Autonomic efferents affect intake of imbalanced amino acid diets by rats

Dietary indispensable amino acids profile affects protein utilization and growth of Senegalese sole larvae

In diet formulation for fish, it is critical to assure that all the indispensable amino acids (IAA) are available in the right quantities and ratios. This will allow minimizing dietary AA imbalances that will result in unavoidable AA losses for energy dissipation rather than for protein synthesis and growth. The supplementation with crystalline amino acids (CAA) is a possible solution to correct the dietary amino acid (AA) profile that has shown positive results for larvae of some fish species. This study tested the effect of supplementing a practical microdiet with encapsulated CAA as to balance the dietary IAA profile and to improve the capacity of Senegalese sole larvae to utilize AA and maximize growth potential. Larvae were reared at 19 °C under a co-feeding regime from mouth opening. Two microdiets were formulated and processed as to have as much as possible the same ingredients and proximate composition. The control diet (CTRL) formulation was based on commonly used protein sources. A balanced diet (BAL) was formulated as to meet the ideal IAA profile defined for Senegalese sole: the dietary AA profile was corrected by replacing 4 % of encapsulated protein hydrolysate by CAA. The in vivo method of controlled tube-feeding was used to assess the effect on the larvae capacity to utilize protein, during key developmental stages. Growth was monitored until 51 DAH. The supplementation of microdiets with CAA in order to balance the dietary AA had a positive short-term effect on the Senegalese sole larvae capacity to retain protein. However, that did not translate into increased growth. On the contrary, larvae fed a more imbalanced (CTRL group) diet attained a better performance. Further studies are needed to ascertain whether this was due to an effect on the voluntary feed intake as a compensatory response to the dietary IAA imbalance in the CTRL diet or due to the higher content of tryptophan in the BAL diet.

Efficacy of β-sitosterol isolated from Evolvulus alsinoides L. as anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-tumor agent: Evidence from animal studies

OBJECTIVE

To explore the anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-tumor effect of ethanolic extract of Evolvulus alsinoides, its chloroform fraction and isolated components in Triton-induced hyperlipidemic rats.

METHODS

Animals were administered with intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of Triton WR 1339 at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight. After 24 h of Triton administration the test drugs were administered orally at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight in rats. The ethanolic extract and stigmast-5-en-3β-ol from Evolvulus alsinoides were further investigated for the tumor take inhibitory activity in hybrid mice (of C57BL strain + Swiss albino strain). Preventive group animals were injected daily with the extract and stigmast-5-en-3β-ol at dose of 50 mg/kg body weight i.p. for 10 consecutive days. The animals were observed for the growth of tumor after injection of B16F10 melanoma cells into the dorsal skin of mice.

RESULTS

Stigmast-5-en-3β-ol showed a marked antihyperlipidemic potential by reducing the total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoproteins level, and significantly increased high density lipoprotein level compared with other isolated component. Pretreatment with the drug showed delay tumor growth by increasing the volume doubling time and growth delay. The stigmast-5-en-3β-ol showed better mean survival time.

CONCLUSION

The supplementation of antioxidants and phytosterols rich food Evolvulus alsinoides has significant tumor take inhibitory activity.

Nutrient control of hunger by extrinsic gastrointestinal neurons

The neural sensing of nutrients during food digestion plays a key role in the regulation of hunger. Recent data have emphasized that the extrinsic gastrointestinal nervous system is preponderant in this phenomenon and in its translation to the control of food intake by the central nervous system (CNS). Nutrient sensing by the extrinsic gastrointestinal nervous system may account for the satiation induced by food lipids, the satiety initiated by food protein, and for the rapid benefits of gastric bypass surgeries on both glucose and energy homeostasis. Thus, this recent knowledge provides novel examples of the mechanisms that control food intake and body weight, and this might pave the way for future approaches to the prevention and/or treatment of obesity.