Influence of palm oil ( Elaesis guineensis) on health

In recent times there has been a growing research interest in palm oil, one of the major edible plant oils in the tropical countries, because of the link between dietary fats and coronary heart disease. Obtained from a tropical plant, Elaesis guineensis, it has a polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio close to unity and a high amount of antioxidant vitamin A precursors and vitamin E. Palm oil is consumed in the fresh state and/or at various levels of oxidation. Feeding experiments in various animal species and humans have highlighted the beneficial role of fresh palm oil to health. These benefits include reduction in the risk of arterial thrombosis and atherosclerosis, inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis and platelet aggregation, and reduction in blood pressure. However, a considerable amount of the commonly used palm oil is in the oxidized state which possesses potential dangers to the physiological and biochemical functions of the body. Oxidation is as a result of processing the oil for various culinary purposes. Studies have revealed that relative to fresh palm oil, oxidized palm oil induces an adverse plasma lipid profile, free fatty acids, phospholipids and cerebrosides. Additionally, oxidized palm oil induces reproductive toxicity and organotoxicity particularly of the kidneys, lungs, liver and heart. Available evidence suggests that at least part of the oxidized oil impact on health reflects generation of toxicants due to oxidation. The reduction of the dietary level of oxidized oil and/or the level of oxidation may reduce the health risk associated with consumption of oxidized fats.     

Caffeine and theobromine levels in selected Nigerian beverages

Caffeine and theobromine contents (mg/g) weredetermined in samples of selected Nigerian beverageproducts. The beverages were cocoa (Milo, Bournvita,Rosevita and Enervita), coffee (Nescafe, Bongo, and Maxwell House decaffeinated) and tea (Lipton). The theobromine contentsof samples of Milo, Bournvita, Rosevita, Enervita, Nescafe, Bongo, Maxwell Housedecaffeinated coffee and Lipton were 62.10 ± 5.21, 64.80 ± 6.72, 82.80 ± 4.43, 80.37 ± 6.80, 27.00 ± 4.31, 14.67 ± 2.90, 23.46 ± 3.13 and 12.60 ± 1.52 respectively. The corresponding caffeine contents of these samples were 2.78 ± 0.43 (Milo), 3.17 ± 0.36 (Bournvita), 0.92 ± 0.51 (Rosevita), 1.05 ± 0.68 (Enervita),93.66 ± 8.91 (Nescafe), 6.47 ± 2.42(Bongo), 37.22 ± 5.34 (Lipton), and 0.21 ± 0.11 (Maxwell House decaffeinatedcoffee). Semi-processed cocoa beverages (Rosevita and Enervita) had significantly (p < 0.05) higher levels oftheobromine compared with the finished cocoas (Milo and Bournvita). Similarly, Nescafe contained significantly (p < 0.05) higher levels of caffeinecompared to Maxwell House (decaffeinated coffee) and Bongo. Levels of caffeine in Lipton tea were moderate.     

Thermoxidized Palm Oil Induces reproductive Toxicity in Healthy and Malnourished Rats

Repeatedly thermoxidized palm oil (TPO), simulating local culinary practice, was fed for eight weeks at 15% of a balanced basal diet to two sets of male and female weanling albino rats of Wistar strain. The first set of animals were normal and healthy while the second set were kwashiorkoric. Primary controls (PC) of all rats were fed a balanced basal diet of commercial rat pellets while secondary controls (SC) were fed the balanced basal diet supplemented with 15% untreated palm oil. The findings indicate that fertility, as expressed by the pregnancy rate of healthy test rats, was 78% when compared with 80% in PC (p < 0.05). Fetotoxicity was additionally observed in that neonatal birth weights and litter size in test rats (4.92 g and 6.70, respectively) were inferior (p < 0.05) to both SC and PC (4.96 g and 8.40; 5.38 g and 9.25, respectively). Protein energy malnutrition worsened the observed TPO-induced reproductive toxicities in that reproductive capacities of the rehabilitated animals were inferior to that of the healthy animals. Pregnancy rates in test animals were reduced by as much as 55% (p < 0.01) while fetotoxicities were also more pronounced (p < 0.05).     

Structures of SAS-6 suggest its organization in centrioles

Centrioles are cylindrical, ninefold symmetrical structures with peripheral triplet microtubules strictly required to template cilia and flagella. The highly conserved protein SAS-6 constitutes the center of the cartwheel assembly that scaffolds centrioles early in their biogenesis. We determined the x-ray structure of the amino-terminal domain of SAS-6 from zebrafish, and we show that recombinant SAS-6 self-associates in vitro into assemblies that resemble cartwheel centers. Point mutations are consistent with the notion that centriole formation in vivo depends on the interactions that define the self-assemblies observed here. Thus, these interactions are probably essential to the structural organization of cartwheel centers.