From the age of 6 months until their natural deaths, female CBA mice were given melatonin with their drinking water (20 mg/l) for 5 consecutive days every month. Intact mice served as controls. The results of this study show that the consumption of melatonin did not significantly influence food consumption, but it did increase the body weight of older mice; it did not influence physical strength or the presence of fatigue; it decreased locomotor activity and body temperature; it inhibited free radical processes in serum, brain, and liver; it slowed down the age-related switching-off of estrous function; and it increased life span. However, we also found that treatment with the used dose of melatonin increased spontaneous tumor incidence in mice. For this reason, we concluded that it would be premature to recommend melatonin as a geroprotector for long-term use.

The effects of toluene and dioxane inhalations on the intensity of free radical oxidation in rat ovaries and brain cortex were studied. Both toxins in a dose 10-fold surpassing the maximum permissible concentration increased activity of glutathione peroxidase in brain tissue; moreover, toluene increased chemiluminescence intensity, which attested to activation of free radical processes. In ovarian tissue toluene increased activities of glutathione peroxidase and catalase and the intensity of lipid peroxidation. These changes were associated with the appearance of normally absent circadian rhythm.

No abstract

No abstract

Components of the antioxidant defense system in placental tissues were studied in women with normal pregnancy and full-term delivery and women with spontaneous abortions at 28-36 weeks. In women with spontaneous abortions glutathione peroxidase activity in placental tissues increased and the content of SH compounds decreased, which led to exhaustion of the antioxidant defense system. Glutathione-S-transferase activity also decreased, which attests to impaired detoxifying function of the placenta.

Effect of Tramadol infusion (5 mg/ml) on oxytocin-induced uterine contractile activity was studied in chronic experiment on female rabbits with different degrees of biological readiness for parturition. In case of sufficient biological readiness for parturition, Tramadol did not change the number of uterine contractions, but increased the amplitude and duration of each contraction against the background of increased creatine phosphate consumption by the myometrium. At the same time, Tramadol infusion to females without biological readiness for partirition suppressed induced uterine contractile activity by reducing the amplitude of each uterine contraction.

Effect of specific scavengers of reactive oxygen species on free-radical oxidation is studied in central and peripheral zones of the placenta from preterm delivering women (32-36 weeks) using the chemiluminescence method. A lower contribution of hypochlorite into free-radical processes and a reduced content of nonprotein SH-groups in the placenta are observed, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and total antioxidant activity being unchanged. It can be assumed that the reduced contribution of hypochlorite into free-radical processes is partially responsible for impaired antimicrobial barrier between mother and fetus in preterm labor.Placental insufficiency is largely responsible for premature labor and fetal abnormalities. An important role in the pathogenesis of premature labor is played by free-radical oxidation (FRO) in the placenta, impairing the structure and permeability of cell membranes [1,5]. These destructive processes result from the imbalance between the intensity of FRO and efficiency of the antioxidant defense system and can be caused by a number of factors, in particular, endocrine insufficiency and fetal hypoxia due to impaired oxygen supply.Mechanisms of generation of reactive oxygen species and activity of the antioxidant defense system of different placental zones in women with normal and abnormal (premature labor) pregnancy remain poorly understood.In light of this, chemiluminescence technique in combination with other methodical approaches allows one to evaluate the role of free radicals in FRO and activity of antioxidant defense system in placental tissue in women with normal and abnormal (preterm labor) pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODSPlacentae were obtained from women with norlnal pregnancy and term labor and from women with

No abstract