Fucosterol Causes Small Changes in Lipid Storage and Brassicasterol Affects some Markers of Lipid Metabolism in Atlantic Salmon Hepatocytes

The Potential of the Marine Microalga Diacronema lutheri in the Prevention of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in High-Fat-Fed Wistar Rats

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids n-3 series (n-3 LC-PUFAs), especially eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, are known to exert preventive effects on obesity and metabolic syndrome. Mainly consumed in the form of fish oil, LC-PUFAs n-3 are also found in significant quantities in other sources such as certain microalgae. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Diacronema lutheri (Dia), a microalga rich in n-3 LC-PUFAs, on metabolic disorders associated with obesity. Three groups of male Wistar rats (n = 6 per group) were submitted for eight weeks to a standard diet or high-fat and high-fructose diet (HF), supplemented or not with 12% of Dia (HF-Dia). Compared to HF rats, HF-Dia rats showed a 41% decrease in plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) and an increase in plasma cholesterol (+35%) as well as in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (+51%) without change to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Although fasting glycemia did not change, glucose and insulin tolerance tests highlighted an improvement in glucose and insulin homeostasis. Dia supplementation restored body weight and fat mass, and decreased levels of liver TAG (−75%) and cholesterol (−84%). In HF-Dia rats, leptin was decreased (−30%) below the control level corresponding to a reduction of 68% compared to HF rats. Similarly, the anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10 were restored up to control levels, corresponding to a 74% and 58% increase in HF rats, respectively. In contrast, the level of IL-6 remained similar in the HF and HF-Dia groups and about twice that of the control. In conclusion, these results indicated that the D. lutheri microalga may be beneficial for the prevention of weight gain and improvement in lipid and glucose homeostasis.

Linking phytosterols and oxyphytosterols from food to brain health: origins, effects, and underlying mechanisms

Phytosterols and their oxidation products, namely oxyphytosterols, are natural compounds present in plant foods. With increased intake of phytosterol-enriched functional food products, the exposure of both phytosterols and oxyphytosterols is rising. Over the past ten years, researches have been focused on their absorption and metabolism in human body, as well as their biological effects. More importantly, recent studies showed that phytosterols and oxyphytosterols can traverse the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the brain. As brain health problems resulting from ageing being more serious, attenuating central nervous system (CNS) disorders with active compounds in food are becoming a hot topic. Phytosterols and oxyphytosterols have been shown to implicated in cognition altering and the pathologies of several CNS disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis. We will overview these findings with a focus on the contents of phytosterols and oxyphytosterols in food and their dietary intake, as well as their origins in the brain, and illustrate molecular pathways through which they affect brain health, in terms of inflammation, cholesterol homeostasis, oxidative stress, and mitochondria function. The existing scientific gaps of phytosterols and oxyphytosterols to brain health in knowledge are also discussed, highlighting research directions in the future.

Brassicasterol with Dual Anti-Infective Properties against HSV-1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Cardiovascular Protective Effect: Nonclinical In Vitro and In Silico Assessments

While few studies have revealed the biological properties of brassicasterol, a phytosterol, against some biological and molecular targets, it is believed that there are still many activities yet to be studied. In this work, brassicasterol exerts a therapeutic utility in an in vitro setting against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) as well as a considerable inhibitory property against human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) that plays a dynamic role in regulating blood pressure. The antireplicative effect of brassicasterol against HSV-1 is remarkably detected (50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀): 1.2 µM; selectivity index (SI): 41.7), while the potency of its effect is ameliorated through the combination with standard acyclovir with proper SI (IC₅₀: 0.7 µM; SI: 71.4). Moreover, the capacity of this compound to induce an adequate level of antituberculosis activity against all Mtb strains examined (minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 1.9 to 2.4 µM) is revealed. The anti-ACE effect (12.3 µg/mL; 91.2% inhibition) is also ascertained. Molecular docking analyses propose that the mechanisms by which brassicasterol induces anti-HSV-1 and anti-Mtb might be related to inhibiting vital enzymes involved in HSV-1 replication and Mtb cell wall biosynthesis. In summary, the obtained results suggest that brassicasterol might be promising for future anti-HSV-1, antituberculosis, and anti-ACE drug design.