Gianfranco Frigerio

Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Raisins (Vitis vinifera L.) in Human Gastric Epithelial Cells: A Comparative Study.

Raisins (Vitis vinifera L.) are dried grapes largely consumed as important source of nutrients and polyphenols. Several studies report health benefits of raisins, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, whereas the anti-inflammatory activity at gastric level of the hydro-alcoholic extracts, which are mostly used for food supplements preparation, was not reported until now. The aim of this study was to compare the anti-inflammatory activity of five raisin extracts focusing on Interleukin (IL)-8 and Nuclear Factor (NF)-κB pathway. Raisin extracts were characterized by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD) analysis and screened for their ability to inhibit Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α-induced IL-8 release and promoter activity in human gastric epithelial cells. Turkish variety significantly inhibited TNFα-induced IL-8 release, and the effect was due to the impairment of the corresponding promoter activity. Macroscopic evaluation showed the presence of seeds, absent in the other varieties; thus, hydro-alcoholic extracts from fruits and seeds were individually tested on IL-8 and NF-κB pathway. Seed extract inhibited IL-8 and NF-κB pathway, showing higher potency with respect to the fruit. Although the main effect was due to the presence of seeds, the fruit showed significant activity as well. Our data suggest that consumption of selected varieties of raisins could confer a beneficial effect against gastric inflammatory diseases.

Identification and quantification of biomarkers to confirm the poisoning by Ginkgo biloba seeds in a 2-year-old boy

The seeds of Ginkgo biloba are commonly eaten in Japan, Korea and China, but it is important to know that they can be responsible for poisoning, especially in young children. Poisoning due to Ginkgo biloba seeds must also be considered as a possible clinical event in European countries, where Asian cuisine has recently become popular. This paper reports the case of a 23-months-old previously healthy male child who experienced two afebrile tonic-clonic seizures after the consumption of an unknown amount of Ginkgo seeds. The poisoning was identified by searching both in blood and urine for 4′-O-methylpyridoxine (MPN) as a specific biomarker for ginkgo poisoning, using an optimized and validated HPLC method with fluorimetric detection. The MPN concentrations in serum were 16.5 and 6.2 ng mL−1 14 and 20 hours after the exposure, respectively, while the urine concentration was below the limit of detection (1.35 ng mL−1). The involvement of ginkgo seeds in the described poisoning was confirmed by searching ginkgolide terpene lactones in urine, where the ratio between excreted ginkgolide A : B : C was 1 : 40 : 2. The analytical data obtained by looking for biomarkers in serum and urine demonstrate that even low values of MPN/ginkgolide concentration can be responsible for convulsions and other adverse effects.