Objective: To study the health effects of selenium tea on cardiovascular system. Methods : Four groups of Wistar rats were fed standard diet and water, standard diet and selenium tea , high fat diet and water ,high fat diet and selenium tea respectively. Twelve weeks later, the plasma apoA , apoB, body weight, whole blood viscosity , plasma viscosity , and hematorcrit were determined while plasma fibrinogen and inhibition of erythrocyte aggregation were calculated. Results: At the end of the experiment ,the plasma apoA level of selenium tea groups was significantly higher than that of control group, while the ratio of apoB/apoA was significantly lower than that of control group. Selenium tea decreased the whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity and inhibited erythrocyte aggregation and body weight. Conclusion: Selenium tea could significantly improve the lipoprotein metabolism and hermorrheology and decrease body weight of the rats fed high fat diet.

Objective: To investigate the effect of taurine on learning and memory impairment, cytokines secretion in rats intrahippocampally injected with ?-amyloid (A?) 1-40. Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into control group, A? injected group, taurine (0.3g/kg?d, 0.6g/kg?d) groups. The rats were fed with taurine for 7 days, and then subjected to bilateral intrahippocampus injection of A?1-40 or vehicle. Two weeks later, all rats performed Morris water maze test. The contents of IL-6, TNF-? were checked by way of radio-immunity assay for hippocampus samples. Results: Compared with A?model group, the escape latency and distance were significantly reduced in taurine (0.6g/kg?d) group; the ratio of swimming distance in the target quadrant to that in the whole pool of the probe trial; the content of cytokines of IL-6 and TNF-?in hippocampus were reduced significantly. Conclusion: Taurine can effectively attenuate the cognitive dysfunction caused by A?1-40 in rats. The reduced cytokines content in hippocampus might contribute to this effect.

Objective To investigate the effect of excessive all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) on mouse embryonic palatal fusion and the mechanism. Method Palatal shelves from embryonic D 13 embryonic mice were cultured in BGJb medium and treated with vehicle control only or 5 ?mol/L atRA for 72 h. Palatal fusion was examined by hemagglutinin esterase. Apoptosis and laminin were detected by TUNEL and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The level of Smad2 phosphorylation (pSmad2) was analyzed by Western blot. Results atRA led to failure of palatal fusion and inhibited the migration and apoptosis of medial edge epithelial cells (MEE) and degradation of basal lamina within, compared with control palatal shelves in cultures. Additionally, apoptosis was detected in mesenchyme of atRA-treated palatal shelves. Further experiment revealed that pSmad2 was abrogated by atRA. Conclusion atRA induced failure of palatal fusion through inhibition of apoptosis of the MEE cell and degradation of basal lamina within medial edge epithelial seam. Inhibition of pSmad2 may account for the failure of palatal fusion by atRA.

Objective To study the changes of COX-2 and apoptosis gene Bcl-2,Bax expression in the inhibition effect of DHA on pancreatic cancer cell lin(ePatu8988)in vitro and investigate the mechanism. Method The inhibition of cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis induction and COX-2, Bcl-2, Bax expression were evaluated by flowcytometry. Results DHA could inhabit the proliferation of pancreatic cell and induce cell apoptosis, both of which were time-dependent and dose-dependent(P

Objective To study the preventive and therapeufic effect of sheep bone collagen peptide (SBCP) on osteoporosis of ovariectomized rats. Method Thirty-two 3.5 mon unmated SD female rats were randomly divided into 4 groups by weight:blank group (sham operation), control group (ovariectomized), sample 1 group (ovariectomized and fed freeze drying SBCP) and sample 2 group (ovariectomized and fed spray drying SBCP). Seven days after ovariectomy,the blank group and ovariectomized group were given distilled water (1 ml/100 g?d), the sample 1 and sample 2 group were given sample 1 and sample 2 (1000mg/kg.d). Body weight, feed efficiency, serum bone metabolizing index and bone density (BD), length and diameter of femur were measured 10 w later. Results The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of ovariectomized or control group was significantly increased, but the increase was restrained in sample 1 and sample 2 group. The BGP of ovariectomized group was significantly higher than that of the blank group, and the BGP of sample 1 and sample 2 group was lower than that of the ovariectomized group, nearly equal to the blank group. The BD of ovariectomized group was declined significantly, but that of sample 1 and sample 2 group was declined slowly. The BD of sample 2 group washigher than that of ovariedomized group, even similar to the blank group. The length and diameter of femur in the sample groups were larger than those of ovariectomized group. The effect of sample 1 and sample 2 on serum bone metabolism indices and femur size was not significantly different. Conclusion Sheep bone collagen polypeptide can reduce the resorption of bone, promote bone growth, and also reduce postmenopausal osteoporosis effectively. The different drying methods have no difference in the anti-osteoporosis effect.

Objective To investigate the effect of milk basic protein (MBP) on bone metabolism in normal and ovariectomized (Ovx) rats. Method Forty-eight female Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized and another 12 rats received sham operation (Sham). After 10 d recovery period, the Ovx rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose MBP group. Another 44 normal female rats without ovariectomy were also divided into 4 groups as above. The MBP dosages for each group were respectively 0, 10, 20, 30 mg/kg bw. All rats were i.g. administered for 90 d. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the femur (at proximal end, middle of diaphysis, and distal end) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in vivo. The amounts of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus were analyzed by ICP-AES. Results BMD at distal end of femur was significantly higher in normal low-dose group than in normal control group while no significant effect was observed in Ovx MBP groups. As for the amounts of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, there were no significant differences among normal experimental groups and also among Ovx experimental groups. However, some variations in the level of those minerals were observed. Conclusion MBP at 10 mg/kg bw significantly elevated BMD at femoral distal end in normal rats, while no similar effect was observed in Ovx rats. Besides its influence on bone minerals, there may be another mechanism involved in its effect on bone metabolism.

Objective To analyze slowly the digestibility and postprandial glycemic response after consum of different cereal starch. Method Starch was quantified into different nutritional fractions using the in vitro Englyst test. Ten healthy subjects consumed 7 kinds of carbohydrate foods with 50 g normal maize starch, waxy maize starch, wheat starch, sticky rice starch, rice starch, potato starch or glucose. Blood samples from postprandial zero to 120 min after consumption of test materials were collected for measurement of glucose, glycemic index and extended glycemic index. Results Native cereal starch was ideal slowly digestible starch (SDS) and the proportion of SDS was about 50% based on Englyst test. The GI value of cereal starch was more than 90% and belonged to high glycemic index foods, but EGI was positive, regarding glucose powder as 100%. Conclusion Cereal starch with slow digestibility and similar glycemic response was a better carbohydrate material to provide a slow and prolonged release of blood glucose and maintenance of glucose homeostasis, which was potentially beneficial to health.

Objective To study the antitumour, immunomodulating and enterobacteria regulating effects of exopolysaccharides (EPS). Method The suppressive rate of growth of sarcoma 180, the index of immunity, and the intestinal microflora were determined. Results (1) EPS inhibited the growth of sarcoma 180 by oral for BALB/c mice significantly. The suppressive rate at the dose of 120mg/kg bw?d was 42.7%. (2) At the dose of 120mg/kg bw?d the index of thymus and IL-2 in serum increased significantly. There was increasing trend in respect of TNF-? and killing activation of NK cell. (3) The amounts of Lactobacillus in groups treated with EPS increased significantly, and the amounts of Enterobacteriacea and Enterococcus droped significantly. Conclusion EPS had the antitumour effect in vivo, and could modulate the immune function, improve the microbial balance in the intestinal tract of tumour bearing mice to some extent. So the antitumour mechanism was probably correlated with the immunomodulating effect.

Objective To study the effect of Chinese wild rice diet on lipid metabolism in rats. Method Forty four male SD rats were divided into 4 groups:control group, high lipid group, white rice-flour group and Chinese wild rice group. All groups were given different experimental diets for 8 w and body weights, serum TC, TG, HDL-C, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), TNF-? and IL-6 were measured. Results The hyperlipidemic rat model was successfully induced. When compared with high lipid group and white rice-flour diet group, serum TG and TC contents were significantly decreased, and HDL-C significantly increased in the Chinese wild rice group. Moreover, Chinese wild rice group had lower contents of serum hs-CRP and TNF-? than those in high lipid group and white rice-flour group, but no effect on serum IL-6. Conclusion Chinese wild rice could improve lipid metabolism and low-grade inflammation of hyperlipidemic rats induced by high lipid diet.