Josiane Alessandra Vignoli

Topical Formulation Containing Naringenin: Efficacy against Ultraviolet B Irradiation-Induced Skin Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Mice.

Naringenin (NGN) exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, but it remains undetermined its topical actions against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in vivo. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical and functional antioxidant stability of NGN containing formulations, and the effects of selected NGN containing formulation on UVB irradiation-induced skin inflammation and oxidative damage in hairless mice. NGN presented ferric reducing power, ability to scavenge 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and hydroxyl radical, and inhibited iron-independent and dependent lipid peroxidation. Among the three formulations containing NGN, only the F3 kept its physicochemical and functional stability over 180 days. Topical application of F3 in mice protected from UVB-induced skin damage by inhibiting edema and cytokine production (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10). Furthermore, F3 inhibited superoxide anion and lipid hydroperoxides production and maintained ferric reducing and ABTS scavenging abilities, catalase activity, and reduced glutathione levels. In addition, F3 maintained mRNA expression of cellular antioxidants glutathione peroxidase 1, glutathione reductase and transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), and induced mRNA expression of heme oxygenase-1. In conclusion, a formulation containing NGN may be a promising approach to protecting the skin from the deleterious effects of UVB irradiation.

The production of sorbitol by permeabilized and immobilized cells of Z. mobilis in sucrose

The production of sorbitol by permeabilized and immobilized cells of Zymomonas mobilis in Luffa cylindrica was investigated in sucrose medium. A full 23 factorial design was used to verify the influence of each factor and its interactions. The cell permeabilization showed a significant and negative effect upon the production of sorbitol, while the time of cultivation and the immobilization process were significant and positive. The results demonstrated that the cell immobilization and the time of cultivation of 36 h presented higher production of sorbitol.

Quercetin Inhibits Peripheral and Spinal Cord Nociceptive Mechanisms to Reduce Intense Acute Swimming-Induced Muscle Pain in Mice.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of the flavonoid quercetin (3,3´,4´,5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) in a mice model of intense acute swimming-induced muscle pain, which resembles delayed onset muscle soreness. Quercetin intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment dose-dependently reduced muscle mechanical hyperalgesia. Quercetin inhibited myeloperoxidase (MPO) and N-acetyl-β-D- glucosaminidase (NAG) activities, cytokine production, oxidative stress, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and gp91phox mRNA expression and muscle injury (creatinine kinase [CK] blood levels and myoblast determination protein [MyoD] mRNA expression) as well as inhibited NFκB activation and induced Nrf2 and HO-1 mRNA expression in the soleus muscle. Beyond inhibiting those peripheral effects, quercetin also inhibited spinal cord cytokine production, oxidative stress and glial cells activation (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP] and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 [Iba-1] mRNA expression). Concluding, the present data demonstrate that quercetin is a potential molecule for the treatment of muscle pain conditions related to unaccustomed exercise.

Trans-chalcone added in topical formulation inhibits skin inflammation and oxidative stress in a model of ultraviolet B radiation skin damage in hairless mice

Trans-chalcone (TC) is a common precursor of flavonoids. However, the pharmacological properties of TC remain to be fully understood. The present study investigated whether topical formulation containing TC (TFcTC) presents therapeutic effect in UVB radiation-induced skin damage using disease, enzyme activity, antioxidant activity, protein and mRNA parameters. Control topical formulation (CTF) and TFcTC were applied in hairless mice before and after exposure to UVB radiation. Dorsal skin samples were collected after UVB exposure to evaluate: i) skin edema (weight) was measured by punch biopsy; ii) spectrophotometric assays were used to measure myeloperoxidase (MPO) and catalase activities, ferric (FRAP) and ABTS cation reducing antioxidant power, superoxide anion production and levels of reduced glutathione (GSH); iii) enzymography was used to measure matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity; iv) chemiluminescence was used to measure the lipid peroxidation (LPO); v) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels; vi) reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to measure cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), gp91phox (NADPH oxidase sub-unity), glutathione peroxidase-1 (Gpx1), glutathione reductase (Gr), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) mRNA expression. TFcTC inhibited UVB-induced skin edema, MPO activity, MMP-9 activity, TNF-α production, and COX-2 mRNA expression. TFcTC inhibited UVB-induced LPO, down-regulated superoxide anion levels and gp91phox mRNA expression, and improved antioxidant potential and GSH skin levels. The mRNA expression of detoxification systems such as Nrf2, HO-1, Gpx1 and Gr, and catalase activity were also enhanced by treatment with TFcTC. In conclusion, TFcTC protects mice skin from UVB radiation by inhibiting inflammation, and improving antioxidant and detoxification systems. Therefore, topical treatment with TC is a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of UVB radiation skin damages, which merits further pre-clinical and clinical investigation.

Influence of Ultrasound on Sorbitol Release by Zymomonas mobilis Grown on High Sucrose Concentration

A bacteria Zymomonas mobilis produtora de etanol, produz tambem varios subprodutos quando crescida em meio de sacarose, entre esses o sorbitol. O sorbitol e produzido pela enzima glicose-frutose oxidorredutase (GFOR) presente no periplasma da bacteria, a funcao fisiologica da enzima e estabelecer a regulacao do equilibrio osmotico, quando a celula e crescida em meio com altas concentracoes de acucares. A enzima produz sorbitol e este e acumulado, como um soluto compativel a alta concentracao de acucar fora da celula. Este trabalho investigou efeito da aplicacao de ultra-som de baixa intensidade na liberacao de sorbitol de celulas de Zymomonas mobilis crescida em meio com sacarose a 200 g/L ate 48 h de fermentacao. A melhor producao de sorbitol foi de 36,09 g/L em 36 h de cultivo. A irradiacao ultra-sonica nao alterou os valores de sorbitol detectados e o ultra-som levou ao rompimento das celulas apos 20 min de tratamento.

Quercetin attenuates zymosan-induced arthritis in mice

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by articular lesions, recruitment of inflammatory cells and increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine. The intra-articular administration of zymosan is an experimental model that promotes inflammatory parameters resembling RA. Therefore, this model was used to investigate the efficacy of quercetin as a treatment of articular inflammation. Treatment with quercetin dose-dependently reduced zymosan-induced hyperalgesia, articular edema and the recruitment of neutrophils to the knee joint cavity. Histological analysis confirmed that quercetin inhibited zymosan-induced arthritis. The treatment with quercetin also inhibited zymosan-induced depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, TNFα and IL-1β production, and gp91phox, prepro-endothelin-1 (preproET-1), and cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression. These molecular effects of quercetin were related to the inhibition of the nuclear factor kappa-B and induction of Nuclear factor erythroid 2- related factor (Nrf2)/home oxygenase (HO-1) pathway. Thus, quercetin exerted anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant effects in experimental arthritis, suggesting quercetin is a possible candidate for arthritis treatment.

Effects of different nitrogen sources on the production of Hyaluronic acid by Streptococcus

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a linear polysaccharide with high molecular weight composed of disaccharide units of D-glucuronic acid (GlcUA) and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). HA is naturally present in vertebrate organisms, as well as in bacteria. HA can be obtained commercially through three routes: human umbilical cords, rooster combs, and strains of group C Streptococcus .T his is an atural polysaccharide with extensive range of applications in the medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetics. Due to the viscoelastic and hydrophilic, the HA products and derivatives present high aggregated value ranging from US

Influence of high osmotic pressure on sorbitol production by Zymomonas mobilis

2000 to 60000 Kg -1 , depending on their applications. The most frequently used bacteria in the industrial production of HA are Lancefield group A and C streptococci. These bacteria are nutritionally fastidious microorganisms which require complex nutrients due to their limited ability to synthesize specific aminoacids and B-vitamins. Additionally, there is the nutritional requirement with respect to organic nitrogen, which also supplies a large portion of carbon for their cellular biosynthesis. Recent studies seek alternatives to allow the cost of production of HA using agricultural derivatives and industrial waste. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen sources yeast extract, soy protein, whey protein and corn steep liquor in the production of HA. Fermentations were carried out in 125 mL erlenmeyer flasks containing 25 mL culture medium. The culture medium comprised in ( gL -1 ): glucose, 30; nitrogen source (yeast extract, soy protein, whey protein or corn steep liquor), 30; K2HPO4 ,2 .5, NaCl, 2,0 and MgSO4 ,1 .5. The inoculum was 10% (v/v) and the fermentations occurred at 100 rpm, 37°C and pH 8.0 for 24 hours. The fermented medium was centrifuged and the cell free supernatant was treated with ethanol for the precipitation of HA which quantified using a colorimetric reagent Carbazole. The concentration of lactic acid, acetic acid and formic acid were also analyzed in a system of high performance liquid chromatography with IR detector, column Aminex HPX 87H at 60°C and a solution of H2SO4 0.005 mol L -1 as the mobile phase a flow rate of 0.7 mL min -1 . The results performed in triplicate were compared by the Tukey test at 5% probability level (p < 0.05). The highest production of HA, 0.534 g L -1 was obtained when using yeast extract as nitrogen source. Subsequently, experiments which resulted in a better yield of the polymer are those containing soybean protein (0.192 g.L -1 ) and whey protein ( 0.063 g.L -1 ). In medium containing corn steep liquor, no microbial growth or production of HA ocurred. The decreased production of HA was directly followed by a reduction of the production of lactic acid and acetic acid.

Roasting process affects differently the bioactive compounds and the antioxidant activity of arabica and robusta coffees

The objective of the present work was to study the variation on the sorbitol production in relation to the concentration of sugars, (metabolizable or not) and the cultivation time. A full factorial design was used considering the factors such as sucrose and maltose concentration and cultivation time. The addition of sugars caused increases on the sorbitol production up to the concentration of 300g/L however, decreases on the sorbitol production were observed when the concentration reached values above this. Increasing the time of fermentation was statistically significant to sorbitol production, however, little increase the production was noticed after 36h.