Investigation of PON1 activity and MDA levels in patients with epilepsy not receiving antiepileptic treatment

Nilüfer Dönmezdil, Mehmet Uğur Çevik, Hasan Hüseyin Özdemir, Muhterem Taşin Department of Neurology, Dicle University, Diyarbakır, Turkey Purpose: There are many studies dedicated to researching the etiopathogenesis of epilepsy. In such research, oxidative and antioxidant indicators of etiopathogenesis have also been examined under the scope. Drawing on a group of patients with epilepsy who were receiving no treatment, we have tried to evaluate whether or not an increase in oxidative indicators is linked directly with the disorder, independent of epileptic medicaments.Methods: Thirty people in good health and 30 newly diagnosed with epilepsy and who received ambulatory treatment in the polyclinic of the Neurology Department took part in the study. The tests relating to serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity were carried out in the biochemistry laboratory.Results: Even though the levels of MDA in the patient group (14.34±3.59 nmol/mL) were found to be high compared to those of the control group, which consisted of people in good health (13.53±3.56 nmol/mL), there was no statistically significant difference. PON1 activity in the serum taken from people in the patient group (0.65±0.17) was lower in comparison to that observed in the serum of the control group (0.71±0.17 U/L). Nonetheless, it was not so low as to have significance from a statistical point of view.Conclusion: We conclude that such a high level of oxidative parameters should have been related to the disease and that statistically significant findings that emerged in some other studies could have been related to an antiepileptic treatment. Keywords: epilepsy, paraoxonase 1, malondialdehyde, oxidative stress, epilepsy, biochemical marke

Protective effects of L-glutamine against toxicity of deltamethrin in the cerebral tissue

Sefer Varol, Hasan Hüseyin Özdemir, Mehmet Uğur Çevik, Yaşar Altun, Ibrahim Ibiloğlu, Aysun Ekinci, Aslıhan Okan Ibiloğlu, Metin Balduz, Demet Arslan, Recep Tekin, Fesih Aktar, Mehmet Ufuk Aluçlu Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey Background: Deltamethrin (DLM) is a broad-spectrum synthetic dibromo-pyrethroid pesticide that is widely used for agricultural and veterinary purposes. However, human exposure to the pesticide leads to neurotoxicity. Glutamine is one of the principal, free intracellular amino acids and may also be an antioxidant. This study was undertaken in order to examine the neuroprotective and antioxidant potential of L-glutamine against DLM toxicity in female Wistar albino rats. Materials and methods: The rats were divided into the following groups (n=10): Group I: control (distilled water; 10 mL/kg, po one dose), Group II: L-glutamine (1.5 g/kg, po one dose), Group III: DLM (35 mg/kg, po one dose), and Group IV: DLM (35 mg/kg, po one dose) and L-glutamine (1.5 g/kg, po one dose after 4 hours). Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 levels and apoptosis were evaluated in brain tissue. Results: DLM-treated animals had a significant increase in brain biochemical parameters, as well as TOS and TAS. Furthermore, the histopathological examination showed neuronal cell degeneration in the cerebral tissue. L-Glutamine treatment decreased the elevated brain levels of TOS and neuronal cell degeneration. There was no difference in tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels between the groups. Conclusion: L-Glutamine may reduce the toxic effects of DLM in the cerebral tissue through antioxidant properties. Keywords: deltamethrin, L-glutamine, ra