Effects of a vegetarian diet vs. a vegetarian diet enriched with avocado in hypercholesterolemic patients

To determine the effects of a vegetarian diet with avocado as a source of monounsaturated fat on serum lipids, thirteen patients with phenotype II (twelve with IIa and one with IIb) dyslidipidemia were included in a prospective, transversal and comparative study in chich three four-week diets randomly assigned were assessed. One vegetarian diet (ALVD) was composed of 70 percent carbohydrates, 10 percent proteins and 20 percent lipids. another was composed of 60 percent carbohydrates, 10 percent proteins and 30 percent lipids, 75 percent of which was supplied by avocado (AVD). A third diet was an avocado-added free diet (FDWA). Body wight, body mass index (BMI), and serum lipids (total cholesterol (TC), high (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides (TG) were evaluated. AVD produced a significant decrease in LDL. ALVD did not change TC and LDL, while FDWA increased them slightly. The three diets reduced TG levels, but only ALVD did so significantly. All three diets reduced HDL levels, particularly ALDV, which produced the greatest reduction. Low-fat carbohydrate-rich vegetarian diets may be harmful to hypercholesterolemic patients. The avocado addition to a vegetarian diet does not correct these undesirable effects. To obtain beneficial effects on lipid profiel with avocado, lower amounts of carbohydrates and polyunsaturated fatty acids are probably needed

Rapeseed diet and hepatocyte hypertrophy: an experimental morphometric study

En un estudio previo se sugirió que la dieta suplementada con semilla de nabo evita el desarrollo de cirrosis experimental en la rata. En el presente trabajo se demostró por morfometría que la semilla de nabo produce hipertrofia de los hepatocitos. Este crecimiento, a juzgar por los hallazgos con microscopía electrónica, dependió fundamentalmente de la superficie citoplásmica, y en menor grado, del núcleo del hepatocito. La combinación de semilla de nabo con tetracloruro de carbono (CC14) produjo igualmente hipertrofia; sin embargo, aquélla no modificó el cuadro histológico de cirrosis inducida por CC14. El hecho de que la hipertrofia provocada por la semilla de nabo sea básicamente a expensas de organelos membranosos sustenta la idea de que algún ingrediente de ésta modifica la actividad de síntesis o degradación proteínica del hepatocito.