ABSTRACT
The world's population is ageing at an accelerated pace. Ageing is a natural, physiological but highly complex and multifactorial process that all species in the Tree of Life experience over time. Physical and mental disabilities, and age-related diseases, would increase along with the increasing life expectancy. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a plant that belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, native to Southeast Asia. For hundreds of years, ginger has been consumed in various ways by the natives of Asian countries, both as culinary and medicinal herb for the treatment of many diseases. Mounting evidence suggests that ginger can promote healthy ageing, reduce morbidity, and prolong healthy lifespan. Ginger, a well-known natural product, has been demonstrated to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties, as well as an outstanding antiviral activity due to a high concentration of antiviral compounds. In this review, the current evidence on the potential role of ginger and its active compounds in the prevention of ageing is discussed.
Subject(s)
Healthy Aging , Zingiber officinale , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Antioxidants/therapeutic use , Antiviral Agents , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/therapeutic useABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate effects of the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) omeprazole, lansoprazole and pantoprazole, which are currently used for the treatment of hyperacidity and gastro-oesophageal reflux, on the reactivity of the isolated rat lower oesophageal sphincter. METHODS: Omeprazole, lansoprazole and pantoprazole (all 10(-9) -10(-3) m, cumulatively) were tested on carbachol-induced (10(-6) m) contraction. In addition, the effects of PPI preincubation (all 10(-3) m) on the contractions induced by cumulative carbachol (10(-9) -10(-5) m), angiotensin-2 (10(-9) -10(-5) m) or electrical field stimulation (EFS; 40 V, 32 Hz, 1 ms, 10 s) were assessed. Finally, the effects of PPI on the spontaneous contractile activity of the tissue were also evaluated. KEY FINDINGS: PPI relaxed precontracted lower oesophageal sphincter in a concentration-dependent manner and suppressed carbachol-, angiotensin- and EFS-induced contractions. Furthermore, PPI attenuated spontaneous contractile activity of the tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Omeprazole, lansoprazole and pantoprazole had a suppressor effect on lower oesophageal sphincter contractions.
Subject(s)
2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles/pharmacology , Esophageal Sphincter, Lower/drug effects , Muscle Relaxation/drug effects , Muscle, Smooth/drug effects , Omeprazole/pharmacology , Proton Pump Inhibitors/pharmacology , Angiotensins , Animals , Carbachol/pharmacology , Electric Stimulation , Esophageal Sphincter, Lower/physiology , Gastroesophageal Reflux , Lansoprazole , Pantoprazole , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) plays an important role in the physiological control of blood pressure and inflammation. We investigated an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the gene for ACE in relation to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory diseases. The purpose of the present study was to investigate a possible association between lung cancer and insertion/deletion polymorphism of the ACE gene. A total of 125 patients with lung cancer and 165 control subjects were enrolled in the present study. ACE I/D genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction. Allelic frequencies and genotype distribution of the ACE I/D polymorphism in the patient group were significantly different from control subjects (ACE II genotype 29.6 vs. 17.6%, P = 0.011; ACE I allele 49.6 vs. 39.4%, P =0.009). Our data suggest that the ACE I/D polymorphism could be a risk factor for patients with lung cancer.
Subject(s)
Lung Neoplasms/genetics , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/genetics , Polymorphism, Genetic , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Case-Control Studies , Female , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mutagenesis, Insertional , Risk Factors , Sequence Deletion , TurkeyABSTRACT
Progressive pigmentary purpura is a rare condition characterized by lymphocytic capillaritis histologically causing various clinical entities which are also named as persistent pigmented purpuric dermatoses. It is generally idiopathic; however, rare cases secondary to drugs and various diseases have been reported. In this report we describe a case of progressive pigmentary purpura induced by raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator which is primarily used in the treatment and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. As far as we know, no case of progressive pigmentary purpura has previously been reported as an adverse effect of raloxifene.
Subject(s)
Purpura/chemically induced , Raloxifene Hydrochloride/adverse effects , Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators/adverse effects , Disease Progression , Female , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To investigate the hypothesis that primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is associated with a common insertion-deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene. METHODS: ACE I/D polymorphism was investigated in a control group of healthy subjects (n = 101) and in a group of patients diagnosed with POAG (n = 104). Polymerase chain reaction detection of I/D polymorphism was used to determine the presence of the two ACE alleles in the groups. RESULTS: Neither the I/D genotype distributions nor the allele frequencies differed significantly between POAG and control subjects (DD genotype 34.6 vs. 39.6%; ID genotype 53.9 vs. 40.6%; II genotype 11.5 vs. 19.8%, p = 0.1; D allele 61.5 vs. 60%; I allele 38.5 vs. 40%, p = 0.8). CONCLUSION: We could not identify a possible association of the I/D polymorphism in the ACE gene with POAG, however further studies with larger patient numbers in different populations are required to clarify the role of ACE gene in susceptibility to POAG.
Subject(s)
Gene Deletion , Glaucoma, Open-Angle/genetics , Mutagenesis, Insertional , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/genetics , Polymorphism, Genetic , Female , Glaucoma, Open-Angle/enzymology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Polymerase Chain ReactionSubject(s)
Polymorphism, Genetic , Psoriasis/genetics , Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/genetics , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Arginine , Child , Glycine , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: It has been shown that arginine to glycine (Arg16Gly), glutamine to glutamic acid (Gln27Glu) and threonine to isoleucine (Thr164Ile) exchanges in codons 16, 27 and 164, respectively, of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor (B2AR) gene significantly alter receptor function. As B2ARs are located on the afferent blood vessels supplying the ciliary body and trabecular meshwork cells, which control aqueous humour dynamics, polymorphisms of B2AR may be involved in the pathophysiology of certain eye diseases, such as glaucoma. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution of B2AR polymorphisms in patients with primary congenital and primary open angle glaucoma. METHODS: A group of 30 patients with primary congenital glaucoma, 105 with primary open angle glaucoma and 92 control patients were analysed for the Arg16Gly, Gln27Glu, and Thr164IIe polymorphisms of the B2AR by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: The allelic frequencies of Gly16, Glu27 and IIe164 variant alleles were 66.7, 38.3 and 3.3% in patients with congenital glaucoma, 59.5, 31.0 and 1.0% with glaucoma, and 54.9, 26.6 and 0.5% in controls, respectively. Although statistically non-significant, the frequencies of variant alleles were slightly higher in both groups of the glaucoma patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest no evidence of an association between the Arg16Gly, Glu27Gln and Thr164Ile polymorphisms of the B2AR gene and risk of developing primary open angle glaucoma or primary congenital glaucoma. However, further studies are needed to understand the role of B2AR polymorphisms in patients with eye disease.
Subject(s)
Gene Frequency/genetics , Glaucoma, Open-Angle/genetics , Polymorphism, Genetic , Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/genetics , Child , Female , Genotype , Humans , Hydrophthalmos/genetics , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Free oxygen radicals are involved in inflammatory skin reactions induced by ultraviolet B (UVB). In this study, the effect of a herbal antioxidant Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) was investigated in UVB irradiated mice skin. METHODS: The study was carried out on four groups of mice (n = 6 in each group). The first group was a control group (G1). The second group (G2) was only exposed to acute UVB irradiation. The third group (G3) received 100 mg/kg/day of EGb 761 orally for 5 days before UVB irradiation and the fourth group (G4) was given only a single dose of EGb 761 immediately after UVB irradiation. Eighteen hours after exposing to UVB, lipid peroxide levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were studied and UVB damage was evaluated histopathologically according to "sun-burn cell count". RESULTS: The SOD activities and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in G2, G3 and G4 were found to be decreased significantly when compared with G1 (P < 0.05). The SOD activities of G3 and G4 were higher when compared with G2 (P < 0.05). The number of sunburn cells (SBCs) was the highest in G2. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that EGb 761 may have an important effect, both as a protective and therapeutic agent, in sunburn after UVB irradiation.
