Esteatose hepática em crianças e adolescentes obesos

Objective: To assess the frequency of hepatic steatosis and metabolic syndrome among obese children and adolescents.Method: A descriptive case series was conducted with 77 patients, aged 2 to 13 years and 11 months, who were followed up from February to July 2007. Obesity was defined as body mass index >= P-95 adjusted for age and sex. Liver ultrasound was performed to diagnose hepatic steatosis. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the modified criteria suggested by Cook et al.Results: Hepatic steatosis was diagnosed in 33/77 patients (42.9%), 25/33 (75.8%) with mild steatosis and 8/33 (24.2%) with moderate steatosis. Those aged less than 10 years showed only mild steatosis, and the moderate degree of the disease was restricted to adolescents. Aminotransferase alterations were found in 9.1% (3/33) of patients with hepatic steatosis and in 4.9% (2/41) of those without the disorder. Mean waist circumference was 84.74 +/- 2.84 cm for patients with hepatic steatosis and 78.24 +/- 1.60 cm for those without the disease (p = 0.04). Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 27.3% (21/77) of obese patients, 47.6% (10/21) of them having steatosis, 60% had mild steatosis and 40% had a moderate degree of the disorder.Conclusions: the frequency of hepatic steatosis and metabolic syndrome was high. the association of larger waist circumference with hepatic steatosis highlights the importance of taking this parameter into consideration when investigating obese patients.Fundacao de Amparo a Ciencia e Tecnologia do estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE)Univ Fed Pernambuco, Dept Materno Infantil, Ctr Ciencias Saude, Recife, PE, BrazilHosp Barao Lucena, Serv Endocrinol Pediat, Recife, PE, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, EPM, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, EPM, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Schult.): Focus on Nutraceutical Aspects

Medicinal plants have been globally exploiting as an alternative to chemical drugs in the treatment of several diseases due to low unwanted side effects, environmentally friendly nature, and low production costs. Therefore, it is important to analyze the therapeutic properties of various medicinal plants to understand their potential bioactivity. Uncaria tomentosa is one of these medicinal plants with many health-promoting effects. Although the geographical resources of cat's claw go back to the remote tropics of the Amazon, industrialized countries use the plant extensively in trade. Various parts of the plants such as flowers, leaves, Stem, hooks, and seeds are mainly used medicinally to treat inflammation, asthma, allergies, skin impurities, microbial infections, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, cirrhosis, gastrointestinal disorders, arthritis, heart disease, rheumatism, and fever. The endpoint of this review article is to prospectively scrutinize in vitro and in vivo the therapeutic potential of this plant, especially in terms of its nutritional applications and healthbeneficial effects. © 2022 Bentham Science Publishers.(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

DABCO-customized nanoemulsions: characterization, cell viability and genotoxicity in retinal pigmented epithelium and microglia cells

Quaternary derivatives of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) and of quinuclidine surfactants were used to develop oil-in-water nanoemulsions with the purpose of selecting the best long-term stable nanoemulsion for the ocular administration of triamcinolone acetonide (TA). The combination of the best physicochemical properties (i.e., mean droplet size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, osmolality, viscoelastic properties, surface tension) was considered, together with the cell viability assays in ARPE-19 and HMC3 cell lines. Surfactants with cationic properties have been used to tailor the nanoemulsions surface for site-specific delivery of drugs to the ocular structure for the delivery of TA. They are tailored for the eye because they have cationic properties that interact with the anionic surface of the eye.Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCTES), European Social Fund (FSE) of the EU, for the scholarship SFRH/BD/130555/2017 granted to A. R. Fernandes, and for the projects UIDB/04469/2020 (CEB strategic fund) and UIDB/04033/2020 (CITAB), co-funded by European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE) and FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Vitex agnus-castus L.: main features and nutraceutical perspectives

Medicinal plants are used worldwide due to their lower risk of side effects and eco-friendly, cost-effective production when compared to chemical drugs, encouraging researchers to further exploit the therapeutic potential of the former. One of the most popular medicinal plants is Vitex agnus-castus L., grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions, to which different health benefits have already been attributed. In this perspective article, the in vitro and in vivo therapeutic properties of V. agnus-castus L. have been analyzed and reviewed with a special focus on its health-promoting effects and potential nutraceutical applications.The authors acknowledge the support of the research project: Nutraceutica come supporto nutrizionale nel paziente oncologico, CUP: B83D18000140007. E.B.S. acknowledges the sponsorship of the projects M-ERA-NET-0004/2015-PAIRED and UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund); A.M.S. acknowledges UIDB/04033/2020 (CITAB), receiving support from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education (FCT/MEC) through national funds, and co-financed by FEDER under the Partnership Agreement PT2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus Bunge): botanical, geographical, and historical aspects to pharmaceutical components and beneficial role

Medicinal plants always are part of folk medicine and are nowadays receiving worldwide attention for prophylaxis, management, and treatment of several diseases, as an alternative to chemical drugs. The current work provided a comprehensive overview and analysis of the Astragalus and health relationship in literature. The analysis of their therapeutic potential is thus instrumental to understand their bioactivity. Among these, the flowering medicinal plant Astragalus membranaceus has raised interest due to several beneficial health effects. This perspective review discussed the botanical, geographical, historical, and the therapeutic properties of A. membranaceus, with a special focus on its health improving effects and medicinal applications both in vitro and in vivo.Funding provided by Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II within the CRUI-CARE Agreementinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sugar-lowering drugs for type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndromestrategies for in vivo administration: Part-II

Diabetes is a complex disease characterized by hyperglycemia, together with polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia. While Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) results from genetic, environmental, or immune dysfunction factors leading to pancreatic ß-cell destruction depriving the organism from endogenous insulin, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by peripheral insulin resistance. Depending on the type of diabetes mellitus and drug mechanism to study, the animal model should be carefully selected among the wide variety of the currently available ones. This review discusses the most common animal models currently employed to study T1DM and T2DM. Moreover, an overview on the administration routes that could be used is also discussed.The authors acknowledge the financial support received from Portuguese Science and TechnologyFoundation (FCT/MCT) and from European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE) under the project referenceM-ERA-NET/0004/2015-PAIRED, co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020. The authors also acknowledge the support of the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology under the project ART (2018).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sugar-lowering drugs for type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome - review of classical and new compounds: Part-I

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia together with disturbances in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fat, which in general results from an insulin availability and need imbalance. In a great number of patients, marketed anti-glycemic agents have shown poor effectiveness in maintaining a long-term glycemic control, thus being associated with severe adverse effects and leading to an emerging interest in natural compounds (e.g., essential oils and other secondary plant metabolites, namely, flavonoid-rich compounds) as a novel approach for prevention, management and/or treatment of either non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (T2DM, type 2 DM) and/or Metabolic Syndrome (MS). In this review, some of these promising glucose-lowering agents will be comprehensively discussed.This work was financially supported by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT/MCT) and from European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE) under the project reference M-ERANET/0004/2015-PAIRED and UID/AGR/04033/2019 (CITAB), co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020, and also by the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology under the project ART(2018).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio