A Djazayeri, Mahmood M.m. Farahani, H Nazem,
Volume 6, Issue 4 (2-1993)
Abstract
Hypertension is a common health problem. Hypotensive drugs and low salt diet are used
in its treatment. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of a low-salt diet and
drug therapy in the treatment of arterial hypertension. A total of 256 randomly selected patients
with essential hypertension consulting the Non-contagious Diseases Clinic in Shahreza,
Isfahan, Iran, were included in the study for a period of 28 days. They were divided into four
groups. Groups A and B received both methyldopa (250 mg t.i.d.) and hydrochlorothiazide
(daily 10 mg), the former consuming a normal and the second a low-salt diet. Groups C and
D consumed a low-salt and a salt-free diet, respectively, with no drugs. Both treatments A and
B caused statistically significant reductions in blood pressure even after seven days, but treatment
B was much more effective. Reductions in blood pressure in Groups C and D were very
little, even after 28 days. Using the three-way classification of analysis of variance, it was revealed
that interactions existed among the three factors, i.e., age, diet and length of treatment,
as regards lowering blood pressure. We conclude, confirming previous reports in the literature,
that a low-salt diet potentiates the hypotensive action of antihypertensive drugs.
Somayeh Athari Nik Azm, Abolghassem Djazayeri, Majid Safa, Kian Azami, Mahmoud Djalali, Mohammad Sharifzadeh, Mohammadreza Vafa,
Volume 31, Issue 1 (1-2017)
Abstract
Background: Nowadays, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is considered as Type 3 diabetes in which insulin resistance is the common cause of both diseases. Disruption of insulin signaling cascade and insulin resistance can induce AD; and central insulin resistance causes systemic alterations in serum insulin, FBS levels, and lipid profile. Studies have shown that probiotics (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species) can be used as a nutritional approach to improve these metabolic changes. We assessed the probiotic effect (4 species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) on insulin resistance biomarkers in an experimental model of AD.
Methods: A total of 60 rats were divided into 5 groups: (1) a control group without surgical and dietary intervention; (2) a control-probiotics group receiving probiotics for 8 weeks, but not receiving any surgical intervention; (3) a group receiving a sham operation in which PBS was injected intrahippocampus but without dietary intervention; (4) an Alzheimer group for which Amyloid-ß (Aß) 1-42 was injected intrahippocampus but without dietary intervention; (5) and an Alzheimer-probiotics group for which Aß1-42 was injected intrahippocampus and given 2g probiotics for 8 weeks. The FBS levels and lipid profile were measured by a calorimetric method, insulin levels were detected by an ELISA kit, and HOMA-IR was calculated using a formula. ANOVA (one way analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni comparisons post hoc) was used to compare all the variables between groups.
Results: Serum glucose, insulin levels, and HOMA-IR index increased in the Alzheimer group compared to the control (p<0.001), while probiotics decreased only insulin level and HOMA-IR index in AP group compared to Alzheimer group (p<0.001). Also, TG levels increased in the Alzheimer group (p<0.001), but no significant difference was detected between Alzheimer and Alzheimer-probiotics group.
Conclusion: It seems that probiotics play an effective role in controlling glycemic status of Alzheimer’s disease.
