0 Glyconutrients

Introduction: The enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) is an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of one of the mediators of inflammation, the prostaglandins. Inhibition of COX allegedly can improve inflammation-induced pathological conditions. Aim: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the potential of Sargassum sp. components, Fucoidan and alginate, as COX inhibitors. Material and methods: The study was conducted by means of a computational (in silico) method. It was performed in two main stages, the docking between COX-1 and COX-2 with Fucoidan, alginate and aspirin (for comparison) and the analysis of the amount of interactions formed and the residues directly involved in the process of interaction. Results: Our results showed that both Fucoidan and alginate had an excellent potential as inhibitors of COX-1 and COX-2. Fucoidan had a better potential as an inhibitor of COX than alginate. COX inhibition was expected to provide a more favorable effect on inflammation-related pathological conditions. Conclusion: The active compounds Fucoidan and alginate derived from Sargassum sp. were suspected to possess a good potential as inhibitors of COX-1 and COX-2.

The purpose of this investigation was to develop a new method for extracting polysaccharides from Aloe vera, considering their inhibitory effectivenes…

Seaweed and their constituents have been traditionally employed for the management of various human pathologic conditions such as edema, urinary disor…

Fucoidan extracted from brown algae displays diverse biological activities. In the present study, fucoidan was mixed with Chinese herb extracts, and t…

Introduction and Objectives: Annually one million newborns die due to the umbilical cord infection. Thus, in this study, we aimed toevaluate the effect of topical aloe vera gel on umbilical cord complications. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed in maternity ward of Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran The samples were selected through convenience sampling and were randomly divided into three groups of aloe vera, control, and placebo. For data analysis, One-way ANOVA test was conducted. Results: Comparison of cord condition between the groups showed significant differences between the three groups. In the placebo group, the number of infants with redness around the cord was significantly higher compared to the control (P=0.002) and aloe vera (P=0.002) groups. In addition, cord swelling was significantly more frequent in the placebo group than the control (P=0.002) and aloe vera (P=0.002) groups. The incidence of cord infection was significantly higher in the placebo group than the control (P=0.000) and aloe vera (P=0.000) groups. The occurrence of infection in the umbilical cord of the newborns in the placebo group was significantly more compared to the control (P=0.000) and aloe vera (P=0.000) groups. Conclusion: Topical aloe vera gel accelerated cord separation and reduced the rates of complications and infections.

Fucoidan is a sulfated hetero-polysaccharide, found in cell-wall composition of brown algae. Recent studies have reported the role of fucoidan in the …

The influence of an anionic marine polysaccharide (fucoidan) on the gastrointestinal fate of emulsified fish oils stabilized by different types of nat…

Aloe vera is a traditional wound‑healing medicine used for the treatment of skin disorders. Aloe polysaccharide (APS) is the main macromolecule of Aloe vera, which contributes to its function. Psoriasis is an immune‑mediated chronic inflammatory disease, which affects 2‑3% of the general population. The conventional remedies used to treat psoriasis demonstrate limited effects; therefore, natural products, including Aloe vera, are being taken into consideration. However, the effects of APS on the treatment of psoriasis and the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. The human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT was used to determine the effects of APS on psoriasis. Cells were randomly divided into five groups: i) Negative control group; ii) tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‑α stimulated psoriasis model group; and iii) APS (20, 40 and 80 µg/ml) pretreated psoriasis groups. Cell viability and proliferation were investigated using the CCK‑8 assay. ELISA and western blotting were applied to study the abundance of interleukin (IL)‑8 and IL‑12 in TNF‑α‑incubated culture medium and APS‑treated HaCaT cells, respectively. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of p65, and the protein expression levels of nuclear factor (NF)‑κB inhibitor‑α (IκBα) and phosphorylated‑p65, were detected by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. APS was revealed to significantly reduce TNF‑α‑stimulated elevation of HaCaT cell proliferation in a dose‑dependent manner. The expression levels of inflammatory factors, including IL‑8 and IL‑12, were increased in response to TNF‑α. In addition, the mRNA and protein expression levels of p65 were increased following treatment with TNF‑α. Notably, treatment with APS was demonstrated to significantly attenuate the aforementioned effects in a dose‑dependent manner. Furthermore, IκBα protein expression levels were significantly reduced following treatment with TNF‑α, which was significantly reversed following treatment with APS. In conclusion, these results suggested that APS inhibited TNF‑α‑induced proliferation of keratinocytes and overactivation of the NF‑κB signaling pathway.

The crude fucoidan extracted during hydrothermal treatment of Sargassum muticum was fractionated in a sequence of membranes (100 to 5 kDa) operating a…

Administration of 20% acetic acid can induce gastric inflammation, increase leukocyte adherence in postcapillary venule and TNF-alpha level and reduce IL-10 level. Aloe vera treatment can reduce leukocyte adherence and TNF-alpha level, elevate IL-10 level and promote gastric ulcer healing.

Gut microbiota (GM) is considered to play an important role in obesity. Additionally, the impact of dietary fiber (DF) consumption on GM has been well established. Brown seaweeds are known to be a rich source of DF. However, the effect of insoluble DFs (IDFs) alone from brown seaweed on obesity and GM remain

The combination of bioceramics with biopolymers are playing major role in the construction of artificial bone. Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been extensivel…

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Fucoidan (Fuc), a natural polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed algae, and gelatin (Gel) were conjugated to form a template for preparation of biomimetic scaffolds for potential applications in bone tissue regeneration. To the Fuc–Gel we then incorporated the peptide sequence MTNYDEAAMAIASLN (MTN) derived from the E-F hand domain, known for its calcium binding properties. To mimic the components of the extracellular matrix of bone tissue, the Fuc–Gel–MTN assemblies were incubated in simulated body fluid (SBF) to induce biomineralization, resulting in the formation of β-tricalcium phosphate, and hydroxyapatite (HAp). The formed Fuc–Gel–MTN–beta–TCP/HAP scaffolds were found to display an average Young’s Modulus value of 0.32 GPa (n = 5) with an average surface roughness of 91 nm. Rheological studies show that the biomineralized scaffold exhibited higher storage and loss modulus compared to the composites formed before biomineralization. Thermal phase changes were studied through DSC and TGA analysis. XRD and EDS analyses indicated a biphasic mixture of β-tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite and the composition of the scaffold. The scaffold promoted cell proliferation, differentiation and displayed actin stress fibers indicating the formation of cell-scaffold matrices in the presence of MT3C3-E1 mouse preosteoblasts. Osteogenesis and mineralization were found to increase with Fuc–Gel–MTN–beta–TCP/HAP scaffolds. Thus, we have developed a novel scaffold for possible applications in bone tissue engineering.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cancer cells responsible for tumor maintenance and relapse due to their ability to resist various anticancer effects. Owing to the resistance of CSCs to the effects of targeted therapy, an alternative strategy that targets post‑translational glycosylation may be an improved approach to treat cancer as it disrupts multiple coordinated signaling that maintains the stemness of CSCs. Glucosamine acts as an anticancer agent possibly by inhibiting N‑linked glycosylation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of glucosamine on the stemness of breast CSCs, which is regulated by signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling. Human aldehyde dehydrogenase‑positive (ALDH+) breast CSCs and MCF7 cells were treated with various concentrations (0.25, 1 or 4 mM) of glucosamine for 24 h. Subsequently, cell viability was determined by performing a trypan blue exclusion assay, pluripotency gene [ALDH 1 family member A1 (ALDH1A1), octamer‑binding transcription factor 4 (OCT‑4), and Krüppel‑like factor 4 (KLF4)] expression was determined using the reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and STAT3 and phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) levels were determined by performing western blot analysis. Furthermore, the number of mammosphere‑forming units (MFUs) in ALDH+ breast CSCs and MCF7 cells was determined. It was determined that glucosamine treatment decreased the viability of ALDH+ breast CSCs. Glucosamine treatment also decreased the stemness of ALDH+ breast CSCs and MCF7 cells, as indicated by decreased ALDH1A1, OCT‑4 and KLF4 expression level, and a decreased number of MFUs. This effect of glucosamine may be associated with a decreased pSTAT3/STAT3 ratio, indicating that glucosamine inhibited STAT3 activation; therefore, the results of the present study indicated that glucosamine treatment may be an improved approach to target the stemness of CSCs.

(2016). Effects of Aloe Vera on Spinal Cord Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury of Rats. Journal of Investigative Surgery: Vol. 29, No. 6, pp. 389-398.

In the normal physiological state, intestinal epithelial cells act as a defensive frontline of host mucosal immunity to tolerate constant exposure to external stimuli. In this study, we investigated the potential anti-inflammatory and gut permeability protective effects of Laminaria japonica (LJ) water extract (LJE) and three types of fermented Laminaria japonica water extracts (LJE-F1, LJE-F2, and LJE-F3) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated Caco-2, human intestinal epithelial cells. All four extracts significantly decreased the production of nitric oxide and interleukin-6 induced by LPS stimulus. In addition, LJE and the three types of LJE-Fs also inhibited LPS-induced loss of monolayer permeability, as assessed by changes in transepithelial electrical resistance. All four LJ extracts significantly prevented the inhibition of the protein levels of occludin, whereas LJE, LJE-F1, and LJE-F3 significantly attenuated the reduction in phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase compared with the LPS-treated group in Caco-2 cells. In conclusion, LJE and its fermented water extracts appear to have potential gut health-promoting effects by reducing inflammation and partially regulating the tight junction-related proteins in human intestinal epithelial cells. Thus, additional studies are warranted to evaluate Laminaria japonica as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory bowel diseases.

This study aimed to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of a purified Laminaria japonica polysaccharide (LJP61A) on preventing vascular calcification (VC). In the adenine-induced chronic renal failure (CRF) mice VC model and the β-glycerophosphate (β-GP)-induced vascular smooth muscle ce …

The aim of this study was to determine effects of six weeks endurance training and Aloe Vera supplementation on COX-2 and VEGF levels in mice with breast cancer. For this purpose, 35 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control (healthy) and 4 cancer groups: control (cancer only), training, Alo …

Insulin resistance has become a worldwide nutrition and metabolic health problem due to the lack of effective protective agents. Laminaria japonica is a well-known marine vegetable. Purified Laminaria japonica polysaccharide (LJP61A) can inhibit atherosclerosis in high-fat-diet (HFD)-fed mice via ameliorating insul

LJP can effectively inhibit the growth of NPC cells. And it may be achieved by inducing apoptosis of NPC cells.

The Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal (IRCMJ) is international, open access, peer-reviewed, monthly, and ISI- Journal, affiliated to Iranian Hospital- Dubai, publishes original scientific studies in English that have direct clinical significance on Basic Science, Clinical Medicine, and Disaster Management. The journal strives to release the original articles related to various disciplines of medicine, including Review Articles, Meta-Analysis, Systematic Reviews, Clinical and Experimental Trials, Case Reports, and Letters. All research articles published in the journal have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and anonymized refereeing by at least two anonymous referees. The journal strives to strengthen connections between research and practice, so enhancing professional development and improving practice within the field of medicine.

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the specific roles of laminarin from seaweed (Laminaria japonica) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its potential mechanisms related to senescence marker protein-30 (SMP-30). Materials and Methods: Human HCC cell lin …

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Currently, approximately 20–40% of individuals with diabetes are…

A. vera may provide a safe and effective treatment for reducing the symptoms of GERD.

Low molecular weight fucoidan (LMWF), extracted from Laminaria japonica Areschoug, is a traditional Chinese medicine, commonly used to alleviate edema…