A Role for Alveolar Exhaled Nitric Oxide Measurement in the Diagnosis of Hepatopulmonary Syndrome.

Goals: The authors sought to characterize predominantly alveolar exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) in hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) compared with non-HPS, changes after liver transplantation, and diagnostic properties.

Background: HPS is defined by liver disease, intrapulmonary vascular dilatations (IPVDs), and hypoxemia. Rat models and small human studies suggest that NO overproduction may cause IPVDs.

Rosmarinic Acid, a Rosemary Extract Polyphenol, Increases Skeletal Muscle Cell Glucose Uptake and Activates AMPK.

Skeletal muscle is a major insulin-target tissue and plays an important role in glucose homeostasis. Impaired insulin action in muscles leads to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. 5' AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensor, its activation increases glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and AMPK activators have been viewed as a targeted approach in combating insulin resistance.

Rosemary Extract as a Potential Anti-Hyperglycemic Agent: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a disease on the rise and with huge economic burden to health care systems around the globe, results from defects in insulin action (termed insulin resistance) combined with impaired insulin secretion. Current methods of prevention and treatments for insulin resistance and T2DM are lacking in number and efficacy and, therefore, there is a need for new preventative measures and targeted therapies. In recent years, chemicals found in plants/herbs have attracted attention for their use as functional foods or nutraceuticals for preventing and treating insulin resistance and T2DM.

Carnosic acid as a component of rosemary extract stimulates skeletal muscle cell glucose uptake via AMPK activation.

Compounds that increase the activity of the energy sensor AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) have the potential to regulate blood glucose levels. Although rosemary extract (RE) has been reported to activate AMPK and reduce blood glucose levels in vivo, the chemical components responsible for these effects are not known. In the present study, we measured the levels of the polyphenol carnosic acid (CA) in RE and examined the effects and the mechanism of action of CA on glucose transport system in muscle cells.

Increased skeletal muscle glucose uptake by rosemary extract through AMPK activation.

Stimulation of the energy sensor AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) has been viewed as a targeted approach to increase glucose uptake by skeletal muscle and control blood glucose homeostasis. Rosemary extract (RE) has been reported to activate AMPK in hepatocytes and reduce blood glucose levels in vivo but its effects on skeletal muscle are not known. In the present study, we examined the effects of RE and the mechanism of regulation of glucose uptake in muscle cells.