Mario Pulido-Moran

Hydroxytyrosol ameliorates oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats with breast cancer.

Oxidative stress is involved in several processes including cancer, aging and cardiovascular disease, and has been shown to potentiate the therapeutic effect of drugs such as doxorubicin. Doxorubicin causes significant cardiotoxicity characterized by marked increases in oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Herein, we investigate whether doxorubicin-associated chronic cardiac toxicity can be ameliorated with the antioxidant hydroxytyrosol in rats with breast cancer. Thirty-six rats bearing breast tumors induced chemically were divided into 4 groups: control, hydroxytyrosol (0.5mg/kg, 5days/week), doxorubicin (1mg/kg/week), and doxorubicin plus hydroxytyrosol. Cardiac disturbances at the cellular and mitochondrial level, mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes I-IV and apoptosis-inducing factor, and oxidative stress markers have been analyzed. Hydroxytyrosol improved the cardiac disturbances enhanced by doxorubicin by significantly reducing the percentage of altered mitochondria and oxidative damage. These results suggest that hydroxytyrosol improve the mitochondrial electron transport chain. This study demonstrates that hydroxytyrosol protect rat heart damage provoked by doxorubicin decreasing oxidative damage and mitochondrial alterations.

Curcumin and Health

Nowadays, there are some molecules that have shown over the years a high capacity to act against relevant pathologies such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders or cancer. This article provides a brief review about the origin, bioavailability and new research on curcumin and synthetized derivatives. It examines the beneficial effects on health, delving into aspects such as cancer, cardiovascular effects, metabolic syndrome, antioxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory properties, and neurological, liver and respiratory disorders. Thanks to all these activities, curcumin is positioned as an interesting nutraceutical. This is the reason why it has been subjected to several modifications in its structure and administration form that have permitted an increase in bioavailability and effectiveness against different diseases, decreasing the mortality and morbidity associated to these pathologies.

Squalene ameliorates atherosclerotic lesions through the reduction of CD36 scavenger receptor expression in macrophages

SCOPE Anti-atherogenic features of olive oil (OO) have been attributed, in part, to minor compounds, via diverse mechanisms, although its effects on the CD36 receptor have not been examined. We investigated the effects of minor compounds of OO (squalene (SQ), tyrosol (Tyr) and hydroxytyrosol (OH-Tyr)), on the expression of the CD36 receptor, as well as on monocyte/macrophage differentiation and proliferation. METHODS AND RESULTS U937 monocytic cells and macrophages (obtained with 10 nM phorbol-myristate-acetate) were exposed to Tyr, OH-Tyr or SQ at 0, 10, 75 and 200 μM with/without native or oxidised LDL(oxLDL). Flow cytometry was used to achieve the expression of CD36 in both cell types exposed to oxLDL plus antioxidants, as well as the inhibition of monocyte/macrophage differentiation after oxLDL and apoptosis. SQ caused a dose-dependent reduction of CD36 in the presence of native and moderate LDL in monocytes and macrophages. Phenotype-dependent cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects were found for OH-Tyr (p < 0.05), while SQ affected neither monocytes nor macrophages (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION SQ does not prevent monocyte migration and activation into macrophages, but it would inhibit oxLDL uptake by macrophages, by reducing CD36 expression. This study provides new data about the role of the components of OO in the prevention of atherosclerosis.

A New Approach to Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Signaling during Labour in Healthy Mothers and Neonates

The objective of the current study was to investigate for the first time and simultaneously the oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling induced during the delivery in healthy mothers and their neonates. 56 mothers with normal gestational course and spontaneous delivery were selected. Blood samples were taken from mother (before and after delivery) both from vein and artery of umbilical cord. Lower antioxidant enzymes activities were observed in neonates compared with their mothers and lower oxidative stress in umbilical cord artery with respect to vein. There was an overexpression of inflammatory cytokines in the mother, such as IL-6 and TNF-α, and, in addition, PGE2 was also increased. Neonates showed lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-α and higher values of sTNF-RII and PGE2 in comparison with their mothers. Parturition increases oxidative damage in the mother, although the indicators of oxidative damage were lower in umbilical cord artery with respect to umbilical vein. The overexpression of inflammatory cytokines reveals that fetus suffers its own inflammatory process during parturition.

Gender specific differences in oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling in healthy term neonates and their mothers

Background:Gender is a crucial determinant of life span, but little is known about gender differences in free radical homeostasis and inflammatory signaling. The aim of the study was to determine gender-related differences concerning oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling of healthy neonates and mothers.Methods:Fifty-six mothers with normal gestational course and spontaneous delivery were selected. Blood samples were collected from the mother (at the beginning of delivery and start of expulsive period) and from neonate (from umbilical cord vein and artery).Results:The mothers of girls featured a higher total antioxidant status and lower plasma hydroperoxides than the mother of boys. Regarding the neonates, the girls featured a higher total antioxidant status and lower plasma membrane hydroperoxides in umbilical cord artery together with higher catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities. Lower levels of interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and prostaglandin E2 were observed in the mothers of girls and higher level of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II. In the neonates, lower levels of interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were observed in umbilical artery and higher soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II in umbilical cord vein and artery of girls.Conclusion:An association between gender, oxidative stress, and inflammation signaling exists, leading to a renewed interest in the neonate’s sex as a potential risk factor to several alterations.

Hydroxytyrosol: Bioavailability, toxicity, and clinical applications

Many beneficial properties have been attributed to the Mediterranean diet. Over the years, researchers have attempted to learn which foods and which food components are responsible for good health. One of these components is hydroxytyrosol, an important phenolic compound present in olive oil. Hydroxytyrosol is a molecule of high interest to the pharmaceutical industry due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial qualities its role against cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome and for its neuroprotection, antitumour, and chemo modulation effects. The interest in this molecule has led to wide research on its biological activities, its beneficial effects in humans and how to synthetize new molecules from hydroxytyrosol. This review describes the vast range of information about hydroxytyrosol, focusing on its involvement in biological mechanisms and modulation effects on different pathologies. This review also serves to highlight the role of hydroxytyrosol as a nutraceutical and as a potential therapeutic agent.

Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation and Exercise in Healthy Humans: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an endogenous lipid-soluble benzoquinone compound that functions as a diffusible electron carrier in the electron transport chain. It is prevalent in all human tissues and organs, although it is mainly biosynthesised and concentrated in tissues with high energy turnover. The aim of this review was to perform an exhaustive analysis of the influence and effects of CoQ10 supplementation on parameters related to exercise in healthy humans, and to clarify the current state of knowledge of this field of study, presenting the relevant data in a systematic manner. METHOD This paper describes a transversal descriptive systematic review of published research in this field; the study was conducted using a method adapted from the PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion criteria applied were based on the PICO (population, intervention, comparison, and outcome) model. RESULTS The database search performed yielded 372 citations. Finally, 13 studies met all the inclusion criteria and were incorporated in the present review. CONCLUSION CoQ10 has properties related to bioenergetic and antioxidant activity; thus, it is intimately involved in energy production and in the prevention of peroxidative damage to membrane phospholipids and of free radical-induced oxidation. These properties make it suitable as a dietary supplement to improve cellular bioenergetics and to inhibit certain age-related pathologies.

Hydroxytyrosol as a Component of the Mediterranean Diet and Its Role in Disease Prevention

Hydroxytyrosol is a polyphenol that forms part of the minor compound fraction of extra virgin olive oil, one of the most important elements in the Mediterranean diet. Because of the low incidence of different diseases in Mediterranean countries, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer, plenty of studies have been performed showing which components of this healthy diet are responsible for these beneficial effects, and most of them have reported that hydroxytyrosol is one of these components. Because of the nature of this element, many studies of this isolated component have been performed using different hydroxytyrosol-enriched olive oils. This research has demonstrated hydroxytyrosol’s potential as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiatherogenic agent and its role in the prevention of different diseases, together with some other direct activities such as antitumor action or as an inhibitor of the expression of different cellular receptors. In addition, a relation with the expression of some specific proteins involved in many diseases has been documented in the scientific literature. Other studies have focused on its antimicrobial and dermatological activities and its importance in healing and epithelization after surgery. All these findings allow a possible role as a nutraceutical in the prevention and treatment of some pathologies to be postulated.

Short‐term ubiquinol supplementation reduces oxidative stress associated with strenuous exercise in healthy adults: A randomized trial

Studies about Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 ) supplementation on strenuous exercise are scarce, especially those related with oxidative stress associated with physical activity and virtually nonexistent with the reduced form, Ubiquinol. The objective of this study was to determine, for the first time, whether a short-term supplementation with Ubiquinol can prevent oxidative stress associated to strenuous exercise. The participants (n = 100 healthy and well trained, but not on an elite level) were classified in two groups: Ubiquinol (experimental group), and placebo group (control). The protocol consisted of conducting two identical strenuous exercise tests with a rest period between tests of 24 h. Blood and urine samples were collected from the participants before supplementation (basal value) (T1), after supplementation (2 weeks) (T2), after first physical exercise test (T3), after 24 h of rest (T4), and after second physical exercise test (T5).The increase observed in the lactate, isoprostanes, DNA damage, and hydroperoxide levels reveals the severity of the oxidative damage induced by the exercise. There was a reduction in the isoprostanes, 8-OHdG, oxidized LDL, and hydroperoxydes in the supplemented Ubiquinol group, an increase in total antioxidant status, fat soluble antioxidant (both plasma and membrane), and CAT activity. Also, NO in the Ubiquinol-supplemented group was maintained within a narrow range. Oxidative stress induced by strenuous exercise is accumulative and increases transiently in subsequent sessions of physical activity. A short-term supplementation (2 weeks) with Ubiquinol (200 mg/day) before strenuous exercise, decreases oxidative stress and increases plasma NO, fact that could improve endothelial function, energetic substrate supply, and muscle recovery after strenuous exercise.

Influence of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Bone Turnover

Bone is a metabolically active tissue that undergoes continuous remodeling to cope with the body’s Ca and P requirements and to repair microscopic damage in a dynamic process where osteoblasts are responsible for bone formation and osteoclasts for its resorption. Dietary fat has a clear influence on bone health. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), especially the omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are beneficial for bone metabolism. Several studies have reported that LC-PUFAs can increase bone formation, affecting peak bone mass in adolescents and reducing bone loss, because LC-PUFAs reduce inflammatory cytokines, increases calcium absorption, and enhances skeletal calcium levels. This chapter summarizes the role of LC-PUFA, especially the ω-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid, on bone health and turnover.