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The water phase antioxidant activity of extracts from 23 Bulgarian medicinal plants was studied in relation to their polyphenol content in comparison with mate, black tea, honeybush and rooibos foreign species. Antioxidant activity was measured by the ABTS (2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) cation radical decolorization assay, and the total polyphenol content was assayed according to the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Five Bulgarian plant extracts exhibited higher antioxidant activity than that of mate, which is 21.7% of all Bulgarian herbs included in this study. These were Alchemilla vulgaris L. (4.79 +/- 0.14 mm), Sambucus ebulus L. (4.03 +/- 0.07 mm), Mentha spicata L. (3.90 +/- 0.03 mm), Fragaria vesca L. (3.74 +/- 0.06 mm), Crataegus monogyna Jacq. (3.63 +/- 0.05 mm). Another eight Bulgarian medicinal plant extracts exhibited an intermediate antioxidant activity - lower than that of mate and higher than that of honeybush, which makes 34.8% of all Bulgarian herbs included in the study. More than half of the herbal extracts included in the present study exhibited antioxidant activity higher than or comparable to the reference foreign plants. A positive correlation (r = 0.92) between antioxidant activity and polyphenol content was found, suggesting that the antioxidant capacity of the aqueous plant extracts is due to a great extent to their polyphenols.

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Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a disorder comprising central obesity, dyslipidemia, raised blood pressure, insulin resistance. The aim of the present study was to develop a cheap, easy and reproducible rat model of MS. 36 male Wistar rats were divided in 3 groups: a control group (C) receiving regular rat chow diet, a high-fat (HF) group receiving lard enriched rat chow and a high-fat high-fructose (HFHF) group receiving lard and fructose enriched rat chow. HF and HFHF groups had also 10% fructose in their drinking water. The duration of the study was 8 weeks. Body weights were measured weekly. At the end of the study insulin tolerance test (ITT) was performed. Liver and fat weight index were measured after sacrifice. Lipid biochemical parameters and insulin concentration in serum were determined. Liver triglycerides (TG) were measured. The oxidative stress in serum was assessed by thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS). At the end of the study the animals did not differ in their body weights across the groups, but the fat index in both HF and HFHF groups was higher. Plasma TG and cholesterol were raised in both groups and the ratio cholesterol/ HDL-cholesterol was higher. Liver TG were elevated in HFHF rats. ITT revealed reduced insulin sensitivity in both experimental groups although serum insulin was elevated only in HFHF group. TBARS were increased in both HF and HFHF groups. Both models displayed most of the features of MS; the HFHF probably better reflects the 'cafeteria' diet and its unhealthy consequences.

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INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease. Human cathelicidin (hCAP18/LL37) has been elucidated recently as a modulator of inflammation in the affected skin. Vitamin D may induce expression of this antimicrobial peptide. Our trial aimed to study the circulating level of hCAP18/LL-37 and to explore its relationship with the severity of psoriasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 79 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis (PASI >10) were included in a retrospective analysis. Stored serum samples were used for assessment of 25-hydroxyvitamin D-25(OH)D and to measure the circulating human cathelicidin (LL-37). RESULTS: In a study group of 79 patients we assessed mean level of 25(OH)D of 30.25 nmol/l (95% CI 25.87-34.62 nmol/l). Mean circulating cathelicidin was 27.17 ng/ml (95% CI 21.52-32.83 ng/ml). Only 8.9% of patients had LL-37 level > 54 ng/ml. Although circulating LL-37 was lower in severe psoriasis than in moderate psoriasis (24.33 ng/ml vs. 31.14 ng/ml), the variation was nonsignificant. We further evaluated the association of LL-37 with both PASI score and 25(OH)D concentration in the subgroup of patients with vitamin D deficiency (n=39). It was interesting to find a significant correlation between the level of LL-37 and 25(OH) D (r=0.38, p=0.017) and an inverse association between the level of LL-37 and PASI (r=-0.30, p=0.06). CONCLUSION: In this pilot trial we assessed low serum levels of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide in patients with psoriasis. LL-37 may be discussed as related to PASI and 25(OH)D in a subgroup of psoriatic patients with vitamin D deficiency.

PURPOSES: Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is an inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis, but is produced from vasculature, too. There is recent evidence of increased circulating OPG levels in patients with diabetes as well as in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Up to date, there are no sufficient data about OPG concentrations in newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (nT2DM) patients. The aim of our study was to determine the serum OPG levels in males with nT2DM without known concomitant CAD and to investigate the association of OPG with intima-media thickness (IMT) of common carotid arteries and glucometabolic parameters. CONCLUSION: Serum OPG is significantly elevated in nT2DM males without known CAD compared to non-diabetic controls. OPG levels show associations not only with some glucose indices but also with IMT, one of the earliest atherosclerotic markers. Probably, these glucose indices and this vascular parameter are involved in OPG regulation. We could suggest that OPG rises early in the evolution of diabetic disorders. However, further investigations are needed. MATERIAL AND METHODS