ß-Hydroxy-ß-Methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation Prevents Bone Loss during Pregnancy-Novel Evidence from a Spiny Mouse (Acomys cahirinus) Model.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation during pregnancy on postpartum bone tissue quality by assessing changes in trabecular and compact bone as well as in hyaline and epiphyseal cartilage. The experiment was carried out on adult 6-month-old female spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus) divided into three groups: pregnant control (PregCont), pregnant HMB-treated (supplemented with 0.02 g/kg b.w of HMB during the second trimester of pregnancy, PregHMB), and non-pregnant females (NonPreg). Cross-sectional area and cortical index of the femoral mid-shaft, stiffness, and Young modulus were significantly greater in the PregHMB group. Whole-bone mineral density was similar in all groups, and HMB supplementation increased trabecular number. Growth plate cartilage was the thinnest, while the articular cartilage was the thickest in the PregHMB group. HMB supplementation increased the content of proteoglycans in the articular cartilage and the percentage of immature collagen content in metaphyseal trabeculae and compact bone. In summary, dietary HMB supplementation during the second trimester of pregnancy intensifies bone metabolic processes and prevents bone loss during pregnancy.

Comparison of Polyphenol Profile and Antimutagenic and Antioxidant Activities in Two Species Used as Source of Solidaginis herba - Goldenrod.

European Pharmacopoeia accepts two equivalent species Solidago canadensis L. and S. gigantea Aiton as goldenrod (Solidaginis herba). We compared phytochemical profile of both species from invasive populations in Poland. Further, we compared in vitro antimutagenic and antioxidant activities of solvent extracts from aerial (AP) and underground parts (UP). In S. gigantea, flavonoid profile was dominated by quercetin glycosides, with quercitrin as the major compound. In S. canadensis, quercetin and kaempferol rutinosides were two major constituents. Caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs) were less diverse with 5-CQA as a main compound. In UP, over 20 putative diterpenoids were detected, mostly unidentified. Several CQAs were present in higher amounts than in AP. Antioxidant and antimutagenic activities were different between species and organs, with the strongest inhibition of lipid peroxidation by Et2 O and AcOEt fractions from AP of both species (IC50 13.33 - 16.89 µg/mL) and BuOH fraction from S. gigantea UP (IC50  = 13.32 µg/mL). Chemical mutagenesis was completely inhibited by non-polar fractions, but oxidative mutagenesis was inhibited up to 35% only by S. canadensis. No clear relationship was found between chemical profiles and antimutagenic activity. In conclusion, both species have diverse activity and their phytochemical profiles should be considered in quality evaluation. UP of these weeds can also provide potential chemopreventive substances for further studies.

Amorpha fruticosa - A Noxious Invasive Alien Plant in Europe or a Medicinal Plant against Metabolic Disease?

Amorpha fruticosa L. (Fabaceae) is a shrub native to North America which has been cultivated mainly for its ornamental features, honey plant value and protective properties against soil erosion. It is registered amongst the most noxious invasive species in Europe. However, a growing body of scientific literature also points to the therapeutic potential of its chemical constituents. Due to the fact that A. fruticosa is an aggressive invasive species, it can provide an abundant and cheap resource of plant chemical constituents which can be utilized for therapeutic purposes. Additionally, exploitation of the biomass for medicinal use might contribute to relieving the destructive impact of this species on natural habitats. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary and systematize the state-of-the-art in the knowledge of the phytochemical composition and the potential of A. fruticosa in disease treatment and prevention, with especial emphasis on diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Also reviewed are aspects related to potential toxicity of A. fruticosa which has not yet been systematically evaluated in human subjects.

Oral treatment with enrofloxacin early in life promotes Th2-mediated immune response in mice.

BACKGROUND: Th2 lymphocytes play a crucial role in the development of allergy. These pathologies are caused by coordinated production of the cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 that regulate the activity of eosinophils, basophils and B cells. According to the 'hygiene hypothesis', the reduced exposure to microorganisms favors allergy occurrence. The advances in medicine in the field of infection therapy promoted an increasing application of antibiotics which, apart from eliminating pathogens, also partially eliminate the microbiota. METHODS: Epicutaneous (EC) immunization with ovalbumin (OVA) followed by OVA challenge was used to study the influence of partial gut flora depletion by oral treatment with enrofloxacin on type-2 immune response. RESULTS: Current work describes the influence of enrofloxacin application on anti-OVA antibody production and cytokine synthesis in young and adult mice. Immune response in adult mice is less sensitive to modification of natural gut flora. We observed that enrofloxacin treatment of adult mice leads to significant decrease of anti-OVA IgG2a production while synthesis of anti-OVA IgE was not changed. The production of type-1 (IFN-γ), type-2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13) and Th17-associated (IL-17A) cytokines was inhibited. On the other hand, treatment of young mice with enrofloxacin significantly upregulates the production of anti-OVA IgE and inhibits the secretion of anti-OVA IgG2a antibodies. Additionally, treatment with enrofloxacin early in life prior to OVA immunization results in increased production of type-2 (IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13) cytokines. CONCLUSION: Our results clearly indicate that the immune system is more vulnerable to decreased bacterial exposure early in life that may promote development of allergy.

Belamcandae chinensis rhizome--a review of phytochemistry and bioactivity.

Belamcandae chinensis rhizoma, is a rhizome of Iris domestica (syn. Belamcanda chinensis). Under the Chinese name she gan, it is extensively used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and other East Asian phytotherapy systems. Recently, the monograph of Belamcandae chinensis rhizoma has been included in the European Pharmacopeia. This review provides a comprehensive summary and systematizes the literature data on ethnobotanical uses, chemical constituents and biological effects of Belamcandae chinensis rhizoma and its components. The main group of phytochemicals identified in the dried rhizoma are polyphenols such as isoflavones, xanthone glycosides, stilbenes, simple phenols and quinones. Another characteristic class of substances are triterpenopid iridals. The most typical traditional usage of Belamcandae chinensis rhizoma is for healing respiratory diseases but most of pharmacological research so far has been focused on isoflavones and their estrogenic properties. In pharmacological research, it has been mainly considered as a source of tectorigenin--a phytoestrogene with therapeutic potential in hormone-dependent cancer. The most active isoflavones are tectoridin, tectorigenin and irigenin. The available literature indicates that Belamcandae chinensis rhizoma can prevent excessive oxidation of biomolecules based on various antioxidant mechanisms: transition metal ions reduction, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, free radicals scavenging. The other biological activities proven by a number of in vitro studies include: antimutagenic,anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, hypoglycemic. In conclusion, the knowledge about Belamcandae chinensis rhizoma has been growing rapidly in the recent years,but there are still significant gaps in our understanding of its bioactivity, therapeutic value, and roles played by each of the numerous phytochemicals.

Antiradical and antioxidant activity of flavones from Scutellariae baicalensis radix.

We evaluated the antioxidant properties of four main flavones from Scutellaria baicalensis: baicalein, wogonin and their glucuronides - baicalin and wogonoside. We used three in vitro assays: free radical scavenging with 2,2'-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl radical, transition metal ions reducing power by phosphomolybdenum assay and inhibition of the hydroxyl radical-induced peroxidation of linoleic acid assay. All flavones have antioxidant capacity, which differs depending on the structure and mechanisms of activity. In all tests, only baicalein - the aglycone with three adjacent hydroxyl groups - exhibited consistent antioxidant effect. Wogonin protected linoleic acid against oxidation. Baicalin displayed less potent antioxidant properties whereas wogonoside did not have significant antioxidant activity.

Mangiferin - a bioactive xanthonoid, not only from mango and not just antioxidant.

Mangiferin is a plant natural polyphenol of C-glycosylxanthone structure and various pharmacological activities. It can be found in many plant species, among which the mango tree (Mangifera indica) is one of the primary sources. Mangiferin is also present in some medicinal herbs, influencing their therapeutic and preventive properties, and in honeybush (Cyclopia sp.), a popular South African herbal tea. Mangiferin dissolves well in water, so it can be easily extracted into infusions and decoctions. In the mangiferin molecule, four aromatic hydroxyl groups determine its strong antiradical and antioxidant properties. Mangiferin is also an efficient iron chelator, therefore preventing the generation of hydroxyl radical in Fenton-type reactions. Numerous published in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies, demonstrated many other activities of mangiferin: analgesic, antidiabetic, antisclerotic, atimicrobial and antiviral, cardio-, hepato-, and neuroprotective, antiinflammatory, antiallergic, MAO inhibiting and memory improving, as well as radioprotective against X-ray, gamma, and UV radiation. Several studies indicated also its ability to inhibit cancerogenesis and cancer cells growth by apoptosis induction in vitro and in vivo. It is also used in cosmetics, due to antioxidant and UV-protecting properties.

Antimutagenic and anti-oxidant activities of isoflavonoids from Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.

The isoflavonoid fractions obtained from a methanolic extract of Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC (syn. Iris domestica Goldblatt & Mabb.) rhizomes inhibited the chemically induced mutations in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 in the Ames test. We have studied direct mutagenesis induced by N-nitroquinoline, and indirect mutation induction caused by metabolically activated 2-AF. The fractions enriched in isoflavonoids, obtained by sequential liquid-liquid extraction with diethyl ether and butanol, followed by ODS column separation, inhibited indirect mutagenesis in TA98 almost completely. In TA100 the maximum inhibition ranged between 80% and 100% depending on the test fraction. The inhibition of direct mutagenesis was lower, reaching about 50% in TA98 and in TA100, but it was dose-dependent only in the latter strain. Three in vitro anti-oxidant spectrophotometric assays-DPPH free-radical scavenging test, the phosphomolybdenum assay, and the linoleic acid peroxidation assay were also performed to support the process of bioactivity-guided fractionation and to provide more information about the potential mechanisms of action of the herb under study. The isoflavonoid fractions have the capability to scavenge free radicals, to reduce transition-metal ions and to protect polyunsaturated fatty acids from peroxidation. The analysis of the fractions obtained with high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array and mass-spectrometric detection revealed several potentially bioactive isoflavones, either as glycosides or aglycones, depending on the polarity of the solvents used for fractionation. The main compounds were tectoridin and iridin in the glycoside fractions and the aglycones irigenin, tectorigenin, and 5,6,7,3'-tetrahydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavone. The activities reported here can be regarded to be of additional value when using this plant as a phyto-estrogenic and chemopreventive agent.

Antimutagenic and antioxidant activity of the extract from Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.

The antioxidant and antimutagenic properties of the extract from the oriental natural drug - Belamcanda chinensis (L.)DC. (Iridaceae) rhizomes have been examined. Three different antioxidant assays and Salmonella antimutagenic test have been used. The extract has strong free radical scavenging activity as shown by the DPPH assay with EC50 of 63.4 microg/mL. Similarly, the high ability to reduce the transition metal ions was shown by phosphomolybdenum assay as well as effective prevention of hydroxyl radical induced linoleic acid peroxidation. The latter averaged 77.9% with an EC50 of 45 microg/mL. The mutations induced in two Salmonella typhimurium strains (TA98 and TA100) by both directly (NQNO) and indirectly acting (2AF) chemical mutagens were inhibited efficiently in dose dependent manner for concentrations of 50-500 microg/mL. The inhibition percentage in TA98 was 62.8% for direct mutagen and 94.4% for enzymatically activated promutagen. In TA100 the inhibition was 82.7% and 73.5%, respectively.

Antimutagenic and antiradical properties of flavones from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis georgi.

The four flavonoids baicalin, baicalein, wogonoside, and wogonin have been isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis (Lamiaceae) root extract as main bioactive components. We evaluated their antimutagenic activity as potential chemopreventive natural substances using the Ames test. Free radical scavenging properties have also been measured with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Both crude extract and isolated flavone glycosides and aglycones have antimutagenic and free radical scavenging properties. The lipophilic flavone baicalein has been confirmed to be the most powerful antimutagen among the compounds tested.

Flavonoids and phenol carboxylic acids in the oriental medicinal plant Astragalus membranaceus acclimated in Poland.

Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge has been was successfully acclimated in Central Europe. We report the content of isoflavones and some other polyphenolic compounds in roots and aerial parts that have been analyzed by means of TLC and HPLC. The total amount of isoflavones in leaves, was 0.55 mg g(-1) dry weight, and of the flavonols--up to 3.54 mg g(-1). In the roots isoflavonoid content was extremely variable, but reached 3.04 mg g(-1), whereas flavonols content was 0.49 mg g(-1).