Is plastoquinone10-ox an antioxidant marker of red wines?

Research NoteAntioxidant activities of 20 different types of Slovak wines were examined. For the first time evidence of plastoquinone10-ox (PQ10-ox)) in red wines was documented. Twice higher levels of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) were determined in red wine varieties in comparison to white wine varieties. Enzymatic actitivities of superoxidedismutase (SOD) in all red wine varieties were higher compared to white wines; in some white wines they were not detectable. The beneficial effects of antioxidants are discussed, especially the role of coenzyme Q10 (analogue of plant PQ10-ox), vitamin E and SOD in preventing cardiovascular diseases. It is supposed that PQ10-ox could be an antioxidant marker of red wines. To prove the protective effect of a moderate consumption of red wine in human cardiology further studies are required

Health effects of selected nanoparticles in vivo: liver function and hepatotoxicity following intravenous injection of titanium dioxide and Na-oleate-coated iron oxide nanoparticles in rodents.

The study determined the effect of intravenous administration of acutely toxic or sub-lethal doses of Na-oleate-coated Fe3O4 (OC-Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) on liver structure and function in Wistar rats, compared to titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs and saline-injected controls. The acute study, using a modified OECD 425 progressive dosing procedure, found LD50 values of 59.22 and 36.42 mg/kg for TiO2 and OC-Fe3O4 NPs, respectively. In the sub-lethal study, rats were either injected with saline (negative controls), a sub-lethal reference (0.592 mg/kgTiO2 NPs, equal to 1% of LD50 on a body weight basis) or OC-Fe3O4 NPs in doses equivalent to 0.1, 1 or 10% of the LD50, respectively (corresponding to 0.0364, 0.364 and 3.64 mg Fe3O4/kg body weight). Animals were sampled 24 h, 1, 2 and 4 weeks post-injection for adverse effects. Mitochondrial respiration was significantly increased 2 weeks after injection of 10% OC-Fe3O4 NPs compared to controls, but the effect was transient. Cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations in the liver tissue did not increase in any treatment. There were some disturbances to antioxidant enzymes after OC-Fe3O4 NPs treatment in the livers of animals 1 week post-exposure; with the most sensitive changes occurring in glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities. Lipidosis and mild necrosis with changes in sinusoid space were also observed in histological sections of the liver. Overall, these data suggest that the liver likely retains functional integrity with acute and sub-lethal doses of OC-Fe3O4 NPs, albeit with some stimulation of redox defences and evidence of some tissue injury

Effect of coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E on brain energy metabolism in the animal model of Huntington's disease

The neuropathological and clinical symptoms of Huntington's disease (HD) can be simulated in animal model with systemic administration of 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP). Energy defects in HD could be ameliorated by administration of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), creatine, or nicotinamid. We studied the activity of creatine kinase (CK) and the function of mitochondrial respiratory chain in the brain of aged rats administered with 3-NP with and without previous application of antioxidants CoQ10 + vitamin E. We used dynamic and steady-state methods of in vivo phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS) for determination of the pseudo-first order rate constant (kfor) of the forward CK reaction, the phosphocreatine (PCr) to adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) ratio, intracellular pHi and Mgi 2+ content in the brain. The respiratory chain function of isolated mitochondria was assessed polarographically; the concentration of CoQ10 and α-tocopherol by HPLC. We found significant elevation of kfor in brains of 3-NP rats, reflecting increased rate of CK reaction in cytosol. The function of respiratory chain in the presence of succinate was severely diminished. The activity of cytochromeoxidase and mitochondrial concentration of CoQ 10 was unaltered; tissue content of CoQ10 was decreased in 3-NP rats. Antioxidants CoQ10 + vitamin E prevented increase of kfor and the decrease of CoQ10 content in brain tissue, but were ineffective to prevent the decline of respiratory chain function. We suppose that increased activity of CK system could be compensatory to decreased mitochondrial ATP production, and CoQ10 + vitamin E could prevent the increase of kfor after 3-NP treatment likely by activity of CoQ 10 outside the mitochondria. Results of our experiments contributed to elucidation of mechanism of beneficial effect of CoQ10 administration in HD and showed that the rate constant of CK is a sensitive indicator of brain energy disorder reflecting therapeutic effect of drugs that could be used as a new in vivo biomarker of neurodegenerative diseases. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Systems Biology of Free Radicals and Antioxidants

Book chapterThe South African fynbos plant, Aspalathus linearis (Brum.f) Dahlg. (Fabaceae, Tribe Crotalarieae), is traditionally used as a herbal tisane referred to as rooibos or redbush. This plant has claimed medicinal properties based mostly on anecdotal evidence. Rooibos is naturally caffeine free and contains a unique blend of polyphenolic compounds. Based on its in vitro antioxidant potential, a few studies also suggest modulation of oxidative stress/damage by rooibos extracts in experimental animals. More recent studies have examined the bioactivity of rooibos in humans. Together, these factors have contributed to the popularity of this herbal tea as a health beverage, both locally and internationally. This chapter focuses on the in vitro antioxidant activity of rooibos and discusses recent animal and human studies