Olive oil is widely accepted as a superior edible oil. Great attention has been given lately to olive oil polyphenols which are linked to significant health beneficial effects. Towards a survey of Greek olive oil focusing on polyphenols, representative extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) from the main producing areas of the country and the same harvesting period have been collected and analyzed. Significant differences and interesting correlations have been identified connecting certain polyphenols namely hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleacein and oleocanthal with specific parameters e.g. geographical origin, production procedure and cultivation practice. Selected EVOOs polyphenol extracts, with different oleacein and oleocanthal levels, as well as isolated oleacein and oleocanthal were bio-evaluated in mammalian cells and as a dietary supplement in the Drosophila in vivo model. We found that oleocanthal and oleacein activated healthy aging-promoting cytoprotective pathways and suppressed oxidative stress in both mammalian cells and in flies.

Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, and oleuropein, the main phenols present in extra virgin olive oil, have been reported to exert several biochemical and pharmacological effects. Here, we investigated the short-term effects of these compounds on lipid synthesis in primary-cultured rat-liver cells. Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol and oleuropein inhibited both de novo fatty acid and cholesterol syntheses without an effect on cell viability. The inhibitory effect of individual compounds was already evident within 2 h of 25 μM phenol addition to the hepatocytes. The degree of cholesterogenesis reduction was similar for all phenol treatments (-25/30%), while fatty acid synthesis showed the following order of inhibition: hydroxytyrosol (-49%) = oleuropein (-48%)>> tyrosol (-30%). A phenol-induced reduction of triglyceride synthesis was also detected. To clarify the lipid-lowering mechanism of these compounds, their influence on the activity of key enzymes of fatty acid biosynthesis (acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase), triglyceride synthesis (diacylglycerol acyltransferase) and cholesterogenesis (3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase) was investigated in situ by using digitonin-permeabilized hepatocytes. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase, diacylglycerol acyltransferase and 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase activities were reduced after 2 h of 25 μM phenol treatment. No change in fatty acid synthase activity was observed. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase inhibition (hydroxytyrosol, -41%, = oleuropein, -38%,>> tyrosol, -17%) appears to be mediated by phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase. These findings suggest that a decrease in hepatic lipid synthesis may represent a potential mechanism underlying the reported hypolipidemic effect of phenols of extra virgin olive oil.

Melanin is responsible for skin color and plays a major role in defending against harmful external factors such as ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Tyrosinase is responsible for the critical steps of melanogenesis, including the rate-limiting step of tyrosine hydroxylation. The mechanisms of action of skin hypopigmenting agents are thought to be based on the ability of a given agent to inhibit the activity of tyrosinase and, hence, down regulate melanin synthesis. Tyrosol and its glycoside, salidroside, are active components of Rhodiola rosea, and in our preliminary study we found that Rhodiola rosea extract inhibited melanogenesis. In this study, we examined the effects of tyrosol and its analogues on melanin synthesis. We found that treatment of B16F0 cells to tyrosol (1), 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (5), 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (6), 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (7), or salidroside (11) resulted in a reduction in melanin content and inhibition of tyrosinase activity as well as its expression. Tyrosol (1), 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (5) and 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (7) suppressed MC1R expression. Tyrosol (1), 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (5), 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (6), and 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (7) inhibited α-MSH induced TRP-1 expression, but salidroside (11) did not. All the compounds did not affect MITF and TRP-2 expression. Furthermore, we found that the cell viability of tyrosol (1), 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (5), 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (6), and 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (7) at concentrations below 4 mM and salidroside (11) at concentrations below 0.5 mM were higher than 90%. The compounds exhibited metal-coordinating interactions with copper ion in molecular docking with tyrosinase. Our results suggest that tyrosol, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, and salidroside are potential hypopigmenting agents.

The structural modifications of the unsaturated fatty acid components of triglycerides in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) following exposure to nitrite ions in acidic media were determined by two-dimensional (2D) NMR spectroscopy, aided by (15)N labeling and GC analysis, allowing investigation of the matrix without fractionation steps. In the presence of excess nitrite ions in a 1% sulfuric acid/oil biphasic system, extensive double bond isomerization of the oleic/linoleic acid components of triglycerides was observed associated with nitration/oxidation processes. Structurally modified species were identified as E/Z-nitroalkene, 1,2-nitrohydroxy, and 3-nitro-1-alkene(1,5-diene) derivatives based on (1)H, (13)C, and (15)N 2D NMR analysis in comparison with model compounds. Minor constituents of EVOO, including phenolic compounds and tocopherols, were also substantially modified by nitrite-derived nitrating species, even under milder reaction conditions relevant to those occurring in the gastric compartments. Novel nitrated derivatives of tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, and oleuropein (6-8) were identified by LC/MS analysis of the polar fraction of EVOO and by comparison with synthetic samples. Overall, these results provide the first systematic description at the chemical level of the consequences of exposing EVOO to nitrite ions at acidic pH and offer an improved basis for further investigations in the field of toxic nitrosation/nitration reactions and dietary antinitrosating agents.

Potato, tomato, eggplant and pumpkin were deep fried, sautéed and boiled in Mediterranean extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), water, and a water/oil mixture (W/O). We determined the contents of fat, moisture, total phenols (TPC) and eighteen phenolic compounds, as well as antioxidant capacity in the raw vegetables and compared these with contents measured after cooking. Deep frying and sautéing led to increased fat contents and TPC, whereas both types of boiling (in water and W/O) reduced the same. The presence of EVOO in cooking increased the phenolics identified in the raw foods as oleuropein, pinoresinol, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, and the contents of vegetable phenolics such as chlorogenic acid and rutin. All the cooking methods conserved or increased the antioxidant capacity measured by DPPH, FRAP and ABTS. Multivariate analyses showed that each cooked vegetable developed specific phenolic and antioxidant activity profiles resulting from the characteristics of the raw vegetables and the cooking techniques.

In recent years an effort has been made to isolate and identify biologically active compounds that are included in the Mediterranean diet. The existence of naturally occurring acetylated phenolics, as well as studies with synthetic ones, provide evidence that acetyl groups could be correlated with their biological activity. Platelet activating factor (PAF) is implicated in atherosclerosis, whereas its inhibitors seem to play a protective role against cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to examine the biological activity of resveratrol and tyrosol and their acetylated derivatives as inhibitors of PAF-induced washed rabbit platelet aggregation. Acetylation of resveratrol and tyrosol was performed, and separation was achieved by HPLC. Acetylated derivatives were identified by negative mass spectrometry. The data showed that tyrosol and its monoacetylated derivatives act as PAF inhibitors, whereas diacetylated derivatives induce platelet aggregation. Resveratrol and its mono- and triacetylated derivatives exert similar inhibitory activity, whereas the diacetylated ones are more potent inhibitors. In conclusion, acetylated phenolics exert the same or even higher antithrombotic activity compared to the biological activity of the initial one.

Olive mill waste is a potential source for the recovery of phytochemicals with a wide array of biological activities. Phytochemical screening of hexane, methanol, and water extracts revealed a diversity of compounds, perhaps overlooked in previous studies through intensive cleanup procedures. Methanol and water extracts contained large amounts of biophenols, and further testing of polar extraction solvents, including ethyl acetate, ethanol, propanol, acetone, acetonitrile, and water/methanol mixtures, highlighted the latter as the solvent of choice for extraction of the widest array of phenolic compounds. Stabilization of the resulting extract was best achieved by addition of 2% (w/w) sodium metabisulfite. Quantitative data are reported for nine biophenols extracted using 60% (v/v) methanol in water with 2% (w/w) sodium metabisulfite. Six compounds had recoveries of greater than 1 g/kg of freeze-dried waste: hydroxytyrosol glucoside, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, verbascoside, and a derivative of oleuropein.

Dietary polyphenols are antioxidants that can scavenge biological free radicals, and chemoprevent diseases with biological oxidation as their main etiological factor. In this paper, we review our laboratory data vis-ὰ-vis available literature on prostate cancer chemopreventive substances in Nigerian foodstuffs. Dacryodes edulis fruit, Moringa oleifera and Syzygium aromaticum contained prostate active polyphenols like ellagic acid, gallate, methylgallate, catechol, kaempferol quercetin and their derivatives. Also Canarium schweinfurthii Engl oil contained ten phenolic compounds and lignans, namely; catechol, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, tyrosol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, dihydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, phloretic acid, pinoresinol, secoisolariciresinol. In addition, tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) which contains the powerful antioxidant and anti-prostate cancer agent, lycopene; cabbage (Brassica oleracea) containing indole-3-carbinol; citrus fruits containing pectin; Soursop (Annona muricata) containing annonaceous acetogenins; soya beans (Glycine max) containing isoflavones; chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum) containing capsaicin, and green tea (Camellia sinensis) containing (-) epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), (-) epicatechin, (-) epicatechin-3-gallate and (-) epigallocatechin -3-gallate which are widely reported to posses prostate cancer chemopreventive compounds are also grown in Nigeria and other African countries. Thus, the high incidence of prostate cancer among males of African extraction can be dramatically reduced, and the age of onset drastically increased, if the population at risk consumes the right kinds of foods in the right proportion, beginning early in life, especially as prostate cancer has a latency period of about 50 years.

Enterocin AS-48 (30-60 microg/g) significantly reduced viable counts of Listeria monocytogenes in Russian-type salad during one week storage at 10 degrees C. Antilisterial activity of AS-48 (30 microg/g) in salad was strongly enhanced by essential oils (thyme verbena, thyme red, Spanish oregano, ajowan, tea tree, clove, and sage oils tested at 1%, as well as with 2% rosemary oil). Antilisterial activity also increased in combination with bioactive components from essential oils and plant extracts, with other related antimicrobials of natural origin or derived from chemical synthesis (carvacrol, eugenol, thymol, terpineol, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, caffeic, ferulic and vanillic acid, luteolin, geranyl butyrate, geranyl phenylacetate, pyrocatechol, hydrocinnamic acid, tert butylhydroquinone, phenylphosphate, isopropyl methyl phenol, coumaric acid, and 2-nitropropanol), and with food preservatives (citric and lactic acid, sucrose palmitate, sucrose stearate, p-hydroxybenzoic methylester acid -- PHBME, and Nisaplin). AS-48 acted synergistically with citric, lactic acid, and PHBME. A mixed population of two L. monocytogenes strains was markedly reduced for one week in salads treated with AS-48 (30 microg/g) in combination with lactic acid, PHBME or Nisaplin. The increased bactericidal activity of these combinations is interesting to improve protection against L. monocytogenes during salad storage.

BACKGROUND

Mediterranean-style diet has been considered for its important beneficial effects on the progression of CV disease. Wine is an important component of the Mediterranean diet, and moderate wine drinkers have lower mortality rates than nondrinkers and heavy drinkers in epidemiologic studies. The beneficial effects of red wine are thought to be dependent on the polyphenol compounds such as resveratrol that exhibit potent antioxidant activity. However, white wine, although lacking polyphenols, contains simple phenols, such as tyrosol (Tyr) and hydroxytyrosol (OH-Tyr), characteristic also of extra-virgin olive oil, which may share similar antioxidant and inflammatory properties.

METHODS

The effect of white wine and extra-virgin olive oil on inflammatory markers was evaluated in 10 healthy volunteers and in 10 patients with CKD (chronic kidney disease) K-DOQI stage III-IV in a prospective, single blind, randomized, cross-over trial. After two weeks of wash-out from alcoholic beverages, subjects were randomized to a cross-over design A-B or B-A of a 2-week treatment with white wine (4 ml/kg body weight, 0.48 g/kg of alcohol 12%, corresponding to 2-3 glasses/daily) and extra-virgin olive oil (treatment A) or extra-virgin olive oil alone (treatment B). The two study periods were separated by a two-week wash-out period. At baseline and at the end of each treatment, plasma levels of inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) concentration were determined. Urinary levels of Tyr, OH-Tyr, and their metabolites were measured at the same time.

RESULTS

During combined consumption of white wine and extra-virgin olive oil (treatment A), plasma levels of CRP and IL-6 decreased from 4.1 ± 1.8 to 2.4 ± 1.9 mg/l (p < 0.05) and from 5.3 ± 3.2 to 3.4 ± 2.3 mg/l (p < 0.05) in CKD patients. CRP decreased from 2.6 ± 1.2 to 1.9 ± 0.9 mg/l (p < 0.05), and IL-6 decreased from 2.2 ± 1.8 to 1.7 ± 1.3 mg/l (p = ns) in healthy volunteers. No significant variation versus baseline was observed during treatment B. A significant increase in urinary Tyr and OH-Tyr was observed during treatment A (white wine and extra-virgin olive oil).

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma markers of chronic inflammation were significantly reduced in CKD patients during the combined consumption of white wine and olive oil, suggesting a possible anti-inflammatory effect of this nutritional intervention.

The effect of pitanga leaf extracts, as source of natural antioxidants, on physicochemical properties as well as lipid and protein oxidation of pork burgers during storage at 2 ± 1 °C, packed under modified atmosphere, was assessed. Formerly, the in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities as well as the phenolic profile of pitanga leaf extracts were also studied. Thereafter, five samples were prepared, including control (without antioxidants), commercial synthetic antioxidant (BHT at 200 mg/kg) and three concentrations of pitanga leaf extracts: PLL (at 250 mg/kg), PLM (at 500 mg/kg) and PLH (at 1000 mg/kg). The predominant phenolic compounds identified in pitanga leaf extracts were hydroxycinnamic acids, followed by tyrosol and other phenolics (alkylmethoxyphenols, hydroxycoumarins and hydroxyphenylpropenes). Pitanga leaf extracts showed a high antioxidant and antimicrobial in vitro activity. The addition of pitanga leaf extracts improved the redness of pork burgers during the whole display. On the other hand, the addition of natural antioxidants decreased the lipid oxidation from day 7 till the end of storage period. Burgers with antioxidant showed a similar protein oxidation level, observing an inhibition between 36% and 49% compared to control treatment. From the results, it can be concluded that pitanga leaf extract is a good alternative to commercial synthetic antioxidants to improve the quality and extend the shelf-life of pork burgers.

Salidroside is a novel effective adaptogenic drug extracted from the medicinal plant Rhodiola sachalinensis A. Bor. Because this plant is a rare resource and has low yield, there is great interest in enhancing the production of salidroside. In this study, a putative UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT) cDNA, UGT73B6, was isolated from Rhodiola sachalinensis using a rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method. The cDNA was 1,598 bp in length encoding 480 deduced amino acid residues with a conserved UDP-glucose-binding domain (PSPG box). Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA indicated that UGT73B6 existed as a single copy gene in the R. sachalinensis genome. Northern blot analysis revealed that transcripts of UGT73B6 were present in roots, calli and stems, but not in leaves. The UGT73B6 under 35S promoter with double-enhancer sequences from CaMV-Omega and TMV-Omega fragments was transferred into R. sachalinensis via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. PCR, PCR-Southern and Southern blot analyses confirmed that the UGT73B6 gene had been integrated into the genome of transgenic calli and plants. Northern blot analysis revealed that the UGT73B6 gene had been expressed at the transcriptional level. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated that the overexpression of the UGT73B6 gene resulted in an evident increase of salidroside content. These data suggest that the cloned UGT73B6 can regulate the conversion of tyrosol aglycon to salidroside in R. sachalinensis. This is the first cloned glucosyltransferase gene involved in salidroside biosynthesis.

Endophytic microorganisms, defined as fungi or bacteria that colonize the interior of plants without causing any immediate negative effects or damages, have reciprocal relationships with host plants. In some cases their presence is beneficial to the host due to the synthesis of bioactive compounds, among which several alcohols, esters, ketones and others that may react with other compounds and may be lethal to pathogenic microorganisms. Diaporthe helianthi (Phomopsis helianthi in its anamorphic phase) is available worldwide, especially in Europe, Asia and America. Isolated in Europe as an agent of the sunflower stem cancer, it has also been endophytically isolated from tropical and temperate plants. A D. helianthi strain isolated from Luehea divaricata has been employed in current research. An investigation of the secondary metabolite from D. helianthi by CC and NMR of (1)H and (13)C yielded the separation of 10 fractions and the identification of the phenolic compound 2(-4 hydroxyphenyl)-ethanol (Tyrosol). Its antimicrobial reaction was tested and the ensuing antagonistic effects on the human pathogenic bacteria Enterococcus hirae, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, phytopathogenic Xanthomonas asc. phaseoli and phytopathogenic fungi were demonstrated. Results show that bioactive compounds and Tyrosol produced by D. helianthi have a biotechnological potential.

The established causal relationship between the chronic inflammatory microenvironment, tumor development and cancer recurrence has provided leads for developing novel preventive strategies. Accumulating experimental, clinical and epidemiological data has provided support for the chemopreventive properties of olive oil compounds traditionally found within the Mediterranean diet. In this study, we investigated whether tyrosol (Tyr), hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein and oleic acid (OA), four compounds contained in extra virgin olive oil, can prevent tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 (an inflammation biomarker) in a human glioblastoma cell (U-87 MG) model. We found that Tyr and OA significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced COX-2 gene and protein expression, as well as PGE2 secretion. Both compounds also inhibited TNF-α-induced JNK and ERK phosphorylation, whereas only Tyr inhibited TNF-α-induced NF-κB phosphorylation. Paracrine-regulated migration of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) was assessed using growth factor-enriched conditioned media (CM) isolated from U-87 MG cells. We found that while PGE2 triggered HBMEC migration, the CM isolated from U-87 MG cells, where either COX-2 or NF-κB had been silenced or had been treated with Tyr or OA, exhibited decreased chemotactic properties. These observations demonstrate that olive oil compounds inhibit the effect of the chronic inflammatory microenvironment on glioblastoma progression through TNF-α actions and may be useful in cancer chemoprevention.

OBJECTIVE

Olive oil phenols are potent antioxidants in vitro. If this were to be also demonstrated in vivo, it would help to explain the beneficial effects of this typical ingredient of the Mediterranean diet. This study was designed to determine the presence in lipoprotein fractions of two phenolic compounds peculiar to extra virgin olive oil, namely tyrosol and OH-tyrosol, and whether their absorption induces an antioxidant effect in vivo.

RESULTS

Two trials were performed. In the first (Long-term), 14 healthy volunteers followed two diets, each for one month. The only difference between the diets was that the first supplied 50 g of extra virgin olive oil per day, where-as the second one supplied 50 g of refined olive oil with no simple phenols, as demonstrated by GC-MS analysis. There were no changes in LDL oxidizability and tyrosol and OH-tyrosol were not recovered in lipoproteins and plasma from fasting samples drawn at the end of each diet period. In the second study (Postprandial), eight healthy volunteers received an oral fat load consisting of 100 g of extra virgin olive oil. Blood was drawn at times 0', 30', 60', 120', 240', 360', and major plasma lipoprotein classes were separated. The concentration of tyrosol, OH-tyrosol and vitamin E was determined in lipoprotein fractions. Plasma antioxidant capacity was measured by a crocin-bleaching test and expressed as mM Trolox C equivalents. Tyrosol and OH-tyrosol were recovered in all lipoprotein fractions, except VLDL, with concentrations peaking between 60' and 120'. However, a very high variability in tyrosol and OH-tyrosol absorption was observed among subjects. Vitamin E content of LDL and HDL did not vary significantly throughout the study. Plasma antioxidant capacity increased significantly at time 120' (baseline 0.96 mM Trolox; 120' 1.19 mM Trolox; p = 0.02), and then returned almost to baseline values after 360' (1.1 mM Trolox).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that phenolic compounds in olive oil are absorbed from the intestine, though not through a pathway dependent on chylomicron formation, and may exert a significant antioxidant effect in vivo, probably in the postprandial phase.

The aim of the current study was to investigate the antioxidant and cellular activity of the olive oil phenolics oleuropein, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, and homovanillic alcohol (which is also a major metabolite of hydroxytyrosol). Well-characterized chemical and biochemical assays were used to assess the antioxidant potential of the compounds. Further experiments investigated their influence in cell culture on cytotoxic effects of hydrogen peroxide and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL), nitric oxide production by activated macrophages, and secretion of chemoattractant and cell adhesion molecules by the endothelium. Inhibitory influences on in vitro platelet aggregation were also measured. The antioxidant assays indicated that homovanillic alcohol was a significantly more potent antioxidant than the other phenolics, both in chemical assays and in prolonging the lag phase of LDL oxidation. Cell culture experiments suggested that the olive oil phenolics induce a significant reduction in the secretion of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (and a trend towards a reduced secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), and protect against cytotoxic effects of hydrogen peroxide and oxidized LDL. However, no influence on nitric oxide production or platelet aggregation was evident. The data show that olive oil phenolics have biochemical and cellular actions, which, if also apparent in vivo, could exert cardioprotective effects.

Olive oil phenolic compounds are generally believed to have beneficial antioxidant effects, but little is known about characteristics of their postprandial bioavailability in natural olive oil at real-life doses. The aim of the present study was to determine the concentrations of olive oil phenolic compounds in urine collected over 24 h (24-h urine) after a bolus ingestion of 25 ml of olive oil with different phenolic content, and to demonstrate the effect of this real-life olive oil dose on postprandial levels of blood lipids and oxidative stress biomarkers, as well as to examine the beneficial effects of olive oil phenols. Oral fat loads of 25 ml olive oil with high, moderate, and low phenolic content were administered to 12 healthy male volunteers in a randomized, controlled, crossover trial. Tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol were absorbed in a dose-dependent manner according to the phenolic content of the olive oil administered. The administered dose of 25 ml, which is close to that used daily in Mediterranean countries, did not induce significant postprandial lipemia nor did it promote an increase of in vivo oxidation markers. With regard to plasma antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase activity decreased postprandially after low phenolic content olive oil ingestion; however this was not observed after intake of moderate and high phenolic content olive oils. The phenolic content of the olive oils administered may account for the protection of the endogenous antioxidant defenses at postprandial state after ingestion of moderate and high phenolic content olive oils.

Olive oil contains several phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity, whose levels depend strongly on the kind of cultivar grown, fruit ripening effects and the oil extraction process. Therefore, the beneficial effects exerted by olive oil consumption on the resistance of low density lipoproteins (LDLs) to oxidation depend not only on an increased intake of mono-unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. oleate) which are less prone to oxidation, but also phenolic antioxidants. The aim of this study was to analyze in vitro effects exerted on the oxidative modification of Cu-stimulated human LDL by two olive oil biophenols, i.e. 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol-elenolic acid (3,4-DHPEA-EA) and protocatecuic acid. These compounds have not been investigated in as much detail as the better-known olive oil biophenols - such as tyrosol (p-HPEA), o-coumaric acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, oleuropein and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol (3,4-DHPEA). Modification of LDL was tested by measuring the formation of intermediate and end products of lipid peroxidation such as conjugated dienes, lipid hydroperoxides, cholesterol and cholesteryl ester oxides, as well as studying the decrease in oxidizable substrates like polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, the increase in LDL negative charges was evaluated. The results demonstrate the two-tested olive oil biophenols show high antioxidant activities. In particular, protocatecuic acid and 3,4-DHPEA-EA show an antioxidant activity comparable with that of caffeic acid, oleuropein and 3,4-DHPEA. They are not only able to retard lipid peroxidation, but also to reduce the extent of its activity.

Constituents in a distillation residue of Awamori (millet spirits) and their antioxidant activity are investigated in this study. The supernatant of the distillation residue obtained by centrifugation was partitioned with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol against water to afford the corresponding solubles. Among them, n-hexane and chloroform solubles showed higher antioxidant potency than l-ascorbic acid by the bleomycin-Fe method. In chloroform solubles, seven cyclic dipeptides were identified along with ethyl 2-pyrrolidione-5-carboxylate, tyrosol, and ethyl p-hydoroxyphenyllactate. Antioxidant activity of ethyl p-hydoroxyphenyllactate was 4.2 times that of l-ascorbic acid, whereas cyclic dipeptides showed activity 0.89-1.29 times as strong as that of l-ascorbic acid. On the other hand, scavenging effect of cyclic dipeptides against O(2)(-.) and OH(.) by using electron spin resonance was also investigated. In the results, cyclo(l-Ile-l-Pro) showed significantly strong inhibitory effect against OH(.) (95.4% at 2.5 x 10-3 M) and cyclo(l-Phe-l-Pro), cyclo(l-Pro-l-Val), and cyclo(l-Leu-l-Pro) inhibited OH(.) 64.9, 54.1, and 51.0%, respectively, whereas alpha-tocopherol showed 37.7% inhibition, though only a few cyclic dipeptides weakly inhibited O(2)(-.).

Enterobacter cloacae S11: T:07 (NRRL B-21050) is a promising biological control agent that has significantly reduced both fungal dry rot disease and sprouting in laboratory and pilot potato storages. The metabolites phenylacetic acid (PAA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and tyrosol (TSL) were isolated from S11:T:07 liquid cultures provided with three different growth media. The bioactivities of these metabolites were investigated via thin-layer chromatography bioautography of antifungal activity, wounded potato assays of dry rot suppressiveness, and cored potato eye assays of sprout inhibition. Relative accumulations of PAA, IAA, and TSL in cultures were nutrient dependent. For the first time, IAA, TSL, and PAA were shown to have antifungal activity against the dry rot causative pathogen Gibberella pulicaris, and to suppress dry rot infection of wounded potatoes. Disease suppression was optimal when all three metabolites were applied in combination. Dosages of IAA that resulted in disease suppression also resulted in sprout inhibition. These results suggest the potential for designing culture production and formulation conditions to achieve a dual purpose biological control agent able to suppress both dry rot and sprouting of stored potatoes.

Gastrodin (Gas) and puerarin (Pur) are bioactive substances derived from traditional Chinese medicine Gastrodia elata and Radix Puerariae, respectively, which were often used together in Chinese clinical prescriptions. Their injections were used in combined way for treatment of some cardiocerebrovascular diseases in clinic, especially for vertigo due to vertebrobasilar ischemia. In this paper, interaction of gastrodin and puerarin in rat plasma pharmacokinetics via intragastic (i.g.)/intravenous (i.v.) administration was investigated. A reliable HPLC method was developed for simultaneous determination of Gas and Pur in rat plasma with a linear range of 0.101-101 μg/mL for Gas and 0.0500-5.98 μg/mL for Pur (r(2)>0.993). The LLOQ, LOD of Gas and Pur were determined to be 0.101, 0.0486 μg/mL, and 0.05, 0.0245 μg/mL, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day precision were all less than 12.0%, whilst the accuracy were all within 96.4±6.00%. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of the analytes in rats after i.g./i.v. administration of Gas and Pur alone or combined with each other (i.g.: 40 mg/kg Gas, 400 mg/kg Pur; i.v.: 20 mg/kg Gas, 20 mg/kg Pur). Blood samples were collected from retinal vein plexus of rats at predetermined time points and plasma containing the internal standard tyrosol (IS) were precipitated by methanol and chromatography was carried out on a C(18) column with a gradient mobile phase of ACN-H(2)O with 0.05% phosphoric acid as a modifier. The pharmacokinetic profiles of combined administration were found to be distinct from those of given alone. The C(max), T(max), T(1/2), MRT of Gas administrated alone or combined with Pur via i.g. were 21.7 μg/mL, 0.250 h, 2.81 h, 0.830 h and 18.4 μg/mL, 0.550 h, 0.970 h, 1.37 h, respectively, of Pur administrated alone or combined with Gas via i.g. were 0.490 μg/mL, 1.95 h, 1.33 h, 2.10 h and 2.01 μg/mL, 0.570 h, 4.00 h, 5.10 h, respectively. The relative oral bioavailability of Pur in combined administration was 10.7 times as much as that of single administration, whilst 1.52 folds in Gas. These results indicate that co-administration of Gas and Pur is a promising combination to gain higher bioavailability and it is suggested that doctors pay more attention to the dosages of the two when simultaneously using both of them.

Salidroside (1) is the most important bioactive component of Rhodiola (also called as "Tibetan Ginseng"), which is a valuable medicinal herb exhibiting several adaptogenic properties. Due to the inefficiency of plant extraction and chemical synthesis, the supply of salidroside (1) is currently limited. Herein, we achieved unprecedented biosynthesis of salidroside (1) from glucose in a microorganism. First, the pyruvate decarboxylase ARO10 and endogenous alcohol dehydrogenases were recruited to convert 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (2), an intermediate of L-tyrosine pathway, to tyrosol (3) in Escherichia coli. Subsequently, tyrosol production was improved by overexpressing the pathway genes, and by eliminating competing pathways and feedback inhibition. Finally, by introducing Rhodiola-derived glycosyltransferase UGT73B6 into the above-mentioned recombinant strain, salidroside (1) was produced with a titer of 56.9 mg/L. Interestingly, the Rhodiola-derived glycosyltransferase, UGT73B6, also catalyzed the attachment of glucose to the phenol position of tyrosol (3) to form icariside D2 (4), which was not reported in any previous literatures.

Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol and caffeic acid effects on hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage, hydroperoxide generation and redox enzyme gene expression were studied in oxidative-stress-sensitive human prostate cells (PC3). Hydroxytyrosol led to lower levels of hydroperoxides, DNA damage, and mRNA levels of classic glutathione peroxidase (GPx) for all the studied concentrations. Only hydroxytyrosol was effective at low concentrations (10 microm). Tyrosol reduced DNA oxidation only at high (>50 microm) concentrations and increased hydroperoxides, GPx and phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx mRNA levels. Caffeic acid elicited effects between those of the other two phenolics. Results indicate that hydroxytyrosol is the only significant antioxidant phenolic in olive oil and may be the major component accounting for its beneficial properties. Tyrosol appeared to exhibit pro-oxidant effects (only at high concentrations) and caffeic acid was neutral. Both number and position of hydroxyl groups appear to play a role in the cellular effects of hydroxytyrosol.

Two new indole derivatives (3, 4) and three known compounds (1, 2, 5) were isolated as radical scavengers from the culture filtrate of a marine sponge-derived yeast. Their structures were determined to be tyrosol (1), tryptophol (2), 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethyl 2-hydroxypropanoate (3), 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethyl 5-hydroxypentanoate (4), and cyclo(L-Pro-L-Tyr) (5) on the basis of their spectroscopic data. The absolute configurations of compounds 3 and 5 were determined by chiral HPLC analysis combined with synthesis and Marfey's method, respectively. Each obtained compound was evaluated for DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity, and all compounds exhibited weak activities.