Mulberry leaves and their potential effects against cardiometabolic risks: a review of chemical compositions, biological properties and clinical efficacy.

CONTEXT: Cardiometabolic risks are regarded as the crucial factors associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Regarding an increased attention to medicinal plants in the current healthcare system, the effects of mulberry (Morus spp., Moraceae) leaves on cardiometabolic risks have been consecutively considered in scientific research. OBJECTIVE: The present review compiles and summarizes the chemical compositions, biological properties and clinical efficacy of mulberry leaves that are related to the amelioration of cardiometabolic risks. METHODS: Published English literature from the PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar databases was searched by using 'mulberry leaves' 'Morus spp.', 'hyperglycemia', 'hyperlipidemia', 'obesity', 'hypertension', 'oxidative stress', 'atherosclerosis' and 'cardiovascular diseases' as the keywords. The relevant articles published over the past two decades were identified and reviewed. RESULTS: Mulberry leaves contain numerous chemical constituents. 1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), phenolics and flavonoids are the prominent functional compounds. Preclinical and clinical studies showed that mulberry leaves possessed various beneficial effects against cardiometabolic risks, including antihyperglycaemic, antihyperlipidaemic, antiobesity, antihypertensive, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic and cardioprotective effects. CONCLUSIONS: Mulberry leaves could be a promising therapeutic option for modulating cardiometabolic risks. However, further investigations should be performed to substantiate the potential of mulberry leaves in practical uses.

The first Smartphone application for microsurgery monitoring: SilpaRamanitor.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative monitoring of free flap tissue perfusion is vital. Devices available are expensive and complex to operate. Most surgeons rely on direct clinical observation. A monitoring system that is reliable, inexpensive, and easy to operate is needed. Using mobile phone technology, the authors developed and evaluated a new free flap monitoring system: SilpaRamanitor. METHODS: Software was developed for Android-operated mobile phones. Forty-two normal subjects were recruited to assess its effectiveness. Varying degrees of pressure were applied around the index finger to produce partial venous occlusion, partial arterial occlusion, complete venous occlusion, and complete arterial occlusion sequentially. Photographs of each subject's index and middle fingers were taken using the smartphone camera. To detect the abnormal perfusion presented on the index finger, the application was instructed to analyze photographs for color difference, with the unoccluded middle finger serving as the control. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, false-negative results, and false-positive results were 94, 98, 95, 6, and 1 percent, respectively. The accuracy of the application in grading occlusion severity was also evaluated. Thirty-nine cases (93 percent) were correctly identified as venous occlusion. The occlusion severity was correctly identified in 33 cases (85 percent). Likewise, for the 40 cases (95 percent) correctly identified as arterial occlusion, the method correctly categorized its severity in 33 cases (83 percent). CONCLUSIONS: The authors developed a new, accurate, and reliable diagnostic system for postoperative microsurgery monitoring using a smartphone application. SilpaRamanitor is inexpensive and easy to use, making it applicable in many microsurgical settings. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic, IV.

Unsaturated fatty acids induce mesenchymal stem cells to increase secretion of angiogenic mediators.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) represent emerging cell-based therapies for diabetes and associated complications. Ongoing clinical trials are using exogenous MSC to treat type 1 and 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and non-healing wounds due to diabetes. The majority of these trials are aimed at exploiting the ability of these multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells to release soluble mediators that reduce inflammation and promote both angiogenesis and cell survival at sites of tissue damage. Growing evidence suggests that MSC secretion of soluble factors is dependent on tissue microenvironment. Despite the contribution of fatty acids to the metabolic environment of type 2 diabetes, almost nothing is known about their effects on MSC secretion of growth factors and cytokines. In this study, human bone marrow-derived MSC were exposed to linoleic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, or oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid, for seven days in the presence of 5.38 mM glucose. Outcomes measured included MSC proliferation, gene expression, protein secretion and chemotaxis. Linoleic and oleic acids inhibited MSC proliferation and altered MSC expression and secretion of known mediators of angiogenesis. Both unsaturated fatty acids induced MSC to increase secretion of interleukin-6, VEGF and nitric oxide. In addition, linoleic acid but not oleic acid induced MSC to increase production of interleukin-8. Collectively these data suggest that exposure to fatty acids may have functional consequences for MSC therapy. Fatty acids may affect MSC engraftment to injured tissue and MSC secretion of cytokines and growth factors that regulate local cellular responses to injury.

Functional genomics unique to week 20 post wounding in the deep cone/fat dome of the Duroc/Yorkshire porcine model of fibroproliferative scarring.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic scar was first described over 100 years ago; PubMed has more than 1,000 references on the topic. Nevertheless prevention and treatment remains poor, because 1) there has been no validated animal model; 2) human scar tissue, which is impossible to obtain in a controlled manner, has been the only source for study; 3) tissues typically have been homogenized, mixing cell populations; and 4) gene-by-gene studies are incomplete. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have assembled a system that overcomes these barriers and permits the study of genome-wide gene expression in microanatomical locations, in shallow and deep partial-thickness wounds, and pigmented and non-pigmented skin, using the Duroc(pigmented fibroproliferative)/Yorkshire(non-pigmented non-fibroproliferative) porcine model. We used this system to obtain the differential transcriptome at 1, 2, 3, 12 and 20 weeks post wounding. It is not clear when fibroproliferation begins, but it is fully developed in humans and the Duroc breed at 20 weeks. Therefore we obtained the derivative functional genomics unique to 20 weeks post wounding. We also obtained long-term, forty-six week follow-up with the model. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: 1) The scars are still thick at forty-six weeks post wounding further validating the model. 2) The differential transcriptome provides new insights into the fibroproliferative process as several genes thought fundamental to fibroproliferation are absent and others differentially expressed are newly implicated. 3) The findings in the derivative functional genomics support old concepts, which further validates the model, and suggests new avenues for reductionist exploration. In the future, these findings will be searched for directed networks likely involved in cutaneous fibroproliferation. These clues may lead to a better understanding of the systems biology of cutaneous fibroproliferation, and ultimately prevention and treatment of hypertrophic scarring.