sábado, 25 de abril de 2015

Nanotecnologia contra a tuberculose


A tuberculose é uma doença grave que atinge muitos países. Um grupo de químicos desenvolveu uma arma nanotecnológica contra este mal: micelas de copolímeros que encapsulam a droga e liberam apenas no tecido atingido.


O antibiótico usado é bastante tóxico, mas seus efeitos colaterais são minimizados quando a droga é encapsulada.


Canal Fala Química

quinta-feira, 23 de abril de 2015

[Santuário dos Pajés] Herbário Fitoterápico

Agroecologia urbana: um novo conceito para as cidades

Projeto que promete mudar Brasília visa produção orgânica de plantas para o consumo urbano
Lançamento Projeto Re-Ação + mutirão Divulgação

O Natureza Viva foi até a Quadra 206, em Brasília, para falar sobre o projeto Reação, que tem como objetivo promover a agroecologia urbana. Mara Regia conversa com Igor Avelino para saber como funciona este projeto que visa a produção orgânica de plantas para o consumo nas cidades.

Se preferir, pode ouvir a entrevista no seu player ou fazer o download do arquivo MP3 [com 5.4 MB] clicando aqui.

Nota: Saiba mais sobre agricultura urbana clicando aqui.

Publicado no Portal EcoDebate, 20/04/2015

Palmeira-juçara (Euterpe edulis), ameaçada de extinção, é manejada para obtenção de frutos que rendem polpa semelhante ao do açaí

As questões sobre a compatibilidade do desenvolvimento socioeconômico e a conservação da biodiversidade nas regiões tropicais têm sido um dos grandes desafios da humanidade. Assim, para alavancar a conservação e a recuperação da palmeira-juçara (Euterpe edulis) e, ao mesmo tempo, trazer melhoria dos meios de vida das populações humanas das regiões de Mata Atlântica, uma pesquisa foi desenvolvida na Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (Esalq) da USP, em Piracicaba, pelo doutorando Saulo Eduardo Xavier Franco de Souza. A orientação foi do professor Edson José Vidal da Silva, do Departamento de Ciências Florestais.
Estudo busca alavancar recuperação e conservação da palmeira-juçara

A juçara é uma espécie importante ecológica, cultural e economicamente. A polpa de seus frutos é semelhante à do açaí amazônico e sua produção tem sido realizada em diversas localidades do sul e sudeste brasileiro na última década. O uso dos frutos valoriza a sobrevivência das palmeiras. Já o corte de palmito, inevitavelmente, aumenta a mortalidade. Além disso, as sementes geradas do processo de beneficiamento são aptas a germinar, possibilitando a recuperação da espécie. “O manejo da juçara para frutos, pode representar uma oportunidade de trabalho e renda para as comunidades rurais, bem como estimular a sobrevivência e recuperação da espécie”, explica o doutorando.

Para a realização da pesquisa, que teve início em 2011, Souza estudou iniciativas de produção de polpa da juçara por quatro comunidades situadas no entorno e interior do Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, núcleos Santa Virgínia e Picinguaba, nos municípios de Natividade da Serra e Ubatuba (SP). “Foram selecionadas as comunidades da Vargem Grande, Sertão do Ubatumirim, Sertão da Fazenda e Cambury, pois estão engajadas por mais tempo na produção de polpa”, destaca o pesquisador.

A pesquisa foi conduzida, principalmente, por meio de entrevistas com os comunitários e monitoramento da produção de frutos e da dinâmica populacional em parcelas permanentes instaladas em áreas manejadas pelas comunidades e não manejadas no interior do parque, que totalizaram 1,9 hectares. Essas parcelas também foram utilizadas para amostrar a diversidade de árvores, para que pudesse avaliar a complementaridade dessas áreas para a conservação de outras espécies também.

O estudo abrangeu os principais tipos de vegetação onde a juçara é manejada — florestas secundárias e sistemas agroflorestais. “Essas áreas recebem diferentes níveis de intensidade de manejo agroflorestal. Além disso, a amostragem também representou três faixas de altitude da Serra do Mar, Terras Baixas (até 50 m), Submontana (50-500) e Montana (500-1500)”, ilustra Souza.

Principais resultados

O pesquisador ressalta que a colheita dos frutos é feita de forma não destrutiva. Após a colheita, ainda sobram cerca de 70% dos cachos na área. Cada grupo colhe frutos de 10 a 30 palmeiras por dia, o que rende, em média, 87 quilos (Kg) de frutos e 45 litros de polpa. “A quantidade de frutos restantes sugere que a atividade não prejudica a fauna que depende dos frutos, apesar de ainda ser necessário aprofundar essa questão”, lembra o pesquisador. Observou-se, ainda, que o novo sistema de manejo da juçara pode contribuir com o fortalecimento comunitário a partir da diversificação da produção familiar e aumento de renda.

Para o pesquisador, um dos desafios para a sustentabilidade do manejo de espécies nativas consiste em garantir a reprodução da espécie enquanto produz e comercializa. “Acompanhamos 712 palmeiras por três anos e verificamos que os adultos produtivos rendem, em média, 5,6 Kg de frutos por ano, chegando a 21 Kg por palmeira. Também registramos a maior média do número de cachos por palmeira já observada para a espécie (3,1), bem como um padrão de redução deste número conforme aumenta a altitude”, destaca o agrônomo.

Estímulos à sobrevivência

Por fim, foram verificadas as tendências demográficas da juçara por meio de modelos matriciais. A maioria das populações tende à estabilidade nos próximos 100 anos, mas aquelas que morreram mais adultas podem reduzir até 3% ao ano. “As análises demostraram a importância da sobrevivência de adultos para a viabilidade populacional em longo prazo. Simulações estocásticas do aumento da taxa de colheita de frutos (até 100%) demonstraram não afetar significativamente a taxa de crescimento populacional. Dessa forma, a colheita de frutos juçara alinha-se com a principal estratégia de manejo recomendada para a saúde das populações da espécie: o estímulo à sobrevivência das palmeiras adultas”, reforça.

Antes de finalizar, Souza comenta que há menos de um ano foi editada uma resolução estadual para regulamentar o manejo de espécies nativas da Mata Atlântica (Res. SMA 14/2014). A juçara foi a primeira espécie contemplada com regras específicas em anexo a esta resolução, desta vez regulamentando o uso de frutos, sementes e mudas, além do palmito. “As experiências da Serra do Mar foram determinantes para tal. Assim, esta pesquisa sobre os sistemas de manejo de juçara na Serra do Mar se conclui em momento oportuno para ampliar a discussão com a sociedade sobre manejo sustentável na Mata Atlântica”, conclui o pesquisador.

Fotos: Saulo Souza

Por Alicia Nascimento Aguiar, da Esalq / Agência USP de Notícias

Publicado no Portal EcoDebate, 02/02/2015

Researchers formulate new yogurts with high protein content, higher satiating capacity

Date: April 20, 2015

Source: Asociación RUVID

Summary:
Anew yogurt with high protein content and higher satiating capacity has been developed, opening up an alternative in the design of new nutritional control strategies. One researcher involved says that protein is the most effective macronutrient in obtaining a satiating effect, “that is what makes the formulation of dairy products with higher protein content able to help moderate food consumption”.
In their study, the researchers assessed up to six different types of yogurt: they added powdered skimmed milk to one of them, they incorporated a buttermilk protein to the second and the third one was the "control yogurt," that is, without added protein. In order to obtain the other three, they added 2% starch to each of the above formulae, aiming to improve the perception of a creamy texture.
Credit: Universitat Politècnica de València

Researchers of the Universitat Politècnica de València and the Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have obtained in the laboratory a new yogurt with high protein content and higher satiating capacity. The work has been published in the journal Food Research International and it opens up an alternative in the design of new nutritional control strategies.

The CSIC research doctor and project coordinator, Susana Fiszman, explains that "in the market there is a real necessity to formulate food that helps to control the appetite; this is why we suggested formulating a yogurt with satiating capacity as an interesting strategy and it was successfully developed." Isabel Hernando, researcher at the Group of Microstructure and Food Chemistry of the Universitat Politècnica de València, says that protein is the most effective macronutrient in obtaining a satiating effect, "that is what makes the formulation of dairy products with higher protein content able to help moderate food consumption."

In their study, the researchers of the Universitat Politècnica de València and the IATA (CSIC) assessed up to six different types of yogurt: they added powdered skimmed milk to one of them, they incorporated a buttermilk protein to the second and the third one was the "control yogurt," that is, without added protein. In order to obtain the other three, they added 2% starch to each of the above formulae, aiming to improve the perception of a creamy texture.

In order to determine their satiating capacity, they ran sensory tests, in which more than a hundred consumers took part. Among all of the products, the formula with powdered skimmed milk and starch was the one that caused most expectations about the satiating capacity.

"Moreover, the addition of starch in the control sample significantly raised the perception of its satiating capacity, so its use to reinforce this capacity could be a useful tool in this kind of dairy products," says Isabel Hernando.

Satiety sensation and new products

The researchers also analysed how the consumer's sensory perception has an influence on the satiating capacity. "Powdered milk and starch yogurt was defined as the densest, the most compact and the creamiest, attributes that led to a greater expectation of satiating capacity in the consumers," explains Isabel Hernando.

In addition, they studied how the addition of proteins and starch affects the microstructural and rheological properties of the products, as well as their thickness and consistency, the oral transit and, as a consequence, the consumer's final acceptance.

The researchers of the IATA (CSIC) and the Universitat Politècnica de València are continuing their work on the design of new strategies of addition of satiating ingredients to daily food. Among others, they are studying new formulae for cheesecake.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Asociación RUVID. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
P. Morell, I. Hernando, E. Llorca, S. Fiszman. Yogurts with an increased protein content and physically modified starch: rheological, structural, oral digestion and sensory properties related to enhanced satiating capacity.Food Research International, 2015; 70: 64 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2015.01.024

Cite This Page:

Asociación RUVID. "Researchers formulate new yogurts with high protein content, higher satiating capacity." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150420084843.htm>.

Most Americans say medical marijuana shouldn't be used by kids or in front of kids, legal or not

Date: April 20, 2015

Source: University of Michigan Health System

Summary:
Medical marijuana and children don't mix, most Americans say. While nearly two-thirds of people agree that their state should allow medical marijuana for adults, half as many -- just over a third -- say it should be allowed for children, according to a new poll representing a national sample of adults in the U.S.

While nearly two-thirds of people agree that their state should allow medical marijuana for adults, half as many -- just over a third -- say it should be allowed for children, according to today's University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health that included a national sample of adults in the U.S.

Eighty percent of respondents go even further, saying adults shouldn't be allowed to use medical marijuana in front of kids -- a view most prominent among parents of children under 18 years old.

Nearly half of states now have laws permitting medical marijuana, and few such as Michigan enforce stricter rules for children's use of medical marijuana. The Mott poll is the first to measure the public's views about the use of medical marijuana for children compared to adults.

"We found that while most people support state laws that permit medical marijuana use among adults, the story is dramatically different for children. Medical marijuana is a controversial subject when we're talking about kids," says Matthew M. Davis, M.D., M.A.P.P., director of the National Poll on Children's Health and professor of pediatrics and internal medicine in the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit at the U-M Medical School.

"Our findings suggest that not only is the public concerned about the use of medical marijuana among children, but that the majority of Americans worry that even exposure to it may be harmful to kids' health. As is typical with anything involving health, the public's standards are much higher when it comes to protecting children's health."

Ten percent of respondents in the Mott poll either have a medical marijuana card or know someone who does, while 7 percent either use marijuana when children are present or know someone who does.

News stories around the country have highlighted the complexity of medical marijuana laws, with cases of children even being taken away from parents using medical marijuana at home. In Maine for example, even though medical marijuana is legal, the state's Supreme Judicial Court ruled that it can make a person unfit as a parent and therefore risk custody rights.

As more states allow use of medical marijuana, lawmakers, doctors and families also face questions about whether children with qualifying conditions should be able to use it too. In Connecticut, lawmakers are considering a bill that would expand the state's medical marijuana program to children. In New Jersey, the health department recently took a step toward allowing edible medical marijuana for kids. States like Colorado permit a special strain of cannabis known as "Charlotte's Web" used by hundreds of children.

However, there is little science about the safety or efficacy of treating children with medical marijuana. Research also indicates that the brains and nervous systems of children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to adverse effects of marijuana use, a concern raised by the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

The new Mott poll comes on the heels of new bills in Congress asking the federal government to reclassify marijuana as a controlled substance that can be dispensed legally. This would allow for broader federal funding of medical research about medical marijuana.

Advocates for medical marijuana argue that it can be safe and effective for treating symptoms related to diseases such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS and epilepsy for adults and children. Those opposed are concerned about inadequate scientific testing as a treatment, negative side effects on the brain and other organs and evidence that drug use early in life is more likely to lead to drug addiction in adulthood.

Full report: C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health http://mottnpch.org/reports-surveys/support-medical-marijuana-use-lower-kids-adults

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of Michigan Health System. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Cite This Page:

University of Michigan Health System. "Most Americans say medical marijuana shouldn't be used by kids or in front of kids, legal or not." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150420084545.htm>.

Broccoli sprout extract promising for head and neck cancer prevention

Date: April 19, 2015

Source: University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences

Summary:
Broccoli sprout extract protects against oral cancer in mice and proved tolerable in a small group of healthy human volunteers, according to new research.

Broccoli sprout extract protects against oral cancer in mice and proved tolerable in a small group of healthy human volunteers, the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), partner with UPMC CancerCenter, announced today at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.

The promising results will be further explored in a human clinical trial, which will recruit participants at high risk for head and neck cancer recurrence later this year. This research is funded through Pitt's Specialized Program of Research Excellence grant in head and neck cancer from the National Cancer Institute.

"People who are cured of head and neck cancer are still at very high risk for a second cancer in their mouth or throat, and, unfortunately, these second cancers are commonly fatal," said lead author Julie Bauman, M.D., M.P.H., co-director of the UPMC Head and Neck Cancer Center of Excellence. "So we're developing a safe, natural molecule found in cruciferous vegetables to protect the oral lining where these cancers form."

Previous studies, including large-scale trials in China, have shown that cruciferous vegetables that have a high concentration of sulforaphane -- such as broccoli, cabbage and garden cress -- help mitigate the effects of environmental carcinogens.

Dr. Bauman collaborated with Daniel E. Johnson, Ph.D., professor of medicine at Pitt and a senior scientist in the UPCI Head and Neck Cancer Program, to test sulforaphane in the laboratory. For several months, Dr. Johnson and his team gave sulforaphane to mice predisposed to oral cancer and found that it significantly reduced the incidence and number of tumors.

"The clear benefit of sulforaphane in preventing oral cancer in mice raises hope that this well-tolerated compound also may act to prevent oral cancer in humans who face chronic exposure to environmental pollutants and carcinogens," said Dr. Johnson.

Dr. Bauman treated 10 healthy volunteers with fruit juice mixed with sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract. The volunteers had no ill-effects from the extract and protective changes were detectable in the lining of their mouths, meaning it was absorbed and directed to at-risk tissue.

These findings were enough to prompt a clinical trial that will recruit 40 volunteers who have been curatively treated for head and neck cancer. The participants will regularly take capsules containing broccoli seed powder to determine if they can tolerate the regimen and whether it has enough of an impact on their oral lining to prevent cancer. From there, larger clinical trials could be warranted.

"We call this 'green chemoprevention,' where simple seed preparations or plant extracts are used to prevent disease," said Dr. Bauman, also an associate professor in Pitt's School of Medicine. "Green chemoprevention requires less money and fewer resources than a traditional pharmaceutical study, and could be more easily disseminated in developing countries where head and neck cancer is a significant problem."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Cite This Page:

University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences. "Broccoli sprout extract promising for head and neck cancer prevention." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150419194019.htm>.

Difficult to break the soda habit? Sugar-sweetened beverages suppress body's stress response

Date: April 16, 2015

Source: Endocrine Society

Summary:
Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can suppress the hormone cortisol and stress responses in the brain, but diet beverages sweetened with aspartame do not have the same effect, according to a new study.
Consumption of sugary drinks may be a tough habit to break because sugar consumption relieves stress in humans, a new study suggests.
Credit: © Joshua Resnick / Fotolia

Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can suppress the hormone cortisol and stress responses in the brain, but diet beverages sweetened with aspartame do not have the same effect, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

"This is the first evidence that high sugar -- but not aspartame -- consumption may relieve stress in humans," said one of the study's authors, Kevin D. Laugero, PhD, of the University of California, Davis, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. "The concern is psychological or emotional stress could trigger the habitual overconsumption of sugar and amplify sugar's detrimental health effects, including obesity."

About 35 percent of adults and nearly 17 percent of children nationwide are obese, according to the Society's Endocrine Facts & Figures report. Sugary drinks such as soda and juice have been linked to this problem. Half of the U.S. population consumes sugar-sweetened drinks on any given day, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The parallel-arm, double-masked diet intervention study examined the effects of consuming sugar- and aspartame-sweetened beverages on a group of 19 women between the ages of 18 and 40. The researchers assigned eight women to consume aspartame-sweetened beverages, and 11 to drink sugar-sweetened beverages. For a 12-day period, the women drank one of the assigned beverages at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The participants were instructed not to consumer other sugar-sweetened drinks, including fruit juice.

For 3.5 days prior to and after the study, the women consumed a standardized low-sugar diet and stayed at the UC Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center's Clinical Research Center.

Before and after the 12-day experimental period, the women underwent functional MRI screenings after performing math tests to gauge the brain's stress response. The participants also provided saliva samples to measure levels of cortisol -- a hormone made by the adrenal glands that is essential for the body's response to stress.

The researchers found women who drank sugar-sweetened beverages during the study had a diminished cortisol response to the math test, compared to women who were assigned to consume aspartame-sweetened beverages. In addition, the women who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages exhibited more activity in the hippocampus -- a part of the brain that is involved in memory and is sensitive to stress -- than the women who drank aspartame-sweetened beverages.

The hippocampus typically is less active when the body is under stress. When the study participants drank sugar-sweetened beverages, this response was inhibited. The findings offer new clues that help explain how sugar positively reinforces the temptation to eat comfort food when a person is stressed, Laugero said.

"The results suggest differences in dietary habits may explain why some people underreact to stressful situations and others overreact," he said. "Although it may be tempting to suppress feelings of stress, a normal reaction to stress is important to good health. Research has linked over- and under-reactivity in neural and endocrine stress systems to poor mental and physical health."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Endocrine Society. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
Matthew S. Tryon, Kimber L. Stanhope, Elissa S. Epel, Ashley E. Mason, Rashida Brown, Valentina Medici, Peter J. Havel, Kevin D. Laugero. Excessive Sugar Consumption May Be a Difficult Habit to Break: A View From the Brain and Body. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2015; jc.2014-4353 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2014-4353

Cite This Page:

Endocrine Society. "Difficult to break the soda habit? Sugar-sweetened beverages suppress body's stress response." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150416132015.htm>.

Five days of eating fatty foods can alter how your body's muscle processes food

Date: April 14, 2015

Source: Virginia Tech

Summary:
After just five days of eating a high-fat diet, the way in which the body's muscle processes nutrients changes, which could lead to long-term problems such as weight gain, obesity, and other health issues, a new study has found. "Most people think they can indulge in high-fat foods for a few days and get away with it," said one investigator. "But all it takes is five days for your body's muscle to start to protest."
Hamburger and french fries (stock image). After just five days of eating a high-fat diet, the way in which the body's muscle processes nutrients changes, which could lead to long-term problems such as weight gain, obesity, and other health issues, a new study has found.
Credit: © kharkov.photo / Fotolia

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Oral milk thistle extract stops colorectal cancer stem cells from growing tumors

Date: April 20, 2015

Source: University of Colorado Denver

Summary:
A new study shows that orally administering the chemical silibinin, purified from milk thistle, slows the ability of colorectal cancer stem cells to grow the disease. When stem cells from tumors grown in silibinin-fed conditions were re-injected into new models, the cells failed to develop equally aggressive tumors even in the absence of silibinin.

In results presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2015, a University of Colorado Cancer Center study shows that orally administering the chemical silibinin, purified from milk thistle, slows the ability of colorectal cancer stem cells to grow the disease. When stem cells from tumors grown in silibinin-fed conditions were re-injected into new models, the cells failed to develop equally aggressive tumors even in the absence of silibinin.

"It's very simple: tumors from mice that were initially fed silibinin had fewer cancer stem cells, were smaller, had lower metabolisms and showed decreased growth of new blood vessels. Importantly, when these cancer stem cells from tumors in mice fed silibinin were re-injected into new mice, we found these stem cells had lost their potential to repopulate even in the absence of silibinin exposure," says Rajesh Agarwal, PhD, co-program leader of Cancer Prevention and Control at the CU Cancer Center and professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Silibinin is a non-toxic, potentially chemopreventive agent derived from milk thistle seeds. Results presented by Agarwal and colleagues at last year's AACR Annual Meeting showed that, in cell cultures, silibinin affects cell signaling associated with the formation and survival of colorectal cancer stem cells. The current study extends this promising line of research into mouse models.

Specifically, the group used sorted colorectal cancer stem cells to grow tumors in mice that were either fed or not fed with silibinin. Tumor growth was measured by visible size, MRI scan and measurement of tumor metabolism (glucose use). These tumors cells either unsorted or sorted for cancer stem cells were then re-injected in mice to measure their growth pattern in next generations in the absence of silibinin feeding.

"We have been deeply involved in this line of research that extends from silibinin to its chemopreventive properties in colorectal cancer, and the current study takes another important step: we see both a likely chemopreventive and a therapeutic mechanism and the result of this mechanism in animal models," says Sushil Kumar, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Agarwal Lab.

The group continues to investigate the molecular mechanisms, cell culture, and animal model effects of silibinin toward a likely human clinical trial of silibinin in cancer preventative and/or treatment settings.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of Colorado Denver.Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Cite This Page:

University of Colorado Denver. "Oral milk thistle extract stops colorectal cancer stem cells from growing tumors." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150420144350.htm>.

Coffee protects against breast cancer recurrence, detailed findings confirm

Date: April 21, 2015

Source: Lund University

Summary:
Coffee helps to protect against breast cancer, a number of research studies have shown. A new study is added to that research, confirming that coffee inhibits the growth of tumors and reduces the risk of recurrence in women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with the drug tamoxifen.

A number of research studies have shown that coffee helps to protect against breast cancer. A new study led by Lund University, has confirmed that coffee inhibits the growth of tumors and reduces the risk of recurrence in women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with the drug tamoxifen.

The study, which is a follow-up of the results the researchers obtained two years ago, was carried out at Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, in collaboration with researchers in the UK.

"Now, unlike in the previous study, we have combined information about the patients' lifestyle and clinical data from 1090 breast cancer patients with studies on breast cancer cells. The study shows that among the over 500 women treated with tamoxifen, those who had drunk at least two cups of coffee a day had only half the risk of recurrence of those who drank less coffee or none at all," explain researchers Ann Rosendahl and Helena Jernström, who obtained the results in collaboration with Jeff Holly and his research team at University of Bristol.

"The study also shows that those who drank at least two cups of coffee a day had smaller tumors and a lower proportion of hormone-dependent tumors. We saw that this was already the case at the time of diagnosis."

In the cell study, the researchers looked more closely at two substances that usually occur in the coffee drunk in Sweden -- caffeine and caffeic acid.

"The breast cancer cells reacted to these substances, especially caffeine, with reduced cell division and increased cell death, especially in combination with tamoxifen. This shows that these substances have an effect on the breast cancer cells and turn off signalling pathways that the cancer cells require to grow."

The researchers have demonstrated both in breast cancer patients and at cell level that coffee appears to reinforce the effect of treatment with tamoxifen, but emphasize the importance of taking prescribed medication.

"They are incredibly important, but if you like coffee and are also taking tamoxifen, there is no reason to stop drinking it. Just two cups a day is sufficient to make a difference."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Lund University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.


Journal Reference:
A. H. Rosendahl, C. M. Perks, L. Zeng, A. Markkula, M. Simonsson, C. Rose, C. Ingvar, J. M. Holly, H. C. Jernstrom. Caffeine and caffeic acid inhibit growth and modify estrogen receptor (ER) and insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR) levels in human breast cancer. Clinical Cancer Research, 2015; DOI:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-14-1748

Cite This Page:

Lund University. "Coffee protects against breast cancer recurrence, detailed findings confirm." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150421084531.htm>.

Ancient herbal therapy can prevent -- and reverse -- cardiac hypertrophy in mice

Date: April 14, 2015

Source: University of Chicago Medical Center

Summary:
A natural compound from magnolia bark can protect the heart from hypertrophy by activating SIRT3, a protein associated with delayed aging, stress resistance and metabolic regulation. Injected honokiol protected stressed mice, preventing excess growth of cardiac muscle cells and fibrosis.
Honokiol, by increasing SIRT3 levels, effectively blocked both the induction and progression of cardiac hypertrophy in mice.
Credit: Mahesh Gupta, Ph.D., director of the Cardiac Cell Biology Research Program at the University of Chicago

A natural compound derived from the bark of the magnolia tree, can protect the heart from hypertrophy, a thickening of cardiac muscle often caused by chronic high blood pressure that can lead to heart failure, researchers report in the April 14 issue of the online journal Nature Communications.

When injected into mice, honokiol (hoh-NOH'-kee-ohl) reduced the excess growth of individual cardiac muscle cells, decreased ventricular wall thickness and prevented the accumulation of interstitial fibrosis, a stiffening of cardiac muscle cells that reduces their ability to contract. It also protected heart muscle cells from the damage caused by oxidative stress, which can damage DNA.

The researchers, based at the University of Chicago Medicine, also describe how this ancient remedy, widely used in Asia for centuries, protects the heart. They found the compound activates SIRT3, a protective protein associated with delayed aging, stress resistance and metabolic regulation.

"Honokiol, by increasing SIRT3 levels, effectively blocked both the induction and progression of cardiac hypertrophy in mice," said study author Mahesh Gupta, PhD, director of the Cardiac Cell Biology Research Program at the University of Chicago. "It even mitigated pre-existing cardiac hypertrophy. This has the potential to play a significant role in the prevention and treatment of heart failure."

"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to describe a pharmacologic activator of SIRT3" he added. "Until now, caloric restriction combined with endurance exercise has been the only way to boost SIRT3 levels. Very few people have been able to follow such a rigorous regimen."

One of a family of sirtuin proteins, SIRT3 is primarily active in the mitochondria, the cell's main source of energy. It plays a central role there in energy metabolism and in preventing acetylation, a process that can alter the function of proteins. In the absence of SIRT3, mitochondrial proteins become hyperacetylated, which can impair function.

Human studies show that sedentary patients over 60 years old have nearly 40 percent less SIRT3. Mice that lack the gene for SIRT3 have 40 percent lower levels of ATP, a primary source of energy, than those with the gene.

The researchers tested multiple compounds in search of one that could activate SIRT3. They found that honokiol reduced mitochondrial protein acetylation. When they tested it in the heart muscle cells from mice, they found that a small amount of honokiol nearly doubled SIRT3 levels within 24 hours.

Additional studies showed that honokiol, acting through SIRT3, could reduce or prevent hypertrophic growth in cardiac muscle cells, prevent mice from developing full blown hypertrophy and even reduce existing damage from established hypertrophy.

It also blocked the production of fibroblasts -- cells that interfere with heart muscle performance -- and reduced production of myofibroblasts, cells that speed wound healing but can impair heart function. The researchers did not detect any appreciable toxicity.

To confirm the mechanism, the researchers performed the same experiments on mice that lacked the SIRT3 gene. In those studies, honokiol had no effect.

They also determined that honokiol binds directly to SIRT3. The combination appears to increase SIRT3's activity.

The results, the authors wrote, suggest pharmacological activation of SIRT3 by honokiol could be "a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent adverse cardiac remodeling and other diseases associated with abnormal cellular growth and organ fibrosis."

"Although we feel this is extremely promising," Gupta said, "there is still much work to be done."

Honokiol is available as an herbal remedy but the purity of such preparations is undetermined. "We treated the mice with injections into the peritoneal cavity," Gupta emphasized, "rather than by mouth, which is how this compound has traditionally been administered. We are testing to see if oral use will have a similar effect."

Despite those caveats, "we are tremendously excited," Gupta said. "We are working to design a clinical trial involving patients with cardiac hypertrophy and potentially other metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of Chicago Medical Center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
Vinodkumar B. Pillai, Sadhana Samant, Nagalingam R. Sundaresan, Hariharasundaram Raghuraman, Gene Kim, Michael Y. Bonner, Jack L. Arbiser, Douglas I. Walker, Dean P. Jones, David Gius, Mahesh P. Gupta. Honokiol blocks and reverses cardiac hypertrophy in mice by activating mitochondrial Sirt3. Nature Communications, 2015; 6: 6656 DOI:10.1038/ncomms7656

Cite This Page:

University of Chicago Medical Center. "Ancient herbal therapy can prevent -- and reverse -- cardiac hypertrophy in mice." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 14 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150414125815.htm>.

A bulky catalyst induces pinpoint targeting on benzene to create bioactive molecules

Date: April 14, 2015

Source: Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University

Summary:
Tuning the para position of benzene moieties is significant for creating biologically active compounds and optoelectronic materials. Yet, attaching a functional handle specifically at the para position of benzene has been challenging due to multiple reactive sites on the ring. Chemists have developed a novel iridium catalyst that enables highly para-selective borylation on benzene, leading to the rapid synthesis of drug derivatives for treating Parkinson's disease.
'Parachuting' boron onto the para-position of a benzene ring by a bulky iridium catalyst.
Credit: ITbM, Nagoya University

Tuning the para position of benzene moieties is significant for creating biologically active compounds and optoelectronic materials. Yet, attaching a functional handle specifically at the para position of benzene has been challenging due to multiple reactive sites on the ring. Chemists at ITbM, Nagoya University have developed a novel iridium catalyst that enables highly para-selective borylation on benzene, leading to the rapid synthesis of drug derivatives for treating Parkinson's disease.

Yutaro Saito, Yasutomo Segawa and Professor Kenichiro Itami at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University and the JST-ERATO Itami Molecular Nanocarbon Project have developed a bulky iridium catalyst that selectively directs a boron moiety to the opposite side of mono-substituted benzene derivatives. The opposite side of the benzene ring, known as the para position is important for tuning the electronic and steric properties of various organic molecules, including biologically active compounds such as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, as well as optoelectronic materials. Nonetheless, few reports have existed in obtaining para-selective benzene derivatives directly from mono-substituted benzene rings. Using a bulky phosphorus ligand, Itami and his coworkers have generated a new catalyst that uses steric interactions with the benzene substituent, to achieve the first highly para-selective C-H borylation, i.e. replacement of a hydrogen atom at the para position with a boryl moiety. The boryl group can easily be converted into other functional groups, making it possible to conduct late stage diversification of core structures containing benzene. The study, published online on April 11, 2015 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, displays the development of a powerful synthetic method that enables rapid access to para-functionalized benzene derivatives to construct libraries of bioactive compounds that are useful in medicinal chemistry. The applicability of this method was demonstrated by the efficient generation of para-functionalized derivatives of caramiphen, which is an anticholinergic drug used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Metal-catalyzed C-H borylation of aromatic rings is considered an efficient way to introduce functional groups to make functional molecules via a boryl moiety. Nonetheless, introducing a boryl group at a specific position on the 6-membered benzene ring has been rather challenging due to the presence of several reactive sites. The positions right next to the substituent on the benzene i.e. the ortho- (2- or 6-) positions are usually blocked by the substituent during C-H borylation. However, a mixture of meta- (3- or 5-) products and para- (4-) products are usually observed in a 2:1 ratio upon C-H borylation of a monosubstituted benzene. In addition, these products are usually difficult to separate from each other, thus, making it necessary to develop a highly para-selective reaction.

"As altering the para position has been a common approach in biology and materials science for creating benzene-containing functional molecules, I figured that para-selective C-H functionalization would be an extremely useful technique for the late-stage diversification of core structures. However, there has been no general way to do this up to now," says Kenichiro Itami, the Director of the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules. "Since starting this research in 2009, we have been trying to find ways to introduce functional groups at the para position of the benzene ring" says Yasutomo Segawa, a co-author of this work. "Yutaro picked up this work in 2012, and screened over 200 ligands to find the right conditions to achieve C-H borylation in high para-selectivity."

"I looked at all the ligands that I could find in the labs and after a year and a half of screening, I finally found that BINAP, a phosphorus-based ligand, along with an iridium catalyst showed relatively high selectivity in introducing a boryl group (Bpin), at the para position," says Yutaro Saito, a graduate student who conducted the experiments. "Nitrogen-based ligands are usually used in C-H aromatic borylation reactions, so everyone was surprised to see that phosphorus ligands were applicable," he continues. "I was really excited upon seeing the increase in para-selectivity and yield as I was screening the phosphorus ligands."

Through screening of various phosphorus bridged ligands, a bulky diphosphine ligand, Xyl-MeO-BIPHEP was found to be effective in blocking the meta position of benzene rings bearing a bulky substituent, to achieve as much as 91% para-selectivity for C-H borylation. "This is a great improvement from the 2:1 meta:para selectivity that we were initially observing," says Segawa. "We also found that if the ligand is too bulky, the reactivity and selectivity for the reaction decreases, so there is a balance in the reaction with the size of the ligand," says Saito.

The reaction conditions developed for this C-H aromatic borylation were also compatible with various functional groups, such as esters, alcohols and ethers, making this reaction potentially applicable during the late stage synthesis of benzene derivatives. Caramiphen, an anticholinergic agent used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease contains a monosubstituted benzene moiety along with ester and amine groups. There have been reports that the activity and selectivity of caramiphen could be improved by functionalization at the para position of the benzene ring. Thus, the iridium catalyst Ir[Xyl-MeO-BIPHEP] was used for the para-selective C-H borylation of caramiphen, to generate the desired para-borylated product in 83% para-selectivity and 61% isolated yield, in the presence of reactive groups. The borylated compound was used as a common intermediate to obtain both known active and novel derivatized compounds of caramiphen.

"Although we still need to work on improving the selectivity and the range of substrates that we can use for this para-selective C-H borylation reaction, we were able to demonstrate an example of a sterically controlled catalytic reaction," says Saito. Segawa and Itami say, "We hope that this reaction would be applicable for making useful para-intermediates that would lead to the rapid discovery and optimization of lead compounds in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical and materials industry."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
Yutaro Saito, Yasutomo Segawa, Kenichiro Itami. para-C–H Borylation of Benzene Derivatives by a Bulky Iridium Catalyst. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2015; 150410105842002 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b02052

Cite This Page:

Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University. "A bulky catalyst induces pinpoint targeting on benzene to create bioactive molecules." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 14 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150414083716.htm>.

Cora Coralina


Regular consumption of yogurt does not improve health

Date: April 21, 2015

Source: Plataforma SINC

Summary:
Dietary recommendations support the consumption of dairy products as part of a healthy diet. However, after a Spanish study involving more than 4,000 people analyzed the relationship between the regular intake of yogurt and health-related quality of life, it declared that there was no link with the improvement of the physical and mental parameters analyzed.

Dietary recommendations support the consumption of dairy products as part of a healthy diet. However, after a Spanish study involving more than 4,000 people analysed the relationship between the regular intake of yogurt and health-related quality of life, it declared that there was no link with the improvement of the physical and mental parameters analysed.

For years various researchers have stated the benefits of eating yogurt on a regular basis although its effectiveness has never been proven. In fact, until now, few studies have specifically examined the effect of consuming this product on health.

Now, a new study carried out in Spain evaluates whether there is a link between the regular consumption of yogurt and the physical and mental improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQL) in the adult population, gauged from the SF-12 survey.

Led by researchers from the Autonomous University of Madrid, the study analysed the relationship between the consumption of yogurt and the change in the test score over a three-and-a-half-year period in a sample of 4,445 Spanish adults.

"The regular consumption of yogurt was not linked to health-related quality of life," as lead author Esther López-García explains. "For future research more specific instruments must be used which may increase the probability of finding a potential benefit of this food."

The results, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, also found no link for individuals with no diagnosed illnesses, who had never smoked and who followed a Mediterranean diet, or rather those without any risk factors which could obscure the relationship under review.

"In comparison with people that did not eat yogurt, those who ate this dairy product regularly did not display any significant improvement in their score on the physical component of quality of life, and although there was a slight improvement mentally, this was not statistically significant," adds López-García.

Currently, claims of the health properties of food items must be scientifically evaluated in accordance with the European Food Safety Authority (no.1924/2006).

The US Department for Agriculture also reviews the claims proposed by the food industry to allow or reject the use of these assertions for commercial purposes. This study provides new information to evaluate the claims from the dairy industry.

Yogurt in diet

The main dietary guidelines in Spain and other countries support the consumption of dairy products as part of a healthy diet. "This is because the majority of studies have focused on the effect as a whole, but it would be interesting to evaluate the independent association between each type of product and global health indicators," the researcher points out.

Up until now, several pieces of research have suggested that the consumption of yogurt could influence directly or indirectly on HRQL. For the experts, one of the reasons may be because it is rich in calcium, protecting the bones and which could help to combat osteomuscular illnesses, one of the conditions with greatest negative impact on quality of life.

Also, more specifically, its intake has been associated with lesser weight increase (Wang et al., 2014), lower blood pressure (Ralston et al., 2012 and Soedamah-Muthu et al., 2012) and a lower rate of cardiovascular diseases (Soedamah-Muthu et al., 2011).

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Plataforma SINC. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
Esther Lopez-Garcia, Luz Leon-Muñoz, Pilar Guallar-Castillon, Fernando Rodríguez-Artalejo. Habitual Yogurt Consumption and Health-Related Quality of Life: A Prospective Cohort Study. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2015; 115 (1): 31 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2014.05.013

Cite This Page:

Plataforma SINC. "Regular consumption of yogurt does not improve health." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150421084537.htm>.

Cannabis consumers show greater susceptibility to false memories

Date: April 21, 2015

Source: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Summary:
Consumers of cannabis are more prone to experiencing false memories. One of the known consequences of consuming this drug is the memory problems it can cause. Chronic consumers show more difficulties than the general population in retaining new information and recovering memories. The new study also reveals that the chronic use of cannabis causes distortions in memory, making it easier for imaginary or false memories to appear.
The image shows the brain activation pattern which permits ruling out a stimulus as a false memory. In the control group, the activations are much more intense and extensive than in the group of cannabis consumers.
Credit: Hospital Sant Pau

A new study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, reveals that consumers of cannabis are more prone to experiencing false memories. The study was conducted by researchers from the Human Neuropsychopharmacology group at the Biomedical Research Institute of Hospital de Sant Pau and from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, in collaboration with the Brain Cognition and Plasticity group of the Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL -- University of Barcelona). One of the known consequences of consuming this drug is the memory problems it can cause. Chronic consumers show more difficulties than the general population in retaining new information and recovering memories. The new study also reveals that the chronic use of cannabis causes distortions in memory, making it easier for imaginary or false memories to appear.

On occasions, the brain can remember things that never happened. Our memory consists of a malleable process which is created progressively and therefore is subject to distortions or even false memories. These memory "mistakes" are seen more frequently in several neurological and psychiatric disorders, but can also be observed in the healthy population, and become more common as we age. One of the most common false memories we have are of situations from our childhood which we believe to remember because the people around us have explained them to us over and over again. Maintaining an adequate control over the "veracity" of our memories is a complex cognitive task which allows us to have our own sense of reality and also shapes our behaviour, based on past experiences.

In the study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, researchers from Sant Pau and Bellvitge compared a group of chronic consumers of cannabis to a healthy control group while they worked on learning a series of words. After a few minutes they were once again shown the original words, together with new words which were either semantically related or unrelated. All participants were asked to identify the words belonging to the original list. Cannabis consumers believed to have already seen the semantically related new words to a higher degree than participants in the control group. By using magnetic resonance imaging, researchers discovered that cannabis consumers showed a lower activation in areas of the brain related to memory procedures and to the general control of cognitive resources.

The study found memory deficiencies despite the fact that participants had stopped consuming cannabis one month before participating in the study. Although they had not consumed the drug in a month, the more the patient had used cannabis throughout their life, the lower the level of activity in the hippocampus, key to storing memories.

The results show that cannabis consumers are more vulnerable to suffering memory distortions, even weeks after not consuming the drug. This suggests that cannabis has a prolonged effect on the brain mechanisms which allow us to differentiate between real and imaginary events. These memory mistakes can cause problems in legal cases, for example, due to the effects the testimonies of witnesses and their victims can have. Nevertheless, from a clinical viewpoint, the results point to the fact that a chronic use of cannabis could worsen problems with age-related memory loss.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
J Riba, M Valle, F Sampedro, A Rodríguez-Pujadas, S Martínez-Horta, J Kulisevsky, A Rodríguez-Fornells. Telling true from false: cannabis users show increased susceptibility to false memories. Molecular Psychiatry, 2015; DOI:10.1038/mp.2015.36

Cite This Page:

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. "Cannabis consumers show greater susceptibility to false memories." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150421104909.htm>.

Toxic mushroom-based drug may help battle colorectal cancer

Date: April 22, 2015

Source: University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Summary:
For some time, cancer scientists have considered the toxin, alpha-amanatin derived from “death cap” mushrooms, as a possible cancer treatment. However, due to its penchant for causing liver toxicity, its potential as an effective therapy has been limited.

For some time, cancer scientists have considered the toxin, alpha-amanatin derived from "death cap" mushrooms, as a possible cancer treatment. However, due to its penchant for causing liver toxicity, its potential as an effective therapy has been limited.

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center looked at antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) based on alpha-amanatin as one solution. They found that ADCs, when aimed at a gene called POLR2A, are highly effective in mouse studies in treating colorectal cancer. The drug caused complete tumor regression and greatly reduced toxicity. ADCs allow for improved targeting of cancer cells, resulting in less impact on healthy cells.

Xiongbin Lu, Ph.D., associate professor of Cancer Biology, observed that when the common tumor suppressor gene, TP53 is deleted resulting in cancer growth, another nearby gene, POLR2A is also deleted. Normal cells have two copies of POLR2A and TP53 genes. Lu's study targeted cancers that had a single copy of both genes, representing 53 percent of colorectal cancers, 62 percent of breast cancers and 75 percent of ovarian cancers.

"POLR2A is an essential gene for cell survival, including cancer cells," said Lu. "Because there is only one copy, the cancer cells are more susceptible to suppression of this gene."

Lu's study was published in the April 22, 2015 issue of Nature.

Discovering that POLR2A is deleted at the same time as TP53 means that therapies can more narrowly target the genetic processes allowing cancer cells to thrive. Understanding that one copy of POLR2A can allow cancer to grow gives researchers a new target to hit. As it turns out, it can be suppressed by an ADC based on the mushroom toxin. Lu's team tested the drug, alpha-amanatin as it was believed that it specifically inhibited POLR2A.

"A tremendous effort has been made to restore TP53 activity in cancer therapies," said Lu. "However, no TP53-based therapy has been successfully translated into clinical cancer treatment due to the complexity of TP53 signaling. POLR2A encodes an enzyme that is inhibited by alpha-amanatin. We found that suppression of POLR2A with low-dose alpha-amanatin stopped cancer cell growth and reduced toxicity."

"We anticipate that inhibiting POLR2A will be a novel therapeutic approach for human cancers harboring such common genomic alterations," said Lu.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
Yunhua Liu, Xinna Zhang, Cecil Han, Guohui Wan, Xingxu Huang, Cristina Ivan, Dahai Jiang, Cristian Rodriguez-Aguayo, Gabriel Lopez-Berestein, Pulivarthi H. Rao, Dipen M. Maru, Andreas Pahl, Xiaoming He, Anil K. Sood, Lee M. Ellis, Jan Anderl, Xiongbin Lu. TP53 loss creates therapeutic vulnerability in colorectal cancer. Nature, 2015; DOI: 10.1038/nature14418

Cite This Page:

University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. "Toxic mushroom-based drug may help battle colorectal cancer." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150422135614.htm>.

Sugary drinks boost risk factors for heart disease, study suggests

Date: April 22, 2015

Source: University of California - Davis

Summary:
Beverages sweetened with low, medium and high amounts of high-fructose corn syrup significantly increase risk factors for cardiovascular disease, even when consumed for just two weeks by young, healthy men and women. Consumption of sugary drinks increases risk factors for cardiovascular disease in a dose-dependent manner -- the more you drink, the greater the risk. The study is the first to demonstrate such a direct, dose-dependent relationship.
Research shows that the risk of cardiovascular disease -- the leading cause of death in the United States and around the world -- increases as the amount of added sugar consumed increases.
Credit: © leisuretime70 / Fotolia

Beverages sweetened with low, medium and high amounts of high-fructose corn syrup significantly increase risk factors for cardiovascular disease, even when consumed for just two weeks by young, healthy men and women, reports a team of researchers at the University of California, Davis.

The study is the first to demonstrate a direct, dose-dependent relationship between the amount of added sugar consumed in sweetened beverages and increases in specific risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The data reinforce evidence from an earlier epidemiological study showing that the risk of death from cardiovascular disease -- the leading cause of death in the United States and around the world -- increases as the amount of added sugar consumed increases.

The results will be published in the June print edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"These findings clearly indicate that humans are acutely sensitive to the harmful effects of excess dietary sugar over a broad range of consumption levels," said Kimber Stanhope, the study's lead author and a research scientist in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Participants drank varying levels of added sugar

The 85 participants, including men and women ranging in age from 18 to 40 years, were placed in four different groups. During 15 days of the study, they consumed beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup equivalent to 0 percent, 10 percent, 17.5 percent or 25 percent of their total daily calorie requirements.

The 0-percent control group was given a sugar-free beverage sweetened with aspartame, an artificial sweetener.

At the beginning and end of the study, researchers used hourly blood draws to monitor the changes in the levels of lipoproteins, triglycerides and uric acid -- all known to be indicators of cardiovascular disease risk.

These risk factors increased as the dose of high-fructose corn syrup increased. Even the participants who consumed the 10-percent dose exhibited increased circulating concentrations of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride compared with their concentrations at the beginning of the study.

Increased risk greater in men than women

The researchers also found that most of the increases in lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for cardiovascular disease were greater in men than in women and were independent of body weight gain.

Stanhope noted that the study findings underscore the need to extend the research using carefully controlled dietary intervention studies, aimed at determining what would be prudent levels for added sugar consumption.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of California - Davis.Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
Kimber Stanhope et al. A dose-response study of consuming high-fructose corn syrup–sweetened beverages on lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for cardiovascular disease in young adults. Am J Clin Nutr, April 2015 DOI:10.3945/ajcn.114.100461

Cite This Page:

University of California - Davis. "Sugary drinks boost risk factors for heart disease, study suggests." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150422142515.htm>.
nutr

IdeiaSUS de cara nova - Acesse e conheça melhor o projeto

O Banco de Práticas e Soluções em Saúde e Ambiente (IdeiaSUS) é uma iniciativa da cooperação técnica entre a Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), o Conselho Nacional de Secretários de Saúde (CONASS) e o Conselho Nacional de Secretarias Municipais de Saúde (CONASEMS), no âmbito da Rede de Apoio à Gestão Estratégica do SUS. 

Coordenado pela Vice-Presidência de Ambiente, Atenção e Promoção da Saúde da FIOCRUZ (VPAAPS/FIOCRUZ), o IdeiaSUS tem como finalidade a divulgação e consulta de práticas e soluções para o SUS, implantadas nos diversos territórios do país. 

As experiências podem ser cadastradas e consultadas gratuitamente. Confira os novos recursos do Banco de Práticas e Soluções em Saúde e Ambiente - IdeiaSUS - Agora é possível localizar as boas práticas voltadas ao SUS em seu estado e município através de um mapa interativo. Descubra! Cadastre sua experiência! Divulgue! Participe!


Link:

Silvana Nagai fala sobre importância da qualificação de profissionais para uso de plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos em saúde pública

22.04.2015
Silvana Nagai faz apresentação da proposta do curso durante reunião em Belém.
Silvana Nagai faz apresentação da proposta do curso durante reunião em Belém.Foto/Entrevista: Márcia Tait

Desde 2006 o Brasil conta com duas políticas importantes relacionadas à promoção da saúde: a Política Nacional de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares (PNPIC) e a Política Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos (PNPMF). 

Uma parte fundamental para a implementação de ambas, do ponto de vista do acesso e da saúde, é sua efetiva incorporação dentro do atendimento do SUS. O projeto de curso de formação em andamento voltado à “Qualificação de profissionais da Estratégia Saúde da Família em Fitoterapia por meio de Plataforma de Ensino Distância” tem como proposta incidir sobre esta questão promovendo a qualificação de profissionais do SUS e, conseqüentemente, a ampliação da oferta de serviços aos usuários e usuárias do SUS. 

O curso, em fase de validação do Plano Político Pedagógico, está sendo organizado pelo Departamento de Atenção Básica do Ministério Saúde a pela Vice-Presidência de Ambiente, Atenção e Promoção da Saúde (VPAAPS) da Fiocruz e será voltado aos profissionais médicos, enfermeiros e odontólogos da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) e também aos farmacêuticos do Núcleo Apoio à Saúde da Família (NASF).

A seguir apresentamos a entrevista realizada com dois integrantes da equipe responsável pela elaboração do curso, Silvana Cappelleti Nagai. Silvana é coordenadora de conteúdos do curso, possui graduação e mestrado em Ciências Médicas pela UNICAMP. É autora do livro “Introdução de métodos terapêuticos alternativos: A experiência desenvolvida na rede básica de Campinas”.

ENTREVISTA

RetiSFito: Poderia começar falando um pouco sobre o significado da incorporação de práticas integrativas e complementares com uso de plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos do ponto de vista da saúde coletiva e pública? Existem políticas ou iniciativas parecidas em outros países?

Silvana Nagai: A incorporação das práticas integrativas e complementares com o uso de plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos em saúde pública representa uma ampliação no processo de cuidar para os profissionais de saúde que atendem na atenção básica do Sistema Único de Saúde e mais uma opção de tratamento por parte dos usuários. Desde o ano 2000 a Organização Mundial da Saúde recomendou aos países membros o desenvolvimento de políticas públicas relacionadas às práticas integrativas e plantas medicinais nos serviços públicos de saúde como forma de reconhecimento dos saberes tradicionais dessas terapêuticas. Existem muitas iniciativas já implantadas em outros países que contemplam essas práticas, como na Inglaterra, França e Canadá onde as plantas medicinais e os fitoterápicos são ofertados aos usuários dos serviços públicos de forma complementar ao sistema médico vigente no país. Desde de 2006 o Brasil vem incorporando esse tipo de assistência na atenção básica e aprimorando essas políticas para uma melhor assistência aos usuários do Sistema Único de Saúde.

RetiSFito: No dia-a-dia de uma unidade de saúde ou atendimento pelo SUS como acontecem os procedimentos para prescrição e utilização de plantas e fitoterápico hoje? Quais profissionais podem prescrever?

Silvana Nagai: Atualmente já temos muitos municípios em nosso país que incorporaram as plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos em seus atendimentos. Muitos profissionais de saúde estão se formando e atualizando os estudos em plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos de forma a utilizar esses recursos terapêuticos junto aos usuários do Sistema Único de Saúde. O procedimento para prescrição dos fitoterápicos e plantas medicinais se dá através do profissional de saúde médico, enfermeiro, odontólogo e farmacêutico que atuam na atenção básica, respeitando as competências de cada um. Esses profissionais precisam ter formação ou capacitação na área de fitoterapia para estarem aptos à prescrição.

RetiSFito: Em sua opinião, quais os principais desafios para ampliação do uso e acesso as plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos no SUS?

Silvana Nagai: Vejo que os principais desafios para a expansão da fitoterapia no SUS é a capacitação desses profissionais de saúde para que eles se sintam seguros em suas prescrições, junto com uma prática de educação em saúde para que se possa orientar de forma segura o uso e aplicação de fitoterápicos e plantas medicinais para a saúde pública. Há também a questão organizacional em relação à gestão municipal dessas práticas para a oferta desses fitoterápicos e plantas medicinais à população, com segurança e eficácia. Em relação aos usuários, muitos estudos indicam haver muita aceitação dessa terapêutica por uma identidade com a prática de uso tradicional da fitoterapia, já existente em nosso país.

RetiSFito: Existe uma grande demanda sobre este tipo de qualificação? Alguma estimativa, nacional ou estadual?

Silvana Nagai: Nesta última década vem se acentuando o interesse dos profissionais de saúde para a prática da fitoterapia. Já temos dentro do país cerca de oito universidades que incluíram a fitoterapia em seus currículos. Vejo isso como uma forma de interesse e expansão desta terapêutica.

RetiSFito: Do ponto de vista pedagógico e de conteúdos, quais as principais propostas do curso? É uma iniciativa pioneira?

Silvana Nagai: Estaremos ofertando, para todo o território nacional, um curso de formação em plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos, no formato ensino à distância, aos profissionais médicos, enfermeiros, odontólogos da Estratégia Saúde da Família, e farmacêuticos do Núcleo de Atenção à Saúde da Família, do Sistema Único de Saúde.

A proposta do curso, em síntese, é que contemple conteúdos relacionados à história, conceitos básicos, formulação e formas de uso dos fitoterápicos e plantas medicinais, marcadores fitoterápicos e o emprego das drogas vegetais, plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos relacionado às diversas patologias dos vários sistemas do corpo humano.

Está é uma iniciativa pioneira dentro da atenção básica que procura ampliar a assistência aos usuários na Atenção Básica do Sistema único de Saúde.

RetiSFito: Como este curso de capacitação poderá ajudar a superar estes desafios? Quais as expectativas e principais resultados que buscam com o curso?

Silvana Nagai: A capacitação desses profissionais da saúde propicia uma forma segura e eficaz de prescrição de plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos dispensada aos usuários do SUS. Também aproxima, esclarece e orienta esses usuários na utilização das plantas medicinais como forma de auto-cuidado resgatando o uso tradicional da fitoterapia. As plantas medicinais e os fitoterápicos atualmente são respaldados por uma infinidade de pesquisas científicas, realizadas no Brasil e em outros países, indicando o seu uso correto para várias patologias e isso pode auxiliar sobremaneira a ampliação da assistência na Atenção Básica de Saúde pelos profissionais de saúde desse sistema.

Conheça mais sobre este projeto de formação aqui

Entrevista 15/04/2015

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