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Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L) seed oil (GCO) is a rich source of α-linolenic acid (ALA, 33.6 %) and the oil has a fairly balanced SFA, MUFA and PUFA ratio. In this study we have investigated the effect of GCO and its blends with n-6 PUFA rich edible vegetable oils sunflower oil (SFO), rice bran oil (RBO) and sesame oil (SESO) on antioxidant status of oils and antioxidative enzymes in Wistar rats. Physical blending of GCO with n-6 PUFA rich vegetable oils (SFO, RBO and SESO) increased content of natural antioxidants such as tocopherols, oryzanol and lignans, decreased the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio and improved the radical scavenging activity of blended oils. Dietary feeding of GCO and its blended oils for 60 days, increased the tocopherols levels (12.2-21.6 %) and activity of antioxidant enzymes namely catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), but did not affect the activity of glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in liver compared to native oil fed rats. Thus, blending of GCO with other vegetable oil decreased n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio (>2.0) and dietary feeding of GCO blended oils increased the antioxidant status and activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and GPx) in experimental rats.

Microencapsulation of garden cress oil (GCO) using different wall materials such as sodium caseinate (SACA), whey protein concentrate (WPC), blend of maltodextrin and gum arabica (MDGA) and skimmed milk powder (SKM) was examined using spray-drying method. Physicochemical properties of GCO microencapsules were evaluated with reference to encapsulate size, shape, surface oil, encapsulation efficiency and oxidative stability as a function of storage temperature and time. The surface oil content increased significantly and microencapsulation efficiency (ME) decreased as oil/wall material ratio increased irrespective of type of wall material used. Highest ME efficiency of 85.4% was obtained with SACA followed by WPC, MDGA, and SKM. The particle sizes of microencapsulae were in the range of 13.3-31.3 mm and no significant change was observed with respect to the type of wall material and oil/wall material ratio. The influence of microencapsulation on fatty acid profile was evaluated especially with respect to a-linolenic acid levels in microencapsules. SACA offered good oxidative stability and the microencapsulation process did not affect fatty-acid composition of GCO. Thus, the encapsulated GCO powder can be supplemented in food products to enhance plant-based n-3 fatty acid.

Nerium odorum is an imperative species with worldwide therapeutic and commercial uses. N. odorum has been considered as a potentially important plant for industrial and pharmacological applications. Callus induction potential of N. odorum was assessed from leaf explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog's medium using different plant hormonal treatments. A range of different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine, 1-naphthaleneacetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and kinetin (0.5-5.0 mg/L) have been incorporated in the culture medium to investigate the biomass, polyphenols production and oxidizing and antibacterial activity of the callus. The results showed highest callus induction at 2.0 mg/L in growth hormone combination of IAA and 2,4-D. The total phenolic content was 92.14 mg GA/g dry weight (DW). In addition, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl activity and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) activities were 46.7 µg/mL DW and 19.9 µg/mLDW, respectively. Interestingly, the explants produced hard calli using combination of IAA and 2,4-D presented a higher phenolic content and antioxidant capacity when compared to individual growth hormones of either IAA or 2,4-D. Altogether, these results demonstrate the extraordinary effect of different growth hormones on polyphenols production, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities in N. odorum.