pectins and Hypertension

Seventeen years after the nuclear power accident at Chernobyl, most of the radio-contamination among the population of Southern Belarus is caused by incorporation of long-lived radioisotopes. The varying levels of 137Cs observed among children in this area are explained by the source of their food, especially by the consumption of contaminated milk produced privately. We stratified children from rural areas of Belarus (caesium [137Cs] contamination >5 Ci/km(2)) by their 137Cs loads into three distinct groups (group 1, <5 Bq/kg body weight [BW]; group 2, 38.4 +/- 2.4 Bq/kg BW; group 3, 122 +/- 18.5 Bq/kg BW). We determined the relationship between the 137Cs load and the children's main source of food and recorded their cardiovascular symptoms. Cardiovascular symptoms, ECG alterations, and arterial hypertension were significantly more frequent in children with high 137Cs burden than in children with very low 137Cs burden. Children with moderate and high 137Cs loads (groups 2 and 3) received apple pectin, a food additive, for 16 days. Apple pectin significantly decreased 137Cs loads in these groups (39% and 28%, respectively). ECG alterations improved, while cardiovascular symptoms and hypertension did not change in any group.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Adolescent; Age Factors; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cesium Radioisotopes; Chernobyl Nuclear Accident; Child; Electrocardiography; Female; Food Contamination, Radioactive; Fruit; Humans; Hypertension; Male; Pectins; Republic of Belarus; Rural Population; Sex Factors; Ukraine

A natural low-methoxyl pectin (LAHP), was extracted with oxalic acid solution from dried heads of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The single-factor experiments and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to optimize LAHP extraction conditions. The extraction yield of LAHP was 18.83 ± 0.21%, and the uronic acid content was 85.43 ± 2.9% obtained under the optimized conditions (temperature of 96 °C, time of 1.64 h, oxalic acid concentration of 0.21%). Experimentally obtained values were in agreement with those predicted by RSM model, indicating suitability of the employed model and the success of RSM in optimizing the extraction conditions. LAHP has been characterized by ash content, degree of esterification (DE), galacturonic acid (GalA) content, molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity meanwhile commercial low-methoxyl pectin (CLMP) as comparison. This study finds out a potential source of natural LMP which expands the application scope of sunflower heads. It is an efficient reuse of waste resources and provides a novel thought to explore the natural resources for food and pharmaceutical applications.

Topics: Biological Products; Cosmetics; Flowers; Food Industry; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Helianthus; Humans; Hypertension; Models, Statistical; Neoplasms; Oxalic Acid; Pectins; Plant Extracts

The pharmacological blockade of galectin-3 (Gal-3), a β-galactoside-binding lectin, reduces renal impairment in acute kidney injury, hyperaldosteronism or nephropathy. We herein investigated the effects of pharmacological Gal-3 inhibition by modified citrus pectin (MCP) in renal damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs).. Gal-3 inhibition did not modify blood pressure levels in 30-week-old SHR. Kidney weight was higher in SHR, with no effect of MCP treatment (100 mg/kg/day in the drinking water). Plasma creatinine and albuminuria were slightly but significantly increased in SHR and reduced by MCP, as well as plasma and urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin. In kidney from SHR, Gal-3 was upregulated, as well as the fibrotic markers (collagen type I, TGF-β and connective tissue growth factor) and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. MCP treatment reduced Gal-3 levels and fibrosis. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) molecules (fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin and β-catenin) were modified in SHR and normalized by Gal-3 inhibition. The inflammatory mediators (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, osteopontin, cd68, cd80, cd44 and cd45) were elevated in SHR and attenuated by MCP. Renal damage markers (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and kidney injury molecule-1) were augmented in SHR and improved by MCP. In renal epithelial normal rat kidney-52E cells, Gal-3 treatment induced EMT markers, whereas Gal-3 silencing attenuated EMT.. Gal-3 inhibition attenuated early renal damage in SHR as indicated by reduced albuminuria, improved renal function and decreased renal fibrosis, EMT and inflammation, independently of blood pressure levels. These data suggest that Gal-3 could be a potential therapeutic candidate for the prevention of early renal alterations in hypertension.

Topics: Actins; Acute Kidney Injury; Acute-Phase Proteins; Albuminuria; Animals; Antigens, CD; beta Catenin; Blood Pressure; Cell Line; Chemokine CCL2; Collagen Type I; Connective Tissue Growth Factor; Creatinine; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Fibronectins; Fibrosis; Galectin 3; Hypertension; Kidney; Kidney Diseases; Lipocalin-2; Lipocalins; Male; Organ Size; Osteopontin; Pectins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins; Rats; Rats, Inbred SHR; Transforming Growth Factor beta; Up-Regulation

This study investigated the effects of diets containing fish oil or pectin on blood pressure and lipid metabolism in the deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rat. Three groups (8 rats/group) of unilaterally nephrectomized rats were fed for 21 d one of three purified diets: a) 8% fish oil + 2% safflower oil + 5% alpha cellulose (fish oil diet), b) 10% safflower oil + 5% pectin (pectin diet), or c) 10% safflower oil + 5% alpha cellulose (control diet). Each of the diets contained 6% NaCl and all rats received DOCA (30 mg/kg body wt, subcutaneously) twice weekly. Systolic blood pressure of rats fed fish oil was significantly lower (P less than 0.05) than that of rats fed the control diet; there was no significant difference between the pectin and control groups. Plasma renin activity and net sodium and potassium balances were similar among the three groups. Plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol were significantly lower (P less than 0.05) in the group fed the fish oil diet than in the group fed the control diet. Total, LDL and HDL cholesterol did not differ between rats fed the pectin and rats fed the control diet. Plasma triglyceride concentration did not differ among the three groups. Thus, dietary fish oil attenuated the development of DOCA-salt hypertension, unrelated to alterations of net sodium balance. Fish oil feeding also lowered total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, but did not alter the HDL/LDL ratio. In contrast, dietary pectin exerted no effect on blood pressure or lipid metabolism.

Topics: Animals; Blood Pressure; Cholesterol; Desoxycorticosterone; Dietary Fats; Fish Oils; Hypertension; Lipid Metabolism; Male; Pectins; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Sodium Chloride

Topics: Humans; Hypertension; Kidney Diseases; Pectins