High-fructose diet initially promotes increased aortic wall thickness, liver steatosis, and cardiac histopathology deterioration, but does not increase body fat index.

BACKGROUND: Dietary fats and fructose have been responsible for inducing obesity and body tissues damage due to the consequence of metabolic syndrome through several mechanisms. The body fat index (BFI) is one of the anthropometric measures used to detect obesity in rats. This study aims to examine the correlation between high-fat high-fructose diet and liver steatosis cell count, early atherosclerosis characteristics, and BFI in Sprague Dawley Rats. DESIGN AND METHODS: This was an experimental design using 2 groups of 12-weeks-old Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. The control group received a standard diet and tap water beverages for 17 weeks. The intervention group was fed with high-fat diet from modified AIN 93-M and additional 30% fructose drink. We analyzed the foam cell count, aortic wall thickness, cardiac histopathology, and liver steatosis cell count after the sacrifice process. RESULTS: The rats in the intervention group had a higher aortic wall thickness, liver steatosis, and foam cell count (+125%, p<0.01; +317%, p<0.01 and +165%, p<0.01 respectively) compared to the control group. The intervention group also showed higher mononuclear inflammatory and hypertrophic cell count. A significant positive correlation was found between dietary fructose with premature atherosclerosis by increasing foam cell count (r=0.66) and aortic wall thickness (r=0.68). In addition, 30% dietary fructose increased liver steatosis (r =0.69) and mononuclear inflammatory cardiac cell count (r=0.61). Interestingly, the intervention had no effect on BFI (p>0.5; r=0.13). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary fat and fructose consumption for 17 weeks promote atherosclerosis, liver steatosis, and cardiac histopathology alteration without increasing BFI.

The sensory, physical and nutritional quality profiles of purple sweet potato and soy-based snack bars for pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: The deficiency of energy, protein, and other beneficial nutrients during pregnancy causes chronic energy deficiency (CED). This condition increases the chance of having babies with low birth weight (LBW) and various other health problems. To meet these nutritional needs, supplementary feeding is necessary in the form of snack bar, using local food ingredients, such as purple sweet potatoes and soybeans (PSPS). This study determines the differences in a few aspects of PSPS snack bar, such as sensory acceptability, physical quality, and nutritional content in several formulations. DESIGN AND METHODS: The best three formulations were selected through sensory acceptability by involving 40 panelists and showed the following results P0 (commercial product), P2 (80% purple sweet potato: 20% soybean), and P3 (70% purple sweet potato: 30% soybean). Furthermore, these formulations were triplicated for further physical color test, the hardness and breaking force, as well as the nutritional analysis that includes both macro and micronutrients. RESULTS: The results showed significant differences (p<0.05) in the sensory acceptability, physical quality, nutritional content (except carbohydrate and iron), and antioxidant activity. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, snack bars with 70% purple sweet potato and 30% soybean gave the best formulation.

Green tea extract protects endothelial progenitor cells from oxidative insult through reduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species activity.

OBJECTIVES: Many studies have reported that tea consumption decreases cardiovascular risk, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Green tea is known to have potent antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. This study aimed to investigate whether green tea extract (GTE) can protect endothelial progenitors cells (EPCs) against oxidative stress through antioxidant mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated from peripheral blood by density gradient centrifugation with Ficoll. The cells were then plated on fibronectin-coated culture dishes. After 7 days of culture, EPCs were characterized as adherent cells double positive for DiI-ac-LDL uptake and lectin binding. EPCs were further identified by assessing the expression of CD34/45, CD133, and KDR. EPCs were then treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at doses of 50, 100, 200 µM and incubated with or without GTE (25 µg/ml). The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were detected by flow cytometry using a 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) fluorescent probe. RESULTS: GTE ameliorated the cell viability of EPCs induced by H2O2 at doses of 50, 100, 200 µM for about 25.47, 22.52, and 11.96% higher than controls, respectively. GTE also decreased the intracellular ROS levels of EPCs induced by H2O2 at doses of 50, 100, 200 µM for about 84.24, 92.27, and 93.72% compared to controls, respectively. CONCLUSION: GTE improves cell viability by reducing the intracellular ROS accumulation in H2O2-induced EPCs.