Quercetin decreases high-fat diet induced body weight gain and accumulation of hepatic and circulating lipids in mice.

Dietary flavonoids may protect against cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Increased circulating lipid levels and hepatic lipid accumulation are known risk factors for CVD. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of the flavonoid quercetin on hepatic lipid metabolism in mice with high-fat diet induced body weight gain and hepatic lipid accumulation. Adult male mice received a 40 energy% high-fat diet without or with supplementation of 0.33 % (w/w) quercetin for 12 weeks. Body weight gain was 29 % lower in quercetin fed mice (p < 0.01), while the energy intake was not significantly different. Quercetin supplementation lowered hepatic lipid accumulation to 29 % of the amount present in the control mice (p < 0.01). (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance serum lipid profiling revealed that the supplementation significantly lowered serum lipid levels. Global gene expression profiling of liver showed that cytochrome P450 2b (Cyp2b) genes, key target genes of the transcription factor constitutive androstane receptor (Car; official symbol Nr1i3), were downregulated. Quercetin decreased high-fat diet induced body weight gain, hepatic lipid accumulation and serum lipid levels. This was accompanied by regulation of cytochrome P450 2b genes in liver, which are possibly under transcriptional control of CAR. The quercetin effects are likely dependent on the fat content of the diet.

Application of directly coupled HPLC-NMR-MS to the identification and confirmation of quercetin glycosides and phloretin glycosides in apple peel.

Directly coupled HPLC-NMR-MS was used to identify and confirm the presence of quercetin O-glycosides and phloretin O-glycosides in an extract of apple peel. From the MS and MS/MS data, the molecular weights of the intact molecules as well as those of quercetin and phloretin and their sugar moieties were deduced. The NMR data provided information on the identity of the compounds as well as the alpha and beta conformations and the position of the glycosides on quercetin and phloretin. The following O-glycosides of quercetin could be identified: quercetin-3-alpha-L-rhamnosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucoside (rutin), quercetin-3-beta-D-galactoside (hyperin), quercetin-3-beta-D-glucoside (isoquercitrin), quercetin-3-beta-D-xyloside (reynoutrin), quercetin-3-alpha-L-arabinofuranoside (avicularin), and quercetin-3-alpha-L-rhamnoside (quercitrin). Phloretin was present as phloretin-2'-beta-D-glucoside (phloridzin) and the 2'-beta-D-xylosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucoside. Concentrations were between 0.2 and 5 mg/g of apple peel.

[Lack of adherence to the guidelines on the use of fresh frozen plasma]. / Richtlijnen voor het gebruik van vers bevroren plasma suboptimaal nageleefd.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of transfusion practice with regard to the guidelines for fresh frozen plasma. DESIGN: Prospective. SETTING: Academic Medical Centre, department of internal medicine, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. METHOD: During 4 weeks in April-May 1996 the indication of every request for fresh frozen plasma was established by an inquiry by telephone and compared with the indications defined by the National organization for quality assurance in hospitals (CBO). To objectivate the stated indication it was checked whether laboratory tests had been performed (prothrombin time (PTT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and if so, what the results were. Moreover, the numbers of transfused units of red cells, platelets and fresh frozen plasma in the first 24 hours were checked. RESULTS: During the study period there were 195 requests for 844 units of plasma. 613 units were transfused in 100 patients. If the CBO guidelines were applied strictly, the proportions of plasma units inappropriately requested and inappropriately administered were 53% and 47% respectively (in 32 patients). If the CBO indications were applied less strictly, still 25% of the units were inappropriately requested and 18% inappropriately administered (in 23 patients). CONCLUSION: The guidelines were observed only moderately. Better compliance is important for medical, logistic and financial reasons.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in HIV-negative patients with haematologic disease.

Since 1990, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) was diagnosed in 15 adult HIV-negative haematologic patients in our hospital. None of them had received PCP prophylaxis. All except one had been treated with prednisone. Symptoms usually started after stopping or tapering. In six patients the diagnosis of PCP was delayed because of confounding bacterial isolates from blood, sputum or urine leading to unsuccessful antibiotic treatment. PCP was diagnosed by demonstrating pneumocysts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In four patients additional fungal or viral pathogens were identified. The infections were not clustered. The patients were treated with co-trimoxazole and, in case of a pO2 < 60 mmHg, with prednisone. Three patients died (20%); they all had a coinfection with cytomegalovirus and/or aspergillus. The others recovered completely. There were no relapses. Primary PCP prophylaxis should be considered in patients with lympho-proliferative disease and exposure to prednisone.

Acetylsalicylate and salicylates in foods.

Acetylsalicylic acid is effective in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. It was suggested that fruits and vegetables provide unknown amounts of acetylsalicylic acid. We could not find any acetylsalicylic acid in 30 foods using HPLC with fluorescence detection (detection limits: 0.02 mg/kg for fresh, and 0.2 mg/kg for dried products). We showed that urinary excretion of salicylates is a valid indicator for intake, and found a median salicylate excretion of 10 micromol (1.4 mg) in 24 h urine of 17 volunteers eating a variety of diets. Our data suggest that the content of (acetyl)salicylic acid of diets may be too low to affect disease risk.

A RP-HPLC method for the determination of tea catechins.

An HPLC method with gradient elution for the quantification of catechins ((-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (+)-catechin (C), (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epigallocatechingallate (EGCg) and (-)-epicatechingallate (ECg)) in tea was developed. The method was used to determine catechins in black tea, green tea and oolong tea. Sample preparation was simple because only filtration and adjustment of pH was required. The levels of catechins in different teas varied between <5 and 287 (EGC), 17 and 94 (EC), 18 and 408 (EGCg), and 8 and 85 mg/l (ECg). (+)-Catechin was not present in any of these teas.

Salicylates in foods.

It was recently suggested that the intake of salicylates from food may have contributed to the decline in cardiovascular mortality in the United States. However, a normal mixed diet provides far too few salicylates to have an effect on disease risk.

Urinary salicylate excretion in subjects eating a variety of diets shows that amounts of bioavailable salicylates in foods are low.

Intake of acetylsalicylic acid reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and is associated with a decreased risk for colorectal cancer. Amounts of salicylates in foods are thus of interest, but data are scarce and controversial. We gave 58 mumol (10.5 mg) pure acetylsalicylic acid or 66 mumol (9.1 mg) salicylic acid to six volunteers and recovered 77-80% in 24-h urine samples. Thus, urinary excretion is a valid indicator for intake of free forms of (acetyl)salicylic acid. To estimate the bioavailable salicylate contents of diets, we subsequently studied salicylate excretion in 17 volunteers from 14 countries and four continents who ate a wide variety of self-selected diets. Median 24-h urinary salicylate excretion was 10 mumol (range: 6-12 mumol). Values increased with the fiber content of the diet (r = 0.73), suggesting that vegetable foods are the main sources of salicylates. However, amounts of salicylates in a variety of diets are evidently low and probably insufficient to affect disease risk.