Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a major disease contributing to human death and is thought to be closely related to the aging process. The rich antioxidant substances in plants have been shown to play a role in delaying aging, and in recent years, significant research has focused on also examining their potential role in AD onset and progression. Many plant-derived antioxidant research studies have provided insights for the future treatment and prevention of AD. This article reviews various types of plant-derived antioxidants with anti-aging effects on neurons. Also it distinguishes the different types of active substances that exhibit different degrees of protection for the nervous system and summarizes the mechanism thereof. Plant-derived antioxidants with neuroprotective functions can protect various components of the nervous system in a variety of ways and can have a positive impact on interventions to prevent and alleviate AD. Furthermore, when considering neuroprotective agents, glial cells also contribute to the defense of the nervous system and should not be ignored.
This
study investigated the effects of a physiologically active
peptide derived from rice bran (KF-8) on oxidative stress in d-galactose (d-gal)-induced aging mice and the underlying
molecular mechanisms. The aging model was developed by subcutaneously
injecting Institute of Cancer Research mice with 250 mg/kg d-gal daily for 12 weeks and simultaneously treating them with 30
mg/kg KF-8. The relative expression levels of Nrf2 and NF-κB
in the liver were determined by the western blot. The regulation of
Nrf2 and NF-κBp65 by KF-8 was further validated in NIH/3T3 cells.
Compared with the control mice, the aging mice had significantly decreased
body weights as well as superoxide dismutase and GSH-Px levels (p < 0.05); however, they had increased serum reactive
oxygen species and malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels
accompanied by aortic and brain injuries. They also had elevated RAGE,
TLR4, IκB, Bax, and caspase-8 expressions and NF-κB/p65
phosphorylation but reduced BcL-2 expression in the liver. Moreover, in vitro experiments demonstrated that the pretreatment
of H2O2-treated NIH/3T3 cells with KF-8 significantly
mitigated the NF-κB signaling and attenuated the Nrf2 nuclear
transport (both p < 0.05). In conclusion, KF-8
treatment inhibited aging-induced oxidative stress-related organ injury
in mice by attenuating NF-κB/p38 signaling and preserving Nrf2
activity.
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological process through which epithelial cells differentiate into mesenchymal cells. EMT plays an important role in embryonic development and wound healing; however, EMT also contributes to some pathological processes, such as tumor metastasis and fibrosis. EMT mechanisms, including gene mutation and transcription factor regulation, are complicated and not yet well understood. In this review, we introduce some herbal active substances that exert antitumor activity through inhibiting EMT that is induced by hypoxia, high blood glucose level, lipopolysaccharide, or other factors.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.