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The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of Celergen, a marine nutraceutical, against tumor cell invasion in human pancreatic cancer cell line (PSN-I). High invasive clone (HI) and low invasive clone (LI) were established from wild type PSN-l cell line after a repeated invasion assay test. The invasive ability of HI cells and the level of IL-6 in the conditioned medium of HI cells was significantly higher than that one of LI cells but both these parameters were significantly reduced by the addition of Celergen (p<0.01). Exogenous IL-6 administration induced a dose dependent enhancement of invasive ability in both cell populations. Moreover, IL-6 receptor expression was detected in 72% of HI cells whereas this occurred only in 37% of LI cells. When co-cultured with Celergen this parameter was significantly downregulated in both cellular subsets (p<0.05). The addition of conditioned medium derived from HI cells (HCM) and LI cells(LCM) enhanced the invasive ability in both cell populations without affecting cell proliferation. The effect of HCM on the invasive ability of HI cells was partially inhibited by the addition of Celergen (p<0.01). In summary, overexpression of IL-6 and its receptor may be one relevant factor contributing to the highly invasive characteristic of the pancreatic cancer cell line we used while a significantly beneficial modulation was obtained by applying this novel marine nutraceutical. This advices to further explore the possibility of marine compounds regulation of IL-6 ligand/receptor and other possible invasive factor interaction in the therapy of this malignancy while further studies are awaited in this setting.

The aim of the present study was to test the possible effects of a novel sturgeon-derived compound  (LD-1227) on inflammatory markers related to metabolic nuclear receptors in patients with metabolic syndrome. The study population consisted of 76 patients with metabolic syndrome and 30 healthy subjects who were maintained to their current treatments and randomly supplemented: A) LD-1227 (n=38) or B) placebo (n=38) as compared to C) healthy controls (n=30). LD-1227 or placebo (water-soluble starch) were given daily at breakfast and dinner for three months. Levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, leptin and adiponectin/ resistin index were assayed at the entry, 1 month and 3 months afterwards. At the end of the study period, as compared to B group, LD-1227-treated patients showed a significant improvement of all parameters tested, irrespective of the presence of diabetes. In particular, levels of adiponectin and adiponectin/ resistin index significantly increased following LD-1227 administration. Although the metabolic syndrome remains a multifaceted condition requiring a complex approach, LD-1227 could be a potential safe therapeutic tool to be integrated into a wider treatment and preventive medicine schedule strategy.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slow, chronic joint disease characterized by focal degeneration of articular cartilage and alterations of the chemical and mechanical articular function and also major cause of pain and physical disability. There is clinical evidence that increasing dietary n-3 relative to n-6 may be beneficial in terms of symptom management in humans but not all studies conclude that dietary n-3 PUFA supplementation is of benefit, in the treatment of OA. Our recent studies highlight the effect of a biomarine compound (LD-1227) on MMPs, collagen metabolism and on chondrocyte inflammatory markers. Thus, the aim of the present work was to test such bioactive compound versus a common nutraceutical intervention (glucosamine/chrondroitin sulfate) in knee osteoarthritis patients. The patients population consisted of 60 subjects with a recent diagnosis of knee osteoarthririts of mild-moderate severity. Patients were randomized in a double-blind study comparing LD-1227 (group A) versus a mixture of glucosamine (500 mg), chondroitin sulfate (400 mg) (group B). Patients were allowed their established painkillers on demand. At 4, 9 and 18 weeks patients were evaluated as for: VAS score assessing pain at rest, and during physical exercise, Lequesne index, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scale and KOOS scale. Moreover, serum concentrations of IL-6, IL-β, CRP, TNF-sR1 and TNF-sR2 were assessed. As compared to GC treatment, LD-1227 yielded a quicker and higher degree of improvement of the whole clinical indexes and a lower NSAIDs use at the end of the study. LD-1227 brought about also a more significant downregulation of the tested cytokines cascade. Taken overall, these data suggest that LD-1227 has the potential to be included in the nutraceutical armamentarium in the management of OA.

Increased intestinal permeability has been advocated as one of the likely causes of various pathologies, such as allergies and metabolic or even cardiovascular disturbances. Thus, the aim of the present study was to test a symbiotic preparation containing microbial lysates (KC-1317, Named, Italy) against stress-induced derangement of gut mucosa permeability. Sprague Dawley rats were allocated into control (n=20) and stress (n=20) group. Stress was implemented by 1h of water avoidance stress daily for 10 days. Body weight, food and water intake and passage of stool pellet during stress session were recorded throughout the experiment. On the 11th day, fluorescent iso-thiocyanate dextran solution was injected into small intestinal loops. One hour after the injection, rats were sacrificed. Jejunum and ileum were taken for histopathology. Blood was collected from the abdominal aorta to measure intestinal permeability. In stress group, stool pellets during stress session was significantly higher than control group (p < 0.01). Villus height (p < 0.01), crypt depth (p < 0.01), number of goblet cells in villus (p < 0.01) and crypt (p < 0.05) decreased significantly in jejunum as compared to control. These phenomena were significantly prevented by KC-1317 (p < 0.05). Ileum also showed atrophy but villus height and the number of goblet cells in the villi did not significantly differ. Plasma-concentration of brain-gut peptides (substance P, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, cholecystokinin and motilin) were affected by stress (p < 0.001) and this effect did not change during supplementation with KC-1317. Polymorphonuclear neutrophil counting was significantly higher in stress group as compared to control (p < 0.01) but this phenomenon was abolished in the ileum (p < 0.01) or partly but significantly reduced by KC-1317 supplementation (p < 0.05). Accordingly, intestinal permeability was significantly enhanced in stress group as compared to control (p < 0.01) and prevented by KC-1317 (p < 0.01) in both intestinal segments examined. While confirming that chronic mild stress in rats compromises small intestinal morphology and permeability, we showed that a symbiotic microbial lysate can partly counteract this phenomenon.

Background and Aim: The prevalence of dual infection was 2.8% (26/927). Majority of these patients had presented with acute flare of a chronic liver disease (42.3%) followed by acute jaundice (38.5%).We found HEV infection to be was highly prevalent among 20 to 40 years of age group. In the case of HBV only 5.37% (5/93) children were affected in the age group 0-10 years., Methods: Serum samples from 1147 proven HEV infection suspected were collected and tested for HBsAg and HEV (IgM) antibodies using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits (bio Merieux, France)., Results: There were the 32.16% (367/1141) HEV positive cases. We found maximum HEV positivity in the age group of 21-30 years. There were 2.8% (26/927) HEV and HBV dully infected patients. The total 44.68% (273/611) suspected of acute hepatitis/jaundice were HEV positive., Conclusion: The HEV found to be was highly prevalent among 20 to 40 years of age group. The males were more frequent than females for HEV and HBV infection. In the children's, there were lower attack of both HEV and HBV. The maximum patients were having acute hepatitis/jaundice in both HEV and HBV infection. There were 26 dually infected patients in 12 months.

The present study was designed to determine whether DTS a phytocompound endowed with antioxidant properties, could beneficially modulate nitric oxide (NO) production stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in adipocytes. Combined stimulation (CS-treatment) exerted by using 5 microg/ml of LPS together with 100 ng/ml of TNF-alpha significantly enhanced NO production in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Preincubation of the adipocytes with DTS (10-30 mM) inhibited such phenomenon in a dose-dependent fashion. The production of NO was decreased by 52% at the concentration of 30mM of DTS. The decrease in NO production by DTS was associated also with a decrease in inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein and iNOS mRNA expression. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) was significantly enhanced by CS-treatment, while the pretreatment with 30 mM of DTS prevented the activity by 27%. IL-6 production in 3T3-L1 adipocytes was markedly increased by CS stimulus, and the enhanced secretion of IL-6 was suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by DTS. These results suggest that DTS regulates iNOS expression and NO production in adipocytes through the modulating activation of NF-kappaB and may have a potential clinical application within protocols designed for treating metabolic syndrome. (www.actabiomedica.it).

Alkylglycerols have shown immune stimulant and adjuvant activity in several studies and the aim of the present research was to assess in particular the effect of shark liver-derived alkylglycerols on gut immune system. C57BL/6 mice, fed under specific pathogen free conditions, were randomly divided into two groups: (a) fed normal laboratory food or (b) added with alkylglycerols (2 mg/day/mouse) for 3 weeks. Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) were retrieved from the small intestine and tested for NK and tumor cytotoxicity. Lymphocytes from liver, spleen and IEL were also assessed as for their counting and phenotypic characterization. Under supplementation with alkylglycerols, the number of lymphocytes yielded by the small intestine increased by to almost 40%. Moreover, the ratio of CD8alphabeta+TCRalphabeta+ cells/CD8alphaalpha+TCRalphabeta+ cells remarkably increased. In parallel with this reshaping in the distribution of lymphocyte subsets, tumor cytotoxicity of IEL against P815 cells and cytokine production from circulating lymphocytes were also enhanced. These data show that phylogenetically developed lymphocytes (CD8alphabeta, TCRalphabeta+) were significantly activated by the oral administration of alkylglycerols. The present results indicate that purified alkylglycerols might have such significant potential via the enhancement of intestinal immunity, especially in the small intestine.

"Functional foods" represent an emerging opportunity and they will certainly play a consistent and important role in future too. Such a new perspective entirely depends on the growing attention paid by nutritionists to the development of new innovating solutions aiming at acting on organic systems as well as on more general topics relating to consumer good health conditions. Differently from the past, when mainly retrospective epidemiological studies or empirical experiences were carried out on single nutrients, such a new and growing interest by the scientific community follows research deeply oriented to clinics supplemented by an accurate study on nutrients, genomics and single nutritional requirement diagnostics. Already in 1993, the leading journal Nature published a report "Japan is exploring limits between food and medicine" (Swinbanks 1993). Clearly the success of "Functional foods" depends on the food industry capacity too of developing new effective products which on the one side meet any consumer request and on the other must be have positive effects on health, supported and validated by scientific research and therefore far beyond simple positive properties, as recently underlined in a meeting, organised by a no profit non governmental international association.

A comparative study was carried out between cinnamon oil and clove oil on the oral micro-biota causing dental caries. Cinnamon oil was found to be more effective than clove oil exhibiting broad spectrum of antibacterial activity inhibiting all the ten test bacterial species involved in dental caries. Cinnamon oil produced maximum inhibition zone of diameter (IZD) of 24.0 mm against Streptococcus mutans (major causative bacteria of dental plaque) as compared to clove oil (IZD = 13.0mm). This is contrary to the popular belief that clove oil is effective in tooth decay and dental plaque. This study shows the potential of cinnamon oil over clove oil in the treatment of dental caries. (www.actabiomedica.it).

The objective of this study is to ascertain the potential beneficial effects of a novel phytoterapeutic formula (DTS, Kyotsu Jigyo, Japan) on renal function and morphological structure in 5/6 nephrectomized rats. Male Spraque-Dawley rats, 240-280 g, were divided into sham control (Group A) and nephrectomized (Group B and Group C) groups. The 5/6 nephrectomy was performed by removal of the right kidney and 2/3 ligation of left renal artery. After surgery, the animals were kept in individual cage for 6 weeks. Rats in Group A and Group B were fed with a normal protein diet only while those in Group C were fed normal protein diet added with DTS (10 mg/rat/day). The DTS supplementation was started a day after surgery. After 5 weeks, all rats were subjected to renal function study and then their left kidneys were isolated for morphological study. There were no significant differences in body weight, blood pressure, and heart rate among groups. DTS supplementation significantly increased (p<0.05) plasma creatinine concentration, glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, and urine flow rate in nephrectomized rats when compared to sham control (Group A) and untreated nephrectomized (Group B) controls. In contrast, plasma urea concentration and morphological structure were not significantly modified by DTS supplementation in nephrectomized animals. These data suggest that feeding with a normal protein diet and DTS supplementation improves renal function without any morphological effect in 5/6 nephrectomized rats if not a slight preservation.(www.actabiomedica.it).

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were used extensively as starter cultures in food fermentation. Some of the health benefits which have been claimed for lactic acid bacteria as probiotics include the following: improvement of the normal microflora, prevention of infectious diseases and food allergies, reduction of serum cholesterol, anticarcinogenic activity, stabilization of the gut mucosal barrier, immune adjuvant properties, alleviation of intestinal bowel disease symptoms and improvement in the digestion of lactose in intolerant hosts. The present study is aimed to brief review the some clinical importance of lactic acid bacteria (www.actabiomedica.it).

Hepatic fibrosis is a widespread alteration in the liver that primarily consists of increased collagen deposition in the tissue. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effects of poly-phytocompound EH-1501 containing small amounts of silymarin but also other potentially effective substances on thioacetamide (TTA)-induced liver fibrosis and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these protective effects in rats. Forty rats were randomly divided into four groups. Liver fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg body weight. TAA dissolved in saline was administered thrice a week, for 8 weeks. Groups 1 (normal healthy control) and 2 (liver injury model) received water for 8 weeks or silymarin (50 mg/kg p.o. daily) for 8 weeks (group 3) or a poly-phytocompound EH-1501 (containing grape leaf, wild strawberry, dandelion and milk thistle, EuroHealth, Italy) (200 mg/kg, daily respectively) for 8 weeks (group 4). Biochemistry and serum fibrosis markers were AST, ALT, GGT, bilirubin, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs), hyaluronic acid and type IV collagen 7s. Liver tissue was used to assay glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), TBARs, hydroxyproline and gene expression of collagen alpha1 (col alpha1) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1). Silymarine and EH-1501 were equally effective in reducing serum markers of liver damage and fibrosis as well as oxidative stress. However, as compared to silymarine, EH-1501 was significantly more effective in improving tissue level of GPx while decreasing TBARs and hydroproline content (p < 0.05). When looking at gene expression of col alpha1 and TGF-beta1, EH-1501 showed a significantly higher degree of gene down-regulation as compared to silymarine (p < 0.05). Taken altogether, these data suggest that a natural antioxidant-containing phytocompound EH-1501 exerts an effective hepatoprotective property in experimental chronic fibrotizing liver injury to a significantly higher degree than silymarin.