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Biomedical subjects

Ewa Florek

Publications and source records attributed to Ewa Florek.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

[Experimental assessment of exposure to the tobacco smoke and its effect on superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities].

Activities of two antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined in plasma of rats exposed to tobacco smoke (500, 1000 and 1500 mg CO/m3 air in 5 days) and to 1000 mg CO/m3 in 1, 2 and 3 weeks. When compared to controls, the SOD activity was decreased in the exposed animals, the lowest smoke dose gave the most pronounced effect and the highest dose revealed the least diminution. GPx activity was statistically higher in the rats inhaled with the highest smoke dose. Time of exposure did not effect GPx but SOD raised in correlation to week number, although it did not reach control values over the experiment period. The observed alterations in plasma probably mirror the organ adaptation to oxidative stress in animals exposed to tobacco smoke.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

[Tobacco smoke effects the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant status in pregnant and non-pregnant animals].

Total antioxidant status was measured as the reduction of the ABTS radical cation as well as the activities of SOD and GPx in female rats exposed and non-exposed to the cigarette smoke, pregnant and non-pregnant. The assessment was done in lungs, plasma, kidneys, liver and placenta of Wistar rats exposed to the cigarette smoke (1500 mg CO/m3 air) for 21 days. Total antioxidant status was significantly elevated in lungs and plasma of smoke-exposed animals, pregnant and non-pregnant, when compared to the matched controls. In other examined tissues antioxidant capacity was diminished in all tested groups of animals. Activities of SOD and GPx were markedly decreased in tissues of all examined animals. Exposition to the cigarette smoke, despite some changes due to the adaptation to stress, diminishes the antioxidant capacities of the body and in the pregnant animals it may effect the pregnancy outcome.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

[Determination of cadmium in urine of tobacco smoking pregnant women].

Tobacco smoke contain few thousands of chemical compounds, among them heavy metals. From toxicological point of view most important are lead, cadmium and radioactive polonium 210. The aim of the study was determination of cadmium in urine of tobacco smoking pregnant woman and checking if there is a correlation between the concentration of cadmium and cotinine, the most frequently used tobacco smoke biomarker. The study showed that concentration of cotinine in urine of smoking women was 702.5 +/- 1131.4 ng/mg creatinine and ranged from 50 to more than 6000 ng/mg creatinine. Cadmium concentration in smokers was 1.6 +/- 2.6 ng/ml and ranged from 0 to 11.5 ng/ml. In urine of woman who do not smoke and are not exposure to ETS was 1.1 +/- 2.2 ng/ml in the range 0-2.5 ng/ml and was not statistically different from concentration of cadmium in urine of smoking pregnant woman. In any one non-smoking woman, concentration of cadmium was not higher than 5 ng/ml, but in 11.8% of smoking women this level was exceeded. Calculations showed a weak correlation between concentration of cadmium and cotinine in urine of smoking pregnant women.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed2004

[Nicotine replacement therapy--method for smoking cessation].

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) play a major role in pharmacotherapy of nicotine dependence. Currently various nicotine formulations are sold as over-the-counter (OTC) products in several European countries. The effectiveness and safety of nicotine formulation was proved in many countries in population studies. The most often used NRT products are nicotine chewing gum and Nicotine transdermal patch.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed2003

Localisation of exogenous surfactants in cell membranes in the air-blood barrier: rat model.

The use of exogenous surfactants has been introduced into the therapy of patients of different ages. Much better results have been obtained in the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome with surfactants enriched with surfactant proteins. In the following study we used protein-containing surfactants (survanta and curosurf). The aim of the following study was to determine the localisation of artificial surfactants in the lung tissue. Using the Immunogold Technique, biotinylated surfactant proteins were traced in the air-blood barriers. In all lungs the exogenous surfactant was present only in some alveoli. In these parts small areas of atelectasis as well as oedema and transudate accumulation were seen. These changes were less severe after biotinylated curosurf treatment. In electron microscope studies we found surfactant elements in the air-blood barrier and other structures of the alveolar septa. Immunogold studies confirm the presence of biotynylated surfactant in the elements of the air-blood barrier.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

[The exposure to tobacco smoking].

The exposition to tobacco smoke is overall: in home, work and public places. For the examination of the presence and concentration of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in indoor environments the nicotine and respirable suspended particulates (RSP) are determined. A variety of biomarkers (nicotine, cotinine, thiocyanate, carboxyhemoglobin, protein and DNA adducts) are propose for measurement of exposure to tobacco smoke. The most popular is measurement of cotinine concentration in body fluids (blood, urine, saliva). Plasma cotinine concentration correlated to numbers of cigarettes smoked and to various biological effects of cigarette smoking and exposure to ETS. Other biomarkers as carboxyhemoglobin, thiocyanate, and amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adduct can be also use.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed2002

Effect of exogenous pulmonary surfactant preparations on the structure of pulmonary alveoli in newborn rats.

Treatment of pre-term newborns with exogenous surfactant preparation is a well established part of the therapy for respiratory distress syndrome of the newborns (RDS). Since the introduction of surfactant into clinical practice in 1980, hundreds of studies have been published describing beneficial effects of such treatment. There is only limited number of morphological publications reporting adverse effects of surfactant administration. The aim of the present study is to describe morphological changes in the lung after surfactant administration to healthy newborn rats. Two types of surfactant were used: Exosurf (Glaxo Wellcome, England) and Survanta (Abbott Laboratories, USA). Surfactant preparation were given intratracheally in single dose (bolus) (100 mg of lipids per kg b.w.). Animals from control group received 0.9% saline in equivalent volume. Lung specimens were taken 15, 20, 25 and 30 minutes after drug administration and evaluated by light and electron microscopy. There was no damage in lungs from the control group. Tissue specimens from the Exosurf group revealed severe pathological changes: foci of atelectasis, frank edema in the parenchyma, focal disruption of air-blood barrier, hemorrhages in many alveoli, surfactant particles in many alveolar capillaries, and strongly activated alveolar macrophages. In this group changes appeared as early as 15 min after surfactant administration and intensity of lung injury increased with time. Also, Survanta administration caused damage to the lung tissue. However, the changes were less intense and appeared later (20-25 minutes after Survanta treatment). In conclusion, the presented morphological findings proved that exogenous surfactant administration to healthy rat newborns caused lung damage. Comparing two different surfactant preparation, Exosurf and Survanta, it was shown that the former one produced stronger and faster damage to lung alveoli than the latter one.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

[Pro- and antioxidant system activity in cervical mucosa].

The aim of the study was to evaluate the activity of the pro- and antioxidant systems in cervical mucus of healthy women and women with pathological of disorders cervical. After cervical mucus liquefaction, the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and xanthine oxidase was determined by means of chemiluminescence assays. The activity of the antioxidant system in cervical mucus of healthy women was higher as compared to the group with pathological cervical disorders. Moreover, in mucus samples obtained from women with dysplasia, the significantly heightened activity of xanthine oxidase (strong pro-oxidant) was observed. The antioxidant system present in cervical mucus may protect both the cells of the uterine cervix and the viable sperm.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Simultaneous determination of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry.

Buprenorphine is a strong narcotic analgesic. It is also used in the substitution therapy for opium alkaloid addicts. The aim of this paper was to develop and validate a highly sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine in human serum. The developed methodology was then applied to real clinical cases in a clinical toxicology setting. Extraction of analytes has been done using solid-phase extraction. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a LiChroCART column with a Purospher RP-18e cartridge, and for detection an LCQ mass spectrometer with an ion trap analyzer was used. Quantitation of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine was performed in a single ion monitoring mode (m/z 468 buprenorphine, m/z 414 for norbuprenorphine) in order to increase the sensitivity of the method. The standard curves for both compounds were linear over the range of 0.2-10 ng/mL (r2 > 0.995). The quantitation limit was 0.2 ng/mL for both analytes. The method was used for quantitation of both buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine in the serum of 15 patients undergoing the buprenorphine substitution therapy. Serum concentrations ranged between 0.36 and 4.60 ng/mL for buprenorphine and 0.21 and 2.50 ng/mL for norbuprenorphine, with buprenorphine single dosages from 0.8 to 6.0 mg.

Buprenorphine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between the level and time of exposure to tobacco smoke and urine nicotine and cotinine concentration.

The study attempts to evaluate whether it is possible to determine time and level of exposure of rats to tobacco smoke based on nicotine and cotinine content in urine. The animals were exposed to tobacco smoke by inhalation in a specially designed experimental chambers. The exposure to three different tobacco smoke levels (500, 1000 and 1500 mg CO/m3 of air) lasted 6 h per day, for one, three and five days. Nicotine and cotinine concentrations were measured in daily urine using high performance liquid chromatography procedure developed by the authors. It has been shown that cotinine but not nicotine can be used as a biomarker of time and extent of exposure to tobacco smoke.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reduced potency of zinc to interact with NMDA receptors in hippocampal tissue of suicide victims.

Zinc is involved in both psychopathology and treatment of depression. Since a considerable percentage of suicide victims had suffered from depression, we hypothesized that alteration in zinc homeostasis might occur in their brain tissue. We now report that zinc content is not altered in the hippocampal or cortical tissue of suicide victims (n = 10) compared to age-matched controls (n = 10). However, there is a statistically significant 26% decrease in the potency (increase in the IC(50) value) of zinc to inhibit [(3)H]MK-801 binding to NMDA receptors in the hippocampal but not cortical tissue of suicide subjects. The data represent the first demonstration that the alteration in zinc interaction with NMDA receptors may be involved in psychopathology underlying suicidal attempts.

Binding Sites↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of rutin on total antioxidant status of rats exposed to cigarette smoke.

Exposure to tobacco smoke impairs the antioxidant defense mechanisms. In female Wistar rats fed on regular rodent chow and supplemented with a flavonoids rutin, Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) was measured as an ABTS-radical cation reduction power in plasma, lungs, liver, brain and kidneys. Exposure to smoke reduced the TEAC values in the liver, brain and kidneys and enhanced antioxidant potential in lungs in comparison to control animals. In plasma no change of TEAC value was observed. Supplementation with rutin increased antioxidant status of plasma, but TEAC was reduced in kidneys, brain and liver of smoke-exposed animals when compared to the matched controls. In lung no change in TEAC was found. The results suggest a complex pattern of influence of tobacco smoke on blood and tissue antioxidant mechanisms. The enrichment of diet with non-nutrient antioxidant rutin did not result in direct improvement of tissue TEAC with the exception of blood plasma.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antepartum/postpartum depressive symptoms and serum zinc and magnesium levels.

In the present study, we investigated the relationship between depressive symptoms and serum zinc and magnesium level in antepartum and postpartum women. All women received standard vitamin, zinc and magnesium supplementation. Sixty-six pregnant women in the Czerwiakowski Hospital in Kraków were assessed for prepartum depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Sixty-two and fifty-eight women were also assessed for postpartum depressive symptoms (using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Rating Scale, EPDRS) at 3 and 30 days after delivery, respectively. Serum zinc and magnesium levels were also determined at these time points, however, the number of examined subjects were diminished. A significantly higher EPDRS score (by 45%), indicating severity of depressive symptoms, was found on the 3rd day after childbirth compared with the 30th postpartum day. Moreover, the early post-delivery period (3rd day) was characterized by a 24% lower serum zinc concentration than that found on the 30th day after childbirth. BDI scores assessed a month before childbirth revealed mild depressive symptoms, which was accompanied by a serum zinc concentration similar to that found on the 3rd day after delivery. No significant alterations were found in the magnesium levels between these time points. The present results demonstrated a relationship between severity of depressive symptoms and decreased serum zinc (but not magnesium) concentration in a very specific type of affective disorder, the postpartum depression.

Adult↗