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1.
Lipidomic Response to Coffee Consumption.
Kuang, A, Erlund, I, Herder, C, Westerhuis, JA, Tuomilehto, J, Cornelis, MC
Nutrients. 2018;(12)
Abstract
Coffee is widely consumed and contains many bioactive compounds, any of which may impact pathways related to disease development. Our objective was to identify individual lipid changes in response to coffee drinking. We profiled the lipidome of fasting serum samples collected from a previously reported single blinded, three-stage clinical trial. Forty-seven habitual coffee consumers refrained from drinking coffee for 1 month, consumed 4 cups of coffee/day in the second month and 8 cups/day in the third month. Samples collected after each coffee stage were subject to quantitative lipidomic profiling using ion-mobility spectrometry⁻mass spectrometry. A total of 853 lipid species mapping to 14 lipid classes were included for univariate analysis. Three lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) species including LPC (20:4), LPC (22:1) and LPC (22:2), significantly decreased after coffee intake (p < 0.05 and q < 0.05). An additional 72 species mapping to the LPC, free fatty acid, phosphatidylcholine, cholesteryl ester and triacylglycerol classes of lipids were nominally associated with coffee intake (p < 0.05 and q > 0.05); 58 of these decreased after coffee intake. In conclusion, coffee intake leads to lower levels of specific LPC species with potential impacts on glycerophospholipid metabolism more generally.
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2.
Pre-germinated brown rice reduced both blood glucose concentration and body weight in Vietnamese women with impaired glucose tolerance.
Bui, TN, Le, TH, Nguyen, do H, Tran, QB, Nguyen, TL, Le, DT, Nguyen, do VA, Vu, AL, Aoto, H, Okuhara, Y, et al
Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology. 2014;(3):183-7
Abstract
We have reported that newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients in Vietnam have a low body mass index (BMI) of around 23 and that the major factor for this is high white rice (WR) intake. Brown rice (BR) is known to be beneficial in the control of blood glucose levels; however, it has the property of unpleasant palatability. Pre-germinated brown rice (PGBR) is slightly germinated by soaking BR in water as this reduces the hardness of BR and makes it easier to eat. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of a 4-mo PGBR administration on various parameters in Vietnamese women aged 45-65 y with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Sixty subjects were divided into a WR or PGBR group. For the first 2 wk, WR was replaced by 50% PGBR, then for 2 wk by 75% PGBR and from the second month 100%. Before the beginning of the study and at the end of the study, 1) anthropometric measurements, 2) a nutrition survey for 3 nonconsecutive days by the 24 h recall method and 3) blood biochemical examinations were conducted. Fasting plasma concentrations of glucose and lipids and the obesity-related measurements and blood pressure were favorably improved only in the PGBR diet group. The present results suggest that replacing WR with PGBR for 4 mo may be useful in controlling body weight as well as blood glucose and lipid levels in Vietnamese women with IGT.
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3.
Effects of Aloe vera cream on chronic anal fissure pain, wound healing and hemorrhaging upon defection: a prospective double blind clinical trial.
Rahmani, N, Khademloo, M, Vosoughi, K, Assadpour, S
European review for medical and pharmacological sciences. 2014;(7):1078-84
Abstract
Aloe vera is a medicinal plant that promotes wound healing in burn injuries. A prospective clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of a topical cream containing 0.5% Aloe vera juice powder in the treatment of chronic anal fissures. The aloe cream was applied by the patients to the wound site 3 times per day for 6 weeks following the instructions of a physician. Pain was assessed with a visual analog scale before treatment and at the end of each week of treatment. Wound healing and the amount and severity of bleeding were examined and evaluated before and at the end of each week of treatment. There were statistically significant differences in chronic anal fissure pain, hemorrhaging upon defection and wound healing before and at the end of the first week of treatment also in comparison with control group (p < 0.0001). In this study, a topical cream containing aloe vera juice was an effective treatment for chronic anal fissures. This is a promising result indicating that further comparative studies are justified.
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4.
Improvement of serum antioxidant status in humans after the acute intake of apple juices.
Vieira, FG, Di Pietro, PF, da Silva, EL, Borges, GS, Nunes, EC, Fett, R
Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.). 2012;(3):229-32
Abstract
It is hypothesized that apples of 2 Brazilian cultivars with different content of sugars and antioxidant compounds promote similar effects on the antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in human serum after acute intake. Nine healthy women ingested 300 mL of Golden Delicious or Catarina apple juice (AJ) or water, and blood samples were collected before and 1 hour after intake. After intake of both AJ, a similar and significant increase in serum antioxidant capacity and ascorbic and uric acid levels and a significant decrease in serum lipid peroxidation was observed. The increase in serum antioxidant capacity after consumption of both AJ was correlated directly with the uric acid levels and inversely with serum lipid peroxidation. In summary, the acute intake of AJ of 2 cultivars promoted a similar effect on the antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in human blood serum.
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5.
Non-food odorants reduce chocolate cravings.
Kemps, E, Tiggemann, M, Bettany, S
Appetite. 2012;(3):1087-90
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Abstract
The present study compared the relative effectiveness of simple, commercially available food and non-food olfactory tasks on chocolate craving reduction. Chocolate cravings were induced by a series of coloured photographs and 67 undergraduate women were asked to smell one of three odours (green apple, jasmine, or water). The non-food odorant (jasmine) significantly reduced chocolate cravings relative to both the food and control odorants. Thus simple non-food odorants offer potential scope as a technique for curbing unwanted food cravings.
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6.
Impact of spinach consumption on DNA stability in peripheral lymphocytes and on biochemical blood parameters: results of a human intervention trial.
Moser, B, Szekeres, T, Bieglmayer, C, Wagner, KH, Mišík, M, Kundi, M, Zakerska, O, Nersesyan, A, Kager, N, Zahrl, J, et al
European journal of nutrition. 2011;(7):587-94
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A controlled intervention trial was conducted to assess the impact of spinach consumption on DNA stability in lymphocytes and on health-related biochemical parameters. METHODS The participants (n = 8) consumed homogenised spinach (225 g/day/person) over a period of 16 days. DNA migration was monitored in single cell gel electrophoresis-comet assays under standard conditions, which reflect single- and double-strand breaks, after treatment of nuclei with lesion-specific enzymes (formamidopyrimidine glycosylase, FPG and endonuclease III, ENDO III) and after treatment of intact cells with H(2)O(2) before, during and after intervention. RESULTS While no reduction in DNA damage was observed under standard conditions after different time intervals of spinach intake, other endpoints, namely ROS sensitivity and DNA migration attributable to the formation of oxidatively damaged DNA bases (i.e. pyrimidines-ENDO III-sensitive sites and purines-FPG sensitive sites) were reduced 6 h after consumption of the first portion and after 11 days of continuous consumption. In the case of ENDO III-sensitive sites, also after 16 days, a decrease in comet formation was observed. At the end of a 40 days washout period, the DNA stability parameters were not significantly different from the background values. Other biochemical parameters which were significantly altered by spinach intake were the folate (+27%) and homocysteine (-16%) concentrations in blood, and it was found in an earlier human study that folate may prevent oxidative damage to DNA bases. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our results show that moderate consumption of spinach causes protection against oxidative DNA damage in humans and that this phenomenon is paralleled by alterations of health-related biochemical parameters.
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Chlorella pyrenoidosa supplementation reduces the risk of anemia, proteinuria and edema in pregnant women.
Nakano, S, Takekoshi, H, Nakano, M
Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands). 2010;(1):25-30
Abstract
Pregnancy anemia and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) are common and potentially dangerous disorder in human pregnancy, and nutritional status of pregnant women is one of the leading causes. Chlorella contains large quantities of folate, vitamin B-12 and iron, and can help improve anemia and hypertensive disorder. Our objective was to investigate the preventive effects of Chlorella supplement on pregnancy anemia and PIH in Japanese pregnant women. A total of 70 pregnant women were placed into the control group (n = 38) or the Chlorella group (n = 32). The subjects in the Chlorella group were supplemented daily from 12th-18th wk of gestation until delivery with 6 g of Chlorella supplement. The proportion of anemic (hemoglobin level < 11 g/dL) subjects in the Chlorella group were significantly lower compared with the control group at the second and third trimesters. Additionally, in the Chlorella group, the incidences of proteinuria and edema, signs of PIH, were significantly lower during the third trimester. These results suggest that Chlorella supplementation significantly reduces the risk of pregnancy associated anemia, proteinuria and edema. Chlorella supplement may be useful as a resource of natural folate, vitamin B-12 and iron for pregnant women.
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8.
Cannabis use in HIV for pain and other medical symptoms.
Woolridge, E, Barton, S, Samuel, J, Osorio, J, Dougherty, A, Holdcroft, A
Journal of pain and symptom management. 2005;(4):358-67
Abstract
Despite the major benefits of antiretroviral therapy on survival during HIV infection, there is an increasing need to manage symptoms and side effects during long-term drug therapy. Cannabis has been reported anecdotally as being beneficial for a number of common symptoms and complications in HIV infections, for example, poor appetite and neuropathy. This study aimed to investigate symptom management with cannabis. Following Ethics Committee approval, HIV-positive individuals attending a large clinic were recruited into an anonymous cross-sectional questionnaire study. Up to one-third (27%, 143/523) reported using cannabis for treating symptoms. Patients reported improved appetite (97%), muscle pain (94%), nausea (93%), anxiety (93%), nerve pain (90%), depression (86%), and paresthesia (85%). Many cannabis users (47%) reported associated memory deterioration. Symptom control using cannabis is widespread in HIV outpatients. A large number of patients reported that cannabis improved symptom control.
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9.
Cerebral hemodynamic responses to betel chewing: a Doppler study.
Lin, SK, Chang, YJ, Ryu, SJ, Chu, NS
Clinical neuropharmacology. 2002;(5):244-50
Abstract
We sought to evaluate cerebral hemodynamic responses to betel chewing. Thirty healthy male volunteers (mean age = 35 years), ten new chewers, ten occasional chewers, and ten chronic chewers were included in this study. We used carotid duplex sonography and transcranial Doppler to measure the flow velocities and flow volume (FV) of the common carotid (CCA), internal carotid (ICA), external carotid (ECA) arteries, and the flow velocity of middle cerebral artery (MCA). Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded simultaneously. All subjects were asked to chew fruit-flavored chewing gum for 10 minutes. Blood flows of the above vessels were measured four times at baseline and at the 2nd, 6th, and 12th minute after chewing. A repeated study was followed in the same subject but substituted with betel nut. Chronic chewers had delayed onset time and shortened vanishing time of facial-flushing sensation. Systolic and diastolic BPs were mildly elevated during gum chewing (p = 0.008 and 0.015, respectively), whereas diastolic BP was dropped during betel chewing (p = 0.008). Heart rate increased prominently during betel chewing (p < 0.0001), especially in new and occasional chewers. The peak systolic, end diastolic velocities, and FV in ECA and CCA increased significantly during betel chewing (p < 0.0001). The blood flows in the ICA and MCA had no significant changes during gum or betel chewing. Betel chewing has a central sympathetic effect resulting in accelerated HR, increased blood flows in ECA and CCA, but has a peripheral cholinergic effect resulting in a drop of diastolic BP. Intracranial cerebral hemodynamics is not affected during betel chewing. The inotropic and chronotropic effect to the heart from betel chewing is probably an unfavorable risk for patients with ischemic heart disease.