Effects of Zingiber officinale extract supplementation on metabolic and genotoxic parameters in diet-induced obesity in mice

Obesity is an epidemic associated with many diseases. The nutraceutical Zingiber officinale (ZO) is a potential treatment for obesity; however, the molecular effects are unknown. Swiss male mice were fed a high-fat diet (59 % energy from fat) for 16 weeks to generate a diet-induced obesity (DIO) model and then divided into the following groups: standard diet + vehicle; standard diet + ZO; DIO + vehicle and DIO + ZO. Those in the ZO groups were supplemented with 400 mg/kg per d of ZO extract (oral administration) for 35 d. The animals were euthanised, and blood, quadriceps, epididymal fat pad and hepatic tissue were collected. DIO induced insulin resistance, proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress and DNA damage in different tissues. Treatment with ZO improved insulin sensitivity as well as decreased serum TAG, without changes in body weight or adiposity index. TNF-α and IL-1β levels were lower in the liver and quadriceps in the DIO + ZO group compared with the DIO group. ZO treatment reduced the reactive species and oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and DNA in blood and liver in obese animals. The endogenous antioxidant activity was higher in the quadriceps of DIO + ZO. These results in the rat model of DIO may indicate ZO as an adjuvant on obesity treatment.

Effects of Low-Intensity Transcranial Pulsed Ultrasound Treatment in a Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease. One of the main pathology markers of AD is the beta-amyloid plaques (βA_1-42) created from residues of the badly processed amyloid precursor protein. The accumulation of these plaques can induce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress and impair antioxidant mechanisms, culminating in cognitive and memory deficits. New therapies are necessary to treat AD as the approved drugs do not treat the progress of the disease. Transcranial low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) affects brain metabolism and could be tested as a treatment for AD. This study was aimed at evaluating the LIPUS treatment in a model of AD induced by βA_1-42 intracerebroventricularly (ICV) and its effects on learning memory, neurotrophins, neuroinflammation and oxidative status. βA_1-42 was administered ICV 24 h before the start of a 5-wk LIPUS treatment. The treatment with LIPUS improved recognition memory, as well as increasing nerve growth factor β and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in the hippocampus and cortex. There was a decrease in protein damage in the hippocampus treated with LIPUS. Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress were not present in the AD model used. The results indicated that LIPUS is a novel and promising adjuvant strategy for treatment of the late stage of AD.

Physical Exercise Training Improves Judgment and Problem-Solving and Modulates Serum Biomarkers in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by progressive impairment of memory, with an etiology involving oxidative stress and inflammation. Exercise training is a safe, efficacious, and economic approach to manage neurodegenerative diseases. In AD, the biomarkers of oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA are elevated. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate whether exercise is effective in patients with AD by assessing the serum biomarkers associated with the redox status, neurotrophin levels, and inflammatory system. This nonrandomized clinical study (n = 15) involved 22 training sessions performed twice a week (60 min/session) in patients diagnosed with AD. The cognitive and self-awareness tests were performed 48 h before and after the physical training session. In patients with AD, physical training significantly improved the judgment and problem-solving domains of the memory score; however, general mental health, memory, orientation, and home/hobby domains were improved slightly, and the neurotrophin levels remained unaltered. Significantly, the markers of protein integrity also increased following exercise. Furthermore, catalase activity and ROS levels decreased, nitrite levels increased, and interleukin-4 level increased following physical training in patients with AD. Although proinflammatory cytokines remained unaltered, the levels of neuron-specific enolase, a marker of neuronal damage, decreased following exercise training in these patients. In conclusion, physical exercise training could be a safe and effective method for blocking the AD progression and improving the antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory system, whereas certain assessed biomarkers could be utilized to monitor AD therapy.

Ginger and avocado as nutraceuticals for obesity and its comorbidities

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic and is one of the factors involved in the etiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Obesity induces low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress. The treatment for obesity involves changes in diet, physical activity, and even medication and surgery. Currently, the use of nutraceutical compounds is associated with health benefits. Ginger and avocado are used for many people all around the world; however, its effect as a nutraceutical compound is less known by the general population. For this reason, we searched information of the literature to point its effects on distinct mechanisms of defense against the obesity its comorbidities. The present review aimed showing that these nutraceuticals may be useful in obesity treatment. Reports have shown that ginger and avocado induce antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by improving enzymatic activity and modulating obesity-related impairments in the anti-inflammatory system in different tissues, without side effects. Furthermore, ginger and avocado were found to be effective in reversing the harmful effects of obesity on blood lipids. In conclusion, on the basis of the positive effects of ginger and avocado in in vitro, animal, and human studies, these nutraceuticals may be useful in obesity treatment.

Intranasal insulin treatment modulates the neurotropic, inflammatory, and oxidant mechanisms in the cortex and hippocampus in a low-grade inflammation model

The inflammatory process plays a critical role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Insulin is used in preclinical and clinical studies of neurological disorders. Its intranasal (IN) administration directly in the brain allows for its peripheral metabolic effects to be avoided. Swiss male mice were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (0.1 mg/kg) to induce low-grade inflammation. IN insulin treatment was initiated 4 h later at a dose of 1.7 IU once daily for 5 days. LPS induced cognitive deficits, which the IN insulin treatment reversed. LPS significantly decreased, whereas IN insulin significantly increased the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor-β in the cortex. In the hippocampus, IN insulin significantly decreased the BDNF level. LPS significantly increased the interleukin (IL)-6 levels in the cortex, while IN Insulin significantly decreased its levels in the hippocampus. The tumor necrosis factor-α levels were significantly decreased by IN insulin both in the cortex and hippocampus. Moreover, IN insulin significantly increased the IL-10 levels in the cortex. The levels of oxidative and nitrosative stress were significantly higher in the LPS-treated mice; however, IN insulin had a modulatory effect on both. LPS significantly increased the antioxidant enzyme activity both in the cortex and hippocampus, whereas IN insulin significantly increased the activity of both superoxide dismutase and catalase in the hippocampus and that of catalase in the cortex. The hydrogen peroxide levels revealed that LPS significantly affected the electron transport chain. Therefore, IN insulin could be useful in the treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases.

Therapeutic effects of iontophoresis with gold nanoparticles in the repair of traumatic muscle injury

Studies have shown the benefits of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in muscle and epithelial injury models. In physiotherapy, the use of the microcurrent apparatus is associated with certain drugs (Iontophoresis) to increase the topical penetration and to associate the effects of both therapies. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of iontophoresis along with GNPs in the skeletal muscle of rats exposed to a traumatic muscle injury. We utilised 50 Wistar rats randomly divided in to five experimental groups (n = 10): Control group (CG); Muscle injury group (MI); MI + GNPs (20 nm, 30 mg kg^-1); MI + Microcurrent (300 μA); and MI + Microcurrent + GNPs. The treatment was performed daily for 7 days, with the first session starting at 24 h after the muscle injury. The animals were sacrificed and the gastrocnemius muscle was surgically removedand stored for the proper evaluations. The group that received iontophoresis with GNPs showed significant differences in inflammation and oxidative stress parameters and in the histopathological evaluation showed preserved morphology. In addition, we observed an improvement in the locomotor response and pain symptoms of these animals. These results suggest that the association of boththerapies accelerates the inflammatory response of the injured limb.