Dietary Black Raspberry Seed Oil Ameliorates Inflammatory Activities in db/db Mice.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the status of the markers related to inflammation in db/db mice fed black raspberry seed (BRS) oil, which is rich in α-linolenic acid. Mice were divided into four groups: (1) C57BL/6 mice fed 16 % calories from soybean oil (normal CON); (2) C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice fed 16 % calories from soybean oil (CON); (3) C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice fed 8 % calories from soybean and 8 % calories from BRS oil (BRS 50 %); and (4) C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice fed 16 % calories from BRS oil (BRS 100 %). After 10 weeks, n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratios were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the livers and epididymal adipose tissues of the BRS 50 % and BRS 100 % mice than in the CON. Serum TNFα and IL-6 were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the BRS 50 % and BRS 100 % than in the CON. Serum IL-10 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the BRS 100 % than the CON. In the liver and epididymal adipose tissue, mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory markers in the BRS 50 % and BRS 100 % were lower than in the CON. Anti-inflammatory markers were higher in the epididymal adipose tissues of the BRS 50 % and BRS 100 % than in the CON. In the epididymal adipose tissue, macrophage infiltration markers (F4/80 and CD68) and leptin mRNA were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the BRS 50 % and BRS 100 % than in the CON. Results of this study suggest that BRS oil may have anti-inflammatory effects in obese diabetic mice by ameliorating inflammatory responses.

Chemopreventive activity of ellagitannins and their derivatives from black raspberry seeds on HT-29 colon cancer cells.

Black raspberry (BRB) seeds are a major waste product after fruit processing. The seeds are abundant in ellagitannins (ET), a class of hydrolysable tannins, which are hydrolyzed to ellagic acid (EA) and further metabolized to urolithin A (UA) and urolithin B (UB), known to be bioavailable in the colon and the prostate. In this study, the anti-cancer activities of these compounds were evaluated on HT-29 colon cancer cells. ET, EA, UA and UB inhibited the proliferation of the cancer cells. EA caused a slight, but significant cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and urolithins caused cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and upregulated p21 expression. Apoptotic cells were detected by Annexin V-FITC/PI assay when treated with the compounds. Disruption in mitochondrial membrane potential and activation of caspases 8 and 9 suggest that both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways may be involved. Activation of caspase 3 and cleavage of PARP further confirmed the induction of the apoptosis. ET, EA, UA and UB showed anti-cancer activity by arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis on HT-29 human colon cancer cells. This study suggests that the BRB seeds could be a potential source of anti-cancer ET.

The effects of A. senticosus supplementation on serum lipid profiles, biomarkers of oxidative stress, and lymphocyte DNA damage in postmenopausal women.

This study examined the effects of Acanthopanax senticosus supplementation on serum lipid profiles, biomarkers of oxidative stress, and lymphocyte DNA damage in postmenopausal women. Forty postmenopausal women, ages 40-65, were randomly divided into two groups: (1) control group (calcium) and (2) treatment group (calcium plus A. senticosus). Both groups were treated for 6 months. Blood samples were obtained before and after supplementation at 6 months. The following blood parameters were measured: serum total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), serum malondialdehyde (MDA), ccdd protein-carbonyl (PC) levels, the degree of lymphocyte DNA damage by comet assay, total ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), uric acid, and total bilirubin in serum. The treatment group had significant decreases (p<0.001) in serum LDL (127.54+/-29.79mg/dL vs 110.33+/-22.26mg/dL) and the LDL/HDL ratio (2.40+/-0.65 vs 2.11+/-0.58) after A. senticosus supplementation. Serum MDA concentrations decreased by 2.2% in the control group and by 12.61% in the treatment group after 6 months of intervention; however, the reductions were not significant in either group. Protein-carbonyl levels and lymphocyte DNA damage decreased significantly (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively) after 6 months of A. senticosus supplementation. These results suggest that A. senticosus supplementation may have beneficial effects against oxidative stress and improve serum lipid profiles without subsequent side effects.