Antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective effect of 10 medicinal herbs on CCl4-induced liver injury in mice

BACKGROUND Many natural products confer health benefits against diverse diseases through their antioxidant activities.Carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)is often used in animal experiments to study the effects of substances on liver injury and the related mechanisms of action,among which oxidative stress is a major pathogenic factor.AIM To compare antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of ten herbs and identify and quantify phytochemicals for the one with strongest hepatoprotection.METHODS The antioxidant activity of ten medicinal herbs was determined by both ferricreducing antioxidant power and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assays.The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined by Folin–Ciocalteu method and aluminum chloride colorimetry,respectively.Their effects on CCl4-induced oxidative liver injury were evaluated and compared in a mouse model by administrating each water extract(0.15 g/mL,10 mL/kg)once per day for seven consecutive days and a dose of CCl4 solution in olive oil(8%,v/v,10 mL/kg).The herb with the strongest hepatoprotective performance was analyzed for the detailed bioactive components by using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization source-ion trap tandem mass spectrometry.RESULTS The results revealed that all tested herbs attenuated CCl4-induced oxidative liver injury;each resulted in significant decreases in levels of serum alanine transaminase,aspartate transaminase,alkaline phosphatase,and triacylglycerols.In addition,most herbs restored hepatic superoxide dismutase and catalase activities,glutathione levels,and reduced malondialdehyde levels.Sanguisorba officinalis(S.officinalis)L.,Coptis chinensis Franch.,and Pueraria lobata(Willd.)Ohwi root were the three most effective herbs,and S.officinalis L.exhibited the strongest hepatoprotective effect.Nine active components were identified in S.officinalis L.Gallic acid and(+)-catechin were quantified(7.86±0.45 mg/g and 8.19±0.57 mg/g dried weight,respectively).Furthermore,the tested herbs displayed a range of in vitro antioxidant activities proportional to their phenolic content;the strongest activities were also found for S.officinalis L.CONCLUSION This study is of value to assist the selection of more effective natural products for direct consumption and the development of nutraceuticals or therapeutics to manage oxidative stress-related diseases.

Biotechnological Strategies of Riboflavin Biosynthesis in Microbes

Riboflavin is an essential micronutrient for humans and must be obtained exogenously from foods or sup-plements.Numerous studies have suggested a major role of riboflavin in the prevention and treatment of various diseases.There are mainly three strategies for riboflavin synthesis,including total chemical syn-thesis,chemical semi-synthesis,and microbial fermentation,the latter being currently the most promis-ing strategy.In recent years,flavinogenic microbes have attracted increasing attention.Fungi,including Eremothecium ashbyii and Ashbya gossypii,and bacteria,including Bacillus subtilis,Escherichia coli,and lac-tic acid bacteria,are ideal cell factories for riboflavin overproduction.Thus they are good candidates for enhancing the level of riboflavin in fermented foods or designing novel riboflavin bio-enriched foods with improved nutritional value and/or beneficial properties for human health.This review briefly describes the role of riboflavin in human health and the historical process of its industrial production,and then highlights riboflavin biosynthesis in bacteria and fungi,and finally summarizes the strategies for ribofla-vin overproduction based on both the optimization of fermentation conditions and the development of riboflavin-overproducing strains via chemical mutagenesis and metabolic engineering.Overall,this review provides an updated understanding of riboflavin biosynthesis and can promote the research and development of fermented food products rich in riboflavin.

Enhanced oxidative stress is associated with tissue neutrophilia and poor steroid response in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

Objective:To analyze the oxidative stress status and its association with tissue neutrophilia and oral steroid response in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps(CRSwNP)patients.Methods:The levels of total oxidant status(TOS)were detected in the sinonasal tissues by using specific assay kits.Tissue neutrophil was examined by immunohistochemical staining,and oxidant status index(OSI)was evaluated in polyps tissues,and the messenger RNA(mRNA)levels of superoxide dismutase 2(SOD2),aldehyde dehydrogenase 1(ALDH1A1),and microsomal glutathione S‐transferase 1(MGST1)were examined using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction in the sinonasal tissues.The receiver operating characteristics(ROCs)curve of ALDH1A1,MGST1,and SOD2 mRNA levels were evaluated to determine the steroid response of CRSwNP patients.Results:The levels of TOS and OSI were significantly higher in CRSwNP and CRSsNP than in normal controls,and OSI in polyps tissues was positively associated with tissue neutrophilia and poor steroid response.The ALDH1A1,MGST1,and SOD2 mRNA levels showed comparable accuracy as predictors of poor steroid response indicated by the area under the curve.Conclusion:These findings provided evidence that the increased level of oxidative stress contributes to enhanced tissue neutrophilia and poor steroid response in CRSwNP patients.

Incidence and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain infection in China:A national multicenter survey of 35,566 individuals

Objective:This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the epidemiology of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to COVID-19 in China.Methods:This study was conducted by 45 tertiary Grade-A hospitals in China.Online and offline questionnaire data were obtained from patients infected with COVID-19 between December 28,2022,and February 21,2023.The collected information included basic demographics,medical history,smoking and drinking history,vaccination history,changes in olfactory and gustatory functions before and after infection,and other postinfection symptoms,as well as the duration and improvement status of olfactory and gustatory disorders.Results:Complete questionnaires were obtained from 35,566 subjects.The overall incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunction was 67.75%.Being female or being a cigarette smoker increased the likelihood of developing olfactory and taste dysfunction.Having received four doses of the vaccine or having good oral health or being a alcohol drinker decreased the risk of such dysfunction.Before infection,the average olfactory and taste VAS scores were 8.41 and 8.51,respectively;after infection,they decreased to 3.69 and 4.29 and recovered to 5.83 and 6.55 by the time of the survey.The median duration of dysosmia and dysgeusia was 15 and 12 days,respectively,with 0.5%of patients having symptoms lasting for more than 28 days.The overall self-reported improvement rate was 59.16%.Recovery was higher in males,never smokers,those who received two or three vaccine doses,and those that had never experienced dental health issues,or chronic accompanying symptoms.Conclusions:The incidence of dysosmia and dysgeusia following infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is high in China.Incidence and prognosis are influenced by several factors,including sex,SARS-CoV-2 vaccination,history of head-facial trauma,nasal and oral health status,smoking and drinking history,and the persistence of accompanying symptoms.