Rats fed the dietary supplement vitamix® (ceregumil® with vitamins) show greater physical resistance and antioxidant capacity.

OBJECTIVE: Vitamix® is a dietary product composed of a hydro-alcoholic extract of cereals and pulses with honey, calcium glycerophosphate, vitamins B and D, selenium and fluoride. The basic product, Ceregumil®, patented in 1912, was highly popular as tonic and consumers reported a feeling of health, resistance to illness, and increased predisposition to work and exercise. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In the present study we analysed the effect of Vitamix® used as dietary supplement, on several physiological parameters in laboratory rats. We periodically performed hemograms and measured intake and weight, as well as blood levels of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, transaminases and malondialdehyde, a lipoperoxidation product. Physical probes were performed and a histochemical study was done in the liver. RESULTS: Rats fed with Vitamix® displayed lower intake and body weight in adult ages, showed and increased antioxidant activity, higher resistance in the wire hang test and lower fatigue in the Morris pool, specially those specimens considered as bad performers supplemented with Vitamix®. The rest of the measured parameters remained similar to control and no hepatic alterations were found. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports a scientific basis to know the effect of these complements over physiological parameters.

Induction of superficial zone protein (SZP)/lubricin/PRG 4 in muscle-derived mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells by transforming growth factor-ß1 and bone morphogenetic protein-7.

INTRODUCTION: Articular cartilage (AC) is an avascular tissue with precise polarity and organization. The three distinct zones are: surface, middle and deep. The production and accumulation of the superficial zone protein (SZP), also known as lubricin, by the surface zone is a characteristic feature of AC. To date, there is a wealth of evidence showing differentiation of AC from mesenchymal stem cells. Most studies that described chondrogenic differentiation did not focus on AC with characteristic surface marker SZP/lubricin. The present investigation was initiated to determine the induction of SZP/lubricin in skeletal muscle-derived mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MDMSCs) by transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) and bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7). METHODS: MDMSCs were cultured as a monolayer at a density of 1 × 105 cells/well in 12-well tissue culture plates. Cell cultures were treated for 3, 7 and 10 days with TGF-ß1 and BMP-7. The medium was analyzed for SZP. The cells were used to isolate RNA for RT-PCR assays for SZP expression. RESULTS: The SZP/lubricin increased in a time-dependent manner on Days 3, 7 and 10 in the medium. As early as Day 3, there was a three-fold increase in response to 3 ng/ml of TGF-ß1 and 300 ng/ml of BMP-7. This was confirmed by immunochemical localization of SZP as early as Day 3 after treatment with TGF-ß1. The expression of SZP mRNA was enhanced by TGF-ß1. CONCLUSIONS: The present investigation demonstrated the efficient and reproducible induction of SZP/lubricin accumulation by TGF-ß1 and BMP-7 in skeletal MDMSCs. Optimization of the experimental conditions may permit the utility of MDMSCs in generating surface zone-like cells with phenotypic markers of AC and, therefore, constitute a promising cell source for tissue engineering approaches of superficial zone cartilage.

Las ratas tratadas con el suplemento dietético Vitamix® (Ceregumil® con vitaminas) muestran mayor resistencia física y capacidad antioxidante / Rats fed the dietary supplement vitamix® (Ceregumil® with vitamins) show greater physical resistance and antioxidant capacity

Objetivo: Vitamix® es un producto dietético compuesto por un extractohidroalcohólico de cereales y leguminosas con miel, glicerofosfato de calcio, vitaminas B y D selenio y flúor. El producto base, Ceregumil®, patentado en 1912, ha sido muy popular como reconstituyente, y los usuarios refieren una sensación de salud, resistencia a enfermedades o mayor predisposición para el trabajo o el ejercicio. Material y método: En el presente trabajo se analiza el efecto de Vitamix®, utilizado como suplemento alimenticio en ratas de laboratorio, en diversos parámetros fisiológicos y pruebas físicas. Periódicamente se realizaron hemogramas y se midieron la ingesta y el peso de los animales, así como las concentraciones sanguíneas de glucosa, triglicéridos, colesterol, transaminasas y malondialdehído, un producto de la lipoperoxidación. Se realizaron pruebas de resistencia física y sellevó a cabo un estudio histoquímico del hígado. Resultados: Los animales que tomaron Vitamix® tenían menor peso e ingesta en edades avanzadas, mostraban mayor capacidad antioxidante, mayor resistencia en la prueba del alambre y menor fatiga en la piscina de Morris. En este último caso, la mejoría era notable en los animales considerados de mal desempeño suplementados con Vitamix®. El resto de los parámetros medidos se mantuvieron estadísticamente similares a los de los controles y no se observaron alteraciones hepáticas de ningún tipo. Conclusiones: Este estudio supone una base científica y experimental para conocer el efecto de dichos complementos en los parámetrosfisiológicos (AU)

Objective: Vitamix® is a dietary product composed of a hydro-alcoholic extract of cereals and pulses with honey, calciumgly cerophosphate, vitamins B and D, selenium and fluoride. The basic product, Ceregumil®, patented in 1912, was highly popular as tonic and consumers reported a feeling of health, resistance to illness, and increased predisposition to work and exercise. Material and method: In the present study we analysed the effect of Vitamix® used as dietary supplement, on several physiological parameters in laboratoryrats. We periodically performed hemograms and measured intake and weight, as well as blood levels of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, transaminases and malondialdehyde, a lipoperoxidation product. Physical probes were performed and a histochemical study was done in the liver. Results: Rats fed with Vitamix® displayed lower intake and body weight in adult ages, showed and increased antioxidantactivity, higher resistance in the wire hang test and lower fatigue in the Morris pool, specially those specimens considered as bad performers supplemented with Vitamix®. The rest of the measured parameters remained similar to control and no hepatic alterations were found.Conclusions: This study supports as cientific basis to know the effect of these complements over physiologicalparameters (AU)