The benefit of combining curcumin, bromelain and harpagophytum to reduce inflammation in osteoarthritic synovial cells

Bromelain as a natural anti-inflammatory drug: a systematic review

Inflammation is a complex and necessary mechanism of an organ's response to biological, chemical and/or physical stimuli. In recent years, investigations on natural compounds with therapeutic actions for the treatment of different diseases have increased. Among these compounds, bromelain is highlighted, as a cysteine protease isolated from the Ananas comosus (pineapple) stem. This review aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of bromelain, as well as its pathways on inflammatory mediators, through a systematic review with in vitro studies on different cell lines. The search was performed in PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases. Bromelain reduced IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α secretion when immune cells were already stimulated in an overproduction condition by proinflammatory cytokines, generating a modulation in the inflammatory response through prostaglandins reduction and activation of a cascade reactions that trigger neutrophils and macrophages, in addition to accelerating the healing process.

Bromelain Supplementation in the Management of Otitis Media with Effusion in Children

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

The respiratory system is prone to infectious diseases, especially in children below five years of age. Upper respiratory tract infections in children are often associated with Eustachian tube dysfunction and complicated by otitis media with effusion (OME), an inflammatory process within the middle ear, which can lead to hearing loss. Treatment for these infections involves a combination of medication and symptom relief, depending on the severity and cause of the infection. In recent years, natural therapeutic drugs derived from herbal medicines have been gaining popularity in treating various pathologies. Bromelain, one of the most studied natural compounds, has been investigated extensively due to its numerous pharmacological properties, offering a potential new avenue for treatment. Based on these promising findings, our study was designed to examine the efficacy of supplementation with bromelain in countering symptoms associated with OME.

METHODS

This study was conducted on data acquired from medical records from the Section of Audiology of the University of Palermo, focusing on the period of January 2022 to June 2023 and selecting 224 children (age range 1-8 years), namely 174 males and 50 females, who were evaluated for presumed OME at the audiology pediatric ambulatory. All patients selected before initiating pharmacological treatment underwent thorough screening regarding the functionality of the tympanic cavities, otoacoustic emissions, the auditory threshold, and the ear canal's integrity.

RESULTS

The preliminary findings of this study are significant, demonstrating that supplementation with bromelain led to notable improvements in the symptoms accompanying OME after 15 days and 60 days of therapy. Notably, patients who received the bromelain supplement reported reduced mucus secretions and improved auditory function.

CONCLUSIONS

These results underscore the potential of naturally occurring compounds as adjuvants to standard therapeutic strategies in treating OME.

Bioactive Compounds in Osteoarthritis: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Roles

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common and debilitating form of arthritis. Current therapies focus on pain relief and efforts to slow disease progression through a combination of drug and non-drug treatments. Bioactive compounds derived from plants show significant promise due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and tissue-protective properties. These natural compounds can help regulate the inflammatory processes and metabolic pathways involved in OA, thereby alleviating symptoms and potentially slowing disease progression. Investigating the efficacy of these natural agents in treating osteoarthritis addresses a growing demand for natural health solutions and creates new opportunities for managing this increasingly prevalent age-related condition. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the use of some bioactive compounds from plants in modulating the progression of osteoarthritis and alleviating associated pain.

The effect of curcumin 1% methanolic extract on the expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1, Matrix Metalloproteinase-8, Matrix Metalloproteinase-13, neutrophil, macrophage, lymphocyte counts in Porphyromonas gingivalis induced periodontitis: a randomized controlled trial

Objective

Hailed as one of the most fundamental and important treatment in management of periodontal disease, scalling and root planning has limitations regarding microorganism elimination. Meanwhile, turmeric has been proven to have a therapeutic effect on gingivitis and periodontitis. This study aimed to analyze the impact of curcumin 1% methanolic extract on the expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1, Matrix Metalloproteinase-8, Matrix Metalloproteinase -13, neutrophil, macrophage, and lymphocyte number in the gingiva of Wistar rats exposed to Porphyromonas gingivalis bacteria (P. gingivalis).

Materials and methods

The experimental animals used were Wistar rats, arbitrarilly split up into three experimental groups namely: normal, control (induced with periodontitis, received no treatment), and treatment (Periodontitis with 1% curcumin treatment). The samples were taken from the gingival tissue of the mandibular incisors on 1 and 7 days. Immunohistochemical and Hematoxylin Eosin staining were performed to measure the expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1, Matrix Metalloproteinase-8, Matrix Metalloproteinase-13, and the number of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes. Data were analyzed for mean standard deviation. The Oneway ANOVA was then performed to see whether there is a significant difference between experimental groups, the test then commenced with Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference test with a significance level (α=0.05).

Results

MMP-8, MMP-13, neutrophil, and lymphocyte numbers in the treatment groups were significantly lower with P<0.05 than in the control groups in the 1 and 7 days. Meanwhile, in MMP-1 and macrophage numbers the difference was deemed not significant when control and treatment groups are compared.

Conclusion

The administration of 1% curcumin can significantly reduce the expression of MMP-8, MMP-13, neutrophil and lymphocyte cell numbers, but there is no reducing the number of macrophage cells and MMP-1 expression in gingiva of Wistar rats exposed to P. gingivalis bacteria.

Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Bromelain: Applications, Benefits, and Mechanisms

Bromelain is a mixture of proteolytic enzymes primarily extracted from the fruit and stem of the pineapple plant (Ananas comosus). It has a long history of traditional medicinal use in various cultures, particularly in Central and South America, where pineapple is native. This systematic review will delve into the history, structure, chemical properties, and medical indications of bromelain. Bromelain was first isolated and described in the late 19th century by researchers in Europe, who identified its proteolytic properties. Since then, bromelain has gained recognition in both traditional and modern medicine for its potential therapeutic effects.

Osteoarthritis: Insights into Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, Therapeutic Avenues, and the Potential of Natural Extracts

Osteoarthritis (OA) stands as a prevalent and progressively debilitating clinical condition globally, impacting joint structures and leading to their gradual deterioration through inflammatory mechanisms. While both non-modifiable and modifiable factors contribute to its onset, numerous aspects of OA pathophysiology remain elusive despite considerable research strides. Presently, diagnosis heavily relies on clinician expertise and meticulous differential diagnosis to exclude other joint-affecting conditions. Therapeutic approaches for OA predominantly focus on patient education for self-management alongside tailored exercise regimens, often complemented by various pharmacological interventions primarily targeting pain alleviation. However, pharmacological treatments typically exhibit short-term efficacy and local and/or systemic side effects, with prosthetic surgery being the ultimate resolution in severe cases. Thus, exploring the potential integration or substitution of conventional drug therapies with natural compounds and extracts emerges as a promising frontier in enhancing OA management. These alternatives offer improved safety profiles and possess the potential to target specific dysregulated pathways implicated in OA pathogenesis, thereby presenting a holistic approach to address the condition's complexities.

Regulation of dietary polyphenols on cancer cell pyroptosis and the tumor immune microenvironment

Cancer is a major public health problem that threatens human life worldwide. In recent years, immunotherapy has made great progress in both clinical and laboratory research. But the high heterogeneity and dynamics of tumors makes immunotherapy not suitable for all cancers. Dietary polyphenols have attracted researchers' attention due to their ability to induce cancer cell pyroptosis and to regulate the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). This review expounds the regulation of dietary polyphenols and their new forms on cancer cell pyroptosis and the TIME. These dietary polyphenols include curcumin (CUR), resveratrol (RES), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), apigenin, triptolide (TPL), kaempferol, genistein and moscatilin. New forms of dietary polyphenols refer to their synthetic analogs and nano-delivery, liposomes. Studies in the past decade are included. The result shows that dietary polyphenols induce pyroptosis in breast cancer cells, liver cancer cells, oral squamous cells, carcinoma cells, and other cancer cells through different pathways. Moreover, dietary polyphenols exhibit great potential in the TIME regulation by modulating the programmed cell death protein 1(PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis, enhancing antitumor immune cells, weakening the function and activity of immunosuppressive cells, and targeting tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) to reduce their tumor infiltration and promote their polarization toward the M1 type. Dietary polyphenols are also used with radiotherapy and chemotherapy to improve antitumor immunity and shape a beneficial TIME. In conclusion, dietary polyphenols induce cancer cell pyroptosis and regulate the TIME, providing new ideas for safer cancer cures.