Effect of Mixed Lipoic Acid, Vitamin D, Phosphatidylserine and Homotaurine to Obtain a New Formulation for Brain Ageing Prevention

By 2050, it is estimated that there will be two billion people aged 60 or over, of which 131 million are expected to be affected by dementia, while depression is expected to be the second-largest cause of disability worldwide in 2020. Preventing or delaying the onset of these disorders should therefore be a priority for public health systems. There is some evidence linking certain substances present in most common food supplements with a reduced risk of neuronal degeneration improving brain health. Recently, many compounds or extracts from natural products slowing aging and extending lifespan have been reported. The main goal of this study is to develop a new formulation that delay age-related diseases in human. For this reason, the effects of selected agents (such as lipoic acid, vitamin D3, phosphatidylserine and homotaurine) were assessed in order to find a new formulation able to slow down the physiological decay linked to brain ageing. Cell viability, radical oxygen species production, inflammatory marker along with some intracellular pathways have been evaluated. The results show that the new combination is highly effective to counteract the negative effects of oxidative stress and inflammation acting through some important brain markers involved in cell survival, enhancing viability of astrocyte

Effects of usnic acid to prevent infections by creating a protective barrier in an in vitro study

Nasal sprays are medical devices useful for preventing infection and the subsequent spread of airborne pathogens. The effectiveness of these devices depends on the activity of chosen compounds which can create a physical barrier against viral uptake as well as incorporate different substances with antiviral activity. Among antiviral compounds, UA, a dibenzofuran derived from lichens, has the mechanical ability to modify its structure by creating a branch capable of forming a protective barrier. The mechanical ability of UA to protect cells from virus infection was investigated by analyzing the branching capacity of UA, and then the protection mechanism in an in vitro model was also studied. As expected, UA at 37 °C was able to create a barrier confirming its ramification property. At the same time, UA was able to block the infection of Vero E6 and HNEpC cells by interfering with a biological interaction between cells and viruses as revealed also by the UA quantification. Therefore, UA can block virus activity through a mechanical barrier effect without altering the physiological nasal homeostasis. The findings of this research could be of great relevance in view of the growing alarm regarding the spread of airborne viral diseases

Ovotransferrin Supplementation Improves the Iron Absorption: An In Vitro Gastro-Intestinal Model

Transferrins constitute the most important iron regulation system in vertebrates and some invertebrates. Soluble transferrins, such as bovine lactoferrin and hen egg white ovotransferrin, are glycoproteins with a very similar structure with lobes that complex with iron. In this in vitro study, a comparison of bovine lactoferrin and ovotransferrin was undertaken to confirm the comparability of biological effects. An in vitro gastric barrier model using gastric epithelial cells GTL-16 and an in vitro intestinal barrier model using CaCo-2 cells was employed to evaluate iron absorption and barrier integrity. An analysis of the molecular pathways involving DMT-1 (divalent metal transporter 1), ferritin and ferroportin was also carried out. These in vitro data demonstrate the activity of both 15% saturated and 100% saturated ovotransferrin on the iron regulation system. Compared with the commercial bovine lactoferrin, both 15% saturated and 100% saturated ovotransferrin were found to act in a more physiological manner. Based on these data, it is possible to hypothesise that ovotransferrin may be an excellent candidate for iron supplementation in humans; in particular, 15% saturated ovotransferrin is the overall best performing product. In vivo studies should be performed to confirm this in vitro data

Brief Self-Compassion Intervention for Beginning Teachers

This study tests the impacts of a brief self-compassion intervention to support teachers in their transition to teaching. The intervention draws from wise intervention and contemplative induction techniques to shift teachers’ interpretations of professional stressors and, subsequently, bolster adaptive mindsets, beliefs, and orientations toward teaching. The study employed a pre-registered, double-blind, randomized controlled 6-month field experiment with first-year K-12 classroom teachers [N=119] from three graduate teacher education programs. Findings showed no main effects of the intervention. However, exploratory analyses revealed significant conditional effects of the intervention based on commitment to teaching. Implications for teacher education and induction programming are discussed

The Activity of Ten Natural Extracts Combined in a Unique Blend to Maintain Cholesterol Homeostasis—In Vitro Model

Background: Hypercholesterolemia is a major cause of cardiovascular disease and statins, the HMGCoA inhibitors, are the most prescribed drugs. Statins reduce the production of hepatic cholesterol, leading to greater expression of the LDL receptor and greater absorption of circulating LDL, reducing peripheral LDL levels. Unfortunately, statins are believed to induce myopathy and other severe diseases. To overcome this problem, safe nutraceuticals with the same activity as statins could hold great promise in the prevention and treatment of hypercholesterolemia. In this study, the anti-cholesterol efficacy of a new nutraceutical, called Esterol10®, was evaluated. Methods: HepG2 cells were used to study the biological mechanisms exerted by Esterol10® analyzing different processes involved in cholesterol metabolism, also comparing data with Atorvastatin. Results: Our results indicate that Esterol10® leads to a reduction in total hepatocyte cholesterol and an improvement in the biosynthesis of free cholesterol and bile acids. Furthermore, the anti-cholesterol activity of Esterol10® was also confirmed by the modulation of the LDL receptor and by the accumulation of lipids, as well as by the main intracellular pathways involved in the metabolism of cholesterol. Conclusions: Esterol10® is safe and effective with anti-cholesterol activity, potentially providing an alternative therapy to those based on statins for hypercholesterolemia disease

Neutralizing activity of usnic acid and β-cyclodextrins complex against SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudovirus

: The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 and its infection severity require an urgent development of antiviral agents. In this respect, Usnic acid (UA), a natural dibenzofuran derivative, exerts antiviral activity against several viruses, though presenting very low solubility and high cytotoxicity. Here, UA was complexed with β-cyclodextrins (β-CDs), a pharmaceutical excipient used to improve drug solubility. The cytotoxic activity, tested on Vero E6 cells, revealed no effect for β-CDs alone whereas significant cytotoxicity for the UA/β-CDs complex was recorded at concentrations ≥ 0.05%. The neutralizing activity towards the fusion of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Pseudovirus showed no effects for β-CDs alone whereas the UA/β-CDs complex, when pre-incubated with the viral particles, efficiently inhibited the Pseudoviral fusion of about 90 and 82% at non-cytotoxic concentrations of 0.03 and 0.01%, respectively. In conclusion, although further evidences are needed to clarify the exact inhibition mechanism, UA/β-CDs complex could be useful in SARS-CoV-2 infection

The Activity of Ten Natural Extracts Combined in a Unique Blend to Maintain Cholesterol Homeostasis—In Vitro Model

Background: Hypercholesterolemia is a major cause of cardiovascular disease and statins, the HMGCoA inhibitors, are the most prescribed drugs. Statins reduce the production of hepatic cholesterol, leading to greater expression of the LDL receptor and greater absorption of circulating LDL, reducing peripheral LDL levels. Unfortunately, statins are believed to induce myopathy and other severe diseases. To overcome this problem, safe nutraceuticals with the same activity as statins could hold great promise in the prevention and treatment of hypercholesterolemia. In this study, the anti-cholesterol efficacy of a new nutraceutical, called Esterol10®, was evaluated. Methods: HepG2 cells were used to study the biological mechanisms exerted by Esterol10® analyzing different processes involved in cholesterol metabolism, also comparing data with Atorvastatin. Results: Our results indicate that Esterol10® leads to a reduction in total hepatocyte cholesterol and an improvement in the biosynthesis of free cholesterol and bile acids. Furthermore, the anti-cholesterol activity of Esterol10® was also confirmed by the modulation of the LDL receptor and by the accumulation of lipids, as well as by the main intracellular pathways involved in the metabolism of cholesterol. Conclusions: Esterol10® is safe and effective with anti-cholesterol activity, potentially providing an alternative therapy to those based on statins for hypercholesterolemia disease

Ovotransferrin Supplementation Improves the Iron Absorption: An In Vitro Gastro‐Intestinal Model

Transferrins constitute the most important iron regulation system in vertebrates and some invertebrates. Soluble transferrins, such as bovine lactoferrin and hen egg white ovotransferrin, are glycoproteins with a very similar structure with lobes that complex with iron. In this in vitro study, a comparison of bovine lactoferrin and ovotransferrin was undertaken to confirm the comparability of biological effects. An in vitro gastric barrier model using gastric epithelial cells GTL-16 and an in vitro intestinal barrier model using CaCo-2 cells was employed to evaluate iron absorption and barrier integrity. An analysis of the molecular pathways involving DMT-1 (divalent metal transporter 1), ferritin and ferroportin was also carried out. These in vitro data demonstrate the activity of both 15% saturated and 100% saturated ovotransferrin on the iron regulation system. Compared with the commercial bovine lactoferrin, both 15% saturated and 100% saturated ovotransferrin were found to act in a more physiological manner. Based on these data, it is possible to hypothesise that ovotransferrin may be an excellent candidate for iron supplementation in humans; in particular, 15% saturated ovotransferrin is the overall best performing product. In vivo studies should be performed to confirm this in vitro data

Social Media Desire and Impulsiveness: Intensified by Self-Immersion, Reduced by Mindfulness

Two laboratory experiments with undergraduates examined how social media desire emerges, intensifies, and can be altered. At the start of the experiment, participants submitted a Facebook status update and were led to believe that this would be posted and that responses to it would be monitored and logged over the course of the experiment. Desire to check Facebook increased following a subsequent 15-minute waiting period where participants heard sounds notifying them of friends responding to their status update, but they were not allowed to check the notifications. Moreover, reward simulations—mental elaborations about the positive aspects of checking social media—during the waiting period strengthened this desire. Both experiments also contrasted a group of participants who engaged in either a brief mindfulness, self-immersion, or, in Study 1, unfocused attention exercise during the 15-minute waiting period. Following the exercise, participants then adopted this new perspective while viewing and rating a Facebook advertisement (Study 1), or while performing a self-control task that allowed them to switch between practicing math skills or watching entertaining videos (Study 2). Participants in the mindfulness condition reported significantly less Facebook desire compared with participants in control conditions. Moreover, mindfulness led participants to report less positive attitudes about the Facebook advertisement (Study 1) and spend more time spent practicing math, as opposed to watching entertaining videos (Study 2). Reductions in reward simulations mediated these effects. These findings advance theoretical understanding of how social media desire unfolds and suggest ways for helping young adults manage these desires