Genotoksični učinak kompleksa kvercetina i lantana na ljudske stanice karcinoma grla maternice

Quercetin is the main fl avonoid in diet with a potential in the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases. Due to its specifi c planar chemical structure, quercetin readily forms chelates with metalions. Complexes of bioactive compounds and metal ions such as lanthanum often show strong cytotoxic and antitumour properties. The aim of this study was to compare the genotoxic effects of the quercetin/lanthanum complex on human cervical carcinoma cells with compare it to the effects of free ligands, quercetin, and lanthanum alone. The quercetin/lanthanum complex showed considerable cytotoxicity in the concentration range of (100 to 1000) mmol mL-1 and exposure time of three hours. The complex also induced a dose-dependent pro-oxidative effects and the formation of single-strand and double-strand DNA breaks. Although we obtained promising results on the cell level, future experiments should answer whether the quercetin/lanthanum complex is cancer-specific and stable enough in physiological conditions to make a potential new antitumour drug.Kvercetin je jedan od najzastupljenijih flavonoida u prehrani. Zbog specifi čne kemijske strukture i bioloških svojstava jedan je od najproučavanijih flavonoida kao potencijalni lijek koji bi se rabio za liječenje kardiovaskularnih, neurodegenerativnih i tumorskih bolesti. Kvercetin zbog svoje planarne kemijske strukture vrlo lako stupa u interakciju s metalnim ionima te tvori kelate. Cilj ove studije bio je utvrditi potencijalni genotoksični učinak kompleksa kvercetina i lantana na ljudskoj staničnoj liniji karcinoma grla maternice i usporediti taj učinak s genotoksičnim učincima pojedinačnih spojeva, kvercetina i lantana. Istraživani kompleks izazvao je značajnu toksičnost u rasponu koncentracija od 100 mmol mL-1 do 1000 mmol mL-1 i u vremenu inkubacije od 3 sata. Kompleks je pokazao prooksidativnu aktivnost u ovisnosti o koncentraciji te je pri najvišim istraživanim koncentracijama izazvao lomove DNA. Ako bi u daljnjim istraživanjima kompleks kvercetina i lantana pokazao selektivno djelovanje prema stanicama raka i stabilnost u fiziološkim uvjetima, mogao bi se promatrati u svjetlu potencijalnog antitumorskog lijeka, što bi trebala rasvijetliti daljnja istraživanja

Formulacije s limunovim sokom moduliraju dostupnost fitokemikalija špinata u in vitro modelu probave

Research background. Citrus limon (L.) Burm lemon juice is rich in many important natural chemical components (flavonoids, citric acid and vitamin C) and its use in traditional medicine is well known. Formulations of lemon juice with fruit polyphenols in beverages have been investigated, but there is very little information about their ability to modulate the digestive behaviour of polyphenols. The goal of this study is to determine the stability and digestive availability of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) polyphenols by adding different volume fractions of lemon juice (0, 2, 5, 10 and 20%) during in vitro digestion. Experimental approach. The content of polyphenols and other abundant compounds including nitrates, oxalic acid and l-ascorbic acid in spinach formulation with various volume fractions of lemon juice were measured in predigested and digested samples using in vitro human digestion model. Antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory activities of spinach lemon juice formulation were also measured. Results and conclusions. The highest increases in total polyphenols, total flavonoids, total phenolic acids, oxalic acid and nitrate content were noted in predigested and almost all digested spinach samples formulated with the highest volume fraction of lemon juice. In the same sample, the content of individual compounds significantly increased after salivary (l-ascorbic acid), initial (p-coumaric acid) and intestinal (quercetin) phase of digestion. High bioaccessibility of polyphenols and l-ascorbic acid in all phases of digestion was observed in almost all spinach lemon juice formulations, with the exception of nitrates in gastric and intestinal phases and oxalic acid in the intestinal phase, which had moderate bioaccessibility. Novelty and scientific contribution. For the first time the stability and digestive availability of spinach polyphenols, oxalic acid, nitrates and l-ascorbic acid were tested with the addition of different volume fractions of lemon juice. The pH of lemon juice and its l-ascorbic acid content increase the stability and availability of polyphenols in spinach lemon juice formulation during in vitro digestion. Antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory activities increase in dose-dependent manner after lemon juice addition. Accordingly, spinach formulated with 20% of lemon juice appears as the best source of dietary polyphenols with antioxidant and antidiabetic activities and nitrates that may be used as a functional drink.Pozadina istraživanja. Limunov (Citrus limon (L.) Burm) sok bogat je mnogim važnim prirodnim kemijskim spojevima (flavonoidima, limunskom kiselinom i vitaminom C) i njegova je upotreba u tradicionalnoj medicini dobro poznata. Formulacije limunovog soka s voćnim polifenolima u pićima su istražene, ali postoji vrlo malo informacija o njihovoj sposobnosti moduliranja dostupnosti polifenola u probavi. Svrha je ovog istraživanja bila utvrditi stabilnost i dostupnost polifenola špinata (Spinacia oleracea L.) u probavi dodavanjem različitih volumnih udjela soka limuna (0, 2, 5, 10 i 20 %). Eksperimentalni pristup. Sadržaj polifenola i drugih spojeva (nitrata, oksalne kiseline i L-askorbinske kiseline) izmjeren je u formulacijiama špinata s različitim volumnim udjelima limunovog soka u uzorcima prije i nakon in vitro modela ljudske probave. Također su mjerene antioksidacijska sposobnost i svojstvo inhibicije aktivnosti α-amilaze u formulacijama špinata s limunovim sokom. Rezultati i zaključci. Najizraženije povećanje udjela ukupnih polifenola, flavonoida i fenolnih kiselina, te oksalne kiseline i nitrata zabilježeno je prije probave i u gotovo svim probavljenim uzorcima špinata formuliranim s najvećim volumnim udjelom limunovog soka. U istom uzorku udio pojedinih spojeva značajno se povećao nakon faze probave u ustima (L-askorbinska kiselina), inicijalnoj (p-kumarinska kiselina) i intestinalnoj fazi (kvercetin). Visoka biodostupnost polifenola i L-askorbinske kiseline u svim fazama probave primijećena je u gotovo svim formulacijama špinata s limunovim sokom, s izuzetkom nitrata u želučanoj i crijevnoj fazi te oksalne kiseline u crijevnoj fazi, koji su imali umjerenu biodostupnost. Novina i znanstveni doprinos. Po prvi put je ispitana stabilnost i dostupnost u probavi polifenola špinata, oksalne kiseline, nitrata i L-askorbinske kiseline uz dodatak različitih volumnih udjela soka limuna. pH-vrijednost i L-askorbinska kiselina limunovog soka povećavaju stabilnost i dostupnost polifenola u formulaciji špinata s limunovim sokom tijekom in vitro probave. Antioksidacijska i sposobnost inhibicije aktivnosti α-amilaze povećavaju se ovisno o povećanju doze limunovog soka. Sukladno tome, formulacija špinata s 20 % limunovog soka predstavlja najbolji izvor dijetetskih polifenola s antioksidacijskim i antidijabetičkim djelovanjem te nitrata koji se mogu koristiti kao funkcionalni napitak

Sugar-induced changes in cellular and extracellular protein and glycoprotein patterns of sugarbeet cell lines

Plants sense carbohydrates and transduce a signal which changes gene expression and the activities of many enzymes. The relationship between changes in gene expression by carbohydrates and the developmental state of the cells is still poorly understood. To gain more knowledge about this relationship, we have analyzed three sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) in vitro cell lines residing on distinct differentiation states. Cell suspensions were initiated and cells were incubated for 72h in the medium with sucrose as a control, or treated during the same period with glucose or 3-O-methylglucose (3OMG). Cellular and extracellular proteins, separated electrophoretically, showed that sugar-induced protein expression was cell line-specific. More differences were visible in extracellular and in glycoprotein than on cellular protein patterns. The 3OMG downregulated while glucose upregulated cellular glycoproteins. In the case of extracellular proteins, glucose and 3OMG were equally effective in both downregulation and upregulation of protein expression. Sialic acid was indicated as a glycan conjugate in sugar beet. Carbohydrate-induced gene expression was related to the developmental state of cells

The effect of biostimulant and fertilizer on “low input” lettuce production

Lettuce production in the winter on the Adriatic coast, especially in a non-heated plastic tunnel, requires longer cultivation and is characterised by lower head mass and yield. In these conditions, the effect of biostimulant Bio-algeen S-90 and fertilizer Megagreen on the production of the traditional winter lettuce cultivar ‘Four Seasons’ was tested. Both treatments showed a positive effect on the growth and total yield of winter lettuce, and decreased the share of non-marketable yield. Bio-algeen S-90 treatment increased the plant height by 61.5%, and foliar treatment with Megagreen by 60.9%, as compared to the control treatment. Equally, both treatments resulted in higher leaf numbers (47.7% for Bio-algeen S-90 and 37.2% for Megagreen). The head mass of lettuce treated with Bio-algeen S-90 and Megagreen was 30.3% and 25.0% higher than in the control treatment, respectively. Megagreen contributed more to chlorophyll and carotenoid content, while Bio-algeen S-90 elevated the amount of vitamin C and dry matter. The pH value of lettuce juice decreased after Bio-algeen S-90, while the mineral content (N, P and K) did not differ between the tested treatments. Lower nitrate content was detected after both treatments. The obtained results elucidate the effect of Bio-algeen S-90 and Megagreen on “low input” lettuce production

Sugar-induced changes in cellular and extracellular protein and glycoprotein patterns of sugarbeet cell lines

Plants sense carbohydrates and transduce a signal which changes gene expression and the activities of many enzymes. The relationship between changes in gene expression by carbohydrates and the developmental state of the cells is still poorly understood. To gain more knowledge about this relationship, we have analyzed three sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) in vitro cell lines residing on distinct differentiation states. Cell suspensions were initiated and cells were incubated for 72h in the medium with sucrose as a control, or treated during the same period with glucose or 3-O-methylglucose (3OMG). Cellular and extracellular proteins, separated electrophoretically, showed that sugar-induced protein expression was cell line-specific. More differences were visible in extracellular and in glycoprotein than on cellular protein patterns. The 3OMG downregulated while glucose upregulated cellular glycoproteins. In the case of extracellular proteins, glucose and 3OMG were equally effective in both downregulation and upregulation of protein expression. Sialic acid was indicated as a glycan conjugate in sugar beet. Carbohydrate-induced gene expression was related to the developmental state of cells

The Role of Polyphenols in Abiotic Stress Response: The Influence of Molecular Structure

Abiotic stressors such as extreme temperatures, drought, flood, light, salt, and heavy metals alter biological diversity and crop production worldwide. Therefore, it is important to know the mechanisms by which plants cope with stress conditions. Polyphenols, which are the largest group of plant-specialized metabolites, are generally recognized as molecules involved in stress protection in plants. This diverse group of metabolites contains various structures, from simple forms consisting of one aromatic ring to more complex ones consisting of large number of polymerized molecules. Consequently, all these molecules, depending on their structure, may show different roles in plant growth, development, and stress protection. In the present review, we aimed to summarize data on how different polyphenol structures influence their biological activity and their roles in abiotic stress responses. We focused our review on phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenoids, and lignans

Sastav hranjivih tvari i antioksidacijska aktivnost kore, plodova i sjemenki oskoruše (Sorbus domestica L.)

The aim of this work is to assess the nutritional value of service tree (Sorbus domestica L.) bark, fruit exocarp and mesocarp, and seeds by establishing the levels of macro- and microelements, total phenolics, flavonoids and tannins. Our results revealed that all of the tested service tree samples were rich in potassium. Bark was the best source of calcium and zinc, while seeds were the best source of magnesium. Compared to the bark and seeds, fruit exocarp and mesocarp contained significantly lower amounts of these three elements. Immature exocarp and bark contained the highest amounts of total phenolics and showed the highest antioxidant activity. Maturation significantly decreased the amount of total phenolics in fruits, as well as the antioxidant activity of total phenolics and total tannins from exocarp, but not from mesocarp. Exocarp was the richest in total flavonoids. Based on the obtained data, we have concluded that the under-utilised species S. domestica L. could serve as an important source of mineral elements and antioxidants in the human diet.Svrha je ovoga rada bila procijeniti prehrambenu vrijednost kore, egzokarpa, mezokarpa i sjemenki oskoruše (Sorbus domestica L.) na osnovi udjela makroelemenata i mikroelemenata, ukupnih fenolnih spojeva, flavonoida i tanina. Rezultati su pokazali da su svi ispitani uzorci oskoruše bogati kalijem. Kora je najbolji izvor kalcija i cinka, a sjemenke magnezija. U usporedbi s korom i sjemenkama, egzokarp i mezokarp sadržavaju znatno manje udjele ovih triju elemenata. Najveći udjel ukupnih fenolnih spojeva i najveća antioksidacijska aktivnost izmjereni su u ekstraktima nezrelog egzokarpa i kore. Dozrijevanje je značajno smanjilo ukupan sadržaj fenola u plodovima, kao i antioksidacijsku aktivnost fenolnih spojeva i tanina izoliranih iz egzokarpa, no ne i onih iz mezokarpa. Najveći udjel ukupnih flavonoida izmjeren je u egzokarpu. Na osnovi dobivenih podataka zaključili smo da bi oskoruša (S. domestica L.), kao dosad nedovoljno iskorištena biljna vrsta, mogla biti važan izvor mineralnih tvari i antioksidacijskih spojeva u ljudskoj prehrani

Effects of biodynamic production on growth and essential oil content in basil

The effects of a biodynamic sowing calendar on the growth (plant height, fresh herb yield, nodes number) and quality (percentage of leaf mass, essential oil content) of three basil species, Ocimum americanum L., Ocimum × hybrida and Ocimum basilicum L., represented by the cultivars ‘Rosso’ and ‘Eco Genovese’, were tested. Statistical analyses showed that the species had greater impact on the observed parameters than either the sowing date or the species and sowing date in combination. The species showed a signifi cant infl uence on all fi ve tested parameters, while sowing date and interaction of both factors signifi cantly infl uenced plant height, leaf percentage and essential oil content. The best yield per plant was obtained for O. × hybrida and O. basilicum ‘Eco Genovese’. The lowest species O. × hybrida produced the highest amount of essential oil. »Nodes number« parameter most clearly separated the species, but not the cultivars. Even though O. americanum gave the tallest plants, it did not yield either the highest amount of fresh herb or essential oil. This species’ height was most consistent, considering the signifi cant impact of biodynamic rhythm. Sowing date was not crucial for basil fresh yield; however if there is a need for taller plants with a higher percentage of leaf mass and more essential oil, sowing date needs to be controlled

Serumska vrijednost homocisteina u mladih bolesnika koji nisu primali sustavnu i biološku terapiju

Introduction: Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease, affecting approximately 1-3% of the population worldwide. Psoriasis patients are more likely to be diagnosed with cardiovascu- lar diseases and hyperhomocysteinemia; however, it remains elusive weather serum homocysteine levels correlate to disease activity and duration of disease. The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of homocysteine in young patients with plaque psoriasis naïve for conventional systemic and biologic therapy. An additional aim was to determine correlation of homocysteine levels with disease severity, inflammation, folic acid and vitamin B12 supplies. Materials and methods: 26 subjects were enrolled to participate in this case-control study, including 13 adult psoriatic patients naïve for systemic therapy, without comorbidities, malignancies and infectious diseases, and 13 healthy unrelated, age and sex-matched volunteers. The disease severity and life quality were assessed using standardized tools – Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), respectively. Venous blood was collected and processed for analysis of differential blood count (DBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (hsCRP), serum levels of homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid in the routine clinical laboratory. Results Studied cohort consisted of young participants with average age around 35 years. According to the PASI index, disease severity ranged from mild (2.10) to moderate (15.2). There was no significant difference in hsCRP and DBC levels between the groups. Psoriasis patients had significantly higher levels of homocysteine compared to healthy subjects, but there was no evidence of hyperhomocystein- emia related to psoriasis. All subjects had normal serum levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid. A moderate negative correlation was found between plasma homocysteine level and vitamin B12 and folic acid. Furthermore, homocysteine levels did not correlate to hsCRP, total leukocytes, and thrombocytes count, but did significantly positively correlate to ESR. Conclusions: The risk of cardiovascular diseases should be considered among all psoriasis patients, regardless of age and disease severity, but larger prospective controlled studies are needed to estimate the role of homocysteine in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in psoriatic patients.Uvod: Psorijaza je imunološki posredovana kronična upalna bolest, koja pogađa otprilike 1-3% populacije u svijetu. Pacijenti oboljeli od psorijaze imaju veću vjerojatnost razvoja kardiovaskularnih bolesti i hiperho- mocisteinemije, međutim, ostaje nejasna povezanost serumske razine homocisteina s aktivnošću i trajanjem bolesti. Cilj ove studije bio je ispitati serumske vrijednosti homocisteina u mladih bolesnika s plak psorijazom, koji nisu do sada primali sustavnu, ili biološku terapiju. Dodatni cilj bio je utvrditi povezanost serumske razine homocisteina s težinom bolesti, razinom upale te razinom folne kiseline i vitamina B12. Materijali i metode U ovo istraživanje bilo je uključeno 26 ispitanika, uključujući 13 odraslih bolesnika s psorijazom naivnih za sustanu terapiju, bez komorbiditeta, malignih oboljenja i zaraznih bolesti te 13 zdravih, nepovezanih, dobno i spolno usklađenih dobrovoljaca. Težina bolesti i kvaliteta života procijenjena je korištenjem standardiziranih testova - Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) i Dermatološkog indeksa kvalitete života (DLQI). Iz venske krvi ispitanika, u rutinskom kliničkom laboratoriju, određena je diferenci- jalna krvna slika (DKS), brzina sedimentacije eritrocita (SE), C reaktivni protein (hsCRP) te serumske razine homocisteina, vitamina B12 i folne kiseline. Rezultati Istraživana skupina sastojala se od mladih sudionika, prosječne dobi oko 35 godina. Prema PASI indeksu, težina bolesti bila je u rasponu od blage (2,10) do umjerene (15,2) psorijaze. Nije bilo značajne raz- like u vrijednostima hsCRP-a i DKS-a između ispitivanih skupina. Ispitanici s psorijazom imali su statistički značajno više vrijednosti homocisteina u usporedbi sa zdravim ispitanicima, ali nije bilo dokaza hiperhomo- cisteinemije povezane s psorijazom. Svi ispitanici imali su normalne vrijednosti vitamina B12 i folne kiseline u serumu. Utvrđena je umjerena negativna povezanost između razine homocisteina u serumu i vitamina B12 te razine homocisteina i folne kiseline. Nadalje, serumska razina homocisteina nije bila povezana s hsCRP-om, ukupnim brojem leukocita i trombocita, ali je uočena značajna pozitivna povezanost serumske razine homocisteina i sedimentacije. Zaključak: Rizik od kardiovaskularnih bolesti treba razmotriti među svim pacijentima oboljelima od psori- jaze, bez obzira na njihovu dob i težinu bolesti. Potrebna su veća prospektivna, kontrolirana ispitivanja kao bi se procijenila uloga homocisteina u razvoju kardiovaskularnih bolesti kod psorijatičnih bolesnika