Biosynthesis of Copper Nanoparticles with Medicinal Plants Extracts: From Extraction Methods to Applications.

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) can be synthesized by green methods using plant extracts. These methods are more environmentally friendly and offer improved properties of the synthesized NPs in terms of biocompatibility and functional capabilities. Traditional medicine has a rich history of utilization of herbs for millennia, offering a viable alternative or complementary option to conventional pharmacological medications. Plants of traditional herbal use or those with medicinal properties are candidates to be used to obtain NPs due to their high and complex content of biocompounds with different redox capacities that provide a dynamic reaction environment for NP synthesis. Other synthesis conditions, such as salt precursor concentration, temperature, time synthesis, and pH, have a significant effect on the characteristics of the NPs. This paper will review the properties of some compounds from medicinal plants, plant extract obtention methods alternatives, characteristics of plant extracts, and how they relate to the NP synthesis process. Additionally, the document includes diverse applications associated with CuNPs, starting from antibacterial properties to potential applications in metabolic disease treatment, vegetable tissue culture, therapy, and cardioprotective effect, among others.

(-)-Epicatechin induced reversal of endothelial cell aging and improved vascular function: underlying mechanisms.

The consumption of cocoa products rich in (-)-epicatechin is associated with reduced cardiovascular risk and improved vascular function. However, little is known about (-)-epicatechin's effects on aged endothelium. In order to characterize the health restoring effects of (-)-epicatechin on aged endothelium and identify the underlying mechanisms, we utilized high passage number (i.e. aged) bovine coronary artery endothelial cells and aortas of 3 and 18 month old rats. We evaluated cell senescence (ß-galactosidase), nitric oxide (NO) production through the endothelial nitric oxide synthase pathway, mitochondria related endpoints, citrate synthase activity and vascular relaxation. Cells were treated with water or (-)-epicatechin (1 µM) for 48 h and rats orally with either water or (-)-epicatechin (1 mg kg-1 day-1) for 15 days. Senescence associated ß-galactosidase levels doubled in aged cells while those treated with (-)-epicatechin only evidenced an ∼40% increase. NO levels in cells decreased by ∼33% with aging and (-)-epicatechin normalized them. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation levels paralleled these results. Aging increased total protein and synthase acetylation levels and (-)-epicatechin partially restored them to those of young cells by stimulating sirtuin-1 binding to the synthase. Phosphorylated sirtuin-1, mitofilin, oxidative phosphorylation complexes and transcriptional factor for mitochondria were reduced by ∼40% with aging and were restored by (-)-epicatechin. (-)-Epicatechin enhanced acetylcholine induced aged aorta vasodilation and stimulated NO levels while reducing blood pressure. In conclusion, (-)-epicatechin reverses endothelial cell aging and restores key control elements of vascular function. These actions may partly explain the epidemiological evidence for the beneficial effects of cocoa consumption on the incidence of cardiac and vascular diseases.

The effect of cocoa, soy, oats and fish oil on metabolic syndrome in rats.

BACKGROUND: The effect of functional foods alone or in combination (cocoa + soy + oats + fish oil) on hepatic damage in rats affected with metabolic syndrome was investigated. RESULTS: Rats that were given cocoa showed a decrease in the levels of triglycerides (TGs) and glucose (63 and 32% respectively) as well as a decrease in blood pressure (15%). Animals fed with soy showed a reduction of 21% in total cholesterol, 15% in blood pressure and 44% in TGs, while feeding oats reduced the concentration of TGs by 53% (P < 0.5). Fish oil caused a reduction in TGs (56%) and glucose (26%). The effect on blood pressure was statistically significant for the groups supplemented with cocoa, soy, cocoa + oats and the total mix. The main finding was a reduction in liver steatosis in animals supplemented with cocoa + oats (from 30 to 4.7% steatosis). Cocoa or fish oil alone did not protect the liver from damage, while cocoa + fish oil did. CONCLUSION: The most relevant effects were that the cocoa + oats mix decreased steatosis by a very large percentage, as did the cocoa + fish oil mix and the mix of all four functional foods.