The Biochemistry and Antioxidant Properties of Carotenoids

Carotenoids are one of the most widespread pigment groups distributed in nature, and more than 700 natural carotenoids have been described so far, and new carotenoids are introduced each year. Carotenoids are derived from 4 terpenes, including totally 40 carbon atoms. Carotenoids are naturally synthesized by cyanobacteria, algae, plants, some fungi, and some bacteria, but not made by mammals. Lately, the beneficial properties of α-carotene, β-carotene, γ-carotene, lycopene, phytoene, phytofluene, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, astaxanthin, and fucoxanthin carotenoids in prevention of various diseases, such as tumor formation, cardiovascular, and vision, have been documented due to their roles as antioxidants, activation in certain gene expression associated with cell-to-cell communication, provitamin A activity, modulation of lipoxygenase activity, and immune response. In this chapter, in addition to biochemical properties of carotenoids, how the structure of these molecules influences the oxidative stress in health and reducing the risk of formation of various diseases will be described

Nitric Oxide Synthase and Nitric Oxide Involvement in Different Toxicities

Nitric oxide (NO) is known to have a very short half‐life, and it is oxidized to nitrate (NO3−) and nitrite (NO2−). The activity and/or expression of nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) can change in response to toxins or therapeutic medications. For example, in recent studies in our laboratory and others, it has been reported that the amount of NO was increased in the serum of N‐nitroso compounds‐treated animals. N‐nitroso compounds, which are found in different types of foodstuffs, including meat, salted fish, alcoholic beverages, agricultural drugs, insecticides, cigarettes, and several vegetables, are known to have carcinogenic effects. In addition, it is experimentally used to induce liver carcinoma to study the mechanisms of liver cytotoxic injury. Uncontrolled, prolonged, and/or massive production of NO by inducible NOS may cause liver damage, inflammation, and even tumor development during N‐nitroso compound toxicity. In this chapter, we explain the roles of NOS and NO in various toxicity conditions, such as toxicity in environment pollutant or food additive, and present the evaluation of the toxicity and the importance of NOSs in human health

Biochemistry and Antioxidant Effects of Melatonin

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine) is a hormone taking place in many biological and physiological processes, such as reproduction, sleep, antioxidant effect, and circadian rhythm (biological clock), and is a multifunctional indolamine compound synthesized mainly from the metabolism of tryptophan via serotonin in the pineal gland. Melatonin, which is a hormone synthesized from the essential amino acid tryptophan, is substantially secreted from the pineal gland between the cerebral hemispheres found in the mammalian brain. In addition to this, it is also produced in the cells and tissues, such as the gastrointestinal system, gall, epithelial hair follicles, skin, retina, spleen, testis, salivary glands, bone marrow, leukocytes, placenta, and thrombocytes. It plays a role in many physiological events, such as synchronizing circadian rhythms, reproduction, fattening, molting, hibernation, and change of pigment granules, preserving the integrity of the gastrointestinal system with an anti-ulcerative effect in tissues and organs from which it is produced. Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant and anti-apoptotic agent that prevents oxidative and nitrosative damage to all macromolecules due to its ability to form in metabolic activities, directly excrete toxic oxygen derivatives, and reduce the formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. In this book chapter, we will explain the structure, synthesis, metabolism, and antioxidant effects of the melatonin hormone

Biochemical and Pharmacological Properties of Biogenic Amines

Biogenic amines are low molecular weight organic nitrogen compounds. They are formed by the decarboxylation of amino acids or by amination and transamination of aldehydes and ketones during normal metabolic processes in living cells and therefore are ubiquitous in animals, plants, microorganisms, and humans. In food and beverages, they are formed by the enzymes of raw materials or are generated by microbial decarboxylation of amino acids. The structure of a biogenic amine can be aromatic and heterocyclic amines (histamine, tryptamine, tyramine, phenylethylamine, and serotonin); aliphatic di-, tri-, and polyamines (putrescine, cadaverine, spermine, spermidine, and agmatine); and aliphatic volatile amines (ethylamine, methylamine, isopentylamine, and ethanolamine). Many of them possess a strong pharmacologic effect, and others are important as precursors of hormones and components of coenzymes. The biogenic amine intoxication leads to toxicological risks and health hazards that trigger psychoactive, vasoactive, and hypertensive effects resulting from consumption of high amounts of biogenic amines in foods. The toxicological effects of biogenic amines increase when the mono- and diaminoxidase enzymes are deficient or drugs that inhibit these enzymes (pain reliever, stress, and depression drugs) are used. In this chapter, biosynthesis of biogenic amines, their toxic effects as well as their physiological functions, and their effect on health will be described

Clinical Significance of Some Acute Phase Proteins in Cattle

Acute phase proteins are proteins synthesized by the liver in response to the acute phase response. While these proteins are insignificant in healthy animals, their concentrations increase rapidly during infection, inflammation, or tissue damage and are used as an indicator of inflammation. Since the blood concentrations and importance levels of these clinically important proteins differ according to the animal species, they are evaluated separately for each animal species. Most of the acute phase proteins have been studied in detail in the field of human medicine and are routinely used in the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases. In the field of veterinary medicine, it has not been used sufficiently. In this book chapter, we will provide up-to-date information about acute phase proteins that are important for cattle, as well as explain that acute phase proteins can be used in the early diagnosis of diseases, in the differentiation of viral and bacterial infections, in guiding the treatment of sick animals and in determining their prognosis

Clinical, Biochemical and Haemodynamic Effects of the Intrathecal Ketamine for Ovariohysterectomy in Bitches

Abstract The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of intrathecal (IT) ketamine HCl anesthesia on clinical values and some haemodynamic and biochemical parameters in bitches. An IT ketamine (10 mg/kg) was administered to 30 bitches with a spinal needle (18-22 G) in the lumbosacral space. The haemodynamic parameters were monitored and some biochemical values were assessed (blood gase, oxygen-haemoglobin, and electrolyte levels). The length and depth of anaesthesia was determined with a pinprick test, touching to the ligamenta lata uteri and incision. Anaesthesia took effect in less than 1 min in all dogs and has lasted an average of 95.9 min. In spite of the fact that the dogs recovered completely from the effects of dissociative anaesthesia, the anaesthesia in the some extremities was observed to be continued for an average of 17 min longer. The use of IT ketamine HCl raised blood pressure and did not have a depressive effect on respiratory and cardiac functions. It was concluded that ketamine HCl could be an appropriate alternative for ovariohysterectomy operations in bitches when the quality of the anaesthesia and the prevention of bradycardia and hypotension are considered.</jats:p

Protective role of caffeic acid phenethyl ester against tetramethrine-induced toxicity in mice

The purpose of this study was to determine the biochemical, histopathological and genotoxic effects of tetramethrine, which is widely used in domestic and agricultural activities as well as identify the protective effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE). 30 Swiss albino laboratory mice (Mus musculus) were used in the study. 10 &#956;M/kg tetramethrine, dissolving in 10 mM DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide), was intraperitoneally injected to the Tetramethrine group (n = 10). To the CAPE-Tetramethrine group, 10 µM / kg-1 CAPE, dissolving in 1% ethanol, was applied in three days before the experiment and then, CAPE and 10 &#956;M / kg tetramethrine, dissolving in 10 mM DMSO, was intraperitoneally injected. No injection was made to the control group. At the end of the experiment, the rats anaesthetized with diethyl ether were killed by cervical dislocation and their livers and femur were removed for analysis. In the Tetramethrine group; there was no statistical difference between three groups in terms of mitotic index (MI) and micronucleus frequency (P &gt; 0.05). Chromosomal aberration frequency showed an increase in the other two groups compared to the control group (P &lt; 0.05). Although severe degeneration and necrosis areas were identified in the liver, CAPE decreased the severity of degeneration in the Tetramethrine group. While Tetramethrine increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the liver, CAPE decreased MDA and increased the GSH level. We think that CAPE may be used for therapeutic purposes in order to provide a limited protection against the tetramethrine-related detrimental effects in humans and other living organisms. [Med-Science 2016; 5(4.000): 972-8

Salivary and Serum Levels of Serum Amyloid A, Haptoglobin, Ceruloplasmin and Albumin in Neonatal Calves with Diarrhoea

This study was aimed at the determination of the serum levels of serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), ceruloplasmin (Cp) and albumin (Alb), and the salivary levels of Hp and Cp in neonatal calves with diarrhoea. Male and female neonatal Simmental calves, 15 of which were sick and 10 of which were healthy, constituted the study material. Five mL blood samples from the jugular vein and saliva samples absorbed with swabs were collected once from all animals. While serum SAA (P 0.05). Furthermore, the salivary Hp (P< 0.05) and Cp (P< 0.001) levels of the sick animals were higher than those of the healthy animals. In result, it was ascertained that serum Hp, SAA and Cp levels and salivary Hp and Cp levels significantly altered in diarrhoeic animals. Thus, it is suggested that in studies involving the measurement of Hp and Cp levels, saliva samples could be collected non-invasively as an alternative to blood samples

Evaluation of Paraoxonase Activity, Total Sialic Acid and Oxidative Stress in Sheep with Ecthyma Contagiosa

Zoonoses are defined by the world health organization as diseases and infections which are transmitted naturally between vertebrate animals and human. Undestanding the zoonotic risk posed by pox viruses in companion animals is important for both human and animal health. contagious ecthyma is highly contagious, zoonotic, viral skin disease that affects sheep, goats and some other domesticated and wild animals. In this present study was detected and evaluated levels of plasma paraoxonase activity (PON1), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total sialic acid (TSA), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and total blood glutathione (GSH) concentrations in healthy sheep and natural infected sheeps with ecthyma. In healthy sheep, laboratory results were determined as PON1 218.54 +/- 17.93 U/L, TSA 59.89 +/- 5.59 mg/dL, HDL 48.4 +/- 4.88 mg/dL, MDA 8.58 +/- 0.80 mu mol/L, NO 7.78 +/- 1.02 mu mol/L and GSH 21.11 +/- 3.70 mg/dL. These values were found 174.92 +/- 18.68 U/L, 70.1 +/- 6.56 mg/dL, 37.9 +/- 6.47 mg/dL, 11.26 +/- 1.06 mu mol/L, 12.44 +/- 1.90 mu mol/L, 7.79 +/- 0.90 mg/dL respectively in sheeps wich are infected by ecthyma. As a result, it was concluded that there is oxidative stress due to imbalance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant molecules in sheep which are infected by ecthyma, and this imbalance is shaped by increasing oxidant levels