A dietary regime with fish oil could be used in dialysis patients to slow down the development of atherosclerosis and improve nutritional parameters.

Dyslipidemia is one of the possible risk factors for advanced atherosclerosis in patients with chronic renal failure. Abnormal phospholipid metabolism may play an important role in the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with renal failure. The aim of this study was to determine specific characteristics of plasma and erythrocyte phospholipid content and fatty acid composition in 37 patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis (HD). The results were compared with the characteristics of healthy subjects. Briefly, plasma triglyceride (p < 0.001), total cholesterol (p < 0.05), and total phospholipids (p < 0.01) levels were significantly higher and HDL-cholesterol level significantly lower (p < 0.01) in HD patients. Plasma phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine concentration were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in HD patients. The plasma phospholipid fatty acids composition indicated significantly (p < 0.01) higher level of oleic (18:1 n-9) and lower levels of eicopentaenoic (20:5 n-3 EPA) and docosahexaenoic (22:6 n-3 DHA) acids (p < 0.05). However, in HD patients, the relative concentration of plasma phospholipid n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) was significantly lower (p < 0.05). The fatty acid composition of erythrocyte phospholipid in HD patients was modified with EPA and DHA levels significantly lowered (p < 0.05). Our results demonstrate an abnormal phospholipid metabolism and deficiency of n-3 PUFA in plasma and erythrocyte phospholipids in hemodialyzed patients.

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Background: Antibiotic resistance is becoming a pivotal concern for public health accelerating the search for new antimicrobial molecules from nature. The prevention and treatment of infectious diseases by applying products from marine organisms, especially Cyanobacteria as a potential and promising source of antimicrobial agents appears as a possible alternative. Aims: To evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial potential of different extracts derived from marine cyanobacterium Rivularia mesenterica against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug resistant bacteria, by comparison with clinically relevant antibiotics.   Methodology: The secondary metabolites were extracted from fresh and dried cyanobacterial biomass in water and different organic solvents. Antimicrobial efficacy of different extracts was evaluated by the disc diffusion assay. Additionally, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the ethanol extracts obtained from fresh and dried biomass was also determined. Results: The ethanol extracts obtained from fresh and dried biomass of R. mesenterica showed significant antimicrobial activity against five Gram-positive and five antibiotic resistant Gram-negative bacteria and four fungal strains in comparison with the clinically relevant antibiotics. The inhibitory effect of the ethanol extracts was observed, with MIC values in the range 0.06 to 32.00 μg/ml against tested strains. Furthermore, the water extract was inactive against of the tested bacteria and fungi. Conclusion: These results suggest that the ethanol extracts of R. mesenterica possess potent broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, which can serve as an interesting source for antimicrobial compounds and promising alternative to synthetic antimicrobial drugs discovery.

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