gli effetti degli isoflavoni sembrano legati alla sovra-espressione degli enzimi antiossidanti, specialmente la catalasi
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19083468
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23717015
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19214712
Anche i lignani, specialmente la sesamina innalzano gli enzimi antiossidanti, in particolare la superossido-dismutasi
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23291977
http://examine.com/supplements/Sesamin/
3.5. Nrf2/ARE
While sesamin and episesamin are technically inactive, the metabolites SC-1 and EC-1 (formed from P450) appeared to activate Nrf2/ARE signalling while the metabolites SC-1m, EC-1m, and EC-2 (formed from COMT) were also inactive.[50] SC-1 (the tested molecule) at 1-10µM increased activity of Nrf2/ARE in a concentration dependent manner with the highest tested concentration reaching 6-fold enhancement and induction of #947;-GCSc and NQO-1 were confirmed.[50]
It seems that p38 MAPK is somewhat involved as an intermediate for the following, but N-Acetylcysteine was able to abolish the increase in Nrf2/ARE seen with sesamin (which suggests hormetic effects and involvement of Keap1) and blocking Nrf2 itself will prevent sesamin from saving cells from H2O2.[50]
Sesamin is able to activate the antioxidant response element (ARE) via Nrf2, and this appears to be due to a hormetic response. This will underlie some of the antioxidant properties of sesamin, although the direct antioxidant effects and the superoxide dismutase induction are likely mediated by other mechanisms
3.6. Superoxide Dismutase
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an antioxidative enzyme that sequesters the superoxide radical (O2-), and sesamin appears to be able to induce this enzyme activity 3-fold at a concentration of 1pM (0.001nM)[84] which seems to underlie the protective effects in neuronal PC12 cells seen at 1pM concentration.[84][85] This occurs at a concentration significantly lower than the Nrf2/ARE induction (the lowest active concentration, 1µM, is 1,000,000 times higher than 1pM) suggesting an independent mechanism of action.
There is some currently unknown mechanism of action associated with sesamin that occurs potently and at a remarkably low concentration (one picomole), and this doesn't seem to be at all related to the other mechanisms due to being uniquely potent
4. Longevity
4.1. Drosophilia
0.2% sesamin included in the fruit fly diet appears to extend maximal lifespan by around 12% and while 0.1% sesamin was associated with a smaller increase (5%) this failed to reach statistical significance.[86] This was associated with increased levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) isozymes SOD1 and SOD2 and their mRNA, whereas some other enzymes (Catalase and Rpn11) showed increased mRNA but not protein content.[86]
The authors suspected that an upregulation of Rpn11 (known to promote lifespan[87]) since Mth (a gene known to promote lifespan[88]) was unaffected by sesamin.[86] Interestingly, this exact same overall profile of effects (upregulation of Rpn11 and antioxidant enzymes without Mth) is seen with both Blueberry extract[89] and apple polyphenols.[90]
Sesamin has once been linked to increased longevity, and this appears to be somewhat associated with an increase in antioxidant enzymes and is similar to some other antioxidants in mechanisms