Antioxidant Status and Oxidative Stress in the Circulation of Younger and Elderly Human Subjects

Extensive research has demonstrated the protective properties of antioxidants, which scavenge reactive oxygen species and their precursors, as well as up-regulate enzymes involved in the repair of cellular damage. Several case–control studies have showed higher blood levels of antioxidants and decreased oxidative stress in younger individuals when compared with older ones. Cell damage caused by free radicals appears to be a major contributor in aging and degenerative diseases of aging such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, compromised immune system, rheumatoid arthritis and brain dysfunction. The objective of this study was to determine the variation of Circulating levels of selected antioxidants (enzymic and non enzymic) and oxidative stress marker in younger and older humans. The results showed that a majority of the younger age group participants showed a significant increase in enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidant status and a decrease in oxidative stress when compared with the older age group.     

Evaluation of Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Patients and Comparison with Controls

In the present study, oxidative stress and lymphocytic DNA damage in both pre-op and post-op benign prostrate hyperplasia (BPH) patients with age >50 years was evaluated and compared with normal healthy subjects (controls- without any evidence of disease) of the same sex and age group. From December 2007 to November 2009, oxidative stress in 45 BPH patients were evaluated both before (pre-op patients) and after 7 days of surgery (post-op patients) in terms of measurements of plasma levels of (1) various anti-oxidative enzymes, (2) non-enzymatic antioxidants and (3) malondialdehyde which is a product of lipid peroxidation. The lymphocyte DNA damage was also evaluated by single cell alkaline gel electrophoresis in terms of tail length migration in these patients. These values were compared with their respective control subjects of similar sex and age group. The activities of antioxidant enzymes and the levels of antioxidant, reduced glutathione were found significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in serum samples of pre-operative group of BPH patients as compared to the controls. These altered parameters increased significantly (p < 0.05) and returned to their near normal control values, but not up to baseline values, in post operative patients i.e. after the cancer load was decreased by surgery. Lymphocytic DNA damage was found to be significantly increased in pre-op group as compared to controls and was reduced after surgery in post-op group. The present study therefore, shows significantly increased levels of oxidative stress and DNA damage in BPH patients which were reduced after removal of tumour load. Thus oxidative damage plays an important role in prostate tumourogenesis and timely management of oxidative stress can be of importance in preventing the occurrence of BPH.     

Evaluation of Oxidative Stress in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Follow-up Along with Vitamin E Supplementation

Increased oxidative stress is a widely accepted participant in the development and progression of diabetes and its complications. The present study has been undertaken to evaluate oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes mellitus and effect of vitamin E supplementation on oxidative stress. In all 120 subjects were enrolled in the present study, 40 subjects are age and sex matched controls. Test group comprised of clinically diagnosed (n = 80) type 2 diabetic patients. Biochemical parameters like serum MDA, nitric oxide, superoxide dismutase, erythrocyte reduced glutathione and platelet aggregation were analyzed in control and diabetic group. Test group is further categorized as Group I (n = 40) diabetics were treated by only hypoglycemic drugs and Group II (n = 40) diabetics were treated by hypoglycemic drugs with vitamin E supplementation. All above biochemical parameters were again reassessed after 3 months follow-up in both group and its values were compared with its respective baseline levels. The study shows, reduction of oxidative stress, improvement in antioxidant enzymes and endothelial dysfunction in group II, those were on treatment of hypoglycemic drugs along with vitamin E supplementation. Hence the present study may conclude that vitamin E supplementation along with hypoglycemic drugs may be beneficial to type 2 DM patients to minimize vascular complications.     

Assessment of Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Process in Patients of Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a disseminated malignancy of monoclonal plasma cells that accounts for 15 % of all hematological cancers. The present study was conducted to evaluate the role of inflammation and oxidant-antioxidant dynamics in the etiology of this disease. The study population comprised of 20 cases of multiple myeloma and 20 healthy controls. The parameters evaluated were serum malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ferritin levels. The serum MDA levels were 1.9 ± 0.96 nmol/ml in cases as compared to 0.98 ± 0.55 nmol/ml in the controls. Similarly, a statistically significant difference was noted in the SOD and ferritin levels between the cases and controls (93.2 ± 23.8 vs. 210.1 ± 190.5 U/ml and 285.8 ± 216.4 vs. 131.8 ± 30.1 ng/ml respectively). Our study highlights the imbalance in the oxidant-anti oxidant mechanism and the role of smoldering inflammation in the etiology of multiple myeloma.     

Protective Effect of Emblica officinalis Against Alcohol-Induced Hepatic Injury by Ameliorating Oxidative Stress in Rats

The effect of Emblica officinalis fruit extract (EFE) against alcohol-induced hepatic damage in rats was investigated in the present study. In vitro studies showed that EFE possesses antioxidant as well nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity. In vivo administration of alcohol (5 g/kg b.wt/day) for 60 days resulted increased liver lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyls, nitrite plus nitrate levels. Alcohol administration also significantly lowers the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase and reduced glutathione as compared with control rats. Administration of EFE (250 mg/kg body weight) to alcoholic rats significantly brought the plasma enzymes towards near normal level and also significantly reduced the levels of lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyls and restored the enzymic and non-enzymatic antioxidants level. This observation was supplemented by histopathological examination in liver. Our data indicate that the tannoid, flavonoid and NO scavenging compounds present in EFE may offer protection against free radical mediated oxidative stress in rat hepatocytes of animals with alcohol-induced liver injury.     

Evaluation of Low Blood Lead Levels and Its Association with Oxidative Stress in Pregnant Anemic Women: A Comparative Prospective Study

To correlate blood lead levels (BLLs) and oxidative stress parameters in pregnant anemic women. A total of 175 pregnant women were found suitable and included for this study. Following WHO criteria, 50 each were identified as non-anemic, mild anemic and moderate anemic and 25 were severe anemic. The age of all study subjects ranged from 24–41 years. At admission, BLLs and oxidative stress parameters were estimated as per standard protocols and subjected with ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis and cluster analysis. Results showed significantly (p < 0.01) high BLLs, zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), lipid peroxide (LPO) levels while low delta aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALAD), iron (Fe), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), red blood cell (RBC) count, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in all groups of anemic pregnant women as compared with non anemic pregnant women. In all groups of pregnant women, BLLs showed significant (p < 0.01) and direct association with ZPP, GSSG and LPO while inverse relation with δ-ALAD, Fe, Se, Zn, Hb, Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RBC, GSH, SOD, CAT and TAC. Study concluded that low BLLs perturb oxidant-antioxidant balance and negatively affected hematological parameters which may eventually Pb to Fe deficiency anemia during pregnancy.     

Oxidative stress is the primary event: Effects of ethanol consumption in brain

Damaging effects of reactive oxygen species on living systems are well documented. They include oxidative attack on vital cell constituents. Chronic ethanol administration is able to induce an oxidative stress in the central nervous system. In the present study, 16–18 week-old male albino rats of Wistar strain were exposed to different concentration of ethanol for 4 weeks. This exposure showed profound effect on body weight. Ascorbic acid level; and activities of alkaline phosphatase and aspartate transaminase in the brain are dependent on the concentration of ethanol exposure. Chronic ethanol ingestion elicits statistically significant increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level and decrease in gluatathione level in the brain. It reduces superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activities in a dose dependent manner. However, histological examination could not reveal any pathophysiological changes. Therefore, we conclude that biochemical alterations and oxidative stress related parameters respond early in alcoholism than the histopathological changes in brain.     

Evaluation of Flow Rate,pH, Buffering Capacity,Calcium, Total Proteins and Total Antioxidant Capacity Levels of Saliva in Caries Free and Caries Active Children: An In Vivo Study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the physicochemical properties of saliva such as flow rate, pH, buffering capacity, calcium level, total protein and total antioxidant levels in caries free and caries active children. The present study included one hundred and twenty healthy children who were divided into two groups; group I and group II comprising of age groups 7–10 and 11–14 years, respectively. Both the groups were then sub-divided equally according to gender. They were further divided into caries free and caries active with 15 children in each group. Unstimulated saliva was collected by suction method and flow rates were determined. The samples were then analyzed for pH, buffering capacity, total protein, calcium and total antioxidant capacity. The data was statistically analyzed using student t test (unpaired). The results revealed that when all these parameters were compared among the caries free and caries active children, flow rate, pH, buffering capacity were slightly reduced in caries active children, but total protein and total antioxidant capacity of saliva increased significantly in caries active children and the total calcium decreased significantly in caries active children. Within the limitation of this study, we conclude that, the physicochemical properties of saliva play a major role in the development of caries.     

Protective Role of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Arginine Against Free-Radical Mediated Oxidative Damage in Patients with Unstable Angina

Unstable angina is a critical condition of heart resulting from narrowing of vessels supplying blood to heart. Ischemia of the myocardium leads to oxidative stress and severe tissue damage. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of l-arginine administration on the oxidant–antioxidant homeostasis which otherwise gets imbalanced in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The results obtained, show improvement in the oxidant–antioxidant levels of the subjects upon incorporation of l-arginine. Our findings suggest that supplementation of l-arginine along with regular anti-anginal therapy may be beneficial to the patients of unstable angina.     

Effect of Certain Antibiotics Against Filarial Parasite <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brugia malayi</Emphasis> In Vitro: Possible Role of Oxidative Stress

WHO-Tropical Disease Research scheme highlighted the need for development of new anti-filarial drugs. Certain antibiotics have recently been found effective against Wolbachia, co-existing symbiotically with filarial parasites. Inflammatory response entails oxidative mechanism to educe direct anti-microbial effect. In the present study microfilariae were maintained in vitro in medium supplemented with varying concentrations of tetracycline, doxycycline (20–100 μg/ml) or ciprofloxacin (50–250 μg/ml) separately to find out any involvement of oxidative mechanism in the anti-filarial effect of these antibiotics. Loss of motility of the microfilariae was measured after 48 h and correlated with the levels of MDA, nitric oxide and protein-carbonylation. Significant loss of microfilarial motility was recorded with increasing concentration of tetracycline and doxycycline but with ciprofloxacin the effect was not marked. Agents with high antifilarial activity revealed significant association with oxidative parameters in a dose dependent manner. The result suggests that oxidative effect might be exploited to design novel antifilarial drug candidate.