Effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on gastric acid secretion in vitro

Propolis and Its Gastroprotective Effects on NSAID-Induced Gastric Ulcer Disease: A Systematic Review

Gastric ulcer disease induced by the consumption of NSAIDs is a major public health problem. The therapy used for its treatment causes adverse effects in the patient. Propolis is a natural product that has been used for the treatments of different diseases around the world. Nevertheless, there is little information about the activity of propolis in gastric ulcers caused by treatment with NSAIDs. Therefore, this review evaluates and compares the gastroprotective potential of propolis and its function against NSAID-induced gastric ulcers, for which a systematic search was carried out in the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. The main criteria were articles that report the gastroprotective activity of propolis against the damage produced by NSAIDs in the gastric mucosa. Gastroprotection was related to the antioxidant, antisecretory, and cytoprotective effects, as well as the phenolic compounds present in the chemical composition of propolis. However, most of the studies used different doses of NSAIDs and propolis and evaluated different parameters. Propolis has proven to be a good alternative for the treatment of gastric ulcer disease. However, future studies should be carried out to identify the compounds responsible for these effects and to determine their potential use in people.

Propolis relieves the cardiotoxicity of chlorpyrifos in diabetic rats via alleviations of paraoxonase-1 and xanthine oxidase genes expression

Pesticides cardiotoxicity in case of diabetic-induced cardiac complications is unidentified. The probable amelioration role of propolis is gauged against the cardiotoxic effects of chlorpyrifos in the diabetic rats through paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and xanthine oxidase (XO) genes dysregulation. Fifty-six male rats were distributed (n = 7) into eight groups. The first one saved as control whereas the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th were kept for propolis aqueous extract (100 mg/kg), diabetes (60 mg/kg streptozotocin) and chlorpyrifos (2.5 mg/kg), respectively. The 5th was diabetes/chlorpyrifos combination, while 6th, 7th, and 8th were intubated with propolis for four weeks after diabetic induction, chlorpyrifos intoxication, and their combination, respectively. The plasma glucose, lipid profiles, cardiac enzymes and interleukin-6 (IL-6) significantly elevated, while insulin decreased in the diabetic and combination groups. Although the cardiac acetylcholinesterase, total thiols, and PON1 significantly reduced after diabetic and/or chlorpyrifos gavage, the protein carbonyl, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and XO significantly elevated. The mRNA genes expression of PON1 and XO have also confirmed the enzymatic activities. Interestingly, propolis significantly restored the hyperglycemia, hypoinsulinemia, hyperlipidemia, IL-6 elevations, and antioxidant defense system disorder. These records revealed that the immunomodulatory, anti-diabetic and antioxidant tasks are fine pointers for the cardiovascular defender of propolis especially during diabetes and/or pesticides exposure.

Inhibitory effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester, a plant-derived polyphenolic compound, on rat intestinal contractility

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) exerts pharmacological actions (e.g. anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive) which are relevant for potential clinical application in the digestive tract. However, no study has been published on its possible effects on intestinal motility, to date. In the present study, we investigated the effect of this plant-derived polyphenolic compound on the spontaneous contractions of the rat isolated ileum. CAPE reduced (in a tetrodotoxin-insensitive manner) spontaneous ileal contractions and this effect was reduced by the L-type Ca2+ channel blocker nifedipine and the chelant of calcium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. However, the effect of CAPE was not modified by a number of inhibitors/antagonists such as of phentolamine plus propranolol, atropine, tetrodotoxin, cyclopiazonic acid, omega-conotoxin, apamin, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, 9-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-9H-purin-6-amine, 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one or a combination of SR 140333, SR48968 and SR142801. In conclusion our study shows that (i) CAPE relaxed myogenic contractions of rat ileum and that (ii) this effect occurs, at least in part, throughout a mechanism involving L-type Ca2+ channels.

Metabolite profile and in vitro activities of Phagnalon saxatile (L.) Cass. relevant to treatment of Alzheimer's disease

The present study describes for the first time the in vitro properties (inhibition of NO production and anticholinesterase) of Phagnalon saxatile (L.) Cass. (Asteraceae). The methanolic extract showed antioxidant activity that was measured by DPPH assay and beta-carotene bleaching test. The same extract inhibited NO production in the murine monocytic macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition was assessed by modifications of Ellman's method. Purification of the MeOH extract of P. saxatile allowed the isolation of phenolic compounds. Among them, the compounds that most effectively inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced NO production were caffeic acid and methylchlorogenic acid, with IC50 values of 7 microg/mL and 12 microg/mL, respectively. Luteolin and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid exhibited the most promising activity against AChE with an IC50 of 25.2 and 54.5 microg/mL, respectively, while caffeic acid and luteolin exhibited higher activity against BChE with an IC50 of 32.2 and 37.2 microg/mL, respectively.

In vitro and in vivo stability of caffeic acid phenethyl ester, a bioactive compound of propolis

The in vitro biochemical stability of caffeic acid phenethyl ester in rat and human plasma was investigated and compared with the stability of other caffeic acid esters (chlorogenic acid and rosmarinic acid). The incubation of the compounds in rat plasma for up to 6 h showed that caffeic acid phenethyl ester, but not the other compounds, was hydrolyzed, whereas human plasma did not affect the stability of all the assayed compounds. The products in rat plasma were caffeic acid and an unknown compound, which was identified by mass spectrometry as caffeic acid ethyl ester, produced by transesterification in the presence of ethanol used as vehicle for standard compounds. Specific inhibitors of different plasma esterases allowed the identification of a carboxylesterase as the enzyme involved in the metabolism of caffeic acid phenethyl ester. The oral administration in rats of caffeic acid phenethyl ester in the presence of both ethanol and 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethanol gave rise to a dramatic increase of caffeic acid, as well as low levels of caffeic acid phenethyl ester, caffeic acid ethyl ester, and caffeic acid 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethyl ester, in urine collected within 24 h after treatment. These results suggest that caffeic acid phenethyl ester is hydrolyzed also in vivo to caffeic acid as the major metabolite and that its biological activities should be more properly assayed and compared with those of caffeic acid, its bioactive hydrolysis product. Moreover, alcohols should be carefully used in vivo as solvents for caffeic acid phenethyl ester, since they can give rise to new bioactive caffeic acid esters.

Attenuation of oxidative stress in plasma and tissues of rats with experimentally induced hyperthyroidism by caffeic acid phenylethyl ester

Increased oxidative stress with high free radical generation has been described previously in animal models of hyperthyroidism. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of caffeic acid phenylethyl ester (CAPE) on oxidative damage in rats with experimentally induced hyperthyroidism. The study was conducted on 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats. The experimental animals were divided into four groups (control, CAPE alone, hyperthyroidism, and hyperthyroidism + CAPE). Hyperthyroidism was induced by intraperitoneal administration of 0.3 mg/kg/day L-thyroxine for 4 weeks. CAPE (10 micro g/kg) was administered intraperitoneally for 4 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, blood samples and various organs (liver, heart and brain) of rats were taken for the determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione, vitamin C and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels and concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and thyroxine-stimulating hormone (TSH). Our results indicate that TBARS, oxidized glutathione, SOD levels and concentrations of T3 and T4 were higher in plasma and tissues of the hyperthyroid group compared to controls. Vitamin C, GSH and TSH levels were decreased significantly in the hyperthyroid group when compared to the control group. CAPE treatment decreased the elevated TBARS, SOD, T3 and T4 levels and increased the lowered GSH, vitamin C and TSH levels to control levels in rats with hyperthyroidism. In conclusion, our results indicate that CAPE is beneficial as a protective agent against oxidative stress induced by hyperthyroidism in rats. The protection is probably due to multiple mechanisms involving free radical scavenger properties, attenuating lipid peroxidation and increasing the antioxidant status.