The Antiinflammatory Properties of Humic Substances: A Mini Review

Assessing the safety of thermal mineral water for cosmetic applications: an integrated approach using physicochemical, cheminformatics, and bioinformatics techniques

Thermal and mineral waters represent a complex multifunctional natural resource that has been used for various purposes throughout human history. The physico-chemical characterization of thermal and mineral waters is a comprehensive process that integrates knowledge and practice from different scientific fields. When used in direct contact with human skin, whether for bathing or for use in topical products, a toxicological analysis of thermal and mineral waters must also be performed. This work is an example of a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the safety of concrete thermal and mineral water from the Pannonian Basin for use in cosmetics. A detailed physicochemical characterization was performed together with the subsequent safety assessment of the final cosmetic product, coupled with cheminformatics and bioinformatics tools used to predict physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, determination of descriptors to assess bioactive potential and evaluation of possible biological pathways and interactions. The results show that the tested thermal and mineral water is a promising resource for use in cosmetic products that can help maintain skin integrity and improve its condition. The toxicological evaluation showed that the tested water is acceptable as an ingredient in a face cream for adults, excluding pregnant and breastfeeding women. The results are discussed in detail and guidance and comments on outstanding issues are provided.

Development of gelatine and alginate based inks for 3D bioprinters and characterization

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a rapidly evolving technology. This study focuses on developing biopolymeric inks tailored for Three-dimensional (3D) printing applications, specifically to produce 3D-printed materials for wound dressing. Humic Acid (HA) was incorporated into the ink formulations due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Although alginate-gelatine-based inks are widely available, no existing systems include HA as an additional component, underscoring the originality of this work.This innovation addresses a key challenge in wound care by promoting healing while minimizing inflammatory responses. Alginate(Alg) used in this study was extracted from Cystoseira barbata, a brown algae species collected from Gideros Bay in Kastamonu, located along Turkey's western Black Sea coast. This is the first study to purify alginate from algae sourced from this regio. The extraction process was optimized. Four biopolymeric ink formulations were prepared in the study and were used to print 3D-biomaterials, which underwent characterization focusing on basic physicochemical properties. Biocompatibility was evaluated through cell viability tests (MTT assays), and Immune response analysis was evaluated through inflammatory markers; pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNFα), and the anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10). In conclusion, this study successfully purified and characterized alginate from algae collected in a previously unstudied region, Gideros Bay. A novel ink formulation, incorporating humic acid, was developed and 3D-printed for the first time. The results demonstrate that the printed materials in the study possess high potential for use as wound dressing materials, marking a significant contribution to the literature.

Humic acid attenuates cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, a major limitation of this chemotherapeutic agent, involves oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. This study investigated the potential renoprotective effects of humic acid in a rat model of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Forty-two male Wistar rats were assigned to six groups: control, humic acid, cisplatin, cisplatin + humic acid 10 mg/kg, cisplatin + humic acid 20 mg/kg, and cisplatin + humic acid 40 mg/kg. On day 7, the rats were sacrificed, and cardiac blood and kidneys were collected for biochemical and histopathological examinations. Humic acid administration significantly attenuated the cisplatin-induced increases in renal TNF-α and NF-κB levels, indicating a reduction in inflammation. Humic acid also ameliorated histopathological damage, including Bowman's capsule dilatation, tubular cell degeneration, and hemorrhage. However, humic acid did not significantly alter oxidative stress parameters or caspase-3 levels. Humic acid demonstrates a protective effect against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats, primarily by mitigating the inflammatory response. While HA's beneficial effects on oxidative stress and apoptosis were limited in this study, its ability to reduce inflammation highlights its potential as a therapeutic strategy to mitigate cisplatin-induced kidney injury.

Humic acid from vermicompost effectively regulates the redox status and mitigates the progression of experimental periodontitis

The progression of periodontal disease (PD) involves the action of oxidative stress mediators. Antioxidant agents may potentially attenuate the development of this condition. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effects of different doses of humic acid (HA), extracted from biomass vermicomposting, on redox status and parameters related to PD progression in rats. Fifty-four adult male Wistar rats were distributed into six experimental groups (control; PD; PD + 40 mg/kg of HA; PD + 80 mg/kg of HA; PD + 160 mg/kg of HA; PD + 320 mg/kg of HA). HA was administered by gavage for 28 days, and PD was induced by ligature on the mandibular first molars on the 14th day of treatment. After euthanasia, alveolar bone loss, oxidative stress in the gum and erythrocytes, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and creatinine were analyzed. Animals treated with HA showed less bone loss at the dose of 80 mg/kg compared to the untreated PD group (p < 0.05). Animals treated with HA at doses higher than 80 mg/kg showed improvements in local and systemic redox status parameters (total antioxidant activity, thiobarbituric reactive substances, carbonyl derivatives, and superoxide dismutase) compared to the PD group (p < 0.05). Treatment with HA reduced serum levels of creatinine (at doses of 80 and 160 mg/kg) and AST (at doses of 40 and 80 mg/kg) compared to the PD group (p < 0.05). HA treatment attenuated alveolar bone loss and improved local and systemic oxidative stress parameters in ligature-induced PD rats.

Humic Acid Derived from Agricultural Biomass Mitigates Alveolar Bone Loss and Modulates Systemic Inflammatory Cytokines in Rats with Periodontitis

BACKGROUND

Humic acid (HA) is a bioproduct that can be extracted from different sources and has anti-inflammatory properties that have been little explored in the treatment and prevention of Periodontal Disease (PD). Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects of oral administration of HA on the progression of PD in rats.

METHODS

Twenty-four male Wistar rats were distributed into three experimental groups (Control/ Sham, PD, and PD + HA). HA was administered by gavage (80 mg/kg/day) for 28 days, and PD was induced 14 days after the beginning of treatment. Bone loss, bone topography, and surface elemental composition were analyzed. Circulating IL1-beta, TNF-alpha, and IL-10 levels were evaluated through Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

The animals treated with HA showed lower bone loss (p < 0.05). Calcium and phosphorus levels on the alveolar bone surface were lower in the PD group (p < 0.05) compared to the control group, whereas the animals treated with HA exhibited attenuation in this loss (p < 0.05). The animals treated with HA showed reduced TNF-alpha, IL1-beta, IL-10, and the TNF-alpha/IL-10 ratio compared to those with PD (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Treatment with HA attenuated the parameters of alveolar bone loss and modulated systemic inflammatory parameters in rats with ligature-induced PD.

Stimulus-responsive biomacromolecule wound dressings for enhanced drug delivery in chronic wound healing: A review

Addressing the challenge of poor wound healing in chronic wounds remains complex, as the underlying physiological mechanisms are still not fully understood. Traditional wound dressings often fail to meet the specific needs of the chronic wound healing process. Recently, considerable interest has shifted toward employing biomacromolecule-based smart wound dressings to facilitate wound healing. These stimuli-responsive dressings have undergone substantial development to manage local drug delivery, demonstrating promising therapeutic effects in treating chronic wound defects. They have displayed improved drug release profiles both in vitro and in vivo. Recently, there have been advancements in the development of innovative dual and multi-stimuli responsive dressings that react to combinations of signals including pH-temperature, pH-enzyme, pH-ROS, pH-glucose, pH-NIR, and multiple stimuli. This paper offers an in-depth review of recent progress in responsive wound dressings based on biomacromolecules, with a specific focus on their design, drug release capabilities, and therapeutic advantages.

Evaluating the Use of UV Absorbance for the Differentiation of Humified From Non-Humified Materials

BACKGROUND

Products containing humic acids (HA) and fulvic acids (FA) have significant commercial potential; however, unknown to the consumer, some products may be mislabeled or contain adulterants. The prevalence of mislabeling and adulterants is found primarily in FA products. Using UV-Vis spectroscopy to differentiate between real and fake FA products is practical and desirable.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to expand the dataset generated using a UV-Vis-based method proposed by Mayhew et al., 2023.

METHODS

In total, 30 test samples were used to generate 90 test portions (three replicates per test sample) for analysis using the UV-Vis methodology outlined in Mayhew et al., 2023, which in this study is referred to as the UVAC (UV absorbance confirmation) method.

RESULTS

None of the 13 FA test samples investigated were determined as humified using the UVAC method. The FA samples studied consisted of two IHSS standards, five commercial FA products (CFAP), and six full FA fractions (SFA), which were isolated from six known solid humic material sources (SHMS). There was a leonardite, a humalite, and four peat sources used as the SHMS. Analysis of the neutralized extract of the SHMS found only 3/6 SHMS were determined as humified. Six HA (SHA) test samples were also generated by isolating the HA from the SHMS, and only 3/6 SHA were determined as humified.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the high prevalence of false determinations, more work is needed to improve the method so that it can be used by industry or regulators.

HIGHLIGHTS

The proposed method failed to determine IHSS FA standards as humified. Although the method is practical, it needs improvement and further study before it can be used for reliable differentiation of real from fake FA.

The Effect of Szigetvár Medicinal Water on HaCaT Cells Exposed to Dithranol

(1) Introduction: Topical dithranol is still commonly used today as an effective treatment for psoriasis. Dithranol treatment is often supplemented with balneotherapy, which has been shown to increase effectiveness and reduce side effects. The inorganic salts (sulfhide, selenium, zinc) are usually thought to be responsible for the effect. The antioxidant effect of the waters is thought to be behind the therapeutic effect, for which inorganic substances (sulfides, selenium, zinc) are thought to be responsible. The organic matter content of medicinal waters is also particularly important, as humic acids, which are often found in medicinal waters, have antioxidant effects. (2) Methods: In this short-term experiment, we aimed to test the possible protective effect of Szigetvár medicinal water and its organic matter isolate on HaCaT cells exposed to dithranol. Malondialdehyde levels were measured, and RT-qPCR was used to investigate the gene expression of selected cytokines relevant in the oxidative stress response (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, GM-CSF) and the expression of microRNA-21. (3) Results: Szigetvár medicinal water and the organic isolate prevented the increase in malondialdehyde levels caused by dithranol treatment. The cytokine gene expressions elevated by dithranol exposure were reduced by the treatment. (4) Conclusions: Szigetvár medicinal water and organic substances alone may have a protective effect on patients' healthy skin surfaces against dithranol damage. We also demonstrated that the organic compounds are also responsible for the protective effect.

The Influence of Silver-Containing Bionanomaterials Based on Humic Ligands on Biofilm Formation in Opportunistic Pathogens

The uncontrolled use of antibiotics has led to a global problem of antimicrobial resistance. One of the main mechanisms of bacterial resistance is the formation of biofilms. In order to prevent the growth of antimicrobial resistance, it is crucial to develop new antibacterial agents that are capable of inhibiting the formation of biofilms. This makes this area of research highly relevant today. Promising candidates for these antibacterial agents are new bionanomaterials made from natural humic substances and silver nanoparticles. These substances have the potential to not only directly kill microorganisms but also penetrate biofilms and inhibit their formation. The goal of this study is to synthesize active pharmaceutical substances in the form of bionanomaterials, using ultradispersed silver nanoparticles in a matrix of coal humic substances, perform their characterization (NMR spectroscopy, TEM, and ICP-AES methods), and research their influence on biofilm formation in the most dangerous opportunistic pathogens (E. coli, Methicillin-resistant St. Aureus, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, St. aureus, A. baumannii, and K. Pneumonia). The results showed that all of the studied bionanomaterials had antibacterial activity against all of the opportunistic pathogens. Furthermore, they were found to have a suppressive effect on both pre-existing biofilms of these bacteria and their formation.

The effect of combining humic and fulvic acids poultice on wound healing in male rats

Background

Finding new compounds to accelerate wound healing is critical today. Humic substances or fulvic acid each have anti-inflammatory properties.

Aims and Objectives

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of poultice 0.5% containing humic and fulvic acids on wound healing in male rats.

Materials and Methods

An animal model was arranged by making a full-thickness skin wound was created in each rat. Animals were randomly divided into control, sham, and treatment groups. To investigate the effect of humic and fulvic acids combining poultice, the wound area and histological analyses of the number of inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, and angiogenesis were evaluated for 21 days.

Results

The animals in the treated group showed higher wound healing percentage, angiogenesis, and fibroblast distribution compared with the control (P < 0.001). Moreover, the topical administration of humic and fulvic acids 0.5% poultice decreased the mean number of inflammatory cells significantly than the other groups (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The topical administration of a poultice containing humic and fulvic acid accelerated wound healing by increasing angiogenesis and fibroblast and reducing inflammatory cell distribution in a rat model.

Coal-Derived Humic Substances: Insight into Chemical Structure Parameters and Biomedical Properties

An investigation was carried out on humic substances (HSs) isolated from the coal of the Kansk-Achinsk basin (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia). The coal HSs demonstrate the main parameters of molecular structure inherent to this class of natural compounds. An assessment was performed for the chemical, microbiological, and pharmacological safety parameters, as well as the biological efficacy. The HS sample meets the safety requirements in microbiological purity, toxic metals content (lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic), and radionuclides. The presence of 11 essential elements was determined. The absence of general, systemic toxicity, cytotoxicity, and allergenic properties was demonstrated. The coal HS sample was classified as a Class V hazard (low danger substances). High antioxidant and antiradical activities and immunotropic and cytoprotective properties were identified. The ability of the HS to inhibit hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anion radicals was revealed. Pronounced actoprotective and nootropic activities were also demonstrated in vivo. Intragastric administration of the HS sample resulted in the improvement of physical parameters in mice as assessed by the "swim exhaustion" test. Furthermore, intragastric administration in mice with cholinergic dysfunction led to a higher ability of animals with scopolamine-induced amnesia to form conditioned reflexes. These findings suggest that the studied HS sample is a safe and effective natural substance, making it suitable for use as a dietary bioactive supplement.

Unlocking the Therapeutic Potential of Freshwater Sapropel Extracts: In Vitro Analysis and Antioxidant Profiling for Skincare Applications

Background and Objective: Sapropel, a biologically active sedimentary deposit, is high in organic matter and minerals and has been shown to offer health benefits. Its constituents, humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA), have been found to have some therapeutic applications. The aim of this study was to determine the potential therapeutically significant properties of freshwater sapropel extracts: their polyacid content, antioxidative (AO) status, and biological activity in cell culture. Materials and Methods: Freshwater lakes from the southeast region of Latvia were investigated layer by layer. The total organic carbon (TOC) was determined through combustion using the catalytic oxidation method, HA and FA were measured via acid perspiration, and the total polyphenol content (TPC) and total antioxidant status (TAS) was analysed spectrophotometrically. Sapropel extracts' regenerative abilities were tested in vitro using a Cell-IQ real-time monitoring system on mouse BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts and human keratinocyte HaCaT cell lines. Cytotoxicity was measured through neutral red uptake assessment as a concentration-dependent reduction in the uptake of neutral red dye relative to a vehicle control or untreated cells. Results: The highest AO activity was observed in sapropel extracts with elevated concentrations of HA and TPC from Audzelu Lake (1.08 ± 0.03 mmol/L), and the lowest activity was found in extracts from Ivusku Lake (0.31 ± 0.01 mmol/L). Correspondingly, the concentrations of HA in Audzelu and Ivusku Lakes were recorded as 45.2 and 27.4 mg/g, respectively. High concentrations of HA promoted in vitro cell growth upon short-term exposure (up to 6 h). Conclusions: The results show that high TPC correlates with AO status and sapropel extracts with higher concentrations of HA exhibit greater AO activity and promote in vitro cell growth, suggesting a perspective use for short-term topical therapeutic skin applications. However, higher concentrations over longer durations showed cytotoxic effects, indicating the need for further investigation.

Investigation on humic substance and tetracycline interaction mechanism: biophysical and theoretical studies and assessing their effect on biological activity

Tetracycline (TC) is a widely used antibiotic, and evaluating its interaction with humic substances (HS) that act as a complexing agent in the environment is essential to understanding the availability of this contaminant in the environment. This study evaluated the interaction between HS and TC using different spectroscopic techniques, theoretical studies, and biological assays simulating environmental conditions. TC interacts with HS, preferably by electrostatic forces, with a binding constant of 9.2 × 103 M-1 (30 °C). This process induces conformational changes in the superstructure, preferably in the HS, like protein fraction. Besides, studies using the 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) probe indicated that the antibiotic alters the hydrophobicity degree on HS's surface. Synchronized fluorescence shows that the TC interaction occurs preferentially with the protein-like fraction of soil organic matter (KSV = 26.28 ± 1.03 M-1). The TC epitope was evaluated by 1H NMR and varied according to the pH (4.8 and 9.0) of the medium, as well as the main forces responsible for the stabilization of the HS-TC complex. The molecular docking studies showed that the formation of the HS-TC complex is carried out spontaneously (ΔG = -7.1 kcal mol-1) and is stabilized by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions, as observed in the experimental spectroscopic results. Finally, biological assays indicated that HS influenced the antimicrobial activity of TC. Thus, this study contributed to understanding the dynamics and distribution of TC in the environment and HS's potential in the remediation of antibiotics of this class in natural systems, as these can have adverse effects on ecosystems and human health.

Waste to Wealth: Near-Infrared/pH Dual-Responsive Copper-Humic Acid Hydrogel Films for Bacteria-Infected Cutaneous Wound Healing

The clinical applications of currently used photosensitizers are limited by high costs, inconvenient preparation, suboptimal biodegradability, and a lack of biological activity. Humic acids (HAs) show photothermal activity and can be used as a photosensitizer for photothermal therapy. In the presence of various functional groups, HAs are endowed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The solubility of HAs is dependent on the pH value, which is soluble in neutral to alkaline conditions and undergoes a conformational change to a coiled and compact structure in acidic conditions. Additionally, Cu2+ is an emerging therapeutic agent for cutaneous wounds and can be chelated by HAs to form complexes. In this study, we explore the ability of HAs to modulate the inflammatory response, particularly macrophage polarization, and the potential underlying mechanism. We fabricate a near-infrared (NIR)/pH dual-responsive Cu-HAs nanoparticle (NP)-based poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel film loaded with SEW2871 (SEW), a macrophage recruitment agent, to treat bacteria-infected cutaneous wounds. The results show that HAs could promote M2 macrophage polarization in a dose-dependent manner. The Cu-HAs NPs successfully eradicated bacterial infection through NIR-induced local hyperthermia. This PVA@Cu-HAs NPs@SEW hydrogel film improves tissue regeneration by promoting M2 macrophage polarization, alleviating oxidative stress, enhancing angiogenesis, and facilitating collagen deposition. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of PVA@Cu-HAs NPs@SEW hydrogel film for the treatment of bacterially infected cutaneous wound healing.

Sodium Humate-Derived Gut Microbiota Ameliorates Intestinal Dysfunction Induced by Salmonella Typhimurium in Mice

Salmonella is a foodborne pathogen that is one of the main causes of gastroenteric disease in humans and animals. As a natural organic substance, sodium humate (HNa) possesses antibacterial, antidiarrheal, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, it is unclear whether the HNa and HNa-derived microbiota exert alleviative effects on Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium-induced enteritis. We found that treatment with HNa disrupted the cell wall of S. Typhimurium and decreased the virulence gene expression. Next, we explored the effect of HNa presupplementation on S. Typhimurium-induced murine enteritis. The results revealed that HNa ameliorated intestinal pathological damage. In addition, we observed that presupplementation with HNa enhanced intestinal barrier function via modulating gut microbiota, downregulating toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) signaling pathways, regulating intestinal mucosal immunity, and enhancing tight junction protein expression. To further validate the effect of HNa-derived microbiota on S. Typhimurium-induced enteritis, we performed fecal microbiota transplantation and found that HNa-derived microbiota also alleviated S. Typhimurium-induced intestinal damage. It is noteworthy that both HNa and HNa-derived microbiota improved the liver injury caused by S. Typhimurium infection. Collectively, this is the first study to confirm that HNa could alleviate S. Typhimurium-induced enteritis in a gut microbiota-dependent manner. This study provides a new perspective on HNa as a potential drug to prevent and treat salmonellosis. IMPORTANCE Salmonella Typhimurium is an important zoonotic pathogen, widely distributed in nature. S. Typhimurium is one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses worldwide, and more than 350,000 people died from Salmonella infection each year, which poses a substantial risk to public health and causes a considerable economic loss. Here, we found that the S. Typhimurium infection caused severe intestinal and liver damage. In addition, we first found that sodium humate (HNa) and HNa-derived gut microbiota can alleviate S. Typhimurium infection-induced intestinal damage. These findings extend the knowledge about the public health risk and pathogenic mechanisms of S. Typhimurium.

Natural fulvic acids inhibit non-small-cell lung cancer through the COX-2/PGE2/EP4 axis: In silico and in vivo assessments

Purpose

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major public health concern with a high incidence worldwide. Coal-derived fulvic acids (FAs) contain functional groups in their chemical structures. Overexpression of cyclooxygenases-2 (COX-2), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and the PGE2 receptor EP4 subtype (EP4) can have a potential link with the increased tumor incidence and promoted tumor growth and metastasis in NSCLC. This study aimed to assess the biological roles of coal-derived FAs in the growth and development of NSCLC and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods

A web-based tool for predicting small-molecule pharmacokinetics (pkCSM) was used to analyze the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties of FAs. Molecular docking and dynamic simulations were performed to analyze the binding affinities of COX-2 and EP4 to FA. An acute toxicity test and an antitumor study were used to analyze the toxicity and anti-NSCLC effects of FAs. Thirty NSCLC-bearing nude mice were randomly divided into five groups (six mice per group): vehicle control, positive control with 20 mg/kg body weight (BW) 5-fluorouracil, and three treatments with 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg BW FAs. The BW and tumor volume were recorded, and the COX-2, PGE2, and EP4 protein expression were measured and analyzed.

Results

Using the predictive pkCSM algorithm, we found that FA did not cause developmental toxicity. Molecular simulations revealed that COX-2 and EP4 expression was inhibited by FA. An acute toxicity test conformed that the maximum tolerated FAs dose was >3.0 g/kg BW. The animal study demonstrated that FA treatment significantly downregulated the expression of COX-2, PGE2, and EP4 in NSCLC-bearing mice compared to that in vehicle control mice (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Natural FAs may exert anti-NSCLC effects through the COX-2/PGE2/EP4 axis.

Humic acids alleviate aflatoxin B1-induced hepatic injury by reprogramming gut microbiota and absorbing toxin

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a hepatotoxic fungal metabolite that is widely present in food and can cause liver cancer. As a potential detoxifier, naturally occurring humic acids (HAs) may be able to reduce inflammation and restructure the gut microbiota composition; however, little is known about the mechanism of HAs detoxification as applied to liver cells. In this study, HAs treatment alleviated AFB1-induced liver cell swelling and the infiltration of inflammatory cells. HAs treatment also reinstated various enzyme levels in the liver disturbed by AFB1 and substantially alleviated AFB1-caused oxidative stress and inflammatory responses by enhancing immune functions in mice. Moreover, HAs increased the length of the small intestinal and villus height to restore intestinal permeability, which is impaired by AFB1. In addition, HAs reconstructed the gut microbiota, increasing the relative abundance of Desulfovibrio, Odoribacter, and Alistipes. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that HAs could efficiently remove AFB1 by absorbing the toxin. Therefore, HAs treatment can ameliorate AFB1-induced hepatic injury by enhancing gut barrier function, regulating gut microbiota, and adsorbing toxin.

Therapeutic Efficiency of Humic Acids in Intoxications

Humins, humic and fulvic acids represent molecules with complex structures. These compounds comprising humic substances (HS) exist naturally in soil, brown coal, peat, and water. They are formed during the decomposition and transformation of organic matter (animal and plant remains) and their formation explains several theories. Within their chemical structures, there are numerous phenolic and carboxyl groups and their derivatives that affect their different properties, such as their solubility in water or their absorption of cations or mycotoxins. The manifold chemical structure of HS alters their polyelectrolyte character and thus their chelating efficiency. For many years, HS have been studied due to their detoxification, anti-, and pro-inflammatory or anticancer and antiviral ability. This article summarizes the antioxidant and adsorption properties of humic acids, highlighting their usefulness in intoxications.

Humic Substances as a Versatile Intermediary

Humic substances are organic ubiquitous components arising in the process of chemical and microbiological oxidation, generally called humification, the second largest process of the carbon cycle. The beneficial properties of these various substances can be observed in many fields of life and health, whether it is the impact on the human organism, as prophylactic as well as the therapeutic effects; animal physiology and welfare, which is widely used in livestock farming; or the impact of humic substances on the environment and ecosystem in the context of renewal, fertilization and detoxification. Since animal health, human health and environmental health are interconnected and mutually influencing, this work brings insight into the excellence of the use of humic substances as a versatile mediator contributing to the promotion of One Health.

Effects of supplemental fulvic acid on survival, growth performance, digestive ability and immunity of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) larvae

A 30-day feeding trial was designed to evaluate the effect of supplemental fulvic acid (FA) on survival, growth performance, digestive ability and immunity of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) larvae (initial body weight 11.33 ± 0.57 mg). Four isonitrogenous and isolipids diets containing 0.00%, 0.01%, 0.02% and 0.04% FA were formulated, respectively. Results showed that the supplementation of 0.04% FA significantly improved survival rate of large yellow croaker larvae. Meanwhile, supplemental FA significantly increased final body weight and specific growth rate. Based on the specific growth rate, the optimal supplementation was 0.0135% FA. Larvae fed the diet with 0.01% FA had significantly higher villus height than the control. The supplementation of 0.01%–0.02% FA significantly increased the muscular thickness of intestine. Moreover, supplementation of FA significantly increased mRNA expression of intestinal epithelial proliferation and barrier genes (pcna, zo-1 and zo-2). Diets supplemented with 0.02%–0.04% FA significantly increased the activity of trypsin in the intestinal segment, while 0.01%–0.02% FA significantly increased the activity of trypsin in the pancreatic segment. Compared with the control, supplementation of FA remarkably increased activities of alkaline phosphatase and leucine aminopeptidase in the brush border membrane of intestine. Larvae fed the diet with 0.01% FA significantly increased activities of lysozyme and total nitric oxide synthase. Furthermore, the supplementation of 0.01% to 0.02% FA significantly decreased the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tnf-α and il-6). Concurrently, supplemental FA significantly increased anti-inflammatory cytokine (il-10) mRNA expression level. In conclusion, this study indicated that the supplementation of FA could improve the survival rate and growth performance of larvae by promoting intestinal development, digestive enzymes activities and innate immunity.

Humic substances from composted fennel residues control the inflammation induced by Helicobacter pylori infection in AGS cells

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a common human pathogen causing inflammation. Recent studies have suggested a sophisticated interplay between mitochondria, innate immunity and inflammatory response, thus proposing mitochondrial disfunction as the hallmark of severe inflammatory disorders. In this study, humic substances isolated from composted fennel residues (HS-FEN) were tested as potential therapeutical strategy to restore the mitochondrial physiology and control the inflammation associated with H. pylori infection. The molecular features of HS-FEN were characterized by infrared spectrometry, thermochemolysis-GC/MS, NMR spectroscopy, and high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), which revealed the presence of aromatic polyphenolic components arranged in a rather stable conformation. In vitro results showed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of HS-FEN, that was found to increase the expression level of OPA-1 and SOD-2 genes and in AGS cells stimulated with H. pylori culture filtrate (Hpcf) and concomitantly decrease the expression level of Drp-1 gene and IL-12, IL-17 and G-CSF proteins. The hydrophobic features of HS, their conformational arrangement and large content of bioactive molecules may explain the beneficial effects of HS-FEN, that may potentially become an interesting source of anti-inflammatory agents capable to counteract or prevent the H. pylori-related inflammatory disorders.

Effects of sodium humate and glutamine on growth performance, diarrhoea incidence, blood parameters, and faecal microflora of pre-weaned calves

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of administration of sodium humate (HNa) and glutamine (Gln) on growth performance, diarrhoea incidence, serum parameters, and faecal microflora of pre-weaned Holstein calves. In a 57-day experiment, 28 healthy newborn female calves were randomly allocated to four treatment groups: (1) CON (control); (2) HNa (basal diet + 5% HNa); (3) Gln (basal diet + 1% Gln); and (4) HNa + Gln (basal diet + 5% HNa + 1% Gln). The calves in the CON group were fed with basal diet. HNa and Gln were alone or together mixed with milk (Days 1-20) or milk replacer (Days 21-57) and orally administered to each calf. The results indicated that calves combined supplemented with HNa and Gln had a higher average daily gain at 0-21 days, 21-57 days, and 0-57 days, and starter intake at 21-57 days and 0-57 days (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, calves in HNa, Gln, and HNa + Gln groups showed lower faecal scores and diarrhoea incidence at 0-21 days and 0-57 days (p < 0.05). Combined administration of HNa and Gln increased the concentration of IgG and IgA, activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) but decreased the concentration of diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactic acid (D-lac), TNF-α, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum of calves compared with the CON group throughout the entire period (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the abundances of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus were increased but the Escherichia coli was decreased in faecal grab samples of HNa + Gln group calves in comparison with the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, combined administration of HNa and Gln effectively improved the growth performance, antioxidant and immune status, and intestinal beneficial bacteria, and further reduced the diarrhoea incidence of the pre-weaned calves.

Effect of humic acid on oxidative stress and neuroprotection in hypoxic-ischemic brain injury: part 1

BACKGROUND

Aimed to investigate in an animal model the efficacy of humic acid by showing its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effect comparing with the histopathological and neurological outcomes for the hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

METHODS

28 Wistar-Albino rats who were on the 7th postnatal day and weighting between 9 and 19 g randomly divided into four groups with developed HIE model under the gas anesthesia. 20 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg intraperitoneal HA were given to Group I and II respectively. Saline was given to Group III and the sham group was Group IV. The brain tissues were stained with cresyl-violet histochemistry for grading neuronal cell injury and caspase immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

The neuronal cell injury was statistically lower in all neuroanatomical lands in HA treatment groups. The degree of ischemia was significantly smaller in HA groups. Caspase-3 immunoreactivity was decreased in the HA groups compared with the saline group. When the groups were compared, there were no serious neuronal injury in Group I.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study which investigates the role of HA in HIE model. HA reduces apoptosis and neuronal injury in cerebral tissue of the rats. This findings suggest that HA may be viable protective agent against HIE.

Curative Potential of Substances with Bioactive Properties to Alleviate Cd Toxicity: A Review

Rapid urbanization and industrialization have led to alarming cadmium (Cd) pollution. Cd is a toxic heavy metal without any known physiological function in the organism, leading to severe health threat to the population. Cd has a long half-life (10-30 years) and thus it represents serious concern as it to a great extent accumulates in organs or organelles where it often causes irreversible damage. Moreover, Cd contamination might further lead to certain carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks. Therefore, its negative effect on population health has to be minimalized. As Cd is able to enter the body through the air, water, soil, and food chain one possible way to defend and eliminate Cd toxicities is via dietary supplements that aim to eliminate the adverse effects of Cd to the organism. Naturally occurring bioactive compounds in food or medicinal plants with beneficial, mostly antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, or anti-tumorigenesis impact on the organism, have been described to mitigate the negative effect of various contaminants and pollutants, including Cd. This study summarizes the curative effect of recently studied bioactive substances and mineral elements capable to alleviate the negative impact of Cd on various model systems, supposing that not only the Cd-derived health threat can be reduced, but also prevention and control of Cd toxicity and elimination of Cd contamination can be achieved in the future.

Structural and inhibitory effects of fulvic and humic acids against tyrosinase

Inhibition of tyrosinase activity can control fruit browning and preserve the flavor and nutritional value of food. The impacts of fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) on tyrosinase activity were investigated utilizing circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectroscopy, molecular docking (MD), and molecular dynamics simulations. HA and FA demonstrated a mixed type of inhibition with K_i 2.02 and 5.2 μM, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters displayed that the hydrogen bond and hydrophobic force play a major role in the FA-tyrosinase and HA-tyrosinase interaction, respectively. Fluorescence experiments demonstrated changes in tyrosinase tertiary structures. HA could not destroy the tyrosinase secondary structure significantly, however, FA has a significant influence on the tyrosinase secondary structure. The molecular dynamics findings demonstrated the minimal fluctuations and the lowest flexibility in the complex amino acids in the HA-tyrosinase and FA-tyrosinase interaction. Altogether, HA and FA could be utilized in food industries as an accessible natural source for tyrosinase inhibition. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Recently, the investigation of tyrosinase inhibitors from the biosphere for hindrance of undesired browning in the food industry has increased considerably. Mushroom tyrosinase is a suitable model for kinetic research owing to its availability as well as close conformational similarity to tyrosinase in a mammal. Natural sources and their effective compounds could have wonderful potential on tyrosinase activity and structure, thus, in this study, the interactions between tyrosinase and fulvic acid (FA) and Humic acid (HA) were investigated. Previously, it has been shown that HA and FA have antioxidant properties and they can improve the quality of food via retarding lipid oxidation. Altogether, further investigations are warranted to draw firm conclusions, HA and FA could be utilized in food industries not only as antioxidant agents but also as an accessible natural source for tyrosinase inhibition.

Modification of the chemically induced inflammation assay reveals the Janus face of a phenol rich fulvic acid

Inflammation is an essential process as a reaction towards infections or wounding. Exposure to hazardous environmental pollutants can lead to chronic inflammations, where the resolving phase is delayed or blocked. Very contradictory studies have been reported on the pro- and anti-inflammatory effects of humic substances (HSs) leading to significant disagreements between researchers. To a certain extent, this can be attributed to the chemical heterogeneity of this group of xenobiotics. Here we show for the first time that pro- and anti-inflammatory effects can occur by one HSs. We adapted an assay that uses green fluorescence-labeled zebrafish larvae and CuSO₄ to indue an inflammation. In wild-type larvae, exposure to 50 µM CuSO₄ for 2 h activated the production of reactive oxygen species, which can be monitored with a fluorescence dye (H2DCFDA) and a microplate reader. This allows not only the use of wild-type fish but also a temporal separation of copper exposure and inflammatory substance while retaining the high throughput. This modified assay was then used to evaluate the inflammatory properties of a fulvic acid (FA). We found, that the aromatic structure of the FA protects from inflammation at 5 and 50 mg C/L, while the persistent free radicals enhance the copper-induced inflammation at ≥ 300 mg C/L.

Alkaline Extraction of Organomineral Potassium Humate from Coal Mining Waste

Organomineral potassium humate was extracted from coal mining waste from the Lenger deposit (Turkestan region, Kazakhstan) by alkaline extraction using an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide. The time and temperature of the process were investigated for the degree of extraction and yield of the product. A comprehensive study of the physicochemical properties of the raw material and the resulting production potassium humate was carried out by chemical analysis, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersion, IR-Fourier spectrometric and X-ray diffractographic analyses. The maximum degree of extraction and yield of the product wasachieved at 80 °C and 90 min. Moreover, the experimental data were subjected to kinetic processing, as a result of which it was established that the process of extraction of potassium humate occurs in the external diffusion region.

In Vitro Determination of Inhibitory Effects of Humic Substances Complexing Zn and Se on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Replication

(1) Background: Humic substances are well-known human nutritional supplement materials and they play an important performance-enhancing role as animal feed additives. For decades, ingredients of humic substances have been proven to carry potent antiviral effects against different viruses. (2) Methods: Here, the antiviral activity of a humic substance containing ascorbic acid, Se- and Zn2+ ions intended as a nutritional supplement material was investigated against SARS-CoV-2 virus B1.1.7 Variant of Concern ("Alpha Variant") in a VeroE6 cell line. (3) Results: This combination has a significant in vitro antiviral effect at a very low concentration range of its intended active ingredients. (4) Conclusions: Even picomolar concentration ranges of humic substances, Vitamin C and Zn/Se ions in the given composition, were enough to achieve 50% viral replication inhibition in the applied SARS-CoV-2 virus inhibition test.

Analysis of Massaciuccoli Peat after Maturation in Sodium Chloride Water of Undulna Thermae

In Italy, peat extracted from the peat bogs of Lake Massaciuccoli is the only peat used for therapeutic purposes. Massaciuccoli peat (M-peat) soaked in the salty bromine-iodine water of Undulna Thermae has given positive results in various pathological situations, mainly in dermatological, rheumatological, and traumatological conditions. Morphological and biochemical analysis were performed using base M-peat samples matured in the salty bromine-iodine water of the Undulna Thermae for different times, to evaluate whether maturation time modifies peat chemico-physical properties. The maturation process induced particle aggregation, with an increase in the fractions with larger particle size. The presence of a high number of proteins derived from organic degradation was observed; after 6 months of maturation, a significant increase in proteins was found, suggesting that salty bromine-iodine water plays a role in the clinical action of the peat. The presence of lipids in M-peat was also confirmed, allowing us to draw important considerations on its therapeutic properties possibly deriving from the relevant interactions between lipids and humic acids. Finally, from our observations, it could be reasonably argued that longer periods of maturation do not result in additional advantages regarding clinical activity.

Antiflammatory activity and potential dermatological applications of characterized humic acids from a lignite and a green compost

Long-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with the development of some inflammatory processes related to skin. The goal of modern medicine is the development of new products with antiflammatory action deriving from natural sources to improve environmental and economic sustainability. In this study, two different humic acids (HA) were isolated from from lignite (HA-LIG) and composted artichoke wastes (HA-CYN) and characterized by infrared spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, thermochemolysis-GC/MS, and high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), while their antiflammatory activity was evaluated on HaCaT cells. Spectroscopic results showing the predominance of apolar aliphatic and aromatic components in HA-LIG, whereas HA-CYN revealed a presence of polysaccharides and polyphenolic lignin residues. The HA application on human keratinocyte pre-treated with Urban Dust revealed a general increase of viability suggesting a protective effect of humic matter due to the content of aromatic, phenolic and lignin components. Conversely, the gene expression of IL-6 and IL-1β cytokines indicated a significant decrease after application of HA-LIG, thus exhibiting a greater antiflammatory power than HA-CYN. The specific combination of HA protective hydrophobic components, viable conformational arrangements, and content of bioactive molecules, suggests an innovative applicability of humic matter in dermatology as skin protectors from environmental irritants and as antiflammatory agents.

Influence of Sodium Humate on the Growth Performance, Diarrhea Incidence, Blood Parameters, and Fecal Microflora of Pre-Weaned Dairy Calves

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the administration of sodium humate (NaH) on the growth performance, diarrhea incidence, and fecal microflora of pre-weaned Holstein calves. In a 53-day experiment, forty healthy newborn female calves were randomly allocated to the following four treatment groups: (1) control (basal diet); (2) 1-gram NaH (basal diet extra orally supplemented with 1 g of NaH dissolved in 100 mL of milk or milk replacer daily); (3) 3-gram NaH (basal diet extra orally supplemented with 3 g of NaH dissolved in 100 mL of milk or milk replacer daily); and (4) 5-gram NaH (basal diet extra orally supplemented with 5 g of NaH dissolved in 100 mL of milk or milk replacer daily). NaH was mixed with milk (d 2–20) or milk replacer (d 21–53). Calves in the 5-gram NaH group had a higher ADG during d 1 to 21 and d 21 to 53 than the other groups did (p < 0.05). Fecal scores and diarrheal incidence were significantly lower in the 3-gram and 5-gram NaH groups than the 1-gram NaH and control groups during d 1 to 20 (p < 0.05). The serum IgA, IgG and IL-4 concentrations, and T-SOD and T-AOC activities were higher, and the serum IL-6, TNF-α, D-lactic acid, and MDA concentrations were lower in the 5-gram NaH group than the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, NaH supplementation increased the abundances of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus but decreased the abundance of Escherichia coli in feces (p < 0.05). These encouraging findings indicated that supplementation with 5 g of NaH effectively improved the immune status, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal beneficial bacteria, and further improved the growth performance and reduced the diarrhea incidence of the pre-weaned dairy calves.

Development and validation of standardization methods of aqueous sapropel extract

Methodological bases and uniform standardization criteria of humic compounds as substances for drug products have not been developed yet. This is due to the structural complexity of humic compounds, the variety of ways to extract them from natural objects, the impossibility of using many classical methods of analytical chemistry to identify and quantify humic substances (HS), the lack of standard samples. The identification of humic acids (HA) in the aqueous sapropel extract (ASE) is identified after extracting from ASE by alkaline hydrolysis by the quantification method. After further precipitation with a concentrated sulfuric acid solution characteristic dark brown color is appeared. It was carried out the HA extraction from the sample of ASE, the precipitation of HA, the oxidation of HA and Mohr’s salt titration in accordance with the methodology developed on the basis of SSTU 7083:2009. It was determined that the total mass fraction of HA in the ASE sample was 83.8 mg/g± 0.12%. The methods of identification and quantification of the total mass of HA in ASE have been developed and validated. The ASE has been standardized.

Colloidal Stability of Silica-Modified Magnetite Nanoparticles: Comparison of Various Dispersion Techniques

The production of stable and homogeneous batches during nanoparticle fabrication is challenging. Surface charging, as a stability determinant, was estimated for 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) coated pre-formed magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs). An important consideration for preparing stable and homogenous MNPs colloidal systems is the dispersion stage of pre-formed samples, which makes it feasible to increase the MNP reactive binding sites, to enhance functionality. The results gave evidence that the samples that had undergone stirring had a higher loading capacity towards polyanions, in terms of filler content, compared to the sonicated ones. These later results were likely due to the harsh effects of sonication (extremely high temperature and pressure in the cavities formed at the interfaces), which induced the destruction of the MNPs.

A Use of Tritium-Labeled Peat Fulvic Acids and Polyphenolic Derivatives for Designing Pharmacokinetic Experiments on Mice

Natural products (e.g., polyphenols) have been used as biologically active compounds for centuries. Still, the mechanisms of biological activity of these multicomponent systems are poorly understood due to a lack of appropriate experimental techniques. The method of tritium thermal bombardment allows for non-selective labeling and tracking of all components of complex natural systems. In this study, we applied it to label two well-characterized polyphenolic compounds, peat fulvic acid (FA-Vi18) and oxidized lignin derivative (BP-Cx-1), of predominantly hydrophilic and hydrophobic character, respectively. The identity of the labeled samples was confirmed using size exclusion chromatography. Using ultra-high resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT ICR MS), key differences in the molecular composition of BP-Cx-1 and FA-Vi18 were revealed. The labeled samples ([³H]-FA-Vi18 (10 mg/kg) and [³H]-BP-Cx-1 (100 mg/kg)) were administered to female BALB/c mice intravenously (i.v.) and orally. The label distribution was assessed in blood, liver, kidneys, brain, spleen, thymus, ovaries, and heart using liquid scintillation counting. Tritium label was found in all organs studied at different concentrations. For the fulvic acid sample, the largest accumulation was observed in the kidney (C_max 28.5 mg/kg and 5.6 mg/kg, respectively) for both routes. The organs of preferential accumulation of the lignin derivative were the liver (C_max accounted for 396.7 and 16.13 mg/kg for i.v. and p.o. routes, respectively) and kidney (C_max accounted for 343.3 and 17.73 mg/kg for i.v. and p.o. routes, respectively). Our results demonstrate that using the tritium labeling technique enabled successful pharmacokinetic studies on polyphenolic drugs with very different molecular compositions. It proved to be efficient for tissue distribution studies. It was also shown that the dosage of the polyphenolic drug might be lower than 10 mg/kg due to the sensitivity of the ³H detection technique.

Addition of Different Levels of Humic Substances Extracted from Worm Compost in Broiler Feeds

Different sources and inclusion levels of humic substances (HS) have been tested in broiler rations as an alternative to the addition of growth promoter antibiotics (GPA) with promising results. The current study was carried out to assess the influence of HS extracted from worm compost on broiler production parameters, carcass yield, tibia characteristics, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts, excretion of Eimeria oocysts, and antioxidant status of breast meat. A total of 1200 broilers were used, housed in groups of 30 per pen, and assigned to five treatments: 1 = basal diet with GPA (positive control), 2 = basal diet without GPA (negative control), 3-5 = basal diet with 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45% HS, respectively. The data was subjected to a variance analysis and orthogonal contrasts. The FI decreased linearly (p < 0.05) from 1-14, 29-42, and 1-42 days as the inclusion of HS in the feed increased. The FCR had quadratic responses (p < 0.01) from 29-42 and 1-42 days concerning the HS inclusion levels. Lactic acid bacteria was higher (p ˂ 0.05) in ten-day-old chicks with 0.45% HS in the diet. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity antioxidant potential decreased linearly (p < 0.05) concerning increasing HS in the feed. The results indicate that HS can be used as growth promoters in broiler feeds.

Assessment of the protective effect of yeast cell wall β-glucan encapsulating humic acid nanoparticles as an aflatoxin B1 adsorbent in vivo

This study aimed to assess the protective effect of encapsulating humic acid-iron complexed nanoparticles (HA-Fe NPs) inside glucanmannan lipid particles (GMLPs) extracted from yeast cell wall against aflatoxin B (AFB₁ ) toxicity in vivo. Four groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated orally for 2 weeks included the control group, AFB₁ treated group (80 µg/kg b.w); GMLP/HA-Fe NPs treated group (0.5 mg/kg b.w), and the group treated with AFB₁ plus GMLP/HA-Fe NPs. GMLPs are empty 3-4 micron permeable microspheres that provide an efficient system for the synthesis and encapsulation of AFB₁ -absorbing nanoparticles (NPs). Humic acid nanoparticles (HA-NPs) were incorporated inside the GMLP cavity by complexation with ferric chloride. In vivo study revealed that AFB₁ significantly elevated serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine, uric acid, urea, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide. It significantly decreased total protein, high-density lipoprotein, hepatic and renal CAT and glutathione peroxidase content and induced histological changes in the liver and kidney (p ≤ 0.05). The coadministration of the synthesized formulation GMLP/HA-Fe NPs with AFB₁ has a protective effect against AFB₁ -induced hepato-nephrotoxicity, oxidative stress and histological alterations in the liver and kidney.

Combined supplementation of sodium humate and glutamine reduced diarrhea incidence of weaned calves by intestinal microbiota and metabolites changes

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of combined supplementation of sodium humate (HNa) and glutamine (Gln) on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, serum parameters, intestinal microbiome, and metabolites of weaned calves. In Exp. 1, 40 calves were randomly assigned to four treatments: 1) NC (negative control, basal diet), 2) 1% H+1% G (basal diet extra orally gavaged with 1 g of HNa and 1 g of Gln daily), 3) 3% H+1% G (basal diet extra orally gavaged with 3 g of HNa and 1 g of Gln daily), and 4) 5% H+1% G (basal diet extra orally gavaged with 5 g of HNa and 1 g of Gln daily). The HNa and Gln were together mixed with 100 mL of milk replacer (51 to 58 d of age) or water (59 to 72 d of age) and orally administrated to each calf from a bottle before morning feeding. In a 21-d trial, calves on the 5% HNa+1% Gln group had higher (P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and lower (P < 0.05) diarrhea incidence than those in the control group. In Exp. 2, 20 calves were randomly assigned to two treatments fed with a basal diet and a basal diet supplemented with 100 mL of 5% HNa+1% Gln. In a 21-d trial, calves supplemented with HNa and Gln had higher (P < 0.05) ADG, IgG concentration and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) activities in the serum, but lower (P < 0.05) diarrhea incidence, as well as serum diamine oxidase (DAO), D-isomer of lactic acid (D-lac), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations compared with control group. Results of intestinal microbiota indicated that supplementation with HNa and Gln significantly increased (P < 0.05) the abundance of intestinal beneficial microbiota. Moreover, supplementation with HNa and Gln altered 18 metabolites and enriched 6 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways in weaned calves. In conclusion, combined supplementation with HNa and Gln could decrease diarrhea incidence of weaned calves via altering intestinal microbial ecology and metabolism profile.

A Systematic Study of the Antioxidant Capacity of Humic Substances against Peroxyl Radicals: Relation to Structure

Humic substances (HS) are natural supramolecular systems of high- and low-molecular-weight compounds with distinct immunomodulatory and protective properties. The key beneficial biological activity of HS is their antioxidant activity. However, systematic studies of the antioxidant activity of HS against biologically relevant peroxyl radicals are still scarce. The main objective of this work was to estimate the antioxidant capacity (AOC) of a broad set of HS widely differing in structure using an oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) assay. For this purpose, 25 samples of soil, peat, coal, and aquatic HS and humic-like substances were characterized using elemental analysis and quantitative 13C solution-state NMR. The Folin-Ciocalteu method was used to quantify total phenol (TP) content in HS. The determined AOC values varied in the range of 0.31-2.56 μmol Trolox eqv. mg-1, which is close to the values for ascorbic acid and vitamin E. Forward stepwise regression was used to reveal the four main factors contributing to the AOC value of HS: atomic C/N ratio, content of O-substituted methine and methoxyl groups, and TP. The results obtained clearly demonstrate the dependence of the AOC of HS on both phenolic and non-phenolic moieties in their structure, including carbohydrate fragments.

Nanoparticles with Multiple Enzymatic Activities Purified from Groundwater Efficiently Cross the Blood-Brain Barrier, Improve Memory, and Provide Neuroprotection

Many engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) and drugs have been fabricated to improve memory and promote neuroprotection, but their use remains challenging due to their high cost, poor ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and many side effects. Herein, we found that nanoparticles with multiple enzymatic activities purified from groundwater (NMEGs) can efficiently cross the BBB and present memory-enhancing and neuroprotective effects in vitro and in vivo. In contrast to the adverse effects of chemicals and ENMs, NMEGs are able to cross the BBB by endocytosis without damaging the BBB and even possibly promote BBB integrity. NMEGs-treated normal mice were smarter and better behaved than saline-treated normal mice in the open-field test and Morris water maze test. NMEGs can enhance synaptic transmission by increasing neurotransmitter production and activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), activate the antioxidant enzyme system, and increase the number of mitochondria and ribosomes in cells. Intravenous NMEGs injection also rescued memory deficits and increased antioxidant capacity in Parkinson's disease (PD) mice due to the antioxidant activity caused by the presence of conjugated double bonds and abundant phenolic -OH groups. This study is a proof-of-principle demonstration that natural products are less expensive, more easily available, safer, and more effective ways to improve memory and promote neuroprotection than ENMs and reported drugs. Our article also shows the potential of NMEGs as a PD treatment in patients via intravenous injection, as they avoid the complex modifications of ENMs. In the future, it will be possible to treat PD by intravenously injecting NMEGs in patients.

Effects of sodium humate and glutamine combined supplementation on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, blood parameters, and intestinal microflora of weaned calves

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of sodium humate (HNa) and glutamine (Gln) alone or combined supplementation on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, blood parameters, and intestinal microflora of weaned Holstein calves. In a 14-day experiment, 40 calves at 51 ± 3 days of age were randomly allocated to four treatment groups: (1) NC (basal diet), (2) NC + 5% HNa, (3) NC + 1% Gln, and (4) NC + 5% HNa + 1% Gln. Calves combined supplementation with HNa and Gln had a higher (P < .05) ADG, serum concentration of glucose (GLU), IgA, and IgG but lower fecal scores, diarrhea incidence, serum concentration of TNF-α, and IL-10 compared with NC group (P < .05). Compared with NC group, HNa + Gln group showed higher (P < .05) serum GSH and T-AOC activities but lower (P < .05) concentration of MDA and D-lac. Furthermore, the abundances of Prevotella ruminicola, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus in rectal digesta were increased (P < .05), but the Escherichia coli was significantly decreased. In conclusion, combined supplementation with HNa and Gln can effectively improve the immune status, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal microflora of the weaned calves while reducing diarrhea incidence.

Toward a microscopic model of light absorbing dissolved organic compounds in aqueous environments: theoretical and experimental study

Water systems often contain complex macromolecular systems that absorb light. In marine environments, these light absorbing components are often at the air-water interface and can participate in the chemistry of the atmosphere in ways that are poorly understood. Understanding the photochemistry and photophysics of these systems represents a major challenge since their composition and structures are not unique. In this study, we present a successful microscopic model of this light absorbing macromolecular species termed "marine derived chromophoric dissolved organic matter" or "m-CDOM" in water. The approach taken involves molecular dynamics simulations in the ground state using on the fly Density Functional Tight-Binding (DFTB) electronic structure theory; Time Dependent DFTB (TD-DFTB) calculations of excited states, and experimental measurements of the optical absorption spectra in aqueous solution. The theoretical hydrated model shows key features seen in the experimental data for a collected m-CDOM sample. As will be discussed, insights from the model are: (i) the low-energy A-band (at 410 nm) is due to the carbon chains combined with the diol- and the oxy-groups present in the structure; (ii) the weak B-band (at 320-360 nm) appears due to the contribution of the ionized speciated form of m-CDOM; and (iii) the higher-energy C-band (at 280 nm) is due to the two fused ring system. Thus, this is a two-speciated formed model. Although a relatively simple system, these calculations represent an important step in understanding light absorbing compounds found in nature and the search for other microscopic models of related materials remains of major interest.

A Comprehensive Toxicological Assessment of Fulvic Acid

Fulvic acid (FA), a humic substance, has several nutraceutical properties, including anti-inflammation, antimicrobial, and immune regulation abilities. However, systematic safety assessment remains insufficient. In the present study, a battery of toxicological studies was conducted per internationally accepted standards to investigate the genotoxicity and repeated-dose oral toxicity of FA. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats or ICR mice were used. Compared to the control group, there were no significant changes (all p > 0.05) in all FA treatment groups in the bacterial reverse mutation test, in vitro mammalian chromosome aberration test, in vivo sperm shape abnormality assay, and in vivo mouse micronucleus assay. The acute toxicity test showed that no mortality or toxic effect was observed following oral administration of the maximum dose of 5,000 mg/kg BW/day to mice or rats. A 60-day subchronic study was conducted at 0 (control), 200, 1,000, and 5,000 mg/kg/day. Compared to the control group, there were no significant changes (all p > 0.05) in the body weights, feed consumption, clinical signs, hematology, clinical chemistry, organ weights, or histopathology examinations. In conclusion, the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) of FA supplementation from the 60-day study was determined to be 5,000 mg/kg body weight/day, the highest dose tested. Our findings suggest that the oral administration of FA may have higher safety.

Chemical and mineralogical characteristics of peloids in Turkey

To investigate the physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics of peloids, which are being used traditionally and historically across Turkey, and evaluate their suitability and potential for use in peloidotherapy. Five peloid samples were gathered from their places of origin, namely Gölemezli, Dalyan, Köprüköy, Gökçeada, and Dikili. Mineral analysis and physical and chemical analyses including electrical conductivity, density, cations, anions, trace elements, organic matters, and water retention capacity at 105 °C were performed. The peloids contained a combination of clay minerals (mainly montmorillonite, kaolinite, and muscovite) and non-clay minerals (mainly quartz, calcite, dolomite, and albite) except for Gölemezli peloid, which was dominated by calcite. The other minerals (i.e., chloride-serpentine, sphalerite, pyrite, magnesium calcite, cristobalite) were also found in some peloids. Gölemezli, Dalyan, and Köprüköy peloids had high total organic matters, mainly humic substances. The water retention capacity was high in Dalyan, Köprüköy, and Dikili peloids. All peloids had a pH value slightly greater than 7 (range 7.93-8.69). Dalyan, Köprüköy, and Dikili peloids had a high water retention capacity. Dalyan and Gökçeada peloids had a high electrical conductivity, 22.040 and 9.020 μS/cm, respectively. The density of peloids was ranged between 1.240 (Gölemezli) and 1.450 (Gökçeada) g/cm³. Total mineralization of investigated peloids was greater than 1000 mg/L: Köprüköy, 2754.8 mg/L; Gölemezli, 3092.8 mg/L; Dikili, 4044.6 mg/L; Gökçeada, 6576.6 mg/L; and Dalyan, 11782.9 mg/L, mainly sodium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, sulfate, bicarbonate, and metasilicic acid. The levels of trace elements were low (≤ 2.0 mg/L) in all peloids. The peloids contained various amounts of clay minerals (mainly montmorillonite, kaolinite, and muscovite), non-clay minerals (mainly quartz, calcite, dolomite, and albite), organic matters (mainly humic acid), cations (mainly sodium, magnesium, and calcium), anions (mainly chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate), and insoluble compounds (mainly metasilicic acid). The physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of peloids suggest their suitability and potential for use in peloidotherapeutic applications.

Effect of humic acids on lead poisoning in bones and on a subcellular level in mitochondria

Humic acids (HA) are natural substances which exhibit a remarkable spectrum of health benefits, such as their role in chelation. This study aims to supplement the current knowledge on the chelating effects of HA in chronic lead intoxication in rat femurs and in liver, heart and kidney mitochondria in an experiment lasting 10 weeks. Lead acetate trihydrate was administered to rats for 5 weeks at a daily dose of 155.5 mg/kg body weight. At the same time, rats were given three concentrations of HA, with their effect measured over the following 5 weeks. Increased Pb concentrations were detected in the femur after the first week, while HA-administered groups showed a tendency towards inhibiting the increase in Pb deposition. After 5 weeks, Pb concentrations dropped significantly in the HA groups. At the same time, however, other elements were redistributed, with a decrease in Se and Zn being particularly noteworthy. While an increase in Pb concentrations was found after 5 weeks of Pb administration, a concentration of 1% HA resulted in the least significant increase in Pb as well as an increase/decrease in Se/Cu, respectively. In mitochondria, an increase in Pb content was detected after the first and fifth weeks with concomitant redistribution of other elements. At the end of the experiment, again in the 1% HA group, Pb concentrations remained higher only in the liver with the other elements sufficiently normalized, indicating this concentration to be useful in the treatment of Pb intoxication.

The effect of organic matter humification (aromaticity and oxidation degree) on structural and nanomorphological characteristics of humic nanocomposites of metallic platinum

BACKGROUND

It has been previously found that humic substances (HSs) can serve as the environmentally benign non-toxic agent for the preparation of magnetic and noble metals nanoparticles that are increasingly used in biomedicine. The structure of HSs and, hence, their synthetic potential depend on the source of their origin. Thus, humification character, determined by conditions and duration of complex transformation of organic remains in HSs can evidence their structure, in particular their aromaticity and oxidation degree. The incorporation of platinum nanoparticles in a shell of HSs allows obtaining aggregate-stable nanomaterials with directly controlled structural and nanomorphological characteristics, which combine the properties of platinum nanoparticles (selective cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory activity, etc. And a complex of biological properties of HSs (antioxidant, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity. At the same time, the expression of valuable properties of platinum nanoparticles can be varied directly by changing their nanomorphological characteristics that strongly depend on the conditions of synthesis, in particular on the HSs type which is used for the synthesis.

AIM

To study the effect of humification (aromaticity and oxidation degree) of three types of humic substances extracted from natural Mongolia sources (therapeutic muds of Gurvan Nuur Lake, brown coal of Baganuur coal deposit and shale of Shine Hudag deposit) on structural and nanomorphological characteristics of Pt⁰-containing nanocomposites produced on their basis.

METHODS

Nanocomposites with Pt⁰ content 1.2-6.5% were synthesized by reduction of hydrogen hexachloroplatinate with HSs in an aqueous-alkaline medium upon heating (90 °C). The yield of nanocomposites varied depending on type of HSs in the range 75-96%. The structure, composition and morphology of obtained nanocomposites were characterized by complex of modern physical and chemical methods (elemental analysis, XRD, SEM, TEM, IR- and optical-spectroscopy, DLS).

RESULTS

The platinum-containing nanocomposites have been synthesized using the reduction and stabilizing potentials of HSs with different degrees of humification (aromaticity and oxidation degree) and isolated from three natural Mongolian sources. The effect of functional composition, including oxidation and aromaticity degrees of HSs on the yield, quantitative and nanomorphological characteristics of produced platinum nanocomposites has been found. It is established that under the same reaction conditions platinum nanoparticles with face-centered cubic lattice and the smallest average size (9-15 nm) are formed from humic substances extracted from coal, while HSs derived from mud and shale afford the nanoparticles of larger size (18-28 and 16-26 nm respectively). The increase of platinum content in nanocomposites enlarges their average size, decreases their aggregate stability, as well as augments oxidation degree of HSs macromolecules. The reduction of platinum from precursor to the zero-valent state occurs due to oxidation of the phenolic and alcoholic hydroxyl groups, which are major components of HSs, as well as carbonyl groups. At the same time, HSs cover individual platinum nanoparticles, making them water soluble and preventing their aggregation.

CONCLUSION

Thus, we have synthesized a series Pt⁰-containing nanocomposites containing 1.2-6.5% with use as reducing and stabilizing matrix of natural available HSs with different humification characteristics (aromaticity and oxidation degree) and isolated from three natural Mongolia sources It is found that obtained nanocomposites are formed in form of platinum nanoparticles mainly of spherical shape and size of 3-42 nm distributed in a matrix of HSs. Polyfunctional composition of HSs is determined by conditions of their transformation and degree of humification, which provides their reducing and stabilizing properties during the synthesis of platinum metallic nanocomposites. It is established that Pt⁰ nanoparticles with the smallest average size and the highest aggregate stability are generated from HSs-coal with the lowest oxidation degree. These data contribute significantly to understanding of possible control of the nanomaterials synthesis and prediction of their properties.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Water-Dispersible Humate-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles: Relation of Coating Process Parameters to the Properties of Nanoparticles

Nowadays, there is a demand in the production of nontoxic multifunctional magnetic materials possessing both high colloidal stability in water solutions and high magnetization. In this work, a series of water-dispersible natural humate-polyanion coated superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles has been synthesized via microwave-assisted synthesis without the use of inert atmosphere. An impact of a biocompatible humate-anion as a coating agent on the structural and physical properties of nanoparticles has been established. The injection of humate-polyanion at various synthesis stages leads to differences in the physical properties of the obtained nanomaterials. Depending on the synthesis protocol, nanoparticles are characterized by improved monodispersity, smaller crystallite and grain size (up to 8.2 nm), a shift in the point of zero charge (6.4 pH), enhanced colloidal stability in model solutions, and enhanced magnetization (80 emu g⁻¹).

Effect of Peat Intervention on Pain and Gait in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Prospective, Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Study

Methods

Knee osteoarthritis patients with Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of 3 or more and Kellgren–Lawrence osteoarthritis grades 1 to 3 were included. Patients with history of intraarticular injection treatment were excluded. Forty-one participants were randomly allocated to the peat intervention group (n = 22) or the hot-pack-only control group (n = 19). Peat and hot pack were applied to both knees of each group of patients. Each intervention session lasted 20 minutes, and eight sessions were completed over five days. VAS, serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), and gait parameters were evaluated before and after the whole interventions.

Results

VAS in the peat group decreased from 6.000 to 3.409 after intervention (p < 0.001) and also decreased in the control group from 5.737 to 4.421 (p < 0.001). VAS score reduction between two periods was greater in the peat group than that in the control group (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the serum COMP level in either intergroup or intragroup analysis. In gait analysis, the gait velocity of the peat group increased from 0.781 m/s to 0.873 m/s after intervention (p=0.002), while it decreased in the control group. The knee varus/valgus range of motion during gaits was reduced from 11.455° to 8.439° after intervention in the peat group (p=0.006).

Conclusions

This study showed that peat can be considered as a therapeutic option for pain relief of knee osteoarthritis patients. The reduction in knee joint varus/valgus range of motion and the increase in gait velocity after peat intervention were also identified through this research, which is the first to analyze the effects of peat on gait.

Central European ethnomedical and officinal uses of peat, with special emphasis on the Tołpa peat preparation (TPP): An historical review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Medical or hygienic uses of peat mosses dates back to the 18th century. Peat was used externally (as poultices) in the early 19th century. The peat preparation invented by Stanisław Tołpa (Tołpa peat preparation, TPP) was patented in Poland in 1991; its concept had emerged in the 1980s. It raised high therapeutic expectations still being researched in the early 1990s. Profound expectations for peat, a natural product well known in Central European (and Polish) spas (for medicated baths and poultices), earned Tołpa's preparation great renown before any actual benefits (internal actions) were scientifically confirmed.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

We study the origins of medical interest in peat in Polish science against the background of the historical ethnopharmacy of peat and Sphagnum moss in Central Europe. It is aimed at shedding a new light on the history of TPP, its connections with local ethnopharmacological traditions and inspirations for local medical studies on peat products and peat-derived drugs of the 1980s and early 1900s.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The literature on peat baths was found and reviewed including the information and data about the studies of TPP from published though unknown sources as well as from Polish patents, unpublished typescripts, press interviews and reports.

RESULTS

Tołpa's research team missed the historical data about external and topical actions of Sphagnum peat or its preparations which were published in the 19th- and early 20th-century. This is strange because folk medicine based on peat emanated eastwards from ethnic Austria along the Vistula river and the Carpathians. Tołpa ignored balneotherapeutic (external) applications as well as the action of sphagnan from Sphagnum herb, and rejected this kind of peat as scientifically not promising, based on a single biological test on plants. The concept of an active principle in peat or its preparations evolved, and speculation concerning its nature was not followed by adequate basic research. The active principle was not found. Results concerning plant meristem growth were too readily applied in animal production and finally human medicine. The natural ingredient in TPP production was never defined botanically. Anti-cancer properties ascribed to the TPP on the basis of bio-stimulation tests stirred powerful social emotions.

CONCLUSIONS

Topical peat cure originated in Austria in about 1820. It evolved as a whole branch of Central European balneotherapy which had been completely scientifically described by the 1950s. At that time an undefined peat extract was once successfully used in ear infections in paediatrics. Stanisław Tołpa's research project to find any internal application of peat ignored the achievements of ethnobiology, balneotherapy, surgery and otorhinolaryngology known at that time. His strenuous and insistent efforts, carried out in isolation, crucially failed pre-clinical and clinical tests in any branch of his therapy. Three commercial drugs were allowed for 3 years before substantial clinical proofs of peat efficacy were achieved. Social impact was high and resulted in the birth of the Polish legend of Tołpa's marvellous drug.