Guest Lecture

Topic: Phytochemical and Biological Investigation of Glucitol-Core Containing Gallotannins from a Proprietary Phenolic-Enriched Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Leaves Extract: Development of a Commercial Ingredient of Dietary Supplement

Guest speaker: Dr. MA Hang,  Associate Director of Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory at the University of Rhode Island, USA

Date & Time: 13:00 -13:50, 26 April 2019 (Friday) 

Venue: T8-501

Abstract:

The red maple (Acer rubrum) is a rich source of phenolic compounds which possess galloyl groups attached to different positions of a 1,5-anhydro-d-glucitol core. These glucitol-core containing gallotannins (GCGs) were reported for various biological effects including antioxidant, antiinflammation, antidiabetic, anticancer, and neuroprotective activities. Our group has developed a proprietary phenolic-enriched red maple leaves extract [Maplifa™; contains ca. 45% ginnalin A (GA) along with other GCGs]. It has been investigated for its nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications using in vitro and in vivo models. The phytochemistry and biological activities of Maplifa™ will be briefly introduced and the perspectives of applications of Maplifa™ as ingredient for dietary supplement will also be discussed.

About the Speaker: 

MA Hang, Ph.D., is a Research Associate in the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, the University of Rhode Island. He is the Associate Director of Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory at the University of Rhode Island. Dr. Ma received his bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Tianjin Medical University, China, in 2008, and his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2011 and 2014, respectively, from the University of Rhode Island. Dr. Ma has over 10 years of research experience in the field of natural products chemistry. His research interests include phytochemical and biological investigations of natural products from medicinal foods and plants for their nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications. Dr. Ma has co-authored over 50 original peer-reviewed research articles and an international patent. Dr. Ma actively serves in many scientific communities. He is a committee member for several scientific organizations including the sub-division of Natural Products and Functional Foods in the Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division of American Chemical Society (ACS). He is also a reviewer for over a dozen of journals including Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Journal of Functional Foods, Food & Function, and Food Chemistry, etc. He has organized several scientific symposia including ‘Bioactives and Skin Health’ and ‘Bioactives and Neurodegenerative Diseases’ at ACS National Meetings. He is quoted in the media and popular press about medicinal plant foods.