0000000000907903
AUTHOR
Daniela Butera
showing 39 related works from this author
Nutraceutical Value of Pantelleria Capers (Capparis spinosa L.)
2019
Abstract: Unopened flower buds of Capparis spinosa L. (capers), generally used in the Mediterranean area as food flavoring, are known to be a good source of bioactive compounds. The aim of this work was to evaluate the nutraceutical value of salt-fermented capers collected from different areas of Pantelleria Island (Italy), testing their methylglyoxal and glyoxal trapping capacity and antioxidant activity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), [2,2-azinobis(3-ethylben- zothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] diammonium salt (ABTS), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. Hydrophilic extracts were also characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization/ma…
Kinetics of the lipoperoxyl radical-scavenging activity of indicaxanthin in solution and unilamellar liposomes
2007
Abstract The reaction of the phytochemical indicaxanthin with lipoperoxyl radicals generated in methyl linoleate methanol solution by 2,20-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), and in aqueous soybean phosphatidylcholine unilamellar liposomes by 2,20-azobis(2- amidinopropane)hydrochloride, was studied. The molecule acts as a chain-terminating lipoperoxyl radical scavenger in solution, with a calculated inhibition constant of 3.63 £ 105M21 s21, and a stoichiometric factor approaching 2. Indicaxanthin incorporated in liposomes prevented lipid oxidation, inducing clear-cut lag periods and decrease of the propagation rate. Both effects were concentration-dependent, but not linearly related to the p…
Antioxidant activities of sicilian prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica) fruit extracts and reducing properties of its betalains: betanin and indicaxan…
2002
Sicilian cultivars of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica) produce yellow, red, and white fruits, due to the combination of two betalain pigments, the purple-red betanin and the yellow-orange indicaxanthin. The betalain distribution in the three cultivars and the antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts from edible pulp were investigated. In addition, the reducing capacity of purified betanin and indicaxanthin was measured. According to a spectrophotometric analysis, the yellow cultivar exhibited the highest amount of betalains, followed by the red and white ones. Indicaxanthin accounted for about 99% of betalains in the white fruit, while the ratio of betanin to indicaxanthin varied fr…
Oral supplements of vitamin E improve measures of oxidative stress in plasma and reduce oxidative damage to LDL and erythrocytes in β-thalassemia int…
2001
Fifteen beta-thalassemia intermedia patients, not requiring chronic transfusional therapy, were monitored in order to check their antioxidant status, and the lipid oxidation products in plasma, LDL, and erythrocytes before and during a 9-month oral treatment with 600 mg/day vitamin E. The low level of vitamin E, and high level of malondialdehyde in plasma clearly tended to normalize after three months (P < .001), and were quite similar to control after six months. The abnormally low level of vitamin E in LDL and the four times higher than control basal level of conjugated dienes (LDL-CD), were not modified after three months of treatment. Significant changes of LDL-VE (P < .05) and of the b…
Cytoprotective effects of the antioxidant phytochemical indicaxanthin in beta-thalassemia red blood cells
2006
Antioxidant phytochemicals are investigated as novel treatments for supportive therapy in beta-thalassemia. The dietary indicaxanthin was assessed for its protective effects on human beta-thalassemic RBCs submitted in vitro to oxidative haemolysis by cumene hydroperoxide. Indicaxanthin at 1.0-10 microM enhanced the resistance to haemolysis dose-dependently. In addition, it prevented lipid and haemoglobin (Hb) oxidation, and retarded vitamin E and GSH depletion. After ex vivo spiking of blood from thalassemia patients with indicaxanthin, the phytochemical was recovered in the soluble cell compartment of the RBCs. A spectrophotometric study showed that indicaxanthin can reduce perferryl-Hb ge…
Exposure to malondialdehyde induces an early redox unbalance preceding membrane toxicity in human erythrocytes.
2002
This work investigated the oxidative injury to human red blood cells (RBCs) by the exposure to exogenous malondialdehyde (MDA), in a physiological environment. When a 10% RBC suspension was incubated in autologous plasma, in the presence of 50 microM MDA, 30% of MDA entered into the cells. A time-course study showed that MDA caused early (30-120 min) and delayed (3-18 h) effects. MDA caused a fast depletion of reduced glutathione, and loss of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, followed by a decrease of HbO2. Accumulation of methemoglobin, and formation of small amounts of hemichrome were later evident. Also, an HbO2-derived fluorescent product was measured in the membrane. The …
Increased resistance to oxidation of betalain-enriched human low density lipoproteins
2003
Betalains are natural pigments recently considered as compounds with potential antioxidative properties. In this work, ex vivo plasma spiking of pure either betanin or indicaxanthin, followed by isolation of low density lipoprotein (LDL), and measurement of its resistance to copper-induced oxidation, has been used to research if these betalains can bind to LDL and prevent oxidation of LDL lipids. When pooled human plasma from 10 healthy volunteers was incubated in the presence of 25-100 microM either betanin or indicaxanthin, incorporation of both compounds in LDL was observed, with a maximum binding of 0.52 +/- 0.08, and 0.51 +/- 0.06 nmoles of indicaxanthin and betanin, respectively, per …
Supplementation with cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit decreases oxidative stress in healthy humans: a comparative study with vitamin C.
2004
Background: Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit contains vitamin C and characteristic betalain pigments, the radical-scavenging properties and antioxidant activities of which have been shown in vitro. Objective: We investigated the effects of short-term supplementation with cactus pear fruit compared with vitamin C alone on total-body oxidative status in healthy humans. Design: In a randomized, crossover, double-treatment study, 18 healthy volunteers received either 250 g fresh fruit pulp or 75 mg vitamin C twice daily for 2 wk, with a 6-wk washout period between the treatments. Before (baseline) and after each treatment, 8-epiprostaglandin F2α (8-epi-PGF2α) and malondialdehyde in plas…
The immunological implications of the new Vitamin D metabolism
2018
Vitamin D is actually a neurohormone whose pleiotropic activities encompass regulation of calcium-phosphate metabolism, cell proliferation and immunomodulation. Starting from a cutaneous compound, 2 hydroxylation steps are required to produce the active form of vitamin D3, named calcitriol [1, 25-(OH)2-cholecalciferol]. The second hydroxylation step may occur at different tis- sues and cell types, including kidney, lung, prostate, brain, immune cells and placenta. Based on the advancing knowledge of Cytochrome P450 functions, a new conception of Vitamin D metabolism emerged. It implies that, depending on the site where the second hydroxylation step occurs, the active hormone can act as a ca…
Saliva variations in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
2007
Abstract Objectives The protective role of saliva in the case of oesophageal exposition to gastric acid has long been studied but some contradictions still remain. The main end-point of this study was to evaluate if a qualitative and quantitative alteration in salivary secretion exists in patients affected by GERD. Methods One hundred and twenty patients (T group) with clinically and endoscopically diagnosed GERD, and 98 healthy subjects (C group) have been evaluated; salivary tests (i.e. basal flow rate, stimulated flow rate, pH, [Na + ] and [K + ]) were performed, socio-demographical variables and oral GERD-related symptoms were taken into account. SPSS 10.5 software was used for statisti…
Elevated cerebrospinal fluid and plasma homocysteine levels in ALS
2009
Background: High cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma levels of homocysteine (HC) have been reported in certain neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s diseases and, recently, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Objectives: To assay the CSF and plasma levels of HC in ALS patients and controls, and to evaluate the relationship between HC levels and clinical variables of the disease. Methods: Cerebrospinal fluid from sixty-nine (M/F 1.87) and plasma from sixty-five ALS patients (M/F 1.83) were taken and stored at −80°C until use. Controls (CSF = 55; plasma = 67) were patients admitted to our hospital for neurological disorders with no known relationship to HC changes…
Vitamin D in malaria: more hypotheses than clues
2019
Abstract Vitamin D is a secosteroid hormone regulating calcium and phosphate metabolism, immune response and brain development. Low blood 25(OH)D levels have been reported in patients affected by infectious diseases caused by parasites, including malaria. Despite the high effectiveness of antimalarials, malaria is burdened with high morbidity and mortality, and the search for additional therapies is rapidly growing. Furthermore, available preventive measures have proved to be barely effective so far. Finding new prevention and therapy tools is a matter of urgency. Studies on animal models and humans have hypothesized some mechanisms by which the hormone can influence malaria pathogenesis, a…
Distribution of betalain pigments in red blood cells after consumption of cactus pear fruits and increased resistance of the cells to ex vivo induced…
2005
Betalain pigments are bioavailable phytochemicals recently acknowledged as natural radical scavengers. This work, which extends previous research on the postabsorbitive fate of dietary betalains, investigated the distribution of betanin and indicaxanthin in red blood cells (RBCs) isolated from healthy volunteers (n = 8), before and during the 1-8 h interval after a cactus pear fruit meal, and the potential antioxidative activity of the pigments in these cells. A peak concentration of indicaxanthin (1.03 +/- 0.2 microM) was observed in RBCs isolated at 3 h after fruit feeding, whereas the concentration at 5 h was about half, and even smaller amounts were measured at 8 h. Indicaxanthin was no…
Absorption, excretion, and distribution of dietary antioxidant betalains in LDLs: potential health effects of betalains in humans
2004
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 the fruit me…
Bioactive components of caper (Capperis spinosa L.) from Sicily and antioxidant effects in a red meat simulated gastric digestion
2007
An increasing body of evidence on the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and healthy status is being accumulated. Floral buds of Capparis spinosa L. are commonly used in the Mediterranean cuisine as flavoring for meat and other foods. The present study evaluated bioactive components and antioxidant activity of Sicilian capers stabilized in salt. Whereas alpha-tocopherol was absent, low levels of gamma-tocopherol and vitamin C were measured. With reference to one serving size (8.6 g of capers), rutin was 13.76 mg, isothiocyanates, recently acknowledged as anticarcinogen phytochemicals, were 42.14 micromol, total phenols were 4.19 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE), and …
Reaction of melatonin with hemoglobin-derived oxoferryl radicals and inhibition of the hydroperoxide-induced hemoglobin denaturation in red blood cel…
2001
Melatonin has been shown to act as a radical scavenger in various chemical and biological model systems in vitro. Kinetic evidence is now provided showing that melatonin inhibits the irreversible degradation of hemoglobin (Hb), when incubated with red blood cells exposed to the oxidant activity of cumene hydroperoxide (cumOOH). A decrease of heme loss and accumulation of soluble methemoglobin (met-Hb) are explained in terms of the interaction of the indoleamine with perferryl Hb ( . Hb[Fe IV = O]), a highly reactive Hb-derived radical species responsible for the irreversible Hb degradation. A kinetic study, in pure chemical solution, showed that melatonin can effectively reduce the oxoferry…
Clinical utility of HFABP in myocardial infarction
2018
Assessing chest pain patients presenting to the emergency area (EA) is still a clinical challenge, as acute myocardial infarction (AMI) diagnosis is not adjudicated in the majority of patients. New generation high sensitivity troponin assays (hs-cTn) still present some limitations, thus, novel biomarkers to early rule-in and rule- out myocardial infarction in chest pain patients presenting to the EA are sought after. Among all, heart- type fatty acid binding protein (h-FABP) has been largely investigated. Studies performed on HFABP in these patients present marked heterogeneity. However, it can be stated that HFABP is clearly not a reliable marker for AMI diagnosis, neither as a stand-alone…
Antioxidant Activity of Sicilian Pistachio (Pistacia veraL. Var. Bronte) Nut Extract and Its Bioactive Components
2007
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 micr…
La chimica organica e le macromolecole biologiche
2020
Antioxidant activity of Sicilian Pistachio (Pistacia vera, L. var. Bronte) nut extracts and its bioactive components
2007
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
2007
Betanin inhibits myeloperoxidase/nitrite-mediated peroxidation of human low density lipoprotein
2004
The cervical fracture as first symptom of multiple myeloma: A case report
2017
Introduction: Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a clonal disorder characterized by proliferation and accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. Bone disease occurs in approximately 80% of patients with newly diagnosed MM. The cervical spine is the least common site of disease involvement. Case presentation: A 60-year-old female patient was referred to the Department of Neurosurgery for bone pain. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed a pathological fracture of the sixth cervical vertebra (C6). The laboratory tests and the bone marrow examination led to a diagnosis of IgA Ï MM (Durie Salmon stage IIIA). The patient underwent a cervical arthrodesis and started systemic Bortez…
Bone metabolism and oxidative stress in post-menopausal women
2006
Cytoprotective effects of indicaxanthin in beta-thalassemia red blood cells
2006
Betanin protects endothelial cell dysfunction produced by activated HL-60
2005
Potential role of Vitamin K2 plasma levels determination in Alzheimer's Disease
2007
GERD patients: a risk group for xerostomia and oral lesions? A case-control syudy
2007
BETANIN INHIBITS MPO-NITRITE-MEDIATED PEROXIDATION OF HUMAN LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS
2005
COULD SALIVA CHANGES PLAY A CASUAL ROLE IN GERD?A CASE CONTROL STUDY.
2006
Absorption and distribution in erytrocytes and low density lipoproteins of betalains from cactus pear (Opuntia ficus indica) in healthy humans. Poten…
2004
Vitamin E and endurance exercise.
2007
Betanin inhibits myeloperoxidase/nitrite-mediated peroxidation of low density lipoprotein.
2004
bone metabolism and oxidative stress in post-menopausal women
2007
Absorption and distribution in erythrocytes and low density lipoproteins of betalains from cacus pear (Opuntia Ficus Indica) in healthy humans. Poten…
2004
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…