Naringin improves diet-induced cardiovascular dysfunction and obesity in high carbohydrate, high fat diet-fed rats.

Obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and fatty liver, together termed metabolic syndrome, are key risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Chronic feeding of a diet high in saturated fats and simple sugars, such as fructose and glucose, induces these changes in rats. Naturally occurring compounds could be a cost-effective intervention to reverse these changes.

Chronic l-arginine treatment improves metabolic, cardiovascular and liver complications in diet-induced obesity in rats.

l-Arginine is an important dietary amino acid in both health and disease, especially of the cardiovascular system. This study has determined whether dietary supplementation with l-arginine attenuates cardiovascular, metabolic, pancreatic and liver changes in a rat model of the human metabolic syndrome. Male Wistar rats (8-9 weeks old) were divided into four groups.

Effect of passive immunization against leptin on ovarian follicular development in prepubertal mice.

Leptin has been demonstrated to be essential for reproduction. However, all the relevant studies reported to date have investigated either the effect of a complete absence of leptin both centrally and peripherally, or excess leptin administration. The aim of this present study was to investigate the effect of reducing peripheral leptin concentrations on ovarian follicular development in prepubertal animals via administration of an anti-leptin antibody.

Pharmacological inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase ameliorates diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats.

The signs of metabolic syndrome following chronic excessive macronutrient intake include body weight gain, excess visceral adipose deposition, hyperglycaemia, glucose and insulin intolerances, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, endothelial damage, cardiovascular hypertrophy, inflammation, ventricular contractile dysfunction, fibrosis, and fatty liver disease. Recent studies show increased activity of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) during obesity and metabolic dysfunction. We have tested whether sEH inhibition has therapeutic potential in a rat model of diet-induced metabolic syndrome.

Gender differences in metabolic syndrome: a key research issue?

Metabolic syndrome as a clustering of risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease affects both men and women, but with important gender differences. Animal models have been used to understand disease progression and define therapeutic options, but most pre-clinical research on metabolic syndrome is undertaken in males. This opinion piece discusses the differences in male and female physiology that may influence both the development and the responses to pharmacological interventions of metabolic disorders, especially obesity.

High-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular remodeling in rats.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome including central obesity, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia is increasing. Development of adequate therapy for metabolic syndrome requires an animal model that mimics the human disease state. Therefore, we have characterized the metabolic, cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, and pancreatic changes in male Wistar rats (8-9 weeks old) fed on a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet including condensed milk (39.

High-carbohydrate high-fat diet–induced metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular remodeling in rats.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome including central obesity, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia is increasing. Development of adequate therapy for metabolic syndrome requires an animal model that mimics the human disease state. Therefore, we have characterized the metabolic, cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, and pancreatic changes in male Wistar rats (8-9 weeks old) fed on a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet including condensed milk (39.

An Investigation of Hair Cortisol Concentration Across Body Sites and within Hair Shaft.

Cortisol concentrations in hair collected from young male and female adults were assayed and compared for differences along shaft length and between body sites. No significant differences were found between hair shaft sites, supporting a model of the hair shaft as "alive" and responsive to environmental demand in terms of cortisol production. Hair taken from forearms had significantly higher concentrations of cortisol than hair from lower legs, suggesting a localized hair cortisol response and verifying previous findings.

Diurnal Variation in Peripheral (Hair) vs Central (Saliva) HPA Axis Cortisol Concentrations.

Cortisol concentrations in hair and saliva collected from male and female adults over a 15-hour period were compared for differences in overall level and cyclic pattern. Typical diurnal fluctuations were noted for both salivary and hair cortisol, with some individual differences that are congruent with the previous literature. Issues of the link between central and peripheral HPA axes are raised for discussion and further investigation, and hypothetical explanations for the diurnal variability shown in these two sets of cortisol secretion patterns are discussed from an evolutionary advantage perspective.