Protective effect of Terminalia arjuna against alcohol induced oxidative damage of rat erythrocyte membranes

Alcohol-induced hormonal and metabolic alterations in plasma and erythrocytes-a gender-based study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to understand the gender-specific alcohol-induced biochemical changes and TBARS association with the endocrine system.

METHODS

Human male and female subjects ranging from 35 ± 10 years old with an 8-10-year drinking history were included in the study.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that testosterone levels were lower in male alcoholics and higher in female alcoholics, as well as higher estrogen and cortisol levels in both genders. In addition, we found lower T3, T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in alcoholics of both sexes. Furthermore, plasma TBARS, protein carbonyls, nitrite, and nitrate levels increased significantly with concomitant decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in both male and female alcoholics. Furthermore, erythrocyte lysate nitrite and nitrate levels membrane total cholesterol, phospholipid and cholesterol/phospholipid (C/P) ratio with lower total membrane proteins in both genders of alcoholics. SDS-PAGE analysis of erythrocyte membrane proteins revealed increased density of band 3, protein 4.1, 4.2, 4.9 and glycophorins, whereas decreases in spectrin (α and β) were observed in both genders of alcoholics. Besides, alcoholics of both sexes had a lower ability to resist osmotic hemolysis. Plasma TBARS was negatively correlated with testosterone, TSH, T3 and T4 in male alcoholics, moreover, estradiol and cortisol were positively correlated in males and females respectively.

CONCLUSION

Female alcoholics may be more susceptible to osmotic hemolysis due to increased erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation with decreased antioxidant status, which results in an altered membrane C/P ratio and membrane protein composition.

Structural changes of erythrocyte membrane revealed by 3D confocal optical profilometer

We examined hematological changes influenced by the experimental hypervitaminosis A. The 3D confocal optical profilometer was applied for assessment of the erythrocytes' membrane structural changes influenced by an overdose of vitamin A. The blood smears were evaluated in terms of alterations of geometrical and optical parameters of erythrocytes for two groups of animals: oil base and retinol palmitate (n = 9 animals for each group). The results demonstrate that an overdose of retinol palmitate causes changes in the torus curvature and pallor of discocytes, their surface area and volume. The observed structural malformations of the shape of red blood cells become visible at the earlier preclinical stage of changes in animal state and behavior. With this in mind, the results of the study open a new area of research in the certain dysfunction diagnosis of red blood cells and have a great potential in the further development of new curative protocols.

Effect of E-OJ-01 on Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Myocardial Oxygen Consumption: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Purpose

E-OJ-01 (Oxyjun^TM), a proprietary, standardized aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna (TA) bark, has previously shown promising cardiovascular health benefits in healthy young athletic adults and is now being tested to determine its ability to support left ventricular ejection fraction and associated parameters in a diverse population.

Participants and Methods

Healthy adults aged 30-70 years (n=72) were included in the study to investigate the effect of 400 mg/day of E-OJ-01 when administered for 8 weeks on myocardial pumping capacity, primarily left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The secondary endpoints were improvement in diastolic filling (E/A) ratio, rate pressure product (RPP), and fatigue severity scale (FSS) score. The effect of the intervention on blood lipids and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels was also explored. The safety of the intervention was evaluated by monitoring adverse events, vitals (heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and body temperature (BT)), and liver (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT)) and kidney function (serum creatinine).

Results

E-OJ-01 increased the LVEF by 6.28% (percentage change) from the baseline compared with 0.24% (percentage change) in the placebo group (p<0.05). It reduced fatigue (22.52%), RPP (1.54%), and GGT levels (5.90%) from the baseline. No adverse events related to the intervention were observed during the study.

Conclusion

The study showed that E-OJ-01 could improve cardiac pumping capacity by significantly increasing LVEF and reducing fatigue in a diverse, healthy population.

The Status of Oxidative Stress in Patients with Alcohol Dependence: A Meta-Analysis

Alcohol-induced oxidative stress (OS) plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of alcohol dependence (AD). This meta-analysis was aimed at investigating the changes in the levels of OS biomarkers in AD patients. We included relevant literature published before 1 April 2022, from the PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO databases following PRISMA guidelines. Finally, 15 eligible articles were enrolled in this meta-analysis, including 860 patients and 849 controls. Compared with healthy controls, AD patients had lower activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzymes, and lower levels of albumin, while levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), vitamin B12, homocysteine, and bilirubin were significantly increased in serum/plasma samples of AD subjects (all p < 0.05). In male patients, the activities of SOD and GPx were increased in serum/plasma but decreased in erythrocytes (all p < 0.05). The opposite trends in the level of SOD and GPx activities in serum/plasma and erythrocytes of male patients could be used as the biomarker of alcohol-induced OS injury, and the synergistic changes of MDA, vitamin B12, albumin, bilirubin, and homocysteine levels should also be considered.

Protective Effect of Bergapten against Human Erythrocyte Hemolysis and Protein Denaturation In Vitro

Bergapten, a furocoumarin found in many medicinal plants, is used for the management of various conditions. The present in vitro study evaluated the ability of bergapten to prevent human erythrocyte hemolysis and protein denaturation. Bergapten administered at 10, 30, and 100 μg/ml exhibited a significant concentration-dependent protection on the erythrocyte membrane exposed to hypotonicity and heat-induced hemolysis. The concentration at which bergapten inhibited 50% of the cells from hemolysis (IC₅₀) was determined on a dose-response curve, plotted as logarithmic (concentration) against percentage inhibition, keeping the hemolysis produced within the control group at 100%. Bergapten treatment produced an IC₅₀ value of 7.71 ± 0.27 μg/ml and 4.23 ± 0.42 μg/ml for hypotonicity and heat-induced hemolysis, respectively. Diclofenac sodium at similar concentrations produced an IC₅₀ value of 12.22 ± 0.30 μg/ml and 9.44 ± 0.23 μg/ml in the hypotonicity and heat-induced hemolysis, respectively. The ability of bergapten to inhibit protein denaturation was studied as part of an investigation on its mechanism of action. The results showed a significant concentration-dependent reduction in protein denaturation. When administered at 10, 30, and 100 μg/ml, bergapten produced a concentration-dependent reduction in albumin denaturation. Bergapten inhibited protein denaturation with IC₅₀ values of 5.34 ± 0.30 μg/ml and 12.18 ± 0.20 μg/ml in the heat-treated egg albumin and bovine serum albumin denaturation experiments, respectively. Diclofenac sodium (10, 30, and 100 μg/ml) exhibited a similar protection against heat-treated egg albumin and bovine serum albumin denaturation experiments with IC₅₀ values of 8.93 ± 0.17 μg/ml and 12.72 ± 0.11 μg/ml, respectively. Taken together, data from this study show that the pharmacological properties of bergapten may in part be related to its membrane-stabilizing and antidenaturation properties.