Effect of acute alcoholism on hepatic enzymes and oxidation/antioxidation in rats

BACKGROUND: Around the world more and more people suffer from acute alcoholism. The purpose of this study was to determine hepatic enzymes and oxidation/antioxidation in rats with acute alcoholism. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into three groups; control, low-dose alcohol, and high-dose alcohol. Each al- cohol group ( n = 12) was intravenously infused with etha- nol at a dose of 0.3 or 0.7 g/kg body weight respectively. The control group (n =11) was intravenously infused with normal saline at a dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight. Blood was collected for detection of hepatic enzymes and index of oxidation/antioxidation. RESULTS: The ratio of AST to ALT was 2.44±0.46, 2.57± 0.60 and 3.03 ±0.46 in the three groups, and the difference was significant between the control and high-dose alcohol groups (P^0.05). No significant changes were observed in the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspar- tate aminotransferase (AST), total protein (Tp), albumin (Alb), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), cholinesterase (ChE), total bilirubin (TB), C-reactive protein (CRP) and amy- lase. The levels of serum nitric oxide (NO) in the 3 groups were 39.2 ±73.25 mol/L, 42.30 ±4.60 mol/L and 47.86± 4.66 mol/L, and significant difference was seen between the control group and the high-dose alcohol group (P < 0.01). No significant difference was found in the levels of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), malondiethylaldehyde (MDA), and CRP in the 3 groups. CONCLUSION: The ratio of AST to ALT appears to be a useful index for acute alcohol intoxication. NO is involved in the mechanism of acute alcohol intoxication.

Oxidative Stress and Role of Natural Plant Derived Antioxidants in Animal Reproduction

The experimental knowledge on the role of oxidative stress,and beneficial and detrimental effects of plant derived antioxidants in male and female animal reproduction are reviewed in this article.Free radical-induced oxidative stress in animal reproduction causes great loss to livestock industry.Antioxidant therapy has been implicated to be effective in preventing diseases resulted from oxidative stress.Considering the advantages of lower side effects of natural antioxidants than those of synthetic antioxidants,plants or their extracts have been extensively utilized in animals.Although many advances have been gained on application of plant derived antioxidants in alleviating oxidative stress,debatable issues still exist.Because many opposite effects were observed even using plant extracts containing similar bioactive substances in the same animal species.Therefore,plant derived antioxidants,like free radicals,are ＂double-edged swords＂ in animal reproduction,representing that they may exhibit beneficial or detrimental effects in animal reproduction,including spermatogenesis,semen functions,estrous cycles,ovulation,ovary functions,endometrium,embryo development,and pregnancy.Besides dose-dependent manner as an explanation of plant extracts＇ dual function,future studies are needed to investigate the mechanism of double-edged actions of plant derived antioxidants in different animal reproduction systems.

Effects of selenium and sulfur on antioxidants and physiological parameters of garlic plants during senescence

A hydroponic study was conducted to determine the effects of selenium（Se： 0, 3, 6 μmol L^-1） on senescence-related oxidative stress in garlic plants grown under two sulfur（S） levels. We evaluated the yields of plants harvested at 160 and 200 days after sowing. Plants grown under a low Se dose（0.3 μmol L^-1） at low S level showed higher yields（12.0% increase in fresh weight yield, 13.7% increase in dry weight yield） than the controls, despite a decrease in chlorophyll concentration. Compared with control plants, the Se-treated plants showed lower levels of lipid peroxidation. The Se-treated plants also showed higher activities of glut athione peroxidase and catalase, but lower superoxide dismutase activities. Changes in Fv/Fm values and proline contents were affected more strongly by S than by Se. On the basis of our results, we can conclude that Se plays a key role in the antioxidant systems in garlic seedlings. It delays senescence by alleviating the peroxide stress, but it can be toxic at high levels. A high S level may increase tolerance to high Se concentrations through reducing Se accumulation in plants.

Antioxidant capacity and concentration of redox-active trace mineral in fully weaned intra-uterine growth retardation piglets

Background： The redox status of intra-uterine growth retardation（IUGR） piglets post-weaning has been poorly studied.Methods： Newborns from twenty-four sows were weighted, weaned at 21 d and fed a starter diet until sampling.Sampling was done at 14 d post-weaning. A piglet was defined as IUGR when its birth weight was 2 SD below the mean birth weight of the total population. At weaning, eighteen piglets with nearly equal body weight from each category（i.e. IUGR or normal birth weight（NBW） piglets） were selected and then allocated to two treatments,consisted of six replicates with each pen having three piglets.Results： Compared with NBW group, IUGR significantly decreased average daily gain（P 〈 0.001）, average daily feed intake（P = 0.003）, and feed efficiency（P 〈 0.001） of piglets during the first two weeks post-weaning. IUGR decreased the activities of total antioxidant capacity（P = 0.019）, total superoxide dismutase（T-SOD, P = 0.023）,and ceruloplasmin（P = 0.044） but increased the levels of malondialdehyde（P = 0.040） and protein carbonyl（P = 0.010） in plasma. Similarly, the decreased activities of T-SOD（P = 0.005）, copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase（Cu/Zn-SOD, P = 0.002）, and catalase（P = 0.049） was observed in the liver of IUGR piglets than these of NBW piglets. IUGR decreased hepatic Cu/Zn-SOD activity（P = 0.023） per unit of Cu/Zn-SOD protein in piglets when compared with NBW piglets. In addition, IUGR piglets exhibited the decreases in accumulation of copper in both plasma（P = 0.001） and liver（P = 0.014）, as well as the concentrations of iron（P = 0.002） and zinc（P = 0.048） in liver. Compared with NBW, IUGR down-regulated m RNA expression of Cu/Zn-SOD（P = 0.021） in the liver of piglets.Conclusions： The results indicated that IUGR impaired antioxidant capacity and resulted in oxidative damage in fully weaned piglets, which might be associated with the decreased levels of redox-active trace minerals. This study highlights the importance of redox status in IUGR offspring and provides a rationale for alleviating oxidative damage by dietary interventions aiming to supplement trace minerals and to restore redox balance in the future.

Antioxidant efficiency of lycopene on oxidative stress-induced damage in bovine spermatozoa

Background： Lycopene（LYC） is a natural carotenoid with powerful reactive oxygen species（ROS） scavenging activities. The aim of this study was to investigate if lycopene has the ability to reverse ROS-mediated alterations to the motility, viability and intracellular antioxidant profile of bovine spermatozoa subjected to ferrous ascorbate（Fe AA）. Spermatozoa were washed out of fresh bovine semen, suspended in 2.9 % sodium citrate and subjected to LYC treatment（0.25, 0.5, 1 or 2 mmol/L） in the presence or absence of Fe AA（150 μmol/L Fe SO4 and 750 μmol/L ascorbic acid） during a 6 h in vitro culture. Spermatozoa motion characteristics were assessed using the Sperm Vision？computer-aided sperm analysis（CASA） system. Cell viability was examined with the metabolic activity（MTT） assay,ROS generation was quantified via luminometry and the nitroblue-tetrazolium（NBT） test was applied to quantify the intracellular superoxide formation. Cell lysates were prepared at the end of the in vitro culture to investigate the intracellular activity of superoxide dismutase（SOD）, catalase（CAT）, glutathione peroxidase（GPx） as well as the concentrations of glutathione（GSH） and malondialdehyde（MDA）.Results： FeA A treatment led to a reduced spermatozoa motility（P 〈 0.001）, viability（P 〈 0.001） and a decline of the antioxidant capacity of spermatozoa（P 〈 0.001） but increased the ROS generation（P 〈 0.001）, superoxide production（P 〈 0.001） and lipid peroxidation（P 〈 0.001）. LYC administration resulted in a preservation of the spermatozoa motion parameters（P 〈 0.001）, mitochondrial activity（P 〈 0.001） and antioxidant characteristics（P 〈 0.001 with respect to SOD;P 〈 0.01 in relation to CAT; P 〈 0.05 as for GPx and GSH） with a concentration range of 1 and 2 mmol/L LYC revealed to be the most effective.Conclusions： Our results suggest that LYC exhibits significant ROS-scavenging and antioxidant properties which may prevent spermatozoa alterations caused by oxidative stress, and preserve the functionality of male reproductive cells.

Therapeutic implications of antioxidant defense in acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammation initially localized in the pancreas,which may be accompanied with severe complications such as multi-organ failure,gastrointestinal hemorrhage and malnutrition.One in ten severe cases of acute pancreatitis develops systemic inflammatory response syndrome.Despite treatment,acute pancreatitis can be a life-threatening disease as its mortality rate amounts to 5%-10%in general,and up to 35%in cases of severe course.[1]Over the years,the role of oxidative stress

Effects of melatonin on the oxidative damage and pancreatic antioxidant defenses in ceruleininduced acute pancreatitis in rats

BACKGROUND： Oxidative stress is recognized as a pivotal effector of several pathogenic processes, including acute pancreatitis. Reactive oxygen species not just cause damage on the main cellular components, but also influence the expression of antioxidant system genes. Antioxidant molecules, such as melatonin, could be good candidates for the treatment of this multidimensional disease. The present study was to evaluate the chemopreventive effect of melatonin in a rat model of ceruleininduced acute pancreatitis.METHODS： Four subcutaneous injections of cerulein（20 μg/kg body weight） were given to Wistar rats at two hours intervals;melatonin was injected intraperitoneally（25 mg/kg body weight）30 minutes before each injection of cerulein. Lipid peroxidation,protein oxidation（carbonyl groups）, total antioxidant status,and glutathione peroxidase activity were determined in pancreatic tissue using commercial kits.RESULTS： The chemopreventive administration of melatonin caused a reduction in lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation due to injections of cerulein. Additionally, melatonin treatment was also able to revert glutathione peroxidase activity and total antioxidant status near to control levels, suggesting that melatonin could prevent from oxidative phenomena in the pancreas, such as lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation,and could stimulate, directly or indirectly, the expression of antioxidant enzymes.CONCLUSION： Melatonin, a polyvalent antioxidant, protected the pancreatic damage via the decrease of oxidative stress andincrease of the activities of antioxidant enzymes in ceruleininduced acute pancreatitis.

Blood Oxidant/Antioxidant Status in overfed Aging Rats: Comparative Effects of Sunflower and Olive-Linseed Mixture Oil Rich Diets

Obesity, one of the most common health problems, is associated with glucose and lipid metabolism abnormalities, increased cardiovascular risk and oxidative stressI1}. Aging is also associated with an increase in oxidative stress[2]. Considering that older adults are already at risk for oxidant stress, the additional metabolic perturbations of obesity aggravated the susceptibility to oxidant stress. Modulating age-related oxidative stress via dietary interventions could reduce free radical production and significantly improve health in aging.

Impact of high-fat diet on antioxidant status, vascular wall thickening and cardiac function in adult female LDLR^–/–mice

Background: Western diet, rich in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We thus investigated in female mice the influence of this diet on plasma antioxidant status, vascular wall thickening and cardiac function. Methods and Results: Adult female C57BL/6J wild type (WT) and LDLR–/– mice were fed a normal diet (ND) or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 17 weeks. HFD induced an increase in plasma lipids and vitamin C (Vit C) levels in both groups but at a much higher level in LDLR–/– and a decrease in plasma ascorbyl free radical levels to Vit C ratio (an endogenous oxidative stress index) in LDLR–/–. We only found a slight decrease in circulating antioxidant status evaluated by the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay in WT, but not in LDLR–/–. Echocardiography evidenced an increase in arterial wall thickness in aortic arch at atherosclerosis predilection sites in HFD LDLR–/– as compared to ND LDLR–/– and HFD WT. This result was confirmed by histology. Further-more, histological examination of aortic valves showed an increase in atherosclerotic lesions. Our study, using echocardiography, show that chronic HFD does not induce any major modifications of systolic function in the both mice groups. Conclusions: High-fat intake in mice causes serious disturbances in lipid plasma levels associated to variations of circulating antioxidant status due, at least in part, to an increase in Vit C. At this stage, atherosclerotic lesions, observed in aortic arch and valve, do not impair cardiac function in HFD-fed mice.

Inflammation, oxidative stress and renin angiotensin system in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with cardiovascular dysfunction including myocardial infarction, unstable angina, sudden cardiac death, stroke and peripheral thromboses. It has been predicted that atherosclerosis will be the primary cause of death in the world by 2020. Atherogenesis is initiated by endothelial injury due to oxidative stress associated with cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cigarette smoking, dyslipidemia, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. The impairment of the endothelium associated with cardiovascular risk factors creates an imbalance between vasodilating and vasoconstricting factors, in particular, an increase in angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ) and a decrease in nitric oxide. The renin-angiotensin system(RAS), and its primary mediator Ang Ⅱ, also have a direct influence on the progression of the atherosclerotic process via effects on endothelial function, inflammation, fibrinolytic balance, and plaque stability. Anti-inflammatory agents [statins, secretory phospholipase A2 inhibitor, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 inhibitor, 5-lipoxygenase activating protein, chemokine motif ligand-2, C-C chemokine motif receptor 2 pathway inhibitors, methotrexate, IL-1 pathway inhibitor and RAS inhibitors(angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors)], Ang Ⅱ receptor blockers and ranin inhibitors may slow inflammatory processes and disease progression. Several studies in human using anti-inflammatory agents and RAS inhibitors revealed vascular benefits and reduced progression of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with stable angina pectoris; decreased vascular inflammatory markers, improved common carotid intima-media thickness and plaque volume in patients with diagnosed atherosclerosis. Recent preclinical studies have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy of vitamin D analogs paricalcitol in Apo E-deficient atherosclerotic mice.

Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning improves postoperative cognitive dysfunction by reducing oxidant stress and inflammation

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is a crucial public health issue that has been increasingly studied in efforts to reduce symptoms or prevent its occurrence. However, effective advances remain lacking. Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning has proved to protect vital organs, such as the heart, liver, and brain. Recently, it has been introduced and widely studied in the prevention of postoperative cognitive dysfunction, with promising results. However, the neuroprotective mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain controversial. This review summarizes and highlights the definition and application of hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning, the perniciousness and pathogenetic mechanism underlying postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and the effects that hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning has on postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Finally, we conclude that hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning is an effective and feasible method to prevent, alleviate, and improve postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and that its mechanism of action is very complex, involving the stimulation of endogenous antioxidant and anti-inflammation defense systems.

<i>In Vitro </i>Effects of Oil’s Fatty Acids on T-Cell Function of Obese Men

Background: Dietary fatty acids have important homeostatic functions in regulating the immune response and may exert beneficial effects on immune alterations during obesity. Objective: To assess the in vitro effects of oil fatty acids, different oils (olive, linseed, Nigel, sunflower) were tested on T-lymphocyte proliferation, Th1- and Th2-type cytokine production, and intracellular oxidant/antioxidant status in obese patients. Methods: Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated using Histopaque and were in vitro cultured and stimulated by Con A in the presence or absence of the oils. Cell proliferation, interleukin-2, interleukin-4 and interferon-γ (INFγ) secretions and intracellular oxidative status (glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl protein levels, catalase activity and micronuclei frequency) were investigated. Results: Abnormalities in lymphocyte function and intracellular oxidative stress were observed in obesity. Linseed oil induced a reduction in T-lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 production while Nigel oil increased them in both obese and control groups. In addition, Nigel oil enhanced IFNγ and IL-4 secretion. Olive and sunflower oils had no effect on lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine secretion in both groups. Linseed and Nigel oils induced an increase in T cell GSH concentrations and catalase activity with a concomitant decrease in MDA, carbonyl protein contents and micronuclei frequency especially in obese patients. Conclusion: Linseed and Nigel oils had beneficial effects on lymphocyte proliferation, cytokines secretions and redox status, while olive and sunflower oils had no effects on immune cell function in obesity.

Vitamins C, E, and NADH on in Vitro Lymphocyte Proliferation and Redox Status among Obese Patients

Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity associated with oxidative stress and immune abnormalities is continuously increasing. Antioxidant supplementations might counteract potential damage caused by ROS to cellular tissues. Objective: To determine the role of vitamins on immune improvement during obesity, we investigated in vitro effects of vitamins C, E, and NADH on mitogen-stimulated proliferation, Th1- and Th2-type cytokine production, and oxidant/antioxidant status of lymphocytes isolated from obese patients. Methods: Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated using a density gradient of Histopaque. They were in vitro cultured and stimulated by Con A in the presence or absence of vitamins. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay and interleukin-2, interleukin-4 and interferon-γ (INFγ) secretions. Cell oxidant/antioxidant balance was studied by assaying glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl protein levels, catalase activity and micronucli frequency. Results: Obesity is associated with enhanced oxidative stress response. Indeed, vitamin C, E and NADH improved significantly lymphocyte proliferation and diminished cellular oxidative stress. Conclusion: Treatments of lymphocytes with vitamins had beneficial effects on lymphocyte proliferation, cytokines secretions and redox status, generating an anti-inflammatory profile and should be considered in therapeutic approaches for normalizing immune cell function in obesity.

The effect of sunblock against oxidative stress in farmers：a pilot study

Farmers are frequently exposed to ultraviolet（UV） radiation which causes various diseases by inducing oxidative stress.This study aimed to assess the effects of sunblock on oxidative stress in the body.Eighty-seven farmers were divided into two groups：those who wore sunblock for five days and those who did not.The total antioxidant capacity（TAC） in urine,which is an antioxidant indicator,and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine（8-OHdG） levels in urine,an oxidative stress indicator,were measured.The urinary TAC of sunblock users was significantly higher than that of non-users,but urinary 8-OHdG levels were not significantly different.Even after adjustment for potential confounders,urinary TAC was found to be markedly increased with sunblock usage.These results suggest that sunblock is effective in preventing oxidative stress among farmers.In addition,they show that urinary TAC can be used as a good effect marker of oxidative stress caused by UV exposure.

Protective effect of pomegranate juice on retinal oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

AIM： To investigate the effect of pomegranate juice（PJ） intake on overall oxidation status in retinas of diabetic rats.METHODS： Twenty-seven rats were divided into four groups as control（CO）, diabetic（DM）, control treated with PJ（CO-PJ）, and diabetic treated with PJ（DM-PJ）.The retina tissues were used to determine 8-hydroxy-2＇-deoxyguanosine（8 OHd G）, malondialdehyde（MDA）, reduced glutathione（GSH） levels, and the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase（SOD） and glutathione peroxidase（GSH-Px）. RESULTS： The levels of 8 OHdG and MDA were significantly increased in the retina of DM group compared to CO group（P=0.001, P〈0.001 respectively）. Both 8 OHd G and MDA levels were decreased in PJ-DM group compared to DM group（P=0.004, P〈0.001 respectively）. The activities of antioxidant enzymes GSH, SOD, and GDH-Px were significantly decreased in the retina of DM group compared to CO group（P≤0.01）. GSH and GSH-Px activities were higher in PJ-DM group compared with DM group（P=0.010, P=0.042, respectively） but SOD activity was not statistically different（P=0.938）. CONCLUSION： PJ intake is found to be effective in decreasing oxidative end products, and in increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes in diabetic retinas of rats, which suggests it may be effective against oxidative stress in diabetic retinas.

Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Extracts of Allium sativum,Rosmarinus officinalis and Ocimum basilicum

ZnO nanoparticles（ZnO NPs） were synthesized by chemical method（coprecipitation） and biological method using aqueous extracts of garlic（Allium sativum）,rosemary（Rosmarinus officinalis） and basil（Ocimum basilicum）.The influence of plant extract on the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of green synthesized nanoparticles was investigated.The X-ray diffraction studies reveal that all ZnO samples have hexagonal wurtzite structure.The particle size of ZnO NPs estimated by transmission electron microscopy analysis（between 14 and 27 nm） varies depending on the synthesis method of nanoparticles and the type of extracts from the plants used.The functional groups involved in the biosynthetic procedure were evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.The presence of Mn^（2＋）ions,Zn vacancy complexes and oxygen vacancies in ZnO samples was highlighted by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.The green synthesized ZnO NPs have shown a good bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus,Bacillus subtilis,Listeria monocytogenes,Escherichia coli,Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial strains.ZnO NPs synthesized using extracts of the selected plant species have been found to exhibit more enhanced antibacterial and antioxidant activities as compared to chemical ZnO NPs.

Chemical Composition,Anticancer,Anti-neuroinflammatory,and Antioxidant Activities of the Essential Oil of Patrinia scabiosaefolia

Objective：To study the chemical composition,anticancer,anti-neuroinflammatory,and antioxidant activities of the essential oil of Patrinia scabiosaefolia（EO-PS）.Methods：Patrinia scabiosaefolia was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.Eight human carcinoma cell lines,including SGC-7901,AGS,Hep G2,HT-29,HCT-8,5-FU/HCT-8,He La,and MDA-MB-231,were assessed by methylthiazolyldiphenyltetrazolium bromide（MTT） assay.Anti-neuroinflammatory activity was assessed by production of interleukin（IL）-1β and IL-6 induced by lipopolysaccharide in BV-2 cells（microglia from mice）.The antioxidant activity was evaluated with a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl（DPPH） scavenging assay.Results：Forty-four components,representing 83.919% of the total oil,were identified in the EO-PS.The major constituents were caryophyllene oxide（12.802%）,caryophyllene（6.909%）,α-caryophyllene（2.927%）,β-damascenone（3.435%）,calarene（5.621%）,and phenol（3.044%）.The MTT assay showed that the EO-PS exhibited significant dose-dependent growth inhibition in the 50–200 μg/m L dilution range.The EO-PS exhibited a dose-dependent scavenging activity against the DPPH radical,with an half of maximal inhibitory concentration 1.455 mg/m L.Conclusion：The EO-PS possesses a wide range of antitumor,anti-neuroinflammatory and antioxidant activities,suggesting that it may be a good candidate for further investigations of new bioactive substances.

Evaluation of In Vitro Enzymatic and Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Properites of Leaf Extract from Alpinia Purpurata(Vieill.) K. Schum.

Objective： To evaluate the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants of leaf extract from Alpinia purpurata. Methods： One gram of fresh leaf of Alpinia purpurata was grinded in 2 mL of 50% ethanol and centrifuged at 10,000×g at 4 ℃ for 10 min. The supernatant obtained was used within 4 h for various enzymatic antioxidants assays like superoxide dismutase（SOD）, catalase（CAT）, glutathione peroxidase（GPx）, glutathione S-transferase（GST）, ascorbate oxidase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase（PPO） and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as vitamin C, total reduced glutathione（TRG） and lipid peroxidation（LPO）. Results： The leaf extract of Alpinia purpurata possess antioxidants like vitamin C 472.92±6.80 μg/mg protein, GST 372.11±5.70 μmol of 1-chloro 2,4 dinitrobenzene（CDNB）-reduced glutathione（GSH） conjugate formed/min/mg protein, GPx 281.69±6.43 μg of glutathione oxidized/min/mg protein, peroxidases 173.12±9.40 μmol/g tissue, TRG 75.27±3.55 μg/mg protein, SOD 58.03±2.11 U/mg protein, CAT 46.70±2.35 μmol of H_2O_2 consumed/min/mg protein in high amount whereas ascorbate oxidase 17.41±2.46 U/g tissue, LPO 2.71±0.14 nmol/L of malondialdehyde formed/min/mg protein and PPO 1.14±0.11 μmol/g tissue in moderate amount. Conclusion： Alpinia purpurata has the potential to scavenge the free radicals and protect against oxidative stress causing diseases. In future, Alpinia purpurata may serve as a good pharmacotherapeutic agent.

Effects of Chinese medicine Tongxinluo on hyperglycemia and beta-cell damage in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Background Oxidative stress has been implicated in the onset and progression of diabetes. Tongxinluo is a traditional Chinese medicine with potent antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that pretreatment with Tongxinluo has similar effects as melatonin on preventing hyperglycemia and beta-cell damage in a rat model of streptozotocin （STZ）-induced diabetes. Methods Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups （n=10 each）： normal control （NC） group; STZ group （70 mg/kg, i.p.）; Tongxinluo （1.0 g-kg-^-d-1） pretreated （TXL＋STZ） group and melatonin （200 iJg-kg-~.d-1） pretreated （MLT＋STZ） group. Tongxinluo and melatonin were administered by gavage beginning 8 days before STZ injection and continuing until the end of the study （15 days after STZ administration）. Blood glucose levels and body weights, malondialdehyde （MDA）, and reduced glutathione （GSH） levels were measured, and immunofluorescence studies were performed in all of the groups. Results Pretreatment with Tongxinluo, as with melatonin, attenuated severe hyperglycemia and weight loss induced by STZ.. In pancreatic homogenates, MDA levels were significantly lower and GSH levels were significantly higher in Tongxinluo pretreated group and in melatonin pretreated group than those in STZ group. Values of insulin staining were significantly improved in Tongxinluo pretreated group and in melatonin pretreated group as compared with those in STZ group. Conclusions Tongxinluo, as melatonin, prevented hyperglycemia and beta-cell destruction induced by STZ in rats through reducing oxidative stress in pancreatic tissues. Tongxinluo may provide an alternative therapy for the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Heijiangdan Ointment(黑绛丹膏)Relieves Oxidative Stress from Radiation Dermatitis Induced by ^(60)Co γ-Ray in Mice

Objective：To investigate the effects of Heijiangdan Ointment（黑绛丹膏,HJD） on oxidative stress in （60）Co γ-ray radiation-induced dermatitis in mice.Methods：Female Wistar mice with grade 4 radiation dermatitis induced by ^（60）Co γ-rays were randomly divided into four groups（n=12 per group）;the HJD-treated,recombinant human epidermal growth factor（rhEGF）-treated,Trolox-treated,and untreated groups,along with a negative control group.On the 11 th and 21 st days after treatment,6 mice in each group were chosen for evaluation.The levels of superoxide dismutase（SOD）,malondialdehyde（MDA）,and lactate dehydrogenase（LDH） were detected using spectrophotometric methods.The fibroblast mitochondria were observed by transmission electron microscopy（TEM）.The expressions of fibroblast growth factor 2（FGF-2） and transforming growth factor β1（TGF-β1） were analyzed by western blot.Results：Compared with the untreated group,the levels of SOD,MDA and LDH,on the 11 th and 21 st days after treatment showed significant difference（P〈0.05）.TEM analysis indicated that fibroblast mitochondria in the untreated group exhibited swelling and the cristae appeared fractured,while in the HJD group,the swelling of mitochondria was limited and the rough endoplasmic reticulum appeared more relaxed.The expressions of FGF-2 and TGF-β1 increased in the untreated group compared with the negative control group（P〈0.05）.After treatment,the expression of FGF-2,rhEGF and Trolox in the HJD group were significantly increased compared with the untreated group（P〈0.05）,or compared with the negative control group（P〈0.05）.The expression of TGF-β1 showed significant difference between untreated and negative control groups（P〈0.05）.HJD and Trolox increased the level of TGF-β1 and the difference was marked as compared with the untreated and negative control groups（P〈0.05）.Conclusion：HJD relieves oxidative stress-induced injury,increases the antioxidant activity,mitigates the fibroblast mitochondrial damage,up-regulates the expression of growth factor,and promotes mitochondrial repair in mice.