SINAP

Ionization can be improved in many cases by placing the sample in a matrix formed from sinapic acid, nicotinic acid, or other materials. This variant of laser desorption is known as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI). The vaporized acids transfer protons to sample molecules (M) to produce protonated ions [M + H]+. 

Sinapine acid sulphate, CjgH240jN. HSO4. SHjO, crystallises in leaflets, m.p. 127° (188°, dry). The thiocyanate, CigHj OjN. SCN. HjO, forms pale yellow needles, m.p. 178° iodide, m.p. 185-6°. When the thiocyanate is warmed with alkalis there is formed choline and sinapic acid, the acid was investigated by Remsen and Coale, and... 

Recent scientific investigations of natural polyphenols have demonstrated their powerful antioxidant property (Niki et al, 1995). Several classes of polyphenols have been chemically identified. Some of these are grape polyphenols, tea polyphenols, soy polyphenols, oligomeric proanthocyanidines (OPA) and other natural polyphenols of the flavone class. Rice bran polyphenols are different from the above in that they are p-hydroxy cinnamic acid derivatives such as p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and p-sinapic acid. Tricin, a flavone derivative, has also been isolated from rice bran. 

Studies by Hudson et al, (2000) have demonstrated the presence of eight polyphenols in rice bran by using high-pressure liquid chromatography. They are protocatechuic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, sinapic aci vanillic acid, caffeic acid, which is a methoxycirmamic acid derivative, and tricin. The effect of these polyphenols on cell viability and on the colony-forming ability of human-derived MDA MB 468 and HBL 100 breast cells, colon-derived SW 480 and human colonic epithelial cells was assessed. These authors concluded that rice bran polyphenols have putative cancer chemopreventive properties. 

Advances in analytical procedures resulted in several reports on anthocyanins acy-lated with hydroxycinnamic acids (p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, sinapic, and 3,5-dihydroxycinnamic acids), hydroxybenzoic acids (p-hydroxybenzoic and gallic acids), and aliphatic acids (malonic, acetic, malic, oxalic, succinic and tartaric acids). However, not all of them were found in anthocyanins isolated from foods. Among the 44 fruits listed in Table 4.3.1, 15 presented acylated anthocyanins as did 12 of 13 vegetables shown in Table 4.3.3 and 2 of the 9 grains cited in Table 4.3.4. On the other hand, acylated anthocyanins were found in all grapes from Vitis species, although at different abundance levels, as can be seen in Table 4.3.2. A higher... 

Among the hydroxycinnamic acids, anthocyanins acylated with sinapic acid are not widespread in foods they have been isolated only in black carrots " and red cabbages." Anthocyanins that are acylated with p-hydroxybenzoic acid were only found in black carrots " and sweet potatoes. This acyl group was located within the 6 position of a glucoside moiety. 

Gupta JK, C Jebsen, H Kneifel (1986) Sinapic acid degradation by the yeast Rhodotorula graminis. J Gen Microbiol 132 2793-2799. 

Aromatic acids p-Hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, gallic, gen-tisic, protocatechuic, salicylic, sinapic, syringic... 

Takahama, U. Oniki, T. Effects of ascorbate on the oxidation of derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acid and the mechanism of oxidation of sinapic acid by cell wall-bound peroxidases. Plant Cell Physiol. 1994, 35, 593-600. 

Hydroxycinnamic acids are common in the majority of plant species and certain fruits and vegetables (e.g. plums and artichoke) and cereal brans (e.g. whole grains) are a good source (Clifford, 1999). They occur less often as the free acids (e.g. /9-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, sinapic) but usually occur as... 

Hydroxy cinnamic acids are included in the phenylpropanoid group (C6-C3). They are formed with an aromatic ring and a three-carbon chain. There are four basic structures the coumaric acids, caffeic acids, ferulic acids, and sinapic acids. In nature, they are usually associated with other compounds such as chlorogenic acid, which is the link between caffeic acid and quinic acid. 

The MALDI-TOF technique was first developed for the analysis of large biomolecules (Karas and others 1987). This technique presents some interesting characteristics. Of these, the high speed of analysis and the sensitivity of the technique have been pointed out as important advantages compared with other methods. In MALDI the samples are cocrystallized with a matrix that is usually composed of organic compounds, such as 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (sinapic acid), 2, 4, 6 -trihydroxyacetophenone, a-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (alpha-cyano or alpha-matrix), and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB). After the cocrystallization, the laser is fired and the matrix absorbs energy and allows a soft ionization of the samples. Afterward the ions are analyzed by a TOF mass spectrometer. 

The most common hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives are p-coumaric (4-hydroxy-cinnamic), caffeic (3,4-dyhydroxycinnamic), ferulic (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic), and sinapic (4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxycinnamic) acids, which frequently occur in foods as simple esters with quinic acid or glucose (Mattila and Kumpulainen 2002). 

A series of subsequent reactions after PAL first introduces a hydroxyl at the 4-position of the ring of cinnamic acid to form p- or 4-coumaric acid (i.e., 4-hydroxycinnamic acid). Addition of a second hydroxyl at the 3-position yields caffeic acid, whereas O-methylation of this hydroxyl group produces ferulic acid (see Fig. 3.3). Two additional enzymatic reactions are necessary to produce sinapic acid. These hy-drocinnamic acids are not found in significant amounts in plant tissue because they are rapidly converted to coenzyme A esters, or glucose esters. These activated intermediates form an important branch point because they can participate in a wide range of subsequent reactions. 

Landete and others (2009) reported that Lactobacillus plantarum have the ability to metabolize phenolic compounds found in olive products (such as oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol, as well as vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, sinapic, syringic, protocatechuic, and cinnamic acids). For example, oleuropein was metabolized mainly to hydroxytyrosol, whereas protocatechuic acid was decarboxylated to catechol by the enzymatic actions. 

The 4-coumarate CoA ligase (4CL EC 6.2.1.12) enzyme activates 4-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferrulic acid, and (in some cases) sinapic acid by the formation of CoA esters that serve as branch-point metabolites between the phenylpropanoid pathway and the synthesis of secondary metabolites [46, 47]. The reaction has an absolute requirement for Mg " and ATP as cofactors. Multiple isozymes are present in all plants where it has been studied, some of which have variable substrate specificities consistent with a potential role in controlling accumulation of secondary metabolite end-products. Examination of a navel orange EST database (CitEST) for flavonoid biosynthetic genes resulted in the identification of 10 tentative consensus sequences that potentially represent a multi-enzyme family [29]. Eurther biochemical characterization will be necessary to establish whether these genes have 4CL activity and, if so, whether preferential substrate usage is observed. 

Hamberger B, Hahlbrock K (2004) The 4-coumarate CoA ligase gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana comprises one rare, sinapate-activating and three commonly occurring isoenzymes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101(7) 2209-2214... 

Figure 6. Separation of free phenolic acids. 1, Caffeic acid 2, p-coumaric acid 3, sinapic acid. Column 18 cm x 0.22 mm I.D. 3-um Spherisorb ODS. Mobile phase methanol-water-acetic acid (20 75 5). Detection TIC (ions of m/z <60 suppressed). Ion source temperature 210 C.

Fungal laccases readily oxidize ortho- and para-substituted phenols (45-48), such as syringic (15) and sinapic (13) acids, to the corresponding quinones. Experiments with Triticum vulgare... 

---