Registered under Mahatma Gandhi University (U.O.No. 7459/4/2015/Academic A-II).Title of work: Anti-metastatic potential of Virgin coconut oil and its polyphenolic constituents.Coconut oil and virgin coconut oil are the two edible oils, having substantial nutritional and medicinal value. They are rich in medium chain saturated fatty acids, with lauric acid as the major fatty acid (50- 52% of the oil). Apart from this VCO possesses some polyphenolic compounds such as ferulic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid etc. Virgin coconut oil has been reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hyolipidemic, immunomodulatory properties. Emerging evidences are also indicative of the possible anticancer potentials of VCO in animal models of colon cancer. It is thus expected that by virtue of its phenolic compounds andMCFAs, VCO may prove beneficial against EMT and subsequently to invasion and metastasis.Hence, the present study is aimed to evaluate the biological efficacy of virgin coconut oil and its phenolic constituents on cancer progression and metastasis.
Sruthi P K (UGC-JRF)
Registered under Mahatma Gandhi University (U.O.No. 15000/2017/Admin).Title of work:Role of thermally oxidized edible oils on metabolic functions and its implications in cardiovascular diseases. Chronic degenerative diseases especially, cardiovascular diseases, are considered to be lifestyle associated and mostly due to the consumption of junk foods that are high calorie low nutrients foods. Carbohydrates and fried oil components provide the high calorific values to these foods. Health impact of heated oils has been studied and is known to induce oxidative stress and systemic toxicity. However, the influence of these heated oils on carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism is largely unknown. Exploration in these aspects can lead to the understanding of overall cardiovascular health impact by these oils. With this view, study is aimed to assess the influence of heated edible oils on carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism.
Veena Gopinath(KSCSTE-JRF)
Registered under university of Calicut (U.O No. 10755/2018/Admn, dt: 13-09-2018). Title of the work: Synergism of alcohol and type 2 diabetes in the progression of fatty liver disease into cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: a mechanistic study. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common primary liver malignancy and is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Various preclinical and cohort studies reported the incidence of liver diseases progressing to HCC among obese, diabetic and chronic alcoholic individuals. Also numerous research have reported about the HCC promoting role of alcohol in type 2 diabetes and obese individuals, however its mechanisms are poorly described. There is strong assumption that the chronic alcoholism in diabetic individual exacerbates liver cirrhosis and predisposes to HCC by inducing oxidative stress and inflammatory signals.Overall the study is expected to provide insight on to the possible molecular and epigenetic pathways behind the progression of liver diseases in to cirrhosis and HCC in Type 2 diabetes, chronic alcoholism and synergism of both in rats.
Gislin Davis (ICMR-JRF)
To be registered under University of Calicut Title of Work: To evaluate the role of Aldehyde
detoxification system in fatty aldehyde mediated carcinogenesis: Regulatory role of Nrf2. Lipid
derived aldehydes are highly reactive electrophiles that can deteriorate cellular macro molecules and
results in several pathological conditions including cancer. These toxic aldehydes are endogenously
formed as bi products of normal as well as xenobiotics and drug metabolism and secondary to lipid
peroxidation. To counter act this, an efficient aldehyde detoxification system functioning in our body
catalytically converts aldehydes into less harmful and easily excreted products. Current study focuses
on the effect of lipid derived aldehydes and their acid products on cytoplasmic/nucleoplasmic Nrf 2
and also on aldehyde detoxification system especially on ALDH3A2 and ALDH2 in normal and
cancer cells.
