Alcohol-induced hormonal and metabolic alterations in plasma and erythrocytes-a gender-based study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to understand the gender-specific alcohol-induced biochemical changes and TBARS association with the endocrine system.

METHODS

Human male and female subjects ranging from 35 ± 10 years old with an 8-10-year drinking history were included in the study.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that testosterone levels were lower in male alcoholics and higher in female alcoholics, as well as higher estrogen and cortisol levels in both genders. In addition, we found lower T3, T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in alcoholics of both sexes. Furthermore, plasma TBARS, protein carbonyls, nitrite, and nitrate levels increased significantly with concomitant decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in both male and female alcoholics. Furthermore, erythrocyte lysate nitrite and nitrate levels membrane total cholesterol, phospholipid and cholesterol/phospholipid (C/P) ratio with lower total membrane proteins in both genders of alcoholics. SDS-PAGE analysis of erythrocyte membrane proteins revealed increased density of band 3, protein 4.1, 4.2, 4.9 and glycophorins, whereas decreases in spectrin (α and β) were observed in both genders of alcoholics. Besides, alcoholics of both sexes had a lower ability to resist osmotic hemolysis. Plasma TBARS was negatively correlated with testosterone, TSH, T3 and T4 in male alcoholics, moreover, estradiol and cortisol were positively correlated in males and females respectively.

CONCLUSION

Female alcoholics may be more susceptible to osmotic hemolysis due to increased erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation with decreased antioxidant status, which results in an altered membrane C/P ratio and membrane protein composition.

Therapeutic effect of green tea extract on alcohol induced hepatic mitochondrial DNA damage in albino wistar rats

The present study principally sought to investigate the effect of green tea extract (GTE) supplementation on hepatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage in alcohol receiving rats. MtDNA was isolated from hepatic tissues of albino wistar rats after alcohol treatment with and without GTE supplementation. Entire displacement loop (D-loop) of mtDNA was screened by PCR-Sanger's sequencing method. In addition, mtDNA deletions and antioxidant activity were measured in hepatic tissue of all rats. Results showed increased frequency of D-loop mutations in alcoholic rats (ALC). DNA mfold analysis predicted higher free energy for 15507C and 16116C alleles compared to their corresponding wild alleles which represents less stable secondary structures with negative impact on overall mtDNA function. Interestingly, D-loop mutations observed in ALC rats were successfully restored on GTE supplementation. MtDNA deletions were observed in ALC rats, but intact native mtDNA was found in ALC + GTE group suggesting alcohol induced oxidative damage of mtDNA and ameliorative effect of GTE. Furthermore, markedly decreased activities of glutathione peroxidise, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione content were identified in ALC rats; however, GTE supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) restored these levels close to normal. In conclusion, green tea could be used as an effective nutraceutical against alcohol induced mitochondrial DNA damage.

Therapeutic Potential of Pterocarpus santalinus L.: An Update

Recently there has been increasing interest in plants and plant-derived compounds as raw food and medicinal agents. In Ayurveda, an Indian system of traditional medicine, a wide spectrum of medicinal properties of Pterocarpus santalinus is described. Many important bioactive phytocompounds have been extracted and identified from the heartwood of P. santalinus. Bioactive compounds typically occur in small amounts and have more subtle effects than nutrients. These bioactive compounds influence cellular activities that modify the risk of disease rather than prevent deficiency diseases. A wide array of biological activities and potential health benefits of P. santalinus have been reported, including antioxidative, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties, and protective effects on the liver, gastric mucosa, and nervous system. All these protective effects were attributed to bioactive compounds present in P. santalinus. The major bioactive compounds present in the heartwood of P. santalinus are santalin A and B, savinin, calocedrin, pterolinus K and L, and pterostilbenes. The bioactive compounds have potentially important health benefits: These compounds can act as antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors and inducers, inhibitors of receptor activities, and inducers and inhibitors of gene expression, among other actions. The present review aims to understand the pharmacological effects of P. santalinus on health and disease with "up-to-date" discussion.