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AphaMax(®), an Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Aqueous Extract, Exerts Intestinal Protective Effects in Experimental Colitis in Rats

Background: Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) is a unicellular cyanobacterium considered to be a “superfood” for its complete nutritional profile and beneficial properties. We investigated possible beneficial effects of an AFA extract, commercialized as AphaMax(®), containing concentrated amount of phy...

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Autores principales: Zizzo, Maria Grazia, Caldara, Gaetano, Bellanca, Annalisa, Nuzzo, Domenico, Di Carlo, Marta, Scoglio, Stefano, Serio, Rosa
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: MDPI 2020
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7760929/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33256017
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu12123635
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author Zizzo, Maria Grazia
Caldara, Gaetano
Bellanca, Annalisa
Nuzzo, Domenico
Di Carlo, Marta
Scoglio, Stefano
Serio, Rosa
author_facet Zizzo, Maria Grazia
Caldara, Gaetano
Bellanca, Annalisa
Nuzzo, Domenico
Di Carlo, Marta
Scoglio, Stefano
Serio, Rosa
author_sort Zizzo, Maria Grazia
collection PubMed
description Background: Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) is a unicellular cyanobacterium considered to be a “superfood” for its complete nutritional profile and beneficial properties. We investigated possible beneficial effects of an AFA extract, commercialized as AphaMax(®), containing concentrated amount of phycocyanins and phytochrome, in 2,4 dinitrobenzensulfonic acid(DNBS)-induced colitis in rats. Methods: Effects of preventive oral treatment of AphaMax(®) (20, 50 or 100 mg/kg/day) in colitic rats were assessed and then macroscopic and microscopic analyses were performed to evaluate the inflammation degree. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and NF-κB, pro-inflammatory citockines, cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible NOS (iNOS) levels of expression were determined, as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and nitrite levels. Results: AphaMax(®) treatment attenuated the severity of colitis ameliorating clinical signs. AphaMax(®) reduced the histological colonic damage and decreased MPO activity, NF-κB activation, as well as iNOS and COX-2 expression. AphaMax(®) treatment improved the altered immune response associated with colonic inflammation reducing IL-1β, IL-6 expression. Lastly, AphaMax(®) reduced oxidative stress, decreasing ROS and nitrite levels. Conclusions: Preventive treatment with AphaMax(®) attenuates the severity of the inflammation in DNBS colitis rats involving decrease of the NF-kB activation, reduction of iNOS and COX-2 expression, and inhibition of oxidative stress. Due its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant proprieties AphaMax(®) could be a good candidate as a complementary drug in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment.
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spelling pubmed-77609292020-12-26 AphaMax(®), an Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Aqueous Extract, Exerts Intestinal Protective Effects in Experimental Colitis in Rats Zizzo, Maria Grazia Caldara, Gaetano Bellanca, Annalisa Nuzzo, Domenico Di Carlo, Marta Scoglio, Stefano Serio, Rosa Nutrients Article Background: Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) is a unicellular cyanobacterium considered to be a “superfood” for its complete nutritional profile and beneficial properties. We investigated possible beneficial effects of an AFA extract, commercialized as AphaMax(®), containing concentrated amount of phycocyanins and phytochrome, in 2,4 dinitrobenzensulfonic acid(DNBS)-induced colitis in rats. Methods: Effects of preventive oral treatment of AphaMax(®) (20, 50 or 100 mg/kg/day) in colitic rats were assessed and then macroscopic and microscopic analyses were performed to evaluate the inflammation degree. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and NF-κB, pro-inflammatory citockines, cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible NOS (iNOS) levels of expression were determined, as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and nitrite levels. Results: AphaMax(®) treatment attenuated the severity of colitis ameliorating clinical signs. AphaMax(®) reduced the histological colonic damage and decreased MPO activity, NF-κB activation, as well as iNOS and COX-2 expression. AphaMax(®) treatment improved the altered immune response associated with colonic inflammation reducing IL-1β, IL-6 expression. Lastly, AphaMax(®) reduced oxidative stress, decreasing ROS and nitrite levels. Conclusions: Preventive treatment with AphaMax(®) attenuates the severity of the inflammation in DNBS colitis rats involving decrease of the NF-kB activation, reduction of iNOS and COX-2 expression, and inhibition of oxidative stress. Due its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant proprieties AphaMax(®) could be a good candidate as a complementary drug in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment. MDPI 2020-11-26 /pmc/articles/PMC7760929/ /pubmed/33256017 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu12123635 Text en © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
spellingShingle Article
Zizzo, Maria Grazia
Caldara, Gaetano
Bellanca, Annalisa
Nuzzo, Domenico
Di Carlo, Marta
Scoglio, Stefano
Serio, Rosa
AphaMax(®), an Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Aqueous Extract, Exerts Intestinal Protective Effects in Experimental Colitis in Rats
title AphaMax(®), an Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Aqueous Extract, Exerts Intestinal Protective Effects in Experimental Colitis in Rats
title_full AphaMax(®), an Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Aqueous Extract, Exerts Intestinal Protective Effects in Experimental Colitis in Rats
title_fullStr AphaMax(®), an Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Aqueous Extract, Exerts Intestinal Protective Effects in Experimental Colitis in Rats
title_full_unstemmed AphaMax(®), an Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Aqueous Extract, Exerts Intestinal Protective Effects in Experimental Colitis in Rats
title_short AphaMax(®), an Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Aqueous Extract, Exerts Intestinal Protective Effects in Experimental Colitis in Rats
title_sort aphamax(®), an aphanizomenon flos-aquae aqueous extract, exerts intestinal protective effects in experimental colitis in rats
topic Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7760929/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33256017
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu12123635
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