The effect of Phaseolus vulgaris, an indigenous plant used in ayurvedic medicine in India, on circulatory antioxidants and lipids was studied in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Oral administration of an aqueous extract of P. vulgaris pods (PPEt, 200 mg/kg body weight) for 45 days significantly reduced the elevated blood glucose, serum triglycerides, free fatty acids, phospholipids, total cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The extract also caused a significant decrease in plasma thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), hydroperoxides, vitamin E, and ceruloplasmin. The decreased serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, antiatherogenic index (AAI), plasma insulin, vitamin C, and glutathione in the diabetic rats were also reversed toward normalization. The results show the antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic properties of PPEt in addition to its antidiabetic action. PPEt was found to be more effective than glibenclamide.
Oxidative stress plays an important role in malignant transformation and is postulated to be associated with increased lipid peroxidation. We determined the effects of chronic cigarette smoking on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in 100 male patients with gastric cancer and an equal number of age-matched healthy control subjects. The mean (SD) level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was higher in plasma (healthy non-smokers 3.1 [0.2]; healthy smokers 4.6 [0.2]; gastric cancer non-smokers 6.5 [1.0]; gastric cancer smokers 8.9 [3.1]) and erythrocytes (3.3 [0.6]; 4.6 [0.1]; 8.3 [0.9]; 13.2 [5.1]) from gastric cancer patients when compared with control subjects. TBARS level was higher in smokers than non-smoking gastric cancer patients. The activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-treansferase, reduced glutathione, and vitamins A, E and C were decreased in gastric cancer patients who were smokers as compared to other groups (p<0.001). Thus, there occurs lipid peroxidation and possible breakdown of antioxidant status in cigarette smoking, which may increase the risk of gastric cancer.
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