Curcumin increases vasodilatory effect of cilostazol in diabetic rat aorta

128-132Increased generation of oxidants and (or) reduced endogenous antioxidant defense mechanisms are associated with the etiology of diabetic vascular complications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether curcumin supplementation increases the vasodilatory effect of cilostazol in streptozotocin induced diabetic rat aorta. Cumulative addition of cilostazol caused concentration-dependent relaxations of thoracic aorta rings. The sensitivity and the maximal response to cilostazol were significantly higher in control than those in diabetic animals. Treatment with curcumin in control rats increased the sensitivity to cilostazol. Further, in aortic rings from diabetic rats treated with curcumin, the responses to cilostazol were significantly increased in comparison to the response in aorta from untreated diabetic rats. It can be conclude, that curcumin increases the cilostazol-induced vasodilation in diabetic rat aorta

Effects of treatment with coenzyme Q10 on exercised rat aorta

In this study, the effect of long-term supplementation of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on the responses of swim-trained rat aorta was investigated. Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: untrained, trained, untrained+CoQ10, and trained+CoQ10group. In the trained groups rats swam for 60 min/day, five days/week for six weeks. The CoQ10 supplements were administered by intraperitoneal injection at a daily dose of 10 mg·kg−1 of body weight five days/week for six weeks. Swimming of the rats was performed in a container containing tap water. Rats were sacrificed and thoracic aortas were removed for ex vivo analysis after the last swimming session. The aortas were cut into rings 2.5 mm in length. Concentration-response curves for phenylephrine (PHE, 10−9–3×10−4 M) and potassium chloride (KCl, 5–100 mM) were isometrically recorded. The sensitivity and maximal responses to PHE and KCl of aortic rings obtained from trained rats were lower than those of untrained rats. CoQ10 supplementation decreased the responses to both vasoconstrictors in untrained and especially in trained groups. Although neither CoQ10 nor training did affect malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) levels, creatine kinase (CK) activity decreased and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased only with exercise training. Glutathione (GSH) levels increased in CoQ10 supplemented-untrained rats. In conclusion, our results suggest that CoQ10 supplementation may have beneficial effects during exercise

Broncoespasmo induzido pelo exercício em adolescentes asmáticos obesos e não-obesos Exercise-induced bronchospasm in obese and non-obese asthmatic adolescents

OBJETIVO: Avaliar e comparar a frequência e intensidade do broncoespasmo induzido pelo exercício (BIE) em adolescentes asmáticos obesos e não-obesos. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal e descritivo realizado com 39 adolescentes de ambos os sexos, com idade entre dez e 16 anos, divididos em dois grupos conforme o histórico clínico de asma e/ou rinite alérgica e o índice de massa corporal: asmáticos obesos (n=18); asmáticos não-obesos (n=21). Utilizou-se o teste de broncoprovocação com exercício para a avaliação do BIE, considerando-se positiva uma diminuição do volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo (VEF1) >15% do valor pré-exercício. Para avaliar a intensidade e a recuperação do BIE, foram calculadas a queda percentual máxima do VEF1 (QM%VEF1) e a área acima da curva (AAC0-30). A análise estatística utilizou o teste exato de Fischer para comparar a frequência de BIE e o teste de Mann-Whitney para a intensidade e recuperação. Rejeitou-se a hipótese de nulidade se p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença significativa na frequência de BIE entre os grupos de asmáticos obesos (50%) e não-obesos (38%). Entretanto, a queda máxima do VEF1 e a AAC0-30 foram maiores nos asmáticos obesos em comparação aos não-obesos (respectivamente 37,7% e 455 versus 24,5% e 214, p<0,03). CONCLUSÕES: A obesidade não contribuiu para o aumento da frequência do BIE em asmáticos e não-asmáticos, entretanto, a obesidade contribuiu para o aumento da intensidade e do tempo de recuperação da crise de BIE em asmáticos<br>OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the frequency and severity of exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) in obese and non-obese asthmatic adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional and descriptive study with 39 subjects aged ten to 16 years of both genders divided into two groups according to clinical history of asthma and/or allergic rhinitis and body mass index, as follows: asthmatic obese (n=18) and asthmatic non-obese (n=21). An exercise bronchoprovocation test was applied to diagnose EIB and was considered positive if the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) decreased >15% in relation to pre-exercise FEV1. Maximum percent of fall in FEV1 (MF%FEV1) and the area above the curve (AAC0-30) were calculated to evaluate the intensity and recovery of EIB. Fisher exact test was used to compare the frequency of EIB and Mann-Whitney test to compare the severity and recovery of EIB. Null hypothesis was rejected when p<0.05. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in the frequency of EIB between the asthmatic obese (50%) and non-obese (38%) adolescents. However, the MF%FEV1 and AAC0-30 were significantly higher in the asthmatic obese as compared to the asthmatic non-obese patients (respectively, 37.7% and 455 versus 24.5% e 214, p<0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Obesity did not contribute to the increase of the frequency of EIB in asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients. However, obesity contributed to the increase of severity and recovery time of EIB in asthmatic