds of Illicium verum Hook. f. Using Simultaneous Distillation-Extraction and Solid Phase Microextraction Coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Background: The apigenin has important medicinal value. However, the low solubility of apigenin in water significantly reduced its application. Objective: In this study, the apigenin was extracted, and the complex of apigenin and lecithin was obtained by the solvent method and its physical and chemical properties were investigated. Materials and Methods: The apigenin was extracted from the leaves of Adinandra nitida. Afterward, its apigenin was obtained by hydrolysis and recrystallization. The solvent method was used to synthesis the complex of apigenin and lecithin. Tetrahydrofuran was used as the solvent. The physicochemical properties of the complex were investigated by the various methods such as ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectrometry, infrared spectrometry (IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffractometry. Results: No distinct difference was examined between the complex and physical mixture according to the UV analysis. While the result of Fourier transform-IR analysis indicated the characteristic absorption peaks of apigenin was subdued by the absorption peaks of lecithin. SEM showed the irregular form of the complex. In the DSC thermogram of the complex, the characteristic endothermic peak belonging to apigenin disappears, and the apparent amorphous properties are shown in the X-ray X-diffractograms of the complex. Conclusion: The synthetic process does not break the conjugated structure of apigenin. The complex is held together by Hydrogen bonding and van der Waals force and processes new physical and chemical characteristics. The industrial application of apigenin might be enhanced by the increase of the bioavailability. Abbreviation used: SLA: The synthesis of the complex of soy lecithin and apigenin, PMSLA: The manufacture of a physical mixture of soybean lecithin and apigenin, UV: Ultraviolet, IR; Infrared Radiation, FT-IR: Fourier transform infrared, NMR: Nuclear magnetic resonance, SEM: Scanning electron microscopy, DSC: Differential scanning calorimetry, XRD: X-ray diffractometry.

Degeneration of immune organs like thymus and spleen has been discovered in tumor-bearing mice; which increases the difficulties on oncotherapy. More effective drugs which target the protection of immune organs are expected to be researched. In this study; we aim to analyze the antitumor and immunoregulatory activities of seleno-β-lactoglobulin (Se-β-lg) on S180 tumor-bearing mice. Results indicated that Se-β-lg exhibited a remarkable inhibitory effect on S180 solid tumors with the inhibition rate of 48.38%; and protected the thymuses and spleens of S180-bearing mice. In addition, Se-β-lg could also balance the proportions of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in spleens; thymuses and peripheral bloods; and improve Levels of IL-2; IFN-γ; TNF-α in mice serums. β-lg showed weaker bioactivities while SeO₂ showed stronger toxicity on mice. Therefore our results demonstrated that Se-β-lg possessed stronger antitumor and immunoregulatory activities with lower side effects and had the potential to be a novel immunopotentiator and antitumor agent.