[The role of selenium in cardiology].

Selenium is an important micronutrient that is essential for the functioning of the human body. Being a component of the active center of several antioxidant enzymes selenium prevents cell injury by free radicals. Decline in selenium-containing enzymes results in progression of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, which are considered as possible causes for the development of many cardiovascular diseases. This review focuses on mechanisms for prevention of myocardial and vascular injury through the adequate selenium supply to the body. The importance of monitoring and correction of the selenium status in appropriate patients is underlined.

[Neuroprotective mechanisms of the ubiquinol action in experimental focal ischemia]. / Issledovanie neiroprotektornykh mekhanizmov deistviia ubikhinola pri éksperimental'noi fokal'noi ishemii.

Ischemic stroke is one of the most socially important diseases characterized by impaired cerebral circulation with focal damage of the brain tissue and decreased functionality. Despite the successes of modern pharmacology, possibilities of pharmacotherapy for stroke remain limited, and the research for new drugs with neuroprotective effects that can prevent brain cell death is still relevant. In this study we have investigated the neuroprotective activity of ubiquinol as a part of an innovative form on a rat model of irreversible 24 h-cerebral ischemia with evaluation of the mechanisms of its neuroprotective effect. Ubiquinol (30 mg/kg), administered intravenously in the acute period of irreversible 24 h focal cerebral ischemia, had a direct neuroprotective effect, characterized by a decrease in the volume of brain tissue necrosis. The protective effect of ubiquinol is due to its ability to inhibit the development of oxidative stress by the direct anti-radical action, preventing the increase in the lipid hydroperoxide content in the brain tissue adjacent to the focus of necrosis, lowering the lipid oxidation rate in plasma against under conditions of increased total antioxidant activity in the brain and blood of experimental animals. In vitro experiments have shown the ability of ubiquinol to prevent cell death in primary culture of cerebral neurons of rat brain under 4 h oxygen/glucose deprivation followed by 20 h reoxygenation.

High-resolution large-scale plasmonic laser color printing for jewelry applications.

We offer to use optical features of surface plasmon resonance in Ag nanoparticles for jewelry application as a method for the well-controlled decoration of silver items. The novel approach of silver nanoparticles formation with sizes from 5 to 50 nm via nanosecond direct laser writing allows for controlling the reflectance spectra, thus creating a color image on precious metals with a high resolution of about 450 dpi without dyes or hazardous chemicals. Moreover, the large-scale color image can be applied in single-step processing with significant productivity of 2 cm2 per minute. This work opens a strong direction for the practical application in the jewelry industry, art, and coining.

[Biological properties of tocotrienols].

The literature review systematizes a lot of information on the biological effects of tocotrienols. The effects are described in more details. Vitamin E was discovered at 20s of the last century, but tocotrienols are a less studied part of it. Tocotrienols exhibit cardioprotective, lipid-lowering, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective properties as it has been shown by recent researches. Edible oils (e.g. palm oil, rice bran oil, barley oil, etc.) contain high level of tocotrienols. So, after extraction from plant raw materials they can be used for long-term preventive therapy of many diseases, as well as for the treatment and enhancement of the action of medicinal substances. They can also be used as functional ingredients to stabilize and extend the shelf-life of food products due to their antioxidant properties.

Effect of Coenzyme Q10 on Expression of UbiAd1 Gene in Rat Model of Local Cerebral Ischemia.

The study examined the effect of endogenous lipid-soluble antioxidant coenzyme Q10 on the expression of UbiA gene of prenyltransferase domain-containing protein 1 (UbiAd1) involved in synthesis of vitamin K2 (and probably of coenzyme Q10) on a rat model of ischemic stroke provoked by ligation of the middle cerebral artery in the left hemisphere. Ischemia enhanced expression of mRNA of UbiAd1 gene in both cerebral hemispheres, but the effect was significant only in the contralateral one. The study revealed no effect of intraperitoneal injection of coenzyme Q10 (30 mg/kg) on ischemia-produced elevation of mRNA of UbiAd1 gene. Further studies are needed to assess possible neuroprotective effects of antioxidant coenzyme Q10.

[Formation in the phylogenesis of three pulls of cells with expressed different absorption and metabolism of fatty acids. Insulin and medium chains fatty acids.]

Somatic cells at the early stages of phylogenesis realized the metabolism of long-chain fatty acids (FA), primarily palmitic saturated FA. It dominated the construction of a bilayer cell membrane and as a substrate for oxidation in mitochondria during energy production. Later, polyene FAs became involved in the construction of the cell membrane, the membranes of intracellular organelles, and became the substrate for the synthesis of biologically active eicosanoids. At later stages of phylogenesis, the metabolism of medium-chain FAs is activated and the formation of ketone bodies as a substrate, which is available for oxidation by the mitochondria of the formed cells of the nervous tissue in the absence of first substrate glucose. In the later stages of phylogenesis, insulin initiated: a) the transformation of carnivorous ancestors of the species Homo sapiens in the ocean into a herbivorous species while living on land; b) the formation of the new biological function of locomotion and c) the dominance of the oleic variant of the metabolism of long-chain fatty acids with higher kinetic parameters of mitochondria oxidation. Metabolites of medium chain FA have become humoral mediators of metabolism and the formation of feedback mechanisms in the function of trophology and cognitive biological function. The formation of an oleic variant of the metabolism of fatty acids under the action of insulin led to the improvement of the energy supply of cells and the high kinetic parameters of many species of herbivorous mammals, including Homo sapiens. The species Homo sapiens was not omnivorous (Omnivores); the insulin's regulatory action during life on land has turned it into a herbivorous species (Herbivore), but with a carnivorous (Carnivore) (fish-eating) past. Seven metabolic pandemics (1. atherosclerosis and atheromatosis; 2. metabolic arterial hypertension; 3. metabolic syndrome; 4. insulin resistance syndrome; 5. obesity; 6. nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and 7. endogenous hyperuricemia) are only functional disorders and can be, in most cases, eliminated. From the standpoint of the phylogenetic theory of general pathology, atherosclerosis and atheromatosis of the arteries have no great future. As soon, as the majority of individuals of the Homo sapiens species realize that in phylogenesis they have formed as herbivores and stop eating excessive amounts of meat food, exogenous palmitic FA, the incidence in the population will begin to decrease. Patients are still obliged to justify the binary, biological name of the species - reasonable man. Prevention and other metabolic pandemics, diseases of civilization, can be discussed. It takes time, an understanding of what happens by the doctors, diligence and the desire of patients to be healthy.

Assessment of Oxidative Status of the Brain and Blood Plasma in Rats with Modeled Focal Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

Parameters of the oxidative status of the brain and blood plasma were measured in rats 24 h after 1-h focal cerebral ischemia. In the brain of rats exposed to cerebral ischemia, activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were elevated. Ischemia reduced the total antioxidant activity of the brain and the levels of malonic dialdehyde and protein carbonyl derivatives. In the blood plasma of experimental rats, superoxide dismutase activity and malonic dialdehyde level increased and total antioxidant activity decreased, i.e. the shifts were similar to those in the brain. The ischemia-induced changes in the brain and blood were not always co-directed.

[A neuroprotective action of carnosine in conditions of experimental focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion]. / Neiroprotektivnoe deistvie karnozina v usloviiakh éksperimental'noi fokal'noi ishemii-reperfuzii golovnogo mozga.

AIM: To assess neuroprotective properties of preventive injections of carnosine in experimental focal cerebral ischemia in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A focal ischemia in Wistar rats induced by the 60 min-occlusion of the middle cerebral artery with the following 24h-reperfusion was used. Animals received carnosine mixed with ration in daily dose of 150 mg/kg of body mass during 7 days before surgery. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Carnosine decreased the size of the lesion by 20%, neurological deficit by 43% with a simultaneous increase in the antioxidant status of blood plasma and brain tissue compared to the animals of the control group. The authors showed for the first time the neuroprotective effect of low dose of carnosine (150 mg/kg of body mass) mixed with ration used in preventive treatment courses in the experimental focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model.

Neuroprotective Effectiveness of Intravenous Ubiquinone in Rat Model of Irreversible Cerebral Ischemia.

The neuroprotective effect of ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10)was demonstrated on the rats model of ischemic stroke provoked by persistent 24-h occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Coenzyme Q10 (30 mg/kg) was injected intravenously in 60 min after artery occlusion. Ubiquinone crossed the blood-brain barrier, accumulated in the brain, and produced a neuroprotective effect: it alleviated ischemia-induced neurological deficit and reduced the size of necrotic zone by 49% in comparison with rats receiving physiological saline.

[Modern conceptions about the possible impact of palm oil on human health].

Review of the scientific literature on the evidence of the relationship between palm oil (PO) and its components and adverse effects on human health, on the mechanisms of cholesterol control and risks for development of cardiovascular diseases. PO is solid or semisolid at room temperature and often is used as a natural substitute for partially hydrogenated vegetable oils containing trans fatty acids which increase risks of hypercholesteremia. PO contains both saturated and unsaturated fats as well as substances with antioxidant activity. Taking into account the lipid theory of atherosclerosis pathogenesis, and sn-2 hypothesis, PO was compared with other vegetable oils, like olive, sunflower or soybean oils, and did not show great differences in changes of LDL, HDL or total cholesterol levels. Comparison of diets rich in PO with diets rich in trans fatty acids shows improvement of lipid profiles in groups with PO, and serves as a basis for replacement of trans fatty acids in food with PO and its fractions. In addition to fatty acids content, PO contains several phytonutrients including 4 forms of tocopherols and tocotrienols, carotenoids, sterols, and some others. Most of these compounds are considered beneficial for human health, mainly on account of their antioxidant activity. It is concluded that PO is safe component of food, when we pay attention to the rather high content of saturated fats in it.

Effect of Chronic Administration of Estradiol on Responsiveness of Isolated Systemic and Pulmonary Blood Vessels from Ovariectomized Wistar Rats with Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension.

The long-term (4 weeks) administration of estradiol (15 µg/kg/day) to ovariectomized female Wistar rats induced hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and significantly (p<0.05) diminished relaxation of perfused serotonin-preconstricted isolated vascular segments of the pulmonary artery in response to estradiol (10(-6) M). At the same time, the isolated segments of systemic popliteal artery demonstrated a diminished response to serotonin and increased relaxation induced by acetylcholine (10(-5) M) or estradiol (10(-5) M) in comparison with preconstricted control vessels. Moderation of responsiveness to estradiol in pulmonary circulation can be one of the factors underlying the pro-hypertensive action of estradiol in female rats with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

[COMPARATIVE CARDIOPROTECTIVE EFFICACY OF COENZYME Q10 AND MEXICOR IN EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN RATS].

Cardioprotective efficacy of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, ubidecarenone) and mexicor were evaluated on the 21st day of experimental myocardial infarction in Wistar rats. CoQ10 or mexicor were injected in a dose of 30 mg/kg intravenously 10 min after coronary artery occlusion. The observed cardioprotective effects of ubidecarenone and mexicor were close. Both drugs equally increased the survival of rats, prevented the development of dilatation and hypertrophy of the left ventricle, and improved the pump cardiac function.

[Hplc estimation of coenzyme Q(10) redox status in plasma after intravenous coenzyme Q(10) administration].

The pharmacokinetics of the total pool of coenzyme Q(10) (Co(10)), its oxidized (ubiquinone) and reduced (ubiquinol, CoQ(10)H2) forms have been investigated in rats plasma during 48 h after a single intravenous injection of a solution of solubilized CoQ(10) (10 mg/kg) to rats. Plasma levels of CoQ(10) were determined by HPLC with spectrophotometric and coulometric detection. In plasma samples taken during the first minutes after the CoQ(10) intravenous injection, the total pool of coenzyme Q(10) and proportion of CoQ(10)H2 remained unchanged during two weeks of storage at -20°C. The kinetic curve of the total pool of coenzyme Q(10) corresponds to a one-part model (R² = 0.9932), while the corresponding curve of its oxidized form fits to the two-part model. During the first minutes after the injection a significant portion of plasma ubiquinone undergoes reduction, and after 7 h the concentration of ubiquinol predominates. The decrease in the total plasma coenzyme Q(10) content was accompanied by the gradual increase in plasma ubiquinol, which represented about 90% of total plasma CoQ(10) by the end of the first day. The results of this study demonstrate the ability of the organism to transform high concentrations of the oxidized form of CoQ(10) into the effective antioxidant (reduced) form and justify prospects of the development of parenteral dosage forms of CoQ(10) for the use in the treatment of acute pathological conditions.

[Intravenous injection of coenzyme Q10 increases its level in rat brain].

It is established that intravenous injection of solubilized coenzyme Q10 provides quick and lasting increase in its level in the brain as compared to control intact rats and those with cerebral ischemia. These new data provide a basis for studying the efficacy of coenzyme Q10 as a neuroprotective agent in ischemic stroke.

[Effect of coenzyme Q10 on rat myocardiumin the acute stage of experimental infarction].

The influence of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on early ischemic deterioration was studied on Wistar rats with experimental myocardial infarction. CoQ10 (30 mg/kg) was injected intravenously 10 min after coronary artery occlusion, and morphometric analysis was performed for 72 h after the onset of ischemia. CoQ10-treated rats had restricted total myocardial damage (by 52%), including areas of necrosis (by 84%) and areas of cellular inflammatory infiltration (by 38%) as compared to saline-treated rats (p < 0.001).

[New antioxidants as neuroprotective agents for the treatment of ischemic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases].

Central nervous system disorders are the leading cause of mortality and disability in the world. Unfortunately, the possibility of pathogenetic therapy is limited and it is important to search for new drugs with neuroprotective mechanism of action. One of the most promising groups of drugs are antioxidants--substances that can neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. This review focuses on preclinical and clinical studies of new antioxidants.

Single intravenous injection of coenzyme Q10 protects the myocardium after irreversible ischemia.

Experiments were performed on the model of irreversible myocardial ischemia in Wistar rats. Coenzyme Q10 was injected intravenously 10 min after coronary artery occlusion. On day 21 after myocardial infarction the content of coenzyme Q10 in the left ventricle, liver, and plasma from animals of the treatment group was higher than that in untreated rats by 23, 1042, and 87%, respectively (p<0.05). The area of the necrotic zone was lower, and postinfarction hypertrophy of the left ventricle was less pronounced in coenzyme-receiving rats. Right ventricular hypertrophy did not develop in these animals. These rats were characterized by greater stroke volume (by 24.6%, p<0.05), stroke work (by 34.9%), cardiac output (by 37.8%, p<0.05), ejection fraction (by 35.7%, p<0.05), and contractility (by 22.5%, p<0.05), but lower end-diastolic pressure (by 25.8%, p<0.05) than untreated animals. These data indicate that the development of parenteral ubiquinone preparations holds much promise for urgent therapy of acute cardiovascular disorders.

[Chronic administration of estrogen receptors antagonist reduces degree of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension caused by chronic injections of estrogen in ovariectomised female Wistar rats].

As we showed previously, administration of estradiol in different doses (5 and 15 mcg per day for 21 day) initiates the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in ovariectomised female Wistar rats. The aim of current study was to analyze the involvement of antagonist of estrogen receptors type a- and beta- ICI 182,780 (fulvestrant) in development of hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension. Ovariectomised female rats were separated into 5 groups received subcutaneously for 1 month : 1. Estrogen 15 mcg per day. 2. Estrogen 60 mcg per day 3. Antagonist of estrogen receptors type alpha- and beta- fulvestrant 150 mcg per day. 4. Estrogen 15 mcg/d + fulvestrant 150 mcg/d. 5. Propylenglycol as a control group. PAH was induced by exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. Rats were housed in a hypobaric chamber at simulated altitude of 5000 m, 10 h a day, 2 wk (O2 concentration reduced to 10%). We suppose that the development of pulmonary hypertension in ovariectomised female Wistar rats caused by administration of estrogen (15 mcg and 60 mcg per day for 1 month) is mediated by estrogen receptors type alpha- and beta-.

[Chronic administration of estradiol to ovariectomized female Wistar rats causes development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension].

We have studied the role of female sex hormone estradiol in the development of hypoxic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Previously, it was shown that the development of pulmonary hypertension in Wistar female rats is accompanied by a twofold increase in the estradiol level. Ovariectomy reduces the degree of pulmonary hypertension in these animals. In this work, the effect of various chronic doses of exogenous estradiol (5 and 15 microg/kg per day) on the development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in Wistar female rats has been studied. Pulmonary hypertension was induced by exposure to hypobaric hypoxia (10 h a day for 2 weeks) at simulated altitude of 5000 m (O2 concentration reduced to 10%). The administration of estradiol in different doses (5 and 15 microg/kg per day) for 21 day initiated the development of pulmonary hypertension in ovariectomized Wistar female rats.

[Coenzyme Q10 single intravenous infusion protects rat myocardium against subsequent ischemia/reperfusion].

Cardioprotective effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) injected intravenously 30 min before coronary artery occlusion were assessed on the model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion in Wistar rats. Rats treated with CoQ10 after 30 min of ischemia and 120 min of reperfusion exhibited smaller (by 35%, p < 0.01) size of irreversibly damaged myocardium, shorter duration and decreased number of arrhythmias during reperfusion, and increased content of myocardial CoQ10 (by 210%, p < 0.01) as compared to saline-treated rats. Increased CoQ10 levels in myocardium were accompanied by smaller size of damaged myocardium (r = -0.77, p = 0.0002). Thus, there is evidence of the cardioprotective effect of CoQ10 injected intravenously before myocardial ischemia/reperfusion.