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Consumption of diet rich in lignans may decrease the risk of some chronic hormonal conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This study investigated whether a lignan-rich extract from flaxseed hulls, LinumLife EXTRA (LLE), could prevent BPH using the testosterone propionate (TP)-induced BPH rat model. Male Wistar-Unilever rats were randomly divided into four groups of 12 rats each: a negative control group fed with control diet and receiving daily subcutaneous injections of corn oil without TP, and three groups fed with control diet (positive control), diet containing 0.5% LLE (LLE 0.5) or 1.0% LLE (LLE 1.0) and receiving daily subcutaneous injections of TP in corn oil. Treatments with diets started 2 weeks before the induction of BPH and were carried out for 5 consecutive weeks. The influence of TP and LLE on body weight (BW), food and water consumptions, and enterolactone (ENL) levels in serum and urine of rats was examined at the end of the 5-week treatment period. TP significantly diminished the mean body weight gain (MBWG) of positive control rats and their food and water consumptions while LLE reduced significantly this MBWG reduction in a dose-dependent manner. The lignan-rich extract significantly inhibited TP-induced prostate size ratio (prostate weight/rat BW) increase in comparison with positive controls ( P<.001). This effect was dose dependent. Higher serum and urine levels of ENL correlated well with the dose of extract provided to rats. It was concluded that the lignan-rich flaxseed hull extract prevented the TP-induced BPH indicating it might be beneficial in the prevention of BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a major public health problem affecting about 12% of the world population. Drugs exist but they have many side effects. In the last few years, natural substances (e.g. flavonoids) have been tested to cure such disorders. Cocoa polyphenolic extract is a complex compound prepared from non-roasted cocoa beans containing high levels of flavonoids. The antidepressant-like effect of cocoa polyphenolic extract was evaluated using the forced swimming test in rats. Cocoa polyphenolic extract significantly reduced the duration of immobility at both doses of 24 mg/kg/14 days and 48 mg/kg/14 days, although no change of motor dysfunction was observed with the two doses tested in the open field. The results of the forced swimming test after a subchronic treatment and after an additional locomotor activity test confirm the assumption that the antidepressant-like effect of cocoa polyphenolic extract in the forced swimming test model is specific. Further, it can be speculated that this effect might be related to its content of active polyphenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of the dextrin NUTRIOSE®6 (Dex) on colonic inflammation. Five percent of Dex or Glucose (Glu) diets were administered for 2 weeks to Wistar male rats prior to colitis induction with 1mg of TNBS (2,4,6-Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid) or 20% ethanol (vehicle). An aversive light stimulus avoidance test (ALSAT) was performed to assess the cognitive performances of rats that are correlated to pain. Growth, food intake and biological parameters as caecal wall thickness, enzyme activities, short chain fatty acid content were investigated. Macro and microscopic scores of colonic inflammation of each treatment groups were compared. The results suggest that Dex prevents colonic inflammation induced by ethanol and TNBS administrations and have positive consequences on cognitive impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of long-term intervention with oligofructose-enriched inulin on behavioral cognitive, and visuomotor coordination in rats. Three-month-old male and female rats were randomly distributed into two groups receiving either a diet with 10% oligofructose-enriched inulin (SYN1) or a standard diet tested at 12, 18 and 24 months of age. Rats supplemented with SYN1 showed age- and sex-related improvements in spatial learning abilities, depression, anxiety, and visuomotor speed more prominent at 12 and 18 months. These results suggest that long-term intervention with SYN1 can improve cognitive and emotional aspects of aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garum Armoricum® (GA), a compound rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, free amino acids, small peptides, vitamins and minerals, was evaluated on two fear-related assays in rats. GA and diazepam (DZP) increased entries into open arms relative to placebo, as well as percentage of open arm entries in the elevated plus-maze test. In a similar fashion, all drugged groups spent more time inside the open arms and less time inside the enclosed arms. After a two-day period of conditioned avoidance learning of an aversive bright light, GA and vehicle groups successfully discriminated the active from the inactive lever. On the initial day of acquisition, GA and piracetam (PIR) groups achieved successful discrimination though the control group did not. These results indicate that GA may have anxiolytic-like effects without causing learning deficiencies. These psychotropic properties of GA may be due to the synergistic action of its active constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]