Cancer-protective factors in fruits and vegetables: biochemical and biological background

Potential Phytochemicals for Prevention of Familial Breast Cancer with BRCA Mutations

Breast cancer has remained a global challenge and the second leading cause of cancer mortality in women and family history. Hereditary factors are some of the major risk factors associated with breast cancer. Out of total breast cancer cases, 5-10% account only for familial breast cancer, and nearly 50% of all hereditary breast cancer are due to BRCA1/BRCA2 germline mutations. BRCA1/2 mutations play an important role not only in determining the clinical prognosis of breast cancer but also in the survival curves. Since this risk factor is known, a significant amount of the healthcare burden can be reduced by taking preventive measures among people with a known history of familial breast cancer. There is increasing evidence that phytochemicals of nutrients and supplements help in the prevention and cure of BRCA-related cancers by different mechanisms such as limiting DNA damage, altering estrogen metabolism, or upregulating expression of the normal BRCA allele, and ultimately enhancing DNA repair. This manuscript reviews different approaches used to identify potential phytochemicals to mitigate the risk of familial breast cancer with BRCA mutations. The findings of this review can be extended for the prevention and cure of any BRCAmutated cancer after proper experimental and clinical validation of the data.

Evaluation of Quality Characteristics of Low-Nitrite Pork Sausages with Paprika Oleoresin Solution during Refrigerated Storage

The objective of this study was to evaluate quality characteristics of pork emulsified-sausage (ES) containing paprika oleoresin solution (POS) as a replacement for sodium nitrite (NaNO₂) during refrigerated storage. ESs were prepared with four treatments: 1) REF, 150 ppm NaNO₂; 2) CTL, 75 ppm NaNO₂; 3) TRT1, 75 ppm NaNO₂+0.1% POS (1% paprika oleoresin+99% sunflower seed oil); and 4) TRT2, 75 ppm NaNO₂+0.1% POS (5% paprika oleoresin+95% sunflower seed oil). The addition of POS into ES increased redness and yellowness but decreased lightness (p<0.05). TRT1 and TRT2 had higher redness and yellowness than CTL (p<0.05). TRT1 and TRT2 had lower total plate counts (Log CFU/g) than CTL due to antimicrobial activity of POS, regardless of its levels (p<0.05). Residual nitrite decreased with increasing storage time for all treatments. TRT2 had lower residual nitrite due to nitrite scavenging activity of POS (p<0.05). CTL had the highest thiobarbituric acid reactant substances (TBARS) among all treatments during storage. The addition of POS into ES showed nitrite scavenging activity during refrigerated storage. In conclusion, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the ES with a combination of POS and 75 ppm NaNO₂ were similar to those of REF (150 ppm NaNO₂), and improved color development of redness value. Therefore, the addition of POS could decrease the amount of nitrite in ESs, leading to healthier meat products.

Rubus idaeus L. (red raspberry) blocks UVB-induced MMP production and promotes type I procollagen synthesis via inhibition of MAPK/AP-1, NF-κβ and stimulation of TGF-β/Smad, Nrf2 in normal human dermal fibroblasts

Chronic exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes photo-oxidation, which in turn results in the upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and loss of collagen. Rubus idaeus L. (RI), also called red raspberry, is an important cash crop that contains abundant antioxidant compounds. Sanguiin H-6 and lambertianin C are the major ingredients presented in the extracts. Here, we studied the protective effect of RI on UVB-induced photoaging in normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs). We found that RI notably reduced UVB-induced MMPs secretion and pro-inflammatory mediators production, and significantly suppressed UVB-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor-κβ, as well as activator protein 1. Additionally, treatment of NHDFs with the ERK inhibitor (PD98059) and JNK inhibitor (SP600125) resulted in the reduction of UVB-induced MMP-1 and IL-6 expressions, which demonstrated that the inhibition of MMP-1 and IL-6 by RI is associated with the MAPK pathway. Furthermore, we also found that RI accelerated procollagen type I synthesis by activating the transforming growth factor-β/Smad pathway and enhanced the expression of cytoprotective antioxidants such as heme oxygenase-1 and NHD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 by promoting nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 nuclear transfer. Overall, these findings demonstrated that RI was potentially effective in preventing UVB induced skin photoaging.

Effects of noble metal nanoparticles on the hydroxyl radical scavenging ability of dietary antioxidants

Noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in many consumer products. Their effects on the antioxidant activity of commercial dietary supplements have not been well evaluated. In this study, we examined the effects of gold (Au NPs), silver (Ag NPs), platinum (Pt NPs), and palladium (Pd NPs) on the hydroxyl radical (·OH) scavenging ability of three dietary supplements vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid, AA), (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and gallic acid (GA). By electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trapping measurement, the results show that these noble metal NPs can inhibit the hydroxyl radical scavenging ability of these dietary supplements.

Epidemiology of Renal Cell Carcinoma

The increasing incidence of RCC in most populations may in part be due to increasing numbers of incidentally detected cancers with new imaging methods. Further, the increase is not only limited to small local tumours but also includes more advanced tumours, which may to some part explain the still high mortality rates. The variation in incidence between populations may have several other explanations. Traditionally the starting point has included thoughts of environmental exposures, which so far have only in part explained the causes of RCC, by means of cigarette smoking and obesity, which may account for approximately 40% of cases in high-risk countries (Table 2). Further, the genetic variations may be of importance as a cause of the difference between populations. Continued research in RCC is needed with the knowledge that nearly 50% of patients die within 5 years after diagnosis. The further search for environmental exposures should take in account the knowledge that RCC consists of different types with specific genetic molecular characteristics. These genetic alterations have in some cases been suggested to be associated with specific exposures. Furthermore, there might exist a modulating effect of genetic polymorphisms among metabolic activation and detoxification enzymes. Hence, a further understanding of the genetic and molecular processes involved in RCC will hopefully give us a better knowledge how to analyse and interpret exposure associations that have importance for both initiation and progression of RCC.

Mesenchymal stem cell therapy promotes the improvement and recovery of renal function in a preclinical model

Acute renal failure (ARF) is an extremely important public health issue in need of novel therapies. The present study aimed to evaluate the capacity of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy to promote the improvement and recovery of renal function in a preclinical model. Wistar rats were used as the experimental model, and our results show that cisplatin (5mg/kg) can efficiently induce ARF, as measured by changes in biochemical (urea and creatinine) and histological parameters. MSC therapy performed 24h after the administration of chemotherapy resulted in normalized plasma urea and creatinine levels 30 and 45d after the onset of kidney disease. Furthermore, MSC therapy significantly reduced histological changes (intratubular cast formation in protein overload nephropathy and tubular hydropic degeneration) in this ARF model. Thus, considering that current therapies for ARF are merely palliative and that MSC therapy can promote the improvement and recovery of renal function in this model system, we suggest that innovative/alternative therapies involving MSCs should be considered for clinical studies in humans to treat ARF.

Raman Spectroscopic Measurements of Dermal Carotenoids in Breast Cancer Operated Patients Provide Evidence for the Positive Impact of a Dietary Regimen Rich in Fruit and Vegetables on Body Oxidative Stress and BC Prognostic Anthropometric Parameters: A Five-Year Study

Dermal carotenoids are a feasible marker of the body antioxidative network and may reveal a moderate to severe imbalance of the redox status, thereby providing indication of individual oxidative stress. In this work noninvasive Resonance Raman Spectroscopy (RRS) measurements of skin carotenoids (skin carotenoid score (SCS)) were used to provide indications of individual oxidative stress, each year for five years, in 71 breast cancer (BC) patients at high risk of recurrence. Patients' SCS has been correlated with parameters relevant to BC risk, waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI), in the aim of monitoring the effect of a dietary regimen intended to positively affect BC risk factors. The RRS methodological approach in BC patients appeared from positive correlation between patients' SCS and blood level of lycopene. The level of skin carotenoids was inversely correlated with the patients' WC and BMI. At the end of the 5 y observation BC patients exhibited a significant reduction of WC and BMI and increase of SCS, when strictly adhering to the dietary regimen. In conclusion, noninvasive measurements of skin carotenoids can (i) reveal an oxidative stress condition correlated with parameters of BC risk and (ii) monitor dietary-related variations in BC patients.

Enrichment of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) diet with palm fruit extracts and probiotics: Effects on skin mucosal immunity

Fish skin mucus contains numerous immune substances still poorly studied. To date, there are no studies regarding the possible influence of dietary supplements on such important substances. In the present work, a commercial diet used as control diet was enriched with: 1) probiotic Shewanella putrefaciens (Pdp11 diet, 10(9) cfu g(-1)); 2) probiotic Bacillus sp. (Bacillus diet, 10(9) ufc g(-1)); 3) aqueous date palm fruits extracts (DPE diet, 4%), and 4) a combination of Pdp11 + Bacillus sp + aqueous DPE (Mix diet). After 2 and 4 weeks of the feeding trial, enzymatic activities (proteases, antiproteases and peroxidases), IgM levels and terminal carbohydrates abundance were determined in skin mucus. In addition, the expression of certain immune related genes was evaluated in the skin. Our results demonstrated the significant alteration of the terminal carbohydrate abundance in skin mucus. Carbohydrates more affected by experimental diets were N-acetyl-galactosamine, N-acetyl-glucosamine, galactose, mannose, glucose and fucose. IgM, peroxidase activity and protease were also significantly higher in fish fed enriched diets. For last, an important up-regulation on the immune related gene studied on the skin was also detected. Present findings provide robust evidence that fish skin mucosal immunity can be improved by the diet.

Effects of date palm fruit extracts on skin mucosal immunity, immune related genes expression and growth performance of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fry

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of date palm fruit extracts (DPFE) on skin mucosal immunity, immune related genes expression and growth performance of fry common carp (Cyprinus carpio). One hundred and twenty specimens (4.06 ± 0.13 g) were supplied and allocated into six aquaria; specimens in three aquaria were fed non-supplemented diet (control) while the fish in the other 3 aquaria were fed with DPFE at 200 ml kg(-1). At the end of feeding trial (8 weeks) skin mucus immune parameters (total immunoglobulins, lysozyme, protease and alkaline phosphatase activity) and immune related gene expression (tumor necrosis factor α [tnfa], lysozyme [ly] and interleukin-1-beta, [il1b]) in the head-kidney were studied. The results revealed that feeding carp fry with 200 ml kg(-1) DPFE remarkably elevated the three skin mucus immune parameters tested (P < 0.05). However, evaluation of immune related gene expression demonstrated that the expression of tnfa and il1b was considerably decreased (P < 0.05) in fish fed DPFE diet, while the expression of ly remained similar (P > 0.05) compared to control fish (fed control diet). Furthermore, growth performance parameters were significantly improved in fry fed DPFE (P < 0.05). More studies are needed to understand different aspects of DPFE administration in fry mucosal immunity.

Synergistic anticancer activity of capsaicin and 3,3'-diindolylmethane in human colorectal cancer

Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A promising area of cancer research is focused on chemoprevention by nutritional compounds. Epidemiological studies have shown a strong negative correlation between fruit, vegetable, and spice intake and rates of cancer. Although individual active compounds have demonstrated significant anticancer activity, an emerging area of research is focusing on the combination of multiple dietary compounds that act synergistically on cancer to exert greater effects. The current study evaluated the potential synergistic effects of capsaicin, an active compound from red chili peppers, in combination with 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), from cruciferous vegetables. A synergistic induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation was observed in human colorectal cancer cells treated with the combination of capsaicin and DIM. It was also observed that these two compounds activated transcriptional activity of NF-κB and p53 synergistically. Combination treatment stabilized nuclear p53 and up- or down-regulated expression of several target genes that are downstream of NF-κB and p53. The present study suggests capsaicin and DIM work synergistically to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in colorectal cancer through modulating transcriptional activity of NF-κB, p53, and target genes associated with apoptosis.

Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Content of Various Solvent Extracts from In Vivo and In Vitro Grown Trifolium pratense L. (Red Clover)

In the present study the extracts of in vivo and in vitro grown plants as well as callus tissue of red clover were tested for their antioxidant activities, using different extraction solvent and different antioxidant assays. The total flavonoid and phenolic contents as well as extraction yield of the extracts were also investigated to determine their correlation with the antioxidant activity of the extracts. Among all the tested extracts the highest amounts of total phenolic and total flavonoids content were found in methanol extract of in vivo grown plants. The antioxidant activity of tested samples followed the order in vivo plant extract > callus extract > in vitro extract. The highest reducing power, 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging, and chelating power were found in methanol extracts of in vivo grown red clover, while the chloroform fraction of in vivo grown plants showed the highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging and hydrogen peroxide scavenging compared to the other tested extracts. A significant correlation was found between the antioxidant activity of extracts and their total phenolic and total flavonoid content. According to the findings, the extract of in vitro culture of red clover especially the callus tissue possesses a comparable antioxidant activity to the in vivo cultured plants' extract.

Determination of some heavy metal levels in soft drinks on the Ghanaian market using atomic absorption spectrometry method

Twenty-three soft drink samples (i.e., four pineapple-based fruit drinks, eight citrus-based fruit juices, one soya-based drink, three cola carbonated drinks, one apple-based fruit drink, and six cocktail fruit drinks) were randomly purchased from retail outlets in an urban market in Accra and analyzed for the concentrations of iron, cobalt, cadmium, zinc, lead, and copper using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean concentration of iron and cadmium were 0.723 ± 0.448 mg/L and 0.032 ± 0.012 mg/L, respectively. The mean cobalt concentration was 0.071 ± 0.049 mg/L, while the mean Zn concentration in the samples was 0.060 ± 0.097 mg/L. The mean concentrations of Pb and Cu in the fruit juice samples were 0.178 ± 0.091 mg/L and 0.053 ± 0.063 mg/L respectively. About 78 % of the samples exceeded the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contaminant level of 0.3 mg/L prescribed for iron, whereas all the samples exceeded the USEPA maximum contaminant level of 0.005 mg/L prescribed for cadmium. About 91 % of the samples exceeded the EU maximum contaminant level prescribed for lead insoft drinks.

Effect of dietary supplementation of probiotics and palm fruits extracts on the antioxidant enzyme gene expression in the mucosae of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.)

Antioxidant activity is particularly important, since oxidation is an unavoidable reaction in all living bodies. At present, natural antioxidants to be used on food as an alternative to synthetic ones are being sought. Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) specimens were fed for 4 weeks with diets enriched with bacterial probiotics (Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 and Bacillus sp), single or in combination with Tunisian dates palm fruit extracts. The expression of the main antioxidant enzyme genes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase) in the mucosae (gut, skin and gill) was evaluated after 2 and 4 weeks. Previously, free radical scavenging and several antioxidant assays were developed to know the antioxidant properties present on the palm fruits extracts. The results demonstrated that experimental diets alter the expression of the studied antioxidant genes, primarily in the gill and skin. Furthermore, the tested probiotics and mainly, the aqueous date palm fruits extracts had significant antioxidant properties based on their protective effect against the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species, especially when administering during 4 weeks. For this reason, probiotics and date palm fruit extracts may serve as good natural antioxidants and could potentially be considered as a functional food ingredient for fish in farms.

Kinetic modeling of ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from grape marc: influence of acoustic energy density and temperature

The effects of acoustic energy density (6.8-47.4 W/L) and temperature (20-50 °C) on the extraction yields of total phenolics and tartaric esters during ultrasound-assisted extraction from grape marc were investigated in this study. The ultrasound treatment was performed in a 25-kHz ultrasound bath system and the 50% aqueous ethanol was used as the solvent. The initial extraction rate and final extraction yield increased with the increase of acoustic energy density and temperature. The two site kinetic model was used to simulate the kinetics of extraction process and the diffusion model based on the Fick's second law was employed to determine the effective diffusion coefficient of phenolics in grape marc. Both models gave satisfactory quality of data fit. The diffusion process was divided into one fast stage and one slow stage and the diffusion coefficients in both stages were calculated. Within the current experimental range, the diffusion coefficients of total phenolics and tartaric esters for both diffusion stages increased with acoustic energy density. Meanwhile, the rise of temperature also resulted in the increase of diffusion coefficients of phenolics except the diffusion coefficient of total phenolics in the fast stage, the value of which being the highest at 40 °C. Moreover, an empirical equation was suggested to correlate the effective diffusion coefficient of phenolics in grape marc with acoustic energy density and temperature. In addition, the performance comparison of ultrasound-assisted extraction and convention methods demonstrates that ultrasound is an effective and promising technology to extract bioactive substances from grape marc.

β-Sitosterol induces G1 arrest and causes depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential in breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells

BACKGROUNDS

It is suggested that dietary phytosterols, such as β-sitosterol (ST), have cancer chemopreventive effects; however, studies are limited to support such claims. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of ST on three different human cancer cell lines including skin epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells, lung epithelial carcinoma A549 cells and breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231.

METHODS

Cell growth assay, cell cycle analysis, FACS, JC-1 staining, annexin V staining and immunoblotting were used to study the efficacy of ST on cancer cells.

RESULTS

ST (30-90 μM) treatments for 48 h and 72 h did not show any significant effect on cell growth and death in A431 cells. Whereas similar ST treatments moderately inhibited the growth of A549 cells by up to 13% (p ≤ 0.05) in 48 h and 14% (p ≤ 0.05-0.0001) in 72 h. In MDA-MB-231 cells, ST caused a significant dose-dependent cell growth inhibition by 31- 63% (p ≤ 0.0001) in 48 h and 40-50% (p ≤ 0.0001) in 72 h. While exploring the molecular changes associated with strong ST efficacy in breast cancer cells, we observed that ST induced cell cycle arrest as well as cell death. ST caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest which was accompanied by a decrease in CDK4 and cyclin D1, and an increase in p21/Cip1and p27/Kip1 protein levels. Further, cell death effect of ST was associated with induction of apoptosis. ST also caused the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and increased Bax/Bcl-2 protein ratio.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest prominent in vitro anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of ST in MDA-MB-231 cells. This study provides valuable insight into the chemopreventive efficacy and associated molecular alterations of ST in breast cancer cells whereas it had only moderate efficacy on lung cancer cells and did not show any considerable effect on skin cancer cells. These findings would form the basis for further studies to understand the mechanisms and assess the potential utility of ST as a cancer chemopreventive agent against breast cancer.

In vivo evaluation of the antimutagenic and antigenotoxic effects of β-glucan extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in acute treatment with multiple doses

Ample evidence suggests that cancer is triggered by mutagenic damage and diets or supplements capable of reducing such incidences can be related to the prevention of neoplasy development or to an improvement in life quality of patients who undergo chemotherapy. This research aimed to evaluate the antimutagenic and antigenotoxic activity of β-glucan. We set up 8 experimental groups: control (Group 1), cyclophosphamide (Group 2), Groups 3–5 to assess the effect of β-glucan administration, and Groups 6–8 to evaluate the association between cyclophosphamide and β-glucan. The intraperitonial concentrations of β-glucan used were 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg. Micronucleus and comet assays showed that within the first week of treatment β-glucan presented a damage reduction rate between 100–62.04% and 94.34–59.52% for mutagenic and genotoxic damages, respectively. This activity decreased as the treatment was extended. During the sixth week of treatment antimutagenicity rates were reduced to 59.51–39.83% and antigenotoxicity was not effective. This leads to the conclusion that the efficacy of β-glucan in preventing DNA damage is limited when treatment is extended, and that its use as a chemotherapeutic adjuvant need to be better clarified.

Polar biophenolics in sweet potato greens extract synergize to inhibit prostate cancer cell proliferation and in vivo tumor growth

Polyphenolic phytochemicals present in fruits and vegetables indisputably confer anticancer benefits upon regular consumption. Recently, we demonstrated the growth-inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing properties of polyphenol-rich sweet potato greens extract (SPGE) in cell culture and in vivo prostate cancer xenograft models. However, the bioactive constituents remain elusive. Here, we report a bioactivity-guided fractionation of SPGE based upon differential solvent polarity using chromatographic techniques that led to the identification of a remarkably active polyphenol-enriched fraction, F5, which was ~100-fold more potent than the parent extract as shown by IC50 measurements in human prostate cancer cells. High-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet and mass spectrometric analyses of the seven SPGE fractions suggested varying abundance of the major phenols, quinic acid (QA), caffeic acid, its ester chlorogenic acid, and isochlorogenic acids, 4,5-di-CQA, 3,5-di-CQA and 3,4-di-CQA, with a distinct composition of the most active fraction, F5. Subfractionation of F5 resulted in loss of bioactivity, suggesting synergistic interactions among the constituent phytochemicals. Quantitative analyses revealed a ~2.6- and ~3.6-fold enrichment of QA and chlorogenic acid, respectively, in F5 and a definitive ratiometric relationship between the isochlorogenic acids. Daily oral administration of 400mg/kg body wt of F5 inhibited growth and progression of prostate tumor xenografts by ~75% in nude mice, as evidenced by tumor volume measurements and non-invasive real-time bioluminescence imaging. These data generate compelling grounds to further examine the chemopreventive efficacy of the most active fraction of SPGE and suggest its potential usefulness as a dietary supplement for prostate cancer management.

Ginger phytochemicals exhibit synergy to inhibit prostate cancer cell proliferation

Dietary phytochemicals offer nontoxic therapeutic management as well as chemopreventive intervention for slow-growing prostate cancers. However, the limited success of several single-agent clinical trials suggest a paradigm shift that the health benefits of fruits and vegetables are not ascribable to individual phytochemicals, rather may be ascribed to synergistic interactions among them. We recently reported growth-inhibiting and apoptosis-inducing properties of ginger extract (GE) in in vitro and in vivo prostate cancer models. Nevertheless, the nature of interactions among the constituent ginger biophenolics, viz. 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, and 6-shogoal, remains elusive. Here we show antiproliferative efficacy of the most-active GE biophenolics as single-agents and in binary combinations, and investigate the nature of their interactions using the Chou-Talalay combination index (CI) method. Our data demonstrate that binary combinations of ginger phytochemicals synergistically inhibit proliferation of PC-3 cells with CI values ranging from 0.03 to 0.88. To appreciate synergy among phytochemicals present in GE, the natural abundance of ginger biophenolics was quantitated using LC-UV/MS. Interestingly, combining GE with its constituents (in particular, 6-gingerol) resulted in significant augmentation of GE's antiproliferative activity. These data generate compelling grounds for further preclinical evaluation of GE alone and in combination with individual ginger biophenols for prostate cancer management.

Juice, pulp and seeds fractionated from dry climate primocane raspberry cultivars (Rubus idaeus) have significantly different antioxidant capacity, anthocyanin content and color

Raspberries contain flavonoid antioxidants whose relative concentrations may vary between the juice, pulp, and seed fractions. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), total anthocyanin content, and berry color were determined for six cultivars of primocane raspberries grown in a dry climate (Utah, USA). Significant ORAC differences were found between juice (18.4 ± 0.39 μmol TE/g), pulp (24.45 ± 0.43), and seeds (273.27 ± 11.15) with all Utah cultivars combined. A significantly higher concentration of anthocyanins was present in Utah raspberry juice (20.86 ± 0.35 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside eq./100 g), compared to pulp (13.96 ± 0.35). Anthocyanin content of juice and pulp were significantly positively correlated with dark color (L*). This is the first report of fractional differences in dry climate raspberries, and has implications for the juice and supplement industries.

Daily apple versus dried plum: impact on cardiovascular disease risk factors in postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests that consumption of apple or its bioactive components modulate lipid metabolism and reduce the production of proinflammatory molecules. However, there is a paucity of such research in human beings.

OBJECTIVE

Women experience a lower rate of cardiovascular disease before menopause compared with men. However, after the onset of menopause, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases drastically due to ovarian hormone deficiency. Hence, we conducted a 1-year clinical trial to evaluate the effect of dried apple vs dried plum consumption in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors in postmenopausal women.

DESIGN

One-hundred sixty qualified postmenopausal women were recruited from the greater Tallahassee, FL, area during 2007-2009 and were randomly assigned to one of two groups: dried apple (75 g/day) or dried plum (comparative control). Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months to measure various parameters. Physical activity recall and 7-day dietary recall were also obtained.

RESULTS

Neither of the dried fruit regimens significantly affected the participants' reported total energy intake throughout the study period. On the contrary, women who consumed dried apple lost 1.5 kg body weight by the end of the study, albeit not significantly different from the dried plum group. In terms of cholesterol, serum total cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the dried apple group compared with the dried plum group only at 6 months. Although dried plum consumption did not significantly reduce serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, it lowered their levels numerically by 3.5% and 8%, respectively, at 12 months compared with baseline. This may explain the lack of significance observed between the groups. However, within the group, women who consumed dried apple had significantly lower serum levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 9% and 16%, respectively, at 3 months compared with baseline. These serum values were further decreased to 13% and 24%, respectively, after 6 months but stayed constant thereafter. The within-group analysis also reported that daily apple consumption profoundly improved atherogenic risk ratios, whereas there were no significant changes in lipid profile or atherogenic risk ratios as a result of dried plum consumption. Both dried fruits were able to lower serum levels of lipid hydroperoxide and C-reactive protein. However, serum C-reactive protein levels were significantly lower in the dried plum group compared with the dried apple group at 3 months.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no significant differences between the dried apple and dried plum groups in altering serum levels of atherogenic cholesterols except total cholesterol at 6 months. However, when within treatment group comparisons are made, consumption of 75 g dried apple (about two medium-sized apples) can significantly lower atherogenic cholesterol levels as early as 3 months. Furthermore, consumption of dried apple and dried plum are beneficial to human health in terms of anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties.

Comparative evaluation of some macro- and micro-element and heavy metal contents in commercial fruit juices

Micro- and macro-element contents of several commercial fruit juices purchased from marked were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Among the minor elements determined, Zn, Cu, Mn, Mo, Co, Cd and Ni were found to be lover. Major mineral contents of fruit juices were established as Ca, K, Mg and P. The potassium contents of fruit juices were determined at the higher levels. K contents of fruit juices ranged between 475 mg/kg (B apricot) and 1478 mg/kg (B peach). In addition while Ca contents of fruit juices change between 19.3 mg/kg (E cherry) and 81.8 mg/kg (C orange), Mg contents ranged at the levels between 23.7 mg/kg (A apricot) and 65.4 mg/kg (D orange). Generally Ca and contents of peach, orange and apricot juices that belong to A and D companies were determined at the high levels.

Antioxidant activity and characterization of phenolic compounds from bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba Mart.) fruit by HPLC-DAD-MS(n)

The phytochemicals in fruits have been shown to be major bioactive compounds with regard to health benefits. Bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba Mart.) is a native palm fruit from the Brazilian savannah and Amazon rainforest that plays an important role in the diet of rural communities and is also a source of income for poor people. This paper reports the characterization and analyses of phenolics from bacaba fruit extract. The total phenolic content of bacaba fruit amounted to 1759.27 ± 1.01 mg GAE/100 g, the flavonoid content was 1134.32 ± 0.03 mg CTE/100 g, and the anthocyanin content was 34.69 ± 0.00 mg cyn-3-glc/100 g. The antioxidant activity was evaluated through different assays [ORAC, FRAP, DPPH, TEAC, and cellular antioxidant assay (CAA) assays] and revealed a significant antioxidant capacity for bacaba in comparison to the data available in the literature. The assignment of the phenolic compounds using HPLC-DAD-MS(n) was based on the evaluation of their UV-vis absorption maxima (λ(max)) and mass spectral analyses, and 14 compounds were tentatively identified. The results suggest that bacaba fruits are a promising source of phenolics.

Modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by bioactive food components

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, one of the most conserved intercellular signaling cascade, is a known regulator of cellular functions related to tumor initiation and progression, cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and adhesion. Because aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been observed in a variety of human cancers including a majority of colorectal cancers, about half of prostate cancers and a third of melanomas, inhibitors of its complex signaling pathways are being investigated for therapy as well as chemoprevention of these cancers. During the last decade, several naturally occurring dietary agents have been shown to target intermediates in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In this review, we highlight the current understanding of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and present an analysis of the key findings from laboratory studies on the effects of a panel of dietary agents against a variety of cancers. Promise of these agents for treating and preventing human cancer is then discussed.

Effect of dragon fruit extract on oxidative stress and aortic stiffness in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats

Cardiovascular complications are consistently observed in diabetic patients across all age groups. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of the fruit pulp of Hylocereus undatus (DFE) on aortic stiffness and oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. Twenty-four male, Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into four groups: I (control), II (diabetic), III (DFE, 250 mg/kg) and IV (DFE 500 mg/kg). Diabetes was induced in groups II, III and IV by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of STZ (40 mg/kg). After confirmation of diabetes, group III and IV received DFE for 5 weeks. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was used as a marker of aortic stiffness and was determined at the end of 5 weeks. DFE significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the fasting blood glucose levels in diabetic rats, but not to normal levels. Systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure and PWV were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in diabetic rats at the end of 5 weeks in comparison with control group. DFE treatment significantly decreased (P < 0.05) these elevations. Oxidative damage was observed in group II after 5 weeks. Plasma malondialdehyde levels significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity significantly increased (P < 0.05) with DFE treatment in comparison with group II. These data demonstrate that DFE treatment was effective in controlling oxidative damage and decreasing the aortic stiffness measured by PWV in STZ-induced diabetes in rats.

Combinatorial strategies employing nutraceuticals for cancer development

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Therefore, the fight against cancer is one of the most important areas of research in medicine, and one that possibly contributes to the increased interest in chemoprevention as an alternative approach to the control of cancer. Cancer prevention by nutraceuticals present in fruits and vegetables has received considerable attention because of their low cost and wide safety margin. A substantial amount of evidence from human, animal, and cell culture studies has shown cancer chemopreventive effects from these natural products. However, single-agent intervention has failed to produce the expected outcome in clinical trials; therefore, combinations of nutraceuticals are gaining increasing popularity. Thus, combinations of nutraceuticals that mimic real-life situations and are competent in targeting multiple targets with very little or virtually no toxicity are needed. In this review, we summarize the results of those studies that report combinatorial cancer chemopreventive action of various nutraceuticals and their combinations with anticancer drugs.

Influence of sonication on the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Terminalia catappa L. leaves

Aim:

This study was designed to evaluate the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts from T. catappa leaves obtained by different intervals of sonication.

Methods:

Three commonly used methods were followed to evaluate phenolic content and four in vitro methods like 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging assay, ferric reducing antioxidant potency (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity assays for measuring the antioxidant activities. Antioxidant values of these assays were expressed in terms of milligrams vitamin C equivalent (VCE) antioxidant activities.

Results:

This study showed that extract obtained with 40 minutes of sonication possessed significant (P < 0.05) polyphenolic contents compared to 20 and 60 minutes sonication and control (24 hour maceration). Moreover, sonication of T. catappa leaf above 40 minutes was found to be unsuitable for extracting out phenolic contents. Even the results of antioxidant assays showed that 40 minutes of the sonicated extract exhibited significant (P < 0.05) VCE values compared to extracts obtained at different intervals of sonication and control.

Conclusions:

In sonication extraction method 40 minutes is an ideal time to obtain extract enriched with high polyphenolic content with good antioxidant activity from T. catappa leaves.

Obacunone and obacunone glucoside inhibit human colon cancer (SW480) cells by the induction of apoptosis

OBJECTIVES

The study was aimed to purify obacunone and obacunone glucoside (OG) from seeds of Marsh White grapefruit and understand the mode of cytotoxicity of limonoids on colon cancer (SW480) cells.

METHODOLOGY

Both limonoids were purified using chromatographic techniques. The structures and purity of limonoids were confirmed by NMR and HPLC analysis, respectively.

RESULTS

Obacunone and OG inhibited SW480 cell proliferation with IC50 values of 97 and 109.7 μM respectively, at 24h. Sequence of events such as decreased ratio of bcl2/bax gene transcription, activation of caspase-3, fragmentation of DNA in cells treated with obacunone and OG demonstrated induction of apoptosis by limonoids. Additionally, higher induction of cytochrome-c in cytosol suggests the activation of intrinsic apoptosis by limonoids. Involvement of apoptosis was also confirmed through expression of bax, bcl2, pro-caspase-3 and caspase-9. Both the limonoids activated p21 and arrested cells at G1 and G2/M phase. Additive activity of proliferation inhibition and activation of caspase-3 by limonoids was observed when combined with camptothecin, demonstrating the induction of apoptosis. In conclusion, both limonoids induced apoptosis by activation of intrinsic apoptosis pathway and activation of p21 leading to arresting cells at G2/M phase of the cell cycle.

Detection of cytotoxic activity of lectin on human colon adenocarcinoma (Sw480) and epithelial cervical carcinoma (C33-A)

Lectins comprise a heterogeneous class of proteins that recognize the carbohydrate moieties of glycoconjugates with high specificity. Numerous studies have shown that lectins are capable of recognizing specific carbohydrate moieties displayed by malignant cells or tissues. The present work was performed to investigate the effects of tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) lectins on proliferation, colony formation, and alteration of DNA synthesis of human malignant cells. Tepary bean lectin showed dose dependent  effects on the inhibition of viability as well as on colony formation in two human malignant cells lines (C33-A, Sw480); By contrast, tepary bean lectin only showed significant effects on DNA synthesis on Sw480 cells. Our results provide evidence of the anti- proliferative and cytotoxic effects of the tepary bean lectins on C33-A and Sw480 cells lines.

Nanostructured chitosan-surfactant matrices as polyphenols nanocapsules template with zero order release kinetics

Nanostructured membranes and films of cationic surfactant-chitosan with tannic acid as polyphenol model were obtained by phase inversion method. The membranes were investigated by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform InfraRred, X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Thermogravimetry, and the films topography was analysed by Atomic Force Microscopy. The analysis reveals that the interactions at the molecular level between cationic CTAB surfactant and cationic chitosan polymer strive to weaken membrane stability, whereas, the tannic acid is favoured to cluster with CTAB and diminish the membrane thermodynamic instability. The nanocapsules formed, with dimensions in the range of 16.35-27.68 nm, are congregating in clusters having dimensions in the domain of 50-300 nm. The layers resulted from these nanostructures arrangement constitute a surfactant-chitosan matrix with tannic acid suitable for drug controlled release with zero order kinetics.

Characterization of red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) genotypes for their physicochemical properties

The worldwide tendency for growing more small fruits, including raspberries, shows permanent increase because this group of fruits has a relatively higher content of bioactive nutrients. To study the health benefits of red raspberry fruits, 11 preselected wild-grown and 1 well-known cultivar, Heritage, were evaluated for some of their physicochemical properties such as fruit weight, total antioxidant capacity (measured by beta-carotene bleaching and FRAP assays), total phenolics, ascorbic acid, soluble solid content (SSC), and acidity. Fruit weight, SSC, and ascorbic acid contents were between 1.47 and 2.32 g, 10.87% and 13.60%, and 21 and 36 mg/100 g, respectively. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content varied among genotypes and the ERZ5 genotype had the highest antioxidant capacity as ascertained by both methods. This genotype also had the highest total phenolic (2031 microg GAE/g FW) content. There are linear relationships between antioxidant capacities and total phenols. The present study demonstrates the potential of certain wild genotypes, notably ERZ5, for improving the nutritional value through germplasm enhancement programs.