Cindy Romain

Dietary exposure to silver nanoparticles in Sprague–Dawley rats: Effects on oxidative stress and inflammation

Due to undesirable hazardous interactions with biological systems, we evaluated the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) intake on oxidative stress and inflammation. Rats received for 81 days a standard diet (Controls) or a standard diet plus 500 mg/d/kg BW AgNPs. We assayed plasma lipids, and oxidative stress was assessed by measuring liver and heart superoxide anion production (O₂°⁻) and liver malondialdehyde levels (MDA). Antioxidant status was appraised using plasma paraoxonase activity (PON), plasma antioxidant capacity (PAC) and liver superoxide dismutase activity (SOD). Liver inflammatory cytokines TNFα and IL-6 levels and plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were assayed. Compared with Controls, AgNPs raised cholesterolemia (9.5%), LDL-cholesterol (30%), and lowered triglycerides (41%). They also increased liver (30%) and cardiac (41%) O₂°⁻ production, reduced PON activity (15%) and raised liver TNFα (9%) and IL-6 (∼12%). Plasma ALT activity rose (12%) after treatment with AgNPs. However, PAC and liver MDA and SOD activity were unchanged. These features indicate that exposure to 500 mg/d/kg BW of AgNPs results in liver damage by a dysregulation of lipid metabolism, highlighting liver and heart as the most sensitive organs to the deleterious effects. Our findings also demonstrate for the first time the oxidative and inflammatory effects of dietary AgNPs.

Cafeteria diet induces obesity and insulin resistance associated with oxidative stress but not with inflammation: improvement by dietary supplementation with a melon superoxide dismutase

Oxidative stress is involved in obesity. However, dietary antioxidants could prevent oxidative stress-induced damage. We have previously shown the preventive effects of a melon superoxide dismutase (SODB) on oxidative stress. However, the mechanism of action of SODB is still unknown. Here, we evaluated the effects of a 1-month curative supplementation with SODB on the liver of obese hamsters. Golden Syrian hamsters received either a standard diet or a cafeteria diet composed of high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt supermarket products, for 15 weeks. This diet resulted in insulin resistance and in increased oxidative stress in the liver. However, inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-α, and NF-κB) were not enhanced and no liver steatosis was detected, although these are usually described in obesity-induced insulin resistance models. After the 1-month supplementation with SODB, body weight and insulin resistance induced by the cafeteria diet were reduced and hepatic oxidative stress was corrected. This could be due to the increased expression of the liver antioxidant defense proteins (manganese and copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase). Even though no inflammation was detected in the obese hamsters, inflammatory markers were decreased after SODB supplementation, probably through the reduction of oxidative stress. These findings suggest for the first time that SODB could exert its antioxidant properties by inducing the endogenous antioxidant defense. The mechanisms underlying this induction need to be further investigated.

Vineatrol and Cardiovascular Disease: Beneficial Effects of a Vine-Shoot Phenolic Extract in a Hamster Atherosclerosis Model

We evaluated the effect of the intake of a grapevine-shoot phenolic extract (Vineatrol 30) on early atherosclerosis in hamsters fed a hyperlipidic diet. Golden Syrian hamsters received for 13 weeks either a standard diet, a high-fat (HF) diet, or the HF diet plus Vineatrol 30 at 0.04, 0.2, or 1.0 mg/(kg body weight/d). We measured plasma lipids and glucose, insulin, leptin and adiponectin, as well as liver TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Oxidative stress was assessed by measuring plasma paraoxonase activity (PON) and liver superoxide anion production (O(2)(•-)). The aortic fatty streak area (AFSA) was also determined. In comparison with HF group, we demonstrated that the highest dose of Vineatrol 30 was capable of decreasing AFSA (67%), insulinemia (40%), and leptinemia (8.7%), which were increased by the HF diet. We also showed increased O(2)(•-) production (35%) and a rise in levels of the liver proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α (22%) and IL-6 (21%), accompanied by a fall in PON activity (56%) due to the HF diet versus the standard diet. In contrast, except plasma adiponectin levels that are not changed, Vineatrol 30 treatment lowered AFSA (67%), O(2)(•-) production (36%), insulin resistance (42%), leptinemia (9%), liver TNF-α (18%) and IL-6 (15%), while it rose PON activity (29%). These findings demonstrate the preventive effects of polyphenols present in Vineatrol 30 in managing cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory risk factors.

Dietary silicon-enriched spirulina improves early atherosclerosis markers in hamsters on a high-fat diet.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary silicon-enriched spirulina (SES) on atherosclerosis. METHODS Hamsters (six per group) on a high-fat (HF) diet received SES or non-enriched spirulina (both at 57 mg/kg body weight) daily. This corresponded to 0.57 mg silicon/kg body weight daily. RESULTS The HF diet induced dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and vascular dysfunction. Compared with the HF group, SES attenuated increases of lipemia and prevented insulin resistance (IR) (P = 0.001). SES protected against oxidative stress through a reduction of heart (P = 0.006) and liver (P < 0.0001) nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase activity and by sparing the activity of superoxide dismutase (P = 0.0017) and glutathione peroxidase (P = 0.01861). SES decreased inflammation, lowering tumor necrosis factor-α (P = 0.0006) and interleukin-6 levels (P = 0.0112), decreasing polymorphonuclear cells and preventing nuclear factor-κB activity (P = 0.0259). SES corrected plasma level of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (P = 0.0380), which was increased by the HF diet. Finally, SES supplementation prevented vascular and endothelial functions assessed respectively by the contractile response to the agonist phenylephrine and the relaxation induced by acetylcholine. CONCLUSION SES protects against metabolic imbalance, inflammation, oxidative stress, and vascular dysfunction induced by an HF diet, and could prevent the atherogenic processes. Synergistic effects between spirulina and silicon were observed.

Moderate chronic administration of Vineatrol‐enriched red wines improves metabolic, oxidative, and inflammatory markers in hamsters fed a high‐fat diet

SCOPE High-fat (HF) diets contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases and the metabolic syndrome. This study was undertaken to investigate the beneficial effects of Vineatrol®-enriched red wines on blood lipids, oxidative stress and inflammation, and the role of some metabolic pathway regulatory proteins. METHODS AND RESULTS Golden Syrian hamsters received an HF diet for 13 wk, in the presence or absence of red wines supplemented with Vineatrol® (RWV) or not. The HF diet increased plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and insulin, which were attenuated by RWV treatment. RWV protected against the HF-induced increase in liver nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity and spared antioxidant enzyme activities. RWV did not reduce either liver steatosis or increased plasma leptin due to the HF diet, but greatly improved adiponectinemia. In the liver, RWV affected the inflammatory response by decreasing polymorphonuclear cell number and lowering TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Moreover, the increase in NF-κB activity in the HF group liver was prevented by RWV. Finally, RWV partially corrected low SIRT1 levels due to the HF diet but had no influence on SIRT3 or p-AMPK protein levels. CONCLUSION Our studies suggest that RWV is capable of reversing the atherogenic process induced by an HF diet in hamster tissues.

Supplementation with a Polyphenol-Rich Extract, TensLess®, Attenuates Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and Improves Muscle Recovery from Damages After Eccentric Exercise

High‐intensity exercises are known to provoke delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Delayed onset muscle soreness typically occurs within the first 24 h, peaks between 24 and 72 h, and can last as long as 5–7 days post‐exercise. Delayed onset muscle soreness is a multifactorial process involving both mechanical and biochemical components, associated with clinical features that may limit range of motion, and athletes seek for effective recovery strategies to optimize future training sessions. TensLess® is a food supplement developed to help manage post‐exercise recovery. The supplement has been investigated on 13 recreationally active athletes of both sex, during a randomized, double‐blind, and crossover clinical investigation, including a 3‐week washout period. The clinical investigation was based on the study of TensLess® effects for DOMS management and on the reduction of associated muscle damages following an eccentric exercise protocol. Supplementation with TensLess® induced significant decrease in DOMS perception (−33%; p = 0.008) as of the first 24 h; this was significantly correlated with a lowered release of muscle damage‐associated biomarkers, namely myoglobin, creatinine, and creatine kinase, for the whole length of the recovery period. Taken together, these positive results clearly indicate that post‐exercise supplementation with TensLess® may preserve myocytes and reduce soreness following eccentric exercise‐induced damages, and, accordingly, significantly shorten muscle recovery. Copyright

Supplementation with a Polyphenol-Rich Extract, PerfLoad®, Improves Physical Performance during High-Intensity Exercise: A Randomized, Double Blind, Crossover Trial

Workout capacity is energy-production driven. To produce peak metabolic power outputs, the organism predominantly relies more on anaerobic metabolism, but this undoubtedly has a negative and limiting impact on muscle function and performance. The aim of the study was to evaluate if an innovative polyphenol-based food supplement, PerfLoad®, was able to improve metabolic homeostasis and physical performance during high-intensity exercises under anaerobic conditions. The effect of a supplementation has been investigated on fifteen recreationally-active male athletes during a randomized, double-blind and crossover clinical investigation. The Wingate test, an inducer of an unbalanced metabolism associated to oxidative stress, was used to assess maximum anaerobic power during a high-intensity exercise on a cycle ergometer. Supplementation with PerfLoad® correlated with a significant increase in total power output (5%), maximal peak power output (3.7%), and average power developed (5%), without inducing more fatigue or greater heart rate. Instead, oxidative homeostasis was stabilized in supplemented subjects. Such results demonstrated that PerfLoad® is a natural and efficient solution capable of, similarly to training benefits, helping athletes to improve their physical performance, while balancing their metabolism and reducing exercise-induced oxidative stress.

A 12-week randomized double-blind parallel pilot trial of Sinetrol XPur on body weight, abdominal fat, waist circumference, and muscle metabolism in overweight men.

Abstract Overweight and obesity are associated to increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases that might dramatically affect life expectancy according World Health Organization. Overweight, obesity, and decline in physical activity are correlated to a significant propensity to lose skeletal muscle mass as a result of prolonged inflammation and oxidative stress whereas cohort surveys and clinical investigations have demonstrated health benefits of Citrus-based polyphenols to reverse such regression. Overweight men were included in a double-blind, randomized, parallel pilot trial where they received daily for a 12-week period 900 mg of a Citrus-based polyphenol extract, Sinetrol® XPur. Body composition, anthropometric, and blood parameters were assessed before and at the end of the intervention period. After 12 weeks, while the silhouette slimmed down, metabolic parameters were significantly improved and skeletal muscle catabolism held back. These data suggest that over a 12-week period, the efficacy of the supplement improve both overweight process and correlated skeletal muscle mass metabolism.

Anti-Atherosclerotic Effect of a Polyphenol-Rich Ingredient, Oleactiv®, in a Hypercholesterolemia-Induced Golden Syrian Hamster Model

The development of nutraceutical ingredients has risen as a nutritional solution for health prevention. This study evaluated the effects of Oleactiv®, an ingredient developed for the prevention of atherogenesis, in hypercholesterolemic hamsters. Oleactiv® is a polyphenol-rich ingredient obtained from artichoke, olive and grape extracts as part of fruit and vegetables commonly consumed within the Mediterranean diet. A total of 21 Golden Syrian hamsters were divided into three groups. The standard group (STD) was fed a normolipidemic diet for 12 weeks, while the control group (CTRL) and Oleactiv® goup (OLE) were fed a high-fat diet. After sacrifice, the aortic fatty streak area (AFSA), plasmatic total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL-C), non-HDL-C and triglycerides (TG), were assessed. The cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) of hamster plasma was quantified using a radiolabeled technique in murine macrophages J774. OLE administration induced a significant reduction of AFSA (−69%, p < 0.0001). Hamsters of the OLE group showed a significant decrease of both non-HDL-C (−173 mmol/L, p < 0.05) and TG (−154 mmol/L, p < 0.05). Interestingly, OLE induced a significant increase of total CEC (+17,33%, p < 0,05). Oleactiv® supplementation prevented atheroma development and had positive effects on the lipid profile of hypercholesterolemic hamsters. The increased CEC underlines the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism at the root of the atheroma reduction observed.

Regular consumption of HolisFiit, a polyphenol-rich extract-based food supplement, improves mind and body well-being of overweight and slightly obese volunteers: a randomized, double-blind, parallel trial

Abstract Modern lifestyles face growing demands for natural solutions to help improve general well-being. Accordingly, mind-body activities such as yoga have considerably grown. However, beneficial effects require regular workout. Besides, literature suggests that polyphenols may demonstrate positive effects on both mental and physical health. Overweight and obese volunteers, for which well-being might be perceived degraded, were included in a 16-week double-blind, randomized and parallel trial with a daily supplementation of HolisFiit®, a polyphenol-rich food supplement. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technology; well-being was evaluated with both, Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and components from Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36). Body composition significantly rebalanced by 7.7% (p = .019) of the lean-to-fat mass ratio. Also, sleep quality significantly improved by 43% (p = .00015) as well as both physical and mental components from SF-36, respectively by 10% (p = .004) and 7% (p = .021). These data altogether, suggest that regular consumption of HolisFiit®, might significantly improve mind and body well-being. Graphical Abstract