Olive juice dry extract containing hydroxytyrosol, as a nontoxic and safe substance: Results from pre-clinical studies and review of toxicological studies

Products derived from olives, such as the raw fruit and oils, are widely consumed due to their taste, and purported nutritional/health benefits. Phenolic compounds, especially hydroxytyrosol (HT), have been proposed as one of the key substances involved in these effects. An olive juice extract, standardized to contain 20% HT ("OE20HT"), was produced to investigate its health benefits. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the genotoxic safety of this ingredient based on in vitro Ames assay and in vitro micronucleus assay. Results indicated that OE20HT was not mutagenic at concentrations of up to 5000 µg/plate, with or without metabolic activation, and was neither aneugenic nor clastogenic after 3-hour exposure at concentrations of up to 60 µg/mL with or without metabolic activation, or after 24-hour exposure at concentrations of up to 40 µg/mL. To further substantiate the safety of OE20HT following ingestion without conducting additional animal studies, a comprehensive literature review was conducted. No safety concerns were identified based on acute or sub-chronic studies in animals, including reproductive and developmental studies. These results were supported by clinical studies demonstrating the absence of adverse effects after oral supplementation with olive extracts or HT. Based on in vitro data and the literature review, the OE20HT extract is therefore considered as safe for human consumption at doses up to 2.5 mg/kg body weight/day.

Otorhinolaryngological manifestations and delayed diagnosis in Kawasaki disease

OBJECTIVES

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a febrile multisystemic vasculitis of unknown etiology whose coronary prognosis is improved by early diagnosis and management. The objective of this study was to describe ENT manifestations encountered and to look for a delayed diagnosis associated with these manifestations.

METHODS

A retrospective descriptive single-center study was conducted in Lyon between January 2009 and December 2017. All children treated for Kawasaki disease were included in the study. Clinical, biological and cardiac ultrasound data were collected. According to the diagnosis made at the first medical visit, children were classified into two groups: diagnosis of ENT spectrum or non-ENT diagnosis. The diagnostic times were compared by a Student test.

RESULTS

142 patients were included: 64 in the ENT diagnostic group, 78 in the non-ENT diagnostic group. When the initial diagnosis was of ENT spectrum, the diagnostic time of KD was significantly longer: 8.51 days vs 5.77 days - (p < 0.01). The total duration of fever was also longer - 10.92 vs 8.32 days - (p = 0.013) - and the frequency of antibiotics intake more important - 92.2% vs 46.2% - (p < 0.01). Four children underwent surgery in the ENT diagnostic group: two retro-pharyngeal abscesses, one paracentesis and one cervicectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

ENT manifestations are frequently at the forefront of KD and constitute a misleading clinical picture responsible for delayed diagnosis and potentially inappropriate medico-surgical management. It is necessary to provide more education to practitioners for earlier recognition of Kawasaki disease.

fMRI Reveals Mitigation of Cerebrovascular Dysfunction by Bradykinin Receptors 1 and 2 Inhibitor Noscapine in a Mouse Model of Cerebral Amyloidosis

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques can be used to assess cerebrovascular dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease, an important and early contributor to pathology. We hypothesized that bradykinin receptor inhibition alleviates the vascular dysfunction in a transgenic arcAβ mouse model of cerebral amyloidosis and that fMRI techniques can be used to monitor the treatment response. Transgenic arcAβ mice, and non-transgenic littermates of 14 months-of-age were either treated with the bradykinin receptors 1 and 2 blocker noscapine or received normal drinking water as control over 3 months (n = 8–11/group) and all mice were assessed using fMRI at the end of the treatment period. Perfusion MRI using an arterial spin labeling technique showed regional hypoperfusion in arcAβ compared to non-transgenic controls, which was alleviated by noscapine treatment. Similarly, measuring cerebral blood volume changes upon pharmacological stimulation using vessel dilator acetazolamide revealed recovery of regional impairment of cerebral vascular reactivity in arcAβ mice upon noscapine treatment. In addition, we assessed with immunohistochemistry beta-amyloid (Aβ) and inflammation levels in brain sections. Immunohistological stainings for Aβ deposition (6E10) and related microgliosis (Iba1) in the cortex and hippocampus were found comparable between noscapine-treated and untreated arcAβ mice. In addition, levels of soluble and insoluble Aβ₃₈, Aβ₄₀, Aβ₄₂ were found to be similar in brain tissue homogenates of noscapine-treated and untreated arcAβ mice using electro-chemiluminescent based immunoassay. In summary, bradykinin receptors blockade recovered cerebral vascular dysfunction in a mouse model of cerebral amyloidosis. fMRI methods revealed the functional deficit in disease condition and were useful tools to monitor the treatment response.

The influence of prior expectations on facial expression discrimination in schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Belief inflexibility is a thinking style observed in patients with schizophrenia, in which patients tend to refute evidence that runs counter to their prior beliefs. This bias has been related to a dominance of prior expectations (prior beliefs) over incoming sensory evidence. In this study we investigated the reliance on prior expectations for the processing of emotional faces in schizophrenia.

METHOD

Eighteen patients with schizophrenia and 18 healthy controls were presented with sequences of emotional (happy, fearful, angry or neutral) faces. Perceptual decisions were biased towards a particular expression by a specific instruction at the start of each sequence, referred to as the context in which stimuli occurred. Participants were required to judge the emotion on each face and the effect of the context on emotion discrimination was investigated.

RESULTS

For threatening emotions (anger and fear), there was a performance cost for facial expressions that were incongruent with, and perceptually close to, the expression named in the instruction. For example, for angry faces, participants in both groups made more errors and reaction times (RTs) were longer when they were asked to look out for fearful faces compared with the other contexts. This bias against sensory evidence that runs counter to prior information was stronger in the patients, evidenced by a group by context interaction in accuracy and RTs for anger and fear respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the present data suggest an overdependence on prior expectations for threatening stimuli, reflecting belief inflexibility, in schizophrenia.

[Nifurtimox, a bright future for treatment of Chagas disease]

Nifurtimox is one of the two molecules used for treatment of Chagas disease. Although posology has not yet been clearly defined, nifurtimox is increasingly used, especially in combination with eflonithin. Nifurtimox is perfectly suited to the WHO's Chagas disease eradication program.

[Benzonidazole: one of the rare treatment for Chagas disease]

Benznidazole is indicated in the treatment of Chagas' disease, which is endemic in Latin America. However, it has numerous adverse effects and is effective only at certain disease stages. Because of these drawbacks and the appearance of resistance to benzinidazole, there is ongoing research for alternative therapeutic strategies and new drugs.