CryoNet #32603 - #32606

CryoNet - Fri 4 Jun 2010

    #32603: Does BP have a cryonics-like problem? [MARK PLUS]
    #32604: Re: [LongevityReport] Does BP have a cryonics-like problem? [sbharris1]
    #32605: carbon monoxide likely reduces glycerol toxicity [oberon]
    #32606: cardamom is a probable human life extender [oberon]

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Message #32603
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 13:16:24 -0700
Subject: Does BP have a cryonics-like problem?
From: MARK PLUS <[email protected]>

Assuming that the Deepwater Horizon crisis continues to resist
technological solutions, I wonder when "skeptics" will start to
ridicule efforts to plug the flow of oil as pseudoscience, denial or a
scam. They might advocate instead that we learn to live with an oily
Gulf of Mexico as an existential reality, and endure it the best we
can through literature, religion, poetry and humor.

--
Mark Plus
Life is short: Freeze hard!

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Message #32604
From: "sbharris1" <[email protected]>
References: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [LongevityReport] Does BP have a cryonics-like problem?
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:36:45 -0700

Indeed!  Having a destroyed Gulf only increases the sweetness of the estuaries we have left, no? ;)  They would be meaningless without it.....

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: MARK PLUS 
  To: [email protected] ; [email protected] 
  Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2010 1:16 PM
  Subject: [LongevityReport] Does BP have a cryonics-like problem?


    
  Assuming that the Deepwater Horizon crisis continues to resist
  technological solutions, I wonder when "skeptics" will start to
  ridicule efforts to plug the flow of oil as pseudoscience, denial or a
  scam. They might advocate instead that we learn to live with an oily
  Gulf of Mexico as an existential reality, and endure it the best we
  can through literature, religion, poetry and humor.

  --
  Mark Plus
  Life is short: Freeze hard!


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Message #32605
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 22:23:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: [email protected]
Subject: carbon monoxide likely reduces glycerol toxicity

Biochem Pharmacol. 1990 Feb 15;39(4):697-705.
Oxidation of glycerol to formaldehyde by rat liver microsomes. Effects of cytochrome P-450 inducing agents.
Winters DK, Cederbaum AI. Department of Biochemistry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029.
Abstract
    Glycerol was shown recently to be metabolized to formaldehyde by microsomes from chowfed control rats (Winters et al., Biochem Biophys Res Commun 153: 612-617, 1988). In the present study, experiments were carried out to evaluate the oxidation of glycerol by microsomes isolated from rats treated with inducers of different isozymes of cytochrome P-450. The oxidation of glycerol to formaldehyde was increased in microsomes from rats treated with pyrazole, ethanol or acetone relative to their respective controls, but not after treatment with phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene. This reaction was sensitive to inhibition by carbon monoxide and was inhibited by compounds known to be effective substrates for P-450j, e.g. aniline, ethanol, pyrazole and 4-methylpyrazole. Treatment with pyrazol
 e caused an increase in Vmax for glycerol oxidation but did not affect affect the Km (about 15 mM) for glycerol, as compared to saline controls. Evidence that the product of glycerol metabolism is formaldehyde was provided by the observation that this product served as a substrate for the glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase, and the amount of formaldehyde detected was identical to that detected by the Nash reaction. By utilizing [14C]glycerol, and coupling the formaldehyde dehydrogenase reaction to the formate dehydrogenase reaction, 14CO2 could be detected, indicating that the formaldehyde produced was derived from the added glycerol. These results suggest that that glycerol is not metabolically inert when added to microsomes but serves as an effective substrate for the cyt
 ochrome P-450j isozyme, extending the alcohol substrate specificity of this enzyme to poly-ols. The production of formaldehyde from glycerol may require caution since glycerol is often present in microsomal or reconstituted systems.
PMID: 2306278

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1988 Jun 16;153(2):612-7.
Oxidation of glycerol to formaldehyde by rat liver microsomes.
Winters DK, Clejan LA, Cederbaum AI. Department of Biochemistry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, (CUNY), N.Y. 10029.
Abstract
    Rat liver microsomes catalyzed the oxidation of glycerol to a Nash-reactive material in a time- and protein-dependent manner. Omission of the glycerol or the microsomes or any of the components of the NADPH-generating system resulted in almost a complete loss of product formation. Apparent Km and Vmax values for glycerol oxidation were about 18 mM and 2.5 nmol formaldehyde per min per mg microsomal protein. Carbon monoxide inhibited glycerol oxidation indicating a requirement for cytochrome P-450. That the Nash-reactive material was formaldehyde was validated by a glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase positive reaction. These studies indicate that glycerol is not inert when utilized with microsomes or reconstituted mixed function oxidase systems, and that the production of f
 ormaldehyde from glycerol may interfere with assays of other substrates which generate formaldehyde as product.
PMID: 3382392

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Message #32606
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 22:32:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: [email protected]
Subject: cardamom is a probable human life extender

[At 3 gm/day cardamom over 12 weeks gradually lowered systolic blood pressure by 19 mmHg, disatolic blood pressure by 12 mm Hg, triglycerides by 15%, and LDL cholesterol by 25%. Cardamom also heals ulcers, reduces inflammation and may reduce cancer risk.]

Indian J Biochem Biophys. 2009 Dec;46(6):503-6.
Blood pressure lowering, fibrinolysis enhancing and antioxidant activities of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum).
Verma SK, Jain V, Katewa SS. Indigenous Drug Research Center, Department of Medicine, RNT Medical College, Udaipur 313 001, Rajasthan, India.
Abstract
    Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton. (Small cardamom) fruit powder was evaluated for its antihypertensive potential and its effect on some of the cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with stage 1 hypertension. Twenty, newly diagnosed individuals with primary hypertension of stage 1 were administered 3 g of cardamom powder in two divided doses for 12 weeks. Blood pressure was recorded initially and at 4 weeks interval for 3 months. Blood samples were also collected initially and at 4 weeks interval for estimation of lipid profile, fibrinogen and fibrinolysis. Total antioxidant status, however, was assessed initially and at the end of the study. Administration of 3 g cardamom powder significantly (p<0.001) decreased systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure and significantly (p<0.05)
  increased fibrinolytic activity at the end of 12th week. Total antioxidant status was also significantly (p<0.05) increased by 90% at the end of 3 months. However, fibrinogen and lipid levels were not significantly altered. All study subjects experienced a feeling of well being without any side-effects. Thus, the present study demonstrates that small cardamom effectively reduces blood pressure, enhances fibrinolysis and improves antioxidant status, without significantly altering blood lipids and fibrinogen levels in stage 1 hypertensive individuals.
PMID: 20361714

J Med Food. 2010 Apr;13(2):371-81.
In vitro investigation of the potential immunomodulatory and anti-cancer activities of black pepper (Piper nigrum) and cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum).
Majdalawieh AF, Carr RI. Department of Biology and Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Abstract
    Although the immunomodulatory effects of many herbs have been extensively studied, research related to possible immunomodulatory effects of various spices is relatively scarce. Here, the potential immunomodulatory effects of black pepper and cardamom are investigated. Our data show that black pepper and cardamom aqueous extracts significantly enhance splenocyte proliferation in a dose-dependent, synergistic fashion. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay experiments reveal that black pepper and cardamom significantly enhance and suppress, respectively, T helper (Th)1 cytokine release by splenocytes. Conversely, Th2 cytokine release by splenocytes is significantly suppressed and enhanced by black pepper and cardamom, respectively. Experimental evidence suggests that black pepper and cardamom
  extracts exert pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory roles, respectively. Consistently, nitric oxide production by macrophages is significantly augmented and reduced by black pepper and cardamom, respectively. Remarkably, it is evident that black pepper and cardamom extracts significantly enhance the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells, indicating their potential anti-cancer effects. Our findings strongly suggest that black pepper and cardamom exert immunomodulatory roles and antitumor activities, and hence they manifest themselves as natural agents that can promote the maintenance of a healthy immune system. We anticipate that black pepper and cardamom constituents can be used as potential therapeutic tools to regulate inflammatory responses and prevent/attenuate carcinogenesis
 .
PMID: 20210607

J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Jan 16;103(2):149-53. Epub 2005 Nov 17.
Gastroprotective effect of cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum Maton. fruits in rats.
Jamal A, Javed K, Aslam M, Jafri MA. Department of Ilmul Advia, Faculty of Medicine (Unani), Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi-110 062, India.
Abstract
    Cardamom, the fruits of Elettaria cardamomum Maton. (Zingiberaceae) commonly known as "Heel khurd" is used in Unani system of medicine to treat gastrointestinal disorders. A crude methanolic extract (TM), essential oil (EO), petroleum ether soluble (PS) and insoluble (PI) fractions of methanolic extract, were studied in rats at doses of 100-500, 12.5-50, 12.5-150 and 450 mg/kg, respectively for their ability to inhibit the gastric lesions induced by aspirin, ethanol and pylorous ligature. In addition their effects on wall mucus and gastric acid output were recorded. All fractions (TM, EO, PS, PI) significantly inhibited gastric lesions induced by ethanol and aspirin but not those induced by pylorus ligation. TM proved to be active reducing lesions by about 70% in the EtOH-induced ulcer
  model at 500 mg/kg. The PS fraction reduced the lesions by 50% at 50 and 100mg/kg (no dose response was observed) with similar effect than the PI fraction at 450 mg/kg. In the aspirin-induced gastric ulcer, the best gastroprotective effect was found in the PS fraction, which inhibited lesions by nearly 100% at 12.5mg/kg. In our experimental conditions, the PS extract at doses >or=12.5mg/kg proved to be more active than ranitidine at 50mg/kg.
PMID: 16298093

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2005 Apr-Jun;6(2):118-22.
Dietary cardamom inhibits the formation of azoxymethane-induced aberrant crypt foci in mice and reduces COX-2 and iNOS expression in the colon.
Sengupta A, Ghosh S, Bhattacharjee S. Department of Cancer Chemoprevention, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata 700026, India.
Abstract
    Recently, considerable attention has been focused on identifying naturally occurring chemopreventive compounds capable of inhibiting, retarding, or reversing the multi-step carcinogenesis. The primary aim of the present study was to identify the effects of a commonly consumed spice, viz., cardamom against azoxymethane (AOM) induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in Swiss Albino mice. The secondary aim, was to explore the ability of cardamom to modulate the status of proliferation and apoptosis, and to understand its role in altering cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. Male Swiss albino mice were injected with AOM (dose: 5mg/Kg body weight) or saline (Group 1) weekly once for two weeks. The AOM-injected mice were randomly assigned to two gr
 oups (Groups 2 and 3). While all the groups were on standard lab chow, Group 3 received oral doses of 0.5% cardamom, in aqueous suspension, daily for 8 weeks. Following treatment, significant reduction in the incidences of aberrant crypt foci (p<0.05) was observed. This reduction in ACF was accompanied by suppression of cell proliferation (mean Brdu LI in carcinogen control =13.91+/-3.31, and 0.5% cardamom =2.723+/-0.830) and induction of apoptosis (mean AI in carcinogen control=1.547+/-0.42 and 0.5% cardamom = 6.61+/-0.55). Moreover, reduction of both COX-2 and iNOS expression was also observed. These results suggest that aqueous suspensions of cardamom have protective effects on experimentally induced colon carcinogenesis. Cardamom as a whole and its active components require further a
 ttention if the use of this spice is to be recommended for cancer prevention.
PMID: 16101317

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