Many of the flavonoids found in grapes and grape products such as juice or wine have been known to exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, platelet inhibitory and arterial relaxing effects either in vitro, in animal studies and in human trials. This study was designed to test the effect of Concord grape juice consumption on altering blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Forty subjects were given 5.5 ml/kg body weight/day of either Concord grape juice (CGJ) or a calorie-matched placebo drink every day for 8 weeks. Blood pressure (BP) was measured on weeks 0, 4 and 8. Compared to baseline, in the CGJ group systolic BP was reduced on average by 7.2 mm Hg (p = 0.005) and diastolic BP was reduced on average by 6.2 mm Hg (p = 0.001) at the end of 8 weeks. Comparable changes in the group getting the placebo product were -3.5 mm Hg (NS) and -3.2 mm Hg (p = 0.05) Consuming Concord grape juice, which is high in polyphenolic compounds, may favorably affect BP in hypertensive individuals.

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Excessive oxidative stress and abnormal blood lipids may cause chronic diseases. This risk can be reduced by consuming an antioxidant- and fiber-rich vegetarian diet. We compared biomarkers of oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity, and lipid profiles of sex- and age-matched long-term vegetarians and omnivores in Korea. Forty-five vegetarians (23 men and 22 women; mean age, 49.5 ± 5.3 years), who had maintained a vegetarian diet for a minimum of 15 years, and 30 omnivores (15 men and 15 women; mean age, 48.9 ± 3.6 years) participated in this study. Their 1-day, 24-h recall, and 2-day dietary records were analyzed. Oxidative stress was measured by the levels of diacron reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROM). Antioxidant status was determined by the biological antioxidant potential (BAP) and levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. We observed that vegetarians had a significantly lower body fat percentage (21.6 ± 6.4%) than that of omnivores (25.4 ± 4.6%; P < 0.004). d-ROM levels were significantly lower in vegetarians than those in omnivores (331.82 ± 77.96 and 375.80 ± 67.26 Carratelli units; P < 0.011). Additionally, total cholesterol levels in the vegetarians and omnivores were 173.73 ± 31.42 mg/dL and 193.17 ± 37.89 mg/dL, respectively (P < 0.018). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 101.36 ± 23.57 mg/dL and 120.60 ± 34.62 mg/dL (P < 0.005) in the vegetarians and omnivores, respectively, indicating that vegetarians had significantly lower lipid levels. Thus, oxidative stress, body fat, and cholesterol levels were lower in long-term vegetarians than those in omnivores.

In a previous study, oral IGF-I at 65 nM increased lactase phlorizin hydrolase (LPH) activity and villus height in piglets, however, the mechanisms were unknown. Herein, the response to a range of doses of IGF-I was investigated and we hypothesized that LPH and villus height would respond to oral IGF-I in a dose-dependent manner. Two 14-d experiments were conducted using cesarean-derived piglets. In experiment 1, piglets (n ϭ 28) were fed formula containing 0, 33, 65, or 131 nmol/L (0, 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 mg/L) recombinant human IGF-I. In experiment 2, 5Ј-bromodeoxyuridine was administered to piglets fed formula alone (n ϭ 4) or containing 131 nmol/L IGF-I (n ϭ 4). IGF-I did not affect body weight gain or intestinal weight or length. Jejunal villus height and LPH activity were significantly greater in piglets fed 131 nmol IGF-I/L than control piglets. Abbreviations AP-1, activator protein-1 BrdU, 5Ј-bromodeoxyuridine C/EBP, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein EF1-␣, elongation factor 1-␣ FLE, foremost labeled enterocyte HNF-1, hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 LPH, lactase phlorizin hydrolase BB LPH, brush border lactase phlorizin hydrolase proLPH h , high mannose lactase phlorizin hydrolase precursor proLPH c , complex glycosylated lactase phlorizin hydrolase precursor MAPK, mitogen activated protein kinase NHS, normal horse serum PI 3-kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinaseThe presence of IGF-I in colostrum and milk (1) and IGF receptors within the intestine (2) has led to the postulate that milk-borne IGF-I could play a role in neonatal intestinal development (3). Our group and others have shown that orally administered IGF-I stimulates intestinal villus growth (4 -6) and LPH activity (E.C. 3.2.1.23-62) (6) in the neonatal piglet.However, the doses of IGF-I administered in these experiments (65-1300 nmol/L) were above the concentrations of IGF-I present in porcine colostrum (13-52 nmol/L) or mature milk (1.3-2.6 nmol/L) (7). It was unknown whether oral administration of lower doses of IGF-I would exert similar biologic effects within the neonatal intestine. Further, the mechanisms by which oral IGF-I up-regulated intestinal LPH activity and villus growth had not been described. Therefore, the goals of the current study were to determine the impact of a range of doses of oral IGF-I on intestinal villus growth and LPH activity and to investigate potential mechanisms underlying these ef-