Gallic acid inhibits neuroinflammation and reduces neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damages

Dietary gallic acid as an antioxidant: A review of its food industry applications, health benefits, bioavailability, nano-delivery systems, and drug interactions

Gallic acid (GA), a dietary phenolic acid with potent antioxidant activity, is widely distributed in edible plants. GA has been applied in the food industry as an antimicrobial agent, food fresh-keeping agent, oil stabilizer, active food wrap material, and food processing stabilizer. GA is a potential dietary supplement due to its health benefits on various functional disorders associated with oxidative stress, including renal, neurological, hepatic, pulmonary, reproductive, and cardiovascular diseases. GA is rapidly absorbed and metabolized after oral administration, resulting in low bioavailability, which is susceptible to various factors, such as intestinal microbiota, transporters, and metabolism of galloyl derivatives. GA exhibits a tendency to distribute primarily to the kidney, liver, heart, and brain. A total of 37 metabolites of GA has been identified, and decarboxylation and dihydroxylation in phase I metabolism and sulfation, glucuronidation, and methylation in phase Ⅱ metabolism are considered the main in vivo biotransformation pathways of GA. Different types of nanocarriers, such as polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, and nanodots, have been successfully developed to enhance the health-promoting function of GA by increasing bioavailability. GA may induce drug interactions with conventional drugs, such as hydroxyurea, linagliptin, and diltiazem, due to its inhibitory effects on metabolic enzymes, including cytochrome P450 3A4 and 2D6, and transporters, including P-glycoprotein, breast cancer resistance protein, and organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B3. In conclusion, in-depth studies of GA on food industry applications, health benefits, bioavailability, nano-delivery systems, and drug interactions have laid the foundation for its comprehensive application as a food additive and dietary supplement.

Echinacea purpurea extract intervention for counteracting neurochemical and behavioral changes induced by bifenthrin

This study was conducted to elucidate the possible protective efficiency of Echinacea purpurea hydroethanolic extract (EchEE) against bifenthrin (BIF)-induced neuro-chemical and behavioral changes in rats. Total phenolics content, reducing power and radical scavenging activity of EchEE were estimated. Four groups of adult male albino rats were used (10 rats each) as follows: 1) Control healthy rats ingested with placebo, 2) Healthy rats orally received EchEE (465 mg/kg/day), 3) Rats intoxicated with BIF (7mg/kg/day) dissolved in olive oil, and 4) Rats co-treated with EchEE (465 mg/kg/day) besides to BIF (7mg/kg/day) intoxication. After 30 days, some neuro-chemical and behavioral tests were assessed. The behavioral tests revealed that rats received BIF exhibited exploratory behavior and spatial learning impairments, memory and locomotion dysfunction, and enhanced anxiety level. Biochemical findings revealed that BIF induced-oxidative stress in the cortex and hippocampus; this was appeared from the significant rise in malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels, coupled with decreased catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activities, and reduced glutathione (GSH) level in both brain areas. Also, BIF induced a significant increase caspas-3, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), and interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß) in both areas; dopamine and serotonin levels, and ACh-ase activity were markedly decreased in both areas. Interestingly, treatment of rats with EchEE in combination with BIF resulted in a significant decrease in oxidative stress damage, and modulation of the apoptotic and pro-inflammatory markers. Also, EchEE markedly improved behavioral activities and neurotransmitters level that were impaired by BIF. In conclusion, the present study clearly indicated that EchEE can attenuate brain dysfunction induced by pesticides exposure through preventing the oxidative stress. This may be attributed to its high antioxidant component.

Acrylamide induces the activation of BV2 microglial cells through TLR2/4-mediated LRRK2-NFATc2 signaling cascade

Acrylamide (ACR), a potential neurotoxin, is generated from the Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and free amino acids during food processing. Our work focuses on clarifying the role of the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) and nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 2 (NFATc2) in the polarization of BV2 cells to the M1 proinflammatory type induced by ACR. Specifically, ACR promoted the phosphorylation of LRRK2 and NFATc2 in BV2 microglia. Furthermore, selectively phosphorylated LRRK2 by ACR induced nuclear translocation of NFATc2 to trigger a neuroinflammatory cascade. Knock-down of LRRK2 by silencing significantly diminished ACR-induced microglial neurotoxic effect with the decline of IL-1β, IL-6, and iNOS levels and the decrease of NFATc2 expression in BV2 cells. After pretreated with Toll-Like Receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR4 inhibitors separately, both the activation of LRRK2 and the release of pro-inflammatory factors were inhibited in BV2 cells. Gallic acid (GA) is ubiquitous in most parts of the medicinal plant. GA alleviated the increased CD11b expression, IL-6 and iNOS levels induced by ACR in BV2 microglia. In conclusion, this study shows that ACR leads to the cascade activation of LRRK2-NFATc2 mediated by TLR2 and TLR4 to induce microglial toxicity.