Antifungal activity of Brazilian red propolis extract and isolation of bioactive fractions by thin-layer chromatography-bioautography.

Objectives: This study set out to highlight the in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of an Ethanolic Extract of Red Brazilian Propolis (EERBP) and identify bioactive fractions effective against Colletotrichum musae.

Methods: Active fractions were detected by the thin-layer chromatography-bioautography method and characterised by HPLC-MS.

Results: The in vitro results showed that EERBP had strong antifungal properties againstC.

Bee pollen improves muscle protein and energy metabolism in malnourished old rats through interfering with the Mtor signaling pathway and mitochondrial activity.

Although the management of malnutrition is a priority in older people, this population shows a resistance to refeeding. Fresh bee pollen contains nutritional substances of interest for malnourished people. The aim was to evaluate the effect of fresh bee pollen supplementation on refeeding efficiency in old malnourished rats.

Comparable reduction in cholesterol absorption after two different ways of phytosterol administration in humans.

Purpose: Consumption of phytosterols is a nutritional strategy to reduce cholesterol absorption, but the efficacy of various phytosterol intake modalities remains uncertain. The main objective was to investigate the effects of phytosterol esters (PE) provided either as a spread (dispersed in fat) during a mixed meal or as a minidrink (micro-dispersed in liquid form) after a meal.

Methods: In a randomized, single-blinded crossover design, 12 healthy intubated volunteers tested three different liquid meal sequences with and without PE.

LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of a dietary supplement with plant extracts in subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia.

Purpose: Red yeast rice (RYR), sugar cane-derived policosanols (SCdP) and artichoke leaf extracts (ALEs) are currently incorporated alone or in combination into dietary supplements for their potential low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol)-lowering effects. Yet, there is no information supporting the efficacy of this association on the reduction in LDL-cholesterol. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a new dietary supplement (DS) with RYR, SCdP and ALEs on LDL-cholesterol.

[Propolis: origin, composition and properties].

Propolis is a resinous substance gathered by honeybees () which biochemical composition depends on botanical sources. This review gives a no exhaustive list of different types of studied propolis around the world with its main constituents. Both several biological and/or therapeutic effects from propolis and/or its main constituents are reviewed.

Phytosterol ester processing in the small intestine: impact on cholesterol availability for absorption and chylomicron cholesterol incorporation in healthy humans.

Phytosterols (plant sterols and stanols) can lower intestinal cholesterol absorption, but the complex dynamics of the lipid digestion process in the presence of phytosterol esters (PEs) are not fully understood. We performed a clinical experiment in intubated healthy subjects to study the time course of changes in the distribution of all lipid moieties present in duodenal phases during 4 h of digestion of meals with 3.2 g PE (PE meal) or without (control meal) PE.

Effects of supplementary folic acid and vitamin B(12) on hepatic metabolism of dairy cows according to methionine supply.

The present experiment was undertaken to study the interactions between dietary supplements of rumen-protected methionine (RPM) and intramuscular injections of folic acid and vitamin B(12), given from 3 wk before calving to 16 wk of lactation, on hepatic metabolism of lactating dairy cows. Sixty multiparous Holstein cows were assigned to 10 blocks of 6 cows each according to their previous milk production. Within each block, 3 cows were fed a diet calculated to supply Met as 1.

Vitamin E decreases endogenous cholesterol synthesis and apo-AI-mediated cholesterol secretion in Caco-2 cells.

Intestine is the gateway for newly absorbed tocopherols. This organ also plays a crucial role in cholesterol metabolism. Because tocopherols are known to impact cholesterol metabolism in the liver, we hypothesized that tocopherols could also modulate cholesterol metabolism in the intestine.

Purified low-density lipoprotein and bovine serum albumin efficiency to internalise lycopene into adipocytes.

Epidemiological studies have suggested that lycopene has protective effects against various diseases including cardiovascular diseases. However, mechanistic studies to understand these effects are difficult due to the insolubility of lycopene in aqueous culture medium. The objective of the present study was to use LDL or BSA as physiological vehicles for lycopene and to compare them with various classical vehicles.

Decreased plasma folate concentration in young and elderly healthy subjects after a short-term supplementation with isotretinoin.

Background: In the last two decades, there has been an increasing use of isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid or 13-CRA) for treatment of severe, and recently mild and moderate, acne in Westernized populations. Recent human and animal studies emphasized alterations caused by 13-CRA administration on folate-dependent, one-carbon metabolism. Folate deficiency and subsequent hyperhomocysteinemia increase the risk of degenerative diseases.

Increased concentrations of circulating vitamin E in carriers of the apolipoprotein A5 gene - 1131T>C variant and associations with plasma lipids and lipid peroxidation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) 1131T>C gene variant on vitamin E status and lipid profile. The gene variant was determined in 297 healthy nonsmoking men aged 20-75 years and recruited in the VITAGE Project. Effects of the genotype on vitamin E in plasma, LDL, and buccal mucosa cells (BMC) as well as on cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) concentrations in plasma and apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), apoB, apoE, apoC-III, and plasma fatty acids were determined.

Lycopene but not lutein nor zeaxanthin decreases in serum and lipoproteins in age-related macular degeneration patients.

Background: Epidemiological studies have established that a low serum concentration of carotenoids was associated with risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). The aim of this study was to determine carotenoid levels in serum and in different lipoprotein fractions in patients diagnosed for ARMD and in matched control group.

Method: Thirty-four ARMD patients and 21 control subjects from Brest area (France) have been included to this study.

Does aging affect the response of vitamin E status to vitamin E depletion and supplementation?

A vitamin E depletion/supplementation study was conducted in 100 healthy 20-75-year-old volunteers. The responses of vitamin E status to 3-week dietary vitamin E restriction to approximately 25% of recommended intake and 2-month unrestricted dietary intake plus 800 IU/d of RRR-alpha-tocopherol were studied as a function of age. Plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations were closely related to cholesterol concentrations, which increased with age (P < 0.

In vivo and in vitro evidences that carotenoids could modulate the neutrophil respiratory burst during dietary manipulation.

Background: The primary role of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) is to destroy pathogenic microorganisms after phagocytosis by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and toxic molecules. However, PMNs produce sufficient amounts of ROS during an oxidative burst to be autotoxic and detrimental to their own functions and to possibly cause DNA damage, protein and lipid oxidation and cell membrane destructuration.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate in vivo the role of the antioxidant capacities of carotenoids in modulating ROS content in PMNs during oxidative burst.

Health effect of vegetable-based diet: lettuce consumption improves cholesterol metabolism and antioxidant status in the rat.

Background & Aims: It is often assumed that fruits and vegetables contribute to protect against degenerative pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases. Besides epidemiological observations, scientific evidences for their mechanism of action are scarce. In the present study, we investigated the mean term and post-prandial effects of lettuce ingestion on lipid metabolism and antioxidant protection in the rat.

Comparison of the postprandial chylomicron carotenoid responses in young and older subjects.

Background: The plant carotenoids may contribute to the beneficial health effect of fruits- and vegetables-rich diet. Epidemiological studies consistently associated high plasma carotenoids status with reduced age-related diseases. However, the data concerning the bioavailability of carotenoids in the elderly are scarce.

Effect of carrot intake on cholesterol metabolism and on antioxidant status in cholesterol-fed rat.

Background: Vegetables are major dietary sources of fibers and antioxidants such as carotenoids, polyphenols and vitamin C which contribute to explain their protective effects against cardiovascular diseases.

Aim Of The Study: We investigated in the rat the effects of a 3-week supplementation of the diet with carrot (15% dry matter) on lipid metabolism and antioxidant status.

Results: A significant decrease of cholesterol level in liver (-44%; P= 0.

Short-term supplementation with lutein affects biomarkers of lutein status similarly in young and elderly subjects.

There is evidence that lutein may protect against age-related macular degeneration, cataract, cancers and cardiovascular diseases, but no data have been published on the effect of age on lutein status. The purpose of this work was to determine whether there are major differences in the status of this carotenoid between young and elderly subjects. Initial lutein status and the effect of a 5-week lutein supplementation (9 mg/d) on the most common markers of lutein status were compared in 12 young (26.

Expression of nuclear retinoic acid receptor in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy subjects.

In vertebrates, both nuclear all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acid receptors (RAR and RXR) belonging to the steroid/thyroid/retinoid nuclear receptor superfamily play a crucial role in the vitamin A action. Qualitative analysis of all known RAR or RXR subtypes in both pooled and non-pooled peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy human subjects has been performed by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Our data, based on qualitative RT-PCR analysis has shown that human PBMC are capable to express RAR alpha, RAR gamma, RXR alpha, and RXR beta.

Feedback regulation of beta,beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase by retinoic acid in rats and chickens.

beta,beta-Carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase (formerly termed beta,beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase, EC 1.13.11.

Vegetable-borne lutein, lycopene, and beta-carotene compete for incorporation into chylomicrons, with no adverse effect on the medium-term (3-wk) plasma status of carotenoids in humans.

Background: The results of epidemiologic studies have consistently shown associations between dietary intake or plasma carotenoid status and incidence of cancers and cardiovascular and eye diseases.

Objective: The aim was to assess whether vegetable-borne carotenoids (lycopene, lutein, and beta-carotene) compete for intestinal absorption and whether this affects the plasma status of carotenoids in the medium term (ie, after 3 wk).

Design: During 3-wk periods separated by 3-wk washout periods, 20 women were supplemented with either 96 g tomato purée/d (14.

Simple method for clinical determination of 13 carotenoids in human plasma using an isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic method.

We report a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method which resolves 13 identified carotenoids and nine unknown carotenoids from human plasma. A Nucleosil C18 column and a Vydac C18 column in series are used with an isocratic solvent system of acetonitrile-methanol containing 50 mM acetate ammonium-dichloromethane-water (70:15:10:5, v/v/v/v) as mobile phase at a flow-rate of 2 ml/min. The intra-day (4.