The nutraceutical antihypertensive action of C-phycocyanin in chronic kidney disease is related to the prevention of endothelial dysfunction

C-phycocyanin (CPC) is an antihypertensive that is not still wholly pharmacologically described. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether CPC counteracts endothelial dysfunction as an antihypertensive mechanism in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy (NFx) as a chronic kidney disease (CKD) model. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: sham control, sham-treated with CPC (100 mg/Kg/d), NFx, and NFx treated with CPC. Blood pressure was measured each week, and renal function evaluated at the end of the treatment. Afterward, animals were euthanized, and their thoracic aortas were analyzed for endothelium functional test, oxidative stress, and NO production. 5/6 Nephrectomy caused hypertension increasing lipid peroxidation and ROS production, overexpression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), reduction in the first-line antioxidant enzymes activities, and reduced-glutathione (GSH) with a down-expression of eNOS. The vasomotor response reduced endothelium-dependent vasodilation in aorta segments exposed to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside. However, the treatment with CPC prevented hypertension by reducing oxidative stress, NO system disturbance, and endothelial dysfunction. The CPC treatment did not prevent CKD-caused disturbance in the antioxidant enzymes activities. Therefore, CPC exhibited an antihypertensive activity while avoiding endothelial dysfunction

In Vitro Assessment of Fecal Inocula From Horses Fed on High-Fiber Diets With Fibrolytic Enzymes Addition on Gas, Methane, and Carbon Dioxide Productions as Indicators of Hindgut Activity

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of fecal inocula from horses fed on concentrate (restricted amount daily) and oat straw (ad libitum) supplemented with fibrolytic enzymes on in vitro hindgut activity. Cellulase (CE), xylanase (XY), and CE þ XY (1:1 vol/vol; CX) were tested at three levels (mL/g dry matter [DM]): 0, 1, and 3, in addition to control without enzyme addition. Fecal inocula were collected from 16 Quarter Horse mares supplemented with enzyme at 0 (without enzyme), or fed 5-mL enzyme/mare/d of CE (FCE), XY (FXY), or CE þ XY (1:1 vol/vol; FCX) for 15 days. The fecal content mixed with the culture media were used for incubation in bottles containing 1-g DM of substrate (a mixture of concentrate and oat straw [1:1 DM]). Gas (GP), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide productions were measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, and 48 hours after incubation. Interactions occurred (P < .05) between fecal source enzyme product for the asymptotic GP, the rate of GP, CH4 production, and fermentation kinetic parameters. Moreover, interactions were observed (P < .05) between fecal source enzyme product enzyme dose for the rate of GP, CH4 production, and DM digestibility. Xylanase at 3-mL/g DM with FXY fecal increased (P < .05) the asymptotic GP, short-chain fatty acids, and microbial protein productions with lowering (P < .05) partitioning factor. At 24 and 48 hours and without enzyme, FCX and FXY, had the highest (P < .05) CH4 production. It can be concluded that XY enzyme at 3-mL/g DM was the most effective compared with other treatments

Genetic determinants of aromatase inhibitor-related arthralgia: The B-ABLE cohort study

A major side effect of aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy is AI-related arthralgia (AIA), which often leads to therapy discontinuation. We aimed to identify genetic variants associated with AIA and therapy discontinuation in the first year of AI treatment. Our prospective cohort study included 343 postmenopausal women with early breast cancer starting AI therapy. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes involved in estrogen and vitamin D signaling were selected. Univariate and multivariate linear/logistic regressions were fitted in order to asses the association between studied SNPs and AIA intensity (visual analogic scale score) at 3 and 12 months of follow-up, worsening pain, and therapy discontinuation. We also tested for a priori-defined interactions by introducing multiplicative terms in the regression equations. SNPs in CYP17A1 and VDR genes appeared significantly associated with AIA (P = 0.003, P = 0.012, respectively). One SNP in CYP27B1 gene was related to therapy discontinuation [P = 0.02; OR 0.29 (0.09-0.99)]. We revealed interactions between CYP27B1 and both CYP17A1 (P = 0.01) and VDR SNPs (P = 0.06). Furthermore, an additive effect on pain intensity was shown for unfavorable alleles, with two points higher mean absolute pain increase and up to 5.3-fold higher risk of worsening pain compared to favorable genotypes. SNPs in CYP17A1, VDR, and CYP27B1 genes predict the risk of AIA. Their determination would be useful to trigger the monitoring strategies in women at risk of therapy discontinuation. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

Effects of Microencapsulated Essential Oils on Equine Health: Nutrition, Metabolism and Methane Emission

This review examines the available data regarding the positive effects of microencapsulated essential oils (EOs) on the nutrition, metabolism, and possibly the methane emission of horses. A literature review was conducted on the effect of microencapsulated (EOs) on the health of horses. The information comprises articles published in recent years in indexed journals. The results indicate that mixtures of microencapsulated EOs may be beneficial to equine health due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, as well as their effects on enteric methane production, nutrient absorption, and immune system enhancement. Moreover, encapsulation stabilizes substances such as EOs in small doses, primarily by combining them with other ingredients