Effect of a natural mineral-rich water on catechol-O-methyltransferase function

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Pedro Bastos (Author) Other; Joao Ricardo Araujo (Author) Other; Isabel Azevedo (Author) Other; Maria Joao Martins (Author) FMUP; Laura Ribeiro (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Magnesium Research

Vol. 27

Pages: 131-141

ISSN: 0953-1424

Publisher: Libbey

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 5 Citations

Scopus - 6 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Clinical medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-YVW

DOI: 10.1684/mrh.2014.0369

Abstract (EN): Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is a magnesium-dependent, catecholamine-metabolizing enzyme, whose impaired activity has been positively associated with cardiovascular diseases, particularly hypertension. Consumption of some natural mineral-rich waters has been shown to exert protective effects on cardiovascular risk factors, eg. by decreasing arterial blood pressure and blood lipids. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are still poorly understood. So, the aim of this work was to investigate the effect of natural mineral-rich water ingestion upon liver and adrenal glands COMT expression and activity in Wistar Han rats. Over a seven-week period, animals had access to one of the following three drinking solutions: 1) tap water (control group; TW), 2) tap water with added Na+ (to make the same concentration as in the MW group (TWNaCl group), or 3) natural mineral-rich water [Pedras Salgadas (R), which is very rich in bicarbonate, and with higher sodium, calcium and magnesium content than control tap water (MW group)]. COMT expression and activity were determined by RT-PCR and HPLC-ED, respectively. A higher hepatic COMT activity was found in the MW group compared with the TW and TWNaCl groups. On the other hand, adrenal gland COMT mRNA expression decreased in the MW group compared to TW group. In conclusion, the ability of natural mineral-rich waters to increase hepatic COMT activity may eventually explain the positive cardiovascular effects associated with the consumption of some natural mineral-rich waters.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11