Protective effects of epigallocatechin gallate after UV irradiation of cultured human lens epithelial cells

PURPOSE: To evaluate the protective effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) against UV irradiation of cultured human lens epithelial cells. METHODS: We irradiated cultured human lens epithelial cells with a 30-second pulse from a UV lamp with an irradiance of 0.6 mW/cm(2). Five minutes and 1 hour after UV irradiation, we administered 0, 5, 10, 15, 25, 50, or 100 uM EGCG. The cell number was measured with a microscopic counting chamber and cell viability was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. RESULTS: Compared to untreated cells, the total number of cultured human lens epithelial cells was markedly higher after UV irradiation. In a dose-dependent manner, viability was also higher in EGCG-treated cells. CONCLUSIONS: EGCG increased the cell count and cell viability after UV irradiation of cultured human lens epithelial cells, indicating that EGCG can protect lens epithelium against UV damage.     

Bioactive nutrients - Time for tolerable upper intake levels to address safety

There is increasing interest by consumers, researchers, and regulators into the roles that certain bioactive compounds, derived from plants and other natural sources, can play in health maintenance and promotion, and even prolonging a productive quality of life. Research has rapidly emerged suggesting that a wide range of compounds and mixtures in and from plants (such as fruits and vegetables, tea and cocoa) and animals (such as fish and probiotics) may exert substantial health benefits. There is interest in exploring the possibility of establishing recommended intakes or dietary guidance for certain bioactive substances to help educate consumers. A key aspect of establishing dietary guidance is the assessment of safety/toxicity of these substances. Toxicologists need to be involved in both the development of the safety framework and in the evaluation of the science to establish maximum intake/upper limits.     

表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的观察表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯(EGCG)对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用。方法结扎左冠状动脉前降支30mm再灌注60m in复制大鼠心肌缺血再灌注模型,实验分假手术组、缺血再灌注组(IR)、EGCG1(10mg.kg-1)、EGCG2(20mg.kg-1)和丹参(SM,1.0g.kg-1)治疗组。用心功能分析系统测定左室心功能,按试剂盒说明测定血浆SOD,MDA,LDH和CK水平,用TUNEL法检测凋亡细胞,SABC免疫组化法检测凋亡相关基因bc l-2与bax的蛋白表达。结果①缺血再灌注期间,IR组大鼠左室LVSP,±dp/dtm ax呈进行性下降,LVEDP则进行性升高(与假手术组比,P<0.01),EGCG组虽有相似的变化趋势,但明显较缓(与IR组比,P<0.01)。②IR组大鼠血浆SOD水平显著降低;MDA,LDH与CK水平显著升高。EGCG组SOD水平则明显升高;MDA,LDH与CK水平明显降低(P<0.01)。③IR组心肌凋亡细胞明显,bc l-2与bax蛋白表达增多,bc l-2/bax值下降;EGCG组凋亡细胞减少,bc l-2蛋白表达显著增多,bax则明显减少,bc l-2/bax值升高(P<0.01)。结论EGCG通过提高机体清除自由基能力减轻心肌细胞损伤和抑制心肌细胞凋亡而改善心功能,对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤具有保护作用。     

Structure-activity relationships for inhibition of human 5alpha-reductases by polyphenols

The enzyme steroid 5 alpha-reductase (EC 1.3.99.5) catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction of the double bond of a variety of 3-oxo-Delta(4) steroids including the conversion of testosterone to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone. In humans, 5 alpha-reductase activity is critical for certain aspects of male sexual differentiation, and may be involved in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia, alopecia, hirsutism, and prostate cancer. Certain natural products contain components that are inhibitors of 5 alpha-reductase, such as the green tea catechin (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG shows potent inhibition in cell-free but not in whole-cell assays of 5 alpha-reductase. Replacement of the gallate ester in EGCG with long-chain fatty acids produced potent 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors that were active in both cell-free and whole-cell assay systems. Other flavonoids that were potent inhibitors of the type 1 5alpha-reductase include myricetin, quercitin, baicalein, and fisetin. Biochanin A, daidzein, genistein, and kaempferol were much better inhibitors of the type 2 than the type 1 isozyme. Several other natural and synthetic polyphenolic compounds were more effective inhibitors of the type 1 than the type 2 isozyme, including alizarin, anthrarobin, gossypol, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, caffeic acid phenethyl ester, and octyl and dodecyl gallates. The presence of a catechol group was characteristic of almost all inhibitors that showed selectivity for the type 1 isozyme of 5 alpha-reductase. Since some of these compounds are consumed as part of the normal diet or in supplements, they have the potential to inhibit 5 alpha-reductase activity, which may be useful for the prevention or treatment of androgen-dependent disorders. However, these compounds also may adversely affect male sexual differentiation.     

Grafting of gallic acid onto chitosan nano particles enhances antioxidant activities in vitro and protects against ochratoxin A toxicity in catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

This study aimed to prepare and characterize enzymatic modified chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) with gallic acid (GA) or octyl gallate (OG) to optimize its potential in human application and to evaluate their protective role against ochrtoxin A (OTA) toxicity in catfish. The modified CSNPs have average size around 90 nm with positive charge and high scavenging activity especially GA-CSNPs. In the in vivo study, catfish were divided into 8 groups and treated for 3 weeks as follow: the control group, OTA-treated group (1 mg/kg b.w.), the groups treated with CSNPs, GA-CSNPs or OG-CSNPs (280 mg/kg b.w.) anole or in combination with OTA. Blood, liver and kidney samples were collected for different analyses. OTA induced a significant biochemical disturbances accompanied with oxidative stress in liver and kidney, histological changes and increase DNA fragmentation in the kidney. Co-treatment with OTA plus the different CSNPs resulted in a significant improvement in all tested parameters and histological picture of the kidney. This improvement was more pronounced in the group treated with GA-CSNPs. It could be concluded that grafting of GA or its ester improved the properties of CSNPs. Moreover, GA-CSNPs showed strong scavenging properties than OG-CSNPs due to the blocking of carboxyl groups responsible of the scavenging activity in OG.     

HPLC法同时测定不同产地大花红景天中6种活性成分

目的对青藏高原不同产地大花红景天Rhodiola crenulata中没食子酸、红景天苷、酪醇、儿茶素、没食子酸乙酯、对香豆酸进行分析研究,建立定量分析方法,为其进一步利用提供依据。方法采用30%乙醇提取样品;Diamonsil C18色谱柱(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm);以乙腈-0.3%磷酸溶液为流动相进行梯度洗脱;检测波长275 nm,柱温25℃。结果没食子酸、红景天苷、酪醇、儿茶素、没食子酸乙酯、对香豆酸分别在38.2~382.0 ng/m L(r=0.999 8)、301.0~3 010.0μg/m L(r=0.999 9)、19.8~198.0 ng/m L(r=0.999 6)、17.1~171.0 ng/m L(r=0.999 6)、4.5~45.0 ng/m L(r=0.999 8)、6.38~63.80 ng/m L(r=0.999 4)呈良好的线性关系,加样回收率均符合定量测定要求。结论该方法简便,快速,准确,可用于同时对青藏高原大花红景天中6种活性成分的测定。     

HPLC同时测定赤芍和白芍中没食子酸等6种成分的量

目的建立同时测定赤芍Paeoniae Rubra Radix和白芍Paeoniae Alba Radix中没食子酸、没食子酸甲酯、芍药内酯苷、芍药苷、1,2,3,4,6-五没食子酰葡萄糖、苯甲酰芍药苷的HPLC方法,测定和比较32批不同产地和收集地赤芍和白芍中6种化学成分的量。方法采用HPLC法进行测定,流动相为乙腈-0.1%磷酸水溶液,体积流量0.8 m L/min,柱温30℃,检测波长为230 nm和270 nm。结果结果显示,没食子酸、没食子酸甲酯、芍药内酯苷、芍药苷、1,2,3,4,6-五没食子酰葡萄糖、苯甲酰芍药苷分别在0.783~50.10、1.094~70.00、2.367~151.5、7.823~500.6、3.125~200.0和0.348~22.25μg/m L内具有良好的线性关系(r2=0.999),平均回收率分别为102.1%、98.88%、99.25%、100.4%、104.2%、100.6%。结论赤芍和白芍药材样品中芍药内酯苷、1,2,3,4,6-五没食子酰葡萄糖、没食子酸和没食子酸甲酯的量差异较显著,除芍药苷外,单萜苷类成分在白芍中量明显较高,而多元酚类化合物在赤芍特别是川赤芍中量普遍居高。     

没食子酸丙酯对脑缺血大鼠神经元SAPK/JNK及p38MAPK激活的抑制作用

目的探讨没食子酸丙酯对大鼠脑缺血再灌注模型缺血区周边组织神经元损伤的保护作用及其可能机制。方法通过Nissl和TUNEL染色法检测阳性神经元数量，蛋白免疫印迹、免疫组化法观察活化型Caspase-3，SAPK/JNK，p38MAPK及其磷酸化组分的表达。结果没食子酸丙酯干预后，SAPK/JNK，p-SAPK/JNK(1 h)，p38MAPK，p-p38MAPK(6 h)及活化型Caspase-3(12 h)表达均减弱，TUNEL阳性神经元减少(24 h)，Nissl阳性神经元增多(24 h)，神经元凋亡率明显降低。结论没食子酸丙酯保护缺血再灌注后神经元损伤的机制可能与抑制SAPK/JNK及p38MAPK的激活有关。     

表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯对高糖环境下体外小鼠足细胞活性氧的影响

目的　观察不同浓度表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯（EGCG）对高糖造成氧化应激状态下体外小鼠足细胞损害的作用并探讨其机制。 方法　以高糖（25 mmol/L）培养的小鼠足细胞为研究对象,维生素E培养为对照。首先以MTT法检测细胞活力,再在激光共聚焦显微镜下以CM-H2DCFDA荧光探针观察不同浓度EGCG（0.2、10、100 μmol/L）刺激足细胞6、12、24 h后活性氧（ROS）生成,并以流式细胞仪定量分析ROS平均荧光强度。RT-PCR法检测足细胞内ROS产生的主要通路NADPH氧化酶各亚基mRNA（ph22phox、p47phox、p67phox）的表达。 结果　高糖刺激下6 h,足细胞ROS生成显著增加（P < 0.01）。正常糖组和甘露醇组培养12 h ROS生成无显著增加（P > 0.05）。EGCG 0.2 μmol/L作用6 h可显著降低高糖环境下体外小鼠足细胞ROS水平（P < 0.01）。与高糖组比较,EGCG（100 μmol/L）显著减少NADPH氧化酶亚基p22phox和p67phox mRNA表达（均P < 0.05）。与维生素Ｅ组比较,EGCG（0.2 μmol/L）和维生素E（0.2 mmol/L）协同作用组显著减少p47phox mRNA表达（P < 0.05）。 结论　EGCG能缓解高糖环境下体外足细胞氧化应激状态,对高糖培养下足细胞有保护作用。