The Combined Antioxidant Effects of N-Acetylcysteine, Vitamin D3, and Glutathione from the Intestinal-Neuronal In Vitro Model.

Chronic oxidative stress has been consistently linked to age-related diseases, conditions, and degenerative syndromes. Specifically, the brain is the organ that significantly contributes to declining quality of life in ageing. Since the body cannot completely counteract the detrimental effects of oxidative stress, nutraceuticals' antioxidant properties have received significant attention in recent years. This study assesses the potential health benefits of a novel combination of glutathione, vitamin D3, and N-acetylcysteine. To examine the combination's absorption and biodistribution and confirm that it has no harmful effects, the bioavailability of the mixture was first evaluated in a 3D model that mimicked the intestinal barrier. Further analyses on the blood-brain barrier was conducted to determine the antioxidant effects of the combination in the nervous system. The results show that the combination reaches the target and successfully crosses the blood-brain and intestinal barriers, demonstrating enhanced advantages on the neurological system, such as a reduction (about 10.5%) in inflammation and enhancement in cell myelination (about 20.4%) and brain tropism (about 18.1%) compared to the control. The results support the cooperative effect of N-acetylcysteine, vitamin D3, and glutathione to achieve multiple health benefits, outlining the possibility of an alternative nutraceutical approach.

Effects of Nutraceutical Compositions Containing Rhizoma Gastrodiae or Lipoic Acid in an In Vitro Induced Neuropathic Pain Model.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral neuropathy is caused by a malfunction in the axons and myelin sheaths of peripheral nerves and motor and sensory neurons. In this context, nonpharmacological treatments with antioxidant potential have attracted much attention due to the issues that some conventional pharmaceutical therapy can generate. Most of these treatments contain lipoic acid, but issues have emerged regarding its use. Considering this, the present study evaluated the beneficial effects of nutraceuticals based on Gastrodiae elata dry extract 10:1 or lipoic acid in combination with other substances (such as citicholine, B vitamins, and acetyl L-carnitine). METHOD: To assess the combination's absorption and biodistribution and exclude cytotoxicity, its bioavailability was first examined in a 3D intestinal barrier model that replicated oral ingestion. Subsequently, a 3D model of nerve tissue was constructed to investigate the impacts of the new combination on the significant pathways dysregulated in peripheral neuropathy. RESULTS: Our findings show that the novel combination outperformed in initial pain relief response and in recovering the mechanism of nerve healing following Schwann cell injury by successfully crossing the gut barrier and reaching the target site. CONCLUSION: This article describes a potential alternative nutraceutical approach supporting the effectiveness of combinations with Gastrodiae elata extract in decreasing neuropathy and regulating pain pathways.