phytosterols and Acute-Disease

Cholesterol is derived via de novo synthesis and dietary absorption. Both processes can be monitored by determination of non-cholesterol sterol concentrations (lathosterol for synthesis; sitosterol and campesterol for absorption). The hypocholesterolemia that occurs during acute illness is a result of a multifactorial inability to compensate for the increased needs for this metabolite. The aim of this study was to examine the plasma cholesterol profile and both processes of cholesterol acquisition during acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage with emphasis on liver cirrhosis.. Thirty five patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (cirrhosis n=14, non-cirrhosis n=21) were evaluated over a 6 day period. The control cohort consisted of 100 blood donors. Serum concentrations of total, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol were measured enzymatically. Sterol concentrations were analysed using gas chromatography, data were statistically analysed.. In all patients, we found lower plasma levels of total cholesterol (P Conclusion: Our results showed substantial abnormalities in the cholesterol plasma profile including both the processes of cholesterol acquisition in patients with upper acute gastrointestinal bleeding. The patients with or without liver cirrhosis had similar trends in cholesterol plasma levels. Depression of cholesterol synthesis was, however, prolonged in the cirrhotic group and the data also suggest a different phytosterol metabolism.

Topics: Acute Disease; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, HDL; Cholesterol, LDL; Dyslipidemias; Female; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Male; Middle Aged; Phytosterols

The health, fitness and other advantages of youth sports participation are well recognised. However, there are considerable challenges for all stakeholders involved-especially youth athletes-in trying to maintain inclusive, sustainable and enjoyable participation and success for all levels of individual athletic achievement. In an effort to advance a more unified, evidence-informed approach to youth athlete development, the IOC critically evaluated the current state of science and practice of youth athlete development and presented recommendations for developing healthy, resilient and capable youth athletes, while providing opportunities for all levels of sport participation and success. The IOC further challenges all youth and other sport governing bodies to embrace and implement these recommended guiding principles.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adolescent Development; Aptitude; Athletic Injuries; Athletic Performance; Child; Chronic Disease; Clinical Competence; Diosgenin; Environment; Exercise; Fatigue; Female; Health Status; Humans; Male; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal; Nutrition Disorders; Oxygen Consumption; Physical Abuse; Physical Education and Training; Physical Fitness; Phytosterols; Puberty; Sex Offenses; Sleep; Sports Medicine; Stress, Psychological; Youth Sports

In this study, we evaluated the effects of dietary plant sterols and stanols as their fatty acid esters on the development of experimental colitis. The effects were studied both in high- and low-fat diet conditions in two models, one acute and another chronic model of experimental colitis that resembles gene expression in human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In the first experiments in the high fat diet (HFD), we did not observe a beneficial effect of the addition of plant sterols and stanols on the development of acute dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) colitis. In the chronic CD4CD45RB T cell transfer colitis model, we mainly observed an effect of the presence of high fat on the development of colitis. In this HFD condition, the presence of plant sterol or stanol did not result in any additional effect. In the second experiments with low fat, we could clearly observe a beneficial effect of the addition of plant sterols on colitis parameters in the T cell transfer model, but not in the DSS model. This positive effect was related to the gender of the mice and on Treg presence in the colon. This suggests that especially dietary plant sterol esters may improve intestinal inflammation in a T cell dependent manner.

Topics: Acute Disease; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antigens, CD; Brassica rapa; Chronic Disease; Colitis; Colon; Diet, Fat-Restricted; Diet, High-Fat; Dietary Fats; Esters; Fatty Acids; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; Female; Inflammation; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Phytosterols; Phytotherapy; Plant Oils; Rapeseed Oil; Sitosterols; T-Lymphocytes

Eryngium foetidum L. (Apiaceae) is a Caribbean endemic plant, used in folk medicine for the treatment of several antiinflammatory disorders. A preliminary phytochemical study showed that the hexane extract is rich in terpenic compounds. Chromatographic fractionation of this extract yielded: alpha-cholesterol, brassicasterol, campesterol, stigmasterol (as the main component, 95%) clerosterol, beta-sitosterol, delta 5-avenasterol, delta (5)24-stigmastadienol and delta 7-avenasterol. The topical antiinflammatory activity of the hexane extract and of stigmasterol was evaluated by auricular oedema, induced by 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA), in the mouse, using single and multiple applications of the phlogistic agent. Both reduced the oedema in a similar proportion in the two model assays (acute and chronic). Meloperoxidase activity was strongly reduced by both the extract and the compound, in the acute but not the chronic model. These results indicate that the leaves of Eryngium foetidum L may be effective against topical inflammation processes. Stigmasterol also exerts a significant topical antiinflammatory activity although it cannot be considered to be a major antiinflammatory agent, therefore other bioactive components are probably involved in the activity of the hexane extract.

Topics: Acute Disease; Administration, Topical; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Caribbean Region; Chronic Disease; Edema; Female; Inflammation; Mice; Peroxidase; Phytosterols; Plants, Medicinal; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate

Proportions of cholesterol precursors (squalene, delta 8-cholestenol, desmosterol and lathosterol), plant sterols (campesterol and sitosterol) and cholestanol to cholesterol in serum were measured before and serially after liver transplantation in eight patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and three with acute liver necrosis. The preoperative proportions of cholestanol were 12 and 3-times higher in the PBC and necrosis groups, respectively, than in a control group of 27 individuals, while those of lathosterol were low in both groups and the campesterol/sitosterol ratio in the PBC group. During the operation the proportions of cholestanol fell sharply and those of lathosterol rose especially in the PBC group. During the postoperative follow-up of 5 weeks the proportions of the non-cholesterol sterols were markedly improved especially in the necrosis group yet those of cholestanol remained high and the campesterol/sitosterol ratios low, particularly in the PBC group. The proportions of lathosterol increased gradually almost to the control limits within the postoperative 5-week period, whereas those of desmosterol decreased. The non-cholesterol sterol values were not related to acute rejections, while significant correlations of cholestanol to liver function tests was found especially at the end of the follow-up.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Cholestanol; Cholesterol; Female; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary; Liver Diseases; Liver Transplantation; Male; Middle Aged; Necrosis; Phytosterols; Protein Precursors; Sitosterols; Squalene

Fecal bile acid and neutral sterol patterns of five healthy adult male volunteers, who were challenged by a virulent Shigella flexneri 2a (M42-43) strain and developed dysentery were studied. It was observed that cholic acid was increased from 1.9 +/- 0.4% of total bile acid in the feces before infection to 14.5 +/- 2.1% during diarrhea (P less than 0.001). Chenodeoxycholic acid also was increased from 3.2 +/- 0.7 to 8.7 +/- 3.2% in diarrhea but the difference was not significant statistically. Deoxycholic and lithocholic acids constituted 34.1 +/- 4.1 and 40.5 +/- 2.8%, respectively, of total bile acid in the normal controls as compared to 13.9 +/- 2.5 and 24.8 +/- 2.5% for the same subjects during diarrhea (P less than 0.005). Total excretion of bile acids, expressed as mg/kg of body weight per day, were higher in diarrhea (5.4 +/- 1.0) than that in controls (4,2 +/- 1.0) but the difference was not statistically significant. In the neutral sterol fraction, unmodified cholesterol was increased during diarrhea (86.2 +/- 8.7 versus 25.0 +/- 4.8% of total cholesterol metabolites in controls, P less than 0.001). Coprostanol was decreased in shigellosis (12.2 +/- 8.2 versus 65.8 +/- 4.7% in controls, P less than 0.001). Epicoprostanol, coprostanone, and unidentified cholesterol metabolites also were reduced in shigellosis. The effect of diarrhea on the plant sterols was not as consistent. However, unidentified plant sterols were reduced significantly in shigellosis stools. Total excretion of cholesterol metabolites and plant sterols, when expressed as mg/kg of body weight per day, were 6.8 +/- 1.7 and 0.6 +/- 0.2), respectively, in Shigellosis. These values were not significantly different from the corresponding values for controls (10.3 +/- 3.0 and 0.8 +/- 0.2). One subject's stool samples were studied during infection for the sequence of bile acid alteration. A progressive reduction of bacterial activity upon fecal steroids was evident following the initial diarrheal episode. The production of coprostanol was correlated with 7 alpha-dehydroxylation of cholic acid (r = 0.937, P less than 0.001) and chenodeoxycholic acid (r = 0.755, P less than 0.01).

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Bile Acids and Salts; Chenodeoxycholic Acid; Cholesterol; Cholic Acids; Deoxycholic Acid; Dysentery, Bacillary; Feces; Humans; Lithocholic Acid; Male; Phytosterols; Shigella flexneri; Sitosterols; Sterols; Stigmasterol