Hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties of tocotrienol rich fraction isolated from rice bran oil in experimentally induced hyperlipidemic rats

We investigated a dose-dependent hypolipidemic and antioxidant effect of tocotrienol rich fraction (TRF) isolated from rice bran oil on experimentally induced hyperlipidemic rats. Feeding of atherogenic diet (5% hydrogenated fat, 0.5% cholic acid and 1% cholesterol) for three weeks resulted in a significant increase in plasma triglyceride (3.3-fold) and total cholesterol (2.4-fold) levels. There was a 5-fold increase in the level of LDL cholesterol with only a small increase in HDL cholesterol. On the other hand, HMG-CoA reductase activity was significantly reduced in these animals. The formation of TBARS, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, (86%) and conjugated dienes (78%) were also significantly higher in these rats compared to normals. After the induction of hyperlipidemia for three weeks, rats were supplemented with different doses of TRF for one week. TRF supplementation decreased the lipid parameters in a dose-dependent manner with an optimum effect at a dose of 8 mg TRF/kg/day. HMG-CoA reductase activity, which was increased after the withdrawal of atherogenic diet, remained significantly decreased during the TRF treatment. Feeding of TRF also decreased TBARS and conjugated dienes significantly. These results suggest that TRF supplementation has significant health benefits through the modulation of physiological functions that include various atherogenic lipid profiles and antioxidants in hypercholesterolemia.

The effect of carotenoids on the expression of cell surface adhesion molecules and binding of monocytes to human aortic endothelial cells

Several large epidemiological studies have shown a correlation between elevated plasma carotenoid levels and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). One proposed mechanism for the beneficial effect of carotenoids is through functional modulation of potentially atherogenic processes associated with the vascular endothelium. To test this, we incubated confluent human aortic endothelial cell (HAEC) cultures (passages 4-8) for 24 h with each of the five most prevalent carotenoids in human plasma, which are alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, and lycopene, at an approximate concentration of 1 micromol/l. Carotenoids were solubilized in 0.7% (v/v) tetrahydrofuran and incorporated into FBS before adding to cell culture medium. Due to disparate solubilities in aqueous medium, final concentrations of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, and lycopene were 1.7, 1.1, 0.7, 0.9, and 0.3 micromol/l and monolayers accumulated 647, 158, 7, 113, and 9 pmol/mg protein, respectively. Monolayers were then stimulated with IL-1beta (5 ng/ml) for 6 h with subsequent determination of cell surface expression of adhesion molecules as measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To assess endothelial cell adhesion to monocytes, IL-1beta-stimulated monolayers were incubated for 10 min with 51Cr-labeled U937 monocytic cells and adhesion determined by isotope counting. Pre-incubation of HAEC with beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene significantly reduced VCAM-1 expression by 29, 28, and 13%, respectively. Pre-incubation with beta-carotene and lutein significantly reduced E-selectin expression by 38 and 34%, respectively. Pre-treatment with beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene significantly reduced the expression of ICAM-1 by 11, 14, and 18%, respectively. While other carotenoids were ineffective, lycopene attenuated both IL-1beta-stimulated and spontaneous HAEC adhesion to U937 monocytic cells by 20 and 25%, respectively. Thus, among the carotenoids, lycopene appears to be most effective in reducing both HAEC adhesion to monocytes and expression of adhesion molecules on the cell surface.

The chronically mentally ill on a general hospital consultation-liaison service. Their needs and management

The consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatrist often sees chronic mentally ill patients when they are admitted to the medical-surgical services of the general hospital. Little research has been directed to the special needs and concerns of these patients in the general hospital. This area has become more relevant now that many of these patients are no longer cared for in the safety of the state hospital setting, often making baseline medical histories inaccessible. They have an overall higher mortality rate than the general population, cannot give adequate histories, and their psychotic illness can mask an underlying medical illness. In this preliminary investigation of the problems of this special population, the authors examined the issues concerning nursing needs, length of hospital stay, medical diagnosis, and possible complicating problems encountered during these patients' hospital stays in the setting of an urban university hospital. The authors discuss the implications of the role of the C-L psychiatrist in addressing their patients' acute problems.