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Vitamin D-induced up-regulation of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in prostate cancer cells. Golovko O, Nazarova N, Tuohimaa P. Life Sci. 2005 Jun 17;77(5):562-77. Epub 2005 Feb 25. PMID: 15904673 doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2004.10.072 Combined addition of human recombinant TNF-alpha with calcitriol or CB1093 cause enhanced effect in induction of apoptosis. We conclude that under physiological conditions vitamin D activates only the transcription of TNF-alpha gene, for TNF-alpha protein synthesis additional cofactors are required. Therefore a cooperation of vitamin D and TNF-alpha may play an important role in the control of cell growth in prostate cancer.

25-Hydroxyvitamin D(3) is an agonistic vitamin D receptor ligand. Lou YR, Molnár F, Peräkylä M, Qiao S, Kalueff AV, St-Arnaud R, Carlberg C, Tuohimaa P. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2009 Nov 26. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19944755 doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2009.11.011 In conclusion, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 is an agonistic vitamin D receptor ligand with gene regulatory and anti-proliferative properties.

"MedWire News: Zinc supplements could increase the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) in healthy people by decreasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, researchers claim. Initial findings from a meta-analysis in 14,238 participants from 20 trials suggested no impact of zinc supplements on plasma lipoprotein levels. But a secondary analysis in healthy individuals showed that zinc was associated with a significant decrease in plasma HDL concentrations. Furthermore, zinc was linked with a significant decrease in HDL cholesterol levels among participants with Type 2 diabetes or those undergoing hemodialysis. The researchers suggest the result in patients with diabetes may relate to the action of zinc in determining insulin levels. The meta-analysis included 33 interventions investigating the impact of zinc on lipid levels. The mean dose of elemental zinc used was 58 mg per day, which the researchers note is beyond the recommended upper level of intake of 40 mg."

Berberine lowers blood glucose in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients through increasing insulin receptor expression. Zhang H, Wei J, Xue R, Wu JD, Zhao W, Wang ZZ, Wang SK, Zhou ZX, Song DQ, Wang YM, Pan HN, Kong WJ, Jiang JD. Metabolism. 2009 Sep 3 doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2009.07.029 Liver function was improved greatly in these patients by showing reduction of liver enzymes. Our results confirmed the activity of BBR on InsR in humans and its relationship with the glucose-lowering effect. Together with our previous report, we strongly suggest BBR as an ideal medicine for T2DM with a mechanism different from metformin and rosiglitazone.

Neuroprotective effects of berberine on stroke models in vitro and in vivo. Zhou XQ, Zeng XN, Kong H, Sun XL. Neurosci Lett. 2008 Dec 5;447(1):31-6. Epub 2008 Sep 30. PMID: 18838103 doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2008.09.064 Findings of this study suggest that berberine protects against ischemic brain injury by decreasing the intracellular ROS level and subsequently inhibiting mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

Berberine inhibits adipogenesis in high-fat diet-induced obesity mice. Hu Y, Davies GE. Fitoterapia. 2009 Oct 25. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19861153 doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2009.10.010 Our previous studies illustrated that berberine inhibited adipogenesis in murine-derived 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and human white preadipocytes. In this study, the effects of berberine on the adipogenesis of high-fat diet-induced obesity (FD) or normal diet (ND) mice and possible transcriptional impact are investigated. The results demonstrated that in FD mice, berberine reduced mouse weight gain and food intake and serum glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels accompanied with a down-regulation of PPARgamma expression and an up-regulation of GATA-3 expression. Berberine had no adverse effects on ND mice. These encouraging findings suggest that berberine has excellent pharmacological potential to prevent obesity.

"MedWire News: High levels of selenium in the blood may worsen prostate cancer in some men who already have the disease, results of a US study suggest. In recent years, selenium supplements have been promoted as a means of preventing prostate cancer, largely based on observational studies that found higher prostate cancer incidence and mortality in geographical areas that are naturally low in selenium, compared with in those that are naturally high in the mineral. However, the current research findings suggest that "if you already have prostate cancer, it may be a bad thing to take selenium," said study researcher Dr Philip Kantoff, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, USA."

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and the risk of ovarian cancer. Toriola AT, Surcel HM, Agborsangaya C, Grankvist K, Tuohimaa P, Toniolo P, Lukanova A, Pukkala E, Lehtinen M. Eur J Cancer. 2009 Aug 25. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19713101 doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2009.08.002 Conclusion Overall, we did not observe a significant association between serum 25-OHD concentrations and the risk of ovarian cancer. However, we found evidence suggestive of an increased risk among women with low to insufficient serum 25-OHD concentrations.

Meta-analysis of longitudinal studies: Serum vitamin D and prostate cancer risk. Yin L, Raum E, Haug U, Arndt V, Brenner H. Cancer Epidemiol. 2009 Dec;33(6):435-45. Epub 2009 Nov 25. PMID: 19939760 doi:10.1016/j.canep.2009.10.014 CONCLUSIONS: According to available evidence from longitudinal studies, serum 25(OH)D is not associated with PC incidence.

"Lancet 2010; Advance online publication MedWire News: There is a U-shaped relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and mortality in people with diabetes, say researchers, meaning that intensive glucose-lowering therapy could be as harmful as uncontrolled hyperglycemia. Writing in The Lancet, Craig Currie (Cardiff University, UK) and team say that if their findings are confirmed then diabetes guidelines may need to be revised to include a lower as well as an upper HbA1c threshold. Currie's team used the UK General Practice Research Database from November 1986 to November 2008 to obtain data on two cohorts of patients aged 50 years and older with Type 2 diabetes. The patients comprised 27,965 individuals whose treatment had been intensified from oral monotherapy to combination therapy with oral blood-glucose lowering agents, and 20,005 who had changed to insulin-containing regimens."

Vitamin D and prevention of breast cancer: pooled analysis. Garland CF, Gorham ED, Mohr SB, Grant WB, Giovannucci EL, Lipkin M, Newmark H, Holick MF, Garland FC. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2007 Mar;103(3-5):708-11. PMID: 17368188 CONCLUSIONS: Intake of 2000 IU/day of Vitamin D(3), and, when possible, very moderate exposure to sunlight, could raise serum 25(OH)D to 52 ng/ml, a level associated with reduction by 50% in incidence of breast cancer, according to observational studies.

"A study conducted by Cedric Garland and other prominent vitamin D researchers determined that women with vitamin D levels above 52 ng/ml have half the risk of developing breast cancer as those with 13 ng/ml! Garland (et al) estimates that 58,000 new cases of breast cancer in the U.S. could be prevented per year by raising vitamin D levels to 52 ng/ml. Imagine what the global impact could be! "

Twice single doses of 100,000 IU of vitamin D in winter is adequate and safe for prevention of vitamin D deficiency in healthy children from Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina. Tau C, Ciriani V, Scaiola E, Acuña M. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2007 Mar;103(3-5):651-4. Epub 2007 Jan 25. PMID: 17257830 doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2006.12.027 These results disclosed that to prevent vitamin D deficiency for children at zones of risk at the south of our country, double supplementation of 100,000 IU of vitamin D during autumn and winter, would be adequate and safe.

"Is High Cholesterol The Cause of Heart Disease? An Interview with Uffe Ravnskov M.D. PhD. "

Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids is not associated with a reduction in carotid atherosclerosis: the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives study. Ebbesson SO, Roman MJ, Devereux RB, Kaufman D, Fabsitz RR, Maccluer JW, Dyke B, Laston S, Wenger CR, Comuzzie AG, Romenesko T, Ebbesson LO, Nobmann ED, Howard BV. Atherosclerosis. 2008 Aug;199(2):346-53. Epub 2007 Dec 4. PMID: 18054937 doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2007.10.020 Conclusions Dietary intake of omega-3 FAs in a moderate-to-high range does not appear to be associated with reduced plaque, but is negatively associated with IMT. The presence and extent of carotid atherosclerosis among Eskimos is higher with increasing consumption of saturated FAs.

Berberine and Coptidis rhizoma as novel antineoplastic agents: a review of traditional use and biomedical investigations. Tang J, Feng Y, Tsao S, Wang N, Curtain R, Wang Y. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Oct 29;126(1):5-17. Epub 2009 Aug 15. PMID: 19686830 doi:10.1016/j.jep.2009.08.009 Conclusions The modern evidences of treating cancer with Huanglian and berberine have a strong linkage with traditional concept and rules of using Huanglian in CM practice. As anticancer candidates with low toxicity, berberine and its altered structure, as well as Huanglian and its formulae, will attract scientists to pursue the potential anticancer effects and the mechanisms by using technologies of genomics, proteomics and other advanced approaches. On the other hand, relatively few in vivo studies have been conducted on anticancer effects of Huanglian and berberine. The clinical application of berberine or Huanglian as novel cancer therapeutic agents requires in vivo validations and further investigations of their anticancer mechanisms.

Synergistic anti-inflammatory effects of low doses of curcumin in combination with polyunsaturated fatty acids: docosahexaenoic acid or eicosapentaenoic acid. Saw CL, Huang Y, Kong AN. Biochem Pharmacol. 2010 Feb 1;79(3):421-30. Epub 2009 Sep 8. PMID: 19744468

Eggs distinctly modulate plasma carotenoid and lipoprotein subclasses in adult men following a carbohydrate-restricted diet. Mutungi G, Waters D, Ratliff J, Puglisi M, Clark RM, Volek JS, Fernandez ML. J Nutr Biochem. 2009 Apr 13. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19369056 We previously reported that carbohydrate restriction (CR) (10-15% en) during a weight loss intervention lowered plasma triglycerides (TG) by 45% in male subjects (P<.05). However, only those subjects from the EGG group presented higher concentrations of these two carotenoids in plasma, which were correlated with the higher concentra

"High serum selenium associated with elevated LDL and total cholesterol By Helen Albert 21 January 2010 Atherosclerosis 2009; Advance online publication MedWire News: High levels of serum selenium are associated with elevated total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, report US researchers. The results add weight to those of a previous UK study, reported by MedWire News, that reported an association between high plasma selenium and an adverse lipid profile. Eliseo Guallar (Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland) and colleagues carried out a cross-sectional analysis of 1159 individuals aged 56.8 years on average who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004."