PMID: 

J Fr Ophtalmol. 2019 Dec 9. Epub 2019 Dec 9. PMID: 31831276

Abstract Title: 

The effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on diabetic retinopathy: A preliminary study.

Abstract: 

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to prospectively assess the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on diabetic retinopathy lesions and macular edema in patients undergoing the treatment for diabetic foot ulcers.METHODS: We compared two groups: a first group including 25 patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy treated by HBOT for foot ulcers, and a second group (control group) composed of 25 patients with diabetic retinopathy who did not receive HBOT. The HBOT protocol performed for the patients in the first group was: 30 sessions of 90 minutes each at 2.5 ATA with a mean frequency of five sessions per week. All patients had an ophthalmological exam at baseline (visual acuity, intraocular pressure, fundus exam), fundus photography and an OCT exam. A follow-up exam was performed at the conclusion of the HBOT.RESULTS: Compared to the control group, patients treated with HBOT showed a regression or stabilization of diabetic retinopathy lesions and a decrease in central macular thickness (CMT).CONCLUSION: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may improve diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. This therapy may serve as an adjunctive treatment in the management of retinal ischemia and capillary hyperpermeability in diabetic retinopathy.

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PMID: 

J Contemp Dent Pract. 2017 Nov 1 ;18(11):1014-1020. Epub 2017 Nov 1. PMID: 29109313

Abstract Title: 

Evaluation of the Antifungal Effect of Chicory Extracts on Candida Glabrata and Candida Krusei in a Laboratory Environment.

Abstract: 

AIM: This research has evaluated the extract's antifungal effects on Candida glabrata and Candida krusei in a laboratory environment.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this research, to evaluate the antifungal effect and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination of chicory extract, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) was used. Candida glabrata and C. krusei funguses were procured from the Tehran Pasteur Institute; they were grown in the relative growing environment according to the required conditions. Also for further assurance about the macrodilution method reality, the agar well diffusion method was used. Finally, the obtained results were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16 software.RESULTS: The MIC for the chicory extract was 50μg/mL for C. krusei and 100 μg/mL for C. glabrata. On the contrary, in the evaluation of different concentrations of the chicory extract by the agar well diffusion method, C. krusei's lack of growth in similar concentrations was greater than that of C. glabrata. As a result, the findings related to both the methods of agar well diffusion and MIC prevention concentration maximization proved that C. krusei sensitivity to the chicory extract is more compared with the sensitivity of C. glabrata.CONCLUSION: Chicory extract has the benefits of low price, accessibility, and proper taste as compared with nystatin. It also has fewer side effects, and after a clinical test, it could be considered a proper candidate as an antifungal drug against infections caused by C. krusei and C. glabrata.CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The results obtained from this research have shown that chicory extract has antifungal features and is the best choice as an antifungal drug because of its low price, accessibility, and proper taste as compared with nystatin.

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PMID: 

J Am Coll Nutr. 2018 08 ;37(6):479-486. Epub 2018 Mar 20. PMID: 29558323

Abstract Title: 

Effects of Chicory Leaf Extract on Serum Oxidative Stress Markers, Lipid Profile and Periodontal Status in Patients With Chronic Periodontitis.

Abstract: 

AIM: The aim of present study was to evaluate the effects of chicory leaf extract on serum oxidative stress markers, lipid profile, and periodontal status in patients with chronic periodontitis.METHODS: In this double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial 40 patients with chronic periodontitis were allocated to intervention and control groups. The intervention group received a 1-gram chicory leaf methanolic extract capsule twice daily for 8 weeks. In the control group, participants received a placebo capsule (containing 1 gram wheat flour) twice daily for 8 weeks. All participants had nonsurgical periodontal therapy during the study. Anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), uric acid, lipid profile (total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C]), and pocket depth (PD) were assessed before and after intervention.RESULTS: The results showed that mean serum TAC, uric acid, and HDL-C increased and mean serum MDA, TG, LDL-C, and TC decreased significantly in the intervention group compared to their baseline and the control group post-intervention. A significant difference was observed in mean PD between the two groups.CONCLUSION: Chicory leaf extract as an adjunct nutritional approach with nonsurgical periodontal therapy may be helpful in controlling periodontal status.

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PMID: 

Int J Biol Macromol. 2018 Oct 15 ;118(Pt A):886-895. Epub 2018 Jun 28. PMID: 29964102

Abstract Title: 

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) polysaccharides attenuate high-fat diet induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via AMPK activation.

Abstract: 

Chicory polysaccharides (CP) from Cichorium intybus L. roots were extracted and fractionated to isolate two novel polysaccharide fractions, CP-1 and CP-2. CP-1 is a heteropolysaccharide that is mainly composed of sorbin, glucose, fructose, and glucitol at a molar ratio of 1.00:5.58:13.97:10.32. The molecular weight of CP-1 was 8511.4 Da. The hepatoprotective effect of CP-1 was investigated in a rat model of high-fat diet induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats. Results indicated that the oral administration of CP-1 significantly decreased body weight and liver index in NAFLD rats. CP-1 also significantly increased serum levels of SOD and HDLC, and decreased the levels of ALT, AST, TG, TC, LDL-C, GLU, ALP, LDH, and MDA in NAFLD rats. Meanwhile, CP-1 effectively decreased MDA, TC, and TG, and increased SOD and T-AOC in the livers of NAFLD rats. Furthermore, CP-1 also increased the hepatic expression of p-AMPKα, ATGL, CPT-1, and p-ACC, and reduced the hepatic expression of ACC, FAS, and SCD-1. Moreover, histopathological examination of the livers showed that CP-1 significantly ameliorated the symptoms of NAFLD rats. Therefore, CP-1 significantly attenuated the high-fat diet-induced NAFLD in rats via AMPK activation.

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PMID: 

Int J Microbiol. 2018 ;2018:6475072. Epub 2018 Nov 4. PMID: 30532784

Abstract Title: 

Antimicrobial Effects of Egyptian Local Chicory,subsp.

Abstract: 

The discovery of novel and more efficient antimicrobial agents from natural sources like plants is one of the most important ways through which the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant pathogens can be overcome. Herein, we report the potential antimicrobial activity ofL. subsp.. Different concentrations of various solvent extracts prepared from several parts of chicory were tested for their antimicrobial effect against a panel of microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity was analyzed using the well diffusion method, where zones of inhibition were used as indicators of antimicrobial activity. The results indicated the superiority of seed extracts over both leaf and root extracts. Methanol extracts showed higher activity compared with chloroform and water extracts. Increased solvent extract concentration was accompanied by a parallel increase in the diameter of the inhibition zone. Gram-positive bacteria were found to be more sensitive than Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. On a whole, the highest observed inhibition zones (21.3± 0.6 and 20.1 ± 0.4 mm) were recorded with the methanolic extract of chicory seeds againstand, respectively. These results offer insights into the antimicrobial potency of this Egyptian local plant and provide a basis for further phytochemical and pharmacological research.

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PMID: 

Food Technol Biotechnol. 2019 Mar ;57(1):113-118. PMID: 31316283

Abstract Title: 

Proteinaceous Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitor from the Seed of.

Abstract: 

A study of the pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of a protein from the seed ofwas carried out. Protein was isolated by 70% ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by dialysis. Lipase inhibitory activity of the protein was evaluated using both synthetic (-nitrophenyl palmitate) and natural (olive oil) substrates. Protein at the final concentration of 100µg/mL was able to inhibit 68.2% pancreatic lipase on synthetic substrate and 60.0% on natural substrate. Proteinaceous nature of the inhibitor was determined using trypsinization assay. Pancreatic lipase inhibitory protein was sensitive to 0.05% trypsin treatment with the loss of 61.9% activity. ICof this proteinaceous pancreatic lipase inhibitor was 73.1µg/mL using synthetic substrate. This inhibitory protein was sensitive to pH, with the highest inhibitory activity at pH=8.0 and the lowest at pH=3.0. Protein was further analyzed using 10% non-reducing sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and, interestingly, it showed the presence of a single band of (61±2) kDa when stained with Coomassie brilliant blue. The isolated protein was finally crystallized to see its homogeneity by batch crystallization method. Crystals were well formed with distinct edges. The isolated protein showed good pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity.

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PMID: 

Int J Biol Macromol. 2019 Nov 21. Epub 2019 Nov 21. PMID: 31760014

Abstract Title: 

Isolation and structural characterization of a non-competitiveα-glucosidase inhibitory polysaccharide from the seeds of Litchi chinensis Sonn.

Abstract: 

In this study, a novel homogeneous polysaccharide (LSP-W-4, M = 6.70 kDa) was isolated and purified from the seeds of Litchi chinensis Sonn. Monosaccharide composition analysis indicated that LSP-W-4 is a heteropolysaccharide consisting of arabinose, mannose, glucose and galactose in a molar ratio of 6.33:3.88:10.35:1.00. A detailed structural analysis revealed that LSP-W-4 has a backbone consisting of 1,4-α-Glcp and 1,4-β-Manp, as well as four branched chains including of T-α-Galp, T-α-Araf, α-Araf-(1 → 5)-α-Araf-(1 → and α-Araf-(1 → 5)-α-Araf-(1 → 5)-α-Araf-(1 → attached to O6 of 1,4-β-Manp and 1,4-α-Glcp. LSP-W-4 exhibited significant inhibitory activity both against yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and mammalian (rat-intestinal acetone powder) α-glucosidase, with ICvalues of 75.24 μM and 66.97 μM, respectively, with both such inhibitory activities being more powerful than those of acarbose. A kinetic analysis revealed that LSP-W-4 inhibited the activities of both yeast and mammalian α-glucosidase in a typical non-competitive manner, with Kvalues of 0.43 mmol/L and 0.53 mmol/L, respectively.

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PMID: 

Molecules. 2020 Jan 1 ;25(1). Epub 2020 Jan 1. PMID: 31906305

Abstract Title: 

L-Carnitine Is Involved in Hyperbaric Oxygen-Mediated Therapeutic Effects in High Fat Diet-Induced Lipid Metabolism Dysfunction.

Abstract: 

Lipid metabolism dysfunction and obesity are serious health issues to human beings. The current study investigated the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) against high fat diet (HFD)-induced lipid metabolism dysfunction and the roles of L-carnitine. C57/B6 mice were fed with HFD or normal chew diet, with or without HBO treatment. Histopathological methods were used to assess the adipose tissues, serum free fatty acid (FFA) levels were assessed with enzymatic methods, and the endogenous circulation and skeletal muscle L-carnitine levels were assessed with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Additionally, western blotting was used to assess the expression levels of PPARα, CPT1b, pHSL/HSL, and UCP1. HFD treatment increased body/adipose tissue weight, serum FFA levels, circulation L-carnitines and decreased skeletal muscle L-carnitine levels, while HBO treatment alleviated such changes. Moreover, HFD treatment increased fatty acid deposition in adipose tissues anddecreased the expression of HSL, while HBO treatment alleviated such changes. Additionally, HFD treatment decreased the expression levels of PPARα and increased those of CPT1b in skeletal muscle, while HBO treatment effectively reverted such changes as well. In brown adipose tissues, HFD increasedthe expression of UCP1 and the phosphorylation of HSL, which was abolished by HBO treatment as well. In summary, HBO treatment may alleviate HFD-induced fatty acid metabolism dysfunction in C57/B6 mice, which seems to be associated with circulation and skeletal muscle L-carnitine levels and PPARα expression.

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PMID: 

Cell Cycle. 2020 Jan 10:1-9. Epub 2020 Jan 10. PMID: 31918603

Abstract Title: 

Litchi Seed Aqueous Extracts play a role in suppression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion and migration in breast cancer cells.

Abstract: 

We carried out this study to unravel the function of Litchi Seed Aqueous Extracts (LSAE) on biological functions of breast cancer (BC) cells. MTT assay was adopted to measure proliferation of BC cells (MCF7, BT474 and MDA-MB-231) and normal mammary cells (MCF10A) under different time points (24, 48 and 72 h) and different concentrations (50, 100, 200 and 400μg/mL). MCF-7 cells were selected for subsequent experiments and were grouped into blank group, negative control (NC) group, low-, medium- and high-dose LSAE (L-LSAE, M-LSAE, H-LSAE) groups. Cell viability, invasion, migration and apoptosis were measured by functional assays. Low dosage of LSAE (50and 100 μg/mL) enhanced proliferation of MCF10A cells, while high dosage of LSAE (200 and 400 μg/mL) suppressed proliferation of MCF10A cells. The proliferation inhibition rate in BT474 and MDA-MB-231cells was increased relative to that in MCF7 cells. MCF-7 cells in the L-LSAE, M-LSAE and H-LSAEgroups were rounded and epithelial-like, in which cell survival rate, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and migration abilities were reduced versus the blank and NC groups. The tendency in the H-LSAE group was substantially obvious than those in the L-LSAE and M-LSAE groups (both0.05). We found that LSAE is able to inhibit EMT, invasion and migration in BC cells based on concentration and time.

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PMID: 

Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2019 ;20(10):825-844. PMID: 31264546

Abstract Title: 

Natural Products from Mediterranean Diet: From Anti-hyperlipidemic Agents to Dietary Epigenetic Modulators.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) are, currently, the major contributor to global mortality and will continue to dominate mortality rates in the future. Hyperlipidemia refers to the elevated levels of lipids and cholesterol in the blood, and is also identified as dyslipidemia, manifesting in the form of different disorders of lipoprotein metabolism. These abnormalities may lead to the development of atherosclerosis, which can lead to coronary artery disease and stroke. In recent years, there is a growing interest in the quest for alternative therapeutic treatments based on natural products, offering better recovery and the avoidance of side effects. Recent technological advances have further improved our understanding of the role of epigenetic mechanisms in hyperlipidemic disorders and dietary prevention strategies.OBJECTIVE: This is a comprehensive overview of the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of plant extracts, vegetables, fruits and isolated compounds thereof, with a focus on natural products from the Mediterranean region as well as the possible epigenetic changes in gene expression or cardiometabolic signaling pathways.METHODS: For the purpose of this study, we searched the PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases for eligible articles and publications over the last five years. The keywords included:"hyperlipidemia","plant extract","herbs","natural products","vegetables","cholesterol"and others. We initially included all relevant articles referring to in vitro studies, animal studies, Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) and previous reviews.CONCLUSION: Many natural products found in the Mediterranean diet have been studied for the treatment of hyperlipidemia. The antihyperlipidemic effect seems to be dose and/or consumption frequency related, which highlights the fact that a healthy diet can only be effective in reversing disease markers if it is consistent and within the framework of a healthy lifestyle. Finally, epigenetic biomarkers are increasingly recognized as new lifestyle management tools to monitor a healthy dietary lifestyle for the prevention of hyperlipidaemic disorders and comorbidities to promote a healthy life.

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