Protective effects of syringic acid, resveratrol and their combination against isoprenaline administered cardiotoxicity in wistar rats

Molecular mechanisms mediate roflumilast protective effect against isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury

BACKGROUND

Myocardial necrosis is one of the most common cardiac and pathological diseases. Unfortunately, using the available medical treatment is not sufficient to rescue the myocardium. So that, we aimed in our model to study the possible cardioprotective effect of roflumilast (ROF) in an experimental model of induced myocardial injury using a toxic dose of isoprenaline (ISO) and detecting the role of vascular endothelial growth factor/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (VEGF/eNOS) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate/cyclic adenosine monophosphate/ sirtuin1 (cGMP/cAMP/SIRT1) signaling cascade.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Animals were divided into five groups; control, ISO given group (150 mg/kg) i.p. on the 4th and 5th day, 3 ROF co-administered groups in different doses (0.25, 0.5, 1 mg/kg/day) for 5 days.

RESULTS

Our data revealed that ISO could induce cardiac toxicity as manifested by significant increases in troponin I, creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), and cleaved caspase-3 with toxic histopathological changes. Meanwhile, there were significant decreases in reduced glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), VEGF, eNOS, cGMP, cAMP and SIRT1. However, co-administration of ROF showed significant improvement and normalization of ISO induced cardiac damage.

CONCLUSION

We concluded that ROF successfully reduced ISO induced myocardial injury and this could be attributed to modulation of PDE4, VEGF/eNOS and cGMP/cAMP/SIRT1 signaling pathways with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties.

Glutathione system enhancement for cardiac protection: pharmacological options against oxidative stress and ferroptosis

The glutathione (GSH) system is considered to be one of the most powerful endogenous antioxidant systems in the cardiovascular system due to its key contribution to detoxifying xenobiotics and scavenging overreactive oxygen species (ROS). Numerous investigations have suggested that disruption of the GSH system is a critical element in the pathogenesis of myocardial injury. Meanwhile, a newly proposed type of cell death, ferroptosis, has been demonstrated to be closely related to the GSH system, which affects the process and outcome of myocardial injury. Moreover, in facing various pathological challenges, the mammalian heart, which possesses high levels of mitochondria and weak antioxidant capacity, is susceptible to oxidant production and oxidative damage. Therefore, targeted enhancement of the GSH system along with prevention of ferroptosis in the myocardium is a promising therapeutic strategy. In this review, we first systematically describe the physiological functions and anabolism of the GSH system, as well as its effects on cardiac injury. Then, we discuss the relationship between the GSH system and ferroptosis in myocardial injury. Moreover, a comprehensive summary of the activation strategies of the GSH system is presented, where we mainly identify several promising herbal monomers, which may provide valuable guidelines for the exploration of new therapeutic approaches.

Shenxiong glucose injection inhibits oxidative stress and apoptosis to ameliorate isoproterenol-induced myocardial ischemia in rats and improve the function of HUVECs exposed to CoCl2

Background: Shenxiong Glucose Injection (SGI) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula composed of ligustrazine hydrochloride and Danshen (Radix et rhizoma Salviae miltiorrhizae; Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, Lamiaceae). Our previous studies and others have shown that SGI has excellent therapeutic effects on myocardial ischemia (MI). However, the potential mechanisms of action have yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of SGI in MI treatment. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with isoproterenol (ISO) to establish the MI model. Electrocardiograms, hemodynamic parameters, echocardiograms, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and serum concentrations of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) were analyzed to explore the protective effect of SGI on MI. In addition, a model of oxidative damage and apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was established using CoCl₂. Cell viability, Ca²⁺ concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), apoptosis, intracellular ROS, and cell cycle parameters were detected in the HUVEC model. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2, Caspase-3, PARP, cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Cyt-c and Bax, and p-ERK1/2) was determined by western blotting, and the expression of cleaved caspase-3 was analyzed by immunofluorescence. Results: SGI significantly reduced ROS production and serum concentrations of cTnI and cTnT, reversed ST-segment elevation, and attenuated the deterioration of left ventricular function in ISO-induced MI rats. In vitro, SGI treatment significantly inhibited intracellular ROS overexpression, Ca²⁺ influx, MMP disruption, and G2/M arrest in the cell cycle. Additionally, SGI treatment markedly upregulated the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and downregulated the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins p-ERK1/2, mitochondrial Bax, cytoplasmic Cyt-c, cleaved caspase-3, and PARP. Conclusion: SGI could improve MI by inhibiting the oxidative stress and apoptosis signaling pathways. These findings provide evidence to explain the pharmacological action and underlying molecular mechanisms of SGI in the treatment of MI.

Syringic acid Attenuates Oxidative Stress in Plasma and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Syringic acid (SA) is a natural phenolic acid that possesses antioxidant properties. The current study aimed to assess the possible ameliorative effects of SA on oxidative stress in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Twenty-two healthy donors as well as 22 sex- and age-matched AML patients participated in the study. AML patients were at the time of diagnosis and before remission. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma samples were obtained and divided into four groups. The groups include: 1) buffer (B), containing isotonic phosphate buffer saline (100 mM, pH 7.4, 1 hr); 2) OX, containing solution subjected to iron-mediated oxidation (2.7 µM, 1 hr); 3) SA, containing SA solution (10 µM, 1 h) as ROS quencher and 4) SA + OX in which samples were pretreated with 10 µM of SA for 1 h, and then exposed to OX solution (2.7 µM) for 1 h. The results indicated that SA caused a significant increase in the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in PBMCs. Of note, the treatment of PBMCs and plasma samples of AML patients with SA was able to normalize the altered levels of GPX, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT). The antioxidant effect of SA was further confirmed by analyzing the total oxidant status, lipid peroxidation, and protein carbonylation in both plasma samples and PBMCs of AML patients. According to the results, it seems that SA has strong protective effects on oxidative stress by elevating the total antioxidant status (TAS) of PBMCs and plasma specimens from AML patients.

Ecogeographic Conditions Dramatically Affect Trans-Resveratrol and Other Major Phenolics’ Levels in Wine at a Semi-Arid Area

Grapevines are susceptible and responsive to their surrounding environment. Factors such as climate region and terroir are known to affect polyphenolic compounds in wine and therefore, its quality. The uniqueness of the terroir in Israel is the variety of soil types and the climatic conditions, ranging from Mediterranean to arid climates. Thus, understanding the effects of climate on grapevine performance in Israel may be a test case for the effect of climate change on grapevine at other areas in the future. First, we present a preliminary survey (2012–2014) in different climate zones and terroirs, which showed that trans-resveratrol concentrations in Merlot and Shiraz were high, while those of Cabernet Sauvignon were significantly lower. A further comprehensive countrywide survey (2016) of Merlot wines from 62 vineyards (53 wineries) compared several phenolic compounds’ concentrations between five areas of different climate and terroir. Results show a connection between trans-resveratrol concentrations, variety, and terroir properties. Furthermore, we show that trans-resveratrol concentrations are strongly correlated to humidity levels at springtime, precipitation, and soil permeability. This work can be considered a glimpse into the possible alterations of wine composition in currently moderate-climate wine-growing areas.

Potential of natural products in the treatment of myocardial infarction: focus on molecular mechanisms

Although conventional drugs are widely used in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD), they are being used less frequently due to concerns about possible side effects over the long term. There has been a renewed research interest in medicinal plant products, and their role in protecting the cardiovascular system and treating CVD, which are now being considered as potential alternatives to modern drugs. The most important mechanism causing damage to the myocardium after heart attack and reperfusion, is increased levels of free radicals and oxidative stress. Therefore, treatment approaches often focus on reducing free radicals or enhancing antioxidant defense mechanism. It has been previously reported that bioactive natural products can protect the heart muscle in myocardial infarction (MI). Since these compounds are readily available in fruits and vegetables, they could prevent the risk of MI if they are consumed daily. Although the benefits of a healthy diet are well known, many scientific studies have focused on whether pure natural compounds can prevent and treat MI. In this review we summarize the effects of curcumin, resveratrol, quercitin, berberine, and tanshinone on MI and CVD, and focus on their proposed molecular mechanisms of action.

Resveratrol Improves Bnip3-Related Mitophagy and Attenuates High-Fat-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction

Statin treatment reduces cardiovascular risk. However, individuals with well-controlled low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels may remain at increased risk owing to persistent high triglycerides and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Because resveratrol promotes glucose metabolism and mitigates cardiovascular disorders, we explored its mechanism of protective action on high-fat-induced endothelial dysfunction. Human umbilical venous endothelial cells were treated with oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) in vitro. Endothelial function, cell survival, proliferation, migration, and oxidative stress were analyzed through western blots, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, ELISA, and immunofluorescence. ox-LDL induced endothelial cell apoptosis, proliferation arrest, and mobilization inhibition, all of which resveratrol reduced. ox-LDL suppressed the activities of mitochondrial respiration complex I and III and reduced levels of intracellular antioxidative enzymes, resulting in reactive oxygen species overproduction and mitochondrial dysfunction. Resveratrol treatment upregulated Bnip3-related mitophagy and prevented ox-LDL-mediated mitochondrial respiration complexes inactivation, sustaining mitochondrial membrane potential and favoring endothelial cell survival. We found that resveratrol enhanced Bnip3 transcription through hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1) and 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Inhibition of AMPK and HIF1 abolished resveratrol-mediated protection of mitochondrial redox balance and endothelial viability. Together, these data demonstrate resveratrol reduces hyperlipemia-related endothelial damage by preserving mitochondrial homeostasis.

Green and Sustainable Valorization of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from Pinus By-Products

In Europe, pine forests are one of the most extended forests formations, making pine residues and by-products an important source of compounds with high industrial interest as well as for bioenergy production. Moreover, the valorization of lumber industry residues is desirable from a circular economy perspective. Different extraction methods and solvents have been used, resulting in extracts with different constituents and consequently with different bioactivities. Recently, emerging and green technologies as ultrasounds, microwaves, supercritical fluids, pressurized liquids, and electric fields have appeared as promising tools for bioactive compounds extraction in alignment with the Green Chemistry principles. Pine extracts have attracted the researchers’ attention because of the positive bioproperties, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-neurodegenerative, antitumoral, cardioprotective, etc., and potential industrial applications as functional foods, food additives as preservatives, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Phenolic compounds are responsible for many of these bioactivities. However, there is not much information in the literature about the individual phenolic compounds of extracts from the pine species. The present review is about the reutilization of residues and by-products from the pine species, using ecofriendly technologies to obtain added-value bioactive compounds for industrial applications.

Grape juice or wine: which is the best option?

Grapes used in the wine or juice production are mainly Vitis vinifera and Vitis labrusca and possess high amounts of polyphenolic compounds. These compounds are associated with the reduction of the inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, and protection against cardiovascular diseases. The industrial processes used for juice and wine production may interfere with the antioxidant composition of these products and the effects on human health. The aim of this review is to compare the effects of the consumption of wine or grape juice on cardiovascular risk factors. We used PRISMA guidelines and Medline/PUBMED and EMBASE to perform our search. The main effects of red wine and grape juice in humans were a reduction of body mass index, waist circumference, glycemia, plasma lipid peroxidation, total cholesterol, LDL-c, triglycerides, blood pressure, and homocysteine levels. Both wine and grape juice possess numerous bioactive compounds that are potentially responsible for many beneficial effects on human health. Nevertheless, there is a need for more double-blind, randomized controlled studies comparing the effects of juice and wine consumption without the biases that occur when comparisons are made with different populations, ages, doses, and different types of wine or juice.