[Body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and nutritional status in adolescents]. / Insatisfacción corporal, autoestima, sintomatologia depresiva y estado nutricional en adolescentes.

In adolescence and especially in females, greater body dissatisfaction has been evidenced, which is defined as a negative evaluation of one's own body, being a strong predictor of eating disorders and obesity. OBJECTIVE: To relate body dissatisfaction with self-esteem, depression, and body mass index in adolescents. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional study in a sample of 397 school adolescents (180 males and 217 females) from Concepción, Chile, aged 10 to 19 years, to whom the following instruments were applied: Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) to assess body dissatisfaction, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Beck's Depression Inventory-II for those older than 14 years, and Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale for those younger than 14 years. Body mass index z-score was determined. Spearman's correlation coefficient was estimated for all variables. RESULTS: Body dissatisfaction was reported in 54.9 % of females and 18.3 % of males. Body dissatisfaction was positively correlated with age, z-BMI, and depression (p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with self-esteem (p < 0.01). When body dissatisfaction was differentiated by sex, the same significant correlations remained, except for age. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm the relationship between body dissatisfaction with self-esteem, depression, and BMI. The importance of promoting healthy self-esteem and body image from an early age to prevent eating disorders and obesity is emphasized.

Adaption and reliability of the Nutrition Environment Measures for stores (NEMS-S) instrument for use in urban areas of Chile.

OBJECTIVE: To adapt and assess reliability of the Chilean version of Nutritional Environment Measurement for Stores (NEMS-S-CHILE) to measure the food environment of stores in urban areas. DESIGN: NEMS-S-CHILE was the NEMS-S tool adapted to the Chilean food patterns; foods were grouped according to level of processing in (a) unprocessed or minimally processed foods, (b) processed culinary ingredients, (c) processed foods, and (d) ultra-processed foods, and scored according to NEMS-S-CHILE tool. Reliability inter evaluators was measured. SETTING: City of Concepción, Bio-Bio region, Chile. PARTICIPANTS: Seventeen of a total of 25 supermarkets, and 9 out of 10 street markets according to the municipal registry and the street market trade unions, representing 74.3% of both types of food premises in Concepción. RESULTS: Reliability inter evaluators was measured by the following aspects: product availability, price, quality, and variety, through the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), percent agreement, and Cohen's kappa analysis. Reliability was high for availability, where the kappa index and ICC were acceptable, ranging from moderate to high (0.42 to 1.00 for the kappa coefficient and 0.65 to 1.00 for ICC), as well as for prices (ICC: 0.65-1.00 ), variety (kappa: 0.76-1.00) and quality (percent agreement: 68.2- 100%). CONCLUSIONS: The adapted instrument, NEMS-S-CHILE, has a high reliability inter evaluators and can be useful to measure the availability of foods by the level of processing according to the prevalent food system in developing countries.

Hyssopus Essential Oil: An Update of Its Phytochemistry, Biological Activities, and Safety Profile.

The genus Hyssopus is widespread in central Asia, East Mediterranean, and Mongolian areas. It has six main species which are used as herbal remedies, such as Hyssopus officinalis which is used as a condiment and flavoring agent in food industry. The other five species are H. ambiguus, H. cuspidatus, H. latilabiatus, H. macranthus, and H. seravschanicus. Its species are used in the treatment of various ailments such as cold, cough, loss of appetite, fungal infection, and spasmodic condition. Its constituents especially essential oils are popularly used as an additive in beverages, foods, and cosmetics. The volatile constituents are used for aroma in the food industry, cosmetic industry, and household products. The important active constituents in its essential oils are ß-pinene, pinocamphone, isopinocamphone, and other terpenoids. Hyssopus genus is also bundled with other secondary metabolites including flavonoids luteolin, quercetin, apigenin, and their glucosides, as well as phenolic compounds including ferulic, p-hydroxy-benzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic, and caffeic acid. Combinedly, the extracts of Hyssopus are reported to have potential antiviral and antifungal activities proven using in vitro studies, whereas in vivo investigations have reported the crucial role of Hyssopus extracts in plasma membrane relaxation, cytotoxic, and sedative effects. This plant is believed to be relatively safe at levels commonly used in foods; nevertheless, more studies are needed to determine the safety profile.

An Update of Anthraquinone Derivatives Emodin, Diacerein, and Catenarin in Diabetes.

Diabetes is part of metabolic diseases and is characterized by high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period as result of an insulin-deficient production or an inappropriate response to insulin by our cells. This chronic disease was the direct cause of 1.6 million deaths in 2016 as reported by the World Health Organization. Emodin is a natural product and active ingredient of various Chinese herbs with the chemical formula 1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone. Diacerein is another naturally occurring anthraquinone (1,8-diacetoxy-3-carboxyanthraquinone) commonly used as commercial drug to treat osteoarthritis. These two anthraquinone derivatives have been shown to exert antidiabetic activities. Emodin seems to enhance the glucose tolerance and insulin sensibility via activation of PPARγ and modulation of metabolic-related genes. Diacerein seems to decrease inflammatory cytokines and increase insulin secretion enhancing insulin sensibility and therefore improving glucose control. Other naturally occurring anthraquinone derivatives, such as catenarin (1,4,6,8-tetrahydroxy-3-methylanthraquinone), have been shown to have antidiabetic activities although few studies have been performed. The synthesis of new emodin derivatives is increasing, but these new molecules have not been tested for diabetes treatment. In the current work, available literature on anthraquinone derivatives' effects in diabetes disease is reviewed. Moreover, we discuss the chemistry, food sources, bioavailability, and toxicity of the naturally occurring anthraquinone with antidiabetic effects.

Phytochemicals as Potential Epidrugs in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Type 2 diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) prevalence has significantly increased worldwide in recent years due to population age, obesity, and modern sedentary lifestyles. The projections estimate that 439 million people will be diabetic in 2030. T2DM is characterized by an impaired ß-pancreatic cell function and insulin secretion, hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, and recently the epigenetic regulation of ß-pancreatic cells differentiation has been underlined as being involved. It is currently known that several bioactive molecules, widely abundant in plants used as food or infusions, have a key role in histone modification and DNA methylation, and constituted potential epidrugs candidates against T2DM. In this sense, in this review the epigenetic mechanisms involved in T2DM and protein targets are reviewed, with special focus in studies addressing the potential use of phytochemicals as epidrugs that prevent and/or control T2DM in vivo and in vitro. As main findings, and although some controversial results have been found, bioactive molecules with epigenetic regulatory function, appear to be a potential replacement/complementary therapy of pharmacological hypoglycemic drugs, with minimal side effects. Indeed, natural epidrugs have shown to prevent or delay the T2DM development and the morbidity associated to dysfunction of blood vessels, eyes and kidneys due to sustained hyperglycemia in T2DM patients.

Native Chilean Berries Preservation and In Vitro Studies of a Polyphenol Highly Antioxidant Extract from Maqui as a Potential Agent against Inflammatory Diseases.

The best conservation method for native Chilean berries has been investigated in combination with an implemented large-scale extract of maqui berry, rich in total polyphenols and anthocyanin to be tested in intestinal epithelial and immune cells. The methanolic extract was obtained from lyophilized and analyzed maqui berries using Folin-Ciocalteu to quantify the total polyphenol content, as well as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) to measure the antioxidant capacity. Determination of maqui's anthocyanins profile was performed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC-MS/MS). Viability, cytotoxicity, and percent oxidation in epithelial colon cells (HT-29) and macrophages cells (RAW 264.7) were evaluated. In conclusion, preservation studies confirmed that the maqui properties and composition in fresh or frozen conditions are preserved and a more efficient and convenient extraction methodology was achieved. In vitro studies of epithelial cells have shown that this extract has a powerful antioxidant strength exhibiting a dose-dependent behavior. When lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-macrophages were activated, noncytotoxic effects were observed, and a relationship between oxidative stress and inflammation response was demonstrated. The maqui extract along with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) have a synergistic effect. All of the compiled data pointed out to the use of this extract as a potential nutraceutical agent with physiological benefits for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Ficus plants: State of the art from a phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological perspective.

Ficus genus is typically tropical plants and is among the earliest fruit trees cultivated by humans. Ficus carica L. is the common fig, Ficus benjamina L. is the weeping fig, and Ficus pumila L. is the creeping fig. These species are commonly used in traditional medicine for a wide range of diseases and contain rich secondary metabolites that have shown diverse applications. This comprehensive review describes for Ficus genus the phytochemical compounds, traditional uses and contemporary pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiulcer, and anticonvulsant. An extended survey of the current literature (Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed) has been carried out as part of the current work. The trends in the phytochemistry, pharmacological mechanisms and activities of Ficus genus are overviewed in this manuscript: antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity, antiseizure and anti-Parkinson's diseases, cytotoxic and antioxidant. Health-promoting effects, recent human clinical studies, safety and adverse effects of Ficus plants also are covered. The medical potential and long-term pharmacotherapeutic use of the genus Ficus along with no serious reported adverse events, suggests that it can be considered as being safe.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni bioactive effects: From in vivo to clinical trials towards future therapeutic approaches.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, a plant from South America and indigenous of Paraguay, has shown several biological effects and healthy properties, although it is especially used in South America and some Asiatic regions. In addition, it is a natural sweetener, almost 300 times sweeter than sucrose, being attributed to its phytoconstituents prominent antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic (antihyperglycemic, insulinotropic, and glucagonostatic), antiplatelet, anticariogenic, and antitumor effects. In this sense, this work aims to provide an extensive overview on the historical practices of stevia and its effects in human health based on its chemical composition and applications for both food and pharmaceutical industries.

Novel Therapies for Biofilm-Based Candida spp. Infections.

The presence of fungal infections continue to grow worldwide, mostly in immunosuppressed patients, and in individuals with continued antimicrobial treatments. Candida spp. are the most common yeasts involved in these disorders, being associated with a high rate of antifungal resistance and an increased ability to form biofilms, which make the treatment of these infections difficult. This review aims to present and discuss the main biofilm-related infections cause by several Candida spp. and novel therapies that are currently available in the clinical, scientific and academic environment. New drugs with promising antifungal activity, natural approaches (e.g. probiotics, essential oils, plant extracts, honey) and a final consideration on alternative methodologies, such as photodynamic therapy are presented and discussed.

Olanzapine-induced accumulation of adipose tissue is associated with an inflammatory state.

Second-generation antipsychotics are widely used in the treatment of all forms of psychoses, but they often produce undesirable side effects, among which are weight gain and other elements of metabolic syndrome. The mechanisms of these adverse effects are not known. The liver and adipose tissue are the principal candidate organs implicated in the development of antipsychotic-induced metabolic adverse effects. The present study investigated in the rat the effects on liver and white adipose tissue of a chronic treatment (46 days) with olanzapine 2 mg/kg or haloperidol 1 mg/kg, as compared with a control solution. In the liver, the expression of key genes involved in glucose transport and lipid metabolism and of regulatory transcription factors, as well as the TNFalpha gene, was not altered in response to either antipsychotic. Similarly, key genes involved in glucose transport and lipid metabolism were not changed in adipose tissue. However, the white adipose tissue was inflammatory in olanzapine-treated rats, with extensive macrophage infiltration and a significant increase in TNFalpha expression. In the plasma, TNFalpha and IL-1beta concentrations were slightly elevated. Chronic olanzapine treatment therefore produces a low-grade inflammatory state, likely initiated in the adipose tissue. Such an inflammatory state is known to be associated with an increased risk of insulin-resistance and cardiovascular diseases. This antipsychotic-induced inflammatory syndrome may participate in the inflammatory syndrome often observed in patients with schizophrenia. The strong and rather selective effect of olanzapine on TNFalpha expression may open new therapeutic opportunities for the prevention of olanzapine-induced metabolic abnormalities.

Early perturbation in feeding behaviour and energy homeostasy in olanzapine-treated rats.

RATIONALE: The antipsychotic drug, olanzapine, often induces weight gain and glucose metabolism disturbances, which may result from feeding pattern abnormalities. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to examine the effects of a chronic olanzapine treatment on feeding patterns in the rat and to investigate a potential time-related association between feeding patterns and the appearance of glucose metabolism abnormalities and adiposity. METHODS: Male rats were treated with olanzapine (2 mg/kg/day), haloperidol (1 mg/kg/day) or a control solution (drugs mixed with the food). In experiment 1, treatments lasted 26 days and feeding patterns were measured on day 21. In experiment 2, treatments lasted for 46 days, and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was realised on day 31. At the end of both experiments, plasma parameters and body composition were analysed. RESULTS: In experiment 1, olanzapine-treated animals showed increased meal number, decreased ingestion rate, meal size and inter-meal interval, and no change in total food intake. Plasma glucose, OGTT and body composition were not altered. In experiment 2, after 31 days of treatment, fasting blood glucose was increased and OGTT indicated an insulin resistance. After 46 days of treatment, hyperglycaemia was aggravated (compared to 31 days), and adiposity was increased in olanzapine-treated animals. In both experiments, the haloperidol-treated rats did not differ from the control ones. CONCLUSION: Chronic olanzapine treatment produces changes in feeding patterns, in a way consistent with an increased incentive drive to eat. As a whole, the results raise the hypothesis that long-term alteration of feeding pattern by olanzapine may predispose to disturbances in the regulation of energy metabolism.

Acute stress modifies food choice in Wistar male and female rats.

The present study investigates the effects of acute stress (15 min of swimming/day for three consecutive days) applied at the onset of the dark phase, just before the usual feeding time, on energy intake and more specifically on macronutrient selection, in male and female Wistar rats. The influence of stress regarding corticosterone and insulin kinetics was also examined. In the two experiments (1: food ad lib and 2: two feeding periods/day), three consecutive days of stress reduced daily body weight gain for both sexes. In the first experiment, the reduction in energy intake only occurred during the first 3h after stress. In males the 3h decrease in energy intake affected the three macronutrients, while in females, only the fat intake was decreased. In the second experiment, the stress only affected intake during the first feeding period. Protein, fat and CHO intakes were reduced in males, while in females only the protein and fat intakes were decreased. Unlike males, an increase in fat ingestion was observed in females; this occurred 6h after stress in experiment 1 and during the second feeding period 5h after stress in experiment 2. Stress raised plasma corticosterone levels in both sexes, while plasma insulin levels were decreased. These results demonstrate that the response to stress differed in males and females regarding macronutrient selection. Moreover, stress induced not only a quantitative effect on energy intake but also a qualitative one.