Menopause causes cognitive and memory dysfunction due to impaired neuronal plasticity in the hippocampus. Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) downregulation in the hippocampus is implicated in the underlying molecular mechanism. Edible bird's nest (EBN) is traditionally used to improve general wellbeing, and in this study, we evaluated its effects on SIRT1 expression in the hippocampus and implications on ovariectomy-induced memory and cognitive decline in rats. Ovariectomized female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with normal pellet alone or normal pellet + EBN (6, 3, or 1.5%), compared with estrogen therapy (0.2 mg/kg/day). After 12 weeks of intervention, Morris water maze (four-day trial and one probe trial) was conducted, and serum estrogen levels, toxicity markers (alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, urea, and creatinine), and hippocampal SIRT1 immunohistochemistry were estimated after sacrifice. The results indicated that EBN and estrogen enhanced spatial learning and memory and increased serum estrogen and hippocampal SIRT1 expression. In addition, the EBN groups did not show as much toxicity to the liver as the estrogen group. The data suggested that EBN treatment for 12 weeks could improve cognition and memory in ovariectomized female rats and may be an effective alternative to estrogen therapy for menopause-induced aging-related memory loss.

Annual gonad hormonal profile of wild, matured mahseer (29 males and 23 female) averaging in weight between 0.95±0.26 and 1.19±0.23 kg for males and females, respectively, were investigated from November 2007 to November 2008 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Blood was collected from caudal vein, monthly and plasma separation by centrifugation was done to measure reproductive hormones: 17β-estradiol (E(2)), testosterone (T), and 11-keto-testosterone (11KT). Gonads were sampled for histology processing to observe their maturity. Highest T level in females and males was recorded at 0.22±0.016 and 0.88±0.014 ng/ml, respectively. The 11KT showed several peaks and the highest value was noted at 0.7±0.018 ng/ml in November 2008. The female E(2) initially was at 1.48±0.16 ng/ml and significantly increased (P<0.05) to 1.53±0.39 ng/ml in November 2008. Ovaries were laden with oocytes in several stages in all the samples while testes gonad showed a high level of spermatids throughout the year. Changes in plasma level of the gonadal hormones were correlated with the ovarian and testes maturities. In conclusion, the study suggests that mahseer can be categorized as asynchronized and multiple spawner. The information gathered is important for appropriate breeding and conservation programs of the Malaysian mahseer.

Though the causes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are yet to be understood, much evidence has suggested that excessive amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation due to abnormal amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) processing and Aβ metabolism are crucial processes towards AD pathogenesis. Hence, approaches aiming at APP processing and Aβ metabolism are currently being actively pursued for the management of AD. Studies suggest that high cholesterol and a high fat diet have harmful effects on cognitive function and may instigate the commencement of AD pathogenesis. Despite the neuropharmacological attributes of black cumin seed (Nigella sativa) extracts and its main active compound, thymoquinone (TQ), limited records are available in relation to AD research. Nanoemulsion (NE) is exploited as drug delivery systems due to their capacity of solubilising non-polar active compounds and is widely examined for brain targeting. Herewith, the effects of thymoquinone-rich fraction nanoemulsion (TQRFNE), thymoquinone nanoemulsion (TQNE) and their counterparts' conventional emulsion in response to high fat/cholesterol diet (HFCD)-induced rats were investigated. Particularly, the Aβ generation; APP processing, β-secretase 1 (BACE1), γ-secretases of presenilin 1 (PSEN1) and presenilin 2 (PSEN2), Aβ degradation; insulin degrading enzyme (IDE), Aβ transportation; low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) were measured in brain tissues. TQRFNE reduced the brain Aβ fragment length 1-40 and 1-42 (Aβ40 and Aβ42) levels, which would attenuate the AD pathogenesis. This reduction could be due to the modulation of β- and γ-secretase enzyme activity, and the Aβ degradation and transportation in/out of the brain. The findings show the mechanistic actions of TQRFNE in response to high fat and high cholesterol diet associated to Aβ generation, degradation and transportation in the rat's brain tissue.

There are already extensive reviews on the global burden of NCCDs in the public domain. [1][2][3][4][5][6] The consensus that can be surmised from the available data on NCCDs is that their overall prevalence appears to be rising globally and the projections indicate an upward trend. Epidemiological transition data suggests that the morbidity and mortality rate from these diseases is far more than that of communicable diseases in the developed world [7] and a similar trend is now occurring in the low to medium income countries (LMICs). [8] Among the NCCDs, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, followed closely by metabolic diseases like Noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCCDs) are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally. The mismatch between present day diets and ancestral genome is suggested to contribute to the NCCDs burden, which is promoted by traditional risk factors like unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, alcohol and tobacco. However, epigenetic evidence now suggests that cumulatively inherited epigenetic modifications may have made humans more prone to the effects of present day lifestyle factors. Perinatal starvation was widespread in the 19th century. This together with more recent events like increasing consumption of western and low fiber diets, smoking, harmful use of alcohol, physical inactivity, and environmental pollutants may have programed the human epigenome for higher NCCDs risk. In this review, on the basis of available epigenetic data it is hypothesized that transgenerational effects of lifestyle factors may be contributing to the current global burden of NCCDs. Thus, there is a need to reconsider prevention strategies so that the subsequent generations will not have to pay for our sins and those of our ancestors. Cardiovascular DiseasesDr. M. U. Imam

N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) is a biomarker of cardiometabolic diseases. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that dietary Neu5Ac may improve cardiometabolic indices. A high fat diet (HFD) + Neu5Ac (50 or 400 mg/kg BW/day) was fed to rats and compared with HFD + simvastatin (10 mg/kg BW/day) or HFD alone for 12 weeks. Weights and serum biochemicals (lipid profile, oral glucose tolerance test, leptin, adiponectin, and insulin) were measured, and mRNA levels of insulin signaling genes were determined. The results indicated that low and high doses of sialic acid (SA) improved metabolic indices, although only the oral glucose tolerance test, serum triglycerides, leptin, and adiponectin were significantly better than those in the HFD and HFD + simvastatin groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the results showed that only high-dose SA significantly affected the transcription of hepatic and adipose tissue insulin signaling genes. The data suggested that SA prevented HFD-induced insulin resistance in rats after 12 weeks of administration through nontranscriptionally mediated biochemical changes that may have differentially sialylated glycoprotein structures at a low dose. At higher doses, SA induced transcriptional regulation of insulin signaling genes. These effects suggest that low and high doses of SA may produce similar metabolic outcomes in relation to insulin sensitivity through multiple mechanisms. These findings are worth studying further.

BackgroundStrobilanthes crispus (S. crispus) leaves were traditionally consumed for its body weight lowering effect. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effect of S. crispus leaves extract (SCE).MethodsMice (n = 48) were fed high-fat diet (HFD) for 25 weeks to induce obesity, after which half were maintained on HFD and half switched to low-fat diet (LFD)while they were given normal water (H2O) or 0.1% (w/v) SCE in water at week 0–4 which was increased to 1% (w/v) at week 5–9. Effects of treatment with SCE were compared between HFDH2O, HFDSCE, LFDH2O and LFDSCE groups. Respiratory exchange ratios (RER) were measured at weeks 0, 5 and 10. Food, water intake and body weight were measured weekly. Plasma lipid profile and organ weights were determined at week 10.ResultsSCE had significantly reduced RER at week 9 (P = 0.011). Food intake, body weight, and abdominal adipose tissue weight were not altered by SCE at weeks 5 and 10. However, significant increase in plasma and liver cholesterol (P < 0.050) was observed.ConclusionOur findings suggest that SCE induced lipolysis and body fat oxidation and increased energy expenditure. Further studies in other animal models should be done to confirm the consistency of these results.

Background and objective N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), a type of sialic acid, has close links with cholesterol metabolism and is often used as a biomarker in evaluating the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, most studies on the health implications of Neu5Ac have focused on its effects on the nervous system, while its effects on cardiovascular risk factors have largely been unreported. Thus, the effects of Neu5Ac on coagulation status in high fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic rats were evaluated in this study.MethodsSprague Dawley male rats were divided into five different groups and fed with HFD alone, HFD low-dose Neu5Ac, HFD high-dose Neu5Ac, HFD simvastatin (10 mg/kg day), and normal pellet alone. Food was given ad libitum while body weight of rats was measured weekly. After 12 weeks of intervention, rats were sacrificed and serum and tissue samples were collected for biochemistry and gene expression analysis, respectively.ResultsThe results showed that Neu5Ac could improve lipid metabolism and hyperlipidemia-associated coagulation. Neu5Ac exerted comparable or sometimes better physiological effects than simvastatin, at biochemical and gene expression levels.ConclusionsThe data indicated that Neu5Ac prevented HFD-induced hyperlipidemia and associated hypercoagulation in rats through regulation of lipid-related and coagulation-related genes and, by extension, induced metabolite and protein changes. The implications of the present findings are that Neu5Ac may be used to prevent coagulation-related cardiovascular events in hyperlipidemic conditions. These findings are worth studying further.

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