Daily Intake of Smallanthus sonchifolius (Yacon) Roots Reduces the Progression of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver in Rats Fed a High Fructose Diet.

High-fructose diet is associated with an increased risk of dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through chronic inflammation. The present study aimed to elucidate the potential benefit of daily consumption of Smallanthus sonchifolius (yacon) roots, rich in fructooligosaccharides (FOS), on the progression to liver fibrosis, in a rat model of NAFLD induced by a high-fructose diet. Male Wistar rats were fed a standard diet (CD, n = 6) or a standard diet plus 10% fructose solution (FD; n = 18).

Early and late stages of Developmental Biology in Argentina.

The history of science in Argentina is based on the enormous contribution that the great immigration of the 19th and 20th centuries produced in the country. The scientific and philosophical ideas and the role played especially by Italian scientists who arrived in the country produced a great impact on the different disciplines including Development Biology in emerging universities. The University of Tucumán pioneered the study of experimental biology, making important contributions to reproductive biology and to the early development of amphibians.

(Yacon) Flour Improves Visceral Adiposity and Metabolic Parameters in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Rats.

(yacon), a native plant of South America, was observed to improve lipid profile in rodents and humans. This study aimed to investigate the antiobesity properties of yacon roots in a high-fat-diet (HFD) model and the underlying mechanisms. A total of 30 Wistar male rats were divided into five groups (=6): the standard chow diet (SD) group was fed a SD; the HFD group was fed a HFD; and the HFD Y340 and HFD Y680 groups were fed a HFD plus yacon flour (340 and 680 mg FOS/kg b.

Drug repurposing: In-vitro anti-glycation properties of 18 common drugs.

Drug repositioning or repurposing, i.e. identifying new indications for existing drugs, has gained increasing attention in the recent years.

Extracellular matrix remodeling and TGF-β1/Smad signaling in diabetic colon mucosa.

Diabetes is associated with metabolic and functional alterations in the gut. Using an experimental model of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rodents, we analyzed the extracellular matrix (ECM) and TGF-β/Smad signaling in the colon mucosa. Male rats were divided into normal control, diabetic and insulin treated diabetic groups during 4 and 9 weeks.

Polymatin A from Smallanthus macroscyphus leaves: A safe and promising antidiabetic compound.

Smallanthus macroscyphus is an herb native to South America whose leaves are a source of antidiabetic compounds, although complete information about their safe use is not available yet. This study was developed to evaluate the toxicity profile of both 10% decoction and the sesquiterpene lactone polymatin A from S. macroscyphus leaves through in vitro cytotoxicity assays and in vivo subchronic oral toxicity.

Yacon roots (Smallanthus sonchifolius) improve oxidative stress in diabetic rats.

Context: Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp. and Endl.) H.

Hepatic fibrogenesis and transforming growth factor/Smad signaling activation in rats chronically exposed to low doses of lead.

Lead is an important heavy metal pollutant in the environment. The nervous system, kidney and liver are the most susceptible organs to lead deposition, showing that this pollutant has no single target system. To examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in their pathobiology of chronic lead at low-dose exposure in the liver, male Wistar rats were exposed to 0.

Smallanthus macroscyphus: a new source of antidiabetic compounds.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the in vivo hypoglycaemic effects of both decoction of Smallanthus macroscyphus leaves and pure crystalline polymatin A isolated from its leaves. Phytochemical analysis of the leaf decoction showed that its major constituents were caffeic, chlorogenic and three dicaffeoilquinic acids, together with the sesquiterpene lactone polymatin A. Oral glucose tolerance test in normal rats was performed to evaluate the hypoglycemic activity and to choose the minimum effective dose of the decoction and polymatin A.

Safety assessment of aqueous extract from leaf Smallanthus sonchifolius and its main active lactone, enhydrin.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Leaves of Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp. & Endl.) H.

Cadmium-induced oxidative stress and histological damage in the myocardium. Effects of a soy-based diet.

Cd exposure has been associated to an augmented risk for cardiovascular disease. We investigated the effects of 15 and 100 ppm of Cd on redox status as well as histological changes in the rat heart and the putative protective effect of a soy-based diet. Male Wistar rats were separated into 6 groups and treated during 60 days as follows: groups (1), (2) and (3) were fed a casein-based diet; groups (4), (5) and (6), a soy-based diet; (1) and (4) were given tap water; (2) and (5) tap water containing 15 ppm of Cd²⁺; and (3) and (6) tap water containing 100 ppm of Cd²⁺.

Protective effect of yacon leaves decoction against early nephropathy in experimental diabetic rats.

Nephropathy is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Prevention of this complication has a major relevance. Smallanthus sonchifolius (yacon) leaves have been shown to ameliorate hyperglycemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Hypolipidemic effect of Smallanthus sonchifolius (yacon) roots on diabetic rats: biochemical approach.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are sugars found naturally at high concentrations in the storage roots of yacon. This study was designed to analyze the beneficial effects of subchronic oral consumption of yacon root flour as a diet supplement in Streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. The experiments were carried out using yacon flour tablets containing the desired level of FOS (340 or 6800mg FOS/kg body weight/day).

Neuronal loss and abnormal BMP/Smad signaling in the myenteric plexus of diabetic rats.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are critical molecules during gut morphogenesis. However, little is known about their participation in the homeostasis of adult gut and their possible role in diseases. Gastrointestinal complications occur during diabetes with loss of enteric neurons.

Xenopus paraxis homologue shows novel domains of expression.

The paraxis gene encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that is expressed in paraxial mesoderm and whose mutant displays an inability to form epithelial somites. Here, the molecular characterization of Xenopus paraxis is reported. paraxis is expressed in the paraxial mesoderm and somites but is down-regulated during muscle differentiation.

Sox10 is required for the early development of the prospective neural crest in Xenopus embryos.

The Sox family of transcription factors has been implicated in the development of different tissues during embryogenesis. Several mutations in humans, mice, and zebrafish have shown that depletion of Sox10 activity produces defects in the development of neural crest derivatives, such as melanocytes, ganglia of the peripheral nervous system, and some specific cell types as glia. We have isolated the Xenopus homologue of the Sox10 gene.