Browsing by Author "Leighton, F"

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    A comparison of methods employed to evaluate antioxidant capabilities.
    (2000) Perez, DD; Leighton, F; Aspee, A; Aliaga, C; Lissi, E
    Three different methodologies frequently employed to evaluate the indexes that report the antioxidant capabilities of pure compounds and/or complex mixtures of antioxidants are applied to a series of mono- and polyphenols, as well as to two wine (red and white) samples. These methodologies are based on the bleaching of a stable radical, the effect of the additive upon luminol chemiluminescence induced by peroxyl radicals, and the effect of the additive upon the bleaching of the fluorescence from a dye molecule. Widely different responses are obtained from the different methodologies. These differences are interpreted in terms of the different factors (stoichiometric factors and/or reactivities) that determines the indexes evaluated by these different methodologies.
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    A high-fat diet induces and red wine counteracts endothelial dysfunction in human volunteers
    (2000) Cuevas, AM; Guasch, V; Castillo, O; Irribarra, V; Mizon, C; San Martin, A; Strobel, P; Perez, D; Germain, AM; Leighton, F
    Endothelial dysfunction is associated with atherogenesis and oxidative stress in humans. In rat and rabbit blood vessels, wine polyphenol antioxidants induce vascular relaxation in vitro through the NO-cCMP pathway. To assess the effect of a regular high-fat diet (HFD) and moderate red wine consumption on endothelial function (EF), a study was performed in healthy male volunteers. EF was measured as flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery, employing high-resolution ultrasound after an overnight fast. Other clinical and biochemical parameters related to EF were also measured. Six volunteers received a control diet, rich in fruits and vegetables (27% calories as fat) and five volunteers received an HFD (39.5% calories as fat). Measurements were done twice on each volunteer: after a period of 30 d with diet plus 240 mt of red wine/d, and after a period of 30 d with diet, without wine. In the absence of wine, there is a reduction of EF with HFD when compared to the control diet (P = 0.014). This loss of EF is not seen when both diets are supplemented with wine for 30 d (P = 0.001). Plasma levels of n-3 fatty acids (R-2 = 0.232, P = 0.023) and lycopene (R-2 = 0.223, P = 0.020) show a positive correlation with individual EF measurements, but they do not account for the significant differences observed among dietary groups or after wine supplementation. These results help elucidate the deleterious effect of a high-fat diet and the protective role of wine, n-3 fatty acids and dietary antioxidants in cardiovascular disease.
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    Cardiovascular risk factors in vegetarians: Normalization of hyperhomocysteinemia with vitamin B-12 and reduction of platelet aggregation with n-3 fatty acids
    (PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, 2000) Mezzano, D; Kosiel, K; Martinez, C; Cuevas, A; Panes, O; Aranda, E; Strobel, P; Perez, DD; Pereira, J; Rozowski, J; Leighton, F
    Hyperhomocysteinemia in association with vitamin B-12 deficiency, and increased platelet aggregation, probably due to dietary lack of n-3 fatty acids, constitute cardiovascular risk factors frequently observed in vegetarians. We tested if administration of vitamin B-12 normalizes the concentration of total plasma homocysteine, and if intake of eicosapentaenoic (20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic (22:6n-3) fatty acids modulates platelet function in a population of lactoovovegetarians. One week after a single intramuscular injection of cyanocobalamin (10000 mug) in 18 individuals, serum vitamin B-12 increased from 149+/-63 pg/mL to 532+/-204 pg/mL (p<0.0001) and total tHcy dropped from 12.4+/-4.7 to 7.9+/-3.1 mol/L (p<0.0001). Ten of fourteen of these vegetarians completed an 8-week supplementation with 700 mg/day of each eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. Increased incorporation of these fatty acids into plasma lipids was observed in all of them, together with a significant reduction in maximum percentage or slope of platelet aggregation with all the agonists tested (ADP, epinephrin, collagen, arachidonic acid). No significant change in bleeding time was observed after n-3 fatty acid trial. Supplementation with vitamin B-12 and n-3 fatty acids corrects hyperhomocysteinemia and reduces platelet reactivity to agonists in vegetarians. Whether this supplementation improves the already reduced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with vegetarian diet has yet to be demonstrated. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
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    Inflammation, not hyperhomocysteinemia, is related to oxidative stress and hemostatic and endothelial dysfunction in uremia
    (BLACKWELL SCIENCE INC, 2001) Mezzano, D; Pais, EO; Aranda, E; Panes, O; Downey, P; Ortiz, M; Tagle, R; Gonzalez, F; Quiroga, T; Caceres, MS; Leighton, F; Pereira, J
    Background. Several cardiovascular risk factors are present in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), among which are systemic inflammation and hyperhomocysteinemia. Increased oxidative stress, endothelial activation/dysfunction, and coagulation activation are considered integral components of the inflammatory response, but have also been proposed as mediators of plasma homocysteine (tHcy)-induced cell damage. Using correlation analysis, we assessed the relative contributions of inflammation and hyperhomocysteinemia in the abnormal oxidative stress, endothelial activation/dysfunction, and hemostasis activation in patients with CRF.
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    Juice and phenolic fractions of the berry Aristotelia chilensis inhibit LDL oxidation in vitro and protect human endothelial cells against oxidative stress
    (2002) Miranda-Rottmann, S; Aspillaga, AA; Pérez, DD; Vasquez, L; Martinez, ALF; Leighton, F
    Oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles is a key event in the development of atherosclerosis. Oxidized LDL induces oxidative stress and modifies gene expression in endothelial cells. Berries constitute a rich dietary source of phenolic antioxidants. We found that the endemic Chilean berry Aristotelia chilensis (ach) has higher phenol content and scores better for total radical-trapping potential and total antioxidant reactivity in in vitro antioxidant capacity tests, when compared to different commercial berries. The juice of ach is also effective in inhibiting copper-induced LDL oxidation. In human endothelial cell cultures, the addition of ach juice significantly protects from hydrogen peroxide-induced intracellular oxidative stress and is dose-dependent. The aqueous, anthocyanin-rich fraction of ach juice accounts for most of ach's antioxidant properties. These results show that ach is a rich source of phenolics with high antioxidant capacity and suggest that it may have antiatherogenic properties.
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    Study of the iron catechin complexes in dimethyl sulphoxide. Redox chemistry and interaction with superoxide radical anion in this medium.
    (2001) Bodini, ME; Del Valle, MA; Tapia, R; Leighton, F; Gonzalez, L
    The redox chemistry of catechin (catH(2)) and its iron complexes has been studied in dimethyl sulphoxide. In the absence of base a one-to-one iron (II)-catechin complex is formed which exhibits oxidation processes at 0.28, 0.66, and 0.92 V vs SCE. These processes correspond to the oxidation of Fe(II) to Fe(III), the formation of the quinonic form of the catechol moiety and the oxidation of another hydroxy group to a radical. In the presence of base a stable 1:1 complex is formed with oxidation processes that show up at +0.25, +0.64, and +0.88 V vs SCE. The voltammetric and spectroscopic characterization of the species produced after the oxidation processes is described. Upon interaction of the complex with superoxide radical anion in dimethyl sulphoxide, the basic character of this radical anion causes the formation of the monoanion of catechin leading to a more stable complex of iron(II). The protonated superoxide disproportionates to molecular oxygen and peroxide, causing the oxidation of the metal ion. The addition of a second equivalent of superoxide oxidizes bound catechin to the corresponding semiquinone. The formation of hydroxy radicals through Fenton chemistry does not take place because peroxide is consumed and the metal ion remains as a stable iron(III) complex.
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    Vegetarians and cardiovascular risk factors
    (1999) Mezzano, D; Muñoz, X; Martínez, C; Cuevas, A; Panes, O; Aranda, E; Guasch, V; Strobel, P; Muñoz, B; Rodríguez, S; Pereira, J; Leighton, F
    We studied hemostatic and inflammatory cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), and total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) in 26 vegetarians (23 lacto- or ovolactovegetarians and 3 vegans), matched by age, sex and socioeconomic status with omnivorous controls. Vegetarians had significantly lower proportion of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids in plasma lipids, significantly shortened bleeding time, and increased blood platelet count and in vitro platelet function (aggregation and secretion). Plasma levels of all coagulation or fibrinolytic factors and natural inhibitors synthesized in the liver were lowa in vegetarians than in controls. Whereas for some factors this decrease was statistically significant (fibrinogen, factor VIIc, antithrombin III, protein S, plasminogen) for the remaining (factors VIIIc, Vc, prothrombin, protein C) a trend in the same direction was found. For hemostatic proteins of predominantly extrahepatic origin (von Willebrand factor, tPA, PAI-1) this tendency was not present. No significant differences in inflammatory proteins (C-reactive protein and al-protease inhibitor) were detected in both groups. tHcy was significantly increased in vegetarians, and correlated only with cobalamin levels. The increased platelet function and tHcy found in vegetarians may counteract the known cardiovascular health benefits of vegetarian diet (VD).