Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets - Immune, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders) - Volume 14, Issue 2, 2014

Background: A balanced diet is important to maintain an optimal health status and to prevent noncommunicable chronic diseases. The principal objective of this study was to analyze the effect of diets containing high fat levels from different sources, on serum and thymus lipid profile, in adult rats. Methods: Experimental diets contained 50% kcal of fat, provided by butter (B) or sunflower oil (S); control diet (C) was isocaloric, wi Read More

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in humans, particularly in postmenopausal women. Inflammation has been shown to play a basic role in the development of CVD. In light of the involvement of adipocytokines and dietary lipids in the induction of inflammation in CVD, this study was conducted to investigate the potential relationship between dietary lipids and two well-known adipocytokines, visfatin and Read More

There is growing evidence that the prevalence of overweight/obesity is increasing in both developed and developing countries. Furthermore, complications of overweight/obesity occurring during childhood may influence the healthy status in adulthood. On these grounds, here we have enrolled 15 overweight/obese, 15 normal weight and 15 underweight children. A series of parameters, such as eating habits thanks to th Read More

Background: Oxidative damage of tissues and cellular components is a primary or secondary cause of many human diseases and is associated with the welfare and productivity of farm animals. Natural antioxidants have gained attention for the prevention of oxidative damage-related diseases. Aim of the Study: To determine the effects of dietary supplementation with a natural polyphenol (verbascoside, VB) on the serum lipid pr Read More

This study investigates the effects of mefepronic acid (MA), a PPAR-α agonist, on hepatic metabolic functions and reproduction of postpartum dairy cows. Sixty Friesian cows were divided into Group A (administered 5g of MA IM, within 24 hrs after calving, on the 3rd and 5th day postpartum) and Group B (control). All the cows were blood sampled within 24 hrs of calving (Day 0), on Day 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 40 postpartum. On plas Read More

Amiodarone-induced SIADH is a rare but serious side effect of this drug. We report two cases of mild hyponatremia, observed in the last five years, and discuss the role played by age, sex and dose of amiodarone as well as the influence that this molecule may have on aquaporin-2 water channel expression in the renal collecting ducts.

Flutamide is a drug used in the treatment of androgen-dependent disorders. However, this treatment is usually accompanied by some adverse side effects. The aim of this work was to analyse the effect of flutamide and to compare this effect with that of a synthetic steroid - 3β-propionyloxy-5-androsten-17-one (PPA) - on levels of dopamine and some oxidative stress markers. For this, thirty-six male young Wistar rats (65g) wer Read More

The world population, currently estimated to be almost seven billion, is expected to double in less than four decades. The projected population growth will cause severe competition for existing resources, not to mention the issue of overcrowding of the planet and additional greenhouse gases that will have an adverse effect on the ecological health of the planet. A recent survey conducted by the United Nations Populatio Read More

The innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) have been grouped into three main categories: ILC1s [T helper (h)1-like cells], ILC2s (Th2-like cells) and ILC3s (Th17-like cells), respectively. In particular, ILC3s are responsible for the secretion of both interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-22, which play either protective (antimicrobial and repairing activities) or harmful (inflammation and tumor growth) roles into the host. Here, some putative intervention Read More

Physical inactivity is a major public health problem in developed countries, and the fourth leading mortality risk factor globally. Recently, it was suggested that the total energy expenditure of sedentary Western population is similar to the total energy expenditure of Hadza hunter-gatherers known for their traditional foraging lifestyle in the savannah-woodland environment. However, this claim was based on the similarity of Read More