Antioxidant Activity of Some Fluids Extracts of Indigenous Wild Cherry Fruits

The paper presents un study regarding the comparative total antioxidant capacity of some fluids extracts of the soluble lipid compounds of Cerasus avium (L.) Moench. syn. Prunus avium (L.) var. sylvestris Ser fruits, popular named wild cherry, species undertaken aiming at exploiting the nutrient profiles and promoting the further development of these indigen phytopharmaceutical resources. For analysis, the photo-chemiluminescence method, ACL procedure, Analytik Jena AG, by comparing with the standard Trolox® solution, was used. Wild cherry fruits fluid extracts analyzed emphasize an increased total antioxidative capacity which may be attributed to the high level content of polyphenolic compounds and minerals content which sustains the possibility to use this valuable vegetal product for nutraceutical or comeceutical preparations.

Preliminary Data Regarding Pharmaceutical Forms Type Gels Based on Marine Algae Extracts with Antioxidant Activity

Particularly interest on herbs and plant extracts is due to their content of active principles with remarkable pharmacological properties. Different vegetal species contain natural antioxidants (polyphenols) used for their dermatological anti-inflammatory and healing activity, justified by their action on free radicals. The aim of this paper was to obtain selected phytopharmaceuticals formulations type gels with an increased antioxidant potential based on a mixture of fluid extracts from seaweeds species in the phylum Chlorophyta, Cladophora vagabunda (L.) C. Hoek, in the family Cladophoraceae, Ulva lactuca (L.) syn. Ulva rigida (L.), in the family Ulvaceae (sea lettuce) and species in the phylum Rhodophyta, Ceramium rubrum C. Agardh, in the famiy Ceramiaceae, frequently presents along the Romanian Black Sea coast. Fluid extracts concentration 10 percent were obtained using cold maceration extraction method, in solvents ethylic alcohol 40 percent and 70 percent. The obtained vegetal extracts were mixed in different ratio and analysed for physico-chemical properties, for the content of total phenols, chlorophylls, cartenoids, flavonoids and antioxidative capacity by photochemiluminescence method (ACL, Analytik Jena AG procedure). The selected mixed fluid extracts with greatest content of polyphenols and antioxidant activity were used for obtaining pharmaceutical forms type gels which were analyzed for the physical-chemical properties appearance, pH, spredability and total antioxidative capacity. Preliminary results emphasized that proposed pharmaceutical forms type gels had an appreciable antioxidant activity correlated with a good stability, an increased polyphenols content and would represent a possible new dermatological anti-inflammatory and healing preparation.

Selenium Nanoparticles as a Natural Antioxidant and Metabolic Regulator in Aquaculture: A Review

Balanced aquafeed is the key factor for enhancing the productivity of aquatic animals. In this context, aquatic animals require optimal amounts of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. The original plant and animals’ ingredients in the basal diets are insufficient to provide aquafeed with suitable amounts of minerals. Concurrently, elements should be incorporated in aquafeed in optimal doses, which differ based on the basal diets’ species, age, size, and composition. Selenium is one of the essential trace elements involved in various metabolic, biological, and physiological functions. Se acts as a precursor for antioxidative enzyme synthesis leading to high total antioxidative capacity. Further, Se can enhance the immune response and the tolerance of aquatic animals to infectious diseases. Several metabolic mechanisms, such as thyroid hormone production, cytokine formation, fecundity, and DNA synthesis, require sufficient Se addition. The recent progress in the nanotechnology industry is also applied in the production of Se nanoparticles. Indeed, Se nanoparticles are elaborated as more soluble and bioavailable than the organic and non-organic forms. In aquaculture, multiple investigations have elaborated the role of Se nanoparticles on the performances and wellbeing of aquatic animals. In this review, the outputs of recent studies associated with the role of Se nanoparticles on aquatic animals’ performances were simplified and presented for more research and development.

Icaritin protects SH-SY5Y cells transfected with TDP-43 by alleviating mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of icaritin (ICT) on TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43)-induced neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cell damage and to further explore its underlying mechanisms. Methods To investigate the possible mechanism, TDP-43 was used to induce SH-SY5Y cell injury. Cell viability was evaluated by the CCK-8 assay. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was determined with JC-1. The expression levels of TDP-43 and cytochrome C (CytC) were measuring by Western blotting. Changes in adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) content, total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were detected with specific kits. Results The results showed that ICT reduced the cell damage induced by TDP-43. ICT reduced the expression level of TDP-43; increased ATP content and the MMP; decreased CytC expression; increased T-AOC and GSH-Px, total SOD (T-SOD), copper/zinc SOD (CuZn-SOD), and manganese SOD (Mn-SOD) activity; and decreased MDA content. Conclusions The results suggest that ICT has a protective effect on TDP-43-transfected SH-SY5Y cells that is related to reductions in TDP-43 expression and mitochondrial damage and alleviation of oxidative stress.

Comparison of In Vitro and In Vivo Antioxidant Activities of Six Flavonoids with Similar Structures

The in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of six flavonoids with similar structures, including epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), procyanidin B2 (P), quercetin (Q), taxifolin (T), and rutin (R) were compared. The structures of the six flavonoids and their scavenging activities for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+) radicals were closely related. The flavonoids decreased serum contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), and increased serum total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels to different degrees in d-galactose-treated mice. The changes in mRNA expression of liver GSH-Px1, CAT, SOD1, and SOD2 by d-galactose were dissimilarly restored by the six flavonoids. Moreover, the six flavonoids differentially prevented the inflammatory response caused by oxidative stress by inhibiting interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels, and restoring IL-10 levels. These six flavonoids from two subclasses revealed the following antioxidant capability: P > EC, EGC > EC, Q > T, Q > R. Our results indicate that (1) the pyrogallol, dimerization, and C2=C3 double bonds of flavonoids enhanced antioxidant activity and (2) the C3 glycosylation of flavonoids attenuated antioxidant capacity.

Alterations in Concentration/Activity of Superoxide Dismutases in Context of Obesity and Selected Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Genes: SOD1, SOD2, SOD3

Little is known about the contribution of each of the three superoxide dismutase isozymes (SODs) to the total SOD activity in extracellular fluids. This study was aimed to investigate the alterations in concentration/activity of (SODs) in plasma, in context of sex, obesity, exposition to cigarette smoke, and genotypic variability of five selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes SOD1, SOD2, SOD3. Men showed higher SOD1 concentration, lower SOD3 concentration and higher total antioxidative capacity (TAC) values. Intersexual variability was observed in concentration of copper, zinc, and cadmium. The obese showed higher total oxidative capacity regardless of sex. An increase in SOD2 activity was coexistent with obesity in men, and exposition to cigarette smoke in non-obese individuals. Additionally, in state of this exposition, Cu,Zn-SOD contribution to the total SOD was lower. Interestingly, over 90% of the obese were of C/T genotype of rs4880 (SOD2). Non-obese of T/T genotype (rs4880) were of lower total SOD activity due to decrease in both Cu,Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD activities. SNP rs2234694 was associated with differences in concentration of SODs, depending on obesity status. Correlations indicate that both TAC and SODs, together, may adapt to insulin resistance and inflammation-derived oxidative stress found in obesity. This topic should be further investigated.

Total Oxidant and Antioxidant Capacity of Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Saliva in Patients with Periodontitis: Review and Clinical Study

Periodontitis is inextricably linked to oxidative-reductive (redox) imbalance. However, little is still known about the resultant ability to scavenge oxygen free radicals in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid in patients with periodontitis. The multitude of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and their synergistic effects cause an interest in the evaluation of the total antioxidative capacity. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate the total oxidative and antioxidative activity of gingival crevicular fluid and saliva in the periodontitis, as well as to relate these biomarkers to clinical indices of periodontopathy. Additionally, by calculating the oxidative stress index (OSI), the intensity of redox disturbances was also evaluated. Fifty-eight periodontitis patients were included in the study and divided into two subgroups depending on the severity of the disease. In the non-stimulated/stimulated saliva as well as a gingival crevicular fluid of the study group, we found significantly higher OSI and total oxidant status (TOS) as well as lower total antioxidant capacity (TAC). However, the ability to reduce iron ions (FRAP) was significantly lower only in stimulated and non-stimulated saliva of patients with periodontitis. The examined parameters correlated with the periodontium’s clinical condition, which indicates the exacerbation of the inflammatory process. However, TAC, TOS, OSI, and FRAP did not differentiate individual stages of periodontitis.

Roles of Oxidative Stress in Policystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represent a common endocrine disorder that affects nearly 4 to 12 percents of reproductive age women in general population studies (1). PCOS is caracterized by the oligoovulation or anovulation, hyperandrogenisam and multiple small ovarian cysts. The etiology of PCOS is steel unclear. Patophysiology of PCOS represents the complex mehanism. There is a wide spectar of signs and symptoms of the PCOS, which vary in severity over the time and within individuals. Major symptoms are: the amenhorhea, oligomenorhea combined with of episodes of menometrorhagia. Some signs of hiperandrogenism are: acne, hirsutism and alopecia. Other important symptoms of the PCOS are: the obesity, dyslpedemia, insuline resistance, metabolic syndrome, infertility, endometrial neoplasia, pregnancy loss. Diagnosis is achieved by exclusion of other factors that lead to anovulation, and laboratory assay of sex hormones and gonadotropines. One of the novel approaches in evaluation of etiology and pathogenesis of the PCOS recognizes oxidative stress as an important factor in genesis of this syndrome. For investigation of the oxidative stress role in the pathogenesis of diseases, some biochemical markers have been used including the MDA and NO also anti-oxidative biomarkers such as Total Antioxidative Capacity, Superoxide Dismutase, Glutation Peroxidase, and glutathione. Most of recent studies compared the oxidative stress biomarker level or antioxidative biomarkers levels in the PCOS patients and healthy controls. Patients with the PCOS in those studies were often subdivided in groups by the presence of insulin resistance (HOMA index) or infertility or not. One of the main problems in this field of research is inconsistency in precise definition of the PCOS, as well as different expression of various symptoms within individuals over the time. In that manner it is very difficult to follow up these patients and to establish criteria that could be compared in studies.

Grape Seed Procyanidin Extract (GSPE) Improves Goat Sperm Quality When Preserved at 4 °C

Grape seed procyanidin extract (GSPE) has been shown to possess antioxidative effects. This experiment was designed to study the effect of GSPE during the liquid storage of goat semen. Semen samples were collected from six sexually mature goats. The samples were treated with different concentrations of GSPE (10, 30, 50, and 70 mg/L) in basic diluent and stored at 4 °C for 120 h; samples without GSPE were used as the control group. The results showed that sperm motility, acrosome membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, plasma membrane integrity, total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), catalase (CAT) activity, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the treatment groups were significantly higher than in the control group, whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) content was lower than in the control group (p < 0.05). In the treatment group, sperm quality in the 30 mg/L GSPE group was significantly higher than the other groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, artificial insemination (AI) results showed that litter sizes were higher in the 30 mg/L GSPE group than in the control group (p < 0.05). In summary, this experiment showed that adding GSPE to the basic diluent improved sperm quality and that 30 mg/L of GSPE was the most suitable concentration for the liquid preservation of goat semen at 4 °C.