RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Vitamix® is a dietary product composed of a hydro-alcoholic extract of cereals and pulses with honey, calcium glycerophosphate, vitamins B and D, selenium and fluoride. The basic product, Ceregumil®, patented in 1912, was highly popular as tonic and consumers reported a feeling of health, resistance to illness, and increased predisposition to work and exercise. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In the present study we analysed the effect of Vitamix® used as dietary supplement, on several physiological parameters in laboratory rats. We periodically performed hemograms and measured intake and weight, as well as blood levels of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, transaminases and malondialdehyde, a lipoperoxidation product. Physical probes were performed and a histochemical study was done in the liver. RESULTS: Rats fed with Vitamix® displayed lower intake and body weight in adult ages, showed and increased antioxidant activity, higher resistance in the wire hang test and lower fatigue in the Morris pool, specially those specimens considered as bad performers supplemented with Vitamix®. The rest of the measured parameters remained similar to control and no hepatic alterations were found. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports a scientific basis to know the effect of these complements over physiological parameters.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Articular cartilage (AC) is an avascular tissue with precise polarity and organization. The three distinct zones are: surface, middle and deep. The production and accumulation of the superficial zone protein (SZP), also known as lubricin, by the surface zone is a characteristic feature of AC. To date, there is a wealth of evidence showing differentiation of AC from mesenchymal stem cells. Most studies that described chondrogenic differentiation did not focus on AC with characteristic surface marker SZP/lubricin. The present investigation was initiated to determine the induction of SZP/lubricin in skeletal muscle-derived mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MDMSCs) by transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) and bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7). METHODS: MDMSCs were cultured as a monolayer at a density of 1 × 105 cells/well in 12-well tissue culture plates. Cell cultures were treated for 3, 7 and 10 days with TGF-ß1 and BMP-7. The medium was analyzed for SZP. The cells were used to isolate RNA for RT-PCR assays for SZP expression. RESULTS: The SZP/lubricin increased in a time-dependent manner on Days 3, 7 and 10 in the medium. As early as Day 3, there was a three-fold increase in response to 3 ng/ml of TGF-ß1 and 300 ng/ml of BMP-7. This was confirmed by immunochemical localization of SZP as early as Day 3 after treatment with TGF-ß1. The expression of SZP mRNA was enhanced by TGF-ß1. CONCLUSIONS: The present investigation demonstrated the efficient and reproducible induction of SZP/lubricin accumulation by TGF-ß1 and BMP-7 in skeletal MDMSCs. Optimization of the experimental conditions may permit the utility of MDMSCs in generating surface zone-like cells with phenotypic markers of AC and, therefore, constitute a promising cell source for tissue engineering approaches of superficial zone cartilage.