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PMID: 

J Food Biochem. 2019 Jul ;43(7):e12868. Epub 2019 Apr 24. PMID: 31353737

Abstract Title: 

Epicatechin and scopoletin-rich Morinda citrifolia leaf ameliorated leukemia via anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenesis, and apoptosis pathways in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract: 

The anti-leukemia mechanisms of Morinda citrifolia L. leaf extract were investigated on human Jurkat leukemia cells and in leukemia-induced BALB/c mice. The leukemia-induced mice were fed daily with the extract (100 or 200 mg/kg BW) and compared to ATRA (All-trans-retinoic-acid; 5 mg/kg BW). After 4 weeks' treatment, the extract (standardized to epicatechin and scopoletin), arrested Jurkat cell-cycle at the G0/G1 phase and activated the caspase-3 and caspase-8 (death-receptor extrinsic pathways). The extract dose-dependently reduced the blood and bone marrow myeloblasts levels of leukemia-induced mice; upregulated cancer suppressor genes CSF3, SOCS1, PTEN and TRP53; increased anti-inflammatory IL10 and IL4; downregulated anti-apoptotic or proliferation genes; decreased the pro-inflammatory NF-κβ; suppressed pro-angiogenesis VEGFA mRNA expressions, and restored the homeostatic immune or leukocytes levels. The extract directly ameliorated leukemia via cancer cells apoptosis, suppressed inflammation and angiogenesis; and mitigated bone marrow myeloblasts imbalance, without any observable toxicity on theanimals. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The scopoletin (coumarin) and epicatechin (flavonoid)-rich Morinda citrifolia (Noni) leaves may be used as functional food ingredient, vegetables, or dietary supplements to treat and suppress leukemia progression by directly killing the cancer cells and preventing new cancer cells development and bone marrow myeloblast imbalance in the bone marrow, without being toxic to normal cells. The M. citrifolia leaf extract suppressed inflammation, and potential metastasis by inhibiting new cancer-related blood vessel formation.

PMID: 

J Food Biochem. 2019 Mar ;43(3):e12755. Epub 2019 Jan 3. PMID: 31353568

Abstract Title: 

Epicatechin and scopoletin rich Morinda citrifolia (Noni) leaf extract supplementation, mitigated Osteoarthritis via anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-protease pathways.

Abstract: 

The scopoletin (coumarin) and epicatechin (flavonoid) rich Morinda citrifolia L. (MC) Noni leaves are non-toxic (unlike the fruits) and consumed as vegetables. The anti-osteoarthritis effects of the MC leaf extract against joint cartilage degradation and inflammation were investigated through cartilage explant cultures and pre-clinical animal study. Osteoarthritis were induced by intra-articular monosodium iodoacetate injection into the right knee. The extract, scopoletin and epicatechin, suppressed glycosaminoglycan and nitric oxide release from the cartilage explant in the presence of Interleukin-1β. After 28 days, the extract treatment reduced the in vivo serum levels and joint tissues mRNA expressions for joint cartilage degradation, aggrecanase, and collagenase biomarkers. The extract increased the bone formation marker PINP levels, besides improving the articular cartilage structure andchondrocytes cellularity. The extract improved bone formation/repair, subchondral bone structure, strength and integrity, as well as cartilage synthesis by suppressing inflammation, nitric oxide production, joint catabolism by proteases, and oxidative stress. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The scopoletin(coumarin) and epicatechin (flavonoid) rich Morinda citrifolia (Noni) leaves may be used as vegetables, functional food ingredient, or dietary supplements to suppress osteoarthritis progression against joint cartilage degradation and inflammation. The extract, scopoletin, or epicatechin, suppressedglycosaminoglycan, and nitric oxide release from the cartilage. The Morinda citrifolia leaf extract suppressed inflammation, nitric oxide production, tissues catabolism by proteases and oxidative stress to help reduce joint cartilage degradation, besides improving the articular cartilage structure,chondrocytes health, subchondral bone structure, bone formation/repair, and cartilage synthesis.

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PMID: 

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019 ;2019:8453635. Epub 2019 Apr 11. PMID: 31110554

Abstract Title: 

Polysaccharides Attenuate Varicocele-Induced Spermatogenic Impairment through the Modulation of Angiogenesis and Relative Factors.

Abstract: 

Evidence supporting best treatment practices for varicocele is lacking. The effects of a water-soluble polysaccharide extracted from(MOP) on the progression of varicocele were evaluated in the present study. The extracted MOP was confirmed as having a high purity of 98% with scant protein contamination, and it mainly consisted of glucose, lactose, and xylose at a molar ratio of 7.63:1.23:0.95 glucose:lactose:xylose. MOPs were administered to experimental left varicocele rats immediately after surgery at doses ranging from 25 to 200 mg/kg. As detected by sperm analysis and histopathological staining, the intragastric administration of 100 mg/kg MOPs significantly improved the sperm parameters of bilateral cauda epididymis, attenuated seminiferous epithelial structures, and inhibited germ cell apoptosis. The results of immunofluorescence and immunoblot showed that administration of 100 mg/kg MOPs effectively inhibited angiogenesis in the bilateral testes but modulated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), and MMP9 mildly. These results indicate that inhibition of angiogenesis may be one of the mechanisms by which MOP exerts its inhibitive activities on the progression of varicocele, whereas a relative upregulation of VEGF and MMP-9 may be crucial for the spermatogenetic protective effects of 100 mg/kg MOP administration.

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The ritualistic use of plant smoke stretches back to prehistoric and is still used, the world over, as a way of ‘cleansing’ the spirit. Now modern scientific research reveals that the practice may actually have life-saving implications by purifying the air of harmful bacteria.  

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PMID: 

J Gastroenterol. 2019 Apr ;54(4):347-358. Epub 2018 Dec 5. PMID: 30519748

Abstract Title: 

Gut microbiota dysbiosis worsens the severity of acute pancreatitis in patients and mice.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: The gut is implicated in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis (AP) and the infectious complications of AP are commonly associated with enteric bacteria, yet whether gut microbiota dysbiosis participants in AP severity remains largely unknown.METHODS: We collected clinical information and fecal samples from 165 adult participants, including 41 with mild AP (MAP), 59 with moderately severe AP (MSAP), 30 with severe AP (SAP) and 35 healthy controls (HC). The serum inflammatory cytokines and gut barrier indexes were detected. Male C57BL/6 mice with AP were established and injuries of pancreas were evaluated in antibiotic-treated mice, germ-free mice as well as those transplanted with fecal microbiota. The gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.RESULTS: The structure of gut microbiota was significantly different between AP and HC, and the disturbed microbiota was closely correlated with systematic inflammation and gut barrier dysfunction. Notably, the microbial composition changed further with the worsening of AP and the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Blautia was decreased in SAP compared with MAP and MSAP. The increased capacity for the inferred pathway, bacterial invasion of epithelial cells in AP, highly correlated with the abundance of Escherichia-Shigella. Furthermore, the antibiotic-treated mice and germ-free mice exhibited alleviated pancreatic injury after AP induction and subsequent fecal microbiota transplantation in turn exacerbated the disease.CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies the gut microbiota as an important mediator during AP and its dysbiosis is associated with AP severity, which suggests its role as potential therapeutic target.

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PMID: 

Curr Pharm Des. 2019 Jul 21. Epub 2019 Jul 21. PMID: 31333108

Abstract Title: 

Polyphenols regulate endothelial functions and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that intake of polyphenols through the consumption of vegetables and fruits reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by potentially influencing endothelial cell function.OBJECTIVE: In this review, the effects and molecular mechanisms of plant polyphenols, particularly resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and quercetin, on endothelial functions, and their putative protective effects against CVD are described.METHODS: Epidemiologic studies examined the effect of the CVD risk of vegetables and the fruit. Furthermore, studies with in vitro models investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms of the action of the flavonoid class of polyphenols. These findings help elucidate the effect of polyphenols on endothelial function and CVD risk reduction.RESULTS: Epidemiologic and in vitro studies have demonstrated that the consumption of vegetables and fruits decreases the incidence of CVDs. Furthermore, it has also been indicated that the dietary polyphenols are inversely related to the risk of CVD. Resveratrol, EGCG, and quercetin prevent oxidative stress by regulating the expression of oxidase and the antioxidant enzyme genes, contributing to the prevention of stroke, hypertension, heart failure, and ischemic heart disease.CONCLUSION: High intake of dietary polyphenols may help prevent CVD. Polyphenols inhibit endothelial dysfunction and induce vascular endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation viz. redox regulation and nitric oxide production. The polyphenol-induced healthy endothelial cell function may be related to CVD prevention.

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PMID: 

Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Jul ;98(28):e16404. PMID: 31305451

Abstract Title: 

Fruits and vegetables consumption and the risk of gallstone diasease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: The role of fruit and vegetables (FVs) consumption in decreasing gallstone disease risk remains contradictory. We performed a meta-analysis to analyze this potential correlation, followed by investigation of dose-response relationship of FVs consumption with gallstone disease.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Embase, as well as Web of Science were searched to determine all published researches about the connection of FVs consumption with gallstone disease before March 2018. Relative risks (RRs) or odds ratios (ORs) along with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was pooled utilizing random effect models, aiming at examining the correlation of FVs consumption with gallstone disease risk.
RESULTS: One cross-sectional study, our case-control studies as well as nine cohort studies were enrolled, covering approximately 33,983 patients with gallstone disease and 1,53,3752 participants. In a pooled analysis, vegetables consumption was significantly related to a decreased gallstone disease risk, (RR = 0.83, 95% CI, 0.74-0.94, I = 91.1%), and for fruits consumption, RR was similar (RR = 0.88, 95%CI, 0.83-0.92, I = 0.01%). This inverse correlation of FVs consumption with gallstone disease risk was solid in most subgroup analysis. The nonlinear dose-response correlation indicatedthat gallstone risk was reduced by 4% (RR = 0.96, 95%CI, 0.93-0.98) and 3% (RR = 0.97, 95%CI, 0.96-0.98) for every 200 g per day increment in vegetables consumption (P = .001) and fruits consumption (P = .001), respectively.
CONCLUSION: This study suggests vegetables and fruits consumption is correlated with a significantly reduced risk of gallstone disease.

PMID: 

Int J Mol Epidemiol Genet. 2019 ;10(3):38-46. Epub 2019 Jun 15. PMID: 31333812

Abstract Title: 

Whole grain and cereal fiber intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis.

Abstract: 

In recent years, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have become a focus topic and global concern. There have been mixed reports on the relationship between whole grain or cereal fiber intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes. To evaluate whole grain or cereal intake on the risk of type 2 diabetes, we collected related literature on the relationship between whole grain or cereal fiber intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes.Eligible studies were identified from PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO (from 2007 to 2015). A total of three studies on whole grains were included, three studies about cereal fiber, and two on both whole grains and cereal fiber. We calculated the summary relative risks (RRs) using the random effects model. Eight studies contained 14,728 type 2 diabetes cases out of 434,903 subjects. Whole grain or cereal fiber intake is associated with type 2 diabetes (the overall RR was 0.68; 95% CI was 0.64-0.73) with significant heterogeneity in study-specific estimates (=0%,=0.452). Whole grain and cereal fiber intake are inversely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes.

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PMID: 

Eur J Nutr. 2019 Jul 6. Epub 2019 Jul 6. PMID: 31280344

Abstract Title: 

Long-term dietary fiber intake and risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective cohort study of women.

Abstract: 

PURPOSE: Until now, only two prospective cohort studies have investigated dietary fiber intake in relation to risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but neither examined long-term fiber intake. Both studies reported that total fiber intake was associated with decreased COPD risk; however, results for specific fiber sources were inconsistent. Thus, we prospectively evaluated the association between baseline and long-term intake of dietary fiber and COPD risk in a population-based prospective cohort of 35,339 Swedish women.METHODS: Dietary fiber intake was assessed in 1987 and 1997 with a food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).RESULTS: During follow-up (2002-2014), 1557 COPD cases were identified via linkage to the Swedish National Patient Register. Long-term high dietary fiber intake (≥ 26.5 vs.

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PMID: 

J Neurotrauma. 2019 Mar 28. Epub 2019 Mar 28. PMID: 30693824

Abstract Title: 

Melatonin Treatment Alleviates Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Gut Dysbiosis in Mice.

Abstract: 

Spinal cord injury (SCI) disturbs the autonomic nervous system and induces dysfunction in multiple organs/tissues, such as the gastrointestinal (GI) system. The neuroprotective effects of melatonin in SCI models have been reported; however, it is unclear whether the beneficial effects of melatonin are associated with alleviation of gut dysbiosis. In this study, we showed that daily intraperitoneal injection with melatonin following spinal cord contusion at thoracic level 10 in mice improved intestinal barrier integrity and GI motility, reduced expression levels of certain proinflammatory cytokines, improved animal weight gain and metabolic profiling, and promoted locomotor recovery. Analysis of gut microbiome revealed that melatonin treatment decreased the Shannon index and reshaped the composition of intestinal microbiota. Melatonin-treated SCI animals showed decreased relative abundance of Clostridiales and increased relative abundance of Lactobacillales and Lactobacillus, which correlated with alteration of cytokine (monocyte chemotactic protein 1) expression and GI barrier permeability, as well as with locomotor recovery. Experimental induction of gut dysbiosis in mice before SCI (i.e., by oral delivery of broad-spectrum antibiotics) exacerbates neurological impairment after SCI, and melatonin treatment improves locomotor performance and intestinal integrity in antibiotic-treated SCI mice. The results suggest that melatonin treatment restores SCI-induced alteration in gut microbiota composition, which may underlie the ameliorated GI function and behavioral manifestations.

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