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Natural antioxidants present in fruits have attracted considerable interest due to their presumed safety and potential nutritional value. Even though antioxidant activities of many fruits have been reported, the effects of phytochemicals of goji berry (GB) in patients with metabolic syndrome have not been investigated. In this study, we examined anthropometric and biochemical parameters in patients with metabolic syndrome after the consumption of GB. The patients were divided into two groups, control (C) and supplemented (S), and followed up for 45 days. Participants were individually instructed to carry out a healthy diet, but additionally, an inclusion of 14 g of the natural form of goji berry in the diet during 45 days for the S group was proposed. After 45 days of study, a significant reduction in transaminases as well as an improvement in lipid profile in the S group was observed. Likewise, a significant reduction in the waist circumference of the S group was observed when compared with that of the C group, and increased glutathione and catalase levels associated with a reduction of lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that this is an effective dietary supplement for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in individuals with metabolic syndrome.

Overproduction of nitric oxide and activation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) are important in sepsis-induced hypotension and hyporesponsiveness to vasoconstrictors. A time course of the expression and activity of sGC in a sepsis model [cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)] was evaluated in rats. Soluble GC ␣-1 and ␤-1 subunit mRNA levels increased in the lungs, but not in the aorta. However, in both tissues, the protein levels increased 24 h after sepsis and remained high for up to 48 h. Sodium nitroprusside-stimulated cGMP accumulation was higher 48 h after CLP in the lung and aorta. NOS-2 protein expression peaked 24 h after CLP, decreasing thereafter. The impact of inhibiting the expression of sGC early (8 h) or late (20 h) on vascular reactivity and the indexes of organ damage and mortality were also studied. Late administration of methylene blue (MB) or ODQ (1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one) restored the blood pressure and vascular responsiveness to vasoconstrictors to normal levels but was ineffective in early sepsis. Late MB injection reduced the plasma levels of urea, creatinine, and lactate. MB improved the survival if administered late, but it increased the mortality when administrated early after sepsis onset. The increased sGC expression/ activity may be relevant for the late hypotension and hyporesponsiveness to vasoconstrictors in sepsis. In accordance, MB increased survival if administered in late sepsis, but not in early sepsis. Therefore, differential responsiveness to sGC during the course of sepsis may determine the success or failure of treatment with sGC inhibitors.Severe sepsis and septic shock are major causes of mortality in intensive care units (Vincent et al., 2006). The number of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock is increasing because of increased life expectancy and the rise in the number of immunocompromised patients, among other reasons (Bonde et al., 2006).Large amounts of nitric oxide (NO) are produced by NO synthase (NOS) 2 (inducible NOS) isoform in response to an injury in the vascular endothelium (Chin-Wei et al., 2008), vascular smooth muscle (Rees et al., 1990), and myocardium (Niu et al., 2008). Increased NO production contributes to some of the key features of septic shock, such as severe hypotension, vascular hyporesponsiveness toward vasoconstrictors, and myocardial dysfunction. NOS inhibition studies in sepsis are mostly based on in vitro or animal studies (for review, see Assreuy, 2006). To date, all the NOS inhibitors that have been tested in the clinical setting are nonselective for the three NOS isoforms, which causes undesired side effects, such as excessive vasoconstriction, which was the most likely reason for a phase III study with a NOS inhibitor in human sepsis to be interrupted (López et al., 2004).Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) is a key element in NO signaling. This enzyme is usually a heterodimer of ␣ and ␤ subunits, and it is activated by NO binding to its heme This work was supported by

Sepsis induces increased expression and physical association of nitric oxide synthase 1/soluble guanylate cyclase and a higher production of cyclic guanosine monophosphate that together may help explain sepsis-induced vascular dysfunction. In addition, selective inhibition of nitric oxide synthase 1 restores the responsiveness to vasoconstrictors. Therefore, inhibition of nitric oxide synthase 1 (and possibly soluble guanylate cyclase) may represent a valuable alternative to restore the effectiveness of vasopressor agents during late sepsis.

Pretreatment of mice with Ro5-4864 or PK11195 inhibited the first- and second-phase responses in the formalin test and this effect was significantly reversed by aminoglutethimide, an inhibitor of pregnenolone synthesis, suggesting that the antinociceptive effect of the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor ligands is dependent on steroid formation. Doses of Ro5-4864 that did not produce an antinociceptive effect when injected by the intraperitoneal route presented an analgesic effect, if infected by the intracerebroventricular, intrathecal or intraplantar routes. PK11195 pretreatments with intrathecal, intracerebroventricular or intraplantar doses had no effect in the formalin test. These results suggest that the antinociceptive effect of Ro5-4864 reflects the influence of this ligand on steroid production not only in many nonneuronal peripheral tissues but also in the nervous system, while the antinociceptive action of PK11195 may be due to the stimulation of steroid synthesis only in nonnervous tissues.

Background:Many fruits have been used as nutraceuticals because the presence of bioactive molecules that play biological activities.Objective:The present study was designed to compare the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of methanolic extracts of Lycium barbarum (GOJI), Vaccinium macrocarpon (CRAN) and Vaccinium myrtillus (BLUE).Materials and Methods:Mices were treated with extracts (50 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.), twice a day through 10 days. Phytochemical analysis was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant activity was determine by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, reducing power, lipid peroxidation thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), reduced glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) activity. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by paw edema followed by determination of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and TBARS.Results:High amount of phenolic compounds, including rutin, were identified in all berries extracts. However, quercetin was observed only in BLUE and CRAN. GOJI presents higher scavenging activity of DPPH radical and reducing power than BLUE and CRAN. The extracts improved antioxidant status in liver; BLUE showed the largest reduction (75.3%) in TBARS when compared to CRAN (70.7%) and GOJI (65.3%). Nonetheless, CAT activity was lower in BLUE group. However, hepatic concentrations of GSH were higher in animals treated with GOJI rather than CRAN and BLUE. Despite all fruits caused a remarkable reduction in paw edema and TBARS, only BLUE and CRAN were able to reduce MPO.Conclusion:These results suggest that quercetin, rutin, or other phenolic compound found in these berry fruits extracts could produce an anti-inflammatory response based on modulation of oxidative stress in paw edema model.SUMMARY Within fruits broadly consumed because of its nutraceuticals properties include, Lycium barbarum (Goji berry), Vaccinium myrtillus (Blueberry or Bilberry) and Vaccinium macrocarpon (Cranberry)The objectives of this study were the investigation and comparison of chemical composition, antioxidant activity “in vitro” and “in vivo” and anti inflammatory property of berry fruits bought dry form.In summary, two main findings can be addressed with this study: (1) Berry fruits presented antioxidant and anti inflammatory activities “in vitro” and “in vivo”; (2) the extracts of GOJI, CRAN, and BLUE modulate the inflammatory process by different mechanisms.