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Biomedical subjects

A Fidanza

Publications and source records attributed to A Fidanza.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Antioxidant vitamins and immunodeficiency.

On the plasma of 20 children from 1 to 6 years old with HIV infection, the following analyses were carried out: vitamin assays (vitamin E and beta-carotene), hematochemical assays, and immunoassays. From the body of our results it emerged that in the seropositive children considered, in addition to the already well-known alterations of the hematic and immune situation, there is a state of hypovitaminosis involving the most important antioxidant vitamins.

Antioxidants↗

[Serum values of vitamins A, E, C and carotenoids in healthy adult subjects and those with breast neoplasia].

Serum values of retinol, carotenoids, tocopherol and ascorbic acid were assayed in healthy adult females (Group A: 20 cases) and in subjects with fibrocistic mastopathy (Group B: 20 cases), benign breast neoplasms, as fibroadenomas and intraductal papillomas (Group C: 18 cases), and breast carcinoma in situ (Group D: 36 cases). Retinol and carotenoids were evaluated by spectrophotometry using trifluoroacetic acid. Tocopherol was determined by a colorimetric method involving the reduction of Fe to Fe++ by tocopherol with the formation of a red complex of the Fe++ with alpha, alpha'-dipirydyl. Ascorbic acid was estimated by a colorimetric method after derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. Our results point out that there is a highly significant decrease (p less than 0.001) of average retinol serum levels in all three patient groups as compared with group A, whereas carotenoids resulted decreased but not significantly. Tocopherol was found to be significantly lower only in groups B (p less than 0.05) and D (p less than 0.01), ascorbic acid in groups B (p less than 0.01) C (p less than 0.05) and D (p less than 0.001).

Adenoma↗

Vitamin C and cholesterol.

In recent years, the role of vitamin C in lipid metabolism has been the object of a number of investigations. We have therefore judged it useful to review cholesterol synthesis, cholesterol transport, and cholesterol catabolism as well as the role of the microsomal electron transport chain in the hydroxylation process, before presenting our experimental data.

Aged↗

Vitamins and lipid metabolism.

Vitamins play an essential role in lipid metabolism reactions and their presence is therefore absolutely necessary for these reaction to occur. The effect of pantothenic acid, niacin and riboflavin is here described. By transformation into coenzymes these vitamins are involved in fatty acid synthesis and oxidation reactions. Other vitamins, like vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin C, and essential fatty acids influence lipid metabolism by different mechanisms. Coenzyme B12 and folate coenzyme provide to balance, by methionine synthesis, the pool of methyl radicals necessary for phospholipid biosynthesis. By its involvement in the microsomal respiratory chain, vitamin C promotes cholesterol transformation into bile acids. The essential fatty acids, mainly linoleic acid, are directly connected with cholesterol transport and plasma cholesterol decrease. It is suggested that many lipid metabolism disorders may be due to primary and secondary hypovitaminosis. Nicotinic acid and its derivatives have a particular pharmacological effect since they cause a HDL increase with LDL decrease and improve cholesterol transfer from LDL to HDL. Results of several experiments on the influence of pantothenic acid on polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism are eventually reported, and these data are related to the effect of the administration of vitamin C at high doses on total cholesterol, triglyceride, lipoprotein, vitamin C and fatty acids of the different plasma lipid fractions.

Adult↗

[Correlations between plasmatic alpha-tocopherol and lipids in male adults].

Plasma levels of alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, total lipid, total cholesterol, beta-lipoproteins, and triglyceride were measured in healthy italian male adults of various age groups. Alpha-tocopherol mean values varied from 0.96 mg/100 ml in the subjects of 18-24 years to 1,14 mg/100 ml in the subjects of 25-64 years and to 1,08 mg/100 ml in those above 55 years. No value lower than the generally accepted minimum of 0,5 mg/100 ml was found. Correlation coefficients of all the variables were also studied. Alpha-tocopherol was shown to be significantly related to age and plasma cholesterol. These data agree with other authors' results.

Adult↗

[Vitamin C in the plasma and leukocytes of Italians in different periods of the year].

After briefly mentioning the factors which influence the vitamin C levels in tissues, the findings are reported of an investigation, conducted on 11 volunteers, in which some variations were revealed in vitamin C concentrations in the plasma and in the leukocytes of the subjects examined during a period of one year. The lowest levels were found in the months of March and December.

Adult↗

[Therapeutic action of vitamin C on cholesterol metabolism].

As a part of the research work on the role played by Vitamin C on lipidic metabolism, the effects on man were considered that result from the administration of high vitamin C doses, chiefly with reference to the serum levels of colesterol, of total lipids and of triglycerides. Our research was conducted on male subjects of 65-90 years, who were administered 3 g/day of vitamin C for three weeks. Our findings show that the administration of high vitamin C doses causes a statistically significant decrease in colesterol, in total lipids and in triglycerides, in all the subjects under consideration. This takes place not only when colesterol, total lipids and triglycerides present normal serum levels, but also when such levels show an increase. Conversely, vitamin C significantly increases, with treatment, in all subjects treated, both in plasma and in leukocytes.

Aged↗