Well-absorbed iron-based nanoparticulated materials are a promise for the oral management of iron deficient anemia. In this work, a battery of in vitro and in situ experiments are combined for the ...evaluation of the uptake, distribution and toxicity of new synthesized ultrasmall (4 nm core) Fe
2
O
3
nanoparticles coated with tartaric/adipic acid with potential to be used as oral Fe supplements. First, the in vitro simulated gastric acid solubility studies by TEM and HPLC-ICP-MS reveal a partial reduction of the core size of about 40% after 90 min at pH 3. Such scenario confirms the arrival of the nanoparticulate material in the small intestine. In the next step, the in vivo absorption through the small intestine by intestinal perfusion experiments is conducted using the sought nanoparticles in Wistar rats. The quantification of Fe in the NPs suspension before and after perfusion shows Fe absorption levels above 79%, never reported for other Fe treatments. Such high absorption levels do not seem to compromise cell viability, evaluated in enterocytes-like models (Caco-2 and HT-29) using cytotoxicity, ROS production, genotoxicity and lipid peroxidation tests. Moreover, regional differences in terms of Fe concentration are obtained among different parts of the small intestine as duodenum > jejunum > ileum. Complementary transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show the presence of the intact particles around the intestinal microvilli without significant tissue damage. These studies show the high potential of these NP preparations for their use as oral management of anemia.
The consumption of edible flowers has increased in recent years because of their wide use in gastronomy as a decorative element or as an ingredient in dishes. In addition to influencing texture, ...taste or appearance, flowers are rich in bioactive compounds.
This review focuses on the composition and nutritional features of edible flowers and their extracts, and their health benefits related to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurological diseases, diabetes, obesity, in addition to their hepatoprotective and microbicidal effects. The mechanisms though which some of them exert their effects and the specific compounds associated with these effects have also been addressed.
Edible flowers have a high content in phenolic compounds and a high antioxidant capacity, property that confers positive effects on oxidative stress-related diseases. Some extracts based on edible flowers exert hepato-, neuro- or cardioprotective actions. Anticancer properties, improvements in metabolic disorders and microbiocidal effects even in multidrug-resistant bacteria have also been attributed to some edible flowers or their extracts. Most of the studies have been performed in vitro, so further assays in in vivo models are needed. Additionally, it would be important to elucidate the mechanisms by which these observed effects are performed. In conclusion, edible flowers could be used as a new approach for the development of nutraceutical products or functional foods.
•Edible flowers are an important source of phenolic compounds.•Biological implications have been attributed to some edible flower extracts.•Edible flowers could be a new tool for functional food development.•More studies are needed to clarify underlying action mechanisms.
Role of flavonoids against adriamycin toxicity Navarro-Hortal, María D.; Varela-López, Alfonso; Romero-Márquez, José M. ...
Food and chemical toxicology,
December 2020, 2020-12-00, 20201201, Letnik:
146
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Doxorubicin (DOX), or adriamycin, is an anthracycline antineoplastic drug widely used in the chemotherapy of a large variety of cancers due to its potency and action spectrum. However, its use is ...limited by the toxicity on healthy cells and its acute and chronic side effects. One of the developed strategies to attenuate DOX toxicity is the combined therapy with bioactive compounds such as flavonoids. This review embraces the role of flavonoids on DOX treatment side effects. Protective properties of some flavonoidss against DOX toxicity have been investigated and observed mainly in heart but also in liver, kidney, brain, testis or bone marrow. Protective mechanisms involve reduction of oxidative stress by decrease of ROS levels and/or increase antioxidant defenses and interferences with autophagy, apoptosis and inflammation. Studies in cancer cells have reported that the anticancer activity of DOX was not compromised by the flavonoids. Moreover, some of them increased DOX efficiency as anti-cancer drug even in multidrug resistant cells.
•DOX induces damage in multiple organs and tissues.•Some flavonoids have shown a protective effect against DOX toxicity.•Oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis or autophagy alterations were modulated.•Clinical trials are necessary to validate the results obtained in pre-clinical models.
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•Eleven different phenolic compounds were identified in the extract of Tulbaghia violacea.•The extract reported good results for designing new treatments for Alzheimer ...disease.•Autophagy and ROS were the main cell death vias associated with the extract.•Ferulic acid and chrysanthemin were the main components of the extract.
Traditionally, edible flowers have been used as foods and for therapeutic purposes, today they have gained importance due to their bioactive compounds such as flavonols, anthocyanins or other phenolic compounds, which give them potential for biomedical applications. This work evaluated a methanolic extract of Tulbaghia violacea. Eleven individual phenolic compounds were found and quantified by mass spectrometry in the extract. Antioxidant activity tests (TEAC, FRAP and DPPH) and other characterization parameters were assayed (total phenolic content and total flavonoid content). In vitro studies showed antitumoral activity against ovarian tumoral cells mediated by the induction of non-dependent caspase cell death and by the activation of reactive oxygen species. The effect of the extract against features of Alzheimer disease was in vivo assayed in Caenorhabditis elegans. Tulbaghia extract led to a reduction in the 1–42 beta amyloid peptide formation and prevented oxidative stress. These results suggested that Tulbaghia violacea could be a new source of phenolic compounds for nutraceuticals and functional food development.
A new palladium coordination compound based on gliclazide with the chemical formula Pd(glz)
(where glz = gliclazide) has been synthesized and characterised. The structural characterization reveals ...that this material consists of mononuclear units formed by a Pd
ion coordinated to two molecules of the glz ligand, in which palladium ions exhibit a distorted plane-square coordination sphere. This novel material behaves like a good and selective inhibitor of butyrylcholinesterase, one of the most relevant therapeutic targets against Alzheimer's disease. Analysis of the enzyme kinetics showed a mixed mode of inhibition, the title compound being capable of interacting with both the free enzyme and the enzyme-substrate complex. Finally, the palladium compound shows promising protective activity against Aβ-induced toxicity in the
model, which has never been reported.
COVID-19 constitutes the largest pandemic in the last 100 years. In view of the rapid spread of the virus, it is necessary to study the sociodemographic characteristics, hygiene habits, activity and ...mobility, and comorbidities of SARS-CoV-2 infection to be able to implement prevention strategies. For this purpose, a survey including the variables of interest was designed to try to understand the exponential spread of the virus despite the implemented severe restrictive mobility measures during the period of maximum confinement in Spain. This study conducted throughout the Spanish territory aims to clarify other routes of transmission of the COVID-19 during confinement, risk factors, and the effectiveness of the recommended hygiene measures to detect critical points of exposure to the virus and thus reduce its spread in this and possible future pandemics that could compromise public health.
Our results show that living with a COVID-19 patient increased the risk of contagion by 60 times. Among all the sociodemographic variables analyzed, walking the dog have shown to have the strongest effect by increasing the risk by 78%. The most effective hygiene measure reducing the prevalence of the disease was the disinfection of products purchased from the market upon arrival home (which reduced the risk by 94%), above other hygiene measures, such as wearing masks, gloves, ethanol disinfection, bleaching and others. The mobility variable studied that showed the largest increase in the prevalence of the disease was working on site at the workplace (increased the risk by 76%). A significant higher prevalence of the disease was also detected among respondents who used the modality of acquiring basic commodities using home delivery service compared to those who chose in-store shopping.
•Living with a COVID-19 patient increased the risk of contagion by 60 times.•Walking the dog increases the risk of contagion of COVID-19 by 78%.•The most effective hygiene measure was disinfecting products purchased.•Working on site at the workplace increased the risk of contagion by 76%.•Obtaining basic products using home delivery service raised the risk of contagion.
The proposal of gene therapy to tackle cancer development has been instrumental for the development of novel approaches and strategies to fight this disease, but the efficacy of the proposed ...strategies has still fallen short of delivering the full potential of gene therapy in the clinic. Despite the plethora of gene modulation approaches, e.g., gene silencing, antisense therapy, RNA interference, gene and genome editing, finding a way to efficiently deliver these effectors to the desired cell and tissue has been a challenge. Nanomedicine has put forward several innovative platforms to overcome this obstacle. Most of these platforms rely on the application of nanoscale structures, with particular focus on nanoparticles. Herein, we review the current trends on the use of nanoparticles designed for cancer gene therapy, including inorganic, organic, or biological (e.g., exosomes) variants, in clinical development and their progress towards clinical applications.
We aimed to study the effect of vanadium(V) exposure on cell viability, nuclear DNA (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and to elucidate if these effects can be reverted by co-exposure to V and ...manganese (Mn). HepG2 cells were incubated with various concentrations of bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV) or MnCl2 for 32 h for viability study. The higher concentrations (59 μM V, 54 nM Mn and 59 μM V+54 nM Mn) were used to study DNA damage and uptake of V and Mn. Comet assay was used for the study of nDNA damage; mtDNA damage was studied by determining deletions and number of copies of the ND1/ND4 mtDNA region. Cellular content of V and Mn was determined using ICPMS. Cellular exposure to 59 μM V decreased viability (14%) and damaged nDNA and mtDNA. This effect was partially prevented by the co-exposure to V + Mn. Exposure to V increased the cellular content of V and Mn (812.3% and 153.5%, respectively). Exposure to Mn decreased the content of V and Mn (62% and 56%, respectively). Exposure to V + Mn increased V (261%) and decreased Mn (56%) content. The positive effects on cell viability and DNA damage when incubated with V + Mn could be due to the Mn-mediated inhibition of V uptake.
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•Exposure to vanadium (as BMOV) of HepG2 cells increases the cellular content of V and Mn.•Exposure to vanadium (as BMOV) of HepG2 cells damages nuclear and mitochondrial DNA and decreases cell viability.•Exposure to manganese (as MnCl2) of HepG2 cells decreases the cellular content of V and Mn.•Exposure to a combination of V and Mn of cells minimizes the deleterious action of V on DNA, restoring cell viability.•V and Mn combined therapy reduces vanadium toxicity possibly due to the inhibition of V cellular content caused by Mn.
Edible flowers are being used as a new ingredient in modern gastronomy. Recently, these products have also gained interest as an important source of phenolic compounds with potential for biomedical ...applications. The present work studied a methanolic extract of Rosa x hybrida in which 35 individual phenolic compounds were identified. The extract has been evaluated for its antiproliferative properties in ovarian carcinoma cells. Results showed that the antiproliferative effect was associated with the induction of autophagy and apoptosis with the concomitant ROS increase probably related to mitochondria dysfunction. These antiproliferative effects might be associated with some components of the extract such as quercetin. The extract did not induce damage in healthy cells and that it was able to improve the wound healing activity. The present study also evaluated the properties of the mentioned extract in vivo in C. elegans. Tests demonstrated a lack of toxicity in the worm model. Promising results have been obtained in transgenic strains of C. elegans that produce human beta amyloid peptide, suggesting the possible utility of the extract from the point of view of Alzheimer disease. Altogether, results suggest that Rosa x hybrida extracts could be a new tool for the development of functional foods.
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•Rosa x hybrida extract inhibited the growth of ovarian tumoral cell lines.•The antitumoral effect was mediated by induction of autophagy and ROS production.•Petals extract was not toxic for fibroblasts and worms.•The extract might be useful for beta-amyloid reduction in Alzheimer disease.
We report on the formation of a triazolopyrimidine derivative ligand, 7-amino-5-methyl-1,2,4-triazolo1,5-apyrimidine (7-amtp), and a new family of coordination compounds based on this ligand and zinc ...as metal ion, synthesized by conventional routes. These materials possess different mononuclear structures, namely ZnCl2(7-amtp)2 (1), Zn(7-amtp)2(H2O)4(NO3)2·2(7-amtp)·6H2O (2) and Zn(7-amtp)2(H2O)4(SO4)·1.5H2O (3) derived from the use of different zinc (II) salts, in such a way that the counterions govern the crystallization to a large extent. These compounds present and show variable luminescent properties based on ligand-centred charge transfers which have been deeply studied by Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) calculations. When these compounds are transferred to solution, preserving complex entities as corroborated by NMR studies, they present interesting anti-diabetic and anti-parasitic capabilities, with a comparatively higher selectivity index than other previously reported triazolopyrimidine-based materials. The results derived from in vivo experiments conducted in mice also confirm their promising activity as anti-diabetic drug being capable of dropping glucose levels after oral administration. Therefore, these new materials may be considered as excellent candidates to be further investigated in the field of luminescent coordination compounds with biomedical applications.
We report on the formation of a family of luminescence zinc coordination compounds based on the novel 7-amino-5-methyl-1,2,4-triazolo1,5-apyrimidine ligand. These materials show interesting luminescence, anti-diabetic and anti-parasitic properties. Display omitted
•The novel 7-amino-5-methyl-1,2,4-triazolo1,5-apyrimidine ligand has been designed.•A new family of zinc coordination compounds based on this ligand is reported.•Luminescence studies have been performed.•Compounds show interesting anti-diabetic properties.•Anti-parasitic activities has been analysed.
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