A novel impedimetric sensor based on N-acetyl-L-cysteine for the determination of hydroxyl radicals in cell cultures in vitro.

We report a novel impedimetric sensor based on a graphite electrode impregnated with polyethylene and paraffin under vacuum (IGE) modified with electrochemically deposited gold and a self-assembled monolayer of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC/Au/IGE) for selective and sensitive determination of extracellular hydroxyl radicals (OH•) generated by living cells. The application of a sulphur-containing molecule oxidized by OH• predicts the high selectivity of the sensor, and the utilization of the non-faradaic impedance spectroscopy for recording an analytical response makes it possible to achieve superior sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.01 nM and a linear dynamic range of 0.08-8 nM. Meanwhile, NAC/Au/IGE demonstrated a strong potential of detecting OH• generated by biological objects via successful determination of extracellular hydroxyl radicals generated by normal fibroblast cells and prostate carcinoma cells.

[Lithium in the psychopharmacology of affective disorders and mechanisms of its effects on cellular physiology]. / Litii v psikhofarmakologii affektivnykh rasstroistv i mekhanizmy ego effektov na kletochnuyu fiziologiyu.

However, despite successful use of lithium in the treatment of affective disorders for almost 40 years, the mechanisms of its therapeutic action are still poorly understood. This review presents and summarizes the current literature about the use of lithium in treatment of affective disorders, as well as its effects on cellular physiology, with a separate description of the effect of this ion on the functioning of nerve tissue and ion-molecular mechanisms.

[Lithium ascorbate as a cerebroprotective agent in a model of ischemic stroke]. / Primenenie askorbata litiia v kachestve tserebroprotektivnogo sredstva na modeli ishemicheskogo insul'ta.

INTRODUCTION: Ischemic stroke is one of the most severe neurological pathologies with high mortality and disability. In this connection, the development and study of new drugs for the prevention and treatment of stroke is an extremely important task. A new approach to neuroprotection is the use of lithium salts with antioxidant activity. AIM: To study the cerebroprotective effect of lithium ascorbate on a rat model of ischemic stroke. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Test samples of lithium ascorbate were synthesized ex tempore for an experiment using reagents of ACS qualification (Sigma-Aldrich). The ischemic stroke model was realized using the filament occlusion of the middle cerebral artery in rats of the Sprague Dawley line according to standardized procedure. Neurological examination of the animals, histological study of brain tissue with staining of brain sections, and calculating the volume of cerebral infarction were performed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There is a significant cerebroprotective effect of lithium ascorbate expressed in a multiple decrease in the volume of the zone of cerebral infarction (by 75% of the control group indicator) and the absence of mortality in the experimental group of animals. Newly discovered distinct anti-stroke effect of lithium ascorbate in combination with low toxicity could be considered promising for further clinical studies and practical application in neurology.

[Protective action of carnosine and organic lithium salts in case of ethanol-induced oxidative damage of proteins and lipids of blood plasma in healthy persons and alcoholic patients]. / Protektornoe deistvie karnozina i organicheskikh solei litiia pri étanol-indutsirovannom okislitel'nom povrezhdenii belkov i lipidov plazmy krovi u zdorovykh lits i bol'nykh alkogolizmom.

Organic lithium salts containing anionic components (succinate, fumarate, pyruvate and antioxidant ascorbate) were tested for protection of blood plasma proteins and lipids against ethanol-induced oxidation in vitro. We used normothymic lithium carbonate and well-known antioxidant dipeptide carnosine (b-alanyl-L-histidine) as the reference drugs. The oxidized proteins and lipids were determined by the level of carbonylated proteins (CP) and TBA-reactive products (TBA-RP), respectively. In alcoholic patients the level of oxidized proteins and lipids was higher than in healthy persons. Incubation of blood with ethanol resulted in an increase in oxidized proteins and lipids in blood plasma of healthy persons but had no influence on the level of CP and TBA-RP in blood plasma of alcoholic patients. Lithium carbonate, lithium ascorbate, and lithium succinate exhibited protective action against ethanol-induced oxidation of biomolecules of blood plasma of healthy people. These effects were comparable with carnosine action. The studied compounds had no effect on the level of CP and TBA-RP of blood plasma of alcoholic patients.

[The potential for endoscopic dissection of the leg perforating veins].

This paper describes the results of endoscopic dissection of the leg perforating veins in patients suffering from different forms of chronic venous insufficiency of the lower limbs. Varicosity was present in 54 (88.4%) and postthrombophlebitis in 7 (11.6%) patients. Before operation the patients were provided ultrasound Doppler and duplex scanning. Microcirculation was examined by laser Doppler flowmetry. The study evidences decreased perfusion of the superficial skin layers during the growth of arteriolo-venular blood shunting that occurs because of phlebohypertension. For endoscopic dissection of the leg perforating veins an original titanium nickelide clips was employed, which allowed ligation of the veins measuring over 5 mm via a standard endoscopic canal. The use of the given technique made it possible to minimize the time of operation, to decrease traumatic injury of intervention due to the exclusion of incisions in the area of trophic disorders. The mean time required for ulcerous defect healing accounted for 32.3+/-1.7 days. Regulation of lower limb microcirculation was restored 3 months after surgical treatment.

Antioxidant and electrochemical properties of calcium and lithium ascorbates.

The calcium and lithium pharmaceutical products have been widely used in medicine, especially at diseases of the mind. Bioactivity and toxically of novel complex ascorbates of calcium and lithium were considered in this work. Study of antioxidant properties of new forms of the compounds was carried out by differential pulse voltammetry. Cyclic voltammetry was used for investigation of their electrochemical properties in order to obtain information about electron-transfer reactions. The influence of these substances on the electrochemical oxygen reduction and its kinetic was also studied. As a result, the kinetic parameters interaction between reactive oxygen species and ascorbates of calcium and lithium were evaluated.

[Method of treatment of reflux-esophagitis after gastrectomy].

A new method of treatment of reflux-esophagitis developed for patients after gastrectomy has a distinctive moment: the formation of a restraining mechanism in the field of esophago-gastric anastomosis, without opening the intestinal tube lumen. The carried on trials of clinical application of the method have shown its high effectiveness for prophylactics ofjejuno-esophageal reflux both in the early and distant terms after operation. The method of operating was given a patent of the Russian Federation.

[Function of the liver and gallbladder after subtotal gastric resection and gastrectomy with the creation of an artificial stomach]. / Funktsional'noe sostoianie pecheni i zhelchnogo puzyria posle subtotal'noi rezektsii zheludka i gastréktomii s formirovaniem iskusstvennogo zheludka.

A comparative ultrasound and radiological investigation of gallbladder and hepatic tree function was made in patients after operation with creation of artificial stomach, Billroth I and Roux operations. The control group consisted of 30 unoperated patients. Scintigraphy discovered gallbladder dyskinesia in 12 (18.7%) patients of the study group and in 6 (20%) controls. Ultrasonography--in 15 (33.3%) patients of the study group, 5 (25%) patients after distal resection of the stomach with pyloriform gastroduodenoanastomosis, 18 (51.47%) patients operated by Roux and 5 (16.6%) controls, respectively. It is shown that normal transduodenal passage of food has a positive effect on gallbladder and liver functions.