Parameters of oxidative stress in saliva from diabetic and parenteral drug addict patients

BACKGROUND

Oxidative stress constitutes the basis for many diseases and it may account for the severity of systemic and oral disease complications. The aim of this study was to assess whether saliva may be used to detect the body's oxidative stress level.

METHODS

Oxidative stress was determined in saliva from 14 diabetic patients and 10 heroin addicts; two different pathologic conditions related to free radical damage, and 21 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reductase (GRd) activities, and glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels were analyzed in the saliva of all individuals. Other variables including salivary volume and the oral status were also analyzed.

RESULTS

Diabetic patients had GPx and GRd activities of 39.98 +/- 1.61 and 6.19 +/- 0.61 nmol/min/mg prot, respectively. These values were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those obtained in control saliva (27.51 +/- 0.86 and 3.44 +/- 0.25 nmol/min/mg prot, respectively). Drug addicts showed significantly (P < 0.001) lower salivary GPx and GRd activities than controls. Both group of patients had significantly lower levels of GSH and higher of GSSG than controls (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in the antioxidant enzymes and glutathione levels in saliva from two different pathologic situations as those here studied suggest that this biologic fluid may be suitable for determining the prognosis and evolution of these diseases and its oral manifestations.

Radiographic evaluation of third molar development in Spanish children and young people

Third molar development was evaluated in 786 young people aged between 4 and 20 years, all patients at the School of Dentistry of the University of Granada. The development of third molars and of mandibular second premolars and second molars was determined according to the stages proposed by Nolla. The onset of mandibular third molar formation was observed at very variable ages in this series, ranging from 5.86 to 14.66 years. The first developmental stages of maxillary third molars are not usually visible radiographically, which can lead to an incorrect diagnosis of agenesis. We found no significant relationship between the gender or age of the patient and the presence or absence of third molars. However, the presence/absence of the third molar can be predicted in 82.82% of cases when there is some degree of calcification of mandibular second molars and second premolars.

Differences in the distribution of energy-metabolizing enzymes in rat brain regions

The activities of several enzymes of glucose metabolism (glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid pathways) in four different regions of rat brain (cerebellum, medulla oblongata and pons, cerebral cortex and diencephalon) have been studied. Statistical differences were found in the activities of all the enzymes analyzed in the four regions, except in the case of the soluble hexokinase and pyruvate kinase. The changes observed in citrate synthase activity may account for physiological differences in those areas related to myelin formation and energy metabolism. Cerebral cortex and diencephalon showed enzyme activities which were generally greater than those of the cerebellum and medulla oblongata and pons. The results obtained lend support to the concept of a differential energy metabolism in brain regions.