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Natural Antioxidants: Chemistry, Health Beneficial Properties, and Potential Application

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 21305

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Cristina Carresi

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Guest Editor

Veterinary Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Interests: natural compounds; bergamot polyphenols; oxidative stress; cardiovascular diseases; cardiac stem cells

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The goal in drafting the present Special Issue is to extensively discuss knowledge about the therapeutic potential of a variety of natural antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, carnosic acid, cynaropicrin, tribulus terrestris, etc. In recent decades, important beneficial effects of nutraceuticals in contrasting typical features of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and neurodegenerative pathologies have been studied. The health-protective effects are mainly due to a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity exerted by these compounds. In addition, a direct action on specific biomarkers involved in several cellular processes including development, proliferation, autophagy, and apoptosis has been identified. The analysis of their beneficial and protective properties have been evaluated in several preclinical studies, and interesting clinical trials have confirmed its characteristics.

Therefore, it would be of interest to collect within this Special Issue the chemical characteristics that give these compounds specific properties and focus the attention on the studies that have allowed defining their key beneficial activities and discussing their potential therapeutic applications in the clinical field. Indeed, there is growing interest in the use of naturally occurring compounds as alternative strategies in the prevention and/or treatment of the early stage of several pathologies thanks to their safety, which may avoid the onset of side effects, and effectiveness in counteracting multiple components of diseases.

Dr. Cristina Carresi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

Natural compounds
Nutraceuticals
Antioxidants
Anti-inflammatory
Alternative therapeutic strategies

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Red Quinoa Bran Extract Prevented Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease via Increasing Antioxidative System and Repressing Fatty Acid Synthesis Factors in Mice Fed Alcohol Liquid Diet

by Ting-An Lin, Bo-Jun Ke, Shih-Cheng Cheng and Chun-Lin Lee

Molecules 2021, 26(22), 6973; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26226973 - 18 Nov 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2130

Abstract

Alcohol is metabolized in liver. Chronic alcohol abuse results in alcohol-induced fatty liver and liver injury. Red quinoa (Chenopodium formosanum) was a traditional staple food for Taiwanese aborigines. Red quinoa bran (RQB) included strong anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory polyphenolic compounds, but it was usually regarded as the agricultural waste. Therefore, this study is to investigate the effect of water and ethanol extraction products of RQB on the prevention of liquid alcoholic diet-induced acute liver injury in mice. The mice were given whole grain powder of red quinoa (RQ-P), RQB ethanol extract (RQB-E), RQB water extract (RQB-W), and rutin orally for 6 weeks, respectively. The results indicated that RQB-E, RQB-W, and rutin decreased alcoholic diet-induced activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, and the levels of serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and hepatic triglyceride. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of liver tissues showed that RQB-E and RQB-W reduced lipid droplet accumulation and liver injury. However, ethanol extraction process can gain high rutin and antioxidative agents contents from red quinoa, that showed strong effects in preventing alcoholic fatty liver disease and liver injury via increasing superoxide dismutase/catalase antioxidative system and repressing the expressions of fatty acid synthesis enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Antioxidants: Chemistry, Health Beneficial Properties, and Potential Application)

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16 pages, 2121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid Lowers 3T3-L1 Mitotic Clonal Expansion and Adipocyte Differentiation by Enhancing Heme Oxygenase-1 Expression

by Alice Raineri, Rachele Campagnari, Roberto Dal Toso, Stefano Copetti, Macarena Gomez-Lira and Marta Menegazzi

Molecules 2021, 26(16), 5027; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26165027 - 19 Aug 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3114

Abstract

Adipogenesis is a complex process in which cell commitment and mitotic clonal expansion (MCE) are in-sequence crucial events leading to terminal adipocyte differentiation. The molecules able to block some key signals in this cascade can hamper adipogenesis becoming promising agents to counteract hyperplasia and hypertrophy of adipose tissue. Mono- and di-caffeoylquinic acid isomers are biologically active polyphenols, displaying in vitro and in vivo antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity properties. Among these isomers, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (DCQA) has been reported to inhibit lipid accumulation in adipose cells more successfully than others. Thus, we investigated DCQA effects and molecular mechanisms on 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes induced to differentiate with a hormonal cocktail (MDI). Oil Red O incorporation assessed that DCQA pre-treatment inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells induced to differentiate for 10 days. At this time, an increased phosphorylation of both AMP-activated kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, as well as a strong decrease in fatty acid synthase protein level, were registered by immunoblotting, thereby suggesting that DCQA treatment can reduce fatty acid anabolism in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, BrdU incorporation assay, performed 48 h after hormonal stimulation, revealed that DCQA treatment was also able to hinder the 3T3-L1 cell proliferation during the MCE, which is an essential step in the adipogenic process. Thus, we focused our attention on early signals triggered by the differentiation stimuli. In the first hours after hormonal cocktail administration, the activation of ERK1/2 and Akt kinases, or CREB and STAT3 transcription factors, was not affected by DCQA pre-treatment. Whereas 24 h after MDI induction, DCQA pre-treated cells showed increased level of the transcription factor Nrf2, that induced the expression of the antioxidant enzyme heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). In control samples, the expression level of HO-1 was reduced 24 h after MDI induction in comparison with the higher amount of HO-1 protein found at 2 h. The HO-1 decrease was functional by allowing reactive oxygen species to boost and allowing cell proliferation induction at the beginning of MCE phase. Instead, in DCQA-treated cells the HO-1 expression was maintained at high levels for a further 24 h; in fact, its expression decreased only 48 h after MDI stimulation. The longer period in which HO-1 expression remained high led to a delay of the MCE phase, with a subsequent inhibition of both C/EBP-α expression and adipocyte terminal differentiation. In conclusion, DCQA counteracting an excessive adipose tissue expansion may become an attractive option in obesity treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Antioxidants: Chemistry, Health Beneficial Properties, and Potential Application)

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16 pages, 2012 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Antioxidants, Whitening and Antiaging Properties of Rice Protein Hydrolysates

by Hui-Ju Chen, Fan-Jhen Dai, Cheng-You Chen, Siao-Ling Fan, Ji-Hong Zheng, Yu-Chun Huang, Chi-Fai Chau, Yung-Sheng Lin and Chin-Shuh Chen

Molecules 2021, 26(12), 3605; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26123605 - 12 Jun 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3834

Abstract

Plant-derived protein hydrolysates have potential applications in nutrition. Rice protein hydrolysates (RPHs), an excellent source of proteins, have attracted attention for the development of cosmeceuticals. However, few studies have reported the potential application of RPH in analysis, and this study examined their antioxidant activities and the inhibitory activities of skin aging enzymes. The results indicated that the total phenolic and flavonoid concentrations were 2.06 ± 0.13 mg gallic acid equivalent/g RPHs and 25.96 ± 0.52 µg quercetin equivalent/g RPHs, respectively. RPHs demonstrated dose-dependent activity for scavenging free radicals from 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl [half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 42.58 ± 2.1 mg/g RPHs] and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (IC50 = 2.11 ± 0.88 mg/g RPHs), dose-dependent reduction capacity (6.95 ± 1.40 mg vitamin C equivalent/g RPHs) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (473 µmol Trolox equivalent/g RPHs). The concentrations of the RPH solution required to achieve 50% inhibition of hyaluronidase and tyrosinase activities were determined to be 8.91 and 107.6 mg/mL, respectively. This study demonstrated that RPHs have antioxidant, antihyaluronidase, and antityrosinase activities for future cosmetic applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Antioxidants: Chemistry, Health Beneficial Properties, and Potential Application)

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17 pages, 681 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Health Beneficial Properties of Grapevine Seed Extract and Its Influence on Selected Biochemical Markers in the Blood, Liver and Kidneys of Rattus norvegicus

by Lenka Sochorova, Mojmir Baron, Katerina Dadakova, Tomas Kasparovsky and Jiri Sochor

Molecules 2021, 26(7), 2099; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26072099 - 6 Apr 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1789

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that occurs in all areas of the environment, including the food chain. In the body, it causes oxidative stress by producing free radicals that are harmful to the cells. Grape seed extract (GSE) contains a wide range of biologically active components that help to neutralize the adverse effects of free radicals. In this study, the effects of GSE prepared form semi-resistant grapevine cultivar Cerason, which is rich in phenolics, on biochemical markers of brown rats exposed to the effects of cadmium were monitored. GSE increased the plasma antioxidant activity and, in the kidneys and the liver, Cd content was significantly lowered by GSE co-administration. Accordingly, the increase in creatinine content and alanine aminotransferase activity and the decrease of catalase and superoxide dismutase activities caused by cadmium were slowed down by GSE co-administration. The results of this work reveal that grape seed extract offers a protective effect against the intake of heavy metals into the organism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Antioxidants: Chemistry, Health Beneficial Properties, and Potential Application)

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19 pages, 12109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Antioxidant Activity of Litsea martabanica Root Extract and Its Hepatoprotective Effect on Chlorpyrifos-Induced Toxicity in Rats

by Phraepakaporn Kunnaja, Sunee Chansakaow, Absorn Wittayapraparat, Pedcharada Yusuk and Seewaboon Sireeratawong

Molecules 2021, 26(7), 1906; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26071906 - 28 Mar 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2927

Abstract

In Thailand, people in the highland communities whose occupational exposure to pesticides used the root of Litsea martabanica as a detoxifying agent. However, the scientific data to support the traditional use of this plant are insufficient. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity and anti-pesticide potential of L. martabanica root extract. Antioxidant properties were investigated by 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, superoxide radicals scavenging assay, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and total phenolic content determination. In all assays, L. martabanica extracts and their fractions exhibited high antioxidant activities differently. The water extract is traditionally used as a detoxifying agent. Therefore, it was chosen for in vivo experiments. The rats received the extract in a way that mimics the traditional methods of tribal communities followed by chlorpyrifos for 16 days. The results showed that acetylcholinesterase activity decreases in pesticide-exposed rats. Treatment with the extract caused increasing acetylcholinesterase activity in the rats. Therefore, L. martabanica extract may potentially be used as a detoxifying agent, especially for the chlorpyrifos pesticide. The antioxidant properties of L. martabanica may provide a beneficial effect by protecting liver cells from damage caused by free radicals. Histopathology results revealed no liver cell necrosis and showed the regeneration of liver cells in the treatment group. L. martabanica extract did not cause changes in behavior, liver weight, hematological and biochemical profiles of the rats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Antioxidants: Chemistry, Health Beneficial Properties, and Potential Application)

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15 pages, 3332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antioxidant Activity Evaluation of Oviductus Ranae Protein Hydrolyzed by Different Proteases

by Shihan Wang, Yuanshuai Gan, Xinxin Mao, Hong Kan, Nan Li, Changli Zhang, Zhihan Wang and Yongsheng Wang

Molecules 2021, 26(6), 1625; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26061625 - 15 Mar 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2639

Abstract

As nutrition and a health tonic for both medicine and food, the protein content of Oviductus Ranae is more than 40%, making it an ideal source to produce antioxidant peptides. This work evaluated the effects of six different proteases (pepsin, trypsin, papain, flavourzyme, neutral protease and alcalase) on the antioxidant activity of Oviductus Ranae protein, and analyzed the relationship between the hydrolysis time, the degree of hydrolysis (DH) and the antioxidant activity of the enzymatic hydrolysates. The results showed that the antioxidant activity of Oviductus Ranae protein was significantly improved and the optimal hydrolysis time was maintained between 3–4 h under the action of different proteases. Among them, the protein hydrolysate which was hydrolyzed by pepsin for 180 min had the strongest comprehensive antioxidant activity and was most suitable for the production of antioxidant peptides. At this time, the DH, the DPPH radical scavenging activity, the absorbance value of reducing power determination and the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity corresponding to the enzymatic hydrolysate were 13.32 ± 0.24%, 70.63 ± 1.53%, 0.376 ± 0.009 and 31.96 ± 0.78%, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the hydrolysis time, the DH and the antioxidant activity of the enzymatic hydrolysates, further indicating that the hydrolysates of Oviductus Ranae protein had great antioxidant potential. The traditional anti-aging efficacy of Oviductus Ranae is closely related to the scavenging of reactive oxygen species, and its hydrolysates have better antioxidant capacity, which also provides support for further development of its traditional anti-aging efficacy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Antioxidants: Chemistry, Health Beneficial Properties, and Potential Application)

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Review

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15 pages, 2103 KiB

Open AccessReview

Ferula L. Plant Extracts and Dose-Dependent Activity of Natural Sesquiterpene Ferutinin: From Antioxidant Potential to Cytotoxic Effects

by Roberta Macrì, Vincenzo Musolino, Micaela Gliozzi, Cristina Carresi, Jessica Maiuolo, Saverio Nucera, Miriam Scicchitano, Francesca Bosco, Federica Scarano, Stefano Ruga, Maria Caterina Zito, Lorenza Guarnieri, Ezio Bombardelli and Vincenzo Mollace

Molecules 2020, 25(23), 5768; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25235768 - 7 Dec 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3632

Abstract

The employment studies of natural extracts in the prevention and treatment of several diseases highlighted the role of different species of genus Ferula L., belonging to the Apiaceae family, dicotyledonous plants present in many temperate zones of our planet. Ferula communis L. is the main source of sesquiterpene ferutinin, a bioactive compound studied both in vitro and in vivo, because of different effects, such as phytoestrogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, but also antiproliferative and cytotoxic activity, performed in a dose-dependent and cell-dependent way. The present review will focus on the molecular mechanisms involved in the different activities of Ferutinin, starting from its antioxidant potential at low doses until its ionophoric property and the subsequent mitochondrial dysfunction induced through administration of high doses, which represent the key point of its anticancer action. Furthermore, we will summarize the data acquired from some experimental studies on different cell types and on several diseases. The results obtained showed an important antioxidant and phytoestrogenic regulation with lack of typical side effects related to estrogenic therapy. The preferential cell death induction for tumor cell lines suggests that ferutinin may have anti-neoplastic properties, and may be used as an antiproliferative and cytotoxic agent in an estrogen dependent and independent manner. Nevertheless, more data are needed to clearly understand the effect of ferutinin in animals before using it as a phytoestrogen or anticancer drug. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Antioxidants: Chemistry, Health Beneficial Properties, and Potential Application)

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