ObjectiveTo evaluate the preventive effects of Moringa oleifera on metabolic syndrome (MS) in male Wistar rats.MethodsMS was induced by feeding rats a high-fat diet and drinking water containing 10% fructose for 6 weeks. In the preventive group, M. oleifera was orally administered for 3 weeks prior to the induction of MS, while in the treatment group, M. oleifera was administered for 3 weeks after the onset of MS. The treatment groups were compared with a control group of untreated rats with induced MS. Fasting glucose, oral glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance, total cholesterol, triglycerides, abdominal circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured before and after MS induction and/or M. oleifera treatment.ResultsAfter the induction of MS, the control group had higher fasting glucose levels than the preventive group. No significant differences were observed in insulin tolerance, oral glucose tolerance, cholesterol, triglycerides, abdominal circumference, or systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Compared with untreated controls, rats in the treatment group had significantly improved glucose tolerance, triglycerides, and abdominal circumference.ConclusionsM. oleifera treatment attenuates MS in Wistar rats.

Capsaicin is an agonist of the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) channel, which has been related to the pathophysiology of kidney disease secondary to diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate the chronic effect of capsaicin administration on biomarkers of kidney injury in an experimental rat model of diabetes. Male Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: (1) healthy controls without diabetes (CON), (2) healthy controls plus capsaicin at 1 mg/kg/day (CON + CAPS), (3) experimental diabetes without capsaicin (DM), and (4) experimental diabetes plus capsaicin at 1 mg/kg/day (DM + CAPS). For each group, 24-h urine samples were collected to determine diuresis, albumin, cystatin C, β2 microglobulin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), alpha (1)-acid glycoprotein, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NAG-L). Blood samples were drawn to measure fasting glucose. After 8 weeks, the CON + CAPS and DM + CAPS groups showed increased diuresis compared to the CON and DM groups, but the difference was significant only in the DM + CAPS group. The two-way ANOVA only showed a statistically significant effect of CAPS on the urinary EGF levels, as well as a tendency to have a significant effect in the urinary NAG-L levels. The EGF levels decreased in both CAPS-treated groups, but the change was only significant in the CON + CAPS group vs. CON group; and the NAG-L levels were lower in both CAPS-treated groups. These results show that capsaicin had a diuretic effect in healthy and diabetic rats; additionally, it increased the urinary EGF levels and tended to decrease the urinary NAG-L levels.

No abstract

Introduction: Given the increment of overweight and obese children, it is relevant to study not only metabolic but also musculoskeletal consequences that may affect motor functionality such as flat foot in this population. Objetive: To identify the association between nutritional status and the prevalence of flat foot in Chilean children from 6 to10 years old. Methods: Z-score of body mass index and footprint using Hernandez-Corvo methodology were recorded and analyzed from 388 school children (52.3% girls). A two-sample proportion test was used to test differences between groups. Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: The prevalence of overweight children was over 40%. This prevalence was higher in women (47.8%) than in men (42.7%). The prevalence of children with flat foot was 17% and higher for the right foot (18.3%) than for the left foot (15.7%). There was a significant higher prevalence of flat foot in obese children in relation to overweight and normal weight children. Conclusion: Nutritional status is associated with greater prevalence of flat foot in children. In infantile population of 6 to 10 years old, obesity is associated with a morphological alteration of feet. Asociación entre el estado nutricional y la prevalencia de pie plano en niños chilenos de 6 a 10 años de edad

Iron overload (IOL) increases the risk of diabetes mellitus (DM). Capsaicin (CAP), an agonist of transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1), reduces the effects of IOL. We evaluated the effects of chronic CAP administration on hepcidin expression, kidney iron deposits, and urinary biomarkers in a male Wistar rat model with IOL and DM (DM-IOL). IOL was induced with oral administration of iron for 12 weeks and DM was induced with streptozotocin. Four groups were studied: Healthy, DM, DM-IOL, and DM-IOL + CAP (1 mg·kg−1·day−1 for 12 weeks). Iron deposits were visualized with Perls tissue staining and a colorimetric assay. Serum hepcidin levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Kidney biomarkers were assayed in 24 h urine samples. In the DM-IOL + CAP group, the total area of iron deposits and the total iron content in kidneys were smaller than those observed in both untreated DM groups. CAP administration significantly increased hepcidin levels in the DM-IOL group. Urinary levels of albumin, cystatin C, and beta-2-microglobulin were similar in all three experimental groups. In conclusion, we showed that in a DM-IOL animal model, CAP reduced renal iron deposits and increased the level of circulating hepcidin.