effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of saffron stigma [crocus sativus l.] on metabolic control parameters, liver enzymes, and renal function parameters in type 2 diabetic patients

Background: Uncontrolled metabolic status of diabetes induces multiple complications, such as liver and renal dysfunctions. Saffron as an herbal medicine may improve diabetes metabolic control

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of saffron on metabolic control parameters, liver enzymes, and renal function parameters in type 2 diabetic patients

Methods: In this triple-blind clinical trial, 54 type 2 diabetic patients randomly consumed 15 mg saffron or placebo capsules twice a day for 8 weeks. The following measurements were made during the study: 1. Fasting and 2-hour blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, cholesterol, triglyceride, low and high density lipoproteins, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate and alanine amino transferase, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine; 2. Physical activity at the beginning and the end of the study; 3. dietary intakes at the beginning, midst, and end of the study; 4. anthropometric parameters every 2 weeks; 5. blood pressure every 2 weeks. The data were analyzed using the SPSS. 18 software

Results: Fasting and 2-hour blood glucose, triglyceride, uric acid, and blood urea nitrogen decreased [35.5, 38.5, 0.62, and 4.5 mg/dl, respectively], and high density lipoprotein increased, significantly in the saffron group [P<0.05]

Changes in lipid profile components other than triglycerides were not statistically significant in the two groups. Significant changes in blood pressure, dietary intakes, and physical activity were not seen in either group either [P>0.05]

Conclusion: Saffron hydro-alcoholic extract may improve type 2 diabetic patients' condition through helping control blood glucose and some of the lipid profiles components. It can also improve renal function, which may be related to its antioxidant properties

Vitamin D status of type 2 diabetic patients compared with healthy subjects in the Islamic Republic of Iran

An inverse relationship has been shown between vitamin D deficiency and type 2 diabetes mellitus[DM]. In this cross-sectional study in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, a country with a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, we determined the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among 90 type 2 DM patients and 90 healthy subjects. Based on serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the rates of deficiency[< 50 nmol/L] and insufficiency[50-75 nmol/L] were 59.0% and 27.0% respectively in patients with type 2 DM, and 47.0% and 24.0% respectively in healthy subjects. Using the national cut-offs for vitamin D deficiency, 64.0% women with DM and 47.4% of healthy women were suffering from different degrees of vitamin D deficiency. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in men with type 2 DM and healthy men were 42.7% and 22.2% respectively. None of the differences between the 2 groups was statistically significant

[Relationship between serum zinc and leptin concentrations in postmenopausal diabetic women]

Leptin, a hormone secreted by the adipocytes, plays a key role in a feedback loop that maintains energy balance by signaling the state of energy stores to the brain and by influencing the regulation of appetite and energy metabolism. Zinc [Zn] also plays an important role in appetite regulation. It has been shown that Zn deficiency decreases appetite and that Zn supplementation increases it. Our aim is to evaluate the relationship between serum Zn, and leptin in postmenopausal diabetic women. We studied 45 diabetic women and 45 healthy women [controls] with Body Mass Index [BMI] 25-30 kg/m[2] and age 45-60y. Serum leptin, serum zinc, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha [TNF-alpha], and Interleukin-6 [IL-6] were determined in diabetic and healthy groups. Comparisons were performed with the t test in diabetic and healthy groups. Linear regression was used to evaluate the relations among different variables in the two groups. There was a non-significant, negative correlation between serum leptin and zinc in postmenopausal diabetic women [r=0.14], and, a non-significant, positive correlation between serum leptin and zinc in postmenopausal healthy women [r=0.10]. TNF-alpha and IL-6 have no significant effects on the relationship between serum zinc and leptin in postmenopausal diabetic and healthy women. There was no significant relationship between serum leptin and zinc in postmenopausal diabetic women. The pathophysiological pathways by which zinc and leptin regulate energy intake and appetite and the detailed mechanism between them need to be further clarified by future studies

Relationship between serum zinc and insulin concentration, insulin resistance and oxidative stress in postmenopausal diabetic women

The metabolism of Zine [Zn], an essential nutrient, changes in diabetes. It has been shown that there is a relationship between Zn and both, type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [IDDM] and type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM]. Increased lipid peroxidation in diabetic patients leads to MDA production. This study aimed to investigate relationships between serum Zn concentration and insulin, insulin resistance and oxidative stress in postmenopausal diabetic women. We studied 45 diabetic women and 45 healthy ones [controls] with BMI 25-30 kg/m2 and age 45-60 y. Fasting blood sugar [FBS], serum zinc, insulin, insulin resistance and MDA were determined in both groups. There were non significant correlations between Zn, insulin [r= -0.06] and insulin resistance [r = -0.027] and MDA [r = -0.09] as well in diabetic group. There were no significant relationships between serum zinc and insulin, insulin resistance and MDA in postmenopausal diabetic women

Relationship between serum leptin concentration and inflammatory factors and oxidative stress in postmenopausal type II diabetic women

Leptin, a hormone secreted by the adipocytes, has a role in the pathogenesis of obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM]. There are relationships between Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha [TNF-alpha] and lnterleukin-6 [IL-6] with Body Mass Index [BMI] and insulin resistance. Increased lipid peroxidation leads to produce MDA in diabetic people. It have been shown that, there are relationships between leptin and TNF-alpha, IL-6, and MDA, showing that increased lipid peroxidation leads to MDA production in diabetics. This study investigates relationships between serum leptin concentration and inflammatory intermediate and oxidative stress in postmenopausal diabetic women. We studied 45 postmenopausal diabetic women and 45 postmenopausal healthy women [controls], aged between 45-60 y and with BMI 25-30 kg/m2. Fasting blood sugar, serum leptin, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and MDA were determined in postmenopausal diabetics and healthy women, and comparisons were performed using the t test in the diabetic and healthy groups. Pearson correlation was used to evaluate the relations among different variables in two groups. There were non significant correlations between leptin and TNF-alpha [r=0.2] and IL-6 [r= -0.06] in postmenopausal diabetic women, and also between leptin and MDA [r= 0.04] in postmenopausal diabetic women. There were no significant relationships between serum leptin and TNF-alpha, IL-6, and MDA in postmenopausal diabetic womer It seems these relationships need to be further clarified in future studies with larger sample sizes

effect of conjugated linoleic acids, vitamin E and their combination on lipid peroxidation in active rheumatoid arthritis

Reactive oxygen species [ROS] have important role in the etiology and pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis [RA]. We investigated the effect of conjugated linoleic acids [CLAs] and vitamin E on lipid peroxidation. In a randomized, double-blind placebo, controlled, clinical trial 87 patients with active RA were enrolled. They were divided into 4 groups, received one of the following daily supplement for 3 months; 1- group C: 2.5 gr CLA, that contained 2 gr 50:50 mix of cis 9-trans 11 and trans 10-cis 12 CLAs, 2- group E: 400mg Vitamin E, 3-group CE: CLAs plus vitamin E, 4-group P: placebo. After supplementation Glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px] level increased in C, E and CE groups, CE group had lower GSH-Px than P group [P

[Change in food patterns and its relation to alterations in central adiposity in Tehranian of district 13 adults]

Obesity and its complications are a major health problem in Iran. The aim of this longitudinal study was to determine whether changes in food patterns were related to abdominal obesity in Tehranian adults of district 13. A total of 82 men and 124 women, [>/= 18 years old], were studied between 1999-2001 and 2004-2007. Subjects with abdominal obesity were defined according to ATPIII and WHO guidelines. Dietary intake was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire and two 24-hour dietary recalls. Food groups were determined according to their nutrients contents and previous literature. Food patterns were derived by factor analysis at each time point. The factor scores for each pattern for each subject were calculated by the amount of the intakes of each of the food groups weighted by their factor analysis coefficient matrix; the scores were then standardized [mean=0, SD=1]. Changes in food pattern, waist circumference [WC] and waist to hip ratio [WHR] were defined by subtracting the factor score for each food pattern and anthropometric measurements in the two time intervals. Men and women were 51 +/- 11 and 45 +/- 14 years of age at the end of study respectively. During the two periods of the study, mean WC increased from 89.5 +/- 10.4 to 97.6 +/- 9.1 in men and from 84.8 +/- 13.2 to 88.4 +/- 12.4 cm in women [p<0.05]. Three dietary patterns were identified and named by factor analysis as follows: Healthy [HDP], Western [WDP] and Mix[MDP]. In the WDP, salty snacks and sauces had the highest and in the HDP, vegetables had the highest and whole grain had the lowest loading factors in the two study periods. After adjusting for confounding factors better prediction of WC change was obtained in normal individuals with WDP change[beta=0.49, R2=0.21, p<0.01] compared with HDP[beta=-0.20, R2=0.11, p<0.05]. Change in WDP and HDP were related to the WHR change in abdominally obese persons [beta =0.21, R2=0.21, p<0.05], [beta =-0.23, R2=0.22, p<0.01] respectively. Results of this study indicate that adherence to HDP and decreasing intake of WDP items prevent central adiposity

Dietary salt reduction potentiates the action of hypotensive drugs

Hypertension is a common health problem. Hypotensive drugs and low salt diet are used in its treatment. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of a low-salt diet and drug therapy in the treatment of arterial hypertension. A total of 256 randomly selected patients with essential hypertension consulting the Non-contagious Diseases Clinic in Shahreza, Isfahan, Iran, were included in the study for a period of 28 days. They were divided into four groups. Groups A and B received both methyldopa [250 mg t.i.d.] and hydrochlorothiazide [daily 10 mg], the former consuming a normal and the second a low-salt diet. Groups C and D consumed a low-salt and a salt-free diet, respectively, with no drugs. Both treatments A and B caused statistically significant reductions in blood pressure even after seven days, but treatment B was much more effective. Reductions in blood pressure in Groups C and D were very little, even after 28 days. Using the three-way classification of analysis of variance, it was revealed that interactions existed among the three factors, i.e., age, diet and length of treatment, as regards lowering blood pressure. We conclude, confirming previous reports in the literature, that a low-salt diet potentiates the hypotensive action of antihypertensive drugs