Stevioside enhances satellite cell activation by inhibiting of NF-κB signaling pathway in regenerating muscle after cardiotoxin-induced injury

Properties, extraction and purification technologies of Stevia rebaudiana steviol glycosides: A review

For health and safety reasons, the search for green, healthy, and low-calorie sweeteners with good taste has become the demand of many consumers. Furthermore, the need for sugar substitutes of natural origin has increased dramatically. In this review, we briefly discussed the safety and health benefits of stevia sweeteners and enumerated some examples of physiological functions of steviol glycosides (SGs), such as anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, antihypertensive, anti-diabetes, and anticaries, citing various evidence related to their application in the food industry. The latest advances in emerging technologies for extracting and purifying SGs and the process variables and operational strategies were discussed. The impact of the extraction methods and their comparison against the conventional techniques have also been demonstrated. These technologies use minimal energy solvents and simplify subsequent purification stages, making viable alternatives suitable for a possible industrial application. Furthermore, we also elucidated the potential for advancing and applying the natural sweeteners SGs.

DDAH1 Protects against Cardiotoxin-Induced Muscle Injury and Regeneration

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important biological signaling molecule affecting muscle regeneration. The activity of NO synthase (NOS) is regulated by dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 (DDAH1) through degradation of the endogenous NOS inhibitor asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). To investigate the role of DDAH1 in muscle injury and regeneration, muscle-specific Ddah1-knockout mice (Ddah1MKO) and their littermates (Ddah1f/f) were used to examine the progress of cardiotoxin (CTX)-induced muscle injury and subsequent muscle regeneration. After CTX injection, Ddah1MKO mice developed more severe muscle injury than Ddah1f/f mice. Muscle regeneration was also delayed in Ddah1MKO mice on Day 5 after CTX injection. These phenomena were associated with higher serum ADMA and LDH levels as well as a great induction of inflammatory response, oxidative stress and cell apoptosis in the gastrocnemius (GA) muscle of Ddah1MKO mice. In the GA muscle of CTX-treated mice, Ddah1 deficiency decreased the protein expression of M-cadherin, myogenin, Bcl-2, peroxiredoxin 3 (PRDX3) and PRDX5, and increased the protein expression of MyoD, TNFα, Il-6, iNOS and Bax. In summary, our data suggest that DDAH1 exerts a protective role in muscle injury and regeneration.

Stevioside targets the NF-κB and MAPK pathways for inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis of chondrocytes and ameliorates osteoarthritis in vivo

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disease that is characterized by articular cartilage degeneration and destruction. Stevioside (SVS) is a diterpenoid glycoside extracted from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni with some specific effects against inflammatory and apoptotic, whereas it is still unclear what function SVS has in osteoarthritis. This study focuses on the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis functions of SVS on chondrocytes induced by interleukin (IL)-1beta, and the role of SVS in an osteoarthritis model for mice. We can detect the production of inflammatory factors such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), the Griess reaction, and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). On the basis of Western blot, we have observed the protein expressions of cartilage matrix metabolism, inflammatory factors, and apoptosis of chondrocytes. Simultaneously, the pharmacological effects of SVS in mice were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (HE), toluidine blue, Safranin O, and immunohistochemical staining. The results show that SVS slows extracellular matrix degradation and chondrocyte apoptosis. In addition, SVS mediates its cellular effect by inhibiting the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways. Meanwhile, molecular docking studies revealed that SVS has excellent binding capabilities to p65, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). The study suggests that SVS can be developed as a potential osteoarthritis treatment.

Steviol Glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana: An Updated Overview of Their Sweetening Activity, Pharmacological Properties, and Safety Aspects

This literature-based review synthesizes the available scientific information about steviol glycosides as natural sweeteners and molecules with therapeutic potential. In addition, it discusses the safety concerns regarding human consumption. Steviol glycosides exhibit a superior sweetener proficiency to that of sucrose and are noncaloric, noncariogenic, and nonfermentative. Scientific evidence encourages stevioside and rebaudioside A as sweetener alternatives to sucrose and supports their use based on their absences of harmful effects on human health. Moreover, these active compounds isolated from Stevia rebaudiana possess interesting medicinal activities, including antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antidiarrheal activity. The described bioactivities of steviol glycosides deserve special attention based on their dose dependence and specific pathological situations. Further clinical research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms of action, therapeutic indexes, and pharmacological applications.

Highly Oxygenated Labdane Diterpenoids from Stevia rebaudiana and Their Anti-Atherosclerosis Activities

Five unknown labdane diterpenoids Stevelins A-E (1-5), three known labdane diterpenoids (6-8) and three labdane norditerpenoids (9-11) were isolated from the Stevia rebaudiana. The structures were determined primarily via NMR spectroscopic data and HR-ESI-MS experiments. X-ray crystallography using CuK_α radiation was used to determine the absolute configurations of 1, and the absolute configurations of 2-5 were deduced by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. The potential anti-atherosclerosis activities of all compounds were evaluated by measuring their inhibitory effects on the macrophage foam cell formation. As a result, most isolated compounds could significantly inhibit oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced macrophage foam cell formation, which suggests that these compounds may be promising candidates in the treatment for atherosclerosis.

Sample Preparation Methods for Metal Containing Pesticides in Food and Environmental Samples

Metal-containing pesticides are used in many areas for purposes such as harvest efficiency and keeping pests away from the vegetable environment. Metal-containing pesticides are in the form of dithiocarbamate complexes and are named differently according to the type of metal they contain and are used for different purposes. Since the presence of these pesticides even at residue level threatens human and environmental health, their determination at trace level is important. In this review, studies on the determination of metal-containing dithiocarbamate pesticides in different matrices are discussed. This review on the analysis of dithiocarbamate pesticides with different techniques will shed light on the studies to be carried out for the determination of these pesticides one by one in different matrices.

An insight on the future therapeutic application potential of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a native plant to Paraguay. The extracts have been used as a famous sweetening agent, and the bioactive components derived from stevia possess a broad spectrum of therapeutical potential for various illnesses. Among its medicinal benefits are anti-hypertensive, anti-tumorigenic, anti-diabetic, and anti-hyperlipidemia. Statins (3-hydro-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor) are a class of drugs used to treat atherosclerosis. Statins are explicitly targeting the HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme in the rate-limiting step of cholesterol biosynthesis. Despite being widely used in regulating plasma cholesterol levels, the adverse effects of the drug are a significant concern among clinicians and patients. Hence, steviol glycosides derived from stevia have been proposed as an alternative in replacing statins. Diterpene glycosides from stevia, such as stevioside and rebaudioside A have been evaluated for their efficacy in alleviating cholesterol levels. These glycosides are a potential candidate in treating and preventing atherosclerosis provoked by circulating lipid retention in the sub-endothelial lining of the artery. The present review is an effort to integrate the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, involvement of lipid droplets biogenesis and its associated proteins in atherogenesis, current approaches to treat atherosclerosis, and pharmacological potential of stevia in treating the disease.

Maternal stevioside supplementation ameliorates intestinal mucosal damage and modulates gut microbiota in chicken offspring challenged with lipopolysaccharide

Our previous study showed that dietary stevioside supplementation could alleviate intestinal mucosal damage induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in broiler chickens. However, it remains unknown whether feeding stevioside to breeder hens could exert similar biological functions in their offspring. The present study aimed to investigate whether maternal dietary stevioside supplementation could prevent LPS-induced intestinal mucosal damage and alteration of gut microbiota in chicken offspring. A total of 120 Jinmao yellow-feathered breeder hens were fed a basal diet (CON) or a 250 mg kg^-1 stevioside-supplemented diet (STE) for 5 weeks before collecting their eggs. After hatching, 160 male offspring (80 chickens from each group) were randomly selected and divided into four treatment groups: (1) the offspring of hens fed a basal diet (CON); (2) the offspring of hens fed a stevioside-supplemented diet (STE); (3) the CON group challenged with LPS (LPS); and (4) the STE group challenged with LPS (LSTE). The results showed that maternal stevioside supplementation increased the hatching weight and improved the intestinal morphology. LPS challenge significantly decreased the terminal body weight and the concentrations of serum triglyceride (TG) and glucose (GLU) of the chicken offspring. Maternal stevioside supplementation protected against LPS-induced morphological damage, goblet cell impairment, intestinal apoptosis, and gene expression alteration. In addition, sequence analysis of 16S rRNA gene showed that maternal stevioside supplementation could prevent the impairment of bacterial diversity in LPS-challenged chicken offspring. Moreover, the increased abundance of Lactobacillus caused by maternal stevioside supplementation had a significant negative correlation with the expression of intestinal inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, maternal stevioside supplementation could ameliorate intestinal mucosal damage and modulate gut microbiota in chicken offspring challenged with LPS.

A Mixture of Tocopherol Acetate and L-Menthol Synergistically Promotes Hair Growth in C57BL/6 Mice

Oral finasteride and topical minoxidil are single components approved by the US FDA for treating hair loss. Some other compounds originating from natural products are also traditionally used for promoting hair growth. In this study, observations of treated keratinocyte cells were used to demonstrate that tocopherol acetate, L-menthol, and stevioside exert an effect on cell regeneration. Furthermore, these were topically applied to the shaved skin of C57BL/6 mice to observe their effects on hair growth. A mixture of tocopherol acetate, L-menthol, and stevioside showed the highest potential for promoting hair growth in vivo. In in vivo experiments, the mixture of tocopherol acetate, L-menthol, and stevioside was more effective than tocopherol acetate or L-menthol alone in promoting hair growth. The transcriptome analysis of skin from the dorsal side of a mouse treated with tocopherol acetate or L-menthol versus vehicle revealed key changes in keratin, keratin-associated protein, forkhead box, sonic hedgehog, fibroblast growth factor 10, desmoglein 4, deoxyribonuclease 1-like 2, and cadherin 3, known to play roles in promoting hair growth.

Evaluation of cardioprotection and bio-efficacy enhancement of stevioside and diltiazem in rats

Background

Cardiovascular diseases and resultant complications of cardio-therapeutic regimens are one of the leading causes of mortalities in developing countries. Diltiazem is a calcium channel blocker primarily used in treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias, systemic hypertension, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Stevioside, the chief component of Stevia plant, is a natural sweetener that has significant therapeutic properties. Stevioside is a known bioenhancer that acts by synergizing pharmacological activities of other drugs. Present study was designed to evaluate cardioprotective activity of stevioside and possible bioenhancement upon co-administration with diltiazem. Standard cardiotoxicity models—isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction and ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) through modified Langendorff setup was used to test this hypothesis. Rats were randomly divided into control groups (normal—physiological saline and toxic—isoproterenol, 150 mg/kg, s.c., and IRI induced in normal control animals) and treatment groups (diltiazem—17.5 mg/kg, p.o., stevioside—100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o. and combination groups). At the end of the treatment period, animals were sacrificed and biochemical, electrocardiographic, and histopathological changes were measured.

Results

Pre-treatment with stevioside prevented leakage of biomarkers and normalized serum and perfusate levels of CK-MB, CK-NAC, LDH, AST, and ALT enzymes. It displayed lipid-lowering effect on TC and TG levels dose dependently. STV also showed protective action on levels of tissue antioxidant enzymes (SOD and Catalase), electrocardiographic parameters (HR, RR, QRS, QT, PR), and heart tissue histopathology when compared to concurrent toxic control groups. Combination of stevioside (200 mg/kg) and diltiazem (17.5 mg/kg) exerted a more significant pharmacodynamic response, significantly restored biomarkers, antioxidants levels, and myocardial histology, and normalized electrocardiographic parameters.

Conclusion

Stevioside and diltiazem both displayed cardioprotective effect when given alone. Co-administration displayed improved restorative action on antioxidant status, biomarkers, electrocardiographic parameters, and histology.

Stevia prevents experimental cirrhosis by reducing hepatic myofibroblasts and modulating molecular profibrotic pathways

AIM

The aims of the present study were to investigate the capacity of stevia leaves to prevent experimental cirrhosis induced by chronic administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄ ) in rats and to explore the action mechanism involved.

METHODS

Liver cirrhosis was established by CCl₄ treatment (400 mg/kg i.p. three times a week for 12 weeks); stevia powder was administered (100 mg/kg by gavage daily) during the CCl₄ treatment. Serum markers of liver damage and hydroxyproline were evaluated and histopathological analyses were carried out. The profibrotic pathways were analyzed by western blot and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

We found for the first time that stevia cotreatment prevented the elevation of serum markers of necrosis and cholestasis and the occurrence of liver fibrosis. It is worth noting that stevia downregulated several profibrogenic pathways, including the reduction of hepatic myofibroblasts and decreased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP13 expression, thereby blocking the liberation of transforming growth factor-β from the extracellular matrix. Notably, stevia reduced the phosphorylation of pSmad3L, the most profibrogenic and mitogenic Smad, by inhibiting the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Interestingly, Smad7, an important antifibrotic molecule, was upregulated by stevia treatment in cirrhotic rats. These multitarget mechanisms led to the prevention of experimental cirrhosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Because stevia possesses a reasonable safety profile, our results indicate that it could be useful in the clinical setting to treat chronic liver diseases.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and Its Effects in Human Disease: Emphasizing Its Role in Inflammation, Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Syndrome

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a perennial shrub with zero calorie content that has been increasing in popularity for its potential use as an adjuvant in the treatment of obesity. The level of evidence supporting general benefits to human health is insufficient. We conducted a review of the literature summarizing the current knowledge and role in human disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

Despite stevia's minimal systemic absorption, studies have been promising regarding its potential benefits against inflammation, carcinogenesis, atherosclerosis glucose control, and hypertension. On the other hand, the growing popularity of artificial sweeteners does not correlate with improved trends in obesity. An increased intake of artificial non-caloric sweeteners may not be associated with decreased intake of traditional sugar-sweetened beverages and foods. The effects of Stevia on weight change have been linked to bacteria in the intestinal microbiome, mainly by affecting Clostridium and Bacteroides sp.

POPULATIONS

A growing body of evidence indicates that Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is protective against malignant conversion by inhibition of DNA replication in human cancer cell growth in vitro. Consumption of Stevia has demonstrated to be generally safe in most reports. Further clinical studies are warranted to determine if regular consumption brings sustained benefits for human health.

Relationships among muscle fiber type composition, fiber diameter and MRF gene expression in different skeletal muscles of naturally grazing Wuzhumuqin sheep during postnatal development

The aim of this study was to determine the relationships among muscle fiber‐type composition, fiber diameter, and myogenic regulatory factor (MRF) gene expression in different skeletal muscles during development in naturally grazing Wuzhumuqin sheep. Three major muscles (i.e. the Longissimus dorsi (LD), Biceps femoris (BF) and Triceps brachii (TB)) were obtained from 20 Wuzhumuqin sheep and 20 castrated rams at each of the following ages: 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months. Muscle fiber‐type composition and fiber diameter were measured using histochemistry and morphological analysis, and MRF gene expression levels were determined using real‐time PCR. In the LD muscle, changes in the proportion of each of different types of fiber (I, IIA and IIB) were relatively small. In the BF muscle, a higher proportion of type I and a 6.19‐fold lower proportion of type IIA fibers were observed (P < 0.05). In addition, the compositions of type I and IIA fibers continuously changed in the TB muscle (P < 0.05). Moreover, muscle diameter gradually increased throughout development (P < 0.05). Almost no significant difference was found in MRF gene expression patterns, which appeared to be relatively stable. These results suggest that changes in fiber‐type composition and increases in fiber size may be mutually interacting processes during muscle development.

Rebaudioside A inhibits pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsions in rats

The safety of patients with epilepsy consuming sweetening agents, which is becoming increasingly prevalent for various reasons, is a topic that should be emphasized as sensitively as it is for other diseases. Patients with epilepsy consume sweetening agents for different reasons such being diabetic or overweight. They can occasionally be exposed to sweetening agents unrestrainedly through consuming convenience food, primarily beverages. This study aimed to investigate the effects of rebaudioside A (Reb-A), which is a steviol glycoside produced from the herb Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni), on epileptic seizures and convulsions induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Forty-eight male rats were used. Twenty-four rats were administered 35 mg/kg PTZ to trigger epileptiform activity; the remaining 24 rats were administered 70 mg/kg PTZ to trigger the convulsion model. The epileptiform activity was evaluated by spike percentage, whereas convulsion was evaluated by Racine's Convulsion Scale and the onset time of the first myoclonic jerk. Statistical analysis revealed a statistically significant decrease in the Racine's Convulsion Scale score and increase in the latency of first myoclonic jerk in a dose-dependent manner for the rat groups in which PTZ epilepsy had been induced and Reb-A had been administered. For the groups that were administered Reb-A, the spike decrease was apparent in a dose-dependent manner, based on the spike percentage calculation. These results indicated that Reb-A has positive effects on PTZ-induced convulsions.

Synergistic foaming and surface properties of a weakly interacting mixture of soy glycinin and biosurfactant stevioside

The adsorption of the mixtures of soy glycinin (11S) with a biosurfactant stevioside (STE) at the air-water interface was studied to understand its relation with foaming properties. A combination of several techniques such as dynamic surface tension, dilatational rheology, fluorescence spectroscopy, and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was used. In the presence of intermediate STE concentrations (0.25-0.5%), the weak binding of STE with 11S in bulk occurred by hydrophobic interactions, which could induce conformational changes of 11S, as evidenced by fluorescence and ITC. Accordingly, the strong synergy in reducing surface tension and the plateau in surface elasticity for mixed 11S-STE layers formed from the weakly interacting mixtures were clearly observed. This effect could be explained by the complexation with STE, which might facilitate the partial dissociation and further unfolding of 11S upon adsorption, thus enhancing the protein-protein and protein-STE interfacial interactions. These surface properties were positively reflected in foams produced by the weakly interacting system, which exhibited good foaming capacity and considerable stability probably due to better response to external stresses. However, at high STE concentrations (1-2%), as a consequence of the interface dominated by STE due to the preferential adsorption of STE molecules, the surface elasticity of layers dramatically decreased, and the resultant foams became less stable.

Steviol retards renal cyst growth through reduction of CFTR expression and inhibition of epithelial cell proliferation in a mouse model of polycystic kidney disease

Cyst enlargement in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is associated with cAMP-activated proliferation of cyst-lining epithelial cells and transepithelial fluid secretion into the cyst lumen via cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channel leading to renal failure for which no effective treatment is currently available. We previously reported that steviol retards Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cyst enlargement by inhibiting CFTR channel activity and promoting proteasomal-mediated CFTR degradation. It is imperative to examine the effect of steviol in animal models of ADPKD. Therefore, we examined the effect of steviol on renal cyst growth in an orthologous mouse model of human ADPKD (Pkd1(flox/flox):Pkhd1-Cre). The results showed that daily treatment with both 200mg/kg BW of steviol and 1000mg/kg BW of stevioside for 14 days markedly decreased kidney weight and cystic index in these mice. However, only steviol markedly reduced blood urea nitrogen and creatinine values. Steviol also reduced cell proliferation but had no effect on cell apoptosis. In addition, steviol suppressed CFTR and mTOR/S6K expression in renal cyst-lining epithelial cells. Interestingly, steviol was found to stimulate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Our findings indicate that steviol slows cyst progression in ADPKD mouse model, in part, through the activation of AMPK which subsequently inhibits CFTR chloride channel expression and inhibits renal epithelial cell proliferation via mTOR/S6K pathway. Most importantly, steviol could markedly improve kidney function in a mouse model of ADPKD. Steviol thus has potential application for further development as a therapeutic compound for the treatment of polycystic kidney disease.

Solid-state UV-MALDI-MS assay of transition metal dithiocarbamate fungicides

The determination of transition metal containing dithiocarbamate fungicides represents a challenging aspect of analytical object. They have a low stability, low solubility and stabilize versatile coordination monomers, dimers, disulfides and/or S-oxidized derivatives. Their diverse biological activities and agricultural implementation encompass plant prevention and crop protection against a variety of plants containing fungi and diseases of 400 pathogens and 70 cultures. Nonetheless, those dithiocarbamates (DTCs) are banned for agricultural use in Europe or have expiration at years 2016-2017 because of their highly toxic degradation products and/or metabolites, in particular ethylene thiourea; they found large-scale implementations in materials research and medicine. Despite the broad interdisciplinary of DTC application, due to the above reasons, they have received little attention in the rapidly growing field of analytical chemistry, and in particular, the analytical mass spectrometry. Therefore, the study reported on qualitative, quantitative and structural analysis of ten DTCs (1-10), using the matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (UV-MALDI)-Orbitrap-mass spectrometry (MS) contributed considerably to the implementation of the method for environmental and foodstuffs monitoring. Its ultrahigh resolving power and capacity for direct solid-state analysis, at limited number of sample pretreatment steps, at concentration levels of analytes of up to femtogram per gram resulted to achievement of a highly precise analytical information for these non-trivial objects. The presented fully validated method and technique is based on the successful ionization of DTCs embedded in three novel organic salts (M1-M3). In this regard, the reported MS and the single-crystal X-ray diffraction data as well as the quantum chemical one are able to correlate the molecular structures in condense and in the gas phase. Despite the novelty of the fundamental methodological character of the research reported, the promising metrology contributed to the applied aspect of the UV-MALDI-MS as a robust analytical method for environmental and foodstuffs monitoring, which is tested on two commercially available crop protecting products such as Mancozeb® and Antracol®, respectively.