0 Glyconutrients

Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a serious public health problem leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. As the clinical utility of current therapies is limited, the development of new therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of HBV infection is imperative. Fucoidan is a natural sulfated polysaccharide that extracted from different species of brown seaweed, which was reported to exhibit various bioactivities. However, it remains unclear whether fucoidan influences HBV replication or not. Methods The HBV-infected mouse model was established by hydrodynamic injection of HBV replicative plasmid, and the mice were treated with saline or fucoidan respectively. Besides, we also tested the inhibitory effect of fucoidan against HBV infection in HBV-transfected cell lines. Results The result showed that fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus decreased serum HBV DNA, HBsAg and HBeAg levels and hepatic HBcAg expression in HBV-infected mice. Moreover, fucoidan treatment also suppressed intracellular HBcAg expression and the secretion of the HBV DNA as well as HBsAg and HBeAg in HBV-expressing cells. Furthermore, we proved that the inhibitory activity by fucoidan was due to the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway and the subsequent production of type I interferon. Using specific inhibitor of ERK pathway abrogated the fucoidan-mediated inhibition of HBV replication. Conclusion This study highlights that fucoidan might be served as an alternative therapeutic approach for the treatment of HBV infection.

Ecklonia maxima, an endemic South African seaweed, is a potential source of beneficial bioactive compounds. Among these compounds, fucoidan, a sulphat…

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a highly prevalent health problem worldwide and is associated with different risk factors, including hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity. This condition ...

Aloe vera plant extracts are ubiquitous in foods, cosmetics, and medicine. Like all plants, these extracts contain an array of potential bioactives or glycans, ...

Inflammation induces pancreatic islet cell apoptosis. Effects of fucoidan from Acaudina molpadioides (Am-FUC) on inhibition of pancreatic islet cell apoptosis and inflammation in type 2 diabetic mice were investigated. Am-FUC repaired pancreatic islet cells, decreased serum C-reactive protein (CRP), macrophage inflammatory protein 1 (MIP-1), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels, and increased the IL-10 level. Am-FUC also reduced TNF-α, CRP, MIP-1, IL-1β, and IL-6 mRNA expressions, and increased IL-10 mRNA expression in epididymal adipose tissues. Am-FUC reduced Bid, Bax, cytochrome c, caspase 9, and caspase 3 mRNA expressions, and increased Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL mRNA expressions. Am-FUC down-regulated t-Bid, Bax, cytochrome c, and caspase 9 activities, cleaved caspase 3 proteins, and up-regulated Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL proteins. Thus, an Am-FUCblocked mitochondrial pathway was the suppression mechanism in pancreatic islet cell apoptosis via regulation of inflammatory cytokines providing dietary intervention in type 2 diabetes and inflammation-induced pancreatic islet apoptosis.

A poloxamer-pluronic-mastic gum-gum acacia wound dressing

Aloe vera attenuated IMN-induced gastropathy in rats by the reduction of oxidative stress, inflammation, and improvement of gastric histopathology.

Background: Applying a cooling treatment from outside the body is one way to lower fever in children. Midwives commonly perform a warm water compress in their care, but it is considered less effective. Thus, compress with Aloe Vera Barbadensis Miller is proposed in this study as an alternative treatment. Objective: To examine the effect of Aloe Vera Barbadensis Miller compress in reducing body temperature in children with fever. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with pretest and posttest with control group design. Forty children were recruited, with twenty of them assigned in each group. Purposive sampling was performed to select the sample. A digital rectal thermometer was used to measure the temperature. Independent t- test and paired test were used for data analysis. Results: Findings showed that the Aloe Vera compress group showed a higher decrease of body temperature compared to the warm water compress group. The difference of body temperature after 20 minutes in the experiment group was 1.435 while in the control group was only 1.085. There were statistically significant differences in body temperature between the experiment and control group (p=0.013). Conclusion: Aloe Vera Barbadensis Miller compress is an effective alternative therapy in reducing body temperature in children with fever.  It is recommended for midwives to apply this intervention to reduce body temperature significantly.

The common cold is a viral infection with important economic burdens in Western countries. The research and development of nutritional solutions to reduce the incidence and severity of colds today is a major focus of interest, and larch arabinogalactan ...

Background: Intensive care units (ICUs) admissions due to sepsis represent 2 to 11%. Although there are well stablished  therapeutic available, it still is the major cause of death in most ICUs and the leading cause of acute kidney injury. The objective of this work was to evaluate the role of Aloe vera extract on survival rates and kidney histopathology of mice submitted to sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture. Methods and Findings: Twenty six mice were distributed into four groups: Sham - surgery simulation (N=5); Control - Cecal ligation and puncture was performed (N=7); Aloe - Surgery simulation and treatment with Aloe vera extract (N=7); and Sepsis + Aloe - Cecal ligation and puncture was performed followed by treatment with Aloe vera extract (N=7). The animals were observed until death. Kidneys were analysed by histopathology. Kruskall-Wallis test was used to compare the histopathological results. Survival analysis was assessed by Kaplan-Meier statistics and compared using log rank test. A significance level of 5% was adopted. The survival time ranged from 19 hours for the Control group up to 24 hours for the animals of Sepsis + Aloe group, corresponding to a survival time of 1.26 times greater (p0.05). Conclusions: Aloe vera extracts delays mortality but does not attenuate kidney injury in sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture in mice.

Fucoidan from sea cucumber is reported to exhibit anti-hyperglycaemic effect, but its influence on pancreatic islets is lacking. The effects of fucoid …

Antibiotic treatment, as an important therapeutic intervention, can cause damage to the host microbiome and the intestinal mucosal barrier. In order to find a way to alleviate the side effects of antibiotics, the present study investigated the effects of fucoidan (ANP) isolated from Ascophyllum nodosum on gu

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Gum Arabic (GA), a nutrient from dried exudate of Acacia senegal, is widely used as emulsifier and stabilizer. It stimulates sodium and water absorption in diarrhea. This study explored the effects of GA in colonic tissue. Mice were treated with GA (10% wt/vol) in drinking water and gene array was p …

Aloe vera contains multiple pharmacologically active substances which are capable of modulating cellular phenotypes and functions. Aloe vera ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts may be used in eye drops to treat inflammations and other ailments of external parts of the eye such as the cornea.

ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) were synthesised through a simple and efficient biogenic synthesis approach, exploiting the reducing and capping potential …

Objective: Lately, gum Arabic (GA) is traditionally used in Middle East countries to ameliorate renal function of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). This action is controversial and it is still experimentally under evaluation. We aimed to shed more light on the potential effects of GA against γ-rays-induced nephrotoxicity in irradiated rats. Forty-eight male albino Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control group(C), irradiated groups (R) 5Gy, gum Arabic groups (GA) 25 mg/kg orally administrated for 3 weeks, and  GA+R groups, rats were treated orally with 25 mg /kg GA for one week before and three weeks after irradiation (GA+R). The experimental rats were sacrificed after 7 and 21 days of irradiation. Histochemical examination of kidney cortex tissue of R groups showed significantly decreased PAS-positive materials, total protein content, and total DNA content, but it significantly increased amyloid β–protein content relative to the control group. While treatment with GA before and after irradiation showed a non-significant change in PAS-positive materials and the content of total protein, total DNA, and amyloid β–protein throughout the examined kidney cortex. According to the results obtained in the current study using GA as a natural agent showed a strong cytoprotective effect against the histochemical changes due to its radioprotective effect.

Cervical cancer is a public health problem and is well-known as the fourth most common cancer and the fourth major cause of cancer-associated death in women in the developing countries [1].

Europe PMC is an archive of life sciences journal literature.

The inflammatory hypothesis is one of the most important mechanisms of depression. Fucoidan is a bioactive sulfated polysaccharide abundant in brown s…

Objectives Inflammation is ongoing process among sickle cell anemia even during steady state. C reactive protein (CRP) is cardinal marker that utilized widely as inflammatory indicator. Gum Arabic (GA) is gummy exudates from Acacia senegal tree. Fermentation by colonic bacteria increases serum butyrate concentrations, so considered as prebiotic agent. Gum Arabic (GA) has anti-inflammatory activity through butyrate. Earlier we proved that regular intake of GA increased fetal hemoglobin and anti-oxidant capacity most likely through raised level of butyrate, which would ameliorate symptoms of sickle cell anemia. Best of our knowledge this is the first study conducted to investigate GA intake on inflammatory markers among sickle patients. Results This was a retrospective study conducted on stored samples from trial of Gum Arabic and sickle cell anemia. Quantitative CRP was measured by Mindray BS 200 before and after Gum Arabic consumption for 12 weeks. Daily intake of GA significantly decreased C reactive protein level (P.V = 001) (95% CI 0.943–3.098). No correlation between CRP and age, fetal hemoglobin, hemolysis markers and white blood cells. Our findings revealed novel effect of GA as anti-inflammatory agent could be consumed as natural dietary supplement to modulate disease severity and downregulate inflammatory process. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02467257. Registered 3rd June 2015

Current Oncology, an international, peer-reviewed Open Access journal.

Oxidative stress has a major role in progression of diabetes-related behavioral deficits. It has been suggested that Aloe vera has anti-diabetic, anti…

Background There is a strong association between cardiometabolic risk and adipose tissue dysfunction with great consequences on type 2 diabetic patients. Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) is an indirect clinical marker of adipose tissue dysfunction. Gum Arabic (GA) is a safe dietary fiber, an exudate of Acacia Senegal. Gum Arabic had shown lipid lowering effect in both humans and animals. The aim of this trial was to determine the effect of GA supplementation on anthropometric obesity marker, Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) and blood pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods This randomized, double blinded, placebo controlled trial recruited a total of 91 type 2 diabetic patients (73 females, 18 males), age (mean ± SD) 50.09 ± 9.3 years on hypoglycemic agents and were randomly assigned into two groups, either to consume 30 g of GA or 5 g of placebo daily for 3 months. Anthropometric obesity markers were measured and indices were calculated. Blood pressure was measured and high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides (TG) were determined in fasting blood samples at the start and end of the study period. Results After intervention, Gum Arabic decreased BMI and VAI significantly (P