Background: Brassica oleracea var. italica (broccoli), a rich source of antioxidants, can prevent various diseases and improve human health. In this study, we investigated the antioxidative effects of broccoli sprout extract on oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide and cisplatin in cell and organ tissue models. Methods: Antioxidative effect of BSE was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS in RAW 364.7 cells, and effects of BSE on testes were investigated using Cisplatin-induced testicular damage model with an in vitro organ culture system. Results: The DPPH assay showed that the antioxidant activity of the alcoholic broccoli sprout extract was higher than that of the water extract. Additionally, the expression levels of antioxidation-related genes, Nrf2 , Gsr , HO-1, and catalase , were significantly increased in broccoli sprout extract-treated RAW 264.7 cells, and the extract suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Based on the results in the RAW 264.7 cell culture, the antioxidative effects of the extracts were investigated in a mouse testis fragment culture. The expression of Nrf2 , HO-1 , and Ddx4 was clearly decreased in cisplatin-treated mouse testis fragments and not in both broccoli sprout extract- and cisplatin-treated mouse testis fragments. In addition, the oxidative marker O-HdG was strongly detected in cisplatin-treated mouse testis fragments, and these signals were reduced by broccoli sprout extract treatment. Conclusions: The results of this study show that broccoli sprout extracts could serve as potential nutraceutical agents as they possess antioxidant effects in the testes.

Baicalin is a flavonoid compound with many advantages, including anti-inflammatory agents and antioxidants. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an endotoxin that induces neuronal damage through inflammatory response and oxidative stress reaction. This study was investigated the protective effects of baicalin on the oxidative stress and histopathological changes caused by LPS in hippocampus. Adult mice were divided into four groups; vehicle-treated, baicalin-treated, LPS-treated, and LPS and baicalin co-treated animals. Baicalin (10 mg/kg/day) and/or LPS (250 μg/kg/day) were intraperitoneally administered for seven consecutive days, and body weight was measured. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and lipid peroxidation level in the hippocampus were examined. Histopathological study was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining manuals. LPS treatment decreased body weight and increased ROS and oxidative stress in the hippocampus. However, co-treatment with baicalin alleviated these changes caused by LPS. Severe histopathological changes were observed in the hippocampus of LPS-treated animals. Baicalin co-treatment attenuated the changes and preserved neuronal cells from LPS damage. These results showed that baicalin suppresses LPS-induced neuronal damage by alleviating oxidative stress in the hippocampus. Thus, this study demonstrated that baicalin exerts protective effects against LPS-induced oxidative stress in hippocampus.

L-carnitine은 라이신과 메티오닌으로 생합성되며 골격근 과 심근을 포함한 다양한 동물조직에서 발견된다. L-carnitine이 포함된 식품으로는 양고기, 소고기, 돼지고기 등이 있고 근육발달에 도움을 주며 뼈를 강화하거나 대사작용을 도와주는 기능을 하여 영양 보조제로 많이 섭취하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 최근 L-carnitine은 제 2형 당뇨병, 골다 공증, 대사성 신경증후군 등의 다양한 질병의 약물로도 연구 되고 있으며 암에서는 치료 보조제로 개발되어있다. 하지만 대장암에서의 L-carnitine에 대한 효과 및 기전에 대해서는 명확하지 않고 연구된 바가 없기 때문에 본 연구에서 저자들은 L-carnitine의 효능을 인간대장암세포주 HCT116에서 규명하고자 하였다. L-carnitine은 세포 내 활성산소종 (ROS)를 높은 수준으로 증가시켜 세포 증식을 억제하였다. 또한, 세포 증식과 죽음에 관련한 단백질 ERK1/2와 p38을 유의적으로 활성화 시킨다는 것을 입증 하였다. 이때, ERK1/2 억제제(PD98059)를 처치하여 ERK1/ 2의 활성화가 활성산소종 발생 및 세포사멸에 중요하다는 것을 밝혔다. 따라서, 본 연구 결과는 L-carnitine이 대장 암세포주의 증식을 억제 할 수 있고 이는 대장암의 치료에 있어 잠재적인 치료 물질이 될 수 있음을 시사하며 이 과정에 관여하는 신호전달기전을 조사하여 항암의 치료기 전에서 활성산소종이나 ERK1/2, p38 단백질의 활성화의 중요성을 제시하였다.