Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 11, Issue 14, 2011

This special issue of Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry is based on the elucidation of various mechanisms of action of antioxidants present in human diet and on their potential use for attaining a healthy status. The highlights of this topic are illustrated in the next paragraphs. Puertollano and associates point out the ability of dietary antioxidants to modulate the immune response under antigenic pressure. Macrophages (M Read More

Natural antioxidants may be defined as molecules that prevent cell damage against free radicals and are critical for maintaining optimum health in both animals and humans. In all living systems, cells require adequate levels of antioxidant defenses in order to avoid the harmful effect of an excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and to prevent damage to the immune cells. During the inflammatory processes, Read More

Oxidative stress and inflammatory responses sustained for a long period of time cause many diseases. A proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of chronic and autoimmune diseases. The present review, supplemented by hitherto unpublished data of the authors and their coworkers, shows that the intake of polyphenols contained in natural sources, such as hydroxy Read More

Polyphenols are ubiquitous compounds present in the vegetal kingdom and endowed with an array of beneficial activities to human health. In this review, the effects of dietary polyphenols on the prevention and/or mitigation of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis will be illustrated. Moreover, emphasis will be placed on our own data concerning the in vitro effects performed by p Read More

Oxidative stress has been involved in the aetiology of hypertension, insulin resistance, the metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions. Several epidemiological studies suggest that a diet rich in natural antioxidants is associated with protective effects against major diseases, especially cardiovascular disease. The Mediterranean diet is rich in fat and foods with important antioxidant properties, such a Read More

Kiwifruit are nutrient-dense fruit with a reputation for promoting good health. Although this could be attributed to the high vitamin C content of kiwifruit, other phytochemicals could also provide health benefits. Kiwifruit are commonly reported to be a good source of vitamin E and in addition contain phenolics and carotenoids. The antioxidant properties of kiwifruit have received attention as possible mechanisms for their healt Read More

A large body of evidence has described the antioxidant properties of phytochemicals such as PolyPhenols (PP) in different in vitro and ex vivo models. PP have been shown to scavenge oxygen and nitrogen derived free radicals, modulating antioxidant enzymes and cellular redox transcription factors. Dietary intervention studies have shown that consumption of plant foods modulate plasma Non Enzymatic Antioxid Read More

Rice bran contains important bioactive phytochemicals. Among these phytochemicals, steryl ferulates including γ-oryzanol and its major components such as cycloartenyl ferulate (CAF), 24-methylenecycloartanyl ferulate (24- mCAF), β-sitosteryl ferulate (β-SF), and campesteryl ferulate have been intensively studied due to their crucial roles in pathological processes. On the basis of experimental studies published Read More

We describe here physiological formation of a unique nitrated cyclic nucleotide, 8-nitroguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-nitro-cGMP) and its potent antioxidant activity. Our earlier studies revealed the NO-dependent guanine nitration in several types of cells. In fact, we identified physiological formation and functions of 8-nitro-cGMP, which is the first demonstration of a new second messenger derived from cGMP i Read More

Cardiovascular disease represents an unparalleled proportion of the global burden of disease and will remain the main cause of mortality for the near future. Fortunately, most premature cardiovascular deaths are preventable. Therefore, prevention becomes vital and diet has shown beneficial effects to protect from CVD (CVD). Fruits and vegetables are dietary sources of natural antioxidants and it is generally accept Read More