Nanoliposome-loaded phenolics from Salvia leriifolia Benth and its anticancer effects against induced colorectal cancer in mice.

Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of death among various types of cancer. Despite the significant progress made in cancer treatment, chemotherapy resistance and various side effects are still prevalent. The objective of this study is to assess the therapeutic potential of phenolic-rich fraction encapsulated nanoliposome (PRF-NLs) of Salvia leriifolia Benth in the treatment of colon cancer in mice. Initially, the phenolic-rich fraction (PRF) was extracted and then encapsulated into nanoliposomes. The physicochemical properties of the nanoliposomes were evaluated using dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Subsequently, 24 mice with HT-29 colon cancer cells were divided into three groups, and the anticancer effects of PRF-NLs were measured. The results showed that the ethyl acetate fraction of S. leriifolia was the highest PRF containing 14.27 ± 2.39 mg (gallic acid) GA/g DW (dry weight), and the PRF successfully loaded into the nanoliposome structure resulted in the synthesis of nanoliposomes with a nanometer size and spherical shape and homogenous dispersion. Some of the abundant bioactive phenolic compounds in the nanoliposome-loaded PRF are salicylic acid and naringin. The average daily weight gain and food intake, and changes in the expression of caspase 3, Bax (Bcl-2 associated X-protein), and Bcl2 (B-cell lymphoma 2), inducible nitric oxide synthase genes, were observed in the mice group induced colorectal cancer cells. At a dose of 100 mg TPC (total phenolic content)/kg BW/day, the nonencapsulated PRF dietary addition improved these parameters; however, the potential shown by nanoliposome-encapsulated PRF than the nonencapsulated PRF in enhancing health parameters in mice was higher. The developed intestinal absorption and bioavailability of nanoliposome-encapsulated PRF contribute to its increased health-promoting activity. Thereby, the synthesized nanoliposome may be a potential natural anticancer drug to prevent colorectal cancer.

Synthesized nanoliposome-encapsulated kaempferol attenuates liver health parameters and gene expression in mice challenged by cadmium-induced toxicity.

In the present research, we encapsulated a flavonoid called kaempferol into nanoliposomal structures and the health-promoting effects of synthesized nanoliposome-loaded kaempferol (NLK) were evaluated in mice challenged by cadmium-induced . The NLK characteristics, such as size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index, were 218.4 nm, -28.55 mV, and 0.29, respectively. The in vivo experiment revealed that the mice receiving water containing cadmium (2 mg/kg body weight/day) showed significant (p < 0.05) weight loss, an increase in liver enzyme activities, and hepatic oxidative stress. Dietary supplementation with NLK at concentrations of 2.5 and 5 mg/kg mice body weight notably (p < 0.05) improved the body weight, liver enzyme activities, hepatic oxidative stress, and antioxidant potential of the liver. Our findings elucidated that NLK could alleviate the toxicity of cadmium in mice challenged by cadmium-induced toxicity.

The anti-spermatogenic activity of nanoliposomes loaded with Heracleum persicum phenolic compounds in Balb/C mice.

There are various types of bioactivities that have been reported for Heracleum persicum species, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxicity properties. In the current study, the bio-accessibility of H. persicum bioactive compounds was improved by purifying its phenolic-enriched fractions (PEF) and encapsulating them into nanoliposomes to analyze its cytotoxic impacts on mice testicular tissue and their fertility status. Nano liposomal H. persicum PEF (NL-HPEF) was prepared by ultrasound-based encapsulation of HPEF and L-agranular lecithin mixture. The size, morphology, and stability of NL-HPEF were characterized by dynamic light scattering, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and zeta potential analysis. The 18 white male Balb/c mice (20-25 g) at 3 treatment groups were provided to study the NL-HPPF cytotoxicity by measuring the mice liver enzyme including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALP and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), testis lipid peroxidation, and testicular tissue destruction levels. Moreover, the mice's fertility was evaluated by studying the Adam3, Prm1, Spata19, and Tnp2 gene expression in the testicular tissues. The obtained results manifested that the synthesized NL-HPEF was stable (193.7 nm) and exhibited a notable cytotoxic impact on the mice's liver (ALT and AST enhancement levels) and testicular tissues. Moreover, their increasing treatment doses impaired the male mice's fertility by decreasing the sperm count, viability, and motility. In addition, fertility suppression was verified by decreasing serum testosterone and downregulating the Adam3, Prm1, Spata19, and Tnp2 gene expression in their testicular tissues. The male mice's fertility was significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed by increasing treatment doses of NL-HPEF. Hence, the NL-HPEF could be considered a promising alternative to replace the male chemical contraceptives drugs.

Hepatoprotective effect of nanoniosome loaded Myristica fragrans phenolic compounds in mice-induced hepatotoxicity.

In this study, nanoniosome-loaded Myristica fragrans' (MF) phenolic compounds (NLMP) were synthesized and characterized for their physical properties, and hepatoprotective effects on mice with liver toxicity induced by L-asparaginase (LA) injection. According to the results, NLMP has a spherical shape with a 263 nm diameter, a zeta potential of -26.55 mV and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.192. The weight and feed intake of mice induced with hepatotoxicity were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased after they were treated with NLMP (2.5 mg/kg body weight of mice). In addition, the blood levels of triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (Chol), liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP)) and total bilirubin were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased. A significant increase (p ≤ 0.05) in the blood levels of the antioxidant defence system (glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)) were also reported after NLMP treatment. NLMP was also led to a significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in inflammatory-related gene expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in the liver, as well as a meaningful (p ≤ 0.05) increase in the expression of SOD as an antioxidant status biomarker. Consequently, the NLMP is recommended as a potential dietary supplement to alleviate the symptoms of LA-induced hepatotoxicity.

Antibacterial, Antioxidant and Melanogenesis Inhibitory Activity of Auraptene, a Coumarin from Ferula szowitsiana Root.

The auraptene is a geranyloxyn coumarin found in the Ferula species. The plant is endemic in Central Asia and it is used as a medicinal food in Iran. This research aimed to evaluate the antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-melanogenic properties of auraptene, a coumarin from Ferula szowitsiana root. The results revealed that auraptene possessed antibacterial activity with minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations ranged from 2.5 up to 10 mg/ml against human pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella paratyphi, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus). The nitric oxide scavenging activity (IC50: 670.9 µg/ml) showed its moderate antioxidant potential. Similarly, the results of ferric thiocyanate and thiobarbituric acid assays reconfirmed the moderate antioxidant activity of auraptene and indicated the percentage inhibitions of hydroxyl radicals to be 31.87 and 14%, respectively. The cell-based antioxidant evaluation confirmed the antioxidant activity of auraptene through up-regulation of the antioxidant-related genes including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in the human foreskin fibroblast (HFF). The auraptene has also displayed the anti-melanogenic activity through direct tyrosinase enzyme inhibition (IC50 of 29.7 µg/ml) and could modulate the expression of major melanogenesis-related genes including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1, and dopachrome tautomerase in the murine melanoma cell line. The auraptene from Ferula szowitsiana root exhibited antibacterial, antioxidant, and melanogenesis inhibitory activities.

Rheum ribes extract-loaded nanoliposome as a novel phytogenic antibiotic alternative in mice challenged by Escherichia coli (O157:H7).

This study was performed to compare the noncapsulated with nanoliposome-encapsulated phenolic-rich fraction (PRF) obtained from Rheum ribes as a dietary additive and to assess their health-promoting potentials in the mice infected by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (O157:H7). Upon fractionation, the ethyl acetate fraction with 46.9 ± 2.17 mg GAE/g DW was found as a highest phenolic content. The PRF successfully loaded into nanoliposome structure with a nanometer in size (193.2 nm) and spherical shape and homogeneous dispersion. The gallic acid, salicylic acid, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, catechin, ellagic acid, and ferulic acid are bioactive phenolics present in the nanoliposome-loaded PRF; however, the main bioactive compounds are cinnamic acid (911 µg/g DW) and ellagic acid (826 µg/g DW). The infection caused by E. coil impaired the weight gain and food intake, liver function, morpho structural characteristics of jejunum, upregulated the expression of inflammatory genes (Cox2, iNOS), downregulation of antioxidant-related genes (SOD, GPX), and increased the ileal population of E. coil. The addition of nonencapsulated PRF and nanoliposome-encapsulated PRF at the concentration of 10 mg TPC/kg BW/day improved these parameters although the nanoliposome-encapsulated PRF revealed more potential as compared with the nonencapsulated PRF in improving the health parameters in mice. The higher health-promoting activity of nanoliposome-encapsulated PRF could be associated with its enhanced intestinal absorption, bioavailability, bioaccessibility, and bioactivity. Consequently, the nanoliposome-encapsulated PRF could be considered as a promising phytobiotic against E. coil infection in mice.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized using Hyssopus Officinalis L. Extract Induced oxidative stress and changes the expression of key genes involved in inflammatory and antioxidant Systems.

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in the synthesis of bioactive nanoparticles resulted in the discovery and introduction of new bioactive nanoparticles to the pharmaceutical industry. In this regard, this research is aimed to synthesize the zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using Hyssopus officinalis L. extract and to evaluate the safety of nanoparticles using Balb/C mice. METHODS: Forty male mice were divided into four groups and received 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg of ZnO-NPs for thirty days. At the end of the experiment, blood sugar, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (A.S.T.), and alanine aminotransferase (A.L.T.) were determined. Furthermore, histopathological and oxidative stress biomarker analyses in liver and kidney tissues were performed. The changes in the major inflammatory- and antioxidant-related genes were determined. RESULTS: The results showed that blood sugar and creatinine reduced significantly (P < 0.05) when 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg ZnO-NPs were supplemented to the diet. The serum ALT and AST and lipid peroxidation in the liver and kidney tissues were increased significantly (p < 0.05) when 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg ZnO-NPs were supplemented to the diet. Supplementation of ZnO-NPs suppressed the expression of antioxidant-related genes (SOD and CAT) and up-regulated the inflammatory biomarkers (iNOS and TNF- α). The concentration of 200 mg/Kg nanoparticles indicated cellular degeneration and necrosis in the liver and kidney tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, it can be concluded that supplementation of ZnO-NPs synthesized using Hyssopus Officinalis L. extract in this study at 50 mg/kg or higher concentrations might be toxic to the mice.

Comparative Study on the Biological Effects of Sodium Citrate-Based and Apigenin-Based Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles.

The apigenin is a bioactive flavonoid mostly found in fruits and vegetables that possess various biological activities. The current study was performed to compare the biological potentials of sodium citrate-based (SC-SNPs) and apigenin-based (AP-SNPs) synthesized silver nanoparticles under the in vitro and in vivo conditions. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were physically and chemically characterized. The anticancer, pro-apoptotic, and their anti-bacterial activities were determined. Further, the mice trial was conducted to determine the possible toxic effects of the synthesized silver nanoparticles. The result of particle size analysis revealed the nanometer sizes of the SC-SNPs and AP-SNPs were about 95.5 and 93.94 nm, respectively. Both nanoparticles indicated pseudo-spherical shape, homogenous dispersion with an appropriate good degree of stability. However, the anticancer potential, pro-apoptotic effects and antibacterial activity of AP-SNPs were higher than that of SC-SNPs. Moreover, the mice trial indicated that AP-SNPs improved the liver function through modulation of liver enzymes, lipid peroxidation, and increase in the expression of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GPx) as compared to the mice received AP-SNPs during 30 day experiment. Consequently the synthesis of silver nanoparticles using apigenin as reducing bioactive compound may result in production of silver nanoparticles with enhanced anticancer, antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Ferutinin: A phytoestrogen from ferula and its anticancer, antioxidant, and toxicity properties.

This study was performed to evaluate the antioxidant, anticancer, and toxicity properties of ferutinin, a phytoestrogen derived from Ferula species. The human Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) breast cancer cell line and normal human fibroblast (HDF) were cultured and treated with different ferutinin concentrations. The cell viability was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and cell death-defining tests (a comparative real-time polymerase chain reaction [for Bax and Bcl-2 genes], flow cytometry, and acridine orange/propidium iodide cell staining). Moreover, 15 white male balb/c mice were divided into three groups of five (one untreated control group and two groups), which received different doses of ferutinin-supplemented water (500 and 1000 µg/kg mice weight) to check the mice liver and kidney pathomorphological alterations and to determine the antioxidant enzymes' expression profile (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], and glutathione peroxidase) in the mentioned tissues. Finally, the liver lipid peroxidation of mice was analyzed. The results of MTT and cell death-defining tests indicate the significant reduction in cell viability and induction of apoptotic death in MCF-7 cells (enhanced sub-G1 peaks, Bax overexpression, Bcl-2 downregulation, and increased apoptotic cells). The antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) in the mice liver and kidney cells were found to be upregulated (p < .05) in response to the increasing doses of ferutinin. Besides, the lipid peroxidation of the liver tissue of mice was significantly reduced. According to the results, we suggest that ferutinin has the potential to be served as a selective anticancer compound for breast cancer treatment.

Amygdalus spinosissima root extract enhanced scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in mice.

The Amygdalus spinosissima (Rosaceae) plant has been used in the Iranian folk medicine as a remedy for the burn wound. Hence, in this study, we aimed to determine the possible medicinal potential of the plant focusing on the root part. The bioactive phenolic and flavonoid compounds present in the root extract of the Amygdalus spinosissima plant as well as its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties were determined. Moreover, the effects of root extract on learning and memory in mice were evaluated. The results revealed that the root methanolic extract contained phenolic and flavonoid compounds including apigenin, quercetin, rutin, kaempferol, gallic acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid, and ellagic acid. The extract possessed antioxidant, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities in vitro. These biological activities were attributed to the presence of phenolics and flavonoids. The A. spinosissima root extract improved learning and memory function in scopolamine-induced memory dysfunction in mice as determined using the Morris water maze task. The extract modulated the AChE, BChE, and inflammatory genes and enhanced the expression of the antioxidant enzymes in the brain. Consequently, A. spinosissima root extract could be considered as a promising source of potent bioactive compounds in the retarding the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

Anticancer properties of green-synthesised zinc oxide nanoparticles using Hyssopus officinalis extract on prostate carcinoma cells and its effects on testicular damage and spermatogenesis in Balb/C mice.

The unclear bio-safety issue and potential risk of nanoparticles (NPs) on various organelles can be considered as a major challenge. In the present study, we have assessed the green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) extract and their effects on PC3 cell line and BALB/c mice model. The cytotoxicity of the ZnO-NPs was assessed on PC3 cell line by MTT test after characterisation. Apoptotic effect of ZnO-NPs was determined by in vitro AO/PI staining. The histopathological assessments and determination of LH and FSH levels carried out as in vivo analysis in BALB/c adult male mice. The expression of major genes involved in spermatogenesis and sperm maturation (Adam3, Prm1, Spata19, Tnp2, Gpx5) were also analysed. The obtained result demonstrated that the IC50 for PC3 cell line treated with green-synthesised ZnO-NPs during 24 and 48 hr was reported 8.07 and 5 µg/ml respectively. Meanwhile, the induced apoptosis was recorded 26.6% ± 0.05, 44% ± 0.12 and 80% ± 0.07 of PC3 cells. The results of gene expression analysis revealed that the increase in the concentration of ZnO-NPs significantly (p < .05) down-regulated the Adam3, Prm1, Spata-19, Tnp2 and Gpx5 genes. The overall results of this research elucidated that ZnO-NPs impaired spermatogenesis, sperm maturation process and sperm motility.

Synthesis and characterisation of chitosan-encapsulated genistein: its anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic activities.

Aims: The study was carried out to synthesise and characterise the chitosan-encapsulated genistein (CHI-En/Gen) and determine its anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic properties.Methods: The cytotoxic and anti-angiogenic activity of CHI-En/Gen was performed using MTT and chorioallantoic membrane assay. The molecular action was determined using flow cytometry and gene expression.Results: The synthesised CHI-En/Gen was in submicron size, spherical in shape and with entrapment efficiency and loading efficiency of 76.8% (w/w) and 32.6% (w/w), respectively. The CHI-En/Gen notably inhibited the growth and proliferation of human colorectal cancer cells (HT-29) while did not affect the viability of human dermal fibroblast as normal cell. The flow cytometry and the caspase-3 gene expression analyses revealed the apoptotic cells death in the HT-29 cells. Moreover, the encapsulated genistein showed anti-angiogenic activity.Conclusion: The CHI-En/Gen appeared as a promising carrier for the colon delivery of genistein to be used in complementary health approaches for the cancer prevention.

Nanoliposomes encapsulation of enriched phenolic fraction from pistachio hulls and its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-melanogenic activities.

Aims: Owhadi is a popular commercial pistachio cultivar in Iran which could be an attractive source for natural bioactive compounds with health-promoting activity.Methods: The hulls subjected to fractionation and ethyl acetate fraction was a phenolic-enriched fraction (PEF). The PEF was encapsulated in nanoliposomes (PEF-NLs) as a newly developed delivery system. The phytochemical analysis of PEF-NLs confirmed the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds.Results: The PEF-NLs indicated the strong antioxidant activity through up-regulation of the antioxidant-related genes in the murine hepatocyte. The PEF-NLs indicated the notable anti-inflammatory activity by scavenging the nitric oxide (NO) and reducing the NO production in the murine macrophage cells. The PEF-NLs have also exhibited the anti-melanogenic activity through direct tyrosinase enzyme inhibition and by modulating melanin biosynthesis genes in B16F10 melanoma cells.Conclusion: The PEF-NLs possessed the promising potential to be used for controlling skin pigmentation disorders and as a skin-whitening agent in the cosmetic industry.

Galbanic acid: Induced antiproliferation in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cells and enhanced cellular redox state in the human dermal fibroblasts.

INTRODUCTION: Galbanic acid (GA) is a natural bioactive compound abundantly distributed in Ferula species (Apiaceae), with a wide range of biological functions. METHODS: The present study investigated the anticancer properties of GA in human breast carcinoma MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines using MTT (3,4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Further, the antioxidant activity of GA was determined in vitro. The plausible mechanisms of action of GA were further investigated using flow cytometry and gene expression analysis. RESULTS: Our study indicated that treatment with GA resulted in inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. The obtained results indicated that GA has strong cytotoxicity on MDA-MB-231 cells (IC50 = 48.75 µg/mL) compare to MCF-7 (IC50 = 56.65 µg/mL) and decrease cancer cell viability in the dose- and time-dependent manner. Meanwhile, microscopic examination and flow cytometry analysis confirmed the apoptosis cell death upon treatment with GA. The gene expression analysis revealed that GA could induce apoptosis-mediated proliferation inhibition in MDA-MB-231 cells through upregulation of bax and caspase-3 and downregulation of bcl2 genes. Besides, the GA exhibited free radical-scavenging activity and enhanced the cellular redox state in human dermal fibroblasts. The elevation of cellular redox status was confirmed by upregulating superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase genes. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study indicated that GA could be considered as a promising anticancer agent in breast cancer therapy and a bioactive antioxidant compound to be used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

The effect of different cooking methods on fatty acid composition and antioxidant activity of n-3 fatty acids fortified tilapia meat with or without clove essential oil.

Tilapia farmers are increasingly relying on dietary fish oil alternatives which substantially reduces health beneficial n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in tilapia products.? This may be further exacerbated depending on the cooking method.? This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different cooking methods on the fatty acid composition and oxidative stability of tilapia minced meat after prior fish oil fortifications with or without clove essential oil. Results showed that frying tilapia in either sunflower or palm oil significantly increased the saturated fatty acid and linoleic acid content, respectively, of tilapia. However, fish oil fortifications significantly increased the n-3 PUFA content, but tended to decrease oxidative stability, particularly when microwaving. This was mitigated by clove essential oil, which significantly improved oxidative stability after cooking. Results indicate that n-3 PUFA and clove essential oil fortifications is an effective method to deliver and protect these beneficial fatty acids for human consumers. ?

Cytoprotective effect of palm kernel cake phenolics against aflatoxin B1-induced cell damage and its underlying mechanism of action.

BACKGROUND: Palm kernel cake (PKC), a by-product of the palm oil industry is abundantly available in many tropical and subtropical countries. The product is known to contain high levels of phenolic compounds that may impede the deleterious effects of fungal mycotoxins. This study focused on the evaluation of PKC phenolics as a potential cytoprotective agent towards aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced cell damage. METHODS: The phenolic compounds of PKC were obtained by solvent extraction and the product rich in phenolic compounds was labeled as phenolic-enriched fraction (PEF). This fraction was evaluated for its phenolic compounds composition. The antioxidant activity of PEF was determined by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, inhibition of ß-carotene bleaching, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assays. The cytotoxicity assay and molecular biomarkers analyses were performed to evaluate the cytoprotective effects of PEF towards aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced cell damage. RESULTS: The results showed that PEF contained gallic acid, pyrogallol, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, epicatechin, catechin and ferulic acid. The PEF exhibited free radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, ß-carotene bleaching inhibition and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances inhibition. The PEF demonstrated cytoprotective effects in AFB1-treated chicken hepatocytes by reducing the cellular lipid peroxidation and enhancing antioxidant enzymes production. The viability of AFB1-treated hepatocytes was improved by PEF through up-regulation of oxidative stress tolerance genes and down-regulation of pro-inflammatory and apoptosis associated genes. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings supported the proposition that the phenolic compounds present in PKC could be a potential cytoprotective agent towards AFB1 cytotoxicity.

Palm kernel cake extract exerts hepatoprotective activity in heat-induced oxidative stress in chicken hepatocytes.

BACKGROUND: Palm kernel cake (PKC), the most abundant by-product of oil palm industry is believed to contain bioactive compounds with hepatoprotective potential. These compounds may serve as hepatoprotective agents which could help the poultry industry to alleviate adverse effects of heat stress on liver function in chickens. METHODS: This study was performed to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of PKC extract in heat-induced oxidative stress in chicken hepatocytes. The nature of the active metabolites and elucidation of the possible mechanism involved were also investigated. RESULTS: The PKC extract possessed free radical scavenging activity with values significantly (p < 0.05) lower than silymarin as the reference antioxidant. Heat-induced oxidative stress in chicken hepatocyte impaired the total protein, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes activity significantly (p < 0.05). Treatment of heat-induced hepatocytes with PKC extract (125 µg/ml) and silymarin as positive control increased these values significantly (p < 0.05). The real time PCR and western blot analyses revealed the significant (p < 0.05) up-regulation of oxidative stress biomarkers including TNF-like, IFN-γ and IL-1ß genes; NF-κB, COX-2, iNOS and Hsp70 proteins expression upon heat stress in chicken hepatocytes. The PKC extract and silymarin were able to alleviate the expression of all of these biomarkers in heat-induced chicken hepatocytes. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of PKC extract showed the presence of fatty acids, phenolic compounds, sugar derivatives and other organic compounds such as furfural which could be responsible for the observed hepatoprotective activity. CONCLUSION: Palm kernel cake extract could be a potential agent to protect hepatocytes function under heat induced oxidative stress.

Antioxidant capacities and total phenolic contents enhancement with acute gamma irradiation in Curcuma alismatifolia (Zingiberaceae) leaves.

The present study was conducted in order to assess the effect of various doses of acute gamma irradiation (0, 10, 15, and 20 Gy) on the improvement of bioactive compounds and their antioxidant properties of Curcuma alismatifolia var. Sweet pink. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) analysis uncovered that various types of phenolic, flavonoid compounds, and fatty acids gradually altered in response to radiation doses. On the other hand, antioxidant activities determined by 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reduction, antioxidant power (FRAP), and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging assay showed a higher irradiation level significantly increased the antioxidant properties. This study revealed an efficient effect of varying levels of gamma radiation, based on the pharmaceutical demand to enhance the accumulation and distribution of bioactive compounds such as phenolic and flavonoid compounds, fatty acids, as well as their antioxidant activities in the leaves of C. alismatifolia var. Sweet pink.

Detoxification of toxic phorbol esters from Malaysian Jatropha curcas Linn. kernel by Trichoderma spp. and endophytic fungi.

The presence of phorbol esters (PEs) with toxic properties limits the use of Jatropha curcas kernel in the animal feed industry. Therefore, suitable methods to detoxify PEs have to be developed to render the material safe as a feed ingredient. In the present study, the biological treatment of the extracted PEs-rich fraction with non-pathogenic fungi (Trichoderma harzianum JQ350879.1, T. harzianum JQ517493.1, Paecilomyces sinensis JQ350881.1, Cladosporium cladosporioides JQ517491.1, Fusarium chlamydosporum JQ350882.1, F. chlamydosporum JQ517492.1 and F. chlamydosporum JQ350880.1) was conducted by fermentation in broth cultures. The PEs were detected by liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-ESIMS) and quantitatively monitored by HPLC using phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate as the standard. At day 30 of incubation, two T. harzianum spp., P. sinensis and C. cladosporioides significantly (p < 0.05) removed PEs with percentage losses of 96.9%-99.7%, while F. chlamydosporum strains showed percentage losses of 88.9%-92.2%. All fungal strains could utilize the PEs-rich fraction for growth. In the cytotoxicity assay, cell viabilities of Chang liver and NIH 3T3 fibroblast cell lines were less than 1% with the untreated PEs-rich fraction, but 84.3%-96.5% with the fungal treated PEs-rich fraction. There was no inhibition on cell viability for normal fungal growth supernatants. To conclude, Trichoderma spp., Paecilomyces sp. and Cladosporium sp. are potential microbes for the detoxification of PEs.

Identification and quantification of phenolic and flavonoid components in straw and seed husk of some rice varieties (Oryza sativa L.) and their antioxidant properties.

BACKGROUND: Plant foods are rich sources of bioactive compounds that can act as antioxidants to prevent heart disease, reduce inflammation, reduce the incidence of cancers and diabetes. This study aimed to determine the phenolics and flavonoids profiling in three varieties of rice straw and five varieties of the seed husk of Iranian rice using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Furthermore, the antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated by using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and nitric oxide assays. RESULTS: HPLC analyses showed that the gallic acid, pyrogallol, apigenin and rutin were the main phenolic and flavonoid compounds in all varieties of rice. In addition, the methanolic extracts of Hashemi and Ali Kazemi varieties showed the highest amounts of phenolic and flavonoid contents, respectively. Rice straw and husk of Iranian varieties showed considerable antioxidant activity and Hashemi indicated significantly (P < 0.01) higher DPPH and nitric oxide free radical scavenging activities when compared to the other varieties. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that rice straw and seed husk of Iranian varieties shows high antioxidant activities and they contain various types of phenolic and flavonoid compounds that could be use in food and medical industries.