Tag Archives: blood pressure
Experimental preeclampsia development depends on vitamin D(3) status in female wistar rats
I. V. Poladych1*, I. O. Shymanskyi2, M. M. Veliky2, D. O. Govsieiev1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology No 1,
Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine;
2Department of Biochemistry of Vitamins and Coenzymes,
Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
*e-mail: iren.poladich@gmail.com
Received: 08 May 2025; Revised: 08 August 2025;
Accepted: 12 September 2025; Available on-line: 17 September 2025
Deficiency of vitamin D3 during pregnancy is a widespread challenge associated with increased risk of complications, particularly preeclampsia (PE), a serious condition characterized by hypertension with proteinuria. This research aimed to study the experimental preeclampsia rates in pregnant rats depending on the vitamin D3 supply. Eight-week-old female Wistar rats were divided into three experimental groups: control; vitamin D3-deficient for 60 days before mating; vitamin D3-deficient with oral vitamin D3 supplement (1000 IU/kg b.w.t) two weeks before mating. Subgroups with and without PE induction were analyzed. PE was induced by administration of Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). The blood level of vitamin D3 was measured using a 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 ELISA kit. Proteinuria was assessed using semi-quantitative urine test strips “Prototest”. The highest blood pressure and proteinuria levels were recorded in animals with combined vitamin D3 deficiency and induced preeclampsia. Administration of vitamin D3 contributed to normalization of hemodynamic parameters and kidney function, indicating the importance of an adequate vitamin D3 status for pregnancy health and PE prevention.
We are stronger and better together
Sandor G. Vari
International Research, and Innovation in Medicine Program, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA, and President of the RECOOP HST Association
I learned during twenty years in RECOOP HST Association that sharing ideas, plans and actions make a human network naturally productive. Also, I believed throughout these years that honesty is a key component of a healthy relationship. Not only because honesty helps us avoid harmful breaches of trust, but because it allows us to build creative collaborative research organizations.
Nonetheless, in the last two years, we were challenged with a vast scale of crises. First, the COVID-19 pandemic and second, beginning February 24, 2022, the brutal Russian aggression against Ukraine have impacted everybody’s life causing significant concern and insecurity across the globe. Economic instability, disturbed work routines and disrupted family lives have caused higher risks of physical and mental disorders [1, 2].
Socially isolated people often feel lonely or depressed. Constantly lonely people have higher blood pressure, are more vulnerable to infection and are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Loneliness also interferes with an entire range of everyday functions such as sleep patterns, attention and logical and verbal reasoning [3-6].
At the time the pandemic calmed, the Russian barbaric aggression and bombardment of civilian targets exposed large populations to physical aggression, which grants more damage over time as many Ukrainians are losing human condition. Are we losing humanity also?
Humans are good or bad, or predators also capable of great kindness. Humanity symbolizes human love and sympathy toward each other. Human qualities include honesty, integrity, courage, self-awareness and dedication. These qualities define who we are as human beings. In this troubled time, we must look for the good in people and strengthen the care for others.
Gandhi taught us, “The power of humanity is the strength of individual commitment and the force of collective action.” When RECOOP HST Association does something to help in Ukraine, all of us gain a sense of being valuable, helpful and worthwhile. Gandhi’s words remind us, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
The human misery caused by Russia’s attacks only strengthen Ukrainians’ extraordinary spirit and their dedication to protect their family, culture and homeland. Putin is scrambled by the strength of Ukraine and getting more aggressive. His actions prove, like Gandhi wrote, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” And we are stronger and better together.