Abstract Allicin is an organosulfur compound found in garlic, which is well known for their anticancer properties, however, its application was limited due to its instability towards light, heat, and alkaline conditions. In order to improve the bioavailability and stability of allicin, allicin was loaded into the garlic straw nanocellulose hydrogels and its physiochemical properties and toxicity towards normal hepatocyte cells (L02) and cancerous cells (HepG2) were evaluated. Initially, garlic straw was used as raw material to extract cellulose (GSC) and the garlic straw nanocellulose (GSNC) with a particle size of 168.0 ± 0.65 nm was prepared. Then, GSNC hydrogels were further prepared. The swelling rate of hydrogels in various medium was also determined. Finally, allicin was loaded into the hydrogels. The results showed that GSNC hydrogels had the porous structure, high pH sensitivity and the swelling rate in simulated intestinal fluid was 3054.24%. The drug loading capacity of allicin was 166.4 mg/g and the entrapment efficiency of allicin in GSNC hydrogel was 83.20%. The release rate of allicin-GSNC hydrogel was the highest in simulated intestinal fluid, and it could release allicin slowly. Moreover, the allicin-GNSC hydrogel were non-toxic towards L02 cells and had obvious toxicity towards HepG2 cells.

Abstract In the current research, edible meat of freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea was subjected to enzymatic peptide extraction using animal protease. The clam protein hydrolysate (CPH) contained 45.78% essential amino acids and 44.97% hydrophobic amino acids and showed high alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activation in vitro. Four fractions were divided from CPH by ultrafiltration and further investigated for their hepatoprotective effects on alcohol-induced injury in mice. The 2.5-5 kDa fraction (CPH-3) showed the best effect for preventing hepatic damage caused by alcohol, as revealed by reduced serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities and hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) level, the marked decrease in the hepatic triglyceride (TG) contents, and the enhanced hepatic ADH, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), and glutathione (GSH) activities. Furthermore, histopathology of CPH-3-treated mice showed less hepatic tissue damage compared to alcohol- or other CPHs-treated mice. Hence, CPH-3 was further purified by consecutive chromatographic techniques with gel filtration and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. One hepatoprotective peptide, KKLAGFLRYYS (1330.68 Da), was identified by LC-MS/MS, which exhibited strong ADH activation activity. Results suggested that CPH could be a potential nutraceutical for facilitating alcohol metabolism and preventing or ameliorating early liver injury induced by acute alcohol exposure and that the peptide KKLAGFLRYYS is one of the main bioactive components in CPH.