Pharmacokinetic Parameters of Watermelon (Rind, Flesh, and Seeds) Bioactive Components in Human Plasma: A Pilot Study to Investigate the Relationship to Endothelial Function

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (28) ◽  
pp. 7393-7403
Author(s):  
Jiayi Fan ◽  
Eunyoung Park ◽  
Liyun Zhang ◽  
Indika Edirisinghe ◽  
Britt Burton-Freeman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Endothelial Function ◽  
Human Plasma ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Parameters ◽  
Bioactive Components ◽  
Watermelon Rind ◽  
The Relationship

scholarly journals A Pilot Study in Humans to Investigate the Relationship Between Circulating L-citrulline and Arginine After Watermelon Intake (rind, Flesh and Seeds) on Endothelial Function (P06-121-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amandeep Sandhu ◽  
Jiayi Fan ◽  
Eunyoung Park ◽  
Indika Edirisinghe ◽  
Britt Burton-Freeman
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Endothelial Function ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Peak Time ◽  
Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
No Bioavailability ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Objectives Endothelial dysfunction is one of the early predictors of cardiovascular disease and proper functioning of the endothelium is dependent upon nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Watermelon is a rich source of bioactive components such as L-citrulline and arginine which can increase NO bioavailability directly and indirectly. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the effects of watermelon intake on endothelial function using Flow Mediated Dilation (FMD) and to assess the relationship of FMD overtime with circulating watermelon metabolites, such as L-citrulline and arginine in humans. Methods Middle-age overweight/obese adults (n = 6; age 32.4± 8.0 y and BMI 29.0 ± 1.7 kg/m2) participated in a 4-arm, randomized, cross-over energy-controlled clinical trial. Subjects consumed one of four 100 kcal salads containing watermelon flesh (WF) or rind (WR) or seed (WS) or no watermelon components (Control) on four separate occasions. Blood samples were collected at baseline (t = 0 h) and then 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, 5 h, 6 h, 7 h, 8 h, 24 h post meal. The FMD was assessed at baseline 0 h, 1 h, 3 h, 5 h and 7 h. L-Citrulline and arginine were extracted from plasma at each time point and quantified using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Results Maximum concentration (Cmax) and peak time (Tmax) for L-citrulline after WF intake was 153.1 ± 38.8 µmol/L with Tmax of 1 h while after WR intake Cmax was 153.9 ± 38.5 µmol/L with tmax of 0.5 h. Cmax of L-citrulline was 76.1 ± 20.9 µmol/L at time 1 h after WS consumption. Arginine peaked at 1 h after WF, WR, WS intake with Cmax of 242.5 ± 35.8 µmol/L, 249.9 ± 38.7 µmol/L, and 249.5 ± 43.3 µmol/L respectively. An increase in %FMD was observed at 1 h after WF and WR compared to control, which coincided with the Cmax and Tmax of arginine and citrulline. However, the data was statistically not significant. Conclusions The data from this pilot study is the first to show a possible association between %FMD increase and circulating L-citrulline and arginine concentrations providing support for future research on watermelon with a larger sample size in order to determine the potential clinical impact of watermelon intake on improvement of endothelial function. Funding Sources National Watermelon Promotion Board.

Studies on the Fibrinolytic System in Human Plasma: Quantitative Determination of Plasminogen Activators and Proactivators

1979 ◽  
Vol 41 (02) ◽  
pp. 365-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Kluft
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Plasma Level ◽  
Human Plasma ◽  
Plasminogen Activators ◽  
Venous Occlusion ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Optimal Recovery ◽  
Dextran Sulphate ◽  
Baseline Levels

SummaryEffects due to plasma plasminogen activators and proactivators are usually studied in assay systems where inhibitors influence the activity and where the degree of activation of proactivators is unknown. Quantitative information on activator and proactivator levels in plasma is therefore not availableStudies on the precipitating and activating properties of dextran sulphate in euglobulin fractionation presented in this paper resulted in the preparation of a fraction in which there was optimal recovery and optimal activation of a number of plasminogen activators and proactivators from human plasma. The quantitative assay of these activators on plasminogen-rich fibrin plates required the addition of flufenamate to eliminate inhibitors. The response on the fibrin plates (lysed zones) could be coverted to arbitrary blood activator units (BAU). Consequently, a new activator assay which enables one to quantitatively determine the plasma level of plasminogen activators and proactivators together is introduced.Two different contributions could be distinguished: an activity originating from extrinsic activator and one originating from intrinsic proactivators. The former could be assayed separately by means of its resistance to inhibition by Cl-inactivator. Considering the relative concentrations of extrinsic and intrinsic activators, an impression of the pattern of activator content in plasma was gained. In morning plasma with baseline levels of fibrinolysis, the amount of extrinsic activator was negligible as compared to the level of potentially active intrinsic activators. Consequently, the new assay nearly exclusively determines the level of intrinsic activators in morning plasma. A pilot study gave a fairly stable level of 100 ± 15 BAU/ml (n = 50). When fibrinolysis was stimulated by venous occlusion (15 min), the amount of extrinsic activator was greatly increased, reaching a total activator level of 249 ± 27 BAU/ml (n = 7).

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Ticagrelor and its Active Metabolite Determination in Human Plasma: Application to a Pharmacokinetic Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 602-608
Author(s):  
Niloufar Marsousi ◽  
Serge Rudaz ◽  
Jules A. Desmeules ◽  
Youssef Daali
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Formic Acid ◽  
Human Plasma ◽  
Active Metabolite ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Parameters ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Studies ◽  
Healthy Male ◽  
Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Healthy Male Volunteers ◽  
Male Volunteers

Background: Ticagrelor is a highly recommended new antiplatelet agent for the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome at moderate or high ischemic risk. There is a real need for rapid and accurate analytical methods for ticagrelor determination in biological fluids for pharmacokinetic studies. In this study, a sensitive and specific LC-MS method was developed and validated for quantification of ticagrelor and its Active Metabolite (AM) in human plasma over expected clinical concentrations. Methods: Samples were handled by Liquid-Liquid Extraction (LLE). A linear gradient was applied with a mobile phase composed of formic acid 0.1% and acetonitrile with 0.1% of formic acid using a C18 reversed-phase column. MS spectra were obtained by electrospray ionization in negative mode and optimized at 521.4→360.9 m/z, 477.2→361.2 m/z and 528.1→367.9 m/z transitions for ticagrelor, AM and ticagrelor-d7, respectively. Results: This method allowed rapid elution, in less than 4 minutes, and quantification of concentrations as low as 2 ng/mL for ticagrelor and 1 ng/mL for AM using only 100 μL of human plasma. LLE using hexane/ethyl acetate (50/50) was an optimal compromise in terms of extraction recovery and endogenous compounds interference. Trueness values of 87.8% and 89.5% and precisions of 84.1% and 93.8% were obtained for ticagrelor and AM, respectively. Finally, the usefulness of the method was assessed in a clinical trial where a single 180 mg ticagrelor was orally administered to healthy male volunteers. Pharmacokinetic parameters of ticagrelor and its active metabolite were successfully determined. Conclusion: A sensitive and specific quantification LC-MS-MS method was developed and validated for ticagrelor and its active metabolite determination in human plasma. The method was successfully applied to a clinical trial where a single ticagrelor 180 mg dose was orally administered to healthy male volunteers. The described method allows quantification of concentrations as low as 2 ng/mL of ticagrelor and 1 ng/mL of the metabolite using only 100 μL of plasma.

scholarly journals Influence of chronotype on daily mood fluctuations: pilot study in patients with depression

BJPsych Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantin F. Brückmann ◽  
Jürgen Hennig ◽  
Matthias J. Müller ◽  
Stanislava Fockenberg ◽  
Anne-Marthe Schmidt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Clinical Setting ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Patient Subgroup ◽  
Depression Risk ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
The Relationship

Summary Depression risk is associated with a late chronotype pattern often described as an ‘evening chronotype’. Fluctuations in mood over consecutive days have not yet been measured according to chronotype in in-patients with depression. A total of 30 in-patients with depression and 32 healthy controls matched for gender and age completed a chronotype questionnaire and twice-daily ratings on mood for 10 consecutive days (registered in the German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00010215). The in-patients had Saturdays and Sundays as hospital-leave days. The relationship between chronotype and daily mood was mediated by the weekday–weekend schedule with higher levels of negative affect in the evening-chronotype patient subgroup at weekends. Results are discussed with respect to a probably advantageous standardised clinical setting with early morning routines, especially for patients with evening chronotypes.

scholarly journals The relationship between Gulf War Illness symptom severity and heart rate variability: A pilot study

Life Sciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 119663
Author(s):  
Kyle J. Jaquess ◽  
Nathaniel Allen ◽  
Timothy J. Chun ◽  
Lucas Crock ◽  
Alexander A. Zajdel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Gulf War ◽  
Gulf War Illness ◽  
The Relationship

scholarly journals The Effect of State Gratitude on Cognitive Flexibility: A Within-Subject Experimental Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 413
Author(s):  
Andree Hartanto ◽  
Nadia C. H. Ong ◽  
Wee Qin Ng ◽  
Nadyanna M. Majeed
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Positive Emotion ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Experimental Approach ◽  
Main Study ◽  
Considerable Research ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Relationship

Considerable research has examined the relationship between positive emotion and cognitive flexibility. Less is known, however, about the causal relationship between discrete positive emotions, specifically gratitude, and cognitive flexibility. Given that different positive emotions may dissimilarly affect cognitive functioning, we sought to examine the effect of state gratitude on cognitive flexibility. A pilot study with ninety-five participants was employed to ensure the effectiveness of our gratitude manipulation. One hundred and thirteen participants were recruited for the main study, which utilized a within-subject experimental approach. After the manipulation, participants completed a well-established task-switching paradigm, which was used to measure cognitive flexibility. Contrary to our hypotheses, we did not find any evidence that state gratitude may enhance cognitive flexibility. The current study identified some boundary conditions around the potential benefits of the experience of gratitude.

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