Wheatgrass Juice Administration and Immune Measures during Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Colon Cancer Patients: Preliminary Results

The Role of Wheatgrass in Colorectal Cancer: A Review of the Current Evidence

The etiology of colon cancer is either genetic in nature or results from inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease; nevertheless, dietary habits play a crucial role in the disease. Wheatgrass is a dietary supplement that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which contribute to health promotion in cardiovascular diseases, liver disease, blood diseases, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel diseases, as well as in several types of cancers, such as oral squamous cell cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer. In colorectal cancer (CRC), the prospect that wheatgrass possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties, and its use as an adjunctive therapy, have been minimally investigated and evidence is still limited. In this review, we compiled the available evidence pertaining to wheatgrass and its likely impact on CRC, described the pathways of inflammation in which wheatgrass could possibly play a role, and identified future research needs on the subject.

Nutritional Significance of Wheatgrass: Cultivation Practices and Opportunities for its Processing and Preservation

BACKGROUND

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the nutritional composition and bioactive compounds found in wheatgrass, including chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, as well as their associated health benefits. The review focuses on various cultivation practices, preservation techniques, and the current utilization of wheatgrass as a whole. Additionally, the potential toxicity of wheatgrass has been discussed. Wheatgrass, a nutrient-rich grass, possesses significant pharmacological and therapeutic qualities. In the present scenario, wheatgrass is available in the form of juice, powder, and tablets, and is incorporated into various food products through different processing treatments.

METHOD

Information and data regarding wheatgrass cultivation practices, processing, and preservation methods were collected from scientific sources, including Google Scholar, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, fig, Web of Science, and Scopus databases.

RESULT

Wheatgrass is a highly valuable source of diverse nutrient compounds. Various cultivation methods, such as indoor and outdoor techniques using different growing mediums, have been employed for wheatgrass production. Recent methods for wheatgrass preservation have been suggested to enhance the bioactive compounds present in wheatgrass.

CONCLUSION

Numerous studies have demonstrated that the consumption of wheatgrass and wheatgrass- based products can help control diabetes, atherosclerosis, kidney and colon diseases, anemia, and certain types of cancer. The smaller size of wheatgrass allows for easier assimilation of its beneficial compounds. Creating awareness among consumers about the nutritional profile and therapeutic properties of wheatgrass is crucial in order to maximize its market potential.

Positive affect and fatigue as predictors of anti-inflammatory IL-10 concentrations among colorectal cancer patients during adjuvant chemotherapy

OBJECTIVES

(1) To examine the relationships of positive and negative affect and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue at baseline with the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 concentrations in serum at three points in colorectal cancer patients; and (2) to assess the relationship between these factors and disease recurrence or mortality after a median follow-up of 24 months.

METHODS

In a prospective trial, 92 stage II or III colorectal cancer patients scheduled to receive standard chemotherapy were enrolled. Blood samples were collected prior to start of chemotherapy onset (T0), 3 months later (T1), and upon chemotherapy completion (T2).

RESULTS

IL-10 concentrations were similar across the time points. Linear mixed-effects model analysis showed that controlling for confounders, higher positive affect and lower fatigue pretreatment (T0) predicted IL-10 concentrations across the time points (estimate = 0.18, SE = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.34, p < .04 and estimate = -0.25, SE = 0.12, 95% CI = -0.50, 0.01, p < .04, respectively). Depression at T0 significantly predicted higher disease recurrence and mortality (estimate = 0.17, SE = 0.08, adjusted OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.38, p = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

We report on associations not previously assessed between positive affect and fatigue and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Results add to previous findings suggesting that positive affect and fatigue could have a role in anti-inflammatory cytokine dysregulation.

Research Trend and Detailed Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms of Food Bioactive Compounds against Cancer: A Comprehensive Review with Special Emphasis on Probiotics

In an attempt to find a potential cure for cancer, scientists have been probing the efficacy of the food we eat and its bioactive components. Over the decades, there has been an exponentially increasing trend of research correlating food and cancer. This review explains the molecular mechanisms by which bioactive food components exhibit anticancer effects in several cancer models. These bioactive compounds are mainly plant based or microbiome based. While plants remain the primary source of these phytochemicals, little is known about probiotics, i.e., microbiome sources, and their relationships with cancer. Thus, the molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effect of probiotics are discussed in this review. The principal mode of cell death for most food bioactives is found to be apoptosis. Principal oncogenic signaling axes such as Akt/PI3K, JAK/STAT, and NF-κB seem to be modulated due to these bioactives along with certain novel targets that provide a platform for further oncogenic research. It has been observed that probiotics have an immunomodulatory effect leading to their chemopreventive actions. Various foods exhibit better efficacy as complete extracts than their individual phytochemicals, indicating an orchestrated effect of the food components. Combining bioactive agents with available chemotherapies helps synergize the anticancer action of both to overcome drug resistance. Novel techniques to deliver bioactive agents enhance their therapeutic response. Such combinations and novel approaches are also discussed in this review. Notably, most of the food components that have been studied for cancer have shown their efficacy in vivo. This bolsters the claims of these studies and, thus, provides us with hope of discovering anticancer agents in the food that we eat.

Wheatgrass extract imparts neuroprotective actions against scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice

The rich and diverse phytoconstituents of wheatgrass have established it as a natural antioxidant and detoxifying agent. The anti-inflammatory potential of wheatgrass has been studied extensively. However, the neuroprotective potential of wheatgrass has not been studied in depth. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective response of wheatgrass against age-related scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice. Scopolamine is an established anticholinergic drug that demonstrates the behavioural and molecular characteristics of Alzheimer's disease. In the current study, wheatgrass extracts (prepared from 5 and 7 day old plantlets) were administered to scopolamine-induced memory deficit mice. The Morris water maze (MWM) and Y-maze tests demonstrated that wheatgrass treatment improves the behavior and simultaneously enhances the memory of amnesic mice. We further evaluated the expression of neuroinflammation related genes and proteins in the hippocampal region of mice. Wheatgrass significantly upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of neuroprotective markers such as BDNF and CREB in scopolamine-induced mice. Simultaneously, wheatgrass also downregulated the expression of inflammatory markers such as TNF-α and tau genes in these mice. The treatment of scopolamine-induced memory impaired mice with wheatgrass resulted in an elevation in the level of the phosphorylated form of ERK and Akt proteins. Wheatgrass treatment of mice also regulated the phosphorylation of tau protein and simultaneously prevented its aggregation in the hippocampal region of the brain. Overall, this study suggests the therapeutic potential of wheatgrass in the treatment of age-related memory impairment, possibly through the involvement of ERK/Akt-CREB-BDNF pathway and concomitantly ameliorating the tau-related pathogenesis.

Multi-residue Analysis, Probabilistic Dietary Risk Assessment of 241 Pesticides in Wheatgrass (Triticum sp.) using LC-MS/MS in Combination with QuEChERS Extraction

Wheatgrass is consumed as an important nutritious herbal food supplement across the globe; however, limited studies have been reported on analysis of multi-class pesticides in this complex nutrient rich natural product. An analytical method was developed for the estimation of 241 pesticides in random Wheatgrass samples collected from Delhi-Northern Capital Region (Delhi-NCR). Extraction was performed by QuEChERS, cleaning was performed by dispersive solid phase and the extracts were analyzed using Triple Quadrupole Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. The limit of quantification was 0.5 μg /kg, which is well below European Union-Maximum Residue Level. The coefficient of determination was >0.991 across calibration range of 0.5-100 μg /kg. The Relative Standard Deviation values for 231 pesticides based on 10 replicates of samples spiked at 10 μg /kg were <5%. Among random samples, 54% confirmed the presence of at least one pesticide. Results indicated the presence of 8 different pesticides among 38% of total population with Metribuzin at 299.7 μg /kg and Carfentrazone-ethyl at 19.47 μg/kg exceeding the permissible limits among 6% of total estimated population. The chronic and acute risk quotients as calculated were less than 1, indicating non-significant dietary risk to consumers. However, the presence of pesticides above permissible limit is likely to result in adverse health effects to the consumers of herbal supplements from urban population and incorporating measures would be useful to ensure the quality and safety of wheatgrass consumption.

Wheatgrass: An Epitome of Nutritional Value

Background:

Plants having active constituents possess pharmaceutical use and nutritional values. Herbal medicine or food supplement is gaining popularity, as well as scientific research on wheatgrass as a “functional food”.

Objective:

The target behind accepting wheatgrass as a study for review is to have clinical and non-clinical investigations on the wheatgrass plant at an equivalent stage. To let individuals, think about different affirmed uses and activities of the plant.

Methods:

Plants having so many nutritional and therapeutic values have been selected for review so that consumers or patients could be benefitted from their therapeutic uses. Recently, the interests in the use of herbal products have grown dramatically in the western as well as developing countries. The review was extracted from searches performed on Google Scholars, Google Patents, etc. Data from sources have been collected and reported here at one place in order to provide further research on wheatgrass.

Results :

Wheatgrass is a high source of various vitamins and minerals; it possesses many activities like anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-bacterial and many more. Wheatgrass’ uses, benefits and properties non-clinical data and clinical studies has been thoroughly studied. Patents filed related to wheatgrass are mentioned here, so as to motivate other innovators to search for new activities or molecules.

Conclusions:

Wheatgrass can be used in pharmaceutical formulations and can be used as nutritional supplements due to its anti-oxidant nature, anti-microbial activity, anti-bacterial activity, anti-fungal activity. It is also called “Panacea on Earth” owing to its wide range of nutritive and medicinal aspects.

Wheatgrass inhibits the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory effect in RAW 264.7 macrophages

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Wheatgrass extract inhibits production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species.

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Wheatgrass extract inhibits production of pro-inflammatory and inflammatory markers.

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Molecular docking suggests inhibition of COX-2 by major metabolites of wheatgrass.

Inflammation is a multifaceted set of cellular communications generated against foreign infection, toxic influence or autoimmune injury. The present study investigates the anti-inflammatory effect of wheatgrass extract against the harmful impact of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in macrophage cells, i.e., RAW 264.7 cells. Our results indicate that 5- and 7- days old wheatgrass extracts inhibit the LPS-stimulated production of nitric oxide. Moreover, wheatgrass extract significantly downregulates the mRNA expression of LPS-stimulated various pro-inflammatory markers, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, AP-1 and also iNOS-2 and COX-2. Our flow cytometry analyses confirmed that wheatgrass extract prevents the generation of reactive oxygen species in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, thus arresting oxidative stress in cells. The immunoblot analyses also confirmed a significant reduction in the expression of inflammatory proteins, namely, iNOS-2 and COX-2, in wheatgrass extract-treated cells, compared to LPS-stimulated condition. The NF-κB transactivation assay further confirmed the inhibitory effect of wheatgrass extracts on the LPS-stimulated expression of NF-κB. Molecular docking based studies showed the plausible binding of two significant wheatgrass constituents, i.e., apigenin and myo-inositol with COX-2 protein, with binding energies of −10.59 kcal/mol and −7.88 kcal/mol, respectively. Based on the above results, wheatgrass may be considered as a potential therapeutic candidate for preventing inflammation.