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Excessive energy intake may evoke complex biochemical processes characterized by inflammation, oxidative stress, and impairment of mitochondrial function that represent the main factors underlying noncommunicable diseases. Because cow milk is widely used for human nutrition and in food industry processing, the nutritional quality of milk is of special interest with respect to human health. In our study, we analyzed milk produced by dairy cows fed a diet characterized by a high forage:concentrate ratio (high forage milk, HFM). In view of the low n-6:n-3 ratio and high content of conjugated linoleic acid of HFM, we studied the effects of this milk on lipid metabolism, inflammation, mitochondrial function, and oxidative stress in a rat model. To this end, we supplemented for 4 wk the diet of male Wistar rats with HFM and with an isocaloric amount (82 kJ, 22 mL/d) of milk obtained from cows fed a diet with low forage:concentrate ratio, and analyzed the metabolic parameters of the animals. Our results indicate that HFM may positively affect lipid metabolism, leptin:adiponectin ratio, inflammation, mitochondrial function, and oxidative stress, providing the first evidence of the beneficial effects of HFM on rat metabolism., (Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of study was to examine the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of adelmidrol, an analogue of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), in animal models of acute and chronic inflammation [carrageenan-induced paw edema (CAR) and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA)]. In order to elucidate whether the action of adelmidrol is related to activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR-α or PPAR-γ), we investigated the effects of PPAR-γ antagonist, GW9662 on adelmidrol mechanism. CAR induced paw edema, hyperalgesia and the activation of pro-inflammatory NF-κB pathway were markedly reduced by treatment with adelmidrol. GW9662, (administered prior to adelmidrol treatment), antagonized the effect of adelmidrol abolishing its positive action. On the contrary, the genetic absence of PPAR-α receptor did not modify the beneficial results of adelmidrol treatment in the acute model of inflammation. In addition, for the first time, we demonstrated that adelmidrol was able to ameliorate both the clinical signs and the histopathology of the joint and the hind paw during chronic inflammation. In particular, the degree of oxidative damage and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines production were significantly reduced in adelmidrol-treated mice. Moreover, in CIA model, the effect of GW9662 pre-treatment on adelmidrol mechanism was also confirmed. Thus, in this study, we report that adelmidrol reduces the development of acute and chronic inflammation and could represent a novel therapeutic approach for inflammation and pain., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common progressive joint disease in dogs and cats. The goal of OA treatment is to reduce inflammation, minimize pain, and maintain joint function. Currently, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., meloxicam) are the cornerstone of treatment for OA pain, but side effects with long-term use pose important challenges to veterinary practitioners when dealing with OA pain. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a naturally-occurring fatty acid amide, locally produced on demand by tissues in response to stress. PEA endogenous levels change during inflammatory and painful conditions, including OA, i.e., they are typically increased during acute conditions and decreased in chronic inflammation. Systemic treatment with PEA has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects in several disorders, yet data are lacking in OA. Here we tested a new composite, i.e., PEA co-ultramicronized with the natural antioxidant quercetin (PEA-Q), administered orally in two different rat models of inflammatory and OA pain, namely carrageenan paw oedema and sodium monoiodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA. Oral treatment with meloxicam was used as benchmark. Results: PEA-Q decreased inflammatory and hyperalgesic responses induced by carrageenan injection, as shown by: (i) paw oedema reduction, (ii) decreased severity in histological inflammatory score, (iii) reduced activity of myeloperoxidase, i.e., a marker of inflammatory cell infiltration, and (iv) decreased thermal hyperalgesia. Overall PEA-Q showed superior effects compared to meloxicam. In MIA-treated animals, PEA-Q exerted the following effects: (i) reduced mechanical allodynia and improved locomotor function, (ii) protected cartilage against MIA-induced histological damage, and (iii) counteracted the increased serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 beta, metalloproteases 1, 3, 9 and nerve growth factor. The magnitude of these effects was comparable to, or even greater than, those of meloxicam. Conclusion: The present findings shed new light on some of the inflammatory and nociceptive pathways and mediators targeted by PEA-Q and confirm its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects in rodent OA pain models. The translatability of these observations to canine and feline OA pain is currently under investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background & aims: Several olive oil phenolic compounds, such us oleuropein have attracted considerable attention because of their antioxidant activity, anti-atherosclerotic and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of oleuropein aglycone, a hydrolysis product of oleuropein, in a mouse model of carrageenan-induced pleurisy. Methods: Mice were anaesthetized and subjected to a skin incision at the level of the left sixth intercostals space. The underlying muscle was dissected and saline or saline containing 2% λ-carrageenan was injected into the pleural cavity. Results: Injection of carrageenan elicited an acute inflammatory response characterized by: infiltration of neutrophils in lung tissues (P < 0.01 versus sham. P < 0.01 versus carrageenan) and subsequent lipid peroxidation (P < 0.01 versus sham. P < 0.01 versus carrageenan), increased production of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β (P < 0.01 versus sham. P < 0.01 versus carrageenan), increased expression of adhesion molecules, increased synthesis of nitric oxide (P < 0.01 versus sham. P < 0.01 versus carrageenan), nitrotyrosine and poly-ADP-ribose (P < 0.01 versus sham. P < 0.01 versus carrageenan). Administration of oleuropein aglycone 30 min after the challenge with carrageenan, caused a significant reduction of all the parameters of inflammation measured. Conclusions: Thus, we propose that olive oil phenolic constituents may be useful in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Wrong alimentary behaviors and so-called "junk food" are a driving force for the rising incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among children and adults. The "junk food" toxicity can be studied in "cafeteria" (CAF) diet animal model. Young rats exposed to CAF diet become obese and rapidly develop NAFLD. We have previously showed that bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso et Poiteau) flavonoids, in the form of bergamot polyphenol fraction (BPF), effectively prevent CAF diet-induced NAFLD in rats. Here, we addressed if BPF can accelerate therapeutic effects of weight loss induced by a normocaloric standard chow (SC) diet. 21 rats fed with CAF diet for 16 weeks to induce NAFLD with inflammatory features (NASH) were divided into three groups. Two groups were switched to SC diet supplemented or not with BPF (CAF/SC±BPF), while one group continued with CAF diet (CAF/CAF) for 10 weeks. BPF had no effect on SC diet-induced weight loss, but it accelerated hepatic lipid droplets clearance and reduced blood triglycerides. Accordingly, BPF improved insulin sensitivity, but had little effect on leptin levels. Interestingly, the inflammatory parameters were still elevated in CAF/SC livers compared to CAF/CAF group after 10 weeks of dietary intervention, despite over 90% hepatic fat reduction. In contrast, BPF supplementation decreased hepatic inflammation by reducing interleukin 6 (Il6) mRNA expression and increasing anti-inflammatory Il10, which correlated with fewer Kupffer cells and lower inflammatory foci score in CAF/SC+BPF livers compared to CAF/SC group. These data indicate that BPF mediates a specific anti-inflammatory activity in livers recovering from NASH, while it boosts lipid-lowering and anti-diabetic effects of the dietary intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several olive oil phenolic compounds, such us oleuropein have attracted considerable attention because of their antioxidant activity, anti-atherosclerotic and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this experimental study was to determine the effect of oleuropein aglycone, a hydrolysis product of oleuropein, in the inflammatory response, in particular in the secondary injury associated with the mouse model of spinal cord trauma. The injury was induced by application of vascular clips to the dura via a four-level T5–T8 laminectomy in mice. Oleuropein aglycone was administered in mice (100μg/kg, 40μg/kg, 20μg/kg, 10% ethanol, i.p.) 1h and 6h after the trauma. The treatment with oleuropein aglycone significantly decreased: (1) histological damage, (2) motor recovery, (3) nuclear factor (NF)-κB expression and IKB-α degradation, (4) protein kinase A (PKA) activity and expression, (5) pro-inflammatory cytokines production such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), 6) inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, (7) neutrophil infiltration, (8) lipid peroxidation, (9) nitrotyrosine and poly-ADP-ribose (PAR) formation, (10) glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) levels, (11) apoptosis (TUNEL staining, FAS ligand expression, Caspase 3, Bax and Bcl-2 expression). Thus, we propose that olive oil phenolic constituents such as oleuropein aglycone may be useful in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]