0 Glyconutrients

A wound dressing is very crucial component in wound healing process. Bioactive dressings play important role in wound sterilization and promote tissue healing and growth. The present work investigated the preparation of AgNPs in solid-state using acacia gum as both reductant and stabilizing agent. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was employed as activating agent and pH mediator. Acacia is a naturally occurring mixture of polysaccharides and glycoproteins. The obtained particles were in the range of 50 nm. The work was extended to evaluate the antimicrobial of AgNPs treated gauze cotton fabrics against gram positive (S. aureus), gram negative (P. aeruginosa) bacteria, C. albicans (yeast); and A. Niger (fungus). The inhibition zone of the as prepared silver nanoparticles was found to be 24 mm against both types of bacteria, 23 mm against C. albicans (yeast), and inactive against A. Niger (fungus). On the other hand, the treated gauze showed bactericidal behavior and a clear zone was found underneath the samples on the agar plate. The reduction percent in number of bacterial colonies of treated gauze fabrics in comparison to control Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture showed a reduction up to 100%. The aforementioned results promote the acquirement of bioactive antibacterial wound dressing.

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Objective: The protective effect of aloe vera is due to its anti-inflammatory properties. This experimental study focused on revealing the effects of aloe vera on antioxidant systems and determining the number of degenerated neurons after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. Methods: Twenty-one rats were divided equally into three groups: group I rats were used as controls; group II rats were fed with standard diet, and group III rats were fed with standard diet plus aloe vera for 30 days. For groups II and III, the right middle cerebral arteries were occluded for 45 min and then reperfused for 24 h. After these procedures, rats in all groups were sacrificed. The levels of malondialdehyde and nuclear respiratory factor-1 and superoxide dismutase activity in the right cerebral cortex were measured. The number of degenerated neurons was counted in histological samples of the right cerebral cortex. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression was examined with immunohistochemical methods. Results: Superoxide dismutase activity and nuclear respiratory factor-1 levels were decreased in group II compared with group I (p

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease. Although mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-bas…

Fucoidan is a fucose-rich polysaccharide that has gained attention for its various anticancer properties. However, the effect and underlying mechanism…

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

Chemotherapeutic drugs commonly induce peripheral neuropathic pain, which limit their clinic use. In the present study, the effect of fucoidan on the development of vincristine‑induced neuropathic pain was evaluated and the underlying mechanism was examined. A neuropathy model was established in Sprague‑Dawley rats by intraperitoneal injection of vincristine sulfate 50 µg/kg once a day for 10 consecutive days. Fucoidan (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg.) and pregabalin (10 mg/kg) were injected for 14 consecutive days. Behavioral assessments were then performed and the expression of GABAB receptor was determined. The results showed that a single treatment with fucoidan did not prevent the induction of vincristine‑induced mechanical or cold allodynia. However, repeated fucoidan administration attenuated vincristine‑induced mechanical and cold allodynia in a dose‑dependent manner. Additionally, the analgesic effects of fucoidan contributed to an upregulation in the expression of GABAB receptor in the spinal cord. Furthermore, all the effects of fucoidan against vincristine‑induced neuropathy were reversed by saclofen, a selective GABAB receptor antagonist. These results suggested that the antinociceptive effects of fucoidan may be through activation of GABAB receptor, and fucoidan may be a promising drug for the treatment of chemotherapeutic drug-induced neuropathic pain.

In spite of their potential as biologically active compounds, the high molecular mass and viscous natures of fucoidans have hampered their applications especially as a therapeutic agent. Herein the fucoidan-degrading enzyme activities were partially purified from the cultured cells of Sphingomonas paucimobilis PF-1 mainly by ammonium sulfate precipitation. This enzyme preparation degraded fucoidans from the Korean Undaria pinnatifida sporophyll into several low-molecular weight fuco-oligosaccharides (LMFOs) with less than 3,749 Da. The FTIR spectra of intact fucoidan and mixture of LMFOs (1,389∼3,749 Da) showed no significant structural difference except for about 10% reduced level of sulfate esters in LMFOs. The LMFOs have exerted strong anticoagulating activities at which the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time (TT) were significantly prolonged, although 3∼20 times weaker activities were observed than those of intact fucoidan. In addition, unlike intact fucoidan, LMFOs did not affect significantly to the prothrombin time (PT). These results suggest that the partially purified fucoidan-degrading enzyme preparation is valuable for the production of fuco-oligosaccharides having anticoagulating activities, and that the molecular weight and/or sulfate content of the fucoidan from the Korean Undaria pinnatifida sporophyll could be important factors for its anticoagulating activity.

There are many plants with interesting pharmaceutical activities but Aloe vera is probably the most applied medicinal plant worldwide. Since biblical …

There are many plants with interesting pharmaceutical activities but Aloe vera is probably the most applied medicinal plant worldwide. Since biblical …

Background Fucoidan extract (FE), an enzymatically digested compound with a low molecular weight, is extracted from brown seaweed. As a natural compound with various actions, FE is attractive, especially in Asian countries, for improving the therapeutic efficacy and safety of cancer treatment. The present study was carried out to investigate the anti-tumor properties of FE in human carcinoma cells and further examine the underlying mechanisms of its activities. Methodology/Principal Finding FE inhibits the growth of MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, HeLa, and HT1080 cells. FE-mediated apoptosis in MCF-7 cancer cells is accompanied by DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation, and phosphatidylserine exposure. FE induces mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP) through loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and regulation of the expression of Bcl-2 family members. Release of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and cytochrome c precedes MMP. AIF release causes DNA fragmentation, the final stage of apoptosis, via a caspase-independent mitochondrial pathway. Additionally, FE was found to induce phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, and apoptosis was found to be attenuated by inhibition of JNK. Furthermore, FE-mediated apoptosis was found to involve the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are responsible for the decrease of ΔΨm and phosphorylation of JNK, p38, and ERK1/2 kinases. Conclusions/Significance These data suggest that FE activates a caspase-independent apoptotic pathway in MCF-7 cancer cells through activation of ROS-mediated MAP kinases and regulation of the Bcl-2 family protein-mediated mitochondrial pathway. They also provide evidence that FE deserves further investigation as a natural anticancer and cancer preventive agent.

The best prebiotics and probiotics come from these foods. Nurture your microbiome and good gut bacteria.

What is Aloe Vera? Aloe Vera is a cactus-like plant which grows in the tropics. The stems are short, growing to a maximum height of 3 1/2 feet. The leaves are thick, green and fleshy, containing a gel-like substance, which is used for several medicinal purposes. It actually stores water in the leaves. The leaves are Read More

A plethora of publications have reported several cytotoxic effects associated with chronic consumption of thermoxidized palm oil. This research aims to investigate the effects of garlic and Aloe vera on liver function and hepatic cytoarchitecture in rats fed thermoxidized palm oil diet.,Thirty-five male albino Wistar rats weighing 150-180 g were used for this study. They were randomly assigned into five groups (n = 7): control, thermoxidized palm oil diet fed (TPO), TPO plus garlic juice (TPO + G), TPO plus Aloe gel (TPO + A) and TPO plus garlic/Aloe gel (TPO + G + A). The TPO diet was prepared by mixing 15 g of cooled thermoxidized palm oil with 85 g of rat feed. The juice and gel were orally administered at doses of 2.00 ml/kg and 19.12 ml/kg, respectively. After 3 months of feeding and administration, the animals were sacrificed using standard methods and blood collected via cardiac puncture for analysis.,Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase were significantly increased (p < 0.001) in the TPO group compared to the control. This increase was reduced (p < 0.001) in all the treated groups compared to TPO, with the greatest decrease (p < 0.001) seen in TPO + A. Total bilirubin was increased (p < 0.001) in the TPO group compared to the control, whereas there was a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in all the treated groups. Serum proteins and plasma fibrinogen were lowered (p < 0.001) in the TPO group compared to the control but increased progressively in all the treated groups. TPO induced prominent histopathological derangements of the liver tissues. However, there were marked improvements following treatment with garlic and Aloe vera.,The results obtained in this study have revealed that chronic consumption of thermoxidized palm oil is hazardous to health by inducing hepatotoxicity, as seen in increased ALT, AST and total and unconjugated bilirubin and decreased total protein. However, these debilitating effects were seen to be greatly ameliorated following garlic juice and Aloe vera gel administration. If these results are to be extrapolated to humans, then the chronic consumption of thermoxidized palm oil diet should be seriously discouraged.

Gum Arabic is a natural gummy exudate gained from the trees of Acacia species (Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal), Family: Fabaceae. Gum Arabic considers as a dietary fiber with a high percentage of carbohydrates and low protein content. Sugars arabinose and ribose were originally discovered and isolated from gum Arabic and it is representing the original source of these sugars. A gum emanation from trees occurs under stress conditions such as heat, poor soil fertility, drought, and injury. Mainly gum is produced in belt region of Africa, mainly Sudan, Chad, and Nigeria. In the food industry, it is used in confectionery; in the pharmaceutical industry, it is used as emulsifier, film coating and others. Traditionally the gum used for chronic renal failure, digestive discomfort, and others. Although gum Arabic considered as an inert substance, recent information demonstrated multiple pharmacological and medical effects, such as weight reduction, antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, anticoagulant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, nephroprotective and other effects.

(2020). Aloe vera and Honey Solution and Their Ethanolic Extraction Solution Could Act on Metastasis-Regulating Processes in Walker 256 Tumor Tissues In Vivo?. Nutrition and Cancer. Ahead of Print.

Aloe vera ethanol extract (AVE) reportedly has significant anti-influenza virus activity, but its underlying mechanisms of action and constituents have not yet been completely elucidated. Previousl...

Fucoidan, the complex fucose-containing sulphated polysaccharide varies considerably in structure, composition, and bioactivity, depending on the source, species, seasonality, and extraction method. In this study, we examined five fucoidans extracted from the same seaweed species Undaria pinnatifida but from different geological locations, and compared them to the laboratory-grade fucoidan from Sigma (S). The five products differed in molecular composition. The amount of over 2 kDa low molecular weight fraction (LMWF) of the New Zealand crude fucoidan (S1) was larger than that of S, and this fraction was unique, compared to the other four fucoidans. The difference of molecular compositions between S and S1 explained our previous observation that S1 exhibited different anticancer profile in some cancer cell lines, compared with S. Since we observed this unique LMWF, we compared the cytotoxic effects of a LMWF and a high molecular weight fucoidan (HMWF) in two breast cancer cell lines&mdash;MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Results indicated that the molecular weight is a critical factor in determining the anti-cancer potential of fucoidan, from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida, as the LMWF exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition on the proliferation of breast cancer cells, significantly better than the HMWF, in both cell lines. A time-dependent inhibition was only observed in the MCF-7. Induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis was observed in the MDA-MB-231 cells, through the intrinsic apoptosis pathway alone, or with the extrinsic pathway. LMWF stimulated a dose-dependent NOS activation in the MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, the fucoidan extracted from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida contains a unique LMWF, which could effectively inhibit the growth of breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, the LMWF from New Zealand U. pinnatifida could be used as a supplement cancer treatment.

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

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) is a perennial, drought-resisting, succulent plant belonging to Liliaceae family.

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 ...

https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.10016 Farzaneh Atashrazm, Ray M. Lowenthal, Joanne L. Dickinson, Adele F. Holloway, Gregory M. Woods