Vasorelaxant effect of essential oil isolated from Nigella sativa L. seeds in rat aorta: Proposed mechanism.

The effect of the essential oil extracted from Nigella sativa (L.) seeds (Nigella oil) was investigated for its vasorelaxant activity on isolated rat aorta. Nigella oil at concentrations of 10-100 μg/mL elicited a dose-dependent relaxation of the aorta, which was pre-contracted with noradrenaline (NA, 10(-6) M) or KCl (100mM).

The role of adiponectin in endothelial dysfunction and hypertension.

It has been two decades since the discovery of adiponectin, and today its role in insulin resistance, inflammation, and atherosclerosis are areas of major interest. Production of adiponectin is reduced in all inflammatory processes and states of insulin resistance such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease. Adiponectin regulates carbohydrate metabolism, and may also regulate vascular homeostasis by affecting important signaling pathways in endothelial cells and modulating inflammatory responses in the subendothelial space.

Toxoplasmosis--a global threat. Correlation of latent toxoplasmosis with specific disease burden in a set of 88 countries.

Background: Toxoplasmosis is becoming a global health hazard as it infects 30-50% of the world human population. Clinically, the life-long presence of the parasite in tissues of a majority of infected individuals is usually considered asymptomatic. However, a number of studies show that this 'asymptomatic infection' may also lead to development of other human pathologies.

Cytotoxicity of alkaloids isolated from Peganum harmala seeds.

Peganum harmala is used in traditional medicine to treat a number of diseases including cancer. Our preliminary studies show that the alkaloidal extract of PH seed is cytotoxic to several tumor cell lines in vitro and has antitumor effect in a tumor model in vivo. The present investigation was aimed at extending our previous studies in identifying the components in P.

Antimicrobial properties of honey.

Honey has been widely accepted as food and medicine by all generations, traditions, and civilizations, both ancient and modern. For at least 2700 years, honey has been used by humans to treat a variety of ailments through topical application, but only recently have the antiseptic and antimicrobial properties of honey been discovered. Honey has been reported to be effective in a number of human pathologies.

Targeting hypertension in patients with cardiorenal metabolic syndrome.

Diabetes mellitus coexisting with hypertension is greater than chance alone would predict. Hypertensive patients have been shown to have altered composition of skeletal muscle tissue, decreased blood flow to skeletal muscle and post-receptor signaling alterations in the IRS insulin pathway, all inducing insulin resistance states, which partially explains why blood pressure goals in DM patients are lower than in normoglycemic patients. Although optimal first-step antihypertensive drug therapy in type 2 DM or impaired fasting glucose levels (IFG) should be individualized for each patient, converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have been demonstrated in some but not all studies to decrease the rate of development of proteinuria and diabetic renal disease.

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Coriandrum sativum L. in Meriones shawi rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The use of an aqueous extract of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.; Apiaceae, Umbelliferae) seeds (CS-extract) in Moroccan traditional treatment of diabetes remains to be experimentally validated.

Aim Of The Study: The study aim was to investigate potential hypoglycemic (and hypolipidemic) activity of CS-extract after a single oral dose and after daily dosing for 30 days (sub-chronic study) in normal and obese-hyperglycemic-hyperlipidemic (OHH) Meriones shawi rats.

Acute and sub-chronic toxicity of a lyophilised aqueous extract of Centaurium erythraea in rodents.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: An aqueous concoction made from centaury (Centaurium erythraea (L.) Rafn., (Gentianaceae) whole plant is used in the Moroccan traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes, as well as a number of other diseases.

Direct renin inhibitors as antihypertensive agents.

Hypertension, a serious disease affecting almost a billion people (25% of adults) worldwide, is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) and renal disease. Despite numerous advances in the pharmacologic treatment of high blood pressure (BP) and availability of several antihypertensive drugs to treat hypertension, a significant proportion of treated hypertensive patients still have uncontrolled high BP, and thus, face serious morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, it is not sufficient to aim for optimum BP control, but to treat all CV risk factors, protect end-organ damage, prevent progression of disease, and prevent long-range adverse effects of the drugs.

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of an aqueous extract of Chamaerops humilis leaves in obese, hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic Meriones shawi rats.

An aqueous concoction made from the leaves of Chamaerops humilis (L.) (dwarf fan palm), is used in the Moroccan traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes, as well as a number of other diseases. The aim of the study was to experimentally validate the use of C.

Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults: a case report.

Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) is an autoimmune endocrine disorder in which despite the presence of antipancreatic islets antibodies in the moment of diagnostics, the progression to beta-cell secretory insufficiency is slow. It is often confused with others types of diabetes and therefore the management is frequently inadequate. We report a clinical case of a 23-year-old man with diagnosis of type 2 diabetes since 6 months ago, poorly controlled with a sulfonylurea, who initially presented 2 months ago from polyuria, polydipsia, and asthenia and 6 kg weight loss.

Advances in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

There is a rising worldwide prevalence of diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is one of the most challenging health problems in the 21st century. The associated complications of diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, diabetic neuropathy, amputations, renal failure, and blindness result in increasing disability, reduced life expectancy, and enormous health costs. T2DM is a polygenic disease characterized by multiple defects in insulin action in tissues and defects in pancreatic insulin secretion, which eventually leads to loss of pancreatic insulin-secreting cells.

Ethnopharmacology of the plants of genus Ajuga.

The plants of genus Ajuga are evergreen, clump-forming rhizomatous perennial or annual herbaceous flowering species, with Ajuga being one of the 266 genera of the family Lamiaceae. There are at least 301 species of the genus Ajuga with many variations. These plants, growing in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North America, are used in gardens as ground cover or border for their foliage and beautiful flowers.

Increased levels of lipoprotein (a) are related to family risk factors of cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents from Maracaibo, Venezuela.

The aims of this study were to determine Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] concentrations in a sample of subjects from Maracaibo, Venezuela, and to determine the relationship of family risk factors for cardiovascular disease and their Lp(a) levels. Two hundred twenty-seven healthy individuals between 5 and 19 years of age of both genders and multiethnic origins were selected. A complete background clinical chart and laboratory test was conducted for each patient to discard cardiovascular diseases and confirm their healthy state.

Molecular mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction: from nitric oxide synthesis to ADMA inhibition.

Endothelial dysfunction symbolizes several pathological conditions, including altered anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory properties of the endothelium, impaired modulation of vascular growth, and dysregulation of vascular remodeling. Nevertheless, this term has been used commonly to refer to an impairment of endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation caused by a loss of nitric oxide bioactivity. The clinical and scientific relevance of nitric oxide synthesis and bioavailability in endothelial dysfunction is based on the fact that it is a common factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.

Is Ramadan fasting safe in type 2 diabetic patients in view of the lack of significant effect of fasting on clinical and biochemical parameters, blood pressure, and glycemic control?

The study objective was to determine if Ramadan fasting was safe in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), based upon a determination of the effect of fasting on a broad range of physiological and clinical parameters, including markers of glycemic control and blood pressure. The study was carried out in Ramadan 1422 (December 2001-January 2002) at the Diabetology Services, Hopital Ibn Sina, Rabat, Morocco. One hundred and twenty T2D Moroccan patients (62 women, 58 men), aged 48-60 yrs with well-controlled diabetes through diet and/or oral hypoglycemic drugs (OHD), received dietary instructions and readjustment of the timing of the dose of OHD (gliclazide modified release) according to the fasting/eating periods.

Acute and sub-chronic toxicity of an aqueous extract of the leaves of Herniaria glabra in rodents.

Aim Of The Study: The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the safety of an aqueous extract of Herniaria glabra (caryophyllaceae) (HG) plant by determining its potential toxicity after acute and sub-chronic administration in rodents.

Materials And Methods: For the acute study, a lyophilized aqueous extract of HG plant was administered to adult IOPS OFA mice in single doses of 5-14.5 g/kg given by gavage.

Acute and chronic toxicity of a lyophilised aqueous extract of Tanacetum vulgare leaves in rodents.

Aim Of The Study: The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the safety of an aqueous extract of tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.) leaves by determining its potential toxicity after acute and chronic administration in rodents.

Materials And Methods: For the acute study, a lyophilized aqueous extract of tansy leaves was administered to mice in single doses of 0-13 g/kg given by gavage as well as intraperitoneal doses of 0-4.

Acute diuretic effect of continuous intravenous infusion of an aqueous extract of Coriandrum sativum L. in anesthetized rats.

Aim Of The Study: The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the acute diuretic activity of continuous intravenous infusion of an aqueous extract of the seed of Coriandrum sativum L. Apiaceae (coriander) in rats.

Materials And Methods: The aqueous extract of coriander seed was administered by continuous intravenous infusion (120 min) at two doses (40 and 100mg/kg) to anesthetized Wistar rats.

Metabolic syndrome: treatment of hypertensive patients.

Metabolic syndrome (MetSyndr), a constellation of abnormalities [obesity, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance (IR), dyslipidemia (low HDL-cholesterol, high LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides (TG)], and elevated blood pressure (BP)], increases the risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease and premature death. From 10% to 30% of the adult population in industrialized countries has MetSyndr, which effectively predicts the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and CV disease. Because of the complex etiology of MetSyndr, a multi-targeted, integrated therapeutic approach is required to simultaneously treat high BP, obesity, lipid disorders and T2D (if present), to fully protect CV, cerebrovascular and renal systems.

Acute hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic and hypotriglyceridemic effects of continuous intravenous infusion of a lyophilised aqueous extract of Ajuga iva L. Schreber whole plant in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect of continuous intravenous infusion of a lyophilised aqueous extract of the whole plant Ajuga iva (L.) Schreber (Labiatae) (AI-extract) was investigated in anesthetized normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The AI-extract was administered to a group of rats by continuous intravenous infusion for 4 h at a dose of 4.

Ciprofibrate treatment decreases non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides and increases high density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with Frederickson type IV dyslipidemia phenotype.

Objective: The combination of hypertriglyceridemia and low high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is one of the most common lipid abnormalities. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of ciprofibrate on lipid profile in patients with Frederickson's type IV dyslipidemia phenotype.

Research Design And Methods: Seventy-five patients with type IV dyslipidemia were assigned at random to 1 of 2 therapeutic options: group A (control), American Heart Association (AHA) Step II diet and physical activity; and group B, AHA diet, physical activity, and ciprofibrate 100 mg daily for 8 weeks.