The Effects of Low-Intensity Ultrasound on Fat Reduction of Rat Model

Nonfocused low-intensity ultrasound is generally believed to be less efficacious than High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) at body fat reduction; nevertheless, this technology has already been widely used clinically for body contouring purposes. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this new technology by applying 1 MHz nonfocused ultrasound at 3 W/cm2to the outer-thigh region of rat models. Ultrasonography measurement demonstrated an average reduction of 0.5 mm of subcutaneous fat thickness that persisted for at least three days after treatment. Biochemical analysis quantified a significant increase in lipid levels, specifically triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol. These two findings of subcutaneous fat reduction and plasma lipid increase showed a positive correlation. No evidence of adverse events or complications was observed after the treatment. This study validated nonfocused low-intensity ultrasound as an effective and safe method for body fat reduction, especially with repetitive treatment. However, the concurrent increase in plasma lipid level will require further investigation to determine this technology’s long-term impact, if any, on health.

Profil Lipida Plasma Tikus Wistar yang Hiperkolesterolemia pada Pemberian Gedi Merah (Abelmoschus manihot L.)

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mempelajari pengaruh daun gedi merah (Abelmoschus manihot L.) terhadap kadar lipida dari plasma darah hewan uji yang menderita hiperkolesterolemia. Penelitian ini menggunakan 16 ekor tikus jantan, strain Wistar berumur 2-3 bulan dengan berat 120-250 g, dan dibagi dalam 3 tahap perlakuan. Tahap pertama, tikus diadaptasikan terlebih dahulu selama 8 hari dengan pemberian pakan standar, dan diakhiri masa adaptasi, sebanyak 3 ekor tikus dibedah untuk dianalisis kadar lipida plasmanya (Baseline). Tahap ke-2, tikus diberi pakan aterogenik selama 14 hari untuk meningkatkan kadar kolesterol plasmanya, dan diakhiri tahap ini sebanyak 3 ekor tikus dibedah untuk dianalisis kadar lipida plasmanya (kelompok Aterogenik). Tahap ke-3, tikus dibagi menjadi dua perlakuan, yakni: tikus yang diberi pakan standar (kelompok PS), dan tikus yang diberi pakan standar mengandung 36% pasta daun gedi merah (kelompok PG). Setiap perlakuan terdiri dari 5 ekor tikus dan diakhiri tahap perlakuan ini, semua tikus dibedah untuk dianalisis kadar lipida plasmaya menggunakan metode enzimatik kolorimetri. Pemberian pakan sebanyak 20 g per ekor per hari dan air minum dilakukan secara ad libitum. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kelompok PG secara signifikan memiliki kadartotal plasma cholesterol (TPC) yang lebih rendah daripada baseline, kelompok aterogenik dan PS, kelompok PG juga memiliki kadar kolesterol dalam partikel low density lipoproteins (k-LDL) lebih rendah daripada kelompok aterogenik, dan kelompok PG memiliki kadar trigliserida (TG) yang lebih rendah daripada kelompok aterogenik dan PS. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa mengkonsumsi pakan standar mengandung 36% pasta daun gedi merah dapat menurunkan kadar TPC, k-LDL dan trigliserida berpengaruh nyata terhadap penurunan kolesterol tikus percobaan yang hiperkolesterolemia.The purpose of this research was to study the effect of red gedi (Abelmoschus Manihot L.) leaves on the blood plasma lipid levels of the tested animals suffering from hypercholesterolemia. This study used 16 Wistar strain male rats, 2-3 months old with the body weight of 120 to 250 g. The tested animals were divided into three groups based on the treatments stages. At the first stage, all rats were adapted for 8 days with the standard food and at the end of the treatment 3 rats were dissected for plasma lipid level analysis (the baseline group). At the second stage, all rats were received atherogenic feeding for 14 days to increase the plasma cholesterol levels and at the end of the treatment 3 rats were dissected for plasma lipid level analysis (the atherogenic group). At the third stage, the rats were divided into two groups of treatments: the PS group and the PG group Each group consisted of 5 rats. The rats in The PS group were fed with standard food and the PG group were fed with the standard food containing 36% of red gedi leaf paste. At the end of the treatment, the rats were dissected for plasma lipid level analysis using enzymatic colorimetric methods. During the treatments, each rat was received 20 g of food and drinking water ad libitum. The results showedthat the total plasma cholesterol (TPC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride levels of the rats receiving red gedi (the PGgroup) were lower compare to the other groups (thebaseline, theatherogenicandPS groups). This studyconcludedthat consumingthe standardfoodcontaining 36% of redgedileaf paste was able to reduce the cholesterol levels of hypercholesterolemiarats.

Connections between apolipoprotein E genotypes and the development of cardiovascular diseases

Elevated plasma lipid level is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, which are considered to be pimary causes of death. Apolipoprotein E plays a part in the lipid transport in the blood, thus polimophisms of that affect the lipid composition of the plasma. The three most common alleles of apolipoprotein E are e2, e3, e4. Out of the two non-wild type alleles, the e2 and e4, the latter was shown to play a role in the development of cardiovascular diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. Some studies mention the e2/e2 homozygote genotype as one of the causes of hyperlipoproteinemia type III. Besides lipid metabolism, apolipoprotein E also influences the manifestation of cardiovascular diseases through other biochemical pathways, therefore it is essential to explore the molecular background of these metabolic pathways. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 2070–2076.

Chronic Contamination with 137Cesium in Rat: Effect on Liver Cholesterol Metabolism

After the Chernobyl nuclear accident, epidemiological studies on human populations living in 137Cs-contaminated areas revealed the increase frequencies of thyroid cancer and evoked the apparition of cardiovascular diseases, hormonal effect, liver alteration, and lipid disorder. Actually, it raises a problem of public safety for the populations living on these territories that are exposed to low levels of 137Cs during a long period through food. Then it is necessary to study potential effect of this chronic contamination. To mimic this situation, the authors investigate the potential biological effects of chronic exposure to 137Cs at a postaccidental dose (150 Bq/rat/day) on hepatic metabolism of cholesterol in rat. Plasma lipid level, gene expression and activity were analyzed. It was observed that in 137Cs-exposed rats, gene expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr), apolipoprotein B (apoB), and liver X receptor α (LXR α) are increased (95%, p < .05; 34%, p < .05; 20%, p < 0.05, respectively), whereas transporter adenosine triphosphate–binding cassette transporter G5 (ABCG5) is decreased (42%, p < .05). In addition, cytochrome P450 27A1 (CYP27A1) activity is increased (34%, p < .05) in contaminated rat liver. In conclusion, the results suggest that 137Cs contamination at low-level induces molecular modifications of the liver cholesterol metabolism without leading to a dysregulation of its homeostasis. These results suggest that chronic long term exposure at low-level of 137Cs may evolve to lipid disorder.