Search Results (29)

Background: Oxidative stress is a key therapeutic target in neurological disorders. As processing wastes from the peanut industry, peanut skins are great sources of antioxidants and possess potential in neuroprotection. Methods: We prepared a peanut skin extract (PSE) and investigated its protective effects against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative injury in HT-22 neuronal cells. Results: PSE was rich in phenolic compounds (123.90 ± 0.46 mg GAE/g), comprising flavonoids (75.97 ± 0.23 mg RE/g) and proanthocyanidins (53.34 ± 1.58 mg PE/g), and displayed potent radical scavenging activities in chemical-based assays. In HT-22 cells, PSE pretreatment restored oxidative balance and endogenous antioxidant defense disrupted by t-BHP, as evidenced by significant reductions in ROS generation and lipid peroxidation levels, along with enhanced endogenous antioxidants. Specifically, 25 μg/mL PSE pretreatment reduced ROS levels by 53.03%, decreased MDA content by 78.82%, enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by 12.42%, and improved the ratio of glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) by 80.34% compared to the t-BHP group. Furthermore, PSE rescued mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, inhibited cytochrome c (Cyt.c) release, and prevented subsequent apoptotic death. Notably, the neuroprotective efficacy of PSE was comparable to that of edaravone, an approved neuroprotective drug. Mechanistic investigations combining network pharmacology and experimental validation revealed that the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway played a pivotal role in mediating the neuroprotective effects of PSE. Compared to t-BHP-treated cells, 25 µg/mL PSE pretreatment significantly upregulated PI3K/Akt phosphorylation, the expression of Nrf2, and its downstream antioxidant proteins heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1 (NQO1). Conclusions: Collectively, these findings demonstrate the potential of PSE as a natural protective agent against oxidative-related neurological disorders. Full article

The aging population is steadily increasing, with aging and age-related diseases serving as major risk factors for morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. Peanuts, known as the “longevity nut” in China, have been shown to offer various health benefits, with peanut skin extract (PSE) emerging as a key compound of interest. This study investigates the bioactive compound in PSE with anti-aging potential and explores its underlying mechanisms of action. Procyanidin A1 (PC A1) was isolated from PSE, guided by the K6001 yeast replicative lifespan model. PC A1 prolonged the replicative lifespan of yeast and the yeast-like chronological lifespan of PC12 cells. To further confirm its anti-aging effect, cellular senescence, a hallmark of aging, was assessed. In senescent cells induced by etoposide (Etop), PC A1 alleviated senescence by reducing ROS levels, decreasing the percentage of senescent cells, and restoring proliferative capacity. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that PC A1 induced apoptosis, reduced senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors, and modulated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway. The antioxidative capacity of PC A1 was also evaluated, showing enhanced resistance to oxidative stress in PC12 cells by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Moreover, PC A1 induced autophagy, as evidenced by an increase in fluorescence-labeled autophagic compartments and confirmation via Western blot analysis of autophagy-related proteins. In addition, the treatment of an autophagy inhibitor abolished the antioxidative stress and senescence-alleviating effects of PC A1. These findings reveal that PC A1 extended lifespans and alleviated cellular senescence by enhancing oxidative stress resistance and inducing autophagy, positioning it as a promising candidate for further exploration as a geroprotective agent. Full article

Peanut skin is a potential medicinal material. The adulteration of peanut skin samples with starchy substances severely affects their medicinal value. This study aimed to quantitatively analyze the adulterants present in peanut skin using Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy. Two adulterants, sweet potato starch and corn starch, were included in this study. First, spectral information of the adulterated samples was collected for characterization. Then, the applicability of different preprocessing methods and techniques to the obtained spectral data was compared. Subsequently, the Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS) algorithm was used to extract effective variables from the preprocessed spectral data, and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), a Support Vector Machine (SVM), and a Black Kite Algorithm-Support Vector Machine (BKA-SVM) were employed to predict the adulterant content in the samples, as well as the overall adulteration level. The results showed that the BKA-SVM model performed excellently in predicting the content of sweet potato starch, corn starch, and overall adulterants, with determination coefficients ($R_P^2$) of 0.9833, 0.9893, and 0.9987, respectively. The experimental results indicate that FT-NIR spectroscopy combined with advanced machine learning techniques can effectively and accurately detect adulterants in peanut skin, providing a reliable technological support for food safety detection. Full article

Peanut composition includes phenolic compounds, especially in the skins, which are often not consumed. High blood pressure affects more than one billion people worldwide and is considered a high-risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have correlated antihypertensive activity with the total phenolic content present in the plants. This study evaluated the hydroethanolic extraction of phenolic compounds from the industrial residue of peanut skin and evaluated the antioxidant and antihypertensive capacity of these extracts using in vitro models. A rotational central composite design (DCCR) was proposed to study the influence of the variables: (1) the ethanol concentration on the hydroalcoholic extractor solution, and (2) the proportion of solid sample (waste) per liquid in the extraction (mass/volume) in a simple solid—a liquid extraction process. The optimal extraction conditions within this model were 50% ethanol in water, and the proportion of sample to extraction solution (m/v) equaled to 0.2. The extract obtained had significant antioxidant capacity, both in chemical (ORAC) and in cellular models, with potential for free radical scavenging. Significant levels of ACE inhibition were also found, indicating antihypertensive activity. Full article

Dengue is an emerging disease of high impact on human health. Plants are an important source of new antivirals and Arachis hypogaea stands for its biological properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity and antiviral activity and elucidate the antiviral mechanism of ethanolic extracts from A. hypogaea against dengue virus 2 (DENV-2). The skin or tegument ethanolic extract (TEEs) and seed ethanolic extract (SEEs) were obtained. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT and Neutral Red Uptake (NRU). Antiviral activity was evaluated at different stages of the viral replication cycle by the lysis plaque reduction method. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) and selectivity index (SI) were determined. Antiviral activity was further determined by RT-qPCR. The CC₅₀ values were 169 (NRU) and 65 (MTT) µg/mL for TEE. In addition, the CC₅₀ values were >1400 (NRU) and 636 (MTT) µg/mL for SEE. The TEE demonstrated 99.9 ± 0.1% viral inhibition. The TEE presented an IC₅₀ = 3.47 and SI of 48.7 (NRU) and 18.73 (MTT). Its mechanism of antiviral action is broad and it acts in the viral adsorption–penetration stage and inhibits the first steps of infection in the post-penetration stage. It is also capable of acting as virucidal and as prophylactic. Studies of RT-qPCR indicated that the TEE inhibited viral RNA synthesis. These findings suggest that the TEE from A. hypogaea could be a promising antiviral candidate for treating DENV-2 infections. Full article

Vegetable oils and extracts have been used from ancient times for skin care. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate the physicochemical, organoleptic, and microbiological characteristics and the instrumental efficacy in vivo of a cosmetic formula named “ASC Cream”, containing sangre de grado resin extract (Croton lechleri) and vegetable oils obtained from moriche palm (Mauritia flexuosa L.), goldenberry (Physalis peruviana), super sacha peanut (Plukenetia huayllabambana sp. nov.), and sacha peanut (Plukenetia volubilis L.). Instrumental efficacy, skin hydration and skin pH were tested in vivo in 24 healthy female volunteers between 40 and 65 years old, using non-invasive skin bioengineering equipment from Courage + Khazaka Electronics, both in the short term (30 min, 1 h and 3 h) and long term (14 and 28 days). The main findings were increased immediate hydration (132.4%) and long-term hydration (143.6%), showing a statistically significant average improvement (p < 0.05) without altering the skin pH. In conclusion, a balanced combination of the extract and oils significantly increases hydration levels while maintaining skin pH. Full article

This study investigated the impact of Valencia KK4-type peanut skin ethanolic extract (KK4-PSE) combined with cisplatin or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on HeLa cells in vitro and in xenograft models. At exposure times of 24, 48 and 72 h, KK4-PSE inhibited the growth of HeLa cells with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 79.43 ± 0.54, 55.55 ± 1.57 and 41.32 ± 0.74 µg/mL, respectively. Drug interactions evaluated by the Chou–Talalay method demonstrated that KK4-PSE enhanced antiproliferative activity of 5-FU against HeLa cells with combination index (CI) values of 0.49 (48 h) and 0.60 (72 h), indicating a synergistic effect, while KK4-PSE combined with cisplatin exhibited an additive effect (CI = 1.02) at 72 h, and an antagonistic effect at 24 and 48 h exposures (CI = 1.12 and 1.18, respectively). In nude mouse xenograft models, the combination of 5-FU and KK4-PSE markedly reduced HeLa tumor weights compared with the control and single agent treatments groups. The combination of KK4-PSE and 5-FU achieved greater tumor growth inhibition than that of the KK4-PSE–cisplatin combination. KK4-PSE mitigated hepatotoxicity induced by both cisplatin and 5-FU in nude mice. The spleen hyaloserositis was significantly reduced in the combination treatment of 5-FU and KK4-PSE. These results suggest that KK4-PSE has the potential to limit cervical cancer cell proliferation while reducing the toxicity of cisplatin and 5-FU. Full article

The skin of Arachis hypogaea L. (peanut or groundnut) is a rich source of polyphenols, which have been shown to exhibit a wider spectrum of noteworthy biological activities, including anticancer effects. However, the anticancer activity of peanut skin extracts against melanoma and colorectal cancer (CRC) cells remains elusive. In this study, we systematically investigated the cytotoxic, antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, and anti-migration effects of peanut skin ethanolic extract and its fractions on melanoma and CRC cells. Cell viability results showed that the ethyl acetate fraction (AHE) of peanut skin ethanolic crude extract and one of the methanolic fractions (AHE-2) from ethyl acetate extraction exhibited the highest cytotoxicity against melanoma and CRC cells but not in nonmalignant human skin fibroblasts. AHE and AHE-2 effectively modulated the cell cycle-related proteins, including the suppression of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), phosphorylation of Retinoblastoma (p-Rb), E2F1, Cyclin A, and activation of tumor suppressor p53, which was associated with cell cycle arrest and paralleled their antiproliferative efficacies. AHE and AHE-2 could also induce caspase-dependent apoptosis and inhibit migration activities in melanoma and CRC cells. Moreover, it is noteworthy that autophagy, manifested by microtubule-associated protein light chain 3B (LC3B) conversion and the aggregation of GFP-LC3, was detected after AHE and AHE-2 treatment and provided protective responses in cancer cells. Significantly, inhibition of autophagy enhanced AHE- and AHE-2-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis. Together, these findings not only elucidate the anticancer potential of peanut skin extracts against melanoma and CRC cells but also provide a new insight into autophagy implicated in peanut skin extracts-induced cancer cell death. Full article

Metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, formerly known as NAFLD) is a global chronic liver disease, and no licensed drugs are currently available for its treatment. The incidence of MASLD is increasing, which could lead to a huge clinical and economic burden. As a multifactorial disease, MASLD involves a complex set of metabolic changes, and many monotherapies for it are not clinically effective. Therefore, combination therapies using multiple drugs are emerging, with the advantages of improving drug efficacy and reducing side effects. Peanut skin extract (PSE), geniposide (GEN), and isoquercitrin (IQ) are three natural antiaging components or compounds. In this study, the preventive effects of individual PSE, GEN, and IQ in comparison with the effects of their mixture (MPGI) were examined in a mouse model of high-fat-feed-induced MASLD. The results showed that MPGI could significantly reduce the body and liver weights of mice and improve hepatic steatosis and liver function indicators. Further mechanistic studies showed that PSE, GEN, and IQ worked together by reducing inflammation, modulating the intestinal flora, and regulating the TLR4/NF-κB, AMPK/ACC/CPT1, and AMPK/UKL1/LC3B signaling pathways. It is a promising therapeutic method for preventing MASLD. Full article

Currently, the antioxidants (AOs) used in foods are mainly synthetic, often questioned on health grounds. So, the need for innocuous natural AOs has increased in last years. The peanut skin (PS) is an industrial by-product of low added value, but rich in bioactive phenolic compounds. In this study, the antioxidant capacity of a PS extract (PSE) was examined in a chia oil-based mayonnaise stored during six months (25 °C). The mayonnaise was made using chia oil (68% w/w) added with PSE (2 mg/g fat) and without any AO (control). For the storage test, 30 g were placed in 100 mL amber bottles and at 2, 4 and 6 months the oily phase was extracted (chloroform: methanol). Peroxide index (PI), acidity index (AI), K₂₃₂, K₂₇₀, p-Anisidine (pAnV) and TOTOX values were measured. Moreover, the presence of 2,4 heptadienal and 3,5-octadiene-2-one was analyzed by static headspace GC-MS. At the end of the assay, PI, AI, K₂₃₂, K₂₇₀, and pAnV for control and PSE mayonnaises were 74.7 and 13.4 meq O₂/kg oil; 2.4 and 2.0 mg KOH/kg oil, 10 and 3.55, 1.34 and 0.64, 3.7 and 0.98, respectively. The TOTOX value of the control was approximately six times higher than PSE mayonnaise. 2,4 Heptadienal and 3,5-octadiene-2-one were not detected at initial time but in the control treatment at the end reached 3.75 and 2.15 µg/g, respectively. Differently, in PSE mayonnaise, 3,5-octadiene-2-one was undetected and 2,4 Heptadienal was 0.83 µg/g. In conclusion, PSE represents a potential natural AO to preserve the oxidative stability of chia oil-based mayonnaise. Full article

Peanut skin is a rich source of bioactive compounds which may be able to reduce the risk factors associated with metabolic syndromes. This study aimed to characterize bio-compounds from peanut skin (Arachis hypogaea) and their bioactivity (antioxidant activity, inhibition of lipase, and carbohydrase enzymes) and to evaluate their anti-proliferative properties in colorectal cancer cells (HCT116) upon in vitro digestion. Peanut skin was digested in two sequential phases, and the final content, named phase-1 (P1) and phase-2 (P2) extracts, was evaluated. Several bioactive compounds were positively identified and quantified by liquid chromatography, including quinic acid, released especially after in vitro digestion. The total phenolic content and, regardless of the method, the antioxidant activity of P1 was higher than P2. P1 also showed a lower enzyme inhibitory concentration IC₅₀ than P2, lipase, and α-glucosidase. For cell viability in HCT116 cells, lower concentrations of P1 were found for IC₅₀ compared to P2. In conclusion, bioactive compounds were released mainly during the first phase of the in vitro digestion. The digested samples presented antioxidant activity, enzyme inhibitory activity, and cancer cell cytotoxicity, especially those from the P1 extract. The potential applications of such a by-product in human health are reported. Full article

Peanuts (Arachis hypogea) can be made into various products, from oil to butter to roasted snack peanuts and candies, all from the kernels. However, the skin is usually thrown away, used as cheap animal feed, or as one of the ingredients in plant fertilizer due to its little value on the market. For the past ten years, studies have been conducted to determine the full extent of the skin’s bioactive substance repertoire and its powerful antioxidant potential. Alternatively, researchers reported that peanut skin could be used and be profitable in a less-intensive extraction technique. Therefore, this review explores the conventional and green extraction of peanut oil, peanut production, peanut physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant activity, and the prospects of valorization of peanut skin. The significance of the valorization of peanut skin is that it contains high antioxidant capacity, catechin, epicatechin resveratrol, and procyanidins, which are also advantageous. It could be exploited in sustainable extraction, notably in the pharmaceutical industries. Full article

Peanut skin as an agriculture waste has poor economic value. Utilizing subcritical methanol extraction (SME) to recover catechin and epicatechin as interest compounds from peanut skin is one of the solutions to valorize the agriculture waste into more valuable products. Therefore, the objective of this research is to examine the parameter impacts on peanut skin extract recovery by subcritical methanol. Extraction was conducted under three independent variables—pressure (6 to 10 MPa), flow rate (2.5 to 7.5 mL/min) and temperature (70 to 100 °C)—with the responses of catechin and epicatechin recovery. The optimum conditions were 8 MPa, 4.39 mL/min and 79.6 °C, with catechin responses of 178.66 µg/g and epicatechin responses of 336.41 µg/g. Conditions of high pressure and temperature are optimal for epicatechin and catechin enhancement. The Chrastil model fits the solubility of catechin and epicatechin in SM effectively since it has the lowest average absolute relative deviation (AARD), which is 4.97% and 5.97%, respectively. Consequently, this method (SME) may substitute for the standard technique in extracting catechin and epicatechin. Full article

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) shell, an abundant by-product of peanut production, contains a complex combination of organic compounds, including flavonoids. Changes in the total phenolic content, flavonoid content, antioxidant capacities, and skin aging-related enzyme (tyrosinase, elastase, and collagenase)-inhibitory activities of peanut shell were investigated after treatment in pressure swing reactors under controlled gas conditions using surface dielectric barrier discharge with different plasma (NO_x and O₃) and temperature (25 and 150 °C) treatments. Plasma treatment under ozone-rich conditions at 150 °C significantly affected the total phenolic (270.70 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g) and flavonoid (120.02 mg catechin equivalent (CE)/g) contents of peanut shell compared with the control (253.94 and 117.74 mg CE/g, respectively) (p < 0.05). In addition, with the same treatment, an increase in functional compound content clearly enhanced the antioxidant activities of components in peanut shell extracts. However, the NO_x-rich treatment was significantly less effective than the O₃ treatment (p < 0.05) in terms of the total phenolic content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activities. Similarly, peanut shells treated in the reactor under O₃-rich plasma conditions at 150 ℃ had higher tyrosinase, elastase, and collagenase inhibition rates (55.72%, 85.69%, and 86.43%, respectively) compared to the control (35.81%, 80.78%, and 83.53%, respectively). Our findings revealed that a reactor operated with O₃-rich plasma-activated gas at 150 °C was better-suited for producing functional industrial materials from the by-products of peanuts. Full article

Polyphenols from peanut skin have been reported to possess many beneficial functions for human health, including anti-oxidative, antibacterial, anticancer, and other activities. To date, however, its anti-inflammatory effect and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effect of peanut skin procyanidins extract (PSPE) and peanut skin procyanidins (PSPc) were investigated by a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model. The results showed that both PSPE and PSPc supplementation reversed the DSS-induced body weight loss and reduced disease activity index (DAI) values, accompanied by enhanced goblet cell numbers and tight junction protein claudin-1 expression in the colon. PSPE and PSPc treatment also suppressed the inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in the colon by down-regulating IL-1β, TNF-α, and MDA expressions. Meanwhile, PSPE and PSPc significantly altered the gut microbiota composition by increasing the relative abundance of Clostridium XlVb and Anaerotruncus, and inhibiting the relative abundance of Alistipes at the genus level. PSPE and PSPc also significantly elevated the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in mice with colitis. The correlation analysis suggested that the protective effects of PSPE and PSPc on colitis might be related to the alteration of gut microbiota composition and the formation of SCFAs. In conclusion, the current research indicates that supplementation of PSPE and PSPc could be a promising nutritional strategy for colitis prevention and treatment. Full article