Yerba mate aqueous extract improves the oxidative and inflammatory states of rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis

Healthy and adjuvant-induced arthritic rats were treated for 23 days with daily doses of 400 and 800 mg kg−1 Ilex paraguariensis extract. This treatment (a) diminished the ROS levels in the liver and brain, (b) decreased oxidative protein and lipid damage in liver and brain, (c) increased the plasma antioxidant capacity, (d) increased the GSH levels and the GSH/GSSH ratio in both the liver and the brain, (e) almost restored the enzymatic activities linked to the metabolism of GSH–GSSG, and (f ) reversed the modified activities of xanthine oxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. The anti-inflammatory actions (firstly) and the antioxidant actions (in the second place) of the yerba mate constituents (e.g., chlorogenic acid derivatives) are the causes of these beneficial effects. Daily ingestion of traditional yerba mate beverages may be effective in attenuating the symptoms of inflammatory diseases, especially in older adults.This work was financially supported by grants from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq-307944/2015-8), Coordenação do Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal do Ensino Superior (CAPES) and Fundação Araucária. The authors are also indebted to Jailson Araújo Dantas for his technical assistance and to Dr Ciomar A. B. Amado for facilitating access to equipment of the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Department of the State University of Maringá. The authors are also grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013) and L. Barros contract.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of in vitro digestion and in vitro colonic fermentation on stability and functional properties of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil.) beverages

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a plant that grows naturally in South America. From its leaves and thin stems different kinds of beverages are prepared (chimarrão, tererê and tea mate), all of them rich in bioactive substances. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation on the stability of the polyphenols and on the antioxidant, antimicrobial and antitumoral activities of the yerba mate beverages. The phenolic chromatographic profile revealed that both the in vitro digestion and the colonic fermentation caused a pronounced decrease in 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid in the preparations. However, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid and salvianolic acid I were only barely affected in all preparations. Despite the decrease in the phytochemicals content, yerba mate beverages maintain their functional properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial and antitumoral activities.The authors thank the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Proc. 3079/2015-8) and Fundação Araucária (Proc.24/2012) for funding this study. Authors V.G. Correa and G.A. Gonçalves thanks Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento do Pessoal do Ensino Superior (CAPES) for the financial support provided for their post-graduate studies in Universidade Estadual de Maringá. A. Bracht, and R.M. Peralta research grant recipients of CNPq. The authors are also thankful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Program PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013), L. Barros (SFRH/BPD/107855/2015) and M.I. Dias (SFRH/BD/84485/2012) grant. To POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006984 (LA LSRE-LCM), funded by ERDF, through POCI-COMPETE2020 and FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Functionality of cow milk naturally enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols in diets for diabetic rats.

The increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus is becoming a serious threat to human health in various parts of the world. Studies with dairy products have shown a potential beneficial effect against diabetes. This experiment evaluated the supplementation of milk naturally enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and polyphenols in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Forty male 28-day-old Wistar rats were distributed in four experimental treatments of diabetic animals (streptozotocin induction) and a normal group (non-induced). Experimental treatments were: control (water), whole common milk (COM-M), milk enriched with PUFA (PUFA-M), milk enriched with PUFA and polyphenols (PUFA/P-M) through a special diet offered to dairy cows. Milk supplementation at a dose 5 mL/kg body weight was performed for 77 days, 42 days before and 35 days after diabetes induction. The COM-M supplementation increased brown fat deposits, reduced post-induction glucose levels, reduced blood fructosamine levels, and improved glucose tolerance. Milk enriched with PUFA reduced final fasting glucose, LDL levels, and improved blood antioxidant capacity. Milk enriched with PUFA and polyphenols promoted an increase in gastrocnemius muscle mass, and a reduction in mesenteric fat and LDL levels. Milk intake, with an emphasis on milk enriched with PUFA and polyphenols, attenuated the metabolic disorders of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Actions of Methyl Jasmonate Are Associated with Metabolic Modifications in the Liver of Arthritic Rats

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is a fatty acid-derived cyclopentanone which shares structural similarities with prostaglandins and has been under study as a promising anti-inflammatory agent. This study investigated the actions of MeJA on systemic inflammation and oxidative status in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis, a model for rheumatoid arthritis. MeJA (75 to 300 mg·kg−1) was administrated orally during 18 days after arthritis induction with Freund’s adjuvant. Articular and systemic inflammation was greatly increased in arthritic rats, likewise the oxidative stress in plasma and liver. The hepatic glucokinase activity and glycolysis were increased in arthritic rats. MeJA decreased most inflammatory parameters and abolished the increased protein carbonylation in plasma and liver, diminished the increased hepatic ROS content, and restored the hepatic GSH/GSSG ratio in arthritic rats. However, the MeJA treatment decreased the hepatic glucokinase activity and glycolysis and stimulated mitochondrial ROS production in healthy and arthritic rats. Oxygen uptake was increased by MeJA only in livers from treated arthritic rats. This action may bear relation to the increased activity of mitochondrial NADP+-dependent enzymes to provide reducing equivalents for the glutathione cycle. These beneficial effects, however, are associated with a decreased glucose flux through the glycolysis in the liver of arthritic and healthy rats

Effects of an Agaricus blazei Aqueous Extract Pretreatment on Paracetamol-Induced Brain and Liver Injury in Rats

The action of an Agaricus blazei aqueous extract pretreatment on paracetamol injury in rats was examined not only in terms of the classical indicators (e.g., levels of hepatic enzymes in the plasma) but also in terms of functional and metabolic parameters (e.g., gluconeogenesis). Considering solely the classical indicators for tissue damage, the results can be regarded as an indication that the A. blazei extract is able to provide a reasonable degree of protection against the paracetamol injury in both the hepatic and brain tissues. The A. blazei pretreatment largely prevented the increased levels of hepatic enzymes in the plasma (ASP, ALT, LDH, and ALP) and practically normalized the TBARS levels in both liver and brain tissues. With respect to the functional and metabolic parameters of the liver, however, the extract provided little or no protection. This includes morphological signs of inflammation and the especially important functional parameter gluconeogenesis, which was impaired by paracetamol. Considering these results and the long list of extracts and substances that are said to have hepatoprotective effects, it would be useful to incorporate evaluations of functional parameters into the experimental protocols of studies aiming to attribute or refute effective hepatoprotective actions to natural products

Characterization and bioactivity of copaiba essential oil carried in a self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system

Copaiba essential oil (CEO) is the volatile part of copaiba balsam, which has been topically used for various inflammatory conditions. However, there are some concerns about the CEO safety for oral use. The lipophilic character of CEO also limits its application in the pharmaceutical field. This study prepared a selfnanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) containing CEO and evaluated its toxic effects against a primary culture from pig liver (PLP2) and Green monkey kidney cell line (Vero). The inhibition of oxide nitric production was also evaluated on RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line to access the anti-inflammatory effect. The CEO was extracted by hydrodistillation and β-caryophyllene accounted for 51.8% of the oil. The formulation (FSNEDDS) consisting of CEO, Cremophor and ethyl linoleate was characterized in relation to morphology, stability, rheology, simulated digestion and bioaccessibility in vitro. FSNEDDS displayed Newtonian flow behavior with viscosity depending only on temperature and, in an aqueous medium, it formed small spherical particles (<100 nm size diameter). The FSNEDDS showed higher oxidative stability than the non-formulated CEO. In the simulated digestion, FSNEDDS formed nanoemulsifying droplets in gastric phase and tiny micelles in intestinal phase, and a bioaccessibility of 63%. The FSNEDDS showed a superior anti-inflammatory activity (+11%) than non-formulated CEO and this beneficial concentration was achieved with a non-toxic concentration for none of the cell lines tested. In conclusion, FSNEDDS improves the physicochemical stability, bioaccessibility and bioactivity of CEO, and it could be a phytotherapic option for per oral administration to treat inflammatory diseases.The authors wish to thank the financial support of the Coordenaç˜ao de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and of the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020 and UIDP/00690/ 2020) and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2020). The authors also thank the National funding by FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, through the institutional scientific employment program-contract with L. Barros and F. Mandim PhD grant (SFRH/BD/146614/2019).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Plasma biochemical profile of control diabetic rats (control) and diabetic rats fed diets supplemented with common milk enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA-M), or milk enriched with PUFA and polyphenols (PUFA/P-M).

<p>Plasma biochemical profile of control diabetic rats (control) and diabetic rats fed diets supplemented with common milk enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA-M), or milk enriched with PUFA and polyphenols (PUFA/P-M).</p