Leaves from Eugenia uniflora, the red Brazilian cherry, have a high content of flavonoids that possess several biological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities. However, their influence on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced acute liver injury in rats has not been investigated. In the current study, a bioguided fractionation assay revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of Eugenia uniflora is the safest and most active fraction. LC-MS analysis of the ethyl acetate fraction revealed 22 secondary metabolites, mainly myricetin and quercetin derivatives. EAF did not show toxicity up to 2000 mg/kg, and exhibited antioxidant activities in vitro in DPPH assay with IC₅₀ of 3.35 µg/mL. Additionally, EAF exhibited substantial antioxidant activities in vivo by counteracting the oxidative damage of the prooxidant juglone [80 µM] in Caenorhabditis elegans model organism and increased its survival rate in a dose-dependent fashion through the DAF-16/Foxo pathway. Furthermore, the hepatoprotective activity of EAF (200 mg/kg against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) intoxicated male Wistar rats was assessed. EAF significantly inhibited CCl₄-induced elevation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total bilirubin (TB), total cholesterol (TC), and triglycerides (TG), in the blood serum and prevented lipid peroxidation and restored superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione (GSH) content in liver tissues. The observed hepatoprotective effects of EAF, which were supported by histopathological observations as pretreatment with EAF, effectively attenuated the CCl₄-induced histopathological changes. In conclusion, EAF of Eugenia uniflora leaves has substantial hepatoprotective activities against CCl₄ induced acute liver injury in rats due to its antioxidant activity.

Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are key components in neurodegenerative diseases, where early intervention using natural treatments may offer neuroprotective effects. This study shows that isoliquiritigenin (ISL), hesperidin (HES), and curcumin (CUR) can mitigate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo. The compounds were initially tested for cytotoxicity and found to reduce nitric oxide (NO) production, especially CUR and ISL. They were able to restore antioxidant enzyme activities both in vivo and in vitro. All treatments reduced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression compared to the untreated LPS control group. Behavioral assessments indicated that LPS impaired spatial and nonspatial memory, but treatments improved cognitive performance. Biomarker analyses revealed that ISL, HES, and CUR reduced the interleukin (IL)‐1β and nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) ratio in the hippocampus. Moreover, they decreased the level of caspase‐3 demonstrated by western blotting and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) level. Thereby they inhibited LPS elicited apoptosis. Likewise, their anti‐inflammatory effects were illustrated in the histopathological examination. Furthermore, they decreased the expression of amyloid‐β. The study reinforces the potential of these natural compounds as protective and therapeutic cost‐effective alternatives for managing neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.

The journal retracts the article entitled “A Polyphenol-Rich Fraction from Eugenia uniflora Exhibits Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Activities In Vivo”