Chemoprotective Effect of Sobatum against Lithium-Induced Oxidative Damage in Rats

Lithium therapy mainly used in curing some psychiatric diseases responsible for numerous undesirable side effects on different organs in humans. The present study explores the beneficial effect of sobatum, a purified compound of Solanum trilobatum, on lithium carbonate (Li2CO3)-induced multiple organ toxicity in rats. Li2CO3 (150 mg/kg body weight) was administered orally in drinking water for a period of 30 days to induce toxicity in rats. Li2CO3 could induce lipid peroxidation to a significant extent that was accompanied by marked reduction in reduced glutathione, SOD, CAT, GST, GPX activities, and parallel decline in ATP in tissues. Toxicity resulted in abnormal elevation of lipids such as cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, and fatty acids in liver tissues. Treatment with sobatum affords substantial protection in liver and heart by altering all the parameters to near normal levels that were further confirmed by histological examination. Sobatum prevents Li2CO3-induced oxidative damage of DNA by reducing DNA fragmentation indicating its block on cell death. However, these results demonstrated that sobatum has the ability to suppress the drug-induced toxicity

Effect of α-tocopherol on pro-oxidant and antioxidant enzyme status in radiation-treated oral squamous cell carcinoma

Objectives: The relationships between α-tocopherol, pro-oxidant and antioxidant enzyme status, and radiation toxicity were studied in stage II, III, and IVA oral squamous cell carcinoma patients. The low levels of malondialdehyde and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes were correlated with decreased oxidative stress by α-tocopherol in oral cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of α-tocopherol on oxidant-antioxidant enzyme status in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: The study included three groups with histologically confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma patients (untreated), and they were further divided into two groups, viz., one consisting of patients who underwent radiotherapy alone (radiotherapy was given at the dosage of 6000 cGy in five fractions per week for a period of 6 weeks); and the other group treated with radiotherapy plus α-tocopherol supplementation (α-tocopherol was supplemented at a dosage of 400 IU/day) for the entire period of radiotherapy. Results: A significant decrease ( P < 0.001) in malondialdehyde levels and increase in activities of antioxidant enzymes ( P < 0.001) in hemolysate were noticed in patients treated with radiotherapy and simultaneously supplemented with α-tocopherol when compared to radiation-treated patients. Conclusion: It was seen that α-tocopherol played a role in protecting against the damage caused by irradiation in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with radiotherapy, by enhancing the antioxidant enzyme status and reducing the pro-oxidant status