A pilot assessment of oxidative stress byproducts and antioxidant activities among Indian patients with various stages of hypertension

In humans, hypertension is considered a state of oxidative stress that can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and other hypertension-induced organ damages. The objective of this study was to evaluate oxidative status, antioxidant activities, and oxidative stress by-products among Indian patients with various stages of hypertension. Lipid profile, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, lipid peroxidation as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), C-reactive protein, electrolytes, and minerals were analyzed in the blood of newly diagnosed prehypertensives, stage I and II hypertensives (n = 20 in each group) and were compared to their age-matched normotensives. Elevated levels of lipid profile (except high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C]) were observed in stage I and II hypertensive patients. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants were significantly (P < 0.05) lower, while TBARS and C-reactive protein were higher in prehypertensives, and stage I and II hypertensives. Significant (P <0.05) changes were also observed in the plasma Na(+) and K(+) concentrations among the hypertensive groups. Serum levels of zinc, copper, and magnesium were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in prehypertensives, and stage I and II hypertensives as compared to normotensives. The study indicated a strong association between blood pressure (BP) and oxidative stress-related parameters and suggests a possible role of oxidative stress in the development of elevated BP.     

Formulation and evaluation of herbal gel of Pothos scandens Linn

ObjectiveTo formulate Pothos scandens Linn (P. scandens) leaf extract in to a gel and investigate their burn wound healing activity.MethodsEthanolic extract of dried leaves of P. scandens were subjected to priliminery phytochemical evaluation and wound healing activities studies. Different gel formulations of ethanolic extract of P. scandens (4% w/v) were prepared using polymers carbopol 934 and carbopol 940 by varying their concentration. These formulations were evaluated for physical parameters, drug content, pH, viscosity, extrudability, spreadability, primary skin irritation, pharmacological activity and stability.ResultsWound healing studies of ethanolic extract revealed that P. scandens treated animals were found to epithelise in 22 days while the solvent control and the untreated rats epithelise within 35 and 40 days respectively. The formulation with 1.5% w/w carbopol 934 was found to be more promising as it shows better physicochemical characteristics, higher pharmacological activity and stability compared to other formulations.ConclusionsP. scandens alcoholic extract shows significant improvement in burn wound contraction and hence this is a promising candidate in burn wound healing.     

Oral submucous fibrosis: a case-control study in Chennai, South India

BACKGROUND: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a pre-cancerous condition caused by the use of areca nut in various forms. There are very few published reports on areca nut use and OSF from Chennai, South India. METHODS: A hospital-based case-control study on habits and OSF was performed in Chennai over a 3-year period. A total of 185 consecutive patients with OSF were matched with age- and sex-matched controls. History was recorded in a pre-determined format by qualified dental surgeons. RESULTS: The male to female ratio of OSF cases was 9.9 : 1. All areca nut products were associated with OSF, with the risk being greatest for pan masala. The duration of the habit was more significant than the frequency of the chewing habit. CONCLUSION: The present study confirms the strong association between areca nut use and OSF and the increasing use of pan masala.     

Pneumopericardial tamponade resulting from a spontaneous gastropericardial fistula

Pneumopericardium is a rare but serious cause of morbidity and mortality. Untreated, it can lead to cardiac tamponade and thus must be promptly identified to treat the underlying etiology. Here, we report a case of spontaneous pneumopericardium secondary to gastric ulcer perforation in association with a hiatal hernia. The diagnosis of pneumopericardium was first made under fluoroscopy during cardiac catheterization and a follow‐up CT of the chest revealed a gastropericardial fistula as the initiating event. The patient underwent emergent thoracotomy and partial esophagogastrectomy which eventually resulted in a full recovery and discharge on postoperative day 19. Our unique experience with this rare and often fatal disease suggests that early diagnosis combined with an early and aggressive surgical strategy is critical for minimizing morbidity and mortality. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Effect of glutathione on arecanut treated normal human buccal fibroblast culture.

BACKGROUND: Experimental studies have shown arecanut to be a cytotoxic substance with mutagenic and carcinogenic potential. OBJECTIVE: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of glutathione on arecanut treated human buccal fibroblast culture and its potential as a chemopreventive agent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fibroblast culture was done in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium MEM) supplemented with 10% Fetal Calf Serum (FCS) and antibiotic at 370C degrees in an atmosphere of 5% carbon di-oxide and 95% air. The fibroblast cells were subjected to different concentrations of aqueous extracts of raw and boiled arecanut. Fibroblasts were plated in two 24-well culture plates and in each plate, cells were dividt,ednto 2 groups; 600gg microml of reduced glutathione was added to the first group of cells; subsequently, aqueous extracts of raw and boiled arecanut at least and highest concentrations i.e., 20j. microml and 100lg microml were added to the first group of cells in the respective plates whereas the second group served as a control. The morphological alterations and cell survival were assayed at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. Results Morphologically, the initial (10 hours) attached fibroblast cells were converted from spheroidal shape towards hexagonal and finally to a fully extended spindle shaped configuration. The three morphological types of fibroblasts at 48 hours were F-I, F-II and F-III. Aqueous extract of raw arecanut exhibited significant cytotoxicity (p < .0 001) at all time periods studied, when compared against the control values of untreated fibroblasts. Addition of reduced glutathione to cultures showed a significant (p < 0. 001) reduction in cytotoxicity, as indicated by higher optical density values and morphological reversion to the spindle-shaped configuration. CoCONCLUSION:Addition of glutathione reduced the cytotoxic and morphological alterations of the fibroblasts treated with aqueous extracts of both raw and boiled arecanut.     

The molecular basis for the thalassaemias in Sri Lanka

The beta-globin gene mutations and the alpha-globin genes of 620 patients with the phenotype of severe to moderate thalassaemia from seven centres in Sri Lanka were analysed. Twenty-four beta-globin gene mutations were identified, three accounting for 84.5% of the 1240 alleles studied: IVSI-5 (G-->C) 56.2%; IVSI-1 (G-->A) 15.2%; and haemoglobin E (codon (CD)26 GAG-->GAA) 13.1%. Three new mutations were found; a 13-bp deletion removing the last nucleotide in CD6 to CD10 inclusively, IVSI-129 (A-->C) in the consensus splice site, and a frame shift, CD55 (-A). The allele frequency of alpha+ thalassaemia was 6.5% and 1.1% for -alpha3.7 and -alpha4.2 deletions respectively. Non-deletion alpha-thalassaemia was not observed. Triplicate or quadruplicate alpha-globin genes were unusually common. In 1.5% of cases it was impossible to identify beta-thalassaemia alleles, but in Kurunegala detailed family studies led to an explanation for the severe thalassaemia phenotype in every case, including a previously unreported instance of homozygosity for a quadruplicated alpha-globin gene together with beta-thalassaemia trait. These findings have implications for the control of thalassaemia in high-frequency populations with complex ethnic histories.     

Import of DNA into mammalian nuclei by proteins originating from a plant pathogenic bacterium

Import of DNA into mammalian nuclei is generally inefficient. Therefore, one of the current challenges in human gene therapy is the development of efficient DNA delivery systems. Here we tested whether bacterial proteins could be used to target DNA to mammalian cells. Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a plant pathogen, efficiently transfers DNA as a nucleoprotein complex to plant cells. Agrobacterium-mediated T-DNA transfer to plant cells is the only known example for interkingdom DNA transfer and is widely used for plant transformation. Agrobacterium virulence proteins VirD2 and VirE2 perform important functions in this process. We reconstituted complexes consisting of the bacterial virulence proteins VirD2, VirE2, and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) in vitro. These complexes were tested for import into HeLa cell nuclei. Import of ssDNA required both VirD2 and VirE2 proteins. A VirD2 mutant lacking its C-terminal nuclear localization signal was deficient in import of the ssDNA-protein complexes into nuclei. Import of VirD2-ssDNA-VirE2 complexes was fast and efficient, and was shown to depended on importin alpha, Ran, and an energy source. We report here that the bacterium-derived and plant-adapted protein-DNA complex, made in vitro, can be efficiently imported into mammalian nuclei following the classical importin-dependent nuclear import pathway. This demonstrates the potential of our approach to enhance gene transfer to animal cells.     

Structural,Spectroscopic, Thermal,and Magnetic Properties of a New Dinuclear Copper Coordination Compound with Tiglic Acid

The first coordination compound of copper and tiglic acid named tetrakis(μ-tiglato)bis(tiglic acid)dicopper(II) was synthesized and crystallized from water solution. Its structure was determined and analyzed based on X-ray diffraction measurement. The paddle-wheel coordination system of the investigated compound was compared with other similar copper structures known in the literature. The Hirshfeld analysis was used for the detailed analysis of intermolecular interaction. The new compound was also characterized in terms of infrared absorption, thermal, and magnetic properties. The antiferromagnetic coupling of copper ions was found.     

A review of the role of ethanol-induced adipose tissue dysfunction in alcohol-associated liver disease

Alcohol-associated liver disease (AALD) encompasses a spectrum of liver diseases that includes simple steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. The adverse effects of alcohol in liver and the mechanisms by which ethanol (EtOH) promotes liver injury are well studied. Although liver is known to be the primary organ affected by EtOH exposure, alcohol's effects on other organs are also known to contribute significantly to the development of liver injury. It is becoming increasingly evident that adipose tissue (AT) is an important site of EtOH action. Both AT storage and secretory functions are altered by EtOH. For example, AT lipolysis, stimulated by EtOH, contributes to chronic alcohol-induced hepatic steatosis. Adipocytes secrete a wide variety of biologically active molecules known as adipokines. EtOH alters the secretion of these adipokines from AT, which include cytokines and chemokines that exert paracrine effects in liver. In addition, the level of EtOH-metabolizing enzymes, in particular, CYP2E1, rises in the AT of EtOH-fed mice, which promotes oxidative stress and/or inflammation in AT. Thus, AT dysfunction characterized by increased AT lipolysis and free fatty acid mobilization and altered secretion of adipokines can contribute to the severity of AALD. Of note, moderate EtOH exposure results in AT browning and activation of brown adipose tissue which, in turn, can promote thermogenesis. In this review article, we discuss the direct effects of EtOH consumption in AT and the mechanisms by which EtOH impacts the functions of AT, which, in turn, increases the severity of AALD in animal models and humans.