Lipid peroxidation of fish oils

Fish and fish oils are the richest sources of ω-3 fatty acids. However, they are susceptible to lipid peroxidation due to their high degree of unsaturation. In the present study, the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive material in various fish oils available in the market with and without added Vitamin E was determined. The peroxide levels in fish oil heated to food frying temperature of 180°C and the effect of addition of vitamin E has also been studied. The results indicate that the peroxide levels in almost all the products available in the market were abnormally high irrespective of their Vitamin E content. This might be due to the inefficient methods used for processing and storage of fish oils. Addition of vitamin E was found to have a significant effect in lowering the rate of peroxidation of fish oil during thermal stress, showing that association of antioxidants with ω-3 fatty acids lowers the rate of lipid peroxidation.     

Effect of immobilisation stress on lipid peroxidation and lipid profile in rabbits

Stress is one of the basic factors in the aetiology of a number of diseases such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, aging, liver disease etc. Hence this work was designed to study the effect of stress in the form of forced immobilisation stress on lipid peroxidation and lipid profile in rabbits. The study was conducted in 25 healthy rabbits of either sex. Rabbits were subjected to forced immobilisation for two hours everyday for consecutive seven days. Blood samples were collected on day 1, 3 and 7 after immobilisation period. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation was estimated by TBA assay method. Lipid profile was analysed by multichannel autoanalyser. There was statistically significant increase in MDA, total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL and triglycerides with immobilisation. These findings indicate that stress in the form of forced immobilisation increases lipid peroxidation and alter lipid profile, which may be responsible for pathophysiology of various diseases.     

Age related changes in lipid peroxidation and antioxidants in elderly people

Advanced age is associated with an accumulation of free radical damage, which leads to physiological and clinical modifications. Age related changes resulting from free radical reactions include increasing levels of lipid peroxides, alterations in enzyme activities and greater osmotic fragility. The present study was conducted to estimate the level of lipid peroxidation product-Malondialdehyde and antioxidants Catalase and Glutathione in elderly people. An increase in lipid peroxidation and decrease in antioxidants was observed in normal elderly people. Highly significant increase in MDA and decrease in antioxidants was observed in elderly people when complicated with diabetes and hypertension. Supplementation of antioxidants may prevent further oxidative injury in elderly people.     

Total antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation in liver transplantation

Liver transplantation is an accepted therapy for chronic liver disease patients. These patients generally have low levels of fat soluble vitamins, which have important antioxidant roles. Therefore, this study was undertaken to investigate whether such patients had evidence of antioxidant depletion and increased lipid peroxidation before transplant and whether the subsequent ischemia and reperfusion encountered during liver transplantation have any effect on antioxidant levels and lipid peroxidation. We assessed plasma total antioxidant capacity and serum lipid peroxide in 12 patients undergoing liver transplantation and equal numbers of healthy subjects. We found that before reperfusion, antioxidant levels were significantly decreased along with significantly elevated lipid peroxidation levels as compared with healthy controls (P<0.001). On reperfusion of the liver graft, further declined values of total antioxidant accompanied with highly elevated lipid peroxidation were seen than those of pre-reperfusion samples (P<0.001). This data shows that patients undergoing liver transplant have lowered antioxidant defenses and evidence of free radical damage, which compound the additional insult of reperfusion injury. Therefore antioxidant therapy in these patients before transplantation may ameliorate the effects of reperfusion.     

Effect of short term vitamin E supplementation on lipid peroxidation in acute myocardial infarction

In view of sufficient body of evidence to substantiate the role of free radical mediated oxidative injury in myocardial infarction (M.I.), the utility of exogenous supplementation with antioxidant substance, vitamin E was studied. Forty patients of acute myocardial infarction were divided into two equal groups, one who received vitamin E and the other who did not. Plasma MDA levels showed a reduction in patients of M.I. who received vitamin E as well as in those who did not, however, the decrease was significantly more in the vitamin E treated subgroup.     

Plasma antioxidant vitamins and lipid peroxidation products in pregnancy induced hypertension

It has been suggested that antioxidant systems are impaired in pregnancy induced hypertension and hence patients are exposed to oxidative stress. In order to investigate the relationship between lipid peroxidation and certain antioxidant parameters in blood of pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) cases, 25 normotensive and 23 PIH samples were studied. In the present study, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances showed a tendency to increase, however the increase remained statistically insignificant. Plasma ascorbic acid level remained unaltered and Vitamin E showed a tendency to increase in the study group. The findings implicate oxidative stress in the disease and cite the biochemical rationale for clinical trials of antioxidants to prevent and treat pregnancy induced hypertension.     

Correlation between lipid peroxidation and non-enzymatic antioxidants in pregnancy induced hypertension

The present study was designed to evaluate the lipid peroxidation and non-enzymatic antioxidants in pregnancyinduced hypertension (PIH) compared with healthy normal pregnant and non-pregnant as controls. 75 cases were studied of which 25 were normal healthy controls (Group A), 25 healthy pregnant women (Group B) of third trimester and 25 were PIH (Group C) of the same trimester. In PIH, malondialdehyde a lipid peroxidation product was significantly increased as compared to normal pregnant and non-pregnant controls. The nonenzymatic antioxidants like reduced glutathione, Vitamin-E, Vitamin-C and Vitamin-A were significantly decreased in normal pregnants as compared to controls. A further significant decrease was noticed in PIH compared to normal pregnants. A significant negative correlation was detected between lipid peroxidation and non-enzymatic antioxidant levels. Our study clearly indicates a relationship between elevated lipid peroxidation, decreased non-enzymatic antioxidant in PIH. The measurement of non-enzymatic antioxidants in plasma may be useful predictor of the likely development of PIH.     

Evaluation of adenosine deaminase activity and lipid peroxidation levels in diabetes mellitus

There was increase in erythrocyte lipid peroxidation and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in red blood cells (RBC's), white blood cells (WBC's) and plasma, in 30 patients of confirmed diabetes mellitus, 10 each of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM or type I), non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM or type II) and diabetes with ketoacidosis when compared with 20 healthy individuals (controls). Glycosylated hemoglobin A1c%, plasma free fatty acid (FFA) and glycerol levels were also elevated in all the cases when compared with controls. The increase was more in diabetic ketoacidosis group. Significant positive correlations were seen between erythrocyte lipid peroxidation and ADA activities in RBC's, WBC's and plasma. It is suggested that decreased tissue adenosine levels due to increase in ADA activity, is related to the severity of hyperglycemia and lipid peroxidation in diabetes mellitus.     

Effect of vitamin E on the platelet xanthine oxidase and lipid peroxidation in the patients of myocardial infarction

Platelets play important role in precipitating ischaemic myocardial syndromes in many ways. One of the consequences of ischaemic diseases is excessive generation of oxygen derived free radicals that have numerous pathophysiological consequences. Platelet pro-oxidant enzyme, xanthine oxidase is one of the sources of generation of free radicals. In the present paper, we report the effect of administration of vitamin E along with aspirin on the levels of platelet xanthine oxidase and extent of free radical mediated damage in the patients reperfused after myocardial infarction. Our findings show that administration of 400 mg. vitamin E for six days along with 80 mg. aspirin has an excellent anti-oxidant effect as evidenced by reduced platelet xanthine oxidase activity and lowering of malondialdehdye (MDA) levels which is an index of the extent of free radical mediated damage.     

Lipid peroxidation and the levels of antioxidant enzymes in coronary artery disease

Coronary Artery Disease is the major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Traditional risk factors account for only half of the morbidity and mortality from coronary artery disease. There is substantial evidence that oxidative stress plays the major role in the atherosclerotic process. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the level of lipid peroxidation (by measuring malondialdehyde) and antioxidant enzymes (ceruloplasmin, glutathione, superoxide dismutase) in coronary artery disease. Serum malondialdehyde levels and serum ceruloplasmin levels were significantly raised in all the subgroups of study group as compared to control group (p<0.001). Whole blood glutathione levels and hemolysate superoxide dismutase activity was significantly decreased in all the subgroups of study group as compared to control group (p<0.001). Above results suggests that the patients of coronary artery disease show increased oxidative stress and decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes. So it is recommended that the management protocol for coronary artery disease patients should include antioxidant supplementation along with simultaneous lowering of lipid peroxidation.     

Evaluation of the radioprotective effect of turmeric extract and vitamin E in mice exposed to therapeutic dose of radioiodine

The aim of this study was to evaluate the radioprotective effect of turmeric extract (40 mg/kg body weight) and vitamin E (α- tocopherol acetate, 400 IU/kg body weight) supplementation on lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione and antioxidant defense enzymes in various organs like liver, kidney and salivary glands at 24 h in adult Swiss mice. ¹³¹Iodine exposure significantly increased lipid peroxidation in kidney and salivary glands in comparison to control animals. Pre supplementation with turmeric extract for 15 days showed significant lowering of lipid peroxidation in kidney. On the other hand vitamin E pre supplementation showed marked reduction in lipid peroxidation in salivary glands. Reduced glutathione levels decreased significantly in liver after radiation exposure. However, pre supplementation with turmeric extract and vitamin E did not improve glutathione levels in liver. In conclusion, we have observed differential radioprotective effect of turmeric extract and vitamin E in kidney and salivary glands. However, Vitamin E seems to offer better radioprotection for salivary glands which is known to be the major site of cellular destruction after radioiodine therapy in patients.     

A study of spectrin and lipid peroxidation of red blood cell membrane in thalassaemia carrier

The aim of the present work is to understand the lipid peroxidation of RBC membrane and the spectrin protein content of RBC membrane cytoskeleton of thalassaemic carrier state (trait) of β and hemoglobin E variant (HbE). We have measured the hemoglobin (Hb), malondialdehyde (MDA) and spectrin content of RBC membrane of thalassaemic carrier. The spectrin content (α and β band) of both β and HbE carrier was not changed than normal individuals. However, lipid peroxidation of RBC membrane was significantly increased in both β and HbE trait, and Hb level was also decreased in thalassaemic carrier. It may be assumed that oxidative damage by excess lipid peroxidation may have no role on irreversible membrane damage in β thalassaemia and HbE thalassaemia carrier.     

In vitro screening for acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition and antimicrobial activity of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica)

BackgroundChia seeds are gaining increasing interest among food producers and consumers because of their prohealth properties.ResultsThe aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of chia seeds to act as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitors. The highest inhibitory activity against AChE and BChE was observed for colored seed ethanol extracts. A positive correlation was found between the presence of quercetin and isoquercetin as well as protocatechuic, hydroxybenzoic, and coumaric acids and the activity of extracts as AChE and BChE inhibitors. It has also been shown that grain fragmentation affects the increase in the activity of seeds against cholinesterases (ChE). Furthermore, seeds have been shown to be a source of substances that inhibit microbial growth.ConclusionsIt was found that the chia seed extracts are rich in polyphenols and inhibit the activity of ChEs; therefore, their use can be considered in further research in the field of treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.How to cite: Kobus-Cisowska J, Szymanowska D, Maciejewska P, et al. In vitro screening for acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinoesterase inhibition and antimicrobial activity of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica). Electron J Biotechnol 2019;37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2018.10.002     

Effect ofOcimum sanctum (Tulsi) and vitamin E on biochemical parameters and retinopathy in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

This study was carried out to see the effect of the aqueous extract ofOcitum sanctum Linn (Tulsi) with Vitamin E on biochemical parameters and retinopathy in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic albino male rats. Adult albino male rats weighing 150–200 gm were made diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin in the dose 60 mg/kg in citrate buffer (pH 6.3). The diabetic animals were left for one month to develop retinopathy. Biochemical parameters like plasma glucose, oral glucose tolerance and glycosylated hemoglobin HbA_1c, were measured along with lipid profile, and enzymes like glutathione peroxidase (GPX), lipid peroxidase (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in normal, untreated diabetic rats and diabetic rats treated withOcimum sanctum L extracts and vitamin E. Fluorescein angiography test was done for assessing retinopathy. Results on biochemical parameters were analyzed statistically by using ANOVA followed by Dunnet's ‘t’-test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered as significant. Evaluation of biochemical profile in treated groups showed statistically significant reduction in plasma levels of glucose, HbA_1c, lipid profile and LPO, and elevation of GPX, SOD, CAT and GST. Treatment of the diabetic animals withOcimum sanctum and Vitamin E, alone and in combination for 16 weeks showed reversal of most of the parameters studied including plasma glucose levels. Angiography showed improvement in retinal changes following combined antidiabetic treatment.     

Effect of Vitamin E Supplementation on Biochemical Parameters in Pesticides Sprayers of Grape Gardens of Western Maharashtra (India)

The aim of this study was to see the biochemical effects of pesticides on sprayers of grape gardens before and after 15 days of vitamin E supplementations in Western Maharashtra (India), who were occupationally exposed to various pesticides over a long period of time (about 5 to 15 years). Blood samples were collected from all study group subjects for biochemical parameters assays before and after 15 days of vitamin E supplementation. Sprayers of grape gardens were given 400 mg of vitamin E tablet/day for 15 days. After 15 days of vitamin E supplementation to sprayers of grape gardens, we observed significantly decreased aspartate transaminase (10.88 %, P < 0.05, r = 0.88), alanine transaminase (25.92 %, P < 0.01, r = 0.46) and total proteins (3.32 %, P < 0.01, r = 0.33), whereas, no statistically significant change was found in serum acetyl cholinesterase, C-reactive proteins, albumin (ALB), globulins and ALB/globulin ratio as compared to before vitamin E supplementation. Sprayers of grape gardens, who received vitamin E supplementation, showed significantly decreased serum lipid peroxide (LP) (18.75 %, P < 0.001, r = 0.63) and significantly increased RBC-superoxide dismutase (SOD) (12.88 %, P < 0.001, r = 0.85), RBC-Catalase (CAT) (24.49 %, P < 0.001, r = 0.70), plasma ceruloplasmin (CP) (4.6 %, P < 0.01, r = 0.80), serum zinc (4.57 %, P < 0.01, r = 0.83) and serum copper (4.37 %, P < 0.01, r = 0.79) as compared to values before vitamin E supplementation. These results showed that vitamin E supplementation has ameliorating effects on these transaminase enzymes, suggesting that it may have a protective effect on liver, from pesticides induced damage. In this study vitamin E supplementation might have decreased LP levels by breaking chain reaction of lipid peroxidation. Present results indicate that vitamin E plays a crucial role in restoring the antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, CAT and CP, in population exposed to pesticides. This helps to enhance its antioxidant ability. Therefore, it is suggested that farmers, pesticide applicators, workers in the pesticide industry and other pesticide users, who come in regular contact with pesticides, may be benefited by supplementation with vitamin E.     

Hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties of tulsi (Ocimum sanctum linn) on streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats

Effect of oral administration of 200 mg/Kg body weight of the aqueous extract ofOcimum sanctum (Tulsi) mixed with diet for eight weeks to diabetic (streptozotocin induced) rats was studied. There was significant reduction in fasting blood glucose, serum lipid profile, lipid peroxidation products, (LPO) and improvement in glucose tolerance. The aqueous extract also decreased LPO formation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances TBARS) and increased antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione transferase (GT) and one antioxidant reduced glutathione (GSH) in plasma and rat liver, lung, kidney and brain. The decrease in TBARS and increase in GSH, SOD, CAT, GPX, and GT clearly shows the antioxidant property ofOcimum sanctum.     

Arsenic-Induced Hepatic Toxicity and Its Attenuation by Fruit Extract of Emblica officinalis (Amla) in Mice

Arsenic a metalloid and environmental contaminated has been found to be associated with public health problems in the affected areas. It is naturally occurred in groundwater and its accumulation in plant and animals leads to toxicity in several tissues most notably hepatic organ. Arsenic exposures (3 mg/kg body weight/day for 30 days) in mice exhibited increased arsenic and Zn levels in hepatocytes associated with enhanced oxidative stress in hepatocytes while there were no significantly changes were observed in Cu level. An increase in the lipid peroxidation and decrease in the levels of reduced glutathione and activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase were observed in arsenic treated mice as compared to controls. Arsenic exposure in mice also caused a significant change in serum biomarkers in the SGOT, SGPT and creatinine as compared to the controls. There were no significant changes in the serum levels of total protein in these mice. Co-administration of arsenic and fruit extract of amla (500 mg/kg body weight/day for 30 days) caused a significant reduction of arsenic transference associated with significantly decreases hepatic arsenic levels and balanced the antioxidant enzyme and levels of serum hepatic enzymes like SGOT and SGPT. The results of the present study clearly demonstrate the antioxidant property of amla that could be responsible for its protective efficacy in arsenic induced hepatic toxicity.     

Determination method for power-saved driving motions of manipulators by heuristic algorithms (in case of PTP control)

This study proposed a method for suppressing torques and consumed energy of manipulators considering an effect of inertial forces in order to achieve power-saved drive. The present paper describes the case that the start and end points of a work path of a manipulator are specified and the path between the points can be determined arbitrarily, which is so-called point-to-point (PTP) control. The proposed method determines both the initial pose of a manipulator and input motions of its joints so that the torque or consumed energy is suppressed. The input motion of the joint is expressed by a motion curve that indicates the time profiles of input displacements, velocities and accelerations. The proposed method determines the motion curve as a polynomial with appropriate coefficients. Those coefficients and their values are decided by a heuristic algorithm in order to suppress the input torques or consumed energy of a manipulator. The paper actually determines the power-saved drive motion of “PUMA560” by the proposed method and reveals its effectiveness.     

短跗星花金龟体表元素的X射线荧光光谱检测

采用Ｘ射线荧光光谱仪对体表为古铜色并有金属光泽的短跗星花金龟进行了体表（背、腹面）无损多元素定性检测。样品灰化后，对其灰又进行了多元素定性检测。结果发现，此种金龟子体表所呈现的金属光泽与虫体含有较多的Ｃｕ、Ｚｎ有关。     

《科技通报》1994-2003十年载文分析--暨贺《科技通报》创刊二十周年

对《科技通报》近十年载文作了统计,结果表明:近十年的载文量和信息密度有明显增加;平均引文率已高于全国科技期刊的平均数;其稿源来自高等院校的占79.6%,且硕士生和博士生的学位论文呈逐年上升趋势;近十年平均基金资助论文比例为36.6%;外省的文章占27.1%;31~40岁年龄段的作者占48.6%,大多具有高级职称,是论文的高产群体;作者男女性别比为4.26:1。与全国优秀期刊相比还有较大差距,对差距产生的原因作了分析并提出了改进建议。