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Inositol functions closely with choline and is effective in promoting the body's production of lecithin. It is required for the proper action of several brain neurotransmitters including serotonin which carries impulses from one nerve cell to the other and a reduction in brain inositol levels may induce depression.
Inositol may be beneficial in diabetic neuropathy, conditions associated with disorders of fat transport and metabolism, panic disorder, high cholesterol, insomnia, cancer, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, treating lithium-induced side effects and promoting hair growth, polycystic ovarian syndrome, hypertension, high triglycerides, intermittent claudication, high cholesterol, peripheral vascular disease and Raynaud's disease.
Published Clinical Studiesclin
The role of phytic acid in legumes: antinutrient or beneficial function?1
Urbano G, Lopez-Jurado M, Aranda P, Vidal-Valverde C, Tenorio E, Porres J.
Departamento de Fisiologia e Instituto de Nutricion y Tecnologia de Alimentos, Universidad de Granada.
This review describes the present state of knowledge about phytic acid (phytate), which is often present in legume seeds. The antinutritional effects of phytic acid primarily relate to the strong chelating associated with its six reactive phosphate groups. Its ability to complex with proteins and particularly with minerals has been a subject of investigation from chemical and nutritional viewpoints. The hydrolysis of phytate into inositol and phosphates or phosphoric acid occurs as a result of phytase or nonenzymatic cleavage. Enzymes capable of hydrolysing phytates are widely distributed in micro-organisms, plants and animals. Phytases act in a stepwise manner to catalyse the hydrolysis of phytic acid. To reduce or eliminate the chelating ability of phytate, dephosphorylation of hexa- and penta-phosphate forms is essential since a high degree of phosphorylation is necessary to bind minerals. There are several methods of decreasing the inhibitory effect of phytic acid on mineral absorption (cooking, germination, fermentation, soaking, autolysis). Nevertheless, inositol hexaphosphate is receiving increased attention owing to its role in cancer prevention and/or therapy and its hypocholesterolaemic effect.
Publication Types:
PMID: 11198165 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Buckwheat concentrate reduces serum glucose in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.2
Kawa JM, Taylor CG, Przybylski R.
Department of Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, H505 Duff Roblin Building, 190 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2.
The antihyperglycemic effects of chemically synthesized d-chiro-inositol (d-CI), a component of an insulin mediator, have been demonstrated in rats. Buckwheat contains relatively high levels of d-CI: thus, it has been proposed as a source of d-CI for reducing serum glucose concentrations in diabetics. The present study evaluates the effects of a buckwheat concentrate, containing d-CI, on hyperglycemia and glucose tolerance in streptozotocin (STZ) rats. In fed STZ rats, both doses of the buckwheat concentrate (containing 10 and 20 mg of d-CI/kg of body weight) were effective for lowering serum glucose concentrations by 12-19% at 90 and 120 min after administration. Findings from this study demonstrate that a buckwheat concentrate is an effective source of d-CI for lowering serum glucose concentrations in rats and therefore may be useful in the treatment of diabetes.
PMID: 14640572 [PubMed - in process]
3 Rice-bran products: phytonutrients with potential applications in preventive and clinical medicine.
Jariwalla RJ.
California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA, USA.
This paper reviews phytonutrients from rice bran that have shown promising disease-preventing and health-related benefits in experimental research studies. Candidate products studied and under investigation include: inositol and related compounds, inositol hexaphosphate (IP6 or phytate), rice oil, ferulic acid, gamma-oryzanol, plant sterols, tocotrienols and RICEO, a new rice-bran-derived product. Diseases in which preventive and/or nutraceutical effects have been detected include: cancer, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, hypercalciuria, kidney stones, and heart disease. In addition, rice-bran products may have potential applications as nutritional ingredients in the context of their utility in functional foods.
PMID: 11276826 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Phytic acid in wheat bran affects colon morphology, cell differentiation and apoptosis.4
Jenab M, Thompson LU.
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E2.
Wheat bran (WB) and its component phytic acid (PA) have both been shown to decrease early biomarkers of colon carcinogenesis, i.e. the PCNA labeling index of cell proliferation and certain aberrant crypt foci parameters. However, it is not known how WB and PA alter other biomarkers of colon cancer risk, such as rate of apoptosis and degree of differentiation, or how they affect colon morphology. Thus, the objectives of this study were to determine the effects of WB on these parameters, to see if PA contributes to these effects and whether there is a difference between endogenous and exogenously added PA. Five groups of azoxymethane-treated male Fischer 344 rats were fed a basal control diet (BD) or BD supplemented with either 25% wheat bran, 25% dephytinized wheat bran (DWB), 25% DWB plus 1.0% PA or 1.0% PA for 100 days. The WB, DWB and PA diets significantly increased the rate of apoptosis and cell differentiation in the whole crypt and the top 40% of the crypt. The WB, DWB and PA diets also significantly increased cell apoptosis in the bottom 60% of the crypt, while all the treatment groups significantly increased cell differentiation versus the BD group in the bottom 60% of the crypt. In addition, the WB, DWB and PA diets decreased the number of crypts per millimeter of colon, while the DWB and PA diets also decreased crypt height measured as number of cells. It is concluded that WB, partly due to its dietary fiber and endogenous PA, and exogenous PA when added to a low fiber diet can increase cell apoptosis and differentiation and favorably affect colon morphology.
PMID: 10910957 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
5 Preventive potential of wheat bran fractions against experimental colon carcinogenesis: implications for human colon cancer prevention.
Reddy BS, Hirose Y, Cohen LA, Simi B, Cooma I, Rao CV.
Nutritional Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program, American Health Foundation, Valhalla, New York 10595, USA.
Epidemiological studies suggest an inverse relationship between the intake of dietary fiber, particularly fiber from cereal grains, and colon cancer risk. Animal model assays have demonstrated that the protective effects of dietary fiber on colon cancer development depend on the nature and source of the fiber. Wheat bran (WB) appears to inhibit colon tumorigenesis more consistently than do oat bran or corn bran. This study was designed to determine whether specific WB fractions such as WB fiber, WB lipids, or phytic acid differentially affect colon carcinogenesis in a well-established colon cancer model. In addition, the modulating effect of specific fractions of WB on the activities of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 enzymes were assessed in colon tumors as those have been shown to play a role in tumor progression. At 5 weeks of age, groups of male F344 rats were assigned to one of six diets: a high-fat diet containing 10% WB (control diet) and experimental high-fat diets containing 10% dephytinized WB (WB-P), 10% defatted WB (WB-F), 10% dephytinized and defatted WB (WB-PF), 10% WB-PF fortified with 2% bran oil and/or with 0.4% phytate. At 7 weeks of age, all eats except those in the vehicle-treated groups were given two weekly s.c. injections of azoxymethane (AOM) at a dose rate of 15 mg/kg body weight/week. They continued to receive their respective diets until 50 weeks after carcinogen treatment and were then killed. Colon tumors were analyzed for iNOS, COX-1, and COX-2 expression and enzymatic activities. Colon tumors were evaluated histopathologically and classified as adenomas and adenocarcinomas. We found that removal of phytic acid (WB-P) or lipids (WB-F) from WB had no significant effect on colon tumor incidence (% animals with tumors) or multiplicity (tumors/ animal), whereas removal of both phytate and lipids from WB (WB-PF) significantly increased colon tumor multiplicity and volume. Interestingly, WB-PF fortified with excess bran oil or with bran oil plus phytate significantly inhibited colon tumor incidence, multiplicity, and volume; but supplementation of WB-PF with phytate alone had no significant effect on colon tumorigenesis in rats suggesting that lipid fraction of WB possesses tumor-inhibitory properties. Moreover, feeding WB-PF diet significantly increased iNOS, total COX and COX-2 enzyme activities, and iNOS protein expression in colon tumors as compared with wheat bran control diet. Feeding the WB-PF that was fortified with excess bran oil alone or with bran oil plus phytate significantly suppressed the activities of iNOS and COX-2 as well as the expression of iNOS and COX-2 in colon tumors compared with that in rats fed the WB diet or WB-PF diet. The study demonstrates for the first time that the lipid fraction of wheat bran has strong colon tumor inhibitor properties. The exact mechanism(s) by which the lipid fraction of WB inhibits colon carcinogenesis in addition to alteration of iNOS and COX activities remains to be elucidated. Additional studies are warranted to identify biologically active constituents of lipid fraction of WB and their relative role in colon tumor inhibition.
PMID: 10987288 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Pathophysiology, prevention, and potential treatment of neural tube defects.6
Manning SM, Jennings R, Madsen JR.
Division of Newborn Medicine, Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. manning_s@a1.tch.harvard.edu
Neural tube defects (NTD) remain a major cause of morbidity in spite of the reduction in liveborn incidence with periconceptional folic acid. However, the etiology remains unknown. This article reviews studies that address causation and potential treatment of NTD in humans and in animal models that resemble aspects of the common human NTD. Studies of nutritional markers of vitamin B12 and folic acid support a defect in homocysteine metabolism; a thermolabile variant of methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase, an enzyme that remethylates homocysteine to methionine, correlates with a risk of NTD in some human populations. Numerous mouse mutant models of NTD exist, attesting to the ease of disruption of neurulation, and a genetic basis for this malformation. Of these models, the curly tail mouse mutant most closely resembles the common human NTD. Folic acid does not prevent NTD in this model; however inositol supplementation does result in a significant reduction in incidence. Recent advances in fetal surgery, and evidence from mechanically created myelomeningocele in large animals amenable to surgical intervention suggest that the handicaps associated with myelomeningocele and associated Chiari Type II malformation may be prevented by in utero NTD closure. Success will depend on preservation of neurological tissue until such intervention is possible. Further research in animal models at the genetic and cellular levels, together with technological surgical advances, provide hope that prevention of more NTD and the associated handicaps may be possible. MRDD Research Reviews 6:6-14, 2000. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
PMID: 10899792 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Hypolipidemic action of phytic acid (IP6): prevention of fatty liver.8
Katayama T.
Laboratory of Nutritional Science, Faculty of Education, Hiroshima University, Japan.
Until recently, most published reports on phytic acid (myo-inositol hexaphosphoric acid, IP6) have focused on the possible decreased mineral bioavailability. Because myo-inositol is known to function as a lipotropic factor, studies in my laboratory were conducted to investigate whether dietary IP6 also reduces excessive liver lipids. Male Wistar rats were fed sucrose or corn starch diets, supplemented with myo-inositol or IP6 for 12-14 days. Equimolar myo-inositol and IP6 similarly depressed the rises in hepatic levels of lipids and in hepatic activities of lipogenic enzymes due to sucrose feeding. However, dietary myo-inositol and phytate did not prevent orotic acid-induced hepatic lipid accumulation, which is known to be caused by severe inhibition of hepatic lipoprotein secretion. These results suggest that myo-inositol and phytate might both protect against fatty liver resulting from elevated hepatic lipogenesis.
PMID: 10625942 [PubMed - indexed
Inositol--clinical applications for exogenous use.9
Colodny L, Hoffman RL.
Pharmacy Services at Broward General Medical Center: 1600 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316, USA.
Recent advances in nutritional and biochemical research have documented inositol as an important dietary and cellular constituent. The processes involved in inositol metabolism and its derivatives in the tissues of mammals have been characterized in vivo as well as at the enzymatic level. Biochemical functions defined for phosphatidylinositol in biological membranes include the regulation of cellular responses to external stimuli and/or nerve transmission as well as the mediation of enzyme activity through interactions with various specific proteins. Altered production of inositol has been documented in patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, galactosemia, and multiple sclerosis. Inositol has been reported to be effective in treating central nervous system disorders such as depression, Alzheimer's disease, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It has documented benefit for use in pediatric respiratory depression syndrome. In addition, recent studies have evaluated its usefulness as an analgesic. Inositol has been studied extensively as potential treatment to alleviate some negative effects associated with lithium therapy. The use of inositol in pregnant women remains controversial. Although its benefit in preventing neural tube defects in embryonic mice is documented, the risk of inducing uterine contractions limits its usefulness in pregnancy.
PMID: 9855568 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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