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Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Actions of Passion Fruit Peel Extract in Modifying Osteoarthritis, Hypertension and Asthma

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... The raw fruits of P. foetida contained the essential amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and phenolic compounds (Song et al., 2018). The phenolic compound is the main constituent that has antioxidant activity as it inhibits oxidative damage, maintains the stability of cell membrane, also, anti-inflammatory (Cordova et al., 2013;Fidelis et al., 2019). The major flavonoids reported in this plant are O-glycoside or C-glycoside type flavonoids (Chiavaroli et al., 2020). ...
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Passiflora foetida also known as red fruits passionflower is widely found in Malaysia. Previous studies on this plant reported its therapeutic properties such as anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-hyperpigmentation, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-acetylcholinesterase, and antimicrobial activities. In this study, different parts of the plant (aerial, stem, leaf and fruit) were used for the phytochemical screening such as alkaloid, flavonoid, terpenoid and saponin tests. The aerial, leaf and stem parts show positive results in all tests, however, there are slightly different in color intensity of each test. The fruit, except for terpenoid, shows positive results in alkaloid, flavonoid and saponin tests. Then, thin layer chromatography (TLC) profile was carried out in various solvent systems including chloroform/methanol (9:1) solvent system and ethylacetate/hexane (1:9). The TLC profile shows that chloroform/methanol (9:1) solvent system give better separation of compounds as compared to ethylacetate/hexane (1:9) solvent system. There are characteristic spots found on the TLC plate that possibly attributed to the presence of flavonoids, steroids, and terpenoids. Moreover, the fresh aerial part extract of P. foetida was analyzed using 1H-NMR and found some signals that indicated the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the extract. This study can act as a preliminary study that provides the information on the metabolite profile of different parts of P. foetida and might be useful for the future study.
... There have been a number of attempts to search for high value, health-beneficial compounds in passion fruit peel. Positive effects of passion fruit peel extract on osteoarthritis, asthma, and hypertension were emphasized (Cordova et al., 2013). Polysaccharides (34.9 % yield) obtained from hot-water extraction of passion fruit peel flour showed in vivo but not in vitro inhibition effect on tumor cell which might indicate immunostimulating properties (Silva et al., 2012). ...
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Passion fruit is one of the well-known tropical fruits that can be consumed fresh and processed into several products. Due to a very large portion of by-products from peel and seed (more than 60 % of whole fruit weight), utilizing of these industrial by-products is necessary and can add much value to its supply chain. Interestingly, passion fruit by-products contain very valuable and health-beneficial components which attract manufacturers and researchers worldwide. Current by-product valorizing schemes that have been already commercialized including an extraction of seed oil and further fractionation of unsaponifiable fraction for cosmetic uses. In addition, seed extract containing functional phenolic compounds, piceatannol and scirpusin B is also in the market. At the same time, a number of research works on the peel have revealed various possibilities on adding value to this major waste particularly the extractions of pectic substances and other bioactive compounds.
... P. edulis also has anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of phenolic compounds possessing antioxidant activity that inhibit oxidative damage, therefore maintaining cell membrane stability. Among the phenolic compounds attributed with these properties, some forms of C-glucoside, orientin 2-rhamnoside, luteolin-6-Cchinovoside, and luteolin-6-C-fucoside have been identified (Cordova et al., 2013). Ichimura et al. (2006) found that the rind of several species of Passiflora fruit have a variety of phytochemical constituents with antihypertensive effects and can therefore be used to treat circulatory system diseases. ...
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Passifloraceae grow in warm tropical climates, as well as cold and subtropical areas within a certain range and latitude. The wide variety of existing microclimates in tropical regions favors a large diversity of Passifloraceae. These plants are used commercially not only in the food industry for consumption in both their fresh and processed form, but also, more recently, in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. To obtain a nutritional diagnosis of these plants, it is important to consider their phenological stage as it underpins the concentrations of macro and micronutrients in the leaf tissues. These plants with beautifully striking flowers have fruits with high commercial potential and bioactive compounds that have a very promising phytochemical value. Many of the species of this genus have a characteristic flavor because of volatile compounds such as esters, terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones, among others. Its major component is flavonoids, which represent about 2.5% of the phytochemicals present in their extract; these include apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, and kaempferol, among others. A broad variety of anthocyanins have been found in tissues of various organs of different species. These compounds contribute to the vibrant color patterns of their flowers and the deep purple fruit of some species. In most of these species, flavonoid glycosides are present in high amounts; these glycosides differ greatly in their content and concentration of substances originating from apigenin, saponins, cyanogenic glycosides, and harmala alkaloids. Extracts from different tissues of these species have potent antipyretic, antioxidant, sedative, tranquilizing, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antihypertensive, and analgesic properties.
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Fruit is the seed-bearing structure in angiosperms formed from the ovary after flowering. However, the term is restricted to the ripened ovaries that are sweet and either succulent or pulpy. Fruits play an important role in the life cycle of the plant in the dispersal of seeds. Fruits are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and a range of phytochemicals. Fruits ripen rapidly and are highly perishable due to which they are sometimes difficult to collect and transport. Therefore, apart from consumed as fresh, fruits are also frozen, canned, or dried. The shelf life of fruits can be extended by use of cooling processes like refrigeration or by the removal of oxygen from their storage or packaging containers. Fruits can be eaten raw or processed into different items like juice, jams, and jellies apart from being preserved by dehydration, canning, fermentation, and pickling.
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Diabetes mellitus, an endocrine disorder, is the major cause of morbidity in developing countries, and it is considered the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. The conventional therapy for diabetes is insulin treatment. The peel of the Passion fruit is rich in fiber and prevents the absorption of carbohydrates, and thus can control and reduce the blood sugar rate. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of the passion fruit peel flour on the glicemia of diabetic rats, as well as to study the probable action mechanisms. Wistar rats were used in the experiment and were offered the flours of the passion fruit peel in three concentrations: 5, 10, and 15%, and a casein diet as control. The most significant effect on the reduction of the glicemic rate was obtained with the 5% diet. The best values of hepatic glycogen were found in the 5 and 10% diets. The results of this study suggest that the 5% passion fruit flour diet was the one that provided the best reduction of blood glucose levels (59%) and the higher increase of the hepatic glycogen level (71%). The conversion of blood glucose into hepatic glycogen was considered the probable action mechanism involved.
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Asthma, affecting as many as 400 million individuals worldwide, is one of the most prevalent chronic health condition in the United States. With an increasing number of patients with asthma and the frequent inability of conventional lifestyle modification and therapy to effectively control the problem, nutritional and dietary therapies are being sought. This study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of the purple passion fruit peel (PFP) extract, a novel mixture of bioflavonoids, on asthma symptoms. Patients with asthma were studied in a 4-week randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial with oral administration of PFP extract (150 mg/d) or placebo pills. The effects of PFP extract were evaluated by assessing the clinical symptoms of asthma and spirometry tests. Most clinical symptoms of asthma of the PFP extract-treated group were moderated significantly compared to the baseline. The prevalence of wheeze, cough, as well as shortness of breath was reduced significantly in group treated with PFP extract (P < .05), whereas the placebo caused no significant improvement. Purple passion fruit peel extract supplementation resulted in a marked increase in forced vital capacity (P < .05) as placebo showed no effect. However, no significant improvement was observed in the forced expiratory volume at 1 second of those supplemented with PFP extract. No adverse effect was reported by any of study participants. The PFP extract may be safely offered to asthmatic subjects as an alternative treatment option to reduce clinical symptoms.
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Several antioxidant nutrients have been reported to be inversely associated with asthma. A study was undertaken to assess the independent associations of these nutrients with asthma in adults. A nested case-control study was performed in 515 adults with physician diagnosed asthma and 515 matched controls using dietary data obtained from 7 day food diaries. The main outcome measures were physician diagnosed asthma and current symptomatic asthma (diagnosed asthma and self-reported wheeze within the previous 12 months). Cases were similar to controls in age, sex, social class, and daily energy intake but had a lower median intake of fruit (132.1 v 149.1 g/day, p< or =0.05). 51.5% of the population reported zero consumption of citrus fruit; relative to these individuals, people who consumed >46.3 g/day had a reduced risk of diagnosed and symptomatic asthma (OR adjusted for potential confounders 0.59 (95% CI 0.43 to 0.82) and 0.51 (95% CI 0.33 to 0.79), respectively). In nutrient analysis, dietary vitamin C and manganese were inversely and independently associated with symptomatic asthma (adjusted OR per quintile increase 0.88 (95% CI 0.77 to 1.00) for vitamin C and 0.85 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.98) for manganese), but only manganese was independently associated with diagnosed asthma (OR 0.86 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.95)). Adjusted plasma levels of vitamin C were significantly lower in symptomatic cases than in controls (54.3 v 58.2 micromol/l, p = 0.003). Symptomatic asthma in adults is associated with a low dietary intake of fruit, the antioxidant nutrients vitamin C and manganese, and low plasma vitamin C levels. These findings suggest that diet may be a potentially modifiable risk factor for the development of asthma.
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Orally administered methanol extract of Passiflora edulis rind (10 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg) or luteolin (50 mg/kg), which is one of consistent polyphenols of the extract, significantly lowered systolic blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Quantitative analysis by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) showed that the extract contained 20 microg/g dry weight of luteolin and 41 microg/g dry weight of luteolin-6-C-glucoside. It also contained gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA, 2.4 mg/g dry weight by LC-MS/MS or 4.4 mg/g dry weight by amino acid analysis) which has been reported to be an antihypertensive material. Since the extract contained a relatively high concentration of GABA, the antihypertensive effect of the extract in SHRs might be due mostly to the GABA-induced antihypertensive effect and partially to the vasodilatory effect of polyphenols including luteolin.
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Background Recent studies have demonstrated a role for spinal p38 MAP kinase (MAPK) in the development of chronic inflammation and peripheral arthritis and a role for GABA in the inhibition of p38 MAPK mediated effects. Integrating these data suggests that GABA may play a role in downregulating mechanisms that lead to the production of proinflammatory agents such as interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and matrix metalloproteinase 3 – agents implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Genetic studies have also associated RA with members of the p38 MAPK pathway. Hypothesis We propose a hypothesis for an inefficient GABA signaling system that results in unchecked proinflammatory cytokine production via the p38 MAPK pathway. This model also supports the need for increasing research in the integration of immunology and neuroscience.
Article
The flour of the passion fruit peel is rich in a soluble fiber called pectin. In order to evaluate the effect of this flour on cholesterol reduction, a pilot clinical study, was carried out with nineteen women, aged between 30 and 60 years, all of whom presented high cholesterol level (cholesterol ≥ 200 mg/dL). The treatment consisted of daily doses of 30 g of the flour during 60 days. At the end of the 60 days it was observed a statistical reduction (p < 0.05) of the total cholesterol (p = 0,00000) and LDL-cholesterol (p = 0,01193) levels. The results suggested that the passion fruit peel flour, rich in pectin, can be used in human diet, with a large variety of foods, or as a raw material for other products intending to reduce cholesterol levels.
Article
Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is an exotic climbing vine. Originating in South America, passion fruit is now grown worldwide as an edible fruit for the food industry. It has been used widely in folk medicine in South America to treat anxiety, insomnia, asthma, bronchitis and urinary infection. The constituents of different extracts include flavonoids, alkaloids, cyanogenic compounds, glycosides, vitamins, minerals and terpenoid compounds. The in vitro inhibitory effect of fruit aqueous extract on matrix-metalloprotease 2 and 9 has been shown. While some animal studies have described anxiolytic effect of leaf extract, one provided contradictory evidence. However, objective scientific validation of the putative health benefits of P. edulis in humans is still lacking. Although short-term adverse effects of crude leaf extract in human have been described, there is not any large-scale case-control study. This situation has led to questionable conclusions concerning specific health benefits or risks of P. edulis. Further studies are warranted to explore the efficacy and safety of P. edulis extracts.
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Hypertension is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. We investigated the potential antihypertensive effect of the purple passion fruit peel (PFP) extract, a mixture of bioflavonoids, phenolic acids, and anthocyanins, in spontaneously hypertensive rats and human. A high-performance liquid chromatography analysis was performed to identify the active ingredients of the PFP extract. In a rat liver toxicity assay, no hepatotoxicity was observed after 9 hours incubation in the presence of PFP extract (20 μg/mL). The PFP extract also revealed hepatoprotection against chloroform (1 mmol/L)-induced liver injury. In the experimental model, 24 spontaneously hypertensive rats were divided into 3 treatment groups for a period of 8weeks: control group and groups fed diet supplemented with either 10 or 50 mg/kg PFP extract. The diet supplemented with PFP extract at 50 mg/kg significantly lowered systolic blood pressure by 12.3mm Hg (P < .01) and markedly decreased serum nitric oxide level by 65% (P < .05) compared with the control group. The effect of the treatment on immune parameters was also evaluated, which showed no statistical changes. Studies were then extended to hypertensive human subjects who were administered PFP extract (400 mg/d) or placebo pills within a 4-week randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. The effects of the PFP extract were evaluated by blood pressure measurement. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the PFP extract–treated group decreased significantly by 30.9 ± 6.3 and 24.6 ± 3.3 mm Hg, respectively, compared with the placebo group (P < .001). No adverse effect was reported by the patients. The results suggest that the antihypertensive effect of the PFP extract may, in part, be mediated through nitric oxide modulation. It is suggested that the PFP extract may be offered as a safe alternative treatment to hypertensive patients.
Article
Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is an exotic climbing vine. Originating in South America, passion fruit is now grown worldwide as an edible fruit for the food industry. It has been used widely in folk medicine in South America to treat anxiety, insomnia, asthma, bronchitis and urinary infection. The constituents of different extracts include flavonoids, alkaloids, cyanogenic compounds, glycosides, vitamins, minerals and terpenoid compounds. The in vitro inhibitory effect of fruit aqueous extract on matrix-metalloprotease 2 and 9 has been shown. While some animal studies have described anxiolytic effect of leaf extract, one provided contradictory evidence. However, objective scientific validation of the putative health benefits of P. edulis in humans is still lacking. Although short-term adverse effects of crude leaf extract in human have been described, there is not any large-scale case-control study. This situation has led to questionable conclusions concerning specific health benefits or risks of P. edulis. Further studies are warranted to explore the efficacy and safety of P. edulis extracts.
Article
Passion fruit rinds and seeds, by-products of the juice industry, present a serious disposal problem. Experiments involving milch cows, wethers, and rats were conducted to determine the nutritive value of passion fruit by-products as animal feeds. Milk production, feed efficiency, digestion test, and growth data were used as criteria of evaluation. The oil from passion fruit seed was chemically and physically characterized. The by-products were satisfactory for supplementing or supplanting the carbonaceous feedstuffs for dairy cows. The seed oil can also be used to supply the fat requirements of animals.
Chapter
Heart failure, a growing public health problem worldwide, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries. Despite a widely varying and diverse etiology and pathophysiology of heart failure, increased neurohormonal and autonomic nervous system activities and maladaptive cardiac remodeling play crucial roles in the progression of most forms of heart failure. Recent evidence suggests that increased oxidative stress, associated with excessive generation of highly reactive free radicals and an endogenous antioxidants deficit, plays an etiopathological role in the development of heart failure. There is a growing body of evidence to support the beneficial effects of flavonoid-rich dietary supplements on heart failure. These cardioprotective effects might be mediated through several different mechanisms including antioxidant and free-radical scavenging activities, neurohormonal modulation, immunomodulation, antiremodeling activity, and improving the associated coronary risk factors, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. However, further research needs to be undertaken to understand the exact underlying mechanisms, and to confirm the efficacy and safety of flavonoid-rich dietary supplements.
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Nitric oxide’s (NO) involvement in arthritis was first demonstrated when levels of nitrite, a stable endproduct of NO metabolism, were shown to be elevated in serum and synovial fluid samples of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis patients. NO production by chondrocytes, its involvement in various biochemical events of cartilage metabolism, and the in vivo suppression of experimental arthritis by NO synthase inhibitors further implicated NO in arthritis. However, a conclusive role for NO in the pathogenesis of arthritis remains to be defined, in contrast to the NO-cGMP signal transduction pathway of endothelium-mediated vasodilation. It appears that NO has limited modulating effects in cartilage metabolism, with evidence for both protective and deleterious effects. Recent developments that contribute to our understanding of NO’s role in arthritis are discussed.
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Pectin has protective, anti-inflammatory effects on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but the exact mechanism is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the immunological effect of dietary pectin in IL-10(-/-) mice, a murine model for IBD. Cytokine expression, CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell populations, and immunoglobulin secretion were observed in three groups of mice: normal (BALb/c), IL-10(-/-), and IL-10(-/-) treated with pectin. Pectin treatment reduced expression of TNF-α and GATA-3, an important transcription factor for the Th2 immune response. These mice also expressed lower levels of IgE in the spleen and Peyer's patches (PP) and lower IgG and IgM expression in PP. Interestingly, IL-10 deficiency resulted in lower CD4(+) and CD8(+) populations in the spleen, mesenteric lymph node (MLN), and PP; however, pectin counteracted these declines in the MLN and PP. Therefore, dietary pectin downregulates the inflammatory response in the colon by moderating the production of proinflammatory cytokines and immunoglobulins.
Article
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disorder and a major cause of pain and disability. The hypothesis tested in this study was that the passion fruit peel extract (PFP), a flavonoid-rich dietary supplement, would reduce symptoms due to knee OA. Thirty-three OA patients were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with parallel-group design. Patients received either placebo or PFP pills (150 mg, daily) in a double-blinded fashion for 2 months. The OA clinical symptoms were evaluated monthly with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index. In the PFP group, there was a significant improvement in total WOMAC score and WOMAC subscale score of physical function after 30 days and pain after 60 days. At 60 days, reductions of 18.6%, 18%, 19.6%, and 19.2% in pain, stiffness, physical function, and composite WOMAC score, respectively, were self-reported in the PFP group. Whereas, in the placebo group, the self-reported WOMAC scores increased in every category. The results of this study show that PFP substantially alleviated osteoarthritis symptoms. This beneficial effect of PFP may be due to its antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties.
Article
The cyanogen of Passiflora edulis Sims is identified as prunasin [2(R)-(β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-2-phenylacetonitrile] by 1H NMR. Quantitative assay of hydrogen cyanide in leaves and fruit at different stages of development shows potentially toxic levels to be present. Passion fruits contain the greatest amount of cyanide when immature, losing most of their cyanogenic capacity as they ripen. No significant difference was detected between edible and nonedible portions of fruit.
Article
Articular chondrocyte production of nitric oxide (NO) and other inflammatory mediators, such as eicosanoids and cytokines, are increased in human osteoarthritis. The excessive production of nitric oxide inhibits matrix synthesis and promotes its degradation. Furthermore, by reacting with oxidants such as superoxide anion, nitric oxide promotes cellular injury and renders the chondrocyte susceptible to cytokine-induced apoptosis. PGE(2) exerts anabolic and catabolic effects on chondrocytes, depending on the microenvironment and physiologic condition. The increased expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) in OA chondrocytes is largely due to the increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly IL-1, which act in an autocrine/paracrine fashion to perpetuate a catabolic state that leads to progressive destruction of articular cartilage. The initiating factors for the production of inflammatory mediators include altered biomechanical forces; their continued production may be augmented by an increase in extracellular matrix proteins acting through ligation of surface integrins.
Article
Yellow passion fruit juice (PFJ, Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) is an important component of many tropical fruit beverages, but limited data exist on its antioxidant chemical composition and stability during processing and storage. PFJ fortified with ascorbic acid (450 mg/L) and sucrose (10%) was compared to a nonfortified control, and each was evaluated with and without vacuum deaeration to remove dissolved oxygen. Following pasteurization, juices were stored for 28 days at 37 degrees C to accentuate physicochemical changes. Pasteurization (85 degrees C for 30 min) resulted in minor changes to physicochemical attributes, but appreciable changes occurred during storage that resulted in termination of the study after 28 days. Oxygen control strategies proved to be ineffective for quality retention and indicated oxygen-independent reactions affecting juice color, phytochemical content, and antioxidant activity. Ascorbic acid and sucrose fortification had an overall preservation effect on total carotenoids, the former resulting in hyperchromic shifts in absorbance, indicating their chemoprotection. Pasteurization resulted in a 25% loss in l-ascorbic acid, which was completely destroyed after 14 days of storage; losses coincided with increased juice browning and formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Numerous polyphenolics were present in PFJ, and 16 of them were tentatively characterized on the basis of spectral similarities to known standards. Individually, polyphenolics increased during pasteurization, only to decline during storage at elevated temperatures. Antioxidant activity was measured in PFJ and in two subfractions (hydrophilic and lipophilic) after processing and storage, but antioxidant values were nonadditive. A significant chemical interaction affecting antioxidant capacity was found for hydrophilic juice components, but none was observed in the presence of lipophilic phytochemicals. Physicochemical attributes and overall quality of PFJ were retained following pasteurization but were significantly impacted by degradative reactions during accelerated storage.
Article
Yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Degener) rind pectic substances were fractionated with water, ammonium oxalate, and dilute acid solutions. The extracted pectins were rich in anhydrogalacturonic acid and had a low degree of methyl esterification. Moreover, their acetyl groups and neutral sugar contents were relatively low. Furthermore, a low amount of proteinaceous material was also found within them. Their gelling ability and viscoelastic properties as evaluated by the SAG and small amplitude oscillatory shear tests, respectively, were comparable to those of a commercial citrus low-methoxyl pectin. Hence, yellow passion fruit rind occurs as a potentially good source of naturally low-methoxyl pectin.
Article
Although only 5-10% of patients with asthma are relatively unresponsive to treatment with inhaled corticosteroids, refractory asthma represents an important condition, as these patients suffer considerable morbidity and mortality and consume a disproportionately large amount of health resource. Treatment options are limited and there is a large unmet clinical need for additional therapies. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that has been implicated in many aspects of the airway pathology in asthma, and which has recently been highlighted as potentially important in refractory asthma. The development of neutralising biological agents against TNF-alpha has allowed us to test the role of this cytokine in vivo. Preliminary studies have demonstrated an improvement in lung function, airway hyperresponsiveness and asthma quality-of-life, together with a reduction in exacerbation frequency, in patients treated with anti-TNF-alpha therapy.
Article
To provide a single source for the best available estimates of the US prevalence of and number of individuals affected by osteoarthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis, gout, fibromyalgia, and carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as the symptoms of neck and back pain. A companion article (part I) addresses additional conditions. The National Arthritis Data Workgroup reviewed published analyses from available national surveys, such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the National Health Interview Survey. Because data based on national population samples are unavailable for most specific rheumatic conditions, we derived estimates from published studies of smaller, defined populations. For specific conditions, the best available prevalence estimates were applied to the corresponding 2005 US population estimates from the Census Bureau, to estimate the number affected with each condition. We estimated that among US adults, nearly 27 million have clinical osteoarthritis (up from the estimate of 21 million for 1995), 711,000 have polymyalgia rheumatica, 228,000 have giant cell arteritis, up to 3.0 million have had self-reported gout in the past year (up from the estimate of 2.1 million for 1995), 5.0 million have fibromyalgia, 4-10 million have carpal tunnel syndrome, 59 million have had low back pain in the past 3 months, and 30.1 million have had neck pain in the past 3 months. Estimates for many specific rheumatic conditions rely on a few, small studies of uncertain generalizability to the US population. This report provides the best available prevalence estimates for the US, but for most specific conditions more studies generalizable to the US or addressing understudied populations are needed.
Article
Within the framework for searching for new dietary fiber (DF) sources to remedy the increasing shortage of currently available sources, connected to an upsurge of diabetes, colon cancer, and other diverticular diseases in certain Ivorian areas, yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) rind, a byproduct from the juice industry that is available in large quantities, was investigated. The results showed that, as determined by the AOAC enzymatic-gravimetric method, the total dietary fiber (TDF) in alcohol-insoluble material (AIM) from yellow passion fruit (YPF) rind was >73% dry matter of which insoluble dietary fiber accounted for >60% (w/w). The determination of DF using the Saeman hydrolysis method revealed that nonstarchy polysaccharides were the predominant components (approximately 70%, w/w), of which cellulose appeared to be the main fraction. The water holding and oil holding capacities of the fiber-rich material were >3 g of water/g of fiber and >4 g of oil/g of fiber, respectively. All these results lead to the conclusion that DF from YPF rind, prepared as AIM, may be suitable to protect against diverticular diseases.