Maternal omega-3 LC-PUFA supplementation programs an improved bone mass in the offspring with a more pronounced effect in females than males at adulthood.

Early balanced nutrition is vital in achieving optimal skeletal mass and its maintenance. Although a lower omega-6 (n-6): omega-3 (n-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) ratio is strongly linked with bone health, its maternal effect in the programming of the offspring's skeleton remains to be elucidated. Plugged C57BL/6 mice were fed either n-3 LC-PUFA Enriched Diet (LED) or a control diet (C) throughout their gestation and lactation. Offspring born to both the groups were weaned onto C till 6, 12, and 24 weeks of their age. Offspring's skeleton metabolism and serum fatty acid composition was studied. In humans, seventy-five mother-female newborns pairs from term gestation were tested for their maternal LC-PUFA status relationships to venous cord blood bone biomarkers. Offspring of maternal LED supplemented mice exhibited a superior bone phenotype over C, more prominent in females than males. A lower serum n-6/n-3 LC-PUFA in the LED group offspring was strongly associated with blood biomarkers of bone metabolism. Sexual dimorphism evidenced had a strong correlation between offspring's LC-PUFA levels and bone turnover markers in serum. A higher potential for osteoblastic differentiation in both LED offspring genders and reduced osteoclastogenesis in females was cell-autonomous effect. The human cross-sectional study also showed a positive correlation between maternal n-3 PUFA and cord blood markers of bone formation in female newborns at birth. Maternal dietary n-6/ n-3 fat quality determines offspring's bone growth and development. Our data suggest that the skeleton of female offspring is likely to be more sensitive to this early exposure.

Lutein ameliorates high-fat diet-induced obesity, fatty liver, and glucose intolerance in C57BL/6J mice.

Obesity is a multi-factorial metabolic syndrome that increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. We recently demonstrated the antiadipogenic efficacy of lutein using a 3 T3-L1 cell culture model. This study aimed to examine the antiobesity efficacy of lutein on high-fat (60% kcal fat) diet-induced C57BL/6J obese mice model. Lutein (300 and 500 µM), Orlistat (30 mg/kg body weight - positive control), and its combination (orlistat, 15 mg/kg body weight+lutein, 300 µM) were administered in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice every other day for 24 weeks. The effect on serum and hepatic lipid parameters was estimated using biochemical assay kits. The adipose tissue expression of adipocyte differentiation markers at gene and protein levels was analyzed by RT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. The results showed that lutein administration and drug significantly reduced epididymal and abdominal adipose tissue weights. Further, lutein reduced the serum cholesterol and LDL-C concentration compared to the HFD group. The HFD-induced elevation in the hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol levels were significantly blocked by lutein and its combination with the drug. Similarly, lutein and its drug combination efficiently lowered the HFD-mediated elevated blood glucose levels. Lutein downregulated the expression of CEBP-α, PPAR-γ, and FAS in the epididymal adipose tissue. Thus, supplementation of lutein may control diet-induced obesity and associated complications in the human population.

Ethanolic extract from the root and leaf of Sida cordifolia promotes osteoblast activity and prevents ovariectomy-induced bone loss in mice.

BACKGROUND: Sida cordifolia is traditionally found in the Indian system of medicine, well known for its medicinal and nutritional properties among local natives. PURPOSE: The present study aims to investigate the osteo-protective effect of root and leaf ethanolic extract of S. cordifolia (RE and LE) and its underlying mechanism. METHODS: Antioxidant activity of RE and LE was assessed. Total phenolic and flavonoid content were determined. HPLC profiling of RE and LE was performed to examine the polyphenol content. The effect of RE and LE on osteoblast cells proliferation, differentiation, mineralization, and expression of the protein associated with osteogenesis were evaluated using primary calvarial osteoblast culture. Skeletal effects of RE and LE of S. cordifolia were investigated in C57BL/6J ovariectomized mice. Micro CT was employed to evaluate the alteration in trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture. Histology studies were performed on the isolated vertebra. qPCR analysis and western blotting was done to check the key bone markers. RESULTS: RE and LE showed a potent antioxidant activity, owing to a notable polyphenol content. Both RE and LE did not alter the cell viability but significantly increased the osteoblast cell proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization. Moreover, they enhanced the mRNA expression of osteogenic genes. Both RE and LE stimulated the activation of ERK, AKT, and CREB. Both RE and LE had no direct effect on osteoclastogenesis, but both increased Opg/Rankl ratio expression in osteoblast cells. Both RE and LE at 750 mg/kg/day significantly improved the trabecular and cortical microarchitecture of femur and tibia by increasing bone mineral density, bone volume fraction, trabecular number, and trabecular thickness, and decreasing trabecular separation and structural model index in ovariectomized mice. Furthermore, vertebral histology of lumbar vertebrae revealed that RE and LE significantly enhance the vertebral bone mass and exert osteo-protective effects by stimulating osteoblast function and inhibiting osteoclast function. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, both RE and LE stimulate osteoblast differentiation through activating ERK, AKT, and CREB signalling pathways and indirectly inhibits osteoclast differentiation. RE and LE also improve the trabecular and cortical microarchitecture of ovariectomized mice, making it a promising agent to prevent postmenopausal bone loss.

Efficacy of Citrus maxima fruit segment supplemented paranthas in STZ induced diabetic rats.

The study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of Citrus maxima (Pomelo) fruit segments fortified paranthas compared to pomelo juice and naringin in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The animals were divided into nine groups, Groups 1 to 3: negative control; Group 4: diabetic control; Groups 5 through 8: treatments with pomelo juice, naringin, plain paranthas, and pomelo supplemented paranthas; and Group 9 was positive control metformin. The groups were monitored for weight, oral glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance, bioavailability, biochemical parameters, and histopathological studies. Based on the result the group treated with paranthas fortified with pomelo fruit segment (Group 8) showed 19% of overall weight gain, approximately 50% reduction in plasma glucose level and improved serum protein (5.70 g/dl) and serum insulin (8.54 ng/ml) level as compared against diabetic control. The treatments had effectively lowered the level of liver enzyme and lipids (except HDL) in the serum along with the improved renal function. The group treated with pomelo juice and pomelo supplemented paranthas exhibited marked tolerance to the glucose and insulin similar to the positive control. Therefore, the antidiabetic activity was found to be more pronounced in the order of pomelo juice > fortified paranthas > naringin. Since pomelo juice is bitter and astringent in nature, the fruit can be better utilized in the form of fortified paranthas, which exerts antidiabetic effect similar to the positive control metformin. Hence, paranthas supplemented with pomelo fruit segments (bioactives-rich) aids in the reducing the risk of diabetes and can be recommended to gain nutritional benefits for normal and diabetic populations.