Interakcija aluminija s esencijalnim elementima u profesionalno izloženih radnika

The mechanism of aluminium-induced cytotoxicity has not yet been defined. This study investigated possible changes in essential elements in workers occupationally exposed to Al fumes. It included 60 exposed workers and a matching control group of 60 employees not occupationally exposed to Al. Mean serum copper, calcium, zinc and iron were significantly lower in the exposed group than in controls. In addition, mean plasma and urine levels of Al were significantly higher in the exposed employees than in the controls. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between plasma and urinary Al and the studied essential elements. These findings corroborate the hypothesis that Al exposure has an adverse effect on essential elements in humans, with subsequent impact on the cellular enzymatic and metabolic processes.Dosada nije razjašnjen mehanizam citotoksičnoga djelovanja aluminija. U ovome ispitivanju pokušalo se ustanoviti dolazi li do promjena u sadržaju esencijalnih elemenata u skupini radnika koji su bili profesionalno izloženi aluminijskim parama. Ispitivanje je obuhvatilo 60 izloženih radnika i odgovarajuću kontrolnu skupinu od 60 zaposlenika koji nisu bili profesionalno izloženi aluminijskim parama. Rezultati su pokazali značajno niže srednje razina bakra, kalcija, cinka i željeza u serumu izloženih radnika u odnosu na kontrolu. Usto su iskazali značajno više razine Al u plazmi i mokraći. Utvrđena je statistički značajna negativna korelacija između Al u plazmi/mokraći i ispitanih esencijalnih elemenata. Ovi rezultati upućuju na pretpostavku da izloženost aluminiju nepovoljno djeluje na razine esencijalnih elemenata u ljudi, a time i na lučenje enzima i stanični metabolizam

Randomized double-blinded pilot clinical study of the antidiabetic activity of Balanites aegyptiaca and UPLC-ESI-MS/MS identification of its metabolites

Context: Balanites aegyptiaca Del. (Zygophyllaceae) fruits are traditionally known for the treatment of hyperglycaemia. Several in vitro and in vivo studies proposed some mechanisms of action. However, clinical trials in human beings were never reported to date. Objectives: To investigate the antidiabetic efficacy of the 70% ethanol extract of the pericarps of B. aegyptiaca (BE) within a nutritional intervention in elderly people. Materials and methods: Ultra-performance electrospray ionization-mass spectroscopy (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis was used for metabolic profiling of BE which was incorporated in hard gelatine capsules (400 mg/day) and tested on 30 type 2 diabetes (T2D) Egyptian patients for 8 weeks. According to sex, age and body mass index participants were divided into two equivalent groups, placebo and treatment. Results: Thirteen compounds were identified in BE using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis among which five steroidal saponins, seven phenolic compounds and a sterol glucoside. At the end of the 8-week treatment, the treated group showed 26.88% decrease in 2 h postprandial plasma glucose relative to 2.6% increase in the placebo group, while fasting plasma glucose was reduced to 10.3%. Treatment with BE capsules for 8 weeks produced significant reduction in the plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 9.0, 12.76 and 21.35%, respectively, with 29.8% increase in the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Plasma alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase were reduced by 42.6 and 43.3%, respectively. Discussion and conclusion: Administration of the BE capsules to T2D resulted in significant improvements in the glycaemic markers and the lipid profile, without adverse effects or hypoglycaemia

Down-regulation of circulating microRNA let-7a in Egyptian smokers

Altered miRNAs were associated with cigarette smoking. The study aimed to examine the gene expression level of plasma let-7a among healthy smokers and compared it with the non-smokers. Forty subjects were recruited for the present study and classified into 21 smokers and 19 non-smokers, age, and sex were matched. The software that used to design functional primers was MIRprimer. Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to compare the relative expression of plasma let-7a. Results showed that the level of let-7a was down-regulated in smokers to 0.34fold (p = 0.006) that of the non-smokers. Plasma let-7a showed an area under curve (AUC) of 0.749 with sensitivity 43% and specificity 100%. In conclusion, plasma let-7a was significantly down-regulated in the smokers, and it might be considered a candidate biomarker to discriminate between smokers and non-smokers. Keywords: Plasma let7-a, Biomarker, Cigarette smoking, Software MIRprime

Randomized double-blinded pilot clinical study of the antidiabetic activity of <i>Balanites aegyptiaca</i> and UPLC-ESI-MS/MS identification of its metabolites

<p><b>Context:</b><i>Balanites aegyptiaca</i> Del. (Zygophyllaceae) fruits are traditionally known for the treatment of hyperglycaemia. Several <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> studies proposed some mechanisms of action. However, clinical trials in human beings were never reported to date.</p> <p><b>Objectives</b>: To investigate the antidiabetic efficacy of the 70% ethanol extract of the pericarps of <i>B. aegyptiaca</i> (BE) within a nutritional intervention in elderly people.</p> <p><b>Materials and methods:</b> Ultra-performance electrospray ionization-mass spectroscopy (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis was used for metabolic profiling of BE which was incorporated in hard gelatine capsules (400 mg/day) and tested on 30 type 2 diabetes (T2D) Egyptian patients for 8 weeks. According to sex, age and body mass index participants were divided into two equivalent groups, placebo and treatment.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> Thirteen compounds were identified in BE using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis among which five steroidal saponins, seven phenolic compounds and a sterol glucoside. At the end of the 8-week treatment, the treated group showed 26.88% decrease in 2 h postprandial plasma glucose relative to 2.6% increase in the placebo group, while fasting plasma glucose was reduced to 10.3%. Treatment with BE capsules for 8 weeks produced significant reduction in the plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 9.0, 12.76 and 21.35%, respectively, with 29.8% increase in the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Plasma alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase were reduced by 42.6 and 43.3%, respectively.</p> <p><b>Discussion and conclusion:</b> Administration of the BE capsules to T2D resulted in significant improvements in the glycaemic markers and the lipid profile, without adverse effects or hypoglycaemia.</p