Current Issue : January - March Volume : 2015 Issue Number : 1 Articles : 7 Articles
Flavonoids, from Scutellaria baicalensis (Chinese skullcap) and Acacia catechu (black catechu), have been shown to exert a variety\nof therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and anticancer activities. Flavocoxid is a mixed extract\ncontaining baicalin and catechin and it acts as a dual balanced inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2 peroxidase\nenzyme activities with a significant inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) enzyme activity in vitro. Flavocoxid downregulates gene\nor protein expression of several inflammatory markers and exerts also strong antioxidant activity in several experimental models.\nControlled clinical trials and a postmarketing study have clearly shown that flavocoxid is as effective as naproxen in managing the\nsigns and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee and it has better upper gastrointestinal, renal, and respiratory safety profile than\nnaproxen. Flavocoxid may therefore provide a potential therapeutic approach to the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions....
Human milk (HM) contains critical nutrients and possibly other neurotrophic factors that could benefit the less\ndeveloped brain of preterm infants, particularly those with very low birth weight (VLBW). This study aims to\nsystematically review the original studies to determine whether there is a reproducible independent effect of HM\nfeeding on neurodevelopment outcome in preterm VLBW infants. Search of seven databases (PubMed, Cochrane,\nCINAHL, Embase, Proquest Research Library, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) identified 24 original studies. Each\nstudy was evaluated by two authors independently for 8 non-nutritive (study design, target population, a priori\npower calculation, adjustment for baseline growth status, postnatal complication, other confounders, observer\nblinding to feeding status, effect size) and 5 nutritive (definition and duration of HM intake, use of HM fortifier,\nsource of HM data, infant formula used) methodology parameters, and consistency and directness of outcome\nmeasures. Thirteen reports of preterm infants with wide ranges of birth weights were excluded as none provided\nsufficient data to delineate the effects of HM feeding on developmental outcome of subjects with VLBW. Eleven\nreports included only VLBW children and 7 studies were reviewed after elimination of preliminary data from same\ncohort or lack of appropriate standardized testing or control group. These 7 studies (n = 18 to 704, median 219)\nwere performed at <3 years (3 studies) and at 5 to 11 years (4 studies). Six studies were secondary analysis of data\nfrom other studies. Each study met or only partially met 4 to 10 methodological parameters. VLBW children with no\nneurological impairment fed HM achieved normal or low normal range of test scores. Formula feeding using older\nformulations was associated with a lower subtest score in 4 studies. There is no randomized clinical trial comparing\nthe neurodevelopment outcome of HM versus formula or minimal HM feeding that included only children with\nVLBW. The role of HM in the neurodevelopment and cognitive function of VLBW children needs reassessment with\nhigh quality studies in the context of current formulations of HM fortifier and preterm formula....
Schizophrenia is a chronic condition that impacts significantly not only on the individual and family, but the\ndisorder also has wider consequences for society in terms of significant costs to the economy. This highly prevalent\ncondition affects approximately 1% of the worldwide population, yet there are few therapeutic options. The\npredominant treatment strategy for schizophrenia is anti-psychotic medication (with or without additional talking\ntherapy) even though this approach lacks efficacy in managing the negative symptoms of the condition, is not\neffective in one-third of the patient group and the side effects of the medication can be severe and debilitating. In\nrecent years, a number of pathophysiological processes have been identified in groups of people with schizophrenia\nincluding oxidative stress, one-carbon metabolism and immune-mediated responses. A number of studies have shown\nthat these altered physiological mechanisms can be ameliorated by nutritional interventions in some individuals with\nschizophrenia. This review briefly describes the aforementioned processes and outlines research that has investigated\nthe utility of nutritional approaches as an adjunct to anti-psychotic medication including antioxidant and vitamin B\nsupplementation, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory nutrients and exclusion diets. Whilst none of these interventions\nprovides a ââ?¬Ë?one-size-fits-allââ?¬â?¢ therapeutic solution, we suggest that a personalised approach warrants research attention as\nthere is growing agreement that schizophrenia is a spectrum disorder that develops from the interplay between\nenvironmental and genetic factors....
Paspalum scrobiculatum, commonly known as Kodo millet is a drought resistant crop. It has been an important source of diet around the world since thousands of years. Traditionally, this plant has been used by people suffering from diabetes. In recent times, various other benefits of kodo millet have surfaced due to its potential antioxidant activity. Various secondary metabolites have been reported by researchers all around. The present review summarizes various phytoconstituents reported in the plant and the pharmacological application involved there with....
Background: The loss of self-control or inability to resist tempting/rewarding foods, and the development of less\nhealthful eating habits may be explained by three key neural systems: (1) a hyper-functioning striatum system\ndriven by external rewarding cues; (2) a hypo-functioning decision-making and impulse control system; and (3) an\naltered insula system involved in the translation of homeostatic and interoceptive signals into self-awareness and\nwhat may be subjectively experienced as a feeling.\nMethods: The present study examined the activity within two of these neural systems when subjects were exposed to\nimages of high-calorie versus low-calorie foods using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and related this activity\nto dietary intake, assessed by 24-hour recall. Thirty youth (mean BMI = 23.1 kg/m2, range = 19.1 - 33.7; age =19.7 years,\nrange = 14 - 22) were scanned using fMRI while performing food-specific go/nogo tasks.\nResults: Behaviorally, participants more readily pressed a response button when go trials consisted of high-calorie food\ncues (HGo task) and less readily pressed the response button when go trials consisted of low-calorie food cues (LGo task).\nThis habitual response to high-calorie food cues was greater for individuals with higher BMI and individuals who reportedly\nconsume more high-calorie foods. Response inhibition to the high-calorie food cues was most difficult for individuals with\na higher BMI and individuals who reportedly consume more high-calorie foods. fMRI results confirmed our hypotheses that\n(1) the ââ?¬Å?habitualââ?¬Â system (right striatum) was more activated in response to high-calorie food cues during the go trials than\nlow-calorie food go trials, and its activity correlated with participantsââ?¬â?¢ BMI, as well as their consumption of high-calorie foods;\n(2) the prefrontal system was more active in nogo trials than go trials, and this activity was inversely correlated with BMI\nand high-calorie food consumption.\nConclusions: Using a cross-sectional design, our findings help increase understanding of the neural basis of oneââ?¬â?¢s loss of\nability to self-control when faced with tempting food cues. Though the design does not permit inferences regarding\nwhether the inhibitory control deficits and hyper-responsivity of reward regions are individual vulnerability factors\nfor overeating, or the results of habitual overeating....
Obesity is no longer a cosmetic issue but an epidemic that threatens global wellbeing. Sedentary lifestyle, eating high fat, energy dense food and drinks and several genetic factors had led severe prevalence of obesity worldwide. Recently calcium has been evolved with an antiobesity potential and probiotic are found to have their role in improving calcium absorption. Increase in body weight and fat was ensured by providing fructose as an obesogenic diet along with normal chow diet. Oyster shells are known to be rich source of calcium that has proven to be excellent ‘natural calcium supplement’. Shells were processed to obtain oyster shell powder (OSP). All rats except normal received fructose (30% w/v) along with their normal chow diet. Treatment groups received OSP (82 mg/kg or 55.4 mg/kg p.o.), or Probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus 109CFU/animal/day p.o.), or combination of OSP and Probiotic (i.e. 82 mg/kg and Lactobacillus acidophilus 109CFU/day, or 55.4 mg/kg and Lactobacillus acidophilus 109CFU/day orally). Biochemical parameters, anthropometric parameters, nutritional parameters were evaluated. Peritoneal and epididymal fat pad were analyzed for histopathological studies. Chronic supply of fructose decreased HDL levels whereas increased glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, anthropometric parameters, nutritional parameters, body weight gain, weight of fat pad and showed peritoneal and epididymal fat cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia. The treated groups showed significant restoration in these obesogenic parameters. The results have shown that OSP as well as combination of OSP and Probiotic have good potential in management of obesity....
Nutraceuticals are natural bioactive products with food value and promising therapeutic properties in several\ndiseases. Current cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, induce unintended side\neffects compromising also health and well-being of patients. Emerging studies suggest that some plant-based\nagents may impact cellular and molecular processes underlying tumor progression. However, some of these\nmolecules might also play an antagonistic activity against classic therapeutic agents. The aim of this article is to\nreview the current knowledge underpinning the use of nutraceuticals in cancer prevention and therapy....
Loading....