Heavy metal pollution is a global public health challenge due to its stable and persistent environmental contamination. Of these lead is considered to be one of the most common ubiquitous and industrial pollutants and at low concentration it exerts extensive damages to the tissues. Daily feeding of lead acetate solution (Dose: 10 mg/kg/day) to normal rats for a month adversely altered the parameters of blood, serum and tissues, viz; RBC, WBC, Hb, ɗ- ALAD (Delta amino levulinic acid dehydratase), Pb content, lipids, oxidized lipids (TBARS), vitamins C and E and GSH levels and activities of AST, ALT and antioxidant enzymes viz; catalase, GR, Gpx and SOD. In order to study whether antioxidants have any effect to counteract the toxicity of lead we have selected comparatively better active allium fractions for the study viz: polar fraction of garlic (PFG) and polar fraction of onion (PFO). On feeding of these active fractions of garlic and onion oils i.e. their polar fractions and vitamin E (Dose 100 mg/kg/day) separately for a month along with or without lead acetate to rats each nutraceutical and vitamin E counteracted the adverse effects of Pb significantly (p ≤ 0.05). Their effects are in the order of PFG > PFO > Vitamin E. All these results point out that garlic and onion oils contain natural disulfoxide compounds which act as antioxidant and anti toxic to lead compounds. Their comparative differences in action may be due to the presence and position of double bonds and disulfide oxide bonds in their molecules. i.e., in PFG the allyl disulfide oxide group is present and in PFO saturated methyl and propyl groups and unsaturated propenyl group are present in place of allyl groups. The former group confers a better antioxidant activity on PFG, while the latter groups confer a lesser activity on PFO.

Nutraceuticals are nutritional medicines which are present in edible food items. Most of them are antioxidants with various other biological properties viz, anti inflammatory, anti atherogenic, anticancer, anti viral, anti aging properties etc. They are as simple as minerals like Se2+ to complex organic molecules such as glycyrrhizin (Ca2+, K+ salts of glycyrrhizic acid). They can prevent as well as cure various diseases. Most of the medical people are not aware of the importance of the nutraceuticals as such matters are not part of their text books. Many still think that vitamins are the major nutritional medicines. Actually other dietary principles like terpenes, carotenes, phytosterols, polyphenols, flavanoids, di and poly sulphides, their sulfoxides and their precursor amino acids are necessary to scavenge free radicals in the body which are reactive oxygen species to protect and maintain the vitamin levels in the body. They down regulate the activities of those enzymes which are increased in diseases and they increase those that remove oxidants and detoxify carcinogens. They are immune boosters too. Recently glucosinolates, non toxic alkaloids, certain proteins and even fiber are included in the list of nutraceuticals.

Extensive research has demonstrated the protective properties of antioxidants, which scavenge reactive oxygen species and their precursors, as well as up-regulate enzymes involved in the repair of cellular damage. Several case-control studies have showed higher blood levels of antioxidants and decreased oxidative stress in younger individuals when compared with older ones. Cell damage caused by free radicals appears to be a major contributor in aging and degenerative diseases of aging such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, compromised immune system, rheumatoid arthritis and brain dysfunction. The objective of this study was to determine the variation of Circulating levels of selected antioxidants (enzymic and non enzymic) and oxidative stress marker in younger and older humans. The results showed that a majority of the younger age group participants showed a significant increase in enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidant status and a decrease in oxidative stress when compared with the older age group.

Recently, an increase of global incidence has been observed for various types of cancers.Diet, lifestyle and environmental factors have an evident correlation to the development of breast cancer.Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related death in women.Several studies also revealed that excessive free radical generation and decreased antioxidant status had been implicated in cancer.These factors rekindled our interest upon the interaction of free radicals and antioxidants and hence the present study was undertaken to evaluate the significance of non enzymic antioxidants: glutathione, albumin and ascorbic acid levels in breast cancer patients.The study population was divided into 3 groups as follows: Group I control subjects (age group 21 -60), Group II: breast cancer Patients (age group 21 -35) and Group III breast cancer patients (age group 36 -60).Highly statistically significant increases in glutathione, albumin and ascorbic acid levels were observed in Group I as compared to other groups.No significant differences in glutathione, albumin and ascorbic acid levels were observed in a group comparison between Group II and Group III.This relative decline of non enzymic antioxidants in breast cancer patients may be due to an increased generation of reactive oxygen species or free radicals.The results obtained emphasize the need of more detailed study involving a large number of newly detected cancers for evaluating the role of these antioxidant parameters in the prevention of cancer.

Back ground & objectives Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death in the developed and developing countries like India. It is associated with elevated lipid levels in the blood. Treatment of hyperlipidemia is one of the major approaches towards decelerating the atherogenic process. The objective of the study was to evaluate the antiatherogenic and cardioprotective effects of flavanoids from Pomegranate(Punica Granatum)) in experimental rats. Method Atherogenesis and myocardial infarction were induced by administration of Isoprenaline (90mg/kg, i.p. Once for 5 days). The degree of protection were determined by measuring levels of serum and cardiac TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C, cardiac CK-MB, LDH, GSH, SOD and CAT levels. The histopathological changes in the heart and in vivo antioxidant activities were also studied. Results Atherosclerosis was evidenced by elevated levels of serum and cardiac TG, TC, LDL-C and VLDL-C. Atherogenic model rats also have lowered levels of cardiac, CK-MB, LDH and elevated serum level of LDH and CK-MB. Flavanoids pre-treatment (150mg/Kg, p.o. for 45 days) significantly reduced the hyperlipidemia, and increases the lowered levels of cardiac CK-MB, LDH, decreases the elevated serum levels of LDH and CK-MB,and reversed the histopathological changes of heart. Flavanoids also lowered elevated MDA level and increases the level of antioxidant

This review article on the beneficial uses of Allium antioxidants tries to give some answers to the recent doubts raised by Singh et al. (Ind J Clin Biochem 25(3):225–243, 2010) against the claim of some researchers that Antioxidants (AOs) are miraculous molecules. Many people still believe that vitamins like A, C and E are the only true AOs that play important role in the corrections of metabolic derangements in life style diseases and hence all their faults are attributed to the failures of AOs as a class. This is quite unfair as there are many other natural AOs that do equal or even better AO action than the vitamins. Such is the case with the Allium S-alkyl sulfoxide aminoacids and their breakdown products viz, the various poly sulfides and their oxides e.g. allicin and ajoene type compounds which trap electrons mainly. It is true that antioxidant vitamins and β-carotene a precursor of Vitamin A bring about problems as prooxidant or as agents that block some metabolic pathways and gene expression. Again the argument that AOs cannot improve the level of antioxidant enzymes like SOD, catalase and glutathione Px is also not universal. Actually allium AOs can even spare the use of antioxidant vitamins in the body and enhance the action of antioxidant enzymes and supply of ATP and other nutrients to the tissues as the former are good vasodialators and promoters of membrane permeability. The use of AOs should be selective and moderate. Allium AOs satisfy the role of ideal AOs based on many of their invivo and invitro actions reported by the author and others. Their metabolits can regenerate them and recycle them for a sufficient time in the body. They have non antioxidant effects also such as antiplatelet, fibrinolytic, antiinflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiageing actions etc. Plant derived AOs may be more beneficial and better tolerated in their partially purified forms rather than in their absolutely purified forms as the accompanying principles have some protective and regulatory effects in general. This and other aspects of allium AOs are discussed in the paper.

Daily feeding of drinking water containing lead acetate (160 mg/l) or 10% alcohol by volume or a combination of both to rats for a month produced certain deleterious effects through oxidative stress. Both heavy metal lead and alcohol are capable of doing such damages. The deleterious alterations observed were in the parameters of blood, serum and tissues, viz; Hb, Pb, proteins, lipids, lipid per oxidation, Vitamins C and E levels and enzyme activities of AST, ALT, and catalase. Simultaneous feeding of either of the two antioxidants garlic oil (GO) and vitamin E at equal doses of 100 mg/kg/day, to the rats counteracted the deleterious effects of the above two chemicals significantly. The maximum damage was brought about by feeding of drinking water containing both lead acetate and alcohol. The protective effects of GO and Vitamin E were not significantly different. The mechanism of actions of the Vitamin E and GO is probably due to their efficiency as detoxifying agents and antioxidants, to scavenging free radicals as well as an independent action of GO on the removal of lead salt as lead sulfide.

In the present study the efficacies of therapy with insulin, sulphonylurea or insulin + metformin on NIDDM patients are compared. One group which was on a definite dose of insulin therapy, but with uncontrolled diabetes was treated by doubling the insulin dose, a second group whose diabetes was not controlled by glibenclamide was switched over to another sulphonylurea viz; glimepiride and a third group whose diabetes was not controlled by insulin therapy was switched over to a combination therapy with insulin +metformin. After recording their initial blood parameters all the groups were treated as above for 3 months, and the parameters were again determined. The fasting blood sugar and serum lipids of the first group were controlled significantly, but the values were far above normal range. However HDL Cholesterol and atherogenic index were near normal range. In glimepiride treated group, none of the parameters showed any amelioration. In the combined therapy group, control of blood sugar and atherogenic index was more or less the same as for group 1, but hyperlipidemia remained slightly above that of the same. From the findings we can infer that in long term diabetes treatment higher doses of insulin and combined therapy with insulin and metformin may be more beneficial than with low doses of insulin or sulfonyl urea alone.

Rats fed with alcohol (18%) at 3.76 g/day for 45 days showed significant reduction in body weight, glutathione (GSH) content and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in liver. Lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) in plasma, levels of HDL cholesterol in serum, hepatic bile acid production and fecal excretion of neutral sterols also showed significant reduction. Simultaneous feeding of garlic protein (GP) or soy protein (SP) (500 mg/kg body weight/day for 45 days) to alcohol fed groups increased each of above parameters significantly towards normal values. Increase in GSH content and catalase activity in liver, was significantly higher for SP treated group than for GP treated group. However, increase in plasma LCAT was significantly higher for GP treated group than for SP treated group. Alcohol fed rats showed significant increase in liver weight, serum and tissue cholesterol, serum triacylglycerol (TAG), phospholipids (PL) and free fatty acid (FFA) levels and activity of HMGCoA reductase in liver and intestine. Lipid peroxidation, glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) in liver and incorporation of labeled acetate into liver cholesterol also showed significant increase. GP and SP treated rats showed decrease in these values towards normal. GP feeding showed a better effect than SP in lowering serum and heart total cholesterol, and in maintaining GPx at near normal level, while SP feeding showed a better effect in lowering serum FFA level and maintaining GR activity at near normal level. In suppressing incorporation of labeled acetate into serum cholesterol, GP feeding showed a better effect than SP. Antiatherogenic and antiperoxidative effects of these proteins may be due to lower lysine/arginine ratio.

A study was undertaken for evaluating the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of an ayurvedic medicine "Rajanyamalakadi" containing Curcuma longa, Emblica officinalis and Salacia oblonga in type II diabetic patients over a period of 3 months. Ethical committee consent for the study was given by the Director, Indian Systems of Medicine, Kerala. A total of 43 patients with established diabetes mellitus as adjudged from clinical features and FBS values, appeared for the camp (Age group 35-75 yrs). An informed consent for the study was obtained from each patient. The clinical proforma was given to each patient to collect data such as height, weight, diet pattern, previous history of illness etc. The ongoing antidiabetic medications were stopped under medical supervision and the patients were provided with 'Rajanyamalakadi' tablets (dose 1-2 tablets each weighing 500mg). The dosage of the drug was decided by the supervising medical officer on a case to case basis, taking note of the clinical conditions and responsiveness of the patients. The patients were monitored for three months, who were divided into 6 groups based on their age and again into two groups, 5 & 6, based on their mean FBS values. ie; Normal Persons, Diabetics of age groups 35-45yrs, 46-55yrs, >55yrs and those with FBS < 145.9 mg% and > 145.9 mg%. The Ayurvedic medicine "Rajanyamalakadi" has showed significant antidiabetic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects. In addition to that significant ameliorating effects on the elevated serum AST and ALT activities were also demonstrated by the treatment. The nutraceuticals present in the drug like Terpenoids, Polyphenols, Curcumin etc are responsible for the medicinal effects.

The feeding of coconut oil (CNO) at a level of 20% in terms of energy to normal rats for a month increased significantly blood sugar and lipids and protein content and lipid peroxidation in tissues (viz. Heart, liver and kidney) and enhanced the activities of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase in serum. Oral administration of garlic oil (100 mg/kg body wt) or cake (5% by weight in the diet) to CNO fed groups as above ameliorated the deranged parameters significantly. The results suggest that garlic oil and cake contain certain active principles that counteract the deleterious effects of CNO. Garlic oil is a better therapeutic agent than its oil free cake. This may be due to the high quantity of biologically active organosulphur compounds present in the former than that in the latter. However the cake can be used by those who do not like the odor of the oil.

A comparative study on two groups of newly diagnosed nonobese and obese NIDDM patients who were 15 in each group and treated by diet cum exercise and metfromin monotherapy respectively and a third group of 15 obese NIDDM patients whose hyperglycemia was not first controlled by a combination therapy of metformin and sulfonylurea and therefore changed over to a different combination therapy of metformin and ploglitazone, was carried out before and after a period of three months treatment. The mild hyperglycemia in the 1st group and the moderate or severe hyperglycemia with accompanied disorders of serum enzymes such as AST, ALT, GGT and the level of HBA10 observed with 2nd and 3rd groups of obese NIDDM patients were significantly ameliorated by the respective mode of treatments. Here the efficacies of the three types of treatment are substantiated and further it specifically depicts the success with the choice of combination therapy with metformin and pioglitazone in the third group of obese diabetics.

A comparative study on two groups of newly diagnosed nonobese and obese NIDDM patients who were 15 in each group and treated by diet cum exercise and metfromin monotherapy respectively and a third group of 15 obese NIDDM patients whose hyperglycemia was not first controlled by a combination therapy of metformin and sulfonylurea and therefore changed over to a different combination therapy of metformin and pioglitazone, was carried out before and after a period of three months treatment. The mild hyperglycemia in the I-st group and the moderate or severe hyperglycemia with accompanied disorders of serum enzymes such as AST, ALT, GGT and the level of HBA(1c) observed with 2(nd) and 3(rd) groups of obese NIDDM patients were significantly ameliorated by the respective mode of treatments. Here the efficacies of the three types of treatment are substantiated and further it specifically depicts the success with the choice of combination therapy with metformin and pioglitazone in the third group of obese diabetics.

The lipid lowering action of S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide (SMCS) isolated from Allium cepa Linn (family: Liliaceae) was investigated in Sprague–Dawley rats fed on 1% cholesterol diet, in comparison to the hypolipidemic drug gugulipid. Administration of SMCS at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight for 45 days ameliorated the hyperlipidemic condition. The lipid profile in serum and tissues showed that concentrations of cholesterol, triglyceride and phospholipids were significantly reduced when compared to their untreated counterparts. The total lipoprotein lipase activity in the adipose tissue was decreased with also a decrease in the free fatty acid levels in serum and tissues. The activities of the lipogenic enzymes glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme as also of HMG CoA reductase in the tissues remained low on treatment indicating that both the drugs did not favor lipogenesis and cholesterogenesis in the hyperlipidemic animals. The fecal excretion of bile acids and sterols was further increased upon treatment with the drugs. The results are directive to that both gugulipid and SMCS cause reduction of endogenous lipogenesis, increase catabolism of lipids and subsequent excretion of metabolic by-products through the intestinal tract. However, gugulipid is a better drug than SMCS at a low dose of 50 mg/kg body weight.

Feeding a diet containing 20% of sesame oil (SO) or coconut oil (CNO) along with 2% cholesterol to rats for two months showed differences in their serum and tissue lipid profile and certain enzyme activities. Hyperlipidemia and related oxidative effects were more pronounced in coconut oil fed rats than those fed sesame oil. Feeding a combination of the oils (10% CNO +10% SO) lowered significantly the hyperlipidemia and certain other deleterious effects of CNO. Feeding a polar fraction of garlic oil (PFGO) prepared in the same way as for ajoene and administered at a dosage of 100 mg/kg along with each of the above oil containing diets counteracted significantly the hyperlipidemic, oxidant and also most of the other deleterious effects of the oils like raised lipid levels in serum and tissues, raised serum levels of AST and tissue levels of HMGCoA reductase and the lowered serum and tissue levels of glutathione reductase. The results support the claims that ajoene, the major polar compound of garlic oil, has very good biological action, which warrants further study.

Carbon tetrachloride feeding (3.2g/kg/72hr) for one month increased significantly the serum and tissue lipid profile and deranged the enzyme levels viz; alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, glutathionze reductase, HMGCoA reductase, catalase, gluc.6.PDH and malic enzyme in rats. Simultaneously the lipid peroxidation level in liver was also raised. On administration of garlic oil and its major nonpolar fraction (NPFGO) and a flavonoid isolated from the bark of Ficus bengalensis Linn, viz; leucopelargonin derivative respectively to different groups(100mg/kg/day) the deleterious effects of CCl4 were significantly ameliorated. The liver damage by CCl4 was satisfactorily prevented by these samples as effectively as Vit. E (50 mg/kg/day). The results prove that important nutraceuticals (phytonutrients) like bioflavonoids and theols i.e. allylic sulphide rich fractions give protection from toxins like CCl4. The order of beneficial effects of the drugs are Leucopelargonin > NPFGO > Garlic oil and their effects are comparable to that of vitamin E used at a minimal dose.

One month treatment of alloxan diabetic dogs with a glycoside, viz. leucopelargonin derivative (100 mg/kg/day) isolated from the bark of F. bengalensis decreased fasting blood sugar and glycosylated haemoglobin by 34% and 28% respectively. Body weight was maintained in both the treated groups while the same was decreased significantly by 10% in the control group. In cholesterol diet fed rats, as the atherogenic index and the hepatic bile acid level and the faecal excretion of bile acids and neutral sterols increased, the HMGCoA reductase and lipogenic enzyme activities in liver and lipoprotien lipase activity in heart and adipose tissue and plasma LCAT activity and the incorporation of labelled acetate into free and ester cholesterol in liver decreased significantly. On treatment with the two ficus flavonoids, viz. leucopelargonin and leucocyanin derivatives and another flavonoid quercetin (100 mg/kg/day) the above said effects except on bile acids and sterols and lipogenic enzymes were significantly reversed in the cholesterol fed rats. However in the treated rats the hepatic level of bile acids and the faecal excretion of bile acids and neutral sterols still further increased and the action of lipogenic enzyme glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase was still further decreased. These effects of leucopelargonidin and quercetin were better than that of the second. Toxicity studies are required to be carried out to find out if the ficus flavonoids could be used as health promoters as they are hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant in action.

Feeding of 2% cholesterol diet increased lipid parameters in serum and tissues of rats during a period of one month. In addition to the above, lipid peroxidation also increased and activities of certain enzymes were significantly altered in the tissues. Similar changes were also observed to a greater extent with diets containing 40% by weight of coconut kernel or groundnut with and without 2% cholesterol. The enzymes studied were HMGCoA reductase, AST, ALT and ALP in tissues and serum as the case may be. In general the atherogenic effects were observed more with groundnut containing diets than those with coconut. Even though the oil from the former is mostly unsaturated and that from the latter is mostly saturated, these analytical criteria do not relate to their atherogenic effects. When 5% garlic was incorporated with any of the high fat diets, the lipid parameters, their peroxidation and alterations in enzyme activities were significantly decreased. These results show that garlic contains some principles that counteract the atherogenicity of the above oil seeds.

Three months feeding of butter fat (BUF) and beef (BF) separately as components of diet at a level of 21% by weight for albino rats, significantly raised their serum and tissue lipids, lipid peroxidation and activities of certain enzymes. BUF was found to be more atherogenic than BF. On incorporation of 5% garlic, amla or onion separately in the above diets, each of them ameliorated the deleterious effects of the animal fats. A higher hyperlipidemic effect of BUF as compared to that of BF may be due to the fact that the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fats is lower for the former (0.56) than for the latter (0.75) and also that the former is richer in cholesterol content than the latter. The order of the curative effects of the vegetables are garlic>amla>onion. The better hypolipidemic effects and correction of elevated levels of certain enzymes shown by garlic and amla may be due to the facts that they contain comparatively better active principles than that found in onions.