ABSTRACT
Green tea has been reported to result in improvements in a range of health parameters. However, most research has only documented the effects of green tea brewed from leaves or leaf extracts. In addition to the leaves, the roots of tea plants also possess unique properties because of their requirements for growth, which may enable them to have useful physiological effects. We used a hydroponic system to grow the plants and explored the physiological effects of the roots, which biosynthesize one of the rarest functional amino acids, theanine (?-ethylamide-L-glutamic acid). The level of theanine was much higher in the roots than in the leaves, and the roots also differed in other aspects of their chemical composition. We evaluated the effects of tea-root extract on the cognitive function and emotions of aged rats. Our results show that, in the object recognition test, aged rats drinking tea-root extract tended to show improved cognitive function and were more relaxed than the control group, which drank tap water. Furthermore, using a mouse model of human aging, we found that the average life span of mice that consumed the root extract was significantly increased. We suggest that tea roots contain unique components that may improve impaired physiological functions, and we therefore propose tea-root extract as a novel nutraceutical.
ABSTRACT
Аbstract@#Ischemic heart disease (IHD) remains one of the most important disorders associated with disability and mortality worldwide, and is one of the major causes of cardiovascular diseases in Mongolia. The objective of the current study was to determine the prevalence of IHD and its related factors in a general population in Mongolia.</br> We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey between March and September, 2009. General participants were recruited from urban to rural regions in a multistage random cluster sampling method. The diagnosis of IHD was based on the Rose questionnaire and electrocardiographic findings. A total of 369 (16.2%) subjects with IHD were diagnosed among 2280 participants. The prevalence of subjects with IHD was significantly increased by age: from 9.9% in individuals age 40-44 years compared to 17.7% in those over 60 years. Smoking habits (former and current) and non-frequent intake of fruits and vegetables were significantly positively associated with IHD in men, while heavy alcohol drinking habits and lower education period of time were significantly positively associated with IHD in women. </br> IHD was found to be prevalent, especially among people aged over 40 years, in Mongolia. Statistical factors related to IHD were found to be significantly different based on sex. The current data may provide relevant information to prevent IHD in the Mongolian population.
ABSTRACT
Background@#Although cardiovascular health is a crucial problem for Mongolian people, little information about metabolic syndrome (MetS), associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, is available in Mongolia. @*Aim@#The aim of this study was to observe the epidemiological features of MetS in a general Mongolian population.@*Material and Methods@#This cross-sectional study was performed in 1911 general Mongolian subjects (men=717, women=1194), who were aged ≥ 40 years and free of ischemic heart disease. The prevalence of MetS, as defined by International Diabetes Federation criteria, was determined.@*Result@#The prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in women (n=488, 40.9%) than in men (n=138, 19.2%). The prevalence of MetS was high, especially in the Khangai region. A moderateto-high alcohol consumption was a significantly positively associated factor of MetS in men (odds ratio [OR] =2.01; 95% confidential interval [CI]: 1.15-3.51; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =2.41; 95% CI: 1.31-4.44) and widowed status was a significantly positively associated factor of MetS in women (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 1.18-2.18; AOR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.07-2.08). @*Conclusion @#MetS was prevalent in women compared with men among Mongolian adults. Preventive strategies aimed at men with higher alcohol consumption and women of widowed status may help reduce MetS, thereby improving cardiovascular health conditions in Mongolia.
ABSTRACT
Background Although cardiovascular health is a crucial problem for Mongolian people, little information about metabolic syndrome (MetS), associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, is available in Mongolia. Aim The aim of this study was to observe the epidemiological features of MetS in a general Mongolian population. Material and Methods This cross-sectional study was performed in 1911 general Mongolian subjects (men=717, women=1194), who were aged ≥ 40 years and free of ischemic heart disease. The prevalence of MetS, as defined by International Diabetes Federation criteria, was determined. Results The prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in women (n=488, 40.9%) than in men (n=138, 19.2%). The prevalence of MetS was high, especially in the Khangai region. A moderate-to-high alcohol consumption was a significantly positively associated factor of MetS in men (odds ratio [OR] =2.01; 95% confidential interval [CI]: 1.15-3.51; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =2.41; 95% CI: 1.31-4.44) and widowed status was a significantly positively associated factor of MetS in women (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 1.18-2.18; AOR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.07-2.08). Conclusion MetS was prevalent in women compared with men among Mongolian adults. Preventive strategies aimed at men with higher alcohol consumption and women of widowed status may help reduce MetS, thereby improving cardiovascular health conditions in Mongolia.
ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to determine if there is an association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and apolipoprotein E (apo E) genes and the serum lipid profile in pregnancy and puerperium. Non-diabetic women of European descent in the third semester of pregnancy (N = 120) were selected. Those with diseases or other condition that could modify their lipid profile were excluded from the study (N = 32). Serum lipids were measured by routine laboratory procedures and genomic DNA was extracted by a salting out method. LPL (PvuII and HindIII) and apo E (HhaI) SNPs were detected by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Categorical and continuous variables were compared by the chi-square test and Student t-test or ANOVA, respectively. Women carrying the LPL P1P1 genotype had higher serum LDL cholesterol (N = 21; 155 ± 45 mg/dL) than women carrying the P1P2/P2P2 genotypes (N = 67; 133 ± 45 mg/dL; P = 0.032). During the puerperium period, serum levels of triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol were significantly reduced in women carrying the P1P1 (73 percent, P = 0.006) and P1P2 (51 percent, P = 0.002) genotypes but not in women carrying the P2P2 genotype (23 percent, P > 0.05). On the other hand, serum concentrations of lipids did not differ between the LPL HindIII and apo E genotypes during pregnancy and after delivery. We conclude that LPL PvuII SNP is associated with variations in serum lipids during pregnancy and the puerperal period in non-diabetic women.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Apolipoproteins E/genetics , Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific/genetics , Lipids/blood , Lipoprotein Lipase/genetics , Postpartum Period/blood , Pregnancy/blood , Analysis of Variance , DNA , White People , Gene Frequency , Genotype , Lipids/genetics , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
The extract of black and green tea (Camellia sp.) which are widely consumed as commonest beverage, decreased the 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate (TPA) induced promotion of transformation in dose dependent manner in JB6 mouse epidermal cell system. The probable mechanisms have been discussed.