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Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Phytosterols are a large group of substances belonging to sterols-compounds naturally occurring in the tissues of plants, animals, and humans. The most well-known animal... (Review)
Review
Phytosterols are a large group of substances belonging to sterols-compounds naturally occurring in the tissues of plants, animals, and humans. The most well-known animal sterol is cholesterol. Among phytosterols, the most significant compounds are β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol. At present, they are mainly employed in functional food products designed to counteract cardiovascular disorders by lowering levels of 'bad' cholesterol, which stands as their most extensively studied purpose. It is currently understood that phytosterols may also alleviate conditions associated with the gastrointestinal system. Their beneficial pharmacological properties in relation to gastrointestinal tract include anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activity. Also, the anti-cancer properties as well as the impact on the gut microbiome could be a very interesting area of research, which might potentially lead to the discovery of their new application. This article provides consolidated knowledge on a new potential use of phytosterols, namely the treatment or prevention of gastrointestinal diseases. The cited studies indicate high therapeutic efficacy in conditions such as peptic ulcer disease, IBD or liver failure caused by hepatotoxic xenobiotics, however, these are mainly in vitro or in vivo studies. Nevertheless, studies to date indicate their therapeutic potential as adjunctive treatments to conventional therapies, which often exhibit unsatisfactory efficacy or serious side effects. Unfortunately, at this point there is a lack of significant clinical study data to use phytosterols in clinical practice in this area.
PubMed: 38794127
DOI: 10.3390/ph17050557 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Mitochondrial protein homeostasis is crucially regulated by protein degradation processes involving both mitochondrial proteases and cytosolic autophagy. However, it...
Mitochondrial protein homeostasis is crucially regulated by protein degradation processes involving both mitochondrial proteases and cytosolic autophagy. However, it remains unclear how plant cells regulate autophagy in the scenario of lacking a major mitochondrial Lon1 protease. In this study, we observed a notable downregulation of core autophagy proteins in Lon1 knockout mutant and , supporting the alterations in the relative proportions of mitochondrial and vacuolar proteins over total proteins in the plant cells. To delve deeper into understanding the roles of the mitochondrial protease Lon1 and autophagy in maintaining mitochondrial protein homeostasis and plant development, we generated the double mutant by incorporating the loss-of-function mutation of the autophagy core protein ATG5, known as . The double mutant exhibited a blend of phenotypes, characterized by short plants and early senescence, mirroring those observed in the individual single mutants. Accordingly, distinct transcriptome alterations were evident in each of the single mutants, while the double mutant displayed a unique amalgamation of transcriptional responses. Heightened severity, particularly evident in reduced seed numbers and abnormal embryo development, was observed in the double mutant. Notably, aberrations in protein storage vacuoles (PSVs) and oil bodies were evident in the single and double mutants. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of genes concurrently downregulated in , , and unveiled a significant suppression of genes associated with brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis and homeostasis. This downregulation likely contributes to the observed abnormalities in seed and embryo development in the mutants.
Topics: Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis Proteins; Autophagy; Seeds; Mitochondria; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Brassinosteroids; ATP-Dependent Proteases; Mutation; Mitochondrial Proteins; Down-Regulation; Phenotype; Serine Endopeptidases
PubMed: 38791463
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105425 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024This study aimed to assess the antioxidant capacity of lemon flavonoid extract Eriomin (LE) and its impact on cholesterol metabolism in the context of healthy aging. We...
This study aimed to assess the antioxidant capacity of lemon flavonoid extract Eriomin (LE) and its impact on cholesterol metabolism in the context of healthy aging. We orally treated 24-month-old male Wistar rats with an LE (40 mg/kg) suspended in 0.3 mL of sunflower oil. At the same time, control groups received an equal volume of sunflower oil (CON) or remained untreated (ICON) daily for 4 weeks. We examined LE's effects on superoxide dismutase and catalase- and glutathione-related enzyme activities, the concentration of lipid peroxides and protein carbonyls, total oxidant status (TOS) and antioxidant status (TAS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) in the liver, jejunum, and ileum. We also measured total cholesterol, its biosynthetic precursors (lanosterol, lathosterol, desmosterol), its degradation products (bile acid precursors) in the serum, liver, jejunum, and ileum, and serum phytosterols (intestinal absorption markers). LE reduced TOS, TAS, and OSI ( < 0.05) compared with control values, indicating its consistent antioxidant action in all examined organs. LE lowered hepatic desmosterol ( < 0.05) while also reducing 7α- and 24-hydroxycholesterol levels in the liver and ileum ( < 0.01). Serum cholesterol, hepatic gene expression, and the immunostaining intensity of CYP7A1 were unchanged. In conclusion, LE exerted non-enzymatic antioxidant effects and reduced cholesterol degradation, reducing its biosynthesis products, thereby maintaining serum cholesterol levels.
Topics: Animals; Cholesterol; Antioxidants; Male; Rats; Plant Extracts; Rats, Wistar; Flavonoids; Liver; Aging; Citrus; Oxidative Stress; Jejunum; Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase
PubMed: 38791260
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105221 -
Biomolecules Apr 2024Clickable chemical tools are essential for studying the localization and role of biomolecules in living cells. For this purpose, alkyne-based close analogs of the...
Clickable chemical tools are essential for studying the localization and role of biomolecules in living cells. For this purpose, alkyne-based close analogs of the respective biomolecules are of outstanding interest. Here, in the field of phytosterols, we present the first alkyne derivative of sitosterol, which fulfills the crucial requirements for such a chemical tool as follows: very similar in size and lipophilicity to the plant phytosterols, and correct absolute configuration at C-24. The alkyne sitosterol FB-DJ-1 was synthesized, starting from stigmasterol, which comprised nine steps, utilizing a novel alkyne activation method, a Johnson-Claisen rearrangement for the stereoselective construction of a branched sterol side chain, and a Bestmann-Ohira reaction for the generation of the alkyne moiety.
Topics: Sitosterols; Alkynes; Plant Cells; Phytosterols; Click Chemistry
PubMed: 38785949
DOI: 10.3390/biom14050542 -
Brazilian Journal of Biology = Revista... 2024Munguba butter has bioactive compounds such as vitamin E and phytosterols, which has valued its application in the development of new products, with advantages in its...
Munguba butter has bioactive compounds such as vitamin E and phytosterols, which has valued its application in the development of new products, with advantages in its use in emulsified formulations. Therefore, the objective was to develop and evaluate the stability of a nanoemulsion containing munguba butter as the oily phase. Munguba butter was extracted by the ultrasound assisted method and its HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) was determined. Next, formulations varying the concentration of butter from 1-40% were developed and classified into liquid or solid emulsion and phase separation. Liquid emulsions were evaluated for hydrodynamic particle diameter, polydispersity index (PDI), Zeta potential (ζ), rheological characterization, and stability assays. The butter had an HLB of 6.98. The NE 1.0% formulation was selected and demonstrated to be unstable at high temperatures (45 ± 2 °C) and remained stable at room temperature, refrigeration and light radiation for 90 days. Munguba butter, because it has high amounts of saturated fatty acids, hinders its application in the development of new products. However, the success in the development of the NE 1.0% formulation is noteworthy, remaining stable when exposed to refrigeration, room temperature and light radiation.
Topics: Emulsions; Vigna; Butter; Particle Size; Drug Stability; Rheology
PubMed: 38775525
DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.281236 -
Food Chemistry: X Jun 2024The aim of this study was the valorisation of cactus (or prickly pear, ) seeds growing in six different regions of Morocco. Moisture, proteins, lipids profile, total...
The aim of this study was the valorisation of cactus (or prickly pear, ) seeds growing in six different regions of Morocco. Moisture, proteins, lipids profile, total polyphenols content, oxidative stability, and antioxidant activity were investigated. The Folin-Ciocalteu test highlighted the abundant presence of phenolic compounds (165 to 225 mg EAG/100 g of extract) and a significant antioxidant capacity against DPPH free radicals. The seeds contained protein (7-9.25%) and lipids (2.7-5%). Cactus oil quality indices such as acidity and peroxide value were below 1.2% and 10 mEq.O/kg, respectively. GC analysis revealed that linoleic and oleic acid percentages ranged from 57.1 to 63.8%, and 13.5 to 18.7%, respectively. Cactus seed oil was rich in tocopherols (500-680 mg/kg) and phytosterols (8000-11,100 mg/kg) with a predominance of γ-tocopherols and β-sitosterol. Triacylglycerols, fatty acids and sterols composition showed small variation depending on the geographical origin, while the individual tocopherol profile was significantly influenced.
PubMed: 38764786
DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101445 -
Food Chemistry Sep 2024Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and fractionation steps were used to determine the sterol patterns of red goji berries in detail. Twenty-five sterols...
Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and fractionation steps were used to determine the sterol patterns of red goji berries in detail. Twenty-five sterols were detected in fresh berries of two species (Lycium barbarum and L. chinense) from bushes grown in the botanical garden of the University of Hohenheim, and 20 sterols were identified. The rarely occurring campesta-5,24(25)-dienol, β-sitosterol, Δ5-avenasterol, campesterol, and cycloartenol represented >60 % of the total sterol content. Maturity and drying of fresh red goji berries caused small changes but did not affect the characteristic sterol pattern. This was confirmed by analyzing various commercial dried red goji berry samples from different sources. Separated flesh and seed samples revealed pronounced differences in the sterol pattern. A new method of merging GC/MS chromatograms showed that ∼75 % of the sterols were present in seeds and ∼25 % in flesh. The unique sterol profile may be exploited to authenticate red goji berries.
Topics: Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Fruit; Sterols; Lycium; Phytosterols; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 38762945
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139640 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Phytosterols are natural components of plant-based foods used as supplements because of their known cholesterol-lowering effect. However, their effects on lipoprotein... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Phytosterols are natural components of plant-based foods used as supplements because of their known cholesterol-lowering effect. However, their effects on lipoprotein subfractions and the quality of the LDL particle have not been studied in greater detail. We aimed to evaluate the effects of phytosterols supplements on lipids, lipoproteins subfractions, and on the quality of LDL. A prospective, pilot-type, open label, cross-over study, randomized 23 males in primary prevention of hypercholesterolemia to receive diet or diet plus phytosterol (2.6 g in 2 doses, with meals) for 12 weeks, when treatments were switched for another 12 weeks. Lipoprotein subfractions were analyzed by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel (Lipoprint System®). The Sampson equation estimated the small and dense (sd) and large and buoyant (lb) LDL subfractions from the lipid profile. Quality of LDL particle was analyzed by Z-scan and UV-vis spectroscopy. Primary outcome was the comparison of diet vs. diet plus phytosterols. Secondary outcomes assessed differences between baseline, diet and diet plus phytosterol. Non-parametric statistics were performed with p < 0.05. There was a trend to reduction on HDL-7 (p = 0.05) in diet plus phytosterol arm, with no effects on the quality of LDL particles. Heatmap showed strong correlations (ρ > 0.7) between particle size by different methods with both interventions. Diet plus phytosterol reduced TC, increased HDL-c, and reduced IDL-B, whereas diet increased HDL7, and reduced IDL-B vs. baseline (p < 0.05, for all). Phytosterol supplementation demonstrated small beneficial effects on HDL-7 subfraction, compared with diet alone, without effects on the quality of LDL particles.This trial is registered in Clinical Trials (NCT06127732) and can be accessed at https://clinicaltrials.gov .
Topics: Phytosterols; Humans; Male; Dietary Supplements; Middle Aged; Hypercholesterolemia; Cross-Over Studies; Lipoproteins, LDL; Prospective Studies; Adult; Cholesterol, LDL; Pilot Projects; Lipoproteins
PubMed: 38750162
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61897-4 -
PloS One 2024This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of phytosterols (PS) and phytosterol esters (PSE) on C57BL/6 mice. Three groups of 34 six-week-old C57BL/6 mice of...
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of phytosterols (PS) and phytosterol esters (PSE) on C57BL/6 mice. Three groups of 34 six-week-old C57BL/6 mice of specific pathogen free (SPF) grade, with an average initial body weight (IBW) of 17.7g, were fed for 24 days either natural-ingredient diets without supplements or diets supplemented with 89 mg/kg PS or diets supplemented with 400 mg/kg PSE. Growth performance, blood biochemistry, liver and colon morphology as well as intestinal flora status were evaluated. Both PS and PSE exhibited growth promotion and feed digestibility in mice. In blood biochemistry, the addition of both PS and PSE to the diet resulted in a significant decrease in Total Cholesterol (TC) and Triglyceride (TG) levels and an increase in Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activity. No significant changes in liver and intestinal morphology were observed. Both increased the level of Akkermansia in the intestinal tract of mice. There was no significant difference between the effects of PS and PSE. It was concluded that dietary PS and PSE supplementation could improve growth performance, immune performance and gut microbiome structure in mice, providing insights into its application as a potential feed additive in animals production.
Topics: Animals; Phytosterols; Dietary Supplements; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Mice; Liver; Esters; Male; Cholesterol; Triglycerides; Animal Feed; Superoxide Dismutase
PubMed: 38743661
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297788 -
Steroids Jul 2024The bushy plant Withania frutescens (L.) Pauquy is well distributed in the West-Mediterranean area, notably in the south of Spain, Algeria and Morocco where is it is... (Review)
Review
The bushy plant Withania frutescens (L.) Pauquy is well distributed in the West-Mediterranean area, notably in the south of Spain, Algeria and Morocco where is it is used traditionally for the treatment of various human diseases, including diabetes. Unlike the two major species W. somnifera and W. coagulans extensively studied, the genomically close species W. frutescens has been much less investigated. Nevertheless, this shrub species displays a comparable phytochemical profile and marked antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, at the origin of reported pharmacological effects and its traditional uses. Here we have analyzed the diversity of biological effects reported with leaves and root extracts of W. frutescens. Hydroalcoholic extracts prepared from the aerial parts of the plant have revealed antihyperglycemic and cell-protective activities along with antimicrobial and anticorrosive effects. The extracts contained diverse polyphenolic compounds and a few alkaloids (calystegines) but most of the observed effects have been attributed to the presence of withanolides which are modified C28 ergostane-type steroids. Our analysis focused in part on specific withanolides found in W. frutescens, in particular an unusual 3-O-sulfated withanolide considered as a potential pro-drug of the major active compound withaferin A (WA) and a lead compound for the development of a potential drug candidate. The mechanism of action of this sulfated WA analogue is discussed. Altogether, our unprecedented extensive analysis of W. frutescens highlighted the pharmacological potential of this atypical medicinal plant. By analogy with the major cultivated Withania species, the market potential of little-known plant is underlined.
Topics: Withania; Withanolides; Plant Extracts; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Animals; Plant Leaves; Antioxidants; Plant Roots
PubMed: 38740121
DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2024.109439