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Green tea contains many polyphenolic constitutes, which might prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed to investigate whether green tea extract (GTE) given at doses reflecting habitual consumption of green tea beverages prevents development of NAFLD in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four equal groups (two study and two control groups). The study groups received a HFD (approximately 50% energy from fat), enriched with 1.1% and 2.0% GTE, respectively, for a total of 56 days. The control groups were fed a HFD alone and normal standardised diet (low-fat diet), respectively, for the same period of time. The percentage of hepatocytes affected by steatosis in the HFD group (median [1st-3rd quartile]: 25% [12-34%]) was higher (p < 0.033 and p < 0.050, respectively) than in the HFD-2.0%GTE group (9% [3-18%]) and normal diet group (10% [5-18%]). No significant differences were observed for the group consuming HFD-1.1%GTE, in which intermediate results were observed (15% [4-30%]). This finding points towards the hepatoprotective potential of GTE in preventing dietary-induced liver steatosis. In view of the increasing incidence of overweight and obesity a simple and cheap dietary modification, such as GTE supplementation, could prove to be useful clinically.

Aging is the process of progressive accumulation of changes over time, which is additionally connected with increasing susceptibility to some diseases and ultimately leads to death. Aging is associated mainly with loss of permanent cells, e.g. in heart, skeletal muscle and brain. During aging neurons die mainly in the apoptotic way. Apoptosis can be divided into three phases: initiation, execution and degradation. During the execution phase activation of specific enzymes, caspases, is observed. These enzymes are responsible for initiation of the death machinery. Caspase-9 is connected with the internal pathway of apoptosis, which begins at the mitochondrium in response to apoptotic stimulants, such as free radicals, UV radiation or chemotherapeutics. Before the executive phase starts, cytochrome c leaks from the mitochondrium to the cytoplasm, where it joins to the protein Apaf-1 and procaspase-9 and forms a complex called the apoptosome. Then procaspase-9 is converted by autolysis to caspase-9, which subsequently activates procaspase-3 to the active form which ultimately leads to apoptosis. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated a small decrease in caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation during normal aging and an increase in this process after application of stress factors. Also increased apoptosis in the cerebrum after administration of a drug for Alzheimer disease, memantine, to aging rats was observed. Taken together, the results obtained in this study seem to confirm the neuroprotective effect of memantine on increasing levels of cells with active caspase-3 and active caspase-9. It probably improves caspase-dependent apoptosis in the aging brain.

Tobacco is one of the main factors responsible for the development of human tumors, cardiovascular diseases and non-malignant respiratory diseases. Tobacco products are harmful to health and they contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Many studies in humans and in animal models have shown that nicotine is addictive psychoactive drug, which triggers a cascade of neurobiological events in the brain reward centers leading to the intensity of behavior what aims to enhanced use of tobacco. In Poland the number of smokers is estimated at about 9.5 million people. Among active smokers is a significant number of medical students. 480 people have joined the study (253 women and 227 men): 416 student of Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (CM UMK), 59 students of biomedical engineering at the University of Technology and Life Sciences in Bydgoszcz and 5 employees of CM UMK. 13% of all respondents admitted to smoking cigarettes. Respondents students and university staff mainly responded affirmatively to the question about psychoactive addiction by smoking-Performed questionnaire also revealed a high awareness about the use of nicotine during smoking cessation. Most people had their first contact with tobacco smoke in the early years of life, meeting with tobacco smoke in the home and in school. A much smaller percentage of the students met for the first time to tobacco smoke in the later stages of education: high school and college. Even fewer respondents had their first encounter with tobacco smoke in the workplace. In summary, we can conclude that students and workers CM UMK show considerable awareness of the dangers of smoking and the addictive properties of tobacco smoke.

Smoking is currently the most significant risk factor for health according to WHO statements. It has been proven that smoking is the cause of many diseases, for example cardiovascular and respiratory tract diseases as well as impaired fertility and decreased immunity. The adverse effects of cigarette smoking on pregnancy and health of children were also proved. However, special attention is laid on impact of smoking on the development of cancer. In tobacco smoke there are over 4,000 different chemical substances and compounds, of which more than 50 are carcinogens. The present study was aimed to assess the knowledge of students and employees of Collegium Medicum of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (CM UMK), first on number and types of carcinogens contained in tobacco smoke and secondly on types of diseases caused by smoking. There were 480 responders included to the study(253 women and 227 men). Among them there were 416 students of CM UMK, 59 students of biomedical engineering at the University of Technology and Life Sciences in Bydgoszcz and 5 employees of CM UMK. Among the respondents there was considerable ignorance about the number of carcinogens contained in tobacco smoke with over 50% of them indicating the incorrect answer. Among the carcinogens there were mentioned mostly tar and nicotine, and among the diseases caused by tobacco smoke most often pointed response there were lung and larynx cancer and heart and blood vessels diseases and to reduce the weight of newborns. In summary, we can conclude that the awareness of students and employees of CM UMK about the carcinogenic properties of tobacco smoke was not sufficient. Respondents were aware of the dangers of smoking, they knew the basic carcinogenic substances and pointed a few diseases caused by smoking cigarettes. Unfortunately their knowledge does not refer to a number of diseases which in common believe are not connected to cigarette smoking, but in fact tobacco smoke is very important for their development.