Glossary of terms and definitions for health-related
words, with emphasis in biotechnology and nutrition. Select the first letter of the word from the links below to
jump to appropriate section of the glossary.
A B C D E F G H I J K L
M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #
- Alpha-lipoic acid (lipoic acid)
- A powerful antioxidant that is readily
absorbed and utilized within the cell where it is capable of regenerating glutathione. As such, lipoic acid supplementation results in
increased glutathione levels. Lipoic acid is also involved in energy production. Lipoic
acid works together with vitamin E and vitamin
C to protect the entire cell from oxidative stress.
- Amino acids
- The building blocks of proteins. There are non-essential amino acids,
those we can make in our bodies, and essential amino acids, those we can not make but must
get them from our diet. Amino acids are not only important in the synthesis of protein,
but also function in transmission of neural pulses, and are part of the antioxidant front battling oxidative stress.
- Antioxidant
- The term antioxidant is used to describe a dietary component that can
function to decrease the tissue content of reactive oxygen. Common antioxidants include
vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, N-acetylcysteine, selenium, zinc and alpha-lipoic acid.
- Apoptosis
- The process of programmed cell death.
- Assay
- A test designed to determine the presence and concentration of a
substance.
- Bioassay
- A test designed to determine the biological activity of a substance.
- BIOprintingTM
- BIOprinting is a biological quality control procedure that describes the signal transduction
pathways affected by a particular extract or compound.
- Beta-carotene, Lutein, and Lycopene
- These three carotenoids make up 70-80% of the major carotenoids found in
foods, and 70-80% of the carotenoids found in human serum. Carotenoids are found in higher
plants and function to protect the plant from the oxyradicals produced during the
absorption of light, and to act as pigments to aid in light absorption. In our bodies,
carotenoids function to protect our cells from oxyradical damage. Several carotenoids show
enhancement of the immune response, prevention of cancer and heart disease, inhibition of
mutagenesis, and reduction of damage to the DNA. Beta-carotene is a precursor of Vitamin A.
- Cachexia
- General weight loss and muscle wasting occurring in the course of a
chronic disease
- Carnitine
- An amino acid essential for the breakdown of fat into energy. Carnitine
may improve the utilization of fats for energy and can be beneficial in conditions
associated with impaired fat breakdown and energy production. Carnitine may be beneficial
in heart disease, enhancing physical performance, Alzhiemers disease, diabetes, liver
disease, and protection against drug toxicity.
- Chemotherapy
- The use of drugs or chemical substances to treat cancer. These drugs work
by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. Depending on the type of cancer, chemotherapy
may be administered as a pill, capsule, liquid, topical, or injection into the muscle or
the vein.
- Cytokine
- A cytokine is a compound that is secreted by many cell types and
functions to regulate the intensity and duration of immune responses.
- DNA
- An abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid which is the universal genetic
material.
- Enzyme
- A protein that catalyzes a chemical reaction.
- Folic Acid
- Plays an important role in cell division and thus is important to the
development of the nervous system of the fetus. Folic acid can also reduce levels of
homocysteine, preventing damage to the artery walls, and ultimately, atherosclerosis.
Homocysteine levels are also elevated in osteoporosis and folic acid supplementation is
appropriate in this instance. Chemotherapy drugs, alcohol,
estrogens, barbituates and other drugs interfere with folic acid absorptiong or function
- Free radical
- an atom or atom group with an unpaired electron and no charge that
interacts readily with nearby molecules. By interacting with cellular components, free
radicals may cause cellular and genetic damage, and their inolvement has been implicated
in several diseases as atherosclerosis, HIV/AIDS, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome,
asthma, arthritis, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and other immune
disorders. Free radicals are generated by smoking, environmental pollutants, exposure to
UV radiation, and also occur naturally in the body as a result of metabolic processes.
Ffree radical damage may be countered with antioxidants.
- Gene
- A functional unit of heredity that consist of DNA and specifies the
structure of a particular protein.
- Gene regulation
- The control activation or inhibition of gene expression.
- Genome
- The full complement of genes found in higher animals; simpler, but
functional, complement of genes found in bacteria and viruses.
- Glutathione
- In its reduced form, GSH, glutathione protects cells against various
oxyradical. Glutathione levels have been shown to decrease with age. Glutathione cannot be
absorbed in the stomach and therefore levels of this cellular protector cannot be
increased with dietary supplementation. Instead, alternate antioxidants
(i.e. alpha-lipoic acid) and precursors to glutathione (i.e. N-acetyl cysteine) must be taken in order to increase glutathione levels.
- H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide)
- An unstable compound that is readily broken down in to water and oxygen
and that is capable of reacting with cellular components. This interaction can be very
damaging as seen with lipid peroxidation and the development of athersclerosis.
- In vitro
- Refers to studies and/or phenomena that take place outside the body
(e.g., in test tubes).
- In vivo
- Refers to studies and/or phenomena that take place in animals or humans.
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- Lutein
- (see above)
- Lycopene
- (see above)
- Malabsorption
- Poor absorption of nutrients from the intestinal tract into the
bloodstream. Malabsorption may result from disease (i.e. cystic fibrosis), drug therapy,
radiation therapy, gastrointestinal pathogens, or inherited conditions.
- Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT's)
- These fats are used by the body differently than the most abundant fats,
long chain triglycerides. MCT's are an easily absorbed energy sounce that do not appear to
cause weight gain. MCT's are commonly used for people with malabsorption
as they do not require bile acids and pancreatic enzymes to be absorbed and utilized.
- N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)
- A powerful antioxidant made from the amino
acid cysteine and is found naturally in foods. It is a precursor for glutathione, an important antioxidant that protects cells against
oxidative stress. In addition to maintaining intracellular glutathione levels, NAC
supplementation has been shown to suppresses Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
replication, to be protective against cell damage caused by chemotherapy
and radiation therapy, to be immune enhancing, to protect against toxins as acetametaphen
and other drugs, mercury, lead, and others, and is mucolytic, that is, it breaks up mucus
seen in bronchoulmonary disease as cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and
pneumonia.
- NEF
- A protein expressed by the HIV virus that activates NF-kB resulting in
increased HIV replication.
- NF-kB (Nuclear Factor-kappa B)
- A compound that regulates a variety of viral and cellular genes. One
viral gene that is activated by NF-kB is the HIV gene, resulting in an increase in viral
replication. It is activated by the removal of its inhibitory unit, I-kB. An example of
two activators of NF-kB are oxidative stress (H2O2) and NEF protein.
- Nucleus
- A large, membrane-bound, structure within a living cell, containing the
cell's hereditary material and controlling its metabolism, growth, and reproduction.
- Oxyradical, reactive oxygen
- A free radical derived from molecular oxygen.
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- Selenium
- A component of the antioxidant enzyme, glutathione peroxidase. Glutathione peroxidase works with vitamin E in preventing free radical damage to cell membranes. In
addition, selenium appears to have antioxidant properties on its own and plays a role in
cancer, cardiovascular disease, enhancing immune function, inflammatory conditions, and
cataracts.
- Signal transduction
- The movement of information through the cell.
- Taurine
- A sulfur-containing amino acid that is derived from the amino acids methionine and cysteine. It is the most abundant free
amino acid in muscle. Taurine is involved in the synthesis of bile salts, in many
metabolic processes, and in maintaning the health of the retina.
- TNFa (Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha)
- A cytokine that modulates fat metabolism, induces necrosis in certain
tumors, and activates NF-kB through the production of H2O2 (hydrogen
peroxide). Activation of NF-kB by TNFa can be inhibited with N-acetyl cysteine.
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- Vitamin A
- A fat soluble vitamin involved in the maintenance of healthy skin, eyes,
bones, hair and teeth and is essential to proper immune function. Vitamin A can be
synthesized from the antioxidant beta-carotene.
- Vitamin B6
- Is important in the formation of proteins, structural compounds,
messengers in the nervous system, red blood cells, prostaglandins, proper functioning of a
large number of enzymes and in maintaining proper immune function. Low levels of Vitamin
B6 result in high levels of homocysteine. Homocysteine damages the cells that line the
arteries which can eventually result in atherosclerosis. Vitamin B6 can inhibit platlet
aggregation, lower blood pressure, can protect against the development of diabetic
neuropathy and enhances the immune system.
- Vitamin C
- Important as an antioxidant but also in its
ability to regenerate the antioxidant form of Vitamin E. With
acute viral infections (flus, colds), vitamin C can reduce symptom severity and shorten
illness time at high levels. Important in the maintenance of bones, teeth, blood vessels
and connective tissue as well as enhancing the immune system, and in decreasing the risk
of death from heart attacks, strokes, and cancer.
- Vitamin E
- A fat soluble antioxidant playing an important
role in protecting the cell membrane, fats, the immune system and vitamin
A from oxidative stress. Studies suggest that vitamin E supplementation may improve
immune function and reduce the risk of chronic dieases such as heart disease, cancer,
strokes.
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