Hiroshi Okamatsu

The 10trans, 12cis isomer of conjugated linoleic acid promotes energy metabolism in OLETF rats

OBJECTIVE We investigated the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on energy metabolism in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats. METHODS In experiment 1, male OLETF rats were fed either control diet, 10% safflower oil or CLA diet, 9% safflower oil plus 1% CLA for 4 wk. In experiment 2, male OLETF rats were fed either 9c,11t-CLA diet, 9% safflower oil plus 1% 9c,11t-CLA-rich oil or 10t,12c-CLA diet, 9% safflower oil plus 1% 10t,12c-CLA-rich oil for 10 d. RESULTS In experiment 1, after 4 wk of feeding, serum and hepatic triacylglycerol concentrations in the CLA group were decreased significantly as compared with the control group. The CLA diet increased oxygen consumption and energy expenditure as compared with the control diet in OLETF rats. In experiment 2, a significant reduction of serum and hepatic triacylglycerol concentrations was seen in the 10t,12c-CLA group as opposed to the 9c,11t-CLA group. Oxygen consumption and energy expenditure were significantly higher in the 10t,12c-CLA group than in the 9c,11t-CLA group. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrated that the hypolipidemic effect and the enhancement of energy metabolism by CLA can be attributed to the effect of the 10t,12c-CLA isomer.

Oral intake of Lactobacillus pentosus strain b240 accelerates salivary immunoglobulin A secretion in the elderly: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial

BackgroundImmunoglobulin A (IgA) secretion in saliva decreases with age and may be the cause of increased vulnerability of the elderly to respiratory infections. The effect of oral intake of lactic acid bacteria on salivary secretory IgA (SIgA) in the elderly has not been reported. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the acceleration of salivary SIgA secretion by oral intake of Lactobacillus pentosus strain b240 (b240) in the elderly.ResultsA total of 80 healthy elderly individuals were randomly allocated to either an intervention (i.e., b240) or a control (i.e., placebo) group. The elderly individuals in the b240 group were given a sterile water beverage (125 mL) containing heat-killed b240 (4 × 109 cells), while those in the placebo group were given only a sterile water beverage (125 mL); both groups received their respective beverages once daily for 12 weeks. Saliva was collected before initiation of the study and every 2 weeks thereafter. Saliva flow rate and SIgA concentration were determined, and the SIgA secretion rate was calculated. The mean salivary SIgA secretion rate in the b240 group steadily increased until week 4 (exhibiting a 20% elevation relative to that at week 0), and then remained stable until week 12. Changes in SIgA secretion rate over the intervention period were significantly greater in the b240 group than in the placebo group. The treatment groups exhibited no significant differences in adverse events.ConclusionsOral intake of L. pentosus strain b240 for 12 weeks significantly accelerated salivary SIgA secretion, thereby indicating its potential utility in the improvement of mucosal immunity and resistance against infection in the elderly.

Inhibition by Apple Polyphenols of ADP-Ribosyltransferase Activity of Cholera Toxin and Toxin-Induced Fluid Accumulation in Mice

The effects of crude polyphenol extracted from immature apples on the enzymatic and biological activities of a cholera toxin (CT) were investigated. When the apple polyphenol extract (APE) was examined for properties to inhibit CT‐catalyzed ADP‐ribosylation of agmatine, it was found that APE inhibited it in a dose‐dependent manner. The concentration of APE to inhibit 50% of the enzymatic activity of CT (15 μg/ml) was approximately 8.7 μg/ml. The APE also diminished CT‐induced fluid accumulation in two diarrhea models for in vivo mice. In the ligated ileum loops, 25 μg of APE significantly inhibited fluid accumulation induced by 500 ng of CT. In a sealed mouse model, even when APE was administered orally 10 min after a toxin injection, fluid accumulation was significantly inhibited at a comparable dosage. Lineweaver‐Burk analysis demonstrated that APE had negative allosteric effects on CT‐catalyzed NAD: agmatine ADP‐ribosyltransferase. We fractionated the APE into four fractions using LH‐20 Sephadex resin. One of the fractions, FAP (fraction from apple polyphenol) 1, which contains non‐catechin polyphenols, did not significantly inhibit the CT‐catalyzed ADP‐ribosylation of agmatine. FAP2, which contains compounds with monomeric, dimeric, and trimeric catechins, inhibited the ADP‐ribosylation only partially, but significantly. FAP3 and FAP4, which consist of highly polymerized catechin compounds, strongly inhibited the ADP‐ribosylation, indicating that the polymerized structure of catechin is responsible for the inhibitory effect that resides in APE. The results suggest that polymerized catechin compounds in APE inhibit the biological and enzymatic activities of CT and can be used in a precautionary and therapeutic manner in the treatment of cholera patients.

Clinical efficacy of apple polyphenol for treating cedar pollinosis.

A double-blind comparative study was conducted on cedar pollinosis patients in order to evaluate the treatment efficacy of apple polyphenol (Ap). Ap was administered (500 mg) once daily for 12 weeks, starting about 2 weeks prior to cedar pollen dispersion. Pollinosis symptoms during the study were evaluated according to the classification in the guidelines for allergic rhinitis diagnosis and treatment. The results show that the sneezing score was significantly lower for the Ap group than with the placebo group during the early period of pollen dispersion and during the main dispersion period. In addition, no adverse reactions were induced by Ap during the study. These results suggest that Ap may alleviate the symptoms of cedar pollinosis.