Markers of Oxidative Stress in Generalized Anxiety Psychiatric Disorder: Therapeutic Implications

There is growing evidence that oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders. Our aim was to measure oxidative stress in anxiety disorders subjects, and assesses the potential confounding influences of anti anxiety therapy. Serum malondialdehyde and antioxidant levels were estimated in patients at the time of presentation and also after anti- anxiety therapy for 3 months. During the period of study no antioxidant/s was given to the patients and control subjects. Serum malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher in the anxiety disorders patients in comparison to control cases. Also, the antioxidant activity of enzymes super oxide dismutase, glutathione and non enzymatic antioxidant levels of vitamins E and C were significantly lower in patients compared to controls at the initial presentation. After 3 months of anti anxiety treatment all the above parameters showed reversal in the respective levels of serum malondialdehyde and antioxidant activity. Anti anxiety medications results in reduced oxidative stress which indicates that oxidative stress is not the cause, but rather a consequence, of anxiety disorders

Oxidative Stress Induced Lipid Peroxidation And DNA Adduct Formation In The Pathogenesis Of Multiple Myeloma And Lymphoma

Objective: To access the oxidative stress status by quantification of byproducts generated during lipid peroxidation and DNA breakdown products generated during DNA damage in the blood serum of multiple myeloma and lymphoma patients.Material & Methods: Case control study comprised of 40 patients of multiple myeloma and 20 patients of lymphoma along with 20 age and sex-matched healthy subjects as controls. Levels of Malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxy-Guanosine were measured to study the oxidative stress status in the study subjects.Results: The level of markers of DNA damage and lipid peroxidation were found to be raised significantly in the study subjects in comparison to healthy controls. The results indicate oxidative stress and DNA damage activity increase progressively with the progression of disease.Conclusion: Oxidative stress causes DNA damage and Lipid peroxidation which results in the formation of DNA adducts leading to mutations thereby indicate the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma and lymphoma

Lipid Peroxidation and Thymidine Phosphorylase expression in Prostate Carcinoma

Aim: To understand the association between markers of oxidative stress and angiogenesis in relation to disease progression, clinical stage and cytological grade in patho-physiology of prostate carcinoma.Patients and Methods: Case control study comprised of 50 prostate carcinoma patients along with 20 age and sex-matched healthy subjects as controls. Levels of malondialdehyde were measured to study the oxidative stress status in the study subjects. Angiogenesis was evaluated by studying the activity of Thymidine Phosphorylase/Platelet derived endothelial cell growth factor.Results: The levels of markers of oxidative stress along with the activity of thymidine phosphorylase were found to be significantly higher in the study subjects in comparison to healthy controls. The results indicate oxidative stress and angiogenesis activity increase progressively with the increase in staging and progression of disease.Conclusion: Oxidative stress and expression of angiogenesis activity points clearly that with the progression of oxidative stress there is a simultaneous progression of angiogenesis in relation to disease progression, clinical stage and cytological grade in the pathophysiology of prostate carcinoma

Protein Damage and Antioxidant Status Alterations Caused by Oxidative Injury in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Objective: To evaluate the oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.Background: Chronic myeloid leukemia is a myeloproliferative disorder associated with a characteristic chromosomal translocation called the Philadelphia chromosome. Reactive oxygen species and other free radicals mediate phenotypic and genotypic changes leading from mutation to neoplasia in all cancers, including chronic myeloid leukemia. We evaluated patients with chronic myeloid leukemia by observing their oxidative status and antioxidant defense.Methods: Using serum from 40 clinically diagnosed cases of chronic myeloid leukemia as well as 40 healthy controls, we measured the concentration of thiobarbituric acid, levels of protein carbonylation, total antioxidant status, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, vitamins A and E, and the trace elements zinc, magnesium, and selenium. Results: We found significantly increased levels of serum malonyldialdehyde and protein carbonyl in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in comparison to healthy individuals, and significantly decreased levels of the antioxidants and micronutrients thiobarbituric acid, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, vitamins A and E, zinc, magnesium, and selenium. These data suggest cellular damage occurring at the level of lipids and proteins.Conclusion: These findings indicate a link between low levels of antioxidants and cellular damage in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, supporting the idea that oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels in Relation to Oxidative Damage and Antioxidant Status in Patients with Breast Cancer

Purpose: Oxidative stress and angiogenesis are important elements in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most potent angiogenic cytokines and is up-regulated by conditions associated with the generation of free radicals and reactive oxygen intermediates. In this study, we investigated the association between oxidative stress and serum VEGF status in patients with breast cancer. Methods: Forty patients with breast carcinoma, of which 21 were stage II and 19 were stage III, along with 40 ageand gender-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Oxidative stress, total antioxidant status, and VEGF levels in serum were evaluated by spectrophotometric procedures. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured and antioxidant status was assessed by measuring total antioxidant status (TAS) to assess oxidative damage. Results: VEGF and MDA levels were significantly higher i

Metagenomic analysis of viruses associated with maize lethal necrosis in Kenya

Background: Maize lethal necrosis is caused by a synergistic co-infection of Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) and a specific member of the Potyviridae, such as Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV), Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) or Johnson grass mosaic virus (JGMV). Typical maize lethal necrosis symptoms include severe yellowing and leaf drying from the edges. In Kenya, we detected plants showing typical and atypical symptoms. Both groups of plants often tested negative for SCMV by ELISA. Methods: We used next-generation sequencing to identify viruses associated to maize lethal necrosis in Kenya through a metagenomics analysis. Symptomatic and asymptomatic leaf samples were collected from maize and sorghum representing sixteen counties. Results: Complete and partial genomes were assembled for MCMV, SCMV, Maize streak virus (MSV) and Maize yellow dwarf virus-RMV (MYDV-RMV). These four viruses (MCMV, SCMV, MSV and MYDV-RMV) were found together in 30 of 68 samples. A geographic analysis showed that these viruses are widely distributed in Kenya. Phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequences showed that MCMV, MYDV-RMV and MSV are similar to isolates from East Africa and other parts of the world. Single nucleotide polymorphism, nucleotide and polyprotein sequence alignments identified three genetically distinct groups of SCMV in Kenya. Variation mapped to sequences at the border of NIb and the coat protein. Partial genome sequences were obtained for other four potyviruses and one polerovirus. Conclusion: Our results uncover the complexity of the maize lethal necrosis epidemic in Kenya. MCMV, SCMV, MSV and MYDV-RMV are widely distributed and infect both maize and sorghum. SCMV population in Kenya is diverse and consists of numerous strains that are genetically different to isolates from other parts of the world. Several potyviruses, and possibly poleroviruses, are also involved

A novel approach to study oxidative stress in neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Background: Respiratory distress syndrome of the neonate (neonatal RDS) is still an important problem in treatment of preterm infants. It is accompanied by inflammatory processes with free radical generation and oxidative stress. The aim of study was to determine the role of oxidative stress in the development of neonatal RDS. Methods: Markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant activity in umbilical cord blood were studied in infants with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome with reference to healthy newborns. Results: Status of markers of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxy guanosine) showed a significant increase with depleted levels of total antioxidant capacity in neonatal RDS when compared to healthy newborns. Conclusion: The study provides convincing evidence of oxidative damage and diminished antioxidant defenses in newborns with RDS. Neonatal RDS is characterized by damage of lipid, protein and DNA, which indicates the augmentation of oxidative stress. General significance: The identification of the potential biomarker of oxidative stress consists of a promising strategy to study the pathophysiology of neonatal RDS

Predicting phytochemical diversity of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) across eco-climatic zones and elevation in Uttarakhand using Generalized Additive Model

Abstract The present study uses a systematic approach to explore the phytochemical composition of medicinal plants from Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya. The phytochemical composition of medicinal plants was analyzed based on (i) the presence of different chemical groups and (ii) bioactive compounds. The Generalized Additive Model (GAM) analysis was used to predict the occurrence of chemical groups and active compounds across different eco-climatic zones and the elevation in Uttarakhand. A total of 789 medicinal plants represented by 144 taxonomic families were screened to explore the phytochemical diversity of the medicinal plants of Uttarakhand. These medicinal plant species are signified in different life forms such as herbs (58.86%), shrubs (18.24%), trees (17.48%), ferns (2.38%), and climbers (2.13%). The probability of occurrence of the chemical groups found in tropical, sub-tropical, and warm temperate eco-climatic zones, whereas active compounds have a high Probability towards alpine, sub-alpine, and cool temperate zones. The GAM predicted that the occurrence of species with active compounds was declining significantly (p < 0.01), while total active compounds increased across elevation (1000 m). While the occurrence of species with the chemical group increased, total chemical groups were indicated to decline with increasing elevation from 1000 m (p < 0.000). The current study is overwhelmed to predict the distribution of phytochemicals in different eco-climatic zones and elevations using secondary information, which offers to discover bioactive compounds of the species occurring in the different eco-climatic habitats of the region and setting the priority of conservation concerns. However, the study encourages the various commercial sectors, such as pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, chemical, food, and cosmetics, to utilize unexplored species. In addition, the study suggests that prioritizing eco-climatic zones and elevation based on phytochemical diversity should be a factor of concern in the Himalayan region, especially under the climate change scenario