Physiological concentrations of trans-11 18:1 vaccenic acid suppress pro-inflammatory markers under acute inflammation in isolated ICR mice splenocytes.

Direct influences of dietary trans-11 18:1 vaccenic acid (TVA) at physiological concentrations of 50-200 µM were evaluated for cell growth, cytotoxic activity, and cytokine production in leukocytes isolated from the mouse spleen. TVA supplementation for 24 h induced growth of splenocytes at concentrations of 50-200 µM, except for 100 µM. The cytokines TNFα, IFNγ, and IL-10 of splenocytes were stimulated by 100 µM TVA. Induced production of TNFα in splenocytes challenged with lipopolisaccharides was suppressed by 100 µM TVA. Physiological levels of TVA had direct effects on growth and cytokine production in splenocytes. Further in vivo studies are needed to improve understanding of the precise influence of trans fatty acids on production of pro-inflammatory markers under acute inflammation conditions.

[The effects of the inhalation method using essential oils on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of aromatherapy on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension. METHOD: There were fifty-two subjects divided into an essential oil group, placebo group, and control group by random assignment. The application of aromatherapy was the inhalation method of blending oils with lavender, ylangylang, and bergamot once daily for 4 weeks. To evaluate the effects of aromatherapy, blood pressure and pulse were measured two times a week and serum cortisol levels, catecholamine levels, subjective stress, and state anxiety were measured before and after treatment in the three groups. Data was analyzed by repeated measures of ANOVA, one-way ANOVA, and chi(2)-test using the SPSS 10.0 program. RESULTS: The blood pressure, pulse, subjective stress, state anxiety, and serum cortisol levels among the three groups were significantly statistically different. The differences of catecholamine among the three groups were not significant statistically. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the inhalation method using essential oils can be considered an effective nursing intervention that reduces psychological stress responses and serum cortisol levels, as well as the blood pressure of clients with essential hypertension.

Role of dietary fat type in the development of adiposity from dietary obesity-susceptible Sprague-Dawley rats.

The present study was designed to define how dietary fat type regulates body adiposity in dietary obesity-susceptible (DOS) Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Eighty-three SD rats received a purified diet containing 50 g maize oil (MO)/kg for 3 weeks and then thirty-nine of the rats, designated as the DOS rats, were allotted to diets containing 160 g MO (DOS-MO), beef tallow (DOS-BT) or fish oil (DOS-FO)/kg for 9 weeks. As a result of the experiment, the DOS-FO rats had significantly (P<0.05) reduced weight gain and abdominal and epididymal fat-pad mass than the DOS-MO and DOS-BT rats. Serum leptin level was also significantly (P<0.05) lower in the DOS-FO rats; however, hypothalamic leptin receptor (a and b) mRNA and neuropeptide Y expressions were not altered by dietary fat sources. A lower acetyl-CoA carboxylase mRNA expression in the liver was observed in the DOS-FO group, whereas hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma mRNA and protein expressions were markedly elevated in the DOS-FO group compared with those in the other groups. We did not observe differences in acetyl-CoA carboxylase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma expressions in epididymal fat of the DOS rats consuming MO, BT or FO. It is concluded from our present observations that dietary fat type, especially that rich in FO, plays a potential role in down-regulation of adiposity by altering hepatic lipogenic genes, rather than feeding behaviour, in the DOS-SD rats.