α-Lipoic Acid Potentiates the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables in Chondrocyte Cultures

Exploring the Efficacy of Alpha-Lipoic Acid in Comorbid Osteoarthritis and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background/Objectives. The comorbidity of osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes mellitus poses a complex clinical challenge, complicating patient management due to overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms. This research aims to analyze the exacerbation of clinical symptoms and biochemical markers in patients with OA and T2DM compared to those with OA alone. Methods. We employed various assessment methods to evaluate inflammation, oxidative stress, and glycemic control in both cohorts. This study includes the administration of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) to patients with comorbid OA and T2DM, monitoring its effects on joint function, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress levels, and glycemic control. Results. The findings indicate that T2DM significantly worsens clinical symptoms and biochemical markers in OA patients. Those with both conditions exhibited elevated indicators of inflammation and oxidative stress compared to OA-only patients. Additionally, correlations among metabolic, psychological, and inflammatory factors were identified. Body mass index emerged as a potential predictor for the deterioration of evaluated parameters. The analysis revealed that ALA administration led to statistically significant improvements in WOMAC pain scores, the Lequesne Algofunctional Index, and the AIMS-P compared to the control group. Conclusions. Further research into ALA's effects on OA progression in patients with comorbidities is essential for developing personalized treatment approaches.

Nutritional Epigenomics: Bioactive Dietary Compounds in the Epigenetic Regulation of Osteoarthritis

Nutritional epigenomics is exceptionally important because it describes the complex interactions among food compounds and epigenome modifications. Phytonutrients or bioactive compounds, which are secondary metabolites of plants, can protect against osteoarthritis by suppressing the expression of inflammatory and catabolic mediators, modulating epigenetic changes in DNA methylation, and the histone or chromatin remodelling of key inflammatory genes and noncoding RNAs. The combination of natural epigenetic modulators is crucial because of their additive and synergistic effects, safety and therapeutic efficacy, and lower adverse effects than conventional pharmacology in the treatment of osteoarthritis. In this review, we have summarized the chondroprotective properties of bioactive compounds used for the management, treatment, or prevention of osteoarthritis in both human and animal studies. However, further research is needed into bioactive compounds used as epigenetic modulators in osteoarthritis, in order to determine their potential value for future clinical applications in osteoarthritic patients as well as their relation with the genomic and nutritional environment, in order to personalize food and nutrition together with disease prevention.

Progress in the treatment of Osteoarthritis with avocado-soybean unsaponifiable

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the leading causes of joint dysfunction and disability in the elderly, posing serious social problems and a huge socio-economic burden. Existing pharmacological treatments have significant drawbacks, and searching for an effective pharmacological intervention is an urgent priority. Recent studies have demonstrated the chondroprotective, anabolic, and anti-catabolic properties of avocado-soybean unsaponifiable (ASU), a natural plant extract made from avocado and soybean oils, consisting of the remainder of the saponified portion of the product that cannot be made into soap. The main components of ASU are phytosterols, beta-sitosterol, canola stanols, and soya stanols, which are rapidly incorporated into cells. Studies have confirmed the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic properties of phytosterols. ASU slows down the progression of OA primarily by inhibiting pathways involved in the development of OA disease. ASU prevents cartilage degradation by inhibiting the release and activity of matrix metalloproteinases and by increasing the tissue inhibition of these catabolic enzymes; ASU is also involved in the inhibition of the activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) which is a transcriptional inhibitor that regulates the inflammatory response of chondrocytes. NF-κB is a transcription factor that regulates the inflammatory response of chondrocytes, and inhibition of the transfer of the transcription factor NF-κB from the cytoplasm to the nucleus regulates the transcription of many pro-inflammatory factors. By appealing to the mechanism of action and thus achieving anti-inflammatory, anti-catabolic, and pro-synthetic effects on cartilage tissues, AUS is clinically responsive to the reduction of acute pain and OA symptom progression. This paper aims to summarize the studies on the use of avocado-soybean unsaponifiable in the pharmacological treatment of osteoarticular.

Periodontal host-modulation therapy with avocado/soybean unsaponifiables in rats with arthritis

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) in the treatment of induced periodontitis in rats with experimental arthritis.

METHODS

Sixty rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups according to the type of treatment and the systemic condition of the animals: CTR-S: healthy animals in which saline solution (SS) was administered; ASU-S: healthy animals in which ASU (0.6 mg/kg) was administered; AR/ASU-S: animals with induced arthritis in which ASU was administered; AR-S: animals with induced arthritis in which SS was administered. Periodontitis was induced by ligatures, maintained for 15 days. Subsequently, the treatment was performed by scaling with hand instruments. The SS and ASU were administered daily by gavage until euthanasia of the animals that occurred at 7, 15 or 30 days after the scaling procedure (N.=5 animals/group). Bone resorption, inflammatory infiltrate composition, and osteoclastogenesis were assessed.

RESULTS

The AR-S group had greater bone loss, smaller amounts of fibroblasts and larger amounts of inflammatory cells than all other groups. In addition, the AR-S group had greater osteoclastogenesis in relation to the healthy animal groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of ASU improved the healing pattern after treatment for experimental periodontitis in animals with arthritis reducing the periodontal bone loss.

Chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stromal cells on the 3D printed polycaprolactone/fibrin/decellular cartilage matrix hybrid scaffolds in the presence of piascledine

Nowadays, cartilage tissue engineering (CTE) is considered important due to lack of repair of cartilaginous lesions and the absence of appropriate methods for treatment. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds were fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing and were then coated with fibrin (F) and acellular solubilized extracellular matrix (ECM). After extracting adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), 3D-printed scaffolds were characterized and compared to hydrogel groups. After inducing the chondrogenic differentiation in the presence of Piascledine and comparing it with TGF-β3 for 28 days, the expression of genes involved in chondrogenesis (AGG, COLII) and the expression of the hypertrophic gene (COLX) were examined by real-time PCR. The expression of proteins COLII and COLX was also determined by immunohistochemistry. Glycosaminoglycan was measured by toluidine blue staining. 3D-printed scaffolds clearly improved cell proliferation, viability, water absorption and compressive strength compared to the hydrogel groups. Moreover, the use of compounds such as ECM and Piascledine in the process of ADSCs chondrogenesis induction increased cartilage-specific markers and decreased the hypertrophic marker compared to TGF-β3. In Piascledine groups, the expression of COLL II protein, COLL II and Aggrecan genes, and the amount of glycosaminoglycan showed a significant increase in the PCL/F/ECM compared to the PCL and PCL/F groups.

Revisiting prostaglandin E2: A promising therapeutic target for osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex disease characterized by cartilage degeneration and persistent pain. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) plays a significant role in OA inflammation and pain. Recent studies have revealed the significant role of PGE2-mediated skeletal interoception in the progression of OA, providing new insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of OA. This aspect also deserves special attention in this review. Additionally, PGE2 is directly involved in pathologic processes including aberrant subchondral bone remodeling, cartilage degeneration, and synovial inflammation. Therefore, celecoxib, a commonly used drug to alleviate inflammatory pain through inhibiting PGE2, serves not only as an analgesic for OA but also as a potential disease-modifying drug. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the discovery history, synthesis and release pathways, and common physiological roles of PGE2. We discuss the roles of PGE2 and celecoxib in OA and pain from skeletal interoception and multiple perspectives. The purpose of this review is to highlight PGE2-mediated skeletal interoception and refresh our understanding of celecoxib in the pathogenesis and treatment of OA.

α-Lipoic acid - a promising agent for attenuating inflammation and preventing steatohepatitis in rats fed a high-fat diet

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a prevalent liver disorder affecting a significant part of the global population. This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of α-lipoic acid (α-LA) on the inflammatory response during simple steatosis development and progression into steatohepatitis. The study used the MASLD model in male Wistar rats that were fed a standard diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks. Throughout the entire experiment, half of the animals received α-LA supplementation. The hepatic activity of pro-inflammatory n-6 and anti-inflammatory n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) pathways and the concentration of arachidonic acid (AA) in selected lipid fractions were determined by the gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). The hepatic expression of proteins from inflammatory pathway was measured by the Western blot technique. The level of eicosanoids, cytokines and chemokines was assessed by the ELISA or multiplex assay kits. The results showed that α-LA supplementation attenuated the activity of n-6 PUFA pathway in FFA and DAG and increased the activity of n-3 PUFA pathway in PL, TAG and DAG. In addition, the administration of α-LA decreased the concentration of AA in DAG and FFA, indicating its potential protective effect on the deterioration of simple hepatic steatosis. The supplementation of α-LA also increased the expression of COX-1 and COX-2 with the lack of significant changes in prostaglandins profile. We observed an increase in the expression of 12/15-LOX, which was reflected in an increase in lipoxin A4 (LXA4) level. A decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines and an increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines was also noticed in the liver of rats treated with HFD and α-LA. Our observations confirm that α-LA treatment has potential protective effects on inflammation development in the MASLD model. We believe that α-LA has a preventive impact when it comes to the progression of simple steatosis lesions to steatohepatitis.

α-Lipoic acid ameliorates inflammation state and oxidative stress by reducing the content of bioactive lipid derivatives in the left ventricle of rats fed a high-fat diet

Lipid mediators derived from arachidonic acid (AA) are implicated with the occurrence of inflammation and oxidative stress. The current knowledge of AA metabolism focuses on searching for the therapeutic strategy to subvert affected AA metabolism. The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential protective effect of chronic α-lipoic acid (α-LA) supplementation on myocardial inflammation state and oxidative stress in obesity-related cardiovascular dysfunction. The experiment was carried out on male Wistar rats receiving a standard or a high-fat diets with intragastric α-LA administration for 8 weeks. Plasma and myocardial AA concentration was determined using gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). The Western blot technique was used to examine the expression of proteins from the inflammatory pathway. The content of selected cytokines, inflammatory mediators, and oxidative stress indicators was detected by ELISA, colorimetric, and multiplex assay kits. Our results revealed that α-LA caused a notable reduction in AA content, mainly in the phospholipid fraction with a simultaneous diminishment in the synthesis of pro-inflammatory mediators, i.e., prostaglandin E2, leukotrienes B4 and C4 by decreasing the expression of COX-2 and 5-LOX. α-LA also augmented the level of antioxidative SOD2 and GSH and decreased the level of lipid peroxidation products, which improved oxidative system impairment in the left ventricle tissue. The data clearly showed that α-lipoic acid has a significant role in inflammation and oxidative stress development ameliorating the risk of cardiac obesity induced by high-fat feeding.

An updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials on the effects of Alpha-Lipoic acid supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers

Data about the effects of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on inflammatory markers are inconsistent. This systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed to summarize the effects of ALA supplementation on inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in adults. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the electronic databases of PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest, Embase, and SCOPUS from inception to February 2020. Among all of the eligible studies, 20 articles were selected. The weighted mean differences (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to evaluate the pooled effect size. Between-study heterogeneity was evaluated using Cochran's Q test and I². Subgroup analysis was done to evaluate the potential sources of heterogeneity. The dose-response relationship was evaluated using fractional polynomial modeling. Twenty eligible studies with a total sample size of 947 participants were included in the current meta-analysis. The findings of the meta-analysis showed that ALA supplementation significantly reduced CRP (WMD: -0.69 mg/L, 95% CI: -1.13, -0.26, P=0.002), IL-6 (WMD: -1.83 pg/ml, 95% CI: -2.90, -0.76, P=0.001), and TNF-α concentrations (WMD: -0.45 pg/ml, 95% CI: -0.85, -0.04, P=0.032). No evidence of departure from linearity was observed between dose and duration of the ALA supplementation on serum CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α concentration. In subgroup analysis, ALA dosage, baseline concentrations of the parameter, sample size, and gender were considered as possible sources of heterogeneity. In summary, ALA supplementation improves inflammatory markers without any evidence of non-linear association to dose or duration of the trial.

Herbal Remedies as Potential in Cartilage Tissue Engineering: An Overview of New Therapeutic Approaches and Strategies

It is estimated that by 2023, approximately 20% of the population of Western Europe and North America will suffer from a degenerative joint disease commonly known as osteoarthritis (OA). During the development of OA, pro-inflammatory cytokines are one of the major causes that drive the production of inflammatory mediators and thus of matrix-degrading enzymes. OA is a challenging disease for doctors due to the limitation of the joint cartilage's capacity to repair itself. Though new treatment approaches, in particular with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that integrate the tissue engineering (TE) of cartilage tissue, are promising, they are not only expensive but more often do not lead to the regeneration of joint cartilage. Therefore, there is an increasing need for novel, safe, and more effective alternatives to promote cartilage joint regeneration and TE. Indeed, naturally occurring phytochemical compounds (herbal remedies) have a great anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anabolic potential, and they have received much attention for the development of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, including the prevention of age-related OA and cartilage TE. This paper summarizes recent research on herbal remedies and their chondroinductive and chondroprotective effects on cartilage and progenitor cells, and it also emphasizes the possibilities that exist in this research area, especially with regard to the nutritional support of cartilage regeneration and TE, which may not benefit from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables, Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate Combination Inhibits Proinflammatory COX-2 Expression and Prostaglandin E2 Production in Tendon-Derived Cells

Tendinopathy, a common disorder in man and horses, is characterized by pain, dysfunction, and tendon degeneration. Inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of tendinopathy. Tendon cells produce proinflammatory molecules that induce pain and tissue deterioration. Currently used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are palliative but have been associated with adverse side effects prompting the search for safe, alternative compounds. This study determined whether tendon-derived cells' expression of proinflammatory cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) could be attenuated by the combination of avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU), glucosamine (GLU), and chondroitin sulfate (CS). ASU, GLU, and CS have been used in the management of osteoarthritis-associated joint inflammation. Tenocytes in monolayer and microcarrier spinner cultures were incubated with media alone, or with the combination of ASU (8.3 μg/mL), GLU (11 μg/mL), and CS (20 μg/mL). Cultures were next incubated with media alone, or stimulated with interleukin-1β (IL-1β; 10 ng/mL) for 1 h to measure COX-2 gene expression, or for 24 h to measure PGE2 production, respectively. Tenocyte phenotype was analyzed by phase-contrast microscopy, immunocytochemistry, and Western blotting. Tendon-derived cells proliferated and produced extracellular matrix component type I collagen in monolayer and microcarrier spinner cultures. IL-1β-induced COX-2 gene expression and PGE2 production were significantly reduced by the combination of (ASU+GLU+CS). The suppression of IL-1β-induced inflammatory response suggests that (ASU+GLU+CS) may help attenuate deleterious inflammation in tendons.

The Odyssey of Bioactive Compounds in Avocado (Persea americana) and Their Health Benefits

Persea americana, commonly known as avocado, has recently gained substantial popularity and is often marketed as a "superfood" because of its unique nutritional composition, antioxidant content, and biochemical profile. However, the term "superfood" can be vague and misleading, as it is often associated with unrealistic health claims. This review draws a comprehensive summary and assessment of research performed in the last few decades to understand the nutritional and therapeutic properties of avocado and its bioactive compounds. In particular, studies reporting the major metabolites of avocado, their antioxidant as well as bioavailability and pharmacokinetic properties, are summarized and assessed. Furthermore, the potential of avocado in novel drug discovery for the prevention and treatment of cancer, microbial, inflammatory, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases is highlighted. This review also proposes several interesting future directions for avocado research.