Piperine effectively protects primary cultured atrial myocytes from oxidative damage in the infant rabbit model

Piperine as potential therapy of post-weaning porcine diarrheas: an in vitro study using a porcine duodenal enteroid model

Post-weaning diarrhea in piglets is a major problem, resulting in a significant loss in pig production. This study aimed to investigate the effects of piperine, an alkaloid abundantly found in black peppers, on biological activities related to the pathogenesis of post-weaning diarrhea using a porcine duodenal enteroid model, a newly established intestinal stem cell-derived in vitro model recapitulating physiology of porcine small intestinal epithelia. Porcine duodenal enteroid models were treated with disease-relevant pathological inducers with or without piperine (8 μg/mL and/or 20 μg/mL) before measurements of oxidative stress, mRNA, and protein expression of proinflammatory cytokines, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) nuclear translocation, barrier leakage, and fluid secretion. We found that piperine (20 μg/mL) inhibited H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress, TNF-α-induced mRNA, and protein expression of proinflammatory cytokines without affecting NF-κB nuclear translocation, and prevented TNF-α-induced barrier leakage in porcine duodenal enteroid monolayers. Importantly, piperine inhibited fluid secretion induced by both forskolin and heat-stable toxins (STa) in a three-dimensional model of porcine duodenal enteroids. Collectively, piperine possesses both anti-inflammatory and anti-secretory effects in porcine enteroid models. Further research and development of piperine may provide novel interventions for the treatment of post-weaning porcine diarrhea.

Mechanistic Basis for the Role of Phytochemicals in Inflammation-Associated Chronic Diseases

Chronic inflammatory diseases occur in a large portion of the population and are associated with a poor diet. Key natural products found in fruits and vegetables may assist in lowering inflammation associated with chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. This review seeks to examine the roles of several natural products, resveratrol (RES), quercetin (QUE), curcumin (CUR), piperine (PIP), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and gingerol (GIN), in their ability to attenuate inflammatory markers in specific diseases states. Additionally, we will discuss findings in past and ongoing clinical trials, detail possible phytochemical–drug interactions, and provide a brief resource for researchers and healthcare professionals on natural product and supplement regulation as well as names of databases with information on efficacy, indications, and natural product–drug interactions. As diet and over-the-counter supplement use are modifiable factors and patients are interested in using complementary and alternative therapies, understanding the mechanisms by which natural products have demonstrated efficacy and the types of drugs they interact with and knowing where to find information on herbs and supplements is important for practicing healthcare providers and researchers interested in this field.

The Influence of Piperine on the Radioprotective Effect of Curcumin in Irradiated Human Lymphocytes

Objectives

Ionizing radiation (IR) induces DNA damage in normal cells, leading to genotoxicity. The radioprotective effects of co-treatment with curcumin and piperine were investigated against genotoxicity induced by IR in human normal lymphocytes.

Materials and Methods

Human blood samples were pretreated with curcumin at different concentrations (5, 10, and 25 μg/mL) and/or piperine (2.5 μg/mL) and then were exposed to IR at a dose 1.5 Gy. The radioprotective effects of curcumin and piperine were assessed by micronucleus (MN) assay.

Results

Curcumin and piperine reduced the percentage of MN induced by IR in lymphocytes. Piperine alone significantly reduced genotoxicity induced by IR as compared to curcumin alone at all concentrations. An additive radioprotective effect was observed with combination of piperine and curcumin at the low concentration of 5 μg/mL, while this synergistic effect was not observed with curcumin at the higher concentrations of 10 and 25 μg/mL.

Conclusion

Piperine has a potent radioprotective effect at low concentration as compare to curcumin. However, an additive radioprotective effect was observed with co-treatment with piperine and curcumin at low concentration, while piperine increased the percentage of MN in normal lymphocytes when co-treated with curcumin at higher concentration.

Efficient brain uptake of piperine and its pharmacokinetics characterization after oral administration

1. Piperine, the major biological active component in black pepper has been associated with miscellaneous pharmacological effects, especially on central nervous system. To correlate with its neurological activity, a comprehensive pharmacokinetic profile of piperine in brain, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid after oral administration in rats was investigated in this study. 2. It was noted that piperine could efficiently penetrate and homogeneously distribute into brain with similar pharmacokinetics profiles in each region. In addition, piperine concentrations in brain and plasma were found to be comparable with brain to plasma area under curve extrapolated to infinity (AUC_0→∞) ratios of 0.95 and 1.10 for total concentration and unbound concentrations, respectively. Piperine also demonstrated high affinity toward brain tissue (98.4-98.5%) and plasma protein (96.2-97.8%) leading to a brain distribution volume of 36.32 ± 1.40 ml/g brain. Moreover, its efficient membrane permeability (P _app values of 5.41  ±  0.40 × 10^{- 5} cm/s and 4.78  ±  0.16 × 10^{- 5} cm/s for basolateral to apical and apical to basolateral transport in Caco-2 monolayer model) and limited hepatic metabolism (Cl_int of 8.15 μl/min/mg) could also contribute to its quick and high extent brain exposure. 3. In summary, this study for the first time demonstrated high brain penetration potency of piperine could be resulted from its high brain tissue affinity and membrane permeability together with its limited liver metabolism.

Resveratrol, piperine and apigenin differ in their NADPH-oxidase inhibitory and reactive oxygen species-scavenging properties

BACKGROUND

Many plant-derived chemicals have been studied for their potential benefits in ailments including inflammation, cancer, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular disease. The health benefits of phytochemicals are often attributed to the targeting of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, it is not always clear whether these agents act directly as antioxidants to remove ROS, or whether they act indirectly by blocking ROS production by enzymes such as NADPH oxidase (NOX) enzymes, or by influencing the expression of cellular pro- and anti- oxidants.

HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE

Here we evaluate the pro- and anti-oxidant and NOX-inhibiting qualities of four phytochemicals: celastrol, resveratrol, apigenin, and piperine.

STUDY DESIGN

This work was done using the H661 cell line expressing little or no NOX, modified H661 cells expressing NOX1 and its subunits, and an EBV-transformed B-lymphoblastoid cell line expressing endogenous NOX2. ROS were measured using Amplex Red and nitroblue tetrazolium assays. In addition, direct ROS scavenging of hydrogen peroxide or superoxide generated were measured using Amplex Red and methyl cypridina luciferin analog (MCLA).

RESULTS

Of the four plant-derived compounds evaluated, only celastrol displayed NOX inhibitory activities, while celastrol and resveratrol both displayed ROS scavenging activity. Very little impact on ROS was observed with apigenin, or piperine.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study reveal the differences that exist between cell-free and intracellular pro-oxidant and antioxidant activities of several plant-derived compounds.