Objective: To investigate the relationship of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from 900 MHz cellphone frequency with testicular oxidative damage and its influence on the Prdx2 protein expression in the rat testis, and to explore the mechanism of Guilingji Capsules (GC) alleviating oxidative damage to the testis tissue. METHODS: Fifty healthy SD male rats were randomly divided into five groups of equal number, sham-EMR, 4-h EMR, 8-h EMR, 4-h EMR+GC and 8-h EMR+GC and exposed to 900 MHz EMR (370 μW/cm2) for 0, 4 or 8 hours daily for 15 successive days. The rats of the latter two groups were treated intragastrically with GC suspension and those of the first three groups with pure water after exposure to EMR each day. After 15 days of exposure and treatment, all the rats were sacrificed and their testis tissue collected for observation of the histomorphological and ultrastructural changes by HE staining and transmission electron microscopy, measurement of the levels of serum glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) with thiobarbiuric acid and determination of the Prdx2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the rats in the sham-EMR group, those in the 4-h and 8-h EMR groups showed different degrees of histomorphological and ultrastructural changes in the testis tissue, significantly decreased levels of GSH (［80.62 ± 10.99］ vs ［69.58 ± 4.18］ and ［66.17 ± 8.45］ mg/L, P < 0.05) and SOD (［172.29 ± 10.98］ vs ［158.92 ± 6.46］ and ［148.91 ± 8.60］ U/ml, P < 0.05) and increased level of MDA (［7.51 ± 1.73］ vs ［9.84 ± 1.03］ and ［11.22 ± 2.13］ umol/ml, P < 0.05), even more significantly in the 8-h than in the 4-h EMR group (P < 0.05). In comparison with the sham-EMR group, the expression of the Prdx2 protein was markedly downregulated in the 4-h and 8-h EMR groups (0.56 ± 0.03 vs 0.49 ± 0.03, 0.21 ± 0.01, P < 0.05), but again upregulated in the 4-h and 8-h EMR+GC groups (0.55±0.03 and 0.37±0.04) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Electromagnetic radiation from cellphones can cause ultrastructural damage to the testis tissue of male rats, while Guilingji Capsules can alleviate it, presumably by upregulating the Prdx2 protein expression in the testis tissue and reducing testicular oxidative damage.
Animals ; Capsules ; Cell Phone ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Electromagnetic Radiation ; Glutathione/blood* ; Male ; Malondialdehyde/blood* ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Oxidative Stress ; Peroxiredoxins/metabolism* ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental/drug therapy* ; Rats ; Superoxide Dismutase/blood* ; Testis/pathology* ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances/analysis*

PURPOSE: Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Pine needles (Pinus densiflora seib et Zucc) are a traditional medicine used to treat dyslipidemia in clinical settings. This study examined the potential effects of sulgidduk, a Korean traditional rice cake containing pine needle juice to protect against dyslipidemia induced by a high-fat/sugidduk diet in a rat model. METHODS: Twenty one male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into three groups: normal control (NC), Sulgidduk diet (SD), Sulgidduk diet containing pine needle juice (PSD). The blood lipid levels, production of lipid peroxide in the plasma and liver, total cholesterol and triglyceride in the liver and feces, antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma and erythrocytes were measured to assess the effects of PSD on dyslipidemia. RESULTS: A high-fat/Sulgidduk diet induced dyslipidemia, which was characterized by significantly altered lipid profiles in the plasma and liver. The food intake was similar in the three groups, but weight gain and food efficiency ratio (FER) were reduced significantly in the PSD group compared to those in the SD group. The level of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TBARS in the plasma showed tendencies to decrease in the PSD group compared to those in the SD group. The levels of high-fat/Sulgidduk diet-induced sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) gene expression were reduced significantly in the PSD group. The supplementation of PSD reduced the hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol levels significantly, and enhanced the fecal excretion of triglyceride and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities compared to the SD group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the addition of 0.4% pine needle juice to Sulgidduk may be an alternative snack to control dyslipidemia.
Animals ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Dyslipidemias ; Eating ; Erythrocytes ; Feces ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Liver ; Male ; Medicine, Traditional ; Models, Animal ; Needles ; Plasma ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Risk Factors ; Snacks ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; Triglycerides ; Weight Gain

OBJECTIVE: : To investigate the effect of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on non-enzymatic glycation and oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL). METHODS: : The non-enzymatic glycation incubation system of LDL-glucose was established. The contents of early glycation products (Amodori product) and intermediate products (dicarbonyl compound) were determined by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, and the content of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) was determined by fluorescence spectrophotometry. The LDL oxidation incubation system was established. The contents of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS) and conjugated diene were determined by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. The tryptophan fluorescence quenching, and the content of lipofuscin, total fluorescence products, active aldehydes and malondialdehyde were determined by fluorescence spectrophotometry, and further verified by three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy. RESULTS: : In the LDL glycation experiment, 150 μg/mL and 300 μg/mL CGA inhibited the formation of Amadori product, dicarbonyl compounds and AGEs. In the LDL oxidation experiment, 15 μg/mL and 25 μg/mL CGA inhibited the formation of TBARS effectively; 5 μg/mL and 10 μg/mL CGA inhibited tryptophan fluorescence quenching, and the formation of active aldehydes, malondialdehyde, total fluorescence products, lipofuscin and conjugated diolefine. And the three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy showed the same results. CONCLUSIONS : CGA can inhibit non-enzymatic glycation and oxidation of LDL.
Chlorogenic Acid ; pharmacology ; Glycosylation ; drug effects ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; drug effects ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; analysis

Objective To investigate the combined effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and depression on spatial memory in old rats, aiming to better understand the comorbidity of the two diseases in geriatric patients. Methods The SD rats were assigned into five groups: adult control group (n=6), elderly control group (n=6), elderly COPD group (n=6), elderly depression group (n=6) and elderly COPD with depression group (n=6). Smoking and chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) with solitary support were used to induce COPD model, depression model, respectively, and the both were applied for the comorbidity model. Learning and memory deficits were assessed by Morris water maze (MWM) test. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum and hippocampus tissue were determined by Xanthinoxidase method and Thiobarbituric acid reaction (TBAR) method, respectively. Results The results of pulmonary histology, lung function, open-field test and sucrose consumption demonstrated the comorbidity models of COPD and depression in elderly rats were successfully established using smoking and CUMS with solitary support. Compared with the elderly control group, the group of COPD with depression had obviously longer time of latency and longer travel distance to reach the platform in MWM test (LSD-t=-10.116, P=0.000; LSD-t=-6.448, P=0.000). The SOD activity in serum and hippocampus decreased significantly (LSD-t=2.629, P=0.014; LSD-t=2.215, P=0.044) and the MDA content in serum and hippocampus increased significantly (LSD-t=-2.140, P=0.042; LSD-t=-2.070, P=0.049) in elderly COPD with depression group. Conclusions COPD in comorbidity of depression could induce spatial memory deficit in old rats. The mechanisms might be related to the overloaded and free radical metabolic imbalance. These results suggest a potential therapeutic target for comorbidity of COPD and depression in geriatric patients.
Animals ; Depression ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spatial Memory ; physiology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; metabolism

This study aimed to identify biochemical predictors of adverse perinatal outcomes in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). A total of 106 ICP cases were analyzed retrospectively by the combination of receiver operating characteristic curve and binary logistic regression analysis. "Adverse perinatal outcomes" included spontaneous preterm labor, meconium-staining of amniotic fluid, stillbirth and Apgar score ≤7 at 1 or 5 min. Total bile acid (TBA) [AUC=0.658, 95%CI (0.536, 0.781), P=0.031] was a valuable predictor for adverse perinatal outcomes. The critical value of TBA above which adverse perinatal outcomes were observed was 40.15 μmol/L (Youden's index=0.3). Binary multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes increased when TBA ≥40.15 μmol/L [OR=3.792, 95%CI (1.226, 11.727), P=0.021]. It is concluded that the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in ICP increases when maternal TBA ≥40.15 μmol/L.
Abortion, Induced ; Adult ; Bile Acids and Salts ; analysis ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; China ; Cholestasis, Intrahepatic ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Reproducibility of Results ; Risk Assessment ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stillbirth ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; analysis ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo test possible antioxidant activity of n-hexane extract of Podophyllum hexandrum under in vitro and in vivo conditions.

METHODSThe in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by the ability of the extract to interact with the stable free radical DPPH, Superoxide (O2-), Hydroxyl (OH-), Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radicals, and reducing power ability of the extract was also evaluated. Under in vivo conditions the extract was evaluated for its hepatoprotective activity by measuring different biochemical parameters, such as serum alanine aminotransaminase, serum aspartate aminotransaminase and serum lactate dehydrogenase and antioxidant enzymes. Antioxidant status was estimated by determining the activities of antioxidative enzymes, glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and by determining the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS).

RESULTSHexane extract of P. hexandrum exhibited good radical scavenging capacity in neutralization of DPPH, O2-, OH-, and H2O2 radicals in a dose dependent manner. n-hexane extract of Podophyllum hexandrum at the doses of 20, 30, and 50 mg/kg-day produced hepatoprotective effect by decreasing the activity of serum marker enzymes, while it significantly increased the levels of glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), super oxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in a dose dependant manner. The effect of n-hexane extract was comparable to that of standard antioxidant vitamin E.

CONCLUSIONThe extract of Podophyllum hexandrum possess free radical scavenging activity under in vitro conditions and could protect the liver tissue against CCl(4) induced oxidative stress probably by increasing antioxidant defense activities.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Biphenyl Compounds ; metabolism ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; pharmacology ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Glutathione Reductase ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Oxidation-Reduction ; drug effects ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Picrates ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Podophyllum ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Superoxides ; metabolism ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; metabolism

This paper was to explore the effect of blood oxygen saturation (SO2) on oxidative damages of erythrocytes under the condition of oxidative stress. Keeping SO2 of cultured erythrocytes in vitro at the states of 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 and 0.98, respectively, we induced oxidative stress by tert-buthylhydroperoxide (BHP, 0.15 mmol/L of final concentration). After incubation, antioxidant capacity was assessed by measuring content of reduced glutathin hormone (GSH) in erythrocytes. Methemoglobin (MetHb) content, lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS) and denatured globin-chains on the plasma membrane were measured to assess the extent of oxidative damages. The results showed that in the presence of BHP, GSH contents increased from 0.3 to 0.98 groups; MetHb, TBARS and globin-chains levels all dropped with the rise of SO2. In conclusion, antioxidant capacity and oxidative damages of erythrocytes are closely related to SO2, declined SO2 could promote oxidative damages of erythrocytes.
Cells, Cultured ; Erythrocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; physiology ; Glutathione ; blood ; Humans ; Methemoglobin ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Oximetry ; methods ; Oxygen ; blood ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; metabolism ; tert-Butylhydroperoxide ; toxicity

INTRODUCTIONHaemoglobin (Hb) E beta-thalassaemia is a common thalassaemic disorder in Southeast Asia and is very common in the eastern and north-eastern parts of India. The disease cause rapid erythrocyte destruction due to the free radical mediated injury but factors for the oxidative injury are not clearly known. We investigated the free reactive iron (non-haem) mediated insult in Hb E beta-thalassaemia.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThirty Hb E beta-thalassaemic patients (age range, 3 to 15 years) who had undergone blood transfusion at least 1 month prior to sampling and 32 normal healthy individuals (age range, 18 to 30 years) were included in this study. We estimated the ferrozine detected intracellular erythrocytic free reactive iron (nonhaem iron), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase activity, cellular damage marker serum thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) and also serum ferritin using standard methods.

RESULTSWe found that the erythrocytic free reactive iron was significantly higher (P <0.001) in Hb E beta patients and was about 30% more than in controls. The elevated level of erythrocytic non-haem iron was associated with a high level of serum TBARS which was about 86% higher in patients than in controls. The serum ferritin level was also significantly higher (P <0.001) compared to controls. The erythrocytic reduced glutathione level was significantly lower (P <0.001) at about 65% less in the patients' group and the erythrocytic glutathione reductase enzyme was also found to be significantly lower (P <0.001) in Hb E beta-thalassaemia.

CONCLUSIONSWe concluded that a significantly elevated level of erythrocytic free reactive iron and lipid peroxidation end product was associated with low erythrocytic GSH level. This reflects non-haem iron mediated cellular damage in Hb E beta-thalassaemia.

Adolescent ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Erythrocytes ; metabolism ; Ferritins ; blood ; Glutathione ; blood ; Glutathione Reductase ; blood ; Hemoglobin E ; Humans ; Iron ; blood ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Oxidative Stress ; physiology ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; metabolism ; beta-Thalassemia ; blood ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of 17beta-estradiol (E2), peganum harmala extract (PHE) administration and calorie restriction (CR) treatment (60%) on oxidative stress and hepato-toxicity in aged rats.

METHODSEighteen months old animals that were treated at the age of 12 months were divided into 4 groups: normal control group with free access to food, E2 treatment group, PHE treatment group and CR treatment group of the food given to control group. Six male rats at the age of 4 months were used as a reference group.

RESULTSAging significantly decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and increased lactate deshydrogenase (LDH), gamma-glytamyl transferase (GGT), phosphatase alkalines (PAL), aspartate and lactate transaminase (AST and ALT) activities in the liver. Aging also induced an increased lipid peroxidation level, histological changes and a decreased E2 level. However, treatment with E2, PHE, and CR increased 17beta-estradiol, and decreased hepatic dysfunction parameters and lipid peroxidation as well as histological changes in the liver of aged rats.

CONCLUSIONThe antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of PHE and CR is possibly attributed to its ability to increase E2 level, which as an antioxidant, acts as a scavenger of ROS. Further studies on the pharmaceutical functions of E2 in males may contribute to its clinical application.

Aging ; physiology ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Caloric Restriction ; Catalase ; metabolism ; Estradiol ; blood ; pharmacology ; Female ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Liver ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Male ; Organ Size ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Peganum ; chemistry ; Phytoestrogens ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances

AIMTo investigate the effects of 17beta-estradiol (E2), Peganum harmala extract (PHE) and caloric restriction (CR) on various testis parameters during aging.

METHODSTwelve month-old male rats were treated for 6 months with either E2 or PHE, or submitted to CR (40%).

RESULTSOur results show that estrogens and CR are able to protect the male gonad by preventing the decrease of testosterone and E2 levels as well as the decrease of aromatase and estrogen receptor gene expressions. Indeed, E2, PHE and CR treatments induced an increase in the superoxide dismutase activities and decreased the activity of testicular enzymes: gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate deshydrogenase as well as the aspartate and lactate transaminases in aged animals. In addition, the testicular catalase and gluthatione peroxidase activities were enhanced in E2, PHE and CR-treated rats compared to untreated animals at 18 months of age. Moreover, the positive effects of estradiol, PHE and CR were further supported by a lower level of lipid peroxidation. Recovery of spermatogenesis was recorded in treated rats.

CONCLUSIONBesides a low caloric diet which is beneficial for spermatogenesis, a protective antioxydant role of estrogens is suggested. Estrogens delay testicular cell damage, which leads to functional senescence and, therefore, estrogens are helpful in protecting the reproductive functions from the adverse effects exerted by reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in large quantities in the aged testis.

Aging ; physiology ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Aromatase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Caloric Restriction ; Estradiol ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Estrogens ; pharmacology ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Peganum ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; RNA ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Estrogen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Testis ; drug effects ; enzymology ; growth & development ; Testosterone ; metabolism ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; metabolism