Babita Singh

Evaluation of Antioxidant Enzymes Activity and Malondialdehyde Levels in Patients With Chronic Periodontitis and Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of diabetes, a known risk factor for periodontitis, on activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), and catalase (CAT) as well as levels of free radical damage marker malondialdehyde (MDA) in blood and saliva of individuals with chronic periodontitis (CP). METHODS Sixty patients with CP (30 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus [DMCP] and 30 systemically healthy patients [CP]) and 60 periodontally healthy individuals (30 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 30 systemically healthy patients [PH]) were included in this study. After clinical measurements, blood and saliva samples were collected. SOD, GR, and CAT activities in red blood cell lysate and saliva and MDA levels in plasma and saliva samples were spectrophotometrically assayed. An analysis of variance test followed by a post hoc test was used to compare the intragroup and intergroup variances among the study groups. RESULTS MDA levels in both the periodontitis groups were higher than in the periodontally healthy groups, but the difference between the CP and DMCP groups did not reach statistical significance (P >0.05). There was a highly significant difference between the CP and PH groups for all the enzymes studied except for SOD in blood. Only salivary SOD and GR activities were significantly different in the CP and DMCP groups. CONCLUSIONS This study favors the role of oxidative stress in both diabetes and periodontitis. It shows that the compensatory mechanism of the body is partially collapsed because of excessive production of free radicals during periodontitis and is not able to cope with increased free radical generation attributable to diabetes, thereby worsening the situation.

Association of salivary lipid peroxidation levels, antioxidant enzymes, and chronic periodontitis.

This study assessed the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), and catalase (CAT) and free radical damage marker malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in saliva of 30 patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) compared to 30 healthy controls by spectrophotometry. MDA levels were significantly elevated in the CP group, whereas the SOD, CAT, and GR activities were significantly reduced compared to healthy controls. MDA levels demonstrated a significant direct correlation with all periodontal parameters, whereas all antioxidant enzymes studied (SOD, CAT, and GR) showed an inverse correlation. These findings support the idea that oxidative stress has a role in periodontal disease pathogenesis.

Mirror movements in progressive hemifacial atrophy.

Mirror movements are simultaneous, involuntary, identical movements occurring during contralateral voluntary movements. These movements are considered as soft neurologic signs seen uncommonly in clinical practice. The mirror movements are described in various neurological disorders which include parkinsonism, cranio veretebral junction anamolies, and hemiplegic cerebral palsy. These movements are intriguing and can pose significant disability. However, no such observation regarding mirror movements in progressive hemifacial atrophy have been reported previously. We are reporting a teenage girl suffering from progressive hemifacial atrophy and epilepsy with demonstrable mirror movements in hand.

Salivary and Serum Leptin Concentrations in Patients With Chronic Periodontitis

BACKGROUND The discovery of leptin has led to the elucidation of a robust physiologic system that not only maintains fat stores but is also an integral part of the host defense mechanism. However, leptin concentrations in the saliva of patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) has not been explored despite the potential role of salivary biomarkers in determining the presence, risk, and progression of periodontal disease. METHODS Eighty-four participants (44 with generalized severe CP and 40 without periodontitis) were enrolled. For each patient, the values of periodontal parameters were recorded, such as plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (AL), and percentage of sites with bleeding on probing (BOP) and clinical AL ≥5 mm. Saliva and serum samples were collected to estimate the leptin concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Statistical analysis was performed using software. RESULTS Participants with CP demonstrated significantly higher BOP, PI, GI, and percentage of sites with clinical AL >5 mm (P <0.05). Leptin was detectable in all the clinical samples. Salivary leptin concentrations in patients with CP were significantly lower than in healthy volunteers (6,200.61 ± 2,322.11 versus 8,799.60 ± 901.70 pg/mL), whereas serum leptin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with CP than in healthy volunteers (11,600.00 ± 1,705.01 versus 7,616.62 ± 1,169.83 pg/mL). In addition, the results reflected a significant negative correlation of salivary leptin and a positive correlation of serum leptin with PD (P <0.05). CONCLUSION The results suggest that leptin concentrations in saliva and serum are significantly altered in CP and relate closely to current disease activity; however, further studies are needed to confirm the findings.

Role of estrogen and levodopa in 1-methyl-4-pheny-l-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (mptp)-induced cognitive deficit in Parkinsonian ovariectomized mice model: A comparative study

Parkinsons disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disease found in the aging population. Currently, many studies are being conducted to find a suitable and effective cure for PD, with an emphasis on the use of herbal plants. In this study, the neuroprotective effects of estrogen was evaluated in the 1-methyl-4-phe-nyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of PD with cognitive deficit and compared to Levodopa (LD), a well reported neuroprotective agent used for treating PD. Twenty-four Swiss albino mice were randomly divided into four groups: Control, MPTP, MPTP+LD and MPTP+estrogen. The behavioral recovery in both LD and estrogen treated mice were investigated using the rotarod, foot printing, narrow beam walking test and hanging tests. Non-motor behavioral recovery in both LD and estrogen treated were investigated using the Y-maze and Morris water maze. Furthermore, we performed the biochemical test i.e. catalase, lipid and nitrite in prefrontal cortex as well as nigrostriatal region of mouse brain. We also performed the acetylcholine esterase activity in prefrontal cortex and nigrostriatal region of mice brain. The recovery of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) region was estimated by immunostaining of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Estrogen treatment restored all the deficits induced by MPTP more effectively than levodopa. Estrogen treatment recovered the number of TH-positive cells in both the SN region. Treatment with Estrogen significantly increased the levels of catalase, decreased the level of lipid and nitite in both region SN as well as prefrontal cortex region. Notably, the effect of estrogen was greater than that elicited by levodopa. Acetylcholine esterase activity was significantly increased in MPTP and it was found to be decreased by the treatment of estrogen as well as levodopa, although decrease in the activity was highly significant in estrogen treated group. Our result suggested that estrogen treatment significantly reduced the MPTP induced neurotoxicity as evident by decrease in oxidative damage, physiological abnormalities and immunohistochemical changes in the Parkinsonian mouse with cognitive deficit as compared to levodopa treatment.

The effects of periodontal therapy on serum and salivary leptin levels in chronic periodontitis patients with normal body mass index

Abstract Summary. Leptin concentrations are altered in favour of pro health after periodontal therapy. Background. Leptin, a non-glycosylated peptide hormone, not only maintains fat stores, but is also an integral part of host defense repertoire. Leptin levels have been found to be altered in an array of inflammatory diseases including chronic periodontitis (CP), but the role of non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) in altering the leptin concentrations in saliva and serum of CP patients is yet to be ascertained. The aim of the present study is to quantify leptin levels in CP patients having normal body mass index (BMI) pre-therapy as compared to periodontally healthy controls and to address whether successful NSPT alters leptin concentration in serum and saliva. Materials and methods. Twenty-two saliva (modified draining method) and serum samples (by venipuncture) were collected from CP patients with normal BMI (n = 22), before and at 4 and 12 weeks after completion of NSPT, and periodontally healthy, age- and gender-matched controls (n = 22). Leptin levels were estimated using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results. At baseline, CP patients had significantly different periodontal clinical parameters and the leptin concentrations in saliva of CP patients were found to be significantly lower than periodontally healthy volunteers (4710.10 ± 1133.21 vs 8721.10 ± 1019.58 pg/ml) (p < 0.05), whereas in serum the leptin concentrations were significantly higher than healthy controls (10749 ± 2062.24 vs 8085.00 ± 2859.68 pg/ml). Significant improvement in periodontal parameters, serum and salivary leptin levels were observed in CP patients at 4 and 12 weeks post-therapy (p < 0.01). Conclusion. Altered concentrations of leptin in serum and saliva are observed in CP patients which can be restored in favor of health after periodontal therapy.

Novel biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases- motor neuron disease (MND), cerebellar ataxia (CA) and Parkinson's disease (PD)

Oxygen is the most mandatory component of living organism and it may at times produce highly reactive species, the free radicals, which are destructive to normal living tissues. Degenerative diseases of central nervous system (CNS) are quite common, contributing significantly to morbidity as well as mortality %. In neurodegenerative diseases such as motor neuron disease (MND), Cerebellar Ataxia (CA) and Parkinsons disease (PD), there is no direct evidence for involvement of metals and free radicals in the etiology but circumstantial evidence provides a hypothesis that alteration in metals and free radicals contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration in these disorders. The aim of the present study was to estimate free radicals cascade i.e. damage caused in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA) and defense system Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in blood and cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) of neurodegenerative diseases (MND, CA and PD), to analyze correlation with level of free radical and the clinical variables like age, severity of diseases and duration of illness and any possibility from this clinical parameters to identify a biomarker for diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. The level of MDA in CSF was 0.46 ± 0.17 in case of MND, 0.49 ± 0.13 in case of CA and 0.47 ± 0.16 in case of PD as compared control group (0.22 ± 0.06) whereas in blood MDA level was 0.10 ± 0.04 in case of MND, 0.33 ± 0.41 in case of CA and 0.47 ± 0.46 in case of PD as compared control group (0.04 ± 0.03). It was found to be highly significant (p < .001). In CSF and blood both catalase activity was statistically significantly higher as compared to control group of all cases (MND, CA and PD) and SOD activity was statistically significantly lower as compared to control group of all cases. Free radical parameters in human CSF might be a novel biomarker for the early clinical identification of neurodegenerative diseases.

Role of ethanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induced mice model via inhibition of apoptotic pathways of dopaminergic neurons

Parkinsons disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease which causes rigidity, resting tremor and postural instability. The neuroprotective effects of an ethanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri (BM) were evaluated in a Parkinsonian mice model induced by the MPTP. The present study investigates the mechanisms of neuroprotection elicited by BM, an herb traditionally recognized by the Indian system of medicine, Ayurveda. An ethanolic extract of BM was co-treated with the MPTP induced mouse model of PD and was shown to significantly rescue the motor behaviour (Rotarod, Grip Strength and Foot Printing test). Furthermore, on biochemical parameters too BM significantly showed protective effect as Catalase, LPO, Nitrite, SOD, GR, GPx parameters showed marked improvement and levels of Dopamine, DOPAC and HVA were enhanced significantly. There was a significant reduction in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra (SN) in MPTP treated group, which was considerably restored by the use of BM extract. BM also facilitated neuroprotection by creating an anti-apoptotic environment indicated by reduced apoptotic (Bax and caspase-3) and increased levels of anti-apoptotic (Bcl2) protein expression, respectively. Altogether, the present study suggests that BM treatment provides nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuroprotection against MPTP induced Parkinsonism by the modulation of oxidative stress and apoptotic machinery possibly accounting for the behavioural effects.