METHODS: 1.5% (w/v) chitosan films with Chrysanthemum morifolium essential oil (0% to 6% (v/v)) were produced through homogenization, the casting of a film solution in a petri dish and convection drying. The edible film was evaluated in terms of its physical (color, thickness, water vapor permeability), mechanical (puncture strength, tensile strength, elongation at break) and chemical properties (antioxidant assay, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)).
RESULTS: With an increasing concentration of Chrysanthemum morifolium in the chitosan film, the test values of physical properties such as tensile strength, puncture force, and elongation at break declined significantly. However, the thickness, water permeability, and color profile (L*, a*, b*) values of the chitosan film increased. Similarly, the scavenging effect of antioxidant assay increased (from 4.97% to 18.63%) with a rise in Chrysanthemum morifolium concentration. 2%, 3%, and 4% of Chrysanthemum morifolium in the chitosan film showed a significant inhibition zone ranging from 2.67 mm to 3.82 mm against Staphylococcus aureus, a spoilage bacterium that is commonly found in chicken and beef products. The storage and pH tests showed that 4% of Chrysanthemum morifolium in the film maintained pH level (safe to consume), and the shelf life was extended from 3 days to 5 days of meat storage.
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the incorporation of 4% (v/v) Chrysanthemum morifolium extract into 1.5% (w/v) chitosan film extends the storage duration of raw meat products noticeably by reducing Staphylococcus aureus activity. Therefore, it increases the quality of the edible film as an environmentally friendly food packaging material so that it can act as a substitute for the use of plastic bags. Future studies will be conducted on improving the tensile strength of the edible film to increase the feasibility of using it in the food industry. In addition, the microstructure and surface morphology of the edible film can be further determined.
METHOD: One hundred and twenty male C57BL/6 inbred mice were divided into three age groups: young (6 months old), middle-aged (12 months old), and old (18 months old). Each age group consisted of two control groups (distilled water and olive oil) and three treatment groups: Piper betle (50 mg/kg body weight), tocotrienol-rich fraction (30 mg/kg), and Chlorella vulgaris (50 mg/kg). The duration of treatment for all three age groups was two months. Blood was withdrawn from the orbital sinus to determine the antioxidant enzyme activity and the malondialdehyde level.
RESULTS: Piper betle increased the activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase in the young, middle, and old age groups, respectively, when compared to control. The tocotrienol-rich fraction decreased the superoxide dismutase activity in the middle and the old age groups but had no effect on catalase or glutathione peroxidase activity for all age groups. Chlorella vulgaris had no effect on superoxide dismutase activity for all age groups but increased glutathione peroxidase and decreased catalase activity in the middle and the young age groups, respectively. Chlorella vulgaris reduced lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde levels) in all age groups, but no significant changes were observed with the tocotrienol-rich fraction and the Piper betle treatments.
CONCLUSION: We found equivocal age-related changes in erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activity when mice were treated with Piper betle, the tocotrienol-rich fraction, and Chlorella vulgaris. However, Piper betle treatment showed increased antioxidant enzymes activity during aging.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of oral mixed tocotrienols for patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Design, Setting, and Participants: The Vitamin E in Neuroprotection Study (VENUS) was a parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that recruited participants from January 30, 2011, to December 7, 2014, with 12 months of follow-up. This trial screened 14 289 patients with diabetes from 6 health clinics and ambulatory care units from 5 public hospitals in Malaysia. A total of 391 patients who reported neuropathic symptoms were further assessed with Total Symptom Score (TSS) and Neuropathy Impairment Score (NIS). Patients 20 years or older with a TSS of 3 or higher and an NIS of 2 or higher were recruited.
Interventions: Patients were randomized to receive 200 mg of mixed tocotrienols twice daily or matching placebo for 12 months. Patients with hyperhomocysteinemia (homocysteine level ≥2.03 mg/L) received oral folic acid, 5 mg once daily, and methylcobalamin, 500 μg thrice daily, in both groups.
Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was patient-reported neuropathy TSS (lancinating pain, burning pain, paresthesia, and asleep numbness) changes at 12 months. The secondary outcomes were NIS and sensory nerve conduction test result.
Results: Of 391 eligible patients, 300 were recruited (130 [43.3%] male; mean [SD] age, 57.6 [8.9] years; mean [SD] duration of diabetes, 11.4 [7.8] years) and 229 (76.3%) completed the trial. The TSS changes between the tocotrienols and placebo groups at 12 months (-0.30; 95% CI, -1.16 to 0.56; P = .49) were similar. No significant differences in NIS (0.60; 95% CI, -1.37 to 2.65; P = .53) and sensory nerve conduction test assessments were found between both groups. In post hoc subgroup analyses, tocotrienols reduced lancinating pain among patients with hemoglobin A1C levels greater than 8% (P = .03) and normohomocysteinemia (homocysteine level <2.03 mg/L; P = .008) at 1 year. Serious adverse events in both groups were similar, except more infections were observed in the tocotrienols group (6.7% vs 0.7%, P = .04). Results reported were of modified intention-to-treat analyses.
Conclusions and Relevance: Supplementation of oral mixed tocotrienols, 400 mg/d for 1 year, did not improve overall neuropathic symptoms. The preliminary observations on lancinating pain among subsets of patients require further exploration.
Trial Registration: National Medical Research Registry Identifier: NMRR-10-948-7327 and clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01973400.