360-Degree Perspectives on Obesity.

Alarming statistics show that the number of people affected by excessive weight has surpassed 2 billion, representing approximately 30% of the world's population. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of one of the most serious public health problems, considering that obesity requires an integrative approach that takes into account its complex etiology, including genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Only an understanding of the connections between the many contributors to obesity and the synergy between treatment interventions can ensure satisfactory outcomes in reducing obesity. Mechanisms such as oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and dysbiosis play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated complications. Compounding factors such as the deleterious effects of stress, the novel challenge posed by the obesogenic digital (food) environment, and the stigma associated with obesity should not be overlooked. Preclinical research in animal models has been instrumental in elucidating these mechanisms, and translation into clinical practice has provided promising therapeutic options, including epigenetic approaches, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery. However, more studies are necessary to discover new compounds that target key metabolic pathways, innovative ways to deliver the drugs, the optimal combinations of lifestyle interventions with allopathic treatments, and, last but not least, emerging biological markers for effective monitoring. With each passing day, the obesity crisis tightens its grip, threatening not only individual lives but also burdening healthcare systems and societies at large. It is high time we took action as we confront the urgent imperative to address this escalating global health challenge head-on.

Improvement in serum lipids and liver morphology after supplementation of the diet with fish oil is more evident under regular feeding conditions than under high-fat or mixed diets in rats.

BACKGROUND: Dietary n- 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have a role in preventing cardiovascular and hepatic diseases. However, their effects might differ significantly depending on individual dietary patterns. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with ω-3 fatty acids (FA), administered in different schedules, on hepatic and aortic histological structure, lipid profile, and body weight (BW) in male Wistar rats under standard (SD), high-fat diet (HFD) and mixed feeding conditions. METHODS: PUFA treatment consisted of the administration of 50 mg/kg fish oil (FO) daily by oral gavage. HFD was obtained by adding a suspension of 4% cholesterol, thiouracil and cholic acid to the animals' drinking water. The rats were maintained on the diets for 6 weeks, and different schedules of PUFA administration were used. At 14, 28, and 42 days, the morphology of liver and aortic samples and the levels of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), and triglycerides (TG) were assessed. RESULTS: The HFD groups exhibited significant hyperlipidemia and aortic inflammation, with progression to atherogenesis after 6 weeks. Administration of PUFAs slightly attenuated the aortic changes in these groups and reduced the liver's tendency to steatosis. FO-induced metabolic improvement was more evident in SD than in HFD rats. For instance, after the first 2 weeks, SD animals that received PUFAs had significantly increased HDL levels vs. controls (62.375 ± 4.10 vs. 52.625 ± 8.38 mg/dL, P < 0.05), but HFD rats did not, and decreased TG levels were observed exclusively in the SD rats (57.6 ± 4.09 vs. 66 ± 4.69 mg/dL, P < 0.05). After 6 weeks of n- 3 PUFA administration, LDL was significantly lower in the SD rats than in controls (13.67 ± 4.13 vs. 30.83 ± 2.86 mg/dL, P < 0.001), but the decrease in the HFD rats, although significant (49.17 ± 5.85 mg/dL vs. 57.17 ± 4.96 g/dL, P < 0.05), was not as marked. In the mixed-diet groups, administration of 50 mg/kg/day FO for 14 days under SD conditions following 4 weeks of HFD slightly decreased TG (86.625 ± 11.67 vs. 73 ± 4.52 mg/dL, P < 0.05) and increased HDL (45.875 ± 5.28 vs. 56 ± 3.16 mg/dL). However, in these animals, n-3 PUFA administration had no effect on LDL or TC. Administration of half of the above dose failed to improve any biochemical parameters. FO protected against excessive weight gain mainly under SD conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that FO confers more protection against cardiovascular risk factors (increased LDL and TG, decreased HDL) and liver lipid accumulation when given to rats consuming regular diets than when given to rats consuming a high-fat diet. This argues that priority should be given to consumption of a healthy diet rather than to the use of supplements. The effectiveness of n-3 PUFAs might be reduced in the case of hyperlipidic intake or after consumption of a high-fat diet.

Experimental Insights on the Use of Secukinumab and Magnolol in Acute Respiratory Diseases in Mice.

This study investigates the combined treatment of secukinumab (SECU) and magnolol (MAGN) in a mouse model of LPS-induced ALI overlapped with allergic pulmonary inflammation, aiming to better understand the mechanism behind this pathology and to assess the therapeutic potential of this novel approach in addressing the severity of ALI. The combined treatment reveals intricate immunomodulatory effects. Both treatments inhibit IL-17 and promote M2 macrophage polarization, which enhances anti-inflammatory cytokine production such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13, crucial for lung repair and inflammation resolution. However, the combination treatment exacerbates allergic responses and increases OVA-specific IgE, potentially worsening ALI outcomes. MAGN pretreatment alone demonstrates higher potency in reducing neutrophils and enhancing IFN-γ, suggesting its potential in mitigating severe asthma symptoms and modulating immune responses. The study highlights the need for careful consideration in therapeutic applications due to the combination treatment's inability to reduce IL-6 and its potential to exacerbate allergic inflammation. Elevated IL-6 levels correlate with worsened oxygenation and increased mortality in ALI patients, underscoring its critical role in disease severity. These findings offer valuable insights for the advancement of precision medicine within the realm of respiratory illnesses, emphasizing the importance of tailored therapeutic strategies.

[Experimental research on the effects of a Cetraria islandica extract on oxidative stress in laboratory animals]. / Cercetari experimentale privind efectele unui extract din Cetraria islandica asupra stresului oxidativ la animale de laborator.

AIM: Experimental researches on the effects of a Cetraria islandica extract, with or without magnesium association, on oxidative stress in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experiments were carried out on Wistar rats, treated intraperitoneally for 14 days at single daily dose as follows: Group 1: Saline solution (SS) (0.5 ml/100g bw/day); Group 2: Subcutaneous pellets, SS; Group 3: Levamisole (LEV) (10mg/kbw/day); Group 4: Subcutaneous pellets, LEV; Group 5: Prednison (PDN) (5mg/kbw/day); Group 6: Subcutaneous pellets, PDN; Group 7: MgSO4 (5mg/kbw/day); Group 8: Subcutaneous pellets, MgSO4; Group 9: C. islandica (Ci) extract (21.56mg/kbw/day); Group 10: Subcutaneous pellets, Ci; Group 11: Ci+MgSO4; Group 12: Subcutaneous pellets, Ci+MgSO4. At the end of the experiment blood samples were collected for assessing the following oxidative stress parameters: malonaldehyde, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione levels. RESULTS: In the rats with or without experimentally-induced granuloma, repeated administration of Ci for 14 days resulted in a decrease of malonaldehyde, catalase, glutathione peroxidase activity, and an increase in glutathione levels. The association of magnesium augmented the antioxidant effect of Ci in this experimental model. CONCLUSIONS: In our study experimental conditions C. islandica extract determined adaptogenic-antistress effects, confirmed by its actions on oxidative stress parameters.

[Effects of a Cetraria islandica extract in monotherapy and in association with magnesium in an experimental-induced hepatopathy model]. / Efectele unui extract din Cetraria islandica în monoterapie si în asociere cu magneziul pe un model de hepatopatie indusa experimental.

AIM: To investigate the effects of a Cetraria islandica extract in an animal model of hepatopathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experiments were carried out on Wistar rats, treated intraperitoneally (excepting carbon tetrachloride which was administered orally by esogastric tube), at single daily dose, for 28 days and divided in eight groups of 6 rats each: Group 1: Saline solution (0.5ml/100g bw/day); Group 2: MgSO4 (5mg/kbw/day); Group 3: C. islandica (Ci) extract (21.56mg/kbw/day); Group 4: Ci+MgSO4; Group 5: carbon tetrachloride (CT).(0.1 ml/100g bw/day); Group 6: CT+MgSO4; Group 7: CT+Ci; Group 8: CT+Ci+MgSO4. At the end of the experiment blood samples were taken to assess the effects on the blood parameters,TGO, TGP, GGT, LDH, serum total billirubin, neutrophil phagocytic function (Nitroblue tetrazolium test) and serum complement activity. This parameters were determined with VITROS 750 XRC device, using Johnson&Johnson kits. The results were statistically processed with the help of "t-Student" test. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In this carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatopathy animal model, C. islandica extract demonstrated hepatoprotective and immuno-stimulating effects (proved by normalization of glutamic-pyruvic transminase, glutamic-oxalocetic transminase, serum total billirubin, stimulation of neutrophils percentage and phagocytic functions, decreasing the carbon tetrachloride-induced basophilia and monocytosis, especially in association with magnesium). CONCLUSIONS: Further studies are required to confirm the benefits of this association in hepatoprotective and immunomodulating therapies.