[Antioxidant Activity of Salacia Plant (Salacia reticulata)].

Antioxidant activities of aqueous extracts prepared from powdered leaves and stems of Salacia reticulata, a Salacia plant that grows in Sri Lanka, were investigated. Lipid peroxide levels and some hepatic injury markers in plasma, liver and/or kidney of mice treated with ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) were increased as compared to those of control mice. Oral preadministration of extracts of Salacia leaves and stems at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight prevented the elevations of lipid peroxides and injury markers in a dose-dependent manner. Decrease of antioxidant activity in plasma of mice treated with Fe-NTA was also prevented by administration of these extracts. In in vitro study, well-known polyphenol components exhibited antioxidant activities, but other effective components were also present in these extracts. The results of this investigation indicate that the extracts of leaves and stems of S. reticulata could be beneficial as health foods for the prevention of oxidative stress-related disorders.

Degree of polymerization of 5,6-dihydroxyindole-derived eumelanin from chemical degradation study.

Eumelanin is a brown-black pigment comprising 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) and its 2-carboxy derivative (DHICA), but the detailed structure of eumelanin is unclear. Chemical degradation is a powerful tool for analyzing melanin. H2 O2 oxidation degradation of eumelanin affords pyrrole-2,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (PTCA) and pyrrole-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (PDCA). The ratio of PDCA to PTCA provides information about the eumelanin structure. In this article, we propose simple equations on the basis of previous experimental results on dimer yields for evaluating the yields of PTCA and PDCA from any DHI oligomers. Assuming the chemical disorder model of DHI-melanin, we solve an equation where a theoretical expression for the ratio of PDCA to PTCA is set to the corresponding experimental value to obtain a plausible Poisson distribution of DHI oligomers. The results demonstrate that the main contributors to DHI-melanin are tetramers and pentamers as shown by the mass spectrometry.

Preventive effects of C-2 epimeric isomers of tea catechins on mouse type I allergy.

The preventive effects of C-2 epimeric isomers of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and the O-methylated derivative, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)gallate (EGCG3''Me), against ovalbumin-induced type I allergy in male mice were investigated. EGCG and EGCG3''Me exhibited strong antiallergic effects by oral administration at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg body weight. The antiallergic effects of their C-2 epimers, (-)-gallocatechin-3-O-gallate and (-)-gallocatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)gallate (GCG3''Me), on mouse type I allergy were almost equivalent to and/or as strong as those of the corresponding original catechins, respectively. Oral administration of these compounds at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight tended to suppress the increases in interleukin-4 levels in the abdominal walls of allergic mice and immunoglobulin E levels in the serum of allergic mice. In particular, the administration of GCG3''Me exhibited significant effects on the production and/or release of these parameters stimulating type 2 T helper cells and mast cells in the type I allergic process. These results indicated that C-2 epimerization of tea catechins, which are produced during heat processing at high temperatures, would not be disadvantageous for preventive effects on type I allergy.

Preventive effects of black tea theaflavins against mouse type IV allergy.

BACKGROUND: Tea (Camellia sinensis L.), one of the most popular beverages, contains various beneficial constituents. We investigated the preventive effects of black tea theaflavins, theaflavin-3-gallate (3-TF) and theaflavin-3,3'-digallate (TFDG), on oxazolone-induced type IV allergy in male ICR mice. RESULTS: Percutaneous administration of both 3-TF and TFDG at 0.2 mg ear(-1) showed significant preventive effects against mouse type IV allergy. Oral administration of these agents at 50 mg kg(-1) body weight also showed significant preventive effects against mouse type IV allergy. Oral administration of 3-TF and TFDG at a dose of 50 mg kg(-1) body weight prevented the increases in levels of some proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-12 (IL-12), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), in the sera and/or ears of mice with type IV allergy. Lowering of serum antioxidant activity in mice with allergic symptoms was also prevented by oral administration of these theaflavins at a dose of 50 mg kg(-1) body weight. The anti-allergic mechanisms of action of theaflavins involve inhibition of the fluctuations of cytokines and maintenance of antioxidant status in allergic mice. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the theaflavins as well as catechins contribute to the anti-allergic effects of black tea.

Anti-diabetic activity of a leaf extract prepared from Salacia reticulata in mice.

The effects of a water extract prepared from the leaves of Salacia reticulata on the absorption of sugars in normal and type 1 diabetic mice were investigated. The simultaneous oral administration of the extract at a dose of 1.0 mg/mouse with maltose or sucrose inhibited the postprandial elevation of the plasma glucose and insulin levels and intestinal alpha-glucosidase activities in mice. In addition, the supply of a 0.01% solution of the extract as drinking water prevented the elevation of the plasma glucose level and intestinal alpha-glucosidase activities in type 1 diabetic mice. This treatment also prevented the elevation of the plasma, pancreatic, and kidney lipid peroxide levels, lowering of the plasma insulin level, and elevation of the kidney aldose reductase activities in diabetic mice. These results suggest that the water extract of the leaves of S. reticulata could be a beneficial food material for the prevention of diabetes and obesity because of its multiple effects.

Inhibitory effects of acidic xylooligosaccharide on stress-induced gastric inflammation in mice.

The preventive effects of acidic xylooligosaccharide prepared from xylan of corncobs and related sugars on stress-induced gastric inflammation in mice were investigated. Oral administration of acidic xylooligosaccharide and hydrocortisone at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight significantly reduced the number of bleeding points in the gastric mucosa of mice loaded with cold-restraint stress. Acidic xylooligosaccharide showed concentration-dependent superoxide anion radical-scavenging activity at concentrations of 3.3-4.3 mg/mL and its IC50 was 3.5 mg/mL, although this value is approximately six times that of quercetin. The antioxidant activity of acidic xylooligosaccharide could contribute, in part, to its suppressive activities on stress-induced mouse gastritis. Xylose, xylobiose, xylan, and glucuronic acid showed no significant suppressive activities on mouse gastric inflammation at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight. These results suggest that an appropriate degree of polymerization of xylan (larger than trimer) is necessary for the activities of acidic xylooligosaccharide.

Inhibitory Effects of the C-2 Epimeric Isomers of Tea Catechins on Mouse Type IV Allergy.

The inhibitory effects of C-2 epimeric isomers of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and two O-methylated EGCG derivatives, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)gallate (EGCG3''Me) and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-(4-O-methyl)gallate (EGCG4''Me), against oxazolone-induced type IV allergy in male mice were investigated. These compounds exhibited strong antiallergic effects by percutaneous administration at a dose of 0.13 mg/ear. The inhibition rates of (-)-gallocatechin-3-O-gallate (GCG), (-)-gallocatechin-3-O-(3-O-methyl)gallate (GCG3''Me), and (-)-gallocatechin-3-O-(4-O-methyl)gallate (GCG4''Me) on mouse type IV allergy were 52.1, 53.3, and 54.8%, respectively. However, the antiallergic effects were weaker than those of their corresponding original tea catechins (2R,3R type). The inhibition rates of those were 88.0, 73.2, and 77.6%, respectively. For all of the catechins tested, oral administration at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight significantly suppressed the allergic symptoms. The inhibitory rates varied from 24.0 to 60.6%. No significant differences were observed between the effects of the epimers (2S,3R type) and their corresponding original catechins (2R,3R type). The antiallergic effects of tea catechins and their C-2 epimers observed in this study were dose-dependent. These results suggest that C-2 epimers of tea catechins, which are produced during heat processing at high temperatures, could be disadvantageous for the antiallergic effects on type IV allergy.

Determination of peroxyl radical scavenging activity of flavonoids and plant extracts using an automatic potentiometric titrator.

A novel potentiometric method for evaluation of peroxyl radical scavenging activity of flavonoids and plant extracts was developed. The oxidation of potassium iodide (KI) was performed in acetonitrilephosphate buffer (1:1) containing antioxidant using 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride as a peroxyl radical generator. The amount of iodine released from KI during a 20-min free radical oxidation was determined quantitatively using an automatic potentiometric titrator with sodium thiosulfate. The radical scavenging activity of the sample was expressed as the inhibition ratio for iodine release of the control group mediated by the radical. The results obtained from some authentic polyphenols correlated well with those of previous reports. This is a simple, time-saving method requiring less than 30 min and is useful in assessing the radical scavenging activity of antioxidants in plant extracts. We describe the radical scavenging activities of various flavonoids including 21 kinds of tea catechins and vegetable extracts by this method.