Involvement of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in the anti-inflammatory effects of a red orange extract in human chondrocytes

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of multitarget hybrid molecules containing NHC-Au(I) complexes and carbazole moieties

N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) represent suitable ligands for rapid and efficient drug design, because they offer the advantage of being easily chemically modified and can bind several substituents, including transition metals as, for instance, gold derivatives. Gold-NHC complexes possess various biological activities and were demonstrated good candidates as anticancer drugs. Besides, carbazole derivatives are characterized by various pharmacological properties, such as anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-psychotropic. Amongst the latter, N-thioalkyl carbazoles were proved to inhibit cancer cells damaging the nuclear DNA, through the inhibition of human topoisomerases. Herein, we report the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of nine new hybrid molecules in which NHC-Au(I) complexes and N-alkylthiolated carbazoles are linked together, in order to obtain novel biological multitarget agents. We demonstrated that the lead hybrid complexes possess anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, with a high potential as useful tools for treating distinct aspects of several diseases, amongst them cancer.

Antioxidant Efficacy of a Standardized Red Orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) Extract in Elderly Subjects: A Randomized, Double Blind, Controlled Study

The world population is rapidly aging. This should cause us to reflect on the need to develop a new nutritional approach to mitigate the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced damage. A randomized, double blind, controlled study was carried out on 60 elderly male and female subjects. Product efficacy was measured before and after 2 and 8 weeks of product intake. The reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione concentrations in the erythrocytes and the reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) hematic concentration were measured to assess the antioxidant efficacy. The tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels in the serum were measured to assess the anti-inflammatory effectiveness. The wellbeing was assessed by Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire (male) and by Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) (female). Blood, urine analysis and electrocardiography (ECG) were carried out to assess the product's safety. The results showed that GSH/GSSG ratio increased by 22.4% and 89.0% after 2 and 8 weeks of product intake. Serum TNF-α levels decreased by 2.5% after 8 weeks of product intake. The SF-36 QoL and the MRS questionnaire outputs indicate, preliminarily, a positive effect of the extract intake in ameliorating the wellbeing of both male and female subjects. The product was well-tolerated. Our findings suggest that the test product has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory efficacy and has a positive effect on the wellbeing of elderly female and male subjects.

Role of iNOS in osteoarthritis: Pathological and therapeutic aspects

Accumulating evidence suggests that inflammation has a key role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Nitric oxide (NO) has been established as one of the major inflammatory mediators in OA and drives many pathological changes during the development and progression of OA. Excessive production of NO in chondrocytes promotes cartilage destruction and cellular injury. The synthesis of NO in chondrocytes is catalyzed by inducible NO synthase (iNOS), which is thereby an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of OA. A number of direct and indirect iNOS inhibitors, bioactive compounds, and plant-derived small molecules have been shown to exhibit chondroprotective effects by suppressing the expression of iNOS. Many of these iNOS inhibitors hold promise for the development of new, disease-modifying therapies for OA; however, attempts to demonstrate their success in clinical trials are not yet successful. Many plant extracts and plant-derived small molecules have also shown promise in animal models of OA, though further studies are needed in human clinical trials to confirm their therapeutic potential. In this review, we discuss the role of iNOS in OA pathology and the effects of various iNOS inhibitors in OA.

Cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties of high-molecular-weight hyaluronan enriched with red orange extract in human fibroblasts exposed to ultra violet light B irradiation

Ultraviolet (UV) light exposure is the primary factor responsible for skin photoaging, affecting all the skin layers, mainly through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), activation of inflammatory responses, and apoptosis. In keeping with this evidence, exogenous supplementation with dietary antioxidants has been shown to provide photoprotective benefits. Moreover, oral administration of hyaluronic acid (HA) has been proved to reduce the signs of aged skin, such as wrinkles, and increase hydration and elasticity. The combination of different biologically active substances in order to slow down the onset of skin aging could represent a promising preventive strategy against photoaging. In the present study, we investigated the effects of a dietary supplement (IALUTEC^® RED), consisting of high-molecular-weight HA (HMW-HA) combined with red orange extract (ROC-Red Orange Complex^® ), in human fibroblasts exposed to ultra violet light B-induced oxidative stress. Our study suggests that, in fibroblasts exposed to UVB light, IALUTEC^® RED is active in decreasing both the inflammatory response and the generation of ROS, two events that are involved in skin photoaging.

Effects of exercise on physical limitations and fatigue in rheumatic diseases

Physical activity covers not just sports but also simple everyday movements such as housework, walking and playing. Regular exercise has a great importance in maintaining good health, indeed inactivity is a risk factor for different chronic diseases. Physical exercise can play a crucial role in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, optimizing both physical and mental health, enhancing energy, decreasing fatigue and improving sleep. An exercise program for patients with rheumatic diseases aims to preserve or restore a range of motion of the affected joints, to increase muscle strength and endurance, and to improve mood and decrease health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. In this editorial I describe the benefits of the exercise on physical limitations and fatigue in rheumatic diseases that seem to have a short and long-term effectiveness. A literature review was conducted on PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar using appropriate keywords based on the present editorial.

The potential for dietary factors to prevent or treat osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease for which there are no disease-modifying drugs. It is a leading cause of disability in the UK. Increasing age and obesity are both major risk factors for OA and the health and economic burden of this disease will increase in the future. Focusing on compounds from the habitual diet that may prevent the onset or slow the progression of OA is a strategy that has been under-investigated to date. An approach that relies on dietary modification is clearly attractive in terms of risk/benefit and more likely to be implementable at the population level. However, before undertaking a full clinical trial to examine potential efficacy, detailed molecular studies are required in order to optimise the design. This review focuses on potential dietary factors that may reduce the risk or progression of OA, including micronutrients, fatty acids, flavonoids and other phytochemicals. It therefore ignores data coming from classical inflammatory arthritides and nutraceuticals such as glucosamine and chondroitin. In conclusion, diet offers a route by which the health of the joint can be protected and OA incidence or progression decreased. In a chronic disease, with risk factors increasing in the population and with no pharmaceutical cure, an understanding of this will be crucial.

Age-related changes in cellular protection, purification, and inflammation-related gene expression: role of dietary phytonutrients

Oxidative injury and inflammation are intimately involved in the aging process and the development of age-related diseases. To date, most nutritional antiaging strategies have focused solely on the delivery of exogenous antioxidants to combat the negative effects of aging. A promising new strategy is to identify nutrients and phytochemicals that can directly target intrinsic cytoprotective mechanisms, including modulation of the expression of (1) genes involved in the detoxification of xenobiotics, (2) genes involved in the synthesis and regulation of intrinsic antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes, (3) genes involved in the regulation of inflammation, and (4) vitagenes. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the age-related changes in gene expression related to oxidative stress, detoxification, and inflammatory processes, and to discuss natural compounds with the potential to oppose age-related changes in gene expression related to these processes, which therefore may be suitable for use in human antiaging research.

Effects of red orange juice intake on endothelial function and inflammatory markers in adult subjects with increased cardiovascular risk

BACKGROUND

Oxidative and inflammatory stresses are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with improved health and reduced cardiovascular risk. Red oranges have a high content of antioxidant and antiinflammatory substances, but there is a paucity of data concerning their effects on cardiovascular biomarkers in subjects with increased cardiovascular risk.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the effect of red orange juice intake on endothelial function, oxidative stress, and markers of inflammation in subjects with increased cardiovascular risk.

DESIGN

Nineteen nondiabetic subjects with increased cardiovascular risk (aged 27-56 y) were included in a randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind crossover study and compared with 12 healthy, nonobese control subjects. In 2 periods of 7 d each with a 3-d interval, each participant alternatively received 500 mL red orange juice/d and 500 mL placebo/d in a random sequence. All measurements were performed in the morning after overnight fasting.

RESULTS

Endothelial function, which was measured as flow-mediated dilation, significantly improved and was normalized (5.7% compared with 7.9%; P < 0.005) after 1 wk of red orange juice consumption. Similarly, concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, IL-6, and TNF-α significantly decreased (P < 0.001). Red orange juice had no significant effect on nitric oxide plasma concentrations.

CONCLUSION

A 7-d consumption of red orange juice ameliorates endothelial function and reduces inflammation in nondiabetic subjects with increased cardiovascular risk. This trial was registered at biomedcentral.com as ISRCTN39987296.

Potential interaction of natural dietary bioactive compounds with COX-2

Bioactive natural products present in the diet play an important role in several biological processes, and many have been involved in the alleviation and control of inflammation-related diseases. These actions have been linked to both gene expression modulation of pro-inflammatory enzymes, such as cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and to an action involving a direct inhibitory binding on this protein. In this study, several food-related compounds with known gene regulatory action on inflammation have been examined in silico as COX-2 ligands, utilizing AutoDock Vina, GOLD and Surflex-Dock (SYBYL) as docking protocols. Curcumin and all-trans retinoic acid presented the maximum absolute AutoDock Vina-derived binding affinities (9.3 kcal/mol), but genistein, apigenin, cyanidin, kaempferol, and docosahexaenoic acid, were close to this value. AutoDock Vina affinities and GOLD scores for several known COX-2 inhibitors significatively correlated with reported median inhibitory concentrations (R² = 0.462, P < 0.001 and R² = 0.238, P = 0.029, respectively), supporting the computational reliability of the predictions made by our docking simulations. Moreover, docking analysis insinuate the synergistic action of curcumin on celecoxib-induced inhibition of COX-2 may occur allosterically, as this natural compound docks to a place different from the inhibitor binding site. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of some food-derived molecules could be the result of their direct binding capabilities to COX-2, and this process can be modeled using protein-ligand docking methodologies.