Capillary electrophoretic methods for the screening and determination of pharmacologic adulterants in herbal-based pharmaceutical formulations.

This review aims to describe the CE methods utilized for the determination of adulterants in herbal-based formulations marketed for different therapeutic purposes. The CE methods for screening and determination of pharmacologic adulterants are reviewed on the basis of the CE techniques and their detection methods. CZE and MEKC methods coupled to optical (UV), capacitively coupled contactless conductivity, and MS detection modes are discussed and reviewed. Worldwide adulteration cases related to pharmaceutical formulations containing herbs as the main active products are presented covering all the works published in the last four decades.

Plasma malondialdehyde levels and risk factors for the development of chronic complications in type 2 diabetic patients on insulin therapy.

BACKGROUND: We assessed plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as a biomarker of lipid peroxidation in type 2 diabetic patients on insulin therapy. Associations among MDA levels and some risk factors for the development of chronic complications of diabetes were also evaluated. METHODS: MDA, fasting glucose, fructosamine, urinary albumin, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, uric acid, serum albumin, lactate, high sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP), and vitamin E were measured in 53 type 2 diabetic patients and 26 healthy subjects. RESULTS: MDA levels were higher in type 2 diabetes insulin users (12.8 +/- 3.0 micromol/L) and type 2 diabetes no insulin users (10.3 +/- 2.1 micromol/L) compared to control subjects (8.2 +/- 2.1 micromol/L). Fasting glucose, fructosamine, urinary albumin, and hsCRP were higher in all type 2 diabetic patients compared to controls. Significant correlations were observed between MDA and fasting glucose (r = 0.685, p < 0.001), fructosamine (r = 0.526, p < 0.001), urinary albumin (r = 0.516, p < 0.001), and the duration of type 2 diabetes (r = 0.401, p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: MDA levels increased in type 2 diabetes, especially in patients on insulin therapy. Chronic hyperglycemia and other biomarkers, such as urinary albumin, were correlated with MDA levels, suggesting the involvement of lipid peroxidation in the pathogenesis of diabetes complications.

Association among microalbuminuria and oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with type 2 diabetes.

AIM: Hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus (DM) may be one of the most important factors responsible for the development of oxidative stress, which promotes the main complications in DM patients. Therefore, this study evaluated if the hyperglycemia could be related to oxidative stress biomarkers, lipid profile, and renal function in type 2 diabetes patients without clinic complications. METHODS: Plasmatic malondialdehyde (MDA), serum protein carbonyl (PCO), serum creatinine levels, microalbuminuria, glycated hemoglobin, and lipid profile were analyzed in 37 type 2 diabetic patients and 25 subjects with no diabetes. RESULTS: Serum creatinine levels were within the reference values, but microalbuminuria presented increased levels in all the patients compared with controls (P < 0.05) and above of the reference values. The MDA, PCO, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels showed positive correlation with microalbuminuria levels. Moreover, glycated hemoglobin presented positive correlation with MDA, PCO, and microalbuminuria levels. CONCLUSIONS: The hyperglycemia could be responsible for the increase of the microalbuminuria levels and for the oxidation process in lipids and proteins in DM patients. Therefore, we suggested that the microvascular lesion is a direct consequence from hyperglycemia and an indirect one from the increased oxidative stress. Malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels could be suggested as additional biochemical evaluation to verify tissue damage in type 2 DM patients.

Presence of synthetic pharmaceuticals as adulterants in slimming phytotherapeutic formulations and their analytical determination.

Obesity that is associated with a high consumption of slimming substances is considered a public health problem around the world. In this context, the increasing consumption of phytotherapeutic formulations as alternative obesity treatments has revealed the presence of synthetic pharmaceuticals as adulterants. The illegally added adulterants are frequently anorexic, anxiolytic, and antidepressant pharmaceuticals. This review aims to describe the analytical methodologies utilized for the determination of adulterants in slimming phytotherapeutic formulations. Furthermore, this review describes some important adulteration cases, which occurred mainly in Europe, Asia, Brazil, and the USA.

Ischemia-modified albumin as an oxidative stress biomarker in obesity.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the levels of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and its association with body mass index (BMI) in patients who are obese. DESIGN AND METHODS: Fasting glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, malondialdehyde, and IMA levels were assessed in 148 subjects. RESULTS: IMA, malondialdehyde, and fasting glucose levels were significantly higher while the HDL cholesterol levels were lower in obese population. CONCLUSIONS: IMA levels increase in overweight and obese subjects.