Search Results (6)

Ginnalin A (GA), a polyphenolic compound derived from amur maple trees, has been identified as a powerful scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Recognizing the pivotal role of ROS in exacerbating secondary damage during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI), we fractionated GA-enriched extracts from the leaves of the amur maple tree, Acer tataricum L. subsp. ginnala (Maxim.) Wesm., using common solvents of dichloromethane (DCM) and ethyl acetate (EA). When co-administered for 30 min, the DCM- and EA-fractioned extracts effectively protected cardiomyocytes from H₂O₂-induced damage. ROS-sensitive probes indicated that treatment with ginnala extracts significantly reduced both intracellular and mitochondrial ROS levels. Instead of enhancing the activity of antioxidative enzymes, the ginnala extracts acted as natural antioxidases, directly scavenging various ROS such as superoxide, H₂O₂, hydroxyl radical, and Fe²⁺ within just 20 min. In a MIRI rat model, the in vivo administration of ginnala extracts provided significant cardioprotection by preserving viable myocardia and enhancing cardiac functions. Additionally, treatment with ginnala extracts significantly reduced cardiac fibrosis and denatured collagen. Our study suggests that the ultrafast ROS scavenging capability of ginnala extracts offers substantial heart protection during MIRI. Incorporating ginnala extracts as a pharmacological intervention during reperfusion could effectively mitigate ROS-induced cardiac injury. Full article

Historically, botanical preparations have been used to improve human health. Their active ingredients are influenced by multiple factors such as intraspecies variations, environmental conditions, collection time and methods, and the part of the plant used. To ensure the efficiency and safety of these herbal drugs, qualitative and quantitative analyses are required. A Tessaria absinthioides decoction (DETa) was reported as having hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, antitumor, and antioxidative properties. This work aimed to analyze DETa by correlating its chemical composition with cytotoxic and antioxidative properties, with the aim of promoting research on it as an anticancer agent. DETa collections (2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022) were analyzed by UHPLC-DAD, UHPLC-DAD-FLD, and UPLC-MS/MS; cytotoxicity was assessed on the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line; antioxidative capacity was evaluated by the DPPH and FRAP methods; and correlation analysis was used to determine biological and chemical markers. The results provide evidence that biological activities were consistent across the collections. Among the quantified compounds, apigenin, naringin, gallocatechin gallate, ginnalin A, myricetin, epicatechin, OH-tyrosol, quercetin, and chlorogenic, tessaric, p-coumaric, vanillic, caffeic, caftaric, ellagic, and rosmarinic acids correlated as bioactive and chemical markers. Moreover, tessaric acid could be established as a species marker. Altogether, these findings add relevant information to DETa properties, encouraging further exploration of its potential application as an anticancer botanical. Full article

Phenolics enriched pomegranate fruit (Pomella^®) and red maple leaf (Maplifa^®) extracts and their major phenolic constituents have demonstrated beneficial skin effects through the protection of human skin keratinocytes from oxidative-stress-induced damage. However, their mechanisms of protection of cutaneous collagen are still unclear. Herein, the collagen protective effects of Pomella^® and Maplifa^®, and their major bioactive phytochemicals, namely, punicalagin (PA) and ginnalin A (GA), respectively, were evaluated using enzymatic assays including collagenase, anti-glycation and cell-based models as well as computational methods. The importance of the modulatory effects was validated at the protein level for type I collagen and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) using human-skin-derived keratinocytes. The synergistic collagenase inhibitory effects upon combinations of Pomella^® + Maplifa^® and PA + GA at a combination ratio of 1:2 and 1:1, respectively, were evaluated using their combination index (CI; a well-established assessment of synergism). Pomella^® (50–400 µg/mL), Maplifa^® (100–800 µg/mL), PA (50–400 µM), and GA (50–400 µM) dose-dependently inhibited collagenase activity by 26.3–86.3%, 25.7–94.0%, 26.2–94.0%, and 12.0–98.0%, respectively. The CI of the anti-collagenase activity of Pomella^® and Maplifa^® ranged from 0.53–0.90, while that of PA and GA (12.5/12.5 and 25/25 µM) ranged from 0.66 and 0.69, respectively, suggesting a synergistic inhibitory effect. Interestingly, in the cell-based assays by Western blotting, Pomella^® and Maplifa^® reduced the protein expression levels of collagen degradation enzymes (MMPs), while simultaneously increasing that of type I collagen in epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. This is the first report to show that these extracts exert synergistic collagen protective effects. Taken together, these findings provide molecular insights into the usefulness of Pomella^® and Maplifa^® or their phenolics as bioactive ingredients for skin care products to slow down aging and enhance skin tone. Full article

Twenty-one natural and unnatural phenolic compounds containing a carbohydrate moiety were synthesized and their structure–activity relationship (SAR) was evaluated for α-glucosidase inhibition and antioxidative activity. Varying the position of the galloyl unit on the 1,5-anhydro-d-glucitol (1,5-AG) core resulted in changes in the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and notably, particularly strong activity was demonstrated when the galloyl unit was present at the C-2 position. Furthermore, increasing the number of the galloyl units significantly affected the α-glucosidase inhibition, and 2,3,4,6-tetra-galloyl-1,5-AG (54) and 2,3,4,6-tetra-galloyl-d-glucopyranose (61) exhibited excellent activities, which were more than 13-fold higher than the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of acertannin (37). Moreover, a comparative structure-activity study suggested that a hemiacetal hydroxyl functionality in the carbohydrate core and a biaryl bond of the 4,6-O-hexahydroxydiphenoyl (HHDP) group, which are components of ellagitannins including tellimagrandin I, are not necessary for the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Lastly, the antioxidant activity increased proportionally with the number of galloyl units. Full article

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Ginnalin A (GA) is one of the most important phenolic compounds of maple syrup and its anticancer effect has been shown that in several cancer cell lines. In this study, objective was to investigate the apoptotic effect of GA in Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. Cell viability was determined by using XTT method after the treatment with GA. Total RNA was isolated with TRIzol Reagent in control and dose group. Expressions of important genes in apoptosis including CASP3, CASP8, CASP9, CYCS, FAS and P53 were evaluated by qPCR. IC₅₀ dose of GA was found as 155 μM for 72h in Hep3B cells. According to the qPCR results, a significant increase in the expression of CASP3, CASP8, CASP9, CYCS and P53 genes was observed as 12.09, 10.14, 3.37, 16.15 and 4.15 folds, respectively. In conclusion, it is thought that GA demonstrates the apoptotic effect on Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. GA can be evaluated as an effective anticancer agent in hepatocellular carcinoma after further molecular and functional analysis. Full article

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Ginnalin A (GA), an important phenolic compounds of maple syrup, on apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. The effect of GA on cell viability was determined by using XTT method. Expressions of genes are important in apoptosis including CASP3, CASP7, CASP8, CASP9, BCL2, BAX, CYCS, FAS and P53 were evaluated by qPCR. IC₅₀ dose of GA was found as 160 μM in MDA-MB-231 and 300 μM in MCF7 cells, for 72 h. According to the qPCR results, a significant increase in the expression of CASP3, CASP8, CASP9, CYCS, FAS and P53 genes was observed as 3.88, 12.11, 4.76, 8.17, 4.27 and 3.31 folds, respectively in MDA-MB-231. In MCF-7 cells, the expression of CASP9 and P53 genes significantly increased to 8.24 and 3.39 folds, respectively, while the expression of BCL2 gene significantly decreased to 1.85 fold, compared with the control group. In conclusion, it is thought that GA demonstrates apoptotic effect by regulating expression of important genes in apoptosis on breast cancer cells. However, further functional analyses are required to clarify its effect on breast cancer. Full article