The reactivity of carotenoid radicals with oxygen

The possibility that carotenoid radicals react with oxygen to form chain-carrying peroxyl radicals has been postulated to account for the reduction in antioxidant effetiveness displayed by some carotenoids at high oxygen concentrations. The primary objective of the work described in this paper was to measure the rate constants for oxygen addition to a series of carotenoid radicals and to examine any influence of carotenoid structural features on these rate constants. Laser flash photolysis has been used to generate long-lived carotenoid radicals (PhS-CAR^√) derived from radical addition reactions with phenylthiyl radicals (PhS^√) in benzene. The PhS-CAR^√ radicals are scavenged by oxygen at rates that display a moderate dependence on the number of conjugated double bonds (n_db) in the carotenoid. The rate constants range from ∼10³ to ∼10⁴ M^- 1 s^- 1 for n_db = 7-11. The data also suggest that the presence of terminal cyclic groups may cause an increase in the rate constant for oxygen addition.     

网络抗氧化剂对大鼠非酒精性脂肪肝炎模型疗效的动态观察

目的:研究网络抗氧化荆对大鼠非酒精性脂肪肝炎的治疗效果.方法:雄性SD大鼠72只,随机分为正常对照组、模型组、网络抗氧化剂组(n=24).正常对照组喂以普通饲料,网络抗氧化剂组及模型组均予高脂饮食.网络抗氧化剂组高脂饮食同时使用维生素E(100mg/kg)、硫辛酸(40mg/kg)、辅酶Q10(100mg/kg)、维生素C(100mg/kg)、还原性谷热水胱甘肽(100mg/kg)联合灌胃治疗,1次/日.分别在8周、10周、12周通过肝功能、血脂及肝组织病理动态观察病情转归情况,检测MDA、SOD评定网络抗氧化剂在病情转归中起到的抗氧化作用.结果:网络抗氧化剂组体重、肝指数、血清ALT、AST、MDA、TC及肝组织MDA均显著低于模型组;血清、肝组织SOD显著高于模型组;病理学模型组在8-10周出现多处肝细胞内脂滴堆积,出现气球样变,且有少量炎细胞浸润,随着进食高脂饮食时间的延长病变程度逐渐加重,至12周脂肪变及炎症程度均有所加重,出现点灶状坏死、桥接坏死.甚至出现部分肝纤维化.同期网络抗氧化剂肝组织病理显示脂肪变及炎症显著轻于模型组,无明显肝纤维化出现.结论:网络抗氧化剂对NASH有较好的防治效果.     

Inhibition of intestinal ischemia/repurfusion induced apoptosis and necrosis via down-regulation of the NF-kB, c-Jun and caspace-3 expression by epigallocatechin-3-gallate administration

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) activating signal transduction and apoptosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) administration in inhibition of apoptosis by attenuating the expression of NF-kB, c-Jun and caspace-3 in intestinal I/R. Thirty male wistar rats were used. Group A sham operation, B I/R, C I/R-EGCG 50 mg/kg ip. Intestinal ischemia was induced for 60 min by clamping the superior mesenteric artery. Malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), light histology, Fragment End Labelling of DNA (TUNEL), immunocytochemistry for NF-kB, c-Jun and caspace-3 analysis in intestinal specimens were performed 120 min after reperfusion. Apoptosis as indicated by TUNEL and Caspace-3, NF-kB and c-Jun was widely expressed in I/R group but only slightly expressed in EGCG treated groups. MDA and MPO showed a marked increase in the I/R group and a significant decrease in the EGCG treated group. Light histology showed preservation of architecture in the EGCG treated group. In conclusion, EGCG pre-treatment is likely to inhibit intestinal I/R-induced apoptosis by down-regulating the expression of NF-kB, c-Jun and caspase-3.     

Photosystem II photochemical efficiency,zeaxanthin and antioxidant contents in the poikilohydric Ramonda serbica during dehydration and rehydration

Changes in photochemical efficiency, non-radiative energy dissipation (NRD), de-epoxidation state of xanthophyll cycle components (DPS) and contents of the antioxidants ascorbic acid and glutathione were studied in leaves of the poikilohydric Ramonda serbica Panc. (Gesneriaceae) during cycles of dehydration and subsequent rehydration. In drying leaves, the intrinsic efficiency of PS II photochemistry and the photon yield of PS II electron transport showed strong progressive decreases. Simultaneously, the fraction of excitation energy dissipated as heat in the PS II antenna increased markedly. The energy-dependent component of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) showed an increase in dehydrating leaves down to relative water contents (RWC) values near 30%. Further decreases in RWC below these values caused a decrease in NPQ. Accordingly, DPS showed a similar behaviour, with a sharp increase and a subsequent decrease at very low RWC, although the maximum DPS was reached at slightly lower RWC than that for the maximum NPQ. The pools of reduced ascorbate and glutathione increased strongly when the RWC values fell below 40% and remained high in fully dehydrated leaves. When plants were re-watered photosynthetic efficiency, NRD, DPS and antioxidant contents recovered their initial control values. However, during rehydration, the zeaxanthin content showed a transient increase, as did NPQ, indicating an increasing demand for non-radiative dissipation. On the other hand, the contents of reduced ascorbate and reduced glutathione decreased but were still relatively high in the initial phase of rehydration, when the rate of photosynthetic electron transport, proton pumping and NRD were still relatively low. These results indicate that several photoprotective mechanisms are operating in R. serbica. Protection from photo-oxidation and photoinhibition appears to be achieved by co-ordinated contributions by ascorbate, glutathione and zeaxanthin-mediated NPQ. This variety of photoprotective mechanisms may be essential for conferring desiccation-tolerance.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Comparative Study on Phenolic Profile and Biological Activities of the Aerial Parts of Sinapis pubescens L. subsp. pubescens (Brassicaceae) Wild from Sicily (Italy)

This work aimed to investigate Sinapis pubescens subsp. pubescens spontaneously grown in Sicily (Italy) as new potential source of active metabolites; specifically, a comparative study on leaf, flower, and stem hydroalcoholic extracts was performed. Polyphenols were quantitatively determined by spectrophotometric methods and characterized by HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS; a total of 55 polyphenolic compounds were identified, highlighting considerably different qualitative-quantitative profiles. The extracts showed antioxidant activity, evaluated by in vitro assays; particularly, the leaf extract displayed the best radical scavenging activity (DPPH test) and reducing power, while the flower extract showed the greatest chelating activity. The antimicrobial properties of the extracts were investigated against bacteria and yeasts by standard methods; no antimicrobial activity was found against the strains tested. The extracts resulted to be non-toxic after preliminary toxicity evaluation by the Artemia salina lethality bioassay. The aerial parts of S. pubescens subsp. pubescens proved to be valuable sources of antioxidants for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.     

养胃四君子茶对脾虚便秘小鼠肠道微生物、酶活性及胃动力的影响

目的探讨养胃四君子茶对脾虚便秘小鼠肠道微生物及酶活性的影响。方法将40只小鼠随机分为正常对照组、模型组、治疗组[养胃四君子茶(低剂量组、中剂量组、高剂量组)],每组8只。对模型组和治疗组采用灌胃番泻叶水提液7 d后,改用饮食不节+缺水燥结+过度疲劳喂养8 d等方法。造模结束后,模型组和正常对照组采用无菌水灌胃,治疗组用养胃四君子茶灌胃,0.8 mL/d连续6 d。然后采集肠道内容物,分析肠道菌群及酶活性。结果与正常对照组小鼠肠道细菌总数比较,模型组显著上升(P<0.05),治疗组差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);大肠埃希菌数量各组差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);小鼠肠道乳酸菌数量养胃四君子茶低、中剂量组均较正常对照组、模型组显著升高(均P<0.01);双歧杆菌数量养胃四君子茶低、中剂量组与正常对照组、模型组相比均显著升高(均P<0.01);与正常对照组比较,其余各组小鼠肠道酶活总体呈上升趋势,尤其肠道淀粉酶(P<0.01);养胃四君子茶低、中剂量组蛋白酶活性均显著上升(均P<0.05);与正常对照组比较,模型组及养胃四君子茶低、中剂量组木聚糖酶活性显著上升(P<0.01或P<0.05),其余组差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);与正常对照组比较,模型组及养胃四君子茶低、中剂量组纤维素酶活性均显著上升(均P<0.05)。与正常对照组比较,模型组、养胃四君子茶低剂量组的血清D 木糖含量显著下降(均P<0.01)。结论养胃四君子茶可抑制细菌过度增长、扶植有益菌生长,改善肠道酶活性、增强胃肠蠕动,从而改善脾虚便秘。     

Plasma Antioxidants and Human Aging: A Study on Healthy Elderly Tunisian Population

The aging has been described by several theories. It was proposed that free radicals are the major factor involved in this process. This gave birth to the free radical theory of aging. This current theory provides the most popular explanation for how aging occurs at the biochemical/molecular level. Ever since 1956, this theory has received widespread attention and a large body of evidence has been accumulated in support of its hypotheses which were subsequently refined. The free radical theory of aging postulates that age-associated reductions in physiological functions are caused by an irreversible accumulation of oxidative alterations to macromolecules. This accumulation increases with age and is associated with the life expectancy of organisms. Moreover, this theory suggests the existence of an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS)-producing pathways and (ROS)-scavenging pathways, which is responsible for the generation of oxidative stress syndrome. In this article, we evaluate the antioxidant status in a population of healthy elderly Tunisians in comparison with a group of healthy young Tunisian subjects. This study sets out to investigate the age-related changes in glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, and in total antioxidant status (TAS) of human plasma. We have concluded that healthy aging is accompanied with a disturbed antioxidant status.     

Antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in the blood of breast cancer patients of different ages

Oxidative stress is considered to be implicated in the pathophysiology of breast cancers. In this study we investigated the level of oxidative stress and antioxidant (AO) status in the blood of breast cancer patients of different ages. The level of lipid hydroperoxides (LP) was measured in blood plasma and the activities of copper, zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR) enzymes, as well as the level of total glutathione (GSH) and CuZnSOD protein were measured in blood cells of breast cancer patients and age-matched healthy subjects. Our results showed that breast carcinoma is related to increase of lipid peroxidation in plasma with concomitant decrease of AO defense capacity in blood cells, which becomes more pronounced during aging of the patients. Suppression of CuZnSOD activity related to breast cancer is most likely caused by decreased de novo synthesis of this enzyme. Similar patterns of suppression in CuZnSOD and CAT activities related to aging were recorded both in controls and patients. Age-related decrease in CuZnSOD activity seems not to be caused by altered protein levels of this enzyme. Suppression of AO enzymes associated with breast cancer and aging is most likely the cause of increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Our results indicate significant role of oxidative-induced injury in the breast carcinogenesis, particularly during the later stages of aging. Overall, our data support the importance of endogenous AOs in the etiology of breast cancer across all levels of predicted risk.     

The effect of altered selenium and vitamin E nutritional status on learning and memory of third-generation rats

It has been proposed that selenium (Se) and Vitamin E (Vit E) are involved synergistically in protection of cell membrane lipids from peroxidation. However, little is known about the effect of both deficiencies of Se and Vit E and toxic status of those antioxidants on the peroxidation potentiality of the brain. We aimed to study the effects of both Se and Vit E inadequate diet and Se rich diet on the learning and memory processes of third-generation young rats. Their ancestors were also fed by the same diets starting from their births. To test the learning and memory, the rats aged 60 days were trained by using automated two ways active avoidance shuttle box. The acquisition tests were terminated with training the rat from each group to be 25 trials per day during three days. Ten days after the last acquisition test, the retention test was performed and the acquisition of the conditioned avoidance responses (CAR) of the rats were evaluated. It is demonstrated that the CAR of all rats from three groups showed a significant increase in three consecutive days while the differences observed in CAR of same sessions was not significantly different among three groups. The memory process of these young rats also was not affected significantly by two types of diets. Under the light of our results one can suggest that, in the case of alterations in antioxidant defense status, the learning and the memory mechanisms seems to be not affected. Further researches are needed to be able to explain the possible role of oxidative stress on the mechanisms of learning and memory.