0 Glyconutrients

The importance of fucoidan as a functional ingredient in food, health products, and pharmaceutics is well-recognized due to its beneficial biological effects. Fucoidan is usually extracted from brown seaweeds, including Undaria pinnatifida. Fucoidan exhibits beneficial bio-activity and has antioxidant, anticancer, and anticoagulant properties. This review focuses on the biological activity of U. pinnatifida-derived fucoidan and investigates its structure–activity or fraction–activity relationship. It also describes several fucoidan extracts, along with their claimed anticancer effects. It aims to provide information and thoughts for future research such as the development of fucoidan into functional foods or nutraceuticals.

AbstractBackground: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with a widespread breakdown of glycosaminoglycans, which are normally attached to mucin and help to form a protective barrier separating bacteria from the intestinal epithelium. N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) is a naturally occurring amino sugar precursor for epithelial glycosaminoglycan synthesis. We hypothesize that NAG administration can alleviate IBD-related inflammation by increasing glycosaminoglycan synthesis, which would result in more glycosaminoglycan attachments to the protective mucin layer.

The medicinal plants are widely recommended worldwide by the traditional and modern medical practitioners for curing various diseases of patients. Aloe vera is well known for its considerable medicinal properties. Aloe is widely used in wound healing, treating burns, minimizing frost bite damage, protection against skin damage from X-rays, lung cancer, intestinal problems, increasing High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), reducing Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), reducing blood sugar in Diabetics, fighting against Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), allergies and improving immune system. Aloe is used in traditional Indian medicine for constipation, colic, skin diseases, worm infestation, and infections. It is found in variety of commercial products such as, pills, sprays, ointments, lotions, liquids, drinks, jellies and creams. All these uses associated with Aloe vera have been attributed to the polysaccharides contained in the gel of the leaves. The chemistry of the plant has revealed that there are more than 200 different biologically active substances.

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Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the major joint diseases, and the synovial inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of OA. Glucosamine (GlcN) is widely used as a dietary supplement for OA, and is expected to exert the antiinflammatory action in OA. However, the detailed mechanism for the antiinflammatory action of GlcN remains poorly understood. In this study, to elucidate the molecular mechanism involved in the GlcN-medicated regulation of synovial cell activation, we comprehensively analyzed the effect of GlcN on the gene expression using a human synovial cell line MH7A by DNA microarray. The results indicated that GlcN significantly downregulates the expression of 187 genes (≤1/1.5-fold) and upregulates the expression of 194 genes (≥1.5-fold) in IL-1β-stimulated MH7A cells. Interestingly, pathway analysis indicated that among the 10 pathways into which the GlcN-regulated genes are categorized, the 4 pathways are immune-related. Furthermore, GlcN suppressed the expression of proinflammatory cytokine genes (such as IL-6, IL-8, IL-24 and TNF-α genes). In addition, GlcN-mediated O-GlcNAc modification was involved in the downregulation of TNF-α and IL-8 genes but not IL-6 and IL-24 genes, based on the effects of alloxan, an O-GlcNAc transferase inhibitor. Thus, GlcN likely exerts an antiinflammatroy action in OA by suppressing the expression of proinflammatory cytokine genes in synovial MH7A cells by O-GlcNAc modification-dependent and -independent mechanisms.

We previously demonstrated that fucoidan with a type II structure inhibited postprandial hyperglycemia by suppressing glucose uptake, but the mechanism remains elusive. Here, we aimed to assess whether the effect of glucose absorption inhibition was related to the basic structure of fucoidans and preliminarily clarified the underlying mechanism. Fucoidans with type II structure and type I structure were prepared from Ascophyllumnodosum (AnF) or Laminariajaponica (LjF) and Kjellmaniellacrassifolia (KcF), respectively. The effects of various fucoidans on suppressing postprandial hyperglycemia were investigated using in vitro (Caco-2 monolayer model), semi-in vivo (everted gut sac model), and in vivo (oral glucose tolerance test, OGTT) assays. The results showed that only AnF with a type II structure, but not LjF or KcF with type I structure, could inhibit the glucose transport in the Caco-2 monolayer and everted gut sac models. A similar result was seen in the OGTT of Kunming mice and leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mice, where only AnF could effectively inhibit glucose transport into the bloodstream. Furthermore, AnF (400 mg/kg/d) treatment decreased the fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and fasting insulin levels, while increasing the serum glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) level in obese leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mice. Furthermore, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis revealed the specific binding of AnF to Na+/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1), which indicated the effect of AnF on postprandial hyperglycemia could be due to its suppression on SGLT1 activity. Taken together, this study suggests that AnF with a type II structure can be a promising candidate for hyperglycemia treatment.

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Many people still regard bacteria and other microbes just as disease-causing germs. But it’s a lot more complicated than that. In fact, it’s become increasingly clear that the healthy human body is…

This work aimed to investigate the effect of fucoidan (FPS) on urate transporters induced by uric acid (UA). The results showed that UA stimulated the expression of glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9) and urate transporter 1 (URAT1) in HK-2 cells, and FPS could reverse the effect. Moreover, UA could activate NF-κB, JNK and PI3K/Akt pathways, but both pathway inhibitors and FPS inhibited the UA-induced activation of these three pathways. These data suggested that FPS effectively inhibited the expression induction of reabsorption transporters URAT1 and GLUT9 by UA, through repressing the activation of NF-κB, JNK and PI3K/Akt signal pathways in HK-2 cells. The in vitro research findings support the in vivo results that FPS reduces serum uric acid content in hyperuricemia mice and rats through inhibiting the expression of URAT1 and GLUT9 in renal tubular epithelial cells. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of FPS in the treatment of hyperuricemia.

The present study introduces the ultrasonic modification of two Iranian native gum exudates, Persian gum (PG) and gum tragacanth (GT) for the first ti…

Background and objectives: Type 2 diabetes has been increasing all over the world. A healthy diet, including particular functional foods is an effective strategy to prevent this form of diabetes. Nopal (Oputia ficus) is a cactus plant that, according to traditional medicine, has antidiabetic properties. The objective of this research was to examine the effects of different fractions of nopal cladodes on postprandial glycaemic regulation in healthy volunteers. Methods: Nopal cladodes flour was separated by centrifugation into two fractions (a water insoluble and a soluble fraction). The fractions were incorporated into two different test breads, i.e. insoluble fraction bread (INB) and soluble fraction bread (SNB), and evaluated with respect to acute glycaemic properties in 17 healthy subjects with normal body mass index, applying a randomized cross-over study design. The effects on glycaemic and insulinaemic responses were compared with the responses after a control product, which composed of a similar bread lacking the nopal fractions (white wheat bread, WWB). The products were characterized with respect to starch and dietary fibre content. In addition, starch hydrolysis index (HI) was determined with an in-vitro method in order to predict glycaemic index (pGI),and elucidate possibly underlying mechanisms on postprandial glycaemia. Results: Results regarding glycaemic regulation show that insoluble nopal fractions had a beneficial effect on postprandial glucose regulation. Consequently, the incremental area under the postprandial blood glucose curve (iAUC) after INB was significantly reduced compared to after intake of the WWB during the time periods 0 – 45 and 0 – 60 minutes (p < 0.05). In addition, the iPeak value, i.e. the individual highest incremental peak concentrations, was significantly lowered after INB compared to WWB (P < 0.05). Regarding the postprandial insulin secretion, both SNB and INB lowered the postprandial iAUC compared to the WWB during the time period 0 – 45 and 0 – 60 minutes (P < 0.05). On the other hand, only the INB significantly reduced the insulin iPeak value compared to WWB (P < 0.05). In terms of HI, INB had lower HI and pGI compared to WWB and SNB. Also, INB exhibited highest total, soluble and insoluble dietary fibre contents. Conclusion: The INB promoted lower postprandial glucose and insulin response, while SNB showed beneficial effects only on postprandial insulin secretion. The beneficial effects of nopal on glycaemic regulation might be to some extent explained by the dietary fibre content, especially the INB. However, with respect to the improved postprandial insulin economy observed after the SNB, additional mechanisms are probably involved.

This work determines the effect nopal consumption at different maturity stages (60, 200, 400, and 600 g) as the only calcium source in bone metabolism. The apparent mineral absorption, the biomarkers of bone metabolism, the bone mineral density at different femoral regions, and crystal properties of the bone were evaluated during the growth stage. The Ca absorption was increased with the rat age in most of the experimental groups, while Mg supplementation decreased intestinal absorption probably due to a saturation process. Intestinal Ca and Mg absorption showed an opposite trend; this result suggests that both ions can compete for vitamin D absorption sites. The percentage of absorption of K was lower in the groups fed with Nopal; nevertheless, due to supplementation, the net absorption was higher than the control group. In all groups, osteocalcin levels decreased with the rat age. Nopal consumption increased osteocalcin levels during the adolescence stage in comparison to the control group. Amino N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen levels increased in puberty and adolescence in all groups compared to the control group. Bone mineral density in different femoral regions was lower in the groups fed with nopal at early maturity stages (N-60 and N-200) than the groups fed with nopal at late maturity stages (N-400 and N-600). The crystal size of hydroxyapatite exhibited changes for all the groups, indicating the inclusion of mono and divalent ions in calcium replacement. On this basis, the nopal at late maturity stage contributed to bone formation.

The epidermal barrier acts as a line of defense against external agents as well as helps to maintain body homeostasis. The calcium concentration gradient across the epidermal barrier is closely related to the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes (KCs), and the regulation of these two processes is the key to the repair of epidermal barrier disruption. In the present study, we found that fucoidan from Undaria pinnatifida (UPF) could promote the repair of epidermal barrier disruption in mice. The mechanistic study demonstrated that UPF could promote HaCaT cell differentiation under low calcium condition by up-regulating the expression of calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), which could then lead to the activation of the Catenin/PLCγ1 pathway. Further, UPF could increase the expression of CaSR through activate the ERK and p38 pathway. These findings reveal the molecular mechanism of UPF in the repair of the epidermal barrier and provide a basis for the development of UPF into an agent for the repair of epidermal barrier repair.

The safety of Aloe vera is solid despite a recent FDA analysis reporting ‘clear evidence of carcinogenicity’ since the FDA scientists studied aloe that is ‘completely different than many aloe vera products on the market’, say experts.

Purpose: Radiotherapy is a crucial treatment approach for many types of cancer. Radiation pneumonitis (RP) is one of the major complications in chest irradiation. Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide found mainly in various species of brown seaweed. Recent studies have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of fucoidan. However, no study has reported a well-established prophylactic agent for RP. Therefore, we investigated the effects of fucoidan on RP and radiotherapy (RT)-induced lung fibrosis. Materials and Methods: We compared RP and RT-induced fibrosis in lung tissue specimens obtained from irradiated (10 Gy/shot) C57BL/6 mice with or without fucoidan administration (200 mg/kg/day, oral gavage for 14 days). The expression patterns of cytokines in the pleural fluid were determined using a cytokine array and confirmed through enzyme immunoassays. Results: Fucoidan administration attenuated RP and RT-induced fibrosis in lung tissues. Decreased neutrophil and macrophage accumulation was observed in irradiated lung tissues, and radiation-induced lung fibrosis, as demonstrated by Masson trichrome staining, was attenuated. We investigated the expression patterns of inflammatory cytokines in the irradiated lung pleural fluid through the protein array; results revealed that fucoidan administration changed the expression patterns of inflammatory cytokines in irradiated lung tissues. Furthermore, the expression levels of TIMP-1, CXCL1, MCP-1, MIP-2, and interleukin-1Ra were substantially enhanced in the pleural fluid, but fucoidan administration significantly reduced their expression. Conclusions: Fucoidan changes the expression patterns of inflammatory cytokines, which may consequently attenuate RP and RT-induced lung fibrosis.

Aloe vera (AV) is popular and has been commercialized as a beauty product, laxative, herbal medicine, the antimicrobial activity of AV is proven. The antiviral activity of AV however, has not been well documented except for a handful reports. Till date extraction of AV compounds is popularized using …

UWill Discover 2018 Abstract Asma Ghafoor, Iraj Sadraei, John F. Trant Towards the synthesis of an acetal-free TF antigen from glucosamine Carbohydrates make up many of the key molecules in our body, especially those involved in signaling, and these systems are of growing interest in regard to better understanding and treating diseases. Carbohydrates are increasingly being found to play an important role in the immunogenic responses to different microbial infections and even to cancer. In terms of cancers, certain carbohydrates have been found to be expressed only on the surface of carcinomas: they are not found on healthy cells. The TF antigen, a simple disaccharide, is one such marker and is found on >85% of all carcinomas regardless of organ (ie breast, ovarian, cervical, prostate, lung, liver etc.); however, the immune system is not good at identifying carbohydrates. Consequently, we need to design new synthetic vaccines to draw attention to these targets so that the body can initiate an immune response to kill the cancer., Unfortunately, the highly biodegradable nature of carbohydrates, when exposed to various pH conditions and enzymes in the body, make it difficult to use carbohydrates in vivo. As a result, extensive and complex syntheses must be carried out to create disaccharides with better enzymatic resistance, so that they can exist long enough to initiate the immune response. The Trant Team hopes to create more stable carbohydrates by removing the unstable acetal group by replacing the exo-cyclic oxygen with a methylene group; this class of materials are known as C-glycosides. This presentation will explore our approach of using glucosamine as a starting product to produce this challenging target, and describe the potential application of this technology towards cancer therapy.

N-acetylglucosamine, a simple sugar found in human breast milk and sold as an over-the-counter dietary supplement in the United States, promotes myelin repair in mouse models and correlates with myelination levels in multiple sclerosis patients, according to a new study.

Reproductive problems such as impaired folliculogenesis and anovulation are observed in diabetic women. ...

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a source for cell-based therapy. Although MSCs have the potential for tissue regeneration, their therapeutic efficacy is restricted by the uremic toxin, p-cresol, in chronic kidney disease (CKD). To address this issue, we investigated the effect of fucoidan, a marine sulfated polysaccharide, on cellular senescence in MSCs. After p-cresol exposure, MSC senescence was induced, as indicated by an increase in cell size and a decrease in proliferation capacity. Treatment of senescent MSCs with fucoidan significantly reversed this cellular senescence via regulation of SMP30 and p21, and increased proliferation through the regulation of cell cycle-associated proteins (CDK2, CDK4, cyclin D1, and cyclin E). These effects were dependent on FAK-Akt-TWIST signal transduction. In particular, fucoidan promoted the expression of cellular prion protein (PrPC), which resulted in the maintenance of cell expansion capacity in p-cresol-induced senescent MSCs. This protective effect of fucoidan on senescence-mediated inhibition of proliferation was dependent on the TWIST-PrPC axis. In summary, this study shows that fucoidan protects against p-cresol-induced cellular senescence in MSCs through activation of the FAK-Akt-TWIST pathway and suggests that fucoidan could be used in conjunction with functional MSC-based therapies in the treatment of CKD.

Fucoidan is a natural derived compound found in different species of brown algae and in some animals, that has gained attention for its anticancer properties. However, the exact mechanism of action is currently unknown. Therefore, this review will address fucoidans structure, the bioavailability, and all known different pathways affected by fucoidan, in order to formulate fucoidans structure and activity in relation to its anti-cancer mechanisms. The general bioactivity of fucoidan is difficult to establish due to factors like species-related structural diversity, growth conditions, and the extraction method. The main pathways influenced by fucoidan are the PI3K/AKT, the MAPK pathway, and the caspase pathway. PTEN seems to be important in the fucoidan-mediated effect on the AKT pathway. Furthermore, the interaction with VEGF, BMP, TGF-&beta;, and estrogen receptors are discussed. Also, fucoidan as an adjunct seems to have beneficial effects, for both the enhanced effectiveness of chemotherapy and reduced toxicity in healthy cells. In conclusion, the multipotent character of fucoidan is promising in future anti-cancer treatment. However, there is a need for more specified studies of the structure&ndash;activity relationship of fucoidan from the most promising seaweed species.

It is well known that fucoidan, a natural sulfated polysaccharide present in various brown algae, mediates anticancer effects through the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Nevertheless, the role of tumor suppressor p53 in the mechanism action of fucoidan remains unclear. Here, we investigated the anticancer effect of fucoidan on two p53 isogenic HCT116 (p53+/+ and p53−/−) cell lines. Our results showed that inhibition of cell viability, induction of apoptosis and DNA damage by treatment with fucoidan were similar in two cell lines. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that fucoidan resulted in G1 arrest in the cell cycle progression, which correlated with the inhibition of phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (pRB) and concomitant association of pRB with the transcription factor E2Fs. Furthermore, treatment with fucoidan obviously upregulated the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors, such as p21WAF1/CIP1 and p27KIP1, which was paralleled by an enhanced binding with CDK2 and CDK4. These events also commonly occurred in both cell lines, suggesting that fucoidan triggered G1 arrest and apoptosis in HCT116 cells by a p53-independent mechanism. Thus, given that most tumors exhibit functional p53 inactivation, fucoidan could be a possible therapeutic option for cancer treatment regardless of the p53 status.

Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweeds, has been shown to possess various antioxidant, anticoagulant, antiviral, and anticancer functions. In this study, we focused on low molecular weight fucoidan (LMWF) which was extracted from New Zealand Undaria pinnatifida, and investigated its anti-proliferative effects, combined with a quadruplex-forming oligonucleotide aptamer (GroA, AS1411), a powerful cell surface Nucleolin inhibitor, in prostate cancer cells. We examined LMWF (

Fucoidans are a class of fucose-rich sulfated polysaccharides derived from brown macroalgae that exert a range of biological activities in vitro and in vivo. To generate an unbiased assessment of pathways and processes affected by fucoidan, a placebo-controlled double-blind pilot study was performed in healthy volunteers. Blood samples were taken immediately before and 24 h after ingestion of a single dose of 1 g of Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan (UPF) or placebo. Levels of isolated miRNAs were analyzed using Taqman Open Array Human MicroRNA panels. Out of 754 miRNAs screened, UPF affected a total of 53 miRNAs. Pathway analysis using the TALOS data analysis tool predicted 29 different pathways and processes that were largely grouped into cell surface receptor signaling, cancer-related pathways, the majority of which were previously associated with fucoidans. However, this analysis also identified nine pathways and processes that have not been associated with fucoidans before. Overall, this study illustrates that even a single dose of fucoidans has the potential to affect the expression of genes related to fundamental cellular processes. Moreover, it confirms previous data that fucoidans influence immunity, cancer cells, inflammation, and neurological function.

Aloe vera gel is a potential material as raw material industry, this is because a very complex composition. However Aloe vera gel is very easily oxidized or unstable. Viscosity gel and the benefit are decreased at room temperature after 24-36 hours. This research aims to obtain information about the resistance to oxidation via nitogren gas treatment and antioxidants, as well as the influence of phase changes in an attempt to retain the characteristics of the physicochemical Aloe vera gel over time. This Study can be described a conclusion that the best storage conditions are sound-proofed temperature conditions (4 ± 1)oc. Environmental conditioning by administering nitrogen gas storage and antioxidant Buthylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) 750 ppm for 4 weeks defending the nature physicochemical Aloe vera gel. Freeze drying process of Aloe vera gel that has filled gum Arabic 3 % generates a more homogenous powder and smaller and more.