Effect of Adlay (Coix lachryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf) Testa and Its Phenolic Components on Cu²⁺-Treated Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Oxidation and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Induced Inflammation in RAW 264.7 Macrophages

Abstract

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of adlay testa (AT) on Cu(2+)-treated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-scavenging capacity, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages and determine its active components. The AT ethanolic extract (ATE) was partitioned into four fractions by various solvents as follows: n-hexane (ATE-Hex), ethyl acetate (ATE-Ea), n-butanol (ATE-Bu), and water (ATE-H(2)O). ATE-Ea and ATE-Bu were further fractionated into ATE-Ea-a-ATE-Ea-h and ATE-Bu-A-ATE-Bu-F, respectively, by column chromatography. Results showed that ATE-Ea, ATE-Bu, ATE-Ea-e, and ATE-Bu-C expressed antiradical, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities with respect to the DPPH-scavenging capacity, LDL protection effect, and nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activity. Inflammation was further modulated by ATE-Ea, ATE-Bu, ATE-Ea-e, and ATE-Bu-C through downregulating the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) proteins. The following components were found in ATE-Ea-e and ATE-Bu-C after purification and high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis: chlorogenic acid (CGA), vanillic acid (VA), caffeic acid (CA), p-coumaric acid (PCA), ferulic acid (FA), and 2-O-beta-glucopyranosyl-7-methoxy-4((2)H)-benzoxazin-3-one (GMBO). Results showed that CGA, CA, and FA were the major components responsible for the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of ATE-Ea-e and ATE-Bu-C. Subsequently, each gram of ATE-Bu-C had 30.3 mg of CGA, 9.02 mg of CA, and 189 mg of GMBO, while each gram of ATE-Ea-e had 1.31 mg of VA, 3.89 mg of PCA, and 47.6 microg of FA. In conclusion, ATE has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities, and its effects are partially related to its phenolic components. Thus, ATE has the potential to be developed as a functional food targeting chronic diseases.

Phytochemical screening, antibacterial and anthelmintic activities of leaf and seed extracts of Coix lacryma-jobi L.

“…Job's tears are taken by people due to its beneficial effect for hay fever, high cholesterol, cancer, warts, obesity, arthritis, allergic disorder and respiratory tract infections. Many scholars have reported different biological activities of Job's tears, including antioxidant/free radical scavenging [12], anti-inflammatory [13,14], anti-tumor [12,15,16], hypolipidemic [17], hypocholesterolemic [18], anti-allergic [19,20], hypoglycemic [21], antiobesity [22], anti-mutagenic [23], anti-ulcer [24], prebiotic activity [25], hormonal modulation [26], osteoporosis preventing [27], abortifacient [28] and antimicrobial effect [29].…”

Dietary Monascus adlay supplements facilitate suppression of cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy, apoptosis and emphysema-related PLGF in the rat

“…Among rats, consumption of adlay extracts has been shown to suppress microsomal cytochrome P-4501A1 enzyme activities and protein expression, increase glutathione content and glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase activities in rat lungs in a tissue-specific manner (Yao et al, 2011). Phenolic components from adlay inhibit the release and secretion of inflammatory mediators/cytokines (Chen, Shih, Hsu, & Chiang, 2010;Huang, Kuo, Lin, Lin, & Chiang, 2009), decrease O 2 ÀÅ production/generation . Cumulatively, these findings suggest that MA products containing highly active components of both Monascus-fermented products and adlay may be capable of protecting airway and alveolar cells against oxidative stress-evoked pulmonary diseases.…”

Effect of Lactobacillus-fermented adlay-based milk on lipid metabolism of hamsters fed cholesterol-enriched diet

“…According to the ancient Chinese medical book Pen-Tsao-Kang-Mu (Li, 1596), adlay seed was used in China for treating of warts, chapped skin, rheumatism and neuralgia, and as an antiinflammatory or antihelminthic agent. Recently, there has been increasing interest in the consumption of adlay containing phytosterol and polyphenolic substrates due to several reasons, including its well-documented positive effects on blood cholesterol levels, suppression of allergic reactions, provision of antiinflammatory anti-tumor benefits, and prevention of liver peroxidation and liver fat accumulation (Hsu, Lin, Lin, Kuo, & Chiang, 2003;Huang, Chiang, Yao, & Chiang, 2005;Huang, Kuo, Lin, Lin, & Chiang, 2009;Shih, Chiang, & Kuo, 2004).…”