Search

Middle age is increasingly accepted as a key period during which individuals are susceptible to the effect of environmental and lifestyle factors. Emerging research indicates that dietary factors play a crucial role in brain health and cognitive function, and studies in both animals and humans have demonstrated that dietary interventions can mitigate cognitive impairment. Specifically, magnesium has been shown to enhance learning and memory, and magnesium deficiency is associated with impaired hippocampal-dependent memory formation in animal studies. The aim of this study was to examine if supplementation with a magnesium-rich marine mineral blend (MMB) could alter middle-age-related cognitive impairment. Young and middle-aged rats were given access to a control diet or an experimental diet formulated with an MMB for 4 weeks before undergoing a series of behavioral assessments. Supplementation of MMB to middle-aged rats rescued a deficit in cognitive impairment, specifically a pattern separation paradigm that is sensitive to alterations in a type of brain plasticity called neurogenesis. It had no effect on general activity in the open field or performance on other hippocampal-associated tasks. Changes in cognitive function occur as a predictable consequence of aging. Research into whether modification of dietary factors, such as this MMB, may play a role in the prevention of age-related cognitive impairment warrants further investigation.

Modern advances in molecular medicine have led to reframing osteoarthritis as a metabolically active, inflammatory disorder with local and systemic contributing factors. According to the ‘inflammatory theory’ of osteoarthritis, immune response to an initial damage is the key trigger that leads to progressive joint destruction. Several intertwined pathways are known to induce and govern articular inflammation, cartilage matrix degradation, and subchondral bone changes. Effective treatments capable of halting or delaying the progression of osteoarthritis remain elusive. As a result, supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate are commonly used despite the lack of scientific consensus. A novel option for adjunctive therapy of osteoarthritis is LithoLexal®, a marine-derived, mineral-rich extract, that exhibited significant efficacy in clinical trials. LithoLexal® has a lattice microstructure containing a combination of bioactive rare minerals. Mechanistic research suggests that this novel treatment possesses various potential disease-modifying properties, such as suppression of nuclear factor kappa-B, interleukin 1β, tumour necrosis factor α, and cyclooxygenase-2. Accordingly, LithoLexal® can be considered a disease-modifying adjunctive therapy (DMAT). LithoLexal® monotherapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis has significantly improved symptoms and walking ability with higher efficacy than glucosamine. Preliminary evidence also suggests that LithoLexal® may allow clinicians to reduce the dose of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in osteoarthritic patients by up to 50%. In conclusion, the multi-mineral complex, LithoLexal®, appears to be a promising candidate for DMAT of osteoarthritis, which may narrow the existing gap in clinical practice.

Aquamin is a calcium-rich multi-mineral supplement derived from the red marine algae, Lithothamnion species. Calcium supplementation has been shown to exert a prebiotic-like effect on the gut micro...

International audience; Calcium supplements are used as an aid in the prevention of osteopenia and osteoporosis and also for the treatment of patients when used along with medication. Many of these supplements are calcium carbonate based. This study compared a calcium-rich, marine multi-mineral complex (Aquamin) to calcium carbonate in an ovariectomised rat model of osteoporosis in order to assess Aquamin’s efficacy in preventing the onset of bone loss. Animals were randomly assigned to either non-ovariectomy control (Control), ovariectomy (OVX) plus calcium carbonate, ovariectomy plus Aquamin or ovariectomy plus Aquamin delay where Aquamin treatment started 8 weeks post OVX. At the end of the 20-week study, the trabecular architecture was measured using micro computed tomography, bone composition was assessed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the mechanical properties were assessed using nanoindentation and three-point bend testing. The study demonstrates that oral ingestion of Aquamin results in less deterioration of trabecular bone structure, mineral composition and tissue level biomechanical properties in the tibia of rats following ovariectomy than calcium carbonate. This study has shown that in an animal model of osteoporosis, Aquamin is superior to calcium carbonate at slowing down the onset of bone loss.

Introduction: Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in a range of key biochemical pathways. Several magnesium supplements are present on the market and their degree of bioavailability differs depending on the form of magnesium salt used. Aquamin-Mg is a natural source of magnesium, containing 72 additional trace minerals derived from the clean waters off the Irish coast. However, the in vitro bioaccessibility and bioavailability of Aquamin-Mg in comparison with other supplement sources of magnesium has yet to be tested. Method: Aquamin-Mg, magnesium chloride (MgCl2) and magnesium oxide (MgO) were subjected to gastrointestinal digestion according to the harmonized INFOGEST in vitro digestion method and in vitro bioavailability tested using the Caco-2 cell model. Magnesium concentration was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Results: Magnesium recovery from both Aquamin-Mg and MgCl2 was greater than for MgO. Magnesium from all three sources was transported across the epithelial monolayer with Aquamin-Mg displaying a comparable profile to the more bioavailable MgCl2. Conclusions: Our data support that magnesium derived from a marine-derived multimineral product is bioavailable to a significantly greater degree than MgO and displays a similar profile to the more bioavailable MgCl2 and may offer additional health benefits given its multimineral profile.

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that dietary supplementation with functional food ingredients play a role in systemic and brain health as well as in healthy ageing. Conversely, deficiencies in calcium and magnesium as a result of the increasing prevalence of a high fat/high sugar “Western diet” have been associated with health problems such as obesity, inflammatory bowel diseases, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as metabolic, immune, and psychiatric disorders. It is now recognized that modulating the diversity of gut microbiota, the population of intestinal bacteria, through dietary intervention can significantly impact upon gut health as well as systemic and brain health. In the current study, we show that supplementation with a seaweed and seawater-derived functional food ingredient rich in bioactive calcium and magnesium (0.1% supplementation) as well as 70 other trace elements, significantly enhanced the gut microbial diversity in adult male rats. Given the significant impact of gut microbiota on health, these results position this marine multi-mineral blend (MMB) as a promising digestive-health promoting functional food ingredient.

Management of the performance horse often incorporates meal feeding of highly digestible starches and reduced access to high-fiber forage. Such regimens are associated with equine gastric ulceration syndrome (EGUS) and can alter hindgut homeostasis. In-feed buffering of gastric contents and promotion of energy derivation from high-fiber forage in the hindgut are therefore desirable properties of a nutritional supplement. A marine-derived, multimineral supplement with known buffering properties containing calcium, magnesium, and short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) was tested under in vitro simulations of equine stomach and hindgut conditions. Six fiber:concentrate diets were incubated for 4 hours with or without the supplement at 37°C in pepsin HCl solution adjusted to pH 4.1 and 2.6. pH was measured at 1, 2, and 4 hours postincubation. Highest overall pH values were observed with the high cereal feeds; however, the supplement significantly increased (P

Bone degenerative diseases are on the increase globally and are often problematic to treat. This has led to a demand to identify supplements that aid bone growth and formation. Aquamin is a natural multi-mineral food supplement, derived from the red algae Lithothamnion species which contains calcium, magnesium and 72 other trace minerals. It has been previously reported to increase bone formation and mineralisation. This study aimed to investigate the 28 day in vitro osteogenic response of Aquamin supplemented with Vitamin D. The osteogenic potential of MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells was analysed in standard osteogenic medium supplemented with Aquamin +/- Vitamin D3, and the controls consisted of osteogenic medium, +/- Vitamin D3. Proliferation of osteoblasts, metabolic activity and cell viability did not differ between Aquamin and the osteogenic control groups. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and mineralisation were increased by the supplementation of Aquamin, and the addition of Vitamin D3 increased mineralisation for all groups. The combination of Aquamin and Vitamin D3 yielded a significant increase in ALP and mineralisation over Aquamin alone and the standard osteogenic control +/- Vitamin D3. This study demonstrates that Aquamin aids osteogenesis, and that its osteogenic response can be enhanced by combining Aquamin with Vitamin D3.

Osteoporosis is a global health problem characterized by low bone mass and an increase in bone fragility. It is now well accepted that dietary factors play a central role in bone development and health. Diet that lacks adequate minerals is considered to be a risk factor for osteoporosis. The food supplement, Aquamin, is a natural, multi-mineral derived from the red algae Lithothamnion corallioides, rich in calcium, magnesium and 72 other trace minerals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Aquamin on osteoblastic behaviour and mineralisation in a pre-osteoblastic cell line. Cell number and metabolic activity were assessed using Hoescht DNA and AlamarBlue assays respectively. Osteogenic differentiation was measured using an alkaline phosphatase assay while mineralisation was determined using von Kossa and alizarin red staining. It is reported here that Aquamin promotes increased mineralisation in osteoblast cell culture. These data suggest that the nutritional supplement Aquamin plays an important role in promoting bone formation and may be useful in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

It is well established that nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is a central regulator of the immune response and that dysregulation of NF-κB contributes to the pathogenesis of many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The food supplement Aquamin is a natural multi-mineral derived from the red algae Lithothamnion corallioides, rich in calcium, magnesium and 72 other trace minerals. This study describes an anti-inflammatory role for Aquamin in inhibiting NF-κB activation through reducing the phosphorylation and degradation of its upstream inhibitor IκBα. Aquamin inhibition of NF-κB activation results in significantly reduced cyclo-oxygenase-2 gene expression following treatment of macrophage cells with lipopolysaccharide. These data suggest that nutritional supplements such as Aquamin may play an important role in regulating the inflammatory response by modulating the nuclear factor kappa B signalling pathway.

Increasing resistance to chemotherapeutic regimes remains a serious problem in the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia. We have shown that phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase inhibition significantly sensitises the AML derived cell line, HL60 to chemotherapeutic drug- and Fas-induced apoptosis. PI3-kinase inhibition significantly potentiates cytotoxic drug-induced c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation, reported to be a requirement for apoptosis. However, JNK inhibition does not enhance cell viability following treatment with drug and inhibitor. Furthermore, PI3-kinase inhibition significantly increases sensitivity to apoptosis mediated by an exogenous receptor agonist, again by a JNK independent mechanism. These results suggest that PI3-kinase inhibitors could be of significant therapeutic importance, lowering the threshold for apoptosis induced by both chemotherapy and cell-mediated immune response.

Drug resistance, to date, has primarily been attributed to increased drug export or detoxification mechanisms. Despite correlations between drug export and drug resistance, it is increasingly apparent that such mechanisms cannot fully account for chemoresistance in neoplasia. It is now widely accepted that chemotherapeutic drugs kill tumour cells by inducing apoptosis, a genetically regulated cell death programme. Evidence is emerging that the exploitation of survival pathways, which may have contributed to disease development in the first instance, may also be important in the development of the chemoresistance. This review discusses the components of and associations between multiple signalling cascades and their possible contribution to the development of neoplasia and the chemoresistant phenotype.

It is well established that neuroinflammation contributes to brain aging, and that cortical cells are particularly vulnerable. Lipopolysaccharide stimulates the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta from glial cells which consequently induces an impairment in neuronal cell function. The food supplement, Aquamin, is a natural, multi-mineral derived from the red algae Lithothamnion corallioides, rich in calcium, magnesium and 72 other trace minerals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of Aquamin in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated, glial-enriched primary cultures of rat cortex. It is reported that Aquamin prevented lipopolysaccharide-induced secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta from cortical glia. These data suggest that nutritional supplements such as Aquamin may play an important role in impeding the detrimental effects of excessive inflammation in the brain.

A high dietary intake of polyphenols has been associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, attributed in part to their antioxidant activity and pro-apoptotic effects. Aquamin is a multi-mineral algal extract that enhances bone mineralization, relieves osteoarthritis, and aids digestion; however, Aquamin has not demonstrated antioxidant activity. In the present study, Aquamin was supplemented with 8% Enzogenol, a pine bark extract with a high phenolic content, and 2% Sunphenon, a green tea extract that also has a high phenolic content to produce a mixed product (A:E:S). The antioxidant activity of A:E:S was compared with that of its constituent compounds and also with catechin and epigallocatechin by measuring total phenol content, ferric-reducing antioxidant potential, and 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the compounds were also measured in the U937, human monocytic blood cell line. A:E:S demonstrated an antioxidant activity that was equal to that of the compounds used in its preparation. Aquamin was not cytotoxic in the U937 cell line; however, A:E:S was cytotoxic and the primary mechanism of cell death was apoptosis. The biological effects of Aquamin were enhanced by supplementation with Enzogenol and Sunphenon to include antioxidant effects and the ability to induce apoptosis in U937 cells.

Osteoporosis is a global health problem characterized by low bone mass and an increase in bone fragility. It is now well accepted that dietary factors play a central role in bone development and health. Diet that lacks adequate minerals is considered to be a risk factor for osteoporosis. The food supplement, Aquamin, is a natural, multi-mineral derived from the red algae Lithothamnion corallioides, rich in calcium, magnesium and 72 other trace minerals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Aquamin on osteoblastic behaviour and mineralisation in a pre-osteoblastic cell line. Cell number and metabolic activity were assessed using Hoescht DNA and AlamarBlue assays respectively. Osteogenic differentiation was measured using an alkaline phosphatase assay while mineralisation was determined using von Kossa and alizarin red staining. It is reported here that Aquamin promotes increased mineralisation in osteoblast cell culture. These data suggest that the nutritional supplement Aquamin plays an important role in promoting bone formation and may be useful in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

It is well established that nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is a central regulator of the immune response and that dysregulation of NF-κB contributes to the pathogenesis of many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The food supplement Aquamin is a natural multi-mineral derived from the red algae Lithothamnion corallioides, rich in calcium, magnesium and 72 other trace minerals. This study describes an anti-inflammatory role for Aquamin in inhibiting NF-κB activation through reducing the phosphorylation and degradation of its upstream inhibitor IκBα. Aquamin inhibition of NF-κB activation results in significantly reduced cyclo-oxygenase-2 gene expression following treatment of macrophage cells with lipopolysaccharide. These data suggest that nutritional supplements such as Aquamin may play an important role in regulating the inflammatory response by modulating the nuclear factor kappa B signalling pathway.

It is well established that neuroinflammation contributes to brain aging, and that cortical cells are particularly vulnerable. Lipopolysaccharide stimulates the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta from glial cells which consequently induces an impairment in neuronal cell function. The food supplement, Aquamin, is a natural, multi-mineral derived from the red algae Lithothamnion corallioides, rich in calcium, magnesium and 72 other trace minerals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of Aquamin in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated, glial-enriched primary cultures of rat cortex. It is reported that Aquamin prevented lipopolysaccharide-induced secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta from cortical glia. These data suggest that nutritional supplements such as Aquamin may play an important role in impeding the detrimental effects of excessive inflammation in the brain.

The suppression of apoptosis by the IGF system is critical for normal cell development, proliferation, differentiation and motility. Aberrations in IGF signalling mechanisms contribute to cell transformation, tumour progression and metastasis. Many questions remain to be answered as to how exactly the IGF system mediates its effects both in normal and tumour cells and how the IGF-1R interacting proteins and downstream signalling cascades are regulated. The importance of the IGF system is underscored by the significant interest in the development of anti-IGF therapies for IGF sensitive cancers. Future developments in cancer therapy are likely to focus on methods to target these therapies to diseased but not normal cells.

Drug resistance remains a serious limiting factor in the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) either at initial presentation or following primary or subsequent relapses. Using specific kinase inhibitors, this study has investigated the contribution of the Ras/PI3-kinase regulated survival pathways to drug resistance and suppression of apoptosis in a cell line derived from AML (HL60). Inhibition of the Raf/MAP-kinase (ERK) pathway with a specific MAP-kinase inhibitor, apigenin did not sensitise HL60 cells to drug-induced apoptosis, indicating a lack of involvement in chemoresistance. In contrast, the PI3-kinase inhibitors, LY294002 and wortmannin, did induce a significant increase in apoptosis in combination with cytotoxic drugs. The contribution of downstream mediators of PI3-kinase, p70S6-kinase and PKB/Akt were then investigated. While inhibition of p70S6-kinase with rapamycin did not increase drug-induced apoptosis, PI3-kinase inhibition resulted in notable dephosphorylation of PKB, suggesting that the PI3-kinase/PKB survival pathway may play a major role in chemoresistance in AML. This pathway has been reported to mediate heterodimer interactions with the proapoptotic regulator, Bad. In contrast to previous studies, we found no evidence of Bad binding to anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, Bcl-XL or McI-1, or of alterations in Bax heterodimers. This suggests that alternative targets of PI3-kinase/PKB, distinct from the Bcl-2 family may be responsible for contributing to survival factor-mediated drug resistance in AML.