Eficacia de los hidroxicinamatos y los beta-glucanos como herramientas dietéticas frente a la obesidad y sus disfunciones asociadas y su aplicación como nutracéutico / Effectiveness of hydroxycinamates and beta-glucans as dietary tools against obesity and its associated dysfunctions, and their application as nutraceuticals

Durante los últimos años se ha incrementado la incidencia de casos de sobrepeso/obesidad entre la población, afectando en ciertas partes del mundo a más de la mitad de la población adulta. La obesidad lleva asociada comorbilidades como la diabetes tipo 2, la esteatosis hepática no alcohólica y las enfermedades cardiovasculares entre otras muchas, que la han convertido en la segunda causa de muerte evitable en el mundo, solo por detrás del tabaquismo. Ante esta nueva realidad se hace necesaria la búsqueda de nuevas estrategias para combatir el sobrepeso/obesidad y sus patologías asociadas. Los nutracéuticos o suplementos dietéticos se han convertido en una herramienta dietética de sumo interés gracias a su contenido en compuestos bioactivos beneficiosos para la salud. De entre estos compuestos bioactivos, este estudio abordará en profundidad dos de ellos: una fibra soluble, los β-glucanos procedentes de la avena, y un tipo de compuesto fenólico, los hidroxicinamatos. Ambos tipos de compuestos presentan efectos complejos y multifactoriales al actuar como agentes hipolipemiantes, hipoglucemiantes, antioxidantes, prebióticos o saciantes. Ejercen su efecto modulando diferentes vías metabólicas que afectan tanto a la absorción como al metabolismo de los lípidos y los glúcidos, reduciendo el daño oxidativo, promoviendo la proliferación de especies bacterianas beneficiosas y reduciendo la ingesta dietética. Se puede concluir que tanto los beta-glucanos como los hidroxicinamatos presentan potencial como herramienta nutricional en el manejo de distintas disfunciones metabólicas asociadas a la obesidad

Over the last few years the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased, affecting in certain parts of the World to more than half of the adult population. Obesity has been related to disorders such as type-2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular diseases, among others, which has made obesity the second cause of preventable death, only behind smoking. Bearing this in mind, it is necessary to find new strategies to overcome overweight/obesity and its associated pathologies. In this context, nutraceuticals and dietary supplements have become interesting tools thanks to their composition, rich in bioactive compounds beneficial to health. Among bioactive compounds, this study will focus on β-glucans, a type of soluble dietary fiber, and hydroxycinnamic acids, a group of phenols. Both types of compounds show complex and multifactorial effects, acting as hypolipemic, hypoglycemic, antioxidant, prebiotic and satiating agents. They act by modulating different metabolic pathways, affecting the absorption and metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates, reducing oxidative damage, promoting the proliferation of beneficial bacterial species, and reducing dietary intake. It may be concluded that both beta-glucans and hydroxycinnamates have potential as nutritional tools for the management of obesity and its associated metabolic dysfunctions

Rosmarinic acid affects immunological and inflammatory mediator levels and restores lung pathological features in asthmatic rats

Background: The effects of rosmarinic acid (RA) on immunological and inflammatory mediator levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) as well as lung pathological changes in asthmatic rats were investigated. Methods: The levels of IFN-gama, IL-4, IFN-gama/IL-4 ratio, IgE, PLA2, and total protein (TP) in BALF and pathological changes in the lung were evaluated in control group (C), asthma group (sensitized to ovalbumin) (A), asthma groups treated with RA and dexamethasone. Results: Compared to the control group, asthmatic rats showed increased levels of IL-4, IgE, PLA2, and TP as well as all pathological scores with decreased levels of IFN-gama and IFN-gama/IL-4 ratio (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001). The levels of IL-4, IgE, PLA2, and TP significantly reduced in groups treated with all concentrations of RA compared to asthma group (P < 0.001 for all cases). IFN-gama was significantly decreased in groups treated with two lower concentrations of RA but IFN-gama/IL-4 ratio was increased in groups treated with two higher concentrations of RA compared to asthma group (P<0.05 to P < 0.001). Treatment with all doses of RA led to significant improvement in pathological scores in asthmatic animals (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001). Most measured parameters were also significantly improved in dexamethasone-treated animals (P<0.01 to P < 0.001) but IFN-gama/IL-4 ratio and the scores of interstitial fibrosis, bleeding and epithelial damage did not change in this group. Conclusion: The results indicated a preventive effect for RA on immunological and inflammatory mediators as well as lung pathological changes in asthmatic rats which were comparable or even more potent than that of dexamethasone

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Fotoprotetores / Sunscreens

O dano actinico à pele, pela radiação solar, tem levado ao desenvolvimento de inúmeros fotoprotetores, que vêm ganhando maior espaço no receituário dermatológico.Os autores revisam aspectos das ações benéficas e danosas causadas à pele pela radiação ultravioleta (UV), algumas peculiaridades físicas da radiação e sua ação na superfice terrestre. Divulgam tabela de fototipos cutâneos possivelmente mais compatíveis, com as condições em nosso país e simplificam o emprego dos fotoprotetores.Os fotoprotetores tópicos são abordados quanto a sua ação em químicos (de absorção) e físicos (de barreira).São apresentadas as característica químicas (concentração, solubilidade e outras) e fotobiológicas (comprimento de onda e espectro de absorção) de cada grupo de substâncias fotoprotetoras. Abordam ainda os estimuladores da melanogênese, os antioxidantes e o vestuário, e listam alguns fotoprotetores disponíveis no mercado.Os autores finalizam abordando os fotoprotetores sistêmicos e algumas medidas práticas para o emprego dos fotoprotetores. (AU)