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Antioxidant Small Phenolic Ingredients in Inonotus obliquus (persoon) Pilat (Chaga)

DOI:10.1248/cpb.55.1222
Authors:
Yuki Nakajima
Yuki Nakajima
Yuki Nakajima
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Yuzo Sato
Yuzo Sato
Yuzo Sato
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Tetsuya Konishi at Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences
Tetsuya Konishi
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Abstract

Inonotus obliquus (persoon) Pilat (Chaga, in Russia, kabanoanatake in Japan) is a fungus having been used as a folk medicine in Russia and said to have many health beneficial functions such as immune modulating and anti-cancer activities. In the present study, the antioxidant activity of hot water extract (decoction) of Chaga was precisely compared with those of other medicinal fungi (Agaricus blazei Mycelia, Ganoderma lucidum and Phellinus linteus) showing Chaga had the strongest antioxidant activity among fungi examined in terms of both superoxide and hydroxyl radicals scavenging activities. Further determination of the antioxidant potential of isolated fruiting body (brown part) and Sclerotium (black part) revealed the 80% MeOH extract of fruiting body had the highest potential as high as that of Chaga decoction. Finally, seven antioxidant components were isolated and purified from the 80% MeOH extract of Chaga fruiting body, and their chemical structures were determined as small phenolics as follows: 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy benzoic acid 2-hydroxy-1-hydroxymethyl ethyl ester (BAEE), protocatechic acid (PCA), caffeic acid (CA), 3,4-dihybenzaladehyde (DB), 2,5-dihydroxyterephtalic acid (DTA), syringic acid (SA) and 3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone (DBL). Notably, BAEE was assigned as the new compound firstly identified from the natural source in the present study.
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Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
NII-Electronic Library Service
Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
NII-Electronic Library Service
Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
NII-Electronic Library Service
Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
NII-Electronic Library Service
Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
NII-Electronic Library Service
... For example, in Russia during the sixteenth century, chaga was used to treat a variety of ailments such as cardiovascular, gastric, diabetes, and cancer with no toxic side effects (Saar 1991). Modern research has demonstrated that chaga sclerotia offer numerous pharmacological benefits including antioxidant (Nakajima et al. 2007); antinociceptive (Park et al. 2005); and immune-modulatory (Chen et al. 2015). Anticarcinogenic activities of chaga extracts have also been reported (Chen et al. 2015). ...
... Chaga and chaga extracts contain numerous bioactive molecular groups making them useful in a broad range of applications. Phytochemical analysis of Inonotus obliquus revealed the presence of lanostane-type triterpenoids (Handa et al. 2010), polysaccharides (Fan et al. 2012;Hwang et al. 2019), and a number of phenolic compounds (Nakajima et al. 2007;Hwang et al. 2019). Chaga-derived phenolics are of particular interest because these compounds boast pharmacological benefits including antioxidant (Nakajima et al. 2007), anti-cancer (Nakajima et al. 2009), antimicrobial (Glamočlija et al. 2015), and anti-inflammatory activities (Park et al. 2005). ...
... Phytochemical analysis of Inonotus obliquus revealed the presence of lanostane-type triterpenoids (Handa et al. 2010), polysaccharides (Fan et al. 2012;Hwang et al. 2019), and a number of phenolic compounds (Nakajima et al. 2007;Hwang et al. 2019). Chaga-derived phenolics are of particular interest because these compounds boast pharmacological benefits including antioxidant (Nakajima et al. 2007), anti-cancer (Nakajima et al. 2009), antimicrobial (Glamočlija et al. 2015), and anti-inflammatory activities (Park et al. 2005). ...
Optimization of Accelerated Solvent Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Chaga Using Response Surface Methodology
Article
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An accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) method was investigated to maximize the total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant activity (DPPH) of chaga extracts as measured by response surface methodology (RSM). The effectiveness of ASE as a green extraction technique was compared to conventional methods based on TPC and DPPH analyses. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to assess the effects of ASE extraction temperatures on individual phenolic compound quality and yield. Results indicate that an extraction temperature of 170 °C and ethanol concentration of 66% are optimal for recovery of phenolic compounds. The TPC and DPPH in the ASE extracts were greater than in those extracted with conventional methods suggesting ASE is a viable green alternative for extracting phenolics from chaga. With the exception of caffeic acid, a significant increase in the yield of all the assayed phenolic acids was observed with an increased extraction temperature up to 180 °C.
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... Ergothioneine (Bao et al. 2008;Encarnacion et al. 2010Encarnacion et al. , 2012 Inonotus obliquus Oxalic acid, gallic, protocatechuic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids. (Nakajima et al. 2007, Debnath et al. 2013, Glamočlija et al. 2015 Ganoderma Polysaccharides, αand β-glucans and phenols. (Fu et al. 2002;Cheung et al. 2003Cheung et al. , 2012Choi et al. 2006; Elmastas et al. 2007;Kitzberger et al. 2007; ; Barros et al. 2008;Obodai et al. 2014) Morchella esculenta, M. conica, Macrolepiota procera, Morchella angusticeps Phenolics, Ascorbic acid, tocopherols (Mau et al. 2004, Puttaraju et al. 2006, Barros et al. 2008, Heleno et al. 2013 Verpa conica, Volvariella volvacea Phenolics (Fu et al. 2002, Cheung et al. 2003, Elmastas et al. 2007 ing HPLC coupled to UV or fluorescence detector or by the spectrophotometer. ...
Myco-antioxidants: insights into the natural metabolic treasure and their biological effects
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Since fungi are functionally and structurally distinct from animals and plants, scientists have considered them as a separate biological kingdom, which contains far more species than the plant kingdom. Taxa belonging to kingdom Fungi are distributed among nineteen phyla. To date, about 500,000 secondary metabolites have been described and 70,000 of them come from microbes. Roughly 33,500 bioactive microbial metabolites have altogether been described and out of them about 47 % (15,600) are of fungal origin. A broad variety of fungal biomolecules have been identified as natural antioxidants, including nucleobases, polyketides, terpenoids, flavonoids, coumarins, xanthones, semiquinones, peptides, and phenolic acids. Recently fungi attracted the attention of researchers as a new promising, safe and sustainable source for antioxidants production. The bioprospecting of fungi (estimated by 2.2 to 3.8 million species with 150,000 currently accepted taxa) as a sustainable and potential source of novel biomolecules has been the target of tremendous research worldwide. This review sheds the light on proper utilization of some common fungal taxa as antioxidants producers with a prime concern regarding their isolation, fermentation, extraction, and chemical structure which can be utilized for the generation of new medicines and biotechnological applications.
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... A rich profile of phenolic acids in I. obliquus was presented in this study (Table 2) Numerous reports on the presence of phenolic acids in I. obliquus (Io) confirmed the presence of the following acids: gallic, protocatechuic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid [34,50,[59][60][61]. ...
A Bioactive Compounds Profile Present in the Selected Wood Rot
Article
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  • Aug 2022
Wood rot fungi are an essential link in the forest ecosystem. The presented study aimed to determine the content of selected antioxidant active compounds of selected saprobionts commonly found in the European forests: Hypholoma fasciculare (Huds.) P. Kumm, Bjerkandera adusta (Willd.) P. Karst., Inonotus obliquus (Fr.) Pilát, Kuehneromyces mutabilis (Schaeff.) Singer & AH Sm., Trametes versi-color (L.) Lloyd, Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm., Pholiota squarrosa (Vahl) P. Kumm. Chemical methods (HPLC determination, ABTS + and FPA methods, and a saponification method by Acquity UPLC) were used to analyze active compounds. In the tested isolates, the presence of 13 phenolic acids has been observed, including p-coumaric, ferulic, chlorogenic, and sinapic acid, in high concentrations. The antioxidant activity was from 2.5 to 3.5 times higher in the isolates of I. obliquus, P. ostreatus, and H. fasciculare in comparison to P. squarrosa and B. adusta. All isolates were tested for β-carotene, lutein, ze-axanthin, and astaxanthin. High concentrations of flavonoids were observed in H. fasciculare and P. squarrosa. In addition, the observed concentration of naringenin, quercetin, and kaempferol above 21 mg/kg DM was found. The ergosterol was quantified in the saprobiont fungi cultures. A diversified content of bioactive compounds characterized the tested fungi, and the Chaga (I. obliquus) reported the highest content of tested compounds.
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... Alcoholic extracts from chaga are characterized by high phenolic content. It has been reported that phenolics are the main chemical compounds involved in chaga's biological effects-including its antioxidant, anti-cancerous, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities [13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. A variety of conventional and advanced extraction methods have been used to isolate phenolic compounds from chaga [20,21]. ...
The Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Chaga Extracts Obtained by Different Extraction Methods against LPS-Induced RAW 264.7
Article
Full-text available
Chaga, a sclerotia formed by the Inonotus obliquus fungus, has been widely recognized for a number of medicinal properties. Although numerous scientific investigations have been published describing various biological activities of chaga from different geographical locations, little work has focused on chaga harvested in the USA or extraction techniques to maximize anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of chaga collected in Maine (USA) extracted using traditional aqueous (hot water steeping) methods against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. Chaga extracts obtained from both conventional (ethanol/water) extraction methods and an accelerated solvent extraction method (ASE) at optimized conditions were compared to aqueous extracts (tea) obtained from chaga in the powder form (P) and powder form in tea bags (B) based on their effect on both nitric oxide (NO) production and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, in particular, the expression of TNF-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-β (IL-1β). Phenolic acid extracts from chaga and individual phenolic acid standards were also investigated for their effect on the same parameters. Results indicated that various chaga extracts have significant anti-inflammatory activity on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The inhibitory effect was through a decrease in the production of NO and the downregulation of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in RAW 264.7 macrophages. ASE1 (novel, optimized ethanol/water extraction) and P6 (six-minute steeping of powder in 100 °C water) extracts showed the highest inhibitory activity on NO production and on the expression of the inflammatory cytokines, compared to extracts obtained by conventional extraction methods.
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... Large molecular components, such as polysaccharides including β-glucans, were primarily implicated as active principles in mushroom functions, and their anticancer function was discussed in the context of their immune modulation activity [17]. However, bioactive lower molecular weight components are also attracting significant attention, since phenylpropanoids isolated from Inonotus obliquus (Chaga), for example, showed cancer cell cytotoxicity [18]. Now, a variety of components from low molecular weight compounds, such as simple phenolics, flavonoids and terpenoids, to large molecular weight components, such as polysaccharides, have been reported as the active principles of mushrooms [19][20][21][22], in addition to bioactive peptides and proteins such as ribotoxin-like protein [23,24]; their roles have been comprehensively discussed by Sanchez [25]. ...
Mushrooms as a Resource for Mibyou-Care Functional Food; The Role of Basidiomycetes-X (Shirayukidake) and Its Major Components
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  • Jun 2022
Mibyou has been defined in traditional oriental medicine as a certain physiological condition whereby an individual is not ill but not healthy; it is also often referred to as a sub-healthy condition. In a society focused on longevity, “Mibyou-care” becomes of primary importance for healthy lifespan expenditure. Functional foods can play crucial roles in Mibyou-care; thus, the search for novel resources of functional food is an important and attractive research field. Mushrooms are the target of such studies because of their wide variety of biological functions, such as immune modulation and anti-obesity and anticancer activities, in addition to their nutritional importance. Basidiomycetes-X (BDM-X; Shirayukidake in Japanese) is a mushroom which has several attractive beneficial health functions. A metabolome analysis revealed more than 470 components of both nutritional and functional interest in BDM-X. Further isolation and purification studies on its components using radical scavenging activity and UV absorbance identified ergosterol, (10E,12Z)-octadeca-10,12-dienoic acid (CLA), 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one (DDMP), formyl pyrrole analogues (FPA), including 4-[2-foemyl-5-(hydroxymethyl)-1H-pyrrole-1-yl] butanamide (FPAII), adenosine and uridine as major components. Biological activities attributed to these components were related to the observed biological functions of BDM-X, which suggest that this novel mushroom is a useful resource for Mibyou-care functional foods and medicines.
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... Outer and inner sections of the sterile conk of I. obliquus have been considered distinct resources of biactive compounds only in a limited amounts of studies: Wold considered the inner layers as better source of polysacchardes [29] and Nakajima observed higher anti-oxidant activity in inner layer extracts [44] . Recently, Kim and coworkers found differences in the presence of bioactive terpenoids between inner and outer layers [45] . ...
Study of the sterile conk of Inonotus obliquus using 13C CPMAS NMR and FTIR spectroscopies coupled with multivariate analysis
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Full-text available
The sterile conk caused by the infection of the basidiomycete Inonotus obliquus (Chaga) is an important source of bioactive compounds. However, its structure and biochemistry are only generally understood. Solid state ¹³C NMR and FTIR spectroscopy have been utilized for the first time to investigate the sterile conk with non-invasive methods. The application of multivariate data analysis techniques and spectral distance algorithm to the obtained datasets showed clear distinction between the outer and inner layers of the sterile conk. Moreover, the sterile conk bark, compared to the inner layers, was spectroscopically more similar to wood tissues. The fungal tissue was proven to be concentrated below the bark. The similarity of the sterile conk inner layers to both decayed wood and hyphae of I. obliquus was shown by the multivariate data analysis of both spectra datasets. The spectroscopic data indicated lack of lignin degradation in the heart rot, except for demethoxylation, and a slight preference for hemicellulose degradation. Therefore, the results obtained suggest that the classification of I. obliquus as preferential lignin degrader (white-rot fungus) should be revised and clarified by further studies.
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... 3,4-Dihydroxybenzalacetone (DBL) is a small catechol-containing compound isolated and purified from the ethanol extract of Inonotus obliquus. It has been reported that DBL has antioxidant [9], anti-inflammatory [10] and anticancer [11] activities with good tolerance to cells. Moreover, DBL shows neuroprotective effectiveness upon neuron model of Parkinson disease (PD) by resisting or relieving oxidative stress [12], endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy [13]. ...
PrPSc Inhibition and Cellular Protection of DBL on a Prion-Infected Cultured Cell via Multiple Pathways
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Prion diseases are kinds of fatal neurodegenerative diseases without effective therapeutic and prophylactic tools currently. In this study, the inhibition of PrPSc propagation and cellular protectivity of 3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone (DBL), a small catechol-containing compound isolated and purified from the ethanol extract of Inonotus obliquus, upon a prion-infected cell line SMB-S15 were evaluated. Western blots showed that after incubation with 10 μM of DBL for 14 days, the level of PrPSc in SMB-S15 cells was significantly decreased. Meanwhile, the levels of ROS and hydrogen peroxide were decreased with a dose-dependent manner, whereas the levels of some antioxidant factors, such as HO-1, GCLC and GCLM, were significantly increased. The activities of total glutathione and SOD were up-regulated. DBL-treated SMB-S15 cells also showed the up-regulation of UPR-related proteins, including PERK, IRE1α, ATF6 and GRP78, and activation of autophagy system. Furthermore, the SIRT3 abnormalities caused by prion infection were relieved by DBL treatment. On the contrary, these comprehensive changes were not significantly noticed in the normal partner cell line SMB-PS under the same experimental condition. Those data indicate that treatment of DBL on prion-infected cells can reduce PrPSc level, activate UPR and autophagy system and meanwhile relieve intracellular oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction by raising the levels of multiple antioxidant factors. The PrPSc inhibition and protective effectiveness of DBL upon the prion-infected cells in vitro make it worthy of further study.
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Characterisation of indole alkaloids and phenolic acids from wild mushroom Tropicoporus linteus and its chemical profiles compared with other Sanghuang mushrooms
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Two new indole alkaloids, 1-methylindole-7-methoxy-3-carboxaldehyde (2) and 7-methoxyindole-3-carboxaldehyde (4), together with 7-methoxyindole-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester (1) and 1-methylindole-3-carbaldehyde (3) were isolated from the fruiting bodies of wild Sanghuang mushroom Tropicoporus linteus (TL663). TLC, ¹H-NMR and LC-MS chemical profiles of this mushroom compared with other three genera of wild Sanghuang mushroom extracts were investigated. The TLC, ¹H-NMR and LC-MS profiles of TL663 and Sanghuangporus sanghuang (SS664) were similar and significantly different from other mushrooms. These two samples indicated the same TLC chromatograms by showing prominent bands of 1 − 4 when observed under UV 254 nm and having sharp aldehyde proton signals of 3-carboxaldehyde indole type in ¹H-NMR spectra. From LC-MS analyses, peaks of isolated compounds 1 − 4 and indole-3-carboxaldehyde (5) in TL663 extract and peaks of protocatechuic acid (6), caffeic aldehyde (7), caffeic acid (8) and 3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone (9) phenolic acids in TL663 fraction were identified.
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Triterpenoids as bivalent and dual inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase/butyrylcholinesterase from the fruiting bodies of Inonotus obliquus
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Inonotus obliquus, an edible and medicinal mushroom parasitic on birches, has been used in human diet and for traditional therapies in the high latitude regions of Europe and Asia for a long time. Our phytochemical study of this fungus led to the identification of fourteen triterpenoids including four undescribed ones, and two pairs of undescribed phenolic enantiomers. The undescribed compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis including 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS, quantum chemical NMR and ECD calculations, as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Bioassays revealed that eight compounds showed dual inhibition against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) with IC50 values ranging from 2.40 ± 0.05 to 28.72 ± 0.46 μM, while 3β-hydroxy-lanosra-8,24-dien-21-al and trametenolic acid only presented BuChE inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 22.21 ± 1.01 and 7.68 ± 0.13 μM, respectively. In the kinetic studies, the most active three compounds acted as non-competitive inhibitors for both cholinesterases. Furthermore, molecular docking simulations revealed that three compounds demonstrated dual-sites bounding to AChE/BuChE. These triterpenoids emerged as bivalent and dual inhibitors of AChE/BuChE and could be effective drug candidates to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease in the future.
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Qualitative analysis of secondary metabolites of chaga mushroom (Inonotus Obliquus): phenolics, fatty acids, and terpenoids
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Chemical constituents of Inonotus obliquus II: A new triterpene, 21,24-cyclopentalanosta-3β,21,25-triol-8-ene from sclerotium
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A new lanostane-type triterpene with a cyclopentanol partial structure in the side chain was isolated from the sclerotium of the wood rotting fungusInonotus obliquus along with four known compounds: lanosterol, inotodiol, trametenolic acid, and 3β-hydroxy-8,24-dienlanosta-21,23-lactone. The new compound was determined to be 21,24-cyclopentalanosta-3β,21,25-triol-8-ene by spectroscopic analyses.
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Identification and determination of phenolic constituents in natural beverages and plant extracts by means of a coulometric electrode array system
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A general method for the evaluation of phenolic compounds in fermented beverages, fruit juices and plant extracts was developed using gradient HPLC and coulometric detection. In a single injection (10 μl) it was possible to identify and determine 36 different molecules (flavonoids and simple and complex phenols), without sample extraction, purification or concentration, in several kinds of beers, red and white wines, lemon juice and soya, forsythia and tobacco extracts. The analytical performance of the method is reported. In addition to components already identified and described in the literature, a large number of other phenolic constituents were resolved. These other components may also be useful for the characterization of these beverages and extracts.
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Antioxidant Activity of Various Tea Extracts in Relation to Their Antimutagenicity
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  • Nov 1994
The relationship between antioxidant activity and antimutagenicity of various tea extracts (green tea, pouchong tea, oolong tea, and black tea) was investigated. All tea extracts exhibited markedly antioxidant activity and reducing power, especially oolong tea, which inhibited 73.6% peroxidation of linoleic acid. Tea extracts exhibited a 65-75% scavenging effect on superoxide at a dose of 1 mg and 30-50% scavenging effect on hydrogen peroxide at a dose of 400 mu g. They scavenged 100% hydroxyl radical at a dosage of 4 mg except the black tea. Tea extracts also showed 50-70% scavenging effect on alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl radical. The antioxidant activity and the scavenging effects on active oxygen decreased in the order semifermented tea > nonfermented tea > fermented tea. Tea extracts showed strong antimutagenic action against five indirect mutagens, i.e., AFB(1), Trp-P-1, Glu-P-1, B[a]P, and IQ, especially oolong and pouchong teas. The antioxidant effect of tea extracts was well correlated to their antimutagenicity in some cases but varied with the mutagen and antioxidative properties.
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Chemical and medicobiological properties of Chaga (review)
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Data on the chemical composition and pharmacological activity of chaga (Inonotus obliquus) are reviewed. The possible mechanisms of action and factors responsible for the discrepancy of data available in the literature are discussed. The physical and chemical characteristics of melanin (polyphenolic chromogenic humin-like complex present in chaga) and its role in the regulation of physiological processes are considered.
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Protective action of seven natural phenolic compounds against peroxidative damage to biomembrane
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The effects of seven phenolic compounds isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza on peroxidative damage to liver microsomes, hepatocytes and erythrocytes of rats were studied. The results show that the seven compounds inhibited lipid peroxidation of rat liver microsomes induced by iron/cysteine and Vitamin C/NADPH. The hemolysis of rat erythrocytes induced by hydrogen peroxide was also inhibited. The degree of inhibition varied with different compounds. Among the seven compounds, the action of salvianolic acid A (Sai A) was the most potent. Therefore, the protective action of Sai A against peroxidative damage to isolated rat hepatocytes and their plasma membranes was evaluated further. Malondialdehyde (MDA) production and bleb of the surfaces of rat hepatocytes induced by iron/cysteine were prevented by Sai A. The production of MDA and the consumption of NADPH of the plasma membrane during lipid peroxidation initiated by iron/cysteine and Vitamin C/NADPH were also inhibited. The results strongly suggest that several phenolic compounds like Sai A have a protective action against peroxidative damage to biomembranes.
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Therapeutic Effects of Substances Occurring in Higher Basidiomycetes Mushrooms: A Modern Perspective
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This review highlights some of the recently isolated and identified substances of higher Basidiomycetes mushrooms origin that express promising antitumor, immune modulating, cardiovascular and hypercholesterolemia, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic effects. Medicinal mushrooms have a long history of use in folk medicine. In particular, mushrooms useful against cancers of the stomach, esophagus, lungs, etc. are known in China, Russia, Japan, Korea, as well as the U.S.A. and Canada. There are about 200 species of mushrooms that have been found to markedly inhibit the growth of different kinds of tumors. Searching for new antitumor and other medicinal substances from mushrooms and to study the medicinal value of these mushrooms have become a matter of great significance. However, most of the mushroom origin antitumor substances have not been clearly defined. Several antitumor polysaccharides such as hetero-beta-glucans and their protein complexes (e.g., xyloglucans and acidic beta-glucan-containing uronic acid), as well as dietary fibers, lectins, and terpenoids have been isolated from medicinal mushrooms. In Japan, Russia, China, and the U.S.A. several different polysaccharide antitumor agents have been developed from the fruiting body, mycelia, and culture medium of various medicinal mushrooms (Lentinus edodes, Ganoderma lucidum, Schizophyllum commune, Trametes versicolor, Inonotus obliquus, and Flammulina velutipes). Both cellular components and secondary metabolites of a large number of mushrooms have been shown to effect the immune system of the host and therefore could be used to treat a variety of disease states.
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Anti-oxidant, pro-oxidant properties of tannic acid and its binding to DNA
Article
Tannic acid has numerous food and pharmacological applications. It is an additive in medicinal products, and is used as a flavouring agent and as an anti-oxidant in various foods and beverages. We have previously shown that tannic acid in the presence of Cu(II) causes DNA degradation through generation of reactive oxygen species. On the other hand, it exhibits antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic activities, and induces apoptosis in animal cells. It is known that most plant-derived polyphenolic anti-oxidants also act as pro-oxidants under certain conditions. In this paper, we compare the anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant properties of tannic acid and its structural component gallic acid. It is shown that tannic acid is the most efficient generator of the hydroxyl radical in the presence of Cu(II), as compared with gallic acid and its analogues syringic acid and pyrogallol. The anti-oxidant activity of tannic acid was studied by its effect on hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen mediated cleavage of plasmid DNA. Again, tannic acid provided the maximum protection against cleavage, while gallic acid and its structural analogues were found to be non-inhibitory or partially inhibitory. The results suggest that the structural features of tannic acid that are important for its anti-oxidant action are also those that contribute to the generation of hydroxyl radicals in the presence of Cu(II). Restriction analysis of treated phage DNA and thermal melting profiles of calf thymus DNA indicated that tannic acid strongly binds to DNA. Indirect evidence indicates that modification of DNA bases may also occur.
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In Vitro Antioxidant Potentials of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shengmai San and Their Relation to in Vivo Protective Effect on Cerebral Oxidative Damage in Rats
Article
  • Aug 2002
The preventive effects of Shengmai San (SMS), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCM), was studied on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats as a model of antioxidant-based composite therapy. Two biochemical indicators of oxidative damage, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) formation and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) loss were measured in the brain after forebrain ischemia-reperfusion treatment and both were inhibited in all rats administered SMS (15 g original herbs/kg) 2 h before the ischemia-reperfusion. Histochemical study of the brain slice using TTC staining revealed that the SMS effectively reduced infarct area caused by the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. The antioxidant potentials of SMS preparations were determined in vitro by five different assay methods and were related to the in vivo effectiveness of SMS in protection against brain damage. Inhibitory effect on TBARS formation in vivo showed better correlation with superoxide radical scavenging and DPPH quenching activity in vitro rather than with the other in vitro antioxidant indicators. On the other hand, the in vivo prevention of GPX activity loss showed better correlation with in vitro crocin bleaching inhibition than with the other in vitro antioxidant indicators. It was also suggested that the in vitro TBARS inhibitory activty of SMS is not a good indication to predict the in vivo effectiveness of SMS on inhibition of either TBARS formation or GPX activity loss.
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