Anti-Inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Photoprotective Investigation of Red Propolis Extract as Sunscreen Formulation in Polawax Cream.

Many activities have been described for propolis, including, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, antioxidant and wound healing properties. Recently, propolis has been highlighted due to its potential application in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, motivating a better understanding of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Propolis and its main polyphenolic compounds presented high antioxidant activity, and effectiveness as broad spectrum UVB and UVA photoprotection sunscreens. Through a qualitative phytochemical screening, the ethanolic red propolis extracts (EEPV) (70% at room temperature and 70% at a hot temperature) presented a positive result for flavonoids and terpenoids. It presented an antioxidant activity for reducing 50% of DPPH of 17 and 12 µg/mL for extraction at room temperature and at a hot temperature, respectively. The UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis allowed the annotation of 40 substances for EEPV-Heated and 42 substances for EEPV-Room Temperature. The IC50 results of the ABTS scavenging activity was 4.7 µg/mL for both extractions, at room temperature and at a hot temperature. Additionally, we also evaluated the cytotoxic profile of propolis extracts against macrophage (RAW 264.7 cells) and keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), which showed non-cytotoxic doses in cell viability assays even after a long period of exposure. In addition, propolis extracts showed antibacterial activity for Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis), demonstrating potential biological activity for the creation of formulations aimed at disease control and prevention.

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Martius) Promotes Jejunal Tissue Regeneration by Enhancing Antioxidant Response in 5-Fluorouracil-Induced Mucositis.

Intestinal mucositis (IM) caused by antineoplastic chemotherapy is characterized by an important inflammatory process, which may compromise ongoing treatment. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Martius) on the antioxidant response in BALB/c mice pretreated with Açaí pulp (200 g/kg) for 14 day. A group of animals receiving a single intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU (200 mg/kg) were euthanized on day three (D3) or seven (D7) after administration, the distal jejunum was isolated for the analyses of histology, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities, and concentration of total sulfhydryl groups (GSH). Seven days after induction, the intake of Açaí by the IM group almost completely regenerated tissue histology. Notably, SOD activity decreased in the MUC + Açaí group (D3). CAT activity reduced on D3 and D7 in the IM groups and Açaí treatment groups, respectively. No change was observed in the total GSH concentration at the tissue level. Our results demonstrated the protective effect of Açaí pulp components on intestinal damage induced by 5-FU, as well as the ability to control the response to oxidative stress, in order to mobilize defense pathways and promote tissue repair.

Effect of Conjugated Linoleic Acid-enriched Butter After 24 hours of Intestinal Mucositis Induction.

Mucositis is the most common side effect due to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. It refers to the inflammation of intestinal mucous membranes, and it is associated with complications such as diarrhea, weight loss, and increased intestinal permeability (IP). This study was designed to evaluate the effect of diet containing conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-enriched butter on intestinal damage and inflammatory response after 24 h of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced mucositis. Mice were divided into four groups: CTL; CLA; 5-FU, and CLA 5-FU, and they were fed for 31 days. On the 30th experimental day, mucositis was induced by unique injection of 300 mg/kg of 5-FU. After 24 h (31st experimental day), IP was evaluated; ileum and fecal material were collected to determine cytokine level and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA). The 5-FU group showed an increase in IP and MPO activity (CTL vs. 5-FU: P < 0.05). Additionally, increased levels of IP and MPO were observed in CLA 5-FU group compared to those in the test groups (P < 0.05). Animals in the CLA 5-FU group showed reduced concentrations of sIgA (CTL vs. CLA 5-FU: P < 0.05). CLA-enriched butter exacerbating the 5-FU-induced intestinal damage. Safety concerns regarding the use of CLA require further investigation.

L-arginine supplementation prevents increases in intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation in male Swiss mice subjected to physical exercise under environmental heat stress.

Dietary supplementation with l-arginine has been shown to improve the intestinal barrier in many experimental models. This study investigated the effects of arginine supplementation on the intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation (BT) induced by prolonged physical exercise under heat stress. Under anesthesia, male Swiss mice (5-wk-old) were implanted with an abdominal sensor to record their core body temperature (T(core)). After recovering from surgery, the mice were divided into 3 groups: a non-supplemented group that was fed the standard diet formulated by the American Institute of Nutrition (AIN-93G; control), a non-supplemented group that was fed the AIN-93G diet and subjected to exertional hyperthermia (H-NS), and a group supplemented with l-arginine at 2% and subjected to exertional hyperthermia (H-Arg). After 7 d of treatment, the H-NS and H-Arg mice were forced to run on a treadmill (60 min, 8 m/min) in a warm environment (34°C). The control mice remained at 24°C. Thirty min before the exercise or control trials, the mice received a diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) solution labeled with technetium-99m ((99m)Tc-DTPA) or (99m)Tc-Escherichia coli by gavage to assess intestinal permeability and BT, respectively. The H-NS mice terminated the exercise with T(core) values of ∼40°C, and, 4 h later, presented a 12-fold increase in the blood uptake of (99m)Tc-DTPA and higher bacterial contents in the blood and liver than the control mice. Although supplementation with arginine did not change the exercise-induced increase in T(core), it prevented the increases in intestinal permeability and BT caused by exertional hyperthermia. Our results indicate that dietary l-arginine supplementation preserves the integrity of the intestinal epithelium during exercise under heat stress, acting through mechanisms that are independent of T(core) regulation.