Pharmacological and biological screening of ascorbigen: protection against glucose-induced endothelial cell toxicity.

Abstract

Cruciferous vegetables contain significant amounts of ascorbigen and related substances with known molecular structures. This study tested the hypothesis that ascorbigen demonstrates antioxidant properties and protects human umbilical cord endothelial cells against hyperglycemic toxicity in vitro. It was observed that ascorbigen, in micromolar concentrations, protected against endothelial cell death from glucose toxicity. Additionally, ascorbigen at 3.0 mm shifted the concentration response curve of l-phenylephrine to the right, with a reduction in the maximal contractile effects of the agonist. This action was not related to alpha-adrenoceptor blockade. Ascorbigen also relaxed the vascular tone induced by l-phenylephrine, which is not mediated by an endothelial cell nitric oxide-dependent mechanism. On the guinea-pig ileum, the spasmogenic effects of carbachol, histamine and serotonin were reduced in the presence of 3 mM ascorbigen. Spasm of the gut induced by the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, physostigmine, was antagonized by ascorbigen with an IC50 of 286 microM. This natural product also has a weak antiparasitic activity. The cytoprotective effects of ascorbigen may be highly relevant in the optimum physiological regulation of the function and the therapeutic value of this substance in disease settings needs to be further investigated.

• Authors: Mandar S Joshi, John A Bauer, Karl A Werbovetz, Todd Barszcz, Popat N Patil
• Journal: Phytotherapy research : PTR (Phytother Res) Vol. 22 Issue 12 Pg. 1581-6 (Dec 2008) ISSN: 1099-1573 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18844288 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Chemical References

• Antioxidants
• Antiprotozoal Agents
• Biological Products
• Indoles
• Phenylephrine
• Serotonin
• ascorbigen
• Histamine
• Carbachol
• Physostigmine
• Glucose
• Ascorbic Acid

Topics

• Animals
• Antioxidants (pharmacology)
• Antiprotozoal Agents (pharmacology)
• Aorta (drug effects)
• Ascorbic Acid (analogs & derivatives, pharmacology)
• Biological Products (pharmacology)
• Carbachol (pharmacology)
• Cell Survival
• Cells, Cultured
• Cytoprotection
• Endothelial Cells (drug effects)
• Glucose (toxicity)
• Guinea Pigs
• Histamine (pharmacology)
• Humans
• Ileum (drug effects)
• Indoles (pharmacology)
• Leishmania donovani (drug effects)
• Muscle Contraction (drug effects)
• Muscle, Skeletal (drug effects)
• Phenylephrine (pharmacology)
• Physostigmine (pharmacology)
• Rana catesbeiana
• Rats
• Serotonin (pharmacology)
• Trachea (drug effects)