The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of an energy restriction intermittent fasting diet in metabolic biomarkers and weight management among adults with metabolic syndrome. This randomized controlled study was performed with metabolic syndrome patients, aged 18–65 years, at an academic institution in Istanbul, Turkey (n = 70). All participants were randomized to the Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) intervention group and Continuous Energy Restriction (CER) control group. Biochemical tests including lipid profile, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin Type A1c (HbA1c), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), blood pressure, and body composition were evaluated at baseline and at the 12th week in diet interviews. Dietary intake was measured with the 24-h dietary recall method and dietary quality was evaluated with the Healthy Eating Index-2010. Changes in body weight (≈7% weight loss) and composition were similar in both groups. Blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), fasting glucose, and insulin at the 12th week decreased in both groups (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in metabolic syndrome biomarkers between the IER and CER groups. The energy-restricted intermittent fasting diet did not cause any deficiencies in macronutrient and fiber intake in the subjects. Healthy Eating Index (HEI) index scores were achieved similarly in both groups, and subjects’ dietary intakes were close to daily reference nutritional intake values. The technique used to achieve energy restriction, whether intermittent or continuous, appears to alleviate the metabolic syndrome biomarkers activated by weight loss.

Magnetic resonance arthrography, a procedure through which contrast agents containing gadolinium and/or iopromide are administered intra-articularly, has become a useful tool in musculoskeletal diagnosis. Nevertheless, despite being considered safe for systemic use, certain tissue toxicities have been identified for both drugs. In this study, the effects of short-term exposure of human primary chondrocyte cell cultures to gadolinium and/or iopromide contrast agents were examined by assaying for stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 (SSEA-1) protein expression (a chondrogenic differentiation marker), cell viability, toxicity, and proliferation. Human articular chondrocytes were grown in monolayer culture and were exposed to iopromide and/or gadolinium diethylenetriamine-pentaacetate (Gd-DPT) for 2 and 6 h. Cell cultures with no drug exposure were used as the control group. Cell differentiation status was assessed according to SSEA-1 protein expression. Contrast agent effects on cell viability and proliferation were analyzed using MTT analysis. Further, changes in cell morphology in relation to the control group were evaluated using inverted light microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and 3-tesla magnetic resonance imaging. The obtained data were statistically compared. When compared with the control group, both SSEA-1 protein expression and cell proliferation were lowest in the Gd-DPT group (P = 0.000). There was a statistically significant correlation between SSEA-1 expression and MTT results (rho = 0.351; P = 0.003). Nevertheless, the data obtained from in vitro experiments may not directly correspond to clinical applications. However, the mere fact that a drug used solely for diagnostic purposes may repress chondrocyte cell proliferation should be carefully considered by clinicians.

Objective: In Turkish folk medicine, different species of Scorzonera (Asteraceae) have been used in the treatment of various disorders. The study aimed to investigate antidiabetic activity of Scorzonera species and if rutin is the primary component responsible of this activity. Methods: The extracts of aerial parts of Scorzonera tomentosa, S. mollis ssp. szowitsii, S. suberosa ssp. suberosa, S. eriophora, S. acuminata, S. sublanata and S. cana var. jacquiniana were used in the experiment. Additionally, rutin, which has been analysed and detected by using HPLC qualitatively and quantitatively in some Scorzonera species, was also tested for its antidiabetic activity in the same conditions. An alloxaninduced diabetic mice test model was used in order to verify antidiabetic activity. Antidiabetic activities of the 9 groups (n=5; each) were measured at four different times: before Scorzonera extracts and rutin treatment and after 1, 2 and 4 hours of treatments. Results: S. sublanata extract exhibited the highest antidiabetic activity and at 100 mg/kg dose, it significantly reduced blood glucose levels measured after 1, 2 and 4 hours of treatments when compared to isotonic saline solution group (diabetic control group). S. cana var. jacquiniana extract also displayed notable decrease after 4 hours of treatment. Significant lowering effect on blood glucose level was also observed by treatment with rutin in all tested times at 100 mg/kg i.p. injection. According to the HPLC analyses the highest rutin content was determined in the S. acuminata aerial parts. Conclusion: Rutin content and the antidiabetic activity of the plant extracts were not correlated as displayed in this present study. Further studies should be performed to reveal responsible compunds for antidiabetic activity.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of metformin, a drug used widely for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, on human primary cell cultures prepared from uninjured segment of disc material intervertebral disk tissues. Primary cell cultures were prepared using the tissues of six patients (three males and three females) who had undergone lumbar microdiscectomy and sequestrectomy. Untreated samples served as the control group, and metformin-treated samples served as the experimental group. All the samples were evaluated using an inverted light microscope, acridine orange/propidium iodide staining (AO/PI), and a fluorescence microscope. The cytostatic and cytotoxic effects of metformin, which was administered to the samples using a commercial MTT assay kit, were also evaluated. The data obtained were statistically assessed, and the alpha significance value was accepted as less than 0.05. In addition, for the groups' changes in the expressions of chondroadherin (CHAD), cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7), and matrix metalloproteinase 19 (MMP-19), genes related to the extracellular matrix synthesis and degradation were determined using gene-specific TaqMan Gene Expression Assays. The administration of the drug adversely affected nucleus pulposus (NP)/annulus fibrosus (AF) cells and extracellular matrix-like structures. This was statistically significant (p 0.05). Clinicians should not disregard the adverse effects of metformin, which is used widely in clinical practice, on the components of intervertebral disk tissues.