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Honey and Its Immunostimulatory Activities
Published in Mehwish Iqbal, Complementary and Alternative Medicinal Approaches for Enhancing Immunity, 2023
It is beneficial for metabolism, production and regeneration of body cells, resulting in health, vigour, energy, great immunity and vitality of all tissues. The royal jelly is loaded with natural amino acids, acetylcholine, hormones, sterols, vitamins, phosphorus and EFAs (essential fatty acids). Acetylcholine is efficacious in the transference of nerve messages and for normal endocrine functioning. Royal jelly is also loaded with nucleic acids, which are the fundamental matter of life, and has anti-ageing outcomes since it also consists of gelatinous amino acid, the primary collagen constituent. Royal jelly has a gammaglobulin in its structure that helps in boosting the immune system and combatting infection. The constituent 10-hydroxy-2-decanoic acid has potent anti-infective activity against several fungi and bacteria. It is well recognised that royal jelly has been utilised successfully in neurology, tissue repair of cartilage and bones, urology, oncology, infertility, geriatrics, psychiatry, vascular stiffness and skin protection. It also has antimetastatic and antitumour effects. It has been reported that intake of royal jelly has a considerable impact on motility and count of sperm. Moreover, positive outcomes are acquired in the management of infertility (Ahmadnia et al., 2015; Strant et al., 2019) (Figure 13.4).
Role of Lingual and Gastric Lipases in Fat Digestion and Absorption
Published in Margit Hamosh, Lingual and Gastric Lipases: Their Role in Fat Digestion, 2020
Since the gastric specimens were aspirated 15 min after the start of gavage feeding, the data indicate rapid hydrolysis of fat in the stomach (Table 8). The extent of gastric lipolysis (20% of medium-chain triglycerides within 15 min) is similar to that reported for the same type of study in infants by Faber et al.119 When the proportions of C8:0 and ClO.O in the gastric aspirates were related to those present in the formulas fed, 82 and 79% of the octanoic acid present in medium- and long-chain triglyceride diets, respectively was shown to be hydrolyzed. For decanoic acid, 52 and 45% was hydrolyzed in medium- and long-chain triglyceride diets, respectively. The data thus indicate that these medium-chain fatty acids were hydrolyzed to the same extent in medium- and long-chain triglyceride formulas.
Alternative Medicines Based on Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge and Culture
Published in Yasmina Sultanbawa, Fazal Sultanbawa, Australian Native Plants, 2017
In the Northern Territory, the thin green bark of the ‘White (or Grey) mangrove’ (Avicennia marina) was placed directly onto stingray stings (ACNTA, 1988). Small pieces could also be chewed or perhaps softened and spat out onto the sting (ACNTA, 1988). Both methods helped relieve the pain and helped heal the injury (Smith, 1991). A recent in vivo study in rats revealed extracts of this plant were as good as morphine at reducing the sensation of pain in the long-term inflammatory phase, although they were not effective in relieving early pain. This significant analgesic response to chronic pain is likely due to antinociceptive compounds, such as steroids, phytoalexins, flavonoids, carboxylic acids, triterpenes and tannins present in the extracts tested (Gandomani et al., 2012). Additionally, A. marina has been shown to play a protective role against inflammation in acetic acid–induced colitis in mice, validating its traditional use in treating stings. This anti-inflammatory property might be attributed to the presence of higher levels of decanoic acid, diethylhydroxylamine, pentanoic acid, pyrrolidine, 4-chlorophenyl, thiazolidinones and arabinopyranoside (Rise et al., 2012). A. marina extracts also display antimicrobial activities, due, at least in part, to flavonoids and phenols present (Afzal et al., 2011; Khafagi et al., 2003; Zandi et al., 2008). Leaf extracts exhibit potent bioactivity against allergenic fungi, meaning any subsequent skin hypersensitivity would be limited (Afzal et al., 2011). Due to these medicinal properties, A. marina was also used to treat conditions such as rheumatism, ulcers and smallpox by Australian Aboriginals, as well as other indigenous peoples of the world (Afzal et al., 2011; Bandaranayake, 1998; Revathi et al., 2014). Toxic metabolites like alkaloids and saponins were not detected in extracts of A. marina, explaining its low toxicity (Khafagi et al., 2003).
Efficacy of supplemental MCT oil on seizure reduction of adult drug-resistant epilepsy – a single-center open-label pilot study
Published in Nutritional Neuroscience, 2023
Emmaline Rasmussen, Vimal Patel, Samuel Tideman, Robert Frech, Roberta Frigerio, Jaishree Narayanan
MCT oil is commercially available, inexpensive dietary supplements that can induce ketosis without the need for a traditional ketogenic diet or prolonged fasting [23]. The potential pathophysiological anti-seizure mechanisms include the increase in ketone bodies, increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids, protection from apoptosis and cell death and inhibition of pro-apoptotic factors, change of intestinal microbiota, or change of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators production [24–27]. Recent preclinical data suggest that the anti-convulsant effect of the MCT-KD is due to the direct inhibition of excitatory neurotransmission in the brain by decanoic acid – which is increased in the plasma during the diet [22]. The observed AEs of gastrointestinal disturbances were in line with those seen with the KD and careful medical supervision of patients on such diets is needed [28]. Strategies that can alleviate these side effects without compromising the ability to achieve ketosis need to be developed if this regimen is to be more widely adopted.
Fatty acids and survival of bacteria in Hammam Pharaon springs, Egypt
Published in Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 2018
Yehia A. Osman, Mahmud Mokhtar Gbr, Ahmed Abdelrazak, Amr M. Mowafy
Most of the fatty acids were saturated but three unsaturated fatty acids were also identified. In HM101, the saturated fatty acids Decanoic acid (10:0), Undecanoic acid (11:0), and Dodecanoic acid (12:0) were the most dominant fatty acids with 47.85% from the total fatty acids. In HM102, the dominance was for Undecanoic acid (11:0), Dodecanoic acid (12:0), and Heptadecanoic acid (17:0) with 43.88%. In HM103, Decanoic acid (10:0), Undecanoic acid (11:0), Dodecanoic acid (12:0), and Heptadecanoic acid (17:0) were found to be the highest constituents with 55.67% of the fatty acid profile.
Putative adjunct therapies to target mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in phenylketonuria, lysosomal storage disorders and peroxisomal disorders
Published in Expert Opinion on Orphan Drugs, 2020
Nadia Turton, Tricia Rutherford, Dick Thijssen, Iain P Hargreaves
Decanoic acid (C10), a component of the medium chain triglyceride ketogenic diet, is a ligand for the nuclear receptor PPARy [146] (see Figure 5). This ligand-activated transcription factor can upregulate the expression of PGC-1α, thus C10 may have the potential utility in the treatment of ETC dysfunction in IEM [147]. Treatment with C10 in ETC complex I deficient Leigh syndrome (LS) patients increased citrate synthase activity in fibroblasts via the activation of PPARy [148]. However, not all LS cells responded to C10 treatment, suggesting it could be a patient-specific therapy. Treatment with 250 µM C10 over 6 days in SH-SY5Y cells demonstrated an increase in citrate synthase, complex I and catalase activities [149]. Interestingly, various forms of the ketogenic diet (high fat, low carbohydrate diet which promotes the metabolism of fats into ketone bodies, for the body’s main energy source) have previously been reported to improve mitochondrial functioning and enhance the antioxidant capacity [150] This is proposed to be via the ability of ketones to activate the Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) which upregulates expression of antioxidant proteins, NQO1 and SOD. Interestingly, this study also demonstrates that the ketogenic diet increases succinate levels, allowing substrate flux through ETC complex II and ultimately improving ETC complex II/III activity. As well as this, the ketogenic diet has demonstrated the ability to induce mitochondrial biogenesis [151]. However, on a cautionary note, the ketogenic diet would be impractical for those IEM patients where dietary management is already strict. However, Hughes et al [149] observed that C8 (octanoic acid) and C10 levels are elevated in patients treated with a medium chain triglyceride ketogenic diet. Yet, only C10 (and not C8) has reported to modulate mitochondrial biogenesis, and therefore, this raises the possibility that C10 independently may be an appropriate therapeutic strategy to induce mitochondrial biogenesis. However, further studies will be required to investigate this possibility.