There are an increasing number of data showing a clinically important association between bacterial infection and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Bacteria suspected of being involved in PAD pathogenesis are: periodontal bacteria, gut microbiota, Helicobacter pylori, and Chlamydia pneumoniae. Infectious agents may be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis via activation of a systemic or local host immunological response to contamination of extravascular tissues or the vascular wall, respectively. A systemic immunological reaction may damage vascular walls in the course of autoimmunological cross-reactions between anti-pathogen antibodies and host vascular antigens (immunological mimicry), pathogen burden mechanisms (nonspecific activation of inflammatory processes in the vascular wall), and neuroendocrine-immune cross-talk. Besides activating the inflammatory pathway, bacterial infection may trigger PAD progression or exacerbation by enhancement of platelet reactivity, by a stimulatory effect on von Willebrand factor binding, factor VIII, fibrinogen, P-selectin activation, disturbances in plasma lipids, increase in oxidative stress, and resistance to insulin. Local inflammatory host reaction and induction of atherosclerotic plaque progression and/or instability result mainly from atherosclerotic plaque colonization by microorganisms. Despite these premises, the role of bacterial infection in PAD pathogenesis should still be recognized as controversial, and randomized, controlled trials are required to evaluate the outcome of periodontal or gut bacteria modification (through diet, prebiotics, and probiotics) or eradication (using antibiotics) in hard and surrogate cardiovascular endpoints.

It appears that the labile iron pool (LIP, low molecular weight iron) presence in cells can result in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS may be responsible for the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo) in cellular DNA. In the present study we report on the relationship between LIP and the endogenous level of 8-oxodGuo in human lymphocytes. Good correlation has been determined between LIP and the oxidatively modified nucleoside. This in turn points out the possibility that under physiological condition there is the availability of LIP for catalyzing Fenton-type reactions in close proximity to cellular DNA. Electronic supplementary material to this paper can be obtained by using the Springer Link server located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00775-001-0335-x.

Antioxidant vitamins, being effective free radical scavengers, can protect cellular DNA from oxidative damage. Therefore, in the present study we report on the relationship between basal level of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine in human lymphocyte DNA and the concentration of antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E). The average level of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine in lymphocytes of the studied group (15 males and 20 females) was 9.57 per 10(6) dG molecules. The endogenous level of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the plasma was, on average, 56.78 microM, while the mean concentrations of retinol (vitamin A) and alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) were 1.24 uM and 25.74,uM, respectively. No correlations were found between individual 8-oxo-2 micro-deoxyguanosine levels in lymphocyte DNA and endogenous concentration of the vitamins.

Introduction. Zingiber officinale from family Zingiberaceae is known as ginger. Its common names are African Ginger, Cocchin Ginger, Jamaican Ginger, Black Ginger, Gan jiang, Ingwer, Gegibre and Rice Ginger. It was used in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine to treat headaches, nausea and colds. In Mexican medicine have been used to treat gastrointestinal complaints. It is one of the frequently used spices in many countries of the world. It can be consumed as a fresh or dried to prepared tea, soft drinks and bread. The plant grown to 1 m high. The rhizome contain volatile oil. The major components of ginger are mono- and sesquiterpens, in it zingiberene and zingiberol. Futhermore oil contain borneol, cyneole, citral, camphene, β-phellandrene, zingerone, shogaol, geranyl acetate, geraniol, curcumene, terpineol, limonene, linalool, α-farnesene, neral and 6-gingerol. Research carried out on ginger indicated, that components to have antiinflammatory, antiplateled aggregation, antioxidant, antidiabetic, cholesterol-lowering, blood pressure-lowering and anticancer properties. Aim. The goal of this dates was to test the antimicrobial activity of ginger oil against anaerobes. Material and methods. The anaerobic bacterial strains were isolated from oral cavity. A total 53 strains isolated from patients and 6 reference strains were examined. The members of following genera were tested: Porphyromonas (4 strains), Prevotella (9), Bacteroides (8), Parabacteroides (1), Tannerella (2), Fusobacterium (7) and after 11 strains of Gram-positive cocci and Gram-positive rods and 6 reference strains from genus: Bacteroides fragilis ATCC 25285, Porphyromonas asaccharolytica ATCC 29743, Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 25586, Finegoldia magna ATCC 29328, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius ATCC 27337 and Propionibacterium acnes ATCC 11827. Susceptibility (MIC) was determined by the two-fold dilution technique in Brucella agar supplemented with 5% defibrynated sheep blood, menadione and hemin. The inoculum containing 106 CFU/per spot was seeded with Steers replicator upon the surface of agar with ginger oil (Semifarm, Gdańsk) or without the oil (the strains growth control). Concentrations of oil used were 20.0, 10.0, 7.5, 5.0, 2.5 and 1.2 mg/ml. Incubation the plates was performed in anaerobic conditions in anaerobic jar, at 37°C for 48 hrs. The MIC was defined as the lowest concentrations of ginger oil that completely inhibited the growth of tested anaerobes. Results. The results showed, that the most susceptible from Gram-anaerobic bacteria to ginger oil in ranges ≤ 1.26-5.0 mg/ml were the strains from genus of Tannerella forsythia and Bacteroides uniformis. The others of Gram-negative rods were susceptible to oil in ranges 10.0-≥ 20.0 mg/ml. The strains belonging to the genus of Prevotella bivia, Prevotella buccalis and Parabacteroides distasonis were the lowest sensitive to tested oil (MIC ≥ 20.0 mg/ml). The ginger oil was very active against Gram-positive cocci. MIC’s for all the tested strains were to the concentrations from 5.0 to 10.0 mg/ml. The oil characterized similarly of activity in case Gram-positive rods. The date showed, that 82% this strains were susceptible to concentration – 10.0 mg/ml. Conclusions. The results indicated that the ginger oil showed antibacterial activity against all tested anaerobic bacteria. The more susceptible to oil were the Gram-positive cocci and rods then Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria.