Search results for "Indicaxanthin"
showing 10 items of 56 documents
Orally administered indicaxanthin is able to modulate human motor cortical excitability and plasticity
Opuntia Ficus Indica contains Indicaxanthin (IX), an antinflammatory and antioxidant betalaine pigment. This phytochemical is also able to cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) in rats and modulate neuronal activity. Considering these evidence, we aimed at investigating if orally administered IX could affect human brain tissue. 8 healthy and right-handed male subjects were recruited (20-45 years) with no history or clinical signs of neurological diseases, brain trauma or use of drugs acting on neuronal process, as assessed by a clinical neurologist. Non invasive Brain Stimulation and Neuromodulation (NIBS and NIN) instructions were applied in basal condition (T0) and 2 hours after having assu…
Indicaxanthin from Opuntia Ficus Indica exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in an in vitro model of human corneal dysfunction.
2014
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 …
Antioxidant betalains from cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) inhibit endothelial ICAM-1 expression.
2004
It has been suggested that some pigments would have antioxidant properties and that their presence in dietary constituents would contribute to reduce the risk of oxidative stress–correlated diseases. Among others, inflammatory response depends on redox status and may implicate oxidative stress. Vascular endothelial cells are a direct target of oxidative stress in inflammation. We have tested the impact of the free radical scavenger and antioxidant properties of betalains from the prickle pear in an in vitro model of endothelial cells. Here we show the capacity of betalains to protect endothelium from cytokine- induced redox state alteration, through ICAM-1 inhibition. KEYWORDS: endothelial …
Antioxidative effects of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus indica, L. Mill.) fruits from Sicily and bioavailability of betalain components in healthy humans
2009
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…
Modulation of TH1/TH17 equilibrium in vitro by indicaxanthin from Opuntia ficus indica (L. Mill)
2012
Indicaxanthin, Th1
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…
NUTRIGENOMICS EFFECTS OF PHYTOCHEMICAL INDICAXANTHIN IN in vitro CELL SYSTEMS
2014
Nutrition plays a key role in many aspects of health, indeed epidemiological studies provide evidence that diet can play essential roles in reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Accumulating evidence indicates that dietary compounds (phytochemicals) from fruit and vegetables can modulate multiple cancer-inflammation pathways which are relevant for chemoprevention and are commonly deregulated by epigenetic mechanisms in cancer cells, including drug detoxification, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis induction. Epigenetic refers to heritable alterations in gene expression that do not involve modification of the underlying genetic DNA sequence. Although epigenetic changes are heritable in somati…
Antioxidant activity of cactus pear fruits and bioavailability of betalan components in healthy humans
2008
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…