scholarly journals Endothelial Function is improved by Inducing Microbial Polyamine Production in the Gut: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitsuharu Matsumoto ◽  
Yusuke Kitada ◽  
Yuji Naito

Recently, it was demonstrated that spermidine-induced autophagy reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in mice. Intestinal bacteria are a major source of polyamines, including spermidine. We previously reported that the intake of both Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (Bifal) and arginine (Arg) increases the production of putrescine, a spermidine precursor, in the gut. Here, we investigated the effects of Bifal and Arg consumption on endothelial function in healthy subjects. Healthy individuals with body mass index (BMI) near the maximum value in the “healthy” range (BMI: 25) (n = 44) were provided normal yogurt containing Bifal and Arg (Bifal + Arg YG) or placebo (normal yogurt) for 12 weeks in this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group comparative study. The reactive hyperemia index (RHI), the primary outcome, was measured using endo-peripheral arterial tone (EndoPAT). The change in RHI from week 0 to 12 in the Bifal + Arg YG group was significantly higher than that in the placebo group, indicating that Bifal + Arg YG intake improved endothelial function. At week 12, the concentrations of fecal putrescine and serum putrescine and spermidine in the Bifal + Arg YG group were significantly higher than those in the placebo group. This study suggests that consuming Bifal + Arg YG prevents or reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.

Author(s):  
Masaru Mizuki ◽  
Teruomi Tsukahara ◽  
Hirotsugu Oda ◽  
Miyuki Tanaka ◽  
Koji Yamauchi ◽  
...  

This study investigated the preventive effects of lactoferrin (LF) on subjective acute gastrointestinal symptoms during the winter in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled parallel-group comparative trial. The eligible subjects were healthy adults working at kindergartens and nursery schools. We randomized the subjects to the Placebo group (0 mg/day), the Low LF group (200 mg/day), and the High LF group (600 mg/day) for 12 weeks. The prevalence of acute gastrointestinal symptoms was significantly lower in the High LF (13/112 vs. 26/116; p = 0.030) and the Low LF (13/107 vs. 26/116; p = 0.040) groups than in the Placebo group. The adjusted odds ratio for the prevalence of acute gastrointestinal symptoms was 2.78 (95% CI: 1.19–6.47) in the Placebo group compared with the High LF group. LF is useful to prevent acute gastrointestinal symptoms among childcare workers, who mainly consist of women.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 1218
Author(s):  
Ebrahim Khalil BaniHabib ◽  
Ali Mostafai ◽  
Seyyed Mohammad Bagher Fazljou ◽  
Ghadir Mohammdi

Background: Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide. This study evaluates the therapeutic effects of hab shabyar in patients with open-angle glaucoma. Materials and Methods: In this clinical randomized controlled trial, 50 patients with OAG were randomized into two groups. The intervention group was received a drop of timolol plus 500 mg of hab shabyar every 12 hours. The placebo group was received a drop of timolol every 12 hours plus 500 mg of wheat germ as a placebo. The intraocular pressure in patients with OAG was measured in each group and compared at before the intervention (t1), one month (t2), and two months (t3) after the intervention. Results: The mean decrease in intraocular pressure for the right eye at three times in the intervention group was statistically significant, but the mean decrease in the placebo group was not significant. Similar results were obtained for the left eye at t1 when compared to t3. The patients in the intervention group expressed more satisfaction than the patients in the placebo group (P≤0.001). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that consumption of timolol plus hab shabyar instead of consuming of timolol alone was probably more effective for reducing intraocular pressure in patients with OAG.[GMJ.2019;In press:e1218]


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Nitecka-Buchta ◽  
Piotr Buchta ◽  
Elżbieta Tabeńska-Bosakowska ◽  
Karolina Walczyńska-Dragoń ◽  
Stefan Baron

The aim of the study was the evaluation of myorelaxant action of bee venom (BV) ointment compared to placebo. Parallel group, randomized double blinded trial was performed. Experimental group patients were applying BV for 14 days, locally over masseter muscles, during 3-minute massage. Placebo group patients used vaseline for massage. Muscle tension was measured twice (TON1 and TON2) in rest muscle tonus (RMT) and maximal muscle contraction (MMC) on both sides, right and left, with Easy Train Myo EMG (Schwa-medico, Version 3.1). Reduction of muscle tonus was statistically relevant in BV group and irrelevant in placebo group. VAS scale reduction was statistically relevant in both groups: BV and placebo. Physiotherapy is an effective method for myofascial pain treatment, but 0,0005% BV ointment gets better relief in muscle tension reduction and analgesic effect. This trial is registered with Clinicaltrials.govNCT02101632.


Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naohiro Komura ◽  
Kenichi Tsujita ◽  
Kenshi Yamanaga ◽  
Kenji Sakamoto ◽  
Takashi Miyazaki ◽  
...  

Introduction: Drug-eluting stents (DESs) are replacing bare-metal stents (BMSs), but in-stent restenosis (ISR) remains a problem. Impaired endothelial function is a key event in the atherosclerosis process and a predictor of future cardiovascular events. Reactive hyperemia index (RHI) assessed by peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) evaluates endothelial function noninvasively. Hypothesis: We prospectively assessed the prognostic value of RHI in predicting ISR after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: RHI was measured using Endo-PAT 2000 before PCI (initial RHI) and at follow-up angiography (F/U RHI) in 249 consecutive patients who had successful PCI. F/U angiography was performed at six and nine months after PCI with BMS and DES, respectively. ISR was defined as percent diameter stenosis >50% at F/U angiography assessed by quantitative coronary angiography. Results: At F/U, ISR was seen in 68 patients (27.3%). F/U ln(RHI) was significantly lower in patients with ISR than in those without (0.52 ± 0.23 vs. 0.65 ± 0.27, p < 0.01); no between-group difference in initial ln(RHI) was seen (0.60 ± 0.26 vs. 0.62 ± 0.25, p = 0.56). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, even after adjusting for other significant parameters in univariate analysis (BMS use, total stent length, HDL-Cholesterol, HbA1c, calcium antagonist use, and post-PCI minimum lumen diameter), F/U ln(RHI) independently predicted ISR (odds ratio: 0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.04-0.48; p = 0.002). In receiver operating-characteristic analysis, F/U RHI was the strongest predictor of ISR (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.60-0.75; p < 0.01; RHI < 1.73 had 67.6% sensitivity, 64.1% specificity); AUC significantly improved from 0.62 to 0.70 when RHI was added to traditional ISR risk factors (diabetes mellitus, total stent length, minimum stent diameter) (p = 0.02). Net reclassification index was significant after addition of RHI (26.5%, p = 0.002). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study indicating that impaired RHI at F/U angiography independently predicts occurrence of ISR. The simple and noninvasive assessment of endothelial function by RH-PAT adds incremental prognostic value to ISR-risk stratification following PCI.


Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 823
Author(s):  
Chien-Chang Ho ◽  
Po-Sheng Chang ◽  
Hung-Wun Chen ◽  
Po-Fu Lee ◽  
Yun-Chi Chang ◽  
...  

The aim of this study is to investigate the glycemic profile, oxidative stress, and antioxidant capacity in athletes after 12 weeks of ubiquinone supplementation. It was a double-blinded, randomized, parallel, placebo-controlled study. Thirty-one well-trained college athletes were randomly assigned to ubiquinone (300 mg/d, n = 17) or placebo group (n = 14). The glycemic profile [fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI)], plasma and erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and ubiquinone status were measured. After supplementation, the plasma ubiquinone concentration was significantly increased (p < 0.05) and the level of erythrocyte MDA was significantly lower in the ubiquinone group than in the placebo group (p < 0.01). There was a significant correlation between white blood cell (WBC) ubiquinone and glycemic parameters [HbA1c, r = −0.46, p < 0.05; HOMA-IR, r = −0.67, p < 0.01; QUICKI, r = 0.67, p < 0.01]. In addition, athletes with higher WBC ubiquinone level (≥0.5 nmol/g) showed higher erythrocyte TAC and QUICKI and lower HOMA-IR. In conclusion, we demonstrated that athletes may show a better antioxidant capacity with higher ubiquinone status after 12 weeks of supplementation, which may further improve glycemic control.


2002 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 857-865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Crossley ◽  
Kim Bennell ◽  
Sally Green ◽  
Sallie Cowan ◽  
Jenny McConnell

Background Although physical therapy forms the mainstay of nonoperative management for patellofemoral pain, its efficacy has not been established. Hypothesis Significantly more pain relief will be achieved from a 6-week regimen of physical therapy than from placebo treatment. Study Design Multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Methods Seventy-one subjects, 40 years of age or younger with patellofemoral pain of 1 month or longer, were randomly allocated to a physical therapy or placebo group. A standardized treatment program consisted of six treatment sessions, once weekly. Physical therapy included quadriceps muscle retraining, patellofemoral joint mobilization, and patellar taping, and daily home exercises. The placebo treatment consisted of sham ultrasound, light application of a nontherapeutic gel, and placebo taping. Results Sixty-seven participants completed the trial. The physical therapy group (N = 33) demonstrated significantly greater reduction in the scores for average pain, worst pain, and disability than did the placebo group (N = 34). Conclusions A six-treatment, 6-week physical therapy regimen is efficacious for alleviation of patellofemoral pain.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard B. Allan ◽  
Simon V. Vun ◽  
J. Ian Spark

This study compared flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), peripheral artery tonometry (PAT), and serum nitric oxide (NO) measures of endothelial function in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) against age/gender matched controls. 25 patients (mean age: 72.4 years, M : F 18 : 7) with established PAD and an age/gender matched group of 25 healthy controls (mean age: 72.4 years, M : F 18 : 7) were studied. Endothelial function was measured using the % FMD, reactive hyperemia index (RHI) using PAT and serum NO (μmol). Difference for each method between PAD and control patients and correlation between the methods were investigated. FMD and RHI were lower in patients with PAD (median FMD for PAD = 2.16% versus control = 3.77%,p=0.034and median RHI in PAD = 1.64 versus control = 1.92,p=0.005). NO levels were not significantly different between the groups (PAD median = 7.70 μmol, control median = 13.05 μmol,p=0.662). These results were obtained in elderly patients and cannot be extrapolated to younger individuals. FMD and PAT both demonstrated a lower hyperaemic response in patients with PAD; however, FMD results in PAD patients were unequivocally reduced whereas half the PAD patients had RHI values above the established threshold for endothelial dysfunction. This suggests that FMD is a more appropriate method for the measurement of NO-mediated endothelial function.


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