Effects of acute strawberry consumption on serum levels of vitamin C and folic acid, the antioxidant potential of LDL and blood glucose response: a randomised cross-over controlled trial.

Strawberry contains many bioactive compounds such as vitamin C and polyphenols as well as folate, a vitamin that is especially important for women of childbearing age. We investigated the effects of the acute consumption of strawberry on the serum levels of vitamin C and folate, and on the antioxidant potential of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). In a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study, twenty-three healthy female volunteers (age 22⋅5 ± 1⋅4 years) ingested 500 g of a strawberry purée beverage or a sugar content-matched placebo beverage. Blood samples were collected at fasting and at 0⋅5, 1, 2 and 4 h post-ingestion. The serum concentrations of vitamin C and folate were significantly elevated from 0⋅5 to 4 h after the strawberry beverage ingestion (P < 0⋅001); the levels peaked at 2 h, with peak levels of 15⋅0 ± 2⋅5 µg/ml for vitamin C and 14⋅4 ± 7⋅0 ng/ml for folate. Notably, at 1 h after the strawberry beverage ingestion, the LDL oxidation lag time was significantly prolonged (P < 0⋅05), suggesting that the antioxidant potential of LDL was increased. After the ingestion of either beverage, the serum levels of glucose and insulin reached a peak at 0⋅5 h and then quickly returned to baseline levels. These results suggest that strawberries are a useful source of vitamin C and folate and may help enhance the antioxidant potential of LDL in healthy young women.

Oral Hyaluronan Relieves Wrinkles and Improves Dry Skin: A 12-Week Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Hyaluronan (HA) is present in all connective tissues and organs, including the skin and joint fluid. However, few clinical trials have comprehensively evaluated the impacts of oral HA on skin conditions, including wrinkles and moisturization. In this study, we conducted a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trial of daily HA (120 mg) intake for 12 weeks in 40 healthy Asian men and women (aged 35-64 years). Skin condition was determined by the evaluation of wrinkles, stratum corneum water content, the amount of transepidermal water loss, elasticity, and through image analysis. After 12 weeks, skin condition was significantly improved in terms of wrinkle assessment, stratum corneum water content, transepidermal water loss, and elasticity in the HA group compared to the placebo group. Regarding the percentage change from baseline, wrinkle assessment, stratum corneum water content, and skin elasticity were significantly improved in the HA group versus the placebo group after 8 and 12 weeks of ingestion. The present findings indicate that oral ingestion of HA may suppress wrinkles and improve skin condition.

Increasing vegetable intake 400 g/day to control body weight and lipid profile in overweight hyperlipidemia menopausal women.

Background: Indonesia suffers growing health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic syndromes with dietary habit as one of risk factors. To control the lipid and glycaemic profile, high fibre intake has been recommended. This study administered 400g/day vegetable intake with its fiber contents and observed the effects in lipid profile and glycaemic control. Design: A parallel study of 30 pairs of menopausal women match paired in overweight, menopause, hyperlipidaemia, age, etc randomly divided into two groups (vegetable and control). The baseline data obtained from questionnaire and preliminary bloodwithdrawn of consented participants, then matched the characteristics included the results of lipid profile and glycated albumin. The administration was conducted for 21days by providing 400g/day of vegetable to the vegetable group subjects. Nutrition assessments were conducted at the baseline, middle, and final period. The data were analysed by using the unpaired and paired t-test. Results: Significant results (p<0.05) were seen in biochemical variables in the lipid profile of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol and body weight and BMI within the vegetable group. Significant results for the same variables were shown between vegetable and control group at the final data (p<0.05). The nutrition assessments result showed significances (p<0.05) within vegetable group and between two groups on the final data. After 21 days, significant decreases were found on the intakes of energy, lipids, carbohydrates (p<0.05), while vegetable intake and fiber intake showed significant increases (p<0.05). Conclusion: These data suggest that maintaining a healthy diet of 400g/d vegetable can be effective in weight management and lipid profile control.

Egg white hydrolyzate reduces mental fatigue: randomized, double-blind, controlled study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to show that ingesting egg white hydrolyzate (EWH) could improve antioxidant capacity and reduce mental fatigue. Two clinical trials were conducted to examine the antioxidant capacity and the fatigue reduction function of EWH. In Study 1, 19 athlete students were received a single dose of EWH (5 g/day) or placebo. In Study 2, 74 athlete students ingested EWH (5 g/day) or placebo before training for 2 weeks. RESULTS: Single dose of EWH significantly increased the antioxidant ability compared with the placebo group (p < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between the groups in the oxidative stress test results on Study 1. Two-week intake of EWH significantly decreased mental fatigue compared with the placebo (p < 0.05). This study showed that ingesting EWH improved antioxidant capacity with a single dose and reduced mental fatigue after 2 weeks of ingestion. Trial Registration Japan Medical Association Center for Clinical Trials identifier; JMA-IIA00395 (Study1) and JMA-IIA00396 (Study2), both trials were retrospectively registered on 26 October, 2018.

Topical hyaluronan alone promotes corneal epithelial cell migration whereas combination with benzalkonium chloride impairs epithelial wound healing.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of topical hyaluronan (HA) on corneal epithelial wound healing when administered with or without benzalkonium chloride (BAC).Methods: A cultured human corneal epithelial cell line (HCE-T) was subjected to in vitro scratch assays and in situ epithelial migration was evaluated in organ-cultured rabbit corneas. The corneal epithelium of C57BL/6J mice was also evaluated to determine in vivo wound healing. An in vivo imaging system was also used to evaluate the effects of HA on eye drop retention on the ocular surface.Results: The findings revealed the promotion of HCE-T migration, in situ rabbit corneal epithelial migration, and in vivo wound healing in mouse corneal epithelium by HA. Pre-treatment with HA also protected against delayed epithelial wound healing in BAC in vitro. However, pre-treatment with 3 mg/mL HA did not show a protective effect against BAC in vivo, but instead delayed epithelial wound healing and increased detection of cleaved caspase-3. This suggested that HA promotes the retention of BAC on the ocular surface. The instilled HA was retained after 15 min, at a significantly higher rate than for phosphate-buffered saline.Conclusions: The combination of HA and BAC impaired wound healing in the corneal epithelium.

Minimal effective dose of lactic-fermented egg white on visceral fat in Japanese men: a double-blind parallel-armed pilot study.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that the consumption of 8 g of protein per day in the form of lactic-fermented egg white (LAFEW) improves visceral fat obesity. In this study, we investigated the minimum effective intake of LAFEW for visceral fat reduction in the Japanese males with mild obesity. METHODS: Twenty-two Japanese adult males with a Body mass index (BMI) ≥24 and a waist circumference ≥ 85 cm were included in this study. The subjects were divided into three groups, that is, control group, LAFEW 6 g group, and LAFEW 8 g group. The LAFEW 6 and 8 g groups consumed 6 and 8 g, respectively, of egg white protein (EWP) in a drink at breakfast for 8 weeks, whereas the control group consumed a drink containing 8 g of milk whey protein. Body weight, body fat percentage, abdominal circumference, and visceral fat (VF) area around the navel were measured at 0 and 8 weeks after initiating the consumption. RESULTS: No changes in body weight or body fat percentage were observed in any of the groups. No significant differences between the pre- and posttreatment measurements were found in the VF area around the navel in the control group and the LAFEW 6 g group. In the LAFEW 8 g group, the VF area had decreased significantly after 8 weeks of consumption, when compared to that before consumption, and the average observed decrease (Δcm2) was 13.2 ± 4.7 cm2. Among the subjects with an initial BMI > 25, the VF area was significantly smaller in the LAFEW 8 group, when compared to the week 0 values and those in the control group. Visceral fat/subcutaneous fat values in the LAFEW 8 group were also significantly smaller than those in the control group or at week 0. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that the minimum effective intake of EWP in the LAFEW to reduce the VF area in the Japanese men is 8 g. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This clinical trial was retrospectively registered with the University hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Center, ( UMIN000031681 ; registered on 12/03/2018).

Regular egg consumption at breakfast by Japanese woman university students improves daily nutrient intakes: open-labeled observations.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Eggs, an important source of high-quality protein, contain a variety of key nutrients and antioxidants. Here we conducted an intervention study to evaluate whether the additional consumption of one egg per day would affect the daily nutritional intakes and blood antioxidant status in Japanese woman university students. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: For 4 weeks, the 14 subjects were provided a nutritious breakfast including one boiled egg, and they were asked to keep a daily dietary record. RESULTS: The subjects' daily energy intake during the intervention did not differ compared to the baseline, whereas the protein energy ratio and cholesterol intake were significantly increased. The subjects' consumption of confectionery during the intervention was significantly decreased compared to the pre-trial period. The total score of adherence to the food-based Japanese dietary guidelines for a healthy diet during the intervention was higher than that at baseline. The analysis of fasting blood samples showed that the subjects' serum lipids levels were not altered, whereas their malondialdehyde modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) levels and the oxidative susceptibility of LDL were significantly reduced after the intervention. More importantly, serum folic acid levels were significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that regular egg consumption at breakfast can help improve the daily nutritional status and dietary habits and also ameliorate certain indices of antioxidant status in young women.

Lactic-fermented egg white improves visceral fat obesity in Japanese subjects-double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: It was reported that egg white protein (EWP) reduced body fat in rats. We developed a lactic-fermented egg white (LE) that facilitates the consumption of egg whites by fermenting them with lactobacillus, and were able to study their intake in humans. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled design, we evaluated the effect of LE on visceral fat area (VFA). METHODS: Participants included 37 adult males and females aged ≥40 years (VFA at navel ≥100 cm2). They were divided into two groups: the control group and the LE group. The control and LE groups consumed drinks containing whey and LE, respectively, for 12 weeks (providing 8 g protein/day). VFA was measured at baseline and at week 12 of intake. Abdominal girth was measured at baseline and at weeks 6 and 12. RESULTS: LE intake decreased VFA significantly compared with baseline (-8.89 cm2, p < 0.05), and VFA was significantly lower than that in the control group (+1.71 cm2, p < 0.05). The LE group showed significant improvement in the ratio of visceral to subcutaneous fat area compared with baseline and the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that LE reduces VFA and improves the ratio of visceral to subcutaneous fat area. As other measurement items were not influenced, we concluded that LE improves visceral fat obesity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This clinical trial was retrospectively registered with the University hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Center, ( UMIN000026949 ; registered on 11/04/2017; http://www.umin.ac.jp /).

Dietary egg-white protein increases body protein mass and reduces body fat mass through an acceleration of hepatic ß-oxidation in rats.

Egg-white protein (EWP) is known to reduce lymphatic TAG transport in rats. In this study, we investigated the effects of dietary EWP on body fat mass. Male rats, 4 weeks old, were fed diets containing either 20 % EWP or casein for 28 d. Carcass protein levels and gastrocnemius leg muscle weights in the EWP group were significantly higher than those in the casein group. In addition, carcass TAG levels and abdominal fat weights in the EWP group were significantly lower than those in the casein group; adipocyte size in abdominal fat in the EWP group was smaller than that in the casein group. To identify the involvement of dietary fat levels in the rats, one of two fat levels (5 or 10 %) was added to their diet along with the different protein sources (EWP and casein). Abdominal fat weight and serum and hepatic TAG levels were significantly lower in the EWP group than in the casein group. Moreover, significantly higher values of enzymatic activity related to ß-oxidation in the liver were observed in the EWP group compared with the casein group. Finally, abdominal fat weight reduction in the EWP group with the 10 % fat diet was lower than that in the EWP group with the 5 % fat diet. In conclusion, our results indicate that, in addition to the inhibition of dietary TAG absorption reported previously, dietary EWP reduces body fat mass in rats through an increase of body protein mass and the acceleration of ß-oxidation in the liver.

Dietary Polyphenol Intake Estimated by 7-Day Dietary Records among Japanese Male Workers: Evaluation of the Within- and Between-Individual Variation.

Polyphenol intake has been estimated in some populations; however, information about day-to-day and individual differences in polyphenol intake has not been well-evaluated. In this study, we aimed to examine within- and between-individual variation in polyphenol intake in Japanese male workers. First, 56 male subjects (aged 37.9±10.4 y) completed detailed 7-d dietary records (DR). We then calculated their total polyphenol intake using our polyphenol content database and the within- and between-individual variations. We also estimated the minimum number of days of dietary assessment required both to rank individuals within a group and to assess an individual's usual polyphenol intake with acceptable accuracy. The estimated daily total polyphenol intake was 965±471 mg/d, which was largely sourced from beverages. The day-to-day variation (CVw) for polyphenol intake was 43.6%, and the variation between the individuals in the population (CVb) for polyphenol intake was 45.9%. A 4-d DR was required to rank individuals within a group with high correlation coefficients (r=0.9), and a 19-d DR was required to assess the individual's usual polyphenol intake with 20% deviation. The CVw for polyphenol intake was intermediate between those of the other nutrients, but the CVb for polyphenol intake was largest among the nutrients. These results suggest that the dietary intake of polyphenols should be carefully estimated considering its within- and between-individual variation.

Oral hyaluronan relieves wrinkles: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study over a 12-week period.

BACKGROUND: Hyaluronan (HA) has critical moisturizing property and high water retention capacity especially for human skin. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oral intake of HA. METHODS: The mean molecular weight (MW) of HA is 2 k and 300 k. Sixty Japanese male and female subjects aged 22-59 years who presented with crow's feet wrinkles were randomly assigned to the HA 2 k or HA 300 k at 120 mg/day or the placebo group. The subjects were administered HA at a rate of 120 mg/day or a placebo for 12 weeks. The skin wrinkles were evaluated by image analysis of skin wrinkle replicas, and their skin condition was evaluated using a questionnaire survey. RESULTS: During the study period, the HA groups showed better level of the whole sulcus volume ratio, wrinkle area ratio, and wrinkle volume ratio than the placebo group. After 8 weeks of ingestion, the HA 300 k group showed significantly diminished wrinkles compared with the placebo group. Skin luster and suppleness significantly improved after 12 weeks in all groups compared with the baseline. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that oral HA (both HA 2 k and HA 300 k) inhibits skin wrinkles and improves skin condition.

Additional consumption of one egg per day increases serum lutein plus zeaxanthin concentration and lowers oxidized low-density lipoprotein in moderately hypercholesterolemic males.

The egg is a nutrient-dense food and contains antioxidative carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, but its impact on serum cholesterol levels has been a matter of concern, especially for individuals who have high serum cholesterol levels. We conducted this study to determine whether and how the daily additional consumption of one egg affects serum lipid profiles and parameters of LDL oxidation in moderately hypercholesterolemic males. Nineteen male Japanese adults (total cholesterol [TC]>5.2mmol/L) participated, consuming one soft boiled egg per day for 4weeks in addition to their habitual diet. Despite the significant increase in their intake of dietary cholesterol during the intervention period, the subjects' serum concentrations of TC and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) did not increase. Their serum malondialdehyde modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) concentrations were significantly decreased and their LDL oxidation lag times, reflecting the resistance of free-radical-induced LDL lipid peroxidation (ex vivo), was prolonged after 2 and 4weeks. At weeks 2 and 4, the subjects' serum lutein+zeaxanthin concentrations were significantly higher than their baseline values and showed both an inverse relation with MDA-LDL and a positive relationship with the LDL oxidation lag time. These data showed that in moderately hypercholesterolemic males, the additional consumption of one egg per day for 4weeks did not have adverse effects on serum TC or LDL-C, and it might reduce the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation through an increase in the serum lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations.

Lactic-fermented egg white reduced serum cholesterol concentrations in mildly hypercholesterolemic Japanese men: a double-blind, parallel-arm design.

BACKGROUND: Lactic-fermented egg white (LE), produced by lactic acid fermentation of egg white, is an easy-to-consume form of egg white. Here we assessed the effect of daily consumption of LE for 8 weeks on serum total cholesterol (TC) levels. METHODS: The study followed a double-blind, parallel-arm design and included 88 adult men with mild hypercholesterolemia (mean ± standard error) serum TC levels, 229 ± 1.6 mg/dL; range, 204-259 mg/dL). The subjects were randomly divided into three groups, which consumed LE containing 4, 6, or 8 g of protein daily for 8 weeks. Blood samples were collected before starting LE consumption (baseline) and at 4 and 8 weeks to measure serum TC and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. RESULTS: After 8 weeks of consumption, serum TC levels in the 8 g group decreased by 11.0 ± 3.7 mg/dL, a significant decrease compared to baseline (p < 0.05) and a significantly greater decrease than for the 4 g group (3.1 ± 3.4 mg/dL; p < 0.05). Serum LDL-C levels in the 8 g group decreased by 13.7 ± 3.1 mg/dL, again a significant decrease compared with baseline (p < 0.05) and a significantly greater decrease than that for the 4 g group (2.1 ± 2.9 mg/dL; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Consumption of LE for 8 weeks at a daily dose of 8 g of proteins reduced serum TC and LDL-C levels in men with mild hypercholesterolemia, suggesting this may be effective in helping to prevent arteriosclerotic diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This clinical trial was retrospectively registered with the Japan Medical Association Center for Clinical Trials, (JMA-IIA00279; registered on 13/03/2017; https://dbcentre3.jmacct.med.or.jp/JMACTR/App/JMACTRE02_04/JMACTRE02_04.aspx?kbn=3&seqno=6530 ).

Effects of Eggshell Calcium Supplementation on Bone Mass in Postmenopausal Vietnamese Women.

Bone mass decreases along with aging, especially for women after menopause because of lower estrogen secretion together with low calcium intake. This study was conducted to study the effect of eggshell calcium supplementation on bone mass in 54 postmenopausal Vietnamese women living in a farming area about 60 km from Hanoi, Vietnam. Sets of 3 subjects matched by age, bone mass, BMI and calcium intake were divided randomly into 3 groups with 18 subjects in each group. The eggshell calcium group was administered 300 mg/d calcium from eggshell, the calcium carbonate group 300 mg/d calcium from calcium carbonate and the placebo group received no calcium supplementation. Bone mass (Speed of Sound (SOS)) was measured at the beginning (the baseline), the middle (6th month) and the end of the study (12th month) by the single blind method. SOS of the eggshell group increased significantly at 12 mo (p<0.05) and was significantly higher than that of the placebo and calcium carbonate groups at 12 mo (p<0.05). The SOS of the calcium carbonate group tended to be higher than that of the placebo group but without a significant difference (p>0.05). In conclusion, eggshell calcium was more effective in increasing bone mass than calcium carbonate in postmenopausal Vietnamese women.

Heating Has No Effect on the Net Protein Utilisation from Egg Whites in Rats.

Egg whites (EW) are a good source of protein; however, they are typically heated prior to consumption. Therefore, we investigated the effects of different heating conditions on the protein utilisation rate of EW. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 36, 198 ± 1 g) were divided into six groups and fed American Institute of Nutrition-76 chow containing unheated EW, soft-boiled EW, boiled EW, milk whey protein, soybean protein, or no protein over a 10-day period using pair-feeding. Urine and faeces were sampled daily beginning on day 5 to measure nitrogen content and the net protein utilisation (NPU) rate. The soybean protein group had a significantly lower level of food intake and was thus excluded from subsequent analyses. The NPU value was similar among the unheated, soft-boiled, and boiled EW groups (97.5 ± 0.4, 96.5 ± 0.1, and 96.5 ± 0.7, resp.). The EW group values were significantly higher than the whey group values (90.5 ± 1.0). These results show that EW serve as a good source of protein, irrespective of heating.

Absorption of Orally Administered Hyaluronan.

Hyaluronan (HA) has been utilized as a supplement. However, the absorption of orally administrated HA remains controversial. The degradation and absorption of HA in the intestine were investigated in this study. HA excretion into the feces, degradation in the intestinal tract, absorption through the large intestine, and translocation to the blood and skin were examined. HA administered orally was not detected in rat feces. HA was degraded by cecal content, but not by artificial gastric juice and intestinal juice. Oligosaccharide HA passed through excised large intestine sacs. Furthermore, disaccharides, tetrasaccharides, and polysaccharides HA were distributed to the skin of rats following oral administration of high molecular weight HA (300 kDa). The results of the study suggest that orally administered HA is degraded to oligosaccharides by intestinal bacteria, and oligosaccharide HA is absorbed in the large intestine and is subsequently distributed throughout the tissues, including the skin.

The Effect of the Consumption of Egg on Serum Lipids and Antioxidant Status in Healthy Subjects.

The egg is a nutrient-dense food and contains a number of antioxidants. The consumption of eggs has been considered to improve the balance of diets, although its impact on serum cholesterol levels has been a matter of concern in many countries. Here, we conducted a pilot study to investigate whether daily additional consumption of an egg might affect serum lipid profiles and also antioxidant status in healthy subjects. Fourteen male subjects were provided with breakfasts including a boiled egg for 4 wk. At the end of intervention, serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were unchanged, despite the significant increase in the intake of dietary cholesterol. In contrast, a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and a reduction of the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were observed. Interestingly, the malondialdehyde modified-LDL (MDA-LDL)/LDL-C ratio and the oxidizability of LDL were significantly reduced. Serum total antioxidant capacity value after the intervention period was higher than at baseline. These data indicate that consuming one egg per day for 4 wk as breakfast in addition to a normal diet does not affect serum lipids, and suggests that it may improve serum antioxidant status in healthy males.

Comparing effects of soybean oil- and palm olein-based mayonnaise consumption on the plasma lipid and lipoprotein profiles in human subjects: a double-blind randomized controlled trial with cross-over design.

BACKGROUND: Mayonnaise is used widely in contemporary human diet with widespread use as a salad dressing or spread on breads. Vegetable oils used in its formulation may be a rich source of ω-6 PUFAs and the higher-PUFA content of mayonnaise may be beneficial in mediating a hypocholesterolemic effect. This study, therefore, evaluated the functionality of mayonnaise on cardiometabolic risk within a regular human consumption scenario. METHODS: Subjects underwent a randomized double-blind crossover trial, consuming diets supplemented with 20 g/day of either soybean oil-based mayonnaise (SB-mayo) or palm olein-based mayonnaise (PO-mayo) for 4 weeks each with a 2-week wash-out period. The magnitude of changes for metabolic outcomes between dietary treatments was compared with PO-mayo serving as the control. The data was analyzed by ANCOVA using the GLM model. Analysis was adjusted for weight changes. RESULTS: Treatments resulted in significant reductions in TC (diff = -0.25 mmol/L; P = 0.001), LDL-C (diff = -0.17 mmol/L; P = 0.016) and HDL-C (diff = -0.12 mmol/L; P < 0.001) in SB-mayo compared to PO-mayo without affecting LDL-C:HDL-C ratio (P > 0.05). Lipoprotein particle change was significant with large LDL particles increasing after PO-mayo (diff = +63.2 nmol/L; P = 0.007) compared to SB-mayo but small LDL particles remained unaffected. Plasma glucose, apolipoproteins and oxidative stress markers remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Daily use with 20 g of linoleic acid-rich SB-mayo elicited reductions in TC and LDL-C concentrations without significantly changing LDL-C:HDL-C ratio or small LDL particle distributions compared to the PO-mayo diet. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This clinical trial was retrospectively registered with the National Medical Research Register, National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, (NMRR-15-40-24035; registered on 29/01/2015; https://www.nmrr.gov.my/fwbPage.jsp?fwbPageId=ResearchISRForm&fwbAction=Update&fwbStep=10&pk.researchID=24035&fwbVMenu=3&fwbResearchAction=Update ). Ethical approval was obtained from the National University of Malaysia's Medical Ethics Committee (UKM 1.5.3.5/244/SPP/NN-054-2011, approved on 25/05/2011).

Orally administered hyaluronan affects skin dryness and epidermal thickening in photoaged hairless mice.

The oral administration of hyaluronans (HAs) (molecular weight, 300k and less than 10k) to photoaged hairless mice increased the moisture content of the stratum corneum and decreased the epidermal thickness, respectively. Furthermore, orally administered HAs suppressed the low-molecular weight of HA content of the skin. This study indicates oral administered HAs may ameliorate the skin condition resulting from photoaging.

Oral hyaluronan relieves knee pain: a review.

Hyaluronan (HA) is a component that is particularly abundant in the synovial fluid. Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials carried out between 2008 and 2015 have proven the effectiveness of HA for the treatment of symptoms associated with synovitis, and particularly, knee pain, relief of synovial effusion or inflammation, and improvement of muscular knee strength. The mechanism by which HA exerts its effects in the living body, specifically receptor binding in the intestinal epithelia, has gradually been clarified. This review examines the effects of HA upon knee pain as assessed in clinical trials, as well as the mechanism of these effects and the safety of HA.