Over the past few years, the use of natural substances as protective or therapeutic agents has gained much attention worldwide. Recent modern studies have shown a variety of health benefits for red beetroot and its active compounds betalains (also betanin) such as antioxidative, anti‐inflammation, anticancer, blood pressure and lipid lowering, also antidiabetic and anti‐obesity effects. Betanin, the main component of the red beetroot, is a betalain glycosidic pigment, which is used as a food additive. This review summarizes findings in the literature and shows the therapeutic potential of red beetroot and its active compounds (betalains) as promising alternatives for supplemental therapies in multiple diseases.

Alzheimer's is an age-related disease with a hallmark of progressive loss of memory formation followed by a damage in the brain function due to the neural degeneration and extracellular beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques accumulation. This study examines the protective effects of vitamin K2 on toxicity induced by (Aβ) and HO in PC12 cells as an appropriate model of Alzheimer's cell damage. PC12 cells pretreated with vitamin K2 (5-200 μM) for 4, 24 and 48 h, and exposed to either Aβ (25 µM) for 48 h or HO (150 µM) for 24 h. Then the protective, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects of vitamin K2 in PC12 cells were investigated. Vitamin K2 pretreatment (5-200 μM) significantly decreased the Aβ and HO cytotoxicity. In addition, vitamin K2 could attenuate reactive oxygen species (ROS) level after exposure of cells to HO for 24 h and Aβ for 48 h. Cell apoptosis significantly increased following application of Aβ (25 μM) and HO (150 µM) compared to control. However, flow cytometry histograms of PI-stained cells after pretreatment with vitamin K2 (20 and 50 μM) showed significantly reduced apoptosis. Vitamin K2 increased the amount of glutathione after exposure of cells to HO for 24 h and Aβ for 48 h. Western blot analysis of PC12 cells showed that 25 μM Aβ and 150 µM HO treatment could increase Bax, PARP cleavage, Phospho-p38 MAPK. Moreover, the activated form of caspase 3 proteins led to the reduction in the Bcl-2. Real-time PCR of PC12 cells showed that 150 µM HO treatment increased the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 while vitamin K2 (20 and 50 μM) reduced the rate. According to these findings, it seems that vitamin K2 possess anti-apoptotic and antioxidant effects and suggests that vitamin K2 may be a valuable protective candidate against the progression of Alzheimer's disease via inactivating p38 MAP kinase pathway.

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