Glyphosate as a Food Contaminant: Main Sources, Detection Levels, and Implications for Human and Public Health.

Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum pesticide that has become the most widely used herbicide globally. However, concerns have risen regarding its potential health impacts due to food contamination. Studies have detected glyphosate in human blood and urine samples, indicating human exposure and its persistence in the organism. A growing body of literature has reported the health risks concerning glyphosate exposure, suggesting that the daily intake of contaminated food and water poses a public health concern. Furthermore, countries with high glyphosate usage and lenient regulations regarding food and water contamination may face more severe consequences. In this context, in this review, we examined the literature regarding food contamination by glyphosate, discussed its detection methods, and highlighted its risks to human health.

Metabolic syndrome and the decreased levels of uric acid by leflunomide favor redox imbalance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Oxidative stress plays a role in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of the present study was to verify the influence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs on nitrosative and oxidative biomarkers in patients with RA. A total of 177 patients with RA and 150 healthy volunteers participated in this study, which measured lipid hydroperoxides, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), nitric oxide metabolites (NOx), carbonyl protein, total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP), uric acid (UA), and C-reactive protein (CRP). NOx and the NOx/TRAP ratio were significantly increased in RA, while no significant differences in lipid hydroperoxides, AOPP, UA, and TRAP levels were found between both groups. Treatment with leflunomide was associated with increased levels of carbonyl protein, and lowered levels in TRAP and UA, while the NOx/TRAP ratio further increased. NOx and the NOx/TRAP ratio were significantly higher in women than in men, while TRAP and UA were significantly lower in women. MetS was accompanied by increased AOPP and UA levels. RA was best predicted by increased NOx/TRAP ratio, CRP, and BMI. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that NOx and NOx/TRAP are strongly associated with RA physiopathology. Our findings suggest that inhibition of iNOS may become an interesting therapeutic approach for the treatment of RA. In addition, the presence of MetS and a decrease in levels of UA by leflunomide favor redox imbalance in RA patients. More studies are needed to evaluate the impact of antioxidant capacity reduction on RA progression.