Antioxidant Activity of Abigenol® European silver fir (Abies alba) bark extract
Highlights
Extracts from the bark of different conifer species are
known to contain various polyphenols and possess interesting
pharmacological activities. So far the most extensive research was done
on the antioxidative extract of the maritime pine (Pinus maritima) bark,
which is widely used in food supplements and cosmetic products. Here we
have shown, that antioxidant activity of silver fir (Abies alba) bark
extract is higher than of maritime pine bark extract in cultured cells.
Abigenol samples exhibited significantly better
antioxidative properties in the cell-based assay compared to the
maritime pine bark extract. Dry extract (d-AABE) exhibited even higher
antioxidant activity than the extract prepared in PEG, which is mostly
due to the absence of PEG and consequently higher concentration of
antioxidative phytochemicals. Antioxidant activity of Abigenol measured
in the cell-free assay by the DPPH method was 91% higher compared to the
maritime pine bark extract.
The present study provides evidence for Abigenol as a rich
source of at least 13 natural antioxidants which have attracted
increasing attention in the field of nutrition, health and medicine.
Abigenol is therefore recognized as a powerful antioxidative agent,
useful in the preventive treatment of various conditions, placing it
side by side with other widely researched conifer extracts.
Source: Chemical composition of the silver fir (Abies alba) bark extract Abigenol® and its antioxidant activity
Silver fir (Abies alba) rich in polyphenols helps against atherogenesis
Highlights
Atherosclerosis is the major precursor of cardiovascular
disease and is a chronic inflammatory process in arterial walls that is
caused by the accumulation of macrophages and low-density
lipoproteins. Atherosclerosis is characterized by elevated total
cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The condition is a
chronic disease that can remain asymptomatic for decades and that can be
prevented by a healthy lifestyle. Strong evidence indicates that the
inflammation of the blood vessel intima is caused by reactive oxygen
species (ROS), which form upon oxidative stress. This response
represents a state of imbalance between the production and elimination
of free radicals that, in excessive quantities, damage tissues. In
addition to pollution, smoking, exercise deficiency and stress, one of
the ma-jor causative factors of atherosclerosis is a Western-type diet
rich in saturated fats and poor in fiber and antioxidants (Miller et al.
2013).
Results: Compared to the basic diet, the atherogenic diet decreased
the ability of the aorta to relax by 63% (p < 0.001). The addition of
silver fir tree extract (SFTE) to the atherogenic diet improved the
aorta relaxation response compared to that of the atherogenic diet
without SFTE (the decrease relative to the basic diet was 26%, p <
0.001). The aorta contractility did not differ between the groups. The
SFTE group generated significantly fewer atherosclerotic plaques than did
the atherogenic group. The areas of atherosclerotic plaques were 7.4,
0.3 and 1.6% in the aortas of guinea pigs receiving atherogenic, basic
or atherogenic + SFTE diets, respectively.
Conclusions: In a guinea pig model, prolonged treatment with
antioxidative polyphenol-rich SFTE prevents aortic functional and
morphological changes caused by an atherogenic diet.
Source: Silver fir (Abies alba) trunk extract protects guinea pig arteries from impaired functional responses and morphology due to an atherogenic diet
