ABSTRACT
The extraction of plant constituents is essential to isolate biologically active compounds, aimed to understand their role on the treatment of diabetes. This study was designed to explore the preliminary phytochemical and physicochemical analysis of Carica papaya L., Caricaceae, leaf, and further evaluation of its hypoglycemic effect on diabetic rats. C. papaya leaves were extracted using chloroform, n-hexane or ethanol. For each extract a phytochemical screening was performed. The tests were conducted in triplicate and the qualitative and quantitative determination of the various metabolites was done using analytical standards proposed by Mexican Herbal Pharmacopoeia. The chloroform extract, containing steroids and quinones as major components, was chosen to study C. papaya biological effects. The chloroform extract was evaporated to dryness, and doses 0, 31, 62, 125 mg/kg were orally administered in 300 µl polyethylene glycol to diabetic rats; and 0 and 62 mg/kg to non-diabetic rats. After a 20-day treatment with the chloroform extract, the animals were sacrificed and blood was obtained for biochemical studies. The main effect observed was a decrease in serum glucose, triglycerides and transaminases in diabetic rats after the administration of C. papaya chloroform extract. These results confirm the potential beneficial action of C. papaya to treat the symptoms of diabetic patients.
ABSTRACT
Aunque en estudios de laboratorio se han observado efectos potencialmente benéficos de la vitamina E, los resultados de la evaluación clínica son inconsistentes. Una situación que ha limitado el conocimiento en esta área, es la dificultad para establecer comparaciones entre los diferentes estudios. Existen diferencias entre sujetos, tipos de formulaciones, etapas de la enfermedad, y otros aspectos. El consumo de megadosis de esta vitamina se ha incrementado en muchos países. En estudios recientes se ha informado que además de su capacidad antioxidante, esta vitamina tiene acciones moleculares precisas que influyen sobre la actividad de varias enzimas modulando la expresión de genes y la inducción de apoptosis. Sin embargo, algunos estudios clínicos y metaanálisis han informado que dosis de 400 UI/día o mayores de α-tocoferol, se asocian con aumento del índice de mortalidad. Resulta claro que hasta la fecha no se tiene un conocimiento completo de los efectos de estas sustancias a nivel celular y que existe controversia en los resultados de ensayos clínicos. En el presente trabajo se revisa el conocimiento actual sobre las características de esta vitamina, sus principales efectos benéficos, su toxicidad potencial y se discuten los resultados de algunos metaanálisis recientes en relación al aumento del riesgo de mortalidad.
Even though the beneficial effects of vitamin E have been experimentally observed, some clinical trials failed to verify a consistent benefit. One reason for this situation has been the difficulty to make comparisons among different studies. There are differences due to subjects, chemical forms of vitamin E, stages of the disease and others. The intake of high doses of vitamin E as a supplement has increased in many countries. Novel studies, have informed that vitamin E not only has antioxidant properties but can acts through precise molecular actions interacting with proteins and enzymes and modulating cellular signaling, transcriptional regulation and apoptosis induction. However, some recent clinical and meta analysis studies have found that daily supplementation with vitamin E 400 IU or higher is associated to increased mortality. In conclusion, a complete understanding of vitamin E actions at the cell does not exist yet and the controversy about its clinical effects is still present. This paper offers current knowledge on the characteristics, metabolism, properties, beneficial effect as well as the potential toxicity of vitamin E.
Subject(s)
Humans , Dietary Supplements , Vitamin E/therapeutic use , Antioxidants/therapeutic use , Dietary Supplements/adverse effects , Vitamin E/adverse effects , Vitamin E/metabolismSubject(s)
Humans , Mice , Adipose Tissue/chemistry , Adipose Tissue/metabolism , Disease Models, Animal , Fats/metabolism , Hypothalamus/physiology , Energy Intake/physiology , Energy Intake/genetics , Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones , Energy Metabolism/physiology , Energy Metabolism/genetics , Neuropeptide Y , Obesity/genetics , Obesity/metabolism , Proteins/biosynthesis , Proteins/genetics , Proteins/chemistryABSTRACT
In the present study the influence of age on red blood cell fatty acid (RBCFA) composition was analyzed in a sample of Mexico City children and young people on a free diet, as there is scarce information about RBCFA composition in the Mexican population. Erythrocyte lipids were extracted with isopropyl alcohol and fatty acid methyl esters were prepared to be analyzed by gas liquid chromatography. The 1. to 2-year-old group showed a higher percent level of C18:0 (34.73 ñ 2.5 vs. 29.67 ñ 1.3, p<0.002) and lower of C16:1 (0.58 ñ 0.2 vs. 1.09 ñ 0.2, p<0.005), C20:4 (14.08 ñ 4.1 vs, 18.20 ñ 1.2, p<0.05) and C22:5 (2.79 ñ 1.7 vs. 7.68 ñ 0.8, p<0.001) than the 20- to 25-year-old group. Both groups showed a very low linoleic acid proportion, children 0.48 percent and young adults 0.54 percent. The unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio was found to be 0.55 ñ 0.2 in children and 0.91 ñ 0.1 in adults (p<0.001). These findigs indicate the presence of factors related to age that affect the fatty acid composition in the erythrocyte membrane different from diet habits in the sample analyzed. Results are compared with reports in the literature