No abstract

The effect of maternal smoking as a source of exposure to toxic metals Cd and Pb on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, metallothionein (MT), Cd, Pb, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se and Zn concentrations were assessed in maternal and umbilical cord blood and placenta in 74 healthy mother-newborn pairs after term delivery. Sparse discriminant analysis (SDA) was used to identify elements with the strongest impact on the SOD, GPx and MT in the measured compartments, which was then quantified by multiple regression analysis. SOD activity was lower in maternal and cord plasma, and higher in the placenta of smokers compared to non-smokers, whereas GPx activity and MT concentration did not differ between the groups. Although active smoking during pregnancy contributed to higher maternal Cd and Pb concentrations, its contribution to the variability of SOD, GPx or MT after control for other elements identified by SDA was not significant. However, an impaired balance in the antioxidant defence observed in the conditions of relatively low-to-moderate exposure levels to Cd and Pb could contribute to an increased susceptibility of offspring to oxidative stress and risk of disease development later in life. Further study on a larger number of subjects will help to better understand complex interactions between exposure to toxic elements and oxidative stress related to maternal cigarette smoking.

Despite of the many beneficial health effects of strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey, due to its strong antioxidant activity derived mostly from polyphenols, a detailed phenolic profile has not been previously studied. The aims of this study were to identify the phenolic compounds, determine the total phenolic content (TPC) and evaluate the radical scavenging activity (RSA) of strawberry tree honey from south Croatia. Fifty-two polyphenolics (twenty-seven phenolic acids and twenty-five flavonoids) were identified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatograph coupled to a hybrid mass spectrometer (LTQ Orbitrap MS). Our overall results point to the higher TPC (1038 mg gallic acid equivalents per kg of honey) and the stronger RSA (3.32 mmol Trolox equivalents per kg of honey) compared to the other monofloral honeys. Due to the presence of large quantities of polyphenolic compounds, strawberry tree honey may have great potential as a health promoting food.

The main goal of this study was to determine the reliability of hand-held breath alcohol analysers currently approved for roadside screening of traffic offenders. The first part of the study included a retrospective data analysis of 714 offence records collected in 2011. Blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) obtained from the offenders 0-303 min after the police had screened them for breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) were back-calculated (cBAC) to assess the accuracy of breathalyser screening. All participants were in the alcohol elimination phase, and our analyses did not reveal any significant differences between cBAC and BrAC. To verify our findings, we performed a controlled drinking study that involved 63 healthy volunteers who consumed alcoholic beverages to simulate real drinking conditions. Immediately after alcohol consumption, BrAC was determined with a Dräger breath alcohol analyser model 6810, and 29 participants gave blood and urine sample for concomitant BAC analysis one hour later. BAC and urine alcohol concentrations were determined with headspace gas chromatography. Again, we found no significant differences between BrAC and BAC. These results confirmed the high reliability of breath alcohol analysers for measuring BrAC as long as police officers perform the measurements according to the manufacturer's instructions.

There is growing interest regarding the use of herbal preparations based on Cannabis sativa for medicinal purposes, despite the poorly understood interactions of their main constituent Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) with conventional drugs, especially cytostatics. The objective of this pilot study was to prove whether the concomitant intake of THC impaired liver function in male Wistar rats treated with the anticancer drug irinotecan (IRI), and evaluate the toxic effects associated with this exposure. IRI was administered once intraperitoneally (at 100 mg/kg of the body weight (b.w.)), while THC was administered per os repeatedly for 1, 3, and 7 days (at 7 mg/kg b.w.). Functional liver impairments were studied using biochemical markers of liver function (aspartate aminotransferase—AST, alanine aminotransferase—ALP, alkaline phosphatase—AP, and bilirubin) in rats given a combined treatment, single IRI, single THC, and control groups. Using common oxidative stress biomarkers, along with measurement of primary DNA damage in hepatocytes, the degree of impairments caused at the cellular level was also evaluated. THC caused a time-dependent enhancement of acute toxicity in IRI-treated rats, which was confirmed by body and liver weight reduction. Although single THC affected ALP and AP levels more than single IRI, the levels of liver function markers measured after the administration of a combined treatment mostly did not significantly differ from control. Combined exposure led to increased oxidative stress responses in 3- and 7-day treatments, compared to single IRI. Single IRI caused the highest DNA damage at all timepoints. Continuous 7-day oral exposure to single THC caused an increased mean value of comet tail length compared to its shorter treatments. Concomitant intake of THC slightly affected the levels of IRI genotoxicity at all timepoints, but not in a consistent manner. Further studies are needed to prove our preliminary observations, clarify the underlying mechanisms behind IRI and THC interactions, and unambiguously confirm or reject the assumptions made herein.