Brazil nut supplementation does not affect trimethylamine-n-oxide plasma levels in patients with coronary artery disease.

The purposes of this study were to assess the effect of Brazil nut supplementation on trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Patients with CAD were randomly assigned to two groups, Brazil nut group (23 patients, 48% male, 62.7 ± 6.8 years, 29.4 ± 5.8 kg/m2 ), which received one Brazil nut per day for 3 months, and the control group (14 patients, 43% male, 63.7 ± 8.7 years, 28.4 ± 4.2 kg/m2 ) who did not receive any supplementation. After 3 months, TMAO levels and their precursors did not change in either group. Although not significant, GPx activity increased by 41% in the Brazil nut group. TMAO levels were negatively associated with total fiber intake (r = -0.385 and p = .02). A 3-month Brazil nut supplementation did not change TMAO levels and GPx activity in CAD patients. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) has been associated with oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease risk. Thus, the increase in antioxidants enzymes production could be a promising strategy to reduce TMAO-mediated oxidative stress. In this context, nutritional strategies are well-known as activators of cellular antioxidant responses. As Brazil nuts have a known role in reducing oxidative stress by increasing glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity (a selenium-dependent antioxidant enzyme), this study hypothesized that Brazil nuts could be a strategy that, via antioxidant capacity, would reduce TMAO plasma levels. Although no changes in TMAO levels and GPx activity can be observed in this study, it is believed that other results can be obtained depending on the dosage used. Thus, this study can open new paths and direct other studies with different doses and treatment times to evaluate the effects of Brazil Nuts on TMAO levels.

Influence of prolonged flaxseed ( Linum usitatissimum ) consumption over epididymis and testicle histoarchitecture of Wistar rats / Influência do consumo prolongado de semente de linhaça ( Linum usitatissimum ) sobre a histoarquitetura dos testículo e epidídimo de ratos Wistar

Flaxseed is considered a functional food with several health benefits. However, because of its high phytoestrogen content, flaxseed influences hormone metabolism and affects the gonadal biomorphology. In this study, computerized histomorphometry was used to evaluate seminiferous and epididymal tubules, considering the different regions of the epididymis (head, body and tail) of rats subjected to a prolonged diet of flaxseed. Young adult male Wistar rats (n=20) were divided into 2 groups during their lactation period: Control Group (CG), fed casein-based meals and Flaxseed Group (FG), fed a 25% flaxseed meal. After 250 days of continuous ingestion, the animals were euthanized and a blood sample was collected. The testicles and epididymis were removed and fixed in buffered formalin solution. The samples were subjected to routine histological paraffin techniques and stained with hematoxilin and eosin. Immunostaining was performed using an antivimentin antibody for Sertoli cell identification. For morphometry, images of the slides were scanned and analyzed using Image J to determine the epithelial height, tubular and luminal diameter and tubular and luminal area. In the hormonal evaluation, FG had a higher serum concentration of estrogen (P=0.001), but no change was observed in the concentration of testosterone. The morphometric assay of seminiferous tubules and epididymal regions revealed no significant differences between the analyzed groups. Similarly, Sertoli cell quantification showed no significant differences in the FG (P=0.98). These results revealed that the continuous and prolonged intake of 25% flaxseed meals from gestation to 250 days of age, even with a significant increase in serum levels of estradiol, does not exert adverse effects on the testicular and epididymal structure or on the cells participating in the spermatogenesis of rats.(AU)

A semente de linhaça é considerada um alimento funcional com vários efeitos benéficos à saúde. Entretanto, devido ao seu elevado teor de fitoestrógenos, esta semente pode influenciar no metabolismo hormonal e interferir na biomorfologia gonadal. Neste estudo, utilizamos a histomorfometria computadorizada para avaliar os túbulos seminíferos e epididimários, considerando as diferentes regiões do epidídimo (cabeça, corpo e cauda) de ratos submetidos a uma dieta prolongada de semente de linhaça. Foram utilizados ratos Wistar machos adultos jovens (n=20) divididos em 2 grupos, durante o período de lactação: Grupo Controle (GC) a base de caseína e Grupo Linhaça (GL) alimentados com 25% de semente de linhaça. Ao final de 250 dias de ingestão contínua, os animais foram sacrificados e amostra de sangue foi coletada. Os testículos e epidídimos foram retirados e fixados em formol tamponado. As amostras foram submetidas ao processamento histológico de rotina para parafina e coradas em hematoxilina e eosina. Foi feita a imunomarcação com anticorpo antivimentina para identificação das células de Sertoli. Para morfometria, as imagens das lâminas foram digitalizadas e analisadas pelo software ImageJ para obtenção dos dados de altura epitelial, diâmetro e área tubular e luminal. Na avaliação hormonal o GL teve maior concentração de estrógeno sérico (p=0,001), mas nenhuma mudança na concentração de testosterona foi observada. Nos parâmetros morfométricos dos túbulos seminíferos e das regiões epididimárias, não houve diferenças significativas entre os grupos analisados. Da mesma forma, a quantificação das células de Sertoli não apresentaram diferenças significativas no GL (p=0,98). Estes resultados mostraram que o consumo contínuo e prolongado de 25% de semente de linhaça desde período gestacional até 250 dias de idade, mesmo com o aumento significativo nos níveis séricos de estradiol, não exerceram efeitos adversos sobre a estrutura testicular e epididimária, assim como nas células participantes da espermatogênese em ratos.(AU)