Capros® May Fight Off Cigarettes Harmful Effects

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.—A new study by Natreon Inc. showed Capros®, a standardized Phyllanthus emblica, the Indian Goosberry fruit extract, is a high-potency antioxidant that can combat the detrimental effects of cigarette smoke. Conducted at the Natreon Inc. facilities in Kolkata, India and recently published in Pharmacology Online, the study showed Capros exerted its protective effect against cigarette smoke induced oxidative damage through its potent antioxidant agents (gallo-ellagi tannoids).
“Our ever increasing portfolio of science shows that Capros is the must-have ingredient to help overcome oxidative damage, and the perfect ingredient for products designed to maximize wellness with safe and natural ingredients,” said Lucien Hernandez, president & CEO, Natreon Inc.
An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of prolonged administration of Phyllanthus emblica (PE) in improving the antioxidant profile of rats, chronically exposed to cigarette smoke with altered health status. The effectiveness of PE fruit extract was compared with a well-established marketed multivitamin-multimineral formulation using the same protocol. Male albino rats were divided into four groups, with Group A exposed to cigarette smoke and administered daily with PE fruit extract, Group B exposed only to cigarette smoke, and Group D exposed to cigarette smoke and administered daily with the multivitamin. Group C was the control. PE fruit extract was shown to be a more potent antioxidant than multivitamins, offering greater free radical scavenging capabilities. PE fruits possess strong antioxidant properties due to the presence of high amounts of low molecular weight hydrolysable (gallo-ellagi) tannoids (65 to 70 percent). These tannoids produce a sustained and cascading vitamin C-like effect; but unlike vitamin C, Capros does not become pro-oxidative in the body. PE fruit extract inhibits lipid peroxidation and boosts the body’s antioxidant defense enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase. In this particular study, a highly significant deterioration in the health status of rats after sub-chronic exposure to cigarette smoke (Group B) was observed when compared to control animals. These changes were manifested by marked increases in MDA levels of RBC and GST activity in lungs and liver homogenate and concomitant decreases in Hb percent, SOD, CAT, GSH level. MDA levels are used as a convenient index of the lipid peroxidation related oxidative damage of tissues. In the present study, animals administered with PE extract had significantly reduced MDA levels, both in RBC and other tissues, compared to those of only smoke exposed animals, presumably by reducing the oxidative burden by the strong cascading antioxidant action of PE extract. Multivitamin supplementation also improved the antioxidant status of smoke-stressed rats but to a much lesser extent than that exhibited by PE fruit extract. In addition to the radical scavenging abilities of PE extract, its bioactives may provide additional protection from oxidant-induced injury by increasing the systemic levels of GSH and related enzymes. GSH is an important protective antioxidant in the lungs and its levels are decreased following inflammation and oxidative stress of lungs increasing the potential for damage to the underlying epithelial cells both in vivo and in vitro. These findings suggested that supplementation with PE fruit extract decreased the oxidative stress produced by cigarette smoking and thereby reduced their damaging effects on vital organs, particularly the lungs, which was reflected by increased levels of GSH in the PE fruit extract treated group. Apart from radical scavenging activity of the phenolic antioxidants, the major bioactives of PE fruit extract can also modulate expression of the rate-limiting enzyme for the synthesis of GSH.

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