Effects of Folic Acid and Ascorbate Supplementation on Plasma Homocysteine and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

In patients with type 2 diabetes, oxidative stress could be increased by their metabolic changes. Elevated plasma homocysteine is considered as one of markers of enhanced oxidative stress. Due to oxidative stress, some complications like cardiovascular or renal diseases may develop in type 2 diabetes patients. Plasma homocysteine concentration may be increased if folate status were inadequate. Protective effects against oxidative stress may be diminished if the status of anti-oxidative nutrient as vitamin C was poor. It is, therefore, important to maintain adequate status of folate and vitamin C in type 2 diabetes patients. Thus, this study was performed to determine the effects of supplementation of folate and/or ascorbate on blood glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level, serum concentrations of homocysteine and cholesterol, plasma oxidized low density-lipoprotein (LDL), concentration and plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 92 type 2 diabetes patients participated voluntarily with written consents. They were divided into one of the four experimental groups; Control (C), Folate-supplemented (F), Ascorbate-supplemented (A), and Folate plus ascorbate-supplemented (FA). The subjects in C were taken placebo, those in F were supplemented 1 mg of folate, those in A received 1,000 mg of ascorbate, and those in FA were given 1 mg of folate plus 1,000 mg of ascorbate daily for 4 weeks. Supplementation of folate or ascorbate resulted to increase serum folate level or plasma ascorbate concentration apparently, respectively. Folate supplementation not ascorbate seemed to decrease plasma concentrations of homocysteine and oxidized LDL and reduce plasma GSH-Px activity. There might not be synergic effect of the supplementation of folate plus ascorbate. The results indicate that oxidative stress in the patients with type 2 diabetes may lower mainly by folate supplementation.

The Effect of Dexpanthenol in Postoperative Patients

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of dexpanthenol in postoperative patients. Dexpanthenol, the alcohol derivative of pantothenic acid, is believed to be a precursor of acetylcholine through its incorporation into coenzyme-A. METHODS: From June 2005 to December 2005, 130 curative abdominal surgery, which were divided into a dexpanthenol group with 65 patients and a control group with 65 patients, were prospectively and randomly studied for recovery of bowel motility. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the two groups as to incidence of postoperative ileus (16.9% vs. 15.4%, P=0.081), the time to flatus (77.2+/-38.4 vs. 77.9+/-31.9 hours, P=0.90), the time to defecation (5.3+/-2.7 vs. 5.1+/-2.6 days, P=0.77), the time to resumption of meals (7.9+/-4.0 vs. 8.9+/-4.2 days, P=0.17), and the duration of hospital stay (16.4+/-7.8 vs. 17.9+/-11.5 days, P=0.39). CONSLUSIONS: Since no differences in the postoperative bowel motility were observed between the two groups, dexpanthenol is not recommended for general surgical use.

Sparganosis : two cases report / 한국유방암학회지

Sparganosis is not a common disease. Uncooked snake or frog, infected water and fresh water fish are the usual important source of sparganosis. Most cases of sparganosis are found in subcutaneous or adipose tissue of the abdominal and thoracic wall, and also in the inguinal inguinal regions, but the lesions are rarely found in the breast. We experienced 2 cases of sparganosis in the breast of a 69-year-old female & in the breast of a 37-year-old female. Among them, the 37-year-old female had a history of drinking impure water. The diagnosis was confirmed by surgical excision of the mass, and the plain mammography showed the characteristic finding of an irregular shaped, heterogenous mass lesion. We report here on this case and we briefly review the related literature.