The effect of fasting on the parameters of the antioxidant defence system in the blood of vegetarian human subjects.

Objectives: Although the evidence is strong that fasting has anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing actions, the mechanisms responsible for these phenomena are still unclear. An ameliorated antioxidative defence with fasting may be the cause of such effects. The objective of the present work was to determine the influence of fasting on antioxidant systems in healthy young vegetarian humans.

Decreased SOD activity and increased nitrates level in rat heart with left ventricular hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol.

Left ventricular hypertrophy is considered a risk for cardiac failure. In an attempt to understand the molecular basis of antioxidant changes during ventricular hypertrophy, we have used isoproterenol treated rats. Our studies showed that administration of high doses of isoproterenol induced oxidative and nitrosative stress, expressed as decreased level of thiols (SH), decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and increased nitrates level in the rat heart.

The influence of age on the thermal transition of serum albumine in rats.

Serum albumine from rats at different ages (1, 3, 9, 18 months) undergoes a thermal reversible denaturation in the range of 40-53 degrees C. Thermal transitions of unbuffered solution of native protein show a significant change of pH as they became heat denaturated. The protein molecule has been analysed in melting studies, manifested by cooperative dissociation of protons and it experiences a decrease in temperature transition with the younger the rats.