Ecotoxicological Assessment of Seaweed-Based Crop Biostimulant on Earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae Kinb.

Aqueous extracts from green seaweeds Chaetomorpha antennina and Ulva flexuosa (SWE) had considerable impacts on the growth and development of tomato plants; it was evident that SWE could be widely applied as agricultural biostimulants as one among a promising strategy of sustainable agriculture. With a higher probability of SWE to replace synthetic agrochemicals, we describe a procedure here to perform an ecotoxicological assessment of liquid SWE on the earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae Kinb with respect to their growth, survivability, and reproduction.

Antioxidant Efficacy of a Spirulina Liquid Extract on Oxidative Stress Status and Metabolic Disturbances in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome.

Lipid peroxidation is associated with the development of some pathologies, such as cardiovascular diseases. Reduction in oxidative stress by antioxidants, such as Arthrospira (formely Spirulina), helps improving this redox imbalance. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the Arthrospira liquid extract "Spirulysat®" on oxidative markers-in particular, oxidized LDL (oxLDL)/total LDL cholesterol-and isoprostanes and to investigate its impact on lipid and glucose metabolism in the metabolic syndrome subject. A controlled, randomised, double-blind design was conducted in 40 subjects aged 18 to 65 years with metabolic syndrome after a daily intake of Spirulysat® or placebo for twelve weeks. Blood and urinary samples were collected at three visits (V1, V2, V3) in the two groups for parameters determination. Although the Spirulysat® group showed a decrease at all visits of the oxLDL/total cholesterol ratio, there was no significant difference compared to the placebo (p = 0.36). The urinary isoprostanes concentration in the Spirulysat® group was reduced (p = 0.014) at V3. Plasma triglycerides decreased at V3 (p = 0.003) and HDL-cholesterol increased (p = 0.031) at all visits with Spirulysat®. In conclusion, Spirulysat® did not change the oxidized LDL (oxLDL)/LDL ratio but decreased the urinary isoprostanes, plasma triglycerides and increased HDL cholesterol, suggesting a beneficial effect on metabolic syndrome.

Oleuropein Degradation Kinetics in Olive Leaf and Its Aqueous Extracts.

Although olives leaves are currently considered a waste material from oil mills, they have great potential to be transformed into by-products due to their high oleuropein content. Oleuropein is a glycoside precursor of hydroxytyrosol, which is the phenolic compound with the highest antioxidant capacity in nature and which is associated with multiple health benefits. For this reason, the demand for oleuropein is growing in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food sectors. The objective of this study is to determine the stability of oleuropein in olive leaves from oil mills in solid and aqueous forms under different conditions of temperature, relative humidity and lighting. The results indicate that the degradation of oleuropein conforms well to first-order kinetics. The rate constants at the temperatures tested in the aqueous extracts indicate activation energies from RTl to 80 °C and from 7 °C to 14 °C, as the degradation reactions were different in these ranges. Furthermore, olive leaf powder stored at any temperature with an RH ≥ 57% showed greater stability after six months, which is an encouraging result for the storage and transformation of this waste in oil mills.

Spirulina liquid extract prevents metabolic disturbances and improves liver sphingolipids profile in hamster fed a high-fat diet.

PURPOSE: Metabolic syndrome is characterized by hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia and exacerbated oxidative stress. The aim of the study was to determine whether Spirulysat®, a Spirulina liquid extract (SLE) enriched in phycocyanin, would prevent metabolic abnormalities induced by high-fat diet. METHODS: The effect of acute SLE supplementation on postprandial lipemia and on triton-induced hyperlipidemia was studied in hamster fed control diet (C). The effect of chronic SLE supplementation on lipid content in plasma, liver and aorta, and on glycemia and oxidative stress was studied in hamster fed control (C) or high-fat diet (HF) for two weeks and then treated with SLE for two weeks (CSp and HFSp) or not (C and HF). RESULTS: The acute SLE supplementation lowered plasma cholesterol and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations after olive oil gavage (P < 0.05) in CSp, while no effect was observed on triglyceridemia. HFD increased plasma MDA, basal glycemia, triglyceridemia, total plasma cholesterol, VLDL, LDL and HDL cholesterol, ceramide, sphingomyelin and glucosylceramide content in liver in HF compared to C (P < 0.05). SLE did not affect SOD and GPx activities nor total antioxidant status in HFSp group but lowered glycemia, glucoceramide and cholesterol in liver and cholesterol in aorta compared to HF (P < 0.05). SLE also decreased HMGCoA and TGF-ß1 gene expression in liver (P < 0.05) and tended to lower G6Pase (P = 0.068) gene expression in HFSp compared to HF. CONCLUSION: Although 2-week SLE supplementation did not affect oxidative stress, it protected from hyperglycemia and lipid accumulation in liver and aorta suggesting a protective effect against metabolic syndrome.

Therapeutic application of adipose stem cell-free liquid extracts: Skin aging, wound healing, scar recovery and nerve regeneration / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: Adipose stem cell-free liquid extracts include adipose stem cell conditioned medium, adipose stem cell exosomes, because they do not contain cells and have the advantages of being easy to carry, store, and transport, which has gradually become one of the most promising therapies currently. OBJECTIVE: To review the research progress in the therapeutic application of adipose stem cell-free liquid extracts. METHODS: The first author searched the CNKI, Wanfang and PubMed databases for relevant articles published from January 2005 to March 2020. The key words were “adipose stem cell, stromal cell and conditioned medium”, “adipose stem cell, stromal cell and exosomes” in Chinese, and “adipose stem cell, adipose stromal cell and conditioned medium” and “adipose stem cell, adipose stromal cell and exosomes” in English. Repetitive articles and those lacking of originality were eliminated. Totally 123 articles were searched initially, and 62 articles were included in result analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Adipose stem cell-free liquid extracts have broad therapeutic potential in a variety of disease areas, such as anti-aging, wound healing, scar recovery, and nerve regeneration. However, the specific mechanism of action is not very clear, and further research is needed.

Spirulina Liquid Extract Protects against Fibrosis Related to Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis and Increases Ursodeoxycholic Acid.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by an excess of lipids and oxidative stress in the liver. Spirulina was reported to possess hypolipemic and antioxidative effects and might counteract NASH development. C57Bl/6J mice were fed a western diet (WD) during 25 weeks with or without spirulina liquid extract (SLE) at 2 different doses (WDS1 and WDS2 groups) in drinking water. Liver histology, inflammation, and oxidative stress were assessed as well as glucose tolerance status, lipid metabolism, and gallbladder bile acid profile. WDS2 gained significantly less weight than WD. Liver weight-to-body weight ratio and plasma alanine aminotransferase were significantly lower in WDS2 mice. A reduced liver fibrosis and NFκBp65 protein expression were measured in the supplemented group as a lower accumulation of superoxide anion, nitric oxide, and thiobarbituric reactive substances. WDS2 mice showed also a preserved glucose tolerance, a strong decrease of plasma cholesterol, and a significant increase of gallbladder ursodeoxycholic acid and ß-muricholic acid. Our findings demonstrate a protective effect of SLE against WD induced NASH that is related to less inflammation and oxidative stress, a preserved glucose tolerance, and less hepatotoxic bile acid profile.

Research on fingerprint analysis of platycodonis liquid extract by UPLC-ELSD / 药学实践杂志

Objective To develop a stable method for fingerprint analysis of extractum platycodi liquidum to ensure its u‐niformity and stability .Methods UPLC‐ELSD was applied to obtain a chromatogram with 11 well separated peaks ,and the chromatographic condition was as follows:mobile phase was gradient elution by acetonitrile‐water ,column was ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 (2 .1 × 100 mm ,1 .7 μm) with the column temperature of 30 ℃ and the flow rate of 0 .2 ml/min .Results The chromatographic fingerprints were analyzed with similarity evaluation system for chromatographic fingerprint of TCM .Similar‐ities were all greater than 0 .90 ,which could meet the requirement for chromatographic fingerprint of TCM .Conclusion The stability ,repeatability and precision of the developed method were all validated ,and the chromatographic fingerprint analysis was a rapid and accurate method for the quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine .

Role of aqueous extract from Lishi No.5 formula on concentration of intracellular free-calcium in neurons / 解放军医学杂志

Objective Effects of aqueous extract from Lishi No.5 formula on concentration of intracellular free-calcium fluorescent intensity in neurons. Methods Hippocampus neurons of 1-day newborn SD rats were cultured with conventional culture technique. The cells cultured for 9-12 days were used for experiment. Intracellular free calcium fluorescent intensity of neurons cultured under different conditions was assayed with confocal microscopic calcium image technique after loading of Fluo-3/AM. Results Free-calcium concentration was enhanced by aqueous extract from Lishi No.5 formula, this concentration was up to 126.35?9.35nmol/L, but the concentration is at normal scope; L-type calcium channel blocker Nifedipine may block the effect of aqueous extract from Lishi No.5 formula enhancing intracellular free-calcium concentration in part, it make intracellular free-calcium concentration down to 90.75?10.15nmol/L, but Nifedipine itself also decreased markedly free-calcium concentration to 40.65?5.65nmol/L. NMDA increase Markedly calcium fluorescent intensity, the effects of NMDA was decreased notably after pre-treating with aqueous extract from Lishi No.5 formula. The effect of MK-801, an antagonist of NMDA receptor, on inhibition of NMDA increasing free calcium fluorescent intensity was significantly reduced after pretreatment of aqueous extract from Lishi No.5 formula. Conclusion Aqueous extract from Lishi No.5 formula maybe bidirectional adjust intracellular free calcium concentration via enhancing L-type calcium channel activity and blocking NMDA receptor in part.