Ginseng increases intestinal elimination of albendazole sulfoxide in the rat

Herbal products show potential drug interactions, some of them with adverse effects. The main aim of this work was to study the effect of Panax ginseng on the intestinal elimination of the benzimidazole derivative albendazole sulfoxide (ABZSO). An upper small intestine segment was isolated and perfused in situ with saline, while ABZSO solution (10 mg/kg i.v.) was administered intravenously. Blood samples and intestinal secretion were collected over 60 min and analysed by HPLC. The intestinal clearance of ABZSO was 0.106+/-0.010 ml/min. Systemic co-administration of ginseng (10 mg/kg i.v.) increased significantly (P<0.05) the clearance of ABZSO (0.132+/-0.005 ml/min). The increase in ABZSO elimination could be the result of the effect of ginseng on metabolic pathways. These results highlight the interactions between herbal products (sometimes dietary constituents) and drugs such as benzimidazoles, since ginseng modifies the luminal clearance of this anthelminthic drug and could potentially interfere with drugs that undergo the same intestinal processes.     

Quality Control and Assurance: crucial for the sustainability of the applied phycology industry

The chemical and nutritional properties of microalgae are well known, which has led to an ever expanding industry for foods and dietary supplements both in terms of quantity and products. Little has been done to regulate or control quality and assurance in the applied phycology industry and it is known that it varies considerably. Nutritional aspects of produced biomass and consumption as dietary supplements have become issues of concern, especially since the industry is lucrative and fast growing. Various claims are made regarding dietary and food supplements that include health, nutrition, structure and functioning, many often unsubstantiated. Although quality is a subjective term many organisations are involved in testing, controlling and determining criteria. Today quality is more than just standards where it is an "integrated quality management approach" involving amongst others "hazard analyses and critical control points" (HACCP) practices. Microalgae are not recognised as a food or food supplement and they are also not categorised under herbals or botanicals, but as "other supplements". Produced microalgal biomass is subject to contamination from the entire range of contaminants and pathogens. Contamination of products by algal toxins in mixed culture populations also occurs. The industry has largely regulated itself, but there is considerable scope for improvement. There is a need for support and dissemination of information in the industry.     

Green tea epigallocatechin gallate binds to and inhibits respiratory complexes in swelling but not normal rat hepatic mitochondria

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major flavonoid in green tea, is consumed via tea products and dietary supplements, and has been tested in clinical trials. However, EGCG can cause hepatotoxicity in humans and animals by unknown mechanisms. Here EGCG effects on rat liver mitochondria were examined. EGCG showed negligible effects on oxidative phosphorylation at 7.5–100 μM in normal mitochondria. However, respiratory chain complexes (RCCs) were profoundly inhibited by EGCG in mitochondria undergoing Ca²⁺ overload-induced mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT). As RCCs are located in mitochondrial inner membranes (IM) and matrix, it was reasoned that EGCG could not readily pass through IM to affect RCCs in normal mitochondria but may do so when IM integrity is compromised. This speculation was substantiated in three ways. (1) Purified EGCG-bound proteins were barely detectable in normal mitochondria and contained no RCCs as determined by Western blotting, but swelling mitochondria contained about 1.5-fold more EGCG-bound proteins which included four RCC subunits together with cyclophilin D that locates in mitochondrial matrix. (2) Swelling mitochondria consumed more EGCG than normal ones. (3) The MPT blocker cyclosporine A diminished the above-mentioned difference. Among four subunits of RCC II, only SDHA and SDHB which locate in mitochondrial matrix, but not SDHC or SDHD which insert into the IM, were found to be EGCG targets. Interestingly, EGCG promoted Ca²⁺ overload-induced MPT only when moderate MPT already commenced. This study identified hepatic RCCs as targets for EGCG in swelling but not normal mitochondria, suggesting EGCG may trigger hepatotoxicity by worsening pre-existing mitochondria abnormalities.     

Ischemia-induced angiogenesis is impaired in aminopeptidase A deficient mice via down-regulation of HIF-1α

Aminopeptidase A (APA; EC 3.4.11.7) is a transmembrane metalloprotease with several functions in tumor angiogenesis. To investigate the role of APA in the process of ischemia-induced angiogenesis, we evaluated the cellular angiogenic responses under hypoxic conditions and the process of perfusion recovery in the hindlimb ischemia model of APA-deficient (APA-KO; C57Bl6/J strain) mice.Western blotting of endothelial cells (ECs) isolated from the aorta of APA-KO mice revealed that the accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) protein in response to hypoxic challenge was blunted. Regarding the proteasomal ubiquitination, a proteasome inhibitor MG-132 restored the reduced accumulation of HIF-1α in ECs from APA-KO mice similar to control mice under hypoxic conditions. These were associated with decreased growth factor secretion and capillary formation in APA-KO mice. In the hindlimb ischemia model, perfusion recovery in APA-KO mice was decreased in accordance with a significantly lower capillary density at 2 weeks. Regarding vasculogenesis, no differences were observed in cell populations and distribution patterns between wild type and APA-KO mice in relation to endothelial progenitor cells.Our results suggested that Ischemia-induced angiogenesis is impaired in APA-KO mice partly through decreased HIF-1α stability by proteasomal degradation and subsequent suppression of HIF-1α-driven target protein expression such as growth factors. APA is a functional target for ischemia-induced angiogenesis.     

Comparison of acute absorption of commercially available chromium supplements

Chromium (Cr) supplements are available as picolinate, nicotinate or chloride (the latter primarily in multivitamin-mineral supplements). The picolinate form has been reported to be the best absorbed and most efficacious, but some reports question which form has superior absorption. The present study examined acute Cr absorption, based on 24h urinary Cr values, for picolinate, two types of nicotinate, and chloride in young adult, non-overweight females. College-aged women were given 200 microg of Cr as each of the four supplement types in random order accompanied by a small standardized meal, separated by at least a week washout. Cr picolinate produced significantly higher 24h urinary Cr than either of two nicotinate supplements or Cr chloride given in a multivitamin-mineral supplement. This difference was seen for absolute values of the urinary Cr and for percent increases. In conclusion, based on an indirect measure of acute absorption, Cr picolinate was superior to three other Cr complexes commonly sold as supplements.     

Comparison of neoeriocitrin and naringin on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation in MC3T3-E1

Naringin is considered the main effective compound of Drynaria Rhizome, which is used commonly in the treatment of osteoporosis in traditional Chinese medicine. However, we found neoeriocitrin, a new compound isolated from Drynaria Rhizome, showed a better activity than naringin on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation in MC3T3-E1. Both neoeriocitrin and naringin exhibited the best effect on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation at concentration of 2 μg/ml. Neoeriocitrin more significantly improved proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity as well as up-regulated Runx2, COLI and OCN expression by 56%, 37% and 14% respectively than naringin. Furthermore, neoeriocitrin could rescue the inhibition effect of cell differentiation induced by PD98059 to some degree. Therefore, neoeriocitrin may be a new promising candidate drug for treatment of osteoporosis.     

The presence of natural human antibodies reactive against pharmacologically active pectic polysaccharides from herbal medicines

Direct ELISA was performed using normal human sera and human colostrum, to analyse the presence of antibodies which react with pharmacologically active pectic polysaccharides isolated from plants used in traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine. All sera and colostrum were shown to contain IgM, IgG, IgA and secretory IgA class antibodies which react with the active pectic polysaccharides to different degrees. The reacting IgG antibody in normal human serum recognized the ramified regions (rhamnogalacturonan core with carbohydrate side-chains) of the pharmacologically active pectic polysaccharides as the active sites for complement-activating activity. Correlation analysis indicated that a significant and positive correlation was observed between reactivity with the reacting antibody of IgG class and the degree of complement-activating activity of the active polysaccharides.The reacting IgG class antibody, which was purified from normal human serum by affinity chromatography on bupleuran 2IIc (a pharmacologically active pectic polysaccharide from the roots of Bupleurum falcatum)-immobilized Sepharose, showed cross-reactivity not only with some other pharmacologically active pectic polysaccharides from other medicinal herbs but also with autoantigens such as single-strand DNA, myosin and tublin from mammals.     

Improvement in fermentation characteristics of degermed ground corn by lipid supplementation

With rapid growth of fuel ethanol industry, and concomitant increase in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), new corn fractionation technologies that reduce DDGS volume and produce higher value coproducts in dry grind ethanol process have been developed. One of the technologies, a dry degerm, defiber (3D) process (similar to conventional corn dry milling) was used to separate germ and pericarp fiber prior to the endosperm fraction fermentation. Recovery of germ and pericarp fiber in the 3D process results in removal of lipids from the fermentation medium. Biosynthesis of lipids, which is important for cell growth and viability, cannot proceed in strictly anaerobic fermentations. The effects of ten different lipid supplements on improving fermentation rates and ethanol yields were studied and compared to the conventional dry grind process. Endosperm fraction (from the 3D process) was mixed with water and liquefied by enzymatic hydrolysis and was fermented using simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. The highest ethanol concentration (13.7% v/v) was achieved with conventional dry grind process. Control treatment (endosperm fraction from 3D process without lipid supplementation) produced the lowest ethanol concentration (11.2% v/v). Three lipid treatments (fatty acid ester, alkylphenol, and ethoxylated sorbitan ester 1836) were most effective in improving final ethanol concentrations. Fatty acid ester treatment produced the highest final ethanol concentration (12.3% v/v) among all lipid supplementation treatments. Mean final ethanol concentrations of alkylphenol and ethoxylated sorbitan ester 1836 supplemented samples were 12.3 and 12.0% v/v, respectively.Mention of brand or firm names does not constitute an endorsement by University of Illinois or USDA above others of similar nature not mentioned