Oxidative stress is a fundamental principle in the pathophysiology of many diseases. It occurs when the production of reactive oxygen species exceeds the capacity of the cell defense system. The ...hydroxyl radical is a reactive oxygen species that is commonly formed in vivo and can cause serious damage to biomolecules, such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. It plays a role in inflammation‐related diseases, like chronic inflammation, neurodegeneration, and cancer. To overcome excessive oxidative stress and thus to prevent or stop the progression of diseases connected to it, scientists try to combat oxidative stress and to find antioxidant molecules, including those that scavenge hydroxyl radical or diminish its production in inflamed tissues.
This article reviews various methods of hydroxyl radical production and scavenging. Further, flavonoids, as natural plant antioxidants and essential component of the human diet, are reviewed as compounds interacting with the production of hydroxyl radicals. The relationship between hydroxyl radical scavenging and the structure of the flavonoids is discussed. The structural elements of the flavonoid molecule most important for hydroxyl radical scavenging are hydroxylation of ring B and a C2–C3 double bond connected with a C‐3 hydroxyl group and a C‐4 carbonyl group. Hydroxylation of ring A also enhances the activity, as does the presence of gallate and galactouronate moieties as substituents on the flavonoid skeleton.
The research aim was to use orange essential oil and trehalose in a carrageenan matrix to form edible packaging. The edible packaging experimentally produced by casting from an aqueous solution were ...evaluated by the following analysis: UV-Vis spectrum, transparency value, transmittance, attenuated total reflectance Fourier-Transform spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and antimicrobial activity. The obtained results showed that the combination of orange essential oil with trehalose decreases the transmittance value in the UV and Vis regions (up to 0.14% ± 0.02% at 356 nm), meaning that produced films can act as a UV protector. Most produced films in the research were resistant to Gram-positive bacteria (
subsp.
), though most films did not show antibacterial properties against Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts. FTIR and SEM confirmed that both the amount of carrageenan used and the combination with orange essential oil influenced the compatibility of trehalose with the film matrix. The research showed how different combinations of trehalose, orange essential oils and carrageenan can affect edible film properties. These changes represent important information for further research and the possible practical application of these edible matrices.
: Oxidative stress is a key factor in the pathophysiology of many diseases. This study aimed to verify the antioxidant activity of selected plant phenolics in cell-based assays and determine their ...direct or indirect effects.
: The cellular antioxidant assay (CAA) assay was employed for direct scavenging assays. In the indirect approach, the influence of each test substance on the gene and protein expression and activity of selected antioxidant enzymes was observed. One assay also dealt with activation of the Nrf2-ARE pathway. The overall effect of each compound was measured using a glucose oxidative stress protection assay.
: Among the test compounds, acteoside showed the highest direct scavenging activity and no effect on the expression of antioxidant enzymes. It increased only the activity of catalase. Diplacone was less active in direct antioxidant assays but positively affected enzyme expression and catalase activity. Morusin showed no antioxidant activity in the CAA assay. Similarly, pomiferin had only mild antioxidant activity and proved rather cytotoxic.
: Of the four selected phenolics, only acteoside and diplacone demonstrated antioxidant effects in cell-based assays.
Sulfate is present in foods, beverages, and drinking water. Its reduction and concentration in the gut depend on the intestinal microbiome activity, especially sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), which ...can be involved in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Assimilatory sulfate reduction (ASR) is present in all living organisms. In this process, sulfate is reduced to hydrogen sulfide and then included in cysteine and methionine biosynthesis. In contrast to assimilatory sulfate reduction, the dissimilatory process is typical for SRB. A terminal product of this metabolism pathway is hydrogen sulfide, which can be involved in gut inflammation and also causes problems in industries (due to corrosion effects). The aim of the review was to compare assimilatory and dissimilatory sulfate reduction (DSR). These processes occur in some species of intestinal bacteria (e.g.,
and
genera). The main attention was focused on the description of genes and their location in selected strains. Their coding expression of the enzymes is associated with anabolic processes in various intestinal bacteria. These analyzed recent advances can be important factors for proposing possibilities of metabolic pathway extension from hydrogen sulfide to cysteine in intestinal SRB. The switch from the DSR metabolic pathway to the ASR metabolic pathway is important since toxic sulfide is not produced as a final product.
Recently, the problem of viral infection, particularly the infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2), has dramatically increased and caused a significant challenge to ...public health due to the rising problem of drug resistance. The antiherpetic drug resistance crisis has been attributed to the overuse of these medications, as well as the lack of new drug development by the pharmaceutical industry due to reduced economic inducements and challenging regulatory requirements. Therefore, the development of novel antiviral drugs against HSV infections would be a step forward in improving global combat against these infections. The incorporation of biologically active natural products into anti-HSV drug development at the clinical level has gained limited attention to date. Thus, the search for new drugs from natural products that could enter clinical practice with lessened resistance, less undesirable effects, and various mechanisms of action is greatly needed to break the barriers to novel antiherpetic drug development, which, in turn, will pave the road towards the efficient and safe treatment of HSV infections. In this review, we aim to provide an up-to-date overview of the recent advances in natural antiherpetic agents. Additionally, this paper covers a large scale of phenolic compounds, alkaloids, terpenoids, polysaccharides, peptides, and other miscellaneous compounds derived from various sources of natural origin (plants, marine organisms, microbial sources, lichen species, insects, and mushrooms) with promising activities against HSV infections; these are in vitro and in vivo studies. This work also highlights bioactive natural products that could be used as templates for the further development of anti-HSV drugs at both animal and clinical levels, along with the potential mechanisms by which these compounds induce anti-HSV properties. Future insights into the development of these molecules as safe and effective natural anti-HSV drugs are also debated.
The aim of the research was to produce edible packaging based on chitosan with the addition of various concentrations of extracts of blueberry, red grape and parsley marcs. Packaging was made from ...extrudate extracts, which were subsequently analyzed by physicochemical methods: zeta-potential, gas barrier properties, thickness, water content, solubility, swelling degree, textural properties, total polyphenol content (TPC), polyphenols by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), antioxidant activity, attenuated total reflectance Fourier-Transform spectroscopy (FTIR), antimicrobial activity and determination of migration of bioactive substances. The results indicate that a higher content of plant extracts have a statistically significant (p < 0.05) influence on properties of experimentally produced edible films. Edible films produced with the highest concentrations of red grapes marc extracts showed the most advantageous properties since antimicrobial activity against E. coli were the highest in this kind of produced film. The physical properties of edible films were also improved by the addition of extracts; gas permeability toward oxygen can be defined as advantageous, as can swelling degree, which decreased with higher concentrations of extracts. The research emphasized the possibility to use plant foodstuffs by-products in the production of edible/biodegradable films, helping in the overall sustainability and eco-friendliness of food/package production.
(Schisandraceae) is a medicinal plant widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. Under the name Wu Wei Zi, it is used to treat many diseases, especially as a stimulant, adaptogen, and ...hepatoprotective. Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans are the main compounds responsible for the effect of
. As a part of ongoing studies to identify and evaluate anti-inflammatory natural compounds, we isolated a series of dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans and evaluated their biological activity. Furthermore, we isolated new sesquiterpene 7,7-dimethyl-11-methylidenespiro5.5undec-2-ene-3-carboxylic acid. Selected dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans were tested to assess their anti-inflammatory potential in LPS-stimulated monocytes by monitoring their anti-NF-κB activity, antioxidant activity in CAA assay, and their effect on gap junction intercellular communication in WB-
cells. Some
lignans showed antioxidant activity in CAA mode and affected the gap junction intercellular communication. The anti-inflammatory activity was proven for (-)-gomisin N, (+)-γ-schisandrin, rubrisandrin A, and (-)-gomisin J.
Antimicrobial resistance is a public health threat and the increasing number of multidrug-resistant bacteria is a major concern worldwide. Common antibiotics are becoming ineffective for skin ...infections and wounds, making the search for new therapeutic options increasingly urgent. The present study aimed to investigate the antibacterial potential of prenylated phenolics in wound healing. Phenolic compounds isolated from the root bark of
L. were investigated for their antistaphylococcal potential both alone and in combination with commonly used antibiotics. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined by microdilution and agar method. Synergy was investigated using the checkerboard titration technique. Membrane-disrupting activity and efflux pump inhibition were evaluated to describe the potentiating effect. Prenylated phenolics inhibited bacterial growth of methicillin-resistant
(MRSA) at lower concentrations (MIC 2-8 μg/ml) than commonly used antibiotics. The combination of active phenolics with kanamycin, oxacillin, and ciprofloxacin resulted in a decrease in the MIC of the antimicrobial agent. Kuwanon C, E, T, morusin, and albafuran C showed synergy (FICi 0.375-0.5) with oxacillin and/or kanamycin. Prenylated phenolics disrupted membrane permeability statistically significantly (from 28 ± 16.48% up to 73 ± 2.83%), and membrane disruption contributes to the complex antibacterial activity against MRSA. In addition, kuwanon C could be considered an efflux pump inhibitor. Despite the antibacterial effect on MRSA and the multiple biological activities, the prenylated phenolics at microbially significant concentrations have a minor effect on human keratinocyte (HaCaT) viability. In conclusion, prenylated phenolics in combination with commonly used antibiotics are promising candidates for the treatment of MRSA infections and wound healing, although further studies are needed.
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•5,11-Dioxabenzobfluoren-10-one derivative (12) was introduced as a new compound.•The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were elucidated by X-ray diffraction.•Compounds 7–10 and 12 ...showed inhibitory effects on NF-κB/AP-1 activation.•Compounds 7–9 suppressed IL-1β and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells.•Compound 10 exhibited the greatest antioxidant effect in the CAA assay.
Extensive phytochemical analysis of the CHCl3-soluble part of an ethanolic extract of branches and twigs of Broussonetia papyrifera led to the isolation of fourteen compounds, including a novel 5,11-dioxabenzobfluoren-10-one derivative named broussofluorenone C (12). The isolated compounds 1–14 were characterized based on their NMR and HRMS data, and examined for their anti-inflammatory activities in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells as well as for their cellular antioxidant effects. Compounds 7–10 and 12 showed inhibitory effects on NF-κB/AP-1 activation and compounds 7–9 were subsequently confirmed to suppress the secretion of both IL-1β and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells more significantly than the prednisone used as a positive control. In the CAA assay, compound 10 exhibited the greatest antioxidant effect, greater than that of the quercetin used as a positive control. The results show possible beneficial effects and utilization of B. papyrifera wood in the treatment of inflammatory diseases as well as oxidative stress.
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•Minor constituents underlie differences among extracts from WAS, NAV and VAN peels.•Navels are more abundant in sesquiterpenes; monoterpenes are higher in WAS and VAN.•Polar extracts ...are rich in flavones, flavanes, limonoids, and low in coumarins.•Volatile extracts are antibacterial but effective doses are toxic to Caco-2 cells.•Polar extracts inhibit tyrosinase, amylase, and glucosidase, and exert antioxidant effects.•NAV has higher TPC and TFC, and antiradical, metal complexing and reducing properties.
Peels of Washington Navel (WAS), Navelina (NAV), and Vaniglia Apireno (VAN) orange fruits from Ribera (Sicily, Italy) represent abundant by-products of the Italian agro-food sector. In this work, volatile (VE) and non-volatile (NVE) extracts were obtained from fresh peels using a microwave-assisted protocol, and were characterized for their content in secondary metabolites and bioactivity. VEs exerted antibacterial activity against different pathogens, and were toxic on Caco2 cells. Their main component was limonene (>85 %). NVEs inhibited tyrosinase, amylase, and glucosidase in vitro, and exerted significant antioxidant effects on THP-1 XBlue cells. They showed also anti-inflammatory properties, by decreasing NF-κB activity in LPS-stimulated cells. Putative molecular effectors were highlighted by multivariate correlation analysis. Overall, NVEs may represent novel sustainable nutraceutical ingredients with anti-inflammatory and metabolic properties, and can be obtained by using eco-sustainable approaches. Our results will encourage the reuse of by-products of the orange processing chain and will contribute to increase its circularity in the future.
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