Diverse effects of ascorbic acid and palmitoyl ascorbate on Helicobacter pylori survival and growth.

Among many antioxidants used in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, ascorbic acid (AA) is one of the most important. AA has been suggested to decrease the risk of gastric disease (gastritis, duodenal ulcer, and carcinoma) by direct action on Helicobacter pylori. However, there are limited studies on the possible role of AA and its derivatives such as palmitoyl ascorbate (PA) on the growth and survival of H. pylori. In the present study it was demonstrated in vitro that AA in the concentration range 10-20 mg x ml(-1) (50-100 mM) inhibited H. pylori growth in liquid medium under microaerophilic conditions. In contrast, under aerobic conditions AA in the concentration range 2-20 mg x ml(-1) (10-100 mM) significantly increased the survival of H. pylori presumably eliminating the toxic effect of reactive oxygen species on bacterial cells. The hydrophobic derivative of AA, PA (a food antioxidant), demonstrated a strong antibacterial effect, under both aerobic and microaerophilic conditions in the concentration range 0.04-0.4 mg x ml(-1) (0.1-1.0 mM). This effect was also tested on other bacterial strains: Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Clostridium sporogenes and Campylobacter jejuni. Among these bacterial strains, PA showed a similar inhibitory effect on B. cereus and B. subtilis as observed with H. pylori. The results suggest that PA may be considered an important AA derivative in eradication of H. pylori in vitro and in vivo and to decrease the risk for gastric diseases.

A high molecular mass constituent of cranberry juice inhibits helicobacter pylori adhesion to human gastric mucus.

Because previous studies have shown that a high molecular mass constituent of cranberry juice inhibited adhesion of Escherichia coli to epithelial cells and coaggregation of oral bacteria, we have examined its effect on the adhesion of Helicobacter pylori to immobilized human mucus and to erythrocytes. We employed three strains of H. pylori all of which bound to the mucus and agglutinated human erythrocytes via a sialic acid-specific adhesin. The results showed that a high molecular mass constituent derived from cranberry juice inhibits the sialic acid-specific adhesion of H. pylori to human gastric mucus and to human erythrocytes.

Effect of Inula viscosa extract on chitin synthesis in dermatophytes and Candida albicans.

An antimycotic effect of an extract from Inula viscosa leaves was demonstrated affecting chitin synthesis in dermatophytes and Candida albicans. The antimycotic effect was compared to the effect caused by miconazole nitrate--an antifungal drug. The inhibition effect on chitin synthesis was not correlated to the extent of growth inhibition caused by the antifungal agents: both miconazole nitrate and the I. viscosa extract inhibited the growth of dermatophytes and C. albicans. Miconazole nitrate did not affect chitin synthesis--except for M. canis--whereas I. viscosa extract caused a significant decline in chitin content.

Controlled trial of the effect of cinnamon extract on Helicobacter pylori.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori has been associated with the pathogenesis of antral gastritis, duodenal ulcer, and gastric lymphoma. Eradication of H. pylori has been shown to reverse or prevent relapse of these diseases. Antimicrobials employed in the eradication of H. pylori are not without adverse effects. Newer treatment modalities, therefore, are required. In vitro studies have shown the effectiveness of cinnamon extract against H. pylori and its urease. In this pilot study, we tested the activity of an alcoholic extract of cinnamon in a group of patients infected with H. pylori. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients (11 women, 4 men) aged 16 to 79 years were given 40 mg of an alcoholic cinnamon extract twice daily for 4 weeks; eight patients aged 35 to 79 (7 women, 1 man) received placebo. The amount of H. pylori colonization was measured by the 13C urea breath test before and after therapy. RESULTS: The mean urea breath test counts in the study and control groups before and after therapy were 22.1 and 23.9 versus 24.4 and 25.9, respectively. The cinnamon extract was well tolerated, and side effects were minimal. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that cinnamon extract, at a concentration of 80 mg /day as a single agent, is ineffective in eradicating H. pylori. Combination of cinnamon with other antimicrobials, or cinnamon extract at a higher concentration, however, may prove useful.

Antioxidant and eicosanoid enzyme inhibition properties of pomegranate seed oil and fermented juice flavonoids.

The antioxidant and eicosanoid enzyme inhibition properties of pomegranate (Punica granatum) fermented juice and seed oil flavonoids were studied. The pomegranate fermented juice (pfj) and cold pressed seed oil (pcpso) showed strong antioxidant activity close to that of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and green tea (Thea sinensis), and significantly greater than that of red wine (Vitis vitifera). Flavonoids extracted from pcpso showed 31-44% inhibition of sheep cyclooxygenase and 69-81% inhibition of soybean lipoxygenase. Flavonoids extracted from pfj showed 21-30% inhibition of soybean lipoxygenase though no significant inhibition of sheep cyclooxygenase. The pcpso was analyzed for its polyphenol content and fatty acid composition. Total polyphenols in pcpso showed a concentration by weight of approximately 0.015%. Pcpso fatty acid composition showed punicic acid (65.3%) along with palmitic acid (4.8%), stearic acid (2.3%), oleic acid (6.3%), linoleic acid (6.6%) and three unidentified peaks from which two (14.2%) are probably isomers of punicic acid (El-Shaarawy, M.I., Nahpetian, A., 1983). Studies on pomegranate seed oil. Fette Seifen Anstrichmittel 83(3), 123-126).

Palmitoyl ascorbate: selective augmentation of procollagen mRNA expression compared with L-ascorbate in human intestinal smooth muscle cells.

The effect of 6-O-palmitoyl ascorbate on procollagen mRNA levels, collagen synthesis, and collagen secretion was investigated and compared with the effect of L-ascorbate in human intestinal smooth muscle (HISM) cells in vitro. Collagen synthesis, determined by the incorporation of 3H-proline into pepsin-resistant, salt-precipitated collagen, increased in a concentration-dependent manner in response to palmitoyl ascorbate. There was a twofold increase in collagen synthesis at 2.5 and 5 microM. By contrast, L-ascorbate was required at 4-5 times the concentration for the same response. However, at 20 microM, both palmitoyl and L-ascorbate induced similar 2.7-fold increases in collagen synthesis. Palmitoyl ascorbate induced a 1.6- and 3.5-fold increase in steady-state levels of procollagen I and III mRNA levels respectively, whereas L-ascorbate had no effect. Palmitoyl ascorbate and L-ascorbate induced similar increases in the amounts of newly synthesized procollagen secreted into the medium and in the amounts of collagen types I, III and V accumulating in the cell layer. There was no effect of either palmitoyl ascorbate or L-ascorbate on the activity of a procollagen alpha2 (I) promoter construct transiently transfected into HISM cells. Palmitoyl ascorbate augments HISM cell procollagen synthesis and mRNA levels more efficiently than L-ascorbate. This property may be due to the greater resistance of the ascorbate ester to oxidation and suggests that palmitoyl ascorbate could be an important agent for studies of collagen synthesis in vitro.

Cinnamon extracts' inhibitory effect on Helicobacter pylori.

Ethanol and methylene chloride extracts of cinnamon were compared for their effect on Helicobacter pylori growth and urease activity. Methylene chloride extract was found to inhibit growth of H. pylori, while ethanol extract counteracted its urease activity. Cinnamon extract (from methylene chloride) inhibited H. pylori at concentration range of common antibiotics. Complete inhibition in vitro was achieved by 50 microg/ml in solid medium (egg yolk emulsion agar) and by 15 microg/ml in liquid medium (supplemented brain heart infusion broth). The cinnamon extracts were more inhibitory on free urease than on whole cell urease.

Isolation and Identification of a New Antifungal Sesquiterpene Lactone from Inula viscosa.

A new sesquiterpene - tayunin - has been isolated and purified from powdered leaves of INULA VISCOSA (L.) Ait. The chemical structure was determined by 1D and 2D NMR analysis, and IR and MS. Tayunin inhibits the growth of MICROSPORUM CANIS at a concentration of 10 microg/ml and TRICHOPHYTON RUBRUM at 50 microg/ml(MIC).

Acylated ascorbate stimulates collagen synthesis in cultured human foreskin fibroblasts at lower doses than does ascorbic acid.

Acylated derivatives of ascorbic acid were found to be active in a number of biochemical and physiological processes. In the present study we investigated the effects of 6-O-palmitoyl ascorbate on collagen synthesis by cultured foreskin human fibroblasts. Our observations indicate a marked stimulatory effect on collagen synthesis by 6-O-palmitoyl ascorbate in the concentration range of 5-20 microM, while the synthesis stimulated by ascorbic acid was maximal at concentrations of 20-100 microM. Cells treated with 10 microM palmitoyl ascorbate for 36 h exhibited a production of collagen threefold greater than those in the presence of 10 microM ascorbic acid, and it was about the same as in cells treated with 100 microM ascorbic acid. By 48 h differences were not significant. Acylated ascorbate impaired vitality of the treated fibroblasts at concentrations exceeding 20 microM in media supplemented with 0.5% FCS. However, most of the cytotoxic effect was neutralized by FCS at a concentration of 10%. The resistance of acylated ascorbate against oxidative degradation as well as the role of free radicals in the modulation of collagen synthesis by ascorbic acid and by its derivatives is discussed.

Cactus flower extracts may prove beneficial in benign prostatic hyperplasia due to inhibition of 5alpha reductase activity, aromatase activity and lipid peroxidation.

The cactus flower is deemed to be helpful in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) therapy, although there is no published information regarding its clinical effect in patients and on the mechanism of its biological activity. The present study evaluated the ability of cactus flower extracts to exert an effect on BPH through possible inhibition of such processes as lipid peroxidation, androgen aromatization and testosterone reduction. Cactus flower extracts indeed inhibited aromatase and 5alpha reductase activity in cultured foreskin fibroblasts, and also in human placental and prostatic homogenates. The inhibitory activity in both instances was associated with the dichloromethane or ethanol (methanol) extracts, while a marked antioxidative activity was associated with the aqueous extract. The finding that cactus flower extracts interfere concurrently in vitro with aromatase and reductase activity as well as with free radical processes suggests that these substances may prove beneficial in BPH treatment.

Antimicrobial effects of aqueous plant extracts on the fungi Microsporum canis and Trichophyton rubrum and on three bacterial species.

Aqueous extracts of 10 plants were tested for their ability to inhibit Trichophyton rubrum and Microsporum canis, the aetiological agents of dermal fungal infections in humans. These extracts were also evaluated for their activity against some bacteria. Aqueous extracts from the leaves of Inula viscosa produced detectable antifungal activity against these dermatophytes.

Effect of ranitidine on the urea breath test: a controlled trial.

Because Helicobacter pylori is an acid-sensitive organism, an elevation of the gastric pH by H2 inhibitors might improve the intragastric conditions for the development of this organism. We tested this hypothesis in a prospective and controlled trial including 43 patients positive for H. pylori using the rapid urease test. Twenty-six patients received 150 mg ranitidine twice daily and 17 patients received no treatment. The 14C-urea breath test was performed in both groups at the beginning of the study and 2 weeks later. Radioactive 14C in exhaled carbon dioxide was significantly increased (p = 0.045) in the patients treated with ranitidine, compared with the patients in the control group. Administration of this drug to patients infected with H. pylori is associated with an increase in the bacterial load after 2 weeks of treatment. This phenomenon might be attributed to increased bacterial growth due to the H2 blocker.

Interaction between beta-carotene and lipoxygenase in human skin.

beta-Carotene is widely used in skin care therapy. Its effects on skin are unclear, but actions on lipid peroxidation pathways may be an important element of any protection activities it exerts. This study examines the possible effects of Beta-carotene on enzymatic lipid peroxidation by lipoxygenase in human skin, using in vitro and ex vivo models. The effect of Beta-carotene on lipid peroxidation in human skin were studied in skin homogenates and in a semi-in vivo model of skin penetration, using [1-14C]-arachidonic acid or [1-14C]-linoleic acid as substrate. When relatively low concentrations (about 0.3 microM) of beta-carotene were added to epidermal homogenates, the major metabolites of arachidonic acid (12-hydroxy-cis-5,8,14, trans-10-eicosatetraenoic acid and 15-hydroxy-cis-5,8,11, trans-13-eicosatetraenoic acid) and of linoleic acid (13-hydroxy-cis-9, trans-11-octadeca dienoic acid and 9-hydroxy-trans-10, cis-12-octadeca dienoic acid) were significantly decreased. Following [1-14C]-linoleic acid penetration through the semi in vivo model layers, the skin surface was the main site in which the major linoleate product, 13-hydroxy-cis-9, trans-11-octadeca dienoic acid was detected. Furthermore, its level was inhibited by up to 80%, compared with the control, when beta-carotene was added to the system. The data presented in this study suggest possible interactions between beta-carotene and human epidermal lipoxygenase. Beta-carotene may effect lipid peroxidation in human skin, either as a free radical scavenger or as a specific lipoxygenase inhibitor.

In vitro inhibition of Helicobacter pylori by extracts of thyme.

Extracts of several plants were tested for inhibitory activity against Helicobacter pylori. Among these plants thyme (aqueous extract) and cinnamon (alcoholic extract) were the most effective. Since aqueous extract of thyme is easier to produce and consume, it was further investigated. Compared with several antibacterials, the thyme extract had a significant inhibitory effect on H. pylori, reducing both its growth and potent urease activity. From the results of this study, the aqueous extract of thyme possesses a therapeutic potential which merits validation by clinical studies.

Avocado oils and hepatic lipid metabolism in growing rats.

The effect of various avocado oils on liver metabolism was studied in growing female rats. The rats were fed diets containing 10% (w/w) avocado oil for 4 wk. In comparison with rats fed refined avocado oil obtained from cored fruit by centrifugal separation, rats fed unrefined avocado oil obtained by organic solvent extraction from intact fruit, or its unsaponifiable components, showed a significant increase in total liver lipogenesis as well as in phospholipid and triglceride synthesis. Rats fed avocado-seed oil exhibited enhanced [1-14C]acetate incorporation into total liver lipids but showed the same distribution of label in the three main lipid classes as that of rats fed refined avocado oil. In addition, a significant reduction of triglycerides and protein content of plasma very-low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein fractions was observed in rats fed avocado-seed oil as compared with rats fed refined oil. Electron micrographs suggested that the alterations in hepatic lipogenesis are related to the marked proliferation of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, which is known to be associated with induction of enzymes involved with lipid biosynthesis. The differences between the animals fed seed oil and those fed the unrefined oils, in the distribution of label within the main lipid classes, indicate that more than one factor is involved in the alterations caused by these oils.

Effect of dietary avocado oils on hepatic collagen metabolism.

The effect of various avocado and soybean oils on collagen metabolism in the liver was studied in growing female rats for 8 weeks and in day-old chicks for 1 week. In comparison with rats fed either refined avocado oil, refined or unrefined soybean oils, rats fed unrefined avocado oil showed a significant decrease in total collagen solubility in the liver, while there were no changes in total collagen, protein and moisture content. Chicks fed unrefined avocado oil as compared to those fed refined avocado oil also showed a decrease in hepatic total soluble collagen while hepatic total collagen remained unaffected. Electron micrographs and light-microscope examinations of rats' liver revealed collagen accumulation in the periportal location. This is suggestive of the early stages of fibrosis.

The effect of various avocado oils on skin collagen metabolism.

The effects of various avocado oils on collagen metabolism in skin were studied in growing rats fed diets containing 10% (w/w) of the tested oils. Rats fed the unrefined avocado oil extracted with hexane from the intact fruit, its unsaponifiables or the avocado seed oil, showed significant increases in soluble collagen content in skin, though total collagen content was not affected. The increased soluble collagen content appears to be a consequence of the inhibition of lysyl oxidase activity. The active factor was found to be present in the unrefined avocado oil and probably originated from the avocado seed, since collagen metabolism was affected only by fractions which contained lipids fraction from the seed. In comparison rats fed the refined or unrefined soybean oils showed no effects.

Pig erythrocyte ghost cells used for concentration of enteric viruses from experimentally contaminated clinical specimens.

A simple, rapid and efficient procedure of virus concentration from urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and feces was developed. Pig erythrocyte ghost cells were used to adsorb and elute such viruses as poliovirus LSC-1, echovirus 6, and human rotavirus (clinical isolate). In urine and CSF, the adsorption efficiency range was 80-100% and elution was from 85% to greater than 100%. In addition, poliovirus LSC-1 was used as an experimental model to examine this procedure under various clinical conditions, such as calcium, glucose, amino acids, and urea at high concentrations. These were added to normal urine specimens to simulate pathological conditions. The results suggest that pig erythrocyte ghost cells are an efficient matrix for adsorption and elution of enteric viruses found in clinical specimens of urine, CSF, and feces. This method might be useful in virus concentration from clinical specimens and for preparative microscopy and other clinical laboratory methods that require subsequent virus concentration.

The effect of avocado oils on some liver characteristics in growing rats.

The effects of various avocado oils on some liver characteristics were studied in growing rats. The rats were fed diets containing 10% (w/w) avocado oil for 4 wk. In comparison with rats fed refined oil obtained from cored fruit by centrifugal separation, rats fed unrefined avocado oil obtained by solvent extraction from the intact fruit, or refined avocado oil containing avocado-seed oil, showed significant growth inhibition, an increase in the amount of hepatic lipids (identified as steatosis by histopathological examination), and a decrease in levels of triglycerides in blood. Rats fed the refined oil containing unsaponifiable material prepared from unrefined oil from the intact fruit showed similar responses. Fatty livers were not induced by feeding rats unrefined avocado oil obtained from intact fruit by centrifugal separation, although a significant decrease in blood triglycerides was observed. There were no significant differences between groups in serum total protein, albumin or bilirubin content or in alanine aminotransferase activity. However, serum alkaline phosphatase activity was increased in rats fed the seed oil, the unrefined solvent-extracted oil from intact fruit, or the unsaponifiables, and aspartate aminotransferase activity was significantly increased in the group fed avocado-seed oil. These data suggest that consumption of avocado oil extracted from intact fruit may cause changes in liver metabolism.