Magnesium bioavailability after administration of sucrosomial® magnesium: results of an ex-vivo study and a comparative, double-blinded, cross-over study in healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted an ex-vivo analysis and a study in healthy subjects to compare magnesium bioavailability after administration of Sucrosomial® magnesium or commercially available preparations of magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide and magnesium bisglycinate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the ex-vivo study we simulated magnesium intestinal absorption after digestion through sections of intestinal mucosa isolated from rats. We compared the absorption of magnesium oxide and Sucrosomial® magnesium at two different concentrations: 32.9 mg/ml and 329 mg/ml. The human study was a single day double-blinded repeated crossover study in healthy subjects. Each subject was administered 350 mg magnesium in different formulations (Sucrosomial® magnesium, magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide or magnesium bisglycinate) after 1 week of washout. We collected blood and urine samples to measure magnesium concentration in blood, urine and red blood cells. RESULTS: The ex-vivo evaluation showed that magnesium absorption after administration of Sucrosomial® magnesium was faster and with higher rates compared to a standard formulation of magnesium oxide. This finding was further confirmed by the results of the study in healthy subjects, that showed a more evident increase in magnesium concentration after administration of Sucrosomial® magnesium compared to the other formulations. In particular, the increase in magnesium concentration from baseline to 24 h was statistically higher in blood and in urine for Sucrosomial® magnesium compared to magnesium oxide, while in red blood cells Sucrosomial® magnesium had a statistically significant advantage compared to magnesium bisglycinate. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that Sucrosomial® magnesium leads to an increased bioavailability of magnesium compared to other formulations. Further studies are needed to investigate if this advantage turns into more evident clinical efficacy.

The effect of systemic corticosteroid therapy on the expression of toll-like receptor 2 and toll-like receptor 4 in the cutaneous lesions of leprosy Type 1 reactions.

BACKGROUND: Leprosy is complicated by immunological reactions which can occur before, during and after successful completion of multidrug therapy. Genetic studies have suggested that polymorphisms in toll-like receptors (TLRs) may affect the susceptibility of an individual with leprosy to developing Type 1 reactions. OBJECTIVES: To examine the gene and protein expression of TLRs in the cutaneous lesions of leprosy Type 1 reactions at the onset of reaction and during systemic corticosteroid therapy. METHODS: Patients who were being treated for leprosy type 1 reactions with corticosteroids as part of a randomized controlled trial of corticosteroid treatment had skin biopsies performed before, during and at the end of treatment. The gene and protein expression of TLR2 and TLR4 were measured. RESULTS: We have demonstrated that the gene hARP-P0 is a suitable control gene for TLR gene expression studies in this population. The gene and protein expression of TLR2 and TLR4 were both reduced significantly during corticosteroid treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to examine the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in vivo in individuals experiencing leprosy Type 1 reactions. The data support the possibility of an important role for TLR2 and TLR4 in the pathogenesis of this important complication of leprosy.