Blackberry juice anthocyanidins limit cisplatin-induced renal pathophysiology in mice.

Some studies have showed that intake of blackberry juice (BBJ) can prevent urinary tract infections. However, there is a lack of studies that evaluate the mechanisms by which BBJ has protective effect. Thus, the aim of current study was to evaluate the effects of BBJ supplementation on cisplatin-induced renal pathophysiology in mice. Mice were supplemented with BBJ (10 mL/kg) for seven days. One hour after the last supplementation with BBJ, mice received cisplatin (10 mg/kg, i.p.). Seventy-two hours after cisplatin administration, blood was collected and biochemical analysis were performed (urea and creatinine), kidney was dissected and utilized in histological and oxidative evaluations. Cisplatin caused severe injury in renal tissue, in markers of renal damage (urea and creatinine) generated increased of plasmatic levels. Besides that, the cisplatin induced decreased of enzymes activities in renal tissue (superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase and catalase). In contrast, BBJ supplementation protected against histopathological alterations through decreased in urea and creatinine levels and modulation of catalase enzyme activity. Thus, BBJ supplementation protected the renal system of mice from deleterious effects. We suggest that high concentrations of Cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and Cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside are responsible for antioxidant role of BBJ supplementation in renal pathophysiology induced by cisplatin exposure. Also, these results reinforcing the importance of including BBJ in the human diet aimed at preventing renal diseases.

Chrysin protects against behavioral, cognitive and neurochemical alterations in a 6-hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder that severely affects quality of life of patients and their families. The flavonoid chrysin (5,7-dihydroxylflavone) is a naturally occurring flavone with several pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative. We investigated the effects of a 28-day chrysin treatment (10 mg/kg/day, i.g.) on a model of PD induced by 6-OHDA in aged (20-month old) mice. We found a protective effect of chrysin on behavioral and cognitive alterations (rotational behavior, passive avoidance and Barnes maze tests), nitric oxide synthesis (NOx), lipid peroxidation (HNE), glutathione levels (GSH), reactive species levels (RS), neuroinflammation (interleukin-1 beta - IL-1ß and tumor necrosis factor alpha - TNF-α), Na+, K+-ATPase and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity (NADPH oxidase) activities. In addition, chrysin protected against changes in striatal dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) levels. In conclusion, chrysin improved several behavioral, cognitive and neurochemical parameters in a relevant preclinical model of PD in aged mice.

Chrysin promotes attenuation of depressive-like behavior and hippocampal dysfunction resulting from olfactory bulbectomy in mice.

Chrysin is a natural flavonoid which is found in bee propolis, honey and various plants, and antidepressant-like effect of chrysin in chronically stressed mice was previously demonstrated by our group. In this work, we investigated the action of chrysin treatment (5 or 20 mg/kg) for 14 days in the depressant-like behavior and in the hippocampal dysfunction induced by olfactory bulbectomy (OB), an animal model of agitated depression. Results demonstrated that OB occasioned a depressant-like behavior in the splash test, open field test and forced swimming test. Chrysin administration, similarly to fluoxetine (positive control), promoted the attenuation of these behavioral modifications. OB also caused the elevation of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, kynurenine (KYN) levels and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase activity, as well as occasioned the decrease of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and increase KYN/tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid/5-HT ratio in the hippocampus. Chrysin therapy prevented against all these alterations in the hippocampus. In addition, chrysin treatment (20 mg/kg) resulted in the up-regulation of BDNF levels in the control animals, reinforcing our hypothesis that up-regulation of BDNF synthesis play a key role in the antidepressant action of chrysin. In conclusion, this study showed that chrysin, similarly to fluoxetine, is capable of promoting the attenuation of depressant-like behavior and hippocampal dysfunction resulting from OB in mice. These results reinforced the potential of chrysin for the treatment or supplementary treatment of depression, as well as showed that chrysin is also effective with 14 days of therapy in a model of agitated depression.