Oxygen Free Radical Scavengers Research Articles

Polyphenols Mediate Neuroprotection in Cerebral Ischemic Stroke—An Update

Stroke is one of the main causes of mortality and disability, and it is due to be included in monetary implications on wellbeing frameworks around the world. Ischemic stroke is caused by interference in cerebral blood flow, leading to a deficit in the supply of oxygen to the affected region. It accounts for nearly 80-85% of all cases of stroke. Oxidative stress has a significant impact on the pathophysiologic cascade in brain damage leading to stroke. In the acute phase, oxidative stress mediates severe toxicity, and it initiates and contributes to late-stage apoptosis and inflammation. Oxidative stress conditions occur when the antioxidant defense in the body is unable to counteract the production and aggregation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The previous literature has shown that phytochemicals and other natural products not only scavenge oxygen free radicals but also improve the expressions of cellular antioxidant enzymes and molecules. Consequently, these products protect against ROS-mediated cellular injury. This review aims to give an overview of the most relevant data reported in the literature on polyphenolic compounds, namely, gallic acid, resveratrol, quercetin, kaempferol, mangiferin, epigallocatechin, and pinocembrin, in terms of their antioxidant effects and potential protective activity against ischemic stroke.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate enhances sterilization of irradiated whole bovine casein and protects alpha and beta caseins from gamma radiation: Depending on polyphenol/protein ratio

The increasing use of milk proteins in medicine requires developing effective processes for sterilizing milk formulations. It was found that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) reduce bacterial flora in total casein, depending on the concentration of EGCG. Furthermore, the combination of EGCG and gamma radiation reduced the dose D10 to 0.88 kGy and 0.63 kGy with 250 and 500 μM EGCG, respectively, instead 2.01 kGy without EGCG. The effect of gamma radiation on alpha- and beta-casein in the absence and presence of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was also examined. Milk proteins in solution were exposed to different doses of gamma radiation with and without EGCG. Unirradiated and irradiated samples were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The results suggest that EGCG (10 μM) protects α- and β-casein from degradation and subsequent polymerization, possibly by scavenging oxygen and protein free radicals generated during irradiation. Although it was used a ratio of polyphenols to the protein higher for alpha-casein (1/5) than beta-casein (1/10), beta-casein was better protected with EGCG. According to previous studies, this result could be explained by differences in primary protein structure and its interaction with EGCG. The interaction of EGCG with casein is hydrophobic rather than hydrophilic, so the interaction with β-casein is more robust than with α-casein. In conclusion, the low EGCG concentrations enhance the sterilization of total casein by gamma radiation. It provided an excellent radioprotection of α- and β-casein, especially β-casein, against degradation and aggregation.

Marine halophyte derived polyphenols inhibit glioma cell growth through mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway

Plants that are pharmacologically significant require intensive phytochemical characterization for bioactive profiling of the compounds, which has enabled their safe use in ayurvedic medicine. The present study is focused on the phytochemical analyses, quantitative estimation and profiling of secondary metabolites of leaf extract, as well as the antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of the potent halophytes such as Avicennia marina, Ceriops tagal, Ipomoea pes-caprae, and Sonneratia apetala. The in vitro antioxidant property was investigated using DPPH, ferric reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAP) assay. Bioactive compounds such as phenols, flavonoids, saponin and alkaloids were quantitatively estimated from the extracts of A.marina, C.tagal, I.pes-capra and S.apetala, which possessed higher phenol content than the other studied halophytes. The extracts at 200 µg/ml revealed higher antioxidant activity than the standard ascorbic acid and it functions as a powerful oxygen free radical scavenger with 77.37%, 75.35% and 72.84% for S.apetala, I.pes-caprae and C.tagal respectively and with least IC50 for I.pes-caprae (11.95 µg/ml) followed by C.tagal (49.94 µg/ml). Cell viability and anti-proliferative activity of different polyphenolic fractions of C.tagal (CT1 and CT2) and I.pes-caprae fraction (IP) against LN229, SNB19 revealed Ipomoea as the promising anti-cytotoxic fraction. IP-derived polyphenols was further subjected to apoptosis, migration assay, ROS and caspase − 3 and − 7 to elucidate its potentiality as a therapeutic drug. IP-polyphenols was found to have higher percentage of inhibition than the CT1 and CT2 polyphenols of C.tagal on comparison with TMZ. All the above-mentioned in-vitro analysis further validated the ability of IP-polyphenols inducing cell death via ROS-mediated caspase dependent pathway. Further, proteomic and phospho-proteomic analysis revealed the potential role of IP-polyphenols in the regulation of cell proliferation through MMK3, p53, p70 S6 kinase and RSK1 proteins involved in mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Our analysis confirmed the promising role of I.pes-caprae derived polyphenols as an anti-metastatic compound against GBM cells.

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Dendrobium Huoshanense Polysaccharides on Carrageenan-Induced Air Pouch Synovitis in Mice

Objective: The purpose was to observe the anti-inflammatory effects of Dendrobium huoshanense polysaccharides (DHPs) on carrageenan-induced sterile air pouch synovitis. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were randomly and equally assigned to the control, carrageenan-induced air pouch synovitis model (model), and carrageenan-induced air pouch synovitis model + DHP (200 mg/kg of body weight) (model + DHP) groups. Mice in the model + DHP group were intragastrically administered 200 mg/kg BW of DHP solution daily for 10 days. Mice in the control and model groups were intragastrically administered the same amount of distilled water. Two hours after intragastric administration on day 10, 1 mL of a 1% carrageenan solution in a sterile 0.9% saline solution was injected into the air pouch of mice in the model and model + DHP groups. Six hours later, the mice were sacrificed and 4 mL of ice-cold sterile 0.9% saline solution was injected into the air pouch to fully wash its inner wall. The lavage fluid was collected to observe the color and turbidity of the lavage fluid, as well as the appearance of the backside of the air pouch. The exudate volume, total number of leukocytes, protein content, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-1b (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity of the lavage fluid were analyzed. Results: The results showed that pretreatment with DHPs reduced the carrageenan-induced exudate volume (P < 0.01), total leukocytes (P < 0.05), and protein content (P < 0.01) in the air pouch lavage fluid. Furthermore, mice in the model + DHP group had significantly higher (P < 0.01) T-SOD activity and lower MDA content (P < 0.05), IL-1β (P < 0.05), and TNF-α (P < 0.01) levels in the air pouch lavage fluid compared with the model group. Conclusion: It is concluded that DHPs partially alleviated carrageenan-induced sterile inflammation, and its mechanism may be related to reducing exudation and scavenging oxygen-free radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and reducing the level of the proinflammatory factors, such as IL-1β and TNF-α.

New technology for large preparation of a series of bioactive polyphenols from by-products of vinification

Grape pomaces or vinification by-products are abundant and rich in polyphenols, particularly proanthocyanidins. During the last three decades, grape and wine polyphenols, particularly catechins (CATs) and oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) have attracted considerable attention of the international scientific community, due essentially to their potential health-beneficial effects, related to their protective action towards cardiovascular disease and the oxygen free radical scavenger capacity. Such phenolic compounds have been proved to be the key components responsible for the health-beneficial effects of red wine. Furthermore, although the most widely recognized antioxidants are Vitamins A, C, and E, scientific research has shown that OPCs are likely the most powerful antioxidants known. Although various OPCs have been available in the market, they are generally very expensive due to the high cost of their production. As a consequence, the development of efficient methods for large-scale preparation of these bioactive compounds have still a challenging task for scientists. In this communication, we will present a new and efficient technology for large preparation of bioactive polyphenols from vinification by-products (grape seed and grape skin). On one hand, polymeric proanthocyanidins were transformed into a series of low- molecule-weight bioactive compounds using various degradation methods. On the other hand, High-Speed Countcurrent Chromatography (HSCCC), as a relative new separation technology for natural product preparation, was applied to large and efficient isolation of these bioactive compounds.

Mannitol for prevention of acute kidney injury after liver transplantation: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAcute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after liver transplantation, which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore, this study investigated mannitol as an oxygen-free radical scavenger and its role in the prevention of early AKI after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).MethodsA total of 84 adult patients who underwent LDLT were randomly assigned to two equal groups: the M group, where patients received 1 g/kg mannitol 20%, or the S group, where patients received an equal volume of saline. The primary outcome was the incidence of early AKI, defined as a 0.3 mg/dl increase in the serum creatinine 48 h postoperatively. Laboratory assessments of the graft and creatinine were recorded until 3 months after transplantation besides the post-reperfusion syndrome and the intraoperative hemodynamic measurements.ResultsThe AKI incidence was comparable between groups (relative risk ratio of 1.285, 95% CI 0.598–2.759, P = 0.518). Moreover, AKI stages and serum creatinine 3 months after transplantation, P = 0.23 and P = 0.25, respectively. The incidence of the post-reperfusion syndrome was comparable in both groups, 29/39 (74.4%) and 31/41 (75.6%) in M and S groups, respectively, P = 0.897. The intraoperative hemodynamic parameters showed no significant difference between groups using the area under the curve.ConclusionThe current LDLT recipient sample was insufficient to demonstrate that pre-reperfusion 1 g/kg mannitol infusion would reduce the risk of early AKI or post-reperfusion syndrome.Clinical trial registration numberPan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR202203622900599); https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=21511.

Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis of a Late-Senescent Vegetable Soybean during Seed Development Provides New Insights into Degradation of Chlorophyll.

(1) Background: Senescence represents the final stage of plant growth and development, which transfers nutrients to growing seeds and directly affects the yield and quality of crops. However, little is known about chlorophyll degradation in developing and maturing seeds, in contrast to leaf senescence; (2) Methods: RNA-Seq was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes of different late-senescent germplasms. A widely untargeted metabolic analysis was used to analyze differential metabolites. In addition, qRT-PCR was conducted to detect gene expression levels; (3) Results: Transcriptome analysis revealed that ZX12 seeds have a higher expression level of the chlorophyll synthesis genes in the early stage of maturity, compared with ZX4, and have a lower expression level of chlorophyll degradation genes in the late stage of maturity. Flavonoids were the primary differential metabolites, and ZX12 contains the unique and highest expression of three types of metabolites, including farrerol-7-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3-o-(6'-o-feruloyl) glucoside, and kaempferide-3-o-(6'-malonyl) glucoside. Among them, farrerol-7-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-o-(6'-o-feruloyl) glucoside are flavonoid derivatives containing mono and dihydroxy-B-ring chemical structures, respectively; and (4) Conclusions: It is speculated that the two metabolites can slow down the degradation process of chlorophyll by scavenging oxygen-free radicals in the chloroplast.

Oxygen Free Radical Scavenger PtPd@PDA as a Dual-Mode Quencher of Electrochemiluminescence Immunosensor for the Detection of AFB1.

Here, a dual-mode quenched electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor based on PtPd@PDA was proposed. Among them, nitrogen-doped hydrazide conjugated carbon dots (NHCDs), as an ECL emitter and a donor of resonance energy transfer, were quenched by PtPd@PDA (receptor). At the same time, PDA in PtPd@PDA, as an oxygen radical scavenger, completed the further quenching of the ECL signal by consuming O2•- generated by the decomposition of co-reactant H2O2. The dual-mode quenching from the above two channels was achieved. In addition, compared with the traditional carbon quantum dots, NHCDs as ECL emitters had lower excitation potential. Moreover, a large number of amino groups provided by aminated MWCNTs could capture more antibodies while connecting with NHCDs. Under the optimum experimental conditions, taking aflatoxin B1 as the target, the proposed sensor with good specificity, stability, and reproducibility had good linearity when the concentration of AFB1 was 0.01-100 ng/mL, with the detection limit of 2.63 pg/mL (S/N = 3). This strategy provided more possibilities for the application of dopamine metal nanocomposites in electrochemiluminescence analysis and offered a new approach to detect AFB1.

Network pharmacology, molecular docking and in vivo and in vitro experiments to explore the molecular mechanism of licorice green tea beverage to scavenge oxygen free radicals.

Excessive oxygen free radicals can lead to aging, cancer, and other diseases. Therefore, searching for effective antioxidants to scavenge oxygen free radicals has become the focus of modern medicine. In this study, the molecular mechanism of Licorice Green Tea Beverage (LGTB) in scavenging oxygen free radicals was investigated by means of network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental verification. Network pharmacology studies have shown that paeonol, eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, swertisin, rutin, glycyrrhetinic acid, oleic, pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside and quercetin, kaferempol were the main active components of LGTB, and SOD and CAT are important targets for LGTB in scavenging oxygen free radicals. The results of molecular docking showed that these representative compounds had good affinity to SOD and CAT target proteins. In vitro free radical scavenging experiments showed that LTGB had significant scavenging effects on both DPPH and ABTS radicals, and had strong total reducing power. In vitro cell experiments showed that LGTB could protect HaCaT cells from oxidative stress induced by H2 O2 . The mechanism of LGTB was related to the increase of SOD and CAT activity. Western blotting showed that LGTB could inhibit PI3K/AKT/HIF-1 signaling pathway and improve the antioxidant capacity of HaCaT cells. In vivo experiments showed that LGTB could significantly increase mouse visceral index, increase serum SOD and GSH-Px activity, decrease the content of MDA, and improve liver and kidney pathological state. This study reported the molecular mechanism of LTGB scavenging oxygen free radicals, which provided scientific basis for the treatment and clinical research of aging and other diseases caused by excessive free radicals. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Free radicals are produced by the normal response of cells during aerobic respiration and perform various functions, such as signaling and providing protection against infection. However, excessive free radicals can lead to aging, cancer, and other diseases. The antioxidant can overcome the harm caused by excessive free radicals. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of scavenging oxygen free radicals of Licorice Green Tea Beverage (LGTB) through network pharmacology and molecular docking, and its efficacy was verified by free radical scavenging experiment in vitro, HaCaT cell oxidative stress injury induced by H2 O2 , D-galactose to establish an aging model in mice and Western blotting experiment. It not only elucidates its mechanism at the system level, but also proves its validity at the biological level. It provides the theoretical basis and experimental evidence for the follow-up research and promotion of the product.

The Effects of Purple Corn Pigment on Growth Performance, Blood Biochemical Indices, Meat Quality, Muscle Amino Acids, and Fatty Acids of Growing Chickens.

Simple SummaryAnthocyanin is a large type of polyphenol compound that is a strong natural antioxidant and widely exists in natural plant and food fields. Specifically, anthocyanins can relieve oxidative stress by scavenging oxygen free radicals to improve meat quality and extend the shelf life of meat products. Chicken meat contains high-quality protein and other substances important in the human diet and has become quite popular among consumers. Therefore, anthocyanin is a natural pigment that has been extremely valuable. We hypothesized that anthocyanin-rich purple corn pigment can improve growth performance, enhance antioxidant activity, and improve meat quality, muscle amino acid, and fatty acid profiles in chickens. The results of the current study indicate that the consumption of anthocyanin-rich purple corn pigment by growing chickens has the potential to increase growth performance, enhance antioxidant and immune capacities, heighten meat quality, and improve essential amino acids, umami amino acids, and unsaturated fatty acids in muscle.This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with different levels of purple corn pigment (PCP) on the growth performance, blood biochemical indices, meat quality, muscle amino acids, and fatty acids of growing chickens. A total of 288 (8 weeks of age) growing Chishui black-bone chickens (body weight, 940 ± 80 g; mean ± standard deviation) were randomly divided into 4 groups using a completely randomized design. The four diet groups were as follows: (1) control, basal diet; (2) treatment 1, treatment 2, and treatment 3, which were basal diet with 80, 160, and 240 mg/kg PCP, respectively. The results showed that compared with the control group, the feeding of anthocyanins significantly (p < 0.05) increased the average daily feed intake and average daily gain in chickens. Moreover, chickens receiving 80 mg/kg PCP significantly increased (p < 0.05) plasma total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and albumin concentrations relative to the control group. For meat quality, dietary supplementation with PCP significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the drip loss and water loss rate in breast muscle. Additionally, chickens receiving PCP tended to increase (p < 0.05) the levels of most individual amino acids, essential amino acids, and umami amino acids in the muscle. Specifically, the addition of 80 mg/kg PCP significantly improved (p < 0.05) total polyunsaturated fatty acids in chicken muscle. Accordingly, the consumption of anthocyanin-rich PCP by the growing chickens had the potential to increase the growth performance, enhance antioxidant and immune capacities, increase meat quality, and improve essential and umami amino acids as well as unsaturated fatty acids in the muscle.

Mussel-Inspired Microgel Encapsulated NLRP3 Inhibitor as a Synergistic Strategy Against Dry Eye.

The inflammatory response mediated by oxidative stress is the main pathogenesis of dry eye, but clinical observations have shown that scavenging oxygen-free radicals alone has limited therapeutic effect. Moreover, the unique anatomy and physiology of the ocular surface result in low bioavailability of drugs, and higher concentration is required to achieve the desired efficacy, which, however, may bring systemic side effects. These problems pose a challenge, but the revelation of the ROS-NLRP3-IL-1β signaling axis opens up new possibilities. In this investigation, an NLRP3 inhibitor was successfully encapsulated in polydopamine-based microgels and used for dry eye treatment. It was demonstrated that the well-designed microgels exhibited good biocompatibility, prolonged drug retention time on the ocular surface, and effective inhibition of corneal epithelial damage and cell apoptosis. In addition, due to the synergistic effect, the NLRP3 inhibitor–loaded microgels could exert enhanced oxygen radical scavenging and inflammation-inhibiting effects at a lower dose than monotherapy. These findings suggest that polydopamine-based microgels have advantages as ocular surface drug delivery platforms and have promising applications in oxidative damage–related inflammatory diseases in synergy with anti-inflammatory drugs.

Research Progress in the Application of Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharide in Ophthalmic Diseases

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) are widely used in age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other eye diseases. With further studies on the pharmacological action of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides in recent years, researchers have found that Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) play a protective role in the treatment of various eye diseases through anti-oxidation, scavenging oxygen free radicals, and inhibiting inflammatory reaction as well as cell senescence. This paper reviews the application of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides in ophthalmology.

Cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles induced genotoxicity in Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79) cells through modulation of reactive oxygen species.

Incessant production, pervasive applications in different fields, and eventually unintended exposure of cobalt oxide nanoparticles (Co3O4 NPs) lead to rise in their toxicity studies toward human health. However, the information regarding the potential toxicity mechanisms of Co3O4 NPs especially genotoxicity is still sparse with missing interconnections. So far, only solitary reports on Co3O4 NPs are at hand, bearing witness to reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated DNA damage in lung cells. To address this, we evaluated the Co3O4 NP-induced cytotoxic and genotoxic potential in Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line (V79). Our preliminary results demonstrate that Co3O4 NPs at concentrations of 20-100 µg/ml induced moderate mortality after 24-h exposure. However, these low concentrations caused a significant reduction in various organelles' activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Mitochondrial activity and membrane potential were found to be compromised due to NP exposure in a concentration-dependent manner. The study affirms that Co3O4 NPs inhibited lysosomal activity in V79 cells. In addition to this, Co3O4 NPs are also found to stimulate free oxygen radical generation. Genotoxicity studies revealed a potent and dose-dependent effect of non-cytotoxic concentrations of Co3O4 NPs in the induction of DNA lesions. Interestingly, N-acetylcysteine, a free oxygen radical scavenger (5, 10mM, pretreatment) inhibited the progression of free oxygen radicals and induction of Co3O4 NP-mediated DNA lesions. This suggests the ROS-mediated genotoxic potential of Co3O4 NPs.

Protective effect of γ-glutamylcysteine against UVB radiation in NIH-3T3 cells.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced oxidative stress is the main cause of photodamage to the skin. Glutathione (GSH) serves important physiological functions, including scavenging oxygen-free radicals and maintaining intracellular redox balance. γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC), as an immediate precursor of GSH and harboring antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, represents an unexplored option for skin photodamage treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether γ-GC can reduce UVB-induced NIH-3T3 cell damage. The experimental groups were as follows: control, UVB radiation, UVB radiation after pretreatment with γ-GC. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays were used to measure cell proliferation, flow cytometry, and immunoblotting to detect the apoptosis rate and apoptosis-associated proteins. The levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and GSH/GSSG (oxidized GSH) were measured to assess oxidative stress. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence were used to detect DNA damage. The members of the MAPK signaling pathways were detected by immunoblotting. UVB irradiation significantly reduced cell viability and destroyed the oxidative defense system. Pretreatment with γ-GC reduced UVB-induced cytotoxicity, restored the oxidation defense system, and inhibited activation of the MAPK pathway. It also reduced the apoptosis rate, downregulated the levels of cleaved caspase 3 and cleaved PARP. Furthermore, pretreatment with γ-GC reduced the accumulation of γH2AX after UVB radiation exposure, indicating that γ-GC could protect cells from DNA damage. γ-GC protected NIH-3T3 from damage caused by UVB irradiation. The photoprotective effect of γ-GC is mediated via strengthening the endogenous antioxidant defense system, which prevents DNA damage and inhibits the activation of the MAPK pathway.

Research progress on antioxidant mechanism of melatonin in reducing neonatal lung injury

The etiology of neonatal lung injury is complicated. Because neonatal lungs are immature in the vesicles and alveolar period, they are easy to be injured by various factors. Clinically, the main manifestations of neonatal lung injury are refractory hypoxemia, respiratory distress, and decreased lung compliance, etc. In recent years, newborn treatment technology has been rapidly developed, but the incidence of neonatal lung injury is still very high, so more attention has been paid by the medical community. Oxidative stress refers to a state of imbalance between oxidation and antioxidant in the body. After newborns transition from amniotic fluid to the air, oxidative stress is relatively higher in the first few weeks of life, and oxidative stress injury will be further aggravated under the stimulation of adverse factors. Melatonin, as an important antioxidant factor in the human body, participates in many vital physiological and pathological processes, and can directly scavenge oxygen free radicals, enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes, inhibit cell apoptosis. Researches have showed that the antioxidant properties of melatonin played an important role in neonatal lung injury, however, the specific mechanism has not yet been fully clarified. The aim of this article is to review the antioxidant effects of melatonin in neonatal lung injury and provide new ideas for the treatment of neonatal lung injury.

Protective Properties of the Extract of Chrysanthemum on Patients with Ischemic Stroke.

Investigation of the protective effect of chrysanthemum extract in ischemic strokes patients is among the challenging issues with the traditional hospital system in general and smart technology-based hospitals in particular. In this study, we have evaluated the protective effect of chrysanthemum extract on patients with ischemic stroke by detecting the severity of stroke, neuronal indexes, and oxidative stress biomarkers. For this purpose, forty-six patients with ischemic stroke were randomly divided into the control group (n = 30) and chrysanthemum group (n = 30). The control group received standard stroke treatment, and the chrysanthemum group was treated with chrysanthemum extract 400 mg/day (200 mg/day, twice/day) on the basis of standard treatment. The groups were compared the effect of saffron capsules using the National Institute of Health Stoke Scale (NIHSS), serum neuron specific enolase (NSE), S100, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), malondialdehyde (MDA), Su-peroxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC ) levels, at the time of first day and fourth day after treatment. On the first day after treatment, there was no significant difference in the NIHSS score, serum NSE, S100, BDNF, MDA, SOD, and TAC levels between the chrysanthemum group and the control group (P > 0.05). On the fourth day after treatment, the NIHSS, serum NSE, S100, and MDA levels were significantly reduced in the chrysanthemum group compared to the control group, while the BDNF, SOD, and TAC levels were higher (P < 0.05). In addition, compared to the levels on the first day, the NIHSS, serum NSE, S100, and MDA levels were significantly reduced, and the BDNF, SOD, and TAC levels were increased in the chrysanthemum group on the fourth day (P < 0.05). Chrysanthemum extract has the effects of scavenging oxygen free radicals and antioxidation and has a neuroprotective effect on ischemic stroke patients.

Shikonin attenuates H2O2‑induced oxidative injury in HT29 cells via antioxidant activities and the inhibition of mitochondrial pathway‑mediated apoptosis

Shikonin, a natural naphthoquinone extracted from the roots of Lithospermumery throrhizon, possesses multiple pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects. It has been hypothesized that the properties of shikonin are associated with its oxygen free radical scavenging abilities. However, the mechanism underlying the antioxidant activity of shikonin is not completely understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of shikonin against H2O2-induced oxidative injury in HT29 cells and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism. The concentration and duration of H2O2 treatment to cause maximal damage, and the effects of shikonin (2.5, 5 or 10 µg/ml) on the activity of H2O2-induced HT29 cells were determined by MTT assay. The apoptotic rate in HT29 cells was determined by annexin V/propidium iodide staining. HT29 cell cycle alteration was also analyzed by propidium iodide staining. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was assessed by monitoring 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin in diacetate fluorescence. Mitochondrial membrane potentials were determined by JC-1 staining. The activities of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, caspase-9 and caspase-3 were measured using spectrophotometric assays. The expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax and cytochrome c were determined by western blotting. The results suggested that shikonin increased cell viability, reduced cell apoptosis and increased the proliferation index in H2O2-treated HT29 cells. Shikonin also significantly inhibited increases in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), restored the mitochondrial membrane potential, prevented the release of lactic dehydrogenase and decreased the levels of superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde in H2O2-induced HT29 cells. Furthermore, shikonin significantly decreased caspase-9 and caspase-3 activities, increased Bcl-2 expression and decreased Bax and cytochrome c expression levels in H2O2-induced HT29 cells. The results indicated that shikonin protected against H2O2-induced oxidative injury by removing ROS, ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction, attenuating DNA oxidative damage and inhibiting mitochondrial pathway-mediated apoptosis.

Oxyresveratrol-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles Inhibit Oxygen Free Radical Production by Human Monocytes: Role in Nanoparticle Biocompatibility.

Oxyresveratrol, a polyphenol extracted from the plant Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb, has been reported to be an antioxidant and an oxygen-free radical scavenger. We investigated whether oxyresveratrol affects the generation of superoxide anion (O2−) by human monocytes, which are powerful reactive oxygen species (ROS) producers. We found that oxyresveratrol inhibited the O2− production induced upon stimulation of monocytes with β-glucan, a well known fungal immune cell activator. We then investigated whether the inclusion of oxyresveratrol into nanoparticles could modulate its effects on O2− release. We synthesized poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles, and we assessed their effects on monocytes. We found that empty PLGA nanoparticles induced O2− production by resting monocytes and enhanced the formation of this radical in β-glucan-stimulated monocytes. Interestingly, the insertion of oxyresveratrol into PLGA nanoparticles significantly inhibited the O2− production elicited by unloaded nanoparticles in resting monocytes as well as the synergistic effect of nanoparticles and β-glucan. Our results indicate that oxyresveratrol is able to inhibit ROS production by activated monocytes, and its inclusion into PLGA nanoparticles mitigates the oxidative effects due to the interaction between these nanoparticles and resting monocytes. Moreover, oxyresveratrol can contrast the synergistic effects of nanoparticles with fungal agents that could be present in the patient tissues. Therefore, oxyresveratrol is a natural compound able to make PLGA nanoparticles more biocompatible.

Combined microwave and enzymatic treatment improve the release of insoluble bound phenolic compounds from the grapefruit peel insoluble dietary fiber

Increasingly attention has been paid to the active substances in grapefruit peel. In this study, insoluble bound phenolic compounds (BP) were released from grapefruit peel insoluble dietary fiber (GP-IDF) by microwave extraction (M-BP), enzymatic hydrolysis (E-BP) and combined microwave and enzymatic treatment (ME-BP). The results showed that the yield of ME-BP was the highest (148.856 ± 0.620 GAE mg/100 g), and conditions of microwave treatment (microwave power, temperature, time) were 600 W, 85 °C, and 37 min, while that of enzymatic treatment were 8% addition, 60 °C, and 2 h. Scanning electron microscopy displayed that GP-IDF became looser by ME. ME mainly resulted in the removal of lignin in IDF from X-ray diffraction, which was consistent with FT-IR. Twenty seven BP were identified by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. The high content of gallic acid (42.50 ± 3.21 μg/g DW), ferulic acid (18.46 ± 1.65 μg/g DW) and protocatechuic acid (6.16 ± 0.72 μg/g DW) was quantified by LC-ESI-QqQ-MS/MS. Furthermore, ME-BP showed stronger antioxidant capacities than that of others (ABTS, oxygen and DPPH free radical scavenging ability), and showed good inhibition of α-glucosidase. Our results demonstrated that combined microwave and enzymatic treatment was an effective treatment for improving the release of BP.

THE INSULINOTROPIC EFFECT OF THIAZOLIDINEDIONE DERIVATIVES IN TYPE II DIABETIC MODEL, RIN-5F CELLS, AND ITS ACTION ON CULTURED HUMAN LUNG FIBROBLAST SHOWS OXYGEN FREE-RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY

Objective: Diabetes mellitus is a persistent disorder caused by deficiency in insulin production. Oxidative stress plays an important role in physiopathology of diabetes. The present research determined the antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of 5-naphthalidin thiazolidinediones derivatives.&#x0D; Methods: Both in vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out on diabetes induced male Swiss albino rats by single intramuscular injection of alloxan (0.15 mg/kg i.m) and IDDM-rats received 4b, 4c, or 4d (36 mg/kg, p.o). The derivatives were further subjected to insulin secretion by RIN-5F cells confirmed insulinotropic effect. In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated using enzymatic activities on cell lines In addition, all the synthesized derivatives showed non-toxic effects against a diseased human lung fibroblast (COPD), HCC7231 (TACC CCL-96).&#x0D; Results: The results revealed that 4b, 4c, and 4d showed promising results by substantially lowering the blood glucose levels on 21st day of post-administration. Serum insulin levels substantially rose, suggesting that derivatives exert insulinotropic effects through different pathways. 4c showed oxygen free-radical scavenging activity.&#x0D; Conclusion: Our study proves that oral administration of 5-naphthalidin-TZD twice a day is a valuable treatment for type II diabetes. It seems to be a good drug moiety endowed significant oxygen free-radical scavenging activity.