ABSTRACT
Antioxidative and aldose reductase (AR)-inhibitory effects of a fermentation filtrate of Rubus coreanus (FRC) were investigated using corneal/retinal homogenate and lens cytosol, respectively. Rat corneal/retinal homogenate was treated with 50 microM FeCl3 in the presence of FRC (3.2-100 microg/mL) for 30 min at 37degrees C, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) was quantified as a lipid peroxidation parameter. FRC markedly suppressed the TBARS production in a concentration-dependent manner, leading to 50% (IC50) and 100% (IC100) inhibitory concentrations of 20 and 95 microg/mL, respectively, which was similar to the effect of butylated hydroxyanisole. Activity of AR from rat lens was assayed in the presence of FRC (1-31.6 microg/mL) at 25degrees C using glyceraldehyde as a substrate. FRC inhibited lens AR by 50% (IC50) and 90% (IC90) at approximately 2 and 31.6 microg/mL, respectively, comparable to the effect of quercetin. The results indicate that ERC could be a promising candidate for the improvement of eye injury and visual dysfunction of dry eye and diabetic patients.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Rats , Aldehyde Reductase , Butylated Hydroxyanisole , Cytosol , Eye , Eye Injuries , Fermentation , Glyceraldehyde , Lipid Peroxidation , Quercetin , Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive SubstancesABSTRACT
The effects of a fermentation filtrate of Ganoderma lucidum (FGL) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic fibrosis were investigated in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered with FGL (20 or 100 mg/kg) for 33 days, and orally administered with CCl4 (1.0 mL/kg; 2 mL/kg of 50% in corn oil) at 3-day intervals 1 h after FGL treatment. Body and liver weights, blood and histopathological findings in accordance with hydroxyproline concentrations were analyzed. Chronic exposure to CCl4 reduced the body weight gain, but increased liver weights and fibrosis, resulting in 3.35-fold increase in hydroxyproline level. Although FGL did not significantly reduce the CCl4-induced body and liver weight changes, it attenuated the increases in the hepatic fibrosis and hydroxyproline contents. Taken together, it is suggested that FGL might prevent hepatic fibrosis, and that FGL or its ingredient could be a potential candidate for the prevention of chronic hepatic disorders.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Male , Rats , Body Weight , Carbon Tetrachloride , Fermentation , Fibrosis , Ganoderma , Hydroxyproline , Liver , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Reishi , Weights and Measures , Zea maysABSTRACT
Since oxidative stresses are involved in gastroenteritis and diarrhea, we investigated antioxidative and antidiarrheal activities of persimmon flesh extract (PFE) and persimmon calyx extract (PCE) in vitro and in vivo, respectively. PCE significantly scavenged 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) from 500 microg/mL, although PFE was ineffective. In addition, PFE and PCE exhibited strong nitric oxide-scavenging effects from 1 microg/mL, in which PCE was superior to ascorbic acid (50 microM). Furthermore, PFE and PCE significantly inhibited FeCl3-induced lipid peroxidation as well as Cu2+/H2O2-induced protein oxidation from 10 microg/mL. In vivo charcoal-propulsion assay, in contrast to a negligible effect of PFE, treatment with PCE (160-500 mg/kg) markedly inhibited intestinal motility. The results indicate that extracts of persimmon, especially PCE, possess antioxidative, antiinflammatory and antidiarrheal activities. Therefore, it is suggested that persimmon extracts could be used for the relief of gastroenteritis and diarrhea.