Inhibitory effects of methanol extract of plum (Prunus salicina L., cv. 'Soldam') fruits against benzo(alpha)pyrene-induced toxicity in mice

Strawberry and Drupe Fruit Wines Antioxidant Activity and Protective Effect Against Induced Oxidative Stress in Rat Synaptosomes

The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant capacity of fruit wines and their protective effects against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in rat synaptosomes in vitro. The wines were produced from strawberries and drupe fruits (i.e., plum, sweet cherry, peach, and apricot) through microvinification with a pure S. cerevisiae yeast culture. Fruit wines were produced with and without added sugar before the start of fermentation, whereas subvariants with and without pits were only applied to drupe fruit wines. First, synaptosomes were treated with the wines, while oxidative stress was induced with H2O2. Subsequently, the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), an indicator of membrane injury, were determined. In addition, the Briggs-Rauscher reaction (BR) was used to evaluate the inhibition capacity against free radicals. All investigated fruit wines increased the activity of the studied antioxidant enzymes and decreased MDA content compared to the corresponding controls (synaptosomes treated with H2O2). After synaptosomal treatment with plum wine, the highest activities were observed for SOD (5.57 U/mg protein) and GPx (0.015 U/mg protein). Strawberry wine induced the highest CAT activity (0.047 U/mg protein) and showed the best ability to reduce lipid peroxidation, yielding the lowest MDA level (2.68 nmol/mg). Strawberry, plum, and sweet cherry wines were identified as samples with higher antioxidant activity in both principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Finally, plum wine exhibited the highest inhibitory activity in the BR reaction (397 s). The results suggest that fruit wines could be considered potential functional food due to their protective effects against oxidative stress.

Protective Effects of Plum on Liver and Gut Injury in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), a persistent liver condition associated with metabolic syndrome, is primarily caused by excessive fructose intake and a typical Western diet. Because there is currently only one approved treatment, lifestyle and dietary interventions are crucial. This study assessed the effects of dietary intervention involving freeze-dried plum (FDP), a natural source of antioxidants containing diverse polyphenols. This study aimed to assess its potential as a protective agent against the gut-liver axis and its therapeutic effects on liver injury and gut permeability issues associated with MASLD. We indicate that 10% FDP intake restored gut barrier proteins and reduced serum endotoxin levels in the MASLD mouse models. Additionally, 10% FDP intake significantly reduced hepatic oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, and fibrosis marker levels. Interestingly, FDP intake significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α and markers of liver damage, such as serum alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase and hepatic triglycerides. These results highlight that dietary intervention with FDP that acts as a natural antioxidant may be a significant protective and therapeutic agent against liver and gut damage caused by MASLD.

A comprehensive review of phytoconstituents in liver cancer prevention and treatment: targeting insights into molecular signaling pathways

Primary liver cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the liver. Hepatocellular carcinoma is a primary liver cancer that usually affects adults. Liver cancer is a fatal global condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite advances in technology, the mortality rate remains alarming. There is growing interest in researching alternative medicines to prevent or reduce the effects of liver cancer. Recent studies have shown growing interest in herbal products, nutraceuticals, and Chinese medicines as potential treatments for liver cancer. These substances contain unique bioactive compounds with anticancer properties. The causes of liver cancer and potential treatments are discussed in this review. This study reviews natural compounds, such as curcumin, resveratrol, green tea catechins, grape seed extracts, vitamin D, and selenium. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that these medications reduce the risk of liver cancer through their antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-angiogenic, and antimetastatic properties. This article discusses the therapeutic properties of natural products, nutraceuticals, and Chinese compounds for the prevention and treatment of liver cancer.

Current therapeutic modalities and chemopreventive role of natural products in liver cancer: Progress and promise

Liver cancer is a severe concern for public health officials since the clinical cases are increasing each year, with an estimated 5-year survival rate of 30%-35% after diagnosis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes a significant subtype of liver cancer (approximate75%) and is considered primary liver cancer. Treatment for liver cancer mainly depends on the stage of its progression, where surgery including, hepatectomy and liver transplantation, and ablation and radiotherapy are the prime choice. For advanced liver cancer, various drugs and immunotherapy are used as first-line treatment, whereas second-line treatment includes chemotherapeutic drugs from natural and synthetic origins. Sorafenib and lenvatinib are first-line therapies, while regorafenib and ramucirumab are second-line therapy. Various metabolic and signaling pathways such as Notch, JAK/ STAT, Hippo, TGF-β, and Wnt have played a critical role during HCC progression. Dysbiosis has also been implicated in liver cancer. Drug-induced toxicity is a key obstacle in the treatment of liver cancer, necessitating the development of effective and safe medications, with natural compounds such as resveratrol, curcumin, diallyl sulfide, and others emerging as promising anticancer agents. This review highlights the current status of liver cancer research, signaling pathways, therapeutic targets, current treatment strategies and the chemopreventive role of various natural products in managing liver cancer.

Impact of Drug Metabolism/Pharmacokinetics and their Relevance Upon Traditional Medicine-based anti-COVID-19 Drug Research

BACKGROUND

The representative anti-COVID-19 herbs, i.e. Poria cocos, Pogostemon, Prunus, and Glycyrrhiza plants, are commonly used in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, a pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Diverse medicinal compounds with favorable anti-COVID-19 activities are abundant in these plants, and their unique pharmacological/pharmacokinetic properties are being revealed. However, the current trends of drug metabolism/pharmacokinetic (DMPK) investigations of anti-COVID-19 herbs have not been systematically summarized.

METHODS

Here, the latest awareness, as well as the perception gaps of DMPK attributes, in the anti-COVID-19 drug development and clinical usage was elaborated and critically commented.

RESULTS

The extracts and compounds of P. cocos, Pogostemon, Prunus, and Glycyrrhiza plants show distinct and diverse absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADME/T) properties. The complicated herb-herb interactions (HHIs) and herb-drug interactions (HDIs) of anti-COVID-19 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herb pair/formula dramatically influence the PK/pharmacodynamic (PD) performance of compounds thereof, which may inspire researchers to design innovative herbal/compound formulas for optimizing the therapeutic outcome of COVID-19 and related epidemic diseases. The ADME/T of some abundant compounds in anti-COVID-19 plants have been elucidated, but DMPK studies should be extended to more compounds of different medicinal parts, species and formulations, and would be facilitated by various omics platforms and computational analyses.

CONCLUSION

In the framework of systems pharmacology and pharmacophylogeny, the DMPK knowledge base would promote the translation of bench findings into the clinical practice of anti-COVID-19, and speed up the anti-COVID-19 drug discovery and development.

Cancer protective effects of plums: A systematic review

Plums is one of the most cultivated stone fruits due to its fast growing popularity. It has various traditionally recognized health benefits. There are two main commercial types of plums: the European plum (Prunus domestica) and the Japanese plum (Prunus salicina), each having many varieties. Researchers are gathering further evidence of pharmacological effects for plums by scientifically studying its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties. A systematic review analysing the literature related to the effects of plums on prevention and treatment of cancer is warranted. This is the first review examining the cancer-related effects of plums. Antioxidation properties of the active constituents of plum were also compared. Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, Medxriv and Cochrane Library databases, from their date of inception until July 2021 were utilized. The risk of bias was assessed using CONSORT checklist. A total of 6639 studies were screened and eventually only 54 studies were included. Full-text review of included studies revealed that plum extracts were rich in antioxidants. Overall, most of the studies that fulfilled the eligibility criteria were in vitro and a few clinical studies involving in vivo work. Therefore, it would be beneficial to perform more studies on animals or humans, to confirm that the result obtained from these in vitro studies are able to be extrapolated in a wider range of applications. Further clinical and in vivo studies are warranted to validate plums as a functional food for treatment and prevention of cancer.

An Overview of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Emphasis on Dietary Products and Herbal Remedies

The most common principal malignant tumor that accounts for ∼80% of cases of liver cancer across the world is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is a multifacetedillness that is caused by several risk factors and often progresses in the context of underlying cirrhosis. It is tremendously difficult and essential for the screening of novel therapeutic medications to establish HCC preclinical models that are equivalent to clinical diseases settings, i.e., representing the tumor microenvironment of HCC. In the progress of HCC, numerous molecular cascades have been supposed to play a part. Sorafenib is the only drug permitted by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of HCC. Yet because of the increasing resistance to the drug and its toxicity, clinical treatment methods are not completely adequate. Newer treatment therapy options are essential for the management of HCC in patients. Natural compounds can be afforded by the patients with improved results with less toxicity and fewer side effects, among different methods of liver cancer treatment. The treatment and management of HCC with natural drugs and their phytoconstituents are connected to several paths that can prevent the occurrence and progress of HCC in several ways. The present review summarizes the etiology of HCC, molecular pathways, newer therapeutic approaches, natural dietary products, herbal plants and phytoconstituents for HCC treatment.

Herbal and Natural Dietary Products: Upcoming Therapeutic Approach for Prevention and Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The most common tumor linked with elevated death rates is considered the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), sometimes called the malignant hepatoma. The initiation and progression of HCC are triggered by multiple factors like long term alcohol consumption, metabolic disorders, fatty liver disease, hepatitis B and C infection, age, and oxidative stress. Sorafenib is the merely US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug used to treat HCC. Several treatment methods are available for HCC therapy such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and adjuvant therapy but they often lead to several side effects. Yet these treatment methods are not entirely adequate due to the increasing resistance to the drug and their toxicity. Many natural products help to prevent and treat HCC. A variety of pathways are associated with the prevention and treatment of HCC with herbal products and their active components. Accumulating research shows that certain natural dietary compounds are possible source of hepatic cancer prevention and treatments, such as black currant, strawberries, plum, grapes, pomegranate, cruciferous crops, tomatoes, French beans, turmeric, garlic, ginger, asparagus, and many more. Such a dietary natural products and their active constituents may prevent the production and advancement of liver cancer in many ways such as guarding against liver carcinogens, improving the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic medications, inhibiting the growth, metastasis of tumor cells, reducing oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation. The present review article represents hepatic carcinoma etiology, role of herbal products, their active constituents, and dietary natural products for the prevention and treatment of HCC along with their possible mechanisms of action.

Chemical Constituents and Health Benefits of Four Chinese Plum Species

Prunus is a large genus in the Rosaceae family of flowering plants, comprising over 340 species inhabiting variable landscapes in the world. Over 500 listed phytochemicals have been isolated from this single genus so far. The present study focused four Chinese Prunus species, viz., Prunus cerasifera, Prunus domestica, Prunus salicina, and Prunus spinosa, due to their uses, demand, nutritional value, medicinal importance, and diverse biological potential. The current review article highlights the details about the active phytochemicals and various pharmacological activities already reported. Almost 212 compounds, the majority of which are flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and their derivatives, which have been isolated from these four Prunus species fall in different categories and are helpful to evade chronic oxidative stress-mediated diseases. A huge variation exists in the total phytochemicals composition in different Prunus species, making these species to have different biological activities in multiple disease conditions, and even the same variety growing under different edaphic conditions may have different antioxidant capacities. It is suggested to perform extensive and indepth studies to find new phytochemicals from these four Chinese Prunus species which could boost the local industry to fulfill the increasing demands.

Acute benzo[a]pyrene treatment causes different antioxidant response and DNA damage in liver, lung, brain, stomach and kidney

Acute effects of oxidative damage induced by benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on various organs are still not clear. In this study, we investigated oxidative stress and DNA damage in liver, lung, stomach, brain and kidney of ICR male mice induced by acute B[a]P treatment. B[a]P treatment led to a significant decrease at the different doses in body weight. For the variations of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione (GSH) and GSH/GSSG, significant increases were observed at 24 h, then decreased till 72 h after B[a]P injection. The increase percent indicated in a dose- dependent decrease manner. However, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), GSSG and MDA were significantly increased in a time- and dose-dependent increase manner. DNA damage showed the significant and top levels at 24 h, and increased in proportion to the doses of B[a]P treatment. The total induction could be indicated by the variation of MDA at 24 h after B[a]P injection and showed the following order of predominance: lung > liver > kidney = stomach > brain. This was further certificated by histopathological changes in the examined organs. Additionally, the levels of serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), and blood urea nitrogen (UN), creatinine were also significantly increased at 24 h after B[a]P injection. These findings suggested the disturbance of antioxidant responses and aggravation of DNA damages, and the different responses on various organs induced by acute B[a]P treatment in organism.

The protective effect of hyperoside on carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic liver fibrosis in mice via upregulation of Nrf2

CONTEXT

Hyperoside was used to treat cardiovascular disease for many years in China. It was shown great effect on regulation of lipid metabolism. But there is lack of reports about the effects of hyperoside on liver diseases.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to investigate the potentially protective effects of hyperoside and the role of transcription factor nuclear factor-erythroid 2(NF-E2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling in the regulation on Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced chronic liver fibrosis in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All mice were divided into six groups containing 6 animals per group. Mice in different group were given relative processing for 4 weeks. The potentially protective effects of hyperoside on CCl₄-induced chronic liver fibrosis in mice were depicted histologically and biochemically.

RESULTS

CCl₄ administration caused a marked increase in the levels of serum aminotransferases, serum monoamine oxidase (MAO) and lipid peroxidation, MAO in mouse liver homogenates. Also decreased activities of cellular antioxidant defense enzymes were found after CCl₄ exposure. Histopathological changes induced by CCl₄ including regenerative nodules, deteriorated parenchyma. Hyperoside and silymarin reduced these changes and attenuated the pathological effects of CCl₄ induced liver injury. In addition, hyperoside exhibited antioxidant effects in vitro. In Western blot analysis, the protein level of Nrf2 was downregulated after CCl₄ administration and reversed by hyperoside.

CONCLUSION

Hyperoside increased the activity of the antioxidant and phase II detoxifying enzymes through the activation of Nrf2 nuclear translocated in the CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis mice.

Plum polyphenols inhibit colorectal aberrant crypt foci formation in rats: potential role of the miR-143/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin axis

The nutritional prevention of aberrant crypt foci by polyphenols may be a crucial step to dietary cancer prevention. The objective of this study was to determine the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the anti-inflammatory and antitumorigenic properties of plum (Prunus salicina L.) polyphenols, including chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid, in azoxymethane (AOM)-treated rats. The hypothesis was that plum polyphenolics suppress AOM-induced aberrant crypt foci formation through alterations in the protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and relative micro-RNA expressions. Sprague-Dawley rats (n=10/group) received plum beverage (1346mg gallic acid equivalents/L) or a control beverage ad libitum for 10 weeks with subcutaneous injections of AOM (15mg/kg) at weeks 2 and 3. Results show that the consumption of the plum beverage decreased the number of dysplastic aberrant crypt foci by 48% (P<.05) and lowered proliferation of mucosal cells by 24% (P<.05). The plum beverage decreased the activity of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in mucosal scrapings, as well as the superoxide dismutase activity in serum. The results were accompanied by a down-regulation of proinflammatory enzymes nuclear factor κB, nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 messenger RNA. Plum inhibited the expression of AKT and mTOR messenger RNA, phosphorylated AKT, mTOR, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α protein levels, and the ratio of the phosphorylated/total protein expression of mTOR. Also, the plum beverage increased the expression of miR-143, which is involved in the regulation of AKT. These results suggest that plum polyphenols may exhibit a chemopreventive potential against colon carcinogenesis by impacting the AKT/mTOR pathway and miR-143.

Effects of 20 Selected Fruits on Ethanol Metabolism: Potential Health Benefits and Harmful Impacts

The consumption of alcohol is often accompanied by other foods, such as fruits and vegetables. This study is aimed to investigate the effects of 20 selected fruits on ethanol metabolism to find out their potential health benefits and harmful impacts. The effects of the fruits on ethanol metabolism were characterized by the concentrations of ethanol and acetaldehyde in blood, as well as activities of alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase in liver of mice. Furthermore, potential health benefits and harmful impacts of the fruits were evaluated by biochemical parameters including aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transferase (ALT), malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase. Generally, effects of these fruits on ethanol metabolism were very different. Some fruits (such as Citrus limon (yellow), Averrhoa carambola, Pyrus spp., and Syzygium samarangense) could decrease the concentration of ethanol in blood. In addition, several fruits (such as Cucumis melo) showed hepatoprotective effects by significantly decreasing AST or ALT level in blood, while some fruits (such as Averrhoa carambola) showed adverse effects. The results suggested that the consumption of alcohol should not be accompanied by some fruits, and several fruits could be developed as functional foods for the prevention and treatment of hangover and alcohol use disorder.

A Systematic Review on the Health Effects of Plums (Prunus domestica and Prunus salicina)

In recent times, plums have been described as foods with health-promoting properties. Research on the health effects of plum continue to show promising results on its antiinflammatory, antioxidant and memory-improving characteristics. The increased interest in plum research has been attributed to its high phenolic content, mostly the anthocyanins, which are known to be natural antioxidants. A systematic review of literature was carried out to summarize the available evidence on the impact of plums (Prunus species; domestica and salicina) on disease risk factors and health outcomes. A number of databases were searched according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for relevant studies on plum health effects in vitro, animal studies and clinical trials. A total of 73 relevant peer-reviewed journal articles were included in this review. The level of evidence remains low. Of the 25 human studies, 6 were confirmatory studies of moderate quality, while 19 were exploratory. Plums have been shown to possess antioxidant and antiallergic properties, and consumption is associated with improved cognitive function, bone health parameters and cardiovascular risk factors. Most of the human trials used the dried version of plums rather than fresh fruit, thus limiting translation to dietary messages of the positioning of plums in a healthy diet. Evidence on the health effect of plums has not been extensively studied, and the available evidence needs further confirmation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dietary Natural Products for Prevention and Treatment of Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is the most common malignancy of the digestive system with high death rate. Accumulating evidences suggests that many dietary natural products are potential sources for prevention and treatment of liver cancer, such as grapes, black currant, plum, pomegranate, cruciferous vegetables, French beans, tomatoes, asparagus, garlic, turmeric, ginger, soy, rice bran, and some edible macro-fungi. These dietary natural products and their active components could affect the development and progression of liver cancer in various ways, such as inhibiting tumor cell growth and metastasis, protecting against liver carcinogens, immunomodulating and enhancing effects of chemotherapeutic drugs. This review summarizes the potential prevention and treatment activities of dietary natural products and their major bioactive constituents on liver cancer, and discusses possible mechanisms of action.

Nutraceutical value of yellow- and red-fleshed South African plums (Prunus salicina Lindl.): evaluation of total antioxidant capacity and phenolic composition

Ten South African plum cultivars and selections, including yellow- and red-fleshed plums from two harvest seasons were evaluated in terms of nutraceutical value (phenolic composition, total polyphenol content (TPC) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC)) and fruit attributes (colour, fruit mass, etc.). Plums were evaluated at two maturity stages, i.e., directly after harvest (unripe) and after a commercial cold storage and ripening regime (ripe). The phenolic composition of South African plums varied greatly, both qualitatively and quantitatively, between cultivars and selections. Neochlorogenic acid, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and quercetin-3-O-glucoside were the predominant hydroxycinnamic acid, anthocyanin and flavonol, respectively, although not present in all plums. The flavan-3-ols, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin and procyanidins B1 and B2, were present in all plums. Red-fleshed plums tended to display higher TAC and TPC than yellow-fleshed plums. The flavan-3-ol content was highly correlated with TAC. The effect of harvest season was cultivar-dependent, but cultivar differences were not obscured. In terms of maturity stage, the ripe fruits tended to contain higher levels of anthocyanins and some flavonol compounds, although the TPC and TAC were not affected in most cases. South African plums, especially the red-fleshed selections PR04-32 and PR04-35, were shown to provide generally high TAC and TPC compared to literature values.

Protection effect of kallistatin on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rats via antioxidative stress

Prolonged inflammation and oxidative stress are emerging as key causes of pathological wound healing and the development of liver fibrosis. We have investigated the effects of recombinant human kallistatin, produced in Pichia. pastoris, on preventing carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver fibrosis in rats. Daily administration of kallistatin prevented development of CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis, which was evidenced by histological study. In all kallistatin treated rats, activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) as assessed by s-smooth muscle actin staining was attenuated, TGF- β1 expression was inhibited, class I serum biomarkers associated with the process of fibrogenesis, such as hyaluronic acid, laminin, and procollagen III, were lowered, compared with that in the model control group. Furthermore, residual hepatic functional reserve was improved by kallistatin treatment. CCl₄ induced elevation of malondialdehyde level and reduced superoxide dismutase activity in the liver, while kallistatin reduced these oxidative parameters. We also investigated the effects of kallistatin on rat primary HSC and LX-2, the human HSC cell line. Kallistatin scavenged H₂O₂-induced ROS in the LX-2 cells, and suppressed the activation of primary HSC. These results suggest recombinant human kallistatin might be a promising drug candidate for therapeutic intervention of liver fibrosis.

Coffee modulates transcription factor Nrf2 and highly increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes in rats

This study investigated the effect of a 28 day administration of coffee brew on the activity of antioxidant enzymes in rats. After this period of 2.0 mL/day dosages of this beverage, the activities of hepatic superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase increased 74.8, 59.4, and 135.2%, respectively, whereas the cytosolic level of Nrf2 increased 131.3%. At the same time, the total antioxidant capacity of the hepatic tissue increased 25.1%, improving the defensive status against oxidative stress. At the end of the experiment, the levels of biomarkers alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase remained equal to the control group, and no changes were observed in the hepatic histoarchiteture of the animals, suggesting that the liver tissue was not impaired by the exposure to coffee. The changes in enzyme activities and antioxidant capacity were statistically significant (p < 0.05), indicating that coffee could be considered an important alternative against oxidative stress and its correlated degenerative diseases.

The protective effect of glycyrrhetinic acid on carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic liver fibrosis in mice via upregulation of Nrf2

This study was designed to investigate the potentially protective effects of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) and the role of transcription factor nuclear factor-erythroid 2(NF-E2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling in the regulation of Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced chronic liver fibrosis in mice. The potentially protective effects of GA on CCl₄-induced chronic liver fibrosis in mice were depicted histologically and biochemically. Firstly, histopathological changes including regenerative nodules, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis were induced by CCl₄.Then, CCl₄ administration caused a marked increase in the levels of serum aminotransferases (GOT, GPT), serum monoamine oxidase (MAO) and lipid peroxidation (MDA) as well as MAO in the mice liver homogenates. Also, decreased nuclear Nrf2 expression, mRNA levels of its target genes such as superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2), and activity of cellular antioxidant enzymes were found after CCl₄ exposure. All of these phenotypes were markedly reversed by the treatment of the mice with GA. In addition, GA exhibited the antioxidant effects in vitro by on FeCl₂-ascorbate induced lipid peroxidation in mouse liver homogenates, and on DPPH scavenging activity. Taken together, these results suggested that GA can protect the liver from oxidative stress in mice, presumably through activating the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, enhancing the expression of its target genes and increasing the activity of the antioxidant enzymes. Therefore, GA may be an effective hepatoprotective agent and viable candidate for treating liver fibrosis and other oxidative stress-related diseases.

Enhancing the polyphenol content of a red-fleshed Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) nectar by incorporating a polyphenol-rich extract from the skins

BACKGROUND

Plum skins are a waste product generated during production of plum juice or pulp. Polyphenols, shown to have various health-promoting properties, can be recovered from this waste product. Red-fleshed plum nectar formulations containing plum skin extract in varying amounts were characterised in terms of intensity of sensory attributes, consumer acceptability, colour, polyphenol content and antioxidant activity. Commercial beverages containing red fruits were used as benchmarks.

RESULTS

The polyphenolic profile of the plum skin extract was similar to that of the pulp, including anthocyanins, flavonols, flavan-3-ols and a phenolic acid. Addition of the extract to plum nectar, which enhanced the colour, polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, was limited by its negative sensory impact. The formulations were deemed acceptable by consumers, although a decrease in positive sensory attributes (plum flavour, plum aroma and sweetness) and an increase in negative sensory attributes (plant-like flavour, plant-like aroma, acidity and astringency) were observed with increasing skin extract content. The formulations compared favourably with commercial beverages in terms of colour total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity.

CONCLUSION

Plum skins were successfully used to enhance the functional status of plum nectar. Use of a functional ingredient from plum skins is, therefore, a feasible value-addition strategy.

Increase of the activity of phase II antioxidant enzymes in rats after a single dose of coffee

This study evaluated the acute effect of the administration of coffee brew in the activity of phase II antioxidant enzymes in the hepatic tissue of rats. A single dose of this beverage increased the activity of the enzymes SOD, CAT, and GPx; the maximum increase occurred 1 h after administration (19.1, 22.1, and 25.1%, respectively). These changes were statistically significant (p < 0.05), the response was shown to be dose-dependent (p < 0.05), and the return to basal levels took >4 h from the intervention, suggesting a long-term effect. The total antioxidant capacity of the hepatic tissue also exhibited a peak 1 h after the intervention (6.5%), but the increase was not statistically significant and the response was not dose-dependent due to the low exposure to coffee. These results indicate that coffee increases the activities of antioxidant enzymes, improving protection against oxidative stress.

Ganoderma applanatum terpenes protect mouse liver against benzo(α)pyren-induced oxidative stress and inflammation

Ganoderma applanatum terpenes (GAT) have been reported to have many benefits and medicinal properties. In this study, we evaluated the protective effect of GAT against benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) induced oxidative stress and inflammation in mouse liver, and explored the potential mechanism of its action. Our data showed that GAT significantly decreased levels of ALT and AST in serum and the liver histological injury in BaP-treated mice. GAT markedly decreased the levels of ROS, MDA and lowered the GSH/GSSG ratio in the liver of BaP-treated mice. Furthermore, GAT markedly inhibited the BaP-induced increase of Cu/Zn-SOD, CAT, GPx and GST activities in the mouse liver. Western blot analysis showed that GAT significantly inhibited inflammation by pressing the expression of IL-1β and COX-2 and inhibiting NF-κB translocation in the liver of BaP-treated mice. In conclusion, these results suggested that GAT could protect the mouse liver against BaP-induced injury by improving hepatic function, attenuating histopathologic changes, decreasing levels of ROS and MDA, renewing the activities of antioxidant enzymes and suppressing inflammatory response.

Mutagenicity and safety evaluation of ethanolic extract of Prunus mume

The ethanolic extract of Prunus mume (EPM) is a novel polyphenol preparation derived from branches (with leaves) of Prunus mume, which could be used as a functional ingredient for antioxidant and antiobesity therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of EPM. An EPM was prepared and evaluated for oral acute and subacute toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats, while its mutagenic potential was assessed by a reverse mutation test using Salmonella typhimurium, by a bone marrow cell micronucleus test using ICR mice, and by a sperm abnormality test using ICR mice. The results showed no acute lethal effects at the maximal tested EPM dose of 20 g/kg bw in either rats or mice, suggesting that EPM can be regarded as virtually nontoxic. Administration at levels of 0.84, 1.67, and 3.33 g/kg bw to rats for 30 d did not induce any significant hematological, clinical, chemical, or histopathological changes. No mutagenicity evidence was detected in any of the 3 mutagenic tests. The level of "no observed adverse effect" (NOAEL) for EPM was above 3.33 g/kg bw for the subacute toxicity study.