Borage oil attenuates progression of cardiac remodeling in rats after myocardial infarction

ABSTRACT PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of Borage oil on cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: Male Wistar rats underwent ligation of the left coronary artery and divided into three groups: MI (control), BO-18 (18 mg/kg of borage oil) and BO-180 (180 mg/kg of borage oil). After seven days, heart was arrested in diastole and processed for histological evaluation of: MI size, LV dilation, myocyte hypertrophy, inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis in MI region and in remote region. The relative weight of the lung was used as a marker of heart failure. The MI size was comparable among groups. RESULTS: Compared to control, BO treated groups showed lower weight of heart and lungs, reduced LV dilation and myocyte hypertrophy. Hemodynamic measurements were comparable. The treatment attenuated the inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis in remote myocardium. CONCLUSION: Borage oil attenuates progression of cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure.

[Effects of dietary gamma-linolenic acid and docosahexaenoic acid with paclitaxel on the treatment of mice mammary carcinoma]

Breast cancer is one of the most important causes of death in women. One of the various gene expression involved in breast cancer is human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2/neu] gene expression increases. Factors of dietary affect on regulation of hormone secretion and the rate of breast cancer. One of these factors is amount and type of fats in diet. Gamma-linolenic acid [GLA] and Docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] are members of poly unsaturated fatty acids. In this study, effects of dietary GLA and DHA alone or together with paclitaxel on treatment of mice mammary carcinoma has been evaluated. Thirty female balb/c mice were divided in six groups randomly. Carcinomatous mass induced by tumor implantation method. Spontaneous breast adenocarcinoma of mice were used as tumor stock. The tumors of these mice were removed aseptically, dissected into 0.5 cm3 pieces. These pieces were transplanted subcutaneously into their right flank. GLA and DHA added to the mice diet two week prior to tumor implantation. At the end of intervention, tumors were removed and HER2 gene expression was measured. The weight of animal and tumor volume measured weekly. It was not significant change in the weight of animals that consumed DHA and DHA with taxol. Tumor volume in those groups that received corn oil with taxol [P<0.01], DHA [P<0.05] and DHA with taxol [P<0.001] showed significant decrease in comparison with control group. HER2 gene expression in DHA with taxol decreased significantly in comparison with control group [P<0.05]. Consumption of DHA oil with taxol causes decrease the volume of carcinoma mass. The future studies with large number of sample is needed to support this finding.

Assessment of anticoagulant effect of evening primrose oil

Effect of evening primrose oil [EPO] was assessed on coagulation parameters following 30 and 60 days administration of 90, 180 and 360 micro l/kg oil to healthy rabbits of either sex. There was significant increase in all assays except Fibrinogen time. These effects might be due to inactivation or inhibition of factors affecting coagulation. The intake of evening primrose oil also significantly decreased platelet count. Results of this study suggest that evening primrose oil shows considerable anti-anticoagulant and anti-platelet activity in animals and has potential to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality

Tratamento de pacientes pós-menopausadas cardiopatas com ácido gama-linolênico / Treatment of cardiopatic patients after the menopause with gamma-linolenic acid

Avalia o efeito do óleo de borragem, cujo princípio ativo é o ácido gamalinolênico sobre a proporçäo corporal, a hipertensäo arterial, os sintomas menopausais e o metabolismo lipídico em pacientes cardiopatas após a menopausa. Realiza um estudo duplo-cego prospectivo e aleatório com 63 pacientes cardiopatas, com idade média de 52 anos e idade menopausal média de 5,6 anos. A elas foram administradas cápsulas gelatinosas contendo 500mg de placebo ou substância ativa, controladas através de consultas clínicas e exames laboratoriais realizados em 3 tempos (0,45, 90 dias). Ocorreu diferença significativa entre os 2 grupos quanto aos sintomas no ítem "bem estar". Näo houve diferença significativa quanto à proporçäo corporal, a pressäo arterial e o perfil lipídico. No entanto, os dados estatísticos sugerem tendência a melhora com a droga ativa quanto ao colesterol total, pressäo sistólica, peso e proporçäo corporal evidenciada pela medida do quadril. A comparaçäo com a literatura sugere que doses maiores da substância ativa poderiam produzir melhores resultados. A ausência de efeitos colaterais, bem como de efeitos deletérios sobre a cardiopatia, associada à obtençäo de bem estar, leva à conclusäo de que a droga pode ser utilizada no tratamento de pacientes cardiopatas pós menopausadas