Crepidiastrum Denticulatum Extract
Crepidiastrum denticulatum , a member of the Asteraceae family that is also known as Youngia denticulatum , is traditionally consumed as a vegetable in Korea. The plant is known to confer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity as well as protective effects. Air pollutants exact a toll on the skin, promoting the development of acne, atopic dermatitis, pigmentary changes, and wrinkles. C denticulatum is seen on skin cream labels as Pollux CD to help shield the skin against various stressors found in air pollution, including particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons containing benzo[a]pyrene, heavy metals, and ultraviolet (UV) B radiation. C denticulatum is included in anti-aging skin care (and found in Zerafite Wrinkle Defense Barrier Cream) because it has been found to increase autophagy and decrease cellular senescence. This column focuses on the available evidence that supports the use of this natural extract in skin care.
Leslie S. Baumann, MD
Autophagy and Protection Against Skin Pollution
In 2019, Yoon et al. screened numerous natural extracts to quantify their autophagy activation efficacy in cultured dermal fibroblasts, given the spate of evidence that autophagy activation can protect the skin from oxidation-induced cellular damage and signs of aging. Cells treated by C denticulatum extracts demonstrated the greatest autophagic vacuole development in the noncytotoxic range. The investigators reported that C denticulatum treatment yielded the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate kinase, although it did not suppress the mammalian target of rapamycin. They also assessed the anti-pollution activity of the extract using model substances, benzo[a]pyrene and cadmium chloride, with the C denticulatum extract treatment of the skin, particularly as anti-inflammatory, antipollution cosmetic agents.
Anti-aging
In 2020, Park et al. studied the influence of various UVB radiation levels on the development of the functional constituents of C denticulatum . They observed that none of the UVB levels (0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.25 W m-2) conferred negative effects on shoot dry weight after 6 days of 6-h exposure. Shoot fresh weight was suppressed by the higher energy treatments (1.0 and 1.25 W m-2). Total carotenoid content was elevated by 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 W m-2 energy levels. Antioxidant capacity, hydroxycinnamic acid content, and multiple sesquiterpenes were augmented on day 4 by 0.25 W m-2 treatment. The researchers determined that they had identified the potential of 0.25 W m-2 UVB to efficiently synthesize bioactive constituents of C denticulatum without suppressing growth.
In a 2015 study, Kim et al. investigated the impact of various youngiaside extracts on extrinsic aging. In evaluating the molecular mechanisms of the extracts in UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes and human dermal fibroblasts, they found that the C denticulatum constituents reduced matrix metalloproteinase expression and production. Collagen expression and synthesis were also increased in human dermal fibroblasts. Furthermore, the investigators observed that the extracts significantly enhanced the antioxidant enzyme expression, thus down-regulating the reactive oxygen species generated by UVB exposure. Other notable results included decreased phosphorylation of I-kappa-B-alphaand IKK alpha/beta , suppressed nuclear factor kappa-B (NF kappa-B) p65 nuclear translocation, and robust inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators. The investigators concluded that the tested substances found in C denticulatum have the potential to prevent and treat cutaneous aging.
Animal Studies Indicate Protective Benefits
In 2014, Ahn et al. found that an ethanol extract of C denticulatum significantly shielded retinal ganglion cells from eradication caused by optic nerve crush in a mouse model of glaucoma. They also determined that the primary active constituents of the herbal extract were the hydroxycinnamic acids chicoric acid and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, which have demonstrated the capacity to protect from retinal damage in multiple in vivo and in vitro studies.
Later in 2014, Yoo et al. reported on the antioxidant and detoxifying activity of C denticulatum extracts. The researchers found that the botanical agent exerted hepatoprotective benefits against chronic alcohol-induced liver damage in rats. Specifically, rats treated with C denticulatum experienced substantial attenuation of fatty liver symptoms, with normalization of antioxidative capacity and lipid peroxidation of the liver. The functions of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase were also restored through treatment with C denticulatum .
More recently, in 2018, the oral administration of a C denticulatum extract was found to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in improving acute renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.
Conclusion
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The Genetic Mystery of Why Cats Purr May Finally Be Solved
A study from Japan has identified potential genes behind cat purrs, and the discovery could help us understand why our furry companions make these contented rumblings. Despite humanity's long relationship with domestic cats (Felis catus), the purr remains mysterious, and its purpose is still up for debate. So is whether similar vocal vibrations in big cats also count as purrs, or if the phenomenon is unique to the smaller members of the cat family. The new information may eventually help solve some of these outstanding questions. Analyzing the DNA and owner-reported behavior of 280 domestic cats, Kyoto University biologist Yume Okamoto and colleagues identified a gene linked to purring and other forms of cat vocalizations. Cats with short-type androgen receptor genes were reported to purr more by their owners than those with a long-type. Male cats with this short-type gene were also reported to be more vocal towards humans. Androgen receptors mainly regulate testosterone, so the length of the gene likely influences testosterone-related behaviors, which include vocalization. By examining this gene across 11 cat species, the researchers found the long-type version was only present in domestic cats. Even their closest relatives, the fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), did not have the longer forms of the gene, suggesting it arose during cat domestication. Previous research found pure-bred cats are more likely to have the long-type gene than mixed-breed cats, which often began life as strays. As such, the researchers suspect cats consistently raised by humans aren't as dependent on vocal communication for their survival, allowing cats with the long-type genetic variation to survive in the pure-bred population. "This result aligns with the association between purring and vocal communication as strategies for seeking attention or support, benefiting survival through interactions with both cats and humans," Okamoto and team write in their paper. Cats also purr when they are severely injured, so some researchers have proposed purring could be a healing mechanism too. A few years ago, researchers found squishy pads in cat vocal cords produce the low-pitched vibrations without muscle contractions, so the 25- to 30-Hz rumble is, to some extent, automated. We're gradually getting a better understanding of this soothing cat behavior. "Through our research, we hope to deepen our understanding of cats and contribute to building happier relationships between cats and humans," says Okamoto. This research was published in PLOS One. There's an Invisible Line That Animals Don't Cross. Here's Why. Dehorning Rhinos Cuts Poaching by 78% – Saving Thousands of Animals' Lives Worms Use Their Bodies to Build Towers as a Wild Survival Strategy
CNN
5 hours ago
- CNN
Why men with broken heart syndrome are more likely to die than women
Heart disease Chronic diseasesFacebookTweetLink Follow Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. A 59-year-old man arrived at the Peking University First Hospital in Beijing for a procedure when he started having severe chest pain and shortness of breath. Four months earlier, he had cancerous tumors removed from his bladder. Around his family, he tried his best to appear strong and avoided discussions of his health. Privately, his severe anxiety over the possibility of a cancer recurrence kept him awake at night. Doctors said the man was experiencing takotsubo cardiomyopathy — also known as broken heart syndrome, as documented in a 2021 case study. The rare stress-induced heart condition has been observed primarily in women, but a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in May found that the illness may be more deadly for the men who get it. Thought to be caused by extreme emotional or physical events — such as learning about the death of a loved one, winning the lottery or lifting a heavy sofa — takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or TC, occurs when the heart muscle is flooded with stress hormones, causing part of it to 'freeze' in place. As the heart struggles to properly pump blood, symptoms resemble those of a heart attack, including chest pain, heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat. The new study analyzed data from nearly 200,000 patients hospitalized for TC in the United States between 2016 and 2020. While women accounted for 83% of the cases, men were more than twice as likely to die from the condition — with a mortality rate of 11.2%. 'The differences between men and women are a very striking finding,' said study coauthor Dr. Mohammad Reza Movahed, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson. 'It raises a new, interesting question that should really be studied.' Similar to differences between men's and women's cardiovascular health more generally, the discrepancies in TC death rates are not well understood, Movahed said, especially because they counter trends in other heart diseases. It's widely theorized, however, that differences in hormone levels play a role. Stressful situations trigger the adrenal glands to release our fight-or-flight hormones, called catecholamines. They are meant to increase our blood pressure and raise our heart rate, but extreme levels can temporarily 'stun' cells in the heart's tissue, leading to TC, Movahed explained. Men are thought to produce more catecholamines during stressful situations compared with women, possibly leading men to present with more severe cases of TC, he suggested. Estrogen, a sex hormone produced at higher levels in women, may also have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system, making it easier to manage an extreme influx of catecholamines and reducing the risk of severe complications from TC, said Dr. Louis Vincent, a noninvasive-cardiology research fellow at the University of Miami, who coauthored a similar, multiyear study investigating discrepancies in men and women who had TC. Vincent was not involved in the new study. Beyond biological differences, social factors may play a role as well. 'Most (physicians) know about takotsubo, but they may think of it as a disease just affecting women, so the diagnosis might be overlooked in men,' said Dr. Deepak Bhatt, a cardiologist and the director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital who was not involved in the study. 'With misdiagnosis, care is delayed, and that can sometimes lead to worse outcomes.' Men may also seek care at a later stage of illness, believing that their symptoms are manageable or may pass, said Dr. Alejandro Lemor, an assistant professor of interventional cardiology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center who was also not involved in the study. Deadly complications from TC include blood clots, stroke, cardiac arrest and heart failure, Lemor said. If the condition is caught early, medications can reduce the risk of having these complications, restore proper heart function and allow for full recovery within weeks, he added. Movahed's team was able to factor for important variables like age, race, income, chronic lung disease, hypertension and diabetes in the findings. However, there was no patient data on other comorbid diseases, such as a history of stroke or the presence of a Covid-19 infection, Vincent said. Additionally, the new study included in-patient diagnostic data only for those hospitalized with TC, so those who received outpatient care or died later from complications outside the hospital were likely not counted in the analysis, Movahed noted. To establish a firmer explanation for the differences in mortality rates between men and women and further test treatment methods, a more detailed dataset would be needed, Vincent said. 'People should be aware in studies like this, we're presenting findings that are based on diagnostic codes, and we're not looking at patient procedures or lab results,' Vincent said. 'But it's powerful in the sense that it lets us look at large populations and look at trends. And I think that this trend of a higher mortality in men is worth taking a deeper look into.' Sudden, severe chest pain or shortness of breath should always be treated as a medical emergency, warned Bhatt, who is also a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. 'It's not a time to tough it out at home or get on the internet to figure it out. … Don't try to track down your primary care provider. Call emergency services,' Bhatt said. 'Time matters. By winning those few hours, you could save yourself irreparable damage to your heart.' Symptoms following physical stressors — a common cause of TC in men — should not be ignored, Movahed said, especially preceding medical events such as asthma attacks, seizures or complications from drug use. And while TC is caused by sudden stress, Bhatt said that managing chronic stress with daily meditation or exercise can lead to better cardiovascular health overall while giving you routines to fall back on in unexpected situations.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Never quit the lunar quest' was this moon mission's motto. Here's its tragic tale
Editor's note: A version of this story appeared in CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. As scientists search for worlds that may be habitable for life, they've discovered a type that is common in the universe — but doesn't exist in our own solar system. These enigmatic planets are called sub-Neptunes, which are larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. An April study catapulted one such world, named K2-18b, into the spotlight. Astronomers at the University of Cambridge claimed they detected molecules in the planet's atmosphere that might be biosignatures — markers of biological activity that could hint at past or present life. Now, other groups of astronomers have looked at the same data and disagree with the findings, saying there is more to the story. The twists and turns in the ongoing conversation around planet K2-18b showcase why the search for evidence of life beyond Earth is so difficult. Indeed, persistence is everything when it comes to space investigation. 'Never quit the lunar quest' was the motto underpinning a high-stakes mission that aimed to touch down on the moon Thursday. But Tokyo-based Ispace lost contact with its vehicle at the time it should have landed. The Resilience spacecraft was Ispace's second bid at a soft lunar landing. The company's previous try with the Hakuto-R lunar lander crashed into the moon in April 2023. 'This is our second failure, and about these results, we have to really take it seriously,' said Ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada of the nail-biting attempt. Ispace has its work cut out for it, but it isn't giving up. New research combining artificial intelligence with radiocarbon dating is changing the way scholars think about the Dead Sea Scrolls. Bedouin shepherds first spotted the scrolls in 1947 within a cave in the Judaean Desert. Archaeologists then recovered thousands of scroll fragments, including the oldest copies of the Hebrew Bible, from 11 caves near the site of Khirbat Qumran. 'They completely changed the way we think about ancient Judaism and early Christianity,' said lead study author Mladen Popović, a dean at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Scholars thought the roughly 1,000 manuscripts, written mostly on parchment and papyrus, ranged from the third century BC to the second century AD. But some of the scrolls, which serve as a crucial intellectual time capsule, could be much older, the new analysis suggests. A World War I-era submarine was lost at sea off California's coast nearly 108 years ago, killing 19 crew members. Now, researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have captured never-before-seen deep-sea imagery of the wreckage. The plague pandemic known as the Black Death killed at least 25 million people across medieval Europe over five years. The culprit behind the disease is a bacterium called Yersinia pestis, which has led to three major plague outbreaks since the first century AD — and it still exists today. How has the plague persisted for centuries? Changes to one gene in the bacterium created new, less deadly strains that kept hosts alive longer so it could keep spreading. The weaker strains have since gone extinct, according to new research. But the findings could yield key clues to help scientists manage the current bacterium's dominant lineage, which is of the deadlier variety. If you've ever walked through a fruit orchard, you might have been steps away from a living tower of worms. That's what researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Konstanz in Germany found when they inspected rotten pears and apples. Hundreds of the microscopic worms, called nematodes, climbed on top of one another to form structures 10 times their size — even making a twisting 'arm' to sense the environment — leading scientists to question what's driving the behavior. 'What we got was more than just some worms standing on top of each other,' said senior study author Serena Ding, a Max Planck research group leader of genes and behavior. 'It's a coordinated superorganism, acting and moving as a whole.' These stories will pique your curiosity: — For over a century, astronomers thought the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies would collide in 4.5 billion years, but new telescope observations may change that. However, another galaxy could entangle with ours sooner. — Archaeologists who uncovered the remains of an ancient Mayan complex in Guatemala named the site after two humanlike rock figures that are believed to represent an 'ancestral couple,' according to the country's Ministry of Culture and Sport. — A fossil of the earliest known bird that was kept in a private collection for decades has provided scientists with 'one 'Wow!' after another,' including the first flight feathers seen in an Archaeopteryx specimen, said Dr. Jingmai O'Connor, associate curator of fossil reptiles at the Field Museum. Like what you've read? Oh, but there's more. Sign up here to receive in your inbox the next edition of Wonder Theory, brought to you by CNN Space and Science writers Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt and Jackie Wattles. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.
