This review explores the potential of antimicrobial metabolites derived from Caucasian medicinal plants as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. With the rise of antibiotic resistance posing a global health threat, there is a pressing need to investigate alternative sources of antimicrobial agents. Caucasian medicinal plants have traditionally been used for their therapeutic properties, and recent research has highlighted their potential as sources of antimicrobial compounds. Representatives of 15 families of Caucasian medicinal plant extracts (24 species) have been explored for their efficacy against these pathogens. The effect of these plants on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi is discussed in this paper. By harnessing the bioactive metabolites present in these plants, this study aims to contribute to the development of new antimicrobial treatments that can effectively combat bacterial infections while minimizing the risk of resistance emergence. Herein we discuss the following classes of bioactive compounds exhibiting antimicrobial activity: phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, terpenes, saponins, alkaloids, and sulfur-containing compounds of Allium species. The review discusses the pharmacological properties of selected Caucasian medicinal plants, the extraction and characterization of these antimicrobial metabolites, the mechanisms of action of antibacterial and antifungal plant compounds, and their potential applications in clinical settings. Additionally, challenges and future directions in the research of antimicrobial metabolites from Caucasian medicinal plants are addressed.

Present work reported a novel nanozyme g-C3N4@Cu, N-CDs with excellent peroxidase-like activity obtained by loading Cu and N co-doped carbon dots on g-C3N4 (graphitic carbon nitride). g-C3N4@Cu, N-CDs can catalyze H2O2 to generate hydroxyl radical •OH, which oxidizes o-phenylenediamine to 2,3-diaminophenazine, which emits orange fluorescence under ultraviolet light irradiation. The experimental results confirmed that 1,4-benzenedithiol (BDT) could inhibit the peroxidase-like activity of g-C3N4@Cu, N-CDs. Based the principle above, a colorimetric-fluorescence dual-mode sensor for rapidly sensing of BDT was creatively constructed with assisting of a smartphone. The sensor showed excellent linearity over ranges of 0.75-132 μM and 0.33-60.0 μM with detection limits of 0.32 μM and 0.25 μM for colorimetric and fluorescence detection, respectively. Moreover, a smartphone-assisted colorimetric array sensor was constructed to distinguish six sulfur-containing compounds according to the difference in the degree of inhibition of nanozyme activity by different sulfur-containing compounds. The array sensor could distinguish sulfur-containing compounds at low concentration as low as 0.4 μM. The results validated that the designed sensor was a convenient and fast platform, which could be utilized as a reliably portable tool for the efficient and accurate detection of BDT and the discrimination of multiple sulfur compounds in real water samples.

Sulfur-containing natural products possess a variety of biological functions including antitumor, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities. In this study, four previously undescribed sulfur-containing compounds asperteretals L and M, terreins A and B, together with 17 known compounds were obtained from a culture of marine fungus A. terreus supplemented with inorganic sulfur source Na2SO4. Their planar structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by NMR, HRESIMS, and ECD experiments. The in vitro cytotoxicities of compounds 1-21 against HCT-116 and Caco-2 were evaluated by SRB assay. Asperteretal M (2) exhibited activity against HCT-116 with the IC50 value at 30μM. The antiproliferative effect of asperteretal M was confirmed by colony formation assay and cell death staining. Furthermore, the preliminary study on the anti-colon cancer mechanism of asperteretal M was performed by RNA-seq analysis. Western blotting validated that asperteretal M significantly decreased the expression of cell-cycle regulatory proteins CDK1, CDK4, and PCNA in a concentration-dependent manner.

Developing methods for the accurate identification and analysis of sulfur-containing compounds (SCCs) is of great significance because of their essential roles in living organisms and the diagnosis of diseases. Herein, Se-doping improved oxidase-like activity of iron-based carbon material (Fe-Se/NC) was prepared and applied to construct a four-channel colorimetric sensor array for the detection and identification of SCCs (including biothiols and sulfur-containing metal salts). Fe-Se/NC can realize the chromogenic oxidation of 3,3\',5,5\'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by activating O2 without relying on H2O2, which can be inhibited by different SCCs to diverse degrees to produce different colorimetric response changes as \"fingerprints\" on the sensor array. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) revealed that nine kinds of SCCs could be well discriminated. The sensor array was also applied for the detection of SCCs with a linear range of 1-50 μM and a limit of detection of 0.07-0.2 μM. Moreover, colorimetric sensor array inspired by the different levels of SCCs in real samples were used to discriminate cancer cells and food samples, demonstrating its potential application in the field of disease diagnosis and food monitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS: In this work, a four-channel colorimetric sensor array for accurate SCCs identification and detection was successfully constructed. The colorimetric sensor array inspired by the different levels of SCCs in real samples were also used to discriminate cancer cells and food samples. Therefore, this Fe-Se/NC based sensor array is expected to be applied in the field of environmental monitoring and environment related disease diagnosis.

Fermented vegetables are known for their unique flavors and aromas, which are influenced by the complex microbial processes that occur during fermentation. Rhodotorula mucilaginosa is a red yeast strain that is frequently isolated from fermented vegetables. However, the specific mechanisms underlying their effects on aroma production remain unclear. In this study, a simulated system of vegetables fermented using vegetable juices was used to investigate the effects of R. mucilaginosa inoculation on aroma development. The results demonstrated that this red yeast strain could utilize the nutrients present in the vegetable juices to support its growth and reproduction. Moreover, the inoculation of fermented vegetable juices with this yeast strain led to an increase in the levels of umami amino acids and sweet amino acids. Furthermore, this yeast strain was found able to significantly reduce the content of sulfur-containing compounds, which may decrease the unpleasant odor of fermented vegetables. Additionally, the yeast strain was capable of producing high concentrations of aromatic compounds such as phenylethyl alcohol, methyl 2-methylbutyrate, methyl butyrate, and nonanoic acid in a minimum medium. However, only phenylethyl alcohol has been identified as a core aromatic compound in fermented vegetable juice. The three fermented vegetable juices exhibited significantly different flavor profiles according to comparative analysis. Therefore, the core flavor compounds found in fermented vegetables are primarily derived from the release and modification of endogenous flavors naturally present in the vegetables, facilitated by the yeast during fermentation.

Aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency (AADC-DY) is caused by one or more mutations in the DDC gene, resulting in the deficit in catecholamines and serotonin neurotransmitters. The disease has limited therapeutic options with relatively poor clinical outcomes. Accumulated evidence suggests the involvement of neurodegenerative mechanisms in the etiology of AADC-DY. In the absence of neurotransmitters\' neuroprotective effects, the accumulation and the chronic presence of several neurotoxic metabolites including 4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine, 3-methyldopa, and homocysteine, in the brain of subjects with AADC-DY, promote oxidative stress and reduce the cellular antioxidant and methylation capacities, leading to glial activation and mitochondrial dysfunction, culminating to neuronal injury and death. These pathophysiological processes have the potential to hinder the clinical efficacy of treatments aimed at increasing neurotransmitters\' synthesis and or function. This review describes in detail the mechanisms involved in AADC-DY neurodegenerative etiology, highlighting the close similarities with those involved in other neurodegenerative diseases. We then offer novel strategies for the treatment of the disease with the objective to either reduce the level of the metabolites or counteract their prooxidant and neurotoxic effects. These treatment modalities used singly or in combination, early in the course of the disease, will minimize neuronal injury, preserving the functional integrity of neurons, hence improving the clinical outcomes of both conventional and unconventional interventions in AADC-DY. These modalities may not be limited to AADC-DY but also to other metabolic disorders where a specific mutation leads to the accumulation of prooxidant and neurotoxic metabolites.

Breynia spp. are a key source of sulfur-containing spiroketal glycosides with potential anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, three new sulfur-containing spiroketals - breynin J (1), epibreynin J (2), and probreynogenin (3) - along with four known compounds - probreynin I (4), phyllaemblic acid (5), breynin B (6), and epibreynin B (7) - were isolated from the roots of Breynia disticha. The structures of compounds 1-7 were elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses, including 1D total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY), HSQC, HMBC, double quantum-filtered (DQF)-COSY, heteronuclear two-bond correlation (H2BC), and HSQC-TOCSY experiments, as well as high-resolution electrospray ionization HRESIMS analysis, and quantum chemical electronic CD calculations. Furthermore, the absolute configurations of sugar residues were determined by derivatization of the hydrolysates with ʟ-cysteine methyl ester and o-tolyl isothiocyanate followed by HPLC analysis. The anti-inflammatory effects of the isolated compounds were evaluated based on the mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. Compounds 1, 2, 6, and 7 inhibited the increase in interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 mRNA levels stimulated by LPS. Moreover, the most potent compound 7 was found to significantly inhibit the production of IL-1β and IL-6 proteins, as revealed by the analysis of culture supernatants.

Six new sesquiterpene coumarin ethers, namely turcicanol A (1), turcicanol A acetate (2), turcicanol B (3), turcica ketone (4), 11\'-dehydrokaratavicinol (5), and galbanaldehyde (6), and one new sulfur-containing compound, namely turcicasulphide (7), along with thirty-two known secondary metabolites were isolated from the root of the endemic species Ferula turcica Akalın, Miski, & Tuncay through a bioassay-guided isolation approach. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with the literature. Cell growth inhibition of colon cancer cell lines (COLO205 and HCT116) and kidney cancer cell lines (UO31 and A498) was used to guide isolation. Seventeen of the compounds showed significant activity against the cell lines.

In this study, we focused on methional, a characteristic flavor compound of Sesame aroma baijiu, and investigated its production during the stacking fermentation of baijiu jiupei. It has been speculated that the Maillard reaction occurs during the stacking fermentation, which results in the production of methional. This research showed that methional increased during the stacking process, reaching 0.45 mg/kg in the later stage of stacking fermentation. To simulate the stacking fermentation, a Maillard reaction model was established for the first time with conditions determined based on the measured stacking parameters (pH, temperature, moisture, reducing sugars, etc.). Through the analysis of the reaction products, we found that it is highly possible that the Maillard reaction occurs during the stacking fermentation, and a potential formation route of methional during the process was elucidated. These findings provide insights for the study of relevant volatile compounds in baijiu.

As an important quality determinant of Toona sinensis, the unique aroma largely impacts the purchasing behavior of consumers. However, the underlying formation mechanism of the characteristic aroma of T. sinensis remains poorly understood. In this work, integrative volatile/nonvolatile compounds profiling and RNA sequencing were used to characterize six T. sinensis cultivars. Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) and terpenoids were the main volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in T. sinensis, accounting for 36.95-67.27% and 17.75-31.36% of the total VOC content, respectively. Notably, the VOCs originated from terpenoid biosynthesis, and the degradation of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) played important roles in reconciling the irritating odor of VSCs. The above differential metabolic profiles are the main sources of the specific aroma of different T. sinensis cultivars. Furthermore, 13 volatile organic compounds were identified as potential biomarkers to distinguish these T. sinensis cultivars by chemometric analysis. Based on the analysis of transcriptomic datasets, the potential biosynthetic pathways of the key VSCs were firstly confirmed in T. sinensis. It was found that 1-propenylsulfenic acid is a crucial precursor in the formation of characteristic VSCs in T. sinensis. Additionally, two potential mechanisms were proposed to explain the differences of the key VSCs among six T. sinensis cultivars. These results provide theoretical guidance for improving the aroma quality of T. sinensis.