Ameliorative Effect of D-Carvone against Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Injury in Rats

D-carvone attenuates LPS-induced acute lung injury via TLR4/NF-κB and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways in rats

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a severe respiratory disorder associated with high morbidity and mortality. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is widely used to induce ALI in animal models. D-carvone, a natural monoterpene, has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of D-carvone on LPS-induced ALI in rats. Thirty-six male rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6): control, D-carvone (10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg p.o.), LPS (10 mg/kg E. coli lipopolysaccharide i.p.), and LPS + D-carvone (LPS with either 10 or 20 mg/kg D-carvone). D-carvone was administered orally once daily for 10 days. On day 10, sepsis was induced with LPS administration, and samples were collected after 6 h under deep anesthesia. LPS administration caused significant lung injury, as evidenced by increased histopathological scores, upregulation of pro-inflammatory markers (TLR4, IL-1β, TNF-α), and oxidative stress (increased MDA, decreased GSH and SOD). Treatment with D-carvone at both doses significantly attenuated these changes. D-carvone downregulated pro-inflammatory markers, upregulated anti-inflammatory (NRF2) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) proteins, and reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8) in lung tissues. In conclusion, D-carvone protects against LPS-induced ALI in rats, possibly through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These findings suggest that D-carvone could be a potential therapeutic candidate for preventing and treating ALI.

Neuroprotection by Anethum graveolens (Dill) Seeds and Its Phytocompounds in SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cell Lines and Acellular Assays

Neurodegeneration diseases (NDs) are a group of complex diseases primarily characterized by progressive loss of neurons affecting mental function and movement. Oxidative stress is one of the factors contributing to the pathogenesis of NDs, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). These reactive species disturb mitochondrial function and accelerate other undesirable conditions including tau phosphorylation, inflammation, and cell death. Therefore, preventing oxidative stress is one of the imperative methods in the treatment of NDs. To accomplish this, we prepared hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of Anethum graveolens (dill) and identified the major phyto-components (apiol, carvone, and dihydrocarvone) by GC-MS. The extracts and major bioactives were assessed for neuroprotective potential and mechanism in hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell model and other biochemical assays. The dill (extracts and bioactives) provided statistically significant neuroprotection from 0.1 to 30 µg/mL by mitigating ROS levels, restoring mitochondrial membrane potential, reducing lipid peroxidation, and reviving the glutathione ratio. They moderately inhibited acetylcholine esterase (IC50 dill extracts 400-500 µg/mL; carvone 275.7 µg/mL; apiole 388.3 µg/mL), displayed mild anti-Aβ1-42 fibrilization (DHC 26.6%) and good anti-oligomerization activity (>40% by dill-EA, carvone, and apiole). Such multifactorial neuroprotective displayed by dill and bioactives would help develop a safe, low-cost, and small-molecule drug for NDs.

Plant Monoterpenes and Essential Oils as Potential Anti-Ageing Agents: Insights from Preclinical Data

Ageing is a natural process characterized by a time-dependent decline of physiological integrity that compromises functionality and inevitably leads to death. This decline is also quite relevant in major human pathologies, being a primary risk factor in neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders. Bearing this in mind, it is not surprising that research aiming at improving human health during this process has burst in the last decades. Importantly, major hallmarks of the ageing process and phenotype have been identified, this knowledge being quite relevant for future studies towards the identification of putative pharmaceutical targets, enabling the development of preventive/therapeutic strategies to improve health and longevity. In this context, aromatic plants have emerged as a source of potential bioactive volatile molecules, mainly monoterpenes, with many studies referring to their anti-ageing potential. Nevertheless, an integrated review on the current knowledge is lacking, with several research approaches studying isolated ageing hallmarks or referring to an overall anti-ageing effect, without depicting possible mechanisms of action. Herein, we aim to provide an updated systematization of the bioactive potential of volatile monoterpenes on recently proposed ageing hallmarks, and highlight the main mechanisms of action already identified, as well as possible chemical entity-activity relations. By gathering and categorizing the available scattered information, we also aim to identify important research gaps that could help pave the way for future research in the field.

Molecular Characterization of High Mobility Group Box 1a (HMGB1a) Gene in Red-Bellied Pacu, Piaractus brachypomus

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a chromosomal protein in the nucleus and a potent extracellular proinflammatory cytokine, widely described in mammals, nevertheless, with scarce reports in fish. In this study, full open reading frame of HMGB1a gene from Piaractus brachypomus is reported as well as its molecular characterization, including tissue gene expression. At predicted protein level, HMGB1a showed similarities with its orthologs in teleosts and higher vertebrates. The relative gene expression of HMGB1a mRNA was measured in several tissues including the brain, where a differential expression appeared in brain regions, i.e., higher expression in the cerebellum and telencephalon. In addition, in an assay of sublethal exposure to chlorpyrifos, upregulation of HMGB1a was detected in optic chiasm. Furthermore, in a traumatic brain injury model, upregulation of HMGB1a expression was evident 24 hours after lesion and remained higher up to 14 days. These findings suggest a role for HMGB1a in brain damage and its candidature as biomarker of brain injury; however, more studies are required to elucidate the functions of HMGB1a and its regulation in P. brachypomus.