Background and aim High-fat diet (HFD) triggers obesity-related metabolic diseases like non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD). Calcium supplementation is known to have an anti-obesity effect. However, the effect of calcium supplementation has not been evaluated so far in context to hepatic functions on exposure to HFD. The goal of the present study was to investigate the role of calcium supplementation on hepatic function and other physiological markers in HFD induced NAFLD rats. Experimental procedure 18 male Wistar rats were divided into two groups; first group considered control group (n = 6) for the entire treatment period and the second group (n = 12) fed with HFD for 6 weeks to induce NAFLD model and then sub-divided into two groups (n = 6 rats); one group received HFD and other group received 1.0 gm CaCO 3 /100 gm HFD for 30 days. After treatment, all animals were euthanized to collect the blood and liver for biochemical, enzymatic, oxidative, anti-oxidant, western blot and histological study. Results and conclusion Calcium supplementation significantly improved the anthropometric parameters and decreases the level of serum cholesterol, triglyceride, FFA and hepatic enzymes. Calcium supplementation significantly down-regulated the hepatic PPAR-γ mediated FAS activity, hepatic lipid accumulation, oxidative stress and restored the activities of antioxidant enzyme which further prevented the stimulation of pro-inflammatory response. Calcium supplementation also increases the hepatic protein expression of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase. So, calcium supplementation showed a hepatoprotective effect during NAFLD by downregulating the oxidative induced inflammatory response stimulated by hepatic lipogenesis activity and subsequent lipid accumulation.

Objectives: Exposure to chromium, the transition element found in many compounds of earth's crust, leads to various health hazards including cancer, dermatitis, damage of liver and kidneys, and reproductive toxicity in both male and female. Toxic effect of chronic exposure to chromium at low environmentally relevant dose is recently recognized and less studied. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of subchronic exposure to low doses of chromium VI (K 2 Cr 2 O 7 ) on various hematological and biochemical parameters in male albino rats. Methods:Male albino rats (160±10 g) received 1/25, 1/50, and 1/100 of reported oral LD 50 dose of chromium VI (K 2 Cr 2 O 7 ) for 90 consecutive days. After treatment, the blood was collected for analysis of various hematological and biochemical parameters.Results: Exposure to chromium VI at 1/25 LD 50 dose caused decrease in body weight gain and reduction in the weight of the reproductive organs along with increase in the weight of the liver and kidney. Numbers of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin concentration reduced with increase in clotting time. The total sperm count and motility was also reduced in exposed rats. There was a decrease in plasma protein and albumin concentration, with increase in plasma glucose and cholesterol level. The activity of enzyme alanine aminotransferase and enzyme aspartate aminotransferase was stimulated in treated rats. Conclusion:The results of the present study revealed that chronic low-dose exposure to chromium VI resulted in a toxic effect in experimental male albino rats.

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Background: Adiposity of a subject depends on pattern of distribution of body fat and is assessed by various anthropometric markers. Measurement of blood pressure and assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness are the two most important parameters to evaluate the cardiovascular functional status of a subject. Age, sex and genetics play vital role in development of adiposity and thus effect cardiovascular function of the subject from different ethnic back ground. Aims & Objective: The current study was designed to evaluate various anthropometric markers of adiposity, blood pressure and cardiorespiratory fitness in young female subjects from both nontribal (Bengali) and tribal community of Tripura, a northeastern state of India and to evaluate the relationship between the markers of adiposity and cardiovascular function of the subject. Material and Methods: Seventy five nontribal (Bengali) and seventy five tribal female (18-25 years of age) subjects were included in the study through random selection. The basal metabolic rate (BMI), the waist-hip ratio (WHR), the waist-height ratio (WHtR) and body fat (%) of the subjects were evaluated. The basal blood pressure of the subjects were recorded. The cardiorespiratory fitness of the subjects were evaluated by using Queen's College Step Test. Results: There was no significant difference in the general characteristics of the subject from different ethnic background, except that the total body fat (%) was significantly less in tribal females. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure correlated positively with BMI, WHR and WHtR of the females from both the communities. There was a negative correlation between adiposity markers and cardiorespiratory fitness of the subject. Conclusion: The result of the present study suggests that obesity, especially central obesity, in young female subjects, reduces the cardiovascular fitness and increases the risk of prehypertension, irrespective of their ethnicity.