126
stroke, and cancers [1]. Four important factors including poor diet, tobacco use,
physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption possess a great influence on metabolic
disorders [2]. Evidence from recent research, genetic background, and exposure to
environmental factors also possess a contribution in developing obesity, hypertension, T2DM, and cancers [1]. Among environmental factors, an emerging class of
chemicals interfering with metabolic harmone actions is the endocrine- disrupting
chemicals (EDCs) which are widely present in many consumer products [3].
EDCs are described as being a heterogeneous group of exogenous chemicals
which can disrupt endogenous hormones in any aspect and hence inducing metabolic disorders [4]. According to WHO, “an endocrine disruptor is an exogenous
substance or mixture that alters function(s) of the endocrine system and consequently causes adverse health effects in an intact organism, or its progeny, or (sub)
populations” [5]. There are more than hundreds of chemicals having EDC activity
but more important are bisphenol, chlorotriazine herbicide, organochloride, nonsteroidal synthetic estrogen, synthetic derivatives of 17β-estradiol, organochloride
insecticide, plasticizers, fluorosurfactant, vinclozolin, and many more [6]. EDCs
can provoke their disrupting effect even at very low exposure level, especially if
exposure happens in critical developmental periods [3, 7]. Critical developmental
periods may include fetal infancy, puberty stages, pregnancy, fetal life, and menopause which can have detrimental effects on individuals leading to emergence of
many metabolic diseases [8, 9]. Although it may take many years since the exposure
of EDCs to the clinical representation of metabolic disorder which suggests that the
fallout of EDCs exposure is not directly evident [10].
Obesity, an important metabolic disorder, affects infants, children, and adults
equally. According to an estimate, about one-third children are obese or overweight
and more than 60% of these children will become obese adults [11, 12]. Obesity
increases the risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, hypertension,
liver diseases, gall bladder diseases, insulin resistance, and T2DM [13]. According
to the recent data prescribed by International Diabetes Federation (IDF), diabetes is
affecting almost 463 million adults worldwide [14]. The prevalence of diabetic
patients will be doubled in 2025 according to WHO reports [15]. About 70% of
cases affected with T2DM are obese as obesity is related with insulin resistance;
however, obesity does not necessarily cause T2DM in all cases [16]. Hyperlipidemia,
another metabolic disorder, is rise in the levels of blood triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol, or their combination, which affects almost 25% of US adults [17].
All these metabolic disorders contribute to a significant level in causing cardiovascular diseases [1].
The discovery (natural) or synthesis (synthetic) of antibiotics is one of the greatest achievements in the field of medicines [18]. Antibiotics are considered as wonder drugs that save millions of lives of all ages. They help us in preventing
amputation, lessening blindness, advancement in performing surgery, enabling new
cancer therapies for clinical trials, and protecting the lives of military, but as a result
of antibiotic resistance, bacterial diseases have been multiplied and spread at an
alarming rate. Infections and diseases that were easily remediable by using antibiotics are now becoming difficult, in fact, impossible to cure and as a result a large
H. Sharif et al.
stroke, and cancers [1]. Four important factors including poor diet, tobacco use,
physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption possess a great influence on metabolic
disorders [2]. Evidence from recent research, genetic background, and exposure to
environmental factors also possess a contribution in developing obesity, hypertension, T2DM, and cancers [1]. Among environmental factors, an emerging class of
chemicals interfering with metabolic harmone actions is the endocrine- disrupting
chemicals (EDCs) which are widely present in many consumer products [3].
EDCs are described as being a heterogeneous group of exogenous chemicals
which can disrupt endogenous hormones in any aspect and hence inducing metabolic disorders [4]. According to WHO, “an endocrine disruptor is an exogenous
substance or mixture that alters function(s) of the endocrine system and consequently causes adverse health effects in an intact organism, or its progeny, or (sub)
populations” [5]. There are more than hundreds of chemicals having EDC activity
but more important are bisphenol, chlorotriazine herbicide, organochloride, nonsteroidal synthetic estrogen, synthetic derivatives of 17β-estradiol, organochloride
insecticide, plasticizers, fluorosurfactant, vinclozolin, and many more [6]. EDCs
can provoke their disrupting effect even at very low exposure level, especially if
exposure happens in critical developmental periods [3, 7]. Critical developmental
periods may include fetal infancy, puberty stages, pregnancy, fetal life, and menopause which can have detrimental effects on individuals leading to emergence of
many metabolic diseases [8, 9]. Although it may take many years since the exposure
of EDCs to the clinical representation of metabolic disorder which suggests that the
fallout of EDCs exposure is not directly evident [10].
Obesity, an important metabolic disorder, affects infants, children, and adults
equally. According to an estimate, about one-third children are obese or overweight
and more than 60% of these children will become obese adults [11, 12]. Obesity
increases the risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, hypertension,
liver diseases, gall bladder diseases, insulin resistance, and T2DM [13]. According
to the recent data prescribed by International Diabetes Federation (IDF), diabetes is
affecting almost 463 million adults worldwide [14]. The prevalence of diabetic
patients will be doubled in 2025 according to WHO reports [15]. About 70% of
cases affected with T2DM are obese as obesity is related with insulin resistance;
however, obesity does not necessarily cause T2DM in all cases [16]. Hyperlipidemia,
another metabolic disorder, is rise in the levels of blood triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol, or their combination, which affects almost 25% of US adults [17].
All these metabolic disorders contribute to a significant level in causing cardiovascular diseases [1].
The discovery (natural) or synthesis (synthetic) of antibiotics is one of the greatest achievements in the field of medicines [18]. Antibiotics are considered as wonder drugs that save millions of lives of all ages. They help us in preventing
amputation, lessening blindness, advancement in performing surgery, enabling new
cancer therapies for clinical trials, and protecting the lives of military, but as a result
of antibiotic resistance, bacterial diseases have been multiplied and spread at an
alarming rate. Infections and diseases that were easily remediable by using antibiotics are now becoming difficult, in fact, impossible to cure and as a result a large
H. Sharif et al.