Context: There have been no reports of the extraction of essential oil (EO) from white cabbage [Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata (L.) Alef. f. alba DC. (Brassicaceae)] (Bocfal) or its chemical composition, antioxidant activity, or hepatoprotective effects.Objective: To extract Bocfal EO, to identify and quantify its chemical components, to assess their antioxidant capacity, and to evaluate the hepatoprotective properties of Bocfal EO.Materials and methods: Bocfal EO was obtained using hydrodistillation (200 mm Hg/58 °C). The chemical composition was analyzed using GC-MS and was quantified using GC-FID. The antioxidant activity of Bocfal EO and its main constituents was evaluated using TBARS in rat brain homogenates. A Bocfal EO hepatoprotective effect (192 mg/kg) on acute carbon tetrachloride (CT)-induced liver damage was determined in rats using biochemical markers and histological analysis. Diallyl disulphide (DADS) (1 mmol/kg) was used as a control for comparison.Results: Bocfal EO contained organic polysulphides (OPSs), such as dimethyl trisulphide (DMTS) 65.43 ± 4.92% and dimethyl disulphide (DMDS) 19.29 ± 2.16% as major constituents. Bocfal EO and DMTS were found to be potent TBARS inhibitors with IC50 values of 0.51 and 3 mg/L, respectively. Bocfal EO demonstrated better hepatoprotective properties than did DADS (p < 0.05), although both slightly affected the hepatic parenchyma per se, as observed using histopathology.Discussion and conclusion: The antioxidant properties of Bocfal EO and DMTS may be the mechanism of hepatoprotective action; the parenchymal disturbances by Bocfal EO or DADS alone may be related to the high doses used.

Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) are rich in omega fatty acids. Dyslipidemia and steatohepatitis are diseases that require effective treatments in obese and non‐obese patients. The aim was to evaluate the effect of chia intake on acute tyloxapol (TI)‐induced dyslipidemia, on acute carbon tetrachloride (TC)‐induced steatohepatitis, and on mixed damage (TC+TI) in non‐obese rats. Four experimental groups were fed for 4 weeks a diet with established rodent food (DE), and four groups were fed a diet with 15% added chia (DC). Plasma samples were analyzed for total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, biochemical liver damage markers, and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α). Liver samples were used to quantify glycogen, catalase, lipid peroxidation, and TNF‐α. A histopathological analysis was performed. DC intake partially or totally prevented steatohepatitis, and reduced lipids in the dyslipidemic groups. The hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects of chia may be correlated to its high content of α‐linolenic acid (omega‐3) and phenolics. Practical applications Metabolic syndrome is associated with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which are currently the most common causes of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. Dyslipidemia is a significant risk factor for NAFLD and NASH. Non‐obese patients may have NAFLD or NASH. Metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia are more strongly associated with NAFLD in non‐obese than in obese patients. This is the first study evaluating the hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects of chia seed intake on acute dyslipidemia and/or steatohepatitis caused by the individual or combined administration of the inducers tyloxapol and carbon tetrachloride, respectively, in non‐obese rats. The pharmacological effects of dietary chia are correlated to its high content of omega‐3 and omega‐6 (1:1), protein, dietary fiber, and phenolics. The results suggest that inclusion of chia in diets of non‐obese patients with dyslipidemia and/or NAFLD/NASH may improve their health state and preventing cirrhosis or HCC.

Synoviorthesis is already widely used in the treatment of chronic haemophilic synovitis. The aim of this study was evaluate the effectiveness of oxytetracicline synoviorthesis on the frequency of haemarthrosis in haemophilic children with chronic synovitis and its impact on joint function. Between January 2001 and October 2006, we performed 34 synoviorthesis in 28 paediatric patients (6-16 years old) with diagnosis of haemophilic arthropathy stage I-II. At each joint were administered five doses of oxytetracycline for five consecutive weeks at doses of 100 mg in elbow and ankle and 250 mg in the knee. The frequency of haemarthrosis and range of joint mobility were evaluated before and after of treatment. The results were analysed with Student t-test and descriptive statistics. Thirty-four joints were treated, including 20 knees (58.8%), eight elbows (23.5%) and six ankles (17.6%). Median follow-up was 46.3 months (range 12-71 months). The frequency of haemarthrosis was recorded before treatment 47.3 year(-1) (range 12-96, P < 0.0001) and decreased to 3.5 year(-1) (range 0-15, P = 0.0119) after treatment. The range of joint motion in flexion-extension before treatment was 84.9°, while after this was 97.5° (P = 0.0119). The synoviorthesis with oxytetracycline has shown a favourable effect in the treatment of chronic haemophilic synovitis in reducing the frequency of haemarthrosis and improvement was observed consistently in the range of motion.

Cartilage‐forming lesions include tumours that can vary in severity from benign enchondromas to high‐grade malignant chondrosarcomas. Chondrosarcoma is the second most frequent malignant bone tumour, accounting for 20–30% of all malignant bone neoplasms. Surgery is the standard treatment for cartilage tumours (CTs); however, their incidental diagnosis and the difficult differentiation of low‐grade lesions like chondrosarcoma grade I from benign entities like enchondroma are challenges for clinical management. In this sense, the search for circulating biomarkers for early detection and prognosis is an ongoing interest. Targeted metabolomics is a powerful tool that can propose potential biomarkers in biological fluids as well as help to discover disturbed metabolic pathways to reveal tumour pathogenesis. In this context, the aim of this study was to investigate the 1H nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomic serum profile of patients with CTs contrasted with healthy controls. Forty‐one metabolites were identified and quantified; the multivariate statistical methods principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis reveal a clear separation of the CT group, that is, the differential metabolites that were involved in two main metabolic pathways: the taurine and hypotaurine metabolism and synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies. Our results represent preliminary work for emergent serum‐based diagnostics or prognostic methods for patients with chondrogenic tumours.

The liver is considered the laboratory of the human body because of its many metabolic processes. It accomplishes diverse activities as a mixed gland and is in continuous cross-talk with the endocrine system. Not only do hormones from the gastrointestinal tract that participate in digestion regulate the liver functions, but the sex hormones also exert a strong influence on this sexually dimorphic organ, via their receptors expressed in liver, in both health and disease. Besides, the liver modifies the actions of sex hormones through their metabolism and transport proteins. Given the anatomical position and physiological importance of liver, this organ is evidenced as an immune vigilante that mediates the systemic immune response, and, in turn, the immune system regulates the hepatic functions. Such feedback is performed by cytokines. Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines are strongly involved in hepatic homeostasis and in pathological states; indeed, female sex hormones, oral contraceptives, and phytoestrogens have immunomodulatory effects in the liver and the whole organism. To analyze the complex and interesting beneficial or deleterious effects of these drugs by their immunomodulatory actions in the liver can provide the basis for either their pharmacological use in therapeutic treatments or to avoid their intake in some diseases.