Laboratory Diet Research Articles

Nobiletin Prevents High-Fat Diet-Induced Dysregulation of Intestinal Lipid Metabolism and Attenuates Postprandial Lipemia.

Nobiletin is a dietary flavonoid that improves insulin resistance and atherosclerosis in mice with metabolic dysfunction. Dysregulation of intestinal lipoprotein metabolism contributes to atherogenesis. The objective of the study was to determine if nobiletin targets the intestine to improve metabolic dysregulation in both male and female mice. Approach and Results: Triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (TRL) secretion, intracellular triglyceride kinetics, and intestinal morphology were determined in male and female LDL (low-density lipoprotein) receptor knockout (Ldlr-/-), and male wild-type mice fed a standard laboratory diet or high-fat, high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet ± nobiletin using an olive oil gavage, radiotracers, and electron microscopy. Nobiletin attenuated postprandial TRL levels in plasma and enhanced TRL clearance. Nobiletin reduced fasting jejunal triglyceride accumulation through accelerated TRL secretion and lower jejunal fatty acid synthesis with no impact on fatty acid oxidation. Fasting-refeeding experiments revealed that nobiletin led to higher levels of phosphorylated AKT (protein kinase B) and FoxO1 (forkhead box O1) and normal Srebf1c expression indicating increased insulin sensitivity. Intestinal length and weight were diminished by HFHC feeding and restored by nobiletin. Both fasting and postprandial plasma GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1; and likely GLP-2) were elevated in response to nobiletin. Treatment with a GLP-2 receptor antagonist, GLP-2(3-33), reduced villus length in HFHC-fed mice but did not impact TRL secretion in any diet group. In contrast to males, nobiletin did not improve postprandial lipid parameters in female mice. Nobiletin opposed the effects of the HFHC diet by normalizing intestinal de novo lipogenesis through improved insulin sensitivity. Nobiletin prevents postprandial lipemia because the enhanced TRL clearance more than compensates for increased TRL secretion.

To Study the Deteriorating Effects of Lithium Carbonate on Thyroid Gland - A Study in Albino Rats

Background: The human thyroid gland is located in the front of neck. It consists of two lobes. The two lobes are joined with each other by isthmus. The mood stabilizer Lithium Caronate has deleterious effects on the thyroid gland. Aim: To observe and report the data of the harmful effect of Lithium on the weight changes of thyroid gland. Methods: Sixteen rats were selected for this experimental study. The rodents were divided into two groups. Group A comprised of eight animals which were given laboratory diet, Group B contained eight albinos who were given Tablet Lithium Carbonate in powder form at a dose of 60 mg/day for four weeks. After completion of the study time animals were sacrificed and thyroid gland weight were recorded and compared in both groups. Results: The results in both groups were recorded and compared .It was reported that Group B animals had a highly significantly decreased thyroid weight after four weeks Lithium ingestion than Group A control group. Conclusion: The results of our study concluded that Lithium Carbonate damages thyroid glandular tissue and causes its weight to decline. Key words: Thyroid gland, Isthmus, deteriorating

221 Effects of energy drinks on inflammatory response: study in vivo in rats

Abstract In recent years, the consumption of energy drinks (EDs) has increased constantly among young people because of their capacity to enhance alertness and improve mental and physical performance, reducing fatigue. EDs are beverages containing a high and variable amount of caffeine, which exerts effects on many tissues of the cardiovascular system. In addition to caffeine, they contain several other psychoactive substances including the amino acid taurine, the glucose derivative glucuronolactone, as well as herbal extracts such as guaranà (another source of caffeine, with caffeine-like effects) and ginseng, often present in not well-known concentration. In our project we aim to evaluate whether the consumption of EDs causes alterations in the organs involved in their contact, absorption and metabolism in an animal model, i.e. the rat. We used 28 Sprague Dawley adult male rats, weighing 230–250 g and fed with a standard laboratory diet, randomly divided into four groups (N = 7). Every group received a different treatment (ED, soda-cola, sweetened coffee or water-controls-) for 5 days. All animals were anesthetized and underwent histological analysis and blood sampling at the end of the treatment. We observed eosinophilic infiltrates in gastrointestinal tract, but not in cardiovascular system. We quantified various indicators of tissue damage and cytokines in plasma, including ICAM-1, L-selectin, TIMP-1, VEGF, IL-10, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-13, IL-33, TNF-α, and IFN-γ. In contrast with the eosinophilic infiltration, we did not detect a systemic increase of Th2 cytokines (i.e. IL-4 and IL-13) after treatment: thus, even if the experiments evaluating the possible presence of an unbalanced Th2 response in the tissues featured by eosinophilic infiltration are still lacking, we exclude further deepening on Th2 immune responses. Interestingly, we observed a decrease of TIMP-1 in plasma from rats orally supplemented with ED, soda-cola or sweetened coffee compared to animals treated with water. TIMP-1 is a major player in preserving tissue integrity and controlling wound healing by balancing the enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and regulating extracellular matrix turnover. Moreover, elevated levels of the adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and L-selectin were found in plasma from rats receiving ED or soda-cola, together with a high concentration of IL-33 in animals assuming the ED. The circulating form of ICAM-1 is associated with inflammation, particularly due to endothelial damage, and L-selectin and IL-33 play an important role in inflammatory conditions as well. These observations suggest that the consumption of EDs could alter the architecture, and hence function, of the organs involved in their contact, absorption and metabolism. Indeed, the alterations we observed in the periphery could reflect the establishment of inflammation and deregulated mechanisms of damage repair locally in the target tissues.

Food composition can influence how much alcohol your animal model drinks: A mini-review about the role of isoflavones.

Standard laboratory diets used have similar concentrations of proteins, carbohydrates and fat, but the concentration of some micronutrients can vary considerably. For example, the concentration of isoflavones can vary between 20mg and 600mg per gram of diet. Exposure to different concentrations of isoflavones interacts with alcohol (EtOH) intake, thereby influencing the results of alcohol research. In this mini-review, we describe correlations between isoflavone concentrations and alcohol intake based on data from previously published work. Although the administration of low doses of isoflavones can decrease alcohol intake in rats, there is a positive correlation between the isoflavone content in diets and alcohol intake in mice. This interaction seems to depend on the dose, route of administration, and time of exposure to isoflavones and may be related to specific neurobiological mechanisms. The literature also indicates that isoflavones can interact with some of alcohol's molecular targets and with neural pathways crucial to the alcohol reward process. Given these findings, more attention should be given to the different types of laboratory diets used in alcohol studies to allow better comparison and replication of animal research.

Effect of <i>Chlorella</i> on hematological parameters and nutrient bioavailability in the diet of rhesus monkeys (<i>Macaca mulatta</i>)

Chlorella shows a wide spectrum of biological activity, in particular, it exhibits a pronounced antioxidant activity and demonstrates anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antiviral properties. A number of research works have been devoted to studying feed advantages of this unicellular green algae when used in the diets of livestock animals, but the possibility of including different Chlorella species in the diet of primates has not been practically studied. The aim of this work was to assess the possibility of replacing high-protein animal and vegetable feeds with Chlorella , to calculate the digestibility coefficients for the diet nutrients and the effect of algal dry and suspension forms on hematological and serum biochemical parameters in male rhesus monkeys. The data obtained during the experiment indicate that the inclusion of Chlorella in the diet both in the dry form and cell suspension improves nutrient digestibility. Thus, the digestibility of crude protein in the animals receiving algae suspension increased by 4.18% ( p < 0.05), that of crude fat – by 4.70% ( p < 0.01), crude fiber – by 4.14% ( p < 0.05) and crude ash – by 12.32% ( p < 0.001). The digestibility coefficients of crude protein in the primates receiving compound feed supplemented with Chlorella powder were higher by 6.83% ( p < 0.001), those of crude fiber – by 4.78% ( p < 0.05) and crude ash – by 18.93% ( p < 0.001) The hematological study results indicate the absence of side effects from long-term Chlorella consumption by primates. The introduction of dry Chlorella into the diet increased blood glucose levels to the upper limit of the control values, while Chlorella suspension did not produce this effect. Thus, Chlorella can be successfully used as a component of a balanced laboratory diet for primates or as a feed additive.

Soybean Foliage Consumption Reduces Adult Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera)(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Survival and Stimulates Flight.

Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, biology is tied to the continuous availability of its host (corn, Zea mays L.). Annual rotation of corn with a nonhost, like soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) was a reliable tactic to manage western corn rootworm. Behavioral resistance to annual crop rotation (rotation resistance) allowed some eastern U.S. Corn Belt populations to circumvent rotation by laying eggs in soybean and in cornfields. When active in soybean, rotation-resistant adults commonly consume foliage, in spite of detrimental effects on beetle survival. Rotation-resistant beetle activity in soybean is enabled by the expression of certain proteinases and an adapted gut microbiota that provide limited protection from soybean antiherbivore defenses. We investigated the effects of corn and soybean herbivory on rotation-resistant female survival and initiation of flight using mortality assays and wind tunnel flight tests. Among field-collected females tested with mortality assays, beetles from collection sites in a cornfield survived longer than those from collection sites in a soybean field. However, reduced survival due to soybean herbivory could be restored by consuming corn tissues. Field-collected beetles that fed on a soybean tissue laboratory diet or only water were more likely to fly in a wind tunnel than corn-feeding beetles. Regardless of collection site and laboratory diet, 90.5% of beetles that flew oriented their flights upwind. Diet-related changes in the probability of flight provide a proximate mechanism for interfield movement that facilitates restorative feeding and the survival of females previously engaged in soybean herbivory.

Abstract P153: Upregulation Of Thrombospondin-1 Associates With Accelerated Atherosclerosis And Reduced Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation In Metabolic Syndrome

Hyperglycemia and obesity, characteristic of metabolic syndrome (MetS), are important risk-factors for atherosclerosis. MetS patients manifest increased vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and proliferation, hallmark of VSMC phenotypic transition, critical for evolution of atherosclerosis. We previously reported that high glucose and high leptin independently upregulate a potent proatherogenic matricellular protein, Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), expression in VSMC. The goal of the present study was to interrogate the role of TSP-1 in SMC de-differentiation and development of atherosclerosis in MetS. We utilized a mouse model of combined MetS and atherosclerosis (KKAy +/- /ApoE -/- ) generated by crossing obese hyperglycemic agouti KKAy +/- mice with atherosclerotic ApoE -/- . Upon weaning (4 wks age), male yellow KKAy +/- /ApoE -/- and age-matched black KKAy -/- /ApoE -/- littermates on standard lab diet were monitored monthly for body weight and blood glucose. At 24 wks age, mice were harvested after overnight fasting; plasma, aorta and heart were collected for biochemical, molecular and lesion studies. Prior to harvest, mice were subjected to treadmill exercise test at an incline with progressively increasing speed until exhaustion. At 16 wks age, yellow KKAy +/- /ApoE -/- mice showed significant increase in body weight and random blood glucose levels (<0.0001) vs. black KKAy -/- /ApoE -/- littermates, validating the MetS phenotype. Peak oxygen consumption (VO 2max ), maximum running speed and total run time until exhaustion were significantly reduced in MetS KKAy +/- /ApoE -/- mice (p<0.003 vs. non-MetS KKAy -/- /ApoE -/- ), suggesting impaired cardiovascular fitness. Aortic root morphometry revealed 4-fold increase in lesion lipid burden in MetS vs non-MetS mice. This was accompanied with reduced LMOD (SM contractile marker) and SRF (transcriptional activator of SM contractile genes) expression in aortic vessels of MetS mice (p<0.04 vs. non-MetS mice). Notably, lesion abundance and reduced SMC differentiation associated with increased TSP-1 expression in the aortic vasculature of MetS mice. Together, our data suggest a putative role of TSP-1 in SMC de-differentiation and atherosclerotic lesion formation in metabolic syndrome.

IRON DEPOSITION IN THE GROWTH PLATE OF LONG BONES OF THE OFFSPRING WHEN GIVEN DURING PREGNANCY IN RAT MODEL

Objective: To evaluate histologically the deposition of iron in the epiphyseal cartilage of offspring’s of dams given iron supplementation during pregnancy and lactation in rat model.
 Study Design: Laboratory based experimental study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Department of Anatomy, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi and National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad, from Mar to Nov 2016.
 Methodology: In this study, 16 female and 4 male adult rats were chosen for breading. After confirmation of pregnancy, pregnant rats were separated in two groups. One group was given oral iron supplementation for four weeks till delivery and half of the pups fed by mothers who were given iron during lactation. The other group was kept on normal lab diet. Deposition of iron in the epiphyseal cartilage of newborn rats after four weeks was evaluated histologically in pups.
 Results: Iron deposition was maximum in group C i.e. 1.30 ± 0.48; in group B it was 0.20 ± 0.44. Statistically significant iron deposition (p<0.001) was observed in the growth plate of off springs when mothers were given iron supplements during pregnancy and lactation.
 Conclusion: Present study proves that injudicious iron supplementation through pregnancy results in deposition of iron in epiphyseal growth plate of the fetus and it can have damaging effects on bones of fetus.

Decrement of the Purkinje Cells Diameter after Oral Intake of Lithium in Albino Rats

Background: The histology of Cerebellar gray matter consists of a middle Purkinje cells layer with flask shaped Purkinje cells. The field of Neurology has documented that different organic compounds and metals are lethal to the excitatory Purkinje Neurons. Researches have proved Lithium to be hazardous to nervous tissue and especially Cerebellum For the past sixty years Lithium is the favorable drug for treatment of Bipolar Disorder. Aim: To Analyse and record the changes of decrement of the size of Purkinje cell Diameter after chronic Lithium ingestion. Methods: Sixteen albino rats were selected and were treated with lithium for a period of fifteen days and the data for changes in Purkinje cells Diameter was observed. Results: The Observations of Our study showed highly significantly decreased diameter of the Purinje cells in Group B (Lithium Carbonate) animals as compared to Group A Animals which were on Lab Diet Conclusion: The Morphometric Data proved that Lithium Carbonate is Toxic to Purkinje cells, and it educated our Population to use Lithium with caution. Keywords: Purkinje cell Diameter, Gray matter, Hazardous

Atherosclerosis Impairs Naive CD4 T-Cell Responses via Disruption of Glycolysis.

CD4 T cells are important regulators of atherosclerotic progression. The metabolic profile of CD4 T cells controls their signaling and function, but how atherosclerosis affects T-cell metabolism is unknown. Here, we sought to determine the impact of atherosclerosis on CD4 T-cell metabolism and the contribution of such metabolic alterations to atheroprogression. Using PCR arrays, we profiled the expression of metabolism genes in CD4 T cells from atherosclerotic apolipoprotein-E knockout mice fed a Western diet. These cells exhibited dysregulated expression of genes critically involved in glycolysis and fatty acid degradation, compared with those from animals fed a standard laboratory diet. We examined how T-cell metabolism was changed in either Western diet–fed apolipoprotein-E knockout mice or samples from patients with cardiovascular disease by measuring glucose uptake, activation, and proliferation in CD4 T cells. We found that naive CD4 T cells from Western diet–fed apolipoprotein-E knockout mice failed to uptake glucose and displayed impaired proliferation and activation, compared with CD4 T cells from standard laboratory diet–fed animals. Similarly, we observed that naive CD4 T-cell frequencies were reduced in the circulation of human subjects with high cardiovascular disease compared with low cardiovascular disease. Naive T cells from high cardiovascular disease subjects also showed reduced proliferative capacity. These results highlight the dysfunction that occurs in CD4 T-cell metabolism and immune responses during atherosclerosis. Targeting metabolic pathways within naive CD4 T cells could thus yield novel therapeutic approaches for improving CD4 T-cell responses against atheroprogression.

Documented Lipid Per oxidative Intoxication of Cerebellar Molecular Cell Layer

Background: Cerebellar cortexconsists of three layers. The outer molecular, middlePurkinje cell layer, inner granule cell layer. Lithium the alkali metal hasdeleterious effects on nervous tissue and this study proved the injurious effects of lithium on molecular cell layer of cerebellum. Aim: To observe and report the damaging histological and morphological change of the decrement in the thickness of cerebellar molecular layer by Lithium. Methods: This study was designed to observe the microscopic changes of thickness of molecular layer in rat cerebellum. For this experimental study 12 animals were used, they were divided into two groups, each comprising of 6 animals. Results: Group-A received normal lab diet and water ad libitum while group B received injectable lithium carbonate 20 mg/kg/ for 4 weeksrespectively. Micrometry was done and changes of the thickness of molecular cell layer were recorded and documented. Conclusion: The pernicious effects of Lithium Carbonate on molecular cerebellar cortex were visualized and evaluated .Highly significantly decreased changes of thickness of molecular cell layer were documented in rat cerebellum. Keywords: Lipidperoxidation,Molecular cell layeratrophy, decomposition

Long-term high fat diet consumption reversibly alters feeding behavior via a dopamine-associated mechanism in mice

Obesity is a costly, global epidemic that is perpetuated by an unhealthy diet. A significant factor in the initial consumption and maintenance of an unhealthy diet is the abundance of highly palatable, calorically dense foods. The aim of the present study is to better understand the effects of high fat diet (HFD) consumption on food valuation and preference, and to elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms mediating these effects. By using a novel food preference assay, we found that prolonged consumption of a HFD diminishes preference for and consumption of the more calorically dense food choice when two lab diets are presented. Additionally, we demonstrated that prolonged HFD consumption dampens ventral tegmental c-fos induction during hedonic feeding, implicating the mesolimbic dopamine signaling pathway as a target of HFD. Notably, both the changes in food preference and this reduced c-fos induction were reversed during withdrawal from HFD. Further, HFD-induced alterations in food preference were attenuated by exercise. Our findings suggest that prolonged HFD consumption leads to anhedonia and altered feeding choices, and this is associated with changes in mesolimbic dopamine signaling.

To Evaluate the Toxic Effects of Lithium Carbonate on Granule Cells Count of Rat Cerebellum

Aim: To study the damaging effect of chronic ingestion of 20 mg/kg body weight/OD of lithium carbonate on cerebellargranule cells. Methods: However, there is scanty documented information about the cerebellar toxicities of lithium carbonate on granule neurons. Therefore the present study is designed to observe the microscopic changes of granule neurons in rat cerebellum. For this experimental study 20 animals were used, they were divided into two groups, each comprising of 10 animals. Results: Group-A received normal lab diet and water ad libitum while group B received lithium carbonate 20 mg/kg/OD for 2 weeks and 6 weeks respectively. Micrometry was done on granule cells count. Conclusion: Highly significant changes of granule cells count were observed even at therapeutic doses. Lithium carbonate causes oxidant injury to granule neuronal cells in rat cerebellum. Keywords: Oxidant injury, Cerebellar degeneration, Incoordination,

Diet-Microbiota Interactions Alter Mosquito Development.

Gut microbes and diet can both strongly affect the biology of multicellular animals, but it is often difficult to disentangle microbiota–diet interactions due to the complex microbial communities many animals harbor and the nutritionally variable diets they consume. While theoretical and empirical studies indicate that greater microbiota diversity is beneficial for many animal hosts, there have been few tests performed in aquatic invertebrates. Most mosquito species are aquatic detritivores during their juvenile stages that harbor variable microbiotas and consume diets that range from nutrient rich to nutrient poor. In this study, we produced a gnotobiotic model that allowed us to examine how interactions between specific gut microbes and diets affect the fitness of Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito. Using a simplified seven-member community of bacteria (ALL7) and various laboratory and natural mosquito diets, we allowed larval mosquitoes to develop under different microbial and dietary conditions and measured the resulting time to adulthood and adult size. Larvae inoculated with the ALL7 or a more complex community developed similarly when fed nutrient-rich rat chow or fish food laboratory diets, whereas larvae inoculated with individual bacterial members of the ALL7 community exhibited few differences in development when fed a rat chow diet but exhibited large differences in performance when fed a fish food diet. In contrast, the ALL7 community largely failed to support the growth of larvae fed field-collected detritus diets unless supplemented with additional protein or yeast. Collectively, our results indicate that mosquito development and fitness are strongly contingent on both diet and microbial community composition.

Impact of High-Fat Diet in Early-Life on Mammary Metabolic and Inflammatory Status in Later-Life in Mice

Abstract Objectives Emerging evidence indicates a potentially important role for early-life events and exposures in cancer development later in life. Moreover, accumulating evidence suggests that the incidence of cancers has reached a plateau in elders, whereas it continuously rises in young to middle adult. The present study aimed to investigate the potential impacts of high-fat diet in early-life, mimicking childhood/adolescent in humans, on mammary health in later-life of mice, equivalent to the young to middle age in human. Methods Female C57BL/8 mice (4 weeks of age) were fed a low-fat diet (LF: 10% kcal from fat) or a high-fat diet (HF: 60% kcal from fat) for 8 weeks, which is equivalent to child/adolescent age in humans. Mice in early-life groups were sacrificed after 8 weeks feeding, whereas mice in later-life groups were switched to standard chow diet (Lab Diet#5P76) and fed for additional 12 weeks before sacrifice. A panel of metabolic parameters, inflammatory cytokines, as well as gene expression related to tumorigenic Wnt-signaling were assessed by qPCR and immunoblotting analysis. Results Compared with LF group, the body weight in HF group was significantly elevated after 8-wk HF diet feeding (P < 0.05). After switching to the standard chow diet for 12 weeks, the significance remained until 24 weeks of age although with a reduced degree of magnitude (P < 0.05). For the metabolic factors, HFD reduced the expression levels of both Pparγ (P = 0.08) and adiponectin (P < 0.05) at 12 weeks and the reductions remains at 24 weeks (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, expressions of aromatase, estrogen receptor α and Tnf-α, Il-6, Il-10 as well as Cox2 among examined inflammatory mediators (Tnf-α, Il-6, Il-10, Il-2, Il-1β, Ifn-γ, Cox2) were significantly higher in HF than in LF group at 24 weeks (P < 0.05). For Wnt-signaling target genes (Cyclin D1, C-Myc, and Axin 2), a significant increase for C-Myc was observed in HF group at 12 weeks (P < 0.01). Conclusions Our results suggested that HF diet in early-life enhances adiposity and alters mammary metabolic and inflammatory status, creating a microenvironment in favor of breast tumorigenesis in later-life. Funding Sources This project was supported by USDA/Hatch (#1013548).

Genetic Ablation of Transmembrane Prolyl 4-Hydroxylase Reduces Atherosclerotic Plaques in Mice.

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A Nigerian‐Made Modified Atkins Diet: Hope for Patients with Intractable Epilepsy

Introduction : Modified Atkins diet (MAD), a variant of ketogenic diet (KD) has been reported in many studies to have equal potency to the classical KD. The unpalatable taste of the classical KD has led to its unpopular use, making it necessary to use it variants. This work involved investigating the anti-epileptic and nootropic effect of a Nigerian-made Modified Atkins Diet that failed in some acute seizure tests in mice. Research Hypothesis : It was hypothesized that the formulated MAD will produce significant anti-convulsant activity in mice. Methods Ethical Approval: Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the ABU Committee on Animal Use and Care. Dietary Pre-treatment: The mice, at P28 were given appropriate diet (Normal Laboratory diet or MAD) for thirty (30) days. Twenty-one (21) litters were weaned at P28 onto modified Atkins diet for 4 weeks. Other litters were fed normal laboratory diet and started on MAD at P56 (8 weeks) for 30 days. PTZ-Induced Kindling: Protocol described by Shimada and Yamagata (2018) was adopted. Each mouse was observed for 30 minutes after every PTZ administration and the seizure behavior was scored as follows; 0: normal behavior, no abnormality; 1: immobilization, lying on belly; 2: head nodding, facial, forelimb, or hindlimb myoclonus; 3: continuous whole-body myoclonus, myoclonic jerks, tail held up stiffly; 4: rearing, tonic seizure, falling down on its side; 5: tonic-clonic seizure, falling down on its back, wild rushing and jumping; 6: death. Morris Water Maze: The effect of the diet on learning and reference memory was investigated using the Protocol described by Zhao et al. (2004) with adopted with slight modifications: 4 daily trials instead of 6 daily trials were done, non-toxic blue dye was used in place of non-fatty milk to make the pool opaque. Statistical analysis: Data were analyzed aligned-rank test followed by Mann-U Whitney correction, Kruskal-Wallis test and Kaplan Meier survival analysis where appropriate. Results As shown in the fig.1a, MAD statistically significantly increased seizure threshold in the first half of epilepsy induction before the mice in the two diet eventually became refractory to the effect of PTZ at sub-convulsive doses. Kaplan Meier survival analysis revealed the ability of Modified Atkins Diet to decrease seizure susceptibility as shown in fig.1b; Mice treated with MAD had a tonic-clonic seizure survival probability of approximately 60% while mice on LD has a probability of just 20% at the end of the injection period. Modified Atkins diet did not negatively impair learning and memory. As shown in fig. 2a, it significantly increased escape latency of the mice over time when compared to the laboratory diet group in which the escape time was not different in all test days. There however, was no significant difference (p<0.05) in the time spent in all quadrants in both diet groups, an indication of a lack of influence on reference memory. Fig. 2b. Conclusion The formulated modified Atkins diet has potential for use in the management of intractable epilepsy in humans. The diet has also shown superiority over the classical ketogenic diet in its ability to not impair visual-spatial learning and memory.

Early Exposure to High-Sucrose Diet Leads to Deteriorated Ovarian Health.

BackgroundThe metabolic syndrome (MetS) is correlated with disorders of the reproductive system, such as the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). While consumption of a diet rich in carbohydrates is linked to the development of MetS, it is still unclear if this diet leads to ovarian dysfunction and PCOS.ObjectivesWe investigated the influence of a high-sucrose diet (HSD) on the ovarian milieu of Wistar rats and studied the correlation between high consumption of sugary drinks and the prevalence of PCOS in women.MethodsWistar rats were given a standard laboratory diet (CTR, 10% sucrose, n = 8) or HSD (HSD, 25% sucrose, n = 8) from postnatal day 21 to 120. Animals were evaluated weekly to calculate food intake, feed efficiency and weight gain. Both onset of puberty and estrous cycle were monitored. Metabolic serum biochemistry, organ morphometry and ovarian histology were performed upon euthanasia. In parallel, a fixed-effects multiple linear regression analysis was performed using data from Brazilian states (459 state-year observations) to test the correlation between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (surrogate for HSD intake) and the prevalence of PCOS (surrogate for ovarian dysfunction).ResultsHSD animals showed increased adipose tissue accumulation, hyperglycaemia and insulin resistance when compared to CTR. Interestingly HSD rats also entered puberty earlier than CTR. Moreover, ovaries from HSD animals had an increased number of atretic antral follicles and cystic follicles, which were correlated with the hypertrophy of periovarian adipocytes. Finally, there was a positive correlation between the intake of sugary drinks and prevalence of PCOS in women of reproductive age.ConclusionsHSD ingestion leads to ovarian dysfunction in rats and could be correlated with PCOS in women, suggesting these alterations could lead to public health issues. Therefore, we reinforce the deleterious impact of HSD to the ovarian system and suggest that the reduction of added sugars intake could be beneficial to ovarian health.

Antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities of a novel polyherbal formulation in streptozotocin - nicotinamide induced diabetic wistar rats

Objective: To investigate the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities of polyherbal formulation (PHF) containing seven plants namely Cassia auriculata, Cassia fistula, Syzygium cumini, Cyperus rotundus, Saussurea lappa, Terminalia arjuna and Salacia reticulate in streptozotocin (STZ) - nicotinamide (NC) induced diabetic rats by administering oral doses (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight).&#x0D; Materials and Methods: Animals were divided into diabetic and nondiabetic groups. Rats were fed with normal laboratory diet and induced with a single intraperitoneal injection of 60mg/kg of STZ, and thereafter 120 mg/kg NC was injected after 15min. Diabetic rats were treated with formulation (200 and 400 mg/kg) and glibenclamide 5 mg/kg. Blood glucose levels were measured using blood glucose test strips with ACCU CHEK glucometer. Glycosylated haemoglobin, total haemoglobin, lipid profiles, lipoproteins, hepatic marker enzymes activity were determined in normal and STZ- NC induced diabetic rats after oral administration of the PHF for 28 days. Histopathological changes in normal and diabetic rat pancreas organs were also observed after PHF treatment.The statistical analysis of results was carried out using one-way analysis (ANOVA) followed by post hoc multiple comparison tests.&#x0D; Results: Treatment of diabetic rats with PHF (200 and 400 mg/kg) and glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) indicate significant decreased blood glucose level and significant improvement in body weight. PHF treated rats showed significant (P &lt; 0.01) decrease in the level of HbA1C, TC, TG, LDL, VLDL, AST, ALT and ALP while a significant increment in the level of Hb, HDL cholesterol was observed. Furthermore, the PHF treated rats has a favourable effect on the histopathological changes of the pancreas in STZ-NC induced diabetes.&#x0D; Conclusion: These findings suggested the antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic properties of the PHF and thus help in preventing future complications of diabetes.

Short-Term Calorie Restriction Maintains Plasma Insulin Concentrations along with a Reduction in Hepatic Insulin-Degrading Enzyme Levels in db/db Mice.

Maintaining blood insulin levels is important for patients with diabetes because insulin secretion capacity declines with the development of the disease. Calorie restriction (CR) is effective for the improvement of glucose tolerance, but it is not clear whether CR can maintain insulin levels in the late stage of diabetes. We examined the effect of CR on whole-body glucose tolerance and fasting blood insulin concentrations in the late stage of diabetes. Male db/db mice were subjected to either a standard laboratory diet ad libitum for 3 weeks (dbdb group) or 40% CR (dbdb+CR group). CR significantly decreased body mass and epididymal fat weight. Glucose tolerance and fasting glucose levels were significantly improved with 3-week CR. Fasting insulin concentrations were decreased in the dbdb group but were maintained in the dbdb+CR group. CR significantly reduced insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) levels in the liver, and hepatic IDE levels were significantly positively and negatively correlated with plasma glucose concentrations (area under the curve) after glucose administration and after fasting insulin concentrations, respectively. Therefore, 3-week CR maintained blood insulin levels and improved glucose tolerance with decreased hepatic IDE levels in an animal model of late-stage diabetes.