Cardiopoietic cell therapy for advanced ischemic heart failure: results at 39 weeks of the prospective, randomized, double blind, sham-controlled CHART-1 clinical trial

Cardiopoietic cells, produced through cardiogenic conditioning of patients' mesenchymal stem cells, have shown preliminary efficacy. The Congestive Heart Failure Cardiopoietic Regenerative Therapy (CHART-1) trial aimed to validate cardiopoiesis-based biotherapy in a larger heart failure cohort

Antioxidant activity of galantamine and some of its derivatives.

Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of different human diseases: Alzheimer, Parkinson, Huntington, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), Down's syndrome, atherosclerosis, vascular disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2, age - related macular degeneration, psoriatic arthritis. The aim of current study is to summarize the scientific evidences for the antioxidant and neuroprotective activity of Galantamine and some of its derivatives. Galantamine is a scavenger of reactive oxygen species and causes neuroprotective effect by lowering the oxidative neuronal damage, through the following pathways: 1) prevention of the activation of P2X7 receptors; 2) protection of mitochondrial membrane potential; 3) pre - vention of the membrane fluidity disturbances. Another mechanism is the decreasing of the overproduction of reactive oxygen species, a result from the increasing of acetylcholine level due to: 1) acethylcholinesterase inhibition; 2) allosteric potentiation of α7 - subtype of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. A close relationship between acethylcholinesterase inhibition and reduced oxidative injury is observed. Through allosteric potentiation of the α7 - subtype of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, the drug leads to induction of phosphorylation of serine - threonine protein kinase, stimulates phosphoinositide 3 - kinase and elevates the expression of protective protein Bcl - 2. By activation of these important neuroprotective cascades, Galantamine exerts neuroprotection against a variety of cytotoxic agents (β- amyloid peptide, glutamate, hydrogen peroxide, oxygen and glucose deprivation). The new trend in therapy of Alzheimer's disease will be the investigation and application of compounds such as Galantamine derivatives, which possess acethylcholinesterase and γ- secretase inhibitory activity and antioxidant properties

Bioinformatic insight into Portulaca oleracea L. (Purslane) of Bulgarian and Greek origin

Portulaca oleracea L. (Portulacaceae) is used as functional food and its nutritional and therapeutic properties are related to the high levels of organic and fatty acids, polyphenols, polysaccharides and cyclo-dopa amides. This study presents a strategy based on liquid chromatography – high resolution accurate mass spectrometry method (LC – HRAMS) and bioinformatic methods to analyze 33 purslane accessions originating from 11 floristic regions in Bulgaria together with 5 accessions of Greek provenance. Extracts were obtained by microwave extraction. Based on the LC-MS metabolic “fingerprints” of assayed samples, a purslane metabolic database was developed. LC-MS data were proceeded with Software application Compound Discover 2.0 (Thermo Fischer Sci., USA). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) combined with both descriptive and differential analyses were used to find marker metabolites to distinguish different geographical regions. The differential analysis of the Bulgarian and Greek samples allowed the identification of 50 marker metabolites. Based on accurate masses, retention times, fragmentation patterns in MS/MS, comparison with commercial standards and literature data, these secondary metabolites were identified after detailed analysis of Volcano-plots. For the first time, 29 compounds are reported. The identified compounds were used to perform a study of the biosynthetic pathways of purslane secondary metabolites using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) software platform. The statistical treatments identified marker compounds that can be used to distinguish the origin of accession set. Combining LC-MS data with multivariate statistical analysis was shown to be effective in studying the purslane metabolites, allowing for integration of chemistry with geographic origin

Effective attenuation of atrazine-induced histopathological changes in testicular tissue by antioxidant N-phenyl-4-aryl-polyhydroquinolines.

Abstract Some of the environmental toxicants acting as endocrine disruptors have been associated with health hazards in human and wildlife by modulating hormonal actions. Atrazine, a strong endocrine disruptor, induces detrimental effects on gonads in male and female, and causes impairment of fertility and developmental problems as well as sex alterations. Atrazine decreases the activities of antioxidant enzymes and thus responsible for oxidative stress. Natural antioxidants have shown ability to reduce/slow down the apoptotic effect of atrazine on testicular tissue. In the present study, some N-phenyl-4-aryl-polyhydroquinolines bearing phenolic or/and alkoxy group(s) (6a-6g) were synthesized and evaluated for antioxidant activity in four different assays. Three best compounds (6e-6g) were studied for their ameliorative effect on testicular tissue supplemented with atrazine in vitro

Exploring the chemical profiles and biological values of two spondias species (S. Dulcis and S. Mombin): Valuable sources of bioactive natural products

Spondias species have been used in traditional medicine for different human ailments. In this study, the effect of different solvents (ethyl acetate, methanol, and water) and extraction methods (infusion, maceration, and Soxhlet extraction) on the enzyme inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and antioxidant properties of S. mombin and S. dulcis leaves and stem bark were evaluated. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) yield in the identification and/or annotation of 98 compounds showing that the main secondary metabolites of the plant are gallic and ellagic acids and their derivatives, ellagitannins, hydroxybenzoic, hydroxycinnamic, acylquinic acids and flavonols, flavanones, and flavanonols. The leaves infusion of both Spondias species showed highest inhibition against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (10.10 and 10.45 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g, for S. dulcis and S. mombin, respectively). The ethyl acetate extracts of the stem bark of S. mombin and S. dulcis actively inhibited α-glucosidase. Methanolic extracts of the leaves and stem bark exhibited highest tyrosinase inhibitory action. Antioxidant activity and higher levels of phenolics were observed for the methanolic extracts of Spondias. The results suggested that the Spondias species could be considered as natural phyto-therapeutic agents in medicinal and cosmeceutical applications

Uhplc-ms characterization and biological insights of different solvent extracts of two achillea species (A. aleppica and a. santolinoides) from Turkey

In the current study, Achillea santolinoides and Achillea aleppica aeral parts and root were extracted with ethyl acetate, methanol, and water. Detailed phytochemical profiles were obtained using UHPLC-MS, yielding the identification of hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, phenolic acid glycosides and sugar esters, acylquinic acids, O-glycosyl flavones and flavonols, and flavonoid aglycons, among others. The antioxidant properties and enzyme inhibitory activities of the extracts were assayed with in vitro tests. The phenolic content of the water extracts was significantly higher as compared to the ethyl acetate and methanol ones. A. aleppica aerial parts methanol extract possessed highest flavonoid content (49.18 mg rutin equivalent/g). Antioxidant properties assess-ment revealed that the methanol extract of A. santolinoides roots actively scavenged DPPH (54.11 mg TE/g) and ABTS radicals (112.53 mg TE/g) and possessed highest reducing potential (183.55 and 129.92 mg TE/g, for CUPRAC and FRAP, respectively). The ethyl acetate extracts of aerial parts and roots of both species showed highest inhibition against BuCHE (6.07\u20136.76 mg GALAE/g). The ethyl acetate extract of A. santolinoides aerial part showed highest inhibition against tyrosinase (73.00 mg KAE/g). These results showed that the tested Achillea species might represent novel phytotherapeu-tic avenues for the management of Alzheimer\u2019s disease and epidermal hyperpigmentation condi-tions, which are both associated with oxidative stress. This paper could shed light into future potential industrial applications using the tested Achillea species

Which Extraction Solvents and Methods Are More Effective in Terms of Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Alcea fasciculiflora from Turkey?

The bioactive content, antioxidant properties, and enzyme inhibition properties of extracts of Alcea fasciculiflora from Turkey prepared with different solvents (water, methanol, ethyl acetate) and extraction methods (maceration, soxhlet, homogenizer assisted extraction, and ultrasound assisted extraction) were examined in this study. UHPLC-HRMS analysis detected or annotated a total of 50 compounds in A. fasciculiflora extracts, including 18 hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, 7 Hexaric acids, 7 Coumarins, 15 Flavonoids, and 3 hydroxycinnamic acid amides. The extracts had phenolic and flavonoid levels ranging from 14.25 to 24.87 mg GAE/g and 1.68 to 25.26 mg RE/g, respectively, in the analysis. Both DPPH and ABTS tests revealed radical scavenging capabilities (between 2.63 and 35.33 mg TE/g and between 13.46 and 76.27 mg TE/g, respectively). The extracts had reducing properties (CUPRAC: 40.38–78 TE/g and FRAP: 17.51–42.58 TE/g). The extracts showed metal chelating activity (18.28–46.71 mg EDTAE/g) as well as total antioxidant capacity (phosphomolybdenum test) (0.90–2.12 mmol TE/g). DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and metal chelating tests indicated the water extracts to be the best antioxidants, while the ethyl acetate extracts had the highest overall antioxidant capacity regardless of the extraction technique. Furthermore, anti-acetylcholinesterase activity was identified in all extracts (0.17–2.80 mg GALAE/g). The water extracts and the ultrasound-assisted ethyl acetate extract were inert against butyrylcholinesterase, but the other extracts showed anti-butyrylcholinesterase activity (1.17–5.80 mg GALAE/g). Tyrosine inhibitory action was identified in all extracts (1.79–58.93 mg KAE/g), with the most effective methanolic extracts. Only the ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts produced by maceration and homogenizer aided extraction showed glucosidase inhibition (0.11–1.11 mmol ACAE/g). These findings showed the overall bioactivity of the different extracts of A. fasciculiflora and provided an overview of the combination of solvent type and extraction method that could yield bioactive profile and pharmacological properties of interest and hence, could be a useful reference for future studies on this species