Deficient vitamin D levels were significantly associated with the risk of suicidal ideation.

PMID: 

J Psychosom Res. 2020 Apr 25 ;134:110125. Epub 2020 Apr 25. PMID: 32388454

Abstract Title: 

Vitamin D deficiency and suicidal ideation: A cross-sectional study of 157,211 healthy adults.

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D deficiency has been reported to be associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders. However, there are few studies addressing deficient vitamin D levels and suicidal ideation.METHODS: Serum vitamin D of 157,211 Korean adult participants were measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. A self-reported questionnaire was used to assess whether participants experienced suicidal ideation. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of suicidal ideation according to vitamin D levels. The regression was adjusted for a range of covariates.RESULTS: Compared with sufficient vitamin D levels (≥20 ng/mL), deficient vitamin D levels (

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Association of 25-hydroxy vitamin D with asthma and its severity in children.

PMID: 

Clin Mol Allergy. 2020 ;18:7. Epub 2020 May 4. PMID: 32390767

Abstract Title: 

Association of 25-hydroxy vitamin D with asthma and its severity in children: a case-control study.

Abstract: 

Background: Universally, asthma has high prevalence rates and this has led numerous studies done into its causes. Despite extensive study on asthma the association between 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D (25(OH) vit. D) and asthma remains uncertain. In this study, the associations of 25(OH) vit. D levels with asthma and with the severity of asthma were evaluated.Methods: This was a case-control study performed in 2015 in the city of Isfahan. In this study 520 children were studied. Children with asthma were classified as cases and children who were referred for reasons other than respiratory problems and asthma were considered as controls. Serum 25 (OH) vit. D levels were then examined and compared between the two groups. Differences among groups were stated to be statistically significant when-values 

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Combining vitamin D plus high-fiber intake would help reduce the prevalence of diabetes.

PMID: 

J Med Food. 2020 May 11. Epub 2020 May 11. PMID: 32392443

Abstract Title: 

Vitamin D Status, Fiber Intake, and Type 2 Diabetes in U.S. Adults.

Abstract: 

Vitamin D and fiber intake are nutritional factors that could affect the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D), potentially by reducing insulin resistance. Therefore, we hypothesized that the influence of vitamin D on T2D might depend on fiber intake. This study investigated the association between vitamin D status and T2D according to fiber intake. The present study analyzed data from 9,656 American adults (≥20 years old) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2010. The serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was used as a biomarker for vitamin D status. The T2D classification was based on two criteria: T2Dwas identified using only self-reported questionnaire data and T2Dwas identified based on both survey and laboratory data. The deficient vitamin D status (

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Vitamin D supplementation rescues aberrant NF-κB pathway activation and partially ameliorates Rett syndrome phenotypes in Mecp2 mutant mice.

PMID: 

eNeuro. 2020 May 11. Epub 2020 May 11. PMID: 32393583

Abstract Title: 

Vitamin D supplementation rescues aberrant NF-κB pathway activation and partially ameliorates Rett syndrome phenotypes inmutant mice.

Abstract: 

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe, progressive X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the transcriptional regulatorWe previously identified aberrant NF-κB pathway up-regulation in brains of-null mice and demonstrated that genetically attenuating NF-κB rescues some characteristic neuronal RTT phenotypes. These results raised the intriguing question of whether NF-κB pathway inhibitors might provide a therapeutic avenue in RTT. Here, we investigate whether the known NF-κB pathway inhibitor vitamin D ameliorates neuronal phenotypes in-mutant mice. Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among RTT patients, and we find that-null mice similarly have significantly reduced 25(OH)D serum levels compared to wildtype littermates. We identify that vitamin D rescues aberrant NF-κB pathway activation and reduced neurite outgrowth ofknockdown cortical neuronsFurther, dietary supplementation with vitamin D in early symptomatic malehemizygous null and femaleheterozygous mice ameliorates reduced neocortical dendritic morphology and soma size phenotypes, and modestly improves reduced lifespan of-nulls. These results elucidate fundamental neurobiology of RTT and provide foundation that NF-κB pathway inhibition might be a therapeutic target for RTT.There is currently no effective treatment for Rett syndrome (RTT); however, selectively re-expressingin adult mice has shown that RTT symptoms can be partially reversed, suggesting that restoration of homeostasis of downstream targets of MeCP2 could also reverse or alleviate RTT symptoms. One such potential target is the NF-κB pathway, which is aberrantly up-regulated in the brain of-mutant mice. Genetically reducing NF-κB signaling in these mice improves neuronal phenotypes. Here, we identify that the known NF-κB inhibitor vitamin D reduces the aberrant NF-κB signaling inknockdown neurons, and partially ameliorates neuronal size and complexity phenotypes in both male and female-mutant mice. Thus, this simple, cost-effective dietary supplement could contribute toward a partial therapeutic avenue in RTT.

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Assessment of cognitive impairment and its correlation with vitamin D levels patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

PMID: 

Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2020 Mar-Apr;31(2):431-439. PMID: 32394916

Abstract Title: 

Assessment of cognitive impairment and its correlation with vitamin D levels patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Abstract: 

Cognitive impairment (CI) is common in patients with chronic kidney disease, and its prevalence increases in patients on hemodialysis (HD). Different factors were identified to be the cause of cognitive dysfunction, of which Vitamin D, which is known to have pleiotropic effects, has been implicated for the neurocognitive decline of functions. We assessed the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction in patients on HD in our center and also studied the deficiency of Vitamin D on CI.

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Vitamin D-cathelicidin axis: at the crossroads between protective immunity and pathological inflammation during infection.

PMID: 

Immune Netw. 2020 Apr ;20(2):e12. Epub 2020 Feb 11. PMID: 32395364

Abstract Title: 

Vitamin D-Cathelicidin Axis: at the Crossroads between Protective Immunity and Pathological Inflammation during Infection.

Abstract: 

Vitamin D signaling plays an essential role in innate defense against intracellular microorganisms via the generation of the antimicrobial protein cathelicidin. In addition to directly binding to and killing a range of pathogens, cathelicidin acts as a secondary messenger driving vitamin D-mediated inflammation during infection. Recent studies have elucidated the biological and clinical functions of cathelicidin in the context of vitamin D signaling. The vitamin D-cathelicidin axis is involved in the activation of autophagy, which enhances antimicrobial effects against diverse pathogens. Vitamin D studies have also revealed positive and negative regulatory effects of cathelicidin on inflammatory responses to pathogenic stimuli. Diverse innate and adaptive immune signals crosstalk with functional vitamin D receptor signals to enhance the role of cathelicidin action in cell-autonomous effector systems. In this review, we discuss recent findings that demonstrate how the vitamin D-cathelicidin pathway regulates autophagy machinery, protective immune defenses, and inflammation, and contributes to immune cooperation between innate and adaptive immunity. Understanding how the vitamin D-cathelicidin axis operates in the host response to infection will create opportunities for the development of new therapeutic approaches against a variety of infectious diseases.

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A comparative study of curcumin-loaded lipid-based nanocarriers in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

PMID: 

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2016 Jul 1 ;143:327-335. Epub 2016 Mar 16. PMID: 27022873

Abstract Title: 

A comparative study of curcumin-loaded lipid-based nanocarriers in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Abstract: 

Selective drug delivery to inflamed tissues is of widespread interest for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Because a lack of physiological lipids has been described in patients suffering IBD, and some lipids present immunomodulatory properties, we hypothesize that the combination of lipids and anti-inflammatory drugs together within a nanocarrier may be a valuable strategy for overcoming IBD. In the present study, we investigated and compared the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of three lipid-based nanocarriers containing curcumin (CC) as an anti-inflammatory drug for treating IBD in a murine DSS-induced colitis model. These nanocarriers included self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) and lipid core-shell protamine nanocapsules (NC). In vitro, a 30-fold higher CC permeability across Caco-2 cell monolayers was obtained using NC compared to SNEDDS (NC>SNEDDS>NLC and CC suspension). The CC SNEDDS and CC NLC but not the CC NC or CC suspension significantly reduced TNF-α secretion by LPS-activated macrophages (J774 cells). In vivo, only CC NLC were able to significantly decrease neutrophil infiltration and TNF-α secretion and, thus, colonic inflammation. Our results show that a higher CC permeability does not correlate with a higher efficacy in IBD treatment, which suggests that lipidic nanocarriers exhibiting increased CC retention at the intestinal site, rather than increased CC permeability are efficient treatments of IBD.

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A combination of Korean red ginseng extract and Glycyrrhiza glabra L. extract enhances their individual anti-obesity properties.

PMID: 

J Med Food. 2020 Mar ;23(3):215-223. PMID: 32191576

Abstract Title: 

A Combination of Korean Red Ginseng Extract andL. Extract Enhances Their Individual Anti-Obesity Properties in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes and C57BL/6J Obese Mice.

Abstract: 

Anti-obesity activities of Korean red ginseng saponin fraction (RGS) and/orL. extract (GG) were investigated in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high-fat diet-induced C57BL/6J obese mice. RGS and GG extracts were mixed at a mass ratio of 3:1 (SG31), 1:1 (SG11), or 1:3 (SG13). SG31 showed the highest anti-obesity activity among the three different mass ratios of RGS and GG extracts. SG31 showed higher inhibition efficiency on triglyceride (TG) accumulation than either single extract in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and without any cytotoxicity. It also decreases the expression of adipogenic and lipogenic genes such as C/EBPand SREBP-1c (sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c). In the obese induced mouse model, SG31 significantly reduced white adipose tissue weight and body weight, attenuated dyslipidemia, and decreased serum TG levels. In some indices, the activity of SG31 was even higher compared withwater extract, a positive control. The possible mechanism by which SG31 causes the above results was by activating the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway and stimulating the secretion of adiponectin in adipose tissue to regulate energy metabolism balance, inhibit TG formation, and promote-oxidation of fatty acids. Therefore, SG31 may have efficacy as an anti-obesity functional food or raw material if the results can be confirmed in human studies.

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Licorice lollipops showed a promising effect in reducing caries by decreasing Streptococcus mutans counts in the saliva.

PMID: 

Oral Health Prev Dent. 2020 ;18(2):97-102. PMID: 32238980

Abstract Title: 

Efficacy of Licorice Lollipops in Reducing Dental Caries in a Paediatric Population: A Systematic Review.

Abstract: 

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of licorice lollipops in reducing dental caries in children.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search was confined to the English language using MeSH terms congruent with PICO format in 'PubMed', 'Cochrane Library' and 'Ovid', covering the period from April 1967 to December 2017. Searches in Google Scholar, grey literature and hand search of cross-references were performed to find additional data. Suitable studies were selected based on the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Quality analysis and risk of bias of the selected studies were performed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for risk of bias.RESULTS: Overall 519 articles were retrieved, 516 (electronic databases) and 3 (Google scholar). 516 publications were excluded due to non-availability of abstracts, or because they were unrelated studies, narrative reviews, and systematic reviews as well as letters to editors. Only three studies were included for final analysis. Quality analysis of these three studies showed that only one was of high quality, whereas the other two were rated as low.CONCLUSION: Licorice lollipops showed a promising effect in reducing caries by decreasing Streptococcus mutans counts in the saliva. Further research using randomised controlled clinical trial (RCT) designs with large sample size are recommended.

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