Co-administration of resveratrol and lipoic acid, or their synthetic combination, enhances neuroprotection in a rat model of ischemia/reperfusion

Therapeutic Effects of Intranasal Administration of Resveratrol on the Rat Model of Brain Ischemia

Background

Resveratrol is a natural phenolic compound widely found in plants. Previous studies have suggested its neuroprotective role in cerebral ischemia due to its anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. Intranasal administration of resveratrol enhances its capacity to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, increasing therapeutic efficacy and safety.

Objective

We aimed to examine the therapeutic potential of intranasal administration of resveratrol treatment in rats exposed to cerebral ischemia.

Methods

Sixty-four male rats were divided into three groups: the sham group, which was exposed to only surgical stress; the vehicle and resveratrol groups, which received intranasal vehicle or 50 mg/kg resveratrol for 7 days following middle cerebral artery occlusion, respectively. We assessed the modified neurologic severity scores, wire hanging tests, blood-brain barrier disruption, brain water content, and infarct volume. Levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9, nuclear factor-kappa B, B-cell lymphoma protein 2, and B-cell lymphoma protein 2-associated X messenger RNA expression were examined.

Results

At 3- and 7-days post-ischemia, rats receiving intranasal resveratrol had lower modified neurological severity scores and a smaller brain infarct volume than the rats receiving vehicle. Additionally, the intranasal resveratrol-treated rats showed significantly prolonged wire-hanging performance at the 7-day mark post-ischemia compared to the vehicle group. The blood-brain barrier disruption and brain water content were significantly lower in the resveratrol group than in the vehicle group. Furthermore, the resveratrol-treated group displayed lower expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 and Nuclear Factor-Kappa B in contrast to the vehicle group, while the difference in expression levels of B-cell lymphoma protein 2-associated X and B-cell lymphoma protein 2 were not significant.

Conclusion

Intranasal administration of resveratrol showed neuroprotective effects on ischemic stroke by improving neurobehavioral function, reducing blood-brain barrier disruption, cerebral edema, and infarct volume. This treatment also downregulated Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 and Nuclear Factor-Kappa B expression, indicating its potential as a therapeutic option for ischemic stroke.

Effect and mechanisms of resveratrol in animal models of ischemic stroke: A systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis

Resveratrol (RSV) holds promise as cerebroprotective treatment in cerebral ischemia. This systematic review aims to assess the effects and mechanisms of RSV in animal models of ischemic stroke. We searched Medline, Embase and Web of Science to identify 75 and 57 eligible rodent studies for qualitative and quantitative syntheses, respectively. Range of evidence met 10 of 13 STAIR criteria. Median (Q1, Q3) quality score was 7 (5, 8) on the CAMARADES 15-item checklist. Bayesian meta-analysis showed SMD estimates (95% CI) favoring RSV: infarct size (-1.72 [-2.03; -1.41]), edema size (-1.61 [-2.24; -0.98]), BBB impairment (-1.85 [-2.54; -1.19]), neurofunctional impairment (-1.60 [-1.92; -1.29]), and motor performance (1.39 [0.64; 2.08]); and less probably neuronal survival (0.63 [-1.40; 2.48]) and apoptosis (-0.96 [-2.87; 1.02]). Species (rat vs mouse) was associated to a larger benefit. Sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness of the estimates. Reduction of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis underlie these effects. Our results quantitatively state the beneficial effects of RSV on structural and functional outcomes in rodent stroke models, update the evidence on the mechanisms of action, and provide an exhaustive list of targeted signaling pathways. Current evidence highlights the need for conducting further high-quality preclinical research to better inform clinical research.

NPD1 Plus RvD1 Mediated Ischemic Stroke Penumbra Protection Increases Expression of Pro-homeostatic Microglial and Astrocyte Genes

Neuroprotection to attenuate or block the ischemic cascade and salvage neuronal damage has been extensively explored for treating ischemic stroke. However, despite increasing knowledge of the physiologic, mechanistic, and imaging characterizations of the ischemic penumbra, no effective neuroprotective therapy has been found. This study focuses on the neuroprotective bioactivity of docosanoid mediators: Neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1), Resolvin D1 (RvD1), and their combination in experimental stroke. Molecular targets of NPD1 and RvD1 are defined by following dose-response and therapeutic window. We demonstrated that treatment with NPD1, RvD1, and combination therapy provides high-grade neurobehavioral recovery and decreases ischemic core and penumbra volumes even when administered up to 6 h after stroke. The expression of the following genes was salient: (a) Cd163, an anti-inflammatory stroke-associated gene, was the most differentially expressed gene by NPD1+RvD1, displaying more than a 123-fold upregulation in the ipsilesional penumbra (Lisi et al., Neurosci Lett 645:106-112, 2017); (b) 100-fold upregulation takes place in astrocyte gene PTX3, a key regulator of neurogenesis and angiogenesis after cerebral ischemia (. Rodriguez-Grande et al., J Neuroinflammation 12:15, 2015); and (c) Tmem119 and P2y12, two markers of homeostatic microglia, were found to be enhanced by ten- and fivefold, respectively (Walker et al. Int J Mol Sci 21:678, 2020). Overall, we uncovered that protection after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) by the lipid mediators elicits expression of microglia and astrocyte-specific genes (Tmem119, Fcrls, Osmr, Msr1, Cd68, Cd163, Amigo2, Thbs1, and Tm4sf1) likely participating in enhancing homeostatic microglia, modulating neuroinflammation, promoting DAMP clearance, activating NPC differentiation and maturation, synapse integrity and contributing to cell survival.

Novel Lipid Mediators as a Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Ischemic Stroke

Despite displaying efficacy in experimental stroke studies, neuroprotection has failed in clinical trials. The translational difficulties include a limited methodological agreement between preclinical and clinical studies and the heterogeneity of stroke in humans compared to standardized strokes in animal models. Promising neuroprotective approaches based on a deeper understanding of the complex pathophysiology of ischemic stroke, such as blocking pro-inflammatory pathways plus pro-survival mediators, are now evaluated in preclinical studies. Combinatorial therapy has become increasingly attractive in recent years as recognizing the complexity of stroke progression becomes evident. The paper aimed to test the hypothesis that blocking pro-inflammatory platelet-activating factor receptor (PAF-R) with LAU-0901 plus administering a selected docosanoid, aspirin-triggered neuroprotectin D1 (AT-NPD1), which activates cell-survival pathways after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), would lead to neurological recovery. We have demonstrated that LAU-0901 plus AT-NPD1 treatment affords high-grade neuroprotection in MCAo, equaling or exceeding that afforded by LAU-0901 or AT-NPD1 alone at considerably moderate doses, and it has a broad therapeutic window extending to 6 hours after stroke onset.

A meta-analysis of resveratrol protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury: Evidence from rats studies and insight into molecular mechanisms

Objective: To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of resveratrol (RES) in rat models of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.

Data sources: PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Chinese databases were searched from their inception dates to July 2022. No language restriction was used in the literature search.

Date Selection: Studies were selected that RES were used to treat cerebral I/R injury in vivo. Two reviewers conducted literature screening, data extraction and methodological quality assessment independently.

Outcome measures: Cerebral infarct volume was included as primary outcome. The secondary outcomes included cerebral water content and neurological deficit scores. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were used to evaluate oxidative stress during medication.

Results: A total of 41 studies were included, and only a few of them the methodological quality was relatively low. Compared with the control group, RES significantly reduced the cerebral infarct volume (29 studies, standard mean difference (SMD) = −2.88 [−3.23 to −2.53], p < 0.00001) and brain water content (nine studies, MD = −9.49 [−13.58 to −5.40], p < 0.00001) after cerebral I/R injury, then neurological function was improved (15 studies, SMD = −1.96 [−2.26 to −1.65], p < 0.00001). The MDA level (six studies, SMD = −8.97 [−13.60 to −4.34], p = 0.0001) was decreased notably after treatment of RES, while the SOD level (five studies, SMD = 3.13 [−0.16 to 6.43], p = 0.06) was increased unsatisfactory. Consistently, subgroup analysis of cerebral infarct volume suggested that the optimal therapeutic dose is 30 mg/kg (eight studies, SMD = −5.83 [−7.63 to −4.04], p < 0.00001). Meanwhile, 60 min of occlusion (three studies, SMD = −10.89 [−16.35 to −5.42], p < 0.0001) could get maximum benefit from compared with 90 min and 120 min of occlusion. On the other hand, the publication bias cannot be ignored. The pharmacological mechanisms of RES on cerebral I/R injury models as reported have be summarized, which can be used for reference by researchers to further plan their future experiments.

Conclusion: RES might have a good neuroprotective effect on cerebral I/R injury in rats, then 30 mg/kg RES may be the optimal dose for treatment, and early administration of RES should be more neuroprotective. Also it need to be further verified through exploration of dose effect relationship, or delay administration or not.

Resveratrol has an Overall Neuroprotective Role in Ischemic Stroke: A Meta-Analysis in Rodents

Background: Resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic phytoalexin, is broadly presented in dietary sources. Previous research has suggested its potential neuroprotective effects on ischemic stroke animal models. However, these results have been disputable. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the effect of resveratrol treatment in ischemic stroke rodent models.

Objective: To comprehensively evaluate the effect of resveratrol treatment in ischemic stroke rodent models.

Methods: A literature search of the databases Pubmed, Embase, and Web of science identified 564 studies that were subjected to pre-defined inclusion criteria. 54 studies were included and analyzed using a random-effects model to calculate the standardized mean difference (SMD) with corresponding confidence interval (CI).

Results: As compared with controls, resveratrol significantly decreased infarct volume (SMD −4.34; 95% CI −4.98 to −3.69; p < 0.001) and the neurobehavioral score (SMD −2.26; 95% CI −2.86 to −1.67; p < 0.001) in rodents with ischemic stroke. Quality assessment was performed using a 10-item checklist. Studies quality scores ranged from 3 to 8, with a mean value of 5.94. In the stratified analysis, a significant decrease of infarct volume and the neurobehavioral score was achieved in resveratrol sub-groups with a dosage of 20–50 mg/kg. In the meta-regression analysis, the impact of the delivery route on an outcome is the possible source of high heterogeneity.

Conclusion: Generally, resveratrol treatment presented neuroprotective effects in ischemic stroke models. Furthermore, this study can direct future preclinical and clinical trials, with important implications for human health.

Effects of Lipoic Acid on Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury often occurred in some pathologies and surgeries. I/R injury not only harmed to physiological functions of corresponding organ and tissue but also induced multiple tissue or organ dysfunctions (even these in distant locations). Although the reperfusion of blood attenuated I/R injury to a certain degree, the risk of secondary damages was difficult to be controlled and it even caused failures of these tissues and organs. Lipoic acid (LA), as an endogenous active substance and a functional agent in food, owns better safety and effects in our body (e.g., enhancing antioxidant activity, improving cognition and dementia, controlling weight, and preventing multiple sclerosis, diabetes complication, and cancer). The literature searching was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and SCOPUS from inception to 20 May 2021. It had showed that endogenous LA was exhausted in the process of I/R, which further aggravated I/R injury. Thus, supplements with LA timely (especially pretreatments) may be the prospective way to prevent I/R injury. Recently, studies had demonstrated that LA supplements significantly attenuated I/R injuries of many organs, though clinic investigations were short at present. Hence, it was urgent to summarize these progresses about the effects of LA on different I/R organs as well as the potential mechanisms, which would enlighten further investigations and prepare for clinic applications in the future.

Resveratrol reduces cerebral edema through inhibition of de novo SUR1 expression induced after focal ischemia

Cerebral edema is a clinical problem that frequently follows ischemic infarcts. Sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1) is an inducible protein that can form a heteromultimeric complex with aquaporin 4 (AQP4) that mediate the ion/water transport involved in brain tissue swelling. Transcription of the Abcc8 gene coding for SUR1 depends on the activity of transcriptional factor SP1, which is modulated by the cellular redox environment. Since oxidative stress is implicated in the induced neuronal damage in ischemia and edema formation, the present study aimed to evaluate if the antioxidant resveratrol (RSV) prevents the damage by reducing the de novo expression of SUR1 in the ischemic brain. Male Wistar rats were subjected to 2 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by different times of reperfusion. RSV (1.9 mg/kg; i.v.) was administered at the onset of reperfusion. Brain damage and edema formation were recognized by neurological evaluation, time of survival, TTC (2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride) staining, Evans blue extravasation, and water content. RSV mechanism of action was studied by SP1 binding activity measured through the Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay, and Abcc8 and Aqp4 gene expression evaluated by qPCR, immunofluorescence, and Western blot. We found that RSV reduced the infarct area and cerebral edema, prevented blood-brain barrier damage, improved neurological performance, and increased survival. Additionally, our findings suggest that the antioxidant activity of RSV targeted SP transcription factors and inhibited SUR1 and AQP4 expression. Thus, RSV by decreasing SUR1 expression could contribute to reducing edema formation, constituting a therapeutic alternative for edema reduction in stroke.

Simultaneous nanoencapsulation of lipoic acid and resveratrol with improved antioxidant properties for the skin

Cutaneous aging is intimately related to redox imbalance, which is mainly caused by ultraviolet radiation exposure. The aim of the present investigation was to develop lipid-core nanocapsules for the co-nanoencapsulation of resveratrol and lipoic acid aiming to improve the chemical stability and photostability of the compounds, as well as their antioxidant properties. Lipid-core nanocapsules were developed and characterized according to their mean size, size distribution, zeta potential, pH value, drug content, encapsulation efficiency, release profile, stability under storage, photostability and skin permeation profile. In vitro antioxidant activity was analyzed by lipid peroxidation method and the in vitro cytotoxicity by MTT assay and cellular count, using BALB/c-3T3 fibroblasts. It was possible to co-nanoencapsulate resveratrol and lipoic acid into particles of average diameter close to 200 nm, low polydispersity index and encapsulation efficiencies around 90 %. Nanoencapsulation increased the substances stability under storage and photostability under UVA light exposure, besides controlling substances release. The actives were able to permeate a skin model membrane when nanoencapsulated, with a faster permeation of lipoic acid. The antioxidant activity was potentiated by the co-nanoencapsulation of resveratrol and lipoic acid, without signs of cytotoxicity to fibroblasts. Therefore, the co-nanoencapsulation of resveratrol and lipoic acid is promising for application in topical formulations aiming antioxidant effects.

Antioxidant-Conjugated 1,2,4-Triazolo[4,3-a]pyrazin-3-one Derivatives: Highly Potent and Selective Human A2A Adenosine Receptor Antagonists Possessing Protective Efficacy in Neuropathic Pain

New 8-amino-6-aryl-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]pyrazin-3-ones were designed to obtain dual antioxidant-human A_2A adenosine receptor (hA_2A AR) antagonists. Two sets of compounds were synthesized, the first featuring phenol rings at the 6-position, the second bearing the lipoyl and 4-hydroxy-3,5-di-tertbut-benzoyl residues appended by different linkers on the 6-phenyl ring. Several new triazolopyrazines (1-21) were potent and selective hA_2A AR antagonists (K_i = 0.17-54.5 nM). Compounds 11, 15, and 21, featuring antioxidant moieties, and compound 12, lacking the antioxidant functionality, reduced oxaliplatin-induced toxicity in microglia cells, the most active being the lipoyl-derivative 15 and the (4-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butyl)benzoyl-analogue 21 which were effective in reducing the oxygen free radical level. The lipoyl-derivative 15 was also able to revert oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy in the mouse. In vivo efficacy of 15 makes it a promising neuroprotective agent in oxidative stress-related diseases.

A novel synthetic chemical entity (UPEI-800) is neuroprotective in vitro and in an in vivo rat model of oxidative stress

In this study, we tested a novel synthetic pyrazole-containing compound, 5-amino-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonitrile (APPC), as an antioxidant in both in vitro and in vivo models of oxidative stress. In addition, the utility of covalently combining APPC with another well-established antioxidant, lipoic acid (LA), was also tested in both models. The in vitro results demonstrated that pretreatment with APPC in a mixed neuronal-glial culture exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) followed by reoxygenation-refeeding, resulted in significant neuroprotection at concentrations between 2.5 to 25 μmol/L. In contrast, LA was not neuroprotective following OGD alone or following reoxygenation-refeeding. However, the synthetic covalent combination of APPC with LA, named "UPEI-800", resulted in significant neuroprotection at concentrations between 0.027 and 2.7 μmol/L (100-fold more potent than APPC alone), an effect shown to be correlated with increased cellular antioxidant capacity. Further, in an in vivo model of ischaemia-reperfusion injury following transient occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (tMCAO), both APPC (0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg) and UPEI-800 (1×10^-3  mg/kg) provided significant neuroprotection. Consistent with the in vitro findings, the in vivo results following tMCAO also demonstrated a 100-fold increase in the potency of the covalently linked compound UPEI-800 compared to APPC alone.

Resveratrol derivatives: an updated patent review (2012-2015)

INTRODUCTION

Resveratrol is a well-studied natural small molecule that possesses diverse bioactivities. Chemical derivation based on the resveratrol scaffold is of great importance to overcome the drawbacks of resveratrol and to improve its therapeutic potential. Continuous efforts have been established to develop resveratrol derivatives that target different therapeutic applications. Areas covered: This review covers patents published from 2012 to 2015. All resveratrol derivatives discussed are classified based on its derivation strategy as simple derivatives, conjugated derivatives and miscellaneous derivatives. Their therapeutic related activities are reviewed and discussed. Expert opinion: Chemical derivation is an effective strategy to enhance the benefits of resveratrol and ameliorate its disadvantages. Recent studies on resveratrol derivatives have made great progress in the treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases to name a few, demonstrating improved activity compared with resveratrol. Notably, its bioavailability was also improved in some cases. However, the 'next generation' of resveratrol derivatives still requires the development of new strategies and techniques.

Challenges in Analyzing the Biological Effects of Resveratrol

The suggested health effects (e.g., disease prevention) of dietary bioactive compounds such as resveratrol are challenging to prove in comparison to man-made drugs developed for therapeutic purposes. Dietary bioactive compounds have multiple cellular targets and therefore have a variety of biological effects. Extrapolating the biological effects of dietary compounds from in vitro and in vivo animal experiments to humans may lead to over- or under-estimation of the effect and role of these compounds. The present paper will discuss a few of these challenges and suggest directions for future research. Questions we address include: (1) Is the combinatorial effect of resveratrol and other compounds real? (2) What are the real and relevant doses of resveratrol after administration? and (3) Is it possible to estimate the preventive effect of resveratrol by clinical trials using standard experimental designs? The examples concerning resveratrol taken from the scientific literature are mainly from 2010 and later. The challenges pointed out in this review are similar to most naturally occurring bioactive compounds.

Antioxidant Supplementation in the Treatment of Aging-Associated Diseases

Oxidative stress is generally considered as the consequence of an imbalance between pro- and antioxidants species, which often results into indiscriminate and global damage at the organismal level. Elderly people are more susceptible to oxidative stress and this depends, almost in part, from a decreased performance of their endogenous antioxidant system. As many studies reported an inverse correlation between systemic levels of antioxidants and several diseases, primarily cardiovascular diseases, but also diabetes and neurological disorders, antioxidant supplementation has been foreseen as an effective preventive and therapeutic intervention for aging-associated pathologies. However, the expectations of this therapeutic approach have often been partially disappointed by clinical trials. The interplay of both endogenous and exogenous antioxidants with the systemic redox system is very complex and represents an issue that is still under debate. In this review a selection of recent clinical studies concerning antioxidants supplementation and the evaluation of their influence in aging-related diseases is analyzed. The controversial outcomes of antioxidants supplementation therapies, which might partially depend from an underestimation of the patient specific metabolic demand and genetic background, are presented.

Ovarian actions of resveratrol

Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol found in grapes, berries, and medicinal plants, exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and has been proposed to be a longevity-prolonging agent. There is also growing evidence that resveratrol has cardioprotective properties and beneficial effects on both glucose and lipid metabolism. Recently, several studies have examined the use of resveratrol as a therapeutic agent to treat numerous pathological and metabolic disorders. Herein, we present insights into the mechanisms of action, biological effects, and current evidence of actions of resveratrol on the ovary. In vitro, resveratrol inhibits proliferation and androgen production by theca-interstitial cells. Resveratrol also exerts a cytostatic, but not cytotoxic, effect on granulosa cells, while decreasing aromatization and vascular endothelial growth factor expression. In vivo, resveratrol treatment reduced the size of adipocytes and improved estrus cyclicity in the previously acyclic rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In addition, resveratrol increased the ovarian follicular reserve and prolonged the ovarian life span in rats. Taken together, resveratrol emerges as a potential therapeutic agent to treat conditions associated with androgen excess, such as PCOS. The efficacy of resveratrol in the treatment of gynecological conditions requires further investigation.

Natural polyphenols based new therapeutic avenues for advanced biomedical applications

Polyphenols are naturally occurring, synthetic or semisynthetic organic compounds that offer a vast array of advanced biomedical applications. The mostly researched polyphenolic compounds are resveratrol and flavanols, notably (-)-epicatechin. The ongoing research on clinically important resveratrol and flavanols has revealed their potentials as extremely efficient drug agents that can be leveraged for new therapeutic designs for combating stroke related injuries, cancer and renal failures. Here, we have highlighted recent developments in this area with an emphasis on the biomedical applications of polyphenols. Also, a perspective on the future research directions has been discussed. We believe that this review would facilitate further research and development of polyphenols as a therapeutic avenue in medical science.

Resveratrol Reduces Morphologic Changes in the Myenteric Plexus and Oxidative Stress in the Ileum in Rats with Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

BACKGROUND

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury can be caused by surgical procedures and inflammatory bowel disease. It is normally associated with the increased production of free radicals and changes in the enteric nervous system.

AIMS

Given the antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of resveratrol, the present study assessed its influence on oxidative stress in the intestinal wall and the morphology of myenteric neurons in the ileum of rats subjected to ischemia/reperfusion.

METHODS

Resveratrol was orally administered daily at a dose of 10 mg/kg for 5 days. Changes in the ileum response to ischemia after 45 min were investigated followed by 3 h reperfusion. Lipoperoxide and carbonylated protein levels, and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were measured following ischemia/reperfusion injury.

RESULTS

The density and morphometry of the general neuronal population, nitrergic neurons and glial cells, and morphometry of VIP varicosities in the ileum were also studied. Lipoperoxide and carbonylated protein levels were 171 and 40% higher during the ischemia/reperfusion, respectively, compared to control cohorts, and resveratrol attenuated these values. The glutathione ratio was 64% lower during ischemia/reperfusion, compared to control cohorts. Resveratrol increased the reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio, attenuated the changes in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes and the detrimental morphologic changes caused by ischemia/reperfusion in the general neuronal population and nitrergic neurons.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral treatment with resveratrol reduced the oxidative stress in the ileum and attenuated the morphologic changes that occurred in the myenteric plexus of the ileum in rats subjected to ischemia/reperfusion.

Centella asiatica and lipoic acid, or a combination thereof, inhibit monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells from umbilical cords of gestational diabetic women

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Diabetes mellitus is associated with inflammatory endothelial activation and increased vascular leukocyte adhesion molecule expression, both playing a prominent role in the development of vascular complications. Centella asiatica (CA) and Lipoic Acid (LA) have shown anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties in a variety of experimental models; however, their action on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), chronically exposed to hyperglycemia and pro-inflammatory environment during pregnancy, is still unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In HUVECs from umbilical cords of gestational diabetic (GD) or healthy (C) women, both CA and LA affected tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced inflammation, being associated with a significant decrease in vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression (western blot) and exposure (flow cytometry), as well as monocyte-HUVECs interaction (adhesion assay). Notably, this was associated with a significant reduction of an index of nitro-oxidative stress, such as the intracellular peroxynitrite levels (fluorescence detection by cytometric analysis), Mitogen-Activated Protein kinase (p44/42 MAPK) expression/phosphorylation levels and Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB p65) cytoplasm-nucleus translocation (flow cytometry). Overall our results indicate that both CA and LA used separately, and even better when combined, are effective to reduce the inflammatory response in TNF-α-treated HUVECs. Notably, this was more significant in GD than in C-HUVECs and also evident at baseline.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our in vitro study demonstrates that both CA and LA, or a combination thereof, are able to mitigate the potentially dangerous effects on the endothelium of chronic exposure to hyperglycemia in vivo.