cardiovascular-agents and dioscin

To determine if dioscin protects cardiac cells from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury by preventing apoptosis.Cardiac H9c2 cells were subjected to simulated I/R. Cell viability was evaluated by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) colorimetry assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected with dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCF). Apoptosis was evaluated with flow cytometric assay. Rhodamine 123 (Rho123) was used to measure mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). ELISA was used to detect cytochrome c (Cyt-c) release from mitochondria to the cytosol. Bax and Bcl-2 mRNA expressions were measured with RT-PCR.Dioscin reduced cell death and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in cells subjected to I/R. I/R induced apoptosis and cytochrome c release from mitochondria to the cytosol and this was prevented by dioscin. In support, dioscin decreased Bax but increased Bcl-2 mRNA expression. Dioscin prevented I/R induced dissipation of ΔΨm. Finally, dioscin increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression but reduced intracellular ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels.Dioscin protects H9c2 cells from H/R injury by modulating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway through attenuation of oxidative stress.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Apoptosis; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Cardiovascular Agents; Cell Line; Coloring Agents; Cytochromes c; Diosgenin; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Flow Cytometry; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Malondialdehyde; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Mitochondria; Myocardium; Myocytes, Cardiac; Oxidative Stress; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Rats; Reactive Oxygen Species; RNA, Messenger; Superoxide Dismutase; Tetrazolium Salts; Thiazoles

Nanoparticle processing is implicated in enhancing bioactive or nutritional compound release from raw foods. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether different particle processing might affect the lipid-lowering activity of Dioscorea pseudojaponica (DP) and to investigate whether DP could be a potential functional food for prevention of atherogenesis. Its possible molecular mechanisms were also evaluated.. The results indicated that 50 mesh-size DP (50 mesh DP) particles exhibited stronger effects than nanoscale DP (nano DP) particles in terms of lowering the level of serum cholesterol as well as reducing the extent of fatty liver and aortic fatty streak. Moreover, both DP particle types, particularly 50 mesh DP, significantly activated AMPK (5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) and deactivated ACC (acetyl-CoA carboxylase), as demonstrated by the increased levels of both enzymes in their phosphorylated form. Coincidently, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed a higher content (P < 0.01) of dioscin, a known lipid-lowering compound, in 50 mesh DP than in nano DP.. These results suggest that improper processing conditions will lead to the decomposition of bioactive components in yam. They also demonstrate for the first time that the lipid-lowering mechanisms of DP may occur through the AMPK-ACC pathway.

Topics: Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; Animals; Anticholesteremic Agents; Aorta; Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular Agents; Cholesterol, Dietary; Diet; Dioscorea; Diosgenin; Disease Models, Animal; Fatty Liver; Food Handling; Functional Food; Hypercholesterolemia; Liver; Male; Nanoparticles; Particle Size; Plant Preparations; Plant Tubers; Rabbits