Background and Aims. Inflammatory bowel disease pharmacotherapy, despite substantial progress, is still not satisfactory for both patients and clinicians. In view of the chronic and relapsing disease course and not always effective treatment with adverse effects, attempts to search for new, more efficient, and safer substances are essential and reasonable. This study was designed to elucidate the impact of cornelian cherry iridoid-polyphenolic extract (CE) and loganic acid (LA) on adherent-invasive E. coli growth and adhesion in vitro and to assess the effect of pretreatment with CE or LA on the course of intestinal inflammation in rat experimental colitis compared with sulfasalazine. Methods. Antibacterial and antiadhesive activities of CE and LA were assessed using microdilution, Int407 cell adherence, and yeast agglutination assays. The colitis model was induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. Studied substances were administered intragastrically for 16 days prior to colitis induction. Body weight loss; colon index; histological injuries; IL-23, IL-17, TNF-α, and chemerin levels; and STAT3, Muc2, and TFF3 mRNA expression were evaluated. Results. Only CE exerted antimicrobial and antiadhesive activities in vitro and alleviated colonic symptoms. CE coadministrated with sulfasalazine was more effective than single compounds in reversing increased concentrations of TNF-α, IL-17, and chemerin and decreased Muc2 mRNA expression. Conclusions. CE exerted a protective effect against experimental colitis via impaired mucosal epithelial barrier restoration and intestinal inflammatory response attenuation and given concomitantly with sulfasalazine counteracted colitis in a more effective way than sulfasalazine alone, which indicates their synergistic interaction. The beneficial effect of CE may also be due to its bacteriostatic and antiadhesive activities.

Kaempferol has a beneficial influence on estrogen-deficiency-induced disturbances of bone structure in rats.

Proinflammatory cytokines and growth factors, which regulate mutual interactions between immune system cells and bone tissue cells, play a major role in the formation of bone changes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of the work was to assess serum concentration of osteoprotegerin (OPG), RANKL, Dkk-1 and sclerostin in RA patients compared to a control group and to analyze changes of these concentrations during methotrexate (MTX) therapy. Patients enrolled in the study were 30 women of Caucasian origin aged 30–74 years with RA. Patients with active form of the disease were administered recommended doses of MTX for at least 6 months. The study group was divided into subgroup I—patients with improvement; and subgroup II—patients with no improvement. The control group consisted of 12 healthy women in the age of 41–73. Before MTX therapy, RA patients had higher levels of RANKL (644.97 ± 477.13 vs. 255.19 ± 130.26 pmol/l), lower values of OPG/RANKL (0.01 ± 0.0101 vs. 0.02 ± 0.0078) and higher levels of Dkk-1 protein (1821.32 ± 1060.28 vs. 548.52 ± 36.35 pg/ml) compared to the control group. In the analyzed group of patients (all patients receiving MTX regardless of responder non responder status) after 6 months of therapy, a statistically significant increase in the ratio of OPG/RANKL was found (0.0118 ± 0.0102 vs. 0.0141 ± 0.0118; p = 0.02). The index value of OPG/RANKL differed significantly depending on the resultant effect of treatment (0.01702 ± 0.01274 in the subgroup of improvement vs. 0.00675 ± 0.00289 in the subgroup without improvement). The difference in the mean concentrations of Dkk-1 before and after treatment with MTX between subgroups I and II was statistically significant (p = 0.002). In subgroup I, mean concentration of Dkk-1 decreased after 6 months of treatment with MTX (2054.72 ± 1004.74 vs. 1831.70 ± 851.70 pg/ml); while in subgroup II, the mean concentration of Dkk-1 increased (1214.48 ± 738.32 vs. 2275.01 ± 1385.23 pg/ml). There were no statistically significant changes in the mean concentrations of sclerostin before and after treatment with MTX (in whole group treatment with MTX, in subgroup I, and in subgroup II). The results confirm the presence of disorders of bone metabolism in patients with RA. Treatment with MTX affects the value of the ratio of OPG/RANKL and concentration of Dkk-1.

Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) fruits possess potential cardiovascular, lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic bioactivities. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of resin-purified cornelian cherry extract rich in iridoids and anthocyanins on several transcription factors, intima/media ratio in aorta and serum parameters, which determine or are valuable indicators of the adverse changes observed in the course of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. For this purpose, male New Zealand rabbits were fed a diet enriched in 1% cholesterol for 60 days. Additionally, one group received 10 mg/kg b.w. of cornelian cherry extract and the second group 50 mg/kg b.w. of cornelian cherry extract. PPAR-α and PPAR-γ expression in the aorta, LXR-α expression in the liver; cholesterol, triglycerides, adipokines, apolipoproteins, glucose and insulin levels in serum; the intima and media diameter in the thoracic and abdominal aorta were determined. Administration of cornelian cherry extract resulted in an enhancement in the expression of all tested transcription factors, a decrease in triglycerides, leptin and resistin, and an increase in adiponectin levels. In addition, a significant reduction in the I/M ratio was observed for both the thoracic and abdominal aorta. The results we have obtained confirm the potential contribution of cornelian cherry extract to mitigation of the risk of developing and the intensity of symptoms of obesity-related cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders such as atherosclerosis or metabolic syndrome.

The old adage says, “you are what you eat.” And although it is a banality repeated by many with a grain of salt, it also has quite a bit of truth in it, as the products we eat have a considerable impact on our health. Unfortunately, humanity is eating worse from one year to another, both in terms of product quality and eating habits. At the same time, it is brought up frequently that plant products should form the basis of our diet. This issue was also reflected in the new version of the food pyramid. Iridoids and anthocyanins are groups of plant compounds with proven beneficial effects on health. Both groups affect the cardiovascular system and the liver functions. Although many mechanisms of action and the therapeutic effects of these compounds have already been learned, intensive animal and clinical research is still underway to explore their new curative mechanisms and effects or to broaden our knowledge of those previously described. In this article, we review the effects of natural iridoids and anthocyanins on selected parameters of liver and cardiovascular system functions.

We have shown that both iridoids and anthocyanins help prevent fed-induced atherosclerosis, and the consumption of fruits rich in these substances may elicit beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.

No abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common connective tissue disease of autoimmune origin. The disease is characterized by chronic inflammation leading to bone erosions and organ involvement. RA is a progressive disease. It affects the quality of life, leading to disability and death mainly due to premature cardiovascular disease. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential for prognosis and quality of life improvement. In 2010 the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) established new RA classification criteria. Besides clinical symptoms it includes two immunologic criteria: rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (anti-CCP antibodies). RF is the first well-known RA immunologic marker. It is observed in 80-85% of patients with RA. Elevated serum level of RF has been associated with increased disease activity, radiographic progression, and the presence of extraarticular manifestations. The sensitivity of RF is 50-90%, and specificity is 50-95%. Anti-CCP antibodies appear to be a more specific marker than RF. They are often present at the very beginning of the disease, or even years before the first symptoms. The prognostic value of anti-CCP antibodies is well established. High serum level of anti-CCP correlates with poor prognosis and early erosions of the joints. The sensitivity of anti-CCP2 is 48-80%, and specificity is 96-98%. New immunologic markers include anti-carbamylated protein antibodies (anti-CarP) and antibodies against heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (anti-hnRNP A2/B1, RA33). Scientists aim to identify a highly sensitive and specific biomarker of the disease that not only has diagnostic and prognostic value but also may predict the response to treatment.