The effect of naringenin-phospholipid complex on thermal oxidative stability of soybean oil under heating condition.

Naringenin (NGE), a typical flavanone abundant in citrus fruits, exhibits remarkable antioxidant activities. However, its low solubility in oil restricts its widespread use in inhibiting lipid oxidation. In this study, we present a novel and effective approach to address this limitation by developing a naringenin-phospholipid complex (NGE-PC COM). Comprehensive analytical techniques including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to confirm the formation of the NGE-PC COM and elucidate the interaction mechanism between NGE and phospholipids molecules. Notably, the oil-solubility of NGE was significantly enhanced by approximately 2700-fold when formulated as a phospholipid complex in soybean oil. The improved oil-solubility of NGE-PC COM enabled effective inhibition of oil thermal oxidation under high temperature conditions. Generally, this investigation proposed a novel and promising strategy for employing flavanones with strong antioxidant activities to enhance the thermal oxidative stability of edible oil during heating processes.

The role of matrix metalloproteinase 9 in fibrosis diseases and its molecular mechanisms.

Fibrosis is a process of tissue repair that results in the slow creation of scar tissue to replace healthy tissue and can affect any tissue or organ. Its primary feature is the massive deposition of extracellular matrix (mainly collagen), eventually leading to tissue dysfunction and organ failure. The progression of fibrotic diseases has put a significant strain on global health and the economy, and as a result, there is an urgent need to find some new therapies. Previous studies have identified that inflammation, oxidative stress, some cytokines, and remodeling play a crucial role in fibrotic diseases and are essential avenues for treating fibrotic diseases. Among them, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are considered the main targets for the treatment of fibrotic diseases since they are the primary driver involved in ECM degradation, and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are natural endogenous inhibitors of MMPs. Through previous studies, we found that MMP-9 is an essential target for treating fibrotic diseases. However, it is worth noting that MMP-9 plays a bidirectional regulatory role in different fibrotic diseases or different stages of the same fibrotic disease. Previously identified MMP-9 inhibitors, such as pirfenidone and nintedanib, suffer from some rather pronounced side effects, and therefore, there is an urgent need to investigate new drugs. In this review, we explore the mechanism of action and signaling pathways of MMP-9 in different tissues and organs, hoping to provide some ideas for developing safer and more effective biologics.

Arctium lappa L. root polysaccharides ameliorate CCl4-induced acute liver injury by suppressing oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.

In this study, water-soluble polysaccharides purified from burdock root were used to intervene in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute liver injury (ALI) of BRL3A hepatocytes and rats. Our results indicated that CCl4 significantly inhibited hepatocyte viability and upregulated the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6), and the pro-apoptotic protein Bax. However, Arctium lappa L. root polysaccharides (ALP) could effectively ameliorate liver function and histopathology, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers. In addition, ALP reduced the expression of apoptotic markers and promoted the proliferation of damaged hepatocytes. In conclusion, ALP possesses a hepatoprotective effect mediated by attenuating oxidative damage, inflammation and apoptosis in ALI.

Modified Linggui Zhugan Decoction protects against ventricular remodeling through ameliorating mitochondrial damage in post-myocardial infarction rats.

Introduction: Modified Linggui Zhugan Decoction (MLZD) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine prescription developed from Linggui Zhugan Decoction (LZD) that has been used for the clinical treatment of ischemic cardiovascular diseases. However, the cardioprotective mechanism of MLZD against post-myocardial infarction (MI) ventricular remodeling remains unclear. Methods: We explored the effects of MLZD on ventricular remodeling and their underlying mechanisms, respectively, in SD rats with MI models and in H9c2 cardiomyocytes with oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) models. The cardiac structure and function of rats were measured by echocardiography, HE staining, and Masson staining. Apoptosis, inflammation, mitochondrial structure and function, and sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) expression were additionally examined. Results: MLZD treatment significantly ameliorated cardiac structure and function, and thus reversed ventricular remodeling, compared with the control. Further research showed that MLZD ameliorated mitochondrial structural disruption, protected against mitochondrial dynamics disorder, restored impaired mitochondrial function, inhibited inflammation, and thus inhibited apoptosis. Moreover, the decreased expression level of SIRT3 was enhanced after MLZD treatment. The protective effects of MLZD on SIRT3 and mitochondria, nevertheless, were blocked by 3-TYP, a selective inhibitor of SIRT3. Discussion: These findings together revealed that MLZD could improve the ventricular remodeling of MI rats by ameliorating mitochondrial damage and its associated apoptosis, which might exert protective effects by targeting SIRT3.