Oxidative stress in patients with scalp seborrheic dermatitis.

Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a common, chronic inflammatory skin disease that mainly affects the scalp. The objective of this study was to evaluate the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in scraping samples of patients with scalp SD. Thirty consecutive patients with a diagnosis of scalp SD and thirty-one healthy volunteers were enrolled. The samples were obtained by scraping the skin surface of the scalp. SOD and CAT activities and MDA levels were measured in scraping samples by spectrophotometric method. SOD and CAT activities and MDA levels were significantly higher in patients than in controls (p<0.001 all). There was a positive correlation between the severity of the disease and itching scores (contingency coefficient = 0.671, p<0.001). Except for this correlation, there was no significant correlation among age, sex, duration and severity of the disease, itching scores, antioxidant enzymes and MDA levels in the patient group (p>0.05). Cutaneous oxidative stress in patients with SD may play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Further clinical and laboratory evaluation of the oxidant/antioxidant system in patients with SD is warranted.

Protective effects of erythropoietin and N-acetylcysteine on methotrexate-induced lung injury in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Methotrexate (MTX) is known to have deleterious side effects on lung tissue. We aimed to investigate the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) and N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) on MTX-induced lung injury in rats. STUDY DESIGN: Animal experiment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-six female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups. Sham group, 0.3 mL saline; MTX group, 5 mg/kg MTX; EPO group, 5mg/kg MTX and 2000 IU/kg EPO; NAC group, 5 mg/kg MTX and 200 mg/kg NAC were administered once daily for 4 consecutive days. Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and inflammation and congestion scores in lung tissues were evaluated. RESULTS: In MTX group MDA were significantly higher, CAT and SOD were significantly lower than in sham, EPO and NAC groups (p<0.005). In EPO group MDA, CAT, and SOD were higher, but not significant than those in group NAC (p>0.005). In group MTX both scores were significantly higher than in sham (p<0.005). The congestion score of group MTX was significantly higher than those of group EPO and NAC (p<0.005). CONCLUSION: EPO and NAC have significant preventive effects on MTX-induced lung injury in rats. Decreased antioxidant capacity and increased MDA level may cause the oxidative damage in MTX group. Also, higher antioxidant capacity and lower MDA level may be a response to oxidative stress in EPO and NAC groups.