Articles

Abstract The fruit of Euterpe oleraceae, commonly known as acai, has been demonstrated to exhibit significantly high antioxidant capacity in vitro, especially for superoxide and peroxyl scavenging, and, therefore, may have possible health benefits. In this study, the antioxidant capacities of freeze-dried acai fruit pulp/skin powder (OptiAcai) were evaluated by different assays with various free radical sources. It was found to have exceptional activity against superoxide in the superoxide scavenging (SOD) assay, the highest of any food reported to date against the peroxyl radical as measured by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay with fluorescein as the fluorescent probe (ORACFL),

Abstract BACKGROUND Reduced endothelium dependent vasodilation has been reported in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) but direct measurements of the most potent naturally occurring vasodilator, nitric oxide (NO) or its derivatives (nitrate and nitrite, NOx), have not yet been performed in these patients. METHODS In 21 patients with OSA of mean (SE) age 54 (2) years, body mass index (BMI) 30.9 (1.1) kg/m2, and apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) 37 (4)/h, NOx levels were measured in peripheral venous blood samples by chemiluminescence. Blood samples were obtained before and after two nights of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and after 5.5 (1.5) months

Koichi Node; Masafumi Kitakaze; Hiromichi Yoshikawa; Hiroaki Kosaka; Masatsugu Hori From the First Department of Medicine (K.N., M.K., M.H.) and the Department of Physiology (H.K.), Osaka University School of Medicine; and the Sumitomo Life Multiphasic Health Test System (H.Y.), Osaka, Japan. Abstract Patients with essential hypertension exhibit blunted endothelium-dependent vasodilator responses, which may be largely attributable to reduced bioactivity of nitric oxide (NO). Therefore, we measured the end product of NO, nitrate plus nitrite (nitrogen oxide), and examined the relationship between the degree of hypertension and plasma nitrate plus nitrite levels in patients with essential hypertension. The combined plasma concentration

Abstract BACKGROUND: Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that usually presents in early childhood and that is thought to be influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Although abnormal metabolism of methionine and homocysteine has been associated with other neurologic diseases, these pathways have not been evaluated in persons with autism. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate plasma concentrations of metabolites in the methionine transmethylation and transsulfuration pathways in children diagnosed with autism. DESIGN: Plasma concentrations of methionine, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), adenosine, homocysteine, cystathionine, cysteine, and oxidized and reduced glutathione were measured in 20 children with autism

Induction of phase 2 detoxication enzymes [e.g., glutathione transferases, epoxide hydrolase, NAD(P)H: quinone reductase, and glucuronosyltransferases] is a powerful strategy for achieving protection against carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, and other forms of toxicity of electrophiles and reactive forms of oxygen. Since consumption of large quantities of fruit and vegetables is associated with a striking reduction in the risk of developing a variety of malignancies, it is of interest that a number of edible plants contain substantial quantities of compounds that regulate mammalian enzymes of xenobiotic metabolism. Thus, edible plants belonging to the family Cruciferae and genus Brassica (e.g., broccoli and cauliflower) contain

BACKGROUND: Silymarin derived from silybum marianum (milk thistle), a flowering member of the daisy family, may benefit liver function in people infected with the hepatitis C virus. The aims of this pilot study were to assess the efficacy and safety of silymarin on serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, serum aminotransferases (ALT, AST) levels, liver fibrosis and well-being in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). METHODS: This prospective self-controlled trial study was conducted from March to September 2006 at Department of Gastroenterology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. 55 patients with HCV (10 female and 45 male) with a

Silymarin, an extract from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), and its purified flavonolignans have been recently shown to inhibit hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, both in vitro and in vivo. In the current study, we further characterized silymarin's antiviral actions. Silymarin had antiviral effects against hepatitis C virus cell culture (HCVcc) infection that included inhibition of virus entry, RNA and protein expression, and infectious virus production. Silymarin did not block HCVcc binding to cells but inhibited the entry of several viral pseudoparticles (pp), and fusion of HCVpp with liposomes. Silymarin but not silibinin inhibited genotype 2a NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp)

Source Department of Internal Medicine, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, Korea. Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related joint disease that is characterized by degeneration of articular cartilage and chronic pain. Oxidative stress is considered one of the pathophysiological factors in the progression of OA. We investigated the effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE), which is an antioxidant, on monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced arthritis of the knee joint of rat, which is an animal model of human OA. GSPE (100 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg) or saline was given orally three times per week for 4 weeks after the MIA injection. Pain was

MCare4U Outpatient Clinics, Olmenlaan 9, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. There is now some evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome is accompanied by an activation of the inflammatory response system and by increased oxidative and nitrosative stress. Nuclear factor kappa beta (NFkappabeta) is the major upstream, intracellular mechanism which regulates inflammatory and oxidative stress mediators. In order to examine the role of NFkappabeta in the pathophysiology of CFS, this study examines the production of NFkappabeta p50 in unstimulated, 10 ng/mL TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor alpha) and 50 ng/mL PMA (phorbolmyristate acetate) stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes of 18 unmedicated patients with CFS and 18

Department of Cancer Prevention, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Israel. BACKGROUND AND AIM: Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, accounting for an estimated 30,000 deaths per year in the United States. Multiple studies have indicated that specific cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors may serve in the prevention and treatment of a variety of malignancies including pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Recent studies had shown that the long-term use of high concentration of COX-2 inhibitors is not toxic free and may be limited due to serious gastrointestinal and cardiovascular side effects. The chemopreventive efficacy of the phytochemical, curcumin has been demonstrated in

Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Turmeric, derived from the plant Curcuma longa, is a gold-colored spice commonly used in the Indian subcontinent, not only for health care but also for the preservation of food and as a yellow dye for textiles. Curcumin, which gives the yellow color to turmeric, was first isolated almost two centuries ago, and its structure as diferuloylmethane was determined in 1910. Since the time of Ayurveda (1900 Bc) numerous therapeutic activities have been assigned to turmeric for a wide variety of diseases and conditions, including

Copyright ©2011 Ashfaq et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Background Hepatitis C virus is a major cause of chronic liver diseases which can lead to permanent liver damage, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. The presently available treatment with interferon plus ribavirin, has limited benefits due to adverse side effects such as anemia, depression, fatigue, and "flu-like" symptoms. Herbal plants have been used for centuries against different diseases including viral diseases and have become a major source of new compounds to treat bacterial and viral diseases. Material The present study was design to study the antiviral effect of Glycyrrhizin (GL) against HCV.

From this website. BACKGROUND: Recent research has indicated that short term administration of glycine propionyl-L-carnitine (GPLC) significantly elevates levels of nitric oxide metabolites at rest and in response to reactive hyperaemia. However, no scientific evidence exists that suggests such supplementation enhances exercise performance in healthy, trained individuals. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of GPLC on the performance of repeated high intensity stationary cycle sprints with limited recovery periods in resistance trained male subjects. METHODS: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design, twenty-four male resistance trained subjects (25.2 +/- 3.6 years) participated in two test sessions separated

Richard J. Bloomer, PhD Department of Health and Sports Sciences The University of Memphis Dietary supplementation with the naturally occurring nutrient L-carnitine has been extensively studied as an aid to improve fatty acid metabolism and aerobic exercise capacity, to provide antioxidant benefits, and to enhance blood flow to active tissues (e.g., skeletal muscle and heart). While multiple forms of carnitine have been studied and are currently available, Propionyl-L-Carnitine (PLC) has been shown to best support healthy heart and skeletal muscle function. A patented and safe USP dietary form of PLC has been developed which is molecularly bonded to glycine, one

By Ward Dean, M.D. This is the first of a two-part series about common health problems of women, and how, in clinical trials, natural progesterone supplementation can be of great benefit. In the second installment, appearing in next months Nutritional News, Dr. Dean discusses progesterone supplementation and osteoporosis. Some of the most common symptoms physicians hear from their female patients are problems with weight gain, fatigue, loss of libido, depression, headaches, joint pain and mood swings. Other frequently discovered problems include uterine fibroids, cancer, fibrocystic breast disease, menstrual problems, autoimmune disorders, pre-menopausal bone loss and a high incidence of osteoporosis

By Ward Dean, M.D. Some of the most common symptoms physicians hear from their female patients are problems with weight gain, fatigue, loss of libido, depression, headaches, joint pain and mood swings. Other frequently discovered problems include uterine fibroids, cancer, fibrocystic breast disease, menstrual problems, autoimmune disorders, pre-menopausal bone loss and a high incidence of osteoporosis after menopause. Many physicians and scientists are becoming increasingly aware of a common link between these symptoms and diseases and that common link is often an imbalance between the primary female sex hormones, progesterone and estrogen.(1) Studies show that by restoring the estrogen: progesterone

Article taken from this website. Source Division of Neuropathology, University of California-San Diego, 1363 Shinly, Suite 100, Escondido, CA 92026, USA. jdelator@nctimes.net Abstract Considerable evidence now indicates that Alzheimer's disease (AD) is primarily a vascular disorder. This conclusion is supported by the following evidence: (1) epidemiologic studies linking vascular risk factors to cerebrovascular pathology that can set in motion metabolic, neurodegenerative, and cognitive changes in Alzheimer brains; (2) evidence that AD and vascular dementia (VaD) share many similar risk factors; (3) evidence that pharmacotherapy that improves cerebrovascular insufficiency also improves AD symptoms; (4) evidence that preclinical detection of potential AD

The following article is taken from this website. ____________ We physicians with all our training, knowledge and authority often acquire a rather large ego that tends to make it difficult to admit we are wrong. So, here it is. I freely admit to being wrong. As a heart surgeon with 25 years experience, having performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries, today is my day to right the wrong with medical and scientific fact. I trained for many years with other prominent physicians labelled "opinion makers." Bombarded with scientific literature, continually attending education seminars, we opinion makers insisted heart disease resulted from

Saliva testing has been used to measure hormones since the late 1960s and has many advantages over serum testing. The most significant feature of saliva testing is that it reflects the non-protein bound 'free' fraction of hormones at a given point of time.1 As steroid hormones are predominantly bound to carrier proteins (cortisol binding protein, sex hormone binding globulin and albumin) in the blood, the unbound fraction is considered more readily available to the cells of the body (see Diagram 1). It is these 'free' hormones that best reflect a patient’s hormonally-related symptoms, rather than total or bound hormone levels

Nitric oxide (NO) induces vasodilatatory, antiaggregatory, and antiproliferative effects in vitro. To delineate potential beneficial effects of NO in preventing vascular disease in vivo, we generated transgenic mice overexpressing human erythropoietin. These animals induce polyglobulia known to be associated with a high incidence of vascular disease. Despite hematocrit levels of 80%, adult transgenic mice did not develop hypertension or thromboembolism. Endothelial NO synthase levels, NO-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation and circulating and vascular tissue NO levels were markedly increased. Administration of the NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) led to vasoconstriction of peripheral resistance vessels, hypertension, and death of transgenic mice,