Effect of progesterone-only contraception on vitamin D in human milk

Nowadays progesterone contraceptives are being used by lactating women. In the last century elements effective in bone growth in infants, such as calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D have been evaluated. Vitamin D has been mentioned mainly in relation to rickets prevention in infants. This study was initiated in order to investigate the effect of Progestin-only contraceptives on breast milk vitamin D. In this cohort study 138 lactating women were assigned to either the hormonal [52 participants] or non-hormonal [86 participants] groups according to their chosen method of contraception. The characteristics and goals of the study were explained in detail and informed consent was obtained from all subjects before inclusion in the study. Research units started their method of contraception 45 [7] days postpartum and continued at least for 6 months afterward. 10 ml milk samples were obtained before the baby nursed at 6 mos postpartum, and kept at -20 °C until analysis. Vitamin D levels were measured with RIA method. Vitamin D levels were found to be 11.2 [7.2] nmol/L in the hormonal and 10.67 +/- 6.6 nmol/L in the non-hormonal groups, which was lower than other cultures. There was not a significant difference between the vitamin D levels of the two groups statistically [P>0.05]. According the results, the consumption of progesterone-only contraceptives had no effect on the vitamin D levels of mothers' milk, although with regard to low levels of vitamin D in the milk of lactating mothers, it is necessary to enrich foods with vitamin D and for mothers to use vitamin D supplements

G1 phase arrest and apoptosis induction in human thyroid cancer cell line thr.C1.PI33 by 3-hydrogenkwadaphnin isolated from dendrostellera lessertii

Dendrostellera lessertii [Thymelaeaceae] is a toxic plant that grows in parts of Iran. The antiproliferative properties of its crude methanol extract and one of its active components, 3-hydrogenkwadaphnin [3-HK], have been established using several cancer cell lines. In a further attempt to determine the mode of action, two groups of synchronously growing cells were treated with a single dose of 3-HK [3.5 nM] and/or a single dose of the crude extract [equivalent to 0.36 mg plant powder]. Every 8 hours, the percentages of cells within G1, S, and G2-M phases were determined by flow cytometric [FCM] analysis; electron microscopic pictures were taken after fixation with 2% glutaraldehyde. Twelve hours after treatments, apoptotic cell death was confirmed by the observation of marked morphological changes of the plasma membrane as microvillar disappearance and the appearance of apoptotic bodies in the treated cells. FCM analyses revealed that the G1 phase arrest was under the influence of the pure substance. The results confirmed the previously drawn conclusion that the raw material and the pure substance from D. lessertii exert their anti-tumor effects through cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and diversion of cell fate toward programmed cell death