Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets - Immune, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders) - Volume 13, Issue 4, 2013

It is debated whether the use of herbal supplements in endurance sports, in order to have a better performance, is correct or not, from the perspective of both as safety and as effectiveness. In this review we try to find out if the most common herbal supplements (Echinacea, Rhodiola, Ginseng) are effective in the improvement of performance or in the modulation of the immune system. According to the results of our r Read More

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) and osteoporosis have been found recently to be tightly correlated. In fact, T2D can result in bone loss through different mechanisms resulting in alteration of bone matrix and inhibition of bone formation. Fracture risk also increases significantly. New antidiabetic agents, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and glucagon like peptide -1 agonists have shown promise in many fields beyond gl Read More

Background: Observational data suggest that low 25-hyroxyvitamin D is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors include diabetes, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, hypertension, microalbuminuria and inflammation. We examined the differences between risk factors of CVD before and after treatment with calcitriol in type 2 diabetic patients with vitamin D deficiency. Methods: This study was a Read More

A group of 608 apparently healthy patients, 136 men and 472 women, either overweight or obese, aged 18-69 years, were examined. BMI, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, and complement 3 (C3) serum levels were measured; the homeostasis model assessment (HOMAIR) was used to evaluate insulin resistance; and physical activity was quantified by a questionnaire. Results: HOMAIR showed a po Read More

Introduction: Studies conducted so far on the effect of hyperthyroidism on oxidative stress (OS) have employed blood and urine samples. Exhaled Breath Condensate (EBC) is a non-invasive technique used to take sample from lungs to determine many biological indications. The aim of the present study was determine the possibility of using 8- isoprostane levels in EBC as an indicator of OS in hyperthyroid patients. Methods: Read More

Previously, we reported the conversion phenomenon (CP) of thyroid blocking antibody (TBAb) to thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb) by induced cAMP production during incubation of TBAb-bound porcine thyroid cells (PTC) with rabbit anti-IgG Ab. In the present experiment we examined the CP by TBAb-positive sera with high TSH binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) activity in primary hypothyroidism. Two patients with extr Read More

Background: High-fat meals may lead to hypotension, oxidative stress and increases of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Contrasting results have been reported after treatment of isolated tissues with hydrogen peroxide and LPS, whereas the effects of peroxyl radicals, involved in the propagation reaction of lipoperoxidation, have not been investigated previously. Aim: In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of perox Read More

The reemergence of vitamin D deficiency in the industrialized countries resurrects the “threat” of nutritional rickets, especially among pediatric populations, a fact that may lead to underdiagnosis of hereditary rickets. Today, hereditary rickets may be subdivided into two main groups according to their biochemical profile: the one associated with defects in vitamin D synthesis and action and the second associated with Read More

Sepsis is a fatal systemic inflammatory disease. It is caused by an immune system inflammatory response to the entry of microorganisms or their products into the blood circulatory system. The pathophysiological mechanisms of sepsis are still poorly understood. The presence of microorganisms in the systemic circulation causes activation of the immune system, which in turn leads to a robust release of inflamma Read More

Background: This is a preliminary study of a specific nutritional supplement –Supportan® - for the clinical support of patients with locally advanced head and neck (H&N) cancers who underwent treatment with concurrent radiochemotherapy (RT-CHT). Material and Methods: Seven patients received nutritional supplement (Supportan®) plus habitual diet during a median time of treatment with RT on 7.8 weeks plus concurren Read More

In many cases, it is difficult or even impossible to distinguish parathyroid lesions from thyroid ones at ultrasound as well as at scintiscan and even at cytology, because they often share common features. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) determination in the aspirates in the differential diagnosis of parathyroid from thyroid lesions in an area of mild iodine deficiency and high prevalence Read More