Long-term risperidone treatment induces visceral adiposity associated with hepatic steatosis in mice: a magnetic resonance approach.

Although atypical antipsychotic drugs (APDs) have led to significant advances in the treatment of psychotic disorders, they still induce metabolic disturbances. We aimed at characterizing the metabolic consequences of a risperidone treatment and at establishing a link with noninvasive MR markers, in order to develop a tool for predicting symptoms of the metabolic syndrome. Fat deposition and liver morphometry were assessed by T1-weighted imaging.

Fenofibrate inhibits endothelin-1 expression by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α-dependent and independent mechanisms in human endothelial cells.

Objective: Dyslipidemia contributes to endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Fenofibrate (FF), a ligand of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα), has beneficial effects on microvascular complications. FF may act on the endothelium by regulating vasoactive factors, including endothelin-1 (ET-1).

Antioxydant activity of β-carboline derivatives in the LDL oxidation model.

A series of β-carboline compounds were synthesized, starting from compound GWC22, their antioxidant activity was determined by inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The oxidation of LDL was induced in the presence of CuSO4 or 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH). The protective actions of these compounds against the cytotoxicity were evaluated with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) and cellular vitality by measuring mitochondrial activity in the presence of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide).

Antioxidant activity of benzoxazolinonic and benzothiazolinonic derivatives in the LDL oxidation model.

A series of benzazolone compounds were synthesized utilizing benzoxazolinonic and benzothiazolinonic heterocycles as the building unit. The antioxidant activity of these compounds was determined by inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The oxidation of LDL was induced in the presence of CuSO(4) or 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH).

Vasorelaxant and anti-platelet aggregation effects of aqueous Ocimum basilicum extract.

Aim Of The Study: In this work the endothelium-dependant vasorelaxant and anti-platelet aggregation activities of an aqueous extract from Ocimum basilicum were studied.

Materials And Methods: The vasorelaxant effect was undertaken in thoracic aorta from three experimental groups of rats: one of them (NCG) fed with standard diet, the second (HCG) with hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD) and the third (BTG) with hypercholesterolemic diet together with an intragastric administration of Ocimum basilicum extract at a dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight for a period of 10 weeks.

Effects of Microdesmis keayana alkaloids on vascular parameters of erectile dysfunction.

Microdesmis keayana (Pandaceae) is an African tropical plant whose roots are used in traditional medicine for erection impairment but the compounds responsible for its action are unknown. Two major alkaloids recently isolated from the roots of M. keayana, keayanidine B and keayanine, were tested for vasorelaxing properties using isolated rat aortic rings precontracted by phenylephrine to confirm its traditional use.

Vasoactivity, antioxidant and aphrodisiac properties of Caesalpinia benthamiana roots.

Aims Of The Study: Caesalpinia benthamiana (=Mezoneuron benthamianum) (Fabaceae) is an African tropical plant whose roots are used in traditional medicine as an aqueous decoction for many purposes, especially for erection impairment but its action mechanism is unknown. The action of Caesalpinia benthamiana on sexual behaviour and some assays on potential modes of action were performed.

Materials And Methods: The aqueous extract of Caesalpinia benthamiana (AECB) was tested for vasorelaxing properties using isolated rat aortic rings precontracted by phenylephrine.

The PPARalpha activator fenofibrate slows down the progression of the left ventricular dysfunction in porcine tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy.

It has been reported that high intramyocardial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) stimulation or overexpression altered cardiac contractile function in mouse models of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. Nevertheless, it has never been demonstrated that clinically relevant doses of drugs stimulating PPARalpha activity such as fenofibrate increase the risk to develop heart failure in humans. To determine if fenofibrate accelerates the development of heart failure in large mammals, we have tested its effects on the progression of left ventricular dysfunction in pacing-induced heart failure in pigs.

PON1, a new biomarker of cardiovascular disease, is low in patients with systemic vasculitis.

Objectives: Because systemic vasculitis (SV) predisposes to atherosclerosis, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) prevents atherosclerosis by "reverse cholesterol transport" and by inhibiting low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation thanks to apolipoprotein A-I (Apo-AI) and paraoxonase 1 (PON1), we assessed whether LDL oxidation was increased in SV and associated with less PON1 activity.

Methods: The sera of 33 patients with active SV (ASV), 32 in full remission of SV (RSV) and 20 healthy subjects (HS) were analyzed for C-reactive protein (CRP), high-sensitivity-CRP, lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, PON1 activity, LDL-immune complexes (LDL-IC), and auto-antibodies to oxidized-LDL (ox-LDL), and anticardiolipin antibodies.

Results: CRP was higher in ASV than RSV and HS, and negatively correlated with HDL-cholesterol and Apo-AI.

Paullinia pinnata extracts rich in polyphenols promote vascular relaxation via endothelium-dependent mechanisms.

Paullinia pinnata L. (Sapindaceae) is an African tropical plant whose roots and leaves are used in traditional medicine for many purposes, especially for erectile dysfunction, but its action mechanism is unknown. P.

Vasoactivity and antioxidant properties of Microdesmis keayana roots.

Endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mRNA expression increases in the corpora cavernosum, penile arteries and arterioles during erection. But eNOS expression and nitric oxide (NO), the product of its catalytic action, are inactivated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), especially by superoxide anion. ROS are involved in the impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation and are responsible for some of the pathologies linked to erectile dysfunction (i.

Increased susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein to ex vivo oxidation in mice transgenic for human apolipoprotein B treated with 1 melatonin-related compound is not associated with atherosclerosis progression.

Considerable evidence supports the hypothesis that LDL oxidation has an important role in atherosclerosis. It has been demonstrated that the feeding of hypercholesterolemic mice on an atherogenic diet supplemented with melatonin highly increases the surface of atherosclerotic lesions in aorta and the sensitivity of atherogenic lipoprotein to ex vivo oxidation even though high melatonin doses inhibit lipoprotein oxidation in vitro. A melatonin-related compound (DTBHB: N-[2-(5-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)ethyl]-3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzamide) has been reported to strongly inhibit lipid peroxidation in vitro.

Natural phenylpropanoids inhibit lipoprotein-induced endothelin-1 secretion by endothelial cells.

There is increasing evidence that oxidized low-density lipoproteins (Ox-LDL) might be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and it has been reported that polyphenols inhibit LDL peroxidation and atherosclerosis. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide isolated from endothelial cells and it induces smooth muscle cell proliferation. ET-1 secretion is increased in atheroma and induces deleterious effects such as vasospasm and atherosclerosis.

Human free apolipoprotein A-I and artificial pre-beta-high-density lipoprotein inhibit eNOS activity and NO release.

Little is known about the effects of human free apolipoprotein A-I (Free-Apo A-I) and pre-beta-high density lipoprotein (pre-beta-HDL) on the endothelium function. In this study, we have investigated the effects of Free-Apo A-I and artificial pre-beta-HDL on endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activity and on NO production by endothelial cells. Free-Apo A-I drastically inhibited NO production in human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and eNOS activity in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs).

Natural phenylpropanoids protect endothelial cells against oxidized LDL-induced cytotoxicity.

There is increasing evidence that oxidized low-density lipoproteins (Ox-LDL) might be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and it has been reported that polyphenols inhibit LDL peroxidation and atherosclerosis. Minimally oxidized LDL (mOx-LDL) induce cytotoxicity in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). The goal of this study was to test the protective effect of five natural polyphenols isolated from the aerial parts of Marrubium vulgare L.