PMID: 

Nutrients. 2019 Jul 22 ;11(7). Epub 2019 Jul 22. PMID: 31336633

Abstract Title: 

Acute Supplementation with Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Juice Causes a Greater Increase in Plasma Nitrite and Reduction in Blood Pressure of Older Compared to Younger Adults.

Abstract: 

Nitrate-rich beetroot juice supplementation has been shown to improve cardiovascular and cognitive function in younger and older adults via increased nitric oxide production. However, it is unclear whether the level of effects differs between the two groups. We hypothesized that acute supplementation with nitrate-rich beetroot juice would improve cardiovascular and cognitive function in older and younger adults, with the potential for greater improvements in older adults. Thirteen younger (18-30 years) and 11 older (50-70 years) adults consumed either 150 mL of nitrate-rich beetroot juice (BR; 10.5 mmol nitrate) or placebo (PL; 1 mmol nitrate) in a double-blind, crossover design, 2.25 h prior to a 30-min treadmill walk. Plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), cognitive function, mood and perceptual tests were performed throughout the trial. BR consumption significantly increased plasma nitrate (

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PMID: 

J Food Biochem. 2019 Jul ;43(7):e12873. Epub 2019 Apr 24. PMID: 31353701

Abstract Title: 

Nephroprotective effects of red beetroot-based beverages against gentamicin-induced renal stress.

Abstract: 

The objective of this study was to assess the nephroprotective effects of red beetroot-based beverages to ameliorate gentamicin-induced renal stress. For the purpose, normal and nephrotoxicity-induced Sprague Dawley rats were pretreated with beetroot-based beverages (8 ml/kg per day) for 8 weeks. In nephrotoxicity-induced rats, renal stress was induced by administration of gentamicin at 85 mg/kg b.w. per day during the last week of the trial. Afterward, overnight-fasted rats were sacrificed, and their sera and kidneys were analyzed for renal health biomarkerswhich revealed ameliorative effect of red beet beverages. Particularly, the antioxidant enzymes in renal tissues and serum proteins were significantly improved, whereas lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, urea and creatinine levels were momentously reduced in nephrotoxicity-induced rats. Furthermore,histological assessment indicated better renal portfolio in the rats treated with beet beverages. The findings suggested that red beetroot-based beverages promisingly ameliorate negative impacts of gentamicin-induced nephritic stress. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: High rates of morbidity arising from metabolic disorders have shifted the trends toward use of functional foods and nutraceuticals as a safer approach to avoid such ailments. This research checked the nephroprotective effect of beetroot-based beverages instead of extracts of red beetroot. The findings of this research support the use of red beetroot-based beverages as a promising approach to alleviate renal stress. Furthermore, dietary supplementation of functional products and nutraceutics derived from beetroot may be synchronized in clinical practices in future after sufficient research to avoid the onset of various degenerative disorders originating from oxidative/nitrosative stress. Before employing this dietary model to humans, further investigation is necessitated to observe safety in long-term administration of such products. Besides, therapeutic dietary modules can also be devised for already suffering individuals to manage the severity of the disease and help improving health.

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PMID: 

Nutrients. 2019 Aug 2 ;11(8). Epub 2019 Aug 2. PMID: 31382524

Abstract Title: 

The Effects of Beetroot Juice on Blood Pressure, Microvascular Function and Large-Vessel Endothelial Function: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study in Healthy Older Adults.

Abstract: 

Dietary nitrate (NO) has been reported to improve endothelial function (EF) and blood pressure (BP). However, most studies only assess large-vessel EF with little research on the microvasculature. Thus, the aim of the present pilot study is to examine NOsupplementation on microvascular and large-vessel EF and BP. Twenty older adults (63± 6 years) were randomized to a beetroot juice (BRJ) or placebo (PLA) group for 28 (±7) days and attended three laboratory visitations. Across visitations, blood pressure, microvascular function and large-vessel EF were assessed by laser Doppler imaging (LDI) with iontophoresis of vasoactive substances and flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), respectively. Plasma NOconcentrations, BP and the presence of NOreducing bacteria were also assessed. Plasma NOincreased following two weeks of BRJ supplementation (= 0.04) along with a concomitant decrease in systolic and diastolic BP of approximately -6 mmHg and -4 mmHg, respectively (= 0.04;= 0.01, respectively). BP remained unchanged in the PLA group. There were no significant differences in endothelium-dependent or endothelium-independent microvascular responses between groups. FMD increased by 1.5% following two weeks of BRJ (= 0.04), with only a minimal (0.1%) change for the PLA group. In conclusion, this pilot study demonstrated that medium-term BRJ ingestion potentially improves SBP, DBP and large-vessel EF in healthy older adults. The improvements observed in the present study are likely to be greater in populations presenting with endothelial dysfunction. Thus, further prospective studies are warranted in individuals at greater risk for cardiovascular disease.

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PMID: 

J Food Biochem. 2019 Oct 3:e13057. Epub 2019 Oct 3. PMID: 31583751

Abstract Title: 

Hepatoprotective effects of red beetroot-based beverages against CCl-induced hepatic stress in Sprague Dawley rats.

Abstract: 

Red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) is considered important to improve hepatic health but its use is primarily limited to fresh salads in Pakistan. This study was aimed at exploring prophylactic role of red beetroot-based beverages against carbon tetrachloride (CCl)-induced hepatic stress. Purposely, red beetroot-based beverages (8 ml/kg b.w. per day) were administered to normal and hepatotoxicity-induced rats for 8 weeks. The biochemical analyses revealed significantly higher levels of superoxide dismutase (25%-28%), catalase (21%-24%), and hepatic enzymes (15%-19%) alongside reduced lipid peroxidation (27%-32%) in liver tissues of hepatotoxicity-induced rats treated with beetroot-based beverages compared to control. Similarly, hepatic injury was reduced by 19%-26% as indicated by concentrations of serum hepatic health biomarkers. Moreover, histological architecture of hepatocytes also portrayed promising effects ofbeetroot-based beverages to preserve hepatocellular portfolio. It was concluded that red beetroot-based beverages considerably assuage negative impacts of hepatic stress. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Functional foods and nutraceuticals are considered vital in controlling the oxidative stress-mediated metabolic disorders as safer alternatives to pharmaceutical agents. The current research explored the protective effects of red beetroot-based beverages which can be utilized as an effective approach to prevent liver injuries. Also, the outcomes of this research endorsed the defensive role of these beverages against oxidative stress-induced hepatic stress, so dietary supplementation of such products can be synchronized in clinical practices to alleviate oxidative stress. However, there is a need to further explore the safety aspects of such products in their long-term usage before implementing this module in humans for disease prevention/cure.

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PMID: 

Transplant Proc. 2019 Oct ;51(8):2823-2827. Epub 2019 Sep 4. PMID: 31493918

Abstract Title: 

Protective Effect of Citric Acid Against Hepatic Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVE: Hepatic ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury is regarded as a serious concern in clinical practice. Citric acid reduces oxidative stress and inflammation during hypoxia and reoxygenation. Our objective was to investigate the protective effect of citric acid against hepatic I/R injury in rats.METHODS: We fed Sprague-Dawley rats either citric acid (100 mg/kg/d) or saline. One week later, ischemia was induced by clamping the rats' common hepatic artery and portal vein for 30 minutes. The rats were randomly divided into 3 major groups that were treated as follows: 1. the sham operated group; 2. the I/R group; and 3. the I/R-citric acid group.RESULTS: Compared to the sham group, the I/R group had higher expression of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase and lower expression of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, antioxidant, nitric oxide, and albumin. Compared to the I/R group, the I/R-citric acid group had higher expression of catalase, superoxide dismutase, antioxidants, and nitric oxide, and lower expression of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase.CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that citric acid therapy has significant therapeutic potential in ischemic liver injury.

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PMID: 

J Food Biochem. 2019 Sep 10:e13046. Epub 2019 Sep 10. PMID: 31506961

Abstract Title: 

Citric acid-enhanced dissolution of polyphenols during soaking of different teas.

Abstract: 

This study examined the dissolution kinetics and antioxidant activity of tea polyphenols during the soaking of white, yellow, green, oolong, black, and dark teas. All these teas were, respectively, soaked with either freshly boiled distilled water (DW) or 10 mmol/L citric acid-water solution. The residue obtained from one extraction was used for the next extraction and this process was performed consecutively 10 times, soaking for 30 s each time. UHPLC-QqQ-MS measurement identified epigallocatechin gallate as the major polyphenol in white, yellow, green, oolong, and black tea infusions. As soaking times increased, the polyphenol concentrations rose initially and then dropped. Antioxidant activity was noted to decrease as soaking times increased in all tea infusions except for the DW-soaked oolong and dark teas. These findings suggested that citric acid could increase the polyphenol content in tea infusions. Specifically, the cumulative contents of epigallocatechin gallate was noted to increase 2.1-5.1 times. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: After water, tea is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. Drinking tea has been linked to the reduced risk of various diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular system disease, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases, largely due to its rich polyphenol content. Moreover, the addition of citrus to a tea infusion provides an interesting and feasible method for increasing the dissolution of tea polyphenols, a finding that offers extensive potential for applications in the development of compound tea drinks.

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PMID: 

J Agric Food Chem. 2019 Oct 4. Epub 2019 Oct 4. PMID: 31583884

Abstract Title: 

Oolong tea polyphenols ameliorate circadian rhythm of intestinal microbiome and liver clock genes in mouse model.

Abstract: 

Our present study focused on the regulating effect of oolong tea polyphenols (OTP) on the circadian rhythm of liver and intestinal microbiome. OTP significantly alleviated the disrupted diurnal oscillation and phase shift of the specific intestinal microbiota and liver clock genes in mice induced by constant dark (CD) treatment. Transcriptomics revealed 1114 genes in the control group and 647 genes in the CD group showed circadian rhythm, while 723 genes were rhythmic in the CD-OTP group. The Gene Ontology (GO) database provided significant differences in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to OTP treatment. In addition, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways enriched the most DEGs after OTP intervention including 'Focal adhesion' (9 DEGs) and 'PI3K-Akt signaling pathway' (9 DEGs). The present study provided a global view that OTP may alleviate the circadian rhythm disorder of the host, contributing to the improvement of micro-ecology and health.

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PMID: 

Food Nutr Res. 2018 ;62. Epub 2018 Nov 13. PMID: 30574049

Abstract Title: 

Phoenix Dan Cong Tea: An Oolong Tea variety with promising antioxidant andanticancer activity.

Abstract: 

Background: Phoenix Dan Cong tea is an Oolong tea produced in Chaozhou, China. Nowaday, the experimental studies on the benefical effects of the Phoenix Dan Cong tea are rare.Objective: The objective of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the activity of Phoenix Dan Cong tea aqueous extract (PDCe).Methods: We used a series of evaluation methods in the present study to achieve an in-depth understanding and evaluation of the antioxidant and antitumor activity of PDCe.Results: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) studies have indicated that PDCe is rich in catechins such as gallocatechin (GC), epigallocatechin (EGCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG), with sparse amounts of theaflavins. We discovered that PDCe scavenges ABTS•+ and DPPH• free radicals in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, PDCe can significantly induce apoptosis of MDA-MB231 cells, mainly through the death-receptor-mediated extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Internalized PDCe can not only downregulate intracellular reactive oxygen species levels but also induce oxidative damage to mitochondria in MDA-MB231 cells.Conclusions: Phoenix Dan Cong tea may act as a substitute for natural antioxidants and as a promising anticancer agent due to its protective effect on human health.

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PMID: 

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2019 Jun ;83(6):1157-1162. Epub 2019 Feb 26. PMID: 30806570

Abstract Title: 

Anxiolytic effects of theaflavins via dopaminergic activation in the frontal cortex.

Abstract: 

Epidemiological investigations have reported that the habit of drinking tea reduces the risk of developing a mental disorder, including anxiety disorder and depression. Theaflavins, black tea polyphenols, show antibacterial and anti-oxidative effects, but their effects on brain function, especially mental condition, have not been elucidated. The present study demonstrated that theaflavins increased dopamine (DA) turnover in the frontal cortex and showed an anxiolytic effect in mice. Theaflavin consumption increased the time spent by mice in the open arms of an elevated plus maze test. Theaflavin administration increased the levels of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and the ratios of DOPAC/DA and (DOPAC+homovanillic acids)/DA indicating DA turnover, in the frontal cortex. These results suggest that the consumption of theaflavins induced anxiolytic effects via activation of the dopaminergic system in the frontal cortex, which support the findings of previous epidemiological studies. Theaflavins in black tea may be helpful to reduce anxiety in daily life. (150/150 words).

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PMID: 

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2019 May 1 ;316(5):L705-L719. Epub 2019 Feb 6. PMID: 30724099

Abstract Title: 

Fourth generation e-cigarette vaping induces transient lung inflammation and gas exchange disturbances: results from two randomized clinical trials.

Abstract: 

When heated by an electronic cigarette, propylene glycol and glycerol produce a nicotine-carrying-aerosol. This hygroscopic/hyperosmolar aerosol can deposit deep within the lung. Whether these deposits trigger local inflammation and disturb pulmonary gas exchanges is not known. The aim of this study was to assess the acute effects of high-wattage electronic cigarette vaping with or without nicotine on lung inflammation biomarkers, transcutaneous gas tensions, and pulmonary function tests in young and healthy tobacco smokers. Acute effects of vaping without nicotine on arterial blood gas tensions were also assessed in heavy smokers suspected of coronary artery disease. Using a single-blind within-subjects study design, 25 young tobacco smokers underwent three experimental sessions in random order: sham-vaping and vaping with and without nicotine at 60 W. Twenty heavy smokers were also exposed to sham-vaping (= 10) or vaping without nicotine (= 10) in an open-label, randomized parallel study. In the young tobacco smokers, compared with sham-vaping:) serum club cell protein-16 increased after vaping without nicotine (mean ± SE, -0.5 ± 0.2 vs. +1.1 ± 0.3 µg/l,= 0.013) and vaping with nicotine (+1.2 ± 0.3 µg/l,= 0.009);) transcutaneous oxygen tension decreased for 60 min after vaping without nicotine (nadir, -0.3 ± 1 vs. -15.3 ± 2.3 mmHg,

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