Improvement on blood pressure and skin using roselle drink: A clinical trial.

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) is an increasingly attractive plant for its health and pharmaceutical, beverage, and cosmetic applications. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of roselle drink on antioxidant activity, blood pressure, and skin condition. Roselle drink used in this study contained rich phenolics (1.96 g of gallic acid equivalent/100 ml) and anthocyanins (1.65 g of cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent/100 ml). In a randomized, cross-over, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 39 healthy adults received drank 200 ml of roselle drink or placebo-control drink for 6 months. A significant reduction in the blood pressure was observed in the roselle drink treated group when compared with preintervention values. After 6 months of treatment with roselle drink, serum phenolics contents, the levels of Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and glutathione reductase (GSH-Rd) were significantly increased in healthy subjects. However, a significant increment in skin redness and skin moisture was observed in the facial skin of roselle drink-treated participants. Oral administration of roselle drink for 6 months significantly lowered the blood pressure, improved antioxidation level, and positively regulated skin redness as well as moisture. Phenolics and anthocyanins in roselle could be the major potential contributors to such health effects. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Roselle is a typical plant. Continuous administration of roselle drink clearly improved antioxidation levels, reduced blood pressure and positively regulated skin redness and moisture. Phenloics and anthocyanins in roselle could be the major potentila contributors of such health benefits.

Comparisons of Vibrio fischeri, Photobacterium phosphoreum, and recombinant luminescent using Escherichia coli as BOD measurement.

To shorten the time needed to measure biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in water samples and to provide a rapid feedback of the real condition of water quality, we tested and evaluated the validity and reliability of luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri, Photobacterium phosphoreum, and recombinant Escherichia coli as potential indicators of BOD in the domestic wastewaters. The results indicate that the luminescence intensities of these strains are dependent on temperature, pH, and BOD concentration. In comparison to the standard BOD(5) method, the time needed for BOD measurement can be shortened by 90, 120, and 150 min when V. fischeri, P. phosphoreum, and recombinant E. coli, respectively, are used. Recombinant E. coli can be adapted to measure BOD in domestic wastewater containing a wide range of BOD concentrations, V. fischeri is not suitable for measuring diluted wastewater, and P. phosphoreum has only a limited application in measuring concentrated wastewater. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in which V. fischeri, P. phosphoreum, and recombinant luminescent E. coli are compared in terms of their potential in BOD measurement systems.

Quercetin intraperitoneal administration ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced systemic inflammation in mice.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to unravel pharmacological effects of quercetin (Q) on systemic inflammation in septic mice, and compare it to quercetin-3-glucuronide (Q3G), a major metabolite of Q. MAIN METHODS: A suitable sepsis mouse model was first established using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injected intraperitoneally (i.p.). Q or Q3G was administered i.p. to septic mice in a prophylactic or therapeutic manner. Pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokine secretion profiles by peritoneal macrophages of the mice were measured using ELISA. KEY FINDINGS: Mice which received 8mg/kg BW LPS i.p. for 12h resulted in intermediate systemic inflammation, suggesting a useful mild septic mouse model. At non-toxic doses, Q or Q3G (0.06 or 0.15µmol/mouse) i.p. injected in a prophylactic manner significantly (P<0.05) increased anti-inflammatory IL-10 secretions by peritoneal macrophages of the LPS-induced septic mice. Q, but not Q3G, i.p. injected in a therapeutic manner significantly (P<0.05) increased IL-10 secretions by peritoneal macrophages of the septic mice. SIGNIFICANCE: Our data suggest that Q, but not Q3G, has pharmacological effects to ameliorate systemic inflammation. These results are the first to show that Q has potent potential against sepsis in both prophylactic and therapeutic manners in vivo.

Quercetin uptake and metabolism by murine peritoneal macrophages in vitro.

Quercetin (Q), a bioflavonoid ubiquitously distributed in vegetables, fruits, leaves, and grains, can be absorbed, transported, and excreted after oral intake. However, little is known about Q uptake and metabolism by macrophages. To clarify the puzzle, Q at its noncytotoxic concentration (44µM) was incubated without or with mouse peritoneal macrophages for different time periods. Medium alone, extracellular, and intracellular fluids of macrophages were collected to detect changes in Q and its possible metabolites using high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that Q was unstable and easily oxidized in either the absence or the presence of macrophages. The remaining Q and its metabolites, including isorhamnetin and an unknown Q metabolite [possibly Q- (O-semiquinone)], might be absorbed by macrophages. The percentage of maximal Q uptake by macrophages was found to be 2.28% immediately after incubation; however, Q uptake might persist for about 24 hours. Q uptake by macrophages was greater than the uptake of its methylated derivative isorhamnetin. As Q or its metabolites entered macrophages, those compounds were metabolized primarily into isorhamnetin, kaempferol, or unknown endogenous Q metabolites. The present study, which aimed to clarify cellular uptake and metabolism of Q by macrophages, may have great potential for future practical applications for human health and immunopharmacology.

Quercetin, but not its metabolite quercetin-3-glucuronide, exerts prophylactic immunostimulatory activity and therapeutic antiinflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide-treated mouse peritoneal macrophages ex vivo.

This study investigated the prophylactic or therapeutic effects of quercetin (Q) and its metabolite quercetin-3-glucuronide (Q3G) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in mouse peritoneal macrophages ex vivo. Changes in pro- and antiinflammatory cytokine secretion profiles were determined. The results showed that Q or Q3G in vitro treatments lower than 50 µM did not exhibit cytotoxicity on macrophages. At noncytotoxic doses, Q and Q3G, particularly Q, administration in a prophylactic ex vivo model increased pro-/antiinflammatory cytokine secretion ratios by macrophages in the absence or presence of LPS. Quercetin, but not Q3G, administration in a therapeutic ex vivo model decreased pro-/antiinflammatory cytokine secretion ratios in the absence or presence of LPS. Our results indicated that Q and Q3G administrations in a prophylactic manner might act as an immunostimulatory agent, but Q presented better ability than Q3G. Quercetin might have a therapeutic, but not prophylactic, effect on spontaneous or LPS-induced inflammation in vivo.

Diversity of the bacterial community in a bioreactor during ammonia gas removal.

Polymerase chain reaction analysis in combination with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was used to determine changes in the composition of the bacterial community of a bioreactor during ammonia removal. A minimum of 13 bands were observed in the DGGE profile. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that phylum Proteobacteria was predominantly represented in the bacterial community of the bioreactor, followed by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Flavobacteriaceae. However, the occurrence and predominance of specific bacterial species varied with the concentrations of NH(3) introduced into the bioreactor. The complexity of the bacterial species generally decreased with increasing inlet NH(3) concentration. Based on the characteristics of the identified species, there is a potential for nitrification, denitrification, nitrate reduction, nitrite reduction, and ammonia assimilation to occur simultaneously in the bioreactor. The strains identified in this study are potential candidate strains for the purification of waste gases containing high concentrations of NH(3).