The levels of plasma and salivary antioxidants in the patient with recurrent aphthous stomatitis

BACKGROUND: Despite plenty of research, the cause of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) remains obscure. It has been proposed that, the aetiological factors such as local trauma, smoking, vitamin deficiencies and viral infections lead to aphthae formation via final common pathway based on increased oxidative stress. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) alterations in plasma and saliva, and in addition uric acid (UA) in saliva, in patients with RAS and healthy controls. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with RAS and 30 healthy controls were included into the study. The SOD, CAT, GSHPx and UA levels were measured in plasma and saliva in study and control groups. RESULTS: In the RAS group, although the mean SOD (P<0.001) and CAT (P<0.05) levels of plasma were lower, GSHPx (P<0.001) levels were higher than control group. The salivary concentrations of the SOD (P<0.001), CAT (P<0.05) and GSHPx (P<0.001) in RAS group were entirely opposite to plasma concentrations. UA were not significant between RAS group and controls. CONCLUSION: Since we found salivary SOD and CAT levels were high whereas plasma levels were low, it has been thought that, salivary defence mechanisms via antioxidant agents may be stimulated against to the ulcerous lesion. We consider that the organism might mobilize the antioxidant potential to the sites where they were needed. At this point, decrease of SOD and CAT levels in the plasma may be related to this shift. It is also thought that GSHPx secretion in the saliva may also be increased but the increase in its turnover may be responsible for the diminished activity.     

植物化学物对健康影响的研究进展

近年来人们逐渐认识到多吃蔬菜和水果有益于健康，因为这些植物性食物中含有一些生物活性物质——植物化学物(phytochemicals)，它们具有保护人体和预防诸如心血管病和癌症等慢性疾病的作用。本将对植物化学物的总体研究状况加以综述。     

Effect of the antioxidant emoxypine on lipid metabolism in the lungs during development of pulmonary edema

Department of Pathophysiology, Yaroslavl' State Medical Institute. All-Union Research Center for Safety of Biologically Active Substances, Kupavna, Moscow Region. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. G. Chuchalin.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 113, No. 2, pp. 139–141, February, 1992.     

抗氧化剂对准分子激光兔角膜切削术后角膜组织的影响

目的 探讨局部应用抗氧化剂VitC、VitE对准分子激光屈光性角膜切削术(PRK)术后角膜组织的影响。方法 将24只实验免分成2组，每组12只，行双眼一5．0DPRK。一组术后左眼每日结膜下注射VitC0．1g，右眼为对照；另一组术后左眼每日结膜下注射VitE25mg，有眼为对照。于术后1、3、7、14天测定角膜组织超氧化物歧酶(super—oxide dismutase，SOD)、丙二醛(malondialdehyde，MDA)及谷肮甘肽过氧化物酶(glutathioneperoxNe，GSH—PX)的变化，观察其病理变化。结果 术后1、3天角膜SOD、GSH—Px活性小于对照组(P＜0．01)，MDA的水平高于对照组(P＜0．01)。局部应用抗氧化剂组其角膜SOD、GSH—PX活性高于单纯激光组(P＜0．01)，MDA水平低于单纯激光组(P＜0．01)。结论 准分子激光屈光性角膜切削术后，存在着氧自由基性的组织损伤破坏，局部应用VitC、VitE能降低角膜的自由基损伤。     

In vitro effects of beetroot juice and chips on oxidative metabolism and apoptosis in neutrophils from obese individuals

Oxidative stress and inflammation are involved in the development of obesity. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris var. rubra) is a food ingredient containing betalain pigments that show antioxidant activity. The in vitro effect of beetroot juice and chips on oxidative metabolism and apoptosis in neutrophils from obese individuals has been investigated. Fifteen obese women (aged 45 +/- 9 years, BMI >30 kg/m2) and nine healthy controls (women, aged 29 +/- 11 years, BMI = 22.2 +/- 1.6 kg/m2) were examined. The investigated products were used as concentrates and after transport and digestion in an artificial gastrointestinal tract. Neutrophil oxidant production, in response to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, was characterized by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and a flow cytometric dichlorofluorescin oxidation assay. Caspase-3 activity, a marker of apoptosis, was measured by cleavage of the fluorogenic substrate Ac-DEVD-AMC. Neutrophils from obese individuals had a significantly higher ROS production compared with the controls (p < 0.05). Beetroot products inhibited neutrophil oxidative metabolism in a concentration-dependent manner. Also observed were the pro-apoptotic effects of beetroot at a concentration range of 0.1-10% in 24 h culture of stimulated neutrophils. These natural products (in both the liquid and solid state) have antioxidant and antiinflammatory capacity, and could be an important adjunct in the treatment of obesity.     

地尔硫对冠心病的抗氧化作用

目的：观察地尔硫对冠心病病人的抗脂质过氧化及抗氧自由基作用。方法：冠心病病人３０例为治疗组（男性２１例，女性９例，年龄５８±ｓ６ａ），给予地尔硫３０ｍｇ，ｐｏ，ｔｉｄ，共４ｗｋ。健康人组３０例（男性１８例，女性１２例，年龄５８±９ａ）。结果：治疗组在给药前较健康人组的血清ｏｘＬＤＬ，ＬＰＯ，ＳＣＬ，ＬＣＬ值显著升高，Ｐ＜０．０１，ＧＳＨ－Ｐｘ显著降低，Ｐ＜０．０１，ＳＯＤ活力两者无明显差异，Ｐ＞０．０５。治疗组用药后与用药前相比ｏｘＬＤＬ，ＬＰＯ，ＳＣＬ，ＬＣＬ值显著下降，Ｐ＜０．０１或＜０．０５，ＧＳＨ－Ｐｘ显著升高，Ｐ＜０．０１，治疗组治疗后与健康人组相比，除ＬＣＬ外，其他指标皆无明显差异，Ｐ＞０．０５。结论：地尔硫是一良好的抗氧化剂。     

Analysis of gene expression in MOG-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis after treatment with a novel brain-penetrating antioxidant

Accumulating data from experimental studies indicate that oxidative stress has a major role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). It has been suggested that local production of reactive oxygen species, probably by macrophages, mediates axonal damage in both MS patients and the mouse model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We have shown previously that our novel brain-penetrating antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine amide (AD4), reduces the clinical and pathological symptoms, including inflammation and axonal damage in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced chronic EAE in mice. The aim of this study was to examine the molecular mechanism by which AD4 exerts protection in MOG-induced EAE mice. Therefore, we analyzed gene-expression profile in the spinal cords of MOG-induced chronic EAE mice and compared them with MOG-induced mice treated with AD4, using a cDNA microarray. We found that MOG treatment up-regulated genes encoding growth factors, cytokines, death receptors, proteases, and myelin structure proteins, whereas MOG- and AD4-treated mice demonstrated gene expression profiles similar to that seen in na?ve healthy mice. In conclusion, our study shows that chronic AD4 administration suppresses the induction of various pathological pathways that play a role in EAE and probably in MS.     

Smoking induces oxidative stress inside the Graafian follicle

BACKGROUND: A growing body of evidence indicates that pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance inside ovarian follicles plays an important role in folliculogenesis. Over 20% of women of reproductive age in Europe and the USA regularly smoke cigarettes. The impact of tobacco smoking on the intrafollicular markers of oxidative stress has not been fully elucidated. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that cigarette smoking affects the intrafollicular redox milieu. METHODS: In follicular fluid samples originating from 108 IVF patients, lipid peroxidation was assessed by the thiobarbituric reactive substances method and total antioxidative capacity was quantified by the luminol enhanced chemiluminescence method. The level of patients' exposure to the cigarette smoke was evaluated by measuring the follicular fluid cotinine concentration by means of radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Intrafollicular exposure to cigarette smoke metabolites was associated with a significant increase in follicular lipid peroxidation intensity (P < 0.001), which was accompanied by a significant decrease in the local antioxidative potential (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that active smoking affects the pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance inside the pre-ovulatory ovarian follicle by inducing intrafollicular oxidative stress. This provides another possible explanation for impaired folliculogenesis in female smokers.