Determination of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) levels in early postmenopausal Iranian women: relationship with bone mineral density.

Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25-OHD(3)) and bone mineral density (BMD) were determined in 73 selected, early postmenopausal women referred to the Bone Densitometry Center, Loghman-Hakim Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The relationship between them was also assessed. 25-OHD(3) levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. BMD was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the lumbar spine and proximal femur regions. 25-OHD(3) levels ranged from 3.8 to 64.0 ng/mL (mean +/- SD: 17.1 +/- 11.3). Twenty-six subjects (36%) were vitamin D-deficient (<12 ng/mL). In the lumbar spine (L2-4) BMD measurements, 28 subjects (38%) were normal (T score > -1), 26 (36%) were osteopenic (T < or = -1 to >-2.5), and 19 (26%) were osteoporotic (T < -2.5). In the hip (total) BMD measurements, 41 subjects (56.1%) were normal, 31 (42.5%) were osteopenic, and 1 (1.4%) was osteoporotic. There was a significant correlation between spine BMD (Z score) and 25-OHD(3) (r = 0.23, p < 0.05), but the correlation was not significant for hip BMD. It was concluded that vitamin D deficiency was evident in early postmenopausal Iranian women, and serum 25-OHD(3) was weakly correlated with spine BMD, which may have physiological significance.

A study on the teratogenic and cytotoxic effects of safflower extract.

In recent years, the use of carthami flos (the flowers of Carthamus tinctorius L.) as a coloring and flavoring agent has increased as a food additive in Iran. In order to evaluate its safety, the teratogenic effects of carthami flos on the central nervous system development in mice was investigated. Furthermore, its cytotoxic effect on the rat nervous cell culture was studied to complete safety evaluations. For teratogenic studies, after natural mating, pregnant mice were divided into test and control groups. The groups were treated with different dosage regimens of aqueous carthami flos extract during 0-8 days of gestation. Embryos were then isolated at the 13th gestation day and evaluated for macroscopic, microscopic and morphometric characteristics. The results showed that in higher doses (1.6 and 2 mg/kg/day) the embryos were absorbed, whereas with lower dose (1.2 mg/kg/day) changes in external, internal and longitudinal diameters, open neuropore, changes in cellular orientation and cellular degeneration were observed. The results obtained from cytotoxic assay also demonstrated a concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect of carthami flos extract. It is concluded that the use of carthami flos as a food additive should be reconsidered.