Influence of oak wood polyphenols on cysteine, homocysteine and glutathione total levels and PON1 activities in human adult volunteers - a pilot study

Gen Physiol Biophys. 2015 Jan;34(1):73-80. doi: 10.4149/gpb_2014029. Epub 2014 Nov 4.

Abstract

Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between antioxidants and pro-oxidants. Many diseases like atherosclerosis or heart failure are involved in oxidative stress. Increased oxidative stress is one of the potential contributing factors to aging. The aim of this study was to monitor the total thiol levels as markers of oxidative stress in 20 healthy volunteers after polyphenols intake (extract from the French oak wood Quercus robur - Robuvit® (300 mg/day)). Polyphenols are known as biomodulators with antioxidant activities. Homocysteine, cysteine and glutathione total levels were determined by using HPLC with electrochemical detection. The activity of the antioxidant enzyme paraoxonase-1 toward two substrates was determined by spectrophotometry. The level of thiol compounds and paraoxonase-1 activities were controlled after run-in (week 0), intervention (week 4) and washout (week 6) period. After the intervention period the results showed that Robuvit® had no significant influence on glutathione level (p = 0.382) and paraoxonase activities towards both, arylester and lactone substrates. On the other hand, homocysteine and cysteine levels decreased significantly (p = 0.029; p < 0.001, respectively). The negative correlation between paraoxonase lactonase activity and homocysteine level was noticed. This confirms that paraoxonase might play an important role in homocysteine-thiolactone metabolism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Aryldialkylphosphatase / metabolism*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Cysteine / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Glutathione / metabolism*
  • Homocysteine / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Hydrolyzable Tannins / pharmacology
  • Lactones / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Pilot Projects
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Polyphenols / pharmacology*
  • Quercus / chemistry*
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / metabolism
  • Wood / chemistry*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Hydrolyzable Tannins
  • Lactones
  • Plant Extracts
  • Polyphenols
  • Robuvit
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • Homocysteine
  • Aryldialkylphosphatase
  • PON1 protein, human
  • Glutathione
  • Cysteine