Browsing by Author "Castro, Ana Rita"
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- Antioxidant markers and cardiovascular risk factors in Azorean subjects with coronary artery diseasePublication . Ferin, Rita; Gomes, Carla; Castro, Ana Rita; Martins, Dinis; Santos, Víctor; Santos, Maria Cristina; Lopes, Paula Alexandra; Baptista, José; Viegas-Crespo, Ana Maria; Pavão, Maria LeonorTo evaluate some blood antioxidant parameters in azorean subjects with coronary artery disease (CAD) previously submitted to percutaneous revascularization (PCI), by considering some cardiovascular risk factors.
- Blood antioxidant markers and elemental levels in Azorean patients with coronary artery disease: a preliminary studyPublication . Ferin, Rita; Napoleão, Patrícia; Gomes, Carla; Castro, Ana Rita; Lopes, Paula Alexandra; Martins, Dinis; Santos, Maria Cristina; Viegas-Crespo, Ana Maria; Pinheiro, Teresa; Pavão, Maria LeonorAtherosclerosis (ATH) and related vascular diseases are the first cause of morbidity and mortality in Portugal, including the Azores’ Archipelago. The oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL) is considered to be an important event in the development of the disease. Accordingly, by preventing LDL oxidation, antioxidants can possibly reduce the risk or the progression of ATH. Essential trace elements as Cu, Se, Zn, and Fe are involved in endogenous antioxidant systems, mainly as cofactors of antioxidant enzymes. Other elements, like K and Ca, might play a role in atherogenesis while implicated in physiological and metabolic processes which are known to be disturbed in ATH. The aimof the present study was to evaluate some blood antioxidant markers and blood elemental levels in 20 Azorean subjects (ten men and ten women, aged 40 to 65 years) with coronary artery disease previously submitted to percutaneous revascularization (PCI). The whole blood gluthatione peroxidase (Se-GPx) and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activities were measured, as well as serum vitamin E levels (by HPLC). The concentrations of K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Se in plasma and blood cells were determined by PIXE. Results were analyzed by taking into account several cardiovascular risk factors, namely, gender, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) concentration. Se-GPx activity and vitamin E levels were significantly lower (24 and 15%, respectively) in the PCI group than in controls. In blood cells, significantly differences in Ca (19±5 vs 24±6 μg/mL) and Zn (14±1 vs 12±2 μg/mL) levels were observed in PCI women (but not in men) compared to the respective counterparts. Also in PCI women, both serum triglyceride and plasma tHcy concentrations were above reference values and higher than in men. Results suggest a decreased antioxidant status in PCI patients. In particular, women appear to be less protected than men, as reflected in some cardiovascular risk factors.
- Serum atherogenic lipid markers in subjects from three islands of The Azores Archipelago (Portugal): a comparison studyPublication . Ferin, Rita; Correia, Cristina; Raposo, Mafalda; Castro, Ana Rita; Reis, C.; Vieira, T.; Gonçalves, Bruno; Pavão, Maria LeonorSão Miguel (SM), Graciosa (GR) and São Jorge (SJ) are three islands of the Azores’ Archipelago, where the death rate from coronary artery disease is abouttwice than in mainland Portugal. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare serum atherogenic lipid markers as reflected by lipid profile, as well as by apoB/apoA-1 ratio in apparently healthy subjects from those islands. The study group was formed by 321 subjects with no chronic diseases, aged 20 to 60 years, born living in the respective island (156 from SM, 92 from GR and 73 from SJ). In all cases, about 64% of subjects were hyperlipidemic, mainly hypercholesterolemic. LDL-C and HDL-C concentrations were respectively, lower and higher in SM than in SJ or GR. ApoB concentration was 40% and 17% higher in SJ than in SM and GR, respectively, while apoA-1 reached the maximum in SM (178±38 mg/dL). Regarding apoB/apoA-1 ratio, taken as a better atherogenic marker then conventional lipid profile, subjects from GR exhibited the highest mean value (0.85±0.4), followed by those from SJ (0.75±0.3) and SM (0.58±0.2). Particularly in men from GR and SJ, ratios were 1.0 and 0.9, respectively, which corresponds to a high risk of developing a cardiovascular incident.
- Value of off-season fresh Camellia sinensis leaves. Antiradical activity, total phenolics content and catechin profilesPublication . Baptista, José; Lima, Elisabete; Paiva, Lisete S.; Castro, Ana Rita“Normal-season” (bud plus first two leaves processed as commercial tea between Apr–Sep), “unused” (remaining leaves collected in Sep and Apr) and “off-season” (all leaves collected between Sep-Apr) green tea leaves samples from Camellia sinensis were extracted by water infusion followed by solvent–solvent partition to recover catechins, that were separated and quantified by HPLC methods. Total catechins content ranged between 23.72 and 73.61 mg/g of the dry weight (DW) leaves for the off-season samples and was 97.51, 115.12 and 184.62 mg/g DW for Apr, Sep and normal-season samples, respectively. The free radical scavenging activity of the off-season samples ranged between 45 and 80%, 79-90% and 90-92% for the 25, 50 and 100 ppm concentrations, respectively, after 20-min reaction time. The other samples presented values of 87%, 91% and 94% (Sep), 88%, 92% and 93% (Apr) and 89%, 93% and 95% (normal-season), using the same conditions. Total phenolics content ranged between 43.21 and 139.02 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g DW for the off-season samples and was 182.23, 216.05 and 221.32 mg of GAE/g DW for Apr, Sep and normal-season samples, respectively. Results revealed that the unused and off-season Azorean green tea leaves (catechins-rich waste products) have potential antiradical activity that can be used for food and cosmetics preservation.