Effects of age and soybean isoflavones on hepatic cholesterol metabolism and thyroid hormone availability in acyclic female rats.

Soy-food and its isoflavones, genistein (G) and daidzein (D), were reported to exert mild cholesterol-lowering effect, but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. In this research, first we studied age-related alterations in hepatic cholesterol metabolism of acyclic middle-aged (MA) female rats. Then we tested if purified isoflavones may prevent or reverse these changes, and whether putative changes in hepatic thyroid hormone availability may be associated with this effect. Serum and hepatic total cholesterol (TChol), bile acid and cholesterol precursors, as well as serum TSH and T4 concentrations, hepatic deiodinase (Dio) 1 enzyme activity and MCT8 protein expression were determined by comparing data obtained for MA with young adult (YA) intact (IC) females. Effects of subcutaneously administered G or D (35mg/kg) to MA rats were evaluated versus vehicle-treated MA females. MA IC females were characterized by: higher (p<0.05) serum TChol, lower (p<0.05) hepatic TChol and its biosynthetic precursors, lower (p<0.05) hepatic 7α-hydroxycholesterol but elevated (p<0.05) 27- and 24-hydroxycholesterol in comparison to YA IC. Both isoflavone treatments decreased (p<0.05) hepatic 27-hydroxycholesterol, G being more effective than D, without affecting any other parameter of Chol metabolism. Only G elevated hepatic Dio1 activity (p<0.05). In conclusion, age-related hypercholesteremia was associated with lower hepatic Chol synthesis and shift from main neutral (lower 7α-hydroxycholesterol) to alternative acidic pathway (higher 27-hydroxycholesterol) of Chol degradation to bile acid. Both isoflavones lowered hepatic 27-hydroxycholesterol, which may be considered beneficial. Only G treatment increased hepatic Dio1 activity, thus indicating local increase in thyroid hormones, obviously insufficient to induce prominent cholesterol-lowering effect.

The impact of in-hospital nutritional status deterioration on treatment outcome of adult gastroenterological patients.

Background/Aim: In the current literature, data on impact of intrahospital changes in patients' nutritional status on the treatment outcome are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nutritional status deterioration and the treatment outcome among hospitalized gastroenterological patients. Methods: In 650 adult gastroenterological patients nutritional status on admission and at discharge was evaluated using the 6 nutritional status assessment parameters: body mass index, triceps skinfold thickness, mid-upper arm muscle circumference, serum albumin concentration, lymphocyte count and unintentional weight loss. The influence on treatment outcome was tested for the nutritional status on admission, nutritional status at discharge and intrahospital nutritional status deterioration. Results: The incidence of favorable outcome in the non-undernourished and undernourished patients on admission was in the range 93.4-97.3% and 81.2- 91.2%, respectively. The incidence of favorable outcome in the non-undernourished and undernourished patients at discharge was in the range 94-97.4% and 80.8-88.1%, respectively. Favorable outcomes were obtained in 95.6-98.9% of the patients without nutritional status deterioration and in 87.1-90.3% of the patients with nutritional status deterioration. Intrahospital nutritional status deterioration significantly influenced the outcome, no matter what assessment parameter had been used (p < 0.001 for all the applied parameters). Furthermore, only the deterioration of nutritional status was found to be an independent predictor of treatment outcome (multivariate analysis Forwald Wald, p £ 0.001; relative risk (RR) = 0.104-0.350; confidence intervals (CI) = 0.037-0.186/0.297-0.657). Conclusion: Deterioration of nutritional status is an independent predictor of adverse outcome.

Assessment of the chemical composition and in vitro antimicrobial potential of extracts of the liverwort Scapania aspera.

The chemical composition of Scapania aspera extracts was determined by solid phase micro extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME GC-MS) and 96 constituents were identified. The dominant compounds in the methanol extract were beta-barbatene (25.1%), o-cymene (14.0%), alpha-barbatene (5.7%), allo-aromadendrene (4.9%) and beta-bourbonene, while in the ethanol extract, o-cymene (17.8%), beta-barbatene (17.6%), alpha-thujene (6.7%), octen-1-ol acetate (4.9%) and beta-bazzanene (2.4%) were the major components. In the ethyl acetate extract, beta-barbatene (14.3%), undecane (11.8%), 2-methyldecane (11.2%), decane (10.9%) and o-cymene (3.6%) were major components. The antimicrobial activity of the different extracts was evaluated against pathogenic and food spoilage microorganisms using disc diffusion and micro-broth dilution methods. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of extracts of S. aspera varied from 0.4 to 1.5 mg/mL and 1 to 3 mg/mL for yeast and bacterial strains, respectively. The zone of inhibition of the methanol extract for yeast strains was higher than that for bacterial strains. The results suggest that S. aspera extracts have potential as natural antimicrobial agents.

Severe acute caffeine poisoning due to intradermal injections: mesotherapy hazard.

INTRODUCTION: Caffeine is indicated in the treatment of migraine headaches, as well as neonatal apnea and bradycardia syndrome. In mild poisoning, the most prevalent symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tremor, anxiety and headache. In more severe cases, symptoms consist of heart rythym abnormalities, myocardial infarction and seizures. Due to its common lipolytic effect, caffeine is used in mesotherapy, usually in combination with drugs of similar effect. We presented a patient with acute iatrogenic caffeine poisoning. CASE REPORT: A 51-year-old woman, with preexisting hypertension and hypertensive cardiomyopathy was subjected to cosmetic treatment in order to remove fat by intradermal caffeine injections. During the treatment the patient felt sickness, an urge to vomit, and a pronounced deterioration of general condition. Upon examination, the patient exhibited somnolence, hypotension and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, which was sufficient enough evidence for further hospitalization. On admission to the intensive care unit the patient was anxious with increased heart rate, normotensive, with cold, damp skin, and visible traces of injection sites with surrounding hematomas on the anterior abdominal wall. Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) on electrocardiographic monitoring was found. The laboratory analysis determined a lowered potassium level of 2.1 mmol/L (normal range 3,5 - 5.2 mmol/L), and a toxicological analysis (liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection) proved a toxic concentration of caffeine in plasma - 85.03 mg/L (toxic concentration over 25 mg/L). On application of intensive therapy, antiarrhythmics, and substitution of potassium, as well as both symptomatic and supportive therapy, there was a significant recovery. The patient was discharged without any sequele within four days. CONCLUSION: A presented rare iatrogenic acute caffeine poisoning occured due to massive absorption of caffeine from the subcutaneous adipose tissue into the circulation when injected directly into the tiny blood vessels, as evidenced by hematoma formation. Poisoning manifestations were registered in gastrointestinal, CNS (anxiety, somnolence) and cardiovascular (hypotension, ventricular tachycardia and nonsustained PSVT) system. In this era of mesotherapeutic treatment promotion, one should keep in mind toxic prevention, with application being carried out exclusively in a specialized institution.