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Research: BAGCHI and colleagues,
Listed in Issue 61
Abstract
BAGCHI and colleagues, Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, Creighton University School of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA debsis@bluejay.creighton.edu assessed the free radical scavenging ability of a novel grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) in comparison with vitamins C and E and beta-carotene.
Background
Free radical agents have been implicated in over a hundred disease conditions in humans, including arthritis, coronary artery disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and AIDS. Antioxidants are potent scavengers of free radicals, and a large number of synthetic and naturally occurring antioxidants have shown beneficial effects on human health and in disease prevention.
Methodology
Both in vitro and in vivo models were used to compare the free radical scavenging activity of GSPE with that of vitamins C and E and beta-carotene.
Results
GSPE was found to be highly bioavailable, and showed significantly greater protection against free radical agents and free radical-induced lipid peroxidation and DNA damage than vitamins C and E and beta-carotene . GSPE was toxic towards human breast, lung and gastric adenocarcinoma (cancer) cells, while enhancing the growth and viability of normal human gastric mucosal cells. GSPE provided significantly better protection than vitamins C and E and beta-carotene against tobacco-induced oxidative cell stress and apoptotic cell death in human oral keratinocytes . GSPE effectively protected against acetaminophen (paracetamol) overdose-induced liver and kidney damage ; myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury; and myocardial infarction (heart attack ) in rats. GSPE upregulated the bcl(2) gene and downregulated the c-myc oncogene, genes involved the prevention and initiation of tumour formation respectively. Application of GSPE to the skin enhances the sun protection factor in humans. GSPE supplementation has a beneficial effect on chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) in humans.
Conclusion
The findings indicate that GSPE provides excellent protection against oxidative stress and free radical-mediated tissue injury.
References
Bagchi D et al. Free radicals and grape seed proanthocyanidin extract: importance in human health and disease prevention. Toxicology 148 (2-3): 187-97. Aug 2000.
