Ferulic acid reduces inflammatory response induced by radiation through Sirt1-NLRP3 pathway

Objective:A model of inflammatory damage was induced by radiation to investigate whether ferulic acid(FA)can reduce the inflammatory response through the Sirt1-NLRP3 inflammatory pathway.This will help discover radiation-protective drugs and elucidate the molecular mechanisms related to radiation-induced inflammatory damage.Methods:A mouse model of radiation-induced immunoinflammatory injury was established to verify the anti-inflammatory effects of FA in vivo.C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six groups,and 5 Gy whole-body irradiation was used for modeling.Mice were administered a gastric solvent,amifostine,or 25,50,or 100 mg/kg FA daily for 12 days,consecutively,before irradiation.The serum of mice was collected 24 hour after irradiation to observe the content of inflammatory factors interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-18,IL-6,and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α.The spleen and thymus tissues of mice were weighed and the organ index was calculated for pathological testing and immunofluorescence detection.Results:FA reduced the radiation-induced decrease in the spleen and thymus indices.FA significantly reduced the secretion of inflammatory factors in the serum and reversed the radiation-induced reduction in lymphocytes in the spleen and thymus of mice.FA activated Sirt1 and inhibited the expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome to alleviate the inflammatory response.Conclusions:FA reduced radiation-induced inflammation in animals,possibly by activating Sirt1 and reducing nucleotide oligomerization domain(NOD)-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome expression,thereby reducing the secretion of inflammatory factors.

Integrated mass spectrometry imaging reveals spatial-metabolic alteration in diabetic cardiomyopathy and the intervention effects of ferulic acid

Diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM)is a metabolic disease and a leading cause of heart failure among people with diabetes.Mass spectrometry imaging(MSI)is a versatile technique capable of combining the molecular specificity of mass spectrometry(MS)with the spatial information of imaging.In this study,we used MSI to visualize metabolites in the rat heart with high spatial resolution and sensitivity.We optimized the air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization(AFADESI)-MSI platform to detect a wide range of metabolites,and then used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization(MALDI)-MSI for increasing metabolic coverage and improving localization resolution.AFADESI-MSI detected 214 and 149 metabolites in positive and negative analyses of rat heart sections,respectively,while MALDI-MSI detected 61 metabolites in negative analysis.Our study revealed the heterogenous metabolic profile of the heart in a DCM model,with over 105 region-specific changes in the levels of a wide range of metabolite classes,including carbohydrates,amino acids,nucleotides,and their derivatives,fatty acids,glycerol phospholipids,carnitines,and metal ions.The repeated oral administration of ferulic acid during 20 weeks significantly improved most of the metabolic disorders in the DCM model.Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying DCM and the potential of ferulic acid as a therapeutic agent for treating this condition.

Protective effects of ferulic acid against ionizing radiation-induced oxidative damage in rat lens through activating Nrf2 signal pathway

AIM: To examine the protection of ferulic acid(FA) against ionizing radiation(IR)-induced lens injury in rats, as well as the underlying mechanisms.METHODS: FA(50 mg/kg) was administered to rats for 4 consecutive days before they were given 10 Gy γ-radiation, as well as for 3 consecutive days afterward. Two weeks after radiation, the eye tissues were collected. Histological alterations were evaluated by hematoxylineosin staining. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was utilized to assess the activities of glutathione reductase(GR) and superoxide dismutase(SOD), as well as the levels of glutathione(GSH) and malondialdehyde(MDA) in the lenses. The protein and m RNA levels of Bcl-2, caspase-3, Bax, heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), and glutamatecysteine ligase catalytic subunit(GCLC) were quantified using Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively. With nuclear extracts, the nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor(Nrf2) protein expressions in the nuclei were also measured.RESULTS: Rats exposed to IR showed lens histological alterations which could be alleviated by FA. FA treatment reversed apoptosis-related markers in IR-induced lens, as evidenced by lower levels of Bax and caspase-3 and higher level of Bcl-2. Furthermore, IR induced oxidative damage manifested by decreased GSH level, increased MDA level, and decreased SOD and GR activities. FA boosted nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and increased the expressions of HO-1 and GCLC to inhibit oxidative stress, as evidenced by an increase in GSH, a decrease in MDA, and an increase in GR and SOD activities.CONCLUSION: FA may work well in preventing and treating IR-induced cataract through promoting the Nrf2 signal pathway to attenuate oxidative damage and cell apoptosis.

Quantitative Extraction of p-Coumaric Acid and Ferulic Acid in Different Gramineous Materials and Structural Changes of Residual Alkali Lignin

Ferulic acid(FA)and p-coumaric acid(pCA)in bagasse,wheat straw,corn straw,and corncob were extracted by alkaline hydrolysis and characterized by gas chromatography(GC)and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS).It was found that the FA and most of the pCA in gramineous biomass could be dissociated and released after being treated with 1 M NaOH at 100℃for 4 h.The yields of pCA/FA in bagasse,wheat straw,corn straw,and corncob determined by GC-FID are 39.8/11.5,13.7/11.0,28.0/11.0,and 35.1/14.5 mg/g,respectively.The raw materials and the treated solid residues were characterized by gel-state 2D Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence Nuclear Magnetic Resonance(2D HSQC NMR).It was found that only a small amount of lignin was detected in the residue after alkali treatment,indicating that the alkali treatment conditions can effectively cleave the FA and pCA.Additionally,the lignin in the alkali solution was recovered and characterized by 2D HSQC NMR.The FA was not able to be detected by NMR,whereas a small amount of pCA remained in the alkali lignin.This study reveals the structural change of residual lignins during the quantitative isolation of FA and pCA,which is essential for the selective isolation of pCA/FA and valorization of residual alkali lignin.

Inhibitory Effect of Ferulic Acid on Oxidation of L-DOPA Catalyzed by Mushroom Tyrosinase

The inhibitory effect of ferulic acid on the diphenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase and the kinetic behavior were studied with L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine （L-DOPA） as substrate. The inhibitor concentration leading to 50% relative activity lost （IC50） was estimated to be 0.15 mmol·L^-1. The inhibition mechanism obtained from Lineweaver-Burk plots shows that ferulic acid is a competitive inhibitor and the inhibition of tyrosinase by ferulic acid is a reversible reaction. The equilibrium constant for ferulic acid binding with the tyrosinase was determined to be 0.25 mmol·L^-1 for diphenolase. Keywords tyrosinase, ferulic acid, kinetics, inhibition, L-DOPA, diphenolase

Ferulic acid alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced depression-like behavior by inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis

Objective:To identify the anti-depressive effect of ferulic acid(FA)in mice exposed to lipopolysaccharide(LPS)and explore its molecular mechanisms.Methods:The mice were divided into 5 groups as follows:Control,LPS,LPS+SP,LPS+FA,and LPS+FA+anisomycin.The LPS+FA and LPS+FA+anisomycin groups were administered with FA(100 mg/kg,i.p.)once daily continuously for 7 days,and the other groups received an equivalent volume of saline.On the 7 th day,LPS(0.1 mg/m L,i.p.)was injected in all mice except the control group 30 min after FA or saline administration.The LPS+SP and LPS+FA+anisomycin groups were intravenously administered with SP600125[c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK)inhibitor](100μL/site,i.v.)and anisomycin(JNK activator)(100μL/site,i.v.)15 min before LPS,respectively.The depressive behaviors were assessed by open field test,sucrose preference test,and forced swimming test at 24 h post-LPS administration.Tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)levels in plasma were measured by ELISA.The levels of phospho-JNK,TNF-α,IL-1β,Bcl-2,Bax,cytochrome c and caspase-3 were evaluated by Western blotting.Results:FA alleviated depression symptoms caused by LPS in mice,including increasing sucrose water consumption in sucrose preference test and reducing the immobility time in forced swimming test.FA could inhibit upregulated levels of phospho-JNK,TNF-α,and IL-1β.FA also markedly decreased Bax,caspase-3,and cytochrome c,and increased Bcl-2 levels.Besides,SP600125 showed neuroprotective effect similar to FA which was attenuated by anisomycin.Conclusions:FA attenuates inflammation and apoptosis by inhibiting LPS-induced activation of JNK to alleviate depressionlike behaviors.

Biodegradation of ferulic acid by a newly isolated strain of Cupriavidus sp. B-8

As a major component of lignin and abundantly existing in softwood and hardwood, ferulic acid has been used as a lignin-related compound for lignin biodegradation study. Biodegradation of ferulic acid by Cupriavidus sp. B-8, a newly isolated strain, was studied. This strain is able to utilize a wide range of lignin-related aromatic compounds as the sole carbon and energy source, including guaiacol, veratric acid, vanillic acid, cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and sinapic acid. In addition, the effects of different concentrations of ferulic acid on growth of Cupriavidus sp. B-8 were studied. The growth of Cupriavidus sp. B-8 is better under the condition of lower concentration. High-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） analysis reveals that above 95% of ferulic acid is degraded within 12 h by Cupriavidus sp. B-8. Based on identification of biodegradation intermediates and further metabolites, the biodegradation pathway of ferulic acid by Cupriavidus sp. B-8 was proposed. Ferulic acid is initially converted to 4-vinylguaiacol, and further oxidized to vanillic acid and protocatechuic acid.

In vitro and in vivo effects of ferulic acid on gastrointestinal motility:Inhibition of cisplatin-induced delay in gastric emptying in rats

AIM: To study the effects of ferulic acid on gastrointe-stinal motility both in vitro and in vivo.METHODS: Ferulic acid induced concentration-dependent stimulation of the basal tone of isolated guinea pig ileum (2-20 μmol/L) and isolated rat fundus (0.05-0.4 mmol/L). RESULTS: Ferulic acid significantly accelerated the gastrointestinal transit and gastric emptying in rats in a dose-dependent manner (50-200 mg/kg, po). Cisplatin (2.5-20 mg/kg, ip) induced a dose-dependent delay in gastric emptying in rats. Pretreatment with ferulic acid dose-dependently, significantly reversed the cisplatin-induced delay in gastric emptying. CONCLUSION: The endogenous prostaglandins (PGs) are involved in mediating the stimulant effects of ferulic acid. This effect of dietary ferulic acid may help improve other accompanying gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal discomfort and also may protect against emesis induced by cytotoxic drugs.

Anti-insulin resistant effect of ferulic acid on high fat diet-induced obese mice

Objective: To evaluate the insulin sensitivity action of ferulic acid(FA) in skeletal muscle and hypothalamus of high-fat diet(HFD)-induced obese mice. Methods: Obese mouse model was induced by HFD(45 kcal% lard fat) for 16 weeks. After 8 weeks of HFD feeding, these obese mice were orally treated with FA at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks. At the end of all treatments, the epididymal fat, pancreas, skeletal muscle and hypothalamus were removed for biochemical parameter and protein expression examinations. Results: FA treatment significantly decreased leptin level in fat tissue and insulin level in pancreas(P < 0.05). Interestingly, obese mice treated with FA increased the protein expressions of insulin receptor substrate-1, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and phosphorylated-protein kinase B in both muscle and brain(P < 0.05). The phosphorylations of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase in muscle, and leptin receptor protein in hypothalamus were also increased(P < 0.05). The pancreatic islets histology showed smaller size in obese mice treated with FA compared to untreated obese mice. Conclusions: These findings indicate the beneficial effect of FA in improving insulin resistance in HFD-induced obese mice. These effects are probably mediated via modulating the insulin receptor substrate/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B or adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase pathways.

Antibacterial activity and inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus NorA efflux pump by ferulic acid and its esterified derivatives

Objective:To evaluate the inhibitory activity of ferulic acid and four of its esterified derivatives(methyl,ethyl,propyl,and butyl)against resistance mechanisms in Staphylococcus aureus strains.Methods:Ferulic acid derivatives were obtained by esterification with methanol,ethanol,propanol,and butanol,and then characterized by hydrogen and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance analysis.The minimum inhibitory concentrations(MIC)of ferulic acid and its esterified derivatives,ethidium bromide,and norfloxacin were obtained using the microdilution test,while the efflux pump inhibition test was conducted by examining reduction in the MICs of norfloxacin and ethidium bromide.Molecular docking was also carried out using the Schrodinger Suite 2015 molecular modeling software.A three-dimensional model of NorA efflux pump was generated using I-TASSER.The best scoring model was used as a receptor for ligand-receptor docking.Results:The methyl and butyl ester derivatives did not demonstrate significant antimicrobial activity.However,a significant synergic effect was evidenced when norfloxacin was combined with the ethyl and propyl esterified derivatives.The docking study demonstrated favorable energy of interaction between ferulate derivatives and NorA,and amino acid residues TYR57,TYR58,and LEU255 were present commonly in stabilizing all complexes.The PCA analysis corroborated the docking hypothesis that the lipophilic character and hydrogen bond interactions were the most relevant characteristics involved with NorA inhibitors.The pharmacokinetic parameters of ferulic acid derivatives showed good ADMET properties,demonstrating that they can be easily absorbed and have no effect or inhibit the cytochrome P450 enzyme complex,revealing their potential as drug candidates.Conclusions:This study provides strong evidence that the molecular basis for this activity is potentially due to the NorA efflux pump.

Determination of Volatile Oil and Ferulic Acid in Different Parts of Wild Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen and Ferula fukanensis K. M.Shen Cultivars

[Objectives] To increase the reserves distribution and planting area of Ferula resources,protect wild Ferula resources,make comparative analysis on wild and cultivated varieties of Ferula medicinal materials,and provide references for quality evaluation of Ferula herbs collected from cultivation environment. [Methods] Volatile oil determination and high performance liquid chromatography were used to measure volatile oil and ferulic acid in different parts of wild and cultivated varieties of Ferula. [Results] In the volatile oil measured from artificially pressed Ferula lipid,wild varieties in different places conformed to the pharmacopoeia standard( volatile oil content ≥10%); in cultivated varieties,F. fukanensis K. M. Shen and F. sinkiangensis K. M. shen reached the pharmacopoeia standard. According to measurement results of ferulic acid,the ferulic acid content of roots and leaves of Altay,Fukang,and Yining cultivars were higher than that of wild varieties. [Conclusions]The ferulic medicinal herbs collected from artificial cultivation environment have considerable prospect,and many parts of Ferula herbs can be used for raw materials for preparation of extracts.

Effects of inoculating feruloyl esterase-producing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum A1 on ensiling characteristics,in vitro ruminal fermentation and microbiota of alfalfa silage

Background Ferulic acid esterase(FAE)-secreting Lactiplantibacillus plantarum A1(Lp A1)is a promising silage inoculant due to the FAE’s ability to alter the plant cell wall structure during ensiling,an action that is expected to improve forage digestibility.However,little is known regarding the impacts of Lp A1 on rumen microbiota.Our research assessed the influences of Lp A1 in comparison to a widely adopted commercial inoculant Lp MTD/1 on alfalfa’s ensilage,in vitro rumen incubation and microbiota.Results Samples of fresh and ensiled alfalfa treated with(either Lp A1 or Lp MTD/1)or without additives(as control;CON)and ensiled for 30,60 and 90 d were used for fermentation quality,in vitro digestibility and batch culture study.Inoculants treated silage had lower(P<0.001)pH,acetic acid concentration and dry matter(DM)loss,but higher(P=0.001)lactic acid concentration than the CON during ensiling.Compared to the CON and Lp MTD/1,silage treated with Lp A1 had lower(P<0.001)aNDF,ADF,ADL,hemicellulose,and cellulose contents and higher(P<0.001)free ferulic acid concentration.Compared silage treated with Lp MTD/1,silage treated with Lp A1 had significantly(P<0.01)improved ruminal gas production and digestibility,which were equivalent to those of fresh alfalfa.Realtime PCR analysis indicated that Lp A1 inoculation improved the relative abundances of rumen’s total bacteria,fungi,Ruminococcus albus and Ruminococcus flavefaciens,while the relative abundance of methanogens was reduced by Lp MTD/1 compared with CON.Principal component analysis of rumen bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons showed a clear distinction between CON and inoculated treatments without noticeable distinction between Lp A1 and Lp MTD/1 treatments.Comparison analysis revealed differences in the relative abundance of some bacteria in different taxa between Lp A1 and Lp MTD/1 treatments.Silage treated with Lp A1 exhibited improved rumen fermentation characteristics due to the inoculant effects on the rumen microbial populations and bacterial community.Conclusions Our findings suggest that silage inoculation of the FAE-producing Lp A1 could be effective in improving silage quality and digestibility,and modulating the rumen fermentation to improve feed utilization.

Anti-tumor activity of rice bran hydrolysates on migration, invasion and angiogenesis

Objective:To investigate anti-tumor effect of rice bran hydrolysates(RBH)on proliferation,migration,invasion,and angiogenesis of cholangiocarcinoma(CCA)cells,and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.Methods:RBH was prepared from Tubtim Chumprae rice(Oryza sativa L.)by hydrothermolysis followed by protease digestion.Phenolic content in RBH was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography.Human CCA cells,KKU-156,KKU-452,and KKU-100,were used to study the effects of RBH on proliferation,migration,invasion,and adhesion by wound healing,Transwell chamber,and fibronectin cell adhesion assays.Angiogenesis was evaluated using human umbilical vein endothelial cells.Proteins associated with cancer progression were analyzed by immunobloting assays.Results:RBH contained carbohydrates,proteins,lipids,and various phenolic compounds and flavonoids.RBH did not inhibit CCA proliferation,but strongly suppressed migration,invasion,adhesion of CCA cells,and the formation of tube-like capillary structures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells.Moreover,RBH downregulated phosphorylation of FAK,PI3K,and Akt,suppressed NF-κB nuclear translocation,decreased the expression of ICAM-1,vimentin and vascular endothelium growth factor(VEGF),and increased the expression of E-cadherin.Conclusions:RBH suppresses CCA cell migration and invasion and decreases expression of proteins involved in cancer metastasis.RBH is a potential food supplement for cancer prevention.

A Novel Stereoselective Synthesis of 8-O-4' Neolignans

1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-formyl-2-methoxyphenoxy)-propane-1,3-diol. A 8-O-4' neolignan, has been stereoselectively synthesized in eight steps from ferulic acid, and the directly cis opening of epoxide in eposidation and Mitsunobu reaction were used ingeniously as two key steps with high stereoselectively.

Breakdown of Corn Fiber by a Metagenomic Ferulolyl Esterase in Combination with Glycosyl Hydrolases

A feruloyl esterase (FAE-C6) gene of 957 bp was isolated from rumen microbial metagenome, subcloned into pET32b vector, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme purified in active form, consisted of 319 amino acid residues, with a molecular weight of 43.7 based on SDS-PAGE. Homology modeling showed that the FAE contained the catalytic triad composed of Ser154-Asp263His295 and a classical Gly-X-Ser154-X-Gly nucleophile motif commonly found in esterases. The FAE-C6 was characterized using corn fiber as substrate. Its combining action with glycoside hydrolases (C, X, A) individually and in various combinations was studied with focus on the difference in the effects on FA and sugar release. Glycoside hydrolases with endo-xylanase included in the enzyme mixture showed significant impact on increasing the FA yield. For the release of sugar, FAE enhanced the yield in all hydrolase combinations moderately and endo-xylanase was not the key factor in the enzyme formulation.

Development of Chuanxiong Toothpaste and Establishment of Its Quality Standard

The quality standard of Chuanxiong toothpaste was established.HPLC was used to determine the content of ferulic acid in Chuanxiong toothpaste and TLC was used to identify the Chuanxiong in the toothpaste.The content of active ingredients extracted from Traditional Chinese medicine by decocting water was high,and the corresponding toothpaste had a good hemostatic effect.The identification by use of thin layer chromatography(TLC)showed with clear spots and strong specificity for both the test product and the control product(Levistilide A)as observed under ultraviolet light(254 nm)with n-hexane-ethyl acetate(3∶1)as the developing agent,which could be used as the basis for the qualitative identification of Chuanxiong toothpaste.The ferulic acid in the range of 0.019,3~0.481,7μg mL^(-1) showed a good linear relationship with the peak area and the recovery rate of sample was between 99.5%and 101.2%.This method was simple,stable and reliable,and could be used as the quality control method for ferulic acid in Chuanxiong toothpaste.

High Efficient Synthesis of Enzymatic 2-Ethylhexyl Ferulate at Solvent-Free and Reduced Pressure Evaporation System

The use of immobilized lipase from Candida antarctica (Novozymò 435) to catalyze ferulic acid of esterification was investigated in this study. The synthesis product was analyzed using HPLC. The results revealed that the major product was 2-ethylhexyl ferulate. Response surface methodology and 3-level-3-factor central composite rotatable design were adopted to evaluate the effects of synthesis variables, including reaction temperature (60℃- 80℃), enzyme amount (500 - 1500 PLU) and reaction time (8 - 24 h) on the percentage molar conversion of 2-ethylhexyl ferulate. The results showed that reaction temperature and reaction time were the most important parameters on percentage molar conversion. Based on ridge max analysis, the optimum conditions for synthesis were: reaction time 23 h, reaction temperature 71℃?and enzyme amount 1422 PLU. The molar conversion of actual experimental values was 98% under optimal conditions.

Effects of ferulic acid on antioxidant activity in Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Chuanxiong Rhizoma, and their combination

The present study aimed at exploring different roles of the same compound in different environment, using preparative HPLC, and the significance to investigating bio-active constituents in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） on the basis of holism. In this study, the depletion of target component ferulic acid （FA） by using preparative HPLC followed by antioxidant activity testing was applied to investigate the roles of FA in Angelicae Sinansis Radix （DG）, Chuanxiong Rhizoma （CX） and their combination （GX）. The antioxidant activity was performed by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl （DPPH） radical-scavenging activity testing. FA was successfully and exclusively depleted from DG, CX, and GX, respectively. By comparing the effects of the samples, it was found that FA was one of the main antioxidant constituents in DG, CX and GX, and the roles of FA were DG 〉 CX 〉 GX. Furthermore, the effects of FA varied at different doses in these herbs. This study provided a reliable and effective approach to clarifying the contribution of same compound in different TCMs to their bio-activities. The role of a constituent in different TCMs might be different, and a component with the same content might have different effects in different chemical environments. Furthermore, this study also suggested the potential utilization of preparative HPLC in the characterization of the roles of multi-ingredients in TCM.

Probiotic effect of ferulic acid esterase-producing Lactobacillus plantarum inoculated alfalfa silage on digestion,antioxidant,and immunity status of lactating dairy goats

A feeding experiment was conducted to determine the effects of inoculating alfalfa silage with a ferulic acid esterase-producing inoculum on feed digestibility,rumen fermentation,antioxidant,and immunity status of lactating dairy goats.Twenty dairy goats were distributed into 2 experimental groups consisting of control diet(Lp MTD/1,including Lactobacillus plantarum MTD/1 inoculated silage)against diet containing silage treated with ferulic acid esterase-producing L.plantarum A1(Lp A1).Alfalfa silage inoculated with a ferulic acid esterase-producing Lp A1 had better fermentation quality than the Lp MTD/1inoculation.The application of Lp A1 improved silage antioxidant capacity as indicated by greater total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC),superoxide dismutase(SOD)and glutathion peroxidase(GSH-Px)activities in Lp A1 treated silage versus Lp MTD/1 treatment.Compared with Lp MTD/1 treated group,inoculation of silage with Lp A1 increased apparent total tract digestibility of dietary dry matter,organic matter and crude protein,and ruminal concentrations of total volatile fatty acids,acetate,propionate and isobutyrate as well.The results of current study also demonstrated improved antioxidant capacity and immune performance of dairy goats with Lp A1 inoculation.Feeding Lp A1-treated silage increased dairy goats’serum antioxidase activity,such as T-AOC,SOD,GSH-Px and catalase,and the serum concentration of immunoglobulin A,while decreased tumor necrosis factor a,interleukin(IL)-2 and IL-6.In addition,compared with Lp MTD/1,diet containing alfalfa silage inoculated with Lp A1 endowed dairy goats’milk with greater fat and protein contents,improved dairy goat milk quality without affecting feed efficiency.

Ferulic acid prevents liver injury and increases the anti-tumor effect of diosbulbin B in vivo

The present study is designed to investigate the protection by ferulic acid against the hepatotoxicity induced by diosbulbin B and its possible mechanism, and further observe whether ferulic acid augments diosbulbin B- induced anti-tumor activity. The results show that ferulic acid decreases diosbulbin B-increased serum alanine transaminase/aspartate transaminase （ALT/AST） levels. Ferulic acid also decreases lipid peroxide （LPO） levels which are elevated in diosbulbin B-treated mice. Histological evaluation of the liver demonstrates hydropic degeneration in diosbulbin B-treated mice, while ferulic acid reverses this injury. Moreover, the activities of copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase （CuZn-SOD） and catalase （CAT） are decreased in the livers of diosbulbin B-treated mice, while ferulic acid reverses these decreases. Further results demonstrate that the mRNA expressions of CuZn-SOD and CAT in diosbulbin B-treated mouse liver are significantly decreased, while ferulic acid prevents this decrease. In addition, ferulic acid also augments diosbulbin B-induced tumor growth inhibition compared with diosbulbin B alone. Taken together, the present study shows that ferulic acid prevents diosbulbin B-induced liver injury via ameliorating diosbulbin B-induced liver oxidative stress injury and augments diosbulbin B-induced anti-tumor activity.