Improvement of MBD parameters in dialysis patients by a switch to, and combined use of lanthanum carbonate: Josai Dialysis Forum collaborative study.

The effects of lanthanum carbonate on MBD parameters were investigated in 59 hemodialysis patients who were taking calcium carbonate. Lanthanum carbonate (initial dosage: 750 mg/day), as a replacement for or in combination with calcium carbonate and/or sevelamer hydrochloride, was administered for 12 months with increase/decrease of dosages. Lanthanum carbonate replaced calcium carbonate for 21 cases and was co-administered in 38 cases. It replaced sevelamer hydrochloride in 20 cases and was co-administered in 10 cases. Both the number of cases to which calcium carbonate was administered and their dosages decreased to about 70-80% 12 months after the initiation, and cases administered sevelamer decreased to about 30%. In the cases for which lanthanum carbonate was co-administered, the dosages of calcium carbonate and sevelamer slightly decreased. A significant decrease in serum calcium level was observed. In the serum phosphorus levels (P levels), significant decrease compared with the initial level was observed only at six and nine months. Intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level remained stable at around 230 pg/mL without significant change. The dosage of vitamin D and cinacalcet remained without significant change. The results of this trial suggest that, if dosages of vitamin D and cinacalcet are adequately controlled, a switch to lanthanum carbonate and its concomitant use are effective to control the Ca and P levels without changing iPTH levels.

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) leaves and its constituents increase the activities of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in mouse liver.

The effects of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) leaves and its phenolic compounds, thymol and carvacrol, on the activities of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, i.e., phase I enzymes such as 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD) and phase II enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and quinone reductase (QR), were investigated. Mice were fed with a diet containing thyme (0.5% or 2.0%) or treated orally with thymol (50-200 mg/kg) or carvacrol (50-200 mg/kg) once a day for 7 successive days, and then the enzyme activities in the livers were analyzed. Dietary administration of 2% thyme caused slightly but significantly higher ECOD, GST, and QR activities by 1.1-1.4-fold. Thymol (200 mg/kg) treatment resulted in significantly higher ECOD, GST, and QR activities by 1.3-1.9-fold, and carvacrol (200 mg/kg) treatment caused significantly higher ECOD, GST, and QR activities by 1.3-1.7-fold. Thymol-treated animals had significantly higher protein levels of GST alpha and GST micro, and carvacrol-treated animals had significantly higher levels of GST micro. These results imply that thyme contains bifunctional inducers (i.e., substances capable of inducing both phase I and phase II enzymes) and that thymol and carvacrol may account for the effects of thyme.