The Kuna Indians, who reside in an archipelago on the Caribbean Coast of Panama, have very low blood pressure (BP) levels, live longer than other Panamanians, and have a reduced frequency of myocardial infarction, stroke, diabetes mellitus, and cancer-at least on their death certificates. One outstanding feature of their diet includes a very high intake of flavanol-rich cocoa. Flavonoids in cocoa activate nitric oxide synthesis in healthy humans. The possibility that the high flavanol intake protects the Kuna against high BP, ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, and cancer is sufficiently intriguing and sufficiently important that large, randomized controlled clinical trials should be pursued.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jash.2008.11.001 | DOI Listing |
In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim
December 2024
Laboratorio de Líquido Sinovial, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra (INRLGII), Calzada México-Xochimilco No. 289, Col. Arenal de Guadalupe, 14389, Mexico City, Mexico.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of articular cartilage. The role of cigarette smoke (CS) in OA is debated, with some studies suggesting a protective effect while others indicate it may pose a risk. Our preliminary findings suggest a link between smoking in young adults and severe knee OA, though the extent of this contribution is unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer Cell Int
December 2024
Department of Ultrasound, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401147, China.
Gas therapy represents a promising strategy for cancer treatment, with nitric oxide (NO) therapy showing particular potential in tumor therapy. However, ensuring sufficient production of NO remains a significant challenge. Leveraging ultrasound-responsive nanoparticles to promote the release of NO is an emerging way to solve this challenge.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBr J Ophthalmol
December 2024
Department of Ophthalmology and Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital; Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Background/aims: The purpose of this study is to define genetic factors associated with anterior uveitis through genome-wide association study (GWAS).
Methods: In this GWAS meta-analysis, we combined data from the FinnGen, Estonian Biobank and UK Biobank with a total of 12 205 anterior uveitis cases and 917 145 controls. We performed a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) to investigate associations across phenotypes and traits.
Plant Sci
December 2024
Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal (INFIVE CCT CONICET La Plata), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) y Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Diagonal 113 Nº 495 (1900) La Plata, Argentina. Electronic address:
Nitrate reductase (NR) is an essential enzyme because of its role in nitrogen metabolism and in key signaling events through the generation of the reactive nitrogen species, nitric oxide (NO). In this work, we evaluated changes in endogenous NO levels during the onset of P-restriction in soybean plants (Glycine max), focusing on the possible pathways involved in its generation, namely NR and NO synthase like activity, NOS, and the subsequent role of NR during low P-acclimation. During the first 96h of P-starvation NO levels increased in the leaves.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Nat Prod
December 2024
Anti-infective Agent Creation Engineering Research Centre of Sichuan Province, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China.
The first total syntheses of four isoflavone glucosides, tectoridin (), tectoridin A (), tectorigenin 7--β-d-glucopyranosyl-12--β-d-glucopyranoside (), and isotectroigenin 7--β-d-glucopyranoside (), have been accomplished. Key steps in our synthetic approach include a regioselective halogenation reaction, followed by methanolysis to introduce the -OCH group into isoflavone frameworks and a PTC-promoted stereoselective glycosidation to establish glycosidic bonds. The synthesized isoflavone glucosides (-) and their corresponding aglycones ( and ) were evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity against nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.
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