Desarrollo inicial de un fitofármaco derivado del jugo de citrus limón (limón) para el tratamiento de crisis hipertensivas / Development of a phyto-drug derived from citrus lemon juice to treat acute blood pressure elevations

Objetivo: Obtener un fitofármaco a base de extracto seco de limón con estándares de calidad, procesamiento amigable con el medio ambiente y con antecedentes de efectividad y seguridad, evaluando sus efectos en pacientes hipertensos con frecuentes crisis hipertensivas. Métodos y resultados: Se seleccionó la población de limónes de las Regiones Metropolitana y Coquimbo con las concentraciones más altas de ácido ascórbico y flavonoides totales, respectivamente. Se utilizó liofilización para obtener jugo de limón en polvo. Sólo durante el período de estudio, se informó un caso de aumento/ crisis hipertensiva. La formulación con la concentración más alta de ácido ascórbico disminuyó la presión arterial sistólica y diastólica en 16 mmHg desde 10 minutos hasta 60 minutos. Por otro lado, la formulación con mayor concentración de flavonoides disminuyó la presión arterial en 12 a 30 mmHg desde 5 a 60 minutos. Conclusión: Se obtuvo un producto innovador como complemento al manejo de los aumentos de presión arterial. Los principios activos con mayor contribución al mecanismo antihipertensivo del jugo de limón corresponden a compuestos fenólicos, específicamente, flavonoides.

Aim: To obtain a product based on a dry extract of standardized phytodrug lemon with high quality standards, using an environmentally friendly process; to evaluate its effects in hypertensive patients suffering frequent episodes of hypertensive crisis. Methods and Results: Lemons with high concentration of ascorbic acid (Coquimbo Region) or total flavonoids (Metropolitan Region) were selected. Lyophilization was used to obtain juice powder. During the study period only one case of hypertensive crisis was reported. The formula with the highest concentration of ascorbic acid decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 16 mmHg from 10 minutes up to 60 minutes. On the other hand, the formula with the highest concentration of flavonoids decreased blood pressure from 12 to 30 mmHg between 5 and 60 minutes. Conclusion: An novel product to help decrease acutely elevated blood pressure was obtained that can be used as a complement to the management of acute blood pressure rises. The active principles with greater contribution to the antihypertensive mechanism of lemon juice corresponded to phenolic compounds, specifically flavonoids.

SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF HONEY AND LEMON JUICE-ENRICHED MULBERRY DIETS ON THE GROWTH OF SILKWORM, BOMBYX MORI DURING METAMORPHOSIS

Synergistic impact of honey and lemon juice-enriched mulberry diets on the growth of Bombyx mori was studied. The body size progressively increased during larval stage, but declined during pupal and adult stages. The nutrient diets promoted larval growth and positively modulated pupal and adult growth. The larval growth curves are typical Gompertz trajectories that re?ected the growth promoting nature of honey and lemon juice. The log-based growth curves were used to derive critical larval body size determinants that control molting and metamorphosis. The nutrient diets improved critical body size determinants without affecting their time schedules. The compound periodical growth rates showed instar-speci?c and stage-speci?c variations. The size speci?c growth rates in body mass, length and perimeter dimensions indicated the prevalence of an effective mass management mechanism as de?ned in the Hutchinson's investment principle. The silkworm recorded either higher or lower growth ratios indicating deviation from the Dyar's constancy rule.

Change of 24-hour Urinary Citrate Level after Dietary Manipulation with Lemon Juice in Urolithiasis Patients / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: Citrate is a well recognized inhibitor of the formation of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate stones. Hypocitraturia is a common etiology of recurrent calcium nephrolithiasis, with an incidence of 19 to 63%. Potassium citrate therapy can be a useful therapeutic approach for the management of calcium nephrolithiasis. But pharmacological treatment of hypocitraturic calcium nephrolithiasis requires taking too many tablets, or numerous crystal package or liquid supplements throughout the day. This cumbersome regimen often decreases patient compliance. We administered dietary citrate via lemon juice to stone former and evaluated the change of citrate levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The prospective study included 7 women and 8 men with documented recurrent or multiple urinary stone disease. None of the subjects suffered from renal impairment, urinary tract infection and other metabolic disorder. Controls comprised 6 voluntary men. They had no previous stone history and no evidence of stone. Patients ingested total 1 liter of lemon juice(containing 4.0gm/L.citrate) divided at 6 hours interval without strict diet restriction. Urine specimens were obtained for urinary citrate levels after 2-3days of lemon juice therapy and compared to pre-lemon juice baseline values. RESULTS: All 15 patient showed increased urinary citrate levels during lemon juice therapy. Average urinary citrate levels increased from 146+/-109mg/day at baseline to 453+/-226mg/day during treatment(p0.05). Urinary pH increased from 5.9+/-0.4 at baseline to 6.8+/-0.6 during treatment(p<0.05). No patient complained of gastrointestinal discomforts. CONCLUSIONS: Citrate supplementation with lemon juice increased urinary citrate levels and urinary pH. Lemon juice is well tolerated dietary source of citrate and would be beneficial in the control of calcium urolithiasis.