AIM: To study the association between lipid profile and retinal hard exudates in diabetic retinopathy (DR) and the association between oxidized-LDL with systemic diseases among type 2 diabetic patients.another 40 patients without DR. Demographic data was collected and comprehensive ocular examination was performed. Nine mL venous blood was taken for fasting serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, ox-LDL, and for HbA1C. Compared to patients without retinopathy 5.0±1.03mmol/L (P=0.001). The mean serum LDL was 3.6±1.69mmol/L in retinopathy group compared to 3.0±1.02mmol/L in the contol group (P=0.005). There was a higher concentration of serum cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL in patients with severe retinal hard exudates compared to those with mild and moderate, however it was not statistically significant (P=0.082, 0.116, 0.218) respectively. The mean serum oxidized-LDL concentration was higher in DR with severe retinal hard exudates compared to mild and moderate. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean oxidized LDL with other systemic diseases or duration of diabetes.and LDL with DR. However there was no association between serum lipid profile with the severity of retinal hard exudates. Serum ox-LDL was also not associated with DR and other systemic co-morbidities in our study.

Patients with cancer are prone to several debilitating side effects including fatigue, insomnia, depression and cognitive disturbances. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) as a health promoting functional food may be potentially beneficial in cancer. As a source of polyphenols, flavonoids, dietary nitrates and other useful nutrients, beetroot supplementation may provide a holistic means to prevent cancer and manage undesired effects associated with chemotherapy. The main aim of this narrative review is to discuss beetroot’s nutrient composition, current studies on its potential utility in chemoprevention and cancer-related fatigue or treatment-related side effects such as cardiotoxicity. This review aims to provide the current status of knowledge and to identify the related research gaps in this area. The flavonoids and polyphenolic components present in abundance in beetroot support its significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities. Most in vitro and in vivo studies have shown promising results; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying chemopreventive and chemoprotective effects of beetroot have not been completely elucidated. Although recent clinical trials have shown that beetroot supplementation improves human performance, translational studies on beetroot and its functional benefits in managing fatigue or other symptoms in patients with cancer are still lacking.

Patients with cancer are prone to several debilitating side effects including fatigue, insomnia, depression and cognitive disturbances. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) as a health promoting functional food may be potentially beneficial in cancer. As a source of polyphenols, flavonoids, dietary nitrates and other useful nutrients, beetroot supplementation may provide a holistic means to prevent cancer and manage undesired effects associated with chemotherapy. The main aim of this narrative review is to discuss beetroot’s nutrient composition, current studies on its potential utility in chemoprevention and cancer-related fatigue or treatment-related side effects such as cardiotoxicity. This review aims to provide the current status of knowledge and to identify the related research gaps in this area. The flavonoids and polyphenolic components present in abundance in beetroot support its significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities. Most in vitro and in vivo studies have shown promising results; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying chemopreventive and chemoprotective effects of beetroot have not been completely elucidated. Although recent clinical trials have shown that beetroot supplementation improves human performance, translational studies on beetroot and its functional benefits in managing fatigue or other symptoms in patients with cancer are still lacking.

Introduction: Resistance towards treatment is one of the challenges in breast cancer therapy. Recent studies show the link between lipoprotein with cancer resistance and progression. Clinical data indicates that oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) play roles the progression of breast cancer. Therefore, purpose of this study was to determine the roles of lipoproteins on migration of breast cancer cell and compare the effects of oxLDL and VLDL. Methods: Parent MCF-7 cells were purchased from ATCC, while the Tamoxifen-resistant MCF-7 (Tam-R MCF-7) was developed by pulse treatment method. Tam-R cells were treated with gradual increase in tamoxifen concentration for 72 hours in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM) without phenol red. Cell viability test was done to measure the fold changes of Tam-R MCF-7 cells. Migration characteristics was studied using wound healing assay. Cells were treated with 10 μg/mL of oxLDL and VLDL up to 72 hours. Results: From the cell viability test, Tam-R MCF-7 cells had 4-fold increase of resistance than parental cells. Tam-R MCF-7 had acquired resistance to Tamoxifen and achieved a clinically relevant level of resistance. Lipoproteins were found to cause morphological changes, where cells exhibited elongation and dendritic-like growth compared to control cells. Both MCF-7 parental cells and Tam-R MCF-7 cells showed higher percentage of wound closure when treated with oxLDL. In contrast, VLDL treatment caused reduction in cell migration compared to oxLDL. Conclusion: Findings suggest that oxLDL may further promote resistant breast cancer cell migration compared to VLDL.

Introduction: Kratom or (Mitragyna speciosa) leaves are consumed as a folk remedy and opioid substitute in the Southeast Asian region. There is still a lack of information about the long-term or toxic-causing effects of kratom use. Methods: A total of thirteen regular kratom users, with long-term (>20 twenty years) kratom use history were recruited for this cross-sectional pilot study. Respondents were required to undergo a blood-test and laboratory anaysis was conducted to determine the mitragynine content in an acquired street sample of kratom. Results: The regular, longterm consumption of brewed kratom decoction did not cause any significant alterations in haematological, kidney, liver, thyroid, inflammatory and gastrointestinal analytes in a cohort of kratom users who had no history of substance misuse. However, those who had a higher intake (>3 glasses per day) of kratom exhibited higher lipid values (except for HDL-cholesterol), and a moderate elevation of homocysteine level. Conclusion: Long-term (>20 years with a daily intake of ≥87.54mg of mitragynine) kratom consumption was not associated with altered biochemical levels, although prolonged and heavy use (>3 glasses daily) may result in cardiovascular risks. The latter finding, however, requires further investigation.