Monthly Archives: March 2017

Malaysia’s having a palm oil party. You should celebrate, too.

This year, Malaysian people are honoring a tree with oil-rich fruit because 2017 marks 100 years of Malaysian palm oil production. This edible oil has made a profound impact on the country. Not only does Malaysian certified sustainable palm oil provide nutrition to more than three billion people worldwide, it has been credited with reducing poverty and improving living conditions in this progressive nation. So why should Americans join in the celebration? Because more than 80 percent of the palm oil used in the U.S. is sourced from Malaysia. You’ll find this “golden oil” in many of your favorite foods, from peanut butters to candy to granola bars.

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The effects of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E co-supplementation on clinical and metabolic status in patients with Parkinson’s disease: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Taghizadeh M, Tamtaji OR, Dadgostar E, Kakhaki RD, Bahmani F, Abolhassani J, Aarabi MH, Kouchaki E, Memarzadeh MR, Asemi Z.

Neurochem Int. 2017 Mar 22. pii: S0197-0186(17)30073-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2017.03.014. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract

The current research was performed to evaluate the effects of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E co-supplementation on clinical signs and metabolic status in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted in 60 patients with PD. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups to receive either 1000 mg omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed oil plus 400 IU vitamin E supplements (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 12 weeks. Unified Parkinson’s disease rating stage (UPDRS) were recorded at baseline and the after 3-month intervention. After 12 weeks’ intervention, compared with the placebo, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E co-supplementation led to a significant improve in UPDRS (-3.3 ± 10.0 vs. +4.4 ± 14.9, P = 0.02). Furthermore, co-supplementation decreased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (-0.3 ± 0.6 vs. +0.3 ± 0.3 μg/mL, P < 0.001), and increased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (+65.2 ± 68.7 vs. +16 ± 52.4 μmol/L, P = 0.003) and glutathione (GSH) concentrations (+41.4 ± 80.6 vs. -19.6 ± 55.9 μmol/L, P = 0.001) compared with the placebo. Additionally, co-supplementation meaningfully decreased insulin (-2.1 ± 4.9 vs. +1.4 ± 6.2 μIU/mL, P = 0.01), homeostasis model of assessment-estimated insulin resistance (-0.7 ± 1.8 vs.+0.3 ± 1.6, P = 0.02) and Beta cell function (-5.9 ± 13.9 vs. +5.7 ± 25.5, P = 0.03), and increased quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (+0.009 ± 0.02 vs. -0.006 ± 0.03, P = 0.03) compared with the placebo. Overall, our study demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E co-supplementation in people with PD had favorable effects on UPDRS, hs-CRP, TAC, GSH and markers of insulin metabolism.

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Vitamin E – most of us aren’t getting enough

itamin E, known as tocopherol, comes in eight forms, but only one is retained by the human body: Alpha Tocopherol. The other seven are excreted by the liver. Depending on your weight and how much polyunsaturated fat you consume, the daily value (DV) as recommended by the US’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is 30IU. You’ll need more if you have a higher intake of refined oils and fried food. One serving (two tablets) of Apsu’s superfood multivitamin supplement has 83% of the recommended daily value, at 25IU.

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Vitamin E-rich Nanoemulsion Enhances the Antitumor Efficacy of Low-Dose Paclitaxel by Driving Th1 Immune Response.

Ye J, Dong W, Yang Y, Hao H, Liao H, Wang, Han X, Jin Y, Xia X, Liu Y.

Pharm Res. 2017 Mar 21. doi: 10.1007/s11095-017-2141-3. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract

To overcome the drawbacks of high dose regimen and improve the outcomes of chemotherapy at a low dose, an immunotherapeutic nanoemulsion based combination of chemotherapeutic agent (paclitaxel) with immunomodulatory agent (vitamin E) was developed and evaluated for their antitumor effect against breast cancer. A total of five nanoemulsions loaded with various content of vitamin E were prepared and characterized. The immunoregulatory effects of vitamin E along with the overall antitumor efficacy of vitamin E-rich nanoemulsion with a low dose of paclitaxel were investigated through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Vitamin E-rich nanoemulsion exhibited relatively narrow size distribution, high entrapment efficiency and controlled in vitro release profile. In RAW264.7 cells, vitamin E-rich nanoemulsion significantly enhanced the secretion of Th1 cytokines and down-regulated the secretion of Th2 cytokine. In a co-culture system, vitamin E-rich nanoemulsion induced a high apoptosis rate in MDA-MB-231 cells as compared with vitamin E-low nanoemulsion. Furthermore, vitamin E-rich nanoemulsion exhibited superior in vivo antitumor efficacy in comparison with Taxol and vitamin E-low nanoemulsion at a paclitaxel dose of 4 mg/kg. Vitamin E-rich nanoemulsion has great potential for the treatment of breast cancers with a low dose of paclitaxel via driving Th1 immune response.

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The Influence of α-Tocopherol on Serum Biochemical Markers During Experimentally Induced Pleuritis in Rats Exposed to Dioxin.

Całkosiński I, Gostomska-Pampuch K, Majda J, Leśków A, Janeczek M, Melnyk OP, Gamian A.

Inflammation. 2017 Mar 15. doi: 10.1007/s10753-017-0536-2. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract

Toxicity of dioxins is wide ranging. Amongst the organs, the liver is the most susceptible to damage by dioxins. Damage caused to liver cells results in promoting inflammatory processes. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether high doses of tocopherol will change the inflammatory response, monitored by biochemical indicators, by improving liver function in rats exposed to tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). The study was conducted on a population of female Buffalo rats. The animals were divided into the following groups: Control Group A-representing physiological norms for the studied diagnostic indicators; Control Group B-subjects were administered a 1% ceragenin solution to induce pleuritis; Study Group 1-where rats were administered α-tocopherol acetate for 3 weeks, after which pleuritis was induced; Study Group 2-rats were administered a single dose of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), while 3 weeks later, pleuritis was induced; and Study Group 3-rats were administered a single dose of TCDD and next, were administered α-tocopherol acetate for 3 weeks, followed by pleuritis induction. The results clearly show that administering tocopherol in the course of inflammation causes changes to the distribution and ratio of in the serum protein fractions, including acute phase proteins. The latter proteins are indicative to the improvement in liver function and linked to protein synthesis and stimulation of the antibody-mediated immunity. Moreover, in the course of inflammation caused by exposure of rats to TCDD, tocopherol significantly affected the acute phase protein concentration.

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Synthesis, characterization, and in-vitro antitumor activity of the polyethylene glycol (350 and 1000) succinate derivatives of the tocopherol and tocotrienol isomers of Vitamin E.

Abu-Fayyad A, Nazzal S.

Int J Pharm. 2017 Mar 15;519(1-2):145-156. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.01.020. Epub 2017 Jan 16.

Abstract

Vitamin E refers to a group of saturated tocopherol (T) isomers and the biologically more active unsaturated tocotrienol (T3) isomers. PEGylated α-tocopherol, commercially known as Vitamin E TPGS, has been used as an emulsifier and therapeutic agent for children with vitamin E deficiency. Limited information, however, is available about the PEG conjugates of the tocotrienol isomers of vitamin E. The current work was therefore undertaken to synthesize and characterize the water soluble polyethylene glycol (PEG 350 and 1000) derivatives of T and T3. Yield and the identity of the synthesized products were confirmed by 1H NMR, mass spectroscopy, HPLC, and thermal analysis. The self-assembly of the PEGylated vitamin E isomers in water at critical micelle concentrations (CMC) was further confirmed by size, zeta, and Cryo-TEM image analysis. While stable at pH 7.4, PEG conjugates were found to rapidly hydrolyze at pH 1.2. Our data showed that PEGylated T3 isomers were significantly more active as inhibitors for P-glycoprotein than PEGylated T. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the conjugates was also tested against a large panel of normal and tumorigenic cells. Of the conjugates, γ-T3PGS 1000 and δ-T3PGS 1000 were found to have the least toxicity against non-tumorigenic breast and pancreatic cell lines, which may be advantageous for its use as functional excipients in drug delivery. The results from the current work have demonstrated the feasibility of synthesizing PEGylated conjugates of vitamin E isomers and highlighted the potential use of these conjugates in drug delivery as functional and safer excipients especially for γ-T3PGS 1000 and δ-T3PGS 1000 conjugate.

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γ-Tocotrienol Inhibits TGF-β1-Induced Contractile Phenotype Expression of Human Airway Smooth Muscle Cells.

Fukushima T, Yamasaki A, Harada T, Chikumi H, Watanabe M, Okazaki R, Takata M, Hasegawa Y, Kurai J, Yanai M, Yamamoto A, Sueda Y, Halayko AJ, Shimizu E.

Yonago Acta Med. 2017 Mar 9;60(1):16-23. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Tocotrienols, members of the vitamin E family, exist in four different isoforms (α, β, γ and δ tocotrienol) that have can be protective against brain damage, as well as having anticancer effects in vivo and in vitro. We have shown that γ-tocotrienol inhibits human airway smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration induced by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB by suppressing RhoA activation. In this study, we tested whether γ-tocotrienol modulates transforming growth factor (TGF) -β-induced induction of human airway smooth muscle (ASM) into a contractile phenotype and concomitant synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins. ASM cells were stimulated with TGF-β1 (2 ng/mL) for 48 hours and the effect of γ-tocotrienol (50 μM) on α-smooth muscle actin, fibronectin and collagen I expression was assessed using Western blotting. The signaling pathways involved in TGF-β1 stimulation were also investigated. Results show TGF-β1 increased α-smooth muscle actin, fibronectin and collagen Ⅰ abundance by 3- to 5-fold. This response was inhibited significantly by γ-tocotrienol. Furthermore, γ-tocotrienol suppressed RhoA activation, but did not affect Smad2 or Smad3 phosphorylation. These results indicate that γ-tocotrienol has potential for benefit in modulating on airway remodeling in asthma, likely via a mechanism involving the suppression of TGF-β activation of RhoA.

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Certified sustainable palm oil trusted as natural trans fat alternative

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined in June 2015 that partially hydrogenated oil – American’s primary source of artificial trans fats – should be removed from the food supply. Consuming trans fat may raise the level of LDL (or bad) cholesterol in your blood which may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. While the FDA gave food manufacturers three years to remove this unhealthy ingredient from their products, many manufacturers have already made the switch to Malaysian certified sustainable palm oil. This up-and-coming oil is naturally trans fat-free, non-GMO and loaded with nutrients, qualities that are important to many of today’s shoppers.

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