ABSTRACT

Extensive research has demonstrated the protective properties of antioxidants, which scavenge reactive oxygen species and their precursors, as well as up-regulate enzymes involved in the repair of cellular damage. Several case-control studies have showed higher blood levels of antioxidants and decreased oxidative stress in younger individuals when compared with older ones. Cell damage caused by free radicals appears to be a major contributor in aging and degenerative diseases of aging such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, compromised immune system, rheumatoid arthritis and brain dysfunction. The objective of this study was to determine the variation of Circulating levels of selected antioxidants (enzymic and non enzymic) and oxidative stress marker in younger and older humans. The results showed that a majority of the younger age group participants showed a significant increase in enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidant status and a decrease in oxidative stress when compared with the older age group.

Studies have extensively demonstrated the activation of enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidants as well as decrease of lipid peroxidation status after pomegranate intake without any observable toxicity in animal models. Comparing to animal model studies, human trials are less done on these aspects. Cellular damage caused by reactive oxygen species appears to be a major contributor in ageing and other degenerative diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cataracts, compromised immune system, rheumatoid arthritis and brain dysfunction. Several literatures show that pomegranate has been used as a folk medicine from ancient times itself. As per the reviews, pomegranate fruit possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic and antitoxic effects. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the circulatory levels of selected antioxidant and lipid peroxidation marker in healthy human volunteers before and after pomegranate intake for a period of 0-90 days. As the secondary objective of the study, we also assessed the toxic effects of pomegranate supplementation by determining Hepatobiliary and Renal function tests. The final result showed that majority of the study population showed a significant increase in enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants and a decrease in oxidative stress after pomegranate intake without any observable toxicity in liver function and renal function. The significant healthy variations were more after the intake of pomegranate for a period of 90 days than that of 45 days.

Recently, an increase of global incidence has been observed for various types of cancers. Diet, lifestyle and environmental factors have an evident correlation to the development of breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related death in women. Several studies also revealed that excessive free radical generation and decreased antioxidant status had been implicated in cancer. These factors rekindled our interest upon the interaction of free radicals and antioxidants and hence the present study was undertaken to evaluate the significance of non enzymic antioxidants: glutathione, albumin and ascorbic acid levels in breast cancer patients. The study population was divided into 3 groups as follows: Group I control subjects (age group 21 -60), Group II: breast cancer Patients (age group 21 -35) and Group III breast cancer patients (age group 36 -60). Highly statistically significant increases in glutathione, albumin and ascorbic acid levels were observed in Group I as compared to other groups. No significant differences in glutathione, albumin and ascorbic acid levels were observed in a group comparison between Group II and Group III. This relative decline of non enzymic antioxidants in breast cancer patients may be due to an increased generation of reactive oxygen species or free radicals. The results obtained emphasize the need of more detailed study involving a large number of newly detected cancers for evaluating the role of these antioxidant parameters in the prevention of cancer.