Eriodictyon angustifolium extract, but not Eriodictyon californicum extract, reduces human hair greying.

OBJECTIVE: Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon angustifolium and Eriodictyon californicum) has been used for many years in traditional medicine. However, the effect of Yerba Santa on melanogenesis has not yet been investigated. We aimed to assess the biological effects of Yerba Santa on hair pigmentation. METHODS: Yerba Santa extracts were assessed for their cytological effects following X-ray irradiation treatment and then tested directly for the prevention of human hair greying. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was utilized to identify the individual extract components. RESULTS: Eriodictyon angustifolium extract significantly increased melanin synthesis in the melanoma cell line through activation of the WNT/MITF/tyrosinase-signalling pathway. In contrast, E. californicum had no effect on melanin synthesis. E. angustifolium extract also demonstrated a protective effect against the damage induced by X-ray irradiation in human keratinocytes. Application of the extracts to subjects who had grey beards demonstrated a reduced number of grey beard hair per year specifically with the E. angustifolium extract. A significant decrease in grey head hair was also observed after application of E. angustifolium extract. Upregulation of gene expression related to melanin production and WNT signalling was observed after the application of E. angustifolium extract. Sterubin was the most abundant flavonoid detected by UPLC in E. angustifolium extract. In addition, sterubin showed the highest difference in terms of quantity, between E. angustifolium and E. californicum extract. CONCLUSION: Eriodictyon angustifolium extract, which is abundant in sterubin, may be suitable as a potential cosmetic and medical agent for the prevention and improvement of hair greying.

OBJECTIF: Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon angustifolium et Eriodictyon californicum) est utilisé depuis de nombreuses années en médecine traditionnelle. Cependant, l'effet de Yerba Santa sur la mélanogenèse n'a pas encore été étudié. Notre objectif était d'évaluer les effets biologiques de Yerba Santa sur la pigmentation des cheveux. MÉTHODES: Les extraits de Yerba Santa ont été évalués pour leurs effets cytologiques après un traitement d'irradiation aux rayons X, puis testés directement pour la prévention du grisonnement des cheveux humains. La chromatographie liquide ultra-performante (UPLC) a été utilisée pour identifier les composants d'extrait individuels. RÉSULTATS: L'extrait d'E. angustifolium a augmenté de manière significative la synthèse de mélanine dans la lignée cellulaire du mélanome par l'activation de la voie de signalisation WNT/MITF/tyrosinase. En revanche, E. californicum n'a eu aucun effet sur la synthèse de mélanine. L'extrait d'E. angustifolium a également démontré un effet protecteur contre les dommages induits par l'irradiation aux rayons X dans les kératinocytes humains. L'application des extraits à des sujets qui avaient une barbe grise a démontré un nombre réduit de poils gris par an spécifiquement avec l'extrait d'E. angustifolium. Une diminution significative des cheveux gris a également été observée après l'application d'extrait d'E. angustifolium. Une régulation à la hausse de l'expression des gènes liée à la production de mélanine et à la signalisation WNT a été observée après l'application d'extrait d'E. angustifolium. La stérubine était le flavonoïde le plus abondant détecté par UPLC dans l'extrait d'E. angustifolium. De plus, la stérubine a montré la plus grande différence en termes de quantité entre E. angustifolium et E. californicum. CONCLUSION: L'extrait d'E. angustifolium, qui est abondant en stérubine, peut convenir comme agent cosmétique et médical potentiel pour la prévention et l'amélioration du grisonnement des cheveux.

Old age-associated phenotypic screening for Alzheimer's disease drug candidates identifies sterubin as a potent neuroprotective compound from Yerba santa.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent age-associated dementia with no treatments that can prevent or slow its progression. Since age is by far the major risk factor for AD, there is a strong rationale for an alternative approach to drug discovery based upon the biology of aging. Phenotypic screening assays that reflect multiple, age-associated neurotoxicity pathways rather than single molecular targets can identify compounds that have therapeutic efficacy by targeting aspects of aging that contribute to AD pathology. And, while the suitability of any single assay can be questioned, a combination of assays can make reliable predictions about the neuroprotective effects of compounds in vivo. Therefore, our lab has developed a combination of phenotypic screening assays that are ideally suited not only to identify novel neuroprotective compounds for the treatment of AD but also their target pathways, thereby potentially providing new therapeutic targets for disease treatment. Using these assays, we screened a large library of extracts from plants with identified pharmacological uses. Analysis of one of these extracts from the plant Yerba santa (Eriodictyon californicum) identified the flavanone sterubin as the active component and further studies showed it to be a potent neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory compound.

Identification of an anti-inflammatory potential of Eriodictyon angustifolium compounds in human gingival fibroblasts.

Polyphenol-rich plant extracts have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory activity against oral pathogen-induced cytokine release in model systems of inflammation. Here, it was hypothesized that a flavanone-rich extract of E. angustifolium exhibits an anti-inflammatory potential against endotoxin-induced inflammatory response in human gingival fibroblasts (HGF-1). HGF-1 cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide from Porphyromonas gingivalis (pg-LPS) to release pro-inflammatory cytokines. Concentrations of interleukins IL-6 and IL-8 and macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 in the incubation media upon stimulation were determined by means of magnetic bead analysis. A crude ethanol/water extract of E. angustifolium (EE) was fractionated via gel permeation chromatography into a flavanone-rich fraction (FF) and an erionic acid-rich fraction (EF). Individual flavanones and erionic acids as well as EE, EF and FF were tested in the pg-LPS-stimulated HGF-1 cells for their anti-inflammatory potential. The E. angustifolium extract possessed anti-inflammatory potential in this model system, attenuating the pg-LPS-induced release of IL-6 by up to 52.0 ± 15.5%. Of the individual flavanones, eriodictyol and naringenin had the most pronounced effect. However, a mixture of the flavanones did not possess the same effect as the entire flavanoid fraction, indicating that other compounds may contribute to the anti-inflammatory potential of E. angustifolium. For the first time, an anti-inflammatory potential of E. angustifolium and containing erionic acids has been determined.

Identification of bisprenylated benzoic acid derivatives from yerba santa (Eriodictyon ssp.) using sensory-guided fractionation.

Due to certain off-flavor problems and lacking bitter masking effects with Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon angustifolium and E. californicum) extracts, which are also described as bitter, herbal, medicinal, phenolic, or astringent, methanolic extracts were fractionated and evaluated for their taste properties using a high temperature liquid chromatography (HTLC)-based approach. The taste-guided fractionation led to the identification of a series of novel bisprenylated benzoic acids (erionic acids A (1), B (2), C (3), D (4), E (5), and F (6) and eriolic acids A (7), B (8), C (9), and D (10), respectively), along with the known flavonoids eriodictyol, homoeriodictyol, hesperetin, and chrysoeriol. The new compounds were isolated in larger amounts for characterization from Narrow Leaf Yerba Santa (E. angustifolium) and California Yerba Santa (E. californicum), respectively, using fast centrifugal partition chromatography (FCPC) and HTLC. The structures were elucidated using one and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS). For E. californicum, data regarding seasonal and climatic variation of the eriolic acid contents and of the flavonoids were collected. The flavor properties of some of the isolated new compounds were evaluated; they showed strong off-flavor characteristics, such as bitter, astringent, phenolic, or woody, and may contribute to the sensory effects observed for crude Yerba Santa extracts. Erionic acid C (3) was not only able to increase the absolute bitterness but also to extinguish the bitter masking effect of homoeriodictyol in a caffeine solution.

Characterization of flavor modulating effects in complex mixtures via high temperature liquid chromatography.

The identification of flavor modulating compounds, for example, bitter masking or sweet enhancing compounds, in complex mixtures such as botanical extracts or food preparations is difficult and time- and work-intensive. To accelerate this process, an improved screening method was developed on the basis of the separation of complex matrixes by the so-called LC Taste setup and subsequent comparative sensory analysis. The eluent containing only water and ethanol was diluted with a basic tastant solution (500 mg L(-1) caffeine and 5% sucrose, respectively) and evaluated by a trained panel by duo comparison tests. This novel method was applied to the known flavor and taste modulating substances homoeriodictyol (1), sterubin (2), hesperetin (3), and lactisol (9) as well as to simple mixtures of homoeriodictyol (1), sterubin (2), and hesperetin (3). To evaluate the potential of the method for more complex matrixes, the protocol was applied to plant extracts from Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum) and honeybush tea (Cyclopia intermedia). The flavor modulating activities reported for homoeriodictyol (1), sterubin (2), and hesperetin (3) could be confirmed in these complex mixtures.

Influence of saliva substitute films on initial Streptococcus mutans adhesion to enamel and dental substrata.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate whether saliva substitutes containing antimicrobial agents influence the initial adhesion of Streptococcus mutans to bovine enamel and various dental materials. METHODS: Specimens of a denture base resin, a veneering composite and a dental ceramic were prepared according to the manufacturers instructions and polished. Standardized bovine enamel slabs were prepared for reference. Surface roughnesss and surface free energy were determined. Fifteen specimens of each substratum were rinsed with four saliva substitutes (Salinum, Aldiamed, Saliva natura and Saliva Orthana), a negative (PBS) and a positive control (protein mixture) for 2h at 37 degrees C in a flow chamber, and were subsequently exposed to S. mutans NCTC 10449 suspension for 4h at 37 degrees C. Adherent bacteria were quantified using a fluorometric assay. Statistical analysis was performed using one- and two-way ANOVA (p<0.05), and post hocs were analyzed using the Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison test (p<0.05). RESULTS: Substrata as well as saliva substitutes influenced fluorescence intensities decisively. No significant differences in fluorescence intensities indicating similar adhesion of S. mutans were found between substrata that had been exposed to the negative control, the positive control, Saliva Orthana and Aldiamed. On substrata with high surface free energy (ceramic and bovine enamel), significantly higher fluorescence intensities indicating higher adhesion of streptococci were found to specimens that had been exposed to Saliva natura and Salinum. CONCLUSIONS: The influence of saliva substitutes on initial S. mutans adhesion appears to be dependent on the substratum surface properties. Only little influence of antimicrobial agents was found.