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Open column chromatography is an effective and common technique for the separation and purification of chemical constituents. Limonoids are found in significant quantities in citrus fruits. Citrus limonoids have documented anti-cancer activity in several types of cancer, such as breast, colon, skin, and neuroblastoma in animal models and in vitro cell culture studies. Furthermore, limonoids have shown anti-inflammatory properties and inhibitory effects on bone resorption. In addition to many potential health benefits, limonoids have also shown antifungal and insect anti-feedant properties. To meet the large demand of limonoids for bioactivity studies, defatted grapefruit seeds were extracted using acetone and concentrated under vacuum. The dried extract was loaded onto a silica gel column and eluted with mixtures of dichloromethane and ethyl acetate with increasing polarity to obtain three compounds. The purity of the compounds (1–3) have been analyzed by HPLC and the structures have been identified by using NMR spectra and mass spectra as nomilin, limonin, and deacetylnomilin, in respective order of elution. The results will be presented in greater detail on the poster. This project is based upon work supported by the USDA-CSREES under Agreement USDA IFAFS #2001 52102 02294 and USDA #2005-34402-14401 “Designing Foods for Health” through the Vegetable & Fruit Improvement Center.
Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with reduced risk of disease, such as neurodegenerative disorders and certain forms of cancer, and aging. Antioxidants prevent the damage to macromolecules and cells by interfering with the free radicals. Several natural compounds that posses antioxidant activity have been reported from plant sources and are commercially promoted as nutraceuticals. Citrus fruits contain certain bioactive compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, limonoids, carotenoids, and ascorbic acid. In this context, navel oranges were freeze-dried and extracted with five different solvents, such as hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol, and 8 methanol: 2 water. The extracts were dried under vacuum and screened for their radical scavenging activity using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl method at 250, 500, and 1000 ppm. The methanol: water and methanol extracts of navel orange were found to be maximum (92.9%) and minimum (63.89%) radical scavenging activity at 1000 ppm. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity of all extracts was assayed through the phosphomolybdenum method and expressed as equivalent to ascorbic acid (μmol/g of the extract). The order of antioxidant capacity for navel orange extracts was found to be ethyl acetate > acetone > methanol: water > methanol > hexane. It seems that the antioxidant capacity of the extracts is in accordance with the amount of phenolics/lycopene present in each fraction and may provide a good source of antioxidants. This project is based upon work supported by the USDA–CSREES under Agreement USDA IFAFS #2001-52102-02294 and USDA #2005-34402-14401 “Designing Foods for Health” through the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center.
We examined the effect of salt stress on sugar transport across the plasma membrane of source leaf tissue. We initiated the present study by investigating the effect of salt stress on the sugar transport into mature leaf tissue by measuring sucrose influx into leaf discs. In order to determine if there is a common response to salt stress, we selected two species which have been described as moderately salt-sensitive, faba bean and tomato. We found these two plants exhibit different responses to salinity with regard to sugar transport across the plasmalemma. Whereas salinity decreased sucrose uptake into leaf discs of tomato, it had little effect on faba bean. Also, the inhibitory effect of salinity in tomato was not just limited to freshly cut discs but was observed in aged discs as well. We isolated the plasma membrane from tomato and faba bean using the aqueous two-phase technique and found that although plasma-membrane vesicles obtained from faba bean were able to maintain an acetate gradient, vesicles from tomato were not, thereby eliminating any comparative study on pH-dependent sugar uptake. Studies on passive uptake into these vesicles indicate that the passive uptake in tomato may be different than faba bean.
Abstract
‘Beauregard’ sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.] was developed by the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station to combine resistance to diseases and insects of local importance with good horticultural and culinary characteristics. This cultivar, first designated L82-508, is named after Louisiana's renowned civil engineer and “Napo-lean in Grey,” Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard.