Rosa multiflora Thunb Flower Extract Attenuates Ultraviolet-Induced Photoaging in Skin Cells and Hairless Mice.

Ethanol extract (RET) of Rosa multiflora Thunb flowers and its subfractions in ethylacetate (REA) or n-butanol subfractions (RBT) were reported to have potent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we investigated if those Rosa multiflora flower (RMF) extracts prevent ultraviolet (UV)-induced biochemical damages leading to photoaging. In keratinocyte or dermal fibroblasts, RET, REA, and RBT treatments with UV irradiation significantly decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 levels through suppression of nuclear factor kappa B and mitogen-activated protein kinases. In the animal experiment, mice were orally supplemented with RET (RET group) or REA and RBT mixture (RM group) for 10 weeks, concomitantly with UV exposure. Tumor necrosis factor alpha production and MMP-13 expression were reduced in the mouse skin of RET and RM groups compared with those in the UV control (UVC) group. UV-induced IL-6 production and epidermal thickening were reduced in RM group compared with those in UVC group. Eight phenolic compounds, including quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside), were identified in RMF extracts. Quercitrin treatment to dermal fibroblasts significantly attenuated an increase of MMP-1 expression and a decrease of type I procollagen expression caused by UV. Collectively, RMF extracts showed protective effects from UV-induced photoaging in the skin through suppression of ROS generation, proinflammatory cytokine production, and MMP expression. Quercitrin is suggested to be one of the effective compounds.

Preventative, but not post-stroke, inhibition of CD36 attenuates brain swelling in hyperlipidemic stroke.

The lack of inclusion of comorbidities in animal models of stroke may underlie the limited development of therapy in stroke. Previous studies in mice deficient of CD36, an immune receptor, indicated its contribution to stroke-induced inflammation and injury in hyperlipidemic conditions. The current study, therefore, tested whether pharmacological inhibition of CD36 provides neuroprotection in hyperlipidemic stroke. The hyperlipidemic mice subjected to stroke showed an exacerbation of infarct size and profound brain swelling. However, post-stroke treatment with CD36 inhibitors did not reduce, and in some cases worsened, acute stroke outcome, suggesting potential benefits of elevated CD36 in the post-stroke brain in a hyperlipidemic condition. On the other hand, chronic treatment of a CD36 inhibitor prior to stroke significantly reduced stroke-induced brain swelling. There was a trend toward infarct reduction, although it did not reach statistical significance. The observed benefit of preventative CD36 inhibition is in line with previously reported smaller infarct volume and swelling in CD36 KO mice. Thus, the current findings suggest that insights gained from the genetic models should be carefully considered before the implementation of pharmacological interventions, as a potential therapeutic strategy may depend on preventative treatment or a post-stroke acute treatment paradigm.

Use of orange peel extract for mixotrophic cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris: increased production of biomass and FAMEs.

Mass cultivation of microalgae is necessary to achieve economically feasible production of microalgal biodiesel, but the high cost of nutrients is a major limitation. In this study, orange peel extract (OPE) was used as an inorganic and organic nutrient source for the cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris OW-01. Chemical composition analysis of the OPE indicated that it contains sufficient nutrients for mixotrophic cultivation of C. vulgaris OW-01. Analysis of biomass and FAME production showed that microalgae grown in OPE medium produced 3.4-times more biomass and 4.5-times more fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) than cells cultured in glucose-supplemented BG 11 medium (BG-G). These results suggest that growth of microalgae in an OPE-supplemented medium increases lipid production and that OPE has potential for use in the mass cultivation of microalgae.

Utilizing the algicidal activity of aminoclay as a practical treatment for toxic red tides.

In recent decades, harmful algal blooms (HABs) - commonly known as red tides - have increasingly impacted human health, caused significant economic losses to fisheries and damaged coastal environments and ecosystems. Here, we demonstrate a method to control and suppress HABs through selective algal lysis. The approach harnesses the algicidal effects of aminoclays, which are comprised of a high density of primary amine groups covalently bonded by metal cation backbones. Positively charged colloidals of aminoclays induce cell lysis in HABs within several minutes exposure but have negligible impact on non-harmful phytoplankton, zooplankton and farmed fish. This selective lysis is due to the ammonium characteristics of the aminoclay and the electrostatic attraction between the clay nanoparticles and the algal cells. In contrast, yellow loess clay, a recognized treatment for HABs, causes algal flocs with little cell lysis. Thus, the aminoclay loading can be effective for the mitigation of HABs.

Removal of anionic metals by amino-organoclay for water treatment.

We describe a facile and simple one-pot synthesis of water-soluble amino-organoclay under ambient conditions. The clay was used to successfully remove environmentally toxic anionic metals, such as arsenate, chromate, and ferricyanide. The electrostatic interactions between the anionic metals and the protonated amino (ammonium) groups of the amino-organoclay resulted in rapid precipitation, within 3 min, with a high removal capacity. The maximum removal capacities (in units of mg metal per g organoclay) of the amino-organoclay clay toward HAsO(4)(2-), CrO(4)(2-), or Fe(CN)(6)(3-) were, 30.73 mg/g, 34.67 mg/g, or 218.88 mg/g in case of 0.02 g, 0.03 g, and 0.005 g of the amino-organoclay, respectively. The removal efficiencies of 0.07 g, 0.09 g, and 0.03 g of the amino-organoclay whose dosage of clay was at the highest removal efficiency (%) for arsenate, chromate, and ferricyanide, respectively, presented 59.79%, 89.54%, and 97.43%. Furthermore, humic acid that ubiquitous in the organic matter present in water or soil environments, inhibited the removal rate of anionic metals, and thus the removal efficiencies toward all anionic metals were markedly reduced. Humic acid preferentially precipitated with the interaction of amino-organoclay prior to the anionic metals.

The potential effects of ethyl acetate fraction from Curcuma longa L. on lipolysis in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

The effects of the turmeric ethyl acetate fraction (TEF) from the methanolic extract from Curcuma longa L. on lipid metabolism and underlying mechanisms of lipolysis were investigated in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The intracellular lipid droplets were stained with Oil red O dye and quantified. Compared to the control, lipid accumulation was significantly decreased by 46.6% with treatment by TEF at the concentration of 20 microg/mL. The intracellular triglyceride (TG) level was also reduced by 37.9% at the concentration of 20 microg/mL. To determine the mechanism for TG content reduction, levels of glucose uptake and glycerol release were measured. Incubation of the 3T3-L1 adipocytes with TEF for 4 hours significantly lowered the cellular level of glucose in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, cellular expression of insulin-responsive glucose transporter (GLUT)-4 was decreased by 46%, indicating that reduced glucose uptake was due to a decrease in cellular GLUT-4 expression. In addition, the level of free glycerol released into the cultured medium was increased by 36.4% with the treatment by TEF. In subsequent measurements using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, mRNA levels of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose TG lipase (ATGL) were elevated by 34.8% and 16.9%, respectively, at the concentration of 20 microg/mL. These results suggest that TEF partially inhibits lipogenesis by the suppression of glucose uptake via the decreased expression of cellular GLUT-4 and stimulates lipolysis through the induction of HSL and/or ATGL gene expression, resulting in the increased glycerol release.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester, a component of beehive propolis, is a novel selective estrogen receptor modulator.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is an active ingredient of beehive propolis with a structure similar to phenolic acid. The estrogenic effects of propolis were previously demonstrated through the activation of an estrogen receptor. To identify the estrogenic properties of propolis, CAPE was evaluated using in vitro and in vivo methods. CAPE showed selective binding affinity to human estrogen receptor beta (hERbeta) rather than hERalpha. CAPE also reduced ERalpha expression in MCF-7 and MDA 231 cells. In the yeast estrogen receptor transcription assay, CAPE produced the transcriptional activity of estrogen-responsive element with EC(50) values of 3.72 x 10(-6) M. CAPE did not increase the growth of MCF-7 estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells in doses ranging from 10(-7) to 10(-5) M. In order to understand how CAPE acts in animals, CAPE was tested by a uterotrophic bioassay. Treatment with CAPE (100, 500 mg/kg) did not increase the uterine weight relative to 3 microg/kg 17beta-estradiol treatment. The results indicate that CAPE, which is a selective agonist to hERbeta, but does not show any estrogenic effect on estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells and in immature rat uterine tissue, is a potential selective estrogen receptor modulator.

Clean and facile solution synthesis of iron(III)-entrapped gamma-alumina nanosorbents for arsenic removal.

Iro (III)-entrapped gamma-alumina nanosorbents were prepared by an environmentally benign method using an ionothermal process based on an ionic liquid to synthesize the gamma-alumina host and a sonochemical method to entrap the iron(III) guest. The morphology of the alumina depends on the aluminum precursor used, giving aligned bundled and randomly debundled gamma-alumina nanorods as well as wormlike mesoporous alumina. In particular, the rodlike structure shows significantly greater mesoporosity than the wormlike porous gamma-alumina structure. Moreover, entrapment of iron(III) in the gamma-alumina nanosorbents with randomly debundled rodlike structures leads to the greatest AsV removal capacity and the fastest adsorption rate as compared to the other FeIII-entrapped adsorbents, as a result of its larger surface area and pore sizes. Thus, this method provides a clean and effective route to an advanced host-guest adsorbent system for application in the removal of arsenic from drinking water.

Remediation of groundwater contaminated with DNAPLs by biodegradable oil emulsion.

Emulsion-based remediation with biodegradable vegetable oils was investigated as an alternative technology for the treatment of subsurface DNAPLs (dense non-aqueous phase liquids) such as TCE (trichloroethylene) and PCE (perchloroethylene). Corn and olive oil emulsions obtained by homogenization at 8000rpm for 15min were used. The emulsion droplets prepared with corn and olive oil gave a similar size distribution (1-10microm) and almost all of initially injected oil, >90%, remained in a dispersed state. In batch experiments, 2% (v/v) oil emulsion could adsorb up to 11,000ppm of TCE or 18,000ppm of PCE without creating a free phase. Results of one-dimensional column flushing studies indicated that contaminants with high aqueous solubility could be efficiently removed by flushing with vegetable oil emulsions. Removal efficiencies exceeded 98% for TCE and PCE with both corn and olive oil emulsions. The results of this study show that flushing with biodegradable oil emulsion can be used for the remediation of groundwater contaminated by DNAPLs.

Monitoring of petroleum hydrocarbon degradative potential of indigenous microorganisms in ozonated soil.

This study was performed to investigate the petroleum hydrocarbon (PH) degradative potential of indigenous microorganisms in ozonated soil to better develop combined pre-ozonation/bioremediation technology. Diesel-contaminated soils were ozonated for 0-900 min. PH and microbial concentrations in the soils decreased with increased ozonation time. The greatest reduction of total PH (TPH, 47.6%) and aromatics (11.3%) was observed in 900-min ozonated soil. The number of total viable heterotrophic bacteria decreased by three orders of magnitude in the soil. Ozonated soils were incubated for 9 weeks for bioremediation. The number of microorganisms in the soils increased during the incubation period, as monitored by culture- and nonculture-based methods. The soils showed additional PH-removal during incubation, supporting the presence of PH-degraders in the soils. The highest removal (25.4%) of TPH was observed during the incubation of 180-min ozonated soil during the incubation while a negligible removal was shown in 900-min ozonated soil. This negligible removal could be explained by the existence of relatively few or undetected PH-degraders in 900-min ozonated soil. After a 9-week incubation of the ozonated soils, 180-min ozonated soil showed the lowest TPH concentration, suggesting that appropriate ozonation and indigenous microorganisms survived ozonation could enhance remediation of PH-contaminated soil. Microbial community composition in 9-week incubated soils revealed a slight difference between 900-min ozonated and unozonated soils, as analyzed by whole cell hybridization. Taken together, this study provided insight into indigenous microbial potential to degrade PH in ozonated soils.