Maple syrup has nutraceutical potential given the macronutrients (carbohydrates, primarily sucrose), micronutrients (minerals and vitamins), and phytochemicals (primarily phenolics) found in this natural sweetener. We conducted compositional (ash, fiber, carbohydrates, minerals, amino acids, organic acids, vitamins, phytochemicals), in vitro biological, and in vivo safety (animal toxicity) studies on maple syrup extracts (MSX-1 and MSX-2) derived from two declassified maple syrup samples. Along with macronutrient and micronutrient quantification, thirty-three phytochemicals were identified (by HPLC-DAD), and nine phytochemicals, including two new compounds, were isolated and identified (by NMR) from MSX. At doses of up to 1000 mg/kg/day, MSX was well tolerated with no signs of overt toxicity in rats. MSX showed antioxidant (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay) and anti-inflammatory (in RAW 264.7 macrophages) effects and inhibited glucose consumption (by HepG2 cells) in vitro. Thus, MSX should be further investigated for potential nutraceutical applications given its similarity in chemical composition to pure maple syrup.

Fucoxanthin and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) provide significant health benefits for human population. Diatom is a potential natural livestock for the combined production of EPA and fucoxanthin. In this study, first, the effects of three important parameters including light intensity, nitrogen concentration and salinity were evaluated for the production of EPA and fucoxanthin in two diatom strains Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Cylindrotheca fusiformis. And then, two steps method based on light intensity were applied to produce EPA and fucoxanthin in large scale. Higher light intensity was first adopted for the high growth rate and lipid content of diatom, and after a period of time, light intensity was lowered to enhance the accumulation of fucoxanthin and EPA. In final, the highest EPA yields were 62.55 and 27.32 mg L for P. tricornutum and C. fusiformis, and the fucoxanthin yield reached 8.32 and 6.05 mg L, respectively.

LA conduit function decreased in patients with CSFP, while contractile function increased. RA conduit function also decreased in patients with CSFP.