The aim of this work is to study the effect of the flavonoids rutin and quercetin on hepatic monooxygenase activities in experimental influenza virus infection (EIVI). EIVI causes oxidative stress in the whole organism. This is confirmed by the rapidly increased concentrations of thiobarbituric reactive substances in influenza-infected mice: lungs - 290%; blood plasma - more than 320%; liver - 230%; brain - 50%. Although known for their antioxidant activities, rutin and quercetin exhibit prooxidant effect in healthy and antioxidant activity in influenza-infected animals. The pretreatment with both flavonoids (20 mg/kg b.w.) restores oxidative damage mostly in the target organ of the infection as well as in the liver of all infected mice (lungs: rutin - 30%, quercetin - 40%, combination - 45%; liver: rutin - 12%; quercetin - 40%; combination - 50%). As far as EIVI causes oxidative stress, toxicosis and inhibition of the hepatic monooxygenase activity, it is important to study the effects of rutin and quercetin on these systems. Both flavonoids induce the level of cytochrome P-450 (rutin - 13%, quercetin - 30%, combination - 22%) but inactivate NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, aminopyrine N-demethylase and analgin N-demethylase on the 5th day of EIVI. Probably, these flavonoids affect different components of the monooxygenase system. These effects could be explained with oxidative hepatic intoxication on the 5th critical day of EIVI as well as higher dose treatment. More data are needed on the antioxidant/prooxidant effects of rutin and quercetin, probably due to specific metabolic and physiological activities, chemical structure, etc.

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The aim of this work was to study the dynamics of oxidative stress in the blood and urine of children with kidney diseases: glomerulonephritis (GN), pyelonephritis (PN), renal failure (RF), and lower urinary tract infections (LUTI). The concentration of conjugated dienes is increased in blood: GN 4 times and RF up to 2 times; and extremely increased in urine: GN 12 times and RF 4 times. The concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in urine shows a similar trend: GN 7 times, PN 2 times, RF 1.5 times, and LUTI almost 3 times. Urine chemiluminescence is also increased: GN 5 times, PN and LUTI 3 times, and RF 6 times. Kidney disease leads to 2.5-fold inhibition of antioxidant catalase activity in blood and 10-fold in urine. Total antioxidant activity of urine is induced in all groups: GN 18 times, PN 2 times, RF 1.5 times, and almost 4 times in the LUTI group. Experimental data confirm that products of lipid peroxidation, intensity of chemiluminescence, and total and enzyme antioxidant capacity in combination with clinical parameters are a proper test for the dynamics of oxidative stress and markers of intoxication in children with inflammatory and immunological active parenchymal kidney disorders. These data could be helpful for the optimization of complex and effective antioxidant therapy of children with kidney disease.

Citrinin is a mycotoxin, which is produced by fungi belonging to the genus Monascus, known in biotechnology as producers of azaphilone pigments. The relation between biosynthesis of these secondary metabolites was investigated in different species of the genus Monascus in batch-culture at the following cultivation conditions: T = 28 °C, agitation 220 rpm, and a medium, which induce citrinin production, containing ethanol as a carbon source. The screening was carried out with 16 fungal strains and the biosynthesis of citrinin and pigments was monitored quantitatively at the standard conditions mentioned above. Some kinetic parameters of the process have been determined. The values of the growth yield coefficient YX/C were between 0.32 and 0.57. The amount of the extracellular red and orange pigments at the end of cultivation varied for the different strains between 0.09 and 1.33 OU/ mg dry weight, and 0.15 and 0.96 OU/mg dry weight, respectively. The amount of the total pigments measured was between 0.16 and 3.6 OU/mg dry weight, and between 0.21 and 3.39 OU/mg dry weight. The determined ratio 500 nm/400 nm, characterizing the pigment production, ranged between 0.60 and 1.06. Twelve of the investigated strains produced citrinin and pigments, two of them produced only pigments. Two strains were not able to produce neither pigments nor citrinin. Thus, the biosynthesis of citrinin appeared to be strain-specific and does not correlate with the pigments’ biosynthesis by the fungal strains belonging to the genus Monascus.