A carnosine intervention study in overweight human volunteers: Bioavailability and reactive carbonyl species sequestering effect

Carnosine is a natural dipeptide able to react with reactive carbonyl species, which have been recently associated with the onset and progression of several human diseases. Herein, we report an intervention study in overweight individuals. Carnosine (2 g/day) was orally administered for twelve weeks in order to evaluate its bioavailability and metabolic fate. Two carnosine adducts were detected in the urine samples of all subjects. Such adducts are generated from a reaction with acrolein, which is one of the most toxic and reactive compounds among reactive carbonyl species. However, neither carnosine nor adducts have been detected in plasma. Urinary excretion of adducts and carnosine showed a positive correlation although a high variability of individual response to carnosine supplementation was observed. Interestingly, treated subjects showed a significant decrease in the percentage of excreted adducts in reduced form, accompanied by a significant increase of the urinary excretion of both carnosine and carnosine-acrolein adducts. Altogether, data suggest that acrolein is entrapped in vivo by carnosine although the response to its supplementation is possibly influenced by individual diversities in terms of carnosine dietary intake, metabolism and basal production of reactive carbonyl species

Non-Invasive Airway Cleansing with Application of Expulsion Effect of HFJV (High Frequency Jet Ventilation)

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of the use of expulsion and impulsion nozzle high frequency ventilation (VFDV) for cleansing respiratory system during long-term mechanical ventilation. Material and methods. Retrospective study. In the group of 198 patients presenting its own procedures and the application of inpulsive and expulsive effect of the nozzle frequency ventilation (VFDV) for cleansing and maintaining a patent airway. They used high frequency jet ventilation with the possibility of expulsion and epulsion programming and assessed a total of over 8000 expulsion procedures. Changes in lung mechanics, hemodynamics, effectiveness of expulsion and the need for suction beforeexpulsion and in regular application of VFDV were monitored. Results. We statistically compared and evaluated the effectiveness of expulsion in the VFDV group of 198 patients on long-term UVP, which was effective in average of 94.9% of patients. The impact of expulsion regime on circulatory, ventilation systems and gas exchange in the lungs, including lung mechanics, were analyzed. The authors found that the application of VFDV had a substantial and statistically significant effect on hemodynamics. Application of expulsion and lavage (a technique is described) statistically significantly reduced airway resistance Raw (p<0.01) and improved the levels of lung static compliance (p<0.01) compared with the prior expulsion. Changes in blood gases during the expulsion itself did not have a major impact on gas exchange in the lungs or on the pH in this group, but there was a statistically significant increase in PaO2 (p<0.05). A key finding was that when comparing the number of manipulations in the airways (suction), a radical reduction in the number of pumping was observed, if expulsion was used regularly. A statistically significant difference in the application of expulsion was detected when compared to most groups of patients (p<0.01). The number of necessary manipulations on the airways was reduced by over 100%. Reducing the number of suctions decreased traumatization of mucosa and the risk of infectious complications. Conclusion. The expulsion and lung lavage was an effective and noninvasive method for airway cleansing. VFDV expulsion could contribute to substantial improvements in the care of the maintenance of airway patency in long-UVP. Keywords: respiratory cleansing, long-term UVP, high frequency ventilation, expulsion, inpulsion

Effects of carnosine supplementation on glucose metabolism: Pilot clinical trial

Carnosine is a naturally present dipeptide in humans and an over-the counter food additive. Evidence from animal studies supports the role for carnosine in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, yet there is limited human data. This study investigated whether carnosine supplementation in individuals with overweight or obesity improves diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors.In a double-blind randomized pilot trial in nondiabetic individuals with overweight and obesity (age 43 ± 8 years; body mass index 31 ± 4 kg/m(2) ), 15 individuals were randomly assigned to 2 g carnosine daily and 15 individuals to placebo for 12 weeks. Insulin sensitivity and secretion, glucose tolerance (oral glucose tolerance test), blood pressure, plasma lipid profile, skeletal muscle ((1) H-MRS), and urinary carnosine levels were measured.Carnosine concentrations increased in urine after supplementation (P < 0.05). An increase in fasting insulin and insulin resistance was hampered in individuals receiving carnosine compared to placebo, and this remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, and change in body weight (P = 0.02, P = 0.04, respectively). Two-hour glucose and insulin were both lower after carnosine supplementation compared to placebo in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (P < 0.05).These pilot intervention data suggest that carnosine supplementation may be an effective strategy for prevention of type 2 diabetes