Effects of oral zinc and magnesium supplementation on serum thyroid hormone and lipid levels in experimentally induced diabetic rats

This study was designed to investigate the effects of oral zinc and magnesium supplementation on serum thyroid hormone and lipid levels in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Thirty-two albino male rats, weighing 234±34 g, were divided into four experimental groups (control, diabetic, diabetic+zinc supplemented and diabetic+ magnesium supplemented). The experiment lasted for 60 d. The first 45 d of the experiment was the supplementation and last 15 d was the supplementation and diabetes-inducing period. Diabetic+zinc-supplemented and diabetic+magnesium-supplemented groups were given orally (by adding in their drinking water) 227 mg/L of zinc and 100 mg/kg body weight (bw) of magnesium, respectively throughout the experiment. Control and diabetic groups served as controls and did not receive zinc or magnesium supplementation. Diabetic, diabetic+zinc-supplemented, and diabetic+magnesium-supplemented groups were given a daily injection (ip) of 100 mg/kg bw of alloxan for 15 d starting on d 46 of the experiment. The control group was only injected with the same volume of isotonic NaCl as the diabetic group received. At the end of the of the experiment, rats in all four groups were fasted for 12 h and blood samples were taken from the heart under ether anesthesia for the determination of thyroid hormone, glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations. It was found that serum glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations were higher and serum T3 and T4 concentrations were lower in diabetic rats than those in the control group. Zinc supplementation did not change any parameter in diabetic rats. However, magnesium supplementation decreased the elevated total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations of the diabetic rats to the control level. It was concluded that oral magnesium supplementation might decrease the diabetes-induced disturbances of lipid metabolism.     

Distribution and metabolism of iron in muscles of iron-deficient rats

Iron-deficiency anemia leads directly to both reduced hemoglobin levels and work performance in humans and experimental animals. In an attempt to observe a direct link between work performance and insufficient iron at the cellular level, we produced severe iron deficiency in female weanling Sprague-Dawley rats following five weeks on a low-iron diet. Deficient rats were compared with normal animals to observe major changes in hematological parameters, body weight, and growth of certain organs and tissues. The overall growth of iron-deficient animals was approximately 50% of normal. The ratio of organ weight: body weight increased in heart, liver, spleen, kidney, brain, and soleus muscle in response to iron deficiency. Further, mitochondria from heart and red muscle retained their iron more effectively under the stress of iron deficiency than mitochondria from liver and spleen. Metabolism of iron in normal and depleted tissue was measured using tracer amounts of⁵⁹Fe administered orally. As expected, there was greater uptake of tracer iron by iron-deficient animals. The major organ of iron accumulation was the spleen, but significant amounts of isotope were also localized in heart and brain. In all muscle tissue examined the⁵⁹Fe preferentially entered the mitochondria. Enhanced mitochondrial uptake of iron prior to any detectable change in the hemoglobin level in experimental animals may be indicative of nonhemoglobin related biochemical changes and/or decrements in work capacity.     

The effect of ethanol on zinc and copper metabolism in rats

Studies performed on adult female rats over a period of 10 weeks indicated that the consumption of alcohol (20% v/v) did not appear to disturb the zinc or copper balance, nor did it adversely affect tissue zinc or copper levels, even in zinc-restricted animals. On the contrary, higher plasma zinc levels were consistently observed in animals receiving alcohol together with the experimental diets.     

The role of selenium in thyroid hormone metabolism and effects of selenium deficiency on thyroid hormone and iodine metabolism

Selenium deficiency impairs thyroid hormone metabolism by inhibiting the synthesis and activity of the iodothyronine deiodinases, which convert thyroxine (T₄) to the more metabolically active 3,3′-5 triiodothyronine (T₃). Hepatic type I iodothyronine deiodinase, identified in partially purified cell fractions using affinity labeling with [¹²⁵I]N-bromoacetyl reverse triiodothyronine, is also labeled with⁷⁵Se by in vivo treatment of rats with⁷⁵Se-Na₂SeO₃. Thus, the type I iodothyronine 5′-deiodinase is a selenoenzyme. In rats, concurrent selenium and iodine deficiency produces greater increases in thyroid weight and plasma thyrotrophin than iodine deficiency alone. These results indicate that a concurrent selenium deficiency could be a major determinant of the severity of iodine deficiency.     

The role of selenium in thyroid hormone metabolism and effects of selenium deficiency on thyroid hormone and iodine metabolism

Selenium deficiency impairs thyroid hormone metabolism by inhibiting the synthesis and activity of the iodothyronine deiodinases, which convert thyroxine (T₄) to the more metabolically active 3,3′–5 triiodothyronine (T₃). Hepatic type I iodothyronine deiodinase, identified in partially purified cell fractions using affinity labeling with [¹²⁵I]N-bromoacetyl reverse triiodothyronine, is also labeled with⁷⁵Se by in vivo treatment of rats with⁷⁵Se−Na₂SeO₃. Thus, the type I iodothyronine 5′-deiodinase is a selenoenzyme. In rats, concurrent selenium and iodine deficiency produces greater increases in thyroid weight and plasma thyrotrophin than iodine deficiency alone. These results indicate that a concurrent selenium deficiency could be a major determinant of the severity of iodine deficiency.     

The effect of Echis carinatus crude venom and purified protein fractions on carbohydrate metabolism in rats

Echis carinatus crude venom was fractionated into 11 protein fractions by preparative native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). All fractions except fractions 5 and 10 appeared as a single band on analytical native PAGE. Purified venom fractions 1, 4, 8, 10 and 11 appeared as single bands on SDS-PAGE whereas fractions 2, 3 and 7 contained two bands and fraction 6 contained three bands. Fractions 1 and 3 exhibited basic pI (7.3 and 7.6) respectively, while fractions 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 11 showed an acidic pI. Amino acid analysis also showed that crude venom is rich in acidic amino acids. A significant hyperglycaemia was produced by i.p. injection of E. carinatus crude venom, after 15 min of envenomation which persisted even after 24 h. Along with hyperglycaemia there was a significant decrease of liver glycogen at 15 min and 1, 12 and 24 h. A significant decrease of plasma [pyr + lac] levels was found from 15 min to 24 h. The liver [pyr + lac] levels increased significantly after 24 h. Skeletal muscle [pyr + lac] level was significantly decreased after 24 h of envenomation. Fractions 2 and 6 produced the highest increase in plasma glucose after 12 h and fraction 7 after 24 h. The plasma insulin level was significantly decreased by these three fractions (2, 6 and 7). So it can be hypothesized that the hyperglycaemia may result from a direct effect of a venom component on plasma insulin. Fractions 7, 8 and 11 caused the highest decrease in plasma [pyr + lac] while fractions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 produced the most significant decrease in liver [pyr + lac]. The most significant increase in lactate dehydrogenase level was also produced by fractions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8.     

银杏叶提取物对糖尿病大鼠脂质代谢及肠道正常菌群的影响

目的:观察银杏叶提取物对糖尿病大鼠脂质代谢的影响,同时进一步探讨调脂机制.方法:选取糖尿病大鼠灌胃给予银杏叶提取物120 mg/(kg·d),共8周,检测其空腹血脂变化,及其肠道菌群变化.结果:(1)银杏叶提取物治疗后,治疗组较糖尿病对照组,总胆固醇、甘油三脂、低密度脂蛋白、胆固醇明显降低(P＜0.01);(2)糖尿病组肠道菌群较正常组明显变化(P＜0.01),尤其双歧杆菌、乳杆菌等明显减少,而治疗后肠道菌群得到调整.结论:银杏叶提取物可能通过扶植肠道菌群有益菌生长繁殖,对脂质代谢发挥作用,从而达到其调脂目的.     

有氧运动联合破壁蛋白核小球藻对高脂膳食大鼠脂代谢某些指标的影响

目的：研究有氧运动联合破壁蛋白核小球藻对高脂膳食大鼠脂代谢某些指标的影响。方法：55只雄性Wistar大鼠经过适应性饲养4 d后进行3 d、20 min/d的无负重游泳训练,筛选淘汰5只不适应游泳训练的大鼠后,按体重以数字随机分组法分为5组：普通膳食+安静对照组（C组）、高脂膳食+安静对照组（H组）、高脂膳食+小球藻+安静对照组（HC组）、高脂膳食+有氧运动组（HM组）、高脂膳食+有氧运动+小球藻组（HMC）,每组10只。HM组和HMC组进行6周每周6次60 min/d的无负重游泳训练。C组大鼠以普通饲料常规喂养;其余各组以高脂饲料喂养;HC组和HMC组大鼠灌胃破壁小球藻1次,灌胃剂量为3.9 g/（kg·d）,灌胃体积为5 ml/kg,其余各组ig等量生理盐水。6周后,测定大鼠Lee’s指数,取血、肝脏检测相关生化指标。结果：与C组比较,H组Lee’s指数,血清FFA、IL-6、TNF-α、TC、TG、LDL-c,肝脏FFA、IL-10显著升高（P<0.01）;血清HDL-c水平显著降低（P< 0.01）。与H组比较,HC、HM、HMC组Lee’s指数,血清FFA、IL-6、TNF-α、TC、TG、LDL-c,肝脏FFA、IL-10显著降低（P<0.05或P<0.01）;血清HDL-c水平显著升高（P<0.05或P<0.01）。与HC、HM组比较,HMC组Lee’s指数,血清FFA、IL-6、TNF-α、TC、TG、LDL-c,肝脏FFA、IL-10显著降低（P<0.05）;血清HDL-c水平显著升高（P<0.05）。结论：有氧运动和破壁蛋白核小球藻干预能够不同程度改善高脂膳食大鼠脂代谢,降低肥胖对肝脏造成的脂毒性。其中联合干预较单一干预更为有效。     

The effect of sex hormones on lipid content and mast cell number in the harderian gland of the female toad, Bufo viridis

The Harderian gland of the toad Bufo viridis is a dimorphic gland owing to the presence of lipid droplets in the female glandular cells present only during summer months. Ovariectomy causes the disappearence of sudanophilia and estrogen-treatment completely prevents this change, while testosterone-injection has little effect. Estradiol-treatment also provokes a proliferation of the interstitial connective tissue concomitantly with the mast cell number increase. Our results suggest that estradiol acts, stimulating both mast cell and connective tissue proliferation, and plays a role in determining the expression of the female type of the toad Harderian gland.     

The relation between the synergistic effect of cytostatics and metabolism of V 79B cells in vitro.

A single-dose simultaneous application of methotrexate (MTX; 0.002/microgram ml-1) and cisplatin (cis-Pt; 0.0002/microgram ml-1) had a permanent synergistic effect on both synchronized and asynchronous cell populations of V 79B cells. Successive combination of the drugs was manifested synergistically when MTX was applied first. The synchronized cell population was more sensitive to the cytostatics than the asynchronous population. Treatment with MTX alone, or the combination of MTX-cis-Pt, as well as their successive combination with the first drug being cis-Pt, caused gluconeogenesis.