Methanolic fruit extract of Myrica nagi protects the hypothalamus and attenuates inflammation associated with gold thioglucose- and high-fat diet-induced obesity via various adipokines.

BACKGROUND: Myrica nagi is popular in unani and ayurveda. Chemical constituents like myricetin isolated from its fruit has been shown to exert beneficial effects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammatory conditions, and metabolic disorders. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to elucidate the anti-obesity effect of the methanolic extract of M. nagi (MEMN) using in vivo animal models of obesity induced by gold thioglucose or a high-fat diet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The obese mice were treated or untreated with MEMN for 8 weeks. Thereafter, feed intake, Lee index, and body mass index (BMI); biochemical parameters such as lipid profile, liver enzymes and specific biomarkers of obesity, including insulin, leptin, adiponectin, free fatty acids (FFA), monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and resistin, were recorded. The weight and histopathology of organs and fat tissue were examined to validate the effectiveness of the extract. RESULTS: MEMN administration at various doses significantly reduced the induced weight gain, feed intake, BMI, and Lee index. Adipose tissue decreased as the MEMN dose increased. MEMN attenuated liver enzyme activity, decreased lipid, leptin, MCP-1, resistin, and FFA levels, and increased adiponectin levels. It also increased protection of liver cells and decreased accumulation of mesenteric fat. CONCLUSIONS: MEMN supplementation decreased weight and improved obesity serum/plasma lipid biomarker, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, MCP-1, and resistin levels. The weight-reducing activity of MEMN may be mediated by decreased gastrointestinal fat absorption and modulation of inflammation associated signaling pathways, leading to reduced adipose inflammation associated with energy expenditure.

Acrylamide-forming potential of cereals, legumes and roots and tubers analyzed by UPLC-UV.

For directing scientists, consumers, industry and stakeholders on mitigation strategies, there is a need to understand the acrylamide-forming potential of important Indian foods. Flour obtained from total 16 varieties of 9 Indian cereals, legumes and roots and tubers was heated at 160 °C for 20 min, acrylamide was extracted and quantified by UPLC-UV. Acrylamide level was above the European Commission indicative value in potato- and cereal-based food products, it ranged from 3436.13 to 5562.56 µg/kg in roots and tubers (potato and sweet potato). Among the cereals, maize (2195.31 µg/kg) and wheat (161.12 µg/kg) had the highest and lowest contents, respectively, whereas rice, sorghum and pearl millet showed intermediate values. Among the 2 legumes, soybean contained higher acrylamide (337.08-717.52 µg/kg) than chickpea (377.83-480.49 µg/kg). Analysis of variance revealed that roots and tubers acrylamide was highly significantly greater than the content in cereals (p < 0.0001) and in legumes (p < 0.0001) while there was no significant difference between cereals and legumes (p = 0.443). These results support the combination of pulses and minor cereals (chickpea, soybean, millets and sorghum) in cereal-based foods for improving the nutritional value and reducing acrylamide formation.

Storage of Fruits and Vegetables in Refrigerator Increases their Phenolic Acids but Decreases the Total Phenolics, Anthocyanins and Vitamin C with Subsequent Loss of their Antioxidant Capacity.

It is of paramount importance for consumers, scientists and industrialists to understand how low-temperature storage of food items affects their bioactive compounds and properties. This study evaluated the effects of cold storage on total phenolics (TP), phenolic acids profile (PA), total anthocyanins (TA), total ascorbic acid (Vit. C) and antioxidant activity (AA) of 19 fruits and vegetables, collected from local Indian markets and stored in refrigerator (4 °C) during 15 days. Content of TP was highest in dill and amaranth and decreased (up to 29.67%) with storage. Leafy vegetables (amaranth, dill, onion, fenugreek and spinach) contained higher amounts of the 12 PA revealed by UPLC-UV; ellagic, gallic, sinapic and vanillic acids levels were the highest; chlorogenic acid (ρ = 0.423), syringic acid (ρ = 0.403) and sinapic acid (ρ = 0.452) mostly correlated with TP; and the PA increased during storage. Highest contents of Vit C estimated by AOAC, DCPIP and DNP methods were found in amaranth, dill and pomegranate, and decreased with storage. Pomegranate showed highest TA levels and low-temperature storage did not significantly increase TA, which was the largest contributor of TP in fruits and vegetables (ρ = 0.661). Storage induced a drastic decrease of AA, which mostly correlated with TP (ρ = 0.808, 0.690 and 0.458 for DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays, respectively). Spearman's correlation confirmed by principal component analysis demonstrated that dill, pomegranate and amaranth had the highest overall antioxidant capacity, whereas orange juice and carrot showed the lowest. The results provide support for a key-role of TP, followed by Vit. C and TA in antioxidant capacity of fruits and vegetables, which could be interesting dietary sources of natural antioxidants for prevention of diseases caused by oxidative stress.

Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Initiation in Boys Before and Since Routine Use: Southern California, 2009-2013.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the trends and correlates of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV4) initiation in insured boys during the periods before and after routine use recommendation. METHODS: We grouped data from electronic medical records of boys aged 9 to 17 years from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California prepaid health plan into 3 open cohorts: permissive use: 2009 to 2010; anal cancer indication added: 2010 to 2011; and routine use: 2011 to 2013. We estimated adjusted risk ratios (ARRs) between demographics and vaccination initiation using Poisson regression. RESULTS: HPV4 initiation increased across cohorts--1.6%, 3.4%, and 18.5%--with the greatest increase among boys aged 11 to 12 years in cohort 3. Initiation was associated with receiving influenza vaccination in the previous year in all cohorts (cohort 3: ARR = 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.46, 1.51) and with non-White race/ethnicity following routine recommendation (cohort 3, non-Hispanic Black: ARR = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.08, 1.30; Hispanic: ARR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.17, 1.29; Asian/Pacific Islanders: ARR = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.20). CONCLUSIONS: Routine use recommendation increased the uptake of HPV4 in boys. System-level interventions to encourage providers to routinely recommend HPV4 vaccination may help increase HPV4 uptake in boys.