Erdinç Devrim

Effects of Mobile Phones on Oxidant/Antioxidant Balance in Cornea and Lens of Rats

Purpose: To investigate the effects of mobile-phone-emitted radiation on the oxidant/antioxidant balance in corneal and lens tissues and to observe any protective effects of vitamin C in this setting. Methods: Forty female albino Wistar rats were assigned to one of four groups containing 10 rats each. One group received a standardized daily dose of mobile phone radiation for 4 weeks. The second group received this same treatment along with a daily oral dose of vitamin C (250 mg/kg). The third group received this dose of vitamin C alone, while the fourth group received standard laboratory care and served as a control. In corneal and lens tissues, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) were measured with spectrophotometric methods. Results: In corneal tissue, MDA level and CAT activity significantly increased in the mobile phone group compared with the mobile phone plus vitamin C group and the control group (p < 0.05), whereas SOD activity was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In the lens tissues, only the MDA level significantly increased in the mobile phone group relative to mobile phone plus vitamin C group and the control groups (p < 0.05). In lens tissue, significant differences were not found between the groups in terms of SOD, GSH-Px, or CAT (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that mobile telephone radiation leads to oxidative stress in corneal and lens tissues and that antioxidants such as vitamin C can help to prevent these effects.

Methotrexate Causes Oxidative Stress in Rat Kidney Tissues

Aim. Methotrexate (MTX), a folic acid antagonist, is one of the chemotherapeutic agents widely used in the treatment of some types of cancers. Nephrotoxicity is one of the complications of MTX treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate possible effects of MTX treatment on the oxidant/antioxidant status in rat kidney tissues and enzymatic mechanisms leading to nephrotoxicity. Methods. For this aim, 10 Sprague-Dawley type female rats of 4 weeks old were used in the study. The animals were divided into two groups randomly. Five of them were used as control, and the others were treated with MTX intravenously (60 mg/m2 of body surface area per week) for 7 weeks. At the end of this period, they were sacrificed, and kidney tissues were removed to be used in the analyses of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, antioxidant potential (AOP) values, and superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, xanthine oxidase, adenosine deaminase, and 5′ nucleotidase enzyme activities. Results. There was significant increase in the MDA level in the MTX group compared with the control group (1.74 ± 0.23 nmol/mg vs. 1.04 ± 0.30 nmol/mg; p < 0.05, respectively). There were however no meaningful differences between enzyme activities and AOP values of the groups. Conclusion. It has been suggested that MTX leads to oxidative stress in rat kidney tissues, which might be one of the reasons for MTX-induced nephrotoxicity.

Aqueous extract of Urtica dioica makes significant inhibition on adenosine deaminase activity in prostate tissue from patients with prostate cancer.

Aim: Investigation of possible effects of aqueous extract of urtica dioica leaves on adenosine deaminase activity in prostate tissue from patients with prostate cancer. Methods: Ten prostate tissues from patients with pathologically proven localized prostate cancer (Gleason scores 4 to 7) were used in the study. In the tissues, ADA activities with and without preincubation with different amounts of urtica dioica extracts were performed. Results: Aqueous extract of urtica dioica results in significant inhibition on adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity of prostate tissue. Conclusion: ADA inhibition by urtica dioica extract might be one of the mechanisms in the observed beneficial effect of urtica dioica in prostate cancer.

Effects of garlic consumption on plasma and erythrocyte antioxidant parameters in elderly subjects.

Background: The oxidative stress theory of aging is one of the most widely acknowledged theories of aging. The intake of fruits and vegetables with antioxidant power is associated with a reduced incidence of many chronic diseases of aging. Objective: The effects of ingesting garlic on plasma and erythrocyte antioxidant parameters of elderly subjects were investigated in this study. Methods: 13 subjects (mean age 70.69 ± 4.23) participated in the study. They ingested garlic at the daily dose of 0.1 g/kg b.w. for 1 month. Before and after this period, fasting blood samples were obtained, and oxidant [malondialdehyde (MDA) and xanthine oxidase (XO)] and antioxidant [superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT)] parameters were studied in erythrocytes, and MDA levels were studied in plasma samples obtained from the subjects. Routine blood biochemical parameters were also measured in blood samples. Results: In the plasma fraction and erythrocyte hemolysate, MDA levels were found to be significantly lower, but erythrocyte GSH-Px and SOD activities were significantly higher in the second samples relative to the first ones. XO activity was found to be lower in the second samples, but this decrease was not statistically meaningful. LDL cholesterol was found to be significantly lower in the second samples relative to the first ones. Conclusion: Our results show that ingestion of garlic leads to significantly lowered plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels and to increased activities of some antioxidant enzymes, which indicates that consumption of garlic decreases oxidation reactions. It is quite possible that reduced peroxidation processes due to garlic consumption may play a part in some of the beneficial effects of garlic in elderly subjects.

Oxidant/Antioxidant Status of Placenta, Blood, and Cord Blood Samples From Pregnant Women Supplemented With Iron

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to investigate oxidant/antioxidant status in placenta and in blood and cord blood samples from pregnant women supplemented with iron during pregnancy. Methods: For this purpose, 27 pregnant women at admission for delivery participated in the study. Fifteen of them did not take iron tablets and the others took oral iron supplements during pregnancy. Following delivery, part of the placenta and blood and cord blood samples were taken from the mothers. In these samples, oxidant parameters (malondialdehyde [MDA] levels and xanthine oxidase [XO] activities) and antioxidant parameters (antioxidant potential [AOP] values, superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT] and glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px] activities) were studied. Results: It was found that MDA level and SOD activities increased significantly in the placentas from the iron-supplemented group as compared with those from the control group. We also obsewrved that activities of SOD and XO enzymes in maternal erythrocytes, XO in cord blood erythrocytes and GSH-Px activities in cord blood plasma decreased significantly. However, activities of CAT and GSH-Px enzymes in cord blood erythrocytes and MDA levels in maternal plasma increased in the iron-supplemented group as compared with those from the control group. Conclusion: Increased MDA levels in the maternal plasma and the placenta in the iron-supplemented group suggests that iron supplementation may contribute to increased oxidative stress in women taking iron supplements during pregnancy.

Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation Use on Oxidant/Antioxidant Status and DNA Turn-over Enzyme Activities in Erythrocytes and Heart, Kidney, Liver, and Ovary Tissues From Rats: Possible Protective Role of Vitamin C

ABSTRACT In this study, the aim was to investigate possible effects of Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) use on oxidant and antioxidant status in erythrocytes and kidney, heart, liver, and ovary tissues from rats, and possible protective role of vitamin C. For this aim, 40 Wistar albino female rats were used throughout the study. The treatment group was exposed to EMR in a frequency of 900 MHz, the EMR plus vitamin C group was exposed to the same EMR frequency and given vitamin C (250 mg/kg/day) orally for 4 weeks. There were 10 animals in each group including control and vitamin C groups. At the end of the study period, blood samples were obtained from the animals to get erythrocyte sediments. Then the animals were sacrificed and heart, kidney, liver, and ovary tissues were removed. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), xanthine oxidase (XO), and adenosine deaminase (ADA) enzyme activities were measured in the tissues and erythrocytes. It was observed that MDA level, XO, and GSH-Px activities significantly increased in the EMR group as compared with those of the control group in the erythrocytes. In the kidney tissues, it was found that MDA level and CAT activity significantly increased, whereas XO and ADA activities decreased in the cellular phone group as compared with those of the control group. However, in the heart tissues it was observed that MDA level, ADA, and XO activities significantly decreased in the cellular phone group as compared with those of the control group. The results suggest that EMR at the frequency generated by a cell phone causes oxidative stress and peroxidation in the erythrocytes and kidney tissues from rats. In the erythrocytes, vitamin C seems to make partial protection against the oxidant stress.

Effects of apple consumption on plasma and erythrocyte antioxidant parameters in elderly subjects

The effects of apple consumption on plasma and erythrocyte antioxidant parameters of elderly subjects were investigated in this study. Fifteen elderly subjects (mean age 71.86 ± 4.17) participated in the study. They consumed an apple a day for 1 month. Before and after this period, fasting blood samples were obtained, and oxidant (malondialdehyde [MDA]) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px], catalase [CAT], and antioxidant potential [AOP]) parameters were studied. MDA and AOP levels were studied in plasma, and SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT activities and MDA levels were measured in the erythrocytes. In the erythrocytes, GSH-Px and SOD activities were found to be higher (p < .001 and p < .01), but MDA levels were lower in the second samples relative to the first ones. In the plasma, AOP value was found to be higher in the second samples relative to first ones (p < .001). No differences were found, however, between the routine blood parameters such as total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. The results show that consumption of apple leads to significant increases in the activities of some antioxidant enzymes and in the antioxidant potential values of the blood, and that decreases oxidation reactions in the body in significant amount. It is quite possible that reduced peroxidation processes owing to consumption of this fruit may play a part in some of their beneficial effects in the elderly subjects.

Superoxide dismutase activity in the lens capsule of patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and cataract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the activity of the antioxidative enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the anterior lens capsule of patients with cataract complicating pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in an attempt to determine the role of the oxidative mechanisms in the etiopathogenesis of this disorder. SETTING: Departments of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. METHODS: At the beginning of phacoemulsification surgery, the anterior lens capsules in 21 eyes with PEX and cataract (group A) and those in 24 eyes with cataract alone (group B) were collected with continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis and were frozen at −20°C. At the time of analysis, the specimens were thawed and centrifuged and the supernatants of the homogenate obtained from the samples were analyzed for the activity of the enzyme SOD. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 74.8 years ± 5.5 (SD) in group A and 71.7 ± 5.6 years in group B. The specific activity of SOD was 17.6 ± 10.8 IU/mg and 4.36 ± 1.80 IU/mL in group A and 9.9 ± 12.9 IU/mg and 2.71 ± 2.61 IU/mL in group B. Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly higher in group A patients than in group B patients (P = .022 and P = .011, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in SOD activity in the lens capsule of patients with PEX and cataract suggests that oxidative mechanisms play a role in the etiopathogenesis of cataract in PEX. This suggests that SOD activity may be increased as a compensatory mechanism to eliminate this oxidative stress.

Consumption of aqueous garlic extract leads to significant improvement in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer

Abstract Aim Investigation of possible effects of garlic extract supplementation on disease parameters of patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PC). Materials and methods: Twenty seven patients with BPH and 9 patients with prostate cancer participated in the study. Patients consumed aqueous garlic extract at the daily amount of 1 ml/kg weight for a month and then, pre- and post- disease parameters were examined. Results: Mass of prostate was found to be significantly lowered in the BPH group after extract consumption. Urinary frequency was established to be decreased, maximum and average rates of urine flow significantly increased after experimental period. In the cancer group, significantly lowered total and free PSA values were measured after extract consumption. No change was however observed in the mass of prostate of this group. The parameters of urinary frequency, maximum and average rates of urinary flow were also established to be significantly improved in the cancer group. Conclusions: Results suggest that garlic extract supplementation leads to significant improvement in disease parameters of the patients with BPH and PC.

Investigation of free radical scavenging enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation in human placental tissues with miscarriage.

Background: Miscarriage (early pregnancy failure) is a pregnancy-related disease, the pathophysiology of which is still not completely understood. Lipid peroxidation and alterations in antioxidant enzyme activities may be of importance in the pathogenesis of this disorder. This study was planned to investigate the possible relation between free radical scavenging enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation levels in placenta tissues with miscarriage. Methods: Placental tissue samples were obtained from 21 patients who had miscarried and 25 normal pregnant women undergoing elective abortion as a control group. Total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities and levels of thiobarbituric acic reactive substances (TBARS), antioxidant potential (AOP), and nonenzymatic superoxide radical scavenger activity (NSSA) were measured in the placental tissues. Results: GSH-Px, CAT activities, and TBARS levels were found to be significantly increased, while T-SOD and NSSA values decreased in patients with early pregnancy failure when compared with women undergoing elective abortion (control group). However, there were no significant differences in AOP levels between the groups. Conclusions: Our results reflects oxidative stress in placenta tissues of early pregnancy failure, as the oxidative processes seem to be counteracted by the physiologic activation of antioxidant enzymes such as CAT and GSH-Px. Moreover, a compensatory mechanism might be developed against possible oxidative damage in patients with miscarriage.