Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in schizophrenic patients treated by quetiapine

To find the effect of quetiapine on lipid peroxidation and serum total antioxidant status [TAS] in schizophrenic patients. The subjects comprised 27 schizophrenic patients and 27 healthy volunteers. Clinical symptoms for the patients were assessed in Brief Individual Psychiatry Rating Scale [BPRS] items. The patients were treated with quetiapine [200-500 mg/day] orally for 8 weeks then reevaluated after the treatment. Blood samples from the patients were taken before and after quetiapine treatments. Other blood samples were taken from healthy subjects as a control group. Serum was obtained and analyzed for malondialdehyde [MDA] and TAS. Base time and after 8 weeks of quetiapine treatment showed a significant decrease in BPRS score in the schizophrenic patients. Serum MDA was significantly higher in the schizophrenic patients [difference = 124.1% of control] than controls. The parameter decreased significantly after quetiapine treatment by 16.9% compared with before treatment values. Serum TAS, in the schizophrenic patients, was significantly lower [38.4%] than controls. Quetiapine increased serum TAS significantly by 21.1%. Quetiapine treatment significantly increased body mass index [BMI] by 2.9%. Quetiapine depressed lipid peroxidation, and raised serum TAS in schizophrenic patients. The change in these parameters by quetiapine may play a role in its therapeutic activit

Oxidative stress and C-reactive protein in patients with arthritis

Oxidative damage has been suggested to play a key role in accelerating inflammation and to be involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and osteoarthritis [OA]. Many studies had shown that those patients have low antioxidants level and are at risk of increased oxidative stress. This study was designed to examine the levels of serum. Total Antioxidant status [TAS] Malondialdehyde [MDA] as index of lipid peroxidation and C-Reactive Protien [CRP] as a marker of oxidative stress in patients with RA and OA and compared them with healthy control. Serum TAS, MDA and CRP levels were measured in 16 RA and 24 OA patients and compare with those obtained from 25 healthy controls. Serum TAS were significantly lower in RA group than in the OA and control groups [P < 0.05]. Serum MDA and CRP levels were significantly higher in patients with RA than in those with OA and healthy subjects [P < 0.05]. There were significant negative correlations between TAS and MDA, CRP levels [r = -0.850; p < 0.001] and [r = -0.498; P < 0.05] respectively and a positive correlation between MDA and CRP levels in the RA group [r = 0.686; P < 0.01]. In OA group, the level of CRP was significantly increased [P < 0.05] and there was significant positive correlation between age and MDA level [r = 0.553; P < 0.01]. Our results demonstrated that levels of lipid peroxidation are increased in patients with RA compared to controls and patients with OA, In addition serum TAS levels were decreased in RA. Serum TAS levels may be used as a routine and rapid test to verify the levels of oxidative stress in RA. Furthermore correlating TAS and MDA levels with a cute phase reactants such as CRP may give some clues about disease activity in RA

[ effect of olive oil on blood pressure, sugar and lipid profile]

The present study was done to evaluate the beneficial effect of olive oil on BP, blood sugar and lipid profile in 16 patients suffering from NIDDM [Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes mellitus] associated with risk factors involving hyperlipidaemia and blood pressure in Mosul population. The period of the study was as long as two months and the dose of olive oil was tablespoonful three times daily. Blood presure, blood sugar, total cholesterol, total triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were evaluated before [baseline] and after olive oil administration. The study showed a statistical significant reduction of the all measured parameters after olive oil administration. In the meantime BP, blood sugar, total cholesterol, total triglyceride, and LDL-cholesterol were dropped to normal values in 4 [44%], 4 [50%], 7 [46%], 6 [100%] and 7 [46%] patient, respectively. This study was concluded that olive oil administration be effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and elevated BP, and may be administered as adjunctive to the primary therapy of such disorders