Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of chronic pain and disability in the elderly. It involves progressive destruction of articular cartilage as a consequence of various factors including augmented oxidative stress with advancing age which has not yet been controlled. It is conceivable that exogenous vitamin E supplementation ameliorates the modifiable indexes via regulation of free radical production and the consumption of antioxidant reserve. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the therapeutic effect of vitamin E supplementation in ameliorating the altered activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, ceruloplasmin, glutathione peroxidase and catalase), erythrocyte malondialdehyde level (MDA, i.e. marker of lipid peroxidation) and markers of systemic inflammation (plasma C-reactive protein [CRP] and synovial fluid interleukin 6 [IL-6]) in osteoarthritic elderly. Methods: Antioxidant enzymes status, MDA, IL-6 and CRP levels were estimated by using standard methods in 40 healthy individuals (control group) and in 40 osteoarthritic patients aged 50-70 years before and after 3 months of vitamin E supplementation, i.e. group I (nonsupplemented) and group II (200 mg/day vitamin E supplemented). The obtained values were compared statistically by using Student's t-test. Results: Marked alteration in antioxidant enzymes, MDA and inflammatory markers were observed in group I (p < 0.05) as compared with controls. These levels were ameliorated significantly after vitamin E supplementation (p < 0.05) in group II. However, elevated levels of serum CRP and synovial fluid IL-6 (r = 0.034; p < 0.05) were decreased insignificantly (p < 0.1) after vitamin E supplementation in knee OA patients. Conclusions: These findings confirm the protective role of vitamin E supplementation against oxidative stress mediated biomolecular deterioration in OA. However, the anti-inflammatory role of vitamin E remains to be explored.

Recently recognized class of oral hypoglycemic, dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP4) inhibitors could block the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) enzymes. DPP4 is an intrinsic membrane glycoprotein and a serine exopeptidase that plays a major role in glucose metabolism and responsible for the degradation of incretins such as GLP-1, therefore providing a useful treatment to diabetes mellitus type 2. The present work focused on the study of the structural homology modeling of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 [Homo sapiens] (NP_001926). The Ramachandran plot of DPP4 (NP_001926.2) has 88.9% residues in the most favoured region while template 2QT9 has 96.1% residues in the most favoured region. The model was validated by using protein structure tools RAMPAGE and Prochek for reliability. Docking studies were further performed to analyze the interaction mode between selected DPP4 inhibitor anagliptin derivative SKK and receptor DPP4 by using Hex 8.0.0. The in-silico analysis was useful to identify the novel inhibitor that illustrates better activity than the other reported inhibitors.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that causes vascular complications. As vitamin C and E is known for its beneficial effects on blood sugar, serum lipids and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). In the present study, we assess the combined effect of vitamin C and E on blood sugar (FBS), serum creatinine (SC), total cholesterol (TC), low and high density lipoprotein (LDL, HDL), and glycated haemoglobin (HbAIc) in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. A total of 50 patients with type 2 diabetes referred to Rama Hospital (NCR), India, were included in the study. They received 500 mg daily twice of both vitamin C and E for 4 months. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), serum creatinine (SC), total cholesterol (TC), low and high density lipoprotein (LDL, HDL), and HbAIc were measured before and after vitamin C and E consumption and the results were analyzed. A significant decrease in FBS, TC level and non-significant decrease in SC, LDL, and HbA1c level was seen in the patients supplemented with 500 mg of both vitamin C and E twice in a day for 4 months. Results indicate that daily consumption of 500 mg of vitamin C and E for 4 months may be beneficial for decreasing the FBS, TC, SC, LDL, and HbA1c and slight raise in HDL and calcium level in patients with type II diabetes and thus reducing the risk of complications.

Background: Diabetes is a metabolic epidemic that causes vascular complications. The presence of oxidative stress in diabetes patients and the preventive role of vitamins therapy have been reported by many researchers. Vitamins supplementation improves antioxidant defense system in diabetes patients. Aim: To study the effect of vitamin E and C supplementation on oxidative stress in diabetes patients. Methods: Subjects enrolled in the study received 500 mg of both vitamin C and vitamin E daily twice for 4 months under medical supervision. Fasting blood glucose, MDA, catalase, SOD and nitric oxide were determined. Serum vitamin E and plasma vitamin C were also measured. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 12.0. Numerical normally distributed and categorical data were compared using independent t-test. Data were presented as means ± SD. Results: After supplementation with vitamin E and C in diabetic patients, a signify decrease in FBS, MDA levels and increase in serum nitrite, erythrocyte SOD, blood catalase, vitamin E and vitamin C levels were observed. A negative correlation between MDA and vitamins was observed. Conclusion: Vitamin E and C supplementation is useful for the treatment of oxidative stress related complications in diabetes patients. Prescribed medicines contain active ingredients that may cause effect on the patients in terms of side-effects. Controlled vitamin therapy for prolonged period may not cause any side-effects, as well as play effective role for the management of type 2 diabetic related oxidative stress.

Background: Reactive oxygen species have been identified as mediators of cell injury in a variety of cardiovascular complications including Myocardial Infarction (MI). It is conceivable that vitamin E supplementation can be used therapeutically due to its role in ameliorating antioxidant status and free radicals scavenging activity. Aim: Therefore, the present study was undertaken to assess the markers of oxidative stress i.e. erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) & malondialdehyde (MDA); plasma vitamin C, E, A and uric acid level in the blood samples of MI patients and to investigate the effect of in-vitro vitamin E supplementation in ameliorating the levels of these antioxidants in the blood sample of MI patients. Material & Method: 60 MI subjects (age group 30-60 years) were taken for the study and 60 healthy individuals served as controls. In-vitro vitamin E supplementation in the blood samples of MI subjects were performed and above mentioned parameters were estimated by using standard methods. Data was compared statistically by using student t-test. Result: Vitamin E supplementation brought about an improved antioxidants status with significantly raised vitamin C, E, A and GSHPx levels (p<0.05, p<0.001), and simultaneously depleted level of erythrocyte MDA (p<0.001) in blood samples of MI subjects. However, plasma uric acid levels remain unaltered (p<0.1). Conclusion: These findings further support the preventive and cardio protective role of vitamin E supplementation in reducing oxidative stress levels in the blood samples of MI patients. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v5i2.8430 Asian Journal of Medical Science, Volume-5(2) 2014: 46-53

Background: Physical exercise is the performance of some activity in order to develop or maintain physical fitness and overall health. Exercise induce proteinuria is generally benign and a function of the intensity-rather than the duration of the exercise. Quantification using a 24 hours urine collection for protein is being replaced by the urine protein creatinine ration from a random urine specimen, ideally from the first morning void. Aims & Objective: To compare protein creatinine index between normal and heavy exercise performing individual. Materials and Methods: Total 40 controls (who were not doing exercise) and 34 subjects) who were doing heavy exercise daily) were selected for the study. Their early morning urine sample was taken for estimating urinary protein by quantitative sulfosalycylic acid method and creatinine by Jaffe's method using colorimetry. Results: The normal range of the PCI which was stabilized in this study was 62-220. On comparison of the PCI between the control and the subject, it was found to be significantly elevated in the person who does heavy exercise (controls = 114.64 ± 47.96 and in the person who does heavy exercise = 326.98 ± 117.99) (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The PCI of a random urine sample can provide a very useful, simple and convenient method for the quantitative assessment of proteinuria to judge the extent of kidney damage and for avoiding the drawback of the 24 hr urine collections.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a process of progressive destruction of articular cartilage which makes the OA patients physically inactive and increases the probability to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD). Aim: The objectives of present study were to estimate atherogenic index, markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in knee OA patients of different KellegrenLawrence (KL) grade and clarify the probability of knee OA patients to develop future CVD risk with disease severity. Methodology: Atherogenic index, plasma paraoxonase, C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were estimated by using standard methods in 55 -70 years aged 76 knee OA patients categorized into three groups (on the basis of KL grading scale) and 24 healthy subjects (control group). The obtained values were compared statistically by using student's t-test. Result: A significant reduction in the plasma paraoxonase and serum HDL cholesterol levels were observed in (p<0.05) Group II & III knee OA patients. Similarly, erythrocyte MDA, Total cholesterol/HDL ratio and plasma CRP levels were increased significantly in (p<0.05) Group II and III knee OA patients. However, these levels were found to be altered insignificantly (p<0.01) in Group I knee OA subjects as compared to controls. Conclusion: Thus, the probability of KL grade III and IV knee OA patients to develop future risk of CVD are more as characterized by elevated antherogenic index, systemic inflammation and oxidative stress and reflect the need of antioxodants supplementation along with drug of choice to reduce CVD risk in knee OA patients.

Calpain-10 (CAPN10) is a cysteine protease that is known to hydrolyze specific substrates significant for calcium-regulated signaling pathways and it's activated by intracellular calcium (Ca 2+). The calpain10 is known to be involved in the cellular degenerative processes that characterize several diseases such as cancer, stroke and heart attack. The role of calpain10 was recently identified and associated with diabetes mellitus type 2. In this paper, the homology modelling procedure was used to determine the 3D structure of human calpain10 (AAH07553). The μ-calpain (1QXP) of Rattus norvegicus was selected as a template for the construction of calpain10 model. Ramachandran plot of calpain10 (AAH07553) has only 55.9% residues in the most favored regions, while template μ-calpain (1QXP) has 69.3% residues in the most favored regions. The model was validated by using protein structure tools RAMPAGE and Prochek for reliability. 3D structure of calpain10 suggested its active site remains conserved among family members and the major interactions are similar to those observed for the template (1QXP).