Lower Blood Cholesterol Levels Research Articles

Synthetic immunomodulation with a CRISPR super-repressor in vivo.

Transient modulation of genes involved in immunity, without exerting a permanent change in the DNA code, can be an effective strategy to modulate the course of many inflammatory conditions. CRISPR-Cas9 technology represents a promising platform for achieving this goal. Truncation of guide RNA (gRNA) from 5’ end, enables the application of a nuclease competent Cas9 protein for transcriptional modulation of genes, allowing multi-functionality of CRISPR. Here, we introduce an enhanced CRISPR-based transcriptional repressor to reprogram immune homeostasis in vivo. In this repressor system, two transcriptional repressors heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1a) and Krüppel associated box (KRAB) are fused to MS2 coat protein and subsequently recruited by gRNA aptamer binding to a nuclease competent CRISPR complex containing truncated gRNAs. With the enhanced repressor, we demonstrate transcriptional repression of the Myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (Myd88) gene in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that this strategy can efficiently downregulate Myd88 expression in lung, blood and bone marrow of Cas9 transgenic mice, which receive systemic injection of adeno-associated virus- (AAV)2/1 carrying truncated gRNAs targeting Myd88 and MS2-Hp1aKRAB cassette. This downregulation is accompanied by changes in downstream signaling elements such as TNF-α and ICAM-1. Myd88 repression leads to decrease in immunoglobulin G (IgG) production against AAV2/1 and AAV2/9 and the strategy modulates IgG response against AAV cargos. It improves the efficiency of a subsequent AAV9/CRISPR treatment for repression of Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a gene when repressed can lower blood cholesterol levels. We also demonstrate that CRISPR-mediated Myd88 repression can act as a prophylactic measure against septicemia in both Cas9 transgenic and C57BL/6J mice. When delivered by nanoparticles, this repressor can serve as a therapeutic modality to influence the course of septicemia. Collectively, we report that CRISPR-mediated repression of endogenous Myd88 can effectively modulate host immune response against AAV-mediated gene therapy and influence the course of septicemia. The ability to control Myd88 transcript levels using a CRISPR-based synthetic repressor can be an effective strategy for AAV-based CRISPR therapies, as this pathway serves as a key node in induction of humoral immunity against AAV serotypes.

Fish Oil Production Process From Waste Catfish (Pangasius Pangasius) in Balai Besar Pengujian Penerapan Hasil Perikanan (BBP2HP) East Jakarta

Processing by product of catfish (Pangasius pangasius) on domestic scale or industrial produces many problems related to polluting the environment. Fish processing industry activities always generate waste because it is used generally only part of the meat, head, offal (entrails), spines and skin removed. Catfish have oil content is high enough, so the catfish waste has the potential to be extracted fish oil are rich in benefits. Fish oils generally contain unsaturated fatty acids are eicosapentaenoicacid (EPA) and docosahecsaenoatacid (DHA). Unsaturated fatty acids are known to prevent many diseases such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, lower blood cholesterol levels, cancer, platelet mellitus, diseases of the bone joints, asthma, and prevent the aging process. The purpose of Field Work Practice are learned the process of oil production fish waste from catfish (Pangasius pangasius). The Practice of Field Work has been carried out at the Balai Besar Pengujian Penerapan Hasil Perikanan (BBP2HP). The results obtained through observation, interviews and active participation in the manufacture of fish oil in BBP2HP includes the preparation of materials and tools, washing, weighing, heating, pressing, phase separation, making crude oil, and packaging. Raw materials used in the manufacture of oil is a waste of catfish (Pangasius pangasius). From 1 kg of waste catfish (offal, belly flap, head, fins, tail) obtained 116 ml crude fish oil. Section waste catfish has gone through the process of steaming and pressing which causes the water content there in is reduced. After that, the catfish oil packed in bottles.

The Effect Of Giving Green Tea To Elderly With Hypertension Disease To Decrease The Level Of Cholesterol At Tamban Baru Health Center

Background: High blood cholesterol levels lead to cholesterol deposits in blood vessels walls, the more sediment will clog blood vessels and disrupt blood circulation. This condition is the trigger of heart disease and stroke. To overcome the problems of high cholesterol in the blood, now it has begun to use natural ingredients to lower blood cholesterol levels that are the treatment by using herbal medicines such as medicines such as medicinal plants one of them is green tea. The main purpose the study is to know the effect of green tea on cholesterol values in elderly hypertensive patients in at Tamban baru community health centre in Tamban Baru Mekar Village. Methods: the research design used for this research is pre experimental one group, pretest and posttest design. The subject is elderly people with high cholesterol hypertension. Sampling technique in this research is purposive sampling technique with numbers of respondents 16 respondents who were given treatment. The research instrument used in this research is independent variable green tea giving and the dependent variable is cholesterol measures on elderly hypertensive patient using rapid test tool of cholesterol stick multi check in three, bivariate analysis using paired T test. Respondents were given green tea twice a day every morning and afternoon for 14 days

A missense variant in Mitochondrial Amidoxime Reducing Component 1 gene and protection against liver disease.

Analyzing 12,361 all-cause cirrhosis cases and 790,095 controls from eight cohorts, we identify a common missense variant in the Mitochondrial Amidoxime Reducing Component 1 gene (MARC1 p.A165T) that associates with protection from all-cause cirrhosis (OR 0.91, p = 2.3*10−11). This same variant also associates with lower levels of hepatic fat on computed tomographic imaging and lower odds of physician-diagnosed fatty liver as well as lower blood levels of alanine transaminase (-0.025 SD, 3.7*10−43), alkaline phosphatase (-0.025 SD, 1.2*10−37), total cholesterol (-0.030 SD, p = 1.9*10−36) and LDL cholesterol (-0.027 SD, p = 5.1*10−30) levels. We identified a series of additional MARC1 alleles (low-frequency missense p.M187K and rare protein-truncating p.R200Ter) that also associated with lower cholesterol levels, liver enzyme levels and reduced risk of cirrhosis (0 cirrhosis cases for 238 R200Ter carriers versus 17,046 cases of cirrhosis among 759,027 non-carriers, p = 0.04) suggesting that deficiency of the MARC1 enzyme may lower blood cholesterol levels and protect against cirrhosis.

Abstract P312: Association Between Religious Attendance And Obesity In African American And Afro-Caribbean Men

Introduction: The increasing prevalence of obesity continues to be a public health concern in the United States (US). Religiosity, commonly characterized as the frequency of ritualistic practice and attendance at places of worship has been found to provide favorable cardiovascular health impacts including lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels; however, studies on the effect of religiosity on obesity have been mixed. Furthermore, national surveys have shown obesity prevalence to differ by ethnicity; foreign-born blacks have lower rates of obesity compared to US-born blacks. Research on a potential ethnic interaction on the impact of religious attendance on obesity has also been limited. Hypothesis: It is hypothesized that the association between religious attendance and obesity in black Americans may differ by ethnicity. Methods: Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the association between religious attendance and obesity for African American (N = 1208) and Afro-Caribbean men (N = 628), 18 years and older, in the National Survey of American Life (2001-2003). Odds ratios (OR) of the association between religious attendance and adult obesity were estimated after adjusting for age, socioeconomic measures, health and lifestyle measures within regression models stratified by ethnicity. Results: The overall prevalence of obesity was 29.15% among African American men and 19.74% among Afro-Caribbean men. The prevalence of obesity among those who attended church weekly or more than weekly was 33.48% for African American men and 13.36% for Afro-Caribbean men. Afro-Caribbean men who attended church weekly or more than weekly had 48% lower odds of obesity than men who attended church less than weekly; age-adjusted OR = 0.52; 95%CI: (0.28, 0.98). The protective association of church attendance remained for Afro-Caribbean men after additionally adjusting for socioeconomic, health and lifestyle factors; adjusted OR = 0.40; 95%CI: (0.23, 0.67). No significant association between religious attendance and obesity was found for African American men. Conclusions: These findings suggest that religious attendance may be a protective factor for obesity among Afro-Caribbean men in the US. Since the prevalence of obesity among the foreign-born increases with length of US residency, religiosity may curb cardiovascular risk by lowering their body mass index trajectories across the life course.

Simvastatin Inhibits the Malignant Behaviors of Gastric Cancer Cells by Simultaneously Suppressing YAP and β-Catenin Signaling.

BackgroundStatins, which are used to lower blood cholesterol levels by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, have shown anticancer effects in many cancer cells. However, the role of statins in gastric cancer remains unclear. This study aims to investigate whether the statins could antagonize progression of gastric cancer cells and tried to find the molecule mechanism.MethodsEffects of simvastatin on the morphology, proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and invasion of gastric cancer cells were detected and compared. Western blotting, cell viability assay, fluorescence, and transfection were employed to study the molecule mechanism of the effects and the interaction between YAP and β-catenin signaling.ResultsSimvastatin could inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion, and promote the apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. Mechanistic studies showed that simvastatin treatment could inhibit the expression of β-catenin and the activity of YAP and the downstream targets of YAP and β-catenin in gastric cancer cells. Moreover, we found that YAP and β-catenin could form a positive feedback loop in gastric cancer cells. Further investigation revealed that simvastatin mainly acted through by inhibiting the activity of RhoA to inhibit YAP and β-catenin, and the geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate pathway mediated this regulation.ConclusionStatins represent a promising therapeutic option for gastric cancer by simultaneously targeting YAP and β-catenin signaling.

The protective role of Kombucha extract on the normal intestinal microflora, high-cholesterol diet caused hypercholesterolemia, and histological structures changes in New Zealand white rabbits.

The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of Kombucha extract (tea) on the normal intestinal microflora and histological structures in rabbits. This study was a descriptive-analytical investigation. Thirty-two male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups as follows: Normal diet (I), high-cholesterol diet (II), normal diet plus Kombucha extract (II), and high-cholesterol diet plus Kombucha extract (IV). Microbial cultures were taken from feces of rabbits before and after the applied treatments. The rabbits' blood was collected from the heart to determine the level of cholesterol, glucose and iron in the blood. Aorta and coronary heart microtome cut samples were prepared for detection of histological changes. Rabbit stool cultures before treatment with Kombucha extract included Enterobacter aerogenes, Providencia rettgeri, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella oxytoca. However, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, klebsiella pneumoniae and Hafnia alvei were found in stool cultures after treatment with Kombucha extract. Group IV had significantly lower blood cholesterol levels. Animals that received Kombucha extract only had lower fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels. Healthy rabbits that received Kombucha extract only and group (IV) showed a significant increase in iron (Fe) levels and a significant decrease in total iron binding capacity (TIBC) levels. In both groups III and IV, the right and left coronary arteries were completely normal and no lesions were observed in the intima. The results of this study showed minor changes in the intestinal microflora of rabbits after treatment with Kombucha extract and positive effects of this tea on some risk factors (hypercholesterolemia, arteriosclerosis, and FBS).

Facing the Challenge of Lowering Blood Pressure and Cholesterol in the Same Patient: Report of a Symposium at the European Society of Hypertension.

A symposium held at the 29th European Meeting on Hypertension and Cardiovascular Protection in Milan, Italy, discussed the potential impact and long-term benefits of early active management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in patients with hypertension, and potential barriers to this strategy. Hypertension often aggregates with other cardiovascular risk factors, exponentially increasing morbidity and mortality. While effective therapies to treat hypertension exist, a substantial number of patients still experience major cardiovascular events. Two major issues account for these disappointing results: interventions initiated too late in the disease trajectory and lack of effective translation of the research findings into daily clinical practice. Results from genetic studies suggest that lifetime exposure to lower blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol levels due to protective gene mutations, can provide greater cardiovascular benefits than middle-/late-age interventions. Clinical guidelines suggest adding statins to BP-lowering therapies for further cardiovascular benefits in most hypertensive patients; however, real-world data show that physicians’ compliance with these recommendations and patients’ adherence to BP- and lipid-lowering treatments remain poor, resulting in poor risk factor control and an increased risk of adverse outcomes. The use of single-pill combinations (SPC) can partially mitigate these issues, as they are associated with increased patient adherence and improved BP control. Treatment with SPC has been recommended in the European Hypertension Guidelines, but optimization of the total CVD risk may need adoption of more ambitious treatment strategies aimed to deliver single pills that control multiple CVD risk factors. Amlodipine, perindopril and atorvastatin have been shown to improve BP and lipid levels to a great extent when given separately, and this combination has also been shown to improve cardiovascular outcomes. Overall, early intervention in patients with hypertension with use of an effective, high-intensity cardiovascular risk reduction regimen and attention to medication adherence through reducing pill burden are likely to result in optimal outcomes.

Pharmacognostic studies on Hordeum vulgare L.

Barley has been cultivated since long in northern India. The important producers of barley are U.S.S.R., China, U.S.A., Canada, India and countries bordering the Mediterranean, Which together contribute more than 50% of the total world production. In India it is found in Uttar pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Punjab and Madhya pradesh, West Bengal, Himalchal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir. The shoots are diuretic. The seed sprouts are demulcent, expectorant, galactofuge, lenitive and stomachic. The seed is digestive, emollient, nutritive, febrifuge and stomachic. It is taken internally as a nutritious food or as barley water (an infusion of the germinated seed in water) and is of special use for babies and invalids. Its use is said to reduce excessive lactation. Barley is also used as a poultice for burns and wounds. Resent research has shown that barley may be of aid in the treatment of hepatitis, whilst other trials have shown that it may help to control diabetes. Barley bran may have the effect of lowering blood cholesterol levels and preventing bowel cancer. Hence an attempt is made to study its detailed pharmacognosy.

Increased expression and catalytic activity of prostacyclin synthase after simvastatin application to human umbilical vein endothelial cells

In addition to lowering blood cholesterol levels, statins are known to exert antiplatelet effects. One of the key factors contributing to the antiplatelet effects of statins includes the upregulation of prostacyclin (PGI2) level. The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of statins on prostacyclin synthase (PGIS, CYP8A1) and PGI2 synthesis at the molecular level. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were exposed to five structurally different statins (atorvastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin, and rosuvastatin) and changes in CYP8A1 expression levels and the metabolic activities of CYP8A1 were investigated. Among the tested statins, simvastatin induced significant PGIS expression at both transcriptional (2.9-fold, P<0.05) and translational (1.8-fold, P<0.05) levels. Treatment with a constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) agonist, phenobarbital, significantly increased CYP8A1 mRNA expression (3-fold, P<0.01). A metabolite of prostacyclin, 6-keto prostaglandin F1?, was significantly increased by treatment with simvastatin (P<0.01) and markedly repressed by the CYP8A1 inhibitor tranylcypromine (P<0.01) and the CAR antagonist clotrimazole (P<0.01) in HUVEC. The results of this study improve our understanding of the inter-individual variations in PGI2 levels. Clinical studies in humans are necessary to confirm the present in vitro results.

Secular Trends of Stroke Epidemiology in Örebro, Sweden, 2017 Compared to the Trends in 1999: A Population-Based Study

Background and Purpose: A stroke incidence study in ­Örebro, situated in Southern Sweden, that was carried out in 1999 showed high incidence rates. Since then, in many Western countries, declining incidence rates have been observed. The main purpose of this study is to examine whether there have been any changes in stroke incidence in the city of ­Örebro between 1999 and 2017. Secondary purposes are to show trends in stroke severity, length of stay and case fatality (CF). Methods: The criterion of an “ideal” stroke incidence study was used in both the 1999 and the present investigation. These criteria include uniform diagnostics, case ascertainment including strokes managed outside the hospital, and the use of several overlapping sources, prospective design, well-defined denominator, and a large population. Results: The overall stroke incidence rate of first ever stroke (adjusted to the 2013 European population) dropped from 346/100,000 (95% CI 314–380) to 168/100,000 (95% CI 148–190). Stroke severity declined from a median of 6 to 4 points on the National Institute of Health Stroke scale. CF within 28 days also declined from 19 to 16% (n.s.). Median length-of-stay in hospital was 16 days in 1999, and 10 days in 2017. Twenty-one per cent of all kinds of stroke were recurrent (not included in the above results). Conclusions: During the years between 1999 and 2017, there have been reductions in stroke incidence, severity and mortality. The explanation is most likely to be found in the prevalence of risk factors and how they are treated. The use of antihypertensives and statins has increased, corresponding to lower levels of blood pressure and cholesterol in the population. The use of anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation has increased. Cigarette smoking has decreased. These are encouraging results that show that preventive medication and public health measures work in practice.

Advances in research on hypolipidemic mechanism of phytosterols

Hyperlipidemia,as one of the severe risk factors of cardiovascular disease,could easily trigger atherosclerosis,coronary heart disease,peripheral vascular disease,pancreatitis,etc.,and could also increase the incidence of type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Improving dyslipidemia could slow down the progression of atherosclerosis and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. This is of great importance for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Phytosterols are natural active ingredients in plants. Many researches have shown that phytosterols have significant lipid-lowering activity,which could effectively lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Foods containing phytosterols have been widely used as therapeutic diets for improving dyslipidemia. In the early years,it was believed that the lipid-lowering effect of phytosterols was achieved by competitively inhibiting the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the intestine since phytosterols had similar chemical structures with cholesterol. In further researches in recent years,more progress has been made in the lipid-lowering mechanisms of phytosterols. In this paper,PubMed and Web of Science were used to review the cholesterol-lowering and triglyceride-lowering mechanisms of phytosterols according to the available data published,so as to use phytosterols more rationally in clinical application to improve hyperlipidemia and other induced diseases.

Riboflavin deficiency alters cholesterol homeostasis partly by reducing apolipoprotein B100 synthesis in HepG2 cells.

Riboflavin deficiency led to lower blood cholesterol level and higher content of hepatic cholesterol in rats and the mechanisms are not clarified yet. We hypothesized that riboflavin deficiency might alter cholesterol homeostasis via apolipoprotein B100, one of the important proteins in cholesterol transport. To test this hypothesis, HepG2 cells were cultured in riboflavin-deficient media for 4 days to develop riboflavin deficiency. Compared to riboflavin-sufficient cells, the mRNA (0. 37±0.04 vs 1.03±0.29 relative expression level, n=3) and protein expressions of apolipoprotein B100 (intracellular: 173.7±14.4 vs 254.8±47.2μg/mg protein; extracellular: 93.8±31.1 vs 161.6±23.9μg/mg protein; n=3) were significantly reduced in riboflavin-deficient cells (P<0.05). Endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductin 1 and protein disulfide isomerase, two enzymes involved in the oxidative folding of apolipoprotein B100, were also lower remarkably in expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Meanwhile, intracellular cholesterol was increased (256.3±17.1μM/g protein vs 181.4±23.9μM/g protein, n=4) and extracellular cholesterol decreased (110.0±23.2μM/g protein vs 166.2±34.6μM/g protein, n=4) significantly in riboflavin-deficient cells (P<0.05). Very low-density lipoprotein was also diminished (29.0±6.1μM/g protein vs 67.0±11.0μM/g protein, n=4) in the culture media (P<0.05). These findings suggest that riboflavin deficiency alters cholesterol homeostasis partly by reducing apolipoprotein B100 synthesis in HepG2 cells.

Sepiolite Clay Attenuates the Development of Hypercholesterolemia and Obesity in Mice Fed a High-Fat High-Cholesterol Diet.

Obesity reduces the quality of life and life expectancy, whereas nonoperative interventions have shown poor results so far. Statins effectively combat hypercholesterolemia but are not well tolerated at high doses, raising the need for coprescription with cholesterol sorbents and/or absorption inhibitors. Montmorillonite (MMT) clay was found to attenuate hypercholesterolemia and obesity by reducing cholesterol and fat absorption. However, acicular clay-like sepiolite may offer better results due to its more substantial adsorption of nonpolar molecules. We herein aimed at (1) assessing in vitro the capacity of sepiolite to adsorb edible oil and cholesterol compared with that of MMT and (2) assessing in vivo the effect of continuous feeding on a high-fat high-cholesterol diet (HFD) (53.6% w/w fat and 0.2% cholesterol) supplemented with 5% (w/w) edible sepiolite, on diet-induced obesity rate, hypercholesterolemia, and hyperlipidemia. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed in vitro that sepiolite adsorption of olive oil and cholesterol was five to eight times greater than that of MMT clay. Sepiolite supplementation to HFD fed to mature mice for 12.5 weeks resulted in lower total blood cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels and attenuated body weight gain, by reducing fat gain. Sepiolite supplementation did not affect energy intake but increased fecal extraction of sterols and lipids, without notable side effects. These results demonstrate that supplementing a HFD with sepiolite attenuates gastrointestinal absorption of dietary lipids and sterols, thus mitigating obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hypercholesterolemia. Further exploration of the efficacy, mechanism of action, and safety of sepiolite as a food supplement for combating the metabolic syndrome is needed.

ROLE OF PREOPERATIVE ASSESSMENT OF SERUM CHOLESTEROL AND ALBUMIN IN SURGICAL SITE INFECTION.

INTRODUCTION:Surgical site infection (SSI) is defined as infection occurring in an incisional wound within 30 days of the procedure or within 1 year if a prosthesis is implanted. A few studies have reported a relationship between low serum albumin level and low cholesterol level in surgical site infection, length of hospital stay and death and is reported to be one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients.&#x0D; METHOD:1 year prospective cohort study was conducted in Tertiary Health care Centre, Indore. A study population of 248 patients from hospital admitted in Department of General Surgery for elective operation.&#x0D; RESULT:From Total Patients - 172 (69.4%) were male patients and 76 (30.6%) were female patients. The frequency of patients developed SSI in hypoalbuminemia was 25(44.6%) in number compare to n=18(10.7%) in normal and to n= 03(12.5%) in hyper albuminemia. The Relative Risk between Hypoalbuminemia and SSI is 4.17 with CI (2.46 to 7) (P = &lt;0.001). There is a significant association between cholesterol levels and the occurrence of SSI, with majority of the people with SSI had Hypocholesterolemia and it was found to be statistically significant with Relative risk(RR=3.98, CI= 2.28 to 6.95) (P = &lt;0.001).&#x0D; CONCLUSION:Low blood cholesterol and albumin level are the important factors which is usually can lead to significant decrease in this preventable post operative complications especially in a malnourished population presenting in a government setup.

Prenatal ethanol exposure-induced a low level of foetal blood cholesterol and its mechanism of IGF1-related placental cholesterol transport dysfunction

Clinical researches showed that intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) foetus had decreased blood cholesterol levels. The present study aimed to confirm that prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) caused decreased blood cholesterol levels in IUGR foetal rats and elucidate its placental mechanism. Pregnant Wistar rats were intragastrically administrated with ethanol (4 g/kg.d) on gestational days 9–20 (GD9–20). in vivo, PEE increased the levels of total cholesterol (TCH), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) in maternal serum, whereas decreased them in both female and male foetal serum. Moreover, the expression of cholesterol transport genes, scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SCARB1), low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), ATP binding cassette subfamily A member 1 (ABCA1) and ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 1 (ABCG1) was reduced in female and male placentas in the PEE group. Meanwhile, the proliferation decreased and the apoptosis increased in female and male placentas, and the insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF1) signal pathway was inhibited. in vitro, after being treated with ethanol (15, 30, 60, 120 mM) for 72 h, the expression of cholesterol transport genes was decreased, the apoptosis was increased, the proliferation was decreased and the IGF1 signal pathway was inhibited in BeWo cells, whereas exogenous IGF1 reversed these changes. In conclusion, by inhibiting the IGF1 signal pathway in placentas, PEE induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation, thus decreased the cholesterol transport in placentas, and eventually leading to low blood cholesterol levels in foetal rats.

High molecular weight oat β-glucan enhances lipid-lowering effects of phytosterols. A randomised controlled trial

Oat β-glucan (OBG) and phytosterols (PS) are known to lower blood cholesterol levels via different mechanisms. Combination of high molecular weight (MW) OBG and PS in a single functional food could have complementary and/or synergistic effects for optimising heart health. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with high-MW OBG with or without PS on plasma lipids in hypercholesterolaemic individuals. In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, 2×2 factorial trial, participants were randomised to receive biscuits fortified with either no PS or OBG (PL, n=18) or 2g PS (PS, n=18), 3g OBG (OBG, n=18), or combination of 2g PS and 3g OBG (PS-OBG, n=18) per day for 6 weeks. Primary outcome was fasting plasma total cholesterol (TC) and secondary outcomes were LDL-cholesterol, LDL-C; HDL-cholesterol, HDL-C; triglycerides, TG and TC to HDL-cholesterol (TC:HDL) ratio. TC and LDL-C were significantly lowered following PS (-4.6% and-7.6% respectively; p<0.05), OBG (-5.7% and-8.6%; p<0.01) and PS-OBG (-11.5% and-13.9%; p<0.0001) administration. The reduction in TC in the PS-OBG group was significantly greater compared to PL (p<0.001) and PS (p<0.05). PS-OBG group had a significantly greater reduction in LDL-C compared to PL (p<0.01) but not in comparison to PS or OBG groups. TC:HDL ratio was significantly reduced following PS-OBG (-8.9%; p<0.01) only, and there was no significant difference found between groups. Plasma TG reduced by 8.4% following PS-OBG, however, this was statistically non-significant. Plasma HDL-C remained unchanged across all groups. Dietary supplementation with high-MW OBG and PS in a single functional food enhances their lipid-lowering potential. Blood cholesterol lowering by PS and OBG is additive. Delivery of these two bioactive nutrients in a single food allows optimisation of their lipid-lowering effects and may provide added heart health benefits with enhanced compliance. The trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry at http://www.anzctr.org.au/(ACTRN12618001455257).

Physiological Activities of Policosanol Extracted from Sugarcane Wax

Policosanol extracted from sugarcane wax is a generic term used for total fatty alcohols obtained from esterification of fatty acids. It has been approved as a health functional food by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea in 2006. Policosanol is well-known to aid in lowering blood cholesterol level. Recently, several studies have reported the physiological activities of policosanol, such as anti-inflammatory effects, antioxidant effects, and lowering of the incidence of ageing-related diseases, for example, hypertension, stroke, among others. This review describes the physiological activities of policosanol and its applications in the field of health functional foods.

Study of the Influence of the Biochemical Parameters of Laboratory Rats Treated with Aflatoxin and Black Seed Oil

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Black seed oil on the reduction of the negative effects of Aflatoxin in white rat females and on the biochemical parameters The results showed that Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Aflatoxin B2 (AFB2) had a significant effect on lowering blood cholesterol levels in the treated animals to (50, 59) mg/100 ml respectively compared to the control treatment of (89) mg/100 ml, while the level of cholesterol to (67, 70) mg/100 ml when treated animals with aflatoxin (AFB1+ 800) and (AFB2 + 800)mg/kg oil. On the other hand, The level of TG triglyceride decreased to (78.5, 79.9) mg/100 ml when treated with Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Aflatoxin B2 (AFB2) compared with the control treatment reached to (93) mg/100 ml. while a significant increase in triglycerides was observed to (89, 90) mg/100 ml when treatment animals with aflatoxin (AFB1+ 800) and (AFB2 + 800)mg/kg oil.

Is Simvastatin Associated with Oral Lichenoid Drug Reaction?

Currently, various drugs have been found to induce many oral lesions. Some medications used to treat systemic diseases can affect the oral mucosa and induce lesions known as oral lichenoid drug reaction (OLDR). The diagnosis is made when the oral lesion errupted after the patient took a specific medication. However, diagnosis is challenging when a patient takes multiple medications and the onset of the eruption is unclear. OLDRs commonly cause severe pain in the oral cavity and affect the quality of life. Statins are widely used by patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) to lower blood cholesterol levels, decreasing the risk of heart attack or stroke. This review will focus the side effects of a hypolipidemic drug group (statins) in the oral cavity. From previous experience, simvastatin may be related to severe oral ulcerations, dysplasia, and carcinoma in situ in the oral mucosa. Moreover, simvastatin combined with amlodipine can induce more severe oral lesions that are very difficult to treat. Therefore, the beneficial effect of these drugs and their side effects should be considered carefully, because simvastatin significantly affects oral and general health.