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Experiments were conducted to study the effect of using dried orange pulp (DOP), as an alternative energy source in the ration of Holstein dairy cows, on nutrient digestibility, blood constituents, level of antioxidants in plasma, and presence and count of fecal pathogenic bacteria e.g. E. coli and Salmonella spp. Forty lactating Holstein cows, weighing 550±50 kg, with an average of 20 kg daily milk yield, were randomly divided into four groups (ten in each group). Animals were fed rations containing DOP at 0, 25, 50 and 75% substitution of yellow corn grains (R1, R2, R3 and R4, respectively). Digestion trail was conducted in the last week of the experiment using Acid Insoluble Ash method. Feces samples were taken and analyzed in the same day for Salmonella spp. and E. coli and blood samples for analysis were taken from the subcutaneous abdominal vein. The experimental rations were almost identical in chemical composition. Results of nutrient digestibility and nutritive value, as total digestible nutrients (TDN) and digestible crude protein, showed that there were insignificant (P>0.05) differences between cows fed R2, R3 and R4 compared with those fed R1 (control), except digestibility of nitrogen free extract which was significantly (P≤0.05) decreased by feeding experimental rations by increasing replacement level of DOP to more than 25% (R2). Blood constituents of experimental cows on all rations were within normal range for platelets, red blood cells (RBCs), hematocrit, hemoglobin (Hb, g/dl), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total protein (g/dl), albumin (g/dl), creatinine (mg/dl) and urea. However, white blood cells (WBCs), globulin and total lipids were significantly (P≤0.05) decreased by increasing the replacement level of DOP. Total lipids values decreased by increasing the replacement levels of DOP more than 25% (R2) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in blood plasma, regarded as a biomarker of oxidative stress in cows, was insignificantly (P>0.05) affected by feeding experimental rations and ranged from 0.420 to 0.433 mm/l. Salmonella spp. was not detected and E. coli was insignificantly (P>0.05) affected by feeding DOP rations. It could be concluded that DOP can be used as an alternative source of energy in Holstein dairy cow’s rations, replacing up to 75% of yellow corn grains without negatively effecting nutrient digestibility, nutritive values, as TDN or digestible CP, and without showing any harmful effect on animal health. More studies are needed to examine the effect of citrus by-products on presence of fecal E. coli and Salmonella species, and on antioxidant biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Noise induced hearing loss is one of the top ten occupational diseases in worldwide and carbon monoxide (CO) can potentiate this disorder. Oxidative stress have been implicated in cochlear damage resulting from exposure to noise ,but mechanisms underlying auditory impairment following exposure to noise plus CO are not well known. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of noise and CO exposure on blood antioxidant and blood glutathione (GSH) status in rabbits. Methods: In this experimental study, 24 male adult white rabbits are divided to four groups: control group, noise exposure group, noise plus carbon monoxide exposure group and CO exposure group. Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP assay) and total blood GSH of groups were determined before and after exposure. Results: Mean of total antioxidant ability of plasma after exposure to noise and CO were 707.5± 31.7 and 811.3± 51.8 µmol/lit. Blood GSH of these groups were 1.39± 0.09 and 1.79±0.08 mg/dl RBCs respectively. These values were less than the values in control group significantly ( p value

Introduction: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide and the third most common cancer in India. Various studies have reported that chemotherapy reduces the antioxidant status in patients with cancer. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to offer protection against breast cancer through various mechanisms. However, there are no reports suggesting a relationship between consumption of omega-3 fatty acids during chemotherapy and antioxidant status in patients with breast cancer. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate whether fish oil supplementation could improve the antioxidant status of five women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Case presentation: We report on the cases of five Indian women with breast cancer, in the age group of 34 to 60 years, who had poorly differentiated breast carcinoma and underwent modified radical mastectomy. Postsurgery, the patients were given fish oil capsules containing eicosapentaenoic acid (180mg) and docosahexaenoic acid (120mg)/capsule during their chemotherapy. Informed consent was obtained from each participant and they were followed-up to the completion of six chemotherapy cycles at 21-day intervals. Conclusions: The supplementation of fish oil significantly (p < 0.01) increased superoxide dismutases, glutathione reductase and catalase activity in red blood cells as well as the total plasma antioxidant status in the patients. This approach of using omega-3 fatty acids as an adjuvant treatment for breast cancer may help oncologists to manage the side effects of ongoing chemotherapy by improving the antioxidant status in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant activities of dietary bitter melon fruit supplemented in male rat model. In this study, three common tests for measuring antioxidant activity of the bitter melon were evaluated using 2, 2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl assay (DPPH assay), total phenolic acid assay (TPC assay) and Ferric reducing ability of plasma assa. (FRAP assay). Results showed that the extracting solvent significantly (P<0.05) altered the antioxidant property estimations of bitter melon fruit. Pure solvents were inefficient extraction media for antioxidant. Enhanced extraction yields were obtained from solvent containing higher water concentrations and 50% acetone is a recommended solvent for extracting antioxidants compounds from bitter melon fruit. High levels of antioxidant activities were detected in plasma and liver in treatment group compared to the control group, indicating that the fruit may serve as an excellent dietary source of natural antioxidants. The correlation between total phenolics and the antioxidant activities of bitter melon showed significant positive correlations (r2). These findings support the notion that the bitter melon's a good source of bioactive compounds. From the study it was observed that there was a significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) in plasma total antioxidant capacity in rat after the consumption of bitter melon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Increased plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) has been associated with a high consumption of fruits and vegetables. However, limited information is available on whether plasma TAC reflects the dietary intake of antioxidants and the levels of individual antioxidants in plasma. By using three different assays, the study aimed to determine if plasma TAC can effectively predict dietary intake of antioxidants and plasma antioxidant status. Forty overweight and apparently healthy postmenopausal women were recruited. Seven-day food records and 12-h fasting blood samples were collected for dietary and plasma antioxidant assessments. Plasma TAC was determined by vitamin C equivalent antioxidant capacity (VCEAC), ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. TAC values determined by VCEAC were highly correlated with FRAP (r=0.79, P<.01) and moderately correlated with ORAC (r=0.34, P<.05). Pearson correlation analyses showed that plasma TAC values by VCEAC and ORAC had positive correlation with plasma uric acid (r=0.56 for VCEAC; r=0.49 for ORAC) and total phenolics (r=0.63 for VCEAC; r=0.36 for ORAC). However, TAC measured by FRAP was correlated only with uric acid (r=0.69). After multivariate adjustment, plasma TAC determined by VCEAC was positively associated with dietary intakes of γ-tocopherol (P<.001), β-carotene (P<.05), anthocyanidins (P<.05), flavones (P<.05), proanthocyanidins (P<.01) and TAC (P<.05), as well as with plasma total phenolics (P<.05), α-tocopherol (P<.001), β-cryptoxanthin (P<.05) and uric acid (P<.05). The findings indicate that plasma TAC measured by VCEAC reflects both dietary and plasma antioxidants and represents more closely the plasma antioxidant levels than ORAC and FRAP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Plasma oxidative stress (OS) including total homocysteine (tHcy) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations is usually elevated and antioxidant enzymes activities are decreased in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. It is thought that OS in these patients may have a role in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular events. It has been suggested that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may be effective to lower OS. This study was designed to evaluate the possible effect of 4-week treatment with oral NAC on plasma tHcy and MDA concentrations and status of antioxidant enzymes in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients who were receiving vitamin B group at least from the onset of dialysis program. Twenty patients were enrolled in this study. All subjects were treated with oral NAC (600 mg twice daily) for 4 weeks, Predialysis plasma tHcy and MDA concentrations and activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and Superoxide dismutase were assessed before the initiation of NAC and after 4-week NAC therapy. At baseline, moderately severe hyperhomocysteinemia was present in about 63% of patients. The results showed significant (19%) decline in plasma tHcy concentration after NAC therapy. However, moderately severe hyperhomocysteinemia was persistently seen in about 50% of the patients. NAC did not affect concentration of MDA and antioxidant enzymes activities. Because of the proposed relationship between cardiovascular morbidity and hyperhomocysteinemia in patients on HD, daily supplementation of patients with NAC may be recommended as adjunct to vitamins in those subjects who did not respond adequately to group B vitamins alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

J Oral Pathol Med (2012) 41: 524-526 Introduction: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic, mucocutaneous, inflammatory disease. It has become more evident that the immune system plays a primary role in the development of this disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the total antioxidant status (TAS) of saliva and serum in patients with erosive OLP. Method and Materials: This study was designed as case-control. In total, 48 patients with erosive OLP (34 women and 14 men) were enrolled as case group, and 44 self-admitted healthy people (34 women and 10 men) were selected as control group. Measurement of total antioxidant status was carried out in saliva and plasma. t-test was used for statistical analysis with significant level set at P < 0.05. Results: The mean ± SD of salivary TAS in case group was 0.98 ± 0.12, and in control group was 1.32 ± 0.18 mM, respectively, and there were significant differences between groups ( P < 0.02). The mean ± SD of the plasma TAS in the case group and the control group was 1.24 ± 0.17 and 1.84 ± 0.34 mM, respectively. There were significant differences between two groups ( P < 0.01). Conclusion: Our results showed that salivary and plasma levels of total antioxidant status in erosive OLP patients were lower than those in healthy subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]