No abstract

Seven men and seven women participated in a randomized crossover trial to study the effect of intake of parsley (Petroselinum crispum), containing high levels of the flavone apigenin, on the urinary excretion of flavones and on biomarkers for oxidative stress. The subjects received a strictly controlled diet low in flavones and other naturally occurring antioxidants during the 2 weeks of intervention. This basic diet was supplemented with parsley providing 3⋅73-4⋅49 mg apigenin/MJ in one of the intervention weeks. Urinary excretion of apigenin was 1⋅59-409⋅09 g/MJ per 24 h during intervention with parsley and 0-112⋅27 g/MJ per 24 h on the basic diet (P Ͻ 0⋅05). The fraction of apigenin intake excreted in the urine was 0⋅58 (SE 0⋅16) % during parsley intervention. Erythrocyte glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.1; GR) and superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1; SOD) activities increased during intervention with parsley (P Ͻ 0⋅005) as compared with the levels on the basic diet, whereas erythrocyte catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) and glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9) activities did not change. No significant changes were observed in plasma protein 2-adipic semialdehyde residues, a biomarker of plasma protein oxidation. In this short-term investigation, an overall decreasing trend in the activity of antioxidant enzymes was observed during the 2-week study. The decreased activity of SOD was strongly correlated at the individual level with an increased oxidative damage to plasma proteins. However, the intervention with parsley seemed, partly, to overcome this decrease and resulted in increased levels of GR and SOD. Apigenin: Antioxidant status: Urinary excretionApigenin is a flavone found in vegetables, seasonings (Kühnau, 1976) and oranges (Fernandez de Simon et al. 1992), and it possesses antioxidant activity in vitro (Fraga et al. 1987;van Acker et al. 1996). Potent biological effects of this flavonoid have been described in vitro and in vivo. Apigenin has been ascribed anticarcinogenic (Wei et al. 1989;Birt et al. 1997), anti-inflammatory (Lee et al. 1993 and antimutagenic (Kuo et al. 1992) properties. Thus, development of a biomarker for intake of apigenin is important in order to evaluate the potential health effects of this particular dietary component. There has only been one previously published attempt to determine the urinary excretion of apigenin in human subjects after ingestion of an apigenin-containing camomile (Matricaria recutita) extract (Tschiersch & Hölzl, 1993). However, due to lack of specificity and sensitivity the method failed to detect any apigenin in the urine.Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) contains large amounts of the flavone apigenin (Justesen et al. 1998), and the low concentration of other flavonoids in this plant makes it suitable for an intervention study with a natural source of apigenin.In the present study we report on the relationship between daily intake of parsley and urinary excretion of apigenin. The antioxidative effect of the parsley intervention was investigated by measuring the activity ...

Increased calcium intakes from dairy products attenuate postprandial lipidemia, most probably because of reduced fat absorption, whereas supplementary calcium carbonate does not exert such an effect. This may be due to differences in the chemical form of calcium or to cofactors in dairy products. Calcium did not affect appetite sensation, glucose metabolism, or gut hormone secretion.

1. The influence of pregnancy, lactation and weaning on bone mineral density in healthy women was investigated during a 2 year prospective study of 59 pregnant and lactating women from the 18th week of gestation. 2. Bone mineral density was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at the non-dominant radius ultra distally and more proximally in the 18th and 37th weeks of gestation, and 0, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after delivery. Measurements of bone mineral density of the lumbar spine, the proximal femur and the whole body were performed at all dates after delivery. 3. Reappearance of menstruation after delivery averaged 6.1 months; mean lactating period was 8.7 months. During pregnancy and lactation bone mineral density tended to decrease, but different measuring sites showed different patterns of bone mineral density changes. The reduction in the ultra distal radius during pregnancy amounted to 2%, and no further changes were observed here during lactation. After delivery, reduction in mean bone mineral density was most pronounced in the spine (5.2% in 3 months), but the fall in bone mass tended to revert after resumption of menstruation. Bone mineral density was still reduced by 3.3% after 12 months in women with menstruation resumption later than 8 months after delivery. No significant reduction was observed 18 months after delivery. No association with calcium intake, weight changes or initial bone mineral density was observed. High calcium intake did not protect against bone mineral loss in the spine and the femur. 4. Thus it can be concluded that bone loss during pregnancy and lactation took place mainly from the trabecular skeleton. Resumption of menstruation tended to result in a regain of bone mass towards baseline.