The aim of this study was to determine the effect of opium on biochemical parameters in addicts with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Twenty-three males and 26 females between 35 and 65 years of age, with NIDDM, addicted to opium, were selected as the case group. Twenty-three males and 26 females with NIDDM and no opium addiction served as controls. Fasting glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, high density lipoproteins-cholesterol (HDL-c), triglycerides (TGs), sodium (Na(+)), potassium (K(+)), calcium (Ca(2+)), iron (Fe(2+)), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), serum total protein, albumin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), uric acid and urea were measured in the serum of the two groups. Serum protein electrophoresis was also carried out. Compared to the control group, in addicted males with NIDDM, HbA1c, K(+) and Fe(2+) were higher, and serum total protein, ALT and HDL-c were lower. No significant difference was observed between other factors. Albumin was lower in addicts, but no significant difference was observed between the albumin/globulin ratios. In addicted females with NIDDM, serum total protein, TIBC, ALT and AST were lower compared to non-addicts. Cholesterol tends to be lower in diabetic addicted males, HbA1c in addicted females and uric acid in addicted males was higher compared to non-addicted diabetics. Their differences, however, were not significant. According to our results, smoking opium increases serum glucose and decreases HDL-c, and thus adds to metabolic disorders in NIDDM patients. It also increases potassium and Fe(2) in males and decreases TIBC in females, and could therefore potentially interfere with water and iron metabolism.

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BackgroundGarlic is one of the medicinal plants which has showed beneficial effects on atherosclerosis risk factors. The liver X receptor α (LXRα) is an important regulator of cholesterol, triglyceride and glucose homeostasis that belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily. In this study we investigated the effect of garlic on lipid profile, glucose as well as LXRα expression in intestine and liver of mice.MethodsForty male N-Mary mice were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 8): group1 received chow + 2% cholesterol + 0.5% cholic acid, group 2: chow + 4% (w/w) garlic extract + 2% cholesterol + 0.5% cholic acid, and group 3: chow only. After one month of treatment, mice were anesthetized, blood was collected from their heart, and the first 10 cm of the small intestine and liver were removed. Glucose was measured by a glucometer; other biochemical factors were measured by enzymatic methods. LXR expression was checked by RT-PCR and western blotting.ResultsCompared with hypercholesterolemic mice, treatment with garlic extract significantly decreased total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides, very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C), atherogenic index, alanine aminotranferease (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (all of them P < 0.05). Change in HDL-C levels was not significant in garlic-extract treated animals compared with hypercholesterolemic group. LXR protein and mRNA in the intestine were increased in garlic-extract treated group compared with chow group (P < 0.05), while in the liver, only mRNA of LXR was increased in hypercholesterolemic control mice (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe present study demonstrated that garlic extract reduced LXRα expression in the liver and increased its expression in the intestine. These effects probably have an important role in reducing serum triglyceride and cholesterol.

The results of this study, in agreement with previous studies, confirm the mechanistic role of trimethylamine N-oxide in the upregulation of scavenger receptor A1, which potentially can promote its proatherogenic role. The results also showed downregulation of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 in trimethylamine N-oxide treated macrophages which may indicate another possible proatherosclerotic mechanism for foam cell formation.

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