In vitro study of Myristica fragrans seed (Nutmeg) ethanolic extract and quercetin compound as anti-inflammatory agent

Background: Inflammation is one of an important biological response toward injury. Cytokine and mediator are produced by macrophage during the inflammatory process. Anti-inflammatory is important to treat the dangerous of chronic inflammation associated with chronic disease. Various plants and their derived compounds have been used in the treatment of inflammation including Myristica fragrans. The present study was designed to determine anti-inflammatory potential of M. fragrans seed  (Nutmeg) ethanolic extract and pure quercetin extract from M. fragrans on LPS stimulated-murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7).Methods: Cell viability assay to evaluate the non toxic concentration in cell line was performed by MTS assay. The anti-inflammatory potential was assayed through the inhibitory activity of M. fragrans seed extract and quercetin on NO, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β production. Results: The lowest cytotoxic activity and safe substance on RAW 264.7 cell were 50 and 10 µg/mL concentration of the M. fragrans seed ethanolic extract and quercetin compound. M. fragrans dose-dependently inhibited NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β production on LPS stimulated-RAW 264.7. The 50 µg/mL of M. fragrans seed ethanolic extract showed the highest TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and nitrite-associated with NO inhibitory activity.Conclusions: This research suggested that M. fragrans seed extract and quercetin compound possess the anti-inflammatory potential showed through the inhibition of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and NO secretion.

Potency of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) extract and curcumin as anti-obesity by inhibiting the cholesterol and triglycerides synthesis in HepG2 cells

Background: Adipocytes accumulate triacylglycerol when excessive food consumption. Adipocyte dysfunction plays an important role in the obesity development. People with a body weight 40 % heavier than the average body weight population at risk of death two times greater than the average body weight. The use of anti-obesity drugs have many side effects, so it is necessary to find the anti-obesity drug with low toxicity. This ex vivo study was conducted to determine the activity of C. longa L. extract in inhibiting triglycerides and cholesterol synthesis and lipid droplet formation on HepG2 cells compared to curcumin.Methods: Anti-obesity activity includes reduced formation of lipid droplet in HepG2 cells can be observed using oil red O staining method. The measurement of triglyceride level was performed according to Randox protocol using Randox TR 210 assay kit. Lipolytic activity by measuring cholesterol levels was performed based on Randox CH 200 kits.Results: This study suggested that the extract of C. longa L. and curcumin have potential anti-obesity compounds. C. longa L. extract have higher activity in inhibiting triglycerides and cholesterol synthesis compared to curcumin with inhibition activities 70.43% and 66.38% respectively in the highest concentration.Conclusion: The C. longa extract posses the anti-adipogenesis potential on inhibiting the synthesis of triglycerides and cholesterol and lipid droplet formation in HepG2 cell as anti-obesity parameters better than curcumin.

Surgical Treatment for Colorectal Cancer Partially Restores Gut Microbiome and Metabolome Traits

Accumulating evidence indicates that the gut microbiome and metabolites are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the influence of surgery for CRC treatment on the gut microbiome and metabolites and how it relates to CRC risk in postoperative CRC patients remain partially understood. Here, we collected 170 fecal samples from 85 CRC patients pre- and approximately 1 year post-surgery and performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing and capillary electrophoresis-time of flight mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analyses to characterize alterations between pre- and postsurgery. We determined that the relative abundance of 114 species was altered postsurgery (P IMPORTANCE The gut microbiome and metabolites are associated with CRC progression and carcinogenesis. Postoperative CRC patients are reported to be at an increased CRC risk; however, how gut microbiome and metabolites are related to CRC risk in postoperative patients remains only partially understood. In this study, we investigated the influence of surgical CRC treatment on the gut microbiome and metabolites. We found that the CRC-associated species Fusobacterium nucleatum was decreased postsurgery, whereas carcinogenesis-associated DCA and its producing species and genes were increased postsurgery. We developed methods to estimate postoperative CRC risk based on the gut microbiome and metabolomic compositions. We applied methods to compare the estimated CRC risk between two groups according to the presence of large adenoma or tumors after 5 years postsurgery. To our knowledge, this study is the first report on differences between pre- and postsurgery using metagenomics and metabolomics data analysis. Our methods might be used for CRC risk assessment in postoperative patients.</p

Free Radical Scavenging and Alpha/Beta-glucosidases Inhibitory Activities of Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) Peel Extract

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with oxidative reaction and hyperglycemic condition. Human body has an antioxidant defense system toward free radical, but overproduction of free radical causing imbalance condition between the free radical and the antioxidant defense in the body that lead to several diseases, including DM. Glucosidase is an enzyme that hydrolize carbohydrates causing increase of blood glucose level, so by inhibiting this enzyme blood glucose level in plasma could be effectively decreased. Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) peel has been reported to have many potential roles, such as antioxidant and anti-glycemia. Therefore our current study was conducted to evaluate possible effectivity of Rambutan peel to scavenge free radical and to inhibit α- and β-glucosidases. METHODS:Rambutan peel extraction (RPE) was performed based on maceration method. Geraniin was used as control. For antioxidant study, 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging test was performed. For glucosidase inhibitory activity study,  α- and β-glucosidases inhibitory activity tests were performed. Results were analyzed for median of Inhibitory Concentration (IC50).RESULTS: The scavenging activity of RPE was comparable with Geraniin. Meanwhile, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of RPE was higher than the one of Geraniin. The α-glucosidase-inhibitory-activity IC50 of RPE and Geraniin were 0.106±0.080 μg/ml and 16.12±0.29 μg/ml, respectively. The β-glucosidase inhibitory activity of RPE was also higher than the one of Geraniin. The β-glucosidase-inhibitory-activity IC50 of RPE and Geraniin were 7.02±0.99 μg/ml and 19.81±0.66 μg/ml, respectively.CONCLUSION: Since RPE showed comparable free radical scavenging activity with Geraniin and higher α- and β-glucosidases inhibitory activities than Geraniin, RPE could be suggested as a promising antioxidant and antiglycemic agent. KEYWORDS: Nephelium lappaceum L., rambutan, hypoglycemic, antioxidant, free radical, diabetes mellitus, glucosidase, DPP

Microbiome-based risk prediction in incident heart failure : a community challenge

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