Insulin resistance and adipocytokine levels in high fat high fructose-fed growing rats: effects of cinnamon

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of high fat fructose [HF/HFr] diet on the onset of the characteristics of the metabolic syndrome and the levels of some adipocytokines in growing male and female rats. Also we aimed to study the possible protective effects of cinnamon [CN] against [HF/HFr] diet induced-metabolic disturbances. Forty eight growing Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into 4 groups [12 rats/group; 6 males + 6 females] and were fed for a period of 6 weeks the following diets [i] basal diet, control [C] [ii] basal diet containing 20 g CN/kg diet [C+CN], [iii] high fat diet [15% beef tallow + 5% corn oil] combined with fructose [13% W/V]in drinking water [HF/HFr], [iv] HF/HFr diet containing 20 g CN/kg diet [HF/HFr+CN], HF/HFr diet resulted in elevated levels of fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, and homeostasis model assessment [HOMA] index along with impaired glucose tolerance, as well as elevated serum triacylglycerols [TG], total cholesterol [TC], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], resistin, leptin, tumor necrosis factor - alpha [TNF-alpha] and total oxidant capacity [TOC] with a decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] and total antioxidant capacity [TAC] compared to control. These deleterious effects were more pronounced in male and female rats. Cinnamon reinstated most of the altered measured parameters. So HF/HFr diet developed characteristics of metabolic syndrome in growing male and female rats. Females were protected against some metabolic disturbances of HF/HFr diet. The inclusion of cinnamon in the diet was effective in modulating some aspects of metabolic parameters associated with metabolic syndrome

Detection of early glaucomatous damage in pseudo exfoliation syndrome by assessment of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness

To detect early glaucomatous changes in pseudo exfoliative patients with normal intraocular pressure [IOP], visual field and optic nerve head appearance; by measuring retinal nerve fiber layer [RNFL] thickness using optical coherence tomography [OCT]. A prospective observational case-control study. Twenty non-glaucomatous [normal IOP, fundus and visual field] pseudo exfoliative patients and 20 age matched healthy control subjects. The RNFL thickness [global and four quadrants] was assessed using combined imaging system OTI [OCT/SLO] and compared with age matched normal control subjects. The RNFL in patients with pseudo exfoliation syndrome [PXS] was significantly thinner in all quadrants except the nasal quadrant compared to the control group [p less than 0.05]. Measurement of RNFL thickness by OCT is useful in detecting early RNFL damage which in turn provides clinically relevant information in detecting early glaucomatous changes in pseudo exfoliative patients