Protective Effects of Ligularia fischeri and Aronia melanocarpa Extracts on Alcoholic Liver Disease (In Vitro and In Vivo Study)

Hepatic protective effects of Ligularia fischeri (LF) and Aronia melanocarpa (AM) against alcohol were investigated in vitro and in vivo test. LF, AM, and those composed mixing material (LF+AM) were treated in HepG2 cell. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities were significantly increased in each singleness extract and mixed composite. The protective effect on alcoholic liver damage was investigated by animal models. Serum alcohol level and acetaldehyde level were significantly decreased by LF+AM treatment in acute experimental model. In the chronic mouse model study, we had found that the increased plasma liver damage index (alkaline phosphatase) by alcohol treatment was declined by oral administration of LF+AM extraction composite. As well as, it was identified that the protection effect was induced by increasing catalase activity and suppressing COX-2, TNF-α, MCP-1, and IL-6 mRNA expressions. CYP2E1 mRNA expression was also increased. These results suggest that oral ingestion of LF and AM mixed composite is able to protect liver against alcohol-induced injury by increasing alcohol metabolism activity and antioxidant system along with decreasing inflammatory responses.

Acetaldehyde at Clinically Relevant Concentrations Inhibits Inward Rectifier Potassium Current IK1 in Rat Ventricular Myocytes

Considering the effects of alcohol on cardiac electrical behavior as well as the important role of the inward rectifier potassium current IK1 in arrhythmogenesis, this study was aimed at the effect of acetaldehyde, the primary metabolite of ethanol, on IK1 in rat ventricular myocytes. Acetaldehyde induced a reversible inhibition of IK1 with IC50 = 53.7±7.7 µM at –110 mV; a significant inhibition was documented even at clinically-relevant concentrations (at 3 µM by 13.1±3.0 %). The inhibition was voltage-independent at physiological voltages above –90 mV. The IK1 changes under acetaldehyde may contribute to alcohol-induced alterations of cardiac electrophysiology, especially in individuals with a genetic defect of aldehyde dehydrogenase where the acetaldehyde level may be elevated.

Acetaldehyde/ethanol breath test for identifying people at high risk of upper aerodigestive tract cancer.

18 Background: Alcohol drinking increases the risk of upper aerodigestive tract cancer, and acetaldehyde (a metabolite of alcohol) is a definite carcinogen for this type of cancer. Acetaldehyde is formed mainly by the oxidation of ethanol by alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) and is eliminated by aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in the liver. About 50% of Asian people have the ALDH2*2 variant allele, which encodes an inactive enzyme. Those with the ALDH2*2 allele and an alcohol drinking habit are at definite risk of esophageal and head and neck cancers. Genetic testing is the most reliable method for identifying the ALDH2 genotype, but it is not practical for mass screening because of the cost and time. Therefore, we have established a simple method to identify the ALDH2 genotype by analyzing breath samples. Methods: One hundred seven consecutive healthy Japanese volunteers participated in this study. After providing informed consent, participants drank 100 ml of 0.5% ethanol in a single gulp. Breath samples were collected with originally developed simple gasbags before the alcohol was consumed, and 1, 2, and 5 minutes later. The concentrations of acetaldehyde and ethanol in the bag were measured by high-sensitivity gas chromatography. The ALDH2 and ADH1B genotypes of all participants were confirmed using blood DNA. The relationships between acetaldehyde level and genotypes were determined. Results: The frequencies of ALDH2*1/*1, ALDH2*1/*2, and ALDH2*2/*2 were 46.7%, 43.9%, and 9.3%, respectively. The breath acetaldehyde levels at 1 minute after alcohol ingestion were 89.2 (18.1–399.0) ppb in those with ALDH2*1/*1, 346.3 (78.4–1218.4) ppb in those with ALDH2*1/*2, and 537.1 (213.2–1353.8) ppb in those with ALDH2*2/*2. The breath acetaldehyde level was significantly higher in the ALDH2*2 carrier group regardless of the ADH1B genotype (P<0.001). Setting the cutoff for the acetaldehyde/ethanol ratio at 22.3×10–3 to include ALDH2*2 carriers yielded an accuracy for the detection of ALDH2*2 carriers of 96.3% (95% CI: 91.5–96.9%), sensitivity of 100%, and specificity of 92%. Conclusions: Our breath test may be a convenient screening tool for identifying those at high risk of upper aerodigestive tract cancer.

Effect of addition of starches of different botanical origin on the yogurt gel properties

The aim of the present study was to estimate an effect of addition of different starches (potato, maize, waxy maize and tapioca) on the sensoric properties as well as selected physicochemical properties of set-style yogurts. Sensoric evaluation comprised: color, taste, smell, consistency and general appearance. pH value, titration acidity, degree of syneresis by centrifuge and FIL/IDF methods, content of acetaldehyde and diacetyl were also estimated. All analyses were done on fresh yogurts and after 1 week and 3 weeks of storage at 4?C. It was stated that natural (not supplemented with any starch) yogurt and that fortified with waxy maize starch were characterized with the best sensoric properties. Moreover the latter one was found to maintain the highest acetaldehyde level after 3 weeks of storage. Also maize starch influenced higher level of this aromatic compound. Generally starch additives resulted also in lower acidity of yogurts during the first period of cold storage. Products with maize and tapioca starches demonstrated the highest resistance to whey separation.