Antitumor and anti-cachectic effects of shark liver oil and fish oil: comparison between independent or associative chronic supplementation in Walker 256 tumor-bearing rats

Eco-Friendly Extraction and Formulation of Black Sea Shark Liver Oil-Based Emulgel for Anti-Inflammatory and Healing Dermatocosmetic Applications

This study explores the eco-friendly extraction and formulation of emulgels based on Black Sea shark liver oil for their potential anti-inflammatory and wound healing dermatocosmetic applications. Two emulgel formulations were prepared: Gel 1, containing shark liver oil, and Gel 2, combining shark liver oil with borage oil. The eco-friendly extraction of shark liver oil was performed, yielding a high content of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, primarily eicosapentaenoic acid (16.68 ± 0.28 mg/g %) and docosahexaenoic acid (18.14 ± 0.31 mg/g %). Physicochemical evaluations of the emulgels revealed excellent stability over time, with small variations in pH, viscosity, and spreadability, confirming their robustness. Rheological analysis demonstrated pseudoplastic behavior for both formulations, with Gel 2 exhibiting a more favorable flow and consistency index (K = 34.11, n = 0.28) compared to Gel 1 (K = 32.73, n = 0.29). The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated using two experimental edema models: 10% kaolin suspension and 6% dextran solution. Both emulgels demonstrated significant edema reduction, with Gel 2 showing a more potent anti-inflammatory effect. The wound healing effect was assessed in vivo, revealing that Gel 2 accelerated wound closure and hair restoration, outperforming Gel 1 and the reference diclofenac gel. These results suggest that Black Sea shark liver oil-based emulgels, especially borage oil formulation, offer promising eco-friendly alternatives for dermatocosmetic applications, with enhanced anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties.

Cancer-induced morphological changes in enteric glial cells in the jejunum of Walker-256 tumor-bearing rats

Cancer-induced cachexia is associated with systemic inflammation and gastrointestinal dysfunction. How changes to cells of the enteric nervous system contribute to gut dysfunction in tumor development and cancer cachexia is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that changes to enteric glia, a type of peripheral glia that surround enteric neurons and regulate gut homeostasis, are associated with tumor development and that supplementing with the antioxidant L-glutathione is protective against the changes induced. Immunohistochemistry for neurons, enteric glial cells and immune cells was performed in whole-mount preparations and frozen histological sections of the jejunum from 20 Wistar rats, distributed in 4 groups: control, tumor of Walker-256, control administered with 1 % L-glutathione, and tumor of Walker-256 administered with 1 % L-glutathione. Morphoquantitative analyses were made using Image-Pro® Plus 4.5 and ImageJ® 1.43° software. Tumor development significantly reduced neuronal and glial cell populations in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses and enlarged glial cell body area in the submucosal plexus. In contrast, tumors increased glia in the jejunal mucosa and this effect was accompanied by B-lymphocyte recruitment. GSH-supplemented diet was not sufficient to protect against changes to neurons and glia in the submucosal plexus but was partially protective in the myenteric plexus. L-glutathione had no effect on physiological parameters of cachexia but was sufficient to preserve enteric glial cell density in the myenteric plexus. These results suggest that changes to both enteric neurons and glia likely contribute to the gastrointestinal effects of tumor development and that oxidative stress contributes to these effects in the enteric nervous system.

Short- and Long-Term Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Fish Oil on Inflammatory Pain in Rats

INTRODUCTION

Dietary supplementation with fish oil is promising as a complementary therapy for inflammatory pain. However, further studies are needed to support its therapeutic potential. For example, the antinociceptive effect of fish oil is widely suggested to be dependent on decreased prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) synthesis, but no previous study has investigated if it affects PGE₂-induced nociceptive response. Similarly, beneficial long-term effects on inflammatory response are related to early exposure to fish oil, however, whether these effects include decreased inflammatory pain throughout life is not known.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the short- and long-term effects of fish oil on inflammatory pain.

METHODS

Dietary fish oil supplementation was performed through two protocols: in adult rats, during 20 days, or in dams, during pregnancy and lactation, with tests performed in adult offspring. The hyperalgesic response induced by carrageenan and its final mediators PGE₂ and norepinephrine was used to model inflammatory pain.

RESULTS

The findings demonstrated for the first time that dietary fish oil (1) decreases the hyperalgesia induced by carrageenan; (2) but not that induced by its final mediator PGE₂ and norepinephrine; (3) increase omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in peripheral neural tissue; and (4) attenuates inflammatory pain in individuals exposed to fish oil during pre-natal life and lactation.

CONCLUSION

Together, these findings support that fish oil decreases inflammatory pain either when consumed during adult life or during prenatal development. Future studies should confirm the therapeutic potential of fish oil in humans, which is essential for the development of public policies to encourage a fish oil richer diet.

Shark liver oil supplementation enriches endogenous plasmalogens and reduces markers of dyslipidemia and inflammation

Plasmalogens are membrane glycerophospholipids with diverse biological functions. Reduced plasmalogen levels have been observed in metabolic diseases; hence, increasing their levels might be beneficial in ameliorating these conditions. Shark liver oil (SLO) is a rich source of alkylglycerols that can be metabolized into plasmalogens. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of SLO supplementation on endogenous plasmalogen levels in individuals with features of metabolic disease. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study, the participants (10 overweight or obese males) received 4-g Alkyrol® (purified SLO) or placebo (methylcellulose) per day for 3 weeks followed by a 3-week washout phase and were then crossed over to 3 weeks of the alternate placebo/Alkyrol® treatment. SLO supplementation led to significant changes in plasma and circulatory white blood cell lipidomes, notably increased levels of plasmalogens and other ether lipids. In addition, SLO supplementation significantly decreased the plasma levels of total free cholesterol, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein. These findings suggest that SLO supplementation can enrich plasma and cellular plasmalogens and this enrichment may provide protection against obesity-related dyslipidemia and inflammation.

Nutritional Interventions in Cancer Cachexia: Evidence and Perspectives From Experimental Models

Cancer cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome characterized by involuntary skeletal muscle loss and is associated with poor clinical outcome, decreased survival and negatively influences cancer therapy. No curative treatments are available for cancer cachexia, but nutritional intervention is recommended as a cornerstone of multimodal therapy. Optimal nutritional care is pivotal in the treatment of cancer cachexia, and the effects of nutrients may extend beyond provision of adequate energy uptake, targeting different mechanisms or metabolic pathways that are affected or deregulated by cachexia. The evidence to support this notion derived from nutritional intervention studies in experimental models of cancer cachexia is systematically discussed in this review. Moreover, experimental variables and readout parameters to determine skeletal muscle wasting and cachexia are methodologically evaluated to allow critical comparison of similar studies. Single- and multinutrient intervention studies including qualitative modulation of dietary protein, dietary fat, and supplementation with specific nutrients, such as carnitine and creatine, were reviewed for their efficacy to counteract muscle mass loss and its underlying mechanisms in experimental cancer cachexia. Numerous studies showed favorable effects on impaired protein turnover and related metabolic abnormalities of nutritional supplementation in parallel with a beneficial impact on cancer-induced muscle wasting. The combination of high quality nutrients in a multitargeted, multinutrient approach appears specifically promising, preferentially as a multimodal intervention, although more studies investigating the optimal quantity and combination of nutrients are needed. During the review process, a wide variation in timing, duration, dosing, and route of supplementation, as well as a wide variation in animal models were observed. Better standardization in dietary design, and the development of experimental models that better recapitulate the etiology of human cachexia, will further facilitate successful translation of experimentally-based multinutrient, multimodal interventions into clinical practice.

Consumption of latex from Euphorbia tirucalli L. promotes a reduction of tumor growth and cachexia, and immunomodulation in Walker 256 tumor-bearing rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Euphorbia tirucalli L. is an African plant that grows well in Brazil. Individuals diagnosed with cancer frequently consume latex from E. tirucalli, dissolved in drinking water. In vitro studies confirm the antitumor potential of E. tirucalli latex, but in vivo evaluations are scarce.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To evaluate the effect of intake of an aqueous solution of E. tirucalli latex on tumor growth, cachexia, and immune response in Walker 256 tumor-bearing rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Latex from E. tirucalli was collected and analyzed by LC-MS. Sixty male Wistar rats (age, 90 days) were randomly divided into four groups: C, control group (without tumor); W, Walker 256 tumor-bearing group; SW1, W animals but treated with 25 μL latex/mL water; and SW2, W animals but treated with 50 μL latex/mL water. Animals received 1 mL of latex solution once a day by gavage. After 15 d, animals were euthanized, tumor mass was determined, and glucose and triacylglycerol serum levels were measured by using commercial kits. Change in the body weight during tumor development was calculated, and proliferation capacity of tumor cells was assessed by the Alamar Blue assay. Phagocytosis and superoxide anion production by peritoneal macrophages and circulating neutrophils were analyzed by enzymatic and colorimetric assays. Data are analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test, with the significance level set at 5%.

RESULTS

The analysis of the latex revealed the presence of triterpenes. The ingestion of the latex aqueous solution promoted 40% and 60% reduction of the tumor mass in SW1 and SW2 groups, respectively (p < 0.05). The proliferative capacity of tumor cells from SW2 group was 76% lower than that of cells from W group (p < 0.0001). Animals treated with latex gained, on average, 20 g (SW1) and 8 g (SW2) weight. Glucose and triacylglycerol serum levels in SW1 and SW2 animals were similar to those in C group rats. Peritoneal macrophages and blood neutrophils from SW1 and SW2 animals produced 30-40% less superoxide anions than those from W group animals (p < 0.05), but neutrophils from SW2 group showed an increased phagocytic capacity (20%, vs. W group).

CONCLUSIONS

E. tirucalli latex, administered orally for 15 d, efficiently reduced tumor growth and cachexia in Walker 256 tumor-bearing rats. Decreased tumor cell proliferative capacity was one of the mechanisms involved in this effect. Further, the data suggest immunomodulatory properties of E. tirucalli latex. The results agree with folk data on the antitumor effect of latex ingestion, indicating that it may be useful as an adjunct in the treatment of cancer patients. For this, further in vivo studies in animal and human models need to be conducted.

The Influence of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Skeletal Muscle Protein Turnover in Health, Disuse, and Disease

Ingestion of omega-3 fatty acids is known to exert favorable health effects on a number of biological processes such as improved immune profile, enhanced cognition, and optimized neuromuscular function. Recently, data have emerged demonstrating a positive influence of omega-3 fatty acid intake on skeletal muscle. For instance, there are reports of clinically-relevant gains in muscle size and strength in healthy older persons with omega-3 fatty acid intake as well as evidence that omega-3 fatty acid ingestion alleviates the loss of muscle mass and prevents decrements in mitochondrial respiration during periods of muscle-disuse. Cancer cachexia that is characterized by a rapid involuntary loss of lean mass may also be attenuated by omega-3 fatty acid provision. The primary means by which omega-3 fatty acids positively impact skeletal muscle mass is via incorporation of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n−3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n−3) into membrane phospholipids of the sarcolemma and intracellular organelles. Enrichment of EPA and DHA in these membrane phospholipids is linked to enhanced rates of muscle protein synthesis, decreased expression of factors that regulate muscle protein breakdown, and improved mitochondrial respiration kinetics. However, exactly how incorporation of EPA and DHA into phospholipid membranes alters these processes remains unknown. In this review, we discuss the interaction between omega-3 fatty acid ingestion and skeletal muscle protein turnover in response to nutrient provision in younger and older adults. Additionally, we examine the role of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in protecting muscle loss during muscle-disuse and in cancer cachexia, and critically evaluate the molecular mechanisms that underpin the phenotypic changes observed in skeletal muscle with omega-3 fatty acid intake.

Nutrition and Cancercapsaicin Treatment Reduces Tumor Growth, Tumor Cell Proliferation Ex Vivo and Partially Reverses Cancer Cachexia in Walker 256 Tumor-Bearing Rats

Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-n-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is the main pungent component found in hot peppers.

AIM

In this study, we investigated the effect of capsaicin treatment on tumor growth and the metabolic indicators of cachexia in Walker 256 tumor-bearing rats.

METHODS

Male Wistar rats were inoculated subcutaneously in the right flank with 1 ml of a sterile suspension of 3 × 10⁷ Walker tumor cells. The treated groups received capsaicin intraperitoneal 5 mg/kg body weight for 13 days.

RESULTS

The tumor weight on Day 14 in the non-treated group was 18 g. The rats also had a body weight loss, hypoglycemia, hyperlactacidemia, hypertriacylglycerolemia, and a depletion in glycogen storage. Treatment with capsaicin decreased tumor growth by 49% and a reversal of triacylglycerol serum. We also found a 32% reduction in tumor cell proliferation ex vivo. Lactate serum concentrations and body weight were lower but did not reach control levels.

CONCLUSION

The treatment with capsaicin reduces tumor growth and cellular proliferation along with increased apoptosis and partial cachexia reversal.

Experimental Cancer Cachexia Changes Neuron Numbers and Peptide Levels in the Intestine: Partial Protective Effects after Dietary Supplementation with L-Glutamine

Gastrointestinal dysmotility frequently occurs in cancer cachexia and may result from damage to enteric innervation caused by oxidative stress, especially due to glutathione depletion. We assessed the effect of dietary supplementation with 20 g/kg l-glutamine (a glutathione precursor) on the intrinsic innervation of the enteric nervous system in healthy and Walker 256 tumor-bearing Wistar rats during the development of experimental cachexia (14 days), in comparison with non-supplemented rats, by using immunohistochemical methods and Western blotting. The total neural population and cholinergic subpopulation densities in the myenteric plexus, as well as the total population and VIPergic subpopulation in the submucosal plexus of the jejunum and ileum, were reduced in cachectic rats, resulting in adaptive morphometric alterations and an increase in vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) expression, suggesting a neuroplastic response. l-glutamine supplementation prevented decrease in myenteric neuronal density in the ileum, morphometric alterations in the neurons and nerve fibers (in both the plexuses of the jejunum and ileum), and the overexpression of VIP and CGRP. Cancer cachexia severely affected the intrinsic innervation of the jejunum and ileum to various degrees and this injury seems to be associated with adaptive neural plasticity. l-glutamine supplementation presented partial protective effects on the enteric innervation against cancer cachexia, possibly by attenuating oxidative stress.

Mixture of Peanut Skin Extract and Fish Oil Improves Memory in Mice via Modulation of Anti-Oxidative Stress and Regulation of BDNF/ERK/CREB Signaling Pathways

Long-term use of fish oil (FO) is known to induce oxidative stress and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in humans. In the present study, peanut skin extract (PSE), which has strong antioxidant capacity, was mixed with FO to reduce its side effects while maintaining its beneficial properties. Twelve-week Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were used to conduct animal behavior tests in order to evaluate the memory-enhancing ability of the mixture of peanut skin extract and fish oil (MPF). MPF significantly increased alternations in the Y-maze and cognitive index in the novel object recognition test. MPF also improved performance in the water maze test. We further sought to understand the mechanisms underlying these effects. A significant decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and an increase in malonyldialdehyde (MDA) in plasma were observed in the FO group. The MPF group showed reduced MDA level and increased SOD activity in the plasma, cortex and hippocampus. Furthermore, the gene expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cAMP responsive element-binding protein (CREB) in the hippocampus were increased in the MPF group, while phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and CREB in the hippocampus were enhanced. MPF improves memory in mice via modulation of anti-oxidative stress and activation of BDNF/ERK/CREB signaling pathways.

Fish oil administration mediates apoptosis of Walker 256 tumor cells by modulation of p53, Bcl-2, caspase-7 and caspase-3 protein expression

Background

Several studies have been shown pro-apoptotic effects of fish oil (FO), rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) on cancer cells. Nevertheless, few in vivo experiments have provided data of its ability on apoptosis protein expression in tumor tissue. Thus, in this study we investigate the effect of FO supplementation on apoptosis protein expression in Walker 256 tumor bearing rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups: fed with regular chow (W); fed regular chow supplemented with FO (WFO) or coconut fat (WCO) (1 g/kg body weight/daily). After thirty days, all animals were inoculated subcutaneously with Walker 256 tumor cells.

Findings

Protein expression was done by western blotting in Walker 256 tumor tissue samples. FO decreased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio (p < 0.05) and increased the p53 (p < 0.05), cleaved caspase-7 (p < 0.05) and cleaved caspase-3 (p < 0.05) in Walker 256 tumor tissue.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that the pro-apoptotic effect of FO in Walker 256 tumor is related with specifics cleaved caspases.

Jurassic surgery and immunity enhancement by alkyglycerols of shark liver oil

Background

Shark liver oil (SLO) contains both alkylglycerols (AKG) and squalene and is an ancient remedy among the fishermen on the west coast of Norway and Sweden. Literature reports showed that alkyglycerols enhance Fc–receptor mediated phagocytosis, increase humoral immune response and delay hypersensitivity reactions.

Methods

On this background we performed an open spontaneous study on 40 very old aged surgical patients preoperatively treated with alkyglycerols (500 mg twice a day for 4 weeks), in order to reduce the risks of operation, counteracting the postoperative inflammatory and anergic conditions thus achieving quick and plain recovery. To better understand the possible therapeutic impact of alkyglycerols we compared on a case/control basis treated versus untreated patients submitted contemporarily to the identical operation and exposed to the same environmental and seasonal risks.

Results

The onset of complications was reduced in the alkyglycerols treated group and the compliance to the natural treatment was excellent without any serious adverse effect. WBC count and IgG significant increase (respectively p <0.05 and p <0.001) might explain some sort of protection against infectious agents and wound repair adverse events. Also lymphocytes concentration significantly increased in the AKG treated group (p <0.001) whereas a slight decrease was observed in the control group. Conversely neutrophils significantly decreased in the AKG treated group (p <0.001) meaning that patients have no more infections and have re-established their physiologic state. However a significant increase was observed in the control group (p <0.05). CRP significantly decreased in the group receiving AKG (p <0.05), thus evidencing a slight antiinflammtory effect of the product. Also ESR decreased from a baseline in the group receiving AKG.

Conclusions

In conclusion we suggest the opportunity to introduce this nutraceutical product in dosages of 500 mg twice a day to very old people before surgical treatment for an effective modulation of leukocytes and soluble immune reactivity according with the shark liver oil consumption trend in the northern Europe countries folk medicine. For this reason it might be advisable a wider study on a substantially bigger patients cohort focused on the complication rate prevention or control.