title: Wet-cupping removes oxidants and decreases oxidative stress.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Wet-cupping therapy is one of the oldest known medical techniques. Although it is widely used in various conditions such as acute\chronic inflammation, infectious diseases, and immune system disorders, its mechanism of action is not fully known. In this study, we investigated the oxidative status as the first step to elucidate possible mechanisms of action of wet cupping.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wet cupping therapy is implemented to 31 healthy volunteers. Venous blood samples and Wet cupping blood samples were taken concurrently. Serum nitricoxide, malondialdehyde levels and activity of superoxide dismutase and myeloperoxidase were measured spectrophotometrically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wet cupping blood had higher activity of myeloperoxidase, lower activity of superoxide dismutase, higher levels of malondialdehyde and nitricoxide compared to the venous blood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wet cupping removes oxidants and decreases oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Turgut Ozal University, Medical Faculty, Department of Anatomy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suleyman Murat
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tagil
authors.affiliation: Turgut Ozal University, Medical Faculty, Department of Biochemistry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Huseyin Tugrul
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.affiliation: Turgut Ozal University, Medical Faculty, Department of Biochemistry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sefa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ciftci
authors.affiliation: Turgut Ozal University, Medical Faculty, Department of Biochemistry, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: fnur.hkazanci@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fatmanur Hacievliyagil
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Kazanci
authors.affiliation: Turgut Ozal University, School of Nursing, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muzeyyen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, College of Education, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nazan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erdamar
authors.affiliation: Turgut Ozal University, Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yunus
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kesik
authors.affiliation: Turgut Ozal University, Medical Faculty, Department of Biochemistry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Husamettin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erdamar
authors.affiliation: Turgut Ozal University, Medical Faculty, Department of Physiology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Senol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001815:Bloodletting / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D016877:Oxidants / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016877:Oxidants; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Antioxidant; Malondialdehyde; Superoxide dismutase; Wet-cupping