BackgroundHigh concentrations of plasma leptin and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in leptin-resistance in obesity have been reported to trigger endothelial dysfunction. The objective of this study was to elucidate the role of quercetin in modulating leptin-induced inflammation as assessed by the levels of Ob-Ra expression, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, NF-kappa B activation and TNF-alpha secretion in umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro.FindingsHUVECs were exposed to either control levels (0 ng/ml) or 500 ng/mL leptin (L) for 48 hours, followed by control or 125 uM quercetin (Q) for another 6 h. The experimental groups were as follows: L0Q0, L0Q125, L500Q0, L500Q125. The presence of the short chain leptin receptor isoform Ob-Ra in HUVECs was determined by Western blot and immunocytochemistry analyses. Ob-Ra expression, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, NF-kappa B activation and TNF-alpha secretion were quantified by ELISA, and NF-kappa B activationby immunofluorescence staining. Our results showed that Ob-Ra expression, ERK1/2 phosphorylation and NF-kappa B activation increased significantly after 500 ng/mL leptin exposure (1.8x, 1.5x, 6.2x for Ob-Ra, ERK1/2 and NF-kappa B, respectively), but were reduced by addition of 125 uM quercetin (0.7x, 0.3x and 0.4x for Ob-Ra, ERK1/2 and NF-kappa B, respectively), and that quercetin could also partially suppress leptin-induced TNF-alpha secretion (3.8x) by 0.8x.ConclusionExposure of HUVECs to leptin up-regulated Ob-Ra expression and elevated ERK1/2 phosphorylation and NFkB activation, and increased TNF-alpha secretion. These effects strongly suppressed by quercetin, with the exception of TNF-alpha which was partially suppressed. The findings might be of clinical significance, as endothelial dysfunction that could lead to cardiovascular disease is preventable, and quercetin is a natural compound found in various plants and fruits.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether Ramadan fasting (RF) alters the ability of serum, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and macrophages to kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb). Methods: Thirty healthy male volunteers who fasted during Ramadan participated in the study. Blood sampling was conducted seven days before and on the seventh and 21 st day of Ramadan. The following parameters were measured by ELISA: Complement C3, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in serum and PBMC. The killing ability of immune components from these volunteers was determined by measuring colony-forming units (CFUs). Results: The CFU in PBMC infected with M. tb (PIM) and macrophages infected with M. tb (MIM) decreased on the seventh day of RF compared with that observed before RF. The CFUs in serum infected with M. tb (SIM) increased and CFUs in MIM decreased on the 21 st day of RF compared with before RF. The levels of iNOS in serum and the CFUs in MIM decreased and the CFUs in SIM and PIM increased on the 21 st day of RF compared with the seventh day of RF. The levels of iNOS in PBMC significantly increased (p<0.05) on the seventh and 21 st day of Ramadan compared with before RF. The other differences were not significantly different. Conclusions: This study suggests that RF has a beneficial effect on host defence against M. tb and decreases the risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection in healthy subjects.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. This high levels of blood glucose can lead both macro and microvascular complications. In addition to a great social impact, DM complications also determine age and quality of life of the patient. In order to prevent such complications, this research used nonpharmacological intervention with diet therapy, goat's milk and soymilk based kefir, to restore blood glucose levels within normal range. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of goat's milk and soy milk-based kefir on blood glucose levels rat model of DM type 2. This research was an experimental study, pre-posttest with control group design. The subjects were male Wistar rats, induced by streptozotocin-nicotinamide, treated with goat's milk kefir, soy milk kefir and kefir combination of goat's milk and soy milk. Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) plasma examined by enzymatic photometric method. Results showed that treatment with goat's milk kefir, soy milk kefir and kefir combination of goat's milk-soy milk can reduce FBG levels in DM type 2 rat model. Goat's milk kefir and combination of goat's milk-soy milk kefir can decrease the average of FBG levels significantly (p = 0.000), and effectively restore FBG levels within normal range.

Malnutrition and metabolic disease are the major problem of global population during the last few decades. The increasing of infant mortality related under caloric protein diet was reported in the developing countries. Moreover, metabolic perturbation caused by nutrient deficiency is the advanced physiological complication associated malnutrition. In addition, by contrast, an excess caloric intake is not only the common problem in the Western countries, but also becoming emerging metabolic disease in the low income countries. Thus, the exploration of a reliable nutritional therapy derived from local biodiversity is required. Moringa oleifera is a tropical and subtropical plant that widely spread in equatorial region. Moringa is a traditional medicinal plant rich in nutrition due to the presence of some essential nutrients in its leaves. Even though some previous studies have been done to investigate the potential ingredients and benefits of Moringa leaf powder, however the exploration of nutritional values of Moringa oleifera Sumenep Madura variety is unknown. This study was conducted by using proximate analysis of nutritional ingredients within Moringa leaf powder obtained from two varieties of Sumenep Madura and Kupang East Nusa Tenggara. Our laboratory data showed that Moringa leaf powder Sumenep Madura variety A has a higher level of protein (29.720 %), fat (4.971%), carbohydrate (38.417%), and vitamin C (985.305 mg/100g). Importantly, the similar pattern of nutritional ingredients was observed in variety B (32.865 % of protein levels, 4.707% of fat concentration, 36.784% of carbohydrate, and 1050.575 mg/100g of vitamin C). In summary, the findings from our preliminary study provide novel evidence the potential nutrients within Moringa leaf powder Sumenep Madura variety. It is possible that to propose this local Moringa as an additional future nutrigenomic therapy combating malnutrition and metabolic diseases.

The natural compound of black tea is used as an alternative of obesity therapies in the world; particularly, the catechin family in tea leaves which has bioactive compounds such as EC, EGC and EGCG. Their bioactivity contributes to inhibit the ligand of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Receptor (Igf-1r) binding-region to Igf-1 protein. To elucidate the inhibiton of Igf-1 expression and proliferating of Rattus norvegicus strain wistar adipose cell using black tea solution. The research used Rattus norvegicus strain wistar. After a 90-day treatment, the adipose tissues were picked up from the viscera of each experimental animal, and then the adipose tissues were embedded by paraffin. The paraffin sections were determined through immunohistochemistry with anti-Igf-1 antiserum, and were also analyzed through hematoxylin-eosin. A protein sequence of Igf-1, Igf-1r, and 3D structure of EC, EGC and EGCG from Gene Bank sites were used during in silico analysis. The sequences were aligned by BLAST program to identify the conserve and variable domain of IGF-1 protein isoforms. The 3D structures of IGF-1 and IGF-1R were constructed using Phyre program. The ligand among the 3D structures of IGF-1, IGF-1R and catechin compounds were analyzed using Hex 5.1 docking program. The data showed that the Igf-1 expression of adipose cells was reduced at 0,03 g/ml BTS and 0,045 g/ml BTS treatments. The result of BLAST analysis showed that IGF-1 (a, b, c, and d) isoforms conserved a domain from amino acid no 22 until 134; and this region was a variable region. The EGCG bound L1 domain of IGF-1R with E-total -235.3 KJ/mol which was lower than EC (-208,4 KJ/mol) and EGC (-142 KJ/mol). The total energy of IGF-1 (a, b, c, but not d isoform) which interacted with EGCG was around -223.7 KJ/mol, EC is -205.6 KJ/mol and EGC was -191.7 KJ/mol. However, EC, EGC and EGCG was only able to prevent the interaction between the L1 of IGF-1R with IGF-1 protein, but not the opposite.