ABSTRACT
A patient with beta hCG-secreting germ cell carcinoma of the pineal and suprasellar regions presented with hydrocephalus, Parinaud's syndrome, hypopituitarism and polyuria. Central diabetes insipidus was strongly suspected although the water deprivation test was not diagnostic. The polyuria however, responded to ADH analogue when the hypothyroidism and hypocortisolism were treated. Pubertal development was evident and serum testosterone was normal despite the low FSH/LH, suggesting hCG stimulation of Leydig cells. This case illustrates that a beta hCG-germ cell tumour of the suprasellar region causing hypopituitarism can mask the presence of central diabetes insipidus and hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism.
Subject(s)
Germ Cells , Hypogonadism , Diabetes Insipidus , PolyuriaSubject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Calcium , Vitamin D , Vitamin E , Vitamin E Deficiency , Cholecalciferol , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
This study determined the effects of palm vitamin E (TRF) diet on the levels of blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (gHb), serum advanced glycosylation end-products (AGE) and malondialdehyde (MDA) of diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats received either control (normal rat chow), TRF diet (normal chow fortified with TRF at 1 g/kg) or Vitamin C diet (vitamin E-deficient but contained vitamin C at 45 g/kg). The animals were maintained on the respective diet for 4 weeks, made diabetic with streptozotocin (STZ), then followed-up for a further 8 weeks. At week-4, mean serum AGE levels of rats given TRF diet (0.7 +/- 0.3 units/ml) were significantly lower than those of control or Vitamin C diet rats (p pounds 0.03). The levels increased after STZ and became comparable to the other groups. At week 12, blood glucose (20.9 +/- 6.9 mM) and gHb (10.0 +/- 1.6%) of rats on TRF diet remained significantly low compared to that of control or Vitamin C diet rats (p pounds 0.03). MDA however, was not affected and remained comparable between groups throughout the study. This study showed that TRF may be a useful antioxidant; effectively prevented increase in AGE in normal rats, and caused decrease in blood glucose and gHb in diabetic rats. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of action of TRF.
Subject(s)
Rats , Diet , Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone , StreptozocinABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of vitamin E deficiency and supplementation on body weight and body composition in intact and ovariectomized growing female rats. One hundred and twenty female Wistar rats aged 3 months were ovariectomized [OVX] or left intact [sham-operated]. The intact and OVX rats were divided into 6 groups and given different dietary treatments, i.e. vitamin E deficient diets [VED, 75%VED, 50%VED, 25%VED], normal rat chow diet [RC] and rat chow with oral supplementation of 30mg/kg body weight of alpha -tocopherol [RC+ATF]. Body weight of intact and OVX rats in the RC and the RC+ATF groups showed increased significantly after 15 weeks of dietary treatment. Intact and ovariectomized rats fed with VED, 75%VED, 50%VED and 25%VED did not gain weight after 15 weeks. OVX rats had significantly higher body weight than intact rats in the 50%VED, 25%VED, RC and RC+ATF groups. Fat mass of intact rats was increased only in the RC and RC+ATF groups. For OVX rats, fat mass was increased in the VED, 50%VED, RC and RC+ATF groups. OVX groups had significantly higher fat mass when compared with intact groups, however, the significance was greater for the RC and RC+ATF groups. Other parameters of body composition were not significantly affected. In conclusion, vitamin E played an important role in the weight gain of female rats and the gain was primarily due to the increase in fat mass, irrespective of the effect of ovariectomy. Alpha-Tocopherol supplementation conferred little benefit compared to giving RC diet alone in both the intact and ovariectomized female rats. The results also indicate that excessive vitamin E intake might contribute towards obesity in female rats