Effect of Statin Therapy on the Plasma Concentrations of Retinol, Alpha-Tocopherol and Coenzyme Q10 in Children with Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

PURPOSE: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) requires early treatment. However, statins, which are regarded the first-line therapy, have an influence on redox balance. Antioxidant vitamins are important for many metabolic processes in the developing body. There are few data available on the long-term safety of statin use in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of statin treatment in children with FH on plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins: retinol, alpha-tocopherol and coenzyme Q10. METHODS: The first study group consisted of 13 children aged 10-18 years treated with simvastatin for at least 6 months, and the second group comprised 13 age- and sex-matched children with hypercholesterolemia, in whom pharmacological treatment had not been applied yet. Analyses were performed using a high-performance liquid chromatograph coupled with a MS detector. RESULTS: The analysis did not reveal significant differences in the concentration of retinol, alpha-tocopherol or coenzyme Q10 between the studied groups. The adjustment of the concentrations of the vitamins to the cholesterol level also indicated no significant differences. We found no deficits in antioxidant vitamins in patients treated with statins, or any risk of adverse effects associated with an increase in their concentration. CONCLUSION: There is no rationale for additional supplementation using antioxidant vitamins or modification of low-fat and low-cholesterol diet in pediatric patients treated with statins.

Ga complexes of 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxylic acid: Chemical speciation and biological activity.

The binding ability of 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxylic acid (8-HQA) towards Ga3+ has been investigated by ISEH+ (Ion Selective Electrode, glass electrode) potentiometric and UV/Vis spectrophotometric titrations in KCl(aq) at I = 0.2 mol dm-3 and at T = 298.15 K. Further experiments were also performed adopting both the metal (with Fe3+ as competing cation) and ligand-competition approaches (with EDTA as competing ligand). Results gave evidence of the formation of the [Ga(8-HQA)]+, [Ga(8-HQA)(OH)], [Ga(8-HQA)(OH)2]- and [Ga(8-HQA)2]- species, the latter being so far the most stable, as also confirmed by ESI-MS analysis. Experiments were also designed to determine the stability constants of the [Ga(EDTA)]- and [Ga(EDTA)(OH)]2- in the above conditions. Due to the relevance of Ga3+ hydrolysis in aqueous systems, literature data on this topic were collected and critically analyzed, providing equations for the calculation of mononuclear Ga3+ hydrolysis constants at T = 298.15 K, in different ionic media, in the ionic strength range 0 < I / mol dm-3 ≤ 1.0. The synthesis and characterization (by ElectroSpray Ionization - Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS), Attenuated Total Reflectance - Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and ThermoGravimetric Analysis (TGA)) of Ga3+/8-HQA complexes were also performed, identifying [Ga(8-HQA)2]- as the main isolated species, even in the solid state. Finally, the potential effects of 8-HQA and Ga3+/8-HQA complex towards human microbiota exposed to ionizing radiation were evaluated (namely Actinomyces viscosus, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Escherichia coli), as well as their anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties. A radioprotective effect of Ga3+/8-HQA complex was observed on Actinomyces viscosus, while showing a potential radiosensitizing effect against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. No cytotoxicity on RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells was observed, neither for the free ligand or Ga3+/8-HQA complex. Nevertheless, Ga3+/8-HQA complex highlighted potential anti-inflammatory properties.

Reduced retinol (vitamin A) and α-tocopherol (vitamin E) blood levels and increased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in children with high myopia.

The study assessed selected parameters of redox status in the plasma of patients suffering from high myopia (HM). Thirty-five children with mean age 13.7 ± 2.7 years with HM and 40 healthy children were included. Plasma redox status parameters were determined using colorimetric kits. The levels of retinol, α-tocopherol and coenzyme Q10 were determined with a high-performance liquid chromatograph. Negative correlations were observed between the concentrations of retinol and the axial length of the eye (r = - 0.514 p < 0.001). Increased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (p < 0.018), and decreased concentrations of retinol (p < 0.001) and α-tocopherol (p < 0.023) in patients with HM and the axial length of the eye > 26 mm compared to controls were established. Significantly lower retinol and α-tocopherol concentrations were found in patients with the axial length of the eye > 26 mm compared to those with the axial length of the eye ≤ 26 mm (p < 0.001, p < 0.021, respectively). Increased MPO activity in advanced stages of HM may confirm an inflammatory process in HM patients. Reduced retinol and α-tocopherol concentrations and their link to disease progression indicate a need for monitoring their levels and supplementation in children with HM.

Evaluation of total phenols content, anti-DPPH activity and the content of selected antioxidants in the honeybee drone brood homogenate.

The subject of the present research is the evaluation of health-promoting properties caused by the presence of some vitamins as well as the antioxidative potential of the honeybee drone brood homogenate (DBH). The study used 139 homogenate samples obtained from various apiaries and collected over 3 years, three times during each beekeeping season. Samples differed in terms of varroa infestation, stage of brood development, location of the apiary, and the degree of environmental contamination. The content of ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, all-trans-retinol, and coenzyme Q10 in the tested samples was determined through the application of HPLC/DAD/UV and LC/QQQ/MS methods. The antioxidant potential of samples was assessed using the Folin-Ciocalteu and DPPH methods.

Investigation of lipoic acid - 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol reaction and evaluation of its analytical usefulness.

The presented work is aimed to synthesize a new UV active derivative of α-lipoic acid (ALA) by its esterification with 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol (4-MBA, anise alcohol). The formation of ester was confirmed by 1HNMR, FTIR and UV spectroscopy. The analytical usefulness of the obtained compound for quantification of ALA in food items was examined using HPLC-UV and GC-MS systems. It was found that it is possible to assay ALA in the ester form in the concentration ranges: 5·10-6-1·10-4 mol L-1 by HPLC-UV and 1∙10-7-5∙10-5 mol L-1 by GC-MS techniques. The GC-MS procedure was applied for the determination of ALA in the food samples.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled to liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of phenolic compounds in human milk.

This work describes a novel approach for the analysis of 11 phenolic compounds (naringenin, hesperetin, kaempferol, quercetin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, daidzein, caffeic acid, gallic acid) in human milk. Clean-up of the sample and extraction of 11 analytes from milk was performed by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME). Under the optimal conditions, the extraction recoveries of 11 analytes were in a range from 94.3% to 108%. For determination of phenolic compounds in extracts, LC-ESI-MS/MS method was used. The calibration curves showed linearity in the concentration ranges from 0.01 to 1500 ng mL-1 and the limits of detection were in a range from 0.18 ng L-1 to 74 ng mL-1. The repeatability and intermediate precision expressed as the relative standard deviations were below 7.6% and 9.9%, respectively. The DLLME-LC-ESI-MS/MS method was successfully applied to the determination of phenolic compounds present in breast milk.

Comparison of Selected Parameters of Redox Homeostasis in Patients with Ataxia-Telangiectasia and Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome.

This study compared the antioxidant status and major lipophilic antioxidants in patients with ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) and Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS). Total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and concentrations of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and vitamins A and E were estimated in the plasma of 22 patients with AT, 12 children with NBS, and the healthy controls. In AT patients, TAS (median 261.7 µmol/L) was statistically lower but TOS (496.8 µmol/L) was significantly elevated in comparison with the healthy group (312.7 µmol/L and 311.2 µmol/L, resp.). Tocopherol (0.8 µg/mL) and CoQ10 (0.1 µg/mL) were reduced in AT patients versus control (1.4 µg/mL and 0.3 µg/mL, resp.). NBS patients also displayed statistically lower TAS levels (290.3 µmol/L), while TOS (404.8 µmol/L) was comparable to the controls. We found that in NBS patients retinol concentration (0.1 µg/mL) was highly elevated and CoQ10 (0.1 µg/mL) was significantly lower in comparison with those in the healthy group. Our study confirms disturbances in redox homeostasis in AT and NBS patients and indicates a need for diagnosing oxidative stress in those cases as a potential disease biomarker. Decreased CoQ10 concentration found in NBS and AT indicates a need for possible supplementation.

LC/MS/MS analysis of α-tocopherol and coenzyme Q10 content in lyophilized royal jelly, beebread and drone homogenate.

This study shows the results of application liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) for assay of the content of α-tocopherol and coenzyme Q10 in bee products of animal origin, i.e. royal jelly, beebread and drone homogenate. The biological matrix was removed using extraction with n-hexane. It was found that drone homogenate is a rich source of coenzyme Q10 . It contains only 8 ± 1 µg/g of α-tocopherol and 20 ± 2 µg/g of coenzyme Q10 . The contents of assayed compounds in royal jelly were 16 ± 3 and 8 ± 0.2 µg/g of α-tocopherol and coenzyme Q10 , respectively. Beebread appeared to be the richest of α-tocopherol. Its level was 80 ± 30 µg/g, while the level of coenzyme Q10 was only 11.5 ± 0.3 µg/g. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The usage of micellar extraction for analysis of fluvastatin in water and wastewater samples.

This work illustrates the development of new procedures for the isolation and preconcentration of fluvastatin (FLU) from aqueous solutions. Micellar extraction (ME) combined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV) has been successfully applied for this purpose. It was found that the analyte created micelle with anionic sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and/or with the binary mixture of surfactants nonionic triton X114 (TX114) and cationic tetra-n-butyloammonium bromide (TBAB). The optimal analytical conditions for the proposed extraction procedures (solution pH, concentration of surfactants, centrifugation time and electrolyte type) were ascertained. The calibration curves were recorded. The linearity ranges for FLU, isolated by SDS and the mixture of TX114/TBAB, were 0.21-28.79 µg mL(-1) and 0.21-16.45 µg mL(-1) with limit of detection (LOD) 0.19 µg mL(-1) and 0.14 µg mL(-1), respectively. The recoveries afforded by the proposed methods were high, approximately 97%. These preconcentration procedures were applied for the isolation of the statin from water and wastewater samples taken from the local rivers and wastewater treatment plants.