Total antioxidant and oxidant status of plasma and renal tissue of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxic rats: protection by floral extracts of Calendula officinalis Linn.

The present study was aimed to determine the total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) of plasma and renal tissue in cisplatin (cDDP) induced nephrotoxic rats and its protection by treatments with floral extracts of Calendula officinalis Linn. Treatment with cDDP elevated (p?p?antioxidant enzymes compared to the control group. Pre- and post-treatments of ethanolic floral extract of C. officinalis along with cDDP restored (p?>?0.05) CR, albumin, TOS, GSH and activities of antioxidant enzymes in blood and renal tissue. Ethanolic extract treatments reduced (p?C. officinalis protect cDDP induced nephrotoxicity by restoring antioxidant system of the renal tissue.     

Protective effect of syringic acid on kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury

The objective of the present study was to determine whether preischemic administration of syringic acid (SA) would attenuate renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Rats were divided into three groups: Sham group; IR group; and IR?+?SA group. The effects of SA were examined using biochemical parameters including serum ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA). The apoptosis status and histopathological changes were evaluated. After calculating the score for each histopathological change, the total score was obtained by summing all the scores. In the SA group, MDA, IMA, TOS, and OSI decreased significantly compared to the IR group. After SA administration, the increase in GPx activity was found to be significant. Apoptosis decreased significantly in the SA group compared with the IR group. The total score significantly decreased after administration of SA. Taken together, our findings suggest that SA preconditioning is effective in reducing tissue damage induced in kidney IRI. Renal histology also showed convincing evidence regarding the protective nature of SA.     

Ascorbic acid alleviates pancreatic damage induced by dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC) in rats

PURPOSE: Because previous studies have reported depleted antioxidant capacity in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), prevention of free radical production has gained importance in antifibrotic treatment strategies for CP. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ascorbic acid on oxidative capacity and pancreatic damage in experimental CP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CP was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by infusion of dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC) into the tail vein. Ascorbic acid was given intraperitoneally at a daily dose of 10 mg/kg body weight. The treatment groups were as follows: group 1, DBTC plus intraperitoneal physiologic saline; group 2, DBTC plus intraperitoneal ascorbic acid; group 3, solvent plus intraperitoneal physiologic saline; group 4, no operation plus intraperitoneal physiologic saline. Each group contained 15 animals. Treatment was started after CP was established. After 4 weeks of treatment, serum hyaluronic acid and laminin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay, pancreatic tissue oxidative stress was analyzed, and the degree of pancreatic damage was determined. RESULTS: Ascorbic acid treatment markedly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in pancreatic tissue (p < 0.01 for both). Significant serum hyaluronic acid and laminin reductions were observed in group 2 as compared with group 1 (p < 0.05). However, the serum hyaluronic acid and laminin levels remained elevated when compared with those of groups 3 and 4 (p < 0.05). Histopathologic scores were also lower in animals with CP that underwent ascorbic acid-treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Ascorbic acid treatment alleviated the degree of oxidative stress and pancreatic damage in rat CP. Antioxidant treatment might be considered a potential option to improve the pathologic process in CP.     

Peculiarities of the antioxidant status of the thyroid gland

The intensity of lipid peroxidation and activity of the antioxidant system in the thyroid gland were compared with those in the liver, kidney, heart, and frontal lobes of the cerebral hemispheres in euthyroid male Wistar rats. The thyroid gland was characterized by low activity of first-line antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase, considerable concentration of reduced glutathione, and high activity of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. Our results suggest that the system of glutathione metabolism determines antioxidant status of the thyroid gland. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 144, No. 10, pp. 410–412, October, 2007     

Effects of bioactive tetrapeptides on free-radical processes

Injections of epithalon and cortagen to rats decreased the content of LPO products and reduced oxidative modification of proteins, which was paralleled by suppression of antioxidant activity in rat serum and cerebral cortex. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 143, No. 6, pp. 690–692, June, 2007     

Iodinated curcumin bearing dermal cream augmented drug delivery,antimicrobial and antioxidant activities

Objectives: Curcumin (Cur) exhibits weak microbicidal activity owing to high lipophilicity and low cell permeability. Therefore, in the present investigation, Cur was iodinated using elemental iodine (I₂) to synthesise Cur–I₂ powder that was later formulated as Cur–I₂ dermal cream and characterised in vitro for antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.

Methods and results: Electrophilic addition of I₂ saturated the olefinic bonds of Cur, as confirmed by UV/visible spectroscopy, FT-IR, ¹H NMR and DSC techniques. In addition, in vitro skin permeation and retention analysis indicated that Cur–I₂ cream followed the first order and Higuchi model for drug release through the rat skin. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Cur–I₂ powder was measured to be 60 and 90?µg/ml significantly (p?Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively. Moreover, Cur–I₂ also exhibited strong antioxidant potential.

Conclusions: Cur–I₂ cream warrants further in vivo study to scale up the technology for clinical translation.     

Melatonin prevents deterioration of erectile function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats via sirtuin-1 expression

A review of the literature indicated that sirtuin-1 expression, a regulator of nitric oxide bioavailability in erectile dysfunction (ED) after melatonin therapy, has not yet been investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of melatonin for erectile function with sirtuin-1 protein expression in type 1 diabetic rat models. Fifty male Sprague Dawley rats were placed into five groups. Except for those in the control group (C), each animal received a single dose (60 mg/kg) of streptozotocin to induce diabetes. The animals were placed into the diabetes (D) group, insulin (I) group (6 U/kg/day), melatonin (Mel) group (10 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹) and combined treatment (I + Mel) group. Ten weeks later, the serum testosterone levels, intracavernosal pressure (ICP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), malondialdehyde (MDA), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (c-GMP), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), caspase-3 activity, sirtuin-1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein expression and histological findings were assessed. The mean ICP/MAP ratio for the D group was lower than the mean ratios for the other groups. The treatment groups, particularly the I + Mel group, exhibited lower 8-OHdG and MDA levels and caspase-3 activity than the D group. The sirtuin-1 and eNOS expression and cavernosal tissue (CT) histology seemed to have been preserved by the melatonin and/or insulin therapy. These results were indicative of a profound protective effect of melatonin by the activation of sirtuin-1 protein expression against hyperglycemia-induced oxidative CT injury.     

Neuroprotective effect of guggulipid alone and in combination with aspirin on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of focal cerebral ischemia in rats

This study was designed to test the pre-treatment doses of guggulipid (50?mg/kg), aspirin (100?mg/kg) per orally and co-administration of both drugs for 28 days followed by middle cerebral artery occlusion – a model of focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Middle cerebral artery was occluded for two hours, followed by reperfusion for 22 hours for the induction of focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Neurobehavioral tests like locomotor activity and grip strength tests were performed before sacrificing the animal. After neurobehavioral tests, the animals were sacrificed for the measurement of infarction areas and biochemical estimations in brain. Locomotor activity and grip strength were significantly improved in guggulipid and aspirin pre-treated rats. Guggulipid and aspirin pre-treatment reduced the infarction areas as compared with middle cerebral occluded (MCAO) rats. An elevation of nitrite, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), acetylcholine esterase activity (AchE) and reduction in antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and catalase were observed following MCAO. Pre-treatment with guggulipid and aspirin caused a reduction in TBARS and nitrite levels, AchE, but elevated GSH level, SOD and catalase activities as compared with MCAO rats. The protective effects observed in this study were due to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperlipidemic properties of guggulipid. The protective effect of guggulipid in cerebral ischemia, that it may have a role in reversing the symptoms and may offer significant neuroprotection in stroke.     

Low plasma antioxidant status in patients with epilepsy and the role of antiepileptic drugs on oxidative stress

Background:

Oxidative stress has been implicated in various disorders including epilepsy. We studied the antioxidant status in patients with epilepsy and aimed at determining whether there was any difference in the antioxidant levels between patients and controls, patients who are not on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and on treatment, between individual AEDs and patients on monotherapy and polytherapy.

Materials and Methods:

Antioxidant levels like catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), vitamin E, glutathione (GSH), thiol group (SH), uric acid, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were compared between 100 patients with epilepsy and equal number of controls. Twenty-five patients who were not on AEDs were compared with patients on AEDs and the control group. Patients were divided into monotherapy and polytherapy group and antioxidant status was compared between the two groups and between individual drugs.

Results:

Catalase, SH, vitamin E, and TAC were significantly low in patients with epilepsy than those in the control group (P < 0.001). GSH and uric acid did not show any difference; GPx in patients was significantly higher than those in the control group There were no differences in the antioxidant levels between the treated and the untreated groups; however, it was lower in untreated patients than controls (P < 0.001), suggesting that AEDs do not modify the oxidative stress. Patients on Valproate (VPA) showed higher catalase and GPx levels. Catalase was higher in the monotherapy than polytherapy group (P < 0.04).

Conclusion:

Our study found significantly low levels of antioxidant in patients as compared to controls. AED did not influence the antioxidant status suggesting that seizures induce oxidative stress.