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Statins, inhibitors of hydroxy methyl glutaryl coenzyme-A (HMG-CoA) reductase, are the most widely used drugs for treating hypercholesterolemia. However, statins can cause disabling myopathy as their main adverse effect. Several molecular mechanisms underlie the statin-induced myopathy including the decrease in the levels of essential mevalonate and cholesterol derivatives. This review discusses a further mechanism involving the loss of other anti-oxidant defenses besides ubiquinone (Co-Q) in skeletal muscles which produce a significant amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, to maintain their function, skeletal muscles need a high level of anti-oxidants.

The chronic over-activation of the endogenously produced cannabinoids in obesity has been demonstrated in several studies. A common 385C>A single nucleotide polymorphism of the fatty acid amide hydrolase, one the most important inactivating enzymes of endogenous cannabinoids, has been shown to be associated with obese phenotype. This study was designed to investigate the FAAH gene polymorphisms and to compare the obesity indices between different genotypes in Iranian overweight/obese women. A total of 180 healthy overweight/obese subjects (BMI = 25 to 40 kg/m 2 ) and 86 normal weight individuals (BMI = 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m 2 ) were genotyped for 385 C/A polymorphism of FAAH using amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR. Anthropometric indices including BMI, waist circumference, neck circumference, waist to height ratio, fat mass were evaluated. A written informed consent form was given by the participants. The genotype and allele frequencies were significantly different between the overweight/obese and control groups (P = 0.04). Significant differences were observed between the CC genotype and the AA+CA genotype regarding the anthropometric indices (P < 0.05). Compared to CC group, a higher BMI, WC, WHtR, NC and fat mass was identified in allele A carriers group. After adjusting for age, marital and physical activity status, it was revealed that having the CA/AA genotype increased the probability of obesity risk almost two times (P < 0.05, 95% CI 1.19-3.67). Our findings showed that the frequency of A allele was greater in overweight/obese individuals. Also, a mutation in FAAH gene was associated with higher anthropometric indices and the CA/AA genotype increased significantly the possibility of being obese in Iranian women.

Because of the postulated role of increased dietary oxalate intake in calcium oxalate stone formation, the effect of different brewing times on soluble oxalate contents of loose-packed black tea and tea bags was studied. The oxalate content of 25 different samples of loose-packed black teas after brewing at 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 min and of ten brands of tea bags after infusion for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 min was measured by enzymatic assay. The oxalate concentration resulting from different brewing times ranged from 4.3 to 6.2 mg/240 ml for loose-packed black teas and from 2.7 to 4.8 mg/240 ml for tea bags. There was a stepwise increase in oxalate concentration associated with increased brewing times.

Background: Higher levels of anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), the main arachidonic acidderived endocannabinoids, are frequently reported in overweight and obese individuals. Recently, endocannabinoids have become a research interest in obesity area regarding their role in food intake. The relationship between dietary patterns and endocannabinoids is poorly understood; therefore, this study evaluated the association of the dietary patterns with AEA and 2-AG levels in overweight and obese women. Methods: In this cross sectional study, 183 overweight and obese females from Tabriz, Iran who aged between 19 and 50 years old and with mean BMI = 32.44 ± 3.79 kg/m 2 were interviewed. The AEA and 2-AG levels were measured, and the dietary patterns were assessed using food frequency questionnaire. To extract the dietary patterns, factor analysis was applied. The association between AEA and 2-AG levels and dietary patterns was analyzed by linear regression. Results: Three major dietary patterns including "Western", "healthy", and "traditional" were extracted. After adjusting for age, physical activity, BMI, waist circumference, and fat mass, higher levels of AEA and 2-AG were observed in participants who were in the highest quintile of the Western pattern (P < 0.05). Also, in both unadjusted and adjusted models, significantly lower levels of AEA and 2-AG were detected in the women of the highest quintile of the healthy pattern (P < 0.01). Moreover, there was no significant association between "traditional" pattern and AEA and 2-AG levels in both unadjusted and adjusted models (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In regard with the lower levels of endocannabinoids in healthy dietary pattern, adherence to healthy pattern might have promising results in regulating endocannabinoids levels.

The outcomes of the earlier trials are controversial concerning the effect of Capsaicinoids/Capsinoids on thermogenesis. We carried out this systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effect of Capsaicinoids/Capsinoids on thermogenesis indices including resting metabolic rate (RMR) and respiratory quotient (RQ) in healthy adults. An electronic literature search was conducted between 1990 and 2019, using the following databases: PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and EMBASE. Placebo-controlled clinical trials were considered as eligible papers. Effect sizes were pooled using weighted mean difference (WMD), with a random-effects model. Of the 4,092 articles, 13 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled effect sizes revealed that compared with placebo, Capsaicinoids/Capsinoids significantly increased RMR (WMD: 33.99 Kcal/ day, 95% CI: 15.95, 52.03; I 2 : 0%, p = .94), energy expenditure, and fat oxidation. It also significantly lessened RQ (WMD: −0.01, 95% CI: −0.02, −0.01; I 2 : 5.4%, p = .39) and carbohydrate oxidation. Moreover, intervention in capsule form for longer duration had a more considerable influence on RMR than comparative groups. We observed moderate improvement in RMR, RQ, and fat oxidation following supplementation with Capsaicinoids/Capsinoids. However, further high-quality studies are required to clarify the thermogenic properties of Capsaicinoids/Capsinoids.

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BACKGROUND: Probiotic/synbiotic has the important role of in altering intestinal bacteria, reducing inflammation and improvement of intestinal diseases. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effect of synbiotic supplementation on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes, hs-CRP, quality of life, dietary intake and weight changes in rectal cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). METHODS: In this study, 46 rectal cancer patients were recruited. Patients were allocated to the synbiotic (n = 23) group or placebo groups (n = 23) receiving 2 synbiotic or placebo capsules for six weeks. Anthropometric measurements, quality of life, dietary intakes, and serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and hs-CRP were compared before and after intervention with the use of statistical tests. RESULTS: The mean energy, carbohydrate, and protein intake of patients increased in the synbiotic group, while in the placebo group, post intervention, significant reduction was noticed in these parameters (P < 0.05). Synbiotic supplementation caused improvement in global health status, symptom scale scores and scores of functional scale. At the end of intervention, the elevation in hs-CRP, MMP-2, and MMP-9 levels in the placebo group was approximately two and four times higher than the synbiotic group respectively. CONCLUSION: According to our results, synbiotic supplementation may be helpful in cancer patients undergoing CRT. However, further studies must consider synbiotic as a new complementary treatment.