No abstract

No abstract

Food additives, such as preservatives, sweeteners, coloring agents, and flavoring agents, are widely used in food manufacturing. However, their combined effects on the human body are not known. The purpose of this study was to examine whether combinations of antioxidants and metal ions generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under in vitro conditions using electron spin resonance (ESR). Among the metal ions examined, only iron and copper generated ROS in the presence of antioxidants. Moreover, certain phenolic antioxidants having pro-oxidant activity induced DNA oxidation and degradation via the generation of high levels of ROS in the presence of copper ion, resulting in complete degradation of DNA in vitro.

Gout is arthritis induced by monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystals. The treatment of gout is mainly a symptomatic treatment, by suppressing the blood uric acid concentration with drugs. Here, the changes in crystal morphology in the process of MSU crystallization were investigated. Experiments were conducted to clarify the mechanisms of nucleation and growth of the MSU crystals, revealing that MSU first precipitated as granular crystals. Thereafter, nucleation and growth of needle-like crystals were observed concomitant with the disappearance of the granular crystals. These results suggest that it is necessary to suppress the nucleation of granular crystals and the change in morphology from granular to needlelike of the MSU crystals that cause gout.