scholarly journals A Red-Berry Mixture as a Nutraceutical: Detailed Composition and Neuronal Protective Effect

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 3210
Author(s):  
Noelia Carballeda-Sangiao ◽  
Susana Chamorro ◽  
Sonia de Pascual-Teresa

Recommendations towards increased consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables are well supported by epidemiological and clinical trials. However, in some specific cases, it is difficult to follow these recommendations and the use of nutraceuticals or, in the present work, a freeze-dried fruits mixture can be recommended in order to afford the optimal consumption of dietary polyphenols naturally present in fruits and vegetables. In this work we have carefully characterized a red-berry mixture in terms of polyphenol composition, encountering mainly anthocyanins, which account for a total of 2.8 mg/g as cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents. Additionally, we have assayed the red-berry blend in a cell model of neurological damage by differentiating the cells and measuring the effect of red-berry polyphenols on cell viability and redox state by flow cytometry. The berry-fruit extract showed an inhibitory effect on differentiated SH-SY5Y ROS formation at a concentration as low as 250 µg/mL (33% inhibition). The results show the potential of this berry-fruit blend for its nutraceutical use in the prevention of the neurodegeneration associated with age or environmental agents.

Author(s):  
Kevin de Vries ◽  
Anna Nikishova ◽  
Benjamin Czaja ◽  
Gábor Závodszky ◽  
Alfons G. Hoekstra

2012 ◽  
Vol 51 (05) ◽  
pp. 179-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Wendisch ◽  
D. Aurich ◽  
R. Runge ◽  
R. Freudenberg ◽  
J. Kotzerke ◽  
...  

SummaryTechnetium radiopharmaceuticals are well established in nuclear medicine. Besides its well-known gamma radiation, 99mTc emits an average of five Auger and internal conversion electrons per decay. The biological toxicity of these low-energy, high-LET (linear energy transfer) emissions is a controversial subject. One aim of this study was to estimate in a cell model how much 99mTc can be present in exposed cells and which radiobiological effects could be estimated in 99mTc-overloaded cells. Methods: Sodium iodine symporter (NIS)- positive thyroid cells were used. 99mTc-uptake studies were performed after preincubation with a non-radioactive (cold) stannous pyro - phosphate kit solution or as a standard 99mTc pyrophosphate kit preparation or with pure pertechnetate solution. Survival curves were analyzed from colony-forming assays. Results: Preincubation with stannous complexes causes irreversible intracellular radioactivity retention of 99mTc and is followed by further pertechnetate influx to an unexpectedly high 99mTc level. The uptake of 99mTc pertechnetate in NIS-positive cells can be modified using stannous pyrophosphate from 3–5% to >80%. The maximum possible cellular uptake of 99mTc was 90 Bq/cell. Compared with nearly pure extracellular irradiation from routine 99mTc complexes, cell survival was reduced by 3–4 orders of magnitude after preincubation with stannous pyrophosphate. Conclusions: Intra cellular 99mTc retention is related to reduced survival, which is most likely mediated by the emission of low-energy electrons. Our findings show that the described experiments constitute a simple and useful in vitro model for radiobiological investigations in a cell model.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Gao ◽  
Jingya Dai ◽  
Guifang Li ◽  
Xinya Dai

Abstract Objective In this work, we investigated the effects of gambogic acid (GA) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced apoptosis and inflammation in a cell model of neonatal pneumonia. Method Human WI-38 cells were maintained in vitro and incubated with various concentrations of GA to examine WI-38 survival. GA-preincubated WI-38 cells were then treated with LPS to investigate the protective effects of GA on LPS-induced death, apoptosis and inflammation. Western blot assay was utilized to analyze the effect of GA on tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA) signaling pathway in LPS-treated WI-38 cells. In addition, human AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (Akt) gene was knocked down in WI-38 cells to further investigate the associated genetic mechanisms of GA in protecting LPS-induced inflammation and apoptosis. Results Pre-incubating WI-38 cells with low and medium concentrations GA protected LPS-induced cell death, apoptosis and inflammatory protein productions of IL-6 and MCP-1. Using western blot assay, it was demonstrated that GA promoted TrkA phosphorylation and Akt activation in LPS-treated WI-38 cells. Knocking down Akt gene in WI-38 cells showed that GA-associated protections against LPS-induced apoptosis and inflammation were significantly reduced. Conclusions GA protected LPS-induced apoptosis and inflammation, possibly through the activations of TrkA and Akt signaling pathway. This work may broaden our understanding on the molecular mechanisms of human neonatal pneumonia.


Planta Medica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgit Waltenberger ◽  
Françoise Lohézic-Le Dévéhat ◽  
Thi Huyen Vu ◽  
Olivier Delalande ◽  
Claudia Lalli ◽  
...  

AbstractProtein tyrosine phosphatase 1B plays a significant role in type 2 diabetes mellitus and other diseases and is therefore considered a new drug target. Within this study, an acetone extract from the lichen Stereocaulon evolutum was identified to possess strong protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibition in a cell-free assay (IC50 of 11.8 µg/mL). Fractionation of this bioactive extract led to the isolation of seven known molecules belonging to the depsidones and the related diphenylethers and one new natural product, i.e., 3-butyl-3,7-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-1(3H)-isobenzofurane. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B. Two depsidones, lobaric acid and norlobaric acid, and the diphenylether anhydrosakisacaulon A potently inhibited protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B with IC50 values of 12.9, 15.1, and 16.1 µM, respectively, which is in the range of the protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activity of the positive control ursolic acid (IC50 of 14.4 µM). Molecular simulations performed on the eight compounds showed that i) a contact between the molecule and the four main regions of the protein is required for inhibitory activity, ii) the relative rigidity of the depsidones lobaric acid and norlobaric acid and the reactivity related to hydrogen bond donors or acceptors, which interact with protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B key amino acids, are involved in the bioactivity on protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, iii) the cycle opening observed for diphenylethers decreased the inhibition, except for anhydrosakisacaulon A where its double bond on C-8 offsets this loss of activity, iv) the function present at C-8 is a determinant for the inhibitory effect on protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, and v) the more hydrogen bonds with Arg221 there are, the more anchorage is favored.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1490
Author(s):  
Ana Reis ◽  
Sara Rocha ◽  
Victor de Freitas

During the 20th century processed and ready-to-eat foods became routinely consumed resulting in a sharp rise of fat, salt, and sugar intake in people’s diets. Currently, the global incidence of obesity, raised blood lipids, hypertension, and diabetes in an increasingly aged population contributes to the rise of atherothrombotic events and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) mortality. Drug-based therapies are valuable strategies to tackle and help manage the socio-economic impact of atherothrombotic disorders though not without adverse side effects. The inclusion of fresh fruits and vegetables rich in flavonoids to human diets, as recommended by WHO offers a valuable nutritional strategy, alternative to drug-based therapies, to be explored in the prevention and management of atherothrombotic diseases at early stages. Though polyphenols are mostly associated to color and taste in foods, food flavonoids are emerging as modulators of cholesterol biosynthesis, appetite and food intake, blood pressure, platelet function, clot formation, and anti-inflammatory signaling, supporting the health-promoting effects of polyphenol-rich diets in mitigating the impact of risk factors in atherothrombotic disorders and CVD events. Here we overview the current knowledge on the effect of polyphenols particularly of flavonoid intake on the atherothrombotic risk factors and discuss the caveats and challenges involved with current experimental cell-based designs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 7060
Author(s):  
Antonia Mancuso ◽  
Maria Chiara Cristiano ◽  
Massimo Fresta ◽  
Daniele Torella ◽  
Donatella Paolino

Ethosomes® are one of the main deformable vesicles proposed to overcome the stratum corneum. They are composed of lecithin, ethanol and water, resulting in round vesicles characterized by a narrow size distribution and a negative surface charge. Taking into account their efficiency to deliver drugs into deeper skin layers, the current study was designed to evaluate the influence of different lipids on the physico-chemical features of traditional ethosomes in the attempt to influence their fate. Three lipids (DOPE, DSPE and DOTAP) were used for the study, but only DOTAP conferred a net positive charge to ethosomes, maintaining a narrow mean size lower than 300 nm and a good polydispersity index. Stability and in vitro cytotoxic studies have been performed using Turbiscan Lab analysis and MTT dye exclusion assay, respectively. Data recorded demonstrated the good stability of modified ethosomes and a reasonable absence of cell mortality when applied to human keratinocytes, NCTC 2544, which are used as a cell model. Finally, the best formulations were selected to evaluate their ability to encapsulate drugs, through the use of model compounds. Cationic ethosomes encapsulated oil red o and rhodamine b in amounts comparable to those recorded from conventional ethosomes (over 50%). Results recorded from this study are encouraging as cationic ethosomes may open new opportunities for skin delivery.


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