A 3-week dietary bioequivalence study in preweaning farm piglets of two sources of docosahexaenoic acid produced from two different organisms

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) are components of human breast milk and commonly added to infant formula. The first DHA-containing algal oil for infant formulas was DHASCO® produced from the microalgae Crypthecodinium cohnii. Recently, new DHA-rich oil was obtained from the microalgae Schizochytrium sp., herein named DHASCO-B. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the bioequivalence of DHASCO-B to DHASCO when administered in a blend with ARA oil and the potential effects after 3 weeks’ administration in milk replacer formula to preweaning farm piglets. DHASCO-B and DHASCO were added to formula at concentrations 0.32% and 0.96% DHA (% of total fatty acids). There were no test article-related effects of any diet on piglet growth and development (clinical observations, body weight, food consumption), or clinical pathology parameters (hematology, clinical chemistry, coagulation and urinalysis). In addition, there were no adverse effects at terminal necropsy (macro- and microscopic pathology evaluations). DHA content in plasma, RBC, heart, liver and brain showed dose-related accumulation and confirmed no differences between corresponding DHASCO-B and DHASCO groups. Therefore, dietary exposure to DHASCO-B and DHASCO was well tolerated by the preweaning piglets during the 3-week dosing period right after birth and DHASCO-B and DHASCO were bioequivalent.     

Pharmacology in health foods: effects of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid on the age-related decline in brain and cardiovascular system function

Arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are major constituents of cell membranes and play important roles in preserving physiological and psychological function. Recently, data from several studies have indicated that impairments in long-term potentiation (LTP), the process underlying plasticity in synaptic connections, are associated with a decrease in membrane ARA and DHA in aged rats; and treatment of aged rats with either of these polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) reverses age-related decrease in LTP and the decrease in membrane fatty acid concentration. This review focuses on our recent findings concerning the effects of ARA and DHA on the age-related decline in the function of the brain and cardiovascular system. ARA supplementation decreased P300 latency and increased P300 amplitude of event-related potentials in healthy elderly men. Cognitive impairments in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and patients with organic brain lesions were significantly improved with ARA and DHA supplementation. ARA and DHA supplementation also increased coronary flow velocity reserve in elderly individuals; this suggests beneficial effects of PUFAs on coronary microcirculation. In conclusion, ARA and DHA may be beneficial in preventing and/or improving age-related declines in brain and cardiovascular system function.     

Placental docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids correlate weakly with placental polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) and are uncorrelated with polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) at delivery: A pilot study

Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), ARA (arachidonic acid, 20:4n − 6) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid, 22:6n − 3) have positive effects and environment pollutants, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans(PCDD/F) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) have negative effects on neural development during early life. Placental dioxin/PCB serves as markers for cumulative exposure to fetus. Fatty acid composition of placenta depends on nutrient supply during pregnancy, serving as indicators for fetal ARA and DHA accretion. This study investigated correlation between placental PCDD/F and PCB toxic equivalent (TEQ) and LC-PUFA in 34 pregnant women from Taiwan. Placental PCDF TEQ were inversely correlated with placental ARA (p = 0.020), C20:3n − 6 (p = 0.01), C22:4n − 6 (p = 0.04), C22:5n − 6 (p < 0.01) and with DHA (p = 0.03), but ARA and DHA did not vary with PCDD, dioxin-like and indicator PCB. After adjustment for age and body mass index, a one-unit PCDF TEQ increase was associated with 1.021%w/w and 0.312%w/w decreases in ARA (β = −1.021, p = 0.03) and DHA (β = −0.312, p = 0.03). Since ARA and DHA were unrelated to three classes of toxins, and a weak negative association was found with PCDF, these data provide no basis for discouraging marine fish consumption during pregnancy for Taiwan women on the basis of these organics. Pregnant women should consume fish for its unique package of nutrients while avoiding few species with high organic pollutant or mercury contamination.     

Tissue-specific distribution of fatty acids,polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in fish from Taihu Lake,China, and the benefit-risk assessment of their co-ingestion

The fish tissues from four species collected from Taihu Lake, China, were analyzed including dorsal, ventral, and tail muscles, heart, liver, and kidney. The highest and lowest concentrations of fatty acids were respectively observed in livers and muscles. There were significant intraspecies and interspecies differences in the compositions of most fatty acids among muscle, heart, liver, and kidney. All the tissues were generally beneficial for consumption considering fatty acids. People mainly consume the muscle. Hence, the benefits from two polyunsaturated fatty acids, i.e., eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and risks from PCBs and PBDEs via fish consumption were evaluated by calculating the benefit-risk quotient (BFQ) for the intake of fish muscle containing EPA + DHA vs. PCBs or PBDEs. The BFQ values considering carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic effects for PCBs were ∼3000 and 10 times higher than those of PBDEs via fish consumption to achieve the recommended EPA + DHA intake of 250 mg d⁻¹, respectively. The results also suggested that the risk consuming the dorsal muscle was generally lower than the ventral and tail muscles.     

Evaluation of single-cell sources of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid: 3-month rat oral safety study with an in utero phase.

Owing to the presence of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) in human milk and their important biological function, several authorities recommend that they be added to infant formulas. This study assessed the safety of an algal oil rich in DHA and a fungal oil rich in ARA, blended to provide a DHA to ARA ratio similar to human milk. The oil blend was incorporated into diets and fed to rats such that they received 3, 11 and 22 times the anticipated infant exposure to DHA and ARA. Low-fat and high-fat control groups received canola oil. Rats received experimental diets over a premating interval and throughout mating, gestation and lactation. Pups born during this period (F1) consumed treatment diets from weaning for 3 months. Physical observations, ophthalmoscopic examinations, body weight, food intake, clinical chemistry, neurobehavioural evaluations and postmortem histopathology of selected tissues were performed. No statistically significant, dose-dependent adverse effects were seen in reproductive performance or fertility, nor in the neonates from birth to weaning. Mid- and high-dose treated F1 animals exhibited increased white cell count, neutrophil count and blood urea nitrogen; increased liver and spleen weights (absolute and relative to body weight) also were observed. There were no corresponding microscopic findings. The clinical pathology and organ weight differences at these treatment levels represent physiological or metabolic responses to the test substance rather than adverse responses. These single-cell oils produced no adverse effects in rats when administered in utero and for 90 days at dietary levels resulting in exposures up to 22 or 66 times higher than those expected in infant formulas when extrapolated on the basis of diet composition (g/100 Cal) or intake (g/kg body weight), respectively.     

90-Day feeding and genotoxicity studies on a refined arachidonic acid-rich oil

The safety of a refined arachidonic acid-rich oil (RAO) was evaluated for reverse mutation, chromosome aberration and gene mutation, and in a 90-day Wistar rat feeding study with in utero exposure. The results of the genotoxicity assays were all negative. The in utero phase of the 90-day study involved dietary exposure to 0.5%, 1.5% and 5% RAO and two controls diets, a standard feed low-fat diet and a high-fat diet supplemented with 5% corn oil. This exposure covered four-weeks prior to mating, through mating, gestation and lactation until offspring (F₁) weaning. A subsequent 90-day feeding study in the F₁ rats evaluated the same test and control diets. Statistically significant effects were seen for selected histopathology, clinical chemistry and organ weight endpoints; however, other than increased absolute and relative monocytes seen in both sexes of high-dose rats, the observations were not attributed to treatment for one or more reasons. Based on these findings, no adverse treatment-related effects for RAO were seen at up to 5% in the diet, equivalent to an overall average RAO intake of 3170 mg/kg bwt/day. These and similar findings for other refined ARA-rich oils establish a strong body of evidence for the safety of this RAO.     

Preclinical safety evaluation in rats using a highly purified ethyl ester of algal-docosahexaenoic acid

Preclinical studies have shown that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) derived from microalgae (DHASCO®) is neither mutagenic nor toxic in acute, subchronic or developmental tests. DHASCO®, triglyceride oil from the fermentation of Crypthecodinium cohnii, contains 40–50% (400–500 mg/g) of DHA by weight. Martek Biosciences Corporation has developed a concentrated ethyl ester of DHA (900 mg/g) from DHASCO® (MATK-90). A 90-day subchronic safety study with a one-month recovery period using Sprague–Dawley rats included clinical observations, ophthalmic examination, hematology, clinical chemistry, toxicokinetic evaluation, and pathological assessments. Effects of MATK-90 were compared with those produced from DHASCO® and control (corn oil). Doses of MATK-90 (1.3, 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg/day) and DHASCO® (5.0 g/kg/day = 2 g of DHA) were administered once-daily by oral gavage at a volume of 10 mL/kg. The corn oil was also administered by oral gavage (10 mL/kg/day). There were no treatment-related adverse effects in any of the parameters measured at doses of ?2.5 g/kg/day of MATK-90 or at 5.0 g/kg/day of DHASCO®. In the mesenteric lymph node, marked macrophage infiltration was observed in 3 of 19 animals in the 5.0 g/kg/day MATK-90 treatment group and was considered to be adverse. The no-observable-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for MATK-90 under the conditions of this study was 2.5 g/kg/day.     

One-generation reproductive toxicity study of DHA-rich oil in rats

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are natural constituents of the human diet. DHA-algal oil is produced through the use of the marine protist, Ulkenia sp. The reproductive toxicity of DHA-algal oil was assessed in a one-generation study. Rats were provided diets containing DHA-algal oil at concentrations of 1.5, 3.0, or 7.5%, and the control group received a diet containing 7.5% corn oil. Males and females were treated for 10 weeks prior to mating and during mating. Females continued to receive test diets during gestation and lactation. In parental animals, clinical observations, mortality, fertility, and reproductive performance were unaffected by treatment. Differences in food consumption, body weight, and liver weight in the treated groups were not considered to be due to an adverse effect of DHA-algal oil. Spleen weight increases in treated animals were associated with extramedullary hematopoiesis. Yellow discoloration of abdominal adipose tissue was observed in rats from the high-dose group, and histological examination revealed steatitis in all treated parental groups. Exposure to DHA-algal oil did not influence the physical development of F(1) animals. These results demonstrate that DHA-algal oil at dietary concentrations of up to 7.5% in rats does not affect reproductive capacity or pup development.     

Health benefits of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for the growth and functional development of the brain in infants. DHA is also required for maintenance of normal brain function in adults. The inclusion of plentiful DHA in the diet improves learning ability, whereas deficiencies of DHA are associated with deficits in learning. DHA is taken up by the brain in preference to other fatty acids. The turnover of DHA in the brain is very fast, more so than is generally realized. The visual acuity of healthy, full-term, formula-fed infants is increased when their formula includes DHA. During the last 50 years, many infants have been fed formula diets lacking DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids. DHA deficiencies are associated with foetal alcohol syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cystic fibrosis, phenylketonuria, unipolar depression, aggressive hostility, and adrenoleukodystrophy. Decreases in DHA in the brain are associated with cognitive decline during aging and with onset of sporadic Alzheimer disease. The leading cause of death in western nations is cardiovascular disease. Epidemiological studies have shown a strong correlation between fish consumption and reduction in sudden death from myocardial infarction. The reduction is approximately 50% with 200 mg day(-1)of DHA from fish. DHA is the active component in fish. Not only does fish oil reduce triglycerides in the blood and decrease thrombosis, but it also prevents cardiac arrhythmias. The association of DHA deficiency with depression is the reason for the robust positive correlation between depression and myocardial infarction. Patients with cardiovascular disease or Type II diabetes are often advised to adopt a low-fat diet with a high proportion of carbohydrate. A study with women shows that this type of diet increases plasma triglycerides and the severity of Type II diabetes and coronary heart disease. DHA is present in fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel) and mother's milk. DHA is present at low levels in meat and eggs, but is not usually present in infant formulas. EPA, another long-chain n-3 fatty acid, is also present in fatty fish. The shorter chain n-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, is not converted very well to DHA in man. These longchain n-3 fatty acids (also known as omega-3 fatty acids) are now becoming available in some foods, especially infant formula and eggs in Europe and Japan. Fish oil decreases the proliferation of tumour cells, whereas arachidonic acid, a longchain n-6 fatty acid, increases their proliferation. These opposite effects are also seen with inflammation, particularly with rheumatoid arthritis, and with asthma. DHA has a positive effect on diseases such as hypertension, arthritis, atherosclerosis, depression, adult-onset diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction, thrombosis, and some cancers.     

Safety evaluation of Algal Oil from Schizochytrium sp.

The safety of Algal Oil from Schizochytrium sp. was evaluated by testing for gene mutations, clastogenicity and aneugenicity, and in a subchronic 90-day Sprague-Dawley rat dietary study. The results of all genotoxicity tests were negative. The 90-day study involved dietary exposure to 0.5, 1.5, and 5 wt.% of Algal Oil and two control diets: a standard low-fat basal diet and a basal diet supplemented with 5 wt.% menhaden oil (the fish oil control). There were no treatment-related effects of Algal Oil on clinical observations, body weight, food consumption, behavior, hematology, clinical chemistry, coagulation, or urinalysis parameters. Increased mean liver weights and alveolar histiocytosis were observed in both the fish oil control and the high-dose Algal Oil-treated animals and were not considered to be adverse. Algal Oil was bioavailable as demonstrated by the dose-related increase of DHA and EPA levels in tissues and plasma. The no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) for Algal Oil under the conditions of this study was 5 wt.% in the diet, equivalent to an overall average Algal Oil intake of 3250 mg/kg bw/day for male and female rats. Based on the body surface area, the human equivalent dose is about 30 g Algal Oil/day for a 60 kg adult.     

Safety evaluation of DHA-rich Algal Oil from Schizochytrium sp.

The safety of DHA-rich Algal Oil from Schizochytrium sp. containing 40–45 wt% DHA and up to 10 wt% EPA was evaluated by testing for gene mutations, clastogenicity and aneugenicity, and in a subchronic 90-day Sprague–Dawley rat dietary study with in utero exposure, followed by a 4-week recovery phase. The results of all genotoxicity tests were negative. In the 90-day study, DHA-rich Algal Oil was administered at dietary levels of 0.5, 1.5, and 5 wt% along with two control diets: a standard low-fat basal diet and a basal diet supplemented with 5 wt% of concentrated Fish Oil. There were no treatment-related effects of DHA-rich Algal Oil on clinical observations, body weight, food consumption, behavior, hematology, clinical chemistry, coagulation, or urinalysis. Increases in absolute and relative weights of the liver, kidney, spleen and adrenals (adrenals and spleen with histological correlates) were observed in both the Fish Oil- and the high-dose of DHA-rich Algal Oil-treated females and were not considered to be adverse. The no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for DHA-rich Algal Oil under the conditions of this study was 5 wt% in the diet, equivalent to an overall average DHA-rich Algal Oil intake of 4260 mg/kg bw/day for male and female rats.     

Two-generation reproductive and developmental toxicity assessment of dietary N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid in rats

N-acetyl-l-aspartic acid (NAA) is a component of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) that has also been identified in a number of foods. This paper reports the outcome of a reproductive toxicology study conducted with NAA in Sprague–Dawley® rats. NAA was added to diets at target doses of 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg of body weight/day and administered for two consecutive generations. A carrier control group was administered diet with no added NAA and a comparative control group was given aspartate (ASP), the constituent amino acid of NAA, at a target dose of 500 mg/kg of body weight/day. The study evaluated OECD 416 reproductive performance variables and additional segments to assess potential developmental effects, neurobehavioural and ophthalmologic function, and the concentrations of NAA or ASP in brain and plasma. No biologically significant differences were observed in any reproductive response variables, neurobehavioural tests, ophthalmologic examinations, body weights, feed consumption, or organ weights. Further, no test substance related mortalities or adverse clinical, neurohistopathologic or histopathologic findings were observed. Under the conditions of this study, the highest target dose of NAA, 500 mg/kg of body weight/day, represents the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) for reproductive and systemic toxicity, and neurotoxicity for Sprague–Dawley® rats.     

Excess and deficient omega-3 fatty acid during pregnancy and lactation cause impaired neural transmission in rat pups

Omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 FA) consumption during pregnancy and lactation is beneficial to fetal and infant growth and may reduce the severity of preterm births. Thus, scientists and clinicians are recommending increasingly higher ω-3 FA doses for pregnant women and nursing babies for advancing the health of preterm, low birth weight, and normal babies. In contrast, some studies report that over-supplementation with ω-3 FA can have adverse effects on fetal and infant development by causing a form of nutritional toxicity. Our goal was to assess the effects of ω-3 FA excess and deficiency during pregnancy and lactation on the offspring's neural transmission as evidenced by their auditory brainstem responses (ABR). Female Wistar rats were given one of three diets from day 1 of pregnancy through lactation. The three diets were the Control ω-3 FA condition (ω-3/ω-6 ratio  0.14), the Deficient ω-3 FA condition (ω-3/ω-6 ratio  0%) and the Excess ω-3 FA condition (ω-3/ω-6 ratio  14.0). The Control diet contained 7% soybean oil, whereas the Deficient diet contained 7% safflower oil and the Excess diet contained 7% fish oil. The offspring were ABR-tested on postnatal day 24. The rat pups in the Excess group had prolonged ABR latencies in comparison to the Control group, indicating slowed neural transmission times. The pups in the Excess group also showed postnatal growth restriction. The Deficient group showed adverse effects that were milder than those seen in the Excess group. Milk fatty acid profiles reflected the fatty acid profiles of the maternal diets. In conclusion, excess or deficient amounts of ω-3 FA during pregnancy and lactation adversely affected the offspring's neural transmission times and postnatal thriving. Consuming either large or inadequate amounts of ω-3 FA during pregnancy and lactation seems inadvisable because of the potential for adverse effects on infant development.     

Effect of Diet on Blood Lead Concentration in the Cynomolgus Monkey

Effect of Diet on Blood Lead Concentration in the CynomolgusMonkey. TRUELOVE, J. F., GILBERT, S. G., AND RICE, D. C. (1985).Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 5, 588–596. Infant cynomolgus monkeys(Macaca fascicularis) were reared from birth in an infant primatenursery and dosed with lead acetate (2 mg Pb/kg body wt/day)from approximately 100 days of age. The monkeys were switchedfrom an infant formula diet to a diet of primate chow and waterat 460 days of age. Beginning at approximately 935 days of age,various diets were fed in the following order infant formulaplus a restricted amount of primate chow, infant formula only,infant formula plus cellulose fiber, infant formula plus phyticacid, cow's milk, and primate chow plus water. Blood lead contentwas determined throughout the experiment. At 360 days of treatment(approx. 460 days of age) the blood lead concentration was 90µg/dl but decreased to 50 µg/dl within 30 days afterthe diet was changed to primate chow and water. When the monkeyswere 935 days of age the introduction of the infant formulaplus a restricted amount of primate chow had little effect onblood lead concentrations. However, when primate chow was removedfrom the diet so that the monkeys were fed infant formula only,there was a rapid increase in blood lead from approximately40 to 220 µg/dl. The addition of cellulose fiber to theinfant formula had no effect on blood lead concentrations, whereasthe addition of phytic acid caused an abrupt decrease to approximately85 µg/dl. Blood lead concentrations increased to approximately190 µg/dl when cow's milk only was fed and decreased toapproximately 55 µg/dl when the monkeys were returnedto a diet of primate chow and water. In a second experiment,infant monkeys were reared as above and dosed from birth withlead acetate at a rate of 25 µg Pb/kg body wt/day. Themonkeys were switched to a primate chow and water diet at 200days of age and at approximately 900 days of age various dietarychanges were made that were similar to those described above.Although blood lead concentrations were much lower and moreviable than in the 2-mg/kg/day dose group, the data showed apattern similar to those of the higher dose group     

Relative bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of two oral formulations of docosahexaenoic acid/eicosapentaenoic acid after multiple-dose administration in healthy volunteers

Objectives  To assess the comparative pharmacokinetic profile and bioavailability of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) after multiple-dose administration of a new oral formulation (test formulation) and a commercially available reference formulation in healthy subjects. Methods  Forty-eight healthy subjects received a 28-day oral treatment with DHA/EPA in the form of either the test or the reference product according to an open-label, randomized, parallel-group design. Both formulations were given t.i.d. at 8-h intervals at a dose of 3.0 g/day. Steady-state DHA and EPA concentrations in plasma and lysed whole blood were measured by gas-liquid chromatography at baseline and after 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of treatment. Kinetic parameters were compared both after subtraction of baseline concentrations and by using baseline concentrations as a covariate. Results  For both DHA and EPA, plasma and RBC concentrations measured from day 7 to day 28 were significantly higher than at baseline and did not differ significantly between the two products. On day 28 the plasma DHA concentration on average doubled the baseline level after administration of test and reference product, while there was a 10-fold increase in EPA plasma concentration. When the assessment was performed using baseline values as covariate, test-to-reference ratios for area under the curve (AUCss_0–8) and for peak concentration (Css_max) after the last administration on day 28 met bioequivalence criteria (i.e., 90% confidence intervals within 0.80–1.25 for AUCss_0–8 ratios, and within 0.75–1.33 for Css_max ratios). When the assessment was conducted after subtraction of baseline values, the 90% confidence intervals for Css_max ratios were within the bioequivalence range, whereas the intervals for AUCss_0–8 ratio were borderline for bioequivalence. Conclusion  The two formulations tested were similarly effective in increasing DHA and EPA concentrations in plasma and lysed whole blood, and showed comparable bioavailability for both active components.     

Effects of Docosahexaenoic Acid on Neurotransmission

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the major polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in the brain and a structural component of neuronal membranes. Changes in DHA content of neuronal membranes lead to functional changes in the activity of receptors and other proteins which might be associated with synaptic function. Accumulating evidence suggests the beneficial effects of dietary DHA supplementation on neurotransmission. This article reviews the beneficial effects of DHA on the brain; uptake, incorporation and release of DHA at synapses, effects of DHA on synapses, effects of DHA on neurotransmitters, DHA metabolites, and changes in DHA with age. Further studies to better understand the metabolome of DHA could result in more effective use of this molecule for treatment of neurodegenerative or neuropsychiatric diseases.     

Bioequivalence of two omega-3 fatty acid ethyl ester formulations: a case of clinical pharmacology of dietary supplements

AIM

To evaluate the bioequivalence of two omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LC-PUFA) ethyl ester preparations, previously shown not to be bioequivalent in healthy subjects, with the objective of providing a guideline for future work in this area.

METHOD

A randomized double-blind crossover protocol was chosen. Volunteers with the lowest blood concentrations of n-3 LC-PUFA were selected. They received the ethyl esters in a single high dose (12 g) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) blood concentrations were analyzed after fingerprick collection at intervals up to 24 h.

RESULTS

Differently from a prior study, the pharmacokinetic analysis indicated a satisfactory bioequivalence: for the AUC(0,24 h) 90% CI of the ratio between the two formulations were in the range for bioequivalence (for EPA 0.98, 1.04 and for DHA 0.99, 1.04) and the same was true for C_max and t_max (90% CI were 0.95, 1.14 and 1.10, 1.25 for EPA and 0.88, 1.02 and 0.84, 1.24 for DHA).

CONCLUSION

This study shows that, in order to obtain reliable bioequivalence data of products present in the daily diet, certain conditions should be met. Subjects should have low, homogeneous baseline concentrations and not be exposed to food items containing the product under evaluation, e.g. fish. Finally, as in the case of omega-3 fatty acids, selected doses should be high, eventually with appropriate conditions of intake.     

A 90-day toxicology study of transgenic lysine-rich maize grain (Y642) in Sprague–Dawley rats

The gene for a lysine-rich protein (sb401) obtained from potatoes (Solanum berthaultii) was inserted into maize seed to produce Y642 transgenic maize. Compositional analysis of Y642 grain demonstrated that the concentrations of lysine and total protein were higher than those observed in maize grain from a near-isogenic non-genetically modified (non-GM) commercially available control quality protein maize (Nongda 108). The safety of Y642 maize grain was assessed by comparison of toxicology response variables in Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats consuming diets containing Y642 maize grain with those containing Nongda 108 maize grain. Maize grains from Y642 or Nongda 108 were incorporated into rodent diets at low (30%) or high concentrations (76%) and administered to SD rats (n = 10/sex/group) for 90 days. An additional group of negative control group of rats (n = 10/sex/group) were fed AIN93G diets. No adverse diet-related differences in body weights, feed consumption/utilization, clinical chemistry, hematology, absolute and relative organ weights were observed. Further, no differences in gross or microscopic pathology were observed between rats consuming diets with Y642 maize grain compared with rats consuming diets containing Nongda 108 maize grain. These results demonstrated that Y642 lysine-rich maize is as safe and nutritious as conventional quality protein maize.     

灵芝孢子油对N-甲基-N-亚硝酸脲诱导的大鼠视网膜损伤中Caspase-3表达的影响

目的观察灵芝孢子油(ganoderma spore oil,GSO)对N-甲基-N亚硝酸脲(N-methyl-N-nitrosourea,MNU)诱导的视网膜外核层细胞损伤的作用及对Caspase-3时空表达的影响。方法50d♀SD大鼠随机分为正常对照(NC)组、MNU造模(MNU)组、二十二碳六烯酸处理(DHA)组和灵芝孢子油处理(GSO)组。各组分别于MNU造模前0h及造模后1d、3d、7d、10d处死大鼠取材,采用RT-PCR、免疫荧光技术检测视网膜中Caspase-3表达和分布的变化,TUNEL法检测视网膜细胞凋亡情况。结果①RT-PCR检测:与NC组比较,MNU组1d、3d、7d视网膜Caspase-3表达增强(P<0.01);GSO组和DHA组1d、3d低于MNU组(P<0.01),1dGSO组表达较DHA组低(P<0.01)。②免疫荧光检测:在3d,GSO组和DHA组Caspase-3表达水平低于MNU组,GSO组较DHA组稍弱。③TUNEL法检测:NC组在视网膜各层均未发现凋亡细胞,MNU造模后可见外核层细胞凋亡。GSO组和DHA组在1d、3d外核层细胞凋亡百分率少于对应的MNU组(P<0.01),3d GSO组低于DHA组(P<0.01)。结论灵芝孢子油可能通过下调视网膜Caspase-3的表达,阻抑MNU诱导的视网膜外核层光感受器细胞凋亡的作用。