Multiplicity of effects and health benefits of resveratrol

Resveratrol is mainly found in grapes and red wine, also in some plants and fruits, such as peanuts, cranberries, pistachios, blueberries and bilberries. Moreover, nowadays this compound is available as purified preparation and dietary supplement. Resveratrol provides a wide range of benefits, including cardiovascular protective, antiplatelet, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, blood glucose-lowering and anticancer activities, hence it exhibits a complex mode of action. During the recent years, these properties have been widely studied in animal and human models, both in vitro and in vivo. This paper is intended to present information published during the recent years on the biological activities and multiple effects of resveratrol

Platelet Activity and Its Correlation with Inflammation and Cell Count Readings in Chronic Heart Failure Patients with Reduced Ejection Fraction

Background and objectives: There has been an increasing interest in the role of inflammation in thrombosis complications in chronic heart failure (HF) patients. The incidence of thrombosis in HF has been shown to be the highest in patients classified as NYHA IV (New York Heart association). It is stated that inflammation is regulated by platelet-induced activation of blood leukocytes. We aimed to compare the platelet and cell count readings in chronic HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients according to NYHA functional class and to evaluate the correlation between those readings. Materials and methods: A total of 185 patients were examined. The results of heart echoscopy (TEE) testing; fibrinogen, N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), C reactive protein (CRP), and cortisol concentrations; complete blood counts; and a 6 min walking test were assessed and platelet aggregation was determined. Results: Mean platelet volume (MPV) increased with deterioration of a patient’s state (p p p p p = 0.0001), lymphocyte count (r = −0.186, p = 0.026), monocyte count (p = 0.172, p = 0.041), and percentage (r = 0.212, p = 0.011). CRP concentration correlated with NT-proBNP (r = 0.203, p = 0.005). MPV correlated with fibrinogen concentration (r = 0.244, p = 0.004). Conclusions: (1) MPV could be considered as an additional reading reflecting a patient’s condition, however the use of MPV to identify patients at risk of hypercoagulable state should be evaluated in more extensive studies; (2) increased neutrophil and monocyte counts could indicate a higher inflammatory state in chronic HFrEF

Selenium anticancer properties and impact on cellular redox status

In this review, we provide information published in recent years on the chemical forms, main biological functions and especially on antioxidant and prooxidant activities of selenium. The main focus is put on the impact of selenoproteins on maintaining cellular redox balance and anticancerogenic function. Moreover, we summarize data on chemotherapeutic application of redox active selenium compounds. (2) Methods: In the first section, main aspects of metabolism and redox activity of selenium compounds is reviewed. The second outlines multiple biological functions, asserted when selenium is incorporated into the structure of selenoproteins. The final section focuses on anticancer activity of selenium and chemotherapeutic application of redox active selenium compounds as well. (3) Results: optimal dietary level of Se ensures its proper antioxidant and anticancer activity. We pay special attention to antioxidant activities of selenium compounds, especially selenoproteins, and their importance in antioxidant defence. It is worth noting, that data on selenium anticancer properties is still contraversive. Moreover, selenium compounds as chemotherapeutic agents usually are used at supranutritional doses. (4) Conclusions: Selenium play a vital role for many organism systems due to its incorporation into selenoproteins structure. Selenium possesses antioxidant activity at optimal doses, while at supranutritional doses, it displays prooxidant activity. Redox active Se compounds can be used for cancer treatment; recently special attention is put to Se containing nanoparticles

Volatile compounds composition of Elsholtzia ciliata fresh, frozen and dried herbal materials

[no. VNS17/054]Elsholtzia ciliata (Thunb.) Hyl. belonging to Lamiaceae family commonly known as crested late-summer mint is very interesting herb for its chemical composition and pharmacological activities. The aim of this study was obtaining a chemical composition of the volatile compounds from fresh, frozen and dried E. ciliata herbal materials. The samples were prepared by the dynamic headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method (GC-MS). This is the first study of volatile compounds determined from fresh, frozen and dried herbal samples of E. ciliata. The plant growing in Lithuania does not exhibit a lot of volatile compounds. Sixteen different compounds have been obtained from all SPME samples. Dehydroelsholtzia ketone, elsholtzia ketone, beta-bourbonene, caryophyllene, alphacaryophyllene, germacrene D and alpha-farnesene were identified and found to be predominant compounds in fresh, frozen and dried herbal samples. The major amounts of ketones were found in dried herbal samples and made up 21.94% (dehydroelsholtzia ketone) and 71.34% (elsholtzia ketone) of headspace SPME composition. Sesquiterpenes were the second major group of identified compounds and obtained from dried (3.3%), frozen (1.73%) and fresh (1.95%) E. ciliata samples. Predominant sesquiterpenes were αcaryophyllene and β-bourbonene in fresh (1.04% and 0.53%), frozen (0.84% and 0.49%) and dried (1.6% and 0.97%) herbal materialsBiochemijos katedraBotanikos sodasInstrumentinės analizės APCLietuvos sveikatos mokslų universitetas. Medicinos akademijaVytauto Didžiojo universiteta