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Special Issue "Bioactive Compounds in Chronic Diseases"

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A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Biology and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 12423

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Vasso Apostolopoulos

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Guest Editor

Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3011, Australia
Interests: cancer; autoimmunity; mental health; vaccines; exercise; infectious diseases; drugs; healthy aging; bioactives
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bioactive compounds can be derived from natural products, animal products, plants and can be synthetically produced. They have gained much attention in recent years as they have shown to be effective in a number of chronic and infectious diseases such as, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and infectious diseases. In addition, their use can promote better health. As such vitamins, minerals, herbal, polyphenols, pre- and pro-biotics, natural products, nutritional therapies, cannabis therapies, have been shown to boost the immune system and as a result aids to manage and treat disease. This issue will focus on natural and bioactive treatments to overcome or manage chronic and infectious diseases, including in vitro, animal in vivo and human clinical studies.

Prof. Dr. Vasso Apostolopoulos
Guest Editor

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Keywords

alkaloids
anthocyanidin
apigenin
bioactives
caffeine
carotenoids
carnosine
cereals
choline
coenzyme Q
creatine
curcumin
dietary fiber
fatty acids
fermented milk
gallic acid
glucosinolates
glycomacropeptide
grains
flavan
flavanone
flavones
isoflavones
lactoferrin
lutein
lignan
linoleic acid
lycopene
milk
minerals
natural products
omega-3 fatty acids
omega-6 fatty acids
polyphenol
phenolic acid
phenols
phytosterols
prebiotics
probiotics
quercetin
resveratrol
saponin
sprouts
tannin
tea
terpenes
terpenoids
tocopherols
polysaccharides
phytochemistry
phytoestrogens
proanthocyanidin
procyanidin
rutin
vitamin B
vitamin C
vitamin D
vitamin E
zeanxanthin

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 8642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synergistic Power of Piceatannol and/or Vitamin D in Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis In Vivo: A Preliminary Study

Nehal Ezz Eldeen

Yasser M. Moustafa

Maha Abdullah Alwaili

Amani A. Alrehaili

and

Dina M. Khodeer

Biomedicines 2023, 11(10), 2647; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11102647 - 27 Sep 2023

Viewed by 551

Abstract

Oxidative stress and epigenetic alterations, including the overexpression of all class I and II histone deacetylases (HDACs), particularly HDAC2 and HDAC4, have been identified as key molecular mechanisms driving pulmonary fibrosis. Treatment with piceatannol (PIC) or vitamin D (Vit D) has previously exhibited mitigating impacts in pulmonary fibrosis models. The present study investigated the effects of PIC, Vit D, or a combination (PIC-Vit D) on the expression of HDAC2, HDAC4, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in the lungs; the phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway; and the antioxidant status of the lungs. The objective was to determine if the treatments had protective mechanisms against pulmonary fibrosis caused by bleomycin (BLM) in rats. Adult male albino rats were given a single intratracheal dosage of BLM (10 mg/kg) to induce pulmonary fibrosis. PIC (15 mg/kg/day, oral (p.o.)), Vit D (0.5 μg/kg/day, intraperitoneal (i.p.)), or PIC-Vit D (15 mg/kg/day, p.o. plus 0.5 μg/kg/day, i.p.) were given the day following BLM instillation and maintained for 14 days. The results showed that PIC, Vit D, and PIC-Vit D significantly improved the histopathological sections; downregulated the expression of HDAC2, HDAC4, and TGF-β in the lungs; inhibited the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway; decreased extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition including collagen type I and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA); and increased the antioxidant capacity of the lungs by increasing the levels of glutathione (GSH) that had been reduced and decreasing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) compared with the BLM group at a p-value less than 0.05. The concomitant administration of PIC and Vit D had a synergistic impact that was greater than the impact of monotherapy with either PIC or Vit D. PIC, Vit D, and PIC-Vit D exhibited a notable protective effect through their antioxidant effects, modulation of the expression of HDAC2, HDAC4, and TGF-β in the lungs, and suppression of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Chronic Diseases)

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23 pages, 2192 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High-Dose Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) Displays Strong Anti-Inflammatory Properties in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Monocytes

and

Biomedicines 2023, 11(9), 2578; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11092578 - 19 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1672

Abstract

Vitamin B6 is shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it an interesting nutraceutical agent. Vitamin B6 deficiency is well established as a contributor to inflammatory-related conditions, whilst B6 supplementation can reverse these inflammatory effects. There is less information available regarding the effects of high-dose vitamin B6 supplementation as a therapeutic agent. This study set out to examine the effects of high-dose vitamin B6 on an LPS-stimulated monocyte/macrophage cell population via an analysis of protein and gene expression using an RT2 profiler PCR array for Human Innate and Adaptive Immune responses. It was identified that high-dose vitamin B6 has a global anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in monocyte/macrophage cells by downregulating the key broad-spectrum inflammatory mediators CCL2, CCL5, CXCL2, CXCL8, CXCL10, CCR4, CCR5, CXCR3, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, IL-23-a, TNF-α, CSF2, DDX58, NLRP3, NOD1, NOD2, TLR-1 -2 -4 -5 -7 -8 -9, MYD88, C3, FOXP3, STAT1, STAT3, STAT6, LYZ, CASP-1, CD4, HLA-E, MAPK1, MAPK8 MPO, MX-1, NF-κβ, NF-κβ1A, CD14, CD40, CD40LG, CD86, Ly96, ICAM1, IRF3, ITGAM, and IFCAM2. The outcomes of this study show promise regarding vitamin B6 within the context of a potent broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory mediator and could prove useful as an adjunct treatment for inflammatory-related diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Chronic Diseases)

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12 pages, 2404 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Vitamin D3 on Depressive Behaviors of Rats Exposed to Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress

Fatimah R. Al-Ramadhan

Mahmoud M. A. Abulmeaty

Mohammed Alquraishi

Suhail Razak

and

Maha H. Alhussain

Biomedicines 2023, 11(8), 2112; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11082112 - 26 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1135

Abstract

Depression is a psychiatric disorder that negatively affects how a person feels, thinks, and acts. Several studies have reported a positive association between vitamin D (VD) deficiency and depression. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effects of intraperitoneal injection of VD3, fluoxetine (antidepressant), and a combination of VD3 + fluoxetine on a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). A total of 40 male Wistar rats (224–296 g) were divided into five groups (n = 8 each) as follows: (1) the control group, (2) the CUMS group, (3) the CUMS group that received vitamin D (10 μg/kg), (4) the CUMS group that received fluoxetine (5 mg/kg), and (5) the CUMS group that received both vitamin D (10 μg/kg) and fluoxetine (5 mg/kg). The CUMS model was produced by exposing rats to frequent social and physical stressors for 21 days. In addition, blood samples were collected to determine corticosterone and serum VD levels. Also, behavioral tests were conducted, including the sucrose preference test (SPT), the forced swimming test (FST), the tail suspension test (TST), the open field test (OFT), and the elevated plus maze test (EPM). Our results show that VD3 had effects similar to fluoxetine on the depressive behavior of the rats when measured by three behavioral tests, namely SPT, FST, and OFT (p < 0.001). Additionally, VD3 had a protective effect against depression similar to that of fluoxetine. Corticosterone levels were lower in the CUMS group that received vitamin D and the CUMS group that received both vitamin D and fluoxetine than in the CUMS group (p < 0.000). In conclusion, VD3 has a protective effect against anxiety and depressive behaviors produced by CUMS in rats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Chronic Diseases)

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14 pages, 2744 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Newborns from Mothers Who Intensely Consumed Sucralose during Pregnancy Are Heavier and Exhibit Markers of Metabolic Alteration and Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation: A Cross-Sectional, Prospective Study

José Alfredo Aguayo-Guerrero

Lucía Angélica Méndez-García

Aarón Noe Manjarrez-Reyna

Marcela Esquivel-Velázquez

Sonia León-Cabrera

Guillermo Meléndez

Elena Zambrano

Espiridión Ramos-Martínez

José Manuel Fragoso

Juan Carlos Briones-Garduño

and

Galileo Escobedo

Biomedicines 2023, 11(3), 650; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11030650 - 21 Feb 2023

Viewed by 4500

Abstract

Robust data in animals show that sucralose intake during gestation can predispose the offspring to weight gain, metabolic disturbances, and low-grade systemic inflammation; however, concluding information remains elusive in humans. In this cross-sectional, prospective study, we examined the birth weight, glucose and insulin cord blood levels, monocyte subsets, and inflammatory cytokine profile in 292 neonates at term from mothers with light sucralose ingestion (LSI) of less than 60 mg sucralose/week or heavy sucralose intake (HSI) of more than 36 mg sucralose/day during pregnancy. Mothers in the LSI (n = 205) or HSI (n = 87) groups showed no differences in age, pregestational body mass index, blood pressure, and glucose tolerance. Although there were no differences in glucose, infants from HSI mothers displayed significant increases in birth weight and insulin compared to newborns from LSI mothers. Newborns from HSI mothers showed a substantial increase in the percentage of inflammatory nonclassical monocytes compared to neonates from LSI mothers. Umbilical cord tissue of infants from HSI mothers exhibited higher IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha with lower IL-10 expression than that found in newborns from LSI mothers. Present results demonstrate that heavy sucralose ingestion during pregnancy affects neonates’ anthropometric, metabolic, and inflammatory features. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Chronic Diseases)

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12 pages, 1670 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Iberin on TNF-α-Stimulated Human Oral Epithelial Cells: In Vitro Research

and

Biomedicines 2022, 10(12), 3155; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10123155 - 06 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1199

Abstract

Iberin is a bioactive chemical found in cruciferous plants that has been demonstrated to have anticancer properties. However, there have been no reports on its effects on periodontal resident cells, and many questions remain unanswered. The aim of this study was to examine whether iberin had anti-inflammatory effects on human oral epithelial cells, including influences on signal transduction pathway activation in TNF-α-στιμυλατεd χελλσ. Iberin inhibited the production of interleukin (IL)-6 and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), as well as the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated TR146 cells, a human oral epithelial cell line. Moreover, iberin administration increased the expression of antioxidant signaling pathways, such as Heme Oxygenase (HO)-1 and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1). Furthermore, we found that iberin could inhibit the activation of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB, signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3, and p70S6 kinase (p70S6K)-S6 ribosomal protein (S6) pathways in TNF-α-stimulated TR146 cells. In conclusion, iberin reduced inflammatory mediator expression in human oral epithelial cells by preventing the activation of particular signal transduction pathways. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Chronic Diseases)

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Review

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24 pages, 2099 KiB

Open AccessReview

Propolis and Their Active Constituents for Chronic Diseases

and

Biomedicines 2023, 11(2), 259; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11020259 - 18 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2657

Abstract

Propolis is a mass of chemically diverse phytoconstituents with gummy textures that are naturally produced by honeybees upon collection of plant resins for utilization in various life processes in beehives. Since ancient times, propolis has been a unique traditional remedy globally utilized for several purposes, and it has secured value in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical areas in recent years. The chemical composition of propolis comprises diverse constituents and deviations in the precise composition of the honeybee species, plant source used for propolis production by bees, climate conditions and harvesting season. Over 300 molecular structures have been discovered from propolis, and important classes include phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, benzofurans, benzopyrene and chalcones. Propolis has also been reported to have diverse pharmacological activities, such as antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, immunomodulatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and anticaries. As chronic diseases have risen as a global health threat, abundant research has been conducted to track propolis and its constituents as alternative therapies for chronic diseases. Several clinical trials have also revealed the potency of propolis and its constituents for preventing and curing some chronic diseases. This review explores the beneficial effect of propolis and its active constituents with credible mechanisms and computational studies on chronic diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Chronic Diseases)

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