Cumin Prevents 17β-Estradiol-Associated Breast Cancer in ACI Rats

Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of cancer deaths in women in less developed countries and the second leading cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. In this study, we report the inhibition of E2-mediated mammary tumorigenesis by Cuminum cyminum (cumin) administered via the diet as cumin powder, as well as dried ethanolic extract. Groups of female ACI rats were given either an AIN-93M diet or a diet supplemented with cumin powder (5% and 7.5%, w/w) or dried ethanolic cumin extract (1%, w/w), and then challenged with subcutaneous E2 silastic implants (1.2 cm; 9 mg). The first appearance of a palpable mammary tumor was significantly delayed by both the cumin powder and extract. At the end of the study, the tumor incidence was 96% in the control group, whereas only 55% and 45% animals had palpable tumors in the cumin powder and extract groups, respectively. Significant reductions in tumor volume (660 ± 122 vs. 138 ± 49 and 75 ± 46 mm³) and tumor multiplicity (4.21 ± 0.43 vs. 1.16 ± 0.26 and 0.9 ± 0.29 tumors/animal) were also observed by the cumin powder and cumin extract groups, respectively. The cumin powder diet intervention dose- and time-dependently offset E2-related pituitary growth, and reduced the levels of circulating prolactin and the levels of PCNA in the mammary tissues. Mechanistically, the cumin powder diet resulted in a significant reversal of E2-associated modulation in ERα, CYP1A1 and CYP1B1. Further, the cumin powder diet reversed the expression levels of miRNAs (miR-182, miR-375, miR-127 and miR-206) that were highly modulated by E2 treatment. We analyzed the composition of the extract by GC/MS and established cymene and cuminaldehyde as major components, and further detected no signs of gross or systemic toxicity. Thus, cumin bioactives can significantly delay and prevent E2-mediated mammary tumorigenesis in a safe and effective manner, and warrant continued efforts to develop these clinically translatable spice bioactives as chemopreventives and therapeutics against BC.     

The effects of bleached and unbleached rosemary oleoresins on light-sensitized oxidation of soybean oil

Bleached and unbleached forms of a rosemary oleoresin (RO) in stripped and nonstripped soybean oil behave both as antioxidant and prooxidant in a light-induced oxidative system. At 0.02 and 0.05% levels, RO had the greatest antioxidant activity, while at 0.01 and 0.5% levels it had the highest prooxidant activity in both stripped and nonstripped soybean oil. Treatment of both soybean oil systems with tertiary butylhydroquinone controlled light-induced oxidation of the oil better than did the oleoresin treatments. The prooxidant activity of the 0.5% RO level was probably due to an excess of prooxidant components being carried into the oil at that level, whereas the reduced antioxidant activity at 0.01% was probably due to the low initial level of active antioxidant components being added to the oil. Published as Journal Series No. 10072, Nebraska Agricultural Research Division, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0919.     

番茄红素的层析分离

以V(正己烷)∶V(丙酮)=1 5∶1 0的混合液为展开剂的硅胶薄层层析结果表明番茄红素油树脂中主要含有5种组分,番茄红素的Rf值为0 83;以V(正己烷)∶V(丙酮)=1 5∶1 0的混合液为洗脱剂,番茄红素油树脂经过硅胶柱层析分离,可得到w(番茄红素)=18 9%的番茄红素晶体产品;紫外可见光分光光度计检测结果表明,从番茄红素油树脂中还分离出β 胡萝卜素、叶黄素和玉米黄质。     

孜然调味油的研制

利用孜然所具有的多种营养特点及其生理功能,与传统的调味油制作工艺相结合,研发出一种新型的食用调味油.其中采用正交试验设计优化孜然调味油的制作工艺参数,得出最佳的工艺条件为：60℃,孜然粉10 g,姜末7 g,蒜末5 g,辣椒末6 g,麻椒末3 g,浸制时间20 min.并在此条件下,测定了理化指标和微生物指标.     

Changes in Volatile Compounds of Black Cumin Oil and Hazelnut Oil by Microwave Heating Process

Black cumin and hazelnut oils were subjected to a heating process in a microwave oven for a duration of 2, 4, 6 and 8 min at a constant frequency of 2450 MHz and a power of 0.45 kW. The ultraviolet absorption and volatile products of the oils were investigated in detail during the processes. The experimental evidences obtained show that K₂₃₂ and K₂₇₀ parameters reach values of 4.69 and 1.30 for black cumin oil, 3.22 and 1.75 for hazelnut oil, respectively with the increment of heating time. The headspace SPME method was used to analyze volatile compounds extracted from black cumin and hazelnut oils being exposed to the microwave heating process. The SPME–GC/MS method allowed the detection of 17 identified volatile compounds (hexanal, α‐thujene, α‐pinene, sabinene, β‐pinene, 2‐heptenal, α‐terpinene, limonene, p‐cymene, γ‐terpinene, E‐2‐octenal, nonanal, 4‐terpineol, thymoquinone, E,E‐2,4‐decadienal, α‐longipinene and isolongifolene) in black cumin oils. Of the products, hexanal, 2‐heptenal, E‐2‐octenal, nonanal and E,E‐2,4‐decadienal were determined to be the predominant volatile oxidation products. In fact, the hexanal was found as a major volatile oxidation compound and reached a local maximum point of 7.41 × 10⁶ AU at the end of heating. On the other hand, only 8 volatile oxidation products (hexanal, heptanal, 2‐heptenal, nonanal, E‐2‐decenal, E,Z‐2,4‐decadienal, E,E‐2,4‐decadienal and E‐2‐tridecenal) were identified in hazelnut oils as a consequence of the heating process. Based on the experimental evidence observed, it is reasonable to conclude that the nonanal content dramatically increased at the end of heating and reached a value of 9.22 × 10⁶ AU.     

Antimicrobial Property,Antioxidant Capacity,and Cytotoxicity of Essential Oil from Cumin Produced in Iran

ABSTRACT: Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is one of the commonly used spices in food preparations. It is also used in traditional medicine as a stimulant, a carminative, and an astringent. In this study, we characterized the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities of cumin. E. coli, S. aureus, and S. faecalis were sensitive to various oil dilutions. The total phenol content of the essential oil was estimated to be 33.43 μg GAE/mg of the oil. The oil showed higher antioxidant activity compared with that of BHT and BHA. The cumin essential oil exhibited a dose-dependent scavenging of DPPH radicals and 5.4 μg of the oil was sufficient to scavenge 50% of DPPH radicals/mL. At a concentration of 0.1 μL/mL, oil destructed Hela cells by 79%. The antioxidant activity of cumin essential oil might contribute to its cytotoxic activity. Acute and subchronic toxicity was studied in a 30-d oral toxicity study by administration to Wistar rats of the essential oil. A 17.38% decrease in WBCs count, and 25.77%, 14.24%, and 108.81% increase in hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and platelet count, respectively, were noted. LDL/HDL ratio was reduced to half, which adds to the nutritional effects of cumin. Thus, cumin with a high phenolic content and good antioxidant activity can be supplemented for both nutritional purposes and preservation of foods.     

超临界CO2萃取黑胡椒中有效成分的研究

用超临界CO2萃取技术,首先在低压、低温的条件下选择性萃取黑胡椒精油,进而在高温、高压及极性夹带剂的协同作用下,萃取富含胡椒碱的黑胡椒油树脂。另外,利用分子蒸馏技术纯化超临界CO2萃取的黑胡椒精油,得到适用于日化行业的无色、无辛辣感的挥发油,并通过GC-MS对比分析其香气成分。研究结果表明,超临界CO2萃取黑胡椒精油的较优条件为:萃取压力10MPa、萃取温度35℃、萃取时间1.5h,在该条件下产物得率为3.01%;超临界CO2萃取黑胡椒油树脂的最佳条件为:m(原料)∶m(体积分数95%食用乙醇)=2∶1、萃取压力30MPa、萃取温度50℃、萃取时间4h,在该条件下油树脂得率为7.88%,油树脂中胡椒碱质量分数为65.79%。     

分子包埋法制备姜油树脂微胶囊的研究

以姜为原料，经乙醇直接浸泡和索氏提取法获得的姜油树脂为心材，以β-环糊精和阿拉伯胶为壁材，经乳化、均质、喷雾干燥，制取姜油树脂微胶囊，并对其主要技术参数进行了测定。通过正交试验分析，以姜油树脂的包埋率为指标，确定了心壁材比、包接温度、搅拌时间、阿拉伯胶和β-环糊精比四个因素的最佳值，得出了姜油树脂微胶囊化的最佳工艺条件。     

Stability of bixin in annatto oleoresin and dye powder during storage

Annatto dye is a natural colour extracted from the pericarp of seed of Bixa orellana L. Bixin is the principle colouring agent, and can be extracted from the annatto seeds into oil, alkali and organic solvents. Considerable losses were reported during storage in bixin content of annatto dye depending upon the conditions. In the present study, the loss of bixin in annatto dye stored in the form of dye powder or annatto oleoresin at three different conditions, viz; cold conditions in darkness, in darkness at room temperature (RT) and at RT in diffused daylight were evaluated spectrophotometrically at 470 nm in choloroform. Accordingly, annatto oleoresin and dye powder of approximately equivalent bixin strengths were exposed to different storage conditions in glass bottles for a period of 360 days. The losses were very high in the case of dye powder when compared to the oleoresin under all the storage conditions. Mass fraction of bixin lost in oleoresin stored at cold dark conditions was negligible (0.011) throughout the study, whereas considerable losses were observed in dye powder (0.229). The mass fraction of bixin lost in oleoresin and dye powder samples stored at RT (dark) were 0.082 and 0.542 respectively. Similarly in case of RT (diffused day light) conditions, the losses of bixin in oleoresin and dye powder were 0.136 and 0.600, respectively. Loss of 0.154 was observed in bixin content in the seed stored in jute bags during the period. The second-order rate constants for degradation of bixin were calculated, and were found to be much lower for oleoresin when compared to dye powder. It is recommended that the dye can be conveniently stored in the oleoresin form until it is formulated for application in foods.