Metabolic effects of oral vitamin D supplementation as an adjuvant therapy on subjects with type 2 diabetes

Background: It is common for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to have vitamin D deficiency. Aim of the study is to determine the metabolic effects of oral vitamin D supplementation in a cohort of T2DM subjects.Methods: Subjects with T2DM were divided into two groups. Group A (Control) included subjects who received the standard treatment (conventional antidiabetic drugs). Group B (Intervention), apart from the standard treatment (conventional antidiabetic drugs), was also supplemented with Vitamin D3. All the patients were followed up at baseline, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months.Results: Vitamin D deficiency was noted down in all the study subjects. Even after 18 months of supplementation, all subjects remained vitamin D deficient. There was a significant improvement in the circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Improvement in the lipid profile of subjects was observed as evidenced by a decrease in total cholesterol (5.0±0.92 mmol/l) as compared to baseline (5.5±1.6 mmol/l). HOMA-IR changed significantly after 18 months of supplementation from baseline (7.0±1.06 vs 10.8±1.96 nmol/l).Conclusions: Supplementation to achieve higher levels of vitamin D remains a promising adjuvant therapy for T2DM patients. Additionally, the intervention brought out a favourable change in HDL/LDL ratio among study subjects.

Effect of precocene on development of ovarian follicles in flesh fly, Sarcophaga ruficornis F.

Administration of precocene II (6,7-dimethoxy-2, 2-dimethyl chromene) to freshly emerged virgin female flies of S. ruficornis adversely affected the development and differentiation of ovarian follicles leading to a number of morphological abnormalities. Precocene treatment resulted into suppression of development of egg chamber, differentiation of follicular epithelium, degeneration of nurse cells, growth of oocyte and uptake of yolk granules by oocytes. The results suggest that precocene induced effects are due to deficiency of juvenile hormone.

Heterochrony in cotton bollworm, Earias vitella (Fb) following ethoxyprecocene administration.

Administration of a synthetic precocene analogue, 7-ethoxy-6-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl chromene to fourth and last instar larvae of E. vitella results into heterochrony, viz. prothetely and metathetely. These disturbances are due to interference with the endocrine system and application of juvenile hormone to treated larvae abolishes the effect of ethoxyprecocene.