Resveratrol and Immune Cells: A Link to Improve Human Health

The use of polyphenols as adjuvants in lowering risk factors for various debilitating diseases has been investigated in recent years due to their possible antioxidant action. Polyphenols represent a fascinating and relatively new subject of research in nutraceuticals and nutrition, with interest rapidly expanding since they can help maintain health by controlling metabolism, weight, chronic diseases, and cell proliferation. Resveratrol is a phenolic compound found mostly in the pulp, peels, seeds, and stems of red grapes. It has a wide variety of biological actions that can be used to prevent the beginning of various diseases or manage their symptoms. Resveratrol can influence multiple inflammatory and non-inflammatory responses, protecting organs and tissues, thanks to its interaction with immune cells and its activity on SIRT1. This compound has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, anticancer, and antiviral properties, making it a potential adjunct to traditional pharmaceutical therapy in public health. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of resveratrol in terms of active biological effects and mechanism of action in modifying the immune cellular response to promote human psychophysical health.

Estudo Da Atividade Antioxidante Do Óleo Essencial De Alecrim (Rosmarinus Officinalis L) No Tratamento Ao Estresse Oxidativo Na Doença De Alzheimer

O óleo essencial de alecrim (Rosmarinus offininalis L) pode ser utilizado na prevenção do Alzheimer em decorrência da sua composição química, especialmente compostos terpênicos que atuam pela sua ação antioxidante ou pela inibição da acetilcolinesterase (AChE), que retarda a hidrólise catabólica da acetilcolina com o intuito de compensar a escassez da mesma nos terminas sinápticos. Esse trabalho teve o objetivo de extrair e determinar a atividade antioxidante do óleo essencial de alecrim. Primeiramente extraiu-se o óleo essencial do material botânico de alecrim por hidrodestilação em destilador do tipo Clevenger. A determinação da capacidade antioxidante foi realizada em triplicata pelo método de radical livre utilizando o reagente 2,2-difenil-1-picril hidrazil (DPPH). O rendimento obtido na extração do óleo essencial de alecrim foi de 0,42%. O resultado obtido para a atividade antioxidante do óleo essencial de alecrim foi satisfatório, sendo a capacidade de redução de DPPH em 30 minutos de 87,21%±0,25. Os resultados obtidos indicam que o óleo essencial de alecrim pode ser utilizado no tratamento da doença de Alzheimer, visto que o mesmo pode atuar inibindo o stress oxidativo, a principal causa para o desenvolvimento de doenças neurodegenerativas. Deve-se considerar, entretanto, a composição do óleo essencial visto que os fatores ambientais e de cultivo podem influenciar na capacidade antioxidante do mesmo. Rosemary essential oil (Rosmarinus offininalis L) can be used in the prevention of Alzheimer's due to its chemical composition, especially terpenic compounds that act by its antioxidant action or by the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which delays the catabolic hydrolysis of acetylcholine in order to compensate the lack of it in the synaptic terminals. This work aimed to extract and determine the antioxidant activity of rosemary essential oil. First, the essential oil was extracted from the rosemary botanical material by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger distiller. The antioxidant capacity was determined in triplicate by the free radical method using the reagent 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH). The yield obtained from the extraction of rosemary essential oil was 0.42%. The result obtained for the antioxidant activity of rosemary essential oil was satisfactory, and the DPPH reduction capacity in 30 minutes was 87.21%±0.25. The results obtained indicate that rosemary essential oil can be used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, since it can act by inhibiting oxidative stress, the main cause for the development of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the composition of the essential oil should be considered, since environmental and cultivation factors can influence its antioxidant capacity.

Olive oil and wine as source of multi-target agents in the prevention of Alzheimer disease

Olive oil and wine are consumed daily worldwide and they constitute the fundamental pillars of the healthy Mediterranean diet. Polyphenolic compounds, naturally present in both olive oil and wine, are responsible for their beneficial properties. Current studies have shown the neuroprotective effects of polyphenols independently of their well-known antioxidant action. In this work, we have focused on reviewing the protective effect of polyphenols from extra virgin olive oil and wine in Alzheimer´s disease (AD), to emphasize that both food could be a possible therapeutic tool. Beneficial effects have been described in β-aggregation, neurofibrillary tangles, autophagy and mitochondrial function, as well as in cerebral insulin resistance. Furthermore, to date a harmful dose has not been described. Both preclinical and clinical works demonstrate that polyphenols act on neuropathological and cognitive disorders of AD, preventing or stopping the onset of this devastating disease. However, there are certain limitations in these studies, since it is very difficult to research diseases that lead to cognitive impairment. Although all the findings obtained are very encouraging, more studies should be carried out to use the polyphenols from olive oil and wine as therapeutic agents in the progression of AD. Therefore, more longitudinal studies in humans with a homogeneous cohort of patients are necessary to corroborate the efficacy of these nutraceuticals, as well as analyze which is the most appropriate dose for this purpose.

Design and Antioxidant Properties of Bifunctional 2H-Imidazole-Derived Phenolic Compounds—A New Family of Effective Inhibitors for Oxidative Stress-Associated Destructive Processes

The synthesis of inhibitors for oxidative stress-associated destructive processes based on 2H-imidazole-derived phenolic compounds affording the bifunctional 2H-imidazole-derived phenolic compounds in good-to-excellent yields was reported. In particular, a series of bifunctional organic molecules of the 5-aryl-2H-imidazole family of various architectures bearing both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents in the aryl fragment along with the different arrangements of the hydroxy groups in the polyphenol moiety, namely derivatives of phloroglucinol, pyrogallol, hydroxyquinol, including previously unknown water-soluble molecules, were studied. The structural and antioxidant properties of these bifunctional 5-aryl-2H-imidazoles were comprehensively studied. The redox transformations of the synthesized compounds were carried out. The integrated approach based on single and mixed mechanisms of antioxidant action, namely the AOC, ARC, Folin, and DPPH assays, were applied to estimate antioxidant activities. The relationship “structure-antioxidant properties” was established for each of the antioxidant action mechanisms. The conjugation effect was shown to result in a decrease in the mobility of the hydrogen atom, thus complicating the process of electron transfer in nearly all cases. On the contrary, the conjugation in imidazolyl substituted phloroglucinols was found to enhance their activity through the hydrogen transfer mechanism. Imidazole-derived polyphenolic compounds bearing the most electron-withdrawing functionality, namely the nitro group, were established to possess the higher values for both antioxidant and antiradical capacities. It was demonstrated that in the case of phloroglucinol derivatives, the conjugation effect resulted in a significant increase in the antiradical capacity (ARC) for a whole family of the considered 2H-imidazole-derived phenolic compounds in comparison with the corresponding unsubstituted phenols. Particularly, conjugation of the polyphenolic subunit with 2,2-dimethyl-5-(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-imidazol-4-yl fragment was shown to increase ARC from 2.26 to 5.16 (104 mol-eq/L). This means that the considered family of compounds is capable of exhibiting an antioxidant activity via transferring a hydrogen atom, exceeding the activity of known natural polyphenolic compounds.

Development of online hemodiafiltration in Japan

Evidence concerning online hemodiafiltration (ol-HDF) includes increased uremic toxin removal, prevention of dialysis-related hypotension, improved survival, and recovery of dialysis-related uncertain symptoms. In particular, evidence has been shown regarding prevention of dialysis hypotension and improvement of survival, but the mechanism of its manifestation is still unclear and its effects themselves are questionable. In Japan, pre dilution ol-HDF is mainly performed, and improvement in survival rate has been shown on the condition of convection volume is 40 L/session or more. In particular, the removal of α1-microglubulin (αMG), which is a medium-middle solute, is targeted. The antioxidant action (Heme Scavenger) of αMG, is presumed, but in dialysis patients, the majority in serum are deteriorated (oxidized) αMG. It has been pointed out that removing the deteriorated αMG by ol-HDF may produce new αMG from the liver and lead to recovery of the original antioxidant effect. However, clinical evidence of this mechanism is desired. Obtaining evidence for the indicated αMG removal activity of ol-HDF will lead to advancement in HDF.

Edible Bird’s Nest: Recent Updates and Industry Insights Based On Laboratory Findings

Edible bird’s nest (EBN) is a traditional Chinese delicacy made of the saliva of swiftlets found in Southeast Asia. With increasing demands for EBN, quality control of EBN products is important for safe consumption. The processing steps are particularly important for efficient extraction of bioactive compounds. Geographical location, collection place, and harvesting season contribute to differences in nutritional contents in EBN. Concerns regarding presence of adulterant, chemical, and microbial contaminants in EBN as well as authentication and chemical composition measuring methods are discussed in this review. Recent discoveries of beneficial health functions of EBN in antimicrobial and antiviral actions, immunomodulation, cancer prevention and treatment, tissue regeneration, cardiometabolic maintenance, antioxidant action and neuroprotection are also reviewed. Our review provides an update on the recent research on EBN.

Influence of the extraction process on the antioxidant capacity of pequi pulp extracts

The effect of the extraction procedure on the antioxidant capacity of extracts of pequi pulp: aqueous (AQ), alcoholic (ALC) and acetomethyl (AM), obtained respectively by the solvents water, ethanol and methanol followed by acetone, was investigated. Antioxidant action was expressed by the antioxidant capacity coefficient (K) obtained by the electrochemical test (DPV) at different pH values, and in trolox equivalent (TEAC), through DPV (pH 7.15) and ABTS and DPPH spectrophotometric assays. Total carotenoid and phenolic contents were also determined. Through Principal Components and Cluster analysis, there was a greater similarity of K between AM, trolox and gallic acid, AQ and L-ascorbic acid, and ALC and β-carotene, irrespective of pH. Through Cluster analysis, the greatest K differentiation was at pH 2.20. In general, AM showed better antioxidant action (TEAC). AQ and ALC showed the highest phenolic and carotenoids content, respectively. The extraction method influenced the content of bioactive compounds in the pequi extracts and, therefore, their antioxidant capacity.