Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) fruits possess potential cardiovascular, lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic bioactivities. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of resin-purified cornelian cherry extract rich in iridoids and anthocyanins on several transcription factors, intima/media ratio in aorta and serum parameters, which determine or are valuable indicators of the adverse changes observed in the course of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. For this purpose, male New Zealand rabbits were fed a diet enriched in 1% cholesterol for 60 days. Additionally, one group received 10 mg/kg b.w. of cornelian cherry extract and the second group 50 mg/kg b.w. of cornelian cherry extract. PPAR-α and PPAR-γ expression in the aorta, LXR-α expression in the liver; cholesterol, triglycerides, adipokines, apolipoproteins, glucose and insulin levels in serum; the intima and media diameter in the thoracic and abdominal aorta were determined. Administration of cornelian cherry extract resulted in an enhancement in the expression of all tested transcription factors, a decrease in triglycerides, leptin and resistin, and an increase in adiponectin levels. In addition, a significant reduction in the I/M ratio was observed for both the thoracic and abdominal aorta. The results we have obtained confirm the potential contribution of cornelian cherry extract to mitigation of the risk of developing and the intensity of symptoms of obesity-related cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders such as atherosclerosis or metabolic syndrome.

Introduction : Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is considered to be one of the main causes of liver damage after transplantation. The authors evaluated the effect of ezetimibe on selected oxidative stress parameters in ischemic/reperfused (I/R) rat liver. Material and methods : Rats were...

A possibility of repurposing sitagliptin, a well-established antidiabetic drug, for alleviating injury caused by ischemia-reperfusion (IR) is being researched. The aim of this study was to shed some light on the molecular background of the protective activity of sitagliptin during hepatic IR. The expression and/or concentration of inflammation and oxidative stress-involved factors have been determined in rat liver homogenates using quantitative RT-PCR and Luminex^® xMAP^® technology and markers of nitrative and halogenative stress were quantified using targeted metabolomics (LC-MS/MS). Animals (n = 36) divided into four groups were treated with sitagliptin (5 mg/kg) (S and SIR) or saline solution (C and IR), and the livers from IR and SIR were subjected to ischemia (60 min) and reperfusion (24 h). The midkine expression (by 2.2-fold) and the free 3-nitrotyrosine (by 2.5-fold) and IL-10 (by 2-fold) concentration were significantly higher and the Nox4 expression was lower (by 9.4-fold) in the IR than the C animals. As compared to IR, the SIR animals had a lower expression of interleukin-6 (by 4.2-fold) and midkine (by 2-fold), a lower concentration of 3-nitrotyrosine (by 2.5-fold) and a higher Nox4 (by 2.9-fold) and 3-bromotyrosine (by 1.4-fold). In conclusion, IR disturbs the oxidative, nitrative and halogenative balance and aggravates the inflammatory response in the liver, which can be attenuated by low doses of sitagliptin.

One of the major side effects of cyclophosphamide (CPX)—an alkylating anticancer drug that is still clinically used—is urotoxicity with hemorrhagic cystitis. The present study was designed to evaluate the ability of carvedilol to protect rats from cyclophosphamide-induced urotoxicity. Rats were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with CPX (200 mg/kg) and administered carvedilol (2 mg/kg) intragastrically a day before, at the day and a day after a single i.p. injection of CPX, with or without mesna (40, 80, and 80 mg/kg i.p. 20 min before, 4 h and 8 h after CPX administration, respectively). Pretreatment with carvedilol partly prevented the CPX-induced increase in urinary bladder and kidney index, and completely protects from CPX-evoked alterations in serum potassium and creatinine level, but did not prevent histological alterations in the urinary bladder and hematuria. However, carvedilol administration resulted in significant restoration of kidney glutathione (GSH) level and a decrease in kidney interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) concentrations. Not only did mesna improve kidney function, but it also completely reversed histological abnormalities in bladders and prevented hematuria. In most cases, no significant interaction of carvedilol with mesna was observed, although the effect of both drugs together was better than mesna given alone regarding plasma ADMA level and kidney IL-1β concentration. In conclusion, carvedilol did not counteract the injury caused in the urinary bladders but restored kidney function, presumably via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Atherogenesis leads to the development of atherosclerosis, a progressive chronic disease characterized by subendothelial lipoprotein retention and endothelial impairment in the arterial wall. It develops mainly as a result of inflammation and also many other complex processes, which arise from, among others, oxidation and adhesion. Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) fruits are abundant in iridoids and anthocyanins—compounds with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. This study aimed to determine the effect of two different doses (10 mg and 50 mg per kg of body weight, respectively) of iridoid and anthocyanin-rich resin-purified Cornelian cherry extract on the markers that are important in the progress of inflammation, cell proliferation and adhesion, immune system cell infiltration, and atherosclerotic lesion development in a cholesterol-rich diet rabbit model. We used biobank blood and liver samples that were collected during the previous original experiment. We assessed the mRNA expression of MMP-1, MMP-9, IL-6, NOX, and VCAM-1 in the aorta, and the serum levels of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, CRP, PON-1, MCP-1, and PCT. The application of the Cornelian cherry extract at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw resulted in a significant reduction in MMP-1, IL-6, and NOX mRNA expression in the aorta and a decrease in VCAM-1, ICAM-1, PON-1, and PCT serum levels. The administration of a 10 mg/kg bw dose caused a significant decrease in serum ICAM-1, PON-1, and MCP-1. The results indicate the potential usefulness of the Cornelian cherry extract in the prevention or treatment of atherogenesis-related cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis or metabolic syndrome.