agar and Body-Weight

Therapeutic attitude in hyperbilirrubinemia is always worth because other infrequent complications but not for this, less important. Phototherapy innocuousness, largely demonstrated, fosters its profilactic use at beginning and not only for those babies with serum bilirrubin over 10 mg % in the first day of life. Previously we have reported positive results with agar oral administration without collateral effects. On this grounds we have planned the following experience in a homogenous group of L.B.W.: one group was fed with agar previously to each formula administration; other group received the same amount of agar but divided in only three administrations in 24 hours; the last group received continuous phototherapy for 96 hours with a white cold fluorescent light from a source of 8-Vita-lite lamp of 40 watts with a intensity of 500 foot candle and 30 lumens. All of these babies weighed less than 2.500 g. and were between 10 and 90 percentil of Lubschenko diagram. They were fed with the same formula and same time table with no infusions, rejecting all that presented any type of pathology. Obstetric conditions were basically identical. This population was randomly divided in four groups. 1) Control group with no profilaxis, but with identical bilirrubin andhematocrit determinations. 2) Group with continuous agar oral administration, 125 mg. before each of the seven formula feeding. 3) Group with discontinuous agar administration, 250 mg. before three of the seven formula feeding. 4) Group with continuous phototherapy for 96 hours. These is initial identification of the groups with statistic signification, and after that a quantitative and sequential evolution of bilirrubin is analized in each group.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Agar; Bilirubin; Body Weight; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Humans; Hyperbilirubinemia; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature, Diseases; Phototherapy; Time Factors

Topics: Agar; Bacteria; Bilirubin; Birth Weight; Blood Group Antigens; Body Weight; Clinical Trials as Topic; Feces; Female; Glucuronidase; Hematocrit; Humans; Hyperbilirubinemia; Infant, Newborn; Intestinal Absorption; Intestinal Mucosa; Intestines; Jaundice, Neonatal; Leukocyte Count; Liver; Male; Reticulocytes

Agar, a heterogeneous polymer of galactose, is the main component of the cell wall of marine red algae. It is well established as a safe, non-digestible carbohydrate in Oriental countries. Although neoagarooligosaccharides (NAOs) prepared by the hydrolysis of agar by β-agarase have been reported to exert various biological activities, the safety of these compounds has not been reported to date. For safety evaluation, NAOs containing mainly neoagarotetraose and neoagarohexaose were prepared from agar by enzymatic hydrolysis using β-agarase DagA from Streptomyces coelicolor. Genotoxicity tests such as the bacterial reverse mutation assay, eukaryotic chromosome aberration assay, and in vivo micronucleus assay all indicated that NAOs did not exert any mutational effects. The toxicity of NAOs in rat and beagle dog models was investigated by acute, 14-day, and 91-day repeated oral dose toxicity tests. The results showed that NAO intake of up to 5,000 mg/kg body weight resulted in no significant changes in body weight, food intake, water consumption, hematologic and blood biochemistry parameters, organ weight, or clinical symptoms. Collectively, a no-observed-adverse-effect level of 5,000 mg/kg body weight/day for both male and female rats was established for NAO. These findings support the safety of NAO for possible use in food supplements and pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.

Topics: Agar; Animals; Body Weight; Cell Line; Cosmetics; Cricetulus; Dietary Supplements; Dogs; Female; Galactosides; Glycoside Hydrolases; Hydrolysis; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Models, Animal; Mutagenicity Tests; No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; Oligosaccharides; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

North American ginseng is known to have immunomodulatory and antipseudomonal properties in vitro. In this study we investigated the effects of aqueous ginseng extract, either alone or in a combination with the antibiotic tobramycin, in an animal model of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection. The lungs of male rats (n = 5) were infected with P. aeruginosa (2 × 10(8) cfu/mL) in agar-beads by intratracheal instillation. Starting on day 7 post-infection, animals were treated daily for 3 consecutive days with saline, tobramycin (300 μg/kg body mass, intratracheal), and (or) ginseng (100 mg/kg body mass, subcutaneous); animals were sacrificed 24 h after the third drug treatment. Lung bacteria counts, cytokine levels in sera, and lung histopathology were examined. The treatment of infected animals with tobramycin [6.6 × 10(4) colony forming units (cfu)], ginseng (5.3 × 10(4) cfu), or tobramycin plus ginseng (2.0 × 10(3) cfu) lessened the lung infection compared with the control group (saline treated) (6.0 × 10(6) cfu). The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12p70, IFN-γ, GM-CSF, TNF-α) in infected animals were significantly increased with co-treatment of ginseng plus tobramycin. These data suggest that co-administration of aqueous ginseng extract and tobramycin stimulated the pro-inflammatory response and promoted the killing of P. aeruginosa.

Topics: Agar; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Load; Body Weight; Chemokines; Culture Media; Cytokines; Inflammation; Lung; Lung Diseases; Male; Organ Size; Panax; Plant Extracts; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas Infections; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Tobramycin

The present study is the first demonstration of prolonged nociceptive behavior in the trigeminal region following compression of the trigeminal ganglion in rats. Experiments were carried out on male Sprague-Dawley rats mounted onto a stereotaxic frame under pentobarbital sodium anesthesia. For compression of the trigeminal ganglion, a 4% agar solution (8microl) was injected into the trigeminal ganglion through a stainless steel injector (24 gauge), which extended 2mm beyond the end of a guide cannula (21 gauge). Following agar injection, the injector and guide cannula were removed. In the control group, rats were sham operated without agar injection. Air-puff thresholds (mechanical allodynia), pin prick responses (mechanical hyperalgesia), and spontaneous scratching behavior were examined 3 days before surgery and at 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 30, and 40 days after surgery. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA followed by multiple group comparisons using the LSD post-hoc test. Air-puff thresholds significantly decreased after compression of the trigeminal ganglion. Mechanical allodynia was established within 3 days and lasted beyond postoperative day 24. Mechanical hyperalgesia was also evident 3 days after compression and persisted until the 40th postoperative day. Although mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia appeared bilaterally, the ipsilateral side was significantly more sensitive. Intraperitoneal treatment with carbamazepine significantly blocked mechanical allodynia produced by compression of the trigeminal ganglion. These findings suggest that prolonged nociceptive behavior following compression of the trigeminal ganglion may mimic trigeminal neuralgia in this animal model.

Topics: Agar; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Body Weight; Carbamazepine; Facial Pain; Functional Laterality; Grooming; Hyperalgesia; Male; Pain; Pain Measurement; Physical Stimulation; Postural Balance; Pressure; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Trigeminal Ganglion; Trigeminal Neuralgia

The effects of RKM in comparison with pectin, algin and agar on lipid levels in serum and liver and on liver histopathology in rats were studied. In addition, the effects of all the tested materials on the composition and output of fecal bile acid were observed. All four kinds of dietary fiber were given at a level of 5% of diet to young male rats of Wistar strain fed on a lipid-rich diet containing 5% lard, 1% cholesterol and 0.25% cholate. All the dietary fibers tested have similar effects on serum lipid composition. In all groups, these substances prevented increases in total cholesterol in fasting serum, but the level of triglyceride was unchanged. The concentrations of total cholesterol and triglyceride in the liver were lower in the RKM group than in the control group and the other three groups. Hepatic histopathological examination also showed the most significant lipotropic effect in the RKM group. The daily output of fecal bile acids (CDCA + GDCA) was significantly increased in the four experimental groups than in the normal group and the control group. The increase of CDCA was more significant than GDCA, suggesting that the increase of fecal bile acids, especially CDCA, may be one of the mechanisms by which RKM and the other three dietary fibers exerts a hypocholesterolemic effect.

Topics: Agar; Alginates; Animals; Anticholesteremic Agents; Body Weight; Chenodeoxycholic Acid; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, Dietary; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Dietary Fiber; Eating; Feces; Glucuronic Acid; Glycodeoxycholic Acid; Hexuronic Acids; Lipids; Liver; Male; Mannans; Molecular Weight; Pectins; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Triglycerides

Mice were fed an agar-based diet without an additional source of water for 5 weeks. In comparison with a similar group of mice fed a commercial diet and water ad libitum, there were no significant changes in bodyweight.

Topics: Agar; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Body Weight; Diet; Drinking; Male; Mice; Nutritional Requirements

Diets containing 25,000 (2.5%) or 50,000 ppm (5.0%) agar, guar gum, gum arabic, locust-bean gum or tara gum were fed to groups of 50 male and 50 female F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice for 103 wk. Separate groups of 50 rats and 50 mice of each sex served as controls for each study. There were no significant differences in survival between any of the dosed groups of rats or mice and their respective control groups. Depressions in body-weight gain greater than 10% for dosed groups relative to their respective control groups were observed for male (low dose only) and female mice fed diets containing agar, female mice fed diets containing guar gum (high dose only), male mice fed diets containing locust-bean gum (high dose only) and male and female mice fed diets containing tara gum (high dose only). Depressions in body-weight gain greater than 5% were observed for female rats fed diets containing agar, guar gum or gum arabic. There were no histopathological effects associated with the administration of the test materials. Under the conditions of these bioassays, none of the five polysaccharides was carcinogenic for F344 rats or B6C3F1 mice of either sex.

Topics: Agar; Animals; Body Weight; Female; Galactans; Gum Arabic; Male; Mannans; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Neoplasms, Experimental; Plant Gums; Polysaccharides; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344

A conventional diet fed to rats in an agar-gel base reduced mature bodyweight by about 25% and increased longevity when compared to the same diet in pelleted form. Dry matter intake was not affected, but food utilization was considerably poorer. The use of a diet in agar gel may, therefore, provide an improved toxicological assay, especially when used in combination with flushing racks housing 2 animals per cage, where exposure of the animal technician to dust was reduced.

Topics: Agar; Animal Feed; Animals; Body Weight; Dust; Female; Longevity; Male; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains

Topics: Agar; Animals; Body Weight; Cattle; Emulsions; Growth Substances; Meat; Tissue Extracts

Topics: Agar; Bilirubin; Body Weight; Diet Therapy; Female; Humans; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Infant, Newborn; Jaundice, Neonatal; Male; Time Factors

Topics: Agar; Anemia; Blind Loop Syndrome; Body Weight; Diet; Escherichia coli; Feces; Female; Gastrectomy; Gastroenterostomy; Hemoglobins; Humans; Indican; Intestine, Small; Iron; Lipids; Male; Peptic Ulcer; Postoperative Complications; Tryptophan; Vitamin B 12

Filamentous fungi, especially Aspergillus flavus-oryzae, and bacteria were present in all samples of macaroni and spaghetti products tested. No aflatoxin was detected in the three samples, all relatively high in A. flavus-oryzae, that were tested for it. Five of the nine isolates of A. flavus-oryzae from macaroni and sphaghetti grown in corn, incorporated into an otherwise balanced ration, and given to ducklings resulted in death of one to five ducklings within six days.

Topics: Aflatoxins; Agar; Animal Feed; Animals; Aspergillus; Bacteria; Body Weight; Candida; Culture Media; Ducks; Food Microbiology; Fungi; Hemagglutination; Penicillium; Zea mays

Topics: Agar; Age Factors; Aged; Aqueous Humor; Body Weight; Cataract Extraction; Diffusion; Eye Diseases; Humans; Infections; Methods; Tetracycline; Time Factors

Topics: Agar; Alginates; Animals; Body Weight; Carrageenan; Cholesterol; Dextrans; Diet; Pectins; Polysaccharides; Poultry; Psyllium; Resins, Plant