Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem worldwide, and proteinuria is a well-established marker of disease progression in CKD patients. Propolis, a natural resin produced by bees from ...plant materials, has anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-oxidant properties, as well as having been shown to have an antiproteinuric effect in experimental CKD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Brazilian green propolis extract on proteinuria reduction and the changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study including patients with CKD caused by diabetes or of another etiology, 18-90 years of age, with an eGFR of 25-70 ml/min per 1.73 m
and proteinuria (urinary protein excretion > 300 mg/day) or micro- or macro-albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio > 30 mg/g or > 300 mg/g, respectively). We screened 148 patients and selected 32, randomly assigning them to receive 12 months of Brazilian green propolis extract at a dose of 500 mg/day (n = 18) or 12 months of a placebo (n = 14).
At the end of treatment, proteinuria was significantly lower in the propolis group than in the placebo group-695 mg/24 h (95% CI, 483 to 999) vs. 1403 mg/24 h (95% CI, 1031 to 1909); P = 0.004-independent of variations in eGFR and blood pressure, which did not differ between the groups during follow-up. Urinary monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 was also significantly lower in the propolis group than in the placebo group-58 pg/mg creatinine (95% CI, 36 to 95) vs. 98 pg/mg creatinine (95% CI, 62 to 155); P = 0.038.
Brazilian green propolis extract was found to be safe and well tolerated, as well as to reduce proteinuria significantly in patients with diabetic and non-diabetic CKD.
( ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02766036. Registered: May 9, 2016).
ABSTRACT
The Fermi-LAT DR1 and DR2 4FGL catalogues feature more than 5000 gamma-ray sources of which about one fourth are not associated with already known objects, and approximately one third are ...associated with blazars of uncertain nature. We perform a three-category classification of the 4FGL DR1 and DR2 sources independently, using an ensemble of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to characterize them based on the likelihood of being a Pulsar (PSR), a BL Lac type blazar (BLL) or a Flat Spectrum Radio Quasar (FSRQ). We identify candidate PSR, BLL, and FSRQ among the unassociated sources with approximate equipartition among the three categories and select 10 classification outliers as potentially interesting for follow-up studies.
Multi-element analysis of honey samples was carried out with the aim of developing a reliable method of tracing the origin of honey. Forty-two chemical elements were determined (Al, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, ...Cd, Tl, Co, Ni, Rb, Ba, Be, Bi, U, V, Fe, Pt, Pd, Te, Hf, Mo, Sn, Sb, P, La, Mg, I, Sm, Tb, Dy, Sd, Th, Pr, Nd, Tm, Yb, Lu, Gd, Ho, Er, Ce, Cr) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Then, three machine learning tools for classification and two for attribute selection were applied in order to prove that it is possible to use data mining tools to find the region where honey originated. Our results clearly demonstrate the potential of Support Vector Machine (SVM), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) and Random Forest (RF) chemometric tools for honey origin identification. Moreover, the selection tools allowed a reduction from 42 trace element concentrations to only 5.
► 42 chemical elements were determined in honey samples by ICP-MS. ► Data were processed by means of data mining techniques. ► Potential use of machine learning tools for origin identification was confirmed.
Propolis is a natural product produced by honeybees used as a medicine at least to 300 BC. In the last decades, several studies showed biological and pharmacological properties of propolis, witch ...scientifically explains the empirical use for centuries. The anti-inflammatory activity of propolis with the purpose to reduce Th2 inflammation has been evaluated in allergic asthma. However, it remains to be determined how propolis negatively regulates the immune response after allergen re-exposure.
We hypothesized that the anti-inflammatory activity of propolis is dependent on the induction of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and regulatory T cells.
To assess this hypothesis, we used an ovalbumin-induced asthma model to evaluate the effect of EPP-AF® dry extract from Brazilian green propolis.
Propolis treatment decreased pulmonary inflammation and mucus production as well as eosinophils and IL-5 in the broncoalveolar lavage. Propolis enhanced also in vitro differentiation and in vivo frequency of lung MDSC and CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells.
Together these results confirm the immunomodulatory potential of propolis during sensitization and challenge with allergen. In addition, the collecting findings show, for the first time, that propolis increases the frequency of MDSC and CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in the lungs, and suggest that it could be use as target for development of new immunotherapy or adjuvant immunotherapy for asthma.
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The demand for organic and functional food continues to increase yearly. Among the available functional foods, propolis is a bee product that has various beneficial properties, including ...antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, it generally is only available in ethanol solution, which has poor bioavailability, as it is relatively insoluble in water. The use of such ethanol extracts is often objectionable because of the alcohol content and because they have a strong and striking taste. Development of alternatives that can efficiently and safely increase solubility in water, and that meet organic production specifications, has been a challenge. To address these concerns, microcapsules were developed using spray-dryer technology from an emulsion based on EPP-AF® propolis and gum arabic (i-CAPS). These propolis-loaded microcapsules were characterized using FT-IR, SEM, TGA, HPLC, and spectrophotometric techniques, along with determination of antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antihypercholesterolemic activities, as well as permeability in in vitro models. The production system resulted in microcapsules with a spherical shape and an encapsulation efficiency of 93.7 ± 0.7%. They had IC50s of 2.654 ± 0.062 and 7.342 ± 0.058 µg/mL by FRAP and DPPH antioxidant methods, respectively. The EPP-AF® i-CAPS also had superior antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Antitumor activity was calculated based on the concentration that inhibited 50% of growth of AGS, Caco-2, and MCF-7 cell strains, giving results of 154.0 ± 1.0, 117 ± 1.0, and 271.0 ± 25 µg/mL, respectively. The microcapsule presentation reduced the permeation of cholesterol by 53.7%, demonstrating antihypercholesterolemic activity, and it improved the permeability of p-coumaric acid and artepillin C. The IC50 for NO production in RAW 264.7 cells was 59.0 ± 0.1 µg/mL. These findings demonstrate the potential of this new propolis product as a food and pharmaceutical ingredient, though additional studies are recommended to validate the safety of proposed dosages.
Leishmaniasis is a widespread group of neglected vector-borne tropical diseases that possess serious therapeutic limitations. Propolis has been extensively used in traditional medical applications ...due to its range of biological effects, including activity against infectious agents. Here we evaluated the leishmanicidal and immunomodulatory properties of Brazilian green propolis extract (EPP-AF
) and a gel formulation incorporating EPP-AF
, in both
and
models of
infection. Propolis extract, obtained from a standardized blend following hydroalcoholic extraction, showed the characteristic fingerprint of Brazilian green propolis as confirmed by HPLC/DAD. A carbopol 940 gel formulation was obtained containing propolis glycolic extract at 3.6% w/w. The release profile, assessed using the Franz diffusion cell protocol, demonstrated a gradual and prolonged release of
-coumaric acid and artepillin C from the carbomer gel matrix. Quantification of
-coumaric acid and artepillin C in the gel formulation over time revealed that
-coumaric acid followed the Higuchi model, dependent on the disintegration of the pharmaceutical preparation, while artepillin C followed a zero-order profile with sustained release.
analysis revealed the ability of EPP-AF
to reduce the infection index of infected macrophages (
< 0.05), while also modulating the production of inflammatory biomarkers. Decreases in nitric oxide and prostaglandin E
levels were observed (
< 0.01), suggesting low iNOS and COX-2 activity. Furthermore, EPP-AF
treatment was found to induce heme oxygenase-1 antioxidant enzyme expression in both uninfected and
-infected cells, as well as inhibit IL-1β production in infected cells (
< 0.01). ERK-1/2 phosphorylation was positively correlated with TNF-α production (
< 0.05), yet no impact on parasite load was detected.
analysis indicated the effectiveness of topical treatment with EPP-AF
gel alone (
< 0.05 and
< 0.01), or in combination with pentavalent antimony (
< 0.05 and
< 0.001), in the reduction of lesion size in the ears of
infected BALB/c mice after seven or 3 weeks of treatment, respectively. Taken together, the present results reinforce the leishmanicidal and immunomodulatory effects of Brazilian green propolis, and demonstrate promising potential for the EPP-AF
propolis gel formulation as a candidate for adjuvant therapy in the treatment of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.
Dyslipidemia is common in patients with chronic kidney disease. Curcumin, a bioactive polyphenol from Curcuma longa, can improve lipid profile. This study aims to analyze the effects of Curcuma Longa ...extract supplementation on lipid profile and lipoprotein subfractions in hemodialysis (HD) patients. This is a longitudinal, double‐blind, washout‐period randomized clinical trial. The patients were randomized into two groups: the curcumin group (n = 10) (orange and carrot juice with 2.5 g of Curcuma Longa extract) and the control group (n = 11) (juice without curcumin) 3x/w during HD sessions for 3 months. After the washout period, patients continued the supplementation as a crossover for the same period. The lipid profile was measured using enzymatic assays. The high‐density lipoprotein and low‐density lipoprotein subfractions analyses were performed using LipoprintTM. In the curcumin group, the triglyceride values tended to decrease with a different triglyceride variation between the pre and post‐intervention for the control and curcumin groups of 38.5 (19.8) mg/dL (p = 0.06). There was no statistical difference in the others parameters. In conclusion, Curcuma longa extract may be a good nutritional strategy to reduce triglyceride plasma levels in hemodialysis patients, but it seems ineffective for the other parameter.
Yangambin and epi-yangambin are the main lignans found in Louro-de-Cheiro
(Nees) Mez, a tree native to the Atlantic forests of northeastern Brazil whose leaves and bark are widely used in folk ...medicine. The present study investigated the leishmanicidal and immunomodulatory effects of both lignans in
models of infection by
or
, both etiological agents of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Brazil.
Bone marrow-derived mouse macrophages were infected with
or
and then treated for 48 h at varying concentrations of yangambin or epi-yangambin.
Yangambin and epi-yangambin were found to reduce the intracellular viability of either
species in a concentration-dependent manner, with respective IC
values of: 43.9 ± 5 and 22.6 ± 4.9 µM for
, compared to IC
values of 76 ± 17 and 74.4 ± 9.8 µM for
. In this context, epi-yangambin proved more selective and effective against
infection by
. However, both lignans were found to distinctly modulate the production of inflammatory mediators and other cytokines by macrophages infected by either of the
species evaluated. While yangambin increased the production of IL-10 by
infected macrophages, both compounds were observed to lower the production of NO, PGE
, IL-6 and TNF-α in both
species.
The present results serve to encourage the development of novel studies aimed at screening natural bioactive compounds with the hope of discovering new therapeutic options for the treatment of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.
► Baccharis dracunculifolia is the main botanical source used by honeybees to produce green propolis. ► Propolis exhibits antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities. ► Metabolites with antioxidant ...action of B. dracunculifolia are present in green propolis. ► B. dracunculifolia contributes to the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects exhibited by propolis. ► Antioxidant activity exhibited by B. dracunculifolia may have future potential as nutraceutical.
Baccharis dracunculifolia DC (Asteraceae) is the main botanical source used by honeybees to produce Brazilian green propolis whose hepatoprotective properties have been already described. In this work we investigated the protective effects of the glycolic extract of B. dracunculifolia (GEBd) against oxidative stress in isolated rat liver mitochondria (RLM). The GEBd was prepared by fractionated percolation using propylene glycol as solvent. The total phenols and flavonoids, which are substances with recognized antioxidant action, were quantified in GEBd and the phytochemical analysis was carried out by HPLC. GEBd exhibited significant scavenger activity towards DPPH radicals and superoxide anions in a concentration-dependent manner, and also a Fe2+ chelating activity. GEBd decreased the basal H2O2 generation and the Fe2+- or t-BuOOH-induced ROS production in isolated mitochondria. Lipid oxidation of mitochondrial membranes, protein thiol groups and GSH oxidation were also prevented by GEBd. This shows that B. dracunculifolia exhibit potent antioxidant activity protecting liver mitochondria against oxidative damage and such action probably contribute to the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of green propolis.
Sepsis is an organ dysfunction syndrome associated with high mortality. To date, no effective treatment is available to combat this disease. Punica granatum L. is a potential alternative treatment ...due to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of a hydroalcoholic crude extract from the peels of P. granatum (HCEPg) in mice with lethal sepsis. Lethal polymicrobial sepsis was induced in female Swiss mice via cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Initially, the animals were divided into three groups: Sham (false-operated), CLP-control (phosphate-buffered saline), and CLP-HCEPg (single dose, 5 mg/kg, subcutaneous administration). Treatment was initiated immediately after the induction of sepsis, and survival was evaluated every 12 hr for 5 days. Those who survived were euthanized. Serum cytokine levels were measured using a cytometric bead array Mouse Inflammatory Cytokine Kit. The number of colony-forming units, as well as the number of cells in the lymphoid organs and their activation markers, were analyzed. Results showed that treatment with HCEPg increased lifespan and reduced bacterial counts in the peritoneum, bloodstream, and spleen. HCEPg also decreased hydrogen peroxide secretion by phagocytes and augmented serum IL-10 levels, indicating its systemic anti-inflammatory effects. Additionally, treatment with HCEPg attenuated infection-induced lung hemorrhage. Overall, P. granatum extract improved the lifespan of septic mice, possibly due to its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects, thereby regulating bacterial load and translocation, as well as controlling the systemic inflammation induced by sepsis.
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