Antarctic Marine Algae Extracts as a Potential Natural Resource to Protect Epithelial Barrier Integrity.

The intestine and skin provide crucial protection against the external environment. Strengthening the epithelial barrier function of these organs is critical for maintaining homeostasis against inflammatory stimuli. Recent studies suggest that polar marine algae are a promising bioactive resource because of their adaptation to extreme environments. To investigate the bioactive properties of polar marine algae on epithelial cells of the intestine and skin, we created extracts of the Antarctic macroalgae Himantothallus grandifolius, Plocamium cartilagineum, Phaeurus antarcticus, and Kallymenia antarctica, analyzed the compound profiles of the extracts using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and tested the protective activities of the extracts on human intestinal and keratinocyte cell lines by measuring cell viability and reactive oxygen species scavenging. In addition, we assessed immune responses modulated by the extracts by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and we monitored the barrier-protective activities of the extracts on intestinal and keratinocyte cell lines by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance and fluorescence-labeled dextran flux, respectively. We identified bioactive compounds, including several fatty acids and lipid compounds, in the extracts, and found that the extracts perform antioxidant activities that remove intracellular reactive oxygen species and scavenge specific radicals. Furthermore, the Antarctic marine algae extracts increased cell viability, protected cells against inflammatory stimulation, and increased the barrier integrity of cells damaged by lipopolysaccharide or ultraviolet radiation. These results suggest that Antarctic marine algae have optimized their composition for polar environments, and furthermore, that the bioactive properties of compounds produced by Antarctic marine algae can potentially be used to develop therapeutics to promote the protective barrier function of the intestine and skin.

Menopause-Associated Lipid Metabolic Disorders and Foods Beneficial for Postmenopausal Women.

Menopause is clinically diagnosed as a condition when a woman has not menstruated for one year. During the menopausal transition period, there is an emergence of various lipid metabolic disorders due to hormonal changes, such as decreased levels of estrogens and increased levels of circulating androgens; these may lead to the development of metabolic syndromes including cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Dysregulation of lipid metabolism affects the body fat mass, fat-free mass, fatty acid metabolism, and various aspects of energy metabolism, such as basal metabolic ratio, adiposity, and obesity. Moreover, menopause is also associated with alterations in the levels of various lipids circulating in the blood, such as lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and triacylglycerol (TG). Alterations in lipid metabolism and excessive adipose tissue play a key role in the synthesis of excess fatty acids, adipocytokines, proinflammatory cytokines, and reactive oxygen species, which cause lipid peroxidation and result in the development of insulin resistance, abdominal adiposity, and dyslipidemia. This review discusses dietary recommendations and beneficial compounds, such as vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, phytochemicals-and their food sources-to aid the management of abnormal lipid metabolism in postmenopausal women.

Comparison of anti-oxidant activities of seventy herbs that have been used in Korean traditional medicine.

Many herbs have been used as therapeutics in Korean traditional medicine. In view of their clinical indications, anti-oxidant activity may contribute to their pharmacological effects. However, anti-oxidant information on these plants has not been available. In this study, seventy herbs which have been used in Korean traditional medicine were selected and screened for anti-oxidant activity using their water extracts. The anti-oxidant activity was assessed by their ability to inhibit three oxidation reactions; luminol/Fenton reagent, 2, 7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCHF)/Fenton reagent and DCHF/peroxynitrite. In each assay, 70 herbs were divided into two groups; anti-oxidant group which inhibited the respective oxidation reaction and was majority (about 60 herbs), and pro-oxidant group which enhanced the oxidation reaction but was minority (more or less 10 herbs). When the herbs were listed in the order of their anti-oxidant strength, the orders obtained from each assay were found to be quite similar. The upper top rankers (more or less 10 herbs) in each assay showed strong activity compared to the others. The uppermost rankers in each assay were Rubus coreanus Miquel/ Rubus schizostylus, Schisandra chinensis Baillon/ Schizandra chinensis and Terminalia chebula Retzius/ Terminalia chebula. Of the pro-oxidant herbs, about 4-5 herbs were strongly pro-oxidant, which enhanced the control oxidation reactions to 150-300%. But the meaning of this observation is not known since few of them in one assay were also anti-oxidant in other assays. The results obtained in the present study may serve as information for understanding pharmacological effects of these herbs and developing new drugs from them.

Effects of glucose supplementation on the pharmacokinetics of intravenous chlorzoxazone in rats with water deprivation for 72 h.

It was reported that in rats with water deprivation for 72 h with food (dehydration rat model), the expression of CYP2E1 was 3-fold induced with an increase in mRNA level and glucose supplementation instead of food during 72-h water deprivation (dehydration rat model with glucose supplementation) inhibited the CYP2E1 induction in dehydration rat model. It was also reported that chlorzoxazone (CZX) is metabolized to 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone (OH-CZX) mainly via CYP2E1 in rats. Hence, the effects of glucose supplementation on the pharmacokinetics of CZX and OH-CZX were investigated after intravenous administration of CZX at a dose of 25 mg/kg to control male Sprague-Dawley rats and dehydration rat model and dehydration rat model with glucose supplementation. Based on the above mentioned results of CYP2E1, it could be expected that increased formation of OH-CZX in dehydration rat model could decrease in dehydration rat model with glucose supplementation. This was proven by the following results. In dehydration rat model with glucose supplementation, the AUC of OH-CZX was significantly smaller (1900 versus 1050 microg min/ml), AUC(OH-CZX)/AUC(CZX) ratio was considerably smaller (105 versus 34.3%), C(max) was significantly lower (20.6 versus 8.08 microg/ml), total amount excreted in 24-h urine as unchanged OH-CZX was significantly smaller (62.3 versus 42.7% of intravenous dose of CZX), and in vitro V(max) (2.18 versus 1.20 nmol/min/mg protein) and CL(int) (0.0285 versus 0.0171 ml/min/mg protein) were significantly slower than those in dehydration rat model.

Comparison of the antioxidant activities of nine different fruits in human plasma.

Oxidative stress in humans is associated with damage to DNA, proteins, and biological membranes. Oxidative stress, which often arises as a result of an imbalance in the human antioxidant status, has been implicated in aging and a number of human diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. This study was performed to test the hypothesis that the consumption of fruit juices may improve antioxidant status in human plasma. Ten healthy men 25-26 years old were recruited for the study. After overnight fasting, study subjects were fed 150 mL of fruit juice, and blood was collected at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after consumption. After a 1-day wash-out period, subjects were fed with the next sample of fruit juice until all nine juices (pear, apple, orange, grape, peach, plum, kiwi, melon, and watermelon) had been evaluated. All juices were prepared from pure fruits ground in a home-style mixer. Dietary food records and anthropometric measurements were used to evaluate the nutritional status of subjects. The antioxidant activities of fruit juices were estimated by measuring antioxidant status in the plasma using dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence. Except for pear juice, eight kinds of juices exhibited potent antioxidant effects in human plasma. Within 30 minutes after consumption, orange, melon, grape, peach, plum, apple, and kiwi juices already effectively suppressed reactive oxygen species generation. This radical scavenging effect of fruit juices was maintained for up to 90 minutes post-consumption, but the relative DCF fluorescence had rebounded to near the initial levels at 2 hours post-consumption in most samples tested. Interestingly, however, grape juice continuously exerted persistent antioxidant activity until 2 hours after supplementation. These results suggest that the consumption of fruits or fruit juices may reduce damage from oxidative stress, and that this effect may be a consequence of the antioxidant activity of fruits in scavenging the reactive oxygen species generated in human plasma. However, long-term studies with more subjects are needed to provide additional supportive evidence and better characterize the antioxidant properties of natural fruit juices.