Total polyphenolic content and antioxidant properties of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts

The study was carried out to evaluate the relative antioxidant properties and polyphenol contents of partially purified fractions of  Moringa oleifera leaves extracts. The total phenolic, total flavonoid, anthocyanin, proanthocyanidine and tannin contents of the crude methanolic extract, aqueous fraction and ethyl acetate fraction were determined using established methods, while the  antioxidant properties of the test fractions were evaluated using five in vitro radical scavenging assays: 2,2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, nitric oxide inhibitory assay, lipid peroxidation assay, reductive potential assay, and the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay. The highest radical scavenging effect and polyphenol contents were  observed in the ethyl acetate fractions than the other fractions: the order of activity for all the assays was ethyl acetate reaction > crude extract > aqueous extract. The results obtained in the present study indicates that M. oleifera could be a potential source of natural antioxidant and could be applied as a functional food as regard its relatively low tannin content.Keywords: 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl, Antioxidant, Polyphenols, Moring

The oxoglutarate receptor 1 (OXGR1) modulates pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice

The G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) family of proteins play essential roles in the heart, including in the regulation of cardiac hypertrophy. One member of this family, the oxoglutarate receptor 1 (OXGR1), may have a crucial role in the heart because it acts as a receptor for α-ketoglutarate, a metabolite that is elevated in heart failure patients. OXGR1 is expressed in the heart but its precise function during cardiac pathophysiological process is unknown. Here we used both in vivo and in vitro approaches to investigate the role of OXGR1 in cardiac hypertrophy. Genetic ablation of Oxgr1 in mice (OXGR1−/−) resulted in a significant increase in hypertrophy following transverse aortic constriction (TAC). This was accompanied by reduction in contractile function as indicated by cardiac fractional shortening and ejection fraction. Conversely, adenoviral mediated overexpression of OXGR1 in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes significantly reduced phenylephrine-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, a result that was consistent with the in vivo data. Using a combination of yeast two hybrid screening and phospho-antibody array analysis we identified novel interacting partner and downstream signalling pathway that might be regulated by the OXGR1. First, we found that OXGR1 forms a molecular complex with the COP9 signalosome complex subunit 5 (CSN5). Secondly, we observed that the STAT3 signalling pathway was upregulated in OXGR1−/− hearts. Since CSN5 interacts with TYK2, a major upstream regulator of STAT3, OXGR1 might regulate the pro-hypertrophic STAT3 pathway via interaction with the CSN5-TYK2 complex. In conclusion, our study has identified OXGR1 as a novel regulator of pathological hypertrophy via the regulation of the STAT3. Identification of molecules that can specifically activate or inhibit this receptor may be very useful in the development of novel therapeutic approach for pathological cardiac hypertrophy