Investigation into the antioxidant activity and chemical composition of alcoholic extracts from defatted marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) residue. Gong Ying,Liu Xuan,He Wen-Hao,Xu Hong-Gao,Yuan Fang,Gao Yan-Xiang Fitoterapia The influence of various solvents on the yield of polyphenols from defatted marigold residue, the antioxidant activity of the extracts and the composition of antioxidant compounds in the extracts were investigated. The content of total phenolics and flavonoids in the extracts was significantly varied with different solvents (P<0.05) and the extract by ethyl alcohol (EtOH)/water (7:3, v/v) has the highest content of total phenolics and flavonoids, 62.33 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g and 97.00 mg rutin equivalent (RE)/g, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated by radical (2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)) scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The results of the correlation analysis showed that the antioxidant activity was well correlated with the content of total phenolics and flavonoids (R²>0.900). Antioxidant components in the extracts were identified by combined on-line HPLC-ABTS·+ post-column assay and HPLC-DAD-MS method. Gallic acid, gallicin, quercetagetin, 6-hydroxykaempferol-O-hexoside, patuletin-O-hexoside and quercetin were the dominant antioxidant compounds in the extracts, and quercetagetin was identified as the strongest antioxidant capacity. 10.1016/j.fitote.2011.12.013

Constituents of French Marigold (Tagetes patula L.) Flowers Protect Jurkat T-Cells against Oxidative Stress. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity The flowers of French marigold (Tagetes patula L.) are widely used in folk medicine, in particular for treating inflammation-related disorders. However, cellular mechanisms of this activity demand further investigation. In the present work, we studied the potential of T. patula compounds to alleviate the oxidative stress in hydrogen peroxide-challenged human lymphoblastoid Jurkat T-cells. Crude extracts of marigold flowers and purified fractions containing flavonoids patuletin, quercetagetin, and quercetin and their derivatives, as well as the carotenoid lutein, were brought in contact with Jurkat cells challenged with 25 or 50 μM H2O2. Hydrogen peroxide caused oxidative stress in the cells, manifested as generation of superoxide and peroxyl radicals, reduced viability, arrested cell cycle, and enhanced apoptosis. The stress was alleviated by marigold ingredients that demonstrated high radical-scavenging capacity and enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes involved in neutralization of reactive oxygen species. Flavonoid fraction rich in quercetin and quercetagetin showed the highest cytoprotective activity, while patuletin in high dose exerted a cytotoxic effect associated with its anticancer potential. T. patula compounds enhanced the production of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant interleukin-10 (IL-10) in Jurkat cells. Both direct radical-scavenging capacity and stimulation of protective cellular mechanisms can underlay the anti-inflammatory properties of marigold flowers. 10.1155/2016/4216285

Inhibition of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone-induced melanogenesis and molecular mechanisms by polyphenol-enriched fraction of Tagetes erecta L. flower. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology BACKGROUND:The pursuit for safe and efficacious skin-whitening agents has prompted a dedicated exploration of plant-derived compounds. Notably, Tagetes erecta L. flowers have been used as a medicinal extract and possessed in vitro mushroom tyrosinase activity. However, whether polyphenol-enriched fraction extracted from T. erecta L. flowers (TE) regulates melanogenesis within cellular and animal models has not yet been investigated. PURPOSE:This study aimed to investigate the effect of TE as a prospective inhibitor of melanogenesis. METHODS:Through advanced UPLC-QTof/MS analysis, the components of TE were analyzed. Anti-melanogenic effects of TE were evaluated in α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16F10 melanoma cells by measuring cell viability assay, extracellular and intracellular melanin biosynthesis, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production, and melanogenesis-related gene and protein expression. Zebrafish larvae were employed for in vivo studies, assessing both heart rate and melanogenesis. Furthermore, molecular docking analyses were employed to predict the interaction between TE components and the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R). Direct binding activity of TE components to MC1R was compared with [Nle, d-Phe]-MSH (NDP-MSH). RESULTS:TE was found to contain significant phenolic compounds such as patulitrin, quercetagetin, kaempferol, patuletin, and isorhamnetin. This study revealed that TE effectively inhibits melanin biosynthesis in both in vitro and in vivo models. This inhibition was attributed to interference of TE with the cAMP-cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF)-tyrosinase pathway, which plays a pivotal role in regulating melanogenesis. Importantly, TE exhibited the remarkable ability to curtail α-MSH-induced melanogenesis in zebrafish larvae without impacting heart rates. Molecular docking analyses predicted that the components of TE possibly interact with the melanocortin 1 receptor, suggesting their role as potential inhibitors of melanin biosynthesis. However, through the direct binding activity compared with NDP-MSH, any TE components did not directly bind to MC1R, suggesting that TE inhibits α-MSH-induced melanogenesis by inhibiting the cAMP-mediated intracellular signaling pathway. The assessment of anti-melanogenic activity, conducted both in vitro and in vivo, revealed that patulitrin and patuletin exhibited significant inhibitory effects on melanin formation, highlighting their potency as major contributors. DISCUSSION:This investigation demonstrated the considerable potential of TE as a natural remedy endowed with remarkable anti-melanogenic properties. The demonstrated capacity of TE to attenuate melanin production by modulating the cAMP-CREB-MITF-tyrosinase pathway underscores its central role in management of disorders associated with excessive pigmentation. Importantly, the implications of these findings extend to the cosmetics industry, where TE emerges as a prospective and valuable ingredient for the formulation of skin-whitening products. The elucidated interactions between TE components and MC1R not only provide insight into a potential mechanism of action but also elevate the significance of this study. In summary, this study not only contributes to our comprehension of pigmentation-related conditions but also firmly establishes TE as a secure and natural strategy for the regulation of melanin production. The innovative aspects of TE propel it into the forefront of potential interventions, marking a noteworthy advancement in the pursuit of effective and safe solutions for pigmentation disorders. 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155442

Lutein/Zeaxanthin Isomers and Quercetagetin Combination Safeguards the Retina from Photo-Oxidative Damage by Modulating Neuroplasticity Markers and the Nrf2 Pathway. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) Exposure to light-emitting diode (LED) light is a primary cause of retinal damage, resulting in vision loss. Several plant-derived substances, such as lutein and quercetagetin (QCG), show promise in supporting eye health. In this study, the impact of lutein/zeaxanthin (L/Z, Lutemax 2020) and QCG were evaluated individually and together in a rat model of LED-induced retinal damage. A total of 63 Wistar rats were allocated into nine groups ( = 7). For 28 days, the rats received L/Z (10 or 20 mg/kg BW), quercetin (QC, 20 mg/kg BW), QCG (10 or 20 mg/kg BW), or a mixture of different lutein and QCG dosages, after which they were exposed to LED light for 48 h. LED exposure led to a spike in serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and inflammatory cytokines, as well as an increase in retinal NF-κB, ICAM, GFAP, and MCP-1 levels ( < 0.0001 for all). It also reduced serum antioxidant enzyme activities and retinal Nrf2, HO-1, GAP43, NCAM, and outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness ( < 0.0001 for all). However, administering L/Z and QCG, particularly a 1:1 combination of L/Z and QCG at 20 mg/kg, effectively reversed these changes. The treatment suppressed NF-κB, ICAM, GFAP, and MCP-1 while enhancing Nrf2, HO-1, GAP43, and NCAM and preventing ONL thickness reduction in LED-induced retinal damage rats. In conclusion, while LED light exposure caused retinal damage, treatment with L/Z, QC, and QCG, particularly a combined L/Z and QCG regimen, exhibited protective effects on the retina. This is possibly due to the modulation of neuroplasticity markers and nuclear transcription factors in the rats' retinal cells. 10.3390/ph16111543

Quercetagetin alleviates zearalenone-induced liver injury in rabbits through Keap1/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway. Frontiers in pharmacology This study aimed to assess the alleviative effect of quercetagetin (QG) on zearalenone (ZEN)-induced liver injury in rabbits. Ninety 41-day-old healthy Hyla rabbits were randomly assigned into three groups, including a control (fed with basic diet), ZEN addition group (fed with basic diet + 600 μg/kg ZEN), and ZEN + QG addition group (fed with basic diet + 600 μg/kg ZEN + 100 mg/kg QG), with 30 rabbits per group. The duration of the experiment was 28 days. The results revealed no significant differences in the average daily gain, average daily feed intake, the gain to feed ratio and the liver, kidney and spleen organ indexes ( > 0.05) between the rabbits across the three groups. However, the sacculus rotundus index of the rabbits in the control group was significantly higher than that in the ZEN + QG group ( < 0.05). The intake of ZEN-contaminated diet also significantly increased the activities or levels of alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total bile acid (TBA), total bilirubin, malondialdehyde, and interleukin-4 (IL-4) and enhanced the abundance of kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 , heat shock protein 70 and cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 mRNA in the blood or liver tissue in ZEN group, compared to the control group ( < 0.05). On the contrary, the activities or levels of immunoglobulin A, complement 3, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase, interleukin-10, and the abundance of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 and heme oxygenase-1 mRNA were significantly decreased ( < 0.05). Supplementing the diet with QG still maintained significantly higher levels of TBA and IL-4, and the abundance of and mRNA in the blood and liver of rabbits in the ZEN + QG group than in the control group ( < 0.05). At the same time, the other indicators were restored to levels in the control group ( > 0.05). In conclusion, QG alleviated the ZEN-induced oxidative damage and liver injury caused by inflammatory reaction through the Keap1-Nrf2-antioxidant response element (ARE) signal pathway, which protected the liver. This study revealed the alleviative effect of QG on the hepatotoxicity of ZEN in rabbits for the first time, providing a new perspective for applying QG and developing a ZEN antidote. 10.3389/fphar.2023.1271384