A pilot study on the effects of almond consumption on DNA damage and oxidative stress in smokers.

The effects of almond consumption on DNA damage and oxidative stress among cigarette smokers were studied. Thirty healthy adult male regular smokers were randomly divided into three groups, 10 subjects per group. Group A (control group) did not receive any almonds.

Extrahepatic tissue concentrations of vitamin K are lower in rats fed a high vitamin E diet.

Background: An adverse hematological interaction between vitamins E and K has been reported, primarily in patients on anticoagulants. However, little is known regarding circulating levels or tissue concentrations of vitamin K in response to vitamin E supplementation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different levels of dietary alpha-tocopherol on phylloquinone and menaquinone-4 concentrations, while maintaining a constant intake of phylloquinone, in rat tissues.

Determination of flavonoids and phenolics and their distribution in almonds.

Limited information is available concerning the qualitative and quantitative composition of polyphenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, in almonds. We determined total phenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids in California almond (Prunus dulcis) skins and kernels among the principal almond varieties (Butte, Carmel, Fritz, Mission, Monterey, Nonpareil, Padre, and Price) with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/electrochemical detection and UV detection. Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry under identical HPLC conditions was utilized to verify identities of the predominant flavonoids and phenolic acids.

Nutrition information sources vary with education level in a population of older adults.

Education level, more than any other socioeconomic factor, can predict disease risk, health behavior patterns, and diet quality. It has been suggested that one reason higher education promotes more healthful diets is that better-educated people may get better nutrition information. We present data from a survey examining specific sources of nutrition information among an older adult population (age >50 years, n=176), and compare the difference in sources associated with extent of education.

A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of peppermint tea (Mentha piperita L.).

Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) is one of the most widely consumed single ingredient herbal teas, or tisanes. Peppermint tea, brewed from the plant leaves, and the essential oil of peppermint are used in traditional medicines.

A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of chamomile tea (Matricaria recutita L.).

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita L., Chamomilla recutita L., Matricaria chamomilla) is one of the most popular single ingredient herbal teas, or tisanes.

Age-related loss of associations between acute exercise-induced IL-6 and oxidative stress.

IL-6 mediates many aspects of the exercise-induced acute-phase response, including upregulation of antioxidant defenses. Moreover, IL-6 synthesis is regulated in part by oxidative stress. This investigation tested the hypothesis that an IL-6-mediated acute-phase response after exercise provides negative-feedback protection against exercise-induced oxidative stress.

Complex role of the vitamin D receptor and its ligand in adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells.

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) and its ligand 1,25-OH2-VD3 (calcitriol) play an essential role in mineral homeostasis in mammals. Interestingly, the VDR is expressed very early in adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells, suggesting that the VDR signaling pathway may play a role in adipocyte biology and function. Indeed, it has been known for a number of years that calcitriol is a potent inhibitor of adipogenesis in this model but with no clear mechanism identified.

Three-month sustained-release triptorelin (11.25 mg) in the treatment of central precocious puberty.

Objective: Depot GnRH agonists are commonly used in the treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP). The triptorelin 11.25 mg 3-month depot, currently used in adult indications, had not previously been evaluated in CPP.

Rat gastrointestinal tissues metabolize quercetin.

Quercetin and quercetin glycosides from food or dietary supplements appear in body tissues almost exclusively as glucuronated, sulfated, and methylated quercetin conjugates, suggesting that the in vivo bioactivity of quercetin may be due to its metabolites. In this study, pre- and postabsorptive metabolism of orally ingested quercetin was examined by comparing the metabolite pattern in gastrointestinal (GI) tissues, contents, and internal tissues. F344 rats (n = 6) were fed for 6 wk a diet containing 0.

Superoxide dismutase mimetic preserves the glomerular capillary permeability barrier to protein.

Overproduction of superoxide (O2*) occurs in glomerular disease and may overwhelm the capacity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), thereby intensifying oxidant injury by O2* and related radical species that disrupt the glomerular capillary permeability barrier to protein. We examined the efficacy of the SOD mimetic tempol in preserving glomerular permeability to protein using 1) a rat model of glomerular immune injury induced by an antiglomerular basement membrane antibody (anti-GBM), and 2) isolated rat glomeruli in which injury was induced by the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). To induce glomerular immune injury, rats received anti-GBM using a protocol that results in prominent infiltration of glomeruli by macrophages and in which macrophage-derived TNFalpha has been shown to mediate albuminuria.

Flavonols, flavones, flavanones, and human health: epidemiological evidence.

Polyphenolic flavonoids are among a wide variety of phytochemicals present in the human diet. Basic research, animal model, and human studies suggest flavonoid intake may reduce the risk of several age-related chronic diseases. The vast number of flavonoids and mixtures of their subclasses, including flavonols, flavones, and flavanones, and the variety of agricultural practices that affect their concentration in foods have presented a challenge to the development of adequate food composition databases for these compounds.

Antioxidant status and biomarkers of oxidative stress in dogs with congestive heart failure.

Alterations in antioxidant status and oxidative stress have been documented in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The purpose of this study was to more broadly assess this relationship in dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF). Malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-F(2alpha)-isoprostane, protein carbonyls, reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, vitamins A, C, and E, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) were measured from a single venous blood sample from dogs with CHF secondary to DCM or chronic valvular disease (CVD) and in healthy controls.

Cocoa reduces blood pressure and insulin resistance and improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in hypertensives.

Consumption of flavanol-rich dark chocolate (DC) has been shown to decrease blood pressure (BP) and insulin resistance in healthy subjects, suggesting similar benefits in patients with essential hypertension (EH). Therefore, we tested the effect of DC on 24-hour ambulatory BP, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) in patients with EH. After a 7-day chocolate-free run-in phase, 20 never-treated, grade I patients with EH (10 males; 43.

Flavonoids from almond skins are bioavailable and act synergistically with vitamins C and E to enhance hamster and human LDL resistance to oxidation.

Consumption of tree nuts such as almonds has been associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Flavonoids, found predominantly in the skin of almonds, may contribute to their putative health benefit, but their bioactivity and bioavailability have not previously been studied. Almond skin flavonoids (ASF) were extracted with HCl:H2O:methanol (1:19:80) and their content of catechins and flavonols identified by HPLC with electrochemical detection.

Vitamins E and C are safe across a broad range of intakes.

A robust database shows that dietary supplements of vitamins E and C are safe for the general population. Because these nutrients supply antioxidant and other functions for homeostasis and protection against free radical damage, supplementation has been intensively studied. Because of perceived benefits, many persons consume quantities of vitamins E and C well above the recommended dietary allowances.

Bilateral asynchronous metastatic carcinoid tumor of the testis.

Carcinoid tumor of the testis represents only 0.23% of all testicular malignancies. We report the first case of bilateral asynchronous carcinoid tumor of the testis with a primary site in the small bowel.

Lutein and zeaxanthin and their potential roles in disease prevention.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are xanthophyll carotenoids found particularly in dark-green leafy vegetables and in egg yolks. They are widely distributed in tissues and are the principal carotenoids in the eye lens and macular region of the retina. Epidemiologic studies indicating an inverse relationship between xanthophyll intake or status and both cataract and age-related macular degeneration suggest these compounds can play a protective role in the eye.

Antioxidant status decreases in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia during the first six months of chemotherapy treatment.

Background: Children undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receive combination chemotherapy and many of the components are associated with free radical production.

Procedure: Among 103 children newly diagnosed with ALL, plasma concentrations of antioxidants, total antioxidant capacity (ORAC), and DNA oxidized base 8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) were analyzed at baseline and 3 and 6 months after diagnosis.

Results: Plasma vitamin A, antioxidants, 8-oxo-dG, and ORAC changed from diagnosis through the first 6 months of ALL therapy.

Effect of dietary fish oil, vitamin E, and probucol on renal injury in the rat.

Dietary fish oil, vitamin E, and probucol have been considered in a variety of human and experimental models of kidney disease. Using subtotal nephrectomized cholesterol-fed rats as a model for progressive kidney disease, we examined the effect of 5% dietary fish oil, or a combination of 5% dietary fish oil with 500 IU vitamin E/kg diet or 1% probucol on renal injury. Three-month-old Sprague Dawley rats were fed a control diet (C group) or a cholesterol supplemented (2%) diet (Ch group) containing either fish oil (FO group) or fish oil plus vitamin E (FO+E group) or fish oil plus probucol (FO+P group).

Pharmacodynamic equivalence of a decapeptyl 3-month SR formulation with the 28-day SR formulation in patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Aims: The objective of the study was to assess the pharmacodynamic equivalence of LHRH analogue triptorelin 3-month and 28-day SR formulations.

Methods: Patients with documented locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer were randomized to receive one injection of the 3-month formulation (n = 63) or three injections at 28-day intervals of the 28-day formulation (n = 68). Group-chemical castration rates defined as the percentage of patients reaching a testosterone plasma level View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dietary iron promotes azoxymethane-induced colon tumors in mice.

There is accumulating evidence that high levels of dietary iron may play a role in colon carcinogenesis. We used a mouse model to investigate the impact of elevated dietary iron on incidence of aberrant crypt foci (ACF; a preneoplastic lesion) on tumor formation and on induction of oxidative stress. A/J mice were injected intraperitoneally, once a week for 6 weeks, with the colonotropic carcinogen, azoxymethane (AOM) or saline (vehicle controls).