Lipids

Alprazolam, a commonly prescribed benzodiazepine, poses risks of toxicity and severe withdrawal symptoms. There is an urgent need for a rapid and sensitive diagnostic method for detecting alprazolam poisoning.

This study aimed to detect alprazolam poisoning through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis of saliva, addressing the need for a quick, cost-effective, and sensitive diagnostic method for poison control and differential diagnosis.

Saliva samples were collected from 45 individuals with benzodiazepine toxicity, therapeutic consumption, and normal health status, as well as from a control group. The samples were analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy. The resulting spectra were processed with OriginPro software, and statistical analyses were performed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

The average age of the studied population was approximately 45 years, with women being the most affected by poisoning. Fourier-transform infrared analysis revealed significant differences in the structure of lipids between poisoned individuals, therapeutic receivers, and healthy individuals (P < 0.0001).

Fourier-transform infrared analysis of saliva is a fast and accurate method for diagnosing alprazolam poisoning within minutes, enabling prompt and appropriate treatment during critical life-threatening situations. This non-invasive technique has the potential to guide treatment staff toward effective treatment options.

Polypill or fixed-dose combination has been recognized as an effective secondary prevention strategy for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the polypill on one-year medication adherence, patient satisfaction, and lipid profile control in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This was an open-label, multicentric, randomized clinical trial study of STEMI patients who were prescribed a polypill (Aspirin 81 mg, Atorvastatin 40 mg, Metoprolol Succinate 47.5 mg, and Valsartan 40 mg) versus usual care (continued with separate medications) for secondary prevention. The primary outcome was to compare one-year medication adherence between groups. Other outcomes included comparing patient satisfaction and lipid profile after 12 months of follow-up, as well as identifying predictor factors of medication adherence. Of 624 STEMI participants, 289 patients were treated with the polypill (79.2% male; mean age 61.67 ± 8.54 years), and 335 patients received usual care (82.7% male; mean age 62.10 ± 9.63 years). After one-year follow-up, no significant differences were detected between groups regarding medication adherence (p-value = 0.351) and cholesterol levels (p-value = 0.808). The polypill strategy was associated with increased patient satisfaction and better control of LDL-C (p-value = 0.043) and HDL-C (p-value < 0.001). Patients with a history of chronic kidney disease (OR: 13.392; p-value = 0.001), cerebrovascular disease (OR: 4.577; p-value = 0.011), and higher waist circumference (OR: 1.01; p-value = 0.002) demonstrated a lower probability of medication adherence. In contrast, in-hospital complications such as arrhythmia (OR: 0.039; p-value = 0.010), bleeding (OR: 0.034; p-value = 0.007), and higher ejection fraction (OR: 0.965; p-value = 0.002) were associated with a higher probability of medication adherence. In STEMI patients, participants treated with polypills were more satisfied and showed better lipid profile control. However, a longer follow-up duration is needed to examine the effectiveness of the polypill on medication adherence in this subgroup.

Acne vulgaris is a chronic, inflammatory disease and one of the most common skin diseases. Isotretinoin is the best treatment for severe nodulocystic acne compared to other systemic medicine. Although serum lipids elevation is one of the side effects of this medicine; recent studies have shown controversial results. This study aimed to assess the serum lipid profile in adolescents and adults with acne vulgaris receiving isotretinoin.

This is a cross-sectional study on 65 adolescents and adults older than 16 years old (55 females and 10 males) with moderate to severe degrees of acne vulgaris under a fixed low dose of 20 mg/day Isotretinoin treatment for 120 days. We analyzed the data using the SPSS software Version 16 using paired sample t-test, Wilcoxon, and ANCOVA test.

In this study, 65 records of patients with a mean age of 22.21±6.25 years were assessed. There was a significant elevation in Cholesterol and LDL levels, but in HDL and triglyceride levels no significant change occurred. A significant change in cholesterol levels was noticed in the adolescent age group, the female sex, and the normal weight group. Triglyceride had a significant change in the female sex and normal weight group and HDL significantly increased in male patients.

Although a low dose of isotretinoin can be used with minimal concern for changes in lipid profile in acne vulgaris patients, in the long-term follow-up and treatment, it seems that we have to administer it cautiously.

This study assessed the effects of Aloe verasupplementation on serum inflammatory factors, blood sugar andlipid profiles in hemodialysis patients.

Totally, 50 hemodialysis patients wereallocated randomly to either Aloe vera or placebo groups. TheAloe vera group received 2 Aloe vera capsules daily for 8 weeks(500 mg/day). Serum C-reactive protein (hs- CRP), Fasting bloodglucose (FBS), and lipid profiles levels were evaluated at thebaseline and the end of the eighth week.

Aloe vera supplementation for 8 weeks was associatedwith a significant reduction of serum hs- CRP (p=0.004), totalcholesterol (p=0.01), low density lipoprotein (LDL) (p=0.02) levesand increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) (p=0.002)concentration in the hemodialysis patients.

Aloe vera supplementation is beneficial inimprovement of cardiovascular risk factors in hemodialysispatients

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Vitex agnus-castus (VAC), and Salvia officinalis extracts on serum lipids in postmenopausal women referred to the Bone Densitometry Center, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran.

This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 89 postmenopausal women in 2016 using random permuted blocks with a block size of 3 in the three groups, including the VAC group (3.2-4.8 mg/q8h), S. officinalis group (100 mg/q8h), and placebo group for three months. Women were finally compared in terms of low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides (TG), and highdensity lipoprotein before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS-16 software. Descriptive statistical tests and paired t test were used to compare the groups.

A significant decrease in serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides levels and also increase in mean serum high-density lipoprotein levels were observed in VAC and S. officinalis groups before and after the intervention (P = 0.0001). In comparison, no significant change was observed in serum level of any lipoproteins in the placebo group.

Considering the decrease in the level of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and increased highdensity lipoprotein after using VAC and S. officinalis in this study, these herbs can be proposed as blood lipid-lowering agents in postmenopausal women.

The combined use of methadone and exercise training holds promise for promoting health. This study investigates the impact of resistance and aerobic training in conjunction with methadone consumption on lipid profiles and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in addicted men.

Ninety addicted men (mean age 36.82 ± 4.32 years) undergoing prison treatment were randomly assigned to six groups (n=15 each): control, narcotics anonymous (NA), aerobic training + methadone, aerobic training + methadone reduction, resistance training + methadone, resistance training + methadone reduction. The 12-week exercise program, conducted thrice weekly, included aerobic training (4-8 sets, 3 minutes each, at 80-90% maximum heart rate on the ergometer bike) and resistance training (12 repetitions, 3 sets, at 70-85% of one repetition maximum). Blood samples collected pre- and post-intervention measured CRP and blood lipids using specialized kits. Data were analyzed with SPSS software, employing multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) and Tukey's post hoc test (P<0.05).

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels significantly increased in trained groups compared to the control (P<0.001). Moreover, trained groups exhibited significant decreases in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides, total cholesterol, and CRP compared to the control group (P<0.05). Importantly, aerobic training was more effective than resistance training in improving the studied variables.

Exercise training, particularly aerobic training with methadone ingestion, yields positive effects, including reduced CRP levels and improved lipid profiles in addicted men. Exercise training with methadone reduction may be considered for empowering individuals with addiction issues.

Most polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients have metabolic abnormalities in which insulin resistance (IR) plays a pivotal role. Cinnamon is a herbal medicine with insulinotropic properties. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effects of cinnamon on ovarian volume, androgenic profile, and metabolic and anthropometric parameters in women with PCOS. A single-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out on 39 overweight / obese women with PCOS. For six months, subjects in the cinnamon (500 mg) (n=19) and placebo (n=20) groups were given three capsules daily. Before and after the intervention, the variables were assessed. The data was analyzed using the GraphPad Prism software. After the intervention, the two intervention and control groups had significant differences in abdominal subcutaneous fat and ovarian volume, but they did not differ significantly in terms of body mass index (BMI). Also, after the intervention, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of lipid profile and the concentration of androgenic biomarkers of insulin resistance. Cinnamon supplementation improves ovarian volume and subcutaneous abdominal fat but has no effect on anthropometric parameters, lipid profile, insulin resistance, or androgen hormones.

 Accounting for wide variations in clinical manifestations, many variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have evolved since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The cause of death in COVID-19 varied from pulmonary involvement to abnormalities in coagulation and thromboembolism. In recent years, the role of lipids and lipoproteins in cardiovascular complications due to thromboembolic disturbances has been brought to light. Hence we conducted a study to evaluate the association between lipid profile and the severity of COVID-19 and their correlation with inflammatory markers.

 The retrospective-observational study included 320 subjects who were confirmed cases of COVID-19. Clinical history including intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation requirement, duration of hospital stay, mortality, CT score, CORAD classification scores, along with laboratory investigations comprising of lipid profile and inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, ferritin, procalcitonin, lactate dehydrogenase, and interleukin-6 were evaluated. Data was analyzed using Mann Whitney U test and Spearman correlation test with R software version 4.1.2, considering p value < 0.05 statistically significant.

 It was observed that 61.56% of the subjects needed intensive care unit admission while only 8.13% required mechanical ventilation and 12.81% were non-survivor patients. A statistically significant association of total cholesterol with mortality (p = 0.0181), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) with mortality (p = 0.0237), and mechanical ventilation (p = 0.0211); triglycerides with intensive care unit admission (p = 0.0359) and mechanical ventilation (p = 0.0085) was observed. LDL-c and total cholesterol showed an inverse correlation with duration of hospital stay, while inflammatory markers CRP, ferritin, LDH, and IL 6 had a negative correlation with TC,HDL-c and LDL-c (all p values below 0.05).

 From the present study, it is evident that the lipid profile is linked to both severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients. Primary information from the lipid profile of a COVID-19 patient can help physicians to anticipate the prognosis of the disease and help in instituting preemptive treatment, thereby decreasing complications and any resultant mortality.

Menopause is a condition for metabolic disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Nigella sativa (NS), curcumin nanomicelle (CN), lipid profile, glycemic status and 17-β estradiol (ES) levels in postmenopausal women.

Triple-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 120 postmenopausal women. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups: 1) NS capsule 1000 mg and CN placebo, 2) 80 mg CN capsule and NS placebo, 3) both NS and CN capsules and 4) NS and CN placebo. Participants received a single dose daily for 6 months. The serum lipid profile, glycemic control biomarkers, and ES were measured pre-and post-intervention using biochemical methods.

Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, fasting blood sugar (FBS), fasting insulin (FI), insulin resistance (IR), and ES showed significant improvement in NS group. CN significantly reduced TC, FI, and IR, and significantly increased ES. The combination of NS-CN significantly decreased TC, LDL, FI, and IR, and increased HDL and ES. The comparison of the studied with the placebo groups showed that these changes were significant in glycemic indices and NS significantly increased estrogen.

NS, CN and NS-CN improved lipid profiles, blood sugar, and hormone levels. However, this improvement was significant in glycemic indices and estrogen levels compared to the placebo group. No superiority of combined NS-CN over NS or CN was found in this trial.

Oral ingestion of lead in drinking water represents the most common route of human and animal exposure, especially in the developing nations. Unlike other internal organs, research on the effects of lead on gastrointestinal tract remains limited. This study explored the alterations in faecal fatty acid composition, gastrointestinal and hepatic histologies and redox status, following chronic, 90-day exposure of rats to lead acetate (PbA). We also investigated the protective effects of rutin and melatonin against lead toxicity in rats.

Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups of 10 (A-E) and were assigned as follows: A: Control; B: 1% PbA in drinking water; C: PbA+rutin (50 mg/kg); D: PbA+melatonin (25 mg/kg) and E: PbA+rutin+melatonin. The faecal fatty acid profiles were quantified by methylation and gas chromatography-flame ion detection. We also evaluated the oxidative stress and antioxidant markers for the stomach, liver, and guts, and their histopathological alterations.

Exposure to PbA caused remarkable elevations of the faecal fats, such as undecylic, lauric, tridecylic, myristic, and palmitic acids, compared to the controls and rats in group C. The administration of rutin and/or melatonin ameliorated the PbA-induced increases in the hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde contents. Rutin and melatonin improved the levels of thiol, and reduced the glutathione, glutathione S-transferase and superoxide dismutase activities.

The findings suggest that rutin alone or combined with melatonin protects against PbA-induced disruption of the liver and gastrointestinal tract integrity via modulation of intestinal total lipids in cells and redox imbalances.

The consumption of fruits and vegetables has a protective effect on cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors. The present study aimed to assess the effect of educational intervention on fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as its effect on blood lipid parameters, in government employees.

This quasi-experimental cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in two offices in Qaem Shahr. The data collection tool included a 31-item questionnaire on the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption and a laboratory test to measure blood lipid parameters. The Chi-square test, t-test, paired sample t-test, and ANCOVA were used for data analysis.

The study groups significantly differed in mean fruit and vegetable consumption after the six-month intervention (p<0.001). The mean total cholesterol (p<0.001) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C; p=0.005) levels were significantly different between the groups after the intervention. The mean difference of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels showed a significant relationship with the study groups and the interaction of gender and group (p<0.001). The mean difference of total cholesterol (p=0.008) and LDL-C had a significant relationship with the study groups (p=0.03).

Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is only effective in improving the levels of total cholesterol and LDL-C, but not in lowering triglyceride and HDL-C levels. Therefore, influencing factors, such as the duration of fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as the time required to monitor their effect on these parameters, should be more closely examined.

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are nano-sized colloidal drug delivery system that contains a lipid mixture consisting of both solid and liquid lipids in their core. This lipid-based nanosystem is introduced as a biocompatible, non-toxic, and safe nano-drug delivery system as compared to polymeric or metallic nanoparticles. Due to its safety, stability, and high drug loading capacity compared to other lipid-based nanocarriers, NLC gained the attention of researchers to formulate safe and effective drug carriers. The ability to increase drug solubility and permeability while encapsulating the drug in a lipidic shell makes them an ideal carrier for drug delivery through difficult-to-achieve routes. Surface modification of NLC and the use of various additives result in drug targeting and increased residence time. With such qualities, NLCs can be used to treat a variety of diseases such as cancer, infections, neurodegenerative diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and pain management. This review focuses on the recent developments being made to deliver the drugs and genes through different routes via these nanocarriers. Here, we also discuss about historical background, structure, types of NLC and commonly employed techniques for manufacturing lipid-based nanocarriers.

Obesity has dramatically formed a public health problem across the world. The current survey explored the effects of motivational interviewing (MI) on paraclinical parameters and cardiorespiratory fitness among women with overweight and obesity who referred to the nutrition clinics. We conducted a single blind randomized clinical trial study on 136 women with overweight and obesity who were randomly assigned to MI (n=68) or control (n=68) groups during September 2014 to October 2015 year in Gorgan city of Golestan province. The Rockport Walk Test was used to evaluate the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and total cholesterol which were also tested in participants trained to fast for 12 hours and avoid alcohol consumption in 24 hours before the blood test. The total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and cardio-respiratory fitness were investigated at baseline and at 12 months’ follow-up. Descriptive analysis was run to describe the mean and standard deviation of the demographic characteristics. Independent t-test, paired t-test, and chi-square test were applied. A P value<0.05 was considered as significant. The mean age of the MI and control group was 51.6±5.2 and 53.8±5.8 years, respectively. MI significantly reduced the total cholesterol (P=0.032), HDL-C (P=0.041) and LDL-C (P=0.011), while it increased VO2 max compared to the control group. MI may remarkably affect the participant’s paraclinical outcomes including lipid profiles and cardiorespiratory fitness levels. More surveys seem helpful to confirm the effectiveness of MI on long-time changes among people with overweight and obesity.

Quercetin is a flavonoid having anti-cancer properties; however, it has low stability, insufficient bioavailability, and poor solubility. This study aimed to load quercetin on nanoliposomes to enhance its efficiency against SW48 colorectal cancer cells. The cytotoxicity of free-quercetin and quercetin-loaded nanoliposomes on the expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGER) gene was investigated.  This present in vitro study was conducted at Yasuj University of Medical Sciences (Yasuj, Iran) in 2021. In this in vitro study, the lipid thin-film hydration method was used to synthesize quercetin-loaded liposomes. Additionally, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations were used to characterize nanomaterials. Following that, MTT, flow cytometry, and real-time PCR were used to investigate the cytotoxicity of quercetin-loaded liposomes on the colorectal cancer cells SW48 cell line, the incidence of apoptosis, and the expression of the EGFR gene in these cells. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS (version 26.0), and the graphs were created with the GraphPad Prism version 8.4.3. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The nanoparticles were spherical, homogenous, and 150±10 nm in size. According to HPLC, Quercetin had a 98% loading capacity. Although both free quercetin and quercetin-loaded liposomes indicated significant cytotoxicity against cancer cells (P˂0.001), the combined form was significantly more active (P=0.008). 50 µg/mL of this compound reduced the viability of SW48 cells by more than 80% (IC50: 10.65 µg/mL), while the viability of cells treated with free quercetin was only 66% (IC50: 18.74 µg/mL). The apoptosis was nearly doubled in the cells treated with quercetin-loaded nanoliposomes compared to free quercetin (54.8% versus 27.6%). EGFR gene expression, on the other hand, was significantly lower in cells treated with quercetin-loaded liposomes than the quercetin alone (P=0.006).  When combined with nanoliposomes, quercetin had greater anti-proliferative, apoptotic, and anti-EGFR expression than free quercetin.

 Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that impairs plasma lipid levels and prone a person to cardiovascular diseases. Since standard therapies in diabetes control fail in many patients, using herbal medicines in these patients has been considered.

 The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Nigella sativa (NS) seed powder on blood sugar and fat profile in type 2 diabetic patients.

 Eighty patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited and randomly assigned into control and experimental groups. The experimental group received a capsule containing Nigella sativa seed powder for two months, and the control group received a placebo. Blood glucose and lipid profile data were statistically analyzed at the end of two months. This study was conducted in diabetic clinic of Khomein City during the 2019 - 2020 year. The groups were compared using a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) test.

 The mean age of patients was 53.82 in the experimental group and 55.12 in the control group. In comparison between the two measurements before and after the interventions, the variables glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), cholesterol (Chol), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) showed a statistically significant difference (P = 0.0001). The interactive effect between the control and intervention groups before and after the interventions was statistically significant for the postprandial glucose (PPG) variable (P = 0.035).

 The results of our study showed that the consumption of NS seed in diabetic patients could change the fat profile and reduce hemoglobin HbA1c, which indicated that Nigella sativa seed had been effective in reducing blood sugar over time.