Ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract attenuates particulate matter-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in keratinocytes and zebrafish

Objective:To evaluate the effect of the ethyl acetate fraction derived from Sargassum pallidum extract against particulate matter(PM)-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in HaCaT cells and zebrafish.Methods:HaCaT cells and zebrafish were used to evaluate the protective effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract against PM-induced oxidative stress and inflammation.The production of nitric oxide(NO),intracellular ROS,prostaglandin E_(2)(PGE_(2)),and pro-inflammatory cytokines,and the expression levels of COX-2,iNOS,and NF-κB were evaluated in PM-induced HaCaT cells.Furthermore,the levels of ROS,NO,and lipid peroxidation were assessed in the PM-exposed zebrafish model.Results:The ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract significantly decreased the production of NO,intracellular ROS,and PGE_(2) in PM-induced HaCaT cells.In addition,the fraction markedly suppressed the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibited the expression levels of COX-2,iNOS,and NF-κB.Furthermore,it displayed remarkable protective effects against PM-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress,represented by the reduction of NO,ROS,and lipid peroxidation in zebrafish.Conclusions:The ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract exhibits a protective effect against PM-induced oxidative stress and inflammation both in vitro and in vivo and has the potential as a candidate for the development of pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical products.

Catalpa bignonioides extract improves exercise performance through regulation of growth and metabolism in skeletal muscles

Objective:To evaluate the effects of Catalpa bignonioides fruit extract on the promotion of muscle growth and muscular capacity in vitro and in vivo.Methods:Cell viability was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.Cell proliferation was assessed using a 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine(BrdU)assay kit.Western blot analysis was performed to determine the protein expressions of related factors.The effects of Catalpa bignonioides extract were investigated in mice using the treadmill exhaustion test and whole-limb grip strength assay.Chemical composition analysis was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC).Results:Catalpa bignonioides extract increased the proliferation of C2C12 mouse myoblasts by activating the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.It also induced metabolic changes,increasing the number of mitochondria and glucose metabolism by phosphorylating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase.In an in vivo study,the extract-treated mice showed improved motor abilities,such as muscular endurance and grip strength.Additionally,HPLC analysis showed that vanillic acid may be the main component of the Catalpa bignonioides extract that enhanced muscle strength.Conclusions:Catalpa bignonioides improves exercise performance through regulation of growth and metabolism in skeletal muscles,suggesting its potential as an effective natural agent for improving muscular strength.

Quantitative volumetric analysis of the optic radiation in the normal human brain using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging-based tractography

To attain the volumetric information of the optic radiation in normal human brains, we per- formed diffusion tensor imaging examination in 13 healthy volunteers. Simultaneously, we used a brain normalization method to reduce individual brain variation and increase the accuracy of volumetric information analysis. In addition, tractography-based group mapping method was also used to investigate the probability and distribution of the optic radiation pathways. Our results showed that the measured optic radiation fiber tract volume was a range of about 0.16% and that the fractional anisotropy value was about 0.53. Moreover, the optic radiation probability fiber pathway that was determined with diffusion tensor tractography-based group mapping was able to detect the location relatively accurately. We believe that our methods and results are help- ful in the study of optic radiation fiber tract information.

Anti-inflammatory and Anti-oxidative Effects of the Ethanol Extract of Cryptocarya densiflora Blume in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated RAW264,7 Mouse Macrophages

CD （Cryptocarya densiflora） Blume has traditionally been used as an herbal medicine. In this study, the effects of CDEE （CD ethanol extract） on inflammation were investigated in LPS （lipopolysaccharide）-stimulated mouse RAW264.7 macrophages. We investigated the effects of CDEE on the production of NO, PGE2 interleukin （IL）-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. We measured the mRNA or protein expression of the pro-inflammatory mediators induced by CDEE in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. We explored the expression of Nrf-2, heme oxygenase （HO）-I and NADPH-quinone oxidoreductase （NQO）-I to elucidate the antioxidative mechanisms. CDEE significantly inhibited the production of NO, PGE2, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. CDEE suppressed the mRNA or protein expression of iNOS, COX-2, and the MAPKs with a reduction in the translocation of NF-κB in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, CDEE significantly increased the expression of HO-I and NQO-1 with an increase in the translocation of Nrf-2 into the nucleus. These results indicate that CDEE inhibits the LPS-induced inflammatory and oxidative responses via suppression of NF-κB activation and the enhancement of Nrf2 activation. We suggest that CDEE may be therapeutic for treating inflammatory diseases.