Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic and multifactorial inflammatory conditions of the colonic mucosa (ulcerative colitis), characterized by increased and unbalanced immune response to external stimuli. Garlic and its bioactive constituents were reported to exert various biological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities. We aimed to evaluate the protective effects of a hydroalcoholic (GHE) and a water (GWE) extract from a Sicilian variety of garlic, known as Nubia red garlic, on an ex vivo experimental model of ulcerative colitis, involving isolated LPS-treated mouse colon specimens. Both extracts were able to counteract LPS-induced cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), and interleukin (IL)-6 gene expression in mouse colon. Moreover, the same extracts inhibited prostaglandin (PG)E2, 8-iso-PGF2α, and increased the 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid/serotonin ratio following treatment with LPS. In particular, GHE showed a better anti-inflammatory profile. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects induced by both extracts could be related, at least partially, to their polyphenolic composition, with particular regards to catechin. Concluding, our results showed that GHE and GWE exhibited protective effects in colon, thus suggesting their potential use in the prevention and management of ulcerative colitis.
Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae Family) is an important plant in Asia that has been used for treating different diseases, including fever due to malaria, wounds, tubercolisis, scabues, pain, convulsions, diabetes, and inflammation. In this study we aimed to evaluate the effects of different polarity extracts (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, ethanol/water (70 %) and water) from A. annua against the burden of inflammation and oxidative stress occurring in colon tissue exposed to LPS. In parallel, chemical composition, antiradical, and enzyme inhibition effects against α‐amylase, α‐glucosidase, tyrosinase, and cholinesterases were evaluated. The water extract contained the highest content of the total phenolic with 34.59 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g extract, while the hexane had the highest content of the total flavonoid (20.06 mg rutin equivalent (RE)/g extract). In antioxidant assays, the polar extracts (ethanol, ethanol/water and water) exhibited stronger radical scavenging and reducing power abilities when compared to non‐polar extracts. The hexane extract showed the best AChE, tyrosinase and glucosidase inhibitory effects. All extracts revealed effective anti‐inflammatory agents, as demonstrated by the blunting effects on COX‐2 and TNFα gene expression. These effects seemed to be not related to the only phenolic content. However, it is worthy of interest to highlight how the higher potency against LPS‐induced gene expression was shown by the water extract ; thus suggesting a potential phytotherapy application in the management of clinical symptoms related to inflammatory colon diseases, although future in vivo studies are needed to confirm such in vitro and ex vivo observations.
Pollen extract represents an innovative approach for the management of the clinical symptoms related to prostatitis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In this context, the aims of the present work were to analyze the phenolic composition of a hydroalcoholic extract of PollenAid Plus soft gel capsules, and to evaluate the extract’s cytotoxic effects, in human prostate cancer PC3 cells and human ovary cancer OVCAR-3 cells. Additionally, protective effects were investigated in isolated prostate and ovary specimens exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The phytochemical investigation identified catechin, chlorogenic acid, gentisic acid, and 3-hydroxytyrosol as the prominent phenolics. The extract did not exert a relevant cytotoxic effect on PC3 and OVCAR-3 cells. However, the extract showed a dose-dependent inhibition of pro-inflammatory IL-6 and TNF-α gene expression in prostate and ovary specimens, and the extract was effective in preventing the LPS-induced upregulation of CAT and SOD gene expression, which are deeply involved in tissue antioxidant defense systems. Finally, a docking approach suggested the capability of catechin and chlorogenic acid to interact with the TRPV1 receptor, playing a master role in prostate inflammation. Overall, the present findings demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of this formulation; thus, suggesting its capability in the management of the clinical symptoms related to prostatitis and PID.
To meet global energy demand, photovoltaic (PV) energy technologies should be rescaled and upgraded. A facile way is to head towards underwater PVs to create stable and reliable renewable energy sources in the aquatic regime. Current work comprehends an experimental study on the behavior of solar radiation and the performance of amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cell in diverse underwater conditions. The main focus of the study is to investigate the impact of water turbidity on insolation power and device performance at various depths. Both the irradiance power and the cell performance showed an inverse correlation with the water turbidity. The turbidity values for the lowest turbid double distilled water (DDW), low turbid lake water (LTLW), and high turbid lake water (HTLW) were measured to be 0.1 NTU, 2.5 NTU, and 6.6 NTU respectively. Also, a percentage drop in solar irradiance at a depth of 20 cm for different water types was captured.
Fomitopsis officinalis is a holartic polyporous mushroom that forms large fruiting bodies on old standing trees, fallen logs, or stumps. F. officinalis is a medicinal mushroom species that is most commonly used in traditional European medicine. In this study, we explore the spatial metabolic differences in F. officinalis’ mushroom parts, i.e., the cap (median and apical parts) and the hymenium. Additionally, chromatographic analysis was conducted in order to unravel the composition of specialized metabolites in the hydroalcoholic mushroom extracts. The potential antifungal and bacterial effects of extracts were tested against pathogen strains of Gram+ and Gram– bacteria, and yeast, dermatophytic, and fungal-pool species. Extracts from the apical part were the richest in terms of phenolic compounds; consistent with this finding, the extracts were also the most effective antiradical and antimicrobial agents with MIC values < 100 µg/mL for most of the tested bacterial and dermatophytic species. According to these findings, F. officinalis extracts are valuable sources of primary and secondary metabolites, thus suggesting potential applications in the formulation of food supplements with biological properties in terms of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.
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