In-vitro gastric cancer prevention by a polyphenol-rich extract from olives through induction of apoptosis

In recent years, natural dietary agents have drawn a great deal of attention owing to their demonstrated ability to suppress cancer. We aimed to investigate the in-vitro gastric cancer preventive activity of a methanol extract obtained from table olives of Greek origin. Tested were AGS cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis and inhibition of inflammation. AGS stomach cancer cells were cultured at a density of 105 cells/ml. Methanol extract of olive was added to cultures at concentrations of 2.0,1.6,1.0, and 0.4 μg phenols/ml. Effect on cellular viability was evaluated via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and percentages of early and late apoptotic cells were assayed by annexin V-FITC staining on a FACS scan. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 mRNA and protein production were measured by applying reverse transcriptase-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Olive extract significantly suppressed cell proliferation at 2.0,1.6, and 1.0 μg phenols/ml. Flow cytometric analysis of Annexin-V labeled cells indicated that 2.0 μg phenols/ml significantly induced apoptosis. Similarly, at 2.0,1.6, and 1.0 μg phenols/ ml a significant decrease of ICAM-1 and IL-8 protein levels was observed. ICAM-1, as well as IL-8, mRNA expression were decreased in the presence of 2.0μg phenols/ml. Results indicate that the methanol extract from olives, rich in phenolic compounds, exhibits gastric cancer preventive efficacy by limiting cell proliferation, inducing cell death and suppressing inflammation in AGS cells. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 18:33-39 © 2009 Wolters Kluwer Health

Phenolic profiles and antioxidant and anticarcinogenic activities of Greek herbal infusions; Balancing delight and chemoprevention?

Total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and phenolic profiles of six herbal infusions - namely rosemary, Cretan dittany, St. John's Wort, sage, marjoram and thyme were assayed. Additionally, the infusion anticarcinogenic effect as to their ability to (a) scavenge free radicals, (b) inhibit cell growth, (c) decrease IL-8 levels and (d) regulate p65 subunit in epithelial colon cancer (HT29) and prostate (PC3) cancer cells was investigated. LC-DAD-MS and GC-MS analyses showed major qualitative and quantitative differences in phenolic profiles of the infusions. All herbal infusions exhibited antiradical activity which correlated strongly with their total phenolic content. Infusions exhibited the potential to inhibit cell growth and to reduce IL-8 levels in HT29 colon and PC3 prostate cancer cells. The regulation reported in p65 subunit in HT29 treated with St John's Wort and in PC3 treated with thyme might point to the NF-jB as the molecular target underlying the effect of these infusions. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The effect of raisins on biomarkers of endothelial function and oxidant damage; an open-label and randomized controlled intervention

Based on the existing data in grapes and wine, the aim of the present study was to investigate the probability that raisins improve clinical features and markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and arterial function in healthy smokers. Thirty-six apparently healthy smokers were recruited to an open-label and randomized, controlled, 4-week prospective intervention. All participants were reported to consume less than the recommended amount of five servings fruits and vegetables daily. Participants in the intervention were instructed to consume raisins equal to five fruit servings (90 g/d). Anthropometric and blood pressure (BP) measurements, assessment of dietary intake, and fasting blood draws were conducted at baseline and at week 4. Biochemical (glucose, lipids, liver enzymes), inflammation [C-reactive protein (CRP), leptin], oxidative stress [Malondialdehyde (MDA), Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs)] and arterial function markers [Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), Pulse wave velocity (PWV), Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), Nitric oxide (NO)] were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Baseline characteristics did not differ between the intervention and control arm. No effect of daily raisin consumption was observed on markers assessed between baseline and week 4 in either arm. Regarding vegetable consumption, no difference was observed in either group between baseline and post-intervention; however, as expected, a significant increase was reported in the intervention arm in fruit consumption between baseline and end point (p < 0.001) and between two arms post-intervention (p < 0.001). When analyzing according to age, ICAM-1 levels significantly decreased in subjects > 30 years (n = 8) in intervention arm (390.1 ± 17.6 to 302.2 ± 11 ng/mL, p = 0.004). After analysis of the data for sex, women in intervention (n = 5) decreased significantly diastolic BP (74.6 ± 4.2 to 67.4 ± 2.6 mg/dL, p = 0.043), total cholesterol (175.8 ± 7 to 166.6 ± 6.6 mg/dL, p < 0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (96.2 ± 9.6 to 89 ± 10.5 mg/dL, p = 0.012). However, due to the small sample size in the above, no safe conclusions can be exported. © 201

A Study of Glycemic Response to Corinthian Raisins in Healthy Subjects and in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

This study was designed to evaluate the metabolic response to Corinthian raisins in healthy and in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Healthy subjects (n = 15) and diabetic patients (n = 15) received 74 g raisins or 50 g glucose as reference food. Blood samples were collected at time 0 (before the consumption) and 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 min after raisin or glucose consumption. There was no significant difference in baseline glucose and insulin between raisins and reference in both groups. The difference at glucose peaks between raisins and reference was significant in healthy and in diabetics. Glycemic and insulinemic responses were decreased after raisin consumption compared to reference. An estimate of the glycemic index would be 66.3 ± 3.4. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

Pistacia lentiscus resin regulates intestinal damage and inflammation in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis

Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) of the Anacardiaceae family has exhibited anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in patients with Crohn's disease. This study was based on the hypothesis that mastic inhibits intestinal damage in inflammatory bowel disease, regulating inflammation and oxidative stress in intestinal epithelium. Four different dosages of P. lentiscus powder in the form of powder were administered orally to trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitic rats. Eighty-four male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to seven groups: A, control; B, colitic; C-F, colitic rats daily supplemented with P. lentiscus powder at (C) 50mg/kg, (D) 100mg/kg, (E) 200mg/kg, and (F) 300mg/kg of body weight; and G, colitic rats treated daily with cortisone (25μg/kg of body weight). Colonic damage was assessed microscopically. The cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 and malonaldehyde were measured in colonic specimens. Results were expressed as mean±SE values. Histological amelioration of colitis (P≤.001) and significant differences in colonic indices occurred after 3 days of treatment. Daily administration of 100mg of P. lentiscus powder/kg of body weight decreased all inflammatory cytokines (P≤.05), whereas 50mg of P. lentiscus powder/kg of body weight and cortisone treatment reduced only ICAM-1 (P≤.05 and P≤.01, respectively). Malonaldehyde was significantly suppressed in all treated groups (P≤.01). IL-10 remained unchanged. Cytokines and malonaldehyde remained unaltered after 6 days of treatment. Thus P. lentiscus powder could possibly have a therapeutic role in Crohn's disease, regulating oxidant/antioxidant balance and modulating inflammation. © Copyright 2011, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. and Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2011

Effect of Mastiha supplementation on NAFLD: The MAST4HEALTH Randomised, Controlled Trial

Scope: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease with poor therapeutic strategies. Mastiha possesses antioxidant/anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering properties. The authors investigate the effectiveness of Mastiha as a nonpharmacological intervention in NAFLD. Methods and Results: Ninety-eight patients with NAFLD in three countries (Greece, Italy, Serbia) are randomly allocated to either Mastiha or Placebo for 6 months, as part of a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial. The authors assess NAFLD severity via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning and LiverMultiScan technique and evaluate the effectiveness of Mastiha through medical, anthropometric, biochemical, metabolomic, and microbiota assessment. Mastiha is not superior to Placebo on changes in iron-corrected T1 (cT1) and Liver Inflammation Fibrosis score (LIF) in entire patient population; however, after BMI stratification (BMI ≤ 35 kg m-2 and BMI > 35 kg m-2), severely obese patients show an improvement in cT1 and LIF in Mastiha versus Placebo. Mastiha increases dissimilarity of gut microbiota, as shown by the Bray-Curtis index, downregulates Flavonifractor, a known inflammatory taxon and decreases Lysophosphatidylcholines-(LysoPC) 18:1, Lysophosphatidylethanolamines-(LysoPE) 18:1, and cholic acid compared to Placebo. Conclusion: Mastiha supplementation improves microbiota dysbiosis and lipid metabolite levels in patients with NAFLD, although it reduces parameters of liver inflammation/fibrosis only in severely obese patients. © 2021 Wiley-VCH Gmb

Chios Mastic Fractions in Experimental Colitis: Implication of the Nuclear Factor κb Pathway in Cultured HT29 Cells

The Pistacia lentiscus tree gives a resinous exudate called Chios mastic (CM) rich in triterpenoids. CM can be fractionated into acidic and neutral fractions (AF and NF, respectively). Oleanolic acid (OA) is a major triterpenic acid in CM with several antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We have recently shown that CM is beneficial in experimental colitis in the form of powder mixture with inulin, as supplied commercially. However, the bioactive fraction or compound of CM is unidentified. Thus, based on the hypothesis that terpenoids exhibit functional activities via distinguishable pathways, we fractionated CM and applied different fractions or individual OA in experimental colitis. Furthermore, we investigated the mechanism underlying this effect in human colon epithelial cells. CM powder mixture (100mg/kg of body weight) or the respective CM powder mixture components (i.e., inulin, AF, NF, or OA) were individually administered in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-treated rats. Colonic damage was assessed microscopically, and levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1were measured. A model of inflammation in co-cultured human colon epithelial HT29 cells and monocytes/macrophages was established. Lactate dehydrogenase release and levels of TNF-α, IL-8, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 were measured. In vivo, histological amelioration of colitis and significant regulation in inflammation occurred with CM powder mixture, even at the mRNA level. Although no histological improvement was observed, AF and NF reduced levels of inflammatory markers. Inulin was ineffective. In vitro, CM treatment down-regulated IL-8 and NF-κB p65. Neither fractions nor OA was the bioactive component solely. Most probably, the entire CM rather than its individual fractions reduces inflammation via NF-κB regulation. © Copyright 2012, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc

Serum lipid profile and inflammatory markers in the aorta of cholesterol-fed rats supplemented with extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oils and oil-products

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) major and minor component anti-inflammatory effect on aorta was evaluated; Wistar rats were fed (9 weeks) on either a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) or a HCD supplemented with oils, i.e. EVOO, sunflower oil (SO), high-oleic sunflower oil (HOSO), or oilproducts modified to their phenolic content, i.e. phenolics deprived-EVOO [EVOO(-)], SO enriched with the EVOO phenolics [SO(+)], HOSO enriched with the EVOO phenolics [HOSO(+)]. HCD induced dyslipidemia and resulted in higher aorta adhesion molecules levels at euthanasia. Groups receiving EVOO, EVOO(-), HOSO, HOSO(+) presented higher serum TC and LDL-c levels compared to cholesterol-fed rats; attenuation of aorta E-selectin levels was also observed. In EVOO/EVOO(-) groups, aorta vascular endothelial adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) was lower compared to HCD animals. SO/SO(+) diets had no effect on endothelial dysfunction amelioration. Overall, our results suggest that major and/or minor EVOO constituents improve aorta E-selectin and VCAM-1, while serum lipids do not benefit. Copyright © 2015 Taylor & Francis