Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Dysmenorrhea causes pain and inconvenience during menstruation. In addition to medication, natural compounds are widely used to relieve various types of pain. In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of vitamin D (vit. D) supplementation in relieving the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea. A comprehensive systematic database search of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed. Oral forms of vit. D supplementation were included and compared with a placebo or standard care. The degree of dysmenorrhea pain was measured with a visual analogue scale or numerical rating scale. Outcomes were compared using the standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in a meta-analysis. RCTs were assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias v2 (RoB 2) tool. The meta-analysis included 8 randomized controlled trials involving 695 participants. The results of the quantitative analysis showed a significantly lower degree of pain in the vit. D versus placebo in those with dysmenorrhea (SMD: -1.404, 95% CI: -2.078 to -0.731). The results of subgroup analysis revealed that pain lessened when the average weekly dose of vit. D was over 50,000 IU, in which dysmenorrhea was relieved regardless of whether vit. D was administered for more or less than 70 days and in any dose interval. The results revealed that vit. D treatment substantially reduced the pain level in the primary dysmenorrhea population. We concluded that vit. D supplementation is an alternative treatment for relieving the pain symptoms of dysmenorrhea.

Effects of Nigella sativa oil and thymoquinone on oxidative stress and neuropathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

We examined whether Nigella sativa (NS) oil and its active constituent thymoquinone (TQ) attenuate oxidative stress in the heart and brain in an experimental model of diabetes mellitus using streptozotocin (STZ). Oxidative stress was assessed by measuring cardiac and brain nitric oxide (NO), lipid peroxide levels, glutathione (GSH) and antioxidant enzyme activities, i.e. glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase. Cardiac metabolic damage was estimated by measuring cardiac creatine kinase muscle and brain types (CK-MB). Brain monoamine levels were also evaluated. STZ diabetes induced a significant increase in heart and brain NO and malondialdehyde concentrations compared with the control group. These changes were attenuated by posttreatment of rats with NS oil and TQ. STZ diabetes induced oxidative stress via a significant decrease in GST, GSH and catalase. These lowered levels were improved by either NS oil or TQ administration. Serum CK-MB was decreased in the diabetic rats, which recovered with NS oil and TQ administration. During the course of diabetes, there was a marked increase in norepinephrine and dopamine concentrations and a marked decrease in serotonin concentration compared to the control group. These findings were partly reversed by oral administration of either NS oil or TQ. It is concluded that NS and TQ correct STZ-diabetes-induced alterations in CK-MB and brain monoamines due to their antioxidant properties.

Influence of vitamin E supplementation on endothelial complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with increased risk for complications following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, in which tissue damage involves leukocyte-endothelial interactions mediated by endothelin-1 (ET-1) and adhesion molecules (AMs). AIM: This study compared lipids and their peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), ET-1, platelet-selectin (P-selectin), intercellular AM-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell AM-1 (VCAM-1) between healthy controls and type 2 DM subjects who did not receive CABG surgery as well as those who did. Vitamin E as an adjunctive therapy in subjects who underwent CABG was evaluated. METHODS: ELISA was used to measure hsCRP, ET-1, and AMs. For all subjects, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) and lipid profile were estimated. RESULTS: Percentage of HbA(1c), lipids, MDA, hsCRP, ET-1, P-selectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 levels were significantly higher in the diabetic groups than in healthy controls. Vitamin E supplementation for 3 successive months significantly lowered MDA, hsCRP, ET-1, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 levels by 64%, 47%, 12%, 74%, and 25%, respectively. However, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and vitamin E serum levels were increased by 65% and 90.55%, respectively (P