Curcuminoids Target Decreasing Serum Adipocyte-fatty Acid Binding Protein Levels in Their Glucose-lowering Effect in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Whether supplementation of curcuminoids decreases serum adipocyte-fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) level and whether this decrease benefits glucose control is unclear. One-hundred participants (n=50 administered curcuminoids, n=50 administered placebo) from our previous report on the effect of curcuminoids on type 2 diabetes in a 3-month intervention were assessed for levels of serum A-FABP, oxidative stress, and inflammatory biomarkers. Curcuminoids supplementation led to significant decreases in serum A-FABP, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 levels. Curcuminoids supplementation also significantly increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The change in serum A-FABP levels showed positive correlations with changes in levels of glucose, free fatty acids (FFAs), and CRP in subjects supplemented with curcuminoids. Further stepwise regression analysis showed that A-FABP was an independent predictor for levels of FFAs, SOD, and CRP. These results suggest that curcuminoids may exert anti-diabetic effects, at least in part, by reductions in serum A-FABP level. A-FABP reduction is associated with improved metabolic parameters in human type 2 diabetes.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of cabbage phytochemicals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Color coordinates were evaluated by colorimetry, and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were analyzed by spectrophotometer for some common cabbage varieties. RESULTS: Red heads had the highest total antioxidant contents followed by Savoy, Chinese and green heads. The Chinese variety had the highest ABTS (2,2-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-sulfonic acid) antioxidant activity, was 5.72 µmol TE/g fw (Trolox equivalent). The green variety had the highest DPPH (free radical scavenging activity) antioxidant activity, which was 91.2 µmol TE/g fw. The red variety had the highest FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) antioxidant activity, which was 80.8 µmol TE/g fw. The total phenol amounts were 17.2-32.6 mM trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and the total flavonoid amounts were 40.0-74.2 mg quercetin per gram. Methanolic extracts of different cabbage heads showed different anti-inflammatory activity values. Chinese, Savoy and green heads had the highest anti-inflammatory activity, while red heads had the lowest. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that these varieties of cabbage heads could contribute as sources of important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory related to the prevention of chronic diseases associated to oxidative stress, such as in cancer and coronary artery disease.

Curcuminoids exert glucose-lowering effect in type 2 diabetes by decreasing serum free fatty acids: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

SCOPE: We previously found that curcuminoids decreased blood glucose and improved insulin resistance by reducing serum free fatty acids (FFAs) and increasing fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle of diabetic rats. This study was to investigate whether curcuminoids have beneficial effects on type 2 diabetic patients, and its possible mechanisms. METHODS AND RESULTS: Overweight/obese type 2 diabetic patients (BMI ≥ 24.0; fasting blood glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/L or postprandial blood glucose ≥11.1 mmol/L) were randomly assigned to curcuminoids (300 mg/day) or placebo for 3 months. Bodyweight, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c ,% ), serum fasting glucose, FFAs, lipids, and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) were determined. A total of 100 patients (curcuminoids, n = 50; placebo, n = 50) completed the trial. Curcuminoids supplementation significantly decreased fasting blood glucose (p < 0.01), HbA1c (p = 0.031), and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) (p < 0.01) in type 2 diabetic patients. Curcuminoids also led to a significant decrease in serum total FFAs (p < 0.01), triglycerides (P = 0.018), an increase in LPL activity (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a glucose-lowering effect of curcuminoids in type 2 diabetes, which is partially due to decrease in serum FFAs, which may result from promoting fatty acid oxidation and utilization.

Effects of supplementation with multivitamin and mineral on blood pressure and C-reactive protein in obese Chinese women with increased cardiovascular disease risk.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of supplementation with multivitamin and mineral on blood pressure and C-reactive protein (CRP) in obese women with increased cardiovascular disease risk as having hypertension, hyperglycemia or hyperlipemia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 128 obese Chinese women aged 18-55 years with increased cardiovascular disease risk participated in a 26-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Subjects were randomized to four groups, and received either one tablet of high-dose multivitamin and mineral supplement (MMS), or one tablet of low-dose MMS (Low MMS), or calcium 162 mg (Calcium) or identical placebo (Placebo) daily during the study. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and serum concentrations of CRP were measured at baseline and end-trial. RESULTS: At baseline, the subjects had an average age of 42.0+/-7.1 years and BMI of 30.9+/-2.8 kg/m2. There were no significant differences between the four groups in baseline characteristics. One hundred and seventeen subjects completed the study. After 26-week supplementation, both SBP and DBP were significantly lower in the MMS group compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05). There was also a non-significant trend of lower DBP at 26-week in the MMS and calcium groups compared to baseline (p < 0.08). At 26-week, the MMS group also had significantly lower serum concentrations of CRP compared with that of baseline and the placebo group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that supplementation with adequate multivitamin and mineral supplement could reduce blood pressure and serum CRP in obese women with increased cardiovascular disease risk.

The determination of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the colostrums of women in preterm labor.

BACKGROUND: Human milk not only contains nutrients and antibodies, but also can be used as an indicator for levels of organic pollutants in human bodies. We developed a method for determining persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the colostrum of women in preterm labor, the POPs of 36 colostrum samples have been examined. METHODS: Thirty-six samples of colostrum from preterm women were extracted by acetone-acetonitrile, enriched and purified by solid-phase Florisil columns. The purified POPs were further separated by the capillary columns, and detected by the gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD). RESULTS: The average recovery rates of 6 types of organochlorine-based pesticides were 80.2%-112.1%, which represent the first 3 categories of the 12 species of POPs. The precise quantities detected were 3.85%-9.32% (the limits of detection were 0.03 microg/l to 0.08 microg/l), and the linear correlation coefficients were >or=0.9969. Of the 36 women tested, 10 (27.8%) were found to have colostrums containing traces of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), and 2 (5.56%) were tested positive for dieldrin. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of using GC-ECD proved to be both accurate and reliable, and this process proved to be both simple and time-effective. This method is applicable for determining the levels of POPs in organisms.

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid increases PPAR gamma gene expression in adipose tissue of obese rat, and improves insulin resistance.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a class of positional, geometric, conjugated dienoic isomers of linoleic acid. Dietary CLA supplementation has resulted in a dramatic decrease in body fat mass in mice. However, some but not all studies in mice and humans have found that CLA promoted insulin resistance, and there were conflicting reports on the effects of CLA on peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR gamma) activation and expression. The objective of present study was to investigate the effect of CLA on insulin resistance and its molecular mechanisms. Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly designed to the control, high-fat and high-fat with CLA (0.75, 1.50, and 3.00 g in per 100 g diet) groups. The effect of CLA on insulin sensitivity and the mechanism of resisting diabetes by CLA were investigated by RT-PCR assay. The results showed that supplementation with CLA significantly reduced body weight gain and white fat pad weight in the rats, the levels of plasma free fatty acids (FFA), triglycerides (TGs), cholesterin (TC), leptin, insulin and blood glucose concentration in the obese rats of CLA group were also decreased compared to the rats in the high-fat group. Dietary CLA increased the mRNA expression of PPAR gamma, fatty acid binding proteins (aP2), fatty acid transporter protein (FATP), acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) and adiponectin in the adipose tissues of obese rats. The results suggest that CLA may ameliorate insulin resistance by activating PPAR gamma, and increasing the expression of PPAR gamma target genes such as ap2, FATP, FAT, and adiponectin in the white adipose tissue.

[Effects of conjugated linoleic acid on expression of GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle of insulin resistant rat].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) protein in skeletal muscle of insulin resistant rat, and explore the mechanism of resisting diabetes by CLA. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly separated into control group, high-fat group and high fat plus CLA group (0.75 g%, 1.50 g%, 3.00 g% by deit weight), and the effects of CLA on blood glucose and insulin levels of insulin resistant rat were observed , by using Western blot technique to measure the expression level of GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle of insulin resistant rat. RESULTS: The serum insulin and glucose levels of obese rats were (11.11 +/- 2.73) microU/ml, and (5.09 +/- 0.66) mmol/L, the supplement of CLA might decrease the hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia, and in CLA groups (0.75 g%, 1.50 g%, 3.00 g% by deit weight) the serum insulin was (6.99 +/- 1.77) microU/ml, (7.36 +/- 1.48) microU/ml and (7.85 +/- 1.60) microU/ml (P < 0.05), and the glucose levels were (4.28 +/- 0.72) mmol/L, (4.18 +/- 0.55) mmol/L (P < 0.05), (4.06 +/- 0.63) mmol/L (P < 0.05) respectively. The expression of GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle of rat fed with high fat diet were decreased as compared with those fed with basic deit, and CLA might increase the expression of GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle fed with high fat diet. CONCLUSIONS: CLA improve the insulin resistance of obese rat, possibly acting through increasing the expression of GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle of rat fed with high fat diet.

Post-weaning isocaloric hyper-soybean oil versus a hyper-carbohydrate diet reduces obesity in adult rats induced by a high-fat diet.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a post-weaning isocaloric hyper-soybean oil diet on later obesity and explore the underlying mechanisms. In the present study, newborn male Wistar rats were weaned on d 24, divided into CON (control), HC and HSO groups. CON was assigned to AIN-93G diet (a hypercarbohydrate diet, for short HC diet) during the entire experiment. HC and HSO were fed with HC and isocaloric hyper-soybean oil (HSO) diet for 3 wk respectively, fed with HC diet for 2 wk successively, finally administrated high fat diet (HF) for 6 wk to induce obesity. On 3,5,11 wk, the body weight, body fat content, blood glucose, blood lipid, serum insulin and leptin levels and obesity-related gene (CPT-1, FAS, UCP2, UCP3) expression levels in rats were detected. It was shown that body weight, body fat content, blood glucose and blood lipid, serum insulin and leptin levels in HSO were down-regulated on 3 and 5 wk, therefore were significantly reduced on 11 wk vs. HC. The CPT-1, UCP2, UCP3 gene expressions were up-regulated but FAS were down-regulated persistently in HSO. The study indicated that an early isocaloric HSO diet may reduce later obesity risk and reduce blood lipid and glucose abnormalities in adulthood via persistently influencing insulin and leptin sensitivity and permanent regulation of obesity-related gene expressions.

[Effect of conjugated linoleic acid on the gene expression of the fatty acid binding proteins in resistant rat].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of conjugated linoleic acid on gene expression of fatty acid binding proteins (ap2) in white obesity tissue of rats with insulin resistance, and explore the mechanism of resisting diabetes by CLA. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly separated to control group, high-fat group and high fat + CLA group (0.75g, 1.50g, 3.00g by diet weight), Using reverse transcription polymerse chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique to measure the expression level of ap2 and Peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor--gamma (PPARgamma) mRNA expression. RESULTS: The FFA, serum insulin and glucose levels of rats with insulin resistance were higher than that of rats fed with basic diet, supplement of CLA can decrease FFA, serum insulin and glucose levels of rats with insulin resistance, and CLA can increase the expression of ap2 and PPARgamma mRNA in adipose tissue of rat with insulin resistance. CONCLUSION: CLA can improve insulin resistance of obese rat and increase the expression of ap2 mRNA,possibly acting through activing PPARgamma.

[Gene expression of resistin and the effect of conjugated linoleic acid on its expression of obese rat fed with high fat diet].

OBJECTIVE: To study the gene expression of the resistin and the effects of conjugated linoleic acid on its expression in white adipose tissue of obese rats fed with high fat diet during the formation of insulin resistance. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly separated in control group, high-fat group and high fat + conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) group (0.75 g, 1.50 g, 3.00 g per 100 g diet weight), using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique to measure the expression level of resistin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) mRNA expression. RESULTS: the serum insulin and glucose levels of obese rats were (11.11 +/- 2.73) mIU/L, (5.09 +/- 0.66) mmol/L, and supplement of CLA might decrease hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia, in CLA group (0.75 g, 1.50 g, 3.00 g per 100 g diet weight) the serum insulin levels were (6.99 +/- 1.77) mIU/L, (7.36 +/- 1.48) mIU/L, (7.85 +/- 1.60) mIU/L, and glucose levels were (4.28 +/- 0.72) mmol/L, (4.18 +/- 0.55) mmol/L, (4.06 +/- 0.63) mmol/L. The expression of resistin in adipose tissue of obese rat fed with high fat diet was increased as compared with those fed with basic diet. CLA might increase the expression of resistin and PPARgamma in adipose tissue of obese rat. CONCLUSION: The expression of resistin mRNA of obese rat fed with high fat diet was higher than those fed with basic diet, and CLA might improve the insulin resistance in obese rats and possibly upregulate the expression of resistin through activing PPARgamma.

[Effect of conjugated linoleic acid on gene expression of adiponectin of obese rat fed with high fat diet].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on expression of adiponectin in white adipose tissue of obese rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, high-fat group and high fat + CLA group (0.75 g, 1.50 g, 3.00 g per hundred gram diet weight), we observed the effect of CLA on serum insulin and glucose levels of obese rats, and the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was used to measure the expression level of adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) mRNA. RESULTS: The serum insulin and glucose levels of obese rats were (11.11 +/- 2.73) microIU/ml, (5.09 +/- 0.66) mmol/L. The supplement of CLA decreased the hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia, the serum insulin in CLA group (0.75 g, 1.50 g, 3.00 g per hundred gram diet weight) were (6.99 +/- 1.77) microIU/ml, (7.36 +/- 1.48) microIU/ml, (7.85 +/- 1.60) microIU/ml (P < 0.05), and glucose were (4.28 +/- 0.72) mmol/L, (4.18 +/- 0.55) mmol/L (P < 0.05), (4.06 +/- 0.63) mmol/L (P < 0.05), CLA can increase the expression of adiponectin and PPARgamma in adipose tissue of obese rat. CONCLUSION: The CLA might improve the insulin resistance of the obese rat and increase the expression of adiponectin mRNA, which might possibly act through activating PPARgamma.