scholarly journals Significant metabolic improvement by a water extract of olives: animal and human evidence

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Peroulis ◽  
Vasilis P. Androutsopoulos ◽  
George Notas ◽  
Stella Koinaki ◽  
Elsa Giakoumaki ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTDyslipidemia and impaired glucose metabolism, are main health issues of growing prevalence and significant high Health Care cost, requiring novel prevention and/or therapeutic approaches. Epidemiological and animal studies revealed olive oil as an important dietary constituent for normolipidemia. However, no studies have specifically investigated the polyphenol rich water extract of olives (OLWPE), generated during olive oil production. Here, we explore OLPWE in animals and human metabolic parameters. High fat-fed rats developed a metabolic dysfunction, which was significantly impaired when treated with OLWPE, with decreased LDL and insulin levels and increased HDL. Moreover, they increased total plasma antioxidant capacity, while several phenolic compounds were detected in their blood. These findings were also verified in humans that consumed OLWPE daily for four weeks in a food matrix. Our data clearly show that OLWPE can improve glucose and lipid profile, indicating its possible use in the design of functional food and/or therapeutic interventions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 366
Author(s):  
Anke Hoffmann ◽  
Dietmar Spengler

Chromodomain Helicase DNA-binding 8 (CHD8) is a high confidence risk factor for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and the genetic cause of a distinct neurodevelopmental syndrome with the core symptoms of autism, macrocephaly, and facial dysmorphism. The role of CHD8 is well-characterized at the structural, biochemical, and transcriptional level. By contrast, much less is understood regarding how mutations in CHD8 underpin altered brain function and mental disease. Studies on various model organisms have been proven critical to tackle this challenge. Here, we scrutinize recent advances in this field with a focus on phenotypes in transgenic animal models and highlight key findings on neurodevelopment, neuronal connectivity, neurotransmission, synaptic and homeostatic plasticity, and habituation. Against this backdrop, we further discuss how to improve future animal studies, both in terms of technical issues and with respect to the sex-specific effects of Chd8 mutations for neuronal and higher-systems level function. We also consider outstanding questions in the field including ‘humanized’ mice models, therapeutic interventions, and how the use of pluripotent stem cell-derived cerebral organoids might help to address differences in neurodevelopment trajectories between model organisms and humans.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arpita Basu ◽  
Stacy Morris ◽  
Angel Nguyen ◽  
Nancy M. Betts ◽  
Dongxu Fu ◽  
...  

Berries have shown several cardiovascular health benefits and have been associated with antioxidant functions in experimental models. Clinical studies are limited. We examined the antioxidant effects of freeze-dried strawberries (FDS) in adults [n=60; age:49±10years; BMI:36±5 kg/m2(mean ± SD)] with abdominal adiposity and elevated serum lipids. Participants were randomized to one of the following arms: low dose strawberry (25 g/day FDS), low dose control beverage (LD-C), high dose strawberry (50 g/d FDS), and high dose control beverage (HD-C) for 12 weeks. Control beverages were matched for calories and total fiber. Plasma antioxidant capacity, trace elements (copper, iron, selenium, and zinc), whole blood glutathione (GSH), and enzyme activity (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase) were examined at screening (0 week) and after 12 weeks’ intervention. At 12 weeks, plasma antioxidant capacity and glutathione levels were higher in the strawberry versus control groups (low and high dose FDS: 45% and 42% for plasma antioxidant capacity and 28% and 36% for glutathione, resp.); glutathione was higher in the high versus low dose strawberry group (allp<0.05). Serum catalase activity was higher in the low dose strawberry (43%) versus control group (p<0.01). No differences were noted in plasma trace elements and glutathione enzyme activity. Dietary strawberries may selectively increase plasma antioxidant biomarkers in obese adults with elevated lipids.


2009 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Nathan A. Lewis ◽  
Brian Moore ◽  
Pete Cunningham ◽  
Lindy Castell ◽  
Jan Knight

Author(s):  
David J. Gladstone ◽  
Sandra E. Black

ABSTRACT:Despite much progress in stroke prevention and acute intervention, recovery and rehabilitation have traditionally received relatively little scientific attention. There is now increasing interest in the development of stroke recovery drugs and innovative rehabilitation techniques to promote functional recovery after completed stroke. Experimental work over the past two decades indicates that pharmacologic intervention to enhance recovery may be possible in the subacute stage, days to weeks poststroke, after irreversible injury has occurred. This paper discusses the concept of “rehabilitation pharmacology” and reviews the growing literature from animal studies and pilot clinical trials on noradrenergic pharmacotherapy, a new experimental strategy in stroke rehabilitation. Amphetamine, a monoamine agonist that increases brain norepinephrine levels, is the most extensively studied drug shown to promote recovery of function in animal models of focal brain injury. Further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms and clinical efficacy of amphetamine and other novel therapeutic interventions on the recovery process.


2013 ◽  
pp. 511-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. DELEMASURE ◽  
N. BLAES ◽  
C. RICHARD ◽  
R. COUTURE ◽  
M. BADER ◽  
...  

Kinin-vasoactive peptides activate two G-protein-coupled receptors (R), B1R (inducible) and B2R (constitutive). Their complex role in cardiovascular diseases could be related to differential actions on oxidative stress. This study investigated impacts of B1R or B2R gene deletion in mice on the cardiac function and plasma antioxidant and oxidant status. Echocardiography-Doppler was performed in B1R (B1R-/-) and B2R (B2R-/-) deficient and wild type (WT) adult male mice. No functional alteration was observed in B2R-/- hearts. B1R-/- mice had significantly lowered fractional shortening and increased isovolumetric contraction time. The diastolic E and A waves velocity ratio was similar in all mice groups. Thus B1R-/- mice provide a model of moderate systolic dysfunction, whereas B2R-/- mice displayed a normal cardiac phenotype. Plasma antioxidant capacity (ORAC) was significantly decreased in both B1R-/- and B2R-/- mice whereas the vitamin C levels were decreased in B2R-/- mice only. Plasma ascorbyl free radical was significantly higher in B1R-/- compared to WT and B2R-/- mice. Therefore, the oxidative stress index, ascorbyl free radical to vitamin C ratio, was increased in both B1R-/- and B2R-/- mice. Hence, B1R and B2R deficiency are associated with increased oxidative stress, but there is a differential imbalance between free radical production and antioxidant defense. The interrelationship between the differential B1R and B2R roles in oxidative stress and cardiovascular diseases remain to be investigated.


Amino Acids ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 373-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Meucci ◽  
M. C. Mele

2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 585-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Cinnella ◽  
G. Vendemiale ◽  
M. Dambrosio ◽  
G. Serviddio ◽  
P.L. Pugliese ◽  
...  

We studied the effects of Propofol, Desflurane, and Sevoflurane on the systemic redox balance in patients undergoing laparohysterectomy. We measured blood concentration of glutathione (GSH), plasma antioxidant capacity (Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity-TEAC), and lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde (aMDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (aHNE) protein adducts). Sixty patients were randomly placed into three groups of twenty people each. In Group P anesthesia was induced with Propofol 2 mg/kg and maintained with 12–10–8 mg/kg/min; in Groups S and D anesthesia was induced with 3 mg/kg Sodium Thiopental and maintained with 2% Sevoflurane and 6% Desflurane, respectively. Blood samples were collected prior to induction (T0bas), 60min and 24h postoperatively (T160' and T224 h). In Group P, GSH increased on T160' (p<0.02) and returned to baseline on T24h, while TEAC remained unmodified; in Groups S, GSH and TEAC decreased on T160' (p<0.01 vs. T0bas, p<0.03 vs. T0bas, respectively); in Group D, on T160' there was a slight decrease of GSH and TEAC. The levels of aMDA slightly decreased throughout the study periods in Group P, increased in Group D, and remained stable in Group S. Propofol showed antioxidant properties, while Sevoflurane and Desflurane seemed to shift the redox balance towards oxidation, yet without inducing overt oxidative damage.


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