Prooxidant-Antioxidant Balance and Antioxidant Properties of Thuja orientalis L: A Potential Therapeutic Approach for Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health problem with an increasing global prevalence. It is usually associated with an imbalance between pro-oxidant mechanisms and antioxidant defenses, contributing to oxidative-stress, and this leads to an increased susceptibility to endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, insulin-resistance and impaired-pancreatic ß-cell function. OBJECTIVE: We have assessed the Prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) and anti-hemolytic effect of Thuja orientalis L using the PAB assay and the analysis of hematological markers. METHODS: The antioxidant and anti-hemolytic activity of Thuja orientalis was evaluated using the PAB assay and the inhibition of RBC hemolysis using the hydrogen peroxide hemolysis test. The percentage of anti-hemolysis was calculated from the ratio of the measurements (A-B)/B×100. RESULTS: Our results showed that the antioxidant effect of Thuja orientalis L. was greater in water than in ethyl-acetate, ethanol and methanol extract, respectively. We also observed its anti-hemolytic effect, which was higher in water, than in ethyl-acetate, methanol and ethanol extract, respectively. In particular our data showed that the H2O2-induced RBC hemolysis was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: we demonstrated the antioxidant and anti-hemolytic effect of Thuja orientalis L. extracts in human serum and RBC, showing its potential property of reducing free radicals supporting further investigations to assess its functional role in larger samples size and in vivo models, as a potential antioxidant agent.

Prooxidant-antioxidant balance in pregnancy: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of selenium supplementation.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the impact of selenium, a trace element with antioxidant properties on a simple measure of oxidative stress in pregnant women. STUDY DESIGN: A novel assay of prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) was applied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of selenium supplementation in pregnancy. We measured the prooxidant burden and the antioxidant capacity simultaneously in one assay, thereby calculating a redox index. A total of 166 primigravid pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy, were randomized to receive 100 microg of selenium (n=83) or placebo (n=83) per day until delivery. PAB values and serum selenium concentrations were measured at baseline and at the end of study. RESULTS: Pretreatment demographic data and biochemical indices including serum selenium concentrations did not differ significantly between the groups. The drop-out rates for the groups were 22/83 and 19/83 for the selenium and placebo groups, respectively. Supplementation with selenium was associated with a significant increase in mean serum selenium concentration (P<0.001) but without significant change in mean PAB value. In contrast, mean serum selenium concentration remained unchanged and mean PAB values increased significantly (P<0.05 in the control group). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that selenium supplementation may reduce oxidative stress associated with pregnancy.