Multiple human health-beneficial effects have been related to highly phosphorylated inositol hexaphosphate (IP6). This naturally occurring carbohydrate and its parent compound, myo-inositol (Ins), are abundantly present in plants, particularly in certain high-fiber diets, but also in mammalian cells, where they regulate important cellular functions. However, the striking and broad-spectrum anticancer activity of IP6, consistently demonstrated in different experimental models, has been in a spotlight of the scientific community dealing with the nutrition and cancer during the last several decades. First experiments were performed in colon cancer 30 years ago. Since then, it has been shown that IP6 reduces cell proliferation, induces apoptosis and differentiation of malignant cells with reversion to normal phenotype, affecting several critical molecular targets. Enhanced immunity and antioxidant properties also contribute to the tumor cell destruction. Although Ins possesses a modest anticancer potential, the best anticancer results were obtained from the combination of IP6 + Ins. Here we review the first experimental steps in colon cancer, when concepts and hypotheses were put together almost without real knowledge and present clinical studies, that were initiated in colon cancer patients. Available as a dietary supplement, IP6 + Ins has been shown to enhance the anticancer effect of conventional chemotherapy, controls cancer metastases, and improves quality of life in cancer patients. Emerging clinical and still vast amount of experimental data suggest its role either as an adjuvant or as an “alternative” to current chemotherapy for cancer.

Upalni markeri i učestalost drugih autoimunih bolesti u oboljelih od oralnoga lihena planusa UvodOralni lihen planus (OLP) kronična je imunosna upalna bolest sluznice usne šupljine još nerazjašnjene etiologije. Stanično posredovana imunost potaknuta endogenim i egzogenim utjecajima zauzima posebno mjesto u patogenezi OLP-a i to osobito ako osoba ima genetsku predispoziciju za nastanak bolesti. Bolest se može pojavljivati udruženo s kožnim promjenama te se u tom slučaju govori o kožnom lihenu planusu (LP-u). Oralne promjene mogu se pojavljivati istodobno s kožnim lezijama, ali se u čak 30 do 70 % slučajeva pojavljuju zasebno (1). LP se dovodi u vezu s nizom autoimunih poremećaja, ali ostaje nejasno jesu li bolesnici s LP-om podložniji razvoju drugih autoimunih bolesti ili su one povezane etiološki (2). Kožni LP može se pojaviti i u sklopu nekih autoimunih bolesti kao što su Sjögrenov sindrom (SS), reumatoidni artritis (RA), sarkoidoza, autoimuni hepatitis i vitiligo Abstract Introduction: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic immune, inflammatory disease of the oral cavity of a still unknown etiology. Materials and methods: The study involved 63 subjects diagnosed with oral lichen planus and 63 subjects without pathologic changes in the oral mucosa who were classified as controls. All subjects were given a detailed medical history at first screening. The medical history of the presence of other autoimmune disease in all subjects was supported by medical records. A sample of venous blood was taken from each subject in order to determine sedimentation rate (SE) and leukocyte count (L) using standard laboratory procedures, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration values were determined as well. Statistical analysis: The methods of descriptive statistics, χ2-test, the Fisher's exact test, and the Student's t-test were used in the statistical processing of the results. The results were interpreted at a significance level of P <0.05. Results: For all three measured inflammatory markers, there were no statistically significant differences in the number of subjects with elevated values between the test and control groups (P = 0.364 for SE; P = 1.000 for CRP and P = 0.219 for L). The prevalence of other autoimmune disease in the OLP group was higher than in the control group, with statistical significance, and the most common was cutaneous lichen in nine subjects (14.29%) with OLP and celiac disease seven subjects (11.11%). Conclusions: The results showed that there was no significant difference in the average values of the investigated inflammatory markers in blood (SE, CRP and L) between patients with OLP and control subjects, while a significantly higher incidence of other autoimmune diseases in patients with OLP was demonstrated.

Background: It has been reported that dyslipidemia prevalence and cardiovascular disease risk were increased in subjects with oral lichen planus diagnose. On the other hand, so far, there is no available data on the topic of cardiovascular risk (CVR) in subjects with oral lichen planus (OLP). The main aim of this study, due to lack of any other study covering this topic, was to investigate lipid profile and assess CVR in patients with OLP. Materials and Methods: To create a routine lipid profile, we collected triglyceride serum levels, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol from 63 OLP patients and 63 healthy people representing control subjects. For every patient their individual cardiovascular risk was measured. Results: In comparison with the tested control subjects, patients with OLP had all parameters of the lipid profile elevated, with no differences of statistical importance. Furthermore, the experimental (OLP) and control groups shared similar mean values of the lipid profile parameters. Conclusions: The association of OLP with cardiovascular risk was not established and further studies with more subjects involved are required to validate this connection.