The Role of <i>Salicornia herbacea</i> in Ovariectomy-Induced Oxidative Stress

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which include hydrogen peroxide and other chemical forms known as free radicals, such as superoxide anion, hydroxyl, and peroxyl radicals, are produced as part of normal and essential biological processes.1) Diverse antioxidant systems, both enzymatic and nonenzymatic, operate to control excessive levels of ROS. 1)A cell is generally able to maintain an appropriate balance between oxidants and antioxidants under normal conditions. When this balance is perturbed and shifts toward oxidative stress, either by an increase in oxidants or by a decrease in antioxidants, the cell becomes more susceptible to injuries, such as inflammation, 2) ischemia/reperfusion damage, 2,3) diabetes, 4) and atherosclerosis. 5-7) The oxidative stress established by excessive free radical generation may induce a number of alterations of cell constituents, including inactivation of enzymes, generation of reactive nitrogen species, damage of nucleic acid bases and proteins, and peroxidation of membrane lipids.To protect against the damage caused by oxidative stress, cells have a number of antioxidant enzymes and repair activities, most of which are expressed at low levels during normal growth. In mammalian cells, ROS are normally scavenged by three major types of primary antioxidant enzymes: copper-, zinc-, and manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD and Mn-SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The SODs convert superoxide anion into hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), while CAT and GPx degrade H 2 O 2 into water. Furthermore, GPx degrades H 2 O 2 that originates from the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the presence of reduced glutathione (GSH) which is a key component of the antioxidant defense system. 8) In addition, ovariectomy has been shown to cause an increase in peroxide production by the liver and brain.9,10) Estrogens have antioxidant properties and can inhibit lipid peroxidation in vitro, which might contribute directly to their neuroprotective effect, 11) and the antioxidant metabolism of estrogen protection has been suggested to be independent of receptor binding. 12,13) Estrogen is an antioxidant and is capable of both reducing lipoprotein oxidation and decreasing artery wall production of superoxide anion.14-17) Women undergo natural menopause, called the primary event of the aging process, in their 40-50s. Estrogen declines precipitously in postmenopause. This ovarian hormone deficiency increases the generation of ROS. The excessive ROS induces oxidative stress that results in cell damage or death. Age-related increases in serum and tissue lipid peroxides have been demonstrated in rodents, 18) and increased levels of serum lipid peroxides have been found in elderly humans. 19)Salicornia herbacea (SH) is an annual herb growing in salt marshes and on muddy seashores. In Oriental medicine, SH has been used to treat a variety of conditions such as constipation, obesity, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and cancer. 21) This plant has previously been shown to stim...

17-β estradiol in the acetylcholinesterase activity and lipid peroxidation in the brain and blood of ovariectomized adult and middle-aged rats

“…The generation of ROS, which may happen with aging (Aguiar et al, 2008), and OVX (Ha et al 2006) induce cellular membrane damage. AChE is an enzyme that contributes to the maintenance of cell membrane integrity and possible changes in permeability may occur during synaptic transmission and conduction (Das et al, 2001).…”

The effects of paeoniflorin on LPS-induced liver inflammatory reactions

“…Lipid peroxidation was assayed by measuring the amount of MDA that reacted with thiobarbituric acid (TBA) at 535 nm, according to a method previously described by Ha et al (2006). Briefly, 1 mL of sodium dodecyl sulfate (7% SDS) was added to 0.5 mL of total liver homogenate or the mitochondrial fraction.…”

The effects of fucoidan extracts on CCl4-induced liver injury

“…Lipid peroxidation was assayed by measuring the levels of MDA that reacted with thiobarbituric acid at 535 nm, according to the method described by Ha (2006). The results were expressed as nmol MDA mg -1 protein.…”