METHODS: Tai Chi participants and matched sedentary volunteers age 45 and above were enrolled. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities; levels of DNA damage using the comet assay; and malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced glycation end products (AGE) were determined at 0, 6, and 12 months.
RESULTS: Tai Chi subjects had decreased normal and increased mildly damaged DNA with elevated GPx activity after 6 months (n=25). Plasma MDA and AGE concentrations decreased significantly after 12 months (n=15) accompanied by increased SOD activity. This may be attributed to the hormesis effect, whereby mild induction of oxidative stress at the first 6 months of exercise resulted in stimulation of antioxidant defenses. These parameters were unchanged in the sedentary subjects in the first 6 months (n=27) except for elevated SOD activity. After 12 months, the sedentary subjects (n=17) had decreased normal DNA and increased severely damaged DNA with unaltered MDA and AGE levels while SOD and GPx activities were significantly elevated.
CONCLUSION: Regular Tai Chi exercise stimulated endogenous antioxidant enzymes and reduced oxidative damage markers.
AIM: The current study was designed to understand the time-relative changes and relationship between erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of SHI patients in the 21-day posttraumatic study period.
SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The study included 24 SHI patients and 25 age- and sex-matched normal controls (NC). Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were assayed in these patients and controls. The GCS scores of these patients were also recorded for the comparative study.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Venous blood samples were collected on day 7 (D7) and D21 from SHI patients and NC for the assay of SOD, GR and GSH-Px activities. These changes were correlated with age and changes in GCS scores of patients.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean values of each parameter between group 1 (NC), group 2 (D7 changes in SHI patients) and group 3 (D21 changes in SHI patients). ANOVA was followed by Bonferroni post hoc tests. The Pearson correlation was applied to correlate between the antioxidant parameters and age and GCS scores of these patients.
RESULTS: A significant increase in erythrocyte SOD and GSH-Px activities was observed in group 3 as compared to groups 1 and 2. The increase in GSH-Px activity was significant in group 2 as compared to group 1. Although not significant, there was an increase in mean GR activity in groups 2 and 3 as compared to group 1.
CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that SHI patients have shown significantly enhanced erythrocyte SOD and GSH-Px activities during the 21-day posttraumatic study period.