Pine polyphenols from Pinus koraiensis prevent injuries induced by gamma radiation in mice

Amelioration of radiation-induced liver damage by p-coumaric acid in mice

Radiation-induced liver damage (RILD) is a spiny problem in radiotherapy or other circumstances that exposure to radiation. The need for radioprotective agent is increasing to protect liver tissue. This study aimed to explore the hepatoprotective effect of p-coumaric acid (CA) against RILD. C57BL/6 male mice were exposed to 4 Gy irradiation and administrated with CA for 4 days starting on the same day of irradiation. Mice were sacrificed to obtain blood and liver tissues on day 3.5 or 14 post irradiation, respectively. The blood and liver tissues were collected. As compared with the only irradiated group, CA supplementation improved liver morphology, decreased serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, inhibited BCL2-associated X (BAX) protein expression, and improved the mice hematopoietic function. CA at the dose of 100 mg/kg body weight showed better effect compared to the other doses. Thus, CA might possess potential to protect against RILD.

Anti-Obesity Effect of Pine Needle Extract on High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Background: Obesity due to an excessive intake of nutrient disturbs the hypothalamus-mediated energy metabolism subsequently develops metabolic disorders. In this study, we investigated the effect of pine needle extract (PNE) on the hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons involved in the regulation of energy balance via melanocortin system and fat tissue metabolism. Methods: We performed electrophysiological and immunohistochemical analyses to determine the effect of PNE on POMC neurons. Mice were fed a normal or high-fat diet for 12 weeks, then received PNE for the last 2 weeks to measure the following physiological indices: Body weight, food intake, fat/lean mass, glucose metabolism, and plasma leptin levels. In addition, changes of thermogenic, lipolytic, and lipogenetic markers were evaluated in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) by western blotting, respectively. Results: PNE increased hypothalamic POMC neuronal activity, and the effect was abolished by blockade of melanocortin 3/4 receptors (MC3/4Rs). PNE decreased body weight, fat mass, plasma leptin levels, and improved glucose metabolism after high-fat-induced obesity. However, PNE did not change the expression of thermogenic markers of the BAT in HFD fed groups, but decreased only the lipogenetic markers of WAT. This study suggests that PNE has a potent anti-obesity effect, inhibiting lipogenesis in WAT, even though HFD-induced leptin resistance-mediated disruption of POMC neuronal activity.

Protective Effects on 60Co-γ Radiation Damage of Pine Cone Polyphenols from Pinus koraiensis-Loaded Chitosan Microspheres In Vivo

A novel chitosan microsphere for encapsulating pine cone polyphenols (PP) from P. koraiensis was successfully prepared using an emulsion crosslinking technique. The characteristics of pine polyphenol-loaded microspheres (PPM) were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a laser particle size detector. It was found that PPMs were spherical in shape with uniform particle size distribution patterns. The drug content and encapsulation rate of the microspheres were 7.47% and 73.6%, respectively, at a Ch/GA mass ratio of 0.7. The animal experiments showed that PPM had a stronger radiation protective effect than PP. PPM significantly increased the immune organ indices, the quantity of marrow DNA, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, the splenocyte proliferation index, and the phagocytosis activity of monocytes. PPM also decreased the numbers of micronuclei in bone marrow cells and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in plasma in mice exposed to 60Co γ-irradiation. In addition, gender differences in biological responses to exposure to radiation were observed.

In Vitro Bioassay-guided Isolation of Radioprotective Fractions from Extracts of Pinus koraiensis Bark

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate radioprotective effect of extracts of Pinus koraiensis bark and its fractions on rat splenocytes by using bioassay-guided isolation in order to obtain the best active fraction.

Materials and Methods

P. koraiensis bark was ground and extracted with water, 40% acetone, 95% ethanol. Bio-guided assay was selected as an evaluation method to further fractionate radioprotective component from P. koraiensis bark extract. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents in fractions were also measured. Rat splenocytes were prepared by using mechanical trituration method. DNA damage was assessed as comet parameters (tail DNA%, tail length, tail moment, olive tail moment). The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) in cultured rat splenocytes were also measured.

Results

The radioprotective effects decreased from rutin >95% ethanol extracts of Pinus koraiensis bark (95EEP) >40AEP > WEP. The stimulating effects decreased from rutin > n-butanol extract (NBE) > EAE. The results demonstrate that there exists toxic ingredients (PEE and dichloromethane extract), proliferative-promoting, radioprotective component (EAE and NBE) in 95EEP. fraction eluted from n-butanol fractions of 95EEP with 50% methanol solution (NBEPKB-50ME), a fraction of NBE result from bio-guided isolation, demonstrates good radioprotective efficacy on rat splenocytes. NBEPKB-50ME pretreated rat splenocytes demonstrated progressively reduced levels of MDA when compared with γ-ray exposed cells. Different dose of NBEPKB-50ME pretreatment with 8 Gy-irration showed an increase in enzymatic antioxidant.

Conclusions

Proliferative-promoting efficacy, radioprotective effect of different solvents extracts of the bark of P. koraiensis were investigated in this work. NBEPKB-50ME was the best elution in NBE, especially in restoring SOD, CAT activities, content of GSH, decreasing DNA damage.

SUMMARY

The radioprotective effects decreased from rutin > 95EEP > 40AEP > WEP. The extract of Petroleum ether, dichloromethane extract (DME) of 95% ethanol extract of P. koraiensis (PEE, DME) show toxic effect on rat splenocytes. The extract of Ethyl acetate, n-butanol extract of 95% ethanol extract of P. koraiensis (EAE, NBE) show proliferative-promoting, radioprotective effect on rat splenocytesSingle-cell gel electrophoresis was used to evaluate the spleen cell DNA damage parameters affected by gamma-radiation and addition of best component NBEPKB-50Me from extract of P. koraiensis barkNBEPKB-50ME pretreatment with 8 Gy-irradiation showed an increase in enzymatic antioxidant capacity. NBEPKB-50ME pretreated (80, 160, 320, 480 mg/ml) rat splenocytes demonstrated progressively reduced levels of MDA when compared with g-ray exposed cells. Abbreviations used: MDA: Malondialdehyde; SOD: Superoxide dismutase; CAT: Catalase; PEE: Petroleum ether Extract; DME: Dichloromethane extract; EAE: Ethyl acetate extract; NBE: n-butanol extract; WAP: Water extracts of Pinus koraiensis bark; 40AEP: 40% acetone extracts of Pinus koraiensis bark; 95EEP: 95% ethanol extracts of Pinus koraiensis bark; TPC: Total phenolic content; TFC: Total flavonoid content; NBEPKB-50ME: Fraction eluted from n-Butanol fractions of 95EEP with 50% methanol solution.

Comparison in antioxidant and antitumor activities of pine polyphenols and its seven biotransformation extracts by fungi

Microbial transformation can strengthen the antioxidant and antitumor activities of polyphenols. Polyphenols contents, antioxidant and antitumor activities of pine polyphenols and its biotransformation extracts by Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus candidus, Trichodermas viride, Mucor wutungkiao and Rhizopus sp were studied. Significant differences were noted in antioxidant and antitumor activities. The highest antioxidant activities in Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), DPPH radical scavenging activity, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing power assay and antitumor activity against LoVo cells were biotransformation extract of Aspergillus carbonarius (BAC), biotransformation extract of Mucor wutungkiao (BMW), biotransformation extract of Aspergillus carbonarius (BAC), biotransformation extract of Aspergillus niger (BAN), biotransformation extract of Aspergillus oryzae (BAO) and BMW, respectively. Correlation analysis found that antioxidant and antitumor activities were associated with polyphenols contents and types of free radicals and tumors. A. carbonarius can make polyphenol oxidation, hydroxylation and methylation, and form new polyphenols. In conclusion, A. carbonarius, A. niger and M. wutungkiao are valuable microorganisms used for polyphenols biotransformation and enhance the antioxidant and antitumor activities of polyphenols.