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Frontiers in Chemistry 2024The integumentary system, a vital organ, constitutes a multifaceted barrier against pathogens and environmental factors, crucial for maintaining homeostasis. Intrinsic...
The integumentary system, a vital organ, constitutes a multifaceted barrier against pathogens and environmental factors, crucial for maintaining homeostasis. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors can accelerate skin aging and compromise its homeostatic functions and solar rays, particularly ultraviolet (UV) radiation, pose a significant risk for skin cancer. Polyphenols are molecules that donate hydrogen or electrons, preventing the oxidation of substances, such as lipids, or the formation of inflammatory mediators by cyclooxygenase enzymes. This study explored the safety, by HET-CAM (hen's egg test on chorioallantoic membrane), and protective effects of polyphenols (chlorogenic acid, apigenin, kaempferol, and naringenin) against stratum corneum UV-induced lipid peroxidation using an innovative method, the HPLC-TBARS-EVSC (high-performance liquid chromatography-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances- stratum corneum), and a stress test using methyl nicotinate and laser Doppler flowmetry to establish the samples' topical anti-inflammatory ability. An aqueous gel containing 0.1% / of each polyphenol was formulated using ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer. Through the utilization of the HET-CAM assay for safety assessment, chlorogenic acid, apigenin, kaempferol, and naringenin were classified as non-irritating active ingredients. This classification was based on their lack of adverse reactions within the vascularization of the chorioallantoic membrane. To assess the protective capabilities of four polyphenols against lipid peroxidation in the stratum corneum, the HPLC-TBARS-EVSC protocol was conducted. It was observed that only naringenin exhibited a significant reduction in epidermal lipoperoxidation, indicating superior anti-radical potential. Conversely, chlorogenic acid, apigenin, and kaempferol displayed a pro-oxidant profile under the specified test conditions. The laser Doppler flowmetry suggested the anti-inflammatory potential of naringenin, kaempferol, and chlorogenic acid, with naringenin showing superior efficacy involving all parameters quantified. Naringenin emerged as the only polyphenol capable of reducing the intensity of the inflammatory response induced by methyl nicotinate solution in the participants, compared to the blank gel and the untreated area. This comprehensive investigation underscores the diverse protective roles of polyphenols in skin health, emphasizing naringenin's notable anti-radical and anti-inflammatory properties.
PubMed: 38831914
DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1400881 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Due to its propensity to metastasize, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Thanks in part to their intrinsic low cytotoxicity, the effects of the... (Review)
Review
Due to its propensity to metastasize, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Thanks in part to their intrinsic low cytotoxicity, the effects of the flavonoid family in the prevention and treatment of various human cancers, both in vitro and in vivo, have received increasing attention in recent years. It is well documented that Apigenin (4',5,7-trihydroxyflavone), among other flavonoids, is able to modulate key signaling molecules involved in the initiation of cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, including JAK/STAT, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, MAPK/ERK, NF-κB, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, as well as the oncogenic non-coding RNA network. Based on these premises, the aim of this review is to emphasize some of the key events through which Apigenin suppresses cancer proliferation, focusing specifically on its ability to target key molecular pathways involved in angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs), cell cycle arrest, and cancer cell death.
Topics: Apigenin; Humans; Neoplasms; Animals; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Signal Transduction; Cell Proliferation; Neoplastic Stem Cells; Neovascularization, Pathologic
PubMed: 38791608
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105569 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Extracts from medicinal plants are widely used in the treatment and prevention of different diseases. is a Balkan endemic species with reported antioxidant and...
Extracts from medicinal plants are widely used in the treatment and prevention of different diseases. is a Balkan endemic species with reported antioxidant and antimicrobial characteristics; however, its phytochemical composition is not well defined. Here, we examined the metabolome of by chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS-MS), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and sugar alcohols were the primary metabolites with the highest levels in the plant extract. Detailed analysis of the sugar content identified high levels of sucrose, glucose, mannose, and fructose. Lipids are primary plant metabolites, and the analysis revealed triacylglycerols as the most abundant lipid group. Potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and calcium (Ca) were the elements with the highest content. The results showed linarin, 3-caffeoil-quinic acid, and rosmarinic acid, as well as a number of polyphenols, as the most abundant secondary metabolites. Among the flavonoids and polyphenols with a high presence were eupatorin, kaempferol, and apigenin-compounds widely known for their bioactive properties. Further, the acute toxicity and potential anti-inflammatory activity of the methanolic extract were evaluated in Wistar rats. No toxic effects were registered after a single oral application of the extract in doses of between 200 and 5000 mg/kg bw. A fourteen-day pre-treatment with methanolic extract of in doses of 250, 400, and 500 mg/kg bw induced anti-inflammatory activity in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd hours after carrageenan injection in a model of rat paw edema. This effect was also present in the 4th hour only in the group treated with a dose of 500 mg/kg. In conclusion, extract is particularly rich in linarin, rosmarinic acid, and flavonoids (eupatorin, kaempferol, and apigenin). Its methanolic extract induced no toxicity in male Wistar rats after oral application in doses of up to 5000 mg/kg bw. Additionally, treatment with the methanolic extract for 14 days revealed anti-inflammatory potential in a model of rat paw edema on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd hours after the carrageenan injection. These results show the anti-inflammatory potential of the plant, which might be considered for further exploration and eventual application as a phytotherapeutic agent.
Topics: Animals; Plant Extracts; Male; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Methanol; Edema; Sapotaceae; Metabolome
PubMed: 38791434
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105396 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Linn. (Rang Chuet, RC), a Thai medicinal plant, possesses various bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. This study aimed to identify detoxifying compounds...
Linn. (Rang Chuet, RC), a Thai medicinal plant, possesses various bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. This study aimed to identify detoxifying compounds within RC crude extract. RC leaves were extracted using the Soxhlet method with chloroform. Total carotenoids, chlorophylls, extract yield, total phenolic contents (TPCs), and total flavonoid contents (TFCs) were measured. The extract's composition was analyzed. Cytotoxicity and effects on the detoxification enzyme NQO-1 were assessed in liver cell lines (AML12 and HepG2) using MTT and NQO-1 assays, respectively. Bioactive fractions were identified using fractionation techniques and mass spectrometry (LC-MS). RC extract displayed significant levels of carotenoids (0.375 mg/g), chlorophylls (2.682 mg/g), and favorable yield (15.3%). TPC and TFC were 363.776 mg/g and 112.22 mg/g of extract, respectively. Analysis revealed phenolic acids (gallic acid, caffeic acid), flavonoid (apigenin), chlorophylls (chlorophylls , , pheophytin and ), and lutein. Among the fractions, Fraction 3 (F3) exhibited the highest NQO-1 enzyme activity. F3 contained pheophytin and hydroxy pheophytin , confirmed by LC-MS (/ 871.59 [M + H] and 887.59 [M + H]). F3 significantly induced NQO-1 activity in both HepG2 (3.908-fold) and AML12 (1.99-fold) cells. This study identified F3 from RC extract as a promising fraction containing pheophytin and hydroxy pheophytin , responsible for inducing the detoxification enzyme NQO-1 in liver cells. These findings suggest RC's potential for promoting detoxification.
PubMed: 38790743
DOI: 10.3390/foods13101443 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Oxidative stress increases the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells and impairs intestinal epithelial cell renewal, which further promotes intestinal barrier...
Oxidative stress increases the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells and impairs intestinal epithelial cell renewal, which further promotes intestinal barrier dysfunction and even death. Extensive evidence supports that resveratrol and apigenin have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties. Here, we investigated the ability of these two compounds to alleviate diquat-induced jejunal oxidative stress and morphological injury, using the duck as a model, as well as the effects of apigenin on oxidative stress induced by HO in immortalized duck intestinal epithelial cells (IDECs). Ducks were randomly assigned to the following four groups, with five replicates: a control (CON) group, a diquat-challenged (DIQ) group, a resveratrol (500 mg/kg) + diquat (RES) group, and an apigenin (500 mg/kg) + diquat (API) group. We found that serum catalase (CAT) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) markedly reduced in the RES and API groups as compared to the DIQ group ( < 0.05); moreover, serum S superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels increased significantly in the API group as compared to the DIQ group ( < 0.05). In jejunal mucosa, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the RES and API groups decreased more than that in the DIQ group ( < 0.05). In addition, the jejunal expression levels of the and genes in the RES and API groups increased notably compared with those in the DIQ group ( < 0.05); meanwhile, CAT activity in the RES and API groups was markedly elevated compared with that in the CON group ( < 0.05). In IDECs, apigenin significantly restrained the HO-mediated increase in MDA content and decrease in CAT levels ( < 0.05). Furthermore, apigenin increased the protein expression of p-NRF2, NRF2, p-AKT, and p-P38; downregulated that of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9; and reduced the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 in HO-treated IDECs ( < 0.05). In conclusion, resveratrol and apigenin can be used as natural feed additives to protect against jejunal oxidative stress in ducks.
PubMed: 38790716
DOI: 10.3390/antiox13050611 -
BMC Plant Biology May 2024The mechanisms by which the apple MdPYL9 gene mediates the response to drought stress remain unclear. Here, transcriptome and metabolome analyses of apple plants under...
BACKGROUND
The mechanisms by which the apple MdPYL9 gene mediates the response to drought stress remain unclear. Here, transcriptome and metabolome analyses of apple plants under drought were used to investigate the mechanisms by which MdPYL9 regulates the response to drought stress in apple. MdPYL9-overexpressed transgenic and non-transgenic apple histoculture seedlings were rooted, transplanted, and subjected to drought treatments to clarify the mechanisms underlying the responses of apples to drought stress through phenotypic observations, physiological and biochemical index measurements, and transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses.
RESULTS
Under drought stress treatment, transgenic plants were less affected by drought stress than non-transgenic plants. Decreases in the net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate of transgenic apple plants were less pronounced in transgenic plants than in non-transgenic plants, and increases in the intercellular CO concentration were less pronounced in transgenic plants than in non-transgenic plants. The relative electrical conductivity and content of malondialdehyde, superoxide anion, and hydrogen peroxide were significantly lower in transgenic plants than in non-transgenic plants, and the chlorophyll content and activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase) were significantly higher in transgenic plants than in non-transgenic plants. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the response to drought stress was lower in transgenic plants than in non-transgenic plants, and the most significant and highly annotated DEGs in the transgenic plants were involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, and the most significant and highly annotated DEGs in control plants were involved in the phytohormone signal transduction pathway. The number of differentially accumulated metabolites involved in the response to drought stress was lower in transgenic plants than in non-transgenic plants, and up-regulated metabolites were significantly enriched in apigenin-7-O-glucoside in transgenic plants and in abscisic acid in non-transgenic plants. In the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, the expression of genes encoding chalcone synthase (CHS) and chalcone isomerase (CHI) was more significantly down-regulated in non-transgenic plants than in transgenic plants, and the expression of the gene encoding 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL) was more significantly up-regulated in transgenic plants than in non-transgenic plants, which resulted in the significant up-regulation of apigenin-7-O-glucoside in transgenic plants.
CONCLUSIONS
The above results indicated that the over-expression of MdPYL9 increased the drought resistance of plants under drought stress by attenuating the down-regulation of the expression of genes encoding CHS and CHI and enhancing the up-regulated expression of the gene encoding 4CL, which enhanced the content of apigenin-7-O-glucoside.
Topics: Malus; Plants, Genetically Modified; Metabolome; Droughts; Transcriptome; Plant Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Gene Expression Profiling; Drought Resistance
PubMed: 38789915
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05146-w -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The increasing rates of morbidity and mortality owing to bacterial infections, particularly have necessitated finding solutions to face this issue. Thus, we elucidated...
The increasing rates of morbidity and mortality owing to bacterial infections, particularly have necessitated finding solutions to face this issue. Thus, we elucidated the phytochemical constituents and antibacterial potential of extract (CDE). Using LC-ESI-MS/MS, the main phytoconstituents of CDE were explored, which were kaempferol-3,7--bis-alpha-L-rhamnoside, isorhamnetin, cyanidin-3-glucoside, kaempferide, kaempferol-3--alpha-L-rhamnoside, caffeic acid, isoquercitrin, quinic acid, isocitrate, mannitol, apigenin, acacetin, and naringenin. The CDE exerted an antibacterial action on isolates with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 128 to 512 µg/mL. Also, CDE exhibited antibiofilm action using a crystal violet assay. A scanning electron microscope was employed to illuminate the effect of CDE on biofilm formation, and it considerably diminished cell number in the biofilm. Moreover, qRT-PCR was performed to study the effect of CDE on biofilm gene expression (, A, and A). The CDE revealed a downregulating effect on the studied biofilm genes in 43.48% of isolates. Regarding the model, CDE significantly decreased the burden in the liver and spleen of CDE-treated mice. Also, it significantly improved the mice's survival and substantially decreased the inflammatory markers (interleukin one beta and interleukin six) in the studied tissues. Furthermore, CDE has improved the histology and tumor necrosis factor alpha immunohistochemistry in the liver and spleen of the CDE-treated group. Thus, CDE could be considered a promising candidate for future antimicrobial drug discovery studies.
PubMed: 38786178
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13050450 -
Biomolecules May 2024Peroxynitrite (ONOO) is an oxidant linked with several human pathologies. Apigenin, a natural flavonoid known for its health benefits, remains unexplored in relation to...
BACKGROUND
Peroxynitrite (ONOO) is an oxidant linked with several human pathologies. Apigenin, a natural flavonoid known for its health benefits, remains unexplored in relation to ONOO effects. This study investigated the potential of apigenin to structurally protect fibrinogen, an essential blood clotting factor, from ONOO-induced damage.
METHODS
Multi-approach analyses were carried out where fibrinogen was exposed to ONOO generation while testing the efficacy of apigenin. The role of apigenin against ONOO-induced modifications in fibrinogen was investigated using UV spectroscopy, tryptophan or tyrosine fluorescence, protein hydrophobicity, carbonylation, and electrophoretic analyses.
RESULTS
The findings demonstrate that apigenin significantly inhibits ONOO-induced oxidative damage in fibrinogen. ONOO caused reduced UV absorption, which was reversed by apigenin treatment. Moreover, ONOO diminished tryptophan and tyrosine fluorescence, which was effectively restored by apigenin treatment. Apigenin also reduced the hydrophobicity of ONOO-damaged fibrinogen. Moreover, apigenin exhibited protective effects against ONOO-induced protein carbonylation. SDS-PAGE analyses revealed that ONOOtreatment eliminated bands corresponding to fibrinogen polypeptide chains Aα and γ, while apigenin preserved these changes.
CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights, for the first time, the role of apigenin in structural protection of human fibrinogen against peroxynitrite-induced nitrosative damage. Our data indicate that apigenin offers structural protection to all three polypeptide chains (Aα, Bβ, and γ) of human fibrinogen. Specifically, apigenin prevents the dislocation or breakdown of the amino acids tryptophan, tyrosine, lysine, arginine, proline, and threonine and also prevents the exposure of hydrophobic sites in fibrinogen induced by ONOO.
Topics: Fibrinogen; Apigenin; Humans; Peroxynitrous Acid; Nitrosative Stress; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Protein Carbonylation; Tyrosine; Oxidative Stress
PubMed: 38785983
DOI: 10.3390/biom14050576 -
Clinical Nutrition Research Apr 2024Anxiety disorder is a prevalent psychiatric issue that affects 4.05% of the global population. As complementary and alternative medicine gains popularity, many... (Review)
Review
Anxiety disorder is a prevalent psychiatric issue that affects 4.05% of the global population. As complementary and alternative medicine gains popularity, many individuals with anxiety symptoms seek herbal remedies. This systematic review aims to explore the sedative efficacy of chamomile as an herbal medicine for anxiety treatment. Our search was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases until August 2023. Among 389 papers found, after removing duplicates and irrelevant papers, 10 clinical trials investigating the effect of oral consumption of chamomile on anxiety were included. Two researchers independently completed all steps, including the screening process and data extraction. Out of the 10 articles selected, 9 studies have concluded that chamomile is effective in reducing anxiety. Even though, the exact mechanism of chamomile's anxiolytic action is not well understood, evidence suggests that its active compounds, including apigenin, may modulate the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis by affecting neurotransmitter pathways. This systematic review showed that chamomile potentially has an anxiolytic effect. In addition, due to the side effects of drugs used to treat anxiety disorders, the use of chamomile seems to be effective and less dangerous.
PubMed: 38784853
DOI: 10.7762/cnr.2024.13.2.139 -
BMC Plant Biology May 2024The popular leafy vegetable lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is susceptible to cold stress during the growing season, which slows growth rate, causes leaf yellowing and...
The popular leafy vegetable lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is susceptible to cold stress during the growing season, which slows growth rate, causes leaf yellowing and necrosis, and reduced yield and quality. In this study, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of two cold-resistant lettuce cultivars (GWAS-W42 and F11) and two cold-sensitive lettuce cultivars (S13K079 and S15K058) were performed to identify the mechanisms involved in the cold response of lettuce. Overall, transcriptome analysis identified 605 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including significant enrichment of genes involved in the flavonoid and flavonol (CHS, CHI, F3H, FLS, CYP75B1, HCT, etc.) biosynthetic pathways related to oxidation-reduction and catalytic activity. Untargeted metabolomic analysis identified fifteen flavonoid metabolites and 28 other metabolites potentially involved in the response to cold stress; genistein, quercitrin, quercetin derivatives, kaempferol derivatives, luteolin derivatives, apigenin and their derivatives accumulate at higher levels in cold-resistant cultivars. Moreover, MYBs, bHLHs, WRKYs and Dofs also play positive role in the low temperature response, which affected the expression of structural genes contributing to the variation of metabolites between the resistant and sensitive. These results provide valuable evidence that the metabolites and genes involved in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway play important roles in the response of lettuce to cold stress.
Topics: Lactuca; Transcriptome; Metabolomics; Gene Expression Profiling; Cold Temperature; Metabolome; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Cold-Shock Response; Flavonoids
PubMed: 38778262
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05099-0