Parameters of oxidative stress in saliva from diabetic and parenteral drug addict patients.
BACKGROUND
Oxidative stress constitutes the basis for many diseases and it may account for the severity of systemic and oral disease complications. The aim of this study was to assess whether saliva may be used to detect the body's oxidative stress level.


METHODS
Oxidative stress was determined in saliva from 14 diabetic patients and 10 heroin addicts; two different pathologic conditions related to free radical damage, and 21 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reductase (GRd) activities, and glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels were analyzed in the saliva of all individuals. Other variables including salivary volume and the oral status were also analyzed.


RESULTS
Diabetic patients had GPx and GRd activities of 39.98 +/- 1.61 and 6.19 +/- 0.61 nmol/min/mg prot, respectively. These values were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those obtained in control saliva (27.51 +/- 0.86 and 3.44 +/- 0.25 nmol/min/mg prot, respectively). Drug addicts showed significantly (P < 0.001) lower salivary GPx and GRd activities than controls. Both group of patients had significantly lower levels of GSH and higher of GSSG than controls (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in the antioxidant enzymes and glutathione levels in saliva from two different pathologic situations as those here studied suggest that this biologic fluid may be suitable for determining the prognosis and evolution of these diseases and its oral manifestations.
Arana
Carlos
C
Departamento de Fisiología, Instituto de Biotecnología, and Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain. carana@ugr.es
Cutando
Antonio
A
Ferrera
María José
MJ
Gómez-Moreno
Gerardo
G
Worf
Cecilia Vander
CV
Bolaños
Manuel Jorge
MJ
Escames
Germaine
G
Acuña-Castroviejo
Darío
D
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide / Q000032:analysis; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000032:analysis; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000032:analysis; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D005978:Glutathione; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide