Shobha Kamath

Association of Cigarette Smoking With Superoxide Dismutase Enzyme Levels in Subjects With Chronic Periodontitis

BACKGROUND Smoking, which is an important risk factor for periodontitis, induces oxidative stress in the body and causes an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD). In the present study, the influence of smoking on the periodontium was determined by estimating the levels of SOD in light and heavy smokers with periodontitis. METHODS Seventy subjects in the age range of 20 to 55 years, including 60 smokers and 10 non-smokers (controls), were selected. Clinical parameters recorded were plaque index (PI), probing depth (PD), and attachment loss (AL). Smokers were divided into light smokers (<10 cigarettes/day) and heavy smokers (> or = 10 cigarettes/day) and into three subgroups: healthy, mild periodontitis, and moderate periodontitis. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva samples were collected. SOD levels were analyzed using spectrophotometric assay. RESULTS The mean levels of SOD in the GCF and saliva of smokers were decreased compared to controls. Intra- and intergroup analyses showed a significant reduction in the levels of SOD in the GCF and saliva of heavy smokers compared to light smokers and the control group. CONCLUSIONS There was a progressive reduction in SOD levels from healthy non-smokers to light smokers to heavy smokers. These findings highlight the need to augment the efforts of smoking-cessation programs. The benefits of reduced smoking and improved antioxidant levels may motivate smoking cessation.

Maternal and fetal indicators of oxidative stress during intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR)

The present study demonstrates the possibility of increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in both maternal and fetal erythrocytes as markers of oxygen radical activity during intrauterine growth retardation. The erythrocyte MDA levels were significantly elevated in mothers of IUGR babies when compared to controls (p<0.01). The endogenous protein damage due to oxidative stress was significantly higher in IUGR mothers when compared to controls (p<0.05). Similarly the proteolytic activity in erythrocyte lysates against oxidatively damaged hemoglobin was significantly increased in mothers of IUGR babies compared to controls (p<0.001).In fetuses born with IUGR, both lipid peroxidation and proteolytic activity were significantly increased when compared to normal newborns (p<0.01).The result of this study indicates that oxidative stress was induced both in IUGR babies and their mothers which is manifested as increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidant damage.

Evaluation of the effect of Ferula asafoetida Linn. gum extract on learning and memory in Wistar rats

Objective: Memory loss is universal and is the first symptom to manifest in majority of the patients suffering from Alzheimers disease. This study is designed to investigate the effect of Ferula asafoetida linn. (F. foetida) extract on learning and memory in rats. Materials and Methods: Learning and memory were evaluated using elevated plus maze and passive avoidance paradigm after the oral administration of two doses (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) of F. foetida aqueous extract with rivastigmine as positive control. Brain cholinesterase activity, serum thiols and cholesterol were also estimated. Results: Extract produced significant improvement in memory score i.e. step through latency at 400 mg/kg dose in passive avoidance model (P< 0.05) and dose-dependent improvement of transfer latency in elevated plus maze model (P< 0.001). Dose-dependent inhibition of brain cholinesterase (P< 0.001) and significant improvement in antioxidant levels (P< 0.05) were also noted. Conclusions: Memory enhancing potential of F. foetida can be attributed to acetylcholinesterase inhibiting and antioxidant properties. Hence, dietary usage of F. foetida is beneficial and can also be employed as an adjuvant to existing anti-dementia therapies.

Cortico-hippocampal salvage in chronic aluminium induced neurodegeneration by Celastrus paniculatus seed oil: Neurobehavioural, biochemical, histological study

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of Celastrus paniculatus seed oil in preventing the onset of chronic aluminum induced cortico-hippocampal neurodegeneration and oxidative stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS An animal model of senile dementia of Alzheimers type was produced by administering aluminum as aluminum chloride (4.2 mg/kg) intraperitoneally to male Wistar rats for 60 days and results compared to untreated control. Neurobehavioral investigations of Morris water maze tests, passive avoidance test, rotarod test and biochemical estimations of acetylcholineterase, malondialdehyde, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, and hemoglobin in blood were performed fortnightly which gauged the extent of global oxidative stress and progressive neural damage. Findings were fortified by the above enzyme assays and histology of brain at necropsy. Prophylactic oral C. paniculatus in two doses 0.5 ml and 1 ml, were given to animals and the results were analyzed in comparison to a similar rodent model with standard drug donepezil (0.5 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. RESULTS C. paniculatus showed a significant prevention in onset of aluminum induced neural insult and overall systemic oxidative stress which was corroborated by the enlisted neurobehavioral, biochemical, and histological evidence. CONCLUSION C. paniculatus is a putative decelerator of Al-mediated Alzheimers like pathobiology.

1-Triacontanol cerotate; isolated from Marsilea quadrifolia Linn. ameliorates reactive oxidative damage in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of chronic epileptic rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Marsilea quadrifolia Linn. (MQ) has been used for insomnia and epileptic disorders in traditional Indian medicine. The present study is to isolate the active component responsible for antiepileptic property of MQ by evaluating its ability to minimize the reactive oxidative damage in brain due to chronic epilepsy in rat. MATERIALS AND METHODS 1-Triacontanol cerotate (1TAC) was isolated after chromatography on a silica gel from dried petroleum ether fraction of methanolic extract of MQ. Acute oral toxicity studies of 1TAC were carried out and efficacy of 1TAC on malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) production in different brain areas of chronic pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) induced epileptic rats were evaluated. RESULTS Our results showed that PTZ-kindled chronic epileptic rats had an increase MDA and decreased GSH concentration in the frontal cortex as well as hippocampus, compared to the normal control. MDA and GSH concentrations in those brain areas were normalized after treatment with sodium valproate (SV) in 200 mg kg(-1)bw; as well as 1TAC in 40 and 80 mg kg(-1)bw doses. CONCLUSION Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is known to worsen epileptogenesis. The isolated component 1TAC which reduced the reactive oxidative damage in hippocampus and frontal cortex of PTZ kindled rats could be responsible for antiepileptic property of MQ. Its action is found to be dose dependent, with 80 mg kg(-1)bw showing even better efficacy than 200 mg kg(-1)bw of SV.

Effect of ethanolic extract of Acacia auriculiformis leaves on learning and memory in rats

Background: The effects and benefits of Acacia auriculiformis on health are not well established. This study was planned to evaluate the effect of ethanolic extract of Acacia auriculiformis leaves on learning and memory in rats. Materials and Methods: Learning and memory were evaluated using passive avoidance paradigm and rewarded alternation test (T-maze) after the oral administration of two doses (200mg/kg and 400mg/kg) of ethanolic extract of Acacia auriculiformis with rivastigmine as positive control. Forty eight rats were divided into 4 groups in each study model. Estimation of brain cholinesterase activity was done to substantiate the results of the above mentioned tests. Data was analyzed using one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukeys post-hoc test using GraphPad InStat software, version 3.06. Results: The extract produced a dose-dependent improvement in the memory score namely the step through latency in passive avoidance model (P < 0.001) and the percentage of correct responses in rewarded alternation test (P < 0.05). Dose-dependent inhibition of brain cholinesterase activity (P < 0.001) was also noted. Conclusion: The acetylcholinesterase inhibiting property of Acacia auriculiformis contributes to its memory enhancing potential. Further large scale studies are required to elucidate its benefits on cognitive function. This may offer a promising new option for the treatment of dementia and other cognitive deficits.

A comparative evaluation of the microleakage of blood-contaminated mineral trioxide aggregate and Biodentine as root-end filling materials: An in vitro study

Context: Success of a periradicular surgery depends on the attainment of a fluid tight apical seal with a well-adapted root-end restoration. Since achieving a dry field is not always possible, the study design was aimed at evaluating the sealing ability of test materials in blood-contaminated field which is usually the clinical scenario. Aims: To evaluate and compare the microleakage of blood-contaminated mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Biodentine as root-end filling materials. Settings and Design: After decoronating, forty recently extracted single-rooted teeth were selected. The canal was enlarged to size #50 using hand files and the rest of the canal was prepared to #80 file at 1 mm increments. The canal was copiously irrigated with 2.5% sodium hypochlorite, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and normal saline between instrument changes. After root-end resection, 3 mm of root-end preparation was done. Subjects and Methods: The root-end filling materials were placed in the following manner. Group 1: Root-end cavity was filled with MTA, Group 2: Root-end cavity was filled with Biodentine, Group 3: Root-end cavity was filled with MTA with blood contamination, and Group 4: Root-end cavity was filled with Biodentine with blood contamination. All samples were incubated for 24 h at 37°C and 100% humidity, and the microleakage was evaluated using a glucose filtration model. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis was done using an SPSS version 17 software. Data were analyzed with repeated-measures ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni test. Results: Mean values of microleakage of the different groups in day 1, 4, and 7 were recorded. It was seen that the leakage was increasing with days irrespective of the material and no significant difference in the rate of increase was observed between the different materials. It was also seen that the blood-contaminated samples showed less leakage than the corresponding dry samples except the blood-contaminated Biodentine which showed more leakage on the day 1. However, overall, marginal means indicate no significant difference in the microleakage between materials. Conclusions: The sealing ability of Biodentine showed comparable results with that of MTA in dry and blood-contaminated environments and hence Biodentine can be used as an alternative to MTA for root-end filling procedures in a blood-contaminated environment. Clinical Relevance to Interdisciplinary Dentistry With the movement toward evidence-based dental healthcare, interdisciplinary approach has been gaining ground quickly. Of which, endodontics forms an integral part of interdisciplinary dentistry Integrating biochemical analysis with endodontics forms basis to research and is the foundation for a successful dental outcome Biodentine shows to be bioactive, which helps to restore the tooth and periradicular structures back to normal form and function.