Tannins, an abundant group of plant secondary compounds, raise interest in different fields of science, owing to their unique chemical characteristics. In chemical ecology, tannins play a crucial role in plant defense against pathogens, herbivores, and changing environmental conditions. In the food industry and in medicine, tannins are important because of their proven positive effect on human ...

The objective of the present study was to investigate the anticancer activity of Chinese medicine Caulis Spatholobi extract on multicentric osteosarcoma cells. Ultraviolet spectrophotometry was used to determine the total flavonoid content in each sample; vanillin sulphuric acid assay was used to determine the condensed tannin content in each sample; and the varying degrees of inhibitory activi...

Tannins are water-soluble polyphenolic compounds found in plants as secondary metabolites. The presence of these substances in the barks of eight different plants was initially examined and their crude extracts were used separately as a substrate for production of tannase through submerged fermentation by Bacillus licheniformis KBR6. Tannase production as well as biodegradation of the substrate...

The effect of commercially available chestnut and mimosa tannins in vitro (experiment 1) or in vivo (experiment 2) on the growth or recovery of Escherichia coli O157:H7 or generic fecal E. coli was evaluated. In experiment 1, the mean growth rate of E. coli O157:H7, determined via the measurement of optical density at 600 nm during anaerobic culture in tryptic soy broth at 37 degrees C, was red...

The diet choice of large herbivores is influenced by the presence of nutrients and toxins in available plants. It is generally assumed that herbivores ingest food that contains higher amounts of nutrients and lower amounts of toxins than the average of the food available. We studied the effects of quality and relative abundance on food choice in fallow deer, Dama dama. Preferences for and avers...

The objectives of this research were to assess the bioavailability of calcium using equilibrium dialysis after simulated gastric digestion method in 20 commonly consumed green leafy vegetables (GLVs) from the typical Indian diet, provide data on the content of calcium absorption inhibitors, like oxalate, phytate, tannin and dietary fibres, and evaluate the inhibitory effect of these compounds o...

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) calyx was fermented traditionally and by controlled method with pure strains of Aspergillus flavus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from the fermentation. The proximate composition revealed that the sample fermented traditionally had the highest protein content of 14.7±2.5%. There was a significant decrease (Pd≤0.05) in the antinutrient content (phytate and ta...

Regarding some reported antimicrobial properties of tannins; Zymomonas mobilis was used to obtain ethanol from tannin-reduced carob pod extract (TR-CPE). Culture of 50 ml volume containing 7.5 g sugar at pH 5.5 and 0.03 g bacterial inoculums with shaking at 80 rpm was used. Using response surface methodology (RSM), the maximum ethanol concentration of 5.34 % w/v (higher than that reported earli...

Velvetbean is a relatively cheap source of supplemental protein for ruminants fed low quality forages. However, there is little published information on the maturity stages at which the nutritive value of velvetbean is optimized. This study evaluated the chemical composition, tannin concentration and digestibility of velvetbean harvested at 77, 90, 110, and 123 DAP at the BRU. Dry matter, NDF, ...

Eleven fungal strains (4 Penicillium commune, 2 Aspergillus niger, 2 Aspergillus rugulosa, Aspergillus terricola, Aspergillus ornatus and Aspergillus fumigatus) were isolated, characterized morphologically and by their capacity to degrade tannins. Aspergillus niger Aa-20 was used as control strain. Several concentrations of hydrolysable tannin (tannic acid) were used as sole carbon source. All ...