Organic solvent (methanol, ethanol, and acetone) extracts and water extracts of cherry (Prunus serrulata var. spontanea) blossoms were prepared, and antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated. Methanolic CBE (100 microg/ml) showed the highest total phenol content (104.30 microM), radical scavenging activity (34.2%), and reducing power (0.391). The effect of CBE on DNA damage induced by H(2)O(2) in human leukocytes was evaluated by Comet assay. All CBE was a potent dose dependent inhibitor of DNA damage induced by 200 microM of H(2)O(2), methanolic CBE showed the most strong inhibition activity. The methanolic CBE of 500 microg/ml showed 38.8% inhibition against growth of human colon cancer cell line HT-29. These results indicated that cherry blossoms could provide valuable bioactive materials.

Methanol extract of the marine brown alga Ecklonia cava has been shown to exhibit antimicrobial activity against Propionibacterium acnes. To identify the compounds conferring this antimicrobial activity, methanol extract was fractionated using silica-gel column chromatography by increasing solvent polarity, and the antimicrobial activities of each fraction were determined in terms of the minimum inhibitory concentration. Hexane, diethyl ether, acetone, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, methanol, and water fractions were generated, with the acetone fraction exhibiting the greatest antibacterial activity (minimum inhibitory concentration = 156 μg/mL). The acetone fraction was further purifi ed by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC using an Alltima C18 column with an H 2 O-MeOH linear gradient from 30 to 100%. Two peaks were eluted at 18.1 (P1) and 23.8 (P2) min, both of which exhibited marked antibacterial activity (minimum inhibitory concentration = 39 μg/mL for both). The structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of 1 H and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance data and, through comparison with published data, can be phloroglucinol derivatives dieckol (P1) and phlorofucofuroeckol-A (P2). These results suggest that phlorotannins derived from E. cava have antimicrobial activity against P. acnes, and so may be useful as natural additives in antiacne cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. Keywords: dieckol, minimum inhibitory concentration, natural additives, phlorofucofuroeckol-A, phlorotannins.Resumen: Se conoce que el extracto de metanol del alga parda marina Ecklonia cava presenta actividad antimicrobiana contra Propionibacterium acnes. Para identifi car los compuestos que confi eren esta actividad antimicrobiana se fraccionó el extracto de metanol, usando cromatografía en columna de sílica gel, mediante el aumento de la polaridad del disolvente. La actividad antimicrobiana de cada fracción se determinó en términos de la concentración mínima inhibitoria. Las fracciones de hexano, éter dietílico, acetona, acetato de etilo, acetonitrilo, metanol y agua fueron producidas. La fracción de acetona presentó la mayor actividad antibacteriana (concentración mínima inhibitoria = 156 μg/mL). Con base en este resultado, la fracción de acetona se purifi có por cromatografía en columna en LH-20 Sephadex y HPLC de fase inversa usando una columna Alltima C18 con un gradiente lineal de H 2 O-MeOH de 30 a 100%. Dos picos se eluyeron a 18.1 (P1) y 23.8 (P2) min, ambos tuvieron actividad antibacteriana marcada (concentración mínima inhibitoria = 39 μg/mL para ambos). La estructura de estos compuestos se determinó sobre la base de 1 H y 13 C de resonancia magnética nuclear y, mediante la comparación con valores publicados, éstos pueden ser derivados de fl oroglucinol diecol (P1) y fl orofucofuroecol-A (P2). Los resultados sugieren que fl orotaninos derivados de E. cava tienen actividad antimicrobiana frente a P. acnes, y por lo tanto, pueden ser útiles como aditivos naturales en los cosmético...

Transient receptor potential vanilloid member 1 (TRPV1) is activated in response to capsaicin, protons, temperature, and free reactive oxygen species (ROS) released from inflammatory molecules after exposure to harmful stimuli. The expression level of TRPV1 is elevated in the dorsal root ganglion, and its activation through capsaicin and ROS mediates neuropathic pain in mice. Its expression is high in peripheral and central nervous systems. Although pain is a response evolved for survival, many studies have been conducted to develop analgesics, but no clear results have been reported. Here, we found that naringin selectively inhibited capsaicin-stimulated inward currents in Xenopus oocytes using a two-electrode voltage clamp. The results of this study showed that naringin has an IC50 value of 33.3 μM on TRPV1. The amino acid residues D471 and N628 of TRPV1 were involved in its binding to naringin. Our study bridged the gap between the pain suppression effect of TRPV1 and the preventive effect of naringin on neuropathic pain and oxidation. Naringin had the same characteristics as a model selective antagonist, which is claimed to be ideal for the development of analgesics targeting TRPV1. Thus, this study suggests the applicability of naringin as a novel analgesic candidate through antioxidative and analgesic effects of naringin.

No abstract

No abstract