Content of micronutrients, mineral and trace elements in some Mediterranean spontaneous edible herbs.

BACKGROUND: The analysis of mineral elements composition was determined in three wild edible herbs (Cichorium intybus L., Sonchus asper L. and Borago officinalis) collected in seven different sampling sites which were characterized by different pollution grade. The detection of mineral elements (Ca, K, Mg and Na), micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Li, Mn and Zn) and heavy metals (As, Cd, Hg, Ni and Pb) was performed. RESULTS: The results obtained show that in most cases a direct relationship appeared between the amount of elements and the sampling sites. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were found in samples grown in polluted soils. These evaluations showed that contaminants in plants may reflect the environmental state in which they develop. CONCLUSION: The examined species are a good source of mineral elements and micronutrients, making them particularly adapt to integrate a well-balanced diet. The accumulation of heavy metals showed that contaminants in plants may reflect the environmental state in which they develop. Results showed high concentrations of heavy metals in samples taken in locations characterized by high human activity and in some samples from the local market, of which no one knows the collection area.

Evaluation of selenite effects on selenoproteins and cytokinome in human hepatoma cell lines.

The need to explore new alternative therapeutic strategies and chemoprevention methods for hepatocellular carcinoma is growing significantly. Selenium is a trace element that plays a critical role in physiological processes, and is used in cancer chemoprevention. The aim of this work was to test in vitro the effect of sodium selenite on the human hepatoma cell lines, HepG2 and Huh7, to assess its effect on the expression of GPX1, SELK and SELENBP1 and also to evaluate its action on inflammation determinants such as cytokines. Our results show that: (i) the increase observed for the GPX1 and SELK expression is correlated with an increase in the sodium selenite concentration, also evidencing an inverse association between the levels of these two proteins and SELENBP1; (ii) the selenium concentrations evaluated in protein extracts increase in proportional way with the selenite concentrations used in the treatment, suggesting that other selenoproteins can also be modulated and should be evaluated in further studies, and (iii) some cytokines, VEGF and three pro-inflammatory cytokines, i.e., IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17, decreased with an increasing selenite concentration. Finally, interactomic studies show that GPX1 and SELK, and the four pro-inflammatory cytokines are functionally correlated evidencing a putative anti-inflammatory role for the selenite.

Release kinetics of calcium and quercetin from chewing gum as a novel antiplaque and antimicrobial device.

There is a growing interest in the use of anticariogenic and antimicrobial agents to prevent demineralization and promote remineralization of dental enamel for the prevention of oral diseases. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel chewing-system containing as Casein-Phosphopeptides-Amorphous-Calcium-Phosphate (CPP-ACP) as Quercetin (Qt) and evaluate their release using in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro and in vivo experimental protocols were designed to test the percentages of Ca from CPP-ACP and Qt released with time and their delivery rate from a chewing gum. The in vitro experiments were performed using a specifically designed chewing apparatus to test the release of Ca and Qt in artificial saliva in function of chewed time, while the in vivo experiments required a chew-out method with volunteers and the residual CPP-ACP and Qt present in the chewed gums was analyzed. This study demonstrated that both CPP-ACP'Ca and Qt were released during chewing although CPP-ACP'Ca was released from the chewing gum in a slower and more controlled manner than Qt. They were also both effectively retained in the oral cavity for all the investigated chewing time and according to their monitored release concentrations they were able to serve as a novel antiplaque agent. This research concludes that both drugs were efficiently released during the mastication process to fully exploit their anti-carious activity.

A possible predictive marker of progression for hepatocellular carcinoma.

The correlation between decreased levels of selenium and increased DNA damage and oxidative stress shows the significance of this trace element. A number of studies have provided evidence for lower serum, plasma and tissue levels of selenium in patients with various diseases and types of cancer. In this study, liver selenium concentrations were measured in tissue samples of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results showed that the selenium concentrations decreased when the malignant grade increased. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between selenium levels and human selenium binding protein-1 (SELENBP1) down-regulation in the liver. Therefore, we suggest that the evaluation of selenium and SELENBP1 concentrations can be used for improving the prognosis of HCC.