Safety and bioactive potential of nanoparticles containing Cantaloupe melon (Cucumis melo L.) carotenoids in an experimental model of chronic inflammation.

The safety and bioactive potential of crude carotenoid extract from Cantaloupe melon nanoencapsulated in porcine gelatin (EPG) were evaluated in a chronic inflammatory experimental model. Animals were fed a high glycemic index and high glycemic load (HGLI) diet for 17 weeks and treated for ten days with 1) HGLI diet, 2) standard diet, 3) HGLI diet + crude carotenoid extract (CE) (12.5 mg/kg), and 4) HGLI diet + EPG (50 mg/kg). General toxicity signals were investigated, considering body weight, food intake, hematological, biochemical parameters, relative weight, morphology, and histopathology of organs. The biochemical parameters indicated the low toxicity of EPG. Acute hepatitis was observed in animals' livers, but CE and EPG groups presented improved tissue appearance. Chronic enteritis was observed in animals, with villi and intestinal glands preservation in the EPG group. The results suggest the safety and the bioactive effect of EPG, possibly related to its anti-inflammatory potential.

Adipocytes and intestinal epithelium dysfunctions linking obesity to inflammation induced by high glycemic index pellet-diet in Wistar rats.

We investigated the inflammatory effect of a pellet-diet with high glycemic index and load (HGLI) on the histological organization of adipocytes, intestinal epithelium, and fat in liver and pancreas in adult male Wistar rats. Two groups (n=10) received for 17 weeks: (1) HGLI diet or (2) Standard diet (Labina®). Histological analyses of adipose tissue, jejunum, liver, and pancreas were performed. Stereology analysis, visceral adiposity index, gene expression, and immunohistochemistry of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in visceral adipose tissue and plasma TNF-α were also assessed. The HGLI diet-induced hypertrophy of adipocytes with adipocyte volume density equal to 97.0%, cross-sectional area of adipocytes equivalent to 1387 µm² and a total volume of adipocytes of 6.97 cm³ an elevation of 8%, 25%, and 58%, respectively. Furthermore, the HGLI diet increased liver and pancreatic fat deposition, altered and inflamed the intestinal epithelia, and increased TNF-α gene expression (P=0.014) with a positive immunostaining in visceral adipose tissue and high plasma TNF-α in comparison with standard diet. The results suggest that this diet was able to generate changes commonly caused to solid diets with high fat or fructose-rich beverages. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature concerning the properties of low-cost, sucrose-rich pellet-diet presenting high glycemic index and high glycemic load efficient on the development of obesity complications in Wistar rats that were subjected to diet-induced obesity. Therefore, the HGLI pellet-diet may be considered an effective tool to be used by the scientific community in experimental research.

Gastroprotective and antielastase effects of protein inhibitors from Erythrina velutina seeds in an experimental ulcer model.

Trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors from Erythrina velutina seeds have been previously isolated by our group. In previous studies using a sepsis model, we demonstrated the antitumor and anti-inflammatory action of these compounds. This study aimed to evaluate the gastroprotective and antielastase effects of protein inhibitors from E. velutina seeds in an experimental stress-induced ulcer model. Two protein isolates from E. velutina seeds, with antitrypsin (PIAT) and antichymotrypsin (PIAQ) activities, were tested. Both protein isolates showed a high affinity and inhibitory effect against human neutrophil elastase, with 84% and 85% inhibition, respectively. Gastric ulcer was induced using ethanol (99%) in 6 groups of animals (female Wistar rats, n = 6). Before ulcer induction, these animals were treated for 5 days with one of the following: (1) PIAT (0.2 mg·kg-1), (2) PIAT (0.4 mg·kg-1), (3) PIAQ (0.035 mg·kg-1), (4) ranitidine hydrochloride (50 mg·kg-1), (5) saline solution (0.9%), or (6) no intervention (sham). Both PIAT and PIAQ protected gastric mucosa, preventing hemorrhagic lesions, edema, and mucus loss. No histologic toxic effects of PIAT or PIAQ were seen in liver and pancreatic cells. Our results show that protein isolates from E. velutina seeds have potential gastroprotective effects, placing these compounds as natural candidates for gastric ulcer prevention.