Grape seed powder improves renal failure of chronic kidney disease patients

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a syndrome characterized by progressive and irreversible deterioration of renal function linked to slow destruction of renal parenchyma, eventually terminating in death when sufficient number of nephrons are damaged. Oxidative stress is commonly observed in CKD patients resulting from an imbalance between overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and impairment of defence mechanisms. Grape seed extract (GSE) is a polyphenolic mixture exhibiting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We conducted an interventional pilot study of supplementation with GSE capsules (GSE group, n = 23) or placebo (control group, n = 10) on CKD patients. Blood and urine samples were collected at baseline and after a six-month-long supplementation period to determine some renal function biomarkers, as well as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and haematological parameters. GSE improved glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and proteinuria, increased the anti-oxidant status as assessed by high plasma catalase and superoxide dismutase and also lowered lipoperoxidation and carbonylation. GSE ameliorated inflammation by decreasing CRP, triglyceridemia and counteracted anemia and thrombocytopenia. Supplementation with 2 g GSE/day for six months improved some kidney function parameters of CKD patients and this beneficial effect of GSE seems to be mediated at least partly by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

Gut Pathogens

Obesity is a worldwide health problem and a significant risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Gut microbiota (GM) plays an essential role in obesity, and prebiotics such as polyphenols could be one way to improve microbial dysbiosis-induced obesity

Acute effects of a partially purified fraction from garlic on plasma glucose and cholesterol levels in rats: Putative involvement of nitric oxide

386-390Garlic has been extensively used as a medicinal plant. Most of its numerous beneficial effects such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antitumoral involve sulfur-derived amino acids. In the present work, we reevaluated the acute effects of aqueous extract of garlic on plasma glucose and cholesterol levels in normal rats. Control (vehicle H2O) or garlic extract-treated group at 100-120 mg protein/kg body wt were intraperitoneally injected (IP) and glucose, cholesterol, insulin and nitric oxide metabolites levels were determined after a short-term duration of 6 h. We confirmed that garlic contained an active fraction, exerting both glucose and cholesterol-lowering activity. The glucose-lowering effect was triggered by an increase in insulinemia. Preliminary study indicated that the active agent was different from S-allyl-cysteine-sulfoxide, the active principle implicated in hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects of garlic or arginine. The mechanism of action seemed to involve nitric oxide (NO), which increased time and dose-dependently. The garlic effects were abolished by diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI = 1 mg/kg body wt), a specific inhibitor of NO production, suggesting the involvement of constitutive nitric oxide synthase

Protective effect of grape seed and skin extract against high-fat diet-induced dyshomeostasis of energetic metabolism in rat lung

Abstract Background Obesity is currently one of the major epidemics of this millennium and affects poeples throughout the world. It causes multiple systemic complications as it significantly interferes with respiratory function. Objective We aimed in the present work to study the effect of high fat diet (HFD) on lung oxidative stress and energy metabolism alterations, as well as the putative protection afforded by grape seed and skin extract (GSSE). Methods We started by characterizing the GSSE and its composition using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We used a rat model of high-fat-diet and we evaluated the effect of GSSE on oxidative stress and energetic disturbances induced by HFD. We analyzed the effect of HFD on lung oxidative status by assessing lipid oxidation level, non-protein thiols (NPSH) and superoxide anion level… We also evaluated the effect of HFD on creatine kinase (CK), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and mitochondrial complex IV. Results HFD induced body weight gain, increased lung weight and lipid content without affecting insulinemia and dropped adiponectemia. HFD also provoked on lung oxidative stress characterized by increased carbonylation (+ 95%; p = 0.0045), decreased of NPSH (− 32%; p = 0.0291) and inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activities such as glutathione peroxidase (− 25%; p = 0.0074). HFD also altered lung intracellular mediators as superoxide anion O2¯ (+ 59%; p = 0.0027) and increased lung xanthine oxidase activity (+ 27%; p = 0.0122). HFD induced copper depletion (− 24%; p = 0.0498) and lead (− 51%: p = 0.0490) from the lung. Correlatively HFD decreased the copper associated enzyme tyrosinase (− 29%; p = 0.0500) and decreased glutamine synthetase activity (− 31%; p = 0.0027). HFD altered also lung energy metabolism by increasing CK activity (+ 22%; p = 0.0108) and decreasing MDH and mitochondrial complex IV activities (− 28%; p = 0.0120, − 31%; p = 0.0086 respectively). Importantly all these alterations were efficiently corrected with GSSE treatment. Conclusion In conclusion, GSSE has the potential to alleviate the deleterious lipotoxic effect of HFD on lung and it could find potential application in the protection against HFD-induced lung complications

Protective effects of grape seed and skin extract against high-fat-diet-induced lipotoxicity in rat lung

Abstract Background Obesity is a public health problem characterized by increased fat accumulation in different tissues. Obesity is directly linked to breathing problems and medical complications with lung, including obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma….In the present work, we aimed to investigate the effect of high fat diet (HFD) on lung lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, fatty acid composition and proportions in lung and implication in asthma development. The likely protection provided by grape seed extract (GSSE) was also investigated. Methods In order to assess HFD effect on lung and GSSE protection we used a rat model. We analyzed the lipid plasma profile, lung peroxidation and antioxidant activities (SOD, CAT and POD). We also analyzed transition metals (Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+ and iron) and lung free fatty acids using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results HFD induced lipid profile imbalance increasing cholesterol and VLDL-C. HFD also induced an oxidative stress assessed by elevated MDA level and the drop of antioxidant activities such as SOD, CAT and POD. Moreover, HFD induced mineral disturbances by decreasing magnesium level and increasing Calcium and iron levels. HFD induced also disturbances in lung fatty acid composition by increasing oleic, stearic and arachidonic acids. Interestingly, GSSE alleviated all these deleterious effects of HFD treatment. Conclusion As a whole, GSSE had a significant preventive effect against HFD-induced obesity, and hence may be used as an anti-obesity agent, and a benefic agent with potential applications against damages in lung tissue

Protective effect of grape seed extract and orlistat co-treatment against stroke: Effect on oxidative stress and energy failure

Ischemic stroke is a major health concern and a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Oxidative stress is an early event in the course of stroke inducing neuro-inflammation and cell death. Grape seed extract (GSE) is a natural phytochemical mixture exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Orlistat (ORL) is an anti-obesity agent and a gastro-intestinal lipase inhibitor which showed recently beneficial effects on brain lipotoxicity. Recent studies reported the increase of lipase activity upon stroke which led us to investigate the neuroprotective effect of ORL on rat brain I/R injury as well as the putative synergism with GSE. I/R insult infarcted the brain parenchyma as assessed by TTC staining, induced an oxidative stress as revealed by increased lipoperoxidation along with alteration of antioxidant enzymes activities which was corrected using the cotreatment of ORL + GSE. I/R also disturbed the main metabolic pathways involved in brain fueling as glycolysis, neoglucogenesis, glycogenolysis, TCA cycle and electron transfer chain (ETC) complexes. These disturbances were also corrected with the cotreatment ORL + GSE which maintained energetic activities near to the control level. I/R also disrupted transition metals distribution, along with associated enzymes as tyrosinase, LDH or glutamine synthetase activities and induced hippocampal inflammation as revealed by glycogen depletion from dentate gyrus area along with depressed anti-inflammatory IL1β cytokine and increased pro-inflammatory CD68 antigen. Interestingly almost all I/R-induced disturbances were corrected either partially upon ORL and GSE on their own and the best neuroprotection was obtained in the presence of both drugs (ORL + GSE) enabling robust neuroprotection of the sub granular zone within hippocampal dentate gyrus area

Anti-inflammatory effect of grape seed and skin extract (GSSE) in the pancreas and Min-6 cell line

International audienc

Grape seed and skin extract reduces pancreas lipotoxicity, oxidative stress and inflammation in high fat diet fed rats.

IF 2.326International audienceObesity is related to an elevated risk of diabetes and the mechanisms whereby fat adversely affects the pancreas are poorly understood. We studied the effect of a high fat diet (HFD) on pancreas steatosis, oxidative stress and inflammation as well as the putative protection afforded by grape seed and skin extract (GSSE). HFD induced body weight gain, without affecting insulinemia, nor glycemia and dropped adiponectemia. HFD also provoked the ectopic deposition of cholesterol and triglyceride, and an oxidative stress characterized by increased lipoperoxidation and carbonylation, inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activities such as CAT, GPx and SOD, depletion of zinc and a concomitant increase in calcium and H2O2. HFD induced pro-inflammatory chemokines mRNA as RANTES and MCP1 as well as cytokines expression as TNFα, IL6 and IL1β. Importantly GSSE counteracted all the deleterious effects of HFD on pancreas in vivo i-e lipotoxicity, oxidative stress and inflammation. In conclusion, GSSE could find potential applications in fat-induced pancreas lipotoxicity and dysfunction

Antioxidant, antibacterial, and antileishmanial potential of Micromeria nervosa extracts and molecular mechanism of action of the bioactive compound

Aims: This study aimed to determine the antibacterial and antileishmanial potential of Micromeria nervosa extracts. The identification of the antileishmanial compound and the study of its molecular mechanism of action have also been undertaken. Methods and results: Ethanol extract showed high polyphenol content and diethyl ether extract exhibited high DPPH scavenging and low beta-carotene bleaching activity (IC50 = 13.04 ± 0.99 and 200.18 ± 3.32 μg mL−1 , respectively). However, diethyl ether extract displayed high antibacterial activity against Gram-positive strains including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 31.25 μg mL−1 ), Staph. aureus ATCC6538 (MIC = 62.5 μg mL−1 ), and Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115 (MIC = 125 μg mL−1 ), as well as high antileishmanial activity against the promastigote forms of L. infantum and L. major (IC50 = 11.45 and 14.53 μg mL−1 , respectively). The active compound was purified using bioassay-guided fractionation and thin layer chromatography, and identified as ursolic acid using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array and mass spectrometry. The purified compound was strongly inhibitory against the promastigote and amastigote forms of L. infantum and L. major (IC50 = 5.87 and 6.95 μg mL−1 versus 9.56 and 10. 68 μg mL−1 , respectively) without overt cytotoxicity against Raw 264.7 macrophage cells (SI = 13.53 and 11.43, respectively). The commercial compound (ursolic acid) showed similar activity against amastigotes and promastigotes forms of L. infantum and L. major. Moreover, its molecular mode of action against leishmaniasis seems to involve the expression of the ODC and SPS genes involved in thiol pathway. Conclusion: Extracts of M. nervosa can be considered as a potential alternative to antimicrobial and antileishmanial drugs