Potential Role of Dietary Salmon Nasal Cartilage Proteoglycan on UVB-Induced Photoaged Skin.

New supplements with preventive effects against skin photodamage are receiving increasing attention. This study evaluated the anti-photoaging effects of salmon nasal cartilage proteoglycan (SPG), acting as a functional material for skin health. We administered SPG to in vitro and in vivo models exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation and assessed its moisturizing and anti-wrinkle effects on dorsal mouse skin and keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts cell lines. These results showed that SPG restored the levels of filaggrin, involucrin, and AQP3 in the epidermis of UVB-irradiated dorsal skin and keratinocytes, thereby enhancing the keratinization process and water flow. Additionally, SPG treatment increased the levels of hyaluronan and skin ceramide, the major components of intercellular lipids in the epidermis. Furthermore, SPG treatment significantly increased the levels of collagen and procollagen type 1 by down-regulating matrix metalloproteinase 1, which play a crucial role in skin fibroblasts, in both in vitro and in vivo models. In addition, SPG strongly inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) signaling, the including extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38. These findings suggest that dietary SPG may be an attractive functional food for preventing UVB-induced photoaging. And this SPG product may provide its best benefit when treating several signs of skin photoaging.

Elucidating the Correlation between Bone Mineral Density and Multifidus Muscle Characteristics: A Cross-Modal Study with Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry and Spinal Computed Tomography Texture Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recent research underscores the clinical relevance of muscle conditions such as sarcopenia and their links to bone mineral density (BMD), yet notable gaps persist in the understanding of their interconnections. Our study addresses this by introducing a novel approach to decipher the correlation between BMD and the texture of the multifidus muscle, utilizing spinal computed tomography (CT) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to evaluate muscle texture, BMD, and bone mineral content (BMC) at the total lumbar vertebra and total hip. METHODS: Our single-institution study examined 395 cases collected from 6 May 2012 to 30 November 2021. Each patient underwent a spinal CT scan and a DXA scan within a one-month interval. BMD and BMC at the total lumbar vertebra and total hip were measured. The texture features of the multifidus muscle from the axial cuts of T12 to S1 vertebrae were assessed via gray-level co-occurrence matrices. CT texture analysis values at angles of 45 + 45 and 90 degrees were calculated and correlated with BMD and BMC. A regression model was then constructed to predict BMD values, and the precision of these correlations was evaluated using mean square error (MSE) analysis. RESULTS: Total lumbar BMC showed a correlation of 0.583-0.721 (MSE 1.568-1.842) and lumbar BMD of 0.632-0.756 (MSE 0.068-0.097). Total hip BMC had a correlation of 0.556-0.690 (MSE 0.448-0.495), while hip BMD ranged from 0.585 to 0.746 (MSE 0.072-0.092). CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of spinal CT texture alongside BMD and BMC measures provides a new approach to understanding the relationship between bone and muscle health. The strong correlations expected from our research affirm the importance of integrating bone and muscle measures in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of conditions such as sarcopenia and osteoporosis.

Chondroprotective effect of Alpinia oxyphylla extract in experimentally induced cartilage degradation in rabbit articular cartilage explants.

Alpinia oxyphylla is a widely used medicinal herb for diarrhea, gastralgia, tumors, hypertention, and cerebrovascular disorders. Here, we evaluated the chondroprotective effect of A. oxyphylla dried fruit ethanol extract (AOE) against cartilage degradation in rabbit articular cartilage explants. Treatment of interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and plasminogen increased degraded collagen release in culture supernatants, but pretreatment of AOE (50, 100, 200 µg/ml) inhibited the collagen release in dose-dependent manner. To examine the mechanism of action of AOE on chondroprotection, the level of matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3), matrix metalloproteinases-13 (MMP-13), tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease-1 (TIMP-1), and inflammatory mediators like prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) and nitric oxide (NO) was evaluated. AOE inhibited upregulation of MMP-3 and MMP-13 and downregulation of TIMP-1 and also reduced increase of PGE2 and NO level induced by exposure of IL-1α and plasminogen. These results indicate that AOE show chondroprotective effect through inhibiting collagen degradation via regulating MMPs, TIMP-1, and inflammatory mediators. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a one of the most common chronic disorders in elderly persons. Because the regenerative power of joint articular cartilage is very low, treatment of OA is difficult to expect complete recovery. Therefore, there is a need to develop a therapeutic agent that can safely and effectively inhibit the cartilage destruction. For the first time, we exhibited the inhibitory effect of AOE on collagen degradation through regulating MMPs and TIMP-1 in articular cartilage explants. These findings support AOE could be used as herbal therapeutic application for protecting articular cartilage to prevent OA.

Combined Extract of Vitis vinifera L. and Centella asiatica Synergistically Attenuates Oxidative Damage Induced by Hydrogen Peroxide in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells.

Endothelial cell injury caused by oxidative stress is a critical factor in the initial stage of vascular diseases. Thus, identification of more effective antioxidants is a promising strategy to protect against endothelial cell injury. Recently, synergistic effects between phytochemicals have received renewed attention for their role in the treatment of various diseases. Vitis vinifera L. and Centella asiatica are well-known medicinal plants with various biological effects. However, the combination of the two has not previously been studied. Here, we investigated the effects of V. vinifera L. leaf and C. asiatica extract combination (VCEC), a standardized herbal blend comprising V. vinifera L. leaf extract (VE) and C. asiatica extract (CE), for its antioxidant activity and for the protection of endothelial cells against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-mediated oxidative damage in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). VCEC showed higher antioxidant activity than VE or CE in oxygen radical antioxidant capacity assays. In HUVECs, VCEC significantly suppressed increases in the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species, decreased levels of nitric oxide and vascular endothelial-cadherin, and increased endothelial hyperpermeability triggered by H2O2. Treatment with VE or CE alone ameliorated HUVEC injury in a pattern similar to VCEC, although their effects were significantly weaker than VCEC. Overall, VCEC exhibited a substantial synergistic effect on protecting endothelial cells against oxidative damage through its antioxidant activity. Therefore, VCEC could be developed as a potential agent for reducing the risk of vascular diseases related to oxidative stress.

Combination of Red Clover and Hops Extract Improved Menopause Symptoms in an Ovariectomized Rat Model.

Red clover and hops are already known for their alternative menopausal therapies; however, their combination has not yet been studied. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the combination of red clover and hops extract (RHEC) for treating menopausal symptoms for the first time. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for RHEC was developed and validated for the analysis of biochanin A in red clover extract and xanthohumol in hops extract. An in vivo study was conducted using an ovariectomized rat model treated with RHEC (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg, p.o.) for a 12-week test period. Changes in body weight, tail skin temperature (TST), serum lipid profile, bone metabolism, antioxidants, and markers of vasorelaxation and uterus endometrium were evaluated. RHEC significantly inhibited body weight gain and decreased fat weight. Changes in TST associated with flashes were significantly inhibited in the RHEC groups. Other markers related to menopausal symptoms, such as blood lipid profile (total cholesterol and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol), bone metabolism (serum alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and c-terminal telopeptide type 1), antioxidants (superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde), and vasorelaxants (endothelin-1 and nitric oxide), were significantly improved after the administration of RHEC. We also confirmed the safety of RHEC through histopathological observation of the endometrium. Our findings demonstrate that RHEC appears to have high potential for comprehensively improving various symptoms of menopause.

Effect of a new herbal composition comprised of red clover and hop extract on human endothelial cell damage and vasorelaxant activity.

Hormone replacement therapy may cause various side effects, including enhancing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in postmenopausal women. Here, we investigated the effect of red clover and hop extract combination (RHEC) on estrogen receptor (ER) binding and endothelial function of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to develop an herbal agent for reducing the risk of CVDs. In ER competitor assay, RHEC showed binding affinity toward ERα and ERß with IC50 values of 5.92 µg/ml and 1.66 µg/ml, respectively. In HUVECs, RHEC significantly increased the cell viability and reduced the reactive oxygen species production against oxidative stress-induced damage. We also showed that RHEC increased the NO production through upregulating the endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression via ER activation in estrogen depleted condition. In particular, RHEC showed greater efficacy with increase in NO and decrease in endothelin-1 than red clover or hop treatment alone. Additionally, 0.3-0.5 mg/ml of RHEC-induced vasorelaxation of rat aortic rings precontracted by phenylephrine. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Recently, a large interest has grown in the synergistic effects of phytochemicals for better therapies to treat various diseases. Red clover and hop are well-known edible plants which are widely used to help relieve postmenopausal symptoms including CVD. However, their combination has not been studied so far. For the first time, we demonstrated that RHEC, a new herbal combination comprising the extracts from red clover and hop, appeared to be effective in protection of endothelial function against oxidative stress and estrogen depletion. Therefore, RHEC could be a potent herbal agent for reducing the risk of endothelial damage.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of Alpinia Oxyphylla Miquel extracts in animal models.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Alpinia Oxyphylla Miquel is a widely used traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of abdominal pain, intestinal disorders, enuresis, and inflammatory conditions. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study we aimed to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of Alpinia Oxyphylla Miquel extracts with 50% ethanol (AOE) in animal models. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The anti-inflammatory and nociceptive effects of AOE were estimated in vivo using a carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model, an arachidonic acid-induced mice ear edema model, an acetic acid induced mice writhing test model, and an ex vivo sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) inhibition assay. In vitro inhibition assays for cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) were performed to determine the IC50 of AOE. RESULTS: Compared with the control, AOE caused a significant inhibition of paw edema, ear thickness, and abdominal constriction in animals. Compared with untreated explants exposed to interleukin-l alpha (IL-1α), preoteoglycan degradation by IL-1α was inhibited (18.2%-82.0%) in explants treated with AOE (50-400 µg/ml). In vitro, IC50 values of AOE were 299.87, 199.07, and 170.29 µg/ml for COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate the potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of AOE and suggest AOE to be useful for the treatment of osteoarthritis and/or associated symptoms.