The implications of free radicals and lipid peroxidation in diabetes


Abstract Title: The implications of free radicals and lipid peroxidation in diabetes
Authors: Avram Cecilia Roberta, Burlacu Ramona, Talpes Sorin
Affiliation: Departament of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dental Medicine, “Vasile Goldis” Western University of Arad
Abstract text: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a feared scourge of our century, is a metabolic disease with multiple biochemical alterations. Many experimental studies demonstrate the biocatalysts action and the role of plasmatic oligo-minerals that we meet in living organisms, such as zinc, is considered today one of oligo-elements with major metabolic role. Zinc enters the constitution of a large number of metallo-enzymes: carbonic anhydrase, dehydrogenase (malic, alcohol, lactic acid and glutamic acid), carboxypeptidase (pancreatic A and B), alkaline phosphatase and others. Many other enzymes are activated by zinc with the cofactor role of these enzymatic systems: arginase, phytase, timidinkinase, a series of peptidase, isomerase, aldolaze. Thus zinc interferes with intermediary metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins (involved in the synthesis of RNA and DNA, protein-rich in sulfur), zinc is essential for maintaining the structure and functions biomembranes. The implications of free radicals in cell life are the source of the notion “oxidative stress”. “Oxidative stress” can be defined as a set of intra and extra cellular conditions that lead to overloading with various aggressive forms of oxygen, responsible for the oxidation of unsaturated lipids (lipoperoxidation) from membrane structure and circulating lipoproteins. Intracellular oxidative stress leads to a more or less marked disruption of the cell, which can be catastrophic when acting on the neuron. In biochemical practice, oxidative stress intensity is measured by the plasma lipoperoxidation level.
Keywords: diabetes, lipoperoxidation, zinc, oxidative stress
Presentation type: Oral
Correspondence: no. 1 Feleacului St., Arad, Romania
Email: avramcici02@yahoo.com