Antioxidative effects of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus indica, L. Mill.) fruits from Sicily and bioavailability of betalain components in healthy humans

Aerobic life is characterised by a steady formation of pro-oxidants, which is approximately balanced by antioxidant defense systems. When cell’s capacity to protect itself fails, oxidative stress occurs. Because of bioactive components vegetables are now considered helpful in preventing chronic pathologies in which oxidative damage is an important etiologic factor. Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit contains substantial amounts of vitamin C, biothiols, and taurine, and redox-active betalain pigments. It has been shown that a short-term supplementation (500 g fruit pulp daily, 2 wk) positively affected the body’s redox balance, decreased lipid oxidation, and improved antioxidant status…

Antioxidant activity of Sicilian Pistachio (Pistacia vera, L. var. Bronte) nut extracts and its bioactive components

Pistacia vera L. is the only species of Pistacia genus producing edible nuts. This paper investigates the antioxidant potential of a Sicilian variety of pistachio nut by chemical as well as biological assays and measured antioxidant vitamins and a number of antioxidant polyphenols in either the hydrophilic and/or the lipophilic nut extract. In accordance with the majority of foods, the total antioxidant activity, measured as a TAA test, was much higher (50-fold) in the hydrophilic than in the lipophilic extract. Substantial amounts of total phenols were measured. The hydrophilic extract inhibited dose- dependently both the metal-dependent and -independent lipid oxidation of bovine liver mic…

Antioxidant activity of sicilian caper (Capparis spinosa L.) and its bioactive compounds

Lipoperoxyl radical scavenging activity of the phytochemical betanin and its aglycone in aqueous/lipid membrane system. Kinetics and mechanistic aspects.

Betanin inhibits myeloperoxidase/nitrite-mediated peroxidation of human low density lipoprotein

Antioxidant activities of prickly pear ( Opuntia ficus indica) fruits and its betalains: betanin and indicaxanthin.

Phytochemicals and phytomedicines are now an expanding research fields. A great number of active agents occurring in plants and herbs have been discovered, which is fundamental to find a rationale for the health effects of these herbs, in many cases used for centuries as traditional remedies. The knowledge of the mechanisms and molecular basis of their action is the final objective to understand the mode of action of the discovered principles. Studies on the bioactivity of cactus pear are very recent and results obtained so far, while exciting, now generate new questions. In vivo studies on healthy humans showed a strong protection of the body antioxidant system, and a marked reduction of p…

Antioxidant activity of cactus pear fruits and bioavailability of betalan components in healthy humans

Consumption of fruit and vegetables is now associated with protection against various pathologies, including cancer and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, in which oxidative damage is an important etiologic factor. Various compounds from plant food, acting independently of known nutrients and micronutrients, have appeared very important in protecting human health. Most of these components can act as antioxidants or affect redox-dependent cell activities involved both in physiological and pathological events. In this scenery fruits of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica), and the characteristic betalain pigments have recently attracted the attention of researchers. While suggesting m…

Antiproliferative effect of main dietary phytosterols and/or b-cryptoxanthin in human colon cancer Caco-2 cells through cytosolic Ca+2-and oxidative stress-induced apoptosis

Anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of betalains from Cactus Pear

Anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Betalains from Cactus Pear. C. Gentile1, A. Marconi1, M. A. Livrea2, G. Uzan1, P. D’Alessio1. 1 Inserm U602, Paris, France. 2 Dip. Farmacochimico, Tossicologico e Biologico, Università Palermo, Italy. Betalains of phytochemical origin, known as potent radical-scavengers in chemical and biological systems, have been tested in a model of inflammation. New phytochemicals are continuously inspected for potential pharmacological applications. The red betanin and the yellow indicaxanthin have recently been isolated and characterized from Cactus Pear. Reactive Oxygen Species may be toxic or display a regulatory character. During the inflammation rea…

Eryptosis by major components of a plasma-compatible mixture of oxysterols.

Pro-apoptotic activity of the phytochemical Indicaxanthin on colorectal carcinoma cells (Caco-2) and epigenetic CpG demethylation of the promoter and reactivation of the expression of p16

Phytochemicals play prominent roles in human diet and nutrition as protective redo-active substances in prevention of several disorders and chronic diseases in humans. Today, their function as potent modulators of the mammalian epigenome-regulated gene expression is rapidly emerging. In the present study antiproliferative effects of Indicaxanthin (Ind) from the fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica (1), and potential influence on DNA methylation has been investigated on Caco-2 cells, a human cell line of colorectal carcinoma. Ind caused a clear dose- and time-dependent decrease of the cell proliferation (IC(50) 50 M) associated to apoptosis as demonstrated by phosphatidylserine externalization an…

Anti-proliferative effect of betalains from Sicilian cactus pear (Opuntia ficus indica, L. Mill.) on malignant HepG2, Huh-7, and HA22T human liver cell lines.

Phytochemical indicaxanthin suppresses 7-ketocholesterol-induced THP-1 cell apoptosis by preventing cytosolic Ca++ increase and oxidative stress

7-Ketocholesterol (7-KC)-induced apoptosis of macrophages is considered a key event in the development of human atheromas. In the present study, the effect of indicaxanthin (Ind), a bioactive pigment from cactus pear fruit, on 7-KC-induced apoptosis of human monocyte/macrophage THP-1 cells was investigated. A pathophysiological condition was simulated by using amounts of 7-KC that can be reached in human atheromatous plaque. Ind was assayed within a micromolar concentration range, consistent with its plasma level after dietary supplementation with cactus pear fruit. Pro-apoptotic effects of 7-KC were assessed by cell cycle arrest, exposure of phosphatidylserine at the plasma membrane, varia…

Kinetics of the lipoperoxyl radical-scavenging of betanin and betanidin in solution.

Cytoprotective effects of indicaxanthin in beta-thalassemia red blood cells

Betanin protects endothelial cell dysfunction produced by activated HL-60

Anti-inflamamtory effects of Sicilian pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) nut in an in vitro model of human intestinal epithelium

Quality characteristic and in vitro digestibility study of barley flour enriched ditalini pasta

Cactus Pear Fruit Extract exerts anti-inflammatory effects on carrageenan-induced rat pleurisy.

Indicaxanthin and betanin suppress LPS-induced NF-kB activation and modulate the levels of inflammatory mediators iNOS, COX-2 and PGE2 in macrophages

Indicaxanthin up-regulates COX-2 gene and increases cyclopentenone levels in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages.

The diet phytochemical Indicaxanthin suppresses 7-ketocholesterol-induced THP-1 cell apoptosis via inhibition of redox unbalance, cytosolic Ca2+ increase and NF-kB activation.

Oxysterol mixture in hypercholesterolemia-relevant proportion causes oxidative stress-dependent eryptotic activity.

Methylation decrease of BECN1 gene induced by phytochemical Indicaxantin in Caco2 cells: an epigenetic hypothesis of autophagy

Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic process that degrades and recycles intracellular components through the lysosomes [1]. The role of this process in tumorigenesis and tumor progression is controversial: in the early stages, it can block tumor growth and conversely it can promote its progression in the later stages [2]. The tumor suppressor BECN1 gene, encodes the protein Beclin 1, a marker of autophagy down-regulated in several types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer [3]. There are a lot of both genetic and environmental risk factors for colorectal cancer, including diet: for this reason, in accordance with epidemiological studies, consumption of foods rich in phytochemicals is w…

Phytochemical indicaxanthin prevents 7-ketocholesterol-induced oxidative stress and cell cycle arrest in murine macrophages

Antiinflammatory effects of pistachio nut proanthocyanidins in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells

Anti-inflammatory properties of betanin from cactus pear (Opuntia Ficus Indica) in an endothelial cell model.

IL-1β maintains the DNA hypermethylation of anti-inflammatory IL-10 gene in a human intestinal epithelial cell line

Intestinal inflammation is a natural process crucial to maintain gut integrity, but its deregulation is involved in the pathogenesis of severe intestinal disorders[1]. Intestinal epithelial cells play a crucial role in the inflammatory response, modulating the immune cell exposure to antigens and by their ability to secrete many inflammatory mediators. IL-1β represents a pivotal player: secreted by infiltrated leucocytes, it induces the expression of several pro-inflammatory genes. Also the anti-inflammatory IL-10, whose function is to terminate the inflammatory process, modulates the intestinal physiology[2]. Recent clinical reports showed that patients with ulcerative colitis in remission…

Thomas Devlin. biochimica con aspetti clinico-farmaceutici. Capitolo 25. digestione e assorbimento dei principali nutrienti.

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Lipoperoxyl radical scavenging and antioxidative effects of red beet pigments

A NEW DOPAMINE-AMINOACID CONJUGATE: SYNTHESIS AND DETERMINATION OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES USEFUL TO CROSS THE BBB

BETANIN INHIBITS MPO-NITRITE-MEDIATED PEROXIDATION OF HUMAN LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS

Absorption and distribution in erytrocytes and low density lipoproteins of betalains from cactus pear (Opuntia ficus indica) in healthy humans. Potential health effects of the dietary betalains

Functional foods and nutraceuticals: a way to improve health, prevent disease, and delay aging. The case of cactus pear.

Cactus pear fruits have recently been the object of scientific research aimed at revealing bioactive components. This short review summarizes results obtained by our group. The two characteristic betalain pigments, betanin and indicaxanthin, appear promising molecules to be considered nutraceutical compounds.

Inhibition of the TCR-mediated activation of naïve murine T cells by Cactus Pear Fruit Extracts.

Betanin inhibits icam-1 expression in endothelial cells co-cultured with activated HL-60 cells

Sicilian pistachio nut extract inhibits inflammatory response in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages.

Transepithelial transport of betalainic phytochemicals in Caco-2 cell monolayers.

Betanin inhibits myeloperoxidase/nitrite-mediated peroxidation of low density lipoprotein.

Reducing and antioxidant properties of aqueous extracts of manna from Fraxinus ornus (Oleaceae).

Health benefits and bioactive components of the fruits from Opuntia ficus indica [L] Mill

Indicaxanthin exerts anti-inflammatory effects on carrageenin-induced rat pleurisy.

IL-1. induces DNA demethylation at genome level and in specific CpG sites of IL-6 and IL-8 genes in human intestinal epithelial cells

Inflammation is a complex physiological response that requires the activity of a sophisticated regulatory network involving the activation of specific genes for defense, tissue repair and remodeling. Although transcriptional activation has been shown to be critical in the regulation of inflammatory genes (1) the role of epigenetic phenomena in the modulation of the inflammatory response is now emerging (2). Specifically, it has been recently reported that proinflammatory stimuli induce DNA demethylation in the interleukin IL-1 promoter of human articular chondrocytes (3). IL-1 cytokine, among several proinflammatory agents, represents an essential player in the inflammatory conditions of …

ADHESION OF ACTIVATED HL-60 TO ENDOTHELIAL CELLS UP-REGULATES ICAM-1 EXPRESSION.

Absorption and distribution in erythrocytes and low density lipoproteins of betalains from cacus pear (Opuntia Ficus Indica) in healthy humans. Potential health effects of the dietary betalains

ABSTRACT Background: Betalains were recently identified as natural antioxidants. However, little is known about their bioavailability from dietary sources. Objective: The objective was to evaluate the bioavailability of betalains from dietary sources. Design: The plasma kinetics and urinary excretion of betalains were studied in healthy volunteers (n = 8) after a single ingestion of 500 g cactus pear fruit pulp, which provided 28 and 16 mg indicaxanthin and betanin, respectively. The incorporation of betalains in LDL and the resistance of the particles to ex vivo-induced oxidation was also researched. Results: Betanin and indicaxanthin reached their maximum plasma concentrations 3 h after t…

Antioxidant activity in solution and biological membranes of seven cultivars of Sicilian peach (Prunus Persica, L. Mill).

CSF HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS IN AMYOTROPHC LATERAL SCLEROSIS

CSF homocysteine levels in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Uptake of Betanin and Indicaxanthin by Caco-2 cell monolayer.

Non Invasive RAMAN spectroscopic detection of skin carotenoids in healthy Sicilian subjects.

Effects of extract from Opuntia Ficus Indica Fruits on mouse ileal motility in vitro.

Antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of the phytochemical Indicaxanthin on human intestinal (Caco-2) and hepatic (Ha 22T) cancer cell lines

In the present study antiproliferative effects of Indicaxanthin (Ind), a highly bioavailable pigment from the fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica (1), were investigated on a number of human cancer cell lines including hepatocarcinoma cells (HepG2, Ha22T, HUH 7), breast cancer cells (MCF7), cervix epithelial carcinoma (HeLa), and colorectal carcinoma cells (Caco-2). Cytotoxicity of Ind, in a concentration range between 25 to 100 M, was evaluated by Trypan blue exclusion method and MTT assay. Ind caused a clear dose- and time-dependent decrease in the proliferation of Caco-2 and Ha 22T cells with an IC(50) of about 50 M, with minor effect on the other cell lines. Flow cytometric analysis after A…

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