Effect of amurca on olive oil quality during storage.

Total phenolic compounds (TPC), antioxidant activity (AA), lipid peroxidation inhibition (percent) (LPOIP), free fatty acid and peroxide values were measured in olive oil samples over the period of 12 months in comparison with oil samples extracted from amurca (olive oil lees) and olive oil samples taken from the bottom of the canister (near amurca) after 12 months of storage. Olive oil samples taken over the period of 12 months possessed decreasing amounts of TPC, AA and LPOIP, which led to increased peroxide and free fatty acid values. In contrast, oil extracted from amurca and olive oil samples taken from the bottom of the container after 12 months of storage possessed significantly higher TPC, AA, LPOIP and consequently lower free fatty acid and peroxide values. These results show that the presence of naturally occurring amurca (sediment) in stored olive oil stabilizes olive oil quality during storage.

Medium-Chain Triglyceride Oil and Dietary Intervention Improved Body Composition and Metabolic Parameters in Children with Glycogen Storage Disease Type 1 in Jordan: A Clinical Trial.

Glycogen storage diseases (GSDs) are a group of carbohydrate metabolism disorders, most of which are inherited in autosomal recessive patterns. GSDs are of two types: those that have to do with liver and hypoglycaemia (hepatic GSDs) and those that are linked to neuromuscular presentation. This study aims to assess the impact of dietary intervention, including medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, on anthropometric measurements, body composition analysis and metabolic parameters among Jordanian children and is expected to be the first in the country. A sample of 38 children with glycogen storage disease type 1 (GSD-1) (median age = 6.4 years) were on a diet that included uncooked cornstarch therapy and a fructose-, sucrose- and lactose-restricted diet. Patients started to take MCT oil along with the prescribed diet after the first body composition test. Patients' nutritional status was re-evaluated three months later. The study results show that the percentage of patients who suffered from hypoglycaemia at the beginning of the study decreased significantly from 94.7% to 7.9% (p < 0.0001). The serum levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, uric acid and lactate decreased significantly after three months of intervention (100-71.1%, 73.7-21.1%, 97.4-52.6% and 94.7-18.4%, respectively). In contrast, there was no statistical difference in neutrophil count. Regarding clinical parameters, liver span was significantly reduced from (16.01 ± 2.65 cm) to (14.85 ± 2.26 cm) (p < 0.0001). There were significant improvements in growth parameters, including height-for-age and BMI-for-age for children aged ≥2 years (p = 0.034 and p = 0.074, respectively). Significant improvements in skeletal muscle mass and bone mineral content were also noticed at the end of the trial (p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, medium-chain triglyceride therapy is found to improve biochemical and growth parameters in children with GSD-1 in Jordan.

A high weekly dose of cholecalciferol and calcium supplement enhances weight loss and improves health biomarkers in obese women.

Obesity, a chronic condition associated with several life-threatening diseases, affects a significant proportion of the global population and has long been associated with vitamin D deficiency. The prevalence of both obesity and vitamin D deficiency has increased dramatically in Jordan in recent decades, especially among women. Few studies in Jordan and the surrounding area address this issue. In this study, we hypothesize that calcium and vitamin D have beneficial effects on weight reduction and metabolic profile in obese women. The objective of this study is to examine the effect of vitamin D3 and calcium supplementation on anthropometric measurements and some blood metabolites. Forty-five obese female subjects with vitamin D deficiency were recruited by a dietitian and randomly assigned to the same weight loss diet in addition to the following treatments (4 groups): control (CON), no prescribed supplements; vitamin D3 (Diet/D), given a high weekly dose of cholecalciferol (50 000 IU/subject/week); calcium (Diet/Ca), given 1200 mg/dL calcium/subject/day; vitamin D3 plus Ca (Diet/Ca/D), given cholecalciferol (50 000 IU/subject/week) and calcium (1200 mg/dL calcium/subject/day). Results revealed that after 3 months of supplementation, the Diet/Ca/D group subjects experienced a significant reduction (P ≤ .05) in weight (10.49 kg), BMI (4.61 ± 2 kg/m2), waist circumference (11.41 ± 8.9 cm), body fat percentage (2.43 ± 1.7%), FBG (25.81 ± 11.4 mg/dL), PTH (27.58 ± 8.9 pg/mL), cholesterol (0.56 ± 0.2 mmol/L), and triglycerides (0.53 ± 0.21 mmol/L) when compared to the Diet/Ca and the CON groups. Interestingly, however, the CON group showed a significant increase in serum PTH concentration (9.51 ± 3.8 pg/mL, P ≤ .05). Based on these results, a combined Ca and vitamin D3 supplement appears to enhance weight loss and improve some of the blood metabolic profiles in obese women subjected to a weight loss diet, thus supporting our study hypothesis.

Optimization of the dose and route of injection, and characterisation of the time course of carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in the rat.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to optimize carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in the rat with respect to dose, route of injection, and time course. METHODS: Male Wistar albino rats, 4 to 6 weeks old and weighing 130-180 g were used. Hepatotoxicity was evaluated by measuring the activity of serum enzymes (alkaline phosphatase [ALP], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], and aspartate aminotransferase [AST]) as well as serum total bilirubin level. RESULTS: Intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) increased the activity of ALP (from 64.9 to 137.3 U/l), ALT (from 106.6 to 693.1 U/l), and AST (from 113.8 to 693.9 U/l). Plasma bilirubin level increased (from 0.119 to 0.42 mg/dl). In contrast, subcutaneous injection of CCl(4) had no effect on these variables. The optimum intraperitoneal dose of CCl(4) was found to be 2 ml/kg body weight (dissolved in an equal volume of olive oil), and this increased the level of bilirubin and the activity of the three enzymes significantly, without causing death of the animals. Hepatotoxicity was observed within 2 h of intraperitoneal injection of CCl(4) and reached a peak after 24 h. Bilirubin level and serum enzyme activities declined gradually to normal levels by 3 days after CCl(4) injection. CONCLUSION: It is possible to reliably evoke reversible hepatotoxicity in rats by intraperitoneal injection of 2 ml/kg CCl(4).

Evaluation of hepatoprotective effect of Pistacia lentiscus, Phillyrea latifolia and Nicotiana glauca.

The hepatoprotective effect of the boiled and non-boiled aqueous extracts of Pistacia lentiscus, Phillyrea latifolia, and Nicotiana glauca, that are alleged to be effective in the treatment of jaundice in Jordanian folk medicine, was evaluated in vivo using carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) intoxicated rats as an experimental model. Plant extracts were administrated orally at a dose of 4 ml/kg body weight, containing various amounts of solid matter. Only total serum bilirubin level was reduced by treatment with non-boiled aqueous extract of N. glauca leaves, while the boiled and non-boiled aqueous extracts of the N. glauca flowers were non effective. Bilirubin level and the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were both reduced upon treatment with boiled aqueous extract of P. latifolia without reducing the activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Aqueous extract of P. lentiscus (both boiled and non-boiled) showed marked antihepatotoxic activity against CCl(4) by reducing the activity of the three enzymes and the level of bilirubin. The effect of the non-boiled aqueous extract was more pronounced than that of the boiled extract.

Evaluation of antibacterial activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts of the truffle Terfezia claveryi against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antibacterial activities of aqueous and methanolic extracts, as well as, partially purified proteins extracted from Terfezia claveryi aqueous, against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). METHODS: Five percent of the aqueous and methanolic extracts were added to growth medium of P. aeruginosa. The extract that caused growth inhibition (aqueous) was then partially purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel chromatography and ion exchange chromatography. Antibacterial activities of the obtained fractions were assessed using agar-well diffusion test, and then all the results were compared with reference antibiotics. Excremental procedures were performed at the Department of Nutrition and Food Technology and the animal house of Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan during the year 2000. RESULTS: Five percent aqueous extract inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa by 40.9%, while methanolic extract was ineffective. Partial purification of the aqueous extract using ammonium sulfate precipitation revealed that antimicrobial activity was within the second pellet (25-45%). This fraction was then subjected to gel permeation chromatography using Sephadex G-25. Peak one, of the 2 peaks obtained, possessed higher antimicrobial activity. Peak one was then subjected to ion exchange chromatography using DEAE Sephadex. Only peak one, of the 3 peaks obtained, showed a slight antimicrobial activity. Relative antimicrobial activities of these fractions were found to be superior to most of reference antibiotics used for comparison. CONCLUSION: Aqueous extract of the truffle Terfezia claveryi contains a potent antimicrobial agent that is protein in nature and may be used in the treatment of eye infections caused by P. aeruginosa.