Corn oil and mineral oil stimulate sham feeding in rats

To determine the orosensory effects of oils on ingestion, we measured the 1-bottle intake of corn oil and of mineral oil during 30 minutes of sham feeding in rats that were food deprived overnight or nondeprived. Rats sham fed both oils. Food-deprived rats ingested significantly more of both oils than nondeprived rats. Rats discriminated corn oil from mineral oil and as little as 0.78% corn oil emulsion from water. When rats sham fed 8 dilutions of corn oil, intake was an inverted-U function of concentration with maximal intakes produced by 12.5%, 25% and 50% corn oil emulsions. Despite similar, sometimes equal, intakes of corn oil and mineral oil in 1-bottle tests, food-deprived and nondeprived rats showed a strong preference for corn oil in 2-bottle, sham-feeding, preference tests. The sensory mechanisms that mediate the oral effects of oil on intake and preference are not known, but the olfactory and trigeminal sensory systems are the most likely candidates. Further work is required to characterize the potency, sensitivity, and discriminability of the orosensory effects of oils, the mechanisms that mediate them, and their role in the control of fat intake.     

Evening primose oil and fish oil are ineffective as supplementary treatment of bronchial asthma

The effect of daily dietary supplementation with 15 to 20 mL of evening primrose seed oil or fish oil was assessed by comparison with olive oil as placebo in a cross-over study in 29 asthmatics. During 10 weeks of each regimen, the patients kept record of symptoms, peak expiratory flow rates and medication. Plasma and urine TxB2, PGE2, PGF2 alpha and 6 keto-PGF1 alpha and plasma fatty acid composition of plasma cholesterol esters were measured at the end of each treatment period. There were no differences between regimes with regard to peak flow rates, symptoms, or drug consumption. Plasma PGE2 levels increased during the fish oil treatment but there were no changes in other prostanoids in plasma or urine. The fatty acid pattern of plasma cholesterol esters showed significant differences between the supplementation periods. We conclude that moderate doses of evening primrose oil or fish oil are ineffective as a supplementary treatment of bronchial asthma.     

Cholesterol-induced alteration in liver mineral concentrations in corn oil and olive oil fed rats.

This study was undertaken to compare the effects of 1% cholesterol (Ch) on some liver mineral concentrations in rats fed with corn oil (C) or olive oil (O). Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 4 per group) were fed AIN76A semi-purified diets containing either 5% corn oil or 5% olive oil replacing corn oil with or without 1% cholesterol for 21 days. The analysis of minerals: Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), and Sulfur (S), of liver were conducted by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopic method. In the C fed rats addition of 1% cholesterol produced significant increase in P concentrations but not K, Mg, and S concentrations. In contrast, in O fed rats, 1% Ch significantly decreased Mg and S concentrations. There was no significant change in K and P concentrations. In conclusion, this study describes the interactions between dietary oils and cholesterol on certain mineral concentrations in liver of rats. The results obtained may have clinical significance and nutritional significance in cardiovascular health.     

Isolation and characterization of Klebsiella oxytoca strain degrading crude oil from a Tunisian off-shore oil field

A facultatively anaerobic, Gram-negative, mesophilic, moderately halotolerant, non-motile, and non-sporulated bacterium, designated strain BSC5 was isolated from an off-shore "Sercina" oil field, located near the Kerkennah island, Tunisia. Yeast extract was not required for growth. Phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain BSC5 revealed that it was related to members of the genus Klebsiella, being most closely related to the type strain of K. oxytoca (99% sequence similarity). Strain BSC5 was capable of using aerobically the crude oil as substrate growth. The growth of strain BSC5 on crude oil was followed by measuring the OD(600 nm) and by enumeration of viable cells at different culture's time. GC-MS analysis showed that strain BSC5 was capable of degrading a wide range of aliphatic hydrocarbons from C(13) to C(30) . The biodegradation rate for n -alkanes reached 44% and 75%, after 20 and 45 days of incubation, respectively. Addition of the synthetic surfactant, Tween 80, accelerated the crude oil degradation. The biodegradation rate for n -alkanes reached 61% and 98%, after 20 and 45 days of incubation, respectively. Moreover, three aromatic compounds, p -hydroxybenzoate, protocatechuate and gentisate, were metabolized completely by strain BSC5 after 24 h, under aerobic conditions.     

灵芝孢子油及灵芝提取物孢子油对乳腺癌血管生成调节因子的作用

目的探讨灵芝孢子油及灵芝提取物孢子油对人源高恶性乳腺癌血管生成调节因子的作用。方法不同剂量的灵芝孢子油、灵芝提取物孢子油分别刺激体外培养的人源高恶性乳腺癌细胞系MDA-MB-231细胞及MDA-MB-231细胞制作的荷廇小鼠,Western blotting检测表皮生长因子受体(EGFR)的蛋白表达变化,Real-time PCR检测肿瘤血管生成相关因子EGFR、血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)、基质金属蛋白酶(MMPs)、血小板反应素-1(TSP-1)、血小板衍生因子(PDGF)、成纤维细胞生长因子(FGF)转录水平的基因表达变化。结果灵芝孢子油、灵芝提取物孢子油均可在体内和体外抑制人源高恶性乳腺癌细胞MDA-MB-231的EGFR蛋白表达,且有剂量依赖性;均可在体内和体外抑制VEGF RNA表达,增强血管生成抑制因子TSP-1 RNA表达;灵芝提取物孢子油比灵芝孢子油的作用更为显著。结论灵芝孢子油、灵芝提取物孢子油均有抑制肿瘤血管生成因子表达和促进血管生成抑制因子表达的作用,其中灵芝提取物孢子油比灵芝孢子油的作用更为显著。