Effects of a moderate iron overload and its interaction with yacon flour, and/or phytate, in the diet on liver antioxidant enzymes and hepatocyte apoptosis in rats

Vanillin serves as a potential substitute for chemical chelator desferal in iron-overloaded mice

PURPOSE

Iron toxicity occurs under iron-overloaded settings, such as a high iron diet and blood transfusion, and damages important organs. Vanillin has been proven to have potential iron chelation capability. Given the negative effects of commonly used iron chelators like deferoxamine (DFO), we sought to examine the iron chelation potency of vanillin and evaluate its potential effect in the treatment of iron overload-related disorders.

METHODS

42 male NMRI mice were prepared for this purpose, and except for the negative control group, iron overload conditions were generated in them by injecting iron. Then normal saline (as a control), vanillin, and DFO (n = 7) were subsequently given to iron-overloaded mice. In the following, the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase were measured in the blood serum, brain, kidney, spleen, lung, and liver tissues of mice. Furthermore, the level of lipid peroxidation was determined by measuring the amount of malondialdehyde. Also, Perl's and H&E staining were used to examine the physiopathology changes of tissues.

FINDINGS

Vanillin, a natural antioxidant compound, outperformed deferoxamine, a chemical iron chelator. Along with a decrease in iron content, the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase enhanced in the iron-overloaded groups that were treated with vanillin. The level of lipid peroxidation was also declined in the iron-overloaded mice receiving vanillin.

CONCLUSION

Vanillin can be used as a suitable substitute for chemical chelators with fewer side effects and equivalent efficiency. We encourage the use of this compound as a natural iron chelator following performing additional safety and efficacy studies.

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) Flour Reduces Inflammation and Had No Effects on Oxidative Stress and Endotoxemia in Wistar Rats with Induced Colorectal Carcinogenesis

Colorectal cancer has a high worldwide incidence. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of yacon flour (YF) on oxidative stress, inflammation, and endotoxemia in rats with induced colorectal cancer (CRC). The Wistar male rats were divided and kept for 8 weeks in four groups: S (basal diet, n = 10), Y (YF flour + basal diet, n = 10), C (CRC-induced control + basal diet, n = 12), CY (CRC-induced animals + YF, n = 12). CRC was induced by intraperitoneal injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (25 mg/kg body weight). Groups Y and CY received 7.5% of the prebiotic FOS from YF. The treatment with YF increased fecal secretory immunoglobulin A levels and decreased lipopolysaccharides, tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-12. However, no effect was observed on the oxidative stress by the total antioxidant capacity of plasma, anion superoxide, and nitric oxide analysis of the animals (p < 0.05). The short-chain fatty acids acetate, propionate, and butyrate showed interactions with NF-κB, TLR4, iNOS, and NADPH oxidase by in silico analysis and had a correlation (by the Person analysis) with CRC markers. The yacon flour treatment reduced the inflammation in rats with induced CRC, and could be a promising food to reduce the damages caused by colorectal cancer.

Iron Restriction Alleviates Atherosclerosis in ApoE KO Mice: An iTRAQ Proteomic Analysis

The "iron hypothesis" of atherosclerosis has long been controversial. Several studies have shown that dietary iron restriction or low-iron diets can effectively alleviate atherosclerosis in rabbits and mice. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of these phenomena remain to be elucidated. In this study, we further evaluated possible correlations between a low-iron diet and atherosclerosis alleviation by using a quantitative proteomic approach. For this purpose, apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE KO) mice were divided into three groups and fed a normal diet (ND), a high-fat diet (HFD), or a high-fat +low-iron diet (HFD + LI). Our results showed that the HFD-LI improved atherosclerosis by decreasing en face lesions of the aorta and reducing the accumulation of macrophages and disordered smooth muscle cells. HFD-LI also decreased iron levels, serum hepcidin levels and the serum concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The use of the isobaric tag for absolute quantification (iTRAQ) proteomic method and subsequent multi-technique molecular validation indicated that many of the proteins involved in atherosclerotic inflammation, vascular remodeling, and focal adhesion had significant changes in their expression among the diet groups. Importantly, the proteins Gal-3 and VCAM1, which are key participants of atherosclerosis pathogenesis, revealed lower expression after a low-iron diet. The present findings widely support the "iron hypothesis" of atherosclerosis. Further studies are suggested to fully understand the implications of these results.

Reduction of iron toxicity in the heart of iron-overloaded mice with natural compounds

BACKGROUND

Iron-overload is one of the risk factors in susceptible individuals. Iron-overload causes complications such as diastolic dysfunction, arrhythmias, ventricular dilation, and systolic dysfunction in the heart. Therefore, particular care is needed for those who need blood transfusions or patients with underlying heart diseases.

PURPOSE

In this study, we examined the ability of six compounds, hesperidin, coumarin, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and vanillin, to reduce the effects of iron-overdose in the heart of iron-overloaded mice.

METHODS

For this purpose, 84 mice were prepared and except for the control group, iron-overload conditions were created in them by injecting iron. The hearts of mice were then harvested and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase were evaluated. Additionally, the amount of lipid peroxidation was measured by assessing the quantity of malondialdehyde. The physiopathology of cardiac tissue was considered by Perl's and H&E staining.

RESULTS

According to the results, almost all natural compounds showed better performance than desferal, as an iron chelator chemical. Meanwhile, hesperidin, vanillin, and ferulic acid were the best antioxidant compounds and were able to improve the activity of antioxidant enzymes by reducing the amount of deposited iron.

CONCLUSION

We recommend the use of the above compounds as natural iron chelators after completing additional studies.

Berberine Is a Promising Alkaloid to Attenuate Iron Toxicity Efficiently in Iron-Overloaded Mice

Iron toxicity in iron-overloaded conditions, including high iron diet and blood transfusion, causes deleterious effects on vital organs. There currently are a number of chemical chelators in clinics to reduce iron concentration, for example , deferoxamine and deferiprone, but these produce diverse side effects. Hence, the need for a safe and effective iron chelator is demanded. To evaluate rigorously the potential of berberine on iron chelation and its anti-oxidant effect, 30 mice were divided into 5 groups of 6. Except for the control group, other groups received iron sucrose 5 times a week for 4 successive weeks as an i.p injection. Afterward, either berberine or deferoxamine was injected for 1 month. The mice were then euthanized and liver, kidney and lungs were carefully removed for biochemical and pathological analysis. In comparison with the iron group with an extraordinary amount of iron deposits, berberine (20 mg/kg/day) dramatically reduced iron sedimentation in all tissues ( P < 0.01). Moreover, berberine lowered clinical symptoms of iron overdose, including inflammation, fibrosis and tissue degeneration. In terms of the activity of antioxidant enzymes, catalase and superoxide dismutase, iron overdose greatly reduced their activity compared to the control group. Berberine progressively increased their activity in comparison with the controls by lowering oxidative conditions ( P < 0.05). Iron overdose similarly increased lipid peroxidation by increasing the level of malondialdehyde. Berberine promptly suppressed lipid peroxidation in an efficient manner and reduced the level of malondialdehyde, a marker of lipid peroxidation in the tissues. Accordingly, berberine, as a natural antioxidant compound, could adequately serve as a substitute for chemical chelators with fewer side effects and comparable effectiveness.

A Sustainable Wholesome Foodstuff; Health Effects and Potential Dietotherapy Applications of Yacon

A sustainable food supply is an ever-growing public and planetary health concern influenced by food culture, food practices, and dietary patterns. Globally, the consumption of plant foods that offer physiological and biochemical benefits is increasing. In recent years, products made from yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) tubers and leaves, e.g., in the form of syrup, powder, and herbal tea, have steadily emerged with scientific evidence to validate their possible health claims. Yacon was introduced to New Zealand in 1966, and its products can now be produced on a commercial scale. This paper reviews literature published mainly in the last 10 years concerning the health-related properties of yacon as a wholesome foodstuff and its bioactive components, e.g., fructooligosaccharides. Literature was sourced from Web of Science, PubMed, EBSCO Health, and Google Scholar up to June 2019. The potential markets for yacon in the field of food technology and new dietotherapy applications are discussed. Furthermore, the unique features of New Zealand-produced yacon syrup are introduced as a case study. The paper explores the scientific foundation in response to the growing public interest in why and how to use yacon.