Possible Health Effects of a Wax Ester Rich Marine Oil

The biomolecules of Euglena gracilis: Harnessing biology for natural solutions to future problems

Over the past decade, the autotrophic and heterotrophic protist Euglena gracilis (E. gracilis) has gained popularity across the studies of environmental science, biosynthesis experiments, and nutritional substitutes. The unique physiology and versatile metabolism of E. gracilis have been a recent topic of interest to many researchers who continue to understand the complexity and possibilities of using E. gracilis biomolecule production. In this review, we present a comprehensive representation of recent literature outlining the various uses of biomolecules derived from E. gracilis across the fields of natural product biosynthesis, as a nutritional substitute, and as bioremediation tools. In addition, we highlight effective strategies for altering metabolite production using abiotic stressors and growth conditions. To better understand metabolite biosynthesis and its role in E. gracilis, integrated studies involving genomics, metabolomics, and proteomics should be considered. Together, we show how the ongoing advancements in E. gracilis related research continue to broaden applications in the biosynthetic sector and highlight future works that would strengthen our understanding of overall Euglena metabolism.

Calanus oil attenuates isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy by regulating myocardial remodeling and oxidative stress

Calanus oil, an oil extracted from the marine crustacean Calanus finmarchicus, is one of the richest sources of omega-3 and poly-unsaturated fatty acids. Although calanus oil has been shown to have a significant anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and anti-obesity effects in various cardiovascular diseases, but little is known about its effect on pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Thus, the present study was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic effect of calanus oil on cardiac hypertrophy. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced by subcutaneous injections with isoproterenol (5 mg/kg b.w) for 14 consecutive days. Calanus oil (400 mg/kg) was given orally for 4 weeks. Cardiac pathological remodeling was evaluated by echocardiography, after which morphometric, biochemical, histological and ultrastructural analyses were performed. Calanus oil treatment significantly ameliorated isoproterenol-induced structural and functional alterations in echocardiography. Calanus oil also reduced the relative heart weight, significantly decreased the elevated cardiac enzymes (LDH and CK-MB) and the lipid peroxidation marker (MDA), augmented the myocardial antioxidant status (TAC), and ameliorated the histopathological and ultrastructural changes in cardiac tissues and prevented interstitial collagen deposition. The present study, for the first time, provided morphometric, biochemical, histological and ultrastructural evidences supporting the promising anti-hypertrophic effect of calanus oil against ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy. This anti-hypertrophic effect of calanus oil is via regulating myocardial remodeling and oxidative stress. Therefore, it could be used as potential pharmacological intervention in the management of cardiac hypertrophy.

Increased efficacy of dietary supplement containing wax ester-rich marine oil and xanthophylls in a mouse model of dry macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is nowadays considered among the retinal diseases whose clinical management lacks established treatment approaches, mainly for its atrophic (dry) form. In this respect, the use of dietary patterns enriched in omega-3 and antioxidant xanthophylls has emerged as a promising approach to counteract dry AMD progression although the prophylactic potential of omega-3 of fish origin has been discussed. Whether enriched availability of omega-3 and xanthophylls may increase the effectiveness of diet supplementation in preventing dry AMD remains to be fully established. The present study aims at comparing the efficacy of an existing orally administered formulation based on lutein and fish oil, as a source of omega-3, with a novel formulation providing the combination of lutein and astaxanthin with Calanus oil (COil), which contains omega-3 together with their precursors policosanols. Using a mouse model of dry AMD based on subretinal injection of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-400, we assessed the comparative efficacy of both formulations on PEG-induced major hallmarks including oxidative stress, inflammation, glial reactivity and outer retinal thickness. Dietary supplementation with both mixtures has been found to exert a significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity as reflected by the overall amelioration of the PEG-induced pathological hallmarks. Noteworthy, the formulation based on COil appeared to be more protective than the one based on fish oil, presumably because of the higher bioavailability of omega-3 in COil. These results support the use of dietary supplements combining omega-3 and xanthophylls in the prevention and treatment of AMD and suggest that the source of omega-3 might contribute to treatment efficacy.

Assessment of Natural Waxes as Stabilizers in Peanut Butter

Manufacturers add sugar and fully hydrogenated vegetable oils to peanut butter to avoid its oil separation during storage. Unfortunately, hydrogenated oils are significant sources of saturated fats, and reducing their consumption is challenging for food scientists without affecting the desired characteristics of food products. Therefore, in a preliminary study, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% of three natural waxes (rice bran, carnauba, and beeswax) were added to the natural peanut butter to test their efficacy as a stabilizer. Rice bran and carnauba wax added to peanut butter presented a higher elastic modulus (G’) and lower oil separation percentages than beeswax. However, no significant differences were found between the different percentages of waxes. Thus, in the final experiments, 1% of these selected waxes (rice bran and carnauba waxes) were added directly to the roasted ground peanut. Due to the difficulty of adding high melting point waxes to the peanut butter, a second experiment added wax oleogel (rice-bran and carnauba wax) to defatted peanut flour. After four weeks of storage, all of the samples were examined for their texture (TPA) and oil separation. The sample with directly added bran wax had the highest values for spreadability and firmness, and the lowest oil separation, which was 11.94 ± 0.90 N·s⁻¹, 19.60 ± 0.71 N·s⁻¹, and 0.87 ± 0.05%, respectively. In the peanut flour sample, the spreadability, firmness, and separated oil of the rice bran wax oleogel added sample were 46.95 ± 0.99 N·s⁻¹, 66.61 ± 0.93 N, and 1.57 ± 0.07%, respectively. However, the textural properties of the rice bran wax oleogel added sample were close to the commercial peanut butter (natural and creamy). Therefore, the results indicate that the rice bran wax oleogel could be the potential replacement of the fully hydrogenated oil as a stabilizer.

No Effect of Calanus Oil on Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Healthy Participants: A Randomized Controlled Study

We aimed to investigate the long-term effect of daily Calanus oil supplementation on maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in healthy 30- to 50-year-old participants. The study was motivated by preclinical studies reporting increased VO2max and metabolic health with omega-3 rich Calanus oil. In a double-blinded study, 71 participants were randomized to receive 2 g/day of Calanus or placebo supplementation for a total of 6 months. The participants underwent exercise testing and clinical investigations at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Main study endpoint was change in VO2max from baseline to 6 months. Fifty-eight participants completed the 6-month test and were included in the final data analysis (age: Calanus, 39.7 [38.0, 41.4] and placebo, 38.8 [36.8, 40.9] years; body mass index: Calanus, 24.8 [24.0, 25.6] and placebo, 24.8 [23.7, 25.8] kg/m2; and VO2max: Calanus, 50.4 [47.1, 53.8] and placebo, 50.2 [47.2, 53.1] ml·kg-1·min-1). There were no between-group differences at baseline, nor were there any between-group differences in absolute (Calanus, 3.74 [3.44, 4.04] and placebo, 3.79 [3.44, 4.14] L/min) or relative VO2max (Calanus, 49.7 [46.2, 53.2] and placebo, 49.5 [46.0, 53.1] ml·kg-1·min-1) at 6 months (mean [95% confidence interval]). There were no between-groups change in clinical measures from baseline to 3 and 6 months. In conclusion, VO2max was unaffected by 6 months of daily Calanus oil supplementation in healthy, physically fit, normal to overweight men and women between 30 and 50 years old.

Lipids and Fatty Acids in Some Mesopelagic Fish Species: General Characteristics and Peculiarities of Adaptive Response to Deep-Water Habitat

The lipid and fatty acid composition of muscles of mesopelagic fish species Lampanyctus macdonaldi, Bathylagus euryops, Serrivomer beanii, Scopelogadus beanii in the Irminger Sea at deep range were studied. The contents of the total lipids (TLs), total phospholipids (PLs), monoacylglycerols (MAGs), diacylglycerols (DAGs), triacylglycerols (TAGs), cholesterol (Chol), Chol esters, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), and wax esters were determined by HPTLC; the PL classes were determined by HPLC; and fatty acids (FAs) were determined using GC. It was found significant differences in lipid profile of the studied fishes: Chol esters and waxes were dominant in L. macdonaldii and S. beanii, fish species with diel vertical migrations (DVM), while TAGs were prevalent in B. euryops and Sc. Beanii—non-migratory species. It was revealed the species-specific differences in FAs profiles of the studied fish. Along with this, it was detected the similarity of FAs in fish, which is associated with food sources. A comparative analysis of lipids and FAs among L. macdonaldi and S. beanii collected in the Irminger Sea and L. alatus and S. beanii collected in the Tropic Seamount revealed similar biochemical strategies for the accumulation of certain lipids characterized the mesopelagic inhabit despite latitude differences of the area of study.

Marine Oil from C. finmarchicus Enhances Glucose Homeostasis and Liver Insulin Resistance in Obese Prediabetic Individuals

The intermediate state between normal glucose tolerance and overt type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with micro- and macrovascular diseases, requiring safe and cost-effective treatment measures interventions. A novel source of LC n-3 FAs is Calanus finmarchicus Oil, which showed promising effects on glucose homeostasis in preclinical studies due to anti-obesity effects and/or anti-inflammatory properties. In total, 43 obese patients (BMI: 31.7 ± 5.2 kg/m²) were allocated in the following two groups: (1) Calanus oil group (2 g CO/day) and (2) placebo group (2 g paraffin oil/day). Markers of glucose metabolism, body composition and energy intake were measured at the beginning (t0), after 12 weeks (t₁₂) and 16 weeks (t₁₆). Overall, parameters reflecting abnormal glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance in the liver, including fasting insulin (−2.9 mU/L ± 4.10, p < 0.05), HOMA-IR (−0.9 ± 1.28, p < 0.05) and hepatic insulin resistance index (−1.06 ± 1.72 × 10⁶, p < 0.05) significantly enhanced after a 12-week CO-intervention, while no differences were observed in HbA1c, AUC_0–2h Glucose, AUC_0–2h Insulin, 2 h plasma glucose and muscle insulin sensitivity index. Our results indicate that Calanus oil causes beneficial effects on glucose metabolism and insulin resistance in obese patients, with clinical relevance to be verified in further studies. In addition, the possible active compounds and their mechanisms of action should be elucidated.

Exercise Training Combined with Calanus Oil Supplementation Improves the Central Cardiodynamic Function in Older Women

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible beneficial effects of exercise training (ET) with omega-3/Calanus oil supplementation on cardiorespiratory and adiposity parameters in elderly women. Fifty-five women (BMI: 19–37 kg/m², 62–80 years old) were recruited and randomly assigned to the 4 month intervention with ET and omega-3 supplementation (Calanus oil, ET-Calanus) or ET and the placebo (sunflower oil; ET-Placebo). The body composition was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and cardiorespiratory parameters were measured using spiroergometry and PhysioFlow hemodynamic testing. Both interventions resulted in an increased lean mass whereas the fat mass was reduced in the leg and trunk as well as the android and gynoid regions. The content of trunk fat (in percent of the total fat) was lower and the content of the leg fat was higher in the ET-Calanus group compared with the ET-Placebo. Although both interventions resulted in similar improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness (VO_2max), it was explained by an increased peripheral oxygen extraction (a-vO₂diff) alone in the ET-Placebo group whereas increased values of both a-vO₂diff and maximal cardiac output (CO_max) were observed in the ET-Calanus group. Changes in CO_max were associated with changes in systemic vascular resistance, circulating free fatty acids, and the omega-3 index. In conclusion, Calanus oil supplementation during a 4 month ET intervention in elderly women improved the cardiorespiratory function, which was due to combined central and peripheral cardiodynamic mechanisms.

Essential Fatty Acids as Biomedicines in Cardiac Health

The destructive impact of cardiovascular diseases on health, including heart failure, peripheral artery disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, and other cardiac pathological conditions, positions these health conditions as leading causes of increased global mortality rates, thereby impacting the human quality of life. The considerable changes in modern lifestyles, including the increase in food intake and the change in eating habits, will unavoidably lead to an unbalanced consumption of essential fatty acids, with a direct effect on cardiovascular health problems. In the last decade, essential fatty acids have become the main focus of scientific research in medical fields aiming to establish their impact for preventing cardiovascular diseases and the associated risk factors. Specifically, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as omega 3 fatty acids, and monounsaturated fatty acids from various sources are mentioned in the literature as having a cardio-protective role, due to various biological mechanisms that are still to be clarified. This review aims to describe the major biological mechanisms of how diets rich in essential fatty acids, or simply essential fatty acid administration, could have anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, anti-arrhythmic, antithrombotic, antioxidant, and anti-atherogenic effects. This review describes findings originating from clinical studies in which dietary sources of FAs were tested for their role in mitigating the impact of heart disorders in human health.

In vitro intestinal digestion of lipids from the marine diatom Porosira glacialis compared to commercial LC n-3 PUFA products

Marine sources of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) are in high demand for use in health supplements. Mass cultivated marine microalgae is a promising and sustainable source of LC n-3 PUFA, which relieves pressure on natural fish stocks. The lipid class profile from cultivated photosynthetic algae differ from the marine organisms currently used for the production of LC n-3 PUFA. The objective of this study was to compare in vitro intestinal digestion of oil extracted from the cold-adapted marine diatom Porosira glacialis with commercially available LC n-3 PUFA supplements; cod liver oil, krill oil, ethyl ester concentrate, and oil from the copepod Calanus finmarchicus (Calanus® oil). The changes in the free fatty acids and neutral and polar lipids during the enzymatic hydrolysis were characterized by liquid and gas chromatography. In Calanus® oil and the Ethyl ester concentrate, the free fatty acids increased very little (4.0 and 4.6%, respectively) during digestion. In comparison, free fatty acids in Krill oil and P. glacialis oil increased by 14.7 and 17.0%, respectively. Cod liver oil had the highest increase (28.2%) in free fatty acids during the digestion. Monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids were more easily released than polyunsaturated fatty acids in all five oils.