Effect of nutrient antioxidants on oxidative stress indicators in patients with alopecia areata

People with alopecia areata lose their scalp hair in smooth round patches typically causing bald spots about an inch (2cm) across. Recently Al-Jaff et al demonstrate the association of free radicals in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata, and the role of nutrient antioxidants in protecting the immune system from the damaging effect of these radicals.Any imbalances between free radical production and antioxidant deficiency can result in an injury. This clinical study designed to study the role of nutrient antioxidants in protecting the body from damaging effect of radicals and the effect of two month treatment with antioxidants (vitamin A, E, &C) on oxidative stress variable levels and their effect on rate of hair growth in patients with alopecia areata. Treatment with antioxidants significantly elevated body antioxidant defenses component levels, increased Zn levels and decreased Cu levels and corrected the inbalance in these trace metals metabolism in alopecia after 1and 2 months of treatment compared to pretreatment values. The most important point is the clinical significance of antioxidants in improving the hair response of patients with alopecia areata; this may be due to an inhibition of oxidative stress associated with the state of the disease

Curcumin supplementation could improve diabetes-induced endothelial dysfunction associated with decreased vascular superoxide production and PKC inhibition

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Curcumin, an Asian spice and food-coloring agent, is known for its anti-oxidant properties. We propose that curcumin can improve diabetes-induced endothelial dysfunction through superoxide reduction.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Diabetes (DM) was induced in rats by streptozotocin (STZ). Daily curcumin oral feeding was started six weeks after the STZ injection. Twelve weeks after STZ injection, mesenteric arteriolar responses were recorded in real time using intravital fluorescence videomicroscopy. Superoxide and vascular protein kinase C (PKC-βII) were examined by hydroethidine and immunofluorescence, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The dilatory response to acetylcholine (ACh) significantly decreased in DM arterioles as compared to control arterioles. There was no difference among groups when sodium nitroprusside (SNP) was used. ACh responses were significantly improved by both low and high doses (30 and 300 mg/kg, respectively) of curcumin supplementation. An oxygen radical-sensitive fluorescent probe, hydroethidine, was used to detect intracellular superoxide anion (O₂^●-) production. O₂^●-production was markedly increased in DM arterioles, but it was significantly reduced by supplementation of either low or high doses of curcumin. In addition, with a high dose of curcumin, diabetes-induced vascular PKC-βII expression was diminished.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Therefore, it is suggested that curcumin supplementation could improve diabetes-induced endothelial dysfunction significantly in relation to its potential to decrease superoxide production and PKC inhibition.</p

Evaluation of oxidative stress indicators in lymphocytes of patients with alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is a nonscarring hair -loss condition that often has a patchy distribution and can be quite unpredictable