Amit Chakrabarti

EVIDENCE FOR OXIDATIVE STRESS IN OSTEOARTHRITIS

Evidence of increased oxidative stress in patients of osteoarthritis in comparison with healthy control subjects was investigated by measuring the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), vitamin C, reduced glutathione (GSH) and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in erythrocytes. It was observed that osteoarthritis patients were more susceptible to oxidative damage than controls as evident from increased TBARS and decreased ascorbic acid, GSH, catalase and GPx in erythrocytes. Significant increase in SOD activity found in patients might be an adaptive response. With the understanding of the role of antioxidants in arthritis, it is becoming increasingly clear that these agents seem to be beneficial in osteoarthritis.

Role of oxidative stress in ethanol induced germ cell apoptosis — An experimental study in rats

The study was undertaken to evaluate the possible involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of ethanol induced testicular atrophy in rats. Adult male rats were orally administered ethanol at a dose of 1.6 g/kg body weight/day for four weeks. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment the rats were sacrificed using anesthetic ether. Testes were removed and weighed. Apoptosis was studied by using the Feulgen reaction on 5 μ thin paraffin sections of testis. Testicular homogenate was prepared and centrifuged. The supernatant was used for the estimation of extent of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense status. There was significant reduction in body weight: and in testicular weight and diameter in ethanol treated rats. Extent of germ cell apoptosis was significantly high in ethanol treated rats. Ethanol treated rats showed significantly high tissue TBARS level and glutathione S-transferase activity; and low tissue ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities. Chronic ethanol administration resulted in high oxidative stress in the testes either due to increased extent of lipid peroxidation or due to decreased antioxidant defenses, and thereby induces germ cell apoptosis leading to testicular atrophy.

Impaired hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function in men with diabetes mellitus

In view of association of diabetes mellitus and male infertility, present study was designed to investigate the functional status of hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis in diabetic men. Thirty-five diabetic men (BMI 22.24±0.21) in the age group 20–40 (30.6±4.7) years were selected. Twenty-five healthy men (BMI 23.85±0.25), in the same age group (29.5±4.8) served as control. Blood samples were collected for hormonal and biochemical estimations. Diabetic men had significantly low serum testosterone with low LH and FSH, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypoalbuminemia and increased oxidative stress. Low serum testosterone in diabetic men was accompanied by low LH and FSH; the inability of the pituitary gland to respond appropriately to a decline in testosterone implying central effect of high serum glucose on the interaction between the nervous and endocrine system. Nutritional deficiency, increased oxidative stress and increased aromatase activity due to excessive body fat might have also contributed to low serum testosterone.

A profile of substance abusers using the emergency services in a tertiary care hospital in Sikkim.

Background: Sikkim, a state in Northeast India with a population of more than 500,000 and inhabited by indigenous population of Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalis, lies in the foothills of the Himalayas sharing borders with Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. Northeast India is a major source of injection drug users (IDUs) and associated HIV/AIDS. Alcohol use is traditionally prevalent in Sikkim and recently, IDU behaviour has also been reported, although systematic information on epidemiology and treatment availability of substance abuse in Sikkim is not available. Aim: To study the sociodemographic and drug use profile of substance abusers using the emergency services in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A retrospective chart review was used. Patients with history of current drug use seeking emergency services for any medical or surgical consequence incident to substance abuse from July 2000 to June 2005 (60 months) were included in the study. Data were generated from emergency case register, hospital records and case sheets. SPSS 10.0 was used for data analysis. Results: Out of 54 patients seeking emergency services with substance abuse (1.16% of all psychiatric consultations), alcohol abusers were 77.8% and other opioid abusers 14.8%. Prevalence of IDU was 16.66%. Common opioids abused were dextrpropoxyphene and pentazocine, both analgesics. A significant number of patients (46.3%) had a history of >20 days/month frequency of abuse. Median of duration of abuse with all drugs was 12 years, while that with IDU population was 3 years. Alcohol withdrawal was the commonest cause (57.4%) of reporting to the emergency. Psychiatric comorbidity was found among 7.4%. Commonest medications used were chlordiazepoxide and clonidine, for withdrawal and naltrexone, for substitution. No standardized treatment protocol for substitution treatment was available. Conclusions: This is an initial attempt to study the sociodemographic and drug use profile of substance abusers in Sikkim. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of substance abusers seeking emergency services are not significantly different from treatment-seeking substance abusers in other parts of India. IDU behaviour has been detected and low median duration of use suggests an emerging problem and need for urgent harm reduction. Alcohol withdrawal was the commonest cause of seeking emergency services, which is related to high prevalence of alcohol abuse in Sikkim. No standardized substitution treatment is available for substance abusers, which may lead to higher rates of relapse.

Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of substance use in a rural community in Sikkim, North East India: results from a pilot population survey.

Introduction: Sikkim, a province in North East India, inhabited by indigenous population of Lepchas, Bhutias, and Nepalis, lies in the foothills of the Himalayas sharing borders with Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. Information on epidemiology of substance use in Sikkim is not available. Objectives: To quantify prevalence and nature of substance use. Design: Single, cross-sectional, pilot, community-based survey. Method: This pilot survey was conducted in a rural community setting in East Sikkim with a household of 118. Results: Prevalence of substance use has been 76.7% (only alcohol 55.3%, cannabis 13.6%, opioid 5.8%). Most drug users belonged to 15–44 years age group with 74.6% having onset in the 15–20 years age range, but only 3.9% had a history of migration. Knowledge about AIDS was significantly low at 36.7% compared with the non-drug using population (62.5%). Conclusions: Alcohol use is higher than national prevalence rates requiring targeted intervention.

Experimental therapeutic intervention with alpha tocopherol in ethanol induced testicular injuries in rats.

Infertility is well-established harmful effect in chronic alcoholism and so far, there is no effective treatment for this condition. The study was conducted to determine the effects of alpha tocopherol on ethanol induced testicular injuries in male albino rats of Wistar strain. Five groups (n=6) of animals were used. Group I served as control. Group II received daily 1.6g ethanol/kg body weight/day for 4 weeks orally. Group III received 1.6g ethanol+80mg alpha tocopherol/kg body weight/day for four weeks orally. Group IV received 1.6g ethanol/kg body weight for/day 4 weeks and followed by 80mg alpha tocopherol/kg body weight/day for four weeks orally. Group V received 1.6g ethanol/kg body weight/day orally for 4 weeks, followed by 4 weeks abstinence. Twently-four hours after the last treatment the rats were sacrificed using anesthetic ether. Testes were removed and used for the estimation of extent of lipid peroxidation and tissue levels of antioxidants and steroidogenic enzymes. Alpha tocopherol treatment increased the activities of testicularΔ5, 3β-HSD. Moreover, the treatment was also associated with significant decrease in testicular oxidative stress. Ethanol-induced oxidative stress and decreased steroidogenesis can be reversed by treatment with alpha tocopherol.

Effect of exogenous L-ornithine L-aspartate on ethanol induced testicular injury in Wistar rats

To investigate reversibility of ethanol induced testicular injuries on treatment with L-ornithine-L-aspartate, male Wistar rats were treated with ethanol (1.6g/kg b.wt/day) and L-ornithine- L-aspartate (200mg/kg b.wt/ day) for 4 weeks. L-ornithine-L-aspartate effectively prevented the ethanol induced body and testes weight reduction; changes in testicular weight well correlated with body weight. Drug exhibited an ability to counteract ethanol induced oxidative challenge as it effectively reduced testicular TBARS and increased tissue ascorbic acid, GSH and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, GSH-Red and Se-GSH-Px. However the drug didn’t show promising effect on inhibitory effect of ethanol on testicular D5, 3-beta and 17-beta HSD (hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase).