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Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), one of the oldest known edible fruits, is nowadays broadly consumed throughout the world. Its fruits and seeds as well as other anatomical compartments (e.g., flowers and leaves) are rich in numerous bioactive compounds and therefore, the scientific interest in this plant has been constantly growing in recent years. It has been shown that pomegranate and its extracts exhibit potent antioxidative, antimicrobial, and anticarcinogenic properties. The present review summarizes some recent studies on pomegranate, highlighting mainly its vasculoprotective role attributed to the presence of hydrolyzable tannins ellagitannins and ellagic acid, as well as other compounds (e.g., anthocyanins and flavonoids). These in vitro and in vivo studies showed that substances derived from pomegranate reduce oxidative stress and platelet aggregation, diminish lipid uptake by macrophages, positively influence endothelial cell function, and are involved in blood pressure regulation. Clinical studies demonstrated that daily intake of pomegranate juice lessens hypertension and attenuates atherosclerosis in humans. Altogether, the reviewed studies point out the potential benefits of a broader use of pomegranate and its constituents as dietary supplements or as adjuvants in therapy of vascular diseases, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, and peripheral artery disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report increased cholesterol efflux from macrophages in the presence of falcarindiol, an important dietary constituent present in commonly used vegetables and medicinal plants. Falcarindiol (3-20 μM) increased cholesterol efflux from THP-1-derived macrophages. Western blot analysis showed an increased protein level of ABCA1 upon falcarindiol exposure. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that also ABCA1 mRNA level rise with falcarindiol (10 μM) treatment. The effect of falcarindiol on ABCA1 protein as well as mRNA level were counteracted by co-treatment with BADGE, an antagonist of PPARg. Furthermore, falcarindiol significantly inhibited ABCA1 protein degradation in the presence of cycloheximide. This post-translational regulation of ABCA1 by falcarindiol occurs most likely by inhibition of lysosomal cathepsins, resulting in decreased proteolysis and extended protein half-life of ABCA1. Taken together, falcarindiol increases ABCA1 protein level by two complementary mechanisms, i.e., promoting ABCA1 gene expression and inhibiting ABCA1 protein degradation, which lead to enhanced cholesterol efflux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Fritillaria (Liliaceae) comprises of ~140 species of bulbous perennials, which are distributed in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Fritillaria species have attracted much attention because of their commercial value, partly as ornamental plants but principally as a source of material for use in traditional medicine. The use of Fritillaria extracts is well established in some countries in Eastern Europe (e.g., Turkey), and Asia (e.g., China, Japan). In traditional Chinese medicine, the medicinal Fritillaria species is called Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae (BFC), which has been used as a traditional medicine for thousands of years. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no reports on resource investigation of plants of BFC in the last ten years. In this study, we chose 32 traditional producing regions in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to perform an investigation on resource availability of BFC. In five sites we did not find any plants of BFC. Results show that the average number of the plants of BFC per quadrat in 26 sites was less than 7, and the average resource density was <22 mg/m². Habitat types and plant morphology of BFC plants were recorded. Our investigation shows that the area for artificial cultivation of BFC is larger than 400 hm² and productivity was higher than 180 t. In addition, the total alkaloid contents of samples from cultivated bases and plantations are higher than that from wild fields. This study suggests that the wild populations of BFC are still at the risk of depletion. Artificial cultivation of BFC might be an important way to resolve the current contradiction between resource protection and resource utilization. In addition, identifying the closest European relatives of the Fritillaria species used in traditional medicine may resolve this contradiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholesterol efflux (ChE) from macrophages is an initial step of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). The ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is a key transporter for ChE and its increased expression is regarded to attenuate atherosclerosis. Thus, the identification and characterization of molecules raising ABCA1 and thereby stimulating ChE is of pharmacological relevance. In this study, we tested dietary compounds from olive oil for their capacity of enhancing cellular ABCA1 protein level. We identified erythrodiol (Olean-12-ene-3β,28-diol) as an ABCA1 stabilizer and revealed its positive influence on ChE in THP-1-derived human macrophages. Among the nine tested compounds from olive oil, erythrodiol was the sole compound raising ABCA1 protein level (at 10μM). None of the tested compounds impaired viability of THP-1 macrophages from 5 to 20μM as determined by resazurin conversion. Western blot analyses of key membrane transporters contributing to ChE showed that the protein level of ABCG1 and scavenger receptor class Bmember 1 (SR-B1) remain unaffected by erythrodiol. Besides, erythrodiol (10μM) did not influence the mRNA level of ABCA1, ABCG1, and SR-B1, as determined by quantitative reverse transcription PCR, but significantly inhibited the degradation of ABCA1 as evident by an increased half-life of the protein in the presence of cycloheximide, an inhibitor of de novo protein synthesis. Therefore, erythrodiol promotes ChE from THP-1-derived human macrophages by stabilizing the ABCA1 protein. This bioactivity makes erythrodiol a good candidate to be further explored for therapeutic or preventive application in the context of atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prevalent metabolic disease. The clinical impact of sustained hyperglycemia on ligament healing has not been well characterized. Diabetes is a known cause of macro-, microvascular, and diabetic ulcer healing difficulties among tissues. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the healing potential occurring in injured and healthy ligaments among diabetic and healthy individuals using a rat model. We hypothesize that DM may contribute to altering the knee medial collateral ligament (MCL), thus its morphology, biochemical fitness, and functionality. The study cohort consisted of 40 rats. The animals were randomized into four equal groups. Groups I and II (20 rats) received saline subcutaneously and served as controls. Groups III and IV (20 rats) were injected with a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ). All animals underwent surgery to cut the left tibial collateral ligament in the hind limb and suture it. The access site was sutured to create inflammation and study the regenerative capacities of animals with normal carbohydrate metabolism and pharmacologically induced diabetes. Each animal then underwent sham surgery to access and suture the right tibial collateral ligament in the hind limb without ligament intervention. After the animals had undergone surgeries, groups II and IV were given melatonin supplementation for 4 weeks. Rats with DM presented with more fibrosis and calcification of the MCL and decreased healing potential. Treatment with melatonin in diabetic rats mitigated alterations and improved the antioxidant status of ligaments from the diabetic group., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Adamska, Wnuk, Kamińska, Poniatowska, Maciąg, Kamiński, Stolarczyk, Matin, Atanasov, Łapiński and Jóźwik.)