Dietary Intake of Magnesium May Modulate Depression

Depressive symptoms are frequent in students and may lead to countless problems. Several hypotheses associate magnesium with depression because of the presence of this mineral in several enzymes, hormones, and neurotransmitters, which may play a key role in the pathological pathways of depression. The aim of this study was to assess whether magnesium intake could modulate depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of 402 Iranian postgraduate students studying in Malaysia to assess the relationship between magnesium intake and depressive symptoms. The mean age of the participants was 32.54 +/- 6.22 years. The results of the study demonstrated an inverse relationship between magnesium intake and depressive symptoms, which persisted even after adjustments for sex, age, body mass index, monthly expenses, close friends, living on campus, smoking (current and former), education, physical activity, and marital status

Decreased level of the anti-inflammatory adipokine, secreted frizzled-related protein 5, in patients with coronary artery disease

Background: Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5) is an anti-inflammatory adipokine that excreted by adipose tissue and functions to modulate metabolic and inflammatory dysregulations. The exact contribution of SFRP5 toward coronary artery disease (CAD) is largely unclear. Objectives: In the current study, the potential role of SFRP5, by particular focusing on its anti-inflammatory effects, was sought in CAD. Patients and Methods: Serum levels of SFRP5 and the inflammatory biomarkers, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), were measured in 40 CAD patients and 40 controls who were identified based on coronary angiography examinations. The status of CAD severity (in accord with Gensini score) and traditional CAD risk factors were also determined. Association of SFRP5 with Ox-LDL, hsCRP, CAD severity, and traditional CAD risk factors was analyzed. Results: Serum SFRP5 level in CAD patients was significantly decreased compared to controls (28.60 ng/mL 25.67-34.58 vs. 39.92 ng/mL 32.82-49.91, P = 0.000). The correlation of serum SFRP5 level with hsCRP, Ox-LDL, body mass index, and Gensini score was reveal to be significant and negative (P < 0.05). Serum SFRP5 level was independently and inversely associated with CAD (odds ratio, 0.28 95% confidence interval, 0.11-0.56, P = 0.001) and differentiated between CAD patients and controls (P = 0.01). Conclusions: Decreased level of serum SFRP5 is associated with CAD, highlighting its implication in CAD. It may also be a clinically useful biomarker for CAD

Prenatal Exposure to Phthalic Acid Induces Increased Blood Pressure, Oxidative Stress, and Markers of Endothelial Dysfunction in Rat Offspring

Previous studies have reported the harmful effects of exposure to phthalic acid (PA) on heart. No studies have reported the effects of prenatal PA exposure on the structure or function of heart. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of prenatal PA exposure on the markers of oxidative stress and cardiac structure in rats' offspring. Twenty-four pregnant rats were randomly categorized into three groups of control, exposed to 2.5 and 5 PA. The morphometric properties of coronary arteries, markers of oxidative stress, and NOS activity were measured in offspring rats. By a dose-dependent manner, the body weight (BW), heart weight (HW), and HW/BW of the intervention groups were reduced and their heart rate and blood pressure were conversely increased compared to the control group. Also, the wall thickness, cross-sectional area of the aorta and septal branch of the descending left coronary artery were significantly increased in the intervention group. In addition, PA significantly increased the level of malondialdehyde and decreased the level of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, compared to the control group. This study revealed that prenatal exposure of rats to PA causes vascular dysfunction, increasing oxidative stress, and reduction in cardiac nitric oxide synthetase activity among offspring rats

Effects of Nigella sativa Extract on Markers of Cerebral Angiogenesis after Global Ischemia of Brain in Rats

Background: Reduction of permanent or transient cerebral blood flow may lead to some structural and functional changes of the brain, causing high mortality and morbidity. The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Nigella sativa (NS) on markers of cerebral angiogenesis in rats induced by global brain ischemia. Methods: Thirty-two male Wistar rats (250 +/- 20 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups: group 1, control group receiving only normal saline; group 2, sham group undergoing surgery and stroke induction without treatment; and groups 3 and 4 treated with 10 and 20 mg/kg NS, respectively, after induction of stroke. Global ischemia was induced by ligation of the right carotid artery for 20 minutes. Results: According to the results of this study, brain edema and infarct volume were significantly decreased in the group treated with 20 mg/kg NS compared with the group treated with 10 mg/kg NS (P < .05). Global ischemia caused a significant reduction in gene expression of vasoactive endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) in the sham group compared with the control group (P < .05), but NS groups, in led to a significant increase in gene expression of VEGF and HIF compared with the sham group (P < .05). In addition, the activity level of matrix metallopeptidase-9 was decreased among NS groups compared with the control group (P < .05). Conclusions: Application of NS extract among rats with brain ischemia is associated with increase of VEGF and HIF as angiogenic markers and inhibition of matrix metallopeptidase-9 activities

Perfluorocarbon attenuates inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress and histopathologic changes in paraquat-induced acute lung injury in rats

The effects of perfluorocarbon (PFC) on paraquat (PQ) induced acute lung injury (ALI) was evaluated among rats. Twenty four Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: control group injected by saline physiologic 0.9, PFC group injected by Perfluorocarbon, PQ group injected by PQ and PQ+ PFC group injected by PFC one hour after receiving paraquat. Bronchoalveular fluid content, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative and histopathologic changes were measured after 72 h. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-beta 1) in the PQ group were increased compared to either control or PFC groups, but their levels decreased in PQ+ PFC group significantly (p <0.05). Also, histopathologic evaluation revealed an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydroxyproline (HP) in the PQ group but a decrease in PQ+PFC group significantly (p < 0.01). PFC emulsion by its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-fibrotic properties can reduce the inflammatory and fibrotic alterations, pulmonary oedema, and pulmonary histopathologic changes created by PQ (C)2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The Effects of Creatine Monohydrate on Permeability of Coronary Artery Endothelium and Level of Blood Lipoprotein in Diabetic Rats

Background. Creatine monohydrate has beneficial effects on serum glucose. This study aimed to investigate the effects of creatine on serum biochemical markers and permeability of coronary arteries among diabetic rats. Material and Methods. 32 Wistar rats, which weighed 150-200 grams were randomly divided into 4 groups including: group I, control; group II, creatine monohydrate; group III, diabetic rats; and group IV, diabetic rats + creatine. Creatine monohydrate was applied by 400 mg/kg/daily for 5 months. Animals' weights and blood samples were taken before and after the study. Endothelial permeability rate was measured by Evans Blue method. Data were analysed by SPSS 16. Results. At the end of fifth month, rats' weights in diabetic group under treatment with creatine, compared to those without, increased significantly (p<0.0001). Also, the serum levels of triglyceride (TG), cholesterol, glucose and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol decreased significantly among those under treatment with creatine (p<0.05), but high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol increased significantly (p<0.002). Permeability rate of coronary arteries was reduced significantly in the diabetic group treated by creatine compared to untreated groups, closed to the intact group (p<0.001). Conclusion. Results of this study showed that creatine monohydrate caused an improvement of serum biochemical markers associated with diabetes and reduced the permeability rate of coronary arteries among diabetic rats

Quality of life in diabetes patients in iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis method

Introduction: Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death in the world which reduces the patients’ quality of life. The purpose of this study is to investigate the quality of life of diabetes patients in Iran using Meta-Analysis methods. Materials and Methods: The search was done using keywords of diabetes, quality of life, Iran in the foreign databases of Pubmed, Scopus, ISI, Google Scholar and native databases such as Sid, Medlib, Iranmedex, Magiran. The data was analyzed using Meta-Analysis (Random Effects Model). The heterogeneity of the studies was investigated using the index. Data was analyzed using STATA Ver.11 software. SF-23 and SF-36 questionnaires were used in the investigated studies. Findings: In the 10 attempted studies in Iran with the sample size of 1082 people which were done from 2001 to 2015, the average quality of life score for diabetes patients was 59.94 (CI 95: 36.78 to 83.10). The average quality of life score was in the aspects of social life 58.73, mental health 49.82, physical health 76.46 and vivacity 109.34. The mean score of quality of life of diabetic patients in the East of Iran was higher than other regions. Conclusion: The average quality of life score for diabetes patients in Iran is higher in the SF-36 questionnaire compared to SF-20 one. In addition, there was no significant relationship between quality of life of diabetic patients and sample size and the year when study was conducted. © 2016, International Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. All rights reserved

Decreased levels of the anti-inflammatory adipokine, secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (sfrp5), in patients with coronary artery disease

Background: Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5) is an anti-inflammatory adipokine that excreted by adipose tissue and functions to modulate metabolic and inflammatory dysregulations. The exact contribution of SFRP5 toward coronary artery disease (CAD) is largely unclear. Objectives: In the current study, the potential role of SFRP5, by particular focusing on its anti-inflammatory effects, was sought in CAD. Patients and Methods: Serum levels of SFRP5 and the inflammatory biomarkers, oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), were measured in 40 CAD patients and 40 control subjects who were identified based on coronary angiography examinations. The status of CAD severity (in accord with Gensini score) and traditional CAD risk factors were also determined. Association of SFRP5 with Ox-LDL, hsCRP, CAD severity and traditional CAD risk factors was analyzed. Results: Serum SFRP5 level in CAD patients was significantly decreased compared to control subjects 28.60 ng/mL (25.67-34.58) vs. 39.92 ng/mL (32.82-49.91), P=0.000. The correlation of serum SFRP5 level with hsCRP, Ox-LDL, body mass index (BMI) and Gensini score was reveal to be significant and negative (P<0.05). Serum SFRP5 level was independently and inversely associated with CAD odds ratio, 0.28(95% confidence interval, 0.11-0.56), P=0.001 and differentiated between CAD patients and control subjects (P=0.01). Conclusions: Decreased level of serum SFRP5 is associated with CAD, highlighting its implication in CAD. It may also be a clinically useful biomarker for CAD. © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved